Koala Quill Review

 

I promised myself I would write about Koala Quill once I had tried it long enough to understand how it works. I don’t want to ramble, so I consolidate my thoughts in bullet points to my best recollection. (It still ends up like a ramble!) 

Koala Quill is a website made to motivate authors. The goal is to write every day, to monitor and consolidate progress, to challenge oneself, and to manage the effectiveness of one’s writing session with some incentives.

Interface

KQ is one of the cleanest and most effective websites I have ever encountered. I like the easy interface, and I have read through everything, although I still misremembered things and had to bother Philip a few times.

The mobile version works great as well although most of the time I can’t see all participants in popular guilds (same with desktop version, the expanding arrow doesn’t always work), but this is minor.

It’s not perfect for some other factors I will mention below, but overall, it still works well for me.

 

Free to sign up and ‘gamble’ with house money

This is the best factor to start. With all the scams going around and scammy ‘free trials’ that require bank details and the sacrifice of the firstborn, it’s easy to have trust issues. This (bank detail, not firstborn) would bounce me away before I start. KQ is free to sign up and you can also use a Google account.

Upon starting, user will be prompted to write, and as they write, they'll start earning. I didn’t know what to do, and I just stopped as soon as I could. If I remember correctly, I had 30 cents or something. Then I went into a panic mode again because I had to join a guild! Hold up, I'm not ready to commit, and I only had 30 cents! I was not ready to sell my kidney, and my neighbors were not around.

Fortunately, the cost of the guild would be on the house. If I lost it, it would be house money and my 30 cents. If I won it, I got it. Sounds great, right? The problem was that the available guilds might not be ideal for new users. It might have been ongoing for a while, which was the case for me. It’s not a pro-rated time you need to chase, but you are considered to be starting late with the same goal. I burned the midnight oil trying to catch up, and to my calculation, I had to be alive for 36 hours a day to catch up properly. I emailed Philip about this, and he added time for me, which made it possible for me to finish the guild on time.

 

Free Visionary plan trial as the start

Visionary is the highest tier, where you can earn one dollar a day just by writing. As a struggling indie author who is inept in marketing, this helps me not to bang my head against the wall, at least there is something. In all seriousness (although I was dead serious with my previous statement), it's effective to motivate me to write. More on this later.

Free Visionary Plan lasted for one week, but I was given another week's extension. It wasn’t enough for me to earn the cost for Visionary membership (but it’s possible if you want to get a lower-tiered membership, Scribe), but it added up to something that doesn't look bad without any commitment.

 

Guilds

I have joined many guilds, but soon realized the options were not great. There was one that required users to write only one minute a day, and another that will only start in a year. I thought they were generated by the system, but no, they were created by the users (These two must have been created by some loony toons). A guild is some kind of ‘contest’ with ‘wager’ where you hope that your opponents are too lazy or too busy to fulfil theirs. The rules are clear. The easier the guild is, the more likely you won't earn anything.

As mentioned, I'm almost always part of guilds, and I have been here two and a half months, currently in four simultaneous guilds. I have created multiple guilds as well, but there were a few that passed by with no takers (chickens), mostly because I set a very high goal, like 40 minutes of writing within a short amount of time commitment, but I had a few popular ones as well. Low goal guilds attract a lot of sign-ups, but tbh, they are not attractive because you will likely lock your money for a long time without a payback, as everyone can easily fulfill the requirements.

In my experience, it’s hard to earn anything with guilds. I think I’ve only earned a few dollars with many zeroes or pitiful payouts in cents. Maybe I haven’t found a magic formula yet, and everyone is still very keen, which is a good thing, of course.

Just take note in case you have the same problem as I did. Guild follows my time zone automatically, which I assume follows respective users’ time zone as well. However, it gets confusing for me because by the time my guild ends, it hasn’t ended for others yet (since I live in the future, duh). I learned this the hard way when I celebrated my win over my sole opponent in a guild, which meant I was the winner, and I took a decent amount of winning! But nope, apparently, that sucker at the other end of the world still had plenty of time to finish it, and he did! There goes my dream of getting rich from a guild. Sometimes I fell behind as well because the day ‘changed’ without my knowledge about the actual timing.

I asked Philip about this and received the information that KQ operates in ETC/UTC, and most users use time zones such as America/New York, America/Los Angeles, and America/Chicago. I can change mine in the settings, so at least it’s easier for me to follow with the actual timing when a guild starts/ends. Some mixed-up might appear when you change your time zone, like the wallet breakdown so take note of that, but it shouldn’t affect the overall.

  

Warning Emails

One thing that drove me nuts the first few times was the warning emails. I think it’s a template of something that doesn’t actually reflect the accurate progress in the guild. The first time I got it (or maybe I had missed the previous ones), it said that I would lose my money because I was falling behind. At that time, the guild was already over in my time, so I didn’t know what went wrong. I was sure I had finished it. I went to ask Philip, and he assured me that I was right. I still got the ‘inaccurate emails,’ like a few days ago, it warned me I was starting to fall behind with my guild, while I was actually 250 minutes ahead (around 8 days ahead and am close to the finish line. I have learned to be confident and ignore them, but it would be great if it reflected actual timing and didn’t try to send me into a panic mode.

Quill Mate

Okay, I have a strong opinion about this one, but I'm open-minded enough to admit that I could be wrong.

