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Aug 17

Soulwoven by Jeff Seymour

Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2014 in Books, Fantasy, Reviews

I recently read the fantasy novel Soulwoven by Jeff Seymour on Wattpad. It’s also available for Kindle and as a paperback from Amazon.

It was a fascinating, well written story, with a magic that I found interesting and different. The main characters were likeable and that’s very important to me. I’d love to read more by the same author. My one complaint is that I felt that there wasn’t complete closure at the end. The story left me with more questions than answers, but I understand there’s a sequel coming, that will probably take care of that problem.

Aug 16

The Only Gold by Tamara Allen

Posted on Saturday, August 16, 2014 in Books, Historic, Reviews

The Only Gold by Tamara Allen was a Kindle freebie that I downloaded last year (I think). It’s not free anymore, but it’s still only 3.74 (US dollars). I have so many books on my TBR list that I had forgotten what sort of book this was. The way it looks once I’ve started reading it, I can’t find the title or the author’s name. It took me a rather long while to figure out what this book was about. In other words, there was a bit of a slow start, but once I got into the book, I found it interesting and well written.

It’s the late 19th century. Jonah Woolner works at a bank in New York. He is content with his life until he’s passed over for a long-awaited promotion. Reid Hylliard shows up out of the blue and annoys Jonah with his charm. Eventually, Reid begins to win him over (as he’s done with everyone else at the bank). Then trouble strikes the bank and Jonah’s relationship with Reid is put under severe strain. Both their lives (and those of others) are threatened, not only the bank.

The fact that it is a slash story and a historic one as well, was a big plus for me. I don’t normally read pure romances – but in combination with historic and/or fantasy it usually works for me.

There’s quite a bit of action (and I mean action, not sex) in this story, but also, to be honest, gay sex, so if you don’t like that, don’t read. Otherwise, I can really recommend this book.

Jun 21

Bonds of Fire

Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2014 in Books, Fantasy, Reviews

The novella Bonds of Fire by Sophie Duncan, is yet another of my recently read ebooks, that I really liked. First a warning: this is a slash story. If you don’t like m/m romance, don’t read it.

This is still a free download on Amazon and Smashwords so if it sounds like fun, go ahead and get it.

The main character, Drekken, is a dragon warrior. He’s bonded to his dragon, Miri. Unfortunately, after a battle, Drekken is separated from his squadron and Miri and is forced to babysit a group of baby dragons. He’s also faced with a growing attraction for one of the two young men who are in charge of the dragon babies. What complicates things is that the two young guys are already in love with each other.

As I said above, I really enjoyed this story. Especially the dragons. And the slash. 😉 I also liked the way Drekken felt torn between wanting to rejoin his squadron and Miri, and on the other hand, his responsibility to keep the babies safe. The baby dragons are unbelievably cute and the two young guys are unbelievably hot (and so, apparently, is Drekken).

What’s not to like?

 

Jun 19

Martian Invaders Meet Mom

Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2014 in Books, Children's books, Reviews, Science Fiction

Martian Invaders Meet Mom by Rebecca Lickiss and Alan Lickiss, is another free speculative fiction novella, that I recently read on my Kindle. This time it’s a children’s science fiction story. Hostile aliens send two male androids to Earth to prepare for an invasion. The androids meet four boys going to school and join them to learn more. After school, they also meet Mom. The invasion plans might have to be put on hold for a while…

This was a fun quick read that I really enjoyed. Just a simple, lighthearted story, exactly right for me at this time.

Years ago, I read two books by Rebecca Lickiss, Eccentric Circles and Never After and I loved them, especially the first one. To my surprise, other reviewers didn’t love them as much as I did. Oh, well, there’s no accounting for taste.

Jun 17

Housewife with a halflife by Alison Wells

Posted on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 in Books, Reviews, Science Fiction

Housewife with a halflife is another speculative fiction novel that I’ve recently read on my Kindle.

Susan Strong is a housewife like any other, until her fairy godfather Dave shows up to warn her that she’s literally disintegrating and that her falling apart could be the end of our universe. He’s there to save her, but he’s not having an easy time of it. First of all, Susan doesn’t quite believe him, even though she likes him. Secondly, during a shopping trip, she and her twin boys are sucked through a portal to another universe. Dave is doing all he can to save Susan’s life and get her and her sons back home again, but he’s running out of time and Susan isn’t really cooperating. She has too much to do, trying to cling to her everyday chores.

I really liked this book. The only thing I didn’t enjoy completely, was the way the book kept getting more serious. I preferred the lighthearted beginning. It wasn’t shallow, just more fun. At this time I really need something to take my mind of things, not be forced to contemplate sombre topics like life and death. However, even at the end, which was somewhat a happy one, I still loved this book and can really recommend it to anyone who likes science fiction and humour.

Jun 15

The Glass Wall by Madison Adler/Carmen Caine

Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2014 in Fantasy, Reviews, Teen books

For some reason, I neglected to review a number of ebooks that I downloaded for free from Amazon, right after I read them. I’m trying to remedy that now.

Superficially, this book, Beyond the Glass Wall (The Glass Wall), book one in a series of YA urban fantasy books, sounds like any recent YA fantasy book. If I’d read the blurb I probably wouldn’t have bothered reading it. But my list of Kindle freebies is so long and from my view on my Kindle I can’t see what the book is about, just the title. So I did start reading it and I quickly realized that I liked it.

