Review: Chaos

Chaos by Sarah Fine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Malachi has been captured by the Mazikin and Lela will do anything to get him back. The Judge offers her a chance to save him, but the Judge has her own motives behind the offer. Unfortunately, Lela is not in charge. Ana, the new Captain, is cut throat and tough, but she also has a personal mission she wishes to complete. These women have seen a lot, but their past experiences do not prepare them for the horror that awaits them in this new realm. With love on the line, can Lela know who to trust? Does she have the strength to decide about sacrifices that need to be made?

Chaos is the third and final book in the Guards of the Shadowlands trilogy. Readers who enjoyed the action packed scenes will continue to experience their own fight or flight response to the character’s dilemmas. Fine does not spend a lot of time rehashing the world building from the first book, so if readers are starting with this volume they might be a little confused. Chaos is a strong finish to a great urban fantasy series.


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Review: The Eye of Zoltar

The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jennifer Strange is not your normal sixteen year old. She runs a company that rents out wizards for cash, yet she has no magic herself. In book one she saved two dragons, and now the Mighty Shandar is requiring a favor. He must give a refund for not killing all of the dragons, but if Jennifer finds and deliver’s The Eye of Zoltar to him, he won’t punish her for this extra expense. The last time the jewel was seen it was in the possession of the legendary Sky Captain Morgan. In order for Jennifer’s life to be just a little more complicated, the Queen of Snodd transfers her spoiled daughter’s mind into a maid servant and requires Jennifer to teach her humility. Can Jennifer manage both of these tasks? What are the Mighty Shandar’s motives? Will she be stuck with the princess if she never learns to have compassion?

The Eye of Zoltar is the third book in the Chronicles of Kazam, but the adventure is far from over. Jennifer’s strange world is a twisted, magical version of our own and readers will enjoy pairing up the parallels throughout. The action starts out quickly at the beginning and the reader will find the ride of the adventure makes this a can’t-put-down read. Readers who enjoy a complete story within a series will be disappointed in the volume. Fforde leaves the story with issues still pending, but not with a throw the book cliff hanger. If you are an impatient reader, though, you might want to wait for the fourth book so that you can read it directly after this one. Otherwise, this third book was just as fun as the first two.


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Review: Love and Other Unknown Variables

Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Lee Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Charlie Hanson has plans. He is a senior at Brighton School of Mathematics and Science with plans to attend MIT. His life goal is to find the answers to the universe’s unanswered questions. These plans suddenly veer off course when he sees a tattoo on a girl’s neck. It turns out that Charlotte is the sister of Charlie’s new English teacher. She convinces him to plan a prank that requires the participation of the entire classroom. Why is Charlotte encouraging Charlie? Will this plan affect his future plans?

Love and Other Unknown Variables is a quirky story that will be enjoyed by readers young and not so young. The story is told through the eyes of a socially stunted math nerd and the references to specialty mathematical terms are easily digested. I loved the “voice” of Charlie in that he was an outsider that was still accepted by most of the students in his class. He could have been the nerd everyone ignored, but instead he leads the charge into a plan against the teacher. Alexander has created a wonderful story that male and female readers will all enjoy reading.


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Review: A Song for Ella Grey

A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ella Grey is gone. She has left behind friends and the love of her life. Claire is Ella’s best friend. She must tell the story in fits and starts so that she (and the reader) may understand. Ella’s love for Orpheus was quick and complete. Nothing in her short life had prepared her for the depth of their love, yet when her life is suddenly cut short all who are left behind believe they are at fault.

A Song for Ella Grey is a story that leaves a lot to be desired. I usually don’t mind a story that jumps around, yet this book was not enhanced by the storytelling format. Readers who are looking for a relaxing read that can be quickly finished without a lasting impression will be happy, but those who want just a little more meat will feel as if something is missing. This should not be moved to the top of a TBR pile, but it would be a good choice when a simple escape is needed.


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Review: Frozen

Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The planet is now covered in ice. There is only one season … cold. In New Vegas a blackjack dealer, Natasha Kestal, wants to leave. She has heard of a place called The Blue, yet it seems too good to be true. Can there really be a place where the sun still shines and the waters are warm? Rumor has it that those who bear the mark are not persecuted there. She will do anything to not hide who or what she really is. Through a series of events she is able to book passage to The Blue with a group of mercenaries who don’t really believe her. Everyone has secrets to hide. Can they trust each other enough to get to paradise?

Frozen is the first book in the Heart of Dread series. The post-apocalyptic world building is effortlessly weaved into the story so that the reader will not feel as if it is an additional element. Although the characters are not extremely deep, de la Cruz has written relationships and struggles into the storyline to enable a series that will be enjoyed and pursued. Frozen does contain elements of magic and the supernatural, but it is pleasantly different from the author’s other series. Readers who pick this up because of the author should not have any regrets of the time spent reading it.


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Review: The Diamond Thief

The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rémy Brunel has many skills. Her skills on the trapeze are not to be rivaled and her ability to detect the value of jewels has enabled her to become a successful jewel thief. Her troupe is in Victorian London and her next assignment is to steal one of the world’s most precious diamonds. She believes she has pulled off the caper when it turns out that she was outwitted by another. She is now on a mission to steal it back, but can she complete this assignment without her usual support? Detective Thaddeus Rec also wants to find the diamond. Especially since his superiors believe he is the real thief.

The Diamond Thief is the first book in a new series. The characters are richly described and the scenes in and around Victorian London will please readers of adventures and historical fiction. Gosling is able to create characters with depth and a series of events that are believable without adding a ton of pages. The Diamond Thief can quickly be devoured by an excited reader or it can be slowly consumed by those who like to pace themselves. This was a pleasant read and I look forward to reading the second book, The Ruby Airship, due to be released in February 2015.


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Review: Witchrise

Witchrise by Victoria Lamb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Meg Lytton is a Tudor witch that has inherited her mother’s magical wand, a magical ring named Invictus and a spellbook. Even as she is trying to discover the extent of her powers, Marcus Dent is haunting her dreams and it seems that he will do anything to take her powers for his own. Meg has made many friends that are willing to help her in the looming battle, yet in the end she may lose the man she is secretly betrothed to. Alejandro has secrets of his own and the twists and turns of fate are constantly mixing up events.

Witchrise is the third book in The Tudor Witch Trilogy. Although the series is called a trilogy, readers will finish this book and be expecting more stories to come. Lamb has created a cast of characters that readers will enjoy exploring and if there are more books I will be adding them to my reading list. Even though I expect there to be more stories in this Tudor world, readers will at least be satisfied with Meg’s romantic attachments. Will Meg choose Alejandro or another suitor? Will Marcus Dent be beaten or will he continue to taunt the Tudor witches? Readers must get to the end of this volume to find out the answers.


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