RS: Cozy Mysteries and Chick Literature: Ashley King, Nicola Sanders & Andrea Lochen

 

The Imperfect Psychic by Ashley King

A Cosy Mystery with a number of twists. This story is capable of holding the attention and creating a few shivers. I liked the main character, and found her easy to identify with and sympathise. 

This book was complete in itself, and didn’t end as a cliffhanger, but if it is part of a series, I will definitely be reading the rest. I would like to know more about the heroine, her life and loves. The town full of quaint characters is also a fictional somewhere I would like to be spending more time.   

My copy was a review copy supplied by Book Sirens.

All The Lies by Nicola Sanders

It was easy to feel sympathetic towards the primary character, a lady evading an injurious spouse. This made the ploy and lie that she utilized to guarantee her physical security acceptable. Without good reason, the dishonesty would have seemed dodgy, but in a dire situation, it was justifiable.

I think the book truly functioned as a spine-chiller. I am keeping the analysis short and spoiler free, with the goal that you can appreciate the book as well, which I truly suggest. And the revelation near the end – whoa!

I was glad to get a review copy through Book Sirens and was captivated by the tale.

https://www.amazon.com/All-Lies-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B08GZ3SQBW/

Versions of Her by Andrea Lochen

Thoroughly enjoyable chick-lit time travel story. I like the cover, but I nearly missed this one because the blurb implied it would be too extreme, asking whether they “knew their mother at all”. But of course they did. Not as an individual, but in the selfish, possessive way offspring do. 

The journey back to view their mother as a person, not a mother, was thought provoking. 

I didn’t go for Kelsey’s choice, (although I won’t describe it as a spoiler). I felt that the experience should have freed her up to “let go”. Generally, sentiment is great, and I expect 90% of readers will love it. I’m just hmm… that’s been done a lot… and material things do weigh one down in life.

Now you may be asking why I gave a five, if I didn’t agree with everything? Well – the writing was honestly worth it. I slowed down to enjoy every word. Unusual for me, I’m a speedy reader. So, yes, it held my attention. 

My copy was provided free of charge by Book Sirens. 

https://www.amazon.com/Versions-Her-Andrea-Lochen-ebook/dp/B07TF4YBBH/

RS: Young Adult and Fantasy: Melissa Koberlein, Elizabeth J. Rekab & Alexandra Sharp

 

Ashwater by Melissa Koberlein

The Young Adult voice is done well. Cyborgs are the new minority, a symbol of intelligence, power and strength, which is also hunted. Learning to be more human provides a metaphor for socialisation. 

There was enough romance to appeal, and yet allow space for action and adventure. A couple twists and turns, with characters not being what they seem – for good or bad. A reasonably satisfying ending that could lead to more, either as a series, or in the reader’s imagination.

A well created setting and unique little town. I read a copy advanced by Book Sirens.

https://www.amazon.com/Ashwater-Melissa-Koberlein-ebook/dp/B07VYKZTRJ/

Everhaven by Elizabeth J. Rekab

The cover is plain, but the story is great! 

Featuring a teenager with a specific calling, who is harassed at school, it is ideal for the Young Adult audience. The characterisation is complex enough to appeal to the troubled teen that lurks inside me too, although I’m supposed to be more mature!

Some mystery surrounds the town and its situation. The limited social circle is well constructed, and the implications seem to be thought through. Although simple, and supposedly situated somewhere in the real world, the township constitutes a good piece of world building. 

Now I must finish the story and see whether the culmination delivers all the thrills. Troubles are gathering and the plot is getting darker… much darker.  The quest does involve a few surprises and some more world building. 

The book was better than the average zombie or ‘I see the dead’ genre fare, involving some originality. I read a copy supplied by Book Sirens, especially for review. 

https://www.amazon.com/Everhaven-Book-One-Reaper-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B08C69JWDN/

Witches of Wherewithal by Alexandra Sharp

I was looking for a good paranormal romance, but I appear to have found a political fantasy with a touch of mystery thriller. I liked the setting, a mystery island, where the witches retreated when they saw a vision of the mainland in distress. I also liked the fact that the main characters got together without a lot of miscommunication and infighting. Moreover most of the main characters seemed good at heart, which dissipated a lot of potential problems. 

