The Silver Spoon

Rating:
Summary: Excellent novel. :)
Review: If you're looking for great sci-fi, romance, and a thrilling plot than look no further. The silver spoon, is guarenteed to satsify.

This novel took me a total of 2 hours to read, once I picked it up I couldn't put it down, it was gripping and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

In this book you meet Caelen, an Observer, who's on a mission to find Zara. The one woman able to defeat Neaven and his nefarious plot for Earthly dominance. Zara a human, with a very interesting history, is afraid of all things alien. Literally. So when this gorgeous, albeit alien observer, comes into her diner warning her of danger she wants nothing to do with it, him, or otherwise.

Their adventure is thrilling, making you wonder what could possibly happen next, Ms. Klemstein takes us on interesting twists and turns, keeping you on your toes since nothing's really as it seems. She kept it open for a sequel, and I for one am earnestly hoping that she will give us that book very soon, let me just say she left us with a doozy of an ending.

You may have noticed I gave it a four and not a five, even though I have nothing but praise for this novel. Because of the first person narrative I felt very detached from Caelen's thoughts. At times Zara thinks things about him, which leave me to wonder, yeah, does he only do this because of the prophesy, or are there more feelings involved? You sense the romance there, and at times it curls your toes, but I'm not always sure if his actions are motivated by love, or simply the prophesy must be fulfilled whatever the cost. And that's mainly due to the fact that I can't see his thoughts...but really that's very minor. I'm assuming since there's more books to come in this series that I'll eventually see just how much he does love her.

Ms. Klemstein is definitely one author who's book will stay on my keepers shelf. :)

Rating:
Summary: Avid Reviewer and Reader
Review: No one knows when the Observers originally arrived on Earth, but their unveiling was an event not to be forgotten. Somewhere in the world, nuclear warheads where launched escalating into war. Everyone was glued to the television with TV announcers giving us 20 minutes until the end of the world. Then they appeared on TV with an offer no one would refuse - We will save Earth from destruction if you allow us to study man-kind. The Observers got what they requested with no resistance.
Zara Mitchells is just a small town owner of a dinner trying to make ends meet. After her parents died, she was forced to support her younger brother. When the Observers first appeared on TV that fateful day, Zara's life became a nightmare. She began sleepwalking with horrid nightmares. Zara is convinced the Observers have nefarious designs on humanity, but no proof. Everyone in the small town Zara lives is convinced she is crazy.
Life is just beginning to get easier. Zara is finally able to move on - an application to the local community college awaits her at home, the diner has enough staff to allow her free-time, and her brother is currently in college. Then in walks an Observer, a silvery eyed alien. Everything in Zara's life changes once again.
The Observer, Caelan is convinced Zara is the fulfillment of a prophecy and he will do anything to gain her compliance. Zara is very confused. She doesn't know if she can trust Caelan. Everything in her life has been destroyed in some way by the Observers. How can she trust a being whose existence caused her so much pain? Why is another Observer trying to kill her?
Thus begins The Silver Spoon by local Chicago author Stacey Klemstein. The storyline slowly evolves with a mystery woven into the story that has some unanticipated twists and turns. Klemstein sets a pace that allows the reader to become involved in the storyline. Caelan and Zara are very likable characters who have many layers to their personalities. Zara has a wonderful sense of humor that comes out in her dialogue.
While it would be easy to classify The Silver Spoon as a romance, that would vastly underrate the book. The book has a romance element, but it is more of an entertaining science fiction adventure.


Rating:
Summary: An great debut
Review: Two years ago, Zara Mitchell began having terrible nightmares and has been known since as the local crazy. At the same time, Earth made its first contact with aliens. The Observers had been watching us from a distance for a while and have since landed on Earth, sending out small numbers of research parties. Zara is terrified of the aliens, but fortunately unlikely ever to meet any.

Or so she thinks. As the story opens, she is working in her diner, The Silver Spoon, when the sherrif stops in with his latest captive - one of the Observers. Moments later her world turns upside down when the diner explodes, her life is saved by Caelen, the Observer, and he insists she was the target of the attack. Reluctant, but determined to find answers to the questions in her life, Zara finally agrees to go with Caelen. From there, her life just gets more complicated as every answer raises a host more questions.

Klemstein has placed her characters very neatly on the board and proceeded to play havoc with them with skill, ease and a delightful touch of wit and humour. What impressed me most is the way, as she slowly revealed more about the nature and plans of the Observers, she made them more human at the same time as she showed us how different they were. Zara too finds she is not exactly what she has always believed as she finally discovers the source of her nightmares. She deals with this realistically rather than easily, a fact that made me like her more. She has a wry sense of humour and is strong without being forcefully or unbelievably so.

Caelen is less clearly drawn, partly because we never see his thought processes (the story is told first-person from Zara's point of view) and because his motives remain cloudy and uncertain. The romance between Zara and Caelen and gentle, cautious and uncertain; while "happy ever after" is definitely a possibility at the end, it is not yet certain.

Many of the questions facing the characters at the start of the book are answered by the end, but some remain and others have been created. This book is crying out for a sequel and I sure hope Stacey Klemstein is in the process of writing one. I'll be buying it.