Basket of Book Reviews

I told you I was reading a lot again. My daughter convinced me to go to the library with her a couple of times. And I discovered the discarded book sale.

Our library is awesome, but it's a little hard to just browse unless you're looking for really popular or brand-new books. The branches are pretty small and only have a limited selection of books on the shelves. But you can go online and find anything you want from any branch and request it. They will contact you when it's at your local branch waiting for you to pick it up. Really nice, if you know what you want.

So here's what I found to read:

Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard

Not my usual type of book, but my daughter had read it a few months earlier and I sort of starting reading it then. It's a YA post-apocalyptic dystopian, similar to Hunger Games. Very dark, very violent, very depressing in a lot of ways, but so beautifully written I couldn't stop reading.

Betrayal, power games, blood feuds, mystic powers, revolution—this book has all that, plus love triangles, people trying to escape their destiny, and a main character who gets railroaded into most of the plot. She's a pawn with no real power. She makes very few decisions and the ones she does make all go wrong. She mostly goes where she's pushed and does what she's told, even when she's inwardly rebelling.

The book is told in first-person present tense, which usually bothers me, but Aveyard's writing is so flowing that I didn't care.

4 stars for beautiful writing, PG-13+ for violence and just being really really dark.

The Man Who Fell From the Sky
Margaret Coel

This is a murder mystery similar to Tony Hillerman's Navajo series. The plot and story are as much about Wild West history, ala Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Indian culture, mostly Arapaho with a little Shoshone thrown in, as it is about a murder.

I've read a couple other books by the author and enjoyed them. This one didn't disappoint. Not entirely my cup of tea, but still an interesting read.

3 solid stars, PG because it is a murder mystery but it was nice to not run into profanity or graphic violence or graphic sex scenes that seem to fill most other non-cozy mysteries I've tried to read.

Bad Unicorn
Platte F. Clark

Yeah, it's a middle-grade fantasy story aimed at boys. It's silly. It has several fart jokes and at least one poop joke. But it's also really fun to read. Killer unicorn named Princess who likes to eat people? Oh, yeah. Grumpy dwarf who owns a comic book/game store? Check. Clueless boy who is the only living heir of a great wizard who also happens to be the only one who can read the super-magical book? Yep. Two sidekicks, male and female, who exist mostly to be comic relief (boy) and actually competent at anything (girl)? That, too. So except for the unicorn, everything else is pretty standard middle-grade quest fiction.

But the book also involves time travel and squirrels and so what if some of it is pretty standard tropes? It's a lot of fun to read.

4 stars, G mostly. Not super violent and stays pretty light in tone, so unless you get very offended at fart jokes, it's pretty tame.

Basket of Book Reviews

I feel like I keep stalling out on my writing, but at least I'm reading again. I've got a pile of books waiting on my nightstand and a whole lot more on my Kindle, if I can ever pry it away from my daughter. Here are the ones I've read recently:

Hammer of Thor
S. Evan Townsend

I admit I know the author and that's why I bought his books. They also intrigued me. This is the first in an alternate history/reality series. The world is pretty much the way it is now, except some people are adepts who use magical talismans to cast spells. They have their own government and hidden histories that intersect with the normal world and shadow a lot of happenings. Some of history's heroes were actually adepts. Other figures, like Thor, are actual demigods. Overall, the adepts keep pretty much to themselves, fighting each other and trying to stay under the radar of the normal world.

This book takes place from the 1930s through the 1950s. It reads in many ways more like a memoir than a work of fiction. The plot meanders, takes unexpected detours, and doesn't mesh together tightly. Some plot threads are introduced, become very important for a chapter or two, then just disappear and never get resolved. Just like real life. But I liked the main character, Kader, enough to care what happened to him. It kept me reading.

Don't let the cover fool you, Hammer of Thor was a fun read even if the memoir style plotting and storytelling bothered me somewhat. The historical details were a fun touch. Having Hitler hunting for talismans and powerful artifacts smacked of Indiana Jones, but in a good way.

I give it a solid three and a half stars and a PG for mild violence.

Agent of Artifice
S. Evan Townsend

The sequel to Thor's Hammer was a lot of fun to read. Same universe, different characters, years later, 1950s through 1970s. This time, it's an adept who's been burned by his Guild and turned into a pariah. Everyone wants a piece of him. He just wants to get back to his gambling playboy lifestyle in Cuba. And find the girl of his dreams. The government wants to enlist him in the CIA, to get an adept in their ranks so they can figure out how to control the Guilds.

I liked this one better than Thor's Hammer, although I didn't like the main character as much. He was a little too self-centered for my taste. But he gets what he deserves and grows into a much more likable man by the end. Plus the story has giant fire-breathing pterodactyls attacking the Space Needle in Seattle.

This one gets four stars and a PG for violence.

Shrouded
Frances Pauli

If you read this blog much, you know I love Frances Pauli's stories. She's done it again with a science fiction setting that still manages to be about magic and finding true love. She creates a very believable universe with alien cultures and races that feel real enough that I almost expect to run into them at the grocery store.

Dolfan is one of the Shrouded (from a world named Shroud for the thick atmosphere it has, a world which I found very intriguing to the point I want to write fanfic about it now). They are isolationist to the extreme, except every child born on the planet is male. So they import brides. A ceremony at their Heartstone, a giant crystal, helps them find their heartmate. It's like a giant matchmaker and speed dating all rolled together, except that description made it seem tawdry and stupid and it's anything but that in the story. I'm not doing it justice here. Anyway, Dolfan wants his bride, but he's also a Prince along with eleven other Shrouded men. The first to find his bride will also become King, so it gets complicated.

