Books and Bindings Reviews THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

Well it's two-fer-one week here at the blog.  Empress DJ over at Books and Bindings enjoyed LOOK BEFORE YOU JUMP so much, she immediately jumped right into book two of the Bartender Babe Chronicles.  Her fabu review of THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK can be read by clicking HERE.  Many thanks once again to this belle from Hawaii.  Mahalo!

And don't forget, you can still pick up book one in eBook format for free on Smashwords only through July 31st by clicking HERE and using the coupon code SFREE at checkout.  If you're a Kindle user, click on the MOBI file.  For Nook, use the EPUB version.

Happy reading!

Hellhounds, Zombies, and Lich Kings (Oh My!)

Hellhounds, zombies, and lich kings - oh my!

Continuing with our October script, let me introduce you to another series I've enjoyed that possesses elements of the season - and that little scaredy-cat me can handle.

A few years ago, I came across Becca Andre's The Final Formula series and found myself immersed in a genre I never thought I'd enjoy - that containing zombies.

Yes, it's true.  My son is the one in the family who loves most things zombiefied.  In a world filled with the undead these days, I've never jumped on that icky and stinky bandwagon.  Too gross and creepy for me by far.  So I was surprised when reading the first in Andre's series, THE FINAL FORMULA, to discover necromancers controlling the leashes of the zombie world.  But here it is a little less creepy and a bit more funny.

The real aspect of this novel that intrigues me is the mystery surrounding our female protagonist, Addie, short for 'Addled Alchemist'.  It's a moniker given by James, the young man who saved her life after she survived the explosive destruction of the Alchemica Academy.

Every alchemist's dream is to discover the Final Formula - the key to eternal life - and a Master Alchemist will do anything to find it. Anything.  Thus far no one has succeeded, but the night of the Alchemica's destruction changes everything.  However, Addie remembers nothing from that night - not even her true name.  The only clues she has to her past are the hundreds of formulas still occupying her brain and the nine tattoo bands encircling her biceps, certifying her as a Master Alchemist.  She's only missing the final one.

But Addie no longer senses a pull toward discovering eternal life - if she ever did.  All she wants to do now is spend her days peacefully puttering away in a lab - without blowing stuff up, mind you - and using her alchemy skills to help humanity and restore the good name of alchemists around the world.

But Addie's hideout with the Huntsman brothers is soon discovered, and a professional extraction team descends on Portsmouth, Ohio to capture the only known survivor of the Alchemica Academy blast.  What Addie never anticipated was being rescued by the Flame Lord, one of New Magic's elemental leaders.  But the Fire Element has a secret too, and if that information gets out to the world, it could spell all out war between the forces of New Magic and Old.

And Old Magic's ways are controlled by the undead.

Necromancers have lived among the world for centuries and adapted to the modern world by controlling that most applicable field of business - funeral homes.  But if the modern world knew their deceased loved ones were being embalmed and buried - and sometimes 'borrowed' for more nefarious matters - the Deacon and his family might find themselves more than simply out of business.  Even so, there are those among Old Magic who will do anything to seize power, even killing off the Elements of New Magic if necessary.

Addie finds herself thrust into the midst of this battle - with alchemy holding the potential of being everyone's saving grace.

THE FINAL FORMULA is a mix of mystery, intrigue, humor, and even some romance for those who enjoy a little (or a lot at times) heat.  There's a joke in that word, but you'll have to read the novel to find out why.  There is one racy scene and a few instances of strong language, but the focus of this first book is on discovering who Addie really is and what she's really capable of in the world of alchemy.

And it's the mystery that kept me coming back for more.  Pick up your free copy today at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or wherever eBooks are sold.

Free Book Alert!

Hey readers - I've got a freebie alert for you!

Today, April 25th, you can pick up a free Kindle copy of author Ever N. Hayes' debut novel 2020:  Emergency Exit.  It's all part of his Happy Birthday celebration.

Of course, he's not revealing how many candles on his cake, so we'll all be left to guess that little nugget of info.  Still it's a great opportunity for all of us to save a few Benjamin's.