Whenever my brain is on fire, I write very quickly. I also have this insane competitive trait that I want to perform well. After looking at it (and reading about it), I decided to try one day. I clicked Join on someone looking for a quill mate. She had a ‘good’ star, so we started to write. I wrote a lot, and it ended up with me writing 20% more than her. I was happy with it.

The second time I tried was when I swore it off forever. This person had an okay star but not great, and asked for 20 minutes quill-mating. Again, I wrote quickly and realized it took a very long time, and the progress was not great. I could be reading it wrong, but I think I wrote 17 minutes while the other person wrote 2 minutes. I tried to slow it down to see if that was the case, but it still didn’t end (because he didn’t seem to be writing!). I finally wrote the last minute and we concluded it.

 

Quill mate warning

Of course, at this moment, I was pissed enough, I got some ‘report’ that I wrote 160% more than my mate for that session. This was okay, lesson learned. However, when I checked on his profile, his reputation had risen significantly, bright and shiny with the same score as mine, which should be impossible, that he was a generous quill mate, while it was not the case at all. Tbh, this annoys me a lot, which means it was not his actual performance and that stat would fool his next quill mate. Again, I could be wrong in interpreting it, but I’m very sure he barely did anything during those 20 minutes. So, no more quill mates for . I do better on my own. I wish there were an easier way to see how this works.

 

Koala Maze

As mentioned, when I am in the zone, I write quickly. Sometimes I had the pop-up with a green bar, which means there is more resting time as a reward, but when it happened, I would freeze and have a stage fright. However, more often than not, a koala maze would appear. I have to navigate the koala to pass the test that I’m not a bot. The thing was, I didn’t know what the koala liked! Strawberry? Car? Log? Joking. It’s easy enough, although it’s a true story that I got it wrong a few times because I was confused.

 

Payout

This might be everyone’s question. I am a very skeptical person, and I have trust issues with everything. I have read that KQ is legit, but it was only one or two articles, and to my knowledge, this is quite a new site. After my free trial ended, I thought I wanted to just stick with the Apprentice plan. However, I soon missed my daily motivation and the ability to join multiple guilds. I don’t have much hope of earning anything from guilds, but they are good motivations to write. I am not in a good financial place, but I want to invest in a good site and a good habit. The yearly plan was scary for me so I signed up for the monthly Visionary first, which cost $22. I want to verify and confirm that this is a legitimate site.

After a month had passed, I decided to upgrade to a yearly membership. Before that, here came the ultimate test: I’d try to cash out some amount of money through PayPal to see how easy or tedious it would be before I pulled the plug (or installed the plug?). It went well, so I went ahead with the yearly plan. Along the way, I also added to my balance so that I could join guilds for my 100k challenge motivation, and everything worked smoothly. Up to now, I can attest that this is a legitimate website and a good one to keep me motivated, which brings me to the next point.

 

Motivation

Writer's block be damned. There were times when I stopped writing altogether or just wrote a pitiful amount of words and called it a day. Personally, KQ raised my competitive self from the ground. I plan my schedule around it and would write much more before my busy days, so I wouldn’t fall behind the guild targets. I wrote during exercise, during walking like those phone zombies that I almost hit my forehead on an electrical pole. I avoided that, but then I hit the bottom of the escalator (true story) to fulfil my streaks. The 100k word challenge occurs during my busiest month, so I’m trying to write as much as possible before the holiday. It’s hard at times, but it really helps to get my butt out there.

Just like other users, I also realize that I’m too easily distracted. The amount of time I am in front of the screen and actually typing is horrible. Now that I have a time indication and a way to monitor it, it helps me to focus as well.

I would dig up something, a long-neglected WIP, a barely interesting competition (because I don't have good story ideas), and I actually started a new book because of this. I have been consistent, and according to the Koala on the top left, I have written 107k words since I joined in September (I have 71 streaks, so most likely that is the number of days I have joined), which is quite crazy because I remember dying a lot during multiple NaNoWriMo and only won once.

 

Other small stuffs

• It’s not easy to copy and paste a section of the draft (especially the middle part of the draft) using a mobile phone, as it would get chaotic in the same way as trying to move an image in Microsoft Word.
• Users have to be online to use KQ. Tthis is obvious, but a factor to consider because I love to write offline or if users visit a place with bad/no internet connection. There is an option to activate holiday mode.
• There is no actual community except for a limited chat function during a quillmate section which I never used. I don’t mind at all. Personally, it’s tiresome and it’s hard for me to keep up. Not everything has to have a community.
• When copying and pasting a draft from Koala to other software, sometimes the paragraphs are lumped together. Even publishing in KQ itself messes up the paragraph spacing. (Update, this still shows up as a big lump despite my effort in editing and fixing the spacing multiple times. I think it’s major enough because it affects readability).

So, here is my long-winded ramble.

Koala in shining armor

Oh, there is one best point, Philip will appear like a knight in shining armor to help with any issue. I have asked some stupid questions, but he helped me all the same. I always advocate this kind of service because it’s irreplaceable. I think it’s great and one of my biggest reasons to be here.

Overall: I really recommend Koala Quill.

