Thursday 22 September 2016

The Second Twin (The Legend of Rhyme series #4) by Jaime Lee Mann

This is the 4th in the Rhyme series and is a fantasy adventure aimed at middle grade children.

Grindlerod has taken Asher and Ariana to a time when Elora and Calla are much the same age as they are. Now that they know what Elora became, how can they possible trust her? A stranger then enters their lives with the promise of help. After all they have been through is it wise to trust him? Meanwhile Teagan is learning what it's like to become a mermaid, but will she be happy enough to make it permanent?

Again the storylines moved in interesting directions but a cliff-hanger smacks you in the face at the end. Many timeframes and scenes are covered in this book, and the jump between them as well as the length of the chapters made it confusing to read at times. I do like the path that the story has taken, and the way that Starla alerts her future self to a memory is very clever. The main themes of family, friendship, loyalty, love and being the hero are beautifully explored in the series. A very entertaining read, rich with interesting characters (although I found the pixies VERY annoying) and an adventure-filled plotline.


Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers for the chance to review the book.

Teagan of Tomorrow (The Legend of Rhyme series #3) by Jaime Lee Mann

This is the third in the fantasy adventure series suitable for middle grade children.

The twins have been thrust into the future - one where magic no longer exists but where people know the history of magic. Teagan is from this timeline, but has never felt as though she belongs there. Grindlerod has bided his time waiting for magic to reappear so that his deepest desire can be fulfilled. Asgall is gone but his spell is still intact. Will the twins make their way back to undo Asgall's spell with the help of one who was once a toad? And will Teagan find out where in the world she is actually meant to be?

Another great instalment in the series. The pace of the action in this is a lot quicker and there is more of a sense of urgency in correcting the evil that has fallen. You find yourself reading as fast as possible to see what happens, only to realise that you HAVE to get your hands on the next one in the series. I'm looking forward to the conclusion as I feel I have walked every step of the adventure with all the amazing characters.


Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers for the chance to review the book.

Into Coraira (The Legend of Rhyme series #2) by Jaime Lee Mann

This is the second in the fantasy adventure series suitable for middle grade children.

Now that the evil that threatened to envelop Rhyme has been banished, the twins are ready to find out just how powerful they really are. Unfortunately things are never quiet in their realm  as it comes to light that Asgall, the eldest of the Ancients, is back in Rhyme and bringing all manner of evil with him.

The series continues and answers many questions left by the first book, but of course new ones emerge. More creatures like unicorns and mermaids join the cast of characters which creates a fantastic new dimension. I found the story a little slower than the first but I think it's a build-up to what promises to be faster paced action in the third. Will Asgall succeed in his quest? Will the missing twins be found? Will Asher and Ariana find their powers? Will Grindlerod's wish be answered? So many questions!


This is a fantastic read and I can't wait to see what happens next. Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers for the chance to review the book.

Elora of Stone (The Legend of Rhyme series #1) by Jaime Lee Mann

This is a fantasy adventure suitable for middle-grade children.

Grindlerod the goblin is tasked with collecting one part of every set of twins born in Falmoor for the evil sorcerer Larque. Gwendolyn and Lochlan Caine have a set of twins and are very careful to keep them close by as they grow up. But even with all their magic and care Grindlerod still manages to steal Asher away. Years go by as the family mourn until Ariana learns that her brother is still alive, and sets off to rescue him. Larque must be stopped at all costs. Can Ariana get to her brother in time and work their magic to defeat the spread of evil?

This is a really fun book for the ages specified, even if a little simple at times. The questions at the end of the book are great for discussions and they get the reader thinking. The idea of goblins, fairies, pixies and magic as well as the age-old tale of good vs evil is always a great recipe for a story. I loved the pictures that were thrown in every now and then -  they added a beautiful quality to the book. The only thing I found difficult to read was the third person singular simple present tense, but I guess for the age group it's easier to put themselves into the context. Fun characters and a good start to a series.


Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers for the chance to review the book.

Thursday 8 September 2016

There'll be Hell to Pay: Hellcat#6 by Sharon Hannaford

Gabi and Julius are co-leading the Special Investigations dept and still hunting for the betrayer vampire Caspian and his pregnant Dark Magus partner Mariska. An uneasy feeling of dread has fallen over the city as more demons seem intent on crossing the barrier, and the newly formed alliances placed in positions of security might not be ready to handle them yet. The degree of action and danger jump up a notch when someone very near to Gabi is compromised. It's now up to Gabi and those closest to her to deal with the situation, truces, alliances, secrets and traitors for once and all.

It is an absolute shame to see this series come to an end. I feel as though I have been with the characters through their successes and heartaches, their newfound confidence and their rejections; and loved every minute of it. I will miss our heroine, but perhaps now she can take some time off from saving the world and spend some quality time with Julius and Razor. I liked that we got a bit more of a glimpse into Gabi's family and how they have faced all that has happened. Many questions from the series were tied up, but true to Ms. Hannaford's style she leaves us with a little something, and we leave her with a cry of " and then?" The characters have stayed true to personality but grown in substance, and the plot has followed a logical progression. The writing is fluid and has matured throughout the series, and good editing makes it comfortable to read.


While some may feel that the book was tied up too neatly or quickly I thoroughly enjoyed it, and can't wait for the next series to make its appearance.

Thursday 1 September 2016

Frosted Blood by Larry Pellitteri

This is a fantasy novel suitable for YA and up.

Michael finds himself an orphan at an early age; his parents taken inexplicably from him. Having been given a crystal from them just before they left, with the explanation that all will be revealed, he spends his school years learning about crystals and extracting them from caves. Fresh from school he is offered an internship at Enbright - the same place his parents used to work. Considering his experience and expertise it seems strange that he would have been picked for the position. As the days go by and the job entails nothing more than staring at a screen, he hopes to meet someone to make life more interesting. Enter a new co-worker named Emma and the sparks start to fly. But with Emma comes a whole new adventure involving secrets, traitors, vampires, Urashi, Atlanteans and possibly a world war. They are just kids! How on earth will they solve this?


The story hinted of great things to come and then the pace slowed down immensely. Later on it picked up quickly again, but by then the story and timeline had gone into so many different tangents that it became convoluted. It was as though the author had a whole lot of different ideas, all of equal merit that he decided would work, so lumped them together in one book. I didn't feel much depth to the main characters: Michael had his hero moments and then would be too scared to do something in case his heart was hurt, Emma seemed a bit flighty when it came to romance and they both seemed to grasp technology and the ability to use vehicles and machinery too quickly. For the part that Christopher played I don't think he was explained enough to the reader, and West and Father John went from good to bad to good to bad. The language used was a bit strange - some very "large" words that are certainly not in everyday use and quite a few grammatical and punctuation mistakes. The story was definitely aimed more at YA - a bit fluffy for adults. Overall a good idea for a story, but too much packed into it caused not enough substance.

The Hauntings of Playing God by Chris Dietzel

This is a dystopian novel based on the last people left alive in the world.

The De-Evolution wiped out almost all of humankind. The last few humans alive are just trying to get by day after day, looking after themselves and the Blocks they take care of. Blocks are humans born without the ability to speak, hear, move or see and are basically just living corpses. Morgan is a 90 year-old woman doing what she can to take care of the Blocks under her supervision. But day by day her strength is waning and as Blocks die naturally she realises that the fewer Blocks there are, the easier it will be to look after the remainder. Should she wait for the Blocks to die a natural death or help nature along a little? Then the nightmares begin...


This book had some rave reviews and I was looking forward to it. I must have put it down about six times and picked it up again, determined to reach the end, hoping for a riveting finale. I was unfortunately disappointed. A lot of the last chapters were in essence the same story with a different character repeated over and over again. I'm sure a lot of people read very deeply into the subject and deliberated on life and the universe, but to me it was a simple message drawn out for far too long. I didn't like the idea of the Blocks and why they were there and alive, and I didn't enjoy the way that the humans seem to accept their fates so easily. At least the grammar and punctuation were not bad, but the story was not for me.

Jump When Ready by David Pandolfe

This is a fantasy story suitable for YA and up.

Henry has just woken up to find himself dead. Bit of a conundrum, that. It seems that slipping into the river and drowning has placed him in a world between life and death along with others who remain at the same age they died. He is able to go back and see his world but is unable to interact with it, so when he finds that his family thinks he committed suicide and his sister is kidnapped, he desperately needs to find a way to get through to them. With his new friends manifesting powers able in some way to communicate with the living, maybe they all landed together for a reason? Will he be able to do the improbable and save his sister?

