Chrystalla Thoma

Greek Cypriot with a penchant for dark myths, good food, and a tendency to settle down anywhere but at home, Chrystalla likes to write about fantastical creatures, crazy adventures, and family bonds. She lives in Cyprus with her husband and her vast herds of books. Her stories can be found in Alienskin magazine, Lorelei Signal, the Shine Journal, Encounters Magazine, and Bards and Sages ezine i.a. She is also an author for MuseItUp Publishing where you can find her YA Urban Fantasy novella Dioscuri.

Here is the link to Chrystalla’s writing blog where you can find short stories, samples and link to other longer works:

Blog: http://chrystallathoma.wordpress.com

Twitter: @Chrystallathoma
Facebook: Facebook profile
Blog: http://chrystallathoma.wordpress.com/

adventure    chrystalla thoma    dystopian    dystopian adventure    elei    eleis chronicles    elves    fantasy    ghouls    lgbt    novelette    parasites    postapocalyptic    reference    rex rising    romance    science fiction    sea stories    shifters    suspence    werewolves    worldbuilding    young adult    young hero   

• Bright Links Dark Links on Jan. 02, 2012
  
  Jeanie can see ghosts. Even though the mood in the opening chapter is light and focuses more on Jeanie’s hurt feelings about her ex fiancé and about her hunt for a suitable husband, that fact alone – in this novel there be ghosts – made me hesitate at first. I don’t read horror, and ghosts scare me. But I liked Jeanie’s character and her plight, and I read on. Good thing I did. This is a complex book, working on many levels and transcending literary genres, and I found it to be in equal measures a romance and a gritty thriller. It isn’t a “pretty” romance played out in beautiful mansions and other romantic settings. The protagonists aren’t Hollywood superstars, with the perfect families or jobs. Jeanie and Sam are real people with real families who have their internal and religious conflicts (a nice confrontation of the older native gods with the newcomer, Christian god) and superstitions. The thriller/suspense thread of the story is very realistic and vivid. Often we enter the bad guy’s head and observe the workings of a sick mind, presented and described wonderfully, capturing the madness and conflict inside him. The two threads, the romance and the thriller, are perfectly woven together, the fear and need to discover the murderer driving the two protagonists together and bringing to light smaller conflicts, such as between Sam and his mother on account of their different religions but also the prejudice leveled at Jeanie because of her uncanny ability to see through the veil. The story balances very well the beautiful romantic moments, with sad instances (especially with the child ghosts) that had me wiping my eyes and terrifying moments when the murderer was on the hunt. The pace is quick and the situations engrossing. The only reason it took me some time to finish is that, being so afraid of ghosts, I could only read this book during the day (I usually read at night). Not to forget, another reason I liked this book so much is the portrayal of a society and culture that I’m not used to seeing in paranormal novels; Singapore. I find myself fascinated with the Orient, its mysticism and traditions, and the author paints this world vividly, its blend of east and west (also exemplified by the protagonists’ western names), the struggle between the new and the old, the modern and the traditional in everything from religion to clothing to the way of thinking and the gap between the generations. This attention to detail, this polished feel to the world, the characters and the language, the fast pace and the believable characters, the many levels of conflict and the intertwining plots are the reasons I highly recommend this book to lovers of paranormal suspense, sweet romance and thrillers.
  
• A School for Villains on Feb. 15, 2012
  
  A School For Villains is not simply a parody of epic fantasy stories about wizard schools – it’s a new take on the trope and an imaginative reversal of genre expectations. When Danny is sent to a School for Villains and has to leave his father’s forge, he’s horrified. He doesn’t want to be evil, doesn’t want to hurt anybody and doesn’t like the fact that he has no say in all this. He has no love for evil lords and hates maniacal laughter (I love him for this!) In all, Danny is a normal boy and he will do anything in his hand to escape the School and its mad teachers. I will say no more because there are many twists and surprises in the plot and I can’t give them away, but trust me, it is an interesting story. Danny’s character is dynamic and active. He spends a big part of the book looking for ways to escape the school, and these are often hilariously funny and imaginative. However, I must admit I was a little put off by his whiny nature at first. Happily, he comes into his own in later chapters and goes through an interesting transformation. The characters surrounding him are beautifully crafted, and although they may first appear as stereotypes (done on purpose, obviously, to add to the satirical nature of the book), as the story progresses they become rounded and real. I really enjoyed discovering their other facets. I admit I laughed out loud at the portrayal of the boy hero coming to challenge Danny and the letters they exchanged, and I loved this author’s imagination in crafting the school and all its crazy magic and great characters. Although the book addresses a younger public than I’m used to, I greatly enjoyed reading a School for Villains and look forward to a sequel. I recommend a School for Villains for all readers who enjoy a funny take on fantasy, such as satires of wizard schools, and especially for teens and young adults. For Good Book Alert.