Category Archives: Book Reviews

The Wolf Banner by Paula Lofting – Review

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Title – The Wolf Banner
Author – Paula Lofting
Genre – Historical Fiction
Length – 474 Pages
Publication – 20 Aug 2016.
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

WAR AND BLOODFEUD
1056…England lurches towards war as the rebellious Lord Alfgar plots against the indolent King Edward. Sussex thegn, Wulfhere, must defy both his lord, Harold Godwinson, and his bitter enemy, Helghi, to protect his beloved daughter.
As the shadow of war stretches across the land, a more personal battle rages at home, and when it follows him into battle, he knows he must keep his wits about him more than ever, and COURAGE AND FEAR MUST BECOME HIS ARMOUR…

Review

The Wolf Banner is the follow up book to Sons of the Wolf which I loved! This has to be one of my most anticipated releases of 2016 and I didn’t let me down.

First off I must says it’s taken a while for the author to get this book ready to be published but I can say honestly that all the time and heard work she has put into it has paid off.

The book follows on nicely from where Sons left off, as as you’d expect it’s full to the brim of action and develops the characters even further. I really enjoyed Burghred in this story.. The author explains little is known about him so she was able to give life to him with her words and besides Wulfhere he was the most interesting character for me

Another character I believe came into his own in this tale was Aemund, a very funny cheeky chap indeed.

The twins are back also in this tale and they play a pivotal role..They have matured a little and are ready to stand in the shieldwall with their father.

The family feud that existed in Sons of the Wolf is even more heated if that’s possible and Edgar and Freyda are in the thick of it….will it ever end? I guess I’d like to see things resolved but at the same time I like the possibilities this feud can bring to the story.

The best scene which I won’t ruin for you involves Gunnhild.. who you may remember from the first book. She not likeable at all and there’s a funny little event that plays out that had me laughing for ages.

For those who are fans of a good battle won’t be disappointed either as Wulfhere gets to show he may be getting old but he can still fight tooth and nail.

Although the book focuses on the life of Wulfhere the underlying tale of Harold Godwinson plays out beautifully. Anyone who enjoys this period in time should find this book the perfect accompaniment to go with other tales of Harold.. This book brings fresh life to the period for me and makes me want to reread books I thought I’d probably not look at again.

I can’t fault this book, not one bit. I loved it from start to finished and it ticked every box for me.

Paula really knows her history and how to hook the reader in and i can’t wait for book three Wolf’s Bane! I’ve been left me on tenterhooks as to what will happen next (FYI I’ve never used tenterhooks in a sentence before 🙂 )

Head to Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com to pre-order now!

1066 Turned Upside Down – Review

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Title – 1066 Turned Upside Down
Author  – Joanna Courtney, Helen Hollick, Annie Whitehead, Anna Belfrage , Alison Morton, Carol McGrath, Eliza Redgold, GK Holloway, Richard Dee
Genre – Historical Fiction /Alternative History
Length –    197 Pages
Publication – 1st August 2016
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

Ever wondered what might have happened if William the Conqueror had been beaten at Hastings? Or if Harald Hardrada had won at Stamford Bridge? Or if Edward the Confessor had died with an heir ready to take his place? Then here is the perfect set of stories for you. ‘1066 Turned Upside Down’ explores a variety of ways in which the momentous year of 1066 could have played out differently.

Written by nine well-known authors to celebrate the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, the stories will take you on a journey through the wonderful ‘what ifs’ of England’s most famous year in history.        

Review

What a brilliant book this was. I just love the idea that the authors have taken a period in time and let their creative juices flow. 1066 is a fascinating period to read about and to have these authors explore the “what if” was refreshing

I’m a big fan of collections like this, I find then fun to read. Not only do they flow easily since they are self-contained short stories but you also get introduced to some authors you might not previously have heard of. I’ll admit I’ve only read books be three of these authors.. that will soon change.

The book starts with a forward by C.C Humphreys. I’m the first to admit I’ve never really understood the need for these in a book but this one has changed my mind. This forward was witty and fun and perfectly set up the book for me as a reader

Each author tackles at least one story, they each take an event that happened and twist it.. they explore the possibilities that might have occurred if things went differently.

