The Speed of Darkness is written by Sarah Baethge and published by Smashwords. At just shy of 40,000 words, 18 chapters and 104 pages this book comes under the description of a novella because of its lower word count.
Sarah Baethge lives in Salado Texas on her step-moms donkey ranch with her dad and sister. She has written at least five short stories and published one book. Sarah has some more works in various stages of completion and admits she writes the stories that she would like.
Computer Professor Eric Omlup teaches adult learning and two of his students (the best and worst of the class) have him tearing his hair from his head. It is no wonder then that he miscalculates the coming fullmoon, until Ms Brenner shows him while she tries to get a date with him.
Eric Omlup, werewolf, about to be caught, with only 20 minutes to get to his apartment but with only 2 minutes remaining to get into the apartment from his car. Time is not on Eric’s side as he transforms and is left to wonder the streets. Happening across some Professional werewolf trappers and their prey Eric’s life is about to get even worse.
As if Eric’s own secret wasn’t enough the prey, Nigel, has one of his own far different from Eric’s the only problem being they are both now being hunted by the evil group known as The Eclipse.
In a world where both werewolves and what appears to be mutant-like abilities exist in secret.
Good and evil. Light and dark. We are about discover the monster that lurks inside us all.
Can Eric hold back the wolf long enough to help bring down one of the world’s greatest organisations? What is shadow skating? Who are Solar Flare? Who are Eclipse? And which side are they on? What are the agenda’s of each side?
The Speed of Darkness has an interesting plot that has the potential to go further, deeper and be expanded upon. The plot is also unbalanced to the pace of the story where one speeds up the other appears to slow down.
This is an interesting and at times enjoyable story with some colourful characters but I believe that this unbalance between plot and pace has let the story and the author down considerably which is a shame. I would perhaps be inclined to pull the story from publication in order to reassess the story in its entirety perhaps wearing a different hat. For the world created I believe this story to be merely a drop in the sand as there is great potential for this story, but I do not feel it has yet been discovered as there is so much more ground to be covered and I personally would like to see more of these organisations and how they work. The science was not bad either and I would have liked to have seen more science but perhaps less theory.
Written in third person with a miss-matched mix of first person that leaves the reader confused and having to re-read sentences to see what was actually meant to have been said. There is also an unsuited combination of single spaces and double spaces used.
The font this novel is published in is not the usual Times New Roman or Arial format we are all accustomed to seeing. In fact this story goes completely against all known publisher requirements. So I recommend it to be best read at 75% magnification.
This was perhaps one of my most difficult reviews to undertake to date and I found it so hard a task to stay on track as well as to rate but I must rate on what I see therefore I give The Speed of Darkness 3 out of 5 stars.
By R.N. Hadley
30 Jan 2012
22 Jan 2012
The Diary of A Seventh Grade Hybrid
The Diary Of A Seventh Grade Hybrid is written by Lee Mavin and available through Createspace.com and amazon.com is a fantasy adventure. The book is 232 pages in length broken into manageable daily bitesize outtakes suitable for any age reader.
Lee J. Mavin lives in Shanghai, China with his wife and daughter. He teaches, has written and published three books including a poetry and unused lyrics book, plus a collection of horror themed short stories. Lee also writes articles and the monthly must do’s and don’ts in Shanghai for The Get Go Magazine.
The day before Ziggy (Sigmund) starts seventh grade at Fuqain International his mom hands him a notebook to record all thoughts and memories so that he does not forget a thing, unfortunately for him he does not remember the day before this.
As if being a seventh grader wasn’t hard enough poor Sigmund (Ziggy) Zhao has a huge secret to hide under his cap, voices in his head and the school bully Timmy Tang to deal with threatening to “flush him”.
There’s something about Ziggy. At first he appears to be your average loner at school who has few friends but introduce the school bully and some very strange teachers and there are things to be revealed beneath the surface, things that Ziggy does not want revealed. So when it becomes common knowledge that Ziggy has antennas on his head. Of course the whole school want to know him which just about makes things worse for him in that his popularity drives Timmy Tang round the bend and fuels his fury for flushing Ziggy even more.
With the teachers behaving strange around him, and his random kidnappings he decides something is going on and he needs to find out exactly what. But whatever it is it seems to have something to do with these strange voices that keep feeding him information on the Toyota Company, a man named Takeshi Shibuya and an alien attack on the planet in the future.
Joining the basketball team and taking a few extra classes how is Ziggy going to keep his secret? Why can he not stop writing poetry for his English Teacher the flame haired Miss Woods? How will the others kids and teachers take his secret? Why does he keep getting kidnapped? Who is the quiet weird girl constantly following him? And what is with the voices in his head to do with The Toyota Company and a supposed future alien attack?
With question after question piling up school is about to get all kinds of crazy but it is nothing when compared to his own eccentric mother’s behaviour and lack of interest to the goings on in his life.
