Tag Archives: Fiction

Guest Post: JC Andrijeski

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Today I have the pleasure of having JC Andrijeski, author of the Allie’s War series, here to talk about character creation. JC’s writing flows along, her characters taking on a life of their own – and now we know why! She’s in the middle of a blog tour and kindly let me join in the fun! While I’ve only read the first book in her series so far, I can say I was hooked and can’t wait to read the rest of them!

So go grab your coffee and see this post through to the end (it’s a bit long but totally worth it). Leave a comment if you write your characters this way also, or if you don’t, what do you do instead. Now, here’s JC! Continue reading Guest Post: JC Andrijeski →

The Kiss of Distraction

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His body was molded to hers as he held her wrists, one above her head and one at her side, so she couldn’t draw her knives. His hair was sweaty from their wrestling – her to get her knives, him to prevent it – and it spiraled his hair into bronze clumps that he tried to get out of his eyes by angrily shaking his head. His face was close enough for her to feel his breath puff against her skin. He had her up against a wall, quite literally, and her options for getting out were dwindling, so she did the only thing he wouldn’t see coming.

She kissed him. Continue reading The Kiss of Distraction →

Review: Grace Awakening

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Grace Awakening
Grace Awakening by Shawn L. Bird
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Just another band geek in a plaid shirt to pass in the halls. Until the music started.

Grace is in grade 10 when she meets Ben Butler, who is two years older than her and convinced he’s loved her forever. After they meet, Grace is the target of mysterious attempts on her life, has frequent trips to the hospital to have some secret medicine, and overhears her mother talking to her aunt about her in a strange fashion. Her parents and even her friends seem torn between liking and disliking Ben, but ultimately Grace decides for herself if she loves him or not.

While filled with Greek mythology references and mysterious attacks, not much happens in this book other than Grace deciding she loves Ben. Much like Grace, the reader is left confused, wondering what is going on and who this girl is in the fight between the gods. Things are set in motion that we never see the resolution to, presumably because they are in book two.

Grace Awakening sets the stage for the (ultimate) conclusion in the war between the gods that want to save Grace and the ones that want her dead. Full of music and poetry, the characters are all painted differently with realistic qualities, yet leaves the reader asking, “Who -is- Grace?”

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Review: Two Moons of Sera

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Two Moons of Sera
Two Moons of Sera by Pavarti K Tyler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mother told me: No, the Moon is made of nothing but broken dreams; its color is the blood she’s seen spilt.

Serafay is a child born of two world yet belonging to none. Raised in isolation by her mother, she thought she was content in her quiet life by the sea. Her mother, a Sualwet (water people) who was experimented on by the Erdlanders (land people), would go out and forage, bringing Sera back books and other trinkets as well as news about the war between the two races. Safe in her cove, Sera didn’t know she was missing anything.

Until she saw Tor.

As they become friends, Sera’s world is torn apart and she is forced to rely on the very people who tortured her mother for her survival.

Told in serial format, Two Moons of Sera drags you into a world similar yet unlike our own, filled with war, love and friendship. With a lush world and full characters, Tyler creates a stunning start to her serial.

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Review: Flidderbugs

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Flidderbugs
Flidderbugs by Jonathan Gould
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Because everybody knows that the leaves on the Krephiloff Tree had three points. But they also had four points too.

Kriffle of the Triplifer tribe is preparing to take over his father’s position as leader of their tribe. He struggles to get to the Fleedenhall due to all the leaves clogging up his home. Leaves in his broth, leaves burying him at night while he sleeps, leaves everywhere! Kriffle knows he must win this debate and get elected so that his side of the Tree can use the Shears.

Kriffle knows the leaves on his side of the Tree have three points. In his frustration, he drags his protesting rival, Fargeeta of the Quadrigon tribe, over to his side of the tree. Fargeeta then takes him to her side, showing him the impossible: four-pointed leaves! But even after he finds out that the other side’s leaves have four points, he has a hard time getting anyone to listen to him, and so Kriffle and Fargeeta vow to get to the root of the issue.

