Christopher C. Payne's Blog, page 22

Any Witch Way

Title: Any Witch Way

Author: Annastaysia Savage

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: JournalStone 2011

Format: E-book and paperback

ISBN: 978-1-936564-05-7

Sadie's life is tossed upside down when the police and the school principle call her out of class on day and tell her that her mother has died in a car accident. With no family, Sadie is left to live in foster care. Foster care isn't the ideal place to begin with and when Sadie starts telling people that she thinks her mother is still alive, it becomes a place that is even harder to bear. Bounced from home to home and ostracized at school, Sadie only tries to get through the day. Her only escape is a small bookstore in town with a friendly old lady and a cat as her only friends.

As Sadie's thirteenth birthday approaches things start to change around her. At first she doesn't notice the way a tree's leaves wilt when she's sad or the way the lights overhead burn out when she's upset. But then things begin to happen that she can't help but notice…

On the day of her birthday (which is also Halloween) the glamour between the human world and the magikal one fades away, and Sadie finds that she has been sharing her little Pennsylvania town with the likes of which she never imagined.

To top it off…they all know her…

And some of them want her dead.

Thankfully, there are some Magikal Beings that are on her side and willing to help save her life.

The trouble is trying to figure out who exactly is on her side.

Any Witch Way is filled to the brim with enchanting characters and lots of twists and turns. There is also a bit of mystery thrown in because the reader is always wondering who is betraying whom. I really liked the main character, Sadie. I thought she was a believable thirteen-year-old girl. I liked the way she handled all the major stuff thrown her way but still didn't seem too old for her skin. She still acted like a young girl.

This book was very entertaining, and I would recommend it to anyone who wanted a light, fun read. I will say that I think this book would most especially appeal to the younger side of the young adult audience. As I was reading I kept thinking about the Disney Channel and how this book would be perfect for one of their TV movies. I could just see the way theMagikal Beings would come to life on screen. I really thought that this book held a good lesson for teenagers as well. To me, the lesson was all about self-acceptance and believing in yourself. Whenever you can accept yourself, life just seems to fall into place around you. I think that for young adults this can be the hardest lesson in life there is, and this book reinforces that it is possible to really 'grow into yourself'.

The fantasy aspect of the book was probably my favorite thing about it. The characters were just so diverse, but yet they all fit into the same world with ease. I especially liked the Ogres and the Centaurs. Adding a bit of comedy to the book were Elgarbam and Whistle. Wherever they went these two little guys were hitting each over the head and threatening the other with bodily harm. There was just about everything you could imagine in this story, and it all seemed that much more enchanting because the reader was experiencing it with a thirteen-year-old girl.

The plot of this story was well thought out, and I liked the way it moved right along with the action. When you are done reading you are left with no question unanswered which, I feel, is important.

I do hope that Ms. Savage plans to write a sequel because I am certain that Sadie's adventures in becoming a witch are only just getting started.

Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go call the Disney Channel…..

Priscilla the Great

 

Priscilla the Great by Sybil Nelson

CreateSpace 2011

ISBN: 9781453776273

Available in e-book and paperback

Fire flinging fingertips, making armored, killer guards rock out to some pop music, and an invisible jet.  Man, the lifestyles of the not-so-rich and super-powered.

Priscilla is just like any other 7th grade girl.  She's got a mop of red hair, a overprotective father, a football playing brother, and a set of twin brothers.  She and her best friend, Tai, have been plotting ways to get Priss' crush to finally crush back on her.  Then, one day, Priss isn't so normal anymore.  Right before school at the coolest pool party, her extremely hot crush makes her feel REALLY hot, hotter than she has ever felt before, her face is red and her body is definitely feeling 'off'.  Pass it off as hormones, stress, or nerves, but when you can set fire to a bathroom towel by touching it, something has changed.

Priscilla learns at this point that she may never be normal again, and this fire thing?  Is she going to scorch something every time she sees her favorite guy?  This cannot be happening, and who is she going to tell?  Who will believe her?  The answer to that: more people than she realized, and it's an awful lot for her to understand.  Oh yea – she is kidnapped and about to be killed now, did I forget to mention that?  And her so-called super powers decide to take a vacation, not too super after all, huh?

