Review: Son of a Predator

Son of a Predator by David Davis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I can identify with David Davis and what Todd Davis, the sociopath, put him through. I wish everyone who has been a victim of this kind of abuse could read this book. It is a culmination of a lot of experiences and how David wrestled with his feelings and how he finally overcame the abuse.

It is a different kind of abuse that is rarely talked about and very rarely recognized. The co-dependency is another problem that very few victims recognize they are suffering from. I especially loved how David's faith helped him to overcome. Few people in the Hollywood circuit have the courage to do so. However, the content can be extremely helpful to anyone who lives with, works with, or has a relationship with a bullying sociopath. Todd is not just a narcissist, but a man without a conscience, and has no real inkling of right from wrong. Those kinds of people are extremely dangerous, and very manipulative.

David Davis paints the picture well. However, the 4-star review instead of 5-stars is because the book really, really needs some professional editing. There are typos and grammar errors, but those are not story-flow-dams. It's the wordiness, and passive tenses that bog down this memoir. After the first three incidents/trips, the reader gets the gist of just how horrible Todd Davis is. Also, there is a question of motivations behind the book.

David says the main motivation is to help anyone trapped in this kind of relationship. Perhaps it would help others to read a little more about how to overcome and a little less of the abuse, although I do get it that it takes the brilliance of a search light in order to recognize what one is living through at abnormal. So, maybe I'm wrong on that score.

Anyway, after overcoming something similar with my ex-husband who finally did see the light and with the help of Jesus, turned his life around, I can certainly identify with David's pain and with his joy of overcoming. I'm praying for you David.

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Review: Chipless

Chipless by Kfir Luzzatto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great premise for sci-fi fans and dystopian fans. The story centers around a man raised in a pristine, disinfected world where people are controlled by seeing things/feeling things that really aren't there such as pastoral scenes outside their city. (I wondered why people didn't want to go sit under the trees and enjoy the meadow scents wafting to them on gentle breezes, but they doggedly go to work every day in the City. However, everyone in the City is told what to do and how to feel and what to smell and what to work on, etc.)

The characters are very well developed with unique characteristics. I think Kfir Luzzatto did a great job with developing and overcoming Kal's disorientation after his chip blitzes out in a physics experiment. Amber, the other main character, is equally well-developed. Even though she plays tough, she still has a softness about her and a bit of naivety that works.

The story bogs down a little in the middle of the book, gets a bit wordy on their quest to reach Freeland. But the pace picks up quite a bit as Kal and Amber work to keep Freeland free.

All in all it is a good read. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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Review: The Weaver's Daughter

The Weaver's Daughter by Sarah E. Ladd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the Netgalley copy I received in exchange for my honest review, there are several mistakes in continuity, typos, and a lot of wordiness. This is published by Thomas Nelson, so I doubt you'll find those same gaffs, but there were enough to jar my reading pleasure so bear that in mind in reading this review.

I really liked this book. The story is one of prejudice, greed, principles, and how loyalty can be blind, with romance interwoven as tightly as a 400-thread count sheet.

The premise is a good one taking place within the context of the beginning of industrialized fabric milling and weaving. Interesting backdrop for the romance between the offspring of two warring families--sound familiar? Fortunately, the end is not as heartbreaking as Romeo and Juliette.

I found it very difficult to suspend belief that a supposed independent woman could be so gullible and blinded by loyalty to her father who tossed out her brother when he went to work for the rival family's mill. The father had such a hatred for this rival family, it spoiled his character. I just think it shouldn't have taken so long to discover his duplicity. But, they do say that love is blind. Maybe loyalty becomes a habit and is blind as well.

The characters are well-developed, even the supporting cast right down to housekeeping and kitchen help. There is enough action to keep one riveted through the long passages of character angst, second-guessing, and fretting over what was and what will be. Hopefully, good editing will remove a lot of that hashing and rehashing.

