Wednesday Book Review: Tales from Alternate Earth

Title: Tales From Alternate Earths

Author: Jessica Holmes, Terri Pray, Brent A. Harris, Ricardo Victoria, Rob Edwards, Cathbad Maponus, Leo McBride, Daniel M. Bensen, Maria Haskins.

Publisher:  Inklings Press

Book procurement: Received from publisher because they are an amazing bunch.

Release Date: August 19, 2016.

Synopsis:

Our world could have been so very different…

Eight stories take us on a journey into how our world could have been. What if the nukes had flown that day over Cuba? What if Caesar had survived? Imagine the Tunguska meteor with a different outcome. What if there was a true story behind HG Wells’ most famous tale? See the world as it might have been if China discovered the New World first. And what if all of this was never meant to be and dinosaurs ruled the Earth?

Authors Jessica Holmes, Daniel M. Bensen, Terri Pray, Rob Edwards, Maria Haskins, Cathbad Maponus, Leo McBride, and collaborators Brent A. Harris and Ricardo Victoria show us the world that might have been – if the butterfly’s wings had fluttered a different way, if the world changed between heartbeats, if a moment of decision saw another choice.

This is the fourth anthology from Inklings Press, aiming to provide a platform for new and upcoming authors and to open the door onto different worlds.

Review:

I was never a fan of history at school. I think when you’re younger, those things seem irrelevant and pointless. Now that I’m a little bit older I find history fascinating. Watching the world change around me. I visited my old neighbourhood and drove past my previous house to find that nostalgia was not forthcoming as I would have expected. Things had changed so drastically that I had nothing to reminisce about; even the tree I had spent days pretending was a giant robot, was gone.

Now imagine if we hadn’t moved out. How different would my life be now? Would I be seeing that tree as a sentimental token to my youth, or a nuisance in my front yard? Tales From Alternate Earths doesn’t explore such trivialities, but pushes the boundaries a bit further. In it, cutting down that tree myself may have led me to find a time capsule from the 1500s telling me where I can find an ancient medallion that makes me president. Or something.

The writing by each of the authors is brilliant. There wasn’t a story I read where I was put off by the writing style, tense or anything. Flowing freely between scenes, building up to the great reveal that changes the world as we know it, and all while keeping the suspense high. These are the history lessons that never were, and could never be, and make for compelling history nonetheless.

Of the eight stories, I would pick out Twilight of the Mesozoic Moon, a collaboration by Brent A Harris & Ricardo Victoria where sentient dinosaurs rule the planet. The Secret War by Leo McBride with a fantastic twist regarding the famous HG Wells. Lastly, Tunguska, 1987 by Maria Haskins has an ending that deserves an entire novel!

I was also able to read through these short stories in a single sitting. I enjoyed them so much I wanted to get into the next story rather than take a break and at the end I wanted more. Great work by the authors and a wonderful collection by Inklings Press. Keep up the great work!

Rating:  A fantastic 4 out of 5.

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About Inklings Press

We are a group of friends that share a love for many interests, be it comics, rpg’s, anime, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, alternative history, wargames and literature. But above all we are a group of like minded friends that decided to create our owned e-publisher in order to provided us with an outlet for our stories, novels, anthology and blog/ezine projects related to those interest. Working as a team we hope to create and share good quality work with our readers.

Our purpose is to provide a new offer when it comes to fantasy, science fiction, mystery  & alternative history tales.

We are still building up the content, but he hope that when it is ready, it will be to your liking.

Website: InklingsPress.com

Twitter: @InklingsPress

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Author Interview: JD Woodson – A Space Between Worlds Vol 1: Conception

I had the awesome privileged of speaking to J.D Woodson, author of A Space Between Worlds Vol 1: Conception. You can read my book review here. This what he had to say.

Q: An enchanting tale combining a number of interesting characters and pertinent questions. What inspired you to write A Space Between Worlds: Conception?

A: Loss, regret, self-loathing, the lack of identity, introspection and comprehension: those ideas would suffice in the reasoning of the creation of the A Space Between Worlds: Conception. All of those things, I’ve experienced and were deeply seeded into my heart ever since I was young. Not until I grew older, I had the inkling of tackling such questions. Terrifying and painful, liberating and refreshing. I wasn’t singular in facing such concepts. Those around me, people I knew and who I didn’t, struggled with the very same. I wrote the story, not only to soothe myself but others as well. Many of us don’t have the opportunity to face ourselves; it’s almost as if we refuse to. Many of us don’t know who we are. I knew someone who had the thorough understanding of those ideas but unbeknownst to me, I hadn’t an inkling of her suffering. After she departed from this world, that was the spark for me to compose this story. After three years of writing this story, it changed drastically from draft to draft, however, what I needed to express had to be pulled out of me by my own hands.

Q: Are the questions and concepts your characters work through something you consider deeply? Do you question the truths of life and death as deeply?

