Friday, August 31, 2012

Sale, sell, or sail (I can never get it right)

Seventeen books on sale (I think that's right) over the long holiday weekend in the US. Several I've read and, if you check the reviews, you'll know I'd recommend them.


Thursday, August 30, 2012

Yellow Medicine / Anthony Neil Smith


Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Crime/Noir

Approximate word count: 70,000-75,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

The author is Chair of the English department at Southwest Minnesota State University and the author of five novels including Yellow Medicine.

Description:

After being busted off the police force in Mississippi, Deputy Billy Lafitte is given a second chance by his ex-wife’s brother who is sheriff of Yellow Medicine County in Minnesota. He gets on the wrong side of some terrorists operating crack houses on the outskirts of town. 

Appraisal:

I don’t read a lot of Crime Noir, but I did enjoy the lean writing style—lots of sentence fragments and smart-assed asides. However, I struggled with the protagonist. He’s an easy guy to dislike, especially his attitude toward women who he sees as sex objects open to manipulation by a person in authority (a policeman--him). I guess there may be cops as bent as this one, but as a character, I found it hard to root for him. And that’s a big problem because the book is told in first person from Billy’s perspective.

The action scenes were well portrayed, although with too much gory detail for my taste. Billy and his wannabe girlfriend, Drew, were well-drawn characters. But the terrorist cell and the way they behaved and particularly how they interacted with Billy, was unconvincing. A lot of time was spent inside Billy’s head, and on occasions, the author’s politics showed through a little too obviously.

As I said, I’m no expert on the genre, and much of what I didn’t enjoy can be attributed to that. Crime Noir is a specific niche, and I think this is probably a good example that would appeal to lovers of hardboiled stories.

Format/Typo Issues:

There were a few formatting problems on my Kindle version, though not enough to cause a distraction.

Rating: *** Three stars

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Memoirs of a Gas Station / Sam Neumann


Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Travel/Memoir

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Newmann describes himself as “a writer, photographer, video producer, and all-around good guy.” This is his first book. For more, visit his website.

Description:

“Early one May, Sam Neumann arrived in the breathtaking wilderness of Denali, Alaska with a smile on his face and adventure in his heart. But less than 24 hours later, both had evaporated as he stood behind the counter of a filthy gas station —his new place of employment— and tried to piece together what exactly had gone wrong.

Memoirs of a Gas Station is a quirky personal account of a summer trapped in a convenience store on the edge of Denali National Park. It is a journey across the Alaskan tundra and headlong into the ridiculous world of seasonal employment.”
Appraisal:

Memoirs of a Gas Station is part travel book, part personal memoir, and part exposé of the world of seasonal employment. I learned a lot about Alaska (especially the area around Denali National Park) and got an interesting glimpse into what it’s like to work as a seasonal employee, both the good and the bad. Traveling vicariously when I’m stuck at home and getting glimpses of what life is like for people in situations I haven’t experienced are both things I enjoy, and Memoirs of a Gas Station delivered. I deducted a single star for issues with editing and proofing.

FYI:

Some adult language and mild sexual content.

Format/Typo Issues:

A large number of mostly minor proofing issues, primarily missing or extra words.

Rating: *** Three stars

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

State of Rebellion / Gordon Ryan


Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Political/Military Thriller

Approximate word count: 130-135,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Gordon Ryan “has been a traditionally published author since 1994. Ryan was a Recon Marine in the aftermath of the Cuban missile crisis. He served in Bangkok with the Air Force during Vietnam and at the American Embassy in Dublin, Ireland, during the violent ‘70s.”

In addition to this volume, the first in the Pug Connor series, Ryan has two other books available in the series with at least one more planned. He also has another series (historical fiction) and a few standalone volumes for your favorite e-reader.

For more, visit Ryan’s website.