Vashia wants to escape her father's plans for her future. He's the ruling despot of a planet that deals in slaves, brothels, drugs, and every other vice and nasty thing ever invented. Vashia's dad wants to marry her off to his second in command, Jarn, to cement his loyalty. Jarn is a slime ball. Vashia jumps at the only escape she can find—becoming a bride on Shroud. It's a one-way ticket and she's not sure she's made the right choice.

And then things get complicated.

I give Shrouded a full five-stars with a PG for mild swearing and a few fistfights.

Seen
Frances Pauli

The sequel to Shrouded picks up pretty much where Shrouded left off with more of the Princes and their stories. And adds in even more wonderful aliens and sigh-worthy romances and forbidden loves.

Another full five-stars and PG for less swearing but more fistfights.

Book Reviews - Andre Norton Classics

I've been re-reading my collection of Andre Norton sci-fi (this link takes you to a full bibliography). If you have never read Andre Norton's books, you are missing out. She wrote classic science fiction, time travel, fantasy, cross-worlds stories, adventures, historical fiction, YA, and pretty much everything in between. I discovered her books when I was in sixth grade and I've been a huge fan ever since. Here's my take on the two I read most recently.

Quag Keep, 1978
This was not one of Andre Norton's better stories. It's a novel based on one session of Dungeons and Dragons back in 1976, according to the foreword Norton wrote for the book. The whole story felt contrived and forced to me. It also wasn't one of her books that sucked me in and kept me up until 3 am turning just one more page. So unless you are a big D and D historian, this one is probably one to skip. If you are into D and D history, this blog makes some interesting points about the game and the book.

My rating - 3 stars mostly for bleh plot and characters. It was okay, but nothing wonderful.

The Sioux Spaceman, 1960
Again, not one of Norton's better stories but still entertaining. In this book, Earth has had quite a few nuclear wars that have wiped out almost all white people. The main character for this book is a Native American from the Sioux tribe. This flavors a lot of the book. I found it to be the most intriguing aspect of the story, which is basically humans reach the stars only to find an alien race is more powerful and has enslaved most of the other aliens they've encountered. Our intrepid Sioux warrior makes contact with the natives and concocts a plan to overthrow their alien masters. It was a fun diversion but the tropes which would have been fresh back when this was written are pretty much overdone these days and pretty stale. Norton did have some interesting twists on the idea, though. This one is worth a read if you can find it.

My rating - four stars.

Uncharted Stars, 1969
This is a sequel to The Zero Stone and, in my opinion, it's better than the first book. Murdoc Jern, a pretty useless person with a load of personal baggage, inherits a weird gem in the first book, one that a lot of people are willing to kill for. Strange things happen, and Murdoc ends up stranded in space with a mutant alien named Eet. Things happen and they end up rescued and things mostly sorted out by the end of book one. Book two, Uncharted Stars, opens with Murdoc and Eet on a quest to find the source of the Zero Stones, the weird gem from book one.

The story takes some interesting twists and turns and has plenty of action and adventure. I would have enjoyed it more except the character of Eet really gets under my skin. He's an overbearing arrogant bossy little animal that I really wanted to strangle more than once, but Murdoc dutifully does whatever he's ordered to do. In many ways, Murdoc is the stupid teenager who can't think for himself and when he tries, he screws things up horribly. Eet treats Murdoc as a servant, a lesser being. Eet also has his own agenda that he won't share.

I can't give this one a complete thumbs up mostly because the characters are mainly unlikeable and the relationship dynamics are really messed up. It does hold together and makes sense within the society Norton has created for these books, though. The books are worth reading at least once mostly because the range of planets and ideas hidden within the mediocre storyline are incredible.

My rating - four stars.

I have a lot more Norton to read still. She was very prolific. Many of her books hold up well, despite being written forty or fifty years ago. It also gives me hope to see she wrote some brilliant stories in a huge array of imaginative settings, but she also cranked out some plodding stinkers, too.

Book Review Time!

Fiction this time. Because I went to RadCon and couldn't resist picking up a few new books I've been eyeing for a while. And then read because I really really really really needed a break from the non-fiction research books and articles.

Blame the Bearer by Frances Pauli

Book 4 in the Kingdoms Gone series, but don't let it fool you. Each book mostly stands on its own. This one gives us the story of Vane, chosen by the castle of prophecy to be the Bearer of the ring and sent to fetch the Heir. Only there are three heirs and only one can sit on the throne.

I'll insert my disclaimer here. Frances Pauli is a good friend and she gave me the book. We met over blog posts for our first books. She writes fun stories and lots of them. Blame the Bearer is another fun yarn with unexpected twists and turns. Her Kingdoms Gone world is rich with old magic that only exists in pockets, gangs rampaging through the villages and towns, goodmothers without the wings or magic wand but with plenty of magical meddling up their sleeves, and magical creatures like gargoyles and gobelins.

And plenty of interesting characters who aren't quite what you expect them to be. If you're looking for a different twist on medieval fantasy stories, check out the Kingdoms Gone series. This latest book is another fascinating chapter. I can't wait for the next one.

