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the enemy within by nailini warriar

27/2/2017

The Enemy Within, by Nalini Warriar, grabbed me very early on and captured my interest through to the end.
The early story, of Sita, a young girl, growing up in rural India, with her whole life and all the opportunities that entailed, ahead of her, was captivating. The vivid descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of India brought me there and keep me intrigued. All of Sita's dreams and hopes for the future are tempered by the knowledge that her parents, will in all likelihood chose a husband for her and she will have to adapt to the traditional life of a Hindu bride.
When Anup, an engineer, living in Quebec, Canada is chosen as a good match for Sita, her fate is sealed. She leaves her home, with Anup for an exciting new life in Canada, determined to fall in love with this strange man who is now her husband. Despite all her efforts, Anup wants her for only her ability to look after him and satisfy his sexual needs.
Alone, in a strange. new environment, Sita must learn to cope and flourish in this new world. She makes sure that she does and studies to achieve her Doctorate in Cell Biology. Despite all her academic and motherly success, Sita still finds herself achingly lonely and just longing for someone to love her, the way she wants to love.
This is an intensely heart-warming and achingly sad story that is beautifully related by the author. As a reader, we can feel and ultimately empathise with Sita and her pain. I loved the writer's beautifully, descriptive prose and her ability to highlight the many dangers and pitfalls of someone from a different culture trying desperately to fit into her adopted society.
A wonderful read and definitely well worth the five stars I have given it. I think this was Warriar's debut novel and suspect it was semi-autobiographical. I am now keen to see what else she has written and look forward to choosing more books by this talented author. Excellent job.

Do pop on over to Amazon and check out the other offerings from this extremely talented author.

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dog of the ancients: Book 1, 5-Ever series by tammy berg

20/2/2017

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Possibly the best thing about being a reviewer of Indie fiction is the immense diversity of material that crosses my desk and my Kindle. Before becoming an author and a reviewer, there is little doubt I would never, in a million years, picked up a children's/young adult's book like Dog of the Ancients and read it. I would have been poorer for having missed the experience.
Dog of the Ancients is an absolutely charming little tale of animals, magic, and the underworld. In Dog of the Ancients, the animals have been put on Earth to guard and protect humans against evil. Josie has always had a special connection with the animals on her farm, but it is only when she reaches the point of believing they can communicate with her, that she actually realises she can talk to the animals and they can talk back to her.
The author takes us on a journey meeting all the animals on the farm, each with their own unique identities and quirks from the plethora of cats right down to the field mice in the barn, every animal has a place in the grand scheme of things and every animal has purpose and dignity.
Most special, to Josie, of all the animals, is her dog, Brodie. The connection she has with Brodie supersedes that of a normal human/pet bond and it is Brodie that first makes communication with Josie.
With fairies, magical animals, and evil worms, this book has every element one looks for in a children's or young adult's fantasy novel. It is magical enough to be exciting and awe-inspiring. It is scary enough to make the young one's take notice, but not frightening enough to scare them off.
I loved the use of the "five-ever" tag in both the story and the blurb. Because it is so much longer than "four-ever"!
This book is magical and if you have young one's who like fantasy, rest assured they can read Dog of the Ancients, without getting terrified. There are plenty of life lessons to be imparted by these animals, fairies, and humans. A great story - want to read book 2 now.

Do check out what else Tammy Berg has to offer, here on Amazon:

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vanished in the sun: carlos & mia book 2 by lynda filler

17/2/2017

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One of the best things about being a reader of indie authors is watching them develop and master their craft from book to book. I have been able to do that with Lynda Filler and her Carlos and Mia series, with first Target in the Sun and now the sequel, Vanished in the Sun.
Although I did really enjoy Target in the Sun, there were some issues about Filler's style that I found grated a little on me, in that book. In Vanished in the Sun, I'm pleased to say that she has addressed these issues and like any good indie author has become more eloquent and more adventurous in her plots.
Vanished in the Sun takes up the story of Mia and Carlos some time after their escape from Mexico to Spain to avoid Carlos' drug cartel family after Carlos had shopped them all to the FBI. In Vanished in the Sun we see a lot more focus on characters who were only bit players in Target. Lucia and Sofia become main characters in this story with excellent plot arcs for them.
What I found with Lynda Filler and Vanished in the Sun is that she is growing as a writer all the time and this is a fantastic sign for what will still be to come from her pen.
Vanished in the Sun is a fast-moving, realistic, thriller that is absolutely appropriate and timely in today's current environment. What is really happening inside the Mexican drug war? Filler's wonderful novel gives one possible scenario. If you like fast-paced thrillers, this is the book for you.
Thoroughly enjoyed this read and look forward to reading more in the future from this talented author who is clearly growing in confidence with every book.

