Location: Malaysia
Member Since: Sep. 13, 2010
vanessa eric
Biography
I'm a book blogger and I dedicate my book blog to indie books. Feel free to come by my blog and if you need someone to review your book, do leave me a message. I'll be glad to accept your book!
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Books
This member has not published any books.Smashwords book reviews by vanessa eric
- Encrypted
on May 06, 2011
I must admit that reading Encrypted was like watching one of Indiana Jones’ movies. It was jam-packed with continuous suspense in every chapter. Although I honestly had hard time catching up with the adrenaline-pumping storyline, yes I held my breath at every thrill and suspense in the story; it was such an exhilarating moment to read something so genius that is actually written by a female author. Many times while reading, I forgot that the author is a female because a story like this usually came out of the minds of male authors. So, a big round of applause for Ms. Buroker! Not too often we get to read incredible piece like this written by a female author. Encrypted, themed with issues such as authoritarianism, secret government agenda, sadistic experiments and also not forget to mention, romance, was indeed a daring story to come up with. In reality, we deal with those terrible issues every day; they do exist in many places, though in a subtle, unrecognizable way. Despite the heaviness of the plot, the story was full of astounding vocabularies, scientific terms and phrases, and the author seemed to know what she was writing about, of course without being crappy and overwhelmingly silly. Encrypted brought its readers’ imaginations to a whole new different level, to another world where magic and science collide. Over all, the characters are well-developed, added with the attitude of their own. I couldn’t imagine what went through the author’s mind when she put together the characters. Even though I’m not a fan of heavy sci-fi story like Encrypted, I have to declare that this novel is a ‘must read’ in Indie category. I would love to find some flaws in it, only to no avail. It was written perfectly and effortlessly.
- The Converted
on May 12, 2011
At the beginning of this book, I was certain that the whole story would be about typical demon-fighting, with strong religion involvement. Frankly speaking, I was expecting something a bit mediocre as I read through. In fact, I was ready to skip some pages wondering if I would be left questioning my requesting for this book in the first place. However, as the story evolved, I found myself slowly drawn to the story and suddenly, the concept and plot quite worked for me. The plot was very easy for me to understand, unlike other books of the same category I’ve read before. It was slow, yet, very clear and thought-provoking. There’s almost nothing confusing about the story. The gun slinging action and suspense factor was always engaging, along with its various, should I say, colorful ‘converted’ side characters present in the story. I could see myself amid the chaos, as a bystander, when everything unravels. While The Converted worked for me, I cannot guarantee that other readers would feel the same way as I have. All I can say is it was an interesting, adult sci-fi with a little bit of subtle romance to cater to its female readers’ fantasy. Despite some religious element in it, this book isn’t about religion at all. I reckoned it’s all about ethic, humanity and respect for one another.
- Rise of the Raven
on May 24, 2011
For a first book, this novel do has its own flaws. What I immediately noticed while reading was the lack of conversations between the characters even though the whole narration and language used was pretty impressive. I got lost in between lines, trying to catch up on what exactly is going on without many conversations to support the story. At some point, I thought I was reading a mute novel. Nonetheless, the author succeeded in keeping me to read on until the last chapter with fairly engaging characters and striking imaginings. For the first few chapters, everything seemed vague and a bit boring. I was barely holding on until I reached the middle of the novel when everything started to come alive vividly in my head. The plot was rather predictable, but with some twists that I didn’t expect. As the story progressed, readers will find themselves truly engrossed in the battle scene and the rich setting itself. I was totally impressed that the author inserted a bit of cute teenage romance in the story when other epic fantasies tend to focus on more serious adult romance. I have to admit that it was the teenage romance part that kept me reading, other than my curiosity about the next battle. Younger readers will definitely fell in love with both young characters, the wizard Dainin and Princess Leilani, whose romance initially was a bit like Romeo and Juliet, only with a happily-ever-after. I would love to give this novel four stars and maybe five, but somehow there’re a few aspects that I found still lacking. Perhaps it’s the lack of conversations, but then again, it’s a first novel. Nobody does perfectly with a first novel. If you are a fan of epic fantasy, you will find this piece worthwhile and truly a fun read.