This is a beautiful story as you are able to visualise both sides of the coin. You ache for the family left behind and ache for the person who wants to communicate with them but can't. Guess the moral is to make the most of the time you have in life. Since this is the first book in the series, the characters were not very fleshed out but I think more will be given to them as time goes by. The story itself is very thought-provoking: the trust his sister places in someone, the loss his family felt at his passing, the realisation that he was portraying someone to his family that wasn't who he believed he was and inspiring in that he loves his sister so much that he is willing to do anything he can to help her. The writing and editing are great -  seamless reading. The only thing that didn't gel for me was what happened with Curtis at the end -  it just felt tacked on and implausible given the physical constraints explained early on.


Otherwise an unexpectedly moving read and well worth getting into.

Somebody tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead by Christiana Miller

This is a paranormal adventure but due to mature themes I would only recommend it for adults.

Mara is a witch - a real one, not just for Halloween. However, she is soon to be a witch without a place to stay. Even her flamboyant best friend Gus can't help her out of this jam. Fate steps in and a residence becomes available, but it's in a really tiny town and locals believe it's cursed. Well curses are certainly not going to deter a witch, so Mara sets forth only to find a spirit that really doesn't want her there. Why is Aunt Tillie's spirit trying to injure her and are Lisette and Lucien's ghosts as benign as they make out to be?

Well this is certainly an adventure that culminates in a lot of action. The second half of the book seems a lot faster than the first half as there was a lot of time spent on Mara finding the house. Gus was a magnificent character, so over the top and in love with life - he was like a breath of fresh air. Some characters turned out to be wet rags while others rose to the occasion magnificently. The overall story of spirits and hauntings and spells and possession does touch on a very mature theme but is dealt with well in the context of the story. I didn't think it was as necessary to go into the sexual debauchery as was offered in the book. The writing and editing themselves were very good except for finding a sentence involving "sewing seeds" which gave me a giggle. Normally the inclusion of a few chapters of the next book is very enticing, but having the huge revelation that took place actually put me off reading any further in the series.


Other than that a good read that even my husband enjoyed!

The Goodbyes by Leslie Welch

This is a story of life tinged with romance and regret and suitable for mature YA and up.

Bree is the love of Webb's life. Always has been and always will be. This is why Webb finds himself hurtling towards a dying Bree's bedside after walking out on a wildly successful rock tour. It's been years since he has seen her, but his heart still remains with hers. So many memories speed through his mind as he races against the clock, hoping to see her one last time. Will he make it there safely and on time, and if so, will this be the closure he craves from all that has happened between them?

This is a bittersweet story about life and the paths we chose versus the paths we are thrown onto. No matter how many times Bree hurts Webb he forgives her - over and over again - something I think a lot of people can relate to. As a reader your feelings about Bree change constantly, one minute you are disgusted with her choices and the next your heart breaks with empathy. Webb's courage to leave the abuse and strive for his dream gives us hope in our own lives. I liked the way that the story was written in two timelines - it felt as though time was really happening as you were reading it. The cast of characters were so true to life -  many could be compared to people you know. The writing and editing were very good - an easy flow to read even with some uncomfortable situations. Not your average YA read, it and gives you a glimpse of how cruel life can be sometimes.


Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers for the chance to review the book.

Wednesday 17 August 2016

Immortal Writers by Jill Bowers

This is a fantasy adventure suited to young adults.

Liz McKinnen is an 18 yr old writer of fantasy and has had a measure of success with her books involving dragons and magic, however is stuck in a relationship she feels is just not right. One evening she is kidnapped and taken to a mysterious castle where she finds out that she has joined the ranks of the immortal writers -  those whose works have crossed the boundary between imagination and reality and the characters have come to life. Finding herself pitted with Shakespeare, Tolkien and Poe, amongst others, she has been brought there to battle the villain that she has created. Helped by friends and the love interest she created, Liz must find a way to defeat the villain in ways she as the creator has not thought up yet.


The characters have been given exceptionally fun personalities and the author has taken time (through Liz) to really describe the dragons as well as their weaknesses and strengths. I like that as young as Liz is, that she is also an old soul due to the experiences that she has had and the flaws she lives with. I'm glad that the literary characters were not as fleshed out as they could have been since Liz would not have been able to create such a concrete backstory for each of them and this allowed my imagination to run wild. I thought that the intimate scenes were age appropriate and the violence not too graphic. A little light on the story for an adult but a 14 yr-old would love this.

Rise of the Chosen by Anna Kopp

This is a fantasy adventure suitable for YA and up.

The dead just don't want to stay dead anymore. After the Waking, the lifeblood that surges through a newly dead body either creates a Woken (zombie-like with a want to kill) or a Chosen (like a genetically enhanced human with no emotions). The Watch (which consists of humans and Chosen) is there to regulate these changes and make sure the Woken are dispatched quickly. Other factions like the Human Alliance don't believe the dead and living should be mixing. Samantha has always wanted to be in the Watch, just like her dad, and in a devastating turn of events is thrust into a war she never knew existed. Now she must chose the lesser of two evils in a fight that can only end badly. Will she survive as a human let alone anything else?

I loved the idea for this book as it was definitely a different take on the zombie idea. The book starts off with a scenario that cleverly you only understand a little later. There are lots of sub plots touched on, especially Samantha's role in the fight for freedom, that can lead to so many new ideas later in the series. The love interest was a good twist but I was getting agitated that so many of my favourite characters kept getting bumped off. The plot also echoes reality with the shady dealing behind the facade of peace. I enjoyed the strong main female character but (unless it will be explained later), she seemed to fall into and be able to cope with so much far too quickly. A great cliffhanger though and an interesting lead into the next book.


Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishers for a chance to review the book.

Wednesday 10 August 2016

Pop Travel by Tara Tyler

This is a sci-fi thriller suitable for young adults and up.

Pop travel is the way to go. Jump into the transmission dock and your body is transported piece by tiny piece to the receiving dock; wherever in the world you want to go! A private investigator (Cooper), is begged by a client to find his fiancée after she vanished when using pop. Cooper digs deeper and finds a number of other disappearance - which authorities claim never had any connection with pop. The FBI puts an undercover agent onto Cooper but little does she know she will soon land up in a world of lies, spies and a big surprise. Maybe the vanishing allegations have some substance after all...

This is a very clever plot for a novel - the idea of teleportation has been around for ages and the question of exactly how it's done has been given a possible answer. Cooper is a great character, even if a little too trusting. Geri's part was written very well and I could imagine her laying on the fake accent thickly. What I found a little annoying though, was that at times the characters would say something completely out of context and was just silly - there was a major difference between the comfort of the writing and the next minute a stark contrast which had me bewildered. It didn't happen often though which was a good thing.


A solid story with a lot of action and intriguing plot. Very enjoyable.

Sunday 7 August 2016

Gifted (The Hayven Series#1) by J. George

This is a fantasy adventure with a touch of romance, suitable for young adults and up and the first in the Hayven series.

All Avery wanted was to take a short cut. Little did she know that this would lead her to Hayven Books and the giving of a gift as well as a prophecy by a lady named Sidra. Madrina and her cliders are coming back and Avery has to save everyone? What on earth does that mean? Avery is introduced to the world of Hayven where everyone has a special gift. A world just beyond her own where telepathy, teleportation and precognition exist. Along with some new fantastically gifted friends, Avery must find a way to stop Madrina and her cliders from stealing the stars from the sky and once again turning the world into a dark place.

This is a gem of a novel. I loved the parallel worlds idea and how people and their colours move between them. The love interest angle is sweet and heartfelt and brought a smile to my face a number of times. The characters, their descriptions and their personality traits were very true to life and I often felt as though I was part of the circle of friends. The pace of the novel can be a little slow every now and then but overall a comfortable read. Only one or two typos throughout made for good reading.


A very enjoyable novel with a great lead into the series and I eagerly await the next one!

Monday 25 July 2016

The Two Towers by Jaime A. Waters

This is a sci-fi romance and the first of two books in the series.

Kayla is a ruin rat who loves nothing more than scavenging through places traders deem clear and finding artefacts that have been left behind. After the planet's devastation, Omnilabs controls those who search for lost pieces of history in the ruins via traders and their crews. Kayla doesn't play by the rules and prefers the freelancers she works with. When a trader named Carl wants to make a deal with her she is thrust into a life she had forgotten. A life she still doesn't want. Sometimes however, even reluctant heroes have to step up for the greater good. Will Kayla rise to the occasion?

