K.J. Simmill's Blog, page 9
January 4, 2021
Book review: The Sensorians: Trust – Brigitte Morse-Starkenburg (@BrigitteMorseS1)
With her father threatening to overthrow the Sensorian way of life, Eli knew it would take more than words to prove her loyalty. She endured her punishment but it made little difference, and the month isolation had been one of the hardest months she had ever had to endure. With family bonds being so powerful, there are those who doubt she could truly ever be one of them, especially since it is their mission to stop her father. Her father made no secret about wanting her on side. He wanted to being their kind out of the shadows, to build a world where crimes were answered for, and guilt easily detectable. It didn’t sound like too bad a life. A life free from the army-like control of this life-style. When forced to chose between those who brought her clarity and the one who gave her life, Eli knows she will only get one chance to make this decision, but will it be the right one, and is she for the consequences?
The Sensorians: Trust is the second book in the gripping series by Brigitte Morse-Starkenburg. Having read the first book I was eager to get my hands on the second book. I really couldn’t wait to find out what happened next, and I wasn’t disappointed, trust and faith is pushed to its limited as dangerous plans and unexpected developments throw the Sensorian world into turmoil. Written from the alternating perspectives of Zack, Zaphire, and Eli you are thrust into the confusing world of love, emotions, and high stakes as nothing is quite what it seems. I really enjoy books with strong characters and I continue to enjoy watching these three grow and change as their relationships alter. With strong characters, a gripping plot, danger, chaos, and uncertainty this is a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
January 3, 2021
Book review: The Dungeon Master’s Wife – Kate Messick (@KateMessick)
Aaron had been the love of her life, she had waited years for them to marry and they had been happy. She had moved her whole life for him. Moving away from the home she loved and leaving behind her friends only added to the loneliness beginning to settle over her like an all too familiar shroud. Where once passion raged, now she felt invisible, as if there was something always more important than her. No matter what she tried her attempts to rekindle their passion fell shy, so when his brother, Greg, started paying her a little more attention than normal she told herself nurturing a friendship with him couldn’t hurt, of course, the fact that her in game character was falling for his didn’t help, nor did the accidental touches, or the way he seemed to see her, making her feel anything but invisible. Her marriage is in danger, can she keep her two worlds separate, or will temptation and the need for companionship put more than just her marriage in danger?
The Dungeon Master’s Wife is a gripping and involved romance by Kate Messick. I am going to have to be really careful what I put here, because there is so much to the unfolding plot that I don’t want to spoil major and surprising developments. It takes a lot for an author to surprise me, I can normally see some things coming a mile off, well not here. I picked this book up late last night and I could not go to sleep until I finished it, I just had to know what happened, which meant it was around 5am when I finally put it down, and it was worth every minute. I have read a few books by this author, and this is by far my favourite because the characters are so perfectly imperfect. They are real, believable, and flawed, their emotions and actions are perfect and whilst the fact the main character is married may be a touchy point for most readers, life is not always black and white, so why should characters in a book be? Everything that happened was realistic for the situation and Rachael’s feelings. I loved the building tension between her and Greg, and literally felt the vibrant emotions. There is so much to love about this story, especially as it progresses with some unexpected twists and exciting developments, and I have only just touched on the real world plot, there is an entire second story in this book in the world of D&D an epic and gripping fantasy story. I really can’t wait for the second book to come out.
I read this on Kindle unlimited, but enjoyed it so much I ended up buying a copy. It takes a special kind of book to make its way on to my exclusive recommended read list, but this book has ticked all my boxes, I was invested in the characters, engaged by the author’s writing style, and captivated by both the real world and D&D plots. Gritty, emotional, thrilling, and engaging, this is not a book to miss.
January 2, 2021
Book review: Adam Gaffen – The Cassidy Chronicles(@RabidChipmunk42)
A wedding should be a joyous occasion, but for Cass and Ken it was the start of a nightmare they had never seen coming. Without warning enemies flock from places unknown in pursuit of someone who could disrupt one of the largest trading industries of the time. She hadn’t realised her discovery would cause so much trouble, that her side project would put her on a hit list leaving no choice but to flee in fear for her life. On the run they must discover who is behind this threat and find a way to survive before it is too late.
Adam Gaffen’s The Cassidy Chronicles is non stop action from start to finish. Rich with creative technology, brilliant ideas, and tension. While Kas and Ken are fleeing for their lives there is also an injection of humour into the plot. The characters themselves are strong and go from strength to strength with during, courage, and a pinch of luck to overcome the countless obstacles in their path. The futuristic world building is imaginative giving the science fiction lover more than a healthy dose of fun in a character driven plot.
