Blog Archives - GRANT LEISHMAN

nikka (the redemption of wist #0.5) by david gilchrist

30/1/2017

Nikka is a simple short story, set in a fantasy world created by Gilchrist.
The main character Nikka is a dark, dwarf, who is held captive as a slave, deep underground, melding rock with his hands. One day, it all snaps and Nikka is determined to seek his freedom. Nothing else matters as Nikka claws his way slowly, but inexorably to the surface. I enjoyed the short tale.
It probably serves and even better use for me, as an introduction to a new author and presumably a character I will come across in the book from Gilchrist I am reading currently, Tapasya (The Redemption of Wist #1). In that respect, it has done its job well and I am definitely excited to read more of this new world Gilchrist has created and more of this author. Nikka is short, easy to read and enjoyable.

Pop on over to David Gilchrist's Amazon page and check out everything he has to offer:

beauty's beast (flirtatious fairytales book 4) by jess james

29/1/2017

Jess James' Flirtatious Fairytales have become somewhat of a staple of mine these days when I'm looking for a quick, fun, and satisfying read. Beauty's Beast is probably the fourth book of hers that I've read recently and like all the others I enjoyed it immensely.Not only are her grown-up fairy tales well written, but they truly are flirtatious and funny, as well as having the added bonus of some hot and steamy sex scenes.
I know others have tried and given our most beloved fairytales an adult spin, but so far James' versions are the ones that have appealed to me most. She seems to have found a niche market that readers were looking for and more power to her for that.
In this iteration, it is the classic story of Beauty and the Beast that James has given her unique twist to. We meet Bella, who is virtually forced into servitude for Roman Bestia by the drunken gambling of her father, who has now lost their only possession left in the world, their house, to Mr Bestia.
Bella and Roman are classic characters and true to the original idea of the Beauty and the Beast, with a slight twist, which I won't spoil here.
James' flirtatious fairytales make no pretensions about being great literature, they are a fun, hot read and fulfill that role extremely well. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading another book from James that will blow away another illusion of my childhood. All good fun and well worth the five stars I've given it.

You can check out all of James' Flirtatious Fairytales here on her Amazon page:

fire's love (elemental series book 1) by alex e. carey

29/1/2017

When I first began reading Fire's Love by Alex Carey, I was taken by the simplicity of the language, but then I reminded myself that this was a Young Adult fantasy tale and I was anything but a young adult. Once I put myself fully into the genre, I really began to appreciate the story that Carey was developing here and turning into a series. I became very enamoured with her main protagonists, Kira and her two demon friends Lowell and Pyre.
The premise of the story is straightforward. Kira, a very intelligent sixteen-year-old, with a troubled past is heading off to College and ready for a new beginning. She meets Lowell and Pyre, two demons who live on Earth and have a mission. Kira, a girl who has always been fascinated by demons is excited and thrilled to finally realise that not only are demons real, but she is living amongst them.
All is not well for the trio though as they face problems from both other demons and life in general.
At its core, this book is a sweet romance that can teach us a lot about prejudice, about snap judgements and about forgiveness.
I found the young characters to be extremely well drawn and although Kira was portrayed at times as a lonely, lost, young woman, she displayed many of the characteristics of resilience, toughness and the ability to stand up for herself that we appreciate and applaud. Kira is a strong, yet sensitive girl who it is east to empathise with. I also enjoyed the two principal demon characters who were, in many ways, polar opposites, Lowell being the calming influence to Pyre's fiery temper and impetuosity.
In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which reminded me why it is imperative to read outside your normal genres from time to time and understand the full gamut of the indie novels that are out there. If you love, fantasy, romance, a bit of magic and lots of teenage angst and conflict, then you'll love Fire's Love by Alex E. Carey, whether you're a young adult or not.
Fire's Love is a winner in my book and well deserving of the five stars I've given it. Now, on to book two in the series; Earth's Embrace. I can't wait. Good job Ms. Carey

Do go and check out all the Alex E. Carey has to offer on Amazon:

summer (the brat with the phoenix tattoo #1) by lilah e noir

28/1/2017

Well, I've previously dipped my toes into the erotica genre and found it fascinating, a little bit exciting but very interesting, up till now. With Lilah E. Noir's Summer (The Brat With the Phoenix Tattoo #1), I think we can say I've dived headlong into the world of kink and depravity. Forget your 50-Shades, if you want heart-pulsing BDSM, domination, toys, the works, then I wouldn't go past this book, the first of what we're promised is a series focused on the relationship between Paul and Sage.
Summer, takes place eight years after Paul and Sage had their first sexual encounter back in high-school. Paul was the archetypal geek and Sage, the stereotypical, white, trailer-trash, slut. Forced to tutor Sage in Maths, Paul makes a bet with her that will change his life forever.
I liked the author's technique of flashing back between what occurred between the pair at high-school and the current situation, with Paul, as a rising, successful, actuary and Sage, the owner of a struggling tattoo studio. We start to see where Paul's dominant nature began to develop and we get a great feel for the impact that event made on his life.
This book is truly not for the faint-hearted. The steamy, erotic scenes are absolutely that - hard, descriptive, and to the point. I felt myself cringing inwardly at times and almost wanting to shout out the "safe word", to get Paul to stop. That having, been said, I found the authors writing addictive.
Within its genre, Summer is a wonderful start to what promises to be an enthralling series. A good Job Ms Noir and five well-earned stars for Summer.

Please do pop on over to Amazon and check out what other books Lilah E. Noir has on offer.

swiftly sharpens the fang by stuart kenyon

25/1/2017

Strangely enough, Swiftly Sharpens the Fang, is the second post-Brexit novel I've read in the past few months and this offering by Stuart Kenyon is infinitely superior to the first book I read.
Kenyon introduces us to Joe, a man who, on the surface, believes all the right things about people in general, about their motivations and most importantly about racism and nationalism in a post-Brexit Britain.
Joe has every reason to be angry and to be suspicious of the alarming growth in radical Islamic teachings among the young Muslims in Britain. His father was an innocent victim in a terrorist action several years earlier, his Mother, unable to cope, had turned to the bottle and was heading for an early grave. Joe, himself, was suffering from depression, for which he was on strong medication, addiction to alcohol, and horrific nightmares that daily threatened to overwhelm him... and yet, Joe was still not prepared to blame an entire section of humanity for the brutal actions of a few extremists. Joe, despite all his problems, was just an average "Joe", struggling to keep his head above water in a job he didn't particularly like and trying to make sense of a world that seemed to be going crazier by the minute. Joe was ripe to be manipulated and manipulated he was.
Seeking some love, some sense of family, Joe finally finds it in the form of his mysterious Uncle Steve, who has been ostracised from the family, for reasons Joe is unable to recall.
Kenyon has woven a wonderfully, complex tale that offers us a portal into a world that may well already be here; a world of lies, of half-truths, of racial and ethnic stereotyping, of rampant nationalism that is capable of turning normally rational and idealistic people into slaves of hate and violence.
This is an absolute page-turner. I couldn't put it down once I started it and although some of the plot arcs were fairly predictable at times, it was nonetheless riveting to read and to speculate on this "brave" new world we seem intent on creating around ourselves these days. Scary and important to read and think about, Swiftly Sharpens the Fang is a must-read in today's crazy world. Five stars and more for this winner from Stuart Kenyon.

By all means pop on over to Amazon and check out the full gamut of Stuart Kenyon's offerings. This is clearly an author worth following.

her birthday breeding by fionna guillaume

23/1/2017

Her Birthday Breeding is an interesting, little erotica book about a woman, desperate to have a child with her husband. She's 36 and the biological clock is ticking away furiously. For her Birthday, her husband decides on a very special gift for her that will help them fulfill their dreams of parenthood.
I enjoyed the erotica in this book, which was well done, as it always is by Guillaume. The premise was clever and although short, the story was fulfilling enough.
A good, little book to read of an evening as you prepare for the real thing. As with all of Guillaume's books the characters were well drawn and the plot simple, but believable. The erotica was steamy hot and the story reaches a satisfactory climax (so to speak!).
A good, solid story, well worth the four stars I've awarded it.

Be sure to pop on over and check out the entire Fionna Guillaume collection on Amazon. There's some great stories to be had there.

the girl with the golden eye by fionna guillaume

23/1/2017

A number of Fionna Guillaume's books that I have read have been what I would call historical erotica. I find this idea to be a wonderful niche market in the erotica world. The Girl with the Golden Eye is just such a book.
Set 5,000 years ago, we meet a simple potter's daughter, who is disfigured by a group of men who seek to rape her. Her eye is cut out by one of the men as punishment for refusing them. Her father models a clay eye as a replacement, which he paints golden. The eye gives her an extra sense to see the future, but only when she is at the height of orgasm.
As a seer, she gains a great reputation far and wide as a wise woman who can see the future. Her life is now useful and complete, except she longs for a lover who will love her for herself and not for her abilities to see the future.
This was a wonderful, little story, that I enjoyed very much. Straight out erotica can sometimes be a little boring, but in Guillaume's hands, these historical erotica stories become a fascinating glimpse into life thousands of years ago. Combining erotica with a historical perspective is a great idea and I congratulate Guillaume on her imagination and fantastic books. Great job and worth the full five stars because of it.

Be sure to pop on over to Amazon and check out the wonderful selection of Fionna Guillaume's erotica, many of which are of the historical variety.

The lazarus succession by ken fry

22/1/2017

I'm always excited when I pick up a Ken Fry book. He has definitely become my go-to author when I'm in the mood for a bit of thriller-blockbuster. His latest offering The Lazarus Succession was very much my "cup of tea". Not only was it a thrilling blockbuster of a novel that spanned eight centuries, it also contained many of the religious overtones and symbolism that I have used in my own works. For this reason, I found The Lazarus Succession extra special. The religious symbolism and mysticism of the story certainly added to the enjoyment on my part.
I noted this was a republication of a story first published in March 2015, which may well make it Fry's first novel. In some ways, as a reader and fan of Fry's that is obvious. One of the great things about following new indie authors is your ability to watch the author grow and develop their craft. I believe Fry's later books The Brodsky Affair and Suicide Seeds quite possibly have more sophisticated plots and better-crafted characters, however, that in no way should take away from The Lazarus Succession, which is, in my opinion, a fantastic story, well told.
As with The Brodsky Affair, The Lazarus Succession dealt in the rarefied air of the art world and master painters. Brodie and Ulla are two investigators who find lost works of art for both legitimate and sometimes illegitimate clients. Hired to find the missing Raising of Lazarus work from the fourteenth century, they are thrown into a world of intrigue, violence, religious symbolism and mysticism.
Like all Fry novels, the background and story seemed to be meticulously researched and I certainly couldn't find fault with it. I loved that this story spanned eight centuries and we were frequently transported back through time and into the mind of the Spanish painter and his world.
I loved this book as much as I've loved all of Fry's offerings. No hesitation at all in giving The Lazarus Succession the full five stars.

Do be sure to check out this superb author and all his works here on Amazon:

the devil and the deep blue sea by johanna craven

18/1/2017

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is historical fiction, one of my favourite genres and I enjoyed the story very much. Set, in the late Seventeenth Century, we are introduced to the beautiful French noblewoman, Catherine, who branded a witch by her mother, for her foresight runs from her home and stows away aboard a British Merchantman, The Atlantis. Unfortunately, Britain and France are currently at war and to make matters worse for Catherine, the Atlantis, is actually a pirate ship in disguise.
The characters in this story are well drawn by the author and an odd bunch they are too. The Captain, Benjamin Archer is a drunk, who still revels in the days when he was a hero privateer for the English King. Those days are long gone now and he is wanted for murder, meaning he and his ship can never return to their home port of Port Royal in Jamaica. Throw in a crew that were press-ganged into service as pirates and are seeking to mutiny and you have all the makings of a swashbuckling tale.
The story rollicks along at a great pace as we are taken from France to England and finally across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. The action and tension between the characters is well described, as are the horrors of early shipboard life for the majority of the crew. The author had clearly done her historical research well and this showed in the narrative.
This is a straightforward, adventure and a great read. I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and or early sailing ship life at sea. A good, solid four stars from this reviewer.

By all means, pop on over to Amazon and see what other options Johanna Craven is offering.

phoenix - Peradon Book 1 by daccari buchelli

18/1/2017

Phoenix by Daccari Buchelli is a debut novel from this author and as such is an interesting and successful entry into the world of fantasy novels.
One of the great things about fantasy novels is they often introduce us to new and exciting worlds, that the reader can enjoy. Phoenix is no exception to this and we are introduced to the world of Peradon, a land split into four kingdoms, based on the elements of Fire, Air, Earth and Ice, although the story principally takes place in two of the kingdoms: Fire and Ice.
Phoenix introduces us to its two main characters; Princess Violetta Flame of the Fire Kingdom and Prince Ryore of the Ice Kingdom.
As with all good fantasy novels, there are many excellent lessons to be learned from the story; lessons of leadership, morality, evil and the treatment of others.
This book does an excellent job of introducing the characters and allowing us to identify with them. If anything, the characters could do with a bit more fleshing-out, however, for a first effort, I think Buchelli has created a very believable world and characters that one can empathise with. This is a good start to the series on Peradon and I look forward to what Buchelli can bring forward in Phoenix II, which I understand is in the works.
A few things for the author to consider for Phoenix II, which were, at times, a little confusing in Phoenix I, would be to be clearer when the perspective changes, either in time-frame or character. The simple use of a line breaker such as * * * would certainly achieve that. At times in Phoenix I, there were unexpected jumps in time and character that made following the story a little difficult.
All that having been said, as a debut novel, I found Daccari Buchelli's, Phoenix to be an excellent read and one that has primed me for the next book in the series. Definitely four stars for this rising talent in the Indie world. Good job!

