Had I not been reading it on my Nook I would have thrown this book at the wall.

The 13^th and final Sookie Stackhouse novel was a complete disappointment. Character choices make no sense. Continuity has left the building.

Now – if you haven’t read the book and don’t want spoilers I suggest you stop reading now.

I usually try to do spoiler free reviews but in this instance I can not explain my profound disappointment in this book without spoiling.

Sookie Loves Eric. Eric loves Sookie. Unless we have entered an alternate dimension it makes absolutely no sense for her to end up with Sam. He is a nice enough guy but he is not her endgame.

Charlaine Harris has spent the last 11 books developing a relationship between Sookie and Eric that is complex and interesting and real. And as a reader I became deeply invested in this relationship.

So when in this last book she decides to for some inexplicable reason turn Eric into some 2 dimensional stereotype of the vampires she created it pissed me off. Abandoning the relationship she had crafted in favor of a cop out pissed me off.

I think Ms. Harris got to a point about ½ way through book 12 when she started thinking “hmm – how do I give Eric and Sookie a happy ending?”

That is her first error. We don’t need a Happily-Ever-After. Human/fairy in love with a Vampire – it is complicated. We get that.

I think she got hung up on having to neatly tie it all up. Does Sookie become a vampire? Does Eric somehow become human? Do they both become trolls? There are a lot of options.

My theory is that she copped-out. She couldn’t decide which way to go with them so she chickened out and decided to go with a safe option. A nice much more human compatible shifter. Someone she can grow old with and die with and have little furry babies with.

Completely ignoring the fact that it makes no sense. Let’s just have Sookie raise him from the dead and that will magically also turn him into the perfect man for her.

But Ms. Harris really underestimated her readers with this one.

We didn’t need that perfect ending – just an ending where Eric and Sookie are together muddling through it like the rest of us.

And what is with the Fairy Claude revenge plot line? Either he is really smart and conniving or he isn’t. You can’t have it both ways. Either way the sheer elaborateness of  it makes no sense for his endgame – a dead Sookie.

Then let’s parade through a whole bunch of characters for no real reason. I like a weretiger as much as the next girl – but what purpose did he serve?

Then we get back to the continuity issues. A full list could be a book. One of the most obvious being that suddenly Sookie can’t hear Shifter or Were thoughts. In the past Sam could actively block her but she could still hear them clearly if he wasn’t. Now suddenly they are just fuzzy abstract concepts.

I am just one voice being added to the many – but I almost wish I hadn’t read it at all. Like many readers I had overlooked the minor continuity issues and occasional weak story or character – because the sum of the parts was worth it.

No more.

I despise the book most for essentially castrating Eric. She stripped the character of every bit of emotional depth and complexity and humanity she had built.

The Returned by Jason Mott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really love stories whose premises involve mysterious resurrections and worldwide chaos as the result. This story is not your typical story of the rise of the undead, so if you’re expecting horror or zombies, search elsewhere.

This story intrigued me from the get-go and I was committed to loving it. But the reality of my reading experience is that I was bored and the pages turned were turned in the fervent hope that something really cool that could explain the return would be there. It never was.

Reading the author’s epilogue and his inspiration for the story, I found a completely different story potential than what this book actually is. Way too much time is spent on the details of the makeshift prison. Too many details I wanted to see explained or at least explored were simply passed over. Why are there unending numbers of Returned? What are the details of their stay, their behaviors, their disappearances? Things that were very lightly brushed upon, but never a satisfying in-depth look.

I enjoyed the characters and their development. I could sense the tension between Harold and Lucille, and I could taste the disappointment in the pastor and his wife’s marriage. It was all very palpable and it’s ridiculously clear that Jason Mott is a talented writer.

But I was left with the heavy burden of unresolved questions and dissatisfying resolutions.

I think Mr. Mott should write a story based on the dream he wrote about in the epilogue and build on that premise instead of the overanalyzed mishmash of details we were served in The Returned.

Nonetheless I am looking forward to the tv adaptation!

I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.



