[Review] The Anonymous Source by A.C. Fuller

Title: The Anonymous Source
Series: Alex Vane #1
Author: A.C. Fuller
Genre: general fiction (adult), thriller, mystery, suspense, crime
Format: audiobook
Publication Date: February 23 2021 (audiobook)
Published By: OrangeSky Audio (audiobook)
Source: NetGalley

Synopsis from Publisher

FIND THE SOURCE. BREAK THE STORY. STAY ALIVE.

ONE YEAR AFTER the 9/11 attacks, Alex Vane--a brilliant, fitness-obsessed reporter for The New York Standard--wants nothing more than to break into the flashy world of TV news. But when he uncovers the scoop of a lifetime, his tightly controlled world is rocked: his editor buries his story, a source turns up dead, and Alex finds himself at the center of a violent media conspiracy.

AS HE RECEIVES TIPS from a mysterious source, Alex enlists the help of a captivating professor, Camila Gray. Aided by an Internet genius, a billionaire's sexy widow, and a washed-up sports reporter, Alex and Camila discover a $500-million secret that could derail the largest media merger in history.

IT'S A SECRET THAT unearths dark memories from Alex's past. It's a secret that leads back to the morning of 9/11. And it's a secret that could get them both killed.

IN HIS DEBUT MEDIA THRILLER, A.C. Fuller brings you a young journalist chasing the biggest story of his career--from the courtrooms of New York City to the beaches of Hawaii, from a crowded newsroom to a lavish boardroom at the top of a media empire.

About A.C. Fuller

Once a journalist in New York, A.C. Fuller now writes stories at the intersection of media, politics, and technology. Before he began writing full time, he was an adjunct professor of journalism at NYU and an English teacher at Northwest Indian College.

He lives with his wife, two children, and two dogs near Seattle. 

My Thoughts:
I am not typically a mystery/suspense/crime thriller kind of girl, but something about this book's description pulled me in. I do like to push outside of my boundaries now and then, and I find that even easier to do when it's an audiobook and I don't have to "fight" my way through the actual reading of it. I think the 9/11 aspect tied in with conspiracy theories idea is what really intrigued me. And boy was I right to chose this one!

Alex Vane is an interesting character who is fully fleshed out and has a somewhat complicated past. I love how much his food and fitness was part of the story, because it was part of what made him who he was. He reminds me of myself in some small ways, specifically they way of eating, and the way others look at you when you eat that way (healthy foods, lower carbs, etc.) There is also a part in the book where he is having some emotional issues and he all of a sudden starts binging on unhealthier foods. This is very true to character for a person who has gone through the whole dieting aspect and then hit a low and binged. I was very happy with how accurate certain portrayals were.

I also liked the character of Camilla. She was just as complex as Alex, maybe even more so. Both characters had some issues involving their parents, and again, they were very real with how they were portrayed and how they worked through those issues. Even the side characters are very realistic. Everyone has their own story and motives, etc., they are not there just to advance the story.

But the story, oh my the story! It was so interesting and had so many twists and turns, and that ending? Damn! I am just going to say I am intrigued enough to want to carry on with the rest of the story, and since it's available on Audible I might just have to hook that up sooner rather than later!

What to say about the story itself? It was so crazy with the twists and turns, the motivations, the whys... I honestly don't know what to say without giving things away, and this book needs to be experienced. I do have to say it is a little slow at first as it builds up the story (this is why I rated it 4 instead of 5) , but once the action starts going it never stops. 

The narrator, Joe Hempel, did an amazing job with this audiobook. His use of different voices for different characters was spot on, and he always was able to emphasize the given emotions needed for each individual scene. I had no trouble listening to his smooth voice for the duration of the almost 10 hour audiobook. On Audible he has over 18 pages of books he has narrated, including all 5 of the Alex Vane series. I look forward to exploring more.

The Pros:

• The characters are fully fleshed out and believable, even the side characters. I loved them all!
• The story was so full of twists and turns and characters it kept me intrigued right until the end.
• The narrator was amazing.

The Cons:

• A little too slow in the beginning as things build up.

[Review] Guiding Emily by Barbara Hinske

Title: Guiding Emily
Series: N/A
Author: Barbara Hinske
Genre: general fiction (adult), literary fiction, women's fiction
Format: audiobook from the publisher on NetGalley
Publication Date: December 1 2020 (audiobook)
Published By: Podium Audio (audiobook)
Source: audiobook from the publisher on NetGalley

Synopsis from Publisher

Sometimes the perfect partner has four paws…

Emily Main had it all: a high-powered career with a leading technology giant and a handsome fiancé bounding up the corporate ladder. Their island wedding and honeymoon were idyllic—until a tragic accident causes her retinas to detach.

Her well-ordered life is shattered as all treatments are unsuccessful and she slips into blindness. How will those around her cope with her tragedy? Can she rebuild her life in this most unwelcome, new normal?

Meanwhile, a black lab puppy named Garth fulfills his destiny to become that most esteemed of all creatures: a guide dog.

Guiding Emily is a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and courage as Garth and Emily make their way to each other.

About Barbara Hinske

Barbara Hinske is an attorney who recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. She inherited the fiction gene from her father who wrote mysteries when he retired and told her a story every night of her childhood. Barbara is the bestselling author of the beloved ‘Rosemont’ series and has recently launched a collection of murder mystery thrillers in her "Who's There?" collection.

She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. She is besotted with decorating, entertaining, cooking and gardening. Now that her novel The Christmas Club has been made into a Hallmark Channel movie, she is completely star-struck and thrilled to have her work on the screen.

