 Genre: Young Adult Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Editor: Faith Williams Length: 194 pages THE BREAKDOWN Evie is a sixteen-year-old stuck in the small town of Mokelumne Hill with a population of 619. She dreams of getting away, but there are few opportunities for her to travel. Home life is somber as she and her parents continue to mourn the death of her older brother, Clyde. When he was alive, Clyde had promised Evie he would get her out of their small town and take her to a special beach town he'd discovered. When an unexpected friend of Clyde's shows up at the local cafe, Evie learns that even after death, her brother intended to follow through on his promise. Evie and her two best friends, Charlotte and Kia, hop in a turquoise VW bus and take a six-hour drive to the completely different world of Waverly Beach. Crowds of people in bikinis and trunks hang out on the beach as well as the surf shops, restaurants and stores just across from the pier. The beachy vibe is laid-back yet exciting. In this dream vacation, the girls get an authentic taste of the Southern Californian surf culture as they meet the locals and even learn to surf. Complete with a summer romance, Evie has a teenage girl's fantasy vacation until the fantasy takes in a dose of reality. When it's time to leave, Evie takes one last paddle out in the water for more than just closure to the end of her summer. Greta Rose Evans, the author of The Infinite Summer, is seventeen years old. It's hard not to keep that in mind when reviewing this book. To write, edit and then publish a novel at that age is impressive. Her age is apparent in that the story is not as refined or complex as novels written by more experienced writers, but this is an admirable first step toward her writing career. Though the novel stays quite simple, Evans does offer glimmers of her young wisdom throughout. She keeps her story flowing smoothly and this quick read is enjoyable. While there are technical shortcomings from her age, the essence of the novel does in fact benefit from it. Reading a YA novel actually written by a young adult is refreshing and authentic. The open spirit, the excitement over new experiences and new ideas, and the grand hopes and dreams that still feel possible at that age are all apparent in Evans' writing. The adult author trying to conjure a YA voice might not capture all the subtleties that Evans naturally brings out in her work. The experience feels honest as a reader taking in the view from Evans’ current perspective. It is also a pleasure to read an optimistic YA novel that celebrates the excitement of being a teenager. The difficulties are certainly addressed, but the joyfulness shines through. THE RECOMMENDATION The Infinite Summer is a perfect beach read, and if you don't have a beach nearby, Evans' writing will certainly make you feel like you're there. THE LINKS You can find Greta Rose Evans on GoodReads, and her book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. THE REVIEWER Candi Sary, author of Black Crow White Lie, has made the finals in several writing competitions, including the William Faulkner William Wisdom Writing Competition and the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award. She lives in coastal Southern California with her husband (while her 2 kids are off at college), and can often be found surfing the waters of Newport Beach. You can find her at www.candisary.com.
 TITLE: Uno Kudo: Naked GENRE: Anthology, feminist literature THE RUNDOWN Uno Kudo is an anthology on its second year, a compilation of art and literature from all walks of life, with one common theme. The title, Naked, says it all. Risqe, heart-stopping, honest, but not always beautiful, each story and picture has some element of nakedness about it. The images and words within Naked are sometimes abstract and other times powerfully blunt. The literature in Uno Kudo: Naked ranges from poetry to short stories, and the quality of writing ranges from amateur to practiced prose. With a slightly feminist bent, most of the content embraces sexual expression, fear, or awakening. But other times, the theme of emotional nakedness takes place of the physical. With stories about prostitutes, suicide and loneliness, Uno Kudo isn’t the most uplifting collection of stories, but it is definitely thought-provoking. Naked is, without a doubt, a coffee-table book. With large, striking images, professional-grade paintings and well-placed prose and poetry, the book is a piece of art in and of itself. And in that respect, the publication fell short. In order to truly allow Naked to shine, the editors needed to weed out some of the less professional contributions and the publishers needed to spend more time producing a quality piece of art. The cover needed to be hard-back, the binding spiral-bound, and the pages needed to be printed professionally in order to allow the art within to truly shine. THE RECOMMENDATION If you’re looking for a risqué coffee-table book that will entertain and possibly even shock your visiting guests, Uno Kudo is worth checking out. But you might want to skip Naked and wait until they release their next anthology. There were some gems within Uno Kudo: Naked, but overall the production needed a revamp, with more practiced authors and artists, and a professional printing process. THE RATING While some of the individual images and stories in Uno Kudo would have earned a higher rating, the overall production only earns 3 out of 4 stars. THE LINKS You can find Uno Kudo: Naked on Amazon here, Facebook here and the blog here.
