Monty's Book Reviews

A Snapshot of Murder Frances Brody 4 Stars Publisher's Blurb Taking the perfect photograph can be murder . . . Yorkshire, 1928. Indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton is taking a well-deserved break from her detective work and indulging in her other passion: photography. When her local Photographic Society proposes an outing, Kate jumps at the chance to visit Haworth and Stanbury, in the heart of Brontë country, the setting for Wuthering Heights .   But when an obnoxious member of their party is murdered, the group is thrown into disarray. Is the murderer amongst them, or did the loud-mouthed Tobias have more enemies than they might have imagined?    Armed with her wit and wiles, and of course her trusty camera, it's up to Kate to crack the case, and get that perfect shot too . . . Review This is the first Frances Brody novel that I've read and overall it was a good well paced read and has all the hallmarks of a good murder mystery - plenty of suspects...

  Ghost Flight by Bear Grylls 4 Stars Pages: 464 Published: 4 Jun 2015 Publisher: Orion Publisher's Blurb Author of MUD, SWEAT AND TEARS and star of MAN VS. WILD and THE ISLAND, Bear Grylls delivers his action-packed debut novel - the start of a major new adventure series. Haunted by his wife and son's brutal abduction and murder, ex-soldier Will Jaeger runs to the ends of the earth to recover and to hide. But even there he is found, and compelled to undertake one last mission, and to confront a savage past he can barely even remember. Jaeger agrees to lead an expedition into the Mountains of the Gods in the remote Amazon jungle. At the dark heart of this real life Lost World lies a mystery WWII warplane, one that harbours a secret so explosive its very discovery may tear the world asunder. Terrifying forces are hell-bent on keeping the warplane forever hidden. Unwittingly, Will Jaeger is going in against them. But as Jaeger joins a team of former elite warriors - including...

The Camel Club by David Baldacci Publisher's Blurb Existing at the fringes of Washington D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man know as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions. Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder ... and become embroiled in an astounding, far reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes. Review It seems that there are hordes of books out there that feature plots to kill world leaders, most of them deal with the US President. This one features a group of conspiracy theorists who witness ...

Sparks: Welcome To The Madhouse by Dan Cummings 4 Stars Publisher's Blurb Dave Reynolds has grown jaded with his life, locked in a dead end janitorial job at the Ravenswood Institute for Mental Health, he quietly yearns for some excitement to stir up his mundane existence. That is until he learns that far below the hospital's grounds lies the Madhouse, the regional headquarters of the Frontline Unified Battalion of Arcane Resistance (FUBAR), a clandestine government agency tasked with combating supernatural evil. If that wasn't enough of a surprise, he also learns that he is a Spark, an individual with latent gifts, carrying the residual energy of a nigh extinct race of universal protectors.   Drafted into service, he is accidentally afflicted with a curse, casting the sensible, rational aspects of his personality into a subconscious prison, unleashing a clownish psychotic who is as deadly as he is irritating.   A wild card personified, Dave must now lead Whiskey Team,...

Choosing A Master by S.M.Perlow Publisher's Blurb Reason or passion, good or evil, duty, love, or pure pleasure--in a world with two vampire factions at war, choosing the right master is everything. "Like the blood of God..." In New Orleans, a passage from a Renaissance-era book is Ethan's only hope to save the woman he loves. He's a vampire, so he can live forever. Ellie, however, is mortal, ill, and running out of time. "If Sanguan vampires drank synthetic blood, like Spectavi vampires, the world would be so much safer for humans." In the Spectavi laboratory where synthetic blood was created, Vera is making no progress with her current projects. But for her devotion to the Spectavi cause--and their leader--she will go to any lengths. "She would hold me when she bites, and at least while she sips my blood, I wouldn't be alone." In a nightclub in France, John has an unusual encounter with a gorgeous vampire, but his love for a mortal woma...