My Thoughts:
Guiding Emily is my favourite book of the year so far. Yes, I know it's only early February, but it was very enjoyable. I found myself impatient to get back to my audiobook, damn that silly thing called work getting in my way.

Guiding Emily is really two separate stories that join together at the end. First off we meet Garth. He is an adorable and smart black lab puppy who is in training to be a guide. Secondly we meet Emily, a head programmer at a firm who is just getting ready to leave for her wedding and honeymoon. We already know from the synopsis the Emily will have an accident that will take away her sight and so we know that Garth will obviously end up as her guide.

Even though we already know what is going to happen, there is a lot of extra foreshadowing at the beginning of the story, and I found it a little annoying as it went on. For example Emily kept mentioning to her husband how she is afraid to do certain things because her retinas might detach. Later we have her mother going on about it as well. We get it, she has to be careful, but we also already know it's going to happen. That was one of only two things that annoyed me about the story, and they were so minor I didn't even deduct a point for them.

The other slightly annoying thing was how Garth just happened to keep running into Emily and her friends before Emily was even partnered with Garth. Dhruv at the dentist. Zoey at the center. Emily and her group at the restaurant. It kind of gives the impression it's a very small town they all live in, but we know that's not the case. So I just found all that a little too coincidental, but again, not a major issue. Even though the meeting at the restaurant highly coincidental, I did like how Garth was immediately drawn to Emily, and the way he described her. 

The story as a whole sucked me in. Even though I knew she was going to be blind, the whole time she was fighting to get better from her surgery, and keeping her head down, and sleeping on the massage board, I just felt all of that. The hope, and the agony of being so uncomfortable but having no other choice. I was frustrated right along with her when things didn't work out, and I understand the anger and the resistance to acceptance and moving forward, and the depression that followed.

The story is very realistic, and I love how they easily work in all the terminology and explanations around living as a blind person and all the assistive technologies and personal trainings they have to help the blind. I was intrigued by the differences between a guide dog and a therapy dog, and all the different things they can actually help out with. One of my favorite sections, but also the most traumatizing, is when Gath has an incident with a fake service dog in a restaurant and how the handler goes on her rant about how dangerous fake service dogs are. It was very eye opening. 

Garth was adorable! I loved his parts of the book the best. Seeing things through his eyes made me wish even more that I was able to communicate with my pup. One of my favorite parts with Garth was when he was trying to help clean up the spilled soda and accidentally ruined the child's homework and everyone was so upset with him but he doesn't understand why because in his mind he was just trying to help. It made me wonder if there were ever times I got mad at my own pup when he was just trying to help out. My only issue is sometimes he would say things that he obviously couldn't know, like when he described the pop spill and compared it to Niagara Falls. How would he know about Niagara Falls? But most of the time his parts fell well within what he would actually know, which made it easy to submerse myself into the story. Garth meeting the puppy raiser's cat for the first time was truly hilarious!

The characters were all pretty amazing, with Dhruv, the autistic coworker and Zoey, the young girl neighbor who befriends Emily after her accident, being my top secondary characters. Dhruv was just so sweet always doing research to help out his friend, and doing what needed to be done, unlike her husband who just can't seem to wrap his head around his wife's blindness and how to help her. Both Dhruv and Zoey help Emily in different ways come to grips with her blindness and gently help prod her towards next steps like the blind lessons at the center, and eventually applying for a guide.

With regards to the audiobook presentation itself, it was wonderful. The two narrators, Fred Berman and Julia Whelan were perfect fits for this story. Both of them are well known audiobook narrators with over a dozen pages of choices for each of them over on Audible. I have actually listened to a book with Fred before, the Time Traveler's Wife, and even though I didn't enjoy the story, I did enjoy the narration, and he makes an awesome Garth. 

The whole story was very visual. I could see this as a movie I would enjoy watching. As I already mentioned I didn't like stopping. If I could have just sat in a quiet corner somewhere and indulged in the whole book, I would have. Sadly all my audiobook listening comes during my commutes to work, and I only travel about 20-30 minutes each way, so I don't get a whole lot of listening in on each session.

The overall impression of the book, that life sometimes changes, even if for the worse, but that life can still be a full life if you just make some adjustments, resonated a great deal with me. I have been a chronic pain sufferer for many years, and finally last year I took matters into my own hands and changed my diet and activity and made things so much better. I now how a much better outlook on life, and so does Emily.

The Pros:

• Garth is adorable and I could listen to him describe his life forever
• The story was very immersive and informative.
• The secondary characters were big additions to the story, very realistic, and very loveable.
• The narrators were amazing.

The Cons:

• I wish there would have been more time spent with Emily and Garth together.
• Some of the meetings with Garth and the other characters beforehand were too coincidental.
• It was very predictable, but that still didn't take away from the story at all.

[Review] Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Title: Glitch
Series: Glitch (Book 1)
Author: Heather Anastasiu
Genre: YA, dystopia, sci-fi
Format: E-book, 371 pages
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Published By: St. Martin's Press
Source: Received from publisher

 

Synopsis from Tour Host

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Author Bio (Spotlight)

Heather Anastasiu is the author of the young adult sci-fi novel, GLITCH (St. Martin's Press/Spring 2012). She recently moved to Minneapolis with her family, and when she’s not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café.

