Neil M. Campbell (Author of The Advent of Lena, A tale of Beauty and the Beast)

Neil Campbell made a comment in the group Review Group — Group 384. General - Mod. Loralee topic " Here are my Amazon and Goodreads reviews for Not Her, Not Yet https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R10C1... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... This comp ...more "
Oct 17, 2025 02:45AM
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing Not Her, Not Yet by Chelsea O'Hara (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Clinging horror permeates this Gothic tour de force by a seriously gifted writer. A woman wakes to find herself in a strange bed in a strange room. She concludes that, judging from her injuries, she seems to have survived an accident. Presently, a ma ...more
Oct 17, 2025 02:37AM · 2 likes · like · see review
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot (Felicity, #2) by Loralee Evans (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
“No you don’t!” Felicity shot toward the panther, ignoring the wild fear pounding in her heart. Brave Felicity! She and I are old friends. I first met her on reading, in a previous dispatch, of the shining courage she’d displayed in her rout of the d ...more
Oct 14, 2025 07:21AM · like · see review
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing Not Her, Not Yet by Chelsea O'Hara (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Clinging horror permeates this Gothic tour de force by a seriously gifted writer. A woman wakes to find herself in a strange bed in a strange room. She concludes that, judging from her injuries, she seems to have survived an accident. Presently, a ma ...more
Oct 14, 2025 06:45AM · 2 likes · like · see review
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot (Felicity, #2) by Loralee Evans (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
“No you don’t!” Felicity shot toward the panther, ignoring the wild fear pounding in her heart. Brave Felicity! She and I are old friends. I first met her on reading, in a previous dispatch, of the shining courage she’d displayed in her rout of the d ...more
Oct 14, 2025 06:03AM · like · see review
Neil Campbell is now following Sean DeLauder's reviews
Oct 12, 2025 02:09AM · like
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing To Keep Our Honor Clean: A 3M Detective Agency Novel (Tales of the 3M Detective Agency Book 1) by Thomas A. Burns Jr. (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Every word counts in this work of impressive maturity, economically rendered in muscular prose with insight, expertise and compassion. The subtly rendered characters come alive through vivid description and closely observed interactions. Each marine ...more
Sep 24, 2025 08:14AM · like · see review
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing Antuna's Story (The Antunite Chronicles #1) by Terry Birdgenaw (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
First to pay tribute to the Herculean amount of work and dedication that has gone into this accomplished, compelling, multilayered, carefully constructed allegory. The author is the recipient of several prizes – well deserved indeed. This is a piece ...more
Sep 24, 2025 05:37AM · 1 like · like · see review
Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing The Secret Couple by J.S. Lark	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 01, 2025 11:44AM · like
Neil Campbell made a comment in the group Review Group — Group 382. General - Mod. Gene topic " Sorry, Gene, on reflection I've decided to withdraw my application to include Hypochondriac Gambler at this time. I do apologise for the inconvenience ...more "
Jul 09, 2025 02:17AM

Neil Campbell made a comment in the group Review Group — Group 384. General - Mod. Loralee topic

" Here are my Amazon and Goodreads reviews for Not Her, Not Yet

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R10C1...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This comp ...more "

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

Not Her, Not Yet
by Chelsea O'Hara (Goodreads Author)

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Clinging horror permeates this Gothic tour de force by a seriously gifted writer.

A woman wakes to find herself in a strange bed in a strange room. She concludes that, judging from her injuries, she seems to have survived an accident. Presently, a ma Clinging horror permeates this Gothic tour de force by a seriously gifted writer.

A woman wakes to find herself in a strange bed in a strange room. She concludes that, judging from her injuries, she seems to have survived an accident. Presently, a man appears by her side carrying what turns out to be a cup of chamomile tea, a beverage she will become all too sickeningly familiar with in the endless days of anguish in store. He informs her that her name is Wren and he is her husband, Caleb. As time drags by, Wren gradually comes to understand that, far from being in the care of a loving spouse, she is the prisoner of a deeply sick, controlling, stranger intent on her reduction to a vegetable state.

Caleb’s behaviour is bone-chilling in its super-refined cruelty and anti-reason. He forbids her to have nightmares because her screams disturb his slumber and insists she has green eyes despite the evidence of her own senses that her eyes are brown. Before she knows it, she begins to doubt herself, trapped in fatalistic acceptance of her persecution, and rationalises her torment as deserved. Later, her reactions vary between surrender for the sake of inner peace and shrill silent resistance, sometimes groping to identify which of these conscious modes represents her true state of mind.

Given the compelling force and presence of the work, stylistic aspects might be discounted - the critic disarmed - but as this is a review I offer a few observations, with great respect:

There are passages of repetition early on as Wren ‘settles in’ but these may be intended to convey her trauma and dissociated state.

