MarvaDasef

• Rated 5 stars

“See Amazon for my review.”

MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“As the first book in a series, Zarena has a lot of weight on its shoulders. It needs to set up a highly complex universe with lots of races, some human, most fantastical. And these inhabitants of the universe (it's multi-planet) are sometimes direct analogies to familiar stories. The creation story is the basis. The whole Seraphym Wars concept is right out of Milton. Laud is the god who creates the seraphym. One of those right-hand angels decides to revolt and the schism between good and evil persists through centuries.

Another familiar aspect out of fantasy lore is the concept of a Chosen One. In this case, Zarena is destined or prophecized to lead a group of children called the Vigorios against what we assume are the bad guys (the fallen angels). This is a big surprise for 14-year old Zarena when she wakes up in a monastery-like building run by the Conscientas. They're Laud's advisors and the beings that will equip Zarena to lead this children's war.

Essentially, this is all that happens in this first book. Like I said, there's an a lot of background here and without it, the reader could easily be lost in the many strange names for the various seraphym and other minions of both sides of the battle.

The weakness in this first book for me is that not much happens other than Zarena learning the tools of the quest thrust upon her. All of this is well-written and kept me reading, but I was a bit let down at the end by not at least hitting the road to find the other Vigorios (recognized by the aura they give off). We get to meet only one demon/alien and it doesn't do much other than try to pry information from the unsuspecting girl.

I just KNOW that the books to follow will provide the satisfying confrontations and difficulties. There just wasn't enough meat in this book.

In Ms. Russell's "Odessa" (a YA version) we are in the same world as Zarena, but focusing on an older girl who is also to lead the Vigorios. So, I'm a little confused whether these two forks in the Seraphym road should be read together or kept separate. I will say in defense of the series that Ms. Russell is an excellent writer and has come up with a complex fantasy world. No qualms about that. I definitely want to know what happens next to both Zarena and Odessa. I'd love to see an explanation of the interaction of the two series, if there is actually meant to be one. I'll have to nose around Rebecca's websites and blogs to learn more.
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MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“I found this historical time travel story fascinating in its description of life in Italy during the turbulent 16th Century. I know little about this area and time, so I can't verify the accuracy, but the details and some of the names that I knew gives the book credibility.

I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.

The time travel aspect is a bit contrived to allow Mr. Trent to speak from the viewpoint of a 21st Century man coping in a 16th Century world. However, Mark Twain got away with plopping a 19th C. Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court, so I'll just let this go as a device to meet the ends of the story. Once Michael is in the 16th C., then the tale of how he goes from rags to the King of Silk is quite compelling.

I did think the center section of the book with Michael's interminable trips via galleon to other cities in the Mediterranean too slow. I grew antsy, wishing something would happen. I think this section could have been cut drastically without losing any of the lessons Michael learns.

Of course, I'm always saying "too many words," so it's not surprising I'd want to cut it down a bit. The fact that I continued on even when I grew impatient is a testament to Mr. Trent's good writing.”

MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“I enjoyed Lurkers, but it was like sitting in a dark room watching the teenagers split up and go down to the basement to check things out. You're screaming "DON'T GO THERE!" But they do anyway.

With Lurkers, however, I was saying out loud (to which my husband responds, 'huh?') "Why don't you use the car. It's sitting in the freaking driveway!"

My damnable organized adult person has to sit back and think that these are teens. Don't expect them to do anything rational. But they do lots of rational things to solve the riddle of why all the adults suddenly disappear from the face of the earth one night.

I found Kayla, the protagonist, to be a bit too dense, not understanding some pretty easy stuff (I don't care that she hated science class). That kept me slightly annoyed with her rather than sympathetic to her plight. I will give her the patience of Job with her 8-year-old brother, Josh. He's such a sulky brat, I would have taken the opportunity to bash his head in, then act all innocent if the adults showed up again. Well, maybe not exactly kill him, but taping his mouth shut might be in my plans.

But the whole thing is saved by Jackson, who's the science whiz who'll figure out the mystery and even bring back the adults (despite his cousin Morris' objections). I liked Jackson. He's geeky and nerdy and smart. I understand Kayla taking a shine to him, so can't understand why she wouldn't want to be his "sidekick."

Writing: A
Concept: B
Characters: B- (Kayla drags down the class curve)
Resolution: C- (just a tad too contrived)

The good writing wins Lindsay four stars. Next time I hope to find a smarter MC, then I think the story (whatever Lindsay comes up with next) will kick butt.
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MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Barbara Ehrentreu offers a taste of those nasty old days of beginning high school when you're not the cheerleader with all the friends. Most of us, right?

Carolyn is the nobody who wants to be somebody, and that somebody is Jennifer Taylor. Blond, beautiful, dating the star quarterback. Jennifer has it all, and Carolyn envies and fears her ridicule.

