Friday 31 May 2013

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon




Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance
Currently Number #39 in Amazon Free Best Seller List
Published Wild Rose Press; English Tea Rose Edition (25 March 2013)


Today's selection just proves Mark Coker's theory on the cover being a considerable driver to sales .... if you are wondering what I'm on about here, you'll have to wait for my next review later on today.

In the meanwhile, I found this little beauty lurking in at #39 in the Amazon Free Best Selling list, and it looks delightful for all the historical romance nuts out there (and I am happy to stand up and admit I'm one too, just in case you haven't realised that reading this blog!):

The story of a betrayal that wasn't. Even so, it still tore two lovers apart for eleven years. On the eve of their wedding, Michael Jeffres, Earl of Daventry, found his betrothed, the woman who meant as much to him as the air he breathed, in bed with his cousin. Diana, the daughter of a marquess, remembers nothing of that night. All she knows is she was forced to marry Michael's cousin, Leo, and then spent the next eleven years in hell. When the two lovers are brought back together by a letter from Leo a year after his death, Michael and Diana must struggle through all the lies and secrets before they can find a love that far surpasses the one of their youth.

It's had a few reasonable reviews and is available as a free download HERE.

All I need to do is clone myself to find a few more hours in the day to read all the daily selections so far this year ..... so far I'm up to the beginning of March.

Whilst writing this post, I've been listening to the Radio 2 500 Words Final, and now wish I was a librarian so that I could join in helping to judge this.  Surely, they could stretch it to serious reviewers' as well? - think about that one Mr Chris Evans please.  The plan this afternoon is to take some time to listen/read the entries.

On Amazon today my rating has slipped back down again to 6,289 (<) - I am still heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.

Hugs

Kay

Thursday 30 May 2013

#352 - Desperate Measures ~ Candice Hern



Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance > Short Story
Indie Writer (Self-published)

Description:


Lydia Bettridge is a young woman suffering the pangs of unrequited love. To capture the attention of Geoffrey Danforth, the man who has stolen her heart but barely notices her, she has resorted to desperate measures with a seemingly clever plan. By engaging the help of Phillip, a friend of her brother's, to play the love-smitten fool in public, she hopes to pique the interest of her unnamed love. But when Geoffrey himself shows up to take Phillip's place, all her careful planning is turned upside down. What's a girl to do but to make the best of it?

Product Details:

Customers who enjoy the traditional Regency Romances of Georgette Heyer, Barbara Metzger, and Carla Kelly will enjoy this witty Regency short story by New York Times best selling author Candice Hern. 

This is a short story (less than 10,000 words) and not a novella 34 pages, and is currently still available as a free download HERE.



* * * * *

Summary:

A sweet little Amuse-bouche, over all most before it began, but lovely all the same.  It left me want to add more by this author to my list at Good Reads.

Personally, I love anything that has a "Lydia" in it ....  although my own one was named after Lydia from Pride and Prejudice!

Rating:

3.5 stars, but not quite making 4, purely because it could have been fleshed out a bit with more back story.

Errors/Bug Bears:

None really, other than one poorly written sentence at 7% that I noted down at the time as it came across as very poorly written, but I didn't note down the exact wording - I am now wondering if I should mention it at all!

Hugs

Kay

#351 - The Bride Price ~ Tracy Jane Jackson



Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance > Time Travel > Civil War

Description:  


Is love timeless? 

Does only one true love exist for each person?
Can the course of history be changed in order to save a future generation?



Sophie Ford, awaiting a heart transplant, thought she was sleeping in the arms of her beloved husband, Jamie. However, she has woken to find herself in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 1863, without explanation as to how she got there, or where her husband is. 



Taking refuge with a doctor and his family, she finds herself in a volatile relationship with their neighbor, Richard Madden. His expectations and desires become difficult to ignore, and Sophie must find a way to hold off his pursuit.



She rejoices when a soldier, looking identical to Jamie, arrives. Although he claims he doesn't know her, she's convinced he's her husband and sets out to make him remember. Sophie races against time as she faces increasing pressure from Richard, who threatens their chance to reunite.



Can she break through Jamie's barriers and bring his memory back? And once found, can their love survive living in a different century?