The Diary of A Seventh Grade Hybrid is a title which literally describes the book. Unable to remember his past Ziggy is asked to keep a diary in order to help him remember. Written on a day to day basis covering school, dates and adventures this book reads like a kid who can’t quite get his words out fast enough.
An enjoyable book spanning a school year and based in Shanghai, Lee J. Mavin has done a marvellous job at portraying an average Joe whose not so average afterall. A possible hero in the making will there be more of Ziggy to come in the future?
I give Lee J. Mavin and The Diary of A Seventh Grade Hybrid 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to any child from around ten years of age upwards.
By R.N. Hadley
Lee J. Mavin lives in Shanghai, China with his wife and daughter. He teaches, has written and published three books including a poetry and unused lyrics book, plus a collection of horror themed short stories. Lee also writes articles and the monthly must do’s and don’ts in Shanghai for The Get Go Magazine.
The day before Ziggy (Sigmund) starts seventh grade at Fuqain International his mom hands him a notebook to record all thoughts and memories so that he does not forget a thing, unfortunately for him he does not remember the day before this.
As if being a seventh grader wasn’t hard enough poor Sigmund (Ziggy) Zhao has a huge secret to hide under his cap, voices in his head and the school bully Timmy Tang to deal with threatening to “flush him”.
There’s something about Ziggy. At first he appears to be your average loner at school who has few friends but introduce the school bully and some very strange teachers and there are things to be revealed beneath the surface, things that Ziggy does not want revealed. So when it becomes common knowledge that Ziggy has antennas on his head. Of course the whole school want to know him which just about makes things worse for him in that his popularity drives Timmy Tang round the bend and fuels his fury for flushing Ziggy even more.
With the teachers behaving strange around him, and his random kidnappings he decides something is going on and he needs to find out exactly what. But whatever it is it seems to have something to do with these strange voices that keep feeding him information on the Toyota Company, a man named Takeshi Shibuya and an alien attack on the planet in the future.
Joining the basketball team and taking a few extra classes how is Ziggy going to keep his secret? Why can he not stop writing poetry for his English Teacher the flame haired Miss Woods? How will the others kids and teachers take his secret? Why does he keep getting kidnapped? Who is the quiet weird girl constantly following him? And what is with the voices in his head to do with The Toyota Company and a supposed future alien attack?
With question after question piling up school is about to get all kinds of crazy but it is nothing when compared to his own eccentric mother’s behaviour and lack of interest to the goings on in his life.
The Diary of A Seventh Grade Hybrid is a title which literally describes the book. Unable to remember his past Ziggy is asked to keep a diary in order to help him remember. Written on a day to day basis covering school, dates and adventures this book reads like a kid who can’t quite get his words out fast enough.
An enjoyable book spanning a school year and based in Shanghai, Lee J. Mavin has done a marvellous job at portraying an average Joe whose not so average afterall. A possible hero in the making will there be more of Ziggy to come in the future?
I give Lee J. Mavin and The Diary of A Seventh Grade Hybrid 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to any child from around ten years of age upwards.
By R.N. Hadley
15 Jan 2012
My Life As A Dog
My Life As A Dog is written by Cynthia and Mike Arsuaga and published by Secret Cravings Publishing is an erotic paranormal romance at approximately 67,000 words and 14 chapters in length.
Cynthia and Mike Arsuaga live in Orlando Florida with their Yorkie Thumper, daughter and granddaughter. Both authors have completed individual works including such titles as Subspecies and Born To Be Wild, however there is word of another collaboration for a sequel to My Life As A Dog.
Drake Martin is no average human, being a part-time hitman, private eye, lover and shapeshifter. On the run in his 8lb Yorkie form Drake is captured by animal control and see’s his only option for survival as being adopted. In steps the little girl Kady Hartley who would change his life forever.
Making a home is not easy for a shapeshifter while in dog form perhaps this time is different, running away is not an option but has 12 years with the Hartleys made him soft and susceptible? after all the vet appears to have noticed something wrong with the fact of having immaculate health for an old dog and has something planned. So perhaps it is time to leave.
A decade later, and his about to meet Kady again, FBI Agent Kady Hartley and things are about to get all kinds of crazy.
Taking on what first appears a simple case of betrayal little does Drake expect to come across Kady mixed up in a big FBI case involving Russian mob families, sex slaves and bent cops. On top of that Drake the PI has fallen in love with Kady and Drake the Yorkie has returned to the girl who loved him unconditionally and whom he abandoned all those years ago. Can they survive this? Any of this?
The relationship between children of a young age and a pet is relatively unbreakable and the bond goes extremely deep. But, what if the child grew up and discovered that pet could turn into a person and was the person their heart belonged to? Or the person they shared their bed with?
