Sunday 29 November 2015

Grave Intent by Alexander Hartung

As is his custom, Dr. Bernhard Valburg goes to place flowers at his wife's grave. This time he finds a shallow grave dug next to hers with a cross bearing his name and a date of death on it. The date is tomorrow. Panicked he calls police dispatch who believe it to be a hoax but as a precaution advise him to come to the station. He never arrives and his body is found in the grave the next day.

So begins a race against time for Detective Jan Tommen as more graves are discovered. With the help of forensic pathologist (and highly acerbic) Zoe, hacker Max and a mountain of a man, Chandru, they try to piece together the connection between the intended victims and stop the murders taking place. When one of them becomes a potential target, no holds are barred to find the perpetrator.

This story ticked off all the boxes of a solid mystery/crime thriller. Even though the characters appear in a book before this, the necessary info is repeated and at no stage do you feel as though you are trying to catch up. The characters are solid. Even when some are only touched on you can still get to grips with their personalities, actions and emotions. The bonds of friendship run deep in this story, as characters are pushed beyond their limits to make life changing choices. The fast pace and flow of the story is great-keeps you turning just one more page and then just one more page! The logical progression of evidence to find the killer makes sense-so often the reader has to push plausibility boundaries but this story leaves you satisfied after reading the last page.


A few minor punctuation issues crop up, but nothing to distract from an excellently written book. A fantastic thriller able to be read in a day, with non-stop action, believable characters and a cohesive storyline. Thanks to Netgalley for the advance review.

Sunday 22 November 2015

Monsterland by Michael Phillip Cash

This horror novel has many elements of the paranormal-including zombies, vampires and werewolves.

Vincent Conrad is hailed as a future thinking hero who will make up for the government's failure to contain the zombie infection. Vampires and werewolves were outed many years previously and due to strict reproduction and feeding laws, their numbers are dwindling at a rapid rate. Vincent has created viewing parks to contain all these creatures-scientists can then study them and the public can get their horror fix. On opening day a few lucky people have been granted VIP access-a chance to see behind the scenes and get up close to the monsters. But why has Vincent gathered so many of the world's presidents in one place at the same time with the promise of seeing life changing attractions? Are his motives really pure? And if something goes wrong will people be able to survive not just the zombie infection but a horde of vampires and werewolves too?

This is one of the author's better novels. He takes everyday situations like blended families and fitting in at school, and weaves it into the narrative. The dynamic between Wyatt and his stepfather, who is trying his best to be accepted by Wyatt and his brother, is well written and reflects many of the issues experienced by people in similar situations. The characters of the kids at school embody many groups in current society-the jock, the nerd, unrequited love, loyal friendships and competitive animosity.

The storyline was not your average zombie/vamp/wolf tale. Some of the account was obvious from early on, so when it came to crucial parts of the story there were really no surprises. The back stories of each of the monsters was only touched upon, and considering the monsters were meant to make the story, they really didn't get enough airtime. Yet in saying that, not all monsters are who they seem to be.

Some editing errors cropped up but nothing that stuck out too badly. I felt the ending wrapped up too quickly and there could have been a lot more horror in the story.

Entertaining, with a twist in the usual run of the mill creature story, but not riveting enough to warrant 5 stars.

The Devil's Fool by Rachael McClellan

This is a paranormal story with elements of horror-the violence is not suitable for younger readers.

Eve is watching her parents torture an innocent woman. This is not the first time she has seen them torture someone. As the daughter of some of the world's most powerful and evil witches, she is no stranger to their callous acts; not only on others but on herself-and she wants no part of the lifestyle. After rejecting her powers for years, she is now of marriage age and is introduced to Boaz-an influential vampire who wishes to woo her with her parent's consent. He introduces her to his world of the night, but still she resists the allure of magic. Will Boaz's subtle influence unleash the dark side of her nature that she never wished to see?

The story started with great promise to me, but Eve's character, even for a paranormal story, switched between light and dark too quickly considering all that she had been through and managed to resist. The violence in the torture scenes was definitely graphic and if her mind didn't snap during this I am surprised anything could make her turn. The rivalry between  the strong witch families was a good subplot and the introduction of Lucian and his tormented secrets makes for a great lead into the next book in the series. Again grammar and punctuation errors reared their ugly heads-it really is essential to ensure a good editor and proofreader deal with the work before publication.


