Perilous Grace: Avenging Angel 2 by Eden Crowne

A shady group are trying to unleash the old gods, this is never a good idea, locked up deities are there for a reason! It seems when a Queen wants her King back Heaven and Earth will be shifted.

Evie & Riley are hot on their tails, but never a step ahead, as artefacts and relics go missing around the world. However, this time they also have a friendly “dog” to help them!

Battle scenes galore as Humans and Celestials duke it out with tons of magic sprinkled on top. I really enjoyed the varying PoV within those scenes it brought to life the mental imagery.

Twists, turns, skulduggery, back stabbing and double spying galore; a real mind bender of a plot.

Love how EC writes and she clearly loves her characters. Looking forward to book 3.

Perilous Grace

Alien Hunters (1) by Daniel Arenson

Midnight is a Pirilian, she is purple with yellow eyes and indigo hair. She was incarcerated by the Skelkiens, a predator race, but she escaped and is now on earth searching for a saviour, with a blazing fire fight with a starry setting this is how the book explodes in your face.

These Skelkiens are bad news and not just to Midnight, after they destroyed her world they are desperate to see her torn to shreds so that they can access her magic as their energy source.

Back on Earth is Riff, a blue musician who manages to annoy the local cult leaders (Skelkiens) who previously murdered his mother (told you they are bad news), after a particularly bad music set in the bar he lives in a magical, cryptic note is left by his magician father.

Riff and an ex-girlfriend, Romy, who happens to be a warrior, his brother who is also an ex Knight manage to buy a weird spaceship that looks like a dragon and comes with two even stranger crew, set off to find Midnight who has been prophesied to them by Riffs father, and so the story begins!

The topic allows the author to really put some amazing critters, ideas, cults, myths and characters in. It also allows for a lot of leeway as this is set many thousands of years into the future.

I did get fed up with all the repeated information in the story as DA kept reiterating the past, the characters and plotline which was really unnecessary. There are also some issues with “copied work” (I won’t say plagiarism as that’s a bit strong) and the lack of actual science, some of the characters are so cliché as to be bad, but not so bad as to be funny.

That said this is full of humour and lots of goings on, with some unlikely heroes and lots of fun, danger and excitement. The book IS written in a tongue in cheek way as to evoke all the kitsch of the sci-fi world.

Alien Hunters 

Bob meets Sam by Jaime Johnesse

Starts off with a blast as Bob goes into full on dance, and body part flinging mode within the first few lines. We are also reintroduced to Griff, the empath.

The tongue in cheek humour is forefront with Bob and even if a little stinky/slimy he is such a likeable guy.

What is not to like about JJ’s writing, especially her dialogue pieces as they give her characters such life with getting stuck down in the he said/she said back and forth.

When Bob catches up with Sam, the shape-shifter, at Griff’s bar JJ explains  how they both became part of the supernatural world and how they met, a really great story in and of itself. However, when Bob learns that the necromancer he helped to capture has escaped he has to help to recapture him.

Bring on New Orleans, Voodoo hoodoo, witches, zombies and mayhem galore!

JJ moves her stories along quickly, but still holds tension, and this was no exception, fast paced but with full on mental imagery to pull you into the story.

I am looking forward to the much promised updated Sam the Shifter book.

Bob meets Sam 

Cast in Fire: Revelations Series 2 by Jaime Johnesse, Chirstine Sutton & Lisa Lane

I want a hell hound!!

Poor Frank, the cat loving demon, his love of kitten mugs is so endearing and yet he loves his job as a torturer in Hell, he is a guy I would love to know personally!

The ongoing escape of Djinn continues as does the drain on Lucifer’s soul reaping, with dire consequences, revelations of the fall from Grace are given up during one of her many “moments”.  A time that Poly tries hard to hide.

Poor Drew is sinking further into her soul/energy draining addiction and I loved finding out more about her past history.

Lenny, such a cutie, but the girl you want on your side in a fight not the one pounding you! Her shape shifting abilities bring some interesting  elements to the, multiple, fight scenes.

