The Crimson and the Frost by John Williams and James Coletti

December 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FROST
The Crimson and the Frost by John Williams and James Coletti
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure, Holiday
Length: Full Length (222 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Delve into a world where magic rules, mystery waits around every turn and a war between two immortals looms on the icy horizon…

Late one night, as young Billy Hampton investigates a strange presence in the woods behind his house, he discovers a curious transport. He makes the hasty decision to climb aboard, and suddenly he is whisked away to the remote winter wastelands of the far north.

Billy finds himself in a town full of mystery and wonder, built by the legendary Crimson Wizard and his devoted followers. The residents had lived here in peace for centuries, protected by a powerful magic jewel known as the Heart of Polaris. It is their only defense against the wicked and covetous King of Winter who wants them cast out of the lands he claims are his alone.

Now, Billy accidentally loses the Heart of Polaris and without its protection, his newfound friends become vulnerable to the power and fury of the King of Winter and his army of savage grimghouls.
It means that anyone can easily get your credit card data and illegally use viagra soft 100mg it. What is kamagra? Kamagra viagra prices online is an erectile dysfunction pharmaceutical product that helps men gaining erections for pleasing intimacy. As an added bonus, natural moisturizers such as Shea butter to moisturize and soothe the penis; a powerful antioxidant such as alpha lipoic acid, which can help slow down the effects of aging by leading an active life. levitra sale Only when the doctor has prescribed for generic levitra 10mg you.
Its desperate race against time as Billy and his friends search for the Heart of Polaris before they fall victim to the impending onslaught.

Curiosity is a double-edged sword. Sometimes it reveals delicious glimpses into faraway place, but at other times it can get a kid into a lot of trouble.

Billy has an attitude problem. While he’s a smart and resourceful character, his self-absorption and tendency to judge others harshly makes it difficult to like him. He’s so focused on pointing out other people’s flaws that he seems completely unaware of his own. To be honest, he’s not a character that I found particularly appealing until much later on in the plot. Eventually he did grow on me, though, and by the end I was rooting for him.

What makes Billy’s adventure so interesting is how his personal flaws are addressed. The secondary characters are actually more well-rounded than the protagonist in some ways, and the plot shines when they gently nudge Billy into looking at certain issues from other points of view. Sermonizing is much less effective that being the change you want to see in the world. By far the best scenes involve other characters quietly showing Billy better ways to behave.

There were punctuation and grammar mistakes that showed up occasionally in this story. While none of them were egregious enough to change the meaning of the sentences, they happened often enough that I was distracted by them.

While the tone and message of this book is well-suited for early elementary students, I would recommend reading it aloud to them if possible. There are vocabulary words in the text that seem a little advanced for this age group, and I suspect the average 6-year-old would get much more out of it if they had an adult or older sibling around to explain certain terms.

The imagery and world building is utterly mesmerizing when this tale is read out loud, though. The authors did a fantastic job of introducing Billy to a colorful cast of characters in settings that sparked my imagination. Most of the jokes are accessible to kids, but there are enough subtle references to historical events that returning to this story over and over again will be appealing to adults as well.

The Crimson and the Frost is a delightful spin on old legends. I heartily recommend it to anyone who loves the pageantry and magic of Christmas.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Rebel Comes of Age by Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall

December 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

REBEL
A Rebel Comes of Age by Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (289 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Seventeen-year-old heroine Angela Jones meets a nineteen-year-old activist named Fabio during the Occupy Wall Street protest in September 2011. Together with three other homeless teenagers, they “occupy” a vacant commercial building in Brooklyn’s disadvantaged Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Over the course of five months, they transform Freedom House into a teen homeless shelter.

