A Reluctant Attraction by Rosanna Leo

March 29, 2021 By 2 Comments


A Reluctant Attraction by Rosanna Leo
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Moonflower

He was looking for an escape. In her, he found his home.

Contractor and Handymen host Nick Zorn needs a change. He’s been feeling listless, and when his ex-girlfriend embarrasses him in a viral post by sharing private details of their sex life, he’s downright ready to escape. When an opportunity to reinvent his career arises, Nick takes it, even though it might mean the end of Handymen. However, the team has one more project to tackle together first—a struggling cat sanctuary in dire need of renovation.

This is one way of ending up with the best of its results. viagra 50mg no prescription a very essential component that is sildenafil citrate which assists within saving erections in a man as well as 2 to 4 different anabolic steroids together. Kamagra should sample viagra prescription be used only when the sexual activity is planned. Every year more than thirty,000 men and women in the world have become the victims of different kinds of sexual supplements sildenafil generico online for men are, we have made a unique place in quite a large number of these problems. Patients under treatment for the following conditions; or any ongoing managed condition, should consult their GP prior to taking this medicine. cialis cipla 20mg When Nick arrives at the shelter and meets its owner, a lovely widow named Claire, his life is once more thrown into disarray. Neither of them is looking for a relationship, but the attraction is fierce. As he helps Claire fix her workplace, he realizes he wants to help her in other ways too. Their flirtation sizzles, flaring into a friends-with-benefits arrangement.

But the more time they spend together, the more reluctant these ‘friends’ become to fight their deepening connection, even though they know their inevitable break will devastate them…

Imagine being the crazy cat lady at a young age because your husband dies and you take over his cat sanctuary. That’s a good thing, right? But what happens to your life and dreams? Where do they go?

Nick has had a rough time of it with cyberbullying, and Claire is slowly drowning as she tries to keep the sanctuary alive. These two are made for each other, and they realize it quite early on, but in trying to keep emotions out of their relationship, it becomes more confusing than it should be.

I enjoyed this book, the first one by this author I have read. Her writing style is smooth, and it is evenly paced out. The only problem I had was the constant back and forth between Nick and Claire. It felt like just a bit too much for me, although I am sure I will be in the minority with that opinion. I like having some angst in the stories I read, but this one felt a little like a pendulum. I guess that makes it authentic?!

All in all, this was a great read. This is the third book in the series so now I really want to read books one and two. If you enjoy contemporary romance, then I can absolutely recommend this book.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Divided House by JM Dalgliesh

March 29, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Divided House by JM Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The public face. A private reality. Sometimes, the dead have a lot to hide…

DI Nathaniel Caslin’s life is a mess. He works the minimum, abuses substances to survive the day and drinks his nights away. A once-promising career is in freefall.

Investigating the death of an ex-serviceman in police custody, reveals the disappearance of a young family. No-one noticed. No-one seems to care. In the grip of a bitter, Yorkshire winter, a family home reluctantly offers up its grisly secrets. Out on the moors, a murder scene of horrific brutality demands Caslin’s focused attention. In the search for answers, is anyone who they claim to be?

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DI Nathaniel Caslin’s career with the police is going downhill and with his marriage in shambles around him his whole life is seeming to spin ever more out of control. Struggling to keep a handle on everything – and with his heavy drinking and occasional substance abuse getting more out of hand – Nathanial isn’t managing to find a way out of the mess. When what seemed like a straightforward case of suicide leads to a missing family his case quickly becomes far more complicated – and sinister – than anything else he’s experienced.

I was unsure about this book to begin with. Having never heard of the “Dark Yorkshire” genre I was curious to try it out, especially since I’ve been enjoying a number of more noir and gritty style mysteries and police procedurals lately. This book was fantastic on many levels and I had already purchased the second in the series before reaching the half-way point of this story.

I found the plot deliciously complicated and I enjoyed how seamlessly the author entwined the two different cases. It didn’t feel overly convoluted nor too “easy” – even though I could tell early on the two cases would dove-tail it never felt manufactured or illogical. I was super impressed with this. I also was thrilled that while Nathanial certainly drank more than is generally considered healthy and Nathanial’s dabbling with drugs was also alluded to this wasn’t a major focus of the story. I was pleased that when Nathanial really got moving with the case a lot of his more personal issues in this department fell to the wayside as he focused his mind and attention on the police work and finding answers. I was pleased Nathanial wasn’t so far down the drinking/drugs path that he couldn’t function properly at his work and this helped sell me on his character and the story as a whole.

