REVIEW: Caretaker (Caretaker Chronicles, #1) by Josi Russell

***** (5) of 5 stars!

This book is incredible!  The setting is a fairly typical sci-fi one: people in the future in a ship in space.  But it is so much more than just that!  It is ultimately about relationships, love, duty, honor, sorrow, anger, loss and basically everything that makes up the human condition. 

The main character is Ethan Bryant, who has inadvertently become the Caretaker (hence the title) of 3,999 other souls, all in stasis, on the deep-space passenger transport ship he inhabits.  Although he was supposed to be sleeping alongside them as passenger 4,000, events conspired to make that not occur.  Now, as the story begins, Ethan has been alone on the ship for five years, with only the unconscious passengers and the disembodied computer voice for company.  But things are about to get interesting!

The first part of the story is a little slow, as the author takes some time for world-building, setting the scene and developing some backstory for context.  But much of the information gleaned through all of this proves useful later in the story.  She does an excellent job of sketching a living portrait.  The story just draws you in and makes you feel a part of it, and you quickly feel connected to the characters, even those in stasis, as you come to learn more about each of them. 

There are so many great twists and turns in the story!  I don’t want to offer any spoilers, but things changed so dramatically several times that it felt almost as though you were reading a different book each time.  Except that the author kept the storyline integrated, plausible and intriguing enough that it just flowed from one section to the next, taking the reader along for a spectacular ride.

There were a couple more times where the action slowed down quite a bit; at least one where it seemed to stop.  (Really, do we need to know so much about the manifest of the ship that Ethan transcribed?)  But overall the pace was pretty steady and the action sufficient to keep things moving forward.

The ending was one that you could kind of see coming, but even it had some interesting zigzags that you wouldn’t necessarily consider.  Many things about it were rather bittersweet, but they felt as though they were as they should be given the situation.  The book answered enough questions and left a satisfied feeling so that it would be fine if read as a stand-alone novel, but it still offered many questions and openings where a sequel could realistically occur. 

Definitely a book that I enjoyed and will recommend!

REVIEW: Havelock by Jane D. Everly

**** (4) out of 5 stars

There were several things about this book that I really disliked, and yet I found myself continuing to read more and more!  The plot of this action thriller is quite good, rather unique, and has just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.  It is a classic spy story, with lots of intrigue and mystery.  Even with several things that I disliked about the book, the storyline and writing style was so good that it just pulled me along. 

There’s also a hint of sci-fi in the weapon utilized by the main bad guy and his numerous minions.  It is definitely something that you don’t see in the news today, but it is certainly believable enough that you can imagine something like it truly being invented.  Let alone that there are those out there, like Treadik, who would be crazy enough to use it.  He is a truly chilling antagonist, with a weapon so powerful that it goes beyond scary. 

I love that the main protagonist is a female, and butt-kicking female at that!  There are so few books with really strong women characters, especially not many who are as physically tough and resilient as Eliana Havelock.  The author also has an incredible, dry, understated sense of humor with which she infuses Eliana that I found entirely delightful.   

Most of the other characters are also fairly well developed for the varying amounts of attention that are paid to them.  I found many of the MI-6 crew intriguing; I was especially impressed with Rawlston and Waterstone, and really liked Quentin.  Even many minor characters with whom we did not spend much time came across as fairly well fleshed out.  Some of those who met an untimely end even engendered some sadness, which you wouldn’t expect from a one or two scene introduction. 

I did find many of the action scenes extremely unrealistic, especially the one where Eliana falls from a moving vehicle and basically walks away from the encounter.  All of the other injuries that she sustains throughout the course of the book, would seem to make nearly any activity very difficult, let alone some of the complex and strenuous things that she does. 

There was a lot of rather graphic violence that I found distasteful.  Not much of it was unwarranted for the plot of the story, but I still found it rather bothersome, some of it a little too descriptive.  This is definitely not a book for younger or squeamish readers.  And that doesn’t even touch on the often, shall we say, mature language; or the gratuitous sex scenes. 

The thing that I disliked the most was the switching in perspective from first-person present tense (from Eliana’s point of view) to third-person past tense with everyone else.  I was extremely annoying at first, although it did kind of grow on me a bit.  It made it easier to explain what the main character was thinking, as well as to see what was going on with everyone else.  Overall it was rather confusing and disconcerting to me as the reader, although I must say that the author did a superb job of switching between the two. 

