REVIEW: Eric J. Gates - Outsourced

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Publisher: Amazon

Publication Date: 18^th Sept 2014

Pages: 302

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Outsourced was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Eric J. Gates in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by Amazon.

Eric J. Gates. Another one I have to confess never reading before but I enjoy a good thriller and it sounded right up my street so I thought why not? I love it when my instincts are right.

Nic Stiles is an author going through a rough patch. His relationship with his wife is on the rocks. He is suffering from the cursed writers block. His arch rival and stable mate with his publishers, Grayson Fallon is amassing success story after success story.

During a retreat to his cabin to try and rectify the writer’s block and keep up with Fallon, he receives a strange package in the post. A pen. Not just any old ordinary pen, according to the letter enclosed with it.

Polanksi is a mass serial killer. He knows he is guilty, his lawyer knows he is guilty, but he has just walked free. He has decided to go straight after he tidy’s up a few loose ends. He was the previous owner of the pen.

Stiles discovers the pen has certain “qualities” that can give the owner huge benefits if used correctly. Unfortunately that isn’t what he has done. He must now try to set things straight by teaming up with an unlikely ally while trying to escape the clutches of every government agency in the country and beyond.

The only other issue is the fact Polanksi would like his pen back.

REVIEW: David Dubrow - The Blessed Man And the Witch

Genre: Apocalyptic Thriller

Publisher: David Dubrow

Publication Date: 6^th March 2014

Pages: 392

MY REVIEW:

A copy of The Blessed Man And the Witch was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by David Dubrow himself.

Hector Shaw is a former soldier trying to deal with PTSD. His relationship with his wife Reyna is strained to say the least. Especially since his return from a “fugue” state, where he completely disappeared for exactly one year and he has no idea where he was or what he did during that time. He has recently been recruited by a private security firm with no idea of their hidden objectives.

Siobhan Dempsey is an average young girl getting her life in order and preparing for whatever it throws at her. She has always been interested in magick. After trying her hand at some rituals she discovers she is good at it. Really good at it.

Armageddon is coming. Forces of Hell and evil are amassing an army right under the noses of every person living on the earth. The forces of Heaven and good must band together to be ready for the fight. There is no guarantee which side will be the victor.

Is Hector the Blessed Man? Is Siobhan the Witch? What will their roles be in this fight to the end? No one knows. Not even themselves.

REVIEW: Tamara Jones - Spore

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Publication Date: 2^nd June 2015

Pages: 301

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Spore was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Tamara Jones in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by Samhain Publishing.

I seem to be saying this a lot lately, but, I have seen the name Tamara Jones floating around but I never read her stuff before. I can only ask myself why the hell not. I will be rectifying that mistake by adding more of Mrs Jones to my ever growing “To Be Read” pile.

Sean Casey is an artist. He draws the pictures for a comic called Ghoulbane. On a normal day he takes a break from his sketching and goes to his back yard for a breather. One after another, ten random people appear out of nowhere and walk onto his property. They are all naked and confused.

It transpires these people are all dead and have been for varying amounts of time. Something has happened to the water by the local cemetery and they have all “Spored”. Brought back from the dead in perfect condition, better, in fact, than they were when they died.

Sean has to try and deal with this phenomenon the best way he can. He finds fame from television interviews he gave. He finds scorn when he allows Mindy, one of the Spore’s to move into his house until she can get settled and rebuild her “life”. He finds violence when Mindy’s ex tries to put her back underground. He finds constant torture from his nightmares about his troubled childhood. Old evils come to life again. Quite literally. Who will survive? The living or the dead?

INTERVIEW: TAMARA JONES: PART TWO

Welcome to the interview with Tamara Jones, Part Two.

In tonight’s section, Tamara talks about her new novel Spore due out on 2^nd June from Samhain and what is coming up in the future for us fans.

As always on Confessions, Tamara will also be taking on The Ten Confessions. As with last night, Tamara gives us very honest answers to some mediocre questions making this one of the most interesting interviews I have done to date.

As always grab a drink, some nibbles and most of all, enjoy!

COAR - Moving on to Spore – what’s it all about from your point of view?

TJ - It's about how abuse and trauma send ripples through families and lives. Pretty much everyone in the book has an abuse or trauma back-story they're trying to overcome. Of course the story is a lot more complicated than that - there's a lot of second chance and rebirth aspects as well, but that's the geek point for me.

