Monty's Book Reviews

  Blood Tribe Iris Kain 4 Stars Pages: 391 Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Vampire, Mystery Published: 19 March 2022 Publisher's Blurb When Vivian Black awakens in a coffin fifty years away from her earliest memories, that is only the beginning of the horror awaiting her. Soon she discovers she is a vampire wanted by a deadly, international cult of the undead‒the Shévet ha Dam, or Blood Tribe. Her pursuer? Joseph Cartephilus, former doorkeeper to Pontius Pilate and the father of the vampire race. With a new, handsome friend Michael--a young vampire who has vowed to protect her--Vivian flees for her life. But nowhere is far enough for them to escape her past and the Shévet ha Dam. Review An interesting take on the already crowded Vampire genre. Mixing powerful ancient vampires whose origins go back to the beginning of Christianity with modern younger denizens of the night. The main characters are nicely written and the plot moves along at a good pace as our heroine gradually remembers

The Die Back Grayson Steele 3 Stars Pages: 254 Genre: Mystery, Female Sleuth, Occult, Australian Published: 22 March 2022 Publisher:  Millport Press Publisher's Blurb Ritual death. Young life. Can the one woman from the outside curb the bloodletting liturgy? Dakota Jones lives and breathes the strange. Unorthodox and willing to follow clues no matter where they lead, the forthright detective is relentless in her pursuit of the truth. So when a member of a remote society off Tasmania’s coast washes ashore dead under suspicious circumstances, the determined detective goes undercover to bring the victim justice. Delving deep into the isolated culture only to find it more of an unwelcoming cult, Dakota discovers the body belonged to an intended sacrifice who tried to get away. And when she learns the rebellious teen next in line for the murderous ceremony is planning a daring escape, she’s in a race against the clock to uncover a dark revelation. Can the driven detective save the girl

  Long Lost Log: Diary of a Virgin Sailor Michael Chapman Pincher 4 Stars Pages: 255 Genre: Adventure, Biography, Nautical Published: 24 March 2022 Publisher:  Lilliput Press Book Trailer    Publisher's Blurb Mick is the novice deckhand on a yacht, skippered by an Irishman who's off with his mistress to find a new life. Set in the 1970s, this witty, well-paced rite of passage is full of freshness, sexual impulse and a clash of values. Long Lost Log is a voyage of discovery into the price you pay to be free. A vivid, spellbinding account of a true-life adventure, packed with insights into the human condition – this witty, well-paced rite of passage is full of freshness, sexual impulse and a clash of values. It is a rollicking tale written with verve, keen observations and sparkling with wry humour. Long Lost Log is a period piece for the nostalgic traveller and the armchair adventurer of any age. Review At a loose end and with his life going nowhere, Mick accepts an offer to be

  The Silver-Haired Banshee Shey Saints 4 Stars Pages: 130 Genre: YA, Supernatural, Romance Published: 04 Sept 2020 Publisher: Self Published Publisher's Blurb Whenever someone's about to die, Betha McSweeny transforms into an old hag with silver hair and unleashes an ear-piercing cry. What happens when someone discovers her true identity as a banshee? Review When an attractive young woman moves into the house across the street, Apollo enlists the help of his best friend Gab to hatch a plan to ensure that their paths will cross. What Apollo and Gab don’t know is that Betha is a Banshee, a mythical creature of legend that can foretell imminent death. What follows is a fast paced adventure as the boys discover Betha’s true nature and she has to fight her instincts to preserve the new relationship. An interesting supernatural tale, with nicely drawn characters, that hooks you into the plot as we learn the truth about the Banshee. I love the relationship between Apollo and his moth

The Terra Obscura Chronicles Book 2 :  Falling Against Gravity 5 Stars Pages: 297 Genre: Steampunk, Sci-Fi, Alternate History Published: 13 Oct 2019 Publisher:  Five Crow Road Publishing Publisher's Blurb TERRA OBSCURA CHRONICLES, CASEBOOK TWO: FALLING AGAINST GRAVITY Paranormal investigator and rogue adventurer Charles Fort is obsessed with getting his prototype airship into the sky. As the first test flight fast approaches, Fort is confronted by enemies from his past who remind him of the uncanny origins of his Nimbus airship and what it has cost him. Fort is forced to reconcile his youthful adventures in Aurora, Texas - where he naively investigated an extraterrestrial crash - with the present-day consequences of his blind dedication to the mission. With his life unraveling, Fort must choose between his closest relationships and his goals. His unorthodox team faces mortal threats that span from sabotage to mad science to - ultimately - each other. As the laws of physics are bent

True You 101 T.J. Eckhart 3.5 Stars Pages: 146 Genre: Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fantasy Published: 20 Oct 2020 Publisher: Liminal Books Publisher's Blurb If one class during high school could help you become the person you were meant to be, would you take it?  At the Reinholdt Institute of Sortilege Arts, sophomores are required to take True You 101 no matter whether they live in the mortal or magical realm.  Over the course of a year, each student must confront all possibilities until their outer form matches their inner self. Blake Trudeau has always just wanted to be normal and hopes the class will make that a reality, but will the final spell conjure Blake’s fondest wishes or worst nightmares? Review True You 101 is the subject that every pupil has to take at the Reinholdt Institute where the sophomores use magic to explore the full range of body shapes, eye/hair colour and finally gender to find out what matches their inner self. Blake Trudeau is different. Born w

  The Trauma Pool John Kennedy 4 Stars Pages: 295 Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Murder, Police Published: 22 Sept 2020 Publisher: Sharpe Books Publisher's Blurb DI Will Ashcroft saved a boy from drowning in the London Docklands. But the incident still haunts him. Now Ashcroft is back in the Pennines, where he started out. There has been a murder – and a twelve-year-old boy is missing. The deeper Ashcroft delves into the crimes, the clearer it becomes that he cannot solve the cases on his own. Samira Byrne is a black police officer, battling against prejudice both in and outside the force. Yet she is smart and tenacious – and becomes an ally. Faced with incompetent superior officers, witnesses who are withholding information, and the suspicious behaviour of the missing boy’s parents, Ashcroft and Byrne must risk everything to unravel secrets the valley has been keeping for over ten years. Can Ashcroft outrun his past long enough to solve the cases? Recommended for fans of Ian Rankin, Pe