Stephanie EricksonCritiques

March Hair is a fun romantic comedy with a touch of magical realism floating throughout its pages. I enjoyed the story, thought the characters and the plot were fun and interesting, but to be honest, found it simplistic and fairly predictable.

While March was an interesting character, there was nothing that really stood out about her, even her hair. Although I loved the concept that everyone has a little magic in them, the fact that her hair would change constantly must have raised some questions from the people in her life and those around her. If the hue changes from one hour to the next because of your emotions, how do you explain that? Her hair would be falling out from the number of dye jobs she supposedly would have had. I felt like I needed more insight into her character, who she was, and why she would be attracted to someone like

Alice was my favourite character in the book, but she was ten going on twenty. I loved her insights into other people, but for someone who was in hiding, she was certainly very trusting. I also didn't mind Robin too much, but the grumpy male lead is something that is overdone in romance novels and can get quite tiresome. You can be worried about what is happening to you and your child without being slotted into the 'grumpy' box. I just find it somewhat immature sometimes and as a trope, it's not one of my favourites. There is surely a better way to get across to people that you are a private person without being grumpy.

The plot itself was fine. Personally, I didn't really feel the connection between March and Robin, or why she was so drawn to him in the beginning. So, while I empathized with both of these characters, I didn't really empathize with their relationship even if it was fun to see it develop. I can't even pinpoint the reason why. I'm not opposed to slow-burn romances because life is difficult and challenging, but I do have a problem when someone keeps probing into someone's life as if they are entitled to know everything about them. People reveal information about themselves when they trust someone, it's not an instantaneous thing, especially if you've been burned once or twice before. I did like the inner monologues from both of them questioning whether it was a good idea to push for a relationship.

Verdict
March Hair was an enjoyable romantic novel about two people who needed to figure out what they really wanted in their lives. I thought the plot was fun, if predictable, and I liked the characters, even if I would have liked to have seen more development. Overall, if you like slow-burn small-town romance, this one is definitely for you.½

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Mackenzie lived in her own world filled with music; you could say it helps keep her sane. Mac can hear other people's thoughts and sometimes it can be overwhelming, so she uses an iLs, an Integrated Listening System to block out the voices and help her focus at hand. Because this was her savior, she majored in music therapy. A chance meeting with a mysterious and extremely handsome man, whose thoughts she cannot hear, sparks her curiosity. Who is this strikingly handsome man? More importantly, why can't she hear his thoughts?

Unseen is an amazing paranormal romance that puts you on an emotional roller coaster. Mac's only family member was the aunt that raised her. She didn't understand her at all and thought of her as a burden. Mac worked so hard, with only her best friend Maddie by her side. Maddie didn't know that Mac could read minds, she just thought she could "read people" with her spidey senses. This was an amazing change of pace for me. I'm not sure what I was really expecting from this book, especially since i chose it based on the cover; I was happily surprised! The story was fast paced, I had a difficult time putting it down. This is one of those books that will keep you up at night to finish and even after you're done you'll spend hours reflecting. Just be sure to have a box of Kleenex at the ready, you'll need it for this one.

I would give this a 4.25. I listened to the audio book of this with my husband. He doesn't have much time for him to actually read a physical book, so we listen to audio books together on his few days off. We both thoroughly enjoyed this book. An added plus is that my 12 year old son has listened to bits and pieces of this story while he is in the car with us and has now gotten into the story as well and wants to read it too! It's about this girl who is a mind reader and has just gotten her masters in music therapy. She uses an ILS to help her block out the "noise" of everyone's thoughts. Then she is approached by this secret organization called The Unseen and they want to teach her how to hone her skills. That's all well and good, but they are keeping secrets from her and she doesn't know exactly what they want from her or if she can trust them.