INTERVIEW: TAMARA JONES: PART ONE

Tamara Jones. A name many of you may not be familiar with. To be perfectly honest neither was I until Tamara contacted me to see if I would be interested in a review copy of her new book due out next week, Spore.

One thing I have taken out of this contact I have had with Tamara, and reading Spore is that I intend to rectify that and I will be looking out for anything else she writes in the future.

She is a lovely person who has been only too happy to put up with my questions/demands throughout this interview and has provided a very candid insight into her world of writing and her life in general.

We ended up with so much content that I have decided to split the interview over two nights. In Part One tonight, Tamara will be answering some general questions about her previous books and her life in general. Part Two tomorrow night will be all about Spore and of course The Ten Confessions.

Grab a beer and burger and enjoy!!

COAR - I quote "For a nice, Mid-West housewife, Jones is a sick lady. I mean that in the nicest way." Care to put the record straight and tell us all a bit about yourself?

TJ - I'm a delightfully married middle-aged housewife from Iowa, with one daughter, a granddaughter, too many pets and a very patient and supportive husband. I just happen to slaughter people on paper for money. By 'slaughter' I don't mean there's a body barely visible under a bush ala a cozy mystery. Nope, I eviscerate the bastards and fling entrails about. I also make quilts. A LOT of quilts.

I am fascinated by dichotomy, mostly because I live it every day.

ANNOUNCEMENT: UPCOMING INTERVIEW AND REVIEW: TAMARA JONES

I am very happy to announce that as part of her virtual promotional tour to promote the release of her new book Spore, housewife, quilter and killer of people on paper (read: massacring people to be honest, no messing about here!) – Tamara Jones will be appearing on the blog next week!

Monday 25^th will see a very candid interview with Tamara where she talks about her life, her writing and of course the new novel Spore, being released by Samhain on 2^nd June. Tamara proves in this interview that not only is her writing a thing of beauty but she can also turn some very mediocre questions into an extremely interesting interview.

I will be publishing my review of Spore the following night, Tuesday 26^th.

Please pop along to the blog and show your support for a lady who makes her debut on Confessions of a Reviewer after a debut in my reading pile. I can assure you though, it will not be the last.

REVIEW: Kristopher Rufty - The Lurking Season

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Publication Date: 3^rd February 2015

Pages: 339

MY REVIEW:

This review of The Lurking Season by Kristopher Rufty is the result of a copy sent to Ginger Nuts of Horror in exchange for an honest review.

I have previously read The Night Everything Changed by Mr Rufty. This is a short which introduces us to the Haunchies. I loved it, so jumped at the chance to read and review this one.

I have seen some people complain that this is a sequel and is not advertised as such. I didn’t know that either. You don’t need to. It stands up very well by itself without reading the previous one.

Whispers have been in the air for decades about the little people that live in the woods surrounding Doverton. They are supposed to be vicious beyond belief. Some of the stories are horrific nightmares. Outsiders don’t tend to know them though.

A group of people are renovating an old house in the area. They are planning to use it as a retreat for people who have suffered abuse of many kinds. A place of sanctuary. A place to recuperate. A place surrounded by evils they have no idea exists. The house they have bought used to belong to the “queen” of the Haunchies. They don’t like the idea people have moved in. They want to claim the house back. At any cost.

REVIEW: Todd Keisling - Ugly Little Things: Volume One

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Precipice Books

Publication Date: 3^rd Feb 2015

Pages: 150

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Ugly Little Things: Volume One was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Todd Keisling in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by Precipice Books.

I have read one other short story by Todd Keisling in the past so I was delighted when he asked if I would like to review Ugly Little Things: Volume One

This is a collection of four of his short stories. The stories in this book don’t follow a common theme. They are totally different styles and that to me makes it even more interesting. You get a true picture of depth of talent this man has. I have included my feelings of each story in this collection.

RADIO FREE NOWHERE

Conrad and Ashley are on a road trip. Ashley left the IPOD at home and the music on the radio is pathetic. Conrad doesn’t know but she did it on purpose. His music is pathetic as well.

When they stop for gas, Ashley is entranced by a song she hears playing inside the station. The attendant tries to give her some ear plugs so she can block out the music. She doesn’t understand why and refuses them.