The writer enjoys similes, some quite elaborate, such as ‘Nervous energy flitted beneath my skin like static trying to find a spark.’ These constructs can divert from the narrative drive as the reader attempts to process the images evoked. On the other hand, there are metaphors of great power and originality. The fake flowers which adorn the kitchen table of the fake couple provide a perfect symbol of sterility and desolation, a masterly touch.

‘smile didn’t quite reach his eyes’ or versions thereof occur too frequently everywhere nowadays. As writers, perhaps we should all try to refrain from this formula, together with that other trusty standby, ‘parents died in a car crash’.

While the novelistic observations, explorations of emotional depths, thoughtful insights, descriptions of feelings, and so on are striking, indeed addictive, they can become overwrought and overabundant. I believe the work would benefit from a reduction in temperature and the variety of ingredients per page.

The dish would be no less memorable for being a tad less rich. ...more

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot by Loralee Evans

Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot (Felicity, #2)
by Loralee Evans (Goodreads Author)

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“No you don’t!” Felicity shot toward the panther, ignoring the wild fear pounding in her heart.

Brave Felicity! She and I are old friends. I first met her on reading, in a previous dispatch, of the shining courage she’d displayed in her rout of the d “No you don’t!” Felicity shot toward the panther, ignoring the wild fear pounding in her heart.

Brave Felicity! She and I are old friends. I first met her on reading, in a previous dispatch, of the shining courage she’d displayed in her rout of the depraved hawk, Grak, who had been terrorising the fairy folk of Wild Wood, and the rescue of Lilia, the fairy queen he had kidnapped and subjected to unspeakable indignities in his squalid lair.

This story opens with Felicity and her fairy friends partying in a forest glade alongside a mushroom circle. The ceilidh is in full swing when the fairies suddenly exhibit alarm; when Felicity inquires the cause, it turns out that featherless two-foots are heading their way. Colin, Lilia’s son, explains that the fairy folk must not be seen or the two-foots would hunt them down and cage them. The fairies scatter as the humans approach. Felicity sees a boy, Davy to his companions, pick up the nutshell helmet and rose thorn spear Colin left behind in his rush to hide.

The humans, on some kind of nature trail led by a kindly man who goes by the name of Mr Yellow Horse, arrive, explore, and depart. Colin, having made sure all was safe, reappears and learns of the loss of his equipment. He is horrified: Davy, interest aroused, will certainly come back so he can hunt the fairy folk alone. The helmet and spear must be retrieved! Felicity decides to fly to the rescue and follows the group to the clearing where they left their carts. She catches up with Mr Yellow Horse, with whom she senses an affinity, and, deploying the resourcefulness that is her hallmark, secures a passage, if perilous, on his cart. Eventually, she finds herself in Davy’s house in town. There she meets a fun-loving town sparrow, Cairn, a math whizz with a food fixation – a Scot apparently, with far too much to say for himself.

Felicity gathers that Davy, although in the care of a loving foster mother, misses his parents and believes that if he achieves some great feat, catches some fairies for example, his parents will want him back.

How on earth will Felicity manage to convey Colin and the fairies' peril to Mr Yellow Horse? The answer will have to await the reading but without giving away any spoilers, this is essentially a celebration of the joy and adventure of communication as Cairn's math prowess and love of blackberries converge with Felicity’s literary skills to provide solutions.

Meanwhile, we are reminded not to take the laptop and smartphone for granted but recognise them as marvellous products of human reason and ingenuity, miracles in their own right which should retain our respect.

The writing is a joy as always with Loralee and the exquisite illustrations a delight.

5 stars, of course! ...more

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

Not Her, Not Yet
by Chelsea O'Hara (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

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1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Clinging horror permeates this Gothic tour de force by a seriously gifted writer.

A woman wakes to find herself in a strange bed in a strange room. She concludes that, judging from her injuries, she seems to have survived an accident. Presently, a ma Clinging horror permeates this Gothic tour de force by a seriously gifted writer.

A woman wakes to find herself in a strange bed in a strange room. She concludes that, judging from her injuries, she seems to have survived an accident. Presently, a man appears by her side carrying what turns out to be a cup of chamomile tea, a beverage she will become all too sickeningly familiar with in the endless days of anguish in store. He informs her that her name is Wren and he is her husband, Caleb. As time drags by, Wren gradually comes to understand that, far from being in the care of a loving spouse, she is the prisoner of a deeply sick, controlling, stranger intent on her reduction to a vegetable state.

Caleb’s behaviour is bone-chilling in its super-refined cruelty and anti-reason. He forbids her to have nightmares because her screams disturb his slumber and insists she has green eyes despite the evidence of her own senses that her eyes are brown. Before she knows it, she begins to doubt herself, trapped in fatalistic acceptance of her persecution, and rationalises her torment as deserved. Later, her reactions vary between surrender for the sake of inner peace and shrill silent resistance, sometimes groping to identify which of these conscious modes represents her true state of mind.

