#Blogtour Storm Flower by Keegan and Tristen Kozinski

 It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Storm Flower by Keegan and Tristen Kozinski. Published by Crazy House Publishing, pub date 5 September 2000. Tour courtesy of Zooloo's Book Blog Tours.

About the Author

Keegan and Tristen Kozinski, and their two sisters, were homeschooled. They were encouraged to try many things, but not television, online gaming, social media, and the other various technology devices. Their mother read aloud to all of them extensively and encouraged them to read, read, read, and then read some more.  They played family boardgames at least one day a week, (playing board games with the family is still one of their favorite things to do) occasionally went to the movies, spent hours at book stores just reading, they hiked, travelled, swam, tried a variety of sports even camping, but nobody really liked it.

Keegan spent hours building k-nex, but never got into legos. He has taken online drawing classes with Glenn Vilppu and CGMA academy.

Tristen is a very hands-off beekeeper. He began playing chess while living in Mexico, and for a number of years played weekly and attended local competitions, but has since switched to other interests. As with all good education, writing is essential. They were given their fair share of opportunities to write.

They decided to become writers after a homeschool writing assignment. That assignment eventually became their first book: THE DARKNESS THAT SLEPT.  We started it at the age of thirteen—it took years to finish. We have since published a few short stories, and two other novels: THE CITY OF LOCKED DOORS, and STORMFLOWER.

They live in northern Alabama and work a real job to pay the bills. When they’re not working or writing or drawing, they enjoy boardgames and online gaming, live theater, listening to soundtracks, walking to discuss ideas, and reading.       They are not particularly fond of social media.

Tristen writes reviews for books he reads/listens to and posts them on Adventuresome Book Reviews. Keegan has done all the cover art for their books. If you would like for them to review a book contact them. Follow @TristenKozinski Visit kozinskibooks.com

About the book

THEY call and some hear.

On the ocean world Charybdis, two orphans were searching. When the corportacracy found them, they said they had no memory of their family —they lied.

Jade and Ilin Dieza were taken, raised to kill the inter-dimensional monstrosities known as revenants. They excelled at it until quiet PLANS and madness tore open a gate between dimensions and unleashed a tide of revenants. Amidst the slaughter, Ilin was dragged through to the other side of existence. Jade followed.

She returned minutes later, years older, bent under the weight of her brother’s body. Now Jade lives as a recluse, haunted by secrets, grief, and guilt. Utterly exhausted, all she wants to do is rest.

Except, a revenant speaks to her, an unnatural plague is spreading, and a friend speaks of an alien compulsion he doesn’t understand. One he must never explore, lest all that lies hidden drags him below. Thus, the second PLAN has begun, and the madness that corrupted the first has worsened.

Review

I'd like to just start off by saying that a Revenant is one thing, but one with humanoid faces and limbs at the end of whatever they use to move around (often in multiples) is just a tad much - a literal nightmare. Something about the imagery makes the thought of them even worse, perhaps not as much as having a unexpected convo with one though. That's just a whole other level.

Jade barely swims above the surface of the grief she carries around with her. The flashbacks, the memories, the fear and the guilt. Now and again a sliver opens up and she is overwhelmed by what haunts her soul. On the flip side is the Jade who answers the call and fights the unpredictable, ruthless and always voracious revenants.

It's a cracking read. A smorgasbord of sci-fi meets speculative fiction brimming with the zesty rebellious vibe of Cyberpunk plus a dab of fantastical world-building. The kind of read that connects the moral fibre of humanity, threads empathy with the fraught emptiness of civilisation built on fear, control and violence.

The question is where does Jade go from here. The choices are limited and confine her ability to live a life less on the edge. The oppression makes her heart weep, but her soul burns with rage.

Buy StormFlower at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Crazy House Publishing, pub date 5 Sept. 2000. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Atom Inc by O.C. Heaton

It's been a whirlwind of tours featuring LEAP, Green Ray of The Race is On trilogy. Today it's book three - Atom Inc by O.C. Heaton.

About the Author

'I write what I love to read - big issue thrillers that are super well researched inside a complex plot full of twists and turns.

The result of the above is The Race Is On Series, an idea I had on a trip to Iceland. The first in the series is called LEAP, which tells the tale of a device which has the power to halt global warming. The ensuing race to control the power of this machine will continue throughout the sequel to LEAP which I’m well on my way to completing. It's called Green Ray and will be published in May 2023.

Just like LEAP, the 2nd book weaves fact with fiction and encompasses events such as the 2009 global financial meltdown, Al Qaeda, a new US President and a cornered CIA; another delightful concoction around which I have constructed another tall, but hopefully credible, tale. Watch this space!'

I live in Leeds, UK with the love of my life and our two daughters. It rains a lot in Leeds but that works out well for me - loads of time for research and of course writing! Follow @OCHeaton on X, @ocheaton on Instagram, Visit Website : ocheaton.com

About the book

No one is above the Laws...

