Review: Tales of the Whirling Rainbow: Myths & Mysteries for Our Times by Steven McFadden

Genre: Myths/Religion

Description:

“Tales of the Whirling Rainbow is a journalist’s account of some of the key myths and mysteries of the Americas, and an electrifying exploration of how those myths are echoed in real time. Veteran journalist Steven McFadden weaves the living myths together seamlessly in a tightly written ebook that is highly authoritative, informative, and soul-resonant.”

Author:

Steven McFadden describes himself as an “independent journalist.” He is the author of at least 15 nonfiction books.

Appraisal:

A short read that would especially appeal to readers who have a passion for getting to know more about the myths, religion, and spirituality of the indigenous people of the Americas. While I don’t think I’m in the target audience I found the commonality in some of the stories and fables of people who aren’t that close geographically interesting. That so many used common imagery was thought-provoking as well.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 12-13,000 words

Review: The Will to Survive by Various

Genre: Short Story Anthology/Post-apocalyptic

Description:

“When normal life collapses, peril waits around every corner, and one small slip could mean certain death. In The Will to Survive, twenty-two unique and brilliant voices bring to life stories of post-apocalyptic danger sure to make the heart race, the flesh creep.

It’s the end of the world. Do you have the will to survive?

NOTE: The Will to Survive is a collective effort by a great group of authors, born from the desire to help their fellow citizens suffering the devastating effects of multiple hurricanes. 100% of proceeds are being donated to two charities, One America Appeal and Global Giving Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

Twenty-two stories of tragedy, hope, and survival in one volume.”

Author:

Authors contributing stories to the collection are:

Steven Bird

Nick DeWolf

Patrick D’Orazio

D.J. Goodman

Shane Gregory

Joshua Guess

Josh Hilden

Kelly Hudson

Timothy Johnson

M.L. Katz

Jamie Mason

M.P. McDonald

Brad Munson

A.J. Norris

Stephen North

Chris Pike

Clabe Polk

C.A. Rudolph

Sean Schubert

Mike Sheridan

Sean T. Smith

Jonathan Yanez

Appraisal:

What a collection of stories. I kept waiting for a clunker. I kept expecting that with a collection this long, all mostly post-apocalyptic, they would start to feel samey. My expectations were shattered. Even though a lot of the stories explored the same territory, they vary drastically. Some, like Rusty’s Run, which is a story told from the point of view of the family dog, I’d have never seen coming, but even those that fit what I’d expect to see from the genre were unique, creative, and entertaining. If this is a genre you like, definitely give it a read. You might even find some new authors to follow. Not to mention the good reads here and having some of your money go to a good cause.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 140-145,000 words

Reprise Review: The Dark Age by Jason Gurley

Genre: Short Story/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Time Travel

Description:

“On the day she was born, he left for the stars. 

He watches her grow up on screens. Misses her first words. Misses her first steps. She's never kissed his scratchy cheek, or fallen asleep on his shoulder. He's never wiped away her tears, or sung her to sleep. 

Now she's a toddler, and he's about to enter hibernation sleep -- and when he wakes nearly 150 years in the future, his family will be gone. 

This is a short story for every father who never wants his daughter to grow up.”

Author:

”Jason Gurley is the bestselling author of Greatfall, among other novels and short stories. By day he's a designer, and by night he writes and designs book covers. He lives with his family in Oregon, where he is currently writing a novel about a girl named Eleanor. He loves meeting readers, and often gives them free books via his newsletter.”

Find out more here from his website.

Appraisal:

I’d read Mr. Gurley’s Silo Saga: Greatfall novel a bit ago and really enjoyed his Kindle Worlds contribution to Hugh Howey’s world of Wool.  I picked up The Dark Age: A Short Story while looking for a quick read. The cover just caught my eye and the blurb was interesting. I was unsure I would be able to connect with the plot, because I am not a parent. Not to worry; I am a daughter and wife, and an author’s job is to pull you into the story no matter what. Mr. Gurley sure did that!  I had such an emotional reaction to this book… heart racing, breath taking, all the tears shed. And the dreams that followed which made me ruminate about personal experiences I’ve had evoking the feelings of a dark age.