Soul Smuggler  by Milo James Fowler Publisher's Blurb Who is Mercer? Coyote. Soul Smuggler. A body-hopping, phantasmal anti-hero. A disenfranchised spirit doomed to inherit the earth, cursed by both Heaven and Hell. An enemy of God, but no friend of the devil. Soul Smuggler collects 9 Mercer tales: "The Coyote" - In the future, Mercer's services are requested by a powerful man seeking to keep his stepdaughter quiet about certain indiscretions. "Soul Smuggler" - An orphan boy seeks Mercer's help in reuniting with his dead mother. "The Second Option" - Father Thomas, assassin from the clandestine Terra Sacra order, sets out to destroy Mercer once and for all. "Abomination of Desolation" - A boy with horrifying powers is at the top of the Church's extermination list, replacing Mercer for the time being. Father Thomas makes Mercer a deal he can't refuse if he helps rid the earth of the young abomination. "The Coyote's W...

ENDOHUMAN: Love Vs Duty: Book 1  by Nick Dream Publisher's Blurb A page-turning debut in the tradition of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, amped up and on steroids with some X-Files mystery, some Hitchcock suspense and countless plot twists and cliffhangers that will keep you guessing. And you'll still be wrong! Review Adam is a loner, a loner with super powers, powers he needs to keep a secret. Adam is Endohuman The book takes us on a journey with Adam through his troubled school life and his secret training at home with his grandfather. Evie is the smart, cute girl at school that Adam admires but cannot get close to because of her sometime boyfriend Brad, the violent bully that makes Adam's life hell. The author paints an interesting picture of life for Adam and his fumbling interaction with his classmates and his desire to be accepted as one of the crowd. All this is done with an undercurrent of darkness and supernatural expectation. The book starts to drift once the sc...

Winter Gets Hot by David M.Hamlin 5 Stars Pages: 296 Published: 6 Dec 2017 Publisher's Blurb Winter in Chicago journalist Emily Winter is the first reporter on the scene of a gruesome murder in the offices of CARD, a civic organization that investigates corruption in City Hall. Although she has proven herself to be a skilled reporter with at least one headline making story to her credit, her new TV boss assigns her to a more “ladylike” beat—lifestyle and feature stories. Determined to overcome the sexism that inhibits her career, Emily works her way into hard news coverage, including the story of the murder at CARD, but she faces major obstacles on all fronts as she pursues the killer. As the case twists and turns, Emily navigates the city she loves, relishing Chicago’s architecture, neighborhood restaurants, culture and her beloved, if hapless, Chicago Cubs. Will she uncover the murderer and bring justice for those who depend on hard-working journalists to write the stories that...

Touchfeather  by Jimmy Sangster Publisher's Blurb Katy Touchfeather is a carefree, red-headed, airline stewardess who is actually a top British spy. She’s lethal, seductive, and as ruthless as any double-O. HTouchfeather by Jimmy Sangsterer latest assignment is to track down a scientist suspected of selling secrets to the Russians. It’s a high-stakes, global escapade that takes an unexpected violent turn that shatters her life…and ultimately pits her against a billionaire industrialist with terrifying intentions. Katy Touchfeather is a part-time air hostess and full-time spy. When she is given a mission to keep tabs on an english scientist on his trip abroad she inadventently fall in love, and that's where the problem starts. Review Written in a fun, easy to read style which screams of the 1960/70's with it's un-pc language and outdated views, this is no Ian Fleming and Katy is no 'Jane' Bond but it has it's own likable charm and I'd be quite hap...

That's Paris: An Anthology of Life, Love and Sarcasm in the City of Light  by Vicki Lesage Publisher's Blurb If you've ever traveled to Paris or dreamed of setting foot on its cobblestone streets, you'll enjoy escaping into this collection of short fiction and nonfiction stories about France's famed capital. From culinary treats (and catastrophes) to swoon-worthy romantic encounters (and heartbreaking mishaps), this anthology takes you on a journey through one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Visit this cosmopolitan metropolis through the eyes of Parisians, Francophiles and travelers who fell in love with the city and still hold a piece of it in their hearts. That's Paris is a glimpse into living, loving and laughing in the City of Light. So fasten your seat belts and prepare for landing - you'll be arriving soon in Paris through the pages of this humorous and heartwarming book! Review      I wasn't quite sure what to expect from an ant...

