Saturday, June 27, 2015

Book Review: Blood and Scales: An Anthology




Blood and Scales: An Anthology
By- E.C. Hibbs, Jacinta Maree, Victoria Escobar, Susan Burdorf, Luke McCallin, C.L. Matthews, Ruthi Kight, J.K. Radalyac, Bobbie Palmer and Heather Clawson
Genre- Mature YA/NA Fantasy


Dragons are a race of mythical creatures shrouded in magic and mystery. Whether good or evil, countless stories have been written detailing their majesty. For centuries, mankind has searched for the facts regarding the true nature of these fantastic beasts.

Today, another quest for knowledge has struck our attention; a cure for diabetes. In this dragon themed anthology, ten authors have come together to create this collection of short stories to benefit the American Diabetes Association.



     


Review

SPOILER-FREE

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Book Promo: Daimones by Massimo Marino Cover Reveal

Got a neat cover reveal for you guys! A vast improvement from the previous cover, which wasn't terrible but isn't as eye-catching as this one.



About the book: Nothing could have prepared them for the last day. Explore the future of humanity in Massimo Marino’s sci-fi debut, Daimones, an apocalyptic tale that feels like it could happen tomorrow. You may never sleep through a windstorm again.
 
Death swept away the lives of billions, but spared Dan Amenta and his family, leading them to an uncertain future. When merely surviving isn’t enough and the hunt for answers begins, memories from the past and troubling encounters lead Dan to the truth about the extermination of the human race and give new meaning to their very existence.
 
Early humans shaped the future and seeded a plan millions of years in the making. Now survivors must choose: Endure a future with no past or fade away into a past with no future?
 
Visit the author onlinehttp://massimomarinoauthor.com/
 

Friday, June 19, 2015

Comic Review: 7" Kara Vol. 1 by Becca Hillburn

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Back with blurb.



Review

I personally found 7" Kara adorable, fun, and wonderfully illustrated. It's for all ages and is family friendly so anyone can pick it up and read it. Perfect for a gift for an adult or child. Although, I bought this for myself because I enjoy comics and wanted to support an indie artist, I think a child will enjoy it more. 


Overall, I think it's a cute little story about Lilliputians, tiny people, which isn't a new concept but it's still a fun little story and something I think everyone can relate to when they can't find a missing sock or something disappears without a good reason. 

Ok, so this might just be me but I keep wanting to think Kara is 7 years old, not just 7 inches. It might be the title that throws me off but I think I keep getting the numbers confused because she's actually 11 years old. It's something my brain isn't completely wrapping around for some reason. Not sure if anyone else is having that issue.


Now this book is full color and self published by the creator at 112 pages with 71 pages of it being the comic. The additional pages are bonus or extra content. I love seeing the process of behind how the creators make the story so concept extras are some of my favorite things to see in a book. Bonus stuff are always great additions as well if you're curious as to what else the creators make.


The story pages don't appear to be much at first glance but what people forget to notice is the amount of work that goes into each page. I found it unusual, but amazing, for a comic to be made traditionally with watercolors. Anyone who has used watercolors can see the dedication the artist put in each page because it can be a finicky medium and the results may not always end well. 

Most comics or illustrations done these days are done completely digitally or in part digitally. There's nothing wrong with creating a comic digitally, it's just that little uncertainty with a lack of 'undo' button that makes watercolor works more fascinating. Still, I believe the pages may have been edited on the computer and the word bubbles were added digitally but that is only to allow better readability. I don't think it is usual to see digital post production work but rarely do you ever see a comic done with watercolors.

The reason I think that a child will enjoy this story more is because as an adult I didn't feel intellectually stimulated. The story is simple and the characters are lovable but the length of the story felt too short. The pacing is quick even though there are three chapters in this book. I didn't feel like there was a large enough arc for there to have much action to keep me reading for more. The book ended just when things got more interesting and we didn't quite get a cliffhanger or an idea of what would happen in the next book.

At the moment, I'm not sure if there'd be enough interest for me to keep me reading on. I feel like I can already predict what will happen in the story and that is a bit of a turn off to keep me reading the next book of the series.

If I did keep reading, I'd love to see a refreshing take from the world of Lilliputians. I love the idea of potential friendships building up and the political turmoil that could happen with Humans and Lilliputians. Still, I'm not too fond of politics but would love to see more adventures or perhaps a history of the Lilliputians and where they came from. I want something I haven't seen before in the world of Lilliputians so I really hope that Ms. Hillburn delivers.

I know Becca is working on a sequel but I'm not certain what the story is about but the pages look wonderful and I'm looking forward to seeing more work from her.

It might not be perfect for adults or teenagers but this comic book would be a great picture book for parents with kids who love things that are little and adorable.


3.5 out of 5 rating for me!

(I purchased this copy with my own money. I was not compensated in any other way. 
As a disclosure, I've been following Becca for awhile during her progress as an artist. I like and respect Becca as a person and what she does for the growing comic community and consider her a friend but this in no way affects my opinion of this book.)





Thursday, June 18, 2015

Book Review: The Sky-Child and Other Stories (The Wilderhark Tales #6.5) by Danielle Shipley

Sky-Child Cover
The Sky-Child and Other Stories (The Wilderhark Tales #6.5)
By Danielle E. Shipley
Genre: Fairytale Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: July 7, 2015

Blurb:
Born into a world his heart knows as beneath him, an extraordinary boy becomes a man of music, hopeful that someday he’ll find a way higher.

As the first day dawns, a world comes awake, order and disorder striking a dangerous balance.

Under the stars, a princess and tailor trade age-old lore, little dreaming of the future that could trap them in the past.

All of it in, around, and far above the timeless trees of Wilderhark, the forest whose secrets reveal themselves slowly, if ever at all.

Tales of beginnings. Tales of quests for belonging. Most of all, tales of true love.

Once upon a time, you knew something of Wilderhark’s tales. Now for the stories that fall in between.

The Sky-Child and Other Stories
A Wilderhark Tales Collection


You can find The Sky-Child and Other Stories on Goodreads


Review

SPOILERS

Friday, June 12, 2015

Book Review: Infinite by Erica Crouch + Excerpt + Giveaway

Cover Reveal: Infinite, by Erica Crouch
Infinite by Erica Crouch 
Series: Ignite #3 
Published by Patchwork Press on June 16, 2015 
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult 

Goodreads Synopsis:
There are infinite ways to die, and the fates are calling for blood. After evading Azael since her betrayal, it’s finally time for Pen to stop running and face her desperate brother. But she won’t have to challenge him alone: the rebel army of New Genesis is ready to stand strong and fight to secure the future they believe in.

As Azael spirals deeper and deeper into darkness, and Pen grapples with her new leadership role, a familiar name rises to power whose decisions have the potential to rewrite everyone’s future. Dangerous secrets, silent traitors, and unraveling fates means that time is running out. There’s no telling who will survive the final battle.

In this thrilling conclusion to the Ignite series, Pen and Azael return to finish what they started over a millennia ago.

We’re in the final stretch of celebrating the Ignite series! The final installment, Infinite, comes out in just over a month, and we are so excited to be sharing the cover with you today. Erica's been waiting to reveal this one since January (when she first made it, after she decided to split Incite in half). What do you think? Here’s the series all lined up:

  Ignite Series Full

Add Infinite on Goodreads, and pre-order it on Amazon, B&N, or Kobo. Let us know what you think of the cover — and what you’re most excited to see in Infinite — in the comments!



Review

MINOR SPOILERS