4 stars, PG for mild violence

The First Casualty by Mike Shepherd (aka Mike Moscoe)

I met Mike Shepherd a few years ago at either RadCon or SpoCon. He's a lot of fun. He writes space opera. I picked up three of his books because I've been meaning to for a while. His space opera is more military-flavored than mine, but delivers lots of action and explosions and fun characters. I'm eying the seventeen other books he has that I don't own yet. I need to save up my pennies for those.

The First Casualty was Mike's first book. The plotting is a little uneven and a few surprises happen out of nowhere, but those minor flaws are really easy to overlook. The story is just plain fun to read but with a depth to it that made me stop and think about some of the issues the characters are trying to deal with. They're in a war with supposedly clear-cut sides and issues, but as the book unfolds, those crystal-clear problems become murky and jumbled.

The book is told from two sets of main characters, one set from each side of the war. Mary, the miner conscripted into the military, was my favorite, but the others were great, too.

I really enjoyed it and don't want to spoil the surprise, so let me just say that if you like military science fiction with plenty of adventure, you'll probably love these books.

3.5 stars, PG-13 for violence, the occasional cussword, and a couple of mildly steamy scenes

The Price of Peace by Mike Shepherd

This is sort of a sequel to The First Casualty. It takes place shortly after the war ends. The main characters are minor characters from the first book. I really liked Trouble, the marine. He's not perfect, but he stands up for what he believes in no matter the price.

I loved the relationship between Trouble and Ruth, a farmer's widow. It's romance, not just lust. I enjoyed all the characters. The spaceships and explosions and fights were just frosting on the cake. I enjoyed this one even more than The First Casualty.

4 stars, PG-13 for violence, the occasional cussword, and a couple of mildly steamy scenes

I can't wait to dive into Mike Shepherd's first Kris Longknife book: Mutineer. It's calling my name, but so are my academic projects and papers. And my own books. Reading these books has made me want to dive into writing my own stories again. I forgot how much fun books like these can be, both to write and to read.

Book Review Time

No fiction this time. I've been buried in non-fiction research. Most of the books and articles are dry and hard to read but they have great ideas so it's worth the pain. But a few books have stood out as not only great idea sources but enjoyable reading. Here are two:

Quiet: The Power of Introverts, by Susan Cain

Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends on It, by Ian Leslie

Quiet was a revelation to me. I knew I was an introvert, but didn't really understand what that meant for me. My husband always said he was an introvert, but he has too many traits of an extrovert. Understanding who we are and why we function the way we do is crucial to building good relationships. I've really been struggling the past year with a lot of things, relationships particularly. I think I know why now. Read the book. It's an eye-opener.

Curious is for my research for my thesis. I'm dealing with trying to measure changes in curiosity for my project. It's more difficult than you'd think mostly because it is hard to measure something you struggle to even define. Curiosity is one of those weird things where everyone knows what it is, but no one can come up with a definition that everyone agrees on. It was a fun read and well worth the time.

Next up on my reading list: lots of dry dull boring papers.

Basket of Book Reviews

Here's what I've been reading lately. Just FYI, I do these reviews because I liked the book enough to read it all the way through. Nobody pays me for them, although I get free copies of books sometimes. I rarely review books by request.

Bards of Bone Plain; Patricia McKillip

I adore McKillip's writing. It's so poetic and beautiful. Her stories sometimes leave me scratching my head and saying, huh? Not this one. This is a wonderful story of a young man searching for his life's dream which is tangled up in his father's hidden past and the lost magic of the kingdom. Oh, yes, he also finds his true love.

The story just flowed for me. I loved the interwoven stories and the descriptions and characters. It's a beautiful story of friendship and family, of a young man learning to reach for what he wants, instead of what his father, mother, or teachers want.

5 stars, G rating, good for everyone.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow; Jessica Day George

I confess, I know the author. I met her years ago at a local event. I bought a couple of her books two years ago and I just now got around to reading them. I should have picked them up earlier.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is a retelling of a Scandinavian folk tale about a girl who rescues her brother/true love (depending on which version you read) from the Ice Queen/Troll Queen. Jessica tells the story in a simple way that's still very rich in detail. She starts off with the main character's backstory. She's the youngest daughter of a woodcutter with a very large family. Her mother, disappointed that she wasn't a boy, refuses to give her a name, so she is called Pika, which means girl. Magic things happen to her, like being gifted with the language of animals, that eventually lead to her being kidnapped by the Troll Princess who lives in a palace of ice in the far north. Strange things happen in the ice castle and since I don't want to spoil the surprises, I'm not going to tell you any more plot.

Go read the book. It's well worth it. It's an easy read, aimed mainly at 10-16yo girls, but I thoroughly enjoyed the tale. It's a good one for read-aloud sessions. If you enjoy fairy tales, try this one.

4.5 stars, G rating

Princess of Glass; Jessica Day George

This is the sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, which I haven't read yet. Princess of Glass can stand alone, but a lot of the story references things which happened in the previous book.

Princess of Glass is a retelling of Cinderella. I can hear you thinking, Another retelling of Cinderella? What more is there to say about this story? It's been done to death! And yet, Jessica manages to pull a very unique story out of the world she created for Princess of the Midnight Ball and tie it to the events in that story. And the evil one in this story is very creepy. I will never look at glassblowers the same way again.

Her writing style is easy to read and she spins a fun tale of magic and princesses and match-making.

4 stars, PG rating for all the flirting

Elidor; Alan Garner

This was written in 1965. My coy has a clearance sticker on the cover so I think it was a reprint I picked up at a book fair several years ago. What can I say? I'm finally catching up on my backlog of books.

