Angela Lockwood's Blog, page 15

The Borman Factor (A Nick Borman Thriller Book 1) by Robert Lalonde

A clear sign that summer is approaching; the increase in transport strikes. Yesterday it was Lufthansa, today it is a national strike in France. Ports blocked, flights cancelled and hardly any trains and busses. I just thank my lucky stars that I live close to my work and can take my scooter past most things blocking the road. I don't think we will be very busy at job as I work at the airport in duty free. The approach of summer has also lead to some quality reading time on the beach. I flew through this book in a few days. It doesn't hold any big surprises but it is a well written fast paced crime thriller. I gave it five stars.
The Borman factor by Robert Lalonde on amazon.com

The Borman factor is set in Toronto Canada, not a city known for its high murder rate. When a journalist is murdered and the police fail to investigate and dismiss the crime as a robbery gone wrong, the journalist’s family call in the help of Nick Borman. Nick usually investigates industrial espionage, but as he knows the victim’s wife he takes the case. He begins to uncover a web of bribes and property deals that leads right to the top of local government.I like the way the book is written in a series of short chapters. It builds tension and keeps the reader engaged. Robert Lalonde switches from first to third person sometimes in the same chapter. It is unusual but I didn’t mind it and I think it works in a crime novel. I would have liked to have found out a bit more about Nick Borman the person, but I think we might in the next book as this is the first in the series. I felt more empathy with Detective Novak who tries to investigate the case despite pressure from above to drop the case. He seems an interesting guy and I hope he will make an appearance in future books. This is a promising start to a series of crime thrillers. Well written and with scope to explore the main character and his intriguing assistant. There is a hint that his next case might take Nick Borman to Europe and the world of industrial espionage; a prospect that has already wet my appetite for book two.

Tacenda by Christine Jayne Vann

I'm not a huge fan of Science fiction as they can be a bit up themselves and techy, but this one was right up my street and I gave it 5 stars.
Tacenda by Christine Vann on Amazon.com

What a weird and wonderful world has Christine created in Tacenda. Colourful and alien but still a world full of characters we can relate to. To use the old cliché men are from mars and woman from Venus; I think this is illustrated here in the relationship between Kerris a human female and Arucken a nestling male. The two have been paired by the Nestling race and work as messengers, delivering goods and information intergalactic. The pairing is viewed sceptically and at times hostilely by both races. For Kerris and Arucken the bond works and the two are very closely connected telepathically. I found their relationship beautiful and it relates closely to the old cliche; you can love and trust someone completely, without fully knowing or understanding them. The story line will appeal to readers of most genres; there is enough intrigue and intergalactic politics to keep you hooked. Kerris is an interesting strong female character. She has gone her own way; committing her life to an alien race and exploring space. She struggles with the loss of her sister; murdered by space pirates, while hiding all of it from her parents. When the pair gets stranded with a group of colonists under attack, she shows she is an excellent diplomat with a lot of courage and tact. I do hope to read more of Kerris and Arucken and the ending of the book was left temptingly open. There is also a lot of humour to lighten the tone; some of it provided by Octavia the space ship, which has a mind of its own. I liked the comment about them getting Octavia to a refuelling station as running out of fuel was not only embarrassing but could lead to a fine. Why did we never see the Star ship Enterprise pull up to a petrol pump? I like a science fiction writer that keeps the tone realistic while creating a completely alien world; it helps the reader connect to the characters and in Tacenda Christine has succeeded admirably.

Day of Reckoning (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 2) by Michelle Lynn

Its been a while since I read the first in the series; Dawn of Rebellion, but it was one I was keen to get back to. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book as it was much darker and violent. As it was well written, quick paced and exciting I still gave it a 5 star. One of the better YA series out there for it's original vision of the future.
Day of Reckoning (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 2) by Michelle Lynn on Amazon.com


I really enjoyed the first book in the series; Dawn of Rebellion, so I was keen to find out what happened to our two plucky sisters from the East end. I wasn’t disappointed. Dawn and Gabby now find themselves in Texas and the fate of their friends unclear. Texas seems on the face of it a clean and civilised state, but they soon discover that they are held prisoner by an oppressive and cruel regime. Even though the sisters have similar experiences they deal with them in different ways; Gabby becomes hardened and vengeful as Dawn still believes in the protection of the innocents. It tests the sister’s relationship to the limit. The book is much darker as it deals with themes like torture and murder, but it stays firmly in YA territory. The story is like the first book narrated in the first person and each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective. The pace is again quick and there is no shortage of action. I do like the way the girls speak, using typical London slang, but I missed some of the humour of the first book. The author provides us with many surprises and covers a lot of story in this book, but it is still not entirely clear who is fighting on the side of good. I’m looking forwards to the last instalment of the series to find out if the girls will find a safe and happy place to put their feet up. Judging by this book they still have a few trials to face in Eve of Tomorrow. 

