Constitution 3.0 was assigned to me for my Legal Issues in Technology class.
It worked very well with the class structure, and I could utilize it for Constitution 3.0 was assigned to me for my Legal Issues in Technology class.
It worked very well with the class structure, and I could utilize it for many discussion posts and assignments. The book's layout is done cleanly and separated in an organized manner.
It did a great job of breaking out the topics so the reader could easily use them for reference.
My only complaint would be to add page numbers to reference the book in the Kindle format.
I highly recommend this book as a quick reference for learning some basic ins and outs of legalities for IP, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents.
Air Riders is written by Echo Fox and is book 3 in the Equilibria Series. It is featured around the main character of Tai who is from a race of peopleAir Riders is written by Echo Fox and is book 3 in the Equilibria Series. It is featured around the main character of Tai who is from a race of people that live in harmony with the wind.
The Zephyrus build things with wind, create wind weapons from any semblance of a sound and live in a world with two other races. There are the less flying creatures known as the Daiku who seem to resemble some sort of flying reptile that are a defensive breed by nature. Then there are the ground bound Riku who are described as fast and reptilian like that will attack either Daiku or Zephyrus for food if they are within reach.
Air Riders starts out with a Prologue that shows us the character of Aiko going through an intense defensive and emotional time. As I woman I felt for Aiko and was intrigued by her as a character. This prologue painted a picture of her which would stick with me through at least the first third of the book. Following the prologue, we are immediately introduced to Tai, who is a young up and coming leader in the Hunting Wing who has proven his skills in hunting and earned much respect. He is pledged to bond with a beautiful Zephyrus from the Teaching Wing named Keiko.
Tai lives and breathes his hunting wing and can only be distracted by his love for Keiko. The Daiku have suddenly begun attacking the Zephyrus, which leaves me as a reader quite suspicious and throw the entire lives of the Zephyrus into chaos. Tai must do all that is in his power to defend his love and his people from succumbing to the attacks coming from the Daiku, but more importantly those coming from within his own people.
I did not read the first two books and initially I thought that they may have answered some of the questions that I had within Air Riders, however as I have investigated them, they seem to overall be standalone books about entirely different races and main characters with only an end game lead up in common. With that being said, I want to talk about the few negative aspects I felt were found within Air Riders. There were many things that were described that seemed to need to be assumed by the reader, whereas I would have liked to have gotten a better grasp on things. For instance, the other Zephyrus, there was not much talk about their living arrangements, how they would communicate across distance and what would happen to them during the coming together of the battle. I also was never able to fully grasp just how many people we were talking about. In a way, I found some of the Zephyrus qualities akin to Native Americans had they held mythological beliefs. Although many of the Daiku and Riku are talked about, it was hard to get a clear picture of exactly what they would look like, for me anyway. Lastly, I felt as if they Zephyrus were a bit TOO ignorant and unquestioning of anything going on or of all the people who wound up missing.
Brilliant points to this novel will first start with the sheer genius possessed by Echo Fox in her creation of many aspects of this world. The air elements and how many things that she utilizes them within her story were wonderful. It was nice to use a familiar religion base that was not overbearing but still was able to shed light onto some of the beliefs and culture of the Zephyrus. Tai and Keiko was real, as was the pain that was felt by Aiko in the rare moments that it was glimpsed. The end held a big shocker for me, and I found myself with tears in my eyes. Echo did a superb job of creating relatable characters with real personalities.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars. It was definitely a wonderful read; it could use a tad bit of extra explanations within the story for lesser aspects but overall, it is a solid good book. I would love to read the first two books in the series as well as any that follow. I highly recommend her writing style and her genuine sense of great story telling. This book held aspects for any interested in fiction, mythology, fantasy, romance, suspense, mystery, young adult, etc. ...more
The Glass Heart Girl is written by Michelle Diana Low. She is a book about statutory rape and the painful recovery process that Alena goes through to The Glass Heart Girl is written by Michelle Diana Low. She is a book about statutory rape and the painful recovery process that Alena goes through to find a way to open her heart up completely to the man that she loves years later.
