Book Review: The Awakening

The Awakening. Lisa M. Lilly. CreateSpace, November 23, 2013, Trade Paperback and Kindle, 374 pages.

Reviewed by Serena Wadhwa.

The Awakening, by Lisa M. Lilly, begins with what appears to be a typical female college student discovering that she is pregnant. Only Tara Spencer is anything but typical. While Tara is a strong, independent, ambitious, and likeable young woman, she is also a virgin. The author shares this tidbit of information in the first few pages of the book, which provides only a taste of the juicy events the reader will discover.

            When he reached the door to the office suite, he put on his gloves, struggling when the latex stuck to his sweating hands. When he fished out his lock-picking tools, the pick dropped on the carpet with a thunk. He snatched it, started again. Pushed away thoughts of the years he waited, the disappointment that could lie beyond the heavy glass door. He was right about this time, this girl. 

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the wall during a conversation or live vicariously through someone else? Lilly provides an amazing opportunity for both in The Awakening. Let me explain. As a professor and clinical therapist, hearing the story of another person allows me a glimpse into how that individual moves in the world and how to collaboratively work with them to guide them to be more effective in what they want, so I don’t need to be a fly on the wall. In The Awakening, Lilly’s descriptions of Tara Spencer, attention to details, and the author’s keen observations and insights, provide an experience similar to being a fly on the wall or being able to live vicariously through this college student (as I’m not too sure I want to be chased by some ancient brotherhood).

Let me include a disclaimer. I love supernatural stories. When I was asked to review The Awakening, I read the synopsis. It was interesting, although from the synopsis, seemed similar to other fictional stories that existed within its genre. Yet, because I love this type of story, I agreed. I will say this book is anything but similar to others in its category. I was really surprised and intrigued. In fact, when I started reading this book, I was hooked.

Not only are there several twists within this book, the author addresses many day-to-day issues and struggles that individuals face. This was an interesting inclusion in and of itself. Lilly explores struggles relating to making life-changing decisions (being pregnant), not having others believe, let along support you (Tara’s family and boyfriend think she’s lying), and the spin of mental health issues, social issues, and gender issues that pervade our society. Religion and spirituality are also topics that are weaved within the book and make the reader question, or at the least consider, their own stance.

            Nanor nodded. “You’ve reached the heart of it. If women enter an area men traditionally control, being accepted means adapting to men, and this many women do constantly day in and day out. Which is exactly why I treasure a place designed around women, not men. Willow Springs is not utopia. But it is a place that women designed for women. Which, sadly, makes it—“

            Sirens pierced the air, and a red light flashed above the door.

            Nanor gripped Tara’s arm. “Tara Spencer, what have you brought to our haven?”

Another important aspect The Awakening provides is the conflict most of us face with standing up for what we believe in versus what others think is right. The uncertainty of the outcome of either path lends to the exploration and turmoil of making a decision. This is illustrated throughout the book as Tara, an ordinary college-age and career–minded female finds herself amidst a surreal experience.

“I came all this way to find answers, but maybe there aren’t any. My best times since I got pregnant have been with the amazing people I’ve met, who’ve shared with me, and cared about me. Maybe that’s what’s holy. And if there’s something I’m meant to do, or my baby is meant to do, we’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

I thought for some time about what I struggled with when it came to this book. There are some questions at the end of the book for a group discussion and I wasn’t sure if this is the format for the publishing platform or the intention of the author. It was an unexpected addition for a fiction book. The only other thing that came to mind was that when I got to the last page, I wanted to keep reading.

Book Review: Regarding Anna

Regarding Anna. Florence Osmund, Published by Florence Osmund, February 21, 2015, Trade Paperback and Kindle, 272 pages.

Reviewed by Sue Merrell.

Most of us have wondered at one time or another whether the folks we called Mom and Dad were our “real” parents. Such is the quest of 23-year-old Grace Lindroth, the first person narrator of Florence Osmund’s fourth novel, Regarding Anna.

An only child, Grace was orphaned at age 17 when her parents were overcome by carbon monoxide in their home. After their deaths, Grace finds some photos and a newspaper clipping in the attic that lead her to believe her real mother was Anna Thalia Vargas, who was murdered when Grace was a baby.

This belief is what inspired Grace to train as a private investigator in the first place. In between her rookie cases—such as tracking down a missing teen and investigating a shady son-in-law—Grace pursues leads on her personal “Attic Finds” case.

Grace doesn’t have much money or confidence. She’s as insecure about her childhood memories as she is about her investigative ability. Thankfully, the author surrounds this faltering heroine with a bevy of intriguing characters that keep the dialogue spicy and the action moving.

But it’s hard to know whom to trust. Elmer, a money-hungry attorney, seems supportive at first, renting Grace office space and a poorly furnished apartment. But when her quarters are broken into and ransacked, Grace begins to question Elmer’s motives. Minnie, the elderly lady who lives in the house where Anna was murdered, starts out grumpy and suspicious but soon becomes surprisingly sassy and resourceful.