Random Facts About Me:

• I played the piccolo in my high school marching band.
• I paint a little, but for some reason, only in winter.
• So, the last name, I know it looks like Anastasia, but it has a U on the end: Anastasiu (rhymes with 'so-nice-to-see-you'). It's Romanian in origin.
• I like body art. Well, I like art of all kinds, but especially body art, i.e. tattoos, because it's the art you get to take with you. I figure, there's so much about the body we're given we don't have control over (hips, nose, forehead, chin, height, foot size, health), so much that we get no choice in, but hair color and ink designs? Hello world, this is me and the kinds of things I find beautiful!
• I was in a wheelchair for a year during college because of health problems. Being wheel-bound and knee-high for a year certainly changed my perspective on life (pun intended).
• Yes, I am a fan of cheesy puns.
• My favorite book is East of Eden because it blew open my world when I first read it at age 20.
• I also unabashedly love Twilight. I even wrote a chapter in a forthcoming book of academic essays about how Twilight, for all its shortcomings, can also have positive implications for readers in that it provides a platform for public participation in a communal female myth. It's compulsively readable and is all about engaging our fantasy lives and letting us participate in vicarious wish fulfillment.
• I like pink and black together, but not apart.

www.heatheranastasiu.com | @H_Anastasiu | facebook.com/HeatherAnastasiu

My Thoughts

Glitch is an intriguing introduction to what I hope will be a wonderful new series. It's an interesting look into a society where the government has decided the people are better off as unfeeling controllable drones than free-minded happy and social citizens.

I really enjoyed exploring the ideas of feelings and emotions through Zoel's newly opened eyes as she "glitches" and loses contact with the Link that usually blocks the population from feeling and building close relationships with others. It's almost funny when she experiences some sort of emotion and has no idea what is happening to her, and the resulting actions that come from that experience.

Emotion was exhausting. Life had been so much simpler without it.

I have seen some complaints regarding the "love triangle" that occurs in Glitch, and as a self-proclaimed hater of the love triangle arc myself, I was surprised that this one barely bothered me. I guess it's because it is almost always clear which two belong together. Zoel, even with her steep emotional learning curve can feel that one of the boys just isn't right for her while the other clearly makes her react differently.

There was something else I couldn't quite define--something that made me uneasy. We were a wrong fit, like unmatching puzzle pieces.

I thought about everything that had happened since I'd met him, how I'd instinctual trusted him from the start,  how his touch calmed me and made me feel safe, even in the most tense situations.

The character of Maximin did bother me quite a bit though. I feel as though he could have been made the "wrong choice" in better ways than was actually used. He just came out way too creepy stalker and almost abusive and I physically shuddered any time I had to read an interaction between him and Zoel. I just didn't enjoy it at all.

I found the world building very intriguing and the whole idea behind the society of great interest as well. It's one of those things, like with The Giver, where you can see some of the reasoning behind the choices that were made, but wonder if perhaps (well yes) the government took things too far...especially when it comes out that the government themselves don't follow their own rules! But then again, do they ever?

As a Torontonian, I think the subway train scenes were always some of my favorite and made me feel at home. I wish ours were as orderly as The Community's though!

The subway train had stopped with a hiss of brakes, exchanging passengers promptly ever quarter hour. I breathed in and looked around me. It was overcrowded as always, but subjects entered and exited the train in evenly spaced, perfect lines. Order first, order always.

I wish!

But overall Glitch is a highly enjoyable read that I recommend to anyone who enjoys dystopian tales. I look forward to the release of Override, book 2 in the series.

My rating?

[Review] Once by Anna Carey (Plus Giveaway)

Title: Once
Series: Eve (Book 2)
Author: Anna Carey
Genre: YA, dystopian, post-apocalyptic
Format: Hardcover, 358 pages
Publication Date: July 3, 2012
Published By: HarperCollins
Source: Received from publisher

Synopsis from Goodreads

When you're being hunted, who can you trust?

For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.

But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.

Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

In this breathless sequel to "Eve," Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

My Thoughts

Even though I wasn't the hugest fan of the first book in this series, Eve, I was curious about what had happened to some of the secondary characters I had grown attached to. I had been patiently (not really) waiting for many months when I saw this on Edelweiss and decided to take a chance at requesting it. I hadn't had much success with Edelweiss prior to this, so I wasn't holding my breath. But thankfully, HarperCollins was awesome enough to accept my request and be my first acceptance on Edelweiss. I realized there were only 5 days left before the title would be archived so I rushed to download and read it. I didn't make it all the way to the end before it expired, but that's OK. My loss is your gain, because I had to obviously go out and buy a copy so I could finish the story, and now I want to share that with you. At the end of my review I will have a Rafflecopter form where you can enter for a chance to win my hardcover finished copy of Once.

My main complaint with Eve was Eve herself. I thought her to be wimpy, wishy-washy, and just not a stand-up character at all. I much preferred Arden, who ended up disappearing towards the end of Eve, which really annoyed me. But I have to admit that in Once, Eve has obviously gone through a period of growth during her time in Califia. It's nice to see her sticking up for herself and standing up for what she believes in, even if others don't completely agree with her methods. Also, the amount of emotional stress that Eve endures throughout this book is a testament to her growth, and how much more she is obviously going to continue to grow in the final book in the trilogy, Rise.

I have to admit that the storyline I was expecting to come out of this book did not actually happen. It was completely twisted and was a surprisingly intriguing touch, and I quite enjoyed reading it. I can't wait to see how it evolves by the end of the series.