I can’t remember the last time an author’s words had such an effect on me. Stopping to think, I came up with The Diary of Anne Frank and Tuesdays with Morrie. While The Dark Age: A Short Story is heart wrenching, it is also uplifting and covers a lot of ground. I found it amazing that in so few words you came to know the main and supporting characters and could empathize with their choices. The ending reminded me of the emails I wrote to my father after his death, which were undeliverable, returned to me, and saved to an email folder. I went back and read them all, as I also did with this book.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

In case you haven’t noticed, this is a short story well worth the amount of time it will take you to read.

Added for Reprise Review: The Dark Age by Jason Gurley was a nominee in the Short Story category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran March 26, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

I read both the e-book and paperback editions and found no errors. If any were there, I was too involved in the story to notice.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Fredlet

Approximate word count: 5-6,000 words

Review: Castle Walk by Melissa Bowersock

Genre: Paranormal/Cozy Mystery

Description:

“Paranormal investigators Lacey Fitzpatrick and medium Sam Firecloud discover their reputation has spread around the world when they get a surprise call to investigate ghosts in an Irish castle. They’re even more surprised when they learn it’s the Castle Fitzpatrick, the ancestral home of the Fitzpatrick name, and Lacey’s hopeful she can uncover some of her own family’s history. But while they’re researching that and the ghosts that Sam’s walk has revealed, they get unexpected resistance from the castle owners. If Sam is wrong about the impressions he’s received from the spirits, the releasement won’t work, and the ghosts will be doomed to walk the castle forever.”

Author:

“Melissa Bowersock is an eclectic, award-winning author who writes in a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres: paranormal, biography, western, action, romance, fantasy, spiritual, and satire. She has been both traditionally and independently published and is a regular contributor to the superblog Indies Unlimited. She has a tattoo on the inside of her left wrist that says IMAGINE. In her next life, she plans to be an astronaut. She also writes under the pen name Amber Flame.”

Learn more about Ms. Bowersock and her other books on her website or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Lacey is thrilled when she and Sam have the opportunity to go to Ireland, all expenses paid, to release a couple of ghosts in an old castle. Castle Fitzpatrick is outside of Dublin and being renovated as a tourist attraction as well as a Bed and Breakfast. Needless to say the ghosts have been in residence for centuries and it is almost impossible to learn who they are and their stories. However, Sam is an optimist and is sure they can do it together. Sam and Lacey both become unnerved when Lacey gains a ghostly suiter who seems to have the run of the castle, including their private suite.

On a more personal note Lacey is hoping to be able to trace her family’s genealogy farther than she has been able to get on the internet. With what little info she has, she felt like it would be a pipedream to be able to trace her family back to Castle Fitzpatrick. However, that was not her goal. With the castle owner’s archivist, Oswald, Lacey is able to learn more about the ghosts. With castle employee, Harley, Sam and Lacey are led to a small abbey outside Dublin to meet Brother Jonas who has a hand-written history from which Lacey learns more about her ancestors than she ever dreamed possible.  

Castle Walk is a lovely feel good mystery after the last harrowing story, Blood Walk. Both story arcs in Castle Walk are woven together seamlessly. The dialogue is engaging, the secondary characters are well written, and realistic. The descriptive prose puts the readers right in the setting. I highly recommend this series to lovers of mystery’s with an element of the paranormal.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

  

FYI:

Castle Walk is the ninth book in Ms. Bowersock’s A LACEY FITZPATRICK and SAM FIRECLOUD MYSTERY SERIES. I would recommend reading from the beginning to get the full benefit of Sam and Lacey’s storyline.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues in proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Review: The Sapphire of Poseidon by Scott L. Collins

Genre: Middle Grade/Adventure/Epic Fantasy

Description:

“With the Emerald and Ruby now reunited with the Scepter of Harmony, the rebellious group of children intent on overthrowing the malevolent King Argyle must face a new challenge: recovering the Sapphire of Poseidon. In order for the full power of the Scepter to be restored, the jewel must be inserted back into the staff.

