Review: The Road Most Travelled by J. Kairu

Genre: Dystopian

Description:

“In a world where life breaches dangerously close to death, the Taker has come to collect. Past side street brothels, secluded houses, flooded slums and sterile high rise blocks, he remains determined to fulfil his mission – but who is he here for, and why?”

Author:

“Kairu is a Kenyan-born, Melbourne-based writer. As an only child, writing became a means of creative escape, and slowly evolved into a deep need to express and understand herself and others.”

Appraisal:

The premise of this book is that someone known as the “Soul Taker” will come to escort you to where ever you go when it’s time for you to move on from this life. The book has been described as a novella, which is one valid way to look at it. Another way to describe it might be a collection of linked short stories. With the exception of a short introduction to the concept of the soul taker and an epilogue at the end, each chapter is the story of one person’s final moments before being escorted away by the soul taker who is the only character that ties the whole book together.

The concept was clever and each episode engaging. It’s a quick and thought provoking read. If the premise appeals, definitely worth your time to give it a try.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The author lives in Australia. This is reflected in both word usage/slang as well as spelling conventions used.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Review: Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty by Stacy Juba

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Young Adult/Chick Lit

Description:

“Dance instructor Rory Callahan likes to play it safe. When she meets Kyle, he’s impulsive, persistent, and her exact opposite. He’s pushing her to tango way past her comfort zone and keeping Rory on her toes more than twenty years of dance teachers ever had.

Unfortunately, he’s the grandson of her family’s archrival and she doesn’t want to disappoint them. After all, her parents imagine her as a proper princess - hence her namesake Aurora, AKA Sleeping Beauty. Complicating matters, Rory’s also dealing with a surgeon boyfriend who’s perfect for her (sort of), an obnoxious boss, and desperate dance moms. Kyle wants to change her whole life, but Rory doesn’t like the stakes. After all, princesses are the ones who get the happy endings. . .aren’t they?”

Author:

“Stacy Juba loves to write about Characters at a Crossroads: individuals who are finding themselves and getting on the right life path after overcoming obstacles. Her goals are to entertain readers of all ages as well as inspire them through her mystery, romance, and contemporary fiction books for adults, teens, and children. She has written about ice hockey, sibling rivalry, and sportsmanship, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths solving mysteries.”

Find out more about Ms. Juba on her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Aurora Callahan, nicknamed Rory, is floating through her life. She’s dating a doctor in residency. Their relationship is comfortable but going nowhere. When Rory trips into Kyle’s life they both enjoy a lively banter. Which entices Rory and Kyle alike.

Rory’s brother, Dylan is general manager for the family-owned Storybook Valley Amusement Park, who we met in book one. Wants to start a princess program for young girls that will incorporate dance, crafts, and games. He wants Rory to teach it. Grandmother is quick to offer her services for etiquette lessons as well. Rory agrees to start the program but can’t see how she can continue to work the program while she is teaching ballet and running interference between competitive dance students, their mothers, and other dance teachers who are tired of dealing with their overly competitive boss. It’s beginning to be a full-time job for Rory to smooth things over for everyone involved. Things are working to a boiling point.

I really enjoyed the way this story was told. I kept waiting for Rory to end up in a coma like her namesake Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. That would have devastated me, because I grew to love all the characters. That’s not to say I didn’t want to slap Rory a few times or perhaps just shake her and yell, ‘WAKE UP’. It was fun watching her learn to stand up for herself and go after her dream job and dream guy with or without her family’s approval. It was also nice to learn more about Rory’s family’s past. What a quirky family with grandmother all prim and proper, and grandfather with his feud that stems from a high school classmate and his garden gnomes. This is a quick easy, enjoyable read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

  

FYI:

Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty is book 2 in Ms. Juba’s Storybook Valley Series. These novels can be read in any order. The series starts with Fooling Around With Cinderella.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no issues with proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: Green Eggs and Weezie by Cathy Oliffe-Webster

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Description:

Weezie is happy in her marriage to Butch Polk. He’s no oil painting, and the romance has long gone from their relationship, but he’s a good provider for their two kids. Until, that is, their humdrum existence is shattered when Butch has an affair with his secretary. The story follows Weezie as she comes to terms with life as a cuckolded wife.

Author:

“Cathy Olliffe-Webster was born in 1960 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The daughter of a railroad engineer, she moved many times during her childhood, always seeking permanence in the books she read (her favorites being Nancy Drew, the Black Stallion and Harriet the Spy). After studying journalism, she continued her gypsy ways, working at community newspapers in Gravenhurst, Milton, Port Perry, Peterborough, Haliburton, Huntsville and Bracebridge. She also worked for a national medical newspaper, Family Practice, in downtown Toronto. After 20+ years of award-winning reporting, she decided she'd had enough of covering bowling banquets and curling bonspiels and turned to the graphic design side of the business. As outsourcing and the internet took a toll on traditional newspaper publishing, she retired and decided to do what she'd always dreamed of doing: write a novel.”

Appraisal:

I must say, when I search for my next book tonight, I’m going to miss spending time with Weezie. Mid-forties and overweight, she’s neither beautiful, nor brilliant, but she sure grew on me. A caring person, her most endearing attributes are her sunny view of life and the positive opinion she forms of everyone she meets. And when life serves up lemons, she certainly does turn them into lemonade.

Because this is a story told in first person and solely focused on Weezie’s journey, pretty well anything plot-wise that I reveal would be a spoiler. So, suffice to say, I really enjoyed this tale. Ms. Oliffe-Webster is a heck of a writer. Her prose are so easy on the eye, I ended up turning one last page on many occasions.

To sum up: this is a ‘feel good’ book with plenty of wry humor splashed about for good measure.

As a special bonus, the author includes a few of Weezie’s favorite recipes at the end of the story. The tale turned out in a satisfying and believable way, and left plenty of room for a sequel. IMO, Weezie deserves one.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The book is set in Canada and uses Canadian spelling.

Added for Reprise Review: Green Eggs and Weezie by Cathy Oliffe-Webster was a nominee in the Women’s Fiction category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran April 30, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

None to mention.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: The Grumpface by B.C.R. Fegan

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Description:

“Dan is a young inventor in love. He ventures into a forest looking for a rose but instead finds the mysterious Grumpface who threatens to hold him captive unless he passes some difficult challenges. What follows is a humorous adventure that neither Dan nor the Grumpface could have anticipated.”

Author:

“BCR Fegan is a multi-award-winning author who has written a number of fairy tales and fantasies for children and young adults.”

“His ravenous appetite for both reading and writing soon saw him drawing on the transformational influence of the world around him to craft short stories, poems and picture books.”

Appraisal:

What a fun kids story. I had fun reading it to my four-year-old granddaughter, with its rhyming, lyrical language and a nice mix of things that felt silly (aka fun, for a four-year-old) and serious. That my granddaughter was giggling at the Grumpface (the guy in the book, not her grandfather) was another good sign. We both enjoyed and my granddaughter hopes to revisit the grumpy old guy (that would be the grandfather this time) for another reading of The Grumpface.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 27 pages

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