Category Archives: novel

book reviews, novel

Rylie’s Werewolf Transformation: A Review of Six Moon Summer by SM Reine

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OVERVIEW.

I bought this 4 book bundle a while ago, and decided I should really get around to reading it. This review is about Book 1, Six Moon Summer.

Although werewolf and vampire stories aren’t usually my thing, I decided I’d give these a go.

BLURB

Rylie’s been bitten.
She’s changing.
And now she has three months to find a cure before becoming a werewolf…forever.

Rylie Gresham has been attacked by a wild animal at summer camp. She survived with something far worse than normal injuries. Animals fear her, she’s craving raw flesh, and her anger is uncontrollable.

Mysterious Seth Wilder knows a lot about werewolves. He thinks he might be able to fix Rylie. His secrets might be far more dangerous than the change Rylie’s facing, but she has no choice but to trust him. After all, if she doesn’t figure out a way to stop the transformation, then at the end of summer, she’ll be a monster.

STORY

Rylie has been sent to summer camp. Her parents are divorcing and want her out of the way while it goes on.

She doesn’t want to go, and is difficult for the councellors in the camp as she is reluctant to take part in the activities.

Added to that, the girls in her cabin take an instant dislike to her and bully her, including reading her private journal.

One night, after teasing by her cabin mates, Rylie runs into the forest to escape their taunts. She hears a sound, and is attacked by a huge wolf.

She isn’t killed, much to her surprise, but has claw marks down her chest.

During her ordeal, she drops her journal, but to her surprise, it is returned to her bed with a note ‘You are in danger.’

She discovers that a boy has found and returned her diary. Eventually she meets him and he tells her she’s been attacked by a werewolf and will begin to change at the next full moon. But there is hope she can avert this eventuality.

The boy, Seth, promises to help her and they embark on trying to discover as much as they can about werewolves. Seth has a lot of information he says comes from the library in the boys’ camp across the lake.

Can Rylie and Seth manage to find a cure in time?

It wasn’t difficult to work out who the werewolf who bit Rylie is, though, but I was surprised when Seth reveals who he is.There is one other werewolf that appeared. It was one of the campers. But we were never told how she managed after camp when the campers returned home.

CHARACTERS 

The main character, Rylie, is troubled by her parents’ divorce. She is also a city girl and hates the forest and she gets on with boys better than girls.

SM Reine does a good job of showing us the anxiety that Rylie suffers from. We feel with her.

Seth is a boy I think I would like to have known when I was Rylie’s age (around 14). He is kind and sympathetic, and is obviously a caring human being. But he is brave, too, stealing a canoe to cross the lake to visit Rylie and help her, as well as breaking into the boys’ councellors’ private library to find out more about werewolves.

Louise, one of the councellors, is understanding and tries to do as much as she can to help Rylie, but sadly, she fails and eventually gives up. She is one of the more realistic characters in the book.

Amber is a thoroughly nasty person. She takes great delight in tormenting Rylie. She’s the leader of a group of 2 other girls, who follow exactly what she says. She is a typical type often shown in American coming of age stories. In this, I felt she was something of a trope, but not in a good way.

WRITING

The book is well written. We get the atmosphere of the camp well, and Rylie’s fear of becoming something evil.

I could imagine the setting clearly. The action scenes were good.

There were few grammatical errors, or typos, except for the incorrect use of lay when it should be lie.

One final thing. Often (and Ms Reine does the same) when describing the change to a wolf, the writer has the knees of the human reverse. If they took the trouble to investigate the anatomy of the animal, they would realise that the paw is actually the equivalent of our toes. What they take for a knee is, in fact, the equivalent of our ankle, and there is a joint (our knee) in the part of the animal below the hip. So no reversal of joints is necessary. This is something that irritates me whenever I read a story where a human changes into an animal.

I give it 3*

 My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

book reviews, novel

The Band by David Kummer. A Review .

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OVERVIEW

An exciting tale of violence and mystery.

WHAT AMAZON SAYS

Because of Johnny, I went with the band. Because of Kate, I stayed. They played anywhere, all through Appalachia. They were the best show for miles around. But even I didn’t expect Oakville to be the end.Oakville, WV. It was supposed to be a quiet place: to catch our breaths, to fall in love. It was a chance to know each other completely. As long as Johnny didn’t find out.It would also be the last show they ever played.In a foggy Appalachian town, one of us wouldn’t make it home. And everyone else would never be the same.