This was a very entertaining novel to read but definitely focussed on the romantic aspect more than the sci-fi. Kayla is one of those characters that you really want to like but she seems too perfect. Even with her snarky attitude 95% of the book's characters were immediately drawn to her beauty and brains and wanted to be around her.  Veridian had such an important role in her life yet I felt his character lacked substance or a story. The conflict between Carl and Alec is, as well as the life she wants vs the life she is supposed to live, a great section of the story. Personally the energy and mind connection was explained to the reader too many times.


The story was well written and edited. Apart from the intimate scenes I would recommend it for YA and up but I would have preferred more of the sci-fi aspect to be elaborated on. A good, fun read.

In the Shadow of David by Martin Baggen

This is the alternative account of the life and "creation" of Jesus as told by the rebellion.

Yohannon (John the Baptist) is set to claim the title of messiah with Miriam at his side. A messiah with a radically different view from current teachings. His cousin Yeshua (Jesus) resurfaces to spend some time with Yohannon only to be thrust unexpectedly into the limelight when plans go awry. Now with Yohannon out of the way, Mirriam and her family Zachary and Lazarus as well as friends  Yehudah and Thomas, must manipulate events in order to keep Yeshua in the dark but still believing that he is the son of God.  The miracles and deeds must seem real, but can the behind-the-scenes influence go too far?

I found this a difficult read and had to restart it a number of times. I wanted to gauge reader reaction before I started it and found two reviews that thoroughly praised it so I was looking forward to getting stuck into it. It wasn't what I expected and it's definitely not for everyone. Firstly a lot of names sounded so similar that I was getting confused between the characters. The chapters begin with varying points of view too, which sometimes makes  it puzzling as to where the story is coming from. Personally (and this is just my subjective opinion), I did not like the lies and "manufacture" of Jesus. I also found that the lead up to where Yeshua becomes convinced that he is the son of God too long, and then the miracles all leading up to his crucifixion happen in a short space of time in the book. The depiction of the horrors of the crucifixion and the torture leading to it are very vivid and hard to stomach. The writing itself is excellent but the plot was not for me.


I'd still give it 3 stars because of the way it was written and the idea behind it but don't pick this up expecting a light read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review the book. 

Brats, Inc. by Emmanuel Sullivan

This is a short story appropriate for middle school children and up.

The Meyters are siblings in an orphanage run by the horrid Mrs Brown. Orphanage might be too kind a word seeing as the children are actually sold off to the highest bidder. When the children are about to be "adopted", but separately, they decide to run away and find a parent that will love and take care of them. So begins their adventure.


I downloaded this book for free after I read some rave reviews about it but didn't realise it was aimed at such a young audience. It is extremely short and can be read very quickly. The plot is very sweet and suitable for about a 10 year old - don't expect anything new to crop up as this kind of story has been done many times before. The characters are not fleshed out very much as there is no time to do this, but I found Marc's character very irritating and precocious as he doesn't listen or do as he is told. A very light read with a moral to the tale.

Thursday 14 July 2016

The Light Fantastic by Sarah Combs

This is a work of fiction suitable for mature young adults and up with a very pertinent and thought-provoking theme.

The Mastermind has his group of assassins positioned and ready to go. All online and known only by the name of a state, they are everyday high school students. Except these run of the mill students are all planning to walk into their schools and start shooting. Indiscriminately. The story is told from a number of different points of view and really shows how many secrets or hurts are hidden behind a smiling face. The story emphasises the shock people go through when they think someone else has the perfect life, only to find out that sometimes even the most confident of people are hiding their fear of something. The script lets you into the mindset of some of the students as well as some of the teachers, and really hits home that the lead up to some of these tragedies could be a school friend or a neighbour's hurt or anger.

Even after reading the bio for the book, I didn't expect what I actually read. The author manages to take a teenager's brain and the millions of things they are happy and worry about and put them on paper. As an adult you can look back and laugh at what to you at the time seemed so important, yet at the time it overwhelms your life. The shooters were not a stereotypical group. Whether a jock or a nerd, popular or a loner, they all had friends and were all hiding the pain of something. Catfishing, hyperthymesia, bullying, being spiteful, revenge and genuine friendship are some of the deep themes that are explored.

I would have given the book 5 stars but (and I know why the author did it), to show a teenager's mind speed (well sometimes) that it works at, a lot of words were put together in run-ons. Sometimes you have to stop and go back to reread them and you land up getting a headache. The sticky caps and hashtags were also a little annoying. The different points of view between chapters had me confused in the beginning but it was necessary for the story.

A fantastic read with a very mature theme. Amazingly written with a storyline that keeps you thinking well after you have put the book down. Highly recommended.   


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Sunday 10 July 2016

A Red Mist (Assassin #2) by Simon Corn

This is a fantasy thriller and the second in the Assassin series. It is suitable for mature young adults and up and has a certain degree of violence.

Lucinda is in the hospital at the Killing Grounds in a deep depression. Even though she survived the final fight of the tournament, neither her boyfriend Alex, nor her friend Alara have come to see her. Her body is still wrecked, her face slashed and she can't see out of one of her eyes but she refuses to use her Arts to heal herself. She has never been close to anyone in her family besides her brother Bastian, and now that she knows what the Assassins Guild has in store for her she is dreading to go home and live with them. Little does she know that her life is about to take a huge turn. She will face vicious attacks, uncover secret plots, rescue a city full of children and eventually learn the deepest meaning of Family Comes First.


For full disclosure I did edit this book, but this in no way influences my review of the story. This is a great follow up to the first book which was told from Alara's perspective and this from Lucinda's point of view. This one focuses a lot more on family and the ties that bind them. I liked how Lucinda was able to show a much softer side to herself but still holds true to the assassin that she is. The story uncovers more of the politics between guilds and councils and the power play between the last remaining influential Houses heats up. Throw in a new love interest, a new family member and a portal or two and you have a well written and engaging read which leaves you wanting the third book immediately!

Ash - A Thriller (Asher Benson Book1)

Ash is a thriller with a touch of the paranormal and is suitable for mature young adults and up.

Ash Benson is a war hero. After suffering a brain injury from an exploded IED, his brain has changed in unexpected ways. Ash developed the power of telepathy. But hearing people's thoughts day in and day out is making him lose his mind. Alcohol helps, but not entirely. When he thwarts a bank robbery using his powers, a special branch of feds are after him to help them with a telepathy problem of their own. It seems a rogue agent is having too much fun controlling others with his powers and generally spreading chaos with violence. Can Ash use his own ability to counter this foe without being arrested for being the bad man himself?

While the story itself was interesting I battled to relate to the characters. If Ash was as snarky before the accident he would have definitely had problems in the military - the whole thing seemed forced. Sammy is basically a character with big boobs. She meets Ash in the bank robbery and all of a sudden is willing to give up her life to be with him. Her "assets" are mentioned frequently in the book. Throwing in an arch villain who should have been on the side of good able to force people to do things with his mind was a good plot line. Very reminiscent of Heroes. Nami would have been a great interjection of a character but her only qualities that were emphasised was that she was short and swore a lot.


An average read for me - an entertaining afternoon's fun but not interesting enough to want to carry on with the series. 

Brailing for Wile by Jason Zerndt

This is a fiction story aimed at young adults and up. Between the time the book was offered for review and the review going up the name has subsequently changed to The Roadrunner Cafe and the main character's name has changed.

Secrets are what caused this. Too many secrets have ruined too many lives. Like the fact that Mattius's father Wile was having an affair and after he was found out he hung himself. Four trees that used to symbolise the family sit outside of their cafe and Mattius's mom is sick of seeing them. She decides to have the one that symbolised Wile taken away, which causes the townsfolk issues - whether about the landscaper (Norwood) taking it away or even where it gets put. Norwood is currently dealing with his girlfriend who is desperate for a baby and Easy (Norwood's apprentice) still suffers from the loss of his father. Helyana (Mattius's friend) has lost both of her parents and been brought up by her exceptionally religious grandfather. All of their stories are just waiting to collide as death finds life and life finds death.


An interesting take on a story that is not that far removed from real life. It deals with the floundering that so many people feel when a loved one leaves them (by their own hand) and how to deal with the aftermath. Not just within themselves but also with friends and family. The only negative that really stood out to me was that it read like a book one would have to study at school when dealing with signs and hidden meanings in action - like a film study class trying to decide why a director used a specific shot. Otherwise a good read dealing with some difficult topics.

