2014 EBook Challenge Recap

Challenge:  E-Book Challenge
Host:  Workaday Reads
2014 Level: DVD (25 books)-COMPLETED!
Thoughts:  Seems to be becoming more natural to me to read ebooks, so this challenge keeps getting easier.  Not sure if I will make it if I go up a level next year, but I will try.
1. Love Me If You Must by Nicole Young
2. Perfect Nightmare by Norman Stanton
3. Along the Way Home by Christi Corbett
4. Greystone Valley by Charlie Brooks
5. Spell Struck by Ariella Moon
6. Spellbound by Samantha Combs
7. The Demon's Wife by Rick Hautala
8. Conscientious Inconsistencies by Nancy Jane Moore
9. After the War by Libby Sternberg
10. Two-Room Flat by Jill Urbach
11. The Crone's Jewels by E. J. Dabel
12. Chasing Prophecy by James Moser
13. Spark by Michael F. Stewart
14. A Stormy Knight by Amy Mullen
15. Written for You by Joseph Cognard
16. Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves by Dianne Ascroft
17. Stealing the Moon and Stars by Sally J. Smith & Jean Steffens
18. The Road to Nyn by Brian G. Michaud
19. Running Through a Dark Place by Michael J. Bowler
20. Plow the Bones by Douglas F. Warwick
21. The Matchmakers by Ruth J. Hartman
22. The Red Sheet by Mia Kerick
23. The Ghosts of Southwark by O. M. Grey
24. The Serpent Bearer by Frank Say
25. The Unwanted Earl by Ruth J. Hartman

The Unwanted Earl

The Unwanted Earl

by Ruth J. Hartman

published by esKape

2014

ISBN 9781940695139

Why read? Review

Challenges: Ebook, Historical Fiction, 100 Books in a Year

In this fast and fun sequel to Love Birds of Regent’s Park, Ruth J. Hartman brings us Lord Conrad Lofton’s story in The Unwanted Earl.  With stunning skill, she manages to turn the villain – and comic relief – from the first book into a charming hero, who still manages some hilarious mishaps.

Amelia Talbot is in a bind.  Her father wants her to marry a disgusting octogenarian, which is not what she wants at all.  The problem is, being the type of woman who is not afraid to speak her mind, she has no other suitors.  Her problem is solved one day when she discovers that Lord Conrad Lofton is really a bastard (and not in the way her drawing partner, Lucy Shipley, thinks).  Using this information, she blackmails Conrad into becoming her betrothed.  Conrad, recently having a rotted tooth pulled and partnering with Oliver Shipley on a way to end his financial woes, finds himself in much better spirits, even if Amelia insists on dragging him to one outdoor adventure after another.  In time, the two find themselves truly falling for each other, but a secret about Conrad’s past soon threatens to tear the two apart.

While Conrad is still Conrad, Hartman has managed to turn him from truly despicable into completely loveable, which is an amazing feat in and of itself.  On top of that, Hartman has crafted an enjoyable Regency with plenty of humor and good clean fun.  The Unwanted Earl might be my favorite Ruth J. Hartman book yet, but I do hope this series continues with Cecilia getting a chance at a happy ending.

Rating 5/5

The Red Sheet

The Red Sheet

by Mia Kerick

published by Harmony Ink

May 2014

ISBN 978-1-62798-717-2

Why read? Review

Challenges: Ebook, 100 Books in a Year

With The Red Sheet, Mia Kerick has succeeded in writing a contemporary YA novel where the protagonist is gay, but it is not about that.  The Red Sheet is about bullying and the other woes of high school life.

Bryan Dennison is your stereotypical high school jock.  He is in the popular clique, he cares more about his reputation than his grades, he parties on the weekend, and he is not below going along with his buddies when they push around those they deem uncool.  But all of that changes one day when he wakes up one Monday morning with no memory of the weekend and a burning desire to tie a red sheet around his neck and save everyone.  While the total personality transformation is not unwelcomed, it is a little disconcerting to him, especially when he discovers that the weekend involved doing something bad to the new kids at school, Scott Beckett.  Not only does Bryan not remember what happened over the weekend, he does not remember Scott at all.  Once he figures out that he hurt Scott, though, he is determined to make everything right.  He quickly learns, though, that it takes more than a cape to be a hero.

Bryan – at least the new Bryan – is the type of character that you wished more of existed in real life.  He is fun, sweet, is not afraid of who he is and wants to repent for who he was.  Scott, on the other hand, is unfortunately like a lot of kids in real life.  He may be witty, a good student, and a potential great friend, but he is an outcast for whatever reason his school’s social hierarchy deems him so.  Kerick does a wonderful job of making both of these characters relatable and ones the reader will want to root for.

