Novella Review: Call Me Bean by James Mossor

29/09/201629/09/2016James Mossor, Middle-GradeLeave a Comment

Author: J.D. Mossor
Release Date: September 15, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction
Edition: e-book (doc)
Pages: 36
Publisher: Imposter Publishing

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

Sabrina aka “Bean” may seem like an average teen, but she has an over average sense of doing what’s right and sticking up for herself and those around her. She always speaks her mind and stands up for what she believes in — no matter who she comes up against. Bean squares off against mean teachers, bullies, and cheating soccer coaches while learning that the best thing to be is true to yourself no matter what. Her adventures take her from the halls of middle school to the the fields of soccer camp with never a dull moment in between. Sit back, relax, and read up. Wherever Bean goes, adventure follows.

REVIEW

I really enjoyed reading Call Me Bean by James Mossor. This book is a really quick and a thoroughly fun read. I literally breezed through it in less than an hour – it was that good!

The character of Sabrina is created beautifully, and being a girl I was able to relate to her on so many levels. The author created the main character, Sabrina aka Bean, like a typical teen girl who needs to show everyone how strong she is all the while being a soft-hearted and a teeny bit scared from the inside. The portrayal is so beautiful that I still can’t get her out of my head.

This book is written in diary entry format and tells us about the weekly happenings in Sabrina’s adventurous life. All the stories are thoroughly entertaining, yet at the same time, they spread a beautiful message of believing in who you are, being true to yourself and standing up for the right things.

The author’s writing is really good and, as a result, the story flowed beautifully. The humorous style added another layer to this book making it even more interesting and enjoyable.

This book will be a perfect fit for pre-teens and teens alike. I’d recommend it to all the parents as well because I’m sure Sabrina will successfully win over everyone.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: Forever And A Night by Lana Campbell

27/09/201627/09/2016Lana Campbell, Paranormal, Romance2 Comments

Author: Lana Campbell
Release Date: April 26, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Paranormal Romance > Vampires
Edition: e-book (kindle)
Pages: 398
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprise

Rating: ★★★

Blurb:

Nathan Davenport is being stalked by Isabella Ravini, the feral vampire who stole his human life over a hundred and sixty years ago. She made him her fledging, a slave for her dark, evil purposes-hunting humans. After a few years she released him, and Nathan reluctantly learned to accept the cursed life she’d foisted upon him. Over time he amassed a great fortune, which today has made him famous worldwide. Isabella decides she wants to be a part of this world of fame and fortune Nathan created for himself. She’s determined to marry him, and love has nothing to do with it. His money is her primary target, and the fame and prestige attached to being the wife of one of the richest men in the world wouldn’t be so bad either. In an effort to evade her until he can figure out how to stop her, he hides at a safe house he owns in New Orleans. One Saturday evening in NOLA, he decides to have dinner in the city. He chooses a quiet little Italian bistro, never imagining this night will change his life forever. The human woman who delivers his order isn’t a server, but the restaurant’s sous chef, a beautiful ethnic woman possessing the most delicious blood scent he’s ever encountered. The moment Mia Peebles arrives at his table with his plate, tasting her becomes an obsession. Mia wants nothing to do with him because of Nathan’s reputation as a playboy. So Nathan enchants her, feeds from her, but his lusts for her blood and body play havoc with his thinking. Nathan finds a way to bring her into his life as his personal chef and quickly falls in love with her. The trouble is Mia has no idea he’s a vampire because during the enchanting episodes, Nathan blocked her memories of those sensual encounters. How will Nathan tell her the truth without losing her and keep Isabella from finding him? Or worst yet, will Isabella discover how much Mia has come to mean to him?

REVIEW

Forever And A Night by Lana Campbell is a decent paranormal romance.

I enjoyed reading it because of the writing. Author’s writing was really good; it flowed smoothly and made this book a surprisingly quick read given the total number of pages.

I did like the story too, but at more than a dozen places I found a lot of resemblance to the plots of other Vampire novels. I do enjoy good paranormal romance books, but while reading this book I couldn’t stop myself from comparing to the other books in the genre.

The romantic relationship between Nathan and Mia was believable and engaging. It was dangerously bordering on the borderline of clichéd but somehow managed to not fall off the wall.

What I did find interesting was the fact that the leading lady was the mother of grown up children, a fact that is hard to find in most of the paranormal romance books. That was the biggest redeeming factor for this book, at least for me.

The beginning and ending were good and the story was medium-paced which made it a pleasant read. In spite of the problem I had, I still liked the characterization and the story settings. I liked the concept and enjoyed knowing more about the characters as the story progressed.

This book might not be the best one in the genre, but it didn’t fall short either.

If you’re into vampires and love reading romance novels then this is a book for you, but if you don’t then you might or might not like it.

