Lizzy Speare and The Cursed Tomb by Ally Malinenko is a young teen read that in some aspects is a lot of fun.  That’s saying something since, this particular writer, reader, and reviewer, doesn’t particularly like Shakespeare.  At all.  In fact, my personal opinion is that he’s shoved down our throats so much from middle school, high school, and college, that you just want to find every work he’s ever done and burn it so that no one else will ever be subjected to it again.  Once a person is introduced to Shakespeare academically he always seems to come up again.  So it’s refreshing to see Shakespeare in a new light, with a modern twist, and a unique way to draw readers in.



"MEET LIZZY SPEARE…

…a normal twelve year old girl with a talent for writing, who has a very not normal family secret. And when Lizzy’s father vanishes, that secret will change her life in ways unimagined. (Spoiler Alert! It turns out that Lizzy, or Elizabeth S. Speare, is the last living descendant of William Shakespeare. Shhh! Don’t tell anybody!)

Then Lizzy and her best friend Sammy are kidnapped, awakening in the faraway land of Manhattan. Their host is Jonathan Muse, whose job is to protect Lizzy from becoming the latest victim in a family feud nearly five hundred years old. Could that be why the mysterious, eye patch-wearing Dmitri Marlowe is after her? (Spoiler Alert 2—he’s the last living descendant of Christopher Marlowe, a friend and rival of Shakespeare’s. But keep it to yourself!) Is Marlowe after Lizzy’s family fortune rumored to be kept in Shakespeare’s tomb? Does he seek artistic immortality? Or Revenge (with a capital R) for a death long, long ago?

In a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, Lizzy and Sammy are thrust into the realm of the mythical and fantastic—from satyrs and Cyclopses to Middle Eastern cab drivers and Brooklyn hipsters—in what is truly “an improbable fiction” as the Bard himself once wrote"

-Ally Malinenko

That being said, while it’s meant for a younger group of readers, in some aspects I think that the author would have done better by showing instead of telling.  There’s an overabundance of pronouns in some areas of he did, she did, they did – that could have been revamped into a bit of showing that wouldn’t make it so repetitive.  Is a middle school kid likely to pick up on this? Probably not.  They may well be too engrossed in the story to notice, and the story is worth picking up – especially if you’re a Shakespeare fan.

It’s an easy read, and doesn’t go too overly in depth – which makes it perfect for that young teen and tween.  I give Lizzy Speare and The Cursed Tomb by Ally Malinenko three stars, for a unique twist on Shakespeare, and an easy read that a lot of kids will enjoy. 

 

For more information on Ally Malinenko and her Lizzy Speare's books you can visit her website at: http://allymalinenko.com/

Twitter: @AliMalinenko

There are many reasons I love Twitter.  The personality of people, the breaking news updates in the publishing world, book promotions, and not to mention the fact that sometimes you can catch an author looking for a book reviewer. The ladder is how I snagged a copy of Troy Blackford’s short story collection entitled, “For Those With Eye’s To See.”  

When he asked if there was anyone who wanted to review a short story collection, I asked, “What sort of short stories?”  To which Troy replied, “Mostly horror, but all completely weird.”  Yes, this was our twitter conversation.  Mr. Blackford, you had me at weird.  I’d also like to mention that in his introduction, Troy states:

“The short story isn't the most respected or read form of writing right now, but I don’t see why that should be the case. If tawdry romance can make a literary comeback, then I think the short story’s time is due.”

I couldn't agree more.  I love short stories, reading them, writing them, drooling over them – and they are the perfect thing for someone to read who has a busy day.  Catch a story in between tasks at work, at lunch, or on the bus ride home.  So, for anyone reading this who hasn't given the short story a chance, I would suggest doing so, and if you’re into the weird, the macabre, and the twisted – like me – I would definitely suggest picking up Troy Blackford’s “For Those With Eye’s To See.”

These stories are fiendishly twisted, beautifully described, and never fail in sucking the reader right into the thick of things.  Each story is vastly different from the next.  His scenes are subtle, and he knows when he needs to show or to tell, and how to blend everything in between.  Blackford’s imagination is fun, original, and will no doubt in a few instances have the reader going:  “Seriously, dude, what the hell goes on in that head of yours?”

It is excellent and refreshingly original, not to mention it’s something you can read on the go.  I foresee many good things coming from one Mr. Troy Blackford.  Be careful though, wildly creative talent and addictive fans often lead to stalkers – which may only fuel more of the authors imagination.