Seven years after its conception, LEAP is finally about to spell the end of global warming. For Uma and Ethan, this means personal and professional triumph – but quantum teleportation is an unwieldy beast, held back by those fighting to dominate the new world order.

As LEAP's roll out slows to a trickle, a greater threat emerges when a stealth attack on US troops leaves thousands dead. With the finger of suspicion pointing to a LEAP copycat, Ethan and Uma are forced to condone a breach of the Laws to reverse the massacre.

As LEAP’s new rival continues to show their hand, Ethan is dragged back into a nightmare he thought he had escaped. One that may finally claim his sanity, and that pushes Uma to the limits of hers, to defeat an evil that no longer plays by the rules.

Review

Is it just me or are the ethics getting more murky the further we get into the series, which of course is exactly what happens when an invention, a weapon or advancement opens up a world of opportunities. Somewhere along the path the excitement burns into greed, into hunger to explore elements that have been closed to mankind. The question is where does it stop, and indeed has Uma lost sight of what the research was born from and intended for?

As most inventions there will always be someone ready to use the blueprint and make a power play - with cold hard cash at the heart of it. What happens when you lose control completely, when LEAP becomes the outdated version and potential copies do real harm?

There is a little bit of a twist that might shake up how Uma moves forward, and it will certainly make for an interesting controversy if she does what I think she will do. Is there a personal line she will never cross or does the need to take one step further into research and the unknown always override every ethical barrier in the end?

I note there is also a prequel novella in the series, which captures the beginning of LEAP and the man who brought us the core concept in the first place. I wonder whether the above applies to Jakob also, despite the best intentions. Science, technology and advancement eh - not always the gift it appears to be. Why, well because humans will always be the unknown and unpredictable variable you can never quite calculate with complete accuracy.

Looking forward to reading more!

Buy Atom Inc at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Rookwood Publishing, pub date 29 Feb. 2024. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune.

'Inspired by Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful standalone fantasy adventure from the author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.'

About the Author

TJ Klune is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award winning author of Under the Whispering Door, The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Extraordinaries, Wolfsong and more. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important now more than ever – to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories. Follow @tjklunebooks on Instagram

About the book

In a small home, built into the branches of a tree, live a human named Victor and three robots. These are a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, a small vacuum desperate for love and attention, and a fatherly inventor-android named Giovanni Lawson. Together they’re a family, hidden and safe.

Then Vic salvages an unfamiliar android labelled ‘HAP’. He learns that Hap and Gio share a dark past, where they hunted humans. And Hap unwittingly gives away Gio’s location. Before they know it, robots from Gio’s former life arrive – to capture and return the android to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams.

The rest of the unconventional family must travel across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommissioning. Or worse, reprogramming. Along the way, Vic must decide if he can handle his feelings for Hap – even if they come with strings attached.

Review

Without downplaying the aspects of the great classic Pinocchio or rather the retelling under the umbrella of a dystopian lens, I do think the concept is much more and pulls from a variety of ethical, futuristic and emotionally charged ideas. If I'm being entirely honest I think the umbrella of the aforementioned classic doesn't do this tentacled exploration of humanity, love, friendship, parenthood and the cold hard truth of the cost of technological advancement, true justice.

Nurse Ratched, an interesting one to say the least. Developed with what can only be described as the traits of a bloodthirsty serial killer with the odd tendency to care and nurse. Favourite occupation: trying to harm, dismember and/or torture Rambo. Rambo is the complete opposite, a people-pleasing vacuum droid who reacts with fear and compassion. The two of them are complete opposite sides of the spectrum. In fact when you take all five, they appear to reflect the variety of human characteristics, whilst some do so in combination with their actual lack of true human response.

Circling round the beginning and the end one could ask the question of chicken and egg, the development, invention and programming just makes them variation of the same core, right? In the midst of it all the tender strands of a blossoming love become entangled in the truth about where HAP came from and who they are, the question is whether there is a way forward beyond the Frankensteinesque past of Gio.

It's a riveting nuanced piece of work, which plays with the idea of coming-of-age within the boundaries of a non-human world. The discovery of self, which includes a tempered version of intimacy. The overriding theme is one of destruction, and the solitude of the remains of society.

Buy In The Lives of Puppets at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Tor; pub date 14 Mar. 2024. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Green Ray by O.C. Heaton

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Green Ray by O.C. Heaton - this is the second book in The Race is On series (the first is Leap). And the tour for Atom Inc, the third book in the trilogy is in just over a week.

About the Author

'I write what I love to read - big issue thrillers that are super well researched inside a complex plot full of twists and turns.

The result of the above is The Race Is On Series, an idea I had on a trip to Iceland. The first in the series is called LEAP, which tells the tale of a device which has the power to halt global warming. The ensuing race to control the power of this machine will continue throughout the sequel to LEAP which I’m well on my way to completing. It's called Green Ray and will be published in May 2023.