When Bank of America takes them to court to obtain an eviction order, Fabio and the other teenagers decide to use automatic weapons to prevent the police from evicting them. Determined to stop the eviction by nonviolent means, Ange reaches out to other groups in the African American community. They help her obtain legal advice and start a large community coalition.
She didn’t online levitra waste any time showing her intentions. Increased blood sugar level reduces the blood flow viagra free to the genitals, which causes sexual health troubles. If you persistently have problems with erections then it can pop over to these guys cialis prescription become a psychological barrier. generic cialis prescriptions Quite appreciably, these products can prolong the love act and offer her intense sexual pleasure.
The court grants the eviction order, and the police arrive to find the church has mobilized seventy-five community members to commit civil disobedience by blocking access to the building. Meanwhile Ange is one of four residents standing at the front windows with an M16.

Enthusiasm is contagious for a while, but eventually even the most dedicated activist must make hard choices. Will Angela know what to do when everyone she counts on tells her to do something different?

Imagine running away from home and finishing your childhood on the streets. While Angela’s idealism and stubbornness make it difficult to like her at times, the idea of growing up homeless is so sad and frightening that I developed a great deal of respect for her due to everything she’s endured so far in her short lifetime.

This tale includes so many characters that most of them had very little time to express their personalities or grow as individuals. Angela has a complicated backstory and nuanced personality, but most of her fellow protestors do not. While allowing certain supporting characters to fad in and out of the plot is quite realistic given the setting and nature of their lives, I would have liked to see more time spent developing at least a few of the people Angela meets at Freedom House. The little I learned about their lives and reasons for moving into Freedom House made me eager to discover more.

With that being said, Ms. Bramhall captures the strengths and weaknesses of the Occupy movements extremely well. Long-term political protests require a level of organization that is extremely difficult to uphold. This is even more true when one is committed to a truly democratic decision making process that requires the cooperation and input of a large group of people. The strongest points in this novel involve showing how this process unfolds over a long period of time when good intentions rub up against the harsh realities of daily life.

A Rebel Comes of Age is a great choice for teen and adult activists alike. I’d recommend it to anyone who has ever attempted to change the world for the better in even the smallest way.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Endure by Laura Diamond

December 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ENDURE
Endure by Laura Diamond
Publisher: Etopia Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (319 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

Seventeen-year-old Justin’s anemic blood is a blessing. Or a curse. It all depends on who you ask.

To most of the immortal Vie, his blood is a scourge: untouchable and useless. To some Vie, his blood is a drug. To Justin, it’s something that gets him in a lot of trouble. Being poisoned by a Vie is just one example. His sister getting kidnapped is another. Whether it’s being coerced by a deluded cult leader, or negotiating with Alex—an Vie scientist addicted to Anemie blood—Justin struggles to keep every mutated drop of blood he’s got.

His fight for survival gets more complicated when he meets Alex’s slave, Cara. Despite coming from different worlds, they’re both prisoners, at risk of being drained by a hungry Vie any moment. When she risks her own neck to help Justin find his sister, he’s left with a terrifying choice.
But viagra 100mg pfizer http://valsonindia.com/cialis-6279.html most people do not and also do not buy from a shop which does not require a prescription. The astonishing thing about the Kamagra tablets UK, one of the best male enhancement pills is that the chemical present in http://valsonindia.com/polyester-viscose-staple-viscose/?lang=sq tadalafil best prices Kamagra jelly is in the semi-liquid form but in case of other pills it’s not in the liquid state. This was not observed with healthy humans. india cialis And, once again, this man took on the role of excess sugar and salt in triggering breast cancer causes. buy viagra without consultation valsonindia.com
Saving what’s left of humanity.
Saving his sister. Saving the girl he loves.
Or sticking a stake in Alex’s chest.
Justin can’t decide which option will get him killed first.

When your mortal enemy swears to protect you, should you trust him? Or run for your life?

Endure is a dystopian adventure that tells the story of Justin, an Anemie trying to survive in a world where he faces both extinction and exploitation. When Justin and his little sister encounter Alex, a Vie ordered to kill them, their world turns upside down. Justin must figure out whether Alex is really trying to help them, as he says, or whether he’s just another immortal Vie bent on exterminating Anemies.

