The Chanteuse From Cape Town 
by John Constable
[Book Tour]

Synopsis 

When Sol Nemo, a rich but mentally-troubled private investigator, learns of the kidnap of the wife of the man who’s been like a father to him, he responds instinctively to the call for help. But, unfortunately, Sol’s bargained without the betrayal of his trust and the life-threatening consequences that follow. 

So begins this intriguing tale of murder and revenge set against the backdrop of South Africa’s breathtaking landscapes and the vibrant cities of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Step by step, as the story unfolds, Sol has to confront a web of deceit and corruption with which he must wrestle; just as he must wrestle with the crippling anxiety that periodically overwhelms him. And, as if this wasn’t enough, Sol must also decide his response to his on-off lover’s recent overtures. Is her sudden rekindled interest no more than the lure of his vast inheritance or does she really wish to cement a long-term future together?  

From all this, Sol emerges as a protagonist with many of the doubts and weaknesses that afflict us all but, in the final reckoning, he too must answer the question:  How far will I go to take revenge?  

Review

I was kindly offered by LiterallyPR to partake in this wonderful book tour and I am so glad that I took up this opportunity because Sol Nemo had a lot in store for me. I have read quite a few crime novels in my 26 years, but this one was like peeling the layers of an onion. The deeper I dived, the more immersed I found myself. 

The story begins like most other crime novels, a troubled private detective called in to help with a personal crisis but that is where the comparison to other novels stops as this has a perfectly complex storyline that deliciously keeps on giving. Sol is a retired South African Police officer, but following their ongoing corruption, he decided to tackle crimes by himself. The story is set in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, John does a fantastic job of setting the landscape, so much so that I felt like I have been living there this past week whilst reading this novel. The main character Sol Nemo, finds himself tangled up in the kidnapping of a loved one's wife and despite Sol Nemo's thoughts on the wife Mira, he feels he owes this favour to the man who saved Sol Nemo and got him on the right track. 

Sol Nemo is entangled in a web of lies and deceit, he has to trust no one, not even the police force that is there to protect him. He is willing to lay down his life to figure out the mystery of this kidnapping as the motive first appears to be very unclear. Unfortunately for Sol, things take a downward spiral, he finds himself in a whole different world of crime and murder and with no one to watch his back, he is treading on very thin ice. There were many moments whilst reading this that I could feel my body tense up and not wanting to know what happens next in fear of the worst, but the need to know was too intense.

If you enjoy books about crime, corruption and mystery where the plot is very different to other books of this genre, then you are going to love this one!. 

I am very much looking forward to reading more about Sol Nemo in the hopefully near future. 

Purchase links below:

Paperback version: click here

Ebook version: click here

About the author

I've been writing for a while. In fact, it’s been a long while as I completed my first novel when I was around 20 years of age. I don’t remember much about it now except that it was set in the UK and concerned a plot to extort money from the Government. Some of my research for it though evidently caused a chilly breeze to blow in establishment circles which resulted, one sunny afternoon, in police officers paying me a courtesy visit. Having let them have sight of my partially completed manuscript they quickly departed, satisfied I wasn’t a reincarnation of Guy Fawkes or whoever was trending on the terrorist watch lists in those days.

Since those early times, I have written on and off over the years. In truth, there have been long gaps between books because I was doing other things. The one that occupied me most was as a serial entrepreneur in the recruitment industry. If you know anything about the sector, you don’t need me to tell you about long hours and hard work, particularly in times of recession. I survived two of them before quitting for good; after all you can have too much of a good thing.

Along the way, there have been other novels including one about a plot to assassinate Hitler at his headquarters on the Eastern Front; I seem to remember doing a lot of research for that one!

Regrettably, none of these efforts saw the light of day, though there is a crime thriller which I could think about publishing as a stand-alone in due course. By contemporary standards, it’s a trifle on the short side and it would need editing again.

The character of Sol Nemo grew out of my various trips to South Africa in recent years. My wife hails from Port Elizabeth, where Sol is based, and gradually as I absorbed something of the place and its people, my creative brain began to distil a character and a plot. Not much in the way of crime fiction is set in the RSA so it was my feeling that the market was about ready for something different. I can only hope you agree.

