Tag Archives: book review

book reviews, novel

Surviving the Horror: The Woods Family’s Final Stand

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Overview

This is the third and final part of The Misery House trilogy. This has given me a problem as I don’t want to give away anything from the first two books into case you’ve not yet read them.

The series is a horror series set in a small town in the US. Looming over the town is an abandoned house, which gives its name to the series as a whole. The story is told in the first person, but from several points of view.

Blurb

Everyone feels safe in their own house. Until it’s too late.

The Woods family is at peace, at last. With Allison now safe. Kaia is not afraid. But everything changes when Allison gets sick… and another child from New Haven goes missing.

Everything leads to the house on the hill. And this time, the whole town is at stake.

Cliff Woods petitions to demolish the house. In response, New Haven slowly turns against him, looking for any reason or way to burn him down, instead. And it’s not hard to find.

At the same time, Kaia simply needs to make it until Nate graduates. Less than a year. But Rhys has more to tell her… Secrets from a hundred years ago.

When the Woods family is no longer safe in their own home, they only have one choice: Fight until the end.

But in this town, there are no happy endings.

Story

This is where it gets difficult. In the first two books, mysterious things happen. 

The main protagonists are the Woods family–Cliff, Naomi and their children, Kaia and Nate.

In the first two books, lights are seen in the house at night. Something chases Naomi Woods and her son, Nate, when they are on a bike ride. 

Then Kaia’s best friend, Alison, disappears at the house, having gone there with her new husband, Malaki.

At the end of book 2 it seems everything has returned to normal after its terrifying ending, but it’s only just beginning. And a mysterious young boy called Rhys turns up and no one can find out his background or parentage. He appears to know little either, even of normal Iife. Cliff and Naomi decide to foster him.

In this third book, the town turns against Cliff, especially when he suggests demolishing the house. 

We are taken back in time to learn something of the history of the house and how it came to be so horrific, and something of its current denizens.

Alison has been so traumatised by her experiences that she is undergoing therapy and her family has moved to the nearby city. The sheriff also has been so affected that he has to retire. And then his four year old son vanishes.

I don’t think I can say much more without spoilers.

Characters

Kaia Woods is a young woman who has just finished school and is trying to decide on her next move. She is struggling with her sexuality and her growing feelings for Alison. When her family is threatened, she finds courage and decides to go to the house to put an end to the dangers in spite of her fears.

Nate Woods is a young man just entering 8th grade at the beginning of the book. He is a keen baseball player who plays for his school team. As a typical teen, he spends much time playing on his X-box with Rhys. He is devastated when his team loses a match.

Like Kaia, he discovers he has more courage than he knew when his family is in danger.

Cliff Woods left New Haven to go to university where he met Naomi, a beautiful black girl. They married, and he brought her back to help run his father’s farm. He loves his wife deeply, and is an excellent father to Kaia and Nate. But his paternal feeling and desire to protect his family leads to his being ostracised by the towns folk. 

He is willing to sacrifice anything, even his life, to keep them safe.

Naomi Woods is a strong woman with a good heart. She works tirelessly for the good of the town and the church. When she feels her children are threatened, she becomes like a lioness and will overcome her fears to protect them.

It appears that, as the only black woman in town, she has been accepted by everyone, but appearances can be deceptive.

Rhys appears towards the end of Book 2. He is a mystery. He is revealed at the end of Book 2 after the climax. He says he can remember nothing of his past, and is baffled by many modern things, even baseball. He tries very hard to fit in and seems to want to be adopted by the Woods family. They all grow to care for him.

There are other characters, such as the Sheriff, Jeremy, who is Cliff’s friend, and Naomi’s friend, Susan, amongst others, but I’ll leave these characters for now.

Writing

David Kummer writes well. There are a few typos in the work, and he hasn’t got the hang of the difference between ‘lay’ and ‘lie’, which he gets wrong every time.

Having said that, he does a good job of building the tension. I found it difficult to put down, and felt a connection with the Woods family.

One thing I wondered about was why he gave Cliff Woods two names. The townsfolk call him Cliff, but Naomi calls him Ben.

There were also, I felt, a few loose ends. Where did Silas, the antagonist, get his power from? for example. And was Alison’s I’ll health due to the

power of the house, and why? Also, why was the Woods family such a target from the beginning?

Still, apart from these things, it was a good read.

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.

book reviews, history, novel, romance

Review of Marguerite by Marina Montrose

1 Comment

Overview

This is an enemies to lovers story. The setting is the Regency period in the United Kingdom. I did wonder if it would be a take on  Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, but apart from the time period, I was wrong.

