Audio Book Review: The Silver Serpent by David Debord

The Silver Serpent by David Debord
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This felt like the starts of a journey to find who they are.

We have 4 young adults who are of the age to start adulthood. But... they have other ideas about what they want to do compared to what their parents say they are to do. And with the news Oskar shares about a big tournament for champions announced to happen in their little village with the Prince present, Shanis and Hierm are excited to enter. However, when the Princes guards and many others are in town for the competition, one guard gets an idea to have his way with a young girl. Shanis helps Khalyndryn and the four young adults go on the run, fearing what would happen to them with a princes guard killed.

This leads them to find two "merchants" and join them on their mission... to find the Silver Serpent.

As they embark on this journey, these four young adults along with the two new friends learn more about themselves, the kingdom, and countries around them. They learn about friendship, love, and who they are.

This story does have a feel of young growth to it as I listened.

The audio version was nice, though the names are so, so close to the same that it's hard to tell who's name it being said. There was a few times I thought Larris was mentioned instead of his brother's name, and vise versa. This makes it hard to follow at times when talking about family. Other than the names, the audio was nice.

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Book Review: Broken

Broken

By:  Emma St. John

Publisher:  Imagine That! Studios

Publish Date:  February 2012

Format:  eNovella, 19pgs

Genre:  Urban Fantasy, YA

Series:  1st in The Chronicles of the Last Herald

Recommendation:  Yes, interesting start to a Heralding world.  Makes me curious and want to see more of this young girl and her blooming abilities.

Book Synopsis:
Jessie used to be the popular girl at school, until she came back from the dead.  Now she's the Herald of the end of the world, and it seems the divine cannot leave her alone.  When an angel turns up at her High School with a mission for her, she knows ignoring him won't help.  It's time to take a chance.

First Sentence:
The angel at least had the decency to wait until I was out of class.

My Thoughts and Summary:
'Zombie Meddigo' is what Jessie is called by some classmates now; ones who thought her popular last year, but now she's a loner after the accident.  What they don't know is; she is the Herald, to help to prepare the people for the end of the world.  Angels come asking her to help, as they now can't meddle in humans lives like they once did, and she tries to ignore them.  This angel needs her help with a young boy, and according to the angels riddled talk this boy is leaning toward the darkness, needing pulled back to play out his part in the future.  Jessie wonders how a broken girl like her can help anyone back from the darkness.

This was a quick novella.  And an enjoyable read as well.  We learn about Jessie Meddigo, what happened to her family, and her.  I'm still curious about a few little tidbits, and hoping they come out in the future of the Chronicles to come.  I want to know more about what happened to Jessie to become a Herald, and the angels too.  There are mention of not blaming her mother, which makes me curious about who or what her mother was.

This novella starts us off.  We are introduced to a strong girl, willing and able to be alone.  She seems to be adjusting to the changes that happened to her rather well and has given up the popular things to be more who she is.  And even though she doesn't want to do the 'Heralding thing' she is learning as she goes.  I like how she mentions of speculation of a darkling trying to use her, pretending to be an angel.  Then the angel tells his name to verify, it's subtle but I like the way she verifies.

Very very nice start to a YA novella series.  I like the hints dropped to potentially expand on in the future.  I do look forward to reading more of Jessie as she learns the ropes with being a Herald.  There are more Chronicles of the Last Herald to come!



I received a copy of this novella for an honest review.
This review is of my personal opinion and thoughts.

Book Review: All Wounds

All Wounds

By:  Dina James

Publisher:  Mundania Press

Publish Date:  October 2011

Format:  ARC, 224pgs

Genre:  YA Urban Fantasy

Series:  1st book in Stranger Things series

Recommendation:  OH MY YES!!  Even though it's YA you can't pass this one up.  Quick pacing and fun characters!

Book Synopsis:
It's said that when opportunity knocks on your door, you have only one chance to take it.

No one said what you're supposed to do when it kicks it.

All Rebecca MacDonnell wants to do is get through high school with grades good enough to win a prestigious scholarship so that she can finally leave her miserable life behind.  One evening, after a particularly bad day, she finds out that people other than her aging grandmother need her help, and desperately so.

