The Invasion of The Tearling by Erika Johansen

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Invasion of The Tearling', An Epic Novel by Erika Johansen.

The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen takes us into the war ravaged and torn world of the future.  Queen Kelsea must find a way to keep Mortmesne from invading her kingdom of Tearling. As she comes to terms with the possibility of failure, she takes a stance. Every move now must be to keep up the moral of her people and to find the strength to combat the evil queen of Mortmesne.  Her magic works strangely and she often finds herself disappearing into the past and the beginning of the Tearling. Finding escape from the past is more difficult each time as she continues her battle to save her people and put an end to the evil of her land forever.

That past is of a woman named Lily. Lily has no idea her life is being watched by a future queen. She only knows that things are changing and terrorism is escalating. She has recently come face to face with a group that she had no idea existed, and is intrigued by their ideology. They believe they can save the world from oppression. Queen Kelsea knows that if she can just understand Lily, and how the Tearling began she can use that information to save her future world. But her magic is mercurial, it does not always follow her command and she is unable to stay in the past without putting her life in danger.

In the future things are escalating and the Queen finds even more traitors to her crown hidden behind the guise of religion. Her own guard is one of the best. She trusts them with her life. Yet as danger comes near she must choose which can stay and which must go, for what she plans has need of only a few. Feelings run high, but she must make the right choices to save her kingdom.

Can she pick up the pieces of a world gone mad, or will she lose her own life and that of her kingdom to the ravages of the evil that has infiltrated every corner of the land?

In the Continuing saga of The Queen of the Tearling, Johansen keeps us captivated with her characters. The flaw and romance are just a few of the interests. Alternating her characters between future and past she takes us into another thought process.  Is life truly about bloodlines or is it just a possible migration of souls. You certainly begin to wonder as you embrace this group who seem to be on the brink of destruction.

If you enjoy mystery, romance, magic, and intrigue you will find yourself immersed in the story of the Tearling. There is fascination in the ability of looking at the past, and although there is no possibility of changing what had become, we find that the mistakes of the past could relate to the saving of the future.

This would be a fun read for a reading group. Be prepared though for once you become attached to the characters you will be ready to find the prior words leading up the The Invasion of the Tearling. 

Rating 4/5

The Girl in the Torch by Robert Sharenow

Posted firt to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Girl in the Torch,' A Young Adult Historical Fiction by Robert Sharenow.

In the early 20th century the dream of America was the draw for thousands of immigrants. The Girl in the Torch by Robert Sharenow, takes us into the lives of one of those who has made it to the shores of America after grievous personal loss, only to find that she is not welcome to stay. After losing her mother on the journey over,12 year old Sarah finds she is being sent back before she can even disembark into this wondrous new country.

Sarah knows her life back home will be unbearable so she makes a decision that could well end in her death. She is determined to follow her heart and jumps off the back of the boat she is loaded on to return her to her homeland.  Her efforts at swimming take her to the land of the Lady, the woman of the torch. She finds her new hiding palace is on the island of the Statue of Liberty itself.

Now she must find a way back to Manhattan while eluding the watchmen. As Sarah works on a plan she struggles to survive. The beauty of the Woman with the Torch keeps her mesmerized, helping her to keep hope alive. Stealing scraps of food where she can she knows that she must find her way, her mother would have wanted it. Just as all hope is lost, help comes from an unexpected source.

Is America truly the land of dreams, a place to find her way and live in freedom? Suddenly she may finally have the chance to find out, but she must stay clear of those who continue looking for her.

Sharenow has given us an example of history and has made it beautifully poignant. You will embrace Sarah for her bravery and her hope, rooting her on in her endeavors to make America her home against the odds.

This story is fun and exciting, giving you glimpses of the early Americas and helping take us to the time of great immigration through the eyes of a child.
If you enjoy history and adventure you will enjoy this Young Adult work. If you would like your children to experience history this is the perfect adventure. Told with passion and humor they will be transported back in time, and following the exploits of Sarah will make learning a joy.

This would be a great work or a book club or reading group. While written with the young in mind it will captivate all audiences.

Rating 5/5

The Long Utopia by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Long Utopia' by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter.