This is definitely a middle-grade book, aimed at kids from 8-12 yo. It's a British book about four siblings who get transported to a magical world that is in deep peril and they are the only ones who can save it. Sound familiar? It's a very well-used trope in British MG fantasy, but remember this book was written over forty years ago back before it had been done to death.

I enjoyed the story and the magical world. The interactions of the children were believable although sometimes I wanted to smack them upside the head for squabbling and being idiots. I guess that just adds to the believability. But I have a couple of complaints. The author spends little time in Elidor. He builds on the idea but after the initial visit, they never go back. Instead, the evil keeps trying to break through to our world. But even that is given short shrift in the story. And then it just ends. Abruptly. I was left feeling like I'd been allowed a small peek into a very rich world and then had the door slammed shut. I wanted more of the world, more of the villains, more of everything except the squabbling children.

3 stars, G rating

A Little Short for an Alien; Frances Pauli

This is a collection of short stories by my friend, Frances Pauli. We met over our books and I'm still inspired by her writing. I love her stories. My biggest complaint is that this collection is too small. It's only got six stories. I want more!

If you enjoy stories about wild hair, aliens giving birth, space squids, androids, and replicator on the loose, this is for you. My favorite story, though, was the last one with enigmatic aliens and an unusual attempt to communicate with unintended consequences. I don't want to say more because I don't want to ruin your exploration of the numerous worlds and ideas that the author invents.

Frances Pauli writes with flair and passion. You can tell she loves space and aliens and all of the weird and wonderful things that might possibly happen. If I ever get a spaceship, I'm inviting her along. Mostly because she knows how to handle giant space squids.

5 stars, PG for some mild violence

Basket of Book Reviews

Here's what I've been reading lately. No, I'm not paid to do reviews. I do it because I know how much it can mean to an author to get reviews. I also only review books I enjoyed enough to finish. I recently added a Kindle to my electronic gadget family, so most of these are freebies from Amazon.

The 10% Solution, Ken Rand

This is by far, the best self-editing book I've ever read. It's a short book, but if you're looking to improve your writing, read this book. It won't teach you grammar or style. It will help you shorten what you write by eliminating passive voice, unnecessary words, extra adjectives or adverbs, and other stumbling blocks. It's a writer's best friend whether you write advertising copy or high fantasy or anything in between.

Ken Rand passed away in 2009. He was a wonderful man and writer and is greatly missed by those of us lucky enough to meet him. http://www.kenrandmediaman.com/

5 stars
G, except it might make you cry while editing, but it's a good thing. Trust me.

Unlikely (Kingdoms Gone), Frances Pauli

If you read this blog, you'll already know I'm a fan of Frances Pauli. But to be clear, I don't rave over all of her books, just most of them. This is one worth raving over.

If you like fantasy with elves and fairies and the sidhe and magic and all that jazz, but you're tired of Tolkien-esque worlds and stories, try this book. Satina, a goodwife, is on the run. She's trying to find somewhere she will fit in, somewhere where her magic won't turn her into a target of either the magic-hating humans or the magic-seeking gangs. What she'd really love is to be part of the Old Kingdoms where magic ruled. But all that is left are the pockets, pieces of the Old Kingdoms accessible by those with the right gifts of magic and sight.

I enjoyed the story. The settings were evocative and rich with hinted culture and stories yet to be told. The use of magic was balanced and believable. The characters were well-developed and some took surprising turns. I'm happy to say that book two is on its way and promises to be every bit as fun as Unlikely.

4.5 stars, PG for mild violence

The Catalyst (Targon Tales), Chris Reher

I have a basic, bottom-end Kindle. When I go browsing on it for new books, I don't get much of a cover view. I didn't realize this book was science fiction romance until I was well into it. Not that it's a bad thing, I don't mind a bit of romance in with my rocket ships and galactic empires. If I'd seen the cover, I would have known exactly what I was in for.

The Catalyst is a great tale of a space marine tangled up with the good-looking and good-at-heart bad boy who isn't really a bad-boy. I enjoyed the twists of plot. I've been reading SF for many many years now and it was refreshing to see a new angle on things. Nova Whiteside is supposed to be on a routine delivery mission - get the cargo to its destination safely without letting on she's a marine. A pirate attack destroys her cargo, leaves her injected with an alien poison and on the ship of her former boyfriend, Seth (the bad boy not-quite-a-pirate character). In the course of finding a way to cure the poison, they uncover lots of deep secrets and plots to destroy a distant planet's indigenous sapients.

The book was a little rough in spots, but overall it was a fun read. That's saying something. Most of the newer SF I've tried has been downright depressing and bleak. It's nice to find a book about a future that is hopeful and progressive. I loved the author's alien squid, very unique. I did skip several paragraphs in places, mostly because I really don't want the sexual plumbing lessons. There is a little profanity in this book that I found very jarring, mostly because it wasn't necessary and felt forced. The author also seems to have an addiction to exclamation points!!!

4 stars, PG-13 for intimate sex scenes, some mild violence, and a few f-bombs

The Hero Always Wins, Robert Eaton

This was not the story I was expecting when I started it. I was rooting for Darcy, the knightly hero. I wasn't sure what to think of Arabella when she was introduced. And Brianna? This book is full of weird twists and turns and reversals that I didn't see coming.