Inner worlds, reincarnation, cycles both broken and whole? Yes, I ponder those concepts with care. They are depthless and without shape. And because of this, there isn’t a universal answer. Some characters in the story have their own interpretations while others are trying to find their answers. I’m still seeking mine too.

Yes. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t’ve been write a story like this. I questioned life and death starting very young. The reason for that was the departure of my eldest brother not long after I was born. For some reason, I thought I wasn’t meant to be alive. I thought I stole my brother’s life. So because of that I wore a mask that wasn’t mine in order to keep my brother’s presence here, I suppose. I didn’t have an identity and I was constricted by regret. It wasn’t until I was 19 that I removed that mask and since then, I’ve been piecing together my identity. I started my life at death instead of the other way around. But this enabled me to question what those things meant to me. I can’t say I have any answers yet, much like my characters. Shanti is on one side of the cycle and Reno is on the other, but neither of them can see beyond what they do and don’t know. My true feelings on the matter are expressed through the story.

Q: This is only volume one. I am assuming you’ve got a series in the works? Will they all be related?

A: Yes, I can confirm there will be more volumes to come. Though I originally intended for A Space Between Worlds to be a duology; the change came about during the outlining of the next book, I noticed there was more of the story wanting to be told and if I confined those ideas into one last book, the execution would’ve been sloppy and what was to be covered wouldn’t be fully realized. I’m currently writing volume two and there are plans for future books. While volume one and volume two will be directly related, the others will be a separate arc in a sense. With that being said, you can expect majority of the characters to return in the next one. I wonder how they will change?

Q: Your writing style is flowery. Poetic. I know you gained a love for poetry but is this how you have always written or has there been something or someone who influenced you?

A: Wow. Flowery, huh? The majority of authors in this day and age would cringe at hearing that term affixed to their writing, indeed. As for I, I find it to be flattering. Flowers are pleasant, fragrant, and comforting. But an overabundance of flowers can be overwhelming to the senses, no? Since poetry was my background, my first love, my style transitioned into my storytelling. There was a time were my storytelling was as pungent as a perfume section of a department store when I was first starting out but I would like to think I found a proper balance and flow of what is considered flowery.  My style was influenced by Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks in terms of poetry. As for storytelling, Haruki Murakami would probably be my deepest influence in the way of storytelling and Carl Jung, Frederick Nietzsche, and Indian Philosophy as whole are some of my philosophical influences.

Q: Do you have works of poetry out there (or in your drafts folder) that we can look forward to?

A: Now that you mentioned it; I do desire to publish a collection of poetry. I’ve put all of my focus on A Space Between Worlds for the last few years so I can’t say I’ve written any poetry outside of the ones within the story. Integrating my first love into my second, I’ll continue to do that but maybe one day soon I’ll write a traditional poetry collection.

Q: I infer from your style that you are an emotive writer. Do your feelings and emotions always guide your writing? How do you manage when you’re not feeling any particular way?

A: Naturally, I’m a sensitive person. In everything I do, I go by feeling. For myself, there isn’t any other way to live but to go by what my heart tells me and that carries into my writing. If I can’t express myself without clarity, I abstain from writing until I’m enraptured by the emotion I’m trying to convey. If what I am writing doesn’t have meaning, there isn’t any reason why they should be written.

Q: Do you have any favourite authors? Music that inspires you as you write?

A: Haruki Murakami, Franz Kafka, Ray Bradbury, Natsume Soseki, and Yu Godai are some of my favourite authors of fiction.

Nobuhiro Watsuki, Masamune Shirow, Hiroyuki Takei, and Tetsuo Hara are my favourite manga-ka (authors of manga).

Yoko Shinomura, Yasunori Mitsuda, Yuki Kajiura, Shoji Meguro, Masashi Hamauzu, and Uyama Hiroto are the composers I listen to thoroughly. Symphonic, Jazz, Rock and Synth, interesting combination, huh?

Q: What does your writing process look and feel like?

A: To keep it simple, it’s a lot like gardening. Peaceful and relaxing, meticulous and intensive. I adore writing, but it can be painful. I’m mentally and physically exhausted after it’s all said and done.

Q: Who is J.D. Woodson? To the world and to yourself?

Obtaining those answers are the very reason I write.

Q: Where to from here?

A: If I had every map devised, it’ll leave nothing for me to discover. I can only continue to live and express myself moment by moment. Whatever is in store, I’ll accept and move only by what my heart tells me. All I know for certain, I’ll never cease to write.

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Click here or visit Royal James Publishing’s Facebook page to enter to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of A Space Between Worlds Vol.1: Conception by J.D. Woodson.

Wednesday Book Review: A Space Between Worlds Vol 1: Conception

Title: A Space Between Worlds Vol 1: Conception

Author: J.D Woodson

Publisher:  Royal James Publishing

Book procurement: Received from publisher in return for an honest review.

Release Date: October 17, 2016.