Product Details:

I got this as a free Kindle download back in early March, and actually at the time of writing this post it's still available for free HERE.

260 pages


* * * * *

Summary:

Don't get me wrong I didn't hate this, it was okay'ish as novels go.

The concept was good, but some parts seemed to be a little laborious, whilst the end just seemed to be precipitous.  In my humble opinion it would have been better to have taken a little more care with the winding up, rather than a mad dash uphill and quick run off the edge.  If the end was re-written it could well have come up by another star.

One high point for me was the "Ten Cow" explanation, which worked really well within the work as a whole.

As ebooks go though, it was not a badly delivered product.  I believe just one mistake (see below) was found (and you all know I like to find them), so the author should be commended on the delivery of a good quality product.

Rating:

If it weren't for the hurried ending it would have got 4 stars, but from me it's 3 stars.

Errors/Bug Bears:

65% - ".... and a solider rushed over to try help" - missed out "to" surely.

Hugs

Kay






My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon




  •  Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Children's Fiction > Literature > Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror > Action & Adventure
  • Indie Writer (Self-published)


I'm all about time travel at the moment, having just finished "Daughter of Time" by Sarah Woodbury (a previous Daily Selection that is still available for free download), and so this offering caught my eye:


The Kingdom of Gammalon is taken siege by evil Lord Dravidor of Dark Vale. Its army has been driven out of the kingdom and now seeking refuge in the caves of Mount Kiznon. Their only hope lies in a man that lives in a different world- the present.


Jack O'Shea, the crown prince of Gammalon takes refuge in the present world upon directions by the General of the Gammalonian Army as they seek to reinforce soldiers and weapons after a gruesome battle with the Dark Vale army. Stuck in the present world for eighteen years, he has never spoken of his heritage to his children. So when he is recalled to save Gammalon, he least expects that his four children will be journeying with him to the World of Spassenia. As they cross the gates of dimensions, they enter a world unlike they've ever known-one where magic and power prevail over all who live in it. With perils at every turn they take, they must seek the alliance of the mythical shadow warriors of the Tsez Xian to win the war against Dravidor.



It's had a few reasonable reviews and is available as a free download HERE.

I bang on endlessly about covers, but I have to say that this one is not a particular favourite ... having said that it caught my eye, so maybe it works on some kind of subliminal level.

On Amazon today my rating has slipped back down again to 6,277 (<) - I am still heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.


Hugs

Kay

Wednesday 29 May 2013

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon


Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance
Publisher:  Mind Games Publications



Although something altogether different had been my choice originally, I simply couldn't resist this one ..... such a pretty cover, and such an unusual concept, and I need something to make me feel better:


Do you enjoy the Regency Romance or Historical Romance set in the Regency period? Then this Regency Quiz Book is for YOU!

How much do you know about the Regent and his cronies, the balls, the parks, the clubs, the correct titles, the fashions, and the authors writing all those delightful historic romance novels? You will most likely find that your favourite reading has added greatly to your historic knowledge. 

And how much do you remember from the books you have enjoyed over the years? 

Test and demonstrate your knowledge of the history, customs, fashions, important personages and above all, the classic novels and novelists celebrating this fascinating period. 

This Regency Quiz Book is the perfect complement to your collection of historic romance novels. 


No reviews yet, but a nice bit of fun that you can find it available as a free download HERE , and judge for yourself.  It will be interesting to see how well badly I do!

On Amazon today my rating has gone back down again to 5,893 (>) - I am still heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.

Hugs

Kay

Tuesday 28 May 2013

#350 - Sea Scoundrel ~ Annette Blair




Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance
Publisher:  ABA LLC (2nd edition)

Description:


Lady Patience Kendall crossed the sea to marry, but her intended died before she arrived. Penniless and stranded, she found only one way to get home: Bring rich American Misses to England to find them titled husbands. At the ship, she realized their mothers expected each to wed the Marquess of Andover. She'd have to seek an introduction. On the journey, Captain Grant St. Benedict was anything but friendly. Just because her girls caused a few mishaps? Grant had never met a woman more irritating, or more desirable, than the Lady Patience Kendall. But however dangerous his interest, he couldn't resist teaching the delicious distraction that independence was nothing to passion.

