Time To Feed My Reads

Book -  Drowned Voices (The Dark Water Series Book 2) Author -  Maria Frankland Rating -  Review: Warning of potential spoilers! After the loss of so many lives to the River Alder and the attack on Lauren and others it is finally time to get back to some normality in Alderton.  Will has been cleared of any involvement and has decided it is time to take his wife and daughter on holiday to Disney World so that he can recover from the ordeal but when women start to turn up drowned in the River Alder again it is surely too much of a coincidence after what happened so recently.  Is this a copycat killer?  Is the original killer back at it?  Were these accidents?  Can the police stop more deaths? This is the second book in the series and once again Maria Frankland has delivered a well written, excellently developed story and the fact she has been able to do this over a series is something which I feel really suits her writing style and enables her to br...

Book -  Undercurrents (The Dark Water Series Book 1) Author -  Maria Frankland Rating -  Review: A number of women have turned up dead having been found drowned in the River Alder, they are always found to have large quantities of alcohol in their systems but no injuries to suggest violence so is it simply that they are slipping and falling into the water or is there something more sinister going on? When a young journalist decides that she needs to investigate as she believes the signs point to foul play but with her partner (soon to be husband) Mark working in the police and part of the team investigating, can Lauren find out what is going on before more women are found drowned? Maria Frankland is an author who I've read a couple of works by already and I enjoyed both of them but this time I decided to go for a series of hers and was delighted to find that she remains true to her style of writing rather than trying to drag things out, over-simplify or try to be too far ...

Book -  Amy V: Resurrection (Amy Book 5) Author -  RW Duder Rating -  Review: Contains spoilers for the series! Riley has managed to survive and believes that she has defeated her sister Amy but until the scientist Thomas Raines is killed will Amy ever truly be gone or will Raines simply keep on finding ways to resurrect her? This book sees Riley decide it is time to go after Raines and finally end this once and for all but with his resources and knowledge of what has gone before, can Riley overcome the odds stacked against her? I had got into the series and hoped that the previous offering which for me had a small drop in quality was not a sign of things to come and unfortunately it has proven to be the case.  When you come across horror films you sometimes find that there is sequel after sequel and just wish that they would stop ruining the legacy of what went before and for me that is the way this book series is starting to go.  A weaker storyline than previo...

Book -  Amy IV: The Final Chapter (Amy Book 4) Author -  RW Duder Rating -  Review: Contains spoilers for the series! Amy has continued to wreak havoc everywhere she goes but without ever having a real direction on where she is heading next.  Having now discovered that she has a sister named Riley, Amy has a destination and an ultimate goal in sight, to kill her sister.  Can Amy finally be stopped once and for all or is it too late for that? This is the fourth book in the series and as I found the concept to be interesting I went in with high hopes for this one but found it felt a little less polished than the previous two offerings.  The story didn't quite have the same draw for me and to find yourself reading what is named 'the final chapter' and then discover that there is another book after this and you do get that worry of an author who is going to draw this series out and damage the legacy.

Book -  Amy III: Bred in a Lab, Born to Stab (Amy Book 3) Author -  RW Duder Rating -  Review: Contains spoilers for the series! With Amy having supposedly had her rein of terror put to an end by Scott Garcia it should be a time for everyone to be celebrating that the threat has ended but instead we find Scott locked up and considered to be the one responsible for much of what happened and as he continues to talk of the young girl who was killing people he is seen as being mentally unstable and under psychiatric care within the prison system, oh how they'll wish they'd listened to him. Having been able to be cloned from the remains of Amy we find a new version of Amy out and about with that same bloodlust that the original little girl introduced us to.  Those who went through the original battles will tell you all about it but would you listen to the ramblings of people telling you about a young girl who had unbelievable strength and only wants to kill? This is a gre...

Book -  Amy: Legacy (Amy Book 2) Author -  RW Duder Rating -  Review: Contains spoilers for the series! Having been killed by her serial killer father but risen with one focus, killing everyone, Amy is back!  Detective Russo may have killed her father but he feels the responsibility for keeping Amy from hurting more people very seriously and so has kept her in a secure facility for the last six years but when you have something as evil as Amy to control are you ever really more than one mistake from disaster? This is the second in the series and where the first offering was let down by editing issues I have been delighted to see a massive improvement in this book and thanks to this I have been able to focus purely on the quality of the story itself and found myself impressed by the horror that is able to be put to the reader.  If you can imagine having a pure thing like a young child who has turned out to be a killer it is something which is challenging for you ...