I flew through this book!  I loved the whole journey.  It was fun, it was funny, it was exciting.  I can't wait to keep going with this series.  The way the author ended it was a cliffhanger I am too weak to resist.

We get to see a real family in this story.  With all of the ups and downs of sibling relationships and parent/child drama.  It all feels very real, even with the super powers thrown in.  You can tell the family has a real dynamic to it.  Who hasn't loved and hated their siblings all at the same time.  The same is true in this family.  One of my favorite parts is when a booger war is invoked to help the older brother out, even if he didn't realize it at the time.  (Every family needs to experience a good booger war!)

Young adults and some of us not-so-young adults will rush to end of the book, when my Kindle said that I had hit the 100% mark…I was not a happy girl.  I couldn't believe I finished it that quickly.  I WILL be joining the gang for round two of Priscilla the Great!

Cars 2

Cars 2

Directed by:  John Lasseter & Brad Lewis

Written by:  Ben Queen

Produced by:  Denise Ream

Released in theaters June 24, 2011

My Rating:  ★★★★★

This film is rated G.

Most of the original Cars favorites are back, with tons of fantastic new characters, like Finn McMissle (Michael Caine) and Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro).  This time, McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his motley pit crew take on the entire world (Tokyo, Italy, and London) as they participate in a World Grand Prix sponsored by the new green fuel, Allinol.  As Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) whole-heartedly supports his best buddy, while sometimes embarrassing him with his redneck quirkiness, he is mistaken by two British operatives for an American government contact.  The road gets a little bumpy when Lightning and Mater have a bit of a falling out, and Mater is pulled farther and farther into international espionage.  Finally, Mater must make a critical choice that could save his best friend, even if it means the great junkyard in the sky for him.

When my oldest son was around the age of my youngest son, he would watch the original  Cars over and over all day, every day!  I can probably still recite the entire movie to you, word for word.  To this day, it remains a favorite in our house.

Most, if not all, of the familiar voices have returned for this new motor-powered adventure.  Tow Mater seems to take the lead this time, as he is inadvertently taken for an international spy and tossed right in the middle of a jalopy uprising.  I was pleased to find Mater had more on-screen time, not just because he is a "southerner" like me, but also because he is just so darn loveable and funny!

While this film is certainly not short on humor, it is also much more action-packed than its prequel.  The spy cars, even Mater eventually, come fully loaded with automatic grappling hooks, machine guns, and missile launchers.  While the plot of this story was undoubtedly all in great fun and entertainment, even my six-year-old commented on the bombs and guns.  Perhaps it was a little more intense than what some people would prefer.

The graphics were superb, of course.  We did not see the 3D version of the film (I try to avoid these as much as I can!), but the colors popped and the story came to life before our eyes.  The soundtrack is subtle, but fun, even including a Cars (the band) cover-track from Weezer.  The cast was spot-on.  Michael Caine was the perfect choice for the British spy, Finn McMissle.  I was sad that Doc Hudson was not included in this film (though he was honored near the beginning), but I later learned this was in respect to and in memory of the late Paul Newman.  Other voice actors who were lost prior to the filming of Cars 2 include George Carlin (Fillmore) and Joe Ranft (Red), but these characters remain in the story.

Overall, this film was fantastic, and I know it will join our home movie collection when it is released on DVD and Blu-ray.  My entire family gives it an energetic "KA-CHOW!"

Review by Cassie McCown

 

Storm Born, Issues #1 and #2

 

Title: Storm Born (Dark Swan Issues #1 and #2)

Author: Richelle Mead

Genre: Paranormal

Format: paperback

Publisher: Sea Lion Publishing May 2011

ISBN:978-0982818640

Eugenie Markham is a freelance shaman. She spends her days battling otherworldly creatures that find their way into the homes of regular people like you and me. She stares down the vile and evil eyes of those wanting to do harm to the innocent. Then she goes home and puts together puzzles. And she does it while wearing silk pajamas.