Synopsis:

Songstress Shanti’s final performance is no different than any other. Gazing into the mirror, the Songstress laments her faceless curse. To hide her unsightliness, she dons a beautiful mask. She knows she doesn’t belong in the darkness. Her desire is to live in a world of eternal light, to be seen for who she truly is.

An enigmatic man who calls himself Avidia beckons Shanti, claiming to know how to conceive the world of light sleeping inside of her, and escape her current world of darkness, Cauraaha. Avidia poses the question that will be the key to her desire, as well as an unresolved pain:

“What is your first memory?”

Reno, a gentle florist, has his own stigma, a translucent coil of thorns wrapped around his arm, draining him of life at the utterance of the word “Promise”. Hidden away in his heart is the knowledge of a past he doesn’t wish to face, one that connects to Shanti, Avidia, and her curse.

A dual narrative of introspection and self-discovery, A Space Between Worlds eloquently questions the truths of life and death, timeless bonds, and regret through lyrical imagination, philosophy, surrealism, and a journey through the unconscious mind.

Review:

We are thinking, feeling beings currently experiencing the ebb and flow of life. Guided by our past, driven by the prospects of our future, and engaging in the instance of our present. We question our existence, the banality of day to day life, the adventure of hope, regret, love, friendship – and the inevitability of death. Do we remember our first memory? Do we know what happens when we die? Will we cease to exist? Will we live eternally in the presence of the Creator? Will we return to the world in an endless cycle of life and death?

These are the questions JD Woodson explores in this poetic narrative A Space Between Worlds: Conception. We follow the mysterious songstress Shanti, and her faceless existence seeking to be seen. We follow the emotive Reno with a dark past coiled around his arm in living, life draining thorns. The story flits between these two characters as they seek to figure out who they are and what secrets theirs pasts hold – and the space between worlds where the enigmatic Avanti continues to unravel.

The writing is poetic, story cryptic, and although occasionally difficult to figure out, A Space Between Worlds makes for an evocative tale.

Rating:  A stirring 3 out of 5.

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J.D. Woodson was born Chicago, Illinois in 1992. He grew up in Palos Park, a quiet suburb southwest of Chicago. During his early years, J.D. gained a fondness towards poetry and continued to writing it through primary school and high school, winning small awards for his work. He would attend Columbia College Chicago with intent to major in poetry, however he shifted his focus and major to Fiction Writing due to his love for storytelling. After his sophomore year, he would take a leave of absence to study outside of the workshop method he was taught and gained experience as a ghostwriter which his projects spanned from fiction to non-fiction. To read more about J.D., you can visit him on his website.

Website: JDWoodson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/authorjdwoodson

Twitter: @Woodson_JD

Instagram: @author_jdwoodson

Wednesday Book Review: Thr3e

Title: Thr3e

Author: Ted Dekker

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson

Book procurement: Bought at a little secondhand book store in Melville.

Release Date: December 10, 2006.

Synopsis:

Enter a world where nothing is what it seems. Where your closest friend could be your greatest enemy.

Kevin Parson is alone in his car when his cell phone rings. A man calling himself Slater offers a deadly ultimatum: You have exactly three minutes to confess your sin to the world. Refuse, and the car you’re driving will blow sky high. Then the phone goes dead.

Kevin panics. Who would make such a demand? What sin? Yet not sure what else to do, Kevin swerves into a parking lot and runs from his car. Just in case.

Precisely three minutes later, a massive explosion sets his world on a collision course with madness. And that’s only the first move in this deadly game

Review:

A friend of mine introduced me to Ted Dekker ages ago where I procured The Circle, which didn’t appeal to me much. So I tried Heavens Wager and that was a great book. Thr3e was in the backseat of my car for some weird reason, probably didn’t take it out since I bought it 6 months ago, and I decided I might as well read it. I’m so glad I did.

It begins with quite a philosophical question regarding the nature of man/humans/people. Is man good or evil? Does our capacity to do evil make us inherently evil? How do we deal with our inner duality of good and evil? In the bible sin is sin (sin is overstepping the boundaries set by God), which leads to asking if someone who gossips is as bad as someone who murders since both have overstepped the boundary – committed a sin.

Kevin Parson is a seminary student who poses this question to his professor. Almost as though to immediately lead him towards the answer, he receives a call from a man called Slater.  Solve this riddle and confess your sin, or you die. What follows is an explosive action packed adventure with Kevin Parson revisiting his childhood, solving riddles posed and trying to figure out who Slater is.

The writing is fluid. It moves along at a fantastic pace almost as though I’m watching a movie and everything is unraveling splendidly. So refreshing to enjoy a book that keeps me turning the pages and shouting out in agony as I try to figure out who Slater is. As much as Ted Dekker falls into Christian thrillers, it’s not a book trying to convert you into Christianity. There’s hardly any reference to it and when there is, it’s linked to Kevin, Slater and the ongoing battle between them. Expertly handled from beginning to end.

Let’s not forget that amazingly mind-blowing hair-tearing-from-suspense conclusion that had me talking to myself in traffic and uttering profound praise to Ted Dekker for messing with my mind!! Whoa. Loved it.

