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Holoquest #1
DiSemblance
Jason Tanner lives between two worlds. Problem is, only one is real.
Inside the hologram machine 17-year-old Jason has everything his heart desires, including a digital simulation of his dead mother. While outside the machine, he’s forbidden contact with everyone. Living within the shadow of a serial killer, Jason is captivated by the beautiful girl next door, Boston Manning. Disobeying his father, he secretly cultivates a relationship with her.
For Boston life is divided into those that have and those that have not. Displaced in a new high school, she is determined to have the life she’s always wanted. But will her choices hijack her dreams and plunge her into the treacherous clutches of a serial killer?
As an action-packed romantic thriller, DiSemblance is sure to keep you guessing until the very end.
“A Marvelous, fast-paced thriller, sure to appeal to teen science-fiction aficionados and the uninitiated alike.” ~ Jill Allen, Clarion Review
Inside the hologram machine 17-year-old Jason has everything his heart desires, including a digital simulation of his dead mother. While outside the machine, he’s forbidden contact with everyone. Living within the shadow of a serial killer, Jason is captivated by the beautiful girl next door, Boston Manning. Disobeying his father, he secretly cultivates a relationship with her.
For Boston life is divided into those that have and those that have not. Displaced in a new high school, she is determined to have the life she’s always wanted. But will her choices hijack her dreams and plunge her into the treacherous clutches of a serial killer?
As an action-packed romantic thriller, DiSemblance is sure to keep you guessing until the very end.
“A Marvelous, fast-paced thriller, sure to appeal to teen science-fiction aficionados and the uninitiated alike.” ~ Jill Allen, Clarion Review
369 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
1278 people want to read
About the author
Shanae Branham
2 books45 followersI am a professional writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay writer's Expo.
I love suspenseful, action-adventures and clean, young adult, romance stories. I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho. I am the second out of six children. When I was in my early 20's my mother was killed by a drunk driver. This one incident drastically changed my life. I have always had a passion for reading and writing fiction. Owing to a life long struggle with Dyslexia, early teachers discouraged me from pursuing a career in writing.
As I have spent over twenty-five years transforming my language disabilities into professional writing skills, God has honed my insatiable passion into an incredible vision.
My Christian upbringing has instilled within me the belief that "...with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). This has sustained me through the hard times. Because of my dyslexia, I have had to learn the structure of the English language like math, syntax building block upon syntax building block.
I am grateful for this weakness because it has developed in me a skill and love for diagramming sentences, which unfortunately is becoming a lost art.
I love suspenseful, action-adventures and clean, young adult, romance stories. I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho. I am the second out of six children. When I was in my early 20's my mother was killed by a drunk driver. This one incident drastically changed my life. I have always had a passion for reading and writing fiction. Owing to a life long struggle with Dyslexia, early teachers discouraged me from pursuing a career in writing.
As I have spent over twenty-five years transforming my language disabilities into professional writing skills, God has honed my insatiable passion into an incredible vision.
My Christian upbringing has instilled within me the belief that "...with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). This has sustained me through the hard times. Because of my dyslexia, I have had to learn the structure of the English language like math, syntax building block upon syntax building block.
I am grateful for this weakness because it has developed in me a skill and love for diagramming sentences, which unfortunately is becoming a lost art.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
September 14, 2012
(This review was originally published on helenesworldofbooks.blogspot.com)
An author told me once that when you say you liked a book more than you expected, it's not a compliment. I used to say it a lot, but after that I tried to avoid it. I always intended it as a compliment. As a reader you have a certain expectation for a book. If I think I'm going to like a book, I give it a try and read it. And sometimes a book takes you by surprise and you love it.
So when I say I liked DiSemblance much more than I first thought, it's absolutely a compliment. When I first read the synopsis I liked it. I don't read many thrillers. I hate gruesome murders and all, so I mostly avoid this genre. But this book sounded interesting and I ended up loving it.
There are murders, but there not gruesome in the way of much blood and lost limbs. There's a lot of tension and I just couldn't put it down. The first 50 pages I read on the train, the other 319 pages I read in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.
The story is told in two point of views. The first is Jason. His father invented the holodeck, a machine from Star Trek. (I hope I got this right, I've never watched Star Trek ;)). You put your body in the machine, your consciousness interfaces with the computer and your essence is digitally transferred. They can see everything they want. I imagined it as some kind of fantasy world. His father is murdered and Jason is one of the suspects. He has to run to save himself and his father's secret, how to build the holodeck.
The other POV is Bruce, the inspector on this murder case. He knows all the evidence is pointing in Jason's direction, but he also knows something is off about it.
These two point of views make the story full of tension. You don't know exactly when something is happening and you get different versions of the same story. As a reader you don't know what's reality and what isn't. You get confused, but in a good way. I just had to keep reading to find out what was really going on.
Overall I thought this story was really good and I loved it! There were jus a few downsides: I wasn't pulled into the story immediately. I had the idea the beginning was a bit slow, but that might be my insight, because I was in a very noisy train when I read it. I would have loved if some of the chapters were a bit longer. I know that thrillers end at the point where the investigation is solved and everything is all right again (or not). And this is a downside for thrillers in general, because I just like to know a bit more about the character. What happens next? I know this isn't part of the story anymore, but it's my personal preference.
It's a good story and if you love thrillers you'll definitely enjoy this book. For those who never read thrillers, but like to try: DiSemblance is a nice start!
An author told me once that when you say you liked a book more than you expected, it's not a compliment. I used to say it a lot, but after that I tried to avoid it. I always intended it as a compliment. As a reader you have a certain expectation for a book. If I think I'm going to like a book, I give it a try and read it. And sometimes a book takes you by surprise and you love it.
So when I say I liked DiSemblance much more than I first thought, it's absolutely a compliment. When I first read the synopsis I liked it. I don't read many thrillers. I hate gruesome murders and all, so I mostly avoid this genre. But this book sounded interesting and I ended up loving it.
There are murders, but there not gruesome in the way of much blood and lost limbs. There's a lot of tension and I just couldn't put it down. The first 50 pages I read on the train, the other 319 pages I read in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.
The story is told in two point of views. The first is Jason. His father invented the holodeck, a machine from Star Trek. (I hope I got this right, I've never watched Star Trek ;)). You put your body in the machine, your consciousness interfaces with the computer and your essence is digitally transferred. They can see everything they want. I imagined it as some kind of fantasy world. His father is murdered and Jason is one of the suspects. He has to run to save himself and his father's secret, how to build the holodeck.
The other POV is Bruce, the inspector on this murder case. He knows all the evidence is pointing in Jason's direction, but he also knows something is off about it.
These two point of views make the story full of tension. You don't know exactly when something is happening and you get different versions of the same story. As a reader you don't know what's reality and what isn't. You get confused, but in a good way. I just had to keep reading to find out what was really going on.
Overall I thought this story was really good and I loved it! There were jus a few downsides: I wasn't pulled into the story immediately. I had the idea the beginning was a bit slow, but that might be my insight, because I was in a very noisy train when I read it. I would have loved if some of the chapters were a bit longer. I know that thrillers end at the point where the investigation is solved and everything is all right again (or not). And this is a downside for thrillers in general, because I just like to know a bit more about the character. What happens next? I know this isn't part of the story anymore, but it's my personal preference.
It's a good story and if you love thrillers you'll definitely enjoy this book. For those who never read thrillers, but like to try: DiSemblance is a nice start!
June 24, 2015
(Book provided by the author through ARR #110 in the We ♥ YA Books! group, in exchange for an honest review.)
I'm having a hard time writing this review, because I'd like to rate the book a little higher, but am not sure I should. In all fairness, I'd give the idea and story a solid 4 stars, but I wasn't too thrilled about the writing itself.
"DiSemblance" is a story that you need to pay attention to. Don't read it in a packed train, or juggling several things at once. It contains a lot of little details that are easy to miss if you're not focused, and that are the very ones which help you puzzle everything back together. The author definitely did a good job at blurring the boundaries here, and more than once you'll find yourself frowing at some plot point, reading back and wondering if there was a mistake... and no, there wasn't, everything's working according to plan. There's a point after which things become clear, and in hindsight what happened in the first part of the book suddenly makes total sense; and yet, even then, you keep on wondering what's true and what isn't, what's part of reality and what's make-believe. In that, I'll recommend this book if you like being bounced back from clue to clue without knowing clearly whether you've read those the right way or not. It's got quite an exciting quality.
Unfortunately, I had a harder time with the style and pacing. There's a lot of short chapters and sentences that give a jumbled feeling to the text as a whole, as well as what I'd deem "telling" about the characters and their actions rather than really showing them, which I found distracting (and as I said right above, this isn't the kind of story where you can allow to let yourself be distracted). Also, connecting with the characters proved difficult. They're interesting in their own ways, but with things moving so fast, I felt like we were only grazing at the surface, and as a result, I didn't empathize with Bruce, Lisa, Jason or Boston as much as I would've liked to. Part of this might be related to how limits between reality and virtual world(s) keep shifting—we never know if we're dealing with the real person or not—but I'm not sure it's the only, nor the main reason.
In terms of plot, the ideas explored within this novel, as well as how the author manages to carry us from beginning to end, are great. But I think it would benefit from more editing, to make it easier to focus on the story.
I'm having a hard time writing this review, because I'd like to rate the book a little higher, but am not sure I should. In all fairness, I'd give the idea and story a solid 4 stars, but I wasn't too thrilled about the writing itself.
"DiSemblance" is a story that you need to pay attention to. Don't read it in a packed train, or juggling several things at once. It contains a lot of little details that are easy to miss if you're not focused, and that are the very ones which help you puzzle everything back together. The author definitely did a good job at blurring the boundaries here, and more than once you'll find yourself frowing at some plot point, reading back and wondering if there was a mistake... and no, there wasn't, everything's working according to plan. There's a point after which things become clear, and in hindsight what happened in the first part of the book suddenly makes total sense; and yet, even then, you keep on wondering what's true and what isn't, what's part of reality and what's make-believe. In that, I'll recommend this book if you like being bounced back from clue to clue without knowing clearly whether you've read those the right way or not. It's got quite an exciting quality.
Unfortunately, I had a harder time with the style and pacing. There's a lot of short chapters and sentences that give a jumbled feeling to the text as a whole, as well as what I'd deem "telling" about the characters and their actions rather than really showing them, which I found distracting (and as I said right above, this isn't the kind of story where you can allow to let yourself be distracted). Also, connecting with the characters proved difficult. They're interesting in their own ways, but with things moving so fast, I felt like we were only grazing at the surface, and as a result, I didn't empathize with Bruce, Lisa, Jason or Boston as much as I would've liked to. Part of this might be related to how limits between reality and virtual world(s) keep shifting—we never know if we're dealing with the real person or not—but I'm not sure it's the only, nor the main reason.
In terms of plot, the ideas explored within this novel, as well as how the author manages to carry us from beginning to end, are great. But I think it would benefit from more editing, to make it easier to focus on the story.
April 8, 2016
Wow. This book definitely challenges the reader in separating what is real from what isn't. Although I don't have many past thriller-reads to compare this to, it definitely kept me on my toes without overwhelming me.
When the book first starts off you expect to be reading a sci-fi perhaps coming-of-age story only to be handed a mystery-thriller with plenty of action and crime elements in it. The beginning of the book is pretty slow like other reviewers have said, but it did keep my interest through Jason and Issac's lives as well as Boston's struggles with school. When the story got deeper, I immediately found myself trying to solve the mystery that laces through a good part of the book, and was pleasantly entertained with the twists that were presented. The plot definitely picked up pace about a third of the way in and I actually read this entire book in a day because I had a free day and I was so engrossed in it.