My interests include voluntary work with a particular focus on housing and money issues; collecting modern first editions; reading anything and everything, the welfare of Gerry the gerbil; and occasional golf which I play with an embarrassing level of ineptitude despite years of patient coaching.

To find out more about John Constable, visit his website: Introduction (john-constable-author.com)

Follow John Constable: @jvconstable

To find out more about LiterallyPR, visit: LitPR: Book PR | Author PR | Publisher PR | info@literallypr.com

Follow LiterallyPR: @literallypr

The Sapling Method by Huw Langridge - [REVIEW]

 The Sapling Method by Huw Langridge   [Review]

Print Length: 127 pages
Publication date: 21 April 2022

Genre: Sci-fi/Supernatural

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)

Synopsis

What would you ask your future self if you had the chance?

Young James Lewis find a way to do it and builds something in his garden shed to make it happen.

But messing around with the constructs of time usually has unintended consequences. Information is only ever meant to flow forwards. When paradoxes appear, there are forces in nature that seek to redress the balance, by whatever means necessary. 

Review

I will start this off by saying that I am a very picky sci-fi reader, there are many that I just cannot get to grips with and it's always a very hit-or-miss situation for me, but in this case, I was pulled in to the story from the get-go.

The story begins with Jim receiving a mysterious letter with strange dates and times but the story gets weirder when you find out exactly who sent this letter. Jim has always had a fascination with time and space, but he the remarkable James Lewis manages to find a way to travel time and distance right from his garden shed. 

The structure and pacing of the tale is impressive, it perfectly weaves sci-fi with the supernatural leaving you with the delicious taste of terror. As with most time travel tales, the butterfly effect plays an important part in this story which Jim is incredibly aware of and does his very best to ensure not to mess up the past or the future, however, there is one thing he does have the power to change but at what expense? Well, you yourself must find that one out!

I would have loved to know a little more about those pesky sinister creatures that tore their way through the pages and left you looking over your shoulder. I feel like this part of the story could have been a little more filled out with a fleshier back story, however, I know I am a person who loves a lengthy bit of story and sometimes that just isn't the right fit for the plot. 

Seriously, if you are a sci-fi or supernatural lover, this story will be a hit. It has a little bit of everything to keep you entirely entertained throughout. It's very different to most of the sci-fi novels I have read and it's refreshing to read something so unique but entirely plausible. 

I just hope you don't have a time travelling machine in the back of your garden!

About the author

Huw was born in London and lived and worked there until his late thirties, which is when he started a family and moved to Prestatyn, North Wales. Huw has worked in the fields of IT in the oil industry and in conference and event management. Huw's career has given him many opportunities to travel globally. Those experiences have really helped him find inspiration and tone for his stories. Huw is a huge fan of horror and science fiction, but regardless of genre he always loves stories with propulsive plots, or just good tales that you can fall into and get immersed in. Huw has been writing stories since high school, so writing has been a part of his whole life. Huw now has two children and although family and work commitments make it hard to find time to write, he always finds huge enjoyment in creating worlds and constructing plots when time permits.

Click here to visit Huw Langridge 

Follow Huw Langridge on Twitter: @huwlangridge

The Triangle (The Rise Trilogy) Book #1 by Robert P. Ottone - Review

The Triangle 
(The Rise Trilogy) - Book #1
by Robert P. Ottone 
[Review]

Print Length (Paperback) - 244 pages
Publication Date - 5th April 2022 

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

The world, as we know it, is over. Sea level rise has all but finished off life on Earth.

Born with a gift for engineering and technology, Azlynn and her father Merrill spend their days running a small shop in the flotilla community of Coral Cove. They scavenge shipwrecks, sunken vessels, and what precious little remains of the world before the planet drowned. With her best friend Ellis, they do their best to support their community, while struggling to survive.

When a group of scouts sent by The Order, a mysterious and powerful northeastern cabal, goes missing in the nearby Bermuda Triangle, Merrill is tasked with finding them. Unbeknownst to him, Azlynn and Ellis have snuck aboard to join in on the mission to find out what lurks within The Triangle. The ancient, cosmic truths they discover may be more terrifying than they ever imagined.

Review

An absolute gem of a story that will be every young adult's perfect horror read.

