The Dark That Dwells: An exciting, action packed Space Opera that is coming July 10, 2020! Mark your calendars.
Genre: Adult | Science Fiction | Space Opera | Fantasy
4 out of 5 stars!
The Dark That Dwells is such a fascinating world. An action packed story filled with so many wonderful characters that were executed perfectly. I’m finding it hard to decide which are my favourites I may just need to come to terms and realize I enjoyed them all in their own way. Although I feel the most interesting character was the villain. This could simply be because I do love a good villain when they are done well, which in this case he definitely was. His back story truly shows why he is who he is and why he does what he does. In a lot of stories I read my connection usually lies with the main group and the villain is just in the background causing chaos. But when we have the inside story on the villain it makes me fall back on a quote I have heard (sorry I don’t remember where from and it may be paraphrasing) “Even if you’re the hero, your the villain in somebody else’s story.”
On top of great characters you have an extremely engaging story line full of powerful events. The beginning of this story started out with a mind blowing scene. Then the introduction to each of the 4 souls and a look into their history. Then a story filled with love, loss, hate, ruin, revenge and so much more it completely devours you as the reader.
Matt and Ryan are the most adorable couple and I can’t help but think they made such a great team writing this epic space opera. I can’t thank them enough for sending me a copy to read and review and I look forward to what they may have for us in the future.
Again be sure to mark your calendars for July 10th! and if you pick this read up I would love discussing it with you once you have completed it.
Poetry is something I really need to strive to read more of!
Even the most simplest poetry pieces can find a way to enrich our lives. Poetry can have the most powerful, hard hitting words. Divan of Shah is no exception! Shah has created this flow of emotions and uses some brilliant examples throughout his collection. Helping the reader to truly connect with what is being said.
Poetry is incredibly intimate! Each reader will consume the pieces different and find a way to relate it with their own personal lives.
Poetry is something we can come back to time and time again. It can be that pallet cleanser in between reads, the uplifting words needed during hard times or even that warm hug we may need. Poetry adapts to what we may need in that very moment.
Divan of Shah is full of love, lose, pain, life and will truly warm the heart.
Whether poetry is your jam or not I say pick it up! You may be presently surprised on how much it can touch your heart.
Genre: Young Adult | Fiction | Fantasy| Powers/Magic | Romance
4 out of 5 stars!
A great young adult fantasy with a unique concept.
Now a days it’s truly difficult for authors especially when writing in a heavily popular genre and reading age. Finding something unique to the story, something to keep the reader engaged and wanting to read on. Almost every story has been written; so what can an author do to set it aside from other fantasy reads, to make sure it’s not just a clone of the book it sits next to on the shelf. M.L.Greye found a way with Of Rioters & Royals.
At first I thought “Hm… eye color determines your abilities?….So blue is this and brown is that…?” Man was I wrong. M.L. went into a bit more detail than just one color. Even the flecks of different colors in your eyes can choose a mix of abilities .. all depending on how many colors you have blended into those eyes of yours. This concept pulled me right in! I couldn’t help but want to know the characters and what abilities they may have been blessed with.
The story started off with destruction; the world felt a lot like what we are dealing with in today’s life. Sickness, disease, isolation, rationing, desperation and more. The only tiny, slight problem I had with this read was the story started out with chaos and than slowed right down until we got closer to the ending where it started to pick up again.
Now I understand world building is crucial for an author! Introducing their readers to this world they have created (especially when its a series, not a stand alone) the first book or two is the authors chance to set the world up, introduce the characters and this can tend to slow the pace of the read down. This being said, it didn’t take away from the read or make it bad in any way. I just wanted a bit more buzz.
Emory and Declan are fantastic characters! I love how Declan is out to betray Emory but finds out that it may not be as easy as he planned and Emory may have an idea of exactly what is going on. Their connection in the story is something to cherish. As the story goes they become closer, more connected and in ways that they could never have expected. Of Rioters & Royals is pretty romance heavy and rightfully so. If romance is not your thing, you may not enjoy this read. Although I say it’s still worth giving it a go since there is so much more to the story and you may just devour it.
Thank you so very much to M.L. Greye for sending me an e-copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing where their story goes from here in book two.
“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!
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
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!
Better You Believe is a collection of short stories. All urban legends Tony has come across over the years, while on his own adventures.
Nothing better than the perfect scary story as a kid. What we may not realise at that age, is a lot of the stories that have circled around come from urban legends our parents or family members have heard.
Tony not only brought attention to urban legends I myself had never heard of. He brought them to life, putting his own little spin on them. These are tales that will stick with me for a very long time, perhaps even for life.
These bizarre, creepy, strange stories are very fast paced and will leave you itching for more of each.
Some of the characters are so relate-able and you can’t help but feel emotions along side them, some of these myths will come across very cheeky, but know that there is a good life lesson to learn in each. So be sure to pay attention to the underlining message.
Tony’s writing is so enjoyable. No added filler, no drawn out sections, great story development, the characters are done really well and as I mentioned each story is very fast paced. You will fly through this collection in no time while being entertained the whole time, you may even be shocked by some of the twists that come along.
Yes! Of course I would recommend Better You Believe.
Publisher: Independently Published
Date: February 11, 2019
NOW!
If Better You Believe sounds like something that would be right up your alley! Than you must check out Sour by Tony Evans
Sour is a mix of some of the urban legends you may have read in “Better You Believe” all wrapped together in one perfect creepy bundle.
The moment I started to dive into Sour I thought… YES! This is it. I wanted more of these stories and I am getting just that.
Sam has to takes some drastic steps to try and rectify a huge loss after some very poor choices but again things may never be the same and might be better off just left alone.
I really enjoyed Sour, so happy I picked it up immediately after Better You Believe. It helped satisfy some of the thirst I had for more on these legends.
Again I would recommend Sour as well! I may even recommend reading them one after the other so everything is fresh in your mind….. Your welcome!
I can’t wait to read more of Tony’s work!… Masterpieces.
I am a fan of odd, eerie, gruesome reads and The Scrimshaw Worm hit on those themes well.
Your main character, Will seems like a really good guy. He will protect those that just can’t or won’t protect themselves, he also has a soft spot in his heart for some in his life. After a harsh yet passionate act Will’s choices have forced him to serve as a doctor on a Whaling Voyage, even though he promised himself never again. During his journey on the ship they save a women who seems to be a damsel in distress from a dyer situation. Shortly after, crew members start to disappear, some are attacked, some are killed and left for the rest of the crew to find and yet no one knows what’s happening.
The Scrimshaw Worm leaves you antsy to know what or who is attacking the crew.
I enjoyed The Scrimshaw Worm and I am happy I picked it up.
I only have a couple very small reasons why I took a star off my rating and please keep in mind these are my own opinions and you may not feel the same when picking up this read for yourself. These reasons also don’t take away from the story line, characters, plot or Daniel’s writing.
I found the down time in-between the action, although short and not drawn out, was very slow. I wanted to rush through those moments in order to get back to the action. Again this is most likely just me and it may show that the book was well written because I obviously wanted more. Also the down time was not just filler, it was information that was crucial to the story so I had to slow myself down and take it all in. My only other reason was that you got such a strong glimpse of who Will was back on the mainland and a sneak peak into one relationship in particular he held and I found that I missed not having that closure at the end of the story to see how things were off the waters.
All in all I would recommend this read. I think it will be unlike any of the novels you have in your collection currently.