Review for "The Dark Path"

"The Dark Path" is a stand-alone book by Luke Romyn.

An unshaven man lurks in the shadows of a hooded cowl. His eyes are dark without benefit of any of light.
Vain is the Dark Man, a cold blooded assassin for hire. A dark emotionless man who takes pleasure in death. He's also the only hope for Earth when a demon from hell hopes to conquer our world.



 

What I liked:

• First off The Dark Path is written very well. There aren't any glaring grammatical or usage errors. The pov switches never seem out of place. The pacing is perfect and the plot makes sense.
• A few times during the Vesteralik ( I'm sure I completely mangled the spelling of that) scenes I almost giggled. The creatures are absurd in their intelligence level.

What I disliked:

•  The only real bone I have to pick with 'The Dark Path' is how very graphic it is. The language is graphic. The scenes are grisly, gory, grotesque, wince inducing affairs that left my stomach lurching. A few times I almost put it down and didn't pick it back up. It reminds me of a few video games that I've seen that's only claim to fame is how bloody and nasty it is.

"The Dark Path" is being billed as a horror book. It wasn't however what I would define as horror. Sure horrific feats occur on a pretty regular basis but there isn't anything scary or heartpounding about it. The book is probably deserving of 5 crowns but I couldn't get past the grotesque content. As an individual reader you'll have to make that decision for yourself. "The Dark Path" is currently available for the Kindle for $3.99. As a fantasy reader I think you could skip it, but if you prefer gritty thrillers than it might be worth your while. You can find out more about the author and his books at www.lukeromyn.com

4 out of 5 crowns

Due to content matter, language, blood, and gore,  recommended ONLY for mature adults.






Synopsis: "New York's underworld quivers at the mention of his name. Evil courses through his veins like blood and his conscience has lain dormant for over a decade while he has slashed and burned his way to the top of the food chain.
Vain.
The Dark Man, born of torment into an existence of death. In the underworld of killers he reigns supreme. And yet he is chosen for a task of supreme benevolence. Why would he be selected to save a young boy, the Avun-Riah, and then protect him against a horde of enemies, both mortal and demonic?
Because he is the only one with any hope of success.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have risen from the pits of Hell and, along with a fanatical army of cultists, are ranged against Vain. If the boy is slain then Sordarrah will be raised to destroy the Earth, a feat even Lucifer never managed.
Evil is being used to fight evil in the ultimate battle for the outcome of all existence. Armageddon sits upon the horizon and all that stands in its way is a man whose path has always been dark.... "

Review for "Silver Knight"

"Silver Knight" is the first book in Caron Rider's "Silver" series.


A young woman stands in the dark. She has her forearm to her head almost as if to wipe the sweat from her brow. In her hand she holds a small dagger, its tip pointed downward. A spiral of blue/grey smoke snakes up the left hand side of the page.
Diana dreams every night of a different life, a different death. She fears sleep and the tortures that will undoubtedly follow either at the talons of a demon or at the hands of man she feels strangely pulled to. When she sees an unsettling video on YouTube, Diana realizes that her dreams and the lives she remembers may just be real afterall.

What I liked:

• I was hooked pretty much the moment the author referenced my favorite author of all time, Terry Brooks, and then proceeded to describe his writing similarly to the way I usually describe it. :))
• The most interesting part of this novel has to be the author's ingenious use of pop culture to immediately identify eras. We hear Pink Floyd music, buy Milton Bradley stocks, wear gogo boots. Each and every setup of Diana's lives is exquisitely colored in with details that bring the history of the moment to life.
• The romance between Alex and Diana is deeper than average. She doesn't just roll over and go weak at the knees for him. The tug and pull of their relationship is part of what makes this novel above average.
• I also liked the introduction of the other hunters as major figures in history, like a certain beautiful woman whose face launched a thousand ships. Rewriting these individual stories with a demon hunter slant was wonderful.