 Jodi McClure’s novel Homebound is about a broken man who rediscovers himself, and love, within the confines of his childhood bedroom. A gentle, easy read set in the contemporary South, Homebound reminds me of a country song about healing, tenderness, and love. John crashes to earth, both literally and figuratively, when a motorcycle accident renders him bedridden. Helpless for months in his childhood bedroom, John has nothing but time to contemplate a failed marriage and a failed career. He is a broken man in every sense. Enter Cloey, the small town nurse and beauty hired to take care of him. Over the course of the story Cloey and John form a relationship of trust, solve a mystery, and, of course, fall in love. On the surface, Homebound sounds like a sappy, run of the mill love story, but it isn’t. McClure’s intelligent prose and excellent dialogue forge John and Cloey into believable and likeable characters without a single drop of sap or saccharin. McClure accomplishes what few writers can: build a simple setting and two likable characters into a compelling story that holds the reader without gimmick or shock. I smiled and occasionally laughed at John and Cloey’s banter and their evolving tenderness. If I could sum up McClure’s style it would be “gentle subtleness” that tugs at your heartstrings and, well, makes you feel good. I only had two minor issues with Homebound. The mystery left by Cloey’s deceased grandfather was a promising, but ultimately disappointing, plot twist. It provided a medium for Cloey and John to draw closer together by searching for clues in classic books. However, beyond its utility in this aspect, it never really got off the ground and wrapped up too abruptly at the very end. The other issue was Homebound’s length. At only 72 pages it could be considered a long novelette as opposed to a novel. Regardless, these minor critiques don’t detract from what is otherwise an entertaining book. Homebound is suitable for all ages and a delightful read . If you’re ever homebound on a rainy day, I highly recommend this light read to pass the time. Homebound
left me smiling and gets 86 out of 99 cents. 99 Cents of Jodi McClure links:
Homebound on AmazonIf you enjoyed this review follow Underground Book Reviews on Facebook and Twitter or subscribe to our newsletter.
You can also follow Brian Braden on his blog, Facebook and Twitter and buy his
book, Carson's Love. If you are an agent or publisher you can make the smartest financial decision of your life and offer Brian a contract on his brilliant novel, Black Sea Gods.
 In the realm of Paranormal steaminess, The Forever Girl does not disappoint in turning up the heat. This romance is centered around twenty-two year old Wiccan protagonist Sophia. From the onset it is clear Sophia is not an ordinary girl with her mental static, her reputation as the town witch and her bad luck at being around whenever strange deaths occur. Then, if things weren’t weird enough for her, she begins hearing voices, dead people and animals with sulfur-green eyes that glow in the dark. Ominous signs abound. So then the next logical progression? Enter the vampires. Okay, so in this book they are not called vampires, but elementals. They have some creative new powers and a mythology that stems back decades. Sophia finds herself wrapped up in all this when her friend Ivory takes her to a mysterious night club. There she encounters Charles, the sexy and mysterious dream guy who of course is a paranormal creature, one she is extremely attracted to. Now the question is, how can she uncover the secrets of her past, while managing her feelings for Charles and staying alive against the forces that seek to destroy her and her love? Buy the book to find out. The Forever Girl has many striking similarities with Twilight. Critics have pounced on this, calling it a rip off. However, sales alone indicate that Hamilton is merely tapping into a fad that people want. Women want the sexy and dangerous love interest; the kind, but troubled damsel in distress; and the evil, fanged antagonist. Sure, this story is similar to Twilight, but I think that is what most readers find appealing. While reading I found myself making connections between Twilight and this story, but it did not detract from my enjoyment. Hamilton is a clear professional. You won’t find errors, weak subplots or stilted dialog. This book reads like any you would pull off a store shelf. And the passion between Sophia and Charles? Stephenie Meyer has nothing on Hamilton. A word of caution: while the sexual references are tasteful and by no means pornographic, this book is not intended for children. It is written for “New Adults” a burgeoning category that seeks to entertain the 18-30 crowd. And those 18-30 year-olds have not been disappointed. You can find The Forever Girl here. You can find Rebecca Hamilton here. If you enjoyed this review you can follow Underground Book Reviews on Facebook or Twitter and subscribe to our newsletter. You can also follow Katie French on Facebook and on her website.