I also fell in love with many of the new characters. The King was quite the enigma. You want to hate him for all that he has done that has caused the suffering of these girls and boys and the less wealthy people of his "Kingdom", but when he speaks about his reasoning behind his actions you can almost understand why he did it, or at least understand why he thinks it is necessary and not malicious. There are so many other characters I want to rave about, Beatrice, Charles, and so many more...but to tell you much of anything about them would give too much away. The one things I can tell you is the depth that Carey gives to each and every one of her characters is amazing. People are not just good and/or evil, they have motives, they have emotions, they make bad decisions, and they question themselves along the way. They are not perfect, and they all have flaws. They are realistic.

I also loved the setting for Once. The City of Sand, which is now the name of former Las Vegas is an amazing place to set up a new city. The many hotel suites are renovated and refurbished as living quarters (which is ingenious), and the logistical reasoning of choosing this city also makes a great deal of sense. It was a great touch! 

The only issues I had with Once were typical of a second-in-a-series book, and that is primarily pacing. Although I enjoyed the story and the characters quite a bit, I did find it to be quite slow and sluggish in many sections. Also, I really hate when a story throws in an animal of some sort just for the added emotional anguish of taking it away at some point. I often want to stop reading a book (or watching a movie) at that point. It's not really adding much, if anything, to the story. All it does is upsets me, and for no good reason. Just don't do it.

It was great seeing so many familiar faces, even if just for short glimpses throughout the story. Some closure was given, but by the end even more was left up in the air. What will happen next?

And OMG, the end? Damn you cliffhanger of DOOM! I am not amused...not amused at all...is it April 2013 yet? /sigh

My rating?

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

[Review] Archon The Books of Raziel by Sabrina Benulis

Title: Archon: The Books of Raziel
Series:  Archon Series
Author:  Sabrina Benulis
Genre:  ya, supernatural, angels, demons
Format:  Trade Paperback, 385 pages
Publication Date:  December 27, 2011
Published By:  Harper Voyager
Source:  ARC received from publisher for review.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Angela Mathers is plagued by visions of angels, supernatural creatures who haunt her thoughts by day and seduce her dreams by night. Newly released from a mental institution where she was locked away for two years, she hopes that her time at the Vatican’s university, the West Wood Academy, will give her a chance at a normal life. Unlike ordinary humans, Angela is a blood head — a freak, a monster, the possible fulfillment of a terrifying prophecy of overwhelming death and destruction. Only in Luz, the Vatican’s wondrous enclave, are blood heads accepted and encouraged to discover what kind of powers or special abilities they might possess.

But within West Wood, a secret coven plots, and demons and angels roam the streets searching for the key to open Raziel’s book — a secret tome from a lost archangel. Some are determined to destroy Raziel, while others, like the beautiful Supernal Israfel, one of the highest of the high, wish to free him. And when the Archon — the human chosen to possess the spirit of a dead angel — rises as foretold, they will control the supernatural universe.

Torn between mortal love and angelic obsession, Angela holds the key to Heaven and Hell — and both will stop at nothing to possess her.

My Thoughts

I'm totally the type of person who often picks books based on cover first, and synopsis later. This stunning cover and synopsis had me hooked right from the start, I just had to read it. Unfortunately the warning "Don't judge a book by it's cover." is something that should have been considered here. The sad thing is that I really wanted to like it, I really did, but I just couldn't.

First off, the term Blood Heads really threw me off. I kept thinking back to Vampire Academy for some reason and the "feeders" that voluntarily provided blood to the vampires. It never was explained very well and I can still only assume that Blood Heads refers to the blood red hair of this specific group of students. But a little more clarification would have been nice.

One of the main reasons for my dislike of this book was the over-complication of the writing. It was heavy and often felt like work to read, and often I had to go back and re-read sections multiple times to figure out was happening (and sometimes I just gave up and moved forward unwilling to fight with the wording any longer). It was also very confusing with constantly switching viewpoints, making it hard to tell who was saying/doing what. I often just wanted to give up on the book altogether, but I pushed myself to the end hoping it would get better.

The character and world building however were magnificent! I instantly fell in love with Angela Mathers, a young woman who dreams of angels and wants to be with them so desperately she tries so hard to end her life to be with them, but someone (or something) is protecting her from succeeding. The friends Angela meets at school are also intriguing and exciting! Nina and Sophia are so unique and alive they almost jump right off the page at you. The characters are truly the crowning achievement of Sabrina's writing.

The world building is also incredible. The weather, the atmosphere, the creatures, all stunning work. At first I was put off by the unique interpretation of the angels as these evil and nasty selfish creatures, but it really worked for the book and it was mostly explained. It was nice to see the angel idea from a new angle. Also the addition of demons and jinn and other such interesting creatures really increased the excitement level of this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to put the effort into reading such a heavy piece of writing,the characters and world building really do make it worthwhile, but it just wasn't for me. I doubt I will be reading any more in the series.

My rating?

[Review] Touch by Jus Accardo

Title: Touch
Series:  Denazen Series
Author:  Jus Accardo
Genre:  ya, supernatural, mutants, conspiracy
Format:  Ebook, 262 pages
Publication Date:  November 8, 2011
Published By:  Entangled Publishing
Source:  ARC from NetGalley

Synopsis from Goodreads

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.

Except there’s something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she’ll turn to dust if he touches her. It’s not until Dez’s father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there’s more to this boy—and her father’s “law firm”—than she realized.

Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation—an organization devoted to collecting “special” kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons—his entire life. And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills. The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they’re caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.

A secret Kale will kill to protect.