Book -  The Retreat (An Amy Standalone read) Author -  RW Duder & Damien Richard Rating -  Review: When two authors who have managed to achieve success with their book series decide to host an writer's retreat that will allow group discussion, work on writing and for new friendships to hopefully be formed they could never imagine the chaos that would ensue thanks to their location.   Veritas Mountain is a place that has long been the place of rumour and myth but maybe there is some truth to those stories...best be careful what you dream of. This is a standalone piece that sees the dreams of those who stay on Veritas Mountain come true and thanks to the authors who are hosting the retreat being known for their horror and vampire series they'd best hope that they have a dreamless sleep. Well written, edited brilliantly and with a standalone story that means you don't have to know or have experienced the series involved in the story.  For me this was one I...

Book -  Amy (Amy Book 1) Author -  RW Duder Rating -  Review: There are serial killers who are known to the police and then there are those who evade capture and so when David James Walker, aka the Deathmask Killer, escapes from where he has been held it starts a chain of events that will shatter a community and many, many lives.  Having killed his daughter just before his death, David James Walker has managed to leave behind something truly terrifying, Amy. This is a horror book which sees the daughter who has been killed by her father in a somewhat zombified state and intent on nothing more than killing.  The premise sounded like something can truly deliver a horror book which would be amazing but as I worked my way through this book the biggest fear I found was that I would keep coming across more editing issues and unfortunately that proved to be the case.  This was a free book which is introduce you to the series but I feel that getting the introductio...

Book -  Murder on the Safari Star (Adventures on Trains Book 3) Author -  M.G. Leonard & Sam Sedgman Rating -  Review: Hal has once again had the chance to journey with his Uncle Nat in order to experience the Safari Star, a truly luxurious steam train that will transport passengers from  Pretoria to Victoria Falls whilst they witness some stunning scenery and amazing nature but with the area known for big-game hunting and illegal poachers will this see a trauma which some passengers will never get over? This series of books sees Hal using his drawing skills and detective like mind to uncover the truth but when it comes to a murder is it going to be asking too much of this boy detective to solve? Another very well written book that is one I can imagine reading and loving when I was young but thankfully which still stands up to the test of time in that an adult like myself can read this and it not feel like it is only for children.  This is not a book which t...

Book -  Seeker's War (Sim-Verse Book 6) Author -  Allen Kuzara Rating -  Review: Spoilers from the series! The series end is here, Taven has fought valiantly but has seen each challenge he has overcome cause him to be weakened and he is now at the point of the defeat he has long dreaded.  When truth is on offer but multiple truths are available how do you determine which is your truth and the right one for you to choose?  Is there a time when self preservation must become your only focus or do you continue to believe you can save the masses?  It's time for the final decision to be made. This is another well written piece with a small markdown for editing but for me personally I felt a little let down with this being the ending to what has come before.  You always hope that a series will go out on a high and this just felt a little less brilliant than what had gone before.

Book -  Seeker's Reach (Sim-Verse Book 5) Author -  Allen Kuzara Rating -  Review: Spoilers from the series! Battles have continued throughout but Taven finally overcome Eleazar without falling into the traps he has set?  The fact Taven begins to realise that in order to defeat the darkness you sometimes must enter and become that same darkness. It maybe a sim but it is placing all of those he has ever known at risk of a finality they could never imagine and without betraying the humanity inside of himself he must try to save everyone and everything.

Book -  Seeker's Climb (Sim-Verse Book 4) Author -  Allen Kuzara Rating -  Review: Spoilers from the series! Taven has been finding out more and more things but thankfully the things he has uncovered have helped him to defeat Cat and save the Sim-Verse, that is until news arrives of a Seeker invasion of Kairos appears to show that the billions of lives he believed he had saved are not yet safe and if Kairos falls then it is just a matter of time until Earth falls too.  Can Taven save the lives of those on Kairos and Earth or is it too late? Another fantastic book in the series and once again just a small markdown for editing.

Book -  Rebel's Rule (Sim-Verse Book 3) Author -  Allen Kuzara Rating -  Review: Spoilers for those who haven't checked out the first 2 books in the series (a must read). Having uncovered more about the world than he could ever have imagined, Taven finds that Cat is out to destroy the Sim-Verse but with the Sim-Verse containing the whole of Earth and many other worlds besides, it falls on Taven to take the battle to Cat and try to save the lives of many billions including those in worlds he could never imagine. This is another high concept and energetic story that stands out in the genre as being a truly well written and delivered piece that has not strayed from the original story in the series and maintains the same standards with a markdown only for small editing issues.

