Ingrid Hall's Blog, page 23
August 7, 2014
Review of The Conspiracy Kid by E.P. Rose
E.P.Rose is the author of BEYOND THE VALLEY OF SEX AND SHOPPING and THE CONSPIRACY KID. He lives in London, with his restaurateur wife, various daughters and Frank, who is a dog…Edwin Mars writes a sonnet – Anyone who reads this sonnet is automatically enrolled in “The Conspiracy Kid Fan Club” and so this bizarre, but grammatically well-written novel begins. The Conspiracy Kid is one of the many books that I have been attempting to read on and off for a few months. The book charts the lives of, and brings together a group of dysfunctional people, none of which, I was able to really identify with, although I have absolutely no doubt that it will resonate with maybe a more “arty” reader. Iris is kind of interesting, although I found her spontaneous reactions to life’s challenges jarring. Lionel Cohen definitely has potential, but is written in such an O.T.T. manner that I found my eyes glazing over. The chapters are tightly written and short, and in terms of “writing ability” I cannot fault the author. In terms of plot, and style, well, this just wasn’t for me. I just didn’t get the authors attempt at humour and the book is just too arty-farty – too “intelligent” for me!
You can find more at http://www.tablethirteenbooks.com/books/the-conspiracy-kid/
August 6, 2014
Review of Delusional by Scott Spotson and Sue Publicover
Scott Spotson is the author of several books including Delusional and Seeking Dr Magic. He loves to travel and has visited countries as diverse as Taiwan and Denmark.
Where do I start with this review? I have been reading Delusional on and off for a couple of months now, and it is one of those books that didn’t initially tickle my fancy but equally, I couldn’t quite bring myself to relegate it to the discarded pile. Delusional is billed as a fast-paced thriller, which is where I encountered my first problem, because while it does have the psycho element, the “psycho” is not psychotic enough and her actions and behaviour is more pantomime villain than, well, psychotic killer…
The book started with an audacious gem theft and was to be fair, incredibly promising. I was hooked by the first chapter and keen to see how the F.B.I would track down their thief. The story then flicks to Patricia, and one of her senior managers Paul, and I was led down the garden path in terms of my expectations…I am not sure if this was intentional or not. If it was, then fair play to the author because that was quite clever. As the story developed there was very little mention of the theft, apart from the odd scene with guards tasked with guarding priceless treasures scratching their heads and fearing for their jobs, and a very uninspiring scene or two with cardboard cut-out F.B.I agents, who lacked all of the charisma and attitude that I have come to expect. (From watching American crime dramas!)
At one point, I actually thought that I was simply reading a mediocre romance story…
I am a lover of the paranormal genre, but the magic/witch element of this story was ridiculous and simply served to add to the pantomime style effect.
I think the author has tried to weave too many different elements into what could have been a brilliant book, if he had actually stuck with the original remit of the thefts and then woven in a truly psychotic character committing grizzly murders, or exacting gory revenge…and maybe some sex…I am sorry, but you can’t have characters having a sexless affair – it just doesn’t work.
I did read the book from start to finish, so it wasn’t a total car-crash and does have some redeeming points. I am just struggling to name some…
You can find out more about the author at www.scottspotson.com
August 1, 2014
Review of Unworthy by Joanne Armstrong
A New Zealander by birth, Joanne Armstrong used to be a full-time primary school teacher. She currently teaches just one day each week and spends the rest of the time either writing or with her two young children. She has also recently been reviewing books for this blog…but you can still expect an HONEST review of Unworthy.
Review by LENORA
Unworthy is the first in a series. Aimed at the young adult market, it is a dystopian story set sometime in the future and the heroine, Arcadia finds herself embarking upon a life-threatening (and changing) journey which (hopefully) by the end of the series will see her righting the wrongs of the cruel and brutal world in which she has been raised. There are a lot of books in the Young Adult market based upon a similar premise, and Unworthy, to a certain degree, follows a formula that readers have come to expect.
