Book Review: The Inframeer by Eugyoung Han

5 Sakura’s

An Amazing Writer!

Blurb: To everyone else, Imma H. is just a typical girl that works at a dinky diner, but she’s completely the opposite. Can someone who is “typical” have a strange, inexplicable series of numbers—109023—tattooed on her neck?

One day, Imma is taken by an obscure science research facility, the Inframeer. There, she is used as a guinea pig in one of its twisted experiments. She is forced to enter Dorsal, a magical world that exists only in the human brain. Dorsal is a perfect utopia until Imma realizes that everything there is nothing but an illusion.

The time has come for Imma to fight for her sanity and freedom. But how can she fight against a force that she can’t see or think about?

Now, at first I had problems getting into this book. It felt slow, and … well … kinda boring at first but once I got into it, I found I quite liked it. It’s such a well written book, with an interesting story line, and eventually became well placed. I have to admit, I have never read a book like it – which is a good thing!

I have to admit, as well, that I have never been so happily confused while reading a book … ever! You may think that’s weird but it’s true. The book gets weirder and weirder the further you read through the book – but it’s a good weird and confused! 

         

The story centres around the main character Imma, who remembers nothing of her parents, and has a dull, hard, struggling life, where just getting through the day and making enough money to eat, is the goal! The only thing she does have, is a strange tattoo-style ‘birth-Mark’, that looks like the numbers 109023. She feels like it’s important somehow, and that it will reveal her past to her!

Imma, I found to be a strong character. I actually felt sorry for her, throughout the novel but at the same time, I found I really liked her … a lot! She has spunk, a sarcastic, real side to her, which I kinda related to. I felt like I was with her, throughout the story. Some of the things she did, and said, I thought – ‘Yeah, I would do that too.’ Which is what I like when I read stories – I want to feel that connection with a character.

         

Now the whole thing is about Imma learning about herself, and where she’s from. Well you do find out that, but in the mean time you have to see how she deals with the illusive, unusual, and ‘evil’ Inframeer. I don’t get the name, personally, but with how messed up it is, and the bizarre things they put Imma through, I can accept it. Damn these people are messed in the head – I’m not even sure whether what’s happening to Imma is real or not, which I have to admit, was great – it kept me guessing, and second guessing myself, and my thoughts about what was happening. 

I will give it to Eugyoung, damn this author can write! At first I thought there was too much detail being written in each chapter, but when you get to Imma being taken by the Inframeer, you realise, there is just about enough detail, and descriptions in each chapter. I’ll tell you, if you like psychologically weird novels, then this is so for you. I totally engrossed with this novel, okay maybe not from the first page but once it got interesting, and Imma entered the Inframeer, I couldn’t put this book down.

I was quite surprised at finding myself giggling at some points during the book, and questioning others. I like a book that engages me on different levels, without me even thinking about it.  

         

Now, apart from Imma, and every associated with the Inframeer having strange names – yep they get stranger! – you also have Dorsal, which is the fantasy/un-reality world/town/city (not sure to the extend it exists) that the ‘experiments’, i.e. Imma, are sent to, where they learn to use their abilities in there, and supposedly never want to leave because it’s just so perfect, because they can do what they want.

Honestly, it kinda reminded me of the ‘Matrix’ at this point, except there wasn’t just one ‘Neo’ who could anything he thought possible, anyone sent from the Inframeer, can do what ever they think of, as long as they use something called, ‘Bubblewood’, which sounds like a strange bubblegum flavour to me. 

Now, I know you are wondering – ‘What are the Inframeer doing, and what’s with all the experiments on people?’ Well if I answer, that, you wouldn’t want to read the book, and find out for yourself, now would you?!

This story is so well written, although, sometimes the chapters felt a little too long, and sometimes it felt like there was stuff added that, as a read, I didn’t really need to know about. But other than that, it was a brilliant read. It has intrigue, brought up lots of questions in my mind. Made me second guess stuff, and rethink other stuff, and by the end … I was questioning my own reality. 

         

If Eugyoung writes any more novels, I will be there to pick it up and read it, let me tell you! This author is going places – how Euyoung isn’t signed by a publisher, I don’t bloody know!!

