This is a great younger adult read. The author uses a rich vocabulary to really bring the characters to life. You can almost smell the medieval peasants and the hovels they crawled out of. Bawdy wenches, fearsome shrews and an evil moneylender all add to this rich medieval tapestry. Oric is a great character; eager to learn and discover the world around him, he is quite fearless unless he finds himself in front of a pretty girl. I enjoyed this adventure as it went at a good pace and was peppered with humour and wit. Some of the words might be a little challenging for the younger reader but I think the tense and exciting story line will keep them hooked and reading on. (And today's ‘yoof’ could certainly do with adding a few more words to their vocabulary, so well done Ms Wilson for not dumbing down.) Great start to a promising series.
Writing the books was the easy part....now the struggle to let the world know they're there....
Sunday 7 May 2017
Oric and the Alchemist's Key (The Oric Trilogy Book 1) by Lesley Wilson
This week I read a book I would have enjoyed enormously as a child. Actually I still enjoyed it as an adult, but it is definitely aimed at the younger end of the YA market. As a child I enjoyed any adventure set in historical times and it is still one of my preferred genres. I hope to review some more historic romance and non-fiction in the coming weeks. I gave this 5 stars.
Oric and the Alchemist's key on Amazon
This is a great younger adult read. The author uses a rich vocabulary to really bring the characters to life. You can almost smell the medieval peasants and the hovels they crawled out of. Bawdy wenches, fearsome shrews and an evil moneylender all add to this rich medieval tapestry. Oric is a great character; eager to learn and discover the world around him, he is quite fearless unless he finds himself in front of a pretty girl. I enjoyed this adventure as it went at a good pace and was peppered with humour and wit. Some of the words might be a little challenging for the younger reader but I think the tense and exciting story line will keep them hooked and reading on. (And today's ‘yoof’ could certainly do with adding a few more words to their vocabulary, so well done Ms Wilson for not dumbing down.) Great start to a promising series.
This is a great younger adult read. The author uses a rich vocabulary to really bring the characters to life. You can almost smell the medieval peasants and the hovels they crawled out of. Bawdy wenches, fearsome shrews and an evil moneylender all add to this rich medieval tapestry. Oric is a great character; eager to learn and discover the world around him, he is quite fearless unless he finds himself in front of a pretty girl. I enjoyed this adventure as it went at a good pace and was peppered with humour and wit. Some of the words might be a little challenging for the younger reader but I think the tense and exciting story line will keep them hooked and reading on. (And today's ‘yoof’ could certainly do with adding a few more words to their vocabulary, so well done Ms Wilson for not dumbing down.) Great start to a promising series.
Tuesday 2 May 2017
Whack a Spammer and Mint Condition
This time I reviewed a romance and a personal little rant about all that is wrong with self publishing today. Both got 4 stars from me. Here are the reviews:
Mint Condition (Classic Love Book 1) by Kat Drennan
When Maddie is forced to sell her classic Cadillac it brings Nick Berlin amongst with a whole host of problems into her life. This modern romance is a combination of road adventure, crime caper and classic cars. What I liked about it that the characters were not black and white but were formed by their pasts and all the baggage that comes with it. Maddie, full of self-doubt due to the abandonment by her father, and Nick scarred by the behaviour of his own. The pace was at times a bit slow, but I liked the fact that this had a more interesting backstory than some other romances that I’ve read. A few surprises on the way and some sizzling romance.
Mint Condition (Classic Love Book 1) by Kat Drennan
When Maddie is forced to sell her classic Cadillac it brings Nick Berlin amongst with a whole host of problems into her life. This modern romance is a combination of road adventure, crime caper and classic cars. What I liked about it that the characters were not black and white but were formed by their pasts and all the baggage that comes with it. Maddie, full of self-doubt due to the abandonment by her father, and Nick scarred by the behaviour of his own. The pace was at times a bit slow, but I liked the fact that this had a more interesting backstory than some other romances that I’ve read. A few surprises on the way and some sizzling romance.
In my case this book pretty much preached to the converted.
I hate when I search for a genre on Amazon a whole lot of dubious titles comes
up. If a lot of key words are added to the tittle I won’t give the book a
second look.
This was a very short book; well more of an essay into what
is happening in the book world just now. It took me just 30min. to read it and
I would say it was more of a personal crusade than an in depth look at the
current trends in publishing. That said it told me a few things I didn’t know
and I think anyone could learn something from this essay. Will it change my
ways? Probably not as I already hated spam books and recognise the signs. I
will also keep doing what I always do and that is to leave an honest review.
Will I do anything about spammers? Probably not, where there is a buck to be
made there will be spammers and charlatans, it is like always; buyers beware!