If you're expecting the usual D&D campaign crossed with something sort of like the Shannara books, you're going to be disappointed. If you're looking for something very different but still high fantasy, this is a great read. I don't want to say too much, because I hate when people spoil the surprises for me and I don't want to spoil it for you. Just take my word that this is a fun twist on the old stereotypes.

I found a lot of typos and misused words in my version, so if that really bothers you as a reader, don't read the book. The violence got more than a little graphic at times, but not in a gory way, it felt more like a superhero battle where even though they were destroying buildings and smashing mountains, no one really got hurt. The book also has a few detailed sex scenes, but they came across almost boring, mostly because the viewpoint character was bored. Her inner dialogue was almost funny in those scenes. I'm not sure if the author was writing a comedy or not. Either way, I really enjoyed the story, although I want to strangle him for the last scene. Is there a book two or not? (It's a little bit of a teaser.)

4.5 stars, PG-13 for violence and some sex

And, of course, my Kindle.

I picked this up off a clearance table at a local store. It's the bare bones version - no back light, no color screen, no speakers, nothing fancy. It connects with wifi to my home network. But I love it. It's lightweight, easy to hold and read. The screen doesn't give me eyestrain, which gets worse every year as my poor eyes get older. Yes, I have to have a light on in the room, but it's no worse than reading a paperback. It said somewhere in the miniscule instruction book that the Kindle was designed to get out of the way of the reading experience. And it does.

I only have three complaints. One, it isn't a touch screen and if I'd been thinking, I'd have known that. I'm just too used to my iPod Touch. But the little button thingies that let you navigate are very simple and easy to figure out. Two, the instruction manual is lacking in instructions. It took some poking around on Amazon's Kindle support page and some experimenting to figure things out, but since the device really only does one thing, display books, it wasn't too hard. Transferring files from my laptop to the Kindle was the trickiest bit and even that only took me maybe fifteen minutes to figure out.

And three, it isn't waterproof. I can't take it in the tub with me, which is where I really like to lounge and read my books. But I'm sure the tub-reader can't be too far in the future.

5 stars for a great product that does exactly what it promised

Unbound, Kayla Blackstone; Adriane Ceallaigh

Kayla Blackstone wasn't always a slave. At one time she was a highly sought after Bounty Hunter. She never questioned what she carried, never cared, so long as the pay check didn't bounce. But everything changes the night the Mage Hunters come, the night her entire life is stolen.

Now she's been given a second chance, a run for her freedom. Keaton offers her a deal--she delivers a package before midnight and he'll let her go free. Unfortunately for Kayla, nothing is ever as simple as it appears.

The writing and characterization are a bit uneven, but since this is a new author, I cut her slack for it. The story is engaging and the characters intriguing. The worlds she builds are fun to explore. I'm interested to find out where book 2 will be going with the story. The author leaves enough ends hanging loose to suggest a sequel.

4 stars, PG-13 for violence

Dreamspy, Jacqueline Lichtenberg

 I "met" Jacqueline Lichtenberg through the Twitter chat, #scifichat (Fridays at 2 pm EST, they're a lot of fun, you should join us). Her comments interested me enough to track down some of her novels to read. This one is my new favorite by her.

Kyllikki, a powerful telepath, has left her family and position behind in a quest to escape from her domineering cousin and her power games. She gets caught in the politics between the Empire she's left and the government she works for when her ship is attacked. With the help of Zuchmul, a luren (think alien bat-vampire type people but not really), and Idom, human but a genius with numbers, Kyllikki rescues Elias, a bonded Dreamer. It gets complicated from here. Dreamers help telepaths keep sane and also act as spies, reporting everything they do, say, and hear through their dreams. The story becomes a desperate race to end a war, thwart Kyllikki's blood-thirsty cousin, save Zuchmul from death and worse, save the space-time continuum, and uncover the real truth behind FTL drives.

This book kept me turning pages until long after my bedtime. Isn't that enough of a recommendation? My husband picked it up as soon as I finished. He couldn't stop reading, either.

4.5 stars, PG-13 for some suggestive scenes and for using sexual desire as the propulsion for space travel, but it's handled discreetly. It's a romance, you have to expect at least some of that kind of stuff.

Compass Reach, Mark W. Tiedemann

This is another author I met through a Twitter chat. His book sounded interesting enough I tracked it down.

Fargo is a Freerider, kind of like an interstellar ship-hopping hobo. He came across as an older teenager in the first few chapters. When he's described as middle-aged later, it was a bit of a shock to me. I was expecting a YA novel. This isn't one. Fargo gets pulled into negotiations between aliens and humans. Most humans, especially those of the Pan Humana, want nothing to do with aliens. They want them banned from human worlds and restricted from trade.

I finished this book over a month ago. For some reason, not much of the story stuck with me. I just never clicked with it. If you like science fiction, give the author a try. You might love this book.

3.5 stars, PG mostly for language and some sexual situations

The Tower at Stony Wood, Patricia McKillip

I love the way Patricia McKillip writes. It's lyrical, almost like poetry. Sometimes that fails, making the story so dense and understated that it's hard to follow. Not with this story. She weaves three towers and three separate storylines into a seamless whole. Melanthos sits in a tower watching a magic mirror and embroidering what she sees. Cyan Dag, a knight, rides to rescue the true lady of Skye and queen of Yves from a magic tower. Thayne Ysse wants revenge on the king of Yves for maiming his brother and father, and conquering the North Islands. It's a tale of magic, dragons, wants, wishes, and desires.