What I disliked:

•  This book very nearly captured 5 crowns but there was something in particular I couldn't overlook. The sudden first person point of view changes. Once or twice I couldn't keep up. When the author jumps from chapter to chapter taking in Jarret's, David's, and Helen's lives without so much as a how do you do or a visible writing style change to denote their different inner voices its unsettling. I found myself once or twice having to reread a paragraph because it didn't make sense to be coming from Diana, only to find that's because it came from one of the others instead.
• Every once in a while the author waxes on a bit about the surroundings. Nowhere is this more noticeable than in the descriptions of the Titanic. We all pretty much have a basic idea of what the Titanic looks like, we don't need several paragraphs to help us paint a mental picture, just like we already kinda have an idea what Greece/Rome would be like. And I challenge you to find one well read person for whom the word Egypt doesn't immediately call to mind desert sands and pyramids.
• Sometimes the jumps between Diana's dream lives and her current life is a little confusing, especially when they all begin to run together. 
   

"Silver Knight" was actually one of the first books I got for my Kindle. It has sat at the bottom of my digital shelf for probably a year. I can't believe it took me this long to get to it. It is a gem of a read. Perfect for teens and adults, and you almost feel like you just might be learning a little something along the way. "Silver Knight" is available at the time of this review for $2.99 and I dare say it is worth it. The second novel in the series is "Silver Demon" is already out, also available for $2.99 and will be going on my short list. I want more of Alex and Diana. You can find out more about the author at www.caronrider.com

4.5 out of 5 crowns

Recommended for mature teens (there are a few kinda gory parts) and adults. Those with a historical bent may find this series amusing.






Synopsis:
"A Struggle Against Evil--Love Through the Ages--A Destiny to Fulfill When seventeen-year-old Diana recognizes an elderly priest in a video on YouTube, she realizes that reincarnation is real and that she's been alive before! Every night in her dreams, she views her past lives learning that it's kill or be killed. Now a bishop at the Vatican whom she saved in another life calls on her once more. She is needed to help defeat an infestation of demons living within the catacombs of Rome. Warned by their foul smell and armed by her dreams, Diana is a warrior who must battle the Dark in order for the Light to prevail. But when she arrives in Rome, she meets Alexander - the man of her dreams! Through the centuries she has loved him...betrayed him...been killed by him. Will she give him another chance or this time will she strike first? Silver Knight takes you on an adventure where demons and heroes from the past blend with history, action, and just a hint of romance."

Art Uncovered 2.4

Here we go the last image I have related to the 'Beneath a Stone Sky' series. This one is from Cloud's Keeper. If you haven't read the book than you might not ought to read the snippet I'll be including. I feel like it might have a few spoilers in it that just might ruin the ending for you. So if you haven't read 'Cloud's Keeper' yet, you can just look at the artwork or you can keep scrolling til you have read the book. Your decision. I call this one 'To Live'. 

 

 

"The storm was still raging when the shadow detached itself from its fellows and glided to the wreckage of a life. It moved stealthily to the colorless hand gently rubbed at the ring that lay there. Flakes of blood fell to the bed and revealed a barely glowing ruby red jewel. A strike of lightning showed through the room's cracks and illuminated the dragon and corpse in eerie shafts."

Review for "Everflame"

"Everflame" is the first novel in Dylan Lee Peters 's series by the same name. With this review I'm introducing a new rating scale/method. This book is one of several where I wanted to give it a half smiley rating which I couldn't do using my old methods. So I've created these little crowns to replace the smilies with.

The cover is a traditional watercolor wash of green brown and blue. A stylized symbol of  a flame is burned into the color.
Evercloud is your average young teenage boy. He has a best friend, goes fishing, and plays sports with the other kids. Except for one thing. Evercloud lives on Gray Mountain and his friends and family are all talking bears. When news of an ancient mythological being reaches the stronghold, Evercloud sets out on a quest to return The Ancients and best The Great Tyrant once and for all.

What I liked:

•  I tend to like stories that revolve around an elemental based Deity system, which the Ancients are. This story in particular goes just a little bit further and paints The Holy (which for arguments sake seems to be a portrayal of the Judeo-Christian God) as the villain of the story. Some people will find this twist inflammatory at best and should probably avoid this series altogether.
• Evercloud, Riverpaw, and the other bears are mostly good 'people' with a high degree of moral character.
• For once I actually didn't mind the abrupt cliffhanger style ending. It came as a complete shock, which I loved, and set up the next book nicely.

