Category: Book Reviews

Today’s book is more for my readers’ kids than my readers themselves. The author wrote it for much younger readers, around preschool age, specifically to help them know what to expect on their first day of kindergarten. It’s not one of those children’s books that adult readers will read for themselves but you will want to check it out if you have a young child. For this post, I’m reviewing Abigail’s First Day of School by Sarah L. Bailey.

Abigail’s First Day of School follows a young girl named Abigail as she embarks on her first day of kindergarten. Over the next forty pages, Abigail meets her new teacher and fellow students, has lunch, plays during recess, and goes home. Bailey presents the reader with lessons on following directions and learning new rules throughout the story and brings the promise of meeting new friends on the first day of school.

As a little kid’s book, the story is very cute and entertaining. The rhymes pull the story along at a good pace and there’s just enough writing to keep a young reader’s attention. Illustrations make up most of the book, which makes it perfect for basic readers and the adults helping them learn to read. The illustrations depict a diverse cast of characters, which is very important to expose readers of this age to, and I hope that Bailey will continue with this diversity in future books.

Abigail’s messages could not only ease a little kid’s apprehensions about the first day of school but may also make the first day easier for teachers. While the book focuses on showing kids all of the good things they’ll experience on their first day, Bailey also teaches readers the importance of following directions and being respectful. If more children were taught these lessons ahead of school, we’d probably save teachers a lot of headaches. I know it could’ve helped my kindergarten teacher.

The minimalist plot and lack of conflict puts Bailey’s book on the same level as stories like Goodnight, Moon. This form of plot allows adult readers to use this book as a teaching tool for their children, both in the messages from Abigail and for use in learning how to read. However, I’m not sure that this story is one which kids will want to read or have read to them repeatedly. I also think that the lack of plot restricts the appeal of this book to preschool age, not the 4-8 years old that is indicated on the Amazon page. As readers get older, they prefer to have some form of conflict in their stories and this one doesn’t have any.

I’m torn on Bailey’s illustrations. On the one hand, they have the feel of being drawn by actual children, which is an interesting angle for a children’s picture book. However, this trait also detracts from the quality of the illustrations. The perspective does not match from one picture to the next and the scale of the drawings is off, i.e. a kid will look bigger than the others in one image and then the same size as them in the next. There also appears to be a mix of three-dimensional and two-dimensional drawing in the illustrations, especially around the lunch scene. The pictures do look like marker drawings done by children and I can see the appeal in that. Nevertheless, the illustrations hurt my eyes after a few pages and just weren’t my cup of tea.

Overall, Bailey’s book would make for a great bedtime story, especially the night before the first day of kindergarten. It would easily calm any child’s nerves and entertain them at the same time. Some people may hesitate to read the book to/with little boys because the protagonist is a girl, but I don’t think the character’s gender matters at all. The situation appeals to both genders and Bailey writes experiences which could happen to any child, so I think that boys will enjoy this book as well as girls. I don’t think your child will be asking for this story ever night but I recommend getting it to ease his/her first-day-of-school jitters.

To buy Abigail’s First Day of School follow this link to Amazon. For more information about the book and its author, please visit the book’s website.

Do you know any books I should review? Want me to review your published work on this blog? Contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or reach out to me on Fiverr.

 

Today I’m reviewing a book which is very different from the other books I’ve reviewed thus far. I’ve sampled a bit of everything, from “mature” books like Anna James Watson’s Blackmail to Samantha Ryan Chandler’s inspirational A Love Story: How God Pursued Me and Found Me and Ameel Koro’s epic historical fantasy Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain. Today’s book is yet another flavor of fantasy, one which is simultaneously relaxing and stimulating and defies any clear age group classification. For this post, I’m going to review The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm by Sybrina Durant.

This illustrated novel follows the struggles of a tribe of Metal Horn unicorns as they try to avoid slaughter by the evil sorcerer Magh. As their numbers dwindle and all beings on MarBryn fall prey to Magh’s dark magic, there seems to be no hope for the desperate unicorns. Then Alumna, the oracle of the Metal Horn tribe, receives a message from her crystal ball about the one destined to save them: a blue unicorn to be born to Miral, the indium-horned unicorn. However, the tribe loses heart when the unicorn is born not with a metal horn but with a plain blue leather horn. No metal, no magic. How could this magicless foal possibly be their savior?

