Carlyle Labuschagne

DNF @ 35%

I really wanted to like this book. I love retellings, and Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourites, so this looked like something I would really enjoy. Unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with the writing at all.

The grammar and syntax are all over the place, with sentences starting in the present tense and suddenly switching to the past being one in a series of recurring mistakes that made it impossible for me to enjoy reading this.

Even looking past this, I couldn't find much to keep me going. I was very confused for much of what I read, and by the 35% mark I wasn't the least bit involved in the story, nor curious to find out what would happen. I very rarely DNF, but I really couldn't push myself to go any further.

I may have just picked this up at the wrong moment, but this time it's a no for me.… (altro)

Full Review on my blog!

~a copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley~

This book is great for fans of fantasy that really like to explore new worlds.

The Broken Destiny is a book about change and finding a place in the world. A long time after when Earth was destroyed, Poseidon is the new resident planet for human beings, along with others; the local Zulus and Minoans. The story follows Ava, one of the third generation Broken living on Poseidon after the destruction of Earth. Ava, our main character, is starting to Change, and this isn’t a good thing, well at least to some. Ava always knew she is different from others, third generation of the broken whose bloodline came from both human and Minoan. After surviving an attack from Zulus and rescued by a handsome Minoan warrior, she was brought to Minoan village where she begins to discover more about her origin and the prophecy that can change fate of the whole planet. I had mixed feelings about Ava, she’s self-centered which drew away from reading and enjoying the book. What kept me wanting to read more was the actual plot and secondary characters…

The world that the author created is complex, but really interesting. I wanted to learn even more about it than we did, I feel like there are many things that could be improved. Overall, this is a good start to the Broken series, I can’t wait to explore her world more in the next book. Nevertheless, this story is extremely creative and unique. I recommend it!

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook | Store… (altro)

This is based on the story LOVE IS A MERCILESS GOD by Carissa Andrews within the anthology. Evangeline is an angel sworn to protect Liam. The number one rule you're told not to break is to have feelings for your charge. Oops! Looks like she broke that rule! When he was a child, somehow Liam was able to sense and hear her. They'd have conversations all the time, and she'd guide him. She loved their time together. Hey as he aged somehow he stopped hearing her. That was until the fated day his jerk of a girlfriend broke his heart and left him. In that moment he prayed with all he was worth to every god, goddess, Angel or being for help. What he didn't know was with that one simple prayer he opened himself up to good and evil to respond. This is the story of the journey of Liam and Evangeline in that moment he could once more hear her thanks to that prayer. For then they had to escape evil that was coming too. Even though she went against the main rule, she couldn't leave Liam to all that was coming. What ramifications will occur? Take the journey with these kindred souls. It's a great read!… (altro)

A Fast-Paced Fantasy with a Twist (and a few typos)

Blossom Blood hooks you quickly with a car crash that claims the lives of three people. Asher Blossom is thrown clear but must deal with the pain and guilt of the incident that took his parents and his girlfriend. Fast forward three years and Asher is returning home from school abroad. And although he’s been in contact with his siblings and his uncle who has been raising them, he’s taken aback by what he finds – a house in disrepair, relatives he hardly recognizes, and a tattooed babysitter he’s sure is a bad influence on them all.

As author Labuschagne peels back the layers of the mystery onion in this novella, we come to realize that not all is as it seems to Asher. The Blossom family has a history – a history of magic, some of it dark. Soon, he’s tempted to use one of the dark spells to return to his past, correct the accident that has eaten at him for the last three years. It’s a fast-paced, fun story. And as the finale unfolds, the story takes a twist. While it didn’t seem a completely “clean” re-casting of events (i.e., it left some questions hanging), it was clever.

The distractions to this otherwise engaging story are small, but unfortunately, somewhat numerous. There are a number of incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and the like. Some produce a bit of unintended humor, e.g., “… he slipped on his jeans and gathered his laundry from off the dam bathroom floor.” (Cursing at the floor’s not going to help.) A few created something of a double meaning, e.g., “That is not an accrual word.” (Accrual is a word, but not the one for the context.) Still others showed a lack of attention to detail, e.g., “Octavius, Brooke, Milla and the twins looked eager. The four of them staring …” (Four? Or five?) Obviously, these are minor and nothing a good edit wouldn’t fix, but my pauses in momentary confusion were a bit too frequent for my taste.

Overall, if you can look beyond the writing mechanics, which are rough in places, Blossom Blood is an entertaining, well-paced short read.… (altro)