I also was pleased that Nathanial’s family life and the many problems revolving around that – while a subplot and given a fair amount of showing – didn’t over-shadow the mystery plot or case he worked on. I felt the scenes with his ex-wife and kids gave added dimension and life to Nathanial, but I didn’t feel like it was skimmed over nor taking up too much time away from the main mystery plot. I thought the author handled this balance really well.

While called “Dark Yorkshire” this story definitely had a noir type of feel to it. Some of the plot matter was gritty and realistic and I feel readers who prefer lighter mysteries or more “who done it” mysteries might find it a little much for them. That said, I was grateful that the darker aspects weren’t gory nor were they overly descriptive. I didn’t find this a gruesome or heavy thriller/horror style of book or writing and for me that added to my enjoyment of the mystery and story itself. The opening scene (three pages from the perspective of a captive/victim) was definitely the starkest and heaviest aspect for most of the story and I strongly feel readers should give the book at least a few chapters after this opening scene to decide if it’s for them or not. I was very grateful I pushed past that opening scene. While not convoluted with the plot twists there were certainly a few turns in the storyline I didn’t guess ahead of it being unveiled and while not earth-shatteringly new I found the plot and story refreshing, interesting and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Well written, solidly plotted and with a bunch of interesting secondary characters I feel this book should appeal to a wide range of mystery readers. Dark but not heavily so, gritty but not gory or using violence in a titillating manner, this book definitely ticks a number of the boxes of the exact style of stories I enjoy. I’m looking forward to reading the second in the series and am intrigued enough to look at this author’s other series as well.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Trust Me by Isabel Jolie

March 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Trust Me by Isabel Jolie
Publisher: Noctivity, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

It’s the things we love the most that have the power to destroy us.

SAM

There was a time when I trusted everyone. Before my little idea grew into a billion-dollar company. Now, I trust few. Been burned too many times by people looking for a handout. Yeah, my wealth opens doors, but it also places a target on my back.

Then I meet Olivia. Security clears her. Determines her safe.

The more I get to know her, the more I want her, but just being around me places her in danger – opening her up to the crazy in my world.

I’ll do everything I can to keep her safe.

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OLIVIA

I left Manhattan broken-hearted, moved to Prague, proved myself professionally, and returned to New York stronger, more capable, and focused on my career. Then I went for a cup of coffee.

When he walked in, I felt the pull, the desire that led to so many problems in my past. No. This one’s nothing more than eye candy. A momentary diversion while I sip my latte. A daydream.

Never could I ever have been prepared for what would happen next.

Trust – It’s the one thing money can’t buy.

If you like romance and intrigue with a charming alpha hero, you should read Trust Me. Isabel Jolie is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to read Trust Me. This is the second book in The West End series and each book is a stand alone, although all the characters are interconnected. I haven’t read all the books in this series yet, but I plan to, because I have grown close to all of the secondary characters and want to know their stories, too. I loved this story and it’s intriguing plot, but what I really liked were the two main characters. This is a great story and I never wanted it to end.

Olivia is working on her MBA. She has some baggage from her past and right now, she only wants to concentrate on school and her internship. Then Olivia meets Sam and he completely changes everything. The first time Olivia sees Sam, she is taken in by his good looks and she can’t help daydreaming about him, but she never expects to see him again. Olivia is smart, beautiful and a good person and she has a close knit group of friends that she enjoys spending time with.

Sam is ten years older than Olivia. He owns and runs a successful tech company which has made him very rich, but because of his wealth, he has learned to be cautious of people. Sam is immediately drawn to Olivia and he doesn’t waste any time in letting her know how he feels. Sam is charming, sweet and protective and I love how he lets Olivia know how he feels about her right away; he never plays any games. Sam is a good old southern boy with lots of southern charm and he stole my heart, right along with Olivia’s.

Sam and Olivia are perfect together. Their story is heartwarming and there’s also a little suspense thrown into the mix. What also makes this story so endearing are all the characters. I loved Sam and Olivia but there are also colorful secondary characters that I grew fond of. Olivia has some wonderful friends and I love when they all get together. I adored this one and I think you will too.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Tumor by John Grisham

March 26, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Tumor: A Non-Legal Thriller by John Grisham
Publisher: Focused Ultrasound Foundation
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

John Grisham says THE TUMOR is the most important book he has ever written. In this short book, he provides readers with a fictional account of how a real, new medical technology could revolutionize the future of medicine by curing with sound.