As a person who loves reading, horror and the ocean, what could possibly be more perfect than a horror novel set in the chaotic world of the ocean? 

The main star of the show is the wonderful Azlynn, who is a typical teenager who just so happens to be extremely talented at engineering. Azlynn is a funny and sarcastic teenager who likes to push the boundaries as much as she can which happens to lead her to a whole new world of which she is somehow part of. Azlynn lives at home with her dad and loves him the most in the world, their relationship is so wholesome and you really get a feeling for the love that they share for one another. 

Then there is the brilliant Ellis who stands to be the voice of reason and always tries to keep Azlynn on the straight and narrow but is somehow always pulled into the danger that seems to have some kind of magnetic pull on Azlynn and her family.

Robert's writing is absolutely stellar, the words flow right off the page and into your soul. He's able to create characters that are not easily forgettable and manages to pull at all the right heartstrings whilst giving you a fantastic visceral image of blood, guts and gore. What else can a horror lover ask for?

If you love horror, post-apocalyptic, coming of age novels then this is absolutely perfect for you!

About The Author

Robert P. Ottone is the author of the horror collection HER INFERNAL NAME & OTHER NIGHTMARES (an honorable mention in THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOLUME 13) as well as the young adult dystopian-cosmic horror trilogy THE RISE.

His short stories have appeared in various anthologies as well as online. He’s also the publisher and owner of Spooky House Press.

Robert is also an English as a New Language teacher, as well as a teacher of English Language Arts. He can be found online at SpookyHousePress.com or on Twitter/Instagram (@RobertOttone). He delights in the creepy and views bagels solely as a cream cheese delivery device.

 Say Her Name by Dreda Say Mitchell 
&
Ryan Carter - Review

Print length: 316 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Publication date: 1/04/2022

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

In this chilling thriller from the bestselling authors of Spare Room, one woman just wants the truth about who she really is. But she’s not the only one looking…

It’s twenty years since Eva, a biracial woman, was adopted as an eight-year-old, and Cherry and Carlton ‘Sugar’ McNeil have always been the only parents she’s wanted or needed. But when she’s dealt the double blow of Cherry’s death and her own suspension from work, Eva decides it’s time to discover who she was before she was theirs.

Against Sugar’s advice, Eva joins a DNA database, desperate for a match that will unlock her identity. And when a positive hit comes, she’s excited to learn there are relations out there who might hold the key. But the closer Eva gets to uncovering her past, the more it appears someone is trying to stop her finally finding the truth…

As she continues to dig, Eva is drawn into a dark and merciless underside to society, where black women disappear without a word. Names erased from history, no search parties, no desperate pleas for their return. Once, someone tried to save Eva from all this. Someone wanted a better life for her. But now that she’s torn down the facade of her life, has she come too far to be spared again?

Review

The story begins with Eva burying her adoptive mother. It is clear from the beginning that Eva's relationship with both her adoptive mother and father was a good one, Eva holds the highest respect for her adoptive parents but especially for her former police officer father called Sugar. What I really enjoyed about this story was how big of a part race played into the story. Her father became a policeman at a time when that opportunity for a black man was incredibly unlikely to achieve but against the odds, he was successful and was able to help instil Eva with confidence in her own beautiful skin colour. 

The story explains that Eva had a troubled past in a children's home where she was mistreated and subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to care for her. Eva has spent her life ensuring that she doesn't end up as just another failure in the care system but becomes a doctor, a job of which she is very proud but finds herself in a tough spot when she is suspended. 

A big issue for me in this story was the lack of character depth, Eva's husband Joe was supposedly her rock, yet nothing in the story really highlights this. One moment Joe is supportive, the next he is shifty and then all of the sudden everything is great again. Despite Joe being described as Eva's confidante and true love, you really don't see her relying on him or even communicating with him much at all. 

When Eva finds her birth father through a DNA test, she also unexpectedly finds herself a half-sister Miriam with whom she instantly befriends. Eva is aware that there is more to Miriam than what meets the eye but she enlists the help of her birth father and half-sister to find her biological mother but in doing so, Eva finds not just dark secrets but also finds herself in immense danger. 