Really though, puzzles make sense. Wouldn't you like doing something that you knew for certain that you could fit together? When you spend your days like Eugenie, battling otherworldly creatures who can be a bit unpredictable, doing something that is a sure thing seems like a no-brainer.

As if her day job was high stress enough – suddenly these creatures know her name. Her real name – not the name that she uses as her alias. How could they possibly know her name and why all of a sudden are they all propositioning her?

If something like that was propositioning me, I'd kill them too.

Then, a client approaches her with a dangerous job that pulls at her heartstrings. A young girl has been kidnapped by Gentry (AKA fairies and I ain't talking about Tinker Bell)  and taken to the other world. Eugenie knows taking her body into that world could be dangerous – it could be deadly.  Torn between what she should do and what she wants to do, she does what any single, hot female would do: she goes out to a bar to blow off steam. (come on admit it, you do it too)

 It is at this bar that she meets Kiyo, a regular joe – a veterinarian. Someone she actually likes. Things go well until they don't. An elemental appeared in the room she was sharing with Kiyo. Things got surprising when the 'average joe' kicked it's a**, and they sent it packing. Turns out Kiyo might not be who he seems…

Before Eugenie could get any answers Kiyo disappeared and left her with a surprisingly large hole in her heart. But Eugenie is a professional and life must go on.

She has a job to do and people to protect. Watch out otherworldly demons…Eugenie's heart is breaking and that means she's taking her man troubles out on you.

I am only just becoming aware of how great the market can be for a Graphic Novel. When Sea Lion Books sent over this novel for me to read I was so excited. I mean this is the work of Richelle Mead. I had no idea that she had gotten into the graphic novel scene.

Thank goodness someone told me.

This was a rockin' start to what I think is going to be an awesome graphic novel series. There was a ton of action to move the story along and lots of creepy otherworldly beings. And I was the only one who noticed the chompers on those things?? I mean yikes! Those teeth looked like razors…

Anyway, I like the premise of these novels. I like the idea of a tough as nails female who doesn't need a man to scare away the baddies that creep into her life. But…I also like that maybe she might like to have a man to banish some of that loneliness. Oh, yeah and to maybe rock her world.

This is only the second graphic novel that I have read, but once again I was stuck at how the writer has to impart so much information with so few words. It was done well here and the reader really gets a good sense of the characters and their personalities. While I may not be super experienced with graphic novels, I do know that if you can't get the reader to connect with the main character then you're just wasting paper.Good thing Sea Lion books knows what they are doing.

The art work was really great too. I don't know why and am slightly embarrassed to admit that I never really wanted to read a graphic novel before because I thought something in the story might be lost in between all those pictures. But you know…the pictures added to the story- they imparted what the words did not. It was a little light bulb moment for me.  I loved the use of color and the way the scenes moved so seamlessly from one to the next. And, let me just add that I personally liked that Eugenie had red hair. It looks hot. I also like her alias name, Odile. The Dark Swan…it seems to fit her.

Another thing I like about the novel? I like that she has parents who care about her. And I like that they know what she does for a living – with her dad retired from the same line of work. Often times in books like these the parents (if the main character even has any) are kept in the darkwithout lying. Often times the main character has to lie. I like that in this story she can be who she is.

I would recommend this series of graphic novels to anyone who wants a change of pace from their regular reads. They are quick, fun and have pretty pictures J . I would classify these as being more on the adult side than the young adult. If you have a teen that is just dying to read them I would suggest reading them first as a preview…just to be sure it is something that you approve of.

I am looking forward to the next issue, I can't wait to see what happens when Eugenie travels into the other world to save the young girl, and I can't wait to see what happens between Eugenie and her man. This series is a must read!

