Indelible by Lani Woodland

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
Sep 282011
 

Indelible

Author: Lani Woodland

Publisher: Pendrell Publishing

Published: To Be Published October 2011, eBook available now!

Hardcover: 416 pages

ISBN13: 9780982729724

FTC FYI: I received an ARC from the publisher, which did not effect my review

Reviewed by Mindy

Yara is beginning to understand just how much her life will change now that her Waker abilities have emerged. She has come to terms with the fact that seeing ghosts is part of her life, but she isn’t ready to let being a Waker dictate her choices. All she wants is a ghost-free senior year with her boyfriend, Brent, and her best friend, Cherie. But Yara soon discovers that there are more dark secrets in her school’s history than just the curse she broke. While an angry ghost makes Yara question everything she thought she knew about spirits, she and Brent learn that there are long reaching consequences to last year’s adventures. As new enemies emerge and old ghosts resurface, Yara finds herself in the center of another deadly mystery, and this time she has to contend with the living as well as the dead. (summary from Smashwords)

Yara Silva just got back from summer break in Brazil training with her grandmother, Vovo.  Yara is a Waker (see my review of Intrinsical), she can see and communicate with ghosts.  Yara was training with Vovo to learn how to help the ghosts that she sees.  Right off the plane, she notices them, but figures there are too many of them to help.  She’s picked up by her friends Cherie, Steve, and of course her boyfriend Brett.  The couples are headed to their school, Pendrell Academy, mixer.  During their senior year, students are required to have an internship, and this was the night to impress the alumni.  Brent and Yara are talking with some friends of his parents, and she lets it slip that she is a Waker.  Feeling embarrassed she rushes away where she meets DJ, who says he believes her and needs her help with something.  DJ tells them about Christopher Pendrell and his wife Sophia, who died mysteriously.  He takes them to where their portraits are and Yara sees Sophia.  Right away Yara can tell that she is troubled.  Sophia leads them, unknowingly, to a hidden compartment that she is protecting.  Yara notices that DJ takes something.  Right away Sophia starts attacking, all the while blaming Yara for what happened.  Brent uses his powers to help her, but they can’t figure out how Sophia was able to touch her.  This attack prompts Yara, Brent, and Cherie to investigate more into the Pendrell family.  What they find is a dangerous hidden society with secrets of their own.

I enjoyed Indelible as much as Intrinsical.  What I love about Lani’s writing is her character depth.  Each character is important to the story, and are very well written.  This book has so much of action and suspense.  And don’t forget about some great smooching.  What I liked most was the growing that Yara goes through.  She may see ghosts, but still needs to learn how to care about them.

4 out of 5 stars.  Looking forward to the third and final book, Inevitable, to be released next year.  Indelible will be available in hardcover soon, but is available in eBook form on Smashwords.

Content:

  • No language
  • A bit of violence, nothing I was offended by
  • Kissing, but never sexual


Witch Song by Amber Argyle

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Shanda's Reviews
Aug 152011
 

Witch Song

Author: Amber Argyle

Published Date: September 2011

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing

Softcover and Kindle; 325 pages

ISBN# 978-1-936850-16-7

Genre: YA Fantasy

FTC FYI: I received an ARC in PDF form that did not affect my review.

Goodreads Summary:

The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fade, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can’t stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn’t, there won’t be anything left to save.

Overall Review

I have been looking forward to reading and reviewing Witch Song since I read a sneak peak of the first chapter months ago.

I liked Brusenna (aka Senna) and enjoyed getting to know her better. She is young (14 years old at the start), and knows next to nothing about the witchcraft the villagers accuse her of practicing. She and her mother, Sacra, live hidden in the nearby forest, maintaining a simple and secret life away from those who would harm them.

Hoping to protect her daughter, Sacra keeps Brusenna ignorant of the larger world of witches, telling her only the very basics of what she needs to know. When another witch, Coyel, arrives to beg for her mother’s help in defeating the Dark Witch, Espen, everything Brusenna has ever known begins to change and she finds herself on her own for the first time in her life.

With the help of friends like Bruke, her large canine companion, and Joshen, the young man who wants to be assigned as her official Guardian, Brusenna sets out to learn what she needs to do to defeat the Dark Witch and release her mother.

