Kester James Finley's Blog

Welcome to Random Book Review Roundup #6! I know it’s been a while since we released one of these but, keeping with the whole “getting back on track” post earlier this year, I’m sticking with my guns and trying my best. *shoots finger guns*

All three titles listed below have been read, reviewed, and placed on both Goodreads(if available) and Amazon. If you see something you like, please click the available links at the very bottom and read for the love of reading. Picking up an indie/self-pub title warms an author’s heart and tells them you enjoy and support their creative endeavors. As a reminder and sort of disclaimer, I make no claims to be the end-all be-all of writing, reading, or reviewing. I am a reader first and foremost, an author second, and a reviewer third. The scores listed below are from my tastes, viewpoints, and likes only and should not be a determining factor to anyone else’s take on the books or opinion on possible purchasing. No tea, no shade, no disrespect. Without further ado…

Tea in Crimea by David Kopf

(5/5)

David Kopf’s Tea in Crimea delivers straightforward fiction writing steeped in historically accurate information while drama and thriller co-exist in his latest offering. Although it was in my TBR pile far too long, I am thrilled to have added it to my recent reads.

Kopf’s ability to weave political and historical information and expertly detailed information specific to the region and time his work takes place is masterful, especially when blending a slowly converging plot from several different viewpoints into a cohesive tension-filled thrill ride.    

At face value, readers may assume Tea in Crimea to be more military wartime experience but after a few pages it’s obvious it is merely one layer of a multi-leveled journey. Guided by Kopf’s in-depth research and commitment to facts embellishing the fiction, readers will find engaging and relatable characters that pull us in before placing us right at the heart of his creation, that being, the human experience. Told from several different viewpoints, Kopf displays his craft splendidly as we get to bear witness to those on the front lines, the sidelines, and those struggling to survive amid chaos, confusion, boredom, and shifting political and military landscapes.  

Humanizing and relevant for the time period and for future considerations, Kopf’s Tea in Crimea is a realistic drama with added thrills that offers a wider lens of all involved when it comes to war, terrorism, duty, and life. Never preachy, never overly scholarly, Kopf showcases his knowledge of the subject matter with character-driven fiction that delivers ground-level entertainment for those dipping their toes into this genre while giving those accustomed to this level of writing a very enjoyable and well-paced and thought-out book reading trip.   

The Dreaming Dead by Jay Wayward

(4/5)

The Dreaming Dead by Jay Wayward offers up a hack n’ slash with heart in an immersive world of dark fantasy. At face value, Wayward’s creation can be considered one of a simple adventure tale set within an imaginary world but after a few pages, readers are made aware this journey will eclipse that mindset in spades. Deftly serving up a richly detailed world bursting with compelling characters and enough action to fully satisfy readers of the genre, Wayward’s novel begins with the excitement already in progress and doesn’t let up until the final page is turned.

Told between two time periods in the main protagonist’s life, Wayward displays a knack for keeping each time period and its respective characters in their rightful place while expertly ensuring each section reads separately but remains cohesive to the whole book even if the story bounces back and forth with each new chapter. Seeing the present unfold while also seeing the future story unfold can leave some readers confused until all the missing pieces start to fall into place. It may have a greater impact on those who prefer a more linear clear-cut offering, but in this instance, it does work though requires us readers to adjust in what we know, don’t know, and believe when it comes to pacing, plot, and the flow of his characters’ lives until our minds can catch up. Characters are well liked and fully detailed and, while the plot may be a little looser than some reads, the fun, heart, thievery, murder, and mayhem is well worth the time as Wayward blends action and fantasy into a world brimming with love, loss, the family we have and the ones we choose, humor, sharp swords, and the importance of an adventurous life best lived.

Goblin Girl: A Humorous LitRPG by Vaughan Farrar

(5/5)

Reading like an open-world MMO, Goblin Girl by Vaughan Farrar is an epic quest offering with heart. Light, imaginative, and humorous fans of both online roleplaying games and fantasy-inspired writing will find a lot to enjoy within. With a clear plot and building tension, the magic of Farrar’s able-bodied storytelling lends itself well to entice and pull readers into his created world.   

Subtle nuances and cleverly detailed descriptions of places, things, and the ever-lovable Smuk, our goblin girl heroine, Farrar paints an expansive world mirroring those often found in some of our favorite role-playing games, both online and tabletop gaming.

Long enough to be considered an epic adventure but way easier to read, the shifting parameters of Smuk’s journey running parallel to other character developments, make Goblin Girl a splendidly enjoyable experience throughout, whether you digest its contents in one sitting or within a few days. Its charm is in the story and can be dissected beyond good RPG fun to showcasing lessons younger readers may already be aware of, such as trying your best regardless of odds, the Golden Rule, and female empowerment in a male-dominated world. Although it may have not been intentional or hidden within on purpose, Goblin Girl does provide a strong female lead and a offers the truest representations of player experiences within online gaming such as friendships regardless of sex, looks, or location, a sense of community, and growing more powerful in every aspect when faced with danger. Not an arduous journey by any means, Goblin Girl is a highly enjoyable read, an excellent side quest, and a wonderfully reminiscent offering by Farrar that will tickle your funny bone, make you geek out a little bit, and warm your heart. Great read.