STORY

This is a tale told in the first person. The protagonist is a young man, Aiden, who is the sound engineer with a band that is trying to break into the big time.

The Band have left their homes in Tennessee to travel around getting gigs wherever they can.They all have problems and reasons for wanting to spend the summer away from their families.

Tensions abound between the band members, but when they reach the small town of Oakville, things come to a head.

They play an impromptu gig outside the Courthouse one hot afternoon, which leads to a Saturday night gig in one of two bars in the town.

They find a week’s lodging in a run-down basement flat belonging to a mysterious old lady.

Then some gruesome murders take place. Rumour has it the old lady had killed three husbands and buried them in her garden.

Who has been killing the teenagers? Was it the old lady? Sam, a young man who appears to be following the band around? One of a biker gang, with whom the Band had an argument?

Nothing more shall be said by me as I don’t want to write a spoiler.

CHARACTERS

Aiden is the sound man for the Band. He has joined them because of problems at home. Like others in the Band, he’s running away from a dysfunctional family.

He has a thing for the only female in the band, but is lacking in confidence, so says nothing.

Johnny is the leader of the band. He is a very mixed up kid. With his family background making him crave attention, he is easily pushed into jealous outbursts if someone appears to be getting more than what he considers their correct amount.

He’s a bit of a loner, and often goes off on his own.

Kate, otherwise known as Echo, when in the Band, is a young woman who is an amazing singer. It’s she who ensures the Saturday night gig in Oakville. Whenever she sings, the place comes alive with her energy.

She enjoys nature and walking and often persuaded Aiden to go with her on her rambles. Sometimes she seems to reciprocate Aiden’s feelings, and at others she appears to think of him as just a friend.

River is a very good looking young man. The girls all fall over themselves for his attention, and he enjoys this aspect of being in the Band.

He is the most talented guitarist of them all, and also has a superb voice. He has his share of solos.

Finally, Bobby. He is known as Pistol in the Band, and is the drummer. He always wears a cowboy hat, and Aiden thinks he sounds ‘country’ when singing. He has ambitions to play guitar, but Johnny tells him he’s not good enough, so he sticks to the drums.

He seems to be about the most ‘normal’ of the Band.

The characters are all well-drawn and fully rounded, having both positive and negative traits. I’m not going to go into the others or this will never finish.

WRITING

David Kummer does an excellent job of building up the tension in this book. There are several places where I couldn’t have put it down if asked.

He uses the setting well to add to the tension. Hot sultry weather, sudden rain, rickety bridges etc.

There are a few typos, and some grammatical errors, but not enough to make me stop reading.

I did, however, get a bit irritated when he used ‘lay’ every time when it should be ‘lie.’ But as this is a very common error, I don’t suppose it would annoy most people.

I give it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4*

My ranking of books.

In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

book reviews, fantasy, novel, stories

Review of The Reviled. Book 1 of The Dark Fey by Cynthia Morgan

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OVERVIEW 

An original and intriguing story.

BLURB

From a young age, Ayla has learned about the mortal enemy of all Fey of the Light: The cruel Reviled Fey.

Gairynzvl is a Fey of the Light who was abducted by the Reviled when he was young. Now, he is one of them.

Lurking in the shadows, he lingers near Ayla and secretly whispers to her. The mystery he presents is irresistible, although she knows the Reviled Fey are menacing and devious.

Learning what he wants is only the beginning.

Should she trust him? Or will he tear her world apart?

STORY

Ayla is a fey of the Light. She has unusual gifts. She can distinguish truth from lies, and her empathy is so great that she can take on the pain of others and relieve their suffering.

She is a retiring person, but when her best friend, Nayina, suggests she go to a festival with a young fey of Nayina’s acquaintance, she is at first reluctant. However, the pair are attracted to each other and soon form a bond.

But Ayla has a secret she’s kept from everyone, including Nayina. She has sensed a male presence that seems to be watching her. He hides in the shadows and doesn’t reveal himself.

