book blog – Page 6 – The Spine View

The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew

Title: The Big Lie
Author: Julie Mayhew
Pub. Date: 25-Aug2015
Rating: 4 Stars

What if the UK surrendered to Germany during WWII? What would life be like today under the German Reich? This is the back drop for the coming-of-age story of Jessika “Jess” Keller in The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew.

Jess is the daughter of a powerful British Nazi party leader and is set to become an international skating champion. She is a good girl, as she must be if she wants to remain alive under this regime. Then there is Clementine, just Clem to Jess, who is Jess’s best friend. Clem’s family are resistors. They are dangerous and the Reich is watching. Continue reading “The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew”

Drifting in the Push by Daniel Garrison

Title: Drifting in the Push
Author: Daniel Garrison
Pub. Date: 25-Jun-2016
Rating: 4 Stars

I would describe Drifting in the Push by Daniel Garrison as a combination of life/travel/coming-of-age memoir. The book contains a collection of stories and experiences from the author’s childhood through to a young adult. Each short story could be read as a stand-alone, but they work nicely as a group and had a natural flow to them.

After reading the book, I find it amazing that the author lived to write about his adventures. Anyone else would have succumbed. I am still shaking my head in wonder about how he managed to walk away from his first car adventure. I can honestly say I do not know anyone that has had so many near death experiences. Call it what you like, but Lady Luck and/or his guardian Angel (I am sure it took both) did a first rate job of looking after him. Continue reading “Drifting in the Push by Daniel Garrison”

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso

Title: The Tethered Mage
Author: Melissa Caruso
Pub. Date: 24-Oct-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Tethered Mage is the debut novel of Melissa Caruso and is the first book in the Swords and Fire trilogy. This book is truly a great way to start a new series. The author has built a wonderful magical world full of intrigue and characters to die for.

Lady Amalia Cornaro just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is the Cornaro heir and will one day take her mother’s place on the Council of Nine. Therefore, when she inadvertently binds a young fire warlock to herself while trying to aid her it goes against all convention. The Empire does not allow a member of the council to be a Falconer for this could tip the balance of power. Continue reading “The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso”

Artemis by Andy Weir

Title: Artemis
Author: Andy Weir
Pub. Date: 14-Nov-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

Artemis by Andy Weir is the story of the struggle for control of the first lunar city and how a young smuggler got caught up in the deadly fray. There is lots of action and a main character I loved but would get so exasperated with. I have to give lots of kudos to Mr. Weir for another great story.

Jasmine, aka Jazz, immigrated to the moon with her father when she was just six years old. She is a bright young woman but suffers from poor life choices. She currently works as a porter, though she could have chosen almost any career path given her intelligence. Being a porter allows her to smuggle in contraband from Earth with the help of her friend Kelvin. But Jazz has standards, no guns or drugs, just a few harmless items to make a bit of extra cash on the side. A girl has to make a living. Right? Continue reading “Artemis by Andy Weir”

Retrograde by Peter Cawdron

Title: Retrograde
Author: Peter Cawdron
Pub. Date: 12-Sep-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

Retrograde by Peter Cawdron is a sci-fi novel with the emphasis being on science. In addition, it is intensely suspenseful and it contains some of the elements of a thriller novel. Though it is a work of fiction, I could easily see the events described occurring within the next one hundred years.

The story is about the first human colony on Mars. The colonists consist of scientists and support personal, from a variety of countries, working together as a team to study Mars. They are almost an equal mix of male and female and represent a wide range of ethnic groups. Therefore, when the unthinkable occurs on Earth and the colony is left essentially to fend for itself it will be easy for individuals to think of themselves first and their country of origin next and not as a Martian. They will need to set aside their differences and think like Martians and use their collective intelligence if they are going to survive what is to come. Continue reading “Retrograde by Peter Cawdron”

Awakening Magic by Neely Powell

Title: Awakening Magic
Author: Neely Powell
Pub. Date: 14-Dec-2016
Rating: 4 Stars

Awakening Magic by Neely Powell is a paranormal story, with a touch of romance, about a family of witches that have carved out a safe haven for themselves and others like them in north Georgia. When an old enemy returns to their normally quite community they must use their strength as a family unit to protect and save the ones they love.