Just Pretending (Hearts to Follow Book 1) by Dana Burkey

While I'm waiting to get my copy of 'Conversations with Tom' back with no doubt some red corrections; I'm getting a lot of reading done. This time a sweet but short YA story. I gave this four stars.
Just pretending by Dana Burkey on Amazon.com


This is a sweet YA love story: Cammy fell in love with Nick the summer before. They were both new to town; Nick holidaying with his father and Cam just moved there. Neither knew anyone and they bonded. Apart from him putting an arm around her; nothing else happened. She was heartbroken however when on going back to school he announced on social media he was now in a relationship. A year later, Cam has made many friends at her new school, amongst them Josh. When the summer holidays start Nick rolls back into town with new girlfriend Gina on his arm. Cam confided in Josh about her heartbreak and the two devise a plan to make Nick jealous.The book is an easy and quick read and doesn’t hold any nasty surprises. It is a lovely coming of age story with a very likeable main character. I think many young girls will identify with Cam and the pitfalls of first love. Good YA read that would suit an early teen.

The Lafayette Campaign by Andrew Updegrove

I do like a good conspiracy thriller now and then, and this one has a good dose of humour and satire to make it an entertaining read. I gave this 5 stars.
The Lafayette Campaign by Andrew Updegrove on Amazon.com


This is a tense political thriller with a healthy dose of satire, also a very entertaining read. Frank Adversego is a computer expert that is called upon by an un-named US government agency when they have a suspicion that someone has hacked the electronic voting system. Some unexpected results in the republican preliminaries have set alarm bells ringing in Washington. Frank sets to work figuring out how the hackers got in, but gets distracted by a young French student that keeps crossing his path. He soon finds out that he can trust no one and that he is alone in stopping the presidential election from being rigged. The Lafayette campaign is full of surprising plot twists and turns, but at all times disturbingly believable. This is a clever piece of storytelling that combines politics, technology and human emotion.Frank Adversego is an interesting character with a fascinating job. He is also very human. We get to see his more vulnerable side; he is middle aged, lonely and wants to get in better shape physically. Frank is not one of these uber geeky smart tech wiz- kids that annoyingly spot straight away how a cyber-hack was done. Frank like most of us stumbles about in the dark for a while and is at times too trusting. But he is also diligent and committed and with hard work he solves the case.I read this book during the 2016 primaries and caucuses which fitted perfectly with the story; I even started wondering if Mr Updegrove was clairvoyant so closely matched his story with all the shenanigans in the republican primaries and the unexpected rise of DT. This is book 2 in the series and I haven’t read book 1 (not yet but hope to soon), but it stands on its own and can be read out of order. Frank Adversego is certainly a character I want to revisit. 

Eye of the Storm: The Silent grief of Miscarriage by Rachel McGrath

If there is one good thing about travelling it is that I can read in planes and trains, hence 2 reviews in short succession. This is not the sort of book I usually read, but I never mind reading a book that is well written and heartfelt. Very brave of this writer to put her painful experiences into words. I gave this 5 stars.
Eye of the Storm:The Silent Grief of Miscarriage by Rachel McGrath on Amazon.com


Kudos to Rachel McGrath for writing such a heartfelt and honest novella about a difficult subject; miscarriage. I was not aware that as many as 1 in 4 pregnancies fail. This book is well written and expresses eloquently some of the feelings many women feel. I’m sure it will bring solace to someone who has been through the same ordeal. The ending of the book is open as some things are not easily explained or solved, but I do hope in time to come there might be a happy ending or follow up. 

Dangerous Liaisons (Royal Command Book 1) by Sarah Stuart

Part two of this book was quite a shocker and kudos to the writer for taking a taboo subject and writing about it. I found some bits harder to believe, so that is why it got a four star. Well written in a fast paced and original style.
Dangerous Liaisons by Sarah Stuart on Amazon.com


If there was one word to describe this book it would be a roller coaster. The pace is fast and furious as it flicks from Lizzie; an heiress trying to find her place in the world, to Margaret; Henry the VIII sister; whose writings in the book of hours Lizzie is trying to decipher, and Michael; the man Lizzie has fallen in love with. The book is written in two parts and they couldn’t be more different in storyline. Part one is a sweet love story between two young people. Michael has ambitions as an actor and Lizzie wants to become a nanny. She has gone against her parent’s wishes to study management and take over the families hunting estate. After meeting Michael she puts all her efforts into furthering his career. Part two is about love too, but it’s rather twisted side and be prepared for a few shocks. Lisette; Lizzie’s daughter has now inherited the book of hours and is deciphering Margaret’s granddaughters writings. Lizzie and Lisette are descended from this queen and the thoughts in the book of hours have influenced the descendants. For Lisette this leads to rather reckless behaviour. There is a lot to like about this book and the characters are complex and not straight forward. It is a story with some unusual and original plot twists. The writer keeps the reader on their toes by a fast if at times confusing style. In part two especially as the mother’s and daughter’s names are so similar, but I understand why they had to be. One question mark remained for me; if a director cast a father and daughter as a pair of lovers in a musical that featured a nude scene too, would the audience not be gasping a collective breath of horror and disgust?  