I loved every minuscule second I had my head in this book. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. If you haven’t read it … you NEED to … NOW!

If you wanna read it, check out the links below:

Smashwords – The Inframeer

Book Review: Killer Rumors (Book #1 – Frank Rinelli Series) By Antonello Fiore

3 Sakura’s

Got Potential

Blurb: Father D’Angelo and Bakeman, two devoted priests were brutally murdered while going on one of their nightly walks. Detective Frank Rinelli is called to the case- not only due to his close friendship with the priests, but with his expertise of tracking psychotic killers. Rinelli suddenly discovers these murders were based on a scandal that occurred several years ago at the same Church where the two murdered priests preached. And it doesn’t stop there. The list of people being murdered in connection with the scandal continues to grow until the killer has his ultimate vengeance- and the truth released.

Now I received this book for review from the author some time ago, requesting an honest review of his novel. Now I’m not the biggest fan of crime/murder novels but they have been growing on lately, so I thought it was time to give it a read. (Sorry it’s taken so long Antonello). 

I started reading it, and I honestly thought ‘this sounds interesting – should be good’. The first chapter sets the plot, by the murderer plotting his crime of revenge by killing two priests. This sounded fantastic, I must admit. But then it changed. Before I say the things that didn’t quite flow, or grab me, let me firstly say – the plot was great, the flow was nice, if a little slow for my liking, and the whole idea for this book was interesting to say the least.

         

I liked the killer – I know that’s a bizarre thing to say but I did! Apologies for the spoiler but there were two murderers, the one that I liked was The Solution – Honestly, I don’t think that was the best assassin name ever but I’m not a gangster, and I don’t kill people. Quite likely this is an appropriate name. He’s cool, calm, collected, and prides himself on his work, and skill. 

I felt, out of all the characters portrayed in this novel, that the killers were the only ones that seemed realistic, and three-dimensional. There was more of connection with them, by me, than with the rest of the characters. I mean the detectives that were following the case, seemed a bit flat – personality wise. 

         

Unfortunately for me, what I didn’t like was the constant change from 1st person, to 3rd person, and past/present tense. It just didn’t work for me. Either the book is in 1st person or 3rd person, not both! As a result, it took me a long time to feel some type of connection with the characters, and then it ended up being mostly the killers (as I’ve said).

Also I didn’t feel any real intrigue, or that I was trying to unravel the crime along with the detectives on the case. I would have liked to of felt like I was there, right along with the cops, through the thick of it, trying to solve the reason for the murders but that didn’t happen. Everything was explained too easily. I had figured what it was all about before I got half way through the book, which to me was not a good thing. I wanted to try to guess but have twists, and turns to the novel that made me realize I was wrong or that made me second guess myself … but that didn’t happen. I was expecting much but the book didn’t really deliver what I anticipated it would. 

But other than that, I think the book is good but needs maybe a little revision, and it needs an editor to look at it. It has much going for it, murder, revenge, crime solving – the story is a good idea, which I really liked. The idea of a priest going bad because he lost his priesthood, then goes out for revenge, Hell … who wouldn’t love to read a book like that!?

         

I think if you like a good crime story, it’s something to have give a read. Anyone who loves crime, murder, detective novels – this one you will want to add to your ‘to read’ list.

If you wanna read it, check out the links below:

Amazon UK – Killer Rumors
Amazon US – Killer Rumors
Lulu – Killer Rumors

Book Review – Darkly Dreaming by Chloe Hammond (18+)

3 Sakura’s

A Diamond in the Rough!

Blurb: Rae escapes the troubles in her life by dreaming, until the wake-up call of her fortieth birthday approaches. Then she and her best friend retrace their student trip through France. They expect to find the sun-drenched days of their youth; instead they stumble into a nightmare. Infected by a rebellious vampire, Rae struggles with repugnance towards what she has become, while desiring the beautiful Pride leader, Guillaume.
Against her will she is drawn into the Pride’s power struggle. Will Rae succumb to the exhilaration of the hunt?
In this dreamless existence, will the intoxication of liquid dreams found in fresh blood prove irresistible?
Can she win Guillaume’s confidence and love?
Or will the whole pride be destroyed by the High Council?

