KM – The Gatekeepers Sons – Eva Poehler

Title: The Gatekeeper’s Sons

Author: Eva Poehler

Series: Yes, 1st in the series

Category: Supernatural / Mythology / Action

Length: 385 pages

My rating: 9/10

Fifteen year old Therese was in the car with her parents during the fatal accident that killed them both. In real life, she is shy, quiet, unassuming. However, while in a coma in the hospital, she dreams of two men who are incredibly handsome, and decides, since she’s dreaming after all, she may as well do whatever she feels inclined to, even kissing both guys. Little does she know, she’s in the dream state that is somewhat real, and the guys she is tantalizing are Hypnos and Thanatos, the Gods of Sleep and Death, respectively.

Thanatos tries to make a deal with his father, Hades, in order to join the human realm and make Therese fall in love with him, so that he might take her as a bride. When Therese finds him working at her best friend’s farm, she is taken aback, and wondering how she could have dreamed about this man before ever seeing him, and he seems to act as though there’s some big joke going on. Was her dream real?

Overall, Therese ends up in the high court of the Gods and is forced to be put in an arena with the man who killed her parents to prove her worthiness. Can she do it? Can she deal out justice for the man who took her life away from her, and win the right to be with Thanatos, or will she falter? After all, she is only human.

KM- Her Name Was Bitter: A Memoir – Mara D. Johnson

Title: Her Name Was Bitter: A Memoir

Author: Mara D. Johnson

Series: No

Category: Coming of Age/ Autobiography

Length: 259 pages

My rating: 10/10

 

 

*************DISCLAIMER: This book is not for the faint of heart, nor is this review. It deals with many different topics that are quite controversial. **************

This is one that I stumbled upon by accident, but it was definitely considered a good accident.

This is the story of Mara. She’s everything a little girl is supposed to be. A daughter, a sister, a niece, a cousin, a grandchild. However, she is only those things in title. The family around her is oblivious to the things she goes through. A mother who has abandoned her, a father that is in and out of abusive relationships and prison, and an extended family who only uses her as a servant, unless one member of the family is molesting her. She faces her first pregnancy at 13, and forced to hide her pregnancy by the family, and put the baby up for adoption. As she grows up, things in life seem slated against her, one trouble after another befall her. Multiple pregnancies, abortions, drugs, alcohol all lead to her destruction. However, like a Phoenix, through every fire, she rises. She goes from a child who has been molested and has no direction in life or even where she’ll live the next week, to an entrepreneur, to a successful business woman, to the woman she is today. It shows that nearly anything can be overcome, and that in the end, persistence pays off. It also teaches there will be frogs to kiss before the prince arrives, and many of them can be disgusting.

This book was a real eye-opener for me. I have not been gifted with a life of pleasure and smooth sailing, but compared to this young woman, it changed my outlook. There’s always someone who has it worse than I do. I have had it quite easy compared to Mrs. Johnson. I had never even seen this closely into a situation of that nature, but reading this, I felt her pain. The words she poured out were the equivalent of blood and tears, though from the memoir, she’s shed enough of them already. I salute this woman for being strong, persistent, and respectable.

 

 

 

Memorable quotes – “Sometimes there is no wrong or right in feelings. You just feel the way you feel. You may not even like how you feel, but it doesn’t change that you feel that way.”

“I did not respect or listen to what people had to say, mostly because the only thing that was universal in humanity was imperfection.”

KM- Demon Child – Deanna Dwyer (Dean Koontz’s pseudonym)

Title: Demon Child

Author: Deanna Dwyer (Dean Koontz)

Series: No

Category: Mystery, Occult, Suspense

Length:  244 pages

My Rating: 5/10

This is one of Koontz’s earlier works under the pen-name of Deanna Dwyer. Written back in 1971 before Koontz really hit his stride and became the phenomenal author we know and love.