Links to Amazon:

Much love and keep reading,

KJF

Let’s face it, life gets in the way sometimes. The feeling of not being able to catch up can stick with you. Sometimes, the desire to return to writing, to things left in the dust, beckons with a whisper or screams from the void. We listen, dive back in, and ignore; thus is the passing of time. I never imagined writer’s block would find its unnerving form to my doorstep, but it did. Life got crazy and whenever I could squirrel away a few minutes to write I found my interest, my want to was missing. I had ideas, stories, developments, directions, and a few outlets to pour inspiration and creativity into but when I could, I didn’t and when I couldn’t, well, I didn’t then either. I blame myself, I blame the world, I blame life in general, but I believe I may have finally found a path, a light to guide, and a way around, over, and through some of the barriers holding me back.

I’ve recently decided to limit my social media interaction and presence. When I first started this writing journey I was under the impression we needed to spread ourselves thin across multiple apps, websites, and platforms to garner interest. It was foolish to believe I had the drive to maintain or the want to manage so many apps and learning how to function on all of them. I also found that I would spend countless hours doing absolutely nothing on them but rolling and scrolling through other people’s posts and interacting very little. Time wasting has always been a professional skill of mine but I never thought it was that big of an issue until I realized I had written, rewritten, edited, altered, and retooled the same 3 pages of work for nearly 2 years without ever breaking past it.

I missed writing and creating. I missed reading other authors’ works and leaving reviews for them on various sites. I enjoyed that simple aspect over all others and I want to get back to that simpler time. My jaunt into every social media area I could squeeze into never amounted to greater sales, only avoidance of my dreams, my well-being, and my ability to stay focused. I sell books, and I did so without posting every 2 mins. Sure, it’s not hundreds of sales some people get but it’s never been about making a fortune, it was always about creating, dreaming through writing, and exploring different and fantastical places in all their glory.

With that being said, you can find me on Bluesky and here. I will always try and read indie books and leave reviews while I pick up the pace with my own writing, and will never turn down an ARC in the genres of horror, sci-fi, supernatural, magical realism, or urban fiction. I wouldn’t necessarily turn down other genres, but I like what I like. If you’d like to follow along, you can email me at kesterjamesfinley@gmail.com or contact me here with your book info.

Keep writing and creating, keep reading.

-KJF

Photo Credit: Amtrak, Management Team- June 18th, 2020 (https://francais.amtrak.com/on-track-for-good)

Back with a vengeance, sorta. Here are three recent reads for the month of December. I actually read them in November, but holiday pie and leftovers don’t eat themselves, so I recovered from my sugar and carb overload refusing to leave the couch to type out reviews. Please enjoy and if you find any of my reviews interesting, buy the damn book and give it a read. Help a fellow author out by reading and reviewing or simply pick up an indie book and read for the enjoyment of it all. Listed below are the reviews and any information such as links to both Amazon and Goodreads where applicable. Enjoy!

Dead World by K. Z. Howell

Fast fantasy read, potential reality.

In Dead World by K. Z. Howell, a fast thrill ride of fantasy meets a possible threat from reality in the form of a biological attack that forces the world to take notice. In this non-stop page-turner, secrets become truths, and the very survival of the human race hangs in the balance setting the stage for possible future installments.

Howell delivers bringing the escalating fear and panic right from the start and is unrelenting as he brings his readers on a trip amid a growing catastrophe that consumes all with its influence. Readers will no doubt find the nod to disaster films and books even before Howell switches gears with detailed page after page blending chaos with care, military and civilian life, freedom and death. Managing to juggle multiple characters forced into precarious positions, Howell covers the doomsday prepper survivalist vibe brilliantly within a rapidly dissolving societal structure that includes interesting friends, past haunts, future problems, and devilish foes. Amid the devastation, Howell peppers his writing with enough backstory to allow readers to feel for those struggling to live, hoping for salvation, and fighting forces to figure it all out while never letting up with his starting pace.

One-part apocalyptic disaster movie, and one-part survival guide about living in the aftermath of a global crisis, Howell brings the action and what ifs, the possibilities, and the secrets working in the shadows. While there are some editing errors throughout that some readers may feel detract from being completely pulled into Howell’s nitty gritty thrill-ride, and some of the character journeys could have included a little more fleshing out/give and take, Dead World is begging for a film adaptation and worth the read.  

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15343527.K_Z_Howell

Lonely Hearts: A Short Story by Patricia Correll

Devilishly delightful.

Coming in around 30 pages, Lonely Hearts: A Short Story by Patricia Correll hooks right from the start and delivers in this wickedly simple love story. A cat and mouse story for the ages, Correll brilliantly showcases the working minds of two random strangers looking for love in all the wrong places and shines a light on the dark crevices not normally shown in one’s quest for romance.

With details and imagery aplenty, Correll expertly guides her readers on a twisted tale that offers little snippets of information as to her real intentions from the beginning before eventually flipping the lid open on her creation and letting it run wild toward its exhilarating climax. Taking place in a rustic setting this horror/mystery reads and feels like an episode of Tales from the Crypt mixed with hints of War of the Roses if said movie had been set way back when on a farm and it doesn’t let up until the credits roll. Sinister and sexy, complex and deceptively easy-going, Lonely Hearts is a win/win.  Swipe right on this read, it does not disappoint.    

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6727899.Patricia_Correll

Spiritless but actually not by Kyle Mitchell

Set adrift in a sea of nihilism.

In Spiritless but actually not, Kyle Mitchell proves his writing does have merit even if some of the work within becomes muddled in its broad attempt to paint a larger picture and keep readers on track to its main purpose. Collecting several singular stories as chapters, Spiritless isn’t without its slivers of pure genius and bright lights shone on brutal truths but individual impacts that can tie everything together are lost amongst the Pollock-like tapestry at play here as too many different directions vie for supremacy. It comes off as if some ideas were flawlessly delivered to readers while others were a mishmash of jotted-down sentences, clever wordplay, broken dialogue, and wayward thoughts that kept the greater appeal and understanding elusive and cloudy when pinning down exactly what it wanted to be detracting from wide range appeal of the entire work versus only a few chapters.   