I also don't have much to compare it to within the sci-fi genre since it's one I don't read much of but for an ordinary reader, I found that the sci-fi elements were well explained and I loved the challenge of trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't. I also liked that the author broke it down towards the end of the book in case the reader was confused about reality vs. not really reality. The entire element brought something special to the book and it was well executed.
The characters were interesting enough. I especially loved Boston and wish we could've gotten more of her in it. Not all of the characters are focused on much but I felt that each of them was developed well enough within their capacity and I definitely wonder more about Isaac and learning more about him and his complexities.
Lastly, I like that the book had an ending with the option of reading the next one. A lot of the times an author will deliberately leave a hanging ending to entice readers for the next but this ending was adequate enough for a casual reader while still leaving the door open.
Likes: Complex yet well executed and explained. Characters were interesting. Let you figure out the book for yourself but explained in the ending in case you were still confused.
Dislikes: Jason had a pretty dumb moment in my opinion where the villain practically admits to his wrongdoing and it's not for like another 50 pages later that Jason connects it. Some grammar errors. Definitely had an issue "telling" in the beginning rather than "showing."
Overall:
Recommend? Yes.
*I received this e-book for free in exchange for an honest review*
When the book first starts off you expect to be reading a sci-fi perhaps coming-of-age story only to be handed a mystery-thriller with plenty of action and crime elements in it. The beginning of the book is pretty slow like other reviewers have said, but it did keep my interest through Jason and Issac's lives as well as Boston's struggles with school. When the story got deeper, I immediately found myself trying to solve the mystery that laces through a good part of the book, and was pleasantly entertained with the twists that were presented. The plot definitely picked up pace about a third of the way in and I actually read this entire book in a day because I had a free day and I was so engrossed in it.
I also don't have much to compare it to within the sci-fi genre since it's one I don't read much of but for an ordinary reader, I found that the sci-fi elements were well explained and I loved the challenge of trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't. I also liked that the author broke it down towards the end of the book in case the reader was confused about reality vs. not really reality. The entire element brought something special to the book and it was well executed.
The characters were interesting enough. I especially loved Boston and wish we could've gotten more of her in it. Not all of the characters are focused on much but I felt that each of them was developed well enough within their capacity and I definitely wonder more about Isaac and learning more about him and his complexities.
Lastly, I like that the book had an ending with the option of reading the next one. A lot of the times an author will deliberately leave a hanging ending to entice readers for the next but this ending was adequate enough for a casual reader while still leaving the door open.
Likes: Complex yet well executed and explained. Characters were interesting. Let you figure out the book for yourself but explained in the ending in case you were still confused.
Dislikes: Jason had a pretty dumb moment in my opinion where the villain practically admits to his wrongdoing and it's not for like another 50 pages later that Jason connects it. Some grammar errors. Definitely had an issue "telling" in the beginning rather than "showing."
Overall:
Recommend? Yes.
*I received this e-book for free in exchange for an honest review*
September 13, 2013
Jason's mother died of cancer when he was 11 and he and his brother, Isaac, have been raised by his father, Lloyd, who has a passion for hologram technology. Their father has homeschooled them and taught them about computers. His father has invented a hologram machine, which consists of a programming room and a holodeck room. Once inside the machine, the digital copy (DC) of the subject looks and feels real to everyone else in the machine or anyone monitoring it from outside.
Detective Bruce Durante is looking at the next victim of the Comfort Killer and feeling frustration that they can't figure out who's doing it. He's a newlywed and his wife, Lisa, is a reporter for a TV station but this case is coming between them. He catches a break and appears to find the killer but something doesn't seem right about it.
This is an intense book! At the beginning, we're given a good feel for what the hologram machine can do and how it works. As the plot thickens and the storylines merge, it becomes hard to figure out what is real and what is virtual. Towards the end, I wasn't sure who would end up alive.
Jason is a good kid who is trying to figure out what's going on. He does what he thinks his father wants him to and ends up in a load of trouble. Getting out of it takes everything he has as the people he's up against aren't going to back down. There are quite a few twists and turns and the ending sets up the sequel.
There's a teaser for the sequel in the back and it said would be out in September 2013. When I went to look it up (hoping it would be available to read), I found out that it's actually coming in 2014 and is called Boston's Quest. The author's website also makes it sound as if there will be quite a few books in this series and I look forward to reading more! This is definitely a book you need to read to experience how original and intense it is.
Mel's Shelves
Detective Bruce Durante is looking at the next victim of the Comfort Killer and feeling frustration that they can't figure out who's doing it. He's a newlywed and his wife, Lisa, is a reporter for a TV station but this case is coming between them. He catches a break and appears to find the killer but something doesn't seem right about it.
This is an intense book! At the beginning, we're given a good feel for what the hologram machine can do and how it works. As the plot thickens and the storylines merge, it becomes hard to figure out what is real and what is virtual. Towards the end, I wasn't sure who would end up alive.
Jason is a good kid who is trying to figure out what's going on. He does what he thinks his father wants him to and ends up in a load of trouble. Getting out of it takes everything he has as the people he's up against aren't going to back down. There are quite a few twists and turns and the ending sets up the sequel.
There's a teaser for the sequel in the back and it said would be out in September 2013. When I went to look it up (hoping it would be available to read), I found out that it's actually coming in 2014 and is called Boston's Quest. The author's website also makes it sound as if there will be quite a few books in this series and I look forward to reading more! This is definitely a book you need to read to experience how original and intense it is.
Mel's Shelves
September 26, 2012
This review is re-post from eluciddreams.blogspot.com
"There are three worlds that we live in, fantasy, reality, and actuality, murder crosses between all three…”
Teaser: Jason and Isaac Tanner are brothers, they don’t always get along, but there is one thing they can agree on. Their father is not the murderer known as the “Comfort Killer”. The child of technological mastermind, Jason spends most of his young life living in the holographic world his father created. When their father is murdered, Jason, Isaac and their spunky next door neighbor Boston, are thrust into dire situation of life and death. Someone was trying to frame their father for murder and Jason is the next target. ..
Why You’ll Love It/Did I like it?: I’m not an advent science fiction reader, but suspense thriller is one of my absolute favorite genres. As introduction to either of these genres “Dissemblance” is an excellent addition. The novel is well written. The pace is a bit slow in the beginning, however this necessary to set up the intricate details of the scenario and gives the reader a chance to understand the respective characters. When the story does pick up the pace it transforms into a real thriller. At times I had difficulty discerning whether Jason was in the real world or in the holographic reality. At some points it seems the like the main character is simply losing his mind, but that is truly part of the fun. The author makes good use of dialogue, and gives the characters their voices rather than constantly narrating the story and I found this refreshing and enjoyable. Like most thrillers the novel has plot twists and turns, all of which work well. I liked that the author did not try to overwork the story with twists. Overall, I liked and enjoyed this novel.
Caveats: None
Who’s it for:
· Casual readers
· Advent readers
· All ages
· Suspense lovers
· Science fictions readers
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
"There are three worlds that we live in, fantasy, reality, and actuality, murder crosses between all three…”
Teaser: Jason and Isaac Tanner are brothers, they don’t always get along, but there is one thing they can agree on. Their father is not the murderer known as the “Comfort Killer”. The child of technological mastermind, Jason spends most of his young life living in the holographic world his father created. When their father is murdered, Jason, Isaac and their spunky next door neighbor Boston, are thrust into dire situation of life and death. Someone was trying to frame their father for murder and Jason is the next target. ..
Why You’ll Love It/Did I like it?: I’m not an advent science fiction reader, but suspense thriller is one of my absolute favorite genres. As introduction to either of these genres “Dissemblance” is an excellent addition. The novel is well written. The pace is a bit slow in the beginning, however this necessary to set up the intricate details of the scenario and gives the reader a chance to understand the respective characters. When the story does pick up the pace it transforms into a real thriller. At times I had difficulty discerning whether Jason was in the real world or in the holographic reality. At some points it seems the like the main character is simply losing his mind, but that is truly part of the fun. The author makes good use of dialogue, and gives the characters their voices rather than constantly narrating the story and I found this refreshing and enjoyable. Like most thrillers the novel has plot twists and turns, all of which work well. I liked that the author did not try to overwork the story with twists. Overall, I liked and enjoyed this novel.
Caveats: None
Who’s it for:
· Casual readers
· Advent readers
· All ages
· Suspense lovers
· Science fictions readers
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
October 30, 2012
Review originally posted at A Date with a Book
Definition of dissemblance: The state of being disguised or concealed behind a false apperance.
This book was amazing! This book is another example of why I love indie authors. After receiving the request, I read through it thoroughly as I always do. Sometimes if I don’t have time, I will come back to the request at a later date. I read the synopsis and thought, no this book is not my type at all. For the most part I don’t read fantasy and I definitely don’t do futuristic, so I was pretty sure I would pass on this request. However, the mystery side of it caught my attention and so after some thought, I decided to read this book and I’m sure glad I did.
The book was very fast paced. The chapters are short and immediately you are caught up in the story. Flip flopping back and forth basically between Jason’s point of view and Det. Durante’s point of view and so you have to keep reading because you have to find out what happened to Jason, but it’s after the chapter involving the detective, and so on and so on and so on. The pages just flew.
I really enjoyed the idea and plot of the story. It had my head spinning throughout the entire book and especially in the end. There is no up and down with the book, the story just carries from beginning to end. I liked all of the characters and I especially liked how the author was able to weave in just a little bit of personal side story to get you hooked with the characters.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. I would highly recommend this to those who enjoy thrillers and mysteries, as well as fantasy and futuristic. This story will knock your socks off!
Definition of dissemblance: The state of being disguised or concealed behind a false apperance.
This book was amazing! This book is another example of why I love indie authors. After receiving the request, I read through it thoroughly as I always do. Sometimes if I don’t have time, I will come back to the request at a later date. I read the synopsis and thought, no this book is not my type at all. For the most part I don’t read fantasy and I definitely don’t do futuristic, so I was pretty sure I would pass on this request. However, the mystery side of it caught my attention and so after some thought, I decided to read this book and I’m sure glad I did.
The book was very fast paced. The chapters are short and immediately you are caught up in the story. Flip flopping back and forth basically between Jason’s point of view and Det. Durante’s point of view and so you have to keep reading because you have to find out what happened to Jason, but it’s after the chapter involving the detective, and so on and so on and so on. The pages just flew.
I really enjoyed the idea and plot of the story. It had my head spinning throughout the entire book and especially in the end. There is no up and down with the book, the story just carries from beginning to end. I liked all of the characters and I especially liked how the author was able to weave in just a little bit of personal side story to get you hooked with the characters.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. I would highly recommend this to those who enjoy thrillers and mysteries, as well as fantasy and futuristic. This story will knock your socks off!
December 2, 2015
I don’t usually read thrillers, but I’m very glad I read this one. I really liked this book! At first glance it looked like a futuristic fantasy, but right off the bat I realized it’s more of a mystery/ thriller (which isn’t something I’m usually into). But after the first chapter, I was totally hooked.
This is the fast paced story told from the perspective of 3 people, Jason (main character), Boston, and Detective Durante, and it’s constantly going back and forth, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. The story is very consistent, never having a dull moment, and is constantly leaving the reader with more and more questions as the book went on. I really liked how the author told enough background on each character to give the reader some information, and then moved on the with story. Doing so really helped the story to flow and gave the reader just the right amount of information to connect to the characters. Parts of the story take place in the Hologram machine that Jason’s father created, and at some points, it is unclear what’s real and what’s the fantasy world. This was confusing, but also intriguing, for the reader learns things as the characters do.
There are two sides to this story, the fantasy world of the Hologram machine, and the life of the detective (which those parts reminded me a lot of the show Castle, which I love :)). Though as the book goes on it turns from focusing on Jason’s life of protecting the Hologram machine to the case of the Comfort Killer that has had detective Durante stumped for years.
This book was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a fast paced mystery/ thriller with a little fantasy thrown in here and there!
