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Showing Tag: "fiction" (Show all posts)

"Infrequent Frequencies, Rare Resonance" by G.E. Poole

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, September 28, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


As far as holistic or comprehensive books on fundamental being go, this is about as broad as it gets.  All credit to G.E. Poole; he has covered the foundations of life and death from every possible angle, including the chemical, scientific and natural.  But, of course, you get the impression that at its heart this is really a profound and powerful interpretation of the religious.  The author is as objective as you can get, but you can clearly see his unwavering faith in God and religion as th...


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"Worse Than You Think" by Todd Allen and Heath Hamrick

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


If you’re worried this is going to be a mind-numbing book about politics, you couldn’t be more wrong.  It is a hugely entertaining and genuinely fun, “mostly true” tale of two young-at-heart grown-ups who just decide, one day, they won’t sit around and do nothing while their country goes to the dogs around them – a sentiment I’m sure many of us share in the current climate.  But I don’t want to downplay the validity of their mission; they’re clearly both exceptionally smart ...


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"The Man Who Buried Chickens" by A.I. Johnson

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, September 22, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


I really enjoy short stories, the chillier and darker the better – and they don’t get much more atmospheric than this superb collection by A.I. Johnson.  Whilst not strictly horror or thriller genres, there is enough in most of these stories to add an air of ominous mystery; some are genuinely pretty creepy, others a little more brooding drama.  I admit, the last story in this baker’s dozen wasn’t to my liking, with rather more an air of abstract, sci-fi political satire, but the rest...


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"Tumult in Mecca" by Hans Peter Bech

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, September 16, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


An in-depth and intriguing insight into the world of international business and cultural barriers, as a Danish professional and his business partner attempt to sell their services to counterparts in Saudi Arabia, amidst religious factional turmoil at the end of the 1970s.  It is an eye-opening exposé of a country and a region which has been changed dramatically since events at that time, and hints at the long-lasting effects on global politics and terrorism today.  But at the time, as outlin...


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"Memories of Tomorrow" by Josh Herner

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, August 25, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

I have to be honest and say this book totally didn’t go in the way I thought it was going to – rather more, there was an almost Kane and Abel-type premise about it (as in Jeffrey Archer, not Genesis).  Starting with a blast which sends Tomek back in time to inhabit his younger self, you might assume, as I did, that an action-fantasy story is about to unfold, but what does is actually a very slow burner, telling a life story which is a skewed parallel to that which it has now replaced.  It...


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"You Are Not Here" by Michael Albanese

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


In his cerebral and deeply personal collection of musings, anecdotes, narratives and motivational vignettes, Michael Albanese acknowledges, more than once, that people have a tendency not to get his work – and hints that reactions to this offering might be no different.  Personally, I have to say that I enjoyed it – whatever it was.  It comes from the heart and it means well.  As for my personal opinion on what Michael was attempting to achieve, I think the project is cathartic for him.  ...


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"Deadly Rainbows" by A.A. Akibibi

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, August 10, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



Having already read the two sequels in this series, it is nice to now read about the beginnings for young Sean and his space adventure; it perhaps helps to give a little context to the books overall.

To tell the truth, my favourite of the three is part 2, which I actually read first, but this is still a good, fun book to read.  I now have a great deal more background on Sean and am able to create a more accurate mental image of him, as well as understanding the backstory of his parents and h...


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"Krooked Ketamine" by Arthur Williams

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


I should immediately disclose that I helped Arthur Williams in producing this book, but that has no bearing whatsoever on my review, which I submit freely and honestly.  In a nutshell, this is an excellent book, and Arthur is a fantastic author, who knows his subject matter very well.  As the book’s protagonist, surgeon Ben Anderson, undergoes his own routine heart procedures, what starts off as a mind-bending trip on the powerful, hallucinogenic sedative ketamine turns into a wondrous expe...


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"A Pangolin Slept On Buddha's Lap" by Madeleine Dale

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


Exceptionally articulate and hard worked, this is an admirable piece of investigative fiction by Madeleine Dale.  It is also, sadly, an incredibly depressing yet vitally important exposé into the despicable world of endangered animal poaching.  The author knows her subject intimately, and reports in detail on the human, corporate, law-enforcement and political aspects of the trade in, most specifically in this book, pangolin parts, this particular creature being one of the most ancient, crue...


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"Splendid Light" by A.A. Akibibi

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

If I had to sum this book up in one word it would be “grrr!!” – and a pretty irritated grrr at that.  I don’t like to spoil, and actually I don’t think I’m going to do that when I tell you, off the bat, that this book will leave you hanging on a cliff.  That said, it’s still pretty good and I enjoyed it a great deal, as I knew I would from Akibibi, who is becoming one of my favourite authors of late.  But I feel it only fair, particularly if you have spent money on this book, to...


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"Find the Ladder" by Nadeem Lutfullah

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, June 27, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

You might consider this a jobseeker’s guide for the market newbie, or recently graduated professional-in-progress; it is a noticeably remedial approach to job hunting.  But that is not to disparage it in any way; it is very comprehensive, covering how to be successful in the job market from every angle, from preparation and mindset to personal presentation and confidence.  Unlike some books of this nature, it is not simply a pep talk – although there is unavoidably a small element of this...


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"Deep Darkness" by A.A. Akibibi

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, June 20, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

Unusually, I really enjoyed this sci-fi space tale.  It’s not convoluted or profound in any way, and unlike today’s current trend of otherworld or futuristic dystopian science fiction, there is actually something quite simplistic and old school about this one; it reminds me in some ways of the “...For Boys” space stories and movies of the 1960s, with its pleasantly charming narrative about a group of astronauts trapped in space, exploring a strange planet teeming with alien monsters, ...


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"Christianity 2.0" by John Dorsey

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, June 16, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


Many modern books on Christianity focus on the author’s personal life experiences and interpretations of Scripture in their context, with the objective of sharing the word of the Lord from their viewpoint.  This is that, to an extent, but what sets this one apart is that John promotes the O-ring “muscle testing” method to support his.  In a nutshell, this is a test devised to literally, empirically “prove” the truth of something in a spiritual/religious capacity, as contributory to ...


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"The Power of Water" by James Grimm

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


Some significant time investment is required for this superbly written war fantasy, by an author of real personality and capability.  First, it is long, and feels it sometimes, due to the ensemble cast of characters and parallel storylines; second, I am unusually content to spoil in this respect, by advising that the book is left open, so be warned.  I think it is only fair to advise you that you are expected to engross yourself utterly in the soap of these characters’ lives for the foresee...


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"Billy Dee of the Ozarks" by J. Lee Bagan

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, June 2, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



Feels like a book of two halves, this one, and really it’s carried by the huge creative talent of the author J. Lee Bagan.  I have to be honest and say I enjoyed it immensely up to a point, probably midway, when I genuinely thought this was simply a book about a bereaved young boy and his immense strength of character, as he grows up surrounded by people who care for him, in spite of his severely dysfunctional home life.  With a father in prison and a drug-addicted mother, I honestly though...


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"The Third Estate" by D.R. Berlin

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, May 23, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

This mystery thriller might leave you with a few more questions than answers by the end, as there is rather a sense that its main objective is more firmly about setting up its sequel, and perhaps a series, rather than establishing itself as a standalone narrative; I don’t intend to spoil the book by any means, but looking at the formula and the way the heroine is portrayed would suggest this is very likely.  I would hope so, otherwise you may find yourself somewhat non-plussed by the loose ...


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"Eye Contact Over Truk" by Stephanie Woodman

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, May 18, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

A beautifully written and poignant book exploring the long-term effects of war on the human psyche, this is as good a study of post-war trauma and melancholy reflection as you are likely to read, delivered by Stephanie in a thought-provoking and warmly endearing style.

Eye Contact Over Truk is all about its themes and its characters, as two men go on a wreck-diving excursion to the South Pacific island – the site of a devastating air and naval battle in the American-Japanese branch of Worl...


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"Rem's Chance" by Dave J. Andrae

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, May 13, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



There’s something a little bit different about this entertaining, light-hearted book, in that it is so talky and arty, almost to the point of bohemian, that it is perhaps most accurately described as literary fiction with a subplot – if there can be such a thing.  For the most part, it is about an ageing former band-member who gets in touch with old acquaintances, and starts to think about forming a new band and launching old material, in what might be considered something of a midlife cr...


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"Concerning Intellectual Suicide in the Human Race" by Massimo Fantini

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, March 25, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



There is only a very slim narrative pulling together this profound and heavy-going work of literary fiction, which is rather more accurately the author’s thesis on the human condition, with suicide as its context, formatted with references and all.  Primarily, the discourse Massimo engages in is around mankind’s rights and freedoms in comparison to greater powers, whether they be societal or divine, local or global.  In Concerning Intellectual Suicide…, a young man in an unspecified nea...


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"A Curse in Kyoto" by S.J. Cullen

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



I really enjoyed this intriguing mystery from Sean, in actual fact a lot more than I was expecting to.  Most books like this are pretty average to good, but A Curse in Kyoto was absolutely quite a cut above that, and I read the whole thing in a couple of long sittings.  This was actually no mean feat, because the book is pretty lengthy – yet it doesn’t feel like it; I was gripped and entertained throughout.  With the barely noteworthy exception of a slightly drawn-out third act, this was ...


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"Hierophantasy" by Kyle James

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, March 1, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

I’m not necessarily a big fan of high fantasy of the otherworld and dragons variety, so it’s great to see one like this, which doesn’t take itself seriously.  Oh, I don’t doubt that behind this mocking façade Kyle is actually a huge fan of the genre – he is simply too knowledgeable and accomplished not to be – but you can see that he takes great pleasure here in dissecting its usual tropes and clichés in the name of satire.  Despite that, though, and the Hitchhiker’s Guide-esq...


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"The Further Travels and Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen" by Ross Stein

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, In : Book Reviews 


Bizarrely offbeat, this book is part fantasy, part satire and generally overall, I think, mostly literary fiction.  Those familiar with the original Baron Munchausen tales – and I refer now to the book, not the tall stories told about the real man himself – will recognize this as much of the same, with the same strangely vivid, visual setpieces and abstract palette, though I have to say I’m not entirely sure why the author chose to pigeonhole himself with a direct sequel to a literary c...


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"Final Video Game" by Craig Speakes

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, February 5, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



A very entertaining read, I should say, in the young-adult sci-fi genre.  This book is fun, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, nor delve too deeply into high fantasy, as many in this genre seem to these days.  A few years ago, this might have been considered pure science fiction, with its Terminator-style storyline of artificial intelligence acquiring self-awareness and setting out on a path for world domination, but this one is perhaps for slightly younger readers in the early-teen ...


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"Legacy of the Third Way" by Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

To be honest, this future-set book didn’t go at all in any of the directions I might have been anticipating.  I didn’t read the blurb, so was genuinely intrigued to find that, far from science fiction or another very trendy dystopian gloomfest, Legacy of the Third Way instead went on to offer a mildly interesting look into American politics, though, it has to be said, it doesn’t really delve too deeply into the subject.  The story is quite a simple one: a dying man writes his autobiogra...


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"Pedro's Pickles and the American Dream" by David Ek

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, January 26, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

Unapologetically liberal and unashamedly topical, this short fable is both simplistic and complexly layered, as a stinging indictment on the immigration debate – which probably bears striking resemblances the world over.  It is tremendously engaging, and I read it in a single sitting, although it is rather a novella than a novel, at about 20,000 words.  And it is a good read, whichever side of centre your political views fall on; I must admit, without wanting to throw my hat into the debati...


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"Mamluks of Thunder Island" by Aly Brisha

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, In : Book Reviews 

This is a tremendously well-written and well-edited book, by an undoubted professional at the peak of his potential, though its narrative feels a touch obscure at times, perhaps abstract or even metaphorical in places.  Whether it is set in a utopian or dystopian far-future is perhaps a matter of opinion at times, depending on what your ideal society looks like; I would veer more toward the latter, as there are touches of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Island about this one, particularly in th...


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"The World We Deserve" by T.K. Kanwar

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, January 12, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



Stories about an oppressive dictatorship in the very near future are bang on trend at the moment, but very few are as good as this soul-destroying cautionary tale by T.K. Kanwar.  In fact, the last time I read a book quite this good on the subject was, in fact, the last time I read and reviewed a book by Kanwar.  The World We Deserve is not so much a direct sequel to Identity Crisis as the afterword may lead you to believe, but it is definitely a series of sorts, in the same narrative vein, o...


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"Plausible Liars" by Lin Wilder

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, January 7, 2024, In : Book Reviews 



It seems bizarre to be saying this, but I am genuinely grateful to Lin, and others like her, for sticking her neck out and saying what needs to be said.  Even more bizarre is the suggestion that she is taking great risk in doing so, but here we are. 

Lin has never been one to shy away from controversial issues, and there are few more controversial at the moment than the indoctrination of children by some of the more extreme elements of the trans community, fully supported by those organizati...


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"Necessary Death" by Chris Grosso and Preston Fassel

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, December 18, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


If you’re a horror movie fan, like I am, you’ll love Chris and Preston’s intriguing, in-depth and insightful analyses of the most famous villains, from Freddy to Jason, Candyman to Leatherface and even the shark from Jaws (though that vilification feels a little unfair to me, as an animal lover).  It is full of surprises, the biggest being the turn these essays all take: this book, perhaps a little unlike the blurb might suggest, is rather a psychologist’s guide to self-help with vari...


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"The Waiting Room" by Annika Galloway

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, December 4, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

I can confidently claim, without any overstatement, that this is probably as good a collection of short stories as I have read yet.  Annika Galloway is a fantastic storyteller, a student of psychology and the human condition, and it shows in these four profound, melancholic tales of a group of people in a psychiatric waiting room of sorts, which you’ll be thinking about long after you finish reading them.  Each of the tales is affecting and utterly engaging, with some very clever craftiness...


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"Why Not, Coach?" by Gregory Ryan

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, November 30, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

To read this book you would think that Greg Ryan was a full-time professional coach, but he’s rather more than that – a sports lover passionate about sharing his learnings about being the perfect coach, sportsperson or supportive parent.  This experience is gleaned from his young life as a football player, a coach in sports and from his transferable skills in the workplace, and to be honest I think rather benefits from not being clinical and tactical, like many sports coaches tend to be p...


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"Owning Anxiety" by Tracy Lynn James

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


Right from this book’s outset, Tracy admits that she’s no professional or qualified expert in anxiety, or the human condition in this context, though she shares her thoughts through personal experience, and it is also fair to say that she has learnt a fair amount along the way about cognitive approaches to tackling anxiety, such as ACT and CBT.  She makes clear her disdain for the latter, but is certainly a fan of the former, and herein forms the basis of this book, which is full of exerc...


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"The Crossroad of War and War" by Bokang Murdock Montjan

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, November 2, 2023, In : Book Reviews 



When you first start reading this book, clearly translated from the author’s first written language, what you will find is a tremendously powerful fable, which is disturbing and heart-rending in equal measure.  At the very least, it gives us a dramatic insight into growing up in a culture most of us will be unfamiliar with.  And it is very good.  This book is an eye-opener; perhaps most upsetting of all is the matter-of-fact language Bokang uses to tell a tale of friendships destroyed and l...


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"Seeker of the Secret" by Rohini Sharma Bhambi

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, October 29, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


This interesting and particularly eloquent book throws you a huge curveball, not once but three times.  By the title alone, I was expecting a young-adult sci-fi fantasy.  By three-quarters of the way through, however, this assumption had changed, as Seeker of the Secret then seemed to have taken a more spiritual turn, toward a troubled soul’s journey toward self-enlightenment, following tragedy in her life.  But then, in the final quarter, the book swerved off into an entirely different dir...


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"The Ruler's Soul" by C.R.

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, October 13, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

Although long and very wordy, this book was actually a great deal more enjoyable to read than it might have been.  A very simple tale with a basic, linear premise: two ancient souls separated by different paths, but the forbidden love between them is eternal – even if one of them doesn’t yet know it.  Other than this, there isn’t really much more of a story arc – and, in fact, that’s a good thing.  The author rather prefers to concentrate on the emotions, expertly crafting the two p...


