Patricia Hamill's Blog: I read too much!, page 16

YA Review: Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole

Uniquely Unwelcome by Brandy Nacole

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Uniquely Unwelcome takes the werewolf, vampire, shifter, witch thing to a new level. The story opens with Racquel returning to her hometown, and dreading it. From her earliest memories, she has faced ridicule and fear, a side effect of her mixed heritage. Mixing of the shadow world races is discouraged, and in some cases dangerous or impossible, but her family found a way. With years of trauma to deal with, the last thing she wants is to be noticed when she arrives in town, but she is.

This is ya at its finest. The various shadow world races are interesting and well-defined, especially with how they shouldn't be able to be mixed. Besides the four main races, there is also mention of leprechauns and fairies, and we actually get to meet the fairy queen.

It's fantastic seeing how the four main races mingle in Racquel's veins. As part vampire, she occasionally needs blood, especially after an injury or strenuous fight. As part shifter, she can turn into an eagle. As part werewolf, she's stronger than she should be and heals quickly. As part witch, she can use magic. But, and here is where it's interesting, she has had almost no guidance on how to deal with any of this. Instead of accepting her, each of these races has not only snubbed her, but also in some cases attacked, humiliated or harrassed her. She's one against them all, which makes it awkward when people from the different races start going missing and they need to call on her to help track them down. She agrees to help, but only because her sister, Addie, is one of those missing. She and a growing team of young people recruited from the various races take up a world tour to visit the main colonies of each race.

Also, as is common in ya, there is a bit of romance, but it is affected by racial stigmas and incompatibilities. We see the love blooming, but we know that the couple(s) will be shunned and any children of theirs would face the same kind of painful existance as Racquel. Makes it hard to know whether to hope they make it or to hope they don't. Of course, I'm always voting for love. I enjoy the way the romance is developed in this story.

Another thing I liked was that Racquel begins to gain acceptance and learn more about herself. This personal growth makes her relatable and gives hope for her future. She's a strong person, too. I love reading about strong female characters, so this was a plus for me.

The only thing I thought was a bit off was how easily and how quickly Racquel was convinced to help the four races. Sure, her sister was taken, but that was really the only explanation. It takes a single conversation to convince her to drop everything and instantly pack her bags to go face the main camps for each of the races who despise her. I don't know if I'd be so easily convinced, especially if I had no previous positive reinforcement and little confidence in my own self-worth, as Racquel seems to have. But, after that odd start, the story picks up and everthing flows well.

Overall, I really liked this story. It's a bit of a ya cliche at times with all the various magical races, but the way they are used and presented in the story is believable and interesting. The romanctic themes are well developed and seem doomed to failure, but I felt a connection and hoped along with them that things would turn out alright.

I would highly recommend this story to fans of YA literature, especially those who like the werewolf, vampire, shifter, or witch type stories; you get all four in Uniquely Unwelcome. I look forward to the next story in the series.




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Short Story Review: Feast, Stray, Love #3 by Kevin Anthony

Halloween has come and nearly gone, but I have one more short story review before I close out this month's short story theme.

Today's review is #3 in the Feast, Stray, Love Trilogy by Kevin Anthony.  The author gifted me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

Feast, Stray, Love - #1, #2 and Introducing #3 by Kevin Anthony

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good, scary, and funny, but not as much love in # 3 as expected.

Love is the third installment of this series and is full of twists and surprises.  Damien is still messed up in the head, but his powers, besides being handy and incredibly gory, are getting the better of him.  Meanwhile Maxine and Ava have both moved on to their Stray and Jaxom has moved on to his Love.  Damien is stuck in the kitchen of a quirky restaurant whose owner can't settle on a menu or a theme.  But, no matter the interesting and varied cuisine, it just can't seem to compete with the TFC Chicken across the street.

