Feb 18, 2012

I'm Back!!!

Sorry everyone.... I have been a busy busy man, but I have cleared up some time. I am ready to start posting again!

The first book review will be The Seven and the next will be The Wizard Rising.

Feb 2, 2012

Busy, Busy....

Well I am working on my review of "The Seven", but work has been kicking my butt! I will probably get it posted tomorrow!

Now if only I could finish my other big project.... Naming my book!

Jan 27, 2012

Inspiration

So I am reading this book that is written by a 17 year old, and wow I am impressed!

The book is called "The Seven" and the authors name is Derek Edgington. I will be doing a review of the book for him as soon as I get it finished so I wont say much about the plot, but I will say that he has inspired me to continue writing and stop making excuses. If a 17 year old can write this well then I think I can follow in his footsteps and start writing! Lets just hope I can write half as good as he can and I will be set!

I can't wait to see this young authors career flourish!


Jan 24, 2012

Book Cover


Well I think I got the picture I am going to use for my book cover... Of course it will look nothing like this picture but this is what I want the main character to look like. The background wont be a wall, it wont be nearly as bright, and it wont be a stick that he is holding.





Jan 20, 2012

Amount of Females > Than the Amount of Males.

Am I the only one that has noticed more females than males in the book world? I swear if I run into one other male that reads books as much as I do then I will truly freak out, but I meet 9 females every hour that read as much as me?!?

I just don't get it. Do males hate to read? Am I doomed to be a lone male reader in a female readers world? (Not that I am complaining or anything)

I am a member of goodreads.com and on that website the top rated books are all Young Adult books with a female leads and female authors. What?!? So I did a little research and I figured out that the ratio of females to male on that website is 4 to 1. (I made that up completely) I also realized that the men who do read are less likely to post reviews and rate the books.

Okay I don't know where I am going with this post.... I am just ranting (slightly). Leave your thought in the comments...

For my next "random" post I will explain why I dislike YA books with female leads by female authors. (Not a bad reason like you think)

Jan 19, 2012

Review Requests and Beta Reading

Although I constantly have a list of 5 - 10 books to read at a time, I would love to accept and review books for any author. I will be fair and honest in my reviews, I don't get paid to review so honesty is all you can expect from me. I will try to be timely with my review, I do have list of books to read but if you trust me to give a review for your book then I will make every effort to move you to the front of my list. I will also post my review to sites like goodreads.com, amazon.com, etc. If you would like my services or if you would like to talk about anything at all, fill free to e-mail me. E-mail me at jeremiah.dreier@yahoo.com for my information.

I am also willing to take review requests. If you would like me to review a specific book please email me at jeremiah.dreier@yahoo.com as well.

My First Review Copies.

Well I think I might be getting my first set of books to review from an author. He is mainly looking for typos, but he shall get an honest review as well. I am excited to help him out, I just hope I live up to his expectations! I think that even if I don't get a review copy from the author, I am still going to get the books do what he asked!

So if you guys haven't noticed, I have changed my review style with each review that I have put on here. I am trying to figure out what I like, and what the reader would like. If you have any ideas please leave a comment and let me know. I know I am going to shorten my summery of the book. I am going to leave the "back of the book" or blurb section. A rating system will be added, and my final thoughts section with always be there.

Well I thought I would tell you what I am reading right now...

I am Currently Reading -


I really haven't decided what to read after this one. It depends on if this author sends me his books!

Jan 18, 2012

Help from Michael Langlois!

Well just a few days ago I decided I need help writing my book. I was looking around at different software program and book that would help me keep everything organized and in one place. Most of these programs and books were for more money then this broke guy has so I was pretty much out of luck. Then out of no where Michael Langlois (Author of Bad Radio and Walker) posted a blog post on Goodreads.com with an Excel worksheet that has everything I need.

Hopefully with his Novel Planning Worksheet I should be able to keep myself organized. You can read the original story here and grab the worksheet for yourself.

The Academy: The Central #1 Review


Back of the Book:

Alex Warner’s life hasn’t been a great success – so maybe its better that he can’t remember any of it, even the fire that killed his family, the one he was blamed for setting. Still, a horrifying attack by werewolves in a city park is a new and violent low, until Mitsuru, a woman with odd red eyes and tremendous powers intervenes, turning Alex’s world upside down.

Waking to find himself in a hospital bed in a very different place – the Academy, a school in a hidden, fog-shrouded city named Central, where teenagers with remarkable abilities train to become Operators like Mitsuru, soldiers who use their amazing and frightening powers to fight Witches, Weir, and each other. And Alex is the Academy’s newest student.

