Author Archives: Bairdy1985

literarybookgifts.com – Review

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Time for something a bit different today.. not a book review most certainly book related. Who doesn’t love a book related gift?

I was contacted by Melissa at Literary Book Gifts asking If I’d be able to do a review of their products.. at this point I’m going to make it clear I DIDN’T get any products for free..that’s just not me..even when I receive ARCs I still pay for a copy on release..I know it’s not a massive thing but I want everyone to know what you see on my blog I paid for.

So you might be wondering what I decided to buy.. Well I got myself a lovely tee below!

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Now I’m always worried about buying online..like most people we stick to brands or websites we know and I’ve had a bad experience when I bought from the US in the past..literally such poor quality it nearly put me off trying someone else.. so was I happy with my purchase??

Hell yes, the tee itself is super comfy. I’ve sat around in the house in it and even wore it on a hot 4 hour train journey just to see how it would feel and I’ve got no complaints.

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So what about the quality of the design..well to be honest it was better than I could have expected.

Coming from overseas you’d think it might take a while to arrive but from order to delivery it took 10 days which I’m more than happy with.

I can’t comment on all the products available obviously but I’m happy to say I loved my purchase and look forward to wearing it again.

In exchange for my honest opinion on my blog I’ve been offered a promo code of anyone who fancies a purchase, just use the code DAVIDSBOOKBLURG20 at check out!

Here’s some of the things I like on the site..

If you are interested you can find the website here – Literary Book Gifts

Do let me know what you think of the designs.

Overall I’m super happy with what I got and I’ll keep an eye on the website to see what else becomes available.. I’m hoping other bookish gifts like mugs and bookmarks..I can’t get enough of those 🙂

10 Questions with….Ike Pius (@IkePius)

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Today I bring to you a little Q&A with Ike Pius. I reviewed Ike’s book Bomber Boy back in 2016! so a Q&A is long overdue! ha.

Question 1 –   For readers who haven’t yet read your work can you give us a little bit of an insight as to what the book is about?

First let me say a big thank you for having me here on your blog, David. You have been very helpful in getting my book Bomber Boy out there in front of people.

Bomber Boy: Rise of the Underwear Bomber is more than just a story about Terrorism; this is a project for change. This is social activism… this is my lifeswork. The lead character is a terrorist or a suicide bomber who is sent to blow up a plane loaded with passengers bound for the United States.

That is exactly the point- He was sent. By whom? Why?

I try not only to make the reader laugh, but also to see that Terrorism goes a lot deeper than the folks at CNN are willing to let us see.

Question 2   Where did the idea for the story stem from?

The Underwear Bomber. The son of my country’s richest banker, is a very real person. Hence the idea for the book is inspired by real events. However, I labelled the book as fiction so as to dodge any legal issues.

Question 3  What motivated you to write the story?

Nigeria my country is always in the news for the wrong reasons. We are always looking for excuses to kill each other, but honestly religion seems to be the most effective reason we have.

I wrote a book titled Paradise That Was. This book was a story about the futility of Religious madness, particularly in the Nigerian setting.

Bomber Boy was supposed to be a radio skit to raise awareness about the book. somehow I saw more potetial in Bomber Boy and so decided to make it a book of its own.

Question 4    I enjoyed the book and quite honestly say for me it’s unique, how has it been received and how have you handled the feedback?

Well, for a guy like me with no background in literature, and no connections to the big publishing houses out there I really have no right to complain.

I just have to mention that many reviewers have refused to give me a chance just because of the colour of my skin. One American woman attempted to shoot me down in flames via a review on amazon… and then 2 years later she posted an even worse rating on goodreads. A man from Canada was moved to write about her “racism takes many forms.”

How I have handled the feedback? Difficulties have only made me stronger. I have improved the quality of the text and I am determined to keep pushing on.

Question 5  Do you plan to keep writing?

Interesting that you should ask this. Several times I have started a new draft, only to tear all up. I guess I don’t want to write anything less significant or meaningful than Bomber Boy. That would be like walking backwards. But when inspiration comes, I will be sure to write again.

Question 6  Do you have a day job? If so how do you balance this with day to day life

I run a small business which involves photography, graphics, and printing. My attitude towards life is: ‘stuff won’t get done by it’self.’

Question 7   I know you’ve worked hard to get bloggers like myself to read your work. Have you found the community as a whole supportive?

I believe that the future of publishing is not big presses or PR firms- it is bloggers. I therefore try as hard as I can to work with them. A lot of work still has to be done, like fishing out racists and scammers who don’t care about books but just want to take money from authors.

But yes, there have been a few supportive bloggers whom I have had the joy of meeting.