This is the fast paced story told from the perspective of 3 people, Jason (main character), Boston, and Detective Durante, and it’s constantly going back and forth, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. The story is very consistent, never having a dull moment, and is constantly leaving the reader with more and more questions as the book went on. I really liked how the author told enough background on each character to give the reader some information, and then moved on the with story. Doing so really helped the story to flow and gave the reader just the right amount of information to connect to the characters. Parts of the story take place in the Hologram machine that Jason’s father created, and at some points, it is unclear what’s real and what’s the fantasy world. This was confusing, but also intriguing, for the reader learns things as the characters do.
There are two sides to this story, the fantasy world of the Hologram machine, and the life of the detective (which those parts reminded me a lot of the show Castle, which I love :)). Though as the book goes on it turns from focusing on Jason’s life of protecting the Hologram machine to the case of the Comfort Killer that has had detective Durante stumped for years.
This book was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a fast paced mystery/ thriller with a little fantasy thrown in here and there!
August 30, 2013
A single father. Two teen boys. Mom dies from cancer.
It's hard enough being a single parent, let alone trying to deal with grief too. The good thing...Because Lloyd's (Dad) a genius, they all don't really have to grieve. You see, he's built this Hologram machine where they all can see the mom, even touch her and hug her, whenever they want.
The problem...
Someone wants the machine for themselves and is willing to kill people to get it, even frame the only one that can give up the secrets for the murders.
Luckily, Lloyd's taught his boys all the safety precautions should a problem occur, even how to save his work while destroying evidence to its very existence. When he's framed as a serial killer, it's up to the boys to find their father and clear his name.
But...
Will they find him in time or get killed themselves?
I just loved this book! It was a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of read and you never knew who to trust, who or what was real and what wasn't. Branham is just brilliant in my opinion. I couldn't put this book down, just not being able to wait to see what happened next! It was very well written, the characters were fully developed and I don't even think there was a moment where I thought there was a change in pace. It didn't go too fast nor too slow.
It was perfect!
I can't tell you the last time I've read a PERFECT book, in fact it's been so long I can't even tell you a title for one. DiSemblance was this good! She even gives you a teaser for the next book in the series and I for one, CAN'T WAIT!!
It's hard enough being a single parent, let alone trying to deal with grief too. The good thing...Because Lloyd's (Dad) a genius, they all don't really have to grieve. You see, he's built this Hologram machine where they all can see the mom, even touch her and hug her, whenever they want.
The problem...
Someone wants the machine for themselves and is willing to kill people to get it, even frame the only one that can give up the secrets for the murders.
Luckily, Lloyd's taught his boys all the safety precautions should a problem occur, even how to save his work while destroying evidence to its very existence. When he's framed as a serial killer, it's up to the boys to find their father and clear his name.
But...
Will they find him in time or get killed themselves?
I just loved this book! It was a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of read and you never knew who to trust, who or what was real and what wasn't. Branham is just brilliant in my opinion. I couldn't put this book down, just not being able to wait to see what happened next! It was very well written, the characters were fully developed and I don't even think there was a moment where I thought there was a change in pace. It didn't go too fast nor too slow.
It was perfect!
I can't tell you the last time I've read a PERFECT book, in fact it's been so long I can't even tell you a title for one. DiSemblance was this good! She even gives you a teaser for the next book in the series and I for one, CAN'T WAIT!!
September 10, 2013
DiSemblance explores the concept between illusion and reality. How far will someone go to attain a level of immortality? Who will he kill or destroy in the process?
Jason is caught in the investigation concerning a serial killer named the Comfort Killer. He kills those who are terminally ill. Providing a coffin and cash for the grieving family. Somehow Jason's father is set up and accused of being the killer.
Jason knows that this is not true. He knows that someone is after his father's research and scientific discoveries. He knows that he must protect the research at all costs. This leads to him running from the Detective who is on his side and trying to help him.
This book took some unexpected twists and turns. It was hard at times to differentiate between reality and illusion. Things are not as simple as they appear. There are many layers of plot and plotting riddled throughout the story.
I enjoyed the complexity of the characters. The loyalty of Jason to his father, brother, and friend from across the street are great attributes to see in a teen. He is put into many trying and taxing situations and keeps a level head. The detective, Bruce, is facing some tough trials at home, but still remains devoted to his job and helping solve the mystery. He doesn't take the evidence at face value. He chooses to dig deeper and uncover piece by piece the truth. It's hard on his marriage, but he knows a life is in danger and continues.
There is a little innuendo, but it is a fairly clean read. I would suggest for ages 16+.
Jason is caught in the investigation concerning a serial killer named the Comfort Killer. He kills those who are terminally ill. Providing a coffin and cash for the grieving family. Somehow Jason's father is set up and accused of being the killer.
Jason knows that this is not true. He knows that someone is after his father's research and scientific discoveries. He knows that he must protect the research at all costs. This leads to him running from the Detective who is on his side and trying to help him.
This book took some unexpected twists and turns. It was hard at times to differentiate between reality and illusion. Things are not as simple as they appear. There are many layers of plot and plotting riddled throughout the story.
I enjoyed the complexity of the characters. The loyalty of Jason to his father, brother, and friend from across the street are great attributes to see in a teen. He is put into many trying and taxing situations and keeps a level head. The detective, Bruce, is facing some tough trials at home, but still remains devoted to his job and helping solve the mystery. He doesn't take the evidence at face value. He chooses to dig deeper and uncover piece by piece the truth. It's hard on his marriage, but he knows a life is in danger and continues.
There is a little innuendo, but it is a fairly clean read. I would suggest for ages 16+.
June 29, 2013
I should start this with: This is not a genre I typically read.
When this was offered as a read and review, I read the synopsis and was intrigued. Although I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, I've read several science fiction stories that I loved. Overall, I enjoyed this story.
What I liked: The plot was very original. The mechanics of the book were excellent, no typos or grammatical errors of any kind. Lots of action and a good bit of suspense.
I like an emotional read. I love it when a book makes me laugh, cry, my heart race, my palms sweat or better yet: all of the above. The story was very well written, excellent detail and descriptions, but I didn't have an emotional connection with any of the characters.
In the end, I thought the author's take on how the spirits were released was a very original concept. I can't put detail in here as that would create a spoiler, but the originality of the story was excellent. I didn't understand much of what Isaac did or why he was described as damaged.
Overall, 4 stars. An excellent debut novel from a promising author. She is definitely one to watch. I would recommend this story for 13+ (nothing graphic or violent) especially for someone who likes science fiction.
When this was offered as a read and review, I read the synopsis and was intrigued. Although I'm not a huge fan of science fiction, I've read several science fiction stories that I loved. Overall, I enjoyed this story.
What I liked: The plot was very original. The mechanics of the book were excellent, no typos or grammatical errors of any kind. Lots of action and a good bit of suspense.
I like an emotional read. I love it when a book makes me laugh, cry, my heart race, my palms sweat or better yet: all of the above. The story was very well written, excellent detail and descriptions, but I didn't have an emotional connection with any of the characters.
In the end, I thought the author's take on how the spirits were released was a very original concept. I can't put detail in here as that would create a spoiler, but the originality of the story was excellent. I didn't understand much of what Isaac did or why he was described as damaged.
Overall, 4 stars. An excellent debut novel from a promising author. She is definitely one to watch. I would recommend this story for 13+ (nothing graphic or violent) especially for someone who likes science fiction.
September 22, 2012
I was super excited when the author asked me to review the book! I saw a lot of great reviews on Goodreads and I really liked this book!
This book started out a bit slow for me, it was kinda boring, but near the middle and the end, that's where the good parts were. It was also confusing for me. I didn't really understand the process of the digital copies and everything. It was just too complicated for me! And when they were in and out of the machine, with the different text font, I still didn't really comprehend it. Plus, with all the lies and everything, I couldn't keep track of what was real and what was fake.
Other than that, this book was really cool. With the concept of a machine that can take you anywhere you want with just a thought, it's kinda scary and kinda cool at the same time. I mean, what if it broke down and you got stuck in it?
Overall, I feel that if the book was more...in depth with how everything worked then I'd love it even more! Also, I have to say, I didn't really like Boston much. I have no idea why, it's just a feeling I get when I read about her. 4 Stars!
This book started out a bit slow for me, it was kinda boring, but near the middle and the end, that's where the good parts were. It was also confusing for me. I didn't really understand the process of the digital copies and everything. It was just too complicated for me! And when they were in and out of the machine, with the different text font, I still didn't really comprehend it. Plus, with all the lies and everything, I couldn't keep track of what was real and what was fake.
Other than that, this book was really cool. With the concept of a machine that can take you anywhere you want with just a thought, it's kinda scary and kinda cool at the same time. I mean, what if it broke down and you got stuck in it?
Overall, I feel that if the book was more...in depth with how everything worked then I'd love it even more! Also, I have to say, I didn't really like Boston much. I have no idea why, it's just a feeling I get when I read about her. 4 Stars!
September 1, 2012
I was approached by the author to review this book and, since it sounded fun, I agreed to give it a go.
I'm glad I did as I found this a well-written and engaging tale that kept me turning the pages so fast that I read the book in a single session. The story is interesting and catchy and the characters, particularly Jason and Bruce, come across well.
The plot is fast-paced with plenty of action and the prose is easy to read. A few odd typos here and there, but overall a well-edited self-published novel. I enjoyed the use of a different font to differentiate between the real world and the programmes. It was a clever ploy and worked well.
All up, I can highly recommend this YA techno-thriller and I look forward to reading more from this new author.
I'm glad I did as I found this a well-written and engaging tale that kept me turning the pages so fast that I read the book in a single session. The story is interesting and catchy and the characters, particularly Jason and Bruce, come across well.
The plot is fast-paced with plenty of action and the prose is easy to read. A few odd typos here and there, but overall a well-edited self-published novel. I enjoyed the use of a different font to differentiate between the real world and the programmes. It was a clever ploy and worked well.
All up, I can highly recommend this YA techno-thriller and I look forward to reading more from this new author.
March 10, 2013
Fast-paced. A very quick read. It kept me interested. The idea of the hologram is intriguing. What is really happening in real time and what is happening within the hologram keeps you guessing. Loved the wordplay with the name of the girl next door (or here, the girl across the street)and her name of Boston Komen. That was fun. I would have liked a bit more character development, and some of the chapters were disconcertingly short. The romance between the protagonist, Jason, and Boston felt a wee bit awkward, but all in all I enjoyed the book. This was a first reads giveaway.
September 11, 2013
DiSemlance is good if you like solving crimes and mysteries.
There was a lot of things in this book that was F*cking with my brain a lot.
The story starts of going from a few characters in one chapter, then it will switch to other characters in the next chapter.
It did that until the characters met.
This contains mystery, problem-solving, mind-messing, a little romance and some futuristic stuff.
Full review: http://kitkat1242.blogspot.co.uk/2013...
There was a lot of things in this book that was F*cking with my brain a lot.
The story starts of going from a few characters in one chapter, then it will switch to other characters in the next chapter.
It did that until the characters met.
This contains mystery, problem-solving, mind-messing, a little romance and some futuristic stuff.
Full review: http://kitkat1242.blogspot.co.uk/2013...
December 6, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. It made you think! It took off right from the beginning, it was a very fast read with great twists and turns. It was very sci-fi and felt futuristic, but also felt like that future was here today in our time. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with the author, hearing her thoughts and insights as she wrote the story and developed the characters.
July 24, 2016
What an awesome book! I loved the way that the author developed he characters and their relationships with each other, but kept the adventure moving forward. The characters seem real, with flaws and good traits. After the first few chapters I could hardly put it down at the end of the day. Adventure, love, relationships, hologram machine, bully's, intrigue - - it has it all!