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter have taken us far into the future in The Long Utopia. As humans evolve and even Artificial Intelligence (AI) is left behind, the original Earth is failing and parallel Earths seem to hold the answer to the future. However, there is a strange shift in one of the parallel Earths. This planet is known for its simplicity and is where Lobsang, an elderly AI, has disguised himself as human and is living his life in obscurity.

Soon though, an new intelligent new life form, known simply as the Next, has been discovered by the children on this planet and seem to be friendly. They actively trade for rocks and junk while leaving nice gifts of jewelry in return. Along with this discovery, both Lobsang and his partner have found a strange anomaly creating uncomfortable changes in the sequence of time. While most humans do not feel a difference, it creates havoc with the AI’s internal clock. While the causes of the anomaly are unknown, the results appear to be shorter days.

Since travel among the planets is facilitated with a box for stepping (a form of moving between plants), even this procedure is at risk. There is a group of steppers, however, that are able to step between time and space without the use of the computer technology from the box, but they must remain hidden for they are deemed a danger to the world. Lobsang must come out of hiding and track down these hidden steppers, for with their abilities they may be the only way to save this world. The connection between the planets is at risk as Lobsang and his group discover that the Next are on a course to destroy the very core of their home. Can they find if this is the real intention and if so, can they save this planet before the Next find a way to destroy the entire human and AI race?

The late Pratchett was known for his works featuring alternate realities. In The Long Utopia he moves us into another realm of space and the unknown. With Baxter as a coauthor we can be sure this world will not sink into obscurity. The characters, both human and AI, are gentle and smart, but unprepared for what is about to happen. You find yourself drawn to them, with all their flaws and feelings. The differing forms of travel and abilities are unique and quite interesting, keeping you enthralled with the process of moving through time and space.

As we are introduced to the Next, we are unprepared for their part in the changing of the world. So when the real story comes to light, confusion and perplexity keeps you digging for answers. They seem to be a gentle race and for years barter with the children, yet both their motives and background are unknown. They are creatures of both nature and technology and are like insects with a hive mentality. They seem to communicate in much the same way, and once their intentions are known, the danger becomes very clear.


If you enjoy science fiction you will be pleased with this latest work by Pratchett and Baxter. This moves a little beyond the young adult fiction that Pratchett had been known for and takes us into Long Earth and an exciting new future.

Rating 3/5

Second Life by S. J. Watson

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Second Life,' A Novel of Murder and Secrets by S. J. Watson.

In Second Life by S.J. Watson we meet a woman who seems to have everything. A doting husband, a job she loves and a son who means the world to her. Yet there are hidden secrets behind much of this perfection that threaten to tear her world apart.

Her son Conner is really her sister’s son. She loves her husband but occasionally obsesses over her earlier life. He is her partner and in every way she tries to meet the expectations they have for each other. She has made some hard choices in life, one of those were taking her sisters child. Julia often dreads that her sister Kate will want Conner back in her life, and she obsesses with how important he is to her.

When Kate is murdered, Julie is first relieved, but then aghast at her feeling. The police do not seem to care, and Julia finds herself immersed in the death in a way she can’t understand. When she finds a user name and password to a dating/Cyber-sex site in Kate’s papers she is determined to begin her own investigation. She is sure that this is where Kate met her killer. She is unprepared for the excitement she feels and suddenly her own life is out of control. Can she stop her downward spiral or is it too late. Has she led a killer to her own front door, and if so how can she protect her own family?

Watson takes us on a strange and perilous journey into darkness, secrets and murder in a way that creates creepy vibes that make you uncomfortable. Julia feels the guilt of her relief at her sister’s death and just that feeling makes her move in maddening circles of an investigation of her own, a way to find the killer and take away her pain. Watson’s depiction of Julia’s feelings of guilt is spot on. The character flaws exhibited keep you there hoping but make you uncomfortable.

Hugh, her husband is a rock and there for her, and Conner is just like any other boy his age. You are drawn to them as a family, and root for them to overcome the darkness that is encroaching on their lives.

If you enjoy thrillers and murder mysteries, with just that right amount of physiological depravity you will find this a work worth reading. I found the story to be riveting although the ending was difficult to take. As you get caught up in the story you are ready for a solid ending, yet we are left with more questions than answers.