5 stars, PG for some violence

Basket of Book Reviews

Here's what I've been reading the last few months. Enjoy!

Julie Czerneda's awesome books - Ties of Power, To Trade the Stars, (Books 2 and 3 of the Trade Pact Cycle); Reap the Wild Wind, Riders of the Storm, Rift in the Sky (Books 1, 2, and 3 of Stratification); Beholder's Eye, Changing Vision, Hidden in Sight (Books 1, 2, and 3 of the Shapeshifter series).

I'll just say, I love her books. Great stories and characters. If you've never read one of her books, you're missing out on a real treat.

All of these are 4 or 5 star books, PG for occasional violence, but no language.

Nathan Shumate's The Golden Age of Crap, 77 B-Movies from the Glory Days of VHS

I never thought I'd enjoy reading a whole book of movie reviews, especially for such horrible movies. But I did. Immensely. I laughed, sometimes so hard I cried. Shumate skewers the movies with a light-hearted touch that betrays his love of bad movies. He wants to enjoy these bizarre, low-budget, direct-to-VHS offerings. Sometimes he does and he doesn't make any apologies for liking the movies.


My favorite review is the one for Future Hunters. I was laughing so hard I had to stop reading, not once but several times. I almost died over the line: Midget Filipino cavepeople. I'm snickering just typing that.

This book is hilarious. Definitely worth reading even if you aren't a fan of B-movies.

5-stars, PG-13 for language and summaries of really bad plots.

Frances Pauli's Man on Fire

Frances Pauli revisits her universe of space mercenaries, the one she introduce in Roarke. That book was my introduction to Frances Pauli. I'm glad she's returned to the same universe in Man on Fire.

The story starts with Amanda being woken up early from stasis to meet her new commander, who is, of course, a really hot guy. This is romance, after all. He turns out to not be the guy she thought he was, which leads to some interesting conflict.

It's a short read. Don't expect a full novel. But it's still worth your time, especially if you enjoy sci-fi and romance mixed together.

4-stars, PG for romance

Book Reviews and Contests!

Who doesn't like to win free stuff? Who wouldn't want to win free books and free candy? I've got two contests coming up this week, both with some great prizes.

First up, BestsellerBound authors are hosting a giveaway. Enter to win lots of great books by some really talented indie authors. The link will go live sometime on Feb. 1 so check back for the details. http://www.quietfurybooks.com/contests.html And while you're at it, check out BestsellerBound, it's a great community of authors and readers and people interested in discussing books, writing, publishing, and all sorts of other topics. The people there are very supportive and loads of fun. I've pushed them before and I'll push them again. Of all the online groups I've joined, this community is one of the absolute best.

Second, make sure you check my blog on Thursday. I've got a fun food-centered author interview with Frances Pauli as part of her book launch blog tour for Spiders From Memory. As part of my post, I'm giving away three packages of fairy offerings and guava candy to three lucky commenters. So stop by on Thursday and make sure you comment. Frances Pauli is also collecting comments for a lucky winner on her blog tour who will win all three books.

To get you set for the book, which is the third and final book in Frances' fairy urban fantasy, I'm going to post reviews and teasers for the first two books.

A Moth in Darkness starts the series off. A Fly in Paradise continues the wild ride. Spiders from Memory is going to finish the story, or maybe not, according to the author.


The three books tell the story of Elizabeth Larson ten years after she and two friends managed to open the gates to the fairy world. This is not a happy bright little story with happy bright little Tinkerbells flitting around. These stories are dark fantasy delving into addiction and politics and all sorts of what-ifs.

The fairies are bright little creatures, true, but they invite people to join in their dance, to partake of their offerings, which to humans and elves alike is a highly addictive and hallucinogenic experience. Elizabeth Larson has been fighting her addiction for years, but it's ruined her life and her reputation.

The elves are similar to humans, but consider themselves much more refined, cultured, and just plain civilized than us brutish humans. Other fairy-tale creatures also come to vivid life in the books.

Go read the synopsis from the web pages if you want the full setup.

I thoroughly enjoyed the darkness of these stories. The characters are wonderfully imperfect. The political tangles are vast and complicated. Frances Pauli does a marvelous job of creating a world where the Seelie Court rules the fairytale races with a heavy hand, the fairies are at once innocent and devious in their temptations, and the elves are annoying, ruthless, driven, loving, and complex as humans. I can't wait to dive into book three and see how it all works out.

Go read the books. You won't be sorry.

Basket of Book Reviews

I set the goal to review every book I finished. I'm not keeping up very well. Today I've got four print books in the basket. Just FYI, I bought all of these books. And I haven't regretted a penny of it.

  The Lute and the Liar by Rie Sheridan Rose

This book saved me from several hours of plane ride boredom. I picked it up from Rie at FenCon in Dallas a couple weeks ago and started it on the plane between El Paso and Los Angeles. (I hate the way Southwest charges for direct flights between Salt Lake and Dallas. It's a lot cheaper to fly all over the place but it takes forever to get home, but that's a completely different blog post.) I had the book tucked into my carryon and pulled it out while sitting on the ground waiting for the plane to take off again. One big advantage of a print book - you can read it during take off and landing.

