Starving Review: Scion of Conquered Earth (SCION Book 1) by Michael J. Allen

Scion of Conquered Earth (SCION Book 1) by Michael J. Allen (Amazon, Goodreads)

Good morning, my literary foodies! Today, I have another fresh review served up piping hot from the pantry, this time a dystopian YA space opera, Scion of Conquered Earth by Michael J. Allen. Such a mix of ingredients should lead to a tasty genre fusions as long as everything is baked properly, but it could just as easily turn sour. Does Mr. Allen succeed in the kitchen?

Before we find out, let’s renew our pledge to the Starving Review principles:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible

Starving (Audio)review: The Flight to Brassbright by Lori Alden Holuta

The Flight to Brassbright by Lori Alden Holuta, narrated by Lea Popielinski (Audible)

Good morning, my literary foodies! Let’s start our Friday off right with a quick Starving Audioreview for a meal I’ve previously dined on in the written form, The Flight to Brassbright! A coming of age steampunk adventure, it was a delightful read but how well does Flight stack up in an audio format?

Quite well, as it turns out! The audiobook edition is completely unabridged so listeners won’t miss any of the original tale while the narrator does an excellent job both voicing the main character Constance while providing a broad range of accents and vocal stylings to bring the rest of the cast to life. There is a lot of heart to her narration, something that gets across the delightful sense of wonder and discovery that characterized the original book.

Definitely deserving a hearty round of applause all around, the audiobook edition of The Flight to Brassbright is well worth a listen, as excellent as the written edition. If you’re an on-the-go audiophile who wants to hear some fun and wonderful steampunk literature, definitely pick this one up. If you’ve read the book and are curious, rest assured this is a worthwhile purchase!

FINAL VERDICT: ***** (As wonderful and heartfelt as the written edition!)

Starving Review: Lynne & Hope by Joey Paul

Lynne & Hope by Joey Paul (Amazon, Goodreads)

The difficulty sometimes with sitting down to a young-adult themed meal when you’re pushing forty should be obvious.  If I need to spell it out, well, it’s the fact that you aren’t the age the meal is flavored for, so you may not always be able to enter that mindset.  I almost fell into that trap myself when I starting digging into Lynne & Hope, but I managed to pull myself out before I went too far astray.  Does that mean good things or bad things for the quality of the meal?

Before we find out, let us open up the rules of the Starving Reviewer:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible

Starving Interview: Joey Paul, author of Lynne & Hope

A double review day brings a double interview day!  Our busy kitchen is ushering in Joey Paul, the chef behind Lynne & Hope, our second review subject this week.  Let’s see what she has to tell us!

Starving Review: The Kingdom Lights by Steven VS

The Kingdom Lights by Steven VS (Amazon, Goodreads)

It’s true.  I’m a sucker for any kind of fantasy meal.  The more imaginative the ingredients, the more I love it.  So, when I opened up the pantry last week to find out my next meal, I was pleased as punch to find The Kingdom Lights, which promised an imaginative world, magic, adventure, and all of that good stuff.  Would it live up to my expectations or join the buffet table of by-the-numbers, mediocre meals out there?

Before we cut into this particular pie, let us read the Starving Review creed, etched in the stones of the kitchen floor:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible

Starving Review: The Flight to Brassbright (The Brassbright Chronicles Book 1) by Lori Alden Holuta

The Flight to Brassbright (The Brassbright Chronicles Book 1) by Lori Alden Holuta (Amazon, Goodreads, Smashwords)

It’s quite remarkable that I have had so few steampunk platters dropped off into my pantry.  For such a diverse and popular style of cooking, I certainly expected to be overwhelmed with them when I first began this quest for fine literature!  You must be able to imagine my delight to find this shiny, brass serving tray come up in line as my next treat to dissect.  However, I’ve been betrayed before by genres I adore!  Will this meal end in triumph or tragedy?

Before I answer that burning question, let us remember the Starving Review creed:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible

Starving Interview: Lori Alden Holuta, Author of The Flight to Brassbright

Good morning and good Friday, my cuisine hearts!  It’s time once more to serve up a steaming hot review as well as spend some time in the kitchen with the chef behind the meal.  Today, we break bread with Lori Alden Holuta, author of The Flight to Brassbright, book 1 of The Brassbright Chronicles!  Let’s get down to it!

Starving Review: Heart of Earth (The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek Book 1) by Mark Laporta

Heart of Earth (The Changing Hearts of Ixdahan Daherek Book 1) by Mark Laporta (Amazon, Goodreads)

One of my long-time favorite menu items, science fiction will never get old for me.  As I started my sci-fi binge at a young age, it was heartening to see more young-adult focused science fiction still being put together in literary kitchens across the world.  Of course, the proof is literally in the pudding (sweet, sweet pudding) so let’s pick apart the menu for this YA sci-fi meal, Heart of Earth!

Before we get to the main course, let us never forget the Starving Review rules:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible

Starving Review: Ben Brown’s Flying Machine by Michael Thorp

Ben Brown’s Flying Machine by Michael Thorp (Amazon, Goodreads)

Some literary delights promise it all!  Action, adventure, spirituality, deep characterization, coming-of-age, science fiction, this week’s meal seeks to deliver all of that and more to its readers.  It’s a tall order for any book to deliver on, but it’s far from impossible!  Let us break out the forks and knives to cut into this layer cake of story and find out!

Before we cut in, let’s recite the Starving Review creed:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible.

Starving Review: Reincarnation (The Seven Uniters Book 1) by Alicia J. Love

Reincarnation (The Seven Uniters Book 1) by Alicia J. Love (Amazon, Goodreads)

Young adult sci-fi romance, it’s a mixture of a lot of popular tastes these days.  Conceptually in the same realms as the paranormal romance that still sells piles of books, Reincarnation tries to turn away from the Twilight crowd, using a nice dollop of alien worlds and even a hint of superhero chocolately-ness to make its own mark.  Do all of these new flavors make for a brilliant recipe or a deflated souffle?

Before we find out, it’s time to bring out the Starving Review creed:

1. I attempt to rate every book from the perspective of a fan of the genre
2. I attempt to make every review as spoiler-free as possible.