Just like LEAP, the 2nd book weaves fact with fiction and encompasses events such as the 2009 global financial meltdown, Al Qaeda, a new US President and a cornered CIA; another delightful concoction around which I have constructed another tall, but hopefully credible, tale. Watch this space!'

I live in Leeds, UK with the love of my life and our two daughters. It rains a lot in Leeds but that works out well for me - loads of time for research and of course writing!  Follow @OCHeaton on X, @ocheaton on Instagram, Visit Website : ocheaton.com

About the book

No good deed goes unpunished... - Six years after the near-catastrophic hijacking of LEAP, Uma Jakobsdóttir is determined to find a safer path to environmental salvation. So, with her father’s invention back under wraps, Uma turns her attention to the $85 billion-dollar Green Ray fund with the intention of renewing the planet — minus any teleportation.

But when the capabilities of LEAP are discovered by the U.S. government, it sets its sights on using the device to protect the country against economic collapse. When the White House proposes a new set of rules for LEAP — ones which would only allow the teleportation of goods, not people — Uma's objections are steamrolled by powerful forces.

Then the President’s life is endangered, and the rules of the game suddenly shift again — leaving Uma in ethical turmoil as she races to stop the full power of LEAP from being unleashed on an unsuspecting world…

Review

With the events of the prior disaster involving LEAP far behind her, Uma is surprised, but not concerned when the US government demands her presence. Their idea of how to use her technology however is something she isn't on board with. They don't leave her with much choice - the word blackmail comes to mind. And all bets are off when the President's life comes under threat, that complicates matters a little.

In the first book of the Race is On trilogy I think the reader gets introduced to the power of ideas in combination with futuristic advancements, perhaps equally to the greed and power struggles it evokes in people. Also, perhaps the realisation that with great ideas often come consequences, that positive and negative often walk hand-in-hand. The question is what are we, or in this case Uma, willing to risk as collateral - if indeed any at all.

In this second book the author wanders quite succinctly between the corridors of political power, the sway such people have, and that at the end of the day greed, corruption, and even making cutthroat decisions in the name of humanity or keeping a country or the world safe - is often no different than when criminals are making the same choices. The double-edged sword of Uma's technology is there is no guarantee whomever wields it will do so with the best intention.

I really enjoy the way the author melds in current issues into this concept that has such a vast reach, but simultaneously creates realistic scenarios within the futuristic scope. There is a clear understanding of day-to-day issues for the common person and how the decisions of the upper echelon have an impact on those lives, whilst clearly not comprehending or wanting to understand the impact.

I'm looking forward to the third part in the trilogy - will LEAP end up being part of a bigger better solution or is the risk of misuse just too great?

Buy Green Ray at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Rookwood Publishing pub date 25 July 2023. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Leap by O.C. Heaton

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Leap by O.C. Heaton, the first book in The Race is On series.

About the Author

I write what I love to read - big issue thrillers that are super well researched inside a complex plot full of twists and turns.

The result of the above is The Race Is On Series, an idea I had on a trip to Iceland. The first in the series is called LEAP, which tells the tale of a device which has the power to halt global warming. The ensuing race to control the power of this machine will continue throughout the sequel to LEAP which I’m well on my way to completing. It's called Green Ray and will be published in May 2023.

Just like LEAP, the 2nd book weaves fact with fiction and encompasses events such as the 2009 global financial meltdown, Al Qaeda, a new US President and a cornered CIA; another delightful concoction around which I have constructed another tall, but hopefully credible, tale. Watch this space!

I live in Leeds, UK with the love of my life and our two daughters. It rains a lot in Leeds but that works out well for me - loads of time for research and of course writing! Follow @OCHeaton on X, @ocheaton on Instagram, Visit Website : ocheaton.com

About the book

Ethan Rae is known for his billions, but his latest business venture is about to really put him on the map: a quantum teleportation system that would solve global warming for good. Known as LEAP, the system is capable of providing Earth’s ultimate second chance...until it falls into the wrong hands.

When playboy CEO Samuel Reynolds III snatches LEAP out from under Ethan’s nose, he adds insult to injury by attempting to destroy Ethan’s business partner, Uma Jakobsdóttir. But this is no malicious whim. As the daughter of its creator, Uma enforces the LEAP Laws.

Because of its potentially devastating capabilities, LEAP users must not clone people, revive the dead, or merge minds and species. But in the race to recover their precious piece of tech, Ethan and Uma are faced with sacrifices that push their resolve to breaking point.

From the frozen wastelands of Iceland, to the leafy suburbs of London and the mean streets of New York City, LEAP is a technothriller that will keep you questioning what it means to be human.

Review

Uma believes Ethan is the right money-man to approach to bring Leap to the people, and to ensure it is put to use for the good of the survival of mankind. The only problem with that train of thought is that Uma doesn't realise what some people will do for the most innovative and powerful invention of this century. Just imagine what damage it could do in the wrong hands, the ability to move... err I'll let you find that out for yourselves.