The plot begins with a 21 year old college graduate, Jenny, who decides to spend her summer before starting her teaching career at her rich aunt’s estate. According to her aunt Cora, there is a family curse that causes one child in every generation to howl at the moon and crave blood, basically, become a werewolf. Her cousin, Cora’s stepson, is not so convinced that it’s supernatural or occult in origin, but more psychiatric. Follow the battles that Jenny experiences between Cora and Richard, the doctors testing a poor child, Freya, and a budding romance.

For me, I could sense a bit of the Koontz-that-would-later-be. However, apparently his story telling was not at it’s peak during the Deanna Dwyer phase. It was a nice, easy read, with a nice twist ending. As much as I wish I could give higher accolades to my long-adored Koontz, I can only say the story was simply, “nice.”

KM-The Vanished – Sarah Dalton

Title: The Vanished

Author: Sarah Dalton

Series: Yes, 2nd of the Blemished Series

Category: Dystopian

Length:  295 pages

My Rating: 8/10

“You’re part of the vanished now. That’s what we all are. The people who have been forgotten.”

After Mina and her friends make it out of Area 14 in hopes of being able to live a “normal life”, the secrets, lies, and conspiracies are just beginning. Her friends are divided, and the only one she can count on is her boyfriend. Even her father has been harboring secrets from her. The compounds are the place that people have fled to get out from under the control of the GEM, but there are just as many adversaries there, especially toward Mina and her friends for bringing Sebastian with them. With a war brewing on the Horizon, and a new group of people with “special” abilities akin to Mina, will she be able to survive and keep her new family in tact?

This was a great follow up, that definitely didn’t suffer from the sophomore slump. It was quite gripping, and a fantastic story line. The characters are well developed, well-spoken, and seem to be as real as you and I. Dalton definitely has no issue making her characters in to 3 dimensional people, rather than just flat characters on a page.

KM- The Blemished – Sarah Dalton

Title: The Blemished

Author: Sarah Dalton

Series: Yes, 1st of the Blemished Series

Category: Dystopian

Length:  301 pages

My Rating: 9/10

In Dystopian London, Mina is “Blemished”. “Blem” as the “GEM”s call them. The government is run by the Genetic Enhancement Ministry, which takes genes from parents and mixes them with long dead movie stars,  models, etc. to create genetically superior human beings. Birth is outlawed, and all Blems receive the “operation” at age 16 to stop them from ever breeding, because they are imperfect.

While the Blems and GEMs attend the same school, they are segregated. GEMs are taught regular subjects, while the Blem females are taught to be servants, nannies, etc. for the GEMs. The Blemished boys are merely taught to work.

Mina has a problem beyond just being blemished. She also holds a secret power that she must keep hidden. Can she establish a life in the new section with this secret on her shoulders?

KM – The Seer – Ali Cross

Title: The Seer

Author: Ali Cross

Series: Follow-up to Desolation series (Desolation Diaries #2)

Category: Drama / Action / Paranormal

Length:  54 pages

My Rating: 6/10

This is the second in the set of “Desolation Diaries”, short stories to follow up the Desolation series. Miri and James are the featured characters, with Miri being the first-person narrator. She has a vision of James being attacked by shadow-like figures, and must work with li’Morl to learn how to control her visions, and hope that they will help her stop what’s about to happen.

Yet again, I found the same flaws. Ali Cross is a good writer, but it’s too short to adequately tell a tale. It feels rushed, and everything just blows by, with no significant feelings of anything actually happening. It lacks the depth and feeling of the actual series.

KM- Personal Demons – Ali Cross

Title: Personal Demonds

Author: Ali Cross

Series: Desolation Diaries (follow up to Desolation series)

Category: Drama / Action / Paranormal

Length:  59 pages

My Rating: 5/10

This is a short story to follow up the end of the Desolation series. Miri and James have moved to Paris, and James is the first-person narrator. Hel has come back to Earth, and is trying to snare James as her slave again. He desperately tries to get rid of her and fears how Miri will react when she finds out what he truly went through while serving as Helena’s personal slave in Helheimer. He finds help in a very unlikely place.

This was simply a short follow-up, that I felt obligated to read after finishing the Desolation series. Just out of curiosity. It was decently written, but was too short to really offer up much in the sense of entertainment. I would have liked to hear what was going on with Desi and Michael, rather than James and Miri.