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"The Confessions of Pope Joan" by Gary McAvoy

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, September 25, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


More of the same from the immensely capable Gary McAvoy, quite simply one of the most prolific writers it has ever been my good fortune to review.  If you haven’t read Gary’s work before, you’ve missed a treat, and you are strongly advised to go back to the beginning of this long-running saga and get to know the characters from their first case together.  The author is the real star of this series.  His writing is eloquent and intelligent, his narrative craftwork flawless.  He researche...


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"Saint Richard Parker" by Merlin Franco

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, In : Book Reviews 



Something of a mixed bag for me, this chaotic comedy of errors and enlightenment.  On the one hand, I’m a big fan of (the awesomely named) Merlin Franco, and I love his intelligent, insightful and wit-laden writing style; on the other, I wasn’t keen on this particular tale, which I would describe as a fictional travel memoir.  I would say this is one for its audience – and a good one at that, which perhaps may not be clearly reflected in my writing; fans of this book will surely be thos...


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"Children in the City of Czars" by Irmgarde Brown

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, September 18, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

It isn’t often I throw superlatives around, but I think it is fair to describe this book as something of an epic – and it is very, very good.  Nor is it common for me to be crying out for a sequel, but having reached the end of this, I would love to see one, to see characters reunited.  I’ll try not to spoil anything; suffice to say that the premise concerns three young, orphaned siblings, although beyond a certain point the readers only get to follow two of them.  The end is left perfe...


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"A Perfect Finish" by Chris Lude

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, September 8, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

I’m in two minds about this book by Christopher Lude.  Whilst on the one hand it is exceptionally well written and presented, and at times offers traces of poignancy, it also felt on the other to be something of a whimsical look at a particularly emotive subject, and one of huge controversy, particular in God-fearing countries like the States.  It took me a while to come to the conclusion that this book is entirely fictional, as its introduction does appear to suggest otherwise; I am theref...


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"How to Fix the Smile of a Crocodile" by Rebecca Kurien

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, September 4, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


I like to review every type of book, and that includes children’s books sometimes.  I had a few minutes to spare so decided to read How To Fix The Smile Of A Crocodile, having been asked to take a look by author Rebecca Kurien.  It’s a lovely book, as these educational books for toddlers usually are.  A particularly professionally packaged production, it is colourful and jammed to full bleed with beautiful illustrations throughout – your 3- to 4-year-old will love it.  They’ll learn a...


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"Sexy Erotic Lingerie" by B.C. Howard

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, August 31, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


It’s always nice to read a book which has a slightly different character edge to it, and the more realistic the better, I think.  This is particularly satisfying when applied to a common, standard premise.  That pretty much describes Will Chisholm, the hero of B.C. Howard’s Sexy Erotic Lingerie.  It is an otherwise formulaic noir action thriller, perhaps with more focus on plot development than actual action; the character twist in this case being that the primary protagonist is addicted ...


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"The Power of Wholeness" by Verlaine Crawford

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, August 4, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


I review plenty of these self-actualization type of self-help books, and am surprisingly something of a fan.  They are usually pretty well written and presented, and generally they work.  Whether that’s a placebo effect or not I don’t think matters; the whole point is that positive mental attitude can have a material and physical effect on you in the real world.  This book is another of the same – maybe not the best I’ve read, but like all of them it means well, and the author truly b...


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"Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings" by Sherry Hobbs

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


On the surface, this is your usual, run-of-the-mill biography of an undeniably quite amazing career air-force soldier.  But when reading you find it is actually more than that – far more.  In fact, the life story of World War Two bomber pilot Colonel Harold McNeese, known to all as Mac, is a relatively very small part of this book, which rather seems to deliver two narratives simultaneously.  Whilst the opening chapters and the final third delves more intimately into Mac’s life, the large...


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"A Chance to Change" by Derek and Amy Weichel

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, July 23, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


Something of a surprise, this wholesome and kind-hearted parable, about a family who are heavy on love, but light on shared goal or direction.  Written by husband-and-wife team of writers and spiritual family therapists, Derek and Amy Weichel, I would guess it was probably composed as a sidenote accompaniment to their day-to-day work.  For those readers of a Christian faith who, like the (semi?) fictional Richardson family in this book, feel their family has lost its way a little, it is somet...


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"Caught in the Crossfire" by Lance B. Wilkins

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, July 9, 2023, In : Book Reviews 




This is a superb book, and Lance Wilkins is an exceptional writer.  He has a use of syntax and a writing style which are utterly engaging and wonderfully endearing, and I found myself gripped from start to finish.  Caught in the Crossfire is, in some ways, a very simple tale of a rescue mission, though it is not really the story itself which is the real point of this book; that is simply a three-act mechanism to craft this world Lance brings us into – which he does flawlessly; you feel ever...


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"10 Indelibles" by Philip a. Brown

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


The “indelibles” referred to in this book title are ten people who have left an indelible impression on the author.  Each chapter in this book is dedicated to summarizing the story of one of these people, what they are well-known for (or some not so well known), and how their story has affected Philip, to the extent that they will always be remembered as remarkably important in his life and development.  Most of us will probably have a similar list of people we can point to and thank (or ...


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"The Galileo Gambit" by Gary McAvoy and Ronald L. Moore

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, June 26, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

I’ve read many from my namesake Gary McAvoy, and generally always know what to expect from his work: excellent action fiction with a theological historical angle, incredible research and in-depth procedural detail.  Of course, this is more of the same, but if I’m to be totally honest, I would have to admit this is probably not my favourite from him to date – in fact, I would go as far as to say that I actually struggled quite a bit keeping engaged with this one, and somewhere around the...


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"The Benevolent World Banker" by M.K. Nielsen

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, In : Book Reviews 



M.K. Nielsen’s book can be described in many ways, and it is likely reviewers will all have their own choice of adjectives, but one thing which is unambiguous and not in doubt, across the board, is that it is a real work of excellent quality.  Even better, it is that rare thing: a gripping fiction book in which the reader genuinely doesn’t know what is going to happen next.  The story itself, to be honest, is a very simple one; the book is perhaps more literary or metaphorical than a form...


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"No Man's Mercy... No God's Forgiveness" by John Hayden

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, June 5, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

I’ll have to be harshly frank here, but in truth I really found this book a little of a struggle.  Not that it isn’t very good and Hayden is not a tremendously experienced, talented and articulate author – he absolutely is; the problem for me was that I just didn’t quite get into it from the outset, and was then playing catch-up for the whole duration of the book.  The story is a tangled one, with an ensemble cast, and in honest I was pretty lost throughout; the disappointing fact is ...


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"Attachment Patterns" by Stephen Metcalfe

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, May 15, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


This is a book which is, and actually deserves to be, a great deal better than its delivery presents.  At its heart is profound social and psychological insight, both pre- and post-COVID in context, and it is underpinned by a genuine warmth and, most of all, touching, multi-layered poignancy.  Its problem is that it feels perhaps a little disjointed in nature and, even more than that, and worse, as if it hasn’t really been given 100% of the attention and polish that it absolutely deserves. ...


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"1000 Fun Facts For Immature Adults" by Bryan Spektor

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, May 8, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


Whilst there is nothing new or unique about this type of trivia book, that is not to say they aren’t very good, and this one is a cracker, filled with humour and genuinely fun, interesting facts – my personal favourite is a town called Hell in Scandinavia, which literally freezes over every year (I won’t spoil any more).  These books are genuine achievements in two respects: first, the sheer amount of work that goes into them, and second, a conscious concern of the author, I’m sure, t...


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"The Melancholy Strumpet Master" by Zeb Beck

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


A novel premise for a book, this one, and delivered with impeccable prose and timing.  A mature and very experienced anthropology student, still trying for his degree after several years of procrastination and failure, watches his life pass him by and crumble around him, as he spends more and more time with the street-workers who are the subject of his dissertation.  The real star of this book is not so much the story, which is not really its point, but the razor-sharp wit and rallying dialog...


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"Bully" by Sara Aurorae

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, April 13, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


Exceptionally well written literary fiction, with a very important, highly topical undertone, that of misogynistic, toxic masculinity.  I don’t know how much of Sara’s book is semi-biographical – the lead character of Bully is called Sarah – so I’ll tread very carefully with this review. 

This is by no means a light-hearted read – indeed, it is absolutely intense – but it is superbly gripping in a way I haven’t read for quite some time; the author has done a tremendous job.  ...


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"Read This Book After 5 Years" by Blanche La Mar

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


A strange book to review, in that I’m not entirely sure how to go about doing so.  I should make clear right from the off that I was sent a copy by the author for my honest review, so haven’t plucked it from the air for critique.  One thing is for certain, and that is from a critical point of view, this book will definitely divide opinion; some will consider it a bit of a cheek, while others will delve a little deeper into the author’s motivations and the spirit with which she has embar...


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"War Torn" by Jan Lloyd

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, March 31, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


This is an excellent book, which throws one curve ball after another; I had no idea that it was going to go in the direction it did, and I defy you to predict it, too, even beyond halfway.  If I have one gripe it is that perhaps the ending is a little abrupt and something of shorn wick, but in other ways this perhaps suits the story arc, which is actually a little unsatisfying, but in a good way, because it is a true-to-life, realistic narrative.

Jan knows her subject matter very well, and t...


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"Project Neon" by Jonathan K. Crockett

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, March 17, 2023, In : Book Reviews 



The real project to be admired here is Jonathan’s epic book – vast and hugely impressive, Project Neon is a fantastic achievement.  And, more to the point, it is a tremendously good book; the author should be immensely proud.  That said, I felt it wasn’t quite as polished as it absolutely should be, and warrants, which is a shame, and the reason for my decision to drop a star; it is fair to say that this is a book which should otherwise be worthy of full praise.  Whilst Jonathan is clea...


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"Hurt No More: Grow A Foundation For Healing" by Rebecca E. Chandler

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


Before you start this book, there are a few things you need to be very clear about.  Firstly, it is an exercise book, so you will find pages which are created to take notes and keep records, etc.  This is not a coffee-table/bedside read.  If you invest the time and motivation required to carry out this cathartic self-healing process, you will need to approach it as a course.  So don’t expect that you will sit there and read from cover to cover, because it isn’t that type of self-help book...


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"Kafka in Tangier" by Mohammed Said Hijouij

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, February 26, 2023, In : Book Reviews 



Although a novella, this is by no means coffee-table easy reading; if you want something quick and light-hearted, I’m not sure this will be it.  What it is, rather, is a purely metaphorical reimagining of Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, a rather bizarre tale in which a man inexplicably turns into a giant bug.  In this take, Moroccan Arab student of Humanities wakes to find himself into a rather more grotesque monster altogether than Kafka’s unfortunate principal.  Thus follows the shame of h...


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"Starlite" by Jonathan Latt

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, February 24, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


This is a book which is full of surprises, and doesn’t ultimately really go in the direction I thought it might.  For the most part, it’s actually pretty fun, and overall I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I thought I would.  In other ways, though, it perhaps irritated a touch, though I would say not really enough to put me off reading the now obviously inevitable sequel.  Sorry, I don’t want to spoil, but this point does bring me quite clearly to what was by far my biggest bug-bear wit...


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"It Won't Hurt None" by Rebecca E. Chandler

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, In : Book Reviews 

This is an incredible book, on many different levels, and an exceptionally important one – for the reader, for society but, more than anything, for the author.  Rebecca is a survivor in the rawest sense of the word; the sexual abuse she suffered for most of her childhood was depraved and devastating, and she gives her own account candidly and openly.  I’m sure the decision to write this book was many years in the making for her, and that the therapeutic value in doing so is a decisive nex...


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"The Jerusalem Scrolls" by Gary McAvoy

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, January 22, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


When you read Gary McAvoy, you are reading quality.  This incredibly conscientious fiction author clearly has a passion for theology, and every page – almost every line – seems a showcase for the sheer amount of hard work and research he has put into his writing.  I don’t know the cultural or historical accuracy of what he writes, but I am absolutely going to take his every word for it.  Whether it is geo-politics, theology, military organizations or papal administration, McAvoy present...


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"Embracing God in the Right Perspective with the Right Foundation of Faith in Him" by Chris Tham

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


Firstly, I should say that I received an ARC of this book from the author for my honest review.  I’m not sure I was the best person to provide this, being an atheist, but then came to realize that, from a literary perspective, an impartial reader may be the very best reviewer, objective and without any preconceived notions of religion and the Bible.

That’s exactly what this book is: an interpretation of the scriptures and how it relates to every aspect of our day-to-day lives.  More spec...


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"Women: An Operator Guide For Young Men" by Will Goodrich

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, January 5, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


There are two sides to this side-splitting book, one laugh-out-loud comedy and the other a little more serious in tone, enough to make you wonder if you really should be laughing along with Will Goodrich – not for any politically correct reason, but because you feel this is a man with a very sour history of women.  Obviously I don’t know anything about Will’s three marriages, nor will I blindly take his side, but as a fellow man of the world, I can utterly laugh along with this book.  I...


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"Dark Days: The Dragon Engine" by Bobby Tsui

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, In : Book Reviews 


I had mixed feelings about this exciting near-future sci-fi, my biggest of which is the plot itself.  Whilst a somewhat interesting premise for a book, I have to say that much of it either wasn’t clear or didn’t necessarily gel into place – at least for me.  As always with this genre, the threat is an existential one for humankind, but perhaps in a conscious move, Tsui has mixed the fantasy tropes up a little, by putting a dragon in the middle of a Bladerunner-esque noir thriller.  In t...


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"The Talking Forest: Tree Runes For A New Millennium" by Kay Broome

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, December 29, 2022, In : Book Reviews 



Even being totally honest, I have to give Kay the credit this book deserves, though in truth the subject is a little wasted on me.  I can clearly see that this is an excellently crafted and presented book which caters to a very niche market; if you are not a believer in the spiritual power of runes or a student of the subject, you will probably struggle to get engaged by it.  That said, the fact is that this is a beautiful book and a good quality, hard-grafted project, as Kay, clearly an expe...


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"Forsaking Church" by David Alexander Shaw

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, December 19, 2022, In : Book Reviews 



In recent years it seems there has been the creation of an entire new fiction and non-fiction genre: the Trump genre.  The guy’s name must appear in this book a hundred times or more!  I’ve no love loss for that man, you can be sure, but from the point of view of a literary reviewer, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it becomes a touch tiresome.  That little gripe aside, this is a tremendously good book.  Profoundly cerebral, although fiction, it is a heartfelt, highly intelligent study ...


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"The Queen's Player" by Anthony R. Wildman

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, December 12, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


The real star of this literary fiction eye-opener is Anthony Wildman’s writing; smart and well-accomplished, his prose is exquisite at times.  Clearly the author has pushed out all the stops and worked his mental muscle to the limit, learning and composing in the sixteenth-century vernacular of Shakespeare himself.  This is in itself surely a nigh on impossible task, but Anthony undoubtedly gives it his best shot – and to hugely impressive effect.  Long and wordy, this is a true showcase ...


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"The Keeper Part 1: An Invitation" by Craig Speakes

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, December 4, 2022, In : Book Reviews 



What starts as something of a children’s story evolves as it progresses, into something altogether more suitable for older kids – that said, it does feature a talking cat.  A bit of a book of two halves, I found the first part promising, the second more formulaic in fantasy sci-fi.  I should say, all in all, this is probably a book for the younger teen, though some of the battle scenes (some of which are quite epic), may be slightly less suitable for that particular audience.

Generally p...


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"Covenant Spring" by Christopher Watson

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


One is left with very mixed feelings after reading this epic journey of a book.  The best way I can describe it would be melodrama turned literary fiction by design, rather than default – or is it the other way round?  I’m not sure.  But the simple fact is, to put it into very basic terms, it is very long and very descriptive, in the same way that most classic literary fiction is; indeed, Watson seems the sort of author who won’t use ten words when he can use a hundred.  That in itself ...


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"The Pulse" by Owen Garratt

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, November 6, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

This is a really good book, but I have to be honest and say it was another which left me feeling a little hard done by.  I hate to spoil books, but occasionally I feel an ounce of civic duty is required to warn readers in advance; this is one of those books.  So, be advised: after nearly 400 pages you will find that this is the open-ended first instalment in an ongoing series, which promises to be a long and sprawling saga.

Owen is a very good author, with wonderful language, vivid descripti...