Dogs are both renowned and accomplished for having an excellent nose and for Drake Martin there is no difference between him being in human or dog form, except when it comes to sex and appreciating the female figure. When it comes to Kady Hartley there is so much history between them that Drake can no longer love any other woman or look at them the way he once did, in fact he realises that for him it has always been Kady but how will Kady take finding out the truth of who Drake really is? Or finding out the true identity of Precious the dog she grew up with as a child/ the dog she found working a case?
A life without trust, and love is damaging enough but can a little girl now a fully grown woman and FBI agent renew belief in ones self, in life and allow for a change that goes deeper than anyone else could provide?
Is love truly unconditional? And can it span the differences between humans and shapeshifters?
Mike and Cynthia Arsuaga have created an action packed, heart warming tale of growing up, love, loss, and betrayal. I am sure many readers will think of times they wished their pet could turn into the man/woman of their dreams, at how no-one in this world expresses love like a pet can.
I would recommend My Life As A Dog to anyone aged 18 years and over and award the novel 4.5 stars.
By R.N. Hadley
Cynthia and Mike Arsuaga live in Orlando Florida with their Yorkie Thumper, daughter and granddaughter. Both authors have completed individual works including such titles as Subspecies and Born To Be Wild, however there is word of another collaboration for a sequel to My Life As A Dog.
Drake Martin is no average human, being a part-time hitman, private eye, lover and shapeshifter. On the run in his 8lb Yorkie form Drake is captured by animal control and see’s his only option for survival as being adopted. In steps the little girl Kady Hartley who would change his life forever.
Making a home is not easy for a shapeshifter while in dog form perhaps this time is different, running away is not an option but has 12 years with the Hartleys made him soft and susceptible? after all the vet appears to have noticed something wrong with the fact of having immaculate health for an old dog and has something planned. So perhaps it is time to leave.
A decade later, and his about to meet Kady again, FBI Agent Kady Hartley and things are about to get all kinds of crazy.
Taking on what first appears a simple case of betrayal little does Drake expect to come across Kady mixed up in a big FBI case involving Russian mob families, sex slaves and bent cops. On top of that Drake the PI has fallen in love with Kady and Drake the Yorkie has returned to the girl who loved him unconditionally and whom he abandoned all those years ago. Can they survive this? Any of this?
The relationship between children of a young age and a pet is relatively unbreakable and the bond goes extremely deep. But, what if the child grew up and discovered that pet could turn into a person and was the person their heart belonged to? Or the person they shared their bed with?
Dogs are both renowned and accomplished for having an excellent nose and for Drake Martin there is no difference between him being in human or dog form, except when it comes to sex and appreciating the female figure. When it comes to Kady Hartley there is so much history between them that Drake can no longer love any other woman or look at them the way he once did, in fact he realises that for him it has always been Kady but how will Kady take finding out the truth of who Drake really is? Or finding out the true identity of Precious the dog she grew up with as a child/ the dog she found working a case?
A life without trust, and love is damaging enough but can a little girl now a fully grown woman and FBI agent renew belief in ones self, in life and allow for a change that goes deeper than anyone else could provide?
Is love truly unconditional? And can it span the differences between humans and shapeshifters?
Mike and Cynthia Arsuaga have created an action packed, heart warming tale of growing up, love, loss, and betrayal. I am sure many readers will think of times they wished their pet could turn into the man/woman of their dreams, at how no-one in this world expresses love like a pet can.
I would recommend My Life As A Dog to anyone aged 18 years and over and award the novel 4.5 stars.
By R.N. Hadley
12 Dec 2011
Subspecies
Subspecies written by Mike Arsuaga and published by MuseItHot a division of MuseItUp publishing is an erotic paranormal romance at 73,000 words and 19 chapters in length.
Mike Arsuaga lives in Orlando, Florida with his Editor/Author wife Cynthia and his partner-in-crime his Yorkshire terrier, Thumper. Mike has completed careers in the US Navy Submarine Force and The Transportation Security Administration. Mike has already completed the next book in the five part series called Subspecies Inc, he has also published another book titled My Life As A Dog.
When math teacher and vampire Jim/ James White steps into the library out of the rain little does he expect to meet someone intriguing, Samantha Johnson, with a fascination of vampire lore who reminds him so much of his past victims and loves. But there is something about her he can’t quite put his finger on, so when he agree’s to help with her assignment who is it that is really doing the hunting? And who is the hunted?Interrogating Jim about his hobby of vampires Sam drugs Jim and soon reveals that she is in fact a lycan, Jim reveals he is a vampire and both are left in shock of one anothers existence thinking each other to be only myth.
Both meet many times to learn about the other, to listen but their connection lies purely through sex and the hunt.
As time passes the relationship grows and the pair hunt together, sharing kills and decide to create a group of fellow lycans and vampires to spread the word. But as the number of dead bodies grow with the addition of a campus Serial Killer known as The Poser, attention is drawn to the pair and their group by the Police.