It's a fast-paced speculative environmental thriller which balances the greed of capitalism, thirst for power and ruthless people with little thought for the future, with the attempt to make the world abide by some moral standards or code of ethics. Good luck with that when it comes to profit margins and the search for complete control.

The author lets aspects of science, spirituality, and the pure excitement of discovery come together and meld itself into a constantly moving and changing concept. Time and place become interchangeable and are no longer a constant known measurable quantity and wander into the realms of unknown variable.

Kudos to the author for presenting the science in a way that everyone can comprehend without ever losing the complexity of the concept. Not an easy feat. Usually one or the other has to give little. I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Buy Leap at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Rookwood Publishing, pub date 4 Aug. 2022. Buy at Amazon com. 

#Blogtour Karakorum by Don McVey

 It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Karakorum by Don McVey.

About the Author

Don McVey has worked for over 20 years in the Film and TV industry. After winning the H.G. Wells award for his short story 'Transference', he decided it was time to get round to writing a novel. His debut novel Karakorum was released in May 2023. Follow @donmcvey on Twitter

About the book

Sorcha makes a humble living playing the deadly game of Scratch, on the outer edge of Kara's limits. Something highly unusual for one so young. Scouted by a stranger from another faction, a chain of fatal events are set in motion when she discovers a strange anomaly hidden deep within the game arena. Pursued by nefarious powers, she must solve an ancient riddle, buried in the subconscious of man.

To find the truth, Sorcha must travel to the heart of Karakorum, an endless shanty town, separated by borders of assimilated minds known as labs. The Modor's words are the only laws the inhabitants know, a new religion based on the sacrosanct Sapiens gene. A dark period in the past, known only as The Wipe, threatens to repeat, something that would mean annihilation for every connected citizen. Unknown to her, it is Sorcha who may lead to their ultimate demise.

Review

Sorcha becomes the focus of a hunt when a game she plays comes to the attention of the powers that be or the powers that think they are and should be. The hunt is on for an anomaly, for something or someone who is an unusual blip in a very large construct. It's the beginning of an awakening and not just for Sorcha.

With this kind of complex speculative fiction that weaves a variety of genres into a newly shaped sub-genre it's great when the end result is a driven and riveting read. I really enjoyed it. There is always a certain moment in more complex dystopian, speculative and sci-fi stories when you realise someone has their ducks in a row or you've stumbled upon erratic ducks with no structure or point of destination. This author successfully manages to create their vision for the reading audience in a way that delivers societal structures, sci-fi, dystopian nightmares and how religious or spiritual concepts are used to control in every scenario.

It's difficult to give comparisons so readers have an idea what kind of read they are in for. It has the futuristic aspect of Matrix without the jazz hands, the dowdy shanty town like structure of a densely populated ant colony with the infrastructure of an interconnected hive.  

Will there be a second book - a further venture into the world of Karakorum? Some of us really need to know if this is a standalone novel. A great read.

Buy Karakorum at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Independent; pub date 29 April 2023. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Tell Me An Ending by Jo Harkin

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Tell Me An Ending by Jo Harkin.

About the Author

Jo Harkin studied English Literature at university. She daydreamed her way through various jobs in her twenties before giving in and becoming a full-time writer. She published four real-world literary fiction novels under a pseudonym, before deciding to follow her passion and move into speculative fiction. Her focus is ‘what if’ stories with an emphasis on human lives. She lives in Berkshire.

About the book

Across the world, thousands of people are shocked to receive an email telling them that they once chose to have a traumatic memory removed. Now they are being given the chance to get that memory back.

For Mei, William, Oscar and Finn there is a piece missing, but they're not sure what. And each of them must decide if the truth is worth the pain, or better left unknown.

For Noor, who works at the memory clinic Nepenthe, the process of reinstating their patients' memories begins to shake the moral foundations of her world. As she delves deeper into the programme, she will have to risk everything to uncover the true human cost of this miraculous technology.

An exploration of secrets, grief, identity and belonging - of the stories we tell ourselves, and come to rely on, Tell Me An Ending is a sharp, dark and devastating novel about the power and danger of memory.

Review

I thought this was a fascinating concept and there are so many places to take it. The entire premise is a tightrope of black, white and fuzzy areas of boundary crossing. Is it a good thing? Does it create worse scenarios than the bad memories it purports to erase. Is the erasing or extraction merely a band-aid that in actual fact becomes a timebomb? A bomb that can cause mental health, general health issues, the breakdown of relationships and mistrust in self.

Imagine getting a letter telling yourself you had made the choice to erase a memory, however you have no actual memory of doing so, which of course makes it a Schrödinger's Cat situation. Do you retrieve to find out what it is, and end up with a memory you would rather not have. Or live with the niggle that you have experienced something worrying enough you felt the need to erase it.

I am legit interested in which decision people would make if this were the future. I think I would need to know, then probably ask for it to be taken again, thereby creating an endless repetitive loop of actions and behaviour. What if it was used against your will - a Big Brother tool, the possibilities are endless.

Told through multiple character narratives, who all have something in common, the fact that they have had a memory removed and know about it or did it and wanted to remain oblivious to that decision. Of course there is also the aspect of them being consciously or subconsciously aware of this fact. The subconscious element of the story is quite fascinating. Are our brains hardwired to restore information it thinks is relative and pertinent to our wellbeing and survival? An innate response to flight or fight?

Which memory would you pick, if any at all? Would you choose to erase pain or a secret, but what if that put you at risk at a later date. This a self induced black hole moment, the ethics and moral aspect of this story are intricate. I can't wait to discuss this book with fellow readers. It's absolutely fascinating, and a great story to boot. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Buy Tell Me An Ending at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Hutchinson Heinemann pub date 12th May 2022 | Hardback | eBook | Audio | £12.99. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Broken by R. V. Biggs

It's my last turn on the BlogTour for the Sarah Macintyre series by R.V. Biggs, which started with The Song of the Robin followed by Reunion and now it's time for the third book in the series - Broken.

About the Author

R V Biggs lives in a small ex-mining village near Wolverhampton, England, with his wife Julie and Mags the black lab. He has four grown up children and eight grandchildren. Walking with the dog is a favourite pastime and much of the story line for his first novel was developed during these lengthy outings.

Robert worked for 35 years in telecommunications but changed career paths to a managerial supporting role within a local Mental Health National Health Service trust. It was during the period between these roles that the concept for his first novel was born.

Robert is a firm believer that destiny and co-incidence exist hand in hand and this conviction extends to his writing. He has a passion for holistic well-being and after first-hand experience of the potential healing powers of Reiki, a form of energy therapy, took a Reiki level 1 training course to heighten his spiritual awareness. 

Robert’s experiences in these areas helped conceive the ideas that led to Song of the Robin and its sequels Reunion and Broken, novels with central themes of fate, love, and the strength of family. His writing is not fantasy however but is set in modern times involving real people living real lives. Follow RVBiggs on Facebook, Visit rvbiggs.com

About the book

Scarred by a tragic past, eleven year old Jamie Walker chooses not to speak. Consumed with jealous rage, Jimmy Gillespie is driven to violence. And John Macintyre awakens from a vivid nightmare convinced he is going to kill.

Living high upon the Scottish hills, John and Sarah Macintyre enjoy a serene life until a televised news bulletin sends them on a desperate search for a missing child. After finding the child and returning him safely to his parents, the Macintyres are approached by the local press, attracting both unexpected and unwanted attention.

But the aftermath of the media coverage changes the course of their lives forever, and events are set in motion that are joyful, heart breaking – and terrifying.

Review

This third part of the Sarah Macintyre series brings the content of the previous two to a culmination. Everything has been driving towards this point and the story of Sarah and her family can finally really begin. 

Their journey together is one of connections, weaving unseen threads between each other. Each one of them experiencing energy and power in a different way, but ultimately always in a way that outsiders are unable to comprehend completely. Is it paranormal, another level of energy or shall we just simply leave at the inexplicable?

After certain events expose their special gifts to the world and also bring the family to the attention of someone with more nefarious intentions - the family faces more danger. Simultaneously they are asked to invite a broken soul into their home, in the hopes that they can help heal and keep him safe. The two events end in a violent collision.

This is shorter in length than the other two books and was much more concise in the approach in regards to the core premise. A much better read with clear vision, and of where the series could be taken if the author wants to.

Buy Broken at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

 It's my turn on the The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke - 'the brand-new chilling gothic thriller from the bestselling author...'

About the Author

C.J. Cooke is an acclaimed, award-winning poet, novelist and academic with numerous other publications written under the name of Carolyn Jess-Cooke. Her work has been published in twenty-three languages to date. 

Born in Belfast, C.J. has a PhD in Literature from Queen’s University, Belfast, and is currently Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, where she researches creative writing interventions for mental health. C.J. Cooke lives in Glasgow with her husband and four children. She also founded the Stay-At-Home Festival. Follow @CJessCooke on Twitter, Connect with CJ via linktr.ee/CJCooke

About the book

Upon the cliffs of a remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven, stands a lighthouse. A lighthouse that has weathered more than storms. Mysterious and terrible events have happened on this island. It started with a witch hunt. Now, centuries later, islanders are vanishing without explanation. Coincidence? Or curse?

Liv Stay flees to the island with her three daughters, in search of a home. She doesn’t believe in witches, or dark omens, or hauntings. But within months, her daughter Luna will be the only one of them left. Twenty years later, Luna is drawn back to the place her family vanished. As the last sister left, it’s up to her to find out the truth . . . But what really happened at the lighthouse all those years ago?

Review

At the midst of this story is the fate of innocent women, women scapegoated by fearful communities looking to find reason and solution to tragedy, pain, destruction and death. Lòn Haven has it's own troubled past where this is concerned, a black hole of suspicion and folklore, which is eventually what Liv Stay encounters when she moves there with her young daughters.