I really enjoyed the ending in that it was fairly definitive, not a total cliff-hanger; but it left plenty of questions unanswered and lots of plot points with which to play.  I would guess there are is going to be at least one sequel, and possibly several more additions to the series.  Despite all of the things that I didn’t like about this book, I enjoyed it enough to read any future volumes, and would definitely recommend it as a very entertaining read. 

(I believe this story was first released in a serialized format, but I read the full book in it’s entirety.)  
I received a free Kindle electronic copy of this book from Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an honest review.  

REVIEW: Grumpy Cat Volume 1 by Ben McCool, Royal McGraw, Elliott Serrano & Ben Fisher

*** (3) out of 5 stars

The action of this graphic novel focuses on Grumpy and her brother Pokey.  Before reading it, I was aware of Grumpy Cat as a character and had seen some of the related memes, but that was about all I knew.  First of all, I wasn’t aware that Grumpy was a girl, so seeing her referred to as “she” threw me off a bit.  And while I expected the character to be (obviously) grumpy, maybe rather surly and rude, possibly fairly sarcastic – I didn’t expect her to be as mean and vindictive as portrayed in the book.  I was especially disappointed in how poorly she treated her darling brother Pokey, not to mention Dog.

 

That being said, the many and varied story-lines of the different tales were unique, somewhat unpredictable, and definitely entertaining.  The book was much longer than I had anticipated, and contained a lot more stories than I expected. 

The graphics were excellent.  Even utilizing fairly minimalist backgrounds and a somewhat limited color palette, the pictures came across as fresh and vibrant.  And it is amazing how much emotion can be expressed in even rather basic drawings and a few simple words!

There were just a handful of times when I couldn’t make out the image in a panel, and that probably had more to do with the fact that I read it on my phone.  There were also occasional instances where I felt as though I was missing something.  (Like when they take out one too many panels from the extended version of the Sunday comics and you are left having to fill in the blanks between big jumps in the action sequence.)  And there were a few times also when I felt as though the characters were discussing something as part of an inside joke of which I was unaware.

So, overall, I found it an okay read, definitely entertaining, but nothing spectacular.  But probably for people who are fans of Grump Cat beforehand, this would be an excellent read!

I received a digital ARC of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

REVIEW: Lakhoni by Jared Garrett

**** (4) out of 5 stars!

What??? I seriously thought this was a stand-alone book! But apparently there is at least one sequel planned. Since the book ended on a total cliff-hanger -- and a really ambiguous one at that!

This is basically a tale of a young man trying to avenge his family, rescue his presumably kidnapped sister, and along the way try to do what is right. Unfortunately, for him, these things don’t seem to coincide with each other very well! Regardless, he remains brave and steadfast throughout, even when questioning himself, his motives and his options.

The author does a good job of world-building, creating a very believable predominantly meso-American style backdrop for the story. The story-telling is such that you feel aware enough of the workings of the prevailing cultural system to appreciate the atmosphere without being inundated by it.

There are a host of strong characters throughout the story. Some of them I definitely hope will make a return appearance in the sequel; and a few that I want to know more about, including further information about their backstories.

There are connections between characters that unfold as the story progresses that I never would have imagined at the outset. Not to mention surprising plot twists and intrigue from unexpected sources.

One of the only things that I didn’t like in the narrative was the vast amount of bad luck and poor circumstances that befall this kid. And I did find it a bit of a stretch to imagine that he emerged as relatively unscathed as he did from each encounter with all of the forces fighting against him.

But overall it was a great read; a very entertaining story with an encompassing writing style that just draws you into the story and doesn’t let go. I truly can’t wait to read the sequel!

I received a Kindle copy of this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

REVIEW of "Vinny the Fox has PTSD (What Mental Disorder?, #3)" by Jessie Shepherd

**** (4) out of 5 stars!

Once again, I read a book on a topic that I knew little about – in this case, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – and received quite a lot of factual information in an easy to understand and absorb manner.  

I really enjoyed the minimalist drawings, with the use of real photos as background.  That made the situations seem truer, but focused your attention on the character instead of the setting.  I was particularly impressed with the fact that the book also addressed the strengths that people with this disorder can have, especially when so many books about those with disabilities focus only on the negative.  

