A Fresh and Engaging Read

Thrall (Daughters of Lilith #1) by Jennifer Quintenz (Secret Tree Press, 2012, 297pp.)

Braedyn Murphy wakes up one day to learn that she is far from an normal high school sophomore—she is, in fact, a demon. Odysseus called them sirens. Harry Potter calls them Veela. Braedyn’s brand of demon is called Lilitu. To the ordinary human eye, they are beautiful, irresistible women. But the Guard, a centuries-old organization dedicated to fighting these demons, knows better: the Lilitu are succubae that use their beauty as a tool to lure their prey and then drain them of their life-force. A kiss can be draining to a human; sex itself can be deadly.

Braedyn’s father, a member of the Guard, explains to her that although she is a demon, the Guard intends to use her as a force for good, a spy of sorts, to infiltrate the Lilitu and learn what they’re up to. When she meets Lucas, a fellow classmate at school and the only other teen member of the Guard, it’s love at first sight. But there’s only one problem: Lucas doesn’t know she’s a Lilitu, and harbors a particular grudge against her species for killing his brother. 

Thrall is a fresh and engaging read. Parents of readers worried by the mention of sex needn’t worry. Although sex is the ultimate “power-up” for the Lilitu, no sex actually appears in the book. Braedyn and Lucas have one or two kissing scenes, but that’s about all in turns of “mature” content. Recommended for fans of urban fantasy, and readers ages 16-18.

Click on cover for image source.

Very Readable and Enjoyable, But Still Needs Work

Cuspian (Cuspian Saga #1) by DC Hall (Self-Published, 2013, 348pp.)

“The destiny of the world is laid out in the stars. Each man, woman, and child’s life. The struggles, successes, the major and minute details are written out in the skies of the heavens, concealed from mankind.”

A tale told by a pair of fraternal twins, Cuspian tells the story of Kennedi and Kendal Myles, two close-knit siblings who find their lives shattered when their mother is murdered. After their father, who abandoned the family years ago, arrives to take custody of them, strange things begin happening. Kennedi can suddenly hear other people's thoughts, while her brother, Kendal, is plagued by a force that threatens to cause serious injury those around him. Then they learn that they’re Cuspians, individuals born during the period of time when one astrological sign is receding, while another moves into prominence. As one character explains it, “[Cuspians] are born on the cusp between the stars with two destinies: one of unspeakable good or unimaginable evil. ... Cuspians have abilities to help them fulfill their true destinies.” 

Cuspian, the first in a series, is ultimately engaging, and ends with a tense, cliff-hanger ending. You know, the “Oh-my-God-when-is-the-next-book-coming-out?” kind. The mystery surrounding the origin of the twins’ powers is intriguing, and although the narrative voices aren’t really that distinct from each other, the author is still able to develop the twins into two distinct personalities. However, I certainly wouldn’t call this book a finished product, just yet. It could use a lot of trimming and tightening of certain elements. More specifically, pacing is inconsistent throughout the novel, and tends to lag in between big events and important revelations. Some events that occur are confusing, and the cliffhanger ending leaves some questions unanswered that may annoy some readers.

The verdict: very readable, but not the best it could be. The story is dark, and gets pretty bloody and graphic towards the end, so I’d recommend this for fans of dark fantasy only. Recommended for Ages 16-18.

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The Tree House

The Tree House by Shay Lynam (Self-Published, 2013, 272pp.)

***Spoilers are present.***

When two mysterious gunmen break into Hailey’s house and try to kidnap her, she just barely manages to avoid capture by fleeing into the maze of downtown Seattle. As the armed agents close in, she runs into a young man named Jack, who not only helps her escape, but also knows why she’s being pursued. Enter Sy, Jack’s superior, and the other members of the Tree House. What is the Tree House, you ask? Well, it’s certainly not the condemned building it seems to be (even though it does have a tree growing through its cement floor). Those who live in the Tree House are survivors—just like Hailey—in a massive science experiment gone awry.

Back in the 1990s, E. Scott Pharmaceuticals, headed by medical genius Eli Scott, experimented with newborns around the world that had been infected with neonatal tetanus, a disease contracted by infants when they are born into a non-sterile environment. To solve the problem, the company inserted a microchip into the infants’ brains in order to fight off the infection. Then, instead of sending the children back home to their parents, they were placed in the care of foster families so the company could monitor their progress. When something about the experiment went drastically wrong, the company made the decision to scrap both the project and its test subjects (hence, the chase-scene).

While The Tree House has plenty of action and romantic tension, the characters are flat, and the premise itself is, I’m sorry to say, illogical. Why would anyone use microchips to fight off tetanus? It’s a bacteria. There’s a shot for it. If there has to be experimental microchips involved, why not have the company focus on something neurological, like Parkinson’s? Also, why the need for secrecy? If the company is breaking human rights laws, why perform these experiments in the United States? Why not hold them in a third world country with where people can be bribed to look the other way? The Tree House is a problematic novel that still needs a lot of work, and is unfortunately one that I can’t really recommend to readers at this time.

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Justice League—the High School Edition

High School Heroes (High School Heroes #1) by James Mascia (L & L Dreamspell, 2010, 298pp.)