1. Girl must overcome adversity to save the world.
2. Two potential love interests: heart over head.
3. A psychotic adversary that she must thwart.
HOWEVER, the author, then throws the formula out of the window and really mixes things up in a deliciously, enticing way which (and I am not particularly a fan of Young Adult) had me completely hooked. Arcadia is strong and independently minded, but logical with it. She knows that sometimes you have to just sit tight and wait for your moment to strike. She also has a moral conscience. Without giving too much away, the scenes when we first meet her are some of the most powerful and moving that I have ever read. (In this genre) Likewise, the man tasked with delivering her to the authorities, Alex, has all of the qualities that you would expect but also has a vulnerability about him, which at times I found endearing and at times I found frustrating. Again, without giving away any spoilers, there was a particular point in the novel when I wanted him to get all brutal and murderous, but his conscience kicked in and I was left going Noooooooo! This is exactly what the author wants though, and by not committing that particular murder, the path is paved for an almighty confrontation at some stage in the future. There is definitely a chemistry between Arcadia and Alex and I will be interested to see how their relationship develops. Rather than leap in with a physical relationship, the author very cleverly sows the seeds and builds a surprisingly deep emotional attachment – Alex definitely loves Arcadia, but does she feel the same?
I was a little disappointed by the big reveal as even though most readers would have been able to figure out where it was headed, it just seemed to happen. I would have liked more preparation and buildup to this, and the cliff-hanger ending bugged me a little too. The version that I read does include the prologue for book 2, but even so, I can understand how readers might feel a little cheated. To be fair to the author, cliff-hangers seem to be the in thing at the moment, and I get why they are appealing to authors – leave your reader dangling so that they buy your next book, BUT, they are also winding a lot of readers up. I have read reviews and comments for books by other authors lately, where readers have been saying in their droves that they will NOT be buying future books in a given series because they feel that the author is trying to back them into a corner. In terms of Unworthy, I think the author should have taken it a little further before ending.
Series of books are great, but I think the best ones are where each book is written almost as a stand-alone, so that the reader is left satisfied but wanting more.
In summary, Unworthy is an extremely well-written book in terms of grammar and plot. It delves into a corrupt, political society and tackles subjects that you don’t normally find in the Young Adult genre. In spite of my gripes about the ending, I will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
The book is currently free to download from http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/... using coupon code BY29C
July 30, 2014
Review of The Runaway by Aritri Gupta
I am really grateful to Jo Armstrong for pulling yet another fantastic review out of the bag!
The Runaway by Aritri Gupta
A fantastic first draft
About the author:
Aritri Gupta, 25, was born into a family of arts and culture, in West Bengal, India. A consultant working with Bristlecone, Mahindra, writing has always been her passion and something she pursued with diligence. She loves observing the candid shades of life through the lens of her creativity. Though an engineering degree in Metallurgy and an MBA from one of the top schools in India sounds otherwise, her alter ego is one with the creative hues of art and culture. Reading, dance, music and painting are her other interests. Life, with all its mysteries, and people have always been her inspiration to write, and that’s what her stories essentially comprise of – emotions!
About The Runaway:
I wanted to really dislike this book, because the author committed so many of my most hated sins. Tense jumping around. Overusing the thesaurus. Plonking a word in there ‘cause it looked fancy, with the rest of the sentence screaming blue murder at it. Two dimensional characters. Settings and words that don’t agree (a sheriff? In Scotland?)
But the truth is that I think Gupta has the makings of a fantastic novel here. The story is fascinating. A serial killer on the loose, each grisly murder bringing him closer to the person who he has obsessed about for years. I love this premise, and I think so much more could be done with it. Gupta should heighten the mystery, give us more time to work out for ourselves what the link between the victims is.
The law-enforcement throughout the book is frustratingly useless. Everyone knows who the killer is. He still hangs out in the same places he always has. Everyone knows who he’s after. And we know where she hangs out too. So why can’t they catch the damn guy? I realise, from the author’s point of view, that he needs to remain on the loose, but with a more intelligent police force the killer would have to have been more intelligent also, and this would make for a much more frightening villain. As it was I found him a little ho-hum. He was definitely evil – just not as clever and calculating as I’d have liked.
Gupta had many interesting back-stories, which filled out the novel very well. However, although she gave her characters each a past, somehow this wasn’t enough to push them forward into 3D. I wonder if it was because she jumped so quickly from one flashback to another. I was often reeling with the speed of it, trying to catch up on where we were up to, who had been killed, and whether the murderer was in prison or out of it.
In short, this is a wonderful first draft. I enjoyed it immensely. With the right editors I know it can be teased and reworked into a very enjoyable, grisly thriller. And I think that the cover is absolutely perfect for the book, it drew me in immediately. With three books to choose from today, The Runaway was my first pick – thanks solely to the cover art.