 Title: Sarah Of The Moon Author: Randy Mixter Genre: Fiction, Romance Pages: 232 Summary: In the aftermath of the war with Afghanistan, we are taken back in time to the longest war in US history. It is a time when Paul McCartney’s Yesterday played in juke boxes and two fingers held up in a ‘V’ formation became the official peace sign. Author Randy Mixter paints a vivid picture of the Hippies in the summer of l967 San Francisco. After graduating from high school, Alex Conley waits for his draft notice while working as a part-time reporter at the Baltimore Sunpapers. Alex’s father sermonizes that his son will, by God, serve his country like he did in World War II. He also needs little prompting to give his less than admirable opinion of the lazy, druggies who call themselves Hippies. Against his father’s wishes, Alex accepts a temporary assignment in San Francisco to write a weekly column about the Hippies. Alex’s boss hooks him up with his nephew, Chick, who lives in the infamous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. Men, women and children occupy the small home, their sleeping quarters divided only by sheets draped from the ceiling. When Alex meets Sarah, the beautiful girl who dresses in white and dances under the moonlight, he knows he has seen her in past dreams. As they begin to fall in love, Sarah tells Alex that her parents speak to her from beyond the grave and tells her of the future. And when Sarah encourages Alex to wear tennis shoes instead of sandals that become key to saving a child’s life, he becomes a believer. Alex’s columns give insight into the thoughts of those committed to world peace. Alex and Sarah’s love affair is not the fickle flirtatious love of youth, but the kind of deep emotional love, laced with respect and acceptance, that lasts a lifetime. Quote: “ Someone said something to Sarah and she laughed. It was a beautiful sound. He knew then, in that moment, he had found a place where beauty truly existed. A place where a child of the moon danced on a summer hill in a sun washed breeze. A place where the laughter of a girl dressed in white and a windswept song not only shared the same moment, but also had the exact same sound. “ Opinion: Sarah Of The Moon is a beautiful, well-written story that offers much more than just a love story. It is also a fresh, insightful view as to the reasoning of those opposed to the Vietnam War. Randy Mixter gently peels back the layers of the emotional and psychological trauma surrounding the era. Mr. Mixter not only tells the story of those dedicated to saving their own generation, but of those committed to fighting for their country. With over l9 years of US involvement in the War, and statistics stating that 58,148 American soldiers were killed in Vietnam, 61% younger than 21, even if opposed, the counter-movement is not difficult to understand. Sarah Of The Moonis a heartfelt premise of those present day Baby Boomers once referred to in their youth as ‘Hippies.’ Recommendation: Mr. Mixter’s ability to communicate in a thought provoking way is a rare find. Not just a novel for Baby Boomer’s, but for anyone who would enjoy an ‘up close and personal’ novel about the hopes and dreams of youth. Rating: 5 Stars You can find Randy Mixter on Facebook and Sarah of the Moon here.
If you enjoyed this post, you can follow Kimberly on Facebook. You can also subscribe to the Underground.
|
