Trey Stone's Blog, page 12

Book Review: The Devil’s Advisor by Brad Abdul

What would you do if the Devil pulled you down to hell—only to ask you to help run the place?

This is the simple, but very alluring plot of Brad Abdul’s debut novel, The Devil’s Advisor. I’ve been excited to read this ever since I heard about it and was very happy to be able to pick up an ARC via NetGalley. Thanks to Flame Tree Press for that.

The story kicks off with a bang. It doesn’t take many pages before we learn who our protagonist Brian is, where he works and why he’s so good at it, and why the devil needs his help. Turns out that Hell is a business, a business that deals in corrupting souls—and lately, they haven’t been doing a very good job of it.

Abdul’s brilliance is in his world building. If you liked the TV show Supernatural you’re going to love this, and I really enjoyed exploring the way Hell worked, how the Devil operated, and all the interesting concepts around the “business”. Of course, various Biblical characters make an appearance, and Abdul has really managed to make his own spin on it.

The formatting of the book occasionally pulled me out of the story—but I think that issue can be blamed mainly on the advanced reader copy—and sometimes certain parts felt a bit overdrawn and the pace stalled. Quickly becoming a fan of Abdul’s world building I often wished he’d step outside the plot to give me more backstory and more details, but that’s probably a ‘me’ issue.

I think this is branded as a supernatural comedy, but it should be noted that it’s also a mystery, a thriller and a romance, all baked into one. There’s layers of story here, with a little bit for everyone, and again—if you’re into the show Supernatural, you’re going to enjoy this!

You can check out Brad Abdul’s debut novel, The Devil’s Advisor here.

Enter Dzintra Sullivan’s 12 Days Of Bookmas!

Don’t miss this exciting giveaway!

Dzintra Sullivan—best-selling indie author extraordinaire—is hosting a very exciting Christmas giveaway this December!

With the hopes of sharing some joy and happiness this holiday season, Dzintra is inviting you all along to win amazing prizes!

From December 1st – 12th, myself and ten other authors have been invited to partake in Dzintra’s #ZeesBookmas, where you can win ebooks, paperbacks, and gift cards!

The rules are simple:

To enter, head over to Dzintra’s Twitter page and #like and #share the giveaway posts, and remember to use the hashtag #ZeesBookmas to make sure you enter all twelve giveaways.

I’m super excited to be part of this—and so thankful for being invited by Dzintra. She’s a pillar of the writing community, a fantastic author, and overall just a fun and loving person.

Good luck—and Merry Christmas!

I Just Failed – Big Time

It was all supposed to work itself out, but then… I don’t even know how it happened.

Okay – I’m overreacting. It’s not like I’ve done anything bad or that anyone’s hurt, or that I lost the secret map to the hidden treasure that was going to make me rich beyond my wildest dreams… but I was supposed to do this project for NaNoWriMo, and for a whole month I haven’t written one, single, word.

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and the premise is simple: write a novel in a month (or at least 50 000 words worth). It sounds kinda weird to dedicate a specific month to that, I know (because why not just… write a novel when you want to write a novel, right?) But in a strange way it’s very motivating to set aside a specific amount of time each year to focus on a single project, to do just that one thing for November, and maybe even know that your friends are doing the exact same thing.

My plan was simple this year. I wasn’t going to write something new – I wanted to edit something old. I had the perfect story in mind, a short horror novella that I could easily sit down and work with and get into—if not perfect—at least much better shape than it was.

I started NaNo with a bang, reading through the entire thing and making notes at the start of the month. I felt good about my plan – and even better, I felt great about my story! This was going to be a fun and exciting project to wrap up 2022 with.

And then… Nothing.

What the hell happened to November?

I literally haven’t looked at the story since the start of the month, and apparently it’s—*checks watch*—the 30th today.

I know, I know, I hear what you’re saying: “But Trey! Surely you have done other stuff?” Yes, yes, of course I’ve done other stuff, but it wasn’t that much other stuff, so it feels like I’ve failed.

Because I had a plan and I wanted to commit to my plan and somehow I’ve just… I don’t know, forgotten? And it’s s not like I feel like I’ve just been lying around doing nothing in November either, so… I don’t know. It’s weird to not have something specific to blame my lack of commitment on.

