The Great Review Debate

Ah, the power of a review. We rely on reviews quite a bit in the internet age. Whether buying an appliance or deciding which movie to see, the opinions of others often play heavily into our decisions. Books are no different. We have to hear about it one way or another. Friends, relatives, television, forums--they all provide reviews of a form.

Lately, I've seen a lot of people say that a writer can't honestly review another writer. My question is "Why?" All writers first started out as readers. You can't be a writer unless you read. My favorite phrase to describe myself is "Reader by nature, writer by choice." I was born to read. While I enjoy writing, I can do without it if I have to. I can't go for very long without reading. It's too important a part of my life.

So why shouldn't I review the books I really liked (or really hated)? Just because I may have chatted with the author through Kindleboards or Twitter, it doesn't mean I view their books any differently than I would have had I found them through a friend or in a bookstore. Reviews are important. They're not meant to boost a writer's ego or tear them down. They're meant to inform the readers whether a book is worth their precious time. When I write reviews, it's from a reader's perspective. And that's the way most writer/reader/reviewers work. Just because someone wrote a book, it doesn't mean they have an ulterior motive in doing so. And if they do, they're abusing the review system and should be dragged out into the street and drowned in their own pudding.

On a side note: I'll rarely review a book if I can't give it at least 3 stars. First, I have a horrible powerful guilty conscience that won't let me be that mean to someone unless the book is really really awful and I feel I have to warn the public. Second, if I rate a book a 1 or 2, I likely either didn't finish it, or I remember so little about it that I can't rightly justify giving an opinion. 

How heavily do reviews play into your book-purchasing decisions? And do you take a review less seriously if you know it was written by an author?

Review: Six Moon Summer

I received a copy of Six Moon Summer by SM Reine when I won a Twitter contest (I correctly guessed Sara's new hair color. We need more contests like that). It took me awhile to get around to reading it, and in a way, I'm glad. I'll explain why later.

Brief Summary: Rylie is a teenager, her parents are getting a divorce, and she's been shipped off to camp hours away from home. Needless to say, her summer did not start well. When she flees camp trying to avoid some nasty girls, she runs afoul of something much worse--a werewolf. She's bitten and now her future is uncertain. Every new and full moon, her transformation increases, until on the sixth moon, she becomes a full werewolf. Rylie is desperate to find a cure before it is too late and enlists the help of a very cute boy named Seth, who holds a secret of his own.

Why You Should Read It: Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. It flowed really well, the characters were engaging and easy to relate to, and, let's be honest, who doesn't love werewolves mixed with some teenage angst? Reine does an excellent job bringing the story to life and giving the characters depth. Rylie's struggles with her wolfish nature parallel the struggles many teens (and adults) go through trying to find their place in the world. So why am I glad I didn't read this book before now when I loved it so much? The second book, All Hallows' Moon, is coming out on September 9th. You can bet your booty I'll be getting it the moment I'm near a computer or Kindle. You still have a few days to grab Six Moon Summer before the release! I promise you won't regret it.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻☻

Have you read Six Moon Summer? Share your experience below!

Review: The Weight of Blood

The Weight of Blood is the first book in the Half-Orcs series by David Dalglish. I was initially going to purchase the Half-Orcs omnibus, but Weight of Blood went free on Kindle, so I decided to snatch it up. I'm a bit glad I didn't spend the money.

Brief Summary: Weight of Blood follows brothers Harruq and Qurrah. Their mother was an orc and their father was an elf, making them a strange mix in a world where orcs are despised. It is all they can do to survive in the harsh world of humans. That is, until a lovely elf and a strange man in a black cloak arrive and test their loyalty to one another.

My Thoughts: I did not enjoy this book, plain and simple. From the get-go, I had trouble getting over the similarity to the brothers in the Dragonlance series. Harruq is the strong but dumb one who sacrifices everything for his brother, the physically weaker mage with aspirations of power. I don't know if Dalglish read the Dragonlance series before writing this, but it's impossible to read one without thinking of the other. On top of that, the characters had very few redeeming characteristics. They slaughter children without a thought, take out an entire village without even asking for a reason, and blindly follow a man who is clearly the most evil person they have ever met. There is the occasional glimmer of hope throughout the book that they will change, but when they do, it is almost too sudden and kind of weak, really. Then there is the love story that does not get fleshed out and seems like something thrown in just to have it in there. I've heard great things about Dalglish and I think I'll try something else in his repertoire in the future, but this piece definitely fell flat for me.