What I disliked:

• The flow and pacing throughout the book was a little off.
• The dialogue was stiff most of the time as was the emotional plays.
• The Messenger's beginning was so tragic that I have a hard time hating him for being the villain.
• Sometimes it seems like the author forgets that the bears are well bears and probably can't do things that human characters could with ease.

Overall I enjoyed "Everflame" enough to consider giving it four crowns but it just didn't quite measure up. I think young readers and teens will probably enjoy this one a little bit more than the adults in the room. I also think that maybe readers who already have a slant towards nature based religions might enjoy it even more. "Everflame" is currently available for free on the Kindle. The next two books in the series 'The Burning Man" and "Warcry" are also available at $2.99 and $3.99 respectively.  You can find out more about the author and his books at www.everflamebook.com


3.5 out of 5 crowns

Recommended for mature young readers(mature due to a little bit of gore) and adults alike. Serious Christians may be sensitive to the portrayal of the 'Great Tyrant', and should probably avoid this one.





Synopsis: "Long ago, when the earth was young. . . Four ancient beings created man to be the bastion of the earth and its creatures. But when The Great Tyrant came and chased The Ancients away, the world was transformed into a place of fear and isolation. Over time humans lost the connection they had with a world they had been created to protect. Now, deep in the forests that surround Gray Mountain, two bears find a small child that is abandoned and left for dead. They name him Evercloud, and raise him as a member of their kingdom. Teaching him the secrets of the elders, they tell him of the ancient beings that created man and the rumors of their return. Evercloud must now go on a quest to return The Ancients to power. However, in another corner of the land, a man known only as The Messenger travels the land under a white hood, on a mission to prevent the return of The Ancients. We follow the paths each of these men take until their stories collide in an epic battle of good versus evil"

Art Uncovered 2.3

 

For today's artwork we're going to take a step back to the original story, 'Cloud's Keeper'. Though you do see this is castle for a very brief scene in 'Legacy of Stone' as well. I don't have an excerpt to go along with it, so you'll have to enjoy it as it is.



Art Un-covered 2.2

I'm calling this one 'Dragon's light'. It's another scene from 'Legacy of Stone'. I couldn't quite get the light and the reflection from the water exactly right but...

"The light grew brighter, casting everything in red relief. Ever so carefully he rounded a corner, expecting some form of threat at any moment. Nothing moved, the silence of the cavern was absolute. The cavern had opened up into a small room, a pool of water at its center with stalactites piecing its calm surface. A red glow reflected off the still waters, casting wavering lines of blue and red onto the cavern walls. Shaun edged forward, til his boots almost touched the water's edge. The water was crystal clear aside from its red tinge making it impossible to tell exactly how deep the pool was. At its center resting on the cavern floor an oblong gem sat on end. It was from it's polished surface that the glow emanated."

Review for "Nolander"

"Nolander" is the first book in the Emanations series by Becca Mills
☺☺☺☺☻
A dark haired woman stands in an empty field, the corpses of trees reaching black limbs into the sky behind her. A scattering of golden leaves lurks around the bottom of the frame, eyes hovering on their surfaces like eerie mirrors.
Beth Ryder has been plagued with debilitating panic attacks for almost her entire life. The psychosis has stolen all her dreams of a normal life, of going to college, of meeting someone nice, of leaving her little midwest town. Photography has turned out to be her only solace in a threatening world. But even that is taken away from her when she begins to see things in her pictures, things that are invisible to the naked eye, strange things, scary things. When she shows the photos around town she unwittingly tosses herself into an altered reality, one where she has every reason to be afraid.

What I liked:

• Well you can probably guess that I liked, and identified with Beth alot. I've had my own share of panic attacks over the years and just like Beth I found a coping mechanism when I started my photography journey. Having that kind of common thread makes her believable and real, at least to me. Beth has her flaws but she's not content to just sit back and let herself be the victim. She's willing to fight for her friends and what she knows is right.
• I liked the different take. This one isn't about angels and demons, fairy creatures, dwarves, or elves, vampires and werewolves. The author created a whole new universe and playing field with the theory of Emanations and the creatures who live in and make it up.
• The trek we take with Beth through Octopus world is really intriguing and unique. I found myself kind of attached to the little 'pus' who hitched a ride.