After reading other books I’ve always wondered about the “what ifs” Such as what would have happened if Harold had waited before going to war on that fateful day.. what would have happened if the rest of Harold’s army had arrived in time to engage in the fight..the outcome could have been so different

One of my favourite stories had to be the tale by Richard Dee, the perfect mix of science fiction and historical fiction, where the butterfly effect is explored and that if you could travel back to the past even the slightest change could mean big changes to the future

It was really good to see Annie Whitehead take part in this book also. If you’ve read my reviews you’ll know I’m a fan of hers and her story was particularly enjoyable to read. Her tale focused on the Battle of Fulford where Morcar and Edwin were defeated by Harald Hardrada.. what if this was the other way around??

Each story was well written and allowed the author to play with the events of history and I enjoyed every one of them. I also really liked at the end of each story the reader is given discussion suggestions which raise some interesting thoughts

This book was a gripping read and it’s opened my eyes to more wonderful authors.. I’ll be sure to add some of their books to my TBR list… some i already have 🙂

Any fan of the period who likes the idea of exploring the endless possibilities of what could have happen will enjoy this

You can pre-order the book now for £1.99!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Blog Tour – The Eden Tree by Peter Worthington – Review

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1Title – The Eden Tree
Author – Peter Worthington
Genre – Mystery/Contemporary Fiction
Length –    280 Pages
Publication Date – 19th July 2016
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis                 

Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” John James Morgan knew the day he was born. Two days before his sixty-first birthday he found out why. John is a happily married businessman, father and grandfather, living in Cheshire, in the heart of England. Happy, that is, until his family face a crisis. A terminal one. At the local market, a flower-seller tells John a story that changes his life. Assured his destiny is in his own hands, John crosses the globe in pursuit of a religious artefact which has remained hidden for two thousand years. Presented with an antique box containing maps, parchments and a bag of leaves, John returns to the UK and witnesses a miracle. With the box in his possession, John and his family find new friends and enemies; lives are threatened and people die, although some will be healed. With the help of many different people, from all walks of life, John’s journey will finally lead him to the discovery of an extraordinary and mysterious tree. But what will this Eden tree mean to John, his family, their faith and their future? The Eden Tree is author Peter Worthington’s first novel; a fictional account based on his own experiences with his son, John Wesley, who underwent treatment for cancer but sadly passed away shortly after his seventh birthday. The Eden Tree has allowed Peter to give his much-loved son “a happier ending.”

Review

This book was a bit of a surprise to me I must admit. When I first picked it up I had no idea how much love had clearly been put into the book and the story behind it..that came as soon as i opened the book and read the dedication and the acknowledgements and I was immediately touched that the author plans to help Great Ormond Street Hospital through this book.

Even before chapter one I had a warm fuzzy feeling tingling within me.. the anticipation

The story follows John, his world starts to fall apart. Wesley is terminally ill and there seems no hope.

Little does he know many years ago a box was found that contained the leaves of the Eden Tree. This box has been kept safe under strict instructions it’s only to be given to one man.. the man who bares the symbol and asks for help.. Without knowing what is about to happen John is whisked away on an adventure where a cure exists.

I must admit I’m not religious but I have the utmost respect for anyone who does… I wasn’t sure at first if this book would be for me with its religious undertone but  it’s done in such a way that if anything I found it intriguing, it was very well written so even someone like myself could enjoy the tale

It’s a fast paced book and I felt a couple of the relationships that formed happened a bit quickly but I can see why the author did this.. there was such much to cram in this book.. so much story to tell and quite a few characters but it all worked well.

The characters themselves were great, lots of them, each with a different personality. Sometimes with so many characters it’s hard to remember who is who but not with this book,   the author clearly defines each character and their place in the tale

It a nice, well written story that’s heart-warming but at the same time has the added buzz of adventure

One thing I did think early on with the story is if you got these magic leaves..how could you only help one person..if you don’t, how do you choose who to save..whilst also trying to keep this cure safe as anything like this would clearly be exploited. It was good to see the author tackle this towards the end of the book where the family discuss life and death.. it would be good to see this explored more but I imagine that would be a very difficult tale to write if it was possible.

This book is a labour of love and you can tell just how much the author has put into this tale. Every time I read a chapter I thought of the real Wesley and how the author has wrote this for him and it gives the book that extra something in my opinion

I liked this one.. a lot.