October 9, 2024
Detective Bruce Durante is the lead homicide detective in the “Comfort Killer” case and is very determined to bring down the suspect that is killing patients that have been diagnosed as terminally ill and have gone missing only to turn up in dead in a coffin 3 weeks later. He’s surprised and very doubtful when the killer changes his motive and a young woman is killed and the killer has thought to be caught red handed after a shoot out. Determined to find the truth Bruce sets out to solve this case while trying to keep his new marriage intact.
Jason and Isaac, brothers that are home schooled by their very protective and secretive father, are content to live their life cut off from the rest of the world in their home. The boys live vicariously through a hologram machine, living out any scenario that they can dream of. Whether it be hooking up with girls in a bar, playing cards with their dead mother, or surfing in the ocean, as long as they keep their secret and not tell a soul they can continue to live this life. While Isaac lives in his little world pretending that his mother is alive, Jason gets out every morning to go for a jog and feed an injured fox. Jason is only slightly older than Isaac but he takes responsibility and is mature in all his actions. Balancing their bills and caring for his brother while his Dad keeps disappearing. Jason accidentally forms a friendship with Boston, the neighbor girl who has been secretly taking photographs of him, and Isaac is enthralled with her starts to create a character in her likeness for the hologram machine.
One fateful day brings Bruce, Jason and Boston in the same circle. Accusing Jason’s dad of being the Comfort Killer, Bruce has made himself an enemy to the boys. Seeing no other option but to disappear, Jason and Isaac take off with Boston only to be kidnapped and Bruce may be the only man willing to find the truth and learn to decipher between reality and fantasy. Someone is using the hologram as a weapon and killing others and framing the innocent to create a world where they can live forever.
I don’t read this genre very often, but I’m really glad that I chose to read this one. I finished another book and had a little time to spare before I needed to go to bed. I started reading the first page and didn’t go to bed until I finished the last page! I was hooked. The way the author changed the point of view between characters helped keep the fast pace. I was never bored and it held my full attention. You definitely need to keep your wits about you as you read because there is a lot going on and you the reader don’t know whether you have been drawn into reality or if you are now stuck in the hologram machine. Hats off to the author for writing such a fun book, with so much going on I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I will be reading the next book in the series soon.
*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Jason and Isaac, brothers that are home schooled by their very protective and secretive father, are content to live their life cut off from the rest of the world in their home. The boys live vicariously through a hologram machine, living out any scenario that they can dream of. Whether it be hooking up with girls in a bar, playing cards with their dead mother, or surfing in the ocean, as long as they keep their secret and not tell a soul they can continue to live this life. While Isaac lives in his little world pretending that his mother is alive, Jason gets out every morning to go for a jog and feed an injured fox. Jason is only slightly older than Isaac but he takes responsibility and is mature in all his actions. Balancing their bills and caring for his brother while his Dad keeps disappearing. Jason accidentally forms a friendship with Boston, the neighbor girl who has been secretly taking photographs of him, and Isaac is enthralled with her starts to create a character in her likeness for the hologram machine.
One fateful day brings Bruce, Jason and Boston in the same circle. Accusing Jason’s dad of being the Comfort Killer, Bruce has made himself an enemy to the boys. Seeing no other option but to disappear, Jason and Isaac take off with Boston only to be kidnapped and Bruce may be the only man willing to find the truth and learn to decipher between reality and fantasy. Someone is using the hologram as a weapon and killing others and framing the innocent to create a world where they can live forever.
I don’t read this genre very often, but I’m really glad that I chose to read this one. I finished another book and had a little time to spare before I needed to go to bed. I started reading the first page and didn’t go to bed until I finished the last page! I was hooked. The way the author changed the point of view between characters helped keep the fast pace. I was never bored and it held my full attention. You definitely need to keep your wits about you as you read because there is a lot going on and you the reader don’t know whether you have been drawn into reality or if you are now stuck in the hologram machine. Hats off to the author for writing such a fun book, with so much going on I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I will be reading the next book in the series soon.
*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
July 16, 2013
My copy of DiSemblance was given to me by the Author through Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I was not obligated to write a positive review. This is my full and honest opinion.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? My opinion of the cover art is somewhere in between. I like the whole descending mirrors and I don't even mind the character impersonator reflections. But there's almost something about the whole thing that kind of makes it feel bland. It just catches my interest, but only just.
Characters: I didn't dislike any of the characters, though my first impression of Isaac - Jason's brother - wasn't exactly favorable. There was something about Isaac that struck me as being a little mentally unstable. The sort of mentally unstable that can lead to becoming the villain in a story, not "he seems a little slow" mentally unstable. I re-read the part where Isaac is first introduced, to see if my impression changed after reading the book, and it didn't, even though I'm pretty sure that that's not the impression we Readers are supposed to get. Maybe it's because when we first meet Isaac he essentially traps Jason in the hologram room and puts him in the Sahara. Maybe it's because Isaac has been spying on Boston, their next-door female neighbor, and is constructing a holographic imagine of her. Just a bit weird and creepy, right? Or it's possible that it's just me, and that no one else will feel that way about Isaac, but that is how I felt about him and quite honestly, I still don't entirely trust Isaac. I don't really know why; I just don't. The other characters - Jason especially - didn't really make an impression me either way. They weren't cardboard; Jason had a very believable personality that made it easy for me to imagine meeting him in real life, and Boston was not nearly as useless and annoying as I first thought she might be upon reading the synopsis. But I personally didn't become all that emotionally attached to them, and that's just because I don't connect to "every day normal girl/guy" characters. Some Readers will find it very easy to like and understand Jason; others won't. I tried very hard to connect with Bruce, the police detective, but I couldn't see past his NCIS cop personality. There was also the fact that he had no personal struggles that I could relate to, either. Bruce's biggest struggle is balancing his work with his marriage life, and as a decidedly single 21-year-old, I couldn't connect with that.
The Romance: Jason and Boston have it for each other, naturally, but amazingly the romance actually isn't all that annoying. It's a bit rushed, but the book doesn't focus on it too much, and neither Jason nor Boston became utterly ridiculous around one another.
Plot: Jason's dad is a genius inventor, having built a real life - and working - version of the holodeck in Star Trek. People can enter it either physically or mentally and experience virtual reality like never before. But Jason's dad is super paranoid that someone will try and steal his invention, and so he has isolated him and his sons entirely from the world. Living in a house surrounded by the best security systems to ever be built, Jason isn't allowed to date, have friends outside of the family, and has never gone to a public or private school. Not that he's needed one; he was able to learn everything he needed at home, on the Internet, or with the holodeck. But when Jason's father is murdered and then implicated as the Comfort Killer - a serial killer who's been murdering terminally ill patients - Jason's world comes crashing down. He's forced to destroy his father's work and flee with his brother Isaac and the girl next door, Boston. Jason tries to discover who framed - and killed - his father and why, all with Detective Bruce Durante hot on his heels - and the person who might be responsible for everything that's happening to him. While I did not connect with the characters, the plot kept me engaged, which makes this book - in my eyes - more plot-driven than character-driven. But my opinion of the plot - or at least it's presentation - is as divided as my opinion of the cover art. The story itself is interesting. We have a serial killer who has framed the protagonist's dad for his crimes, and then killed him. And we have three teens on the run from the police and some mysterious person determined to catch and possibly murder them. Part of the story's revelations are told through Bruce's investigation. His superiors are convinced Jason has something to do with the murders, while Bruce is certain that there's much more to the whole thing than meets the eye. The problem I had with Bruce's chapters were 1)I got tired of reading about his marital problems, and 2)I couldn't shake the TV cop show feel, which caused the whole thing to feel cliche and a little cheap. And that, in turn, rather irritated me, because it wasn't cheap! The plot, as a whole, is interesting. There were lots of "what the heck" moments, which was both a good and bad reaction, and lots of good chase scenes. The Comfort Killer was an intriguing serial killer with a unique style (unless it's been done on a TV show, which is possible; I actually don't watch that may TV cop shows, so it felt unique to me). But there were times when the plot also got really confusing. At some point in the story, Jason is captured by the villains who are responsible for framing his dad, and then suddenly Jason is hallucinating. And then he's in a hospital, people are telling him that his brother and Boston died in a car crash, that he's mentally unstable, and then he's in a high speed car chase, and then the car is overturned and blows up, and then he's back at his house and . . . . Now it all does get explained in the end, and I knew what was going on about halfway through, but I still found it to be extremely confusing, to a point that often left my head spinning. So the presentation wasn't the best; I think the Author could have made things more clear while still keeping the "twist" secret.
Believability: Not wholly applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. I did like that the Author changed the font every time Jason or someone else was in the holodeck; it helped clarify what was real and what wasn't. The writing style for the most part was fine, though it was at times difficult to follow (as stated previously).
Content: None.
Conclusion: The plot stopped being confusing once the climax came about, because things are explained and become coherent. There were a couple of aspects that seemed a little too simple for me , but I accepted them easily enough. So while DiSemblance did not strike a chord with me when it comes to characters, and the presentation was very difficult to follow at times, I did enjoy the plot itself. It was exciting, intriguing, and coupled the crime genre with science fiction in a very fun way.
Recommended Audience: Guy-read, sixteen-and-up, great for science fiction mystery fans.
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? My opinion of the cover art is somewhere in between. I like the whole descending mirrors and I don't even mind the character impersonator reflections. But there's almost something about the whole thing that kind of makes it feel bland. It just catches my interest, but only just.
Characters: I didn't dislike any of the characters, though my first impression of Isaac - Jason's brother - wasn't exactly favorable. There was something about Isaac that struck me as being a little mentally unstable. The sort of mentally unstable that can lead to becoming the villain in a story, not "he seems a little slow" mentally unstable. I re-read the part where Isaac is first introduced, to see if my impression changed after reading the book, and it didn't, even though I'm pretty sure that that's not the impression we Readers are supposed to get. Maybe it's because when we first meet Isaac he essentially traps Jason in the hologram room and puts him in the Sahara. Maybe it's because Isaac has been spying on Boston, their next-door female neighbor, and is constructing a holographic imagine of her. Just a bit weird and creepy, right? Or it's possible that it's just me, and that no one else will feel that way about Isaac, but that is how I felt about him and quite honestly, I still don't entirely trust Isaac. I don't really know why; I just don't. The other characters - Jason especially - didn't really make an impression me either way. They weren't cardboard; Jason had a very believable personality that made it easy for me to imagine meeting him in real life, and Boston was not nearly as useless and annoying as I first thought she might be upon reading the synopsis. But I personally didn't become all that emotionally attached to them, and that's just because I don't connect to "every day normal girl/guy" characters. Some Readers will find it very easy to like and understand Jason; others won't. I tried very hard to connect with Bruce, the police detective, but I couldn't see past his NCIS cop personality. There was also the fact that he had no personal struggles that I could relate to, either. Bruce's biggest struggle is balancing his work with his marriage life, and as a decidedly single 21-year-old, I couldn't connect with that.
The Romance: Jason and Boston have it for each other, naturally, but amazingly the romance actually isn't all that annoying. It's a bit rushed, but the book doesn't focus on it too much, and neither Jason nor Boston became utterly ridiculous around one another.