The Red Sheet may have a slightly quirky premise, but Mia Kerick has written a very real story.  She presents real issues that teens face with a style that makes the pages fly by, and that is what makes The Red Sheet a great read.

Rating: 4/5

The Matchmakers

The Matchmakers

by Ruth J. Hartman

published by esKape

2014

ISBN 9781940695167

Why read? Review

Challenges: Ebook, Historical Fiction, British Books, 100 Books in a Year

Ruth J. Hartman is an expert at writing Regency romances and cat-lover romances, so it is no surprise that when she combines the two, it is delightful.  The Matchmakers is an adorable novella about an eccentric, scheming elderly aunt who is determined to see her nephew married off and uses cats as a way for him to meet his match.  It is not a terribly deep story, but the characters are fun and rather well-rounded for such a short work.  The Matchmakers is cute and definitely worth an read to liven up a dull afternoon.

Rating 4/5

Plow the Bones

Title: Plow the Bones
Author: Douglas Warwick

Publisher: Apex
ISBN: 978-1-937009-15-1

Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: E-Book, Author Alphabet, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: This was a rather bizzaro collection, although it was not classified as that exactly.  The two standout stories, at least for my taste, were "Funeral Song for a Ventriloquist" and "Across the Dead Station Dessert, Television Girl".  The rest were just too weird or disturbing or disgusting for me.

Rating: 2 stars

Running Through a Dark Place

Running Through a Dark Place

by Michael J. Bowler

published by author

May 2014

ISBN 9780990306306

Why Read?: Review

Challenges: E-Book, YA Mythology, 100 Books in a Year

Michael J. Bowler picks up the second book in his Knight Cycle, Running Through a Dark Place, right where the first book, Children of the Knight, leaves off.  (I do not want to give any major spoilers for the first book, so I am not going to go into too much detail about the plot, as it would give too much away.)  After the success of his first campaign, Arthur wants to fight for more rights for the youth of Los Angeles who are treated as adults only in criminal matters.  Once again, he and his Knights have a tough battle ahead of them, and there is a lot of growth along the way.  Oh, and Merlin has finally appeared!

Taking a historical figure made mythological and imagining what his crusade would be in today's age is really ingenious, and is a testament to Michael J. Bowler's skill, but hat I like best about his writing is that he does not pull any punches.  He lays the tough issues out there as they are and shows his characters' struggles in tackling these issues.  While many of his characters are what would be considered at-risk youth, Running Through a Dark Place, and the rest of Michael J. Bowler's Knight Cycle, will appeal to all youth and those adults who work with youth.  

Rating 4/5

The Road to Nyn

The Road to Nyn

by Brian G. Michaud

published by author

2013

ISBN n/a

Why Read?: Review

Challenges:  E-Book, 100 Books in a Year

In The Road to Nyn by Brian G. Michaud, the protagonist, a newly-made squire named Kay, must travel with a rag-tag group of friends to stop the evil goblins from invading his kingdom.  They, of course, encounter many obstacles along the way which help Kay grow as he learns to believe in himself.

As far as middle grade fantasies go, The Road to Nyn is pretty formulaic, which is not always a bad thing for this age group.  Like the road in the title, the plot is very much a series of events, or what a friend of mine terms “and then” storytelling.  There a few events, though, that feel a tad disjointed, and it takes a while to realize how they all fit together.  Michaud does incorporate some fun fantasy elements which make for an entertaining tale.

While there is nothing really to set Brian G. Michaud’s The Road to Nyn apart from other middle grade fantasies, it is a delightful read for its target audience.  Older readers, though, might find it lacking in the depth they crave.

Rating: 3/5

Stealing the Moon & Stars

Stealing the Moon & Stars

by Sally J. Smith & Jean Steffens

published by Camel

2014

ISBN 978-1-60381-984-8

Why Read?: Review

Challenges:  E-Book, 100 Books in a Year

In Stealing the Moon & Stars by Sally J. Smith & Jean Steffens, private investigator Jordan Welsh is called into the Moon & Stars Children's Cancer Foundation to find out who has been embezzling from the organization.  She immediately racks up a few candidates, but she'll need the help of her business partner (and love interest), security specialist Eddie Marino to crack the case.  Of course, things are bigger and more dangerous than Jordan realizes at first, and it turns out that there is more to Eddie than she ever imagined.

The suspense part of Stealing the Moon & Stars was good - not hard-boiled, but just a solid PI mystery.  The romance, though, left me wanting.  Many of the interactions between Jordan and Eddie lacked the correct tension, and Jordan's thoughts concerning him seemed confusing (I honestly thought they were a steady couple at first).  Things do heat up, but the beginning just felt off.  The characters also hit me the same way.  Jordan, especially, takes some time to get to know as I can never connect with a main character who first comes off as the type of woman I cannot stand.  This, though, is where Smith and Steffens do a great job of proving that appearances can be deceiving.