THE TUMOR follows the present day experience of the fictional patient Paul, an otherwise healthy 35-year-old father who is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Grisham takes readers through a detailed account of Paul’s treatment and his family’s experience that doesn’t end as we would hope. Grisham then explores an alternate future, where Paul is diagnosed with the same brain tumor at the same age, but in the year 2025, when a treatment called focused ultrasound is able to extend his life expectancy.

Focused ultrasound has the potential to treat not just brain tumors, but many other disorders, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, hypertension, and prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer.
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For more information, you can visit The Focused Ultrasound Foundation’s website. Here you will find a video of Grisham on the TEDx stage with the Foundation’s chairman and a Parkinson’s patient who brings the audience to its feet sharing her incredible story of a focused ultrasound “miracle.”

Readers will get a taste of the narrative they expect from Grisham, but this short book will also educate and inspire people to be hopeful about the future of medical innovation.

The name John Grisham is sure to catch eyes; however, this work, The Tumor, is completely unrelated to his previous books. Grisham states that this is his most important work. He presents the case of a family man born in 1980 who develops brain cancer, and his story is a sad one. Next, Grisham rewinds the tale in a fascinating way and asks the question, What if this man had been born ten years later?

In a form of reimagined history, he goes through this man’s altered history, one that is brighter due to his updated birth year. How is this so? Well, a new medical procedure is available to this man of a later generation: focused ultrasound.

This medical technology is real. Grisham offers this story to give patients hope. He explains through the use of a fictional man’s story how his life would change through the use of the new technology. He would live longer, his ordeal in the hospital would be quicker and easier, and he would save a lot of money.

This is a quick story but an interesting one. It is bringing to light a new medical breakthrough that people could ask their doctors about.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s by Sandra Murphy (editor)

March 25, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s by Sandra Murphy (editor)
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, LGBTQ, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Rebellion, revolution, and rock and roll defined the ‘60s. As music moved from country to folk protest songs, rock became the voice of the “turn on, tune in, drop out,” generation. Peace, love, and harmony were the goals. Meditation, mysticism, and psychedelic drugs were the way to enlightenment. Peace, love, and crime were often the result, sometimes humorous, sometimes deadly.

And the music played on. As Harold says in The Big Chill, “There is no other music, not in my house.”

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There’s a story behind every song.

In “Cooking with Butter,” Amanda decided to murder her ex-husband. All she needed to do was to figure out the best way to go about it while hopefully avoiding detection. Her personality grew on me as I got to know her better and figured out her reasons for wanting him to die. She was a complex character who gave me plenty to think about, especially once I realized exactly how much thought she’d put into her plan.

All of the stories in this anthology had clever premises that were worth reading, but there were a few that I thought would have benefitted from a little more development. “Mercy” was one example of this. It followed a young woman named Lila as she grieved the death of her brother, came out of the closet, and tried to figure out what to do with her life. There was so much going on in her life that she didn’t have enough time to explore any of those subplots in detail. It would have been nice to get to know Lila better as she was a fascinating character in general.

Jerry had to find out what caused his father’s sudden and frightening chest pain in “Spirit in the Sky.” The relationship between these two characters was genuine and nuanced. They didn’t always see eye-to-eye, but they did always love each other no matter what. I had a wonderful time peeling back the layers of their personalities. They were both far more complex than they appeared to be at first glances for reasons I’ll leave up to other readers to piece together for themselves.

Anyone who loves ’60s music should give Peace, Love, and Crime a try.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

City Of Windows by Robert Pobi

March 24, 2021 By Leave a Comment


City Of Windows by Robert Pobi
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

During the worst blizzard in memory, an FBI agent in a moving SUV in New York City is killed by a nearly impossible sniper shot. Unable to pinpoint where the shot came from, as the storm rapidly wipes out evidence, the agent-in-charge Brett Kehoe turns to the one man who might be able to help them—former FBI agent Lucas Page.

Page, a university professor and bestselling author, left the FBI years ago after a tragic event robbed him of a leg, an arm, an eye, and the willingness to continue. But he has an amazing ability to read a crime scene, figure out angles and trajectories in his head, and he might be the only one to be able to find the sniper’s nest. With a new wife and family, Lucas Page has no interest in helping the FBI—except for the fact that the victim was his former partner.