Anyways—I’m rambling and I’m whining, and I have only myself to blame. I’ll try to revise that horror novella during the next few months instead, and it’ll be like nothing ever happened. And yet… It still feels like I failed.

How has your November been? Did you try your luck with NaNoWriMo or are you working on something else? Or maybe nothing at all? Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Dorylaeum by Bryan R. Saye

The second book in The Crusader Chronicles book and what a sequel it is!

When I read Saye’s first book in the series, Storm of War, I remember being surprised by how captivating the story way. Being an archaeologist by profession, I often find that I don’t enjoy historical fiction and mysteries as much as I sometimes feel like I should, maybe because I get too caught up in details, or maybe because I don’t give details the attention they deserve – though I always enjoy giving the genre a chance!

Thankfully, that’s not the case with Saye and this series. His writing is superb, captivating and engaging, with just the right mixture of historical accuracy and fictional mystery to keep me hooked. The pacing, the character development, the action – it’s all right where it needs to be. Honestly, oftentimes it feel like watching an epic historical drama from the early 2000s – back when they were amazing.

Saye intersperses his main plot with a forward time jump that gives us just enough hints to want us to carry on reading – it makes it so that you know what to expect, you just don’t know how to expect it. There’s enough romance, camaraderie, mystery and humor to keep you from getting bored – and I suppose there’s an overarching plot that pulls us toward an end somewhere as well, though I’m too caught up in the here-and-now of the journey to even think about it yet.

I’m looking forward to the next book already – this is one of those indie gems that you hope you’ll come across when you’re doing this thing. If you’re interested in historical fiction, or in any kind of sword-and-shield fantasy setting, what have you, then honestly – give this series a chance. You won’t regret it.

Book Review: Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor

How would I describe this book with one word? Unique.

Lagoon is set in the city of Lagos, Nigeria, where an alien invasion in Lagos Lagoon causes the fate of three individuals to intersect and be changed forever.

I didn’t know what I was going to when I decided to buy Lagoon. By happenstance I ended up talking to the owner of a small feminist indie book shop in Oslo, Norway, during one of their pop up sales on the west coast and by the time I left from there I had Lagoon in my hand. It came highly recommended, the blurb intrigued me, and the cover caught my eye. I also try to make an effort to read much and to read widely – and I know that if I just read what ends up falling into my hands, it’s almost always white men. So I knew I had to have this.

Okorafor writes with a passion, for the lack of a better word, that I don’t recall seeing in any other author. Her words, her style, the way she tells the story is hard and fast. Brutal, almost. It’s a different but exciting thing to read. Things move fast, things are told in a different way than what I’m used to. I like it.

She also puts a lot of herself into her writing. There’s culture. Religion. Passion, people and atmosphere. I felt that I wasn’t just reading a book, I was also experiencing a whole new type of story telling. It’s intriguing and like I said in the beginning: unique.

Unfortunately, the story isn’t very good. The alien invasion is strange, incomplete and sometimes boring. It’s never explained, never given center stage and never resolved. All of the characters appeared to be bystanders in their own stories, and none of them were fleshed out. By the end of the book I felt like the author just got tired of writing and decided to end it.

This is an interesting book, with brilliant and captivating writing – I just wish the story managed to pull me in as much as the words that told it did. Because that part, the actual writing was a breath of fresh air.

I’ll keep a look out for Okorafor. I feel like maybe I’ll enjoy some of her other works more than I could this.

What have you read recently? Something excellent or something else? Any weird mix ups like me, where the writing caught you but not the story? Let me know in the comments!

Autumn Update

It feels like it has been years since the summer was here, and autumn appears to be lasting for ages. Here in Western Norway, it rains.
And it rains,
…and it rains.

But who doesn’t like an eternal downpour now and then? It’s a great excuse to get stuff done indoors.

In the beginning of September I was busy with the release of At The Gate. It’s my latest psychological thriller, released through the indie press Inked In Gray, and the experience has been wonderful. A massive thanks to everyone who has picked it up, and if you haven’t read it yet, you can get it straight from Inked In Gray here.

