While ‘Over The Dragon’s Gate’ starts off a little slower than I’d usually like, this co-written story gives you enough hints, enough clues, and enough thoughtfully teased out tidbits to keep its readers engaged and invested.
Much like one of our main characters, Treya, there’s an underlying sense that there’s more to this than meets the eye, and the authors cleverly reveal it all to the reader alongside Treya as he discovers the parts of himself that he’s forgotten.
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The Signature Move is the first contemporary romance of Cassandra Diviak’s that I’ve delved into and I have to say I’m not in any way disappointed. While I wouldn’t call ‘Sports Romance’ my preferred genre, Diviak is able to bring characters to life with a vivacity that grabs you immediately.
The Signature Move explores themes of domestic violence, parental neglect and emotional abuse, eating disorders, and the worst kind of ex-boyfriend, but with a light, delicate, touch that handles the difficult subject matters with care and careful consideration... Shut up and write the book is a comprehensive breakdown on how to write a book. It covers everything from how to come up with ideas, worldbuilding, and character creation, through a full breakdown of the common story beats, and even how to approach self and professional edits.
It covers choosing tense and point of view, it addresses subplots and pacing, and all of it is written in Jenna's familiar and sassy tone that anyone who has seen her youtube videos would be familiar with. And yet, I was left feeling... just a little despondent. With the caveat that I don't read many non-fiction books, those I do pick up tend to be related to writing. I just don't know what I expected from this except... more. Soul Court Ascension: Book 1City of Souls was a really enjoyable read. It made a change to read about a female character who was confident in her abilities, and sharp-tongued to those she didn't trust, without coming across as a nasty person in general. There was enough characterisation to show Hel's soft spots and weaknesses to the reader, and it made her a relatable and highly enjoyable character to follow on an adventure. The author, Mel Harding-Shaw, replicated this skill with the other main character, Bastion, too. While he shows a dark, and sometimes harsh, persona to the world at large, he has softer, kinder moments that are reserved for private moments behind closed doors, and amongst those he trusts. The blackmail that Bastion holds over Hel's head, combined with a fake-relationship theme, could have easily crossed over into uncomfortable territory, but the material is handled with skill and class, and never strays too far. Hel being very handy with a weapon, and having an unsubmissive personality, even when faced with blackmail and threats helped with this greatly, but that doesn't detract from the skill of the author. But it's not just the characters that are handled adeptly, the plot is also clever and intricate, and filled with dangerous political manoeuvring. You constantly have the feeling that there is so much more to this almost post-apocalyptic world running beneath the surface, and I for one can't wait to see more of this world, and these characters, as the series progresses. Release Date is November 9th 2022
You can preorder/purchase a copy of City of Souls, in E-book or Paperback form via; Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Book Depository Bookshop.org Check out the Author's Website for a free prequel short story! I, admittedly, went into A Stray Spirit with some hesitance because it's not my usual brand of fantasy. The magic in the world of Thalis is softer, and quieter, than I've grown to expect from my fantasy favourites, and yet... It works. It works beautifully. So much so that by the time I'd realised I'd fallen in love with the characters, I was already seven chapters into this masterfully woven adventure. R.K Ashwick weaves the story through your head much like the lutesong that our protagonist, Emry Karic, plays at the Red Rat inn. Emry is kind, and relatable. He has goals that anyone can empathise with and understand, and a backstory I was eagerly waiting to discover as the tale progressed. Cal is headstrong, stubborn, intelligent, and a perfect companion to work alongside Emry, balancing out his character. I can see their character developing even more beautifully as the series progresses and I can't wait to see where she goes next. Aspen is an absolute sweetheart. They stole my entire soul the moment they caused trouble with Stef in a fabric store. If you've read the book, you know exactly the scene I'm talking about. It painted such a vivid picture of innocent mischievousness, I laughed aloud, and if you don't know the scene I'm talking about, then you should absolutely pick up this book and find out! This is an entirely enchanting tale, with enough adventure and tension to keep you engaged, while weaving affection for the characters through every line you read. A truly beautiful piece of writing. I wasn't intending to purchase a copy in paperback, but now I've finished it I think I'm going to have to. It would be a crying shame not to add this book to my shelves, and I'm eagerly awaiting more stories of Emry, Cal and Aspen in the future. You can purchase a copy of The Stray Spirit, in E-book or Paperback form via; Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Kobo Apple If you decide to Pre-order The Stray Spirit, before August 8th 2022
check out the Author's Website for some free Stray Spirit Swag! Happy June! How are we all doing so far this month?
