Author: Sarah Ashwood 
Release Date: April 16, 2014
Series: The Sunset Lands Beyond
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Edition: mobi
Pages: 374
Publisher: Griffineus Publications
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon

Rating: ★★★★

Blurb:

The mystery of other worlds is not one Hannah Winters ever thought she’d solve. However, the day she spots a brown-robed stranger with a magical staff in a neighbor’s field is the day she also discovers Aerisia, a magical land beyond Earth’s sunset. Here in Aerisia, Hannah is believed to be the Artan, a legendary heroine prophesied to deliver Aerisia from the Dark Powers. Plenty of people, including the Simathe, a race of immortal warriors, and the Moonkind, people of the Moon, are willing to help her discover her true identity, but Hannah’s just an ordinary girl from Earth. She doesn’t have any latent magical abilities and she’s not the Artan. However, her allies aren’t seeing it that way. Neither are her enemies. In fact, Hannah’s life is in jeopardy nearly from the moment she arrives in Aerisia. And becoming the Artan may be the only way to survive…

Review

Plot/Story:

This story reminded me a lot of another story I read last year. But I am sure it will remind you of a lot of stories. It is about a girl who finds herself taken off into a new world and something about her makes her special and important to that world. While some may say that this storyline has been outplayed and many are bored with it, I still love it! I still love the idea of being taken away into different world and finding out that something about me is special and unique and I am some how supposed to save this new world.

Hannah is just a normal college student. Nothing special about her, until a strange man in a horse pasture lures her in and takes her off to a new world. A place called Aerisia. In Aerisia she is told that she is what they call the Artan, though she doesn’t know who or what that is or what it has to do with her. From there is only collects more questions and no one seems to want to tell her what it is she is supposed to do.

The story at times did get frustrating because Hannah keeps asking questions and no one wants to answer her. Then again, Hannah also has the tendency to run off when answers are coming to her.

Characters:

The characters in this book are fantastic beings. Hannah, again, is your typical collage age girl and head strong. She questions everything and demands answers, but can never sit long enough to hear the answers.

The Simathe are quiet and emotionless, or so it seems. The high lord Simathe, Ilgard seems to be much deeper than what most think of him, and Hannah seems to be bringing out a new side in him.

Romance/Kills:

There is only one kill that really matters in this book. Not much romance. It is a world building book. There is a lot of backstory and explaining this new world that Hannah has been dumped into. 

Writing:

The writing is fantastic and very magical. It was also easy to read and keep up with the story.

Beginning:

The beginning is very quick. Only a quick few pages about Hannah’s family, and then Hannah is transported into Aerisia. The whole story was fast paced and didn’t have many dull moments. 

Ending:

As this is the first book in the series, the ending did leave much to be desired. There are tons of questions left unanswered. For the ending of the first book in a series, it was well done and will keep the reading interested enough to pick up the next book.

Cover Art:

I love the cover art. It’s colorful and gives a sense of magic. It really gives you a quick preview of the story to come.

Blurb:

The blurb is very true to the story.

Other Stuff

Opening Line: “Hannah, what are you doing? Why are you just standing around? They’ll be here in a little over an hour.”

Highlights: I love the world of Aerisia and the Simathe

Lowlights: I feel like not enough questions were answered in the first book.

Final Thoughts: This is a magical story that I would suggest to my friends.

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.

You can read the author’s interview here: Author Interview.

Author: Debra Chapoton
Release Date: June 25^th 2015
Series: Exodia Ledgers
Genre: Science Fiction | Dystpia/YA
Edition: mobi
Pages: 218
Publisher: Not Specified
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon

Rating:  ★★★★

Blurb:

By 2093 American life is a strange mix of failing technologies, psychic predictions, and radiation induced abilities. Tattoos are mandatory to differentiate two classes, privileged and slave.

Dalton Battista fears that his fading tattoo is a deadly omen. He’s either the heir of the brutal tyrant of the new capital city, Exodia, or he’s its prophesied redeemer. Shy, handsome, smart and in possession of powers he doesn’t yet realize, he escapes an order for his execution by fleeing the city with the help of Lydia, who quickly captures his heart. But can he escape a destiny that will force him to marry another girl and return to Exodia as its liberator?

Review

Plot/Story:

I somehow missed the part of the blurb that this was loosely based on the story of Moses. But reading it, I caught the similarities and it was fantastic. I love the bible stories and I love when people take them and modernize them. After finding out that it was based on the story of Moses I actually enjoyed reading it that much more, not that I had any trouble getting into it to begin with. Actually, I was drawn in from the very beginning. The world was so different and even though there is a little history/background about how the world came to its current stasis, I was never bored of the world building. In my opinion, there was nothing boring about this novel and I almost couldn’t read it fast enough.

