Review: The Listeners

The Listeners by Harrison Demchick

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Daniel Raymond is alone. His mother left their apartment for toilet paper and never returned. If that is not bad enough, the borough has been quarantined because of a plague with zombie like symptoms. The only information he receives is from the television which reported the doctors and medical personnel being removed by helicopter after the government decided it was too dangerous to assist the local residents.

Danny doesn’t know who to trust. The police offer food and protection in exchange for guns and anything else they want and a group called the Listeners offer protection and a new family. Daniel chooses to leave the apartment and join the Listeners, but he continues to doubt his decision and their motives. The Listeners say the police are corrupt, but some of their own members are testing the limits of their new power.

Harrison Demchick leads the reader to question the power of local government and to realize the difficulties in containing a plague in a modern city. Daniel has lost the only family he has known and must learn to make choices in a world where all the choices are tough. Will the plague be cured, will the quarantine be lifted, and will Daniel live long enough to find out? The Listeners spins many tangent story lines that slowly weave into a cohesive tale that leaves the reader with many aha moments.




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Review: Surrender

Surrender by Rhiannon Paille

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Kaliel and Krishani have many things in common. They both were “found” and raised by elders, they both are destined to marry the land and they both were NOT supposed to meet and fall in love. Most of all, neither wants to accept the parable given to them by the Great Oak, but the Great Oak sees more than they do.

Kaliel's parable tells her that her choices may kill many or save many, but doesn't give her enough information to protect those around her. Krishani discovers that he is the Ferryman and Kaliel discovers she is a Flame, a weapon that sparks a war.

Surrender is a coming of age tale that leaves a lot to be desired. Rhiannon Paille bounces between story lines (Kaliel and Krishani), but the transitions don't flow and I found myself looking back to see which story was taking place. The series title (The Ferryman and the Flame #1) tells the reader that this is the first book in a series, but more than 50% of the book was setting up the story and then the rest just rushed on through. I recommend this book for those who want something new to read, but if you already have a large TBR pile, then skip this one for now.




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Review: The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



What do you get when Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff collaborate on a blog to work on their short story writing skills? The Curiosities – this short story collection covers the supernatural, horror, fantasy and just plain average. Find out about a vampire kept in a box located in a basement, a girl who may be scarier than the killer in her house and many, many more stories.

The second best part of this book is the amazing writing by three young adult novelists. The best part of this book is the commentaries located throughout each story. Not only does the author give insight into the writing processes they used, the other two authors include additional thoughts and critiques about the story. I personally was weary of reading a short story collection because I feel cheated about not getting a complete story. This collection completely shattered my perception of short stories. All of the stories were well written and didn’t leave me longing for more.




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Review: Wilde's Meadow

Wilde's Meadow by Krystal Wade

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Katriona has lost her home (Earth) and her best friend, but she has gained the use of magic and fallen in love. She still has to lead an army to war in order to bring Light back to Encardia and that seems to be the least of her worries. To achieve this goal she must unite the worlds to fight against Darkness and kill the fallen god that has taken over the body of her dead best friend. Will Katriona have the power and strength needed to fulfill all of these tasks? Will love be enough to fuel her magic?

Wilde’s Meadow is the third and final book in the Darkness Falls trilogy. Wade brings back the characters we love as well as the characters we hate to cumulate this story. Readers of the series will not be disappointed in the conclusion of this trilogy. The best aspect of this book is that there are many segments of the book that will make the reader wonder if the story will end with Light or Darkness winning. You will need to read the book yourself to find out. If you have not read the first two books in this series, PLEASE read them first!




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Review: The Lost Prince

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Ethan Chase has a secret and a very important rule. The secret is that he can see the Fey; the rule is that he shouldn’t let them know. Unfortunately, that is easier than it sounds. He is after all the half-brother of the Iron Queen and trouble seems to follow him everywhere, even to his new school. When the Forgotten (a Fey that is vanishing because no one remembers them) begin killing exiles and half-breeds he is pulled into the conflict after a new friend is taken. Ethan uses a token given to him by his sister, Meghan, and travels with an unexpected companion into the Nevernever to ask for help.

The Lost Prince is the first book in a spin off series that will be enjoyed by those who read the first series as well as the readers newly introduced to these characters. Many of the original characters appear in this novel, but the first series may not be needed for full enjoyment. Readers will be pulled in from the beginning and dragged through adventure after adventure willingly. I can’t wait to read the next volume.




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Review: Beta

Beta by Rachel Cohn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Elysia is a sixteen year old girl who has just emerged into the world. She is a teenage clone, one of the first, a Beta. Elysia has been created in order to serve the residents of Demesne, an island paradise created for the very rich. Demesne is also engineered. Everything is perfect even the air and water. The clones are created because the relaxing effect of the air does not affect them and human workers would not be productive. Elysia’s perfect life does not last long. She realizes that she can taste, feel emotions and remember her First’s memories. She is a defect and if the humans discover this truth she will be expired. There are other defects on the island and they have started an underground movement to begin an insurrection for the freedom of all clones.

Beta is a captivating science fiction story like no other. Rachel Cohn creates a world that may be possible in the not so distant future. Elysia’s internal struggles represent issues children, teens and adults all have problems with, yet are unable to articulate to ourselves and others. Many turns in the story were expected and that is fine. Of course this first novel in a series has a twist/cliff hanger in the last paragraph that has you yelling, “What!!!!!!” Actually 4.5 out of 5 stars.




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Review: The FitzOsbornes at War

The FitzOsbornes at War by Michelle Cooper

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



The FitzOsbornes are still living in exile after their island country was attacked by the Nazis, but they are not willing to sit around like spoiled heirs and heiresses. Toby, the King of Montmaray, has joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Princess Sophie has taken classes and been hired to create and edit rationing brochures. London is being bombed, the Allied forces are trying to fight the Nazis into surrendering, and Toby’s plane has been shot down over enemy territory. Even as war continues across Europe, love begins for our journaling princess and these exiled souls from Montmaray continue to long for peace.

The FitzOsbornes at War is the third and final volume in The Montmaray Journals. Although it gives a satisfying conclusion to the saga, it was the least enjoyable of the three. Many entries during the war time portion of the journal dragged with mundane daily activities. I am satisfied with the conclusion of the series, but if the first book was written in this manner, I would not have continued the series. The rating is actually 2.5 stars rounded up.




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