BLURB: The Green Man sends Daniel Mackmain to stop threats from folklore making trouble in the everyday world. Now a naiad and dryad want him to deal with the big cat they’ve seen prowling in their woods. Reports like this turn up in the tabloid press from time to time, though no one has ever caught such a cat, or even found evidence of a large carnivore’s kills.
Can Dan discover the truth behind this modern myth before social media turns his hunt into an internet sensation? He knows that not all animals are what they seem. A huge cat which can appear and disappear without a trace must be more than meets the eye. Dan knows one thing for certain. He’s on the trail of a killer.
REVIEW: Dan is an interesting character – tall and powerfully built with more than his share of charisma, as his mother is a dryad. I’ve enjoyed watching him mature throughout this series as the different adventures have left their mark – including an ongoing relationship with Fin, who shapeshifts into a swan. As with the other books in this series, this offering encompasses a separate adventure, so you pick this one up without any undue floundering if you haven’t had the pleasure of the other Green Man tales. That said, as this is one of my all-time favourite fantasy series – you’re missing out on a wonderful world if you haven’t read all these books.
Rather than urban fantasy, this is more of a rural fantasy as once more McKenna dives deep into the rich alternate history of myth and folklore that weaves throughout British history. Although this time, she turns her attention to an apparently more recent legend – that of large feral cats roaming our wilder countryside. McKenna’s descriptions of the landscape are a joy as they vividly set the scene – and this time around, I particularly enjoyed the tension within the supernatural community when confronted with the risk of discovery. I was also interested in Dan’s own growing sense of his role within the community. He is good at reaching out to entities not accustomed to interacting with others and getting their co-operation – which isn’t something he’s ever thought much about. Until now.
I also really appreciate the lack of angst between Fin and Dan. While a long-distance relationship is never easy, they both have committed to it and it’s refreshing to have a fictional couple who aren’t busy two-timing each other, or thinking about it, or dealing with other similar dramas. Once again, I stayed up far later than I should to finish this cracking read as McKenna spins another story full of adventure and incident in this superb series. Very highly recommended for fans of fantasy in a contemporary setting filled with creatures from British folklore. 10/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
I missed last week’s post as I was meeting up with my son for the first time since January 2020. He and his girlfriend are now living in Germany, as she is a professional volleyball player with Munster. And yes… I also met Zoe for the very first time. They flew in, arriving at Gatwick and were staying at The Grand hotel in Brighton, where they treated me to a room overnight, so we could spend more time together. We all met up on Saturday night and had a meal, before Himself and Oscar headed back home, while I stayed in Robbie and Zoe’s suite talking until the wee small hours. On Sunday morning, we breakfasted in the hotel, before walking along the sea front. And as you can see from the photos – the weather was also very kind to us.
Sadly, I came back to earth with a bit of a bump when I woke up last Monday morning with a ferocious cold that had me in bed for the next couple of days. Poor Oscar also went down with it, but luckily he only missed a day of school. Neither of us have yet fully recovered – we tested for covid just to make sure that we weren’t dealing with that, but they came back negative. Himself has managed to avoid the lergy, but has been back in the now very familiar role of looking after the poorly!
That said, I’ve been walking on air. Despite the stormy weather… despite feeling like something the cat sicked up… It was just wonderful to see Robbie and meet Zoe, who is every bit as lovely as she looks. They are such a tight team and so very happy together.
WordPress Happiness Engineers have been back in touch. They have admitted they’ve caused the problem with one of the recent updates and have put in a workaround that has fixed all my previous posts – yippee! That means I don’t have to go back in and spend hours and hours making my backlist look presentable. They have also given me a voucher for Blaze, which I shall be checking out when I’ve a bit more energy – unfortunately, I’m still feeling very wiped out. And I’m hoping they can also sort out my sidebar. So far, I’m impressed with the response, which – while it hasn’t been fast, has been proactive.
Books I’ve read in the last fortnight:- AUDIOBOOK – The Element of Fire – Book 1 of the Ile-Rien series by Martha Wells The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious court intrigues. As the weak King Roland, flattered and misled by treacherous companions, rules the country, only his ruthless mother, the Dowager Queen Ravenna, guards the safety of the realm. But now rumors arise that Urbain Grandier, the dark master of scientific sorcery, has arrived to plot against the throne. And Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court.
The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade’s true desires are cloaked in mystery. Is she in league with the wizard Grandier, or is she laying claim to the throne? It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen’s Guard and Ravenna’s former lover, to sort out who is friend and who is foe in a deadly game to keep the Dowager Queen and the kingdom she loves from harm. But is one man’s steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre? Typically disorganised, I’d initially picked up the spinoff series which I’ve absolutely loved. So was thrilled to discover there was more Ile-Rien goodness. And I wasn’t disappointed… This was Wells’ debut novel back in 1994 and garnered awards – rightly so. It gave me The Curse of Chalion vibes, which is very high praise. And I’m looking forward to listening to more of this outstanding series. 10/10
Broken Sky – Book 1 of the Skies of Cyrna series by Morgan K. Bell Dorian Valmont is the sorriest excuse for an aeronaut the crew of skyship Phoenix has ever seen.
Forced to flee his home to protect his magical inheritance from the machinations of his ambitious stepfather, awkward misfit Dorian finds himself poorly suited to the rigors of life in the sky. But when an exiled dragon finds him, injured and desperate for help, Dorian learns it’s not enough merely to run away. Dorian must learn to fight back.