This review is written by Cambria Hebert

Awakened – House of Night #8

Author : P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Publisher: Macmillan Audio; Abridged edition (January 4, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781427210739
ISBN-13: 978-1427210739
Released date : January 4th 2011

At the start of Awakened, the pulse-pounding eighth installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey has returned, mostly whole, from the Otherworld to her rightful place as High Priestess at the House of Night. Her friends are just glad to have her back, but after losing her human consort, Heath, will Zoey—or her relationship with her super- hot Warrior, Stark—ever be the same? Stevie Rae is drawn even closer to Rephaim, the Raven Mocker with whom she shares a mysterious and powerful Imprint, but he is a dangerous secret that isolates her from her school, her red fledglings, and even her best friends. When the dark threat of Neferet—who is coming closer and closer to achieving her twisted goal of immortality—and Kalona returns, what will it take to keep the House of Night from being lost forever, and what will one desperate girl do to keep her heart from being irreparably broken?

Awakened (House of Night #8)

The series just keep getting better.

I was hooked on House of Night from the first time I read Marked and have been ever since. I've waited for such a long time before I read Awakened, and the feeling of nostalgia resurfaced. Awakened was fast-paced and all sort of A word put together.

In this book, Zoey found herself returning to Tulsa's House of Night, returning to the battle of Light vs Darkness after several weeks of 'holiday' when she stayed at the Isle of Skye. And so many problems arise from there.

Reasons why I rate this book a perfect 4.5:

Unlike any previous HON books, Awakened was written in so many different character's POV: Neferet, Zoey, Kalona, Stark, Stevie Rae and Rephaim. It was amazing because I never got a chance to read from the Light's POV as well as from Darkness' POV, until now. And to read it from Stevie Rae's and Rephaim's perspective was one of the most amazing moments in the book.

 

The plot was simply alluring! I am glad that in this book not only Zoey alone was facing a problem, but the others too! Okay, it doesn't come out the way I wanted it to be. What I meant was, in the previous HON books, Zoey seemed to always be troubled, and now that her soul has been restored, it's a refreshing change to see her returning back to her own self, back to her bubbly, in love state; it makes the reading lighter and you are not constantly bombarded with the feelings of desperation, frustration and depression that Zoey often felt. Instead, in Awakened, the torch seemed to be passed down to Stevie Rae, and now that she was the one who faces the most trouble. It's interesting to see how the characters developed and mature in the process, it seems that the characters have been sort of independent and each of them have their own story. It's like compiling stories from different books into one.

 

There's more to Stevie Rae and Rephaim! Which makes me believe that Light could in fact defeat Darkness! Way to go girl!

 

Kramisha's poem just keep getting better and better.

 

Stark was amazing! I giggled whenever I read about him and Zoey getting together. (yeah, softy for romance!)

 

I adore the fact that the story took a more intense, interesting, jaw dropping twist. And I found myself being caught off guard ever single time. I was shocked of what happened to Erik. He used to be on my LOVE EM' list, then after what a jerk he'd been, I sorta 'blacklisted' him, he's still kind of a jerk, don't get me wrong, but after I read Awakened, I started liking him more.

 

Kalona and Rephaim's POV just….gripped me. It was uncommon for me to read from a 'villian' point of view, and I just found myself understanding them better. I think I'm as in love with Rephaim as Stevie Rae AND I find myself developing an unexplainable attraction towards Kalona. (what? I liked Loren too, even he was just a tool)

 

Neferet's a big two face faking B, and she just gets on my nerves! She's scary and wicked and I can't believe she's a High Priestess. But I have to praise her for one thing, she has a brilliant mind. And I have to admit, without Neferet there would be no HON. Yup. She's the mastermind.

 

There's humour and love and action, what more can I ask for?

Why HON lacked the other 0.5?

As much as I enjoy reading it from multiple person's POV, I found the chapters are a bit too short and the constant juggle between the characters prevented me from enjoying the full impact of the story. I couldn't exactly absorb what happened because it happened too fast and then the plot was a bit rushed and not properly elaborated. Maybe that's just me but I read for the emotions that trails. To me, the most important criteria in a book is how well it makes the readers 'feel'.