Monday 24 April 2017
Mr Apocalypse (Future of London Book 2) by Mark Gillespie
This is the follow up to a book I reviewed a few weeks back; L-2011. It received 5 stars from me and is one of my favourite books of 2017. That is until I read the follow up; Mr Apocalypse which I liked even more. I do like that the writer has set the book 9 years after the first book ended and Mack Walker's world has completely changed. However, outside of London things are pretty much as cynical as before. I give this 5 stars.
Mr Apocalypse (Future of London Book2) on Amazon.co.uk
It’s not often I enjoy a book that much that I immediately buy the follow up. L-2011 (Future of London Book 1) was one such book, so Mr Apocalypse had a lot to live up to. Book 1 was set in an alternative past this book is set nine years on in 2020. It is a future which will probably not happen, and that is not the point. This is a sharply written satire mocking the present. Social media and our insatiable lust for reality TV are all mocked. But at the core is a really well written story and a very likeable character in Mack Walker; our Scottish (anti)hero from the first book. Did Mr Apocalypse live up to the first book? I think it certainly does. Darker and at time quite gruesome, this is as good a dystopian adventure as it is a satire. I even liked it better than the first. (Mind you, put a cat in a story and you’re half way on the road to getting my vote!) Recommended.
Mr Apocalypse (Future of London Book2) on Amazon.co.uk
It’s not often I enjoy a book that much that I immediately buy the follow up. L-2011 (Future of London Book 1) was one such book, so Mr Apocalypse had a lot to live up to. Book 1 was set in an alternative past this book is set nine years on in 2020. It is a future which will probably not happen, and that is not the point. This is a sharply written satire mocking the present. Social media and our insatiable lust for reality TV are all mocked. But at the core is a really well written story and a very likeable character in Mack Walker; our Scottish (anti)hero from the first book. Did Mr Apocalypse live up to the first book? I think it certainly does. Darker and at time quite gruesome, this is as good a dystopian adventure as it is a satire. I even liked it better than the first. (Mind you, put a cat in a story and you’re half way on the road to getting my vote!) Recommended.
Monday 17 April 2017
Rebel Lexis (Rings Of Polaris Book 1) by Paul Alan
I'm not normally a big fan of Sci-fi but I really enjoyed this book. A five star read.
Rebel Lexis (Rings of Polaris Book1) by Paul Alan on Amazon.com
Rebel Lexis (Rings of Polaris Book1) by Paul Alan on Amazon.com
What I liked best about this book is the sassy on board
computer that flirts shamelessly with Captain Jason Bjorn. He had SOPHIA
installed as an upgrade to his ship. Her personality was meant to keep him sane.
He is starting to doubt the wisdom of his decision as he agrees to take a load
of contraband on his ship to the Vril, a secretive cult. Even though this is a
scifi thriller with some great action and nail biting tension, I enjoyed the
comedy of the sassy computer and the reluctant captain Bjorn best. The book
ends with Jason Bjorn taking on a new assignment, which sets us up for book 2
and a new adventure. Well written and very enjoyable even for a non-scifi fan
like me. Great start to a series.
Tuesday 11 April 2017
Dusk: Book 1 (Warrior series)
The following book I would still class as young adult, it contains no swearing but the romance is a little bit steamy without going into any explicit detail. I gave it four star as I liked the story, but thought the pace could be a bit quicker and scene descriptions a little sharper.
Dusk by Melanie P Smith on Amazon.com
Dusk by Melanie P Smith on Amazon.com
When Alex Deveraux loses both her mother and father in a
short space of time, she thinks her world has come crashing down. What she
doesn’t know is that her family has tried to protect her from an even more
dangerous world. She meets a whole host of people she didn’t even know that
existed. What I liked most about this book (besides the action and romance!) is
that the author has set this fantasy novel in a modern setting. I often get
distracted when I read fantasy as the alternative universes some writers set
their stories in can be very complex and bewildering. (Maybe you can tell that
I wasn’t a big fan of the hobbit!) I could understand Alex as a woman. She not
only has to deal with the loss of her father, but also the stress of organising
the perfect funeral and making sure his company remains a successful one. Alex
is a strong female lead, independent, successful as a business woman, but also vulnerable
and complex. Alex’s romance with Dimitri
takes centre stage and even though it is lovely and pure, I could have maybe
done with a bit more action and a quicker pace. (The fighting kind, I’m a big
fan of clean fantasy) I also would like to know more of both her parents’
history, but that might be for another book. There are still a few blanks to be
filled in and the fight with the vampires is far from over. Great start to a
series.
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