What I disliked:

• My major grudge with Nolander has to be the use of first person in parts where it made no sense for the story to be told by Beth. How would Beth know what Ghosteater is thinking or doing at any random point in time. I think for these few short pages the author should have switched to third person. I found the continuing use of Beth's point of view to be highly confusing and unbelievable.
• The rather constant threat of sexual assault is more than little disconcerting. I could have done without it.
• Finally the ending was entirely too abrupt. There was no gently fade out, no temporary resolution, and it wasn't an ideal stopping point at all. I know you want to leave the reader wanting more, but crafting a suitable temporary natural feeling ending is not going to stop us from wanting to read more. It will however get rid of a lot of frustration and make us like you a little more ;)

Nolander was a unique fastpaced romp through an intriguing urban fantasy setting. It's currently available for the Kindle for $3.99. The author promises the next book in the series will be out sometime this year. I'll be looking forward to it.
☺☺☺☺☻
4 out of 5 smilies
Recommended for mature teens and adults especially those who enjoy a relatable real heroine.

 

Synopsis: "

Nice girls don't believe in monsters. They're wrong.

Amateur photographer Beth Ryder is in trouble. She's taking pictures of things she can't see, things that aren't human. Beth has her own dreams, but people like her don't get to go free. She's seized by a group dedicated to keeping Earth's shadow world--and its frightening inhabitants--a secret. Forced into otherworldly politics and uncertain whom to trust, Beth must come to terms with a radically altered future--one in which her own humanity seems to be slipping away.

Nolander is the first novel in the fantasy series Emanations."

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Art Un-covered 2.1

We made it into a new month with Art Un-covered! I hope you've enjoyed my illustrations and doodles so far. Let's call this one 'Bright'. Its also from 'Legacy of Stone" It didn't turn out quite like I imagined it, but I think its still very beautiful.

"Light flooded the valley, blinding in its power...A young woman appeared, light pouring out of her outstretched hands. Her golden hair flowed all around moved by an unseen wind. Her pale features were twisted in anger...She shouted her voice shaking the very ground. Her hands moved outward and the light flooded out blinding and burning everything in its path. Shaun collapsed into the light only to find a darkness that rivaled the blackest night."

Review for "Daughter of the Red Dawn"

"Daughter of the Red Dawn" is the book in the series 'The Lost Kingdom of Fallada' by Alicia Michaels.
☺☺☺☻☻
The cover features a young woman. Her skin is pale almost bluish in color. Her hair, with severe bangs, is red and straight. She wears a red cloak trimmed in gold, the hood of which is halfway pulled down. She stares out at the reader with deeply shadowed eyes. In the background to either side snow topped pines hold court. And in the center where there should be sky, the blue eyes of a wolf waver almost on the edge of unseeing.
Selena McKinley lives in the backwoods country town of Twin Oaks, Texas. In a small community such as hers, any difference is quickly seized upon and Selena knows she's different, no matter how hard she tries to disguise it. She dreams of draining her savings account and leaving town in a cloud of dust. Her plans are turned upside down when a handsome and dangerous stranger sees her running faster than should be possible through the field behind her home. The stranger tells her she's not from there, that she's a long lost princess, and that someone is coming to kill her.

What I liked:

• I found Selena's gift, what appears to be the gift of inhuman super speed, to be at the very least unique from many of the gifts we often see in these stories even if not much else is.

What I disliked:

• The story is chock full of pop culture references. Its as if the author didn't have a single original thought in her head. From the floating ship, we are referenced to Peter Pan and Neverland. From werewolves, she mentions the Twilight series, even going so far as to say that her werewolf is as hot as Jacob. Then we have the white evil queen with her polar bear drawn chariot, which immediately brings to mind Narnia. Even the classic way in which she describes the clothing and the kingdom of Damu immediately makes me think of Aladdin. And when Selena's gift grows we are brought full circle to the Last Airbender. It's almost as if the author took every fantasy movie she'd ever seen and tried to cram them all into story, thankfully not mentioning all of them in the process.
• The relationship between Titus and Selena manifests and progresses extremely quickly, without much in the way of supporting evidence.
•  The dialouge most often sounds a little forced and childish.