Could he be one of the Dark Fey, known as the Reviled? These creatures steal young fey and, by means of torture and harsh treatment, turn them to evil?

Eventually, Ayla tells Nayina who urges her to tell the Elders, but, strangely, Ayla doesn’t want to. At least not until she has more idea who the stranger is.

Is this person one of the Reviled? He seems reluctant to leave the shadows, as a Reviled would be. The Light actually hurts and injures them, eventually leading to their death. And what does he want with her? 

CHARACTERS.

Ayla is a gentle soul who likes her own company. She is employed to look after the children, along with Nayina. 

Her encounter with the mysterious stranger makes her plumb depths she never knew she had.

Nayina is not so developed but she isn’t a major character.

Ayla’s ‘boyfriend’, Mardan, is another character who develops through the story. He is a likeable person, and cares deeply for Ayla. He does change throughout the story.

As does the mysterious figure, when we finally meet him.

I don’t want to say much more as the development of the characters is such that to discuss it more would be a spoiler.

WRITING

Cynthia Morgan gives a good description of the Fey and we can picture these wonderful people quite clearly. Maybe a little more description of the setting might make it easier to visualise it, but I did not find it detracted from my enjoyment of the story.

There are few typos and grammar errors.

One thing that did stand out to me, though, was that occasionally the author swapped the point of view character in the middle of a scene. On one occasion this was in the middle of a paragraph. I didn’t find it much of a problem–more an irritation. I think this is because the pronoun changed, from Ayla to Mardan (I think).

I enjoyed the story very much and am looking forward to reading the next part.

I give it 4*

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

Have you read any of the other Dark Fey books? Let us know what you thought of them in the comments.

book release, book reviews, fantasy, novel

Review of Tale of The Season’s Weaver by D. Wallace Peach

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OVERVIEW:

Ms Wallace Peach has done it again. This is a wonderful book.

BLURB:

“Already the animals starve. Soon the bonemen will follow, the Moss Folk and woodlings, the watermaids and humans. Then the charmed will fade. And all who will roam a dead world are dead things. Until they too vanish for lack of remembering. Still, Weaver, it is not too late.”

In the frost-kissed cottage where the changing seasons are spun, Erith wears the Weaver’s mantle, a title that tests her mortal, halfling magic. As the equinox looms, her first tapestry nears completion—a breath-taking ode to spring. She journeys to the charmed isle of Innishold to release the beauty of nature’s awakening across the land.

But human hunters have defiled the enchanted forest and slaughtered winter’s white wolves. Enraged by the trespass, the Winter King seizes Erith’s tapestry and locks her within his ice-bound palace. Here, where comfort and warmth are mere glamours, she may weave only winter until every mortal village succumbs to starvation, ice, and the gray wraiths haunting the snow.

With humanity’s fate on a perilous edge, Erith must break free of the king’s grasp and unravel a legacy of secrets. In a charmed court where illusions hold sway, allies matter, foremost among them, the Autumn Prince. Immortal and beguiling, he offers a tantalizing future she has only imagined, one she will never possess—unless she claims her extraordinary power to weave life from the brink of death.

In the lyrical fantasy tradition of Margaret Rogerson and Holly Black, D. Wallace Peach spins a spellbinding tale of magic, resilience, and the transformative potency of tales—a tapestry woven with peril and hope set against the frigid backdrop of an eternal winter.

STORY:

Erith is the Weaver of the Seasons. She has inherited the job from her immortal, Charmed (magical) mother who decided to follow her mortal husband into the underworld on his death.

The young Erith is unconfident of her abilities, being only half Charmed. She doubts her magic is sufficient to weave the seasons.

It is winter, and human hunters entered the Charmed forest in pursuit of a stag. They killed some of the Winter King’s creatures, and now he is out for revenge.

Erith has to travel to the magical Isle of Innisholm to spread her magical tapestry, woven by her with her mother’s magic threads. At the equinox, the spreading of Spring’s tapestry will enable the change from winter to spring to take place. The Winter King will relinquish his throne to the Spring Princess.

Or will he?

Intent on punishing the humans, he captures Erith and destroys her tapestry, insisting she weaves only winter. This will cause the death of all living things, and eventually, as there is no one to believe in them, and to pass on their stories, the immortal Charmed, themselves.