What Mitchell does do well, however, is showcase the human experience from the nihilistic viewpoint that was evident in more than one chapter as it ebbed and flowed from clarity to confusion and back again. It is within this philosophical approach that the broken, the damaged, the intrusive thoughts kept at bay, and the trauma of life entangled around every step of those within his work are displayed via the good, the bad, and the indifferent. When it worked, it did so brilliantly. Added chapter art helped to invoke specific feelings as did the inevitable gut-wrenching introspection for many of Mitchell’s protagonists.

Desperation, self-destruction, and loneliness all walk hand in hand with friends, enemies, lovers, strangers, and those left behind with each chapter story but there are times when Spiritless’s desire to be something deeper and more insightful loses its impact for artistic editing choices, flourishes of absurdity, garishness, and drive to mess with readers’ heads in its mostly bleak and unapologetic delivering of material.

While not for everyone, Mitchell does deliver the goods with his aim of delivering a collection of stories featuring people with varied perceptions of the world around them. Reading like a fever dream meets a bad acid trip, Spiritless makes sense one minute and becomes a bumpy slurry of perversion and jumbled stuttering the very next. There are highs, and there are lows, but the experience may very well be worth the price of admission.    

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4191288.Kyle_Mitchell

It’s been a while. Ok, it’s been a few months but we’re back and at it with our Random Book Review Roundup! This time, we’re running with a theme. Ok, I admit, I didn’t realize it until I read them but there was a theme in there amongst this offering’s three titles. In this round, family plays a central role in some fashion within all three of our reads. One, family is the people we choose in our life to adventure with. Another, family is the reason for bloodshed and revenge and finally, family is the root of all evil and that which breaks and destroys.

Listed below are the reviews for all three books with links included. All reviews are posted on Amazon and Goodreads if possible. In the case of not yet released titles, the review will be posted when book is available to keep everything flowing smoothly. If you like the reviews, check out the books. You may find something you like. Keep reading, keep writing, and enjoy!

The Pain Eater by Kyle Muntz

The Pain Eater by Kyle Muntz may seem a typical run-of-the-mill horror novel, but readers will find that it goes much deeper as the story develops. At its start, Muntz cleverly places his chess pieces on the board in the form of a family dealing with a recent death while delivering snippets of prose to his readers alerting them of a coming storm and the fear lurking just off-screen. As the veil is lifted with his created family on what is shown to the public and what is kept secret, readers will find that the shifting parameters of a broken unit come with bigger problems, messier issues, and lives forever thrown askew as a result.

Delicately dancing around supernatural elements and depictions of gore, Muntz introduces his key players before subsequently tearing down their built-up walls with growing moments of drama that stem not only from current situations in their lives but also from a past that still haunts them in many ways on vastly different levels. Interactions amongst the characters within The Pain Eater are as important as the oddity of that which Muntz adds into the mix. Dark mingles with light, inner conflict holds hands with emotional freedom, and life silently nods to death forming a mosaic displaying the human condition under the guise of creeping horror.

One-part supernatural and one-part slow-burning family drama, Muntz masterfully intertwines the two allowing his readers to explore the struggles within us all, the private moments in our own heads, and the screaming realities we’re all subjected to throughout life. Also blending elements of sci-fi into his brilliant offering, Muntz has achieved a deeply rewarding read soaked in darkness and misery that builds tension as well as a growing distrust and confusion along the way from his main characters.

Fans of horror will find the superbly teased storytelling direction of Muntz’s work deceiving as it doesn’t follow the typical flow of standard blood-gushing novels. Something tells me from the finely crafted past, present, and train heading towards a cliff feeling within the pages that he wanted it that way from the start. Brooding, powerful, and equally sinister in its delivery, The Pain Eater cuts deep as a shadowy fest of brutal feelings and even darker escapism.  

Preorder Here: https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Eater-Kyle-Muntz/dp/1955904065

Scorned: A Legend of the Carolyngian Age (Legends of the Carolyngian Age Book 4) by Joseph S. Samaniego

In Scorned, Samaniego’s fourth book of his Legends of the Carolyngian Age series, family meets fantasy in a generation hopping read that delivers. With historical references aplenty and enough bloodshed to delight the warriors in us all, Samaniego draws readers into his new offering with heart, hate, and a slew of characters that resonate with us all.

Following Rowena, a child born of both noble lineage and dwarven blood, Samaniego masterfully showcases the family construct and the political barriers preventing her from obtaining her rightful place in the kingdom through his main character’s eyes. Frowned upon for being a bastard child, Samaniego wastes no time putting Rowena through the paces as she is forced to make decisions that not only reshape her future but his entire created world.

Alongside expertly detailed locations, Samaniego focuses on the life and livelihood of his main character and all she experiences while providing brilliant depictions of action, heartbreak, and the fury of a woman scorned across the span of many years. The expertly crafted political framework based on historical nobility is easily digestible while details of war, magic, fantasy species, and weapons added to the mix ensure readers are moved along in the story without being bogged down in the specifics.