Blurb

Chemistry sizzles between Lady Marguerite and the Duke of Argyle. Will she be able to reconcile reason with passion?
When the arrogant Duke of Argyle makes an offer for her hand, Lady Marguerite Lennox is quick to refuse, thinking him arrogant and aloof.
Her parents are disappointed she has turned down the best catch in the matrimonial stakes. The duke himself is reeling from the insult to his ego. He decides to pursue her as he has never pursued anyone before. His aim is to conquer, to bend her to his will.
When the duke steals a burning kiss at a ball, sparks fly. Marguerite is struck by lightning, but is terrified of getting burned. If passion wanes, she fears her life will be bleak.
Marguerite is the story of a man who is obsessed with a feisty but kind woman—who loves him but does not much like him.

Story

Marguerite has an English father and a French mother. Her father, Lord Lennox, had been an envoy for the British Government in Paris, but had now returned to England with his wife and daughter.

Marguerite was introduced to Society on their return. The balls, house parties etc are quite simply a means of young people finding a suitable marriage partner.

Marguerite draws a lot of interest. She has been brought up to have a mind of her own, unlike most other young women of the time, who are expected to be meek and accomplished in such things as painting and music, but not anything that uses their intellect.

One person who is drawn to her is the Duke of Argyle. He is not very pleasant, and when he asks her parents for her hand in marriage, she adamantly refuses.

I don’t want to say any more as I don’t want to add a spoiler.

Characters

Marguerite: She is, as I said, a young woman who knows her own mind. She is determined to marry for love and not wealth or position. Her mother regrets her decision to turn down Argyle as he’s a wealthy man and a duke. Marrying him would make her a duchess. But Marguerite dislikes him, and refuses him, even though a part of her is drawn to him.

Marguerite is a kind person and she doesn’t restrict her kindness to those of her own class, as is shown when she helps a poor woman, and a young woman who is finding it difficult to fit in with the snobbish aristocrats as her father, although wealthy, is ‘in trade’.

Duke of Argyle: I did wonder if this story should have him as the protagonist as he has the biggest character arc. At the beginning he is a man who feels entitled to respect. But he doesn’t do much to earn it. He was orphaned early and came into his inheritance. Although his father had been somewhat profligate with his money, Argyle has a good brain and by judicious use, has gained a fortune. However, he is known as a ‘rake’, and keeps several mistresses, and gambles at cards. He is also somewhat disdainful about the society he finds himself in. 

Until he meets Marguerite, he attends few balls.

However, his growing love for Marguerite encourages a change in attitudes.

Alice: Alice is Marguerite’s cousin. She helps Marguerite with her entry into society. However, she isn’t strong-minded like Marguerite, and fits into what a young woman of the Regency period should be. 

Charles: This young man is in love with Marguerite, although he never declares it. He is a bit wishy-washy in my opinion. Not a suitable match for the firebrand Marguerite. If I met him, I think I’d probably quite like him, but consider him a bit meh!

Writing: On the whole the writing was quite good for a first book. No major grammatical or spelling errors.

The point of view in the story is from several viewpoints. We see Marguerite and Argyle, mainly, with occasional forays into Marguerite’s mother. Not a problem as it’s clear who we’re with.

I was a little confused at the beginning as the book opens with Argyll asking for Marguerite’s hand, then goes back to things that led up to it. It was quite a long way into the book before I realised that.

I would have liked to see more emotion shown by the characters, and how they felt inside, but it wasn’t really problem. I enjoyed reading it.

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.

announcement, book release, fantasy, novel

Immortal’s Death has Arrived

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I’ve now been informed that Immortal’s Death is available on multiple platforms. The links are below.

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK: https://books2read.com/u/b6AYN0

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G33NG9GJ

APPLE BOOKS: https://books.apple.com/us/book/immortals-death/id6755531622

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/immortals-death-vm-sang/1148784243?ean=2940182385084

GOOGLE BOOKS: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=I_uZEQAAQBAJ

RAKUTEN KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/immortal-s-death

A royal wedding. A missing duke. An empire on the brink of war.

Carthinal and his companions gather to celebrate Princess Randa’s wedding to Prince Almoro—until news arrives that Duke Larrin of Sendolina and his wife are missing, and their lands have fallen to enemy forces. With tension rising between Grosmer and Erian, the king dispatches a dragonet to uncover the truth.

As the Wolf mercenaries set out on a dangerous rescue mission, they are blown off course and forced into battles on land and sea. Meanwhile, rebellion brews in Hambara, and young Thadora—noble by blood but raised in the shadows—must uncover Erian’s next move.

Soon, loyalties will be tested, lives lost, and Carthinal will have to face a betrayal from someone he trusted the most.

