Review: Drive Back the Darkness

Overall:

I enjoyed this book.  It was a fun and light read for me.  The setting was interesting, as were some of the characters and creatures.  I found the quest compelling and am looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the remainder of the series.  There are also a few subplots that look like they will turn quite interesting as the main plot unfolds.

This book is geared toward the YA (young adult) audience, but probably to the younger end (12ish).  As an adult, there were some weaknesses I found mildly irritating, but in my opinion these are unlikely to bother the target audience.  Moreover, some of these weaknesses will likely allow for more growth and depth in later books in the series.

I would put this book in to the following categories : YA/teen fiction, fantasy, adventure/quest, and coming-of-age.

Review: Frost Arch (Book 1 of the Fire Mage Trilogy)

Overall:

I enjoyed this book.  Of course, it’s right up my alley interest-wise.  You’ve got fanciful creatures, magic, and are set up for fantasy-genre fun.  What’s not to love?

The story was fun.  While not constantly action-packed, I never found it slow.  I really didn’t want to put it down when I got to the climax (but had to since we were due to leave for a 4th of July party – that was aggravating).

Review: ASYLUM

Overall:

This book defies several things typical for me.  In fact, it is unusual enough that I sat on this review for a while after I finished reading.  As I reflected back on this book, it grew on me.  This is particularly unusual because not only is this book outside my typical reading zone, but I wasn’t as excited about it while I was reading it as I was after reading it.

The middle of the book was slow at times, and that was my main dissatisfaction.  However, there were things that kept my interest.  I knew  that something was up, but had a couple different theories until the end.  One of them was partially right, so it wasn’t one of those annoying author-pulls-something-out-of-nowhere plot twists.  It also wasn’t a glaringly obvious plot (for me, anyway).

What it lacks in page-turning intensity is compensated for in post-reading thought provocation.  This is one of the few books I have finished and then jumped back into to re-read earlier sections in light of what I learned at the end.  For that matter, I’m still deciding what parts were exploration of psychology and which were plot-based.  I’d probably enjoy a coffee with the author discussing some of the choices he made while writing this (ok, I don’ t drink coffee, but you know what I mean) .

Review: I See Rude People: One woman’s battle to beat some manners into impolite society

used with permission

This is the first non-fiction book that I’m reviewing.  I’ll generally be sticking to fiction, but every now and again, you’ll find something else here.  That’s life.  I review what I read.

Overall:

For a non-fiction book, this was quite an enjoyable read.  I read it on my Kindle, but according to Amazon, the paperback is 224 page.  I went through it in under 24 hours (including the acknowledgements).  So, it clearly held my attention and, while not a page-turner in the sense of a thrilling mystery or action-packed novel, I was obviously turning the pages… quickly.

I figured this would happen, since Ms. Alkon’s writing voice is, in my opinion, hilarious.  It’s not that she says things I don’t think, it’s more that she does… in an ad absurdum kind of way.  Or, she’ll say the glaringly obvious things I’ve really wanted to say, but couldn’t quite put into words.  I knew this from her blog.  This is probably why I picked up this particular non-fiction book in the first place.

As to content, it is clear, understandable, informative, and allows for fact checking (I’m a nerd, I love foot/end notes, deal with it).  It also presents stuff we all know along with stuff we probably don’t – without making me feel like an idiot.  Information is often presented with story-like examples, which makes it both readable and interesting to those of us who tend to prefer a good story to a good college textbook.