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"Samhain Secrets: World Premiere" by David R. Demar, Chris Schaffer, Vaughn R. Demont, Sierra Dean

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, October 24, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

Not usually a great fan of fantasy, but this book was a neat little surprise.  Four decent, entertaining and pretty unique tales, each individually penned by a different contributor, set one Halloween in the moody, fictional melting pot of Argent City, a town populated by supernatural beings and mythical shapeshifters living unnoticed alongside us.  Though generally pretty easy reading, brooding but not dark, these are more pure stories than snippets of tales, yet still there is an air of pul...


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"Destiny of Determination: Faith and Family" by Cathy Burnham Martin

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, September 29, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

I wasn’t fortunate enough to read the first of Cathy’s semi-biographical “Destiny” trilogy, but with no idea to support my belief, I can’t help thinking that I really got lucky with Book Two – it is wonderful, just a lovely book, on so many levels.  Telling the story of four generations of Cathy’s (“Cassie’s”) family following their emigration from Armenia to the United States at the dawn of the twentieth century, with a part fictionalized slant, there is a fair amount of ...


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"Have You Eaten Rice Today?" by Apple Gidley

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, September 22, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


Perhaps the best thing about being a book reviewer is that you are fortunate to learn so much, and that is particularly so when reading books set in a specific period of history, and certainly true of this poignant and touching emotional fiction.  Set in a perhaps under-represented time and place in recent events, that of the post-war coalition fight against the brutal communist wannabe regime in Malaya, this lovely book, by the wonderfully named author Apple Gidley, definitely falls into the...


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"Salt and Light: The Complete Jesus" by Jonathan Geoffrey Dean

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

As an unwavering atheist, who believes wholeheartedly in the existence of Jesus, I was very much looking forward to reading this book, and its evaluation of the authenticity of his divinity, from the point of view of an author immeasurably more knowledgeable on the subject than I.  Whilst Jonathan Dean certainly doesn’t disappoint – he is an extremely high quality author, who has undeniably studied, researched and analysed his subject comprehensively – I will admit that it was a slightl...


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"The Avignon Affair" by Gary McAvoy

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, August 28, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


Gary McAvoy is back, again doing what he does best.  Now half a dozen or so books into the series, all of which I believe I’ve had the good fortune to read and review, a very clear pattern and formula is well established: Gary’s obviously beloved group of characters tick all the boxes to be just in the right place and time to deal with another theology-based threat to the religious order, and maybe much more besides.  The formula is much the same in all of these books, and The Avignon Aff...


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"Chasing the Reaper" by Sarah McKnight

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


I really enjoyed The Reaper’s Quota, so when this one appeared in my bookshelf I was very keen to get stuck into it.  And Sarah McKnight has delivered another great book.  Entertaining, thought provoking and creative, this direct sequel takes a slightly different tone to the first, opting for a more down to earth drama narrative, and perhaps shedding a little of the crackling wit of the first.  I won’t say anything to spoil this or the book it follows, but suffice to say that it does end ...


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"Parenting and Teaching With Love and Logic" by Christine M. Pearce

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, July 21, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


A very holistic, though perhaps what might be considered entry level overview of child developmental psychology, with a very strong leaning toward the behavioural approach.  Christine clearly knows her stuff, both as a parent and an obvious academic in the subject – added to that, she is a tremendous writer, personable, smart and articulate.  The book itself is nothing groundbreaking, but a great concise reference guide covering in every key area the best way to bring up your child for thei...


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"The Reaper's Quota" by Sarah McKnight

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, July 14, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

Right off the bat, I feel I should make a couple of points clear about this book.  Firstly, I loved it!  I enjoyed every fantastic moment, and was poised very quickly and throughout to award it a well-deserved five stars.  This didn’t change for the duration – until I finished, that is.  Then I very quickly took one of the stars off – and that was a calm reaction; I considered removing more.  In fact, I was actually so annoyed that my tablet nearly went flying through my open second-flo...


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"Immunity for Murder" by David M. Beers

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, June 26, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


A very tough read – for lots of reasons – but a very good one.  I have to give you the forewarning I wasn’t: this is an incredibly harrowing book, with graphic, detailed and repeated accounts of the internal and external injuries of a murdered two-year-old.  Written by an experienced crime scene investigator of many years, and very clearly outlining a case which elicited very intense emotions in him, Immunity for Murder describes the day-by-day, true-life investigation into the particul...


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"Mindbender" by Avinash Naduvath

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, June 12, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


This is an interesting book, with a good storyline, and Avinash writes it well, articulately and professionally.  It does feel a bit too long, though, and is indeed a very wordy book, which is perhaps hindered a little by this fact.  The reason for this is that at times it is quite easy to lose focus, as many of the same points are revisited time and again, but take long word counts to reach the bullet points.  I do like the multi-person narrative viewpoints, but again, because you spend so l...


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"The Ascension of Annie" by Siobhan Chisholm

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, May 27, 2022, In : Book Reviews 



Nice easy reading, Siobhan’s emotional fantasy doesn’t really break any boundaries, but you can tell the author has put all of her heart and soul into it, which comes through on every page.  The premise is a compact and concise one, about a grieving young woman who discovers a fantastical realm of the afterlife.  Apart from this and the sad backstory, it doesn’t delve too deeply into a storyline, other than Annie planning to set out on a journey of spiritual discovery as a response.  Th...


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"True Crime Stories You Won't Believe" by Romeo Vitelli

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, May 22, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


I was once a big fan of true crime, which of course went with the vocation, but as I get a little older, not so much, as life becomes a little more serious and less fascinating generally.  That said, though, I really looked forward to reading Romeo Vitelli’s True Crime Stories You Won’t Believe for a change, and I have to say that I wasn’t disappointed.  Romeo is a very good non-fiction writer, and he has done a tremendous job of curating true crime stories over the last two centuries o...


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"An Independent Woman in Yugoslavia" by Iris Novak

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


To tell the truth, I was expecting something a little different from this book.  No particular reason, but from the title I had a hunch that An Independent Woman In Yugoslavia was going to be perhaps the travel memoir of a midlife divorcee ticking off a bucket list entry.  And if I’m being even more truthful, I’m very glad that it wasn’t.  Instead, what this book actually is is a memoir of a very normal life, if lived by an extraordinary woman.  Iris is an achiever, no doubt, and an inc...


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"Going Outside" by Robert Levin

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, April 4, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


If I’m straight up honest I’ll say that I loved this book, up to a point.  Robert’s short stories are fantastic.  His writing is simply brilliant, the intelligence and wit sharp beyond comparison, and his humour is wry and beautifully sardonic; there were occasions which had me in stitches.  Each story peels back another layer of the author, and we very quickly start to realize that there is far, far more meaning to Robert’s writing than I think some give him credit for.  In truth, wh...


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"The Petrus Prophecy" by Gary McAvoy

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, March 31, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


Another ARC from my immensely talented namesake, and a particularly exciting instalment to his Vatican mysteries series.  As with all Gary’s books, you know exactly what to expect: a likeable, intelligent and virtuously trustworthy team of amateur sleuths; a powerful and arch-criminal nemesis; and an incredible amount of factual research, mixed with creative licence.  The only thing you don’t know is which ancient artefact or religious doctrine will be the focus.  I have to admit, half a ...


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"Grow 10x With C.R.O." by Anthony La Rocca

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, March 4, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

To be honest, I found the title of this book to be a touch misleading, and indeed selling itself a little short; conversion rate optimization is really only one part of what is in fact a generally pretty holistic book summarizing most aspects of ecommerce and digital marketing, and it is fair to say that professional Anthony is offering so much more of his expertise than the term credits him with.  Whilst aimed at most levels of online business presence, the book is in reality best suited to ...


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"You Only Live Thrice" by Karl Perry

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, March 3, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

I won’t lie, this wasn’t really the book I was expecting from the blurb.  Perhaps my fault, I acknowledge; I know Karl has been explicit in stating this isn’t a self-help book, but in truth I was expecting something a little more holistically motivational, when a good 90% of You Only Live Thrice is more context-specific medical memoir, or a personal journey through lifesaving treatment.  From my own point of view, after a very morbid and reflective couple of years, littered with devasta...


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"You Only Live Thrice" by Karl Perry

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, March 3, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


I won’t lie, this wasn’t really the book I was expecting from the blurb.  Perhaps my fault, I acknowledge; I know Karl has been explicit in stating this isn’t a self-help book, but in truth I was expecting something a little more holistically motivational, when a good 90% of You Only Live Thrice is more context-specific medical memoir, or a personal journey through lifesaving treatment.  From my own point of view, after a very morbid and reflective couple of years, littered with devasta...


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"The Forty Knots Burn" by Lynn Hesse

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, February 17, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

While a generally pretty easy read, you are certainly going to want to immerse yourself in this book right from the outset, otherwise you risk playing catchup throughout, so involved is the story.  Yet somehow it is also a relatively simple plot.  In some ways the Russian Roma gypsy identity of the story’s narrator seems a little by the bye; whilst this element is explained in some depth, it seems little more than a cultural explanation of the lifestyle choices of the characters; for the mo...


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"Keeping It Under Wraps: Parenthood" by Louise Bryant, Tracy Hope and Alnaaze Nathoo

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, In : Book Reviews 

Expecting or thinking of having a baby?  Coming to terms with the realization that you’re gradually making the decision not to?  Regretting your decision after becoming a parent, or not becoming a parent?  Whichever topic or area of self-analysis is on your mind regarding parenthood, then this book is very much aimed at you.  Or perhaps it should absolutely be avoided at all costs!  It all depends on how you look at it, your attitude toward childbirth, parenthood and even your own experienc...


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"Fancy Shop" by Valeri Stanoevich

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, January 31, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


Valeri’s is a moody and particularly well written book.  His prose is eloquent and artistic, as he shares her intriguing tales of mystery, melancholy and perhaps macabre.  Despite a wide variety of genres, which seem to range from horror to sci-fi to historical fantasy, there is a common style throughout, and at times, as he moves from one narrative to the next, it becomes a little difficult to discern between them.  That said, each of these little anecdotes is a distinct work of art and ch...


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"50 States" by Richard R. Becker

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, January 21, 2022, In : Book Reviews 


Although Richard is a superb writer, with an eloquent tongue and a tremendous turn of phrase, and these gems are each a standalone high-brow work of art, I don’t recommend that you read “50 States” as I did, from cover to cover.  Like the pleasant burn of a liquor, these are to be savoured and enjoyed from time to time, as the mood takes you – and that mood really needs to be a pensive and reflective one, perhaps at times even melancholy.  Although all cerebral in nature, there is pre...


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"The Opus Dictum" by Gary McAvoy

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, November 25, 2021, In : Book Reviews 



I’m a big fan of Gary McAvoy as a writer; his style is tremendous: intelligent, articulate, conscientious, hardworking and incredibly knowledgeable – and that is just to start.  He possesses that rare thing which separates a wonderful writer from a wonderful author: a meticulous researcher, whose books are intended for an equally intelligent, discerning reader, who appreciates the better things.

I believe this is the fourth I have read in this series, with its familiar characters, clear...


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"Bravery Doesn't Come From a Copper Coin" by Teddy Hitaffer

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, November 15, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

Totally fun and entertaining, 15-year-old Teddy is a real talent, not just for writing stories, but for spotting a good, creative premise, from something which would probably never occur to most authors.  Clearly written for the dog he adores, Bravery Doesn’t Come From a Copper Coin tells the tale of an anxious labrador who tries to overcome his day-to-day fears with the help of his best friend, a cuddly toy, and inspired by a centuries old penny.  Suddenly one day finding himself caught up...


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"Being Netta Wilde" by Hazel Ward

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, November 7, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


Even though not at all my cup of tea, this was an utterly engaging book which I read in a few gripped sessions.  There is no denying the quality of Hazel Ward; her writing is articulate, vivid and raw, drawing the reader into the characters’ lives like the script of a soap (a good one, not Eastenders).  All of this, despite the fact that I actually found Netta Wilde to be a particularly irritating personality, like the friend you try to put off meeting, because you pretty much know what the...


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"The Ambush" by Glyn Haynie

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, November 2, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

The third instalment in Glyn Haynie’s superb Vietnam War novella series is an altogether more action-packed addition.  This time, Carter and the squad are out for full on retribution, hunting their traitorous former brother in the V.C.-infested Quang Ngai Province.  Glyn’s finest creative quality is his authenticity – being a Vietnam veteran, of course, gives him a tremendous insight and credibility, which can’t be fabricated, yet he also has an unusual ability of taking his books dow...


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"The Tunnel" by Glyn Haynie

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, October 19, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


You always know what you’re going to get with Glyn Haynie: in a nutshell, some of the very best Vietnam War drama, fictionalized with no frills and no gloss, by a veteran and authority in the subject.  And this bite-sized portion – which is ideally read in one dedicated evening – is no different in terms of its quality and impact.  Still the fear, day-to-day uncertainty and routine mundaneness of the war zone – walking, thinking about home, sleeping, eating, fighting and hoping always...


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"Art Farm" by Marc Dickerson

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, September 4, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

A very smart and funny book, I really enjoyed this one.  Don’t take the metaphor too seriously; in fact, I would say forget about the bizarre story altogether and just enjoy Dickerson’s clever writing and laugh out loud, dry wit.  This is more a book about the author than the characters (if there is any differentiation), and I suspect there is a lot of Marc’s self in all of the ensemble he has presented in Art Farm.  It is fantastical biographical, I am sure, but first and foremost it i...


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"Shadows Unveiled" by Amanda Berthault

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

Amanda Berthault is a good writing professional, and it shows.  Combining a simple, no-frills storyline with a complex and profound narrative, this is high quality fiction, written as a craft, and a masterclass in character development.  Haunted former rock star Shadow is increasingly layered as his story unfolds, and remains a credible and likeable protagonist, despite the incredible chain of events which have brought his life to the point it is now at.  Perhaps I would have liked to see mor...


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"The Vivaldi Cipher" by Gary McAvoy

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, August 1, 2021, In : Book Reviews 




When you read a book by Gary McAvoy you know exactly what you are going to get: high quality, incredibly well researched and detailed suspense, with a theme of ciphers and codes, and this book is no different.  Moving away from the theology somewhat now, The Vivaldi Cipher moves into the arena of fine art, the setting now from the Vatican to Venice, but with the same cast of characters – a clergyman, a reporter, a couple of Swiss Guard soldiers – that Gary has clearly come to know and lov...


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"Bouncing Back From Difficult Times" by Mary Ann V. Mercer

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, July 11, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


Bouncing Back From Difficult Times is a book which actually improves as it goes on, both in terms of its content and its quality.  This and others in the series are given titles which might suggest to readers a book about religious faith – but thankfully there is no mention of any such thing; the title, you come to learn by the end, invites the reader to relate to the author’s own struggle against her former negativity and damaged motivation, to become a professional in her field.  What i...


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"Cold Star" by Dick Woodgate

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, July 4, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

If you like James Bond of the 1960s, with a touch of Michael Caine’s thinking spy, you’ll love this well-penned espionage book set at the height of the Cold War’s space race.  With more than a small element of those Adventure Books for Boys, which were so popular in the 60s and 70s, the unnamed secret agent goes from one extreme situation to another, from cliff-scaling to wreck-diving, with nothing more than his own grit and wit as an ally, when sent to investigate a huge explosion in M...


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"Topically Challenged" by Christopher Fielden

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

If you like flash fiction with an edge, I think you’ll really like this collection, like I did.  A fun and creative, if at times sardonic play on mainstream and utterly obscure headlines, compiled during the lockdown of the pandemic.  For the most part, as you might expect, there is a lot of left-wing, anti-Trump, anti-Brexit vitriol in some of these 150-word or so vignettes – thankfully, that’s not all the book is about, though.  All in all, the authors are good quality, and the cause ...


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"Consequences: An Intelligence Officer's War" by David Grantham

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, June 14, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


An intelligent book about intelligence, and David Grantham certainly has the credentials to write it.  When you see this is a book about an agency posting in the war zones of Iraq, against the backdrop of the birth of ISIS, you do start to worry that it is going down a disturbing and brutal path – and, truthfully, this book is at times genuinely quite frightening.  Fortunately, though, the author veers away from the horrors of the Islamic fundamentalists he fights against, in favour of an a...