So get your copy today before the candles burn down to the frosting.

Download from Amazon

For Fantasy Lovers - Healer's Touch by Deb Howell

Good afternoon on a cold and snowy day!

While trapped indoors this week, I opted to check out the freebie downloads currently available for my Kindle.  It's been awhile since a fantasy novel passed by, so I picked up one that I thought I'd give a little recommendation for here at the blog.  For those who like a simple but promising fantasy series, check out Deb E. Howell's Healer's Touch.

Book Blurb (from Amazon): 

Llew has a gift. Her body heals itself from any injury - but at a cost to anyone nearby.

In a country fearful of magic, freeing yourself from the hangman's noose by wielding forbidden power brings dangers of its own. After dying and coming back, Llew drops from the gallows into the hands of Jonas: the man carrying the knife with the power to kill her - permanently.

The last of his warrior race, Jonas is haunted by memories of his loved ones. At his side, the cursed knife that took their lives acts as a cruel reminder of his pain. Jonas has learned the hard way that caring for others means their death.

Jealous of his half-brother's celebrated strength and speed, Braph has created the device that gives him the power to perform magic, any magic. But it needs fuel - the blood of a healer...

My Review:
There were several things I liked about this novel and several things I believe could be strengthened.

This is really a fantasy novel in a fantasy world, not a wild-west or steampunk setting. I understand the western themed moniker to give it a semblance of time and setting, but I think that reference in the book blurb (on GoodReads) is misleading. There are characters with special powers I found very interesting, particularly the healer's touch component that our protagonist, Llew, possesses.

Llew is a teenaged orphan, living on the streets of Cheer (a misnomer) as a boy since her father disappeared. One night she is attacked when a man realizes she is a woman. When Llew tries to fight him off, he starts slashing at her with a broken bottle. However, each time he slashes at her and she touches him to fight off the attack, a transfer of life occurs and Llew is healed. Eventually she passes out, realizing the connection she maintained with the man sucked the life out of him to heal her - and his lifeless body lay beside her.

When the townspeople of Cheer realize a murdering witch is in their midst, Llew is forced to flee into the unknown. Along the way, she encounters a group of wealthy adventurers escorting a young woman to another land to meet her betrothed. They agree to take her on as another protector - and for the time being Llew's secret is safe. But the traveling troupe has many secrets of their own, the warrior Jonas being more than a distraction.

This wasn't a story that kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning, but it was one that kept me coming back over the course of several days as I had availability. So without giving away too much, here we go. The first third of the book was interesting as I got to know Llew and her predicament, her strong and determined personality, and as she grew more aware - and sometimes frightened - of her strange power. The last third was both exciting and heartbreaking as Llew fought for her freedom, her life, and for the lives of others.

The main problem I had was with the middle third, as it got bogged down and at times felt as if the author had lost direction. The characters even changed in odd ways and didn't stay true to what they were at the beginning and end. One of the most irritating was the changing speech patterns of several characters, in particular Jonas. He had disappearing and reappearing accents that varied throughout the story. In the beginning he carried a normal speech pattern, and then suddenly he sounded like a southerner from Texas, then the Bayou, and then back to no discernible accent. The middle could be cut waaay back without losing any significant aspect of the story.

Then, besides Llew, there was little development of any other character to give the reader a sense of depth, motivations, and more than one-dimensional representation. I think this would have helped the middle section from feeling so wooden and would have also made our antagonist feel more like a flesh and blood man instead of a spoiled brat throwing a temper-tantrum.

There were very few editing errors and point-of-view stayed fairly strong without jumping around from character to character in the midst of a scene (bravo and thank you, Ms. Howell!!!). In the end, I think the story ended on an appropriate note and made me interested in continuing with the next leg of Llew's journey.  This would've rated a four star if not for the issues mentioned above, but it has much promise in regard to Llew and the created fantasy world elements.  Thus I'll settle with three and a-half stars for this first outing in the series.  

Healer's Touch is still a freebie under all eBook outlets if fantasy tickles your fancy.  Due to some disturbing elements (rape, hanging, bloody battle sequences and death) I'd only recommend for 18+.