My Thoughts

I'm not going to lie...I totally picked this book for the cover. Have any of you out there ever watched the television series Roswell? Well if you have you might have noticed the same thing I did...

That's right...Max! (Played by Jason Behr.) I seriously believe that if a movie deal is made for this book that Jason Behr should play Kale. I would definitely pay to see that! So yeah...there's my confession...laugh at me if you will.

Now on to the review!

This book was absolutely amazing! If it wasn't for Divergent already stealing that place in my heart, I think Touch would be my top read of 2011. But it still has the much honoured place of runner-up (as far as I am concerned).

The story kind of reminded me up a mash-up between X-Men and Heroes (a television series I adore). In fact...if you know the series at all then you might understand my next comment. There is a neat character in Touch that seriously reminds me of Sylar from Heroes. If you have watched the series, and have read the book, tell me if you thought the same thing.

This book had some fabulous characters, both main and supporting. I cared about almost each and every one of them. I didn't want anything bad to happen to any of them (except those one or two really nasty ones of course). I fell in love with Kale instantaneously. His naivety and tenderness shine through despite everything he has been trained to believe and do. This provides the appropriate direct opposite to the female lead, Dez, who is a fiery young woman hell-bent on making her father's life a living Hell as much as possible. At first Dez annoyed me a bit with her out-of-control attitude and constant use of foul language. Over time I discovered the reasons behind her actions and was able to grow and mature along with here throughout each and every page, and it was a journey well worth taking. (And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.)

I also appreciate that the authour didn't feel it necessary to hold us hostage with a nasty cliffhanger to get us to read the next book in the series. To tell you the truth, I give way more credit to the authors who can make me want to read the next book(s) in their series without leaving me in a gut-wrenching "Oh my God what next!" kind of spot. So kudos to Jus Accardo. She is one of the few who have gotten this right!

My rating?

[Review] Dead Politician Society by Robin Spano

Title: Dead Politician Society
Series:  Clare Vengal Undercover Novels
Author:  Robin Spano
Genre:  murder mystery, thriller, undercover
Format:  Trade Paperback, 325 pages
Publication Date:  September 1, 2010
Published By:  ECW Press
Source:  Publisher for Blog Tour

Synopsis from Goodreads

When the mayor keels over dead in the middle of a speech, a clandestine student society immediately takes credit for his demise. Their mission is to create a perfect political system by any means at their disposal. Clare Vengel, a rookie officer fresh from the police academy and beyond bored with her routine as a beat cop, volunteers to go undercover as a student to infiltrate the secretive organization. A streetwise amateur mechanic, Clare takes a dim view of book smarts—she is of the opinion that higher education is for people who can't handle the real world. In short order, she alienates a popular professor and begins to lose the respect of her police superiors. Soon, another politician is killed, and Clare steps up her clandestine involvement with the suspect students. When two more politicians die, the race begins to apprehend the culprits before her own duplicity can be revealed.

My Thoughts

I received this book for review by Crazy Book Tours. It's not my typical kind of read, but it took place in Toronto, and I had the urge to participate in some book blog tours.

The first few chapters really confused and irritated me. So many characters were introduced and each chapter was told by a different narrator/character. It took me quite some time to get comfortable with the flow, and the characters in the story. I would say about half way through I was finally to the part where I didn't have to keep flipping back to see who was who.

I loved the setting, my current city of Toronto. It was great to recognize all the neat places and Subway stops, etc and to see them through each of the different character's eyes. I kind of want to know if the little cafe that is used in the story is a real place...because I would totally hang out there! It was also very interesting to dive into the whole University scene since I was never lucky enough to experience it first hand. It was very well done.

I found the story to be highly predictable and I knew who the murder was very early. The author gave out way too many clues, perhaps without even meaning too, simply by avoiding letting them share their voice with the reader as most of the other characters do.

I also wasn't a huge fan of most of the characters, and perhaps that is why it took me so long to differentiate between them. I found them all to be selfish, cold, and completely unlikeable. I really didn't care who the murderer was...I thought they pretty much all could rot in jail and the world would be a better place without the lot of them...but I can be harsh like that.

I think my biggest issue was with the murderer. There just didn't seem to be the amount of passion and hatred that you would expect someone to have before they run around murdering politicians (or anyone for that matter). I mean they had a story, and it was sad, but I think we all have those sad stories buried within us...but we don't all run around killing people off because of it! (And could you imagine the chaos if we did?)

It was too bad though, because even though it's not my usual type of story, the basis of the plot was highly intriguing and promising. It just didn't come together with the characters and everything else when the last page was read.

I am also on tour to read the second book in this series, Death Plays Poker. I really hope there are some stronger and more likeable characters involved, and I hope Clare "grows a pair" and becomes the true undercover cop I know she can be with a little maturity and experience.

My rating?

[Review] Monsters of L.A. by Lisa Morton

Title: Monsters of L.A.
Series:  n/a
Author:  Lisa Morton
Genre:  adult, horror, anthology
Format:  Trade paperback, 321 pages
Publication Date:  October 2011
Published By:  Bad Moon Books
Source:  Publisher for Blog Tour

Synopsis from Goodreads

In these pages you'll find the dark stars you grew up watching: Frankenstein, Dracula, Mr. Hyde, the Phantom, the Hunchback...all the silent ones and the first to find their voices are here, and they're even presented in roughly the order in which they first appeared on a silver screen. The Haunted House of the '30s gives way to the Werewolf of the '40s, the Monsters of L.A. Creature of the '50s, and so on, all the way up to our favorite modern boogeyman, the Zombie.