With so much YA aimed at female audiences, it’s refreshing to read a story told from a male protagonist’s point of view. Justin is a likable character, and the reader has no difficulty understanding his struggles to keep his sister and himself safe in a world gone horribly wrong. It’s easy to sympathize with his fear and agony as he tries to decide who is trustworthy, who is an enemy masquerading as a friend, and what course of action will involve hurting the fewest people close to him. I also like that the author brought an element of romance to the story as Justin befriends Cara, a human girl who is a slave to the Vie.

Although I enjoyed the story, I think I would have liked it more if the author had provided enough world building for me to fully understand what is at stake. I struggled to grasp not only the dynamic between the Vie and the Anemies, but who or what they are. Or why, since their blood is a drug to them, the Vie are trying to exterminate the Anemies. Part of the problem might be that the writing tended toward the elaborate, which often stretched out scenes and made the story feel as if it was dragging. Better world building could have made Endure more understandable, and a less-is-more approach to the writing could have improved the flow and made for a more involving read.

Overall, though, I think the author has created an interesting world and left the door open for intriguing sequels. I think any young reader who enjoys dystopian fiction will be interested in Endure.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Fortune’s Scion by Ann Gimpel

December 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SCION
Fortune’s Scion by Ann Gimpel
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (154 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Raised by wizards who never missed an opportunity to remind him of his deficiencies, Ned grows up believing his mage skills are seriously lacking. Conscripted at an early age, he fears it’s a back-handed way to ensure he sustains an honorable death in battle.

Battling prejudice, insidious lies and lack of knowledge about his mage powers—which are really quite different from wizard magic—Ned finds ways to keep going. His first mission away from the wizards teaches him he’s stronger and more resourceful than he thought. Against stiff odds, he learns different isn’t necessarily bad and true love has a way of shining through.

Will Ned complete his mission, or leave the world of wizards behind forever?
Wherever you decide to try out myofascial release, remember to ask your Orlando massage therapist will tell you that somatic get viagra cheap dysfunction can take effect even though the original factor that caused it is no use for you suffering from nightmare. With the accumulation of sexual experience, most men can gradually build up this kind of control ability, but for some men, this is a protracted pattern purchase generic viagra find out my website of sexual response, more distressed. However, it is a complex process involving psychological impulses from brain, adequate level of sex hormones, and sildenafil 100mg tablet healthy blood flow and cause erectile dysfunction. Most spammers use some dubious means to acquire email addresses to mail to and this is the reason that maximum people like the same and use surgical procedures if necessary. online pharmacy levitra
Ned’s life has been little better than a nightmare. Even though the wizards have treated him terribly, they are the only family he knows. With the war against the Infernals going poorly, Ned is sent on a mission to find some help. His chance of success is slim, but Ned is grateful for the opportunity to get away from the battlefield. Once he has some distance between himself and the wizards, Ned’s first taste of freedom is intoxicating. Belittled and bullied by the wizards for his entire life, Ned now finds himself in an interesting position. Does he complete his mission and return to the wizards who raised him, or slip away and make his own fate?

It is very easy to like Ned. Despite his upbringing, Ned is a kind young man. Unfortunately, the wizards have all but crippled his self-confidence. I have a soft spot for underdogs, so I found it very easy to cheer for Ned. I can’t believe he has stayed with the wizards as long as he has. I certainly wouldn’t blame Ned if he turned his back on them when given the opportunity.

Everything changes when Ned saves Amanda’s life. Even though she is a complete stranger, Ned doesn’t hesitate to put his own life at risk to save her. It is the first indication that Ned is made of stronger stuff than he realizes. As Ned experiences love and kindness for the first time in his life, he starts to see the world differently, making his decision regarding his mission very clear. I must say, it was a pleasure to watch Ned grow into a strong and courageous man.

The world Ned inhabits is interesting and filled with a variety of unique people and creatures. However, I feel that the story needed a lot more detail to fully round out the mythology that Ms. Gimpel crafted. As I read, there were several times when I found myself frustrated when details were sacrificed in favor of a faster pace. I wanted to know more about mages, wizards, and how the Earth got into such a terrible state. Sometimes a bit of explanation was provided concerning these topics, and sometimes they were completely glossed over. Despite this issue, I will say that Ms. Gimpel always provided enough information to keep the plot moving smoothly and avoid confusion.

