Heather Heffner's Blog, page 12

April 2016 Book Review: Reawakened

REAWAKENEDBy Colleen Houck ~Book Review~


Warning! Major Spoilers!
THE EGYPTIAN LORE OUTSHONE the main plot and characters. The brief glimpse into Isis, Horus, and Seth was by far the most raw and intriguing aspect of this romantic adventure inspired by Egyptian mythology, but their story was told in heavy exposition. Reawakened sadly throws too many clichéd “Indiana Jones” and “The Mummy” references that destroyed any authenticity or respect for the book. When upper class New Yorker Lily's first impulse upon meeting Egyptian Prince Amon is to call him “Ali Baba,” I immediately detached from the story. Such a comment, and other names that she continues to casually refer to him, are inherently racist.
It would have been one thing if Houck had intended for Lily to be a rich, judgmental brat who slowly learns over time and demonstrates some humility. But she doesn’t. Within the first two pages, Lily dismisses a taxi driver and a passerby as “thickly-accented” and “creepy” for asking if she needed help. Later, she describes how she always can afford the best in designer clothes, but yet she manages to sneer at her friends for being so focused on appearances. These “friends” are pretty much the only female characters with speaking time, and they are referred to as “Redhead,” “Blonde,” ect.
Over the course of the story, Lily meets a reawakened Egyptian Prince named Amon, who needs her help to find his other brothers and stop the god of chaos, Seth, who is rising for no reason in particular. Amon and the brothers worship her from day one. Lily can do no wrong. As such, there is zero character growth on her part. She can’t even do much of anything, either. Maybe I missed it because I started skimming once too many chapters turned into inf0-dumps, but Lily’s only purpose seemed to be to replenish Amon’s energy. Super boring; she can’t even change into a hippo or something. I really don’t like it when the main character can’t contribute much to the mission.
I’m sadly not too familiar with Egyptian mythology, so I’ll have to research it further. I was confused on Seth (Set’s) role and Apophis (Apep). I thought Apophis was the snake of chaos, not a crocodile (I guess I’ve seen information that he can be both). Seth didn’t really show up in this book, so his personality and motivations are still very unclear. His absence caused a major lack of tension. Anubis shows up; of course he’s “super hot” like the rest of Lily’s crew, and it seemed like he had taken over Osiris’s role as god of the underworld.
The lack of Egypt was also disappointing. I couldn’t get a feel of it; at one point I didn’t even realize they were inside a pyramid because there wasn’t enough physical description. It was primarily dialogue and expository info-dumping. Also, the lack of female characters was disconcerting; it’s just Lily and her worshipful Egyptian royal bros tromping around with little conflict. At least have one of the brothers *not* like her and call her out on her ignorant comments. Unfortunately, the second book in the series, Recreated , sounds like it has even less of a plot. Yet another let-down in Egyptian mythology in the vein of TheChaos of Stars by Kirsten White. At least Rick Riordan’s Kane Chronicles was fun.
My biggest pet peeve was Amon calling Lily “Young Lily.” Oh. My. Gosh. It made me picture him as an eighty-year-old man every time.
Recommended for fans of: Cassandra Clare, Lauren Kate, Stephanie Meyer Upcoming Book Review: Promise of Shadows by Justina Ireland