With the young runaway Cynthia on the verge of emergence it is down to the pair to protect and help her through this difficult time.
Jim like many other vampires having thought for decades he was sterile, soon discovers that with Sam this is not to be the case and the whole future of the Subspecies is brought into perspective as the dawn of a new future or light at the end of a very dark tunnel is suddenly realised bringing a new hope to all those Subspecies far and wide.
However, with an ex-member of the group threatening to bring their existence to light, the Police getting closer to the bodies in the fridge, and with the campus serial killer The Poser at large could all their hopes and dreams come crashing down.
Subspecies by Mike Arsuaga is a wonderfully written novel that has you feeling for the charaters, often gasping or laughing with them and wondering exactly how big is Jim’s fridge where he stores the bodies.
The beginning of the story seems reminiscent of the movie An Interview with the Vampire, if Christian Slater’s Daniel Malloy were a hot little female lycanthrope entrapping Brad Pitt’s vampire, and vice versa. The talk of diseases which harm species appears in depth and quite interesting.
Even the young Cynthia is a reminder of Claudia from AIWTV except she is much older and in this case not a vampire but a lycan.
For people sex can make or break relationships, for lycans and vampires it is a necessary act that goes deep into their soul whether it be for sex or the hunt.
When you have to hide who you really are but want to help others in your situation the only thing you can do is hide in plain sight and hope that more will find you. So what do you do, create a support group.
Subspecies by Mike Arsuaga is a story with many complicated aspects to its intricately woven plot that dissects the past to save the future of two species. Although there is an increasing body count to lose count of as well as the number of companions Jim has had over the years I would highly recommend this novel to anyone above the age of 18 years, due to the explicit content contained within almost every chapter. A story of love, loss, murder and survival across many variations I give Subspecies an impressive 5 stars.
By R.N.Hadley
Mike Arsuaga lives in Orlando, Florida with his Editor/Author wife Cynthia and his partner-in-crime his Yorkshire terrier, Thumper. Mike has completed careers in the US Navy Submarine Force and The Transportation Security Administration. Mike has already completed the next book in the five part series called Subspecies Inc, he has also published another book titled My Life As A Dog.
When math teacher and vampire Jim/ James White steps into the library out of the rain little does he expect to meet someone intriguing, Samantha Johnson, with a fascination of vampire lore who reminds him so much of his past victims and loves. But there is something about her he can’t quite put his finger on, so when he agree’s to help with her assignment who is it that is really doing the hunting? And who is the hunted?Interrogating Jim about his hobby of vampires Sam drugs Jim and soon reveals that she is in fact a lycan, Jim reveals he is a vampire and both are left in shock of one anothers existence thinking each other to be only myth.
Both meet many times to learn about the other, to listen but their connection lies purely through sex and the hunt.
As time passes the relationship grows and the pair hunt together, sharing kills and decide to create a group of fellow lycans and vampires to spread the word. But as the number of dead bodies grow with the addition of a campus Serial Killer known as The Poser, attention is drawn to the pair and their group by the Police.
With the young runaway Cynthia on the verge of emergence it is down to the pair to protect and help her through this difficult time.
Jim like many other vampires having thought for decades he was sterile, soon discovers that with Sam this is not to be the case and the whole future of the Subspecies is brought into perspective as the dawn of a new future or light at the end of a very dark tunnel is suddenly realised bringing a new hope to all those Subspecies far and wide.
However, with an ex-member of the group threatening to bring their existence to light, the Police getting closer to the bodies in the fridge, and with the campus serial killer The Poser at large could all their hopes and dreams come crashing down.
Subspecies by Mike Arsuaga is a wonderfully written novel that has you feeling for the charaters, often gasping or laughing with them and wondering exactly how big is Jim’s fridge where he stores the bodies.
The beginning of the story seems reminiscent of the movie An Interview with the Vampire, if Christian Slater’s Daniel Malloy were a hot little female lycanthrope entrapping Brad Pitt’s vampire, and vice versa. The talk of diseases which harm species appears in depth and quite interesting.
Even the young Cynthia is a reminder of Claudia from AIWTV except she is much older and in this case not a vampire but a lycan.
For people sex can make or break relationships, for lycans and vampires it is a necessary act that goes deep into their soul whether it be for sex or the hunt.
When you have to hide who you really are but want to help others in your situation the only thing you can do is hide in plain sight and hope that more will find you. So what do you do, create a support group.
Subspecies by Mike Arsuaga is a story with many complicated aspects to its intricately woven plot that dissects the past to save the future of two species. Although there is an increasing body count to lose count of as well as the number of companions Jim has had over the years I would highly recommend this novel to anyone above the age of 18 years, due to the explicit content contained within almost every chapter. A story of love, loss, murder and survival across many variations I give Subspecies an impressive 5 stars.