The setting is in England in a tiny town close to the moors. So you know the damp cold is deeply biting, but when reading this you don't really feel the cold, or taste the era. To the author it is just place and time with no elaboration or thought to helping the reader settle into the time, the place, and the feel of the environment. There are quite a few misuses of words. For example Ladd uses "banter" for a serious discussion. That kind of word misuse really bothers me. So I skipped over a lot of, what I thought of as, unnecessary pages of dialogue and especially narrative. But I did read to the end.

Anyhoot, the story line and story flow is pretty good, and it seems the historical accuracy is also pretty good. Although, I still don't know what shearing sheep has to do with the gig-mills, or why millers and weavers are so different. Still, you'll enjoy the character development, but if you are into period drama and well-described historical settings--you won't get it here.

All that said, I still give it four of five stars.

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Review: Refugees

Refugees by R.A. Denny
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I agreed to review this book because the author said, "Since you enjoyed "Cast of Stones" perhaps you'll enjoy my book "Refugees." I adored "Cast of Stones." But this book is nothing like that. Disclaimer: Received this book from the authors in exchange for my honest opinion.

Creating you own world for fantasy or sci-fi is really hard work. I appreciate more than you know how hard. Denny did a great job creating the world and each of the regions each of the characters resided. I enjoyed that very much.

Denny started this series very well, tremendous suspense and heartless cruelty. It set the stage for a good story... except the follow through was too plodding to really care about the characters. As an editor, it is much better to start the story with one or two characters and add other characters as the first character meets them on his/her journey to save the world. Denny didn't do that. Each character is a main character and had his/her own introduction so the reader could understand the region and customs of each wildly different main character. This plot tactic was jolting, had no transitions, kept me from caring about them as a reader should who needs to be involved in the story.

The writing is good. Descriptions are very good. World building is good. Premise is good. Character building could use some work. Story flow and editing need more work.

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Review: No Less Days

No Less Days by Amanda G. Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What would it be like to never die from a terminal illness or gunshot or crippling disease or bone-crushing accident?

Amanda Stevens explores the answer to that question. She is an excellent writer who creates believable worlds, believable characters, and satisfying stories.

In this first in a series, Stevens develops a complicated story of life longevity that squeezes tension into every muscle. The premise is intriguing. There's a handful of people who have been living for about 150 years, and no matter what happens to them, they can't die--even a 8,000-foot fall into a rocky canyon.

The characters are very 3-dimensional with quirks and complications that have solidified the faith of some and twisted the perversions of one. You can't help but care deeply about each one, especially the handsome, book-loving, book store owner, main character, David Galloway.

Five of five stars. Enjoy your romance with David... or is his name John?

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Review: The Rogue

The Rogue by Lee W. Brainard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love science. When sci-fi is packed with good science, I'm in reading heaven. This is a great premise and much better executed and believable than most end-of-world story plots. Quite frighteningly believable. All the science fits together very well. Very interesting that the Rogue is coming from the Seven Sisters (Pleiades) in Taurus. Everything seems to happen in Orion these days, so I was pleased to see Taurus pop up.

But this book proves the norm of real-science/fictional stories however. Most science-based novels are top-heavy with science and very weak on character development, and have a rather disjointed story flow with zero transitions from one point of view to the next. That kind of writing makes it very hard to get caught up in the story and really care about what happens to the characters.

Brainard does a pretty good job with helping you to care about the characters. The most likable one is Woody, although it was tough to figure out who he was at first. Introducing Ariele first and then switching to Irina would have been okay except the two characters that were supposed to be so opposite (Ariele = free spirit, hippy-like, Irina = conservative Christian) actually acted so similar I couldn't tell them apart until well into the story. Also, beyond them being athletic, they had very few physical features and no speech patterns that were different so they blended together.

The flip-flop in time and characters at the beginning is very confusing. I guess I was just supposed to know that the description of the two women at the beginning was giving me clues at how different the characters were so I could tell them apart. Good plot point that didn't come off at all. Another bit of confusion is the lack of transitions from one POV to another. The itallics helps to differentiate between characters' thoughts, but then head-hopping drives me crazy anyway, so I might be prejudiced in that regard.

