The Captivating Flames of Madness by Jeff Parsons

July 6, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Captivating Flames of Madness by Jeff Parsons
Publisher: Hellbound Books Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

This book’s title comes from the reality that – like a moth to the flame – we’re all just one event, mishap, or decision away from things that could change our lives forever.

What would you do if fate led you astray into a grim world where you encountered vengeful ghosts, homicidal maniacs, ancient gods, apocalyptic nightmares, dark magic, deadly space aliens, and more?
If you dare, why not find out?

Read for yourself the twenty-two gloriously provocative tales that dwell within this book – but be warned, some of my dear readers have experienced lasting nightmares…

Prepare for a wild ride.

Chelsea was a drug addict who had run out of money for her next fix in “Control.” After spotting an old woman who was earning a small sum by entertaining children with a marionette doll at a park, she thought she’d found the perfect victim. I loved the plot twists in this tale and how my terrible first impression of the main character evolved over time as Chelsea planned out her robbery and then put her ideas into action. This was a great example of how to write a character who was simultaneously a terrible human being and a fascinating one.

My reactions to these tales varied quite a bit. Some were truly wonderful, but others were hard for me to get into because of how few details were provided about what was happening in them and why the characters behaved the way they did. “The Variant,” which was about a lab specialist named William who was hired to create a variant of the Ebola virus that would be 100% lethal, was one of them. I struggled to understand why William agreed to work on such a deadly project, much less his reaction when funding for it was suddenly cut off. There was so much more I needed to know about this character and his work. This is something I’m saying as someone who has reviewed countless anthologies and short story collections for Long and Short Reviews over the years. Mr. Parsons is a good storyteller overall, and I hope I’ll be able to give his next book a much higher rating as there was a lot to enjoy about my first experience with his writing style.

Ellen was dying of cancer in “At Any Cost,” but she was given one final chance to be in a drug trial that might prolong her life. Her desperation for more time, or maybe even a cure, endeared me to her. The science fiction twist to her experiences is something best left for other readers to be surprised by for themselves. With that being said, I thought they were a clever way to reveal more of her personality just when I thought I more or less had her all figured out.

The Captivating Flames of Madness piqued my curiosity.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Cove by LJ Ross

July 5, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Cove by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

THE PERFECT ESCAPE…

Gabrielle Adams has it all – brains, beauty, a handsome fiancé, and a dream job in publishing. Until, one day, everything changes.

‘The Tube Killer’ takes his victims when they least expect it: standing on the edge of a busy London Underground platform, as they wait for a train to arrive through the murky underground tunnels of London.

Gabrielle soon learns that being a survivor is harder than being a victim, and she struggles to return to her old life. Desperate to break free from the endless nightmares, she snatches up an opportunity to run a tiny bookshop in a picturesque cove in rural Cornwall.

She thinks she’s found the perfect escape, but has she swapped one nightmare for another?

Suspense and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced thriller, set amidst the spectacular Cornish landscape.

Gabrielle Adams has everything she needs in life, an exciting job in publishing, a wonderful fiancé she loves and she’s living in the middle of London city. Then all in the space of a few moments her perfect world is shattered. Nearly killed by a serial killer, unable to work or cope with her busy city life and with her engagement well and truly over, Gabrielle decides a change of scenery is absolutely needed. So, she moves out to a small Cove and takes a job in a tiny bookstore. Can Gabrielle rebuild her life?

I found this to be a really interesting and well written, slow moving mystery style of book. An excellent standalone novel I found it a good and solid, read. I didn’t mind the slower pace as this book is not linked to others in a series – and so as the reader I needed a bit more detail and time spent explaining Gabrielle, her circumstances and the events unfolding in her life. Had the action been at a breakneck speed I really don’t think I’d have been able to follow along as well.

This book had a definite “summer reads” sort of feel to it – one where you have more time to meander and enjoy the scenery and not need the hectic action-packed thrill ride. I was also pleased that this wasn’t like Ross’ other series, and it wasn’t really a police procedural style of story but more of a regular character driven mystery of “what happens next” with a lower level of “who dun it”. I guessed a few parts of the plot, but was pleasantly surprised by other aspects, which also helped me turning the pages and enjoying as the puzzle pieces fitted together.