The concept of this book is very exemplary, and the base of the story is definitely well done. Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time, especially in the first third of the book, wondering why so many common words that could have been used were instead interchanged with weird-sounding thesaurus words. There is a scene in which Alena and Phillip first meet and are kissing, and it’s calling their mouths orifices… I wasn’t sure if I should be picturing myself in a laboratory or a porno…. I kept thinking back to the movie “10 Things I Hate About You” and how the counselor, Miss Perky, was trying to write an erotic romance novel and coming up with different names for sexual parts.
I feel like there is a wonderful story in here, but it still needs some major editing. Alena’s trauma that she is going through, when described, is very realistic and believable when she is in her mind reliving memories. This part of the writing was superbly done. Also, the romance with Philip was a bit over the top. It seemed geared for a younger, possibly immature mindset, but this could tie into the sexual trauma that can be a result of how many people’s minds in love do not fully progress past the point of sexual trauma without healing, if ever.
What was the biggest negative for me in this book was the way that Alena would sexualize and describe herself with such confidence one second and then immaturely cry and shut down and refuse to talk to Philip about anything. I felt that there were two different people here and two different storylines that weren’t completely syncing up in a believable manner. Then you throw in the in-love with my friend vibe from the roommate, Becca. I get that the book title is glass heart girl, but there was no need to keep constantly saying that she had a glass heart, it did start to get a little old.
The most positive aspects of the book for me were that the characters are all wonderfully described in that you can see them in your mind as people, and they have real human emotions, not just words on a page. The trauma in Alena’s mind and the flashbacks again were wonderfully written, and Michelle obviously has skill in this department.
Overall, I find myself giving this book a 3.5/5 stars. I wanted to love it so much, but it felt so raw to be still. The flow was constantly being interrupted for me. The immature feel of the relationship would have been more believable if this had been a book about a younger girl in high school as opposed to a college-age woman (in my humble opinion). Throw away the thesaurus and let your own words flow! This got better as the story progressed, but in the beginning, it really broke up the natural flow of the story's writing. There is no need to constantly rename regular body parts such as mouths into orifices; it just sounds weird. I would definitely read more by Michelle in the future and would love to see this book finely polished and to read more from her as she develops as an author. If you are into romance, young adult, sensitive topics, real-life issues, or fiction, this book is for you....more
Girl Spins a Blade is written by Jacques Antoine and is the 4th book in the Emily Kane short story series. It was originally published under the titleGirl Spins a Blade is written by Jacques Antoine and is the 4th book in the Emily Kane short story series. It was originally published under the title The High Road to the Mountain Gods. It featured (surprise) Emily Kane, who is looking for spiritual renewal among the Buddhists of Nepal.
This book was my first introduction to Emily Kane. I was able to enjoy this book. However, I prefer NOT to start in the middle of the series, as some passages talked about previous events that I did not know. Otherwise, this book did a great job as a stand-alone read. It started out with great momentum, and my biggest confusion was picking up in the middle of the story at the beginning, but it caught me up quickly, and I could enjoy the rest of the novel.
This is a short story that I would love to see combined with the other short stories into a complete anthology of Emily Kane. Jacques definitely has a skill for writing, and he does a great job of bringing Emily and the ancillary characters to life. The scenes are described in detail when needed, and I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the statues and temples at Katmandu. I found myself craving more details about the atmosphere within the Buddhist temple. I am unsure if this was done intentionally to leave an air of wonder or if it was left off. Either way, it didn't detract from the scene.
Since it is a short story, it moved quickly and covered a lot of ground. It would be awesome to see such a great story expounded upon into a full-on novel. I would love to see it all put together once you have written multiple short stories about the same character.
Emily definitely stands up as an empowered female character. I don't understand where she got her training or mind control (I assume this was explained in previous books), but seeing her take responsibility for Sonam is nice. She is supposedly possessing goddess-like qualities, and one may even reside in here. There was some mention of a grandmother (that I think must have come from one of the previous stories).