Goodreads

Book Review: Basically Frightened by Vasily Pugh

25/09/2016Post Apocalypse, Vasily Pugh7 Comments

Author: Vasily Pugh
Release Date: September 9, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian
Edition: e-book (kindle)
Pages: 219
Publisher: Midland Monkey

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

Oh no, not another post-apocalyptic chronicle I hear you cry. But wait, where are the lumbering zombies, floppy mutants and crazy survivalists called Huck? No, this is not the glamorous Hollywood vision with exciting weapons and deceptively good teeth (though mine are adequate), this is the husk of a world left behind after one of those pesky pandemics (rather insensitively called ‘The Shakes’ on Social Media). Join my odyssey through looted pound shops and empty supermarkets as I encounter numerous people who range from 1 to 10 on the psychotic survivor scale. Expect intrigue, betrayal, warm fuzzy feelings and references to Pot Noodles.

Review

Basically Frightened by Vasily Pugh is a brilliant book! I haven’t read a post-apocalyptic book this good since a long time.

What really impressed me the author’s voice and writing style. It was equal part funny and intense and I absolutely enjoyed reading it. The exceptional sense of humour and the ingenious sarcasm of the main character literally left me craving for more.

Unlike other apocalyptic books, this book is not about the Zombies. It actually focuses on how people panic and behave in an unlawful and an uncivilised world. This book creates a dreadful, yet an honest picture of how humanity crumbles under pressure and how people react differently to worst case scenarios.

I was so engrossed in this book that I had to finish it as soon as I could. I had to know how the hell this adventure of sorts ends. The intelligent commentary and the hilarious observations of the main character, Buck, were so frigging hilarious that I cracked up more than a million times while reading this amazing book.

The plot line is simple yet intelligent and shows the thorough research author did while writing this book. I’ve always been an apocalypse enthusiast, but if apocalypse will actually be anything like the one in this book then the world is better off without it.

I’d recommend this book to all the apocalyptic fiction readers and enthusiasts. This book will literally blow your mind off.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: Nowhere To Hide by Tracey Lynn Tobin

23/09/201622/09/2016Horror, Tracey Lynn TobinLeave a Comment

Author: Tracey Lynn Tobin
Release Date: October 2, 2014
Series: –
Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction, Horror>Zombies
Edition: e-book (mobi)
Pages: 236
Publisher: Createspace

Rating: ★★★★

Blurb:

The only thing that Nancy King has worried about since her grandmother passed away is figuring out what to do with the rest of her life. That decision is forcibly made for her the day one of the residents of her apartment building dies…and immediately rises to tear open the flesh of anyone within reach of her cold, dead fingers. Now Nancy has found herself in a deadly game of survival against an army of zombies. She may have the will to keep running for a little while…but how long can she push forward when there is simply nowhere to hide?

Review

Nowhere To Hide is a really engaging read. I enjoyed it from the first page right down till the very last page!
It is about a girl who finds herself in the midst of an unforeseen apocalypse and what makes this book different from others is the twist which leaves her with a little baby. Amidst all the chaos, Nancy tries her best to take care of the baby while trying to survive each and every day.

The best part about the book was the pacing of the story. Not even for a single second, I felt that the plot was going weak or uneventful. I enjoyed the exposition as well as the meticulous imagery. The writing was really good and the story flowed beautifully.

There were places though where the situations could have been more intense but I’m happy about the way things were.
I was able to feel a strong connection with the leading lady, Nancy. She had a strong personality and I was able to relate to her on so many different levels. I was able to feel her frustration behind each and every relentless decision she made and felt a wave of happiness and relief whenever situations got better.
The supporting/secondary characters were also very relatable. I loved Greg’s character a lot and was able to feel a connection with him too.

The ending was absolutely gut-wrenching. I felt so sad that I couldn’t stop thinking about it for hours after I finished reading it.

It is a spectacular apocalyptic tale with an interesting twist and I’d recommend it to all the apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction readers.

Goodreads

Book Review: The Irish Jewel by Julie Ann James

21/09/201620/09/2016Julie Ann JamesLeave a Comment

Author: Julie Ann James
Release Date: May 6, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Suspense | Mystery
Edition: Hardcover
Pages: 186
Publisher: Peppertree Press

Rating: ★★★

Blurb:

James takes her engaging characters to the gritty streets of Dublin, Ireland, where they become unsuspecting pawns in a twisted, tainted psychotic game of pure adulterated revenge from an unexpected and wicked mastermind. It is said to be true, that all families, have long-hidden secrets buried deep within their souls and locked away from all who might just go digging. Irish Jewel uncovers such a dark secret, so horrific that it could forever change lives when divulged. As the shocking truth surfaces, revealed for all to see, move across this chilling game board to determine where the grimy bread crumbs will end up…The suspense could kill you…

REVIEW

I liked reading The Irish Jewel by Julie Ann James. It began with a great opening scene and I was drawn into the book from the start. The pacing was good and the story had a great flow to it and as a result, it was an exceptionally fast read.

