Heaven Sent by Tracey Dalziel-Bush My rating: 1 of 5 stars Heaven Sent was a challenging read. Classified as a paranormal romance thriller according to the author’s tag cloud on Smashwords, only two of these labels fit, and then only just. The book opens with an introduction to Lilia, the main character, a trained assassin on a mission to rid the world of evil-doers. She’s on the hunt for her best friend’s killer, Ramon Blur.…
Severed Ties by Angie Skelhorn/Witchskel My rating: 1 of 5 stars Severed Ties was a short read and mercifully so. While definitely well-written (the author knows her craft) this story missed some key aspects that kept it from achieving the full 10 out of 10 stars, ranking in at 5 for this reader. The synopsis is spot on as to describing the plot but what I immediately noticed is that the “inner city” that Sandra…
Ian Pemberton by Steven Hugh My rating: 3 of 5 stars Hugh delivers another slow-burner in his second novel, Ian Pemberton. True to the blurb, Ian, a young Englishman, wakes up one morning fed up with his current state of life and yearns for a change. His wife, Madeleine, who seems to be the more practical of the two, is shocked and somewhat angered by his arbitrary decision to take the day off from work.…
A Ranger’s Tale by Mysti Parker My rating: 4 of 5 stars A Ranger’s Tale is an enchanting read blending elements of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Told in alternating first person format, Parker brings us right into the characters’ mind, emotions, and motivations as they navigate a fully imagined world of high elfs, wood elfs, dark elfs, and Halflings, Trolls, and other fantastical beings. As a result Caliphany, Galadin, and Jayden come to vivid life…
ElsBeth and the Pirate’s Treasure by J. Bean Palmer My rating: 5 of 5 stars This children’s book was a cute, short read. True to the book’s blurb, Elsbeth and the Pirate’s Treasure is about a little girl named Elsbeth who is in second grade and happens to be a witch, and becomes embroiled in a search for pirate’s treasure gone awry. Evenly-paced and written for a young reader, this story is nonetheless delivered with…
The Fallen Vampire by Beata Blitz My rating: 1 of 5 stars Approached by the author with an offer to read this prequel for free in exchange for an honest review, I agreed because I was intrigued by the summary and cover art, and why not? The summary is well written, draws the potential reader in with the promise of an alluring story about a girl harrowed for her paranormal abilities, chased out of town…
The Nephilim and the False Prophet by David Dubrow My rating: 5 of 5 stars Classified as paranormal or supernatural horror, the Armageddon series is a terrifyingly excellent mash-up of Apocalyptic and Dystopian genres. Add in a hefty dose of occult horror and you have a recipe for not just one but two sleeper-stunners in what will eventually culminate in a trilogy. Book 2 in the Armageddon series picks up seamlessly from where Book 1…
The Stable House by Laura Smith My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Stable House was an unexpected pleasure. Reminiscent of Jeanette Walls’ autobiographical tales in both style and often up-close-and-personal storytelling, Smith has given us an insider’s look at an eleven year old girl’s mind and life. Being a child of the late eighties and nineties myself, I was firmly cast back in memory to that era and to the eleven year old girl…
Echoes from the Lost Ones by Nicola J. McDonagh My rating: 5 of 5 stars Echoes from the Lost Ones: Song of Forgetfulness is dystopian done right. Although dystopian fiction is not my go-to, must-read genre I do appreciate a masterpiece when it comes across my desk. This story is one such masterpiece, reminiscent of an Escher painting that ever draws the eye as the brain searches and seeks to map out the complexities of…
The Escape of Princess Madeline by Kirstin Pulioff My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Escape of Princess Madeline was a charming and pleasing read, not just for middle schoolers but for adults as well. A coming-of-age story set in a fairytale land of Soron complete with a king, kingdom and knights, The Escape of Princess Madeline takes us on an unexpected series of events as Princess Madeline, a young girl who dreams of adventure…
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