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"Chromaspace: Conscript" by Megan Alnico

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, June 9, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


I’m sorry to say that I found this book quite a tough read, and that is definitely not because of Megan’s writing ability – far from it; she is intelligent, talented and highly eloquent.  I think perhaps what I struggled with a little was her writing style.  Or, perhaps more accurate it might be to say styles, because, to tell the truth, it did feel at times as if I was reading two different books.  The deep fantasy – surprisingly, for me – was actually fine; Megan crafts a tremendo...


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"Drinking and Knowing Things" by Michael Amon

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


I like a glass or two of wine, but I’m certainly no fanatic and definitely not knowledgeable; I know the reds I like and the whites I don’t.  Yet, surprisingly, this tremendous coffee-table book from Michael Amon seems written for me – as well as for novices, those with significant knowledge, and even genuine authorities on the subject alike.  Simply put, Drinking and Knowing Things is a book which is ideal for everyone, save your average teetotal.  And it is wonderful; I really enjoyed...


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"A Basket Full of Hands" by Ram Daryanani

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, May 29, 2021, In : Book Reviews 



There are crime books, and then there are serious books about crime – major crime; global, world-changing crime, the kind that we know goes on behind the scenes and is responsible for the ills in the world.  This book is about that, and offers an insight that very few books have the confidence, work ethic and subject expertise required to assume.  From a destitute African boy, Kalenga becomes an international arch-criminal – a genius supervillain who would catch even James Bond’s eye.  ...


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"The Friends of Allan Renner" by Dave J. Andrae

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, May 17, 2021, In : Book Reviews 



Bizarre, fun, cynical, emotional, educational, superficial, entertaining – there are many different adjectives which could be used to describe The Friends of Allan Renner, but its genre might not be quite so easy to pinpoint.  I guess you could categorize it primarily as literary fiction, although some of which occurs is too narrative in style to pigeonhole it as such – furthermore, often the description doesn’t even apply.  The friends of the piece are the very small handful of individ...


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"Find Love Overseas" by Anzhela and John Klose

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, May 13, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


Although this is the first time I’ve read an ARC on global dating, there is something strangely familiar about it, particularly in terms of its structure and content.  When I managed to put my finger on what it was, I then just couldn’t shake the opinion; Find Love Overseas reminded me not just a small amount of the many, many marketing and business strategy books I have reviewed.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to trivialize the obviously tremendous amount of work John and Anz...


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"Sunshine Blues" by Bob Calverley

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, April 18, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


There’s something of a feel of pulp about this well-crafted and well-written crime/wartime thriller.  With its cast of an abused teenage runaway rock star, a vicious Vietnamese gangster, corrupt cops, a sleazy senator and a warzone murder cover-up and conspiracy, the ingredients are definitely there for the tangled narrative you would expect from noir fiction – of course, they must be connected, but there are generally two separate storylines going on across the anthology.  And connected ...


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"Diet for Great Sex" by Christine H. DeLozier

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


This book is a lot of fun, as it certainly should be, but perhaps surprisingly the focus isn’t actually as much on the fun as one might think.  Don’t get me wrong, Christine DeLozier brings a lot of humour into her writing but, for the most part, this profoundly academic reference book is all business.  In fact, for the first half at least, Diet for Great Sex comes across as more of biological reference book, and the diet it refers to focuses very heavily on the scientific nutritional val...


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"William Ottoway's Utopia and Other Stories" by Christopher Griffith

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, January 30, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

I must be brutally honest here and say that I was torn by how I was going to rate this book; I decided to go with 3 stars, and truthfully this was the generous option.  I’ve don’t mean offence; it is not that I don’t rate Christopher Griffith – quite the opposite, in fact; he is clearly a tremendously gifted author, and it was for precisely this reason that I felt unable to sing the book’s praises.  In short, it could have been very, very good.  Paradoxically, then, this was also th...


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"How to Start and Grow an eCommerce Business" by Charles Camisasca

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, January 27, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

I’ll be totally honest and say that this was a much better book than I was expecting.  In fact, if you’re thinking of becoming an online entrepreneur, or starting an ecommerce business, it is actually as good a book as you are likely to read on the subject – it is certainly the best, clearest and most holistically comprehensive resource I have come across, and I say that not only as someone who reads a lot of books, but also as one with a great deal of experience in creating, selling an...


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"Tiny Planet Filled With Liars" by Stephen M.A.

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, January 23, 2021, In : Book Reviews 

A slightly difficult book to review, mainly because it is a particularly difficult one to describe.  Not that Stephen isn’t a good author – he is intelligent, laugh out loud funny and incredibly eloquent – but if I’m being perfectly frank, I think he left me behind quite notably; truthfully, I was a little lost for most of the book.

The story, as far as I could tell, revolved around an investigation into a catastrophic incident involving a fleet battleship far in the future, and the ...


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"The Dyslexia Code" by Karl De Leeuw and Carolyn Flynn

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, January 17, 2021, In : Book Reviews 



Don’t expect a book by experts in the subject of living with the condition of dyslexia – at least, that is, professional or academic experts; this authority comes from a place of experience.  Karl is himself a sufferer, although I am sure he would not approve of being called a “sufferer”, as it is more accurate to say that this book is in fact a celebration of the “gift” of dyslexia.  It does, after all, outline all the ways in which the condition is of real benefit to the life of...


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"The Lifer and The Lawyer" by George Critchlow

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, January 15, 2021, In : Book Reviews 


The moment I picked up this book and started reading, one thing struck me immediately: this is a work of serious quality, by an author of real professional pedigree.  As well as being a lawyer, George Critchlow is an outstanding writer, with a tremendous poetry to his work. 

Be aware, his work might be considered subjective, in favour of a man who is clearly his dear friend, as well as skewed by George’s uncommon profession, as a liberally oriented defence and human rights lawyer.  This i...


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"The Ordinary Leader" by Geoff Lew

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, January 10, 2021, In : Book Reviews 



An imaginative and highly creative take on motivation and life coaching by a non-fiction author who is entertaining and engaging.  Lew infuses large swathes of personality and humour into his writing, and is very easy to relate to.  He clearly has huge interest and knowledge of his field of expertise: the military history of ancient China.  Using popular fables and anecdotes from this long, eventful period, he goes on to apply the lessons of the time to how we approach life generally in the m...


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"Vidas: Deep in Mexico and Spain" by Edward Stanton

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, December 31, 2020, In : Book Reviews 



A detailed fictionalized memoir, which presents the second person viewpoint (i.e. you, the reader) as the main protagonist.  It is not clear why Stanton chose this tyle of narrative, though I would like to think (probably incorrectly) that the “you” to which he refers is a real person, to whom this book is tribute.  Telling the account of a divorced American man of Spanish heritage, who travels south to Mexico, then across the Atlantic to the old country, to explore his roots, in fact the...


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"The Future is Autonomous" by Phillip Wilcox

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, November 30, 2020, In : Book Reviews 



An awful lot of work, time and research have gone into this passionate and detailed case for the benefits of the development and mass production of autonomous vehicles.  In the context of the technological race between the two tech superpowers of the U.S. and China, it is in fact a far more comprehensive look at the sector in those two countries generally, profoundly comparing the economic, social, political and ethical aspects of the technology around the project.  Wilcox has covered every p...


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"The Little Book of Greatness" by Ari Gunzburg

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, November 6, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

This contemporary parable might in fact better be described as a fictionalized self-help book, which is even complete with exercises woven cleverly into the story itself.  Its objective is clear: not just to inform, but to subtly coach the reader, drawing you into the role and thought process of David, the pupil of the tale.  You can certainly imagine that Ari Gunzburg has compiled into a creative narrative the resources and materials of the motivational presentations and workshops he gives i...


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"Ralley Point: Place of Refuge" by Daniel Bishop

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, October 8, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


A moving, at times heartbreaking account of the events in the life of a couple who, unable to conceive following a miscarriage, decide to become foster carers.  Their journey is shrewdly narrated from the first-person viewpoints of both, as well as the husband’s eleven-year-old daughter.

Well written and candid, this is clearly a book created with a great deal of procedural knowledge from the author; although fictional, it certainly appears to have its basis in factual events, and the fami...


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"The Twelve Spies of Moses" by Bruce Hampson

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, October 2, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

A great fictional story, in some ways stunning and beautiful in others, for those of a religious persuasion – or maybe just lovers of good writing.  And Bruce Hampson is certainly a very good writer – as well as, quite clearly, an authority on the Old Testament.  This book expands in greater detail, with full creative licence, an event only very briefly touched on in the Bible: that of the twelve spies Moses sent ahead of the refugee Israelites into the Promised Land, in defiance of God. ...


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"Control: The Foundation of Life" by Lance Packer

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, September 24, 2020, In : Book Reviews 



An extremely well written, well presented and professional study textbook, in which Lance – clearly a very knowledgeable author and academic mind – presents what amounts to a vast and comprehensive thesis on the subject of control.  He uses all the basic schools of psychology, sociology and even philosophy and biology, to give as detailed an explanation as he can – and suffice to say it is an admirable feat, which he achieves well.  It is fair to say that he leaves no stone unturned in ...


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"The Resurrection of Boraichee" by William Natale

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, August 17, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

Offbeat and clever, there is something soap-like about this fly-on-the-wall tragi-comic drama as, in what appears to be an effort to teach him loyalty and devotion, a womanizing English Lit professor is reincarnated as the world’s most articulate dog.  Through the dog’s perceptive eyes and sharp narration, we watch unfold the tale of the American anti-dream; an otherwise good-hearted and decent family blighted by hard drug addiction and mental illness.  A generally well-written book, with...


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"The Lightning Horse" by N.L. Holmes

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, July 21, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


N.L. Holmes is an outstanding writer of pedigree and quality.  Her historical fiction is authentic and well-researched, as she paints landscapes and locations onto the page like an artist, putting the reader right there in the story, and able to experience her portrayal of history with all five senses.  She is also a master at crafting layered, well-developed characters, who are simultaneously endearing and human, as well as being awe-inspiring and powerful.  Her action scenes – whilst very...


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"Tabernacle" by Marc Cavella

Posted by Margaret Walker on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


I think this novel was too subtle for me.  As I read it, I developed an idea that I should have come to it with some prior knowledge, and that this might have helped me.  Perhaps my problem is that I’m not American.

Edward Jones/Troy/Joey/Emmitt is never formerly introduced under any of these names but has a successful background in life insurance sales and is a proficient con artist.  He is hired to research the possible shortcomings (hopefully pornographic) of a respectable Mormon school...


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"The Surgeon's Obol" by Arthur Williams

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, June 14, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


This wryly comic and academically enlightening look at the professional day-to-day in the working life of a hospital surgery intern, based on real-life stories and experiences, is a real treat, if a little hard to stomach at times – as is the nature of this type of book: i.e. medical profession fly-on-the-wall.  There are a lot of this extremely popular and growing genre coming into print these days, and although I have to say they really don’t appeal to me personally (as someone married ...


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"As Maryam's Tree Stood Witness" by Ali Kasem

Posted by Margaret Walker on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


This book had it all for me: love, romance, exotic culture, tragedy, mystery, and relationships. I finished it in a day and highly recommend it.

Salem is a member of a Yemeni family cursed by generational honour killings. That this blood revenge between clans commenced before he was born and has taken the life of an innocent sister does not make things any safer for him, and he is forced in 1966 to find refuge and make a new home for himself in Birmingham in the UK. Here he falls in love wit...


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"A Sparrow Alone" by mim Eichmann

Posted by Margaret Walker on Thursday, June 4, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


A Sparrow Alone
 is the story of sixteen-year-old Hannah Owens, a girl caught in the social turmoil of Cripple Creek, Colorado, a gold-mining town in the 1890s.  It’s a man’s world and the establishments that cater to the men of the district operate under colourful names like Golden Peacock, Crapper Jack’s, the Mikado and the Old Homestead where Hannah is employed for a time as seamstress, washer woman and part-time singer.

I found the novel an interesting historical read, the product o...


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"On the Wrong Side of God: The Black Church" by Harry Boyd

Posted by Margaret Walker on Wednesday, May 13, 2020,


The history of black America contains a lot of twists and turns. In case you think this is obvious, On the Wrong Side of God by Harry Boyd highlights many subtle political deviants of which I was unaware. 

Boyd is reaching out to the black Christian Church: ‘This book is to draw believers back to the word of God and into an intimate relationship with Christ.’ It is engaging and readable, a lively testament to the work of the Holy Spirit. He is a committed black Christian with a deep love...


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"Think. Laugh. Cry in 100 Pages" by William Baga

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

William says in the preface to this little gem that he adheres to no particular format or type when he writes, and that is absolutely true of what follows.  Quirky, punchy and interesting, the three very short tales in this book are simply the author’s imagination poured onto the page.  That’s not to say that he isn’t a particularly professional author – he is, and a very good one, to boot – he just chooses not to form his work into the moulds of the usual expectations and conventio...


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"Photography for Well-Being 1" by Lee Aspland

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, May 8, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


Although obviously a book which promotes the benefits of photography to help achieve wellbeing, I would definitely say that there is much more focus on the former part than the latter.  It was perhaps a touch surprising to find this book far heavier on the practical than the spiritual or therapeutic; I would go as far as to say that this is probably 80% practical guide to amateur photography, if written by an author clearly in touch with the practice of mindfulness.  In this respect, Lee does...


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"Island Boy" by Mark Bulahao

Posted by Margaret Walker on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


I enjoyed this book. The author, Mark Bulahao, is an artist and has the ability to see the small details in every scene that I would miss. In the story of Paco he impresses me with the importance of these little things. He weaves a tale for me in order that I might pay attention to a less dominant voice in a culture that itself is less dominant in our western world.

Paco is nineteen and yearns to be free. He is ‘an awkward fellow’ physically, the product of his father’s waywardness, ...


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"No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners" by Joe Palermo

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, May 3, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


Surprisingly, and perhaps a touch disappointingly, there is nothing in Joe’s book about the beautiful country and natural environment of Japan in this book.  What it focuses on, in fact, is the people; it is a glimpse into their everyday lives and the culture within their homes, workplaces and shared settings.  This is not a tourist guide for holidaymakers, so don’t be under that illusion; there are no recommended sights to see or traveller advice – it is simply what it is: a matter-of-...


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"Hotel Inspire" by Douglas Warren

Posted by Margaret Walker on Thursday, April 23, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


Henry Harris is about to be awakened.  He has passed his entire twenty-nine years in his parents’ comfortable apartment in Manhattan, devoid of relationships, other than with books.  But his passion for creating poetry proves his salvation, when he bravely decides to leave his front door for the first time in his life, to attend a summer writers’ retreat at the Hôtel Inspiré, a guesthouse in the south of France, in a mountain village devoid of infrastructure.

As a special education tea...


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"Ivy is a Weed" by Robert M. Roseth

Posted by Margaret Walker on Monday, March 30, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


If you’ve ever wondered how academics justify their existence, then Ivy is a Weed by Robert M. Roseth is the murder mystery for you.  Set within a university in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, the novel is sophisticated yet still on planet Earth, and the plotting is as finely crafted as any novel I have read by well-known crime writers.  One cares about the protagonist Mike Woodsen, university reporter turned amateur sleuth, so it is a rewarding journey taken with him to investigate his s...


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"Turning on the Christmas Lights" by Nellie Woods

Posted by Margaret Walker on Friday, March 13, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


Enchanting, heartwarming and downright quirky tales.

This author is observant, compassionate and her stories engage the reader. However, I would encourage her to be a bolder writer.  The stories were interesting and any one of them could have been further developed to get inside the heads of the characters and hook the reader with a really satisfying emotional experience. Take risks with language; break rules; develop an original style that readers will recognize as uniquely Nellie Woods and...


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"Catamaran Crossing" by Douglas Carl Fricke

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


This short, enjoyable memoir is a real gem.  Written with clear quality by an author with undoubted credentials to do so, we get to join Doug and his experienced sailor friends, crossing the Atlantic from the Canaries to Antigua, on their custom-built catamaran in the 1980s.  They are blessed for the first part of the journey to be joined by renowned boat designer John Shuttleworth, an expert in the field, who also writes a very welcome foreword to this book.  At times utterly tense, sometime...


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"Who's There?" by Dimas Rio

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, February 13, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


This atmospheric collection of short supernatural chillers is right up my street, and I loved every moment of reading it.  The five mysterious tales – which I personally think are suitable for adults and (probably more mature) kids alike – are thoroughly entertaining, and I read the whole book in one enjoyable sitting.

