K.J. Simmill's Blog, page 19

Book review: Patricia C. Jackson – Mask Weavers for Hire (@PatriciaCJacks2)

Some may call it fate, others would call it a perfectly executed plan. When Daniel Walters [image error]walked into Carla’s life she had no idea he already knew her. He had been watching her closely, but he had never expected to feel this way about her. He knew more about her life than she did, like the fact her close friend, Richard, had been watching her for the very same reason as he did. The chip. Her house belonged to a deceased genius professor. It was no accident she ended up there. His groundbreaking discovery was stored on a chip, and its whereabouts unknown. Whoever finds it could be set for life, but in the wrong hands, it could destroy the world as we know it. The clock is ticking, the pieces are in play, but who will make the final move, who will claim victory, and who can be trusted? Find out in Patricia C. Jackson’s Mask Weavers for Hire.

Patricia C Jackson’s Mask Weavers for Hire is a thrilling suspense novel. I loved the intensity of the characters. They were vibrant, alive, and compelling as they set about achieving their ambitions while realising things they never thought possible. The narrative alternates between a smooth first-person perspective from Carla’s viewpoint, and a diverse third-person style for alternative characters which fluctuated in style depending on the main character’s narrative to reflect their personalities. Amazing scene-setting, rising tensions, and filled with the great atmosphere a reader will be drawn into Patricia C. Jackson’s world and on more than one occasion be forced to wait with bated breath to see what unfolds. Throughout the plot you are constantly guessing who can be trusted, just as you think you’re sure you have pinned down the truth, something happens and you question it again. Gripping, entertaining, with a good solid character base. Questions, discovery, and mystery will keep you hooked cover to cover.

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Book review: Mari Collier -Marika (@child7mari)

Marika had been left a tidy sum by her father. One her mother was using to fund the [image error]Haven. Over the years the law changed allowed her to inherit what was rightful hers, and such was the start of her trouble. With her inheritance came another gift, the truth about her origin, and a warning. A threat that was once thought legend is set to return, and the next star shift could spell their doom. With such a clear warning Marika continues down her path, hoping to return one day to the wealth of information her father left for her and, maybe, even help to ensure they survive the coming disaster.

Marika is book three in Mari Collier’s The Chronicles Of Tonath, having read True Man I found many points of reference to this tale that rewards a reader who has followed the series, however, the story itself is stand-alone, following the life, challenges, and choices of Marika in a world that is only just starting to accept women as having the potential to think and fend for themselves. I loved the strength of character displayed by Marika and the building yet seemingly impossible relationship between herself and Dickon. There are no weak characters, likeable or not, all have their strengths, personality, and drive which they remain true to. The worldbuilding is incredible, and scenes are set through Collier’s smooth and well-hone writing. Tension, discovery, questions, and a looming threat drive the plot forward in an immersive reading experience that will appeal to fantasy and sci-fi lovers alike.

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Book review: S.I. Taylor – Guilty Photographs (@sitaylorwrites)

In S.I. Taylor’s Guilty Photographs, Barbera knew she could only rely on herself. Her [image error]body was a cavass to the betrayals she had experienced. But this latest edition had her concerned. Unable to recall the events of the night before she awoke bleeding, sore, and alone. She knew better than to call the cops, no one in her neighbourhood trusted the cops, and her rap sheet didn’t exactly scream model citizen. So she did what she always does, carry on, unaware of exactly how much trouble she will be in when the truth of that night surface. With the rent due, and no cash for her troubles she is forced to accept another job, but this one has a payout worth the risk, enough money to drag herself from the life she has to lead. Little did she know the danger around the corner, that so.etimes a job which seems too good to be true can be just that, especially when she already knew better than to trust the one who made the offer.

S.I Taylor’s Guilty Photographs is a gripping, gritty crime thriller. It is atmospheric with clear attention paid to the settings and plot development, not to mention the twists and turns found throughout. With a dark plot focusing on many adult issues and difficult topics, it isn’t for the faint of heart. Barbera is forced to endure many levels of degradation from whoring herself out, to doing whatever it takes to claw her way out of her current situation. I loved how Nixon was portrayed, the IT gadget fanatic with a soft heart, a bad boy streak, and unrequited love for Barbera that spanned years. McKinley and Coolidge make the perfect team, hot on the trail of their own case when McKinley’s path crosses with Barbera, unearthing another can of worms. High-stake action combines with strong realistic characters to deliver a heart-pounding, emotionally-charged tale that will keep you guessing, worrying, and desperate to reach the final conclusion. Well-written, perfectly paced, and completely engaging from start to finish a definite must for lovers of crime fiction.