I would give this book a 4.5. I listened to the audio book of this with my husband as I did the other 2 books in this trilogy. We both loved the entire trilogy. My husband did have 1 complaint about this last book though, and I kind of agree with him. He felt that the ending was a bit too rushed and that this really could have been a 4 book series. When we only had 45 minutes left of the book I was like how are they going to get to the end of everything with so little time remaining, but it did. We both agree that Mackenzie's character could have gained more skills and other characters could have been developed a bit more. It almost felt like if you were only allowed to make it a certain number of pages and just realized that you were running out of pages but still had to wrap up the story so the ending gets super condensed. Again, we both seriously enjoyed listening to the audio book and I have already purchased a physical copy of the first book and plan on buying the other 2 books soon. Also on a little side note, there were some eerie similarities between the what the character that wants to run for President says and things that Donald Trump has said, though this book came out before Trump even started his campaign.

The Unseen is a counter terrorism group that has the ability to read minds and possibly more. After the loss of her best friend and the discovery that pretty much her entire life was a lie, she is on a mission, but Mackenzie has no idea what she has really gotten herself into or if she can handle the tasks that they are asking of her. Her only thought is that she wants to make the people that took her best friend from her pay. Can't wait to read the conclusion to this trilogy!

A good read

I did enjoy this book and will continue the trilogy. With that said I wanted to give the book 4 stars but could not because a few times the writing worked but did not make sense since the book takes place on an island centuries after an apocalypse. Still worth reading.

A very gifted writer, a very good book

As someone who reads 2-3 novels a week I am very happy I stumbled across Stephanie Erickson. Her writing is superb. I wanted to give 5 stars badly, but as someone who enjoys the same hobby as Jimmy from the book I noticed a few minor flaws. I will read every book Mrs. Erickson writes.
Scott B.
Disabled fire fighter

A really good trilogy, with a good story line.

I chose this trilogy because I really enjoy the writers work. The story was unique and the characters were relatable. I feel there was a few times throughout the books that the story should have dove in a little deeper, especially with Maddies family. Lastly I felt that Mac became the assistant way to easily with not a lot of context going into that part of the story. Is this trilogy worth the time to read it? Absolutely!! Several times throughout the book I could not read it fast enough to find out what was going on.

Good debut venture

Having read Erickson's catalogue somewhat backward, it's easy to see that this was her debut novel. It doesn't have the polish and ease of some of her later works, but it's easy to see where it came from here. And for all the apocalyptic work out there, this one hits hard as a very real possibility. Definitely worth the read.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I didn't get it. And for once, that's TOTALLY okay.

THE DEAD ROOM starts out very post-apocalyptic. 322 years in the future. Everyone living on an island in the Northern Pacific, run by elders, all saved by some mystical dude named Bennett Ashby, back to more hunter-gatherer-meets-Hunger-Games style world. The islanders are told that this is all that is left of the world. They are the remaining vestiges of humanity, and all they need is here.

Needless to say, not everyone is convinced of this. What happened to everyone? Are you sure nothing is left? Ashley Wortham is Not Convinced that this is true, and that the elders are hiding something from them. She and her best friend Mason go off in search of answers, generally to the elders' dismay, and what they find...they couldn't have been prepared for. And as the blurb says, "What will they do when they discover the downfall of humanity lies within their own island, deep inside the dead room?"

Erickson has proven to be a fantastic writer in the past, so I had absolutely no concerns about the quality of the writing going in. The blurb is just vague enough that I have no clue what's really going on, but much like Ashley, I'm positive that I need answers. And that feeling kept up through the entire book, particularly after what Ashley and Mason find out in the rest of the world.

This is a totally new take on the apocalypse, and one that I haven't really seen before. (Pieces of it, amusingly, remind me of one of my own projects, but they're different enough that it's not concerning.) And given the tone of the entire novel up until the big reveal, the reveal totally came as a surprise to me. It felt utterly out of left field--but not in a bad way. Just in a "...oh right, this is...yeah." kind of way. I love it. I'm utterly fascinated, and the book sets itself up very nicely for the next installment.

There are definitely some things I'm sad about. As with all things, we lose a few beloved characters (or at least, they're beloved to me) as the plot goes on. None of the deaths felt unnecessary...though I'm not entirely sure why one of them happened, because it doesn't make...a ton of sense, given everything that led up to it. (But spoilers, sweetie.) BUT! Really nicely told, a pretty quick read, and I'm definitely putting DEAD WORLD and ALIVE higher up on the TBR. I need to know what happens next.

