Location: United States
Member Since:
Dec. 11, 2012
Samantha Martin
Smashwords book reviews by Samantha Martin
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The Dream Merchant Saga: Book One, The Magic Crystal
on Feb. 21, 2013
“Look here you old, painted hussy! I am neither a tart, a trollop, nor am I a strumpet! I am a lady of refined breeding and culture, so bugger off, before this little poppet pops you one in that ugly, wrinkled mug!” ― L.T. Suzuki, The Magic Crystal Princess Rose is the very pretty of a spoiled, pampered, royal. She treats everyone as if they are beneath her, and she throws shoes at her maids with a deadly aim. She even made her childhood friend her own personal court jester and ruined his chances of ever becoming a knight! Tag wanted nothing more than to be a knight, but fate was cruel and instead made him the laughing stock of the entire palace! Instead of fighting in the wars, he was often found hiding in the broom closet with his trusted pet, Squeakers the mouse. Princess Rose had everything that anyone could every wish for, but she found it all lacking. Her parents did not let her eat sweets as her main course, she was forced to eat prunes, and her mother wanted her to be nice to peasants! As if! So Rose hatches a plan. She was going to capture the Tooth Fairy. Everyone knows if you capture the Tooth Fairy that she has to grant you three wishes….at least that what she thought. Instead of getting wishes, Rose got cursed. Now with the coerced help of Tag, and Cankles the local village idiot, Rose sets off in an adventure through many lands. Along the way she is forced into situations she never dreamed that she would be in. Throughout all of this Rose has been bestowed with a magic crystal called a “Dreamstone”. With the Dreamstone the Princess is allowed three wishes a day. Rose is elated, but can she learn to wish for someone other than herself?Princess Rose will soon learn many lessons and will have to decide if friendship is more valuable then all of the wishes in the world. L.T. Suzuki weaves a laugh out loud tale of three unlikely companions who have to deal with angry fairies, crazy mime loving sorcerers, monstrous cheese making trolls, inebriated elves, hairy little dwarves, and did I mention the army of Mimes! This story is a hilarious, romping adventure of Mel Brooks proportions!
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Vampire Origins - The Strigoi Book 1 - Project Ichorous
on May 04, 2013
(no rating)
Vampire Origins: Project Ichorous is a tale rich with history, legends, and myths. The idea that Vampires have been around since the dawn of time is not a new one, but what is fascinating are the different groups or races of vampires that are brought to life in the pages of this story. Strigoi, Cambion, Strix, Nosferatu and Bretonnian have existed right beside of humans throughout time. In Book 1 we are introduced to Vlad Strigoi. He, like most evil villains, has plans for world domination. The only person who can save the human race from being enslaved is one of Vlad’s descendants-a human Strigoi. Scarlett Fraser is a lot of things, but the savior of the human race was not something that she had on her Bucket List. Scarlett and her family are thrown into a world they never knew existed and a fight they aren’t sure they can win. Can Scarlett thwart Vlad’s plans, or will she become a monster just like him. Riley Banks is a very talented author who creates worlds that you can get lost in. Vampire Origins is a complex world that has many characters and back stories. The author does a fabulous job of not confusing the reader, but still supplying the needed information for the story and what has lead up to the current issues. Scarlett is a determined, stubborn, and very likeable character. The fact that she is a teenager and still finding her way, adds depth and more meaning to all that she learns along the way. From the time I picked up this book until the last page I was captivated by the challenges and life altering situations that Scarlett and her family kept finding themselves in. Fans of The Vampire Diaries and The Vampire Academy will love Vampire Origins!