Thursday 7 July 2016

Stephen King and Philosophy: Various Authors. Edited by Jacob Held

Having been a Stephen King fan for many years I figured that this would be an interesting philosophical discussion of his more disturbing (or not) works. Having previously studied branches of philosophy for academic work , I thought I was partly equipped for what was to come, but I was oh so wrong. Jumping straight into Desperation after the forward set the tone of the dialogue, since the dark and good themes in the book weigh quite heavily on the mind. Moving into Carrie and Pet Semetary, the discussion moved past casual reading for me. It was like being back at varsity and I put the book away a number of times. So much repetition and rewording of the same ideas just gave me a headache. Once we hit the topics of bonds of friendship in The Body and Rita Hayworth I started feeling like it was a book I could read comfortably again, and the writing flowed a lot better for me. More interesting ideas were now explored from the teacher/pupil dynamic in Apt Pupil, to the possibility of time travel in The Langoliers and 11/22/63 and the application of power and violence in The Running Man and The Long Walk. Of course The Shining and The Dark Tower cropped up time after time with a look at many different aspects of the books.


This is not a light read by any means and I wonder sometimes if we can't just read a book for the sake of reading it. Do we need to dissect the author's intentions or just accept it for the narrative it is meant to be? I thought that too many of King's books were overlooked with some of the same books repeated in a number of different chapters. In some places the write ups about the authors were far more entertaining than the philosophy. An interesting take but not my cup of tea - I think I'll stick to "Stephen King for Dummies". 

Sunday 12 June 2016

The Unwanted (Black Water Tales Book2) by Jean Nicole Rivers

This is a horror novel suitable for mature young adults and up.

Blaire and Travis are two young Americans on a care aid program to Borslav and will be looking after orphans at St Sebastian's. On arrival they realise that their year abroad will be no picnic - Borslav is a cold and desolate place and the locals don't seem to want them there. When they finally reach the orphanage they are shocked by the condition of the children. Malnourished, lacking education and some children with physical defects is just the start; fresh injuries spring up each day and the children are scared to death. The two set to work in their roles as teacher and nurse, but as the days go by more and more strange things start to happen. Humming and scraping is heard at night and the constant whispering of threats from the basement threaten to implode their sanity. As they dig deeper to find the origin of the supposed curse on the orphanage, they are met with info so shocking that their lives are in danger. Can they save themselves from the cycle being repeated?


This had the promise of a really good horror but I was disappointed by its predictability. I was hoping to be surprised by the ending but it turned out exactly as I thought it would. The editing had me grimacing - from spelling errors in simple words, to spelling towns in different ways in the same chapter, to using verbose outdated adjectives and even having different POVs in the same paragraph with no breaks. To me the bullying, her parents' deaths and the self harm didn't tie in with the whole story enough. It was like being fed a clue and then not following through on it. It was a good effort but the story could not pull off the proper horror aspect.

All These Perfect Strangers by Aoife Clifford

This is a psychological thriller aimed at adults and is the debut novel for the author.

Penelope Sheppard, who is on a scholarship, is off to University - on the back of reinventing herself after a tragic accident that occurred when she was 15 which left her best friend Tracey in jail. She is back in the psychologist's chair for a formal report and is advised to keep her thoughts and deeds in a diary. We soon realise Pen is more of an anti-hero as she shares only the info which makes her look good. Cut to Uni and she has met a plethora of characters: Michael, the loner; Joad, the bully; Rogan, her crush; Toby, the RA and Rachael, a 2nd-year interfering busybody. A murder occurs near the campus prompting the females to call for more stringent security measures as the "Screwdriver Man" finds more victims. Add to the mix her mom's money grabbing boyfriend and a headmaster who seems to have a secret agenda, Pen is sure to "cook the book" a little. Time will tell if the past and future collide and truths make themselves known.

I'm rather ambivalent about this one. I liked the way the author fed you titbits about many aspects of the story and led you in a completely different direction only to catch up with the previous storyline later. The story with Tracey is constantly alluded to and each time you think you know what happened you find out you were wrong. Pen is extremely flawed and you never know if you should be rooting for her or not - she manipulates for her own gain and you can feel as others get sucked into the web only to find out that it was not her web in the first place. The ending was a bit predictable and yet when it happened I felt it needed a bit more substance. There was so much info into leading characters to the ending and then *poof* it was over. Still, an impressive debut and interesting read.  


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thursday 9 June 2016

INK: Fine Lines (Book1) by Bella Roccaforte

This is a supernatural thriller and due to the language, intimate scenes and violence is suitable for adults. Unless of course you happen to be an extremely mature young adult.

Shay is a comic book artist and has had a rough time of it recently. Her ex-fiancee Aiden keeps popping back into her life and then disappearing again, and the person who keeps putting her back together is her on-again/off-again lover Eli. She could just ditch Aiden and love Eli, but his drinking habits are tearing them apart. On the night of her birthday Shay has a dream involving a character in her comic - the Sanguine Specter. He targets people Shay doesn't get on with and kills them in over the top ways while declaring his love for her. Shay uses these nightmare images to make her comics come alive. When her neighbours are killed the police come round to question Shay and discover the comic graphics - identical to the murder that has just happened. Shay now becomes the main suspect in the police investigation as connections start being made with her images and previous murders. Enter McNab, a paranormal investigator, who is determined to find the supernatural being targeting Shay. Will Aiden and Eli be able to work together long enough to help Shay stay out of the clutches of the being, let alone the police?  

This is a really intriguing idea for a story and only half way through did I realise that I missed a previous book, as a lot of questions about characters arose. I liked the way that the story's chapters are told from different character's viewpoints so that you understand different perspectives. I felt the characters weren't quite developed enough, but with a number of follow up books to this I'm sure that a lot more will be explained and that the cliff-hanger will have the ending readers are hoping for. Some editing and spelling mistakes were off putting but on the whole, a good job.

I know who I'm voting for to get the girl, but I guess I'll have to get my hands on the next book to find out! 

The History Major: A Novella by Michael Phillips Cash

This is a novella and an exploration into the mind's psyche.

Amanda wakes up with a hectic hangover. Where's her boyfriend Patrick when she needs him? The memories start flooding back of the fight they had because she wanted to spend their date time with her friends. Guess he won't be there to pick her up then. As she rejoins the land of the living with a splitting headache, she knows she needs to get to class. But who is this new person that claims to be her roommate? Why is she enrolled in History when she knows she never registered for the class? Who is Nick, why is he protecting her from the being trying to get into the classroom and for heaven's sake - why is the teacher dressed like Aristotle? Can someone please stop the chain of thought creating laws of association mantras that keep getting thrown at her?

The book was both hit and miss for me. I fully understand where the author was coming from and what he was trying to portray, but in trying to create the laws of association some serious stretches of relationships were made here. Being a novella, not a lot of time could be spent in fleshing out characters or creating links in Amanda's chain which left an incomplete feeling. I think that the author had a clear idea of how the titbits of info would tie together but as a reader I was confused with the jumping back and forth between situations and alluding to incidents about to happen that don't get explained. Amanda was a piece of work - I could quite happily have thrown something very heavy at her. Good editing was a relief during the read.


An interesting piece of work but not strong enough as a solid story for me.

Thursday 26 May 2016

The Naked Cookbook-Tess Ward

This is a stunning cookbook which advocates not just good recipes, but a way of life and a sustained way of eating.

An absolute plethora of recipes await you, from the basics of infused oils, sauces, broths and stocks, to breads, mains, desserts and even cocktails. And not a processed ingredient in sight! Each recipe has easy to follow instructions with a clear set of ingredients and beautiful glossy colour photos to accompany them. The beet and cherry smoothie and the almond and pine nut oat bars are definitely on my to-be-made list! I liked the section that gave you an idea of what to keep in your pantry in order to make the delicious recipes. An insightful forward allows you to understand where and why the author had this inspiration, and to me the book has a great natural progression and is well thought out and superbly presented.


Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 23 May 2016

Takers by Ann Swann

This is a sci-fi/fantasy novel (and the first in a series), and due to the violence probably best suited for adults.

Jack is a young teen helping to set up the hall for a school dance. Coincidentally Jack's crush is there too. When he is sent to the basement to fetch the last of the decorations, he doesn't realise that this act will save his life. An alarming broadcast by a TV scientist on a laptop left by a friend in the basement, tells of Purgatory existing in the world next to Jack's and threatening to push through. As the broadcast is about to end a deafening crack brings the planet to its knees as rips appear in the sky and beings rush through. Jack hurries back upstairs to find that he is the only one that has survived. These beings that have words pulsating under their skins are busy feeding off any living human; as though trying to suck the souls out of them. Jack has landed up in a nightmare that is now his reality. He needs to find other survivors and somehow get rid of these "takers". And can someone please explain the musical lyrics constantly pumping through his head?