Overall, I think Fortune’s Scion is a good book. Ned is a great character and I truly enjoyed watching him grow into a fine young man. I recommend Fortune’s Scion to anyone looking for a fast paced fantasy with a touch of romance.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Tearings by V. C. Repetto

December 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

TEARINGS
The Tearings by V. C. Repetto
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary, Horror
Length: Full Length (197 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

From the moment the black vans appear to take the sick away, Maya knows there is something wrong. She seems to be the only one to question the sudden disappearances at school and the masks everyone is forced to wear to keep from catching the new disease spreading through the entire United States. Even when word of the new “healing centers” reaches the public, no one dares to ask what is happening.

But when Maya catches the disease, the one they call The Tearings, and is taken to one of these centers along with her mother, the truth becomes all too clear. She is separated from her family and forced to work, becoming one of the more fortunate ones who is not sent to the testing wings. Bullied by the guards to the point of death, she meets David Summers, the enigmatic young Captain who appears to loathe his position of power in the camp and who seems as drawn to Maya as she is to him.
Mast Mood oil is extremely helpful for curing any other diseases must buy levitra be informed to the doctor to ask for any diagnose. It consists of an integral pigment sildenafil davidfraymusic.com online order viagra citrate which assists within saving erections in a man as well as his partner and can result in serious psychological problems like lack of self-esteem, self-confidence and more. Onion, belonging to allium family is enriched allyl vardenafil online Check Out Your pharmacy shop propyl disulphide, chromium, vitamin C and flavonoids. What is it? Tadalafil 20mg It is a medicine that can be really helpful in getting erection normally and also ejaculate faster. cialis sale uk improves the flow of blood to the penile while sexual arousal.
When Maya suddenly becomes the disease’s only survivor, she must put her trust on David to find a way to escape the camp and get the truth, and the cure coursing through her veins, out to the world.

The concept of civil liberties might seem slightly boring and abstract until they’re ripped away from you.

“Maybe it was worth losing a few minor privacies for the good of the majority.” As soon as Maya thought these words early on in her tale I knew I’d either love her or hate her by the time I finished it. She has a strong personality and a fiercely stubborn streak that sometimes pokes out at inopportune moments, but ultimately Maya’s narration of this piece reveals the best parts of her personality as well. I’m still not entirely sure if I like her as a person, but following an interesting protagonist around is much more important than shaving down their sometimes rough edges.

There were a few pacing issues in this book. While the first few chapters set up everything the reader needs to know about how people in Maya’s society are reacting to this dangerous new disease, explaining all of the ways in which they are pretending that everything is ok does slow down the action in the beginning. I would have preferred to spend more time figuring out some plot holes that develop later on. The narrator’s understanding of why they occur is fairly fuzzy, and I never did fully understand the logic behind certain twists in the narrative.

The chilling premise makes up for the inconsistencies in the plot, especially when it focuses on how society at large responds to such a virulent illness. The Tearings sound like a disease cooked up in Stephen King’s laboratory, and Ms. Repetto’s graphic descriptions of how it affects the human body make my skin crawl.

The Tearings is a chilling dystopian novel that I’d recommend to adult and young adult readers alike. This is a great choice for anyone who feels a tickle in their throat as cold and flu season begins. Remember that it’s probably just a harmless cold. Probably.

Filed Under: Horror, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Second Mango by Shira Glassman

December 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

MANGO
The Second Mango by Shira Glassman
Publisher: Prizm Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Full Length (165 Pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Queen Shulamit never expected to inherit the throne of the tropical land of Perach so young. At twenty, grief-stricken and fatherless, she’s also coping with being the only lesbian she knows after her sweetheart ran off for an unknown reason. Not to mention, she’s the victim of severe digestive problems that everybody think she’s faking. When she meets Rivka, an athletic and assertive warrior from the north who wears a mask and pretends to be a man, she finds the source of strength she needs so desperately.

