Review: The Apathy Engine by Paul Gallimore

Genre: Science Fiction/Satire

Description:

“Set in a Utopian society in 2042, intelligent machines seem set to take over the planet.

The interruptions to the normal, smooth running of an untroubled world have already begun in the form of 'the glitching'.

Everybody sees the problems, but due to the numbing effects of a secret government mechanism, nobody is bothered enough to react when mankind's defenses are probed in readiness for humanity's last stand.

Only Cyril Greaves, the disgruntled proprietor of the English Pub League website, along with his eccentric band of friends seem ready and willing to step into the breach to fight the forces of mayhem and anarchy, and save the world.

With only an under-developed, prototype robot, a group of Sunday league soccer players, an extremely annoying teenage genius, Neville the lonesome strider, and a handful of psychopaths to help him, Cyril must defeat the mighty corporations and the all-seeing quantum super-computer menace before it's too late.

Or, maybe it's not as simple as that . . .”

Author:

Paul Gallimore is a novelist with two books published, a painter, and an entrepreneur with a web design business.

Appraisal:

Have you ever read a book that you’re not sure what to make of it? Something that fits some patterns you’ve seen before, but then again, isn’t quite like any other book? That’s a reasonable description of my thoughts about The Apathy Engine and I’m struggling to figure out how to describe it.

Did I like it? Yeah, I guess. Kind of.

Was it funny, thought provoking, and have interesting characters? Sure.

There is definitely some humor or satire here. The society at the time it takes place is utopian, but in some ways the book feels dystopian. (Maybe perfect isn’t so great after all.)

It’s certainly an adventure.

Then there is that little twist at the end. What the heck should I make of that? I wonder if you’ll interpret it the same way I did?

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Reprise Review: Molly Harper by Emelle Gamble

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Description:

When a teenage fling left fifteen year old Anne Sullivan pregnant, she gave up the baby for adoption. Thirty years later, she learned that her adopted child might be at risk for multiple sclerosis after the birth father and others in his family died at an early age from the disease. She tracks down her daughter’s adoptive family planning to share the medical news with them.

Author:

Ms. Gamble was first published by Harlequin Intrigue's line of romantic suspense as 'M. L. Gamble' and wrote seven books for them.

She writes relationship stories about women and the men they love and the friends they hold dearest, with a touch of mystery here, a ghost there, something extraordinary that gives the folks in her imagined world a little extra to deal with.

You can find out more on her website.

Appraisal:

This story sucked me in very quickly. The first meeting between Anne Sullivan and the woman who adopted her child was fraught with tension and complexity. Both characters were finely drawn and I found myself appreciating the predicament Anne’s sudden appearance on the scene created for them both.

Molly Harper, for whom the book is named, was the child that Anne gave up, and that first meeting led to increasing complexity as the two families dealt with a myriad of external difficulties and at the same time tried to cope with the realization that their lives had been based on a lie (neither mother shared the secret of the adoption).

It’d be difficult to share any more of the plot without spoiling your enjoyment of the story. I found it absorbing. If you enjoy women’s fiction, I think you will too.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: Molly Harper by Emelle Gamble was the winner in the Women’s Fiction category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran July 17, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

Too few to mention.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Review: The Giggling Corpse by Barbara Silkstone

Genre: Cozy Mystery/Historical/Humor/Young Adult

Description:

“A trailblazing figure in nursing, Florence Nightingale faces a series of bizarre mysteries for which she must use her nimble deductive powers while aided by her little pocket owl, Athena, and her sweet but snarky sidekick, Poppy Throckmorten.

In this first book in the series, the ladies journey to Greece on a mission for young Queen Victoria, the successful completion of which will fund the Nightingale School for Lady Nurses—the first of its kind in England.

Armed only with her quick wit and a rock-hard India rubber ball, Poppy is determined to assist Florence in securing the donation promised by a wealthy Greek philanthropist. But before they can return to England, the gift is stolen and one member of their British contingent is dead—was it murder?

Can Florence and Poppy find a possible killer and recover the endowment before they must answer to the Queen? And what’s with the giggling corpse?”

Author:

“Barbara Silkstone is the best-selling author of both Regency Pride and Prejudice variations, including the popular the Mister Darcy Series of Comedic Mysteries, and Pride and Prejudice contemporary variations. All her books are light comedies based on Jane Austen's timeless tales of love denied and love discovered. ‘Feel good’ tales to warm your heart.