In some of these stories, you'll find an earthly incarnation of a famous namesake: Frankenstein is a patched-together, homeless vet, the Invisible Woman is so ordinary you'd never see her; but some of these familiar friends - Dracula, the Devil, or those seriously creepy Clowns - will be instantly recognizable.

My Thoughts

As I have mentioned before, I'm generally not a big fan of anthologies. The reason I accepted Lisa Morton's Monsters of L.A. is because since I have started reviewing I have drifted away from my horror roots and focused more on the ever popular YA novels. With this anthology I thought it would be a great way to work some horror back to my reading in bits and pieces.

There were many things that made this collection quite enjoyable. First off, some of the stories slightly overlap with each other, not enough that you have to read them all in order or miss out, but just enough to make you smile when you read about a character from another story, or an event. It was quite ingenious to weave those in. The best part of this collection is the comparison of the monsters from my childhood, to more modern stories, events and people. And the best thing about this anthology? The writing. The humour alone was enough to leave me in giggling hysterical fits as I rode home on the subway. (Especially a very awesome vampire crack...and if you read it you know exactly what I am talking about!)

I also love how the author provided background information on the stories, however I feel they should have been placed with each story individually instead of at the end as more of a reference. I think it would have made the story to read the background first and then dive in prepared, especially if you weren't familiar with the monster in a particular story.

One other little thing that bothered me was that one longer piece was included, and although I enjoyed it, I feel it should have been left as the very last story in the collection to avoid interrupting the nice flow that was going on up until then.

As usual, I feel the need to rate and review each story separately, not finding it quite fair for each story to be based on the anthology overall grade. This is very time consuming and why I don't do this very often.

Now on with the ratings!

Frankenstein - 5/5
This story fits the Frankenstein model very well. It was a good length, evoked the perfect emotions and was very well written. I loved it!
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - 3/5
I found this story too be too long and often too confusing. I think it would worked better as a longer/novella length piece at minimum. It would have been better to get inside the doctor's head a little more to find out more about the motives for what she was doing. Some parts seemed to be missing and some emotional reactions from the characters also seemed to be lacking. I was not a fan of this story.
The Phantom - 4/5
The Phantom of the Opera has been one of my favourite tales as long as I can remember, and Lisa Morton did a fabulous job with her interpretation. I love the uniqueness she has added by making the phantom a female junkie who was ruined by fame. It was lovely. My only real complaint is that is was way too short and I would have loved to read more.
The Hunchback - 5/5
I'm ashamed to say I have never read the original Hunchback story, but I know the Disney version remarkably well (thanks to having a young Disney obsessed child), so some of the story was unfamiliar to me, and kind of a spoiler at the end, but I can't blame the author for my lack of knowledge. I think it was brilliant that the author used a gay male student who was the constant target for bullies as the Hunchback character. This story was so well written that even though I saw the end coming it was still just as emotional.
Dracula - 5/5
At first I found the humour in this story to be slightly irritating, but once I figured out what was going on I realized just how perfect for this story it was. Dracula being shown as this egotistical movie star was hilarious, especially once he starts getting upstaged by his new on the scene co-star. If this story doesn't make you laugh there is something wrong with you!
The Bride - 3/5
I liked how this story tied in with Frankenstein, but that was all I really enjoyed about it. It was really too short to develop any emotional bond to the main character. The events also came off as too coincidental for me. 
The Mummy - 4/5
This story started off strong but I felt it fell apart as it approached the end. I was left confused as to the motivation for what is going on and how things will move forward from here. (Although a little more does come to light in The Zombie story, but still not enough to make me want to rate it higher.)
The Invisible Woman - 3/5
This was an interesting concept, but I don't think it came together as well as the author hoped. Part of the reason for this is it's too short length. It's always hard to make an idea clear and concise in a limited amount of words, but it's especially difficult when you tackle more difficult topics. I would love to reread this as a longer piece.
The Mad Scientist - 2/5
This story was way too short to be enjoyable. It almost felt as if it was simply thrown in to fill space and cover another monster topic. I really wanted to know more about the doctor and his work, the bond he had with his wife that would lead him to do what he did, and so much more. A little more from this story comes up in The Zombie, but still not nearly enough to make me happy.
The Werewolf - 4/5
I loved the idea of the werewolf as a famous musician who sort of "wolfs-out" on stage to make his music better. I felt really bad for his assistant though and all the stuff that nasty werewolf put him through. The ending left me highly confused as I don't understand why things didn't go another way...of course I can't say why because that would ruin it...but yeah...
The Haunted House - 5/5
I absolutely loved this story. I think it might have been my favourite of the whole collection. It tells the story of an old house and how this ghost hunter show tries to make it into a haunted house to raise their ratings. The house is so upset because all it wants is to be happy and have a family live inside to take care of it, and it feels like these ghost hunters are ruining her chances at happiness. It was fabulously written and I highly enjoyed it!
Cat People 4/5
This was an odd and quirky story. I had no background knowledge of "cat people" so I went into it completely blind. I feel in love with the main character, a young woman who feels like she has been walked all over most of her life and becomes obsessed with this female cat creature because she portrays a strong feminine role. It was quite an interesting read and I did enjoy it. I like how part of it surfaces again in another story.
The Creature 3/5
I'm not overly sure how I feel about this story. It started out very well. I liked the whole creature from the black lagoon coming out of the famous tar pits angle...and I liked everything including the creature as a whole...but once the story spun off into life with one of the characters after the event it lost me, and I started hating it. Sometimes authors just need to know when to end it. Often that is the hardest part...they either gone on too long, or not long enough.
The Alien 2/5
I actually had to go back and skim this story a second time when I came to write the review. It was spectacular, a simple story about a plant that shows up one day and seems to alter the thoughts of those who come in contact with it. The writing was good but the story itself just didn't stand out.
Kaiju (Giant Monster) 4/5
This was an interesting tale about a giant monster that comes out of the water (kind of like a Godzilla) but seems to take extreme care in not hurting anyone...ironically enough it is a human male who does most of the damage as he tries to "save" the people around him.
The Devil 4/5
I really liked this story as well. We have this poor guy who is terrified of haunted houses and he is being dragged to one of those haunted house type rides at an amusement park by a woman he really wants to impress. Obviously he can't wimp out and forces himself to "man-up" for her sake. The ending was slightly unexpected and very well done.
The Slasher 4/5
The writing in this story had a beautiful and creepy flow to it. The whole fascination with the crack in the foundation that draws the main character in is very well done. I think a little of the story that is told by the secondary character is a little over the top, but it is a horror story, so I guess it is to be expected.
The Killer Clown 4/5
This story creeped me out the most. As a small part of the story makes reference to, the clown from Stephen King's It has always scared the daylights out of me, so to me, as to the main character in this story, clowns are scary scary creatures. Add to that that this story has an "It" nightmarish kind of feel to it and you have the makings of many sleepless nights for me in the future. The one things that did bother me with this story is that if my fear of clowns was as crippling as this young woman's...I think my boyfriend would be a little more careful about not only dressing up as a clown for Halloween (that's just pure heartless) but also taking her to a location that has a giant clown as a mascot. Just saying...
The Urban Legend 4/5
I really enjoyed this story, however, due to it's more novella like length I feel like it should have been placed at the very end of the collection. I loved seeing the growth of the main character, especially through her relationships. She was a very strong woman, which was easy for us all to see, but she couldn't realize it herself until the end. I would like to read more from this story...and I actually think the author might have more coming.
The Zombie 5/5
I'm not a huge fan of zombies, but Lisa Morton wrote a fantastic zombie story in this collection. I can't say too much without ruining it, but it nicely weaves together a few of the other stories from this collection and paints a vivid picture of a post-apocalyptic world and the characters trapped within it.