I loved the storyline for this book, I particularly enjoyed the fact that this highlighted how differently people from an ethnic minority group are treated when being considered a victim of a crime and how they are underrepresented when they have gone missing etc. This is clearly a very important message this book is sending out and it's something that is crucial to change and for that part, I feel this book did a great job.

The main letdown of this book is the lack of character development, Eva is supposedly an intelligent doctor but makes decisions that I would hope no doctor would, she comes across as extremely naïve which I think is bizarre when she has gone through so much in her life, she is easily manipulated and has extremely poor decision-making skills. I also feel like Joe is a pointless character, who really doesn't develop any depth whatsoever. 

Another issue is the twists in the book are extremely predictable, the story is enjoyable enough as I really liked the whole background set-up and the message that it was trying to portray but nothing was shocking about this whole book, I knew where it was going from the start and I think it needed something extra just to put a little suspense into this book. 

Overall, the actual story is a great one even if it was obvious as to where it was leading, Eva is a likeable character despite my frustrations with her naivety and raising awareness on how ethnic minorities are treated by the government, media and everyday people in cases where a serious crime may have taken place. 

Amazon purchase link: here

About The Authors

Dreda Say Mitchell & Ryan Carter

Her Majesty, The Queen appointed Dreda an MBE in her 2020 New Year’s Honours’ List. Dreda scooped the CWA’s John Creasey Dagger in 2004, the first time a Black British author has received this honour. Dreda and Ryan write across the crime and mystery genre – psychological thrillers, gritty gangland crime and fast-paced action books Spare Room, their first psychological thriller was a #1 UK and US Amazon Bestseller. Dreda is one of twelve acclaimed and bestselling international female writers contributing to a new Miss Marple anthology. Dreda is a passionate campaigner and speaker on social issues and the arts. She has been a frequent guest on television and radio including BBC Breakfast,, Celebrity Pointless and Celebrity Eggheads, The Stephen Nolan Show, Front Row and Woman’s Hour. She has presented Radio 4’s flagship books programme, Open Book. Dreda was named one of Britain’s 50 Remarkable Women by Lady Geek in association with Nokia. She was the 2011 chair of the Theakston Harrogate Crime Fiction Festival. Dreda was born and raised in the East End of London where she continues to live. Dreda’s family are from the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada and her name is pronounced with a long ‘ee’ sound in the middle. 

Visit Dreda Say Mitchell's website: here

Follow Dreda Say Mitchell on Twitter: @DredaMBE

Impromptu by Martin Lilley
[Review]

Print Length: 62 pages
                       Publication date: 14th February 2022

             My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

The unforeseen is killing everyone who gets in its path. Nobody knows what it is or why it’s happening. People across the globe appear to be dying on their birthday, at the exact time they were born.

Inseparable twins, Cat and Tom, have two days left to live. With their sweet sixteenth fast approaching, they have to accept that this may be it. See ya later!
But then, Cat, a gifted writer who lacks confidence in her ability, is handed a mysterious brown envelope by her mother with the clear instructions; don’t show your brother, it will kill him.

Amidst a world gone crazy and people from all walks of life dropping dead, can the Government figure out a way to stop the unforeseen from taking those who are left?
And how will Cat and Tom survive in a world Cat had only ever dreamt of writing about herself?

Review

Impromptu is a novelette which is something I don't tend to read very often as I am a greedy reader. I always want more but Impromptu's synopsis had me intrigued and I knew I needed to read it. 

It's written from Cat's point of view as she scrawls down what is happening right up until the moment of her impending death. Cat and Tom are twins also referred to as 'TomCat' which I thought was a very cute touch! Cat tells the story of how people all across the globe start dying on their birthday at the precise moment of their time of birth but with no idea why, the government is clutching at straws, hopelessly trying to stop the world from falling apart who just so happen to have a leader who looked like Worzel Gummidge which should remind you guys of a leader of our own. 

The government fails of course and people become more and more unhinged when they are forced to face the fact that their next birthday will also be their death sentence. 

Cat is struggling to come to terms that she and her twin brother are going to die and she decides to document the moments that lead up to their birthday in a sarcastic and humorously way which perfectly reminds you of how young and vulnerable the twins really are. 