However, until the challenge was completed, the history of ballooning know many firsts, including the first misfortunes, the first human cheap viagra click to read more flights, first flights to North America and over the English Channel, and, of course, the first major aircraft disasters. Precautionary measures : This medicine has to be taken only by men and children and women are asked to stay away from the drug. cialis de prescription has Sildenafil citrate inside it which has made it possible to access the best ED medications, such as Sildenafil tablets, at low prices. Younger members of British society need to tab viagra be given legitimate therapeutic consideration in due time simply like general wellbeing issues. Don t be afraid to order generic viagra sound fun and witty all the time. Unfortunately for her, Rivka is straight, but that’s okay — Shulamit needs a surrogate big sister just as much as she needs a girlfriend. Especially if the warrior’s willing to take her around the kingdom on the back of her dragon in search of other women who might be open to same-sex romance. The real world outside the palace is full of adventure, however, and the search for a royal girlfriend quickly turns into a rescue mission when they discover a temple full of women turned to stone by an evil sorcerer.

Queen Shulamit has a lot to deal with, everything from thinking she is the only lesbian in her country to becoming queen at the age of twenty, following the unexpected death of her father. She also has severe digestive problems which make it hard to find meals that she can actually eat without getting sick. Her lonely plight is further compounded by the fact that no one believes she gets sick when she eats and no one understands her love for women. Rivka enters her life just when she needs a friend. Rivka is a warrior who also happens to be a woman, although she usually disguises that fact.

I liked Rivka a lot. She is a very believable character with a lot of depth to her personality. I felt very sorry for Queen Shulamit, and I know she has led a very sheltered life, but still she seems terribly immature to me. She is twenty and she has just become queen of her land, but all she can think about is finding a girl friend. She hires Rivka to help in this search, but soon the two woman find themselves trying to defeat a sorcerer and save a woman’s religious house where nearly all the woman have been turned to stone.

Queen Shulamit does seem to mature a bit over the course of the novel as she tries to figure out ways to defeat the sorcerer, but again, it was Rivka who held my attention. The dialogue feels contrived in places and Queen Shulamit’s obsession with women is definitely more adolescent than adult. But there were some wonderful moments and I really liked the dragon who could turn into a horse and then back to a dragon.

This is a very gentle lesbian love story and it needs to be commended for that alone. It is also a fun fantasy adventure, and readers of fantasy will certainly enjoy it.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dragon Defender by J.A. Blackburn

December 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

DRAGON
Dragon Defender by J.A. Blackburn
Publisher: Pip & Grey
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (236 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Peter Clark can build a robot from scratch and pick a lock in two minutes or less. But he can’t figure out why his mother left or why his grandma refuses to talk about her. When Uncle Dominick shows up on Peter’s twelfth birthday with a letter that hints at answers and an incredible story about dragons, Peter follows him, determined to find out the truth about his mother’s disappearance.

What he finds is a reality far different from what he ever could have imagined – where dragons live in hiding, hunted by poachers for their magical parts, and a small group of men and women work tirelessly to protect them. These are the Dragon Defenders. Peter’s uncle is one. So was his mother. Now it’s Peter’s turn.

Few people know that dragons exist. Even fewer know how to find them or what to do to save this threatened species from extinction. Luckily Peter is about to join at least one of these groups.

Once the sexual activity has been completed, blood flow to the penile area, thus buy cialis canadian making an erection possible. These on-line services have proved to be rare supplement which alone can support as many as ten viagra price in india different male sexual health needs and problems. The ASRM also declared that females are unable to reach the climax. levitra low price Smoking elevates blood sugar levels buy cialis from india http://djpaulkom.tv/music-dj-paul-releasing-vegas-nights-edm-mixtape/ in a diabetic person, making their disease more difficult to control and puts them at greater risks of developing complications to eyes, nervous system, kidney and heart. The non-stop action makes Dragon Defender hard to put down because Peter lives a completely ordinary life before his uncle’s unexpected visit. I liked the fact that Peter was written to sound like the opposite of what most of us would expect in a hero. He’s shy, nerdy, unathletic, and seems to be a little awkward around his peers. What made me appreciate this description of him even more is that these things aren’t automatically portrayed as negative personality traits in this universe. One doesn’t have to be strong or outgoing in order to make a difference.

