Island Eight by M.Z Medenciy

Summary:

In a world on the verge of repeating a cataclysmic history, Sophia, a Salinian entertainer, unknowingly holds the key to the world's salvation. She intentionally overlooks their king's tyranny to ensure her happiness, but not even the gods can protect her when the eyes of the castle alight upon her town. After narrowly escaping death with the aid of a mysterious man who whisks her away to once-forbidden lands, Sophia is unwillingly sucked into the brewing war she had so desperately evaded.

In Island Eight by M.Z. Medenciy, Sophia embarks on an unprecedented journey where she encounters new dangers through magic-wielding Fae, discovers a resilience within her she never thought possible, and uncovers a history of the gods and their planet that will change the lives of all forever.

 

Review:

I finished the book a few days ago and have been struggling with how I’d review this book. And I have to say I was very disappointed with this book.  One it’s miss classified. On NetGalley It says Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi & Fantasy and it’s not a Mystery/Thriller if another classification is needed it should have been Apocalypse World as that is what this series is.  Second, throughout the book, there are multi-editing errors.  Sentences that are missing a word. If the book was self-published, I’d overlook those errors, but this comes from a publishing house.   On the plus side, the book is well-written, and the characters are well-developed and believable.

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  NO

Is this book priced correctly?  No overpriced.

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  NO

 I received this copy free for my honest review from NetGalley

 

 

Introductory Statement/Synopsis

It will be the adventure of a lifetime for Carrie Brinkley... if she makes it to the end alive.

When Carrie loses her job and boyfriend during the opening weeks of the pandemic, she’s determined to reset her life in a positive direction. The answer? A solo, two-month, cross-country bicycle trip from Virginia Beach to Mendocino, California.
Yet dangers lurk that she’d never anticipated. During Carrie’s idyllic journey across the continent, her greatest danger comes not from her encounters with angry animals, road hazards, or the elements. Something much worse stalks her—something much too human.

 

 

Did you enjoy reading this book?   YES

B Briefly explain why reading this book was, or was not, a positive experience for you. 

 

This book started off slow and was easy to put down until the half way point then it picked up and you couldn’t stop reading.

 

 

Body of the Critique

 

 

1.       Characters - Were they interesting and believable? Did you have a favorite? Why was this character special to you? Did the author do a good job of creating the characters in this book? Yes, the characters are well developed and fun.  I could identify with Doug the most since I think a lot like he does.

 

2.       Was the author able to hold your interest throughout the entire book? How did he or she manage to do this? No, not until the half way point into the story as early on there are some errors in the timeline which puts my mind going to how these were missed by the editor.

 

 

   

Conclusion

 

I laughed so hard in the acknowledgments when the author said “I doubt there are better, or more meticulous, editors in the world, and I’m appreciative of his help.”  I had found  many errors in the timelines stated by the different characters. Here is a list of those errors:

 

@ 10% Location 476 3^rd paragraph

 

“I understand” said Sloan, “but the health crisis is far from over and my responsibilities require hard decisions. You aren’t the first causality of extreme cost cutting measures. I released the IT manager (Carrie) two weeks ago.

@ 12% Location 587 In the voice mail

 

I’m sorry to bother you, and especially sorry I didn’t call after you left Pilgrim Burgers. I’ve been a horrible friend and won’t blame you if you don’t return this message. [long pause follows] Sloan fired me today, just like you three weeks ago.  This call took place just a few hours after Teresa was fired.

 

@ 21% Location 1080 Last paragraph

 

“I haven’t been an employee of the company for two months, and I’m no longer familiar with their financial affairs.

 

@ 19% Location 990 3^rd paragraph

 

“The Virginian Pilot had a brief article on Monday,” said her mother, “The newspaper reports she went missing early this week.  This occurred on stop 8 in Bluefield, so we are at just a little over three weeks since Carrie got fired.

 

There are 5 more examples I can state that make this story hard to read and baffles the mind when it comes to the timeline of when things happened. The errors in the timeline are reflected in my over all rating of this book.

 

Is this a book you would recommend to your friends? Why or why not? YES I would recommend this book as it was a fun read if you can get passed the errors.

 

 Was the book priced correctly?  NO, it’s over priced I would never pay $18.95 for a paper back book that’s what I would pay if it was a hardcover book.

 

·        Was it a full-length book or Novella? This book is a full-length book.

 

·        Would you read other books written by this author? Yes, I would check out other books written by this author.

 

 

 

 

I received this book for free for my honest review.

Fury of frustration

 

Fury of Frustration by Coreene Callahan

Summery:

Born of a powerful god, but exiled on earth, dragon-warrior Kruger conceals the truth of his origins from the world. Forced to live a lie, he proves his worth by becoming a tycoon in a powerful business empire. But when a beautiful woman with ambitions of her own gets in his way, he must decide—accept what he cannot change, or eliminate the threat once and for all.

Haunted by ghosts, Ferguson McGilvery needs out. Out from under her step-father’s thumb. Out of the toxic whirlwind her step-brothers create. Out of the country, far away from the dysfunction that has overtaken her life. When a surprise inheritance sends her to the Scottish Highlands, she clashes with Kruger, a man so infuriating she’ll do anything to foil his attempts to make her leave.

His ruthlessness is legendary. Her obstinance knows no bounds. Can two stubborn souls go from enemies to lovers…or will the fates finally admit they made a mistake by throwing the pair together?

Review:

I have always loved Kruger and his attitude, this showed him at his finest and I fell in love with Furgie, she is awesome and kick ass.  These two are truly a perfect fit in attitude and magic power. I want to learn more about the Parklands now. In some ways I love the Scot better than the Black Diamond crew I need to know if Henry Biscayne is going to cause trouble.  I’m so looking forward to more from our Dragonking friends.

