Justice Calling is a smart, sassy paranormal urban fantasy story with enough attitude to keep the storyline gripping and real. The world-building is sparse but never misses a beat, the characters well-drawn, and even in the novella length (don't be fooled, there are plot twists aplenty just in these 150 pages) the author manages to pack in some surprise punches. This is a neat and gritty story. If I had any complaint, it's that the bad guy - the real bad guy, not the faintly ridiculous bad guy - is pretty much offstage for the entirety of this story and we will need to wait for a sequel to meet him in all his ancient, evil panoply. That's a shame. I felt Jade Crow, our heroine, deserved a more powerful enemy to sink her claws into.
However, this is a recommended read. Definitely a page-turner, with a believable heroine, a dash of romance, gaming action, and real action all rolled into one. Justice Calling rocks. 5 stars.
However, this is a recommended read. Definitely a page-turner, with a believable heroine, a dash of romance, gaming action, and real action all rolled into one. Justice Calling rocks. 5 stars.
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
An intriguing new paranormal fantasy, Aranya, by author Marc Secchia is the first book in the Shapeshifter Dragons series and one that may well capture your imagination. It’s a popular genre with a host of new releases readily filling the shelves, but Secchia certainly seems ready to make his mark. With rarely a dull moment, he spins a mythical yarn, achieving a notable balance between luxurious detail and intense action, which fans of the high fantasy genre will certainly applaud, but it’s Secchia’s world building prowess that really sets this tale apart.
With a host of colourful and many original character incarnations, the time honoured theme of good versus evil takes on a refreshingly unfamiliar dimension.
From Stephan J Myers originally posted on http://bookviral.com/aranya/4585525542
With a host of colourful and many original character incarnations, the time honoured theme of good versus evil takes on a refreshingly unfamiliar dimension.
From Stephan J Myers originally posted on http://bookviral.com/aranya/4585525542
There is a moment after reading a book of such quality, that it gives you a shiver of pure delight, and this was one of those extraordinary reads. I'll not comment on the plot, because plenty of other reviewers have. But suffice to say, this is a tale to savour. From page 1 you realise you're in the hands of a master wordsmith, who ratchets up the tension right to the last page. This was my first experience of reading Marius Gabriel's work. What a treat! I will definitely be reading more.
By turns weird, wonderful, surreal, poetic, bloody and beautiful, Peter: A Darkened Fairytale is a tale that will not easily slip away from your memory. It's one of those strange books in that I did not enjoy every aspect of it, but still think it easily rates 5 stars. Relentlessly imaginative and populated with zany characters, it certainly is a thrill-ride!
What I enjoyed: the unusual word choice, the detailed and specific imagery, the little snippets of wisdom hidden here and there within the story, the madcap, surrealistic nature of the story as it twists and turns through the world Peter enters.
What I didn't enjoy as much: the tale felt emotionally shallow, Peter simply takes everything in his stride and never bats an eyelid even at death and loss, at times the number of adjectives (always well-chosen, however) seemed to overwhelm the narrative.
All in all, however, a highly recommended read!
What I enjoyed: the unusual word choice, the detailed and specific imagery, the little snippets of wisdom hidden here and there within the story, the madcap, surrealistic nature of the story as it twists and turns through the world Peter enters.
What I didn't enjoy as much: the tale felt emotionally shallow, Peter simply takes everything in his stride and never bats an eyelid even at death and loss, at times the number of adjectives (always well-chosen, however) seemed to overwhelm the narrative.
All in all, however, a highly recommended read!
mall Things is a cross between thriller and a horror story, with a touch of fantasy and magic, set in small-town America. The story is a quality read and well paced. The suspense is skilfully manipulated by the author, rising like tentacles of velvet steel to capture the reader and draw them in. As the title implies, small or ordinary things are used drive the plot forward, and the plot is well constructed and realised. Joe DeRouen is adept at raising and sustaining tension. This book will not disappoint.