When the Djinn do their ultimate weapon release the World goes into melt down but one Senator seems to be immune and keeps rising to the top of the pile.

I love the way all three authors gel so well in their writing, you can see the differing styles in their characters but they blend their story lines so well in the joint scenes.

A few new characters in this episode of the trilogy but I think my favourite is Gabriella and her cat Vincenzo.

However, Nick the Ghul, also intrigues me and I look forward to finding out which side he really plays for.

Just when you think all is coming right for the World the ladies kick you in the gut with the final comment, talk about leave you on a knife edge and ready for the final instalment – a good tease ladies, but oh so wicked!

Cast in Fire

Edinburgh Elementals (books 1, 2 & 3) by Gayle Ramage (narrated by Chris Barnes)

Michael and his family are moving in to a new home, thankfully he discovers he has a really helpful if unusual neighbour called Hattie. Hattie with a bobble hat.

Pixies it seems like to live in lofts; much hilarity ensues at Michaels disbelief, Hattie trying to catch them and the Pixies trying not to be caught!   I shall never look at a hedgehog the same way.

I really enjoyed this short story, it made me laugh out loud several times and I thought the characters had a good depth given to them for a shorty.  The world Gayle Ramage creates sounds like an exciting one and I look forward to more.

Chris Barnes narration really gives a great edge to the story.

The Trouble with Pixies

Hattie gets burgled and of course she has unusual things in her house.   Sadly, all the witches in the town cannot seem to protect this lovely necklace that allows the wearer to cry tears of gold.

  

Hattie is keen to get this back as the wearer is not usually a very lucky one despite the gold.

After a bit skulduggery she tracks down the thief.

Whilst I enjoyed the story it did not have the belly laughs of depth of story of the first one, the creatures and myths were eluded to but never fully formed and Michael and his family were a mere after thought.

Tears of Gold

Hattie finds a Forest Spirit in her boot who happens to think he is a God, in fact he is just a grumpy git called Vic. However, she has been tasked with a job by the elusive coven and is on her way North.

Unfortunately, Hattie’s car breaks down on the way to see the Ice Giants. She finds a lovely B&B owner, Mrs Dinky and the lovely mechanic Carl.

was very LotR in its enormity with huge ice statues guarding the entrance etc.

Loved the colour descriptions.

I can’t give the ending away but I do hope Gayle Ramage writes a few more.

Vic has all the fun lines and I would really like to have him in more stories. A few more giggles in this one, but still felt a bit serious.

I think Chris Barnes had a riot reading this one, it really showed. Although I think his English accent needs some work!

Land of the Ice Giants

Snow by Paul Kane

I really enjoyed reading the “praise for Paul Kane” at the start of this novelette, this is unusual as I find self-promotion a bit sickly, however I was intrigued by some of the names mentioned, high praise indeed and, as it turns out, all warranted.

PK grabbed my attention with his introduction, I really do enjoy finding out how a story developed for an author, although the constant stream of name dropping had me rolling my eyes by the end.

PK is an excellent master of vivid description, he uses words beautifully to evoke the mental image of a scene. With his fast moving narrative, I was soon imbedded in the story.

Angela’s family background and history are swiftly and succinctly dealt with giving you just enough information to get a brief snapshot of her life and understand the dynamics, grinning at all the comparisons and links to the original fairy-tale.  The overall premise IS the story is Snow White. All the elements from the “original” are there but PK has brought them in to the modern world with a bang.

I loved Angela’s inner dialogue as it really pulled the story along and gave odd flashes of tongue in cheek humour.

PK was very clever in adding all the elements that were so central to the fairy tale and slotting them in so I barely noticed them until they slapped me upside the head and made me grin like an idiot.

There is just a splash of gruesome and horror as in all good fairy tales.

Overall, I really loved the way PK writes and will definitely be seeking out other titles by him to enjoy.

Snow

That Ghoul Ava on the Lam by TW Brown

Jump on a few months and my favourite pop culture referencer and dead body muncher is back in favour with the fairies having royally upset them in the last story. However, she is now hunted by the Templars.