…What, you really expected me to read some other book next? NOT WHEN THE HUMAN IS COMING OUT TOMORROW, MY FRIENDS. I MUST BE PREPARED. *coughs* But in all honesty, after the cliffhanger of THE FATE, there really wasn’t anything else I wanted to read more than this. We take the reins behind Michaela, the Reaper friend of Penn’s, for this book. Cool! This was going to be awesome!

…Oh, poor naive me. You thought you were getting something resolved.

Michaela was one of my favorite sideline characters from THE FATE, so I was more than happy to pick up with her. The first few chapters recap the end of Penn’s tale–just from Michaela’s perspective–which is a very nicely done thing. (For people who didn’t read the first book mere hours before this one. But whatever.) She has dire news for Penn about Kismet, and it’s not something that can wait.

I don’t want to go into too much detail, since I don’t want to spoil either this book or THE FATE, just in case you’re reading this before you read FATE (what are you doing; please stop), but let’s just say it jumps in with both feet and hits the ground running. We get much more depth into the Reapers and how they work, how the concept of Hell is managed in this world, and a very dark look at what some will do when pushed too far. What we find out about Kismet is rather nail-biting, and not entirely resolved by the end, but we’ll see how that goes. (I’d love to say I refuse to believe that Kismet is stuck, but…a bunch of books lately have stabbed me in the heart and laughed, sooooo…)

Plus we get to see something dramatic/bad/brilliant happen to Webber. God I hate Webber so much. SO much. …have I mentioned I hate Webber?

I’ll admit to seeing at least half of the final twist coming, though the second half was more of a surprise. Given all of the hints dropped about the character in question, it stands to reason that we’d find them exactly where we do. As for the second half…I will be VERY interested to see how that pans out, and to find some explanations as to how it is possible.

…and then the ending. Ms. Erickson, queen of the Very Dramatic Cliffhanger. I told her and I’ll tell you all. I got to the end of the book, and assumed it was the end of a chapter. And then I turned a page, and got ending notes. I threw up my hands in shock, my Kindle getting tossed into the air and a few feet away down the couch, as I said–aloud, and with some good volume behind it, “WHAT? NO, THAT CAN’T BE THE END, DAMMIT STEPHANIE I AM MAD AT YOU *fumbles for phone* I’M GOING TO TELL YOU ON TWITTER HOW MAD I AM AT YOU.” My parents watched on in complete confusion. This is what I get for reading while visiting.

It does make me incredibly glad that [b:The Human|30197480|The Human(The Children of Wisdom #3)|Stephanie Erickson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1463940911s/30197480.jpg|50648164] is scheduled to come out tomorrow, May 29th. If I’d had to wait as long as others… I shudder to think. I would be so unhappy. From the small part I saw at the end of REAPER (no I didn’t read the extra chapters at the end; I’d just be a tease to myself) it looks like the perspective is going to change by chapter, but I think is both an excellent idea, and likely necessary for what this book is going to need to do. There is a lot happening, and many plots to weave together, and I don’t think one person can cover it all.

I’m excited. Very few books make me anticipate release dates. It’s nice to have this spurring me on. You’re lucky, Ms. Erickson. I don’t have much spending money…but there’s no way I’m waiting on this. It’ll be worth the price, no matter what the price may be.

Rating: ***** (Highest Recommendation)

So after checking out the Unseen trilogy by Ms. Erickson, I was eager to see what the rest of her writing looked like. I’ve purchased at least one other book of hers, but haven’t started reading it yet. (Like about three-quarters of the books I own.) I was planning on reading it next…at least, until I started getting emails about a new book of hers coming out.

A book three.

That was it. I was getting ahead of the game on this one, for once in my life.