I did think, however, that perhaps this book glossed over some of the more serious negative consequences of PTSD.  Whenever I’ve heard about it, it has often been due to severe cases, where the person exhibited excessive violence.  The book kind of made it seem more like people with PTSD are just anxious and cranky.

  

I definitely recommend this book though, especially for anyone looking to find a clear and concise way to learn begin learning about this disorder.  It certainly can be considered appropriate for both children and adults.

I hope the author continues this series.  I look forward to reading and learning more about other disorders as well. 

I received a copy of this book free from BlueFox Press as part of a promotion.

REVIEW: REX'D: Welcome to Scholomance by J.B. Skelter & Jack Reher

** (2) out of 5 stars!

I wanted to preview this book for my son. He is into all kinds of monsters and paranormal stuff lately, so I thought he might like it. And perhaps he will; I, however, didn't really care for it. The story jumps around a lot, starting out with the brief mention of a character who never appears again throughout the story, then moving on to a big action scene. I'm sure the authors conceived of it as a way to grab the reader's attention and pull them into the story, but it just doesn't work very well for me. 

After that scene, the story moves backward to some days before, and then is interspersed with remembrances of a tragic event months before that. The whole thing was rather confusing to me. I had a hard time figuring out who were the good guys and the bad guys in the story, and keeping track of who was on whose side and why. The plot just seemed overly complicated and convoluted. 

And what's worse, the back-story was just so incredibly boring. I just kept waiting for something, anything, to happen. But nothing much does, until the final pages of the book when the action kind of goes overboard. 

I also found the writing really rudimentary. I was surprised to learn that one of the author was a high school teacher; it seemed more like the writing of a high school student. 

I received a digital copy of this book free from Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an honest review. 

REVIEW: Acne, Asthma, And Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon by Rena Rocford

*** (3) out of 5 stars!

I found this book highly entertaining! Allyson is a very sympathetic character, as is her rather new best friend Beth. The explanation for Allyson’s severe acne and asthma (of the title) was quite entertaining and actually fairly believable, as was the entire concept of the supernatural world that she finds herself a part of. What I did find hard to believe, however, was the fact that the girls are nearly kidnapped by trolls and escaped in part due to Allyson spitting fire at them – and Allyson doesn’t share ANY of this with her mom! And later her Aunt Aggy disappears, leaving her vintage BMW behind, and it doesn’t even occur to Allyson or Beth or anyone, despite other weird things that are going on, that she might have been kidnapped, which she was! Another obvious lapse in reality is when Mr June attacks Allyson on the school grounds, threatens to turn her hide into tack. Instead of being taken to the police to do something in response like file an assault charge against the crazed adult who attacked her, she is instead lead away to the Principal’s office to be reprimanded and given a band-aid.  I found some of the characters rather one-dimensional, but overall they were quite interesting and rather believable. John was probably one of my favorite characters! I especially like the scene where John looks at Allyson and winks. Despite the overall good writing and plot, the chapter set at the campground involving the Goblin King, however, was rather confusing, and the entire episode seemed rather pointless. Perhaps it will come in to play more in later in a sequel to the book, as the ending definitely seemed to indicate that there would be some. Despite the items I’ve mentioned, I found the book fairly well written and the storyline inventive and entertaining. I’d definitely recommend it, especially for a lighter read. I’m anxious to see what happens in any sequel(s)!

I received a digital copy of this book free from Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for an honest review. 

REVIEW: "Millie the Cat has Borderline Personality Disorder (What Mental Disorder, #1)" by Jessie Shepherd

**** (4) out of 5 stars!

Synopsis:

Often when people are given a mental health disorder diagnosis the weaknesses are clear and overwhelmingly emphasized, while the strengths are ignored or forgotten. The mental health children's book series 'What Mental Disorder?' challenges the stigma against therapy and diagnosis. It enlists the reader to view the character as a whole being and not as a mental issue. Although there are aspects that the character will have to learn to cope with in order to function successfully in their life, there are also amazing traits that make them unique and remarkably accomplished. Millie the Cat has Borderline Personality Disorder is a picture book that takes a unique look at the positive and negative characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder. Meeting kind Mille you get to experience how her day to day routine is, the aspects that she will have to cope with, the amazing personality traits that she has, and how she can learn new skills to be the best cat she can be. It is written in such a way that the mental health disorder is explained in a realistic balanced light, while eliciting empathy and understanding from the audience. The book series 'What Mental Disorder?' including Millie the Cat has Borderline Personality Disorder is excellent for therapeutic clinicians, those diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, or those who would like to gain a better understanding of the disorder. 