Summer has officially arrived here in the UK. We went from mid-teen centigrade temperatures, to over 30 degrees yesterday. It's made writing this week a genuine chore, because I struggle to think straight in the heat, but I've managed to not fall behind on my word count. I'm calling that a success! Are we ready for an update? Oh good! Let's dig in... Chronicles of the Dawnblade, Book One A refreshingly fantastic adventure! When I read the blurb for Andrew Claydon's debut novel, The Simple Delivery, and he was able to make me laugh, twice, in less that 160 words, I knew I had to take a chance on this book. I have always enjoyed reading epic fantasy books. They're the first book genre I truly fell in love with, but The Simple Delivery is truly something special. It's not just the relateability of the main character, Nicholas, and his pure irritation at having his life meddled with by mystical forces. It's not just the beautiful and varied collection of companions he gathers throughout his journey. It's not even, just, the cleverly woven rivalry of the enemy factions that we're introduced to, indicating complex lore, and richly thought out layers of worldbuilding. What really makes this book stand out to me is the crisp, sharp, dry, and utterly hilarious voice of the narrator. The irreverent manner in which this epic fantasy tale is told. I don't think there was a single chapter that didn't have me at least grinning at my screen, and at best, laughing aloud. Andrew Claydon's writing is fresh, and enjoyable, and fun, and his tone is sometimes so amsusing as to almost be a parody of what I've come to expect from the fantasy genre. I will be buying a copy to sit proudly on my bookshelf, and am eagerly looking forward to reading more of this authors work in the future. You can purchase a copy of The Simple Delivery, in E-book or Paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Smashwords Barnes & Noble Kobo Shadow and Soul Series, Book Two A perfect weekend read! I'll keep this review spoiler free, but in Soul of the Sorceress we're back in Runswick with Cordelia and Percy! I have to admit to having missed these two, so I was looking forward to settling into this second book in the Shadow and Soul series. While the book opens quickly on our two main characters, it's made apparent early on that this book has not been written for new readers in mind. If you pick this book up without realising it's book two, you're going to find yourself very lost, very quickly. There's little-to-no recap, and it has sections that allude to character histories that, without context, simply mean nothing to the reader but, honestly, I'm nitpicking. This *is* a second book, and it has deep lore, established backstory and character histories that I was aware of going in. Despite these small areas of potential improvement, Cassandra's skillful storytelling pulls us into a world of magic and romance very quickly. I devoured this book in just a few hours, but it's got a lovely pacing that lends its content to a quiet evening and a glass of wine, or a relaxed weekend perusal. There is intrigue and high stakes, but you never feel pushed to rush the story. It's cleverly interspersed with periods of soft romance, and quiet affection between Cordelia and Percy and despite my ever growing desire to understand the motivations behind the other players on the board, and what allies or dangers they might turn out to be, it was my love of Percy and Cordelia's relationship that truly captured my attention throughout. A gorgeous addition to the series, and I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the next installment to add to my collection! You can purchase a copy of Soul of the Sorceress, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Barnes & Noble Kobo Trying my best to make these monthly updates a habit, and clearly I'm failing at that! I've been busy this month though, which strangely helps. It makes me feel like I've got more to tell you than; "Did writing. Did more writing."