Caught between forces that seek to use or destroy him, Dorian must train and adapt if he wants to survive. But if he can, he might just hold the key to restoring the world’s faltering magic — or destroying it once and for all. This took a while to get going. But I came to really like Dorian and appreciate his qualities, despite his clumsiness and lack of self belief, and once the story picked up – I found it hard to put this one down. 8/10
Mercury Rising – Book 1 of the First Planet series by R.W.W. Greene Even in a technologically-advanced, Kennedy-Didn’t-Die alternate-history, Brooklyn Lamontagne is going nowhere fast. The year is 1975, thirty years after Robert Oppenheimer invented the Oppenheimer Nuclear Engine, twenty-five years after the first human walked on the moon, and eighteen years after Jet Carson and the Eagle Seven sacrificed their lives to stop the alien invaders.
Brooklyn just wants to keep his mother’s rent paid, earn a little scratch of his own, steer clear of the cops, and maybe get laid sometime in the near future. Simple pleasures, right? But a killer with a baseball bat and a mysterious box of 8-track tapes is about to make his life real complicated… I tucked into this one, because I’ve got the arc of the sequel, Earth Retrograde. I’m not sure what I was expecting – but it wasn’t quite this. That said, it held my attention throughout and I was intrigued by the unexpected adventures that assaulted poor old Brooklyn, who only ever wanted a quiet life. And I’m now very keen to see what happens to him, next. 8/10
Hunted – Book 3 of The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson Problems keep piling up around Max. No sooner has she dealt with one set of supernatural creatures, than she’s called to the city’s mortuary to an unusual death. The city’s most senior spiritual leader is also trying to get hold of her. On top of that, Bryce cancelled their date and hasn’t been seen for days.
Her week gets worse when one of her friends is attacked and left for dead, and she is dragged out of the city into the middle of someone else’s fight. Max finds herself running for her life, with no idea of how she got there or what’s going on around her.
Trapped in a strange place with only Bryce for company, she will need to rely on him and her own hard-won skills and courage to survive. I was very glad that I had this in the pipeline, as it turned up on my list while I was laid up in bed feeling a bit sorry for myself. Some adventure and mayhem, Nelson-style, was just what I needed. Max is dealing with yet more danger – thank goodness for her wonderful dogs and Bryce. I’m now really looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Forged.
AUDIOBOOK – Red Mars – Book 1 of the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson For eons, sandstorms have swept the desolate landscape. For centuries, Mars has beckoned humans to conquer its hostile climate. Now, in 2026, a group of 100 colonists is about to fulfil that destiny.
John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers and Arkady Bogdanov lead a terraforming mission. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage and madness. For others it offers an opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. For the genetic alchemists, it presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life and death. The colonists orbit giant satellite mirrors to reflect light to the surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth. Massive tunnels, kilometers deep, will be drilled into the mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves and friendships will form and fall to pieces—for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed. Longer ago than I care to recall, I read this amazing series and was blown away by the sheer scale and vividness of SKR’s vision for Mars. I decided to take a risk and get the audiobook version to listen once again, hoping that it was as good as I remembered. Oh yes – it certainly is… This masterpiece is a peon to Humanity’s gritted determination, courage and perseverance. It’s a howl of rage at Humanity’s stupidity, greedy ambition and destructiveness. It’s a poetic psalm to the beauty of an unforgiving world so very close to our own – and yet so very different. Fantastic listen that had me weeping in places… 10/10
Forged – Book 4 of The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson Struggling to maintain her independence, and the life she has fought so hard to build, Max finally learns the truth about her own origins and her family.
Max has no time to absorb the shocking news. There are dead bodies missing from the mortuary, a demon on the loose somewhere in the city, and terrifying supernatural creatures on the loose that she and her fellow Marshals must contain somehow.
Max is used to working alone – can she put aside her past fears and work with her allies to keep the city safe? Nelson is really good at keeping the tension taut and producing some thoroughly nasty monsters to confront our plucky heroine – human-sized cockroaches being one of the more revolting ones… I also am very caught up in Max’s ongoing issues regarding her family – and I’m intrigued to see exactly where this will take her. Needless to say, I’m now waiting for the next book in the series with huge impatience. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Box of Frogs – Book 1 of The Fractured Fairy series by Helen Harper One corpse. Several bizarre looking attackers. Some very strange magical powers. And a severe bout of amnesia.
Madrona is not having a great week. It’s going to be okay, though. All she has to do is find out who she really is, protect a soap star from being attacked by a stalker, and work out why so many people seem so afraid of her. Because surely she’s a good person. Right? I’m a huge fan of Helen Harper’s writing, so I expected to enjoy this one. But I didn’t just like it – I ended up LOVING poor confused Madrona and actually dreamt about that cliffhanger ending last night… It’s funny and a tad silly in places – but I love the madcap quality that nonetheless also features a magnificently horrible villain. 10/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
After a week of rain showers and sunny spells, we’ve had two lovely warm days. But I can’t believe just how early the berries are this year – or how quickly the trees are losing their leaves. Although, there’s a disease afflicting many of the trees, so that also might be the problem. The photos below show acorns on an oak, elderberries growing in a hedgerow, haws on a hawthorn, sloes and more haws, conkers on the horse chestnut and the berries on my ornamental black-leaved elder (called Black Lace).
Oscar starts back at school this coming week, so we went into Worthing on Friday to buy new school shoes and trainers. Ethan is busy on the final stages of the Trouble With Dwarves cover, which he should have finished either today or tomorrow. I’m so impressed with his work ethic. This will leave him time to meet up with school and college friends who want to get together before they scatter to various jobs/universities/apprenticeships. And pack in readiness for leaving for uni. I can’t believe how quickly the year is passing.
When the boys were away, we had a lovely walk along the beach. It was very busy, as it was the Bank Holiday weekend – but I like seeing so many visitors during the holiday season, as it’s good for the town. I’ve now completed editing Trouble With Dwarves and have been continuing to write Conclave of Dragons, which has been so much fun. I definitely prefer the writing phase, though I enjoy editing a lot more than I used to.
