Novella Review: Weighted by Ciara Knight

Weighted (The Neumarian Chronicles, #0.5)

by Ciara Knight 

Genre: Science Fiction/Steampunk

Reading Grade: Young Adult (Novella)

Publication Date: August 2012

Source: review copy by author

Age Rating: 13+

| Amazon | | Barnes &Noble |

The Great War of 2185 is over, but my nightmare has just begun. I am being held captive in the Queen’s ship awaiting interrogation. My only possible ally is the princess, but I’m unsure if she is really my friend or a trap set by the Queen to fool me into sharing the secret of my gift. A gift I keep hidden even from myself. It swirls inside my body begging for release, but it is the one thing the Queen can never discover. Will I have the strength to keep the secret? I’ll know the answer soon. If the stories are true about the interrogators, I’ll either be dead or a traitor to my people by morning. 

My Review

This is a short story prequel to a series of steampunk novels coming out in 2013 called The Neumarian Chronicles. From this story, I can gather some aspects of the world building and that there are two types of people against one another, Slags and Neumarians. I don't know why they fought a war or why they hate each other so much, but what happens to the protagonist, Raeth, happens because of these feuding societies.

Raeth is a Neumarian and seems to be around 12-years-old. She has some sort of ability that she needs to keep hidden from the Slags who captured her in order to find out what it is. The Slags are people with bionic body parts—cyborgs, basically. That is so cool, but they are the bad guys and they are very not cool, not even towards each other. The Queen is execution-happy and everybody smacks everybody's faces all the time. Raeth suffers torture and near death at the hands of the Queen of the Slags who is completely evil and one-dimensional, but successfully strikes fear in you.

Although, a lot of the story is confusing, it still has elements I usually am drawn to: cyborgs, a mad scientist (Raeth gets tortured by a man in a gray coat at the behest of the evil Queen), sci-fi technology and even a fantasy element in Raeth's supernatural ability. It's quite an intense read for all it's worth and really gets your appetite whetted for the future subsequent novels.

My score: 4/5 stars.

*I received a copy of this title from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Wool by Hugh Howey

Wool (Wool, #1)

by Hugh Howey 

Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopia/Post-Apocalypse

Reading Grade: Adult (Novella)

Publication Date: July 29, 2011

Source: Kindle store

Age Rating: 16+

| Buy from Amazon |

They live beneath the earth in a prison of their own making. There is a view of the outside world, a spoiled and rotten world, their forefathers left behind. But this view fades over time, ruined by the toxic airs that kill any who brave them.

So they leave it to the criminals, those who break the rules, and who are sent to cleaning. Why do they do it, these people condemned to death? Sheriff Holston has always wondered. Now he is about to find out.

My Review

I read about this story in a blog post somewhere (I forgot where). It's very short (12,000 words), yet was making waves like it's the next great sci-fi/dystopia out there for adult readers. I had to check out how this self-published novella got all these people so riveted over it.

• Plot: Holston is an aging man, weighed down by his desperation over wanting to leave his home in an underground silo. His wife is already dead because she dared to break the stringent rules of their community, and the sentence was to go outside, above ground, and clean the lenses on the cameras that reveal the outside world's view. That outside world is filled with toxic gases that will destroy anything in minutes, so this punishment truly is a death sentence. But now Holston wants to follow in her footsteps. He wants to find out why she and all the others sentenced to clean the lenses have always followed through with cleaning them, as ordered, even though they all died shortly afterward. He wants to know what's really up on the surface outside.
• Characters: It mostly centers around the very depressed Holston and why he's decided to willfully break a rule, despite being the silo sheriff, in order to get the cleaning sentence. His wife is featured in a few flashbacks, and she's an amazing character, what little we see of her. She's the one that got this ball rolling because she thought she found some evidence that computer files had been deleted or altered from previous generations. Did it mean their ancestors had lied to them? She ended up wanting to go outside so badly, she broke the rule of declaring she wanted to go out, and thus, got exactly what she wanted. That happened three years earlier, and now Holston is unable to live without her anymore. He wants to put all the pieces of the puzzle she left behind together and solve it, once and for all.
• Writing: The writing is really top-notch. This author is quite good with words, not to mention his storytelling ability.
• Story: And, now to mention that storytelling ability. Wow. This one is impressive. I finished it thinking, “I couldn't possibly hope to ever think up something like this. What a story!” It left me questioning so many things about the society Holston and Alison (his wife) had been raised in. And, the shocker at the end.... Yeah, not a happy ending, but it answers the question of why the cleaners always end up cleaning the lenses. Leaves you wondering a lot about stuff like, what did Holston do to get his sentence? I either missed it or can't remember. Who is really in charge down in that silo? Holston is the sheriff and there is a woman mayor, but she seemed so uniformed about stuff. Alison said the IT guys knew everything. Did they? There are sequel novellas, but I'm unsure if they reveal these answers.
• Overall Quality: Super high! I don't think there was a thing wrong with it, unless you count how short it is.
• Favorite Scene/Moment: I can't even reveal it to you because it is a major spoiler, but it happens at the end when Holston does finally go outside the silo, above ground to see the real world with his own eyes. Craziest fake-out ever. O__o
• My Score: 5/5 stars. 
  