With Argyle now at war with Queen Kyrie, and his ships scouting the lake to locate her, as well as the realm of the Merfolk, the small band of insurgents must find a way to cross the Great Lake while avoiding not only Argyle's fleet, but the kraken he's released in an attempt to draw the Queen of the Lake into battle.

Time is running short as Argyle is sure to figure out their plans for bringing together all the pieces of the Scepter. Once he does, it'll be a race to recover the remaining gems, and if Argyle finds one first, the fight, and the kingdom, will be lost forever.”

Author:

“Scott Collins was born and raised in Southern California but relocated to the Denver area following the birth of the first of his two sons. Days' End was his debut novel but has since switched to Middle Grade Fantasy so he can share his writing with his young boys. In addition to writing, he enjoys spending his free time (with two kids that's not much time) running and cycling.”

You may visit Mr. Collins’ Amazon Author page or stalk him onFacebook.

Appraisal:

The Sapphire of Poseidon is packed with adventure, battles, and life transforming lessons. This small diverse band of rebels grow closer to each other than ever before, while their numbers increase as well. I think I can safely say they will all be friends for life.

Their quest is to restore the Scepter of Harmony to restore peace in the kingdom. At the beginning of this book the young rebels have recovered two gems for the scepter and are searching for the third. The last known location was the island of Lethe in the Great Lake. So the group has to figure out how to get a ship and sail it. Once the scepter is restored their goal is to overthrow the evil King Argyle and free his slave camps. Their biggest obstacle, by far, is that King Argyle is a sorcerer who conjures with spells.  

The storyline twists and turns as circumstances change and deadly risks are taken. I love the way that Daniel, the oldest, is their unassuming leader. No choice is made without consulting with the whole group before a decision is made, be it a path or an action taken. Except the one time when Daniel felt like he had to jump on an opportunity when it presented itself and in the process gained the questers some new allies. Daniel’s cool head helps him to keep focus where it belongs. At center stage through much of the novel is Aiden, Daniel’s younger brother, and his special abilities.

The Sapphire of Poseidon is jam-packed with adventure and all I can say about the ending is you better hold on tight! The tension runs high with drama when the kraken show up. Emotions and endurance are tested. Young teens will enjoy the action and adventure, while absorbing the best qualities from each character without realizing it. That’s what I enjoy most about reading quality novels with well identifiable characters. All ages will enjoy this addition to the Scepter series.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The Sapphire of Poseidon is book four in the Scepter Series. The books are starting to build on each other. I would recommend starting with book one, Scepter.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found a small number of minor proofing errors. Such as missing words, wrong words, or an extra word.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Reprise Review: Return to Bryn Mairwyn by Jennifer Selzer and Daniel Huber

Genre: Fantasy/Short Story

Description:

Desmond McKenna returns home to England to finish out the final days of his life. He’s sad and lonely and his long years on the earth have only fueled his desperation. But a revelation could change all that as Desmond still learns something after all this time.

Authors:

Jennifer Selzer and Daniel Huber have written three books together. Selzer was born and raised in Los Angeles. She wrote her first book at 11 years old. Huber grew up in on the Central California coast and currently lives in an L.A. suburb with his wife.

You can learn more about them at their website.

Appraisal:

Return to Bryn Mairwyn read like a preview, or perhaps an epilogue, of a longer story. Perhaps that’s what the authors have in mind.

Immediately, there is a connection with Desmond McKenna. He’s returned home after a long time away with the feelings that it’s time to end things where they began. The desperation is there, the loss, the loneliness. He’s ready to end his long, long life that has been filled with heartache and struggle.