She should have listened to him.

REVIEW: J.D. Barker - Forsaken

Genre: Horror / Witchcraft

Publisher: Hampton Creek Press

Publication Date: 14^th Nov 2014    

Pages: 388

MY REVIEW:

Forsaken by J.D. Barker has been on my Goodreads “wish list” for a long long time. Other things just kept getting in the way of me acquiring it and reading it. When a friend of mine and fellow blogger/reviewer, Maxine Groves, messaged me to let me know she was helping with the promo for the book and would I be interested in a review copy, I decided enough with the waiting and let’s get it in the “near future” to be read pile. Why the hell did I wait so long! Thanks Maxine (she knows her books people) you have just reminded me why I need to follow my gut when it comes to a book.

Thad McAlister is an author. He struggled to begin with but now he is at the top of the New York Times bestsellers list. He has just finished his latest book. It wasn’t very hard to write. In fact it sometimes felt as though he didn’t write it at all. It is based around the witch trials in Salem in 1692. Is it fiction? Is it fact? Is it something completely different?

As he leaves for New York to meet his agent to pass over the manuscript, His wife Rachael and daughter Ashley stay at home waiting on the birth of their second child. Unbeknown to Rachael, her husband is in grave danger when he arrives in New York, being hunted by an ancient evil. Unbeknown to Thad, his wife and daughter are in grave danger in their own home, threatened by the same ancient evil.

She has been banished since 1692. She wants to come back. She intends to use Thad and his family for just that purpose. Suddenly Thad’s work of fiction becomes reality.

REVIEW: Stephen Kozeniewski - Braineater Jones

Genre: Horror / Noir / Zombies / Fantasy

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC

Publication Date: 14^th Oct 2013

Pages: 234

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Braineater Jones was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Stephen Kozeniewski in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.

Another new one on me. Never heard of Stephen Kozeniewski before he sent me this through Confessions, for a review. I love it when new authors (to me) take the time to contact me and push their stuff for a review. You sometimes get stuff that, to be honest, I put down after a page or two. Sometimes you get stuff like this. Looks a bit bizarre and maybe not in your normal reading piles but worth a shot. Imagine my surprise when I noticed Mr Kozeniewski’s name in an anthology I started to read at the same time. Coincidence? I think more fate. After reading Braineater Jones I’m going to jump straight to his story in the anthology. He is rather bloody good.

A man awakes face down in a swimming pool. Well, he doesn’t really wake up. That’s because he is dead. The huge hole in his chest sort of points to that. He has no idea where he is, who he is, what happened to him or where he needs to go. He adopts the name of Braineater Jones and sets about tracking down his killer. His only friend, it appears, is an “undead” like himself. Problem is, he is only a head with no body and pretty useless in a bar brawl.

REVIEW: John Vamvas and Olga Montes - Wherewolves

Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal

Publisher: ---

Publication Date: 17^th Feb 2013

Pages: 210

MY REVIEW:

A copy of Wherewolves was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the authors John Vamvas and Olga Montes in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.

Again, never heard of John Vamvas or Olga Montes. They took a gamble and sent me a copy of their book for review. I took a gamble and read it. Did the gamble pay off?

A group of high school seniors are on a weekend camping trip organised by their (ex-army) school teacher. They are all kids of military personnel. A lot of them have an unpleasant history. Some it as a direct result of their teacher’s actions during a campaign. The two misfits of the class Jeffrey and Doris really don’t want to go. They fear that the rest of the class may cause them harm on the trip.

Once there, the teacher abandons them, leaving them to fend for themselves as a character building exercise. Or is that really his intentions? What are those weird animal growls they can here? Can there really be werewolves out here? What follows is a confused and bloody battle for survival. Will anyone make it?

This is a strange one. I hadn’t read up on anything to do with the story before picking it up to read. It might have explained a few things if I had.

REVIEW: Peter C Middleton - The Britannia Contagion (Britannia Chronicles Book 2)

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Publisher: Britannia Publications

Publication Date: 8^th Feb 2015

Pages: 353

MY REVIEW:

A copy of The Britannia Contagion was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the author Peter C Middleton in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.