   

Review: "Blink" by Bradley Convissar

"Blink"

by Bradley Convissar

Genre: Contemporary/Fantasy/Horror

Reading Grade: Adult (flash fiction)

Publication Date: November 8, 2011

Source: Kindle freebie

Age Rating: 15+

| Amazon | 

Meet dentist Brian Mallory. He's always considered himself a grounded man. A rational man. A reasonable man. But what he finds in the mouth of nineteen year old Amy Gladwell one afternoon during a routine cleaning makes him begin to question his own sanity.

It's amazing how quickly everything can change in a a blink of an eye.

From the author of the Pandora's Children collection of short stories, the novellas Dogs of War and King of the Merge, and the short story “Last Dance of a Black Widow,” comes “Blink,” a chilling, 3,500 word short story about a simple day gone horribly wrong. 

 

My Review

I found this flash fiction for free in the Kindle store and it caught my eye based on a few reviews stating how shocking and horrific the big plot twist is. I read the premise and found myself wanting to discover just what these reviewers were talking about. Plus, I had the time to read something only 3,500 words long, and had the money to buy something free—just barely. <wink>

But, I gotta say, the big scary reveal that is supposed to freak me out really didn't. As the main character realizes he's seeing something really bizarre in the tongue ring of his female dental patient, he feels disturbed. He examines it a little more closely, and I had an idea of what I thought it most likely was. Then, he finds out exactly what the weird thing in her mouth is, and it ends up being exactly what I figured. Not much of a surprise for me. Had it been something I never saw coming, then I would have been shocked, of course.

So, while this story was very well-written and held my full attention from beginning to end, it just didn't 'wow' me the way I expected it to. Still, it was good. I'm not sure there is a sequel, so don't expect the story to continue elsewhere, even though it seems like it ought to, judging by how it ends. But, read the story and see, when you find out what the tongue ring really is, if it surprises you, or not.

My score: 3.5 stars out of 5. (I liked it.)

Review: "Turned at Dark" by C.C. Hunter

"Turned at Dark" (Shadow Falls, #0.5) 

by C.C. Hunter 

Genre: Paranormal/Vampires

Reading Grade: Young Adult (short story)

Publication Date: March 15, 2011

Source: Kindle store (freebie)

Age Rating: 15+

| Amazon |

Independent and strong-willed Della Tsang hadn’t believed in ghosts until she saw her dead cousin darting into the shadows of an alley. She hadn’t believed in vampires until in the dark of that same night she is turned into one. Introduced to a strange world of supernaturals, she struggles to accept this new reality. Unfortunately, the boy she loves senses something different about her and can’t accept her. Should she follow her vampire cousin’s lead–walk away from everything she’s knows and loves—and fake her own death? Or should she set her pride aside and ask for help from the camp leader of Shadow Falls—a camp where supernaturals go to learn how to cope with their powers. Either way, her life as she knows it, will never be the same.

My Review

This is a prequel short story to the Shadow Falls novel series, starring Della Tsang, who is the roommate of the title character in the series, Kylie Galen. This is the story of how this friend was changed from a normal half-Chinese-half-Caucasian teenager into a vampire. As far as these prequels go, I thought it was pretty good. It's a decent length, and most of my Kindle file was the actual short story, not the preview for Born at Midnight.