We start this story with her throwing doggy poop down a neighbour’s chimney! You have to read this now huh!  With two hilarious Great Danes who are so dense they are a comedy double act, please let them be a bigger part in the future

There are hilarious moments in this book and you can tell that TWB really enjoys writing this character but there is also a dark and sad edge to it, please read the forward to understand the mind-set, also because the author really puts a part of himself in there.

This chapter sees Ava battling a revolting creature and coming to terms with certain facts about her undead life now and the community she has joined. As the story comes to a close it is clear another danger is imminent, great tease TWB!

Having visited Portland, Oregon, and had a personal tour given to us by TWB (ok I’m showing off now) I loved all the references to the places.  A Xmas tree farm!!! Wahahahah (personal joke from TWB – btw if the books he writes get 5* from me it’s because he has EARNED them, not because we are pals, he sucks – I tell him, but so far so good!)

I thought I cracked how to read these by always having one in the wings, so to speak but now I am Ava bereft.  Smaller more frequent bites (pun intended) please TWB even if you have to split a few books, like the old Saturday morning cliff-hanger movies!

That Ghoul Ava on the Lam

Wind Walker by Neil Buchanan

Audio & Ebook versions:

Wind Walker consists of three short stories; one is stand alone and the last two are linked by a character.  All of them have a similar feel and theme; death, apocalyptic, cannibalism and monsters.

I found the writing style to be very dark but exceptionally descriptive, add in the clipped, direct narration of Carrie Buchanan and I kept rewinding to ensure I had heard what she said; the ewww moments were really horrifying.

The first story is Wind Walkers; a man learns he is the harbinger/catalyst for monsters to rise on a snowy mountain side in Wales.  His inner monologue of fears and memories interspersed with the dialogue with his children allowed for characterisation and a connection with them as a family.

I really liked the “cool velvet” explanation of calm after intense pain. My only negative would be the alternating of PoV was a little confusing when listening to the audio version, but when read I was able to slow and repeat paragraphs.

The second two stories were linked by a character; the narrator is left alone in a shopping mall whilst the world outside is filled with monsters. I did wonder if they were all linked as the season is winter with snow and ice and both talk of a rift. 

Sam the floating corpse will stay with me for a while, she was so vivid, even in death NB gave her a brilliant back story.   Another negative amongst all this praise would be the use of “diapers”; clearly set in the UK why use an American word?

The is an abundance of flesh, blood and gore, eyeballs hanging and bits being cleaved or munched off. The shock value is obviously there but NB writes with such substance and palpability that even the simplest of phrases made me wince eg the eye ball stalk!

All the endings were very sorrowful and pessimistic, no happy endings here, horah for some dirty horror. Loved the gruesome, creepy unrelenting nature of these stories and cannot wait to read more from this author!

Wind Walker

God War Rising by Tim Maruitz

Kaede, the ex-pit fighter and Bess, the Witch, are a team, in the need for a mark; Sand aka SheepBoy just happens to be that lucky fellow, shame he was found hanging from the gallows.

However, with some sorcery and guile he is soon saved and offered a challenge, so the story begins.

There is a smirk, giggle or blood encrusted gore fest on nearly every page, but don’t the carnage or daftness fool you, TM is an exquisite master of words able to build a scene and tantalise you with a story line.

Once TM gets his wickedly clever claws in you, you’re hooked and dragged along for the ride.

I liked the way that TM didn’t go in for lengthy explanations of each creature, realm or peoples that he created and added slowly to the mix, he allowed their “attributes” to seep in slowly, building a world and mental image.

He was also pretty adept at managing to fit in all sorts of lyrics with some odd choices! But made me laugh.

I really enjoyed the journey, loved the climax and was thoroughly charmed by the ending, it actually had me snorting in giggles but it also left me desperate for a sequel.

I am infatuated with a strange zombie head called Chatterbox from TM’s Demon Squad series (you have to check this out!) but I think Gorf and Whineblade are now my triad of go to critters for a good giggle.

War God Rising

Next on the very special That Ghoul Ava

Ava is back with SASS! and a multitude of pop culture references; which are great to work out or memory joggers.