Brainard throws in news about happenings in the Middle East that could literally be taken from this morning's paper. These things did not move the story along at all, had no effect on the characters, and did not provide any tension, story line, or flashpoints in the story. I know they were to provide a set up for conflict later in the story. It would be much better for the story flow if Brainard had just left that out and introduced all that when it actually matters for the story.

This is a really good story premise. With a bit of old-fashioned developmental editing and character development, this will be a terrific series.

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Review: Beneath Copper Falls

Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought I had reviewed this book. But then I get a notification... ACK! I'm sorry Colleen, I mishandled this!

I loved this story. It was captivating, and held my interest all the way to the last page. Colleen has a great knack for keeping the pages turning. Suspenseful, some places humorous, and believable/lovable characters. All round good writing!

Five of five stars. Thank you Colleen and Netgalley for giving me this book to review in return for my honest opinion.

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Review: My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele's Journey

My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele's Journey by Amanda Barratt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This was okay. I did enjoy the history of Niagara Falls, I've always wanted to go there.

This story brought me to the every edge of suspension of belief. You have to suspend belief in a lot of books that are supernatural or fantasy or sci-fi, but you'd think you wouldn't have to do that with historical romance.

A young woman saddled with the cares of holding an estate together while the brother spends it away, it's just unbelievable to me that this woman who apparently has a great head on her shoulders would traipse off to America leaving her spendthrift brother behind to ruin the estate. She couldn't depend upon her mother because apparently she didn't have a brain or any gumption. How dumb is that?

While this chit is in America, I'm worrying about the estate back home. The story didn't mesh with me.

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Review: Judah's Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees

Judah's Wife: A Novel of the Maccabees by Angela Elwell Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great historical novel from Angela Hunt.

This novel is a great stand alone (I never knew there was a 1st book until I started writing this review!) Angela weaves this story with history, romance, family and Jewish traditions with tremendous skill. There is intrigue, humor, 2nd-century BC daily living as well as war tactics. She also gives great insight into how Antiochus Epiphenes terrorized the people of Judah.

Just plain great writing. If you like historical accuracy blended into family saga well, then this series is for you.

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Review: Ricochet Joe

Ricochet Joe by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't know if others had this same problem because I haven't read any other reviews, but the "in-motion" feature didn't work well with my android Kindle app. It was a distraction.

The story, on the other hand was really good. Typical Dean Koontz. Loved the premise and the way he whips me around with all the twists and turns. Just a good, rainy afternoon read!

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Review: The Lacemaker

The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very good historical romance.

I love historicals and this one is no exception. There is a pathos in this story that hits the heart. When a beautiful daughter is so disregarded by her father that he literally forgets to take her with him in his escape... that is really cold.

Very good writing, very good story premise, perhaps there could have been greater attention to absolute correctness in etiquette of the colonial period, ways of addressing loved ones and others. And perhaps a little more attention to descriptions of dress, etc. Otherwise this is an interesting and worthy read.

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Review: Oath of Honor

Oath of Honor by Lynette Eason
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really liked this book even though the story flow dragged a bit in the middle.

I can appreciate how difficult it would be for a sibling to discover something about another sibling and be torn apart between love and duty. But here's the thing that seemed a bit implausible to me--and I might be wrong about this--but if your brother is a Christian, and you've known him your whole life and you trust him implicitly, why struggle with what he asks you to do?

Believability isn't a word, but it should be when it comes to novels. Setting aside belief in the implausible, this book and the writing is very good. There are a LOT of characters that I'm sure will be developed in later books of the series, and these characters will be very interesting.

The romance is a bit on the light side, and the character development of the two main characters suffers because of the huge amount of other characters. I think Lynette should take a tip from Law & Order -- go light on trying to develop characters that don't move the story along quickly. Otherwise, it's a good story.

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