March 2016 Book Review: The Mark of Noba

The Mark of NobaBy GL Tomas~Book Review~


*Warning! Spoilers!*
IN THE DEBUT NOVEL OF GL THOMAS, otherwise known as the mighty Twinjas , space adventure and time travel collides on the Earth-like “Geo,” a modern-day high school setting where people are classified by Types. However, a ruthless Naga has come to Geo with the intent to eradicate the last of the Nobans…an unsuspecting boy named Sterling Wayfairer.
Sterling is a likeable high school boy. His world isn’t very big outside of attending classes, parties, and athletic events, but he always means well. However, little does he know that the nightmares he is plagued with are actually suppressed memories of a world far different from Geo. His time traveling partner, a kick-ass Noban girl named Tetra, arrives to open up his world and enlist his help to track down a dangerous space-traveling serpent known as the Naga, whose single-handed intention is to annihilate entire races.
Tetra is a true gem, and the story really came to life with her viewpoint. She is blunt, thoughtful, and loyal to her friends. Particularly entertaining was the part where she straight up tells Kip how bad his kissing is, which was very refreshing outside of the typical YA fiction where kisses with boys is always fireworks and rainbows. From my recollection, high school had some pretty awkward kisses and dating sequences, and I was very glad that The Mark of Noba fully embraces all of high school’s growing pains to make it more realistic.
Tetra’s viewpoint as an alien to Geo also makes for some interesting social commentary in terms of gender identification and how Puritan societies view sex. For example, Tetra calls into question the usage of “slut” for someone who is promiscuous, and what that means about how their society views sex as a whole. The bond between Tetra and Sterling was very precious, and I appreciated that there was no insta-love here but a fully developed relationship.
The writing flows and makes a for a quick pace. The only distracting part was why names of places were italicized, such as “Geo,” “Seaside,” “Megalopolis,” ect. I typically don’t enjoy books where the plot is largely centered around high school, but in the case of The Mark of Noba , the mystery of the Naga, Noba, and what that promised made me excited to read more. I have a feeling we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in relation to what the next book, City of Falling Stars , has in store!
Recommended for fans of: Rick Riordan, Zoraida Córdova, and Susan Ee Upcoming Book Review: Reawakened by Colleen Houck

February 2016 Book Review: Raised: Part III

Raised: Part IIIBy Sharon Stevenson~Book Review~




*Warning! Minor Spoilers!*
RAISED: PART III continues the After Death Series , about Pete the Animate, who was killed and raised to serve a nefarious purpose of his overseers. Of course, Pete has no intention of being used even after death, and he fights back with his group of friends. Although the nasty wizard Nick is gone, the stakes are higher than ever as the charismatic King of Scotland makes decisive moves for power.
This is a fun urban fantasy with real, gritty characters. Even the not-so “real” ones, like Nine and Eight, clones of the beautiful starlet Britt, come to life, and you can’t help but root for them. Leaps in relationships are made, Pete and Kit realize something about themselves, and Mickey discovers more of his fire-wielding power as he fights to save Tim.
The writing style is as humorous, irreverent, and fast-paced as ever. I was able to read Part III in a single sitting and am already look forward to Raised: Part IV. This is a clever zombie book with realistic characters who eat burnt pizza, enjoy sex, and power through all of the twists and turns they are faced with, and I am very eager to see what happens next!
Recommended for fans of: Kim Harrison, Karen Marie Moning, and Richelle Mead Upcoming Book Review: The Mark of Noba by GL Thomas

January 2016 Book Review: Graceling

GracelingBy Kristin Cashore ~Book Review~


*Warning! Spoilers!*
QUICK, ENTERTAINING READ. For some reason, this book makes me think of The Princess Bride, and I can’t put my finger on why. Maybe it’s something about the name “Po,” or the world-building. My mind works in strange ways. Anyways.
Katsa lives in a folktale land where people have “graces,” which make them gifted with certain abilities. Such as killing. Katsa can kill a man with her bare hands, and as such is enlisted as the King’s personal thug. However, then she meets Prince Po, and her world changes forever.
Katsa can be preachy and self-righteous. Po is adorable. The enemy, King Leck, who is graced with the ability to control peoples’ minds, is creepy and reminded me of Kilgrave from Marvel’s Jessica Jones TV series. It’s a fun adventure, and the characters are memorable. I would recommend this book out of all the series. The other two books, Fire and Bitterblue, feature main characters that are much more passive than Katsa and the story lines aren’t as captivating. Even if you don’t like Katsa’s bluntness, at least she’s entertaining and moves pieces around the chessboard.
I liked that Cashore took a risk and brought up how relevant marriage is to “true love”. Katsa refuses to marry Po, even though she is “truly in love” with him and wants to spend the rest of their lives together. This brings up a question about what the role of marriage plays in society, and what it means today v. medieval settings. It’s interesting to think about.
I would recommend this book in the series because of its tight, focused story line. However, it is the typical fantasy adventure of goodies facing down the evil mind-controlling king. Overall it is an enjoyable read, and I wish Fire and Bitterblue had lived up to Graceling ’s spark.
Recommended for fans of: William Goldman, Diana Wynne Jones, and Tamora PierceUpcoming Book Review: Raised by Sharon Stevenson

Year of the Dragon is Published!