However, some of the other plot threads remained untied. Where had her mother disappeared to, and why? Was the one spell we learned about meant to provide the answer? Where did the husband go after all that – and was he really dead? Was it my eyes, or did a paragraph repeat somewhere, and the misprint place the wedding before the heroine was declared a widow? 

So a bit of this and a bit of that, leaves the reader wondering. I had a review copy through Book Sirens.  

Did Breaking Dawn Part 2 disappoint expectations?

Now that filming the Twilight series is complete, and Breaking Dawn Part 2 has been shown in the cinema it is available to buy on DVD. I assume it is no longer a spoiler to discuss elements of the film and plot. 

As I watched the movie in the cinema I developed the strong urge to compare it to the book. The feel was different to me. In the book series, I felt that the stand off between the Volturi and the Cullens hinged around the strength of Bella's ability as a "shield". That is her ability to block psychic attacks of all types.

In the movie the drama appeared to revolve around a vision shared between Alice Cullen and Aro. The audience was taken through a battle where Aro killed Carlyle and eventually lost his own life. When the point came where Alice pulled back and revealed that the entire battle we had just watched had not been real, members of the audience gasped. There may have been a general feeling that a good percentage of the picture was a ruse - a deception - a waste of emotional time. 

The change was described by reviewer John Boone as a "big twist" designed to make the story more cinematic, as everyone got to watch Alice's projection rather than mere frustration as Jane battered against Bella's guard.

(See http://au.eonline.com/news/364003/breaking-dawn-part-2-s-big-twist-everything-you-need-to-know).

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Harry Potter versus Twilight - are comparisons appropriate?

The Harry Potter series and Twilight book series were both very popular. They had different target audiences, as Harry Potter was targeted at middle school children and younger children whose parents/teachers would read the books to them. Twilight, on the other hand was tailored very much for the young adult market. 

I had not read the Twilight series at the time, but I was browsing a site that used to be popular called Xanga. On that site, I noticed something of a fan debate regarding their favourites. I was provoked into borrowing the Twilight series from the library, which gave me some hours of enjoyable reading. I was surprised after reading comments on Xanga that read such as "Stephanie Meyer can not write" to be reading full sentences with competently constructed dialogue.

(Image from IMDB.com)

Some aspects of Bella's relationship with Edward are maudlin and I would prefer to see "healthy love" promoted, but by the end of the series, Meyer does managed to have a fully developed plot sequence and pulled the story off. 

The first Twilight film emphasises teen anxiety and fashions that will date quite quickly, but the second film New Moon which I have just seen in the cinema, brings out the dramatic elements of the tale more effectively, and adds a richness to the vampire culture that was missing in the first film. 

I feel that a good imagination could add this richness through out the process of reading the first book, but not the film which was more visually prescriptive. I am looking forward to the third and fourth films, which unless they lack a budget, should only get better due to the action and werewolf characters. 

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(Image from: http://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/20160210_nerdistnews_harrypottercursedchild_1x1.jpg)

The Harry Potter series on the other hand, I first encountered by overhearing a segment being read aloud to children. The chosen passage, an account of the ghosts of Hogwarts, especially 'Nearly Headless Nick', from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone featured a sort of dry humour and overly verbose style that put me off reading. It is a personal choice, I would never discourage another person from reading and if they encourage children to read that is good. 

 The movies, however, were excellent. I became a huge fan of the film versions as soon as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was released in the cinemas. The plots clearly always had been excellent, and the humour worked on film, even where it had been tedious in written form. 

Half way through the series I expressed some frustration that the villain of every plot turned out to be "you know who", as that eliminated the mystery element for me. My interest was rekindled later in following threads of the lives of the good guys. For example, I longed to hear more about Neville Longbottom's parents. Of course we may never know their full story.... 