I note Lynda Filler is a prolific author, so I would strongly suggest you pop on over to her Amazon page and check out this as well as her other offerings.

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nailgun Messiah (Micah Reed Book 1) by Jim Heskett

15/2/2017

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Nailgun Messiah by Jim Heskett is the start of a series featuring Micah Reed.
Reed is a character who is a little rough around the edges, with a very shady background, but someone who has turned his life around. After escaping a long-term federal prison sentence by turning and ratting on a Mexican Drug Cartel, Michael (Now Micah) entered the Witness Protection program.
He's on his own now though and working for a bail bondsman hunting and capturing fugitives. A recovering alcoholic, Micah has plenty of problems and personality issues, but, as a reader, you just know he is a "good-guy" at heart. I found Heskett's introduction and description of Micah excellent. As a character who was to be the main protagonist in a series, it was important that we readers got to know him well, identify with his issues and feel empathy with him. Heskett did a great job of this.
Nailgun Messiah sees Micah caught up in something out of his control when his new girlfriend, a drug mule, is forced to jettison a large supply of coke when she is busted. The coke's owner wants it back and Micah is forced to take responsibility for the loss.
Running from this he runs to the only family he feels he can still communicate with, his sister. Finding his sister trapped and brainwashed by some sort of cult, Micah determines to free her from this and rebuild their relationship.
This is a good story and one I enjoyed. A couple of times I felt a need to suspend my belief especially when the cult's leader was so immediately willing to accept Micah at face value into their little family of believers.
This is an excellent novel and what looks like being the start of a great series. I've never read Jim Heskett before, but I'm sure I will be doing so again. Good job!

Nailgun Messiah is , it appears, permanently free, as an introduction to the Micah Reed series. I suggest you pop on over to Amazon to check out Nailgun Messiah, as well as the rest of the books that Jim Heskett has to offer.

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ancient illumination by elaina j. davidson

13/2/2017

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At just over 70 pages on Kindle, Ancient Illumination by Elaina J. Davidson is either a long short story or a short novella. Either way, it is jammed pack full of action, characters that one can relate to and the sort of decisions and situations we all hope we are never faced with.
When their world Drakonis is threatened with extinction through violent volcanic eruptions and a creeping ice sheet, five young friends are drawn together by their "leader" a young woman called Brennan, who must lead them to the mystical Castle Drakon, where it is rumoured a way off Drakonis is to be found.
Along the way, they must face trials and situations they are unprepared for and suffer deep losses. These young people are the last chance for their species to survive, but there are questions to be resolved and dilemmas to answer before such survival is possible.
What impressed me most about this short story was the amount of story that was actually managed to be packed into it. I really enjoyed the tale and the characters and found myself rooting hard for them. I don't want to give any spoilers here except perhaps to say that all may not be what it seems. This is a great, little book to dip your toes into a fantasy story and to see if the genre resonates with you. I enjoyed it also because it is another example of the fertile and creative mind of Elaina J. Davidson, an author I am rapidly coming to appreciate and enjoy.

Elaina J. Davidson is a prolific science/fiction - fantasy author. By all means, pop on over to her Amazon page and check out all the offerings she has.

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a heart's promise: book 2 in the great plains romance series by corrissa james

10/2/2017

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A Heart's Promise by Corrissa James doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is, a simple, sweet romance set in the heartland of America, horse and cattle country.
The characters are well-drawn, if somewhat stereotypical. Trish is a determined, feisty, beautiful, young woman, whose dream and goal in life is to run and own a horse-training ranch. A quirk of fate throws her into a meeting with the gorgeous but somewhat enigmatic Dalton, who just happens to be about to undertake the renovation and restoration of the old family horse and cattle ranch, just outside of town. The chemistry between them is instant and electric, but with both of them being strong-minded and strong-willed there is always the opportunity for conflict between the pair. Although they cannot deny their attraction, there is ever present the employer/employee relationship to guard.
Lurking in Trish's background is the abusive ex-boyfriend, the "bad boy" Bruce. This mix makes for an exciting and at times fraught romance.
This is a simple, story, but one that is well told and easy to read, within its genre. As a romantic adventure in the modern-day cow country, it is a definite winner. I enjoyed reading a pleasant romance, with enough sexual tension to keep you interested throughout. If this is your favorite type of read, I know you will enjoy A Heart's Promise. I can definitely recommend it.

Do check out the full Great Plains Romance Series and all that Corrissa James has to offer here on Amazon:

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tapasya (the redemption of wist book 1) by david gilchrist

9/2/2017

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Tapasya by David Gilchrist was something of a revelation for me. I have been recently dipping my toes more and more into the genre of fantasy and Tapasya really is what is described as an epic fantasy. It is a good, solid length at around 360 Kindle pages. For a first novel (although I have read the short primer Nikka, which introduces one of the characters in this story) in this genre, I would have to say Gilchrist has done an excellent job with his world creation, odd-ball characters, and creatures in Tapasya.
In many ways, the principal protagonist, Wist, didn't actually turn out to be my main (or favourite) character in this story. I was much more drawn to Nikka, as a character, "a dark dwarf", I like that, although he didn't appear until some way through the story.
Gilchrist has created this new world, which he will continue with, in the next two books in this series, Pyrite and the third, yet to be published third volume.
Tapasya is by no means perfect, at times I felt it did meander along a little and there were times where I struggled to understand the backstory and the antagonists Wist and his friends were up against, but for a first epic fantasy novel, it was very well done and Kudos to Mr. Gilchrist for that.
I also liked the way Gilchrist managed to weave some of life's big questions into the story, especially as they applied to the main character, Wist. Excellent stuff all around.
The acid test, for any first novel in a series is the question: Will I buy and read the second story, Pyrite? The answer is yes, I am very keen to see where the story now takes Wist, Nikka, and his other unlikely companions. I am especially keen to see how the love interest does or doesn't develop. I was surprised at how it went in Tapasya and want to see where it leads in Pyrite.

Do pop on over and check out David Gilchrist's offerings on Amazon:

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Teddy & lily: true friendship is unconditional loyalty by lily amis

8/2/2017

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What can you say about this simply, yet beautifully, illustrated book for children, that is really for each and every one of us. Yes, I can truly picture reading Teddy and Lily to any of my eleven grandchildren, at bedtime, but the message contained within the pages of this book is not restricted to age. The love of a stuffed toy (especially a favourite teddy bear) transcends gender, culture, age and education. A Teddy Bear is the universal symbol of love and cuddles and that is exactly what it feels like to read Lily Amis' fantastic story (based on her own experiences). It feels like you are being wrapped up in the loving arms of your Teddy.
Teddy & Lily is fundamentally a book about the values of love, friendship, respect, equality, and trust. It manages to convey these strong human emotions in a sweet, simple, and beautiful story.
One of the many great things about this book is the perspective from which the tale is told. The story is related through the eyes of Teddy.
From a souvenir shop in Singapore's Changi Airport, where Teddy waits on the shelves for that someone special to choose him, through to still being Lily's best friend twenty years later, we can follow the life of young Lily, a refugee from war-torn Iran and her mother as they seek out a new life on the other side of the world, in Switzerland.
Teddy is privy to and shares in all their moments of happiness and many moments of sadness and despair.
Look, this is a fabulous story to read to, or to have your children read, but it is equally wonderful for adults to read and remind themselves why they should still strive, every single day, to be happy and to do good for others.
As you may have guessed by now, I fell in love with Teddy & Lily and can't wait to read more on their adventures. A wonderful effort by Ms Amis.

You can check out all of Lily Amis' work here on Amazon:

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subnormal: great britain as a dystopian society by stuart kenyon

6/2/2017

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Subnormal by Stuart Kenyon is absolutely my type of book. I'm not a conspiracy theory nut, by any means, but I love the idea of a supposedly "democratic" government going totally haywire and attempting some sort of mind-control over its populace, for "the greater good".
In Subnormal, the first of a three-part series on this topic, Kenyon introduces us to a strange group of characters, who for various reasons have been declared "subnormal" by the state. These characters will play an unlikely part in defeating a rampant, out-of-control Government, that has imposed its will on the people, not by force of argument, but by more devious means - all for the "greater good" of Great Britain, determined to put the Great back into Great Britain (now where have we heard that before?)
The characters, who have been declared subnormal and are shipped off to what is essentially a forced labour prison, to make a contribution to the British society, slowly become aware of what is being done, not only to them but to the rest of Britain as well. The "subnormals" decide it is up to them to fight back and expose the Government for the lying, cheating, bastards they really are.
I loved all of the characters in Subnormal, but most especially I had a soft spot for Paul, the young man with Asperger's syndrome, but also the uncanny ability to solve problems with logic and common sense. Having worked alongside someone (also named Paul) with this syndrome, I could fully identify with the character traits and little peculiarities that Kenyon pulled out of his character. He clearly has a first-hand understanding of the character. What I found particularly insightful, especially for readers who have never encountered Asperger's before was Kenyon allowing us inside Paul's mind and showing us his thought processes, so totally different from our own, yet so illuminating.
I don't want to go overboard on this aspect, as it is only a small part of the overall story, but it helps me to illustrate just what an excellent job Kenyon has done in this book.
This is a great thriller and I found it riveting (unable to stop reading, even when I knew I should). I highly recommend this, if you like thrillers, with real applicability to the current environment we citizens of the world find ourselves in today.
This book is worth every one of the five stars I've given it.

Do pop on over to Amazon and check out the full three book series, or Kenyon's latest offering "Swiftly Sharpens the Fang"

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ilfin of arc by elaina j. davidson

3/2/2017

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Ilfin of Arc by Elaina J Davidson was described to me as an "epic fantasy" and wow, an epic fantasy it surely was. I've stayed away from fantasy/sci-fi books in the past, but after reading Ilfin of Arc, I'm not sure why.
Fantasy gives the writer so much more freedom with the characters and the world they live in, whilst still retaining the important essence of what a novel should do, entertain us, but also make us ask serious questions about the big issues in life. Ilfin of Arc does just that.
Davidson has created a world, with characters not unlike ourselves, but with the addition of magic, talents, and some pretty cool technology she has given us a rollicking adventure through time and space.
At its core, Ilfin of Arc is a romance and there is plenty of romantic interaction to keep anyone happy. The questions of intermarriage and interbreeding between the two main species form much of the subplot of the story, which I did find fascinating.
This is also an action story though and the initial flight from the dangers of a rogue asteroid expected to collide with the planet, for the supposed safety of the region of Arc, soon morphs into a planetary fight for survival between the two arch-enemies who inhabit the planet Massin, the Ilfin and the Glonu. Ultimately, the question has to be asked, can the two species ever live side-by-side in peace.
This is a long book, a good, solid 450 odd pages on Kindle and to my mind, that's what an epic fantasy should be. I enjoyed the opportunity to get deep into the characters and their incredible adventures. Ultimately Ilfin of Arc ranks as one of the more enjoyable books I have read recently and as such have no hesitation in giving it a five-star review.
I look forward to reading more from Davidson's pen in the near future. She has conjured up a great fantasy world to enchant the imagination.

Davidson is quite a prolific author, so do pop on over to Amazon and check out all the other goodies she has on offer.

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the enemy within by nailini warriar

dog of the ancients: Book 1, 5-Ever series by tammy berg

vanished in the sun: carlos & mia book 2 by lynda filler

nailgun Messiah (Micah Reed Book 1) by Jim Heskett

ancient illumination by elaina j. davidson

a heart's promise: book 2 in the great plains romance series by corrissa james

tapasya (the redemption of wist book 1) by david gilchrist

Teddy & lily: true friendship is unconditional loyalty by lily amis

subnormal: great britain as a dystopian society by stuart kenyon

ilfin of arc by elaina j. davidson

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