KM- Insurgent – Veronica Roth

Title: Insurgent

Author: Veronica Roth

Series: Yes (2nd in series)

Category: Drama / Action / Dystopian society

Length:  544 pages

My Rating: 10/10

Returning to Dystopian Chicago, immediately where Divergent left off, Tris is fighting for her faction, and her life. Unrest is prominent in the factions, and things are not quite what they seem. After Tris completes initiation and becomes a member of Dauntless, she is unable to even celebrate before all hell breaks loose in their compound.

An entire faction is under fire, and decimated. Secrets emerge. Tris still fights against the grief and guilt from incidents in Divergent, but must put them on the backburner to deal with more pressing concerns, like whether she will survive each day, how her family will fare, and what to do about her budding romance.

Yet another fantastic novel from Veronica Roth. I love that there was no time lost between Divergent and Insurgent. It picks up exactly where Divergent left off. The story line continues flawlessly, and it’s even more action packed than the first. If I had to choose, I would say this one was better than the first, and definitely didn’t fall in to that group of novels who’s sequel suffers from the ‘Sophomore Slump’. I can’t wait for the release of Allegiant!

KM- Divergent – Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Series: Yes (1st in series)

Category: Drama / Action / Dystopian society

Length:  501 pages

My Rating: 10/10

In dystopian Chicago, society has been reformed. People are born in to factions, of which there are 5. The Candor, who believe in truth above all else. Erudite, who seek knowledge before anything else. Dauntless, who treasure bravery. Amity, who believe in peaceful resolutions and friendship. And Abnegation, who serve others selflessly. Upon their sixteenth year, the adolescents take an aptitude test, which tells them which faction they are best suited for, but ultimate the choice is theirs. At the Choosing Ceremony, they decide which faction they want to be a part of. They can stick with the one they were born in to, or they can transfer to another one, immediately leaving their family behind.

Beatrice Prior was born in to Abnegation, but is unsure of what choice to make. During the aptitude test, she discovers that she is what they call Divergent, with an aptitude for several factions, not just one. This is a dangerous thing, which could cost her her life if it was found out. To the shock of her family, she chooses to transfer into Dauntless. Little does she know, this choice will change, define, and ultimate challenge every idea she has of who she is.

I loved this book. It was action packed from the very beginning, and I couldn’t put it down. Definitely a one-night read, and a page-turner. You can definitely relate to Beatrice, while she decides what to do with her life, since we’ve all been in that position at one point or another. Her struggles, romance, and decisions are all so well written out that you’ll find yourself quickly caring about the characters.

KM-Doctor Sleep – Stephen King

Title: Doctor Sleep

Author: Stephen King

Series: LONG AWAITED Sequel to The Shining

Category: Drama / Mystery / Paranormal

Length:  544 pages

My Rating: 9/10

Nearly 40 years after the debut of The Shining, King has finally published a sequel!

Doctor Sleep follows Dan Torrance (yes, Danny, from the Shining) through his alcoholic turmoil, AA, and finding a new life for himself, away from The Overlook, but never quite free. Some of the Residents haunt him still. With the help of Dick Halloran (the chef from The Shining), he begins to learn how to control the lingering effects, although he can’t outrun “The Shine.”

After beginning his new life as an orderly for a hospice home, he quickly earns the nickname, Doctor Sleep. He begins to be visited by what he senses to be a young girl, and she leaves messages for him on his blackboard.

Across town, a baby is born. They name her Abra Stone. Strange things occur around the baby, including a crying fit that persists for hours preceding the 9/11 attack, and abruptly stops as the towers are hit. Abra’s parents notice strange things around her, and her grandmother hints that she may have the Shine as well.

Abra and Dan must convince her parents that he’s okay, and that what they experience is real, in order to band together to fight the True Knot, which travel across the country, killing children with the Shine in order to “drink their steam.” With Dan’s alcohol problems, the stigma surrounding her and Dan’s relationship, and all the other adversities they’re facing, can they stop them?