You can find Aritri Gupta online:
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379823.Aritri_Gupta
You can find The Runaway on line: http://www.amazon.com/Runaway-Aritri-Gupta-ebook/dp/B00LIXHW72/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406683613&sr=8-1&keywords=the+runaway+aritri+gupta
Joanne Armstrong loves sunny winter days, although admits they are not conducive to writing. Her first novel, Unworthy, is a teen dystopia, available this month for free on Smashwords with the Coupon number BY29C. But only if you promise to give it a rating after you’ve read it!! http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/450106
July 28, 2014
Giveaway – Perfect Need – Seven Tales of Love and Passion by Barbara L.B. Storey
The author asked me to review this book several months ago, and also kindly provided me with a copy for a giveaway. HUGE apologies to Barbara L.B. Storey but due to the backlog that I currently have, I simply haven’t had time to review it. Rather than have this gorgeous little book continue to gather dust, I have decided to publish a synopsis of the book and offer it up for the giveaway now. It is still pending review, it just might take me a while longer to get to it!
BRIEF SYNOPSIS
Perfect Need, a collection of erotic short stories, is an exploration of what love and passion can become, how they affect two people for a moment, or a lifetime. What happens when two lovers close their eyes, literally or not; when they tumble into a love they never expected; when they decide it’s worth the risk to stay . . . or time to leave?
WIN A COPY OF PERFECT NEED…
For your chance to win a copy of Perfect Need simply leave a comment with the name of your favourite romance book (any sub-genre) along with the reason why you love it so much. (It doesn’t have to be an indie author) The winner will be chosen at random on or shortly after 10th August 2014.
July 26, 2014
Indie and Proud – D.Z.C. interviews Yves Fey
I just want everyone to know that I am in the middle of a house move, and my time online over the next 10 days is going to be very limited. It also means that book reviews may (or may not) get posted until after 05th August. I have 3 books that I am currently reading, including Unworthy by Joanne Armstrong but to be honest by the time I have finished decorating and packing, I am so exhausted when I fall into bed that I can barely keep my eyes open, let alone pickup a kindle! So please bear with me…Likewise, I will still take requests for editing, but will not realistically be able to actually start work on any new projects before 05th August.
In the meantime, please show some love and check out this fabulous Indie and Proud interview between D.Z.C and Yves Fey… Floats The Dark Shadow, is STILL one of my all-time favourite Indie books!
Indie and Proud – J.D. Miller interviews Yves Fey
I just want everyone to know that I am in the middle of a house move, and my time online over the next 10 days is going to be very limited. It also means that book reviews may (or may not) get posted until after 05th August. I have 3 books that I am currently reading, including Unworthy by Joanne Armstrong but to be honest by the time I have finished decorating and packing, I am so exhausted when I fall into bed that I can barely keep my eyes open, let alone pickup a kindle! So please bear with me…Likewise, I will still take requests for editing, but will not realistically be able to actually start work on any new projects before 05th August.
In the meantime, please show some love and check out this fabulous Indie and Proud interview between J.D. Miller and Yves Fey… Floats The Dark Shadow, is STILL one of my all-time favourite Indie books!
July 22, 2014
Berserk Alert – Cartoons by Tony Zuvela
Tony Zuvela was born in the swinging sixties and lives in Australia. He worked in the Television Industry as a cameraman/editor for twenty years before deciding to give cartooning a full-time go. In addition to several books of cartoons, Tony also sells his cartoons to the movie industry, law firms, theatres, and businesses for their websites. I am seriously impressed with his work, and will give some thought to commissioning him/collaborating with him at some stage in the future…my mind is already swirling with the possibilities!
Back to the cartoons. Each book is a compilation of his work. I have tried to look for a pattern, theme but can’t find one! Perhaps this is just my blondeness coming out, or perhaps the artist has deliberately chosen a random selection. A lot of them depict day to day situations – with a twist. Some contain animals in funny situations. Each has a certain type of gallows humour to it which had me in stitches. The cartoons are tasteful, flamboyant and berserk!
You can find more at http://www.berserkalert.com.au/
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July 21, 2014
Review of Redemption: The Further Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer – by Andrew Joyce
Jo Armstrong is putting me to shame with the volume of reviews that she is getting through! Check out her latest here!
Tom and Huck fans will love it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Joyce left high school at seventeen to hitchhike throughout the U.S. Canada, and Mexico. He wouldn’t return from his journey until decades later when he decided to become a writer. Joyce has written three books, and a collection of forty-three stories that is comprised of his hitching adventures, written as veiled non-fiction called BEDTIME STORIES FOR GROWN-UPS, and his latest novel REDEMPTION. He now lives aboard a boat, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
ABOUT REDEMPTION
I’m always a little wary about writers who take on another author’s characters. I am not a supporter of fan fiction. I assume that all fan fiction is going to be bad – after all, if the writer is good, why not start their own story? Have they no ideas of their own?