I enjoyed the author’s writing and the flow was good too, but I felt like something was missing from the story. At more than one place I began questioning the main plot itself. And that is really off-putting, to say the least.

The characterization lacked a touch of perfection. All the characters felt one-dimensional and I was not able to feel a connection with either of the leads. Though they were interesting enough to make me want to know what happened to each one of them, but that was it.

The ending was not bad, but I would have preferred a clearer ending (about how the sane brother got out of the police custody or the mental institution or wherever it was he was taken after his arrest.) It was neither surprising nor unsatisfactory. It just felt flat, more or less like the plot itself.

Having said what I had to, this book might be preferred by readers who likes reading light mysteries, but as someone who reads thrillers and suspense novels round the clock (and as someone who also writes them,) it simply wasn’t for me.

Goodreads | Amazon.

Book Review: Dead Lucky By Matt Brolly

19/09/201620/09/2016Reviews By Contributors6 Comments

Author: Matt Brolly
Release Date: January 11, 2016
Series: DCI Michael Lambert
Genre: Mystery, Crime, Triller, Detective Fiction
Edition: e-book (kindle)
Pages: –
Publisher: Carina

Rating: ★★★★

Blurb:

DCI Michael Lambert is back…

When a woman is murdered, the twisted killer forcing her husband to watch her slow and painful death, DCI Michael Lambert knows that his next case might be his toughest yet.

And when a second set of killings are discovered, with exactly the same MO, the race is on the find the lethal sociopath before he strikes again.

But Lambert never expected to receive an anonymous call from the killer. This time, it’s personal: if Lambert doesn’t find the murderer soon, his own loved ones will be next…

Review

Plot: Dead Lucky started off quite nicely, setting up the plot early on and at the same time giving a quick gist of DCI Michael Lambert’s life. The strongest feature of the book is the plot itself, which is typical British police procedural with an interesting plot and engaging characters. DCI Lambert is investigating a series of murders where the victims seeming have no connection at all.

I loved the natural progression of the murder case and the manner in which DCI Lambert went about gathering evidence and information to catch the murderer. It neither seemed rushed nor slow and followed a logical line of investigation rather than flashy action or over dramatization of the characters.

Characters: Michael Lambert is equal parts cliched and intriguing. He is one hell of a detective and I loved the way his mind worked, stretching out in every possible direction without losing conviction. His personal life was a similar to a lot of other detective protagonists: a tragedy resulting in estrangement from his wife. Another character I really enjoyed reading was DS Matilda Kennedy. She was a smart detective and an apt secondary to Lambert.

Writing: The alternating POVs really worked for this book, keeping the suspense going. The pace keeps shifting throughout the book. There were times when it dragged on a little and some other times I was left on the edge of my seat and reading quite late in the night. The descriptions were handled really well, without being too gruesome and at the same time in detail enough to make you feel a little uncomfortable.

Beginning: The book started off really well, setting up the plot and characters, adding layers and layers of depth and detail.

Ending: My only problem with the book was the ending. The final showdown was set up quite nicely but the ending itself was way too abrupt. Everything happened so quickly and before I knew it the book had ended.

Romance/Kills: I liked the dynamics between Lambert and Sarah May. They seemed to have a very matured and mutually understanding relationship between them. The platonic work relationship between Lambert and Kennedy was also fun to read.

Cover Art: The cover is rather bland and doesn’t really capture the intensity of the book.

Goodreads | Amazon

This book has been reviewed by a TRB review-contributor.

Book Review: Sixth Prime (The Prime Saga #1) by Dan O’Brien

15/09/201615/09/2016Dan O'Brien, Science-Fiction11 Comments

Author: Dan O’Brien
Release Date: July 22, 2016
Series: The Prime Saga
Genre: Science-Fiction
Edition: ebook (kindle)
Pages: 240
Publisher: –

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

2.3.5.7.11.13.

A war brews as a galaxy struggles to maintain a peace treaty signed in haste. The Commonwealth boasts sprawling cities built upon slums. The Sovereignty has placed the yoke of industry upon its citizens. Sixteen men and women are connected in a way they cannot yet understand. A murder of a prominent artist begins a chain of events that will ultimately determine the fate of the universe.
Only thirteen will remain.
In the end, there can be only one Prime.
Are you a Prime?

Review

Sixth Prime by Dan O’Brien is one of the best science-fiction novels I’ve read this year. It is not only intense and wildly engaging, but also the concept was so unique that it has easily become one of my favorite Sci-Fi novels.