The tale is a sad one, there is no escaping death but Cat's humour really adds a lighter touch to the story and made me like her fairly quickly. Cat is given a mysterious letter by her mother which she is demanded not to open until a specific time to avoid hurting her brother but when she opens that envelope, it really throws a spanner in the works. 

I enjoyed the quick pace of this story, the character's personalities were strong and the twist was brilliant, but as I say, I am a greedy reader. I wanted to know more, I needed to know what happens after the big twist and why this happened in the first place? I felt like there were too many loose ends but that does give Martin the perfect excuse to write a sequel which I would love to read.

If you are after a short but unputdownable read then I highly recommend this unique novelette!

Please go and show this wonderful author some support by purchasing Impromptu from Amazon today.

About The Author

Martin was born and raised in Nottingham, but moved to Manchester in 1999 to study Illustration & Animation. After graduating with a First Class Honours, he backpacked down the east coast of Australia for a year.

He now lives in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, with his wife and two children.

Martin's dream is to be a published author and to see his work on a shelf in a bookshop. Ultimately, he wants to make those people around him immensely proud of what he has achieved.

He is now working on his next story in order to make that dream come true.

Follow Martin on Twitter: @yellilnitram

 The Waterman by Robert Derry
Review

Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
Print Length: 312 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

Terry Stubbs is a young man getting old before his time and is haunted by a face that invades his dreams. His life is on the rocks after failing to find his fortune on the trading floors of the ruthless city of London. Jake Harvey is a successful salesman on his way up the ladder, but his world will never be the same again, now that the nightmares have started.

The same dreams. The same nightmares. Different people.

A waterman from seventeenth century London lurks like a troll beneath the old London Bridge, reaching out across the ages to tug at his victims. Infiltrating their lives. Reeling them in.

A journey through time that will make you think twice, before you ever pay the ferryman again.

Review

A viscerally stunning piece of work that sends chills straight to your bones.

Robert does a fantastic job of drawing you in with his picturesque prose and then begins to deliver a real-page turner. This book was not what I was expecting by a long shot but I was left feeling pleasantly surprised by this. A historical ghost story soaked in suspense.

Robert very clearly did his research when writing this book as the detail and accuracy with what he writes with is phenomenal. 

The three characters that you follow are Terry Stubbs, Jackie and Jake. All three characters are facing a difficult time in their life but lead very different lives, the one thing that links them all together is the nightmares. The nightmares threaten to spill over into the realm of reality, leading the characters to a frantic search to understand why they are all suffering from the same dreams and where the dreams originally began.

Once you open up this book, there is no way you're going to want to put it down. I was so eager to find the answers that time slipped away from me and I was really with the characters yearning for answers to these mysterious nightmares.

Robert delivers one final juicy twist that left me stunned. I love historical fiction but I haven't read one quite as engaging and accurate as The Waterman, this is definitely one you should add to your TBR pile. 

Many thanks to Robert for gifting me a copy of The Waterman in an exchange for a fair and honest review.

Buy your copy here:

AustinMacauley|Blackwell's|Amazon

About The Author

Robert Derry is working as an HR consultant in England. He got his education from Lancaster University before he moved to the city of London. There, close to the River Thames, he wrote his first novel. His book The Waterman was also nominated for the 2021 Novel London Literary Award. In his free time, he supports Aston Villa Football Club and NFL. He is currently living in Somerset, England with his wife, Tina, their two children and two cats.

Click here to visit Robert Derry's website

Follow Robert Derry on Twitter at: @derry_rob

Lost & Found - A Memoir by Kathryn Schulz

 Lost & Found - A Memoir by Kathryn Schulz
[Review]

Publisher: PICADOR
Page Length: 256
Hardback Edition: £14.99
Release Date: 28.04.22

Synopsis

'An extraordinary gift of a book, a tender, searching meditation on love and loss and what it means to be human. I wept at it, laughed with it, was entirely fascinated by it. I emerged feeling a little as if the world around me had been made anew.' – Helen Macdonald, author of H Is for Hawk and Vesper Flights

Eighteen months before Kathryn Schulz’s beloved father died, she met the woman she would marry. In Lost & Found, she weaves the stories of those relationships into a brilliant exploration of how all our lives are shaped by loss and discovery - from the maddening disappearance of everyday objects to the sweeping devastations of war, pandemic, and natural disaster; from finding new planets to falling in love.