"For Those With Eyes To See," by Troy Blackford gets FOUR ½ out of FIVE stars from me for being engaging, not having the same repetitious crap in one book, and I’ve only shed the half star because in the story “All In Your Head,” Mike knew the name of all the surgical equipment after doing crazy research, but Victor in “Promising Candidate” - a veteran trucker well versed in the lingo - never once referred to a refrigerated truck as a reefer unit.   However, that’s just my own little peeve because my daddy was a trucker in his younger days.  Don’t let that little tidbit deter you at all.  Trust me this is well worth the read if you enjoy the dark side of literature.

 1/2

About The Author:

Troy Blackford is a 29 year-old writer living in the Twin Cities with his

wife, two cats, and a son on the way.

His stories have appeared in places like Bewildering Stories, Roadside

Fiction, Roar & Thunder, the Glass Coin, Rose Red Review, and

Inkspill Magazine.

He has three other publications available on Kindle and in Paperback.

You can find out more about him on his website:

http://www.troyblackford.com

or follow him on Twitter: @TBlackford3

I am an avid Steampunk fan.  It’s unique, it’s fresh, it adds elements of science, history, and supernatural all rolled into one.  Gail Carriger opened my eyes to this world with her Parasol Protectorate series.   After that I started scouring for books that were in the same genre, but not the same story.  When I got my new Kindle I started downloading freebies by the dozen.  The Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina was one of them and among the first that I read. 

Lady of Devices

Magnificent Devices Book One

London, 1889. Victoria is Queen. Charles Darwin's son is Prime Minister. And steam is the power that runs the world.

At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire's talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head. It's not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices.

When she meets Andrew Malvern, a member of the Royal Society of Engineers, she realizes her talents may encompass more than the invention of explosive devices. They may help her realize her dreams and his . . . if they can both stay alive long enough to see that sometimes the closest friendships can trigger the greatest betrayals . . . (Shelley Adina)

Like most Victorian based Steampunk novels, people had certain expectations of women in society. They were to be married to a well off family, and of course run the household, provide heirs for their husband, make sure they saved face in public so as not to ruin their social reputation, and more.  Lady Claire, however, likes to be heard, use her brain, and delve into the science aspect of the world. 

Though she was born to privilege, her word is torn asunder after her father loses all of their money and then proceeds to kill himself – in the middle of what is basically Claire’s coming out party.

Family in ruin her mother moves to their home in the country, and Claire is left behind to wrap up a few things before following.  However, her life is quickly put in danger by a mob that believes her family owes them for the money they lost.  Out on the street and turned away from those she once thought of as friends, Claire’s misadventures don’t end there.  After being robbed, she sets out after those who took her last precious items, and finds a new family in them.

Over all, the story was good, it was a fun read, but I think the character development could have gone a little deeper.  The Mopsies were perhaps my favorite, and I’m hoping in the next installment Claire’s personality expands a bit.  She’s a well thought out character, but there’s still room for development, and I think perhaps she fell back into the lap of luxury a bit too easily, but we’ll see how it goes, as I fully intend to pick up the next installment.

Would I recommend this book for any Steampunk enthusiast?  Absolutely.  Though I think the audience is more geared towards women.  

The Lady of Devices gets three stars for me.  It was cut two stars because after Lady Claire went to such lengths to keep her identity a secret, it was very easily given away, and because I would have liked to see a bit more of the other characters as well.

The new semester starts and my blog posts go down.  Sorry about that my few and faithful readers, but school does come first. That’s not to say I’m happy about neglecting you.  I very much appreciate the people who read my blog, but the hours in the day are working against me at this point.  I’m still reading, writing, and having my brain boggled by all this information from school – most of which I’ll probably never use, but hey having a little bit of information on a little bit of everything is never a bad thing.  It can give me a starting point for research when I want to incorporate something into a story.

Four classes is a bit of a challenge.  I may go back to three next semester.  We’ll see how things work out.  I’m past the drop date, and I probably wouldn’t even if I still could.  Generally, once I start something, I want to finish it.  So long as I keep my GPA up, it’s all gravy.  So what if my brain explodes a little bit?  Maybe some new creative juices will slip from the cracks.  Besides, I like a good challenge every now and then.

Right now my current predicament has left my bank account hacked twice.  I’ve narrowed it down and I think I know who the culprit is that’s stealing the numbers of my cards. Almost a month ago we went someplace – I’ll refrain from saying where – and my account was hacked two days later.  My husband and I went to the same place about two days ago, and low and behold, our account is hacked again.  It may be a coincidence, but I think not.  I’m going to go back through my bank records and double check tonight.  If it is what I think it is, I’m going to give the bank a heads up and see if they can look into it.  

I’m still reading and reviewing for I Read A Book Once, so if you haven’t been over to that site, make sure you check it out.  Jonathan and his band of merry reviewers are awesome people, and they give wonderful insight on the books they review.  There’s something for everyone.  Why are you still reading my blog?  I Read A Book Once will hold your interest better than I can with my random and sporadic thoughts.