Rio writes beautifully, in a simple, eloquent and professionally elegant style.  His language is easily savoured and although English doesn’t appear to be his first lang...


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"Bullets and Bandages" by Robert J. Saniscalchi

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, February 6, 2020, In : Book Reviews 



Robert has clearly put a huge amount of work into this Vietnam war drama.  For somebody who never fought himself, but has written this book as a clear tribute to the brave men who fought and died, with help from his veteran brother, the research and passion he has applied to it is admirably on show for all to see.  I have read many Vietnam war memoirs, and I can truly say that this is as authentic an account as you will read from an author who was not present; the terminology, feelings of fea...


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"Boulder County" by Marc Krulewitch

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, January 31, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

In the beautiful forest hills of Boulder County, Colorado, Buddy cultivates weed on his conservation land.  Whilst the growing of weed is not illegal in the state, he is unlicensed and pays no tax… suffice also to say that he grows slightly more than the few plants permitted for personal use.  Now, whilst Buddy has never bothered anybody before with his lifelong hobby and livelihood, he is suddenly attracting all sorts of unwanted attention – the wrong kind - from Colorado’s neighbourin...


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"Golgotha" by Guy Portman

Posted by Margaret Walker on Thursday, January 23, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


Golgotha is the third book in Guy Portman's Necropolis trilogy. It is as dark and sociopathic, as only the British know how to be, and will be welcomed by fans of Necropolis and Sepultura.

Dyson Devereux works in London in the funeral industry.  However, whilst awaiting trial in the San Vittore Prison, Milan, he has been a prey of the possessive Alegra, femme fatale on steroids, with whom he had spent only a couple of nights prior to his incarceration.

Upon Dyson’s release, Alegra is dete...


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"Beautiful Things" by Eloise Kelly

Posted by Margaret Walker on Sunday, January 19, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

Thank you for sending me this lovely book. Quite honestly, I don’t know why it hasn’t been snapped up by a mainstream publisher. I have just finished ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ (2 million copies sold), but I enjoyed ‘Beautiful Things’ more. It’s warmer, more human and believable. It contains valuable insights into mental health issues. In my opinion it would reach more people. The differences between the two are probably that Eleanor Oliphant gets you in immediately, ...


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"Tomthunkit's Theory of the Universe" by Tomthunkit

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, In : Book Reviews 

This book is a lot of fun… to an extent.  Insofar as it only means to be, up to a certain point, before it has a very, very serious umbrella message.  Beautifully presented, it addresses literally everything about the story of mankind, our role in the world, and our future role in it.  Up until the last quarter’s sermon, I don’t think Tom takes it particularly seriously.

Tom has a theory on everything, and that’s all this book really is, in the main.  He does his research, of course,...


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"The Eden Complex" by Elise Leise

Posted by Margaret Walker on Monday, January 13, 2020, In : Book Reviews 


It took me longer to review the novella than to read it! 

It is nicely edited. I found two small typos in the entire MS.

The ideas of power, desire and human aspirations are quite exciting and, although the vignettes that comprise this novella are evocative, the author could, if she liked, flesh out the characters. That would help the reader because, for such a short novel, there are a lot of characters.

The briefness of the vignettes creates tension and drama. It is dramatic and elegantly...


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"Stronger Than Blood" by Allan Mason

Posted by Margaret Walker on Sunday, January 5, 2020, In : Book Reviews 



Stronger than Blood by Allan Mason is a complex thriller, devised with considerable imagination, and cleverly written. The author has a firm grasp of the world of electronic manipulation that we live in and a wonderfully warped sense of humour. He has used these skills to morph the present American political system into a new order all too believably.

USA, 2055. Albert Woods lives in Washington in a world of absolute government control. His personal life is overseen by Victor, the interactiv...


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"From Doctor to Guinea Pig" by Angelique D.

Posted by Margaret Walker on Friday, January 3, 2020, In : Book Reviews 



Absolutely riveting. Written by his wife in a vibrant Greek style, From Doctor to Guinea-pig is the story of Alex, a Greek doctor in Zaire in Central Africa, gifted and generous, who contracts HIV. There are a lot of twists and turns to this story. Alex is not a typical AIDS patient.   

The author has the gift of making the little things in life absorbing to her readers. With honesty, compassion and humour, she has written a beautiful tribute to a remarkable man. 

Trained in the university ...


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"Non-Obvious Megatrends" by Rohit Bhargava

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



I found this book a somewhat strange one to review – not because of its subject or writing, but because the author opted to send me selected extracts rather than the full book; overall, I estimate I was missing at least half, and have been left to write my review based in the 100 or so pages I received.  Still, nevertheless, I believe I have got the gist, and have surprisingly only found myself choosing to omit one star from my maximum rating for it, which is some testament to its quality. ...


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"Bucket Showers and Baby Goats" by Christine Brown

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, In : Book Reviews 

I recently reviewed another book set in the Volta region, and the contrast between the two couldn’t be any more different.  If I’m being honest, Christine’s description of Ghana doesn’t sell the place to me at all – but, of course, I am being obtuse, because a travel guide was never her intention with Bucket Showers and Baby Goats; the book sets out to highlight the plight of a poverty-stricken and under-educated nation.  And, this she does extremely well.  One thing which is consis...


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"Promises to the Fallen" by Glyn Haynie

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, December 2, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


This is the third I have read from the consistently brilliant Glyn Haynie, and it is a remarkable change in direction from him, as he moves away from his trademark Vietnam memoir format, into fiction.  Glyn has proven to be every bit as superb a fiction author as he is when sharing his non-fiction autobiography series.  Still on the familiar ground of the Vietnam war, this time Glyn has crafted a riveting, poignant, detailed and hugely authentic story of a young man’s tour of duty in 1969: ...


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"His Most Italian City" by Margaret Walker

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, November 17, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


This book is not just entertaining, interesting, well-written and professionally crafted, it is also educational and enlightening, with regards to a period of European history which is perhaps often overlooked.  Set in 1928, in the aftermath of the first world war, Istria has fallen under the ownership of a now Fascist-run Italy, the land wielded and occupied with ruthless complicity by Mussolini.  The formerly Croatian citizens now find themselves being naturalized by Italy’s ethnic cleans...


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"Freedom, Sex and a Meat Cleaver" by Sherman Miles

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, In : Book Reviews 

Engrossing, entertaining and utterly easy to read, I had no problem at all getting lost in these exciting, fun tales.  Chronicling the adventures of a young American soldier, discharged following the end of the Vietnam war, who decides to return to South East Asia, to live and travel, these short stories are based loosely on the real life exploits of the author, as well as stories he has heard and people he met.  This collection of anecdotes forms the whole, overall story of his months in, pr...


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"The Intelligence Factor" by Mike Logsdon

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, November 7, 2019, In : Book Reviews 

It is refreshing to read a Dystopian tale in which the freedom fighters are as evil as the regime they are trying to overthrow, and Logsdon’s book certainly leaves no blurred lines about the decency of either its “antagonists” or its “protagonists”.  This liberally action-packed thriller, set just a few years from now, portrays the origins and ideologies of both a draconian dictatorship and a shockingly violent and destructive terrorist group, whilst one decent federal agent tries t...


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"Payback: Tales of Love, Hate and Revenge" by Steve Bassett

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


Unlike its more journalistic predecessor in the series Father Divine’s Bikes, there is a more discernible air of ‘forties noir pulp fiction about this book.  Whilst its prequel focused heavily on cultural differences and animosities, this is more story led, with a greater role on crime fiction, and more prominence given to two of its resuming lead characters, detectives Nick Cisco and Kevin McClosky.  Other than this, the intertwined stories, subplots and backstories have only the most su...


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"Choose A Reality... Any Reality" by Emmanuel Morfoboss

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, September 15, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


This short study explores and examines the multi-layered facets of human behaviour and cognitive decision-making, as if they are a very element of the physical make-up of our universe, which is a somewhat confusing, if interesting subject to get our heads around.

Using explanations of ancient philosophy, right through quantum physics and the construction of the cosmos itself, Emmanuel attempts to explain how our own differing perceptions of reality are really what directly contribute to the ...


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"Myth Agent" by L.A. MacFadden

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, August 11, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


“Myth Agent” is a lot of fun, and MacFadden’s quality is apparent right from very early on; an incredibly engaging and intriguing book, which is perfectly written by an author with a wonderful narrative voice.  This inoffensive and universal tale of time-travel is gripping, with a small streak of unidentifiable menace running beneath it, which grows very subtly in tension, eloquently setting up the reader’s anticipation by its midway point.  With its increasingly dark undertone, MacFa...


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"Rocky Mountain Noir" by Peter Learn

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, July 15, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


A very dialogue driven and bizarre comedy, with that instantly recognizable quirky, dry Canadian humour, a lot of which is so deadpan it may go over the heads of some Stateside.  “Rocky Mountain Noir” pays heart on sleeve homage to the detective pulp of Mickey Spillane, but does so with its tongue so deep in its cheek it borders on spoof.

Fast-paced and talky, this book is a fusion of pulp, action and outright slapstick, laced with a few moments so laugh out loud funny they had me cracki...


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"I, CLAUDIA" BY LIN WILDER

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, April 4, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



Lin Wilder is a tremendously good author, on the highest tiers of quality, and with her books, you are always treated to a masterclass in author research for fiction.  “I, Claudia” revels in this, giving Lin the perfect vehicle to apply this trade – and “trade” is the perfect word to describe Lin’s work, as she goes about her business of historical research with the thoroughness of a data analyst.  Additionally, if you were in any doubt about the credibility, she readily reference...


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"FORTUNA AND THE SCAPEGRACE" BY BRIAN KINDALL

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, March 28, 2019, In : Book Reviews 

There is a wonderful, melodious tone of voice to Brian Kindall’s writing – his language is always classical and sometimes sublime – the nineteenth-century San Francisco prospectors’ era effortlessly permeates every carefully chose word and sentence and his knowledge of American historical setting appears almost innate, as he places you, vividly at every scene.  In a nutshell, he is a tremendously talented author.

But, as with most creative talents, there is a flaw on the flip-side.  ...


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"WHEN I TURNED NINETEEN" BY GLYN HAYNIE

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, March 24, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



Glyn Haynie is a superb author, with whom I am already acquainted, having read and reviewed the follow-up: “Finding My Platoon Brothers”.  One thing which struck me when reading this book, compared to his reminiscences in the sequel, is that his humanity appears much deeper nowadays, than then at 19 – though perhaps this comes with age; perhaps reflection.  I couldn’t help thinking that very quickly into his tour of duty (weeks, maybe) he appeared already to be desensitizing to the ho...


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"THE CUCKOO COLLOQUIUM" BY MICHAEL A. GRECO

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



Michael Greco is a good, professional author and a brilliant writer, with a real flair for offbeat comedy, which borders on the farcical.  But, you definitely have to immerse yourself in his wavelength, pretty quickly, because “The Cuckoo Colloquium” is very busy; he has a tendency to jump around a lot, making it quite difficult to keep track of what is going on from one moment to the next.  Once you get used to this, you realize that he is really very clever at writing with an ensemble c...


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"TREADING THE UNEVEN ROAD" by Lorna Brown

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


Lorna is a lovely author, with a calm, easy tone, which makes you feel relaxed and deeply involved at the same time.  Her prose is delightful and you can almost hear the soft lull of her voice in it.  Her short tales, about little more than slices in the lives of ordinary, working class folk in a variety of Irish locales, are bleak, sombre and thick with melancholy, yet warm and comforting simultaneously.  Told from the different viewpoints of a various range of characters, there is yet somet...

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"Delivering Virtue" by Brian Kindall

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



Reading “Delivering Virtue” can probably best be described as an “experience”. What begins as a genuinely amusing and light-hearted read starts to change tone as it progresses, into something potentially much darker and more macabre. The real star of this book is Brian Kindall himself. He is, quite simply, a tremendous writer – and a fantastic wordsmith – with prose which flows like poetry; the language he uses throughout feels authentically frontier, is genuinely quite stunning, ...


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"Finding My Platoon Brothers" by Glyn Haynie

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, March 2, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



Instantly, even before starting the book, and then reading the introductory matter, the poignancy of this book strikes you, and you know immediately it is going to be an affecting read, compounded not only by the terrible trauma these poor young boys (little more than children, in many cases) experienced in the Vietnam war, but, perhaps in some ways more upsettingly, by the disgraceful injustice of vilification by their own country, upon their return.  To draw a positive, though, these experi...


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"DIE BACK" by Richard Hacker

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, February 7, 2019, In : Book Reviews 


Nicely written by a good quality, professional author, this fantasy is more a time-travelling actioner, which is exciting and engaging.  Richard Hacker has a good knowledge of history, and has done his research very well, but, gladly, doesn’t overplay it – the focus of this book is the formula, with its 3 acts, its heroes, love interest and a ruthless super-villain, who craves no less than total domination of the space-time continuum. 

The story is a good, interesting one; the ability o...


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"Gone to the Dogs" by Simon Gary

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, January 24, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



Very quickly when you start reading this book, the author’s affection for the era and its naivety come pouring through.  I didn’t know what to expect, realizing that the sitcom to which it refers - despite Simon Gary’s misleading foreword and blurb – is actually a fictional one, as are all the characters therein; though, clearly based on an element of reality and, by the looks of it, some industry experience on Gary’s part.  With its nods toward the “Carry On” movie style, and s...


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"READ TO SUCCEED" by Stan Skrabut

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, January 12, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



As somebody who reads prolifically in the course of my work, the title and tagline of Stan Skrabut’s “Read to Succeed” struck a particularly resounding chord with me, and I was very eager to find out more from what I assumed was a study into the nurturing power of reading as exercise for your brain; reinforcement of my own belief that reading increases ones wit, intellect, wisdom, logic and general capacity to improve one’s character.  This book does all that and more – it is incred...


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"Victoria's Voice: Our Daughter's Dying Wish To Share Her Diary And Save Lives From Drugs" by David and Jackie Siegel

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, January 7, 2019, In : Book Reviews 



“Victoria’s Voice” is a tragic account of teenage depression and self-destruction, more tragic still because the tale is so common as to seem familiar, even though in reality the world Victoria occupied was probably a million miles from the majority of our own.  It seems very clear, right from the opening paragraphs, that Victoria was another sad victim of the American dream’s flipside, with all the artifice and superficiality that goes with that life of luxury; her death was one of m...


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"I HAVE DEMONS" BY CHRISTOPHER ADAM

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, December 27, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




Adam is an extremely articulate author, who is flawless with grammar and very easy to read; I absorbed the whole of this trio of tales in one sitting.

Set in both rural and urban Canada, the stories are short and relatable slice-of-life snippets, character-based, without any real sense of drama; the basis of the book seems to be a metaphorical one. Moreso, the tales have an unexpected air of bleakness about them - forlorn and almost foreboding. In the foreword, Adam hints at a common theme,...


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"WRITTEN BY BLOOD PART ONE: CONVICTION" by Dwayne Gill

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, November 22, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




I’m always a touch wary when reading a book, the title of which includes the words “part one”, having been left hanging on many occasions by infuriating and sometimes ridiculous cliffhangers.
  However, this is not one of those books, I’m pleased to say; I don’t think I’m spoiling it in any way by saying that “Conviction” is satisfyingly self-contained, whilst leaving a tantalising hint at the bigger picture of the series generally – as Marcene says: “A storm is coming”, ...

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"THE ROOM ABOVE" BY LAURA HERGANE

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




Laura is a wonderful writer, in her own way; you can tell the use of language is of huge importance to her, and is more the point than any other aspect of her writing – she uses interesting prose for its own sake.  Laura is of Eastern European origin, and the English transcription of her work perhaps still needs some work.  Don’t get me wrong – clearly highly educated, she has a hugely proficient, eloquent vocabulary, and her grammar is of the highest standard; only, perhaps, her phrasi...


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"LEGENDS OF PERSIA" BY JENNIFER MACAIRE

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




I was quite critical of the first instalment of the Alexander series, so did try to read Jennifer’s review copy of the first sequel with an open mind.  She is something of an oxymoron, in that she is an extremely talented author, with a fantastic writing style and an undeniable knowledge of not only her subject, but her craft, yet her choice of storyline and genre is at best a little immature, and at worst somewhat offensive.

As a semi-fictional account of the life of Alexander the Great a...


