K.J. Simmill's Blog, page 10

Book review: Chris Rush – 13 Dead (@ChrisRush101)

There was a rule passed down from generation to generation. Never, ever, venture into into the woods outside Coolgreany. But when things start to go wrong for Danny, and the old outcast is spotted on the borders of the forest, he is certain this figure is behind his hardship. Just as his father did, Danny seeks him out, wanting answers, revenge for his misfortune, but one should not cross someone rumoured to deal in dark magic unless they are willing to pay the price. He should have thought it through, then perhaps what came to pass would never have happened.

13 dead by Chris Rush is an atmospheric, fast-paced horror that with make your pulse race and toes curl. The characters are realistic and relatable and the author has an uncanny ability to make you also appreciate the antagonist’s perspective. Dark, gritty, and harrowing this is a read that will creep straight into the hearts and minds of horror lovers and stay with them long after the final words have come to pass.

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Book review: P. G. R. Wright – Almighty : Allmachtig (@Pwthedreamer574)

Escaping an abusive father Fabienne flees finding herself a job at Almighty, a house designed to protect and look after the disabled children they know Hitler would see dead. After an eventful day in Berlin Fabienne finds herself tracked down by a German soldier who had seen them. Jurgen wants nothing more than to return the bag she dropped as they ran, and, maybe take the charming young lady to a dance.  But when soldiers’ sights fall on killing anyone inferior they are forced to flee, and Jurgen must choose between loyalty and love.

I don’t normally read books set in historical periods, but after a friend recommended Almighty : Allmachtig to me I thought I would give it a go, and I am really glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author portrayed the time period, combining it with the Fabienne’s own struggles to create a deep and realistic plot that will keep any reader engaged. Atmospheric, descriptive, and filled with twists, turns, and heartbreak, you are plunged into the brutal times of world war 2. From horror and tragedy to romance there is something for everyone. I particularly appreciated how the author was able to provide information about the time and events without it becoming like reading a historical fact sheet, the details were ingrained seamlessly, never too much or little, thus creating a perfect balance for a character-driven plot.

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Book review: D.M.Z. Liyanage – Axel Lennart and the Ice World

Axel’s father was in trouble. He owed a lot of money to Balo Fuse and this was not a person you wanted to owe. Worse still, his father isn’t alone in the debt. What should have been an easy plan to settle the books drags Axel into the spotlight, thrusting him into the centre of a series of terrifying events. Strange things are happening and the very balance of power hangs in the balance. The hunt is on for something that should have been lost forever, a weapon of unimaginable power. But the Regime aren’t the only ones looking for it, other forces are at play, and danger is afoot. Can Axel discover the truth before it’s too late?

I can honestly say it has been a long time since I have enjoyed reading a science fiction as much as I have enjoyed D.M.Z. Liyanage’s, Axel Lennart and the Ice World. This book truly has it all, advanced technology, looming danger, threat, mystery, and enduring friendships. Fun and engaging with characters you can’t help but love and become invested in. You are truly transported to another world, and with beautifully written descriptions and witty banter. This is one book you won’t want to put down, it’ll have you hooked from the beginning and things only get better from there.

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Book review: Sheena Fleming- Watching Over You

Anya has been training hard. Favoured to take home a medal in the games she has been driving down the time of her personal best, but while she is watching her times, someone is watching her. It was easier than he thought to grab her, and he has every intention of getting away with it. Her family knows she is gone, they received a single ransom demand and the police are diving into her life trying to uncover what could have happened that fateful day. But her abductor doesn’t care, he planned for this, planned for everything, and he knows just how to keep her where he wants her. Will they find her in time, or has the future once imagined by the young athlete about to take a drastic turn?

Sheena Fleming’s Watching Over You is a fast-paced psychological thriller that tells the tale of a young woman’s abduction and the police’s desperate search for her. I enjoyed watching this story unfold from the various perspectives, from the detectives trying desperately to chase down clues and fund her, to the twisted mind of her abductor. I enjoyed the atmosphere and desperation that flooded every page of this dark and twisted read.

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Book review: Emily Stormbrook – Breaking Sin

He had watched her for years, from the moment she stepped foot in school she should have been his. She was the start of an obsession, an addiction he needed to sate. It should have been he who had sat with her the first day, he she came to rely on. Instead it was Miles Taylor. Even when they went to different universities he had never forgotten her. He watched her from the shadows, waiting, manipulating her life until the day she would be his. That day had come. After years of planning she was finally within his grasp. It was time for Ivy Sinclair to give him everything she had denied him for years She would be his, mind, body, and soul. And the best part was, no one would even realise she was gone. She would pay for teasing him, she was his now, his to enjoy, his to play with, his to break. He would be her world, just as she had once been his.

Breaking Sin by Emily Stormbrook is one hell of a dark read and I just couldn’t put it down. I fell in love with Ivy and Miles from the start, the sparks and tension between them as they both sought something more from their age old friendship were stomach tingling moreish. I could feel their frustration and desire oozing from the page. And then, everything goes wrong. Ivy is abducted and Miles is sent into a self-destructive spiral as he does everything in his power to try to find her. Meanwhile, poor Ivy is being held by a monster who wants nothing more than to violate and break her in the most horrific ways possible. What started as a sweet romance story between Miles and Ivy becomes something straight from the pages of horror as Ivy’s fear, confusion, and terror resonate alongside Miles’ desperation. I loved how this book was so character focused. It wasn’t just about the horrific things Ivy was enduring, but the effects on Miles and I thought the balance was perfect. I have read a number of these kind of dark books, and most tend to solely focus on the assault, so it was quite refreshing to see the world moving on outside her hopeless situations, while little by little we see her defiance and spark slowly starting to fade as she comes to understand the true hopelessness of her situation. Ivy is one hell of a strong character and I really need book two.