I loved the detail that was put into cultural aspects as well as the dress of the Nepalese culture. Although it was hard to gauge the amount of time that was spanned throughout the book, it was great to see Emily taken in by the people and even have one of them want to arrange a marriage for her. Given the way that her violent spirit seemed to find a shared interest, it would have been nice to get to know this new beau better as a character.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars. It was well-written and had an interesting and unique story. Although you can still enjoy it on its own, I would highly suggest getting the blanks filled in by reading the previous 3 short stories. It was only 47 pages long, which is great for a quality short story read. I would love to read the previous stories and any that come after this one, as the author has created a character I enjoy reading about. Great for anyone who enjoys reading Asian, Eastern, Nepalese, fiction, woman empowering, fantasy, martial arts, Buddhism, spirituality, etc. books. ...more
A Human Element is written by Donna Galanti and is the first book in the Element Trilogy. The book revolves around three main characters, Laura ArmstrA Human Element is written by Donna Galanti and is the first book in the Element Trilogy. The book revolves around three main characters, Laura Armstrong, an adopted girl who exhibits fantastic healing abilities; Ben Fieldstone, a boy whose past links to the site of her birth; and X-10 or Charlie, who has a darkness within and has been fueled to anger and an obsession with Laura that has turned to black hatred as he is forced to watch her from afar.
A Human Element covers a span of time periods as we watch the characters grow and develop into whom they are, shaped by forces around them. Each of these characters painfully knows loss. Donna was not afraid to face painful and REAL issues head-on. Some areas graphically deal with encounters such as rape, addiction/depression, and death that seem to follow each character. If you are overly sensitive to any of these issues, some parts may be painful to read.
Galenti did a fantastic job of bringing each character to life, whether ancillary or main; they will all be as if before your eyes. I also must commend her on adding the realism and “humanity” aspect so that no character is 100% perfect or 100% evil.
This book is one of many dark twists and turns, leaving you with many questions that cause you to pass through the pages wanting to know more. Galenti is a superb storyteller and is one that we will see more of in the future. She has the gift of bringing her story to life, the visualization and attention to detail in character and setting make her rise above many other independent authors who do not devote the time to show true love for their story as it is transformed into the written form.
Overall, I award this book 4/5 stars. This is an amazing story in the stages of development, although it could be cleaned up a bit (at least on the Kindle copy that I read). This would help eliminate any break in the flow. Otherwise, the story was great and worth the read. This is a story unlike any you have read before. If you are into sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, suspense, romance, fiction, young adult, etc., you will want to check this one out!...more
God on Trial is written by Sabri Bebawi. It is mostly about a man going through a very painful and hard time in his life that has decided that God is to blame for all of the problems in the world and so he decides to put together a case to make God stand on trial, in absentia if required.
The main character is an unnamed man who is going through some sort of delirium, likely dementia and/or schizophrenia. He goes back through his childhood (born in Egypt) currently residing in the US with his French wife. He relives certain events in his mind and meets with figures of his imagination to plan his case against God from a plethora of religions.
The good aspects are that this is a very intriguing idea. The book is written in a very unique format with minimal names, and exploring life from the mind of a mad man which extremist views. The man could theoretical be many older gentleman. It is a nice quick short story.
The negative aspects for me have a lot to do with the tone of the book. There is an obvious feeling of dissention against the US as a whole and definitely the military. The main character wants to lay blame on anything outside of himself and ultimately God. The book skips around a lot and can be confusing and hard to follow. I am not sure if this was done purposefully to try to show the madness in the man’s mind or not, but it took away from the flow of reading which constant start and stop.
Overall I award the book with 3 stars. It was more exciting to read about than to actually read. The idea of the book is very intriguing and stands out, however the delivery was not as stellar as I would have liked. The constant jumping around without much cohesion made for spending a lot of time trying to figure out if you were reading about a past or current event. God on Trial does do an excellent job of painting the picture of a mad man though, and with some editing help this could come in a much prettier package. If you are into religion, spirituality, trials, fiction, mental illness, mystery, suspense, etc, than this book is for you.
*I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
Liar Liar is written by J. A. Coffey and Julianne Floyd and is about a fraud examiner named Jessica Barlow... Jessica also happens to be single and haLiar Liar is written by J. A. Coffey and Julianne Floyd and is about a fraud examiner named Jessica Barlow... Jessica also happens to be single and has dabbled in a dating site or two. In her first solo case, she is tasked with investigating the fraud of the exact same dating site that she is currently registered with.