Product Details:

I snagged it as a free Kindle download back in March, and at the time of writing it is still available as a free download HERE.

306 pages in length

This is Book 1 in a series.  As a brief history of SEA SCOUNDREL: In 1999, the book, LADY PATIENCE, needed to be cut in half to fit the Precious Gem Line for Kensington Publishing. Now, here in its full award-winning, uncut glory for the first time is the story of the Sea Captain and his Lady.

Other books in the series:

CAPTIVE SCOUNDREL, Knave of Hearts, Two
PROPER SCOUNDREL, Knave of Hearts, Three
HOLY SCOUNDREL, Knave of Hearts, Four


* * * * *

Summary/Review:

Actually quite amusing from the start, this is a wonderfully gentle novel, with some great scenes.

As a Hero, The Captain, wasn't didn't quite put the swash in swash-buckling, but he wasn't that far off.  He tended to the more sarcastic and humorous than full on alpha .... which is always a nice change.  Which girl can resist funny?

It was entirely predictable that he was in fact the very Marquess of Andover she'd been fabricating an introduction to, but hey ho I don't think that it could have gone down any differently!

Rating:

Notwithstanding the above, it's 4 stars from me, and a big thumbs up.

Errors/Bug Bears:

48% - "Almacs" - spelt incorrectly - it should be Almacks.  Also, only a patroness could give vouchers and permission to dance the waltz.  Author implied they had to have permission to dance it each time ... odd.

65% - I could be wrong but, I don't think Turkeys' have ever run wild in England.

75% - "cement balustrade" - surely stone in any well to do household?

All the above are just be being a nit picking pain, but I do like authenticity in my reads.

Hugs

Kay

My Daily (well almost after a long weekend off) Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon




Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Young Adult > Horror > Vampires
Indie Writer (Self-published) another Author is also credited CJ Pinard


I took the chance and had a nice long weekend break, so we've had a break from my selections.  Never fear though I'm back and, as promised, have a nice Vampire one for you:


Danger lurks in the dead of night... 


Seventeen year old Nikki and her twin brother, Nathan, move to the small town of Shore Lake to start over after their mother is brutally attacked. When a missing teenager washes up on shore during their first night at the cabin and there are whispers of vampires in Shore Lake, Nikki begins to realize that there are things roaming in the darkness that are far more sinister than what they left behind in the city.


It's had 21 fairly decent reviews, and I whilst it seems primarily to be aimed at the YA/Teen market, some of those reviews have been from adults that loved it - it has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon.  You can find it available as a free download HERE , and judge for yourself.

On Amazon today my rating has gone up over the weekend to 5,893 (>) - I am still heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.


Hugs

Kay


Friday 24 May 2013

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon



Kindle Store > Books > Historical > Romance
Indie Writer (Self-published)
Edited by:  Karen Babcock



I know that not everyone loves Historical Romances, but I just fancied this one ...... I will try to find something more vampric or fantasy orientated for tomorrow I promise.  For now though, this one looks interesting (not sure about the cover):


Bess Saunders has fallen in love. He is big, he is charmingly masculine, and his Scottish accent sends her reeling with very unmaiden-like desires.




Having inherited his mother’s English home and title, Earl of Dunkirk of Scotland is considered a prize catch by the haute ton. He knows one day he will have to marry to carry on his name, but he wants a wife who ‘understands’ they will each go their own way after she gives him an heir—a marriage of convenience. 




Lady Bess does not fit into those plans. How could she? She is exquisite, yes, but she is also an innocent who expects faithfulness. He won’t ruin an innocent, and yet, he can’t get her out of his head. 




All this time, and right in their midst, evil hovers. Although Bess doesn’t look for it, she finds it—and Bess is not your average, simpering female. She takes on danger and mayhem like she does everything else: full throttle.



Adventure ensues as we travel with Bess through romance and the battle of her life.

It's a another new release,and therefore there aren't any reviews.  You can find it available as a free download HERE .

On Amazon today my rating has slipped a place to 6,615 (<) - although I should not really complain as overall I am heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.