Books I’ve read this week:- The Language of Spells – Book 1 of The Language of Spells series by Sarah Painter
Gwen Harper left Pendleford thirteen years ago and hasn’t looked back. Until an inheritance throws her into the mystical world she thought she’d escaped. Confronted with her great-aunt’s legacy Gwen must finally face up to her past.
The magic she has long tried to suppress is back with a vengeance but gift or burden, for Gwen, it always spells trouble. She has to stay – she has nowhere else to go – but how can she find her place in the town that drove her out after branding her a witch…? I’ve love, love, LOVED Painter’s Crow Investigations series. The whole world and magical setup is fabulous – so that’s why I picked up this one. It’s an enjoyable read and kept me turning the pages. 8/10
AUDIOBOOK – Mr Darcy’s Enchantment: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Abigail Reynolds Fitzwilliam Darcy is a powerful magician who controls fire, water, and wind. What he cannot control is his growing feelings for Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth’s sentiments towards Darcy are quite different. She detests his arrogance, and she fears he will expose her use of forbidden magic – forbidden to women, that is. He is the last man in the world she would choose to help her on a difficult and dangerous task.
But when a magical war looms between the land of Faerie and their world, a Lord of Faerie demands that Darcy and Elizabeth serve together as his emissaries to make peace with the other mortals. That mission throws them into the middle of a chaotic power struggle between magicians whose power dwarfs their own, and everything Elizabeth has ever believed about her family, her friends, and her enemies will be called into question. This is an immersive read, where Jane Austen’s world is infused with magic. I really enjoyed the nice touches, where magic accounts for some of the behaviour of familiar characters – like Mr Collins and Mrs Bennett, for instance. And who knew that Darcy’s overbearing aunt would prove to be such a villain? 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Gather Her Round – Book 5 of the Tufa series by Alex Bledsoe Young Tufa woman Kera Rogers disappears while hiking in the woods by Needsville. Soon, her half-eaten remains are found, and hunters discover the culprits: a horde of wild hogs led by a massive boar with seemingly supernatural strength.
Kera’s boyfriend Duncan Gowen mourns her death, until he finds evidence that makes him doubt her feelings for her – and causes his own grief to turn to something a whole lot darker… I’ve tweaked the rather chatty blurb. This series has pulled me into its orbit – the Tufa are a modern remnant of a once-powerful fae race, who live in the Appalachian mountains and eke out a hard-scrabble living. Their dwindling numbers are further compromised by a damaging split – but they are united in their love and talent for music. And their complex and often tragic relationship with the Night Winds… While once again, this story wove its magic – I am bothered by a major contradiction. Why is the business of this normally highly secretive people being performed on stage?? 8/10
Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson This should be the story of Hercules: his twelve labours, his endless adventures…everyone’s favourite hero, right?
Well, it’s not. This is the story of everyone else:
Alcmene: Herc’s mother (She has knives everywhere) Hylas: Herc’s first friend (They were more than friends) Megara: Herc’s wife (She’ll tell you about their marriage) Eurystheus: Oversaw Herc’s labours (Definitely did not hide in a jar) His friends, his enemies, his wives, his children, his lovers, his rivals, his gods, his victims.
It’s time to hear their stories. This is a thoroughly enjoyable retelling with a different slant – we get to learn about Hercules from all the people who interacted with him during his eventful and rather tragic life. Review to follow.
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this series – see my review of The Library of the Dead. I also tucked into the audiobook of the second book, Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments, which took us deeper into the politics and machinations of the Scottish Magical community in a post-apocalyptic world. So would this locked room murder mystery, set in a castle on Skye continue delivering an entertaining fantasy adventure?
BLURB: Everyone’s favorite fifteen-year-old ghosttalker, Ropa, arrives at the worldwide Society of Skeptical Enquirers’ biennial conference just in time to be tied into a mystery—a locked room mystery, if an entire creepy haunted castle on lockdown counts. One of the magical attendees has stolen a valuable magical scroll.
Caught between Qozmos, the high wizard of Ethiopian magic, the larger-than-life Lord Sashvindu Samarasinghe, England’s Sorcerer Royal, and Scotland’s own Hamish Manas MacLeod, it’s up to Ropa (and Jomo and Priya) to sort through the dangerous secret politics and alliances to figure out what really happened. But she has a special tool—the many ghosts tied to the ancient, powerful castle.
REVIEW: I think this is the best in the series to date. Ropa has always pinged off the page as a poverty-stricken, yet talented youngster who has to graft to support her ailing Gran and young sister. She is a ghosttalker who has schooled herself in improving her magical abilities and caught the attention of Sir Ian Callender, who offers her an internship. The catch is that it’s unpaid. So she has to find other opportunities to keep earning money. When she finds herself attending a major magical conference, held at Dunvegan Castle, Ropa finds herself in the middle of a ratsnest of politicking and intrigue when a terrible incident leaves a dead body and a priceless missing scroll.
However, Sir Ian has managed to throw up a magical barrier, preventing anyone from leaving the island. So Ropa is tasked with finding the scroll and the murderer, before Sir Ian’s energy runs out and he’s unable to keep the barrier going. The sense of oppressiveness is very well portrayed and while Ropa’s first-person narrative has always been chirpy and refreshingly irreverent – the tone of the book darkens as the story progresses.
There’s real anger at the double standard, where the rich and entitled get to make the rules and then break them with impunity. While those overseeing Scottish magic all have certain vested interests they are trying to protect – and the creepy Lord Samarasinghe, representing English magical interests is busy causing further strife – Ropa is desperately trying to track down the criminals. In the process, she discovers a ghostly bagpiper, sharp-toothed fae and some dangerously powerful magicians who are increasingly angry at being trapped.