 

The absence of warmth disappoints me. I think the characters are too absorbed in their love relationship that they sort of ignored friendship(except Aphrodite, I think she's a perfect balance). And there are a few characters who I wished would be featured more in the book. They were quite present in the previous books but in Awakened, they just dsappeared and reappeared for a LITTLE while. Characters like Shaunee, Erin and Erik. I do kind of missed them

  

Awakened was amazing and I have a new found respect for Zoey. She definitely matured, and I don't feel annoyed at her anymore. Plus, I love Stark, I love Rephaim and I love Heath for what he is willing to sacrifice in order to save Zoey. And I mourn for the loss of the character faces. Gosh, I'm babbling away aren't I?

Reviewed by

Natasha Anne

A Season of Transformation

A Season of Transformation 

By:  Jayne Fordham

ISBN:  9781447548

Published March 31, 2011

Available Format:  Paperback, ebook

My Rating: ★★★★☆

In Jayne Fordham's new novel, A Season of Transformation, five teenagers from diverse circumstances and social circles are brought together to save their town from a paranormal menace.  In response to this threat and with the help of their clever ancestors, each of the five begins to develop their own supernatural abilities.  In addition, each of the teens is struggling with personal issues.  Ben, the nerd, and Adam, the clown, are trying to break free from their labels and express who they truly are as individuals.  Lucas masks his pain with a bitter and repelling attitude but soon finds he might be pushing away the very person he is falling in love with.  Bonnie works hard to hide her father's battle with alcohol behind her 'gothic' exterior and introverted demeanor.  Makenna, the rich kid, deals with a bit of an arrogant and judgmental mother and best friend as she develops a bond with each of the misfits of their group.  This seemingly incompatible crew must overcome their differences and learn to trust each other, or their beloved town may be doomed.

I received a copy of this book from the author for review.

What I loved the most about A Season of Transformation was that the "transformation" was not just focused on the supernatural abilities the teens develop.  It also encompassed the transformations that were taking place in their lives.  Makenna learned to truly humble herself and encouraged her mother and friends to do the same.  Lucas was able to allow himself to fully trust and love and let others into his lonely life.  Bonnie confided in her new friends and was able to get help for her father and truly open her bruised heart to love.  Each character is forced out of his or her comfort zone, where they begin to reexamine themselves and make important changes in different areas of their lives.  I think that is the essence of this book, and I believe that is the most important message the reader can gain.

There were a couple times in the book that I had to stop and re-read and ask myself who exactly was talking.  I think Jayne switched the POV then, and it just threw me off for a minute.  If she were to change anything about the book, I think I would work on syncing up all the points-of-view and making everything flow more smoothly in that regard.  I also felt these shifts in POV and the changes in scene should have been separated more within the text.  For instance, we might be alone with Makenna in her bedroom one minute, and then right away in the next paragraph we are suddenly walking the high school halls chatting with Aliysha.  If there was just an extra space or something there to highlight the change, it would have made it easier to follow.  (I was reading this on my Kindle, so formatting issues could also be attributed to the type of file.)  Aside from these minor technical, easily fixed issues, I cannot criticize anything else about this read!

I have been truly honored to be allowed to read, review, and feature this novel.  Coming from a psychology background, I feel that Jayne can relate to the human feelings and interactions of the group better than most authors could.  I think it is a wonderful way to help teens realize that they can all too often be self-centered and judgmental of others through their own struggles and insecurities.  In that way I think the message of this book is if we can open ourselves up and accept others for what they truly are, rather than what they appear to be, we can overcome anything and work together to make the world a better place.

Review by Cassie McCown

Pariah, Issue #1

Title: Pariah #1

Author: Aron Warner

Genre: Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Young Adult

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Sea Lion Books 2011

ISBN: 9780983613

Brent Marks is highly intelligent. His brain calculates answers before yours even sees the question. He wears glasses, he most likely likes math, and he goes to a regular high school. Except he isn't regular. But he wants to be.

He isn't a vampire, a werewolf or a fairy with wings. He doesn't have any super powers.

He's super smart. It's your brain on steroids.

Did I mention that he was building a space craft in his bedroom?

Being a Vitro isn't easy. As if being a teenager wasn't hard enough…

All Brent wants is to be normal. To have a normal life, with normal friends, and normal girlfriend. But when you're a Vitro normal isn't possible. He thought maybe he could just blend in…but then certain events make that impossible, and Brent finds himself backed in a corner…

And what's a highly intelligent teenage boy do when he's backed into a corner?