At times I felt like some of the characters were a little cliched, but I have to admit there was enough freshness to keep me guessing and at heart I really enjoyed watching everything unfold as Gabrielle found herself and her strength and built a new life. Readers looking for an action packed, or breathtakingly unique story might not find this fits the bill for them – but for a solid and well-paced mystery, with interesting characters and a well-rounded ending I feel this was a really good read.

I’ve enjoyed a number of other titles by this author, and this was another to add to the pile. I’ll be happy to read more books by this author in the future.

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

Chubbs: A Blind Cat Learns to Trust by Sandra Sorenson-Kindt

July 4, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Chubbs: A Blind Cat Learns to Trust by Sandra Sorenson-Kindt
Publisher: Lean In Books
Genre: Contemporary, Childrens (8+ yrs), Inspirational
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A mangy alley cat isn’t at the top of anybody’s adoption list.

Nevertheless, when Grandma Sandy scoops it up into her arms, her heart nudges her to take it home, and she listens. Grandma always trusts her feelings.

Lots of tender care soon transforms the mangy cat into beautiful, round Chubbs. But when she loses her sight, will she listen to her feelings like Grandma and learn to trust the one who loves her most?

Chubbs: A Blind Cat Learns to Trust is a faith-based, inspirational story about a cat who learns to trust her rescuer. The relationship between Chubbs and Grandma Sandy is a comparison to the relationship we can have with God.

Literally blind, Chubbs must learn how to navigate her world just like how we must learn to depend on God’s Spirit to help us navigate our lives.

Chubbs, the cat who gets a second chance…again.

I picked this book up because the main character was a cat called…Chubbs. I mean, how could I pass that up? I couldn’t. I’m glad I didn’t. This was a cute story with a faith-based slant. It’s a good story.

I did have some issues with the situation with Grandma’s first cat. It seemed like she could’ve looked a bit more for the cat and that rubbed me the wrong way that she didn’t. Yes, cats run away, but you never stop looking and it felt like she did. It could be me and the time in which I read the book, but that rankled me.

I did like that Grandma adopted (Not shopped!) Chubbs from the animal shelter. That was great. I also liked how the relationship between the woman and the cat resembled the faith relationship between followers and God. Sometimes you need a helping hand. It’s a good lesson for readers.

This was a cute story and I’m glad I read it. I couldn’t pass up Chubbs—in the book and probably not at the shelter, either.

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

Angel Of Death by JM Dalgliesh

July 4, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Angel Of Death by JM Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

An innocent man has everything to fear…

When the partial remains of a young woman are unearthed during a violent storm, it falls to DI Tom Janssen and his team to discover her identity and what brought her there.

A man is released from prison having been the apparent victim of a miscarriage of justice and returns home to rural Norfolk. Questions are being asked, not only of the police and their flawed investigation, but also of the man himself. A loner, strange and disinterested, is he truly innocent? Convicted without a body, if he didn’t commit the murder he was sent to jail for, then where is she? Has a guilty man managed to evade justice and get away with murder or has a killer been hiding within the community all along?

Tensions are running high among the locals, people are split, with some threatening to take justice into their own hands. Old wounds, still to fully heal, are reopened and everyone wants resolution. But will Tom and his team be able to offer it, or will the investigation reveal dark secrets, long harboured, that will tear families apart?

A violent storm uproots a tree and uncovers parts of a dismembered body of a young woman. DI Tom Janssen is immediately drawn into the complicated investigation – a man having been imprisoned for five years, convicted of murdering the young lady, only to be released and now her body seeming to irrevocably prove he was innocent. With the small community up in arms, the local circus travelers back in town and the family of the victim all circling around, outraged tempers are running high, and Tom and his team need to use their every skill to solve this murder.

I’ve been really enjoying this series and this latest book is an excellent addition. I found the mystery plot compelling and well woven. All the main characters are present and work extremely well together as a team and with a bunch of strong secondary characters I feel many mystery readers should find this an excellent book to pick up. While there’s plenty of history between the main characters and the team working together, the plot and most of the book should be very easily read by itself – I don’t really feel it necessary for any of the previous books to have been read before this one. That said there are a few larger character arcs going on – Tom and his imminent marriage, and Eric and his small family in particular – that had some more movement and insights added which should appeal to readers who have been enjoying the series for a while.