When she meets a tall dark stranger, with knobs on! in the park another adventure begins.

This time she is whisked off to Texas with some new and strange critters, I love the way TWB brings his own version of things to current "fictional" creatures

She also discovers a new skill as her head starts to fill with voices. This, of course, brings its own hilarity.

However, there is an underlying darkness to her situation and even through Ava thinks of herself as more the butter than the sharp knife she is great at sorting out problems that seem to surround and gravitate towards her.

Not quite left on a precipice but I was left staring down the mountain of a cliff-hanger; I am thankful I have the next instalment to hand.

The flashbacks to movies, songs and tv programmes are a hoot and the chapter titles are a joy all their own.

RARARARA that’s me shaking my pompoms for this brilliant series.

Next on the very special That Ghoul Ava

British Fantasy Convention 2015

So this was my first British Convention, I was really nervous and terrified that no one would speak to me or that, even worse, Graeme Reynolds who invited me would pass me by!   Wow was I wrong..... thankfully.    I walked into the hotel bar, spotted Graeme and was instantly given a HUGE hug and he handed me a signed copy of High Moor 3 (more on that later!), and that's basically how the convention went for me.   A bit of terror, huge hugs, the bar and lots of books.

The first panel was The World As We Know It (Edward Cox, Jan Edwards, Peter McLean, Al Robertson & Sue Tingey with Penny Reeve as moderator).   

Unfortunately I was unable to hear most of it due to the microphones either not working or the guests not realising you needed to actually lift them up. It was a shame not to have heard it as the panel were clearly having a laugh at something! 

The joy of learning about new authors and seeing my favourites in the flesh is hard to describe. Whilst I want to worship them and lick their toes I do enjoy finding out that they are human and not something to be worshipped making me much more loyal.     

The panel itself was very illuminating, Edward Cox has some very interesting concepts and Al Robertson took getting on board a plane to new levels of sci-fi; basically showing that daily life is actually magic.    

I loved hearing how they write about elements/characters/storylines and how they develop them.  Of course mythical critters, folklore and mutually assured dragons is how we are going to achieve World Peace, so glad I found that out.

The second panel I attended was Chills, Shocks & Empty Bladders: Writing “The Fear” :the amazing Ramsey Campbell did not overshadow the other guests (Neil Buchanan, Sara Townsend, Simon Bestwick & Lynda Rucker with Emma Audsley as moderator) in the slightest, he merely proved what an awesome gravitational force he is and what a total gentleman.   I really liked the smaller, more intimate, venue room.   

The one comment that really struck me was that horror is cathartic, for me that was a revelation. Having had this phrase pop into my head several times now I can fully appreciate how horror saved my sanity from an early age and has stayed with me as the one constant in my life; whatever monster was in those pages I could deal with, I could escape from; it made the real  monsters in my life less scary, that holds true today.   

It did make me snigger that they all confessed to being scaredy cats and who knew that Rupert the Bear could be so terrifying! But then again Worzel Gummidge scared the poop out of me as a kid; what normal person takes their head off!

After this I was dragged off for one of the worst meals of my life in the hotels brasserie, for some reason they had decided to reduce their normally lovely menu to three choices that did not appeal in the reading, ordering or eating of them. I have seen more fish (in my seafood pie) in an empty anchovy can and the salad looked like it had just had CPR. Forget extra drinks or even the offers of pudding as the waiters chose to ignore us after plonking the plates down.     I suppose we should count ourselves lucky we got to sit down at all really as the first attempt at arranging a table was met with disgusted looks by the head waiter and a flat refusal to sit eight of us together despite an empty restaurant, when two of us went back and asked for two tables of four suddenly all was well, perhaps dragging them together is what then got us the shoddy table service.

However, this experience may have blotted the day, it did not ruin it as I was far too excited and was happily now following my new friends off to my first “reading” with Chris Barnes and Matt Shaw; a fabulous story was narrated in that beautiful Scottish accent, although I feel I have now marked my card by telling my new friends that his version of the horrifying Connie in the High Moor series will forever only bring Mrs Doubtfire to mind post enjoying the audio version.

