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.

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.

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.

Resisting the Challenges of the 21st Century: How Much Extra Does No Cheese Cost? by Rembert N Parker

I got this book based on title description and cover photo. I don't mind a bit of a rant at things that annoy the people that grew up in the fifties and sixties. However this book should come with a bit of a warning; for Americans only. A lot of the cultural references I did not get. Also, this writer is the owner of a comic book store, a world I know nothing off. However if you are an American of a certain age and you like films and comic books, this is a witty observation of life in 2017. I gave it 4 stars as I found it more of a collection of blog posts than a book. I did love the idea of ending all the chapters with a link to some music, so the book had a sound track.
Click on the picture to take you to Amazon.

This is a great book if you are the right demographic. Being female and European a lot of this book was a bit over my head. I’ve never opened a DC or Marvel comic and a lot of other cultural references were wasted on me. However if you are living in the US there is a great chapter on tax and a lot of observations about culture, politics and food that will be spot on.

So I’m judging it purely on writing. What Rembert Parker has done is create a mixed tape for the modern age. (If you don’t remember them you are probably too young for this book!) The chapters are short and engaging and even though I didn’t relate to everything, I had no problem finishing this book. All the chapters are finished with a link to a music video. It’s a great way to combine music, the internet and a book. The chapters read a bit like blog posts and a personal rant. If you are an American baby boomer fed up with today’s state of affairs this will be a great fun read.

The Complete FAB Trilogy: What If John Lennon Had Lived? by Mark Gillespie

You might remember my reviews of the future of London books by Mark Gillespie. It was one of my highlights of this year so far. When I saw that this trilogy was on offer at 99p I was over at amazon in a shot. This is still a very entertaining if totally bonkers read. From alternative history to time travel it is quite a wild read. Why only 4 stars, well I had difficulty believing some of the decisions the writer had our John make and maybe it was a bit too out there for me. But give it a try, it is very entertaining.
Click on the pick to take you to Amazon.

What would John Lennon have done had he not been assassinated on the 8th of December 1980. This is the basis of the trilogy FAB, to write an alternative history for a hypothetical John Lennon.

 To take a well-loved figure like a former Beatle and to put words and actions to him will always be controversial and maybe a bit sacrilegious, so this Beatles fan took a few sharp breaths at the direction the story was taking. However I was glad I bought the whole trilogy as the story really comes into its own in book 2.

In the second book we follow former and now obsessed FBI agent Vogel in his hunt for the fugitive John Lennon. The story moves to Britain and the world of emerging Britpop.

 Book 3 takes yet another completely unexpected turn, but was for me the most entertaining. I think by this time I had reconciled myself with the fact that the writer was not trying to blacken the name of a much loved icon but just wanted to create an entertaining story with some roots in our pop culture and a satire on the direction our world is heading. The chapter headers are Beatles songs and will maybe spur you on to rediscover some of their great songs. I would advise, sit back and enjoy this writer’s imagination. (Or if you are John Lennon, you might drop a tab of acid and enjoy FAB in glorious technicolour, but I, of course, would never advocate the use of drugs!)