Three very different American families form the heart of Lost & Found: the one that made Schulz’s father, a charming, brilliant, absentminded Jewish refugee; the one that made her partner, an equally brilliant farmer’s daughter and devout Christian; and the one she herself makes through marriage. But Schulz is also attentive to other, more universal kinds of conjunction: how private happiness can coexist with global catastrophe, how we get irritated with those we adore, how love and loss are themselves unavoidably inseparable. The resulting book is part memoir, part guidebook to living in a world that is simultaneously full of wonder and joy and wretchedness and suffering - a world that always demands both our gratitude and our grief.

A staff writer at the New Yorker and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Kathryn Schulz writes with curiosity, tenderness, erudition, and wit about our finite yet infinitely complicated lives. Crafted with the emotional clarity of C. S. Lewis and the intellectual force of Susan Sontag, Lost & Found is an uncommon book about common experiences.

Purchase Link
Waterstones|WHSmith

Review

Typically, I don't read memoirs but after seeing the beautiful cover and the synopsis, I thought that this may just be the perfect memoir for me. 

This memoir is written like an eloquent poem which captures Kathryn's memories beautifully. This book is written in three parts, each as interesting as one another and is based on the title of the book. Each part covers how as humans we deal and approach things that we have lost, and how we go about finding and the "&" that combines things together.

This book really dives into the frustration that we feel as existential beings that have lost something and that in the end we lose everything, including the ones we treasure the most. 

We discover that Kathryn in the months before losing her father, met the woman of her dreams and how love can help carry you through the painful process of grief. 

You discover that amidst all the pain, Kathryn goes on to build a happy life with her wife including a wedding, a new home and eventually an addition to the family.

If you enjoy memoirs, then this one is profoundly moving and really opens your eyes to what it really means to be human.

About The Author

Kathryn Schulz is a staff writer at the New Yorker and the author of Being Wrong. She won a National Magazine Award and a Pulitzer Prize in 2015 for 'The Really Big One', an article about seismic risk in the Pacific Northwest. Her TED talks have been hugely popular: 'Don't Regret Regret' (2.5m views) and 'On being Wrong' (5m views). Lost & Found grew out of 'When Things Go Missing', which was originally published in the New Yorker and later anthologized in The Best American Essays. She lives with her family in Maryland.

Follow Kathryn Schulz on Twitter: @kathrynschulz

 Unlucky Charm by Aidan Lucid
[Book Review]

Print Length: 112 pages
Publication Date: January 5th, 2022

Book #2 Hopps Town Series

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

Darkness Comes From The Most Unexpected Of Places!
A New Threat Comes to Hopps Town

Following the events of, The Scavenger, we now find Jared a year later, on a two week break from college. He thought this would be a relaxing visit home then it happened, something so dark he felt a strange sense of deja-vu.

Across town we find Reggie Danes and Zane Miller who’ve been friends for over ten years. After Zane purchases an antique pocket-watch, they suddenly find themselves being taunted by past secrets.

Now they must band together to vanquish the demons which plague their lives. Can life ever return to normal?

Will the darkness ever disappear?

Review

A year following the terrifying events that happened in 'The Scavenger', we are now met with Jared who is home from college for a break. Jared is still very much coming to terms with his newfound ability and still finds it overwhelming but when he is confronted by a spirit who warns him that he must find an item, he is at a loss. Jared is clueless as to what item he needs to find, but thankfully his Aunt Maybelle runs to his rescue. 

Two new characters are introduced in this story, Reggie and Zane who are close friends which unknowingly come into possession of a cursed object and before they know it, Zane and Reggie are forced to face their past and their guilt. The only worry is that the past is much more real and present than it should be and presents a very real danger to both Zane and Reggie if they do not get the help they so desperately need. 

Jared and Maybelle with the appropriate abilities try to convince the young men that they can help, but a big problem presents itself. What happens if it's too late to help?

This is a perfect novella for a young adult, it flows beautifully and is an easy fun read for supernatural or horror lovers. 

Another great story from Aidan Lucid, I am eager to read his future work.

