Tales of the Forthcoming: An Anthology of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Short Stories by Steven Blows

December 20, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Tales of the Forthcoming: An Anthology of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Short Stories by Steven Blows
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It is impossible for anyone to know what the future will bring or even what is lurking behind the next corner, but it is possible to wonder, to question, to imagine. Have you ever imagined?

Machines with science beyond compare, intergalactic relics possessing unlimited power, creatures of nightmares, troubling family dinners, and more are included in this enthralling anthology of the awe-inspiring, the wonderous and the bone-chilling. Examining topics of greed, love, and fate, there are stories designed to make your heart race, others designed to melt it.

Possible futures and the horrors of today, Tales of the Forthcoming is a collection of ten short stories like no other.
So make a cuppa, sit back, and forget the world for a short while as you dive into a world of make-believe where imagination rules.

Science can’t explain everything yet.

I was intrigued to discover what speculative fiction twist could be found while reading about someone taking their dog for a walk in “Mezameru.” It was such a routine but wholesome moment in life that I kept a close eye out for hints that would guide me in the right direction. What a fun way to expand the audience’s expectations of what might happen in this genre! This reminded me why I like science fiction so much.

Some of the stories in this collection would have been better if more details had been included in them, especially when it came to character and plot development. “Highway,” which followed a young man who planned to travel down an empty and eerie road in Australia in order to reach his brother who needed a temporary caregiver, was one of them. As much as I enjoyed the cashier’s stern warning to the protagonist to avoid that highway at all costs, I found myself wishing someone had better explained what sometimes happened on that road to people who were travelling alone. There were so many different possibilities and only scant evidence for any one of them being the most accurate one.

As someone who also struggles to enjoy Christmas,“Possibilities” grabbed my attention immediately. The protagonist’s long standing effort to make this holiday special for the people in his life who do look forward to it was an excellent testament to his kind and generous personality. I also enjoyed the twist later on as the family was decorating their home. What a thoughtful way to draw readers in and make them wonder what they’re currently overlooking in their own lives.

Tales of the Forthcoming: An Anthology of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Short Stories was a wild ride.

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The Book of Thunder and Lightning by Seb Duncan

December 19, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Book of Thunder and Lightning by Seb Duncan
Publisher: Roundfire Books
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A vigilante ghost stalks the East End of London… Before the lightning, he was just a boy, now he’s ready for revenge. The Book of Thunder and Lightning is a Gothic mashup of Oliver Twist and Top Boy, a love letter to London, wrapped up in a mind-bending ghost story. In 1888, unlucky Tom Baxter is thrown into a world of toxic masculinity, where his only weapon is his imagination. But at least he’s got his crew, a gang of misfits just like him, to back him up. As lightning stretches across time and space to a gritty 21st-century London, history is repeating itself. Tom has the chance to save his modern-day twin, with help from a reluctant hero, a posh girl from Chelsea, and a donkey called Dorris. His luck has to change sometime, right?

Life isn’t always fair.

Both of the settings involved characters who were not only participating in illegal activities but involving kids in their crimes as well. This was something I expected to find in the historical timeline but not so much in the contemporary one. Some of the most interesting scenes to me were the ones that explored what the kids thought about the secret errands they were sent on or the odd things the adults in their lives occasionally said or did. A child’s understanding of these things isn’t going to be the same as an adult’s, after all!

I struggled with the time jumps between the late 1800s and the modern era. It took quite a while for me to discover the connections between them, and while I found the conflict interesting there weren’t many detailed descriptions of the characters or settings to grab my attention in the meantime in the present day. I found myself wishing that these scenes were as easy to visualize as the ones set in and around 1888.

It was intriguing to learn how the afterlife worked in this universe. Instead of focusing on traditional options like heaven or hell, at least some of the dead could earn the opportunity to do things they genuinely wished to do. Although I can’t go into detail about what they did to earn those treats without giving away spoilers, I did enjoy learning about how that system worked and what the dead thought of it.

The Book of Thunder and Lightning made me smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Lines Of Inquiry by Rhys Dylan

December 18, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Lines Of Inquiry by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

One of our own…

DCI Evan Warlow believes that murder is a cardinal sin. Even when the victim is a drug dealing, money-laundering criminal. But when a police officer is shot in the same incident at a tranquil beach near Tenby in South Pembrokeshire… Suddenly it’s personal. What appears, on the surface, to be a falling out between partners in crime soon spirals into an operation involving gang warfare and a great deal of money.