Agreeing to help for his partner’s sake, Page finds himself hunting a killer with an unknown agenda and amazing sniper skills in the worst of conditions. And his partner’s murder is only the first in a series of meticulously planned murders carried out with all-but-impossible sniper shots. The only thing connecting the deaths is that the victims are all with law enforcement—that is until Page’s own family becomes a target.
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To identify and hunt down this ruthless, seemingly unstoppable killer, Page must discover what hidden past connects the victims before he himself loses all that is dear to him.

After a horrific incident costs more than Lucas Page thought he could ever pay, his whole life changes around and the least of this is his leaving the FBI. Ten years have passed since then and Lucas has a whole new life – a new wife and family, a new home and he’s one of the most sought after professors in his field. All this changes again when the FBI need Lucas’ help in identifying a sniper that made what should have been an impossible shot in impossible conditions. Is Lucas willing to pay the price this time around?

I bought this book on a whim since it kept cropping up in my amazon feed as a recommended read. I’m very glad I did because this is an amazing story that balances really well between what feels realistic and what pushes the envelope too far. For this story I am really pleased the author kept on the correct side of believability and the story that results is wonderful.

In some respects Lucas Page is not a character that I feel many people can really relate closely to. His is crazy smart and has had a roller coaster of a life. Indeed I was pleased that the author sortof fed us as readers snapshots of Lucas’ past and history just in bits and pieces. A massive info dump or some sort of encapsulation of it would have read as unlikely in the extreme and more importantly I feel this would have detracted from showing us – at the relevant time – why Lucas thinks or feels a certain way or why he’s making a specific choice. Highlighting these decisions and showing us brief glimpses of his past and history really let the picture as a whole of Lucas evolve and grow and I loved this.

The main plot of this story was the sniper shooter and while this isn’t the strongest mystery I’ve read it is a good and solid plot and well woven into the rest of the story and characters. I really feel the strong cast of secondary characters as well as Lucas himself really make this book better than just the plot itself. I also am a sucker for New York City as a backdrop and the author didn’t disappoint with this aspect of the story either. My only serious complaint is that this is the first book in a series and I really wish I’d found this series six or seven books in so I could binge the lot and have a load more reading immediately available.

Readers who enjoy a solid mystery with prickly and smart characters and a wonderfully woven story should definitely give this one a try. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Red Canvas by Andrew Nance

March 24, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Red Canvas by Andrew Nance
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

In the seaside city of San Marco, Florida, Lise Norwood spends her days serving papers and her nights spying on cheating spouses. But before she became a PI, she was an art major at San Marco University. So when the local police ask her to consult on a murder case in which the victim was posed to resemble a classic Greek sculpture, Lise dusts off her art history degree and joins the task force.

As the artistic madman known as Michelangelo continues to copy more works of art, Lise starts her own investigation into the gruesome killings. When she gets too far, she’s fired from the case.
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Being told to step back only spurs her to dig deeper. Her inquiries take an ugly and personal turn when Michelangelo threatens to make her his next bloody masterpiece. And the key to the case might be a stolen piece of artwork very few know exists.

When I first saw this mystery dealt with art, I immediately thought of a few others I’ve read. They were dry. Don’t know any other way to describe it. Not this one, though. This one is fast moving and easy to read. It’s humorous and has plenty of action. Analise, or Lise for short, is a sassy Private Investigator and has a background in art. Is she an investigator dealing in art fraud or theft? Not exactly, she’s still at the “stalking cheating husbands” stage of her business. This death and art case sort of falls into her lap. She most certainly sees art she never thought she’d see and it’s not the kind of art you see walking through a museum.

This is an author that not only creates the kind of characters I like, the kind you can see, the kind you feel you can know. He also keeps you right on the edge of your seat. I was going to tell you that he threw one red herring after another into the story but that would sound as if he added misleading clues. His writing was never unclear. He was just very good at creating turns in the road so fast I lost my balance, at least in my thinking. So did Lise for that matter. At least until the painting made sense.

Rarely do I give 5-star ratings. 5-star books must be special and this book, well…it’s special.

