Touchback by Don Handfield: 5+ stars

Let me just say right off that this goes on my Highly-recommended-and-I’ll-tell-everyone-I-know-to-read-it list. Yes, I have just such a list. It’s not very long. This book definitely makes it on.

So I guess you can say I really, really liked this book. 

The basic premise is familiar: what if you were given a second chance to change the moment that destroyed your life? That’s exactly what Murphy, a former high school football star, gets. Two completely different futures hinge on what he decides. He’s okay with that, but what he didn’t expect was that either way, a sacrifice is required.

This book works on several levels: as a story about second chances; superb character development and descriptions; as a reflection on what sacrifice and love really are; and ultimately about figuring out what’s really important. This is an easy read with profound consequences. Go buy it.

http://www.amazon.com/Touchback-ebook/dp/B007TXT9XA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349339357&sr=1-1&keywords=Touchback

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Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey: 5 stars

Occasionally I read a book that sinks its teeth into me, rather than the other way around. This week, I read two such books back-to-back: Touchback and Cold Kiss. I actually couldn’t start another book right away, and had to pause for a while after each of these to let the ending and the overall emotional echo really sink in.

When Danny dies in a car crash, Wren is heartbroken. Until she finds a way to bring him back. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned and she learns too late that bringing back the dead doesn’t bring back everything. Now she has to figure out what to do with a creature who looks like her beloved but isn’t really him, all the while hiding the truth, keeping up with her homework and avoiding a new student who has figured out what she is.

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey is unlike any other YA paranormal book I’ve ever read. Intensely written, emotionally deep – not how I would describe the average YA book out there. The characters were real and unique, with clear voices and intriguing backgrounds. I highly recommend this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Kiss-ebook/dp/B004U73BUK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349696926&sr=1-1&keywords=Cold+Kiss

Humans or Holograms: Make your choice

Who’s your favourite singer, is he / she human or hologram and are you sure? Don’t be too quick to answer. You never know: you may be cheering on a holographic image. That was certainly the case when in 2010, a Japanese hologram belted out pop songs to sold-out concerts. I know, tough to believe. So take a look:

Yes, that’s a hologram (of sorts), a trick of light that creates an image that looks three-dimensional and, in the case of Hatsune Miku, sings and interacts with a crowd of fans. While she does have certain cartoonish features, Miku is impressively solid looking nonetheless. I wonder if rock stars shuddered and actors groaned, because if this technology gets any better, movie directors and music agents might start eyeing the low maintenance holograms who’ll work any hours, anywhere in any role for a very low hourly rate of a few watts of electricity.

I stumbled upon this video clip after writing Dragon’s Mind, and I was thrilled when I found it. I was also relieved that one of the key technologies in the story actually exists (and not just in my imagination). Dragon is an intelligent operating system that uses a lab-grown brain as his main component. But when Dragon is connected to a projector, the hologram he selects for himself exposes a dirty secret with big impacts: his brain wasn’t created in a lab but was extracted from a murder victim.

The story in part relies on this projector technology and the solid looking hologram, as it allows Dragon to interact with the other characters in a human-like manner. It’s particularly key in developing the relationship between him and Myth, the daughter of Dragon’s inventor. 

So thank you, Hatsune Miku and Cryton Future Media, for proving that Dragon’s Mind isn’t as farfetched as I first thought.

Cassidy Jones and the Vulcan’s Gift, by Elise Stokes: 5 star

I hate giving 5 stars. Here’s why:

a)     There are people out there who suspect that 5 stars are from best friends or review swaps or paid for etc (I write only honest reviews, with no incentives or favours given or received); and

b)    What if the author’s next book is even better and you can’t give out more stars?!

But sometimes I just can’t resist. This is definitely one of those times. I loved this book! Seriously, and I’m not a young adult. In ‘Cassidy Jones and the Vulcan’s Gift’, Cassidy and Emery are back for more adventure as they try to capture a runaway tiger and stop an evil plot that could lead to world domination. What’s not to love, right?

More specifically, I loved the complex characters that Elise Stokes has created. Even the ‘minor’ characters are real and have a life. Cassidy and Emery don’t fit into the typical YA lit stereotype, in which one character (usually the girl) is waiting to be rescued or protected by the other; nor are they trying to prove anything or kill off another tribe or gang or whatever. I like how Cassidy’s family is united without being sappy about it. The parents are actually intelligent and connected with their kids’ lives. There’s a good balance of adventure, mystery, drama and humour with a touch of romance (but not too much, thank heavens).

What I don’t like: Book #3 isn’t out yet. Ugh. I want more.

Definitely highly recommended for anyone looking for a fun read! 

http://www.amazon.com/Cassidy-Jones-Vulcans-Adventures-ebook/dp/B006HYLY3K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349250123&sr=8-2&keywords=cassidy+jones+and+vulcan%27s+gift