But even Warlow is not prepared for what lurks beneath the surface of this most terrible of crimes. The truth, hidden under a tangled knot of lies, will lead him to a terrifying conclusion, and that most dangerous of beings; a killer with nothing left to lose.

Another fast paced, gripping police procedural that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Two police officers are shot following up what at first appeared to be a minor phone call. DCI Evan Warlow and his team are called in to investigate and what superficially looks like a simple matter quickly becomes murky and intricate. Can Warlow and his team untangle what quickly becomes quite a dangerous situation?

I’ve been greatly enjoying this Welsh-based police procedural series and found this to be an excellent addition. While the team has quite a history of working together now and they’ve formed quite a solid routine and pattern I still definitely feel readers should be fine to pick this book up and read it without having read any of the previous history. The plot and workings between the team are quite clear and the depth of connection between them all is quite a pleasure to read to my mind.

I was interested that there were a few longer-running story arcs that popped up in this book and clearly there’s a thread with Molly – the daughter of one of the detectives – that progressed a nice amount in this book. I thought the author did a really good job balancing between the police procedural aspect to the case and the plotline of the murder mystery but also showing the private lives of the team and moving some of their emotional growth forward as well. I thought this showed a good balance and a lot of talent on the author’s part.

Readers looking for an action-orientated story or a faster moving pace might not find this quite fits the bill for them, but for readers who enjoy a solid murder mystery with quite a few roaming parts should find like I did that this is a well written and well-paced book with interesting characters and an enjoyable plot. A good book in an interesting series and I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Deep Into That Darkness by M S Morris

December 17, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Deep Into That Darkness by M S Morris
Publisher: Landmark Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A cold case to solve. New truths to uncover. A killer to catch.
When the body of one of his own colleagues is found in Scarborough harbour, DCI Tom Raven throws himself into finding out what led to the young man’s death.

The killing shows similarities to the unsolved murder of the victim’s own mother. Might his off-the-books investigation into her case have got him into deep water? Or could his death be related to the attacks on women that are taking place at night? The dead man left a trail of cryptic clues to his final movements that might lead Raven to the truth.

Drawn into Scarborough’s shady night life in his quest to find the killer, Raven faces temptations of his own.

When the body of one of their own is found floating in Scarborough Harbour, DCI Raven and his team know they need to pull out all the stops. Fairly certain from the beginning this tragic death is linked to a cold case from almost a decade ago, DCI Raven knows reopening the case will open fresh wounds for a number of people. But links between the cold case and a recent spate of assaults is soon hard to ignore, and the more the team investigate the previous cases, the more questions they find unanswered. Can they solve this before it’s too late for another of their own?

I have been enjoying these Yorkshire British mysteries and found this to be a really good addition. I definitely feel these two authors are starting to hit their stride and I really enjoyed this story. I found the team is really beginning to pull together and work cohesively together, I thought the plot was complicated enough to keep me guessing well into the story – and I was thrilled when, for the first time so far, the ending of this book didn’t directly hint or lead into the next one. I found that very refreshing.

A well plotted British police procedural style of book, I thought this plot had enough hooks and twists it should appeal to a wide range of mystery readers. While seeming very simple at the beginning I enjoyed the fact there were layers and complications that made the mystery a lot deeper than I had originally expected. I also enjoyed that while there were parts of the story I easily guessed, other parts took me by surprise so I think this book certainly should keep many readers guessing well into the story.

With interesting characters, a great police team and plenty of plot this was a good book.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

A Christmas Storm by D. V. Stone

December 16, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Christmas Storm by D. V. Stone
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Holiday, Inspirational, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

An early storm is brewing in Upstate New York, and military wife Lacey Prescott is caught unprepared when it turns into a blizzard. Defeated by her own lack of preparation and the recall of her husband’s Christmas holiday leave, her joy in the season is replaced by bitterness and anger.

In an unexpected turn of events, Lieutenant Matthew Prescott’s leave is reinstated. But the journey home is not an easy one since a Nor’easter stands between him and his family.

Amidst the storm’s fury, Lacey gets a glimpse of the past, present, and possible future, while Matt gets assistance from a mysterious stranger.

In a heartwarming story of determination, the resilience of the human spirit, and the unexpected kindness of strangers, the possibility of a Christmas reunion brings a sense of hope with a message of love and support from friends and family that embodies the true spirit of Christmas.

Everyone needs to slow down eventually.

