All right! Finally, we have a novel of the Video Game Fantasy genre that is still, at the bottom, a novel. The key point is that the author did not concentrate on the game but on the characters. This is an author writing a book for her readers, not a gamer trying to attract the […]
The Old Person Curse (Between Dark and Light, Book 1) By Chris von Halle
This novel is presented as a “children’s horror story.” The main character is 12 years old. This probably means that the target readership is between 10 and 14, and I’d say the author hit it spot on. For parents and librarians reading this review, I feel that the horrors dealt with are appropriate to the […]
“The Revelation” by Jared Beasley Sharpe
I found this to be an enjoyable read in a limited sense. The main character is intimately real to us, and his motivation and reactions are realistic and engaging. However, there is an unfortunate reliance on one conflict area typical of YA fiction that undermines the suspense, leaving us with a reduced level of commitment […]
“Gene Pool” by A. E. Price
This is a story about an imaginary future where gene manipulation has created an elite class in which every child’s genetic characteristics are chosen at fertilization. The result is a heavily segregated caste system, where the non-modified are treated as less than human. This provides grist for all sorts of thematic material, but that conflict […]
“Squabble of the Titans” by Justin Teerlinck
Where to start? This book is a work of great creativity and considerable variety: part documentary, part satire, part cartoon, part Science Fiction, quasi-historical and in total quite undefinable. However, I will try. The story is revealed in a series of letters between Theodore Roosevelt, former President of the United States, his family and supporters, […]
“Straya” by Anthony O’Connor
Australians have a rather tenuous connection to the English language. They even have a name for their particular dialect, “Strine.” The nice thing about Strine for the rest of us is that it’s almost intelligible. When you see it written down, it’s quite possible, and even fun, to try to figure out where those words […]
“Red Blood” by Kaitlin Legaspi
Now that I have finished this book, I feel rather disappointed. At the beginning, I thought I was reading a pleasant, light YA fantasy. Rather too feel-good for an adult reader, in fact. There seemed to be too much time spent building up the characters and stroking each other’s egos while the readers wanted to […]
“A Murder in Malta” by Ann Crew
Friends suggested this book to me because I am going to Malta next spring, and they thought I might enjoy reading about the island. I was not disappointed. The delightful descriptions of the towns, scenery and food were a joy and a mine of information. Likewise, the characters were fun people to spend a few […]
“The Trickster’s Sister” by R. Chris Reeder
This is a YA Fantasy, following the plotline of the teenager who discovers she is not like all the other humans. In this case, it’s not all nicey-nicey like usual, because Brynn and her family are goblins. This is Book Two in the series, so the newness has worn off, and she is left to […]
“Love in Another Time” by Lexa Dudley
This is a two-part Romance, encompassing the parallel love stories of a grandmother and her granddaughter. The first part is the better section of the story, with good character development and entertaining setting descriptions. Part 2, in which the scene jumps two generations, seems a bit rushed. Instead of the slow, enjoyable filling in of […]