If you haven’t already heard of Peter C Middleton or read any of his books, why the hell not? I have previously reviewed Book One of this series, The Britannia Conspiracy, here. If you haven’t already read Book One, I would recommend picking it up before tackling this one. It is not a necessity as this one stands up pretty well as a story of its own but it is better when you are familiar with the characters.

Someone has released the Bubonic Plague on London. Again. The modern day plague has been genetically modified and is much more deadly. Anyone who contracts it, initially develops an insatiable thirst for human blood. Within eight hours they will be dead.

The people who have released it have kidnapped, and infected the Prime Ministers daughter, Skye. Alexander Ackerman and his team of “Guardians” must track down the people responsible and find the cure before thousands, possibly millions will die. They must uncover secrets of past times to find clues that will help them defeat an ancient evil, before it is too late.

REVIEW: Marty Young - 809 Jacob Street

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Black Beacon Books

Publication Date: October 2013

Pages: 189

MY REVIEW:

This review of 809 Jacob Street by Marty Young is the result of a copy being sent to Confessions of a Reviewer in return for an honest review. This is said review.

Marty Young anyone? I had never heard of him but I’m sure some of you out there have, given his resume? No? Well I urge you to make it one of this year’s goals to read his stuff. You can’t go wrong with 809 Jacob Street as a starter!

Byron James is fourteen. He has moved to Parkton, Oregon from Australia. He has no friends apart from the two class outcasts who seem to have an unhealthy interest in monsters, the macabre and Parkton’s dark, secret past. They more or less force Byron into going with them to number 809 to prove whether monsters do or do not exist.

Joey Blue is a drifter. He loves the blues. He has found himself stuck in the rut that is Parkton as well. He is also being enticed to go to 809. It’s his old friend Gremlin that’s dragging him there. He has no idea why but he is slowly starting to believe in ghosts. You see Gremlin is dead.

What is so fascinating about the address? What really happened there in the past? Will Byron and Joey’s paths cross? Do the ghosts or monsters truly exist? Only 809 Jacob Street has the answers.

REVIEW: Shannon Kirk - Method 15/33

Closing off the Shannon Kirk interview weekend, this is my review of her debut novel, Method 15/33. This is out tomorrow guys. I urge you in the strongest possible way not to let this one go by without grabbing yourself a copy. It is simply superb!

I would just like to thank Shannon for taking the time to take part in this and answer my questions. I know it has been a very busy time for her and answering interview questions while on vacation shows real dedication. Please don't forget to  look for the "Buy here" buttons further down the page.

I hope you have enjoyed this weekends feature and will, of course, come back for more from Confessions of a Reviewer.

Thanks.

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publication Date: 5^th May 2015

Pages: 258

MY REVIEW:

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is published by Oceanview Publishing.

Ok it’s two for the price of one review day.

Review 1:

Just buy this (when it comes out tomorrow). No questions. No hesitations. You will thank me for it later.

Review 2:

Dorothy M. Salucci has been kidnapped. She is sixteen and heavily pregnant. She won’t prove to be the normal hostage victim. She won’t lie down begging for release.

She will be very calm and calculating in planning her escape and ultimate revenge on her kidnappers. FBI agent Roger Lui and his partner “Lola” have been given the case. It won’t be easy but with some luck on their side they just might make progress. They had best be quick because it’s not clear who will die first. Dorothy or the kidnappers.

INTERVIEW: SHANNON KIRK:AUTHOR OF METHOD 15/33: PART 2

Continuing on from where we left off last night, this is Part 2 of my interview with author of Method 15/33, Shannon Kirk.

In this part, Shannon continues to talk about her debut novel which is released this week. She will also be telling us about some of her influences, her hopes and dreams and also confronting The Ten Confessions.

Grab yourself another cold one, get some chocolate, most of all…..enjoy.

COAF - This is your debut novel. Can you possibly describe how you are feeling right now on the verge of publication?

SK - It’s a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s incredibly exciting, but at the same time nauseating. Getting the book published was obviously a huge hurdle, but nowadays, the author must also be working the business side a great deal. Self-promoting, promoting, promoting, promoting, and I’ve never had to do that before, so this is a great challenge for me. The very public nature of reviews, I had not prepared myself for how daunting that whole process is and how getting rejections from agents and publishers before may have been painful, but nowhere near the agony of reader rejection.

But you fall, you get up, you learn where to focus your attention and your energy or you get snagged down in the negative side, which is far smaller than the positive side.