My thanks go to the author and Authoright for the chance to read/review the book and take part in the blog tour

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The author has kindly wrote a piece on the process he went through with The Eden Tree, I hope you enjoy the insight as much as I do –

 

How I Got to the Finished Product. – Peter Worthington

I have been writing for a number of years. Some of my articles, short stories and flash fiction have been published. But the novel ‘the Eden Tree’ has occupied my time for a decade, with the actual writing and editing process over the past four years.

In 1980 when my wife and I were told that our toddler had cancer we were plunged into another existence. Wesley at three and a half years old endured his treatments with heroism and a smile. Sadly, after a short remission, his cancer returned and he passed away two weeks after his seventh birthday in 1984.

I have wanted since to write a novel about his life. Initially I was imagining non-fiction. But as a Christian pastor I was drawn to the miracles of the Bible. The idea came which gave me an alternative Wesley story. One with a happier ending.

From the idea – some years ago- of healing leaves from the Eden tree I began to use an A4 folder in 2012. I divided it for Characters, Chapters, Research and Resources. I had a page for each chapter and scribbled as ideas came and also inserted some notes in a clear folder.

Once I had enough of a storyline I started to type chapter one in Word. Initially I had John Morgan’s arrival in Tel Aviv as the prologue but after a few months I realised that needed to change as it did not seem to fit. So after some tries I inserted a new prologue as the two brothers discovering the box. A website I use for reviews gave me a clear thumb up.

I found the writing very enjoyable and often woke in the night with new ideas to insert in a chapter. My storyline was clear after the first year and once I had a timeline for characters, events and scenes that worked my novel took shape.

I had three drafts before I finally found an editor. I knew as a debut novel the Eden Tree needed a full structural edit so in November 2015 I sent her a few chapters to see what she would do. I was so pleased with her suggestions that I commissioned her for the full edit later that month. It is amazing with the technology that enables an editor in New Zealand edit and send back her suggestions using Word’s edit function. After three edits and my editor patiently explained her amendments along the way we finally reached the finished manuscript. The 85,000 words had been honed to a leaner 75,000. The novel had less meandering, clearer focus and made a much better read.

By that time in December 2015 I had also discovered after sending samples to various agents – nearly having my fingers burned by one – that Authoright would be a great fit as publisher, printer and publicist. The CEO phoned me personally to talk me through the process. I commissioned them in November/ December 2015 and was kept informed throughout and found it easy to negotiate. They sent several design suggestions for front cover and the one that I chose is ideal. I have found the team professional and courteous.

The momentous day arrived when twenty copies of the Eden Tree were delivered to my home in May 2016. I felt I was dreaming as I lifted the novel and I’m sure my face was beaming. Since then I have spoken to groups and used social media and my website to spread the news. My novel will be released for sale on July 19th. If I can do it anyone can!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Lake Of Sins: Escape by L. S. O’Dea – Review

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Title – Lake Of Sins: Escape
Author – L. S. O’Dea
Genre – Dark Fantasy
Length –   330  Pages
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Lake of Sins: Escape is Lord of the Rings meets The Island of Dr. Moreau. BEWARE Hobbits!

“A dark, fantasy series with an OMG plot twist that you don’t see coming.” J. Urbanczyk 

On earth in the near future, all animals over twenty pounds are extinct and humans are not entirely human.

This new world is segregated by classes and for a Producer—the lowest class whose purpose is to produce all the food for the other classes—making the Harvest List can mean the difference between life and death.

Trinity knows her name won’t be on the Harvest List. They only choose the finest examples of Producers to stay and breed and she is far from a good specimen. She’s a mixed-breed and has hidden her differences—claws, fangs, the ability to see in the dark—all her life.

She needs to discover where they take the teenagers who don’t make the list before they come for her. She’s been trying to figure this out for years and discovered a clue during her last trip into the forest.

With only one week left before she’s taken, she sneaks into the woods again but this time, she uncovers predators long thought to be extinct and creatures who should only exist in legends.

Every turn she takes, someone is hunting her but once she discovers the horrifying fate of her kind, can she return to camp and save the others?     

Review

I’ve previously read Rise of the River-Man: Mutter’s Story and was instantly interesting in the world the author had created. The population has been drastically lowered after great death hits the planet and of those that have survived.. They aren’t really human anymore. There’s a hierarchy.. and for producers this isn’t a good thing.. They are the lowest of the low

This tale follows Trinity, she wants to know what happens to producers when they are taken from her camp and after an altercation with some other producers the time to leave is now..