By R.N.Hadley
9 Nov 2011
Diamonds and Deceit
Diamonds and Deceit written by Amy Talbot and published by Eternal Press is a thriller at 55,000 words across 20 chapters.
Amy Talbot lives in Christchurch, New Zealand and is a multi-published writer of books and articles in both online and printed format. She spends a lot of time reading, writing and editing books as well as teaching people how to read, write and appreciate the art of literature. However her time spent away from writing books is spent as a Freelance Developmental Editor and Creative Writing Tutor.
Grace Summerville runs her families cabins at Lake Tekapo, a place of natural beauty with a rough edge.
When Andre Castile rents a cabin for a few days, Grace wonders what the likes of this man, a city man with far too much money, a sports car and a large chain of hotels is doing here in her little corner of the world.
Having discovered a family betrayal Andre is in search of his brother Marc who having stolen the families greatest asset The Queen of Hearts, a blue diamond over 400 years old, has suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth.
Grace once in love with Marc before his unexpected departure becomes suspect one in Andres hunt for that which belongs to him. But how far will he go to get back that which is his?
When strange red postcards arrive on the doorstep stating that someone knows exactly what is going on, panic sets in and in the middle of nowhere you’d be mistaken for thinking there is anywhere to hide when clearly whoever the mysterious and dangerous Nimrod is, the man behind the postcards, knows all there is to know about Grace and her cabins.
Can she discover the where abouts of The Queen of Hearts?
Who is Nimrod? And why is he trying to kill her?
And what really happened to Marc?
Diamonds of Deceit is a quick witted and fast paced thriller following the recently heartbroken Grace Summerville on a journey to discover what secrets the man she thought she knew and loved had kept secret from her. In the end secrets never truly remain secrets and while blood is thicker than water, love is by far the greatest of reasons to keep going.
A warning to the wise, be careful who you trust because in the middle of nowhere it is more likely no-one is going to save you but you.
Personally being a bit of a thriller fan I was capable of discovering where The Queen of Hearts was hidden however with all the twists, turns and trust issues throughout the story I was gladly mistaken in my suspicions of who the infamous Nimrod could possibly be.
Amy Talbot has done a marvellous job in keeping Nimrod’s identity secret from the reader for as long as possible and setting as many characters up in line for the job each being knocked down at pivotal moments.
For location Amy has chosen a beautiful wild location full of possibilities and has completely used the area of Lake Tekapo to its limit. Searching online it is easy to picture the story taking place here.
I would recommend the book Diamonds and Deceit to anyone over the age of 18 years and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
By R.N. Hadley
Amy Talbot lives in Christchurch, New Zealand and is a multi-published writer of books and articles in both online and printed format. She spends a lot of time reading, writing and editing books as well as teaching people how to read, write and appreciate the art of literature. However her time spent away from writing books is spent as a Freelance Developmental Editor and Creative Writing Tutor.
Grace Summerville runs her families cabins at Lake Tekapo, a place of natural beauty with a rough edge.
When Andre Castile rents a cabin for a few days, Grace wonders what the likes of this man, a city man with far too much money, a sports car and a large chain of hotels is doing here in her little corner of the world.
Having discovered a family betrayal Andre is in search of his brother Marc who having stolen the families greatest asset The Queen of Hearts, a blue diamond over 400 years old, has suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth.
Grace once in love with Marc before his unexpected departure becomes suspect one in Andres hunt for that which belongs to him. But how far will he go to get back that which is his?
When strange red postcards arrive on the doorstep stating that someone knows exactly what is going on, panic sets in and in the middle of nowhere you’d be mistaken for thinking there is anywhere to hide when clearly whoever the mysterious and dangerous Nimrod is, the man behind the postcards, knows all there is to know about Grace and her cabins.
Can she discover the where abouts of The Queen of Hearts?
Who is Nimrod? And why is he trying to kill her?
And what really happened to Marc?
Diamonds of Deceit is a quick witted and fast paced thriller following the recently heartbroken Grace Summerville on a journey to discover what secrets the man she thought she knew and loved had kept secret from her. In the end secrets never truly remain secrets and while blood is thicker than water, love is by far the greatest of reasons to keep going.
A warning to the wise, be careful who you trust because in the middle of nowhere it is more likely no-one is going to save you but you.
Personally being a bit of a thriller fan I was capable of discovering where The Queen of Hearts was hidden however with all the twists, turns and trust issues throughout the story I was gladly mistaken in my suspicions of who the infamous Nimrod could possibly be.
Amy Talbot has done a marvellous job in keeping Nimrod’s identity secret from the reader for as long as possible and setting as many characters up in line for the job each being knocked down at pivotal moments.