There is Naomi, the sexy secretary who is a little too quick to share secrets, Tymon, the omnipresent handyman, and Esmeralda, a mysterious informant who keeps slipping through the net. There’s even a questionable client who thinks her birth mother is Rosa Lindroth, the woman who raised Grace.

As the tale unfolds, Grace faces dangerous attackers, discovers treasures, and deals with international intrigue from Mexico to Ireland.   

This is the sort of book I can guzzle down as easily as a tall glass of ice tea on a hot day. Osmund, who has written Coach House, Daughters, and Red Clover, has a relaxed, chatty writing style with good pacing. Chicagoans will appreciate the recognizable locations throughout the book. Osmund’s background in the corporate world is also apparent as she writes with authority about business procedures.

For those who like a philosophical meaning, this story has a stated theme: Things that happen to you in the past can mold you into someone you’re not. It’s an interesting concept that ties the various story threads together and makes even the most evil actions more understandable.

The book takes place in the 1960s, which can be a challenge to pull off convincingly. I didn’t catch any anachronisms such as out-of-place cell phones or fax machines. But the author uses very few pop culture or fashion references to paint the period. It doesn’t “feel” like the ‘60s, but that time frame makes it possible to unravel a mystery without resorting to DNA testing or the Internet or any of today’s high-tech resources.

I appreciate that the author doesn’t weigh the action down with too much description but I felt a little more description would be helpful especially concerning Grace’s attic finds. It was never really clear to me what Grace saw in the old black-and-white photos that convinced her she is the baby in some other woman’s arms. And since I never completely bought into the mystery, the resolution, though somewhat surprising, wasn’t completely satisfying.

I do think Osmund has created a plucky new private eye who has a whole career of mysteries ahead of her. As a mystery series fan, I look forward to the next adventure with Grace Lindroth. 

Book Review: The Caelimane Operation

The Caelimane Operation. Chris Pavesic. Musa Publishing, January 16, 2015, E-Book, 108 pages.

Reviewed by Christine Collins Cacciatore.

Although science fiction/fantasy is not my normal cup of tea, I was intrigued at the thought of reading something outside my normal fare of romance, paranormal, and non-fiction and agreed to give it a whirl. 

The Caelimane Operation is one of several stories in The Darkside Codex, which is a collection of stories by authors who all wrote about the same world. I have not read any of the other books in this series but I might now, just to see how other authors handled it.

One thing I found enjoyable reading this book is the way the author is so matter-of-fact about the steampunk details built into her story, like, “of course my horse is made of metal and some people live in the sky.” I also was happy that she seemed very knowledgeable and comfortable about the world in which she was writing. I hope the other authors who write for The Darkside Codex handled their world building as well as Ms. Pavesic did. Once you start reading this genre, the scenarios described in the pages become increasingly likely.

I was very pleasantly surprised when I started reading this book. From the moment you start reading, you are plummeted into the world of mechanicals and zombies and hooked with wonderful descriptions of the landscape. I truly enjoyed her descriptions of the land, the costumes, and the appearances of different people. They are so clear you can actually put yourself in the book in a matter of minutes. It is a world where the undead are real but the horses are not.

Catherine, the main character, is a Hierocrat. It is sort of an official holy figure. She is also a bard who plays the harp. She lives in the city of Southwatch, which is burdened with a terrible pollution problem.

Catherine is tasked by her superior Merci, Hierophant of the Caelimane Temple, with the job of traveling to a gathering of the Seelie Court in order to find out what she can about the necromancer and who exactly is behind the atrocities. To keep her safe, she has to make the journey with a family of traveling minstrels and pose as a new bride to one of them. As she plays the harp, it is the perfect cover.

Another character who is introduced is Devyn. He is fae (fairy) and he is convinced that the zombie plague originates in the Seelie Court. He and Catherine end up joining forces and working together, along with another man named Benedict. Catherine is acting as Benedict’s bride. 

The author has a wonderful writing style. The dialogue is relevant and fresh, and there aren’t unnecessary words; the zombies are described with such detail that it becomes disturbing and as the reader, you’re really cheering on the protagonist. 

I also really enjoyed the fact that the romance in this book, although present, doesn’t overpower the story. Our heroine seems to be a very strong woman, with or without a man in her life.

Who would enjoy reading this book? I enjoyed it, and this is not the genre I typically read. People who enjoy reading fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction as well as anyone looking for a good story and a bit of escapism will really like reading this story. I hope we see more by Chris Pavesic.

Book Review: The Mind Trap

The Mind Trap. Padmaja Khanna. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, July 20, 2014, Trade Paperback and Kindle, 296 pages.

Reviewed by Deanna Francis.