Rating: A MINDBLOWING 5 out of 5. (edited)

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Ted Dekker is known for novels that combine adrenaline-laced stories with unexpected plot twists, unforgettable characters, and incredible confrontations between good and evil. Ted lives in Austin with his wife LeeAnn and their four children.

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If you didn’t know, now you know, I’ve started a bookstagram!

@ascribe_bookstagram

Wednesday Book Review: The Lilies of Dawn

Title: The Lilies of Dawn

Author: Vanessa Fogg

Publisher:  Annorlunda Books

Book procurement: Won the book in a competition run by Vicky of BooksandStrips.

Release Date: July 26, 2016.

Synopsis:

There is a lake of marvels. A lake of water lilies that glow with the color of dawn. For generations Kai’s people have harvested these lilies, dependent upon them for the precious medicines they provide.

But now a flock of enchanted cranes has come to steal and poison the harvest. The lilies are dying. Kai’s people are in peril. A mysterious young man from the city thinks he might have a solution. Kai must work with him to solve the mystery of the cranes, and it will take all her courage, love, strength, and wisdom to do what she must to save both the lilies and her people. The Lilies of Dawn is a lushly written, lyrical fairy tale of love, duty, family, and one young woman’s coming of age.

Review:

Ah what a wonderfully sweet and fantastically written book. It’s too short though! I could have done with a couple more pages, but for what it was and it’s purpose, it was the perfect length.

It’s the story of Kai, who is the daughter of the Priestess of the Dawn Mother. A deity who’s beautiful lilies bloom at dawn and give an elixir that cures ills. However, mysterious sunlit cranes sweep in out of nowhere to steal the precious nectar and poison the flowers. Shamans, Priests and monks seek to rid the village of the birds but none succeed – until a mysterious young man appears with a possible solution.

I was pleasantly surprised with the story. A solid plot that combines real life with mysticism. There were a few things I predicted, but it wasn’t a disappointing experience – and there were few where I thought I knew where it was going and it didn’t. Like the ending! Although in hindsight I should have seen that coming haha.

The words flow beautifully along, strung almost poetically from the perspective of Kai. We get to understand her persona, learn about life and how everything has been building towards the climatic end.

Outside of my scope, especially considering it’s horror week on the blog. A recommended read.

Rating: A sweet 4 out of 5.

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Vanessa Fogg dreams of dragons, selkies, and gritty cyberpunk futures from her home in western Michigan. She is a lapsed scientist and now works as a freelance medical writer. Her short stories have appeared in a number of science fiction and fantasy magazines, as well as in a few non-genre outlets. She is fueled by green tea.

Purchase Links: Amazon | GumRoad | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

Goodreads: Vanessa Fogg

Author Website: VanessaFogg.com

Book Review: Gloryhill

Title: Gloryhill

Author: Vanessa Hawkins

Publisher:  Friesen Press

Book procurement: Received a copy from author for an honest review.

Release Date: Feb 24, 2016.

Synopsis:

In a festering town like Gloryhill, where the sewage overflows into the streets and the dirty, disease-ridden underworld claws its way to the surface, the existence of vampires is a thinly veiled secret. The most oozing, decomposed of them all, Pachuco, spends his nights hunting prey and pretty human girls to suck down below the surface. It’s only when Charlotte, a beautiful, sensual vampire deputy, seeks his help in solving a mystery that he directs his attention to matters outside of blood, cigarettes, and female attentions. Charlotte, on the other hand, forty years after being bitten and transformed into the monster that she now sees herself as, is desperately trying to hold onto any shred of her humanity while relentlessly pursuing a killer who threatens the delicate place that vampires hold in a human-driven world. While the case is pulling her deeper into the belly of the rotting, putrid vampire world, she engages Pachuco to seek out her human former lover and fiance. In a world that values sex above love, blood above loyalty, and death above all, will Charlotte’s dalliance with this devil bring her to the light . . . or just drag her further down into the darkness?”

Review:

First things first, Gloryhill was the perfect vampire book in its violence, sensuality and grim atmosphere. Therefore if you’re squeamish, offended by language and can’t handle rather explicit sexual descriptions, stay clear. Vanessa Hawkins holds nothing back. You have been warned.

The story opens with a fascinating gory scene out over the Alabaster River which runs through Gloryhill. It sets the pace and ominous atmosphere the rest of the novel twists through. Then again, it is vampires. Not the romantic type wearing flowing capes and finely slicked back hair in fine clothes turning into bats (vampires can’t turn into bats by the way). No, this is the look-like-regular-folk-then-eat-your-chest-out kind of vamps who don’t hold on to their humanity and embrace the darkness that has consumed them.

