Tag: book review

Edge of Collapse

On By dotluvs2writeIn Cultural and Political, Fiction Writing, humanity, Life, News Events, reading, Reviews, Writing TechniquesLeave a comment

Since my newest book, Relics of Life, is dystopian in nature, and it’s a new genre for me. I’d decided to read some books I thought were close to what I’ve written or along those lines.

This is when I discovered the Edge of Collapse book series by Kyla Stone. It’s considered post-apocalyptic fiction, but I found it somewhat similar to my book.

So, this is my idea of a book review.

__________

Book’s blurb:

In the middle of the coldest winter on record, an EMP destroys the nation’s power grid.


No electricity. No cars or phones. Worst of all: No heat. The country is plunged into instant chaos. 

But for twenty-six-year-old Hannah Sheridan, it’s the best day of her life. For the last five years, she’s been the captive of a sadistic psychopath—until the EMP releases the lock of her prison.

Battered but not broken, she emerges from her underground cell into a hostile winter landscape with no way to call for help, no vehicle that will drive, armed with nothing but the clothes on her back and her own determination to survive.

Cynical loner and ex-soldier Liam Coleman is headed nowhere fast. He believed he was prepared for any disaster—until the EMP took everything he’d ever cared about in a matter of seconds.

Two hundred frozen, perilous miles stand between them and their destination in rural Michigan. The lack of power, desperate people, and the treacherous elements aren’t the only threats, for Hannah’s captor isn’t about to let her go. He will hunt her to the end of the world and beyond. 

______________

First off, the author hooked me in immediately by the first page. I’m big on writing style. It’s the first thing I notice and makes my decisions on whether I’ll read the book or not.

So, obviously, I noticed Stone’s writing style when I peeked inside the book on Amazon. Ordered it and received it a couple of days later.

The characters in Edge of Collapse, Chao Rising, Edge of Madness, Edge of Darkness, and Edge of Anarchy (the one I’m currently reading after reading the others), are realistic, well-defined, and show the human condition, which I appreciate.

I was happy to see that the author had made a good effort in carving out the characters. I wasn’t sure that would happen since the storyline seemed to be plot driven. Nevertheless, the characters move it along as well, which I appreciate.

The only thing that is bothering me is the violence. I’m not one who’s ever been able to stomach much violence, especially graphic types, and especially if it were in a movie. And this book definitely has several very disturbing scenes. However, I think the author needed to show these things to give the reader an idea how desperate and chaotic the towns and cities in which the characters live or wander through are dealing with.

Funny, when I looked up the book, there was a note that said the violence was rated PG-13. Wow. I’ve not seen many new movies, and it seems the violence level has gone up quite a bit. I’ve gotten into the habit of skimming over or skipping the truly gruesome parts (well, they are to me!) and still know what has happened in those terrifying scenes.

I’m able to skim over such scenes in a book but would never be able to watch it in a movie or TV show. Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about that.

In any case, the books are definitely good, chilling, mind-tingling thriller level. I like the protagonists as well. The antagonists are well-developed and three-dimensional, which is always good. You can understand how some of them ended up the way they did.

There are seven books in the series, and I’m on Book Four.

I give the first three books I’ve finished five stars and highly recommend them.

And if you are already familiar with Kyla Stone’s Edge of Collapse series, I’ll let you know my book, Relics of Life, is similar as pertaining to the state of the country/towns and people trying to navigate through the oppression and dangers, although a bit less violent.

So you may want to pick up a copy of Relics of Life on IngramSpark, Amazon, or B&N.

Hope you found this info interesting, and perhaps you’ve found a new series to read!

All the better.

~*~*~*~

Amazing Editorial Review

On By dotluvs2writeIn Cultural and Political, Fiction Writing, humanity, Inspirational, Life, Marketing, News Events, Publishing, reading, Religious, warLeave a comment

A fantastic and compelling editorial review of my new release, Relics of Life, by N.N. Light Book’s Heaven!

Relics of Life is a haunting and thought-provoking dystopian novel by Dorothea Anna that immerses readers in a world on the brink of extinction. Set during a cataclysmic third world war, it follows two Russian monks, Sergius and Herman, on a desperate mission to find holy relics believed to hold the key to saving humanity. Their journey leads them to Fairview, Virginia, where they meet Stephanie, a quiet but devout woman whose family and town are crumbling under the weight of crime and oppression.