I just have to say that this was one of the most fun and entertaining reads that I have encountered in a long time. It is ranking up there as one of my top guilty pleasure books. The flow of the book was fantastic, the dialogue and descriptions were titillating. The viewpoint of an outsider looking in as opposed to in-character narration worked superbly for this book. I could not put this book down, even if I only had time to read a small section of the book; it got me through to the next time that I would be able to get back to it.
The main character Jessica sat very well with me as I could see myself in her many times over as someone having used dating sites with mediocre luck and worse luck with the men that I have dated in the past. I also loved that the getaway resort was in Montana, as I myself am from Montana. The headquarters are in Texas, and I currently reside in Texas. There were just so many uncanny similarities that made this book closer to me. Matteo was definitely an excellent sexy addition as the supporting character of this book.
Coffey was very in tune with her writing of any teasing or sex scenes, but one, in particular, stood out to me. I must commend her on writing one of the most descriptive, steamiest foreplay scenes that I have ever encountered in my entire adult reading time. Even had the whole book been crap, it would have been worth it just for the picnic scene alone after whitewater rafting. However, don't let that make you think that this book is ALL about sex. It is not, and it is about finding the ability to trust someone enough to be open enough to them to be able to experience such highs with someone else and to find the ability to heal after the mass destruction of one's heart.
The characters were well described and personified, and it was easy to relate to them as actual people (especially for me). There may have been a couple of slightly cheesy moments when Matteo (Matt) is pouring it on a little thick in his descriptions of Jessica, but the book was so damn good that it was easy to overlook, and you didn't even care, you just went with it. This is a sign of truly fantastic writing skills. Some people can make a story flow, even if not every little detail is perfect. That is the TRUE art of storytelling.
I give this book an obvious 5/5 stars as it has high re-readability value and is also the first in a series, which I cannot wait to read the next book. The book that I was gifted had an except from the beginning of the next book, and I have already read it twice and need to get into it ASAP! This book is definitely for MATURE audiences, and if you are not comfortable with sex scenes, then you are, first of all, missing out, and second of all may want to shy away from this one. It is a book full of romance, woman empowerment, fiction, sex, and chick lit (I still don't get what that pertains to, but it sounds good here, so I am going to go with it.) Although female readers may be more attracted to this one, my male readers could learn a thing or two from a few parts of the book. ...more
Falling For Leigh was the first book I had the pleasure of encountering from the Brookhollow Series. I had the pleasure of receiving a copy from JenniFalling For Leigh was the first book I had the pleasure of encountering from the Brookhollow Series. I had the pleasure of receiving a copy from Jennifer with some kick-butt swag. Romance books are not usually my go-to for picking a book up, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. The great thing about it is that it worked as a standalone; there wasn't any feeling of "missing out" on the part of the story, having not read Books 1 or 2. However, I will check out more of this series that Jennifer Snow created.
I was thoroughly sucked into the Brookhollow Setting and loved the realistic characters from Snow. Leigh was a wonderful "real woman" character who dealt with many realistic issues that can be seen in the world around us. At first, Logan seemed a bit pompish, but he came to life as a genuine person, and I found myself rooting for things to work out between them. Definitely worth the read!
The Necromancer is written by Graeme Ing and features a man by the name of Maldren, who is from the detested guild of necromancers. He proudly wears hThe Necromancer is written by Graeme Ing and features a man by the name of Maldren, who is from the detested guild of necromancers. He proudly wears his robes and valiantly works to save the people from things they don’t even know exist. In his attempt to obtain the title of Master from his guild, he is given an apprentice to train. This apprentice happens to be a girl, which is rare in a mainly male field of work.
Necromancer hits the ground running, and although it is action-packed, Graeme introduces many new elements in a world of his creation. He has a different religious structure and throws around different names in curses (such as Kristach) that have no bearing on a new reader. A prologue would be a welcome addition to give the reader a frame of reference and some background information.
When an unknown terror threatens people's lives in his city, Maldren must go deep into the underground below the city to try to find the source. It seems left up to him to fight this darkness with a young apprentice by his side.
Graeme did a superb job of creating monstrous terrors of the dark. These creatures were very imaginative and worked as great extensions of the villainous element of the book. The created world of Necromancer is a pleasure to visit, and the suspense and secrets make for an enjoyable read.