At the end of September, my wife and I bought a house. It’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a while, both to get some more space but also to come a little closer to friends and family. The whole process, from going to the bank, getting the money, placing the bid and winning the house was surprisingly fast. Now we’re just waiting to move in. (That’s going to be super relaxing, right?)

A natural consequence of this was having to sell our apartment and though that was significantly more stressful, those few weeks we spent on putting it on the market, finding a buyer, cleaning it out and handing over the keys went by in a flash. We’re living with my in-laws for a month now, and it’s actually not horrible.

Then, by the end of October, I managed to publish another story. A speculative short story this time, called Time of Death, published by Dark Recesses Press. I’m really proud of this one, and I would love if you checked it out here. When you do, I’d love to hear what you think!

Recently, I’ve spent a long weekend in Brussels. It’s an annual thing my siblings and I started last year (not that we always go to Brussels), and it was a long awaited break from a stressful couple of months. We don’t make too much of these trips; we walk around, take in the sights, drop my a few shops or museums if we have time, and we drink. I had so much beer and Irish coffee that I think I need to lock myself away for a while.

Now, I’m working on a couple of short stories that I need to submit by the end of the month, planning to revise a horror novella, and the next big thing on my schedule is to release the third Columbus Archives book. I know a lot of you have been waiting for it, and it’s very nearly ready. As always, you will be the first to hear about it – and as usual, there will be an opportunity to receive early review copies.

Have a great autumn (though hopefully with significantly less rain than me), and thanks for reading!

Read My New Story!

When I’m not writing thrilling novels, one of my favorite things to do is to write short stories.

They are usually horror, science fiction, fantasy or speculative fiction, and when they’re done I send them out to be considered for anthologies, magazines, websites and competitions.

One of the reasons I love writing short fiction is because it’s a great way to learn. It’s much easier to experiment with tense, perspective, pacing and plot when you’re writing shorter things. The smaller amounts of words at your disposal, means you have to consider every little thing much more carefully – and it also means it won’t take you six month to finish the thing!

Anyway – a while back I wrote a short story called Time Of Death. It’s about a man who meets Death as he lies dying in the back of an ambulance. In an attempt to make the end of his life last as long as possible, he agrees to play Death’s guessing game.

I’m really proud of how this story turned out. It twist and turns in just the right places, and it builds up towards the end perfectly. I’m even more proud of the fact that the story was picked up for publication by Dark Recesses Press – which means you can read it right here, right now.

Give it a read, won’t you? If you like weird, dark stories you’ll love this. And I’d love to hear what you thought of it when you’re done! Let me know in the comments.

Podcast Review: Death By Unknown Event by Pamela Adlon

This is so wild – every time I thought I’d gotten to the worst part, it took another turn.

I listen to a lot of podcasts – in all kinds of genres. Some of my favorites are No Such Thing As A Fish, Twenty Thousand Hertz, Lore, Vanished, and Serial – amongst others. And since I also listen to a lot of audiobooks, and use Audible to do so, I also have access to their selection of original podcasts.

Some of my favorites from their catalogue are Body of Proof, Ghosthunter, The Last Days of August, and Evil Has A Name, and when I recently stumbled across Death By Unknown Event I knew I was going to love it. Even just the name had me hooked, I didn’t even need to read what it was about – and by the time I finished it, I knew I needed to write a review because this is just too good.

To make it easier for you, I’ll give you the short story: during the 1980s, Cindy James, a Canadian nurse from Vancouver, reported over 100 incidents of harassment, threats, violence, and assault. The kicker? There was almost no evidence that any of it actually happened. Then, after seven years, she was found dead, bound and naked.

What? Over 100 reported incidents without proof? How does that even work? How… I had so many questions. And the more you listen, the crazier it gets. So many people were involved with investigating Cindy and her claims, and a lot of the people came up with totally different answers to what was going on. It truly is a crazy ride.

And the production is really good – that’s always a major factor in enjoying any podcast. I don’t know how many times I’ve been turned off from a really good show because of bad sound quality or an annoying or unengaging narrator. But that’s not the case here – Pamela Adlon is magnificent.