The incredibly positive side and the side I’m trying hard to focus on is this wash of amazement and happiness I get knowing that I opened myself up to this adventure and because of that, my world is blossoming and unfolding. For example, I’ve met you, Nev. Granted, through the interwebs. But your reaction to Method 15/33 is a constant source of joy, lifts me up through this process, and makes it all worth it.  Another example is a lady who called me the other day. Her sister had been kidnapped (and is fine now), but she made herself read my book (not the kidnapped, the sister). Anyway, this woman made me cry because she said that not only was the book inspirational to her, because the main character is so strong, but also that she now wants to start reading again; before reading Method 15/33, she explained, she had not read in many years. Imagine how that made me feel? My heart felt like a hot loaf of bread in my chest and my face grew flush and then water came to my eyes.

Can’t beat that feeling.

INTERVIEW: SHANNON KIRK:AUTHOR OF METHOD 15/33: PART 1

You may not have heard of Shannon Kirk. I certainly hadn't before picking up a copy of her new book Method 15/33 from NetGalley a few months ago. I love discovering "new" authors. Well, new to me anyway. I was especially glad to have discovered this lady after I had finished reading the book.

It is a psychological thriller of the very best kind. I have reviewed the book and I will be posting that as well on Monday night but in the meantime, sit back and enjoy this interview with Shannon.

It is quite a long, in-depth interview so I have split it over two nights. Part 2 will come tomorrow night. The book itself is officially launched on 5th May. In the interview, Shannon tells us about her life growing up all over America. She also talks about writing, both her own and the writing that has influenced her over the years. She will also, of course, take on The Ten Confessions.

As is always the case with my interviews, go grab yourself a nice cold one, get some nibbles and most of all........enjoy!

COAF - So tell everyone a bit about yourself in general?

SK - I used to describe myself as a six-foot supermodel with superpowers, but now I lie and tell people I am what they see: a short brunette with vague, sometimes functional, mom powers. I keep the lights on by working as a lawyer.

I have two serious addictions that I do not try to curb: coffee and buying books. My husband is a medical physicist paddle-boarder, my son a basketball-loving eleven year old. We have two cats, Stewie Poe and Marvin Marquez, named after my writing influences. My son claims Marvin’s real name is Marvin Gardens, after the Monopoly property. We quarrel about this. When not working or writing or taking my son to basketball, I try to create seaglass sculptures. (Pictures below)

Random things about me: I wish I had gone to NYU film school, but I don’t know a damn thing about making films. I love to travel to new places. I can’t sing. I like only milk chocolate, white and dark can _ _ _ _ off. I’m anti-raisins. Why would you put raisins in anything? My ultimate dream day would be this: Get up, drink gigantic, perfectly-calibrated coffee on Italian coast in a villa perched over the sea. Write all morning to the sound of waves and Ray LaMontagne songs. Late lunch of Chianti, cheese, fried Zucchini flowers, and bread with my husband and son. Read out on the villa’s porch. Get ready for La Boheme, being performed at La Scala in Milan, by putting on a blood-red Valentino gown. Drive up to Milan in a black on black on black, assassin-style Audi.

REVIEW: Simon R Green - The Dark Side of The Road.

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Mystery / Paranormal

Publisher: Severn House Publishers

Publication Date: 1^st May 2015

Pages: 224

MY REVIEW:

I received an advance copy of The Dark Side of the Road from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is published by Severn House Publishers.

Simon R Green. Another new one on me. Picked this up after seeing a few friends had enjoyed it and thought I would too. I’m still undecided as to whether I did or not.

Ishmael Jones works for the “Organisation”. His boss/handler is simply known as “The Colonel”. Ishmael takes his jobs from The Colonel. Jobs that involve hunting people down. Jobs that sometimes involve killing these people. He is sort of like the James Bond of the dark world.

The Colonel unexpectedly invites Ishmael to his family home, Belcourt Manor, for Christmas. Ishmael has no idea why. All he knows is the Colonel is scared of some dark horror that has come to Belcourt Manor. He wants Ishmael to seek it out and destroy it.

By the time he arrives The Colonel is missing and Ishmael is surrounded by strangers with secrets. One of them is a killer. Ishmael needs to closely guard his own secrets while trying to figure out who the killer is, and try and stop them before they strike again.