It didn’t take much convincing to sell me on the topic, regardless of the author. I’ve been fascinated with angels, mythology, and the like for as long as I can remember. (I didn’t pick Orion as my name just for funsies.) I have an entire trilogy of works in process based on humans and angels interacting in different ways. So telling me that this is a book about one of the three Fates who finds himself inextricably fascinated with a human he has created…I was instantly on board. Particularly since the blurb gives the immediate indication that it’s all going down in a handbasket. I love stuff like that.

Penn is a Spinner, the Fate that creates all human life. The Fates, like most heavenly immortals, are not to have any direct interaction or opinions on the humans they create and work with. But when Penn creates the life which would become Kismet…everything changes. His mind is consumed with her, and when it drives him to make a traumatic mistake in his spinning, he is banished from the heavens and sent to Earth to live out the rest of time. So now where does he stand, and how will he affect his creations around him? What, in fact, is the fate of a Fate?

I love Penn. He is a brilliantly constructed character: full of flaws, but always well-meaning. He doesn’t always do the right thing, but he always tries to follow his heart. Once on Earth, his interactions with Kismet and the other humans he comes across are brilliant. He’s just the right balance between “oh God I don’t know how to interact with humans I’m a Fate what do” and “Ah yes, these people I have spun, I know you well.” It’s important to have that balance, especially since while he’s never interacted with these people, he does know them that well. It’s difficult, and Erickson does it well.

His supporting cast is well rounded as well, and while it was obvious that Kismet would play a large part in his plot, she was never quite 100% predictable—and I appreciated that. Andrew was a more sympathetic character than he could have been, and no one ever felt like they’d just been stuck in for the sake of needing a character. Not just on Earth; all the Fates, the Weaver (I hate you, I hate you so much Webber), the Reapers, even the mentions of God Himself.

That’s another point: this manages to walk the line of being a very Christian-based story, without ever being overwhelming in its religious overtones. God is there, and He’s exactly what one might expect, but he’s (I imagine very intentionally) presented as a guy who looks like every other guy in the world. The heavenly cast clearly take their jobs seriously, and understand the God-based implications of what they do, but it never overpowers the core of the plot. Even from someone who has spent most of their life in churches and around church people, I appreciate the light hand combined with the profound emotions that the author evokes.

Then there was the ending. While the ending of DOROTHY MUST DIE made me go “…wait, what? No, don’t end there!” the ending of THE FATE made my eyes pop open and say “NO NO WAIT NO DON’T END THERE WHAT.” And that’s not easy to do to me anymore. Let’s just say I was very pleased that I’d bought THE REAPER at the same time as THE FATE. And if I haven’t finished that one by the time this blog goes up, something’s wrong with me. I can’t wait until the 29th when THE HUMAN comes out. I can’t wait.

Rating: ***** – Highest Recommendation

Including in less than 300 pages three of the things I hate the most in books? Mission accomplished!

1) I'm a Barbie girl
Don't let the synopsis fool you, there's no dynamic, determined nor admirable heroine.
Mac is the kind of girl who's convinced of being better then other people just because she's got a gift and then immediately pouts when she discovers others like her.
The annoying "prodigy" who can do everything and anything and without equals.
The intolerable, always whining and shouting girl who madly falls in love with a guy who she doesn't even know and changes idea every 3 pages (when things go rather smoothly).

2) Follow my insta-love
And with insta-love I mean a "OMG that guy's so hot I wanna know him and marry him!" kind of insta-love. Something that shoulnd't even exist anymore in books. I understand the book is short (choice of the author, anyway), but at least try to create a kind of development!

3) What the... ending?!
After a whole novel about knowing more or less nothing about who these "mysterious" Unseen are we... no, we don't discover anything. Or, to be more precise, there's a ridiculus plot twist so strained that deserves a huge, gigantic face palm.
Beside that, the books end without giving any real information if not what capacities do the Unseen have. Isn't this a little too few for more than 200 pages of novel?