She is also the author of the Wendy Darlin Comedy Mystery series. Five coffee-snorting tales that combine cozy with outrageous adventures.

Plus a mixed bag of standalone cozy comedy mysteries: Zo White and the Seven Morphs, Cold Case Morphs, and The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland.”

Feel free to check out Ms. Silkstone’s website, Second Act Café, or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Florence Nightingale is a mere nineteen-years-old when she is summoned for attendance with Queen Victoria. This story is told through Poppy Throckmorten, a friend/attendant who has aspirations of being a writer. She has been keeping a journal of Florence’s ministrations with the sick and injured since the day they met. Poppy is sixteen, she admires Florence’s independence, straight-forwardness, and self-confidence. She aspires to have the same qualities, however, she’s snarky and says things before thinking. She is also a bit of a klutz when she gets nervous. Florence chooses Poppy to go with her to see the Queen. Poppy’s mother insists that grandmother, Alice Throckmorten, chaperone the young ladies.

The story is well researched and planned out with fully developed characters. As the adventure begins several secondary characters are introduced and Florence shows off some of her deductive reasoning skills. There is a nice pace and it doesn’t take long for twists in the plot to start and they just keep coming. The evening they reach their destination the mystery materializes or dematerializes in this case. Can Florence use her analytical and deductive powers to solve the mystery and can Poppy keep up with her without tripping? Or falling in lust/love with a certain queen’s footman? Because baby-making is eeewwww and not in her future!

I think The Giggling Corpse is a perfect start for this new series. Florence and Poppy make a good pair, and play off each other well. I seriously don’t think this will be the last we see of Roger Broadribbs, Poppy’s self-appointed bodyguard from back home. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Silkstone takes Florence and Poppy next. This is a nice cozy mystery with tongue-in-cheek humor. I also want to mention the historical notations after the story where the author got inspiration for some of her characters.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The Giggling Corpse is book 1 of Barbara Silkstone’s, Florence Nightingale Comedy Mystery Series.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: Garden Metamorphosis by Smoky Zeidel

Genre: Poetry

Description:

“In the midst of a confusing and frightening world, Smoky Zeidel remains true to form with her poetry, gently reminding us to close out the superfluous and remember that which is sacred. Garden Metamorphosis is both a love song to Mother Earth, and a celebration of the cycle of life.”

Author:

“Smoky Zeidel is a novelist and poet, whose love of the natural world is thematic in all she writes. She taught writing and creativity workshops for many years at venues throughout the Midwest before succumbing to her bohemian urges and moving to Southern California. Her work has earned her five nominations for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. Smoky lives in the Coachella Valley, which is part of the vast Colorado Desert in Southern California, with her husband Scott, two cats, and a Chihuahua named Tufa (who considers herself the Boss of Everything). She is an avid desert gardener, an orchid grower, and monarch caterpillar rancher.”

Appraisal:

A collection of 25 poems plus a “bonus” short story that fits the theme of the poems which, as the description says, is a “celebration of the cycle of life.” With a few exceptions I’d describe it as observing nature and the outdoors.

I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a book of poetry before this. Sure, I’ve read a random poem thrown in at the start of a novel or a limerick on the bathroom wall, but I don’t think I’ve ever sat down with the intent of reading an entire book of poetry before, let alone with the intent of writing a review once I was done. However, I did review music for a website where all of the reviewers, myself included, tended to focus on the lyrics. About two poems in it struck me that the same things that make a good song lyric are what makes a good poem. Yeah, Homer Simpson is reading this and saying, “well d’oh.”

A good poem or song lyric has to say a lot with few words. It needs to have enough detail to put the reader or listener in a certain place mentally or emotionally, while leaving enough blank spaces for them to fill in, so they can make it their own. It needs to have a catchy rhythm and, in the case of a poem, you can’t even use that guitar or fiddle solo to help you out. The poems in this collection did all of that. And more. If you’re a gardener or a fan of the outdoors, especially if you’ve spent time in the desert southwest, you’ll be captured by these poems for sure. Others, you’ll get a glimpse of what you’ve been missing.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 9-10,000 words

Reprise Review: Craving Caine by Erica Lucke Dean with Elise Delacroix

Genre: Erotic Romance/Suspense

Description:

“Emily Chambray wants a divorce. Unfortunately, her husband believes in’til death do us part with an emphasis on death. She won’t get another chance, so her get-away plan must be foolproof. When a ruggedly handsome stranger comes to her aid, she definitely doesn’t expect to fall for him in her hour of deepest need.