When Goth-chick Christine starts hearing voices while at school, she fears she may be loosing her mind—until she realizes that the “voices” are actually people’s thoughts. At first, she thinks she’s the only person at Thomas Jefferson High with special powers. Wrong! Turns out that Ethan, her hunky crush and captain of the football team, is the team’s star player for a reason: he has the power of super-speed. After revealing their powers to one another, the two quickly become fast friends. Meanwhile, they discover that two other students have powers: snarky mean girl Savanah (gifted with super strength) and skateboarding loser Peter (able to shoot lightning out of his hands). Then, Ethan has an idea: why not form a super league? (Christine’s initial reaction is less than enthusiastic.) And, as happens with the formations of all impromptu super leagues, the group eventually does come to loggerheads with a villain or two—one of them at Winter Formal, no less.

Been there done that, right? Actually, there’s more to it than that! Not only does the author build up a nice plot, he also pays attention to character development. True, the characters do play off certain stereotypes (the Goth-chick, the jock, the snarky mean girl), yet each of them is distinct in his or her own way. (I can’t tell you how pleased I was when Ethan, who, when we first meet him,seems to be a typical jock, is actually a really nice, smart guy who likes to drag his friends to ComicCon.) Overall, an enjoyable read.

The adventures of Christine and her friends in High School Heroes is the foundation for Mascia’s High School Heroes series. At least three more volumes will follow. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

Click on cover for image source.

Author Interview: James Mascia

Introducing the first-ever author interview I’ve conducted for my blog! Meet James Mascia, author of the High School Heroes series.

Q: Is High School Heroes your first novel?

A: It is my first traditionally published novel. I had self-published a couple of novels years ago that are no longer on the market. I can honestly say that High School Heroes was probably the first novel I took seriously. Before this I had pretty much wrote for fun and for myself and if I published the novel then great, if not, no big deal. While writing High School Heroes was absolutely fun, I also wrote it with the intention of getting it published. So, after I was done, I edited it extensively, then I hired an editor to find and fix the thing I missed. Only then did I start sending it out to publishers. 

Q: Tell us a little about how you came up with the idea for your book.

A: I was at a comic book convention and talking to someone about how there weren't really any prose novels about superheroes. So, I decided I was going to write one. I've always liked comic books and stories about superheroes, so it was only natural that I create my own and write a story about them. So, I set out with a couple of short stories, which I got published in a magazine called A Thousand Faces. But, even with those few short stories, I knew there was a bigger tale to tell, so I decided to write the novel. 

Since High School Heroes was published, the market has been flooded with super-hero themed books. So, while I definitely didn't write the first superhero novel, I'd like to say I was a bit ahead of the game. 

Q: You’ve already published Volumes 2 and 3 in the series. How many books do you have planned for the series?

A: I have 5 volumes planned. Part 4, called Hero's Burden, is with my publisher now and should be out late 2013. Part 5 (which doesn't have a title as of yet), is what I am currently working on. I end the story-arc started in Book 1 in Part 5. Now, that's not to say another story arc can't pop up (they always seem to in comic books), but after I'm done with 5, I will be moving on to other projects. 

Q: I notice you chose a small press to publish your work. Why did you decide to go that route instead of contacting a traditional publisher?

A: First, I just want to say that there is nothing wrong with a small press publisher. However, I want to dissuade you from thinking that a small press isn't a traditional publisher, because it is. What you're referring to is the big publishers, like Scholastic, Hyperion and such. 

In that case, I would like to say that when I sent out my query letters, I sent to the big publishers as well as the small publishers. The small press publisher just happened to come to me first and offered me a great deal for my books. So I went with them. When I'm ready to do another series, I will follow the process again, and I will send to the big and the small alike. 

Q: Do you have a website where readers can find out more about your books?

A: My books can be found on Amazon.com, BN.com, iTunes, and information on myself and my books can be found at www.islandofdren.com

Macbeth: 2013

Source: Author Website

Exposure (Twisted Lit #2) by Kim Askew & Amy Helmes (Merit Press, 2013, 224pp.)

In the second installment of the “Twisted Lit” series, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is relocated from medieval Scotland to a modern-day high school in Anchorage, Alaska. Wallflower Skye Kingston, photographer for the school newspaper, is content to quietly crush on her friend, Craig MacKenzie, one of the populars and a member of the hockey team. It’s all she can do, really, since he’s already been claimed by Beth, one of East Anchorage High’s most imposing Queen Bees. Skye’s life takes a turning point when she attends a wild, off-campus party where Duncan Shaw, the hockey team’s captain, meets an unfortunate end. (The meaning of the title— “Exposure”—will become evident when the reader finds out how he died.) For most of the high school, Duncan’s death is shrouded in mystery, but three students alone know the truth—Craig and Beth, who perpetrated the deed, and Skye, who overhears their frantic conversation after the event takes place. Skye tries to be supportive with Craig, but he becomes increasingly hostile with her and others. Should Skye stay loyal to her friend and keep her silence, or should she go to the police?