First off, this is a funny and, of course, explosive finale to the trilogy.  The mysterious factory, its purpose, and the mastermind behind it all are revealed.  The battle between good and evil sucks you right in, and Damien's superpowers and lovable friends make it fun.  The new friend Trey is interesting and likeable, but there seems to be more to him than is revealed in this installment.  Also, I couldn't exactly peg how he fits in with Damien.  I settled on protoge in the end. When I asked the author about him, he revealed there may be more books in the works, and Trey's story will be featured in more detail.

Besides the plot, humor is still prevalent, but in this case there are more one-liners but not as many natural laugh out loud moments. My favorite is still #2 Stray for its humor and deeper social plot, romantic tension and, of course, Sparkles, but #3 is a crazy, fun ride, and I liked it.

Another thing of note is that despite the title, there's not as much Love or incidental romance for Damien or his friends in this one, making me think the title's just a convenient one matching up with the self-help book featured in the story.  For those who prefer less romance, that might be a good thing, but I felt a little disappointed for Damien.  He's such a likeable guy, I really wanted him to hit it off with someone.

Now for the balance.  Despite liking this story, I couldn't fail to notice a lack of technical polish to it.  The word choice and flow are a bit off in spots, and for some reason the header listed this as #2 Love.  I also found a couple of spots where the text was centered, which I assume was an accident because those spots were just regular paragraphs.  I feel this book could use a couple more passes by someone with an eye for detail and a feel for transitions and lead-ins.

Overall, this is a good book, humorous, scary and more action packed than it's predecessors.  I'd recommend it to people who enjoy a quick read in the horror genre with just a touch of m-m romance.  As for the series as a whole, I'd recommend it. Not for the kids, though.

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Short Story Review: Feast, Stray, Love #2 by Kevin Anthony

The author enjoyed my first review so he asked me to review #2 and #3 as well!  I always love hearing that my reviews are well received  and getting follow up review requests.  Plus, I like "collecting" an entire series in my reviews.  If you scroll back far enough in my blog (especially on Goodreads, which is where I started off), you'll find a few of my collections.  Some of them are still in progress.

Feast, Stray, Love by Kevin Anthony

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Funny follow up to Feast (Feast, Stray, Love #1).

Stray takes up a bit after the final showdown in Feast. The story is short, funny, and doesn't lose track of the original storyline. I thought it did for a while, but the threads were being laid to tie everything together. Damien has left Mayson for Port Rising, a cozy seaside town. Living and working at Dirty Betty's, a gay bar, and moonlighting at the local Church for Pastor Abram in gratitude for help when he first came to town, Damien finds himself living a double life.

My favorite character in this one is Sparkles, the owner of the gay bar. I can totally picture him in his evening gowns, or in his teddy bear pajamas. Although he seems silly at times, he as a person comes across as realistic. He's afraid for his bar and his staff, and acts desperately to save them. I also love that Ava pops up again. She is the jack of all trades from Feast, who pops up everywhere performing her latest "part-time." It's funny, but also intriguing. Why is she everywhere Damien goes?

Besides the characters, there is an underlying theme of being true to yourself, even when the mainstream thought is against you. Caleb, the pastor's son, is the primary vehicle of this message. Damien, who sees the good side of the pastor, is surprised to learn that his son was written off when he came out, but doesn't truly believe the pastor is all that bad, just a strict follower of his beliefs. Then he begins to learn more.

Another theme is one of moving on after loss. Damien is coming to terms with the loss of his boyfriend and is avoiding any romantic entanglements, a difficult proposition when the handsome Detective Jaxom rolls into town on a basketball trip. Sparkles says go for it, but Damien feels it would be a betrayal to Ben.

I noticed much less cursing than in Feast, which I felt was good. The sexual situations are relatively tame, but they do focus on m-m relationships. Personally, I don't mind that, but it's worth note. If the reader is uncomfortable with such things, this is not the book for them. I also noticed an improvement in the execution of the dialog, making it seem more natural and easier to picture what's happening while the characters are talking.