For Desmond, an issue is that no one understands his plight. He’s gone through his life with no one else like him – or so he thought.

When Desmond meets a similar person, it adds doubt to his decision. Instead of completely letting go, he turns into his true form of a dragon and feels the joy that he was originally intended to feel.

What does he ultimately decide? That question is unfulfilled with the story left open-ended for the reader to fill in the blanks.

The short story was compelling enough for me to want to know more and find out if Desmond is able to find peace. So, if there is a novel-length book to this short story, it’s likely I will read the rest of Desmond’s story whether the tale is about what came before or after this story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: Return to Bryn Mairwyn by Selzer and Huber was a nominee in the Short Story category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran May 19, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Sooz

Approximate word count: 3,000-4,000 words

Review: Pocketful of Bones by Julie Frayn

Genre: Psychological Suspense

Description:

“Finnegan MacGillivray, red-haired, freckle-faced social pariah, finds solace in his mother's garden while she entertains ‘dates’ in his home. When an accident takes the life of a friend, Finnegan buries the evidence amid the purple dead nettle and bougainvillea, and unearths a treasure trove of human remains. Did his house rest atop an ancient burial ground? Or was there a killer tucking him into bed at night?

His fascination with bones grows as fast as his obsession with his mother. She rejects his advances, and he escapes to the other side of the country. Years later, he returns to his childhood home, to the secrets and the guilt and the bones -- and to fulfill his destiny.”

Author:

“Julie Frayn is a multi-award-winning Canadian author of novels and short stories that pack a punch. And a few stabs. She is fluent in three languages — English, sarcasm, and profanity. Although she didn't invent swearing, Julie wields it like the visionary vulgarian who threw the first f#(k out into a crowd. She writes psychological suspense filled with a lot of death, a bit of sex, and sprinkled with the F-word (sometimes… not so sprinkled). Her favourite pastime is murder night (translation: watching crime drama and drinking beer with her daughter). Her least favourite pastime is writing author bios (translation: author bios — yuck).”

Appraisal:

They say there are only so many stories and, at a high level, I understand they’re right (whoever they are). But it’s the added detail that makes or breaks a story and gives it its unique flavor. In the case of Pocketful of Bones, I’m sure it fits one of those high-level templates, but it has so much in the details that isn’t like anything I can remember reading before that I can’t imagine what pattern it might fit. It’s a strange story that has me liking and pulling for characters that I could easily find repulsive, yet don’t, even when they do things that are … we’ll call them “not good.” Bad is going too far. (Okay, maybe I’m trying to cover for them here.) But I understand why they do what they do. I’m sure you would too.

In case it isn’t apparent, I liked this book, both the characters and the strange, out-of-left-field life that they lead. If you like slightly offbeat stories and psychological suspense, you should too.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Did you read the author’s bio? Obviously if a swear word or 50 are going to be an issue for you, this isn’t your kind of book.

Canadian spelling. You can deal with an extra ‘u’ heure aund there, riught?

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Reprise Review: In the Sunshine by PJ Lincoln

Genre: Romance/Short Story

Description:

Regan is struggling to extract herself from a relationship with a possessive guy. Matt is trying get over his failed seven-year marriage. When they bump into each other on Cocoa Beach, FL, sparks fly.

Author:

I couldn’t find any information about PJ Lincoln. He/she doesn’t have an author page on Amazon or Goodreads. He/she should get one.

Appraisal:

Because I’m writing one, I’ve been reading a lot of romance novels lately. I’ve found the genre to be a mixed bag. In particular, I find ‘the middle’ often gets bogged down with repetitive concerns popping up in the main couple’s inner thoughts. Even when the romance portion of the story works well, I’m often frustrated by unlikely events or backstory being artificially inserted to drive the plot forward.

In The Sunshine avoided both of my pet peeves. This is a cozy romance, neatly told. The author’s writing style is light and easy on the eye. The main characters, Regan and Matt, both had believable back stories and logical reasons for being where they were, both geographically, and personally.

