Asylum (Birch Harbor #1) by Kristen Selleck

Release Date: October 27, 2011
Publisher: Brother Maynard Publications
Series: Birch Harbor series

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Chloe Adams wanted a place to start her life over. After dealing with a less than ideal life at home and school, she picked a college in a little town called Birch Harbor, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. With no one from her past around, Chloe began to find a place for herself among the other college freshman and became best friends with her dorm roommate. It didn't matter much that the college was once intended to be used as an insane asylum.

Then strange things began happening on her dorm floor. Flickering lights, whispers in the night and strange writings were enough to scare the most practical person. But for Chloe, each instance had a particular meaning - a reminder that she can't outrun her past. Will she flee from Birch Harbor, the only place she felt safe? Will she stand and fight against those wanting to drive her mad?


Review:
I bought this book for my Kindle when I was playing around at Amazon one day. I was intrigued by the synopsis of the book because I wondered exactly what would happen if a woman, formerly of a mental hospital, were to begin classes in a building slated to be a mental hospital. If you tossed a bit of romance, freshman year of college and liberal amounts of paranormal activity, you'd have this book in a nutshell. But that wasn't all the book had to offer, as I found out the further I read.

Part of me identified with Chloe. No, it wasn't the certifiable part either. I was a shy, bookish type of girl in school that found it difficult to make friends. On that level, I related to her very well. Of course, other characters filled the stereotypical cast found at many colleges nowadays including the go-to party girl, the uber jocks, and even the one weird professor that nearly everyone misunderstands. They each brought their individual elements to the book and their interactions kept the story moving forward.

It did take a few chapters for the book to find its footing. I was happy that the pacing of the book slipped into a steady rhythm. I would have devoured this book in a day or two if I had no other obligations to attend to. I still found it to be a fairly quick read that ended with a good resolution. There were some doors left open for the next offering in the series but I felt that there were enough answers to keep me satisfied for the time being.

There were only a few issues that kept me from completely enjoying the book. Within the first few chapters of the book, I came across several grammar mistakes such as using commas in place of periods or not capitalizing the first word of a sentence. While I understand that some of these issues can be explained by their being used within dialogue, it was confusing for me to read four or five sentences connected by commas. It made that part of the conversation seemed rushed, almost like Six, the best friend from Blossom, was trying to speak for the character instead.

Overall, I liked the story and the place where it lead the characters. The idea was a great one for many other stories to come. In my honest opinion, if this book were to have a thorough editing, it would be a much bigger hit. In the end, it was a great way to pass the time. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good ghost story mixed with a bit of adventure and possibly reliving that dreaded freshman year of college!

Asylum (Birch Harbor #1) by Kristen Selleck is available at several online retailers in either paperback or Kindle form. You can get a copy from Amazon by clicking the link provided below. 
Asylum (Birch Harbor #1) by Kristen Selleck

The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Bantam

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Everyone has a secret. Some are darker than others. Eve Lattimore rarely gave any thought to how well she knew her children. They were her life - especially after her son was diagnosed with a rare disease. Each day was a battle between keeping him alive and allowing him to live a normal life.

Then everything changed. A young girl, one of her son's only friends, went missing. As the search for her continued, secrets began working their way to the surface. It became apparent that the idyllic life everyone knew wasn't very idyllic after all. Will Eve be able to protect her children from the fallout? Will anyone's life be the same?

Review:
I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. In the beginning the reader was given the layout of the neighborhood, showing who lived in which house and some of the residents quirks were offered. The novel largely revolved around the Lattimore family, Eve and David as well as their two children, Melissa and Tyler, and the way they dealt with Tyler's disease. He was diagnosed with XP, or Xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare disease where the person has a severe sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

Besides the Lattimore, several neighbors were introduced as the story progressed. Many were long time residents of the little cul-de-sac and everyone felt they knew the other quite well. This assumption became the basis for a whole host of problems and kept me turning the pages. Because the neighbors interacted with one another so closely, the story had more depth and layers than I anticipated. While I expected some dreadful revelations, there were a bunch of moments when I was really didn't want to turn the page. I didn't want to know if my guesses were correct or not, but I felt compelled to know the entire story.