As for things I didn't like, I found a couple of places where I felt like something changed in the matrix (pardon the pun). The people would be talking, then something would be said that I thought had already been said. I'd flip back and it wouldn't be exact, but it would be close enough to throw me off. It wasn't too bad, but it was confusing when it happened. I also noticed a few minor errors in grammar such as using a singular verb for a plural noun.

Overall, I really liked this one. It's primarily funny, with underlying themes of social acceptance, dealing with loss, and learning to be oneself. Plus, the creepy Factory is still in play, though not quite as much as in the first, so it has the horror component going for it. I'd recommend this to people who enjoy humorous and scary stories and who either prefer or don't mind the portrayal of m-m romantic relationships.

I picked up a free copy of Stray during a promotion on Smashwords after completing an author-requested review for Feast. When the author requested a review for Stray, I had already added it to my TBR list.


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Short Story Review: Feast, Stray, Love #1 by Kevin Anthony

I picked up this book during a free promo day on Amazon after the author requested a review for it.  As horror and m-m fiction, it's not in a genre I typically read, but sometimes a story will surprise me. As far as the theme goes, this one comes just in time for Halloween, but this story is meant for a mature audience.

Feast by Kevin Anthony

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A dish of humor served with a side of gore. Short, creepy, creative...

Feast is the first in the Feast, Stray, Love short story trilogy. The story begins with Damien being rescued by his teacher after passing out and causing a massive fire at the local college. Upon waking in the hospital, he learns he has a brain tumor, and his doctor performs the surgery to remove it. Unfortunately for Damien, his doctor is a bit of a quack and scrambles a few things up while working on him. Luckily, Damien's mother and boyfriend are there to support him through his recovery, but the extra job his boyfriend picks up to help cover expenses soon leads to unexpected complications in their relationship, and his doctor's shoddy operating techniques lead to complications of their own.

First off, I must say I don't frequently read stories specifically focused on men in romantic relationships with each other. That being said, I found the relationship believable and, for the most part, tastefully done. There are some sexual situations, but none are too explicit and the focus seems to be more on the emotional relationship, which is an approach I tend to like in a story. However, I would classify this book as horror, rather than romance.

The true focus of the plot is the doctor's mess of a job on Damien's brain and the creepy factory outside of town that subverts his boyfriend and later threatens his mom. People enter the factory, never to return. Those who land jobs there either disappear or leave their families to stay at the factory, and strange shipments arrive frequently. Besides that, the question is, what exactly does the factory do? The dodgy answers Damien gets from his boyfriend and later from a detective leave much to be discovered in later books in the series. Adding to the horror aspect of the story are the relationships. The author builds a highly admirable and likeable boyfriend, who the main character loves deeply, and then puts him in harm's way. He does the same with Damien's mother, building her up into someone the reader likes, and then showing her becoming a bit too enamored of an ironically named self-help book, "Feast, Stray, Love."

As for the vastly unqualified doctor in the story, I'm not certain the details or credentials surrounding him or his work on Damien are exactly believable, but his bedside manner is humorously atrocious, and his less than stellar operating skills are responsible for Damien's subtle transformation throughout the book. Again, is it believable? Not really, but it is entertaining. A good bit of the humor in the book stems from this crazy, irreverent doctor and the reactions of those around him.

Besides the romantic angle, the plot, and the crazy doctor, which I enjoyed and led me to like the story overall, there are a few things that kept me from loving it: one, grammatical issues, primarily the punctuation of the dialog; two, the frequent use of the F-word, not a surprise since it's also used in the book description; and three, various plot points for which I had to hit my "I believe" button. The dialog and other minor grammatical issues might detract from the story for those who find that sort of thing annoying, but could be fixed in a future edition. The F-word usage bugs me, but I think it fits into the story and the style of the writing, totally a personal preference type thing. The things that were vague could be due to the constraints of writing a short story, namely details are often cut to keep the story short. However, some of the details and situations presented are hard to imagine in a real setting, but are portrayed as being normal or realistic, which made some of the fictional aspects of the story less believable.