The story is written like a wave of Kodak moments in history, both past and present. The witches, Liv and then her daughter Luna. Along the way children go missing, some of them return, although there is a question whether those who return are who they say they are.

I loved the premise, I just thought the execution was lacking. It's disjointed, confusing and there is an essence of outsmarting the reader, which is often detrimental to a story. Even the speculative element can't erase what it lacks in flow and continuity. A missed opportunity for a spectacular read. 

What Cooke does do well is pull the threads of history, mystery, myth and folklore together, and then sets fire to it all with the speculative idea that is woven into the fabric of this treble timeline read. It's magical realism, historical fiction, a thriller and a mystery. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another of her books, because of the creativity, the bending of boundaries and the melding of each element. Clearly one to watch.

Buy The Lighthouse Witches at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HarperCollins; pub date 30th September 2021 - Hardback £14.99 - Ebook | Audio. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour The Abdication by Justin Newland

 It's my turn on the BlogTour The Abdication by Justin Newland.

About the Author

Justin Newland is an author of historical fantasy and secret history thrillers - that’s history with a supernatural twist. His stories feature known events and real people from history which are re-told and examined through the lens of the supernatural. He gives author talks and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day. He lives with his partner in plain sight of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England.

His Books - The Genes of Isis is a tale of love, destruction and ephemeral power set under the skies of Ancient Egypt. A re-telling of the Biblical story of the flood, it reveals the mystery of the genes of Isis – or genesis – of mankind. 

The Old Dragon’s Head is a historical fantasy and supernatural thriller set during the Ming Dynasty and played out in the shadows the Great Wall of China. It explores the secret history of the influences that shaped the beginnings of modern times. 

Set during the Great Enlightenment, The Coronation reveals the secret history of the Industrial Revolution. His latest, The Abdication (July, 2021), is a suspense thriller, a journey of destiny, wisdom and self-discovery. Follow Justin on Facebook, Visit justinnewland.com

About the book

The town of Unity sits perched on the edge of a yawning ravine where, long ago, a charisma of angels provided spiritual succour to a fledgeling human race. Then mankind was granted the gift of free will and had to find its own way, albeit with the guidance of the angels. The people’s first conscious act was to make an exodus from Unity. They built a rope bridge across the ravine and founded the town of Topeth. For a time, the union between the people of Topeth and the angels of Unity was one of mutual benefit. After that early spring advance, there had been a torrid decline in which mankind’s development resembled a crumpled, fading autumnal leaf.

Following the promptings of an inner voice, Tula, a young woman from the city, trudges into Topeth. Her quest is to abide with the angels and thereby discover the right and proper exercise of free will. To do that, she has to cross the bridge – and overcome her vertigo. Topeth is in upheaval; the townsfolk blame the death of a child on dust from the nearby copper mines. The priests have convinced them that a horde of devils have thrown the angels out of Unity and now occupy the bridge, possessing anyone who trespasses on it. Then there’s the heinous Temple of Moloch!

The Abdication is the story of Tula’s endeavour to step upon the path of a destiny far greater than she could ever have imagined.

Review

For me this was a dive into speculative fiction with a strong slant towards spiritual elements, fantasy and moments of magical realism. Like many premises with an undertone of spiritual or perhaps even religious elements, I wonder if the interpretation often lies solely with the readers frame of reference and experiences. Whilst I can imagine it is certainly that way for the author, the question is whether the individual reading experience and interpretations of the story that will be echoed back have been calculated into the expected response.

Sounds convoluted? Probably, but I know what I mean, especially in regards to what I took away from this story. It's a story of parallels or perhaps it's easier to describe it as a story full of analogies. The bridge representing the threshold Tula feels when it comes to giving up or continuing. The aspect of freedom and freefalling in connection with letting go or not feeling strong enough to confront either side of the bridge and what each represents. The idea of crossing being synonymous with entering the folds of the demons who wish to oppress, suffocate and devour. The other side being synonymous with angels, humanity, which is of course an image disturbed by the shattered image of humanity man has created.

It's a multi-layered read with depth. It's also one that can be compared to someone reading a layer at a time or some not at all - it depends on the reader. What I'd like to see is a clearer path. Be bolder and more frank in the premise, as opposed to trying to outthink the reader. It's an ambitious and creative read full of parallels and analogies, and yet simultaneously also storytelling that crosses and bends boundaries.

Buy The Abdication at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Matador pub date 4 July 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Clarissa: Lost Tales Of Solace by Karl Drinkwater

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Clarissa: Lost Tales of Solace by Karl Drinkwater.

About the Author

Karl Drinkwater writes thrilling SF, suspenseful horror, and contemporary literary fiction. Whichever you pick you’ll find interesting and authentic characters, clever and compelling plots, and believable worlds.