This was definitely a different take on the apocalyptic aspect. To imagine the takers fleeing from Purgatory to eat souls and finding that something else follows them from Purgatory to kill them was a very interesting idea. For a youngster Jack is very mature and able to cope with so much. The religious angle and the clever correlation with the music was interspersed in a thoughtful way. I liked the twist that wasn't a twist and the violence, though graphic, had my imagination working overtime. One or two tiny editing mistakes but nothing troubling. Great novel, well written and a good beginning to a series.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book. 

Thursday 5 May 2016

Some Degree of Murder by Frank Zafiro and Colin Conway

This is a detective thriller suitable for adults due to graphic violence and an adult theme.

Detective John Tower is called in to investigate another murder. Another young lady seemingly involved in the seedier side of life. The similarities of the murders seem to indicate a serial killer, but John doesn't want to jump the gun too quickly. Virgil Kelley is muscle for hire and has no problem dealing with issues in a very violent way. He has been asked to track down the killer of the first murdered girl. Things are personal however, as the girl was his daughter. John and Virgil, in trying to find the killer, become aware of each other, and now it becomes a race to find the killer first. One will leave him alive and the other won't. In a race of vengeance, do the rules really matter?


I really enjoyed this book. Each chapter is written either from John or Virgil's POV and it allows you to get deep into their mindset. The climactic ending has the chapters becoming shorter and the POV swopping so quickly it's an adrenalin rush keeping up between the two. The decision John has to make is an interesting moral dilemma; can the justice system be trusted to get the punishment right or will a nudge help? Intense scenes interspersed with caring found in unexpected places. Great characters, full of intensity written with a compelling style. Highly recommended.

The Eighth Day by Joseph John

This is a technological sci-fi thriller suitable for young adults and up.

A stranger approaches Shawn Jaffe and tells him that he is not who he thinks he is and that nothing about his life is true. Just after making this statement the stranger is killed. A detective named Sam Harrington is called in to work the case. Sam is considered old-school, he works with pen and paper and without so many of the gadgets that control life. When Sam starts looking closely into the murder he almost meets with an "unfortunate accident" but is saved by Shawn's superhuman strength and speed. Where did that come from? As more clues are unearthed, the more things don't add up. Has technology finally crossed the moral line?

I found this book a cross between Total Recall and the idea behind Universal Soldier. It was very well written with great editing. As Shawn (or is it Shawn?) starts having visions and memories that are his and yet not, you can see them in your head as he describes them; the imagery is very vivid. The sci-fi aspect is very interesting as technology can be taken too far in the name of world peace. A good quick read (and by that I mean you don't put it down until the end) that keeps the momentum up all the way through. Thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 2 May 2016

Tick by Allison Rose

This is a sci-fi fantasy novel set in a dystopian future, suitable for young adults and up.

The world is highly regulated and people are constantly being scanned for any brain anomalies. The fear is that any anomaly could be a precursor of a terrorist, so surgery is performed immediately to rid the person of the abnormality. However a major side effect of the surgery is that it robs the person of their creativity and unique spirit. This is why Jo, an avid painter, is constantly on the lookout for drones and authority in general. Jo comes from a family with proven mental illness and has been having visions since she was small. Violent visions of her harming others. This tick is so serious that she often battles to distinguish the vision from reality. When anarchists hack into the mainframe of the controlling company, life gets turned on its head and Jo's visions threaten the lives of everyone around her. Who can stop the chaos?


I really enjoyed this book. Jo is a strong character and yet very flawed. I liked the way that a lot of things are not tied up neatly and that chaos does sometimes win. The violence in the visions and the jail was just crazy enough to be believable. It was a very interesting take on a possible future; where people are so ruled by fear that they would give up individual personalities and live like robots. Jo is the hero and the anti-hero. Even with her flaws her desire to help those she cares about is monumental. The editing and formatting were great so no headaches there. Great character and world building and an adrenalin Mad Max: Fury ending. I can't wait for the next one in the series.   

Tuesday 26 April 2016

Plagued: The MidAmerica Zombie Half-Breed Experiment by Better Hero Army

This is a zombie apocalyptic thriller suitable for mature young adults and up.

Gary is handing over the reins to his younger brother Tom. It will now be Tom's turn to do the twice yearly expedition to search the zombie records to find his sister Larissa. His father, a highly ranked senator, still blames Tom for allowing Larissa to be captured and bitten, even though he was just a boy at the time. Gary and Tim get to Biter's Hill along with the rest of the zombie hunters on the ferry and head to the archives. On the way they encounter many zombie traders; the zombies have all been rounded up and the venomous parts of their glands extracted in order to turn them into a workforce. Tom notices a zombie that looks a little different. A little more human. Apparently in the urge to find a cure for zombies, half-breeds were created. Not quite zombie. Not quite human. When ready to leave Biter's Hill chaos breaks out when zombies attack. Tom needs to take the people around him and get out but can't get the half-breed out of his mind. He feels an affinity towards her. Is it worth trying to save her?


I read this book in a couple of hours, it flows that quickly. It's a slightly different take on zombies with the introduction of the half-breed and hopefully the rest of the books in the series will explain more about her. The book is full of action with an entertaining style; it will be interesting to see what his father does once he finds out the dire decision Tom made. There was a continuity issue though: at the beginning of the book it says he was fourteen when Larissa was bitten but later on it says he was twelve. Other than that I really enjoyed the book for a quick read that didn't require too much concentration!

Sunday 24 April 2016

Hair in all the Wrong Places: The Perils of Growing up Werewolf by Andrew Buckley

This is a super natural fantasy (or is it?) novel aimed at the upper middle grade but as an adult I enjoyed it just as much!

A loser. That's how Colin Strauss sees himself. It's how his grandmother sees him. It's how his school friends see him. So surely it must be true? A lanky 13 yr-old whose parents don't want him to live with them, whose grandmother doesn't have the time of day for him, and who only has one friend at school, Jeremy. After being beaten up for the zillionth time at school, Colin decides to steal his grandfather's car and drive to his parents. On the way something crazy happens. He is involved in a car crash and hits a wolf. A very big wolf that bites him. Suddenly strange things start happening to Colin. His eyesight gets better, his muscles grow quickly and he becomes very fast. The problem is that he also blacks out and is hungry. ALL. THE. TIME. During one of his blackouts a student is killed. Is he somehow involved? Why is the town of Elkwood so secretive? What is Colin becoming? And does Becca really like him?

What a wonderful story! I loved the warning in the beginning about the werewolf gene being in everyone and that it just needs to be triggered. That's why this might not be a work of fiction but an actual account! It's a slightly different take on the werewolf turn; we get to see it from a youngster's point of view and parallels the changes that adolescents go through in life. Colin is a great character and I felt for him as he was constantly bullied until he really comes into his own. I'm interested to find out more about Jeremy and his detachment from life in general. What is his secret? The blossoming love with Becca is so typical of that age. Does she? Doesn't she? Can I kiss her? Will I be rejected? The story and characters are brought together well and I'm keen to see if there will be a follow up to this (please Mr Buckley). The town of Elkwood seems like a mysterious place to visit. If only the rain would let up! Imagine if there was someone who could help us with that...

The story flowed effortlessly and was an absolute pleasure to read. A lot of humour helped to deal with Colin's troubles and I literally laughed out loud at the line where Colin yanks the kitchen door off its hinges and half a mile later remembers to drop it! A new take on an old theme which I highly recommend.


Thanks to the author for an ARC.

Tuesday 19 April 2016

Rage against the Night by various authors

This is a collection of short stories in the horror genre; saving the world from forces of evil.

I picked this collection up as I noticed it contained a story by Stephen King; one of my all-time favourite authors. Granted it was one already published, but I wanted to compare it to some of the authors I had not had the chance to read before.  The collection was a bit of a hit and miss with me. I really enjoyed some of the stories while others ended and I had no idea what I was supposed to have read. I hate that dissatisfying feeling where you finish reading something and realise you have just wasted minutes of your day for something you didn't enjoy. Luckily it didn't happen very often here and I did learn of a few new authors I would like to try out.

Unfortunately I was shocked at the editing mistakes-surely with such a large collaboration there might only be a few mishaps? Not in this however; almost every story had some sort of error creeping through it.


Worth it if you want to find new authors, but if you are looking for a gripping horror collection; just average.

Monday 18 April 2016

Assassin: The Killing Grounds by Simon Corn

This is a fantasy thriller suitable for mature young adults and up.

Alara set out to be Lord Osari's spotter: one who verifies an assassin's kills. Instead she finds herself fast tracked in the final year of an assassin school as an apprentice. This is a school like no other; not everyone gets to graduate as it is up to the students to whittle down numbers to find the best of the best. As always politics and founding families have a hand in the selections and when Lord Osari goes missing she needs to find allies to help her figure out which major family house was behind it all. She is stuck in a nest of vipers so who can she trust? And are the dragon statues that weave the houses together just that: statues? It's kill or be killed in her life.