We are whisked away on a fast paced journey where we are introduced to the others classes such as Almighties who sit at the top of the chain, Guards, Handlers and Trackers. It’s not massively complex to get your head around the social structure but there’s a lot to digest at times.

The tale unfolds when she meets some unlikely friends in the forest.. they both have information that the other is after so join together to suit their needs at the time.. your left never quite knowing if this will last or if someone might end up dead

It’s a good story but again there’s a lot going on..3 distinct tales in my opinion and the book moves from one agenda to another but all written well and with a clear plot. The main focus being on Trinity but I was more taken by the story involving the handlers and the trackers..I’ve yet to read the next book in the series but the author has left a lot of questions unanswered..not in a bad way either I must add.. it’s left me wanting more.. that’s never a bad thing in my book

Again this author seems to like to throw in some gruesomeness now and again for the shock factor and the fate of the producers in one such instance..i thought it was brilliant if I’m honest.

The author has made a cruel and intriguing world, if you like your fantasy but want that added gruesomeness then this is the tale for you

It’s unlike anything I’ve read before and I enjoyed it a lot. I’ll definitely read the next book in the series. I need to know what happens next

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

And Baby Makes Two by Debra Benson

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Title – And Baby Makes Two (Endless Affair, #2)
Author – Debra Benson
Genre –  Short Stories/Romance
Length –    70 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis                 

Melvin’s life fell apart as his wife’s rationality seemed to deteriorate. She left him, taking her son with her, but then a phone call out of the blue drew him back into Andrea’s life. The revelation that the child he’d watched grow in her belly was in fact his son pushed the clouds darkening his heart away, letting a small spark of hope for a future began to build. But first he had to win Andrea’s heart.

Review

This is book 2 in the Endless Affair series. You can see my review of the first book here

The story follows on from the last book and we see the strain on Melvin and Andrea increase now that a baby is on the way.

Again I felt the author did well to pack so much into a short story.. it’s 70 pages but in that short space you’ve given the perspective from both sides and it honestly left you feeling that even though the relationship started as an affair that these two need each other

Melvin has to deal with the consequences of his affair also in this book. I won’t spoil it but I think this was handled really well.

This isn’t the nice fairy-tale story , it’s real.. this could happen to anyone but it does give you a more balanced perspective which is hard to do as in these situations blame will always be attributed one way or another.

The other thing I really liked is it showed Andrea coming to terms with having a baby.. it’s not easy.. you never truly know what the baby needs until it arrives.. no amount of preparation helps, trust me, I know 🙂

For me this tale is a true reflection of life, people fall in and out of love and people don’t always start out to hurt people but inevitably someone will have their life torn to bits.. I’m a big believer in love but I also know that you have to work at it and things don’t always go as you’d want or expect.

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Galba’s Men by L. J. Trafford – Review

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Title – Galba’s Men – The Four Emperors Series: Book II
Author – L. J. Trafford
Genre –  Historical Fiction
Length –     431 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis                 

Rome 68 AD. Slaughtering hundreds of civilians at the gates of Rome is hardly the best introduction for new Emperor Galba to his city. However the aged ruler is determined to get on with clearing up the mess Nero left. Assisting him are his three men: Vinius, Laco and Icelus. Also in his entourage one Marcus Salvius Otho. Jovial, charming and fatally reckless Otho is armed with a killer idea: Wouldn’t it be marvellous if the childless Galba adopted him as his heir? Appointing old pal Epaphroditus as his campaign manager, Otho sets about winning hearts and minds in his own unique cheery way. For Epaphroditus it is a harmless way of enlivening his post Nero retirement; either Galba makes Otho his heir, or he doesn’t. What could possibly go wrong? For once the former Palace manipulator has fatally miscalculated. These are paranoid times and Otho’s ‘harmless’ plan is about to bring Rome to its knees.

Review

So this book follows directly on from Palatine the first book in The Four Emperors Series by L. J. Trafford. If you haven’t read the first book I highly recommend you do as this is a brilliant tale which deserves to be read.