“She wants to be loved by you…alone!”

A Rebecca Burton Novella. Daryl Beasley collects all things Maxine Marie, whose famous curves and fast lifestyle made her a Hollywood icon for decades after her tragic death. Daryl’s girlfriend, Loretta Stevens, knew about his geeky lifestyle when they started dating, but she loves him, quirks and all.

Then one day Daryl chooses to buy a particularly tacky piece of memorabilia instead of Loretta’s birthday present. Daryl ends up in the doghouse, not only with Loretta, but with Maxine Marie herself. The legendary blonde returns from the dead to give Daryl a piece of her mind—and a haunting obsession he’ll never forget. - R.J. Sullivan

Haunting obsession is a really fun book.  It somewhat feels like a spoof of Marilyn Monroe with the ghost being a blond bombshell sex symbol from the sixties whose name is Maxine Marie.  It’s engaging, witty, and for the most part the characters are likeable.   It wasn’t overly complicated, it was straight forward, but to be honest, Loretta annoyed the hell out of me.   It was somewhat irritating how she forgave her Daryl left and right for all his misdeeds.   Here I am rooting for her to give that man a tongue lashing, or at least make him grovel a bit, but in the end all was forgiven.  None of this would have happened had he not bought the memorabilia item to begin with.  She loves the guy, I get it.  She wants to help him, of course.  That doesn’t mean that once everything is set and done that he shouldn’t have to make it up to her.  Granted, the man went through hell, but even before that she just automatically forgave him.  Grow a back bone girl!  After everything she was hurt just as much, if in different ways.  

It’s supposedly a Rebecca Burton novel, but she only makes a few cameos.  This lady definitely has some nifty gifts that I’d like to learn more about.  Honestly, I wish there had been more of this woman and her sense of awesomeness throughout the entire novel.  It was that little grain of Rebecca that will make me most definitely want to pick up R.J. Sullivan books in the future.

Other than the easy forgiveness from Loretta it was actually a decent novel.  Nothing that is overly phenomenal, but it’s a book to curl up on the corner of the couch with a soft blanket, and warm cup of cocoa to relax your mind.  If you like ghosts, were a fan of Marilyn Monroe, or just like a fun, easy read, I’d suggest picking this book up.

I give this book 3 1/2 out of five stars and a recommendation for a fun read.

It was in 2007 that I first picked up Dime Store Magic.  Little did I know, I was picking up a book that was actually the third installment of what would become one of my all-time favorite book series.  I was working at a bookstore at the time.  Lingering in the Sci-Fi and fantasy section was something I tended to do, especially when restocking.  I found so many gems while walking down those aisles, reading the backs of books that looked interesting or had a catching title.  Dime Store Magic was one of them.  I bought a copy, read the book – and then realized that Bitten and Stolen came before it.  I was happy that Kelley Armstrong was able to weave a story in a series that had enough information to be a stand-alone novel as well.

I was introduced to Paige, Lucas, and Savannah, the wonderful world of witches, cabals, and magic.  It took me a day and half to read.  After that I was scouring the net for information on the author and any other books she may have written. That’s when I found out that Bitten was the first in the series.  The bookstore I was working at also had it in the bargain section for $2.00.  So, I read Bitten, then Stolen, then the next book, and the next, until I was caught up and had to wait with the other fans in eager anticipation of the next book being released.  Armstrong intricately brought so many characters together in one world, and it was pleasure to meet all of them, following their adventures as they try to keep their magical existence a secret from the world. Armstrong didn’t create just one protagonist with supporting characters and stick them into a world.  She created a world with several stars and stories to tell. 

Picking up ‘Thirteen’ for the final hurrah left me with a feeling of dread and excitement.  There was no way that this book was going to be anything less than phenomenal, but at the same time, I knew it meant saying goodbye to so many of my favorite characters.  Watching Savannah grow from a little girl into an independent, kick ass witch who could handle her own was probably my favorite.  The reunion with her mother Eve was heartbreaking and finally seeing Savannah and Adam admit their feelings for each other had me cheering to the literary muses that spark Armstrong’s imagination.  It was action packed, with twists, turns, and cameos of just about everyone from previous books.   Riveting, full of emotional ups and downs, and ending that had everyone taking the next step in their lives, ‘Thirteen’ is perhaps one of the best series finales I’ve read.  

It’s always hard to say goodbye to people we care about.  Characters we’ve been following for years are no different.  Fare thee well you strong, independent, inspiring woman.  I shall revisit your stories often, and hope that Kelley Armstrong gives us a glimpse into your lives in the future.