Description:

“California is on the brink of secession, and those who oppose this drastic political maneuver are turning up dead. Federal Agent Nicole Bentley is sent to discover what she can about the movement and meets up with Assemblyman and National Guard JAG officer Daniel Rawlings, a man whose commitment to his country runs deep in his blood. Resisting their mutual attraction, they uncover a plot devised by greedy men bent on taking power at any cost.

As Colonel Pug Connor, working under the direction of the President of the United States, seeks to root out the leaders of the Western Patriot Movement --a military cadre with a chip on its shoulder-- Nicole and Dan find themselves literally in the crossfire. Can they end the dispute between the various factions before they all end up martyrs for the cause?”

Appraisal:

In State of Rebellion, Gordon Ryan has imagined an alternative history for the US in 2012, with the US facing its biggest crisis since the Civil War. The premise, that the people of California, tired of encroachment on what they perceive as their rights as a state by the federal government, hold a vote to leave the United States and become a separate country. Similar to what the Southern states attempted in the Civil War, there has been enough noise made from time to time by states (the most recent I can think of being a secession movement in Montana) to make the premise plausible.

Ryan’s characters, especially Dan Rawlings and Nicole Bentley, who take center stage for much of the book, are well-formed, complex characters. The characters who could be called “villains” in this tale are credible and not unlike people who actually exist – in fact they’re all too easy to find in the current political climate.

One aspect of the book set it apart from many political thrillers. It seems most political thrillers that come across my desk pit two groups with clearly defined political leanings against each other. This is virtually always a group of villains  with an extremist political agenda, typically right-wing, with heroes who lean moderately in the other direction, usually slightly to the left. In State of Rebellion, the villains fit the typical mold, with political beliefs about as far to the right as possible, but the heroes aren’t as easy to nail down. If forced to classify them, I’d say they’re moderate, very close to the middle of the road, possibly even leaning slightly to the right. While this means there is slightly less contrast between the two factions, it also means a much broader reader base should find the politics of the heroes closer to their own.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four stars

Monday, August 27, 2012

Her Fake Romance / Donna Fasano


Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Romance

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Availability   
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: NO Paper: NO
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Donna Fasano, also known as Donna Clayton, has written over thirty published novels with sales in excess of 3.6 million copies. Many of these novels have gone out-of-print with the rights reverting to Fasano. She is giving them a facelift and republishing them for your favorite eReader.

Donna Fasano is a three time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have been published in nearly two dozen languages.

Fasano has two grown sons and lives with her husband on the eastern seaboard of the United States. For more, visit
her blog.

Description:

Julia Jones is a single parent trying to hide her heart from rejection; she won’t let it happen again. She has become a workaholic to protect herself; and has a successful catering business she runs with her friend and fellow foodie, Charlotte. When Julia’s fourteen year old daughter challenges her to ‘get a life’, she and Ryan Shane concoct a deal for a fake romance.

Ryan Shane is a divorce lawyer who sees marriages fall apart everyday and has no intention of ever getting involved in a relationship. He has a problem though; he is being pursued by his mentor’s beautiful gold digging daughter who is looking for husband number four. With Julia’s help he hopes to avert her advances.

Appraisal:

This author always has a wonderful way to bring her characters together. This one was HOT, and the sexual tension starts at the very beginning and never lets up. She offers the perfect balance of narrative, description and dialogue in this character driven story. I love the way she allows us into Julia and Ryan’s thoughts, both trying to protect their hearts for different reasons.  

Cherry, the gold digger, and Kelly, Julia's fourteen-year-old daughter, provide the perfect amount of conflict that brings Ryan and Julia together. The fully fleshed out characters are realistic, intelligent, and their story is heartwarming. I have read several of Fasano's books and this is my favorite so far, I could not put the book down. The author added just the right amount of heat to keep me reading, and the mother daughter scenes were very touching. I applaud this author’s insight into human nature and sensibilities.