Plot: Jason's dad is a genius inventor, having built a real life - and working - version of the holodeck in Star Trek. People can enter it either physically or mentally and experience virtual reality like never before. But Jason's dad is super paranoid that someone will try and steal his invention, and so he has isolated him and his sons entirely from the world. Living in a house surrounded by the best security systems to ever be built, Jason isn't allowed to date, have friends outside of the family, and has never gone to a public or private school. Not that he's needed one; he was able to learn everything he needed at home, on the Internet, or with the holodeck. But when Jason's father is murdered and then implicated as the Comfort Killer - a serial killer who's been murdering terminally ill patients - Jason's world comes crashing down. He's forced to destroy his father's work and flee with his brother Isaac and the girl next door, Boston. Jason tries to discover who framed - and killed - his father and why, all with Detective Bruce Durante hot on his heels - and the person who might be responsible for everything that's happening to him. While I did not connect with the characters, the plot kept me engaged, which makes this book - in my eyes - more plot-driven than character-driven. But my opinion of the plot - or at least it's presentation - is as divided as my opinion of the cover art. The story itself is interesting. We have a serial killer who has framed the protagonist's dad for his crimes, and then killed him. And we have three teens on the run from the police and some mysterious person determined to catch and possibly murder them. Part of the story's revelations are told through Bruce's investigation. His superiors are convinced Jason has something to do with the murders, while Bruce is certain that there's much more to the whole thing than meets the eye. The problem I had with Bruce's chapters were 1)I got tired of reading about his marital problems, and 2)I couldn't shake the TV cop show feel, which caused the whole thing to feel cliche and a little cheap. And that, in turn, rather irritated me, because it wasn't cheap! The plot, as a whole, is interesting. There were lots of "what the heck" moments, which was both a good and bad reaction, and lots of good chase scenes. The Comfort Killer was an intriguing serial killer with a unique style (unless it's been done on a TV show, which is possible; I actually don't watch that may TV cop shows, so it felt unique to me). But there were times when the plot also got really confusing. At some point in the story, Jason is captured by the villains who are responsible for framing his dad, and then suddenly Jason is hallucinating. And then he's in a hospital, people are telling him that his brother and Boston died in a car crash, that he's mentally unstable, and then he's in a high speed car chase, and then the car is overturned and blows up, and then he's back at his house and . . . . Now it all does get explained in the end, and I knew what was going on about halfway through, but I still found it to be extremely confusing, to a point that often left my head spinning. So the presentation wasn't the best; I think the Author could have made things more clear while still keeping the "twist" secret.
Believability: Not wholly applicable.
Writing Style: Third person, past tense. I did like that the Author changed the font every time Jason or someone else was in the holodeck; it helped clarify what was real and what wasn't. The writing style for the most part was fine, though it was at times difficult to follow (as stated previously).
Content: None.
Conclusion: The plot stopped being confusing once the climax came about, because things are explained and become coherent. There were a couple of aspects that seemed a little too simple for me , but I accepted them easily enough. So while DiSemblance did not strike a chord with me when it comes to characters, and the presentation was very difficult to follow at times, I did enjoy the plot itself. It was exciting, intriguing, and coupled the crime genre with science fiction in a very fun way.
Recommended Audience: Guy-read, sixteen-and-up, great for science fiction mystery fans.
December 19, 2024
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, for that :)
This had a brilliant idea behind it, which I loved. Admittedly, I worked out a big part of what was going on quite early in the book, because it kept referencing Star Trek's holodeck and, as a fan of TNG, I know the episode this book obviously took its inspiration from.
That said, I was pleasantly surprised that at the end, there was another element thrown into the story that was all the author's own, and I thought it was a really good twist. I had not expected it.
I barreled through this book because it was so intriguing and I wanted to know what was going to happen, which is a very good sign. My reason for not being able to award it five stars is purely that I think the author rushed through the story too quickly. The scenes felt undeveloped, none of the characters sprang to life for me other than Jason and Bruce. It kept saying Isaac was so damaged, but I saw no evidence of it. Sure, he spent some time with his mother's DC, but he didn't seem particularly messed up, so that felt unfinished to me. I didn't know why Boston just suddenly was following Jason and their relationship sprang up. I didn't know why Bruce loved Lisa, when Lisa seemed awful to me, but again, it's because we hardly saw her - so that was a relationship that didn't mean much to me and sort of bored me.
All in all, a really great story, and nicely written in terms of each individual sentence (that does mean a lot to me), but wooden characters. I think if it were developed more, this book could be excellent though, which is why I give it four stars. I was definitely engaged in it.
And one final comment - SPOILER ALERT HERE:
I thought it seemed like a missed opportunity to mention that, in the end, it was 'ghosts in the machine'. Literally. And I also thought this is such a great idea - such a wonderful play on the expression - that it should be built up more. I didn't get how they found out they were ghosts, called the family to come visit them, and then let all the ghosts go, in the space of a few pages. I thought the ghost element should have gone on a lot longer. There are so many interesting things you could do with that.
This had a brilliant idea behind it, which I loved. Admittedly, I worked out a big part of what was going on quite early in the book, because it kept referencing Star Trek's holodeck and, as a fan of TNG, I know the episode this book obviously took its inspiration from.
That said, I was pleasantly surprised that at the end, there was another element thrown into the story that was all the author's own, and I thought it was a really good twist. I had not expected it.
I barreled through this book because it was so intriguing and I wanted to know what was going to happen, which is a very good sign. My reason for not being able to award it five stars is purely that I think the author rushed through the story too quickly. The scenes felt undeveloped, none of the characters sprang to life for me other than Jason and Bruce. It kept saying Isaac was so damaged, but I saw no evidence of it. Sure, he spent some time with his mother's DC, but he didn't seem particularly messed up, so that felt unfinished to me. I didn't know why Boston just suddenly was following Jason and their relationship sprang up. I didn't know why Bruce loved Lisa, when Lisa seemed awful to me, but again, it's because we hardly saw her - so that was a relationship that didn't mean much to me and sort of bored me.
All in all, a really great story, and nicely written in terms of each individual sentence (that does mean a lot to me), but wooden characters. I think if it were developed more, this book could be excellent though, which is why I give it four stars. I was definitely engaged in it.
And one final comment - SPOILER ALERT HERE:
I thought it seemed like a missed opportunity to mention that, in the end, it was 'ghosts in the machine'. Literally. And I also thought this is such a great idea - such a wonderful play on the expression - that it should be built up more. I didn't get how they found out they were ghosts, called the family to come visit them, and then let all the ghosts go, in the space of a few pages. I thought the ghost element should have gone on a lot longer. There are so many interesting things you could do with that.
September 25, 2012
Jason Tanner is the kind of protagonist who is kind, is obedient, and is always looking to do the right thing. Unfortunately for him, in DiSemblance, most is not what it seems, and Jason Tanner finds himself involved in something bigger than he ever would have imagined. His dad has a coveted Hologram machine that needs to be protected and when things start to go awry and Jason's dad is presumed to be dead, the question of whether or not the machine has already fallen into the wrong hands comes to light. This then puts into motion a big adventure for Jason, his younger brother Isaac, and love interest from across the street, Boston.
The novel starts with two seemingly disconnected plot stories which the author then tied together thoroughly and nicely but it left a lot to cover in the last sections of the book. Author Shanae Branham does a good job in building suspense and timing the release of specific information into the story. However, since it is an intricate plot, there is a lot to keep track of. For the reader this means really having to pay attention to what is going on in any given time frame. For example there are a lot of characters and character relationships to keep track of. Between wives, girlfriends, bosses, co-workers, family members, and family friends, the reader has to pay attention to who is doing what because the plot relies a fair amount on the interconnectedness of characters. Branham handled it well, but it did result in the novel becoming what I would describe as "bottom-heavy." I really enjoyed the buildup and the development of the story line in the first sections of the book but then all of a sudden, toward the end, the novel was packed with plot and action and tying up loose ends so that at certain points, it felt a bit muddled and rushed. As a frame of reference, it was reminiscent of Mockingjay of the Hunger Games series, for anybody who has read it: that is, a very action-heavy last third of the novel where so much is going on at such a fast pace that it elicited a "what just happened?"/"what did I just read?" response at certain sections.
But it did have an exciting plot and was fun to read. It was suspenseful, the "techno-thriller" element was definitely there, and Branham painted a clear picture in my mind, and I appreciate it when I can see what is happening as I'm reading. There were a couple characters that I felt were superfluous but overall each character fit their roles well. It did take me a little while to be convinced by the relationship between Jason and Boston, though, because the development of that relationship was quick in nature. Jason having feelings for Boston was a predetermined circumstance and I had a little bit of trouble buying into it at the beginning, but by the end of the novel I understood their relationship a lot better, which was a good thing. I also think that the way Branham distinguished between outside life and life inside the holodeck machine was helpful and it was a good idea to use two different fonts. The story does get complicated and there were points where I felt a bit confused and had to re-read so a clear distinction between reality and hologram helped with the flow of the writing.
This isn't a book where one can read with preconceived notions and expectations. Because chances are the story will not progress or unfold in the way that one expects it to. Either the predictions will be wrong, or they will come true in an unexpected way. It is a book where you have to be patient and have to pay attention. Personally, I was so focused on the hologram machine and what it's role was in the story and I kept waiting to see how Branham utilized it, but in the end her use of it blindsided me. This novel has more depth than the typical cat and mouse chase and there is more to the story than just the typical murder mystery. DiSemblance has elements of surprise and Branham displays a knack for a detailed plot and a very interconnected story. This will be an enjoyable read for those who are patient enough to wait for answers and keep an open mind. DiSemblance does in fact "challenge the imagination"
***
--this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to author Shanae Branham for the opportunity to read and review her novel.
Inner Aspen is currently hosting a DiSemblance giveaway that ends in less than two weeks!! So enter now for your chance to win a copy of Shanae's new novel! Enter at http://inner-aspen.blogspot.com
May 11, 2016
Under normal circumstances I make myself finish each and every title I read, especially those books that I have agreed to review. I have had this book for at least a couple of years, so I really needed to check this one off my to do list. Unfortunately, as it became a perfect storm of writing pet peeves, I had to hang this one up.
Son Jason Tanner is the older son of father Lloyd Tanner, the inventor of a holographic system that they have in their house. Lloyd left MIT because his plans for the system were mocked by friends and colleagues (it was hard to tell if he was a student or teacher at the time). He and his wife had two boys who they homeschooled and discouraged from making friends or leaving the house because Lloyd didn't want anyone to steal his invention. So the boys did what their dad asked. Mmkay.
Neighbor Boston Komen (in my ARC) lives across the street. Jason is attracted to her. His brother, Isaac, makes a hologram of her in one of the many programs in the system. (The creepiest program one is where his mom, who died of cancer when Jason was 11, is alive and her dad can hold hands with her and talk to her.) So Boston has been following Jason recently as he goes to an wooded park area near his home to feed a mother fox who broke her leg. That's how Boston knows that Jason is gentle and sweet and loving and caring and awesome and she is soooo attracted to him and he to her and it's all perfect except she has a boyfriend. The star of the football team, of course, and even though Jason doesn't go to school (he got his GED), everyone's heard of Superstar Ricky Stedman.
So there's all this going on - holograms, homeschooling, dead mom, isolated kids, attraction to neighbor with reciprocation, neighbor's boyfriend, blah blah blah...let's drop in a serial killer! And a cop who's been married to a tv reporter for only nine months and they are already having huge problems! And so much description and explanations and narration and detail that your head might explode (or, at the very least, not keep up). It seems like the author was loathe to part with any of her words. Plus Jason is apparently some kind of secret stud who saves Boston one night, further cementing their starry-eyed insta-love.
So the Comfort Killer is the most amazing of serial killers. He kills the terminally ill, puts them in a casket (a nice one, and at his expense!) and then puts a lot of cash in there, too, to cover the pain and suffering of the family, the burial, etc. What a nice guy!
All of the characters are introduced with their full names (and title, if they have one) and the cops talk like they are in an episode of CSI: Miami. "We'll do it my way." (Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!) The characters are stereotypes (the overworked detective, the husband and wife fighting, the girl reporter, the mom who wants her daughter to marry money, etc.) And the over-describing makes the book sound like an instruction manual rather than a story with real humans (well, mostly humans). People do not sound like this in real life.