The Mind Trap by Padmaja Khanna is a young-adult adventure and science fiction novel that takes place primarily in the dreams of 17-year-old Jack Treole. The Mind Trap is the second installment of Khanna’s The Dream Hiker trilogy, and it follows the story of Jack Treole and his new friends, Selenia and Eddie, as they meet in real life and continue their dream discoveries.

The novel begins with the three friends meeting each other for the first time, in real life, at a science summer camp in Chicago. In Khanna’s first novel, The Dream Hiker, the three students meet on a collaboration website that is set up by Jack’s teacher at school. The students discover that they can join together within their dreams, and they begin their own adventures in the dream “thought world.”

Soon after their first live encounter in the real world, Jack and Eddie discover their friend Selenia has gone missing in the dream world, which has caused her physical body to remain unconscious. The two boys know that if they cannot find and rescue Selenia in the dream world, her body may die in the real world.

With the help of Selenia’s twin sister, Zeta, the three meet in the dream world and begin searching for Selenia. The trio comes across a wide range of problems standing in their way, including a mysterious young man named Mario, who they met in the first novel but still continues to run away from them and hide secrets that are crucial to Selenia’s discovery. The group also encounters friends on their way that might be able to help solve who is holding Selenia captive.

The Mind Trap is a novel I truly enjoyed. Even though I am not very familiar with science fiction, I enjoyed Khanna’s use of both the realistic world and the fictional “dream world.” I enjoyed the adventure and the friendships Khanna created with her characters. As a young adult myself, the characters seemed like people I might have been friends with in high school, and that made the reading experience even more enjoyable and relatable for me.

I enjoyed the distinction between the two different “worlds” in the story. It was an intriguing idea to think that the students could merely speak about a place in real life, and then meet each other in that place in a dream and communicate and live as if it were a real place.

I also enjoyed the character strengths and weaknesses and how well the three students blended with one another. Jack has the characteristics of a naturally curious and adventurous teenage boy, and he had the leadership skills to help his friends in even the darkest of times. Eddie, on the other hand, was able to provide comedic relief in times of pleasure, pain, and sorrow. Selenia and her sister Zeta added the “brains” of the trio, and always had plans for anything that went wrong.

I believe that Khanna has written two novels that a wide variety of readers can enjoy. These novels opened my eyes to the world of science fiction, and I have a newfound appreciation for the style and genre. I believe that any readers that are fans of realistic fiction, science fiction, or young adult novels will enjoy The Dream Hiker and The Mind Trap. I am looking forward to the third installment of Khanna’s The Dream Hiker trilogy.

Book Review: The Feud

The Feud. Frank Heiberger. CreateSpace, November 11, 2014, Kindle and Trade Paperback, 362 pages.

Reviewed by R. H. King, Jr.

India Hills, a struggling female author, is reduced to writing vanity press family histories to make ends meet. She averts financial ruin, at least in the short run, when she is commissioned to write the history of the Duvall-Richards family, the most prominent clan in a small Missouri town. Upon arriving in the town, however, India’s research for the book plunges her into confrontations with ghosts and hellhounds, and thrusts her into the middle of a century-old feud between the Duvall-Richards family and a coven of witches (wiccans). India struggles for her life against the supernatural forces aligned against her, while trying to solve the mystery of who is responsible for the serial beheadings of some of the current day wiccans.  

I think that Mr. Heiberger’s decision to tell this story in a first person feminine voice was an interesting and brave one. Making the protagonist a woman allowed the author to explore the relationship with the wiccans in a very different way than would have been possible with a male protagonist. As a male writer myself, I often wonder if I can really create a realistic female narrator, but I think Mr. Heiberger pulled it off and I found the feminine voice authentic and believable. I would be interested in hearing how women readers react. 

Although the novel gets off to a sleepy start, the middle part of the book was most enjoyable. Mr. Heiberger does an excellent job painting word pictures of his characters, the Missouri town, and its environs. There are several passages and sentences that are stunning, but it was the wiccans, whose characters are rich and interesting, that really helped propel the story for me. Mr. Heiberger also does a good job of introducing elements of a traditional “who-done-it” mystery into the supernatural mix and has the reader guessing throughout about who is friend and who is foe. So there is much to like about this book. 

There are things that could be improved as well. As noted above, the book starts slowly, and I had trouble plowing through the first few chapters. The book also suffers from lack of attention to detail. This manifests itself in typos, dropped words, and wrong word choices, as well as lack of consistency. For example, at one point we are told the hellhounds come from Welsh folklore and a few pages later that they are part of Irish legend. The book is also overly long and the ending somewhat abrupt and unsatisfying.

Mr. Heiberger’s strength as a storyteller does shine through. Overall, I enjoyed the book and think that readers who gravitate toward the supernatural/occult/fantasy genres will in particular find this book worth reading.