As of March 20, 2016, Year of the Dragon (Changeling Sisters #3) is published and available on Amazon.com in e-book format! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Thank you for all of your support.


“I was supposed to die, but I didn’t. I survived the war. The Vampyre Queen rallied us together: different nationalities; the living and the dead; hell, even a vampyre fought with us toward the end. But now, there’s nothing holding us together. And I begin to realize how many 'friends' went into this expecting to come out alive because they have plans for this peninsula. They have plans for the city I call home…”

Citlalli Alvarez has rescued her sister, become Alpha of the Seoul werewolf pack, and restored balance to the spirit world of Eve—all while waiting tables on the weekends. However, she still can’t go to the Boryeong Mud Festival like a normal eighteen-year-old—not when her friend Una is a prisoner of a nine-hundred-year-old monster, and the side effects of having a broken soul have begun to splinter her personality irreversibly. Then there’s that little matter of being life-bonded to Vampyre Prince Khyber, whom her ex-lover Rafael has vowed to destroy no matter what. Priorities, priorities.

Meanwhile, Raina Alvarez meets her father’s family, the prestigious and secretive Yong clan, who teach her the responsibilities that come along with being the new Spring Dragon. In order to take her place amongst the Celestial Dragons who oversee the turn of the seasons, Raina must compete in the Trials of Wisdom against her three cunning dragon-shifter siblings and face her fears of Eve.

However, not everyone is happy about the rise of the Celestial Dragons in the East. Gods of blood and nightmares begin to stir in the West. Old enemies join forces with ruthless new ones, eager to fill the power vacuum the Vampyre Queen left behind.

After all, the only thing standing in their way is a pair of sisters.

CHANGELING SISTERS SERIES
Year of the Wolf (Book 1)
Year of the Tiger (Book 2)
Year of the Dragon (Book 3)
Year of the Rat (Forthcoming Book 4)
Year of the Snake (Forthcoming Book 5)
Year of the Rooster (Final Forthcoming Book 6)

CHANGELING SISTERS NOVELLAS
Mini-adventures featuring secondary characters in the Changeling Sisters Series:

Year of the Boar (Book 1.5)
And more to come!

Hawaiian Islands Travel Series: Northern Maui: Hana and the Red Sand Beach

Day 7: Hana and the Red Sand Beach



TUCKED AWAY in the corner of Northern Maui is the small town of Hana. Drivers rejoice; there is a gas station here but gas was $5.00 - $6.00/gallon, and there were two grocery stores, but milk was $10.19/gallon. 

  A gas station in Hana
We stayed nearby in the cabins at Waiʻānapanapa State Park and drove into town to pick up a few supplies—not milk. Due to the prices, buy as much as you can in Kahului at Costco or Walmart before heading over to this side. There aren't too many grocery stores in Hana, but we stopped at Hasegawa General Store. Hasegawa’s has been around since 1910 and has the most character. There was a fun “ice cream” machine that offered tasty frozen treats, and the store’s interior was decorated with all sorts of interesting knickknacks. We bought some beef to throw on the grill, but unfortunately the packaging did leak— I’m sure it was just our bad luck, but look carefully. We did most of our shopping there. Hasegawa’s is located at 5165 Hana Hwy.


For a town so small, there was a lot going on. One street was roped off for the filming of a German documentary. This was a problem, because down that street was where the beautiful red sand beach was. It’s a difficult beach to get to, because it is quite secluded amongst the ironwoods. We parked farther away down from Hauoli Road and then successfully dodged the security guards watching the film set to find the Sea Ranch Cottages. You can find a great map on Hawaii Guide’s website located here .



A chain link fence separated the cottages for rent from the trail leading down to the hidden Red Sand Beach. You have to look carefully for the entrance to the trail along this fence, or come during a time when the beach is accessible from the cottages’ entrance; the Red Sand Beach starts right below them.