January 1, 2021
Book review: The Sensorians: Awakening – Brigitte Morse-Starkenburg (@BrigitteMorseS1)
For most her life Eli had been told she suffered from mental illness, paranoia, schizophrenia, and sensory overload. For years she thought her behaviour was what drove her father to leave. She had everything under control thanks to the prescriptions, that was until the day Zack turned up and sent her world tumbling down around her as he challenges everything she thought she knew. He claims she is not ill, but gifted, that he must bring her to a hidden community and purge the drugs from her system so she can reach her full potential and find the answers she has wanted all her life. But there is more to his agenda that helping her, they want something in return, and the mission must always come first, no matter what. Can she do what is needed, and will the answers be worth the price?
The Sensorians: Awakening is a gripping and engaging book by Brigitte Morse-Starkenburg. It is not only a tale of self discovery, but a journey that captivates the senses in more ways than one. The characters are well developed, vibrant with their own distinctive personalities and struggles. I loved the chemistry between Eli, Zack, and Zaphire. I couldn’t help but feel for Zack, who has the role of perpetual enforcer and bad guy while trying to suppress his own feelings for Eli who is drawn to both him and his sister, while Zaphire has the luxury of needing to be less formal and guarded. I really enjoyed the contradictions between what was wanted and what must be done. Intense, gripping, and thrilling this is certainly a read you won’t want to put down, and I look forward to finding out what happens in the next book.
December 31, 2020
Book review: Familiar Ties – Kathryn Jayne
Jesse had been born different. Unlike most born of the shifter line she had no animal to call her own, just like her mother she couldn’t shift and just like her mother she saw things no one else did. Her mother’s madness had resulted in her murder, and Jesse feared her father would turn the same violent hand to her. And it had. Alec had been her only salvation, but soon he too was sent away, but he made a promise to return for her, and she had been waiting ever since. His letters had given her hope, but as things grew worse and his letters stopped she knew what it was truly like to suffer alone. Unable to beat her madness from her, her father has sold her to another clan, forcing her to marry. But she has no intention of going from one prison to another. She has no choice but to run, but in doing so reveals the truth behind her madness, the true power of it. And now if she fails to escape it will be more than just her freedom she loses.
Familiar Ties by Kathryn Jayne is a heart-breaking, unique sweet romance written in the alternating third-person perspective of Jesse, a young woman all too familiar with the hardship of lie, and Alec, a familiar bound to her father’s service. I really enjoyed the aspect of enduring love. Jesse suffers at the hands of her father and his second in command, while Alec is forced into servitude. I thought the lost letters at the end of the book were such an amazing touch. My heart hurt for the characters and all they had to endure. Darker than the the book in the series due to the nature of Jesse’s upbringing and suffering, while being just as unique in the preternatural aspects covered. I can’t wait to read the next book, something big is happening in Mython, and each story is bringing us closer to uncovering the truth.
December 30, 2020
Book review: The Old Coal Miner’s Lamp – Vicky Peplow (@Vickypep)
Since returning from war Mike had been haunted by PTSD, but something else is plaguing him now, and it started in his dreams. Unusual visions haunt his sleep of clogs and miners, lights and death and someone warning him to leave. Then came the strange knocking. Unsure if he is going mad he turns to the only professional unlikely to see him locked away, a psychic medium. Danielle vows to help him, but when his presence stirs things in her already complicated life she must decide whether to pursue the truth, or save herself from falling deeper into the world of supernatural that had plagued her from a young age. Some truths must be uncovered, but maybe some should also stay buried.
The Old Coal Miner’s Lamp is a gripping and educational read by Vicky Peplow. There is so much to enjoy about this book. Firstly, you have Mike’s gripping story as he tried to discover the truth behind what is haunting him, but it doesn’t stop there, Billy, having lost his life in the mines many years before, takes the reader on a fascinating ride through history teaching us about the past of the mining industry, the dangers, and the unique comradery between miners and how the industry changes as he ushers the souls of the dead to their afterlife. This book will tug on your heart strings as death, romance, loss, and love become all-enduring. While following two separate tales, the two are closely woven. I grew up next to a colliery (Hem Heath in Staffordshire), and many of my friends father’s worked in the mines, so when I saw mention of things I had heard about, including strikes, dangers, unions, it brought back a lot of childhood memories for me. Well written, enjoyable, and well paced, a perfect afternoon read.