There is so much more to this story that there isn’t space in this review to cover even part of it. Those who like stories of fantasy, a bit  of clean romance and unexpected heroes overcoming evil will really enjoy Witch Song.

The Specifics

Witch Song has some great villians, including Wardof, an attractive witch hunter who has the power of the Dark Witch behind him. Every time he is caught, Espen helps him escape. He is obsessed with capturing Brusenna. There are several serious moments involving Wardof, and a few humorous ones as well.

One thing I found myself wishing for was a better portrayal of Brusenna’s time on the island, Haven, where she studied by herself for a year to become the witch she would need to be. I would have liked to have felt the passage of time a little more consistently. Also, I really wanted to see more of Brusenna’s successes and failures in her efforts to learn the spells and potions she needed to know. I wanted to have some confidence in Brusenna’s ability to hold her own against Espen even if Brusenna didn’t feel it herself, and I never really felt that.

I really liked Joshen and that Amber kept the romance clean. There are a few heart-wrenching scenes involving Joshen and Brusenna that held a lot of emotion.

Heads Up

There is violence (not gory) and death. Obviously there is use of spells and potions. No bad language that I can recall. There is mention of Brusenna’s shyness at being naked after a bath in front of another woman (modesty is promoted). After Joshen and Brusenna’s relationship has moved to kissing, a chapter begins by saying that Brusenna wanted more but Joshen stopped them (there are no details).

My Rating

I give Witch Song 3.75 stars out of 5. Witch Song is Amber’s debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more from her. I would recommend Witch Song to readers 14+.

Below is the book trailer for Witch Song:

Less than 72 hours and Lisa Mangum’s The Golden Spiral

 Posted by  Book News, Countdown to Summer, News, Special Features
Jun 222011
 

Summer is finally here!

I’m not just talking about the official “First Day of Summer” that we’ve been counting down to on the LDSWBR blog. I’m talking about the sun! I think I saw the number 90 on the forecast for this week, too.

Speaking (reading?) of the Countdown to Summer 2011– there are less than three days left to enter to win one of 14 great summer reads as well as the $50 Amazon Gift Card up for grabs.

The fastest and easiest way to get the most entries is to comment on each Countdown to Summer 2011 author post. We have really great authors presenting really great books so go check it out, leave a comment and who knows- maybe you’ll be one of our lucky winners!

And speaking (ok, reading) of great books, The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum is now available in paperback!

That’s right. Book 2 in Lisa’s highly-enjoyable The Hourglass Door series has been released in paperback and is available for purchase from Deseret Book, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

In May of this year, The Golden Spiral was awarded the Silver Medal for the Benjamin Franklin Award and is currently a finalist for the ForeWord Review’s 2010 YA Book of the Year Award.

Congratulations, Lisa!

Lisa also donated a hardcover copy of Book 3 in The Hourglass Door trilogy, The Forgotten Locket, as a prize in our Countdown to Summer 2011 contest. Thanks, Lisa!

So go comment right now. The LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 contest ends Friday, June 24, 2011 at Midnight MDT!

The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum – Countdown to Summer 2011

 Posted by  Countdown to Summer, Special Features
Jun 062011
 

15 days until summer!


Lisa Mangum has loved and worked with books ever since elementary school, when she volunteered at the school library during recess. Her first paying job was shelving books at the Sandy Library. She worked for five years at Waldenbooks while she attended the University of Utah, graduating with honors with a degree in English. An avid reader of all genres, she has worked in the publishing department for Deseret Book since 1997.

Besides books, Lisa loves movies, sunsets, spending time with her family, trips to Disneyland, and vanilla ice cream topped with fresh raspberries. She lives in Taylorsville, Utah, with her husband, Tracy. She is the author of The Hourglass Door (which was named the 2009 YA Book of the Year by ForeWord Reviews) and The Golden Spiral (which was awarded the silver medal for the 2010 Benjamin Franklin award).

The final book in the trilogy, The Forgotten Locket, was released May 2011.

Visit Lisa’s website and blog.

Follow Lisa on Facebook: Lisa Mangum and the Hourglass Door fan page.

LDSWBR: If you had an entire day to read (on the beach, at the lake, by the pool, etc.), what book(s) or genre would you reach for first?