Given the compelling force and presence of the work, stylistic aspects might be discounted - the critic disarmed - but as this is a review I offer a few observations, with great respect:

There are passages of repetition early on as Wren ‘settles in’ but these may be intended to convey her trauma and dissociated state.

The writer enjoys similes, some quite elaborate, such as ‘Nervous energy flitted beneath my skin like static trying to find a spark.’ These constructs can divert from the narrative drive as the reader attempts to process the images evoked. On the other hand, there are metaphors of great power and originality. The fake flowers which adorn the kitchen table of the fake couple provide a perfect symbol of sterility and desolation, a masterly touch.

‘smile didn’t quite reach his eyes’ or versions thereof occur too frequently everywhere nowadays. As writers, perhaps we should all try to refrain from this formula, together with that other trusty standby, ‘parents died in a car crash’.

While the novelistic observations, explorations of emotional depths, thoughtful insights, descriptions of feelings, and so on are striking, indeed addictive, they can become overwrought and overabundant. I believe the work would benefit from a reduction in temperature and the variety of ingredients per page.

The dish would be no less memorable for being a tad less rich. ...more

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot (Felicity, #2)
by Loralee Evans (Goodreads Author)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

“No you don’t!” Felicity shot toward the panther, ignoring the wild fear pounding in her heart.

Brave Felicity! She and I are old friends. I first met her on reading, in a previous dispatch, of the shining courage she’d displayed in her rout of the d “No you don’t!” Felicity shot toward the panther, ignoring the wild fear pounding in her heart.

Brave Felicity! She and I are old friends. I first met her on reading, in a previous dispatch, of the shining courage she’d displayed in her rout of the depraved hawk, Grak, who had been terrorising the fairy folk of Wild Wood, and the rescue of Lilia, the fairy queen he had kidnapped and subjected to unspeakable indignities in his squalid lair.

This story opens with Felicity and her fairy friends partying in a forest glade alongside a mushroom circle. The ceilidh is in full swing when the fairies suddenly exhibit alarm; when Felicity inquires the cause, it turns out that featherless two-foots are heading their way. Colin, Lilia’s son, explains that the fairy folk must not be seen or the two-foots would hunt them down and cage them. The fairies scatter as the humans approach. Felicity sees a boy, Davy to his companions, pick up the nutshell helmet and rose thorn spear Colin left behind in his rush to hide.

The humans, on some kind of nature trail led by a kindly man who goes by the name of Mr Yellow Horse, arrive, explore, and depart. Colin, having made sure all was safe, reappears and learns of the loss of his equipment. He is horrified: Davy, interest aroused, will certainly come back so he can hunt the fairy folk alone. The helmet and spear must be retrieved! Felicity decides to fly to the rescue and follows the group to the clearing where they left their carts. She catches up with Mr Yellow Horse, with whom she senses an affinity, and, deploying the resourcefulness that is her hallmark, secures a passage, if perilous, on his cart. Eventually, she finds herself in Davy’s house in town. There she meets a fun-loving town sparrow, Cairn, a math whizz with a food fixation – a Scot apparently, with far too much to say for himself.

Felicity gathers that Davy, although in the care of a loving foster mother, misses his parents and believes that if he achieves some great feat, catches some fairies for example, his parents will want him back.

How on earth will Felicity manage to convey Colin and the fairies' peril to Mr Yellow Horse? The answer will have to await the reading but without giving away any spoilers, this is essentially a celebration of the joy and adventure of communication as Cairn's math prowess and love of blackberries converge with Felicity’s literary skills to provide solutions.

Meanwhile, we are reminded not to take the laptop and smartphone for granted but recognise them as marvellous products of human reason and ingenuity, miracles in their own right which should retain our respect.

The writing is a joy as always with Loralee and the exquisite illustrations a delight.

5 stars, of course! ...more

Neil Campbell is now following Sean DeLauder's reviews

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

To Keep Our Honor Clean by Thomas A. Burns Jr.

To Keep Our Honor Clean: A 3M Detective Agency Novel (Tales of the 3M Detective Agency Book 1)
by Thomas A. Burns Jr. (Goodreads Author)

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Every word counts in this work of impressive maturity, economically rendered in muscular prose with insight, expertise and compassion. The subtly rendered characters come alive through vivid description and closely observed interactions. Each marine Every word counts in this work of impressive maturity, economically rendered in muscular prose with insight, expertise and compassion. The subtly rendered characters come alive through vivid description and closely observed interactions. Each marine is different, their characters skilfully and convincingly gradually exposed.