Karl has lived in many places but now calls Scotland his home. He’s an ex-librarian with degrees in English, Classics, and Information Science. He also studied astrophysics for a year at university, surprising himself by winning a prize for “Outstanding Performance”.

When he isn’t writing he loves guitars, exercise, computer and board games, nature, and vegan cake. Not necessarily in that order. Click here to subscribe to his newsletter

Follow @karldrinkwater on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, on Facebook, on Instagram, Visit karldrinkwater.uk  

About the book

If you’re reading this: HELP! I’ve been kidnapped. Me and my big sister stayed together after our parents died. We weren’t bothering anybody. But some mean government agents came anyway, and split us up. Now I’m a prisoner on this spaceship. The agents won’t even say where we’re going. I hate them.

And things have started to get a bit weird. Nullspace is supposed to be empty, but when I look out of the skywindows I can see … something. Out there. And I think it wants to get in here. With us. My name is Clarissa. I am ten years old. And they will all be sorry when my big sister comes to rescue me.

Review

This is the third book in the Lost Tales of Solace series, but it is part of the bigger Solace universe - pun fully intended. It's a bit like solitary planets having their own stories and yet being connected by the fact they are all part of one universe. For readers who have read the rest of or part of this series they will recognise the connection for instance between Clarissa and her sister Opal, who is featured in previous novels.

What begins as a story that seems to be one of a young girl being kidnapped and separated from her sister, soon wanders into an entirely different realm of fear and uncertainty. Clarissa doesn't know why she has been kidnapped and her two guards play good cop and bad cop, but she knows enough not to let them know certain things. Like the fact she can see things they can't or what they perceive to be innocent objects are actually a way to facilitate communication. They clearly can't see what is coming straight at them - but Clarissa can.

It's speculative science-fiction that really does veer off into worlds, scenarios and experiences previously unknown. The melding of genres, possible storylines, of science, space, travel and the unknown, then pushing the boundaries to see where it takes both the readers and the author - trademark Drinkwater. 

The result is an individual experience each time. As if the challenge were to envision and give the reader a different perspective each time. Not of the same scenarios or the characters, but of the speculative nature of the unknown. Definitely a series I would recommend, perhaps more so because you just never know where the story will take you each time. It's creative and visionary.

Buy Clarissa at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Organic Apocalypse pub date 1 Jun. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Meet Me in Another Life by Catriona Silvey.

About the Author

Catriona Silvey was born in Glasgow and grew up in Perthshire and Derbyshire, which left her with a strange accent and a distrust of flat places. She overcame the latter to do a BA in English at Cambridge, and spent the next few years there working in scientific publishing. After that she did a PhD in language evolution, in the hope of finding out where all these words came from in the first place.

Following stints in Edinburgh and Chicago, she returned to Cambridge, where she lives with her husband and a very peculiar cat. When she’s not working as a researcher studying meaning in language, she writes. Her short stories have been performed at the Edinburgh Literary Festival and shortlisted for the Bridport Prize. Follow @silveycat on Twitter, Visit catrionasilvey.com

About the book

Thora and Santi have met before… Under the clocktower in central Cologne, with nothing but the stars above and their futures ahead.

They will meet again… They don’t know it yet, but they’ll meet again: in numerous lives they will become friends, colleagues, lovers, enemies – meeting over and over for the first time, every time; each coming to know every version of the other.

But as they’re endlessly drawn together and the lines between their different lives begin to blur, they are faced with one question: why? They must discover the truth of their strange attachment before this, and all their lives, are lost forever. 

Review

What's interesting is the fact both Santi and Thora give themselves and readers the connection and the same clue in every scenario that eventually leads to the solution and conclusion of this story. Not necessarily one you filter out, perhaps because it becomes one of the features on a loop, which makes  the two characters identifiable to each other and to us.

The inter-personal relationships change, the power structure and the hierarchy between the two of them. One of the constants is the place, Cologne, which is woven cleverly into the fabric of each loop. Are they loops though or are they glimpses of parallel timelines, reincarnations or jumps in time. Are Santi and Thora trapped in a ever repeating cycle where one of them knows what the inevitable conclusion is and the other is determined to try over and over again.

What sets this apart from other books with a similar premise is the way Silvey creates this visceral connection to the place, much like historical fiction, and the speculative nature of their meetings, all of which culminates in a fascinating ending.

I enjoyed the way the two characters are fused together like soulmates who are destined to repeat the same unfulfilling ending, and yet at the same time are on two different paths. One believes every path is set in stone by a higher power and the other believes the opposite, and yet in a bizarre way Thora also acts as if everything is preordained.

It's a fascinating and often emotional read, and one I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Buy Meet Me in Another Life at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Harper Voyager pub date 8th July 2021 | Hardback | Ebook | Audio | £14.99. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at catrionasilvey.com/books

#BlogTour I Lost My Compass at the Bermuda Triangle and Dream Five by Clara L. Molina

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour I Lost My Compass at the Bermuda Triangle and Dream Five by Clara L. Molina.

