A Walk in the Sun - Lisa Dominique Machat

                A Walk in the Sun is the first book written by new author Lisa Dominique Machat and it is quite a good one. Set in the 19^th century, Nicholas is seventeen when he is attacked and becomes a vampire. Deeply in love with Elena, he takes her to Paris where their love is tested as evil forces try to destroy them. This is quite a short book (198 pages) compared to most I’ve read in this genre but, although compact, the story is very well written and enjoyable to read. It moves quickly with an easy flow and excellent character development. The reader is introduced to Nicholas’s life before he becomes a vampire and follows his love with Elena. There’s also an interesting twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting and Nicholas’s story is left open so that there may be future books about his adventures. Although mainly a romance there is also a fair bit of mystery and action for those seeking those genres. I love the setting of Victorian England and 19^th century Paris as described by the author. The book formatted to my ereader very well and the cover was interesting. This is a fast paced action and romantic book that is sure to entertain.

Jack Spade: Dream Detective - Carl A. Chase

                James lives a normal, everyday life but when he closes his eyes his dreams literally come alive. Most of us enjoy dreaming so that we can have a break from real life but James’s dreams become his reality when his dream alter-ego, Jack Spade, takes over. Jack is a private investigator in the 1940s who takes on cases such as missing and cheating spouses, all while juggling a new and tricky relationship with Jennifer, a lounge singer in a local mobster’s club. The dream part of the book reads like an old time detective novel or an old black and white movie. The author portrays this setting quite well with fairly believable dialogue and settings significant to the era. The problem is that the main case that the novel is based around becomes so twisted that it is hard to follow and keep up with the storyline. I almost had to make a chart just to keep the characters and plot twists in order. Very little of the book involves James in an awake state and probably would have read better had the whole book been only about Jack and his investigations. With a little more planning and clearer storyline, the basis for an entertaining novel is definitely here. At the moment it is just a bit too confusing to hold my interest for long. I read this on my ereader and it formatted well. The cover is not particularly alluring but it does portray a detective-based story.

Remembrance: A Time For War - A.K. Stauber

                Remembrance is the well-researched story about Polish Jews during the time of the Second World War. After the Germans devastated fifteen year old Anna’s town she is forced to go on the run and ends up meeting another young Jew named Pawel. Together, they hide from the Germans, knowing that to be discovered would bring certain death. This is a very intense story and was hard to read at times knowing things like this actually happened. The author has done a great job of portraying life for Polish Jews during this time period and the while book is very realistic. This story hit close to home for me since some of my partner’s family experienced some of the same things experienced by characters in the novel. The character of Anna matures from an innocent fifteen year old to a young woman who is slowly finding her hard edge. I truly loved this book although the cliff hanger at the end of the book was frustrating because now I have to wait for part two in the series. I read this on my ereader and it formatted well. The cover was not particularly enticing but the story was amazing.