Huchu’s writing held me enthralled as I found myself unable to put this one down. Not only am I very fond of gutsy Ropa, but I also love Priya, her big-hearted friend, who dashes into adventures alongside Ropa while in a wheelchair. I was also impressed that we also see that Ropa’s previous adventures are taking their toll on our plucky protagonist. It gets to be annoying when we see main characters coping with a series of dangerous and frightening adventures and then bounce back again in the next book, completely unaffected by all the fear and danger they’ve been subjected to. I thought Huchu handled Ropa’s issues really well.
I will just mention that this one finishes on something of a cliffhanger. But that’s okay – after reading such an enjoyable adventure, I’ve already made a note to get hold of the next book. Stories this gripping don’t come along every day. Very highly recommended for fans of entertaining urban fantasy with a wonderful Scottish setting. While I obtained an arc of The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 10/10
I wrote this review in 2021, but events overtook me and I didn’t get the chance to post it before I fell ill with Covid-19 – but I wanted to share this highly enjoyable book with you – so here it is! The other piece of good news is that the Stariel series has now been completed and published, so if you want to binge the lot, that option is now available:).
Once again, it was Himself who unearthed this Indie gem – the man really is a Keeper! I was up to my eyes in Netgalley reads, and moaning that I wanted some light relief that was still a cracking story – was it too much to ask for? Evidently not, for this ticked all the boxes…
BLURB: The Lord of Stariel is dead. Long live the Lord of Stariel. Whoever that is. Everyone knows who the magical estate will choose for its next ruler. Or do they? Will it be the lord’s eldest son, who he despised? His favourite nephew, with the strongest magical land-sense? His scandalous daughter, who ran away from home years ago to study illusion?
Hetta knows it won’t be her, and she’s glad of it. Returning home for her father’s funeral, all Hetta has to do is survive the family drama and avoid entanglements with irritatingly attractive local men until the Choosing. Then she can leave. But whoever Stariel chooses will have bigger problems than eccentric relatives to deal with. Winged, beautifully deadly problems. For the first time in centuries, the fae are returning to the Mortal Realm, and only the Lord of Stariel can keep the estate safe.
REVIEW: This truly is a fantasy with a difference. Imagine a large estate, set in the early part of the last century somewhere in the north of England, where the landowner is magically linked to his land – and this is backdrop to Stariel. Though the names of the towns are quite different, the attitudes to women and technological progress line up nicely with the early years of 20th century, before WWI. Hetta, who is more magically gifted than the rest of her generation, but with considerably less of a link to the land than her cousin, Jack, is returning for her father’s funeral and to attend the Choosing, when the next Lord of Stariel is nominated. Though that is a foregone conclusion – it’s bound to be Jack…
I really like Hetta. She has been leading an enjoyably eventful life as a stage magician in the capital, and has found her place within a company, who provide her with friendship and financial stability. She is counting the days until she can return – until something happens and that busy, successful life begins to recede into the background. Lancaster gives us her sense of upheaval and loss over the unexpectedness of her change in circumstances very effectively, without losing pace or making Hetta appear whiny. I also like her relationship with her older brother and cousin. I’m always a sucker for stories set within a family dynamic, so this one really resonated with me.
The butler, Wyn, is the other main protagonist and I liked seeing how his narrative arc progressed. His sense of otherness is effectively portrayed and the danger that his presence poses for those living at Stariel is very well demonstrated. In short, this book is an absolute gem. It is exactly what I want right now – a gripping adventure full of action and tension, but with an upbeat, occasionally humorous tone that carries me along as the pages more or less turn themselves. Very highly recommended for anyone wanting some fun fantasy reading in their lives, right now. 10/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
I’m aware that it’s been a while since I touched base with everyone here – but we’ve had a busy time of it. A big birthday (my nephew’s 40th) gave the family an excuse for a get-together in Ringwood a fortnight ago. It was a milestone for me – the first time I’d travelled that far since I got sick back in 2021. It’s a journey of 70 miles and took around two hours down the motorway – a horrible journey with heavy traffic and a new system where there is no hard shoulder. The wonderful welcome we received at the other end made it all worthwhile as I saw lots of family members for the first time in over three years. We stayed overnight in a Travelodge before making our way back home. We’d planned on visiting for a picnic in the garden at Mum’s on the Sunday, but woke up to torrential rain, so that was called off. I was at least comforted by the fact the garden was finally getting some rain. Only to find the rain petering out somewhere west of Southampton and arriving home in blazing sunshine. Although I did my best to pace myself, it did take a few days to recover from the trip – and I realised just how much effort it takes to leave home, even for a short while!
This last week, Ethan completed his college course with an exhibition of their artwork on display in Brighton at the Fabrica gallery. We were very impressed with the standard of the work. It was a fitting climax to a wonderfully creative and fulfilling time in Ethan’s life. And he deserves every success that comes his way as he has worked unceasingly hard. We’re so very proud of him!
It’s been tough with the heat. During the winter, I’d fondly imagined that I’d thrive in the sunshine, but in reality, I’ve found it very draining and somewhat depressing that I’m still battling with Long Covid fatigue. I’m now signed up for a Fatigue Management course, thanks to the Long Covid Clinic consultation I had this week, and I’m looking forward to starting in a fortnight.
I’ve completed Casta and the Giggling Knight and made a solid start on the next book in Castellan’s adventures – Conclave of Dragons. During the summer, Ethan will be designing a set of book covers for me. So I need to get my editing hat on and rustle up some more beta readers so I can restart my writing career in the autumn with the Picky Eaters series.
Books I’ve read in the last week:-
AUDIOBOOK – Scala – Book 2 of the Angelbound Origins series by Christina Bauer Nineteen-year-old Myla Lewis has transformed into Great Scala, the only being with the power to move souls out of Purgatory and into Heaven or Hell. Trouble is, a magical object called Lucifer’s Orb is limiting Myla’s abilities. If she tries to move a soul, the Orb’s forcing her to send that spirit straight to Hell.