Well, not "people," exactly.  Vampires, werewolves, demons, ghosts, goblins, and other things thought only imaginary all need help sometime, and Rebecca was born with the unique ability to heal ethereal beings.  She is about to turn seventeen, the age at which her talent will manifest in its entirety, and become a true Healer...if she lives through the event.  A war between various ethereal factions is brewing, and Healers are a valuable commodity to any side.  Those who wish to harness Rebecca's manifesting healing powers for their own purposes must get to her before her seventeenth birthday.

Only two vampires and a rogue werewolf stand between Rebecca and those determined to make her serve them, and the fact that Rebecca has no clue what she's doing doesn't exactly help matters.

Neither does being seriously attracted to more than one of those just trying to protect her.

For a soon-to-be seventeen-year-old Healer-in-training, that's a lot to handle.

Especially on top of her homework.

First Sentence:
The only thing in the room that made any sort of noise was the clicking keys of the old computer keyboard, pushed - no, more like jabbed - by a very annoyed secretary.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Leaving the Principals office with her best and only friend Robin after receiving their first ever detention, Rebecca thinks she sees a goblin type dude and wonders if she has the same disorder as her Nana, a mental disorder - dementia.  Ryan, the schools top bad boy, helps Rebecca but his help is known around school to come at a cost.  Ryan had caught Rebecca's attention in the principals office and now in detention... or had she caught his attention?  Rebecca is worried about her Nana and needs to get home as she takes more care of her than Nana of Rebecca.  But that night when Ryan is brought to her door bloody and unconscious Rebecca's world will change as she learns of strange supernatural creatures and beings and what she is or the females in her family are....healers of the Ethereal. Suddenly Nana is her old self with Syd and Ryan there, Rebecca learns secrets of her family her Nana tried to keep her from, but with a war coming to the Ethereal again, Rebecca's healing help is needed, and she has to learn quick.  Oh, and there is school too!

Oh My!  I don't know where to start.  So, I'm going to get the gushing done first... LOVED this book.  Quick moving and fun!  Really.  Loved Ryan, LOoOoOVED Syd! He is mine, no one else can have him.  And Billy! Oooohhh, he can come fix my car and make his den in the garage anytime.

Okay, curious?  Well, yeah.

This is a Young Adult book, and I think it is wonderful for all ages to read.  There is no major love scenes or alcohol or anything to the point where I would think the parent should read this book first and decide.  I would definitely hand it over with out another thought.

The characters... Ahhh... Okay, so as you can tell I fell hard for Syd.  Yes.  I did.  I tried my darnedest to do as Master Sydney told Rebecca in the beginning.  That sometimes an Acolyte takes the wrong meaning from what a Master Vampire does and feelings grow that are not reciprocated.  Dina's amazing writing had me fighting my emotions, along with the characters', through out the whole book.  Amazingly well done Dina.  I love how she put that thought into my mind and I tried so hard to follow it, just like he told his Acolyte to do.  But, I will admit I failed miserably.  I fell in love. *sigh* 

Okay, on with the review.  We have Ryan which I was wanting more of the mystery here, and I did get.  I love how I was left wanting to know more with the important part he played.  And we got the big man Billy!  Oh, he is the best friend anyone could ask for and he sleeps curled up on the floor in his protective family loving way.  Oh these are not the only characters, but the ones we spend most of our time with.  Amazingly well done as they are all so different and fit in this story so well. 

Our main girl, Rebecca.  This is a girl who has a full life of caring for her Nana and worrying about school and home.  What Rebecca learns explains why she is the way she is, and opens her up to evolve to so much more for her birthday so close.  But others want what she is becoming and will do just about anything to get it.  Rebecca really grows as a character from the beginning to the end of this book.  You will see.

When I started reading this one I didn't want to stop.  Dina had me wanting more constantly keeping the pages turning.  I came up with questions and she would answer them, leading me sometimes to more in depth questions which would be answered as well.  This book took on action as we went into the Etheral to face down the demons.  Oh, and Billy's car!  AMAZING he has the car I soooo want, and when you see here in the Ethereal.  Ha!  Love it.

