Mick Bogerman's How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid is Hypnotic!

Yesterday I talked about Slug Pie story #1, How to Navigate Zombie Cave and Defeat Pirate Pete, so now we're ready for part 2 of my Apology For Playing Hooky on My Birthday Double Pack! Same author, same series.

Sea-Monkeys.

A simple concept, really...

As long as you don't misfeed the little guys, that is.

Cover art by Kat Powell

Slug Pie story #2, How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid, is a YA horror book written by Mick Bogerman.

So What's it about?

After his brother nearly drowns in the ocean, Mick decides that it's time to give Finley swimming lessons. As luck would have it, he knows the perfect place to teach him: The home of wealthy P.J., a boy that will happily agree to let the brothers use his pool... as long as Mick agrees to mow his ginormous yard for him. 

Things should have went well. Sure, the work is tiring, but the pool is amazing. Unfortunately, when the boys see a note from P.J. asking them to feed his Sea-Monkeys, telling them that the food is in his father's Bentley, they grab the packet out of a silver cylinder -  

From the wrong car. In goes the "food," which turns the Sea-Monkeys' water a strange, cobalt blue. 

And that's only the beginning of the changes that occur....

As with Slug Pie story #1, this ebook is written with sections broken into "steps" rather than chapters, written in first person, and includes a list of materials the boys will want to have the next time something like this happens.

And yes, I'm still in love with that overall story structure.

It makes it feel personal.

What I forgot to mention in the first ebook's review, however, is that there's one more bit thrown into these works at the very beginning that I thoroughly enjoy: Mick Bogerman's Warning Note to Parents. It includes fun statements such as, 

"As far as romance, you will find absolutely none in this story,

Because that would be stupid."

Both Slug Pie stories have these preview notes. How'd I possibly forget about that?! Well, all of you know that I'm incredibly scatter-brained, so let's just leave it there, shall we?

Bloodythirsty Mermaid flows even more smoothly than How to Navigate Zombie Cave did. The storyline grabbed ahold of me and kept me reading, and at an even faster rate than book 1. I thought a zombie infested cave with a rising water table was cool, but a bloodthirsty mermaid with hypnotic abilities, creepy red skin, and a strange case of overwhelming modesty? Priceless.

I was in love, I tell you. Love.

This one was a... 

Treasured Tome!!!

And I was aware that this would be the case by about 30% through the book. At least, I think that was the point that I became aware of the fact. You see, the mermaid had me so enthralled that I didn't really pay attention to how far I had gotten.

I was completely under her spell. 

Sure, she had razor sharp teeth and a mouth large enough to swallow a person's head in a single bite, and sure, she devoured rotten vegetables and loads of fish and spam. She pulled a few people under water and kept them there, and yes, the thick, brackish water that her mere presence caused was rather unattractive...

But I love her just the same.

She isn't your standard mermaid. Cruel, animalistic, and definitely not beautiful, she's a far cry from the normal idea of a mermaid that we're accustomed to. And that's ok.

Awesome, even.

Now, before you get too excited, please remember that this is a YA horror novel, and it's written for readers in around 4th to 6th grade. Don't expect something written for people accustomed to rated R horror movies, because you won't get it.

Even a bloodthirsty mermaid can turn out to be scary for young readers, but not too much so, and Bogerman did an excellent job of ensuring that it fit the age group. 

Indeed, I was so impressed with this ability that I'm planning on recommending that the librarian at my daughter's elementary school look into making a copy available for students. I think it's something that she'd like to add to the collection. This story is one that I would have pointed out to kids looking for scary books back when I worked in school libraries.

It feels like the kind of book that would get a reluctant reader interested in reading more of their own accord, and that goes a long way.

How to Rid Your Swimming Pool of a Bloodthirsty Mermaid can be found on Kindle and Nook.

***And don't forget to check out the review of book 1!***

Frankie Rose's Halo Makes Emotions Surge Forth!