This was a weird one. It ended suddenly. Although I did have the thought right before it ended, “This book should end now. That will be a stronger ending, but I bet it’ll just keep going.” I think I had that thought because the rest of the book wasn’t that strong. It seemed really slow at first and then suddenly really rushed. Things would suddenly happen or take a turn I wasn’t expecting, and I kept waiting for someone to wake up and it would be a dream. I don’t know if I was super invested to read the next book, but the. I read the first few chapters at the end of this book. I thought the second book immediately seemed more interesting. Though this is another book that is a bit disappointing when you find out what the cause was behind the apocalypse. Not sure if I’ll read book two yet.

Mind reading is tricky to handle in fiction- either the the mind-reader Knows All, or is a basket case because of too much input.

Erickson handled this really well. She dealt with what it would actually mean to read minds, and how difficult that would be until and unless one develops ways to control it.

And if there were mind readers, there would definitely be various schools of them, mostly at odds.

I think this was more novella length than novel length, but it was a fast, suspenseful and engaging read, as Mac finds others who share her gifts, and learns the advantages and perils of having such a power.

I received this for free from the author's website, and do recommend it to those who find this intriguing- it's well done.

Unseen by Stephanie Erickson



I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I always try to give a book a one word response when I finish reading. For Unseen that word is “Wow!”

Have you ever wanted to read someone’s mind? What if you could read all the minds of all the people around you? Would the chatter get to be too much? Would you want this power to go away? What if you could learn to control it? What would you do with this ability? Would you use it for evil? Would you use it for good? SPOILER ALERT: Would you want to be part of a movement that worked for the government where everyone used their controlled mind reading ability for the greater cause?

This is the problem Mackenzie Day faces. She used to think she was a freak, a one of a kind. When out in public she would use an Ils, a modified IPod that would keep the voices out. Then she is approached by the Unseen and all the world she once knew has now changed. Mackenzie has an uncanny ability to learn quickly. She progresses through the training faster than anyone in the history of the Unseen. Why? What is her fate?

This first book in the trilogy ends with the reader wanting more. At least, this is the way it was for me. Will Mackenzie leave things as is? Will she seek revenge? How will she face the future now that she can do what she can do and knows what she knows. I’m going to have to read Unforgiven, Book 2, just to find out. You will want to do the same thing.

11.03.15

Riveting story, just had to finish it at one sitting.. another late night :) Interesting plot (one life could save them all...) and you could imagine it actually happening. The hints at a completely different past were clever (the story takes place about 100 years in the future). I started with 5 stars but cut it back to 4 - I do like a BIG book and this isn't :) Sorry Stephanie!!

**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
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Mackenzie Day constantly struggles to silence the voices in her head. The inner thoughts of those around her intrude upon every aspect of her life, threatening to turn it into chaos.

All her life, she thought she was alone as a mind reader—a freak. And, then...
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This was my first read by Stephanie, and I can't wait to get started on Unforgiven tonight! The story grabs the reader and pulls them in. The characters are well-developed and easy to sympathize with. The struggles Mac is facing are ones we all face - albeit with a supernatural twist. Decisions regarding our lives and what to do with them; decisions about whether or not to toss everything we've trained and studied for to the wind and take a radically different path; loss of loved (or not so loved) ones; and dating.

The writing is detailed enough that it would be easy to see this made into a mini-series or movie. And, I loved the fact that the story is relevant enough to keep me interested AND clean enough that I can allow both of my kids to read it. BOTH read the synopsis on the back of the book, and wanted to know if they could borrow it! :)

**I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
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Mackenzie Day is reeling from the death of her best friend, Maddie. She's lost her rock, her partner in crime, and her only family in one feel swoop. With that loss, Mac has lost track of herself, and the things she cares about, including her mind-reading abilities.
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"Aunt" Amanda is back and looking for revenge. Mac has to learn to put aside her anger and grief if she is to help the Unseen save thousands of lives. And, her actions have some unforeseen consequences.

Stephanie has managed to deliver another very readable story that could easily further a mini-series for television. Mac is very easy to sympathize/empathize with, and the writing continues to be detailed enough for visual imaginations. Can't wait to read the next installation!