Hugs

Kay

Thursday 23 May 2013

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon



Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Contemporary > Drama > Romance
Indie Writer (Self-published)




Today I thought I would go for a nice contemporary drama, it may well be considered a romance as well, but from the description I'm not sure if they will work it out:


Living in a small, religious community can be hard for any teenager, but it was especially hard on Paul Arnold. Paul had been a decent kid with two younger brothers, a loving mother, and an asshole abusive father.


But Paul stayed and took the abuse until his youngest brother was old enough to get the hell out. And out they got, straight to the big city, swearing never to come back. 

That was nine years ago and now Paul and his younger brothers have been brought back home to meet with a lawyer about their father's estate. Paul wants to get in, deal with business, and get out. But Angie Barbour, has other plans.

Angie, now a real estate agent, wants to breathe new life into the town she loves, the town Paul can't wait to get away from. As their old friendship grows anew and changes into something deeper, will Paul kill it, before it has the chance to grow? Or will Angie be able to convince him that putting down roots isn't a curse?


It's a another new release,and therefore there aren't any reviews.  You can find it available as a free download HERE .

On Amazon today my rating has slipped a few places further back to 6,614 (<) - although I should not really complain as overall I am heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.


Hugs

Kay

Wednesday 22 May 2013

#349 - Heaven Made ~ Saralynn Hoyt



Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Historical > Romance
Indie Writer (Self-published)


Description:

Heaven Made: Ghost meets Downton Abbey - London, 1905


Desperate and penniless, Sabrina Tremaine must flee her grand home with her daughter before her brother-in-law mistreats them both. Little Alice believes her papa’s ghost is helping the two find a new home. Ford Northcliffe is an absent minded scientist only concerned with his experiments. His house in chaos since his mother’s death, he desperately needs a fine lady to run things. The employment agency that brought them together is in cahoots with a local psychic, Madame Lou. The medium is under strict instructions from the spirit world to make a match of these two regardless of the obstacles they face, including a deathbed vow and murder most foul. With the help of the mystical matchmaker, the two have fallen into the trap of a forbidden passion and a consuming love that neither can deny. But there are insurmountable obstacles in the way of their happiness and it will be up to the spirits of the dead to guide their destiny.



Product Details:

I picked this up as a freebie Kindle download in early March, and have only just around to reading it.

Currently it's listed at £1.97 and you can find it HERE.  Is it worth that?   .... see the Summary below.


* * * * *


Summary/Rating:
  
I picked this up as a freebie download, written by Sheryl Hoyt as Saralynn Hoyt, but the big question is "was it worth it?".  Yes, it was ....... delightful, absolutely delightful and big 5+ star rating from me.

Such a refreshing change to see the historical romance written from this perspective.  The nearest I've got to this was a contemporary one earlier this year (Second Sight Dating).

The description promised "ghosts meet Downton Abbey" and that was pretty much what we got.

Not laugh out loud stuff, but tiny smatterings of humorous writing here and there that made it a wonderful read.  I can't wait to see if there are more books, and I'm pretty sure this should be a series of psychic love stories.


Hugs

Kay




#348 - Silver Storm (The Raveneau Novels, Book 1)



Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance
Indie Writer (Self-published)



Description:


Dashing and dangerous Andre Raveneau is the Revolutionary War's most reckless privateer captain when Devon Lindsay stows away aboard his ship after her Connecticut town has been burned by the British. Raveneau sardonically agrees to deliver her to her childhood sweetheart in Virginia but doesn't count on his own potent attraction to the enchanting, courageous Devon.


Through high adventure, swashbuckling sea battles, and the colourful history of America's revolution, the couple battles the fiery passion that binds them together.



Product Details:

I snagged this as a freebie download, and at the time of writing this post it is still showing as available as a free download HERE.

341 pages

Other books in the series:

The Raveneau Novels* and The Beauvisage Novels intertwine, with some characters crossing over. Should you wish to read them in chronological order, this is the sequence:
1781- SILVER STORM*
1783 - CAROLINE
1789 - TOUCH THE SUN
1793 - SPRING FIRES (A Beauvisage/Raveneau Novel)
1814 - SURRENDER THE STARS*
1814 - NATALYA
1818 - SILVER SEA* (A Raveneau/Beauvisage Novel)
1903 - TEMPEST*

*SILVER STORM was revised in December, 2012, and all reviews posted before that date which refer to the hero's unforgivable behaviour are inaccurate.