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The Runner by W.J. Davies

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Runner by W.J. Davies is a Silo story based on the world created by author Hugh Howey in Wool.

This is the first fan fiction in the Silo world that I’ve read, and I enjoyed it very much. Ace and Mick are our central players in the story, and the author does a really good job of touching on the basic but core points of silo living without being redundant (for those of us who have read the parent story). We are given very little information about their history, and I appreciate that Davies gets right to the meat of the story of these two.

The Runner touches on a topic that is contemporary for us in a lot of ways. A forbidden relationship never explicitly solidified in the text, but existent nonetheless. Judgment and shame are foisted upon them by individuals and the systems that oversee silo life alike. IT feels comfortable completely erasing the written history of their relationship, and a nosy old woman in the bazaar feels comfortable enough to tell Ace how disgusting she thinks he is. All in all, attitudes that we are just barely beginning to bury in our real world, mirrored in this microcosm silo life. It pulls me closer to Ace and Mick, whose love story begs to be told.

Of course the story touches on the subject of cleaning and the slight glimmer of hope that the bleak world up top and outside may change, and the realization for the silo citizens that they may not be alone.

Hopefully we get more from this author… I’m curious to know what happens next.



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I was approached to review these books by Tahlia Newland back in January, but extraordinary circumstances put her tour and my reading on hold for a bit.  Luckily, she returned to me to review these books, and I resumed reading.  These books are wonderful, wholesome, and engaging.  Tahlia has an incredible writing style that keeps you firmly in the grasp of the story while reminding those of us who are past that age what it’s like to be a teenager who’s branching out for the first time.  I feel exceptionally lucky that Tahlia remembered to tap me for these reviews, and I’m happy to provide them.

Lethal Inheritance by Tahlia Newland
Published in October 2012 by Catapult Press

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.

From the publisher:

Lethal Inheritance, the first book in the exciting Diamond Peak Series, has been awarded the Awesome Indies Seal of Approval for excellence in fiction. 

How do you kill a demon that feeds on fear? 

You can’t send police into a tunnel that doesn’t exist after a villain they can’t see, so when demons kidnap her mother, Ariel has to mount the rescue mission herself. Hot on the trail, she enters a hidden layer of reality only to find that the demons are hunting her, and they feed on fear. Ariel must defeat them before they kill her and enslave her mother.

A quirky old guide teaches her how to locate and unleash her inner power, and while battling hallucinogenic mist, treacherous terrain, murderous earth spirits and self-doubt, she falls in love with Nick, a Warrior whose power is more than either of them can handle.

Ariel’s journey challenges her perception, tests her awareness and takes her deep into her heart and mind to confront, and ultimately transcend, her fear.

My Review

Lethal Inheritance is a young adult fantasy whose story starts out quickly with our protagonist Ariel waking up to her mom being abducted by demons right in front of her eyes.  After a brief but intense struggle, Ariel was knocked out by one of the demons and woke up where everything was exactly where it belonged!  Except, of course, for her mother … who was still gone.  An ancient family friend visits, dumps the severity of the situation upon Ariel (mom was abducted by demons and it’s up to Ariel to run up the mountain and save her by slaying the Demon Boss), and then leaves her with sparse instructions on moving forward to save her mother.  Along the way, Ariel is met by a cast of colorful characters, whom she does not know whether to trust, ignore, or use her powerful dagger on.  A boy her age whose mystery outweighs her

Lethal Inheritance is a wonderfully intense, magical, frightening, love-driven YA book whose audience definitely is not limited to Young Adult.  Demonstrating the teen angst rather appropriately (to the point I yelled at Ariel to JUST. STOP. QUESTIONING. I yelled out loud, even), Ms Newland got me involved from the beginning and I felt that the characters – Ariel, Maya, Nick, Walnut – were very realistic and I was able to connect with them, and I felt that way all the way up the mountain.

Leads me to…

Stalking Shadows by Tahlia Newland
Published March 2013 by Catapult Press

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.

