Librarian says Paradox is “An urban fantasy that Floridians, food lovers, and adventure seekers will surely enjoy”

by Admin | Apr 28, 2015 | Unelmoija

Erin Cataldi, avid reader and host of Tragically Dull Adventures of an Almost Librarian, read the print edition of Unelmoija: Paradox. She had previously read the print edition of Unelmoija: The Timeshifter (see Timeshifter “will captivate and intrigue readers” says librarian reviewer) as a stand alone book without reading the previous three books of the series first. She kindly shared her views on her website, Amazon, Goodreads, and Library Thing. With her permission below is a screen capture (love the artwork on her site!) of her post and the review. Thank you Erin!

Almost Librarian Unelmoija: Paradox review screen capture – click to enlarge

An urban fantasy that Floridians, food lovers, and adventure seekers will surely enjoy

The fifth installment of the Unelmoija series answers some questions and raises others. Amy and Kat still reeling from the death of their mother are trying to move on with their lives. Their grandparents and Duncan have moved in, hoping to raise their spirits and morale. They cope the only way they know how, by eating copious amounts of food. The most described and detailed part of this book are the massive meals (and I do mean massive) and it just made me want to eat! All eating aside, the proverbial shit hits the fan when, Vlad (the traitorous friend mentioned earlier in the series) , storms into their house and demands that the family help his father. Vlad’s father, Klaus, is suffering from a severe meltdown and is convinced that Kat and Amy’s dad is responsible for his dad’s death. If he doesn’t get the chance to kill him, he threatens to destroy the nuclear power plant and kill all of Florida. Amy promises to help find him some answers because she’s not convinced that her father is a murderer (although he is a jerk). What she discovers will change the very fabric of their lives and all their futures.

While it can be confusing at times, readers will enjoy the timeshifting and troubling consequences that arise from it. Definitely ambitious, there is a twist at the end that will leave many wondering about more titles in the series. An urban fantasy that Floridians, food lovers, and adventure seekers will surely enjoy.

Erin Cataldi, librarian and reviewer

She is a self described “Crazy cat lady librarian” from Franklin, Indiana. To see her original post and visit her website go to http://barbarianlibrarian1.blogspot.com/2015/04/unelmoija-paradox.html

Reviewer says check out Dreamshifter

by Admin | Apr 23, 2015 | Unelmoija

So for all you Urban Fantasy fans out there, check out Unelmoija: Dreamshifter

I don’t typically read a lot of Urban Fantasies. When the opportunity comes along, I’ll read them, but they aren’t something I’ve typically gone out of my way to find. I’m not sure why, because when I’ve read them, I’ve enjoyed them. But when it comes to fantasy, I’m more of a classical Lord of the Rings fantasy fan. That being said though, I really appreciate the genre, and Unelmoija is no exception.

Elle Boca seems to follow the classic Hero’s journey model. The role of the reluctant adventurer is filled nicely by Amy. The mentor figure is in the guise of Duncan Bittersdorp, he becomes a kind of Obi-Wan Kenobi to Amy, teaching her about the Weeia, her powers, the political organization of her people, etc.

Along her journey, Amy is met with many dangers, some life threatening, some emotionally devastating. But it’s watching her journey, and her growth and acceptance of her powers that draws you along through the story. As this is the first chapter in a 5 books series, I’m not completely sure of the overall plot as of yet. The author leaves a lot of questions at the end. Why are they trying to kill Amy, and who are they? Is her father, a good guy, or evil personified. Like you, I’ll simply have to read the next novel in the series to find out.

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, and the idea of Vampires and Werewolves leave you with Not another one, then you’ll find this a refreshing story. It comes across as more of a female superhero story, with her, much like young Peter Parker, discovering the extent of her power and what having them means to her future. So for all you Urban Fantasy fans out there, check out Unelmoija: Dreamshifter. Be sure to drop back by and let us know what you thought.

Rick Rhodes, reviewer

Book reviewer features Timeshifter

by Admin | Apr 16, 2015 | Unelmoija

Sabrina, host of Breenibooks.com, likes to read and review books on her website. She first profiled Unelmoija: The Dreamshifter (see Book reviewer website spotlights Dreamshifter), followed by Unelmoija: The Mindshifter (see Book reviewer website spotlights Mindshifter), Unelmoija: The Spiritshifter (see Book reviewer features Spiritshifter) and most recently Unelmoija: The Timeshifter. Thank you, Sabrina!

Breenibooks.com spotlight of Unelmoija: The Timeshifter – click to enlarge

Sabrina, an eCommerce manger by day, is the mother of three boys. She enjoys reading and reviewing “lots of business strategy and marketing books” and the occasional fiction title. To see the spotlight of Unelmoija: The Timeshifter, book four of the Weeia Miami urban fantasy series, and visit Sabrina’s website go to http://breenibooks.com/2015/04/unelmoija-timeshifter.html

Author recommends Dreamshifter for “a fresh and engaging take on urban fantasy or paranormal romance”

by Admin | Apr 13, 2015 | Unelmoija

Combining an interesting twist on the modern world and fast-paced plot with a growing friendship that doesn’t escalate to obsessive commitment in the first book, Boca avoids the clichés of paranormal romance without abandoning the frisson.

Following false accusations of theft, Amy has moved to a new area of Miami. While out jogging she is approached by a man claiming to be the father she thought missing since childhood, who asserts Amy is part of another race. But before she has processed this, they are interrupted by a young man who accuses her father of only using her for a scheme. Knowing she is special, but not who to trust, Amy finds herself caught between warring factions.

Containing no mention of vampires or werewolves, and little similarity to classical Western magic, Boca’s mythology provides the reader with an opportunity to unravel the truth along with the character without any confusion or disappointment from comparisons to other works. In addition to this freshness, the magical structure revealed appears both consistent and plausible.

Both the immediate plot and the wider society created by the addition of this paranormal structure to the modern world are similarly engaging. And – while Amy does rapidly find herself facing a high-powered conspiracy – her involvement grows as a logical result of who she is and how she reacts rather than by constant coincidence.

However, Boca’s narration is more likely to cause readers issues. Using a mixture of close first-person description of events as they happen and brief statements of past events, it bears some similarity to a Shakespearean play: of Amy stepping back from the scene to deliver back-story and thoughts directly to the reader. This is particularly noticeable in the first chapter, which features both Amy’s discovery and use of her dream-shaping powers and the kidnapping of Amy, her mother, and her sister each delivered as a paragraph of fact rather than integrated into the story.

Most unfortunately, much of this information unloaded onto the reader wasn’t necessary to understand the story: while it might be relevant later in the series, Amy’s previous kidnapping didn’t appear connected to specific events and – without resonance – didn’t create a feeling that Amy had been constantly under threat even before her father appeared.

Amy’s portrayal is similarly divided: half of her is a sympathetic character struggling to make choices and find allies in a world she doesn’t fully understand; the other delivers laundry list descriptions of what she and other people are wearing and displays as little actual emotion from her past as her blunt descriptions of it evoke.

Freed of the act of narration, the supporting characters display Boca’s skill at creating interesting stories without the unfortunate distancing effect of talking to camera.

Overall, the reader’s opinion is likely to turn on their stance on internal monologues: a reader who prefers to be immersed in the story is likely to find the narration distracting; whereas, one who is more tolerant of being told facts to serve the story rather than because it is plausible they are mentioned, will appreciate the story and world.

I enjoyed this novel. I recommend it to readers looking for a fresh and engaging take on urban fantasy or paranormal romance.

I received a free copy from the author with no obligation to review.

Dave Higgins, speculative fiction author