You can use this referral link: https://koalaquill.com?rr=1877

 

 

In Lost Country and Other Divergences (Damir Salkovic)

 

In Lost Country and Other Divergences exceeds my expectations. The last two stories are nightmarish and might haunt me for a long time, but I’m glad I read them. They are not for the faint-hearted. Everything is shown in excruciating detail and beautifully, or should I say, grossly well-written. 

Each story has its own uniqueness and readers experience it through the characters, which I think says a lot about the author’s skill in looping them inside the stories. It makes them feel attached and invested. Some tales are so close to home and realistic, they feel poignant, and it adds to the ‘feels’ after reading them, which is the power of a good book. Even when the ending is not what I expected or hoped for, some because of supernatural factors, and there are tales with similar types of endings, it’s the journey to the revelation that is the strongest factor for most of them.

The Pale Man is one of the good examples of realistic built-up and the struggles of ordinary people, similar to the haunting Garuda, which is an interesting choice for the title because Garuda is also a fictional symbol in both Indonesian and Thai culture.

I applaud the level of knowledge shown by the author, and the captivating story ‘showing’ style that elevates this book in my opinion. It’s a five-star read throughout.

5 stars out of 5

 

The Hostile Future

 

The world is getting more hostile for the older generation. I’m looking at it from my parents’ perspective, and partially from my own. While I’m still capable of following technology, I am not always a willing participant. Why does everything need apps to function? Why do we need to log in to do things? Why does everything have to be digital? Why don’t we stick with printed-out menus instead of QR codes? It’s for convenience, and possibly other reasons, such as sustainability, etc. I GET IT. It doesn’t mean I agree with all of them, and it doesn’t mean everything is as justifiable as what we are told.

Scanning menus with QR codes is easier when we eat with a group of acquaintances, so that there is no awkwardness for splitting the bills or fuming because we eat a chicken’s toe, while Joe eats the whole cow, and the bill is divided equally. I’m channeling some of my work lunch frustration scenario here. Order separately, pay separately. Done. However, I can feel the helplessness of my parents when they are unable to do so, and they are considered advanced among their peers. Many people we know, younger than them, still use their phones for incoming and outgoing calls only.

When they eliminated the manual top-up for transit cards and replaced human cashiers with self-checkouts, it was a struggle for everyone who was not accustomed to technology and had to relearn everything, especially since the transition was not smooth at all. According to my dad, when he asked for help, the staff told him to ask fellow commuters. It was ridiculous. They eventually installed back a lone human to cater to people who need assistance and one manual machine option.

There was a time when we went to the barber and had to order a haircut through the screen menu. There were multiple errors with some registration problems, delayed responses, and missing OTPs (why do we need all those?). The staff was one meter away from our noses but insisted that was the only way, so we eventually gave up and walked out. It was a freaking haircut, less complicated than shaving my dog’s butt hair. What is wrong with accepting the money manually and being done with it? I know. I know. There is some payment authorization system there or some shit, but I think it’s stupid if this cripples the business.

Well, I guess it’s only time before I’m becoming a grumpy antique. I think there should be a manual option for EVERYTHING. It’s ridiculous that appliances have to be connected to Wi-Fi. It’s stupid that printers or some extra features in cars require subscriptions to work. It’s idiotic that we have to navigate the menu on the screen that costs us limbs to replace instead of turning the button to adjust the radio in our car. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, after all, I feel ancient, but mark my words as I shake my fist to the sky: Our reliance on technology will damn us one day.

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The Hostile Future

One for the Money, Two for the Soul (Brent Lindstrorm)

I didn’t have high expectations when I began reading this, but it has become one of the best books I've read this year.

It hooked me from the start, and although I drifted a bit in the middle, the build to the climax was amazing, and it was a very satisfying read at the end.

During a botched body and soul snatching operation, something went awry as a girl found half of her spirit gone. This is not a Bart Simpson-esque gig of selling his soul for five dollars to his friend, but it’s the literal meaning that something is missing from her head.

To be honest, it was hard for me to read about her antic, and this part felt a bit dragging. The character became much more endearing later on, but it was hard for me to believe that someone could put up with her for years while struggling to keep the children's home open, especially when her own father fell into despair, which was heartbreaking.

Her other missing soul went on a totally different journey as someone at the other end of the trait, where it was put inside a boy's body and trained to be a soulless assassin. While this sounds like a type of Michael Bay movie, I assure you that the characters and stories go much deeper than I had hoped.

Each character has their own distinction, even Theo the fat-flowing turd and great toadstool (love those) has his own depth, despite the limited screen time as the bottom feeder. Nome is a very interesting villain as well. I like getting inside his head, and he is not the typical mustache-twirling villain, while Burt and Cotton unexpectedly shine at the end.

The shenanigans when everyone comes together in a messed-up situation, the story idea, and the intriguing questions it poses make this a brilliant read. As a dystopian Sci-Fi writer myself, this is up my alley, and I hope to see this made into a movie one day. All the actions and tensions are above the industry standard nowadays, and we need more of this instead of the stale products we have out there currently. The multiple PoVs work well, and this is a very well-written gem.

 5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Round the World: A Life of Jeanne Baret (C.R. Hurst)

 

Round the World A Life of Jeanne Baret is a historical fiction about the character Jeanne, as she embarked on the trip that brings us along around the globe.

I applaud the amount of research that was dedicated to this book. This is the trip that many would never experience, even in modern times, so one could imagine how important it was back then.