- The Ultimate Sacrifice
on May 27, 2011
The book was surprisingly a one light and easy read, far from what I expected when I first read the summary. Nonetheless, I’m giving the author some kudos because after a few chapters, I was fixed to the book even when my eyes were strained and fluttering in drowsiness, in the dead silence of the night. Yes, I found myself saying ‘Okay, another 30 minutes then I’ll go to sleep’. The plot was truly simple and easy to digest, there’s absolutely nothing complicated about it. It chronicles a story about 16-year-old Kassia, who is a mind-blower with deadly stare, battling demons who threaten to make her as one of them. Still, at the same time, I was longing for more details and challenges because it was such a good story with added twists. I wanted to read more of it, but before I knew it, it’s over. The story took off a bit slow, revolving around school and romance, but as it progressed, everything started to go wild and quite thrilling. On top of that, the first person perspective worked well in bringing both Kassia and Mira to life. The voice was very teenage-like, matches their characters and their emotions were portrayed in convincing manners. All in all, the language used was simple yet flawless. Somehow, I couldn’t really connect to the characters although in my honest opinion, they were developed well and quite distinctive. Maybe it’s me, I’m a 25 year old reading a story about some 16 year olds. Even so, the author did manage to spark my interest with Daxton. Oh, how I’m dying to have a boyfriend who is capable of taking me anywhere just by dreaming! I bet every girl out there wants a Daxton too! On the unimpressive side, switching from one POV to another made me to question whether the use of first person perspective was wise. As a reader, I want to read something that is consistent throughout, where I don’t have to 'switch' myself and become another person. Perhaps, the author should have used third person perspective instead to better deliver the story. At least, I could be the bystander, witnessing everything as it unravels. Maybe the author had intended it that way too, to make readers to feel for themselves the emotions both Mira and Kassia felt for each other since they’re best-friends. It might have not worked for me, but it might work for other readers. Even though the story was a bit teeny for me, my final verdict is this is a fairly good book. Teenagers out there would find this story both engaging and heart-warming, with endearing romance and stirring suspense. I definitely recommend the book, especially to teenage readers as the characters are teens themselves. Judging from the ending, I could tell that this book isn’t the end of the story.
- Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave
on Aug. 18, 2011
Although the book was surprisingly short, it possessed the fundamentals that made it achingly incredible. The plot, various settings and lively characters all fused well and shaped to work perfectly with the theme of the story. With the story written in a diary style, of course using first person perspective, Hodge took her readers to a rare journey that touches and break the hearts all at the same time through the eyes of Elena, the victim to whom the diary belongs. While reading, I could feel the victim’s emotions pouring through; her sadness, frustration, anger and fear bundled into a giant seemingly endless burden. Hodge really did a great job in describing everything, no matter how explicit it was. full review at: http://borneanbookworm.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-trafficked-diary-of-sex-slave-by.html
- Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch
on Aug. 25, 2011
I was amazed by the amount of enthusiasm contained in this book. The whole thing was like LOTR revisited, only with more quirkiness, mystic characters, charming young warriors and twisted storyline. The book didn’t get me instantly hook for the first few pages until the first battle and the loss of a young warrior, a friend of Astanxy, in that battle. Almost immediately I sensed something sinister behind his death thus provoked my eagerness to find out more; it’s where the author had succeeded in grabbing my attention.
- Finding My Escape
on Sep. 14, 2011
One word I could only muster after reading Fran Veal’s Finding My Escape, ‘Brilliant!’. Reading this book was a whole new intriguing experience; it was like watching a young adult version of ‘The Bourne Identity’, only with added romance and puzzling twists. Plus, I loved how the cover art quite precisely goes along with the story inside. Overall, I thought this series (yes, it has a sequel!) deserve to be in someone’s must-read list, including mine. The ending will definitely give you a complete surprise. I can’t wait for the release and I so look forward to reading more of Fran Veal’s books.
- Denibus Ar
on Oct. 14, 2011
The main issue I had with this book was, it wasn’t as thrilling as I had expected it should be. Perhaps I had been watching ‘The Mummy’ too many times that I thought Denibus Ar would somehow match its ‘wow’ factor though not entirely. When the author described the story as supernatural thriller, I anticipated scary mummies, angry Pharaohs, dirty scandals and acts of betrayal happening that give rise to the six-sided pyramid. I was a bit disappointed because the prologue somehow gave me that vague impression of how ‘supernatural’ everything would be like, which turned out to be unremarkable. On the bright side, I was impressed by the author’s knowledge of the Egyptian history and legends. I had to admit that I had hard times trying to catch up with the archaeological terms, the scene descriptions and everything in between. At some point also, in one particular chapter, I thought I had a private literary tour experience around the site exclusively delivered by Prof. Chesla with her long explanation of the history. Everything was quite believable and convincing, so the author had truly done a great job with that.
- Denibus Ar
on Oct. 14, 2011
The main issue I had with this book was, it wasn’t as thrilling as I had expected it should be. Perhaps I had been watching ‘The Mummy’ too many times that I thought Denibus Ar would somehow match its ‘wow’ factor though not entirely. When the author described the story as supernatural thriller, I anticipated scary mummies, angry Pharaohs, dirty scandals and acts of betrayal happening that give rise to the six-sided pyramid. I was a bit disappointed because the prologue somehow gave me that vague impression of how ‘supernatural’ everything would be like, which turned out to be unremarkable. On the bright side, I was impressed by the author’s knowledge of the Egyptian history and legends. I had to admit that I had hard times trying to catch up with the archaeological terms, the scene descriptions and everything in between. At some point also, in one particular chapter, I thought I had a private literary tour experience around the site exclusively delivered by Prof. Chesla with her long explanation of the history. Everything was quite believable and convincing, so the author had truly done a great job with that.