The characters worked well in the story and there were some definite cheers when some of them met untimely demises. Overall a good read but not captivating enough to buy the next book in the series. 

Wednesday 18 November 2015

The Red Mohawk by Anonymous

A very cleverly written comedy/horror story in the Tarantino/Rodriguez style reminiscent of "Planet Terror".

You start with a serial killer in the town of B Movie Hell with a skeleton mask and a red mohawk. Add to this an "off the books" alcoholic agent looking to stop him. Mix in a brothel called the Beaver Palace, run by the town owner and ex porn producer, with girls who love movies like Dirty Dancing. And then top it off with a town of dodgy locals who are willing to kill to keep secrets. It's a cult classic just waiting to be made into a movie. (And the good news is that's on the cards...)

The writing in this book is subtle yet doesn't hold back. What needs to be said for the sake of the book is put out there, yet the clever innuendos and references to 80s and 90s horror movies make you laugh (sometimes maniacally). Cheesy gems pop up all over-from calling the major lake in the town Lake Flaccid (yes the porn producer named it) to a very droll "and out of the blue" in italics. Who uses that anymore?

A few mistakes crept in like using "you" instead of "your" or using "titled" instead of "tilted", but the writing style will keep you on your toes.

As you can imagine there is plenty of blood, guts and sex in this-just missing the good old rock 'n roll. Some questions in the story are left for the reader to fill in, but this doesn't detract from the main storyline. The characters and carnage they create make this well worth reading-recommended for those with a wry sense of humour.


Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this.

Contamination: The Boxed Set (0-3) by TW Piperbrook

The first few books (0-3) of this boxed set are a horror/thriller/apocalyptic take on the "zombie infection".
Frank is in the drunk tank again, and Dan is extremely relieved to be on the way home from his shift and not have to deal with Frank's drunken raving. A call from his relief brings him back to the station to find Frank dead. His body mutilated and his eyes like no human's eyes should be. On arriving home things are mayhem-his wife sits waiting for him with a butcher's knife and his daughter is missing. What is happening in the town of St Matthews? What is the infection spreading through the townsfolk turning them into killers, and how can it be stopped? So begins the first story in the set about the infection The Agency wants to use to reset the world. Each story tells of a different section of the total and introduces the different characters, how they meet up and what they can do to save humanity.
The tone throughout the book, especially for its genre, was too formal. For instance when Dan is looking for his daughter "He held out hope that she had been able to find assistance", crosses his mind. That seems far too polite for a desperate man searching for his daughter with a band of flesh eating monsters raging around him. As the set progresses the tone drops its formality and the reading flow becomes more comfortable.
The books themselves are rather short and I was able to read the set in one sitting. While a good storyline, Contamination brings nothing new to the "zombie-like" infected eating each other, reasons for zombie viruses being created and how the good guys win, basic plot. Book three doesn't end on a cliff hanger and if you wish to end the series there you can, or continue with book four to pick up a storyline left earlier.

A solid story, no major editing mistakes and an entertaining read. For me it wasn't spectacular and would fall into the run of the mill zombie story. For those expecting proper horror, blood, gore and guts-unfortunately this isn't for you.

Thursday 12 November 2015

The Gift Wrapping Book by Caroline Birkett

What a great little find just before the holidays!

With chapters ranging from packaging incorporating natural wraps to Hi-tech wraps to romantic wraps, how to make boxes or repurpose old boxes to even making the bows, this is a great guide to overall wrapping. Included is a suggestion of tools and materials which is always helpful.


The colour photos are beautiful and the instructions and tips easily understandable. Using bubble wrap as a stamp or to cover items instead of protecting them was a new one for me! The more experienced crafter will have dealt with most of the advice, but for those looking for a little inspiration, there are some great ideas.

I would have loved the book to be a little longer with perhaps more projects but felt that the inclusion of box templates as well as advice on creating the decoration on the paper itself was a fantastic idea.

Sunday 1 November 2015

The Divine Apprentice (Book One)-Allen J. Johnston

I picked up this fantasy book to use as a light evening read and landed up enjoying it a lot more than I expected.

Meet Kade-the young apprentice training to be one of the Chosen who are able to use the power of the divine to achieve feats of magic. Taken from his family at an early age, Kade has a soul destined for one of either extreme poles-become the greatest Chosen or be their ruin. When tragedy strikes the bond of master and apprentice, Kade must use what he has learnt to begin the vengeful journey he must take. An unexpected relationship is formed between him and a dragon, who is thought to be a creature of myth. Helped by an Essence Guardian, Kade's parents and a loyal little animal, Chance, Kade must stretch himself to learn and develop more of his talents to fight all manner of beasts and find the evil one who wants him destroyed.