Even though I edited the book, in my opinion it is a really good book. A very interesting idea for a storyline that gives you a little taster of the books to come. Alara is a strong female character and holds her own against some of the more dominant male characters. The concept of the pupils having to eliminate class members, not just with sheer brutal force but with magical artistic abilities, is well portrayed and the action sequences exhilarating. Alliances are quickly created and as quickly destroyed and placing loyalty in someone might not be the best thing. The dragon statues play a big part in the story and I'm curious to see where this goes. I liked the idea of commerce versus old money, with rival families unearthing secrets that could destroy years of hiding indiscretions. The places are based on real towns in and around Portsmouth so a number of the forts and areas can be seen on the net.


I loved the story and can't wait for the next one! 

Life or Death by Michael Robotham

This is a crime thriller and can be enjoyed by mature young adults and up.

Audie Palmer has chosen to break out of jail the day before he is due to be released; and this after spending a decade behind bars. Incarcerated for his part in an armed robbery he is rumoured to still have the seven million hidden somewhere. Every day he endured beating after beating, from inmates to guards trying to get him to give up the location of the money. But Audie hasn't said a thing. Moss (who was in the cell next to Audie) has been snuck out of jail by persons unknown in an effort to find Audie, who has been spotted somewhere near the arresting officer's house. And so begins the story of secret lives, love, friendship, family and loyalty. Why would Audie do such a crazy thing the day before he is set to be a free man?


What an amazing story. I was enthralled from beginning to end! The characters all have pertinent stories which are interwoven very cleverly. Little clues are fed to you and each time you think you know why he did it you realise you have gone completely in the wrong direction. Everything ties together beautifully (which some might say was too neat but I disagree) which gives you a good sense of closure; nothing is left annoyingly hanging or open to interpretation. The writing is so comfortable and flows so well that I battled to put the book down as I wanted to read just a little more and then a little more and then a lot more. When the climax finally arises and age old secrets are uncovered, you feel as though you have been on an emotional roller coaster of a journey. Highly recommended.

Sunday 3 April 2016

Divergent Chill: Fall of Night by Brian Fontenot

Alden Amos is tucked away in Rosewood designing a sea-faring vessel when he is again summoned to track down the Ragebourne Shank who is once more eating children. He is unaware of the fact that Divergent Chilali is still alive after her imprisonment in a mountain and subsequent attempted murder. Chilali has, besides her natural super speed and power, discovered that she is an elemental ice user. Vowing revenge she has renamed herself Chill and started on a mission to save her Ragebourne friend Beriszl. Unfortunately Chill has now tapped into her darker side and her virtues are becoming less and less human. As Chill heads back to the Empire Alden is drawn into a web of lies; from a quest to find a killer, to complex political games. Can Chill stay sane enough to exact her revenge and can Alden protect those he swore to look after?


As always a brilliantly written book by Brian Fontenot, rich in imagery and content. A seamless flow between books one and two even with the actual writing time difference is to be commended. Places and actions are so beautifully described that I could quite easily place myself in the character's shoes (if Chill happened to be wearing hers at the time). A number of epic battles set the scene for action and the underlying subplots tie many loose ends together. Bonds are tested and again the reader takes part in the elation and mourns in the losses. A few editing mistakes need looking at for the next instalment, but I loved this one and can't wait for the next!

The Steel Kiss (Lincoln Rhyme #12) by Jeffery Deaver

This is the 12th book starring characters Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs and is a thriller in the general fiction category.

Amelia is on the trail of a vicious killer when she stumbles into a situation which has a man slowly being crushed to death while trapped in an escalator shaft. Cue Lincoln and his new intern who are roped in to help on the civil case that will open regarding the escalator. More bodies start piling up and it seems as though somebody is remotely activating smartware in electric devices in order to cause death and destruction. Add to this the reintroduction of Nick Carelli (Amelia's ex) who is out of prison and asking Amelia to help her clear his name, and Ron Pulaski who is doing a little bit of unofficial investigating on his own. Will they be able to gather enough evidence to stop the killer before the pile of bodies gets higher and will the feelings Amelia had for Nick come back into play and interfere with her relationship with Lincoln?

As usual a fast-paced thriller by Jeffery Deaver. A lot of people find that some of the conclusions and the wrapping up of issues in his stories are too neat and a stretch of the imagination. I enjoy them; it takes a very interesting mind to think of so many different angles to come from and to be able to package everything up so neatly. Sure Lincoln has managed to get out of crazy situations many times in ways which might make you raise an eyebrow or both, but they add to the excitement of it all. I enjoyed how some questions were answered in this book. Whether or not they were the answers hoped for might not be the case. A fantastic read which I thoroughly enjoyed.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 28 March 2016

Gyre (The Atlas Link #1) by Jessica Gunn

This is the first book in a fantasy series aimed at young adults.

Archaeology is one of Chelsea's passions in life; the other music. One night after leaving a gig she is mugged, and when a stranger comes to her aid, Chelsea's life takes a dramatic turn for the crazier. She discovers she can teleport and lands up on SeaSat5, a military ship working on a classified quest about Atlantis and mysterious artifacts connected with it. On board she meets the stranger (Trevor) who saved her, and so begins an adventure of war between Lemuria and Atlantis, betrayals, new friendships, discovery of powers, and of course, love.

The story is well written, a little slow to get going but with an action-packed finish. I enjoyed the dual POV between chapters as it gave you a good insight into different characters' motivations. The violence and romance scenes have been written with a young adult in mind and are age appropriate. The ship itself was a fantastic piece of technology with an amazing description. I liked the idea of the warring factions as you never really hear of any other underwater worlds in fiction other than Atlantis. It was also good to see a character like Trevor, who was thrown into the middle of the war, take a stand against the beliefs his parents wanted to enforce. Chelsea was a good strong character and I can't wait to hear more of Valerie's story.

I got a little annoyed at the continual references to the Lemurians and Atlantians being at war; it was just repeated far too often and the reader doesn't need to be constantly reminded. I felt that Trevor needed to grow a bit more of a backbone so I'm hoping in later books he finds himself. Not too many editing mistakes but one that really did irritate me was the continuous use of "could of" instead of "could have", and finding silly things like "road up her arm" instead of "rode up her arm".

All in all a fun story, written in an easy to read and comfortable style. I'm looking forward to seeing in which direction the story goes.


Thanks to NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press for the chance to review the book.  

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Chickpea Flour does it all by Lindsey L. Love

This recipe book has gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian recipes for many different occasions.

The book is divided into the months of the year to showcase seasonal ingredients. The diversity of the recipes is amazing : from chickpea waffle avocado toast, to almond butter brownies to ratatouille tartlets. The author introduces the book and explains how her journey led her to using chickpea flour, and also includes different ways it can be utilised. I personally didn't realise that a flour could be so versatile. The most beautiful colour photos accompany the recipes and the layout of each recipe is easy to read and follow. A list of recipes in the beginning of the book as well as an index at the end allows you to find your recipe or ingredient choice with ease.

An absolutely indispensable book and highly recommended.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 7 March 2016

The Twisted Souls Series by Cege Smith

This is a unified collection of 4 books in the fantasy/dystopian genre and is suitable for mature young adults and up.

The world of Before must not be spoken of. All info pertaining to the events that led to the world After is kept by the Office of Souls on a strictly confidential basis. In the Territory of Malm children are born soulless, only receiving souls if won in a lottery or sometimes never at all. These soulless are disfigured and speechless; useless to society. Malcolm and Eve are ecstatic to have won a soul placement in the lottery and duly study the rituals and rights necessary in order for baby Cameron to receive her new soul from the Head Master at the fountain. What they didn't bargain for was a plot hatched by the evil Chim set to culminate on the important soul day which will have devastating consequences for not just those involved, but all others in the Territory.

The first book grabbed my attention immediately, with the idea of a civilisation changed so much from the Before, that not even procreation, unless authorised, was allowed. What could have been so shocking in the Before that in essence reset the world? Things move on at a good pace and the gist of good and evil as the main idea comes through. But then again both terms are very subjective. The second book starts lagging a bit with some YA romance thrown in that creates a bit of a diversion to the main story. Book 3 really slowed down and it felt like some pages were just there to take up space. Book 4 then comes and beautifully rounds off the series with twists and turns, action, heartache, camaraderie, love, loyalty and sacrifice, and it seems worth all the reading. Well almost worth it. I understand that these are 4 books put together and the reader has to be caught up on previous events, but if sold in one tome like this perhaps some editing could take place where one book leads directly into the next story and a whole horde of info is not repeated?

