I Am Sleepless: Sim 299 (Book 1)

written by Johan Twiss
Sketches by Adrienne Burger
reviewed from e-reader

Pre-teens and young adults are going to love this book! This book is so much fun to read. A strong story from human to alien, or primes as they are referred to in the book. Johan Twiss thrills and entertains in this combination of student simulated trials and the real thing. If you hesitate, the story might run away with you. I certainly ran with it, reading it all in one go. I'm sure my grandsons, maybe even my son, would enjoy it, too. It is truly different from others I've read. The young characters are lively, conversational and full of ideas as young people generally are. They appear to be in a learning facility, they have classes, differences in their personalities are so human-like and yet even as completely different from each other, they are good friends.

I would call this a sci-fi/fantasy that should really touch a chord to followers of this genre, especially in light of the apparent martial arts/military training or the inventive creative teaching background the story touches on. These are highly skilled characters with lots of tricks up their sleeves or more precisely lots of skills; once the reader gets into the meat of the story it takes on a life of its own. Lots of fantastic beings to fight or to tame, bring humor into the story. In fact, there are wonderfully comical creatures beautifully illustrated.

What can one do when the Director of the facility is completely bonkers? What is going through his mind that it is so deceptive? Is it safe for the primes to enter the simulator? These are questions the reader will be trying to solve. Where do all the beasts come from? This is the crux of the matter, how to survive a trial in the Sim, particularly in Sim 199. A well-fledged story, and part of a series, so lots of fun and fury ahead.

Dissever - Unbinding Fate Book One by Colee Firman

Reviewed from ebook

A fascinating paranormal mythology of two worlds in one; or is it? Colee Firman has created the history of a world that blends with our own seamlessly. Or so it seems for centuries, but there are always secrets. I enjoyed this book very much, unusual in many ways. The characters are very real even in this fantasy, perhaps because in appearance they are not so very different.

Imagine the excitement of waking up one morning in brilliant sunlight right  beside a beach when you went to bed in what could be only described as the coldest spot on earth. Your entire estate and all the people you know are right there with you in the heat of summer. How can this be? It is one of the many secrets that unfold for Addison Sanders, Addy as she is known, granddaughter of the Overseer. There are three distinct groups: humans, Akori and Mesen, a sub-group of Akori.

The story itself, besides the history of the Akori, is very much involved with the lives of a group of young people from the estate...their interaction, their romances, their journey through a (very) long life. It's about connections, trust, friendship and loyalty; and always the mystery. But life is not all fun and games for Addy. She spends much of her time working in the huge library for her aged grandfather, and training in martial arts and weaponry. This book grabbed my interest fairly quickly and as changes begin, the action moves forward faster and faster until it's impossible to put down. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of this action-packed yet playful series.

 Note from author Colee Firman: Update available in Kindle format