I have to admit, at first glance, I was a bit mystified as to how the authors would manage to follow-up their first novel, the romantic comedy Tempesutous, with a novel based on a classic tragedy filled with violence, suicide, greed, and murder. However, Exposure manages to provide an interesting variation of its origin story without being too glib or too dark. In the original play, Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis and servant to King Duncan, is confronted by three witches, who predict that he will soon be king. When it turns out that this won't happen in the near future, his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, decides to speed things along, and goads her husband into murdering Duncan while the royal party spends the night at their house. In Exposure, the death turns out to be accidental, and happens entirely off-screen. As for the three witches, they make a sort of cameo appearance as Skye’s friends, a trio of teens of Yup’ik (Eskimo) descent who are making tribal masks for a school project. As they explain:

“Our ancestors were Yup’ik people... One of their traditions was to carve masks like these for ritual dances. The masks were embodiments of a spiritual vision, and they were said to imbue the wearer with the spirit they represented.” (22)

Overall, a solid, teen-friendly version of Shakespeare’s tragedy. In fact, I think I actually like Exposure more than Tempestuous. I am definitely interested in seeing what else this series has to offer. Recommended for Ages 15-17 for Language.

The Tempest: 2012

Source: Author Website

Tempestuous (Twisted Lit #1) by Kim Askew & Amy Helmes (Merit Press, 2012, 224pp.) 

“Anyone who says leprosy is a disease that’s been eradicated hasn’t set foot in a high school lately.” (64)

For Miranda Prospero, a former member of Eastern Prep’s elite “in-crowd,” life has become boring, but not exactly unbearable. Just recently, the school administration discovered that she and her friends were running a secret matchmaking service that paired up geeks with the academically challenged cool kids (for a price). To save their own skins, her boyfriend and friends produced Miranda as the ringleader of the operation. The school demanded that Miranda pay back all profits she earned from her little business, so at present, she finds herself sentenced to minimum-wage labor at a greasy hotdog stand at the local mall.

But things aren’t so bad. She’s managed to make some friends her own age there, including Ariel, her sweet, cheerful manager/co-worker; Colin, a waiter who works in the hell that is Cheeze Monkey Pizzeria; and Caleb, a brooding, frustrating, yet incredibly attractive game-store employee. Shortly after the story’s beginning, Miranda, her new friends, and a handful of other teens (including her now ex-boyfriend and a few other treacherous classmates) get snowed in by a massive blizzard. Since Miranda had planned to throw a surprise birthday party for Ariel, she and her friends unleash the festivities in the mall—and at the same time, take vengeance on her former in-crowd compatriots by increasingly juvenile means (tormenting a girl terrified by rabbits in an elevator with a pet-store bunny; asking Ariel to lure a few “mean girls” into the mall beauty salon and give them bad makeovers.). The fun turns sour, though, once they realize that a dangerous assailant is trapped in the mall with them—someone who steals mall merchandise and then acts violently when someone tries to catch him in the act.

Tempestuous, the first book in a series that plans to focus on putting a “modern-day spin” on Shakespearean literature, centers on the comedic play The Tempest. For those who haven’t read it, Tempest takes place on an enchanted island where Prospero, the bookish, exiled Duke of Milan, now spends his time dabbling in magic. His only companions are his daughter, Miranda; Ariel, his faithful spirit-servant; and Caliban, the crafty, deformed monster-servant intent on betraying him and claiming the island for himself. When a ship carrying the makers of his social undoing—Alonso, king of Naples; Duke Antonio, Prospero’s usurper brother, and others—comes within distance of his island home, Prospero decides that he wants revenge and creates a storm to shipwreck everyone on the island. He then spends the rest of the story leading the castaways through a series of tests to call them out on their past transgressions, leading them to see the error of their ways. He then gets his old job back, and he even manages to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the king’s son, Ferdinand.

Tempestuous proves to be a very faithful, if at times, somewhat problematic interpretation of the Bard’s work. In this updated version the authors have combined Prospero, the original magician, and his daughter Miranda to make the story’s hero young and female. Like her literary component, the YA novel’s heroine “works magic” by matchmaking, manipulating situations to her liking, and punishing her enemies— though in her case, it seems like each prank is carried out in a fit of mean-spirited vengeance against clichéd villains rather than with the well-meaning spirit of the Bard’s comedy.

This isn’t to say that Miranda herself doesn’t gain some sense of humility in the end, however. As she sheepishly admits at the conclusion of her adventures: “Justice [is] always preferable to petty revenge” (169).

Knowledge of the origin material gives the story’s somewhat silly and extravagant antics a degree of credibility, though taken as an original standalone piece, readers more interested in “reality-based” fiction may call their suspension of disbelief into question. But, now that I think about it, I can’t really image many teens interested in anything remotely “reality-based.”

Who will enjoy it? I think I can safely say that this book will appeal to shy, young loner-types who feel they don’t fit in, who enjoy a light read on occasion, and who love seeing snooty popular kids reduced to caricatures. Reading The Tempest isn’t required to get the overall gist of the story, but as a former English major, I can’t resist urging those unacquainted with the Bard to rent a copy of it. Recommended for Ages 15-17 for Language.