Three retired Marines, Amos, Solly, and Jonny, set up a detective agency called 3M, The Three Marines. Amos’ sister, Judy, helps out at the 3M HQ. Her husband, Sean, is a decent man fallen foul of alcohol. Devout American marine and patriot, Amos, the narrator, touchingly describes his hometown where he went to school and absorbed American values, the American landscape present in the emotional past. He is the solid centre in contrast to the volatile Jonny who attracts trouble wherever he goes.

In exuberance of relief, Jonny kisses a fellow soldier on the lips in a bar while celebrating his team’s survival of a firefight with the Viet Cong. An onlooker taunts Jonny mercilessly as being gay. In furious resentment at being thus labelled, he retaliates with his fists and in the ensuing melee kills his tormentor. Jonny is arrested, imprisoned, and in due course rescued; he tragically mistakes his rescuer for a good man. The three marines set out to expose this sinister racketeer.

One of the novel’s most striking features is the vivid evocation of place. Each setting, whether forest, town, village, barn or institution, is rendered in just enough detail to put the reader on the spot. Smells, sounds, and sensory details of every kind are lovingly evoked, particularly light. I have seldom, if ever, encountered a more compelling passage than the description of dawn over the airbase in Vietnam where Amos commands the brig (military prison).

These images, but particularly the vulnerable, charismatic, impulsive, reckless, in search of love, betrayed Jonny - the loneliest man who ever lived - will linger in the reader’s mind long after the book is laid down.

5 stars, of course. ...more

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

Antuna's Story (The Antunite Chronicles #1)
by Terry Birdgenaw (Goodreads Author)

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First to pay tribute to the Herculean amount of work and dedication that has gone into this accomplished, compelling, multilayered, carefully constructed allegory. The author is the recipient of several prizes – well deserved indeed.
This is a piece First to pay tribute to the Herculean amount of work and dedication that has gone into this accomplished, compelling, multilayered, carefully constructed allegory. The author is the recipient of several prizes – well deserved indeed.
This is a piece of meticulous world-building, complete with a detailed map of the colony and hexagonal chart, the central hexagon featuring the original settlers at the centre and extending outward as the settlement develops over succeeding aeons.
A slice of earth is violently wormholed to a distant planet. Various insects and spiders find themselves far from home. As conditions in their new habitat are more congenial than those back on earth, however, the colony prospers, the insects and anachronids thrive and become more intelligent.
Among the original transported, Antua is a lively, spirited, independent-minded ant, loyal to her friends – twin bees, Beegan and Beebie, spitting spider Spifry, and termite Dinomite.
Beefirst, queen bee, is a benevolent, far-sighted, and creative ruler determined to nourish plant life, extend the colony’s domain, and develop a cooperative spirit among the relocated. She persuades Antua to help combine all insects and spiders into a force for good, starting with the recovery of fungi from ruined nests and depositing them in the marsh to produce nutrients to keep the colony alive.
Thus, initially, the insects and spiders altruistically bond across species, but the radically different needs and necessities of each - not least the carnivorous spiders (!) - inevitably give rise to bitter conflict.
Warrior ants, Genant, Antistry, and Malevolant rise to power, establish a tyranny and launch a reign of terror.
It remains to be seen in the next two volumes of the Antunite Chronicles whether resourceful individuals of dauntless courage might yet overthrow the powers of darkness, and restore liberty and justice to benighted Poo-ponic.

No review would be complete without reference to the fascinating Appendices:
1, concerning units of measurement employed, the hex, and
2, a Pheromonic-English dictionary of insect emotions/non-verbal speech of how pheromones emitted by the characters equate to human emotions.
Antuna explains: ‘. . . pheromones do so much more than sound alarms and attract mates. They are nouns, verbs, expressions and emotions and allow communication between ants and other insects.’
This is a key feature of the book and encompasses many felicities, as:
“Wow, that is amazing,” exclaimed Antuna, excreting an ion-charged incense
Antua spoke with a fragile fragrance
Slimite, true to his name, smiled and cast a shadowy scent
Assistant detected a brassy bouquet emanating from his superior (army officer)
Dinomite (termite) leached a venomous vapour

Another aspect is how the prose is shot through with rhyme, used to point up a train of thought, sinister slogan, witty or mordant commentary or in celebration of happiness. The two modes, rhyming and pheromone vocabulary, complement each other and imbue the book with lyrical syntax which permeates the whole most pleasingly . . . how can I best phrase it . . . hold on, where’s that dictionary?

5 stars of course. ...more

Neil Campbell rated a book it was amazing

The Secret Couple
by J.S. Lark

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Neil Campbell made a comment in the group Review Group — Group 382. General - Mod. Gene topic

" Sorry, Gene, on reflection I've decided to withdraw my application to include Hypochondriac Gambler at this time.

I do apologise for the inconvenience ...more "

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	The Advent of Lena, A tale of Beauty and the Beast 3.21 avg rating — 24 ratings — published 2010 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hypochondriac Gambler, A tale of Hermes 3.93 avg rating — 15 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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