 I did soften and read the final book, Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows because I could not wait the year or so gap between the two movies. It had some good elements of plot, but I felt a lot of passages contained "filler words" such as authors are tempted to add if they are being paid by the word. I kept nodding off during the reading, which is very unusual for me. Indeed I sometimes can't sleep until an exciting book is finished, even if that makes me toss and turn at night, turn on the light and read some more.

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Sample Goodreads Reviews

The Fish Dress by Carol Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book is well written and a good example of Magical Realism, which I don't expect to be as fantastical as fantasy. I suspect the main character would have been a comical figure wearing this second hand dress around - and a few characters did react... however, beyond that, one had to accept the premise that the dress had some sort of subtle aura that was affecting her life.

I think a mature character is more challenging than an innocent young one, and the author has taken this challenge on with energy.

I had an advance review copy, which is why I am able to review the book early.

View all my reviews

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always love a Dan Brown thriller.






The Invaders Plan by L. Ron Hubbard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started at the beginning and became hooked on this whole politically incorrect series. I don't think an author could get away with some of the things he wrote nowadays... and this series did take the anti-hero to the extreme. We are actually following the villain. 

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very very nice twist at the end. One follows Ender's journey closely throughout, and then gets a shock.






The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A new fairy tale and classic fantasy that pretty much spawned a genre. I read it after LOTR, but still loved it.





View all my reviews

Zombie Love in Warm Bodies

Not a "Twilight"clone. Delightful black humour, R and Julie, a balcony scene, two incompatible clans, the living and the infected humans, ring any bells? (hint, hint Romeo and Juliet)

At least the whole cast doesn't die at the end - like in Shakespeare, but I shouldn't say more as it could be a spoiler.

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Skimpy costumes may be part of a performance

• Costumes that are skimpy may just be part of the act. However, I have several experiences performing that have taught me secure clothing helps a performance. It is important to be able to kick legs, swing arms, do the splits or a bend without worrying about straps falling, or something other than your matching dance panties showing.

• Moreover, a performer may not be as exposed as the audience assumes. Many professional costumes have flesh coloured fabric sewn into them so that the person appears more naked than they are and gymnastic movements can be performed safely. Many dancers also wear tights under their costumes.

• I was in a variety group for a while and I hated the costume for one item we did regularly. It wasn't too revealing, it actually consisted of a black leotard, with a red tailcoat above, and fishnet stockings.

• Some of the other performers were seniors and they wore this costume comfortably. However, I preferred the times we knew that the audience was more conservative and wore long black trousers as the bottom half. It was just more balanced. Perhaps if the top half hadn't been a coat! Thanks again 'Lovelyish' (from Xanga) for starting the discussion on this topic!

Creating Avatars

What is an Avatar?  

If you are playing Ultima or another quest game you will find that the hero is refered to as "the Avatar". This is because he or she (depending what character you chose to create) has performed a number of outstanding deeds and is of apocalyptic signifigance to the Ultima world.

 However, if you join some online communities, the word "avatar" is used to refer to the face that you show to the world on your profile. The programme offers the user a number of alternatives in  creating their public face or "avatar".

1) The first is to load a presentable picture of yourself. This is okay if you are not shy and you know that your friends are part of that community and want to interact with the real you. It may also be useful if you are a business person communicating and advertising on-line.

Theoretically, there are safeguards preventing your contact details and full name being broadcast to everyone. You can use a screen name, but your email has to be available to the administrators of the site. The profiles of persons under the age of 18 are supposed to enjoy special protection and display less identifiable information, which is very responsible of site administration.

2) The second way you can create a public face or avatar is to load a picture of your pet, own creative art or craft. This is a good way of expressing yourself personally and retaining a certain amount of privacy.

3) The third method of creating a public face is to utilise a generic avatar available from the social networking site or use a "customise avatar" function. I activated this on one site and found I entered a whole new world of creative options. There were a multitude of selections of backgrounds and skins available. I settled upon a certain face and was then able to dress the figure in a number of different costumes and alter the figure's hairstyle. I could also choose backgrounds to give the avatar additional personality.