The real twist is the end – where one insane theory about what might have happened is brought into the light, and with it the realization that maybe this theory isn’t as crazy as it seems…

The only sad thing about this is that there isn’t more of it I suppose, but then again that’s perhaps the hallmark of a good podcast. What have you been listening to lately? Do you have any good True Crime recommendations? Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Dancing At Midnight by Rebecca Graves

Dancing At Midnight is the heartbreaking tale of a Carolyn, a young woman who comes home to deal with the death of her mother, June Parker – and the estate she has left behind – only to discover the painful, untold truth about her June’s early life.

This is very different from what I usually read – but I stepped into it with an open mind and eager eyes. I prefer to read thrillers, horror, Sci-Fi and fantasy, and the mystery of what could have happened to June during her early years that would have been so terrifying, awful, and painful that not even her own daughter knew about it until after her death, hooked me from even before page one.

The book starts off with Carolyn coming home, and very quickly jumps back in time to her mother’s childhood, after Carolyn finds June old diaries. June’s early years are sweet, but full of hardship and burdens, and after her father leaves her and her mother behind, June’s difficulties begin in earnest. She ends up in a home shortly after, when her mother’s realizes she can’t care for young June all alone, and June has to fend for herself.

The story of June is a beautiful but troublesome one, full of loss, grief, loneliness and anger, but it’s also a sweet one, full of friendships, love, hope and happiness. The writing is delicate and nuanced, yet fast-paced and to the point. It strung me along through every twist and turn, around every bend, and over every hump. The book is interspersed with short chapters where we go back to Carolyn, following a long as she reads about her mother, and in many ways it felt like I, the reader, had the exact same experience. At the end, I was left surprised.

I felt sometimes that some parts of the book were brushed over – June would find herself in trouble, only for it to be sorted out in the next instant. In this way it was as if some of that darkness lost its effect – I got a sense of feeling like any one conflict would never remain for too long. Of course, not long after, June would find herself in trouble again, and that’s how her life went on until she grew up – and maybe it was this constant swinging between ups and downs that was the real struggle all along.

The ending brought it all together though. Like I said – I don’t usually read this kind of romantic drama, but I have to say it paid off. The ending is… bitter-sweet, but it’s sweet. If you’re into mysterious family dramas, tragic love stories, and bitter-sweet romances, then this is definitely a book for you. I like trying out new things, and reading this book surprised me.

When was the last time you read something out of your normal genre? Do you prefer to stick to your favorites, or do you look for things to surprise yourself with? Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Red Notice by Bill Bowder

Whoa – what a story!

My father and I have a tendency to read the same books at the same time – without ever knowing about what the other is up to. The last time it happened I came back home to visit, only to realize he had just finished 61 Hours by Lee Child, a book I just read and reviewed not long ago.

While we were talking about it, and how funny it is that we somehow end up doing this — (I guess we have the same taste, I don’t know, maybe we’re related or something) — he asked what I was reading now, and when I said I was just looking for something new, he practically threw this book at me.

“You have to read this! It’s the craziest true story you’ll ever read!”

Looking at the cover and the blurb, seeing it was a book about Russia, economics and what I assumed was a good deal of politics, I wasn’t particularly interested, but I took my dad’s word for it, and brought it home.

This is the true story of how Bill Browder became a millionaire in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union, and how he ended up becoming a human rights advocate as a direct consequence of his own success. It’s wild, it’s hilarious, it’s heartbreaking and it’s an incredibly powerful story.

It’s kind of threefold. One part of it is Bill’s origin story, how and where he grew up, and how he became the man he was when he first became interested in Russia. That’s the second part: A tale of how he built an economic empire, how he set up his office, his finances and his company, and how he managed to become rich off of a system that hardly anyone knew how functioned in the beginning of the ’90s. The third part, is the sad and terrifying story of the people who tried to stop him, only because he was he better than them, and the story of how he and his friends had to flee.

I’d recommend this book to everyone, even if you like me don’t think any of this sounds particularly interesting at first. It’s much more fascinating than you think, it’s a really well-written book, and it’s – again – a very powerful story.

I’m glad my dad convinced me to read this. I’m going to keep following his suggestions whenever I’m back home. Our love of reading is one of the few interests we share.

What have you been reading lately? Thrillers, romance, fantasy? Any crazy true stories? Let me know in the comments!