I enjoyed getting to know Maldren and his apprentice, Ayla. Ayla was spunky and brave and a great woman-empowering character. Out of everyone in the book, I would have to say that I was most intrigued by the character of Pyxia and wished there was more of her in the novel.
Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars. It was definitely an entertaining story, and I loved getting to know each character and element of the story. My main complaint is the lack of explanation for basic elements that make up the story that could give the leader a better background of the information. I feel that the religious makeup could be more effective. Usually, a slight explanation of the religion behind the story and where someone stands is an additional way to understand a character’s motives and way of thinking as they go about their journey from both the hero and the villain aspects. If you enjoy fantasy, paranormal, dark fantasy, fiction, woman-empowering, mystery, suspense, horror, or thrillers, you will definitely enjoy this book....more
The Historian's Tale is written by K.B. Shaw and is the 1st Book in the NeWorld Paper Series. This is a sci-fi/fantasy book filed with intrigue and highly imaginative story telling. The book is based around a man on the brink of 18 named Fallon.
The Historian's Tale paints a world that operates with little to no emotion and a plethora or rules and order. Children come about based upon contracts which decide which parent will get to keep the child. Once a contract of coupling is complete, people will go their separate ways and the parent with the contract will raise the child. If a man is not born with a contract he will be "stemmed", and therefore unable to provide any offspring. This is a way to retain order and to prevent over population. (Kind of sounds like something the Chinese would come up with).
Shaw did an impeccable job with descriptions of the world and the development of the story and the characters. Whilst reading this book I found myself vested in the main characters and wanting to know them more and was rooting for them. The concepts that have been created and the slight reference to Marx are brilliant. I don't want to give any of the details that unfold away so I will leave it at that.
As a ward of his school institute, Fallon will be left out on his own in the near future when he turns 18 and has no idea what will become of him. After witnessing a heinous crime occur, he finds himself constantly looking over his shoulder. The many rules of NeWorld do not provide for my ingenuity or imagination, which leaves Fallon's ability to draw anything in detail from memory an ability that must be hidden. Without warning he is then purchased by a wealthy woman to be indentured help. Nothing that has happened to him in life thus far is going to prepare him for what is to come.
I give this book 5/5 stars, as I was engrossed in it and was finding any small amount of time that I could spare to read more into the story. I was hooked from the beginning and I love all of the thought provoking aspects that Shaw has added into this tale. I cannot wait to read Book 2 and get more involved with the story. It was a pleasure "watching" the story develop before my very eyes. This would make for an excellent movie or mini series. If you are into sci-fi, fantasy, romance, new adult, young adult, mystery, suspense, and fiction this book is definitely for you.
*I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review....more
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Lantamyra is written by Susan Waterwyk and is a fantasy novel. From the beginning of the book we are introduced to Lenora who is from the world of Lantamyra but has been residing on Earth for the past 40 years. She is in search of a crystal scepter so that she may return home. Her granddaughter Tylya is privy to the knowledge of the scepter and has planned to go with her grandmother when she returns home. Josh is in love with Tylya and ends up stowing away to be with Tylya assuming he can easily return home to Earth.
Susan did a brilliant job of initially setting the story up. I was excited to read this story from the description, fantasy is my favorite of all genres the initial characters are definitely described and personified well. I loved her use of women as rulers, and of course the dragons and many other world creatures to supplement the story. The concept of the crystals and their power was also very intriguing.
As the story progresses, it feels like you are running down a slope and then you start a long trek up to the top of a mountain. Lantamyra is heavy on the details and it does well to give you a feel for where you are in her vision. However, as the book goes on there is a lot of meaningless dialogue that seems to stretch on and retract from the story. The flow of the story gets off track and seems to take forever to take the reader to where it is trying to go. The pace gets so slow at some points, that I hate to say that I started to grow kind of bored with the story.
Overall I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. There is a wonderful story to tell within this book, but some editing out of the fluff in the novel would do wonders to speed up the pace. Background on events and characters other than the 3 main ones would also give more depth to the book. I love the concept and idea of the story, and the unique ideas that Susan has. An edit for content would do wonders in making this story even better. If you enjoy fantasy, romance, and fiction, this novel is definitely for you. ...more
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Daughters of the Dragon is written by Bill Andrews and is historically based a I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Daughters of the Dragon is written by Bill Andrews and is historically based around the women who were forced by the Japanese to be “comfort women” or ianfu during World War II.
