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!

Long Time Coming

Long Time Coming

Review: Edie Claire's Long Time Coming

Genre: Romance, Suspense

This is a superb romance, with a depth and complexity far beyond the average. Edie Claire's story sucks the reader in like quicksand. When the climax arrives, there is no longer any hope of extricating oneself until 'The End'. Suspense is delivered by the bucket-load as Joy Hudson tries to uncover the critical events of the past, and the plot has some very clever twists, beautifully prepared and executed. It is also, in part, a good ghost story.

The characters are really well done, rounded, fully alive and very plausible. Jeff Bradford is a great leading man, attractive and very eligible without - quite - being too over-the-top. Joy is full of angst, but under the circumstances it couldn't be any other way. Her situation explains her nature, and her struggles with history, memory and guilt. Her family, and other town characters, are people I might know. Bear (the dog) is both adorable and essential. In contrast with many books in the romance genre, this one does not skimp on the peripheral characters.

Eighteen years after the critical events Joy comes back to her home town as a qualified veterinarian, planning to set up her own practice. It soon becomes clear that she holds Jeff responsible for her best friend Jenny's death, but the truth of what actually happened is shrouded in the mists of memory and silence. Joy can't remember the details, and some people have never told what they know about it. When Joy has to treat Jeff's dog Bear for a serious injury, they are thrown together more often, on top of how attracted she feels to him, even though she doesn't want to be.

Without revealing too much, this is a kind of love triangle with a twist. A large part of the suspense is how it all works out. Certainly there were times when I wanted to slap Joy and shout - I'm pretty sure I did shout out loud at my ebook reader! - "Come on, can't you see it?" But good authors in this genre take care that the reader always knows or understands just a little more than the protagonist, and feeling like this is a part of the pleasure. And Edie Claire knows exactly what she's doing.

I have no reservations in giving this five stars. If you like a good romance, this is an absolute must-read!

P.S. I know, this is not Indie. But it's just too good not to review here!

30 Days - Review

Review: K. Larsen's 30 Days

30 Days

Genre: Romance, Adult*, Suspense

*Adult: Well, yes, but only just. It has some sex scenes in it, but personally I wouldn't describe them as pornographic.

This is cleverly constructed and quite well written, which makes it a really good story. Elle is in a bad situation: her sister Jenny is dead, which means she's lost her best friend. Her abusive husband Ryan has driven her to try to kill herself, and she finds herself on suicide watch in the mental health section of the hospital. Therapy has helped her towards recovery, but now Ryan is trying to use her 'incapacity' to gain control of her inheritance, and of her, for the rest of her life. It's time for Elle to make a bid for freedom, and to get her own life back. With a list of 30 things Jenny would have challenged her to do, Elle sets out on her personal journey to self-determination, only to be ambushed by a superlatively attractive Colin, and friends.

Elle's history and background is sketched in by Larsen's expert use of flashbacks, which fade away as they complete their task. Larsen's characterization is a little weak, especially of secondary characters. Elle's friends are all wonderful and the bad guys are awful. Elle herself, however, is well done. At 55k words it's not a long novel. The writing style is easy to read and the story flows well - and the book has the great advantage of being available for free. I don't know how long that will be the case, but I suspect that Larsen is using this as a free taster for several other books and particularly the sequel to this one, Committed ($4.99 when I looked and probably worth that). This story does end on something of a cliffhanger, but I did not feel cheated by that because I could guess where things were going, at least in a general way. I'm sure that Larsen has some plot complications, and entertainments, contained in Committed, but I have not yet read that one.

Overall I would say this is not great literature, but then it was never intended to be. It is very good entertainment, well executed. As a light read, I can highly recommend it.

I obtained this ebook as a free download. This review is entirely unsolicited and reflects my objective opinion.