FYI:

Steamy and adult situations, but no explicit sex.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant errors

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Friday, August 24, 2012

Death of a Supermodel / Christine DeMaio-Rice


Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Mystery/Chick Lit

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

A former award winning screenwriter with a Master’s from USC film school who has worked in the fashion industry since 1990, Christine DeMaio-Rice says she likes to structure her novels like movies. She has two other novels, Blue Valley, which is science fiction, and Dead is the New Black, the first volume of her Fashion Avenue Mysteries (this is the second). To find out what is currently going on in DeMaio-Rice’s life, check out her blog.

Description:

 “When stick-thin supermodel Thomasina Wente dies of food poisoning, the irony isn't lost on fledging designer and reluctant sleuth Laura Carnegie. It was widely assumed not eating would do Thomasina in, making her unglamorous exit twice as shocking for New York's fashion aficionados, not to mention disastrous for Laura, her sister, and their very first, make-or-break runway show.”

Appraisal:

In this second installment of DeMaio-Rice’s Fashion Avenue Mysteries, the protagonist is once again fashion designer Laura Carnegie, who either finds herself forced into solving a murder (if we’re to believe her) or insists on poking her nose into things that are none of her business (if we’re to believe the police). The setting is once again among the New York fashion industry (as presumably all the series will be).

Those who liked Dead is the New Black, the first in this series, will find Death of a Supermodel to their liking, too. Laura Carnegie is a likable character who the reader wants to see succeed as she avoids some of the less savory characteristics and fashion industry clichés suffered by many of the minor characters. Laura is shaping up as an excellent addition to the literary world of amateur sleuths.

FYI:

Although it’s not necessary to read the first book, Dead is the New Black, to understand this, the second in the series, the more complete understanding of the book’s characters gained by reading the first book is probably preferable.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four stars

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Nothing to Lose / Consuelo Saah Baehr


Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Consuelo Saah Baehr was born in El Salvador to French/Palestinian parents. She attended George Washington University, after college she began writing advertising copy for the Macy Corp. Marriage and three children followed. After an Op-Ed piece in The New York Times she received offers from book publishers. The result was the personal memoir, Report From The Heart (Simon & Schuster). Four novels followed: Best Friends (Delacorte/Dell); Nothing To Lose (Putnam's); Daughters (Delacorte/Dell) and 100 Open Houses; a Kindle original. You can find out more on her website, The repurposed writer. She also belongs to GoodReads.

Description:

April Taylor has been overweight her whole life. She is pretty and she is smart. Feeling emotionally detached from her parents her whole life she marries the first man who comes along. When he leaves her for another woman, she spirals into depression and gains weight seeking comfort from food.

Luis O'Neill is a half Irish, half Puerto Rican boy from the projects who makes it to Princeton and utilizes his dazzling good looks to become the youngest president in the history of Burdie's department store. He is living the American dream although he refuses to attach himself emotionally to anyone.
Sixty pounds overweight and reeling from a broken marriage, April wangles a job as a soft-goods copywriter in a suburban department store. Yep, you guessed it, Burdie’s. She’s a woman trying to find herself and love.

Appraisal:

I think this book had a lot of potential, but due to an overuse of narrative, it missed the mark for me. There is some good dialogue throughout the story, but the author spends most of her time telling us what the characters think and feel, instead of showing us. When an author tells the story this way the characters end up flat, and I have a hard time connecting with them. It’s like reading a text book for me.

Don, the black design manager who is determined to help April lose weight, is the most honest character in the story and shows the most emotion.

April was certain she could control her future by simply losing weight. While it is true that losing weight will increase your self-confidence and you will feel better, it won’t make all your dreams come true., although this is the way it worked out for April. After she loses sixty pounds, all of a sudden Luis starts paying attention to her, even though he never even acknowledges that she has lost weight. Thank goodness she didn’t pin all of her self worth on emotionally aloof Luis.

I suspect this relationship with Luis will end up the same as her failed marriage because none of the underlying issues of destructive behavior were dealt with. An open and honest conversation between April and Luis is truly needed for both their sakes, unfortunately we never got to see that.

