Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.'s Blog, page 12
September 13, 2023
Conjured Darkness: Six Macabre Tales by Michael Jess Alexander
Conjured Darkness: Six Macabre Tales by Michael Jess Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Good short stories.
Out of the six short stories in Conjured Darkness: Six Macabre Tales, my favorites were The Experiment, and The Screaming Void. I noticed that my reading engagement was the highest when reading these two.
For those of you wondering, here are the meanings of the incantations in Small Revolution and The Screaming Void:
Small Revolution
Contarso = account (Portuguese)
rencollo = quarrel? dispute? (Spanish-English Dictionary)
ivist = visit?
Eldri = older (Icelandic)
enn = than (Norwegian)
Kandveer = cane spring (Afrikaans)
The Screaming Void
jasu = brightness (Czech)
bhitho = be (Scottish Gaelic)
Xaant = barn (Somali)
maati = family (Oromo); maati o = don’t you (Yoruba) or dirty
otrok = a child (Slovenian)
devosto = devoted (Italian)
What I really liked were the characters in the The Screaming Void. Mrs. Loneagan and Treat (notice the names). When you read the book, it fits so well. As for the mad scientist, that was eerie indeed.
Only four stars because not all the books were that great, but I do applaud the author for trying.
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September 10, 2023
The Planets We Become: A Short Story by Nathaniel Luscombe
The Planets We Become by Nathaniel Luscombe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Good!
It was quite interesting to see the main character’s progression from something mortal into something more. Sadly, her life was ruined by tragedy and loneliness. Nonetheless, she chose good over evil as displayed by her thoughts and actions.
The book cover is unique, and it makes more sense after reading this story. The color is like the sand blowing in the wind, and the flowers… you can feel the main character’s power emanating from the book toward you. To me, the black stripes represent death on the horizon. Overall, the book cover is excellent and one of the book’s most important aspects.
Originally, this short story was part of an anthology from another book, but since Nathaniel decided to breathe new life into it, he should have bonus content featuring the main character’s successor. While the freebies at the end of the book are great, there is always the chance that this will not benefit book lovers who have read his other works.
I wish the author would have given the main character a name. The ending felt rather abrupt, which is why I craved more. I also found myself feeling somewhat ambivalent, as the ending painted the picture that immortality is both a gift and a curse. The only reason I did not give this a five-star rating is that I desired the bonus content to give us insight into the main character’s successor, as well as his protégé.
Please note: I do suspect that the author’s style ranges within the word count of short stories, but in the future, I hope he chooses to break his limits and expand into novelette and novella territory.
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The post The Planets We Become: A Short Story by Nathaniel Luscombe first appeared on Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr..
The Planets We Become by Nathaniel Luscombe
The Planets We Become by Nathaniel Luscombe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Good!
It was quite interesting to see the main character’s progression from something mortal into something more. Sadly, her life was ruined by tragedy and loneliness. Nonetheless, she chose good over evil as displayed by her thoughts and actions.
The book cover is unique, and it makes more sense after reading this story. The color is like the sand blowing in the wind, and the flowers… you can feel the main character’s power emanating from the book toward you. To me, the black stripes represent death on the horizon. Overall, the book cover is excellent and one of the book’s most important aspects.
Originally, this short story was part of an anthology from another book, but since Nathaniel decided to breathe new life into it, he should have bonus content featuring the main character’s successor. While the freebies at the end of the book are great, there is always the chance that this will not benefit book lovers who have read his other works.
I wish the author would have given the main character a name. The ending felt rather abrupt, which is why I craved more. I also found myself feeling somewhat ambivalent, as the ending painted the picture that immortality is both a gift and a curse. The only reason I did not give this a five-star rating is that I desired the bonus content to give us insight into the main character’s successor, as well as his protégé.
Please note: I do suspect that the author’s style ranges within the word count of short stories, but in the future, I hope he chooses to break his limits and expand into novelette and novella territory.
View all my reviews
The post The Planets We Become by Nathaniel Luscombe first appeared on Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr..
Dollhouse by K. Weikel
Dollhouse by K. Weikel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Superb!
This length of this novella is perfect.
I dived into this book without listening to the song, but my reading engagement was high throughout the story. The twist at the end hits hard and is unexpected.
The only bad thing about this book was that it was not edited. You’ll be able to read through it fine, but the errors are noticeable. I hope K. Weikel revisits this book in the future and fixes it.
The book cover is simple and fascinating.
This is a good read.
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September 7, 2023
The Axe by Linda Griffin
The Axe by Linda Griffin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I like short stories.
I knew that this book would be good because I saw a five-star rating of it somewhere else. I refrained from reading that review to make sure I got the maximum number of surprises from the narrative. After reading the excerpt, I knew that this story would be worth my time because of how it started, and boy does it hit hard.