This book is based on events around 68/69 AD when Galba succeeded Nero as emperor of Rome. Albeit for a very short time

L. J. Trafford manages to give us real facts about the events but also has fictional side stories to keep you engaged and it’s this mix that makes this series so interesting

Galba arrives in Rome and it quickly becomes apparent he’s not going to make any friends. His reign only lasted 7 months so it’s clear he wasn’t well liked and the way L. J. Trafford portrays him fits with this image

Reading about Galba’s downfall was very gripping but was outshined by one character as with the first instalment.. Philo! The author continues his tale of woe at the hands of Straton just when he hopes his life is on the up. There is so much development for this character during this tale and I think it helped that Galba’s reign was short as it left time in this novel to develop characters like Philo but also Alex, Mina, Sporus & Straton. They all have their part in this story no matter how little.

With so many good characters to use the author had no trouble switching perspectives to allow other’s tales to continue and it was this back and forth that made it all the more gripping as you never had the chance to get bored of a character and you just had to get back to them to see what happened next.

Essentially the end of this book is a repeat of the first instalment.. the emperor is overthrown and it’s bloody, but the author still managed to make the tale fresh and interesting as the build-up is very different and Nero and Galba couldn’t be more different if they tried.

Added shock factor was introduced when the author killed off a few characters. I won’t spoil it by saying who but I did make a little note with a sad face each times.

I think the best thing about L.J. Trafford’s work is how seamlessly she can fit real facts and fiction together so neatly.. nothing feels out of place at all.

We were also introduced to some new characters in this novel. My favourite being Otho who came across as a happy go lucky kind of guy who does things on a whim which is dangerous but very entertaining..his tale will continue in the next book in the series.. I can’t wait for that!

For me this is a shining example of what historical fiction is for me..and I couldn’t fault it. This was my most anticipated book this year and it’s definitely been my favourite read so far.

To me, these are the kinds of tales that make reading as fun as it is.

I’ve already said this but I think it deserves to be brought up again.. Philo.. he outshines this whole series for me and I could read anything with him in it. Such a good character and I hope we see more of him.

Anyone who likes the genre or wants to get into the genre will enjoy this book, great mix of humour, love and death and a perfect blend of characters you’ll love

My thanks go to the author and Karnac Books for the review copy.

If you’d like to buy the book but haven’t read the first installment head to Karnac Books who have a great offer on where you can buy this book and get book 1 at half price.

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Dark Heart, Heavy Soul by Keith Nixon – Review

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Title – Dark Heart, Heavy Soul
Author – Keith Nixon
Genre – Mystery & Crime
Length –    226 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis                 

An adversary from the past asks Konstantin Boryakov for a favour – break into a facility designed to protect £200 million in cash and steal an item far more valuable. Theft, murder, mayhem and a sprinkling of deception await him…

Read the novels Ken Bruen loves!

All Konstantin Boryakov wants is a quiet life. In Margate. But someone is looking for him, someone who’ll do whatever they can to get the ex-KGB agent’s attention. Enter Violet, a woman with a penchant for throwing people who upset her out of windows. And Campari.

Reluctantly, Konstantin finds himself building a team to pull off a heist – breaking into a high security cash deposit facility with a hot line to the police. But he’s not to take money, what he’s after is a case, containing something apparently even more precious than the £200 million in notes that’s held behind razor wire defences.

The first member of Konstantin’s team is testosterone loaded prison officer David Lockwood, a man with debts to pay, and not to society. The pair break Sticky Mickey, a data mining expert, out of prison. With the arrival of strong man Lawson the team is seemingly complete, but when Lawson winds up dead, the result of an inconvenient accident, Konstantin is wary, even more so when Lawson’s void is filled by the volatile Violet.

Getting into the facility was the easy step and Lawson just the first to die. Everyone connected with the heist, it seems, is a target and Konstantin must go back to the beginning to find out who’s behind it all before he winds up with a bullet in the heart.

Konstantin Boryakov is done with the past, but seemingly, it’s not done with him…

Review

So today I’m reviewing book 4 in Keith Nixon’s Konstantin series. If you follow my reviews you’ll know I’ve read and enjoyed Keith’s work before and this certainly didn’t let me down.

Konstantin is a brilliant character, with snip bits of information about his past being dropped throughout the book.. This made him a very intriguing character and likeable. His inner monologue had me smiling, he’s got this great sense of humour which I loved and as a reader I felt privileged to read his inner thoughts.