Treating the weather almost like it was a character was a creative move that makes me want to read more from this author. Snow is beautiful, but blizzards can be deadly even for people who are experienced with them. I smiled and nodded along as the characters briefly discussed the things that can go wrong when the roads are treacherous for driving and a family hasn’t stocked up on food, fuel, and other supplies before the storm arrived. While the blizzard itself wasn’t sentient, its presence added plenty of conflict and tension to the storyline as Lacey and her loved ones tried to figure out how to best ride it out.

I would have liked to see more attention paid to developing the plot, especially since it was inspired by Dickens. The author could have done so much more with the intersection between Lacey’s stubborn personality and the blizzard that had her trapped at home. Some important plot points involving the dangers she faced were smoothed away when I thought they should have been explored in greater depth. I would have happily chosen a higher rating if the narrator had been willing to show more examples of the risks she took by not being prepared for this storm and not wanting to ask for help.

With that being said, I enjoyed the modern spin the author put on A Christmas Carol. It was updated nicely for the twenty-first century and included a protagonist that I found relatable and generally pretty likeable, too. Her flaws were realistic, especially considering the glimpses of her past that were shared with the audience that showed why she’d become such a fiercely independent adult. Honestly, I could see myself acting just like her if I’d had her childhood and young adulthood!

This is the third instalment of a series that does not need to be read in order.

A Christmas Storm was heartwarming.

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The Burial Circle by Kate Ellis

December 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Burial Circle by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A skeleton discovered. A murder to be solved . . .

On a stormy night in December, a tree is blown down on an isolated Devon farm. When the fallen tree is dragged away, a rucksack is found caught amongst the roots – and next to it is a human skeleton.

The discovery of the body and the rucksack revives memories for DI Wesley Peterson. A young hitchhiker who went missing twelve years ago was last seen carrying a similar backpack. Suddenly a half-forgotten cold case has turned into a murder investigation.

Meanwhile, in the nearby village of Petherham, a man is found dead in suspicious circumstances whilst staying at a local guesthouse. Wesley’s friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, is studying Petherham’s ancient mill and uncovering the village’s sinister history. Could the string of mysterious deaths in Petherham over a hundred years ago be connected to the recent killings?

As Wesley digs deeper into the case, it seems that the dark whisperings of a Burial Circle in the village might not be merely legend after all . . .

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When a storm knocks down a tree an old red rucksack – and the bones of a young woman – are found. After confirming the remains belong to a missing young woman from 12 years ago Wesley is determined to find out what really happened to her. The case is complicated by Neil also uncovering more than they bargained for at Petherham’s old mill and when a man is then found dead at the mill linking the two cases together Neil and Wesley both need to find the answers they seek.

I have been thoroughly enjoying this British police procedural which is very effective at weaving together the current day murder plot and a historical murder/crime and reflecting the two off each other. While this book is well into the series, I do feel mystery readers can pick this book up and thoroughly enjoy it on its own merits. The team is very cohesive together and the long-standing friendship between Neil and Wesley are both quite well explained.

Readers looking for a high-action style of mystery or one with a relentless pace might find themselves disappointed. While I do feel the pace of the mystery and the various elements weaving together is well timed this is certainly more of a police procedural style of gradual unfolding and not a more action orientated breakneck speed. The historical plotline weaving around also might be seen by some as slowing the current day murder mystery, but I have to admit I enjoy these two elements being given equal attention and it’s one of the big things I thoroughly enjoy about this whole series. It sets this series apart from the many other British police procedural novels out there and adds another enjoyable element to the mix.

Mystery readers looking to try something new should find this an enjoyable and modern story with good characters and a different and compelling plotline.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tracking Justice by LT Ryan

December 9, 2024 By 2 Comments


Tracking Justice by LT Ryan
Publisher: Liquid Mind Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A college girl is found dead
A grieving mother searching for answers
Castle sets out to uncover the truth
Tracking Justice comes at a cost

When a college girl is found dead, the investigation leaves a distraught mother in a desperate quest to find out what happened. Dissatisfied with the conclusion drawn by police, she continues to hunt for the truth behind her daughter’s untimely death.

Retired K9 handler Maddie Castle is brought in to assist the family. With the help of her partner Tempest, Castle finds a lead. She begins to peel back the layers, and discovers the evidence points to murder. Proving it will take all of Castle’s investigative effort. Surviving the fallout comes at a price.