The real and very gorgeous boys.....

As we sped into the evening I continued to stalk my new convention buddies (Carrie & Neil) into the Conference Theatre for The Atrocity Exhibition, not sure what I was expecting but an hilarious game show was not it, but I was delighted with an hours’ worth of giggles and interesting non facts. Wonderfully hosted by Donna Scott who kept forgetting her own team names (Mark West & Kim Larkin-Smith vs Gareth L. Powell & Emma Newman) but did keep those naughty people in check although giggling deliciously at their often bonkers answers did provide me with a few more smirking moments.  I think the highlights for me where the face eating, murder beavers and button holes!

The next reading was by Carrie Buchanan who captivated me with her breathy, heartfelt reading of her brothers Road to Palladium; it was no surprise then to find out she is the voice of Stormblade Productions.

After deciding that the Karaoke was not my thing I headed back into the reading room armed with a fresh drink to be delighted and horrified by further readings; Will MacMillian Jones was so kind as to give me an almost private reading and then remembered me the next day whilst I was trolling the Dealer Room (he did convince me to buy a 1^st Edition of one of his YA books for my nieces xmas present!).   Other delights were Terry Newman, Simon Bestwick, Marion Pitman, Michael Millar and the joyful Craig Saunders.   Poor Craig, after the reading I managed to trap him (on a chair) against the wall, in the bar, with a bribe of a Guinness whilst I picked his brain on life, the Universe and everything.

I went to bed at the reasonable hour of 2.30am, I understand that others stayed up until 4am!

Up with the lark like a kiddo on xmas day, I ran down to breakfast and managed to snag one of my favourite authors (Graeme Reynolds of the Highmoor trilogy) all to myself!   It was a real pleasure moment as I gazed at him over a plate of sausages, eggs and beans; I think I managed to speak coherently but then again he could have just been hung over and nodding in all the right places, or trying to keep his brains from falling out; and here is proof of my beautiful signed book.

and in return I was able to present him with a little gift too! (lets hope he doesn't find the little microphone and satnav receiver inside!)

The next panel was Monster Mash-Up: Were-vamp-zomb-zilla….With Wings! (Carrie Buchanan, Cassandra Khaw, Tim Lebbon, Will MacMilliam Jones & Adele Wearing – Jon Oliver was moderator).  

Do you ever get that feeling that someone is pointing at you? In a moment of terror at being singled out I became aware (like that scene from Jaws on the beach) that the lovely Adele Wearing, who I now know is from Fox Spirit Books, was pointing about my multitude of foxy items hanging off my bag, this of course endeared me to her for the rest of the panel and I nearly ignored what all the others were saying!    

The main comments and thoughts that stood out for me were the idea that monsters are just humanity's faults made into characters; how these artists brought those concepts to life differed enormously.    The other interesting comment was the “new” Asian monsters that are creeping into modern, Western horror; there was a word of caution from Ms Khaw that these critters should be given the respect they deserve from their origins in folklore and not bastardised too much.  It almost felt like a threat (wink) but it gave me the chills.    Some members of the panel, who shall remain nameless, forgot they were there when asked a question, so engrossed in the discussion were they; fully understandable!

12pm and a book launch for Adam Neville's Lost Girl was pretty impressive with a queue almost out the door for signings.   However, our little gang was huddled in the corner, after some more anonymous fan-girling (not me this time!) as we waited  to watch Jim Mcleod of  Ginger Nuts of Horror fame to be floored by a personalised book presentation; enjoy THAT post on his blog.

At 2pm the next panel was being seated and then unseated due to a fire alarm, there are rumours as to who set it off, my money is on the kitchen staff and those burnt to cinder repulsive burgers.   The panel was Turn Up The Volumes: Marketing & Selling Books (Sophie Calder, Jo Fletcher, Graeme Reynolds, Matt Shaw & Danie Ware with Adele Wearing as moderator).    I thought Adele did very well in not allowing any one person to overshadow the others PoV and both Graeme and Matt did admirably in showing that Indie Publishing is not only established but knocking socks of Traditional Publishing.   My only thought really as I was nodding away and rolling my eyes at some of the name dropping was: Where were the readers? The bloggers? The reviewers? Now I know I am biased but it’s often the word of mouth reviews or blog posts that get me interested in buying a book. That group of marketing should have had a voice, IMO.