So, let's dig in! The Dark Between, Book Three It's a "just one more chapter!" kind of book! I have to start this review off by saying, I adore this book, I adore this series, I adore Jess, and I especially adore Rae Else's writing style. The way she weaves a story and draws me in is something I've not encountered from an author in a really long time, and the more books I read from her the higher she climbs on my favourite author list. Having said that, Umbra left me torn. Not in a bad way, not at all, but this installment of the series pulled my heart in half a dozen directions and left it a little battered, much like Jess. Umbra also felt like a very short book. It's actually not, but I devoured it so fast, in one sitting, that I finished and instantly wanted more. All of these are good things for the book, and bad things for me as the reader! I want to wrap Jess in a hug after the trials she's gone through in Umbra, and that's also part of the problem with the illusion of this book not having enough content. By the end of Umbra, Jess is battered, bruised, and left a little adrift, even while surrounded by her friends, and I want to know how she overcomes the fallout from the challenges she faced in this book. I, basically, want the final book in the series now. Very impatient and ungenerous of me, but as with Luna and Nox, the author has left me simultaneously satisfied and craving more. It was wonderful to see Astra again! I missed her in Nox, and Theo's development from Luna to now is shocking in all the best ways. Rune's transformation is the most startling, and yet even as you read about the changes he goes through it feels right for his character. And we see more of Matteo, and I can't put into words how much more of him I hope to see in the final installment of this series! All in all, another absolutely fantastic addition to this addictive series. Thank you to Rae Else for providing me with a free copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. You can purchase a copy of Umbra, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Waterstones Apple Books Kobo Barnes & Noble Shadow and Soul, Book One Tirelessly imaginative and magical story Shadow of the Beast, the debut novel from Cassandra Diviak, grabs your focus from the first pages, and takes you on an adventure as you try to untangle the clues about who or what is stalking the citizens of Runswick. It's story is well crafted and engaging from start to finished, however, it is the characters that truly held my attention. Percy and Cordelia start out with their own lives, troubles, and concerns, but as danger stalks the dark streets of Runswick, and deaths threaten the tentative security of both their lives, the two main characters find themselves having to work together. Not only to solve what's hunting the townspeople, but to find a way to move forward as their two separate paths become inextricably tangled. The slow, burgeoning relationship between the two protagonists is a joy to watch, and the steady progression from strangers, to friends, with the potential for more hovering on the horizon is a refreshing change of pace from many books I've read recently where the relationships seem forced or rushed. Overall this is a joy to read, and I greatly look forward to seeing how all of these characters, Percy and Cordelia's relationship, and the subtle hints of a deeper and lore rich world, develop in future books from this writer. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. You can purchase a copy of Shadow of the Beast, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Kobo Barnes & Noble The Dark Between, Book Two Now my teeth are gnashing for book three... Book one of the dark between series, Luna, left me enthralled with the world, and enchanted with the rich cast of characters that Rae Else has created. Book two, Nox, has left me on the edge of my seat, waiting urgently to sink my teeth into part three. Just like the first book, Rae Else's engaging writing style, compelling story, and charming cast of characters sucked me in and I devoured the whole book in one sitting. Nox launches us straight back into the Para world a month after the ending of Luna, with Jess, Theo, Rune, Astra and Matteo all playing prominent roles as the plot progresses, and some of them earning their first Point-Of-View chapters. The further you read, the greater the feeling becomes that the stakes are being exponentially raised for Jess, both in the matter of her personal life and the para world she's still struggling to make sense of. But no matter what Jess hopes for, the noose is tightening around her and her friends. There are chess pieces being moved in the shadows that they can't predict, and answers to questions they don't yet know to ask are coming to the surface, all the while Jess is growing in potential and coming into her own. Mastering her shifter abilities, and discovering new powers that may or may not be linked to Rune's past. Everything is coming to a head, but figuring out who she can trust might be Jess' greatest challenge yet. I genuinely can't find fault with this book. I rarely leave 5 star reviews on anything, but every part of Jess' story has gripped me and while this book has given me hours of utter delight to read, (I may or may not have read it three times at this point), I can't help but eagerly await the next installment. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. You can purchase a copy of Nox, in e-book or paperback form via;
Amazon UK or Amazon US Waterstones Apple Books Kobo Barnes & Noble The Dark Between, Book One "Luna" follows the story of Jess Bradley as she discovers the world of paranormals. A world that she is a part of, but had no idea existed. A world that she discovers as her own world implodes. A few weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, she is dragged to Triodia Penitentiary, accused of murder, and thrown in a cell to await her trial. The decisions, and friends, that Jess makes throughout the book lead her from situations which are bad, to ones that are worse, in a believable manner reminiscent of a 17-year-olds, sometimes annoying, habit of thinking that they know what's best. Rae Else cleverly weaves the world of the Para's around the reader, showing us through Jess' own discoveries what's important here and what's crucial, and the whole time you're becoming more and more invested in Jess' success. There are also several chapters from a secondary character's viewpoint that were fascinating, and got us a glimpse outside of Jess' limited view from the walls of Triodia Penitentiary. I really enjoyed Matteo's chapters, and hope we see much more of this character in subsequent books. Overall this was a really fun read. Fresh, engaging, and it sucked me in fast. I only intended to read the first chapter this afternoon, and ended up devouring the whole book over several hours. I'll absolutely be purchasing the rest of the series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. You can purchase a copy of Luna, in e-book or paperback form via;
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Arista Holmes
I'm a writer in her thirties, who is based in the South East of England. Archives
March 2024
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