While I understand that it was probably done to maintain accuracy and details, I wish the character were more relatable because instead of experiencing the journey through her eyes, I felt detached. There was barely any emotion, consideration, turmoil, but systematic thoughts and actions. I had no idea what she feels, her motivations, and what keeps her going, but the day-to-day, trip-to-trip technicality. People who are supposed to be important from her past are barely mentioned and seem to influence nothing along her journey until she is back with them. For example, I had no idea who Hubert was when he was mentioned again at the end of the book after one mention in the beginning. For his importance, especially when she reflects on her past with him and her decision to come back to the place, she never thinks of him throughout the other milestones of her life, which, imo, should be a very important detail.

There is also a mention of a particular flower that is very identifiable as Amorphophallus titanum as a huge, tall, green and red flower with a yellow pistil and a putrid, rotten cheese smell that is found in Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro. However, Tirta Arum, the common name of this flower, is endemic to Sumatra, Indonesia, and was first discovered in 1878, almost a decade after the time period of this book. I wouldn’t discount the possibility that it is only the official record, but one would wonder that for someone as famous as her in her field and a plant as peculiar as this one, this should be at least documented. While this is a small detail in the book, it would catch the eyes of people who might be familiar with it.

Having said that, readers to enjoy exploration journeys would find this book informative and inspiring.

3.5 stars out of 5

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I’m always impressed with people who have a lot in their lives but still maintain their positivity. As a contrast, I see many whine about every single inconvenient thing that happens to them to get attention.

I have just met a friend who survived cancer, hopefully it’s gone forever. We have been friends for over two decades, but just like with my other friends, we are not the type who contact each other daily, weekly, or even monthly. However, when we have an opportunity to meet, everything flows, and it feels like we have just met yesterday. For some reason, all my strong relationships are like that. We are not overly attached, but we are there when we need each other.

Everyone faces their challenges differently. To see the way she recalled the story, I was the one hanging my jaw because she had gone through such a shitty time from how she found out to her treatments, but she told it just like some inconvenience with jokes and laughter. I guess it helped a lot that she had good support around her, but her own attitude must have helped tremendously.

She is cleared now, but she has a long recovery journey ahead of her and has to learn to walk properly again. We are back to being thousands of kilometers away, each facing our own challenges in our lives. I hope we have plenty of opportunities to share laughter again in the future and to be as strong as her.

If you are one of those who are struggling with something you don’t talk about, I wish you strength and support, and know you have my admiration.

BOOK REVIEW: Collapse Years (Damir Solkovic)

Collapse Years is a book I would recommend for anyone who is looking for a good quality short stories. It exceeds my expectation, I like all the tales and how they are presented.

Touching deep and mature subjects, the stories are well-written, but the strongest factor of all is how every tale is presented through the lens of characters who experience it directly. It gives closeness, attachment, and readers are able to read along as if they are there.

The tales are dark and heavy, but they’re right up my alley. I also like that it explores various places and cultures. There are some minor nitpicks, like the first story is based on Indonesian culture, but chopstick is not the common utensil, especially not used to eat goreng, which is a term to describe how the food is prepared instead of the food. Komang is also a Balinese name, an area that has a very defined culture. It refers to the third child, while it’s not the case in the story, and usually, they would use the same way of naming for the first child as well. It can be important since there are a plethora of ghost types in the country, and Bali has its own, which doesn’t seem to be the type told in the story.

Almost every story ends on the right note. I can imagine this would make a good anthology for a TV series, similar to Black Mirror, but more realistic and sociological.

5 stars out of 5

BOOK REVIEW: Dusk (Mrs. Kimberly Tashner Shyu)

 

 

I didn’t have much expectation when I read the book, and I only read the blurb after I finished the book. I’m glad I did it that way.

The book follows a main character, Theo, in his younger days through his perspective, and the older him through the perspective of his android caretaker, set around five decades into the future.

The revelation between the two PoVs is clever, and the way the story goes back and forth, one moving to the future and the other reminiscing about the past, works well. It weaves readers into the plot, giving enough but not too much, with many intriguing world-building along the way. I kept thinking about 3 Body Problem, although it’s not similar, but imo, exploring humanity and how we deal with invasion threats are much more intriguing than the cliche Sci-Fi with green alien, especially when there is a relatable character with their ordinary lives. Older Theo is heartbreaking to read.

The characters are distinguishable and very believable. The only setback in this brilliant book, imho, is the ending. I like the ending, however, I don’t think there is enough build-up, not in terms of quantity, but more in potential and possibility. I feel that the attempt to hide the twist backfires a bit and dangerously leans into character inconsistency.

4.5 rounded up to 5

BOOK REVIEW: Treading Water (Jane C.R.Reid)

 Treading Water is an intricate tale that focuses on relationship between Saul, his wife, and his ex-mistress trying to rekindle their old relationship.

It's a tale as old as time. Most likely, everyone has seen, read, or encountered something like this before. However, what makes the book good is the consistency and realism of the characters. They maintain their respective traits like manipulative, doubtful, erratic, etc throughout the book and nothing is over the top, the scenario is very plausible and while personally the ending doesn't feel as satisfactory as what I would hope, it's a very realistic one.

There are hidden questions brought out but not addressed in detail, which is not necessary but it's good to ask in sync with reality, something probably controversial but shouldn't imho: should a man have a say in a situation when a fling ends up in pregnancy?