Xavier Caine has ulterior motives when he offers Emily refuge in his rustic cabin. Against his better judgment, he is drawn to her innocent allure and natural beauty. Together, they explore a sensual relationship that rocks their world. But once Caine sets the stage for his own agenda, Emily could end up directly in the eye of the very storm she’s been trying to escape.”

Authors:

Erica Lucke Dean:

“After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.”

To learn more about her, visit her website, blog, or Facebook page.

“Elise Delacroix married her high school sweetheart and moved to a remote hideaway far enough from civilization that she was forced to create her own entertainment. When playing charades got old, she came up with a plan to write erotic romance in order to keep life exciting. She may spend most of her days lounging in a pair of red flannel pajamas, but her characters wouldn’t be caught dead in anything less than satin and lace.

While Elise also writes in other genres using a pen name, it’s her collaborations with Erica Lucke Dean where she lets her naughty side come out to play. And oh, what a naughty side she has.”

Appraisal:

Emily was too young and naive to understand who she was marrying when she became Nicky Chambray’s wife. An arrogant, sadistic, and manipulative crime boss she cannot escape from. Emily’s character is well developed and although she is in desperate need to be rescued, she is likeable. Caine’s character is introduced slowly, he is handsome and capable, but is he a good guy or not? I found the story compelling and didn’t want to put it down. Ms. Dean has a way of making her characters believable and relatable in a way that enhances her stories. It seems as if she has found a good writing partner with Ms. Delacroix, as I can’t tell when one is writing or the other.

The relationship that grows between Emily and Caine after a few false starts was realistic as they learn to trust each other and their relationship takes a sexual turn. The plot twists were well thought-out and believable scenarios. The suspense is intense as the story unfolds and secondary characters true colors are revealed. There was a lot of story packed in this short novel and I found it highly enjoyable.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language, situations, and explicit sex scenes

Added for Reprise Review: Craving Caine by Erica Lucke Dean with Elise Delacroix was a nominee in the Romance category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran May 31, 2014.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words

Review: Burn the Evidence by Keith Nixon

Genre: Crime Fiction

Description:

“A body washes up on the beach near Ramsgate in the South of England. For DS Solomon Gray, the case appears cut and dried—a drowning. An immigrant.  Another victim to the sea in his desperate attempt to reach the UK.

As the tidewaters recede, two more corpses surface. One appears to be a refugee, stabbed to death. The other, Gray recognises immediately. Regan Armitage: son of business tycoon Jake Armitage. Gray knows this means trouble.

A post mortem reveals ligature marks on Regan's wrists. Drugs in his bloodstream. All signs indicate murder. Armitage swears to track down his son's killer and avenge his death.

Gray's investigation points to a deadly fire ten years prior, and soon Armitage comes under suspicion. But DS Gray knows what it's like to lose a child and puts aside his distrust of Armitage to help.

How are the dead men connected to each other—and to the infamous fire?

It's then that Gray gets another tip on the whereabouts of his own missing son, Tom...”

Author:

“Keith Nixon is a British born writer of crime and historical fiction novels. Originally he trained as a chemist, but Keith is now in a senior sales role for a high-tech business. Keith currently lives with his family in the North West of England.”

Appraisal:

As the story begins Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray has one case, an apparent drowning of an immigrant sneaking into England, that quickly turns into a search for a murderer with three bodies involved. As the investigation progresses, DS Gray finds a connection to another crime from ten years previous.

However, if you read Dig Two Graves, the first of the Solomon Gray novels, you’ll already know that Gray’s most important case is to find out what happened to his son Tom. Is it possible some of the people involved in the other cases might help Solomon find Tom?

Burn the Evidence is an engaging, intense read with twists, turns, and connections between the different cases that aren’t what you’re expecting.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Uses UK spelling conventions and slang.

While the second book in the Solomon Gray series, this could be read as a standalone. The most critical things to know from the first book are explained enough to follow in this volume.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: The Road to Nowhere by Shana Hammaker

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Young Adult

Description:

Nowhere is hidden not too far east of Somewhere, just past No Man’s Land. It is a desolate place with secrets of a hidden past.

Someone is sabotaging the construction of a highway from the happy hamlet of Somewhere that leads straight to Nowhere. Amarillo Saffron, Mayor Orange’s secretary for the town of Somewhere, seeks to uncover corporate corruption and biotech espionage as well as expose the secrets Nowhere is hiding.

