Review: The Hatter’s Daughter, by W.A. Simpson

FICTION / Fantasy / Epic
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-78758-911-7
Pages: 272 pp
Series: Tales from the Riven Isles
FLAME TREE PRESS

The Hatter’s Daughter is the third book set in W.A. Simpson’s Riven Isles
universe.

There is more to the Vine than mortals and immortals know. It reaches its
branches and tendrils into realms beyond the Riven Isles. On the night Faith
was born, her mother perished, but not before sending Faith to safety, in
Underneath. Discovered by The Mad Hatter, he takes Faith home to raise as
his own. When the Rot invades, Faith determines to fight. She won’t do it
alone. Her childhood friend, Prince Rowan accompanies her. Faith must
return to her birthplace to find a Legendary Heroine. But Overland is
dangerous, and the minions of the Rot are in pursuit. If she doesn’t succeed, the minions of the Rot will destroy everything they know.

Tales from the Riven Isles is a dark fantasy series set in a world outside of our own, where the characters of myth and fairy-tales exist, and their legends live on. Featuring the novels: ‘Tinderbox’, ‘Tarotmancer’, and ‘The Hatter’s Daughter’.

Continue reading “Review: The Hatter’s Daughter, by W.A. Simpson”

Review: The Way Up Is Death, by Dan Hanks

Release Date
2025-01-28
Formats
Ebook, Paperback
EBook ISBN
28th January 2025 | 9781915202956 | epub | £5.99/$9.99/$11.99
Paperback ISBN
28th January 2025 | 9781915202949 | Paperback | £9.99/$18.99/$24.99

When a mysterious tower appears in the skies over England, thirteen strangers are pulled from their lives to stand before it as a countdown begins. Above the doorway is one word: ASCEND.

As they try to understand why they’ve been chosen and what the tower is, it soon becomes clear the only way out of this for everyone is… up.

And so begins a race to the top with the group fighting to hold on to its humanity, through sinking ships, haunted houses and other waking nightmares. Can they each overcome their differences and learn to work together or does the winner take all? What does the tower want of them and what is the price to escape?

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Maria and the space-dragons investigate: Chapter 14

Right, I’m back with another instalment of the adventures of Maria and her star-dragon friends. It’s a short one this month.

Continue reading “Maria and the space-dragons investigate: Chapter 14”

Review: The Cure, by Eve Smith

PUBLICATION DATE: 10th APRIL 2025
PAPERBACK ORIGINAL | £ 9. 99 | ORENDA BOOKS

LIVING FOREVER CAN BE LETHAL…

Ruth is a law-abiding elder, working out her national service, but she has secrets. Her tireless research into the disease that killed her young daughter had an unexpected outcome: the discovery of a vaccine against
old age. Just one jab a year reverses your biological clock, guaranteeing
a long, healthy life.

But Ruth’s cure was hijacked by her colleague, Erik Grundleger, who hungers for immortality, and the SuperJuve – a premium upgrade – was created, driving human lifespan to a new high. The wealthy elite who take it are dubbed Supers, and the population begins to skyrocket.

Then, a perilous side-effect of the SuperJuve emerges, with catastrophic
consequences, and as the planet is threatened, the population rebels, and laws are passed to restore order: life ends at 120. Supers are tracked
down by Omnicide investigators like Mara … and executed…

Mara has her own reasons for hunting Supers, and she forms an unlikely
alliance with Ruth to find Grundleger. But Grundleger has been working on
something even more radical and is one step ahead, with a deadly
surprise in store for them both…

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Cover Reveal: First Contact, Second Chances, by Fey Abernethy

First Contact, Second Chances

Everyone deserves a second chance. Even humanity.

Ex-British Army officer Joe Llewellyn is captain of the Shantivira, the alien space station secretly protecting the Earth from invasion. After Joe reveals the Shantivira’s existence to the UN, everyone wants a piece of him. Except his mother. They’re no longer speaking.

But it’s not only Joe’s relationship with his mam which is in jeopardy. His alien bosses have given him an ultimatum: either he persuades Earth’s authorities to completely restructure the global economic system – to distribute resources fairly without exceeding ecological boundaries – or the space station will be reallocated to another, more deserving planet.

With vicious, cannibalistic space pirates prowling the galaxy, brutally stripping and enslaving entire worlds for profit, Joe can’t afford to fail.

This third instalment of The Shantivira fantasy solarpunk series is a must-read for fans of Becky Chambers, Ben Aaronovitch, Ursula Le Guin, Doctor Who and anyone who enjoys supernatural sci-fi.

Book will be available for purchase on 4th May at these places

Amazon series page: https://mybook.to/shantivira 

Author website: fayabernethy.com

Author Bio –

Fay Abernethy left the UK twenty-five years ago, seeking adventure.

When not diving with sharks or falling off horses, she worked as an engineer in the automotive industry. Later, she started her own translating business and settled down in Germany with the man of her dreams.

Pre-children, they explored the Alps together – on foot in summer and on skis or snowshoes in winter. She now lives the life of a respectable citizen, having discovered that being a parent is the greatest adventure of them all.

Social Media Links –

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fayabernethybooks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fayabernethybooks/

Amazon author profile: https://www.amazon.com/Fay-Abernethy/e/B09966L52C

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21656346.Fay_Abernethy

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/fay-abernethy

The Storygraph:

https://app.thestorygraph.com/authors/add296b4-04aa-4782-a3f2-20dea238f900

Maria and the space-dragons investigate #1 March 2025 instalment

I’ve finally had a chance to type up some of the progress I’ve made on the Maria and Lah-Shah story I’ve been sharing with you for the last year (?). I have written more, but I’ve only just typed this next 2500 words up. I had two writing sessions this week, and I’ve got another this afternoon, so you might get an update before much longer. Certainly it won’t be three months this time.

I’m making this one available to all subscribers, rather than just to paid subs, because no one is paying for subs. I might go back through the posts and unlock them all.

I present to you Maria and the space-dragons investigate #1

Chapter 13 – Exploring Aurox by air – Maria

After a week staying with Sahrai, taking prophylactic medicine and observing the local life from the safety of the container house, Maria felt it was time to explore. Outside.

Continue reading “Maria and the space-dragons investigate #1 March 2025 instalment”