Fast-forward twenty years. The tribe has suffered many losses at Magh’s hands, including the death of Blue’s mother, Miral. Blue has grown up accepted and loved by his tribe, especially his stable mate and dearest friend, the golden unicorn Ghel. While he is not the hero they expected and one male unicorn teases him, the only one to really give Blue grief is himself. He feels like an outsider and is disappointed that he does not seem to be the magnificent savior that Alumna had prophesied.

Then, when all had lost faith in her visions, Alumna receives life-changing news from Numen, the otherworldly device behind the visions in her crystal ball. They’re going back to Unimaise, the world from which all unicorns originate, and Blue will be the one to get them there. Alumna tells Blue of the development and how he must go to Musika Wood in order to meet with the Moon-Star, which holds Numen. Blue embarks before they can meet with the rest of the tribe, but he lacks a crucial piece of information. Blue must be in the Musika Wood with the rest of his tribe or else he will die when the Moon-Star arrives and all will be lost.

Durant takes the reader on a series of mini-adventures with Blue, his tribe, and his non-unicorn companions, culminating in an epic battle of good versus evil. Will Blue meet his destiny? Will he and the other unicorns make it back to Unimaise? And if they do, what will they find when they finally come home?

Paired with beautiful watercolor illustrations, this story is a quick and engaging read that’s enough to keep anyone’s attention from start to finish. Durant writes with a simple style and vocabulary, although by no means is it a simple book. While an easy read for anyone 12 years old and above, the book conveys themes and messages with multiple layers, some of which may be hard for a younger audience to handle. The story openly explores death and the grief which accompanies loss, as well as the importance of believing in yourself and condoning violence.

I would argue that the writing, at times, can be too young for older readers to feel fully stimulated. However, it reads more like a fairy tale than a modern children’s book. Durant seems to be writing for children when, like traditional fairy tales, many components are better-suited for an audience of the middle grade and older age groups. Much of the humor, while clever, would also go over a younger audience’s head.

Many of the creature names—“Hoipolloi”, “Pendragon”, “Ragamoffyns”—make for humorous puns that, while childlike in nature, would only be understood by an older audience. Durant creates an overall vivid world with many imaginative elements, including my favorite, the Rainbow Colored Lands of Weita. This magical world combined with the pun-like names help the already-compelling plot construct a very entertaining read.

However, some of the names are little too heavy on the pun element for my liking. “Magh” for the magic-wielding sorcerer, “Iown” for the iron-horned unicorn who irons out disputes, “Nix” for the nickel-horned unicorn who nixes danger, it can feel cheesy after a while. Given the overall children’s book feel, I brushed these names off without too many problems. Still, given that it’s Middle Grade and suggested for readers 12-18 years old, I’m not sure how older readers will take them.

Durant severely under-develops the antagonist, Magh. He acts like the stereotypical villain, one with very little depth or reason for causing turmoil other than he likes power and pain. Durant briefly dives into his backstory, enough to perk my interest and make me realize that he could be so much more than he is in this story. I wish we could have learned more about him, such as why he took so well to the power he felt from evil magic when he was younger.

I also spotted a few grammar errors, including missing words and misplaced quotation marks. They aren’t that frequent in the beginning but seem to grow in number in the second half of the book. Regardless, they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.

All in all, I really liked this book—loved it, even. It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, easing me into the harder moments and providing enough humor throughout that I never felt overwhelmed. I saw many deeper messages throughout the story and genre-bending elements, a mix of fantasy and science fiction reminiscent of Anne McCaffrey’s The Dragonriders of Pern series, had it been written for a younger audience. The pronunciation guide, unicorn diagram, and map at the end of the book serve as great aids and are themselves entertaining.