Rating: ☻☻☻

Review: Pale Queen's Courtyard

Pale Queen's Courtyard is Marcin Wrona's take on mythology. According to the wonderful note at the end of the book, he used several sources, many of which I recognized once he had pointed them out (I never did very good in mythology in school). This is the first of many expected books in a series based around Ekka, the main land involved.

Brief Summary: Pale Queen's Courtyard follows two main characters. The first is Leonine, a musician and thief who also happens to be a sorcerer in a land where sorcery will earn you a painfully hot death. Kamvar is a soldier who has dedicated himself to the faith and bringing those sorcerers to their end. When a high priest's young daughter is revealed to be a sorceress, both men will be taken on journeys they did not expect and have their beliefs tested before the end.

Why You Should Read This: This book took me a long time to read, but that was no fault of the story. Wrona has a talent for bringing unknown lands to life and if I'd had the time to be hooked, I would have been. Leonine is the perfect antihero--unwilling, unwanted, but needed despite his best efforts to avoid the responsibilities foisted upon him. Kamvar is easy to relate to in his love for family and faith. Ilasin, the young girl in question, is just as enjoyable and her relationship with the thief is inspiring. My only regret about reading this book is I wish I would have read it a few months from now when I have more time. I will likely go back and re-read it so I can get the full effect.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻☻

Review: Vampire Relationship Guide (Part 1)

I met Evelyn LaFont through Twitter (her handle is @keyboardhussy. You totally should follow her. She's awesome). When we first started chatting, I had no idea that she was writing a book, so when it came out, I was thrilled. The Vampire Relationship Guide (Part 1)is her debut novel.

Brief Summary: Josie is a 30-something woman who works in a bridal boutique. She spends her days and nights helping brides to be obsessed with tulle and lace. When her vampire mailman offers her an unexpected birthday present, Josie is thrown into a love triangle she never imagined. Caught between the dashing Gregory and the slightly off-kilter Walker, Josie must decide which vampire she wants to be with.

Why You Should Read It: LaFont writes a very entertaining, quick book. Gregory is the sexy vampire you expect in a novel such as this, but Walker offers his own endearing (though slightly quirky) qualities to the mix. Josie isn't your average vampire-chasing bimbo and she gives both men a run for their money. A light, entertaining read and I definitely look forward to the second installment in this series.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻

Review: Legacy of the Empress

Legacy of the Empress is Rebecca Knight's debut novel. Before picking this up, I read No Rest for the Wicked, a short story about Veronica Grimm, a woman who takes on baddies from fairy tales. To say I was excited to read Legacy is an understatement. There's a reason I picked it as July's indie book of the month. I wanted an excuse to read it ASAP. The giveaway is still going on, so head on over there and sign up!

Brief Summary: Legacy of the Empress follows the tale of Princess Astrid, a young woman who has been trapped in a tower by her mother for the last ten years. Around her eighteenth birthday, Astrid, who has a talent for magic, finds a way to free herself. At first, her only goal is to get as far away from her mother as possible. Then she meets an elemental who gives her a wonderful gift and tells her about the Empress. The Empress is the only person to ever meet and defeat the darkness that is plaguing the land. Astrid goes on a quest to find and save the Empress, whose imprisonment in the Crystal Fortress led to the return of the darkness. But in her quest to free her kingdom, she realizes the price might be higher than she imagined.

Why You Should Read It: Knight tells an amazing story. Simple as that. I've read a lot of wonderful work from indies, but this book makes it onto my absolute favorites. Right up there with Lord of the Rings and the Drizzt books. There is a very good chance that I will read this novel again. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the only reason it took me so long to finish is that real life kept popping up and bothering me. I'm not sure if there is a sequel planned, but I sincerely hope there is.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻☻

Review: Saying Goodbye to the Sun

Saying Goodbye to the Sun is David McAfee's first novel. I discovered it where I discover many an excellent new novel: Kindleboards. I believe it was in a thread where he posted that it had finally become free. I'd already spent my budget for the month and figured I'd try it before I picked up another of his novels that I'm interested in, 33 A.D. I'm very glad I did.

Brief Summary: Saying Goodbye to the Sun is a first-person story following Vincent, a young man who meets a beautiful woman one night and finds his life turned upside down. Raine is unlike any woman Vincent has ever met, and she actually seems to like him. But she has a secret: she's a vampire. After he finally hunts her down, she does the unthinkable by turning him into a vampire. That is forbidden, and now he has to either track her down and bring her in for punishment, or risk punishment himself.