Writing the follow up to classics such as Mark Twain’s is dangerous territory. It throws up all sorts of warning flags for me. These are characters who generations of readers have grown up with. Even it it’s not hallowed ground, it’s at least shaky.
All that being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the book. Joyce manages to capture not only the essence of Twain’s writing style, but also the gentle flow of adventure which the boys find along the way. They are now, of course, all grown up and the tone of the adventures takes a great big step forward into adulthood. Joyce remains true to the boy’s characters in a clever and intriguing way. I think the danger could have been to err too heavily on the side of caution, ending up with two bland characters who blend into one generic youth of the 1860′s. Joyce avoids this neatly.
I have to acknowledge the courage the writer shows in taking on Twain’s classics. The vision behind the book was grand, and he stuck to it. He took bold risks, and they pay off. The writing is perfect – he imitates the original books to a tee – and it is well edited and easy to read.
For those who enjoyed the original books, this is a must-read. Get set to reacquaint yourself with favourite characters from your past, and to become lost in the world of your youth.
You can find Andrew Joyce at:
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18393873-redemption?from_search=true
Website – http://huckfinn76.com/
Joanne Armstrong feels that winter is for staying warm by the fire and reading. Her first book, Unworthy, is a dystopian teen novel, and she is currently weaving together the strands of its follow-up. You can find Unworthy here https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/450106
July 19, 2014
Review of Severed Bonds by Kyra Dunst
Yet another fab review from my little life-saver, Jo Armstrong.
Ho-hum…a mere mortal being convinced that she is now part of a secret world of vampires, werewolves and fairies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kyra Dunst is a wife, mother, author and dreamer. She typically lives in her own world most of the time, but can often be found wandering around in Indiana with her husband, a daughter, a dog, a cat and some fish. When not writing, she is often thinking about writing, or trying her hand at various crafty things that she may, or may not be good at doing. She is pretty sure that her neighbour is a vampire, and that her eleventh grade maths teacher was a werewolf, but the jury is still out on the Fae.
ABOUT SEVERED BONDS
Alrighty, where do I start? So the world is not new, it’s so thoroughly regurgitated that others in the lounge with me were asking what I was sighing about. I couldn’t help it. Oh, the predictability! Female human, werewolves, vampires, fairies… and she happens to become a highly desirable female character, wielding great power and saving the world though many more experienced power-players were present.
On the positive side, the book was well-written. The wording flowed, was descriptive and well-edited. Grammar, spelling, tense…Nothing jumped out at me from the page to make my inner grammar-Nazi cringe. And even though the paranormal genre is desperately over exposed at the moment, I do feel that Dunst has something to add. Her world ticks all of the boxes that fans of the paranormal will require, but on top of these, she has added some clever twists of her own. The usual love triangle was dealt with from a new angle, which was refreshing. The protagonist begins by resisting the love interest’s advances, although boy wins girl over partway through the book. I was interested to see how Dunst would be able to add further angst and indecision after the relationship was apparently sealed, but she did manage to carry the love theme well, right to the end.
The age of the heroine did not work for me. She is supposed to be an adult, fresh from a broken marriage, but she whinges and throws tantrums in fine style – to match the teenage heroines which frequent books of this kind. I found her intensely dislikeable. I think that Dunst was probably going for the effect of a young, vulnerable yet strong (and hugely attractive) woman thrust into a world which she had previously not known existed, and struggling to come to grips with it, but instead she came off as immature, whining, weak, ungrateful and distinctly unattractive.
Why do alpha men want to protect Alexandra? It’s beyond me. Hasn’t Ian got anything better to do? Why should Kade be attracted to her? Just instinct? I can’t see any other reason for it!
In summary, if you like paranormal fiction (and I know that many, many do) this is for you. If you love anything about werewolves, this is for you. There are some new and interesting additions to the usual formula here, and you may well not see the twists coming. Not that I’m implying that Severed Bonds has been written to a formula; perhaps it would have been stronger if it had. I do believe that many will enjoy this book, and will be recommending it to fans of this genre.
Severed Bonds is the first in Kyra Dunst’s Annwyn Unveiled Series, the second of which The Stygian Kiss is also available now.
You can find the author at http://www.kyradunst.com
Jo Armstrong is a mother of two and has suddenly realised that her five-year-old starts school next month. She loves that this will give her more writing time, but is a little worried that her significant other may expect her to do more “real” work instead. Her first book, Unworthy, is a dystopian teen novel and can be found at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/450106
