GRANT LEISHMAN
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  • ABOUT
  • MY BOOKS
    • THE SECOND COMING
    • RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST
    • HOLY WAR
    • JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN
    • PARANORMAL ALLEY
    • TORTURED MINDS
    • THE PHOTOGRAPH
  • ARE YOU AN AUTHOR?
  • MY BLOG
  • Be A Part of the LIMITLESS Anthology
  • BOOK REVIEWS
    • BOOK REVIEWS
  • CONTACT & LINKS
  • AFFILIATE - Rachel McGrath
  • THAT'S LIFE
    • FOOD - PINOY STYLE
    • THE GREAT BEETROOT HUNT
    • GETTING AROUND THE METRO
  • PHILIPPINES
    • PLACES TO VISIT >
      • BORACAY
      • OCCIDENTAL MINDORO
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    • NEW ZEALAND SPORT
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GRANT LEISHMAN

the poker players by edward dreyfus

30/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​The Poker Players by Edward Dreyfus takes us deep inside the mind of the male psyche, especially that fashioned by the era of the mid-20th Century prevailing attitudes. Growing up in the 50’s, there were two cardinal rules for men: 1/ Big Boys Don’t Cry and 2/ You Are What You Do for a Living – men are defined by their profession. Dreyfus examines these paradigms through the eyes of five septuagenarians, who all live in New York and have been meeting regularly for the past thirty odd years for their weekly poker game. When George announces that he is dating, the other four are shocked – after all, he’s married, how could he be dating? After George explains that he and his wife got divorced six months earlier, everyone begins to realise how little they actually know about their poker buddies’ lives outside of the game, despite meeting every week for over thirty years. What starts out as a pact to open up and share more with each other soon turns into a weekend away in the Catskills, where these five “buddies” will seek to open up to each other and maybe share some of the more intimate details of their lives and even long buried and frightening secrets from their pasts. Will these five “buddies” become real friends through this experience or will their instinctual, playing their cards close to their chests be the norm?
 
As someone who is not too far removed from the age group of these characters, the novel indeed hit close to home, for me. I was able to identify with the angst they all felt at revealing their innermost feelings to each other – hey, this just something we men of this generation, don’t do. The Poker Players was a truly inspirational read and author Edward Dreyfus has manufactured a wonderful selection of characters that perfectly portrayed the inner turmoil most men of a generation conditioned by their parents, their peers and society in general, carry inside of them. The emotion, the gut-wrenching fear of revealing your inner self and the horror these men felt at being thought less of, was palpable throughout the entire read. What I particularly enjoyed was the idea that just because these men were in their seventies, life didn’t have to be a process of “waiting for God” to take them. They were vibrant, vital, human beings who still had a lot to offer each other and society. In this world of dross, angst and division, a story like this is so uplifting and I commend the author on his insight into the emotions of men and the male psyche. This is definitely not a book exclusively for men, everyone can benefit from reading it and gain insight into the male psyche, plus it has a real New York humour and vibe, which I enjoyed. A book that lingers long in the memory after one has finished reading it, is a book of true quality and The Poker Players is very much such a book.     


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You can find The Poker Players by Edward Dreyfus here, on Amazon. 

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the chocolate shop by j. j. spring

26/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

When a typical, suburban socialite, Laura Beckman’s life is turned upside down by the premature death of her beloved husband she has to face some searching questions of herself and how she has conducted her life, especially with respect to her estranged, eldest daughter, Brooke. Laura’s husband died in hospital after months of pain amid his constant pleading to Laura to just let him go and help him to die. She was not able to accede to his wishes and she was forced to watch his slowly slip away, suffering the whole time. In the Chocolate Shop, author J.J. Spring shows us how Laura’s husband’s death galvanized her thought processes and forced her to consider what she had achieved in her “country-club” life. When the previously austere and conservative Laura commits a rebellious act, so out of character for her, in order to fulfill what she believes would have been her late husband’s final wish, her thought processes about her future direction change forever. Laura, along with her Aunt Gracie, decide to form the code phrase – “The Chocolate Shop” to assist other terminally ill adults to end their lives when they choose, with dignity and peace. They also seek to grant the patient’s last wish, for excitement, before their passing. Although wracked by both the legal and moral implications of what she is doing, the condemnation of her estranged daughter, Grace, and with the police potentially closing in on them, Laura decides what they are doing is ultimately for the greater good and their belief in the concept of the “right to choose when to die,” grows within them with each assisted suicide.
 