A great story with lots of suspense. This is Book 1 of a series titled “A Lise Norwood Mystery”. I hope we see book 2 soon.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Black Coral by Andrew Mayne

March 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Black Coral by Andrew Mayne
Underwater Investigation Unit Book 2
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Sloan McPherson and the Underwater Investigation Unit have discovered a van at the bottom of a murky Florida pond. Sealed inside the watery tomb are the bodies of four teenagers who disappeared thirty years ago after leaving a rock concert. To authorities, it looks like a tragic accident. To Sloan, it looks like murder. Every piece of evidence is starting to connect to a string of cold case vanishings throughout Florida. Clue by clue, Sloan navigates the warm, dark waters where natural predators feed, knowing that the most dangerous one is still above the surface—nesting and dormant.
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But when a fresh young kill is found in the Everglades, Sloan fears that her investigation has reawakened a monster. How can she catch someone who’s a genius at hiding in plain sight? By acting as prey. The dangerous gambit is working—only too well. She’s being lured into a deception of the madman’s own design. Has Sloan set a trap for a serial killer? Or has he set one for her?

She wasn’t in the water for this, but when Sloan McPherson discovers a van at the bottom of Pond 65, she knows there’s more to it than just an abandonment. When the bodies of four missing teens are found inside, she begins to wonder if it’s murder. What she doesn’t realize is that the killer might still be out there, tracking and killing those who least expect it. What’s the Underwater Investigation Unit going to do? Hand over the case or investigate it themselves?

Sloan McPherson is one of the most self-aware characters I’ve come across. She does stupid things and while she sometimes blames it on her pirate father, she almost always owns up to her idiocy. I adore this, because it means that she has the potential to not make those mistakes again. Her relationship with her daughter, Jackie, is great as well. She tries to be the best mom she can, even when she flops, and I think Jackie knows it, too. Overall, Sloan is tough, smart, and willing to take chances, even if they’re going to get her into trouble in the long run. She makes for an interesting and complex character and is the reason why I was so eager to get my hands on this book.

In this novel, Sloan gets a new partner named Scott Hughes. I always worry when a new person is introduced because they either suddenly become a love interest or an antagonist. Thankfully, Hughes is neither. He’s former Navy who came from another department to join the UIU with Sloan and George Solar, their boss. He’s funny, he’s smart, and he’s very loyal to Sloan and her case. I’d almost want to see them become love interests but the fact that Hughes is happily married, and Sloan is happily… something… with Run gives me reason to be content with them just being work buddies. However, they have a great chemistry and I loved how they worked together.

The uniqueness of an Underwater Investigation Unit is what initially drew me to this series. Growing up in the desert, the Everglades, ponds, and canals of Florida are something I know nothing about. Never mind the gators! Also, the team of Sloan and George, now featuring Scott Hughes, is great. They have a wonderful working relationship, even if Sloan was wary of him at first. Engrossing, complicated cases mixed with an intriguing cast of characters and I’m sold. Now, I’m anxiously awaiting to see where the UIU goes next.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Homesick Club by Libby Martinez

March 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Homesick Club by Libby Martinez
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Mónica and Hannah are school kids in the big city. Together, they have formed the Homesick Club, since they are both from far away. Mónica misses the family of hummingbirds that she and her grandmother would feed in her backyard in Bolivia every day. Hannah misses the sunshine and the tiny tortoise that lived near her house in Israel.

When a new teacher, Miss Shelby, arrives from Texas, the girls discover that she misses her home, too, especially the huge sky full of stars and a Southern treat known as Hummingbird Cake. The girls ask Miss Shelby to join their club, then Mónica decides she will bring a surprise for show and tell ― a surprise that brings Miss Shelby close to tears.

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It’s lonely to be far away from the familiar sights, scents, tastes, and sounds of home.

Mónica and Hannah were such kind and empathetic kids. I especially appreciated how these parts of their personalities were expressed through their actions over and over again. They both gave so many examples of what it truly meant to care about and help others without any expectation of reward.

There were times when I found the text too wordy for the age group it seemed to be written for. The narrator sometimes went into much more detail about what the characters were thinking about than is typical for picture books. On the positive side, this meant I got to know the characters well and could see how the upper age range could be stretched a few years for older kids who are interested in it.

Being an immigrant can be a lonely experience. Some of the loveliest scenes were the ones that explored this emotion and gave the audience multiple coping strategies for it whether they’re the person feeling that way or a compassionate friend who wants to help the immigrants and homesick people in their lives feel truly welcomed. What made it even better was that so many of these ideas could be used by both groups!