I found the beginning of the story a little slow, but it picked up within a few chapters. I should say sub-chapters as the book was divided into days, noting the sunrise, sunset and other astrological information, and then into chapters denoting which character was the main focus of the pages that follow. Once the devastating events began, tough decisions and irrational fears came crawling out of the woodwork. With so many possible perpetrators to so many crimes, large and small, it's hard to see the world in black and white terms of right and wrong.

Overall, this story captivated me and really left me wondering what I would have done in each of the scenarios presented. It was easy to slip into any of the characters and see their point-of-view because the author was able to make them realistic and empathizing with them was easy. Heart-breaking as much of the story was, I still enjoyed how well the author explored the darkest secrets that a neighbor, a wife or husband, a brother or sister, or a stranger held and how it affected the bigger picture. If you're looking for a completely engrossing and soul-grabbing type of story, this is the one I would recommend. You will have trouble putting it down once you start.

The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley is now available at many retailers including those online. It can be purchased in harcover, Kindle and audio-book. Click the link below to get a copy from Amazon.
The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley

Currently Reading

Another week done!

Not nearly enough time for me to spend reading this past week. So many projects going on at one time, I've been spreading myself thin between all of them. I am hopeful to get one or two completed soon to focus more attention on the books. There's a void that only books can fill. I must have them!

The community project for the Brown-Brooks Project this year involves making various granny squares and putting them together as afghans. These afghans will then be distributed to the residents of a local nursing home. It's a way to show them that someone out there still thinks of them and loves them. Many residents have family and friends who visit them, but too many don't. That saddens me. A group of volunteers around the country and myself have been stitching away to get as many squares as possible before the end of October 2014. Our goal is 500 squares, but we'd love to surpass that. If you're interested in helping, please leave a comment below or send an email to kaybrooks1977@gmail.com for more information.


Looking to work on these books:
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Fire-Heart (Tales of Alterra, The World That Is #2) by C.S. Marks
The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Fractal Standard Time (Chronopticus Chronicles #1) by Michael Galloway 



Gone from the pile:
None.

Now, time to get busy and get back to these books. I miss them. How long can you stand to go without reading something? Let me know below!

Until next time,
Kay B

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson

Release Date: February 11, 2014
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
After her father is killed during a coup in their homeland, teenage Laila arrives in the United States alongside her mother and brother. Once thought of as royalty, they each face their own difficulties in this new life. It's a life full of glaring contradictions from what they've always known, making it harder for Laila to adjust to the people around her.

As she begins to form a life in this new world, old partnerships from the homeland threaten to tear everything away from her. Ordinary events in an American teen's life prove overwhelming for someone dealing with all that Laila carries. She must do something to alleviate the torment within. But what can she do when lies and secrets surround her? Which life does she long for the most?

Review:
I began this book after receiving an invitation from NetGalley. I was definitely intrigued by the premise and thought I had a clear picture in mind of how the story was going to unfold. When I began reading the book, what I pictured was far from what the pages actually held. Told through Laila's point-of-view, the story was presented in a journal-like fashion and often recounted her thoughts, feelings and accusations as well as experiences both in her homeland and here in the United States after being rescued.

Along with Laila, a small cast of characters helped the events play out and many were beyond her control. Her mother and brother were central to her world, before and after the move, and often became points of contention as she tried to find her place within American society. Once the culture shock wore off, the dark truth behind the family's move became apparent. I really felt for Laila as she tried to find a place in school until it began to overwhelm her as well. By the middle of the book, even those who warmed to her in the beginning backed away from her. Of course, people from her homeland, also transplanted here by the disruptions, wanted more than her family could give. They also became a place of hurt and despair for her.