The program allowed the user to save faviourite "items" and up to 12 favourite complete avatars. I enjoyed creating avatars so much that I exceeeded my 12, upon which I took screenshots of a selection of my avatars and loaded them back in as "photos". I noticed that if you do this, you lose animations in the background and special features such as blinking eyes, but it is still your picture and I guess it protects the sites intellectual property. A picture has to be cropped, so I found I lost the feet and lower legs of my custom avatars doing this. I guess I could spend time scientifically reducing the dimensions of my saved file to advoid this loss, but the time involved would probably not be worth it.

The avatar creates your online presence in the community and can be adjusted according to the season as there are New Year, Prom and other special occasion items. It can also be adjusted according to mood. I am not sure that I recommend a bikini clad avatar for a female for purposes of personal safety as online abuse can occur, but if you do receive annoying unsolicited comments they can be reported to the site administration.

Link to Yahoo Avatars: http://au.avatars.yahoo.com/

Cecelia

Real Time Online Gaming

I'm pretty sure I logged in here at one point and published a review of Evony 2, describing the ways it had changed by merging with Facebook as a playing platform and my new experiences in the game.

The game-play in Evony 2 wasn't as “pure”in the sense that being on Facebook attracted people who were not dedicated players. There were daily gifts from other players. That was fun, but also turned into something of a rort as you needed to link up as many other players as possible, and lobby for them to be as high a level as possible.

Once you had someone's Facebook account, you got to know them better and some genuine friendships, and even one or two marriages developed!

There were a few famous false accounts that no one ever worked out who or what sort of person was behind them. Multiple accounts also became a big problem. Some people had them just for fun, others were “spies”.

Having each other's Facebook also created friendships and conflicts of interest with other alliances. Security was not the same.

In the end, the game became too time consuming and stressful. I gave my cities away to people who wanted to continue to play.

What is the deal with the much advertised on-line game Evony?

About a month after we got the Internet I noticed my son playing a game. My son has always been a fan of strategy games, but I have tried early versions of some of the big names and decided they were not for me. The buildings in many strategy games are too small and give no visual satisfaction, thus leading to my getting bored and quitting the game.

However, Evony was different. The home city had beautiful large buildings and clicking on them brought up interactive menus.

You could not actually walk a character around in the buildings (which is my favourite thing in gaming), but even so, I had to have an account for myself!

It was free to play Evony, which was a wonderful thing. So I signed up. Along the way there were opportunities to collect reward packages and more items were available if you chose to buy “game coins” but the majority of playing activities could be done for free. You just had to work harder to build a great character.

I played as Morgana in Server 48. The computer called me “Lord” which I thought was a bit sexist as I was playing as a female. Following this line of thought, I did a count and found there were less than half the number of female faces available compared to male faces.

This is something the developers should address as I can testify that the game attracts female players.


Anyway I had great fun playing Evony. Resources were a bit limiting, but I found that if you planned and developed your city correctly you could produce enough for 75% of your own needs and trade excess high value produce for gold in the market to purchase other  resources. That was fun too.

I belonged to an “alliance” and felt that this was one of the best features of Evony.  Alliance leaders quickly explain the best playing strategies to new members. Some people are playing from Europe, others from the United Kingdom, I am playing from Australia and the majority are playing from the United States of America. Till this point I had no international contacts, but now I know when people from other countries get up and go to bed. I was also really happy chatting to other alliance members because we had the game interest in common.


Another great thing about the alliance is that while everyone had their individual account, they were also playing together. I have seen some fantastic synchronised battle work, and always seemed to be in the middle of some inter-alliance war or other. I’m not sure how I feel about other players getting defeated, but it is part of the game and the highly skilled players can perform some amazing comebacks.

I believe it is more ethical to deliver a warning by declaring war on the opposing alliance. That gives the opposition a chance to build up their defences and forces. Sneak attacks are resented by most players and are most likely to provoke revenge actions. However, I have seen warring alliances ending hostilities by acknowledging each other as neutral and then “friendly” alliances.

Well, I am just a “Mum” player and part of my purpose in writing this review is to establish that the game Evony can be played by everyone – not just the long term strategy fanatics.

Evony is found on the web at: http://www.evony.com/index.do

© Cecelia (Screenshots used with permission from Evony public relations)