Such a fun and creative idea for a story
596917
Such a fun and creative idea for a story. I have read many modern adaptations of the classics but never one where the narrator was so aware that she was smack in middle of it. I thought it was fun,quirky and charming. I'm excited to read more by this author.
169714
Fresh and imaginative take on shifters! The characters and backstories have depth and creativity. The acknowledgement area was brilliant and hilarious! Loved it. Can't wait to read more!
528631
I loved the creativity of this book! It is so imaginative and does a great job at describing the setting and characters. I loved that the girl was a strong character and able to take care of herself. I can't wait to see what will happen next! The language makes it more appropriate for older audiences.
4751433
This was such a cool idea: a human would have the change to become one of the "embodied ones," a human-turned-dragon! The fantasy world of Ilanta where this takes place was so vibrantly described; Sapegin has his rules and runs with them fluidly and naturally. The story kept me wanting more every time I sat down to read it. If you like fantasy, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Inheritance cycle, you will definitely want to pick up the first book in The Dragon Inside series. I gave the book four stars instead of five because of the translator's typos and grammatical errors; the story itself is interesting and well-executed. Check it out!
2443261
Awesome and creative story. Fresh and unique feel to it outside the stereotypical oddball main character compared to his upbringing. The sequel is just as awesome too.

Only have 4 because it could use a good clean up from a proofreader.
4720549
Very creative and fun book. I'm very excited for more from these characters. It was a page turner.

Van Risseghem does a great job creating characters. They have unique voices and complement each other well.

There are a few times in the book where the author does not always connect how characters get from one point to another. Right at the first page, the two main characters somehow get into a coffee shop and are in line to order. However, I had no idea when they got there. So while the internal thought processing of the main character introducing you to the world was well done, the movements of the characters were not well mapped in the narrative. It is understood later in the book that this is a routine for the characters, but at the beginning of the book I almost did not get past the first couple pages because I could not figure out what was going on and where. So the beginning could have been better explained and slowed a bit.

I really like the concept of angels, the prophecy, and the spaces between heaven and earth. I loved learning about the fairies too! There were so many elements that I look forward to learning more about when I get to the novellas.

There was a heavy element of romance. I'm not a big romance reader, but the author made it overall cute and enduring.

This is a very well done book. I am excited for the second installment. Exciting stuff to come! Boy, was there a big moment in the last few pages for the characters!!!
2541064
My Thoughts:
  This is a wonderfully creative story.  Well planned and well paced.  I enjoyed the characters immensely.  What I fell in love with though was the idea behind the story.  The idea of people's perceptions: of themselves, of others and of what the world should be like.
  I love the comparison of the belief systems of the two main characters, Zoe and Noah.  Noah's belief in faith and God drives him while Zoe believes in science, technology and the absence of religion.  Although they appear to be as different as two people can be, they find themselves believing in each other.
  This is not your typical "good vs evil" story.  Although there is an obvious bad guy, the story isn't necessarily about him or even a battle against him.  This also is not your typical YA love story.  It is a love story, it is about battles against good and evil, right and wrong.  Perception seemed to me to be more of a story of the battle each character has within themselves, what they believe and who the believe in and why.
  Lee Strauss has created a fantastic and harsh world.  She has filled that world with characters that fall into two categories, Naturals and GAPS, and the two groups are worlds apart on almost every level.  To achieve this variety takes insight, imagination, an open mind, and dedication to detail in every aspect of the story.
  This is the beginning...I can't wait to read the rest!
2357886
I really enjoyed this story. It is a fun creative imagining of a colonial world where magic exists but is more for function than for mysticism. I like how the oppressive quality of the church is presented and is in conflict with the scientific method of study. The nod to the works of James Fenimore Cooper is a nice touch. I know there were to be at least two more novels in the series plus a short novella but sadly that's all been tied up in legal battles.  I hope some day the series continues and we find out how the colonies win their independence
2656586
This is such a fun story! Very creative and I like what they did at the end of the book--My friend's child really enjoyed going back through it with that little twist. Can't wait for the next one to come out!
2534387
I picked this up during an Amazon promotion, and by my own admission I did so because I'm a writer myself thinking of trying a book for younger readers with a couple of ideas and wanted to see what some other indie authors are doing. This book turned out to be so much fun that I read the whole thing, without really thinking about analysing it at all. Any book that can make me turn that part of my brain off is worth a 4 star review just to begin with.