Question  8  What are your hopes for the next five years, personal and professional?

I would like to meet a nice girl. I would also like to see that my book Bomber Boy has gained acceptance. I don’t even know what that means, but I believe I’ll know when I get there.

Question  9  Tell me more about Ike. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I enjoy watching TV. I think my favorite show is Only Fools and Horses. I also enjoy reading. My favorite book is Gaius Julius Caesar: The Conquest of Gaul. I like to eat too..hahaha

Question 10    What would you say to convince readers to give your work a read?

Please read my book… hahahahaha

Thank you Ike!

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads.

The Blood Road (Legionary #7) by Gordon Doherty (@GordonDoherty) – Review #HistFic

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Today I’m reviewing The Blood Road (Legionary #7) by Gordon Doherty, here’s the blurb

Genre – Historical Fiction 
Pages – 345 pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

381 AD: The Gothic War draws to a brutal climax, and the victor’s name will be written in blood…

The great struggle between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Gothic Horde rumbles into its fifth year. It seems that there can be no end to the conflict, for although the Goths are masters of the land, they cannot topple the last of the imperial cities. But heralds bring news that might change it all: Emperor Gratian readies to lead his Western legions into the fray, to turn matters on their head, to crush the horde and save the East!

The men of the XI Claudia legion long for their homeland’s salvation, but Tribunus Pavo knows these hopes drip with danger. For he and his soldiers are Gratian’s quarry as much as any Goth. The road ahead will be fraught with broken oaths, enemy blades… and tides of blood.

Review

Usually when I read a book I make a few key notes to help when writing the review. I just wasn’t able to with this book.. because I couldn’t put it down long enough to write even one word. The only way to describe this book is simply tremendous!

It says something about the writer when they are able to keep a series going..and to keep it fresh and interesting.. It just never feels like the end for Pavo will ever come, even though I know one day this great series will draw to an end. That will be a sad day indeed!

But for now at least we have a new book in the series! The Blood Road, book 7 in the series. The situation with the goths is turbulent to say the least but it’s time to draw an end to the war as the western and eastern armies clash with the goths with heavy losses felt on both sides. Emperor Gratian wants to be the saviour but just how much is he willing to sacrifice to ensure glory?

I really enjoyed the warfare in the tale which was easy to immerse myself in and get lost. I’m no historian but I loved the detail of the places, weapons, clothes the author put into the tale. All of which make the story feel real as you can imagine it in your mind’s eye.

Fans of a good battle will love this tale as there’s plenty of detailed battles, and when I say detailed I mean both factual and down right engrossing man vs man to the end type of fights when your heart pumps so hard your chest will burst.

Caught in the middle of everything is Pavo who has made himself quite the enemy in Emperor Gratian and Pavo has to do his very best to stay out of harms way…in doing so he puts everyone he cares about in danger but the only way to stop things is to help end the war! but if you know the author then you’ll already know not everyone will come out of this unscathed.

There’s twists as usual from the author that really do keep you hooked and that ending had me fuming! how could you leave us like that Mr Doherty! ha.

Overall a smash hit of a book that continues to add to an already riveting series! Detailed enough to please fans who enjoy historical details but not so much as to alienate those who prefer the thrill of the plot and warfare. Gordon Doherty always has that knack of writing things exactly how I like it and long may it continue.

Hats off to the author, simply wondrous.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

Royalty and Ruin: Modern Magick #5 by Charlotte E. English – Review

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Today I’m reviewing book 5 in the Modern Magick series by author Charlotte E. English.

Here’s the blurb

Genre – Fantasy
Pages – 200 pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Fresh from a successful incursion to the Fifth Britain, Ves and Jay are summoned to the Troll Court at Mandridore — and instantly put to work, for Their Majesties have concocted exactly the kind of wild and crazy plan of which Ves approves. Could it, would it, be possible to restore the lost city of Farringale?

Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, but there’s the tiny problem of how. Who better to dig up the truth than the Society’s most colourful agents? They’re off to Whitmore once more, armed with a long list of questions, two winning smiles (well, three, if you count the Baron’s — and who wouldn’t?) and a certain Dappledok pup. Only, history has a way of being… slippery.

The truth being more complicated than Ves is inclined to hope, the only way to find out what really happened at Farringale is to go back, poke it with a stick, and see what falls out. And try not to die in the process. With her enchanted pipes in tow, a unicorn at her command and three trusty Society allies at her back, what could possibly go wrong?

First of all are you up to date on the series? No? well click the links below to read my reviews for the rest of the series 🙂

The Road to Farringale: Modern Magick, 1

Toil and Trouble: Modern Magick, 2

The Striding Spire: Modern Magick, 3

The Fifth Britain : Modern Magick, 4

Ok so on with the review.

