Below you will find reviews of books I like

 

 

Review of Nine Princes in Amber

 

by Roger Zelazny

 

I read the Amber series years ago and have haunted this author's listings ever since I got my first Kindle in the hope that these books would become available. This magical world of Amber peopled by the most treacherous and unprincipled bunch of power hungry brothers and their relations is the most rollicking adventure you could set out on. A mix of current and past happenings with any world the participants can imagine in Shadow, these stories twist the narrative with every step taken by the lead characters. Bring on the rest of the series. I can't wait.

 

 *****

 

 

 

Review of Shiver Cove part 1

 

by T. J. Shortt

 

This is a book for teenage girls and, no, I am not a girl and my teen years are lost in the mists of time but I raced through it.

Tamyra, the heroine of the piece has all the problems and hang ups to be expected in both teen fiction and teen life but has the added burden of being extremely different at full moon. Bullied at school, deserted by a terrified father, she is taken away from her Toronto home by a mother desperate to protect her daughter as the biological changes take hold.

They retreat to her aunt’s house outside Shiver Cove a small town with a small high school. Will this be a new start or will her problems overtake Tamyra.

The author deals sympathetically with the everyday problems of puberty and her readers will find the main character familiar and likeable. The story is nicely balanced between the fantastic and having to cope with it on a day by day basis. Will she make friends? Can she keep her nocturnal problem secret? There is plenty of pace and well grounded, filled out characters.

A good read well put together. My only let down was, that when it came to the cliff hanger end I was going so fast I nearly fell of my chair

Highly recommended for all romantics who feel life is only being mean to them.

I’m off to buy Part 2

 

 *****

 

Review of The Mermaids of Tamesis

 

by M. J. Moon

 

A perfect holiday read for anyone with a love of the Mermaid myth. Marina Blue is the daughter of a dysfunctional family and the unsolved mystery of this book is why her terrible parents are not locked up, but that is a side issue. This is a children’s book with all the mystery and adventure to keep the reader pushing on with the plot. Marina is a girl with real problems and no friends who is to be dragged off on a dreary seaside holiday in a musty cliff top cottage. Boredom stretches endlessly before her. The only ray of light is a strange pendant given to her by the equally weird lady next door. Will Marina work out who are friends and who are enemies? Will she overcome her fear of the sea and inability to swim?  Will evil prevail and doom the Mermaids?

This is the second book from this author that I have read and I have enjoyed both She crafts a good plot and inhabits it with splendidly strange characters that may be good or are they? Treat your children to a ripping good yarn for beach or bedtime.

 

 *****

 

 

 

Review of Grave Touched

 

by Erin Zarro

 

I have to admit this is not my comfort zone when choosing a book to read. Grave Touched has a strong plot idea and is the second in Fey Touched series.  It concerns a group of hunters who are dedicated to killing rogue fey to keep humans safe. The book opens with one of the main characters recovering in hospital. It gradually becomes clear that she has been brought back to life. The main action is the conflict between the hunters and the Grave touched, beings who are dead but have not passed over and if not stopped will take over our world. In order to do this they must enslave the minds of others to do their bidding. The battle is fought in a blizzard and the author’s description of the intense cold made me feel the need of a thick sweater.  An apocalyptic battle for this world against a foe of true evil which would strip away all humanity. This is a book for those who love twilight and similar series and should be a worthy competitor for this market.

 ****

 

 

Review of The Girl with a Twirl

 

by M J Moon

 

Strictly come dancing slams Cinderella.

Need a good laugh, cheering up? Well this is the book to do it. Short, neat and well crafted, the author takes the pompousness out of amateur dancing and dance schools and tap dances all over it. As for Prince Charming, happily ever after is far from certain. The characters could have been cardboard cut outs but are given life and reality with satirical swipes of a humour dipped pen. Small people in small towns with dreams beyond the possible are nurtured and ridiculed by turn. The pace is fast the mystery twisted and the climax will bring a smile to anyone’s face. Buy this book and give yourself a treat.

 *****

 

 

 

Review of Robots Like Blue

 

By Anthony J Deeney

 

I bought this book from Kindle because that’s how I wanted to read it. I didn’t realise at the time how apt that was particularly when I read past the end.

This is a fascinating story. There are many out there about the interaction between robots and humans but this is the first I have read which really gets inside a robot and tries to examine the relationship from their point of view. It would be nearly impossible to discuss many of the intriguing points the author raises without giving away parts of the story so I won’t. Suffice it to say that this book is original, insightful and totally enthralling. If you don’t read it you will miss the opportunity to experience an eye-opening look inside the thought processes of both electronic and organic beings. There are many happenings in this work which caused me to pause and really consider the implications. IT will haunt me for a long time. For those who don’t read Science Fiction because of the technology read this for the humanity and for those like me who love the technology still read it for the humanity. Worth every second it takes you to read it.

 *****

 

 

Review of Ben and Dave

 

by Steve King.

 

I had just finished a long and hard book and needed some light relief so started Ben and Dave by Steve King. I read it at one sitting because I wanted to know how it would finish.

This is a cautionary tale and everyone should read it before hurling abuse at inanimate objects which are only trying to make our lives easier.  The book is short and the presentation unusual but the story gallops through a spiral of unintended consequences with all the enthusiasm of a lemming heading cliff wards. I found myself wanting to shout ‘Don’t do it’ but it adds to the enjoyment.

Buy this book, you need to read it before you next switch on your computer. You have been warned.

 

 *****

 

 

Review of Prison of Hope

 

by Steve McHugh

 

I can’t remember who recommended this author to me but I’m so glad they did.  I found the first book fascinating and have read everything he has written since. The storyline dodges back and forth across history weaving myth and reality with his fantastic imagination. All his books centre on his main character Nate, a sorcerer, who is an agent and assassin for Avalon as they attempt to bring order to all the many good and evil users of magic be they god or human and all points between.  The pace is always fast and the evil compellingly written so as the plot lines are woven together I was kept on the edge of my seat. Steve is another author who makes me wish I could read faster so I could finish his books at one sitting. Unfortunately being human I have to succumb to inconveniences such as sleep and hunger. He always manages to reveal just a little more of the back story of his main characters in each book so that they become old friends who grow with you as you read. I had to wait too long for this one to come out and now must find something to do till the next one. I suppose I have to cut the grass at some time.

 

 *****

 

 

Review of Zero Is The Key 

 

by Robert Guerrera

 

This is the sort of mystery and adventure book I burned out many a torch battery under the bedclothes in my early teens. I will recommend it to my eldest granddaughter who consumes books like this as fast as the publishing industry can put them into shops.

There is no lack of excitement and suspense in this work. It’s set in our time and is easy for young people to transport themselves into the position of the two main characters. A combination of super power, puzzles, ancient magic and modern technology it has everything needed to tear them away from the computer with the exception of researching the ancient sites to get a firmer fix on the books reality and add to verisimilitude. The characters are believable and the settings globe spanning this book is a great spark to fire young imaginations.

 

 *****