The author describes Konstantin as an enigma.. which I totally agree with. I can really see this series having the legs for further tales as Keith builds on the story…..it just leaves me wondering what can happen next and what else about Konstantin we will learn

Very enjoyable read, and once the action starts its pace is pretty fast. I loved the plot line but probably would have liked the break-in scene drawn out a little more.. that’s personal preference though I must admit

There was another character I particularly enjoyed.. Mr Lamb.. like Konstantin (or indeed any other character in the book) you don’t get to know too much about them.. the suspense this brings was great.. wondering what each characters motives truly were.

My honest opinion of this book is that while the plot is good what really gave this book the extra wow factor was the characters and the mystery behind them. You are given tit bits to keep you happy but just enough so you want to read the next instalments without giving too much away in one go

At just over 200 pages it’s not an epic read either and the story flows easily so for me it was another excellent and fascinating book from Keith. I can’t rate his storytelling enough if I’m honest. Good plots, great characters and exciting plots that develop throughout

Take a look, let me know if you agree?

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Tudor Brandons by Sarah-Beth Watkins

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Title – The Tudor Brandons
Author – Sarah-Beth Watkins
Genre – Historical Non-fiction
Length –    208 Pages
Publication – June 2016
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

This fascinating book studies the life and times of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon, Henry VIII’s dearest sister and his closest companion. Charles rose from being Henry’s childhood friend to becoming the Duke of Suffolk; a consummate courtier and diplomat. Mary was always royalty. At first married to the King of France, Mary quickly wed Charles after Louis XII’s death in 1515, against her brother’s wishes. Their actions could have been construed as treason yet Henry chose to spare their lives. They returned to court and despite their ongoing disagreements throughout the years, especially over the king’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, the Tudor Brandons remained Henry’s most loyal subjects and perhaps more importantly, his beloved family.

Review

Besides the reading I did in school and university this is the first real non-fiction book I’ve set myself down to read. It not that I don’t like non-fiction but I love the possibilities with fiction… I needn’t have worried though.

This book is crammed full of detail but told in such a way that it felt like a story playing out rather than just fact and fact.

We’ve all heard of Henry VIII I would hope but this is my first encounter Charles Brandon a very close friend of the King and I it enlightening to learn more about this period than was covered while I studied it at school many years ago.

Although Charles was not the nicest to woman I felt he must have been a very powerful and likeable man as he managed time and time again to keep on the good side of a king we all very much know wasn’t afraid to get rid of anyone in his way. We see Charles rise up through the ranks which seems to have caused quite a stir at the time, especially when he marries the King’s sister.

I’m not going to lie.. I’m not an English expert so I did find it hard to follow some of the text written in Older English but it didn’t take anything away from the tale.. it left me curious if anything so had me looking up little things here and there.

The only thing I would have liked elaborated on a bit further was the value of money at the time. We are told how much certain people were paid but since I’ve no knowledge of the currency system back then I’ve no idea the significance if any… that was the only note I scribbled down while reading.

If I had to pick a word to best describe this book it would have to be fascinating.. There’s so much history out there that isn’t taught at school.. you need to go out and look for it.. and when you do you find there’s some really interesting characters out there.

Anyone with an interest in the Tudors will enjoy this book and I’d highly recommend anyone like myself who has stuck to fiction to give this a go. It really was and enjoyable and engrossing read.

This is a family saga, love and death. It’s something you can really get your teeth into if you enjoy your history

Well worth reading

My thanks go to Chronos Books for the chance to read/review the work! Fascinating!

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The Opening Bell by J. B. Garner – Review

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Title – The Opening Bell
Author – J. B. Garner
Genre – Sport Fiction
Length –   168  Pages
My Rating – 4/5 Stars

Synopsis

Leilana Ito knew her family had a long history in the wrestling world, but she never knew how much had been kept secret from her. When Leilana wanted to follow in the family footsteps, she was shocked when her father adamantly refused to let her proceed with no reason why. Leilana couldn’t deny the fighting spirit in her heart.

Refusing his prohibition, she had no idea what terrible events her defiance would set into motion! Now a rookie wrestler in the heart of Oklahoma, Leilana faces ring rivalries, impossible odds, corporate machinations, and threats she could never imagine as she struggles to prove herself. As the truth behind her family’s history becomes clear, the stakes continue to rise.

Will Leilana rise to the challenge and win it all or face a final, crushing defeat?

