REVIEW: "SAVANNAH JADE" - by Sandra Cimadori

“SAVANNAH JADE”

by Sandra Cimadori

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Trailer trash is what people in Port Regal, South Carolina call seventeen year old Savannah Jade Mason and her family. Savannah dreams of doing important, spectacular things, but it is unlikely she ever will given her spectacular ability for getting into trouble. When her mother dies, the family's circumstances sink further into the Lowcountry swamp. Adult responsibilities are thrust on Savannah overnight. She is the only one left to care for her elderly grandmother and little brother - Savannah's older sister is in jail and no good to anyone. 

Who can Savannah turn to? Will it be Jonah her rocker boyfriend who she has loved for years, Derek who is anxious to escape his new wife and baby or steady and dependable Luca who she sees only as a friend? The revelation of a family secret will shake her identity to its core, lead her to question all her relationships and set her on the road to self reliance.

A Young Adult novel appropriate for mature teens. Contains mild sexual situations and language.

REVIEW

Written in the distinctive voice and point of view of a typical rebellious teenager, “Savannah Jade” is a fantastic, feel-good, quick read. Her rebellious nature might be characteristic of every other teenager out there, but ordinary she is not.

The story centers around eighteen-year old Savannah and how she deals with life after her mother passed away. At first it took me some time to get used to the author’s writing style and the way Savannah thinks and talks, but after a few chapters I got to know and understand Savannah a little better, and I felt loads of sympathy for her. Being dirt poor and looked down on as trailer trash by the other kids at school can be tough on anyone - especially a teenager who now carries the added burden and responsibility of taking care of her grandmother and little brother.  

Savannah’s story showed me a life where nothing is certain and how survival can be a daily struggle for some. This is one of the most dysfunctional families I’ve come across in any book, but what made it have a bigger impact on me is that her circumstances are real and many readers will be able to identify with the issues she has to deal with.

Her maturity and courage in the face of adversity touched my heart and had me rooting for her all the way. This is not a conventional love-triangle YA story, but rather a sincere and honest look at how some underprivileged teenagers has to deal with situations out of their control. A lot of secrets are revealed and truths discovered throughout this book and the multi-layered plot deals with a variety of difficulties faced by the adolescent protagonist in this story; the consequences, and heartbreaking decisions she has to make. Themes explored include school bullies, teen pregnancy, tattoos, drug abuse, dealing with loss, taking responsibility, falling in love, and a few other controversial topics. 

Although I’m giving it a must-read five star rating, this little jewel is still in need of some editing to make it sparkle even more. “Savannah Jade” is an enlightening, inspiring, and heartwarming read that will leave you smiling.

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“Savannah Jade” by Sandra Cimadori has 12 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here.

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REVIEW: "THE LAST GREAT WIZARD OF YDEN" - by S.G. Rogers

“THE LAST GREAT WIZARD OF YDEN”

by S.G. Rogers

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

For his sixteenth birthday, all Jon wanted were the keys to the family car. Instead, he got a lousy magic ring…

Artistic prodigy Jon Hansen yearns to fit in, but when he stumbles onto a supernatural kidnapping, his life changes forever. Unfortunately, his search for answers uncovers a magical secret—one that makes Jon a danger to everyone around him.

The Wolf Clan wizard Efysian has been draining the magic from Yden. On a quest for eternal power, he’s willing to kill to feed his addiction. To harness the ultimate source of energy, he travels to Earth. This time, however, he has a persistent witness to his crime.

Can Jon survive long enough to outwit the most evil wizard the magical world has ever known? Or will Efysian add the young wizard to his gruesome collection of trophies?

REVIEW

This is really a fantastic book! The dogged persistence from a friend who insisted I had to read this novel, I kind of had my doubts because it seemed to me this was going to be another Harry Potter-like book, which I really wasn’t in the mood for. I reluctantly started reading it, and soon found myself lost in a gorgeous new world full of magic, wondrous beings and breathtaking landscapes.

I have to admit that early on in the book I was already smitten with the characters and deeply entangled in the imaginative storyline. I was constantly surprised by the author’s creativity and in awe of Yden and its inhabitants – good and bad. I was touched by the friendship formed between strangers and enemies and had a few good laughs at the banter between Jon and his ragtag group of friends.