* * * * *


Summary:

Actually, I loved it.

The dangerous sparks that flew between Andre and Devon, all brought about by chemistry.

Admittedly, he was a bit of a bounder, but then again Devon seemed to behave just as badly.  Possibly should could be forgiven just a bit of that, as she was so young and had been through quite a bit. 


Lovely twist towards the end when she finds out about how her Mother died (no point asking, I'm not giving you a spoiler!).  It's amazing that what you think you want, and what you end up with are sometimes wildly disparate.

All in all a great read with a lovely swash-buckling hero and highly recommended if pirates, or indeed love and romance are your thing.

I've put the other books in the two inter-twining series (see above) on my "To Read" List over at Good Reads.


Rating:

I've given this a bit of thought, and decided to give it 5 stars on Amazon/Good Reads.  It was too good for just 4 - if I could hand out half stars, it would have been a 4.5 rating.



Hugs

Kay






My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon





Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance
Indie Writer (Self-published)


More historical romance .... suck it up! ... I like them.... and it's only a novella:

When magical spells and love collide, everything goes wrong - until it goes right! Midsummer's Magic takes the reader on a bewitching romp through Regency England and an enchanted story in which anything can happen.

There are now reviews, so I've no idea what we'll be getting.  You can find it available as a free download HERE .

On Amazon today my rating has slipped a few places back to 6,504 (<) - although I should not really complain as overall I am heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.

Hugs

Kay

Tuesday 21 May 2013

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon




Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance
Indie Writer (Self-published)



No reviews yet for this historical romance, which apparently has a murder/suspense element too:


In 1924 England, young and single are the calling card to matchmakers and would-be cupids. Which is the case with Rebecca Highsmith, and her matchmaking aunt; a woman who believes her “spinster” niece is destined for quick marriage as soon as she finds the right man. After being dragged to a coastal party and expected to find her one true love, what Rebecca and the other guests really find is a corpse. 


What was originally a bid for love at first sight becomes a twisted game of killer hide-and-seek, as Rebecca races to discover the identity of the murderer before they strike again. Nothing will ever be the same at the Mansion on Penrose Hill! 



This is Rebecca's debut novel, and "promises thrilling twists and a climactic ending that will keep readers riveted".  

Quite a boast, plus a pretty cover image had me reaching for the download button. You can find it available as a free download HERE .

On Amazon today my rating has slipped a few places back to 6,493 (<) - although I should not really complain as overall I am heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.


Hugs

Kay

Monday 20 May 2013

My Daily Selection for Free Kindle Download at Amazon





Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Mystery > Hard-Boiled
Indie Writer (Self-published)



Oh bite me! ..... what if I have selected another Vampiric novel today, well actually bite me three times as it's a 3 in 1.  Number 1 in the above category, and about number 39 in the free listing.


MOON DANCE
Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire. Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Now working the night shift as a private investigator, Samantha is hired by Kingsley Fulcrum to investigate the murder attempt on his life, a horrific scene captured on TV and seen around the country. But as the case unfolds, Samantha discovers Kingsley isn't exactly what he appears to be; after all, there is a reason why he survived five shots to the head.

DARK HORSE
Dark Horse takes place in Huntington Beach, California. Surf City, USA. Written in the tradition of Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, Dark Horse introduces a new hard-hitting, wise-cracking hero with a modern twist. When high school student Derrick Booker, the only black student at a posh Orange County high school, is accused of killing his white girlfriend, ex-college football hero and detective Jim Knighthorse is hired to dig a little deeper into the murder. It doesn't take long for Knighthorse to realize that not all is as it seems at tranquil Huntington High, from a band director who preys on the innocent to a vice-principal with a secret agenda of her own. Not to mention someone's hired a professional killer to keep Knighthorse permanently off the case.

THE VAMPIRE WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Three years ago, high school student Veronica Fortune witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. Now armed and dangerous, she sets out to hunt down the very thing that destroyed her life. That is, until she disappears. Spinoza is a private investigator who specializes in finding the missing. He's good at what he does. Damn good. But he's also a recovering alcoholic and a royal mess. Hired to find Veronica, Spinoza won't let his personal demons—or demons of any kind—get in the way of finding the truth about the missing girl. Now following a bizarre set of clues that leads him into stranger and stranger territory, Spinoza is about to come face-to-face with something legendary...and something hungry for blood.