Don’t let this cute story fool you – there’s much more going on under the surface. Gould does a wonderful job creating these characters that even children will love, and their parents can dig deeper for satirical layers reminiscent of Dr. Seuss – with less rhymes.

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Review: Leftover Shorts

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Leftover Shorts
Leftover Shorts by Amy Neftzger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

No one saw the soft, white missile.

Leftover Shorts contains three very different short stories, all three of which are told with a different underlying theme.

The Marshmallow War was my favorite, extolling the experienced old-timer over the hardheaded, long-winded new-bloods. The “Fang of Five,” long-time researchers at Merryman Marshmallow Corporation, organize themselves to take on the department head and newer members of the development team. In the end, market shares were up over 500% and team members were down 4 people, including Mr. Department Head. Richly told, you may never look at a pink marshmallow the same way again.

Peripheral Witches deals with the tricks our minds can play on us if we let them. Miriam declares that fairy tales are bogus and is then haunted by witches for the rest of the afternoon. While entertaining, I feel this was the weakest of the three stories, though still well-written.

Parson’s Song is the last in the book. It tells the tale of Billy Parson, violin player and robber, who is born on the wrong side of midnight into a superstitious town. Filled with quick snapshots of poor Billy’s life and death, it was also loosely based on the legend of MacPherson’s Lament.

If you’re looking for some quick, entertaining reads, Leftover Shorts is the dish to pick up.

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Review: Rook

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Rook
Rook by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The clouds enveloped my mind, leaving nothing but silence.

Allie Taylor has spend 28 years thinking she was human and, despite being adopted, leading a normal life. She holds down a job as a waitress, working with her best friend, Cass, and has a good relationship with her brother, Jon. Even though she takes care of her mother ever since her father died, her life was more mundane than anything. Except for the drawings and images that she can’t get out of her mind. And the Mono Man, who she finds out is Revik, who has started to follow her around. And the beating she gives her ex, that she didn’t even know she was capable of…

Allie’s world, though similar to our own on the surface, hides a deep secret – the seers. A race of beings with mental powers so powerful that most are enslaved, the seers are feared by the mere humans – including Allie, even after she finds out she’s one of them. Now, she must fight for not only her life and that of her family, but also of the entire human race.

Andrijeski spins a marvelous tale, filled with action, excitement, good guys vs. bad guys, magic and beautiful prose. Allie’s world is familiar yet not, and her process of accepting who and what she is – with help from Revik, prostitutes, her brother and others – is a fascinating journey sure to please.

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Guest Post: L C Smith

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Today I have L. C. Smith here for a little Q&A session! I had the pleasure of reading her novel, Falling, recently, and you can find my review here.

First, a little about L. C. Smith.

I love reading, which is why I’m a writer. I live in New Zealand, close to both the ocean and the mountains. In my spare time I love to play tennis really badly, try and grow things in my tiny garden and eat toffeepops.

Falling is a love story about Reid, who after the death of her parents in a car accident when she was eleven, gained the ability to jump into peoples bodies. Not a single person knows her secret, not her only friend Sara and especially not Keller. The problem is, every time she looks into her eyes, she starts to fall into him.

Continue reading Guest Post: L C Smith →

Guest Interview: Jim Galford and Feanne

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Today I have the pleasure of having Jim Galford, author of In Wilder Lands: The Fall of Eldvar here with me to do an interview, and he brought Feanne along with him!

For those of you who haven’t heard/read this wonderful book yet, In Wilder Lands is an epic fantasy novel that follows Estin, a wildling, as he endeavors to just be left alone, find shelter and food, and live to a nice old age. When he meets Feanne, she changes his whole outlook on life. For more, check out my review.

And now, because you don’t want to make her mad by forcing her to wait, here’s Feanne.

Continue reading Guest Interview: Jim Galford and Feanne →