Review:

I got an eBook version of this book free as a promotion from the author. And I really quite liked it! I didn't know much (if anything) about Borderline Personality Disorder prior to this, and it really provided a lot of factual information. I enjoyed the minimalist drawings, with the use of real photos as background. That made the situations seem more true, but focused your attention on the character. I was especially impressed with the fact that the book also addressed the strengths that people with this disorder can have, especially when so many books about those with disabilities focus only on the negative. I definitely recommend this book, especially for anyone looking for find a clear and concise way to learn about this disorder. I can't wait to read "Gordy the Cat has ADHD," since that is a condition we deal with in our house. The author has a book coming out next month (Nov 2015) about PTSD as well. I hope she continues this series by addressing other disorders as well. 

I received a copy of this book free from BlueFox Press as part of a promotion.

REVIEW: Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

**** (4) out of 5 stars!

This book is phenomenal!  I had never read anything of Robin Hobb's before receiving this book for free from a Goodreads Giveaway, and apparently I have been missing out.  Her writing was just amazing!  It flowed so smoothly that it just drew you along in the story, even when there wasn't much going on, which actually was for quite a bit of the book.

The story begins when the title character is about 6 years old, and continues throughout his youth until he is about 14 years of age.  One aspect that really bothered me was the fact that this boy, especially later in the story, is basically left to fend for himself, with hardly anyone that he can turn to for help or protection or even advice.  It was worse than Harry Potter even, in that regard; because at least Harry had his faithful friends.  Fitz throughout most of the book has absolutely no one.  Even the people who do care for him aren't generally accessible or very helpful.

I did feel a kinship with Fitz, however; and was truly emotionally touched by the story.  There was one really dark, dreary section in the middle of the book that greatly affected me that just seemed to go on and on forever, that made me want to pull my hair out or hit someone or something, anything to make that part be over already!  And yet I kept reading because I had already been drawn so far into the story that I really needed to find out what eventually became of the characters, especially Fitz; and the eloquent writing style at least made it (barely) tolerable for me to continue long enough to get past that section and get on with the story. 

The near ending was very emotional and way too sad, but also bittersweet, and at least somewhat hopeful.  It made me able to contemplate reading the next book in the series, with at least some expectation of a satisfactory resolution.  But at least, even in the rough parts, there was the author's wonderful writing style to enjoy!

I won a free copy of this book in a Giveaway on Goodreads sponsored by Del Rey / Spectra Books.

REVIEW: Nameless (Nameless, #1) by Jennifer Jenkins

***** (5) out of 5 stars!

This book was amazing! When I first started reading it, I was not at all sure that I was going to like it. I found the first section to be a bit rough for some reason, and hard to get into. I guess because it was mostly world-building for the actual story, so there was just a lot of boring background to wade through. There was a lot of information provided in a small amount of space, and not all of it made sense, at least at the time. 

But once Zo entered the world of the Ram - I was completely sucked into her story! Shortly thereafter the character who was perhaps my very favorite was introduced: Joshua. He is such a valiant young man, trying so hard to be the person that he is expected to be, even though he is really someone entirely different. But even the brutality of Ram life doesn’t seem to shake his positive outlook. He sees the best in people and tries to make the best of everything. I love the friendship that develops between him and Zo, as well as his interactions with Gryphon. 

Watching Gryphon’s growth and transformation through the course of the book is truly amazing. He begins as a product and perfect example of his society, doing and believing what he has always been taught. But once he starts to be exposed to other ideas, and allows his outlook to be opened up, he definitely changes for the better. The budding romance between Zo an Gryphon is something truly wonderful to watch, even though it takes them forever to realize what it means. 

In fact, watching many of the characters grow and develop was quite enjoyable. Even just to discover that things were not always as they seemed, and that there were many different points of view felt and sometimes expressed, besides just the official Ram official line, was quite fascinating. 

The author’s writing style, once she gets into the story, is smooth and easy to follow, as it just pulls you along through the action. I read a quote recently about how when you are really into a novel, you see the world differently, not just while you are immersed in its pages reading, but in the rest of your life as well. This is what this book did to me! I must say, I was so happy to hear that there is a sequel already in the works. Because I simply must know what happens to these characters!

I received a review copy of this book from Month9Books in exchange for an honest review.