Author:

“Shana Hammaker grew up in sunny California, but dreamed of escaping to cooler climes. She considered Bangor, Maine, possibly because her favorite author, Stephen King, lives nearby, but instead, ended up in Tennessee where it is warmer and more humid.”

“… it was in this sultry Southern climate that Shana realized her destiny: to read and write stories in which weird and frequently horrible things occur. (Twelve Terrifying Tales for 2011) And also, on occasion, to write quirky little memoirs.”

Ms. Hammaker is the author of The Cookie Dumpster and Hieroglyphs along with her set of thriller short stories from Twelve Terrifying Tales for 2011. Feel free to check out Ms. Hammaker’s other books on her Amazon author page or Goodreads.

Appraisal:

This is a unique story in that the urban fantasy world sits smack dab in the middle of our own world. Somewhere’s biotech firm Ardor Labs claims to have perfected a system to help people live happy stress-free lives. With their emotion actuator inhaler one can breathe their stress into it at night for a restful emotionless sleep or inhale hope out of it during the day if you start feeling down or stressed and a vitamin called Actify! to start each day anew. Inhaling hope out of the actuators has a drug like quality to it, so when it becomes evident that someone is stealing hope, officials get concerned.

Meanwhile in Nowhere there is very little hope, it’s a dead little town with no color that is surrounded by a force field, and No Man’s Land is downright toxic situated between Nowhere and Somewhere. One of Nowhere’s biggest secrets are the lost children living hidden from the world inside its secured border. I felt like I had stepped into one of Tim Burton’s domains here, I love his style and perspective.

Cerulean, age eighteen, has been living in Nowhere for nine years and is one of the oldest inhabitants besides Mayor Blue. She does her best to take care of and protect the young children when they mysteriously appear at Gruesome Point on the southern edge of Nowhere. Mayor Blue sustains his life-force with children’s tears and has evil designs for Nowhere.

The characters are colorful and well developed. When a small gang in Nowhere, who call themselves Outlawz, are given a taste of the stolen hope from Somewhere, they go to desperate measures to insure they get more, and things go from bad to worse. When Amarillo Saffron, with the help of investigative reporter Fern Viridian, looks into Deputy Mayor Scarlet and Ardor Labs, wondering about their connection to Nowhere, the plot takes clever and devastating turns. This story has a dystopian feel to it at times as the plot moves forward and truths are revealed as their society starts to unravel.

Ms. Hammaker does an excellent job painting a picture of the desolate Nowhere and No Man’s Land world with her prose and uses colorful character names for the inhabitants of Somewhere, which is a much more hopeful place until the storm hits…  The dialogue is realistic and convincing even between the children of Nowhere when they decide to take a stand against Mayor Blue. There are lessons to be learned here in this clever skillfully told and at times frightening story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: The Road to Nowhere by Shana Hammaker was the winner in the Paranormal category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran October 15, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reader copy. I am unable to judge the final book in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Quest of Thunder by Karissa Laurel

Genre: Young Adult/Epic Fantasy/Adventure

Description:

“Evelyn Stormbourne has overcome revolutionaries, pirates, devious relatives, and powerful Magicians to claim her birthright as Lady of Thunder, but before she can embrace her dominion over the skies, her powers falter, leaving her impotent and adrift. Under the protection of her stalwart companion, Gideon Faust, Evie hides in anonymity and searches for news of the Fantazikes who had once promised to help her master her divine abilities.

Without her capacity to control the storms, Evie wonders how she’ll ever reclaim her throne—a legacy she’s not convinced she deserves. But when a fearsome nemesis from her past reemerges, she embarks on desperate quest to find the Fantazikes and restore her powers. If she fails, her enemy’s dark Magic will enslave her, forcing her to destroy everything and everyone she loves.”

Author:

“Karissa lives in North Carolina with her kid, her husband, the occasional in-law, and a very hairy husky. Some of her favorite things are coffee, dark chocolate, and super heroes. She can quote Princess Bride verbatim. She loves to read and has a sweet tooth for fantasy, sci-fi, and anything in between.”

To learn more about Ms. Laurel, please visit her website, or stalk heron Facebook.