I did enjoy the story though. A good play on power corrupting morals and authority becoming unquestionable. I liked the different viewpoints in different chapters-it gave the reader a bigger perspective. A good climactic finale explains most of the questions a reader will have throughout the series. Well written with an easy to read pace and good use of editing.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 22 February 2016

In the Darkness, That's Where I'll Know You: The Complete Black Room story by Luke Smitherd

Originally released as a 4-part series, this is the complete story of the Dark Room.

Charlie wakes up naked in a dark room after having been on a bender. A screen showing a film flickers in front of him. As he tries to wrap his head around what happened, things become even more surreal. It seems that Charlie has woken up in someone's mind! Questioning his sanity, Charlie has to prove to himself that he is definitely real and still alive, and convince the girl whose head he is in that she is not crazy. How will he get back to his body or is this all just a crazy bender side-effect?

This story really messes with your mind - literally. The more you try to envisage the mind swap, the more crazy your own thoughts get. I liked the development of Charlie and Minnie's characters from the nowhere places they were, to the people they become. Having all four books together made it much easier to read; I think if I'd had to stop and start there would have been even more confusion than I was experiencing at the time. A very interesting idea which takes some concentration to maintain as you watch the mad journey. The author has a wonderful writing style, rich in descriptions and easy to read. A completely crazy but well written story, with an ending that leaves you thinking.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.  

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Trust No-one by Clare Donoghue

This is a psychological thriller featuring characters from previous Donoghue books.

Richard and his ex-wife divorced amicably. Their two children seem to be coping flitting between the two households, well, as well as can be expected. The children stay over for dinner one night, and the next morning Richard's body is found in his bed; his death seemingly peaceful. DS Jane Bennett and DI Mike Lockyer are called in to see whether or not suspicious circumstances are attached to the death. As they delve deeper into family and friends, hidden secrets are uncovered and illusions of normality shattered.

I really enjoyed this book. Definite twists and turns all the way through as you guess the killer's identity, only to change your mind. The weaving in of chapters every now and then from the killer's perspective creates an interesting angle. The characters are well thought out; and not too many to complicate the story either. The author managed to portray many quirks of their personalities which are so true to real life. A great flowing writing style which is comfortable to read and a pace suited to the content of the story. A great psychological thriller.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Sunday 7 February 2016

The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett

This is a fantasy novel and the last written by an extremely popular author before his passing.

Tiffany Aching has always felt the pull of the Chalk but never as strongly as this. Thrust into a situation she feels she is not ready for, she needs to learn to ask others for help. So with the aid of Geoffrey, who wants to be a witch, and his goat, as well as a hodge podge of local witches (even those who thought they had given up on witching), she and her army must fight against the elves who want to cause mayhem in her land. Tiffany has some big boots to fill - is she ready for the challenge again?

As I was reading the book very different voices came through-it was as though the book was a collaboration and didn't quite gel. Having read the afterword where the author's process is described, and realising that the book was never tweaked and edited to his satisfaction before his death, now makes sense. Many old faces make themselves known again and I enjoyed the underlying theme of humanity and friendship as well as being true to yourself. With some of the more adult themes that crop up in this book, I still find it strange to be categorised as a children's book, and unfortunately the kindle edition I received had terrible formatting errors with words and sentences broken up in strange places.

While I didn't love the novel as it didn't feel like a full Pratchett, I say thank you to him for leaving such a genius and witty legacy of stories rich in colourful characters and classic storylines for all to enjoy. A book for the fans to tip their hats to.



Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Divergent Chill: Battle of Nesma by Brian Fontenot

This is a fantasy novel that I would recommend for mature young adults and up.

The poisonous plants are the least of Alden's problems as he enters the sacred forest to capture the Rageborne  Shank, who has committed murder most foul. What worries Alden is the possibility of encountering a Divergent. Always female and rumoured to be god-born, they look like small children yet have exceptional speed and strength and will think nothing  of tearing a human apart and eating them. Alden enters the forest with a tracker, a priest, an assassin and a knight, and to his horror finds a Divergent ensnared in the trap meant for Shank. Faced with the decision of freeing her or leaving her there to die, Alden enters into a conversation with her and instinct tells him that she is not as feral as most Divergents are reported to be. She might even be one of the chosen ones called by the god Sitar to work in the Empire. Listening to an inner sense Alden frees her and takes her back to the Empire. Unfortunately since nothing is meant to be removed from the sacred forest by man, he is imprisoned and placed on death row. In order to save him, the Divergent is forced to take command of an army in order to conquer and annexe a nearby mining town. This leads to an epic battle and a test of loyalty and bonds.

This is simply an amazing book. The characters are well fleshed out and their personalities and emotions believable. As a reader you experience all their ups and downs with them and physically feel the ache of betrayal. Being the first book in the series it has a complex storyline of its own and is not merely a set up for the next book. From the first meeting of the Divergent to the climactic battle and ultimate betrayal, the book kept me enthralled.


A few editing mistakes don't detract from the story, and the violence, while quite graphic, is not gratuitous and is explained for its place in the story. A highly recommended book and I'll definitely be reaching for the next one in the series.

Breakdown by Jonathan Kellerman

This is a mystery/suspense/crime novel with a psychological undertone.

A number of years previously Dr. Alex Delaware treated the son of an actress who was herself being treated by a psychiatrist for mental instability. Fast forward and Alex is called in as a reference for the actress as she is found terrorising people in their own gardens during manic episodes. She is found to be homeless and placed in a shelter. She escapes from this haven and her body is found in a swanky Bel-Air house. Her son is missing and even though her death should be an open and shut case Alex feels as though something is not right. Along with Det. Sturgis, Alex digs deeper and finds himself immersed in a world of poison and a decades old feud of jealousy and revenge.

I do enjoy Kellerman's writing as his characters are well developed and the storyline logical and detailed. Sometimes the story does get a little too involved and due to his clinical style of writing I found my mind wandering at times since some of the deductions were a bit stretched. I tend to relate to characters that show a bit more emotion. The book was very good though-a solid chapter in his series.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Tuesday 26 January 2016

Try Not To Breathe by Holly Seddon

This is a thriller aimed at young adults and up.

15 year-old Amy Stevenson is your typical teenager; enjoying life with her friends, working hard at school and generally getting up to mischief. Amy has a nice and safe relationship with her boyfriend Jacob, but what he doesn't know is that Amy is also seeing an older man. Someone who makes her feel "oh so grown up". One day Amy doesn't return home from school, and her body is found having been raped and beaten. Not quite dead, but in a vegetative state where it's doubtful she will ever wake up. Fast forward 15 years and Alex Dale is a freelance writer and barely functioning alcoholic, who stumbles upon Amy in the hospital she has been in since the attack. No-one has ever been convicted of the crime so Alex decides to investigate and uses every connection she has managed not to sever. Will she even remain sober enough to complete the job and how will she get answers from the only witness when she hasn't been able to communicate with the world for the last 15 years?

Considering this is the author's first novel I am extremely impressed with it. Her portrayal of Alex's character is so comprehensive that you feel you are battling her demons along with her. The descriptions get so intense that I could feel the withdrawals her body was going through or empathising with her thirst for the next drink. The author spent just the right amount of word time on the main and peripheral characters-feeding you just enough info about some and letting you into deep and private thoughts for others. The plot was well thought out and logical. The neuroscience part about communicating with those patients in comatose states was very thought provoking, and the whodunit part-well who doesn't love a good mystery? There were a few spelling mistakes and formatting errors but not enough to cause a major distraction.

My congratulations to the author on a fantastic novel, with a crisp storyline that stayed on the straight path and well developed characters.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 25 January 2016

Now You See Me by Jean Bedford

This is a suspense/thriller novel aimed at adults due to the graphic violence descriptions.

As a journalist, Noel has read her fair share of violent police reports. A suspect has just been arrested for the abuse and murder of his step-daughter, but something seems off to Noel. The evidence just fits too neatly. On a hunch she combs through similar cases and finds what she thinks is a pattern. Can she convince the police that a serial killer is on the loose and that so many other closed cases may have convicted the wrong suspects?

This story really hits you in the gut. Journal entries are scattered throughout the book by the actual killer, and you shudder as the person recounts the abuse they suffered as a child and the ramifications from it. The clues throughout the book point you to a certain person in a group of friends who were previously at university together, and as you think you are joining the dots in your mind, you are pointed in another direction. The idea behind the story is interesting in that we as a society are prepared to believe the worst about someone based on their previous deeds. The level of abuse on so many of these children, so graphically described, was horrific. Horrific to think that this happens every day and people get away with it.