Magic, dragons, mystical creatures, colorful backdrops and an evil black wolf whose name made me giggle every time I read it; it often reminded me of a movie I used to watch as a kid, titled ‘The Never-ending Story”. S.G. Rogers has expertly crafted an ingenious masterpiece which transports the reader away from reality into a world that will enrapture readers of all ages. Highly recommended!

 

The name of one of the characters in this awesome book. Loved it! :)

(Borrowed from I Love Books Facebook Page)

  

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REVIEW: "SILAS" (A Supernatural Thriller) - by Robert J Duperre

“SILAS”

(A Supernatural Thriller)

by Robert J. Duperre

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Ken Lowery is a man at odds with his life. He hates his job, is disappointed in his marriage, and feels resigned to leading a mundane existence.

That all changes when his wife brings home a rambunctious black Labrador puppy named Silas, who forges a remarkable connection with Ken and begins to heal his inner turmoil. When some neighborhood children start to go missing, he takes it upon himself to protect those around him and is thrust into a surreal world where monsters roam. Not everything is what it seems to be, he soon discovers, including his new best friend.

REVIEW

I don’t think the blurb does this book any justice. There is so much more to “Silas” than the overview suggests. A supernatural thriller it definitely is, but it also borders on becoming a sci-fi novel. The whole time while reading it, all I could think of was how much I didn’t want the book to end.

“Silas” is an incredibly unique novel and one I’ll easily read again. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read before and apart from the adrenaline-pumping action, the extraordinary world it transports the reader to and the terror that keeps your heart beating at a frantic pace; the writing is very Dean Koontz-like, and the plot can be compared to one bled from the pen of Stephen King’s imagination, minus King’s well-known penchant for lengthy and dragging details.

The author’s superb writing takes the reader places where only the wildest of imaginations venture. The impression I got from reading the blurb was of a town terrorized by unseen forces preying on children. As true as this is, the story in actuality takes the reader to a parallel world similar to our own in the most miniscule of details. This parallel world is where most of the story and action takes place and also what made this such a remarkable read. Many times I was left in awe by the author’s creativity in the exceptional characters and creatures he created and how easy he makes it for the reader to immerse into this fantastical world.

This is truly an amazing adventure undertaken by a man and his loyal Labrador companion, and although the last few chapters had a very “Marley and Me” feel to it, the story ends on a high note, albeit an unanticipated one. “Silas” was an enjoyable, surprising read with a superbly crafted storyline and boatloads of suspense. Whether you’re a fan of the sci-fi genre or not this story, with its colorful settings and extraordinary canine protagonist, will appeal to readers all across the spectrum. Highly recommended!

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REVIEW: "THE BRIDGE OF DEATHS" - by M.C.V. Egan

“THE BRIDGE OF DEATHS”

by M.C.V. Egan

REVIEWED BY: Ellen Fritz

OVERVIEW

On August 15th 1939, at the brink of World War II, an English plane crashed and sunk in Danish waters. Five deaths were reported: two Standard Oil of New Jersey employees, a German Corporate Lawyer, an English member of Parliament, and a crew member for the airline. Here is a conceivable version of the events.

REVIEW

With the Second World War a mere two weeks away, the crash of an airplane in Danish waters near a bridge called Storstromsbroen, did not get the attention it would have had today or in times of peace. While Bill is looking for psychological answers to his recurring nightmares, he meets Maggie who is very familiar with the bridge in his dreams.  She urges him to look for these answers through past life regression therapy.  They join forces with Catalina whose grandfather also died in the same accident that haunts Bill's dreams. 

As I genuinely enjoy books with realistic and mostly true accounts of past lives, parapsychology and the findings of psychics, this book had me interested from the very beginning.  Apart from the gripping accounts of past life regression therapy, I was fascinated by the findings of the psychics who handled/touched the items which Catalina could give them, which belonged to victims of the crash.  Add to this the very interesting and extremely well researched historical facts and you have a book that will grab and hold your attention up to the last page.

Were they spies or just innocent people travelling from one place to another?  Were they politicians in disguise on a clandestine mission? The detailed research into the lives of each of the five passengers on the plane serves to increase the suspense until I could hardly wait to see the solution to the mystery, and the developing romantic relationship between Bill and Maggie added a sweet and gentle touch to the story.