- Dreams Unleashed, Book 1 of The Prophecies Dystopian Trilogy
on Nov. 09, 2011
To begin with, the book really pushed me out of my comfort zone as I’ve never read any other book similar to this. Politics never fail to bore me, which I reckoned is the main theme of the story, although other readers and perhaps even the author herself may not agree with me. So when I read this book, I was forced to understand everything. Nonetheless, from the very beginning, the book kept me intrigued by its mystifying plot and excellent narration. I must laud the author for her ability to write her story in the finest detail, which makes the story sounds somewhat believable. Everything was described superbly – from Ann’s surrounding to the putrid smell she has to smell. I have to confess though that keeping up with all the flashbacks was quite ‘overwhelming’. However, the good thing was, they drove me to read on and on, only to be defeated by weary eyes. I thought the first person viewpoint worked well with Ann’s strong and independent character. When it comes to her most heart-wrenching memory of her husband’s death, I could feel her emotions pouring through, as if she were talking to me in person. It’s a surprise that I didn’t end up sniffling in tears! Updated review for 2nd Edition: The second edition of Dreams Unleashed is certainly more polished, though I could barely notice the difference. In the first review I wrote for this book, I mentioned something about the flashbacks being too overwhelming. Back then, everything felt a bit heavy for me to comprehend. However, thankfully, for the second edition, the recollections seemed to make more sense as the story got deeper and deeper. I am to read ‘Guardian of Time’, which is the second book in this trilogy, so it was truly refreshing to read the refined version of Dreams Unleashed just to keep up with the continuous adrenaline-charged events.
- Guardian of Time, Book 2 of The Prophecies Dystopian Trilogy
on Nov. 12, 2011
What more can I say, the story just keeps getting better and better. If Dreams Unleashed was merely a starting platform, then Linda Hawley had just unleashed her ‘wow’ factor with Guardian of Time. I’m bracing my adrenalin for the finale!
- LS: The Beginning
on Dec. 01, 2011
Kelvin O’Ralph’s attempt in delivering YA fiction in male perspective is quite of a success. I found that truly refreshing taking into account that most YA fic are written in female perspective. However, as a debut author, Kelvin has still a lot to work on to improve his writing. As whole, the book fell a bit flat for my liking even though I eventually found it intriguing toward the end. Still, I looked forward to the sequel.
- Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1
on Dec. 07, 2011
Overall, Marked: Soul Guardians did captivate me with its humor and swagger. Though I wasn’t impressed with some factors of the story, I would never hesitate to read the sequels because honestly, at the end of the day, I still want to follow Kara and David in the ride full of mystery and thrill. And last but not least, the spectacular ending had made me to reflect on my own déjà vu moments, which is quite fascinating matter-of-factly.
- LS: Deception
on Dec. 18, 2011
Kelvin’s writing had tremendously improved in this second book. Reading Deception was actually much smoother and pleasant than reading The Beginning. I even couldn’t remember feeling annoyed by unpolished and amateurish narration, as I have felt when reading The Beginning. It was as if the author had finally find his rhythm and style, stepped out of his comfort zone and delivered the story that is truly worth reading. As a result, Deception came out so well-put together and jam-packed with more thrills, action, romance and not forgets to mention, tragedy. I do anticipate the last installment, The Final Battle and find out what’s become of Lisa and Stephen
- Paraglide
on April 18, 2012
Paraglide was truly intriguing and engaging from the very beginning. I was still left breathless even after everything has ended and definitely looking forward to another adventure with Jim and Erica if there's any. This book is recommended to fans of Enid Blyton like myself and fans of middle-grade/YA contemporary thriller that even adult can enjoy.
- What Kills Me
on Sep. 19, 2012
From the first page, this book had me hooked up with its fast-paced and intriguing plot. There was never a dull moment as Zee finds herself hunted by a group of vampire assassins across different continents, from Europe to Asia. That’s another thing about What Kills Me that I loved. I hate being confined in just one place and this book offered an endless adventure I always look forward to. Zee is absolutely one of the best female characters I’ve known. She isn’t too girly yet she never hesitates of showing her romantic side. She’s not too strong or overly independent yet she doesn’t afraid of the uncertainties she will face as an immortal. And Lucas obviously brings out the best in her. Lucas is a great companion and lover as well but I’ll elaborate more on his role as a ‘lover’ once I have a better ‘view’ of their relationship in the second book. Yes, you heard that right. I just found out that the author is working on the sequel, so…yay! On the other hand, I was kept wondering if Zee will ever have a chance of seeing and saying a proper goodbye to her family and friends. Perhaps in the second installment the author will include the scene as I am eager to find out how her family and friends will react to her ‘demise’ since Zee is very close to them. Throughout the story, she is reminded occasionally of her loved ones and that was without doubt very upsetting. I couldn’t recall the last time I read a YA book with an MC who has a strong bond with her family and friends. Overall, this book is a great kick-start for a series, full of witty humor, bad-ass villains and lovable protagonists. I’m so anticipating the sequels and I bet other readers are as well. Now I just to need keep fit so I can keep up with Zee and more of her adventures to come…and a lot more smooching with Lucas too!