Casey Harvell

First of all, the blurb needs to state that this is the first in a serial. This is NOT a series. In a series, there is some resolution at the end of each book. This book ends with a cliffhanger and nothing resolved.

I like this story, but some things don't make sense. If Shay is a model, why would he be on the same set with stunt men on a regular basis? Also, I seriously doubt that random models, especially those just starting out, get to bring home piles of clothes from shoots. I really like that this story is out-of-the-ordinary, but please hire an editor and proofreader for future books. This could easily have been a five-star book with a little more input.
… (mais)

Note: This is based on the current Kindle copy that I have. This is the abbreviated version of my review.

Let me get started with the things this author did right:

1. Pacing–The pacing of the story coincided nicely with the conflict as well as downtimes. There wasn’t a part where I felt it was overly rushed to the point where I was lost or overly sluggish to the point where I pray it would speed up.

2. Conflict–The conflict was presented in a believable fashion and was in alignment with the development of the main character, Kat, as she tries to deal with having her new powers.

3. Endearing characters–There were plenty of characters (both main and supporting) that I found myself caring about:

(a) Baby Bear was my favorite
(b) Mason has admirable qualities that are equivalent to a sidekick or a superhero. He’s a talented artist, caring, and confident. He’s just an all around cool guy who is a welcome addition to any team–be it trying to save the world or be the boyfriend.
(c) Jared was a character I liked from the jump. However, I do think he got treated a bit unfairly during the narrative. Once everyone realized he wasn’t infected, it should not have taken the others so long to finally trust him.

Some things that could use some improvement:

One of Charged‘s biggest downfalls is the misspellings and incorrect usage of certain words. There were also a lot of uses of the word "I" and a multitude of dashes. Well over a hundred dashes, and unfortunately, the majority of them were used incorrectly. In some instances, the misspelling of words (“ass-sets”, “bear-hugs”, for example), and in other instances, used where there should be a colon, comma, or no punctuation whatsoever.

Shifting Tenses: There were many stretches where the tense shifted from present tense to past tense, sometimes within the same sentence.

Staccato-esque Resolution: Just when I was excited about the very last scene in the chapter, it cuts off in the middle of the action. I’d like a bit more tidiness in the resolution, despite recognizing that this is the first book in the series.

After careful deliberation, I award Charged 3 out of 5 Stars.

I think the author should take this work and present it for professional fine tuning and editing. The fact that such a promising story line has been executed in such a sloppy fashion is very disappointing–not just from a reader experience but also from an indie author experience. The characters are fascinating. The story is one I would be willing to follow to the end. Yet, it’s presentations like this which sap the magic out of this work.

**I’d gladly entertain an updated copy and would be willing to give the work another look, provided these faults are not only addressed but corrected.**… (mais)

Full review can be found on The Review Board

Overall verdict: I give Righteous Decisions a timid 3.5 out of 5 Stars. I wasn't swayed enough to give 4.

There were quite a few strengths in Righteous Decisions:

Style: The style of Righteous Decisions was told in the present tense, and it was conveyed well, with only rare slips in the past tense.

Emotional sequences: The emotional sequences, like the anticipation between Gabe and Lettie, as well as when they finally became involved with each other was nicely layered. Although it wasn’t expected in this write, it did place legitimacy to the bond as well as helped to keep interest in the write.

Nice mixture of characters I cared about: I really liked Gabe. He’s the type of guy that a woman dreams about in her fantasies or the answer to the question, “What type of man would be your ideal?” I was more invested in Chase, primarily because of his dynamics. For me, a character that is multidimensional in terms of emotions and decisions is a win for me, and Chase provides that.

Conflict: Many moments, I felt like I was in the thick of the action. I was using the camera and taking shots of the happy couple. I was the one weighing out the pros and cons of a new relationship. I was the one running for my life at the airport. This was one of the strongest qualities of Righteous Decisions.

Here are some elements that could use a bit of work:

Hook: I recognized that the author was trying to develop some more back story but I feel the momentum of the story suffered.

Main character disconnect: Although Righteous Decisions is centered on Lettie, I cannot fully connect with her. I appreciate that she is flawed, but in the flaws, I wanted to see some progression and maturity in her character. To me, she is too used to being coddled, and she is way too petrified of her sister. It would be different if she was a child or teenager, but she is in her mid twenties. This trepidation seems a tad extreme. I know this is part of a series, but I don’t see enough advancement in Lettie that makes me gung ho to automatically read the second installment.

Resolution: This can go one of two ways. For those who are certain they are going to the next installment, the cliffhanger effect is not that much of a deterrent. For one who is still trying to decide, the way the story ended may leave one a bit dissatisfied and wanting a crisper conclusion.

Visual wise, Righteous Decisions fared well. Yet, the slowness in some parts had me on the verge of boredom. It redeemed itself in the later chapters, but the author has to be careful not to allow the development of back story to possibly jeopardize the pace that keeps a reader invested in the story. I can only hope that this snag, as well as better improvement of Lettie’s development, can be seen in the next installment of the story, so the Decisions Series will never suffer from Buyer’s Remorse.… (mais)

Note: The full review (which combines my revisit of Charged: Reboot and Shocked) can be found on the Unleashed Speaks segment of The Review Board. Apologies in advance for any tiny spoilers. The abbreviated review is shown here.