While the main plot is a fairly standard police procedural for a small British country town, I do feel the author handled the various tempers and characters quite well. I thought there was a strong semblance of reality and logic without the usual characters or easy prejudices thrown in simply to make some drama. I feel the overall tone of the book was really well handled and I greatly enjoyed both the plot and the flow of the story right from the start.

Readers looking for something heavily action orientated might not find this suits their tastes – but for a well plotted, strongly written British murder mystery I felt this was a good book and a series I am greatly enjoying.

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

Space Ships & Other Trips by Raven Oak

July 3, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Space Ships & Other Trips by Raven Oak
Publisher: Grey Sun Press
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Part II of this debut collection by multi-award-winning author and artist Raven Oak brings together speculative fiction stories from the past ten years of her career, ranging from space adventures with a dash of mystery and other near-future tales to post-apocalyptic stories and deep dives into the mind.

You’ll find closed-ship mysteries, foul-acting apps, talking cats, retail hell, and hacked programs in these ELEVEN speculative fiction pieces. Space Ships & Other Trips contains FIVE never-before seen stories for your enjoyment, including a tie-in story from Jeff Sturgeon’s The Last Cities of Earth universe.

STORIES INCLUDED: The Loss of Luna, Hungry, Mouth, Only a Bird, Q-Be, Hands, Ol’ St. Nick, Drip, Level Up, Scout’s Honor, and D.E.A.T.H.

How much hope do you have for the future?

“Only a Bird” explored what happened after some students found an injured bird outside of their classroom. The empathy they had for that creature was beautiful. I especially enjoyed their conversations that compared it to the robotic birds that had just begun to be released into the wild. This was a sweet and gentle story that could fit into so many different genres.

There were several stories in this collection that I thought would have been better with more development. “Drip” was one of them. As intrigued as I was by the protagonist’s struggle with insomnia, I had a lot of unanswered questions about the world they lived in. For example, I would have liked to know what was going on with all of the out-of-control fires they were worrying about as they tried to go to sleep. Was this an unusual portion of daily life in their world or was it something frightening that ordinary people had no choice but to deal with regularly? These sorts of questions about the world building kept popping up for me and influenced the rating I ended up choosing.

To be perfectly honest with all of you, eating out of a dumpster isn’t something I ever expect to read about in the science fiction genre. The fact that “Level Up” began with a scene about the main character doing this intrigued me, especially once she was interrupted a moment later just as she was about to enjoy an English muffin. There are so many plot twists I wish I could dive into, but this is one of those tales that works best for readers who know as little as possible about what is to come. What I can say is that it was creative and made me want more.

This is the second anthology in a series that does not need to be read in order. Just like with Dragon Springs & Other Things, be sure to read the author’s notes to learn about where her ideas came from!

Space Ships & Other Trips was full of surprises.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Lesson in Woo-Woo and Murder by David Unger, PhD

June 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment


A Lesson in Woo-Woo and Murder by David Unger, PhD
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Recent Historical (1985), Cozy Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

David’s chakras are stimulated and he takes a skeptical step into the unknown when he’s asked for support at the Santa Monica Whole Life Expo – bad juju is coming, and positive therapeutic auras are required.

Murder soon spoils the cosmic karma, and with the posse on hand to spice up the mystic mix, David’s sleuthing leads him to places he’s never been before, and most likely won’t return to.

But David is distracted – Nova, the Love Doctor, puts the “oo” in his personal woo-woo, and when a psychic foretells of romance in his future, he all but enters a different dimension.

David’s special brand of voodoo-therapy-magic has never been more at home, but can he overcome his super Nova distraction for long enough to unmask the killer before anyone else gets hurt?

This is a clever way to present a murder mystery…with a bit of the paranormal, or rather, paranormal practitioners. Dave is a psychologist at an event with booths and people featuring such things as tarot readings, psychics, and tantric sex. While there, someone is murdered and then someone else loses their life.

