Review: The Bronze and The Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman

The Bronze and The Brimstone by Lory S. Kaufman
*Book 2 of the Verona Trilogy

• Reading Level: Young Adult 
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: The Fiction Studios
• ISBN-10: 1936558084
• ISBN-13: 978-1936558087
• Received From: Given for review via Pump Up Your Book

From Goodreads:
What could go wrong in the 14th-century for three time-traveling teens? How about – EVERYTHING!
Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, three teens from the 24th-century, are trapped in 14th-century Verona, Italy. They’ve survived many deadly experiences by keeping their wits about them and by introducing futuristic technology into the past. Principal among these inventions is the telescope, which brought them to the attention to the rich and powerful.
But standing out can get you into unexpected and dangerous situations. The nobles of Verona now believe Hansum is a savant, a genius inventor, especially after he brings them plans for advanced cannons and black powder. Being the center of attention is great, but the potential for trouble is now exponentially greater because people are watching Hansum’s every move.
Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disasterous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.
Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone. Do they have a future in this past? 

My Thoughts:
In this book the characters matured a lot, so I connected with them a little more than I did in the first book; but, they are still not my favorite characters that I have read about. The plot was also a little bit more gripping as well. The last part of the book really took off and was very intersting.

However, I still had the same problems with this book as I did in the first one. It still took me a long time to read this book, but not as long as the first book. There were a lot of descriptions in this book as well. If the author had condensed all of the information that he put in then it would be a much faster read. I also did not really see the chemistry between Hansum and Guilietta, even though they're married.

Overall I give this book 3 Quills. Still an average read but this one probably isn't going to go in my pile of books that I HAVE to reread.

 <3 Shannon

Review: The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman

The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman
*Book 1 of The Verona Trilogy

• Reading Level: Young Adult 
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: The Fiction Studios
• ISBN-10: 1936558025
• ISBN-13: 978-1936558025
• Received From: Given for review via Pump Up Your Book

   From Goodreads:
There's hope for the future, but what about the past? It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences (A.I.s) have finally created the perfect post-dystopian society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan.
In this first of a trilogy, we meet three spoiled teens in the year 2347. Hansum almost 17, is good looking and athletic. Shamira, 15, is sassy, independent and an artistic genius. Lincoln, 14, is the smart-aleck. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find his insecurities.
These three “hard cases” refuse the valuable lessons History Camps teach. But when they are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy, they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die. The dangers are many, their enemies are powerful, and safety is a long way away. It’s hardly the ideal environment to fall in love – but that’s exactly what happens. In an attempt to survive, the trio risks introducing technology from the future. It could save them – or it could change history.

My Thoughts:
This book was a very very slow read for me. I could not quite figure out the direction the plot was heading and so that also made it a little harder for me to read as well. The author also put a lot of descriptions in the book. Most of them were unnecessary; I could skim two to three paragraphs and still be able to follow the storyline just fine. I also found the sudden setting switch from 2347 to the History Camp to 1347 Verona, quite jarring and abrupt.

The characters were not easy to connect with either, it took me awhile to get used to Lincoln's personality and I still don't quite know Shamira's at all. There was one character that I didn't like at all and that was Ugilino. Throughout the book I was repulsed by him and I couldn't get over it.  I liked Hansum's character better than the others but he's not on my favorite character list.


The story did pick up and get better at the end of the book. I also really like the idea of this plot a lot. So overall, I give this book 3 Quills because it was an okay book. I probably won't be rereading it but it was still an average read.

<3 Shannon

Review: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

 Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

• Reading Level: Young Adult 
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• ISBN-10: 0689817851
• ISBN-13: 978-0689817854
• Received From: I bought it.

   From Goodreads:
This groundbreaking classic is more compelling than ever for today's readers. A sensation when it was first published and a perennial bestseller ever since, this real-life diary charts an anonymous teenage girl's struggle with the seductive--and often fatal--world of drugs.

My Thoughts:
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this book. I thought that I would like more than I did because my friend, who has similar book tastes as me, recommended it. Overall I am basically 'meh' about the book. I didn't particularly care for the MC of the book because she was so flaky, and it really got on my nerves. I didn't get anything literary from this book but it did reinforce my ABSOLUTELY NO drugs policy!!!

This is a banned/challenged book and I have no idea why. Yes, it is a little 'woah!' when it comes to the drugs, but if one person wants to start taking drugs after reading this book then there is something wrong with them. The descriptions of what happened when the MC accidentally took acid freaked me the heck out!!! So honestly you think the parents would want their children to read this book to scare them AWAY from drugs!!

***WARNING!: I would not recommend this book for anyone under 18. I'm 20 and one part of this book was a little bit too much for me and I had to quickly skim/skip that section so that I wouldn't get sick to my stomach!!

Overall, I'm still 'meh' about this book. I'm not going crazy for it nor am I absolutely hating it, but it was definitely interesting to say the least. So I am giving it 3 Quills!

 <3 Shannon