 We made our way down along the chain link fence and touched down on a rust-colored beach with rocks and driftwood just a couple hundred feet down. This was the first thing we saw:
 
And sure enough:


Stay at a distance whenever viewing monk seals. They look like nothing could make them move from their sunbathing, but get too close, and you’ll see the red in their eyes and jump at their bark. How do we know? Because we got to witness this tourist stunt: 



   That seal whipped about fast. It barked once, and the lady jumped to her feet. It barked again with an accompanying lunge, and the lady fell over. Seriously, that thing had a set of lungs. Luckily, she was able to get far enough away. But that seal’s eyes were red, like zombie-crazed red. Thankfully, none of the other tourist groups attempted a buddy-buddy photo shoot with the grumpy monk seal.


We didn’t have time to investigate the trail that ran down alongside the Red Sand Beach. We did, however, have time to snorkel briefly at Hamoa Beach. The snorkeling was cloudy that day, but we did catch fish darting here and there, particularly by the rocky coves. There wasn’t much coral growing in the vast majority of the bay, which was filled with white sand. The moon came out, and we relaxed back on yet another beautiful beach on Maui.
The sights at Hamoa Beach



Upcoming Final Day 8: Northeast Maui: Waimea Falls and Ohe'o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools)


Read more in the Hawaiian Travel Series:
(0) Intro: Welcome to Maui
(1) Day 1: Northwest Maui: Lahaina
(2) Day 2: Kihei and Makena (3)Day 3: Central Maui: Paia and Makawao
(4) Day 4: The Hana Highway  
(5) Day 5: Wai'anapanapa State Park
(6) Day 6: Haleakala National Park



Disclaimer: the above is presented as fiction, not fact. *Names have been changed for the sake of privacy.

Year of the Dragon Sneak Peek Chapters available on Wattpad.com!

Read three sneak peeks into the upcoming Year of the Dragon (Changeling Sisters #3)!


Available on Wattpad.com here.

Meet the Yongs! At the end of Year of the Tiger (Changeling Sisters #2), Raina briefly meets her father, the head of a mysterious hi-tech organization. Now in Year of the Dragon, Raina meets the half-siblings she never knew she had with the support of Citlalli:

Chapter 7: The Pearl: Meet Yong Heesu, Raina's younger half-sister, the cheerful Summer Dragon!

Chapter 10: Yong Enterprises: Meet Raina's father, Yong Mun Mu, the fire-breathing Guardian of the East Sea, and Yong Sun Bin, his temperamental eldest daughter, the vicious Winter Dragon.

Chapter 27: The Energy Dragon: Meet Yong Ankor, Raina's older half-brother and Sun Bin's fraternal twin, the studious and sarcastic Autumn Dragon (Upcoming)

Year of the Dragon will be published in March 19, 2016 on Amazon.com.

Year of the Dragon Sneak Peak Chapters available on Wattpad.com!

Read three sneak peaks into the upcoming Year of the Dragon (Changeling Sisters #3)!


Available on Wattpad.com here.
Meet the Yongs! At the end of Year of the Tiger (Changeling Sisters #2), Raina briefly meets her father, the head of a mysterious hi-tech organization. Now in Year of the Dragon, Raina meets the half-siblings she never knew she had with the support of Citlalli:
Chapter 7: The Pearl: Meet Yong Heesu, Raina's younger half-sister, the cheerful Summer Dragon!
Chapter 10: Yong Enterprises: Meet Raina's father, Yong Mun Mu, the fire-breathing Guardian of the East Sea, and Yong Sun Bin, his temperamental eldest daughter, the vicious Winter Dragon. (Upcoming)
Chapter 27: The Energy Dragon: Meet Yong Ankor, Raina's older half-brother and Sun Bin's fraternal twin, the studious and sarcastic Autumn Dragon (Upcoming)
Year of the Dragon will be published in March 2016 on Amazon.com.