Then my other biggest peeve. I do get annoyed if something, no matter how small, is just wrong. Especially if it is not important in the story. For example, when Jason grabs a couple of Eggos out of the freezer - and NUKES them? And the time he hops on Boston's motorcycle and has no trouble starting it or driving it or anything - just because he rode one virtually a few times? And what is a wooden brick? And how did his dad push the still-working (I assume) stove into the corner of the kitchen? And then there's misuse of words, like "a blithering mess of emotions" and something "beguiling his face." And apparently, our hero is such a heavy sleeper that he doesn't hear the walk-in freezer being inserted into the kitchen (where the pantry was). An elaborate frame-up, for sure. (Oh, and I did something that I NEVER do: I read the last couple of chapters (they're usually very short) to see whodunit. It was someone that I hadn't even heard of yet.
All of these things happen in the first 62 pages (eleven chapters) of book that still has 200 pages to go. I am not sure I could fit any more of it in my head.
Bottom line? I had to stop. I couldn't continue. I came, I tried, I DNFd.
DiSemblance by Shanae Branham was published August 20, 2012 by CreateSpace. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author.
Rating: 1
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Mystery Romance
Ages: 13 and up
Son Jason Tanner is the older son of father Lloyd Tanner, the inventor of a holographic system that they have in their house. Lloyd left MIT because his plans for the system were mocked by friends and colleagues (it was hard to tell if he was a student or teacher at the time). He and his wife had two boys who they homeschooled and discouraged from making friends or leaving the house because Lloyd didn't want anyone to steal his invention. So the boys did what their dad asked. Mmkay.
Neighbor Boston Komen (in my ARC) lives across the street. Jason is attracted to her. His brother, Isaac, makes a hologram of her in one of the many programs in the system. (The creepiest program one is where his mom, who died of cancer when Jason was 11, is alive and her dad can hold hands with her and talk to her.) So Boston has been following Jason recently as he goes to an wooded park area near his home to feed a mother fox who broke her leg. That's how Boston knows that Jason is gentle and sweet and loving and caring and awesome and she is soooo attracted to him and he to her and it's all perfect except she has a boyfriend. The star of the football team, of course, and even though Jason doesn't go to school (he got his GED), everyone's heard of Superstar Ricky Stedman.
So there's all this going on - holograms, homeschooling, dead mom, isolated kids, attraction to neighbor with reciprocation, neighbor's boyfriend, blah blah blah...let's drop in a serial killer! And a cop who's been married to a tv reporter for only nine months and they are already having huge problems! And so much description and explanations and narration and detail that your head might explode (or, at the very least, not keep up). It seems like the author was loathe to part with any of her words. Plus Jason is apparently some kind of secret stud who saves Boston one night, further cementing their starry-eyed insta-love.
So the Comfort Killer is the most amazing of serial killers. He kills the terminally ill, puts them in a casket (a nice one, and at his expense!) and then puts a lot of cash in there, too, to cover the pain and suffering of the family, the burial, etc. What a nice guy!
All of the characters are introduced with their full names (and title, if they have one) and the cops talk like they are in an episode of CSI: Miami. "We'll do it my way." (Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!) The characters are stereotypes (the overworked detective, the husband and wife fighting, the girl reporter, the mom who wants her daughter to marry money, etc.) And the over-describing makes the book sound like an instruction manual rather than a story with real humans (well, mostly humans). People do not sound like this in real life.
Then my other biggest peeve. I do get annoyed if something, no matter how small, is just wrong. Especially if it is not important in the story. For example, when Jason grabs a couple of Eggos out of the freezer - and NUKES them? And the time he hops on Boston's motorcycle and has no trouble starting it or driving it or anything - just because he rode one virtually a few times? And what is a wooden brick? And how did his dad push the still-working (I assume) stove into the corner of the kitchen? And then there's misuse of words, like "a blithering mess of emotions" and something "beguiling his face." And apparently, our hero is such a heavy sleeper that he doesn't hear the walk-in freezer being inserted into the kitchen (where the pantry was). An elaborate frame-up, for sure. (Oh, and I did something that I NEVER do: I read the last couple of chapters (they're usually very short) to see whodunit. It was someone that I hadn't even heard of yet.
All of these things happen in the first 62 pages (eleven chapters) of book that still has 200 pages to go. I am not sure I could fit any more of it in my head.
Bottom line? I had to stop. I couldn't continue. I came, I tried, I DNFd.
DiSemblance by Shanae Branham was published August 20, 2012 by CreateSpace. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author.
Rating: 1
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Mystery Romance
Ages: 13 and up
May 26, 2013
DiSemblance had such a compelling, unique premise. Jason's father's invention allowed people to enter a holographic reality, either physically or mentally. If they entered mentally, the person had the ability to manipulate the programming, changing it from a beach to maybe a gladiator like stadium, with just their mind. If someone physically entered the program through a door, they could be physically harmed from anything that happened during the program's running time, which definitely raised the stakes. Besides the futuristic technology, there was a dark twist with the Comfort Killer. The Comfort Killer was a creepy but complex character, as he kidnapped terminally ill patients and killed them by denying them medical treatment. But what really fascinated me about the Comfort Killer was that he provided the coffins and funded the funeral services to help the grieving families. Spooky, huh? It was cool to see this science fiction theme and murder mystery collide and unravel together.
DiSemblance kept up a fast pace, and I was never bored. The suspense and action of the book really peaked my interest and kept me reading. There were so many mysteries to solve, and I was eager to have my questions answered. Plus, Branham did a great job of shifting between the two POV's, Jason Tanner and Detective Durante. These two POV's offered a look into the Comfort Killer investigation and Jason's experiences with his father's invention, bringing together the two main themes.
Unfortunately, some of the conversations or scenes just didn't flow logically for me. The characters said things that sounded unnatural due to the circumstances. They may have shown no emotion when they should have been feeling outrage, guilt, fear, despair, or just anything. Or they didn't react enough to developments. Characters just seemed to accept things as natural occurrences when I would have freaked out. It wasn't believable for me, at least. I needed more from Boston and Isaac. They felt kinda flat, and I learned very little about them. I needed deeper, more revealing conversations between them and Jason. A lot of what I learned was in exposition, and it still wasn't enough. It was harder for me to relate to them. While they were cute together, Boston's and Jason's romance was very instalove. I wanted to see more development and more scenes between them. Their romance just happened, and I never got a look into why they liked each other or how they built up their trust for each other. Why does Boston just go with Jason when he's on the run or accept immediately that he's in her house when it was breaking and entering? It just seemed strange, and I wanted more insight.
I was confused about some questions that remained unanswered at the book's finish. Such as how did Charlene even know Lloyd Tanner? And what about the one scene where Jason sees Charlene and his dad? That's all I'll say for now (no spoilers). And then why was Boston taking photos of Jason? But maybe I just missed something. As far as I know, there is not going to be a sequel so these questions will remain unanswered.
I liked how the premise of DiSemblance differed from the usual paranormal romance or dangerous adventure across a dystopian or fantasy world filled with dragons (not that I ever tire of the above). I was frustrated with the characterization, but for those willing to overlook the above complaints, you may find it to be an entertaining, action-packed read.
DiSemblance kept up a fast pace, and I was never bored. The suspense and action of the book really peaked my interest and kept me reading. There were so many mysteries to solve, and I was eager to have my questions answered. Plus, Branham did a great job of shifting between the two POV's, Jason Tanner and Detective Durante. These two POV's offered a look into the Comfort Killer investigation and Jason's experiences with his father's invention, bringing together the two main themes.
Unfortunately, some of the conversations or scenes just didn't flow logically for me. The characters said things that sounded unnatural due to the circumstances. They may have shown no emotion when they should have been feeling outrage, guilt, fear, despair, or just anything. Or they didn't react enough to developments. Characters just seemed to accept things as natural occurrences when I would have freaked out. It wasn't believable for me, at least. I needed more from Boston and Isaac. They felt kinda flat, and I learned very little about them. I needed deeper, more revealing conversations between them and Jason. A lot of what I learned was in exposition, and it still wasn't enough. It was harder for me to relate to them. While they were cute together, Boston's and Jason's romance was very instalove. I wanted to see more development and more scenes between them. Their romance just happened, and I never got a look into why they liked each other or how they built up their trust for each other. Why does Boston just go with Jason when he's on the run or accept immediately that he's in her house when it was breaking and entering? It just seemed strange, and I wanted more insight.
I was confused about some questions that remained unanswered at the book's finish. Such as how did Charlene even know Lloyd Tanner? And what about the one scene where Jason sees Charlene and his dad? That's all I'll say for now (no spoilers). And then why was Boston taking photos of Jason? But maybe I just missed something. As far as I know, there is not going to be a sequel so these questions will remain unanswered.
I liked how the premise of DiSemblance differed from the usual paranormal romance or dangerous adventure across a dystopian or fantasy world filled with dragons (not that I ever tire of the above). I was frustrated with the characterization, but for those willing to overlook the above complaints, you may find it to be an entertaining, action-packed read.
January 2, 2016
Detective Bruce Durante is the lead homicide detective in the “Comfort Killer” case and is very determined to bring down the suspect that is killing patients that have been diagnosed as terminally ill and have gone missing only to turn up in dead in a coffin 3 weeks later. He’s surprised and very doubtful when the killer changes his motive and a young woman is killed and the killer has thought to be caught red handed after a shoot out. Determined to find the truth Bruce sets out to solve this case while trying to keep his new marriage intact.
Jason and Isaac, brothers that are home schooled by their very protective and secretive father, are content to live their life cut off from the rest of the world in their home. The boys live vicariously through a hologram machine, living out any scenario that they can dream of. Whether it be hooking up with girls in a bar, playing cards with their dead mother, or surfing in the ocean, as long as they keep their secret and not tell a soul they can continue to live this life. While Isaac lives in his little world pretending that his mother is alive, Jason gets out every morning to go for a jog and feed an injured fox. Jason is only slightly older than Isaac but he takes responsibility and is mature in all his actions. Balancing their bills and caring for his brother while his Dad keeps disappearing. Jason accidentally forms a friendship with Boston, the neighbor girl who has been secretly taking photographs of him, and Isaac is enthralled with her starts to create a character in her likeness for the hologram machine.
One fateful day brings Bruce, Jason and Boston in the same circle. Accusing Jason’s dad of being the Comfort Killer, Bruce has made himself an enemy to the boys. Seeing no other option but to disappear, Jason and Isaac take off with Boston only to be kidnapped and Bruce may be the only man willing to find the truth and learn to decipher between reality and fantasy. Someone is using the hologram as a weapon and killing others and framing the innocent to create a world where they can live forever.
I don’t read this genre very often, but I’m really glad that I chose to read this one. I finished another book and had a little time to spare before I needed to go to bed. I started reading the first page and didn’t go to bed until I finished the last page! I was hooked. The way the author changed the point of view between characters helped keep the fast pace. I was never bored and it held my full attention. You definitely need to keep your wits about you as you read because there is a lot going on and you the reader don’t know whether you have been drawn into reality or if you are now stuck in the hologram machine. Hats off to the author for writing such a fun book, with so much going on I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I will be reading the next book in the series soon.
*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Jason and Isaac, brothers that are home schooled by their very protective and secretive father, are content to live their life cut off from the rest of the world in their home. The boys live vicariously through a hologram machine, living out any scenario that they can dream of. Whether it be hooking up with girls in a bar, playing cards with their dead mother, or surfing in the ocean, as long as they keep their secret and not tell a soul they can continue to live this life. While Isaac lives in his little world pretending that his mother is alive, Jason gets out every morning to go for a jog and feed an injured fox. Jason is only slightly older than Isaac but he takes responsibility and is mature in all his actions. Balancing their bills and caring for his brother while his Dad keeps disappearing. Jason accidentally forms a friendship with Boston, the neighbor girl who has been secretly taking photographs of him, and Isaac is enthralled with her starts to create a character in her likeness for the hologram machine.
