Category Archives: Crime

Review: ‘For the love of Emily’, by Joy Wood

Joy Wood is a local author, a nurse in Grimsby, that I met at a local authors event at Grimsby Central Library in the summer. What with Paris, university and being under the weather, it’s taken me a while to get her book read, but this afternoon I felt the need to read a paper book, so I picked up ‘For the love of Emily’ and got back into it.Continue reading “Review: ‘For the love of Emily’, by Joy Wood”

Review: ‘A Daughter’s Deadly Deception’, by Jeremy Grimaldi

Published by: Dundern

Publication Date: 6th December 2016

I.S.B.N.: 9781459735248

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Review: ‘The Secrets of Gaslight Lane’ by M.R.C. Kasasian

Hello! I hope everyone’s enjoying the summer? I’m back with a book review. I’ve had a dodgy couple of weeks but I’m feeling better, I think. I’m resting mostly and limiting contact with people because of the exhaustion. Last week I had an ‘aural overstimulation’ day, my head felt like it was being invade by every noise no matter how quiet and that my mind was being bombarded (does anyone else get that?). I had to retreat to my room and silence. It happens sometimes and I can get nasty if I don’t have time in silence. Anyway, on with the book review.

http://headofzeus.com/books/secrets-gaslight-lane
http://headofzeus.com/books/secrets-gaslight-lane

The Gower Street Detective, Book 4

Publisher: Head of Zeus
Format: E-Book (also available in Export Trade Paperback, Hardback, Paperback)
Published: 2nd June 2016
ISBN: 9781781859742

Continue reading “Review: ‘The Secrets of Gaslight Lane’ by M.R.C. Kasasian”

The library has moved

Hi!

My local library has moved in to a new building, the ‘Immingham Hub’. I went for a visit yesterday, because I needed to print off some patterns I’d bought and wanted to make, but also to have a nose round.

Continue reading “The library has moved”

Review: ‘Rebellion’s Message’ by Michael Jecks

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Published by: Severn House

Publication Date: 30th April 2016

ISBN: 9781780290850

R.R.P.: £20.99

Format: Hardback

Received from netgalley.com in return for an honest review (as if my reviews are ever anything but painfully honest?)

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Review: ‘Pride and Regicide’ by Cathy Bryant

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Published by: Crooked Cat Publishing

Publication date: 29th September 2015

ISBN: 9781910510612

Format: ebook

Price: £0.99 (for Amazon.co.uk kindle edition)

Another of my Netgalley.com finds

Continue reading “Review: ‘Pride and Regicide’ by Cathy Bryant”

Review: ‘Witches Protection Program’ by Michael Phillip Cash

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Chelshire Inc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Titles                                                                                                                                                                      Published: 14th May 2015                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Paperback                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ISBN:9781511411349  
Blurb
 Witches Protection Program is filled with adventure & suspense Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City.

Michael Phillip Cash is an award winning and best selling author of horror, paranormal, and science fiction novels. Michael currently resides on Long Island with his wife and children.

My Review

Firstly, the plot; it has a great deal of potential and could be extended from this novella in to a full novel or even a series. I was disappointed with certain aspects – such as the explanation for Bernadette’s great conspiracy, and the reason Wes lost his original position. They just weren’t ambitious enough. If that was all I wouldn’t be too bothered but the insistent and weakly developed romantic plot irritated me.

Secondly the writing: not bad, although tension would drop in all the wrong places.

Characters: All the men are heroes of one sort or another, and all the women are horrible (either physically or psychologically) or weak. Returning to Bernadette, all her actions are predicated on the assumption that the romantic rejection by her sister’s husband would make her hate all men and want to lock them up in internment camps. Or Scarlett, who’s jealousy of Morgan should somehow drive her mad with power lust. It all tickled at something, and then I realised what it was. Straw-feminist arguments advanced by misogynists include ‘feminists hate men’, ‘women hate each other’, and ‘women compete for male attention’; I’m sure the author isn’t a misogynist, but his book read like an MRA fantasy, complete with the handsome white man coming in to save the day and get the, equally white, younger, pretty girl.

I really hope that is the ‘tongue-in-cheek’ aspect of the book.

Overall, I was underwhelmed by this book, although the idea itself has a lot of potential.

2/5

Review: The Retribution by Val McDermid

On Monday I went to the monthly reading group meeting at my local library. The book we were discussing, The Retribution by Val MaDermid was very popular with our small group. I had never read any if her books until yesterday morning.

Continue reading “Review: The Retribution by Val McDermid”