QWERTY by Barbara Avon. The tale a grief stricken writer who inherits a typewriter that makes prose come to life. Is this a recipe for disaster, or the key to his salvation?
In this novella, the author weaves beautiful prose to make both her characters and the story feel real. The depths of emotion, the doubt, and scenes are all written to draw you in and often do.
This is a quick read that is easily consumed in one setting. Well worth the price of admission for this ride!
We Are Mars, by Cheryl Lawson, is a story of what happens when scientific achievement and exploration meet the grim reality of the Twitter generation, one too distracted to pay attention to what the senior echelon is up to.
This story starts a little over fifty years after the settlement is established and is home to thousands of souls. Here, conditions are deteriorating because supplies from Earth are less bountiful than before.
From there, the author introduces a varied and memorable cast of players. A core group of characters get the spotlight giving you a unique insight into their thoughts and emotions, an aspect that I found to be compelling. As the story develops, alliances are made and broken as tensions reach critical.
Lawson really does an excellent job of mixing in theoretical and emerging science into the story, lending credibility to the tale and giving it an overall authentic feel.
Overall, if you are into series, I’d say that it’s worth reading!
I was fortunate to have The Taliesin Affair: Maliha Anderson’s First Case by Steve Turnbull to keep me company on my long flight back home! This author brings about an interesting take on Stream Punk, mainly that while technology in a post-Victorian era may have advanced by leaps, society has not.
In the shadows of the Great War, a clever young Indian girl named Maliha discovers a body in the library of a prestigious boarding school. How does a mixed-raced navigates through a world populated by royalty, the privileged, and wealthy? Is she up for the task? Read more to find out!
I loved this interchange of the fantastic mixed with the cold reality of the era. This book is highly recommended. While it stands alone, it does make for a great stepping stone for more works in the series!
Zero Gravity: Anna’s Affair by author T.J. Conway is out of this world! This is a story about a lovers in space, and in one case an orgasm aided by a rocket sized vibrator.
It is clear that the author took a lot of time and care to research the subject. For me, that did a lot of lend credibility to the story, which in turn made it a hotter read. While a quick and easy read, this story offers more than just sex scenes. If you were ever curious about having sex in low Earth orbit, then this book is for you!
Blood Drops by author W.B. Welch is more than just a collection of horror stories. Each take something familiar and adds just enough distilled horror to leave an impression lingering on your mind.
This book is a quick read, and features chapters that are of varying lengths. I found that the one to two page stories had the most impact overall. Every chapter is just the right length to have an effect, be it by leaving me stunned or looking over my shoulder just in case. This author has really mastered the art of prose!
I highly recommend this book, and look forward to reading new works from this author.
The post apocalyptic genre is a bit overplayed at times, especially if your catalyst involves zombies, disease, or a devastating war. The Link Between Us: Managing the Apocalypse by C.J. Boyle takes this tired premise and adds a new twist.
This book starts out innocently enough. An accidental discovery about the origins of humanity ends up spreading a mutagenic pathogen that changes half the population. From that point on, it becomes clear that something will go wrong!
Sure enough, things do go sideways, and soon you get to know a cadre of fleshed out characters in the quest to survive. I enjoyed being there from day one, to witness these imperfect beings struggle to survive. That imperfection after all what makes them human.
The story is fast paced, well thought out, and filled with character development. You will get to know them, love them, and may even cry when things go wrong!
I look forward to reading more from this author in the near future.
I consumed Nora From the Hollow by Marlena Owens in one sitting! This is a murder mystery that takes place in a small town in 1895. People often yearn for the simple life and simpler times, to live in a place where everyone knows everyone. That is, until life gets complicated, people die, and the townsfolk turn on one another.
This book focuses on two characters, Nora, and Dirk a Sheriff’s deputy. Their paths cross often enough as the mystery unfolds, and provides different points of view as information is revealed to the reader.
There is plenty of interaction and dialogue with other characters, the best of which involves Dirk’s sisters. Some of it is rather witty and memorable, which makes this an enjoyable read. The story is notable in many ways, as are some of the characters.
I look forward to reading more works from this author!
The Engine What Runs the World by Quinn W. Buckland introduces the reader to a new world, one where humanity has gone through multiple world-changing events leading to a technology regressive society. It introduces a vertical society that are literally based on levels, each with their own quirks and customs.
I loved it! The characters have depth and the author brings forth a detailed history. Their interactions with the world are memorable, and details early on play a part throughout. The author also plays a role, known as The Writer, a divine entity that drives the story; an element I found to be both cute and witty.
It is clear that there will be much more to explore from this world, and I look forward to diving into it in the future! Highly recommended!
It’s been a while since I last had the opportunity to just read. Life tends to get in the way, and the past two months were spent writing a new manuscript. This week, I my schedule cleared up and I read through three novellas! So here are my three quick book reviews!
All these books and authors come highly recommended!
I found this book to be a quick and gripping read. I swear that this author channels Bram Stoker in her writing, taking some of the canon and introducing great twists along the way. This book is certainly recommended!
Dream a Little Dream of Me
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I just tore through this book in an evening and I was honestly blown away. While new to her world, I easily dove in and found a rich tapestry of characters and scenes to feed my imagination. Vampires, ghosts, old souls, and other elements all combine beautifully! The characters are well written, relatable, and compelling.
This book is clearly part of a larger collection of books and yet stands on its own. Highly recommended!
A well-known tale taken from the Odyssey and expanded. Author adds historically accurate details like meals, and measurements to make it seem more authentic. Although, it’s the characters that really shine, giving a humanity to the hero and throwing in a few sex scenes for good measure!
Where Broken Fate set the board and ultimately led to the fall of Death Fate. Avenging Fate brings us forward into a world thrown into chaos. Jennifer Derrick explores how manipulation, betrayal and love can have global consequences.
The author branches out from the affairs of gods and the humans who toil on Earth. These new elements really make her world shine! Jennifer Derrick breathes life into a plethora of new characters, some with backgrounds shrouded in mystery. She also brings forth creatures of myth who both managed to surprise me and kept me wanting more.
Avenging Fate ended at a good point for this continuing tale. The various threads were tied up nicely, but it left things open for another sequel (or more). Alas, I will have to wait until the next book is released to find out more.