The Green Stone Tower / Brian Rush

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Fantasy

Approximate word count: 80,000-85,000 words

Availability    

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Author:

Brian Rush lives on the West Coast. He’s a lifelong lover of fantasy. The Green Stone Tower is one of five fantasy novels he’s published.

Description:

A tale of two worlds, one supporting a human society, Slavers, positioned (at least in this reader’s mind) in pseudo-Dickensian times, the other a land of magic and faerie-folk. Once, both peoples co-existed. But the Dark God forced a societal change. So, instead of living in harmony with nature and surviving from what the magically enhanced land gave, the people enslaved crops and animals, forced their will on the natural resources and outlawed magic.

In this new regime, magical folk are persecuted as witches. To save their People, the faerie gods build Green Stone Towers, obelisks in which those with magical powers could open a door and pass into a new world where they could continue to live a magical existence.

The story follows Johnny Silverbell, half-faerie, half-slaver. When he loses everything in the human world, the door to a green tower opens to him and he finds his true destiny.

Appraisal:

The opening third of the book deals with the slavers and specifically with Johnny who practices magic in secret to avoid being accused, tried, and sentenced to death as a witch. I found the writing in this segment excellent. I was immersed in the world, and the cadence of the prose seemed a perfect fit with the rigid and narrow-minded slaver society. Johnny was a compelling character, and the manner in which he is introduced to his faerie heritage kept me interested and rooting for him.

Once the story moved to the faerie world I found my attention slipping on occasions. Some of the dialogue, particularly between the gods, didn’t seem to capture the essence of these all-powerful creatures, at least not as well as the prose fitted the slaver world. But the faerie characters were interesting enough to keep me engaged, and the world-building consistently clever and believable.

The Green Stone Tower is the first book in a planned series. Brian Rush’s worlds, characters, and overall premise certainly has sufficient depth to carry a series. Overall, this is a good read. Fantasy fans will not be disappointed if they spring a couple of dollars for a copy, and I suspect they’ll be waiting anxiously for the second installment.

Format/Typo Issues:

None noted.

Rating: **** Four stars

Vlad to the Bone / Beth Orsoff

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Chick-Lit

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Availability   

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Author:

When Beth’s parents told her they didn’t send her to college to be a professional lifeguard, she moved to California and enrolled in USC Law School to become an entertainment lawyer. She also became a regular attendee of the UCLA Extension Writers Program workshops. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband when she is not traveling around the world looking for story ideas. Although she could have published Vlad to the Bone through Amazon Publishing like Vlad All Over, she chose to self-publish it due to the timing of real life events. Beth just gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby girl. To find out more about Beth visit her web site and read the author interview she gave here at Books and Pals with BigAl.

Description:

This continuing saga of Alex and Gwen picks up two years after Vlad All Over ends. Alex and Gwen seem to have found a way to put their animosity aside for the sake of their son, David. They have joint custody worked out, perhaps a little too well, according to Gwen’s new boyfriend Robert. When it becomes necessary for Gwen to return to Romania because of her claim as a legitimate heir to Vlad Tepes, old habits return and animosity takes another hold.

Appraisal:

I was quickly drawn into this fascinating and multi-layered story line, honestly how do authors come up with this stuff? Beth Orsoff was able to capture Gwen’s and Alex’s complex personalities perfectly as well as all the supporting characters. The story never lags and gets quite racy at times, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I found the relationship between Gwen and her best friend Zoe was one of my favorites. Their conversations were realistic and humorous. Zoe was a steadfast, honest friend Gwen could always depend on.

The journey that Alex and Gwen were on was a hard one, I sympathized with both characters. Alex was the perfect alpha male who would take charge and thought he always knew the best way to handle any situation. It was difficult for me to watch when he got scared. I would not want to be the one to oppose him, he was ruthless. Gwen never hesitated to oppose him, she was as strong willed and proud as he was. As a result, she would make decisions just to spite Alex, not really taking her or her son’s best interest into consideration. Her pride was a problem for me.