Guess you'll have to read Pariah and see.

Let me begin this review with a quote from Derek Ruiz, Sea Lion's publisher, "Aron has captured the essence of being a Pariah as seen through the eyes of a group of scientifically created teens. They are a Petri dish of innocent souls infinitely more intelligent than anyone else on Earth. Yet their creation and existence has left them shunned and condemned."

Yeah, what he said.

Review concluded.

What? Oh. You want my opinion? *Sigh* Fine.

This was the first graphic novel I have ever read. Whenever I would see them at Barnes and Nobles I would say 'Ugh, too many pictures'. What? You asked for my opinion.

I was wrong. An unusual occurrence that I find disturbing.

Pariah is an awesome novel. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but as I was reading I was admiring the way the writer has to impart a lot of information and detail with not so many words. This is something that isn't to be taken lightly. There is a great chance at failure for something like this. But it was done so well. I'm not a girl of few words, so I don't think I could have done it.

I really like the concept for this story. The publishing world is saturated with supernatural beings and super powered humans. This is completely new and it works. Normally, one would think (at least I would) that this kind of intelligence would be associated with Aliens. Not in this series. These are regular kids who had their genes manipulated. But the experiment worked too well and the people that created them now fear them. They can't even grasp what they made…and so the Vitro's are hated.

Talk about having a bad day.

Now, let's talk about the art work. It is awesome! The color and expression in the art is what helps to move the story along and impart information to the reader that the dialogue does not. It's a package deal. And who doesn't like a deal? I do.

I definitely think that this is a book that you should buy and hold in your hands to read. The drawings and pages are what make the story vivid.

Who would I recommend this book for? Anyone. But most specifically: boys. Can I just say here that I think that sometimes boys are overlooked in the publishing world? They are. I have read again and again that there aren't really any books out there that can hold onto a boy's attention. Who can blame them really? Can you imagine asking a sixteen year old boy if he is Team Jacob or Team Edward? Now, there is nothing wrong with these kinds of books (by the way I am Team Jacob) but they don't hold the same kind of lure that a book like this does. I say, bravo to Sea Lion for bringing books into the hands of teenage boys everywhere. Heck, they might even save an old lady from getting run down by a boy on a skateboard. Hehehe. And you know what not just boys but men. My husband, who I have seen read one book in my ten years with him, was peaking over my shoulder as I read saying "What is that? Can I see?"

Case and Point.

This is a fast read. It's a good read. I liked it. You will too. If you haven't read a Graphic Novel before I would recommend this one to begin with. It debuts in San Diego at Comic Com this June. And if my opinion isn't enough to sway you (which is ridiculous!) then maybe I should just throw out there that Aron Warner won an Oscar…for Shrek.

Still not convinced? Read the book. You will be then.

So there you have it. My opinion.

This review is written by Cambria Hebert

Sweet Light

Title: Sweet Light

Author: Jen Wylie

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Echelon Press May 2011

Format: E-book

ISBN: 0012590045

Shara is a Healer. She is raised since childhood inside the walls of Healer Hall, a community of people who employ their own traditions and beliefs. When she earns the rank of Journeyman she moves to the barbaric kingdom of Glendor to be the court healer.

War befalls the kingdom and Shara is thrust into a world that she was not trained to handle. The battle lines of war are grim, bloody places and Shara is ill equipped for the job. When a surprise attack happens on her camp she is forced to flee on horseback alone. She stumbles upon a seriously injured solider and they begin a journey back to Glendor that takes longer than they expected.

During the long and difficult journey Shara falls in love with her charge. Little does she know that he is not just any solider, but someone who should be off limits to her heart. By the time she learns her love's true identity she is already in love.

But falling in love with the solider is the least of her worries. As her healing powers grow so do the number of men in her life and Shara begins to discover that decisions of the heart are more difficult than she once thought.