Dave wants to figure out who the guilty party is. He is friendly with the others at this convention and follows people in order to see what they are up to. As this is going on, there is a romantic subplot, kind of. He’s interested in a woman in this group.

Dave talks to these believers with respect, but he doesn’t really believe himself. This gives the conversations between him and the others a slightly humorous feel. Is he being sarcastic after all? It’s set in the 1980s. Perhaps, it could have used more emphasis on this time because really, it could have been modern day.

It’s a quirky tale that will have readers wondering who did the evil deed. Why not follow along and try to figure out the case for yourself?

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

Blood On Snow by Jo Nesbo

June 29, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Blood On Snow by Jo Nesbo
Publisher: Penguin Random House UK
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Olav is a fixer for a high-profile crime kingpin in 1970s Oslo. He easily takes care of anyone who causes trouble for his boss. But he is more complicated than he seems. Olav’s latest job puts him at the pinnacle of his trade, but it may become his greatest mistake: It turns out that the more you know about your boss’s business, the more your boss might want you fixed yourself—especially if you’re falling for his wife.

Olav lives a solitary life as the “fixer” for one of the two main heroin drug lords in Oslo, Norway. He’s used to fixing the problems of his boss, but suddenly he’s given a problem he can’t bring himself to fix. Olav is hired to kill his boss’s wife. Olav finds his problems quickly spiraling and all too soon his solitary life is quite crammed with people – most of them his enemies.

I really enjoy Scandinavian noir books, and this one was no exception. Jo Nesbo (and Scandi noir in general, in my opinion) is a somewhat acquired taste. I personally feel most of the writing styles of the Scandinavian authors is slightly different to UK and US authors – usually a bit grittier and more bare in style, but also a lot of the themes and cultural aspects are somewhat different too. This all adds up to mean I fully recognize frequently Scandinavian written books – especially noir style stories – are not to everyone’s taste. This book most certainly falls into that category.

Readers looking for a different sort of thriller, or assassin book, or even a gritter style of mystery should definitely find this fits the bill. I thoroughly enjoyed Nesbo’s writing and Olav’s voice, finding it different and more hard boiled than I’m used to, but I also really enjoyed how despite the cleaner style of writing there were ample twists to the plot and quite a few curves I personally didn’t see coming. I found my attention quite riveted to Olav and his story and even as I was trying to guess exactly what was going on I was drawn deeper into the mess he found himself in.

Readers should also be quite aware that this story does not have a traditional ending. I personally found it interesting and thought-provoking, but readers expecting a certain style of conclusion might not find this suits their tastes or needs. That said, I found the whole book really interesting and with enough plot and twists to easily capture my attention. I was happy with this quick read and enjoyed all the differences from the more normal mysteries out there on the market.

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

National Geographic Kids Everything Mythology: Begin Your Quest for Facts, Photos, and Fun Fit for Gods and Goddesses by Blake Hoena

June 27, 2023 By Leave a Comment


National Geographic Kids Everything Mythology: Begin Your Quest for Facts, Photos, and Fun Fit for Gods and Goddesses by Blake Hoena
Publisher: National Geographic
Genre: Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Childrens (10+ yrs), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

National Geographic Everything Mythology is jam packed with fascinating facts and awe-inspiring imagery that brings your favorite fierce mythological heroes to life, introducing kids to gods of ancient worlds, including Greek, Norse, Chinese, American Indian, African cultures, and more. Packed with facts, colorful illustrations, and infused with humor, this fun journey through ancient lore will keep kids fascinated with every turn of the page.

Want to know something about mythology in bites and bits? Then this is the book for you!

I picked up this book because of the impressive art on the front. Who doesn’t like Poseidon? He drew me in, but the text and the storytelling kept me riveted. I blew right through the book and couldn’t get enough. The author doesn’t hit the high points mythology, but also includes more inclusive myths and characters, which I loved. It wasn’t the usual, so every reader will find something new in these pages.

The illustrations and art are fantastic. The factoids are as well. There is a lot to learn in this book. If you’re simply researching mythology, want to start learning about a particular myth or want a point of discussion for you and your reader, then this is the book for you. Check it out!