The Lute and the Liar is the story of Mordigan Bryre, an apprentice bard who can't stop lying. Two weeks before he is to receive his journeyman's status, he is dismissed in disgrace and meets a mysterious witch who strikes a bargain with him. If he seeks out the wizard Talthos he can gain a magical lute that will make him legendary. But if he tells a lie, he will lose his golden voice. He sets out on his quest without realizing Princess Allysian is following him, determined to declare her love and bring him home. Ultimately, Mordigan faces the choice of saving her honor and reputation or his voice and his life.

I really enjoyed this tale. It reminded me of the classic fairy tales I used to devour as a child. Rie has a deft touch with characters and settings. She creates a magical world and fantastic people and still pulls in the emotional connections. Mordigan is a lovable yet flawed character. Allysian spends most of the book sitting in prison. I would have loved to see more action from her. I also wanted the book to be longer and much more involved. I loved the setting and the characters and wanted to play with them more. The ending came too soon. Overall, this is a delightful book.

4.5 stars, G rating (although I'd recommend it for ages 10+)

Adventures by Mike Resnick

The right reverend Lucifer Jones travels across Africa pulling cons and swindles on everyone in search of a fortune. The problem is that the people he's conning are even bigger scoundrels. Reminiscent of all the campy, overblown adventure stories of the pulp magazines, this book is a rollicking good read.

I've always enjoyed pulp fiction, stories of exotic locations and great adventures. Mike Resnick serves up his version with a huge dollop of spoof. Tarzan, except by a different name, makes his appearance on more than the cover. Except he's a British lord who has inherited a big swath of jungle. He spends his time reorganizing gorilla society and government and protecting the wild. This is just one example of the kind of silliness this book excels in.

4 stars, PG for mild suggestiveness







Red Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham

R.D. Henham is a cover name for a lot of different writers. This book is written by Rebecca Shelley, a very sweet woman I've had the pleasure of knowing for several years now.

Red Dragon Codex follows the adventures of Mudd, his sister Hiera, and Drakecutter as they track down Redclaw the Destroyer, each for their own reasons. Mudd must rescue the village seeress who has been kidnapped by the dragon and her dragonman, Kirak. Drakecutter seeks revenge for his dwarf village, ravaged by the dragon in an unprovoked attack. Hiera follows to keep Mudd safe from his own vision of heroism. Each of them learns to trust and help each other, each learns that together they are stronger than alone. Kirak's story kept me intrigued the most, but I won't spoil it by doing more than hinting he's not quite what he seems.

Red Dragon Codex is an entertaining story aimed at 8-12 year-old children, but good enough to use as a family read-aloud book. I've got the Brass Dragon Codex on my shelf, also written by Rebecca Shelley, that I'm looking forward to sharing with my children along with this one.

5 stars, G rating, but with some mild violence

Full Throttle Space Tales #1: Space Pirates

It's collections like these that are changing me into a fan of anthologies. Space Pirates is loaded with great stories of space pirates. From the sublimely silly Space Pirate Cookies by C. J. Henderson (my favorite in this collection) to the dark and disturbing Never Lie to Yourself by Uncle River, this collection has something for every fan of science fiction and space opera stories.

I'm very happy this is book #1 in a series. I can't wait to get my hands on the other books in this collection. If the stories are as good as they ones in this book, they promise to provide hours of great entertainment.

5 stars, PG for mildly disturbing situations

Monday Musings

I was going to write a whole slew of reviews for ebooks I've read recently, but... (and it's a couple of biggies)...

First, I had a week off work. The mail piled up. I spent too much time clearing the desk again today. Then, my daughter needed my huge van to run a couple of errands. That's where the rest of my day went.

Second, my allergies were acting up so my head felt like someone was poking hot pokers up through my sinuses.

Third, My zombie farm needs my attention on my iPod so I can't check what books are on there that need reviews.

Fourth, I don't want to think. About anything. It is time for mind-numbing tv watching.

Fifth, I'd really rather write another chapter of my WIP.

Sixth, if I review these books, I just might get abducted by Zarkinoids from the Blemthul Nebula. They would throw me in a room in the starship and make me watch space as we travel FTL. Hey, it *could* happen. Somedays I wish it would.

Seventh, I still need to fix dinner and feed my horde of children who are apparently helpless, except when it comes to defeating the evil hordes that threaten MarioWorld or Hyperion (or wherever it is that Link lives). Or in running the tv remote.

Eighth, since I'm an author, I'm not supposed to review books anymore. And because I do it for the love, my opinion doesn't matter. I'm not a professional. The next person who tells me that is going to get a dangling participle shoved up where the sun don't shine. My reviews are my opinions. Take them or leave them. My taste in books may not be the same as yours. That's one reason why there are so many books out there in such a wide variety of styles, subjects, and genres. Yes, some of the authors I spotlight are my friends. Yes, some of the books I review are their books. Does that influence my review? Possibly. Does it matter? I still won't review, or even finish, a book I don't like no matter who wrote it, whether it's a self-pub friend's book or a NY bestseller list book. But then aren't all reviews a matter of opinion?

Ninth, I could do this all night. I'm a writer. I'm good at making stuff up. Except I still have to get dinner on the table.

Basket of Book Reviews

I am so behind. I've got a stack of books I've finished that still need reviews. I set a goal to review every book I finish. If it was good enough for me to read the whole thing, then it's good enough for a review. So, here you go. I'll review all the ebooks I've read lately next week. These are all print books.