By chance, the two girls are paired to complete a math assignment involving statistics. That means they have to cooperate to get it done. Thrown together, Carolyn is scared spitless of the haughty and rude Jennifer. Strangely, though, it's Jennifer who saves Carolyn from an embarrassing situation.

The story continues even when the assignment is done. As Carolyn learns more about Jennifer, she begins to see the cracks in the perfect facade. Jennifer begins to rely on Carolyn because she's NOT one of Jennifer's in-crowd friends. In other words, a person who can keep a secret.

A mutally symbiotic relation takes shape, with Jennifer helping Carolyn become the popular cheerleader she wants to be, and Carolyn kindly helping to first hide, then help, Jennifer's own secret.

This is a pretty good book looking at two sides of the social spectrum in high school: the haves and have nots. While written in first person from Carolyn's point of view, she's a good narrator who sympathetically shows us the dark side and light sides of Jennifer.

I think the dialogue was a little stilted. I've been run through the teen talk mill by a friend who happens to have five kids and knows every bit of jargon and slang. Perhaps the speech should have a few more yannos and BFFs in it. That's not a huge downside given an otherwise well-written book. I have to rate it down a star because it's a little bland. Carolyn is too nice, Jennifer isn't evil enough. It's a better read for a tween who hasn't yet been corrupted by the cliques and meanness. Maybe it will help them become a better person.
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MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Jack has a problem. He believes his father blames him for his little sister's life-threatening injury and he feels responsible. That's quite a load to put on a 13-year-old. When he sees the mastiff following a big storm, he desperately wants to keep the dog. He wants to have something to love when he feels like he's an outcast in his own family.

By the title, we know that the dog is a ghost dog. Jack doesn't know that until he meets Manny, a Native American shaman who knows things that Jack slowly discovers, the worst being the Witiku, a legendary monster on Roanoke Island that comes out following big storms. Unlike the ghost dog, Witiku is far too real, almost killing Jack who only escapes with the help of the dog and another ghost, a boy of his own age.

The story follows Jack through many revelations that keep him off-balance, but also lead him to realizing he's not worthless, but essential to the battle that Manny is waging against the Witiku.

Easily and naturally, C.K. Volnek reveals the history of the island and its lost colony and reveals just how the colony was lost--victims of the Witiku conjured by a shaman hundreds of years before.

Okay, carefully avoiding spoilers, I'll give this YA paranormal book thumbs up on readability and keeping you on the edge of your seat. That Witiku is one scary monster!”

MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“What I enjoyed most about this mid-grade fantasy was the author's descriptions of the Cornwall area. Clearly, she's been there and really brought the area to life in the book.

Next, the four children are well-drawn and distinctive. No generic kid, kid, kid, but four different and recognizable personalities. Ms. Bell gave me just enough of the dialect flavor to hear it in my mind (I filled in with my own trip to England). Gort, Aisling, and Col are all wonderful characters, and the "foreigner," Laurel is lucky to have them on her side.

The essence of the story is that Laurel has been sent to England while her mother is dying of terminal cancer. It seems a cruel thing to do to a child and a little weak on explanation of why she'd be sent clear to England from the Canadian prairies. This isn't clarified until an appendix containing letters from Laurel's grandmother to Sarie, the Cornish woman who takes Laurel in.

But whatever the reasons, it comes down to Laurel needing to be in Cornwall because she's got a quest. No, she's not a chosen one, but a young girl desperately trying to save her mother's life. Only in Cornwall, with its legendary characters like piskies (pixies) and selkies (a seal-person). To say why it's important for Laurel to be where she is would be giving away a bit too much plot, so I'll leave it at that.

This book is longish for a middle-grade read, but I hope that won't put off parents buying ebooks for their children's Christmas present: an ereader, of course. The book will be released in print format, but there's no need to wait.

Enjoyable read full of Cornish lore. I liked it.
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MarvaDasef wrote this review Wednesday, October 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“My book, so obviously I think it's very good. Just getting it in the lists folks.”

MarvaDasef wrote this review Thursday, October 13, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“My book, so wonderful of course.”

MarvaDasef wrote this review Sunday, August 7, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“A disaffected former police detective lives on the streets since the death of his partner. He acts as the unofficial protector of the vulnerable homeless. A young man who took a chance on getting work on the space station, but can't find a job right away.

The two meet with the young man is attacked by street bullies. The somewhat hyperactive young man glues himself to the detective, who'd just as soon be left alone. Together, however, they find a bond tracking down the mysterious person murdering homeless people.

A great buddy book with a scifi setting. Nicely done.”

MarvaDasef wrote this review Sunday, August 7, 2011. ( reply | permalink )