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!
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!
I noticed a new review on Amazon.com related to my latest release the Grand. The review one star and hints that it should have been lower. While they review is entitled to their opinion, I wonder why they would read a collection of short stories and expect a coherent story line?
The Amazon.com book description specifically mentions that the Grand is a series of short stories. It also mentions how the century old language and culture is used to give authenticity. So why am I being penalized for providing a product as advertised?
The Grand is not your ordinary hotel, nor are the clientele. Welcome to the twilight zone..
So how do I prevent this type of misunderstanding? Is there a way to make it obvious that the reader should not expect a coherent story line and main cast of characters?
The story itself centres on the staff at My World, a restaurant and bar in Manhattan. Bartender Wanted revolves around Rose Leary, a recently divorced author and former restaurant owner who now tends the bar to make ends meet in between novels. A series of murders ensues and she finds herself in the middle of mystery, bringing her into contact with some of the bar’s patrons, employees and the owners.
Overall, I found this novel to be a quick and pleasant read, although I do not see myself picking up any other books from the series. Maureen Anne Jennings is very careful to work within the limited technology of the day, and brings into focus certain sociopolitical elements that the reader may not have been aware of. The author also does an excellent job of speaking for the protagonist and you get a taste of her thoughts and motivations.
However, I found her interactions with some of the characters to be less than believable. The one exception was her interactions with Jimmy, one of the waiters, although that aspect seems to fizzle out towards the end of the book. This novel also left me with few surprises, there were no cliff hangers or mystery in it for me. I was simply left wondering when Rose would figure it out and how all the loose ends would be tied up.
Overall the story failed to captivate me or keep me hooked until the end. This was not an adrenaline pumped roller coaster ride, instead it was more of a pleasant drive through the country. There was plenty of room for one’s imagination to grow, but little opportunity to get the pulse racing. A shame really, since the ratings on Goodreads really got me thinking I’d be consuming the whole series!
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.
There are certain elements of life that few of us think about. Many avoid dwelling on death and few question how we ended up where we are. Was it blind luck? Skill? Ruthlessness? Or was it pre-ordained by a greater power?
Broken Fate by Jennifer Derrick tackled both elements by living through a moment in the life of one of the Fates. The author Jennifer Derrick seems to have a knack for dragging Greek mythology thousands of years ahead into the now. She breathed life into these ancient gods and goddesses and left me emotionally invested in their outcomes.
All of the elements are there, political intrigue, alliances, life, and death. The latter is central to our main characters existence and the reader gets to see what happens when rules are bent or broken.
I found it hard to put this book down, taking any opportunity I had to advance a few pages. Alas, the much of the story remains to be told. So I ordered Avenging Fate to see how just how this tale unfolds!