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"MERMAIDS ARE REAL: THE MYSTIQ PRONG" by BO WU

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, October 12, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




This vivid and colourfully descriptive book goes straight into full-scale fantastical with very little warning.  Telling the tale of Benji, a thirteen-year-old boy who finds out he is, in fact, a mermaid/man, it seems two-parts children’s book to one-part grown-up.  Personally, I feel it is much better in its mature moments, because the story, once it starts to form, is a pretty good one – and an important one at that.

Wu is clearly passionate about the life in our oceans, and the messag...


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"MASTERMINDS INCORPORATED: AN APPOINTMENT WITH FEAR" BY CHAD LEE ERWAY

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, September 17, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




Wow!  The 5-star books just keep on coming!

This is a great book for kids and adults alike.  This fun horror-adventure was the perfect use of my time, and just the right amount of it, too; I couldn’t put it down, and read the whole thing in one sitting.  You can tell immediately an author who has fun with his work, and Chad clearly does that.  Entertaining and creative, with some genuinely quite scary moments, this is a book I would recommend very highly to middle-school kids and young-at-he...


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"THE DOG THIEF AND OTHER STORIES" BY JILL KEARNEY

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




Jill is a wonderful author, articulate and engaging, with a prose which is so calming as to be almost hypnotic.  Her slow-burning short tales and novella are not actioners, nor even particularly dramatic, but they are engrossing and charming.  With a strong element of emotional morality and an even stronger one of melancholy, all feature a prominent animal welfare message.  Jill’s writing is gritty and real, with no attempts at any kind of sensationalism.  They are also, at times, infuriati...


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"THE REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH" BY JOHN SIMPSON

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, August 30, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



In some ways paradoxically, this is an excellent book, not very well presented, by a fantastic author.  The first-person mock autobiographical prose in this work of fiction is so authentic that it must be either genuine biography, or incredibly well-researched by John Simpson.  He deserves a huge amount of credit for creating a real gritty slice-of-life tale, so vivid you feel that you are there living it with the anti-hero, Tommy.  There is no issue with the language, but rather the editing ...


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"WINNING WITH DATA: CRM AND ANALYTICS FOR THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS"

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, August 24, 2018, In : Book Reviews 

This is an incredibly relevant book which, although primarily based in the sports business, can certainly be applied to most industries in the modern, data-driven world.  In fact, for large parts, the sports aspect feels notably incidental; “Winning with Data…” is, in fact, much more than this: a must-have business guide, written by what is clearly a top professional in her field.  Fiona has a pedigree of the business side of sports; she is clearly highly connected, and I was left in li...


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"THE ROAD TO ALEXANDER" BY JENNIFER MACAIRE

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, In : Book Reviews 


“The Road to Alexander” is one of the strangest books I have ever been asked to review, in that it is possibly the most contrary.  Ordinarily, I love books which cross genres, if done well, and this book certainly does that.  It doesn’t take itself too seriously – at least, surely it can’t – and seems, for the most part, to have its tongue buried very firmly in its cheek. 

The premise is an interesting one: a time-travelling journalist from the future returns to the 4th century ...


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"47 HOURS: THE COUP THAT SHOOK THE AMERICAS" BY CLINCHANDHILL

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, August 10, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



Without doubt, Clinchandhill is an excellent writer and “47 Hours…” is a work of immense quality, right from the very first line.  The author’s grasp and narration of political history and Latin American political culture is insightful and/or incredibly well researched, and you suspect that this book was a long time in the creation – the outcome was definitely worth the investment.  I am left in little doubt that Clinchandhill has had first-hand experience of the country in which th...


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"THE WAREHOUSE TOUR" BY K.A. CUMMINS

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, July 1, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




You know immediately within the first couple of paragraphs that this is standard cliched horror – or at least you think you do.  By the next paragraphs, it is also clearly obvious that it is classic YA or even teen fare, with the usual stereotypes of the popular girl and the high-school jock – basically all the things many horror fans like to see.  But this is where the similarities abruptly end. 

The first half of this book is atmospheric and gripping, with a nail-biting sense of menac...


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"SPARROWHAWK ON THE HORIZON" BY A. SCHOLTE

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



The moment you begin reading “Sparrowhawk on the Horizon”, you know immediately it is an undeniable work of quality.  Scholte is an articulate, educated and highly professional author, who evidently spent ten years researching and creating this book; her diligence shows. 

Her informative semi-factual account of the birth of the Americas Cup is a homage to the time – a period of innovative ship-building, in the years following the Industrial Revolution – and provides a deep insight i...


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"AQUILA: CAN SILVANUS ESCAPE THAT GOD?" BY VINCE ROCKSTON

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, June 1, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



I’ll be honest, “Aquila…” is far from the action adventure I was expecting, and I would strongly advise that to fully enjoy this book, the reader needs to understand what it is about.  In this respect, I would say that the blurb is a touch misleading - there is no action element, and in some ways a huge aspect of historical non-fiction.  I won’t say I was disappointed, because as soon as it become clear what Rockston’s tale is (about midway), I developed a whole new respect for it...


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"JUST ANOTHER GIRL'S STORY: A MEMOIR ON FINDING REDEMPTION" By Laura Eckert

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, April 6, 2018, In : Book Reviews 


People write books for a variety of reasons – sometimes they have a lesson to teach, or a message to share, sometimes it is to make money, and sometimes for their own therapy. In Laura’s case, you get the distinct impression throughout that therapy is her reason; however, as you start to reach the final chapters of “Just Another Girl’s Story...” , you come to realize that the “redemption” to which she refers in the title, she is assuming from spreading her pro-life mess...


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"THE NIGHT ALPHABET" By David Donachie

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, April 1, 2018, In : Book Reviews 





My second 5-star review in a week!

I love short stories, and I was delighted to be sent “The Night Alphabet”, which is a collection of wonderfully compact coffee-break tales, each based (albeit tenuously) on a theme beginning with the corresponding letter of the alphabet. They are truly enthralling, grabbing you straight away with the heartbreaking story of an angel living amongst us, which has a very current socio-moral message.

David Donachie is an incredibly creative writer, weaving hi...

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"GOODBYE BUTTERFLIES: THE 5-DAY STAGE-FRIGHT SOLUTION" By Dr. David Lee Fish

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, March 26, 2018, In : Book Reviews 


This is a very interesting and surprisingly entertaining self-help book, by an articulate and highly qualified author. Dr. Fish is not, as you might think from reading this book, a psychology professional, but, instead, a music industry one. Still, if reading this book assured me of one thing, it is that he more than possesses the credentials to write it. The book is touted as a “stage-fright solution”, and it certainly does offer this, but I feel a more appropriate title for this book w...

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"FISH FARM" By Walt Sautter

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



This is a great little novella, gripping and entertaining, which I managed to read in one short evening.  “Fish Farm” is a wonderful cautionary thriller, written in an otherwise entertaining voice, with some really good setpieces – a well-told vigilante tale (and who doesn’t love one of those?) in the mould of “Death Wish” and “Harry Brown”.  The characters are interesting, with intriguing back-stories, and the story is simple yet enticing, with a great ending which I didn’t...


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"CHANGE OF CHAOS" By Jacinta Jade

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, March 19, 2018, In : Book Reviews 


This book is a long, yet surprisingly easy to read first instalment, to what looks like a very promising YA saga. I have to admit, I gulped when I saw the word count – almost 150,000! – yet, those words flew by pretty quickly. Jacinta has a very appealing writing style, which draws you in and does not tax the brain a great deal; her characters seem likeable enough, and there are some promising elements. However, it is ultimately a tad disappointing, a fact probably compounded by its lengt...


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"MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY..." By Andreas Michaelides

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, February 22, 2018, In : Book Reviews 





If you are expecting “My Weight Loss Journey...” to provide a fad diet to help you lose weight fast and easy, you will be disappointed. In fact, Andreas consciously chooses to dispel those two very words from your mindset, to his great credit. What this book actually is, right from the off, is more of a lesson than a ten-a-penny self-help guide. It is chocked full of good, honest advice; there are no tricks or agendas here - no lip service – just the hard truth: weight loss takes hard w...

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"MALTHUS REVISITED: THE CUP OF WRATH" By Lin Wilder

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, February 19, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



The latest instalment in the Lindsey McCall series immediately feels as though you are still reading the same book.  Lin Wilder spends a good deal of time recapping “The Fragrance Shed By A Violet” and “A Price For Genius”, creating what can perhaps more accurately be considered a saga than a series.  Although the main plotlines do stand alone, as in this book, they seem of secondary importance to Lin than the subplots involving her favourite character ensemble, all of which find a ro...


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"SONGS TO NEW YORK" by Myrtle Brooks

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, February 2, 2018, In : Book Reviews 




"Songs to New York” is a light-hearted and tender anthology of ten short stories, with overtly bountiful references to the author’s love affair with her home city – a quality which I, as a proud Londoner, relate to completely, and find more than a little endearing.

These sometimes mystical, sometimes fantastical, and always utterly charming tales are loaded with metaphors, commonly underpinned by two in particular: the city itself, as a breathing, living, warm and loving being, and the c...


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"MONOLAND: THE SHIMMERING MIST" by E.A. Minin

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, January 22, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



I was delighted when Jevgenijs sent me this sequel to “Monoland: Into the Gray Horizon” – the second in the series – and have been anticipating its arrival for some time.  The first was one of the best, most imaginative books I have reviewed to date, and, in many ways, “The Shimmering Mist” is better.  It picks up at the very moment its predecessor ended, with Owen and Dizz facing imminent punishment by the justice system of their grey-scale afterlife Purgatory. 

More so than the...


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"ENDOHUMAN: LOVE vs. DUTY" BY NICK DREAM

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, January 16, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



“Endohuman Part One...” is a very strange book to review, in that it unexpectedly crosses genres in several respects. While this is ordinarily something I very much like to see, and the author deserves huge respect for constructing this imaginative story, I finished it with mixed feelings.

The writing was very good, and I was enjoying the book a great deal, in spite of the fact that up to a point, pretty much half way, in fact, it seems your average YA fantasy, with all the usual elements:...


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"THE LUCKY WINNER" By Tomi Farrell

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, January 10, 2018, In : Book Reviews 



This crime thriller is entertaining and engrossing right from the off, at least in the first half – midway it appears to change genre and audience entirely. What began as a clever young-adult mystery, with all the usual character and plot cliches, develops in the final third, into pure, glossy pulp-fiction thriller, with all the far-fetched character development and Hollywood gloss. It initially strikes as YA for the main reason that most of the lead characters do seem to ...


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"HAPPINESS IS JUST A PILL AWAY" by David Grad

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, December 20, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




This hugely impressive book is a very cynical, bittersweet and, at times, funny attack on the drudgery of the 9-5 day-to-day, compounding the constant disappointment of underachievement, in a society based on fallacy, superficiality and promise. A book which is easy to relate to in its hopelessness, and the motivation (or lack thereof) of its unnamed protagonist (/antagonist?).

There are laughs – including some real belly ones - but “Happiness Is Just A Pill Away” is not comedy,...


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"UNDERSTANDING THE PATTERNS OF YOUR LIFE" By George Kouloukis

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, December 17, 2017, In : Book Reviews 





Initially I was expecting a self-help book, based on inward reflection and psychological therapy, but straight away I realized I was wrong, and what George Kouloukis’s book actually is is a mathematical theory, suggesting the existence of some natural global phenomenon which directly influences our luck in life, influencing good and bad “seasons” which change every 16-17 years.  In fairness to the author, the book’s blurb does explain this quite clearly.  Still, its content came as so...

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"NEVER TOO LATE TO DIE" By Pablo Palazuelo

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




An exceptionally well-written thriller, about a group of retired service agents who decide to investigate the disappearance of a young woman, only to uncover a complex web of espionage and brutality. This character-based tale is intricate and vivid, and showcases wonderfully Pablo Palazuelo’s competencies as an author; he is certainly very high quality – talented, intelligent and stylish – and the translation of this book from his native Spanish to English is all-but flawless. T...

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"I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW I'M FOUND" By Laura Koerber

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, November 27, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




This book is devastating, heartbreaking and guilt-inducing, yet ultimately endearing - it is also very difficult to read without inward reflection. Right at the very beginning, Laura Koerber makes the point that we all turn a blind eye to the worst animal cruelty atrocities, under the false assumption that we are powerless to help, and methodically then spends the next 150 pages dashing this fallacy; as a so-called “animal lover”, it made me feel ashamed at my lack of action. I don’t th...


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"WHAT IS JUSTICE: A QUEST TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH" By T. Ajay Shankar

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, November 11, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




REVIEW PUBLISHED AT AUTHOR’S REQUEST.

I had half an hour or so to spare, so I thought I’d peruse “What is Justice?”, as one with a background and interest in this field.  It was sent to me as a short book, with the tagline “A Quest to Understand the Truth”.  In T. Ajay Shankar’s defence, I feel some of the unpleasant and actually quite rude reviews I’ve seen are a touch unfair, and it does sting a little seeing a fellow author treated to such harsh criticism.  That said, howe...


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"THE RAT TUNNELS OF ISFAHAN" By Alejandro de Gutierre

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, November 11, 2017, In : Book Reviews 





Within just a few sentences of starting to read it became clear to me that this is a work of quality from a good, professional author.  The language, grammar and formatting are all close to perfect and, from the very first line, Alejandro draws the reader into a vivid and well-crafted tale.  The opening chapter is intriguing, horrifying and gripping, and I have to be honest: I read the whole thing from cover to cover in a very short space of time.  We are quickly personally enveloped in the p...

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"THE WYNDHAM WEREWOLF" By Fallacious Rose

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, October 2, 2017, In : Book Reviews 


“The Wyndham Werewolf” is a collection of intriguing bedtime tales from the mysterious Fallacious Rose, an excellent author, as it turns out, with a great tongue and use of grammar – the book is copy-edited to perfection.

The short stories, downbeat and downplayed, yet strangely entrancing, are told in a soft yet menacing style.  Although not so on the surface, there is a sense of common theme running through them, though this may simply be the tone underlying them all.  Set in a sma...


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"FINDING THE NARROW PATH" By Lin Wilder

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, September 24, 2017, In : Book Reviews 


This is the third of Lin Wilder’s books I’ve read, and the only non-fiction title, the first two being instalments 1 and 2 of her Lindsey McCall series.  It is the memoir of Lin’s own life and her diversion from, then return to religion.  Ironically, and somewhat surprisingly for me, it is the best I’ve read from her, without a shadow of doubt.  I may not be a believer to any degree, yet Lin’s biography had me spellbound, and I simply couldn’t put it down until midway (and even ...


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"THE EYE OF NEFERTITI: A PHARAOH'S CAT NOVEL" By Maria Luisa Lang

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Saturday, September 16, 2017, In : Book Reviews 


Although I knew this book was the second in a series, I hadn’t read the first, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect.  It was very quickly clear (at least to me) that “The Eye of Nefertiti” is aimed at slightly older children – perhaps pre- or early-teen (though, if this is the case, it should be said that some of the language might be a touch coarse). 

Straight away this book is light-hearted and fun, tinged with a great harmless humour throughout. Although it is a sequel, it is ...


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"The Fragrance Shed By A Violet: Murder In The Medical Center" by Lin Wilder

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Thursday, September 14, 2017, In : Book Reviews 

When you read Lin Wilder, you pretty much know what you are going to get: writing of the highest quality, from an incredibly learned professional author, and “The Fragrance Shed By A Violet…” falls firmly into this category.  I’ve recently read this and its sequel “Do you Solemnly Swear?  A Nation of Law: The Dark Side”, albeit in the wrong order, and have, on both occasions, been awestruck by the depth of Wilder’s knowledge.

Though, if I am to be ruthlessly honest, I have to a...


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"SUPERI: REBORN" by Clint Thurmon and Christina Williams

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Tuesday, August 22, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



The first impression of “Superi: Reborn” is that it is incredibly well-written, by a very skilled author (or two, in this case).  Even before the book has opened, the attention to detail is made clear, as is the passion the authors have for the world they have created, by the detailed map and character index provided – elements which are often hallmarks of the fantasy genre.

There is an immediate air of oppression in this book, and it is clear straight away that the world of Superi is on...