About the Author

Clara L Molina writes Science Fiction books most of the time, dabbles in comic drawings occasionally, and writes to laugh at herself all the time. She has a computer science degree, but has been a lifelong writer. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, and enjoys fresh air and days where her hair is not frizzy.

Follow @BoxaEl on Twitter, Visit elboxa.com 

About the book

Sophia Lorenzo awoke with no memory or identity and given a mission to murder a mysterious man named Murich Rhys. What will she do? There’s only one way to find out as she heads to his castle and embarks on a long and arduous journey to complete a task she does not want. 

Can she battle the scorching heat of the desert? What lies in the wake and maze of the forest? Can she escape from the Snow Dwellers and the inhabitants of the contentious city of Absolute Zero? 

She heads to the castle to discover who she is and why she was given this task. The truth is just as crazy as her mission. Sophia Lorenzo finds her compass on the Bermuda Triangle and Dream Five.

Review

Sophia Lorenzo awakens with no memory in the Cursed City. A city where messages drop from the sky. I wondered of there were shades of an abstract Dorothy on her way to the Emerald City being spoken to from above by the wizard.

It's a short read, around 136 pages. It's a speculative read with elements of sci-fi and dystopian genres. It reads a little bit like a series of short excerpts. Now and again the speculative nature is replaced with doubt about the nature of her reality. About her conscious state and subconscious meanderings.

At times it felt as if the structure of the sentences was slightly off and the in general the story seemed a little disjointed at times. Not always unusual when it comes to speculative fiction - the very nature of the genre allows for a crossing of boundaries and breaking of established rules.

There are some intriguing ideas and plenty of creativity. Perhaps less trying to outsmart the reader and a bit more clarity to ensure readership.

Buy I Lost My Compass at the Bermuda Triangle at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Space Taxis by A&H Frosh

 

It's my turn on the BlogTour Space Taxis by A&H Frosh.

About the Author

Adam wasted much of his youth watching Star Trek on the TV and films like Planet of the Apes and Alien on the big screen. He redeemed himself by becoming a surgeon but has since graduated from writing articles for science journals into writing his own Sci Fi and Alternate History stories. 

As a writer he is dedicated to giving his readers a great story laced with strong, fun and scary characters. Descended from Jewish refugees who escaped from the pogroms, he is haunted by the stories of the Holocaust but inspired by heroes who put themselves at risk to save others. Adam likes to hear from his readers. You can find him at adamfroshauthor or on his Facebook page facebook.com/AdamFroshAuthor,  Follow @SpaceTaxis on Twitter

Harriet will never be able to let go of Greek gods. No, not the sculpted Adonis-like figures on the beach, but the ancient ones. 

Loving all things mythological, her writing incorporates myths and legends from around the world. Her other fascination is with the criminal mind, and you can expect to see a blend of these two interests in her writing. 

As a student of English, she spends her day critiquing literature and her evenings creating exciting characters and fun stories.

Harriet is also an artist, and she would like to hear from her readers and those interested in her art. You can get in contact at http://harrietfrosh.com/

About the book

He's abducted by aliens to the planet Vost. He's saving up for his fare home. But he's got the small matter of a planetary apocalypse to deal with first...

In 1977 a New York Cab driver Mike Redolfo is abducted by aliens after being mistaken for a renegade scientist. Meanwhile, back in 1944 a mysterious man and his Jewish fiancée are fleeing across Nazi-occupied Europe.

Redolfo tries to keep a low profile on his new world whilst earning his fare home, but unwittingly gets involved with a shady gang of alien criminals, inadvertently bringing the planet to the brink of catastrophe.

As the link between the timelines becomes clear, Redolfo must discover secrets from the past that may hold the key to saving the planet.

Review

You must be pretty important to the alien race to be kidnapped with the taxi you are sitting in. Then discovering that their world is just as full of bureaucratic obstacles as the world you come from. Being stuck in space after a case of mistaken identity and unable to get back home. 

Simultaneously in 1944 a couple is in the midst of the Holocaust. They are trying to evade almost certain capture from the Nazi's. As they struggle to stay alive and out of the death machine created by Hitler's henchmen one of them emerges as someone quite extraordinary. Someone who can manipulate and control certain events, which makes him interesting to the power hungry.

You might want to strap on your seatbelt when you step inside this taxi in particular. It's a wild multiple genre story, which is peppered with a layer of faction as it weaves from speculative, to historical and into sci-fi. The Frosh writing duo gives readers a broad spectrum of creativity and ideas.

The story seems to have a wave-like vibe to it and I wonder if it is due to the dual authorship. It gives the read an essence of puzzle pieces trying to find their adjacent pieces - creative and intriguing parts of a story being so individual they struggle to connect, and yet in the end they ultimately do.

Is Space Taxis the beginning of a bigger story or perhaps a series? I look forward to finding out.

Buy Space Taxis at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Burton Mayers Books pub date 6 Nov. 2020. Buy at Amazon com.