FYI:

There are a few F bombs dropped along with other adult language. Sexual situations were mainly behind closed doors.

Format/Typo Issues:

There are several editing issues in this book: missing letters, wrong words, missing quotation marks, names such as Sarah are sometimes Sara, and Harald is spelled Herald one time. There are also what could be several small OCR scanning issues as in spaces (space s) in some wording (word ing) that doesn’t belong. The editing issues surprise me because I was under the impression this was a traditionally published book at one time.

Rating: ** Two stars 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

A Lighter Shade of Gray / Devon Pearse


Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Literary Fiction

Approximate word count: 145-150,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:


“Devon Pearse was born and raised in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida. As a child, she was surrounded by classic literary works and grew to love and cherish them as dear old friends. It was only natural that she would dream of one day being an author and joining the ranks of the creators of these other worlds, unforgettable characters and thought provoking prose.”

Description:

“What does it feel like to stare into the face of madness? Or to anticipate your own? Would you drive away your only love? Could you pretend it didn't matter? How far would you go to protect a friend, or to avenge a death?”

Appraisal:

Characterized  in the official descriptions as “semi-autobiographical,” I’ll leave it to you to decide which parts are true and which aren’t (your guess is as good as mine). I’ll often find that books I or someone else describes as “literary fiction,” like this one, show deftness with language (which this does), but have a story that isn’t that entertaining or that I care about. I’ll take a good mystery, thriller, or other genre fiction that uses plain language to tell a compelling story over much literary fiction. A Lighter Shade of Gray (which I believe beat those other gray books into publication and shouldn’t be confused with them) has beautiful language and a story I could care about.

Devon Pearse (yes, the protagonist and author’s names are the same) has a mother whose mental illnesses eventually lead her to a rural group home and leave Devon afraid for the future. Are the causes genetic? Devon is fearful that she’s seeing a glimpse of her future and is unwilling to commit to her boyfriend, or even allow him to commit to her. In fact, Devon goes through much of life making decisions influenced by what might happen. There is some mystery and potential romance to liven up the story as well. It was a story that drew me in slowly, but once it got a hold of me, it wouldn’t let go.

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

The Kindle version I received for review had some issues with hyphens in words where they obviously didn’t belong. These appeared to be an artifact from formatting for a paper version.

No significant typos.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Towards Yesterday / Paul Jones.


Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Techno-thriller

Approximate word count: 75,000 – 80,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO Paper: NO
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

The author lives in Nevada. Towards Yesterday was his debut novel. He has two other works in print.

Description:

The trial of an experimental military communications device causes a time slip with disastrous consequences for millions of humans who are taken back twenty-five years in time.

Appraisal:

I did not enjoy this book for three main reasons.

Firstly, poor mechanics: The story was overwritten, especially during the action scenes where the pacing slows to a crawl because of the mass of details and adjectives. The point of view switched around anytime more than one character was present, Large chunks of back story were dropped into the text at inopportune times and often with no connection to the story. A professional edit would have pointed up the craft issues and improved this work significantly.

Secondly, the event that formed the basis of the story—the Slip—was described in retrospect. “Everything Changed” was the only explanation I received, and then I was taken on a tour of all the chaos, damage, and destruction this unexplained change had caused. I found this most unsatisfying because I wasn’t permitted to participate in the fundamental reason for the story being written.

And finally, the solution to the problem was filled with Deus ex Machina. One scientist points to some figures on a screen and calls over another interested party who declares, “How could I have been so stupid?” It drove me nuts!

Format/Typo Issues:

Too few to be a problem.

Rating: ** Two stars

Monday, August 20, 2012

That Day in September / Artie Van Why


Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Memoir

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Originally from Maryland, Artie Van Why moved to New York City in November of 1977 to pursue an acting career; albeit a slightly successful one.