The author did a great job of looking at life through a young woman's eyes and allowing us to see what it might be like for someone new to this land. It wasn't hard to empathize with them as they became bombarded by many of the things we find common here. I'd never thought of something as simple as a school assignment or a football game as possibly being a trigger for bad memories. It was really eye-opening to experience it through the author's descriptions of events happening both around and inside Laila.

I found the book to be a quick read with short chapters that were very much to the point. The story is broken into three parts. The first part was slow to build but maintained a steady pace into the second and most of the third part. I thought the tension was high during the first part of the book but it too increased as events came to a head. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the author deftly revealed secrets that I, through Laila, wasn't privy to which changed the course of the ending. Sometimes I like being wrong about endings and this was one of them.

Overall, the book was a good read that has a good message that I hope young people will discover. It's not a watered-down teenage book about political intrigue or high school, but it does include those things and forces a person to the other side of something from which they may have been hiding. If you're looking for a well-written political drama featuring a teen too smart for her own good, then this is the book for you.

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson is now available at many retailers. It can be purchased in a variety of formats including hardcover, Kindle or audio-book. You can click the link below to get a your copy from Amazon.
The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson

The Godborn: The Sundering, Book II by Paul S. Kemp

Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Series: The Sundering

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
When Vasen Cale was born, his appearance set him apart from the others who served in the Abbey of the Rose. His father's shadow legacy apparent in his skin, his eyes and the swirling, unsettling shadows which marked him. But his faith in the Dawnfather, the God of Light, was equally matched within his soul, making him a walking contradiction.

As Vasen attempted to find his place in the world, plans and schemes from gods and men alike rippled throughout the plains. For many, he was the key to correcting a grievous wrong that was committed centuries before his birth. But others wanted him in order to end the world of Toril forever. Will he learn the secrets of both his light and dark half? Which warring faction will count him among their number?

Review:
Another book I requested from NetGalley, The Godborn was the second in a series of six fulfilling the telling of The Sundering within the Forgotten Realms. As with the first book I reviewed, the book was very much a stand-alone story but tied very nicely into the events that were started earlier. In my opinion, the author did a wonderful job of making the novel his own while maintaining the overall story arc of the series thus far.

This was one of those novels where the action began on the first page and didn't let up until the very last word. A child, born of shadow and light, has an impossible task set for him. A world, ravaged by dark forces, was witness to another a piece of the puzzle that was the Sundering. It all created an engaging and action-packed novel that I couldn't stop reading. Each of the players within this novel were so realistically crafted that it was easy to close my eyes and picture them as the events unfolded. That's not an easy task when devils and other ungodly creatures were focal points in the story. Still, the strange group of companions which faced down one of the lords of Hell itself were well written and fleshed out, complete with their own unique abilities.

Many of the fight scenes were concise, flowing well from one movement to another. Seamlessly written, I had no trouble following along as I sometimes do. By the middle of the book, so much blood was shed and I was emotionally invested in the characters and their need for vengeance. It became clear that the events of the first two books of the series were going to have a big impact on the world by the end of the sixth book. But the action wasn't the only thing I appreciated. The author's descriptions of the landscapes brought a clear picture of them to mind. Even places which were shrouded in darkness retained a sense of vibrancy that rose from the page through the author's words.

I truly enjoyed this book, perhaps a bit more than the first one. With all the above elements combined, the book was a really good, quick read. I'm hoping to see the characters in the future books, but that remains to be seen. The Sundering series was to breathe new life into the Forgotten Realms. With the first two books, I believe there's definite signs of life. I can't wait to read the others. If you were a fan of the Forgotten Realms or simply enjoy a good fantasy/adventure tale, this book is the right one for you.