If Durant chooses to pursue the worlds of MarBryn and Unimaise further, you can be certain that I’ll be checking out those books. To me, it doesn’t matter what age group the world is intended for. I’m a born-and-raised fantasy fan; if I like the premise, I’m going to read it, whether it’s G-rated or X-rated. I suggest other readers do likewise and fantasy readers in particular explore MarBryn and Unimaise.

To buy The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm as an e-book on Amazon, follow this link.

In addition to a Kindle e-book, The Blue Unicorn’s Journey to Osm is also available as a coloring book. You’re never too old to color, after all. In fact, it can be quite the stress-reliever, so if you need an outlet, consider buying the coloring version for a great read and relaxation.

For more information on this book and Durant’s other work, check out the writer’s website and follow her on Twitter as @Sybrina_spt.

Have you read Durant’s work? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Know a book I should review or want me to review your book on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or reach out to me on Fiverr.

 

Trigger Warning: The Last Flag contains many scenes of violence and gore, including child abuse. If you have any sensitivities regarding these topics or want to avoid reading such works, proceed with caution.

Today I will be reviewing The Last Flag by Wren Cavanagh, which I was given an advanced reader copy of in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Flag follows the production of a reality survival show by the same name, abbreviated as TLF. A mysterious health crisis has gripped the world, and it’s turning the dead into that which many fear: the undead. Known as the turned or the returned, anyone who dies seems to be susceptible to becoming one of these cannibalistic zombies. The U.S. military, in the hopes of containing the epidemic, rounded up as much of the turned as they could and fenced them into an evacuated town in Oregon called Prideful.

What does Hollywood do in the face of this crisis? Make a TV show, of course! Contestants, all with their own motivations for competing, must race each other and the turned of Prideful for flags worth thousands of dollars. Although the production was hastily thrown together, the studio feels no reason to fear for the safety of the teams or their cameramen. They have eyes on the teams 24/7 and anyone can call for a helicopter rescue at any time. What could go wrong?

When the producer gets called away for a family emergency, the readers find out just how wrong a reality show can go, especially when the undead are involved. Not everything happens of its own accord; someone is pulling the strings, delaying rescues and forcing production’s hand. Who is doing this? Why? Will someone put a stop to the show before things get dire or are the cast and crew of TLF zombie chow?

I have to start this review by pointing out that I am not a fan of the modern-day zombie. I’m interested in the socio-psychological implications of the contagion aspect but, overall, I’d rather return to the traditional Haitian folklore. Regardless, I actually found this book very interesting.

The Last Flag is gritty, gory, and vulgar, and I love it for that. Cavanagh writes the scenario in a way which is uniquely 21^st-century, as uncensored supernatural realism. The competing teams create a diverse cast, from a stubborn military vet to a young-but-fatherly homosexual African American to a fanatic Christian family unit complete with an innocent, blonde-haired daughter. The host is alcoholic, one of the competitors is an under-aged runaway from foster care, and the producer is a devoted father to his wife’s son from another relationship. The ill, the abusive, and the abused are all represented, and readers get to develop an attachment to each of them.

I would have actually liked if Cavanagh could’ve explored certain characters, particularly competitors and cameramen, more. They all have unique backgrounds and are so different from each other that I felt as though the 259 pages could not do them justice. Of course, this story is more plot-driven than character-driven, so the amount of character development fits the genre and plot.

Cavanagh breaks the tension with humor, namely through the competitors’ and cameramen’s interactions. She introduces one particular source of humor which is difficult to pull off: social media. Cavanagh incorporates social media reactions to the TV show between some chapters. I’ve found that it’s hard to bring social media into writing, even in modern books, without it sounding cheesy, slapstick, or forced. The Last Flag manages to use Tweets for humor while not lowering the quality of the work overall.

Don’t be fooled; many elements of the modern zombie story remain. People do stupid and greedy things, innocent bystanders get eaten, and, in the end, you have to wonder if it is all worth the losses. So many people who don’t even want to be there run into trouble, to the point that I grew mad at the other characters for being so selfish. That, I think, shows how Cavanagh’s writing has come into its own with this book. I felt very strongly for many characters, even underdeveloped ones, and I experienced strong emotional reactions from their conflicts.

