Gathering Frost, Warming Hearts

Gathering Frost

by Kaitlyn Davis

Review

Gathering Frost is a very good contemporary fantasy romance, the first in a brilliantly conceived series called “Once upon a curse.” This opening story is modelled upon the Sleeping Beauty tale, a modern interpretation and very well done.

In this version Sleeping Beauty is not unconscious but literally cursed with a frozen heart, and only the Prince can release her - or so the story goes. Kaitlyn Davis has written a very good and original story, successfully blending our contemporary world with one of fantasy. Her concept of creating a series of such stories based on the classical fairy tales is an excellent one. (The next in line, Withering Rose, is based on Beauty and the Beast.)

Davis's main characters are well-drawn, although the minor ones are glossed over. Startlingly, 'sleeping' beauty Jade is a warrior, one of the best fighters of the Black Hearts, the evil Queen's elite guard. Prince Asher is the Queen's lost son, who turns out to have joined the rebels (no spoilers here, this is revealed very early on).
The tension and attraction between Jade and Asher is very well done. What is less successful is Davis's depiction of Jade as lacking feelings and emotions because of the Queen's curse. The author is a little inconsistent, at times allowing emotion to drive Jade's actions even though she is not supposed to have any feelings. This happens sometimes by only implication but occasionally also explicitly. However, for me this was a minor issue and not such a flaw as to spoil the story.
The book isn't all about action, although there is a fair amount taking place. When it does happen, combat is well-described, as is the Queen's exercise of her magical powers over ordinary people.

The plot, especially in the last quarter of the book, has some very good twists which keep the reader guessing, and the denouement is good. Almost five stars, and I can recommend this to anyone who likes contemporary fantasy, or a blend of contemporary and fantasy.

Learning to Live

Learning to Live

by Kira Adams

Review

This contemporary YA romance attempts to offer more than the average by taking the classic line of having two completely incompatible teenagers fall in love, with an additional critical complication. I felt that it was derivative, and in that sense a poorer cousin of books like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. However, if you like that kind of story you may well like this one.

The story is good and engaging, the writing average to good. The characterization was, for me, below average. Ciera is a good character, if just a little sylized, but Topher is almost a caricature rather than a character - and the biggest problem is that there is no real explanation of why he changes his attitude. Even if one were to attribute it to the power of love, this does not really work because he begins to change his ways too soon. Another issue was Topher's relationship with his girlfriend, which just did not ring true. The opening sex scene seemed to be quite unnecessary to the book. Final editing and language use seemed to be only average, and below that at times.

In spite of the fact that I liked the premise, this story did not succeed in winning me over, but then I can be a fussy reader. This review has focused on negatives, but I repeat: the story is good and engaging, and the writing acceptable. I expect that many readers will enjoy it.

'Red' out today!

Red and the Wolf releases today!

Launch specials:
If you want to go directly to Smashwords, you can get 50% off using coupon code AY38V during checkout. Go here:  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/521898 (Offer expires at midnight on April 9)


BUT! If you are willing to take a detour to the Two Moons Books website, then you can get a coupon which will get you the ebook for free! Go here: Two Moons Books


Marc Secchia wrote: "A fresh and original take on the Red Riding Hood fable, Red and the Wolf is a richly atmospheric story by a writer truly in command of their craft. Well edited and crafted, strong characters and a fast-moving plot make this a real treat. Watch for for some big surprises along the way as you experience this unique retelling of a familiar fable - recommended reading for a dark, stormy night!" (5 stars)

Issa Puppi wrote: "I love prose that has poetry in it, the kind that is rich and evocative and contains not a single over-used word or cliche. When you wrap that kind of language around a unique twist on a fairy tale, it makes for a quality read like this. Red and the Wolf has an old-world backdrop that sets it apart from a lot of other paranormal work in a good way, and at several points I really did forget the genre. It reminds me of elements of books like "The Historian"--snippets of the backdrop here even made me think of the settings of novels like Solokhov's "And Quiet Flows the Don."
Plot-wise, this piece is refreshing in its approach to the Little Red Riding Hood story for sure, and that's great. There are plot elements that Walker could draw out even more boldly, I think, and given the richness of the prose, it could only be a benefit. All in all, a unique, enjoyable read from a gifted prosist (if that's a word). Would love to see her take on Hansel and Gretel!" (4 stars)

Find more (5-star and 4-star) pre-release reviews on GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25017688-red-and-the-wolf

Enjoy!

Fearless

Fearless
by Patricia Hamill

Review

Caution: This review comes from a reader who is not particularly into the zombie genre; I usually read more general SF or Fantasy.

Fearless is a cleverly constructed zombie apocalypse novel presented in the form of the journal of one of the few survivors of the disaster.

Patricia Hamill's nameless heroine is very well depicted through the first person journal entries, which record the first couple of years after the disaster. She is, if not quite fearless, certainly courageous and resourceful. The novel has depth, and charts a very plausible course of events, examining human traits and skills which enhance or reduce the chances of survival. It also causes the reader to ask themselves about what choices they might make when it came to issues of group or individual survival.
For me, the story reflected the post-apocalyptic world rather too well; it felt dreary, and the struggle for basic necessities stumbled from one dark crisis to the next - but this may be something that is genre-related rather than a flaw in the book.
The writing was very clean, good and engaging enough that I had no trouble finishing the book within two days. Editing and presentation was flawless.