The story opens strongly as Shawn, a 15 year-old whose best friend Tanner has just drowned in a local lake, is attending his funeral. Tanner's sister Jenny believes a monster attacked him. Shawn is not so sure - but he has a sense that something has been following him. Soon we are seeing flashes from the monster's point of view (the viewpoint is often varied but at well-chosen intervals), stalking Shawn and Jenny in search of a talisman of great power, which is wanted by an ancient evil... there are some memorable scenes. One action sequence particularly stood out for me, which is when Shawn is chasing through town on a stolen motorbike trying to catch up with the monster who is stalking Jenny. If this one doesn't get your pulse pounding, then I'm not sure you really had a pulse in the first place.
I think if the things I've noted below don't bother you, you are in for a very solid, enjoyable read - just don't read it on a dark night! Or you'll be checking outside your show more window. And under your bed. And in every shadow...
For me - and this is largely a matter of taste - there were a few false notes down in the detail that moved this book away from being a grip-you-by-the-throat thriller and catapulted me out of the action; a few moments where I rolled my eyes: 'of course', where the believability factor went down the proverbial drainpipe. For example, the scene of digging up a grave on a dark stormy night. It was well written and presaged a fine plot twist, but I felt I had been there before too many times. Raining? Stormy? Main character in the hole while the bad guy forces him to dig? Move on, please. Monster has just threatened/attacked you and you go wandering around town late at night, or take your girlfriend to a deserted park for a little romantic time? That would be a little stupid, don't you think? There's a random sex scene between minor characters and the epilogue seems oddly chosen.
The characterisation of Shawn and Jenny felt a little lacking. With more depth I might have connected more with them as people. Shawn especially moves quite suddenly from an 'average' teenager to a more mature-sounding character with knowledge of the occult and a bloodline (no more detail for fear of spoiling), which is an integral part of later events.
However, don't let these foibles put you off what is a mighty fine debut novel. If scary is your thing, this one is for you. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review and I look forward to the next volume in this series. show less
The story opens strongly as Shawn, a 15 year-old whose best friend Tanner has just drowned in a local lake, is attending his funeral. Tanner's sister Jenny believes a monster attacked him. Shawn is not so sure - but he has a sense that something has been following him. Soon we are seeing flashes from the monster's point of view (the viewpoint is often varied but at well-chosen intervals), stalking Shawn and Jenny in search of a talisman of great power, which is wanted by an ancient evil... there are some memorable scenes. One action sequence particularly stood out for me, which is when Shawn is chasing through town on a stolen motorbike trying to catch up with the monster who is stalking Jenny. If this one doesn't get your pulse pounding, then I'm not sure you really had a pulse in the first place.
I think if the things I've noted below don't bother you, you are in for a very solid, enjoyable read - just don't read it on a dark night! Or you'll be checking outside your show more window. And under your bed. And in every shadow...
For me - and this is largely a matter of taste - there were a few false notes down in the detail that moved this book away from being a grip-you-by-the-throat thriller and catapulted me out of the action; a few moments where I rolled my eyes: 'of course', where the believability factor went down the proverbial drainpipe. For example, the scene of digging up a grave on a dark stormy night. It was well written and presaged a fine plot twist, but I felt I had been there before too many times. Raining? Stormy? Main character in the hole while the bad guy forces him to dig? Move on, please. Monster has just threatened/attacked you and you go wandering around town late at night, or take your girlfriend to a deserted park for a little romantic time? That would be a little stupid, don't you think? There's a random sex scene between minor characters and the epilogue seems oddly chosen.
The characterisation of Shawn and Jenny felt a little lacking. With more depth I might have connected more with them as people. Shawn especially moves quite suddenly from an 'average' teenager to a more mature-sounding character with knowledge of the occult and a bloodline (no more detail for fear of spoiling), which is an integral part of later events.
However, don't let these foibles put you off what is a mighty fine debut novel. If scary is your thing, this one is for you. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review and I look forward to the next volume in this series. show less
Now this was an unexpected wallop of fun packed into a short space. An excellent short story in which David Rose manages to throw several surprises at the reader in rapid succession. The characterization is also spot-on. An enjoyable take on the world of online/massively multiplayer gaming and a wicked twist right near the end. Enjoy!
This is a great story which can be enjoyed by all ages. The storytelling is fast-paced and whimsical, and the artwork is simply superb. This is very clearly a labour of love and highly recommended. Worth every penny.