So, what’s a girl to do? Send innocents to the fiery down-under? No way. Myla’s gone on a supernatural strike. No souls go anywhere until the Orb’s history. It’s the right thing to do, but Purgatory’s Soul Storage buildings are turning into time bombs. No spirits are moving out, while millions keep coming in. Myla’s determined to find the Orb and send the innocent to Heaven, but she’s running out of time. Soon, the containment fields will burst, releasing a mob of homicidal ghosts.
With Soul Storage ready to explode, Myla’s got enough on her plate without her old enemy, Lady Adair, causing problems. Adair is launching an ingenious campaign to take away everything that Myla holds dear, including Myla’s Angelbound love, Prince Lincoln. Between their clever ideas and toe-curling kisses, Myla and Lincoln are fighting back. But will they beat the clock or lose everything to Adair’s devious schemes? This was huge fun. I enjoyed Bauer’s bouncy narration, as she absolutely nailed Myla’s voice – which isn’t always the case when an author embarks on narrating her own work. Review to follow.
Dread and Buried – Book 12 of the Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries series by Angie Fox Dead men tell no tales. Until they meet ghost hunter Verity Long.
Verity Long is proud to say she gets along with just about anybody—dead or alive. But she’s put to the test when her well-meaning boyfriend and her sweet-as-pie sister con her into a remote island “double date” weekend with her sister’s new flame and Verity’s long-time nemesis, Alec Duranja.
Her plans to avoid the uptight police officer go up in smoke when the four of them team up for a weekend treasure hunt competition based on the island’s legendary pirate past. And it doesn’t take long for Verity and her team to discover more than game clues. Someone is using the game to dig up real pirate gold…and they’re willing to kill to keep it.
There’s no escaping the island or the game. And when the killer targets someone Verity loves, she realizes she’s the only one who can uncover the truth behind the legend. She must stay one step ahead of the dangers of the island and two steps ahead of Frankie’s new ghostly pirate buddies—all in a race against time to solve a centuries-old puzzle and take down a real live killer before he strikes again. I’m a fan of Fox’s writing – see my reviews of The Monster MASH, The Transylvania Twist and Werewolves of London. I’ve also enjoyed the first two books in this series and the 10th book – see my review of The Haunted Homecoming. Despite the big gap from book 2 to book 10 and now 12, I was still able to enjoy Verity’s chirpy, upbeat outlook, nicely balanced by ghost Frankie’s grumpy outlook. And this one once again delivered a quirky murder mystery in an atmospheric setting and shot through with plenty of humour. Review to follow.
A Whisker’s Breadth – Book 9 of the Reg Rawlins, Psychic Investigator series by P.D. Workman Psychic Reg Rawlins is hoping to get her life back to normal, or some semblance of it. With the gems she was given by the fairies for saving Calliopia’s life, she doesn’t need to worry about money. Maybe never again. She can just relax, get the sleep she needs, and not have to worry about hustling a living.
Life is better with money. Maybe she’ll even take up a hobby. Travel. Visit Erin.
But the rest of the world seems to have other ideas. Reg senses that all is not well in Black Sands. She is plagued by nightmares and visions, but her ability to consciously access her powers is limited and she is going to need them to save her friends.
I’ve been working my way through the third boxed set of this series and finding Reg Rawlins an interesting character. She’s had a tough upbringing in the foster care system that had little tolerance for her differences, which has left her wary and not wholly trustworthy. The adventures are fun, there is a sprinkling of humour – but it’s the pull of this complicated woman that keeps bringing me back and makes this series stand out from the crowd. 8/10
The Cottage of Curiosities – Book 2 of the Pengelly series by Celia Anderson Grace Clarke is shocked to learn at the age of fifty-six that she’s adopted – it feels as though her whole life has been a lie. But it also explains a lot of things for Grace too. Including the gift that has plagued Grace since childhood – the ability to feel other people’s memories.
Could this gift be something she shared with the woman who abandoned her – the mysterious May Rosevere? And as Grace travels to the small coastal village of Pengelly to find the answers she craves, she feels her gift growing stronger. As though May is somehow calling her long-lost daughter home… This is an enjoyable, escapist read set in a nearly contemporary setting – the Cornish village is somewhat idealised. But I like Anderson’s characters, many of whom have sufficient edge to stop this feel-good story melting into sentimental goo. I also appreciated the paranormal twist slipped in the middle of this otherwise classic woman’s fiction tale. It provided a nice change from my usual reads – and presumably turned up on my Kindle courtesy of Himself, who occasionally enjoys romantic fiction. 8/10
The Combat Codes – Book 1 of The Combat Codes series by Alexander Darwin In a world long ago ravaged by war, the nations have sworn an armistice never to use weapons of mass destruction again. Instead, highly-skilled warriors known as Grievar Knights represent their nations’ interests in brutal hand-to-hand combat.
Murray Pearson was once a famed Knight until he suffered a loss that crippled his homeland — but now he’s on the hunt to discover the next champion.
In underground and ruthless combat rings, an orphaned boy called Cego is making a name for himself. Murray believes Cego has what it takes to thrive in the world’s most prestigious combat academy – but first, Cego must prove himself in the vicious arenas of the underworld. And survival isn’t guaranteed. One of my blogging buddies talked about this one, prompting me to see if it was available on Netgalley – and I was delighted to get hold of a copy. I’ve only just finished it and am mulling over what I think. Review to follow.
BLURB: The legendary epics of King Arthur and Camelot don’t tell the whole story. Chroniclers say Arthur’s mother Ygraine married the man that killed her husband. They say that Arthur’s half-sister Morgana turned to dark magic to defy him and Merlin. They say that the enchantress Nimue challenged Merlin and used her magic to outwit him. And that Arthur’s marriage to Guinevere ended in adultery, rebellion and bloodshed. So why did these women chose such dangerous paths?