Overall, I liked Feast. It's a good, short book with a bit of humor and romance and a whole lot of mystery and creepiness factor, good for a horror story. The romantic relationship between Damien and his boyfriend isn't too explicit, focusing more on their relationship, but I would caution that it is aimed at mature readers. I'd recommend this story to those who like the horror genre, want a quick read, and either prefer or aren't bothered by books that feature a male-male romance.

I picked up a copy of this book from Amazon during a free promo day after the author requested a review.


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Novella Review: Flute of the Wind Queen by Eisah

And now for something a little different. Today's contribution to my short or shortish book theme is Flute of the Wind Queen.

I picked up this novella in a book review club on Goodreads where I received a free copy of the ebook in exchange for a review.

It caught my eye because of the worried looking guy with the big ears on the cover, but I didn't expect to find pictures inside. Not just one or two pictures, but several, meaningful and relevant full page illustrations fill the book. I thought it was a nice touch, and in this case, nicely done.

Later, when I went to post the review on Amazon, I found this funny author profile picture and write up for Eisah. I always enjoy finding gems like this.

Flute of the Wind Queen by Eisah

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Fun and easy to read.

Flute of the Wind Queen is the debut story of Leander, a teen-aged Naggian whose greatest dream is to follow in the footsteps of his hero, Tevias, and become a reknowned treasure hunter. The story opens with Leander sneaking (not so stealthily) into a theatre basement hoping to find the lost Flute of the Wind Queen, a treasured relic of his country which disappeared when a neighboring country invaded.

But his inexperience and a crashing fall from rotting scafolding quickly attracts the attention of one of the actresses, who decides to let him go after a brief encounter. They meet up again a short time later by chance and decide that the flute must have been looted by the Geuranian army. Leander decides to risk a foray into enemy territory, and on a whim Ellora, the actress, decides to help him get there.

My favorite things about this story are the close calls, rookie mistakes and lucky breaks that Leander experiences. He's an imperfect hero just starting on his chosen path, so he isn't handed success. I also enjoy how he comes to understand that the world isn't all black and white, right and wrong, when he meets an irreverent Geuranian soldier who reveals that the "enemy" attacks on his city weren't completely unprovoked as Leander had always assumed they were.

I also enjoyed the illustrations. They were well done and complimented the story without distracting from it. One only one picture didn't quite match the vision that the words evoked in my mind. I won't say which due to spoilers but it didn't synch with my interpretation of what was going on.

Overall, the Flute of the Wind Queen is a quick, fun read. There are lessons, but they aren't too deep or heavy handed. And, Leander is a likeable fellow who I wouldn't mind following in future installments.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

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Short Story Review: The Story of Hennelie Hamster RUNNING WILD at Christmas Time on a Farm in Zimbabwe by Nikki Ziehl

And now for a little bit of inspiration.  Today's feature is a short story featuring the brave Hennelie Hamster.

For a short story, this one has quite a long title, but it lets you know what you're in for.  It tells you who the main character is, what she's doing, when she's doing it and where she is when she's doing it.  Plus, it fits together nicely on the cover, which makes me smile every time I see it.

I came across the link and intro to this story on the CreateSpace message boards near the end of last year before I really got into writing reviews.  In fact, when I looked at the review I had for this one, I decided it was way too skimpy: just two sentences and a corny thank you to the author.  So, here is my revamped review for The Story of Hennelie Hamster Running Wild at Christmas Time on a Farm in Zimbabwe.

The Story of Hennelie Hamster RUNNING WILD at Christmas Time on a Farm in Zimbabwe by Nikki Ziehl

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is beautiful and inspiring.

Hennelie Hamster is my new hero. She overcomes many obstacles, including her own doubts and fears to achieve her goal of a better life for herself and her children.

This is a memorable story.  Even months after reading it, I can recall Hennelie's journey. Escaping her abusive mate, meeting the strange and delightful animals on the farm, and working towards her ultimate goal of finding a safe place to build a new life.