The Godborn: The Sundering, Book II by Paul S. Kemp is currently available at various retailers. It can be purchased in hardcover, paperback or Kindle versions. You can click the link below to buy a copy from Amazon.
The Godborn: The Sundering, Book II by Paul S. Kemp

Currently Reading

I'm so very happy to see warmer days in the forecasts for our area. Even if we have to endure cold nights for a little while longer, it's still a good thing for a few reasons. Once the warmth sticks around, I'll be ab le to move better and can get more things accomplished. My to-do lists multiplied in the last couple of weeks. I am determined to knock a few things off as soon as I'm able.

There is still a flu-ish bug being passed around at work. It's found a way to my home a time or two. No matter how much Lysol I use, the bug wants to stick around. Feeling puny makes for slow reading and crafting. Hope remains alive, however, so I'm counting on it to get me back on track as far as my reading goal.


Here's the top of the TBR pile this week:
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Fire-Heart (Tales of Alterra, The World That Is #2) by C.S. Marks
The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers
Fractal Standard Time (Chronopticus Chronicles #1) by Michael Galloway


Books finished this week:
Cold Mourning: A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery by Brenda Chapman
Doctor Sleep (The Shining #2) by Stephen King


May is fast approaching. It will be the one year anniversary of my book blog! I can't believe it's been nearly a year already. I do have a couple of plans in the works for a couple of contests so be sure to keep watching!

Until next time,
Kay B

Marysvale by Jared Southwick

Release Date: September 23, 2010
Publisher: Two Roads
Series: Marysvale Series

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
John Casey moved from town to town for as long as he could remember. Because he possessed a special gift, he found himself in more awkward positions than he cared to count. As he fled from certain death in Syre, he stumbled across a deadly secret hidden in the dark forest to the north.

That wasn't the only secret he discovered when he arrived at a small cabin situated on a lake's shore. The woman who lived there revealed some of the answers to questions about his childhood, thus setting him on a quest to discover the rest when he made his way to Marysvale. Would he survive the journey to a town where no one dared to question authority and walls were built to keep people in rather than danger out? Could he justify protecting himself while others suffered at the hands of beasts?

Review:
This book was a strange and interesting read because it was set in a period akin to Colonial times here in the United States and included the paranormal. It was an eclectic mix that the author was able to blend. I really enjoyed the strange quality of the story, both in terms of John, the main character's, unusual abilities and the weird, otherworldly beasts that lingered in the dark forest. Toss in a tyrannical governor and you have an action-packed story that kept the pages turning.

From the beginning it was clear that John's special talents were both a blessing and curse for him. While it allowed him to evade trouble, his gift also made it difficult for him to turn away from situations that went against his own moral code. This combined with accusations of witchcraft often sent him from town to town. It was during this moment the pace of the book quickened and maintained a steady course. Along his journey, John's true character and memories threatened him as well as those who crossed his path. There was more to the story and I could feel his frustration at discovering the truths at a slower than desired pace.

I enjoyed the introduction of the mythical beings, the Brean, who lived within the forest. At times their presence in the story was unnerving and terrifying, which is what they were meant to be. The evil of the Brean augmented the evil of man within the story. Both made it possible for the people of Marysvale to become prisoners within their own city. The slow progression of freedoms lost became an essential part of John's past as well as the overall story. I was struck by how relevant the topic could be when applied to some of the events happening in this time period. I believe this was what the author was going for and if so, it hit the mark completely.

Overall, the book was a good read. It had a lot of action, pasts being revealed and just a hint of possible romance mixed with some lighter moments. The only thing troubling me about the book was portions of the dialogue didn't seem to fit the setting of the book. From the descriptions of everyday life, tools and clothing, it seemed the book was set in a time before many modern advances. People used muskets and swords, primarily rode horses for transport and wore clothing similar to those in Colonial times. Yet, there were moments when speaking that the characters used words that made them appear to be from more modern times. It was a little confusing but the overall plot and action were sufficient enough to keep me reading. If you enjoy something a bit out of the ordinary, then this is the book for you!

Marysvale by Jared Southwick is available at online retailers in either hardcover or Kindle forms. By clicking the link below, you can purchase a copy from Amazon.
Marysvale by Jared Southwick