Sun Sea and Secrets: A novel set in Greece by May J Panayi

This was a nice easy read and I gave it a generous 5 stars. It could have been a bit shorter as we didn't need to know what Ella the main character had for breakfast and the word delicious was overused. But I think it makes a great holiday read and a fun introductory guide to Greece. Well writen and edited.
Sun Sea and Secrets: A novel set in Greece by May J Panayi on amazon.com


It’s unusual to feel the sun on your back when you read a book indoors, but this is exactly what I felt reading Sun Sea and Secrets. I also felt very hungry as May Panayi described all the wonderful Greek food in great (maybe a bit too much)detail. This is a story about a woman coming to a Greek island hoping to discover more about her mother who died when she was only five. She hopes to discover what happened during the summer when her English mother worked in a Greek tavern and find out who her father is. Ella retraces her mother’s footsteps and in doing so, falls in love with the island, its people, the cats and its wonderful food. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes about the cats; anyone who has visited Greece will have been affected by the legion of scrawny little cats desperate for food. I don’t think I was the only sunburned tourist getting funny looks from the checkout girl when I went into the supermarket to buy cat food. I could hear her think, “do British people eat cat food?’This is a very warm portrait of a visit to Greece and would make an excellent travel companion as it teaches some basic Greek and introduces the many dishes on offer. Feel good sunny read.

Beyond the Pale by Senan Gil Senan

It is good to be back reading books, especially if its an enjoyable book like this one. I rated it 5 stars.
Beyond the pale on Amazon.com


Senan Gil Senan has created in Beyond the Pale a very believable world, were two sets of humans have evolved in two very different ways. The character of River; a young Native American or outlander who lives a hidden existence outside of the city bounds and its controls; is the embodiment of the group that have re-embraced a more tribal way of life. He seems to be in tune with his environment and his own body. The differences between the groups become clear when River saves Nathan Carlson; a security officer from the fortified city of New Denver. Even though Nathan is grateful for River saving his life, he can’t avoid him being taken captive by the cities forces. He does however succeed in taking custody of River and he brings him home to live with his family. Here the differences become even clearer when we see how the somewhat dysfunctional Carlson offspring deals with life.  Both children had their intelligence artificially enhanced at birth, but in their society social skills seem less important. Anton the son is so involved with all his gadgets that he rather deals with a virtual woman than a real girl.  Audrina is the epitome of a hedonistic society that needs technology, drugs and sex for entertainment. River falls in love with Audrina and a relationship develops. It doesn’t make for comfortable reading, when Audrina plays games and pushes River into her dysfunctional world. Here our hero shows his moral fibre and stands up to her. There is plenty of action in this book and I found it hard to put down. I wanted to rush to the end to find out how River ended up. The descriptions of the new ‘advanced’ world are vivid without overwhelming the reader with techno-babble. The writer also brought the Colorado landscape (or the outlands) to life for me. There are plenty more questions to be answered at the end of the book and I’m pleased that there is already a follow up to this book; The Fifth Seed. 

Seer of Souls by Susan Faw

I'm happy to announce that Conversations with Tom is finally finish and has been send to my editor Penny Hunter. I'm sure there are still some things that need to be changed, but we are on the home straight. I hope I'll now have a bit more time to read and review, but also to get some more exercise. Sitting typing does nothing for the waistline or general condition. The weather here is warming up and I look forwards to many fine walks and swims.
This time I'm reviewing an fantasy adventure, fantasy is not my favourite genre, but I do enjoy a good adventure. This one was action packed and a good read. I gave it five stars.
Seer of Souls by Susan Faw

If you’re a fan of fantasy adventure stories set in a magical kingdom, then you’ll like this. I have to admit that I was bored to tears by the Hobbit as it had at times overlong descriptions of the things found in Middle Earth. Seer of souls thankfully doesn’t do this, the pace is fast and there is lots of action. I could have actually done with a bit more explanation as there remain many questions; like who exactly is the evil Queen Alcina, where did she come from, and what made her go to the dark side? There is a second book planed so I think we’ll get to know the kingdom of Cathair more in depth. I liked the character of Cayden as we see him developing from simple farm boy who likes to carve flutes, to reluctant leader of men. I look forwards to reading the next book as I want to discover more about these magic lands, the primordial people and Avery, Cayden’s twin. I hope the follow up in the Spirit Shield saga is equally action packed and exciting. This impressive debut novel is well written and edited and I think we will hear more of Susan Faw in years to come.