As warfare and rivalries constantly challenge the king, Arthur and Merlin believe these women are destined to serve Camelot by doing as they are told. But men forget that women talk. Ygraine, Nimue, Morgana and Guinevere become friends and allies while the decisions that shape their lives are taken out of their hands. This is their untold story. Now these women have a voice.
Juliet McKenna is an expert on medieval history and warfare and brings this expertise as well as her skills as a fantasy writer to this epic standalone novel.
REVIEW: I’ve been loving the Greek myth retellings by the likes of Pat Barker and Madelaine Miller – so when this offering caught my eye, I was really excited at the prospect of this one. After all, one of my favourite childhood books was King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table – I had a beautiful copy, complete with stunning pictures. But, as ever, the women in this story were simply there as ornamentation. Or those, like Morgana, were derided as evil and unnatural for taking a hand in their own destiny.
This version of Arthur’s story is told by Nimue, one of the Fair Folk, or fae. Unlike most of her kind, she has somehow ended up as part of Ygraine’s household, living alongside mortals and keeping her magical powers as small as she can. Where she encounters another of her kind, who isn’t remotely discrete – Merlin. Counsellor to the violent and ambitious Uther Pendragon, Merlin uses his powers to manoeuvre Pendragon into the position of High King, claiming that otherwise the country will be overwhelmed by wild magic of the worst sort. He’s seen it in a vision…
However, as Nimue already knows, actions have consequences – and Merlin’s meddling has a horrible outcome for poor Ygraine, who ends up bearing Uther a son. Nimue does the best she can to protect Ygraine and her youngest daughter, Morgana, from the fallout of Uther’s bid for power – and the beginnings of the legend of Arthur comes into being. What struck me this time around was the violence pervading the whole story. And just how much the women in it are utterly disregarded. McKenna’s vivid descriptions of the clothing, food and daily routine of high-born women of the time brings this medieval setting to life. I also loved her description of the battles. Her expertise in medieval weaponry shows in the brutal hand to hand fighting – and the terrible injuries sustained despite armour, and sometimes because of it.
I tore through this one, finding it difficult to put down. And if you enjoyed The Silence of the Girls or Circe – then grab a copy of this one. You’ll thank me if you do. While I obtained an arc of The Cleaving from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 10/10
I am a fan of Joanna’s writing. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying her Sand and Sorcery series Pacts Arcane and Otherwise – see my reviews of By the Pact,Scars of Stone and Shadows of Kaighal. So when she contacted me with news that she was starting a new urban fantasy series and asked if I was interested in reading a review copy of Humanborn – I was delighted to do so.
BLURB: Less than a decade ago, the Magiclysm, a tear between Earth and another place, brought magic to Ireland—and worse, it brought back the mythborn. The war that followed left Dublin scarred, and cursed Kaja Modrzewska with chaotic magic that will eventually claim her life.
Struggling with wartime nightmares, Kaja seeks normalcy amongst the volatile peace working as an information broker when a series of explosions across Dublin threatens to reignite the war. Both sides are eager to blame the other, so Kaja reluctantly agrees to investigate.
But finding the terrorists responsible means working alongside the mythborn’s elite killers, and uncomfortable wartime secrets coming to light. Kaja, who had saved a mythborn’s life during the war, finds out she has a life debt of her own, and as she juggles her allegiances and obligations, she’ll have to decide where her loyalties lie, with her old human allies or the mythborn.
REVIEW: I don’t know Ireland at all. But I do know that Joanna has lived in Dublin for a while – and I love how she has woven her knowledge of the city into this adventure, and then given it an almighty twist. It’s also a clever move – because one of the snags about using a real setting when you no longer live there is that your knowledge rapidly becomes outdated, which is always a distraction for readers who know the place. And the way Joanna has stepped around this problem is having mythborn magic distorting and twisting the city during the terrible war.
This could have been an utterly grim, post-apocalyptic trudge through a shattered city with the embittered, battle-scarred survivors eking out a living that is a shadow of the richness and luxury they formerly enjoyed. And there are elements of that – certainly enough to keep the story believable. But Kaja’s dry humour and determination to take each day as it comes means the tone isn’t too bleak – which is something of a relief, as right now I’m reading for escape. So I mention it for those of you who might be in a similar situation.
Kaja is a great protagonist. It’s a relief to have a main character who knows exactly who they are, including their strengths and weaknesses. I grew very fond of her complete lack of self pity, even though she’s had a really tough time of it. And her knack for finding workarounds and ways of dealing with the mythborn without bitterness, even though she has personally suffered a terrible loss. Her courage and even her bone-headed stubbornness are endearing – especially as they help her cope with a terrible fate awaiting her. For Kaja is already being catastrophically changed by the magic she’s been exposed to and knows that once that change is complete, she’ll become a monster.
The use of magic in the story is a refreshing change. It comes with perils and huge disadvantages that make sense. I also like the dynamic between the humanborn and mythborn – overall, the leaders are hoping for the uneasy peace to prevail, along with the majority of the population. Which doesn’t prevent a significant number of embittered, angry folk on both sides wanting more retribution. This tension pervades the book and makes each journey across Dublin an exercise in self-preservation. As the story progresses and Kaja’s involvement with the mythborn grows – she finds herself marooned in the middle, as other humanborn increasingly look on her with distrust.