One fateful day brings Bruce, Jason and Boston in the same circle. Accusing Jason’s dad of being the Comfort Killer, Bruce has made himself an enemy to the boys. Seeing no other option but to disappear, Jason and Isaac take off with Boston only to be kidnapped and Bruce may be the only man willing to find the truth and learn to decipher between reality and fantasy. Someone is using the hologram as a weapon and killing others and framing the innocent to create a world where they can live forever.
I don’t read this genre very often, but I’m really glad that I chose to read this one. I finished another book and had a little time to spare before I needed to go to bed. I started reading the first page and didn’t go to bed until I finished the last page! I was hooked. The way the author changed the point of view between characters helped keep the fast pace. I was never bored and it held my full attention. You definitely need to keep your wits about you as you read because there is a lot going on and you the reader don’t know whether you have been drawn into reality or if you are now stuck in the hologram machine. Hats off to the author for writing such a fun book, with so much going on I’m sure it wasn’t easy. I will be reading the next book in the series soon.
*I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
September 6, 2013
Disemblance runs, not walks, a fine line between science fiction and contemporary murder mystery. While I used to read mysteries as a teenager, I find science fiction far more interesting. The SF invention, similar to a Star Trek holo-deck, made the book unusual enough to keep me turning pages.
The author also did a good job with the character of Jason because I enjoyed his interactions with his mentally ill little brother Isaac, and the developing relationship with Boston. I was happy to meet a male protagonist who was smart instead of mediocre. Without Jason’s genius, the convoluted plot would have been wasted. I enjoyed thinking along with him as he tried to decide what was real and what wasn’t and what to do about it.
Probably to establish the fast-pace, the author chose to forgo some character development I would have liked. Why was Boston watching Jason to start with? She wasn’t well enough fleshed out for me to get much of a feel for her motivations or to identify with her. Neither was Isaac. Why did Jason and Isaac’s dad allow their dead mother to be copied once he saw Isaac’s belief that she was a real? Given the large amount of trouble Isaac caused in a short time at the beginning, why wasn’t he given more time in the story?
This brings me to point of view choices. The author did a good job of crossing genre boundaries except when it came to mixing young adult with adult points of view. It’s fine that the villain was an adult. Very creepy. But as an adult with the usual adult problems, Detective Durante didn’t hold my interest. The coroner was more interesting, but I still wanted more teen focus. I wish Jason, Boston, and Isaac had been allowed to carry the story themselves. Well maybe the next time.
Point of views aside, I didn’t want to put the book down. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and fast-paced reality bending. The ending was both creative and disappointing. Given the spoiler event that brought people together, why weren’t they allowed to interact with the source they came to meet? It made me sad how they were used, and it didn’t endear the responsible adult one bit. Strange that the person who wasn’t very good at one relationship and who mistreated a multitude of others would want to take on two more relationships, but at least that loose end was tied.
The ending wasn’t quite complete because some loose ends weren't tied, but it was much better than most of the series books I read. Although I would have liked better characterization for the teens in this book, what the book lacked in YA focus it almost made up in breakneck pace. I did find some editing problems, but I’m sending a list for corrections, and there weren’t enough to affect my review. 3.5 stars overall. I was provided a free review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
The author also did a good job with the character of Jason because I enjoyed his interactions with his mentally ill little brother Isaac, and the developing relationship with Boston. I was happy to meet a male protagonist who was smart instead of mediocre. Without Jason’s genius, the convoluted plot would have been wasted. I enjoyed thinking along with him as he tried to decide what was real and what wasn’t and what to do about it.
Probably to establish the fast-pace, the author chose to forgo some character development I would have liked. Why was Boston watching Jason to start with? She wasn’t well enough fleshed out for me to get much of a feel for her motivations or to identify with her. Neither was Isaac. Why did Jason and Isaac’s dad allow their dead mother to be copied once he saw Isaac’s belief that she was a real? Given the large amount of trouble Isaac caused in a short time at the beginning, why wasn’t he given more time in the story?
This brings me to point of view choices. The author did a good job of crossing genre boundaries except when it came to mixing young adult with adult points of view. It’s fine that the villain was an adult. Very creepy. But as an adult with the usual adult problems, Detective Durante didn’t hold my interest. The coroner was more interesting, but I still wanted more teen focus. I wish Jason, Boston, and Isaac had been allowed to carry the story themselves. Well maybe the next time.
Point of views aside, I didn’t want to put the book down. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and fast-paced reality bending. The ending was both creative and disappointing. Given the spoiler event that brought people together, why weren’t they allowed to interact with the source they came to meet? It made me sad how they were used, and it didn’t endear the responsible adult one bit. Strange that the person who wasn’t very good at one relationship and who mistreated a multitude of others would want to take on two more relationships, but at least that loose end was tied.
The ending wasn’t quite complete because some loose ends weren't tied, but it was much better than most of the series books I read. Although I would have liked better characterization for the teens in this book, what the book lacked in YA focus it almost made up in breakneck pace. I did find some editing problems, but I’m sending a list for corrections, and there weren’t enough to affect my review. 3.5 stars overall. I was provided a free review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
October 2, 2012
Jason Tanner’s life is anything but normal. Growing up with a paranoid computer genius for a father, he and his brother Isaac live isolated from the rest of the world, to protect others just as much as they are protecting themselves. Their father’s life work is a cutting-edge holographic system—something that some people would do just about anything to get their hands on… including kill.
The opening chapters of DiSemblance cut right to the chase, disclosing all of the pertinent information about Jason, his life, and the hologram machine that his father has built. At times I felt myself overwhelmed by the information dump that was going on. It made it difficult for me to connect with the characters at first, especially the teens. However, I really liked Detective Durante. The glimpses into his personal life and his relationship with his wife really made his character compelling.
I wasn’t really a fan of the secondary plot love story. When Jason sees his gorgeous neighbor Boston , it seems as if he falls in love with her instantly. I understand love at first sight, but… something about the way it was described fell flat for me. I think that romance has to be a certain way for it not to detract from the excitement of the main story, and I think that the character of Boston was rather useless.
The plot is the shining point of the novel, hands-down. While it felt a little slow to get started, once the ball starts rolling and Jason must leave behind his home and everything he knows in search of his father and answers… that was where the story began to grab my interest in earnest. And the plot twists! Like Jason, the reader is left uncertain about what is real and what is part of a computer program until the very end. I really liked this ambiguity; it made Jason’s point of view unreliable and fascinating. As each chapter ended, I had no idea where the next was heading. The plot kept me completely on my toes. And while the narration style was a bit simple for a book aimed towards a YA audience and up, I found that somehow it just worked with the story. The terse, almost furtive writing style gave the story a feeling of greater suspense, and I could easily picture the events unfolding as they were told.
Despite a rough start, I ultimately enjoyed the adventure that was DiSemblance . It was a unique idea that kept me guessing until the very last page. Fans of the mind-bending techno-thriller genre, this one’s for you!
A copy of this book was provided by the author for review.
____
For more book reviews, visit my blog The Bookshelf!
The opening chapters of DiSemblance cut right to the chase, disclosing all of the pertinent information about Jason, his life, and the hologram machine that his father has built. At times I felt myself overwhelmed by the information dump that was going on. It made it difficult for me to connect with the characters at first, especially the teens. However, I really liked Detective Durante. The glimpses into his personal life and his relationship with his wife really made his character compelling.
I wasn’t really a fan of the secondary plot love story. When Jason sees his gorgeous neighbor Boston , it seems as if he falls in love with her instantly. I understand love at first sight, but… something about the way it was described fell flat for me. I think that romance has to be a certain way for it not to detract from the excitement of the main story, and I think that the character of Boston was rather useless.
The plot is the shining point of the novel, hands-down. While it felt a little slow to get started, once the ball starts rolling and Jason must leave behind his home and everything he knows in search of his father and answers… that was where the story began to grab my interest in earnest. And the plot twists! Like Jason, the reader is left uncertain about what is real and what is part of a computer program until the very end. I really liked this ambiguity; it made Jason’s point of view unreliable and fascinating. As each chapter ended, I had no idea where the next was heading. The plot kept me completely on my toes. And while the narration style was a bit simple for a book aimed towards a YA audience and up, I found that somehow it just worked with the story. The terse, almost furtive writing style gave the story a feeling of greater suspense, and I could easily picture the events unfolding as they were told.
Despite a rough start, I ultimately enjoyed the adventure that was DiSemblance . It was a unique idea that kept me guessing until the very last page. Fans of the mind-bending techno-thriller genre, this one’s for you!
A copy of this book was provided by the author for review.
____
For more book reviews, visit my blog The Bookshelf!
January 16, 2016
DiSemblance had a pretty action-packed story that was...interesting. I know interesting gets overused a lot. So, what is interesting?
Well, I didn't really have a care for this book until the real crazy starts happening. Just to reiterate the plot, this story provides insight into the perspective of three characters: Jason Tanner, his girlfriend Boston Manning, and Detective Bruce Durante (if i'm not mistaken[if I forget, please forgive me]) during the intense investigation on whom the public of this story knows as "The Comfort Killer." And I shan't leave out the more interesting character of the bunch in my opinion, Isaac Tanner. Don't ask why, he just is.
Jason and Isaac Tanner are two brothers who have basically been away and were denied of the wonders of having real friends or even just doing teenage things, causing them to be socially-inept. Or so I think? Due to their father's, Lloyd, life-long work on an invention of a virtual-reality machine, they've been kept away as a source of protection. The machine is seriously valuable and you can imagine if it fell into the wrong hands, shit is going down. Anyway, I expected awkwardness. I expected an uncomfortable... aura. I just expected something different and I only got that in Isaac. Maybe I was missing something about Jason, maybe there's nothing even wrong with him in the first place. Who knows. *shrugs* And, maybe that makes me tooootally... wierd? Biased? Close-minded? I don't know.
There was a Criminal Minds sort of feel to it. But I wasn't as enraptured by the story as much as I am with the television show. Nonetheless, there were some moments that really had me thinking (between the scenes of Detective Durante and the journal, and the hospital scene when "someone" woke up from a coma), "whoa!" or "oh shit." I had my moments of turning back a few pages just to see if I read correctly. The line between what was real and what was fabricated was present in those short pages, but overall, I wasn't into it until Not really a spoiler. I just wanted to do it. SIKE. But really. HOW'D THOSE GET THERE HMMM? In any case, the hunt for the killer was a good ride. I wish it was darker, though. I mean, the ending wasn't happy go-lucky or anything. There's Isaac to think of! Poor Isaac. But I guess my expectation of a teen science fiction-y, thriller story was too hyped up that it fell short. And as I said, it's still good. But I wouldn't go back to re-read the first book.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Well, I didn't really have a care for this book until the real crazy starts happening. Just to reiterate the plot, this story provides insight into the perspective of three characters: Jason Tanner, his girlfriend Boston Manning, and Detective Bruce Durante (if i'm not mistaken[if I forget, please forgive me]) during the intense investigation on whom the public of this story knows as "The Comfort Killer." And I shan't leave out the more interesting character of the bunch in my opinion, Isaac Tanner. Don't ask why, he just is.
Jason and Isaac Tanner are two brothers who have basically been away and were denied of the wonders of having real friends or even just doing teenage things, causing them to be socially-inept. Or so I think? Due to their father's, Lloyd, life-long work on an invention of a virtual-reality machine, they've been kept away as a source of protection. The machine is seriously valuable and you can imagine if it fell into the wrong hands, shit is going down. Anyway, I expected awkwardness. I expected an uncomfortable... aura. I just expected something different and I only got that in Isaac. Maybe I was missing something about Jason, maybe there's nothing even wrong with him in the first place. Who knows. *shrugs* And, maybe that makes me tooootally... wierd? Biased? Close-minded? I don't know.
