Tag: bookreview

Book Review Alert: Salvage Right by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Reviewed: August 9th, 2023
Released: July 4th, 2023
Genre: Space Opera

A door never closes, but a window opens . . .

With origins in the Old Universe, the malevolent, acquisitive intelligence of Tinsori Light sought to infect others with itself and send those agents out into the wide new universe to infect even more.

For centuries, two heroes stood between Tinsori Light and the vulnerable universe—Light Keepers Jen Sin yos’Phelium and Lorith of the Sanderat.

Just when it seemed that they—merely human—must fail, Tinsori Light, enfeebled by aged systems, succumbed to the stress of a unique spatial event—and died, leaving the station a shell.

Luckily, the light keepers have back-up. A mismatched team of arcane specialists are on-station, working nonstop to preserve the Light, build trustworthy systems, and open the refurbished station for business.

In fact, ships are already incoming, and it becomes a matter of urgency to sort friend from foe. In particular, the Lyre Institute wishes to acquire Tinsori Light, and will do anything, spend anyone, to achieve that goal. Read My Thoughts…

Book Review Alert: Too Many Shadows, Not Enough Light by LC Ainsworth

Reviewed: August 6th, 2023
Released: January 12th, 2023
Genre: Science Fiction

Princesses are born to defend their people.

Being the best Imperial Air Force cadet, spending time with her friends and maybe meeting a cute boy is all Princess Astrid Zainab Korsning better known as Izzy wants.

If only Yanar, her country, was not at war with Petra.

If only she wasn’t forced to become regent while her mother was fighting on the front lines.

If only she had not come face to face with the unknown enemies while investigating signs of infiltration on earth by dark forces.

If only she was not in danger of falling in love with the wrong boy during her first trip to London.

Princesses are born to die for their people

The kingdom of Petra: once upon a time the best place in the galaxy for art, literature and music. That was until the war against The Alliance, a federation of planets led by the Yan empire.

Their last hope for victory, travelling to a planet of savages named Earth and attacking from the inside, their most powerful country, Yanar.

The Hendus: survivors of a dead world, desperate for a new home.

Their last hope for survival, finalising the colonisation of Earth from the shadows which they started 200 years ago.

The Backhand : Marginalised group of nature lovers, forbidden from practicing their religion by Yanar.

Their last hope for revenge, the alienation of the Members of the Tens, Yanar’s aristocracy and the imperial family.

Petra, Hendu and The Backhand agree, the empire must fall.

And it starts with the death of a 17-year-old princess. The only problem, Izzy is not just a princess, she is also an Omni, a human who possesses five supernatural powers. Read My Thoughts….

Book Review Alert: The Night Orchid by M.G. Hernandez

Reviewed: August 1st, 2023
Released: April 21st, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Nothing happens in Wakefield…

But Josephine “Jo” Ligaya wakes up to find Alexa Ocampo, standing next to her window, black hair illuminated by the moonlight, gazing out of the frosted glass. No reason exists in Jo’s solitary world for the cheerleader to be in her room—except for two. She died and found her way to the young medium. The missing girl. Dead at eighteen.

Forced to join forces with Julian Taylor, the town’s celebrated athlete and a former friend, she must traverse the land mines of the spiritual realm and the equally intense halls of Wakefield High. This unlikely pair—a high school loner and a popular jock—must learn to work together to find the remains of a murdered teen with only communications from the dead as their guide.

Night Orchid is a coming-of-age tale of severed friendships, broken promises and the enduring powers of love. It’s Ghost Whisperer, but with hot-tempered teenagers and a strong female lead. Get ready for a wild ride.

*Strong language, sexual innuendos and violence. Night Orchid touches on mental health issues and unhealthy coping mechanisms (ie: alcohol abuse, drugs, a habit that resembles cutting). Please take caution if any of these themes trigger you. Read My Thoughts…

Book Review Alert: Of Deeds Most Valiant by Sarah K. L. Wilson

Reviewed: July 25th, 2023
Released: June 1st, 2023
Genre: Epic Fantasy

Eleven paladins walk into a monastery. Only one knows it’s a trap.