At its heart, Scorned reads exactly as it sounds and never waivers in favor of tired mechanics or cliched references. Samaniego stays on track to deliver an epic fantasy that spans lifetimes, something he has professionally proven to give time and time again with his other books. Although the fourth in his series, Scorned can be read independently but readers may find greater enjoyment in catching themselves up to speed with previous installments to experience the richly rewarding depth Samaniego has created. With beautiful maps that aid in his informational weaving of class systems, the shifting tides of nobility, and the struggle one woman endures just to be proven worthy by those that despise her very existence, Scorned is a strong female lead focused thoroughly enjoyable story that is deserving of a read.     

Grab it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XKVT9P5

Perception Check (The Mages of Velmyra Saga Book 1) by Astrid Knight

Unforgettable geektastic adventure.

Astrid Knight’s first book from The Mages of Velmyra Saga, Perception Check, lets readers know from the first few pages that they are in for an adventure for the ages. Fun, fast, heart-warming, and clever in all the right places, Knight’s fantasy read delivers the goods for lovers of the genre and surprises at every turn with magical realism and role-playing greatness.

At its start, readers are introduced to Violet Spence, a young woman struggling for a normal life after experiencing a supernatural past that still haunts, and one that can be seen as a mystery waiting to be solved, a dilemma on a troubled mind. With the help of friends and companions, all of which are expertly detailed and individually different, Violet may get her wish as she is thrust into a journey that will change the very lives of all involved and one that will tilt reality on its ear in the process.

While the epic quest, or journey, isn’t a new idea in fantasy settings, Knight knocks that trope out of the park with Perception Check after masterfully reshaping the idea with a grand display of finely crafted characters, locations, and floods of the fantastical that will leave many a geek forever smiling. Leaving no stone unturned, Knight explores and touches upon nearly every single part of what works in the fantasy fandom ensuring her readers are not only drawn into her world but love every single second of its delivery.

Nods to team mechanics, chosen weaponry, comic relief, and odd species both deceptively evil and remarkably humorous are speckled throughout that ultimately build a wonderfully decorated foundation that is both enjoyable and blissfully reminiscent of days of card games and cartoons, and nights of table-top dungeon runs and video game controller blisters. Knight gives her readers the good versus evil treatment on a grand scale with this fun and feisty action/adventure jaunt while offering each of us a wink that she knows what we expect, like, and secretly crave from our childhood memories.

Expertly written, Knight showcases her ability to develop characters and push them to their limits in a way that makes her readers feel connected, feel like each of us is represented, and equally part of a wide and colorfully diverse species all with flaws, all with hopes, and all with dreams of a better tomorrow. Though only the first of a series, Perception Check sets the bar high for future installments from Knight. After reading this highly rewarding tale that leaves readers wanting more, something tells me many of us won’t need a roll of the dice to decide to revisit Knight’s world knowing that dazzlement and additional feats of fantasy await. Not to be missed, hits every mark, a great read!   

Jump in here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09VYB9ZJ5

Welcome back to another random book review roundup! Now that the holiday season is nothing more than a distant sight on our rearview mirrors, it’s time to get back to reading and reviewing some awesome indie and self-pubbed works. My apologies for missing December as things get pretty hectic during those times and my available reading time was nearly non-existent as a result.

This month I’ve listed three great reads all deserving of five stars in their own right. If you’re interested in the works of these talented authors, give them a look and see if anything whets your appetite. In most cases, reviews are posted here, Amazon, and Goodreads. Links are almost always supplied below each submission to author pages or the reviewed work specifically. Read for the love of it and keep writing if that’s your thing, you never know who is reading your work!

Side note- I’m trying to post monthly but may not always be able to what with my own pursuits, but I will try. I wanted to get these reviews up for January before I beta read a book from another awesome author, and its one I’m excited about jumping into! Without further ado, here are the reviews…

In the Time of Standing Stones: A Legend of the Carolyngian Age (Legends of the Carolyngian Age Book 1) by Joseph S Samaniego

Epic and sweeping fantasy adventure.

In the time of Standing Stones, Samaniego’s first book within his Legends of the Carolyngian Age, fantasy adventure takes center stage in this epic offering. With in-depth character customization and expert-level details, Samaniego wastes no time letting his readers know that they are about to embark on an expansive journey of the ages into a vibrantly detailed world with an ensemble cast of heroes and villains that radiates high fantasy and the timeless feel of stories and movies of the past.

While the mode of good versus evil is evident within Samaniego’s work, he takes his readers well beyond the trope with a rich history that includes swords and sorcery, crafted faraway places, myths, legends, and top-rate threats among warriors and kings. As it stands, Book 1 of Legends of the Carolyngian Age, is deeply and finely crafted. It offers a rewarding read-through with enough twists and turns to keep it well-paced and enjoyable throughout from the start of this journey into Samaniego’s world. It is definitely worth the read for fans of Clash of the Titans, Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, and many more.

The love of history, the attention paid to the realms of fantasy, and the finely crafted understanding of mythology are equally evident in Samaniego’s work. Readers enjoying one or all of those areas of interest will be hard-pressed to find another series that expertly weaves all three within its pages.  

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-S-Samaniego/e/B078Z3SNQT/

KLS-9 (The Eden Evolution Series Book 1) by Leigh Grissom

Non-stop thrill ride.

From the start of Grissom’s first book of The Eden Evolution Series titled, KLS-9, readers will instantly know that they are in for a treat, even if it comes blood-soaked and angry. Hitting a fast pace right out of the gate, Grissom delivers a twisted pounding tale of shadows and conspiracy, dirty decisions, and the changing dynamic of escaping the past while maneuvering through the future all the while catching readers up to the sizzling backstory already in progress in small digestible snippets. Never letting up, readers are taken on a deadly journey within a world of revenge, psychic powers, greed, the gray area between right and wrong, and good versus evil.