I haven't read Born at Midnight, so reading this free prequel was meant for me to see if I liked it enough to give it a try. The characters were interesting, although I wonder how much they appear in the first novel. Della is probably in it enough, but what about her cousin, Chan? He was the other important character in this story, but I get the feeling he doesn't appear much in the novel. I have no idea what to think of Kylie because she's not even a blip on Della's radar screen at this point.

At any rate, based on this story, I can at least say that I think the first book might be worth borrowing from the library and giving it an good read-through.

My score: 3.5 out of 5 stars. (I liked it.)

Review: "Fallen from Grace" by M.J. Putney

"Fallen from Grace" (Dark Mirror, #0.5)

by M.J. Putney 

Genre: Fantasy/Magic/Historical

Reading Grade: Young Adult (short story)

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: March 4, 2011

Source: Kindle store (freebie)

Age Rating: 12+

| Amazon | 

  

Allarde, a gorgeous, wealthy noble has hidden his true nature. Discover his diary and witness his sudden fall from grace.

My Review

In this short story prequel to the Dark Mirror novel series, we read the diary of Allarde, an English aristocrat with secret magical abilities. At first, he is attending England's finest boarding school, but he reveals his abilities in order to save a fellow student from harm. Because he is an aristocrat with magic, not just a commoner, he is considered evil and has to be ousted from all good society.

His father sends him to a reform school for aristocrats where he learns how to suppress his magic in order to regain some privileges of his former life. But, he meets some other young people there who don't want to pretend to be something they're not, and finds himself considering their philosophy. Also, he meets the protagonist of the novels, Lady Victoria Mansfield, as she arrives at the reform school toward the end of the short story. It ends with hints at his immediate romantic interest in her.

I haven't read any of these novels, yet, but I doubt it's necessary to do so prior to reading this short story. I was a bit disoriented at first, but I found my feet after a while. Allarde is a really likable character, even if we don't get to know him all that well in such a short reading time, but he's an interesting character to follow further. I purchased Dark Mirror (the first novel) prior to reading this, and I'm so glad I did. I want to learn more about this intriguing world of magic users, and why the wealthiest practitioners are ostracized.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: "The Death Clock" by J. Rock

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"The Death Clock: a Short Story"
by J. Rock

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Reading Grade: Adult (short story)

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: December 23, 2010

Source: Kindle store (freebie)

Age Rating: 15+

| Amazon | 

Andie didn’t know what to make of the numbers.
She started seeing them when she got on the bus that morning. She didn't know what they meant...until she saw them run out... 

My Review

This is a good really, really short story. It's around 4,000 words long, but despite that, it's still highly entertaining. The concept of a “death clock,” or the ability to see a countdown of numbers displayed over someone's head that indicates their remaining lifespan, is nothing new. I recognized this used in Death Note, one of my favorite manga series, to name one of many other stories in which it can be found.

But, that's not what impresses me about the story. It's more about the amazing plot twist that you will never see coming, and it is a doozy! This is a free ebook, so you'll lose nothing but a few minutes of your time to read it and freak out at the end, trying to wrap your brain around the incredibly ironic ending.

What I don't like is the main character for most of the story. Andie is one of the most non-proactive characters you'll ever read about, but she arguably goes through a little character growth by the end. If you find yourself disliking her, don't worry—that really won't be a problem for you. Trust me on that… Just read it for the fun plot twist at the end.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.

* This goes toward my 2011 Spooktacular October Paranormal Reading Challenge!

Review: "Retro Demonology" by Jana Oliver

"Retro Demonology" (The Demon Trapper's, #0.5)

by Jana Oliver

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Reading Grade: Young Adult (short story)

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: December 13, 2010

Source: Kindle store (freebie)

Age Rating: 13+

| Amazon |

Before Riley Blackthorne can take on Grade Five demons, she has to trap her very first. Her debut solo trapping experience should be a breeze, just a harmless Grade One after all. But throw in some dippy hippies (whose peace signs and Patchouli really aren’t driving any demons away), one mischievous demon, and a run-in with the police, and Riley might not be able to pull it off...

My Review

This is another of many ebook-only prequels to a novel series meant to get you to read the first book's preview. Well, I don't mind if that's the only purpose of the story, but I'd like an interesting story that gets me … well, interested in reading further material. I think this very short story (which took up only 33 percent of my Kindle file) is actually funny, but there isn't much conflict.