When Victoriana Greenmantle is summoned to represent her paladin order in an unusual quest, the timing couldn’t be worse.

Having just witnessed the horrific death of her mentor, she is barely a paladin at all. Worse, she has a trapped demon on her hands and if anyone discovers she hasn’t quite managed to cast it out, she will be made to suffer consequences worse than death.

The summoning requires Victoriana to journey to the newly revealed Aching Monastery and there to search for and recover the fabled Cup of Tears on behalf of her order.

But her order is not the only one seeking this relic. And her rivals are stronger, smarter, more experienced and just as motivated as she is. Will this cynical paladin have the faith to find the truth?

When Adalbrand Von Menticure is summoned to the Aching Monastery he is unamused. Far from his holy work healing the sick and injured, this quest seems a waste of his time. But when the murders start and he’s thrown together unwittingly with a young female paladin who keeps breaking all the rules and drawing everyone’s ire, he is forced to confront ghosts of his past. Can he push past his guilt to accept this tempting ally?

Together, these two holy paladins may be the only ones who can discover what or who is killing their compatriots and whether the Cup of Tears is really worth the bloodshed and danger within the monastery walls before time runs out and they are trapped forever.

A complicated mission, you say? Oh, but it gets worse, because forbidden love is slowly stalking them both, complicating everything, and leaving them each more vulnerable than they can afford to be in the face of a danger worse than either of them ever imagined.

Will this pair find strength in their strict discipline and holy orders in time to escape, or will they fall before the twin dangers of a rogue killer and an attraction more deadly than the simple risk of death? Read My Thoughts …

Book Review Alert: A Thin Witchline Between Love and Hate by T.L Brown

Reviewed: July 23rd, 2023
Released: March 29th, 2022
Genre: Dark Fantasy

Witch politics, maddening men, a desperate demon, and monsters from above blow apart Lucie Bellerose’s world. Can she still save her thinning witchline?

The confident witch next door? She’s a hot mess. The reliable, level-headed friend you know you can count on? She’s broken and hiding big lies. The powerful woman who finds herself at the center of an old prophecy? She’s overwhelmed.

Witches hide things.

Lucie Bellerose holds secrets in her heart, fear in her belly, and her Tarot cards close to her chest. She’s a witch among too many men, with too many problems, and one thinning witchline.

A tyrannical former teacher who likes to inflict pain? Check. A loyal friend she keeps dragging through hell? Check. A mysterious man who excites her and infuriates her – often in the same 60 seconds? Check. Then there are the expectations of the Congress of Empire Witches, danger lurking behind doors to other worlds, and one psychotic demon who needs to possess her.

And this is only the beginning of Lucie’s problems.

Join Lucie Bellerose as she navigates infuriating men, witch politics, controlling her growing power, a fiery temper, a crazed demon… and ‘monsters and beasties’ when doors to other worlds begin to open. Read my Thoughts …

Book Review Alert: The Blood Crystal by Matt Twinley

Reviewed: July 12th, 2023
Released: April 26th, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy

Some secrets run deeper than blood…

Long ago, a battle was fought against the dark Etheria, creatures who wanted control of the world. Now, Etheria are kept hidden by Trucekeepers. They’re just myths… or are they?

Hannah is a frustrated sixteen-year-old—fed up with school, her diabetes and desperate to find somewhere she belongs.
Daegan is a Trucekeeper—a fearless warrior with a dark past, sworn to keep the existence of mythical creatures a secret.

Their lives couldn’t be more different… But everything changes when a magical blood crystal brings them together.

After Daegan saves Hannah from a vicious zburător, Hannah discovers the existence of Etheria, mythical creatures from all around the world, hidden by the Trucekeepers for centuries.