You've lived

Almost entirely devoid of emotion

For as long as you can remember.

One day, though, the emotions all come back.

Can you imagine what that would be like? And I thought I had problems...

Halo is the first installment of the YA dystopian Blood and Fire series, written by Frankie Rose.

So what's it about?

Falin Kitsch is a member of Sanctuary's fighting caste, and uses her knives to compete within the Colloseum. The halo she wears around her neck infuses her with drugs that keep her from feeling emotion, enabling her to apply her training with a clear mind, making her a perfect fighter.

Or does it? One day, she is pitted against Falin Asha, who has trained with her for years. His last action before he dies is to grab ahold of her halo, ripping it almost entirely free of her neck. "Don't let them see..." 

Suddenly, she begins to feel emotions surging back to her. She now has a choice: Have technicians repair her halo so that she can continue to be the perfect Falin, or apply her well-honed skills to leave Sanctuary and the only life she's ever known... 

To us, the answer seems pretty easy: Get rid of that darned device. But imagine what it would be like to have your first memory of emotion be one that comes in the aftermath of blood and pain. That's your emotional awakening.

The choice isn't so clear anymore, is it?

Rose gives us the opportunity to feel what that would be like, through the eyes of the Falin of House Kitsch. We go through our lives constantly keeping our reactions to our emotions in check. We consider the feelings of others when we reply to their statements. We gauge society's response to every choice.

We've trained ourselves to control our emotions.

Small children, on the other hand, are still learning. Their reactions are juvenile, and often confusing.They don't always understand our decisions, and many times respond with anger or sadness when they have no need to do so.

Now imagine knowing you have to react maturely, like an adult, without having the training to do so, like a child.

Welcome to Kit's world.

As you can imagine, her emotional reactions are often juvenile. She doesn't have the experience that we do. This tends to get her into trouble, which tends to make her emotions spiral even more out of control.

Poor Kit...

And we're taken on that overwhelmingly intense ride along with her, meaning that we feel much of what she feels... plus the added frustration of realizing that proper emotional control would have kept her out of trouble, minimizing her agony.

Poor us!

This ebook was extraordinarily exhausting... in a good way. I felt like I was right there next to Kit, and I wanted her to succeed. I needed her to succeed. She was important to me, and I had to know that she'd be able to pry herself from any situation she placed herself in.

And there were many of those!

I didn't want to put this one down. I had to know what would happen. Naturally, then, this ebook became the very next...

Treasured Tome!!!

If you're looking for a highly emotional story that rips your heart out, throws it on the floor, and stomps on it a few times, you'll love this one. Be warned, though: you'll want to read it when you're alone.

Interruptions will not be welcomed, and you'll notice that your fuse is remarkably short if someone is silly enough to get in between yourself and Halo for even a few moments.

You'll start wondering if you need a halo!

Halo can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

I Can't Wait for Book 2 of Joanne Armstrong's Unworthy Trilogy!

I'm so mad at today's author!

You know what she did?!

She made me wait.

I want to start the second book.
Right.
Now.

Aaarrrrggghhhh....

Unworthy is the first installment of a YA dystopian trilogy, written by Joanne Armstrong.

...and Armstrong is making us wait for the next one! NooOOOoo!!! 

Yes, I know I'm being dramatic. But... Oh, I want it now!

So what's it about?

After a devastating disease wiped most of the human population, people fought to survive in a chaotic and cruel world. The Polis was formed as an island nation, isolated from the rest of the world. Hubs were created that branched out from the main city, and people were raised to fear and hate physical weakness and follow the laws of the Polis to the letter. 

Arcadia has been raised by her grandfather in Sector Four. Found unworthy of life when she was born, she has spent her life shunned by her community. Her grandfather, though, is sure to remind her that she's just as worthy of life as everyone else, and capable of greatness. She always thought those were just the loving words of a devoted grandparent. But then, on one Festival Day, her entire world changes...

"Marked to die. Raised to survive."