I then had a mooch around the Dealers Room and again thought the organisers had missed the opportunity to provide tables for artists other than publishers; cover artists, audio, merchandise, films etc

At 5pm I was gobsmacked to see this little fella in huge boots jump on a table and start reading; apparently I had stumbled into the launch of GodBomb! by Kit Power. Later his reading at 23.45 was so very well delivered, not only was the story gripping and heart wrenching but his performance of the story made the whole audience jump in certain places and oooh in others, I asked him when it would be available on Amazon as I was very impressed with his launch reading too, only to be presented with a signed copy. Go me!   

Whilst the downside of the whole convention was the horrifying crap they dished up as food and then charged you exorbitantly for, the saving grace was breakfast.     Thankfully I was able to join a super cool gang of people for a very nice Indian meal and ended up giving a lift to the super cool Kit Power and his UBERcool parents! His dad was Twitteratting about the #Fcon2015  whilst waiting for his Cobra! 

Post poppadums and naan breads we dashed back for the disco, only taking time out for  another reading.   Neil Buchanan is such a calm, gentle and quiet man until you hear him read his work. It is not an over exaggeration to say that at his reading the originally rowdy (yes drunk, it was a theme) crowd were silent from about two lines in, all the way through to the end when for about 5 seconds we all sat there in shock (and me in awe) until a lady who was waiting to read next suddenly piped up with “that was disgusting”, followed by Graeme Reynolds croaking out “what is wrong with you?” which kind of summed it really.      I really fan girled about ten mins later when, walking down the corridor to the bar, Neil threw his script in the bin and I (nearly) screamed “what are you doing!” only to fish it out again and clutch it to my chest!  It’s now proudly sat on my shelf, my only regret is not getting him to sign in, but it does have his sweat on (sorry too much information huh). 

Whilst many of the readers were exceptionally nervous prior to their readings, without fail NONE of them let their work down.

Back to the Disco, without a shadow of a doubt the most fun time!    The only shame was it finishing at 1am?? Shocking! We are not 12 year olds at a school disco… this was hard core partying!   And by that I mean Hey Micky (which will stay with me forever, thank you Mark West) followed by Fire Starter, The Macarena, Dancing Queen and Ace of Spaces (or Nasal Spray as was whispered in my ear by Neil Buchanan; giving me a squirmy eye twitching moment – see back to fan girl moment).   Not only was this eclectic mix enjoyed by all I was astounded to see that the dance floor was 8/2 men/women…….. yup!   Although I did fear for some of their, and my, safety at some points; especially the guy who thought it was in a hybrid mix of Riverdance and Ring, a Ring of Roses!  When the lights came on we all skulked away to have much more chatting in the bar and I finally gave into sleep at 3am.

A greasy breakfast was most welcome on the Sunday morning as I seemed to have soaked up someone else’s hangover (I don’t drink) but managed to stumble to my final panel Sounds Like A Story: the science and psychology of audio fiction with the silky sexiness known as Chris Barnes (James Goss & Emma Newman with Alasdair Stuart as moderator – Del Larkin-Smith was off getting told he was organising 2016 Fcon!). 

This panel was probably the most informative of all the panels for me as it opened up a whole new world not least the amusing podcast Tea & Jeopardy by Emma Newman, a nice cup of tea, some cheeky cake, some brilliant interviews and a bit of jeopardy from the barking mad Butler Latimer.  

I am now making my way through Pseudopod too.      One of the funniest things I did jot down and then search out on YouTube was  ID4UK; basically it's the  Independence Day film with THE Sir Patrick Moore, it's a must listen and I guarantee you will giggle!

Thoughts overall - I LOVED IT!!  Have already booked my ticket for next year where I can join forces with my new Con bestie (Carrie) and terrorise Jim McLeod's knees......