From the publisher: 

‘A well written, engaging and gripping story’. Clive S Johnson, reviewer for awesomeindies.net

This book is featured on the Awesome Indies list of quality independent fiction. Ripped from the safety of our world and thrust into a strange hidden realm on a quest to save her mother,  Ariel aims to confront the Master Demon, but first she must defeat his bodyguard and reach the safe haven of Sheldra. She negotiates dangerous terrain and battles demons, spirits, rogue Magicians, giant water snakes and her own conflicting emotions.  Ariel wants to retain a clear focus on the task at hand so, despite Nick’s protests, she insists of a friends-only relationship with him. But the very thing she hoped would simplify her quest only complicates it with emotional, energetic and hormonal turmoil.

Despite Walnut’s continued guidance, Ariel finds herself constantly forced to rely on her own resources. Will she find the inner strength and wisdom she needs to defeat Amic and continue her journey?

My Review:

The second book in the Diamond Peak series starts off with a shock that ripples through the reader and gets you back into fighting mode.  The magical world remains, with an exceptionally well-written ribbon of “real world” weaved throughout.  Ariel and Nick, though obviously interested in each other, put the rollercoaster of  emotions and feelings into park and continue on in pursuit of good versus evil.

The demon fights in Stalking Shadows are nicely depicted and well fleshed out.  Ms. Newland’s ability to show the reader a spiritual journey effective in combat in sensational.  She writes Ariel so powerful and self-sufficient that a teenage girl, normally easily succumbing to the allure of a beautiful young man, is able to resist and persist towards her ultimate goal.  Ms Newland has created an excellent role model for those of us with girl children!  With fun little additions such as wooden sprites who need light and happiness … lest they kill you.

This book is as fun and intense as the first.  The demon fights, the strained and disallowed yet blossoming love connection, and the ultimate goal.  I look forward to the next in the series!

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Egg, Millicent and Guts are back for their next adventure in the second offering from Geoff Rodkey in the Chronicles of Egg.

This adventure is just as quirky and fun as the first. And while their aren’t any field pirates, there are some fun new characters. We also learn quite a bit more about all of our main characters. In particular Guts becomes more of a rounded out real person. Rodkey gives us some beautiful glimpses into Guts’ soul and hints at his past. I can only hope the next installment will answer even more of the questions I have about this intriguing character.

Egg comes into his own more as well. In the first book we began to see him step out from the shadow of his family and their loss. Now we see him start to mature as he accepts the reality of what his family actually was. He finally begins to see his father, brother and sister as they really were – which allows him to shed the heavy weight of his past and begin to move forward. We learn more about the family as well, including a long lost uncle who makes himself known.

Millicent also does a lot of maturing in this book. Rodkey does a credible job of making a believable transition from adoring daughter to skeptical young woman for her. Her inner turmoil at accepting the character of her own father and rejecting that life is amazingly understated yet very present.

OH – and there are natives that want to sacrifice them, rumors of ancient weapons and some transcendental guitar playing. Yes you read that right.

The quirky sense of whimsy that pervaded the first book is just as evident in the second installment. The slightly macabre undertones to some of the scenes is also present. All in all this makes for an exciting read that will take you by surprise and keep you interested.

I was provided a gratis copy of the book for review.