I read this book in a day. It was so easy to slip into this world and the story just picks you up and sweeps you along until you look up and realize that you have read half the book. I became invested with these characters quickly and just couldn't wait to see where the story was going.

Shara was innocent but not blind. She was able to access a situation quickly and make decisions based on what she thought was right. I liked her honesty and ability to win people over by just being herself. I found the place and customs in which she was raised to be a lot different from what I have learned/read about people in those ancient times. I enjoyed reading about her healing abilities and marveled at the way she was able to look within herself to gain knowledge about her own body. This book was a great look at a paranormal ability that one doesn't get to read about often.

David was another character that I liked. I found myself feeling oddly protective of him at the beginning of the book. He was an endearing, innocent and sometimes child-like character that I was drawn to. I always wanted to know more about him. His cousin, Dric, was another character in the book that I took a great liking too. He was gruff on the exterior but inside he was a romantic, a quality in a large warrior that I happen to very much like.

I found myself reading and reading trying to get to the end to see where the story was going and what was going to happen to the characters. I was a little let down with the way the story progressed. Not really with the plot but perhaps the details. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know why. Why the things that happened did happen. Sure, there were reasons but I felt a little unsatisfied by them. At the end of the book David does things so out of character and while I understood the reason I still wanted to know more. What of these people with dark powers? Where did they come from, what was their motivation and what were they hoping to gain in having David complete the task they set out for him to do? And why was Shara so attracted to three men? I understood two of the attractions but there was never a definite answer to the third man, Dric. And really, did it matter who she was attracted to once she had made her choice? I don't really want to get into specific examples because then I would be giving away the book and what fun would that be?

Clearly, Sweet Light is a good read. I read it so fast that my saying different would be loony. I am left to wonder if there will be a sequel and if there is what will be revealed. I sincerely hope there will be another one because I would love to spend more time with these engaging characters. In the name of summer I encourage to pick up this book and give it a shot. I bet that before you know it the characters will befriend you and the book will be read.

This review is written by Cambria Hebert

Legacy: Book One of the Balancer Chronicles

Legacy:  Book One of the Balancer Chronicles

By:  Chris Adonn

AISN:  B004W0II3K

Published April 9, 2011

Available Format: ebook

My Rating:  ★★★★☆

When Katrina Blake is summoned to her family estate after her grandmother's sudden death, she has no idea what is in store for her.  The truth of her family's past, her true nature, and what her future may hold lies within the pages of a mysterious journal locked away in her grandmother's private study.  Kat is surprised to find that her very great-grandfather is actually interacting with her through his journal.  But that is not the most incredible thing she will learn…

I was the lucky winner of Legacy in a LibraryThing giveaway.

Legacy is a beautifully written, engaging fantasy novel.  Sure, you have your vampires and werewolves, but the lead of the story is the balancers.  Balancers are basically the peacekeepers of the world, keeping all other supernatural beings in line.

I became completely enraptured with Jamie and his family and supernatural friends as he tells Kat the history of the balancers and the story of his exceptional life.  I believe some others have said that Kat did not even need to be involved in the story—it could have just been told from Jamie's viewpoint.  I do agree that Jamie's story could stand perfectly on its own, but I do think having his descendent reading about him and how she has become what she is added a delightful little element to the plot.

I initially thought I might have some issue with the flow of the novel.  I was certainly interested from the beginning, but it took me just a bit to really grow accustomed to the diary format and absorb all the information Jamie was throwing at Kat.  I wasn't expecting the book to be as long as it was—it's hard to tell sometimes with the Kindle.  I thought I'd be through it in a couple days at the most, and it was more like five!

The little twist at the end with Wolf seemed just slightly out of place, but I still enjoyed it.  It really makes me look forward to what will happen in the future now that Kat is moving from the journal to the "audiobook" as Jamie calls it.  What challenges will she face in her role as balancer?  Will she finally get to meet her very great-grandfather face-to-face?  What will happen when she meets Sebastian?  Is there a great love story in store for her?

Now, I am really looking forward to reading the prequel novel, The Eyes that See:  A Prelude to the Balancer Chronicles!!  You'll be hearing about it soon!