There was a Criminal Minds sort of feel to it. But I wasn't as enraptured by the story as much as I am with the television show. Nonetheless, there were some moments that really had me thinking (between the scenes of Detective Durante and the journal, and the hospital scene when "someone" woke up from a coma), "whoa!" or "oh shit." I had my moments of turning back a few pages just to see if I read correctly. The line between what was real and what was fabricated was present in those short pages, but overall, I wasn't into it until Not really a spoiler. I just wanted to do it. SIKE. But really. HOW'D THOSE GET THERE HMMM? In any case, the hunt for the killer was a good ride. I wish it was darker, though. I mean, the ending wasn't happy go-lucky or anything. There's Isaac to think of! Poor Isaac. But I guess my expectation of a teen science fiction-y, thriller story was too hyped up that it fell short. And as I said, it's still good. But I wouldn't go back to re-read the first book.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2012
Wow. This is a book that gets your brain a working. It's who done it cat and mouse story that takes you from reality into an alternate world. The author did a great job with this story. It is unique and keeps the reader engrossed from beginning to end. The story is well written and quite a page turner.
Reading this story you wonder what is real for the characters and what is not. It isn't confusing at all with that. Written like a mystery you follow detective Bruce Durante and Jason Tanner on the search for the true Comfort Killer. You get to see the story from both if their perspectives. One sees the real world while the other is seeing an alternate one at times. The two worlds collide and the truth comes out. When I found out which world was real I was in shock. The biggest shock of all comes at the end when you find out why the killer is killing their victims.
DiSemblance reads more like a Sci-Fi story than a Techno/Thriller. Holodecks like out of Star Trek and digital copies of people interacting as if it really is them. It's all good because it was pretty interesting. With the talk of computers and such the dialog of the book was not dragged down with a lot tech terms. I am one who doesn't like to read a book that requires a glossary of terms. That's not the case in this book. But it's not all about the techie stuff, there is also a mystery within the book too involving the Comfort Killer. Solving this becomes interesting as the reader since you have two worlds going on at the same time.
I like Jason's character. He is established as the hero from the beginning when he saves Boston from some gang thugs. He seems hesitant to be a hero. That is what happens when you save someone, you are a hero. Jason keeps his distance most of the time with people, he tries to protect his father's work with the holodeck. Things for Jason change when he makes a gutsy move and him and his brother make a run for it. Now he has to be around people more and he embraces the hero label by trying to save his father and others.
Detective Bruce was a good guy also, even though he tends to let his work come before his own life. I guess that is the life of a cop, right?
Overall thoughts of this book were that I was amazed at how much I enjoyed reading it. DiSemblance was very intricate and the author did a great job. I recommend this book to readers age 15+
I received this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.
Reading this story you wonder what is real for the characters and what is not. It isn't confusing at all with that. Written like a mystery you follow detective Bruce Durante and Jason Tanner on the search for the true Comfort Killer. You get to see the story from both if their perspectives. One sees the real world while the other is seeing an alternate one at times. The two worlds collide and the truth comes out. When I found out which world was real I was in shock. The biggest shock of all comes at the end when you find out why the killer is killing their victims.
DiSemblance reads more like a Sci-Fi story than a Techno/Thriller. Holodecks like out of Star Trek and digital copies of people interacting as if it really is them. It's all good because it was pretty interesting. With the talk of computers and such the dialog of the book was not dragged down with a lot tech terms. I am one who doesn't like to read a book that requires a glossary of terms. That's not the case in this book. But it's not all about the techie stuff, there is also a mystery within the book too involving the Comfort Killer. Solving this becomes interesting as the reader since you have two worlds going on at the same time.
I like Jason's character. He is established as the hero from the beginning when he saves Boston from some gang thugs. He seems hesitant to be a hero. That is what happens when you save someone, you are a hero. Jason keeps his distance most of the time with people, he tries to protect his father's work with the holodeck. Things for Jason change when he makes a gutsy move and him and his brother make a run for it. Now he has to be around people more and he embraces the hero label by trying to save his father and others.
Detective Bruce was a good guy also, even though he tends to let his work come before his own life. I guess that is the life of a cop, right?
Overall thoughts of this book were that I was amazed at how much I enjoyed reading it. DiSemblance was very intricate and the author did a great job. I recommend this book to readers age 15+
I received this book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2013
This book was one hell of a ride. If someone told me to describe it using one word it would clusterf-. It was that insane.
This was a very fast read. I just flew through pages trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Towards the end was when I finally realized what was happening but it was still a bit confusing at times because of the nature of the book. This was like a Bourne Identity mixed with James Bond mixed with some else.
For once the main MC was actually smart and STAYED smart during the whole book. He didn't have his moments of brilliance, no, he was brilliant the whole way through. So damn resourceful! If I ever had to run for my life I hope I would be as good at it as Jason. He did what had to be done and thought fast on his feet.
Even the girl next door, Boston was pretty awesome. She stood up to them and kept her word and if it came to it she would have blown someone's brains out. It was great! xD
This book deals with so many things. The dependency on technology, of people looking for a way to fight death and doing whatever it took to achieve it, and not only fighting it but dealing with it as well. Also the nature of relationships, whether they were romantic, familial, or just friendship. Of what was right and wrong and where the line just had to be drawn.
But that is where it failed as well for me. I got the messages and I thought they were good, but the execution of all of it wasn't that great. Even though I knew and understood why the detective's relationship with his wife was there, it still felt disjointed, and it would disrupt the flow of the book, specially the urgency of the whole thing.
Speaking of detectives I'd just like to say Angela was a freaking moron and glory-seeker. Wasn't willing to take the risks but wanted all the glory for herself as if she had done the work. PLEASE! Grow some balls woman! Sorry for the outburst, but it just had to be said xD
The real selling point for me was the pacing and Jason. The whole book was a race and so much crap kept happening and people kept dying but not, and then they would appear somewhere else and then dead again. It was so confusing! but so awesome at the same time! I didn't know what was real just as much as Jason till we all figure it out.
Even with it's flaws I think I'll be picking up the next one if it's as much of a rush as this one. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves lots of action.
This was a very fast read. I just flew through pages trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Towards the end was when I finally realized what was happening but it was still a bit confusing at times because of the nature of the book. This was like a Bourne Identity mixed with James Bond mixed with some else.
For once the main MC was actually smart and STAYED smart during the whole book. He didn't have his moments of brilliance, no, he was brilliant the whole way through. So damn resourceful! If I ever had to run for my life I hope I would be as good at it as Jason. He did what had to be done and thought fast on his feet.
Even the girl next door, Boston was pretty awesome. She stood up to them and kept her word and if it came to it she would have blown someone's brains out. It was great! xD
This book deals with so many things. The dependency on technology, of people looking for a way to fight death and doing whatever it took to achieve it, and not only fighting it but dealing with it as well. Also the nature of relationships, whether they were romantic, familial, or just friendship. Of what was right and wrong and where the line just had to be drawn.
But that is where it failed as well for me. I got the messages and I thought they were good, but the execution of all of it wasn't that great. Even though I knew and understood why the detective's relationship with his wife was there, it still felt disjointed, and it would disrupt the flow of the book, specially the urgency of the whole thing.
Speaking of detectives I'd just like to say Angela was a freaking moron and glory-seeker. Wasn't willing to take the risks but wanted all the glory for herself as if she had done the work. PLEASE! Grow some balls woman! Sorry for the outburst, but it just had to be said xD
The real selling point for me was the pacing and Jason. The whole book was a race and so much crap kept happening and people kept dying but not, and then they would appear somewhere else and then dead again. It was so confusing! but so awesome at the same time! I didn't know what was real just as much as Jason till we all figure it out.
Even with it's flaws I think I'll be picking up the next one if it's as much of a rush as this one. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves lots of action.
September 6, 2013
Ok, to be honest it took me a while to get into this book. I put it down several times and almost didn't pick it back up. I can't put my finger on what it was that kept me from investing myself in the book. The premise is totally unique and intriguing and the characters are interesting enough, but for some reason it just didn't grab me right away. With that said, I'm glad I didn't give up. At about the half way point this happened:
And it was like the story just took off. Talk about going from zero to 100 in only a few seconds:
And from that point on the story went something like this:
Once things get going, it's a race to the finish. I couldn't put the book down anymore and I had to know how things would end. The premise is really cool and makes for a great sci-fi. Put the time in and the payoff is there.
Overall this is an action-packed, full of twists, thriller. The technology is very cool (seriously, a hologram machine??) and the author manages to pull off something that seems unrealistic and make it tangible. There were a few side stories that brought out emotions (ex. why Jason keeps people at arms length) and defined each character. Not all of my questions were answered, but it's an entertaining read nonetheless. I definitely think Shanae Branham is an author to watch.
October 3, 2012
Do you know when you realize that you are reading a good book? When you can’t put it down, when you even dream about it! Well, this is one of those books.
DiSemblance is an original techno-thriller novel. It grabs you from the start and you can’t stay away from it for too long.
In DiSemblance we meet Jason a 17-year-old boy who has lived his all life almost confined to his house. After saying goodbye to his father, who goes away for the weekend, his life changes from one second to the next. He sees him involve in a strange case of a serial killer and in a fight to save his life, his brother’s and the girl next door.
The story moves extremely fast. With chapters very short (mostly 3 pages long more or less) you can feel the action through the pages. And things change with a speed that gives you the sensation that you are living them.
The book has some moments that blow your mind. You end up feeling like you were hit by a wall. Most of the times the news was so surprising that my mouth hang open for a while. I was like… “Wasn’t he or she supposed to be dead?” Or saying “is this real?”
The most amazing thing was that you really don’t know where the book is going. I love that it isn't predictable. Maybe at the end you have a feeling of where it was going but it still has a great ending.
Jason is an amazing character, a mature, brave, intelligent boy who is willing to do anything in order to clean his father’s name. His brother Isaac his so funny, I adore him. Being totally opposite to Jason he is a bit annoying but anyway he is sweet guy. The detective Durante is the perfect adult character that this book needs. And you couldn’t have a great book without a girl! Boston is the lady in question; she is the perfect match for Jason.
The whole holographic reality is outstanding; it’s excellently explained and is the perfect background. Besides being original DiSemblace makes you question a lot of things. In a world dominated by technology this kind of book makes you wonder some things.
This truly is an excellent book, which is perfect for YA and adults as well.
(I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange of an honest review)
DiSemblance is an original techno-thriller novel. It grabs you from the start and you can’t stay away from it for too long.
In DiSemblance we meet Jason a 17-year-old boy who has lived his all life almost confined to his house. After saying goodbye to his father, who goes away for the weekend, his life changes from one second to the next. He sees him involve in a strange case of a serial killer and in a fight to save his life, his brother’s and the girl next door.
The story moves extremely fast. With chapters very short (mostly 3 pages long more or less) you can feel the action through the pages. And things change with a speed that gives you the sensation that you are living them.
The book has some moments that blow your mind. You end up feeling like you were hit by a wall. Most of the times the news was so surprising that my mouth hang open for a while. I was like… “Wasn’t he or she supposed to be dead?” Or saying “is this real?”
The most amazing thing was that you really don’t know where the book is going. I love that it isn't predictable. Maybe at the end you have a feeling of where it was going but it still has a great ending.
Jason is an amazing character, a mature, brave, intelligent boy who is willing to do anything in order to clean his father’s name. His brother Isaac his so funny, I adore him. Being totally opposite to Jason he is a bit annoying but anyway he is sweet guy. The detective Durante is the perfect adult character that this book needs. And you couldn’t have a great book without a girl! Boston is the lady in question; she is the perfect match for Jason.
The whole holographic reality is outstanding; it’s excellently explained and is the perfect background. Besides being original DiSemblace makes you question a lot of things. In a world dominated by technology this kind of book makes you wonder some things.
This truly is an excellent book, which is perfect for YA and adults as well.
(I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange of an honest review)
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