Who can Erith trust? The Charmed courtiers? The Spring Princess? The Autumn Prince? The Summer Queen?

CHARACTERS:

Erith is full of doubt. She is very young to have this responsibility thrust upon her. We can understand how she feels. She is alone in the world.

She feels anger at her mother for leaving her to perform this task alone. This anger is mixed with love for her mother.

She is a character we can relate to. I think everyone has felt, to some degree, what Erith feels.

But she must find the courage from somewhere to stand up to the Winter King.

The Winter King is a typical depiction of winter. He has icy blue eyes and long white hair. His personality is cold and ruthless. He has little empathy for the humans he is destroying by his refusal to allow spring to arrive. Even when his actions are impacting his own people he will not relent.

The Spring Princess loves pastel colours. She has blonde hair and wears a dress with spring flowers on it.

She is slightly insipid, I thought, and does not have the courage to stand up to Winter King. She seems to think he’ll relent and all will be well.

The Summer Queen dresses in bolder colours than the Spring Princess, as befits a summer day. She doesn’t stand up to the Winter King, either, and doesn’t seem too bothered about what is happening.

The Autumn Prince is the only one of the season’s royalty who is on Erith’s side. He does all he can to help her, even if she doesn’t always appreciate it.

There are lots of other characters, many of whom are Charmed. I especially liked Erith’s hospet, a small, goblin-like creature who, in exchange for clothes and food, keeps the house clean and tidy.

WRITING:

Ms Wallace Peach writes like the Weaver of the title. Her prose and word choice weave magic, just as Erith weaves magic into her tapestry.

Her descriptions are beautiful. I could picture the cold beauty of Winter with the glittering ice and snow, and with Erith’s visit to the realms of the other Seasons’ rulers on the Isle of Innisholm, the delicate loveliness of Spring and the bountiful colours of Autumn.

I found no grammatical errors, nor typos.Definitely one to read if you are a fan of fantasy, and maybe even if you are not. The writing alone is worth it.

I give it 5*.

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

book reviews, novel, stories

Miira Tahn: A Sci-Fi Journey Through Life and Death. My Review of the book.

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OVERVIEW.

This is an omnibus of three books, but it reads as one. I would not be able to say where one book ends and the next one begins. As a result, I would recommend reading the omnibus rather than an individual book.

BLURB

Because I couldn’t find the omnibus on Amazon to copy the blurb, here are the blurbs for the three books in the series.

In 2101, the average life expectancy is one hundred and ten. Miira Tahn, last Lady of Dhurai, is dying at just fifty-two. Faced with a slow, agonizing death, her only hope is Innerscape, a virtual paradise in which the Residents inhabit beautiful, digital bodies indistinguishable from the real thing.

Or so the brochures say. But even Eden had a snake, and once inducted, the Residents of Innerscape can never again return to the real world. If anything goes wrong, they’ll be lost in the dark forever.

Yet for Miira Tahn, even a tenuous hope is better than the fate that awaits her.

‘…sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump…’

‘Miira’ is the first book of the Innerscape cyle and corresponds to Episode 1 of the original series.

Desperate to find a version of reality she can live with, Miira Tahn sets out to explore the digital world of Innerscape, but along the way she discovers there are other worlds open to her as well. The HUBs connect Innerscape to every location in the virtual universe, and some, like the gaming world of the Shogunate, prove to be a lot of fun. Back in Innerscape, however, a darker game is unfolding. Someone wants the Burned Man silenced, but only the AI knows which body is where, and it’s immune to threats. People, however, are so much easier to manipulate. Caught in a web of intrigue and deceit, Miira and her friends become pawns in a game where losing means death.

More alone than ever, Miira Tahn clings to the bonds of friendship, yet even there, nothing is quite what it seems, not even her own memories. Driven to search for answers out in the real world, she uncovers the one truth that can tear apart the tissue of lies surrounding the Burned Man. But is she strong enough to face the consequences? And what of the powerful people who would prefer the truth to remain safely buried? In Nabatea, the past finally collides with the present as Miira risks all to save a good man.

STORY

Miira Tahn is a  Refugee (with a capital R). She is old and severely disabled and so she has come to Innerscape. Here, her useless body is immersed in a tank and she is given an avatar of her young self. Now she, along with many others, inhabits a virtual world.