Artie left show business in 1988 to enter the corporate world; as a word processor. He worked for the same law firm in midtown Manhattan for thirteen years. In June of 2001, his firm moved to other quarters downtown, across from the World Trade Center. Artie was at work the morning of September 11th, and witnessed the horror of that day from the streets.”

Description:

“We all have our stories to tell of where we were the morning of September 11, 2001. This is one of them. In That Day In September, Artie Van Why gives an eyewitness account of that fateful morning. From the moment he heard ‘a loud boom’ in his office across from the World Trade Center, to stepping out onto the street, Artie vividly transports the reader back to the day that changed our lives and our country forever.”

Appraisal:

There are certain events that serve as cultural landmarks for people of a particular country and generation. Those things, like where you were when you heard about the assassination of John F. Kennedy or John Lennon, stick in our collective minds like few others. The events of September 11, 2001 are one of those. Van Why explains his reason for writing this short memoir as, “The one thing I can do now is to continue to tell my story…to help keep the memory of that day alive.”

By comparing notes about what these events mean to us and how it has changed us, we learn about our fellow man, and possibly help put these events in perspective for ourselves. Van Why’s memoir, first produced as a play, and later revamped into this memoir, is an excellent addition to this conversation, as it looks at his life up to that time, his experiences on 9/11, the aftermath, and how it has changed him.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four stars

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Loki / Mike Vasich


Reviewed by: SingleEyePhotos

Genre: Fantasy/World Mythology

Approximate word count: 105-110,000 words

Availability   
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: NO Smashwords: NO Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author: 

Mike Vasich teaches English to gifted and talented students. He is the author of a separate anthology of stories about Loki, as well as other books. He has a wicked sense of humor and welcomes feedback from readers. He can be contacted at (mrvasich@att.net).

Description:

Loki. The Trickster. What would the overarching story of the Aesir and the countdown to Ragnarok be, told from his viewpoint?

Appraisal:

I am somewhat familiar with the traditional stories from Norse mythology, so this book had immediate appeal for me. It starts out with a very brief recap of the traditional story of Loki and his relationship with the other Norse gods (the Aesir). It then moves quickly into a retelling of the stories familiar to many of the Twilight of the Gods, moving towards Ragnarok and the destruction of the world – only told from Loki’s viewpoint. As a literary device, it’s an excellent way to make an old story new again. Loki never quite becomes a sympathetic character, but the reader does realize that there are two sides to every story. The author obviously knows his Norse mythology frontwards and backwards. I have a friend who is Norwegian, living in Norway, who read this along with me, and she agreed that it was true to the stories she heard growing up, with allowances made for the different point of view.

The author has an amazing power of characterization. In one battle scene (possibly one of the best battle scenes I have ever read), he was able to convey to perfection the personification of thunder and lightning in Thor and his hammer. I knew that, but reading that scene, it was brought home to me like never before. Thor was thunder and Mjollnar was lightning, and the concepts were inseparable. It was one of those “Ahhh” moments when you fully realize and understand something you’ve known all along.

I loved this book, but I could not help stopping to think how very different the mindset and motivations of the characters are from what we (meaning Americans, most likely the intended audience) are used to in our literature. I found Odin to be one of the most frightening figures I have ever met in a book – and that includes characters such as Lucifer/Satan, Sauron, Voldemort, and others of that ilk. Interestingly, my Norwegian friend did not feel the same way at all – she says that Odin is the All-father; he’s above and beyond mere human emotion and rationalization. Yet, that was exactly what I felt was so chilling about him – the total apathy, the absolute unwillingness to lift a finger to change the course of events that were fated.

All in all, an excellent book, and highly recommended. It’s safe to say that this is probably the best book I’ve read so far this year. I would say that it would appeal primarily to readers who have some familiarity with traditional Norse mythology, since they would be able to appreciate some of the nuances more, but that certainly isn’t a perquisite.

Format/Typo Issues:

None. Formatting was perfect.

