How I Review Books

I thought I would take a quick minute to explain my process when I review a book. Since the author put a lot of effort into their book, I like to keep that in mind before I slap it with some stars and call it a day. Please understand these are MY OPINIONS and I understand others may not share them. I imagine my scale is similar to how a lot of people review books, but here is a more detailed explanation of my rankings and how a book gets into that category:

 

5 Stars * * * * * 

Basically, this is the best book I've ever read. It's right up there with The Hunger Games, Stardust or The Sword of Truth novels. Not only is it intelligent and thought provoking, but an addicting read. There are little to no plot holes, intriguing characters, and is action packed. This book will have a space on my shelf and will definitely be read again.

4 Stars * * * *

 Most likely this book was very enjoyable, well written, hard to put down, but had something that was lacking enough for me to take away a star. Maybe the plot dragged in places or some aspect of the story just didn't seem believable; be it a character or a problem that was solved too easily. Some books I call my favorite that I would give only 4 stars are the Bloody Jack Series by L.A. Meyer, Hawksong, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, Cornerstone, by Kelly Walker, or the Wheel of Time Series.  These books also have a space on my shelf and will probably be read again. Eventually.

3 Stars * * * 

This book was probably a quick read that I enjoyed, but it didn't leave much with me, so I most likely will forget about it. Maybe it was well written, but it was a bit hokey or maybe there just wasn't enough to sink my teeth into. It's hard to even come up with an example for this rank because it just kind of falls in the middle. Not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either.

2 Stars * * 

Even though I didn't like this book, there was at least something that got me to the end. Perhaps a love story I was rooting for. Maybe a hook like, "How is our hero going to get out of this one?" Most likely, I really wanted to see where the author was going with this. There has to be a point to all this sometime and it must be a big one since there is so much build up. I find myself watching a lot of movies like this too. I am often left disappointed. Some books that fall into this category are Twilight (don't hate me) and The River Between by Jacquelyn Cook. It's safe to say there was not a lot going on in life when these books were read. 

1 Star * 

Poor little star. All alone. I never give lower than one star, because I feel every book published deserves at least one. Knowing the time, effort, and strength it takes to present your work, I feel I am obligated to say, "Congratulations! You wrote a whole book! Here is a shiny star just for you!" even if the story had nothing for me. Unfortunately, it just wasn't worth my time to finish.There are probably lots of people out there who enjoyed it. I'm just not one of them. Here's to you, (raises glass) Wanderlove by Belle Malory and Dune by Frank Herbert.

 

"And a half" Stars

There will be times when a book will fall somewhere in between and warrant an extra half of a star. If that is the case, I will post the half star on my blog but round up on sites like Amazon and Goodreads, since half stars are not an option.

I hope this helps you understand how I come up with my judgements for reviews. I love reading. I don't do it nearly as much as I want to and not half as much as I should. But when I do read a book, I love to tell people about it, whether I liked it or not!

Book Review: On My Way Home by Allie Walker

If I'm going to be completely honest, this isn't a book I would normally pick up. Although the cover is beautiful, with it's open inviting sky and alluring sunlit glow, there is no promise of magic or adventure. No evil wizards threatening the purity of a medieval land. No ancient queens or dashing rouges. No mysteries whispering from the past.

But despite all that, my hometown was all abuzz about this local author and I just had to swipe up my copy and see what all the fuss was about.

On My Way Home is about a young girl from a small town with big dreams. Just after graduating high school, her bright future is shattered when tragedy strikes and takes her on an incredible emotional journey in which no one could have ever been prepared.

Newcomer author Allie Walker beautifully illustrates the stages of grief in this heart-wrenching coming of age story. She makes the reader examine their own relationships with their mother, father, sisters, and boyfriend. I found myself wondering if I would have handled things as well as Gabriella, the main character, or differently, in some burdensome situations.