I read the story in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed the tale. A nice, light romance with a feel good factor.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: In the Sunshine by PJ Lincoln was a nominee in the Romance category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran March 24, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

Too few to mention.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Approximate word count: 14-15,000 words

Review: Tales from the Red Caboose by Joseph Erhardt

Genre: Short Story Collection/Science Fiction

Description:

“Why is that big cat smiling?

Booze shelf—second from right—that's not a bottle!

What is an alien doing in a book of train stories?

Stash is the Red Caboose's resident raconteur. He trades tales of his railroading adventures for beer and Caboose-owner Laughing Crow's occasional dinner ‘specials.’ When a stranger arrives and takes more than an ordinary interest in Stash's stories, it becomes a question as to which of the raconteur's tales are fable, and which—if any—are true.

Tales from the Red Caboose is a linked collection of five train stories, each of which goes off the rails just enough to make the SF reader want to come along for the ride.”

Author:

Short story author, editor, and writing instructor, Joseph Erhardt is at work on a novel.

Appraisal:

Five short stories that are “linked,” whatever that means. It appears that means that while each story could stand alone, they share a lot of things that matter (characters, setting, etc.) and possibly things that might not (the valuable skill of lock picking figures in to each story, the apparently-not-as-valuable skill of hotwiring a car gets a mention in each as well). The stories also, when taken as a whole, tell a more complete story.

This was an enjoyable read and unique, both in plot and structure. If you like clever short stories, this might be for you. If you like to mix shorter reads in between longer novels, even if you don’t usually go for short stories or collections, this might be a change of pace you’d enjoy too.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: Dangerous Memories by Donna Fasano

Genre: Romance/Suspense/Psychological Thriller

Description:

“What kind of woman am I?

The question haunts Keira Rhodes when she awakens in the hospital with amnesia and learns that two men claim to be her baby’s father.

Logan claims he is her loving husband. Although Keira feels drawn to this quiet man, she senses that their marriage has been far from perfect. For Logan’s own brother, Kyle, staunchly maintains that Keira’s baby and her heart are his…

The truth lay hidden in Keira’s lost memory—and in the tender touch of one special man…”

Author:

“USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA FASANO is a three-time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, a Golden Heart finalist, and a two-time winner of Best Romance of the Year given by BigAl's Books & Pals Review Blog.

Her books have sold 4 million copies worldwide and have been published in two dozen languages. Her novels have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times, climbing as high as #1...”

To learn more about Ms. Fasano, check out her website or stalk her on Facebook. “She loves to hear from readers.”

Appraisal:

I was enthralled with Keira Rhodes predicament. She awakens in the hospital with no memory of her life before her fall from Simon’s Point in this psychological thriller. The story is mainly told through Keira’s eyes with the exception of getting enough of Logan’s thoughts to complicate and intrigue the reader. Right along with Logan’s younger brother Kyle, who both claim to be her baby’s father.  

I found the dialog realistic as Keira tries to put the pieces of her life back together. Logan is soft spoken as he tries to help Keira by giving her space and time to remember her past with him. Where Kyle is more insistent that she and the baby are his. Keira is not sure who to trust, to make matters worse, they all live in the same large house.  All she can do is trust her own feelings while searching for something familiar that may jog a memory.

The plot has a nice pace. The tension rises as Logan and Kyle both share pieces of their past with Keira. Ms. Fasano’s descriptive prose puts the reader right in the middle of each scene to share the experience along with Keira as pieces of her life are revealed from each brother. I was sure the story was going to take a turn for the worse, which kept me reading late into the night.

I like character studies like this. They give me a lot to think about and the suspense gets my heartrate up. I enjoyed this story, it’s different from the other books I have read by Donna Fasano. “If you enjoy the Hallmark Mystery movies, you will love Dangerous Memories.”

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This is a clean romantic suspense with just the right amount of sexual heat.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words