A richly detailed epic fantasy adventure, IMMORTAL’S DEATH is the fourth book in the Wolves of Vimar series by V.M. Sang.

The first 3 books are available as a Collection. It says ‘The Complete Series’, but that was before Book 4 was published.

The Wolves of Vimar Collection: The Complete Series

The Wolves of Vimar Collection: The Complete Series

by V.M. Sang  | 18 Dec 2023

Kindle Edition £3.99

Paperback £21.99

Hardcover £37 54

All three books in V.M. Sang’s ‘The Wolves Of Vimar’ series of fantasy novels, now available in one volume!

The Wolf Pack: Carthinal is ready for his rite of passage to become a mage. What he doesn’t expect is ending up on a quest to find the long-lost sword of the legendary King Sauvern. Followed by Randa, the daughter of the Duke of Hambara, and the young thief Thad, Carthinal will need all the help he can get in order to complete his quest.

The Never-Dying Man: After straying into Erian, Carthinal and his friends find preparations for war. Carthinal will need to face unpleasant truths about himself; Is his desire to further his magical career more important than his friends, and his country?

Wolf Moon: An invasion is planned to Grosmer. As the heroes make their escape, they accidentally stumble upon an old Dwarven city. Facing enemies on all sides, the five must find where their loyalties lie, But can they save their homeland from certain destruction?

Although it is better to read the whole series, I believe that each book can be read on its own. There are some things that hang over, as it’s a series, but most things are settled in each book. There is an overarching quest of finding and killing the Never-Dying Man to save the land of Grosmer.

If you choose to read any or all of the books, I would be more than grateful for an honest review, and if you would like a free review copy of Immortal’s Death (or any of the other books), please let me know in the comments.

There is no obligation to review, but I would be greatly appreciative.

book reviews, short story, stories

Glimpses by Hugh W Roberts. Book Review.

5 Comments

Blurb

After publishing some of his short stories on his blog, Hugh W. Roberts, who is dyslexic, received numerous requests to publish his short stories in a book.

Here, at last, are 28 short stories that will take your mind on a roller coaster of a ride into worlds that conceal unexpected twists and turns.

‘Glimpses’ allows the reader a peek into the lives of everyday people who are about to have life lead them on an unpredicted path. From a mysterious deadly iPad app to a hole in the fence that is not all it seems, to a strange lipstick that appears to have a life of its own, you will encounter terror, laughter, sadness, shock and many other emotions on journeys which promise a thrilling and gripping climax.

If you are a lover of shows such as ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Tales Of The Unexpected’, then you are in for a real treat with this first collection of short stories from Hugh.

Dare you take a glimpse into the lives of these unsuspecting characters?

As this is a book of short stories, my usual format for reviews won’t work.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories. There were stories of different lengths, so you could choose a short one if you haven’t much time, or a longer one if you wanted to settle down and relax.

I began at the first story and worked my way through. 

Every story has an interesting twist, which, for me, made it very interesting and exciting trying to decide what the twist would be.

Some of these stories will horrify you, some will sadden you, yet others will make you smile, but they will all surprise you.

The book is well written and I didn’t notice any typos of grammatical errors.

If you are a fan of such TV programmes as The Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected, then this is the book for you.

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.

And another review from Amazon


“If you are looking for a thoroughly entertaining read, Glimpses is the book for you. Each story, cleverly crafted through Hugh’s wonderful imagination, will whisk you away to many different worlds, past, present and future. Every story makes a compelling read and just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, Hugh masterfully reveals a brilliant twist. With bite-size and longer stories, Glimpses is a must-read. I loved it.” – Esther Chilton, Writer, and Author.

book reviews, novel

Who Killed the Storyteller? A Mystery Unfolds. Book Review.

10 Comments

Overview.

This is book 9 in the Camilla Randall series, although it can be read as a standalone. The story keeps you guessing until the final reveal.

It would make a great beach read.

Blurb

When Camilla Randall allows a neighboring business to hold a “Moth Hour” storytelling event in the courtyard of her beachy California bookstore, she finds an inconvenient corpse left in the audience after the event. The deceased, a storyteller famous for his appearances on NPR, turns out to have a shady past – and a lot of enemies. Unfortunately, Camilla’s boyfriend Ronzo is one of them. When it turns out the famous storyteller has been murdered, Ronzo becomes a “person of interest,” and goes into hiding.

It’s up to Camilla – and her cat Buckingham – to find out which of the quirky storytellers who attended the Moth event is the real killer. Each of their stories contains a clue to the mystery. It seems one of the storytellers is in possession of some stolen diamonds, and another, who first appears to be a helpful friend, is anything but.