Given the rest of the book, the epilogue comes across as lackluster. It’s rushed compared to other scenes, throwing a lot of information at the readers at once while only touching upon the character’s emotions. The epilogue has the feel of a “where are they now” segment, which I found very interesting. Still, it felt out-of-place with the action which had transpired only pages before. The best part of the epilogue, I think, is the promise of future books which may or may not include a couple of characters from this first one. Perhaps, with more books, we’ll gain a better understanding of the aftermath.

Normally, I don’t like when a book ends without providing an explanation for a mystery within it. No one within the story knows what triggered the sudden existence of the walking dead. It seems to most likely be some sort of virus, but the cause is never fully explained. The absence of an explanation bothers me some. However, this book seems to only be the first in a series, so I suspect that Cavanagh will give us more insight in future installments.

As with Summer of Magic and Of Cats and Sea Monsters, The Last Flag has proofreading and syntax flaws. These did, at some points, hold me up. I would like to say that they aren’t as bad as with her other books that I reviewed. I found them easier to overcome, even with having to re-read a couple parts when words were missing. I’m certain that these errors will be fixed in upcoming editions, so I wouldn’t focus so much on that unless they persist in re-releases.

Overall, The Last Flag is an entertaining read with an interesting twist on modern-day zombies. I don’t recommend this book for the squeamish as it does get gory and violent, but if you like action-packed and emotional novels (not to mention zombies), I think you should check it out.

For more information, check out Notch’s House Publishing’s website and find e-book and print copies of the book on Amazon.

Have suggestions for books I should review? Want me to review your published work? Contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or contact me on Fiverr. Don’t forget to leave your thoughts on Cavanagh’s book in the comments; I’m sure she’d love to hear more feedback.

 

Trigger Warning: The book reviewed here depicts sex, rape, violence, heavy amounts of gore, and regular use of profanity. Slavery, abuse, torture, and revenge also serve pivotal roles in the plot. If you have any sensitivities toward such subjects or otherwise take offense to them, proceed with caution.

Warning: This review contains spoilers for Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain (Part One) and Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain (Part Two). Keep this warning in mind as you continue reading.

Today I’m reviewing Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain (Part Three) by Ameel Koro, the third installment in his Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain series.

We last left Alina as she decided not to abandon Corina and to fulfill her promise of taking the woman to her former master, the ominous vampire lord Ovlar. Alina also hopes that, in helping Corina get the army she needs to take revenge on the Artucians, she will be able to rescue the man who loves her (and whom she loves), the young guard Sinna. Winter weather, a harsh terrain, predators, and Corina’s injured leg all stand in their way as they make the trek to Ovlar’s castle. Defying all odds, they finally reach the vampire’s realm, but how welcomed will they be? Can they convince Ovlar to mobilize against the Artucians? And if they do, will they survive the battle—and each other?

In the great city of Artucia, Cordillia attempts to prepare for Alina’s return and convince the other queens to do likewise, but that feat proves difficult when they begin mourning for the last Great Mother. Despite her best efforts, Cordillia cannot get the other queens to believe her on the vampire threat. She only has one choice left and it’s unthinkable, violating the dearest of all their laws set by the Great Mothers. Can Cordillia save her children, the other queens, and their people? Or is it already too late?

The next 286 pages roll out a seemingly-endless chain of secrets, deception, grudges, and, of course, war. Koro provides a glimpse into the much, much wider world of vampires and other mythical creatures from as far away as Rome. More importantly, he throws readers insights into the intricate—and violent—interactions among multiple vampires, a concept which he will hopefully expanded upon in his future work. The vivid imagery, action, compelling character interactions, and creative energy behind his mythical creations make Koro’s book a hard one to put down.