I love you and I hate you Roderick Gordon (an your co-conspirator Brian Williams)!
Love you because the “Tunnels” series of books have been one of the most phenomenal series I have ever come across. Notice I don’y say YA series, just series – because this is not merely a YA series. It is a fantastic series for adults.
Hate you because you have said this is the last in that series. And that is just not acceptable.
I discovered the “Tunnels” series by accident one day at B&N. I was just wondering through the kids section looking for new YA series and the cover of the first book caught my eye. I picked it up, went and got a venti passion tea lemonade and sat down to see how it was. 3 1/2 hours later I had finished the first book, was completely hooked, and looking for the next one. And the next one. The first three books were out and I devoured them within 48 hours.
Then came the wait. For the 4th book… and the 5th book… and the 6th book (you know, that supposedly final one). I actually ordered the last 2 directly from Britain so I didn’t have to wait 4 months or more for the U.S. release date.
Terminal – the sixth book. Wow. It picks up right where Spiral left off. Literally. In the middle of a free fall struggle between Jiggs and a Styx limiter. Will and Elliott are still trying to save the world. Chester has gone a bit off his rocker (not that you can really blame him) and at least one Rebecca remains.
Amazing stuff. Finding out more about the Styx was fantastic and threw a couple of curve-balls I wasn’t fully expecting. Hints that had been dropped in the previous books now made sense.
I still thoroughly enjoy the world that has been created. A subterranean world beneath our own and another world below that. Layers upon layers that make sense and pull you into a story that is compelling.
And much like another favorite author, George R. R. Martin, Gordon and Williams have no fear of sacrificing characters for the sake of the story. As a reader it sometimes sucks, of course, but it serves the greater purpose of the story. So, even as my heart, which has become sincerely attached is screaming “Nooooo”, I know I will love the story to follow even more because of it.
If you are confused by any of that then you need to go read the books before continuing.
I mean it. They are unbelievably fantastic books.
And after this point “thar be spoilers” (please read in your best pirate voice for full effect).

Last chance before the spoilers…

 
If you are still reading I am assuming you have read the book (and the whole series for that matter) or you are one of those sick twisted individuals who doesn’t like to be surprised in a book.
Will and Elliott – I’m still a little heartbroken. I want them to finally be happy after everything… I’m actually still hoping… 7th book? Pretty please?
And Chester? I know it is a more realistic ending – but he had been through so much already – to put him back with Martha – brilliant and heart wrenching.
Did not see the earth as spaceship thing coming at all. But it makes sense and totally sent me trolling through the past books looking for clues and hints that I felt sure I had missed or misinterpreted.

I want – nay – need to know more  of this story.

In Our House: Perception Vs Reality by Marala Scott

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

In Our House: Perception Vs. Reality is a memoir written by Marala Scott recounting the extreme verbal and physical abuse suffered by her, her mother, and her brothers at the hands of her father. As a result of her suffering and later healing, Marala was chosen to be an Oprah Ambassador of Hope in 2009. From what I can see of her presence online, Marala has transformed her horrific life experiences into hope and motivation for others who may be experiencing the same. But getting to where she is today was an endeavor nobody would want to endure.

In Our House follows the home life of Marala Scott, her brothers, and her mother under the frightening rule of their father and husband. Highly sought after by high-ranking government agencies, outward appearances betray the true tale of their daily life. Abuse, both verbal and physical, plagued the children and caused their mother to find solace in the demons of Satanism. This book is a guided tour through the worst of Marala’s experiences.

Reading this book was a labor of compassion and sympathy for me. I have never endured abuse and rarely heard of abuse so persistent and evil. I struggled with the believability of the memories Marala shared. Her age at the time of the memoir compared to the age she was when writing it give me pause as to consider how much of the story has been rewritten in her memory, minor embellishments accumulating over the years resulting in what actually happened magnified and distorted to a terrifying degree. I do not intend to discount Ms. Scott’s experiences, but the extreme detail of the dialogue without adequate concession that these words weren’t possibly remembered with such clarity pulls me away from the ability to trust fully.

Despite this glaring issue (for me), the book is engaging while emotionally difficult. The level of desperation is immense. Sympathy is strong for these children trapped in a world of abuse with no escape. Apparently schools back then didn’t give a damn about kids with (per the author) visibly deep and repeated bruising? Their ordeal must have been utterly and constantly terrifying.

Once Alley (Marala and boys’ mom) started dabbling in Satanism, I disconnected in a big way from the book. I read on because I was invested in the stories of the children, but the part with Mom and the demons was bizarre.

Apart from my distrust of the accuracy of the tale as it’s relayed, the core truth remains that the childhood of these kids was ruined by the ego and temper of their father, and this aspect of the story makes it worth reading. I found myself in need of taking a break fairly often; my brain needed to remove itself from the onslaught of verbal and physical abuse.

It’s a good book to read, especially for those of us who have lived a very different kind of life and could use a little perspective on the struggles that other people go through, yet rise way, way above that and come out living an exceptional life. A wake-up call!