Brenna Burns, one of the Connelly coven witches, has recently returned to New Mourne after spending several years in Atlanta. She is not the only entity that has returned to the small town. You see, every generation a Woman in White demands a sacrifice of one of the coven’s own as a tribute. As a precursor to the sacrifice of one of the Connelly witches an evil settles over the town causing death and destruction. Continue reading “Awakening Magic by Neely Powell”

When Life Gets in the Way by Ines Vieira

Title: When Life Gets in the Way
Author: Ines Vieira
Pub. Date: 1-Aug-2016
Rating: 4 Stars

When Life Gets in the Way by Ines Vieira is the coming-of-age story of Cassandra (Cass) MacKenzie and Isaac Silva, told in alternating POVs, and how each of them struggles with adversity during those trying teenage years. It is also a sweet love story with an emphasis on family dynamics and the important of family to relationships.

Cass is totally driven. She has one goal in mind and that is getting into Berkeley. She has been planning this life since she was a young girl and she is so close to her goal she can taste it. There are only two small problems. The first is her mother who has recently been extremely depressed and then there is her unexpected and unwanted desire for Isaac whose family has recently returned to Plymouth from Arizona. Continue reading “When Life Gets in the Way by Ines Vieira”

Pursuing Dreams by M. K. Clark

Title: Pursuing Dreams
Author: M. K. Clark
Pub. date: 30-June-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

Pursing Dreams by M. K. Clark is the first installment in a young adult sci-fi series that had me engaged from the very beginning. Hidden gems like this book are the reason why I accept review requests from debut and little known authors. The synopsis was enough to peak my interest and I am so very glad I choose this book to read and review.

The story is about Don O’Hara, in a lot of ways a typical sixteen year old, who just happens to be the son of a general. His father, who as a single parent, is domineering and has run Don’s life like he was one of his military subordinates. Don has always known that his father would insist that he go to Commander’s School even though all he wants is to be a Space Jumper. Continue reading “Pursuing Dreams by M. K. Clark”

The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose

Title: The Library of Light and Shadow Author: M. J. Rose Pub. Date: 18-July-2017 Rating: 4 Stars

The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose is the third installment in the Daughters of La Lune series. The book can be read as a stand-alone and is a pleasant mix of historical fiction, romance and fantasy. The setting is during the roaring twenties, known in France as “annees folles” or crazy years. This was a time when excess was all the rage and women were just starting to redefine their role in society.

The story is about Delphine Duplessi, a gifted young artist from France living in New York City. Delphine makes her living as a party favor drawing “shadow portraits” at high society parties. The portraits reveal the darkest secrets of those she draws. While this ability is a gift, it is also a curse. It can, and did, wreak havoc in the lives of those whose shadow portraits revealed secrets not meant to be uncovered. Continue reading “The Library of Light and Shadow by M. J. Rose”

The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker

Title: The Day the Angels Fell
Author: Shawn Smucker
Pub. Date: 5-Sep-2017
Rating: 5 Stars

The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker is a story of good versus evil and how one young person struggled with the very adult question of: Is there life after death? The story is told in the present and in the past, through the eyes of the protagonist as an old man and as a young boy.

Sam was twelve years old when it happened. The summer had been particularly bad for storms. On this day Sam’s new cat climbs the old oak tree in the front yard. When an ominous storm starts approaching Sam climbs up the branches to rescue it. Sam’s mother bargains with him, if he comes down and goes inside she will retrieve his cat. Then the lightening strikes and Sam’s mother is killed and his whole world changes. Continue reading “The Day the Angels Fell by Shawn Smucker”