The storyline itself is very interesting but the execution very stiff. Kade as a character is a little underwhelming, but his interactions with the other characters serve to flesh him out more solidly. I enjoyed the growing mind bond with Rayden the dragon, and as for Chance-I am interested to find out more about what he is and his full connection to the story.  Our introduction to Darcienna, the Essence Guardian, is one of a feisty, good-hearted woman who will make a very suitable partner for Kade in both heart and adventure. Her son Marcole seemed a bit of a waste of space in the book. He had no dialogue and was just used as a "crying distraction" in dangerous scenes. Maybe all will be revealed in subsequent books. We only briefly meet Kade's parents but his mother's character is beautifully and gently written. I enjoyed meeting the monsters that Kade must battle and learning about the different types of callings.

The language to introduce us to all of this however, had me constantly grating my teeth. You could tell that the author was relatively new to this by the formality of the writing. As though one was back at school instead of just writing the way a character would speak and think in everyday life. I lost track of the amount of times that Kade "chastised himself"-lots more synonyms were needed throughout the book. I was hoping the start of the second book would show the author's relaxation in his writing style but was hit with: "Judeen complied immediately while maintaining an air of confidence". Far too polite. Much of the dialogue didn't seem real to me-inner or verbal. Kade was grievously injured a number of times, yet bounced back remarkably quickly-the timeline to the extent of the wounds was dodgy. And the emphasis on the amount of hours spent learning the nuances of the moves and words to the callings became annoying as they were repeated over and over. I also found that jumping back and forth between different character's points of view in consecutive sentences really made some parts confusing to read and cut into the flow of the book.


Apart from all that, a very entertaining read with a good idea and great promise.

Nirvana-The redrafted version-JR Stewart

I was privileged to be invited to read the redrafted book Nirvana by JR Stewart after the author took the sage advice of a number of advance readers, originally offered by Netgalley.

In a world dominated by big corporation Hexagon, life is run in a controlled manner. For a little rest and relaxation, and if they can afford it, people get to escape their lives for a few minutes in virtual reality. A place where all your dreams can be fulfilled. Our heroine Larissa works in the VR lab, as well as being an animal rights activist and musician in a punk band, and is engaged to Andrew, one of Hexagon's key VR programmers. Andrew is becoming more and more secretive about his work, and in their world constantly under surveillance, he cannot share his concerns with Larissa. His dealings with Hexagon's bosses and their desires for the VR world has led him to uncover secrets regarding the extinction.  The terrible period in history when animals and crops were destroyed, to be replaced with synthetically grown food for the masses. Now Andrew has disappeared and Hexagon insists he is dead. Larissa refuses to accept this-even with a body being produced. She still sees Andrew in her VR time and it feels like the real him. Can she track down the evidence to prove that he still lives and that Hexagon is not as benign as they would like people to believe? And who can she trust to help her-if anyone?

The rewrite was amazing. It's a 180 degree change in writing style and accessibility to the characters. The previous concerns about personalities not being fleshed out enough were addressed, and a number of changes in the story were made. The author has created a world of nanobots and VR and the very real threat about what would happen if all the bees were exterminated. The concepts are clear and well explained and ensure that the reader doesn't need to jump back and forth in the book for clarity. A few issues with spelling and continuity didn't allow for a 5 star rating, but it certainly came close.

A very clever lead into book 2 allows you to finish the story without feeling as though you are abruptly left hanging, but very curious as to where the story is going next. A very well written redraft-highly recommended. 

Cut the Sugar, You're Sweet Enough-Ella Leche

Having recently attempted to cut sugar and wheat from my diet, I ventured off to the health shop and found myself with a cupboard full of chia seeds, ground flaxseed and whey protein amongst others. So a cupboard full of goods but no idea how to use them! This book was an absolute gem to find.

Ranging from breakfasts, to bars, to puddings and sweet treats as well as a number of vegan main options and even bread, the book really does have a wide variety to offer. I was interested at the section showing you how to make your own nut milk as some of these are very expensive in supermarkets. The photos are mouth watering and look fresh and colourful. With a handy measuring and temperature converter at the back, and a complete and easy to use index, this book is sure to fulfil many sugar free fantasies!