Well when I received this book to review, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. Now unfortunately the review copy I received didn’t have chapter titles so I can’t tell you exactly where it became interesting, I just know the first few chapters, I had to drink much coffee to stay awake! It felt like useless dribble that didn’t fit in keeping with the rest of novel – a sort of filler to pack out the book to make it longer. Now don’t get me wrong, after this passed I found myself actually enjoying the story.

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s talk about the problems with this book. One, the exceptionally long beginning … My God I thought I was going to either fall into a coma or top myself, it was ridiculously long winded, boring and I didn’t get how it fitting in with the plot of the story. Yeah okay you want to know where your main female character comes from and what made her go to France in the first place which resulted in her becoming a Vampire but until you get to that part you have no idea in the slightest it’s a vampire novel! Also, the author seems to have enjoyed inserting words into the book to make it sound more ‘intellectual’ to the reader but to be honest, it kinda made the author sound precocious and full of herself  – at least that’s how I felt.

Then there’s the character and plot development, or lack there of. The main character seems whiny, and pathetic throughout the novel until right near the end. I personally would have loved to have seen more of a change in Rae once she became a Vampire, I think it would have made her more likable and believable as a person. The plot development – well that starts really weak, I didn’t have a clue where the story was developing to, and then suddenly out of the blue something happens whilst on holiday, and BAM! Rae and her best friend are Vampires …. EH? It kinda threw me to be honest – it was like a bolt out of the blue for me. The way it started didn’t prepare me for what was about to happen – it didn’t quite gel for me. It was like the beginning was a boring prologue and then suddenly the story began.

Personally I think the story needs a really good look at, re-editing and have an editor look it over. There were many grammatical errors but nothing a good editor couldn’t sort out.

          

Now I know I sound a bit mean but that’s not my intention. Quite frankly, once the story got to the holiday and turning (or ‘metamorphosis’ – terrible word to use by the way.) into a vampire, finally the story took off. There Rae was trying to understand what has happened, figuring out her own feelings, dealing with a love that’s not returned, and that her friend had fallen in love with another vampire which left her jealous, upset, yet happy for her friend. On top of that you have conflict, breaking rules, death, murder, and a council that may kill them all for breaking these rules.

Let me tell you, once I got to that part I couldn’t put the book down – it really grabbed me, and enticed me to continue reading. It had action, love, pain, female but kicking, and heart ache. If it started from there and the story was padded out a bit more … damn this would have been an epic book to read.

One thing though, I hated the ending. I mean yeah Rae feels content, and a little happy with how things have turned out but I don’t think it could be left there. There are too many unanswered questions, unresolved situations and feelings, and for me it seemed to end quite abruptly. I was expecting to turn the page and continue reading but there was nothing more to read … WHAT? No, no, no … there needs to more. The end can’t just stop like that! It doesn’t feel finished – I need more that the basic, they lived happily ever after because there was too much tension, heart ache, etc, to have a perfect happily ever after. Chloe if you are reading this – make the book longer and end it differently or this needs to be a series of some kind.

         

You know, I’ve talked about the story more than anything else, I should talk a little about some of the characters. The main character Rae, who we take forever to learn her name, is … well … at the beginning, plain, boring, whiny, and a little under developed but she does break free of those persona’s once she becomes a vampire but not much … I did like her though, especially when it came to protecting a friend or her ideals on what is right.

Her friend Lyla on the other hands, was different – the complete opposite but it took a while to see that at first because of the way she was written and you didn’t get a chance to see her proper personality until further into the story. After becoming a vampire, she seemed to become more quite, reserved and well … a background character to a degree. Would have liked to have seen more scenes with just her and the guy she fell for – David, another vampire. Nice guy, another faintly background type character. Would have liked to have got to know him a little better, he seemed like he could have been quite interesting, especially having quite and not so quite encounters with Lyla.

All in all, a good story that needs more thought and development put into it … then I really feel this would be an amazing little gem of a novel. I can’t wait to see what Chloe Hammond comes up with next!!

Update : I have been informed by the author that this little gem is book one of a trilogy …. Can’t wait!

If you wanna read it, check out the links below:

Britain’s Next Best Seller – Darkly Dreaming

Find out more about the author here:

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Shadowborn (Light And Shadow Trilogy #1) by Moira Katson

4 Paws

Fantasy Has Been Reborn!