Let's take a glimpse at some Pros:

Cover: Although the cover didn’t seem to fit the 1st book in the Electric series, it is well suited for this installment. Mainly because of the changes Kat has gone through physically as it relates to her ordeal. Also, it does reflect her maturity in the face of dire circumstances. She has become stronger, more confident and coming into her own.

Main Character Development: I am pleased with Kat’s growth. It is strong yet very gradual. She has become adjusted to her new power and the responsibility that comes with it.

Better Visually Overall: The work is told in first person present tense which is the staple for this author. Significant growth can be seen which indicates a variety of things: a combination of comfort in this style of writing and really utilizing outside sources to take a look at her work.

Cliffhanger effect eliminated: While Charged had one dangling by the foot, Shocked did not commit that same feat while having the reader wondering what is going to happen next. Balance is definitely seen and appreciated.

Now let's take a look at opportunities for growth:

Syntax (Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation):

However, despite the beauty, there were some things that were missed. Examples of such are as follows (more are listed on my full review):

“I have a kickass best-friend and a great new boyfriend.” (Best friend is two words; kick-ass is hyphenated.)

“I scare up some silverware, cooking utensils and very useful a can opener.” (Possible transposing of words: “a very useful can opener”)

“It’s been like this for so long so long that now it’s my norm.” (“so long” repeated twice in the same sentence)

“The heats working but I figured we could do with the extra warmth.” (Should be “heat’s” for “heat is” and there are more instances where this type of mistake is repeated—lack of differentiation between when to use the possessive and when the apostrophe & s means “is”)

Little to no involvement of the old cast: I do wish the care and focus that was given to Kat had trickled down to the rest of the original crew. I really liked Brie and Jared’s story in the first book. In this book, with the exception of creating a new character, their involvement was practically nonexistent.

Same Script, Different Cast: A slew of new characters were brought into the fold. There was one group that mirrored a similar situation with what happened in Charged (when Kat, Brie, Jared, and Baby Bear were first escaping the invasion).

For those who haven’t read the first book, this would be okay. However if someone has read the first one, the start of the second book mimics the behavior of the first.

Too much electricity on the love story: Although I’m an advocate of Kat finding love in the right place, Shocked invested a lot of time in this component. While this segment of the story unfolded beautifully, other areas, like freeing people imprisoned by General Carch and staying on top of the infection felt a bit rushed.

More back story in regards to the new scientific developments: Shocked is heavily dependent on the dialogue of Dr. Ford to explain the science behind the newest developments. However, there is one particular segment towards the end of the work that I would love expanded on in reference to the success. I don’t want to give this portion away because of keeping the spoilers down to a minimum yet for this to be a read that all can follow (whether a sci-fi geek or not), that portion definitely warrants some expansion, even if it means that the pages of this segment increase somewhat. The only exception is if the full breakdown is given as a flashback in the third book but even then the author should not spend too much time on it if this is her method of storytelling.

Predictability: There were multiple bits to this story that were somewhat predictable. For a person that likes a bit of twist to the read, this could serve as a bit of a downfall, especially since this is the connective thread between the first book and the last book.

Verdict: This one was a bit of a struggle for me. On the positive side, deterrents that were prominent in the first book of the series were very little in this book. Yet the primary components that were extremely strong in the first read were watered down this time around.

I have to look closely based on my assessment as a reviewer as well as my take on it as a reader.

As a reviewer: I expected a stronger showing in the second book. More action as it pertains to fights with the infection as opposed to sprinkles. The main pinnacle and deeper explanations of the technology and Kat’s powers should have shined at this juncture, marking the perfect set up for the third book. The side story (triangle of Kat, Mason and Lucas) should not have overpowered the dystopian haze of this work. Besides tiny twists here and there, nothing about Shocked clearly stood out from the core composition of Charged.

As a reader, the presentation was one hundred times smoother. Admiration and respect for Kat’s tenacity and bravery grew. I’m a fan of Carch’s ingenuity and Dr. Ford’s attempt to stay as many steps ahead as possible. With the acceleration of the central conflict, I did get a little lost towards the end as the newest designed weapon for success was implemented yet breathed a sigh of relief for the neater ending.

After weighing all the variables from both sides, I give Shocked a timid 4 Stars. Advantage points did go to the reader aspect, as well as the big spectrum of improvement, which is why I dared to go with this rating.

However, I do suggest that the author take her time in really developing a strong showing for the third book in the Electric series. The work should be given a final look before publishing, since quite a few mistakes could have been wiped out had that been done. The author should map out the goal of all the characters brought in and make sure there is equal representation in development and plot purpose. Also, ensure the central conflict stays at the forefront.

If the author can be patient enough to ring this in and provide further inclusion to all readers (not just those who are fans of sci-fi) this series has the potential to be a wonderful showcase of her budding talent.… (mais)