Cleverly crafted characters set the stage in a future-like dystopian world of superpowers, corporate wants, military needs, and the human experience of feasting on the scraps left over. Self-worth and cash value streamline as technology mingles with bounty hunting flair and survival dabbles between nightmares and reality as Grissom’s main character, Kerry Sheridan, struggles to maintain, escape, and understand a past that quickly comes back to haunt her. Joined by a memorable supporting cast, Grissom expertly displays her descriptive talents regarding the locals and locales within Horizon, the fictional city of lost souls, seedy nightlife, and second chances making it feel real and drawing readers into its depths instantly as the dirty travels hand and hand with the clean representing every facet of nearly any society.

With unrelenting action and brief moments of emotional realness, Grissom portrays a strong female lead with moments of brutal truths and honest feelings while showcasing the driving force of a woman pushed too far, stretched too thin, and holding a grudge. Combining science fiction, action, and suspense into Grissom’s first part of her series, KLS-9 is sure to entertain readers craving a devilish mix of all three with its subtle nods to Battle Angel, Blade Runner, and The Long Kiss Goodnight. Does not disappoint!

Link : https://www.amazon.com/Leigh-Grissom/e/B075PL5TST/

The Beauty of Decay by Lisa De Castro

Hauntingly beautiful and deceptively complex.

Deeply moving, Castro’s poetry covers the entire human experience more in 24 pages than most books of greater length. At the first read-through, many readers may be taken aback by The Beauty of Decay’s lack of additional pages, additional offerings. It is shortly thereafter that the magic and wonder of skillful exposition by Castro begins its unpacking within our fragile minds as it blossoms into recognition, understanding, and touching interconnected sentiments that resonate within each of us.

The Beauty of Decay does what it is intended to do under Castro’s masterful guidance and that is, enlighten while comparing and contrasting, relate while differing, and finally, caress the soul. Showcasing aspects of death and birth, Castro weaves a poetry offering that appears simple at first glance but tugs at the very fabric of our existence the longer it is left to steep within us. Placing items, views, thoughts, and processes into life as coexisting cycles, as ends, as beginnings in every aspect of the cosmos, The Beauty of Decay is that in every way and will stay in the mind and heart of all who venture among its timely and powerfully depicted pages.    

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Lisa-De-Castro/e/B078KQ4KJC/

Happy Reading,

-KJF

It’s the November roundup of recent book reviews! Although I read all the time it seems, I wanted to get this fresh-baked set of reviews out and about before the holiday season descends upon us all with its madness and merriment. All reviews are also included on Amazon and Goodreads while being listed here as well so take a chance, read a new favorite or simply gloat with pride, you deserve it!

I’ve also included the star rating even though it’s not entirely necessary. I find it an antiquated tradition and only opinion but hey, where would we be without a star system determining our satisfaction, or lack thereof, a person’s writing worth? To me, everyone should be sitting at 5 stars just for doing the damn thing, but I digress. I won’t post links as you’re all internet sleuths and can find your way without the hand holding. Without further ado, read on, keep writing, keep creating, keep being you and enjoy!!

Stories for a Storm Filled Night (The Storm Series-The Short Stories) by Alan Scott–4 stars

Scott’s detail to character development takes center stage in this collection of short stories related to his series, The Storm Series. Not having read those previous offerings, Scott details exactly where and when his offered short stories take place within his fantasy world weaving a tapestry of continuity on an expert level. Leaving no stone unturned, readers are treated to closer inspections, darker findings, and greater introspection of his created world and the characters that live there.

Although reading Scott’s Storm Series would increase reader satisfaction and overall understanding of the timeline of events detailed within his collection of short stories, it is not a requirement. Each story offers up enough information and, based on Scott’s assistance with how each story fits into the grand scheme of things, readers will no doubt enjoy the ride of uncovering and learning more about his creations.

Masterfully weaving short stories that display how life, events, and situations can shape us, Scott beautifully shows the aftermath as well perfectly placing these “one-shots” into their respective timeline. A fantastic addition for anyone who has read the Storm Series or plans on it, or for anyone who enjoys in-depth characterization in a short story format that blends flawlessly with larger works and within this offering as well, you cannot go wrong. Good read all around!    

Chainsaw by John Bender –4 stars.

Gives good mullet.

In Chainsaw, Bender delivers a rollercoaster ride of redneck humor and blood-soaked visuals that dives deep into backwoods hilarity while going full-tilt duh in all the right spots. More fun than pass the cousin at a hillbilly reunion, Bender pulls out all the stops and pushes the envelope on toilet jokes, dirt road mentalities, and gory splashes of ineptitude.

At its heart, Chainsaw can be seen as two good ‘ole boys trying to better their positions in life while the powers that be continue to push them down. In a clash between the have and the have nots, greed meets stupidity, and Bender makes it all explode firework-style with displays of vulgarity in all the right spots in this fast-paced comedy horror short read.

Although readers may feel the grisly and crude are over the top, most will find themselves laughing as well as holding back their lunch watching this created train wreck play out within the pages. The characterization, while not as deep as the well that tried to eat Baby Jessica in the late 80s, was well placed and thorough enough that readers can visualize, if not smell what Bender is giving us. There was some head-hopping and odd switches to narration in a couple of spots which can lead to confusion, but readers enjoying Bender’s cruise through the backroads and woods will no doubt easily breeze right past the stumbles.