The characters are richly explored, perspectives flitting between like flies on dead bodies. You are thrust into their thoughts, lives, and actions in gory detail. Personalities come to the forth vividly and there is no doubt at all who is who between the changes. Charlotte swan is an intelligent, strong woman who appears as dainty as a lioness. Just because you can pet her (if you dare), it doesn’t mean she won’t rip your throat out. The story is told mostly from her perspective where we see who she is as a deputy keeping the veil up from exposing the undead. We see her before turning, the events leading up to it and what happened following. Pachuco is my favourite character in that he is neither hero, villain or anti-hero. He embraces the monster that he is and even as an undead, has his weird standards. And is witty as he is ferocious. A flurry of other characters sweep through the story, all beautifully interconnected and weaving the unwinding tale to a rather dramatic end. *That ending though!*

And Vanessa Hawkins writes beautifully haunting words. I had no critiques to her writing style, pace or anything. It was just that good – so refreshing to read without being distracted by grammar or misplaced words or anything. Gloryhill is definitely top of my list.

Rating: A disturbingly good 5 out of 5.

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A life-long lover of horror, Vanessa Hawkins wrote her first story in the genre when she was only in grade five. It was titled Mutilated and it warranted her a trip to the school guidance counsellor. A lifetime later, she continues to write about anything gruesome, terrifying, destitute, and cynical. An avid traveller, Vanessa calls New Brunswick, Canada home, and she lives there with her husband Brendon.

Amazon: Vanessa Hawkins

Website: VanessaCHawkins.com

Buy the book!

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes and Noble | Friesen Press

 

Wednesday Book Review: He Count’s Their Tears

Title: He Counts Their Tears

Author: Mary Ann D’Alto

Publisher:  Dog Ear Publishing

Book procurement: Received a copy from author for an honest review.

Release Date: Sep 17, 2015.

Synopsis:

A handsome, successful, charming man. Healer. Miracle maker. Aaron Stein is all those things. Behind the benevolent façade, however, hides a monster: a destroyer of souls who lusts after power and control. Aaron plays his ruse again and again with unsuspecting women who genuinely believe that they have met their new “best friend”, their “soul mate”. Covert hypnosis, edgy trysts, psychological warfare – they’re all part of the sick game he plays “to have all the power”
…until his secret life is threatened by a series of events he never sees coming. Will his devoted cousin, Constance, succeed in protecting him, just as she has throughout his entire life? And what exactly is it that she does to protect him? Is she a murderer, or is she simply devoted to him? Are they merely cousins (possibly, once, long ago, lovers), or are they partners in crime? Did Aaron learn his evil ways from her, or was he born a psychopath? In the end, these answers will make no difference in the lives of the women who, each in turn, are charmed into becoming his victims.

Review:

He Counts Their Tears is a novel I am at two minds about. It struck a chord with me nonetheless. One of my biggest fears is people without a conscience. People unable to empathize with others and can easily overlook the pain and grief they cause for their own pleasure. I watched a documentary ages ago about serial killers, and it was the men who didn’t cry or flinch or show any emotion as they recounted their horrific exploits that scared me the most. Aaron, the main character of this novel, is such a man.

The main thing that threw me off this novel was the repetition on every page for the first half of the novel. I don’t know if it was done on purpose to somehow reiterate Aaron’s character (Aaron does mean exalted after all and he clearly enjoys exalting himself). Perhaps it was a way of showing the depth of cruelty that is constantly on his mind, or to show the vulnerability of his victims and how he was able to lead them on. Either way, it made the whole first half quite annoying. I mean, if it was explained earlier why he’d done and said something, or why he hated a particular thing or attribute, repeating it again a couple paragraphs later, and then again later… and then again from the perspective of the woman, was aggravating. I get it. I get it. I get it.

The second half of the book picked up in terms of writing style and characters, although there were repetitions, they weren’t as bad. We also get a stronger, clearer picture of the women Aaron meets and why they are the broken, vulnerable, weak shells they are. I enjoyed these, not because Aaron is a complete *insert inappropriate comment here* but because Mary Ann D’Alto’s writing flourishes. At the same time, I lost track of the unwinding plot the first half of the book seemed to be leading to, which suddenly dropped off to focus on Aaron’s victims. Instead it picks up with an amazing short look at Constance, who she is and her role in Aaron’s life. Masterful and tragic. A great build up at the end with a great powerful end. If the book had started as strongly as it finished, this would have definitely received a higher rating.

Rating: A promising 3 out of 5.

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Mary Ann D’Alto graduated from Barnard College with a degree in art history and a rather large box of journals filled with short stories and poetry penned in between classes. She has advanced degrees from Columbia University and from City University of New York School of Law, where she received a Juris Doctor. He Counts Their Tears is her first novel.

Author Website: hecountstheirtears.com 

Amazon Purchase Link: He Counts Their Tears

Author Interview:

 

 

Rapid Fire Book Tag

Usually I don’t do these tag things, I don’t know, it’s too main stream and I don’t do mainstream.

#imnotahipstereither #laughandpretenditsajoke #somanyhashtags #imdefinitelyahipsternow

*Ahem

Anyway, it’s about books and I have a weakness for books so here we go!

Tag Questions!

 E-Book or Physical Book?