Rating: *****  Five stars

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

DreamWeaver / Rejean Giguere


Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Suspense

Approximate word count: 25,000-30,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Rejean Giguere lives in Canada. He has published two other novels and four short story collections. For more, visit his website. www.rejeangiguere.com

Description:

The story is a quest where the protagonist, Zeke Jackson, goes in search of his twin sister who has been taken captive somewhere in Asian. 

Appraisal:

After Zeke has exhausted all the “normal” channels to find his sister, he receives a mysterious email and through it makes connection with a mystic located in a rough area of the Bronx. From here on his journey becomes more strange and challenging. Taking him to Africa, and costing him dearly in pain and suffering. A fast read, the pacing and plot kept me engaged throughout, but once I’d finished, I felt a little like I do after eating Chinese food. It was enjoyable, but I was soon hungry again. I think because the story is purely plot driven and little time is spent giving the characters depth, or explaining the surroundings, or delving into why the strange things are taking place, or why they work, or how they work.

I don’t read many short stories, so that may be the reason I was left feeling there was more that could have been told in this tale. Still. I did enjoy the few hours I spent in Mr. Giguere’s world.

Format/Typo Issues:

Too few to mention. Canadian spelling

Rating: **** Four stars

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Earth (Elemental Series) / Shauna Granger


Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Fantasy/YA

Approximate word count: 90,000-95,000 words

Availability  
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Shauna Granger lives in a sleepy little beach town in Southern California with her husband, John, and their goofy dog, Brody. She has always been fascinated by Magic, and spent most of her teen years buried in books about fairies, elves, gnomes, spells, witchcraft, wizards and sorcery. She has been working on the Elemental Series for the last four years and plans for it to be a five book series. Granger says it was a hard decision to self-publish but it's been an exciting and terrifying ride. You can find her on Goodreads, FaceBook and her Blog.

Description:

In a small southern California coastal town, evidence is found that someone is working blood magic, and it is upsetting the balance of nature. The local coven can’t figure out who is behind it and has warned Shayna, Jodie, and Steven to stay away from the scene for their own protection. But the coven does not realize that these three high school friends are fledgling elementals, not just witches.

When Shayna starts waking up bloody and bruised from nightmares, she feels her magical blood is the ultimate target for the final blood rite. When an innocent girl is kidnapped, Shayna knows it’s a ploy to draw her out, the caster wants her.

Appraisal:

Shayna is the earth elemental, with empathic abilities, so naturally this book mainly focuses on her. Since it is her blood the caster wants she carries the story and is more fully developed than Jodi or Steven. I assume they will be more fully fleshed out in their own stories and I look forward to that. Shayna’s magic speaks to the dirt, plants, and animals, although she can tap into the three other elements. She also seems to be more familiar with her skills than her friends, although her powers are growing fast. Jodi is the air elemental and is taking advanced classes at their high school. I found Steven, who is the fire elemental, to be the most interesting. Not only is he a confident and secure gay teen, he is a practicing Catholic. Because of this, the three of them incorporate religious beliefs and icons into their magic.

I liked the relationship and dialogue between these three friends and the way they dealt with their other classmates; with as much power as Shayna has she could have been an insufferable teenager. The author did an excellent job laying out the details of the magic and research of the occult the teens had to do to find a way to stop the caster and set things right. One thing I thought the author did an excellent job with was the descriptions of the way the magic felt and even tasted while being cast or practiced. It really put me in the moment along with the characters. I thought the plot had a good flow while the teens had to also deal with the mundane of going to school and preparations for parties that had to be attended. Teenagers are very busy people. :)

These characters are not your typical witches and I found the story unique in that respect. I also found the potential friendship and possible romantic interest at the end of the book intriguing. I think this could be a very entertaining series to follow.

FYI:

There is some strong teenage language; a few F-bombs are dropped. This may not be suitable for younger teens.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of editing errors.

Rating: **** Four Stars