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Book review: Jane Gundogan – Salep and Ginger

Ginger Knox loved rom-coms, so when one new year’s eve the man of her dreams swept her off her feet with a simple hello she thought he was her forever. She moved her whole life for him. And in return he moved his PA, right into their bed. Heartbroken, and alone she tries to rebuild her life. That’s why her friends set her up on a date. But how could she know Mr feels-so-right was going to be oh-so-wrong and send her life spiralling once again? Their almost-encounter was more real than the years she had with Henry, she felt more in that one evening than she had ever felt before, including rage, shame, and humiliation when she discovered the truth. But fate isn’t finished with her yet. She left him at the train station, but now fate has left her on his doorstep. Is this her chance to recapture the almost her heart has mourned, or will the complications of his life prove too much?

Salep and Ginger is an absolutely riveting romantic read that will make you laugh, cry, and rage. Pulled into Ginger’s life through the gripping first person narrative you experience her every high and low in a deep and emotional way as she forces you to invest in her jaded yet hopelessly romantic personality. There was so much to love about this book, from the perfect blend of romance and drama, to the way you experience another culture through the eyes of a tourist. The characters are vibrant and realistic, and the romance is beautifully plotted. This really is a must read.

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Book review: Witch’s Return – Sionna Trenz

Sonya had been torn from her home at the height of tragedy. Ripped from the place and people she loved and every time she tried to make her way back her path was blocked. But finally she made it. But Sonya finds more than just her childhood home waiting for her. Friends of old and a legacy never forgotten welcome her home. Dark things are afoot in Stargazer Island. For generations her family has been the one to protect the island, but she can’t do it alone and just because she finally fled the oppression, doesn’t mean the forces that kept her away are finished with her yet. Her only chance is to surround herself with people she trusts and fend off darkness with her light.

Witches Return is a gripping urban fantasy filled with myth, magic, lore, and danger. As a reader I was instantly drawn to Sonya’s strong yet damaged character as she tries to push past the horrors of her life and embrace the goodness she knows of the place she called home. Wrapped within a plot wrought with murder, sacrifices, and danger is a sweet romance that warms the heart. Beautifully written, with clearly discussed myth, magic, and entities, this story will capture heart and imagination alike and bring to light the true meaning of friendship. A wonderfully whimsical read beginning to end.

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Book review: Angie Fox – The Monster MASH (@AngieFoxauthor)

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Petra had wanted to make a difference. It didn’t matter whether it was on the mortal plane, or when she had been drafted into the army of the gods and assigned to the MASH unit. There was just one problem with her presence there. She’d been born with a skill that could seal her fate, and given that the gods were no stranger to cruel and unusual punishments she was certain it would be a fate worse than death. She’d hid her ability for years, knowing the gods were taking out anyone who could see the dead, lest their eternal war end. But then she messed up. Galen had slipped away before her eyes, and without thinking she’d done the one thing she shouldn’t have, exposed herself. She saved his life, and by doing so kicked the ancient prophecy into motion. The safest thing would be to ignore it, to pretend it never happened. But fate has other plans.

The Monster MASH by Angie Fox is a funny, gripping, and drama-driven plot that explored how small things can make huge differences. As a fan of the original MASH tv series I thought this supernatural spin was brilliant. The characters are alive and vivid, the plot will have you both chuckling and lamenting. Beautifully paced and engaging this was a thrilling read from start to finish.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley.

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Book review: Danny Bell – Empty Threat (@ElanaRuthBlack )

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Elena Black has always escaped into a good book. Only her escape isn’t like yours and mine. No, she takes the meaning to a whole new level, delving into the very world the creations are born from. But when she decides that things within those worlds need to change, that the stories she enters and the people within are more than just fiction, she starts something that could jeopardise her very life. Intent of saving others, she puts herself in the crosshairs, especially since not everyone wants her meddling in the way things were meant to be, and there are those who will stop at nothing to prevent her interference.

The first thing to grip me about Danny Bell’s Empty Threat was the sheer energy of the book. The first person writing style really jumps from the page and grabs hold of you. Imaginative, funny, emotional, and clever, I really enjoyed watching this story come to life. I really couldn’t help but become invested in Elena, and her character is so vibrant and relatable. She’s not a cookie cutter protagonist by any means, socially awkward, yet confident in her element. This book is perfectly executed and fully satisfying. I can’t wait to pick up the next one.

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Book review: Gordon Bickerstaff – The Belgravia Sanction (@GFBickerstaff)

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Zoe Tampsin was done with the Lambeth Group, at least she thought she was until it became apparent the new boss had no idea what he was doing. When Zoe’s protégé goes missing mid-investigation there seems no choice but to bring this deadly vixen out of retirement and back into the field. Whispers of a biological weapon, murder, and torture are just the tip of a terrifying iceberg, an attack is imminent , tension is high, and it falls to Zoe and Gavin to try to prevent this great disaster before it’s too late

Gordon Bickerstaff’s The Belgravia Sanction is the eighth book in the Lambeth Group Thrillers and I was so excited to get my hands on this gem. Having read all the books in this series I couldn’t wait to devour this page by thrilling page. Epic and exciting this book will take you on a ride like no other. Gripping, terrifying, and thrilling you’ll be whisked away on an engaging plot you’ll be afraid to put down. This is yet another masterpiece by this talented author that will leave you a fully satisfied, emotional wreck.

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