Review by Cassie McCown

For Nothing

Title: For Nothing

Author: Nicholas Denmon

Genre: Fiction, Mafia Crime Thriller

Format: E-book, Paperback

ISBN-13: 978-1463567835

Alex Vaughn is a work-a-holic. He dedicates every hour of his day to bringing down the baddies, locking them up and tossing away the key. When his best friend Jack comes to him for help with a big secret meeting, Alex agrees to help.

But sometimes even the best of plans get derailed.

Unfortunately, this time someone ended up dead. When Alex looked down at his friend lying on the cold, hard pavement dead there was only one thing on his mind: Vengeance. And Alex knew just how to get it.

He decides to bring back his alter ego, a slick talking gangster, to go deep undercover and flush out his best friend's killer. Little does he know that he is searching for one of the last old school professional killers to walk the streets.  A man who has honed his craft into a finely tuned skill.

The stakes are high, and the time is limited. Alex has to take out this guy before his cover is blown, and he's taken down. Little does he know that the mess he will be stepping into will be the biggest of his career.

This book was a departure from the paranormal/fantasy I usually read. That's right, folks, no werewolves in this one. But you know? That's okay. Why? Because this book didn't need any werewolves or supernatural elements to make it good. And it is good. It has a whole bunch of other elements that make it good. What are these elements? Read on:

1. The writing. Clearly Nicholas Denmon knows how to write a sentence. His writing style is clear and concise. His use of detail and imagery was not gratuitous but leaves the reader with a clear and vivid picture of the characters surroundings as well as everything that was happening in the story.

2. The plot. This was a very well developed plot. It had to be in order for the story to be a success. The cast of characters was pretty big, considering the mafia and gangs in this book. There were sides to keep straight and alliances to remember. In order for the reader to know precisely who was with who, a very accurate account of what was happening was essential. It was done well. The lines were clearly drawn into the sand and the reader always knew which side they were standing on.

3. The characters. Ahh, my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed all of these characters. Even the shoot 'em up, cut off your finger, stalk you while you sleep characters. In fact, they were my favorites. Hey, even gangsta's need love too. Each character had a place in the story and his/her involvement was always evident.

The two main characters of the story was the thing that kept me reading. I loved the dynamic between Alex and Rafael. True, the characters never really had any interaction, but the dynamic was still there. How thin the line between the law and the streets really is. If you never realized that before, you do now. The parallel between an undercover cop and an assassin in this book really struck me. They were just two guys trying to make it through the day in a dirty world. Sure, the assassin had his reasons for the life that he lived. So did the cop. But really, sometimes I wondered what made the cops any different than the people they were trying to bring down. The cops had to do things that made them just as dirty as the gangsters. So does that mean they get off free because the reasons they were doing them were in the name of the law?

That brings me to another thought. (As you can see this book really got me thinking…and now you all have to listen to me babble) The cops in this book (not all of them) turned dirty. Does that mean that the influence of unlawful behavior is addicting? Does that mean that the lure of an easy score (of cash) is too much temptation? Or maybe it means that the loyalty amongst thieves might be greater than that amongst the law upholders. It's an interesting thought.

Anyway, back to Rafael and Alex. The book alternated between the two men. We see what Alex's day was like and then see what the same day was like for Rafael. How closely these men's days resembled each other. And how much their paths crossed without even recognizing the other. Frankly, the next book will be great because now they are aware of each other…now all bets are off. The ending of this book made me smile…it will probably make you smile too. If it doesn't then that might mean that I will someday end up on the wrong side of the law…but don't worry, if I do, you'll likely never know. I learned a few things from old Rafael…in fact, I suddenly have an intense need to go out and buy a fedora and perch it on my head…

I saw one just the other day at Target in a lovely shade of blue.

Go out and buy this book, people. Read it. Think it. Even if this is a departure for you from your regular reads (like it was for me) you may find yourself enjoying it. There is a reason that For Nothing was nominated for Breakout Novel of 2011 by Good Reads, it deserves the nomination and any time that you have to read it.

So there you have it. My opinion.

This review is written by Cambria Hebert