How to Stuff a Wild Zucchini, by Heather Horrocks
Genre: LDS romance
Rating: G, ****

Confession time: I said once that I would never ever read an LDS Romance book. Some day I will learn to never make those kinds of promises to myself. I've broken just about all of them by now. For those who don't know, LDS Romance is written by and for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, aka The LDS Church or the Mormons. The romance books are supposed to fit our teachings and lifestyle- no profanity, no graphic bedroom scenes, characters who are members of the church who are at least trying to live by its precepts. The genre appeared in the late 70s and quickly gained the reputation of being horribly written and sweet enough to gag the sugar-plum fairy. I'm happy to report that the genre has matured and now offers some great stories.

Second confession: I don't read straight romance. Ever. Until now. I have read mystery/romance, ghost/mystery/romance, suspense/romance, and historical/romance. Now I have to admit I've read a straight LDS Romance. No dead bodies, international intrigue, ghosts, or pioneers/Indians.

How to Stuff a Wild Zucchini is a sweet story. Lori Scott is running from a career-ending bust of a Broadway play and the end of a romantic relationship. She lands in Brigham City, Utah, writing a gardening column for a local paper. She thinks the column is all about flowers and ornamental plants for the casual gardener. She soon discovers, to her dismay, the column is about vegetable gardens written for avid gardeners. Meanwhile, the vacationing columnist has generous allowed her to house-sit for him. Lori faces a very large vegetable garden just beginning to produce, especially the zucchini. Vegetables aren't the only things in bloom, either. Handsome firefighter John Wayne Walker shows up to put out the flames in the barbecue only to ignite flames in Lori's heart.

 Okay, that summary does sound a bit cheesy. I found the story sweet and charming with just enough local flavor and zucchini jokes to lighten it up and make it fun. Yeah, I live in Utah. Yeah, I'm a Mormon. But I can kill zucchini. It's a rare gift around here. I also found it very refreshing to pick up a book knowing that it contains no profanity and no racy scenes to skim past. Though the characters were a touch cliché, the book still kept me reading and enjoying. If you want a window on LDS culture, this book offers some glimpses as well as a sweet romance.

The Crystal Throne, by Kathryn Sullivan
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: G, ****

This book is a tweenage girl's dream come true. Magic gates that allow you into a different world where you are the most special person in the world. Talking horses. Magic. Monsters. Talking horses. A sweet guy that sort of likes you. And did I mention TALKING HORSES? Explanation: Tweenage girls (9-13 or so) have a thing for horses. They are magical, wonderful creatures that girls would just die if they can't have a relationship with one. Most girls survive not having a special horse of their own. And as I found out, horses are big and smelly and not really that magical. But it's still a draw for girls. Add talking horses to your books and girls will sigh with longing.

Kathryn draws an interesting world. Threatened by the evil witches, the talking horses must band together with the elves and the other magical folk to try to save their world. But only humans possess the right magic to defeat the witches, and humans only come through the gate when the Watcher sends them through. (The Watcher is a big willow tree that is supposedly haunted by ghosts.) Jeanne and Peter are sent tumbling through the gate with no warning and find themselves in the magical world, hailed as the heroes who will break the witches' curse. Jeanne has no trouble believing she has magic. Peter's strength is his disbelief, but it may also prove his downfall.

If you're looking for a fun book that is appropriate for tweenagers, The Crystal Throne fills the bill. It's a story of courage, belief, trust, and friendship. And did I mention it has TALKING HORSES? (I still have a thing for magical horses- they can be mystical and beautiful and not sweaty, smelly creatures.) The sequel is sitting in my stack of books to read...

The Deadly Sister, by Eliot Schrefer
Genre - Murder Mystery
Rating: PG-13, ***

Abby Goodwin has always covered for her younger sister Maya. Whether it's drugs, skipping school, sleeping around, or running away from home, Abby is the good daughter while Maya is the wild child. Or so everyone thinks. When the popular kid from school turns up dead, all fingers point to Maya.

I read the book but didn't really enjoy it. The storyline is very dark, exploring a murky world of teen sex and drugs, making it seem the norm. The story is told first person by Abby, the good sister. While the writing is tight and the characters believable, the author pulls a twist at the end that just didn't work for me. I saw it coming chapters before he got to it, and, the biggest issue for me, twists of that magnitude don't work in a first person story. You can't get that far into a character's head through reading or writing first person without knowing the character. The twist felt cheap and contrived, completely unbelievable.

If you're into this kind of a thriller, give it a try.

Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies, Anthology edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
Genre - Horror
Rating - PG to R+ for some stories, ***

This book reinforces why I don't usually care for anthologies. I found a few of the stories absolutely hilarious and wonderful. Most of them were a meh. I skipped a few after the first few paragraphs. The book is based on the theme of evil animals, if the title wasn't a giveaway.

Death Mask by Jody Lynn Nye is a thought-provoking tale of an old woman and her bond with the local animals, especially the raccoons. Local farmers beware of old women with powers. You'll lose. I very much enjoyed this story.

BunRabs by Donald J. Bingle was hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed his tale of the ravaging bunrabs that strike the henhouse just before Easter.

For Lizzie by Anton Strout was a fun romp through a magical library chasing a mystical bookworm that morphs into a more threatening wyrm when fed magical books.

Her Black Mood by Brenda Cooper was more on the dark side. A neglected child passes through a magical gate into another world where her carvings take on life. Never carve in anger is a lesson she rapidly learns.

SuperSquirrel to the Rescue by P.R. Frost was another fun story. Squirrels and crows fight it out over a bird feeder.

Overall, the collection was okay. These stories made it worth reading for me.