Book -  Rebel's Gambit (Sim-Verse Book 2) Author -  Allen Kuzara Rating -  Review: After Taven undertook his mission to ensure those onboard the ship his team hit were all safe he has returned to base but after finding there is an issue he discovers a whole lot more than could ever be imagined...he has a second DNA strand with him.  How did this happen and just what does it mean? When Taven finds himself locked up and machines chasing after him he must find the green-eyed one named Cat and discover just why he is being chased and what this all means for his future. This is another well written piece that delivers on something highly unique and the small markdown is for a few little edits.

Book -  Rebel's Construct (Sim-Verse Book 1) Author -  Allen Kuzara Rating -  Review: Taven Smith is a simple astro-miner who is used to completing his assigned duties and then heading home after having achieved a nice payday for his loving partner but when his team are completing their loading and a piece of the load ends up damaging another ship in the area they must check they have not placed anyone at risk or injured them.  They could not imagine just what this will mean for them. This is an amazing opening to a series which sees science fiction which is very original, draws the reader in and keeps you guessing throughout.

Book -  Monster Ridge (The Prophecies of Ragnarok Book 2) Author -  Meri Benson and Marie Sinadjan Rating -  Review: After having survived Hotel Fen and managing to get away with their lives intact  Victor and Silje believed they had moved on and were going to be able to grow closer but they are soon to discover that the god-like brothers of Victor are not going to let it be that simple as they come after the pair and aim to stop the past from repeating itself and for things that were once myth to become true. This is the second instalment in the series and is once again a well written, well edited story that works perfectly and manages to bring the myths of Odin, Loki and more to life without making the book feel farcical as others can do by trying to focus on being over the top.  This is a book which just works.

Book -  Grimwood: Let The Fur Fly Author -  Nadia Shireen Rating -  Review: Ted and Nancy are loving life in Grimwood and when they discover an unknown land beside Grimwood that appears to offer the most amazing food, entertainment and more, it is appearing even better than ever as they can go between the two and get the best of both worlds but when they find a very sophisticated local coming to claim Grimwood as their own land it is down to the two to work alongside the other Grimwood inhabitants to save their land. Well written, funny and one that kids will love, this is another Grimwood book which shows that this is a series which has the strength to run for a long time to come.

Book -  Watermark (The Plain Sight Novels Book 3) Author -  R David Rating -  Review: The coal mines are closed and the villages in South Wales are now dying a slow death but the death that stands out to those in the area is the boys who went missing those few years ago and the fact that they wanted to bring all of them home but never got the chance. The locals have moved on with their lives but with the local police seeming to be in disarray and the vicar appearing to be losing his sanity it becomes a time to focus on saving those who remain alive and able to be saved but there are also those who need to save their souls by offsetting all that they have done over the years and so with the newspaper editor starting to see the error of his ways can this local community come together to finally uncover the truth and to create a future after the mines? This is a well thought out, written and delivered end to the trilogy and but for a few little editing issues it would be a 5...

Book -  Two Penny Blue (The Plain Sight Novels Book 2) Author -  R David Rating -  Review: In the Welsh countryside a village saw children disappear and someone be placed in prison for the kidnap and murder of them but how long until a village can truly get back to feeling like it used to?  With just 3 years passed since the disappearances occurred it is time to revisit the village and see just what has changed and what remains the same but when things begin to start to take a weird turn once again and the local newspaper reporting starts to raise more and more rumours can those responsible for getting to the bottom of everything actually get the answers that people truly need? This book is the second in the trilogy and for me this book is much better than the first offering as the pacing is much better, there is improved editing and we begin to get a much deeper look at the characters whilst not dragging the story to a point where you are not feeling like it is prog...

Book -  Aden to Zanzibar (The Plain Sight Novels Book 1) Author -  R David Rating -  Review: When children go missing in a small Welsh village it is easy to point the fingers at anyone and everyone but can the children be found safe and well? This is the entire focus of this story and sees over 370 pages to unfold the story which makes for a story which should be able to flow perfectly and be full of details but for some this can make for something which feels like it is dragging somewhat.  At the start of this book I found myself unsure if I was going to continue with the story but decided to keep going with it and found a story which was well written and did have an interesting story unfolding but was not blown away by the book overall as I felt it could have been delivered in a shorter time and still had the same level of suspense as the author has tried to capture in this work. Worth a read but please do be aware you may find this a bit of a slower read than many...