Bradford Reviews!

There's a lot to enjoy with this book. First, I should say I did a book swap for reviews. The cool thing is we both finished on the same day. Unfortunately, a migraine slowed me down and I'm just now getting to my review. The second cool thing is both of our books tackle the idea of soul mates (with some spectacular colors manifesting).

Here's what worked for me--

• I loved the characters. They had well rounded personalities that I believed. Hope tugged at me. She wants to help others no matter the cost, and yet she also wishes for that normal life mentioned above. 
• The pacing is perfect. I never had a moment that I wished it moved faster. The action and secrets come out at a steady pace. 
• I enjoy a good romance, and although there are lots of other things going on, the romance is lovely. The chemistry between Tie and Hope is electrical. There's just something about what you can't have. 
• I really wanted to find out what happened to Hope in her previous life. Which means I have to read the next book in the series!
• The Japanese connection and mythology is wonderful.
• The scene where Hope fights. Yeah. That. 

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I mean, I couldn't sleep when I finished. The story and how it ended kept running through my head. How would the next phase play out? How? How? How? 

For this reason, I give The Healer by C.J. Anaya a 4.5. 

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

I don't know how many times I've read this book over the last 18 years. The pages are getting brittle, but it's satisfying every time. 

Perfect when I want to read but only have a few hours to invest. 

Don't know why, but I needed a sweet romance after the holiday. Still loved this one about a woman fighting cancer.

This book contained the first three "episodes" of the Star Guild series. It's classic space opera and has tons of potential. The action scenes were great, and there were lots of them. Space warfare done write in the descriptions.

However, I had a hard time with one thing. These people spent the first two episodes fighting an unknown enemy and complaining that they never thought anyone would attack them. Ever. So why in the world did they have a huge military fleet and thousands of trained fighter pilots? It seemed like they thought they were the only people in the galaxy, and yet they've put tons of time and money into creating a military community?

They also believed they just came into existence (well most of them, some were starting to question this) living on a space station around a moon or planet or something. No one is that stupid. At least I hope not. 

I think I could have liked the entire story better if I had one or two characters I really cared for. We are introduced to several very quickly and then we bounce back and forth. The character that felt the most real to me was Crystal. She's on Lumus when the attack begins and her struggle to survive is what pulled me in. 

I almost feel like I need a new scale for this book. Technically I'd give it something more like a 3.75. I did like this book. Great action, fun tech, a good mystery is building with the Prime and the Knights Templar. I just needed a little more emotional connection to the characters. And more Crystal with her Mechs. :)

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3:  I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

Thus no rating. Language is a personal taste and I don't believe in reviewing books I didn't finish. 

I will say that the idea behind the plot sounds great. Two chapters wasn't enough for me to settle in the new world. It's starts out with a military scifi feel, then switches to scientists searching for why certain seeded worlds didn't "take". I really wanted to read this one, but multiple f-bombs on one page did me in. *sigh*

I started this book quite a while ago. It's one that I backed on Kickstarter because the idea sounded interesting. Generally I don't pick up a lot of faerie books, but this one had a modern twist to it. 

It took a while for me to settle into the world. Set in London, Leni moves back and forth from the human realm to things with a faerie twist. For the first 50% of the book it was easy to put down and walk away. I read a couple other books in the interim. I've tried to figure out why that was. Here's what I came up with:

• typos--random words that were left behind from edits
• some repetition 
• too much time spent letting us get to know the characters
• too much time building the world instead of just dumping me into it. I didn't need everything explained.
• I'm not a big fan of books where the character talks to me the reader

However, the little things that bugged me were not enough to make me give up. The story and mystery were there. I needed to know how things would play out. Half way through the story picked up with forward momentum. More action, intrigue. I started to see what was at stake. Plus I was fascinated by the whole idea of stories and belief having power to become reality.

In the end it was a solid read. I'd probably give it a 3.75 because of the slow start but don't know how to mark that. :) 

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

This is going to be an odd review. I didn't rate the book because I didn't finish, but I'll get to that in a minute. 