It's very easy for me to make one huge decision about this ebook, without second thought. This amazing story is quite obviously...

A Treasured Tome!!!

That's right. It's that good. With every other book I've given Treasured Tome status to, I've carefully considered whether that was the right decision.

Not this one. 

The characters were real, dialogue was true, the world of the story breathed, and I went through a rather extreme emotional roller coaster ride. I was transported directly into the story, and took every altercation, every mishap, every joy, every experience personally.

Oh, yeah...

And my husband had to hear all about it. I called and woke up one of my sisters. I interrupted not one, but two friends at work, texting them about it. Heck, I even discussed this ebook with my dog (she's a very good listener).

I stayed up late to find out what happened to Arcadia, and woke up this morning while dreaming about it. And! I awakened not too long before writing this review, so the neighbors may end up having to hear about it, as well.

Seriously. This ebook consumed me.

And book 2 isn't out yet. I have to... Wait? What?!!?!

So cruel! There should be a law against writing something this fantastic, then making readers wait for the next installment.

Perhaps I should take up meditation while I do. It'll help teach me patience.

What makes this ebook so flipping amazing, you ask?

Armstrong made it personal. Arcadia doesn't go through a single emotion that a person wouldn't understand. She's thrown from one situation into the next, never getting a moment to consider the best response. The result is raw and true emotion, reactions that aren't always thought out very well, and, on occasion, a feeling of contrition.

And it all makes sense.

Never once did I question why she made the decisions she did, even when I didn't like them. I understood them perfectly. Her choices all made sense, which made them real.

She was stuck in the worst of situations, stuck within a community that had an authoritarian government filled with corruption. The truth was hidden from the masses, laws had to be strictly adhered to, and punishment for breaking even minor laws was terrifying.

Beatings administered by soldiers weren't questioned.

Yet people accepted that, making it all the more frustrating for Arcadia, and by extension, the reader. Arcadia's strong sense of morality, as well as her desire for a life without the stigma placed on her by the government of the Polis, cause the reader to flip pages without stopping to take even the smallest break.

And now we have to wait for book two.

Oh, cruel world!

You can find Unworthy on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Caitlin Sinead's Denali in Hiding is Going to Be a Blast!

Not too long ago, I had an author request that I review her book, and she sent me a link with the necessary information.

I looked over it, and within a few moments...

I just knew...
the answer was a big no.

But wait! This isn't a bad thing!

It's actually a really wonderful, 

amazingly fun, 

exciting thing!

See, I said no, but not because I wasn't interested. Rather, I said this because I saw something that needed to be shared, rather than simply reviewed.

What in the world am I babbling on about now?

I'm talking about a yet-to-be-published ebook that is soon to go live on Wattpad.

What? She can move trucks with her mind?! Yes!!!

...

     ...

          ...Oh, come on. You all know that you've dreamed about doing that! Well, at least I have.

Denali in Hiding is a YA science fiction novel, and I'm pretty sure we'll find romance within, since the author, Caitlin Sinead, has 2 new adult books about to be published with Harlequin (Carina Press).

Don't worry - she's publishing Denali in Hiding independently. I'm not switching gears on you!

So what's it about?

Denali has telekinetic abilities, which caused her to be recruited by the American Psi Council. She lives on an island set apart from the rest of the country, along with other psis, where her abilities can be used without fear. 

But Denali has discovered that someone is planning to set off a bomb within the nation's capital, and knows she needs to stop it. The problem? Humans without psi abilities have a tendency to be suspicious of those they don't understand, and act on those fears. Her involvement, therefore, would not be looked upon favorably by the Council... or the general populace.

What will Denali do when she knows that either action or inaction would have severe consequences? We'll find that out in just a few days...

So why in the world would I choose not to review a book that I'm so interested in? 

Well, Sinead is releasing this in a manner that I've never experienced. You see, Denali tells this story through journal entries, starting on August 27th.

You see what I'm getting at here?

