Review of Fairy Metal Thunder by J.L. Bryan

Title: Fairy Metal Thunder
Author: J.L. Bryan
Published by: JLBryanbooks.com
Pages: 196
Source: Obtained Free from Amazon on (6/30/2012)
Format: ebook
Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.

Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason is a step closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.

Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab, who sends supernatural bounty hunters to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie...a small unicorn named Buttercake.

Fairy Metal Thunder is a fun, quirky read with a storyline that will have you quickly flipping through the pages. 

This is my second J.L. Bryan novel and in both novels he has the most unique elements in his stories.  In Fairy Metal Thunder there are some rockin' musical fairy instruments that are out of this world.  They change everything for the lives of Jason and his band members.  I love that this story centers around the power of these instruments and how they are used.  I have never encountered anything like this, so the idea was fresh and captivating. 

As for Jason he seemed like a genuinely good guy.  Of course he is a teenager and a bit of a rebel at times but the way he cares for is his younger sister is endearing.  Of all the character, we get to know Jason the best with him being the narrator.  I wish that there would have been a little more character development with the other characters, especially Erin.  Maybe in the next books in the series we will get to learn more about each of these characters and see where Jason and Erin's relationship goes.

The music the Assorted Zebras play is explosive.  I really wish there were some mp3 that went along with the book so we could hear it.  I have a feeling it would be quite a psychedelic experience.  Along with the music an interesting part of the story for me was the setting.  The novel was set in Wisconsin...my home state!  Therefore when they mentioned cities and such I knew exactly what they were talking about.  Always a neat experience.

Whether you are a music fan or just like a great twist to a fairy tale try Fairy Metal Thunder.  I think you'll like it. 

Review of Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan

Title: Jenny Pox
Author: J.L. Bryan
Pages: 216
Source: Free from Amazon (Obtained December 27, 2011)

Format: ebook
Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary from Goodreads: Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the "Jenny pox." She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town.

Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.

Are you scared of catching the Jenny Pox?  It's similar to the chicken pox, only it's deadly. 

This is one of those books that I easily slipped into.  It was intriguing and held my attention from page one.  Jenny is a complex character; she really wants to be normal but she can't touch anyone for fear of killing them.  So of course, who does she fall for but the town's golden boy and her arch-enemy's boyfriend.  Miraculously while Jenny kills with her touch, Seth can heal with his so he is the only person Jenny can touch.  I really wanted Jenny to be liked and appreciated by others, and I truly liked Seth but I just wish he wasn't the "it" boy.  What is wrong with a cute, slightly geeky guy?  Why can't main characters fall for one of those boys, instead of the star football player? *sorry for the off-subject rant*

I think that as a child Jenny isolated herself and soon everyone else isolated her as well.  I understand that Jenny needed to isolate herself in fear that she'd really hurt someone, but I can see how people would think she was standoffish at first.  I feel someone in the community or school should have reached out to her or at least tried harder to get to know her.  

As for the other characters no one really stood out for me besides, Jenny's arch-enemy, Ashleigh.  While Jenny may kill with her touch, Ashleigh is the deadly one.  She does some really horrible things in Jenny Pox.  I had a really hard time stomaching her character.  She was vicious, cruel, cold and manipulative.  I couldn't believe someone could act the way she did and do such hurtfull things and still be ok with herself at night. 

The ending of this book was explosive.  It was chaotic, crazy, and even days after finishing it I'm still trying to sort it out in my head.  I'm a little confused as to what happened and a little appalled at certain people's actions.  I think I need some time to digest what happened before going on to the book.