Review: The Spellslinger by S.M. Reine

The Spellslinger by S.M. Reine

Sara Reine has done it again. I love that we get to visit our favorite characters over and over in an ever-renewing timeline. Once again we visit the Reno-Tahoe area which for me, makes for one more character to enjoy.

Through the characters, Ms. Reine asks questions that remind me of why I loved Sci-fi for all my life. With deities, angels, and demons, subjects like philosophy, religion, and why things happen the way they do, and how it applies to our norms, all this comes up in the course of the story and makes the reader think. That is my favorite kind of writing. It isn’t preachy, it doesn’t even set up any rule to follow. These are questions the characters present as they chase down the next plot twist.

Ms. Reine writes so well and keeps the reader involved. I almost always finish her books quickly as I don’t want to stop reading until the end.

As always, I suggest a person go back to the beginning, Six Moon Summer and read the gazillion other books, they are all terrific. I can’t wait to read the next book! What will she come up with next?

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Review: The Second Coming: A Mythpunk Urban Fantasy Novel by SM Reine

The Second Coming: A Mythpunk Urban Fantasy Novel by SM Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG! I love Elise Kavanagh and James Faulkner! But this is the best book about them yet! Since they had entered the deity, I had supposed we wouldn’t get the same action-packed story that they used to give us. So wrong! I wish I hadn’t been so sleepy both nights (hot, miserable days can do that to you, and then even once you fall asleep you can’t stay there! Ugh!) I would have finished this one in one night! (Okay, need to put the exclamation point away!.)

Once again, Sara Reine puts the story in the Reno-Tahoe area and so I’m engrossed knowing about where she is describing and how it looks now (or at least the last time I visited last year) and how her goddesses/gods have changed it with each reincarnation of the world. This time into the future.

Though I loved seeing Elise become a human avatar, giving birth, nursing, and attempting motherhood, as I have gone through most of what was described, four times, some might not find that aspect of the book appealing. But stick with it, let it be your reason not to go through it, or learn Elise’s lessons ahead of time (better than Dr. Spock or even Dr. Sears), or see what a woman goes through. Even this goddess found that an arduous path and she’d been through all kinds of pain and suffering. Giving birth is not for sissies! Nursing can be challenging! Mastitis is real and can cause severe illness and hurts like hell! And try all that while being the target for assassination and kidnapping! <—sorry, I can’t help myself. Think of the exclamation point like Elise’s Infernal Sword of emotion!

I love that Ms. Reine included some flashbacks. I’ve read every one of Sara’s books and feel in touch with all the characters, even so, I have my favorites. Elise is one, as is Rylie, and Dana MacIntyre (hope I spelled that right). I thought I knew all Elise had been through, but I’ve forgotten a lot!

It is always hard when writing a review because some of the things I want to say would be spoilers. But there will be friends from the past. There, that did the trick!

Sadly, I have to find something else to read now. Let that be enough for you to know I highly recommend the entire collection of Sara Reine! If you can’t afford it, see if you can get your library to carry the books. Especially those in Reno! Starting with Six Moon Summer and enjoy the rest of her world beyond!

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Review: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What if you mix a radio show, comparative religion, with a road trip? This is it!

Look, I see a lot of differing reviews on this book. I think if you are able to listen to the Audible version you would like it better. The many actors bring this far-fetched story alive. The narrators: Ron McLarty, Daniel Oreskes, and full cast (whatever that means) make you see gods, goddesses and dead people and other characters. They help you feel the cold, the pain, smell rot or smoke.

I don’t know if I would have liked the book had I just read it without the Audible narration. I think it might have been more meandering and possibly boring. What kept me going was wanting to see what would happen to the main character. And having a bit of interest in other religions and cultures I wanted to see how Neil Gaiman would portray them and the war between them as they were fading into the obscurity of disbelief.

This wasn’t my favorite book. It is very male-heavy. Goddesses and women were given little time or depth. BUT I doubt I will forget it and may want to read it again in a few years and see how it affects me then. I highly recommend using the audio version to immerse in this world, which may be America, but a different dimension than where most live.

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Review: Desert Wind by Sophia DeLuna

Desert Wind by Sophia DeLuna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a delightfully different kind of story. Beyond this, I plead ignorance. I haven’t heard of the deities mentioned in the story. I assume this was a world and goddess that emerge from the author’s imagination, yet I think I could bow to the higher being who shows miracles of kindness.