This book inspired me to write letters to my daughter; to hug her more, and to hold on a few moments longer. It inspired me to not take people for granted or judge them. Someone like me, who is not into super sappy love stories, will enjoy the subtle romance, but feel that the story moves a little slow - without a lot of excitement to move it along. I was disappointed when the author skipped over a scene I had been looking forward to.

Emotionally driven, the reader is encouraged to keep tissues close if they don't like tear stains on the pages. A friend of mine joked that you can flip to any random page and Gabriella would be sobbing. But as you go along with her on her journey home, I challenge you not to shed a few tears with her.

* * * * *

Review: Cornerstone by Kelly Walker

 Cornerstone (Souls of the Stones, book 1)

by Kelly Walker

Amazon description:

Epic Fantasy combines with Young Adult romance in this stunning new adventure set in a richly developed medieval world. Second Stone and Broken Stone are now available! Also be sure to look for Jaded Stone, the thrilling prequel to the Souls of the Stones series.

When Emariya Warren learns enemy forces have captured her father, she'll do anything to save him. Anything. Even marry a mysterious prince she knows nothing about in order to rally the strength to arrange a rescue. During her journey to Torian's foreign castle, Emariya comes face to face with her mother's killers--and a deadly secret.

Not only does Emariya possess a powerful but unexpected magical gift passed down through each of her families, the prince she's promised to marry possesses a third, and an ominous prophecy has warned the three gifts must never be combined.

If she breaks her promise to marry Torian, she won't be able to save her father and if she keeps it, she may bring a curse upon everything she holds dear. Determining which choice is best won't be easy, but when she meets the gorgeous prince who may desire more than just her heart, she realizes she will have to fight just to have a choice at all.

Her heart wants him desperately. Her head begs her to run. If she doesn't want to share her mother's fate, she'll have to find a way to untangle the truth from the lies in time to save herself.

Discover the heartbreaking betrayals, fascinating magic and fated love of Cornerstone.

 

My Thoughts

The cost to download this book on Kindle is free - a price I couldn't argue with. A lot of indie authors will do this; offer the first book in their series for free in an attempt to lure you in. With Cornerstone, it worked. I can't wait to dive into the sequel! 

This story opens with one of the best prologues I have ever read. In just the first few sentences, I was filled with a sense of urgency. Perhaps it was because of my maternal instincts, but I found myself consumed with the character's anxiety as if it were my own. The author managed to set the back story of a completely new world, all while convincing me I needed to care about its struggles and the people who endured them. In my experience, this is rare and difficult to execute.  

It was easy to befriend the main character, Emariya. She is strong, thoughtful, humble, a natural leader (even if she doesn't think so) and just the right amount of insecure. I'm not sure how much of a coincidence it is that she mirrors Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, but either way, I'm okay with it.

Kellly Walker sets up an intriguing fantasy world full of kingdoms and political obligations, with magical legends lurking in the shadows. Emariya's quest begins as a noble one, but quickly takes her in directions she, as well as the reader, wasn't expecting. The middle of the book slows a bit as the author tries to establish history and the characters try to figure out what to do next. The romance is subtle, but highly enjoyable. The book as a whole definitely  feels like the beginning of something big. 

I was surprised at how disappointed I was by the ending, especially by such a talented writer. It felt rushed, and left too many loose ends open. The last bit of dialogue seemed like it should have been a metaphor for something, but I couldn't figure out what. I was left with a gaping feeling of "that's it?" But I need more of this world, and more of Emariya, so I will inevitably read Second Stone (Souls of the Stones book 2) 

  * * * * 

(4 0f 5)

Kelly Walker's talent for storytelling amazed me. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I'm excited to explore her worlds. She also writes contemporary romance, and is getting ready to release her newest book, No One's Surrender before the new year.   

You can find out more about the author and her work here:

 www.facebook.com/KellyWalkerAuthor

Coming Soon!

~ An exciting announcement!

~ Top 10 Reasons You Should Read More Indie Authors

~ Book review: On My Way Home by Allie Walker