Definitely physical book (not because I’m a hipster!). I grew up going to the library and walking out with a stack of books and feeling the weight of a book in my (torn) blazer pocket. There’s also something about having a physical copy of a book that you can admire and literally flip through pages and put up on a shelf that eBooks just falls short on.

Paperback or Hardback?

Paperbacks. I think I own one hardback book and it was the only version at the store. Actually don’t have a real reason why paperbacks. They are cheaper though… hmmmm.

Online or In-Store Book Shopping?

Sometimes the books I want aren’t in stores or available here in South Africa so I go online. I get eBucks with my bank (like money back for purchases) and I can use those eBucks online. But scrolling through a webpage isn’t like picking up a book in-store and feeling the weight and checking the inside and being overwhelmed by the rows and rows of amazing book covers until you feel you’re going to die from I-don’t-have-enough-money syndrome. Also, I found a little note telling me to buy The Night Circus when I bought it in-store! And I loved that book.

Trilogies or Series?

Neither. I prefer stand alone books. I like conclusions. I don’t know how often I read a book and found out halfway that it’s the second book of a trilogy or series. Or started reading one and finding out it’s the first of a 20 book series. (Discworld anyone?) I also had a bad experience with Stephen King’s The Dark Tower seven thick volume long series with the last chapter of the last book. *Cringes in memory. cries*

Heroes or Villains?

I like villains. Especially believable villains with a plausible reason for their villainy rather than “I want to rule the universe” because I think that’s incredibly short-sighted. I mean, okay you rule the universe and then what? Do as you please? That’s boring! Probably why I liked Megamind! Also, once you die then what? What a waste.

A book you want everyone to read?

Gee I don’t know. I’ll say the Endgame series by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton! But be warned, the second book just came out and I think there’ll definitely be a third. Or maybe The Program by Gregg Hurwitz because you need to understand how these “cults” work man! Wait no Whisper in the Dark by Robert Gregory Browne! Thrilling. Twisted. Dark. Whenever I write, this book always comes to mind. Wait no The Watchmaker of Filigree street by Natasha Pulley… no Harvest Man by Alex Grecian… you know what I don’t know anymore. (What no Stephen King? Nope sorry.)

Recommend an underrated book?

The Black Fedora by Guy N. Smith. Granted I read it a while ago, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I feel like I’m the only person in the world you read it.

The last book you finished?

The War Between by Jennifer Withers. A great science-fiction debut novel by a South African author.

The Last Book(s) You Bought?

Moxyland by Lauren Beukes. It’s a South African futuristic sci-fi intermingled with “virtual” gaming and all things tech. Great read.

Ready Player One by Earnest Cline. Heard so many good things about this one. Haven’t read it yet.

11/22/63 by Stephen King (There he is!) – it was part of a book club reading but I got swamped with other books. Read the first 100 pages and so far so good. Time Travel at it’s finest.

Weirdest Thing You’ve Used as a Bookmark?

A slipper. I was outside reading and was called into the house… so I used my slipper as a bookmark. *shrugs*

Used Books: Yes or No?

Definitely. One of my favourite books (The Program) I bought at a thrift shop, no cover or anything. I also used to buy from Books Galore in Greenstone (sadly it’s closed now). Most of my Terry Pratchett books are second hand.

Top Three Favourite Genres?

Horror. Horror. Romance. haha jokes. Horror. Fantasy. Thriller.

Borrow or Buy?

Buy every time. There’s something about owning a book and not having to take it back to its owner that appeals to me. Also, I know what you’re thinking. I’m a hoarder. Well it’s not hoarding if it’s books, it’s called building a library.

Characters or Plot?

Plot. Surprising if you know how much I love reading Stephen King books which are mostly character driven. But they have a plot to them. Rich deep characters in a believable plot and you have me sold.

Long or Short Books?

I remember people staring at the massive books I used to read. 1000 pages minimum. Ahh those were the days. I just don’t have time now so I prefer short books I can read a week. But I miss the long books. It was like an investment.

Long or Short Chapters?

Oh it depends. When I’m not enjoying a book I prefer short chapters. It means I’m making some progress haha. If it’s a good book then either one works for me. Whisper in the Dark was short powerful scenes between chapters that made “one more chapter” so much easier to do because they were great. The Well was boring book with long chapters and I cried when I looked how far before the next.

Name The First Three Books You Think Of…

The Program

Harvest Man

Endgame

Books That Make You Laugh or Cry?

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett. Ahhhhahahaha!

Our World or Fictional Worlds?

Depends how the author weaves it into reality. The Baxter series by Charlie Human and Moxyland by Lauren Beukes made a fantastical world of South Africa. I loved it. 11/22/63 by Stephen King goes back to the 80s and that lifestyle which he captured so well considering he lived though it. Night Circus weaved through our world beautifully. The demon infested world in Peter V. Brett’s Painted Man just great. Discworld needs no mention.

Audiobooks: Yes or No?

