Friday 29 September 2017

Larkspur, or A Necromancer's Romance (The Larkspur Series vol. 1) (Stories of Clandestina) by V. M. Jaskiernia

This was quite a good read, but at 48 pages very short. It is in the Amazon shop for 99p so reasonable for a short. This is part 1 and the writer tells me that the follow up is in the final stages and will be released soon. Below my 4 star review.
This was a good read, but I also had a self published book which I could not finish. I'm not a native English speaker so for us it is doubly important to have a good editor. This writer didn't and most of the sentences were clumsy and didn't make sense. Shame as it had an interesting story as a starting point. I did contact the writer and I can only hope he will take my criticisms to heart, because at some point down the line it will bite you with a sarcastic one star review.
Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.



This was a very short read, but it left me intrigued as much as uncomfortable. The world of Clandestina is an unusual world where humans, Fae, and magic exists. Pierre Salvador is a Duc and a newly qualified surgeon and this is the bit that made me uncomfortable; our romantic lead dabbles in necromancy, he not only communicates with Mora/Death but actually crosses briefly to her realm to gain healing powers. Taking a human life to heal himself was a bit of a gasping moment. (But death does not always means death in Clandestina, pfew!)  This book does take you to the dark side of magic, but I’m intrigued as to how it will develop. The romance between Lizzie and Pierre is just getting started and Larkspur is just a taster of what is to come. Judging by this morsel, I don’t mind ordering the 5 course meal.

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Darkly Wood II: The woman who never wore shoes by Max Power

Regular readers of this blog will know that I have reviewed quite a few titles of this talented Irish writer. This is the second book to his Darkly Wood series. So when there was a free promotion I had no issue with snapping it up. It did not disappoint. 5 stars.Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.



Book one had a young girl Daisy May and a sweet love story at its heart. Book 2 has the same girl at its centre but she’s now a grandmother. She’s not a happy woman; shaped and scarred by her experience in Darkly Wood. Her obsession with finding out the truth about Darkly Wood has led her to be estranged from her daughter and granddaughter Holly. When Holly goes missing, Daisy knows that she is not finished with Darkly Wood, and Darkly Wood has not finished with her.
It’s been a while since I’ve read Darkly Wood (book1) but it must have made an impact as I had no problems remembering what happened. By the end of book 2 I realised this one would stay with me a while too. I’m sure a few gruesome and unpleasant characters will be featuring in my nightmares; I expect a visit from mr Wormhold any night now. Not something I look forwards to as he was a truly terrifying character. Darkly Wood is a dark Gothic horror with a fair amount of blood and gore. As in book 1 the main narrative alternates with other tales from the wood. This works well as it helps fill in the background of some of the other recurring characters, building to a climax where it all makes sense. The ending shows that there is more trouble to come and I know Max Power is putting the finishing touches to Darkly Wood 3. Recommended.

Wednesday 20 September 2017

Adventure to Destiny: The Unity Objective Series by Sandra Golden

I normally don't review books that are send to me by the author. Firstly I don't like reading on my computer and prefer kindle. Also I prefer to leave a verified review. But hey this indie writer needed some help and she asked nicely. This one is for the younger reader among us.
Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.



In the Unity objective we get to meet Helaina and J.R; two fifteen year old cousins. It soon becomes clear to their family and Unity corporation elders that these two children have some special gifts. Unity is not a normal corporation, but a company founded by Aliens that came to our planet many generations ago. Even though the plot is quite complex and there is a lot to find out about the world of Unity, Sandra Golden writes in an easy to follow style that will let even the younger reader enjoy this adventure. Helaina and J.R have some special gifts but deep down they are normal teenagers that like to hang out with their friends and go to the beach. The two characters are likable and you can easily relate to them. If I had one quibble it would have been that I felt hungry while reading this book as the Unity family does like to cook and put on meals and treats. The detailed descriptions did lead me to my fridge once or twice! A promising start to the series, that leaves plenty to be discovered and explored. This is a YA Sci-fi adventure that will suit a younger reader.  I was given a copy of the book by the author for an honest review.

Monday 18 September 2017

Moristoun by Kevin McAllion

This was a wonderful and very Scottish book. I don't want to give any of the plot away because things are revealed slowly and I want any reader to be surprised like I was. Kevin McAllion has a journalistic background and it shows in the broad vocabulary and well crafted sentences. But the book is also dark and comedic and shows a great warmth and knowledge of human nature. One of my highlights so far. Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.



I loved this book; it is witty and very well written. The characters are well developed and not obvious. You don’t need to be Scottish to like this book but it will help a lot if you understand the vocabulary and get the cultural references. If you have been to one of the Scottish Islands you will get that they are one man’s paradise but another man’s desolate godforsaken rock in the Atlantic.  Henderson, McCall and more recently McSorley are happy just to prop up the bar at the Tortured Soul and ogle pretty barmaid Gail, while Buchan strives to find a way off the island. The story builds slowly and it is a fair bit in before you realise what Moristoun is all about. A wonderful story, dark, comedic and full of real characters, men and women you could find if you walked into any bar in Scotland. I read a lot, but this was one of the highlights of the year so far.