Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

Dear Ms. Snyder:

I think your cover depicts the exact problems I had with this book: It looks like a modern girl dressed up in a costume and plunked down in a fantasy setting. Also, while this cover is beautiful, it is not the same woman that was featured on the cover of Poison Study. This wouldn’t bother me if the narrator had changed, but this is still all about Yelena. Please talk to your art department.

Magic Study is the second book in a trilogy featuring Yelena, a magic worker from the south (Sitia) who was kidnapped at the age of 6 and taken north to Ixia. Ixia is governed by a mysterious Commander who overthrew the monarchy that once ruled both the South and the North. Some of this information I know because I read Poison Study. I sensed early on that despite your promise in the coverleaf that this was a stand alone, readers would struggle with your world building.

Yelena was found in the north by Irys, Fourth Magician of Sitia. Irys takes Yelena south to meet her family and then onto the Citadel where Yelena is to be Irys’ student, to learn to harness and control her magic. Without this knowledge, Yelena could flame out and lose all of her magic. The reunion with Yelena’s family is a bit flat in that the parents are both alive but their feelings do not resonate. The feelings of Yelena’s brother, however, are strong and carry an important plot point throughout the story.

Dear Ms. Snyder:

I came across this book when I was perusing ebook releases. It had a gorgeous cover and an interesting summary. I did minor research and found it received a starred review from PW. I figured it was worth the risk (it was not an inexpensive book). I am glad that I picked it up.

The story is a first person narrative by Yelena, a condemned criminal who is given a chance to live. Yelena killed the son of her benefactor. According to the Code of Behavior that governs her country, Ixia (north), anyone who kills regardless of reason is sentenced to death. Yelena is sent to the dungeons where she stays for 1 year. At the time of her execution, she is offered the position of food taster by Valek, chief of security, right hand man of the Commander, etc. She accepts. The caveat is that Yelena is given a poison and the antidote, administered by Valek each night, is only good for a short period of time.

Her training as food taster was one of my favorite parts of the book. We aren’t just told that Yelena is a food taster, we are shown in great detail the skill involved in being a food taster and how one learns to be a food taster.

Dear Ms. Murphy,

I’ve had a copy of your first book “Urban Shaman” lying around the house for a while now but just never had gotten to it. Then I got my hands on a copy of your new Jo Walker series book “Thunderbird Falls” without realizing it was a sequel. Silly me. Well, I was all set to go back and read the first book since I get twitchy if I read books out of order but my blogging partner Jane urged me to read TF first. Turns out she just wanted to do an experiment on me to see if this book will stand alone or if we’d get hoards of your fans descending on us.

Well, I can tell Jane that I think TF stands alone very nicely. You give us enough detail about the characters and incidents of US to get new readers up to speed without bogging this story down. And I don’t think returning fans will be impatiently tapping their toes waiting to get back to the new stuff. Well done.

Dear Ms. Resnick:

I think that you are an underrecognized author who is on the cusp of a real breakthrough. Your entry from the Luna line was smart and funny.

Esther Diamond is the understudy to Golly Gee, a B list pop star with a mediocre voice and a yen for acting. The current Broadway production involves a magician's act. During the act, Golly Gee goes into her disappearing box and never reappears. Golly Gee's disappearance is just one of several disappearing acts gone bad. Esther Diamond has to solve the mystery before she is forced to be the next one in the disappearing act. With the help of a 300+ year old alchemist, Esther Diamond has to fight a virgin hunting demon in order to save herself and her friends.

The romance in this story is sparse but provide some of the best scenes. I hope you don’t mind me liberally quoting from your book but your dialogue is so superior than any words that I could use to describe it.
Lopez had a nondescript car parked illegally near the magic shop. A handy official notice propped in the window warned other cops not to make the …

Dear Ms. Lee:

You certainly are versatile. From writing category westerns to thrillers to fantasy novels. I picked up Shadows of Myth from the library and purchased the Shadows of Prophecy ebook. It was nice to read the two of them in a row.

Your stories, while eminently readable, are in part a retelling of the Jacob and Esau story with Troy and LOTR influences. Had you kept with the Jacob and Esau story, your series would have been much fresher and original. Instead, it felt a rehash of popular fantasy themes and if a fantasy luddite like myself is feeling that these books are retreads I can’t imagine what experienced fantasy readers must think.

If a reader can get past what seems like obvious copying (or heavy influencing, take your pick), it is an engaging series. Annuvil and Ardred were immortals who loved the same woman, an Ilduin. The Ilduin are women with great power led by 12 sisters. The oldest sister, Theriel, was coveted by Ardred, but of course, she loved Annuvil. Ardred and Annuvil warred over Theriel. Many generations have passed but the war between Annuvil and Ardred is reignited.

Shadows of Myth opens …