The concept of this book is amazing. Really. A scientific look at how real life zombies could come about and how the government might use them to their advantage. Shrum creates vivid believable characters. I loved Jesse's personality from the very beginning.

There's a mystery to be solved, bad guys to avoid, and real death to avoid. Which is saying a lot for someone who dies over and over for a living. 

You're probably wondering by now why I stopped reading when I was completely into the story. I have an issue with language sometimes and although I'll let it ride for a while, it got to the point where it bugged me. The f-bomb is one of the words I really hate.

This story is awesome and if language doesn't bother you I highly recommend it. The imagination, characterization and world building are amazing. 

I've started several books in the last two months and not finished them. It wasn't necessarily because they were bad, I just set several deadlines for my own writing. If the book didn't suck me in I easily slipped back into my own world. 

It's been quite a while since I read the first book in this series--Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I enjoyed that book, but it took a while for me to settle into the writing and world. That could be why I waited so long to read the next book. I was afraid of picking up another book I wouldn't feel the need to finish.

However, I was easily back in Rigg's world from page one. The story picked up right where we left off and the action and tension didn't stop. Now that I've finished, I can barely wait until the third book comes out in September. I'm also starting to feel like Rigg's skill in world building and the ability to make me care for the characters is right up there with JK Rowling, but in his own peculiar way. 

Jacob's peculiar skills are growing, as are his feelings for Emma. For the first time, he's living an adventure, doing something extraordinary. Somehow our little band of peculiar's have managed to make it to the mainland and stay alive. 

I loved the twists and turns, the choices, the consequences, the moments when the least likely one gets to be hero. The whole time they're wandering London I kept wondering, where's Jacob's grandfather? They never meet up with him in this book, but the writer in me keeps waiting for it. I mean, we are moving through time loops that should overlap with an earlier version of his grandfather's life.

All in all, I loved the writing, loved the path the story is taking and I can't wait to see where we go next. I give the second book in the series a solid 5.

My rating scale for book reviews

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

I just re-read this book after 18 years. The storyline still fascinates me, but as one of Lawrences earlier books, there are several technical issues with her writing. The head hopping (point of view changes within a scene) was the most bothersome. Although all her books do that, it seemed especially distracting in this novel.

The idea of a girl knowing all the things Andra does simply because of a brain graft of the optical section is fascinating. Can you really separate one function of the brain from the rest? Obviously not. Andra remembers seeing things she couldn't possibly have seen. She understands and knows things she couldn't, and her individuality is heightened. Although, I'm under the impression Andra was well on her way to her own person long before getting a piece of brain from a 2000 year old dead boy. 

The book is really quite sad because of the ending. You have to ask, could people be so selfish and cruel?

I picked this one up for free on Amazon because I was looking for more scifi and I liked the cover. 

It started okay. A bit of a dystopian feel that had me worried, but this is definitely NOT a dystopian. Well, you could make an argument that it partly is, but moving on! It's so many more things. It is science fiction mixed with fantasy and an element of paranormal. 

Back to the beginning, I wasn't sure if it was going to grab my interest. A rebellious girl has snuck out of the compound to roam the gang ridden streets of New York. She hits a spot of trouble, shows off some fighting skills and meets a mysterious man who says he's her guardian or protector or something. 

While some of the next pages felt predictable, there were enough surprises and twists of genres that I got pulled in. There were some weird sentences that made me laugh and almost stop reading. In the end I'm glad I kept going though. Here's an example:

"She dropped her bottom lip."

What? How do you do that? 

However, once Abby and Lucy get to First World things really pick up. There were probably still issues with the writing, but the story sucked me in enough I didn't care much. I might have rolled my eyes a time or two at the conversations about the 'hotness' of Brace.

I loved the idea of Walkers and their ability to travel between worlds by opening a passageway. The relationship and banter between Abby and Lucy was also fun and entertaining. The chemistry between Abby and Brace good. I'm predicting they are soulmates. 

There came a point when I was reading to find answers to my growing questions. And then the story ended. *sigh* Now I remember why I hate series. In the end this book was really just the inciting incident to a larger story and it ends with loads of question. 