A fascinating combination of history, mystery, romance, psychology and parapsychology, I truly admire Ms. Egan for the amount of research she put into this book.  For anybody who cares to read up more on the Second World War and the time just before then, the author has all her research resources neatly listed.  I highly recommend this book for anybody who has a keen interest in the history of World War 2, parapsychology and the slightly unusual.  You’ll find all you could hope for in this book, as well as a good mystery. “The Bridge of Deaths” will appeal to a great variety of readers.

 

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“The Bridge of Deaths” by M.C.V. Egan has 48 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here.

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REVIEW: "Project ELE" (ELE Series, Book 1) - by Rebecca Gober & Courtney Nuckels

“PROJECT ELE”

(ELE Series, book 1)

by Rebecca Gober & Courtney Nuckels

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Millions have already died, and thousands more are perishing daily. As a last ditch effort to preserve the human race, the government implements Project ELE. With the earth heating at rapid speeds, all remaining survivors are forced to turn to F.E.M.A. shelters to wait out ELE's wrath. 

Fifteen-year-old Willow Mosby's life, as she knows it, ends the moment she walks through the shelter's door. Willow has to quickly adapt to the new challenges that shelter life demands, the least of which includes making new friends and working a full time job.

Soon after making an interesting discovery, Willow and her friends start exhibiting strange abilities. Seeking answers, they embark on a mission to find out what these new abilities mean and whether they are a gift or a curse. 

This new adventure can send her world crashing down around her. The question is: Can Willow survive the fall?

From the authors of Night Marchers comes a new apocalyptic series with a paranormal twist.

REVIEW

Twenty-six pages into this book I was already crying my heart out. Thanks to the authors’ remarkable writing, I got attached to Willow and her family in a span of only a few pages. You’re probably wondering why I cried while reading the second chapter of this book, right? Well, all I can tell you is that no parent should be expected to make such a choice as the one Willow’s parents had to make.

I’m still new to post-apocalyptic novels, but this book smacked my reader curiosity spot on. “Project ELE” fits perfectly into the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it category, and the plot intrigued me from the start. Reading about our world in a time where the sun is burning the earth to a crisp through the holes in the ozone layer, isn’t too far from the truth, and it forces you to consider the horrific possibility of trying to survive in such a devastating climate. The authors took this scenario and put a few interesting twists on it, creating the F.E.M.A shelter in a dying world, but with a plethora of new possibilities within the safety of the shelter where Willow and her friends attempt to adjust to a new way of life as well as their newfound powers.

The shelter Willow and her friends had to move to in order to survive, really captured my imagination. Living inside a mountain for months on end, with only a few of the amenities found in today’s world, secret underground locations discovered by her and her posse, and their developing paranormal abilities, kept my interest throughout the book. A bunch of twists leading up to a shocking, cliffhanger ending, has me excited to read the next book in this series.

“Project ELE” is an intensely unique and enjoyable read. It captures the imagination and invites the reader to explore a post-apocalyptic setting with a multitude of secrets, discoveries and a good dose of betrayal. Think scientific experiments, mostly likeable but also some creepy characters, paranormal abilities, hidden passageways and caverns deep inside a mountain; and then throw into the mix a fat helping of action, suspense, and romance, and you’re onto a winner. A must-read for paranormal romance fans of all ages!     

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“Project ELE” by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels has 32 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here.

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REVIEW: "SOLSTICE" (A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse) - by Donna Burgess

“SOLSTICE”

(A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse)

by Donna Burgess

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

On the eve of winter Solstice, a massive flash envelopes the Earth and then there is nothing. The sun no longer shines and civilization is plunged into unending darkness. Those exposed to the mysterious flash have changed—they have become bloodthirsty, cunning, and determined to devour anyone who is not infected. They are Ragers.

In Sweden, a group of uneasy travelers hears a broken broadcast. There is hope. Something called Sanctuary waits, but it is thousands of miles away, somewhere on the shores of the British Isles.

Meanwhile, in a London supermarket, a high school English teacher from the States finds himself stranded along with a handful of students on a senior trip. Outside, hoards of hungry Ragers await, ready to tear them limb from limb. Their only hope is to find Sanctuary.

Solstice is a tale of hope, terror, survival, and finding love at the end of the World.