The books starts with the main character, 17-year-old Sydney, moving in with a new foster family. She’s been through this a lot so she’s not all that bothered. However, the family she comes to is very nice and she slowly finds herself warming up to them. Almost right away, she spots a very good-looking guy moving into a house nearby. Sydney soon finds out that he’s far more than just a handsome stranger.

It appears Rafael, the new guy, has superhuman powers, which leads Sydney to suspect he might be some sort of alien, which isn’t quite the case. It takes Sydney a long time to find out exactly what he is. In the meantime, she also meets another extremely handsome guy, Jareth, who is a rock star. He has a mysterious connection to Rafael, though not really a friendly one.

I can’t seem to give this book justice. It still sounds like a cliche. Just take my word for it, this one is really good. I finished it in just a few days, because I wanted to know more about Rafael and Jareth.

I suppose partly it’s because it’s so easy to see everything through Sydney’s eyes. I liked the way she slowly realized that her foster family was different from earlier ones, who she liked, but never felt completely connected to. Right from the start the parents treat her as their own child. Their daughter takes a little longer to connect with Sydney, but she too, comes to view her as a close family member. This book is the first in a series of four. There’s also a prequel, Behind the Mirror, a short story, that is available for free download on Amazon.

Nov 7

Never Buried, Leigh Koslow Mystery Series, Book 1, by Edie Claire

Posted on Thursday, November 7, 2013 in Books, Mystery/Cop, Reviews

I just finished reading Never Buried, Leigh Koslow Mystery Series, Book 1, by Edie Claire. It’s a mystery, that I found for free on Amazon. It’s also available on Smashwords.

I think that the reason the author made this book available for free is that it’s the first book in a series, and was originally published in 1999.

This was a fun, fast read, but also a really good mystery. I didn’t guess ‘whodunnit’ at all, until the end of the book.

I’ll just say a few words about the plot. Leigh has just moved out of her apartment (cockroach problems), and moved in with her pregnant cousin whose husband is in Japan. One of the first nights Leigh’s sleeping in the old newly renovated Victorian house, she notices a strange man in the yard. The following morning she makes a very unpleasant discovery in the hammock outside. It’s soon apparent that someone wants the two cousins out of the house and the threats escalate. Leigh’s cousin won’t be scared from her home and she and Leigh start looking into the history of the house (despite the disapproval of the investigating police officer, Leigh’s old room mate from college).

Unlike many other Kindle freebies, this was a well written and well edited book. I think I only spotted one spelling mistake in the whole book. I can recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries (or who appreciates any well written freebie book).

Oct 19

Kitty, by Catherine E Chapman

Posted on Saturday, October 19, 2013 in Books, Historic

I have also just read the short story Kitty (an e-book), by Catherine E Chapman. It’s very similar to a Jane Austen story, so if you love Jane Austen’s books, you’ll love this one. The main character, Kitty, is the second daughter in a family with three girls. Mum is all set on marrying off her oldest daughter (who goes by several different nicknames) to a certain young, handsome captain. The story is simply about that, but as far as that goes, it’s a fun, light read. I can really recommend it to all Jane Austen lovers.

Oct 19

The Night Also Rises, by C B McCullough

Posted on Saturday, October 19, 2013 in Books, Reviews, Science Fiction

I have just finished reading The Night Also Rises by C B McCullough (in the form of an e-book). His book is what I would describe as a hard-boiled mystery noir, set in the future, on a different planet. The only important difference between Earth and Jannix that I can detect, is the fact that the day (and night) lasts several weeks. Perhaps oddly enough, I enjoyed this book a lot (though I usually prefer cosy mysteries).

The main character is a middle-aged private investigator who gets an assignment by a famous millionaire. He’s supposed to investigate the murder of the old man’s son. Not surprisingly, not all is as it appears and the case becomes a life and death struggle. It seems that this is the first book in a series, but it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

Sep 10

Penelope, a Madcap Regency Romance, by Anya Wylde

Posted on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 in Books, Historic, Humour, Reviews

When I downloaded this book, it was temporarily available for free. It’s not that expensive even now. And it’s hilarious.

At the beginning of the book, Penelope comes to London to stay with a dowager duchess, her excentric father, her only a little less excentric (but extremely handsome) son and fun-loving daughter. Penelope lost her mother at birth and was raised, reluctantly by a mean stepmother. When she arrives she has her maid and her faithful pet goat in tow. The dowager duchess, who was a close friend of Penelope’s late mother, has promised to look after her friend’s daughter but feels she’s neglected this duty and invites Penelope to stay for her first season (of balls and dinner parties).

It’s not going to be as easy as it sounds, because Penelope is the most awkward and accident-prone girl in England. The duchess has to ask the help of the mysterious Madame, who has hllarious secrets to hide, and an endless knowledge of how to catch a husband.

I won’t say much about the plot because it’s nearly all just a lot of fun. This is probably the funniest book I’ve read since the Stephanie Plum ‘mysteries’ by Janet Evanovich. I can recommend both Penelope and Stephanie Plum to everyone who needs a good laugh (or two, or three…).

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