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"CORROSIVE" by J. Kariuki

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, July 23, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



This novella grabbed my attention, not because of the cover (which, if I’m honest, could really do with a complete reboot), but because of the blurb – the author sells the story very well with his synopsizing of it, and it intrigued me.

I have to say I was well impressed – the story grabbed me instantly, from the outset a mixture of mystery and repulsion; I couldn’t wait to get from one scene to the next, if only just to find out more.  The book is incredibly well written and edite...


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"The Fear" by Rae Louise

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, July 10, 2017, In : Book Reviews 


From very early on when reading this book, two things become immediately clear: first, this is a particularly formulaic horror book, and second, Rae knows her genre very well indeed.  It opens with a great, attention-grabbing, wince-inducing scene, which grips the reader firmly by the throat, in typical fashion, and, for those seeking a standard get-what-you-see supernatural horror thriller, it continues in the same vein relentlessly throughout.

“The Fear” is Rae Louise’s homage to the...


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"Woodiss is Willing" by Henry Woodiss

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, May 28, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



Immediately when you start reading this book, it gives the impression of being a lot of fun – humorous, cheeky and entertaining, and straight away the author (who, confusingly, is not the editor who wrote the alluring foreword), displays a great degree of good, old-fashioned English sense of humour, from a time before it perished at the hands of political correctness; and this is very welcome.  The first quarter of the book reads like a “Carry On…” movie with a modern-day 18-certifica...


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"Monoland: Into The Gray Horizon" by E.A. Minin

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, May 19, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



I was drawn to “Monoland: Into The Gray Horizon” by the cover and the premise: that of a young man trapped in a “land of grey”, immediately following the moment of his death.

“Monoland” is another name for Purgatory – it is neither Heaven or Hell, but a biblical world in between, which runs parallel to our own dimension, here on Earth.  The book deals with some interesting concepts: the feelings of love and loss, the realization that eternity is forever, and a being has to ca...


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"DEVIL IN THE COUNTRYSIDE" by Cory Barclay

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, May 19, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




“Devil in the Countryside” is strange, in the respect that it deserves a huge amount of respect, while slightly disappointing in terms of its content.  By the blurb and the cover style, I was expecting a more conventional werewolf horror story; in fact, this was neither a werewolf tale as such, or part of the horror genre.  More accurate a description would be a Reformation-era whodunnit/political intrigue thriller, in the vein of “From Hell”, “The Name of the Rose”, or perhaps ...


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"OFF THE GRID: LIVING BLIND WITHOUT THE INTERNET" BY ROBERT KINGETT

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, March 24, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



When I first picked up this book my initial presumption was that it was about how vitally important the internet is in the life of somebody with such a debilitating disability, and the struggles of life without it.  Of course, the immediate response to that of most people above a certain age is likely to be that blind people have always had to live without the internet, and it is only very recent times that have afforded the opportunity for the better quality of life it provides.  And while I...

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"CHUCK THE ROOSTER LOSES HIS VOICE" BY SIGAL HABER

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Friday, March 17, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



What a lovely, lovely book!

I was looking forward to reading "Chuck the Rooster Loses His Voice", as a markedly light-hearted change to the usual fare I'm offered as a reviewer, and I have to admit I loved every minute of it.  This is definitely a book I would buy for my own toddler, without hesitation - a great little 10-minute children's story, told in verse, about a group of farmyard friends who come together to devise an exciting way to help out the rooster when he falls ill.  Perfect fo...


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"THE DAY I MADE GOOD" By Michael Irwin

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Monday, March 6, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




I’ve read alot from this author, and have come to the conclusion that he is a master of metaphors – the satisfying kind, which make one give a little smile and an understanding nod.  With a penchant for first person narration, he draws the reader immediately into the world of his characters, unsavoury, yet as normal as you or I – a world in which life can change in an instant.  Another trademark of Michael Irwin, apparent in this bite-sized cautionary tale of villains, blags and remorse...


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"FIFTY EGG TIMER SHORT STORIES" By Richard Bunning

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, March 5, 2017, In : Book Reviews 




The concept of this collection is of 3-minute read flash fiction - the time it takes to boil an egg, or, more specifically, for an egg timer to run out.

These may be 3-minute reads (one or two maybe a little longer), but it is clear from very early on that their composition was far from brief – the author has put a huge amount of work into each one of these stories, and moulded them in a very unique style.  Although only an average of 750 words, each displays a particularly impressive know...


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"A TRINITY OF WICKED TALES - VOLUME 1: JILTED LOVE!" By Kyla Ross

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Sunday, February 5, 2017, In : Book Reviews 


A satisfying trio of dark cautionary tales in the style of Richard Laymon, the 'Trinity...' is good, well-crafted horror, from an author who clearly spends alot of time indulging in the genre - the stories are familiar, the characters stereotypically deranged and deliciously twisted.

I really enjoyed these three tales - each has a great sense of atmosphere, satisfying dialogue and a range of personalities which we have come to expect in such shorts, and would not realistically be found anyw...


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"NO QUARTER - DOMINIUM: VOLUME 1" by MJL Evans & GM O'Connor

Posted by Matt McAvoy on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, In : Book Reviews 



I have to be honest, I felt a little cheated by this book. Obviously, I was aware at the time of reading that it was volume 1 of a 6-part series, but, from a simple viewpoint, it took a little while to start coming together, and then ended abruptly just as it looked as though it were about to.

Set in colonial-era Jamaica, this book opens in dramatic fashion (a shipwreck in a hurricane), and we are transported instantly into a world of slavery, cut-throat pirates and imperial elitism, promisi...

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The Man Who Buried Chickens by A.I. Johnson
****½
Short Stories

Worse Than You Think by Todd Allen and Heath Hamrick
*****
Memoir

Tumult in Mecca by Hans Peter Bech
****
Drama

Super Super Charro by Carlos Lozano
****
Adventure

The Gulf by Owen Garratt
****
Thriller

Schroeder by Neal Cassidy
****
Thriller

Gaviota Island by Janna Klarmann
****
Drama

The Gnomes of Fibberton by Becky Bell
****
Children's

Fragments of Time by Jan Lloyd
****
Fantasy

Memories of Tomorrow by Josh Herner
***
Fantasy

Mitzi the Bitsy Fly by R. Sheldon
****
Children's

You Are Not Here by Michael Albanese
****
Motivational

Krooked Ketamine by Arthur Williams
*****
Drama

Deadly Rainbows by A.A. Akibibi
****
Sci-Fi/Adventure

White Monkey by Carlos Hughes
****
Comedy

A Pangolin Slept On Buddha's Lap by Madeleine Dale
****
Drama

The Road to Courage by Roy Taylor
****
Memoir

Splendid Light by A.A. Akibibi
****
Sci-Fi

Deep Darkness by A.A. Akibibi
****½
Sci-Fi

Find the Ladder by Nadeem Lutfullah
****
Self-Help

The Power of Water by James Grimm
****
Fantasy

Christianity 2.0 by John Dorsey
***
Faith

The Third Estate by D.R. Berlin
***
Thriller

Billy Dee of the Ozarks by J. Lee Bagan
****
Fantasy

The End of the Playboy by Harlin Hailey
****
Comedy

Search and Destroy by Glyn Haynie
***½
Vietnam War

Eye Contact Over Truk by Stephanie Woodman
*****
Drama

Out of the Shadows by D.M. McDonald
***
Drama

Violin by April Seymour
****
Thriller

Rem's Chance by Dave J. Andrae
****
Drama

The Sins of Doc Rat by Trey Meade
*****
Short Stories

Rescue Run by John Winn Miller
****
Action

Starting Over by L.F. Roth
***
Comedy

Huge Words By Huge People by Liam James Leaven
***
Humour

Concerning Intellectual Suicide in the Human Race by Massimo Fantini
****
Literary Fiction

Jeza's Jesus Juice by Jeza Belle
*****
Faith / LGBTQ

Hierophantasy by Kyle James
****
Fantasy

A Curse in Kyoto
****½
Mystery

Faith by Nick Nielsen
***½
Thriller

Baron Munchausen by Ross Stein
***½
Fantasy

Legacy of the Third Way by Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi
****
Political

Final Video Game by Craig Speakes
***½
Adventure

Mamluks of Thunder Island by Aly Brisha
****
Sci-Fi

Pedro's Pickles and the American Dream by David Ek
****
Drama

Plausible Liars by Lin Wilder
****
Drama

The World We Deserve by T.K. Kanwar
*****
Drama

Second Hand Rose by D.E. Fox
***
Horror

Hardened Steel by Victor Gregor
*****
War Drama

Why Not, Coach? by Gregory Ryan
****
Reference

Necessary Death by Preston Fassel and Chris Grosso
*****
Psychology

The Waiting Room by Annika Galloway
*****
Short Stories

The Land of Now and Then by Irene Edwarda
*****
Children's

Rider's Blood Moonlit Black by Myka Silber
****½
Fantasy

Owning Anxiety by Tracy Lynn James
***
Self-Help

Water Music by Marcia Peck
***
Drama

War Torn Book 2 by Jan Lloyd
****
Drama

Seeker of the Secret by Roshini Sharma Bhambi
***
Y.A. / Sci-fi

The Crossroad of War and War by Bokang Murdock Montjane
*****
Drama

The Ruler's Soul by C.R.
****
Romance

Make the Dark Night Shine by Alan Lessik
*****
Wartime LGBT

Starzel by Mark Bertrand
***
Sci-Fi

The Confessions of Pope Joan by Gary McAvoy
****
Suspense

Children in the City of Czars by Irmgarde Brown
*****
Drama

Saint Richard Parker by Merlin Franco
***½
Drama

How to Fix the Smile of a Crocodile by Rebecca Kurien
****
Children's

A Perfect Finish by Chris Lude
***½
Drama

Unfurling the Sails by Sarah Branson
****
Young Adult

Sexy Erotic Lingerie by B.C. Howard
****
Thriller

The Power of Wholeness by Verlaine Crawford
***
Self-Help

Eyes of the Beholder by Swinn Daniels
***
Romance

Chaos in the Cosmos by Irene Edwards
****
Children's

A Spooky Wish by Irene Edwards
****
Children's

A Chance to Change by Derek and Amy Weichel
****
Faith

Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings by Sherry Hobbs
*****
Memoir

Autosarcophagy by Helen Cova
****
Short Stories

Naked Came the Detective by Glendall C. Jackson III
***
Crime Mystery

Caught in the Crossfire by Lance B. Wilkins
*****
Historical Fiction

In the Garden of Shadows by Karen Jewell
****½
Drama

The Benevolent World Banker by M.K. Nielsen
*****
Drama

10 Indelibles by Philip A. Brown
***
Non-Fiction

The Galileo Gambit by Gary McAvoy
***
Thriller

Blood Fortune by Brock Rivers
****
Sci-Fi / Action

Attachment Patterns by Stephen Metcalfe
****
Comedy-Drama

No Man's Mercy... No God's Forgiveness by John Hayden
***
Thriller

The Ponce Factor by J.D. Crawford
****
Sci-Fi

1000 Fun Facts For Immature Adults by Bryan Spektor
*****
Trivia

Bully by Sara Aurorae
****
Drama

The Melancholy Strumpet Master by Zeb Beck
****
Comedy

War Torn by Jan Lloyd
*****
Thriller

Read This Book After 5 Years by Blanche La Mar
***
Self-Help

Hurt No More by Rebecca E. Chandler
****
Self-Help

Project Neon by Jonathan K. Crockett
****
Sci-Fi

Starlite by Jonathan Latt
***
Sci-Fi

Kafka in Tangier by Mohammed Said Hijouij
***
Literary Fiction

I Am Fun Size by Anjali Bhimani
***
Motivational

It Won't Hurt None by Rebecca E. Chandler
*****
Memoir

The Jerusalem Scrolls by Gary McAvoy
****
Thriller

The Nine Lives of Felix the Tomcat by by M.P. Frank
***
Comedy

Embracing God by Chris Tham
***
Faith

Welcome to Opine by Matthew Marullo
****
Satire

Dark Days by Bobby Tsui
***
Sci-fi

Women: An Operator Guide For Young Men by Will Goodrich
*****
Comedy

Forsaking Church by David Alexander Shaw
****½
Drama

The Talking Forest by Kay Broome
****
Spiritualism

The Keeper Part 1 by Craig Speakes
***½
Children's

The Queen's Player by Anthony R. Wildman
****
Historical Fiction

Covenant Spring by Christopher Watson
***
Drama

Annunciation by Ciara Houghton Ruane
***½
Drama

The Pulse by Owen Garratt
****
Drama

The Black Widow by Louise Worthington
*****
Poetry

Samhain Secrets by Demar, Schaffer, Demont, Dean
****
Short Stories

Redcap, Whitecap, Goblin, Thief by Vaughn R. Demont
***
Fantasy

Destiny of Determination by Cathy Burnham Martin
*****
Semi-Biographical

Contrarian by Lucas Sterling
***½
Action

Alone Against the Sea by Lance V. Packer
*****
Drama

Pirate Penance by E.Z. Prine
***½
Comedy

Pirate Booty by E.Z. Prine
***
Drama

Have You Eaten Rice Today? by Apple Gidley
****
Romantic Drama

The Manifesting Book by Kathleen Montgomery
****
Self-Help

Pirate the Rock Band by E.Z. Prine
***½
Comedy-Drama

Salt and Light by Jonathan Geoffrey Dean
****½
Drama

Dissovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith
***
Young Adult

Chasing the Reaper by Sarah McKnight
****
Fantasy

The Avignon Affair by Gary McAvoy
****
Suspense

The Reaper's Quota by Sarah McKnight
****
Dark Humour

Parenting and Teaching With Love and Logic by Christine M. Pearce
****
Parenting

Bully Boy by Tom Wade
****
Drama

Immunity for Murder by David M. Beers
****
True Crime

Zoe Hearty and the Space Invaders by T.E. Norris
****
Sci-Fi

Mindbender by Avinash Naduvath
***
Sci-Fi

True Crime Stories You Won't Believe by Romeo Vitelli
*****
True Crime

The Ascension of Annie by Siobhan Chisholm
***
Fantasy

Black, White and Gray All Over by Frederick Douglass Reynolds
****
Memoir

An Independent Woman in Yugoslavia by Iris Novak
****
Memoir

Where There's Smoke There's Liars by Aleksander Eaton
****
Satire

The Savoy and Other Stories by Stephen Murphy
***½
Short Stories

The Case of the Absent Answers by R.L. Fink
****
Children's

All Roads by R. Mark Vinson
****
LGBTQ Memoir

The Petrus Prophecy by Gary McAvoy
*****
Mystery

Going Outside by Robert Levin
****
Short Stories

Grow 10x With C.R.O. by Anthony La Rocca
*****
Marketing

Faces We Love: Shanghai by Derek Muhs and Marisa Tarin
****
Photography

The Forty Knots Burn by Lynn Hesse
***
Crime Fiction

You Only Live Thrice by Karl Perry
****½
Memoir

Identity Crisis by T.K. Kanwar
*****
Political

Keeping It Under Wraps: Parenthood
*****
Non-Fiction Shorts

Fancy Shop by Valeri Stanoevich
****
Short Stories

Holding Fast by Susan Cole
*****
Memoir

50 States by Richard R. Becker
****
Short Stories

Travels With Maurice by Gary Orleck
*****
Memoir

Pooch Problems by Christopher Poston
*****
Educational

Compilers by Ayan Pratap
***
Horror

Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment by Jenny Graves
****½
Therapy

The Serpent's Star by Sarah Ickes
***
Western

Bravery Doesn't Come From a Copper Coin
****
Comedy / Drama

The Opus Dictum
****
Thriller

The Resurrection of Boraichee by William Natale
***
Comedy / Drama

The Firebase by Glyn Haynie
*****
Vietnam War

The Ambush by Glyn Haynie
****
Vietnam War

Being Netta Wilde by Hazel Ward
****
Drama

Certified by Roger Wilson-Crane
****
Drama

The Ville by Glyn Haynie
****
Vietnam War

Musings, Woolgathering and Ghosts by C.K. Sobey
***
Poetry

The Tunnel
****½
Vietnam War

Fill the Gaps by Andrew Johnston
****
Comedy / Drama

Art Farm by Marc Dickerson
****
Comedy

Tales From an Odd Mind by Nom de Plume
****
Short Stories

Scroonathan by Ram T. Daryanani
****½
Festive

Humankind by Michael Whitehead
****
Drama

Shadows Unveiled by Amanda Berthault
*****
Drama

Just My Luck by Lelia Coles and Rosilyn Seays
****
Drama

The Vivaldi Cipher by Gary McAvoy
****
Mystery

The Soprano, The Monster and The Dragonslayer by Vashti Stopher Klein
***
Poetry / Art