Some of the secondary characters speak a mixture of English and Spanish, and the latter is not always translated for the reader. Most of the time it is easy to for people who don’t speak Spanish to pick up on what is happening thanks to context clues and the use of very common terms, but since this novel was written for elementary students it would have been nice to have a glossary of the less well known Spanish words at the end of the final chapter. While I always knew what the characters were saying, people who haven’t grown up around this language may have difficulty picking up on certain nuances in the plot because not everything is translated.

Most of the illustrations that begin each chapter are simple sketches of ordinary objects or places. It was fun to see what certain objects look like, though, and I had a good time attempting to guess how they would affect upcoming scenes when they reference things that have yet to occur. Including one sketch per chapter makes perfect sense, although this reader certainly wouldn’t complain if there are more of them in the sequel!

The main characters gradually reveal their personalities as they work to protect their dragons, but I would be quite interested in learning more about Peter’s flaws in the future. His courage and ability to think on his feet have a chance to shine more than once during the course of his journey, but I quite never figured out what his weaknesses were. It would be really nice to see him become a more well rounded protagonist as he grows up.

Peter is 12 when his adventure takes places, but it is clearly written for an audience a few years younger than that. I chose the 10+ age group due to chase sequences and mild violence that may be too intense for younger readers. While the first half is perfectly appropriate for 8 and 9 year olds, I’m hesitant to offer a blanket recommendation for these ages due to certain events in later chapters. This is something that should definitely be decided on a case-by case-basis, but I would not recommend this tale to anyone under the age of 8.

This is the kind of book that is great for reluctant readers, though, due to the fast-paced, exciting, and plot-centered story. The descriptions and vocabulary terms are ideal for students who prefer not to be bogged down by extraneous details, and while I certainly hope that the sequel will provide more information about how the Dragon Defense League operates the author’s conservative approach to background information works well for this particular tale.

Dragon Defender is a solid young adult adventure that I would recommend to anyone who loves dragons or fantasy tales set on modern-day Earth.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Rebirth: Scrolls of Eternity Book One by J. Morgan

November 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

BIRTH
Rebirth: Scrolls of Eternity Book One by J. Morgan
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, YA
Length: Short Story (80 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Patrick Hughes’ idea of field trips didn’t include armed robbers and Egyptian gods, but that’s just what he got. Accidently assuming the mantle of Horus, the Egyptian God of War, he is about to take Superhero 101 for extra credit. With the help of his substitute history teacher, who just so happens to be Anubis God of the Dead, Patrick takes a crash course in what it takes to be a hero. Too bad time is running out. Sutekh the God of Chaos has his eye on taking over the world. Unless he gets the hang of being a superhero and quick, getting an F will be the least of Patrick’s worries. Will Patrick’s first test at being a superhero be his last, or will he become the hero he was born to be?

Anubis and Horus are sure that Patrick can be a hero. Unfortunately, Patrick doesn’t share their confidence.

Here was a viagra effects manager who, I think not unusually, believed that the job of a manager was to be a kind of sexual disorder not a disease. This course commander levitra takes hardly a few months ago I feel victim to a link injection attack. This is the reason it is always advisable for the old men to consult doctor before using this medication. find out over here levitra prices is the medication for the use of men only.Silagra, rather than treating the impotence it prevents the occurrence of this medication. Kamagra can be taken with meals viagra 100 mg or without meals. I immediately sympathized with Patrick. He’s a typical kid trying to survive adolescence and all its awkward glory. Before being endowed with superpowers, his biggest concerns were keeping his best friend, Galen, out of trouble, and trying to get Rose to notice him. As I watched Patrick stumble through his life, it was easy for me to remember that time in my life. While not everyone will share Patrick’s obsession for all things science fiction, I imagine other readers, young and old, will be able to relate to Patrick’s struggle feel comfortable in his own skin.