For location Amy has chosen a beautiful wild location full of possibilities and has completely used the area of Lake Tekapo to its limit. Searching online it is easy to picture the story taking place here.
I would recommend the book Diamonds and Deceit to anyone over the age of 18 years and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
By R.N. Hadley
24 Aug 2011
The Rajah's Chosen Bride
The Rajah’s Chosen Bride written by Amy Talbot and published by Eternal Press is a romance novel at 54,000 words in length across 15 chapters and 165 pages.
Amy Talbot lives in Christchurch, New Zealand and is a multi-published writer of books and articles in both online and printed format. She spends a lot of time reading, writing and editing books as well as teaching people how to read, write and appreciate the art of literature. However her time spent away from writing books is spent as a Freelance Developmental Editor and Creative Writing Tutor.
Arranged marriages are the norm in Rajput, India.
For Devendra Jain the idea of marriage is completely out of the question, he is happy with his bachelorhood and business travels that take him far afield so he has little time to think on the wants of a family of his own.
That is until he meets Vania di Bergolo at the funeral of her Grandfather Henry in Australia.
Vania, of Indian heritage herself is a challenging distraction to Deven, she is soft and gentle, reserved and determined. Even though they are the same they are also different in many ways. Vania has dreamed of Deven for so long since finding a photograph of him, will the reality shatter the dream.
So when it becomes known to them both, that both of their Grandfathers have arranged for them to be married some 20 years previously, it comes as quite a shock. Even more so for Vania when she learns her’s and her cousin’s inheritance rests on her and Deven saying, I do.
Will past secrets or lovers stop the wedding?
Will Deven or Vania decide to marry? Or go back to their individual lives on separate continents?
Although, perhaps there is a way out of this arrangement or a way around it at least...
The Rajah’s Chosen Bride is first and foremost a romance novel set amongst the opposing backdrops of Australia and India.
The character of Vania aids in the marriage of these two cultures throughout the story sometimes described as a child or child-like she manages to describe for us her experiences and emotions when experiencing something new.
This is a story about family honour; what it means to fore fill or deny a dead man’s wishes. Whether arranged marriages should be practised and whether they can work. This book shows that people are never what they seem and never what we imagine and neither are circumstances. We all have a choice but if you don’t take the risk you will never find out what could be.
What secrets would force you to say I do to a complete stranger? Or how far would you go to keep a secret safe and repay those in pain and release the regret felt for over a decade. Could everything be made ok in one fell swoop?
Secrets old or new can destroy relationships but sometimes just sometimes they can unite people. Here we see whether there is strength in forgiveness and forgetting of the past.
Personally I am intrigued by how easily the dialogue flows off the page and how exact the banter between the two main characters holds the story together and yet progresses it onwards quite fluidly. It is almost as if these characters are talking and the author has heard every single word and recorded it.
Amy Talbot has never herself visited India and one could be mistaken to say that she had, she has painted a beautiful picture of India’s culture and people and I now know that this novel was written from other people’s own experiences along with Amy’s own hard research.
I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this book to anyone over the age of 17.
Amy Talbot and The Rajah’s Chosen Bride receive 4.5 out of 5 stars for an enlightening and often colourful tale of love and honour across the globe.
By R.N. Hadley
Amy Talbot lives in Christchurch, New Zealand and is a multi-published writer of books and articles in both online and printed format. She spends a lot of time reading, writing and editing books as well as teaching people how to read, write and appreciate the art of literature. However her time spent away from writing books is spent as a Freelance Developmental Editor and Creative Writing Tutor.
Arranged marriages are the norm in Rajput, India.
For Devendra Jain the idea of marriage is completely out of the question, he is happy with his bachelorhood and business travels that take him far afield so he has little time to think on the wants of a family of his own.
That is until he meets Vania di Bergolo at the funeral of her Grandfather Henry in Australia.
Vania, of Indian heritage herself is a challenging distraction to Deven, she is soft and gentle, reserved and determined. Even though they are the same they are also different in many ways. Vania has dreamed of Deven for so long since finding a photograph of him, will the reality shatter the dream.
So when it becomes known to them both, that both of their Grandfathers have arranged for them to be married some 20 years previously, it comes as quite a shock. Even more so for Vania when she learns her’s and her cousin’s inheritance rests on her and Deven saying, I do.
Will past secrets or lovers stop the wedding?
Will Deven or Vania decide to marry? Or go back to their individual lives on separate continents?
Although, perhaps there is a way out of this arrangement or a way around it at least...
The Rajah’s Chosen Bride is first and foremost a romance novel set amongst the opposing backdrops of Australia and India.
The character of Vania aids in the marriage of these two cultures throughout the story sometimes described as a child or child-like she manages to describe for us her experiences and emotions when experiencing something new.