Through all of her trials, Hennelie draws comfort and strength from her believe in a Creator.  Her belief in a higher power helps her overcome challenges both inside her heart (fear, doubt, despair) and external (dangerous animals, abusive mate, harsh landscape). The spirituality portrayed in this story is not overbearing, but it is central to Hennelie's growth as an individual.

As a short story, this one packs a lot into a tiny package. Not only is the story solid, but it's also filled with interesting creatures from Zimbabwe.  The author brings her experiences from living there into the story, making Hennelie's encounters seem realistic and the portrayal of the setting and animals accurate.

I think the only downer was in the afterword where Ms. Ziehl reveals the real-life fate of the hippos that inspired the ones in the story.

Overall, a wonderful tale! I recommend this story to those who enjoy a quick read, inspirational stories, exotic locations, and animal characters.  There is a strong Christian theme, so those who enjoy Christian or spiritual literature may also find this book to their liking.

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Short Story Review: Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This classic tale, featured originally in The Jungle Book, tells of the brave battle of Rikki-Tikki the mongoose against the deadly cobras, Nag and Nagaina.  Rikki-Tikki is swept away from his family by a flood and finds himself a most welcome guest of a human family.

I remember reading this once in school, though I can't remember exactly when, and I was happy to come across it for free on Amazon. It's actually quite an exciting tale, though perhaps a little scary.  The snakes, Nag and Nagaina, are sinister and plot the death of the entire family in the big house, hoping that Rikki-Tikki would then move on. But luckily their plot is discovered, and the mongoose defends his adoptive family with every fiber of his being.

The characters are varied and are each entertaining in their own right.  I love the idiotic Tailorbird, Danzee.  He weeps, sings, and celebrates in turn, without any regard to consequence, mostly because of his short attention span. The little fearful musk-rat, who runs along the walls, but never to the center of the room, is also amusing.  His role as informant is important to winning the battle, but mostly because he's afraid he'll be mistaken for the mongoose.

But mostly, I love Rikki-Tikki himself.  Too curious to be afraid and fiercely protective of the young family and the creatures of the yard, he is an admirable hero.  Brave and funny, and believable, too. When he's not busy saving the day, he scampers around on the breakfast table, perches on the little boy's shoulder, and otherwise endears himself to both the family and the reader.

I also like the poem at the beginning and Danzee's song at the end, cut short because Danzee himself was interupted in the singing by Rikki-Tikki.

Overall, a short, but powerful story of triumph, bravery, and danger. I recommend this one to anyone who likes rooting for the underdog and those who enjoy animal characters.

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Review: santa claus vs the aliens by James Cardona

santa claus vs the aliens by James Cardona

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Love it. The right mix of humor, danger and whimsy...

Santa Claus vs. the Aliens follows young Edwin Cardona on an unexpected adventure in New York City. Edwin, the son of Puerto Rican emigrants, lives in a children's home where his father left him temporarily while he got on his feet. In a moment of frustration, Edwin throws away his father's most cherished possession, a gaudy ring with a face that looks like Santa. The story begins with Edwin setting out from the children's home on a quest to retrieve the lost ring and ramps up from there into a surprisingly riveting urban adventure featuring aliens, Santa and personal growth.

Set in the Great Depression era, the historical details in this story are both fascinating and accurately portrayed. I didn't get all of the song references, favorites of the time, but the rest is interesting. That young Edwin lives in a children's home and prefers it to his father's family is an interesting setup, made all the more so because Edwin, his father and the family are all real people, relatives of the author. In fact, I've confirmed it with the author; everything besides the obviously fictional parts (aliens, Santa, etc.) actually happened as told in the story.

I enjoyed how the story is told from the perspective of Edwin and occasionally his father. Edwin's New York accent comes out strongly in the dialog but does not carry over into the narrative, making the story easy to read and enjoy while still seeming authentic to the setting. Unlike some books I've read where the accents make the dialog unintelligible, the author uses simple tweaks to the words that help the reader pronounce them the way they would have been spoken. Overall, I thought it was well done.