December 2015 Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns and Roses By Sarah J. Maas ~Book Review~
*Warning! Major Spoilers!!!*

SENSUOUS, DARK, AND TUMULTUOUS…this is a sexy retelling of Beauty and the Beast featuring the brutality and seductiveness of the mysterious Fae. I greatly enjoyed the second half of A Court of Thorns and Roses the most.
Feyre (neat name) kills a wolf in the forest while hunting for her starving family. This wolf is actually a Fae. Tamlin, a Fae Lord who can turn into a lion-like beast, arrives at her doorstep and demands she pay for the death of his friend: either she is to come with him to live forever in his Fae court, or he will kill her.
Decisions, decisions.
Feyre arrives in the Fae Court. Now, she is rather brash and tends to do the opposite of every warning she receives about surviving in the dangerous Fae world, but hey, at least she encounters plenty of cool, creative Fae creatures lurking in the woods. The sexual tension grows between her and Tamlin, especially after a very provocative Fae mating ritual.
*Wiggles eyebrows*
However, Maas throws in a second mysterious and handsome Fae during the ceremony, who saves Feyre from some lust-driven Fae. Rhys is a Fae from the Court of Night, which is currently overtaken by a power-hungry Fae Queen. This Fae Queen is slowly overtaking the entire realm, and Feyre discovers that it is her destiny to stop her.
Why Tamlin would ever forgive Feyre for killing his good friend at the beginning bothered me throughout the entire first part of the book. However, the second part of the book moves much faster, and I enjoyed the trials she goes through to win Tamlin’s freedom. There were some dark turns there, particularly when Feyre was told to kill three innocent Fae to save Tamlin’s life, and I didn’t think Maas would go there. It begged a great question—did those three innocent Fae deserve to die just so Tamlin and Feyre could be together for the sake of “true love”?
Rhys was awesome and definitely captured my interest. *Ahem, move over, Tamlin*. I felt like the story just got started in the second half. I loved the twist on Feyre’s sister and how their sibling relationship developed. Maas’s ability to capture a dark, brooding mood hanging over the Fae realm was sensational. Overall, I’m sure we’ve just received a glimpse of the immersive and seductive Fae world Maas created, and I can’t wait for Book 2: A Court of Mist and Fury ! Read this while you’re waiting for Karen Marie Moning to come out with the next installment in the Faefever series.

Recommended for fans of: Karen Marie Moning, Richelle Mead, and Jenna BlackUpcoming Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Noteable and Addictive Netflix Original TV Series

EVERY WRITER NEEDS THEIR OWN TV SERIES to get inspiration from and to relax to...or just to become hopelessly addicted. I'm still pretty new to Netflix, but I quickly learned that their original series are highly worth checking out. Here are my favorite binge-worthy Netflix Original TV series that I finished in less than a week (...and some of them in days...) Great for procrastinating on your novel!

My Top Netflix Original TV Series Picks


1. Peaky Blinders

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Sam Neil, Helen McCrory

One-line plot: Think Boardwalk Empire set in Birmingham, England--except charismatic gang leader played by Cillian Murphy is pretty damn fine (sorry, Steve Buscemi).




Why it is binge-worthy:

From the opening notes of the historical drama's theme song, "Red Right Hand," performed by Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds to the sweeping shots of the dreary, gaslit city where everyone gets away with everything, Peaky Blinders is engrossing and full of enough  backstabbing to make a Lannister clap in approval. Cillian Murphy plays the charming, enigmatic Thomas who is haunted nightly by the horrors he endured in the trenches fighting for the Crown during World War I. During the day, he runs the small Irish gang known as "the Peaky Blinders." However, Thomas upsets the balance of power when a crate of weapons falls in his lap, which he calculatingly uses to expand the gang's territory to the Races and to London itself. Meanwhile, you remember Alan from Jurassic Park? Well, actor Sam Neil resurfaces here, except there is nothing warm and fuzzy about him as the Crown's agent who ruthlessly hunts down anyone connected with the Peaky Blinders. On the brink of Irish Revolution, the IRA has plans for Thomas, as well. Character development, tension, and double-crossing are on fire in this highly compelling series, although from the amount of whiskey they consume, I'm most concerned for the Peaky Blinders' livers.


