All Over The Map

Full of Magic

2:59 pm 25 October 2013

Spells: Ten Tales of Magic - Rayne Hall, Cherie Reich, Tara Maya, Douglas Kolacki

Spells: Ten Tales of Magic includes assorted tales of magic. From sorcery and obvious in your face magic, to subtle magic you may not even realize is there. Each story uses magic in a different way, all with very different outcomes.

One of my favorites was Obsession. This is a dark story of obsession and desperation, and what can happen when you mess with forces unknown to you. Corinne has recently last her boyfriend Mark in a car accident. Her jealousy is ignited when she meets his ex-girlfriend from high school at his funeral. Now she must know who he loves more. Corinne is about to find out that 'Some questions are best left unasked'.

This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

'Panty melting'

11:21 am 20 October 2013

Knowing Vera (Chance For Love, #3) - Rachelle Ayala

Romance, suspense, and mystery rolled into one? No one will be able to drag you out of your house till you're done! I was already suffering from sleep deprivation but every time I thought about sleep another part thought 'one more chapter'.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

A good and recommendable read for historical fiction lovers

3:48 am 16 October 2013

The young lady whom this novel centres around endures many hardships that are very realistic for this time period. She has to adapt to the world around her in order to survive. Things get better, then worse, then better again. I felt very sorry for her but sadly it is not unrealistic. It is a more feminine read due to it's content; the trials and tribulations that accompany love. A good and recommendable read for historical fiction lovers.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

3:08 pm 13 October 2013

David Haskell keeps the reader in just the right amount of suspense, confusion, and intrigue. This combination caused me to not be able to put this down and to feel that I HAD to know what was going on. It also prompted a good discussion (and will possibly aid future ones).

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

"The issue of freedom in this age of constant surveillance is a challenge for us all."

Useful starting point

2:36 pm 12 October 2013

Each page has a picture with a simple phrase written in a speech bubble in Spanish with the English translation below. All phrases are very basic and straight forward, perfectly suiting the learning level. This is a cute book for children to learn the basics with. My son enjoyed the pictures, and I helped him to say the Spanish words. It will take some time and practice for him to remember most of the words since he's only 3 and there are a lot of words to learn in here.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

Relatable, funny

2:26 pm 12 October 2013

Morning Commute [Short story] - Scott Zavoda

If you are not a fan of swearing or other obscenities then do not read this. There is an abundance of swear words and even some private parts being displayed. While it was funny and enjoyable for what it was, some of it may go a bit far for some. The ending is predictable. As soon as she runs into the creep it's very obvious. It's still funny regardless of the predictability. And Mary definitely deserved this ending in my opinion! This story will make you think twice about how you will conduct yourself in traffic. I did laugh but not as much as I felt I could have, possibly there was a bit too much of a reliance on the impact of the words rather than just the situation itself.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

Vampire Bouquet

2:19 pm 12 October 2013

Bites: Ten Tales of Vampires (Ten Tales Fantasy & Horror Stories) - April Grey, Douglas Kolacki, Carole Ann Moleti, Debbie Christiana, Pamela Turner, Liv Rancourt, Rayne Hall, Jonathan Broughton, Jim Bernheimer

Bites: Ten Tales Of Vampires is a collection of assorted Vampire tales. Each tale uses different versions of vampire lore so not all stories feature the same sorts of vampires. All of these stories are well written and enjoyable in their own way. Some are great the way they are as short stories. Others seem like they would be better as full stories (which is not a bad thing) perhaps with some encouragement these authors will develop their stories further. Overall it is a very interesting set of stories each with a different form of vampire. There is something for every vampire lover.

This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

Pirates Oh-My

1:12 am 29 September 2013

Cutlass: Ten Tales of Pirates - Rayne Hall, Douglas Kolacki, Jonathan Broughton, Margo Lerwill, Liv Rancourt, Kris Austen Radcliffe, John Blackport, K.J. Kiegan

Rayne Hall is very gifted at finding awesome stories from various authors. Not all are written the same so you may not enjoy each story as much as the rest. I love reading different stories and I enjoy variety in everything, so I've really enjoyed these compilations. This is a good way to discover new and promising authors.

This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

Good Stories, not so scary

4:03 pm 18 September 2013

Scary isn't exactly the word I would use to describe these stories. Some are more eerie or spooky, even creepy, but I didn't find them scary. Whether or not you find them scary depends on how easily you scare. Given the proper atmosphere while reading they could become more scary. Try reading these late at night, all alone, with the lights off. These would still not be recommendable for younger audiences as they include darker themes and subjects.

Despite my lack of being scared, these were definitely well written stories. Each story kept my interest from the beginning to the end. They are short but build suspense rather well till each end.

This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org to view my full review.

Fantastic Dark Read

12:34 pm 17 September 2013

Storm Dancer (Dark Epic Fantasy) - Rayne Hall

Storm Dancer is a dark fantasy novel, that includes such themes as: rape, torture, captivity, betrayal, demons, and death. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart, or the squeamish. The majority of complaints I have read have been due to the inability of the particular reader to handle and enjoy the darker themes. So do not read this if you cannot handle the themes I have previously listed (especially the rape).

This is set in a fantasy world with many similarities to historical Middle East or Persia. The land in which this takes place has been suffering from drought, bringing much distress to it's inhabitants. There is also magic and demons; that are very real in this story.

Dahoud, once the general known as the Black Besieger, is trying to leave his old life of rape and terror behind him. He is appointed the new Satrap of Koskara, despite his objections. Faced with rejection, betrayal, and much difficulty, Dahoud must try to fight his inner demons to protect the women around him from it's wrath. His story is entwined with that of Merida; a young woman who is to learn a lot about life's hardships and realities.

The characters are very interesting and well developed. There are all varieties of personality. Some are obviously meant to be hated while others are meant to be liked. Then there are the main characters, who you want to like and understand but at certain points just want to run away from or shake into reality.

Dahoud has been struggling with his djinn since the age of 11. A djinn is a demon that resides within him, fueled by his anger, causing him to rape women. This theme is a large recurring point in the story. He tries very hard to resist the things his djinn puts into his mind but cannot always resist, though I give him points for his persistance.

Merida is from a place called Riverland, where the people appear to be snobbish prudes who value social standing above all else. She views herself very highly and looks down on those she views as uncultured. Due to her sheltered upbringing in Riverland she is ill prepared for what awaits her.

From beginning to end Storm Dancer is packed with detestable villains, action, intrigue, and darkness. It shows how different people can be depending on where they come from and how they can strive (or are forced) to change. The writing kept me interested from beginning to end. I must admit that I had to stop myself from going to the end to relieve myself of anticipation.

I wish there had been a map of this fantasy land included. This would have helped build a better idea of the layout for those who have a hard time keeping track. Though the writing does paint a fairly clear picture so that it wouldn't be too hard to create your own.

This novel was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Please visit me at http://www.theproductschool.org.

Enthusiasm

1:53 pm 12 September 2013

Children will enjoy the lovely and bright pictures. And of course this book (as well as Hugo's other adventures) is a useful tool to prompt good discussions with your young children. It helps them to understand that while being enthusiastic or excited is good, it can be overdone and needs to be balanced.