As the first in the Jordan Welsh & Eddie Marino series, Stealing the Moon & Stars has a lot to recommend it.  I look forward to see what Sally J. Smith and Jean Steffens have in store next for this duo.

Rating:  3/5

Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves

Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves

by Dianne Ascroft

published by Davog

June 2012

ISBN 978-1-907530-24-1

Why Read?: Review

Challenges:  E-Book, 100 Books in a Year

The six stories that Dianne Ascroft presents in Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves are true slices of life for her Irish characters.  Some are contemporary, some historical, but all are definitely Irish.

The one problem with “slice of life” tales is the lack of a major climax, and with short stories, this is particularly felt, making the reader wonder what the point was.  The story with the best flow is “Much More Than a Dancer”, but this suffers from stilted inner thoughts that sounded much more like telling than showing.  “Just a Cough” was also one I liked for the wonderful man versus nature conflict, however, the title led me to expect a much different – and more climatic – ending.

What Dianne Ascroft excels at is creating the feel of Ireland.  If you are looking to be transported to the Irish countryside for a few minutes, then Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves is your ticket there.

Written for You

Written for You

by Joseph Cognard

published by author

August 2012

ISBN n/a

Why Read?: Review

Challenges:  E-Book, 100 Books in a Year

As the artistic director of a community theatre, I am always eager to read new plays, so I jumped at the chance to read Joseph Cognard’s Written for You, a three-act contemporary drama about an aspiring author just trying to get his book read while going crazy in the process.

Bob took his therapist’s advice and wrote a book, but no one will read it – not his therapist, not any of his coworkers at the publishing agency, not even his family.  Already stressed out from his finance job, this sets Bob on edge and he begins hearing voices.  When people who have actually read his book go missing, Bob is convinced his book is somehow responsible.  On the brink of total madness, Bob discovers that he is not all that far off from the truth.

Cognard’s style of writing slightly absurd realistic situations reminds me of a cross between Christopher Durang and Sam Shepard.  However, there are some parts of the play that point to a first-time playwright – mainly, the minutia in the stage directors, which are normally not seen in a play, or if they are, they are added into the print addition from the stage manager’s book after the initial run.  Also, while the dialogue is strong, the lack of action in many scenes made it feel less like a play and more like pages of conversation in a novel. 

Written for You is not a bad first attempt at a play, and with a little tweaking, I can see it going on well in smaller, experimental theatres.  Joseph Congard has some quirky insight into the writing and publishing industry that really made Written for You an enjoyable read.

Rating: 3/5

A Stormy Knight

Title: A Stormy Knight
Author: Amy Mullen

Publisher: Astraea
ISBN: 978-1-62135-176-4

Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: E-Book, Historical Fiction, Free Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts:  I loved the mystery and the secret passages, but the romance in this fell a little short for me as the characters seemed to flip flop too much. I did also enjoy the historical aspects as I do not read much set in the Middle Ages.

Rating: 3 stars

The Terminals: Spark

The Terminals: Spark

by Michael F. Stewart

published by Non Sequitur

April 2014

ISBN n/a

Why Read?: Review

Challenges:  E-Book, 100 Books in a Year

Michael F. Stewart's newest adult series, The Terminals, takes an interesting look at religion and the afterlife.  The first book in the series, Spark, focuses on Gnosticism and the idea that every life contains a spark.

Lieutenant Colonel Christine Kurzow just wants to die.  Because of inaction on her part, her whole unit was killed in an insurgent attack.  The Army, however, will not let her die and sends her to  join a secret unit called the Terminals.  Everyone in this unit is on their deathbed, but until they do die, they are tasked with finding terminal patients will to let their deaths mean something.  Through the use of a psychic, they befriend killers in the afterlife learning their secrets so that those in this life can stop future attacks or rescue prisoners.  The case Christine gets assigned to involves a dead serial killer who has a busload of children held captive somewhere.  The killer was Gnostic and believed that by collecting the sparks of those he killed, he could achieve greatness in the afterlife and be reborn.  Charlie is a terminally ill Gnostic monk who is eager to help Christine, but the afterlife is not at all what he expected, and getting the killer to give up the location of the kids is a very difficult task.  Meanwhile, Christine is still suicidal and the fading hope for this case just makes things worse.

This is the second book by Stewart that I have read that concern Gnosticism, and I would have to say he has a very good handle on the subject and that is why this is the first afterlife he tackles.  the idea of using dying patients to reach those in the afterlife to solve crimes is a very interesting idea which Stewart has obviously thought out well, although there was a point or two where my understanding was a little fuzzy.  Also, this novel is not for the squeamish.  There are some very graphic seasons of torture that had me turning away a points.