Why You Should Read It: McAfee goes back to tradition in this novel. There are no sparkly, vegetarian vampires who only want to live peacefully with the humans. They are killers, and they make no bones about it. Despite the fact that you know essentially what happened to Vincent from the very beginning of the novel, I found myself eager to find out how he was turned, why Raine had two very angry men chasing after her, and whether Vincent would do the council's bidding or try to save the woman he loves. I didn't realize this was McAfee's first novel until I read a note from him at the back of the book, and if I hadn't read it, I wouldn't have believed it. This is a very engaging, intriguing book and it was very well written. I'm excited to read more from this author.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻

Indie Book of the Month (June) Knight Errant

I was on KindleBoards today and someone had a fantabulous idea. They mentioned having an Indie Book of the Month club. Since I'm starting late and there are less than two weeks left in June, I've chosen a book I read at the beginning of the month that I found very easy and enjoyable. You can find my review here.

Knight Errant follows the plight of a spacer named Taro. Not yet sixteen, he has suffered through more in his short life than most people ever encounter. But things are starting to look up. That is, until Rafe, a flamboyant young man who has earned the nickname "Baggage", ends up on Taro's ship. Knight Errant is currently available at Amazon for $.99, a real steal.

His Faithful Servant, the sequel to Knight Errant, will be released on August 1st. And an excerpt from another book, featuring Taro at age 12, will be available on July 1st at Turtleduck Press.

Have you read Knight Errant? Let us all know what you think in the comments!

Review: Romance Novel

PJ Jones is an author who posts on KindleBoards.com, which is where I found Romance Novel. I've been eying it for some time, as its sexy cover just draws you in. Don't tell me Flabio doesn't make you go weak in the knees (I'm kidding... maybe).

Brief Summary: Romance Novel was a wonderfully entertaining spoof on the paranormal romance genre. Poor Smella Rosepetal, the virgin romance heroine whose baby is suffering from demonic possession (or is it heart trouble?) needs an operation to save his life. So Smella, loving mother that she is, goes on a search for a rich cowboy to marry. Little does she know that she will be torn between Deadward Forest, rich vampire, or Snake Long, poor were-gerbil. A very compelling love triangle, indeed.

Why You Should Read It: Nothing so lame as sparkly vampires in this novel, though. No, only the best for Romance Novel--vegan, environmentalist vampires ruled the roost. They only eat suburban-driving soccer moms and animals that aren't cute. Flabio makes an excellent villain with his faulty thyroid and desire to be a romance novel cover model. This novel is quick, entertaining, and will keep you laughing. I do NOT recommend you read it in a doctor's office or church. You might get some funny looks.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻☻

Review: Knight Errant

This book was recommended to me by Leslie at KindleBoards for the June Book Reading Game. Essentially, you post the genres you typically read and things that you absolutely do not want to read, then some random person gets to recommend a book. Leslie recommended Knight Errant by KD Sarge. This fit well with me because a) it's sci-fi, and b) it's by an indie author so I could use it for the ABC Indie Challenge.

Brief Summary: Taro is an almost-sixteen-year-old who has been "adopted" by Marine captain Eve Marcori. Eve is a tough woman who expects a lot out of her "little brother". So far, Taro has been able to live up to her expectations; that is, until Rafe steps on board. From the beginning, Taro is at odds with the flamboyant playboy, especially after Rafe learns Taro's dirty secret about his sexual preferences (he's gay). But when the two are stranded alone on a planet, they must learn to get along and a relationship blossoms.

Why You Should Read It: Sarge writes a wonderfully engaging, well-written story. The characters are lovable in spite of (or maybe because of) their flaws. None are perfect, but none are beyond redemption, either. Taro takes after his sister, hard-assed and serious. Rafe is the playboy who just wants to have fun. In an odd way, they compliment each other. The main premise of the story (the developing romance between Taro and Rafe) is a bit outside my comfort zone, but there is no graphic sex or overly descriptive romance scenes, so it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the story. I'm actually looking forward to book two, which is planned for July (if I remember correctly).

Rating: ☻☻☻☻

Review: My Blood Runs Blue

Brief Description: My Blood Runs Blue is a novel by Stacy Eaton. The main character, Kristen, is a cop who is having a bit of a mid-life crisis two years after the loss of her husband. Lonely and finally coming to terms with her grief, she wonders if there is something more to life. When a young girl is murdered, Kristen discovers a whole other world exists inside the one she has been raised to believe. After two vampires enter the picture and begin battling for her affection, she ends up with more than she bargained for.

Why should you read it? Eaton does an amazing job at developing the characters and background for this exceptional novel. The plot is fresh and exciting and the action moves along swiftly. I found myself engrossed in the lives of the players and though my pony didn't win the love-triangle race, I still finished the book very content in the outcome with a smile on my face. I'm looking forward to book #2, which is estimated to be released in the early fall.

Rating: ☻☻☻☻☻