The characters in Relics of Life are deeply compelling. Stephanie, the introspective protagonist, is relatable and resilient. However, my favorite character was her feisty mother, who brings grit and humor to the narrative. The authentic family dynamics add a personal layer to the story’s larger stakes, making their struggle all the more engaging. And as a dog lover, I can’t forget to mention Hobo, Stephanie’s adorable dog, who adds warmth and light in a world overshadowed by fear.

What makes this book especially gripping is its unsettling vision of the future, which feels alarmingly close to our own reality. The depiction of a police state, omnipresent surveillance, and constant drone activity is both terrifying and believable. There were moments when I found myself glancing out of my own window, unnerved by how plausible this future seemed. It serves as a chilling reminder of where we could be headed.

Faith plays a significant role in the story, offering both the characters and readers a sense of hope amidst the darkness. Religion is seamlessly woven into the narrative, becoming an integral part of the characters’ journey. This element adds depth to the story, making it particularly meaningful for readers who appreciate spiritual themes in their fiction.

Ultimately, Relics of Life balances the fear of an impending dystopia with the comforting reminder of humanity’s capacity for hope and redemption. It’s a book that lingers long after the last page, challenging you to reflect on the power of belief in times of crisis.

My Rating: 5 stars

~*~*~*~

The Mistake of Book Reviews Equaling Books Read! Duh!

On By dotluvs2writeIn Fiction Writing, Inspirational, Life, Marketing, Musings, News Events, Publishing, Reviews, Writing Techniques4 Comments

After the years I’ve spent writing novels and novellas and receiving a modest amount of reviews and knowing how it all works, in the past few months, I’d totally forgotten all of it!

It wasn’t until a few days ago my novel, Painted with Good Intentions, was named a finalist by N.N. Light Book’s Heaven’s yearly awards in the genre of inspirational fiction/romance, that this misleading appearance came to me.

Oh, I suppose I should explain a bit about my book’s nomination and being a finalist in that genre I mentioned. To make it easier, I’ll post part of the email I received from the company who reviewed my book last year so that you understand what I’m talking about!

The email reads:

Each year, we rate the books we’ve given five-star reviews (December 2022 – November 2023) and award the best book of the year in select categories. We’ve tabulated the votes and we’re pleased to announce you’re a finalist in the category for inspirational fiction/romance.

We’re announcing the finalists on N. N. Light’s Book Heaven on Friday, December 15.

The winners will be announced on Friday, December 22. 

Congratulations on becoming a finalist. Out of the 1,200 books we read and reviewed in 2023, yours is one of the best. 

So, that was pretty exciting.

After receiving this email, of course I had to post it on my Facebook page.

I also must tell you that I’d nearly given up writing due to the enormous effort it takes promoting and marketing my works. I don’t have much time to do that because I work five days a week and really haven’t had the mental or physical energy to focus on my work-in-progress for several months now.

So, I thought my writing days were over. After all, the highest number of reviews for my books is 31 on Amazon, and, well, that isn’t that much. It’s not awful, but it isn’t what I was hoping for.

Therefore, I believed I did not have much of a readership, even though I know my friends have read my books, and some people I don’t know. Nevertheless, this didn’t make much difference to me.

It wasn’t until I posted about my book being a finalist in the company’s yearly awards and a couple of people under my announcement posted they had read and really liked my book and recommended it that the realization hit, and I remembered that most people don’t leave reviews on books or anything else.

The nomination and this realization that more people than 31 do read my books and that I do have a following resurrected my desire to write and to go back to working on Relics of Life, that already has nearly 59,000 words written so far! How could I not finish it? That would be a wasted effort!

It’s a joy to be able to delve back into this story and be reminded by another poster that I have a gift. Yes, this gift is from God, and I shouldn’t hide it or bury it.

Hoping this is a good reminder for other writers that may have, somehow like I did, forgotten about the fact that not many reviews doesn’t mean that people aren’t reading your work!

Keep on writing!

~*~*~*~