I’ve tried but listening requires a certain level of concentration that I cannot achieve because I multi-task horribly. I’ll either forget I’m listening or forget whatever else I’m doing. And I can’t just sit and do nothing while listening to an audiobook.

Do You Ever Judge a Book by its Cover?

Absolutely. I bought The Watchmaker of Filigree Street because of it’s cover. Look at it! And the front cover has a hole at the clock so when you open it you can see the watch inside.

It doesn’t always mean the book will be great, but it definitely contributes to whether I’ll buy the book or not.

Book to Movie or Book to TV Adaptations?

Movies have a bigger budget, not enough screen time. TV series have the screen time not the movie budget. So there are always flaws somewhere in either adaptation. TV series can stick closer to the book because they are not limited to 120 minutes. TV series won’t always look that great because of budget costs. In either one you just have to take the lore of the book and it’s characters and enjoy it’s adaptation as a separate entity. Unless you’re HBO of course.

A Movie or TV-Show You Preferred to its Book?

…… I got nothing.

Series or Standalone’s?

Standalone’s. Or just make the whole series into one big book!!

 

Thanks Jen for the tag! For my tags I’m going with my new followers and cool reader peeps. Thank you for gracing my blog with your presence:

Vrushali @ Vrushali

Klinta @ Bookowly

The Reading Desk

Kelly @ KellyBookBlog 

Reader vs Writer: Book Reviews

I have been reading for a long time. Recently my scope of reading has expanded past horrors (and Stephen King), reading authors from across the world (India, UK, US, South Africa to mention a few) and all of them have varying writing styles. Of course they do, every writer has their own unique voice and way of story telling, which is what makes reading such a fun and engaging exercise. To “suspend disbelief” long enough for the stories and characters to be real in your mind, no longer hearing the creator but their creations. You can tell a Stephen King novel from Dean Koontz or Brandon Sanderson from Peter V. Brett by dialog alone. Which made me wonder about the other side of things.

Reader’s ears

Much as a writer has a voice, does a reader have an ear for reading? An ear that has the ability to “hear” deeper what the writer is saying below the words. We can all read Lord of the Rings and be amazed by the world building, taken by the magic, drawn in by the characters, and riveted by the story. However we all experience and draw varying conclusions at the end. We all hear a different message from the same text.

Let me clarify that a bit. When a writer writes a story, there is (a majority of the time) a theme or issue being addressed. The overarching theme. Most readers see this clearly. However, the story is made up of characters and each character has their own theme. Their own motivations. Plot arcs have their own theme. The world has its own theme. One can read a book and get the main idea and be satisfied. Another can read the same book, get the main theme and glean greater insight through the world, characters and plots, making the story fuller and richer.

As reference (I’m sorry okay!) Stephen King books are about real believable characters experiencing a fabricated horror. If you have read (or watched) The Mist you will understand what I mean: *No spoilers don’t worry*

After a mysterious mist envelops a small New England town, a group of locals trapped in a supermarket must battle a siege of otherworldly creatures . . . and the fears that threaten to tear them apart.

On the surface, you’re freaking out because OH MY GAWD! Otherworldly creatures are terrifying and the way King writes them you don’t need to watch the movie to be freaked out. But below that, the characters are memorable not for their battle against the creatures, but their personalities taking shape in light of the creatures. Take Mrs. Carmody for instance, whom I would have smashed in the face with a shovel… and I’m not a violent person (kinda). Her character tells a story of its own, of people like that in this day and age and those who support her almost blindly. There was a point where I hated Mrs. Carmody more than I feared the monsters outside. A little story within a bigger story.

I doubt I’m the only one who felt that way, but how many understood her “persona”, understood what made her tick, reading deeper into her character and the situation to give new depth to the whole book, that surface reading would not have provided.

Reader’s Experience

A reader’s world view (the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world and life) is influenced by a variety of things: How they grew up. What they read growing up (or lack of reading). Their current stage in life. What they have experienced, taught, learned etc in life so far. Race. Culture. Religion. Plenty.

Their world view affects how they read too, to a level. Angela Meadon’s book Strong Medicine, resonated with South African’s who know that muti (traditional medicine) killings are real. This is the overarching theme that everyone who reads the book will see and even agree to. However, black South Africans read the book with a deeper resonance than white South Africans. South Africans would have a stronger reaction than say the French. Coupled with characters the story focuses on, the world where it all occurs and the minor plot points leading to the conclusion, South African readers’ ears would be more attuned to the story because of their world view.

Reader vs Writer

 

I have been a bit more focused on my writing this year than I have been before, and reading my book reviews from January compared to my recent book reviews is like a completely different person. As a writer, I feel like I’m seeing more because I understand the process behind writing. My world view has changed. My ear better attuned. I’m picking up things I completely missed or didn’t even think about before. Like characters and author intention – sometimes the author wants you to hate a character so they write them that way (Mrs. Carmody I referenced before as an example) on purpose. Sometimes a vague reference is made and my mind latches on to it, only for that vague reference to be fully realized later on and I’m already thinking, “Yep saw that coming.” I’ve noticed dialog structure, world building nuances, even the authors voice. Here are excerpts from some of my book reviews:

Especially with repeating people’s names during conversations. It was obvious the idea was to bypass the “Ryder said”, “Mashego replied” “Navi answered” etc of identifying the speaker or to whom the speaker was speaking to, but it also broke the “normal-ness” of dialogue.