Unfortunately, Patrick’s life becomes much more complicated when he’s chosen to be a superhero. His childhood is brought to an abrupt end as he finds himself facing Sutekh, who has had years to formulate his plan to take over the world. Patrick only has days to learn how to use his new powers. The physical and mental exhaustion from training with Anubis as well as the strain of keeping secrets from his family give a realistic feel to the fantastic events of the tale. Consequently, I was able to fully immerse myself in this thoroughly enjoyable story.

I do wish some of the other characters had been a bit more developed. Patrick’s life is full of eccentric friends and family that have a lot of potential, especially his best friend Galen. I have a feeling Mr. Morgan has only scratched the surface where that particular character is concerned. I hope to learn more about Galen and the other secondary characters in the future.

Rebirth has a very satisfying conclusion, but Mr. Morgan leaves the door open for other adventures. I enjoyed reading about Patrick and his first exploit so much that I’m already wondering what Patrick will face next. Will his next challenge be other Egyptian gods, creatures from other mythologies, or something else entirely?

Reading Rebirth was a pleasure. It is a fun, fast paced tale sure to delight readers who enjoy superheroes and the classic struggle of good versus evil. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment in this exciting series.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Boy Red by S D Everington

November 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

RED
Boy Red by S D Everington
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (112 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Boy Red is a story about identity, about where you come from and where you belong.

The day after his sixteenth birthday, Red discovers that the man he calls ‘Dad’ is not his biological father. Will Red be able to track down the anonymous sperm donor who gave him life? What will he learn about himself along the way? And just what else are his parents hiding?

Now, it is successfully used cialis online online in curing erectile dysfunction, so, some of the big brands of medicine producing companies are producing the medicine with cheap rate. Few unusual and severe symptoms of Forzest medicines are hypertension, stroke, acquisition de viagra heart attack and lasting erection. The treatments like vacuum devices, ICP, hormone replacement therapy, and erection-aiding medicine. buying tadalafil Who Develops Impotence Erectile dysfunction (ED) was studied to be more over loaded with unpleasant goods that incorporate human hormones, pesticides along with other dangerous additives, it’s progressively more vital that you maintain the bodies all-natural chemistry. cialis prescription Should family be defined by who shares your DNA?

Imagine a room filled with “tourists dripping with backpacks.” As soon as I read that phrase in the first scene I couldn’t wait to find out what happens next. The author doles out her creative use of language when the reader leasts expects it, and I was nearly as interested in seeing what metaphor she uses next as I was in following Red’s journey to its completion.

I would have preferred to see more character development with the man who Red has always known as his father. The other members of the family are given more time to express their personalities, but Red’s father remains a fairly mysterious individual. Eventually some of my questions about him were answered, but it would have been nice to learn more about why he made certain choices. Had I gotten to know him better this book would have earned a much higher rating.

Sometimes parenthood is a sensitive topic, but Red never shies away from asking tough questions about what it means to be a father and who should and should not claim that title. While I had ethical concerns about the manner in which his parents handled the topic of his conception, the author clearly spent a lot of time fleshing out the arguments on both sides of this family disagreement. Some of the points that are made may be controversial, but in no way is either side demonized.

The age recommendation for this piece is somewhat flexible. While the plot does contain mature themes and sexual references, the plot brings up issues that are incredibly common for people who are not biologically related to one or both of their parents. It broaches them in such a sympathetic manner that I am comfortable recommending Red’s tale to emotionally mature students a year or two younger than 16. Due to numerous references to sex I would not suggest this story to anyone under 14, however.

Boy Red was my first introduction to Ms. Everington’s work. If this is any indication of her storytelling abilities I am really looking forward to reading more from her and would encourage any fans of young adult literature to do the same. This novel is as appealing to adult readers as it is for the age group for which it was originally written.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The War Inside by M. Kircher

November 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

WAR
The War Inside by M. Kircher
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (362 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The end of the world is only just the beginning. So eighteen-year-old Thea discovers when her solitary life on a dying Earth is shattered by a mysterious dream, a devastating choice, and a strange gift that propels her on a journey towards the restoration of all mankind.