The impact of the excellent story left me teary-eyed at the end. If you like zombie books, this is a very good one; and if you haven't read one before, this might be a good place to start!

Dragon Marked

Dragon Marked
by Jaymin Eve

Review
I don't much go in for the paranormal fantasy genre. It's too much alike, and the romance is far too predictable. On top of that, the start of Dragon Marked reads just like a lot of others. So why did I find this book so darned irresistible? Tell me, why? Why did I keep reading?

So, there was just this little edge to the story, this just-ever-so-slightly tantalizing hint that there was more to come, and I wasn't going to be disappointed. Jaymin Eve writes in a natural, conversational style which is easy to like. She draws characters well, and her heroine's quirky relationship with food is amusing. In fact, there is a light touch of humour throughout. Then there are the four Compass brothers, and which one, I wonder, will Jessa end up with - or is there someone else in her future? Jessa's relationship with her potential lovers is in a constant state of tension. Things get even more interesting when Louis enters the tale.

Eve spins a fascinating yarn, about shifters and other magical folk in an alternate reality world a lot like ours, and sets up a gripping climax. The shifter and magic aspects of the story are fairly standard, but well done. (Why are they *always* alphas?) Where Eve succeeds for me is that she has not depended on these factors alone to make the story engaging, but has added depth in various ways.
Jessa is dragon marked, and the consequences just keep expanding, or exploding. Not to spoil the story, I don't want to say too much about the dragon marked or Jessa's family, but there are constant surprises which awaken ever deepening interest in the reader. Well, they did in me.

The editing is just slightly sub-professional, but I reckon it's good enough to be acceptable. The story ends at what I would call, if not a cliffhanger, at least a nailbiter moment; it is the first volume of a series. However, the story is reasonably complete up to that point and, honestly, it's a really enjoyable read. So go and get it, and then look out for the sequel. I will!

Fascinating, funny, Helga.

You're Not From Around Here, Are You?
Reminiscences 

by Helga Stipa Madland

Review

Fascinating, funny, Helga.

A witty and sometimes fascinating book perfectly subtitled, 'Reminiscences', it is a reflection of the more interesting bits that have gone into making Helga Stipa Madland.

As a story I found there was a lot to like, and a fair bit that I found wearing. Let me say at once that if you are thinking to yourself, "Oh, no, my life is boring enough, why would I want to read about someone else's?" - you may well be wrong. Helga (I can't call her Mrs Madland, not after reading this; I know her far too well!) has a good sense of humour and a great sense of what works as drama, and has selected all her most interesting and funniest memories. Historians in particular will find the contemporaneous anecdotes to be a goldmine of details of life in wartime and post-war Germany, and through the decades of the fifties and sixties in America.
For me, the biggest problem was that the entire book is dreadfully one-paced. Not boring, I said; one-paced. This makes it quite challenging to read as if it were a novel, or even a professional biography. However, I do feel that if one were to dip into it, reading a dozen pages or a score of them as the mood took one, this would not matter.
Helga's anecdotes are funny, often wickedly observant of human nature (especially her own, a very commendable quality), unflinchingly honest, and frequently make one stop and think. The result is highly entertaining.
This is a great book for reading in short stretches, because Helga makes a clear enough impression for the reader not to forget her, so that one can come back after a few days, a week, or a month, and pick up just where one left off.

The editing is not quite professional, but it's close. Too much polishing according to the standard rules would erase Helga's 'not-from-around-here' accent, which would damage the book. I may not always like Helga, but I have to admire her and salute her courage - not least in publishing this brave memoir. I thank Helga for allowing me the opportunity to get to know her at no charge; this review is my own honest opinion. I recommend the book to readers interested in human nature and in the history of us.

Red and the Wolf

On Amazon  /  Smashwords

Red and the Wolf

...or, What Sharp Teeth You Have!

by... Me! 


Is finished!!! 


I can  hardly believe it, it's taken so long, but I finally decided that's enough editing, enough critique, enough feedback from my lovely, lovely, patient, kind (but still helpfully critical) beta readers, it's time to let my little girl go out there into the big wide world!

I don't know if everyone will agree, but I absolutely love the way the cover came out in the end!

So, this is how I've retold the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. It's dark, it's a fantasy, and I hope it's a good story. I've put it out on pre-order through Smashwords and Amazon, so that's where you go to put your order in, and quite soon it'll be on Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo and the rest. And you will, won't you, because you just know it's going to be good! The 6th of April is the Day! 

Want to know more? I'm not going to reveal the secrets, but here's the blurb:
This tale of the dark, twisted truth lurking behind the children's fairy tale will set its fangs in you and not let go. You thought you knew the story of Little Red Riding Hood? Think again. Think hard. Do you really want to know the truth? Some books are better left unopened.

What incident so scarred the psyche of a community that it preserved the memory over generations? What really happened when Red delivered the cookies to Grandma's cottage? How did the woodcutter arrive just in time? Careful research into the origins of the folk tale in Eastern Europe has revealed the frightening truth. This book presents those findings in the form of a story of what really happened so long ago.

Of course, if any of you want an advance review copy, I'd be delighted to let you have one, just send me your email address and what format is best for you.

I look forward to hearing from you!