True to the feel of the first few pages, Chainsaw never deviates from its deliverance of speedy trailer park trash calamity and the trench ass greasiness of bad decisions, bloodshed, and mans’ never-ending quest for money and anything with boobs. It works, even with some flaws. Although a hard three on the star rating, the shock value and moments that had me laugh aloud while reading it tipped it into a 4-star rating due to the pacing and overall enjoyment which, in the end, is what it’s all about. Bender’s work brings with it so many elements that work well together that readers will be more forgiving of any downsides they may find. Funny, gross, crude, horrifying, and rude, it’s a quick jaunt into debauchery on many levels and well worth the price of admission.

It’s Joe Dirt meets the Dukes of Hazard sipping moonshine on a back porch with Tucker and Dale vs. Evil and the Squidbillies while Smokey and the Bandit plays on a dirty old television in a run-down cabin in the same neighborhood as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It is an amalgamation of many things and Bender offers as many referenced nods as imaginable during the run of his offering while remaining original and fresh. Much like Aunt Ella-Mae’s potato salad after it sat out for 4 hours in the sun at a family picnic, Chainsaw delivers and stays with you long after the last flush. Good stuff if you’re into it!

Boredom & Bedlam: A Supernatural Comedy Short Story Pairing by Joel Spriggs— 4 stars.

Having not read Over a God’s Dead Body, Spriggs’s first book in his Wrong Gods series, I wasn’t sure what to expect in this short story involving characters Jake and Esmy but in the end, it was well worth the read. Comedy takes center stage as magic and mayhem run amok after boredom decides to stir the pot resulting in hilarity during this short read.

Consisting of two separate quick tales, Spriggs expertly crafts a fun romp in two completely different scenarios involving his characters that give readers a taste of magical life outside his main series while highlighting how power can sometimes cause more problems than solve. An enjoyable zippy read that is sure to entice those new to Spriggs’s series as well as delight readers of the first book with a one-shot offering that explores his characters in a new light and continues the fun he has brilliantly created.   

Unseen by Rebecca R. Pierce— 5 Stars

A deceptively short read that brings creepy depth.

Pierce does more with the seventeen pages of Unseen than most could ever imagine in this short read horror offering. Weaving the past and present in a smoky haze of confusion, Pierce creates a world of shadowy mystery that takes readers on a slow walk into terror while leaving subtle hints at her true intentions until readers have arrived at their final destination. Masterfully bringing growing tension, Pierce delivers her horror short free of extensive amounts of gore choosing to offer readers a more classic approach with just enough blood to get the job done which blends beautifully with her created vibe. Monsters come in all shapes and sizes and, while Pierce certainly showcases this thought, it’s the cleverly detailed scenes, overall mood, and sadistically hidden truths that are revealed that give Unseen its final punch that will haunt many a reader for days.

If you’ve managed to read this far, congratulation and much love. Also, I like cookies and have a sweet gummy fetish if you’re wondering what I like for the holidays. *winkwink* Lastly, thank you to the awesomely talented authors I read from this month and I look forward to not only future work from you all but from the entire writing community.

–KJF

I like to read. I do, when I’m not writing. Many times, especially in the past, I would read a work by another indie author or self-published writer and leave a huge dissertation in review form on Goodreads and Amazon as well on here on my blog. I loved doing it, I enjoyed detailing how I felt, the read, the depth, the work, and the creativity of fellow writers for all to see. It also took quite a bit of time away from my own goals and pursuits. Now, things have changed.

While I do love leaving long reviews, it ends up being less than required, or even feasible when it comes to overall algorithms or whether or not it equates to a sale. Authors love to see a review, two sentences are perfect, sometimes more, sometimes less. I’m like a slot machine when it comes to words. For a quarter, you may get more, you may get less. Overall, I want you to know I’ve read your work. I want others to know I liked it or didn’t without the long-drawn-out literary critiques. You get to see it, it will still make you feel a certain way, but this route ends up being less time-intrusive for me and still comes to the same conclusion. You rock, you created something awesome, and now others will know too. Give yourself pats, give yourself the hugs. You’ve earned it.

In the future, I will try to do a “roundup” of a few of the books I’ve read over the past couple of weeks and place their reviews in the blog post as well as leaving them on Amazon and Goodreads. You get the stars, I get to clean out my TBR pile without outlining and producing a ten-page review. More people get read, more writers get recognition. You may find your book next to another genre in the roundup, it’s simply the placement of how I read them or however they loaded up when I put them in the blog after reading. No worries. You may have questions. I have answers and respond well to savory, sweet, and salty in equal measure. *wink wink*

Listed below are the reviews as seen on Amazon and Goodreads. If you find yourself interested give these authors a chance and pick up their works, you won’t be disappointed and you may ever find a new favorite. No pressure. Much love and keep writing, keep reading!!

The Valley by Mike Salt—

A stress-relieving trip to a cabin with friends to enjoy the fresh air among the great outdoors quickly spirals into a supernatural hellscape under the devilish mastery of Salt’s writing proving that sometimes getting away from it all can kill in the most sinister ways. Bringing memorable characters to life and pushing them into deadly situations among a shifting landscape of terror is par for the course in The Valley.

As the chills ramp up so does the danger as Salt’s characters are hurtled into a ghostly mind-bending mystery that slinks from the shadows and brings with it unrelenting fear. Questions arrive with answers as death eagerly awaits around every twisting corner and turn. Although not focusing entirely on one character’s experience, Salt manages multiple viewpoints and experiences with skill choosing to push his readers into the heart, soul, and panicked decisions of those we can affectionately call, his victims. In spots, the quick cutaways to other characters could have felt bumpy, but Salt easily manages to quickly corral any possible confusion.