As the title suggests the story takes place in a desert land. Other than that I can’t say I know where in our world or when it may have happened. Still this couple is pregnant. It’s wanted but if both parties are lesbian, how and with whom had the mother conceived?

Now, I admit to loving this story more than other short stories by Sophia DeLuna. Still I beg, plead! Please tell more! This could not only be a book. It could be a series! I loved it!

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Review: The Lonely Little Star & Other Stories by Mary Beth Robb

The Lonely Little Star & Other Stories by Mary Beth Robb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading a few books that were anxiety producing I thought this one would help ease me to sleep. I let my inner child be read to by the text-to-speech as I followed along in the book. Mary Beth Robb writes her stories in an uncomplicated way while covering some deep spiritual issues. I would have loved to read this book to my children when they were young.

Reach out and take a chance, seemed to be the theme of this group of stories. Shy people need this kind of advice regardless of age. I loved the stories about the witch who was shy and the stories about the ribbons of love. How tactile the story was. In fact, all the stories involve all of the readers’ senses as you move in life with the main characters of each story.

Learn about another point of view. If you have been raised in a certain religion here is a chance to learn how others have seen the world and life. Neither way is wrong. There is much to be learned from everyone. This would be a great place to start in learning about Paganism or Wiccan ways of life. These are the “Old Time Religions” the main theme of most religions I have seen is LOVE and acceptance. Ms. Robb’s books seem to teach that is spade!

I was so happy that Kindle has the Kindle Unlimited way of reading books I can’t afford. I hope the author gets a good financial kick-back from this. When I can afford them I will buy them. Maybe I will have them in time for grandchildren? Thanks for some awesome stories, Mary.

By the way, I follow Ms. Robb’s blog: Elfkat.wordpress.com I learn a lot from her point of view and enjoyher sense of humor.

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Review: Sins of Eden (Ascension #7) by S.M. Reine

Sins of Eden by S.M. Reine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whew! Okay. Trying not to let spoilers slip. But Whew! If I could only tell you!!!!

I am finally catching up with S.M. Reine’s writing. This was Sara’s last of the Ascension series. Everyone you know and love from her previous series shows up in this book. Everything you know–poof!

If you haven’t started this marvelous universe, start with Six Moon Summer of the Seasons of the Moon series. Until I read the book that started it all, I wouldn’t read anything about werewolves. Or anything scary. But know I think I may have graduated. Ms. Reine has presented beings to me that I wouldn’t have tried to read, had she not so gently pulled me through. All of her characters are believable. Even the ones who seem to be evil have traits that make them likable. Though her worlds are this world and beyond, in spiritual space and time, she has built the stories of her own that transcends all other stories I’ve heard or read about these .

Gosh, this whole review is not living up to the wonder that is Sara Reine’s work. But I don’t want to tell you about this ending of the series book as I don’t want to ruin the process of reading all of it yourself. There is action, adventure, dark and light and love, not the wishy-washy romantic kind, though there is a little of that, too. I couldn’t stop reading. How was the author going to make it all happen? I mean, sometimes I did know bits but the how of it did work out sometimes caught me off guard.

Oh, blah, blah, blah. All I mean to say is this is great! You should read it!

By the way, I was given this book by the author for an honest review.

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Review: The Tales of BunniHoTep by Mary Beth Robb

The Tales of BunniHoTep by Mary Beth Robb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Remember Peter Rabbit and the other Beatrix Potter bunnies? Did you just smile like I did as you thought of them? This book will do the same for you. Sure, they are children’s stories to introduce morals and some of the gods and goddesses of the Pagan worlds. But I read these every night. It was nice to bring that sweet, peacefulness only a bunny goddess could bring.

I would have loved to have these stories to share with my kids when they were small. What a great way to initiate conversation about world history and religious history. To show that other philosophies have something to live by. How being kind and helping others is not just a Christian belief, but one that goes back to BC days.

Kindle Unlimited is a great way to read books that you can’t afford, but would love to read. Often the library doesn’t carry books of my eclectic interests. And what I love to do is take in Kids’ books in other languages or philosophies so as to grasp ideas in the simplest forms. BunniHoTep can help teach us all.

My only suggestion would be pictures. This book could bee a series of picture books. Without the pictures Mary Beth Robb painted word pictures that were tactile, involving all the senses, making the reader feel there, in that temple row. I look forward to reading more books by her. I do love her blog: elfkat.wordpress.com. There you will find humor, information, and mental caffeine. She has opened my mind to other ways of thinking. Thank you, Ms. Robb.

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