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

Glowy’s Great Escape by A.K. Smith

June 23, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Glowy’s Great Escape by A.K. Smith
Publisher: Books With Soul
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grab your goggles, hitch a ride on a dolphin, and join the enchanting world of Glowy the Fish and her delightful friends in this unforgettable series that is sure to leave a glow in your heart! Even a small fish named Glowy can help you find your inner glow!

The Sparkling Adventures of Glowy The Fish. Kids book.

Embark on the magical journey with Glowy, a shy but curious, luminescent fish, as this captivating narrative unfolds over ten adventure tales. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but as the adventure continues, the brightest treasure the series offers doesn’t lie buried in the sand; it’s found in the glowing hearts of Glowy and her friends!

– Fun Facts about the Sea of Cortez – learn cool facts about the sea, fish and many other marine life at the back of each book.
– A kaleidoscope of colorful under-the-sea illustrations are on every page!
– Recommended age – 3-7 years
– Length of story – 36 pages
Bonus with each purchase receive a free downloadable activity book, “Under the Waves of The Sea of Cortez” – a coloring, connect the dots and fun facts book.

At the back of each inspiring sea story, discover a treasure chest of educational fun facts about the sea! Little ocean lovers can expand their knowledge, while parents can join in on the journey.

Getting lost is easier than it looks!

The descriptions of Glowy’s home and family life made me want to read more. She was part of such a friendly little corner of the ocean that I didn’t want to leave it. I was glad to see a note at the end that mentioned this is the first instalment of a series as there sure seemed to be lots of room left for further adventures for her. It will be fun to hopefully check in on her again in the future whenever the sequel or sequels are released.

I would have liked to see more attention paid to the plot development as it reminded me of a lot of other fish adventures written for this age group, from picture books to feature-length films. It would have been helpful to have some sort of twist to Glowy’s adventures to make them stand out from the crowd as I was really hoping to have a good reason to give it a higher rating. The core storyline was pretty solid, I simply needed a flourish or a plot twist somewhere to push it to a higher level.

With that being said, I adored the kindness woven into this picture book. Glowy had a few sad moments, but there was always someone nearby who was willing to help her when she wasn’t sure what to do next on her adventure. That’s the sort of warm storytelling that makes me feel comfortable reading this to little ones of all ages.

Glowy’s Great Escape was a cute read.

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

Haycorn Smith and the Castle Ghost by John Kachuba

June 20, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Haycorn Smith and the Castle Ghost by John Kachuba
Publisher: Paper Angel Press
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A boy is in danger when he stumbles upon a crime committed by two prominent men of his town, but finds an unusual ally in the form of a castle ghost.

Twelve-year-old Haycorn may know all about ghosts of Ohio, but even he is stunned when he and his friend Budge encounter a ghost in a castle.

The boys witness a clandestine meeting there between two men involving a kick-back scheme, putting their lives, and that of Haycorn’s mother, in jeopardy.

But the ghost may have other plans for all of them.

Haunted places make the best hangout spots.

Twelve is a murky and delightful age. Haycorn and his friends were just old enough to start developing crushes, but they were also still young enough to be thrilled by imaginative play outdoors. I liked the way these characters seamlessly moved between their interests and thought the author captured this age nicely.

It would have been helpful to have more action scenes in this tale. There was plenty of attention paid to character development, but not as much to all of the adventures a kid could have on the site of an abandoned castle in the forest. Sometimes it was hard for me to stay focused on reading because of how many scenes were spent on conversations and descriptions instead of nudging the plot forward. If not for that, I would have happily chosen a higher rating.

This was a nice mixture of different sorts of storylines. It was interesting to see how the paranormal subplot interacted with the mystery one, for example, and that was one of several times that I was pleasantly surprised by how the author wove everything together. Middle grade novels in general tend to be playful about how they mix different genres together, and this one was a good example of how to do just that. Based on what I thought of my first taste of Mr. Kachuba‘s work, I will be keeping an eye out for what he comes up with next.

Haycorn Smith and the Castle Ghost was a fun summer read.

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