 

 

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Christmas Getaway (Flavia Labre)

 

The Christmas Getaway tells a story through two POVS: Bruno and Laura. They decide to spend Christmas in Bruno's family's holiday house, where Bruno plans to propose.

I think the author did a good job portraying the characters' body language and expressions, showing how they feel and what they think instead of telling them. The writing flows, and these two are the strongest factors of the book.

I can't decide whether this book is too short or too long, because by the time I have read 50% of the book, readers are none the wiser about what is going on, yet I have predicted the correct second half of the book. Imo, it's more optimal to be a short story since the effort to hide the character's real intentions from the readers becomes contradictory at the end. We are in the characters' heads in their own PoV, they shouldn't be tricky with their own actions. For example, without spoiling anything, Laura shouldn't clean the dishes first before doing the other thing.

If it's expanded to a longer story, more plots would be needed, but the potential is there.

4 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Hypocrisy vs. Mysticism, Wisdom, and Morality (LInda Meris)

 

It’s great if others find this book inspiring, because the messages are great and thoughtful.

I love to think that I’m an open-minded person, and there are many things we can’t explain and justify. Things that have been experienced and told by people I trust, and those I have read. Still, for me, I would have to exercise a lot of suspension of disbelief for this book. Many non-fiction paranormal and spiritual stories I know have similar things in common, one of them is the need for heavy communication interpretation because of the difficulty in channeling the messages. I wouldn’t say it’s not possible, after all, there are so many mysteries in this world, but the level of details and coherence throughout the wide topics of aliens, terrorism, music, politics, to name a few, makes me question it, about the process, and unfortunately, it is never properly explained.  

Putting aside skepticism, unfortunately, the book feels preachy, and there is a lack of background for readers who are not familiar with the character. There is a need for personal touch, because it’s very important to help understand the history and personality of the main character. Many wisdoms feel detached and generic.

Having said that, this review is my personal opinion. Books are subjective, and other readers might enjoy this. I do applaud the thoughtful philosophy and wise idealism.

3 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Ten Tiny Tales (Gene Kendall)

 

Ten Tiny Tales is a collection of short stories that vary from the light-hearted ones to those that pull your heartstrings. The tales are both about ordinary people with their ordinary problems and the more fugitive and hardcore ones. I’d say I prefer the first.

Sometimes I see the ending coming, but on others it makes me raise my eyebrows. My favourite tale is Save the Cat because of the mundane situations that are realistically relatable in real life, both in the problems and the frustrating side characters. Maybe that is also the reason that it’s this tale that still lingers after I have moved on.

Other less memorable ones are It Ends With a Tear and The Quotidian Struggle, in which I had to do a double-take to make sure I didn’t understand the stories wrong. There are other stories with common endings, but it’s enjoyable to get there with creative ideas like Mickey Mouse ones and That Is Not Funny. Bring on all the gross cards!

The tales are certainly worth reading, there are layers of meanings and relatable human struggles. I can also relate to the many Pop references.

4 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Borealis Queen (Henry Guard)

 

The Borealis Queen is a delightful read that exceeded my expectations. It follows Nin's transformation into the Borealis Queen.

Yes, there are some possible plot holes that raise my eyebrows and knock half a star for me, I still round it up. Although they significantly distracted me, fortunately, the rest of the book still makes up for them. For example, why would two prisoners have access to her weapon before her battle when the enemies know well what she is capable of? The other prisoner, access to her scout? The timeline of the princess's capture and how her tribe has sort of recovered within a short period of time. The powerful and conveniently forgotten sling through some moments like Artko's distraction and final square off?

Besides that, it's a very well-written and enjoyable book. When an enemy is conquered, others arise, keeping the readers on their toes. Although many prominent characters are introduced along the way, they each hold their own and are distinctive, leaving their own marks in the story. The story is fast-paced and very imaginative. The battles are great, vivid, and I feel like I'm there with them.

It's a very enjoyable read and worth every minute.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: A Quick Spin Around the Galaxy (J.A. Freely)

I had my own quick spin around the galaxy by reading this book. It introduces itself in the beginning as a non-fiction, a statement that gets better and better as the book goes on. We start by meeting one of the most unremarkable humans (although I’d admit he would make a better candidate than me, even in the beginning, as I would just suggest, “Do it, but do it quickly, please.”

The beginning feels a bit clunky to me, and I was afraid I had to suffer through the mediocre, predictable jokes, excessive name-calling (literal), and poopy burritos. However, I was pleasantly surprised because apparently, I care about the whales, too.

After the initial nitty-gritty before the journey, it became a treat to read the book and the plethora of imaginations and nostrils that come with it. It genuinely drew laughs and smiles from me, and the author does a good job inserting real messages without being patronizing, preachy, or cliché.

While I, a sadist, would love to see how Jake probably faces with ‘nothing’ back on earth at the end, with no one acknowledging his effort with his possible new tin foil Youtube channel and three subscribers, I think the story ends in a good note.

I’m still unsure what is going on in Nimpossipho with all the ice cream, but pass me the road-kill stew, please, as I’d love to recommend the quick spin and its exquisite cuisines.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Children of Jotunheim (Mehmet Caliskan)

 

Children of Jotunheim explores an idea that is a reflection of many aspects in real life. It's not unique, as there have been many books and stories that touch this subject. The presentation, however, is unusual. It reads more like a detailed exploration and expedition report that stretches throughout time. While there is a standout character, most of the books stay away from it, as if we readers observe the situation from far.