People from the real world can enter a tank and also enter Innerscape and interact with the avatars of the patients.

Miira forms a relationship with a young doctor, an expert in Innerscape. When it appears he has committed several murders, she finds it hard to believe the man she knew could do such things.

There is a mystery behind the killings, though. It appears that Miira is a possible intended victim, along with a mysterious man known as Alex Tang. 

This summary is quite difficult to write without giving away too much, so I’ll stop there.

CHARACTERS.

Miira Tahn is a likeable character. At first, she is rather staid, but her meeting with a young man, Jaimie, helps her. He introduces her to the world of virtual reality gaming, which she, surprisingly takes to.

Jamie Watson is an 18 year old who almost died 10 years previously in an accident. He is full of energy, somewhat brash, and is a perfect foil for Miira.

Kenneth Wu is the young doctor whom Miira finds herself drawn to. He is understanding and kind, and seems to reciprocate Miira’s feelings.

Peter MacAlistair is the CEO of Innerscape. He is devious and has something to hide.

These are the main characters, but there is a plethora of others. In fact, I found it difficult to remember who was who a lot of the time. Something of a downside.

WRITING

I didn’t come across many, if any, grammatical or spelling errors. 

However, I did find it slow going at the beginning. When the mystery kicked in, though, I got interested, and quite immersed. I was anxious to know if Miira could clear Kenneth’s name, and how their relationship would develop.

Having said that, though, I was left a little disappointed. Some things that had seemed important were left ‘in the air’.

We found out who Alex Tang was, and why ‘someone’ wanted him dead. He was a whistleblower, but we never found out what whistle he had blown.

Miira is a Refugee, but we weren’t told what she was a Refugee from (and why it needed a capital letter). It did seem important, and seemed to be linked to what the whistleblower had said, but no clear statement about it.

Someone in the government was involved, but it wasn’t made clear who, how or why.

Because of the slow start and the loose ends, I feel I can only give it;

3*

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

This is the first Scifi book I’ve read in a while. On the whole I enjoyed it, but for the comments I made in the review.

Do you enjoy Scifi? What is your opinion of books that leave loose ends?

announcement, book release, fantasy, novel, stories

Horselords has been released

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I heard this morning that the fourth novella in the Wolves of Vimar prequels is not available. This one tells the story of Davrael and Kimi; how they met and how they come to be in Grosmer.

BLURB

For all her life, Kimi has been taught that the Wanderers, as the nomadic tribes are known, are violent thieves.

But they are not a threat, and she hopes to have the life of a Settled Horselord, raising horses like her parents. When her family’s horses are stolen, everything changes. Kidnapped by violent tribesmen and threatened with a forced marriage to the chief’s son, she is terrified of what the future will bring.

Fearing for the lives of her father and brothers, will Kimi be able to escape and return home?

Here is a short excerpt.

CHAPTER 1

Ullin, the silver moon, was high in the sky when Kimi heard a gate creak. She shot up in her bed as she heard voices speaking in quiet tones. Horses whinnied and hoofbeats sounded, gradually disappearing into the distance.

She leapt from her bed and ran to the window of her small bedroom. There, in the silver light of the moon, horsemen drove a herd of horses across the plains. 

She covered her mouth with her hand as she gazed through the window overlooking the corral where the family kept their best horses–the same animals that were now disappearing over the horizon.

In her haste, Kimi tripped over her nightgown and crashed against her parents’ bedroom door. The door flew open and banged against the wall as she stumbled into their room. 

Gasping, she righted herself. “The…the horses have been stolen.”   

Her parents sat bolt upright in their bed. “Are you sure, Kimi?” her father called after her as she sprinted to her brothers’ room. He came out of his bedroom pulling on his traditional horselord leathers. 

Kimi grabbed her brothers and pulled them from their beds, not giving them a chance to get dressed. 

“Of course I’m sure. The gate creaked, then hoofbeats. I saw them galloping over the plains.”

Eighteen-year-old Olias looked at his sister, a slight frown wrinkling his forehead. “Are you sure they didna jump the gate? Or break it? Did ya see any people?”

Kimi stared at her brother. “I’m not that stupid, Oli. The gate was open. Unless the horses have developed hands, someone did it for them.”