Besides the accent and perspective, Edwin's inner conflict is well done. He's got a lot going on for such a young man, and that doesn't all go away just because he's on the run from scary aliens. Edwin is a strong character and he reacts to the challenges he faces in a believable and admirable way. I also enjoyed the father's side story and history, especially the part where he meets the Farting Man, both funny and appropriate for a kid's story.

For a story aimed at the middle school crowd, I think this one has the right mix of humor, danger and whimsy. The story is unique and can be enjoyed by people both young and old; plus, it's an interesting take on the Santa story and the sci-fi twist is fantastic.

As an added bonus, teachers and parents can take advantage of the vocabulary words listed out by chapter at the end of the book. Throughout the story, the words are used in context and explained succinctly, and I must admit I learned a few new ones. Kids will appreciate that the story is fun and doesn't seem like it's teaching them anything at all (though it is). I think this would be a good book to stock in school libraries.

There is some Christian content and context, as might be expected in a story that features a Santa character at Christmas time, but the story is written in such a way that individuals can take what they need from the story, whether a message of faith overcoming all or one of a person's strength of will helping him through a tough situation. It really is left to the reader to decide, giving this story a broader appeal than if it had just focused on one or the other.

Overall, I loved this story for its unique plot, strong characters and fascinating history. I highly recommend it to readers both young and old, though the audience that will likely appreciate it the most would be the middle school crowd.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.



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Forgotten Valor (Shadows of Valor #2) Cover Reveal and Release Date

Woot, woot! 
My third book, Forgotten Valor (Shadows of Valor #2), is set up for pre-order on Smashwords and is scheduled to be released on November 20.  This is something new on Smashwords, which I think is fantastic. 

Check out my sample here at Smashwords and then keep an eye out on Kobo, Apple or B&N if you'd like to pre-order.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/364579

So excited! I'll keep you all posted. 

:-D

I will coordinate the print and kindle release on Amazon so they will also go live on November 20, but the book will only be available for preorders at Kobo, Apple and B&N. 

October Theme: Short and Shortish Books!

If you've been following my blog for long, you may have already guessed I tend towards the more massive offerings. This month I'll be doing something a bit different.  The focus will be entirely on short and shortish books: novellas, short stories, short story collections, etc.

For authors, short stories of various lengths provide a great way to practice writing, to get your work and your name out there, and to build a volume of work in a rather short period of time.  They're also great for getting recognized in competitions, such as those available on Writer's Digest.

For readers, short stories provide a glimpse into another world, a quick escape, and an introduction to an author's style.  They also make great bedtime stories, even for adults, and yes, some of the stories I'll feature this month are definitely not something you'd read to a kid.

To kick off my month of shorts, let's run through what makes a short story a short story.

Continue reading...



This month's review schedule:

October 2 Short Story Review: Hexes and Tooth Decay by Nancy Fulda

October 3 Novella Review: Santa Claus vs the Aliens by James Cardona

October 7 Short Story Collection Review: Shakespeare for Cats by DE James

October 10 Short Story Collection Review: Tales from Arva: Volume 1 by Kevis Hendrickson

October 14 Novella Review: Annie Banner, Wedding Planner by T.G. Davis

October 16 Short Story Review: Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

October 18 Collection of Short Stories: Working for Heat by Donavan Sotam

October 20 Short Story Review: The Awful Tale of the Minnesota Diarrhea Ghost by Rish Outfield

October 22 Short Story Review: The Story of Hennelie Hamster RUNNING WILD at Christmas Time on a Farm in Zimbabwe by Nikki Ziehl

October 26 Novella Review: Flute of the Wind Queen by Eisah

October 28 Short Story Review: Feast by Kevin Anthony

October 29 Short Story Review: Stray by Kevin Anthony

October 30 Novella Review: Cat's Paw by Rustin Petrae

Click here to view today's review.

Also, as the reviews become available, I will add links to them here.