A girl named Anna is a Korean who was adopted by an American family as a baby. When her American mother dies of cancer she finds that she is at an impasse in life and decides to travel to South Korea in an attempt to locate her birth mother to learn more about her past. She finds much more than she could have ever imagined.
I must commend Mr. Andrews on his ability to capture this story through the eyes of a woman. Included within Daughters of the Dragon are many heart wrenching and difficult to read passages are included in this book, and Bill was very careful and intimate with small details that he showed careful attention to.
This historical fiction story of a story told to Anna holds much fact from Korea’s history. I admittedly learned many details about the history, which hold true with the true accounts of what happened during this time. To date the Japanese have not formally apologized for the atrocities that were conducted against these women that have still never been fully acknowledged by either the Korean or Japanese governments. To date the remaining ianfu still march outside of the Japanese embassy weekly even though many of them are now in their 80s and 90s.
So many aspects of this book pulled at my heart, and I could feel myself there within these pages. There were some painful aspects to read of accounts that NEED to be told and NEED to be heard. There were times when I found tears in my eyes for the way that life had to be survived at a day at a time.
After surviving the horrors of being a “comfort woman”, Ja-hee found herself in an increasingly communistic North Korea, and after fleeing found that she was fighting to always try to escape the embarrassment and dishonor that she felt from what had been down to herself.
This book is an easy 5/5 stars, with its passion swept across the pages; passion for love, honor, survival, strength, independence, and for self-growth. This book spoke to my very soul and makes my heart ache for the pain my world sister had to endure during their time as comfort women and the hardships they encountered if they managed to make it out of their alive. EVERYONE should read this story and pass it on. This is one of those novels that I hope may reach other forums to reach further audiences. Hopefully we can see it portrayed accurately in a move theater one day soon as this story needs to be heard.
Rogue Hunter: Inquest is a book written by Kevis Hendrickson. It is the first in the Rogue Hunter series and centers around a galactic bounty hunter nRogue Hunter: Inquest is a book written by Kevis Hendrickson. It is the first in the Rogue Hunter series and centers around a galactic bounty hunter named Zyra Zanr.
Rogue Hunter is a Sci-Fi novel starting with a news bulletin stating that the wanted killer Boris Skringler has been captured in New Venus. The bounty hunter Zyra Zanr went to retrieve him and was also captured, who is now believed to be dead.
It took me about 4% of the book to figure out what was going on… and then I couldn’t put it down. I lost sleep. I got so into the story. It is not just any book that can possess a reader in the way that Rogue Hunter: Inquest had with me. I loved about 85=90% of the story. But when the galactic battle began, I felt like the visualization and character connection was all of a sudden missing. There were all these names of ships, but not a good idea of the size or capability of them. Also, the new players on the scene in the battle had little descriptors that stood out, except for their eyes.
Overall, the flow of this book was exquisite. I loved that Kevis was not afraid to push the envelope and that Zanr was not choosy in the sex of her heart’s desire. There was little background initially, but flashbacks filled the reader in on what brought Zanr to the present predicament. It was easy to connect with Zanr and root for her. The ending was one of those “please don’t let it be true…” endings that left me wanting more from this series.
I give this book a 4.5/5 stars. If it weren’t for the jumble of the battle, I would give it a 5/5 either way for site review purposes, it deserves to be rounded up to a 5. For a book that I cannot put down in my busy lifestyle, that is saying a lot about the author's storytelling ability. I highly recommend this book as an entertaining read. It is most suitable for people who enjoy sci-fi, romance, intrigue, betrayal, suspense, unsavory characters, fiction, woman-empowering, etc....more
Rise of the Trinity is written by Claudia Cullen and is based around a prophecy of triplet sisters that will stand as the only force to defeat “the deRise of the Trinity is written by Claudia Cullen and is based around a prophecy of triplet sisters that will stand as the only force to defeat “the destroyer.” Slightly cliché, I know, but this book is worth the chance.