~Plain Dealing by Ian Patrick

I did, however, find myself wondering if all the characters were the same as they bore the same sort of characteristics often. There was even a story where I was convinced the character was female (as most of them are) and was surprised when he wasn’t.

~ Sticky Fingers by JT Lawrence

Sukanya Venkatraghavan said about my review of her book Dark Things:

You are the first reviewer to write about the shift in perspectives.

Reading as a Writer

I was a surface reader. I read the novel without noticing anything but the unfolding tale. Now I’m seeing so much more in a novel. At times it’s great and at other times it’s frustrating. I’ve wondered if my reviews tend to be negative because of this new insight. If being a writer versus a reader, has dampened by reading experience.

There are novels (Endgame: The Calling for one) where the story is so engaging those things don’t even come to the fore. I look forward to those books.

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Are you a reader? What’s your experience when reading? Are you a writer? Do you experience the same things when reading a book? Anything you want to discuss, please feel free to do so in the comments below. 🙂

Wednesday Book Review: The War Between

Title: The War Between

Author: Jennifer Withers

Publisher:  Jennifer Withers

Genre: Fantasy

Book procurement: Received a copy from author for an honest review.

Release Date: April 13, 2016.

Synopsis:

A human war over dwindling resources has all but destroyed the world. In a country once known as South Africa, two cities struggle to survive. Toria is believed to contain the final generation of humans, while Jozenburg is inhabited by beings created and born in a laboratory, gifted with abilities both strange and terrifying. The two species have known peace for many years, but with their respective cities surrounding the remaining resources, tensions are rising. The two leaders of Jozenburg are twin siblings Syra and Draiken, and with their first successful conversion of a human to a superhuman, Draiken sets a plan in motion that will bring his kind, and the humans, to the brink of war. The arrival of Dominico in Jozenburg, a girl with unique and dangerous abilities, and a human commander claiming to have saved her life, Syra is forced to reconsider her views of not only herself, but of the beings she considered her enemies.

Review:

I haven’t read many science-fiction novels based in South Africa. The War Between is the interweaving story of survival in a post war South Africa, where humans and superhumans are caught in a web of deceit, struggle and the ultimate goal of self-preservation. Each living within a walled city separated by The Waste, they keep to themselves in fear of the other.

The story is told from the perspectives of three main protagonists. Dominico is a super-human with unique abilities living in Toria among the humans. Her powers are a secret; should anyone find out it would mean certain death. Circumstances lead her to Jozenburg, the superhuman city. Rogan is a commander from Toria, a human, a man who grew up fearing the superhumans only to find himself saving Dominico and leading her to Jozenburg. Syra is the leader of Jozenburg along with her twin brother Draiken who purses the survival of the superhuman species with dogged determination; he would do anything to ensure continuity. Syra leads with intuition and is guided by both it and her emotions, very introspective and almost as stubborn as her twin brother. As their lives intertwine, and an inevitable war boils to the surface, they learn that there is more to the other than what they have been taught their entire lives.

The novel moves along at a steady pace, the varying perspectives offering views and insights that keep you turning the pages. I experienced those “Why didn’t you see that coming!!! (Syra!)” moments and the occasional “Whoa!? What!?” as Jennifer Wither’s twists through the plot using the characters, to a surprising yet satisfying conclusion.

The characters are real, their motives clearly shown and they do not break character for the sake of the plot. The underlying message in the interactions between the two “species” is one that isn’t so foreign after all. Humans in general (super or not) tend to stick to their learned beliefs without questioning them, quick to repudiate any who are different, and will stubbornly refuse to accept others because of their beliefs even when someone proves trustworthy. Race. Language. Religion. It doesn’t matter. All it requires is a little bit of fear, mob mentality, and a self-serving leader to sustain it.

I wish there had been more about this Creator they refer to. The who and the why. Not that it would change the story as it is complete without the Creator’s backstory, but it would have been nice. Nonetheless, an intriguing story and props to Jennifer Withers.

Rating: An super 4 out of 5.

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Jennifer Withers has been writing since she was seven years old, banging out stories about dragons and damsels in distress on an ancient typewriter. She went on to earn a BA in English Studies at the University of Pretoria. Since then, she has taken writing courses through Writer’s Write, and Allaboutwriting. Jennifer lives in Pretoria, with her husband, two dogs, and an ageing cat. The War Between is her first novel.

Facebook page: Facebook.com/JenniferWithersAuthor

Twitter profile: JenWAuthor

Website: JenniferWithers.com

Amazon Purchase: The War Between