Desi and Eric are quite an odd couple to behold. They mesh well together; yet at times their behavior will beg that into question. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of this anecdote, and I had a feeling from the get-go that there was more than meets the eye with this case. I like how the author refrained from making a large book, removing the fluff, and getting straight to the point. I think this book is solid the way it is.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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September 6, 2023
Horrific Modern Tales
Horrific Modern Tales by Nick Schroeder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Unique.
Horrific Modern Tales is a delight to read; book lovers who are looking for fun, originality, and a few scares will enjoy this album of anecdotes. Imagine the atrocity that would occur if something like SlimX-9000 or Losing Control happened. This writer’s creativity will astound bookworms, and it’s advised to read this at nighttime to maximize the ghastliness of this compilation. Nick Schroeder has crafted unconventional and powerful illustrations, adding depth to this assembly.
Unfortunately, this short story collection is lacking in character development. Backstories are essential for readers to be able to connect to the protagonist of a fictional tale, as well as bring the story to life. Two examples would be the yarns Ding-Dong and Losing Control. For this reason, this assortment of scares cannot be rewarded with a five-star rating.
There is a clerical error with the word “Walter” being misspelled in the tale Virtually Impossible. Another misprint can be found in the narrative Instant Message, where boink has been incorrectly spelled. The author should consider releasing a future edition of this book after working with an editor who can assist him in developing these chronicles further, as well as proofreading the prose. These alterations would add more depth and intrigue to this dreadful assortment.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
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September 3, 2023
Serve No Master
Serve No Master: How to Escape the 9-5, Start up an Online Business, Fire Your Boss and Become a Lifestyle Entrepreneur or Digital Nomad by Jonathan Green
This book was just ok for me.
Book Review: The title and subtitle are geared to get you to make an immediate purchase. It plays on the fantasy of being able to break free from being a corporate wage slave, to push you to be your own boss, and pursue your dreams. Jonathan Green provides plenty of back-stories, as well as tips to succeed in entrepreneurship. I do think some of the information in this text was repetitive. I also believe that this text would have benefited from being shorter and to the point.
Freebies given within this text to aid readers are a plus to aid them in their journey to become pioneers. However, after purchasing this book, I could not help but feel that it was overpriced. Personal effort and willpower were exerted to get through this publication, due to the length of it, and the reiteration. This volume can be considered the author’s ‘magnum opus’, which most likely propelled him into writing other books.
Book Review Conclusion: Do I recommend this book to other people? Yes. Should you buy it at the currently priced of $7.99? No.
The best course of action would be to read it for free through Kindle Unlimited.
I do not endorse this book as a trophy to place on your bookshelf, but it does warrant your attention at least once in your lifetime. I do urge you to read this book as soon as possible, but it’s ok to chapter-hop if you are only looking for specific information. It has the potential to persuade you to change your life for the better!
When I bought this book, it was priced at $9.99. Therefore, I do want to praise Jonathan Green for recognizing that his work was overpriced. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the current price for his book is still too high.
The post Serve No Master first appeared on Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr..
Book Review: Serve No Master
Serve No Master: How to Escape the 9-5, Start up an Online Business, Fire Your Boss and Become a Lifestyle Entrepreneur or Digital Nomad
This book was just ok for me.
Book Review: The title and subtitle are geared to get you to make an immediate purchase. It plays on the fantasy of being able to break free from being a corporate wage slave, to push you to be your own boss, and pursue your dreams. Jonathan Green provides plenty of back-stories, as well as tips to succeed in entrepreneurship. I do think some of the information in this text was repetitive. I also believe that this text would have benefited from being shorter and to the point.
Freebies given within this text to aid readers are a plus to aid them in their journey to become pioneers. However, after purchasing this book, I could not help but feel that it was overpriced. Personal effort and willpower were exerted to get through this publication, due to the length of it, and the reiteration. This volume can be considered the author’s ‘magnum opus’, which most likely propelled him into writing other books.
Book Review Conclusion: Do I recommend this book to other people? Yes. Should you buy it at the currently priced of $7.99? No.
The best course of action would be to read it for free through Kindle Unlimited.
I do not endorse this book as a trophy to place on your bookshelf, but it does warrant your attention at least once in your lifetime. I do urge you to read this book as soon as possible, but it’s ok to chapter-hop if you are only looking for specific information. It has the potential to persuade you to change your life for the better!
When I bought this book, it was priced at $9.99. Therefore, I do want to praise Jonathan Green for recognizing that his work was overpriced. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the current price for his book is still too high.
The post Book Review: Serve No Master first appeared on Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr..