The Opening Bell is the first of three books in Three Seconds to Legend.

Review

The Opening Bell is book 1 in a wrestling fiction trilogy…what if I don’t like wrestling I hear you say… Well first off let me be honest with you. I’m not a fan of wrestling but I loved this book.

J B. Garner has a talent for making a story interesting for the reader. This is the second book of his I’ve read and I see the same fast, easy flowing reading that I expected and loved

There’s more going on in the book than just a simple tale of wrestling. Wrestling is just the theme.. the story is family feuds and the past coming back to haunt the ones you love

For me there was a perfect mix of action in this book, in and out of the ring. This was the key reason I enjoyed the book so much. Garner has managed to write a book around wrestling in such a way that even someone like me who’s not into the sport can still enjoy his work.

J B. Garner has a talent for the short story with fewer than 200 pages. For anyone who doesn’t fancy picking up a 400 page + book in highly recommend his work. The subject matters he covers are a breath of fresh air for me and covered in such a way that the tales are easy and enjoyable to read

The plot of this story focuses around Leilana who is trying to make her way in the wrestling world with a deep family history that doesn’t become clear until the end of the book. Along the way she makes friends and also some enemies.. rivalries become clear and a path is left nicely for the series to continue.

As I’ve said.. I’m not a fan of wrestling but this story is deeper than that, I’ll definitely be interested in reading the rest of the series

If you’re a fan of the genre you’ll no doubt enjoy this.. I also think anyone who likes a short story or anyone looking outside of their general comfort zone will enjoy this

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Agent of Equilibrium by N. J. Mercer – Review

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Title – Agent of Equilibrium
Author – N. J. Mercer
Genre –  Fantasy
Length –    462 Pages
My Rating – 5/5 Stars

Synopsis

The gift had always been with him. But only now was he beginning to understand it. Sent by his mysterious benefactors to investigate a series of powerful psychic disruptions, Johnny crosses paths with the deadly Disciples of Disorder and suddenly more than just his life is at stake. It’s the very nature of Earth. Travelling north and confronting beings whose existence he couldn’t even have imagined, he discovers the Equilibrium that preserves all life in its current state, and learns of the terrifying forces that seek to overturn it. This journey will expose Johnny and his loyal companions to the fantastic, the sublime and the depraved. It will ultimately reveal to him the hidden conflict that defines reality itself. AGENT OF EQUILIBRIUM is a work of epic urban fantasy, combining elements of science fiction, horror and the occult. It will take you on a white knuckle ride through darkness and hope. It might even alter your perception of the world you think you know.

Review

I’m a big fan of fantasy I must admit, so this book appealed to me straight away.

Personally I thought the plot of this story was just brilliant. I really enjoyed the idea that there are multiple forces in existence, Order, Disorder and those who wish to maintain the balance, the Equilibrium, add to this a healthy dose of guns and psychic abilities with a great plot and you’ve got a winner for me. I particularly liked the idea this power struggle goes on right underneath the noses of normal humans.

One of the other major things I enjoyed about this book was the characters themselves. As the story flows you learn more and more about them (some not so much.. but I do like a mysterious character or two).

It was a brilliant mix of characters too..We start off with Johnny but as the story progresses he is joined by others which bring their own individual talent to the group, for me this meant each character got a good amount page time.

Mr Kreb for me stood out as one of the main bad guys, silent but deadly. I would love to have got to know more about him and the world for which he came from

The story flowed really well; it built up nicely to the last couple of explosive chapters which left me in no doubt just how good the story is. At over 400 pages I thought it might take me a while to read but I was so engrossed that time went out the window..the sheer enjoyment I had from reading the story kept me reading into the early hours

I couldn’t imagine how the book was going to end until it did and i can’t wait to read more.. I hope the author has plans to revisit this world.. it would be such a shame if they didn’t.

One advantage I find from reading books on my kindle app is it helps me highlight things that stick out to me, things that don’t make sense to me etc. The only note I made was that I’d love to know more about the worlds of Disorder.. I was just enjoying the story so much I never needed to make any other notes

For me this was a fresh, interesting story that totally gripped my imagination and the author has left a great chance to expand on this tale which I sincerely hope they do.

Awesome, 5*

My thanks go to Kate Appleton @ Authoright for the chance to read and review the book

To find out more head to Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com