Aberrant by Ruth Silver, A Book Review

 

Innocence and hope abound in this story.  You find yourself rooting for the characters as they flounder through a reality they had never conceived of.  It is interesting, entertaining, and touching.

Olivia is a young woman thrust into an adult role without any preparation.  At least not prepared for anything beyond what she was supposed to understand and live as reality.  What she believed and had ingrained in her to be reality; however, was abruptly interrupted, and forever changed.  The new reality was haunting, shocking, and so very disturbing.  It rocked them to the cores of their souls and exposed their raw undeveloped foundations.

Joshua is Olivia's mate.  Soul mate, love, best friend, protector, and everything else she needed.  They became for each other what they not only felt for each other, but also what they needed and had to be to survive.  Neither one had been prepared for the drastic earth-shattering changes thrust upon them.  But they put on a brave face, took a step forward, and braved the storm.

Even though with every relationship there are doubts and missteps, you feel like fidgeting as they dance around their relationship with all the new vulnerable and cautiously rendered feelings.  It warrants memories of first loves, first kiss, first trials and first commitments that left you scared and feeling exposed and wonderful at the same time.  With each breath and beat of their hearts you want them to prevail. 

The journey of their lives is unexpected, and keeps you guessing, wondering, and anxious for their survival, not just physically, but also emotionally.  You want to see a win.  You want them to win.  The characters become adored and the connection strong as you root for them; no one else, just them.  Ruth kept them front and center letting you feel their every emotion, as well as fight their every battle.

This story gives you the full range of color from dark to bright and everything in between.  There are no dull spots, or trivial spots as each step builds to another.  The only thing you are left wondering about is what will happen next.  Even at the end, you want to go the distance and see what the next step is.  You feel like you have just lived a different life, these are your friends, and now you miss them.

Yes, I did enjoy this story, and really want to read the next one.  Ruth told it with flare, but firm direction and description without anything bogging it down.  She kept the pace even so you didn't feel a lag or want to skip ahead, realizing the sequence had to be, for it was a tale of two people and a very different world.

Buy it here.

House of Shadows by Walter Spence, A Book Review

A creative, detailed, and surprising story.  I haven't read vampire stories since I read a few by Anne Rice, but this one was really very interesting, and I'm glad I took a chance.

Vampires are a bloody sort, literally.  I don't like to read about the blood, the killing for it or any of that vampire stuff, at all.  I always feel sorry for the one who is changed, or killed, and never understood why anyone would want to be a vampire.  Silly, I'm sure, but just one of my aversions.  So when a book comes along about vampires, it has to have a story line that is captivating enough for me to skirt over the blood issue.  This story was just that.  I remember one part was so surprising, I reacted out loud.  I love it when the author can create a web so unexpected you have absolutely no choice but to react.  That is a good book.  From a good author.

The ending leaves you wanting more.  Not more vampire blood stuff for me, but more information on the characters, the story line, what's going on and what will happen next.  Don't get me wrong, the story gave you answers for now, but you realize there is more to the big picture.  And even though you wonder about it, you just know that the author will surprise you again.  This is not a book that you feel you know what the outcome will be.  At least it wasn't for me, and that is a good thing.  There has been many a book where I knew very early on what was going to happen and how it was going to end.

There obviously will be one or more sequels to this book and fortunately there is no way you can imagine what will happen in book two before it gets here.  Interestingly, the details Walter weaves into the story made me wonder if it was all created, or researched somewhat on what was written about certain things or a mixture of both.  Wondering about things like that mean you are caught up in the story.  When that happens, you know the story was well done.

Walter Spence will not bore you, irritate you, or even placate you, but he will captivate you with a spin and tale you won't see coming, taking you down a path you can't wait to tread, with a book you're glad you picked up.  Here's an author that can grab your attention and keep it well past the end of the book as you wait for the next one to be released.  He says he has a thousand stories running through his head.  I'm glad to hear it.