I would argue that Koro’s writing gets better with each book. Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain (Part Three) certainly exceeds the quality of Part One and, surprisingly, Part Two. My favorite aspect of the book became the numerous cases of bad blood among the high-ranking vampires in the second half of the book. Like Alina, I felt thrown out of the loop but I loved reading about their interactions, especially the backstabbing. They showed me that Alina is the least of Ovlar’s problems in the revenge and deceit department. They also create an unexpected obstacle for Alina in finding Sinna as she becomes stuck in the middle of multiple vampiric feuds.

In these feuds, Koro introduces many intriguing new characters. The three whom I grew most invested in are Rodica (the only female leader of a vampire realm at the battle), Allison (the servant of one the big three who takes a liking to Alina), and Allison’s unnamed vampire companion, a servant of The Snakeborn and an unparalleled force of power and mystery. I don’t think that these characters got the space on the page they deserve but, based on the end of the book, I hold hope that Koro will return to these three, even if it’s only in memory.

While the new elements revealed in Part Two and Part Three still overshadow the original concept from Part One, I did not mind that this time. Sinna and Alina’s love still plays a part here but it gives way to the much more compelling relationship between Alina and Corina, one filled with mutual hate and, for a time, dependence. I simultaneously love and hate these women, see their glaring flaws and still feel for them, a sign of good character development. Their relationship not only drives the plot behind Part Three but promises more emotional turmoil and bloodshed in the rest of the series.

I became distracted by a few aspects of the book, although not as many as in the previous installments. Some are technical in nature. Koro slips constantly between past and present tense without a purpose behind it, but that problem can be solved with a little more proofreading. Similarly, many grammar errors appear throughout the e-book. Again, that’s a matter of additional proofreading and doesn’t detract much from the story itself. Some of these errors include unnecessary commas, missing commas, unnecessary a’s, and, occasionally, the use of “complement” when the writer should have used “compliment”.

A few stylistic matters also bothered me. Koro uses “awe” and variations of “awe” too often, especially during action sequences. He also uses the word “guy” in the modern sense (i.e. “man”), which isn’t a big deal but that usage didn’t arise until sometime after 1800. This meaning makes the narration and dialogue feel too modern. Still, it’s an easy fix should he choose to address it.

I have mixed feelings about the action scenes within the battle. On the one hand, they are very exciting and compelling, as well as thoroughly planned. On the other hand, so many different fights among individuals and/or small groups are depicted that they slow down the narrative. At times too many players enter a scene, causing some confusion along with switching among all the components of the battle. However, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This technique reflects the chaos of the battlefield, allowing the reader to feel as lost and desperate as Alina.

Overall, Koro did not disappoint with Sister of Echo: The Making of a Villain (Part Three). Yes, some issues from the first two books still linger, such as some modern language and grammatical errors. Nevertheless, I really liked the book. It’s compelling, mysterious, and kept me guessing from beginning to end. I’m very much looking forward to the next book in the series, Sister of Echo: Bronze Chamber, and I hope that Koro will return to some of the many characters and interactions he touches on in Part Three.

I highly recommend this book for fans of epic fantasy, historical fantasy, and vampires. If you like powerful women who know how to get what they want, you’ll definitely love Allison, Corina, and many of the other women who populate the world of Sister of Echo. It’s quickly climbing up Amazon’s list of Top 100 Free Books in the Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories eBooks category, so check it out while it’s still hot.

Do you know of any books I should read or review? Want me to review a book you’ve published? Contact me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or look me up on Fiverr.

 

At the end of July, I told you about a website called the Online Book Club (OBC), where you can read and review books or have your books reviewed. I opted to become a reviewer, partly for the exposure brought by reviewing other writers’ work and partly because I get some new books for free. The possibility of paid reviews doesn’t hurt, either. On that site, I am known as dragonet07, similar to my Twitter handle.

I’ve only reviewed two books as dragonet07 so far. However, I am currently working on two others for the OBC.

For exclusivity and copyright reasons, I can’t put the original reviews from the OBC on my blog but I will put links to my first two OBC reviews and provide more links as more of my reviews get published. After all, exposure is key for books and book club sites.