In a class of students who can read minds, turn to stone, and sort through possible futures – and staff who can control emotions, set fires with thought, and level mountain sides on a whim - Alex is quickly in over his head. Worse, he has caught the interest of both the cartels vying for control of Central – the fragmented and aristocratic Hegemony, and the ruthless and dictatorial Black Sun. Alex is forced to make his way through a school populated by telepaths, vampires, and most puzzling of all, a number of girls who seem interested in him: Emily, lovely and almost powerless, with orders to make Alex fall in love with her; Anastasia, a Machiavellian heiress trapped in the body of a adolescent; and Eerie, only half human and not entirely sane, but strangely captivating.

All the while, an elite cadre of Operators drawn from the staff of the Academy, the Auditors, fight brutal battles against the Witches and rebellious cartels, as Alex attempts to navigate the Byzantine politics of Central in the hopes of survival, passing grades, and possibly even a girlfriend.

My Thoughts:

This is a very interesting concept for a book. The easiest way to explain the plot would be this; The Justice League (or any superhero group) is run like the Mob. I know that doesn't tell you much, but neither does the book.

Alex is a confusing character for more than one reason but mainly for the fact that his decisions and actions have no basis. And by basis I mean that the Author gives us no sense of his morals. Yeah he doesn't want to shoot the class bully in the head, but why doesn't he? Yeah he is nervous about touching a girl, but is it nerves because he is new at it, or does it run deeper. Alex just jumps right into a completely new world and doesn't really bat an eye. He just accepts it and runs with it.

The Good:

This is a great story that uses all our favorite monsters, (werewolves, vampires, elves, witches, etc.) and incorporates "super" people all working together and against each other.

The Bad:

This book explains almost nothing. The author introduces you to an entire new world that has its own set of rules and regulations. Each person uses different protocols but you are never really explained what they are until way after you have probably deduced an answer. Their are a number of different things that I could point out that are just left unexplained in the book. Now I am sure the author will explain the unexplained in the next book, but it makes for a confusing and frustrating read. Out of the three people I know that started read the book, I was the only one that finished it.

Final Thoughts:

Expect to be lost on a lot of what is going on in the book. If you don't understand what is going on, then just keep reading until it starts making sense again. This is a very interesting book, and I am excited to read the next book, but I am just worried it will leave a lot of unanswered questions. The book is worth the read.

Jan 17, 2012

Ghost Story: The Dresden Files #13 Review


This book didn't live up to the expectations I have of Jim Butcher and The Dresden Files. It feels like Jim was under pressure to write a book and he struggled. It started really slow and continued that way for a good portion of the book, and it wasn't until the last 25% of the book that it got good....

This book made me feel as if Jim has run out of idea for Harry and was staling for time by A) writing a book that "kills off" the main character, and B) Introduces us to a Chicago that has changed drastically since Harry's death without really having to show those major changes happening. Unless he has a master plan for why all of the changes had to take place, then I can't see why he made them.

Final Thoughts:

The end of the book gives me hope for the series. I love Jim Butcher and his books, and I would hate to see this one fall into oblivion when there is still alot of life left in Harry (see what I did there). I will finish with this.... This felt more like one of Jim Butcher's short stories that he then expanded into a full blown novel

Jan 9, 2012

Bad Radio Review




Title:
Bad Radio (The Emergent Earth)
Author: Michael Langlois
Publisher: CeateSpace
Date of Release: August 21, 2011
Pages: 408
Series: Yes. Book 1

Back of The Book:

Sixty years ago Abe Griffin saved the world and gained eternal youth.
Or so he thought.

Now, a man who Abe believed to be long dead is killing the surviving members of Abe’s old squad in order to reclaim the relics that they have kept hidden for decades.

The relics form an ancient beacon that must never be used, in a ritual that must never be completed. But the end of the world requires more than just activating the beacon.
It requires Abe.

With help from the granddaughter of his oldest friend, Abe must learn the truth about his immortal body, while at the same time trying to stop a horrifying series of supernatural opponents from sweeping away everything that he cares about.


Review:

In the opening scene of this book, the main character Abe is chunking 60-pound bales of hay out of his ancient blue pickup into the loft of his barn. He has been working on this farm for 80 years, but he doesn’t claim to be a farmer. Abe is in his 80s, but you would never be able to tell.

With the body of a thirty year old, and the mind of a much older man, Abe had to hide his age from the outside world. Abe has had to watch all of his friends that survived the war, get married, have children, grow old, and retire. He has buried most of his friends as well as his beloved wife, and spent the last 5 years closing everyone out of his life. Abe is ready for his eternal life to end.