Characters:

I would say that the characters are not as well developed as they could be, but it was enough to keep the story going and wasn’t that big of a distraction. We could learn a little more about some of the side characters. Dalton, the main character, was a little dense, as in he could have used a little more development. It was almost as if we only dipped our toe into the big deep ocean of what Dalton could be. Despite that, you can see where Dalton is a strong character.

Romance/Kills:

The romance! Ugh! Killed me. Dalton instantly falls in love with Lydia, basically the first girl he comes across after jumping the fence and exploring the world. Because of circumstances, his path leads him in another direction and he leaves Lydia behind. Of course, he finds another girl, one he doesn’t love, but for some reason marries. But all the while Dalton can’t forget Lydia. It’s not even a love triangle. He marries one woman out of necessity, he never loved her and it’s questionable if she ever loved him.

As far as kills go, the story actually begins with a kill by Dalton. It isn’t bloody, gory, or even that spectacular. It’s very down played. Almost like when a movie implies that there is a dead body, but all you see is the white sheet over a body shaped object.

Writing:

The writing was fantastic. No glaring errors that distract from the story. It’s also very fast paced and I love a fast paced story.

Beginning:

The beginning really draws you in with in the first few minutes of reading. There just seems to be so much going on at the start. There is no build up, just BAM action.

Ending:

Seeing as there is another book following this one, the ending was perfect. It was an ending, but a cliff hanger as well. It made me want to instantly buy the next book so that I could finish Dalton’s story.

Cover Art:

After reading this book, I feel like the cover could be better. But, it was enough to get my attention. It actually gave me a Harry Dresden vibe (series by Jim Butcher).

Blurb:

The blurb does enough to really draw in the reader. It also makes the book seem like any other YA dystopian novel, but I feel this book is much more than that and the blurb doesn’t do it justice.

Other Stuff 

Opening Line: It’s as if I too am running for my life.

Highlights: Fantastically fast paced and fun.

Lowlights: The cover could be better.

Final Thoughts: This book will stick to my memories for years to come.

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.

Author: C K McKenzie
Release Date: February 13, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Edition: Kindle (mobi)
Pages: 214
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon

Rating: ★★★

Blurb:

It has been in the nature of fairy tales that they begin with ‘Once Upon a Time’ and end with a ‘Happily Ever After’. However this is not a fairy tale. It is a somewhat true story… Quentin Wallis was not dead but neither was he entirely alive. He was something very much ‘in-between’. In short, Quentin Wallis was cursed. For a century he had been fated to live only on Halloween, seeking out his true love so that he might break the curse which had been laid upon him. The tricky situation was no treat when faced with bad men, murderous ghosts and an inconsiderate army of assassins determined to kill him. With only an honest heart, a haunted house and lashings of candy to assist him Quentin must resolve the small matter of an almost kiss, and a girl with wild grey eyes. And as night falls, and the bonfires burn, so starts the greatest of all adventures.

Review

Plot/Story:

I love the story that has to be told here. It’s a story of love that keeps you guessing until the very end. You are basically on edge the whole time, hoping that everything turns out the way it should. While I did enjoy the story, I felt like a lot of it was very long winded and had a hard time getting through the book. It didn’t lessen my interest in the story, it just felt more like a chore to get to the end. It’s a cute story, and for that, I would recommend it to others.

Characters:

I felt like a lot of the characters were very flat. You don’t really get a feel for who each character is because there are so many characters to explore. Also, you do a lot of jumping around. One minute you are in Quentin’s head and the next you are in Nell’s head. The voice of the story is as if you are watching everything from above and know exactly what everyone is thinking. I just think there were too many perspectives and too many characters.

Romance/Kills:

There is one main love story. The love between Quentin and Nell. There is a lot of death in this book, nothing too gory or graphic.

Writing:

Sometimes the writing was a little hard to follow. Maybe because as you are reading you are in every one’s head. You know what everyone is thinking or feeling and it can get a little confusing at times.

Beginning:

The beginning is very captivating. It made me want to continue on with the story to see what has happened and what is going to happen

Ending:

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, so I will just say that the ending was interesting.

Cover Art:

The cover gives the book a fairytale, Cinderella, kind of feel. Which makes sense, as this story is supposed to be a fairy tale, unlike any other fairy tale. With that being said…I feel like the cover could have been better.

Blurb:

The blurb is very spot on with how the story goes.

Other Stuff

Opening Line: Once upon a time it was autumn in the golden city of New York and the sparkling metropolis had pulled on its gilded mantle of russet hues so that it might celebrate the most glorious season and the best of all holidays, namely Halloween.

Highlights: It was a unique and intriguing story.

Lowlights: Somewhat long-winded.

Final Thoughts: I would recommend this book to friends, but warn them of how drawn out it can feel.

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.