Riley Blackthorne is a teenage demon trapper in a near-future Atlanta, Georgia that is aware of its demon population. She is sent to the house of a client in need of her demon trapping abilities. The demon is the most innocuous kind and really just looks like a Brownie, in faerie terms. It pees everywhere, curses, and she does something to make it sleepy, then takes off with it. Then, it wakes, gets free of its confines, and nearly causes Riley to crash her car.

The plot is rather mundane, although a couple of characters, the retro-hippie clients, were hilarious. Seriously channeling The Grateful Dead. That alone kind of saves me from giving this a lesser star rating. Still, I'm most likely going to pass on this novel series (The Demon Trappers) because I need something more intriguing to entice me to read it.

My score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

* This goes toward my 2011 Spooktacular October Paranormal Reading Challenge!

Review: "Hunted" by Lindsay Buroker

"Hunted" (The Flash Gold Chronicles, #2)

by Lindsay Buroker

Genre: Steampunk/Adventure

Reading Grade: Adult (short story/novella)

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: August 12, 2011

Source: Kindle store

Age Rating: 13+

Amazon |

Self-taught tinkerer Kali McAlister is determined to build an airship and escape the frigid Yukon forever. Unfortunately, she’s the heir to the secrets of flash gold, an alchemical energy source that tends to make her a popular target for bandits, gangsters, and pirates.

With the help of her bounty-hunting business partner, Cedar, Kali has outwitted and eluded attackers before, and she thinks she’s prepared for anything. Then her ex-fiancé strolls into her workshop.

As if fooling her once wasn’t enough, he aims to embroil her in a fresh scheme. Meanwhile, a new nemesis is stalking her, a shrouded figure with an arsenal of deadly machines that make Kali’s inventions seem like toys. This time, it’ll take more than her ingenuity and Cedar’s combat skills to survive. 

My Review

She does it again—Lindsay does some more awesome! In this sequel to “Flash Gold,” Kali and Cedar are working together and splitting their earnings 50/50, while both striving to achieve very different goals. Kali wants to get out of town in a self-made airship, which she hasn't been able to build yet, and Cedar wants to kill the man he's been tracking since the first story. But, Kali's lovely former fiance strolls into town and shakes things up a bit.

It's fun to finally meet Sebastian, the jerk that broke Kali's heart, and see how idiotic this guy is, especially when he meets Cedar. Sebastian becomes the reason the plot progresses, as Cedar wants to use him as bait to get closer to his target. Unfortunately, Kali has to go along for this journey, and that pans out poorly for her. But, another enemy is targeting Kali as they travel to Sebastian's claim, so they spend a good amount of time running for their lives.

Kali and Cedar really get to know each other better in this story, and get to explore the possibility of a budding romance. I won't say too much about that since it should be experienced by the reader. By the end, there is still much potential for them to get together. But, will either of them accomplish their individual goals? Will they have to separate someday, as a result?

“Hunted” continues the action and excitement of “Flash Gold,” and simply takes it further with the main characters and their relationship. These stories could go on forever and they'd always make some progress. I can't wait to read novella number three!

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.

Hurry over to Smashwords.com to get "Flash Gold," the first novella in this series for FREE!

Smashwords link 

Review: "Remedial Magic" by Jenna Black

"Remedial Magic" (Faeriewalker, #0.5)

by Jenna Black

Genre: Fantasy/Faeries

Reading Grade: Young Adult (short story)

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: December 17, 2010

Source: Kindle store (freebie)

Age Rating: 14+

Amazon | Barnes &Noble

Having a prodigy for an older brother is not so fun…especially one who is magic wiz-kid. But Kimber has a plan to finally step out of his shadow.

My Review

I immediately took a liking to this short story. It's told from the POV of a fifteen-year-old girl named Kimber, who is a wise-cracking genius college student (already). She is a faerie, but is sorely lacking in the magical abilities department, so this is a source of pain and embarrassment for her. To make matters worse, her older brother of two years, named Ethan, is a phenomenally gifted faerie and attracts plenty of female admires, much to Kimber's chagrin. Well, he steals all her friends away because they are female.

So, Kimber gets this idea to have a faerie tutor come to the house while she thinks no one is home to help her develop her abilities. The tutor is a college freshmen, like herself, but she's eighteen, as most college freshman are. Somehow things go horribly wrong and Ethan shows up only to steal yet another potential friend from Kimber.