Mackenzie Day has joined the elite and secret group of mind readers, The Unseen. However, she is still grieving over her best friend, Maddie. As she continues her training with the Unseen , Mackenzie learns that her abilities are very strong and exceed those of her trainers. She is given a job looking into the mind of a scientist that is creating toxic chemicals for the Unseen’s enemy, the Potestas. Mackenzie discovers a dangerous secret within the scientists mind, but it is her own vigilante mission that places all of the Unseen and countless members of the public in a deadly situation.

Picking up right after Unseen, Unforgiven is action-packed and emotional. Mackenzie is dealing with a tremendous amount of grief over her best friend, Maddie and she is not dealing with it well. The grief is effecting her training, her decisions and the way she responds to others entering her brain, making her vulnerable to attacks. Her training and assignments are very interesting to me and I liked seeing inside Tracy's mind and seeing her defenses and Mackenzie's way of breaking them down. I also liked Mackenzie's relationship with Owen, it didn't move too fast and it is very sweet. I really want to see where this series will go next!

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

I love post-apocalyptic stories and this one had a good premise. All the power goes out and the government isn't doing anything to maintain order, how do people survive? But, then characters popped in and out and the more you read the more you realized "stuff" just didn't make sense. And then all of a sudden, bam the book just ended.½

322 years after the apocalypse, a small group of survivors have carved out a way of life on a small island in the Pacific. They dedicate their existence to Bennet Ashby, the man who found the island and created a material to contain the force that caused the apocalypse. The island is governed by a group of Elders who are tasked with keeping the delicate balance of life within the island, births and deaths, jobs and limited resources. The Elders also hold many secrets from the rest of the islanders. These secrets do not sit well with Ashley Wortham, whose constant questions have gotten her in trouble. Matched with the vile and abusive Wesley, Ashley decides to fight back. When Ashley murders Wesley, her best friend Mason receives the blame and is slated for execution. The Elder's come up with a solution that will fit their needs and deal with the accused murderer Mason and troublesome Ashley- send them off the island too determine the conditions on the mainland.

This was a unique look at a post-apocalyptic society. The lies that were told and the secrets the were kept by the Elders and bothered Ashley intrigued me also. I could easily relate to Ashley's inquisitive, adventurous and determined character. Mason, though happy to play his part on the island, is also courageous and shows a deep care for Ashley. The politics on the island were fascinating and the cast of Elders added depth to the plot since they all have different intentions. My curiosity piqued when Ashley and Mason reached the mainland. There were many surprises here, one which totally threw me with Ashley's character. I was also really interested in the cause of the apocalypse and what the Elders understood about it. The ending is very fast-paced and leaves off an a huge cliff-hanger. So, I still have many questions about the founder of the island, the apocalypse itself and the fates of many characters.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Mackenzie Day finally feels like she has her life in order when she graduates with a degree in music therapy. Music has saved Mac's life. Mackenzie's parents both died when she was young and her aunt, who saw Mackenzie as a burden, raised her. On top of that, Mac has always been different, she is able to read other's thoughts. This talent became too overwhelming for her when she started kindergarten and Mac was given an Integrated Listening Systems to help her tune out everyone else's thoughts, the iLs has been Mac's lifeline throughout her life. Just as Mac is ready to enter the career world, she stumbles upon a man whose mind she is unable to read. With this mysterious man, comes an invitation to join an even more mysterious group called the Unseen, a group of people who can read minds, just like her.

I loved the premise of this story and enjoyed Mackenzie's character. It was a quick-paced read. I loved Mac's character for her perseverance. Even though the constant bombardment of other people's thoughts has made Mackenzie's life difficult, she has found comfort with her iLs and was able to graduate with a degree in music therapy with hopes of helping other kids the same way she was helped with her listening system. Everything changes when the Unseen comes along. They offer Mac everything that her childhood did not. Mac is very skeptical at first, but Owen, a very handsome mind reader, helps to convince Mac that the Unseen is where she belongs. I was a little dismayed that Mac gave up her dreams with music therapy to join the Unseen, especially since a hot guy was involved in her decision. However, once Mac starts her training, it is obvious that the Unseen is where she belongs. Part of the reveal at the end was obvious to me, but I'd still like to see where the story goes.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review