“By Zol’s balls.” Her elder brother, Yeldin, swore as he sprinted back to his room to get dressed.

“The Wanderers!” Her father turned to her mother as she came out of the room they shared. “It must be one of the tribes of Wanderers, thieving scum that they are.”

The family was one of several settled folk living close to The Barrier, the range of mountains that cut off the Western Plains from the rest of the continent of Khalram. 

Once, the Settlers had been Wanderers themselves, following the herds of wild horses that roamed the plains. Several generations ago, some of the people decided they could rear better horses if they had more control, so they settled in one place. 

There had been mistrust between the Wanderers and Settlers ever since. 

Kimi’s mother emerged from the bedroom. “It don’t matter who it is, Har. They’re getting farther away every minute.”

 “A Wanderer’s allus a thief. It’s bred into ’em,” her father lectured, as he strode down the stairs and out of the door. Looking back, he called, “Get dressed, and quick. Pick up your weapons and come wi’ me. We’ve some horses to get back.”

Kimi ran to her room and dressed in leather trousers like her father’s, and a fringed leather jerkin. She opened a cupboard and took out a fleece-lined jacket. This she donned over her jerkin. Once dressed she rushed out with her brothers to join their parents at the corral.

Her father was inspecting the gate as they approached. He stood and beckoned them to follow as he strode to a second corral. “You were right, Kimi. Someone let ’em  out,” he called over his shoulder. “No sign of ’em breaking the gate. Let’s go after ’em.”

The family caught five horses from a second corral, put bridles on them and leapt onto their backs. 

Kimi rode her piebald mare she named Magpie. She patted the horse’s neck. “We need to be quick, girl, if we’re to get your friends back. Pretend you’re the winter wind.”

The Horselords did not use saddles. They considered the use of a saddle and bit to be an insult and enslavement of their beloved horses. The animals responded to reins attached to a noseband, as well as their riders’ knees. 

Kimi and her older brothers, alongside their parents, cantered westward across the plain following the tracks of their animals. They all carried bows, and the men were armed with knives. 

It was winter, and snow covered the ground. The thieves had taken around twenty of the family’s best animals and they left plenty of signs of their passing in the snow.

After the family had ridden for a couple of miles the tracks split into three. 

Kimi’s father pulled his horse to a halt. “They want to confuse us so as we don’t know which way to go. We need to split up to find ’em.”

Kimi’s mother pulled her horse nearer to her husband. “Don’t you think we’d be better off stayin’ together? We dunna know how many there are.” She glanced around her family. “There might be too many for two of us to take on alone.” She turned and looked at the three tracks. “P’raps we should go after one group and get those horses back. At least we’d have some of our stock.”

“Those’re our best animals.” Kimi’s father shifted his seat on his horse. “We need to get ’em all back. If we allow thieves to get even one, they’ll spread the word we’re easy and keep comin’ back till we’ve no horses left.”

Kimi gripped her reins and her lips trembled. She made up her mind to speak. “Stop!” Her voice sounded loud in the silence of the night. “We can’t waste time arguing.”

“She’s right.” Twenty-year-old Yeldin sidled his horse nearer to his sister. “We must get after ’em quick.”

They took a vote and all three young people voted with their father and the group split into three.

Kimi found herself with Yeldin. They followed one set of tracks to the southwest. The light dusting of snow made the passage easy to follow.

“D’you know how many are in this lot?” Yeldin gazed at the tracks left by the passage of many horses. 

Of the siblings, Kimi was the best tracker despite being the youngest. She dismounted to study the prints left behind. “Nine or ten p’raps, but how many are ours and how many are ridden by the thieves…” She shrugged.

Yeldin smiled at her. “Well, little sis, they took twenty horses. If each group has the same number, then there’ll be six or seven animals in each. That’d be no more’n three riders. We can take ’em on. Let’s get going.”

Kimi’s stomach turned over as Yeldin mentioned taking on the thieves.

Yeldin smiled, and Kimi knew he realised her fear. “You’ve got your bow. You can shoot from a distance. No need to get close.”

They rode for two miles until they spotted movement on the horizon. “There they are,” Yeldin called from ahead. “I’ll circle in from the east and you approach from the west.”

