ramblingmads

Amanda Innes is the award-winning author of THE GHOSTS OF MARSHLEY PARK and the popular Drew & Rayze series. Find her on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@mplbooks and on TikTok as Amanda_Innes.

Blog Tour: Umbrate – A.D. Jones

Dec 10, 2023Dec 8, 2023 ramblingmads

Welcome to Dalton

Home to Humans, Dwarves, Elves and the shadowy Umbral Populace.

Detective Vanic Bradley works hard to keep the peace, coming down hard on the criminal underbelly of the city.

After putting his life on the line multiple times in recent weeks, all he wanted was a day off work to spend time with his son, and re-evaluate his place in the world – but forces beyond his control have other ideas.

For reasons unknown, he will find himself in a race against time as two hundred innocent citizens become collateral damage in a murderous plot centred around him.

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A.D Jones lives in the North of England; where he spends his time favouring books over people and can be found writing or devouring said books to review online. He loves Cola, Twin Peaks, cult movies and all things horror. He dislikes the movie ‘The Karate Kid’ with a passion that burns brighter than the sun.

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My thoughts: this was an interesting take on an alternate version of our world, where humans live alongside elves, dwarves and a race of people known as umbrals. The umbrals are black, with razor sharp claws and a sensitivity that means they turn invisible in sunlight. For the most part the different species rub along, but there are always tensions.

When detective Vanic Bradley gets involved in a hostage situation with his young son, it seems to be aimed at him. Could the killer be related to his latest case, or is it more personal?

Exploring prejudice and unconscious bias, this is an intelligent and intriguing fantasy thriller.

I also really want to know why the author hates the Karate Kid so much!

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Stars Within – Alex Arch

Dec 9, 2023 ramblingmads

Thomas fights to beat cancer. Colette fights to save the human race.

A colonial miner crippled with debt, Thomas must flee his home to cure his recurring cancer. With his health declining at an alarming rate, his options are limited. Spend his last days surrounded by his loved ones or leave them behind for a slim chance to live. The choice is impossible, the prospect grim, and not for him alone.

A pragmatic military hero, Colette enrolls in a mission to thwart an alien invasion. She always gets the job done… unless Mia’s involved. She must then put her feelings aside as always or risk jeopardizing her assignment for the woman she once loved.

Two battles. Two realities. For one to succeed, the other must fail.

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I grew up in Canada, as most would expect, playing hockey. Always willing to give the best of myself, I added mountain biking, firefighting, and now, unexpectedly, writing to the list.

Loving all things science-fiction and fantasy, I decided to create worlds where I could make people think outside the usual boundaries. Fast-paced, crisp, and intense stories with meaningful parallels to our own realities await readers who can only be certain of one thing: world-shattering twists are inevitable.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Soul’s Aspect – Mark Holloway

Dec 8, 2023 ramblingmads

A healer forced to become a killer for an empire that would grind his country to dust.

Kehlem, the sickly son of a widowed physician, has devoted his life to learning his father’s craft. Wanting to finally step out of his father’s shadow, he embarks on a project of his own, seeking out the help of Themia, the town’s newly arrived Alchemist and a rare wielder of magic.

But Themia has secrets of her own, secrets carried from the heart of the empire itself, secrets that would steal Kehlem away from his home and into the empire’s Academy for magic users.

The Isale Academy beckons, but can Kehlem survive the academy and its brutal regime? And if so, what would he have to become?

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Mark Holloway is an indie fantasy author from the UK. With a keen interest in the weird and esoteric, and a day job in medical science, these interests filter into the epic fantasy series, The Aspect. You can find Mark on most social media platforms IG:@markholloway.author/Twitter:@markholloway_1

books, reviews

Book Review: The French Affair – Theresa Howes

Dec 8, 2023 ramblingmads

A country at war. A dangerous secret.

After a failed honey-trap mission for British Intelligence leads to the breakdown of her marriage, French journalist Iris escapes to Dijon, seeking refuge in the cottage of her beloved aunt, Eva. But Eva is gone, the streets are full of distrust, and Iris is soon followed by the very last man she wants to see – the British civil servant and traitor she was tasked with catching, now keen to rekindle their affair.

Eva’s home used to be a comforting place, where the locals sought out Eva’s homemade tinctures and cures and gifted jars of fresh honey from the garden. Now it is a place of danger, where threats loom in every corner. And as Iris spends more time there, she discovers a secret that will change the way she sees her aunt forever – and the course of her own life too…

Don’t miss this utterly sweeping WW2 historical novel, perfect for fans of Suzanne Goldring, Mandy Robotham and Kristin Hannah.

My thoughts: thank you to HQ for gifting me a Netgalley copy of this book to review.

I don’t usually like war stories – for some reason they annoy me – I prefer autobiographical accounts of that time instead for the most part.

This I did enjoy, however, partly because I think it could have been set at other periods of history where there was conflict. And also because it felt slightly removed from the usual stories.

Set in Dijon, France, it follows Iris a French operative for British Intelligence. She heads to her aunt Eva’s house, only to find her aunt has died suddenly, after an op ends and she needs to distance herself from the fallout in order to carry out her next mission.

She must convince the German spy turned soldier, that she wasn’t involved in him being exposed as an enemy agent, and then kill him. All while reckoning with Eva’s killing and convincing the locals she’s not a collaborator, oh and winning back her husband Jack, currently hiding out with the maquis (French Resistance).

It is a lot to deal with, and as she grew up in her aunt’s house, there are memories and people from her past also drawing on her time and energy. She’s got to come up with a plan all by herself, or so she thinks. When Eva’s friend Clemence gradually reveals what happened before Eva was killed, Iris realises she’s not alone, and Eva’s house might hold some answers to her predicament.

The book is packed full of plot and interesting characters, I would have liked to stick around and learn their stories, but Iris needs to keep moving, keep suspicion falling on her as she carries out her plans.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Shareholders – H.S. Down

Dec 7, 2023 ramblingmads

In the late 21st century, Earth is ravaged by climate change. The billionaires have bioengineered immortality, fled to Mars, and rule Earth’s last biospheres as their personal shares. Those left on Earth struggle as the planet tumbles into its terminal years of habitabilty.

Ian Gateman, a bureaucrat, is tasked with finding a buyer for fledgling colony of ecological refugees. As Ian travels to the estates of several visitng shareholders, it becomes clear the shareholders have other plans for humanity’s future.

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Author Bio

An earnest scribe born at 348.65 ppm of atmospheric CO2. An unreliable narrator, feral but mostly harmless. The Shareholders is my debut novel and it is attempt to wrestle with the human drive to live forever, both figuratively and literally, amidst widespread ecological extinction. I swear, I’m a little less of a kill-joy in person. Keep an eye out for my next novel, Children of the Fall. Coming Fall 2023.

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Blog Tour: Let Them Float – Katy Wimhurst

Dec 7, 2023Dec 7, 2023 ramblingmads

In these short stories, Katy Wimhurst creates off-kilter worlds that illuminate our own.

Apocalyptic rabbits invade a town.

People overwhelmed by their lives float above an urban park.

A woman turns transparent after a virus.

The playful lens of magical realism is used to explore physical and mental illness and our fragile environment. Thought-provoking fiction with a good dose of whimsy.

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Katy Wimhurst’s first collection of short stories was Snapshots of the Apocalypse (Fly on the Wall Press, 2022) and her second collection Let Them Float will be published in December 2023 (Alien Buddha Press).

Her fiction has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including The Guardian, Writers’ Forum, Cafe Irreal, Kaleidotrope, To Hull and Back, and ShooterLit. Her first book of visual poems, Fifty-One Trillion Bits, was published by Trickhouse Press (2023). She sometimes interviews writers for 3AM Magazine.

She is housebound with the illness M.E.

My thoughts: as someone who lives with chronic illness I did recognise some of the kinds of feelings present in these short stories. Most of them are gentle and moving, although the giant rabbits were a bit sinister. The longest story, the title one, was deeply intriguing. It certainly spoke to me about mental illness and the desire sometimes to just disconnect from life around you for a while.

It’s an interesting collection and full of light and darkness, some are very tiny snippets of people’s lives and others a bit more detailed. Easy to read but should be savoured as each has layers to it.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

Blog Tour: Mr Gearhart – Emily Owen

Dec 7, 2023Dec 7, 2023 ramblingmads

1863

Six years have passed at Ravenfeld Hall. The Abernathy siblings’ fortunes continue to improve as George and Douglas’s android-building business thrives. But change looms on the horizon. Douglas’s engagement to the sweet, charming Clara Marsden threatens to take him from his family, while sister Molly contemplates whether a future with the man she loves means sacrificing her independence and academic pursuits.

Then the family face more pressing concerns…

One night, George’s latest invention escapes the Hall. Four months later, a charismatic inventor by the name of Gearhart appears in London, with an intellect to rival that of the Abernathys’. George senses there’s something sinister about the mysterious Mr Gearhart, who’s planning to unveil an invention that could change the world. But does he have far grander ambitions? And can George uncover the truth about him in time?

Emily Owen studied English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds, and completed her Masters by Research in 2018. She works as a Digital Executive and lives in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. She self-published her debut novel The Mechanical Maestro in 2020, which is the first book in her series following the adventures of the Abernathy family and their clockwork creations. The second book in the series, The Copper Chevalier was released in March 2022.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this third outing for the Abernathy siblings. Their successes mean that they are relatively settled now and able to enjoy life a bit more. Until the arrival of the sinister Mr Gearhart, who targets George.

He seems to have some pretty interesting ideas, ideas that feel familiar and something is a bit off about him. So George investigates, keeping Douglas at arms length to protect him.

Molly has her own misadventures in the greenhouse, when she accidentally creates a superhero/villain origin story type potion. But she keeps it a secret and almost ruins everything with Arthur in the process.

With appearances from Maestro and Colonel Copperton, this ties in nicely with the previous books in the series.

*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.

BBNYA Semi-finalists: The Rise of Riverstone – Mandy Schimelpfenig

Dec 6, 2023 ramblingmads

She was forced to watch her world burn.

They should have killed her when they had the chance.

Praed is a country of vast prairies and looming mountains where the elite make their homes along a mighty river. For hundreds of years, to wear the crown is to tempt fate, for in Praed, any man may become king if he’s strong enough.

Laria Audrey lives in privilege as the daughter of a famous knight, until one night she’s ripped from her bed to find that her entire life has gone up in flames. Forced to serve those responsible, Laria pretends to be deaf and mute to survive. But when days turn to weeks, Laria loses hope of awakening from the nightmare and must admit she’s truly alone.

When her sworn enemy approaches her with a shocking proposition, Laria must decide if she’ll resign herself to misery or become the hero she never believed she could be.

CW: This book contains references to sexual assault.

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Mandy received her B.S. in Zoology from Washington State University and an A.S. in Veterinary Technology from St. Petersburg College. Clearly her life goals were not geared toward a career as an author. She is a Certified Veterinary Technician specializing in small animals. When she’s not saving lives, she’s weaving tales of strong women using their intelligence to pursue incandescent happy endings. The Rise of Riverstone is the debut novel in her medieval historical fantasy series, Daughters of Riverstone. She lives on the Washington Coast with her husband and their four children. Besides leaning uncomfortably over a computer screen, Mandy enjoys camping and hiking with her family, reading, and wearing out her dogs on the beach.