Rating 3/5

A Sporting Murder by Lesley A. Diehl

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'A sporting Murder, An Eve Appel Mystery by Lesley A. Diehl

In A Sporting Murder by Lesley A. Diehl, we are introduced to Eve and her friend Madeleine, and their endeavors to run a consignment shop in Sabal Bay, Florida. Cowboys, swamps and alligators are the main scenery.  On a cruise with Eve’s detective boyfriend Alex, and Madeline’s new friend David they are unaccountably accosted by David’s neighbor, a very nasty character, leaving more questions than answers. Eve is hooked, she wants more answers, and she is willing to investigate on her own if necessary.

Both David and his neighbor own a sport-hunting reserve, so Alex tries to get her to put it behind them as professional jealousy. Yet when a dead body shows up on David’s land with every clue pointing at him as the murderer, Eve takes a stance. There is something fishy about the whole thing, and the encounter on the water with his neighbor isn’t the only issue. The neighbor’s wife has now also effectively had Eve and Madeleine’s business vacated. She is opening her own shop, and the line has been drawn in the sand.

As David molders in jail, Alex and Eve work at trying to get to the bottom of the murder he is being charged with. Can they find the real answers before it is too late? Eve and Madeleine take their own business on the road as well; they have clients to take care of. What is it with all the ugliness behind the sport-hunting business that has everyone up in arms?

Diehl gives us characters with strength and humor. Eve is a great mix of intelligence, charm and minx, and exhibits the tendency to butt in where it may not be comfortable. She also has a few friends in low places that are there for her regardless of what she needs. Her friend Alex is in no way immune to her charm but is also aware of her tendencies.

The situation is serious and the murder is odd, yet the mix of danger, fun and mystery keeps you turning the pages.

If you enjoy mystery, romance and a little bit of crazy you will enjoy A Sporting Murder. Eve Appel is a great character and her relationships keep the fun and mystery rolling in unexpected directions. This would be a great book for your library especially for the cozy mystery fan.

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Lesley A. Diehl's Web Site:
http://www.lesleyadiehl.com/

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https://twitter.com/LesleyDiehl
 
Lesley A. Diehl's Goodreads:
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Lesley A. Diehl's Blog:http://lesleyadiehl.com/blog/

A Sporting Murder Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25506068-a-sporting-murderTribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

A Sporting Murder blog tour site:
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Lesley A. Diehl's Bio:

Lesley A. Diehl retired from her life as a professor of psychology and reclaimed her country roots by moving to a small cottage in the Butternut River Valley in upstate New York. In the winter she migrates to old Florida--cowboys, scrub palmetto, and open fields of grazing cattle, a place where spurs still jingle in the post office. Back north, she devotes her afternoons to writing and, when the sun sets, relaxing on the bank of her trout stream, sipping tea or a local microbrew.

A Sporting Murder Book Summary:

It's smooth sailing for Eve Appel and her friend Madeleine, owners of Second to None Consignment Shop in rural Florida's Sabal Bay, land of swamps, cowboys, and lots and lots of 'gators. Eve and her detective boyfriend Alex have joined Madeleine and her new beau David Wilson for a pleasure cruise on his boat. But cloudy, dangerous waters lie ahead. A near fatal encounter with Blake Reed, David's supremely nasty neighbor, is soon followed by a shooting death on the dividing line between David and Blake's land. Both men run sport-hunting reserves, but Blake imports "exotics" from Africa and promotes gator killing, while David stays within the law, pointing clients toward the abundant quail and turkey as well as the wild pigs that ravage the landscape. Nevertheless, when a mutual client is killed, it is David who is arrested and charged with murder.

Blake's nastiness is only exceeded by that of his wife, Elvira, who forces Eve and Madeleine out of their shop, intending to replace it with a consignment shop of her own. It seems that bad luck looms over them all, even Eve's brawny and hard-to-resist Miccosukee Indian friend Sammy, whose nephew has disappeared. As the case against David grows stronger and his friends' misfortunes multiply, Eve and her strange and diverse group of friends, including her ex, a mobster, her grandma, and Sammy's extended family, band together to take on the bad guys. But the waters are getting muddier and more troubled, and Eve and Madeleine may end up inundated in every sense of the word.

