Quickie Book review – Tranquility by Anya Bast
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Quick, well-written shifter short story / novella. I read this on my lunch break (about 20 minutes). The story has action, drama, and a heap-helping of steamy goodness. I just wish it was longer… the characters were great, but I didn’t get to know them as much as I would have liked.
It probably doesn’t help that I haven’t read #1 yet… as I’m sure if this is more of a serial story spread over multiple shorter-length installments, then I’d probably feel more vested in the players.
Off to find book one!
Book Review- All The Wild Children by Josh Stallings
All The Wild Children: A noir memoir by Josh Stallings
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve been putting off writing a review of this book, because I just don’t think any collection of words that I can come up with will do it justice. It’s good, so very good that I’d like to take it home with me at closing time.
It may be a memoir, but All the Wild Children reads more like a cross-genre novel (hints of literary, suspense, coming of age, etc.) Like Stallings’ other books, the writing in this book is gut-punch powerful. The bit about the boys being home alone when (can’t say…spoiler!) gave me rolling waves of goose-bumps that lasted damn near five minutes.
Despite having a sh*tty lot-of-it as a child, Stallings isn’t blaming anyone, so much as just telling it like it was. And brilliantly, I might add. I don’t even know if that makes sense, but hopefully once you read this memoir you’ll understand.
One thing I loved is the way Stallings spins a phrase. There were several examples in this book, but the one I loved the most is the one that went something like “This will read better then it lived.” Hell, I probably butchered that one too.
So I’m yelling at you now– go read All The Wild Children. Then check out the novels by Stallings. Your gray matter will thank you.
Related articles
- Quickie Book Review – Out There Bad by Josh Stallings (quirkygurl.com)
Quickie Book Review – Out There Bad by Josh Stallings
Out There Bad by Josh Stallings
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read the first novel by Stallings (Beautiful, Naked & Dead) and loved that one, so I don’t know why I was surprised to find myself deeply engrossed in Out There Bad as well. Maybe it’s because I never love books in a series equally– they’re a bit like children in their own unique way with good points and mediocre points.
But Stallings hit another grand-slam with this one. I finished it well over a week ago and bits of it still haunt me, and my heart breaks all over again for Moses and everything that haunts him so. I don’t know how Stallings does it; he turns readers inside-out, flips them around and drops us on our tails with a thud. And we beg like children, “Do it again!”
Damn fine writing.
Fast, gritty and real is this novel. Don’t dawdle. Read it.
Out There Bad is just bad, man.
Quickie Book Review – The Eclective: The Apocalypse Collection
The Eclective: The Apocalypse Collection by Emma Jameson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a fabulous sampler of some of the most creative, talented indie authors on the market right now. Each story was inventive and wholly captivating. And I loved the way multiple genres were represented in the collection– having a little bit of something for everybody.
On a side note, the way each author approached the theme with such different techniques really jump-started my own creativity, so I’d highly recommend reading short stories in this format in order to get your own creative juices flowing 
Get your copy of The Eclective: The Apocalypse Collection today
Quickie Book Review – Witchy Business by Eve Paludan
Witchy Business by Eve Paludan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A quick paranormal read… great characters, interesting setting and details. I was a little irritated by the way the main character Elle, went along with being man-handled by her so called friend… It felt a little too out of character and flimsy. But overall, I was ecstatic to see one of the main tenants of paranormal mythology so morphed into something quite new and original.
Nice way to spend a relaxing spring day outside reading!
Quickie Book Review – Venice Vampyr by Tina Folsom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a steamy little novella that wasted no time getting to the goods, so to speak. Underlying all that was a decent plot and great characters that were fleshed out as much as they could be in the shorter novella format. Several inventive scenes skirted the lines of taboo, making the novella more memorable in my opinion.
Interesting enough that I’ll certainly go on to look for the next novella in the series.
Cover Reveal – The Taste of Lavender by Emma Shane
Happy Friday! I just wanted to hop on here and show everyone the new cover for Emma’s soon-to-be released novella, The Taste of Lavender. The blurb is still a work in progress, for now you only get this ethereal image.
So, what do you think?
Threesome Quickie Book Review – Or What I’ve Been Reading Lately
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great book… in some ways reminds me of Beautiful Disaster. Def. a gut-wrencher with a killer love story and emotional turmoil! Highly Recommend!
***
Under A Harvest Moon by Joleen James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Nice little love story set amid a scenic winery, with a decent dose of family secrets, horrible Ex’s and the like.
***
Exposed: A Novel by Ashley Weis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A little heavy on the religious aspects (mainly concerning the MC and her marriage) for my tastes, but over all a decent book showing how things work out the way they are supposed to, and not how you think you want things to go…
Quickie Book Review – Spirit Horses by Alan S. Evans
Spirit Horses by Alan S. Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What was Great: The plot, characters, emotions, scenery and plight of the horses.
What I had a problem with: the chunks of “story teller” passages.
I understand the need to condense larger amounts of information for the sake of book length, but I didn’t care for the longer voice-over type of narratives toward the beginning of the novel. I felt like a really good editor would have pruned and condensed these areas for better readability. Had it not been for the things that were great about this novel, I wouldn’t have been able to overlook the parts that irked me.
Now, with all that said, this is a book that I could see some Hollywood big-shot making into a fabulous movie. It has it all– heartache, tragedy, a man on a mission, second-chance love, beautiful scenery, historical references, and an ending that you won’t see coming.
Quickie Book Review – The Burning of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel
The Burning of Isobel Key by Jen McConnel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very nicely done. The juxaposition of past and present were well-done, never jarring or hard to follow. And both time lines were brought nicely together near the end.
My heart ached for Isobel and all that befell her. I was drawn to most of the characters in a similar way. The interaction between the characters felt “true” and complex, like it should. Particularly, the interaction regarding pagan/ Christian beliefs was very well thought out by the author and added another layer of “realness” to the novel.
I’d recommend this novel to anyone who likes women’s fiction, light-historical, or paranormal romances.
Quickie Book Review – Outcome by Edward W. Robertson
Outcome by Edward W. Robertson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve read (and loved) the first book in the Breakers series, finding it extremely well-written and creative to the Nth degree. So it’s no surprise that I was sucked into this novella with such force that my neck feels a little stiff
While the series starts out during the tail-end of the viral outbreak, this novella goes back to the beginning and shows the reader exactly how mankind fell so quickly. I adored the characters and the plot. Robertson paints a vivid picture of just how wrong things can go, and how basic liberties can been taken away in the blink of an eye, and without one’s knowledge even. And it’s all in the name of the Greater Good.
Worth reading. But don’t stop there– go on to read the series as well!
Quickie Book Review – Cool Shade by Theresa Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Interesting book… part mystery, part off-beat romance, with a dash of steamy goodness. I particularly like the way certain quirks of the main characters were handled by the author. I’m a fan of Weir’s, and this book fit in with what I’m used to reading with her. Recommend whole-heartedly!