The YA voice in this story was spot-on and refreshingly hilarious. I could easily hear Kimber's voice in my head. The drawback is that it is far too short to really convey a complete story. It's more like the beginning of a good story, and maybe some of the middle, but none of the end. So, I can't give it as many stars as I'd like for that. Mostly, the preview to the first Faeriewalker book is there, right afterward, demanding to be read.

I had already purchased Glimmerglass (book 1 of Faeriewalker), before I obtained this title, but I now believe I'll enjoy it, although the protagonist is not the same person. Still, I believe in the author's writing and voice, which are both superb. Recommended for those who simply want a taste of the Faeriewalker series before committing to it.

My score: 4 out of 5 stars.

Free E-Book Friday! #2 (9/23/11)

Hey, people! Free books are exciting, right? Well, here are a handful of fantasy e-books I discovered this past week that are totally and completely FREE! Two are short stories and the rest are novels. They are linked directly to the Kindle store on Amazon.com, but each might be free on other e-book store fronts, as well, if you are so inclined...

Have a great weekend, y'all!

This first e-book is one I reviewed on my blog only yesterday. I gave it a raving 5-star review!

"Drop Dead: A Lawson Vampire Bonus Story"
by Jon F. Merz

 Meet Lawson. A cynical, wise-cracking vampire charged with protecting the Balance between vampires and humans, he is part cop, part spy, and part commando -- a James Bond with fangs. Lawson mixes shrewd cunning with unmatched lethality to get his job done. He tries his best to dismantle conspiracies, dispatch bad guys, and live long enough to get home.
This time, Lawson has been given an easy assignment, a “dead drop.” That is until an old enemy returns…

From Within
by John M. Dow
 
Three strangers find themselves drawn to Wakely, a small village in the Scottish Borders, where a centuries-old conflict between two warring Celtic deities is drawing to its gruesome conclusion. A small boy holds the key to their survival, but first they have to find them. And they're not the only ones looking.

 

The Emerald Talisman (Talisman, #1)
by Brenda Pandos

To be normal, sixteen-year-old Julia Parker would shed her empathic gift in a second. Life has been difficult since her mother's mysterious disappearance ten years earlier - an event she witnessed, but can't remember. Julia's situation becomes more complicated after a near death experience from a blood thirsty stalker. As high school students go missing it is clear there is a connection to her own experience--past and present. Someone has to stop the madness and a chance encounter with a creepy psychic foretells that only Julia is the key to stopping the madness, but it may require the life of the one she loves.

Marysvale

by Jared Southwick 

When accused of witchcraft, John does the only thing he's ever done"Run! That is, until he meets Jane, who lives in the bleak, imprisoned town of Marysvale. As their love grows, the dangers of Marysvale unfold; and for the first time in his life, John discovers there is something worth dying for. Marysvale is an action-packed story filled with monsters and tyrants, heroes and heroines.

Reckless Magic (Star-Crossed, #1)

by Rachel Higginson

16 year old Eden Matthews has been in and out of private schools for the last two years. Kingsley is her last chance to finish high school and she is determined to simply do that. But when she meets Kiran Kendrick and her world opens to something she thought only existed in fairy tales, she's unsure what her future will hold. Suddenly she is captivated by a boy who seems to be the source of all of her problems and struggling to rescue her best friend from a foreign prison. When attempts are made on Kiran's life, Eden alone must save him. Thrust into a world that is more make-believe than reality, Eden has to find her own destiny without losing those she loves most. Reckless is an intricate story of mystery, adventure, magic and love. Eden Matthews is an unlikely heroine set on a path to save the world and her loved ones before its too late.

"The Death Clock, a short story"

by J. Rock

Andie didn’t know what to make of the numbers.
She started seeing them when she got on the bus that morning. She didn't know what they meant...until she saw them run out...

Review: "Drop Dead" by Jon F. Merz

"Drop Dead: A Lawson Vampire Bonus Story"

by Jon F. Merz 

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Vampires

Reading Grade: Adult (short story)

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: February 15, 2011

Source: Kindle store freebie (still free)

Age Rating: 17+ (violence & some language)

Amazon |

Meet Lawson. A cynical, wise-cracking vampire charged with protecting the Balance between vampires and humans, he is part cop, part spy, and part commando—a James Bond with fangs. Lawson mixes shrewd cunning with unmatched lethality to get his job done. He tries his best to dismantle conspiracies, dispatch bad guys, and live long enough to get home. 