Overall this was a great collection and I highly enjoyed reading it. I'm glad I took the chance on it, and it was wonderful to have a little horror thrust into my world for however short a time.

My rating?

[Review] Two Moons of Sera by Pavarti K Tyler

Title: Two Moons of Sera
Series:  Two Moons of Sera (serial format)
Author:  Pavarti K Tyler
Genre:  fantasy, romance, mermaid
Format:  Ebook, 84 pages
Publication Date:  November 1 2011
Published By:  Fighting Monkey Press
Source:  Received from Author for Review.

Synopsis from Goodreads

In a world where water and earth teem with life, Serafay is an anomaly. The result of genetic experiments on her mother's water-borne line Serafay will have to face the very people responsible to discover who she really is. But is she the only one?

All the Fun of YA written for Adults

Two Moons of Sera is a Fantasy/Romance and will be released in a serial format. The first volume is just shy of 20,000 words and will be priced at $0.99. Anyone who purchases it will receive all future volumes for free. However if you wait to get it until later, the price will go up with each addition.

My Thoughts

When I first received the email from Pavarti about possibly being part of her blog tour for the first section of Two Moons of Sera, I have to admit I was hesitant. I haven't had a lot of good luck with the the self-published, e-book only types of review requests. I often end up marking them as DNF (did not finish). But after seeing how short the story was I agreed to at least give it a chance. I am really glad I did.

Ms. Pavarti has such a wonderful lyrical flow to her writing you couldn't stop yourself from reading it even if you wanted to. The opening was so intriguing I just had to find out what was going on!

"Nilafay ran, slipping on the unfamiliar terrain, desperate to reach water. The rocks dug into the thin flesh of her webbed feet, cutting her skin. This place was so foreign despite being only miles from her home. Never had she seen the sun so bright or felt the moisture evaporate directly off her skin; she was sure she would die from the cruelty of the atmosphere."

It was so beautiful! The book whipped by so fast and effortlessly that I was saddened when I was already at the end. (And what a horrible place to leave me stranded Ms. Pavarti!) The characters were so interesting and unique, they completely made the story. Nilafay, the mixed-race Erdlander (human) - Sualwet (mermaid) and Tor, the simple-minded hermit Erdlander (I think) make such an interesting connection you can't tear your eyes away. Their interactions are so simple, yet speak such volumes. The whole world around them seems so exciting and new, you can't help but feel surrounded as you read about it.

My only complaints about the book were:

(1) It was too damn short. I want more now!

(2) I would like to know more about this "war" that is going on that Nilafay's mother makes reference too. It seems like it was spoken of often, but not explained. I hope there is more about it in future serial offerings.

 I will be waiting anxiously for the next section...

My rating?

Pavarti is running a special giveaway contest

in connection with this blog tour.

Click the image to read more about it and enter!

Review of Children of Paranoia by Trevor Shane

Title: Children of Paranoia
Series:  Children of Paranoia Trilogy
Author:  Trevor Shane
Genre:  genre stew (self proclaimed by author)
Format:  Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication Date:  September 8, 2011
Published By:  Penguin Group, Dutton Adult
Source:  Publisher for Blog Tour

Synopsis from Goodreads

ALL WARS HAVE RULES

Rule Number One: No killing innocent bystanders.