A Really-Truly Princess  by Amanda Kastner 5 Stars Publisher's Blurb   When Rosellen receives a book of fairy tales as a birthday gift, she decides to use its stories as a guide for her own life. From enchanted frogs to lost slippers to hundred-year naps, Rosellen wants to be a really-truly Princess just like the ones she reads about in her book. Follow Rosellen through five fairy-tale inspired escapades as she discovers that real life problems can't always be solved in story-book style--even if you are a Princess! Review This is a delightful book full of fairy tales about princesses and the story of a really-truly princess and her adventures. It retells classic fairy stories and relates them to a 'real' princess who reads the tales and uses the lessons learned in her everyday life. In addition to the nicely written stories the illustrations are done in black and white to allow the kids to colour them in which increases the enjoyment of the book. Although aimed at yo...

The Liars' Asylum  by Jacob M Appel The collection of eight short stories are all loosely related to unrequited love in one form or another. The stories are well researched and written in an easy style which make then entertaining reading. Each one is thought provoking and leaves you pondering on where the story would go if it was to continue to look at the lives of the central characters. Each one is a snapshot into the life of one character and doesn't always finish with a conclusion to the problem at hand. These are not short stories with a twist in the tail like Jeffrey Archer or Roald Dahl and they are not romantic love stories but each one is finely crafted and a joy to read.

Rainwater by Sandra Brown Hardcover 247 pages Publisher's Blurb Ella Barron, a single Texas mother, built a careful life running a boarding house in the Depression-era cotton South. But when a mysterious stranger takes a free room, he also takes Ella’s careful life apart. In the tradition of Gone With the Wind comes historical romance in the Dust Bowl. Ella runs her Texas boarding house with the efficiency of a ship’s captain and the grace of a gentlewoman. She cooks, cleans, launders, and cares for her ten-year-old son, Solly, a sweet but challenging child whose busy behavior and failure to speak elicits undesired advice from others in town. Ella’s plate is full from sunup to sundown. When a room in her boarding house opens up, the respected town doctor brings Ella a new boarder―the handsome and gallant Mr. David Rainwater—but Ella is immediately resistant to opening up her home to this mysterious stranger. Even with assurances that Mr. Rainwater is a man of impeccable c...

Miz Scarlet and the Imposing Imposter  by Sara M. Barton 3 Stars Pages: 257 Published: 02 December 2013 Publisher's Blurb When the Wilson family is hit with a financial Ponzi-style fraud, losing everything but the old family manse, they get creative and turn their home into a small inn. The Four Acorns Inn sounds like a good idea, except for one thing -- someone is out to ruin them anyway possible, and that includes murder. As if that's not bad enough, Scarlet Wilson's love life keeps tanking, no matter what she does. Pretty sad when the elderly ladies have a better romantic life than the forty-something innkeeper. Is she cursed when it comes to men, or is there something more sinister going on? Better known as "Miz Scarlet", the feisty former teacher finds she's up to her eyeballs in questions when someone posts a threat in the garden. Who's in danger and why? What does it have to do with the Jordan family, who disappeared without a trace? When Miz...

  Progressive Digression: A Book of Poetry by Jordan M. Ehrlich Publisher's Blurb A collection of mostly free verse poems written throughout the author's adolescence and young adulthood. This is the familiar story of striving for progression, while continuously digressing. It is an attempt to show the struggle that we all face in growing: we move on, but not always forward, and not always in a straight line. In these pages are stories of unrequited love and sadness, as well as hopefulness, found truly only in One Source. Review I like my poetry in the form of those written by Pam Ayres, Edward Lear or John Hegley and for this reason this wasn't an ideal book for me. If you enjoy your poetry deep and meaningful rather than humourous then this will be right up your street. The poems are written from the heart and deal with love, relationships and growing up and the author appears to have put all his emotion...