Michael F. Stewart has some amazing story ideas and I cannot wait to see where The Terminals series goes next.  Spark was a great introduction to this intriguing world.

Rating: 3/5

Chasing Prophecy

Chasing Prophecy

by James Moser

published by Skookum Trail

January 2014

ISBN n/a

Why Read?: Review

Challenges:  E-Book, 100 Books in a Year

James Moser's Chasing Prophecy was not at all what I expected, but in the best way possible.  This coming-of-age story deals with issues that I have never encountered before in a YA novel...and Bigfoot.

Mo Kirkland is a pretty typical teenager.  He is a regular student, sometimes bullied, and in love with his best friend.  Yes, he does have two moms, and that is how he has fallen in with the local cult, the Bethlehem Family, which is best friend, Prophecy Bethlehem (he still calls her Kazzy) is part of.  When the Bethlehem Family leader dies and the government comes after them for tax evasion, claiming they are not a real religion, Max, his moms, and his other best friend, Max, get involved in trying to help.  Little does Mo know that he and Max will be turned into drug mules.  Not liking the turn the Bethlehem Family has taken, Kazzy and her mom escape and agree to help the US Marshals.  The Bethlehem Family, though, has plenty of resources and soon Mo's life is turned completely upside down.

Moser starts Chasing Prophecy as a typical YA contemporary about a boy who will do anything to impress the girl he likes, including jumping off a bridge and searching for Bigfoot.  However, Moser slowly weaves in a much darker story that takes this from light fiction to something much more real.  While his characters and plot are strong, it is the themes that really set Chasing Prophecy apart from anything else in the YA market today.

If you want something different and not super fluffy from your YA, Chasing Prophecy is a great pick.  James Moser has created something unique here and I hope to see more from him.

Rating: 4/5

Two-Room Flat

Title: Two-Room Flat
Author: Jill Urbach

Publisher: Astraea
ISBN: 978-1-62135-187-0

Why Read?: Bookclub
Challenges: E-Book, Free Reads, Author Alphabet, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: This really was a cute story.  You knew what would happen, but that is just fine.  The only thing I wished Urbach did a little more of was having the main characters forgive each other for the event that drew them apart in the first place.

Rating: 3 stars

After the War

Title: After the War
Author: Libby Sternberg

Publisher: Istoria
ISBN: n/a

Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: E-Book, Historical Fiction, Free Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Bittersweet, this highly character-driven tale portrays a moving picture of the lives of those affected by WWII.  Also, a very interesting look at convent life pre-Vatican II.

Rating: 3 stars

Conscientious Inconsistencies

Title: Conscientious Inconsistencies
Author: Nancy Jane Moore

Publisher: Book View Cafe
ISBN: 9781611382587

Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: E-Book, Free Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: These stories were all interesting, but not all were my cup of tea.  I enjoyed "A Mere Schutcheon", probably because I am a fan of high fantasy.  "The First Condition of Immortality" is probably the best of the bunch, a very unique look at mortality.  "Homesteading" was a solid dystopia, but left me feeling rather sick.  And "Three O'Clock in the Morning" was incredibly disturbing, even more so with the second person narrative.

Rating: 3 stars

The Demon's Wife

Title: The Demon's Wife
Author: Rich Haulata

Publisher: JournalStone
ISBN: 978-1-936564-98-9

Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: E-Book, Free Reads, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: This is a fun and unique read about a demon wanting to go good for a woman. The story is intricate, but the ending seems rushed and just not fully formed.

Rating: 3 stars

Spellbound

Title: Spellbound
Author: Samantha Combs

Publisher: Astraea
ISBN: 978-1-936852-36-9

Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: E-Book, Free Reads, Witches & Witchcraft, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book.  The premise was pretty awesome, but there were just too many inconsistencies for me and too many things happened just like magic (no pun intended).  Also, many things did not seem realistic and definitely not contemporary for today's teens - I was feeling a 90s vibe.

Rating: 2 stars

Spell Struck

Title: Spell Struck
Author: Areilla Moon

Publisher: Astraea
ISBN: 978-1-62135-185-6

Why Read?: Book Club
Challenges: E-Book, Free Reads, Witches & Witchcraft, Author Alphabet, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: I seriously loved this book!  Moon handles some hard themes with a deft hand, adroitly weaving them into a fun tale of teen dabbling in magic.  Oh, and of course there is a great - and realistic - romance.

Rating: 5 stars

Greystone Valley

Title: Greystone Valley
Author: Charlie Brooks

Publisher: Grey Gecko
ISBN: n/a

Why Read?: Early Review
Challenges: E-Book, Free Reads, Witches & Witchcraft, 100 Books in a Year

Thoughts: Very cute fantasy, but rather typical themes. Middle readers will enjoy the adventure and the main character's growth.

Rating: 3 stars