Appraisal:

Evelyn Stormbourne, Lady of Thunder and the Crown Princess of Inselgrau has lost her connection to the skies. Evie is now on a quest with her companion and protector Gideon Faust. Their goal is to locate the Fantazikes, a clan she met in her first adventure, Heir of Thunder. They live and travel in airships powered by lightning. They once promised to help her master her divine abilities.

When tragedy strikes from an old nemesis Evie is forced to leave Gideon behind and go on the run searching for a safe place. Where better to hide than a traveling circus? However, this isn’t just any ol’traveling circus. She is allowed to stay, but Evie has to earn her keep for passage by working in the kitchen wagon and cleaning up each morning. In the afternoon she mends and repairs costumes. The circus workers are colorful and unique folks who all speak different languages. Evie has to find a way to communicate with them and make friends, while keeping her own true identity hidden for everyone’s protection. There is more to this circus than meets the eye and Evie intends to learn its secrets.

This book is full of evil magicians’ and devastating battles, not only with magic, but with crossbows, swords, knives, and guns. Several twists in the plot makes it hard to set the book aside as tension grows. All is not as it seems and the world is smaller than Evie ever imagined. The steampunk elements are surprising and magically delicious. There is a romance blooming between Gideon and Evie that only takes up a small portion of the novel as Gideon patiently chisels away Evie’s walls. He has my heart already. And I hope to see more from the circus crew in the next book. Evie’s journey to reclaim Inselgrau is bound to be spectacular. I can’t wait to see how Ms. Laurel wraps this trilogy up.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Quest of Thunder is book 2 in the Stormbourne Chronicles by Karissa Laurel. I would recommend reading Heir of Thunder, Stormbourne Chronicles book 1 before reading this book.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Reprise Review: dEaDINBURGH by Mark Wilson

Genre: YA/Dystopian/Thriller

Description:

Edinburgh 1645, the time of the bubonic plague. The victims are locked underground in catacombs. 2015 and these same catacombs are opened, the plague attacks the Scottish population. 2050 and Edinburgh is quarantined off. There are rumours of a cure, but finding the source is believed to be certain death at the hands of the zombies. Joey MacLeod is a trainee 'priest' part of a church that worships the zombies. But he escapes and with the help of Alys Shepherd learns about his past and the real source of the zombies.

Author:

Mark Wilson is a biology teacher in Fife, Scotland. He is also the author of four novels, his most recent being dEaDINBURGH. In addition Mark formed an independent publishing company in 2013 to publicise Scottish authors. The author lives in Edinburgh with his family.

You can learn more about the author at his website.

Appraisal:

Now I don't usually read dystopian or zombie novels. With a very few exceptions I don't get on with either genre particularly well. If there's a zombie TV programme, such as The Waking Dead, I usually switch off eventually. I also very rarely read YA either. However, I have previously greatly enjoyed Mark Wilson's writing - so I gave dEaDINBURGH a try, and I'm glad I did. This is one of those aforementioned rare exceptions.

Phew!

So, the premise is a disease has created zombies, but there are still a few humans clinging onto life. There are several interdependent communities and we receive protagonists from each to drive the story forward. There's a group of zombie worshippers, literally religious nuts - Joey is a youth reluctantly waiting to be ordained to serve the zombies for the rest of his life. But there's something mysterious about his past, he's an orphan and doesn't know who his parents are. Padre Jock is one of the order, but he's not like the rest, he seems to know something about Joey. Then there's a community of women, no men are allowed - Alys is a born fighter, but questions why they have to be separated from the rest. Then there's Bracha, a vicious survivalist who'll do anything to stay alive.

Okay, so far so good. I was intrigued, caught by the characters, interested to see what happened next when the pair, Joey and Alys, 'escape' their respective confinements and go into the wider world accompanied by Jock. The kids are naive but learn quickly, and brutally. Then Wilson delivers several twists and surprises which elevates dEaDINBURGH beyond a straightforward zombie novel. I won't reveal what they are as you should find these out for yourself, but they're to do with Joey's past and the zombies themselves. The conclusion sets us up for book two very neatly.

Edinburgh and its surrounding countryside is a great backdrop, the author uses the scenery well. The characters are strong and the story drives along at pace. The zombies aren't really the major part of the story, there are touching inter-relationships that develop, taut situations the characters must develop. All in all an interesting, intriguing book. I'll be reading the follow up for sure.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Despite the zombies, nothing of note, which as it's YA, that's good.

Added for Reprise Review: dEaDINBURGH by Mark Wilson was a nominee in the Young Adult category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran March 29, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words