2. House of Cards

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michel Gill

One-line plot: To Donald Trump: Kevin Spacey already ran for president



Why it is binge-worthy:

Francis "Frank" J. Underwood played by Kevin Spacey has a deceptively warm and kindly Southern drawl that makes his increasingly treacherous run for the presidency even more shocking. The viewer doesn't want to believe just how cutthroat the House Majority Whip is. However, a few episodes in, and Frank's plots have already swallowed the lives of the unbalanced Representative Peter Russo and the inquisitive, budding journalist Zoe Barnes as he reveals the depths of depravity he will sink to in order to get his revenge on the man who cut him out of his chance at Secretary of State: none other than the President himself. Meanwhile, his equally ambitious wife, "humanist" activist Claire Underwood, upholds her calm exterior while ruthlessly pursuing her own agenda in the world of politics. It is horrifyingly riveting to watch the pair acsend to power, leaving behind the strewn bodies of pawns and opponents alike without any regard except for themselves. This show is a fantastic political thriller and raises the stakes each season.


3. Narcos

Starring: Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal

One-line plot: The 80s stache: a valid place to hide your cocaine?


Why it is binge-worthy:

Set in the beautiful jungles of Columbia in the 1980s, Narcos is the dramatization of the life of cocaine drug dealer Pablo Escobar, who rose to rule the Medellín Cartel and even ran for president. The show gives equal screen time to the charming and merciless drug lord's rise to power, the Columbian government's dilemma of being stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the personal vendetta of one American Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent who lost his partner to a shoot-out with one of Escobar's thugs in Miami. The tension is incredible, but you learn early on not to get attached to any of the Columbian officials who try to take a stand against Escobar. Miami agent Steve Murphy has an interesting relationship with his new secretive partner, Javier Peña, as they quickly spiral downwards to use any means necessary to gain ground against Escobar's cartel. Meanwhile, the dynamics of Escobar's family life and threats from rivals evoke the myth of Icarus and how high one man can fly before he will inevitably burn. No one is painted as altruistic or saintly; everyone has their personal motivations and gets down and dirty to get what they want, which only makes the show more addictive. Using real-life footage of Escobar's political campaigns was a nice touch. There's only one season so far, but it already inspired me to research this turbulent time in Columbia's history!


4. Marvel's Jessica Jones
 
Starring: Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville

One-line plot: Never has mind control been so scary.




Why it is binge-worthy:

You remember actress from The B In Apartment 23? Now picture Krysten Ritter as an action hero with super strength and "flying with style" type abilities. Yes. It is awesome. Jessica Jones' personality is a snarky "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," which is tempered by her best friend, Trish Walker. The villain is ultra-terrifying: a remorseless sociopath named Kilgrave who takes control of people's minds and orders them to do whatever he wants. He develops an obsession with private eye Jessica Jones, and the show goes dark. Some movies and TV series have featured "mind-controlling" superpowers before, but Marvel's Jessica Jones does not shy away from showing how terrifying that would actually be. The mood is a malignant cityscape where you never feel safe. Although slow-moving in places, overall, Jessica Jones focuses on character development. However, when action sequences happen, it is hard to tear your eyes away.


5. Marvel's Daredevil

Starring: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, Deborah Ann Woll

One-line plot: Fighting crime by night never gets old




Why it is binge-worthy:

Charlie Cox plays Matt Murdock, who fights crime by day as a moralistic lawyer and hunts down those who evade the law by night using his enhanced senses. Matt is the son of a famous boxer. He idolizes his father, but then has an accident as a young boy that leaves him blind. However, there is more to his father's past than he knows, and Matt is taken under the wing of a secretive society where he is taught how to develop his senses and kick some major butt. The flashbacks are well-integrated into Matt's present day adult like in Hell's Kitchen, which is currently under siege by the compelling businessman Fisk. Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of Fisk makes him an excellent first season villian: he has fists and knows how to use them, but he also had an intriguing romantic storyline with an art gallery owner who grows to support his bid for power. Matt also is surrounded by a gang of interesting characters who have begun to demonstrate a flair for supernatural abilities, which hints at new twists and original contributions to the superhero genre in the seasons to come.



What have been your favorite Netflix original series? Let me know below!