Rule Number Two: No killing anyone under the age of eighteen.

BREAK THE RULES, BECOME THE TARGET

Since the age of eighteen, Joseph has been assassinating people on behalf of a cause that he believes in but doesn't fully understand. The War is ageless, hidden in the shadows, governed by a rigid set of rules, and fought by two distinct sides-one good, one evil. The only unknown is which side is which. Soldiers in the War hide in plain sight, their deeds disguised as accidents or random acts of violence amidst an unsuspecting population ignorant of the brutality that is always inches away.

Killing people is the only life Joseph has ever known, and he's one of the best at it. But when a job goes wrong and he's sent away to complete a punishingly dangerous assignment, Joseph meets a girl named Maria, and for the first time in his life his singleminded, bloody purpose fades away.

Before Maria, Joseph's only responsibility was dealing death to the anonymous targets fingered by his superiors. Now he must run from the people who have fought by his side to save what he loves most in this world. As Children of Paranoia reaches its heart-in-throat climax, Joseph will learn that only one rule remains immutable: the only thing more dangerous than fighting the War...is leaving it.

My Thoughts

I discovered this book by perusing the books being offered for review by Crazy Book Tours. I have seen many bloggers be part of tours and I was curious to see how they worked. Trevor's book was the one that piqued my interest the most. For some reason it struck me as a kind of Battle Royale, Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies kind of book from the description. It wasn't even close. It wasn't what expected at all. But that doesn't mean I didn't like it, because I did.

Children of Paranoia is an intense kind of book that immediately drags you in and pulls you along through the story, not caring as your flesh is scraped raw by the bumps and bands along the way. The writing is superbly done, especially in the beginning. The writer uses intrigue and perfectly executed foreshadowing to draw the reader deeper and deeper into the story, never giving them an excuse to close the book and walk away.

Foreshadowing is one of those techniques not a lot of writers can get right. Some never use it to its full potential, but many more overuse it so much you cringe every time it appears on the page. Mr. Shane has foreshadowing down to a science. I never cringe when it's used. It doesn't slap you in the face with its presence, but it's there just enough to know what you might expect in the following pages.

The story is very realistic. Mr. Shane writes the story to be believable. I find myself looking around wondering if the people around me could be caught up in some invisible war. It is possible. The facts add up...and I still find myself asking...who were the good guys...and who were the bad ones? What makes one side good over the other? Interesting question to ponder.

Some of the characters frustrate me at times. The main character is so smart, yet at times he doesn't see the most clear things right in front of him, and he doesn't make the choices we all know he should (and the choices he has been trained to make all his life). This seems too convenient for me and a small, yet annoying flaw in the writing. I saw things coming way before the main character did, and he should have seen them first.

The pacing slowed towards the end and I found myself tiring slightly of the story...but I pushed myself through and I was glad I made it to the end. And you will too. The ending completely shocked me. I never saw (most of it) coming. I actually might just read the next book in the series to see what Mr. Shane intends on doing next because I am intrigued, yet again...

My rating?

Review of Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve
Series:  The Eve Trilogy
Author:  Anna Carey
Genre:  YA, dystopian, post apocalyptic
Format:  Ebook, 336 pages
Publication Date:  September 27, 2011
Published By:  HarperCollins Publishers, HarperTeen
Source:  ARC from NetGalley

Synopsis from Goodreads

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

My Thoughts

This book had a very intriguing premise, which is what attracted my attention when I was perusing books to review on NetGalley. I'm a huge sucker for the dystopian/post apocalyptic YA genre, and there has been so many good choices to read.

Eve was very well written and had a promising story. A serious disease has killed a large chunk of the population, leaving many children orphaned. Schools have been set up to welcome these children in (boys and girls are kept completely separate in different schools and never even see each other) where they are educated, medicated and housed until their 18th year. The girls are taught to fear the male of the species, being told they are nothing but animals who are intent on lying to them until they can satisfy their urges and then abandon them. (It's not until later that we find out more about the boys and their "education".) Once they reach their 18th year they "graduate" to the next area where they will begin their more focused career training. Or so they have been lead to believe...

We very early discover that things are not what they are expected to be, and the girls are being kept for more sinister reasons. The reasons, although I sat and tried to think very hard about how it might actually could happen in the real world, come off as too far-fetched to me. I don't see why the school would focus so closely on education and keeping them away from some of the things from the past just so they can house them up later and force them to pop out babies while they remain strapped on hospital beds. It just doesn't make much sense to me.

My main issue with this book is the main character, Eve. She is one of the most annoying main characters I have met in a very long time. She is weak, annoying and selfish. Her choices are wishy washy and completely unrealistic, going against characteristics that are laid out for her in the story. First she is strong, then she wimps out, then she wants to do whatever she can for a person, then leaves them behind, she's completely unpredictable. She is so immature I often just wished the author left her behind to die in a corner somewhere. That might sound harsh, but it's how I feel. I had a better connection with Eve's friend, Arden. She is strong and true and willing to give up anything to help those closest to her. I hope we see more of her in book two. I also hope Eve takes a cue from Meghan (The Iron Fey series) and does some growing up over the next book or two. I'm not sure how much more I can stand to read from her...

On top of all that, the ending was another one of this horrible cliffhangers I hate so much...

Really?

/groans

The writing style, the "promise" of a good story, and the hope that Eve is using this book to learn and mature are the only things that saved me from ranking this book lower...

My rating?