Charlotte E. English for me has always been Queen of the short story. There’s just so much packed into her books and Royalty and Ruin is no different..at 200 pages it’s a quick fun read but it’s such a full tale that it feels like a much longer tale.

We are back with Ves and Jay as they try to protect magic in the world. This time our duo are summoned to the Troll court who require their assistance.

It’s time to head back to Farringale where this adventure started to find out the truth about what happened there. Things still aren’t adding up and Ves is determined to get to the bottom of this one way or another!

Some interesting twists in this one that really starts to tie the books together nicely. Not to give the game away but Ves might just find out why magic is on the decline but can she find a way to save it?

We get more character development during the book and I really enjoyed the growth with the Baron, sometimes he’s just there..you don’t really get much from him..he just keeps himself to himself but in this tale we get to learn more and it does make you think a little differently of him.

A magical fun ride for any fantasy lover. Perfectly paced and with a continually engrossing plot. It just ticks all the boxes for me.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

An English Revenge by Gabriel Stein – Review

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Today I’m going to be reviewing An English Revenge by Gabriel Stein. The author contacted me to see if I was willing to review his work and I gladly bought a copy via Amazon.

Here’s the blurb –

Genre – Historical Fiction
Pages – 475 pages
Rating – 4/5 Stars

The greatest battle lies within…

England is at war.

Edmund has fought the Normans all his life. First at Hastings, then in uprisings against William the Conqueror.

But as the rebellions fail, Edmund leaves England and eventually travels to Constantinople, where he joins the Byzantine Emperor’s elite Varangian Guard.

Yet Edmund is at war with himself too, torn between his new life and his dreams of revenge against the Normans – of leading an army of battle-hardened Englishmen back home to restore an English King.

Before fighting the Normans in his homeland however Edmund must defeat his enemy on the blood-soaked lands of Greece.

Edmund is a soldier. And a soldier must fight.

But not all will go according to plan. War – and revenge – always exacts a price.

Review

The tale follows Edmund a solider who has fought battles but has many more to come.

After the defeat at Hastings and the Norman’s tighten their rule Edmund finds himself drafted to Constantinople to join the Byzantine Emperor’s guard. England may have lost the will to fight but Edmund hasn’t.

An English Revenge is the authors first novel and I was surprised just how extensive the plot is.

There’s a lot going on in this tale as the Emperor has many enemies so at times It was a little hard to remember who was who when the author set the scene but as soon as we get to the juicy action I couldn’t find fault.

The pace jumps around a bit but with a plot like this one it was expected and quite easy to follow.

I enjoyed the overall plot, the characters were likable and interesting and the more I read the more I was sucked in.

Ultimately Edmund’s goal is to come back to England and rid the country of the Normans but along the way he changes..grows and while he still wants to go home you can see he’s got some inner turmoil brewing.

Edmund has found not only a place to live but also someone to love and as he starts to form some friendships you can see him slowly start to accept his lot in life.

Overall a cracking read which is well worth reading.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon. 

Confessions of a Learner Parent: Parenting like a boss by Sam Avery – Review

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So today I’m reviewing Confessions of a Learner Parent: Parenting like a boss by Sam Avery. Here’s the blurb :-

Page count – 289 pages

‘I always wanted kids – but then again, I always wanted a loft conversion. Both are pretty easy to put off as they’re very expensive and tend to wreck your house.’

Stand-up comedian Sam Avery (aka the Learner Parent) started his award-winning blog when his twin boys were born. A million nappies, Peppa Pig episodes and a lot less sleep later, he shares all the lows, highs and hilarious in-betweens of his experiences of first-time parenthood in this, his highly anticipated first book.

Sam’s honest, messy and laugh-out-loud account of trying for a baby (which transpired to be babIES) and figuring out what to do with them once they arrived – right up to the toddler years of talking, walking and tantrum-ing – will have you crying with laughter between your own nappy changes and nursery runs.

Review

My wife has raved about Sam Avery for a while after following him on Instagram. Like any good husband I wondered who this bloke was so I had a look for myself.

I liked his posts and found his comments more than a little funny so when I noticed he had a book out it was a no brainer and I picked up a copy.

I’m a dad of twins myself so I was really interested to see if this book fitted with my own experiences and for me Sam got things spot on.

What I really enjoyed about the book is its honest.. so honest it’s funny. I don’t think you can every be the perfect parent and you’ve got to be able to take a step back and relax and this book certainly made me do that.