Please head over and check out my reviews. You may even find new books to read while exploring the website. Here are the links:

dragonet07 review of The Immigrant’s Lament by Mois Benarroch

dragonet07 review of The Expelled by Mois Benarroch

On behalf of readers and writers, I would like to thank the OBC for the opportunity their site provides. We could spend hours combing through online or physical bookstores in order to find books that are off the beaten trail, but it’s better to get recommendations from one place, from fellow readers. The community they have built is also very supportive and helpful. I have yet to witness any issues with trolling or bullying on the site, even when users have differing opinions. I hope that this trend continues. Books are meant to bring people together, not rip them apart.

Please join me on the Online Book Club. At the very least you can find free or discounted books. You could also sign up to have your own book reviewed or become one of their reviewers, both volunteer and paid.

Keep an eye out for future posts in which I provide you with links to other dragonet07 reviews. Until then, happy reading and writing.

Know of any unique opportunities for writers to be read or for readers to review? Leave your thoughts in the comments or e-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com so I may feature it in a future post.

 

Trigger Warning: This novel deals with abusive and controlling relationships, a grieving parent, and self-harm. If you or a loved one have suffered through an abusive/controlling relationship, the loss of a child, and/or self-harm, proceed with caution.

Grab some tissues for this one. Today I’m reviewing The Beauty of the Fall by Rich Marcello. Spiritual, inspirational, and modern, I haven’t been so emotionally affected by a book since Flowers for Algernon. In fact, Marcello’s book has affected me more, making me sad and hating certain people but also inspiring me and making me hopeful for the future.

The Beauty of the Fall follows Dan Underlight, an engineer and co-founder of RadioRadio, as he copes with being fired and the lingering guilt and sorrow from the loss of his son. As he comes to grips with losing his job, Dan undergoes multiple life-altering events: he finds new love in poet and advocate for women’s rights Willow, embarks on a pilgrimage to Fortune 500 companies across the U.S., and initiates a startup directed at changing the world, ConversationWorks. Yet every time Dan’s life appears to get better, something goes wrong. Sometimes his troubles stem from forces outside of his control, and other times they result from his own self-destructive behavior. In both cases, the universe seems bent on thwarting Dan’s efforts—or, perhaps, it’s trying to teach him a lesson about life. With the help of friends, colleagues, his therapist Nessa, and the guiding spirit of his dead son, will Dan finally get and keep his life on track? Will he ever discover what it takes to make him feel genuinely happy and fulfilled?

Marcello explores a unique twist on an increasingly-popular story, i.e. how successful companies come about and thrive in the tech industry. Rather than following a company that started when computers and mobile phones were still in their infancy—which he could have done with RadioRadio—Marcello follows an engineer trying to rewrite his place in the world and start a company which challenges both technological limits and the moral grounds of big business. I rooted for Dan the entire time and every curve-ball thrown at him made me want his happiness even more.

Mind you, Dan is no saint. He’s a workaholic and a hypocrite as well as incredibly self-destructive. I often wished I could shake his shoulders and snap him out of it. Nevertheless, I understood his actions and emotions and, much like Nessa and his friends, wanted to help him.

The cast of characters are diverse and relate-able. The only characters I had a problem with were Olivia and Jason, but not because they were poorly written. Quite the opposite. Marcello depicts them as real human beings but, at the same time, has readers wondering when the shoe will drop if these two are around. I despised these characters as people and feel that Dan maintains his composure around them much better than I would have.

The relationships among Dan, his lovers, his friends, and his deceased son become the heart of the book, even more so than his technological/business ventures. They have their ups and downs; Dan makes stupid mistakes and acknowledges them and appropriate rifts occur, but closure occurs. I felt such an emotional investment in their lives that when things fell short of the best-case scenario—which, realistically, was often—I empathized strongly with all involved.

The most satisfying relationship is between Dan and Zack, Dan’s deceased son, even after Zack’s premature death. It’s sweet and sad but, most of all, fulfilling. It serves as a prime example of our loved ones staying with us even after they have died.

Marcello breaks up the pain and growth with humor and times of joy. As I read the novel, I felt that I was more than reading a book; I was experiencing this man’s life with him. Marcello lays out the good, the bad, and the ugly of Dan and leaves his readers to either judge him or empathize with him, or a little of both.