Price/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery
Pages: 250
Publisher: Camel Press
Release: July 15, 2015
ISBN: 9781603819398

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603819398?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes & Noble buy link:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sporting-murder-lesley-a-diehl/1121863863?ean=9781603819398

A Girl Undone by Catherine Linka

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'A Girl Undone,' A Girl Called Fearless Series by Catherine Linka.

With renewed interest in dystopian worlds we are given a rare new work in A Girl Undone by Catherine Linka. Where marriages and women are bought and bartered, Avie has escaped her own confines with her real love Yates. After a confrontation with the government, he has been hospitalized in critical condition and she is on the run. She carries information that she must get to the Paternalist party if she can locate the correct person.

With the help of another friend, Luke, she tries to help keep them alive while finding the exact person who can use the information she now carries. Her face is on every news channel and a huge reward has been offered by the man who holds her own marriage contract. How can she move forward safely?

Can she find the only man who can make sure the information is used in the right manner before she is captured or worse? Garnering feelings for Luke, she is unsure what her next turn should be. She knows Yates is her only real love, and yet she is conflicted in her feelings. Can Yates survive his own wounds, and even if he does, will she be able to someway break free of the bonds that bind her to another man. One who is extremely ruthless and embarrassed at her running away?

Linka has given us a dystopian world with harsh guidelines and rules. Those who do not cave to the rules are often killed or disappear with no one the wiser. Avie’s only protection from death is the man she fears the most, the one that holds her contract. His character is one of the more complicated, and you will enjoy the process as Avie gets closer to her goal.

Avie is a character both bold and conflicted. She is never quite sure of herself and has some flaws that keep her from being too strong. Unsure of her direction, but undaunted in the task she has, she is compelled to move forward for a better world. That she is torn between her feeling for both Yates and Luke only makes her just a bit more human.

If you enjoy dystopian and futuristic worlds you will enjoy this work. There is romance, danger, mystery and at all times a belief in freedom that transcends the characters. The thrill of the chase and the tense romance will keep you reading to the very end.

This would be a fun book for a book club or reading group, with much dialogue about freedoms and other rights of individuals.

Rating 4/5

Silent Creed by Alex Kava

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review:'Silent Creed', A Ryder Creed Novel by Alex Kava.

When major catastrophes happen, Ryder Creed and his animals are often some of the first responders. In Silent Creed by Alex Kava we follow him to another disaster site. Creed is not there for the glory, he is there for a job. His dogs are not just his closest companions but dogs trained for rescue. They search both for cadavers as well as for live victims of the differing disturbances that create the need.

Reaching his recent assignment, his first thought is of a wasteland. The situation is precarious and he finds out in the worst way possible just how fragile the search site, when he and his dogs are caught in a mudslide. As he is being dug from the mud, other bodies are found with the help of his dog. Yet they all lose hope when they find not the live rescue they hoped for but bodies that are past redemption. Yet it was not the explosion or the mud slide that appears to have caused their demise. Each victim has a bullet hole in the middle of their forehead.
Suddenly the search group is looking for two kinds of victims and an answer that someone does not want found. Creed finds himself in the middle of a disaster that no one could have anticipated. His concern is for his animals as always, but the danger is palpable in more ways than one. Can he get to the bottom of the mystery and keep himself and his dogs safe, while finding any witnesses or others that may still be lost in the mud?

Kava keeps you riveted with the mystery that is infused into the search as well as through her protagonist Ryder Creed and his dogs. Creed is an amazing character, tough when necessary especially when the situations are just about him, but bring his dogs into the mix and he turns into another guy all together. The interaction between him and his search animals make you want to find that kind of love and respect, and his strength of character draw you to him.

The mystery itself is again one of those worries and concerns that we read about in the papers. Kava takes us into hidden agendas and possible terror circles as she moves the pawns in the game of life as she sees it.

If you love mystery and danger with a dose of amazing animals and search and rescue, this is the book of the summer. Once started prepare to be hooked for you will be unable to put it down. Alex Kava has given us another reason to draw to her character of Ryder Creed. Yet to liven it up further she brings her other character of Maggie O’Dell on board, cementing the creation of a great working duo, although Creed shines on his own.

This would be a great work for a book club or reading group. It would also be the perfect book for your action and mystery library.

Rating 5/5