So, if you're looking for a new series this could be a good one. If you're looking for a quick read, good again. If you're looking for a book you can read and walk away completely satisfied all your questions have been answered, then no. I wasn't looking for a series, but I'm going to have to read the rest of it now. :) 

I enjoyed it! I give it a solid 4.

1-5 scale and what it means:

1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad

2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing

3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive

3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love

4: Solid mind candy / worth reading

4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read

5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

I'm not quite finished, but I'm enjoying this so far. E. M. Cooper does a great job setting the mood in the first chapter. There is mystery and a sense of foreboding because you know something bad is happening, but you don't know what it is.

This book and Griswold College feels a little like Miss Peregrin's Home for Peculiar Children, but not nearly as nice a place to be. There's no sense of family or real protection there.

Xavier is sort of a lost puppy type boy in the beginning. He wanders the hall and does what he's supposed to while hoping his parents will come back to get him. He's not super social, but he's a good kid. Things start to get interesting when Gabe appears out of nowhere claiming to be an angel sent to help Xavier. But is he really an angel? He doesn't remember things very well before he appeared and he's having to learn everything as he goes. Even more interesting is the fact he thinks Xavier might be something more than human as well.

There are voices and other spooky things happening around St. Griswold College. I'm excited to keep reading to find out what happened to Xavier's parents and what he really is.

I'm giving this book a 4 and will update if needed when I reach the end.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

First off, this didn't read like a dystopian. It was more like an Arrow/Batman comic world read, and I LOVED that feel! Seriously, Towton City is just like Gotham in my mind. This book was easy to fall into and keep reading. The only reason it took so long for me to finish was simply lack of time to sit and do just that. Last night I picked it up a little before 11 determined to find out how it was going to end. I finished right before midnight and then lay in bed another hour imagining out the scenes.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Gwen and Silas. It made sense and progressed logically for me. They both had their own idea of how things should be handled, but in the end they realize they have more in common "moral-wise" than Gwen originally thought. Perhaps the best part for me was there were no "seriously, you're going to kiss her now?" moments. They start to like each other but nothing happens until the bad guys are vanquished and all is as good as it gets in Towton.

This was a well written, fun read. There is some language. I give The Madmen's City a solid 4.

1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure

I'll keep this short. One of my favorite things about Traci Hunter Abramson is that she writes clean fiction that's also exciting and suspenseful. She knows how to tug at your emotions until you're on the edge of your seat. 

This book was no different. Riley and the members of the SEAL team she's helping are all Latter-day Saints (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons). Abramson doesn't make the story about their religion, but about the hostage situations in the book. 

The best part is Abramson used to be CIA and knows what's she's talking about with her suspense novels. It makes everything believable. 

This is the first book I ever read by Linda Nagata years ago. Since then I've read several her her novels. I love her unique look at worlds and the relationships we have in them. 

Memory is about a world with a finite number of inhabitants. These people live, die and are reborn over and over. They don't remember those past lives, but their talents return.

Here's the thing. These people have only one lover. It's genetic and even if they fall in love with another they can't even kiss them. The mingling of blood or DNA would give them blood poisoning and they die. How's that for giving a new meaning to soul mates!

There's also silver. Something not quite defined, but with lots of speculation as to what it is. My favorite is that it's the "memory of the goddess."

You see, the players (the people of the world) know the world was created by the goddess and her lover. They don't remember why. But something has gone wrong. The world is sick, the silver is rising. When it does it remakes all it touches. Players die. And now there is a man who can call the silver. In his anger he's determined to destroy the world and start all over.

Jubilee is connected to him in a way she could never guess. In a way she'll never want. However, if she's strong enough she might be able to heal the world. I didn't even get around to mentioning her brother Jolly. He's something new, but you'll have to read to find out what I mean.

Nagata creates an intriguing world that works even when you don't know why. There's excitement, mystery, sadness and triumph. The ending is bittersweet, so don't expect a happily ever after. 

Last week I mailed all the rewards from my kickstarter project. Here's one of the backers with her signed books. 

I love seeing stuff like this! It really makes my day.