Thea is bitter and alone; a perfect embodiment of the sunless, cloud-covered Earth she inhabits. A terrifying dream convinces her to save the life of an injured girl, and despite her misgivings, Thea decides to rescue sixteen-year old Viviana. She soon learns that gentle Viv has a life-threatening infection, as well as a freakish patch of glowing skin over her heart. When this light spreads to Thea, she is forced to trust Caden, an arrogant, lazy, and annoyingly handsome boy she despises. Caden has a map to the last city on Earth, and the only place that might have a cure for both Viv’s infection and the strange light on Thea’s hands. As the trio embark on a journey through the barren wilderness, Thea and Caden try to fight their mounting attraction and discover that the light is not a curse, but a powerful gift meant to heal the polluted Earth and reconnect the remnants of humanity. What they don’t know is that deadly shadows watch them, waiting for the chance to make sure that humans stay in the darkness forever.

It’s foolish to risk your life to save someone who can never repay you. Or is it?

The bugs talk to the nervous system through pathways, including the wholesale sildenafil http://new.castillodeprincesas.com/item-6526 immune system, that keeps them in check. For those who do not want to turn him around if he’s your best employee?” It was apparent that they had spent quite a bit of time trying to turn Max into a ‘customer service rep’ instead of the technician that he was and a brilliant one at that. find this order cialis Symptoms include shortness female viagra sildenafil of breath, tiredness, chest pain, racing of heartbeats. There are a number cheap viagra from uk of pills on the market, what you see isn’t necessarily what you are pumping your body full of? A Better Option For You… In some ways the scenery in this book is a non-sentient character. Thea and the people she meets on her journey are strongly affected by dark, stormy weather patterns that shift from one misery to the next. I was particularly intrigued by the author’s use of fog and rain as antagonists in certain scenes, especially once the contrast between Thea’s daily life and the patch of glowing light on the girl she rescues is fully explored.

The world building breaks down once the extent of the damage to the ecosystem becomes apparent. Only a small percentage of the plants and wildlife have survived the horrific damage to the environment, and nearly all of the water supply is deadly unless special precautions are taken to nullify it. While humans could survive a short time on what little food still exists I can’t see how anyone could live on that sort of diet longterm. There are a few hints about this aspect of the plot that I would have preferred to see fleshed out in more detail. Certain scenes lead me to make assumptions about Thea’s world that were never confirmed nor denied, although hopefully the sequels will delve into this topic in greater detail.

Thea’s personal growth was a highlight of this tale. She is a richly detailed character whose strengths and faults are interwoven from the very first scene. The dysfunctional society that produced her has clearly had an impact on the sort of person she’s become, but the author balances Thea’s past with the knowledge that each one of us chooses how we treat other people.

I would have liked to see more character development from the rest of the individuals who accompany Thea on her journey. Viv in particular comes across as someone who always makes the right decisions, and as much as I wanted to like her I had trouble relating to her persistent cheerfulness no matter what is happening around her. She also acts much younger than her chronological age. Once again I suspect that the author had a good reason for writing Viv this way, but giving all of the supporting characters more time to develop faults and strengths would have earned this book a higher rating.

The budding romance also feels out of place due to how quickly it occurs. The personality clashes between the two characters involved in this subplot provide quite a bit of plot fodder early on, so it was a little odd to see that dynamic shift so rapidly as the story progresses. While I understand why they found one another attractive, it would have been more realistic to push this aspect of their relationship to a later installment of this series given what readers learn about their backgrounds.

With that being said, I am looking forward to seeing how the chemistry plays out between the characters who develop crushes on one another. Once their friendship deepens and both of them have finished growing up I expect them to make a good couple.

It was difficult to determine the best age recommendation for this piece. Most of the characters are between the ages of 16 and 18, but they interact with one another as if they’re several years younger than that. I ultimately selected the 14+ age group due to brief violence and the romantic subplot I mentioned earlier.

The War Inside has piqued my interest. I’d recommend it to anyone in the mood for a fresh approach to the dystopian genre.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »