“Perhaps so. I prefer his chances of it to those of a dancing kitten.”
Genre: Adult | Fantasy
5 out of 5 stars!
Brilliant world building!
I’ll be upfront and say I have not read many books written in a medieval setting and I now know I need to read more! JP Harker’s exciting read Wildcat has brought this to my attention.
Right from the first page I was sucked into this exciting world filled with powerful characters. Wildcat gives you a little taste of everything… from vicious, life sucking battles to love and deceit you never know what will come next. You may even find some taking the lives of their very own loved ones.
JP Harker’s writing is captivating! The battle scenes are so detailed and vivid it really sets the picture in your mind. His characters are so engaging you can’t help but love them all and I’m not just talking about the protagonists, the supporting characters are also intriguing.
Rhia’s story line has a connection to the modern day. She struggles wanting to be fighting along side her people but also with wanting to start a family of her own and keeping her children safe. I saw this as today’s working Mom’s who love the idea of being home with their kids all day but have that urge, that want to be out in the working world. Rhia’s challenged throughout the whole story, she’s put through tick and thin and still she pulls through somehow. Memories and people linger with her, impacting so many of her future life decisions. She truly is a stunning character.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the next two completed books in the saga (#2 Leaping Wolf, #3 LionCub). Book #4 is currently in the works!
If you are a fan of medieval type reads with a mix of romance among many other things. I would highly recommend picking up book 1: Wildcat, see what you think.
Thank you very much to JP Harker for sending me a copy to read and review. I am now a new dedicated fan to his work and I am excited to see what else he comes out with in the future.
Today’s bookish post is going to be a bit different. Normally when talking about an authors work I review the work itself. Today we will be reviewing the author himself!
A while back Rob Shepherd reached out to me asking if I would be willing to read some of his work. Of course I said yes and he was so kind to send over 5 e-copies, a good variety. Now Rob never once asked me to review any of what he sent over, he was just happy to have another reader interested in checking it out. BUT… I am a blogger, so of COURSE I am going to review it.
I read one peace closer to the end of 2019 and really enjoyed it, jump ahead into 2020 and I still had not finished the other 4 pieces. I knew this was not fair of me and I needed to work hard to get some reviews out for him. So…..in the month of April I went on a bit of a Rob Shepherd reading binge. While reading through I thought instead of doing an individual review of each read separately, why not review them and the author all together.
I have had the privilege of getting to know Rob over the last year or so and honestly he is so very laid back, chilled and easy going. He also loves getting to chat with his readers and just getting to know them in general.
Now Rob’s writing style may not be for everyone. He really loves those odd, eerie, gruesome, horror-esk type reads but I myself love them. Also a lot of Rob’s work is short stories or novellas but honestly they are packed FULL of creepy goodness! Each of the 5 stories I read from him got a 4 or 5 star out of 5 stars!
On to the books I read and my individual star rating for each.
I thoroughly enjoy Rob’s work! His imagination is so dark and unique. I can’t wait to get my hands on more and I feel if those unusual, chilling reads are your thing than you may also enjoy reading Rob’s stories.
Thank you so much Rob for sending these e-copies to me. I appreciate it more than you may know!
Seventeen-year-old CJ Ainsworth doesn’t drive—not because she can’t, but because she won’t.
She’s been living with the guilt of being the sole survivor of the head-on collision that claimed her mother’s and sister’s lives. It’s the reason she refuses to get behind the wheel. It’s the reason her father has nearly abandoned her. It’s the reason she’s sent to piddle the summer away at her estranged Memaw’s house in Edisto Beach.
All CJ wants to do is isolate herself and make it to the trial at summer’s end, where she’ll testify against the stranger who couldn’t keep his car in its own lane. She doesn’t expect to fall for a boy, especially not Jett Ramsey, a hotshot racing champion destined for greatness on the NASCAR circuit.
CJ’s resolve crumbles when she loses a bet that puts her squarely in Jett’s driver’s seat. While he patiently reintroduces her to driving, they confide in each other, and CJ learns she’s not the only one silently suffering through a loss.
As their connection deepens, Jett’s focus on the track is called into question. CJ can’t be the cause of another car crash, but her heart is
broken either way. Can CJ learn to put her heart in drive? Or will she throw it in reverse?
CHAPTER 1
A summer away at Memaw’s can’t rectify everything that fell apart in a single minute, but that won’t stop my dad from forcing it on me.
My fingers wrench tighter around the handle grip of Dad’s Ford Explorer as he hugs the center line, tires thumping over golden reflectors in waves and shooting vibrations through my seat. I glance over my shoulder to make sure the door lock is crammed to its neck into the tan vinyl interior. Not that it’d make a difference if he were to flip this thing head-over-end into the muddy goop of tidal flats along either side of the road. If a body’s going to exit a car in a hurry, it sure as hell won’t wait for an unlocked door.
These kinds of thoughts never shoved their way into my brain before the accident. Now they circulate like a washing machine stuck on the spin cycle.
I sigh and yank my phone off the dashboard. 4:15 PM. Only ten more minutes to get my summer of hell underway.
A notification blinks on the home screen. One new email from Trent Casey and all I can see of it is “CJ, things have changed so much this last year that I think…” Inbox preview cruelty at its finest. A little sneak peek of my on-again, off-again boyfriend kicking me to the curb because I’ve been too screwed up to screw him the past year. Not that I’d screwed him before, or anyone else for that matter.
I toss the phone in the cup holder and stare over at my dad in the driver’s seat, his eyes fixed and hooded as if in a trance. He hasn’t spoken in over a hundred miles, but I’ve strategically coughed from time to time to make sure there’s at least a reaction to the noise,
and he’s not comatose or something. Plus, it’s easier than actually talking, and it warrants no response from him. Win-win.
Dad flips on the blinker, its dink-doonk, dink-doonk, dink-doonk signaling a right turn. Into where I have no idea, and unless Memaw has taken up living in a dilapidated open-air shack, he’s seriously misguided. He pulls into one of the ten open parking slots, demarcated by rows of conch shells instead of actual painted-on lines. How beachy of them.
Dad lets the engine idle, sliding his phone from the pocket of his polo and pecking out a text message without so much as a word or glance in my direction. I unlatch my seatbelt and open the door, easing out onto the hot, gritty sand, which creeps into my sandals and scratches at the skin.
“Where are we?” When he doesn’t respond, I step beside the open door, banging my hand on the window. “Dad, where are we?”
“Edisto Island, of course,” he mumbles, never looking up from his phone, his fingers still moving furiously over the screen.
I point to the rectangular banner draped atop the entrance with what looks like a hand-stenciled Welcome to Edisto Beach, SC! in blue paint. “No shit. I mean, what is this place?”
“Watch your mouth, CJ. I’m still your father.” He finally looks up long enough to glare across his steering wheel at the banner, squinting as if it’s written in some foreign language before looking back at me. He waves his hand around. “We’re obviously at the market.”
The entrance isn’t a single open-close door but one of those garage-style deals that pulls down from the ceiling. Oyster shell wind chimes tinkle in the breeze. I take a deep breath, the briny air expanding in my lungs and coating my skin, and somehow start imagining myself as one of those slugs we used to find on the back porch at home and pour salt over. Almost immediately, their slimy little bodies would foam up and implode, turning into a dried-up crispie we’d flick off in the grass the next day. Maybe that’ll happen to me, and I can simply shrivel up and disappear.
Dad gets out and lifts the back hatch, and I walk to meet him, giving an extra foot shake on each step to loosen the stowaway sand from my sandals.
“But why are we here?”
“This is where Memaw’s picking you up.” He hauls out my two large suitcases and sets them under the overhang. “She’s running late, but she’ll be here within the next twenty minutes.”
“And you’re just gonna leave me here?” I thumb over my shoulder.
He stares at me as if I’ve just asked for an explanation on the meaning of life, standing like a statue except for the front flip of his thinning auburn hair that tousles with the breeze. That hair, along with his chocolate brown eyes and freckles, are the only things we even share anymore. Everything else is gone. Evaporated.
“Don’t be dramatic, CJ. I have a long drive home.” He slams the hatch, walks to his still-open driver door and slides in behind the wheel. The passenger window rolls down part-way. “I’ll see you at the end of summer. Bye.” The words scarcely exit his lips before the window’s rolled up and he’s peeling out of the parking lot on two wheels as if he’s off to a five-alarm fire.
Wow. Truly heartfelt. I think he might miss me. I lock my jaw, forcing my quivering stomach back in its rightful place. Part of me loathes him for just dumping me here. The other part understands, though. He hates me for what happened and wants me gone too.
Brandy Woods Snow is a Young Adult author, journalist, wife, mama of three, Christian, and proud Southerner. Born and raised in the area of Greenville, South Carolina, she still resides in the rolling foothills of the Upstate region, though she plans to one day retire to the state’s famous Grand Strand. Brandy has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Writing from Clemson University. While creative writing pursuits have always held her heart, she’s built a career as a journalist and editor. Brandy has more than 19 years’ experience and a strong platform that includes articles and columns published in Delta Sky Magazine, Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly and Home Design & Décor Magazine (Charlotte and Raleigh). Currently, she also works as the Marketing Manager and an Acquisitions Editor for Filles Vertes Publishing.
Her first novel MEANT TO BE BROKEN was published by Filles Vertes
Publishing in May 2018, and she has a short story featured in FVP’s LOVE ON MAIN anthology, forthcoming in February 2020. When Brandy’s not writing, reading, spending time with her husband or driving carpool for her three kids, she enjoys kayaking, family hikes, yelling “Go Tigers!” as loud as she can, playing the piano and taking “naked” Jeep Wrangler cruises on twisty, country roads.
In The Hills Above The Gristmill is one intense book.
Kalvin has shown his true talents as an author with this read. Which might I add is book one in a series I am now obviously VERY excited for. On top of this my mind is truly boggled knowing this is Kalvin’s debut novel!
The main character Paisley is absolutely fearless, she’s your ideal modern day paranormal investigator. At the request of the towns beloved preacher Hollis Grim, Paisley rushes to the very small, incredibly odd, extremely unusual town of Grey Water Ridge.
I was devoted to this read from the very first page…. Kalvin’s writing is immaculate. Each character introduced is so unique and different from the next. The story is eerie and the setting is purely chilling. I don’t think I have ever read a book where I was suspicious about so many characters all at once. Not once did I know for absolutely certain who was the true evil in this story….. Well maybe aside from one scene, but I guess you would have to read it for yourself to know what part I am talking about.
Never a bored moment in this book, the story never falls flat. Even while Kalvin provided some history on the town of Grey Water Ridge I was intrigued. Usually (for myself anyhow) when an author is trying to add that extra knowledge and incite into the plot I find it drags a bit. More like excess filler that doesn’t really need to be there and may create the reader to lose interest. That was not the case with In The Hills Above The Gristmill. The history added to the story, rivalries were present even back when and horrible things happened. This information only helps you understand this town and the people in it even more. I also enjoyed the direction Kalvin took while writing this into the story.
Highly recommend this read. I can’t wait for book two in the series….. Kalvin, if you’re reading this.. hurry up! ha..ha. I guess you can call me a big fan of his work!
Alright! So first off, this is a re-release.. how exciting! I LOVE this trilogy so much.
So roughly a year back I read the first book in this trilogy and at the time it was called “Black Dawn.” Before I dived into the second book Mallory reached out to let me know she was re-releasing the whole trilogy with some amazing changes and was wondering if I would read and review it once completed. Of course I was super excited, so I held off on reading the second book and patiently waited for that moment.
Photo from my Bookstagram: Nichi.I_ReadPastMyBedtime
Now it’s April 21, 2020 and the first two books in the re-release of the Black Dawn trilogy came out today! Book 1: Heir of Lies and Book 2: Queen to Ashes and shall I say what a fantastic start to this trilogy. I thought I loved book one back when I original read it but oh… this is even better!… How can that be?
The Black Dawn series is one extremely packed fantasy read! It’s full of magic, power, love, lies, jealousy, corruption, war, evil, darkness… even some shape shifting! This trilogy has a little something for everyone.
Mallory’s writing is flawless! An incredible plot and she executed it perfectly!
Heir of Lies invites you into this world, provides the perfect story detail and introduces each character with perfection. Leading you up-to Queen of Ashes were you will be hit with all the dark, evil action!
Don’t get to captivated by the characters though! You may not know exactly what side they are on…. they could be the start of all evil!
So excited for book three to come out! Can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Thank you so much Mallory for sending me copies to read and review of this VERY exciting re-release. This is one thrilling release day!
Publisher: MM Books
Release Date: April 21, 2020
And of course thank you all for reading
Your Corrupted Book Worm
-Nichole
Photo from my Bookstagram: Nichi.I_ReadPastMyBedtime
The Slave Players is definitely a mix of some truly heavy topics.
Megan Allen has created a whirlwind of emotions with this read. Among all the racism and corruption there is a light that is shone through and with it comes some of the most heart warming moments.
The story starts out with such a gut wrenching scene that leads this community into complete chaos. I found the roll switch where the black took power, enslaved the white and the resurrection of the KKK (of sorts) to be a powerful touch. It really puts a different perspective on things and shows all the sadness that was forced upon African Americans during slavery.
Megan’s writing is absolutely brilliant. The story flows from one perspective to the next smoothly, the characters are memorable and the story line is set up perfectly. I found this read to be absolutely compelling and yet extremely heart breaking.
The only thing I was missing in the end, was closure for those who’s lives were lost at the beginning of the story. I wanted to know that true justice was served.
If you are looking for a read that will impact your emotions and will stay with you for a long time, this is one for you.
I would be lying it I didn’t say when I first read the synopsis I was sceptical on how I would feel. Not for any other reason than… I do love animals but sadly I do also eat meat. I don’t think I could ever kill my meal, buying my meat in stores is enough for me. I guess you could call me a “Cellophane Hunter”. I honestly thought a read with this topic would be so hard to push through but surprisingly it wasn’t and it was so very good. Although I can’t say that I don’t consider nearly every day to becoming a vegan since I read The Meat Hunter a few weeks back.
Again Megan’s writing is flawless. Although The Meat Hunter does get very gruesome..(maybe not best to read if you get queasy easy) but it was packed full of so much humour and the research and details was on point. I learnt so much about the meat industry that has left me completely shocked.
Molly was one fantastic character! She was so confident and bold yet she had this innocent side to her and she most certainly knew when to put each of those traits to action. I grew to really love her as a character, add Michael Lair’s character into the picture and that made for the perfect story with some great twists and turns.
The Meat Hunter truly is one of a kind and I couldn’t recommend it enough. Of course I repeat… only if you have a strong stomach! It is so detailed, some of the moments may not sit right for you.
Publisher: Burn House Publishing
Release date: March 20, 2020
I can’t wait to see what Megan comes out with next!
Thank you so much to Megan Allen & Burn House Publishing for sending me these e-copies to review. I am most certainly a new fan of Megan’s work.
I have always had an interest in law enforcement and Cynthia’s hard work and determination is absolutely inspiring. Especially during a time when women were not really accepted in that line of work.
Boots in the Ashes takes you through the thrilling ride of 6 major and very dangerous cases Cynthia faced during her career as an ATF agent. These cases are (excuse the pun) mind blowing. You hear of these awful moments in the world happening on the daily through the news and social media. It’s completely different reading it directly from an agents personal experience.
Cynthia was and still is absolutely brilliant! She was trained well and knew exactly how to use her skills. The way she dealt with heated situations and the criminals wrapped up in them, was fantastic. She knew exactly how to read the room and how to work the suspect to find out exactly what they were looking for.
“Timex, it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”
Boots in the Ashes – Cynthia Beebe (an old Timex advertisement from the 1950’s).
Now just when you see how unbelievable Cynthia is with her career and you don’t think she could get any more fascinating. You get to see a glimpse into her personal life and the struggles she faced but also one of the most heart warming moments in her life, all while being an excellent agent. I know I am being pretty vague with those comments because I try my hardest not to give any spoilers away in my reviews. Which is very hard when you loved a read as much as I loved Boots in the Ashes. I guess you will just have to read it for yourself so see exactly what I mean.
I know 2020 is still so fresh being we are only in the beginning of April but I can easily say that Boots in the Ashes is absolutely one of my favourite reads for 2020.
Boots in the Ashes released February 25, 2020. So be sure to get your hands on it. Read about Cynthia’s compelling ATF agent career!
A read that is easily devoured but yet one that you will want to take your time with.
Thank you so much to Cynthia Beebe for sending me a copy for review. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your work and experiences. I could sit for hours picking your brain and listening to more stories like these!
Take a look at the cover! If that doesn’t pull you in enough the moment you read the synopsis you will be hooked.
I have been craving sci-fi recently and Magna-Blade was exactly what I needed. Even more of a treat when I found out it was set in a well known city in Canada!
People have survived a life changing war with some of the most dangerous weapons around – Magna-Blades. But no-ones safe just yet!….Someone knows more is coming and they are working tirelessly to stop it! Question’s are …Will they succeed?…Can they do it alone, or will they need help?
Evan has created this revolutionary setting! You still have your high, middle and lower class, people are suffering, hunger, drugs and crime are still present and a form of law enforcement is in place. It reads as if you are in today’s setting with a futuristic twist. This was a huge yes for me! I enjoy stepping out of the real world while reading but really appreciate when there is still be a relate-able feel to it. Helps to really grasp the idea and makes for an engaging read!
The characters are perfectly placed in this world. I try very hard not give any spoilers away while reviewing so I won’t give any names or details. But I will say I really connected with a few of the stronger, main characters. When they were faced with hardships or tough situations it hit hard! Evan’s characters are extremely memorable. I thoroughly enjoy a read where there is a perfect balance between the story line and the characters and I found that was exactly what Magna-Blade did. The perfect amount of detail throughout.
Now you may be wondering why I gave this read a 4 stars when I obviously enjoyed it so much. The one reason I removed a star from my rating is…. the beginning of the story is very fast paced. Almost as something you would see in a immediate scene at the beginning of a movie, to get you quickly up to date on what’s going down. Although this is fine and a lot of reads do this to give the reader some details before they really dive into the story. What got me was there were parts that had me lost or confused. I felt like I was missing a bit of the story that was critical to understanding things as you went on, perhaps details that are important and were glazed over a bit too quickly. Don’t get me wrong! As you go you will understand what is happening and you will get a glimpse of the past. I just feel some bits could have been touched on more.
All of this being said. I obviously really enjoyed this read and gave it a high rating. What makes me very excited about how this read ended off is I felt as if the story was left a bit open but also with enough conclusion at the same time. Which I really appreciate because I don’t feel like I am needing more…. yet if a sequel came of this I most definitely would be jumping at the chance to get my hands on it!
Of course I would recommend this read especially if you are a sci-fi fan. You can never go wrong with such a strong, vivid world like this!
Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks, Jolene Wells is forever indebted to the mother who encouraged her to fly—all the way to sunny LA and a world away from Honeymoon Harbor. Although Jolene vowed never to look back, returning home isn’t even a question when her mom faces a cancer scare. Which means running into Aiden Mannion all over town, the first boy she ever loved—and lost—and whom she can barely look in the eye.
Aiden’s black-sheep reputation may have diminished when he joined the marines, but everything he’s endured since has left him haunted. Back in Honeymoon Harbor to heal, he’s talked into the interim role of police chief, and the irony isn’t lost on the locals, least of all Aiden. But seeing Jolene after all these years is the unexpected breath of fresh air he’s been missing. He’s never forgotten her through all his tours, but he’s not sure anymore that he’s the man she deserves.
Despite the secret they left between them all those years ago, snow is starting to fall on their picturesque little town, making anything seem possible…maybe even a second chance at first love.
***Synopsis copied from Amazon.ca***
3.5 Stars out of 5
At first I had such a hard time keeping up on what was happening and who was who in the story. So many characters introduced all at once and a couple large character backgrounds that threw me off.
I am so happy I stuck through the first chunk. The story started to grow on me and the characters became so sweet and heart warming.
It seems some aspects of the story are going in a negative route, until a twist on the story giving you all the happy feels.
Also, no one can say they won’t fall in love!… this was shown so well with Jolene. She never thought the relationship or family life was in her future. Until her past love Aiden crossed her path again.
Cute, fuzzy read!
Thank you to HQN for sending this cozy read my way!
nichi.i_readpastmybedtime 