This time, Lawson has been given an easy assignment, a “dead drop.” That is until an old enemy returns… 

My Review 

Why have I taken so long to get into the Lawson Vampire books? This short story is completely dope-sauce! 

First of all, the writing is superb—exactly what a story like this needs to be written like. This is pure urban fantasy, the kind starring an adult male protagonist, and that requires a certain writing that makes you feel like you're truly inside the head of a guy who marches to the beat of his own drummer. An outlier. But, a really cool guy that is so different from everyone else that you just wanna hang out with him because his life is so dangerous and cool. Merz makes it happen. 

This is exactly the kind of urban fantasy I love to read. For me, it has to star a male character who is an agent of some sort of organization (or a mercenary guy on his own). He has to have so much swagger that he creams you with it from a mile away. Here, the swagger mostly comes from the story itself and the epic writing. From what I can tell, Lawson has swagger, but I couldn't tell so much because most of the story takes place during a flashback to the 1960's when he was younger and less confident. 

That part of the story sets up what happens in the present and it's just cool, for lack of a better word. The action is so in-your-face and extreme, it reads sort of like watching The Bourne Identity movie. And, even the villain is epic and truly thinks deeply like a villain. I love me an epic villain. I'm amazed all these elements are packed into such a short story that literally takes a half hour to read from beginning to end. 

Needless to say, I can't wait to read my copy of the Lawson novel that follows, The Kensei. I've finally found my dream urban fantasy novel series. I hope the TV adaptation hits the airwaves soon... 

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.

 

Review: "Flash Gold" by Lindsay Buroker

"Flash Gold" (The Flash Gold Chronicles, #1)

by Lindsay Buroker

Genre: Steampunk

Reading Grade: Adult (short story/novella)

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: March 29, 2011

Source: Smashwords.com freebie

Age Rating: 14+

Amazon.com

Eighteen-year-old Kali McAlister enters her steam-powered "dogless sled" in a race, intending to win the thousand-dollar prize and escape remote Moose Hollow forever. The problem? Fortune seekers and airship pirates are after her for the secret to flash gold, her late father's alchemical masterpiece.

With her modified rifle and a pocketful of home-made smoke bombs, Kali wouldn't normally hide from a confrontation, but taking on a whole airship single-handedly is a daunting task. Unfortunately, the other racers won't assist her—they're too busy scheming ways to sabotage her unorthodox sled.

When a sword-slinging stranger shows up, wanting to hire on as her protector, she's sure he has ulterior motives, but he's the only one interested in helping her. The question is...why? 

My Review

This series is not exactly fantasy, as it is more true-blue “steampunk,” a sub-genre of science fiction. But, I decided to make an exception for Lindsay Buroker's Flash Gold series because I genuinely love the amazing characters, fabulous writing, and awesome story-telling. For the record, I read and review steampunk here regularly, any way (but, it usually has fantasy elements).

This short story is awesome! I completely loved it. It's a great steampunk read, as my interests in that genre are growing more and more these days. "Flash Gold" has such an endearing quality going for it, I couldn't help but love it. Although a bit light on the details of the steampunk technology, it is so strong on story and character, you just don't really miss it.

The plot is perfectly paced and there is plenty of dangerous action going on. But, the best thing about the story is its amazing characters. They are so funny and unique. Kali, the main character is my favorite and she's a little spitfire. I love how stern and independent she is at only 18-years-old (but, she is living in the 19^th century, so...). Because she's kind of odd, she's easy for me to relate to. Cedar, the sexy, uber-manly, mysterious stranger that tags along with her on her race, is a great contrast to her, being one to talk less and do more. They make a great team and butt heads a lot in the most endearing way.

I couldn't help but think of True Grit as I got into this story, as Kali kind of reminds me of Mattie a little bit. I definitely want more of this story and of Kali and Cedar, since the story is left with a brand new adventure about to begin for Kali. I want to know what's going to happen next. Luckily, “Flash Gold” has a sequel titled, “Hunted,” and it's already out in ebook format. This novella easily gets five stars from me!

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.