Claudia has done a great job of personalizing each sister in vastly different ways, Sinhade, Jessale, and Liana were all separated at birth to fulfill different obligations for their queen mother. The world-building and storytelling are commendable. Claudia has definitely created the great first-to-a-book series (a Trilogy would only be right with the Trinity after all). ;)
Although the girls are reaching their 15th birthday and rite of passage, Claudia superbly captures the older age of time in the book when the youth were burdened with adulthood life and decisions even before this age. Each girl is mentally broken in a unique way, and each has vastly different strengths. On their 15th birthday their father bestows upon them their birthright gift, which opens up a whole new world for each of them.
Initially, I loved Jessale the most, even though she is the most broken, but by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but champion Liana for her spark and independence. Although the good vs evil fight has been; and will continue to be written about, Claudia was able to make this story uniquely her own a thousand times over. This book stands out from others in its genre.
With all of that being said, I have to point out some glaring deficiencies. TYPOS! They are so distracting, and in this case, it was mostly to do with character names. There is an ancillary character named Enoch, whose name is spelled Enoch, Enock, and Inoch, all within the span of about 3-5 pages. I also found there was sister name swapping several times. I’m not sure if this had to do with another sister initially acting, and in the edit the sister’s role was changed, but the name was mistakenly left, or what was the case. Luckily it was easy to keep reading and figure out which person was meant, but it did break up the flow of the writing.
Overall I give this book 4/5 stars. Despite the typos, it was an engaging story and easy to understand. The book hits the ground running and keeps the pace for most of the story. This initial book in the series is like a huge setup for the main events. I will definitely be reading the second book when given the opportunity. You will enjoy this book if you are into fantasy, fiction, young adult, prophecy, light and dark, spirituality, and anything in between....more
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
If You Were Me and Lived in Norway is from the children's series of An Introduction to Learning About Other Cultures and is written by Carole P. Roman.
I read this book with my son and he loved it. He had a great time learning about different cultural things that are noteworthy in Noway. I love how the book emphasizes the global location of Norway and talks about what the country name means as well as the capital of Norway.
I also enjoyed the common naming conventions for both boys and girls. It also talks about the kind of currency that is used as well as types of unique foods you may encounter when you are there.
The types of transportation and a unique major holiday were fun to teach to my son as well. The illustration did a wonderful job of complimenting the story in appropriate places. The pronunciation guide at the end of the book was also excellent.
Overall I give this book 4.5/5 Education value is high, fun while learning is high. My only complaint is that many of the pages have a big too much text on it for the age of my son. Word size is large enough that a grade school child should be able to easily read the size, but may need help with some of the unique Norwegian words. I would definitely recommend it.
T. A. Ashcroft wrote an Act of Devotion which revolves around the life of Franklin (a 3-year-old chocolate lab) and the humans whose lives he becomes T. A. Ashcroft wrote an Act of Devotion which revolves around the life of Franklin (a 3-year-old chocolate lab) and the humans whose lives he becomes a part of.
Admittedly, I don't care how often I was told that Franklin was a Labrador, I kept picturing him as a Golden Retriever for some strange reason. This book is told from many points of view, occasionally even from Franklin, although I would have liked to have been inside Franklin's mind a bit more. Ashcroft does a superb job of setting the scene of the story and making the reader feel intimately connected to Franklin; likewise, it is easy to connect to the main characters in the story.
In the beginning, there is some getting used to the varying points of view, as it is a bit unique from most books. Ashcroft does an excellent job of showing both the good and bad of humanity, especially regarding the treatment of dogs. I will warn the faint of heart that there is some detailed dog fighting in the story that was hard to read, even though she was good at steering away from it before too long. It gave an intimate look at the training that left me feeling sick at heart.
I took longer to read this novel as there were times that I needed to take a break from the horrors of those who do not feel the same love and respect for dogs that I do, and felt dread at certain parts. Luckily, Ashcroft does a stupendous job of ending the story that left tears in my eyes and a wish that the same ending could be possible.
The negative aspects of the story for me were that this story is very obviously written in the UK style (given that the author is from England), and it was slightly distracting with the different colloquialisms that are not familiar in US English. I was under the impression that this story was taking place in England until Colorado Springs and Denver were talked about as the locations. There also were typos throughout the story, but not enough to make me exasperated, yet still enough to cause a slight distraction.