The main character/narrator will appeal to anyone who likes troublemakers. He's very likeable, and I think would appeal to boys and girls. Perhaps because he doesn't seem to look for trouble on purpose (mostly) and even when he's clearly not enjoying the situation, the reader certainly will. And Drew Montgomery has a knack for finding creative ways to deal with awkward situations. And Drew Montgomery is such a cool name for a character I really wish I'd thought of it! Really, by the end of the book I practically wanted this kid for a son (For the record, I don't have any kids so far, so none are going to read that!) There I think perhaps lies another great strength of this story: any adult who reads this to a child stands a good chance of liking the story themselves.

Any kid who's ever disobeyed a parent or secretly wanted to will love this book. So will any adult who looks back on such occasions and laughs. There's a typical boys vs girls dynamic in this book that smacks of Judy Blume, and reading it felt like a throwback to when I was that sort of age and took reading this sort of fiction a lot more seriously.

The book itself is well written and edited and captures the voice of a young boy very effectively. Rachel Elizabeth Cole has a very economical style and is great with similes. Any school teacher who wants to teach kids about comparative language and how to create an engaging voice with a first person narrator would do well to use this as a good example of both. It also has a pretty decent central message with characters who learn a fair bit about life.
809087
I really enjoyed this book. It was smart, creative, and funny. The seasonal format was fantastic and let the authors have the opportunity to flesh out a lot of the characters. It also helped the story not have a lull and I read the whole book in one go.

I didn't mind the language as it seemed to always fit the situation. I laughed quite a bit while reading it.

I'll definitely be recommending it to my friends and do a reread (which getting me to do both is why this gets a 5 star review).

Is the story perfect? No. However, it is incredible impressive for self published authors and I see this duo just getting better. The creativity is plain to see and that's one of the most important parts to me. I hope to see a sequel as I think the end of the story left it open for one.
4767295
Familiar setups and semi stereotypic  characters are made new and fun.  I loved the lightness hiding the darkness and can't wait to find out more about Kid and her crew. I think there are some amazing backstories to be told. Please write faster!
3854355
What a fun idea, to combine an authors works from the previous anthologies into oneplus a bonus, new story. I loved OUR SONG! Its so easy to get caught up in an idea of what you want and completely miss what you already have. What a timely message.

The other stories were like a trip down memory lane for me, full of the warmth and wit and fun that Ive come to expect from Annette Lyons stories. This is an anthology I could read again and again.
1494231
Loved the story!  Positive fun. Makes me want to read the next one  right away.  Very Clever,great concept.  What is not to like?
3121098
I loved the premise of this story and in the end can say this was a great idea that turned out good. Eamon and Laurel's story had a load of potential and given more time and development, I have no doubt I would have given a higher rating. While in college Laurel is crazy about Eamon who she met in a precarious position with her roommate. Eamon is a playboy college athlete who falls for Laurel regardless of the circumstances under which they met. The insta-love is believable, palpable even. These two have great chemistry and the sex is amazing. But, I felt like I got half of a story and a great Epilogue. Claudia seemed totally crazy and could have had her obsession issues lend to a little more substance (instead of just a crazy chick who is obsessing over a guy even though she still sleeps around?) Noel adds a great comedic element that is underused. Again, the story is good, and I am all good with this being a short, hot, quick read that is all sex and a couple laughs. But it really leaves you feeling like these was more to the story that your didn't get. Celia Aaron is a new author to me and I received this copy free in exchange for an honest review. (less)
3708573
I really enjoyed this story, as did my 3.5 year old son.  We had a lot of fun narrating the story, and talking about all of the things that Rex was doing and interacting with.  Very creative, I can't wait for the film adaptation.  The art style is wonderful and otherworldly.
3380895
Fun and addictive story, I'd recommend trying this book out