Category: Reviews (Page 2 of 8)

 Review time! 

 Max & The Captain: The Evil Scribe by Michael Evan and JMD Reid

 My rating: 

Max & the Captain: The Evil Scribe is the second book of this slightly bonkers but awesome panda-infused trilogy.

The Captain thinks life has finally settled, after the earlier mishap with his girlfriend disappearing and a weird pair of shoes talking to him (Listen, this totally makes sense. Trust me. You only need to read the first book). Life is good, and marriage is on the horizon. Well, at least until Amber is written out of his story by the Evil Scribe.

The Captain finds out his world isn’t quite real, but instead, a book written by two bearded authors. Yet, it’s none of them who made Amber disappear. The Evil Scribe is someone else entirely, and this villain is turning his life into a game… quite literally.

So, in comes the GameLit. And omg, it is hilarious! The Captain and Max will need to complete quests and gather a party of adventurers if they ever want to bring Amber back into existence. I loved how this progressed, along with the references to WoW and gaming in general. As a gamer myself, I really enjoyed these segments.

The action is exciting, the humour is on point, and the characters are fantastic. I loved every bit of this book.

But most importantly, as with Evan’s and Reid’s other books, they incorporate more into their work, something that gives a deeper meaning to whatever silly quest their characters are sent out to complete. In this book, it is all about the journey and not letting the final goal crush your confidence. One need only focus on one step at a time.

“One step at a time.” Robert smiled. “That’s how you build anything. Just one step. Then the next, and the next. Don’t worry about the immensity of it, worry about the small part you’re working on now. You do that, and you’ll get there in the end.”

Max & the Captain: The Evil Scribe is a quick but hilarious read, with a fantastic twist at the end. It is entertaining from cover to cover, and has plenty to offer to anyone who loves a good bit of humorous fantasy and GameLit.

 Review time! 

 Gravitas by Christopher Russell

 My rating: 

Gravitas is a short but exciting story about a villain called Scraw, who works “with” the local authority in his attempts to save their city of Lestadt from the Saeleen.

And by “with,” I mean: he basically forces anyone else to do as he says, good or bad. Mostly bad. Or… Yeah, all bad.

Gravitas is a highly entertaining read, and being a lover of real crime, reading about villains is certainly something I enjoy. Like a deep dive into a dark mind – wonderful!

As for the story itself: the scenes are well-described, the prose flowing, and the characters layered despite the low page count. The world-building is fabulous, and I absolutely loved the twist at the end. Fantastic little read!

 Review time! 

 The Smoke Tree by Stefanie Nici

 My rating: 

The Smoke Tree is a fantastic book, true to life, and wonderfully relatable.

Tora’s life turns upside-down, and she ends up alone, at the precipice of a new life. But things take a turn for the better as the little Yorkie Peanut enters the picture, especially when she is the reason behind Tora meeting a very… agreeable veterinarian.

Even though this sounds like a love story, The Smoke Tree is so much more than that. It is a journey of self-acceptance, where Tora must realise her own strength and carry on. She must allow herself a second chance and believe she can do it.

There is an essential and heartfelt lesson to take away from a book like this. It was brilliant to follow along on Tora’s journey and her quest for happiness. A highly recommended read!

 Review time! 

 The Museum of Perfect Scenes by Kirran Thompson

 My rating: 

The Museum of Perfect Scenes is a quirky, strange, yet intriguing story. It reads almost like a stream of consciousness, as a tale told first by Betty Brown, then by her friend Cosima, and so on.

The plot is simple but still highly intricate, and difficult to describe, almost like a puzzle with pieces scattered throughout. But it starts with Betty Brown talking about her past, and how she keeps a bottle in which she places coins for every mistake she makes. And there are plenty of those over the years. There are so many fabulous little titbits scattered throughout this story, and it’s told in an odd but entertaining way.

In the end, I found the characters engaging and fun, and the tale itself unique and thought-provoking. A great little read!

 Review time! 

 The Ashen Levels by C.F. Welburn

 My rating: 

A dark, yet fabulous tale about a man called Balagir, this story begins as he awakens without memory of his past. Balagir is forced to go through trials and riddles, one more dangerous than the next as he tries to uncover what has happened to him.

Written in most exquisite prose, this tale is expertly told. The book gives off an intriguing and creepy, almost fairytale-like, feel (the old kind, mind you), which I found highly entertaining. Everywhere Balagir turns, there is a challenged he must face, and it is absolutely fantastic!

And what a satisfying ending to an otherwise great series! The threads weaved throughout this story are flawless, and how it all comes together at the end is expertly done. I loved the conclusion!

I cannot recommend this enough, for I’ve absolutely devoured this series listening to the audiobooks! I feel empty now, knowing Balagir won’t be joining me in my day-to-day life. The narration done by Jez Jameson leaves me wanting for more on its own, let alone the fabulous story CF Welburn has penned here!

Fantastic world-building, great characters, superbly merged GameLit elements, intriguing mysteries, and great action! I cannot stress enough how great this series is. Just buy it already!

 Review time! 

 Mastering Morgan by R&C Christiansen

 My rating: 

Mastering Morgan is a gripping dark romance about Morgan, a woman with an illness that causes sensory issues (among other things, but one is that she doesn’t feel pain properly), and how she ends up in the clutches of two shady brother. One, however, is protective, whereas the other… not so much.

This is a visceral story with a lot of feeling, featuring dark moments as much as it does steamy hot ones. It is paced well, grips you from the start, and never lets go. The quality of the writing is top notch, and the characters are all intriguing, if not always likeable (Lincoln, for example), but this only proves the author’s ability to create a wide range of characters.

So for anyone looking for a fabulously dark contemporary romance, look no further. Just make sure to check out those triggers. They are there for a reason.

 Review time! 

 Ties That Bind by Jayne Lockwood

 My rating: 

Ties That Bind is the last book in an absolutely fabulous dark romance series. Everyone’s (and my) favourite alpha CEO billionaire Richard Mason is back for another round of expertly getting in his own way when, really, he has all the opportunities to achieve his ultimate dreams.

Despite being surrounded by people who love him, Richard succumbs to old demons, unable to shift the weight of addiction, stress, feelings of inadequacy, and – not in the least – his dark past as a mobster.

This is a tale of love, family, and everlasting ties as much as it is addiction, mental health, and redemption. The action is fast-paced and hearthumping, the characters are layered, real and relatable, and the smut is smoking hot and absolutely delicious.

I devoured this book, just as I did the entire Closer Than Blood/Switchblade Romance series. Ties That Bind is impossible to put down. It’ll make you laugh and cry, the smut will have you in need of a cold shower, and the action and downward spiral into addiction will have you at the edge of your seat, praying for the wonderful cast of characters to just be okay in the end.

Ties That Bind can be read more or less as a standalone, but I would still recommend reading the other books first (part of the Closer Than Blood/Switchblade Romance series), purely to have the best possible experience. Because, trust me, you will want to have read all of them – they are just that good.