The world here is so magical.  The whole idea of the Healers and their history.  And all the magical creatures we see.  I just enjoyed all the magic here.  The story of Rebecca coming into her own is wonderful.  I love the healer birth.  We learn some of the stories each character has as it slips right in the story at prefect times and even have a few little morsels to make us hungry for the next book as well.  Nothing to leave us starving, just looking forward to the next meal.

I will be purchasing a print copy of this one to keep on the shelves and go back to in the future.  And I WILL be looking for the next book.  And maybe keeping an eye out for Syd. ;)


I read this book for an honest review for Publisher

This book qualifies for YA Reading Challenge 2011 and Horror and Urban Fantasy Reading Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

New book to come...

I was chatting with a few people on twitter, along with author Alma Alexander about her new book and her YA series: Worldweavers.  Alma let me know the next book in the Worldweavers series is being written now and volume 1 should be out in April 2012.

I read the first three books of this series, and reviewed them:

Gift of the Unmage

Spellspam

Cybermage

And I enjoyed these reads.  And now I'm looking forward to the next book!

Book Review: Ada, Legend of a Healer

Ada
Legend of a Healer

By:  R.A. McDonald

Publisher:  House of Lore Publishing

Publish Date:  January 2011

Format:  Paperback 250pgs, Trade size 5 1/2x 8 1/2

Genre:  Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult (healers)

Series:  1st book in Ada Healer series

Recommendation:  For Young Readers who enjoy Healers and action as well.  Also, has great ideas to talk on with others about thoughts that surface here.

Book Synopsis:
No sickness, No injuries, No pain, No limits.

If you had the power to heal, what would you do?

For fifteen-year-old Ada discovering that she can heal feels more like a curse than a gift.  When she learns of the mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance, and sees the indifference of so-called friends, she sets out for Paris to find her.

The power to heal protects her, but also has her hunted by a man who sees her as nothing more than his fountain of youth.  Ada realizes her true power is her will to survive, and that her only chance at freedom is to become the best at escaping.

First Sentence:
Usually an indoor plant will bend and twist to find the direction with the most sun, but not the plant in Ada's room.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Ada is 15 and at the Between house after getting kicked out of another foster home, like her history of being kicked out of schools or upsetting her foster parents.  She has 3 days for her Aunt Jessie to contact them before her social worker will have to send her to juvenile.  Ada can tell by felling or smelling there is something wrong with someone.  But they don't like hearing it when Ada asks or suggests health issues, hence part of her troubles with foster homes.  The others are just not nice people.  Ada's Aunt finally shows up and comes through but she travels for her own business with herbs.  Ada's Aunt tells her she knows it's been hard on her but "it was preparation for what's to come."  After learning more about herself and who might be after her if they know about her ability, Ada goes on the run and finds herself in Paris, meeting a nice young man and looking for her lost mother.

Ada is a strong young girl that has come from some harsh surroundings.  Not only has she been in homes that are not so nice, but in lovely homes she loses after she mentions something about someones health not being good, even for something small.  But all this hardens Ada to deal with the not so nice people that find out what she can do, at the same time as she finds out.  Ada is a fighter.  She is one to keep going and survive.  And even makes her own way in the world as well.  She is a strong young girl.

Ada has a strong belief about helping people.  And a big part of me believes the same as her.  But I do see the other side of the coin.  Actually both sides of extreme here with healing.  But you have to read the book to get the view as well.  To me the author has opened my mind a little more to think on the helping of others.  There are different views to each side and legitimate reasons to each.  I really liked the way the author pulled this all together and keeping each character true to their thoughts.

Ada finds clues taking her to Paris, France.  Here Ada learns more about herself and grows as well.  She starts to see another side to helping people willingly.  Ada even makes a few great friends that help her in learning many new things to protect herself.  My only hope for future books, is we get to see Daniel again.  I really liked him and his Uncle.  Very nice.  Daniel has been kind and yet challenges Ada to try and do more without pushing her.  Just him being around makes Ada want to do more and better.

This is nice story for a Young Adult or even a Young Reader.  I would definitely pass this book along to my son or a friends child with no worries at all.

I found I enjoyed this Young Reader book more than I was expecting.  And so much so I would love to read more of Ada and her journeys.


I received a copy of this book from the Publisher for an honest review.

This book qualifies for the YA Reading Challenge, and the Speculative Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books.