I didn't enjoy the amount of editing mistakes-misspelled words and lack of spaces between words cropped up constantly.

It's a difficult book to read as it deals with a lot of taboo, but makes you realise that sometimes we put on blinkers against the evil in the world and we actually need to stand up for the victims. A well-written book where the ending will leave you feeling very uneasy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review. 

Saturday 23 January 2016

Driven by Kelley Armstrong

This is a fantasy/supernatural novel aimed at mature young adults and up.

Elena Michaels is now the Alpha of the pack. When a psychotic ex-enforcer of the pack turns up for re-admittance, Elena must make the difficult decision  of whether or not to include him with all the rules and regulations accorded to the pack, or leave him as an outcast. In the meantime Davis Cain, a not so bright mutt, has come home from a date to find two of his family murdered while still in wolf form. He approaches the pack for help, and so begins a tale of vengeance and retribution, where in werewolf terms it really is an eye for an eye.

Having read a number of Kelley Armstrong books previously, I thought that I would be able to catch up relatively quickly with previous characters. It turns out I really had to stretch my memory banks to remember some of the names and characters. So much has changed since those books that I felt I was reading a standalone. While the author tries to recap some of the characters in the book, I still found myself confused. I really enjoy her writing though. It flows easily and the story paces itself naturally. Some characters were merely touched on so I wasn't sure why they were introduced to the story-could be part of the storyline I missed in previous books. The story itself is light reading (with a generous amount of wolf violence), and by that I mean you don't have to concentrate too intensely on the plot. What really irked me was the copy I received on my kindle as the formatting was all over the place with some words in a larger font, letters all over the place and sentences broken up for no reason.

An enjoyable afternoon read, nothing absolutely amazing but a good filler in the series.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

Monday 18 January 2016

Ghost Heart by John Palisano

This is a horror story aimed at young adults and up.

Rick, a mechanic at a family garage, was at a club called the Universe when he met Minarette. The most gorgeous creature he had ever seen, and way out of his league. Strange events start happening around town when the bodies of some of his friends and family turn up drained of blood. Did his passing interest in Minarette stir up jealousy in her friends when they start targeting him for regular beatings? They seem different to most people-stronger and faster. Minarette then lets him in on the secret. They have ghost hearts and must feed on blood to survive for the short time they have left in this world. But will her friends push it too far and decide that killing him would be more expedient?

I'm very on the fence about this book. The tagline "Live fast, die young and leave a bloodthirsty corpse" really caught my eye. While the story did indeed touch on that, I felt that there were many holes in the plot and lots of questions left unanswered. For example what gets revealed under the club is pivotal to the story, yet goes nowhere. I thought that the characters needed more fleshing out. They seemed 2D and I never actually felt that their lives or parts in the story gelled. Rick is supposed to be the hero of the story and even though he has lost friends and family and has been beaten to the point of death a number of times, he comes across as whimsical and fluffy; pining after a dying girl. And this after he had just been used and abused by an ex-girlfriend. I was hoping for an in your face scary horror, but came across a lukewarm love story with dead end sub plots.

The essence of a good idea is there, it really is, but the execution just does not happen. I have no problem finishing a story with some questions when your mind is able to fill in the blanks with possibilities, but there were so many confusing moments and implausible actions, let alone feelings, that I was dissatisfied when I finished the book. Maybe others will pick up on a gem I didn't, but for me this was just average. A little work on it will go a long way.


Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review the book.

How to Successfully Kidnap Strangers by Max Booth III

This comedy filled with dark humour is definitely intended for adults only.

Harlan, a rejected author, currently reviews books by a small publishing company, and takes great delight in trashing whatever has been published by them. Standing in line for a cup of coffee one day, Harlan is disgusted by the drugged up kid in front of him. Harlan runs out of the store after being spat in the face (a story for another day) and is accosted by the kid who jumps him. A well-meaning (another story for another day) motorist stops to help and he and Harlan are both kidnapped by the tweaker. So starts a series of events including a gas station robbery, murder and inevitably more kidnapping. Harlan is about to have a very bad day indeed.

This book was crazy. The tie-in of characters to the story and each other as well as the knock-on effect of actions was extremely clever. Personally I found the spoof on religion offensive and flicked passed these sections of the book. Apart from that the book itself was wickedly funny but definitely only for those with a warped sense of humour.


Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to review the book. 

Friday 8 January 2016

The Lead Cloak-Book One of the Lattice Trilogy by Erik Hanberg

This is a Sci-Fi book aimed at young adults and up (due to violence).

The world is dominated by the invention of the Lattice. A machine that allows all of its users to jump into another person's thoughts. Privacy is a thing of the past as anyone who has access to the technology is able to hone in on a particular person's thoughts, present or past. Colonel Byron Shaw is an ardent supporter of the Lattice and its jumps, and loves to relive old history battles right inside the thoughts of those taking part. Willing to defend the Lattice with his life against those who oppose the technology, he cannot understand why groups would want to rid the world of such an amazing experience. Granted, it can be tiresome when others know important news about you before you know it, but surely all people should love the sharing involved in the Lattice? Shouldn't they?

I picked up this book as a freebie on BookBub and I was blown away by it. It's always been a worry that technology can interfere too much in our lives, but to have every  thought and emotion available 24/7 to anyone who wishes to have access to it is frankly quite scary. As humans we experience so many different emotions and how you act on your thoughts and emotions is often more important than the emotions themselves. In the book's world a person can be judged and condemned on thoughts alone. I can't go too far into the storyline with spoilers popping up, but let's just say that there is always a group of people who want to bring an idea like this down and their reasons are surprisingly good. I hovered between the two sides throughout the story. The different aspects of technology thought about and covered were described so well that I felt I was actually handling the devices or in control of the command centre myself.


A brilliant read, fantastically written. I really commend the author on an amazing idea and so well executed.

Saturday 2 January 2016

Sing me to sleep by Chris Simms

This horror/thriller is a fiction book aimed at adults.

Laura (an ex-professional ballerina) and her older husband Owen have moved out of the hustle and bustle of the city to a quiet country town and a house by the name of Lantern Cottage. Owen is a famous orchestral conductor and is busy prepping for a show, so daily leaving Laura at home by herself. When she starts hearing noises that sound like birdsong coming from the walls she starts questioning her reality. Human remains are unearthed near the cottage,  and as more secrets are revealed about the previous occupants of the house, Laura is struggling to convince a skeptical husband that the strange happenings are not connected to her previous psychiatric break. Why can no-one else hear the noises or believe the physical clues she has found are not just made up by her? How far must she go to prove all is not normal in Lantern Cottage?


A good thriller with a supernatural element. Well written with a conclusion being fed to you oh so slowly. I enjoyed the way that Laura's character was written-you could feel her frustration at not being  believed yet at the same time you start doubting her story yourself. Some questions are not answered when the big reveal happens and some character's stories are not fleshed out enough. While I enjoyed the book I can't really say I loved it as the story has been done before-albeit with a few changes. An afternoon's entertaining reading but not amazingly original.

A cure for madness by Jodi McIsaac

This thriller aimed at adults is a great paced read which leaves you thinking.

Clare Campbell has just found out that her parents have been murdered and she has been granted legal guardianship of her schizophrenic brother Wes, who is just about to be released from a psychiatric facility. After spending most of her life trying to stay away from this side of her family, Clare is sucked into a world of mental illness, delusional rantings and conspiracy theories. As Wes's behaviour becomes mirrored by those around him and people are physically turning on each other, the CDC intervenes and a town is quarantined. Just what kind of nightmare has Clare stepped back into and is there some iota of truth about Wes's crazy ravings?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As you move through Clare's story you alternate at her bravery with dealing with the murders to being annoyed at her selfishness at wanting to run away at the first sign of trouble. I think that the reason given for Wes going into the hospital in the first place was a little strange-firstly because that led to so many years of him being in hospital and secondly because of how quickly Clare jumped into a physical relationship after it. The explanation behind the virus and its spread were a good view on the "contagion epidemic" too. Just enough of a scare factor to get you to believe it and buy into some of the theories.

A few editing mistakes but nothing to detract from the story. So just as you think it's close to the end and things should be working in our heroes favour-BANG; the story finishes. I turned the page and it was definitely done. I went back and checked the previous page-yup definitely finished. Very strange! So I decided to read the last chapter again. Hmm-it took me a day to think about it. Either I got the very clever ending that the author didn't make obvious or the book was just wrapped up in a heartbeat. Personally I would like to believe in the clever ending just because of the first few sentences at the beginning of the last chapter. Either way it was a really good book.


Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to review it.