I was drawn into the story right from the beginning and with each and every chapter I found myself reading faster and faster unable to contain my anxiousness. I was sucked into the plot right away and it proved really difficult for me to put down this book even for a second.

This book has a wide variety of inter-galactic species and the main cast is do diverse that I loved each and every character and wanted to know more about all of them! The characters were easily relatable and, though this is just the first part in The Prime Saga Series), I already have my favorites.

The writing is really good and the smooth flow of it made reading this book an absolute pleasure. The pacing was exceptional and kept me glued to the book right till the very end.

The ending was absolutely mind-blowing and I cannot wait to read the next part. I’d recommend this book to all the Sci-Fi lovers and also to those who are looking was an exceptional new series.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: Sacrificial Sins

11/09/201615/09/2016Mira West, Romance4 Comments

Author: Mira West
Release Date: June 17, 2016
Series: –
Genre: Romance
Edition: E-book (epub)
Pages: 290
Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services

Rating: ★★

Blurb:

This compelling yet controversial romantic suspense, will have you rethinking the boundaries of your principals. Addiena Cadogan, an immigrant and only child of elderly parents, relents to stripping in order to provide for them and pay for college. Everything is going smoothly until her life intertwines with twin brothers. She first meets Derek Taft, the White House Press Secretary, at the gentlemen’s club where she works. She later meets Father James Taft, the residing priest of an orphanage, when searching for an abandoned little girl. From there, everything spirals into mass confusion. Father James falls from the grace of the church and believes God sent Addiena to him. Derek falls in love with her for other gratifying reasons. Although the woman he met had bleached blonde hair and went by the name of Ruby. Not until the time is right does Addiena disclose her job to them. She never suspected someone very close to her also had to make a sacrificial choice.

Review

Sacrificial Sins by Mira West is one of those books that either you’ll love or hate. Unfortunately for me, I did not love it.

The story started out with a nice opening, but after a couple of chapters the pacing got jerky – things were either happening too fast, making no sense or following no particular timeline, or too slow, making it feel like an endless slog, and more often than not I found myself skimming over large sections of the story.

The characterization was weak and the main characters felt one-dimensional, to say the least. I was neither able to get a clear picture of them in my head nor their actions made any sense to me. The dialogues too felt crude and unreal.

The writing felt shaky at best and I was not able to make any cohesive sense of where the story was actually going. At more than a dozen places I wanted to stop reading it altogether.

As a writer myself, I really feel that this book needs thorough developmental as well as substantive editing. It can do good with a better cover designing too.

Overall, this book was not for me. If I had to then I’d recommend this book to readers of heady romance novels and chick-lit only.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey

03/09/201603/09/2016Dystopian, M.R. Carey, Post Apocalypse3 Comments

Author: M.R. Carey
Release Date: June 19, 2014
Series: –
Genre: Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Horror > Zombies, Science-Fiction
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 460
Publisher: Orbit

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

Melanie is a very special girl. Dr. Caldwell calls her “our little genius.”

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite, but they don’t laugh.

Melanie loves school. She loves learning about spelling and sums and the world outside the classroom and the children’s cells. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she’ll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn’t know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad.

Review

The Girl With All The Gifts is a beautiful, beautiful book.

The plot is really unique and provides a fresh perspective to the entire zombie apocalypse. The packing was absolutely brilliant and the reveals (both minor and major) were literally breathtaking. This book is really hard to put down.

The characterization is so perfect that I felt like going inside the book and pulling out Melaine from that crazy, crazy world and keep her with me. I mean who cares if she’s a Zombie or not, she’s a child and such a sweet one at that.

The character of Melaine is just so heart-warming that I felt like pulling at my hair when I realized how badly they treated her, and then her reactions and innocent comments make it worst. And then there’s the fact that you can’t actually hate these people to behave a certain way because you know they gotta do what they gotta do to survive.

Jeez, this book is simply epic, and in order to understand its epic-ness you’ll have to read it for yourselves. I generally don’t do a lot of rave reviews, but, trust me, if you’re gonna die tomorrow then make sure that you’ve read this book before your time comes.

If you’re a fan of dystopian and apocalyptic/post-apo. genres, then it’d be a shame if you’d roam the face of this Earth without having read this book. Shame!

The ending literally made me teary-eyed. I mean it was the perfect kind of ending in the most absurd way. It’ll make you smile, it’ll make you cry, it’ll make you cringe, it’ll make you frustrated. It’ll change the way you look at zombies forever. Forever!

If you’ve watched Stranger Things then you’ll be able to see a lot of Eleven’s personality in Melaine and vice verse. When I watched Stranger Things I kept on picturing Melaine the entire time.

If you haven’t read it then I’d highly recommend that you do because it is one book you wouldn’t want to miss.

You can also read this review at Goodreads.