Meanwhile Ronzo goes incommunicado, the bodies pile up, and a series of mysterious catastrophes makes Camilla fear she’s losing her mind. Then, with the help of her drag queen friend Marva, Camilla has to save her best friends from the murderer before it’s too late.

Story.

There was going to be a story-telling at the cafe close to Camilla’s bookstore, but unfortunately, they had a problem and Camilla allowed it to be held in the courtyard of her bookshop.

A celebrity, Boyd Ferrell, arrives for the story-telling, and afterwards is found dead.

It appears that the man had a shady background with some unpleasant events. Several people at the event have cause to hate him, but who actually did the deed?

Unfortunately, Camilla;’s boyfriend, Ronzo, a musician is one of them, and the police show an interest in him.

Then two more bodies appear. But Ronzo isn’t there. He went away on business with an old buddy, but goes incommunicado. Why? What is the reason for not communicating with Camilla?

Which of the suspects actually is the killer? And how did they manage to effect the murder in a crowded space?

Then there are a series of bizarre incidents that make Camilla question her own sanity.

Characters.

There are many characters in this book, and I can’t detail them all. They are an interesting bunch.

Camilla, of course, is the main one. She is interesting, and has anxieties about how this could have happened as a result of her kindness in allowing the event to happen at her place. This is compounded by the fact that she’s alone, with Ronzo gone. A killer is on the loose.

Alice is a somewhat bonkers woman who uses Camilla’s storeroom to do tarot readings. She does some unasked for ones for Camilla, that all seem to turn out to be bad. 

There is a New Age woman who wants Camilla to stock crystals, who seems nearly as bonkers as Alice. 

Dan, the Library Friend, as designated on his tee-shirt, seems a likeable person, and helpful. He knows a lot. Too much?

Felicity comes to help Camilla in the shop as, without Ronzo’s help, she’s finding it all a bit much. But Felicity isn’t a lot of help as she keeps putting books on the wrong shelves.

I enjoyed all the different characters. They were a varied lot, and any one of them could have been the murderer.

Writing

Ms Allen has written an intriguing book. It kept me guessing until the end. First I thought it was one person, then I thought it couldn’t be them, it must be another. There were several people with a motive. It kept me reading as I wanted to know as much as possible and to see if I could guess the murderer. She builds up the tension expertly.

There were no typos or grammatical errors I can remember.

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 Anne R. Allen’s books? Who is your favourite mystery author? Let us know in the comments.

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 .

4 Comments

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 reviews, fantasy, free book, Poetry

A Review of ‘From January to June’: Dive into Poetry

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I recently looked at the reviews I received for my poetry book, From January to June ; One Poem a Day, and was delighted to find this.

From January to June (One Poem A Day Series Book 1)

imagemarjorie mallon

A variety of poems to enjoy

December 13, 2024

From January to June. V M Sang

As a poetry enthusiast I was keen to read V M Sang’s poetic observations: From January to June.

It’s a eclectic collection with a variety of topics such as Spring, Family, Communications (how they change through time,) music, travel, (France and UK,) amusing poems, and daily life.

Some of my favourite poems: Grandma’s Hands, Son, Songbirds, Teddy, Dark Creatures, Doorway, Home Sweet Home, New Mown Grass, The Internet, and I Am A Writer.

Something for everyone, some short, like this haiku.

‘The bees are humming.
Gentle breeze quivers the leaves
And a poet dreams.’

Some poems are longer, some telling a tale. A good way to discover more about the author and what makes them tick!

I enjoyed, and can recommend – 4 stars 🌟

And now to whet your appetite, here’s today’s poem from the collection.

February 17th

Another one from a prompt. This time it was to write a poem with the following words. Lavender, horn, gold, hooves, trot.

Unicorn

I heard a sound in the wood.
And thought, “What can it be?”
I kept silent where I stood
Hoping I would see
Something wonderful and rare.
Perhaps a shy and timid deer.
But there is magic in the air
And stranger beasts live near. 

A glimpse of lavender appeared
Between the beech trees tall.
My brow I furrowed. This is weird.
I could not work it out at all.
Then from the trees a unicorn
Trotted out so that I
Could see his unique horn of gold
And cloven hooves and clear, bright eye.

I held my breath to see this beast.
I felt my heart beat fast.
My mind was filled with thoughts of peace
As he trotted past.
He paused and took away my pain.
I knew not what to say,
But he shook his lavender mane
And trotted on his way.

If you would like to read more of my poetry, you can get the ebook for free. by clicking the button below or the cover in the sidebar.

It is available from your favourite bookstore in ebook, paperback or hardcover versions.

Get my book here

I would like to thank Marjorie Mallon for her kind review.

Do you enjoy poetry? What is your favourite kind of poetry?

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.