Forests and valleys can be dangerous places even for experienced hikers and nature lovers, under Salt’s direction it becomes even more so in this enjoyable fast-paced supernatural horror read.

Rain on a Tin Roof: A Romance Novel by Sandra A. Sigfusson—

Sigfusson delicately dances through Rain on a Tin Roof with skillful flourishes that promise new readers something enjoyable while providing enough standards within to please regular fans of the genre. With the characters of Virginia and Luke, Sigfusson demonstrates her ability to provide well-developed characters that are easily relatable, realistic, and in-tune with their emotions and fallible natures.

Hinting at fate and instant attraction, Sigfusson’s control of her world and that of her character’s heartfelt choices and tough decisions will no doubt have readers enjoying and connecting with her characters throughout. Every moment a chance, a sliding door to our future and one that we are led through and into with gentle touches and a guiding hand.

With enough romance to book a spot on the Hallmark channel and enough steam to fill an evening on HBO without going full smut, Sigfusson creates a realistic world where wants, desires, and the pull of temptation meet life’s daily grind. Something for every reader, be it new to the genre or a regular, Rain on a Tin Roof is a winner and hits every note.

Patrick F. Johnson’s Cheap Book: Aliens Versus Vampires Now With Mermaids by Patrick F. Johnson—

Even if the title clearly details what readers can expect within, Johnson delivers even more with this sci-fi, horror, fantasy mash-up novella. Packing humor, horror, thrills, spills, and even a little pew-pew into this shorter work, Johnson takes readers on a deftly created fast-paced ride through a tightly focused plot with fun and innovative characters that are relatable in some aspects and completely off the wall in others. Great read, instantly memorable, and desperately screaming for a sequel, Johnson’s “Cheap Book” is a steal!

The Flash Fiction Fridays Project: 2020 Anthology by Emily Larkins—

Well written, this anthology is a heartwarming experience that centers on inner and outer conflicts and the emotions that orbit our everyday lives. Each offering within Larkins’s collection is a stand-alone experience that brings with it memorable characters and situations that move the spirit and speak volumes of the human condition, the struggles, the love, and the inevitable passing of time. Enjoyable, heartfelt, truthful.

—KJF

It’s been a minute. It’s been nearly 2 years of head-scratching and uncertainty about where, what, and how the hell I was doing. I’m sitting here still shaking my head about how I started this writing journey way back in 2017 with the first book of The Keeper Chronicles. Through the years I grew, learned how to write better, handle the self-publishing requirements, navigate cover design, and managed some minor advertising. It’s been a ride, it’s been a learning experience.

I was all gung-ho in 2020 having penned three novellas on my new superhero series, The AOA or The Agents of Ardenwood. I had finished three rough drafts in 2019 after completing Frayed Endings closing the book on The Keeper Chronicles. I was excited going in this direction as it not only focused on superheroes but centered on Becca Byers, the plucky protagonist with a feisty side. A new experience, a different take on superheroes for me.

I was thrilled to introduce her alongside so many others within Ardenwood, the fictional town where it all shakes down. It had my heart, my interest, my desire to steamroll her story. The fire was lit, the potential was there, and I was ready to burn. I got all three novellas ready to roll and started the process of rapid-fire publishing. The game plan, one new novella in the series per month. I knew I could handle it, I was already three months ahead. The next one, Episode 3 didn’t need to hit until April 2020 so I got cocky taking an abundance of pride in my accomplishments. I got busy, I got it partially done. Then, just like the world outside my window, Covid slammed on the brakes and rocked my universe to the core.

Everything changed, life altered. Working from home was difficult, finding writing time when you’re in the same room with your husband doing the same thing was hell on both of us. As the days lingered on and a pandemic systematically reconfigured our entire lifestyles, writing fell to the wayside for me. I couldn’t focus, I couldn’t daydream, I couldn’t dialogue to myself to work on scenes. It was everything I had worked for, gone. We were healthy, we stayed safe but it came with a cost as writing is never easy especially when you can’t get around to it.

During that year and a half, I spent a great deal of time going over The Keeper Chronicles. I edited, I fixed even more, I deliberately cut with a wide swath what didn’t work, what didn’t add or increase the value of the work. It was something I could do that didn’t require quiet, something I could pick at until I was happy with it. I knew better, I did better. I slimmed all five books down, made them easier to digest, and managed to squeeze them into one collection, one paperback edition to add to the ebook offerings. It came out like a college textbook, size, and girth-wise, but I was proud, and still not entirely back on track.

2021 rolled around, the shaky new world we wandered into came with hints of vaccines, opportunities. Safely, we ventured back into cohabitation, if only by dipping pinky toes into society when and where we could without going overboard. The hubs went back to work and, after days of depression for him being gone having had a hip pal every minute of the day for nearly 2 years, I sat down and promised myself to start writing again. I told myself to do something, anything and I did.

The words, much like a splinter buried deep in tender skin, were a pain to pull free. Honestly, if I managed 10 words a day, it was a miracle. Speaking of miracles, it got better, more words flowed, the drive trickled back, energy started to light the dusty cobwebbed-covered lights inside. I learned to dance around the slow days, embrace the busier ones, and put more words down than I even thought possible. Soon, I marveled at having finished The AOA, Episode 3. I sent it out into the world, the longest incubation period of any work I have ever done and a heftier birth than previous ones within the series. Still, I was proud, a father that found a way and another book that had found feet and wandered into retail.