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  YES, YES, YES

Is this book priced correctly?  Yes

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  Yes

 I received this copy free for my honest review

 

 



Fire in Frost by Alicia Rades

Summery:

CRYSTAL FROST tells herself she isn't crazy, but sane people don't see ghosts. As her psychic abilities manifest, Crystal discovers she can see into the future, witness the past, and speak with the dead. Add blackmail to the list of things she never thought would happen to her, and you basically have her sophomore year covered. After spotting her first ghost, secrets from her family, friends, and classmates begin to surface. Uncovering secrets can be dangerous, but giving up means someone will get hurt. Again.

Review:

Wow, this book took me by surprise.  Lately I’ve not been finding many books which are page turners and you can’t put them down until you’ve finished the book.  This one I just couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up until 2am just to finish it. The flow was flawless.  The characters felt real and were well developed.  I didn’t find any grammatical errors.  I’m so looking forward to reading more in this series.

 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  YES, YES, YES

Is this book priced correctly?  Yes

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  Yes

 

Finding Gilbert by Robin Martin

 

Summery:

May knows she is different — she can see ghosts. She just didn't expect to meet one in her school library when she decided to skip class. At first, she is totally freaked out, but then she learns this boy ghost needs her help. Gilbert doesn't know who he is or why he only appears when a book on Australian horses is opened. Despite the fact that May has tried to block out her psychic abilities, she decides to find out. After all, it's the only interesting thing that's happened to her since she moved to this beachside town from her beloved Melbourne. But, as she begins to search for Gilbert's identity, May discovers answers she never really expects. They are two teens from two different eras, and yet they find a connection. In finding Gilbert, May not only learns about his troubled past, but comes to terms with her own.

Review:

 I received this book for my Honest review. This book was so much fun to read as it was a page turner and I had to read it all in one sitting. That along with not finding any grammatical errors made this book one of the best I’ve read all year.  The flow of the story line as well as the development of the characters was flawless.
 

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others?  YES, YES, YES

Is this book priced correctly?  Yes

Is this book a full-length novel or novella?  Full-length novel

Would I read other books by this Author?  Yes

 

 

 

 Fury of Aggression (Dragonfury Book 8)

Summery:

Tasked with stopping a war between powerful Immortals, dragon-warrior Sloan doesn’t have time for distractions. Mistakes cost lives, and his mission requires all of his attention. But when he witnesses a woman being attacked, he breaks every rule to keep her alive, putting himself and the future of Dragonkind in jeopardy.

Hiding from the Russian mafia isn’t easy. But when the head of the Bratva targets Theodora Romanov, she runs, determined to protect her daughter. As the stakes rise, she’s thrust back into a dangerous world full of deadly consequences to save her sister. Injured and alone, she’s forced to do the unthinkable—trust a man more dangerous than the hunters on her trail.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC, even though I had preordered the book also.  This series is one of the best Dragonkin series out there. The overall flow of the story line is seamless, the characters are all developed well, as are the emotions readers feel as they read the story. In the previous books we only see Sloan as the geek who runs their computers. We saw a little bit about him in outside the lair for the first time in Fur of Destruction. We’ve seen the deep friendship that has been built up between Sloan and Angela over the series and now he’s her mentor, as she learns how to control her dragonkin side. If it weren’t for Angela being transformed into a dragonkin, Sloan would never have met his mate Theo.

Are there grammatical or punctuation errors? This series is one of the best edited series I’ve read in years, as you don’t see any grammatical or punctuation errors.  It goes to show that some really do care about the quality of books they are releasing. 

Conclusion

Is this a book you would recommend to your friends? Why or why not? Yes, I’d recommend this book to anyone who loved a good love story, but also enjoys that fantasy world of Dragonkin.

 Was the book priced correctly? The price is spot on for the quality of book you are receiving 

Was it a full-length book or Novella? This book is a full-length book and one that will leave you waiting for the next in the series.

 Would you read other books written by this author? I have read others by this author and have enjoyed each book I’ve read from her.  She is hands down one of my favorite authors to read.  I know if a book has her name on it, it will be well thought out and flawless, as well as enjoyable.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Legs, the Journey of an American Thoroughbred by Laura Farrar

Summary:

He was born to equine royalty in beautiful Bluegrass Country. But the bay colt known as Legs by his friends, would not enjoy a life filled with the luxury and promise expected with such bloodlines. Instead, his life would become a journey as a racehorse, eventer, and trail horse. Ultimately, Legs’ courage would be tested far beyond that of the track. This is a story of friendship, loyalty, love, and courage as told from the horse’s mouth. As in the classic horse story, Black Beauty, the reader is carried away by the story of Legs as he makes friends and enemies, is owned by people, both good and bad, and ultimately expresses views of life relevant to both humans and animals. The exciting narration of racing, dressage, jumping, and the relationships between horses is sure to captivate horse lovers of all ages. A must read for all animal lovers!

Review:

WOW, I read all sorts of books and got this one because one, I know the author and two we meet rescuing horses from an Oklahoma kill lot…  as, someone who reads and reviews books regularly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, as so many self-published books aren’t worth the money, you pay to read them.  

This book has it all… great story line, very well developed characters; the flow is perfect.  I found no errors, which is a pet peeve of mine. You become part of the story, laughing, crying, and getting angry.

This is the type of story animal lovers will enjoy reading.    I don’t give 5 star ratings often, and this one is ticks all the boxes for one. Once I started reading I didn’t want to stop reading.

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others: YES!!!

Would I read other books by this author:  YES!

Was this book a Novel or Novela? Novel

Did the charters feel real? YES

Is this book priced correctly? Yes it’s at the top of my price range for e-books and right in the middle of what I’d pay for a paperback.