Religious note: There was a LOT of religion in this book. I did not feel preached at. Rather, I felt like Marala shared with the reader how she got through these tangled mess of a childhood. There is a lot of what could be construed as proselytizing, but again, I was easily able to keep it in the context of what she went through and not at all did I feel annoyed by it.

I was provided this book free of charge via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.

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Thousands of them have lived underground. They’ve lived there so long, there are only legends about people living anywhere else. Such a life requires rules. Strict rules. There are things that must not be discussed. Like going outside. Never mention you might like going outside.

Or you’ll get what you wish for.

DOWNLOAD WOOL (PART 1) FOR FREE! LIMITED TIME

What the press is saying:

Boing Boing’s Official Review: “This story is terrific. I was completely immersed, watching Howey slowly paint a picture of a society gone wrong through the eyes and discovery of some truly compelling characters.”

Wired.com’s Official GeekDad Review: “Howey is among a growing list of authors who are making successful careers of publishing without the assistance of agents and traditional publishing houses. The traditional argument has been that if a book couldn’t find a publisher it probably wasn’t worth reading. However, just as iTunes changed how consumers found music and the way in which bands made their bread, ebook readers, and in particular the Kindle, are changing the ways in which authors find their readers and make a living. All of this means the old assumptions about indie books no longer hold true, and readers need to be prepared to adjust their expectations accordingly. The Wool Omnibus is a great book and deserves recognition as a full fledged contribution to the science fiction genre.”

Really? That is how you are going to leave it? There is going to be another book or another series… right?

Those were pretty much my exact thoughts upon finishing this book (well, I may have cleaned them up a little bit).

When I picked up the first Beyonders book in Barnes & Noble shortly after it came out I ended up staying at Barnes & Noble until I had finished it. A completely unintentional read. I liked it. A lot.

I have been waiting for this third book for what seems like ages. And I was not disappointed. Jason and Rachel are leading the rebels to overthrow Maldor. Everyone’s favorite displacer is back along with the snarkiest seed person and all the other characters I became attached to in the previous 2 books.

Did you get that Brandon? I am attached to them. All of them.

As with the other 2 books this one is well written and thought out. Jason in particular is incredibly believable as a regular kid who somehow manages to make a place for himself in this new world.In as much as there can be believabilty in a a fantasy series Brandon Mull achieves it.

And quite cleverly the book wraps up the story line that was started in A World without Heroes but keeps open the opportunity for more stories.

If you haven’t read this series you should.

That is the non-spoiler review. If you don’t want to read any spoilers stop now.

I’m quite serious. I am going to throw in some blank lines and then some spoilers are going to fly.

So – This can’t be the end. Jason still in Lyrian. Rachel back in our world. Something about a daughter. There have to be more books. I need to know more.

Now let us talk about Ferrin and Drake. That was just kinda rough. After everything Ferrin had gone through and done. The relationships he built. I understand it was honorable and noble – but it killed me. And this was after I had already had to deal with Drake. Again noble and everything but a blow to the heart just the same.

I guess that proves that you had done a good job. I was attached. The characters were more than just words on a page to me. So good job. But I still don’t like it.

Witches are a hot subject for tween literature. Unfortunately this one doesn’t really stand out.

Claire and Luna are cute. But not very real. For a book that seems aimed at the tween girl market the tone is decidedly childish. The reader is often hit over the head with the lessons the twins are learning.

I have nothing against a story that teaches a lesson or has a moral, I just want it to be done with finesse. And tween girls do not need to have the lesson shoved in their face either. Place it naturally in a well written story and they will get it.

Once again the adult characters in the book suffered from a lack of dimensionality. This seems to be a recurring problem in the YA literature I have read lately. It is like they are caricatures without the humor.

Adele Griffin has a nice concept but hasn’t provided any history for the reader. We have been given no real structure or framework for the witch society she has created. This keeps it from feeling real. There needs to be more explanation and depth to the magic. The whys and why nots, cans and cannots  need to be defined so the reader feels there is a real basis for what happens.

This has potential and could be a decent, if light, tween series.