If you don’t want a book that makes you think and feel simultaneously, The Beauty of the Fall is not for you. If you don’t want to engage with liberal viewpoints or face the harsh realities behind productive conversation, this book is really not for you. For me, it’s nearly perfect, the bittersweet and engaging read I didn’t know I needed.

This novel handles many hot-button issues, including corporate greed, self-harm, and domestic violence against women. While traveling to Fortune 500 companies, Dan encounters struggling U.S. citizens, namely workers in Detroit who can’t afford water and a millennial in Northern California who’s down on his luck. The driving force behind the plot, ConversationWorks, rounds out the list with the incredibly controversial issue of climate change.

The final chapter becomes rather preachy, more so than the rest of the book, and depicts a future which is the most optimistic vision for the future I’ve encountered in well over a year. I wish change could be initiated as easily in real life as it is in the book. Of course, there’s always the possibility that it could be. Dan’s whole purpose behind ConversationWorks is to start productive, worldwide conversations on today’s top issues. Perhaps that concept is not unrealistic; we only need our own ConversationWorks.

The narrative also slips into a fair amount of exposition, especially in the final chapter. Still, Marcello utilizes this exposition and the aforementioned preachy-ness to the story’s advantage. It left me sad but uplifted and inspired.

Tiny grammatical errors appear throughout the book but not very often. If I weren’t hyper-aware of such details, I may not have even noticed them. They did not detract from the novel’s overall quality.

I highly recommend Rich Marcello’s The Beauty of the Fall. I have a lot to think about, both personal and big-picture. Writers, artists, engineers, creative people of all disciplines will appreciate Dan’s vision and those looking for spiritual relief will find a release in following his struggles.

If you’d like to read The Beauty of the Fall, you can follow the ad below and buy it on Amazon.

Marcello is also offering a chance for his readers to give back to the community. He’s donating the first $25,000 in profits from The Beauty of the Fall to Bridges, an organization which helps domestic violence victims. For more information and to donate to this worthy cause, please follow this link to the donation page.

For more information on The Beauty of the Fall, Rich Marcello, and his other works, check out his website.

 

Today I’m returning to familiar territory for my review: fantasy. However, I’m travelling down an avenue with which I haven’t had much experience, i.e. urban fantasy. I’m no stranger to fantasy which incorporates technology and other modern elements, namely Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl and Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but Summer of Magic is arguably for more mature audiences.

An author of the anthology gave me an advanced reader copy of Summer of Magic in exchange for my honest review, and I’m happy she did. My imagination had departed from fantasy for far too long, and this collection helped bring it back.

Summer of Magic comprises seven short stories: “Uprising” by Andrew Dobell, “The First Imprint” by Lee Hayton, “Gypsy’s Ghost” by Andrea Drew, “Monster” by Art DeForest, “How to Fuel Your Revenge” by Nicole Zoltack, “Born of Ashes” by Jamie Davis, and “Goblin’s Amends” by Wren Cavanagh. From a secret society of magic-wielders in London to magical creatures working at a hospital, the anthology represents the entire gamut of possibilities offered by urban fantasy today.

Magic, action, and everyday social interactions play prominent roles but the humor became my favorite part of the collection.

 

Are you, like, a…Death Eater? –Andrew Dobell, “Uprising”

Zeus sniffed at the corpse, snarling slightly, and then raised a hind leg in a timeless salute. –Art DeForest, “Monster”

I have to admit that I take a special guilty pleasure in crossing off every one of those Cowboys-fan vampires. What can I say? I’m a Washington Redskins fan. –Nicole Zoltack, “How to Fuel Your Revenge”

I saw how you were looking at him, hey whatever rings your bell…panties damp yet? –Wren Cavanagh, “Goblin’s Amends”

 

This humor keeps the stories engaging, grounds them in today’s (first-world) society, and enhances the writers’ individual voices. It doesn’t hurt that any references to Harry Potter make me chuckle.