This is a story about family honour; what it means to fore fill or deny a dead man’s wishes. Whether arranged marriages should be practised and whether they can work. This book shows that people are never what they seem and never what we imagine and neither are circumstances. We all have a choice but if you don’t take the risk you will never find out what could be.
What secrets would force you to say I do to a complete stranger? Or how far would you go to keep a secret safe and repay those in pain and release the regret felt for over a decade. Could everything be made ok in one fell swoop?
Secrets old or new can destroy relationships but sometimes just sometimes they can unite people. Here we see whether there is strength in forgiveness and forgetting of the past.
Personally I am intrigued by how easily the dialogue flows off the page and how exact the banter between the two main characters holds the story together and yet progresses it onwards quite fluidly. It is almost as if these characters are talking and the author has heard every single word and recorded it.
Amy Talbot has never herself visited India and one could be mistaken to say that she had, she has painted a beautiful picture of India’s culture and people and I now know that this novel was written from other people’s own experiences along with Amy’s own hard research.
I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this book to anyone over the age of 17.
Amy Talbot and The Rajah’s Chosen Bride receive 4.5 out of 5 stars for an enlightening and often colourful tale of love and honour across the globe.
By R.N. Hadley
29 Jul 2010
The Ticking
The Hollows Book 1: The Ticking is written by Ben Larken and published by LL Publications.
Acclaimed to be better than Ben’s first novel, Pit-stop, which won the 2009 EPPIE Award for the category of horror.
Ben Larken resides in Fort Worth with his wife and 3 kids; he works as a Police Dispatcher.
The Hollows Book 1: The Ticking is Ben’s second novel and is part 1 of 4 in the series.
Book 2 The Man in the Wall is due out in the fall of 2010.
The cover art for The Ticking was created by Susi Steele and depicts a close up of a grandfather clock with blood dripping from the face. The hands of the clock point to ten past ten with the shadow of a skeletal being with an outstretched arm and hand to the left of the clocks face. The cover is two shades of brown looking as if someone has shone a torch upon the clock in a darkened room.
The cover appears true to the title, The Ticking, of this first novel in the Hollows series although this title does not appear on the cover or the spine of the book but in fact the title page.
The authors name appears at the top of the cover in large black writing highlighted in red whilst the series title, The Hollows, appears in larger writing at the bottom.
In 1949, young Tess Buckner is like every child inquisitive, adventurous and she loves stories. When her mother promises to tell her another story in return for her fetching a bucket of water, Tess agrees and whilst out makes a discovery of a bunker in the forest behind her home. Upon hearing a voice crying for help Tess investigates, soon after Tess is witness to a terrible murder which will leave her traumatised and having to grow up very quickly.
In 2009, Cop David Alders has spent the past decade putting both his life and career on hold in search for his missing wife. He has spent this time compiling files of everything he believes can bring her case to a close. Upon deciding there are no more answers leading to her possible whereabouts he finally chooses his final option of looking down the barrel of his gun.
With growing bills and a daughter about to head off to college David decides he and his daughter can no longer afford to live in the family home and it is time to move. Finding a complex called The Hollows, set away from other buildings and the main road separated by a vast forest and bushes it seems like the perfect place to start over, except for the loud ticking.
Woken by a grotesque burnt man Melanie Alders attempts to convince her father that she wasn’t dreaming and did in fact experience these goings on, but an uninterested David is more interested in the fact he just woke up to find himself reliving yesterday.
The Hollows is a complex place full of interesting people both old and young. There are strange goings on which although at first appear to be nothing more than usual goings on one would expect to find in such a tightly knit community, will in fact reveal themselves to be a series of related events no matter how mundane they maybe.
The characters are diverse ranging from old men loving their poker night tournaments, to over protective mothers with son’s in their twenties, one Rennie who does all he can for his mother never thinking of himself and Dontae who is Rennie’s complete opposite.
The Ticking is a story of humanity, life, death and immortality and is filled to the brim with questions such as how do all these characters lives come together? Why? What is the incessant ticking and where is it coming from? And, how did David Alders travel to the past? Every question on every characters mind will have you turning page after page and since every chapter does not lead on from the previous, you will find yourself reading as quickly as possible to get the answers you seek.
As many questions that are asked within the book even more are asked by the reader, how far are you willing to go for those you love? How far would you be willing to go to obtain immortality? And what are you willing to give up, to obtain it?
Time has always been considered the one thing man cannot use his/her five senses to experience and yet he/she does. Every minute of every second of every day we are experiencing time and it is measured by the events taking place in that time. Someone once said that we are experiencing the future all the time because time is always moving and this saying is quite true to this story in that new futures are created all the time and that the story is constantly shifting between different time periods.
Thought to be linear, time is always ticking away from us but if we could go back and right our wrongs would we? Could we? The laws of physics say no because we would essentially delete the time period in which we ourselves travelled back.
The Ticking is a very well and carefully constructed book that even as you close the book after reading the final page you are left still wanting more because you still have more questions.