The children in this story I felt were captured very well. Isabella is now a sassy ten year-old and David an adorable two year-old. The well-being of both was in the forefront of everything Gwen did concerning her and Alex’s joint custody of David. It was interesting to watch how she and Alex handled the kids and the single-parent dating scene. Since the story is mainly told through Gwen’s point of view, we mainly saw how she handled it with her boyfriend Robert (Dr. Bob) and only one of Alex’s girlfriends, Brianna, who was the latest and most serious.

The twists in the plot about Gwen’s claim to Vlad Tepe’s blood line drove the plot forward in interesting ways. I found them captivating and compelling. It is clear how Ms. Orsoff’s storytelling skills are growing as well as her understanding of the human condition. I will not hesitate to buy her future books; they are always creative and unique.

FYI:

This book contains adult language and sexual situations that may be offensive to some.

This is a sequel to the book Vlad All Over. That book should be read first for an adequate understanding of the backstory to the events in Vlad to the Bone.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no errors or issues.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Free, Free, #Free

The author of each of these books has indicated their intent to schedule these books for a free day for the Kindle versions today on Amazon. Sometimes plans change or mistakes happen, so be sure to verify the price before hitting that "buy me" button. 

Destiny's Kingdom: Legend of the Chosen, by Jennifer Selzer & Daniel Humber

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Dead(ish), by Naomi Kramer

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A Chance for Charity, by S.L. Baum

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Author's interested in having their free book featured either here on a Thursday or a sister site on a Monday, visit this page for details.

Hamelin’s Child / D.J. Bennett

Reviewed by: Ryan Bracha

Genre: Thriller

Approximate word count: 85,000-90,000 words

Availability    

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Author:

Debbie Bennett is a civil servant with 25 years of experience within law enforcement, and has written several books, one of which (Hamelin’s Child) was long-listed for The Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger award.

Description:

Michael Redford meets Eddie in a nightclub on his seventeenth birthday, who spikes his drink and kidnaps him, pumping him full of heroin and raping him several times. Once he comes to, three weeks later, he is pimped out by Eddie and his cohort Joss in exchange for heroin fixes. His only ally is the more experienced yet younger boy Lee, who also lives in the flat that he is held hostage in. Throughout all of this, Michael’s sister Kate tries to track down the brother that the rest of the world believes is dead.

Appraisal:

I found myself pulled in two directions by Hamelin’s Son. The story itself is great, the harrowing and no doubt realistic story of a teenager forced to grow up by the unfortunate and downright nasty circumstances which he finds himself in. The descriptive prose paints a pretty slick image of a world where grown men can prey on young men’s vulnerability, and Bennett’s experience in the world of law enforcement certainly shines through the darkness of the tale she tells.

My issue with it was that I honestly did not care whether Michael lived or died, or whether he would eventually be found by his sister. The characters were what let this story down, it could well have been a plank of balsa wood that was kidnapped and raped, and it would have stirred just the same emotions – none. The character of Kate was equally dull, and of all of the personal struggles she was having, attempting to organize (or call off) a wedding whilst at the same time trying to hold her regimented family together, I couldn’t care less. Some of the dialogue felt occasionally clunky for this reader, and perhaps even a little unrealistic (I imagined most of it as if it were spoken by the cast of Pride and Prejudice, yet these people are supposed to be London rogues), and some of the decisions made were just slightly too convenient for the purpose of the story, but that’s a minor gripe which didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment.

In summary, this was a really good, descriptively dark and harrowing tale of addiction and sexuality, but the cardboard characters and some of the dialogue badly let it down for my taste. Heroin has been done better in the past (Requiem For A Dream, Trainspotting), and no doubt will be done better again in the future.

FYI:

Adult language and content throughout.