LISA: I would reach for an epic fantasy novel—specifically A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. Not only do I love the series, but book 5 is coming out this summer and I have to catch up on the plot. :)

LDSWBR: What book(s) do you look forward to reading the most this summer?

LISA: I’m really looking forward to the new book by George R. R. Martin—A Dance of Dragons. And top on my list of “to-reads” is the new one by Sarah Dessen—What Happened to Good-bye. (I got a copy at BEA; so excited!) I also really want to read Shadowrise and Shadowmarch by Tad Williams. And there’s the new Cassandra Clare novel—Clockwork Angel. The list goes on and on!

LDSWBR: What is your favorite outdoor cooking recipe? (Can be grill, campfire, Dutch oven, etc.)

LISA: I love a perfectly grilled hamburger with Italian seasonings and a melty layer of fresh mozzarella cheese on top. Yum.

LDSWBR: Thanks, Lisa. Enjoy your summer!

The Forgotten Locket (Shadow Mountain; May 2011) is available for purchase from Deseret Book, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Are you a barbecued burger “purist” or do you like to experiment with different flavor combinations? Go on, tell us your barbecued burger secrets. :)

***

***Countdown to Summer 2011 Contest***

LDSWBR will hold a drawing on June 25, 2011 for a $50 Amazon gift card, as well as a variety of books being offered by some of the LDS authors featured in the Countdown. This will be a raffle-type drawing, so more entries means more chances to win. There are several ways to enter the Countdown to Summer 2011 contest. See details below.

Book prizes generously donated by the authors:

  • The Upside of Down by Rebecca Talley
  • Gifted by Karey White
  • Bumpy Landings by Donald J. Carey
  • Captive Heart by Michele Paige Holmes
  • The Perfect Fit by  Michele Ashman Bell
  • River Whispers by Kathi Oram Perterson
  • Hazzardous Universe by Julie Wright & Kevin Wasden
  • Hearts Through Time by Marie Higgins
  • Double Deceit by Stephanie Humphreys
  • The List by Melanie Jacobson
  • The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
  • The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden
  • Blackberry Crumble by Josi S. Kilpack
  • **Bonus Prize** An autographed copy of BLOODBORNE by Gregg Luke (released August 2011)

Do ANY of the following to enter:

  • Post a thoughtful comment on the Countdown to Summer 2011 author posts. Comments can be added on any of the author posts anytime during the contest period (June 1, 2011 through June 24, 2011). Only one comment per person per Countdown to Summer author post will be entered into the drawing. Feel free to comment more than once per post if you’d like, but only one comment will be accepted as an entry.
  • Send LDSWBR an email to ldswbr AT gmail DOT com telling us which of the following you have completed. If you already do these things, email us and let us know. Each item gets you 1 entry.
  1. Follow LDS Women’s Book Review on Facebook
  2. Follow @LDSWBR on Twitter
  3. Subscribe to LDSWBR by email (see top right sidebar on website)
  4. Follow LDSWBR with Google Friend Connect (right sidebar beneath “Follow LDSWBR”)
  • On each Countdown to Summer author post, leave a comment telling us which of the following you completed or already do. Each item gets you 1 entry.
  1. Follow the author’s blog (if they have one)
  2. Follow the author on Twitter (if they tweet)
  3. Follow the author on Facebook (if they have a Facebook page)
  • Tweet this message each day. One entry per day. Just copy and paste into your twitter message window to send it (LDSWBR must be able to see the tweet): LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 – Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card & great summer reads! http://bit.ly/kZ5jXw @ldswbr
  • Blog about this contest on your blog then send us the link to your specific blog post. You can find the Countdown graphic badge/button to include in your blog post here. (5 entries)
  • Post the following on your Facebook page (3 entries) then send us an email (ldswbr AT gmail DOT com) telling us that you did: LDSWBR Countdown to Summer 2011 – Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card & great summer reads! http://bit.ly/kZ5jXw

Here are the rules:

  • Contest ends at 12:00 Midnight MDT on June 24, 2011.
  • Drawing winners will have until 12:00 Midnight MDT on July 2, 2011 to claim their prize. After that time, another name will be drawn to receive the prize.
  • Book prizes can only be shipped within the contiguous United States.
  • LDSWBR reserves the right to decide what determines a “thoughtful” comment.

Let’s keep counting down to summer with some great reads!