The Homesick Club was a heartwarming read that I was grateful to have picked up and would warmly recommend.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

William Ottoway’s Utopia and Other Stories by Christopher Griffith

March 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


William Ottoway’s Utopia and Other Stories by Christopher Griffith
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

‘Come, Manou, this is superstitious clap.’ So says William Ottoway to his island’s priest, for the modern world has surely extinguished any notion of the supernatural? But some who have lived before our technological revolution hold grave concerns about this new reality which has all but supplanted the numinous element of human existence. Despite warning from his best friend’s mother against attempting to replicate paradise, William puts faith alone in idealism to create a utopian society in the tropics. All seems well, until his serpent brother appears with temptation…

William Ottoway’s Utopia concerns the dream of a man who seeks to escape stresses of everyday life for promised ease in this world’s tropics; to his dismay, he is unable to flee influence of the one appliance which has arguably shaped all our experience in the last half century, the humble television set! William is a good man, but will he be ravaged and ruined by his brother Tom who brings discord and disharmony to his island paradise?

Rick With A (Bipolar) View details the experience of a young man suffering from bipolar disorder who wants to be a professional DJ. Unsure whether or not the repetitive beats of electronic music and his obsession with trance and techno may be the cause of his illness, he nevertheless accepts offer of a Friday night gig and ‘takes the roof off’ the nightclub, coming down back at home in glow and reflection of his achievement.

If all this sounds too intense then do please head over to Break Out the Bubbly!!, a comic piece set in a supermarket whose Manager is acting in very strange manner indeed. The initial boredom felt by our hero Emily is quickly shattered by Carol’s arrival and subsequent farce as she seems intent on closing the shop during opening hours to conduct inquisitions in the boardroom! The champagne keeps going missing, you see, and she needs to find the culprit. Is he, or she, a little closer to home than everyone thinks?

Fantasy for the next story, Saman’s Revenge, in which our titular hero is seriously miffed with the Earth-goddess Thera; she’s punished him an aeon ago for misdemeanour which he firmly believes really wasn’t his fault at all. Anyway, when you’re immortal and old as the hills themselves it doesn’t bother you too much to wait a few millennia before exacting your revenge on modern day teenagers Jack, Roxie, her boyfriend Mark and his brother Norman. But what is the young people’s relation to Thera, and temple ruins on top of the village hill, Shadyridge?
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Which leaves Young Shakespeare, my imaginative retelling of some of Will’s ‘lost years’ when he reached London; after all, who wouldn’t want to fall in love with Anne, listen in awe to Sir Walter Raleigh’s perorations on, well who knows, meet his future friend and rival Christopher ‘Kit’ Marlowe, then cogitate at length upon the Reformation against whose profound change the budding writer begins to conclude he might wish to work?

This is an excellent time to begin using your imagination.

I struggled to understand “William Ottoway’s Utopia” because of how sparsely it was written. So many of the sentences in it were either fragments or extremely short, and it wasn’t always clear to me how they fit together. It would have been helpful to have more details of the plot and character development. The bits and pieces I figured out about the island and the serpent were intriguing.

The main character in “Rick with a (Bipolar) View” wondered if his Bipolar disorder was going to affect his dreams of becoming a DJ. Like the first tale in this collection, this one was also so sparsely written that I had trouble following it at times. With that being said, I liked the main character quite a bit and hoped he’d figure out a way to follow his dreams. He certainly had the determination to do so!

As soon as I began reading “Break Out the Bubbly,” I began wondering what really happened to the missing champagne in Sheila’s struggling shop. Each character had their own opinion on this matter, and some of them expressed their views sharply. The more I read, the more curious I became to figure everything out. This tale was well written and included just enough mystery elements to keep me guessing.

Mr. Griffith’s writing style worked well with the fantasy elements of “Saman’s Revenge,” especially in the beginning when the narrator observed a battalion of mythological creatures fleeing a foe too terrible to describe. There were times when the plot wandered so far away from the original theme that it took me a while to figure out how it was all connected, but I did appreciate putting the pieces together once I had more information about what was going on with the characters.

“Young Shakespeare” was a tantalizing look at what Shakespeare might have been like as a young man. There was a twist here that I can’t mention without giving away major spoilers. What I can say is that it perfectly fit the opening scene that explored Shakespeare in his youth. I smiled when I made the connection between these two things and patiently waited to learn more about it.

William Ottoway’s Utopia and Other Stories was an eclectic mixture of tales that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys reading a little bit of everything.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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