The ideas and plot, especially about how the colonization is revealed, are intriguing. Personally, I think it would be much more powerful if the book were more immersive, if the readers experienced all this from a character's point of view and were more involved, attached, and conflicted. It might not be the author's intention for the book, but I can't help but think how much potential it has and how stronger the story and message would be.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It just goes away very fast and feels detached to me. I wish to have a more immersive reading experience, as I love the idea and the world-building.

4 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Afterlife (Ed Morawski)

 

I rounded up my rating to 5 stars, but not because the book is without flaws. In fact, I can list them, but I can also explain the rating in this review. 

Afterlife is an acquired taste. It touches on sensitive subjects and is very daring in exploring the topic. I have read multiple books from this author, and one thing remains consistent: there is always a burst of creativity and original ideas. Ed always prods deeper into unusual topics and delivers them with a bang.

The best part of this book is the first half, when readers learn about the reality of this dystopian society and when some characters go with their diabolical plan. Although I wish it were explored more, at least we learn things about these characters and their motivations. The intricate and grim society builds up to why this diabolical plan is necessary. Readers are left to decide whether the road to hell is really paved with good intentions, or the heaven on earth is built on blood and sacrifices. It’s intriguing, and the question I love to explore myself since I write in this genre as well.

The events before the ending are the weakest part, imho, where the suspension of belief has to be strong, and I admit it almost knocks a star off, but the ending itself is conclusive and probably provokes many potential close-minded readers, but it’s refreshingly unapologetic.

Overall, this is a read up to my alley. I finished it in less than a day, and if you are looking for something daring and original, I’d recommend this book.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Eye of Ebon (P. Pherson Green)

 

 

The Eye of Ebon is a rich fantasy with two strong women as the main protagonists, navigating in a world dominated by men to fulfill their purposes and duties.

The author has woven a beautifully written story that promises many adventures to come. It doesn’t shy away from heavy subjects and intricate world-building. Readers are introduced to one of the main characters, Samiare, through the darkest moment of her life, which is very powerful.

I understand this is the first book of many, and there is much more to discover. Book One provides a complete story on its own. Almost. However, I think it’s missing an important bookend, Nechare. From something so prominent in the beginning, it dwindles down and disappears to nothing in the end. It doesn’t need to be resolved, but a reminder about an oath, something that is felt so strongly by the character. Samiare’s struggles and resilience in the beginning make her very intriguing. However, as the book progresses, we barely see that side of her anymore, and she unfortunately becomes less three-dimensional. The battles also feel repetitive after a few times.

Having said that, overall, this is an enjoyable book. It’s beautifully written, and there are too many characters to keep track of at times, but it will pay off over the course of the series.

4 out of 5 stars

 

BOOK REVIEW: The Millennial and the King (Miriam Schwellnus)

 

The Millennial and the King is not the book I thought it would be. From the title, it could be an awesome fantasy. When I found out about the actual content, I was ready as well.

As a late Gen-Xer, I can relate to the time period. Although Michael Jackson was not at the top of my preferences, I had one of his albums, which says a lot for a broke teenager who could only afford a few cassette tapes throughout the years. The quality of his music was mostly undeniable, and he was the greatest showman.

The book starts out great, but unfortunately, it goes downhill halfway for me. I like the parallel and how the author relates to her experience in life and as a fan. It was on par at first, but the book drags on for too long, making it feel forced and out of focus as it gets into 200+ pages. The out-of-focus is the one that doesn’t do it well for me. I think I’d be more prepared if this were categorized as part of an autobiography, because it focuses much more on the author. There are many relevant ones (and they are good), but there are many distracting ones that contribute nothing to the ‘plot.’ It makes me forget what I was reading. The author herself acknowledges this, but I have to agree with the unnamed beta readers. Two boring books are not a good option, but one solid, compact one is much better. I draw the number from the air, but maybe 35% of the book can be streamlined. The Screenplay chapter is an unnecessary filler, especially because it’s a mock screenplay. The first AI interview was okay; it tells many unspoken feelings, but the second one, although the last part is a good way to end the book, is also a very questionable filler, in my humble opinion. It blurs the facts and fiction. I’m not sure what the message is here. The other one that is absolutely out of focus is the political rants. Does the book really need this? Again, it distracts too much and weighs on the credibility, which is a pity because I’m sure a lot of efforts were put into making this.

Having said that, others might enjoy the book more. I admire the research, the sources, the details, and the experience of reliving the time again. It is nostalgic, and I reminisce about my own experience. That is the best part of this book. It is also raw and honest, which I appreciate.

3 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: Bird Streets Vampire Murders (Ed Morawski)

 

This is a creative book, and it quickly pulls my attention from the start. There are many characters, but almost all of them are distinctive enough. We follow the story from the main protagonist, Janice, who investigates bizarre murders after joining her new team. Unfortunately, some of the victims are famous, which escalates the situation and media attention.