  Heretic by Bernard Cornwell 4 Stars Publisher's Blurb From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the sequel to The Archer’s Tale and Vagabond—the spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family’s honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail. Already a seasoned veteran of King Edward's army, young Thomas of Hookton possesses the fearlessness of a born leader and an uncanny prowess with the longbow. Now, at the head of a small but able band of soldiers, he has been dispatched to capture the castle of Astarac. But more than duty to his liege has brought him to Gascony, home of his forebears and the hated black knight who brutally slew Thomas's father. It is also the last place where the Holy Grail was reported seen. Here, also, a beautiful and innocent, if not pious, woman is to be burned as a heretic. Saving the lady, Genevieve, from her dread fate will brand Thomas an infidel, forcing them to flee togeth...

  Bobby 'Chicken Legs' Muldoon: Life and Love in the Gorbals by Kate Donne  4 Stars Publisher's Blurb ‘Robert James Muldoon. That’s me. Fifteen years auld, four feet three wi bright red hair an legs like a chicken...’ Bobby lives in a Gorbals highrise in Glasgow. 1968 had been a tough year as he struggled with a lack of confidence, his OCD mother, the absence of a job or girlfriend, and a missing grandad. Now, as the bells ring for 1969, he begins the year with optimism. His ‘four bit action plan’ should help him to overcome any obstacles and sort out his problems. All he needs is his witty sense of humour and a huge amount of determination. But will his idea work? Review    The book is written entirely in glaswegian and as a Sassenach I at first found it hard to read fluently as I needed to translate it as I went along BUT, by the end of the first chapter it clicked and the rest of the book flew by as I got wrapped up in the life of Bobby and hi...

Suzy Spitfire Kills Everybody  by Joe Canzano 294 pages Publisher's Blurb    When Suzy Spitfire discovers her father was murdered after creating a super-duper artificial intelligence, she races across the solar system in search of the brain he built - but it's a rough ride, and she's soon forced to tangle with pirates, predators and her father's killer - as well as a man she thinks she can love    Review   I often find that a lot of science fiction books spend far too much time on the tech and not enough on developing the characters or the storyline. In this case the balance was much better, there was enough tekkie stuff to keep the hard core sci-fi geek happy but an equal amount of time was spent getting to know Suzi Spitfire and the other main characters. The narrative is non stop with Suzi lurching from one sticky situation to another and it kept my attention for its entire duration. All-in-all this was a fun story which ...

Something Completely Odd  by Chris Dyer 4 Stars Pages: 71 Published: 10 Aug 2017 Publisher :  Monday Creek Publishing Publisher's Blurb Being odd isn’t such a bad thing… we all are in our own way. So many things in life are odd and if we only look a little closer then perhaps we can accept “oddness” rather than shun it. As you walk down the street wonder to yourself as you look at the things that surround you and think… that’s odd… is it really and if it is either realise that underneath we are just as odd to others (and in that I include everything human or otherwise) so we have a responsibility to either accept it or try to change it… the choice is yours but please before deciding think carefully, quite an odd thing to ask really but then not being odd is in itself rather odd.     Review A delightful collection of short poetry, stories and opinion that in turn both entertain and make you think. It is a mixture of items both humorous and serious which ...

The Godungava  by Joel Puga 3 Stars Pages: 175 Genre: Fantasy Published: 10 February 2018 Publisher's Blurb During the day, Seidus is just a simple blacksmith. At night, nevertheless, he becomes the hero of a world that exists only inside his head. However, few ideas come to the isolated village where he lives and, over the years, his inner world has become repetitive and boring. Accompanied by Iriáris, a childhood friend, he leaves in search of new ideas, but they quickly become involved in a dangerous quest for an ancestral artifact that can save their nation from the invasion of a powerful enemy: the Godungava. As they follow the clues leading to the artifact, Seidus, Iriáris and their new companions are forced to visit the most dangerous places in the Theocracy of Charglassume and encounter kappas, veloryans, hydras, the undead, and even dragons, while attempting to prevent their rivals from reaching their goal before them. Filled with adventure, fantastic locations and ...