Between the Bookcovers

Author:  Shawn Michel de Montaigne

Published:  April 20, 2011

Pages: 934

Rating:  5/5 Stars

Description from Goodreads:


The Pier goes on ... forever. Epic battles at sea, an undead soul-eating villain, the unbreakable bonds of friendship and love, and the courageous heroes who are called upon to rescue a doomed world ... This is just a taste of what awaits you in the pages of the epic fantasy saga Melody and the Pier to Forever.

 



Review:

If you read just one book this year, it should be this one. Epic fantasies that can capture my attention, challenge my emotions and keep me turning the pages, all the while hoping it will never end are rare. And this one does all this and more. It is a very long book, one many authors would have split into two or more volumes, but having all the pages in this volume makes sense and provides a wonderful story most readers long for - one you can settle into and disappear into for a few hours of pure pleasure. 

Melody is a young girl who starts noticing a strange symbol in her math class. Her teacher helps her to discover the meaning behind the symbol and reveals a parallel world that needs Melody to survive. Thus the reader begins a magical journey where good fights evil, magical creatures assist the people around them and nothing is quite as it seems.

I have never seen such care by an author when creating characters. The attention to detail will astound you, and the events in the lives of the characters are so interwoven you will be amazed that the author can make such magic happen with words. The author has created a charming heroine in Melody and those who miss Harry Potter will find her a more than adequate replacement. Yaeko becomes her best friend and between them we learn the true meaning of friendship. There are many secondary characters who are fascinating in their own right, each developed with care.

Although this is a self published book, it is impeccably edited and I was hard pressed to find even one error. Although the author notes his past history as a Math teacher, I would have pegged him for an English teacher. The dictionary on my Kindle saw frequent usage as I learned new words, words not thrown in just because he could, but used because they were the perfect word for the situation.

I do have a one negative, but it does not detract from the book at all. The battle scenes seemed a bit long to me, however these are always my least favorite parts of a book, so maybe it is just me. In a book this long, this is not much to complain about in my opinion.

There are so many books competing for attention today. Melody and the Pier to Forever is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. This epic fantasy has everything you could ask for in a book and more. After reading it I felt I was better for having met Melody and Yaeko. I found myself thinking about their story for weeks afterward, and reread most of the book several times. As a lifelong reader this rarely happens to me so I know that this is a book that should find a place on the shelves of every library and the pages of every digital reader. Take my word for it - this one is not to be missed. And the best news: it is currently free, here on Amazon, so head on over and grab it! A sequel is in the works and I cannot wait for it to arrive to my Kindle.

Rating: 5 +++ stars. One of the best books I have ever read. This one is a MUST read!

Author:  Rachel Fisher
Published:  April 8, 2012
Pages:  382
Rating:  4/5 Stars


Description from Goodreads:

The year is 2033 and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her beyond her years. But a shocking confession from her dying father will push her toughness to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental and that love can be intentional.





Review:

Dystopian novels are quite popular now, but finding one that catches and holds your attention throughout the book is harder to find. This one not only caught my attention from the first page, I was found it difficult to put it down. The author creates a realistic world where genetic crop manipulation has created an environmental disaster, resulting in a place where crops no longer grow and a worldwide food shortage ensues. It is a world created with care and easily pictured with the author's descriptions.

The characters are well crafted and easy to relate to. Fi and her family bond together to search for Eden, a place where they can find safety in a world gone wrong. She makes a wonderful, strong heroine that fights to keep her family alive against all odds. As they make their journey across a barren land their plight for survival is well told and frightening to watch at times. No need for monsters or zombies here; the cruelty men have for each other is makes survival difficult.

My only complaint here is that after following their journey over time the ending seemed a bit rushed. But this is a minor complaint, anyone who enjoys this genre of literature will want to add this one to their reading list. A sequel, Seeds of War, is now available and I cannot wait to see what happens to Fi and her family next.


Review: A well crafted dystopian tale you will not want to miss.

     4/5 Stars