Sinead's releasing this ebook on the same dates as those within Denali's journal! Yep. This ebook is being released in real-time. We'll experience the story's events at the same time that she does. This will happen from August 27th through January 4th.

How awesome is that?!

So, yeah. I'm choosing not to review this one right now, because I want to experience it in real time. The way I see it, there's a special something about reading a book in the manner that the author intends it. Could I read it now? Sure.

But would it feel the same?

I don't think so.

And so I'm starting the story at the same time as everyone else. I want the full experience that Sinead intended. I do, however, plan on doing a review partway through, and that'll definitely be posted on Undiscovered Tomes.

And I want you reading it with me!

I've never actually spent any time on Wattpad (Bad Rebecca! No cookie!), nor have I ever read a book released in segments, and so I had a few questions. I'm sure some of you do, too, so I asked Caitlin Sinead to teach us a few things about the process.

Here are the main points that I think everyone should know. (FYI, I elected to directly quote her answer to the first question. Everything else is in my own voice.):

How often does Denali write in her journal?
"She does not write in it every day, and some days she writes in it more than once (especially in the first week). I think the longest period of time between entries is about 2 weeks, but for the most part she'll be "posting" every 3-5 days up until January 4."

Do we need to join Wattpad to read it?
Nope. You can read everything at this link: http://www.wattpad.com/62916097-denali-in-hiding
If we go through this route, we navigate through the tab located directly below the title to find the correct journal entry.

Then why would we even want a Wattpad account?
If we do join Wattpad, we can follow Caitlin Sinead, which means we'll get notifications every time a new post goes live, and we'll have the ability to go directly to that day's entry. A Wattpad account is FREE, so there's no need to worry about cost. Plus! We can comment on the story as it plays out, and she does try to respond to all comments.

Are you getting a Wattpad account, Rebecca?
Yeppers! In fact, I already did. You can find me under UndiscoveredTomes. We can totally follow the story together. I know, I know... I still have the stock photo there, have no bio. Don't worry - I'll change that. Eventually...

SooOOOOoo....

Head over to Wattpad on August 27th, and start reading Denali in Hiding!

Yep. I'm a wee bit excited... Join me in this real-time adventure!

Robby Charters' Pepe Examines the Meaning of Truth

"the smell of solvent

sounds of youthful street wisdom

working kids live here"

As you can tell already, today's review covers an ebook that makes you step back and think about the world.

Pepe, by Robby Charters, is a stand-alone science fiction novel that takes place in the year 2020 in an alternate reality.

So what's it about?

Pepe is a young boy living in the dockyards, the lower class community in the Republic of Cardovia, where people struggle to simply survive day to day life. His primary focus in life is to care for his sister, Po. 

But when the small home they live in with their grandmother burns to the ground, Pepe and Po must take to the streets where their lives change dramatically. Pepe discovers that his very existence is a threat to national security, and the president of Cardovia will stop at nothing to remove him from the picture. 

Pepe wonders what it is that makes him, a boy from the slums, so dangerous to the leader of Cardovia. In the race to flee those that would eliminate him - and harm Po in the process - Pepe discovers more than he ever expected.

I've gotta tell you, this ebook was far more engrossing than I dreamed it would be!

The technology in Pepe is a bit more advanced than our current technology... but not by much... only a hair's breadth, actually. It's very believable that we could see these advances in the near future.

Magnetically controlled, "floating" train? Very believable. Neural interfaces that can 'read' a person's thoughts and convey them to others? Yep. Small, armored robots equipped with heavy weaponry? Heck, There are drones out there, already... right?

Every chapter begins with a haiku. 

This haiku foreshadows what will be found within that section of the book, and does it perfectly. I'm not one for verse, very often skipping right over it. I know, I know... people shouldn't do that. Verse is important, and the author worked hard on it, darn it!

I do it anyway.

In Pepe, though, I looked forward to each haiku. Every one of them was well written, meaningful, and thought-provoking. I mean... I even began this review with one of them (taken from Chapter 3). I enjoyed them that much.