Purchase Unlucky Charm at:
Amazon

About The Author

Aidan was born in July 28^th, 1981 in County Kerry, Ireland. Growing up, he always loved reading books, especially those in the fantasy genre. Books on the supernatural also filled his shelves as a kid and still do to this today.

Mr. Lucid's journey as a writer began back in 2002 after having a religious experience. In 2004, he plucked up the courage to send out some of my material to magazines, newspapers etc. and seven items Aidan wrote were published that year. For the next two years Aidan received diplomas of distinction in creative writing and freelance journalism.

Back in April 2005 Aidan began writing, The Lost Son, which was then under a different title. In 2010 it was published by a Texas-based publisher but in 2013, he left that publisher. Mr. Lucid listened to feedback from readers on the novel and made some changes, adding new characters, fleshing out the story a bit more etc. Fast-forward to October 2019, Jongleur Books published The Lost Son. 

Aidan Lucid says, "Writing is my life and it fills me with joy to see people enjoy my works. It’s my aim to let people escape the mundane world we live in and get carried away by the adventures both in The Zargothian Saga books and other future works that will be released over the next few years. As an author, I love listening to the feedback readers give me. It’s always fun to meet and engage with the audience. I love doing interviews and talking about my writing journey, hoping that it will inspire another author to pursue their dream."

For more on Aidan Lucid: About Aidan (aidanlucidauthor.com)

Follow Aidan Lucid on Twitter: @TheZargothian

Hands by Lauren Brown - [Review]

Hands by Lauren Brown
[Review]

Print Length: 240 pages
Publisher: HarperNorth

Publication date: 20 January, 2022

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

I didn’t give my hands much thought before they turned against me. They’ve not attempted to snatch away my life in any literal sense – thankfully my unwell brain and its troubled, dexterous agents have never veered in that direction – but at the time I’m, we’re, writing this, it would not be untrue to say that they have been chipping away at my life, slowly, slowly, in a way I could never have predicted.


When an unexpected, life-altering mental disorder upended writer Lauren Brown’s life, she knew the only way to get to the root would be to find the thread – wound, red, around trees, tangled and frayed in places – and start following it with her hands, hands that had betrayed her, back to the root. What emerges is not only an attempt to redirect the anxiety that’s pooled in her fingertips for as long as she can remember, released in odd bursts in caravan parks, on the north-east coast, in school assembly but a journey towards forgiveness, acceptance, and a love-song to the north.

Review

Hands is a memoir of Lauren's life and journey with her struggle with dermotillomania, a form of OCD. This story really took me back to my own childhood as Lauren talks about her music taste, the good old days of MSN and of course DJ Smally! Whilst this book is absolutely hilarious, it really delves deep into important topics of mental health which other people shy away from. Lauren tries to discover the root of her anxiety and I found it interesting to see how her anxiety was present even as a child and how it became more apparent as she got older. This book isn't a self-help manual but is instead a true and raw depiction of how dealing with mental health affects everyday life. Personally, I found Lauren's honesty very inspiring and as someone who also suffers with their mental health, I know that articulating how you feel and putting your past on paper is far from easy. 

Hands explores Lauren's life and how her anxiety affects all parts of it such as school, relationships, her home life and her hopes. Hands deserves a big audience, it's relatable and funny but also takes a realistic approach in regards to dealing with mental health. 

This is the best book I have read which deals with a tough topic that will relate to many people, it's realistic, funny and heartbreaking all at once. I wish Lauren the very best for her future and that all her strength and courage is rewarded.

                              Pre-order Hands now

Amazon Link: Hands: An Anxious Mind Unpicked: Amazon.co.uk: Brown, Lauren: 9780008465766: Books

Foyles Link: Hands: An Anxious Mind Unpicked - Lauren Brown; | Foyles Bookstore

About The Author

Lauren Brown is a 26 year old woman who is from Billingham, Teesside in the North East of England. Lauren now lives and works as a writer in London. Hands is Lauren's debut novel which is to be released on January 20, 2022. 