The Chocolate Shop was one of those books that crept up on me. Initially I wondered where Laura’s pain and angst would lead her but once I became aware of the direction the story was headed, I was hooked and as I’m sure was the author J. J. Spring’s intention, began to seriously think about the legal, moral and spiritual connotations of assisted suicide. I could not put this book down as we were led down the path of pain, suffering and angst, beautifully leavened by the sheer joy and thrill of these terminally-ill patients, as they were given the opportunity to fulfill their dying wishes. I won’t spoil the story by telling you the many and varied “last wishes” but they absolutely added the lightening that a story on such a serious topic desperately needed. The author’s greatest success, in my opinion was the ability to make such a controversial and sad topic so enjoyable to read. The little twists and turns the author threw into the story, along with the incredible emotions that was beautifully weaved through it, definitely made this one of the stand-out reads for me, this year. You always know when you are reading a book that grabs your heart and your emotions but also your intellect, because you simply don’t want it to end and The Chocolate Shop was one of those books, for me. I judge a good book in two ways – 1/ Did it move me and 2/ Will I still be thinking about the themes and the character days from now. The answer, in this case, to both questions, is a resounding, yes! One of the best books of the year, for me and although it is targeted mainly as “women’s fiction,” I would say poppycock to that – everyone should read The Chocolate Shop.     

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You can find The Chocolate Shop, by J. J. Spring, here on Amazon. 

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victoria by john molik

26/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Victoria by John Molik takes us to a dystopian earth, some four-hundred-odd years in the future, where humanity is struggling to survive, with the help of AI (Artificial Intelligence). A massive solar Micronova in the twenty-first century had almost wiped out all life on Earth but the few survivors, aided by AI have rebuilt a world based on the precepts of Artificial Love. Everything is transparent now, nothing is hidden and humanity’s baser instincts are kept in check by a force of artificial, genetically enhanced beings who police this brave new world, along with a system of chemical suppressors and rote-sayings that keep the humans under control. Not all humans, however, have adapted to Victoria’s “perfect world”, though and deep in the Cheyanne Mountains a group of rebels known as MH (Metal Heads) who have had their brains encased in metal to avoid Victoria’s transmissions designed to make human’s compliant, plot her downfall. MH’s wish to worship their own deity, as represented by the martyred, Rodolpho and want nothing to do with the idea of the “electronic beasts” controlling their lives. When Victoria proposes to pass the “animal rights act” which would essentially put all animals on the same footing as humans, it proves to be one step too far for the MH’s who launch a terrorist attack on the capital city of Astana. Victoria must call on her loyal scientist Claressa and her boyfriend Pierre to try and thwart the MH attack and preserve her “perfect society”.
 
The premise behind Victoria is interesting and particularly relevant now as we move into a period of relying more and more on AI to assist us in our daily lives. As AI becomes more “sentient” and able to make decisions independent of humanity, what does that mean for us as a society? I think author John Molik explores this concept exceptionally well. The idea of an “extinction event” that tips the balance in favour of AI control is also something that many people consider a real possibility in today’s world. It wasn’t to much of a stretch to draw parallels between the MH and the Luds, to today’s climate of differing religious fundamentalism. I guess, mainly because I’m a New Zealander, I was pleasantly relieved to discover one of the survivalist colony was in New Zealand and the familiarity with the locale certainly enhanced my reading enjoyment of this story. The author’s style is simple and straightforward and his descriptions of the new technologies that have developed were easy to understand and grasp, even for this scientific-simpleton reader, which is always the sign of a good author. I particularly did enjoy the human emotions and desires that manifested within Victoria and the responses of the humans to them. It was easy, at times, to forget that she was just a collection of AI, as she clearly showed many human characteristics. Overall, this is a very readable and potentially prophetic story that will find a large fan base amongst dystopian and science fiction fans, both.


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You can find Victoria, along with the rest of John Molik's portfolio, here on his Amazon page: 

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rage: Australian ya post-apocalyptic drama (seventeen series book two by suzanne lowe

23/8/2019

4 Comments

 
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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

Rage: Australian YA Post-Apocalyptic Drama (Seventeen Series Book 2) by Suzanne Lowe takes us into a dystopian environment, in part, in homage to Lord of the Flies, in Western Australia where the world is now populated by children. The mysterious KV17 virus, eighteen months ago had wiped out the entire adult population (everyone over the age of 17). Left to fend for themselves the young teenagers and children attempted to keep life operating and survive in the harsh environment that was the Western Australian outback. Lexi and Hadley, two sisters who had lived in Perth, had escaped the crime ravaged and vermin infested city to travel to Jasper’s Bay, a small rural town where they hoped they could link up with other survivors and somehow rebuild their lives. In the first book of this series there had been a violent confrontation between a bully-gang and the ordinary children that had resulted in deaths and the realisation that the now mutated KV17 virus would also infect those children when they turned 17, not killing them but altering their brain chemistry to make them emotionally unstable and dangerous. In this forbidding backdrop Lexi, Hadley and their friends have to try to eke out an existence whilst always be cognisant of the dangers of wild teenage enemies and equally, dangerous friends.
 
I found the premise fascinating and this is what drew me into this story. Could a group of children form a cogent society once all the adults had disappeared? William Golding suspected not, what would author Suzanne Lowe make of the opportunity? In Rage: Australian YA post-apocalyptic drama (Seventeen Series Book 2) she presents us with a wide variety of differing characters that generally ring true to form; from the “black sheep” of the family in the guise of the evil brother Kevin, to his brainless sycophantic girlfriend Cindy, right through to those characters determined to make the most of an impossible situation. I found the story to be well written and the flow and tempo to be totally appropriate to the setting. I particularly enjoyed the clear emotional connection between Braydon and Lexi and wanted very much to see with this would lead. The author’s target market is clearly the YA market however, this did not stop this sixty-year-old from, thoroughly enjoying the read. The author clearly knows her environment and this shows through in her work. As a New Zealander, the Aussie slang was second nature to me but even for others it just adds authenticity to the work rather than distracting from it. Lowe did an excellent job of filling in the backstory as we went along, so this can be read as a stand-alone book. The ending (although I’m not personally a fan of cliff-hangers) did nicely set up book three and I look forward to reading it.   

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You can find Rage, along with the rest of Suzanne Lowe's portfolio, here on her Amazon page: 

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never the twain by t.e. hodden

20/8/2019

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​As a regular reader of Tom Hodden's books over the years, if there was one word that best summed up Hodden's approach to writing, that word would be - quirky. Not for him, the straight-forward narrative adventure or romance, he always needs to "quirk" it up a bit and Never The Twain is no exception to that. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back to Hodden's literature because he challenges me, as a reader, to think outside the box, consider other possibilities, other perspectives and different paradigms. 

Tanner is a typical, quiet, shy, non-achiever, happy in his life and his routine, especially "Friday Movie Night", as owner and executive chef of a small restaurant, whereas Adam, his rival for Callie's affections, is the polar opposite. Mega-wealthy, self-indulgent, self-assured and also deeply in love with Callie, Adam is everything Tanner is not. Tanner's world is ripped apart when Callie breaks off their burgeoning relationship to return to her first love, Adam - but there the fun begins. 

In two slightly different multiverses, Callie and Tanner play out differing scenarios. In one Universe, Tanner is killed by a hit and run driver and in another, Callie dies by drowning. What really causes problems for the pair, though, is when Callie finds that by using a new drug, called Drift, she is able to actually merge between the two Universes. What will happen when Alpha Tanner and Beta Callie meet up again in one of the parallel universes? Certainly, sparks will fly! 

I thoroughly enjoyed Hodden's take on a inter-multiverse relationship and although at times I struggled with who was actually who and in which Universe they currently existed, that is one of the joys of reading Hodden's work. He makes you think, he makes you concentrate and he tells a ripping, good yarn. 

If you like quirky, if you like something a little different, then Tom Hodden is the author for you. He has a massive portfolio of essentially quirky and oddball stories. Why not try diving into one today - I did and I've never regretted it.         

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You can find Never The Twain, along with the rest of Tom Hodden's extensive portfolio, here on Amazon 

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cosmic swan by bill copeland

20/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​The world is in a state of panic. Massive earthquakes are wracking the planet and it seems to originate deep under the Himalayas, where the Pacific plate crashes up against the Asian plate. In Cosmic Swan by Bill Copeland, USGS (United States Geological Survey) geologist Mark is dispatched to Tibet to try and figure out just what is happening underneath the Himalayas. Once there, Mark discovers a strange, but beautiful woman, high up in a cave on Mt Kailas, Kusoom. Kusoom is the leader of a religious cult gathered on the mountain to protect and ensure the safe birth of an alien creature, the Cosmic Swan, whose egg was buried deep in earth’s magma, some billions of years ago. Initially dismissing Kusoom as just another religious fanatic, Mark soon comes to realise that there is indeed something growing deep within the bowels of the earth and it is close to breaking out. What Mark doesn’t understand is he is about to learn of a potential extinction threat for earth and he will embark on a journey across the galaxies searching for a way to save his beloved planet.
 