December 28, 2020
Book review: Lucid Dreams – Ocean Bloom
Bjorn thought things couldn’t get any worse. He lost his job after his arse of a boss threw him under the wagon for something he had warned him would happen, his mother committed suicide, and his savings were slowly draining away as he spiralled into a world of sleeping pills and alcohol. He wasn’t sure which way to turn. Just as things seem hopeless an offer finds him. He can relive the glory days, re-enact his proudest accomplishment. He can target those who are doing wrong and force them to do something good. The thing is, everything isn’t as it seems. The organisation isn’t all it is cracked up to be. Desperate, he accepts the offer, but soon comes to realise his mistake. Can he use their own politics and technology against them and break free of their control, or is there only one way to get out now he’s in?
Lucid Dreams by Ocean Bloom is a gripping psychological thriller that draws you into Bjorn’s life as he tries to make sense of things and stop his life spiralling. As I was reading I couldn’t help but draw parallels to popular shows like Mr. Robot, as this thrilling adventure takes you into the heart of the character’s complicated mind as he tried to out think the creator who is always several steps ahead. Intelligent and gripping this will hold your attention from beginning to end. I enjoyed watching the events unfold as everything came together and new discoveries and concerns came into play. This truly was an entertaining read that will satisfy lovers of psychological thrillers.
December 22, 2020
Book review: T. B. Elizabeth – Trust Me
Jordyn Jensen had got used to the abuse, to the beatings. But that one night Devon took things too far. In fear for her life she calls Maggie and finds herself in the one place Devon won’t think to look. While running from her past she didn’t expect to find a chance of a future. She needed to find, repair and rebuild herself. But then she meets Sam, and she is nowhere near prepared for what he makes her feel. She is broken, he is hurting, but perhaps together they can build something better than if they were alone. The problem is, Jordyn isn’t ready, her instinct is to run, to protect herself. Can Sam find a way to reach her, or will she forever be beyond his reach?
Trust me, is book one in the Blake Family Ranch series, and there is so much to love about this book. The alternating first-person perspectives between Sam and Jordyn allow the reader full insight into each characters hopes, fears, and challenges as both of them come face to face with something they dare not imagine. Both want to protect themselves, yet Sam doesn’t fight himself as hard as the broken and uncertain Jordyn and swears to make himself someone she can run to, not from. I really loved the characters in this book, with a real and relatable feel to them, and the feeling of warmth and family at the ranch it is hard not to be drawn in. This is a sweet romance in every sense of the word and a true hole hearted to whole hearted tale. Chemistry, challenges, and uncertainty follow the protagonists as they both fear and long to understand the connection they have. Beautifully written with vivid descriptions, this is a must for romance lovers.
Book review: D.M.Z. Liyanage – Axel Lennart and the Bright Darkness (@z_liyanage)
Time is running out. Every second passing is another chance for Axel’s enemies to find the weapon, the black box that could destroy everything. With nothing more than fragmented clues Axel and his friends must uncover its hiding place before the protection stopping The Raven disappears and everything is lost. Unable to accept or deny his heritage Axel must find a way to stop the greatest threat the universe has ever known, while not becoming the very thing her fears the most. Time is running out, and if the black box falls into the wrong hands it will spell the end of all.
Axel Lennart and the Bright Darkness is Volume II in the Axel Lennart series. Having read the first I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this, and I must admit I enjoyed it every bit as much as the first. I really enjoyed the combination of technology and magic, along with descriptive world building and rich histories. Action, adventure, and danger will keep you turning the page as you wait with baited breath to see Axel is able to come to terms with who he is. The author’s smooth writing style will capture the reader’s attention, while the comradery and friendship between allies will capture their hearts.
December 20, 2020
Book review: R.L. Wood – Dark Little Women (@RLWoodBooks)
Dorian made a deal with the devil, so the story goes. Immortality, and a picture that takes on all her life’s ails. But things don’t always work out as expected and a new deal in made. Dorian will provide the devil with soldiers for his immortal army, yet she wants to seek their redemption. The clock is ticking, the devil wants his troops and Dorian wants to save as many as she can from this fate and allow them to live their remaining life as mortals, free from the devil’s grasp.
Dark Little Women is a gripping and suspenseful read by R.L. Wood. I loved this modern take on old classic monsters. Filled with action, treachery, uncertainty, and the bonds of friendship. The clock is ticking, the pressure is mounting and as a reader you are there for every second of the nail-biting experience as you delve into the past and fear for the future of the characters you so quickly come to love. Well written, smooth, and perfectly paced to keep you hooked and questioning. Thrilling from beginning to end.