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Book review: Vicki Stewart – Saving Jia

In Vicki Stewart’s Saving Jia, ‘It’s over for today. Tomorrow is a long time away,’ was the [image error]mantra Jia repeated to herself every day once her terrible vision subsided. She knew it was coming, it started like clockwork at 5:55 pm, the time her father had been declared dead after taking a bullet to protect his partner. There was so much he had still needed to tell her, so much she had needed to know. But her mother refused to allow any of his family close to Jia. It wasn’t until she returned to Boston, following in her father’s footsteps in law enforcement, that she uncovered the truth. Her father’s line had a gift, visions of the future. But with this revelation came another. She had an uncle, but unlike her father, he had turned his gifts toward seizing power. With her on the beat, there was every chance he would try to stop her. They shared a gift, they shared blood. But they could not be more different, and there is only room for one to survive.

Vicky Stewart’s Saving Jia is a gripping crime thriller with a touch of the supernatural. I loved the energy of this book. I was drawn instantly to the characters through the gripping narrative and whisked away on a journey of discovery. This was an unputdownable read that I devoured in a single sitting. I loved immersing myself in Jia’s life, watching her handle all life threw at her. I enjoyed the comradery between her and Ray, the feeling of the family not only at the place of work but with her newfound relatives. The characters are strong, realistic, and believable which made this an incredible read. Danger, mystery, and a countdown to disaster play forefront in a plot where real strength is drawn from those you choose to surround yourself with, rather than position. A thoroughly satisfying read from start to finish, and entertaining from beginning to end.

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Book review: Cynthia A Morgan – Misericorde (@MorganBC728)

Pestilence, War, and Famine have ridden, changing the world forever. Times of equal [image error]rights and respect had been long forgotten. Those of wealth rule, their servants little more than property, easily swapped when one becomes too damaged to perform their duties. Tzadkiel seeks to prove there is still hope, that one person in the godforsaken world still knows compassion. Should he fail to find one within 100 years the final horseman will ride. With just a few years left desperation envelopes him. He finds himself imprisoned, tortured for sadistic pleasure and gains. He could stop it all with a word, end his torment, end the pain that has become his existence, but to do so would be to admit he has failed. So he endures, hoping to somehow find the one person who can be redemption in a place filled with darkness and despair.

Cynthia A Morgan’s Misericorde is the first book in the Mercy series. For anyone who likes a read on the darker side, this will certainly be a good fit. Filled with despair, hopelessness, and an acceptance of how little one is worth it is bound to tug on a few heartstrings as Lourdes situation becomes ever more desperate as she strives to protect those she cares for. Day after day she hears the tormented screams. Brutality and the worst of humanity are brought into picture-perfect clarity through Morgan’s descriptive writing while daring to offer a glimmer of hope, a suggestion of a fleeting and small light of hope almost lost within the darkness.  Horror, degradation, and helplessness pit against the very essence of all that is good, threatening to snub out its presence forever. You will want to read on, to see what fate awaits both prisoners, one a prisoner of life, and the other a prisoner in the Tower.

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Book review: Eve Gaal – Penniless Souls (@EveGaal)

The recession had hit hard. Already Penny could see houses on her estate popping up for [image error]sale as desperate people tried to make a sale, and then there was the dreaded foreclosure sign opposite, almost mocking her as her husband broke the news he had lost his job. With their daughter, Lani, being almost 20 they do the only thing they can and left her in the care of her aunt and went to where the work was which, in this case, was Vegas. Little did Penny realise the desperate struggle she would find herself immersed in. While decorating for a famous painter she learns the sordid truth of the life awaiting unsuspecting girls who are brought and sold like cattle. When her daughter goes missing, last seen associated with the brother of a well-known sex trafficker, she fears the worst. She would move mountains for her family, but what can one woman do to save her daughter and stop one of Vegas’ dark vices?

Penniless Souls is the second book in Eve Gaal’s Lost Compass Love series. I enjoyed how many real and hard-hitting issues were addressed, bringing to the forefront of the story a world many readers will be aware exists, but have no real understanding of. This book bridges that gap, shining a light on the darker side of the glamorous tourist strip. I enjoyed how events from Penny’s past still influence her presence, the sweet romance of her and John, and how stresses impact their relationship. This involved plot is not only a gripping read but an eye-opener to a very real problem which is presented in a tense and entertaining way. Romance, tension, and a race against time will keep a reader fully entertained as the plot unfolds and life unravels.

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Book review: Imania Margria – The Pacemaker (@ImaniaMargria)

In Imania Margria’s, The Pacemaker, Minerva had fought tooth and nail through the five [image error]years of life she remembered. She had learnt she could not trust anyone. To survive was to be alone. But when she was accepted into Calendula University, a prestigious school thought to be the best in the country, her outlook had to change, especially if she didn’t want to mess up this opportunity. This university was for prodigies and academic geniuses, but like everything that seemed so perfect on the outside, there were secrets, skeletons in the closet that were spoken about in whispers, just like the curse. Minerva soon learns there may be more to this curse than superstition and coincidence, and if she wants to protect those she finds herself drawn to she must act, but doing so comes with its own difficulties, like snippets of her forgotten past, a strange power, and the unnerving landscape of Neverworld. Will she survive to discover the truth of the curse and her own haunted past?