Author Bill Copeland has presented us with a fanciful scenario in Cosmic Swan that allows the reader to embark on an adventure across interstellar space with Mark and his compatriots. The premise was an unusual and original one and the reader is quickly caught up in the race to save the planet. The author’s writing style is clipped and simplistic, with short, pithy sentences which leads me to believe this story would lend itself more to the teenage Science Fiction market rather than the adult one. The end was too abrupt and unexpected for my liking which leads me to believe there is more planned in this series. I did enjoy the relationship that developed between Mark and Kusoom and kept wondering when it would transform into as full-blooded romantic relationship. This sense of heightened tension certainly added well to the narrative. If I had one complaint about the writing style it would be the author’s tendency to overuse the main character’s name, as opposed to a personal pronoun. I did become repetitive at times and showed characteristics of a high-school essay – “Mark did this, then Mark did that and then Mark did this, again.” That apart, it was a novel read and as I said perhaps one more aimed at high-school students rather than adults. 


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You can find Cosmic Swan, along with Bill Copeland's other books, here on his Amazon page: 

4 Comments

soul scars (hidden hearts - protection unit #3) by mary crawford

17/8/2019

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I often say that reading a Mary Crawford romance is like coming home. The characters are all familiar and although each story focuses on a different couple they are invariably surrounded by other characters who are familiar and comfortable with me, as a reader, from previous iterations of her series. The author has built a magnificent portfolio of interrelated and intertwined character who all have one thing in common - they are flawed (physically, emotionally, or mentally) but equally they are all seeking love and acceptance in a society they don't often feel a part of. 

In the latest iteration of the Hidden Hearts - Protection Unit #3, SOUL SCARS, we meet Toby, a genius computer programmer who was kidnapped as a young boy and held hostage for five years by a manipulative and sexually exploitative woman, along with Detective Pauline Lawrence, a young woman born to be a policeman. Pauline's father was invalided out of the force when he was shot several years ago and it seems Pauline is determined to prove to her bosses and the world that she is not only a capable and efficient law-enforcement officer but that she is better than any man in the force. Her impetuosity and desire to prove herself have got her into trouble in the past and this episode will be no exception. 

When Toby and Pauline meet, both realise there is something special between them but for differing reasons they both are unsure if they can cope with a full-time relationship and more importantly whether they are ready to commit their entire beings and trust to another person. Will their work, together, on child kidnapping, trafficking and child-sex rings bring them closer together or ultimately will their fears and past scars re-emerge in this white-hot environment and drive them apart? 

I make no bones of the fact I love Crawford's work. Her simple, easy-to-read stories of love between individuals who have difficulties, mirrors real life for many of us and more than once, I've recognised myself in some of her characters. This is what makes her stories so compelling - they hit home hard, close to where we live. 

To anyone procrastinating on whether to read Crawford or not, I would say she is so much more than a typical romance writer. Her stories are about life, life's complications, life's choices and battles but ultimately about the ability of love to lead to our salvation, from ourselves. Give it a chance and read one of her books even if you don't think they are your thing. I'm sure you will be genuinely surprised by how invested you become in her work. I know I have become on of her biggest fans.

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You can find Soul Scars (Hidden Heartgs - Protection Unit #3) along with Mary Crawford's immense portfolio, here on her Amazon page: 

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the ransom (Nicole graves mystery #4) by nancy boyarsky

17/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

The Ransom: A Nicole Graves Mystery (Nicole Graves Mysteries Book 4) by Nancy Boyarsky takes us inside the world of private detective, Nicole Graves. Nicole’s boss gives her the task of researching the past of a kidnap victim, for one of the Agency’s more wealthy and important clients, the father-in-law of the victim, whose son was accidentally killed during the botched snatch. This is not the sort of work Nicole prefers; she would rather leave this sort of thing up to the police but the reality is when a major client asks for your help, the Agency needs to give it. Nicole, the surprised recipient of a two-million plus, unwanted and unexpected inheritance doesn’t realise that she is now in the direct cross-hairs of the kidnappers. It all becomes very personal, for Nicole, when her beloved younger sister Stephanie is kidnapped and her sister’s fiancée David badly injured, in order to seek a ransom payout from Nicole. She is torn between allowing the police to do their job, in the form of the rather dishy detective Arnault, or trying to negotiate the ransom payment and her sister’s safe release, direct with the kidnappers, especially when she realizes all the kidnappings may be linked and she may have a handle on the perpetrators.
 
Author Nancy Boyarsky has given us the fourth iteration of her Nicole Graves Mysteries series, with The Ransom: A Nicole Graves Mystery. It is not important to have read any of the previous books to enjoy this story (I haven’t). It stands alone as a case on its own, as I presume they all do. What the author has given us is nothing, new, startling, revelatory or indeed great literary prose – it is what it is; a straightforward crime mystery story but it is definitely one of the better offerings, of the ilk, that I have read. I always love a strong female lead, especially one who is performing in an area usually reserved for the macho male character. Nicole is a strong, independent woman who has carved out a successful career for herself in the rough and tumble world of the private dick. What I love, though, is that despite the pain and ugliness she must encounter regularly, she maintains her empathy, her humanity, and her ability to emote. She’s not afraid to allow her emotions to show and that gives her, as a character, a real balance. As a single woman, there is always the opportunity for romance and I was pleased the author left that opportunity open for Nicole, in the future. The plot and development of this book was clearly well thought out and took the reader on a number of twists and turns that placed various of the main characters in serious danger at times, which allowed the reader to root for the characters. I also liked the unusual background for Detective Arnault, for a police officer, which gave him much more colour, interest, and potential for future adventures. I can see a really close working (and personal) relationship developing between these two in the future. If crime mystery is your thing, this is one series you want to get your hands on and if it’s not your thing, well, you’ll love the read anyway. It’s well written and edited and I highly recommend it.          

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You can find The Ransom along with the rest of the Nicole Graves' Mysteries, here on Nancy Boyarski's Amazon page:  

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el coronel: book two of the medium series by jerry gundersheimer

14/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​El Coronel: Book Two of the Medium Series takes us inside the old conspiracy theory that perhaps the Third Reich isn’t truly over and somewhere in South America lurks the beginnings of a new atrocity ready to be foisted upon the world in the form of the Fourth Reich. Author Jerry Gundersheimer continues the story of medium Brody Whittaker and his lovely daughter Abby. Abby has been kidnapped by a ruthless child-trafficking ring spearheaded by one of Dr Mengele’s closest allies and partners from the horrific experiences that were the death camp of Auschwitz. Nonagenarian, Irving Crossman knows all about Auschwitz – he lived it and he was one of the few survivors, along with his recently departed wife, Marie. Whether motivated by survivor guilt or not, Irv had spent his life tracking down and capturing Nazi war criminals. When it becomes apparent that it is probably the evil, Ernst Claussen (El Coronel) who has kidnapped his darling Abby, Brody and Irv’s grandson Aaron, an Israeli special forces commando set out to recover Abby, capture Claussen and destroy the burgeoning Fourth Reich but they will face strong opposition and some very unexpected assistance along the way.
 
El Coronel: Book Two of the Medium Series is very much like a rampaging, “boy’s own” spy novel. Author Jerry Gundersheimer takes the reader on a non-stop adventure ride that is packed with thrills and spills. At times, the narrative reads like a James Bond movie and some of the “stunts” perhaps stretch the bounds of probability but, as a satisfying adventure read, this story cannot be faulted. The two main characters, Brody and Abby are both delightfully drawn and I was especially pleased that Brody, despite the obvious advantages his “gift” of seeing spirits and communicating with them, gives him, is still a humble man, fraught with his own weaknesses and failures. I particularly enjoyed the childish naivete of the Abby character as she began to come to terms with the realization that she had inherited her father’s abilities and perhaps even more than him. Clearly this is a long-term series built around these characters and this is book number two in the series. I haven’t read book one and it is in no way necessary to do so before reading this – it stands alone as its own stunning adventure story. The greatest compliment I, as a reviewer, can pay to an author is to say that reading his work has inspired me to read the first book in the series and to look forward to the next adventure of these characters. I can highly recommend this read, especially for all the action junkies out there – this story has action, in spade.    


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You can find El Coronel: Book Two of the Medium Series, by Jerry Gundersheimer, here on Amazon.  

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Three sisters: a tale of survival (three sisters trilogy #1) by Nikki Lewen

12/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Three Sisters: A Tale of Survival (Three Sisters Trilogy Book 1) is a deep dive into a dystopian world that may not be too far away. Author Nikki Lewen imagines an earth that has been struck by three tragedies, two natural and one very much of man’s own doing. When the world is hit by three almost simultaneous giant tsunamis (the tri-nami), billions of people and massive land areas are submerged underwater. What follows, as the survivors attempt to rally, is an enormous earthquake along the San Andreas fault line that changes the land that is left, dramatically. Of greatest concern to the survivors, though, is the marauding presence of an ex-military group called the “Splitters” who have split from and effectively taken over control of what was left of the military and the country. They survive by reverting to the old Viking methods of “raping and pillaging”. No pocket of survivors is safe from these vile, despicable, ex-soldiers. Sadie Larkin headed home to her parent’s mountain retreat before disaster struck but soon found herself left alone, as first her father and then her husband was taken from her. Resourceful and the daughter of a survivalist who had planned for such an eventuality, Sadie had lived alone, with no contact with anyone for over a decade when she discovers her old boyfriend, from college, almost dead at the hands of the Splitters, during one of her daily checks of her property. For the first time in many years, Sadie has to think of someone else’s welfare other than her own and so begins the adventures on this remote, (now an island) section of what was once Northern California.
 
I am a fan of dystopian fiction and author Nikki Lewen has written a realistic and believable tale in The Sisters: A Tale of Survival (Three Sisters Trilogy Book 1). I was initially intrigued by the premise but Lewen’s writing style quickly dragged me into the story and kept me bouncing along with her plot, the new revelations, and the new characters. Sadie was a perfect character for the role – strong, independent and resourceful (a female McGyver, if you like) but she also was softened by a tender side that had not seen much light over the previous decade spent alone. The scenarios painted in the novel were totally believable and, of course, as with most dystopian novels it was fascinating to watch how quickly the thin veneer of civilization fell away to be replaced by man’s basest instincts. There were still humans who cherished their humanity, though and this certainly helped to soften the violence and casual disregard for human life portrayed by the Splitters. I particularly enjoyed the way the author handled the rekindled relationship between Sadie and Caleb. It would have been so easy for her to fall into the cliched and expected with this but I felt she handled it beautifully. As this is the first in a trilogy, the author has definitely succeeded in investing her readers in the characters. I really care about what happens to these five main characters now and although I’m not a great fan of cliffhanger endings, it does make it almost certain I’ll be reading book two just to find out what happens next. A thoroughly readable and exciting novel that I can highly recommend.  


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You can find Three Sisters plus the second book in this trilogy on Nikki Lewen's Amazon page: 

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in the company of strangers by awais khan

12/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​In the Company of Strangers is the debut novel from Awais Khan. It takes us inside the elite classes of Pakistani society and exposes the hypocrisy and double-standards of Pakistani life, especially from the perspective of the women of that country. Mona, a forty-one-year-old Socialite in Lahore has been married to construction magnate, Bilal for over twenty years, who although he loves her dearly is a typically conservative, male Muslim Pakistani who firmly believes a woman’s place is in the home, demure, quiet and always ready to service her man whenever he requires it. If necessary, Bilal will reinforce his dominance with physical violence, although, of course there is no problem with Bilal having a string of girlfriends and affairs. Mona has everything materially she could ever wish for but she lacks the one thing she needs more than anything - love. With her children grown and studying in Canada, Mona struggles with the meaningless circuit of gossiping, backstabbing, society women. When she meets Ali, an aspiring young, male model, whose desire to help his mother and especially his brother, who lost his leg in a terrorist bombing now has him floating on the edges of the terrorist’s threat, their mutual attraction is undeniable. When her best friend during her student days, Meera, the successful owner of a modeling agency, returns to town, Mona finally feels emboldened to try to break free from her gilded prison.     

In the Company of Strangers is an incredibly powerful story of love and loss in a country trying to come to terms with the juxtaposition of twenty-first century morality and conservative Muslim lore and law. Mona, as a character, was a bold effort, especially on debut, from author Awais Khan. He manages to successfully capture the many sides of this complicated character and the difficult, near impossible position she finds herself in. The author’s ability to capture the raw emotion of the characters and the horror of the terrorist’s actions is admirable and a credit to his writing abilities. For those of us who live outside of Pakistan he was able to provide a clear insight into the workings of a predominantly Muslim country and their social contracts, such as marriage. As I social commentary on modern-day Pakistan I was enthralled and as a story of love, loss and hope, I was captivated. Khan clearly has real ability and by concentrating for his debut novel on something he clearly knew, understood and had probably lived he was able to bring real urgency and believability to his work. Full of emotion and action, this is a thoroughly readable story that I can highly recommend. I look forward to more work from this clearly highly talented author.    


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You can find, In the Company of Strangers, here on Awais Khan's Amazon page: 

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demons at war: urban fantasy by p. a. minyard

8/8/2019

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Reviewed for Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Demons at War: Urban Fantasy by P.A. Minyard brings us a demon fantasy adventure with a twist. Set during the American Civil War, Daniel Parker is a Union Major, intimately involved in many of the battles taking place that defined that war. When Daniel comes face to face with a real, live, demon and is murdered at the battle of Antietam, by the demon, he finds himself in a unique situation. Rather than crossing over to the afterlife, Daniel is met by a guardian Angel, Bernard, who offers him an opportunity to return to normal life on Earth, as a member of the “Beloved” brotherhood and to do good for the Father by finding and eliminating demons on earth, who are way more prevalent than most of us would believe. Back home, Daniel’s parents, brother Jonathan and sister Beth, patiently await their dear Daniel’s return, always hoping he will survive this horrible conflict. So begins a journey that will take the two brothers through the hell of fighting demons, including the most powerful of them all, an evil, sadistic demon by the name of Benedict.
 
Demons at War: Urban Fantasy was something a little different, for me, from the usual demon fodder. By relocating the story back during the American Civil War, author P.A. Minyard gave the story some point of difference. I particularly enjoyed the interaction between the characters, especially Beth and her parents as they tried to come to terms, as so many families had to at that time, with the prospect of losing their son to this horrific war and eventually the possibility that they could lose both their sons. The relationships between Duffy and Beth, as well as that between Jonathan and Mattie rang true to the period and the culture of manners that existed in the 1860’s between the sexes. I also particularly enjoyed the emotions and pain felt by the Angel, Bernard over the grief he was causing to his charges and their family. That certainly softened the violent fight scenes with demons, which gave the story some real balance. One thing that I struggled with was the lack of indication when the POV (Point of View) and scene changed from one character to another. These sudden scene changes would often leave me temporarily confused. All in all, though, this is a very readable, demon fantasy story and with a few minor tweaks could be even better. I did enjoy the read and am tempted to read more in this series.   


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Demons at War by P.A. Minyard is not available yet on Amazon, as I write this but you can check out the rest of the author's portfolio on P A. Minyard's author page:  

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bertha: shine like the dawn by lisa M. hutchison

6/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Bertha: Shine Like The Dawn by Lisa M. Hutchison is a dive into the Germany of the mid 1800’s through to the mid 1900’s. Bertha, the title character was a real person; the great-great-grandmother of the author and was a woman who struggled through and dealt with the immense social changes that characterized Germany, Europe and the world, during that period. Raped by her own Uncle at seventeen, Bertha found herself pregnant and alone. The only solution, from her family’s perspective was to find someone prepared to marry the young woman and claim the child as his own. With no choice, Bertha marries a man she hardly even knows and begins a reign of terror by an abusive and drunken husband. When she finally finds the courage to leave him (an incredibly difficult thing to do in the 1800’s) she runs to her beloved Oma (Grandmother) in Berlin and tries valiantly to raise her children in a loving and caring environment, faced with the never-ending changes to the social fabric of Germany, at the time.
I do love a good historical novel and Bertha: Shine Like The Dawn is absolutely that. Author Lisa M. Hutchison clearly has a lot of personal emotion poured into this story given her familial relationship to the principal character. This passion shows in a story that depicts a woman ahead of her time, in the Germany of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Her compassion is deep, her understanding and patience, in the face of trials and tribulations that would defy others, is incredible. As a character, Bertha was an immensely appealing person. I particularly loved the way that no matter how hard things seemed, what travails she faced, she still maintained a positive, “must do” – “no choice” attitude to life. The story absolutely flows beautifully and is very easy to read, definitely a tribute to the author’s writing talents. Bertha lived through some of the most turbulent and tumultuous times in history; two world wars, the great depression, Germany’s hyperinflation and yet through it all she was indomitable, with the love of her life, Leopold, beside her for a large part of it. That the narrative successfully transported the reader back to those tough, yet simpler times and made us feel like part of this family almost, is perhaps the greatest tribute I can pay Hutchison, as an author. A truly readable and worthwhile story that I can highly recommend.      


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You can find Bertha: Shine Like The Dawn, here on Lisa M. Hutchison's Amazon page: 

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fat boy by joseph cobb

5/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Somewhere out in the rural hinterland of England a tragi-comedy farce in three parts is playing out. Fat Boy by Joseph Cobb brings a seemingly disparate group of life’s more unsavoury characters together in a romp through the criminal underworld. Stranger McKrayne, it seems was a rare commodity – an honest copper. Deserted by his wife when their little girl, Evangeline, was just a baby, Stranger has had to try to raise his daughter as best he could whilst daily dealing with the evil criminals that make up the city’s underworld and staying straight in a world where it seemed every other cop was bent. Janet Cartwright, a movie producer whose latest blockbuster had not only been a flop but an absolute travesty was desperate to make her next movie. With the establishment funders not willing to touch her with a bargepole, Janet has sought out funding from the “Mr Big” of the criminal underworld, a man known as “The Captain”. The Captain has retired from the daily grind of big city crime, leaving that up to his boys to deal with. These days he lives in splendid gentrification on an estate in the country where he and his former prostitute wife love to play Lord and Lady of the Manor. All these characters and a whole pile more will find they are all intricately and unknowingly linked to each other and have an elegant date with destiny.
 