This is all done very well. The pacing isn’t foot-to-the-floor and there is a fair amount of description to set up the world. However, I didn’t mind as I was seeing the situation through Kaja’s eyes and I enjoyed her voice sufficiently that it didn’t feel like a trudge. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one – the pages flew past as I wanted to know what would happen next. All in all, there is a sense of difference with this urban fantasy adventure that makes it stand out from the crowd, partly to do with the unusual setting and premise – but also, Kaja’s character is both tough and likeable, which is harder to achieve than it looks. If you enjoy the genre, but feel a tad jaded – give this one a go. I received a review copy from the author, which has not influenced my honest opinion of the book. 9/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
We’ve had a series of warm, sunny days this week – yippee! So it was a real shame that yesterday King Charles and Queen Camilla had such soggy weather for their Coronation. At the end of yesterday morning’s practice, Oscar returned to the car after sloshing around the football pitch, looking like he’d just emerged from a rather muddy lake. The coaches are heroes for giving up their Saturday mornings to assist youngsters in improving their skills – especially in such conditions. As for the Coronation – I was so impressed with the blending of old and new within the service at Westminster Abbey and how the whole event ran on rails. It made me proud to be British.
Another milestone – it was local Government elections earlier this week, and so Ethan voted for the first time. I recall so clearly walking down the same road with his mother and voting with her. Where does the time go??
Other than that, it’s been a quieter week – partly because I’ve been struggling with my energy levels after last weekend’s busyness. So I haven’t managed to get as much writing done as I’d wanted, although I’m still having huge fun writing my novella – Casta and the Giggling Knight. I did watch a bit more TV and finally got around to the Magpie Murders series, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It felt a tad like an Agatha Christie whodunit, but with a modern twist. The acting and production values were top notch and the plotting was witty and funny. It’s been a very long time since I enjoyed a murder mystery series so much.
Last week I read:-
AUDIOBOOK – Twin Crowns – Book 1 of the Twin Crowns series by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she would steal her sister’s place in the palace. Trained from birth to return to the place of her parents’ murder and usurp the only survivor, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves. Or she would, if only a certain palace guard wasn’t quite so distractingly attractive, and if her reckless magic didn’t have a habit of causing trouble…
Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility. Marriage into a brutal kingdom awaits, and she will not let a small matter like waking up in the middle of the desert in the company of an extremely impertinent (and handsome) kidnapper get in the way of her royal duty. But life outside the palace walls is wilder and more beautiful than she ever imagined, and the witches she has long feared might turn out to be the family she never knew she was missing.
Two sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other’s lives a whole lot better. But as coronation day looms closer and they each strive to claim their birthright, the sinister Kingsbreath, Willem Rathborne, becomes increasingly determined that neither will succeed. Who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown? Aspects of this one worked really well. I liked the fact that both sisters really struggled to adapt in each other’s world and that the envisaged plan didn’t go remotely to plan. What I did find a bit frustrating was the hefty dose of romance that at times meant the girls – Wren in particular – was busy mooning over the man in her life, instead of focusing on keeping alive… But I’m aware I’m not the target audience for this book, so did make a few allowances for the YA genre conventions. Looking forward to reading the next book in the adventure. 8/10
Humanborn – Book 1 of the Shadows of Eireland series by Joanna Maciejewska Less than a decade ago, the Magiclysm, a tear between Earth and another place, brought magic to Ireland—and worse, it brought back the mythborn. The war that followed left Dublin scarred, and cursed Kaja Modrzewska with chaotic magic that will eventually claim her life.
Struggling with wartime nightmares, Kaja seeks normalcy amongst the volatile peace working as an information broker when a series of explosions across Dublin threatens to reignite the war. Both sides are eager to blame the other, so Kaja reluctantly agrees to investigate.
But finding the terrorists responsible means working alongside the mythborn’s elite killers, and uncomfortable wartime secrets coming to light. Kaja, who had saved a mythborn’s life during the war, finds out she has a life debt of her own, and as she juggles her allegiances and obligations, she’ll have to decide where her loyalties lie, with her old human allies or the mythborn. I enjoy Joanna’s writing – so was delighted when she asked me if I’d like a review copy of this new urban fantasy series. It’s a wonderful read. Kaja is a strong protagonist in a difficult place, but manages to give us a vivid insight into the full extent of her troubles without coming across as a victim, which is great deal harder to pull off than Joanna makes it look. Review to follow. 9/10
Gray Lady – Book 4 of the Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries by Bryd Nash The young Coralie Floquet desires to marry but the spectral appearance of a Gray Lady portends that her end might be soon. Called in to help by Tristan Fontain, the Duke de Archambeau, Elinor plans to chase spirits and rumors at a country estate in a seaside town.
But as soon as she arrives, ill-will seems to swirl around her, along with tittle-tattle about her relationship with Tristan that has gossips talking. Though Elinor doesn’t care much about stolen government documents, her heart might be lost when the duke finally reveals the truth about his past and why he took Elinor home when he first met her. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this engaging Gaslamp fantasy series – to the extent that I pre-ordered this one. Which didn’t disappoint – I loved the change of scene, Elinor’s struggles to recover after her last escapade and the deft plotting around this particular mystery. Review to follow. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds 2057. Humanity has raised exploiting the solar system to an art form. Bella Lind and the crew of her nuclear-powered ship, the Rockhopper, push ice. They mine comets. And they’re good at it.