I think about the struggle and laugh, I smile about it, I keep it sitting idly in the back of my head. We all struggle as writers, some more than ever, some for many different reasons, but struggle we do. Finding mojo takes time, sometimes the muse refuses to come out of hiding. Sometimes she’s a whisper of a sentence, sometimes a broken dam and a subsequent flood. She’s a fickle pickle, always has been, always will be but if you give some love, take baby steps, she’ll come around again. She’s like an old carousel slowly turning in an abandoned park, the faintest sound of music in the background under flickering lights. Everyone gets a ride eventually if they find their way there, sometimes you just have to wait, buy a ticket, enjoy the show. Clap for the others, carry on for yourself.

I’m happy with the ways turned out, I would never want to do it over again. Now, as I sit and smile after having released Episode 4 of the AOA into the wilds of book retail hell and having successfully plotted somewhat and outlined both Episodes 5 and 6 to efficiently end Season 1, I’m proud of myself, proud of my achievements. I’m glad I’ve been allowed this opportunity as we’ve all seen and learned that nothing is promised, not a single day is given, and that every day should find us learning, growing, loving, laughing, and, on those odd days when our muse decides to play along, writing. Much love.

Below, the covers of both Ep. 3 and 4 as done by Thebookkhaleesi.com. I wanted a simple cover and multiple colors. She’s amazing and I could not be happier. Check her out if you’re in the market for a cover and then check out my work at https://www.amazon.com/Kester-James-Finley/e/B073YG5YCQ

Recently finished and reviewed. If you like your read on the surreal side of life with flourishes of driving narration and free-form poetry that teeters between light and dark, life and death, this will be an enjoyable and memorable read. Don’t miss it.

Review follows image, enjoy!

Five stars!

Thought-provoking and surrealistically gripping.

In Calibration 74, Aicher delivers a powerful offering that draws readers into a world behind the façade, to the inner workings of the mind, and a life exposed. One part musings of a mad man and two parts surrealistic-like fever dream, Calibration 74 deftly takes readers by the hand and leads them deeper down the literary rabbit hole forgoing standard storytelling.

At its start, Aicher showcases his ability to spark interest with his opening narration of a man obsessed with numbers and embroiled in a quest for a door leading to salvation, renewal, life. Within Calibration 74’s few first pages, we soon learn this will be no simple task and that our experience will be anything but typical for the novella’s duration as Aicher masterfully blends free-form poetry into the mix breaking down the barriers of outside versus inside, and the drive, the force behind a man’s moving parts.

Combining pacing that features scattered thoughts and blurry visions of both past and present experiences, Aicher allows his readers to experience the dark gritty corners of a man’s troubled and fractured mind before delivering sharp flashes of poetic justification that pulls back the curtains of meaning and encourages deeper philosophical inspection with his created revelations. As readers draw closer to Aicher’s crafted end of Calibration 74, what we know and believe versus what is imagined and false blur in expertly detailed snippets of realization that will leave many on a course of retrospection unpacking and comparing all that was offered.

At times psychologically illuminating, Aicher delivers a brave presentation on how the mind works when dealing with life, processing trauma, circumventing reality, and living with past and present conflicts. Its poetic flourishes flawlessly meld with a college course on abnormal psychology and will push and pull your mind and emotions in every direction equally. Troubling, endearing, comical, and abrupt, Aicher’s work is a giant onion consisting of layers hiding meanings hiding deeply rooted scars of clarity. With references aplenty peppering his prose throughout involving literary, musical, and cinematic offerings, Aicher’s expert foray into a world behind the eyes is broken and beautiful, raw and untouched, eroded and used.

As it reads, Calibration 74 feels like an old radio in a dark basement being manually tuned. Snippets of music fight through the static, the squelches, the talking, the silence. Readers will hear bits and pieces forming visual cues and directions in their mind only to be lead away on another course by the master of the dial until we are left with the knowledge we so desperately crave, to the ending we so rightfully deserve.

If one is searching for a run-of-the-mill simple read, Calibration 74 is very unconventional in that regard and does its best work for those looking for something different, something lasting and memorable. A feather, a knife, a heart pleading, a mind steering a body, Calibration 74 is a beautiful and broken mosaic expertly collected into a glowing tapestry once completed and viewed from afar.

Within a moving gallery of creation, every reader will interpret Aicher’s work differently, will find a connection within themselves among the jumbled art pieces of his storytelling that reflects personas both bright and damning. Weaving through man’s inner turmoil, desire, escapism, conflicts, and personal constructs set adrift among a brackish ocean of reality and fantasy, Calibration 74 will stay will you long after the final page.

Review was posted on Amazon and Goodreads, check it out! Keep reading, keep writing!

KJF

The last of the trilogy releases today. A splendid read from start to finish!

The Writer Next Door | Vashti Q

Hi, everyone! Today is the ‘Launch Date‘ for my new book, The Rise of Gadreel! I was hoping the paperback would have gone live today too, but for some reason, Amazon still has it on review. I’m not surprised since everything this year has happened at its own pace. I’m told the paperback will be released soon. Because of this inconvenience I’ve left the price of the eBook at .99¢ until the paperback goes live. Please help me spread the word.

Today I’d like to share another excerpt from the book. In this excerpt my main character Gadreel is visiting an abandoned monastery said to be haunted by a group of monks. She meets her ally Thomas for the first time. I hope you enjoy it.

The courtyard had a peculiar allure. The vast, grass-covered area surrounded by flowering bushes and small trees lay interspersed with benches…

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