First off I would like to thank Moira Katson for sending me a copy of this wonderful book to read and review – I hope I don’t disappoint her or any of you guys reading this!

It has been only two generations since Arthur Warden seized the throne of Heddred from the Conradines, and now the crown rests on the head of Garad, sickly and weak. Shadows gather: legacies of the centuries-long rivalries for power, old betrayals, the endless plots of the courtiers, and the murmur of rebellion in the southern provinces…

Catwin, plucked from her life at the edge of the Kingdom, is thrust abruptly into the world of the Court when she is chosen by the Duke of Voltur to be a Shadow-spy, shield, and blade-to his niece, the Lady Miriel DeVere. The Duke’s ruthlessness is legendary, and he will stop at nothing to become the power behind the throne, using Miriel as a pawn to catch Garad’s heart.

But the Duke’s carefully-laid plans are only a piece of the intrigue of the court, and greater forces than Catwin can imagine are massed against her, determined to eliminate Miriel and impose a new order of their own. If Catwin and Miriel are to survive, they must learn quickly who to trust, and when to turn their skills against the very people who have trained them…

So the book is a mediaeval fantasy fiction, thrusting you into the world of shadows, betrayals, evil plots and ruthless tyrants, with a splash of female tenacity and kick ass attitude! In this book you will understand fear, feel pain and know what it is like to truly hate a character. *Nods*

I was well impressed by how this book was written, I have to admit I’m not one for medieval style fantasy books, but this one really was truly inspiring. It had a really well designed pace, though I very occasionally I just wanted the story to stop lingering on something and get on with it – but that’s just me! I did, however, find it hard to keep glued to the book – I was more, read a few pages and then I would have to put it down, as if my brain needed a breather or something. *Shrugs* I don’t know what it was!? But what truly, massively, amazingly impressed me was how attached I got to certain characters – mainly Catwin – my God, I actually teared up a times *grabs tissue and blows nose* and that is definitely not like me, so obviously I was well impressed at that.

Anyway, lets move on to the characters in a bit more detail – maybe then you will understand how well written they truly were.  Right I’m gonna start with ‘The Duke’ – annoyingly no name but I’ll ignore that – he’s stern, powerful, with an anger you wouldn’t want to mess with but surprising fair. Shocker!! Though I don’t like how he uses people as tools and once they are of no further use, he throws them away – that really got my goat!

‘The Lady’ – no name again *grinds teeth* – now if bitch had a picture in the dictionary, her face would definitely be it. At first I thought ‘oh she seems nice, I wouldn’t mind getting to know her a little better.’ Then the story unravels further and I found myself wanting to beat the crap out of her for hurting poor Catwin and for what reason … none! *rages* Now I’ve disliked characters in novels before but she’s on my ‘I Hate This Person And I Want To Smash Their Face In’ list.

Okay, rage rant over *takes deep breaths* time to move on to characters I do like, namely Catwin. She is the teller of this little tale, which isn’t so little and everything told is from her perspective – nice change. She is abandoned by her parents because of some prophecy – not telling, don’t want to spoil it – and raised by the Sorceress Roine (Nice but a little soft at times and has a foul mouth – so I like her.) She lives a fairly nice life, running errands now and then, wearing what she wants and basically being invisible to anyone – until one day, things go sour and she’s made to be a helper of sorts to the Lady’s daughter Miriel and is trained to be her ‘Shadow’. Lashings, pain, anguish, belittling, punishments … it goes on and I’ll tell you, I felt so connected with her because of all the trials and hardships she goes through.

I suppose I should say more about the other characters but I wouldn’t want to spoil it for everyone. It’s the type of book you won’t want loads of spoilers, you want to have some hints and read it for yourself. It’s a really amazing book and I bet you are all wondering why I only gave it 4 paws … it’s the whole, not having a name but just a title – It drives me crazy. I want to know the persons name, even if they are a Duke or whatever. If they are key people in the story I need a name!!!

If you wanna get your hands on such an awesome book, please check the links below and enjoy!

Shadowborn – Amazon UK (Free ebook)
Shadowborn – Amazon US (Free ebook)
Shadowborn – Smashwords (Free ebook)