I enjoy how this book doesn’t bother in being politically correct, and it’s both strange and cliché in a certain way. Although the revelation comes late into the book, it doesn’t frustrate me because it’s interesting along the way. My only but main complaint is the ending. It’s front-heavy with a lightning speed ending. While I don’t have any problem with how the plot is solved, it feels very rushed, and the best part is only fleshed out in a few pages. No spoiler here, but I’d love to see more of the catastrophe and the days leading to it. I can’t help but feel that the author wants to wrap it up and get it over and done, and it’s such a waste after all the build-up.

Then again, I don’t think this book is meant to be taken too seriously, after all, it’s a satire. There are many great details and interesting information along the way, including unusual characters’ behavior.

If you enjoy fast-paced mystery crime thriller with a touch of paranormal, try this book.

5 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Memory of Lost Dreams (Joseph Minart)

 

The Memory of Lost Dreams is an ambitious tale about a speculative world where we can enter and live in the dream. It explores the good and bad and how it can be used for the wrong purpose. It also brings readers to the world beyond imagination that exists far into the future.

The story is everywhere in the book's first half, and I had to recheck some parts to ensure I didn't miss anything. However, it's easy enough to pick up once readers understand the main idea of REQUIEM, the contraption to dream and mind control. It helps to follow one main character, although the story occasionally shifts to another area or perspective, but never in confusing moments, which I appreciate.

Imho, the book can be compacted because there are many mundane tasks and explanatory sentences that can be trimmed down. The dialogues are also clunky at times. While I'm not against using adverbs at all, there are too many of them everywhere. There are also some outdated references to what is supposed to be the future world, like manila folder, keychain, etc. I would imagine all these will cease to exist even in our current time soon enough.

Having said that, I applaud the original idea of the book and the way it's presented. Although it seems complicated, as mentioned, once readers understand the concept of the story, it becomes intriguing to see how it works back and forth between timing, the real and dream, past and present. It does get confusing at times, especially when characters have the same name, appear in the past and present, or when new characters are introduced late in the story, but one character driving the plot helps to keep it grounded. I also appreciate the story doesn't stray from the intended purpose, and the ending is satisfying to conclude everything.

4 out of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW: The Breath of the Sea (Jeff Chapman)

 

 

The Breath of the Sea is another chapter of Merliss’s adventure. This time, it follows a very interesting journey of a family of a poor fisherman struggling to make ends meet.

I hate to say I saw the twist coming since the very beginning, when I had started to become familiar with the characters. However, it didn’t reduce my enjoyment in reading the tale.

The stories stand out great on their own, and when they intertwine, it becomes a massive tale of creative imagination. I like the characters, even the weird and despicable ones are intriguing. The sense of solidarity in this poor friend who sacrifices her best dress for a fishy smell reminds me of the childhood books I like, with beautiful illustrations about kids playing in the woods and doing all sorts of things like gardening, having a tea party, flying a kite, carrying a bucket over the river with their little goat companion. Somehow, I got that very nostalgic vibe from the scene, although my current self was on the edge about pushing them to hurry.

Besides a few jarring, questionable decisions made by the characters, like a secret that lasts a very, very short time, disregard for child safety, and distracting scenes, I really like this book. I’m lucky to have read the first book, because I think it could be confusing for others who don’t know anything about Merliss’s background, especially during the prolonged scenes about her magical friends that almost come out of nowhere for those unfamiliar.

Overall, this is a solid, entertaining read. I recommend this for readers who love fantasy or even someone like me, fantasy is not my preferred genre, but I can appreciate this. The story is captivating, the characters are realistic, the world is rich and imaginative, and it’s very well-written.

Also, it’s fortunate that I only read the blurb after the book because I think reading it beforehand could have diminished my enjoyment of many scenes’ revelations.

5 clumsy tea parties of 5 buckets of sea water

Goodreads Review

Free Short Stories and Rambles

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Book Review: The Blackened Yonder (J. Gibson)

The Blackened Yonder is the first book of the series. The author plans for the series to have at least four books, based on a sentence I read at the end of this one.

The book follows three PoV, which I get to read from two different perspectives. This is one of my favorite styles because it’s always intriguing to see the opposites of a coin. Unfortunately, besides some mentions about the main conflict, the stories of both sides only start to integrate about 75% into the book, which, imho, makes this style non-beneficial. It makes me question the purposes, the timelines, or if they are in the same universe. At some point in the story, I even wondered if Garron’s PoV is set in the past for a brief period (it could be an awesome idea).

The characters start out very good. I’m invested in their causes, stories, and inner struggles. However, it becomes repetitive near the end of their journeys without much growth. I change from sympathizing with Athenne to feeling indifference about her wishy-washiness. The revelation of her backstory is also way too late and doesn’t have much impact to counter her reason to join the Saint in the first place. Her main friend/love and one of the reasons for leaning on her chosen path are probably not there for 90% of the book, and readers know almost nothing about him. I appreciate the humanity and how the two main characters are not following the path of The Chosen One, but Athenne is barely more than a pair of eyes. I would rather see the story from the other female Saint. (I will not attempt to spell more names)

The big task of the first book is that there are many names, places, histories, and lore to learn. It is common in fantasy, especially when it’s planned as a big series, however, some simplifications might help. For example, it’s hard enough to refer to the character as one name, but using the first name here mixed with the last name there and other attributes certainly doesn’t make it easy to follow. I understand that it could be intentional, depending on the conditions and the speakers, but it can work against the readers’ will to ensure who they are referring to. There are also a lot of ramblings at the end of the book where some characters go on and on with their monologues.