The Pacemaker is book one in Imania Margria’s Pacemaker series. The cliques and class structure made for a tense atmosphere of snobbery, exclusion, and gossip, while others looked beyond social class and found a good friend in Minerva, one who would risk everything to keep them safe. I enjoyed watching Minerva slowly lowering her guard and starting to trust people while operating in a place far beyond her own comfort. She faces challenges and hardships her life experience made more daunting, and the air of claustrophobia and suffocation is well portrayed. I enjoyed the atmosphere of this book which was portrayed beautifully through the third-person narrative. Action, heartbreak, suspicion, and doubt drive the plot forward as Minerva seeks answers finding herself involved in a supernatural world she knew nothing about. Dark themes intertwine with the joy of friendship and finding a place to belong. Anyone enjoying a good plot with strong characters and a supernatural theme should give this a try.

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Book review: Lisa Lowell – Ley Lines (@LisaLowell15)

All Gailin wanted to do was help people. She had dedicated her life to learning healing, to [image error]treating the sick and injured. But when a patient dies she is convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. What looked to be the end of her life wound up to be a new beginning. Her saviour imbues her with a gift she was destined to carry but was forced to flee before he could explain her calling. Now the eyes of a dark sorcerer have fallen upon her, seeking to take advantage of her gift while planning to invite an invasion to harness the magic of this land. Her saviour was destined to love her, but already wed he made a solemn oath to be faithful, a vow which left Gailan vulnerable. Can she survive and unlock all she must to survive, or will the dark force seeking to claim her turn her to his even whim?

Ley Lines is book 2 in Lisa Lowell’s The Wise Ones, but, reading it, I hadn’t realised it was part of an already existing series as it operates brilliantly as a stand-alone read. I found the third-person narrative well-paced and gripping while the descriptions added depth and imaginative world building to an incredible world. I enjoyed the different magic systems and the thought that had been employed as to how each one worked and fed power to those utilising it. The characters are vibrant, each bringing their own complexities to the plot. Engaging, compelling, and addictive, this is a book I found difficult to put down. I had to know what would become of Gailian as Drake used her name and magic against her to his own ends while Vamilion, against his desire to be with her, put a dangerous distance between them in order to remain faithful to his wife and avoid the compulsion to be with his mate. Engaging beginning to end, this will satisfy romance and fantasy lovers alike.

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Book review: June V. Bourgo – Winter’s Captive (@junebourgo)

Georgia was a victim of circumstance. Her husband left her for another woman who was

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carrying his baby. He was unaware his wife was also pregnant. She was returning home when she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Caught up in a desperate retreat by two bank robbers she is taken hostage. Fearful, and filled with concerned not only for the life growing within her but her own she realises she must do whatever she can. It took everything she had to escape, but it would take more than she knew she was capable of to survive.

June V. Bourgo’s Winter’s Captive is an immersive, gripping, survival tale and book one in the Georgia series. I loved every moment of Georgia’s story, her trials and hardships, the challenges and desperation. It was fascinating watching this meek woman’s transformation from submissive wife to a strong independent woman. But she didn’t do it alone. This captivating tale takes surviving in nature and living on the land to a deeper level as she connects with a native spirit who helps her with the transformation into the person she needs to be to survive. This is a truly inspiring and satisfying tale that has earned a place on my recommended books list. Written in a combination between first and third-person perspective, you will be engaged with not only Georgia but snippets of life as it continues without her. Fulfilling beginning to end with strong and relatable characters.

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Book review: Willliam David Ellis, Kisses Of My Enemy

In Willliam David Ellis, Kisses Of My Enemy, the nameless one had been sealed in [image error]Tartarus long ago. The key entrusted to humanity. Occasionally, from time to time, there are those who find the means to unlock this prison, liberating the terror from within. Now is one of those times. With Germany set to fight against Russia, Bella knows they must be triumphant, and yet, her loyalty is torn. Harry, the dragon rider, is crucial to the unleashing of this beast, and she the bait to lure him to precisely where he needs to be. There is just one problem, she loves him. In one of the future timelines, they have a child, a future together. Will she follow her heart or the destiny she feels with seal Harry’s final end?

Kisses Of My Enemy is the third book in Willliam David Ellis‘ the Harry Ferguson Chronicles. While I feel I would have enjoyed this more had I previous knowledge it still works well on its own. As with many novels with alternating timelines, watching events unfold can be fascinating, that, when combined with the tales from countless characters in their own differing battles, struggles, and timelines makes for a long-spanning and involved read. I thought the characters were well-developed and interested, each possessing their own distinctive personality. the third person writing style runs smoothly and allows the reader to smoothly navigate the journey while wondering what the future has in store, and if that we now witness will change as things in the pass also alter. Action, heartbreak, danger, and a looming threat drive a character orientated plot where the final outcome is never certain.

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