Kimi nodded, pulling Magpie around and galloping in the direction Yeldin indicated. Guiding her horse with her knees and heels she readied her bow, nocking an arrow as she rode.

A small copse appeared. Kimi slowed her gallop as she rode past. She would round this small stand of trees and double back. By now she would be past where the thieves were and she and Yeldin would take them by surprise. True, there were only two of them, but surprise would give them the advantage.

But she was not prepared for the three mounted warriors who came from the stand of trees. 

If you want to find out more, here are some links.

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK: https://books2read.com/u/31XQ0a

This will take you to a page where you can reach the bookshop of your choice.

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSXZYC82

APPLE BOOKS: https://books.apple.com/us/book/horselords/id6740480997

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/horselords-vm-sang/1146825732?ean=2940180987600

GOOGLE BOOKS: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=dTo-EQAAQBAJ

RAKUTEN KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/horselords-1

If you want to read any of my other books, simply click on the image in the sidebar.

Did you enjoy this extract? Does it make you want to read more?

book release, book reviews, fantasy, novel

Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair – New Book Spotlight and my Review #DarkFantasy #YA – Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver by D. Wallace Peach

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I am very happy to share the news of the upcoming release by D. Wallace Peach of her YA/Teen Dark Fantasy – Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver on pre-order for January 2nd… I thought it would be a great way to bring the Christmas Book Fair to a close for this year with this post […]

Smorgasbord Christmas Book Fair – New Book Spotlight and my Review #DarkFantasy #YA – Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver by D. Wallace Peach
book reviews, novel

Heart-Wrenching Story of Family Betrayal

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I think this was a recommendation by Sally Cronin. Thanks, Sally. An amazing book. I finished it a couple of days ago, but it’s still resonating.

I think I’ve just found my new favourite author.

OVERVIEW 

A heart wrenching story told with sympathy and understanding. Set in the 1960s, some of the treatment of the children seems harsh and wrong to us now, but in those days, people thought they were doing the right thing.

STORY

Charlie and Chloe are twins. When we first meet them they are eight years old and their mother died three years previously. They are living happily with their father, Graham, although they miss their mother, of course. 

Then one day Graham brings home a woman whom he says he is going to marry. She is the nurse who cared for their mother in her final days.

But she isn’t the kind, understanding woman that she makes everyone believe. 

Charlie sees through her right from the start, and their world gradually turns upside down.

The book takes us through many years as the children become adults.

I don’t want to say more as anything else would be a spoiler.

BLURB

A gripping ‘cuckoo in the nest’ domestic thriller

After the death of their mum, twins Chloe and Charlie are shocked when their dad introduces Lynne as their ‘new mummy’. Lynne, a district nurse, is trusted in the community, but the twins can see her kind smile doesn’t meet her eyes. In the months that follow they suffer the torment Lynne brings to their house as she stops at nothing in her need to be in control.

Betrayed, separated and alone, the twins struggle to build new lives as adults, but will they find happiness or repeat past mistakes? Will they discover Lynne’s secret plans for their father? Will they find each other in time?

The Stranger in My House is a gripping ‘cuckoo in the nest’ domestic thriller, exploring how coercive control can tear a family apart. Set in Yorkshire and Cardiff, from the 60s to the winter of discontent, The Stranger in My House dramatises both the cruelty and the love families hide behind closed doors.

CHARACTERS

The people in this story are well-rounded. No one is perfect.

Charlie is a perceptive little boy. But he lets his resentment eat away at him as he grows up. Not surprisingly, really, given what he has to go through. He is also stubborn in refusing to try to get on with Lynne, his new stepmother.

Chloe is more malleable. She wants to get on with Lynne, and tries to persuade Charlie he’s wrong about her.

Graham is a lovely father; kind and supportive until he becomes more and more under Lynne’s influence. He believes her over his children.

Lynne is shown as a manipulative woman who is willing to wait for years for what she wants. She says she has been in an abusive relationship, but managed to escape.

Lynne has two children of her own, Evie and Saul, both older than Charlie and Chloe.

Evie is lovely, and knows exactly what her mother is like and she helps the twins whenever she can, even if only lending an ear.