The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum – Combined Review

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Combined Reviews
May 202011
 

The Forgotten Locket

Author: Lisa Mangum

Published: May 2011 (release date June 9)

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Hardcover: 368 pages

Genre: YA Fantasy

FTC FYI: LDSWBR received free copies from the author which did not affect our review.

Shanda’s Review

I know this is a review about The Forgotten Locket, but having re-read The Hourglass Door and The Golden Spiral this past week before reading The Forgotten Locket, the story has meshed and blended so well in my mind that I’m not sure I can separate it into individual novels anymore. Instead, I will review the series as a whole.

Two years ago, I bought The Hourglass Door without reading it first. I wasn’t disappointed then, and as I read it again this week I was thrilled to discover I liked it even better this time around. YA fiction tends to be hit-and-miss with me, so I’m always glad to find a book or series that I not only thoroughly enjoy, but have no concern letting my daughter read as well.

Here is a list of things I found refreshing about The Hourglass Door series:

  • No love triangle. Well, a little something comes up later but it is never really an option so I don’t count it.
  • Plenty of kissing with NO graphic description and the subject of sex never comes up in any way. Still, there is plenty to curl your toes about. (Dante knows just how to touch Abby’s face or wrap her in his arms- oh, there go my toes!)
  • I love science and fiction (yes, I am a fan of Star Trek) and I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of space-time and time travel. I can only imagine how much thought went into making the story plausible. When my head started to spin with all the time-talk, I decided to let the author worry about it (which I’m sure she did!) and enjoy the ride. Best thing I could have done.
  • Abby is a thoughtful, caring and LIKEABLE main character. No angry girl here. Don’t think that makes Abby weak, though. Quite the contrary. I love how Abby’s strength, determination, and abilities grow with her understanding and circumstances. Great character arc.
  • Dante is tall, dark, handsome, mysterious and human. No changing into some other-worldly or fantastical creature based on the phase of the moon or whatever else. He’s a talented, young Italian who, due to the betrayal of promises made, is forced into a punishment he does not deserve.
  • A great villain. Zo is manipulative, charismatic, talented and selfish. His big scene near the end of the book is nothing short of intense. In fact, after reading that scene I had to pause and take a breath!

Here is a quote I like from The Forgotten Locket:

Faced with an impossible situation, my mind ran through the possibilities, looking for a creative, workable solution. It was a discouragingly short list. But there was one thing on the list that I thought I could do. It was crazy and dangerous and there was no guarantee it would even work, but it was something I could do. And right now, that was what I wanted – action. Even if it was the longest shot I could take.

I also love the quote Sheila shares in her review below.

The Forgotten Locket is a gripping conclusion to The Hourglass Door series. It is obvious how much hard work Lisa put into these novels. This series gets a solid 4 stars from me and comes highly recommended.

Sheila’s Review

I have loved The Hourglass Door series from the first book. There was something so special and unique about this story. I think one of the main reasons is because of the wonderful characters.

I fell in love with Dante and Abby and their amazing love story. Fans of this series will not be disappointed in this last installment. The relationship between Dante and Abby only grows stronger in The Forgotten Locket. So if you want a story with a strong love story, you will enjoy this book.

There is also plenty of angst filled moments thanks to the bad guy, Zo. I think that I disliked him even more in this last book. Great job, Lisa!

So many things made me stop and think as I read The Forgotten Locket. One of my favorite scenes in the story is where Abby asks Dante this question, “Tell me, what does forever feel like?” Here is part of his answer that took my breath away:

“I meant that forever feels…untouched. Open all the way to the horizon. But it’s not empty like the bank. Not at all.” His voice, already soft, took on a reverence I hadn’t heard before. “Forever is stuffed full of…possibility. Potential. A blank canvas waiting for me to paint something, or draw something. To make. To change. Forever is where creation happens.” (The Forgotten Locket, page 126-127)

Lisa Mangum writes such beautiful words and dialogue. Her use of imagery, especially when describing the river and the bank, is exceptional. I have really noticed her growth as a writer as she has written this trilogy. I can’t wait to read what she writes next. It will be sad not to read more about Dante and Abby, but I can always go back and re-read the series whenever I want. I loved the feel good ending and I know that fans of this series will love reading The Forgotten Locket.