Abe was in his favorite chair with his 1911 pistol under his chin when he heard a knock at his front door. Standing on his doorstep was the very pretty granddaughter of his war buddy Patty. She needs Abe to come with her to see Patty.

Abe and Patrick were in World War II together, they were in a secret unit, their unit was different, and they were special. They saw things that they never thought they would have to see again. They stood up against a maniac and with an accident ruined his plans. 60 years ago that special unit saved the World.

Now Abe, with the help of some old friends, as well as new friends, must set out to save the work again.

Point of View – Langlois writes this story from the point of view of Abe. This should give us an insight into the mind of the main character, but I don’t think he takes full advantage of that opportunity. We never really get to see the emotional side of Abe, although this might be by design. The character development happens in the beginning of the book but with fewer and fewer developments later.

My Reaction – Although I really like the story, I didn’t get emotionally involved with any of the characters or the story itself for that matter. This is a nice book if you are in need of some reading material but don’t expect to fall in love with it. This book has some great action scenes that make the story move along, but they kind of run together.

Final Words - Buy this book for the sake of a good read. Don't buy this book if you are expecting a emotional connection with the story or the characters.

Where to Buy -

Jan 8, 2012

My Attempts at Being an Author

For those of you that haven't read my first post (meaning no one), I like to call myself an author. I am not published, and I haven't written anything, I just like the sound of it. I like to picture my name on the spine of a book, or at least my name on an e-book. So I have decided to stop calling myself an author until I actually have something tangible for people to read.

With that being said I feel like I must clarify, I do have 6 books in the works. What do I mean by "in the works" you ask? I mean that I have 6 different ideas for books, all at different stages of production. I would further break it down like this; 1 book is at the very beginnings of inception, 4 books have a general direction and story line, 1 book is at the final stage before actually writing the book.

The first book I mentioned is just a line on a word document with a simple idea. I will expand on the one line when I can, for now it will sit there as a line.

The next four I mentioned are a little further along than the first. They have the general story line, I know where I want to go with them, I have a main character in mind, and I might even have a few supporting characters worked out. These 4 books could be out of the development stages pretty quickly if I needed them to be.

The final book I am working on is out of the development stage, or it would be if a certain someone would actually sit down and write it. (the plan for today, if you haven't already gathered that much) This book has a beginning and an ending, this book has its characters and its props, and this book has three major plot devices I need to keep you reading. I could take what I have right now and write its outline and then the book itself....

So today I shall write. I don't know where today's adventure will take me but I guess we will see what happens together.


P.S. - I can't tell you what this book is about yet, but I will give you a few hints. There is time travel, there is a Japanese katana, and there is a drunken night (or two).

Work...

Well work has gotten in the way of my book review, but I should be able to get it finished and posted tomorrow sometime!

I am excited to get my first actual review up!

Jan 5, 2012

Books on my list to review...

Alright I thought I would give a list of books that I am currently reading and books that I have in line to read.

Reading Now -

- Bad Radio (The Emergent Earth) by Michael Langlois
- Walker by Michael Langlois

Next In Line -

- Guns of Seneca 6 by Bernard Schaffer
- Wanted by Jason Halstead
- Space Punk by C. E. Lange
- The Color of Night by Jack Thomas
- The Awakened by Jason Tesar
- City in a Bottle by Alex Patterson
- The Academy by Zachary Rawlins
- The Chronological Man: The Monster in the Mist by Andrew Mayne
- The Rexrider by Mark C. Angel

I have recently gotten into reading book from unknown and/or self published writers, and Amazon has been a great resource for finding these books. I got all of these on Amazon for my Kindle for a dollar or less. Let me know if you want me to read a specific book next to review!

New Book Reviewer...

Hey everyone. I am bad at these first posts, I can admit that. What do I say to the random people that have to stumble upon my blog to even read it? I know you aren't interested in me, right now you are interested to see if I can hold you attention for more than five seconds before you get bored.

Well I am not going to promise to hold your attention, nor am I going to promise that you will like what you read on this blog. I will do what my introduction and title reads. I will read books that I am interested in, and I will write an unbiased reviews on those books. I might also throw in a few ideas for books that I am working on. Yes, I am an aspiring writer.

My name is Jeremiah Dreier and I am a 22 year old college student and working man. I have lot of hobbies, but the one that takes up my time the most is reading. I love to read, there is really no better way to say that. I usually read between 1 and 2 books a week. That is pretty much my life in a nutshell.

I really hope you all enjoy this blog as much as I know I will enjoy writing it! Feel free to ask any questions if you have them!