Be sure to pop on over to Amazon and check out Daccari Buchelli's debut novel, Phoenix!

just my luck: A COMEDY SHORT STORY BY CLIVE AUSTIN

6/1/2017

Just My Luck, by Clive Austin, is exactly what it says it is - a short story. At only 32 pages on Kindle, it won't take you much time to read at all.
As an introduction to Austin's writing style, it was useful.
As a comedic short story, it possibly won't have you roaring with laughter, but the situation of the protagonist did have a touch of humour to it, although the ending did leave me a little flat.
Did it make me want to read Clive Austin's novels, which after all I presume was the purpose of the exercise? The answer to that is probably not, so for me, anyway, the tactic did not work.
I know this is becoming a common method these days to keep readers engaged between an author's larger works, but for it to be a successful tool, the short stories need to be hard-hitting and profound, or in this case, uproariously funny.
Just My Luck doesn't quite cut it in that respect, so although it is a harmless, little dalliance of a read, I'm not sure it achieved the purpose the author set out for it. Still, a bit of harmless fun.

If you would like to check out what other literary gems Mr Austin has to offer, please pop over and check them out:

emilia: the darkest days in history of nazi germany through a woman's eyes by ellie midwood

4/1/2017

Anyone that regularly reads my reviews will know what a huge fan I am of the uber-talented Indie Author Ellie Midwood. When I heard she had a new book out, well, of course, I just had to grab it and enjoy it. That is exactly what I did with Emilia - enjoyed it!
This is a bit of a departure for Midwood in some ways - yes, the book is still set in World War II and yes the lead character is still a strong, tough, and very feminine woman, but this time our heroine, Emilia, is on the wrong side of the Nazi atrocities. A beautiful young Jewess, whose Father was too slow to see the evil in the Nazi philosophy, is caught between two impossible choices; surrender to the sexual demands of the Nazi soldiers or die. She chooses to submit to their vile needs and thus begins a succession of men who would use and abuse Emilie, but never break her.
This is not always an easy book to read - it is stark, at times horrific, but as a personal record of life under the Nazi jackboot, it is very compelling. This isn't a history book, though, it is historical fiction and as such the author has poetic license. History will tell us the liberators were often as vile in their treatment of women as the captors had been, but in this book we focus only on the Nazi atrocities.
As with all good stories, there is a strong moral to be had from Emilia and I guess that would be twofold: "If you haven't walked a mile in my shoes, don't dare to judge me." and "The first casualty of war is not necessarily, truth, but decency." One thing that resonated throughout the story, for me was the constant question Emilia kept asking herself; "Why me? Why us? (Jews). What did we ever do wrong?" Sadly, seventy years on, Jewish people are still asking that same question. Why us? What did we do wrong?
I loved this book, as I've loved all of Midwood's books and eagerly anticipate her newest book, which I understand is set in occupied France. I, for one, can't wait. A wonderful author and fully deserving of her success.

Do go and check out all the superb offerings on Ellie Midwood's Amazon page. I have no doubt you'll become as big a fan of her writing as I am.

who killed vivien morse (DCI hatherall book 4) by Diana J Febry

4/1/2017

One of the things I've always liked about the DCI Hatherall series by Febry is its quintessential Britishness. There is something about the setting, in the English countryside and the quirky characters that inhabit it, that draws you in and says; "sit down in front of the fire, put your feet up and have a good read, with a cup of tea." The Hatherall mysteries are very much like that for me. I feel comfortable reading them and chuckle along at the characters.
Who Killed Vivien Morse was typical Hatherall, with a host of possible suspects and nothing much for the DCI to go on. Vivien Morse, bludgeoned to death in a damp forest, but why? and by who? The ex-husband was the obvious choice, but rarely is the obvious choice the right one, in a murder mystery.
In this book, we meet a bunch of quirky characters, who make up the small country villages of rural England. I particularly enjoyed the over-the-top Druid and could well picture him prancing around the forest doing his Druidic things.
I am a fan of Febry's style, which is reminiscent of many British crime writers that I can think of. Her entire Hatherall series has created a set of stories that would not be amiss in a BBC Television Series - they remind me of Inspector Morse, among others.
I will be reading more of Febry's work over the months I imagine. She has me hooked as a fan of this series, at least.

Do go and check out Diana J Febry's Amazon page.

everything to lose: the chase is on...(gavin shawlens thriller #2) by gordon bickerstaff

3/1/2017

I've been a big fan of the Gavin Shawlens Thrillers ever since I discovered Gordon Bickerstaff a few months back. I think this one is the third of his books I've read and they just keep getting better, more exciting, and more engaging.
There is something special about Shawlens as the "hero" in an action thriller. Yes, the man is incredibly intelligent (he's a biochemist after all) but he is essentially the antithesis of any action hero we've met in the past. He is shy, mild-mannered and certainly not brave, and yet he strolls through Bickerstaff's novels making things right. James Bond, he ain't, or even Johnny English. As a secret agent, he is just a normal, everyday, man and someone the readers can definitely identify with.
I have read the books out of order, but up till now that has mattered little - each book is a separate adventure, although they are linked through the use of the supporting characters from MI5, The Lambeth Group, or Special Forces.
In this iteration, Everything to Lose, Shawlens biochemical expertise is required to check on some University research suggesting a new, "natural" drug has been found that can increase sportsmen's performance by a massive amount. The potential uses of the drug, for military purposes drag in Government interests and Gavin soon finds himself the subject of serious attention from the US Government and the CIA, among others.
This is a typical Bickerstaff story; fast, taut and full of tension. In true style, the author has set up the next story in his series, which I now have to read as soon as possible. I must know what happens to Gavin and Zoe. This is the mark of an excellent storyteller and Gordon Bickerstaff is one of those. I can only but recommend this entire series to anyone who loves fast, action-packed thrillers, with an unusual "hero". Another great episode in the Shawlens saga and, of course, five stars all the way.

You can check out the entire Gavin Shawlens series and Gordon Bickerstaff, here on Amazon:

after dawn by jonathan finch

3/1/2017

After Dawn is a sometimes poignant, sometimes stark look at love, loss, and coping with life.
We meet Jim, a young man who has never gotten over the infidelity of his first love, Dawn. After struggling to cope with her rejection (or perhaps his paranoia over her fidelity) he descends into a period of mental instability and substance abuse. Psychiatric intervention sees Jim slowly climb back up through the levels of "madness" back to some sort of normality.
Feeling strong, Jim sets out for a brave, new challenge. Deciding to get away from London and all that has caused him pain, he heads for the wilds of Scotland and the fishing and birdwatching that are indeed his passions.
In Scotland, Jim meets Pauline and the cycle begins again or does it?
I enjoyed the story and I couldn't help but wonder if there was an element of the autobiographical in it. Regardless, it is a simple tale of a man lost in his creation and search for the "perfect love", a love that is clearly unobtainable.
I knew Finch was a poet as well as a novelist and my initial thoughts when I began to read After Dawn, was that it was more poetry than prose. As a reader, I started to think Finch was trying to impress me with his grasp of lyrical English, rather than tell me a story. Make no mistake, the author is a wordsmith and a very good one at that, but I did feel it was a little overdone in this book. It was almost like each simile or description had to be bigger, brighter, and more convoluted than the one that preceded it. I'm certainly not knocking Finch's style, but for me, in this story, it almost descended into cliche.
The story itself was great and I would recommend the read on that score alone. If you are a fan of lyrical and descriptive prose, then definitely give this a try. Finch is a master of the language. Four stars from me, on the story and the empathy, Finch grabbed out of me, for the main character, Jim.

You can check out Finch's other offerings here on Amazon:

check mate: a suspense thriller by ken fry

2/1/2017

Anyone who regularly reads my reviews will know that I am a big fan of the blockbuster thrillers written by Ken Fry. As any author knows, you can't churn out a new thriller every month, so what Ken Fry has taken to doing is to release a short story or two, in between his novels. This is great for us fans, as it gives us a Fry fix, whilst we wait with bated breath for his next compelling blockbuster.
Check Mate, is exactly that, a sixty-page short story designed to keep Fry's name uppermost in his reader's thoughts and it does just that.
Check Mate is a fascinating little tale of a disgruntled former employee who decides to take his revenge on his employer in the most vicious way ever - kidnapping the Boss' wife and demanding a ransom. Joe Prentice, the boss, however, is a cool kettle of fish - an organised, methodical man who is determined not to let this kidnapping derail his happy, satisfied, and perfectly ordered life. He approaches catching and dealing with the kidnapper in the same way he has always approached problems in his business and his life - with a plan.
The story rollicks along, in typical Fry fashion, to its exciting conclusion. This is a great bedtime read, that you can complete in a couple of hours and I guarantee you will be satisfied. I like Fry's short stories and look forward to more, as well, of course, as his next big blockbuster novel. Great job.

Do check out all Ken Fry has to offer on Amazon, including his blockbuster, thriller novels. They're well worth a look.

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