With Tempest at her side, Castle is on the trail of a murderer who’s willing to stop at nothing to keep the truth from being exposed. If she can solve the case, it will be the biggest payday to date. But the cost for Tracking Justice comes at price. And if she’s not careful it could be her life.

Join Maddie Castle and her K9 Tempest on their latest heart-pumping adventure.

Private investigator Maddie Castle is called in to investigate the sudden death of a college aged girl. While the police have closed the case as an accidental overdose, the young girl’s mother is convinced her daughter couldn’t have committed suicide nor accidentally overdosed. As Maddie peels back the layers of the nineteen year old’s death, things quickly become murky and Maddie is positive the mother is correct and this is no ordinary overdose but something far more suspicious. Can Madder and her K9 Tempest answer their questions before their time runs out?

I greatly enjoyed the first book in this series and found this to also be a really strongly plotted and written mystery/suspense novel. While the book stands well on it’s own I admit the history weaving around the main characters made a lot more sense to me having read the first book. The plot and characters around the murder of the young girl, however, were all clearly defined in this book and absolutely can be picked up with just this story.

I also really enjoyed how the plot was more complicated and layered than I originally expected. While I guessed part of the plot right near the start, there were a few twists I absolutely wasn’t expecting and hadn’t managed to guess until they were unveiled. While not an overly complicated murder mystery I did feel this was a solid story and I greatly enjoyed the characters and K9 as well. I thought the action was well paced and realistic, and I felt it certainly helped make the plot feel like it was moving along at a good clip.

Readers who enjoy dog-related mysteries or PI style of books should really find this series enjoyable. I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Devin Drake and the Roller Ghoster by R. M. Clark

December 6, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Devin Drake and the Roller Ghoster by R. M. Clark
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Devin Drake, a twelve-year-old paranormal ghost detective, is asked by Cassie Waite, the smartest, most athletic girl at their middle school, to help with a ghost problem.

It seems her family’s house, built on the site of a former amusement park, is haunted by two roller coaster-riding ghosts from a century ago.

While trying to figure out who they are and what they want, Devin realizes the amusement park spirits are in danger and he’ll need all his paranormal powers to find them a new hangout in the afterlife.

But when the ghosts trick Cassie into getting on the haunted coaster, Devin enlists the help of an offbeat, local historian to rescue Cassie from their world before she is trapped in it forever.

The past can never be forgotten.

I enjoyed Devin’s unique and sometimes slightly quirky friendship with Cassie. There were a few times in the beginning when I thought she was a little rude to him, but my brief confusion was soon replaced with an explanation that made a great deal of sense and helped me to get to know them both better. Everyone has off days, after all, and it was interesting to see how he responded to her when she said and did things that other kids might have found odd. There is something endearing about characters who don’t always know how to respond to each other, and I look forward to reading more about them in the future if the author writes a third instalment.

It would have been helpful to have more details included here. I had some trouble imagining what was happening because of how little time was spent describing the characters, settings, and a few moments later on in the plot that discussed how the ghosts died that I thought could have used extra attention. As much as I wanted to choose a higher rating, this was something that held me back from enjoying this tale as much as I had hoped I would.

The mystery elements of the storyline were well done. I liked the way the author shared most of the clues slowly as the plot required them. That kept my interest levels up as I waited to find out who the ghosts were, when they died, and why they continued to haunt that old amusement park. As much as I’d love to dig more deeply into this topic, I think other readers will enjoy it more if they know as little about the ghosts as possible ahead of time.

This is part of a series that does not have to be read in order, but I do recommend checking out Devin Drake and the Family Secret to anyone who enjoyed this mystery.

Devin Drake and the Roller Ghoster kept me guessing.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Arabian Nights Illustrated 1800-1950 by Albert Seligman

December 4, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Arabian Nights Illustrated 1800-1950 by Albert Seligman
Publisher: Dulace Books
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Non-fiction
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This is a survey of the illustrated editions of The Arabian Nights, also called The Thousand and One Nights, published in England and America between 1800 and 1950. It begins with one of the earliest editions illustrated in 1802 by English artist Robert Smirke, who painted especially for inclusion in books. Following are the earliest attempts to print color plates, made from tin or copper, through the beginnings of wood blocks and photographic reproduction.

Featured are the most famous artists and illustrators of the Victorian and Golden Age, including John Gilbert, famous for his Dickens illustrations, William Harvey who engraved the wood blocks by hand, FOC Darley, the first American Brandywine illustrator, Walter Crane, the beginning of the Golden Age illustrators for his full color woodblocks.

