Location: United States
Member Since:
Jan. 23, 2014
TheReaderLady
Smashwords book reviews by TheReaderLady
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The Wind Maiden
on Jan. 25, 2014
Okay, so Dan Klinefelter just went on my list of must read, don't-even-need-to-read-the-back-cover authors. It only took me about three days to get through The Wind Maiden, and this is almost a 400 page novel-I had a really hard time putting it down. This story goes deep but rolls along at a fast pace-lots of action and adventure here. The world building in very nicely done-descriptive and engaging and varied, from war zones/neighborhoods and cities to the mountains and caves and the ocean, Klinefelter creates a world that is different enough to be exciting and familiar enough to feel authentic and real. Also, I loved the whole legend behind the wind maiden. So, without giving away too much-Thea is a seventeen year old girl living on a planet that is a hot mess-literally, her home planet is at war with a galaxy wide force called the Supremacy and they're bent on taking over. In many ways they already have, since most of Thea's fellow citizens-herself included, at first-kind of just accept the way things are and try to live a normal life with work, sports, friendships and so on. Thea and her family, really every character in this book, felt easy to relate to and like(and often times champion) and many practically jumped off the page. I love how Thea grows and changes throughout the book, especially without becoming jaded. As the blurb states, Thea ends up getting kidnapped by opposition forces one night when she's out for a swim because her shower wasn't working. From there, she embarks on a whirlwind journey that is filled with both challenges and blessings. I really don't want to give too much away, but this is a must read for anyone who enjoys science fiction, fantasy, or YA (even if you don't normally read YA with a lot of science fiction or fantasy elements, heck even if you don't normally read YA, I would say give this a try.) It's one of those novels that is almost cross genre because yes the main character is 17, but I think this appeals to a much wider audience, almost in the way that works like The Golden Compass or The Hunger Games have that ageless quality, if that makes sense. This is just a flat out awesome, unique story and beautifully written. My only problem is how I'm going to wait for the next book in this series. Highly recommended.
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Band of the Broken Brotherhood
on July 04, 2014
There is just something about this series. First of all, I love the cover for Band of the Broken Brotherhood. The window and the color pink are both so symbolic to the tone and essence of this story. Brotherhood picks up where Prince of the Broken left off, Seren and Calix are married now, and fulfilling their duty as King and Queen of the City of the Broken. But uprisings and plots to slander the new King and Queen quickly turn their world upside down. I wish the reader would have seen more of the city in book 2, but there was still plenty of drama to move things along. Like the first book, there are themes and undercurrents here that make you stop and reconsider everyday life and how certain bits and pieces of it are traditionally defined. Which is what I love most about this series. Right away, I had this feeling like 'Wow, somebody gets it. Somebody gets me.' The whole idea/concept behind this broken city. It's the reason why, as much as you might enjoy basking in the sun, you also relish and crave those cloudy, rainy days. Like book 1, there were also some nice touches of humor sprinkled throughout, especially the moment when Calix has his 'ahh, I'm home' moment, when he sees 'Love Sucks' graffitied onto the side of a building. (Again, something I could relate to) :) I'm excited to see what direction the author chooses to take Seren and Calix in and especially the City, in book 3.