Mindy’s Review

My LDSWBR gals and I were fortunate to each receive a copy of The Forgotten Locket from Lisa at Storymakers. Thank you, Lisa.

What I love most about Lisa’s writing style is the way she shows me details with her writing. What it means to show in writing is the way a character, scene, object, etc., is described. It truly helps me know her characters, how they are feeling, know exactly what they are doing, and where they are.

The Forgotten Locket picks up right where The Golden Spiral leaves off. Abby goes through the hourglass door determined to fix all the damage that Zo has done to her and everyone she loves, but something is missing- her memory. Zo is such a great antagonist, a guy you love to hate, but want in a scene. His mind games and tricks don’t stop, they only get worse.

Zo is an imposing force that can’t let go of what he wants, and his reasons for doing what he does are pure selfish. He’s very sneaky and manipulates any situation his way. Right away he tricks Abby into giving something away that could destroy the life she’s been trying to get back. Could that mean Dante will be destroyed too?

And, speaking of Dante- I love this guy. He is a kind-hearted, caring person. In my eyes, he is the new Edward. What I love most about him is his heart. Dante’s love for Abby, his brother, and family is something that defines him as a good man. Valerie is back, too, but she is upset with Abby. Upset because of what Zo has put her through, but she points the finger at Abby. Valerie is also trying to come out of her insanity. Can she be healed too?

My favorite character in The Forgotten Locket was Orlando. Another wonderful example of an upstanding man with integrity and love.

Each person that goes to the bank develops a specific strength that helps them exist there. I LOVED what Abby’s gift was, how she learned about it and how she is able to help others. So many surprising things happen that kept me reading until the end, and gasping out loud at times. My husband kept asking me what was wrong, then he’d see I was reading and just laugh at me.

4 1/2 stars. This is a series that I will reread many times. The characters are iconic. It’s so great to read and enjoy a series as a parent that I would let my daughters read too. Great job, Lisa!

Content:

Sexual: kissing and touching of neutral places, ie., face, neck, arms, hands; no sex implied or mentioned

Violence: some violence and fighting (involving a knife) but nothing that felt inappropriate or excessive

Drugs & Alcohol: none

Intrinsical by Lani Woodland

 Posted by  Book Reviews, Mindy's Reviews
May 112011
 

Intrinsical

Author: Lani Woodland

Publisher: Pendrell Publishing

Hardcover: 304 pages

ISBN: 9780982729700

FTC FYI: I purchased my own copy

“Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something slide past me.  Curious, I turned to find something shimmering in the air, almost like a fine mist–but it was unlike any mist I had ever seen.  Instead of a transparent white, it was a deep charcoal gray, almost black.  It brought to mind a dark rain cloud, one that promised a terrible storm… The mist wound around one student, then another, releasing each before moving on, still searching.  Then, abruptly, it paused, circling tightly around a boy with sable hair.” Intrinsical pages 1-2

Yara Silva knows that ghosts are around her.  In fact, she is a Waker.  Being a Waker she can see and communicate with ghosts.  Yara’s grandmother was also one, but she was taunted by her ability.  Yara didn’t want that for herself.  When she starts school at Pendrell Academy, Yara was hoping just to attend school, and not have her ability be “awakened”.  Little did Yara know, Pendrell Academy is surrounded by mystery.  Yara grandmother encourages her to attend, even though Pendrell has been loosing students to suicide.  So, right away, she realizes her ability has been lying dormant all this time, until she is needed in a moments notice.

I really enjoyed this book.  Something huge happens to Yara, earlier then I was excepting, and I really love what the author did with it.  There are so many cools twists and turns that Yara takes, and where she ends up at the end is impressive.  There are so many likable characters in this book too.  Besides Yara, Brent was my favorite, a guy who has many of his own complications.

I recently met Lani Woodland at a book club discussion and instantly loved her.  She is so fun and sweet.  Lani got the idea for Intrinsical by doing a fan fiction story for her favorite show The X Files–it’s a cool story.  I also got to spend time with her at last weekend’s LDStorymakers Conference.  In a podcast interview that Sheila and I had with her, I was excited to learn that book two, Indelible will be released later this year.  Find out more about Lani here.

4 stars out of 5.  Great story, I will even let my teenage daughter read this, and I haven’t been saying that very often.  I will definitely read Book 2, and will read Intrinsical again.

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