Book Review: Strong Blood by Dale Ibitz.

Synopsis:
The war between nature's gods continues to rage on Eyidora and Haley, descendant of the Air Eyid, struggles with her own battles.

She's mired in a battle with Ian, the Fire Eyid descendant, over the lost Eyid stones. She needs the stones to stop the war, and he needs the stones to destroy Eyidora. She knows where the Land Eyid stone is hidden, and she races to Tamoor to find it before Ian does.

Haley still doesn't trust Tuggin, the stone-faced Eyidoran assigned to protect her. As a Menta witch, he's adept at lying, mind-control, and killing. Even though Haley is starting to believe that Tuggin may be serving more than one master, she continues to battle her feelings for him, never sure which duty he feels most inclined to serve.

But Haley's biggest battle of all comes when she meets Luke and Telsa, twins with undeniable strength. Haley invites them to join her on her mission to find the Land Eyid stone. Has she put her trust in someone who may be just as dark and dangerous as Ian, the descendant of Fire himself?

The Nerd's Ramble: In the second instillation of the Last Moon Rising Series, we find Hadley, Elana, and Tuggin still tangled up together in a twisted "should they be or shouldn't they be trusted" plot string. I like that no one really seems to be who they say they are in this series. Here we're also introduced to a second set of twins, Luke and Telsa who also apparently have secondary motives.

There's a lot more story in this book. We get history about the war and some of the things that are driving the story along. We get more character definition and learn more about a couple character's motivations. I really love the interaction between Tuggin and Hadley and the relationship that is building between them. Hadley gets more development, not only on a personal level, but grows with abilities. She and Ian are well matched as antagonist/protagonists go, and I'm really liking where this story is heading.

The major encounter between Hadley and Ian is very interesting. A few secrets are revealed, a couple of characters come clean about their actions, and betrayal rocks the rag-tag group of teens. Personally I feel that this book is a bit stronger than the first book, but I still want more. I'm one of those people who like longer books and in a way I almost feel that Book one and two could have been combined. I'm looking forward to book three.

Review of Book #1-- Fire In The Blood

Rating: ★★★★☆
Total Length: 260 pages
Available Format: All formats
Publication Date: October 1, 2012 (Createspace)
Author's Page: Dale Ibitz on Goodreads
Disclosure: I won Fire in the Blood through a contest. The author generously sent me Strong Blood. I am not compensated, nor am I influenced in any way for this review.

Book review: Fire In the Blood by Dale Ibitz.

Synopsis: 
Global warming is playing havoc on Earth, and when 17 year-old Haley tumbles to a parallel world, she discovers that Earth’s issues stem from a war between the Eyids, the gods of nature. Because her necklace is a stone that holds the power of the Air Eyid, Haley is called upon to stop the war

But Haley has a problem. Actually, two problems. One named Tuggin, and one named Ian.

Both lie to her. Both have secrets. And neither are who they say they are. With her stone of power, Haley’s forced to make a choice that will decide the fate of all the worlds. But who should she trust, who should she fight, and who is the one with fire in his blood bent on betraying them all?

The Nerd Rambles: Alternate world/universe books are something that I eat up like candy. This book was no exception to that. Fire in the Blood is a the first book in a promising young adult series. The main character Haley is a modern, typical seventeen year old girl, who wants nothing more than a "Hall-God" boyfriend, and to get through the day without some sort of muck up.

Instead, she's thrust into a parallel world called Eyidora by her adoptive mother when she's hunted by the same entity that killed her birth parents. There she's introduced to Tuggin, a tight lipped, abrasive, gorgeous eighteen year old who seems to want nothing to do with her--except to keep her on a tight leash. The problems don't stop there, in fact they intensify when she learns that she's a crucial piece to ending a war that would not only destroy Eyidora, but Earth as well. To further complicate things, THE Hall-God Ian enters the picture, joining her in this parallel world. He knows more than he should, and nothing is what it seems.

I really enjoyed this book. There are a couple hitches to it though. I think there should have been just a little more exposition in the beginning as things start quickly and the reader is expected to keep up, even as this new world, new languages and history are thrown at us in a rapid fire fashion. I like that Hadley grows through the story, and learns quickly rather than depending on Tuggin and a few other characters. It's also extremely fast paced and the story moves so quickly that I read through the book and wanted more to this piece.

Rating: ★★★★☆
Total Length: 236 pages.
Available Format: All available formats.
Publication Date: July 11, 2011 (through Createspace)
Author Link: Dale Ibitz on Goodreads
Disclosure: I won this book through a contest on Facebook. I am not compensated or influenced in any way. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Review: Obscura Burning by Suzanne van Rooyen

Synopsis: The world's going to end in fire...and it's all Kyle's fault.

Kyle Wolfe's world is about to crash and burn. Just weeks away from graduation, a fire kills Kyle's two best friends and leaves him permanently scarred. A fire that Kyle accidentally set the night he cheated on his boyfriend Danny with their female friend, Shira. That same day, a strange new planet, Obscura, appears in the sky. And suddenly Kyle's friends aren't all that dead anymore. Each time Kyle goes to sleep, he awakens to two different realities. In one, his boyfriend Danny is still alive, but Shira is dead. In the other, it's Shira who's alive...and now they're friends with benefits. Shifting between realities is slowly killing him, and he's not the only one dying. The world is dying with him. He's pretty sure Obscura has something to do with it, but with his parents' marriage imploding and realities shifting each time he closes his eyes, Kyle has problems enough without being the one in charge of saving the world...

The Nerd's Ramble: Obscura Burning is the story of Kyle Wolf and how his world is slowly crumbling around him. Caught between two different realities, one where his boyfriend is alive and their friend Shira is dead, and the other where Shira lives, but Danny, Kyle’s boyfriend has died.  The shifting reality, the appearance of Obscura, and the fight against time are tearing Kyle apart, and he ends up not only fighting for his life, but the salvation of Earth.

It took me a couple of chapters to get oriented with the world and the events that were going on. I feel that there could have been just a little more back story and set up, but it’s not detrimental to the pacing, or the story overall. I really enjoy the issues that were presented in this book and how the characters deal with them, and the emotions that go along with them. I like that Kyle Wolfe is more of an anti-hero or a dark hero, but I tend to fall for characters who have baggage.

The book is well written, well paced and the characters are ones that I keep thinking about and coming back to. I like the science in this story, and the fact that it’s a very different take on an apocalyptic story. Kyle, whether you love him or hate him, will stick with you for a while. The ending of this book is something that I would not change. I like the way it ends, and the sentiment in the ambiguity.

Obscura Burning is a book that I would recommend to people, even if they’re a bit turned off by the ‘young-adult’ label. It’s mature and fast paced, dealing with some heavy issues. I like that the main character is conflicted with his own personal issues, along with having to deal with the societal labels that go along with them. It’s a great, wild read and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Rating:★★★★☆ 
Total Length:  300 pages
Available Format: Epub and traditional
Publication Date: December 7, 2012 (Etopia Press)
Author's Link: Suzanne Van Rooyen on Goodreads
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book by BTS Magazine for a review. I was not compensated or influenced in any way. All thoughts and opinions are my own.