There are bits that made me actually laugh out loud on this bus to work.. here’s just a few things that had me gagging.. “leak week”, “baby gravy”, “ever-expanding Grand Canyon”, “putrid string of aubergine” and not to forget the line “I’ve shat myself”

This book is a very fun take on becoming a parent but it’s more than just that. It’s reminder to take stock once in a while…laugh..and keep these moments alive.

It made me genuinely smile and because of that it’s worth every penny!

I enjoyed this book so much so that I’ve got tickets to his show in Newcastle later this year!

Well worth a read!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

 

The Centurion’s Son by Adam Lofthouse – Review

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Today I’m reviewing The Centurion’s Son by Adam Lofthouse.

Here’s the blurb –

Genre – Historical Fiction/Romance.

Amazon Verified Purchase.

My Rating – 4/5 Stars.

Albinus, the son of a revered Roman veteran Silus, has always longed to be a farmer, not a soldier, and live his days ploughing and reaping the harvests, with his bride-to-be, Licina. But Silus’ has darker ambitions, for Albinus to follow in his footsteps in the army.

But, as the conflicts between father and son come to a head, a growing threat comes down from the vengeful Germanic tribes to the north. Just as Albinus and Licina are about to marry, their settlement is raided by barbarians and Silus and his veteran comrades are brutally killed, while Licina is kidnapped by the raiders and taken to their king as a gift.

Believing her to be alive, Albinus sets out on a quest to find Licina, finally fulfilling his father’s wishes as training as a soldier, even as he is spurred to avenge his father’s death. As the barbarian hordes gather and plan major rebellion against the Romans, Albinus finds a new fighting spirit within him and grows in stature among the legionaries.

Licina meanwhile has a fight of her own, to escape from slavery and find Albinus. Time is running out, as the northern tribes head for Rome, decimating everything in their path…

Review

Albinus is the son of a famous Centurion but he’s nothing like his father..he’s just not cut out to be a solider and because of this the tension between them could be cut with a knife.

Silus, Albinus’s father, is retired and has set up a nice little place for his son and former colleagues to live out the rest of their days. During an outing to secure supplies for the community we get our first glimpse of the differences between the two. Albinus wants to make his dad proud but he just can’t see any way to do it.

The plot moves quickly as two Romans are captured as slaves.. will Silus help free them? The choice made haunts Albinus for a time and I’m sure he will never come to terms with it.

We next see a few really good plot developments as a strange figure appears, he’s got an agenda and is willing to do anything to make sure events play out the way he wants. At the same time we also see an enemy of Silus plot revenge for what he sees as a past wrong to be put right. These events lead Albinus and Silus down very different paths and is the making of Albinus.

Silus is now dead with Licina, Albinus’s love interest, taken. Albinus sets out to be the man his father would have always wanted. It’s time to join up and become a solider.

The story is told from different perspectives and this made for a fun read and you can see things developing quickly. You’d get engrossed and just at the right point the author would switch focus building the excitement and ramping up the suspense.

I really enjoyed the book. At times the soldiers were a bit too lovey dovey for my tastes, I prefer my soldiers to be rocks and simple nod or grunt to show affection ha.

The plot certainly has promise and I’d like to see where Albinus ends up. The development of this plot really made it what it is..and to top it off it’s a very easy-going read so someone of a younger age wouldn’t struggle with the language or word count.

A good read and an author who shows promise in the areas I like.. keep switching perspective to build on that strong plot that’s developing and you’ll have me back for the rest of the series when published 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

The Screaming Mummy (Quest Chasers #2) by Thomas & Grace Lockhaven – Review

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Title – The Screaming Mummy (Quest Chasers #2)
Author – Grace & Thomas Lockhaven 
Genre – Young Adult/Fantasy
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The Quest Chasers series, which debuted with the fun, fast, and fantastical Deadly Cavern, returns with the equally enthralling The Screaming Mummy. The evil Ranger has a track record of eliminating children, and he again (along with his creepy sidekicks) has Tommy and Eevie in his sights—this time with greater vengeance.

What sets this series apart from the competition is the loving and humor-laced companionship of Tommy, Eevie, and pal Drew. They rely on each other to solve riddles, wield magic, escape danger, and heal from relentless attacks—physically and emotionally.

The author deftly takes us from warm, quiet moments between friends to harrowing adventures, with the emotional roller coaster ride continuing throughout. Just when you think they’re safe, they’re not, and the closing chapters reveal one stunning twist after the other.

Review

Sometimes I truly believe books written for young adults are just so much better than adult novels. There’s so much freedom with the story as you try to stoke the imagination of your audience.

If you’ve not read The Deadly Cavern yet you should do! it’s fun and fast paced and is very engaging with the reader.

We are back with Tommy & Eevie. They escaped the evil range once but he’s not about to let them get away that easy. Our team grows with the addition of Drew. The three of them need to use all their knowledge to solve the riddles of the past and find a way home.. will they make it out alive this time?

The ending leaves me eagerly awaiting more. The plot is fun, the characters are likable and it’s perfectly written for a young adult who is a fan of fantasy. I dare so it’s perfect for an adult of 33 too :).

Quest Chasers is an intriguing series and I’d love to see how things play out.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Retalio by Alison Morton – Review

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Title – Retalio (Roma Nova #6)
Author – Alison Morton
Genre – Alternative History
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

“A classic tale of resistance and resilience – the only regret is when the action stops.” – Douglas Jackson Early 1980s Vienna. Recovering from a near fatal shooting, Aurelia Mitela, ex-Praetorian and former foreign minister of Roma Nova, chafes at her enforced exile. She barely escaped from her nemesis, the charming and amoral Caius Tellus who grabbed power in Roma Nova, the only part of the Roman Empire to survive into the twentieth century. Aurelia’s duty and passion fire her determination to take back her homeland and liberate its people. But Caius’s manipulations have isolated her from her fellow exiles, leaving her ostracised, powerless and vulnerable. But without their trust and support Aurelia knows she will never see Roma Nova again.

Review

We are back with Aurelia Mitela in a world where Rome didn’t fall completely and women have a much more prominent role in society. Not everyone is happy with this power divide..none more so than Caius Tellus.. a horrible worm of a man..

To truly understand the buildup to this novel you need to have read the previous two novels AURELIA and Insurrectio.

The government of Roma Nova has been overthrown and Aurelia is duty bound to help put things right..her people are being treated badly, many have died..and many more will. Caius will stop at nothing to have the power he craves even though the situation is highly volatile and he is slowly losing control.

It’s a fast paced novel full of action as the resistance fight back to take control of Roma Nova.

There’s some great twists as the resistance struggle to come together and trust each other..who wouldn’t have issues..after-all anyone could be working for Caius and one bad move could mean death for them all.

While this novel is a work of alternative history it feels quite real and plausible giving the very real political issues we are facing in the present day.

This series is all about ideals..knowing right from wrong and standing up to fight even when you know the cost may be too high.

A great addition to anyone’s library.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

The Darkest Days Fantasy Bundle Giveaway!

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For followers of my blog you’ll know doubt already know about StoryBundle.

Essentially it’s a group of authors sharing their work as a bundle to buy.. the catch? well there’s nothing really. $5 gets you four books (that’s about £3.80.. pay $15 dollars and you’ll get 11 books! that’s about £11.50..that’s nothing right?

The good thing about StoryBundle is you decide how much you want to pay and who gets the money, the authors or StoryBundle..want to give it all to the authors then go ahead 🙂

Why am I telling you this you might ask. Well one of the latest bundles is a dark fantasy bundle featuring Charlotte E. English who has to be my favorite author right now, her style, short sharp and quirky tales have me hooked and you can get The Malykant Mysteries Compendium included in this bundle and I’d say it’s worth the money just for that series.

Charlotte E. English has kindly offered up a gift code so you can own this bundle yourself for free! all you need to do is enter my competition. To keeps things really clear for everyone I’m using Rafflecopter..you can get multiple entries into the competition but I’m not asking much..just follow myself.. follow the author or tweet about the competition..simple..I’m here to spread the word so spread it!!

Click the image below to enter the competition!

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Competition ends Monday 23rd! so get entering now!! Winner will be annonced on my twitter page the following day!

Want to know what you could win? here’s the details –

The Darkest Days Fantasy Bundle – Curated by Charlotte E. English

The initial titles in The Darkest Days Fantasy Bundle (minimum $5 to purchase) are:

  • The Horn King by Alaric Longward
  • The Queen of Stilled Hearts by DeAnna Knippling
  • Raziel’s Shadow by Joseph Robert Lewis
  • Fire & Ice by Patty Jansen

If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all four of the regular titles, plus SEVEN more!

  • The Vampyricon – Book 1 – The Priest of Blood by Douglas Clegg
  • Map of Shadows by J.F. Penn
  • First Chosen by M. Todd Gallowglas
  • Ghost in the Ring by Jonathan Moeller
  • The Malykant Mysteries Compendium 1 by Charlotte E. English
  • Mourning Cloak – Taurin’s Chosen Book 1 by Rabia Gale
  • Ironhand – Taurin’s Chosen Book 2 by Rabia Gale

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub and .mobi) for all books!

Want to know more about the bundle or how StoryBundle works click here – StoryBundle