"Daughter of the Red Dawn" is currently available for the Kindle for $3.99. The author promises the next book in the series 'Child of the Sacred Earth' will be available sometime this year. You can find out more about the author and her other works at www.fantasybyalicia.com.

☺☺☺☻☻



 3 out of 5 smilies
Recommended for tweens and teens only.

Synopsis" These are dark times in the land of Fallada, and I fear that they will only continue to grow darker. Only the return of those we’ve lost will even the score.
It will begin with first line of the prophecy, which foretells of a red sun over the desert sky…
--Adrah, Queen of the Fae
On the outside, seventeen year-old Selena McKinley is like any other teenage girl. Yet Selena has always felt as if she doesn’t belong and is counting the days to graduation and her freedom from the small town that makes her feel so out of place, when the arrival of a stranger turns her world upside down. Selena will learn just how different she is and the truth of where she comes from.
A lost princess, they call her, the catalyst for a war involving a world that Selena was taken from as a child. An evil queen obsessed with her own beauty with a plan to enslave the human race.…the notion seems so silly, yet Selena knows in her heart that it is true. Then there is Titus, the shape shifter whose blue eyes and claims of destiny hold her heart captive. Can Selena find the strength to do what she must while following her heart?"

May Be

Another month has flown by on greased wings. Its hard to believe that its already the beginning of June. That pretty much half of 2013 has already came and went, fading into the past and out of reach. May was a marginally better month than April. Things are trying to get back into their groove again. Even now it's still tough and many of the problems that April brought still haven't resolved themselves, but everyday we get a little closer and a little better at coping. So onto my resolution update:

1. My weight loss goal. Well it's definitely safe to say that I won't be making my original goal. July is right around the corner and I have a month to lose almost 10 lbs. It's not going to happen. I'm okay with that. I've made a lot of progress and I feel better than I have in several years, I always weigh and measure less than I have in a few more than that. Its still a success and it doesn't mean I have to quit. It just means that my weight loss goal will shift to its secondary stage. Same goal, different time period. A year instead of the original six months. Here's my May numbers. Start weight: 143.1 , highest weight 143.5, lowest weight 140.4 , and end weight 141.1. Waist start 25.7, largest 27, smallest 26.0 and end measurement also 26.0.  Again I'd say I've lost about 2 lbs and a half an inch in the past month. It's not too bad I suppose. And I've always heard that the slower you take the weight off the slower it comes back. Whether or not that's true, I don't know. I do know that this is more than a diet. It really has become a lifestyle change. Even on days when I'm not fixating on my calories I still come in around where I need to be. I still crave sweets and ice cream but I'm no longer indulging on a regular basis and when I do, its a smaller serving. I also want to give some props to my hubby. When he was diagnosed with diabetes in April the dr. told him to lose about 30lbs. He's lost almost 20lbs in these past two months. I think he WILL make his goal of of losing that last 10 by his next appointment in July. If he doesn't he's gonna come really close. I am so proud of him.
2. 50 Books in a year. This month I read six books. That brings my total to 21 books. Just a few shy of halfway there!
3. Lets just skip this one shall we....
4. It's still raining just about every weekend that passes by. But I did get to do the Rennasiance themed wedding I've been looking forward to. It was almost as much fun as I'd imagined.
5. Again nothing new on the remodel front.

It's hard sometimes to find the bright side of life when all around you lightening bolts and thunder are shaking the very ground beneath your feet. But when the storm passes, you'll see it. You'll see it in the vibrant green of the grass and leaves on the trees, drunk with water. You'll hear it in the birdsong echoing from seemingly everywhere. We learn through passing storms how to appreciate the days when the sky is clear and the sun is shining. For the time being I, at least, am content and happy with every day that brings more smiles than tears, more solutions instead of problems.