Format/Typo Issues:

None.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Firefly Hollow / T.L. Haddix

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Availability   

Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: NO Smashwords: NO Paper: Yes

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Author:

T.L. Haddix was born in Hazard, Kentucky, a small town in the heart of Appalachia country. She states, "Growing up, I wanted to be everything - astronaut, police officer, doctor, teacher, reporter, psychologist - there was no clear choice for me. I wanted to do it all. Becoming a writer has allowed me to do just that, because I can live vicariously through my characters." She now lives in southern Indiana with her husband and three cat-children. Firefly Hollow is the first of a new romance series. T.L. Haddix is the author of the Shadows/Leroy Collection, a series of standalone romantic suspense novels. You can join her on her facebook page.

Description:

Badly scarred from emotional wounds that have never healed, Owen Campbell has become a mysterious recluse. Determined not to let anyone close enough to hurt him again, he lives in a prison of his own making. Sarah Jane Browning is the girl across the Hollow, the girl next door. When she breaks the rules and trespasses onto his land, Owen’s willpower is shaken. When tragedy strikes, both are forced to reevaluate their circumstances. Owen’s secrets could tear them apart forever.

Appraisal:

This story opens with a scene from Sarah’s past where we are given a peek at Sarah’s family and what life was like for them in the heart of the Appalachian country in the late 1950s and 60s. The characters are well developed and endearing. It didn’t take long for me to enjoy their company and feel their pains. The dialogue was authentic and humorous at times, especially the conversations between Sarah and her mother Eliza. The author’s descriptive prose was stellar; you can tell this area of the country holds a special place in the author’s heart. I loved the paranormal twist that the author gave Owen; it truly made the suspension of belief easy to accept and drew me in to the old Appalachian folk tales. I loved everything about his character. Owen’s journey to his own acceptance is what makes this story exceptional.

There are many twists in the plot and when a devastating tragedy strikes Sarah’s family while Owen is away dealing with his uncles’ misfortune, things get complicated. I began to wonder if Sarah would ever be given the chance to know Owen’s secrets or if Owen would have enough faith in himself to trust Sarah with them. I had completely forgotten I was reading a romance and one of the elements of a romance is a Happily Ever After.

FYI:

This book contains adult language and sexual situations that may be offensive to some.

Format/Typo Issues:

I received and read a promotional copy prior to all edits being done, therefore I can not judge in this area.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Wolf N’ Mouse (Episode 1 of When, Were, and Howl) / Jeanette Raleigh

Reviewed by: SingleEyePhotos

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Approximate word count: 13,000 – 14,000 words

Availability  

Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: NO Paper: NO

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Author:

Jeanette Raleigh has spent all her life enjoying one creative pursuit or another. Her When, Were, and Howl series of novelettes showcases her playful side. She is an artist in addition to being an author.

For more, visit the author’s website or blog.

Description:

A were is, almost by definition, a wolf. And if a were doesn’t meet that definition, then what?

Appraisal:

The metadata for this book indicates it is the first 3 episodes of this novella-series, but it actually only contained the first episode, Wolf ‘N Mouse. The first episode is novella-length, and serves as an adequate introduction to the main character, Jen, and her life. Jen has a crush on her boss, Rob. To impress him, she uses a stolen amulet in an attempt to change her were to wolf. Mayhem ensues…

This story introduces the main characters – Jen, Rob, Jen’s best friend Ali, and Jen’s extended family. None of the characters shows much depth, but that’s probably to be expected in a story of this length, and as far into the series as this is. Even without the character development, Jen, Rob, and Ali came across as quirky and fun – you wanted to keep on reading and see what they got up to.

It’s very difficult to adequately appraise this story because it’s like reviewing only the first chapter of a longer book – there just isn’t enough there to form a good judgment. The author was able to set the scene well, she had some promising characters, and the beginnings of what appeared to be an entertaining storyline. But there’s no way for me to tell if subsequent episodes lived up to the promise of this one.

FYI:

Adult situations and topics. They are not explicit, and most are dealt with very humorously. If this were a movie, it would probably have a PG-13 rating.

Format/Typo Issues:

Formatting is something the author could improve upon. There was a great deal of ‘white space’ in the story, and sentences that really should belong to the prior paragraph occasionally formed a separate paragraph – even when the break was in the middle of speech. Also, the first couple of paragraphs of the 6^th chapter were written in 3^rd person, instead of 1^st person like the rest of the story. Those paragraphs almost look as though they were the author’s summary notes for that chapter.

Rating: *** Three stars

Long Way Down / Tony Black

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Crime / Noir

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

Tony Black is an award winning national journalist who covered a diverse range of stories from crime to nightclub reviews. Tony then moved into writing crime novels, with nine now published to critical acclaim.

More information can be found about Tony Black on his website or blog.

Description:

Gus Dury is a down at heel ex-reporter with a dark past. He’s kicking his heels in life when Danny Murray, a runner for local gang boss Boaby ‘Shaky’ Stevens, asks Gus to do a job for him – find an old friend, Barry Fulton. Gus is reluctant, but £3,000 helps sweeten the deal. Gus quickly learns Barry has got involved with Irish gangsters encroaching onto Shaky’s patch and, unless he finds him soon, someone’s going to end up dead.

This standalone novella is part of Black’s Gus Dury series, the other four (Paying For It, Gutted, Loss, and Long Time Dead) are full length novels.

Appraisal:

Long Way Down is a gem of a story. It’s theoretically a quick read, however I found myself spending a lot longer than normal with it simply because I wanted to stay immersed in the prose. This was a challenge because the action starts on the first page, when Danny steps into Gus’s sphere, and doesn’t let up.

The characters are very strong, Gus himself clearly has a deep background with references made to a difficult upbringing. He drinks, swears, fights – not someone you’d want your daughter to bring home. But he’s resolute, loyal, tough – someone you’d want at your back. The supporting cast of (few) friends and (many) enemies are equally entertaining – Gus mixes with some dubious company. A particular favourite is Mac the Knife, a man not to be messed with.

The dialogue is sharp and at times witty, despite the gritty and grimly sharp Edinburgh location which, is excellently described with a minimum of carefully chosen words and some local vernacular. For example:

The bar was dark, dingy. In days gone past there’d have been a pall of grey smoke you’d struggle to shine headlamps through. Now the nicotine-stained walls and ceiling looked painfully over-exposed – the woodchip papering would turn to writhing maggots after a few scoops.

And another:

I picked out the smell of p*ss and sickly-sweet Buckfast mingling on the grimy stairwell. Some of the young crew had been in to tag the walls since my last visit, and despite being a respecter of the creative urge I couldn’t help but think their efforts sucked balls. Right into a hernia.

The only ‘disappointment’ with Long Way Down? I finished it too quickly! Top drawer noir.

FYI:

Frequent strong language.

Format/Typo Issues:

None.

Rating: ***** Five Stars.

Baby, You’re as Sweet as 3.14159265 / Hog Wild

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Humor

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

“Hog Wild is a humor author, stand-up comedian, and lover of chicken wings.

He produces funny dating advice videos and other comedy on his web site.”

Description:

Subtitled “101 funny love advice answers, 20 sexy stories, and lots of jokes,” HogWild has “collected his best jokes, stories, and hysterical dating advice from his New York City stage show and his popular video series,” and compiled them into this book.

Appraisal:

This book was hilarious. If you aren’t turned off by humor that at times, at least by some standards, is crude (although no more so than what you might find on a cable TV comedy special) and if you’re able to overlook the occasional typo (this could stand another round of proofing to shakeout a lot of stragglers), then chances are you’ll feel the same. At least some of the love advice might even be good, just remember that this is comedy and the laugh is the goal. Hog Wild has a few “characters” that chime in to help him from time to time that include Nerd Boy (I wonder if he suggested the book’s title) and Redneck Guy, who provide some alternative perspectives on the world of dating. Just like a standup comedy act, without the need to dress up and travel downtown.

FYI:

Adult language and situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

A large number of typos and proofing errors.

Rating: *** Three stars

The Bastard’s Handbook / Wayne Johnson

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Humour

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

US born Wayne Johnson moved to the UK to take up a job as a journalist. However, at the age of 30 Wayne caught the travel bug and for a year moved around the world to various exotic locations. Wayne then became a travel writer, as well as a novelist.

You can learn more about Johnson on his website.

Description:

The Bastard’s Handbook is a manual for men, basically how to be a better bastard towards your friends and women in general. It contains information on how to steal your best friend’s girl, favourite sexual positions, how to recognize different types of bastards, how to borrow money and never pay it back, and must have bastard accessories.

Appraisal:

There’s really not much to say about The Bastard’s Handbook, either you’ll like the humour or you won’t. For example there is a section about dumping your girlfriend for someone better:

Wait for her to make the first move and then kiss her with false passion, holding back tears due to the fake raw emotion will only add to the effect. Then if the situation presents itself have your wicked way, remember there is nothing better than to prey on the emotionally needy.

This is a very mild quote in comparison to some of the suggestions.

There are chapters on quotes by famous bastards (e.g. Napoleon), bastard categories (like lucky, dirty etc.), how to get more sex, how to cheat on your partner, suitable music and books and careers as a bastard among others. It can get a bit repetitive. For example, there are 37 types of bastard plus another section called ‘Other Bastard terms’ where a further 12 are listed.

The dropped capital T in the above heading is as it is in the book. This was quite typical. The version I reviewed looked thrown together. There were large gaps between lines and paragraphs and there were many and repeated punctuation and spacing errors.

Unfortunately, I didn’t laugh once. I once read How to be a Complete Bastard by Adrian Edmondson, a spin off from a UK comedy series, The Young Ones. At the time I loved it, however, I was 16. Perhaps that’s the problem…

FYI:

Frequent strong language and sexual references.

Format/Typo Issues:

Format and punctuation errors, several misspelled words.

Rating: ** Two Stars

Skin Games / Adam Pepper

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Approximate word count: 70-75,000

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: YES

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Author:

Adam Pepper produces both fiction and non-fiction works. His novels are typically a blend of horror and suspense.

More can be found about Adam Pepper on his website.

Description:

When Maria needs help to save her business from mobsters, she turns to Skin, a shadow of a man who lives in the dark. But Maria wants to know if Skin is the right man for the job so he tells the story of Sean O’Donnell.

O’Donnell is New York Irish who grew up in the Bronx. When still young his father disappears, so his mother is forced to perform sexual favours in order to survive. Before long Sean is drawn into the mob world, stealing cars for Vinny Macho, a low level gang member. However he falls for Nicole, a troubled wild child – unfortunately her father is the mob boss Don Mario. The Don tries to dissuade O’Donnell from seeing his daughter, applying ever-increasing pressure to ensure the message gets through.

Appraisal:

There was a lot to like about Skin Games. The sense of place in gritty New York was well drawn, the characters were generally strong (O’Donnell himself was a good protagonist) and the dialogue interesting. The story moved along at a decent pace as we watched O’Donnell back himself further and further into a corner because of his strong will and deep-seated need to never break a promise, despite the heap of trouble it ultimately gets him into.

First and foremost O’Donnell is loyal, initially to the mob (the police put him under pressure, but he won’t give) and then to Nicole (who applies her own demands on O’Donnell with her behaviour). Skin Games is also about friendships but most surprising was the gradual realization that underlying the mob life and violence this is ultimately a love story.

This was a good book, well written and enjoyable.

FYI:

Some graphic violence.

Format/Typo Issues:

None

Rating: **** Four Stars.