And the theme!

Oh, gosh, the theme. I found myself swept away within the philosophies of this novel. Basically, it all comes down to one central concept: Only through Truth will you find freedom.

I know, I know... we've all heard that before. What makes it so special this time?

Well, we see this transformation in just about every character within the book. This is especially seen with Pepe, as the protagonist, but this change occurs in the most depraved, as well. We see that through recognizing the truth as it is, rather than how we think the truth is, we become more than who we were before. We're stronger. We're free.

And Charters does this without "preachiness."

I never once felt that he was bashing me over the head with the concept. Not once did I roll my eyes. It was all done through showing, rather than telling. I wanted to transform, to see things as they really are... just as Pepe did.

This is an ebook that I strongly recommend to those that enjoy a novel that makes you think, but also gives you a storyline that flows quickly and fluidly.

Pepe can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords, as well as on Scribd.

Maree Anderson's Freaks of Greenfield High Was Freaking Awesome!

I discovered the latest ebook I'm reviewing 

by complete

and total

accident.

And I'm glad I did!

Cover Design by Rob Anderson

Freaks of Greenfield High is a YA sci-fi romance written by Maree Anderson.

So what's it about?

Jay thinks faster, moves more fluidly, and has more strength than any other person her age. Of course, that makes perfect sense when one considers that she's a cyborg. What doesn't make sense, though, is that after meeting Tyler she has had to struggle with unusual and foreign emotions. She's evolving, becoming more than a cyborg... becoming human. Jay needs to come to terms with these changes while navigating the halls of a high school, keeping herself as low-key as possible, and evading the people that seek to use her highly sophisticated body as a powerful weapon.

As I said, this one was an accident.

While navigating through recommendations for me after downloading an ebook, I found one that looked spectacular... then clicked on this one when my daughter hit my elbow, attempting to gain my attention.

"Crap." I thought. 

"Whatever... I'll go ahead and see what this is about. I might as well."

So I did exactly that after tending to my daughter, and I have no regrets.

You've probably figured out by now that I wasn't particularly interested. The title seemed a bit silly, and the cover art didn't exactly make me want to read it. It felt... blah. Even the blurb didn't do much for me.

But I really liked the idea of a cyborg love story. It's not something you read every day, after all. So I went ahead and read the first few paragraphs. Then the next few.

And then a few after that!

Aside from a few proofreading errors, this ebook was spectacular. Not just a little good. Not not even really good.

Amazing!

The story of Jay's evolution was meticulously crafted. Dialogue changed over time. Sentence structures changed, and her word usage became less precise and more conversational. The reader could truly witness her evolution into something more than just a cyborg.

In fact, I ended up loving this so much that it became...

The newest Treasured Tome!!!

Yep. It was that good.

I know what you're thinking. How in the world could this be a Treasured Tome if I had so much reticence about even reading it, right? I mean, I even complained about some proofreading errors.

But that's the thing.

This story was so powerful that I was able to forget those issues. Rather than nitpick about various technical problems, I found myself living and breathing the words within the pages.

And I cried!!!

That didn't happen until the last 25% or so of the book, but I cried for a decent amount of time when it did. Prior to that, however, this story took me on an intense, emotional whirlwind. How so? Well, I laughed, I became angry, then I became very angry. Anderson also threw in a heap of loss and social fear, then added in some new love.

The result was similar to tasting a favored dish for the very first time. You feel that same mixture of physical and emotional pull, complete with momentary sense of floating.

Or, at least, that's what happened to me the first time I tasted creme brulee...

But you get the picture. This ebook makes you feel as though you've just placed your hands on a glorious treasure. It gives you both the yearning to share it, and the desire to keep it only for yourself.

Anderson has mastered the skill of emotional manipulation, and I love her for it.

Freaks of Greenfield High can be found on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.



Special Note: The new cover image is far superior to the original that I saw: