Category Archives: Book Reviews

As Wings Unfurl by Arthur M. Doweyko – Review

The Prisoner: A Forest Lord Novelette by Steven A. McKay (@SA_McKay) – Review

Title – The Prisoner: A Forest Lord Novelette
Author – Steven A. McKay
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – 20th December 2016
Pages – 27 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

When two lawmen – fabled former outlaws themselves – are sent to a snowy English village to arrest a rapist it seems a straightforward task, but is all as it first appears?

England 1325 AD

As Robin Hood and Little John take the criminal into custody they find the people of Stapleford accommodating enough and the terrified victim’s bruises are plainly visible. Inevitably, as they set off on the journey back to Nottingham the lawmen’s disgust at the captive’s crime colours their opinion of him and Little John has to be restrained from brutally assaulting the man.
The harsh winter conditions slow their progress though, and eventually the prisoner’s protestations and desperate violent actions have the lawmen questioning what’s really been happening in Stapleford…

Can Robin and John complete the mission they’ve been given, or will their own innate sense of justice lead them down an unexpected path?

Fans of the bestselling Forest Lord series will love this exciting new stand-alone tale, set just before Blood of the Wolf, that explores the themes of morality and justice in medieval England.

Review

The Prisoner is a short story in the absolutely brilliant Forest Lord series by Steven A. McKay which brings fresh life to the tale of Robin Hood.

This short is 27 pages long which isn’t much but you get a good little story for your 99p.

If like me you’ve read the rest of the Forest Lord series you’ll be needing a fix of McKay right about now and this does the job nicely.

What I really enjoyed about this tale is once again how the author manages to give an ending I didn’t see coming. You really never know with McKay what twists and turns he’s going to throw at you.

For me the story ticks all the right boxes for a short tale. If you’re familiar with the series you’ll love being back, and if you’ve not read the series yet this would a be a great insight to McKay’s Robin.. you can’t go wrong for 99p in my opinion.

This isn’t a Christmas tale but it does have an ending which can bring a smile to your face and give you a bit of joy which is exactly what you need at this time of year. Justice will be served.

Everyone is busy with the holiday season so this is the perfect tale for you, it’s not a big commitment and it’s got a strong story which builds on the series and characters we’ve grown to love

Top notch for a short story

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Death in Profile by Guy Fraser-Sampson @GuyFSAuthor – Review

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Title – Death in Profile – Book 1 of the Hampstead Murders
Author – Guy Fraser-Sampson
Genre – Thrillers
Publication – March 2016
Pages – 320 Page
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The genteel façade of London’s Hampstead is shattered by a series of terrifying murders, and the ensuing police hunt is threatened by internal politics, and a burgeoning love triangle within the investigative team. Pressurised by senior officers desperate for a result a new initiative is clearly needed, but what? Intellectual analysis and police procedure vie with the gut instinct of ‘copper’s nose’, and help appears to offer itself from a very unlikely source a famous fictional detective. A psychological profile of the murderer allows the police to narrow down their search, but will Scotland Yard lose patience with the team before they can crack the case? Praised by fellow authors and readers alike, this is a truly original crime story, speaking to a contemporary audience yet harking back to the Golden Age of detective fiction. Intelligent, quirky and mannered, it has been described as ‘a love letter to the detective novel’. Above it all hovers Hampstead, a magical village evoking the elegance of an earlier time, and the spirit of mystery-solving detectives. Guy Fraser-Sampson is an established writer best known for his series of Mapp and Lucia novels which have been featured on BBC Radio 4 and optioned by BBC television. This is his debut work of detective fiction, and the first title in the Hampstead Murders series.

Review

Twist after twist after twist.. with misdirection thrown in.. wow.

This story follows a police investigation into a series of murders. The case has been stagnant for some time but when a body turns up with new evidence to look at things start to pick up.

Something I really liked form the start was the mention of “copper’s nose” and how the author showed relationships and motivations in the police department itself. It’s the whole issue of old school and new school techniques and ideas. Loved it.

As the case progresses a profiler is brought in to help them narrow the search..using this profile leads them to a suspect…

What happens after that is some wonderful twists and misdirection that had me engrossed. At one point I thought I’d figured it out but no.. twist.

The plot was great, characters were believable and interesting and I liked there was more to this tale than just a simple police procedural book, the characters had more depth to them.

For me it kept me guessing right until the end and I was that engrossed I finished it in 2 days.. it wasn’t a case of I didn’t want to put it down but more that I just couldn’t put it down!

My thanks go to the authour for the chance to read/review their work

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Guillaume by Prue Batten – Review

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Title – Guillaume (The Triptych Chronicle Book 2)
Author – Prue Batten
Genre – Historical Fiction
Publication – 10^th Dec 2016
Pages – 314
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The Church – powerful and moneyed.
The Heretics – zealous and poor.
Lyon – a city that might claim to cast the seeds of reformed thinking upon the world.
Guillaume of Anjou, formerly an archer fighting with other Angevins in the Third Crusade, is now the manager of a successful merchant house. In his new position, he unwittingly steps into and out of the shadowed world of trade and secrets in Lyon.
Guillaume carries the weight of a book in his hands – a book that may well light the flame of the greatest philosophical and spiritual change Europe will experience so that word and sword will cut a swathe through the fabric of life in Lyon.
But he has also made an enemy who wants nothing more than revenge.
He will fight for his life…

“With her customary elegant use of language, Prue Batten plunges us effortlessly into the mercantile houses, twisted alleys and secret shadowy tunnels of medieval Europe. Guillaume is a riveting tale of twelfth century trade, treachery and intrigue.” Matthew Harffy, bestselling author of The Bernicia Chronicles.

“This is for readers who love the historical fiction of writers such as Wendy Dunn, but yearn for the adventure of an earlier period and the excitement and mystery of ordinary people tangled in dangerous politics.” Gillian Polack, bestselling author of The Middle Ages Unlocked

Review

This is my first venture into the work of Prue Batten and I can safely say I was impressed!

The book follows a man named Guillaume who helps run a merchant house. I can’t lie, I loved him.

His life is about to change very quickly. As we go through the tale you can tell he likes to give out a calm impression but underneath he’s exhausted.

From the start of the book you can tell someone is either out to get Guillaume or destroy the business he helps run but you are kept guessing as to which and the motive behind it. I really enjoyed the mystery in the book, the author keeps you hooked until she is ready to reveal all.

Character development is the thing I look for most in a book. I need to find them believable and Prue Batten has put together an ensemble that ticks all the right boxes for me. Not only was Guillaume a great character but the story also had a great supporting cast to the tale. The relationships, motivations and personas all felt right, they developed naturally rather than being forced.

This book is full of treachery, murder, mystery and intrigue. Shadows form the past return and it’s all woven together in a wonderful plot that was gripping from start to finish. This book really was a treat to read.

I also really enjoyed the descriptiveness used by the author. Prue gives you a background to the trade Guillaume is part of and this only added to the story which made it feel more real.

I can’t spoil the plot for you but can I can say this, there’s multiple players involved in this story and until the last few chapters you don’t have all the pieces so it a real buzz when things start to click together.

A special mention must go out for the ending of this book. Again I can’t spoil it but it suited the story perfectly and left me with that empty feeling..Hold on, that’s a good thing! I mean I was left with that “oh wow” moment and was left wanting.. needing more. I can’t wait to read more of the authors work.

Guillaume is a well written tale with great characters and a perfectly paced plot.. There’s nothing about this story I didn’t love!

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work. I’ll certainly be watching out for more 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

The Gift-Knight’s Quest by Dylan Madeley – Review

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Title – The Gift-Knight’s Quest
Author – Dylan Madeley
Genre – Fantasy
Publication – March 2015
Pages – 289 Pages
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

When a young woman named Chandra takes the throne under suspicious circumstances, she has to solve the deaths of the King and Queen before those responsible get to her. She has to maintain peace in an empire where people consider her the number one suspect.

Derek is summoned by an official letter and his people’s tradition to be Chandra’s personal guard. He’s immediately suspicious given that her family ruined his once-noble ancestors, but if there’s no way to escape the world’s largest empire, what might he do to turn the tables?

Interwoven with Derek and Chandra’s story is the history of their ancestors, infamous and famous, that lead them to confrontation. A new world is built before the reader’s eyes, and key groundwork is laid for the impending sequels, leading to a highly detailed narrative.

Review

The Gift-Knight’s Quest follows two main characters, Derek and Chandra. Both have led very different lives and a family feud from years past has the potential to resurface.

I felt the plot was strong, I liked the idea of these two meeting, the trust issues that would ensue thanks to the family history. Blood is thicker than water so they say..

This isn’t the fantasy tale I’m used to, it’s more of a fiction tale but you are teased with little bits about powers we’ve not yet witnessed which hopefully will appear in the next book in the series to give it the fantasy kick.

Chandra’s tale for me was the stronger. I particularly liked the political issues covered in the book. I won’t spoil it but as you can imagine when a young girl is thrust upon the throne not everyone is happy, some want rid of her altogether.

This is where Derek comes in. He’s actually sent to serve the new queen and protect her. Given the family history you’d think they would send someone else but I really liked how the author explains why Derek is the one sent.

The story is told from different perspectives so I don’t think the relationship between Derek and Chandra really had the chance or time to develop, thus leaving plenty for the author to work with as the series continues.

Something that I really liked was the history, the author explores past events that led to the family feud. My only issue was it bounced around without warning sometimes and changed character perspective so I was left reading a paragraph before things made sense to me.

My favourite character had to be Jan Donde, Captain of the Guard. I loved the relationship that formed between him and the new queen. I hope he gets more page time in the next installment. I think he’s got more to bring to the story.

The pace of the book is steady and you get the history thrown in to give the plot some depth and to slow the tale down about, it worked well and I was left at the end looking forward to the next book to see where things go.

In all honesty it’s a good read, decent pace and has set the next book up nicely. I’ll be keeping an eye out for it that’s for sure as the twist towards the end of the tale does leave me excited for more.

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

12 days of Clink Street Christmas Event: Review & Guest Post! – The Learn by Tony Halker

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As part of the 12 days of Clink Street Christmas blog tour I’m very happy to bring you a guest post from Tony Halker author of The Learn who will give us a bit of an insight into his work..but first.. here’s my review of the book. 🙂

Here’s the book blurb –

Blending reality, history and legend, about a time when women were considered as important as men, taking power in an oral society that worships the Goddess. A whole Celtic Druid world is laid out before us, incorporating beliefs, technology and the natural environment.
A Celtic boy, a beach scavenger, is pledged to the Learn, a life of endurance, a path to become sworn Druid: scholar and warrior. Young women and men progress, becoming Priests and Druidii. Friendship, affection, passion and care develop as novices mature, confidence emerging.
Seasonal battles of winter and summer bring rich festivals when seeds of men are taken by women in pleasure to prove fertility. Small damaged, hurt peoples on the margins of Celtic society blend in and out of vision.
At frontiers with Nature, dependent for everything on what the earth gives or takes, an emotional response to the natural environment defines who people are and the values they live by.
A lyrical novel resonating with modern readers through portrayal of character, language and history; arising from a landscape of today, yet centred in the Celtic Bronze Age of North Wales.

Review

The Learn follows Owayne on his journey from being a boy, a local beach scavenger to that of a priest.

What i really enjoyed about this book was that the author really made me think about development, growth and learning within the human race. We take so much for granted but at one point humans didn’t have things such as paracetamol, cars, bricks even..the list is endless.

It was really good to see the author show different views to learning. As you could imagine some people would be open to new ideas but even in this day and age some people are stuck in there ways and don’t see things as progress.

My personal view is Owayne’s journey is one of enlightenment as he opens his mind and his eyes to all the possibilities out there in the world..all the wonders waiting to be shared.

For me the pace of the tale was a little 0n the slow side..i like a fast paced tale after all, but the pace did offer the chance for you to see the spiritualistic or even sometimes simplistic and differing views on knowledge and development.

This book isn’t a hard read as such but it needs your time and focus to really understand and enjoy the tale. The language used takes time to digest to fully immerse yourself in “The Learn”.

Overall The Learn is a very creative and interesting tale about knowledge and development along with the dangers surroundings it. The final few chapters of the tale really had me hooked with the injection of action right when you needed it.

The tale really does make me think about what it must have been like when things were discovered.. and would have i been one of those scared, or would i have embraced it?

It’s a calm story for the most part and the book would be really suited for those who have the time to devote to it, to embrace the tale like Owayne must embrace “The Learn”

For me it’s a solid 4* 🙂

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

My thanks go to Authoright for the chance to read/review the book and to Tony who shares with us his insight to “The Learn” below.

“The Learn”

“The Learn” is about technology change, the values and beliefs that emerge in us from technology, the confidence or fear those changes engender; the angst that emerges in us when we perceive we have lost or will lose some control or power. It is also about belief, blasphemy, equality, power and authority and our reactions to those things

My canvas is the bronze age, it enables me to add a dimension that is Nature, the environment, what it gives, takes and threatens. Some readers have wanted to say that “The Learn” is about the bronze age. I prefer to express that it is simply set there because that age offers real places that are fertile territory and lend other dimensions to a rich story. That context lets me challenge on issues of interest.

I love the mountain beach landscape of “The Learn”, I can wander there today. It is full of stone age and bronze age artefacts, remnant dwellings and even jewellery of skill and imagination. I envision peoples who emerged from the land, were formed by its gifts and pressures, yet faced the same comforts and fears as we do now. I think they were like us, laying foundations for us to build on in many areas of technology, values and beliefs.

I wanted to write a book that is not a quick fix; that draws people in with effort, that is not sensational; is as much about landscape, place, voice, nature and atmosphere as about particular events. I want a reader to live within my novel. I hope that a few may grieve a little when a character joins his or her ancestors or just slips from view. I hope at the end of the story I am leaving questions about the people and their future developments that will have readers seeking out a sequel, the next stage of The Learn

We have so much folklore to build on to make a rich story. We know the names of Celtic/Druid Deities, we have the Romans’ view of their defeated enemies that they clearly feared. I have taken the festivals of summer and winter, their transition and what we know about them today and tried to re-imagine them in the place where they were first formed, performed and meant so much for the coming season, harvests, weather and the goodwill of The Deities.

We know the Romans twice tried to eliminate the seat of Druid power in North Wales. It was not just people they feared but power, culture and values, a belief system to challenge that of Rome; where women ruled alongside men and Druids controlled belief and trade. Societies and cultures, tribes and families prosper or fail based upon cohesion, shared values and joint vision, as well as effort and purpose. I wanted to weave that into “The Learn”, since I hoped to form a historical novel that considers the issues we face today and acknowledges that our forebears so far back were intelligent, worthy ancestors whose spirit and blood runs in our veins.

I wanted my characters to be ordinary, yet interesting. There are damaged small people whose bodies are malformed, by poor diet, over work in the dark, the challenges of nature and the ill will of superstition. There are lonely souls of uncertain gender whose purpose of being has been taken by time and technology change, but who find some comfort and will to live by fulfilling the purpose they were taught, even though that no longer has merit or use to society.

Nature, Anu the Goddess looks down on all of this. She challenges in order to see the development of Knowledge of human peoples. She values fortitude.

We are here because we have struggled and survived through hunger, cold, heat, climate change and competition for resources. We are the ones who made it this far, yet as a species we have lived for only a couple of million years, (the Dinosaurs lived for about 180 million years). Our spirit needs to be on edge, alert to threats, planning how to manage, to fight or flee. We need daily challenge and purpose if our biology is not to shut down. I wanted to write about that and how our ancestors may have acknowledged these issues and managed them.

Purchase from Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Learn-Tony-Halker-ebook/dp/B01JQVQKSE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1473955705&sr=1-1&keywords=tony+halker

Purchase from Foyles – http://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/fiction-poetry/the-learn,tony-halker-9781911110576

About Tony Halker

Born in London, Tony Halker studied geology at Leeds University after which he worked as a geologist, travelling extensively overseas. Following an MBA at Cranfield School of Management, he became a manager in hi-tec business and later a businessman and entrepreneur. His writing is inspired by powerful natural landscapes and his interest in the people and technologies emerging from those hard places. His two daughters were born in North Wales. He lives with his wife there and in Hertfordshire.

Website – http://www.tonyhalker.com/

Blog – http://www.tonyhalker.com/blog

12 days of Clink Street Christmas Event: Enemy Series Intro & Review – Rob Sinclair

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Today i’m very happy to bring you my review of Dance With The Enemy by Rob Sinclair and also a little intro to the series which Rob has kindly written for us.

First off i must say I’ve heard many a good things said about this author by fellow bloggers. I’ve actually had the three books in the series for a little while already so when i heard he would be taking part in the Clink Street Christmas event it was an easy decision for me to pick him as someone i’d like to feature . Word of mouth speaks a lot to me and with so many good comments i just had to buy the series and i’m very glad that I’ve had the time to read/review the first book in the series.

I’ll pass you over to Rob to give you an intro then you can read my review 🙂

Intro to Enemy series

My Enemy series of books have now sold 200,000 copies worldwide since the release of the first book, Dance with the Enemy, in 2014, which was followed by Rise of the Enemy and Hunt for the Enemy. But for those people not familiar, what are they about?

I set out with the Enemy series to write books that were fast-paced and filled with action, because those are the types of books that I’ve always enjoyed reading myself (not to mention the types of TV and film that I watch too). I had a vague concept in my head as to who the central character would be. A tough guy. An all action hero who’d lived much of his life in that vast area of grey that separates right and wrong, but who had a certain vulnerability about him too. That last part was very important to me. I’d become increasingly tired of heroes who were too perfect, almost superhuman, and wanted a much more grounded and human hero. One who makes mistakes and one who gets hurt. And so was born Carl Logan.

Many years ago Logan, as a tearaway teenager, an orphan moving from foster home to foster home, and increasingly getting himself mixed up with gangs and drugs, was recruited by a shady law enforcement figure – Mackie- as a low level informant. Over the years that relationship grew until Mackie himself moved on in the world becoming a Commander of a secretive intelligence agency known as the JIA (Joint Intelligence Agency). Seeing potential in Logan, largely given his bleak outlook on life and his nothing to lose mindset, Logan was brought into the fold at the JIA and, through years of physical and psychological training, was turned into something of a killing machine, travelling the world and carrying out the dirty work of the UK and US governments, under the radar.

But, despite the brainwashing training, there was always a gnawing inside Logan that he was more than just an assassin, a feeling that wholly comes to the fore when Logan is captured, tortured and left for dead while on a JIA mission in the Middle East. Which is the point in time where the Enemy series picks up, with Logan struggling to come to terms with that trauma, and trying to figure out exactly who he is, with many in his organisation now believing him to be goods damaged beyond repair.

The three books follow Logan from that lowest point on a journey of not just redemption and proving his self worth, but of revenge too, as he tries in vain to get his life back on track and to get his own back on those who’ve wronged him. Starting in Dance with the Enemy, Logan is drawn into a plot to kidnap America’s Attorney General in Paris, and the series follows Logan across the globe as he tracks down the bad guys whilst coming to terms with betrayal after betrayal – some closer to home than others – and all the time wondering where his life is headed, and whether he can ever truly escape his past, and what he is.

My Review – Dance With The Enemy

Carl Logan is a man who has been trained to take orders and not ask questions but after things go wrong on a recent job he’s no longer the same agent he was. He’s been broken and it’s clear throughout the story that while he’s still good at his job he’s just not as focused as he should be.

From the first big scene involving the kidnapping of the Attorney General Frank Modena I was hooked. The detail had me gripped as I focused on the action.

Logan is sent in to find and retrieve the Attorney General little does he know that the man who broke him is involved somewhere along the line.

What happens next is a great spy thriller where Logan has to put the pieces together and find out what’s truly happening. It’s clear to Logan from the start not everything is clear cut as some would like it to be.. so what is the real truth behind the kidnapping??

I won’t give the game away but the author did throw in some great twists. One i’ll admit i thought was coming but as to how it played out i had no idea.. and wow..it’s a good one.

Development is a big thing for me. Not only do i have to like the characters but i need to see a path for them to grow and Rob Sinclair delivered everything i could have wanted with Logan. You’re given tit bits of info building as the story unfolds and this way of developing the lead character really helped hook me in.

I loved that Logan isn’t perfect..he’s far from it. You know he won’t come out of this without a scratch and it just makes the whole tale all the more gripping.

The supporting characters were pretty well covered too. i loved the way the author managed to again give little bits of info.. just enough at the time but never overdoing it..keeping you just a little in the dark to everyone’s motivations.. as it should be with a spy thriller.

When i reached the end i could easily see why so many people had given great reviews..it’s more than deserved.

This tale is ultimately about revenge. It’s full of action and intrigue. The plot has to be the number 1 thing that stood out for me.. lot’s of different motivations and agendas and i just couldn’t put it down

My rating – 5/5 Stars!

About Rob Sinclair

Rob’s first novel, Dance with the Enemy, was published in June 2014 and is the first in the bestselling Enemy Series following embattled intelligence agent Carl Logan. Rise of the Enemy, the second book in the series, was released in April 2015, with the third book, Hunt for the Enemy, being released in February 2016.

The Enemy series has received widespread critical acclaim with many reviewers and readers having likened Rob’s work to authors at the very top of the genre, including Lee Child and Vince Flynn.

Rob’s latest thriller, the pulsating Dark Fragments, was released by Bloodhound Books on 8th November 2016.

Rob worked for nearly 13 years for a global accounting firm after graduating from The University of Nottingham in 2002, specialising in forensic fraud investigations at both national and international levels. He now writes full time.

Originally from the North East of England, Rob has lived and worked in a number of fast paced cities, including New York, and is now settled in the West Midlands with his wife and young sons.

Rob’s website is www.robsinclairauthor.com

He can be followed on social media at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RSinclairAuthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robsinclairauthor/

Dance With The Enemy – The Enemy Series Book 1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dance-Enemy-gripping-international-suspense-ebook/dp/B00KK6FJSC/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Dance with the Enemy is the explosive first chapter in the highly-acclaimed Enemy series of espionage thrillers featuring Carl Logan.

Rise of the Enemy – The Enemy Series Book 2

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Enemy-The-Series/dp/1909477850/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1438198518&sr=8-3

Redbrick “Carl Logan may be a battled hardened agent, but Rob Sinclair has managed to find his soul” – bestsellingcrimethrillers.com

Everyone has a breaking point. Carl Logan might just have found his. The Joint Intelligence Agency sends agent Carl Logan on a routine mission to Russia. It should have been simple. But when Logan’s cover is blown, he’s transported into a world of hell he thought he would never see again. Something is different this time, though, and before long doubts begin to surface in Logan’s mind as to why the assignment went so wrong. Logan has never been short of enemies. And sometimes the enemy is closer to home than you think. Could his own people really have set him up?

Hunt For the Enemy – The Enemy Series Book 3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1911110128/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=7RN6PPZTNPA2HH8A440W

They’ve erased his past. Wiped out his very existence. But Carl Logan isn’t finished yet. On the run in a harsh Russian winter, Logan – once an invaluable asset but now branded a traitor – has been framed for murder. His own firm, the secretive Joint Intelligence Agency, have labeled him a rogue operative after two decades of loyal service. The agency is hunting him down… and they’re not the only ones. But there’s much more at stake than just Logan’s life. One by one, agents and informants from all sides, all allegiances, are dying. And Carl Logan is the only man who can put a stop to it, once and for all.

Secrets In Blood (Lake of Sins #2) by L.S. O’Dea (@LSODea) – Review

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Title – Secrets In Blood (Lake of Sins #2)
Author – L.S. O’Dea
Genre – Dark Fantasy
Publication – April 2015
Pages – 498 Pages – Print Length
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Trinity’s plans have gone horribly wrong and she is now fleeing for her life, but at what cost to her friends and family. Can she save any of them without sacrificing herself?

Hugh Truent, an Almighty, learns of Trinity’s escape and that she is the offspring of two different classes which is supposed to be impossible. If it’s true, it would be the discovery of a lifetime, but he needs scientific proof. In his quest for answers, he soon realizes that there are those who will kill to keep this find a secret.

Trinity’s struggle to survive in a society based on absolute segregation of the different classes along with Hugh’s dogged determination to find the truth at any cost, sets into motion a collision between the groups that shatters the foundation of their world

Review

This is the second book in the Lake of Sins series and it built greatly on the groundwork laid in “Escape” the previous book.

Trinity’s quest to find out what happens to the producers once they are removed from camp continues and she’s put in even more danger as more people become interested in her.

She’s being hunted now as her parentage has come into question and the idea of interclass mating is explored.

This is gruesome fantasy writing..There’s a social structure to this world the author has created and those at the top take advantage of those they see as beneath them. But there’s a very gruesome and disturbing secret that some of the upper class called Almighties don’t even know about.

For me what I really found interesting is how similar the underlying topics are to real day issues. The social structure with those in power controlling everything, racism against those different to themselves but as we find out.. just like in modern society.. Perhaps the differences are only skin deep.. Below the surface everyone is more similar than they would like to admit.

I have to say I liked this one a lot, it really did get better as it went along but with such a defined social structure I felt the pace was a little fast.. there’s a lot to take in and you really need to give this one the time it deserves. With so many different classes and characters I was left wanting.. not in a bad way.. just as soon as you feel you’re getting to know one of the social classes you switch to another and the whole idea was that interesting I really wasn’t ready to move on.

Another positive for this book is that I think the author has a very easy reading style of writing. No stupidly big words to slow you down, you just get faced paced gruesome fantasy.

Something I talk about a lot in my reviews is did the book hook me in..this one did just that but it keeps you hanging on.. it pulls you in with its intriguing plot then throws you back out to digest for a while and just when you think your safe another bit of gruesomeness is thrown in to reel you back in.

Overall I enjoyed it a lot. There’s more to come in this series so I’m looking forward to see what direction it takes.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

My thanks go to the author for the chance to read/review their work

Torc by Eamonn Griffin (@eamonngriffin) – Review

Blog Tour – Fifteen Words by Monika Jephcott Thomas- Review

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Title – Fifteen Words
Author – Monika Jephcott Thomas
Genre – Historical Fiction/War & Military
Publication – 22^nd November 2016
Pages – 293
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Two young doctors form a profound and loving bond in Nazi Germany; a bond that will stretch them to the very limits of human endurance. Catholic Max – whose religious and moral beliefs are in conflict, has been been conscripted to join the war effort as a medic, despite his hatred of Hitler’s regime. His beloved Erika, a privileged young woman, is herself a product of the Hitler Youth. In spite of their stark differences, Max and Erika defy convention and marry. But when Max is stationed at the fortress city of Breslau, their worst nightmares are realised; his hospital is bombed, he is captured by the Soviet Army and taken to a POW camp in Siberia. Max experiences untold horrors, his one comfort the letters he is allowed to send home: messages that can only contain Fifteen Words. Back in Germany, Erika is struggling to survive and protect their young daughter, finding comfort in the arms of a local carpenter. Worlds apart and with only sparse words for comfort, will they ever find their way back to one another, and will Germany ever find peace?
Fifteen Words is a vivid and intimate portrayal of human love and perseverance, one which illuminates the German experience of the war, which has often been overshadowed by history.

Review

The last bit of the synopsis of this book is what really hooked me in. –

“Fifteen Words is a vivid and intimate portrayal of human love and perseverance, one which illuminates the German experience of the war, which has often been overshadowed by history.”

I think like many when I think of war I always associate Germany is being the bad guys.. that’s how we are taught in school. You just get clean cut facts but you don’t see the real people involved.

What I really liked about this book was how easy it makes you remember not all Germans wanted the wars.. some were forced into service that they really didn’t have the heart to do. Just because they were German doesn’t mean they were a Nazi.

The story focuses around Max and Erika, both doctors but with different views on the leadership of Germany. Max signs up for service..not because he wants to fight but because he wants to save lives.

When he’s captured and held as a POW he looks back at the events that led him to where he is.. These thoughts of his wife keeping him going when he could just as easily give up.

At the same time we see Erika dealing with similar emotional struggles as her husband.. he’s been away so long.. is he even alive.

The love they have for each other is strong but temptation comes to both and you can understand why in such a stressful situation.

It really did make me think about what it must have been like, not only for the men/women serving but also those left behind, neither having the full picture but being forced to live their lives.

It’s a real emotional ride for both.. I won’t spoil it for you as a reader but its got ups and downs, twists and turns that really do make your mind work as you see things from different perspectives.

Fifteen words is mentioned a few times and it was amazing to see how much can be conveyed in such a short amount of words.

I must say the twists the author added towards the end really did bring something extra to the tale. Unexpected to say the least but it gave it a wow factor.

These are the type of books I really enjoy, character driven, wonderfully descriptive and written, emotional and thought-provoking. Wonderful.

The book is out today! to find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to Athoright for the chance to read/review this book, it was my pleasure.

About Monika Jephcott Thomas.

Monika Jephcott Thomas grew up in Dortmund Mengede, north-west Germany. She moved to the UK in 1966, enjoying a thirty year career in education before retraining as a therapist. Along with her partner Jeff she established the Academy of Play & Child Psychotherapy in order to support the twenty per cent of children who have emotional, behavioural, social and mental health problems by using play and the creative Arts. A founder member of Play Therapy UK, Jephcott Thomas was elected President of Play Therapy International in 2002.

David's Book Blurg

Book reviews from a guy up north (UK)

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