REVIEW

It seems lately I have an appetite for zombie-themed books. I finished “Hollowland” by Amanda Hocking and then, on the recommendation of a friend, got started on this one. I finished it in no time because once the story got its hold on me, it just wouldn’t let go until I had read the last page at 02:30 in the morning.

Everyone who has been following my reviews by now knows that I’m a big fan of the horror genre. And let’s be honest: zombies are much more horrifying than vampires, werewolves and demons, which have become rather stereotypical and predictable creatures in every second paranormal novel on the market today. I suppose many will say the same about zombies, but “Solstice” gives a startling new meaning to fear with its depiction of the living dead.

I have to applaud the author for not holding back in her use of shock techniques to get the reader to fully comprehend the direness of the situations faced by the various characters, and the fear they’re constantly experiencing knowing their lives and those of their loved ones could end at any minute. Can you imagine living in a world where the sun no longer exists and it being impossible to discern between day and night? How about being as frightened of the living as of your zombie neighbor trying to make a meal out of you or your child? Or even worse; your child being the zombie trying to make a meal out of you!  But what really had me chewing my nails and my nerves on end was the constant darkness in which the characters couldn’t even see their hands in front of their faces, and the terrifying sounds of running footsteps and howls behind them made by zombies and marauders chasing them down. All this while fleeing through burning cities they once called home.

Even without these flesh-eating monsters, the whole concept of living in a post-apocalyptic world where you not only have to run for your life, but fight against the cold and starvation to stay alive, is frightening in itself. The author does a great job taking the reader into that world and making the experience as realistic as possible. A lot happens in this fast paced book and the story is told from many different points of view. Although there’s not much in the way of plot twists, it is filled with shocking scenes, heartrending moments and boatloads of action. From Sweden all the way to London, this novel takes the reader on a horror-filled journey with characters whose fears and vulnerabilities are easy to relate to, thanks to the author’s skilled writing.

I agree with other reviewers who mentioned that the book needs some editing, but any book that has me reading into the wee hours of the morning because it’s impossible to put down, receives a ten star recommendation from me.

 

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“Solstice” by Donna Burgess has 47 reviews on GoodReads. Read it here.

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REVIEW: "EMBRACE" (The Gryphon Series, book 2) - by Stacey Rourke

“EMBRACE”

(The Gryphon Series, book 2)

by Stacey Rourke

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Whether she likes it or not, eighteen year old Celeste Garrett has come to terms with being the Chosen One. She knew having a “normal life” would be tricky, between intense training sessions and epic demonic battles, but she didn’t know at what cost it would come. That is, until a dear friend is harmed by the malicious forces hunting her. 

Now, she’d like nothing more than to retreat into a hermit lifestyle to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. But startling revelations, amazing new abilities, and mortifying moments in front of insanely hot guys won’t allow time for that. Soon, Celeste finds herself surrounded by darkness and wondering who she can trust—if anyone.

REVIEW

Once again I couldn’t help but marvel at Stacey Rourke’s superb writing. Aside from her wicked sense of humor, she has an uncanny knack to effortlessly draw the reader into her characters’ world. Reading “Embrace” was like immersing myself in favorite TV shows such as “Angel” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. The action-packed, fast-paced plot is extremely well-written and due to this I could easily visualize every scene and make myself at home in the characters’ lives. The side-splitting humor and sarcastic banter between the good en evil characters had me in fits of laughter and was a constant reminder of why this author is one of my absolute favorites.   

Every character in this book has their own distinct personality, quirks and traits, and I loved every single one of them. The author keeps you guessing about whom some of the bad guys are, whereas a few others are quite obvious. The gripping plot is filled with twists and surprises, and there’s never a dull moment in this story. No matter how many times I promised myself I’ll only read one more chapter and then go to bed, I always ended up reading five or seven chapters more, until way past my intended bedtime. To say this author’s books are addictive is an understatement.

I honestly enjoyed every aspect of this book right from the first page to the cliffhanger ending, but the one that stands out for me the most is the Dark Army Glee Club. If there’s nothing in my review to convince you to get yourself a copy of this book, then at least purchase it just to experience this singing group of nerdy misfit demons. They leave quite a memorable impression!

I happily give “Embrace” a highly recommended, well-deserved five star rating. The Gryphon series so far has been a boatload of fun to read, and I’ll be first in line to read the next book in this magnificent series!

 

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