Modern editions include Edmund Dulac, Arthur Rackham, Kay Nielsen, Willy Pogany, Maxfield Parrish, the three Robinson brothers; William Heath, Thomas Heath and Charles, Rene Bull, Charles Folkard, Gustave Dore, Frances Brundage, JD Batten, William Strang, HJ Ford, George Soper, Helen Stratton, Walter Paget, VF Sterrett, Eric Pape, and many others.

The illustrated stories include are ‘Aladdin, and the Wonderful Lamp’, ‘Sinbad the Sailor’, ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’, ‘The Enchanted Horse’, ‘Prince Ahmed and the Fairy Peri Banou, and many other favorites of the 1001 tales.

Arabian Nights fans, take note! These sketches are just as exciting as the stories themselves.

One of the recurring thoughts I had while reading this and looking carefully at the paintings and drawing was how much work went into all of it. Not only was it more difficult to get ahold of certain art supplies back then than it is today, artists didn’t have access to the types of technology that can make planning out an illustration easier. It took hours of hard work, but the results have entertained generations. Kudos to Mr. Seligman for honoring everyone who was involved in the creation of these images. I think they would be pleased to know that people still enjoy them so many decades later.

This is the second art collection I’ve reviewed that Mr. Seligman gathered together into the same book, and I was once again surprised by how beautiful it was. Due to how expensive printing was back then, I’d assumed that most illustrations from the 1800s would be in black and white, so the inclusion of examples of them that were in color was a wonderful surprise. Morgiana’s Dance was one of my favorites because of how it captured the exhilarating feeling of dancing in a colorful outfit. It’s always nice to have one’s assumptions challenged about what the past was like, and I look forward to checking out more of his work if or when Mr. Seligman can provide it.

I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the images that discussed things like how they were made and what certain aspects of them would have meant to someone living in the 1800s to mid-1900s. Cultures can shift quite a bit over time, after all, so not all of these details were necessarily things that someone would immediately recognize today. This made me feel like I’d traveled back in time to experience certain parts of the world as they used to be.

Arabian Nights Illustrated 1800-1950 was delightful.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Dohva – The Land Within: A Tale of Elemental Sorcery and Ancient Mysteries by Sophie Haeder

December 3, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Dohva – The Land Within: A Tale of Elemental Sorcery and Ancient Mysteries by Sophie Haeder
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Embark on a journey to the enigmatic realm of Dohva, where elemental magic reigns supreme and ancient secrets lie buried beneath the mountains.

In the isolated land of Dohva, where souls are trapped in an endless cycle of rebirth by an ancient elemental sphere, a malevolent force wields the forbidden dark magic of the demon prince Agthod. Avala, a rebellious air sorceress haunted by the loss ofher closest friend, is driven to unravel the mysteries that have long plagued her world. She finds unlikely allies with three anti-heroes, a colourful and diverse cast who each struggle with their own demons and desires for redemption.

But as the shadows deepen and the threat grows, Avala and her newfound companions must set aside their differences and forge an uneasy bond. But can they confront this powerful enemy force that threatens to consume their world and change their destiny forever?

It’s never too late to try to live happily ever after.

The romantic subplot was well developed and fit into the storyline nicely. To be honest, I’m the sort of reader who is often a little wary about romances that heat up rapidly, but the characters involved in this one had logical and excellent reasons for both their sudden interest in each other as well as for how quickly they decided they wanted to become a couple. It was nice to see this trope used so smoothly and as such an important aspect of the plot!

This book had a large cast of characters that I struggled to keep track of. Since there were two different narrators that kept taking turns sharing what was happening, it was even more confusing for me as I was often switched over to the other perspective just as I was beginning to understand what was happening for one set of characters. As much as I would have liked to choose a higher rating, my confusion with who everyone was and how they were connected to each other was a hindrance to that.

I was intrigued by how reincarnation affected everyone’s lives in this universe. Individuals who developed close ties with each other in one lifetime often found each other again in the next one, although the precise types of relationships they had might change from being relatives to friends, to give one example. This meant that problems from previous lifetimes could be approached again the next time everyone involved was reborn. While I don’t want to give away too many details about how this worked for spoiler reasons, it led to so many interesting plot developments and chances for characters to address things they weren’t able to fix the last time around. The passages that dove into what this meant for everyone as they remembered their previous lives were some of the most interesting ones in my opinion.

Dohva made me smile.

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