I found this book to be even better than Mr Larken’s first novel, Pit-Stop, and I did enjoy how he managed to fit in two instances where by anyone who has read Pit-stop will be reminded of it in this book.
The only fault I can find in this book is with regard to the cover, I would have personally been more inclined to have had an indication on the cover and spine that this was Book 1 and titled The Ticking because on a bookshelf if the spine of the next three books are the same, there could be some confusion.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone aged 18 years and over due to some of the content.
I give Ben Larken and The Ticking Book 1 of The Hollows Series 5 stars
By R.N. Hadley
Acclaimed to be better than Ben’s first novel, Pit-stop, which won the 2009 EPPIE Award for the category of horror.
Ben Larken resides in Fort Worth with his wife and 3 kids; he works as a Police Dispatcher.
The Hollows Book 1: The Ticking is Ben’s second novel and is part 1 of 4 in the series.
Book 2 The Man in the Wall is due out in the fall of 2010.
The cover art for The Ticking was created by Susi Steele and depicts a close up of a grandfather clock with blood dripping from the face. The hands of the clock point to ten past ten with the shadow of a skeletal being with an outstretched arm and hand to the left of the clocks face. The cover is two shades of brown looking as if someone has shone a torch upon the clock in a darkened room.
The cover appears true to the title, The Ticking, of this first novel in the Hollows series although this title does not appear on the cover or the spine of the book but in fact the title page.
The authors name appears at the top of the cover in large black writing highlighted in red whilst the series title, The Hollows, appears in larger writing at the bottom.
In 1949, young Tess Buckner is like every child inquisitive, adventurous and she loves stories. When her mother promises to tell her another story in return for her fetching a bucket of water, Tess agrees and whilst out makes a discovery of a bunker in the forest behind her home. Upon hearing a voice crying for help Tess investigates, soon after Tess is witness to a terrible murder which will leave her traumatised and having to grow up very quickly.
In 2009, Cop David Alders has spent the past decade putting both his life and career on hold in search for his missing wife. He has spent this time compiling files of everything he believes can bring her case to a close. Upon deciding there are no more answers leading to her possible whereabouts he finally chooses his final option of looking down the barrel of his gun.
With growing bills and a daughter about to head off to college David decides he and his daughter can no longer afford to live in the family home and it is time to move. Finding a complex called The Hollows, set away from other buildings and the main road separated by a vast forest and bushes it seems like the perfect place to start over, except for the loud ticking.
Woken by a grotesque burnt man Melanie Alders attempts to convince her father that she wasn’t dreaming and did in fact experience these goings on, but an uninterested David is more interested in the fact he just woke up to find himself reliving yesterday.
The Hollows is a complex place full of interesting people both old and young. There are strange goings on which although at first appear to be nothing more than usual goings on one would expect to find in such a tightly knit community, will in fact reveal themselves to be a series of related events no matter how mundane they maybe.
The characters are diverse ranging from old men loving their poker night tournaments, to over protective mothers with son’s in their twenties, one Rennie who does all he can for his mother never thinking of himself and Dontae who is Rennie’s complete opposite.
The Ticking is a story of humanity, life, death and immortality and is filled to the brim with questions such as how do all these characters lives come together? Why? What is the incessant ticking and where is it coming from? And, how did David Alders travel to the past? Every question on every characters mind will have you turning page after page and since every chapter does not lead on from the previous, you will find yourself reading as quickly as possible to get the answers you seek.
As many questions that are asked within the book even more are asked by the reader, how far are you willing to go for those you love? How far would you be willing to go to obtain immortality? And what are you willing to give up, to obtain it?
Time has always been considered the one thing man cannot use his/her five senses to experience and yet he/she does. Every minute of every second of every day we are experiencing time and it is measured by the events taking place in that time. Someone once said that we are experiencing the future all the time because time is always moving and this saying is quite true to this story in that new futures are created all the time and that the story is constantly shifting between different time periods.
Thought to be linear, time is always ticking away from us but if we could go back and right our wrongs would we? Could we? The laws of physics say no because we would essentially delete the time period in which we ourselves travelled back.
The Ticking is a very well and carefully constructed book that even as you close the book after reading the final page you are left still wanting more because you still have more questions.
I found this book to be even better than Mr Larken’s first novel, Pit-Stop, and I did enjoy how he managed to fit in two instances where by anyone who has read Pit-stop will be reminded of it in this book.
The only fault I can find in this book is with regard to the cover, I would have personally been more inclined to have had an indication on the cover and spine that this was Book 1 and titled The Ticking because on a bookshelf if the spine of the next three books are the same, there could be some confusion.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone aged 18 years and over due to some of the content.
I give Ben Larken and The Ticking Book 1 of The Hollows Series 5 stars
By R.N. Hadley
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