Fat Boy really was something else; refreshing, different and quintessentially British, with a cast of characters that were anything but quintessentially British. The motley, ensemble crew that author Joseph Cobb put together for this tale were a fascinating bunch of characters. As with any comedic farce it was necessary to draw these characters to their personality extremes and Cobb did an excellent job of doing that. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between the Captain and his wife – two characters who came from very much the wrong side of the tracks but who now projected the ultimate in respectability and were desperate to keep their criminal empire and their new found propriety apart. Given the size of the ensemble cast there were times, when I, as a reader, was asking myself how they all fitted together and what was the point of a particular scene or a character? What I admired most about the author’s work was how he was able to tie everything up into a neat little package, with a bow, at the end that perfectly explained everyone’s relationship within the narrative. The little kicker at the end was also very much appreciated. This was a refreshing read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I will certainly be following this author with some interest in future.    


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You can find Fat Boy, here on Joseph Cobb's Amazon page:  

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ode to poet by annika andersson

5/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​Ode to Poet by Annika Andersson is a small collection of some eighteen poems that explores, among other things, the differing styles of poetry through history. From the Romantic Era (Late 18th-Mid 19th Century) she brings us “Springtime”, through Imagism of the 1920’s, with Brownies, Objectivists of the 1930’s with “Tuesday Morning” all the way through to the Language poets of the sixties and seventies, with “Lying” and finally New Formalism of the eighties and nineties with State of the Union. She also covers a number of other topics in her remaining ten poems, such as; “Breakfast, Thursday, Communication and Old Friends.”   
 
The style of poet Annika Andersson in Ode to Poet is as varied as the words she places together. I found the contrasts between the differing periods of poetic history interesting, especially as a non-poet. I also enjoyed some of the prose-like poetry of some of the early works, such as; Breakfast, Thursday and Savannah. As with any compilation of work there are some that caught my eye and my heart more than others. Two poems, in particular really resonated with me; The first of these was “Old Friends” a tribute to Rudyard Kipling and Walt Whitman. The second poem that spoke to me was; “To The Daughters” which was presented in the style of the nineteen forties and fifties beat poetry, which explored the awakening of a woman’s style and conformity to fashion trends. I enjoyed this little book very much and wanted to read more of this poet – sadly, for me, this offering was way, way short of a full collection and left me feeling like I’d just settled into the rhythm and cadence of the lines when… suddenly it was all over. A little disappointing from that perspective and I would hope to read more in any future offerings from this talented poet.  


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You can find Ode to Poet by Annika Andersson, here on Amazon: 

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mcdowell by william h coles

2/8/2019

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Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman 

​McDowell by William H Coles brings us the tale of a man who, having reached the top of his profession, self-destructs and loses it all, then attempts to rebuild his life from scratch. McDowell is a world-renowned surgeon, lauded by all as one of the best in the business and he knows it. This overachiever climbs mountains in his spare time and has summitted Everest along with most of the highest peaks in Nepal. He is known by all as cold, ruthless and someone who will do anything to anyone to get what he wants and to get his own way. His children, from several marriages, are estranged in many ways but he still has taken responsibility for their wellbeing and their financial security despite not quite being able to confess and show his true feelings to them. When McDowell’s lying and cheating comes back to haunt him, first in small ways but eventually in a way that will destroy his carefully choreographed career and life, McDowell suddenly finds himself all alone and a hunted man. How will this humbling experience affect this man who has always been in control and had his finger on the pulse?
 
I found McDowell an interesting character and one that evoked strong emotions in the reader. Kudos to author William H Coles, who was able to extract the gamut of emotional responses from the reader. Initially, we feel nothing but scorn and disbelief at the coldness and callousness of the character but as time goes on the empathy and even sympathy for his predicament, despite it being of his own making, begins to take control. McDowell, when faced with total loss and devastation must look inside for the answers and the author takes him on not just a physical journey but a spiritual one also. I won’t spoil the plot by revealing the major ethical dilemma McDowell was involved in but it ran as a common thread through much of the narrative and required the reader to make his or her own personal decision about the morality or otherwise of the act. Although I did feel at times the narrative meandered a little and the constant flip-flopping of points of view was wearying sometimes, this is a very straightforward, readable story with a strong message and an unexpected ending. I can definitely recommend this read.     


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You can find McDowell, along with the rest of William H Cole's portfolio, here on his Amazon page: 

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