The Rockhopper is nearing the end of its current mission cycle, and everyone is desperate for some much-needed R & R, when startling news arrives from Saturn: Janus, one of Saturn’s ice moons, has inexplicably left its natural orbit and is now heading out of the solar system at high speed. As layers of camouflage fall away, it becomes clear that Janus was never a moon in the first place. It’s some kind of machine – and it is now headed toward a fuzzily glimpsed artifact 260 light-years away. The Rockhopper is the only ship anywhere near Janus, and Bella Lind is ordered to shadow it for the few vital days before it falls forever out of reach. In accepting this mission, she sets her ship and her crew on a collision course with destiny – for Janus has more surprises in store, and not all of them are welcome. This audiobook version is a joy. I particularly liked the narration by John Lee, who did a masterful job in depicting the various voices and delivering this story full of unexpected twists. I never knew where the story was going to go next – and Reynolds’ fertile imagination provided some of the grossest aliens ever. Musk dogs – ewwww… Overall The Rockhopper’s mind-bending adventures took me on an amazing journey that would make a wonderful TV series. Highly recommended. 9/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
Finally, the weather over the weekend has felt more Spring-like, although the nights continue to be cold and we wake to find the temperatures in the 40s F. and the heating still coming on. On Saturday, we went into Brighton to see a project that Ethan worked on at college featured at the Jubilee Library – helping to produce a comic explaining gender. We knew Brighton would be busy, as indeed it was. The pictures show the window display of the comic Ethan worked on. We’re very proud, as not only did he contribute two pages, but he was one of the main project co-ordinators, ensuring everyone got the work done to the required deadlines, which is excellent practice for his professional career. The other picture is of little Eliza playing dominoes…
It’s the first time I’d travelled to Brighton since I became ill – and as well as the boys, we had our little granddaughter with us as her mother had to work through the weekend. She’s four years old and absolutely enchanting. We’d planned to eat once we returned home, but the traffic meant we got there quite late and everyone was hungry, so we had supper at a burger place that did vegan, veggie and meat burgers, which suited us a treat. My avocado vegan burger with sweet potato fries was yummy and it was enjoyable to eat out together, as it’s something we can’t afford to do very often.
On Sunday, we had the pleasure of Eliza’s company, again. She accompanied us when we did the supermarket run and then she and I played floor dominoes, Junior Dobble, Pairs and Beat Your Neighbour Out of Doors – a card game that doesn’t rely on any sort of skill. We also sorted hundreds of buttons into different colours and sizes and in between all that – we watched short extracts from the movie Ice Age, before she’d ask if we could turn it off and play together again. It was great fun and a lovely way to reconnect, as I don’t see her all that often. She calls me Granny Garden, because when she was about nine months old, I sang Round and Round the Garden to her and for a year afterwards, every time she saw me, she’d hold out her hand for me to sing and play the rhyme to her – so the name has stuck😊.
Last week was also a milestone for Oscar, who managed to return to school for a complete week, afternoons only. He still struggles with feeling very unwell, but is determined to get back to a normal life – and he managed to attend football practice for only the third time since Christmas. He’s stiff and aching, but I’m so very proud of his courage.
I plan to take it easy during Bank Holiday Monday, after such a busy couple of days. Himself and Ethan are playing a tabletop game featuring pirates and sea monsters with a friend of Himself’s and Oscar is recording YouTube videos.
Last week I read:-
Not of This World – Book 4 of the Gideon Sable Series by Simon R. Green The Preserve in Bath – the British Area 51 – is the secret government dumping ground for all things supernatural and out of space. It is one of the most heavily-guarded places in the world. However, it’s not what protects it that makes it so dangerous but the things that are inside . . .
Gideon Sable – master thief, con artist and self-proclaimed vigilante – faces a challenge he can’t refuse. His client, the former Head of the British Rocketry Group, Professor Neil Sharpe, wants him to break into the Preserve. Once inside, Gideon and his crew of supernatural misfits can get any mystical artefact they desire out of the Preserve’s collection. The catch? To reach it, they must go through the treacherous Box Tunnel complex and not only face trained guards and booby traps but steal something that can’t normally be stolen – a ghost!
Sharpe’s obscure motive leaves Gideon uncertain and suspicious. The only thing he knows for sure is that he can steal anything with just the right amount of preparation – but will he be prepared enough to face whatever the Preserve holds, or will he find himself a permanent part of the government’s collection? I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy heist adventure series – Green manages to produce all sorts of powerful magical artifacts for his quirky crew to use. But there are also powerful people ranged against them, too… Entertaining and huge fun. 8/10
The Cleaving by Juliet E. McKenna The Cleaving is an Arthurian retelling that follows the tangled stories of four women: Nimue, Ygraine, Morgana, and Guinevere, as they fight to control their own destinies amid the wars and rivalries that will determine the destiny of Britain.
The legendary epics of King Arthur and Camelot don’t tell the whole story. Chroniclers say Arthur’s mother Ygraine married the man that killed her husband. They say that Arthur’s half-sister Morgana turned to dark magic to defy him and Merlin. They say that the enchantress Nimue challenged Merlin and used her magic to outwit him. And that Arthur’s marriage to Guinevere ended in adultery, rebellion and bloodshed. So why did these women chose such dangerous paths?
As warfare and rivalries constantly challenge the king, Arthur and Merlin believe these women are destined to serve Camelot by doing as they are told. But men forget that women talk. Ygraine, Nimue, Morgana and Guinevere become friends and allies while the decisions that shape their lives are taken out of their hands. This is their untold story. Now these women have a voice. I absolutely loved this one. If you enjoyed Madelaine Miller and Pat Barker’s feminist retellings of the Greek myths, then I highly recommend this wonderful reimagining of the Arthurian legends from viewpoint of the women involved. Review to follow. 10/10
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh All her life Kyr has trained for the day she can avenge the murder of planet Earth. Raised in the bowels of Gaea Station alongside the last scraps of humanity, she readies herself to face the Wisdom, the all-powerful, reality-shaping weapon that gave the Majoda their victory over humanity.
They are what’s left. They are what must survive. Kyr is one of the best warriors of her generation, the sword of a dead planet. But when Command assigns her brother to certain death and relegates her to the nursery to bear sons until she dies trying, she knows she must take humanity’s revenge into her own hands.
Alongside her brother’s brilliant but seditious friend and a lonely, captive alien, she escapes from everything she’s ever known into a universe far more complicated than she was taught and far more wondrous than she could have imagined. Fantastic sci fi adventure. Tesh’s writing leaps off the page and I loved the progression of Kyr’s character. There isn’t anything particularly original in the scenario depicted – but desperation and fury wrapped up in living such a difficult life is palpable and the pages turned themselves. Review to follow. 10/10
Brainfluff 