Saul, on the other hand, is a bully. He bullies Charlie, but if Charlie says anything, Lynne takes Saul’s side and convinces Graham that Charlie is making it up.

WRITING.

Excellent writing. I felt sympathy for the children and got angry with the adults, just as I would in real life.

The characters are believable written in a sympathetic way, except, of course, Lynne and Saul, whom I was anxious to see get their just deserts.

There were no grammatical errors or typos.

I would fully recommend this book. I couldn’t put it down.

I give it 5*

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

Have you read anything by Judith Barrow? I definitely intend to read more of her books.

fantasy, free book, novel, stories

A chance for a free book to read during the holidays.

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A Young Adult book from Kent Wayne. Well worth a read whatever your age.

The day after tomorrow, my YA fantasy series is FREE on Kindle from 12/2 thru 12/6!

You can read my 5*review of this book here.

book reviews, novel

Review of The Silent Forest by David Kummer

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OVERVIEW 

I am a fan of this young writer, and this book is as good as the others I’ve read. It is Book 2 in a horror series, and is as scary as Book 1.

BLURB

In New Haven, everything is changing. And there’s no going back now.

It’s been weeks since Allison went missing, and everyone has given up except for Kaia. New Haven mourns their dead as she keeps looking. And now, she’s starting to find answers.

As the unsolved cases pile up, a new discovery in the forest offers hope. But it also threatens to unbury all of New Haven’s darkest secrets.

For the Woods family, it will take everything they have. For Kaia, it’s the last chance.

There are some shadows you can’t keep underground.

STORY

In book 1, Kaia’s best friend, Alison, has disappeared into an abandoned house on the outskirts of the town. This house has been long-feared, and mysterious lights are often seen there.

After  searching for Alison, the townsfolk and the sheriff presume her to be dead.

In this book, we learn that Kaia does not believe her friend is dead, and determines to find Alison.

With a mystery boy, who appears not to know things any normal  boy would know (even about baseball) and the letters from an unknown source, we are plunged into a world of monstrous happenings.

Is Alison alive? Did her new husband kill her, as he claims? What is lurking in the old house, and will it venture forth to wreak havoc on the town?

I don’t want to give away too much, so I’ll stop there.

CHARACTERS 

There are many characters in this book, all of whom relate their bits of the story. This isn’t confusing, as David Kummer devotes a clearly named chapter to each.

Kaia is filled with anxiety for her friend. She has put off going to university for a year after the traumatic events of the previous few weeks. She is clearly suffering from PTSD. 

We see Malaki, Alison’s husband, gradually descend into madness after he and Alison visited the house, and their experiences there.

Naomi Woods is Kaia’s mother. She is a strong woman who will give everything to protect her children. This is a strength and a weakness.

Rhys is a mysterious boy. He was found in book 1 walking along the road at night and was taken in by the Woods family. They can find out nothing about him. He also has little, if any, knowledge of 21st century USA. We see him learning about the modern world.

There are many other characters, all complex with their own agendas, but to analyse them all would make this review far too long. You need to read the books yourselves to find out.

WRITING 

David Kummer does an excellent job of building tension. The oppressive heat of the summer seems to weigh on the characters, creating the feeling of waiting for something to happen, be it simply rain, or something deadly from the house. This feeling permeates the whole book.

There are a few grammatical errors, but not enough to spoil my pleasure in reading. But I do wish authors would learn how to use ‘lay’ and ‘lie’!

I gave this book 4* and thoroughly recommend it and Book 1.

My ranking of books. In order to get a particular number of stars, it is not necessary to meet all the criteria. This is a guide only.

5* Exceptional. Wonderful story. Setting well drawn, and characters believable–not perfect, but with flaws. Will keep you up all night. No typos or grammatical errors.

4* A thoroughly enjoyable read. Great and original story. Believable setting and characters. Very few grammatical errors or typos.

3* I enjoyed it. Good story. Characters need some development. Some typos or grammatical errors.

2* Not for me. Story not very strong. Unbelievable and flat characters. Setting not clearly defined. Many typos or grammatical errors.

1* I hated it. Story almost non-existent. Setting poor. Possibly couldn’t finish it.

Do you enjoy the horror genre? It’s not something I usually go for, but I an really enjoying this series, Can ‘t wait until book 3 comes out.