Follow Lauren on Twitter: @Laurenrbrown95

The Scavenger by Aidan Lucid - [Review]

The Scavenger by Aidan Lucid 
[Review]

Print length: 146 pages

Publication date: 16 February 2021

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

"A trio of friends leap into a mystical and dangerous adventure to better their troubled lives in The Scavenger by Aidan Lucid. A coming-of-age story with heavy allegorical elements, this YA novel highlights the power of friendship amidst struggle, and reveals the hidden consequences of chronic trauma, bullying, and abuse in young people. The story may have undertones of “be careful what you wish for,” but the themes Lucid explores are important and timely. Blending fantastical elements with relatable relationships, authentic dialogue, and common struggles too often left undiscussed, this book does what YA literature should always strive for ”" educate, entertain, and inspire." - Self-Publishing Review.

Three Separate Wishes. One Twisted Nightmare!

Just like Hopps Town, their humble home, Jessica Barlow, Jared Duval, and Adrian Cole are fostering dark secrets. Plagued by loss, cruelty, and physical abuse, these friends are kindred spirits, bound by anguish and elusive dreams. They’re soon to find the key to change, but any happy future will demand they face a haunting past and brave a lethal present.

Deep in the forest on the outskirts of town, aging and nearly forgotten, there stands a well from another time. Happening upon this relic, Adrian goads his companions to join him in making a wish. Soon, difficult though it is to admit, their luckless lives do seem to shift. The only problem is, the changes aren’t at all as they’d imagined. Seemingly, they’ve only left the pan to face the fire.

Should they hope to both survive and thrive, they’ll need to pool their wits and draw on mystic inner-power. Solving Hopps Town’s greatest mystery now means life or death.

Review

Be careful about what you wish for

This story is told through the eyes of three teenagers Jared, Adrian and Jessica who are all locals at Hopps Town. The story is dark from the moment you begin it which definitely had me engaged from page one. Jared is from a religious family but his mum is struggling to come to terms with Jared's sexuality as she doesn't view being gay as part of God's plan, however, it is clear from the start that she does love her son. By all accounts, Jared's home life seems like a relatively happy one but at school is tormented by a homophobic bully who is making his life hell, he just wants to escape her grip and find someone with who he can be happy with. One point of concern for me about Jared is that his character seems underdeveloped, the author had a great chance to really dive into the issues surrounding his sexuality but chooses never to really delve into it and it seems like a great lesson that could have been taught was missed, nevertheless, Jared was a likeable character who easily kept me entertained, I just wish there was more depth to his character. A further issue that I had with this character was that the author states that he is a black male which is enough in itself but the author then goes on to make Jared speak completely different to his other friends as if to highlight that Jared is black, it seemed excessive and needless. 

Jessica's home life is in ruins, her mother has completely turned her back on her since Jessica's father disappeared, again I think a more in-depth back story as to why her father left would have been great and why exactly her previous loving mother turned into such an abusive and hateful woman towards her daughter. Jessica's mother seemingly takes a u-turn and become the loving mother Jessica has longed for but there is a much darker reason as to why this has happened. I thought Jessica was an ok character but felt more could have been done to make her character more complex.

Adrian is the guy that all girls swoon over but really he just wants someone beautiful to love. I found Adrian much harder to like, I felt like his whole character was very bland and that he wasn't really necessary for the story.

Overall, the book was very engaging and it's great for a quick spooky read, however, I feel like the author made potentially brilliant characters but didn't develop them enough. I really enjoyed the plot which serves as a warning to be careful about what you wish for. Aidan is clearly talented and I feel with just a few tweaks he could really perfect his work. 

Thank you to Aidan for the copy of "The Scavenger" in return for an honest review. 

About The Author

                                                

Born in July 1981 with a very rare syndrome known as Moebius Syndrome, Aidan has never let that stop him achieving his goals in life. Mr. Lucid began writing back in 2002 after a religious experience. In 2004 after plucking up the courage to send out his material, he was published seven times that year. Over the next decade, Aidan's works appeared in various local and international anthologies, magazines and e-zines. From March to December 2007, Aidan wrote film reviews for the award winning Irish newspaper, "The Kerryman".

In 2019 Aidan's YA epic fantasy novel, "The Lost Son" was published. He hopes to release the sequel in 2020 (Taken from Amazon).

Follow Aidan Lucid on Twitter: @TheZargothian