I think the plot has good potential. There is enough going on, but hopefully, the stories will be told by more intriguing characters. (Amun is good, and I like how she is built up before taking the task.) The world-building is rich, except for some questionable modern terminologies (I’m not sure about the time setting, but epoxy resin doesn’t feel like it belongs in this universe).

The best part of all is the writing style. It’s beautifully written, very imaginative, and descriptive. I feel like I’m really there absorbing the settings and scenery, where I can feel the grime on my skin, smell the air, and hear the noise.

If you are a fantasy fan and want to invest in learning the lore of everything in this universe and appreciate great writing, this book is for you.

4 of 5

Noisy Neighbors

 

When I read and write, I prefer zero distraction—no music, no conversation. This is amusing to me because I can multitask with everything else. I can fully concentrate on driving while listening to complicated stories or music or basically doing everything else, but not reading or writing.

When silence is not an option, my other way to do it is to blank out on the surroundings. I wrote my first book while confined in a small space with my parents blasting music and movies. They were there for me and to help me back then, so I couldn’t complain and wouldn’t anyway, so I created my own bubble and zoned out. It worked, in the expense of not paying attention to everything else, which I try not to do.

Now, three of my nearby neighbors are doing heavy construction, one of them directly next to me. The houses here are basically next to each other. Not only are there loud sounds like drilling, hacking, nailing, or whatever, but recently, they added one more thing: music. Not the kind of music that I like—that’s the worst part. There is no peace, and I have been having regular headaches.

While all my quest, life goal, and firstborn are dedicated to telling them off, either by barging in there or blasting it in the neighborhood group chat, HAVE YOU NOT DONE ENOUGH WITH YOUR NOISE TAKE EVERYTHING AND SHOVE IT… I grit my teeth and contemplate my decision.

I’m not a pushover, no, but I exercise caution for safety on everyone who can monitor my habit, schedule, and know where I live. However, on top of that, I consider something else.

Maybe you live in different places with different cultures, where one should comply with noise regulation, HOA, or everything is ‘proper.’ To put this into perspective, I know because I have worked in a construction-related field for a significant period of time in the past, the regulation here is very lacking, and so is workers’ welfare. They weld without eye protection, they work without earbuds, masks, or helmets, and there is no such thing as a drilling schedule.

The noise disturbs me a lot, but that is probably the only thing that helps them work. They don’t have earphones, and the volume is most likely to overcome the noise level of their work. When I hear them sing along happily, it’s like a confirmation that maybe I should put on my earphones (I try to limit this since I’m uncomfortable), or enter my bubble and try to endure it.

That is what I decided to do, but maybe one day I will barge in and yell at them with veins in my forehead. I can’t promise. Fortunately, the last few days have been better (or have I gotten used to it?). I believe they have toned down their volume, which is great. Maybe someone else had barged in and yelled at them.

Anyway, wish you peace and quiet, if those are your preferences.

Please take care, and thank you for enduring my ramble and not yelling at me.

If you are looking for books, here are some to consider

Dystopia Ever After

My Collection

Free Short Story

How Introverts Make Friends

 

Locky: I found this stick, can we bring it home?

I used to chuckle at this meme, thinking it was not true, I am capable of making friends!

How introverts make friends:

1. They don’t
2. An extrovert found them, liked them, and adopted them 

Then, a few days ago, I answered a question on X about stray dogs we befriended on the beach. I told someone I was happy I still had the chance to meet a stray who had been adopted by a kind-hearted person, and she asked me how. This stray, Molly, was adopted by a dog feeder who goes to the beach regularly, bringing Molly so I get to meet her and know she is doing well. When I recalled the story, I realized the above had happened to me. 

I like to stroll the beach with Locky, my dog. We meet many strays along the way. Each usually occupies a territory, so I meet them in their respective places and get to know them over time. We play with them, I give them treats, and I sit and walk with them (they love treats/food, but most of them crave companionship and stay with us until we go back). 

Over time, someone (human, in case clarification is needed!) initiated a conversation with me. I imagine it was not easy because I remember her smiling and waving several times from a distance when I just smiled back and moved along with my entourage, thinking it was just a passing, friendly gesture. One day, she was on my path and introduced herself. That was when I realized she also had a group of dogs. I found out she fed the dogs regularly, that was why she always stood in the same spot while trying to catch my attention. She noticed I had my way with dogs, so we bonded and shared stories and knowledge about the strays around. We became friends, and from her, I knew several others who care about the strays as well. There was no drama, no agenda, just people with similar passions. 

If you are curious about the stray situation, feel free to ask me. I know things can be different in different places, but before you feel judgmental, don’t feed strays, and don’t blablabla (it happens!). Please educate yourself about the situation first. I find it surprising that people are very quick to judge and ‘compare’ the situation with their ‘ideal’ ones. It only shows me how little they know and how close-minded they are. Every place is different. Every situation is different. 

Anyway, in a way, I looked back to my history and realized that I was adopted as a friend by many, and when I make my own, they are fellow introverts.

What is the moral of this post? Nothing! Maybe I’m just grateful for those who give me a chance.

I just want to keep in touch. I hope you are not bored with my ramblings.

Here is Molly!