Bouncing Back From Difficult Times from Mary Ann V. Mercer
***
Self-Help

Topically Challenged by Christopher Fielden
****
Flash Fiction

Cold Star by Dick Woodgate
****
Spy Thriller

Passion, Purpose and Profits by The Prosperity Sisters
*****
Motivational

How to Marry a Ukrainian Supermodel by John and Angela Klose
****
Reference

Roller Rink Starlight by William Hart
****
Coming-of-age

Consequences by David Grantham
****
War Memoir

Bold Soldier for Jesus by Peggy Thorns
****
Faith

Chromaspace: Conscript by Megan Alnico
***
Sci-Fi

Not Literary by Auriane de Rudder
****
Short Stories

Drinking and Knowing Things by Michael Amon
*****
Reference

FaeRhysian by Song Joo
****
Fantasy

A Basket Full of Hands by Ram T Daryanani
*****
Thriller

Find Love Overseas by John Klose
***
Dating Guide

The Friends of Allan Renner by Dave J. Andrae
****
Comedy

Rosie Shadow by Louise Worthington
****½
Horror

Dr. Glass by Louise Worthington
****½
Psychological Drama

User Story Confusion by Chris Lewis
***
Professional Development

Willow Weeps by Louise Worthington
****
Supernatural Thriller

Sunshine Blues by Bob Calverley
****
Crime Thriller

The Utopia Project by Billy Dering
****
YA / Sci-Fi

The Magdalene Veil by Gary McAvoy
****
Mystery Thriller

Earthbound by Fynn Perry
***
Paranormal Thriller

The Cluttered Mind by Deborah J. McKenna
***
Self Help

Caught Between Worlds by Lance Packer
****
Drama

Stranger in a Homeland by Kyle McCormick
*****
Travel Memoir

Diet For Great Sex by Christine H. Lozier
*****
Health / Nutrition

How to Start and Grown an eCommerce Business by Charles Camisasca
*****
Business

William Ottoway's Utopia by Christopher Griffith
***
Short Stories

The Dyslexia Code by Karl de Leeuw
****
Reference

Tiny Planet Filled With Liars by Stephen M.A.
***
Sci-fi / Comedy

The Lifer and the Lawyer by George Critchlow
*****
Non-Fiction

The Ordinary Leader by Geoff Lew
****
Historical

Vidas by Edward Stanton
****
Travel Memoir

The Connection by Dana Claire
***
Young Adult

The Savvy Ally by Jeannie Gainsburg
****
LGBTQ+

Death Honk ny JP Mac
****
Short Stories

The Bodies That Move by Bunye Ngene
*****
Drama

Bellybutton by Daniel Felix
***
Memoir

The Future is Autonomous by Phillip Wilcox
****
Technology

A Compendium of Unusual Tales by Ramsey Harrison
****
Short Stories

Krampusnacht by James Drummond
****½
Horror

Beat Your Weight, Beat Your Fat by Ian Breaker
****
Nutrition

The Art of Accepting Yourself by Marlow Pierce
*****
Motivational

The Second Poison by Pieter Wilhelm
****
Crime Thriller

The Little Book of Greatness by Ari Gunzburg
*****
Motivational

Moscow Honey by T.M. Parris
****
Spy Thriller

Gobbledy by Lis Anna-Langston
****
Children's

The Magdalene Reliquary by Gary McAvoy
****
Thriller

The Empress and the Arctic Tern by Angie Chasser
***
Fantasy

Pelham on Parole by Carl Plummer
***
Comedy

My Life For Her by Robert J. Saniscalchi
****
Action Thriller

Sinai Unhinged by Joanna Evans
****
Science Fiction

Ralley Point by Daniel Bishop
****
Family Drama

Twelve Spies of Moses by Bruce Hampson
*****
Historical Fiction

Burn Me Out by Brandon Barrows
****½
Crime Thriller

Control: The Foundation of Life by Lance Packer
****
Reference

Misery of a Halfling by Serge Sanin
***
Comedy

The Iron Lady by Daniel Fellows
****
Thriller

Death Unexpected by Galen Barbour
****
Medical Thriller

All the Bay's Clams and All the Bay's Men by John Bauer
****
Drama

The Interesting Detective by David Alexander Brown
***
Mystery

Woods by J. Rodin
***
Mystery

Money Bags by Michael G. Browne
***
Comedy-Thriller

Strange Karma by Willow Healy
***½
Thriller

Hinterland by Lorna Brown
****
Drama

Justice Without Mercy by R.L. Burgess
***½
Sci-fi

Restless by Jedidiah Appiah
*****
Faith / Motivation

Ultra Betrayal by Glenn Dyer
****
Espionage

IHVJ: The Love Code by Foster Grant
*****
Thriller

Revenge is Coming by Glyn Haynie
*****
Action Thriller

Why is Everything Closed? by Lauren Patterson
****
Children's

The Lightning Horse by N.L. Holmes
****
Historical Fiction

Nobody Would Listen by R.A. Merrill
*****
Autobiography

The Liminal Lands by Robyn Sheldon
****
Spiritual Memoir

Thryke by Simon Gary
*****
Comedy

Reborn by T.M. Parris
****
Spy Thriller

Lucifer's Star by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus
***½
Sci-fi

A Prince Who Destroyed My Life by Asia Jamil
*****
Non-Fiction

Straight Outta Fangton by C.T. Phipps
***
Action/Comedy

Killer Instincts by Anna Lee Rose
***
Romance/Thriller

The Surgeon's Obol by Arthur Williams
****
Comedy/Medical

The Perfection of Fish by J.S. Morrison
***
Comedy/Offbeat

Bird in a Snare by N.L. Holmes
****
Historical Fiction

as Maryam's Tree Stood Witness by Ali Kasem
*****
Family Drama

A Sparrow Alone by Mim Eichmann
****
Historical Fiction

Suicide Squeeze by Steve Hagood
****
Action

Dr. Insomniac by Samatha Polisetti
****
Memoir

The Magdalene Deception by Gary McAvoy
****½
Mystery

Lying Beneath by Kevin Moran
***
Mystery Thriller

A Nation Interrupted by Kevin McDonald
*****
Thriller

The Best Week that Never Happened by Dallas Woodburn
****
Romance

The Dead Don't Sleep by Steven Max Russo
***½
Action

Think Laugh Cry by William Baga
****
Short Stories

The Shepherd God by Matt Taylor
*****
Historical Fiction

On the Wrong Side of God by Harry Boyd
****½
Non-fiction

Servant Leader's Manifesto by Omar L. Harris
*****
Business

Photography for Well-Being 1 by Lee Aspland
****
Photography

The Corral Ring by Thomas Richards
*****
Historical Fantasy

Call Numbers by Syntell Smith
***
Drama

No Pianos, Pets or Foreigners by Joe Palermo
***
Memoir

Raven by Sue Loh
****
Mystery

Not Pregnant by Karina Savaryna
*****
Memoir

The Power of Targeted Choices by Luis Pisoni and Aurora Mazzoldi
****
Self-Help

Hotel Inspire by Douglas Warren
***
Drama

Return to the Madness by Glyn Haynie
*****
War / Action

The Final Weekend by Neal Cassidy
***
Comedy

Ivy is a Weed by Robert M. Roseth
****
Crime Thriller

Resilience During the Pandemic by Nick Arnett
*****
Motivational

Will and Mysteria by Christa Reynolds
****
Self-Help/Spiritual

The Power of Music and the ADHD Brain by Luz Galindo
****
Psychology

The Latecomers by Rich Marcello
***
Drama

Monsters Inside by Ric Rae
***
Sci-fi / Horror

Butterfly Lake by Robert J. Saniscalchi
****
Action

Our Teenage Years by T.J. Wray
****
Memoir

The Soloist by Donald Gates
****
Espionage

Lady Father by Rev. Susan Bowman
****
Memoir

Catamaran Crossing by Douglas Carl Fricke
*****
Memoir

Black Shade of White Justice by Cattleya
****
Fantasy/Romance

The Strawberry Road by Ritch Gaiti
****
Spiritual

Red Hail by Jamie Killen
****
Sci-fi/Mystery

Bullets and Bandages by Robert J. Saniscalchi
*****
War Fiction

Who's There? by Dimas Rio
*****
Short Stories

Beautiful Things by Eloise Kelly
****
Drama

Golgotha by Guy Portman
****
Dark Comedy

I Learned it From You by Kevin Douglas Wright
*****
Documentary

Boulder County by Marc Krulewitch
*****
Crime Drama

Stronger than Blood by Allan Mason
***½
Sci-fi

Bottomless Cups by Joel Bresler
***
Comedy

Non Obvious Megatrends by Rohit Bhargava
****
Non-Fiction

From Doctor to Guinea Pig by Angelique D.
*****
Biography

Freedom's Light by Robert J. Saniscalchi
****
Action Thriller

Bucket Showers and Baby Goats by Christine Brown
****
Travel Memoir

Four Calling Burds by Vincent Meis
****
LGBTQ / Drama

Promises to the Fallen by Glyn Haynie
*****
War Fiction

An Unwanted and Unwilling Hero by E. Gourm
****
Historical Fantasy

The Girl in the Scarlet Chair by Janice TRemayne
****
Paranormal / YA

Freedom Sex and a Meat Cleaver by Sherman Miles
*****
Travel Memoir

Freedom Sex and a Meat Cleaver by Sherman Miles
****
Historical Fiction

The Intelligence Factor by Mike Logsdon
***
Sci Fi / Action

The Apple by Devashish Sardana
****
Action / Adventure

Destiny's War by Pyram King
****
Historical Fiction

Black Volta by PEte K.J.
****
Drama

Payback by Steve Bassett
***
Noir Fiction

Were We Awake by L.M. Brown
****
Short Stories

Almost Persuaded by Nigel C. Ferguson
****
Crime Thriller

Do We Have A Center by Walter Frank
*****
Politics

World Football Domination
****
Sci-Fi

Sour Blood
***
Crime Thriller

Beware of the Thought Bubbles
*****
Children's

Beyond The Prison Of Beliefs
****
Science/Religion

Rocky Mountain Noir
***
Comedy

Rocky Mountain Noir
***
Science Fiction

Foster Care To Millionaire
****
Memoir

Flow Like A River
*****
Thriller

Secrets To Being Amazing
****
Self-Help

13 Dark Tales: Collection Two
****
Short Stories

The Wooden Man
*****
Children's

Count It All Joy
*****
Drama

Myth Agent
****
Fantasy

Voice of the Sword
***
Fantasy

No Quarter: Dominium
***
Adventure

A Trinity of Wicked Tales
****
Horror


****
Short Stories

The Day I Made Good
****
Crime Drama

Complete Poetry of Norman AJ Berisford
*****
Poetry

Chuck the Rooster Loses His Voice
*****
Children's

Living Blind Without the Internet
****
Documentary

Devil in the Countryside
****
Historical Thriller

Monoland: Into the Gray Horizon
****
Fantasy

Corrosive
****
Horror

Woodiss is Willing
***
Comedy

The Fear
***
Horror

Superi: Reborn
*****
Fantasy

Murder in the Medical Center
***
Drama

The Eye of Nefertiti
****
Children's

Not Exactly Shakespeare
****
Comedy

Finding the Narrow Path
****
Biography

The Wyndham Werewolf
****
Short Stories

Only Human
***
Supernatural

What is Justice
**
Documentary

The Rat Tunnels of Isfahan
****
Historical Fantasy

I Once Was Lost But Now I'm Found
*****
Documentary

Never Too Late To Die
***½
Thriller

Understanding the Patterns of Your Life
***
Non-Fiction

Happiness is Just a Pill Away
*****
Comedy-Drama

The Lucky Winner
***
Crime Thriller

Endohuman
***
Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Tummy Rumble Quake
****
Children's

Monoland: The Shimmering Mist
****
Fantasy

Goodbye Butterfiles
*****
Psychology

Treading the Uneven Road
****
Short Stories

The Cuckoo Colloquium
****
Comedy

When I Turned Nineteen
*****
War Memoir

Fortuna and the Scapegrace
****
Comedy

Gnosis
***
Young Adult

Buy or Die
***
Satire

Faithful Servants
****
Drama

Ghost Dog
***
Crime Adventure

Looper
****
Drama

The Sinister Urge
**
Drama

Read to Succeed
*****
Self Improvement

Gone to the Dogs
*****
Comedy-Drama

Die Back
****
Fantasy

Finding My Platoon Brothers
*****
War Memoir

Delivering Virtue
****
Comedy

The Room Above
***
Fantasy

Written By Blood: Conviction
****
Action

The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder
****
Poetry

I Have Demons
****
Short Stories

Victoria's Voice
****
Real Life

The Revolutionary Youth
*****
Drama

The Dog Thief
*****
Short Stories

Appointment With Fear
*****
Children's

Mermaids Are Real
***
Fantasy

Legends of Persia
***
Historical Fiction

My Groans Pour Out Like Water
*****
Poetry

47 Hours
*****
Political Thriller

The Road to Alexander
***
Historical Fiction

Father Divine's Bikes
****
Drama

Winning With Data
*****
Business

Aquila
****
Historical Fiction

Lions, Leopards and Storms, oh my!
***
Children's

Sparrowhawk on the Horizon
***
Historical Fiction

The Warehouse Tour
***
Short Stories

Feast of Sapphires
****
Poetry

The Night Alphabet
*****
Short Stories

Just Another Girl's Story
***
Autobiography

No-one Listens
***
Poetry

The Irregular Inquests of Professor Peppercorn by Brennan McMahon
****
Poetry

Malthus Revisited
***
Suspense/Thriller

My Weight Loss Journey
****
Self-Help

Change of Chaos
****
YA / Fantasy

Fish Farm
****
Thriller

Songs to New York
****
Short Stories

I Claudia
*****
Historical Fiction

Vanish by Dawn by J.D. Wells
****
Comedy / Drama

The Friar's Lantern
*****
Role Play

Crazy About Kurt
****
Comedy

Dark Cure
****
Action

Translucent Boy
***
Sci-Fi Fantasy

Dart by Dale Renton
****
Sci-fi Fantasy

Monoland: Beyond the Monochrome
*****
Fantasy

Choose a Reality by Emmanuel Morfoboss
***
Self-Help

Wacky on the Junk by Kathy Varner
****
Memoir

The Eden Complex by Elise Leise
***½
Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Tomthunkit's Theory of the Universe
***
Political / Non-fiction

Nobody Gets Out of Catering Alive by Joe Montaperto
****
Comedy / Memoir

Turning on the Christmas Lights by Nellie Woods
****
Short Stories

The Body in the Hole by Jonathan B. Zeitlin
****
Crime / Mystery

A Heart on the River by John Bauer
****
Comedy / Drama

Let Yourself Be by CJ Lacsican
****
Memoir / Self-Help

Island Boy by Mark Bulahao
****
Drama

Bully Boy by Tom Wade
****
Drama

Immunity for Murder by David M. Beers
****
True Crime

Infrequent Frequencies, Rare Resonance by G.E. Poole
****
Theology

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mental-illness merlin-franco mermaids metaphorical metaphysical method mexico mi6 michael-a.-greco michael-albanese michael-amon michael-conlon michael-g-browne michael-irwin michael-r-martin michael-whitehead middle-age middle-east midlife-crisis mike-logsdon military mim-eichmann mind mindfulness miscarriage-of-justice misogyny mission mitchell-allen mjl-evans mohammed-said-hjouij monoland monologue monster monsters moody moral moral-message morocco motivation motivational mountaineering movies moving murder music muslim myka-silber myrtle-brooks mystery myth mythical mythical-creatures mythology n-l-holmes nadeem-lutfullah narrative narratives native native-american natural-disaster natural-history natural-therapy nature naturopathy navy nazi nazi-germany nazis neal-cassidy nellie-woods new-age new-jersey new-york news nick-arnett nick-dream nick-nielsen nigel-c-ferguson nirvana noir nom-d-plume non-fction non-fiction norman-aj-berisford northern-ireland nostalgic novella 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