Overall, I give this book a 4/5 stars. I must applaud Ashcroft for taking on the task of tackling such a painful subject and still providing a feel-good ending for the reader. If you are an animal lover, dog lover, humanitarian, lover of what feels like a small-town story, fiction lover, or just like a good book on the short end of length, then this book is for you....more
Fire Country is Book 1 in the Country Saga written by the talented David Estes. Fire Country is a book based around a girl named Siena who lives in FiFire Country is Book 1 in the Country Saga written by the talented David Estes. Fire Country is a book based around a girl named Siena who lives in Fire Country, which is essentially a desert-type terrain that stays hot for much of the year.
This book was truly phenomenal. David has created a unique world, realistic characters, a new governing body, and even a fitting language for the setting. Fire Country is a breath of fresh air after all of the unfinished products I seem to have read recently. There was amazing flow, I didn't have to worry about constant interruptions with typos and grammar issues, and it was easy to get lost in this world as I was rooting for Siena and wanting her to rise above her social status and find a way to find true happiness in life.
Fire Country happens in a somewhat post-apocalyptic world where the population is much less than it was, and the life expectancy is much lower with the average person dying at age 30. As someone who turned 30 this year, I found this crazy to think about that this could be my last year. Due to these circumstances, the fire people have rules enacted that involve girls turning 16 to become bearers for the tribe. Once a quarter every girl at the age of 16 must attend a "call" ceremony. This means that she will be paired with a randomly selected man over the age of 18 to become his "bearer" and to bear his children. Once having a child, she will be expected to bear another child ever three years after, until the household is full. A normal full household has 3 "bearers" and nine children. Siena is a "scrawny" girl prone to daydreams and has no interest in becoming a bearer and no choice in who her call will be. Unfortunately for her, her father is in high-level leadership in the tribe. Through her slight rebellions, she comes to discover unimaginable secrets, and just when you think the scandal of the tribe is enough for the book, there is a new and crazy turn of events.
David has made such a brilliant story with Fire Country, and each character comes to life, from Siena to her family, friends, and even the ancillary characters. Even when in a depression, I couldn't help but chuckle at Siena's dry and witty humor and her sometimes conversations with Perry. Siena shows the world that even a skinny young girl can stand up against what she feels is wrong and find herself in the process.
I give this book 5/5 stars and cannot wait to read book two in the saga. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys getting lost in a story. Within these pages, you will find intrigue, hope, rebellion, betrayal, love, independence, and growth. This book is more than fiction; it is entertainment at its finest. Don't wait to pick this one up....more
I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Forgotten Ones is written by Laura Howard and is book one in the Danaan Trilogy. This book is based around a woman named Allison O’Malley who has just finished college and is planning to attend grad school. She lived with her grandparents and her schizophrenic mother. Allison knows nothing of her father except that his name is Liam and that her mother met him while visiting Ireland.
Laura has definitely chosen a subject matter that is near and dear to my heart with the subject of the Tuatha de Danaan and their amazing lore. The Danaan are the Celtic Fairies that were most prominent before Christianity took over. From the glimpses that were to be had in this novel I am intrigued by her interpretation of them.
Although The Forgotten Ones is supposed to be written about college age kids, everyone lives with their parents and seems to almost be more like high school kids on Summer break with the feel that you get for them. The story is entertaining and a quick read. I did enjoy the characters, but I didn’t really feel a connection to them. Instead of being a fully integrated part of the story, I felt more like I was on the outside looking in.
Allison’s mother Beth was schizophrenic, but it seemed more like a clinical approach than the connection I wanted to feel from a situation that had affected Allison her entire life and that she was preparing to take on for the rest of her life in the care for her mother.
The only relationship that seemed to truly take on any emotion was the one between Allison and Ethan. Although this relationship felt like it was between much younger characters, it felt real and heartfelt. You could actually feel Allison’s real hesitation to pursue anything with Ethan, and also the warring of her yearning to try. The only thing that seemed the most unrealistic was his almost instant change to a gentleman from a player.
With all that being said I give this book a 4/5 stars. Regardless of any errors, it was still enjoyable to read. It was a great light read, and I would definitely like to read more in the trilogy. It felt like the book was really just getting started in on the action at the end of the book. If you are into fiction, fantasy, Celtic Lore, romance, new adult, etc, then you would enjoy this book. ...more
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