As Daegan trains her to become a Trucekeeper, Hannah rubs shoulders with Etheria, learns how to cast magic and finds somewhere she can finally call home… until she discovers that her mysterious past is the key to a war that could destroy the Trucekeepers and her new home forever. Read My Thoughts…

Book Review Alert: DarkBlade: Assassin by Andy Peloquin

Reviewed: June 30th, 2023
Released: July 6th, 2021
Genre: Dark Fantasy

All in Voramis know the legend of the Hunter.
Relentless. Immortal. Death walking. The greatest assassin who ever lived.

Pay the master killer his due and the Hunter will execute any target, carry out any contract, no matter how impossible.

But when the Bloody Hand crime syndicate harms the innocents under his protection, they foolishly make an enemy of the one man they can’t afford to anger. The price of the Hunter’s vengeance is high—paid in blood and eternal damnation. Not even an army of crooks, cutthroats, and demonic creatures of nightmare can stand in his way.

He’s far more than just one man…he’s the Keeper-damned Hunter of Voramis. Read my Thoughts…

Book Review Alert: The Bell Tolling by Amena Jamali

Reviewed: June 23rd, 2023
Released: December 15th, 2021
Genre: Epic Fantasy

An epic spiritual, political, and military fantasy full of profound thoughts about the meaning of freedom, human compassion, women’s empowerment, true leadership, and the stark contrast between absolute good and absolute evil

The Blood-soaked Sorcerer tyrannizes the land of Icilia with every form of cruelty imaginable, dying his armor red in the blood of innocents. Crushed to pieces under such savagery, the people of Icilia abandon hope and begin to forget the gifts of civilization that had once been their dearest blessings.

In Amena Jamali’s The Bell Tolling, Book One of the The Lord of Freedom series, we meet Lucian, the divinely-appointed hero of Icilia and Leader of the Quest of Freedom. Educated in all of the ancient arts, Lucian has the virtue and power necessary to cleanse evil from the land. But not alone—answering the call of his sacred destiny, Lucian gathers his four divinely-chosen companions and embarks on a journey to free his world. He is determined to restore the forgotten laws, heal the tormented, and unite the land behind his banner.

But how can it be possible for him to succeed? His companions seem too shattered to save anyone, while his people might be too blind to see the light…Read on for content warning and Read My Thoughts...

Book Review Alert: Foothills Fae Academy by Callie Woodridge

Reviewed: June 16th, 2023
Released: March 31st, 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy

Welcome to Foothills Fae Academy, where four thirteen-year-old students begin their journey to harness the power of the elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Wind. Ben, Amber, Ellen, and Michael soon become friends as they navigate the challenges of the school, but they soon discover that their training is not just for when they reach adulthood- there are dangerous Dark Magic Welders that threaten their world. As the four friends learn to control their abilities and become true Fae, Ben and Amber discover that they have a special gift that puts them in grave danger. Set in 1999, this thrilling fantasy adventure follows the four students as they learn to prepare themselves against the Dark Magic Welders while also training to be Fae.

Read My Thoughts…

Book Review Alert: Don’t Fade Away by Natalie Pearce

Reviewed: June 15th, 2023
Released: January 1st, 2023
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

For Elle, haunting a share house comes with a unique set of challenges. Living tenants come and go, leaving her with nothing to fill her days except a crush on longstanding housemate, Dean, who literally doesn’t know she exists. Talk about unrequited love.

Just as she despairs at being stuck halfway to the other side for the rest of her afterlife, the newest resident sparks hope for something more than the humdrum of everyday death.

As far as mediums go, Ethan barely knows he is one. He just wants a place to knuckle down and finish his medical degree. But as soon as he moves in, he senses a presence. He tries to ignore it – but Elle is insistent…

The more Ethan uncovers about Elle, the more he suspects her death was no accident. Can he help her move on, or will greater forces intervene?

Erika’s journey includes a trek through childhood friendships, narcissistic family, an obsession with 80s rock music, and the trials and joys of being a wife and mother. With relationships tested and secrets revealed, can she face the stakes of her quest and become who she needs to be?

Read My Thoughts…