There are only 8 reviews, but they've all given 5 stars.  I've just downloaded it  (as with all my freebie selections) and it's joined the growing list of titles on my Kindle until I get to it. You can find it available as a free download HERE .

On Amazon today my rating remained has gone back up a bit to 6,483 (>) - although I should not really complain as overall I am heading in the right direction.  I would love to get to the top 1,000 Reviewers' some day .... so if you find the Daily Kindle Download info useful please go over to my Reviews on Amazon and leave me some positive feedback - which helps my rating, and will earn you my grateful thanks.

Hugs

Kay

Sunday 19 May 2013

#347 - Everville: The First Pillar



 Kindle Store > Books > Fiction > Fantasy > Epic
Indie Writer (Self-published)


Description:

Owen Sage is the emblematic college freshman at Easton Falls University. With all the worries about his first year in college, he was not prepared for what would happen next. His way of life was flipped upside down when he mysteriously crossed into another dimension, into the beautiful land of Everville. His excitement was abruptly halted when he discovered that there was a darkness forged against both the natural world, which he knew well, and the new land which he discovered, Everville. He must devise a plan to save both worlds while joining forces with the race of Fron and The Keepers, whom both harbor hidden secrets he must learn in order to gain power over the evil that dwells in The Other In Between.

With a race against time to save both worlds, his short time at Easton Falls did not quite prepare him for the evil, dark forces he must fight in order to conquer The Other In Between.

Product Details:

The Author, Roy, very kindly let me have a copy of his book for review as a Kindle download.

At the time of writing this post, it is available as a free download HERE. Normally it is listed as £12.00, which is a little rich for some.

* * * *

Summary:

I believe that this may well be Roy's debut novel, and it's the first in a series based on the fantasy land of Everville.

I quite liked the concept actually, of the Land In Between, which was surrounded by other fantasy lands.  The contract of evil represented by "them" and good represented by The Keepers of the various Pillars.   

At times I found it a little over descriptive, and there were some sentence construction and chapter bridging problems.  In particular I hated the beginning of Chapter 8.  I did like the unexpected twist of a villain in the present helping "them" (I didn't see that coming).

An editing firm is given credit on the Amazon page, but I can't say if that was in regard to actual editing or just formatting of the ebook.  My personal view would be that it was probably just in respect of the formatting ..... I am willing to be corrected if I'm wrong though.

Overall, the issues that I had with the book a good editor could have made a distinct difference.  I did find myself itching to reach for my highlighter and red pen and edit the work to gain a better flow.  It does take courage to put your work out there, and massive to Kudos to Roy for this reasonable first novel, in what could turn about to really quite an interesting series.

I enjoyed it enough to be keen to read future offerings by Roy to see what goes down, and if Everville will ultimately be delivered from the evil that "them" are determined to spread.


Rating:

3 stars from me I think, but with good editing it would probably have made 3.5 stars.  For all the Fantasy fans out there, give it a go.

My Notes of Errors/Bug Bears:

There really weren't many, but the things that bothered me in particular:

I had to re-read Chapter 8 as some of it didn't flow well.

58% "His eyes were fixated ...." - fixed would have been better, and "fixated" was used a few times - personally, I felt it was overkill.

"Standing on all four legs, they must have been at least 6 feet tall ....".  I think this may be a gender thing, I checked it with male and females, and all the females had the same reaction - i.e. they would still have been 6 feet tall standing on 1 or 3 legs, unless they were standing on their hind legs, in which case they would be taller.  The males saw nothing wrong with the sentence - bizarre.

60% "Carwyn squeezed the mountain dweller called Ewan" - really? I had to re-read the paragraph again to make sense of it .... it might just have been me though.

83% Mention is made by Owen of "my parents house" - I went back and check the beginning and it mentioned that it was just Owen and his Mother .... am I being over picky?

Given that it was a reasonably long novel, that wasn't a long list.

Hugs

Kay