The worlds depicted in Summer of Magic boast imaginative energy. While the stories take place in our world, the writers weave fantastical elements into the ordinary, sometimes in new ways and sometimes in manners more familiar to the reader. Whether it’s new magic like the coven in “Uprising” or retellings of old creatures like “Born of Ashes,” the treatments of these subjects capture the imagination and make you want more.

“Goblin’s Amends” brings a fascinating twist on mythical/legendary creatures. The story throws readers right into the magic with the unusual theft of a gold necklace. Next thing the reader knows, an injured harpy visits the ER and surprises all onlookers except for Dr. Sidra Luna and Nurse Cara Garay. As the narrative progresses, Cavanagh exposes more and more characters for the magical creatures they are. I started looking for the next to join their ranks—trust me, you’ll be guessing until the very end.

I would love to see Cavanagh continue developing this world and the interactions among its inhabitants further. From adoption to magical creature support groups and sociopolitical commentary, she hints at a much larger, complex universe in which any fantasy fan will easily get lost.

Unfortunately, that world-building also serves as the anthology’s downfall. For many of the stories, too much is attempted in a short amount of space. “Uprising” in particular has an issue with ambitious world-building leading to extraneous exposition and the sacrifice of good pacing.

“Uprising,” which takes place in modern-day London, follows a semi-celebrity magic-wielder, the coven she encounters, and the attacks launched against them by a group of murderous Nomads. This story, although rather lengthy, is merely a slice of the world which Dobell creates in The Magi Saga. At first, “Uprising” maintains a quick pace which matches the danger the characters face. The world and people who populate it kept my attention fairly well, especially the fan-boying coven member Richard, but the progression disappointed me. The plot is strong but between the exposition regarding characters’ backgrounds and the lack of suspense during later action scenes, I felt incomplete. In a way, I want to read more of The Magi Saga just to gain a more fulfilling view of Dobell’s world.

Other stories in the anthology have similar problems. “How to Fuel Your Revenge,” a heart-racing narrative about a vampire hunter, ends on a cliché. “Monster” only partially resolves the enthralling narrative of cunning, nature, and the struggle of man vs. werewolf. “Goblin’s Amends,” which reminds me of Gabriel García Márquez’s surreal “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings,” disappointingly rushes through the final action scene. “Gypsy’s Ghost,” which I was excited about because Gypsy is a freelance copywriter/medium, also wraps things up too quickly.

That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy these stories. Rather, I know these stories have a lot to offer and I don’t know if they’ve reached their full potential yet.

There are two stories with which I had few problems, “Born of Ashes” and “The First Imprint.”

“Born of Ashes” depicts two paramedics’ efforts to rescue and treat Unusuals—i.e. magical creatures—from a horrible car crash. It comes as part of Davis’s Extreme Medical Services series, and, as with the other stories, the author occasionally overuses exposition to help readers understand the world. Nevertheless, “Born of Ashes” stands as a gripping story on its own while also baiting the reader to check out the rest of the series.

“The First Imprint,” on the other hand, is a fully-fledged, self-sustained narrative. It takes readers on Bretta’s first solo job reading an “imprint,” which we would call a ghost or residual energy. While the plot is simple and straightforward, the emotional struggle it explores is not. The social dynamics among Bretta, her father, the widow, and the widow’s husband grabbed hold of me from page one and refused to let go. The ending left me very satisfied while also leaving open the possibility of more stories should Hayton choose to pursue this world.

Some Amazon reviews mention typos. However, these errors have since been corrected and, in all honesty, they didn’t detract from the storytelling in the first place.

The collection is worth a read for fans of urban fantasy. If nothing else, the variety of worlds shown will help budding writers learn what they do and do not want to explore when tying together magic, 21^st-century technology, and modern sociopolitical struggles.

I look forward to reading more from these writers, and I plan to continue with the series represented in Summer of Magic.

To learn more about this and other books or contact Notch Publishing, you can follow this link. If you would like to read Summer of Magic and access its worlds for yourself, please click on the ad below.

What do you think of this anthology? Praise? Ideas for improvement? Have any suggestions for books I should review next? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.