On The Other Side series by Denise Grover Swank

 On The Other Side is a two book series by Denise Grover Swank, called Here and There.

The blurb says:

Sixteen-year-old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before.

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months.

When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from.

Julia is a 16yo school kid who hates her life.  Six months ago she was in a car crash with her late best friend, and now she just wants to be left alone.  School is doing nothing for her, she's failing all her classes because she cannot see the point anymore, so she is given an ultimatum - have a tutor and catch up or leave for remedial school.

Evan is the most popular boy at school, and he volunteers to tutor Julia. As they become close, it appears that they were destined to be together after some unexplained coincidences. However, all is not as it seems.  As the police start to chase Evan, he wants to know if Julia will trust him and come home with him.

I read both these books in a couple of days, so it makes sense for me to review them together. 

As always, these are really well written by Swank.  I've read a fair few of her books now, and I always look forward to reading them as I get totally immersed into the new worlds. This book isn't as hard hitting as some YA that I've read - there's no sex, no swearing and mild violence - but that doesn't make it less enjoyable.  As I was reading through, I kept wanting to discover what was next for our heroes.

The ending of the second book allows for scope for future books, though I think the author has done well to leave it there.  If you enjoy sci fi, and enjoy these books, you may also enjoy the classic 90s TV series, Sliders.

Playing Dirty by Andrew R Williams

 Playing Dirty is part of a series of books, but I read it as a standalone.

The blurb says:

"Honey Pursamon has a brief - and the file of names is huge!

Set the honey trap! Lure the opposition into bed, get lurid photos and destroy them, one by one!

The Slash and Byrne Progressive Party want to take over the House of Commons, starting with a sleazy sex scandal code-named Operation Trouser Snake. Slash & Byrne also organise a gas attack on Parliament. Who will survive?

Using Ambronootrop to make their members more intelligent and to move along the evolution of the human race, S&B will stoop to new depths."

I actually really enjoyed it. It's very gripping, and very easy to read. Initially I found it a little tricky to keep all the characters straight in my head, but that sorted itself out swiftly enough. I liked all the intricacy and duplicity in the plot. 

Given the prologue, I would have liked Angela to get some kind of revenge/see the downfall of S&B party, but I'm guessing that will be in later books. I didn't feel lost because I hadn't read Superior.  However, I would recommend reading Jim's Revenge and then Superior before reading this one, as the context helps.

Overall, my only disappointment is that the rest of the series hasn't been written yet, and I want to know what happens next!

My Books of 2022

 Happy New Year!

And thank you for letting me have the last year off blogging.  I'll update you all with everything eventually, but for now lets concentrate on the most important things: Books!

I actually read 52 books (1 isn't currently on goodreads), though there were two books that I confess that I didn't finish.  I decided that life it soo short to persevere with books that are either too slow or too boring, when there is so much more out there that I want to read!

I should also say, that though I am going to separate out all the books that I have read this year below, the links won't work until I have written up the reviews.  And I know that some of you are still waiting for the reviews of the books that I read in 2021.  Hopefully, now that I have a bit more time (she says, on the first bank holiday of the year), I'll get around to catching up and filling those in too.

You will notice that some of these books are from my recent A-Z Challenge but that I haven't finished this list.  That's because, when my daughter was going in for her heart surgery, I made sure to download a load of free boxsets.  As they are currently on my kindle, these are what I have been going through more recently.  And I have recently joined my local book club, so I'll be reading two 'random' books each month too.  The first meeting I'm attending is tomorrow, so wish me luck!

So here is the list of books that I read in 2022, though I may have the order slightly wrong in some places. 
For those who prefer visuals, there is a picture below.

Fiction:

• Exodus by Andreas Christensen
• Aurora by Andreas Christensen
• Genesis by Andreas Christensen
• When the Smoke Clears by Lynette Eason
• When a Heart Stops by Lynette Eason
• When a Secret Kills by Lynette Eason
• American Gods by Neil Gaiman
• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
• The Monarch of the Glen by Neil Gaiman
• Black Dog by Neil Gaiman
• The Last Safe Place by Ninie Hammon
• The Crown of Thorns by Ian C P Irvine
• Hidden byt Megg Jensen
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• A Single Step by Georgia Rose
• Reckoning by Megg Jensen
• Hunted by Megg Jensen
• Before The Dawn by Georgia Rose
• The Wedding Pact Boxset by Denise Grover Swank
• Wicked Words by M J Scott
• Patterns in the Dark by Lindsay Buroker
• Pale-Eyed Mage by Jennifer Ealey
• Torn by O M Faure
• Untied by O M Faure
• Chosen by O M Faure
• Thicker than Water by Georgia Rose
• Soul Blade by Lindsay Buroker
• Dragon Blood 1-3 Boxsetby Lindsay Buroker
• Shattered Past by Lindsay Buroker
• Oaths by Lindsay Buroker
• Raptor by Lindsay Buroker
• The Fowl Proposal by Lindsay Buroker
• Heritage of Power Boxset by Lindsay Buroker
• Playing Dirty by Andrew R Williams
• The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan
• Falling by T J Newman
• Jim's Revenge by Andrew R Williams
• Superior by Andrew R Williams
• Andalusia by David Harvey
• The Dark Insite by Solomon Carter
• The Singapore Grip by J G Ferrell

Non-Fiction:

• English Legal System by Emily Finch and Stefan Fafinski
• Legal Profession - Is it for you? by V Charles Ward
• Watching Neighbours Twice a Day by Josh Widdicombe
• Helping your Child with a Physical Health Condition
• Older and Wider by Jenny Eclair
• Parsnips: Buttered by Joe Lycett
• Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Christian Inspirational:

• The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian D McLaren
• Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey
• The Message: New Testament by Eugene H Peterson

My books of 2021

 

Last year, I set myself the target of reading 50 books, which I hit.  I think I've actually read a couple more than 52, as I still (sorry!) have some reviews to write up, and I don't always add them to Goodreads if I haven't done the review.  If you are a Goodreads user, feel free to click this link to follow me there too.

This next year, I've set myself the even more modest target of 24 books in a year.  This is because I barely wait whilst the girls are dancing anymore, so I have less time to read actually structured into my week.  I also (before last week) hadn't read anything since about October.  I had less free time, and in December you have to watch as many made-for-TV crappy Christmas movies as you can.  It's the law.

Here's a pictorial summary of all the reading I did last year, and I'll give a link to each review below.

Fiction

• The Dark Side of the Sun by Terry Pratchett
  
• Red White and Blues by Rysa Walker
  
• Ember by Jessica Sorensen
  
• Forgotten by Don and Stephanie Prichard
  
• Genesis Code by Eliza Green
  
• Happiness is a Smoking Gun by Alaine Allister
  
• I Spy, I Saw Her Die by Ian C. P. Irvine
  
• Juliette and the Monday ManDates by Becky Doughty
  
• Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
  
• Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson
  
• The Legacy of the Key by S L Morgan
  
• Mouse Tails by Sonny Collins
  
• Nocturne by Kat Ross (The Fourth Talisman Series)
  
• Out of a Dream by Rosemary Hines
  
• Pancakes and Corpses by Agatha Frost
  
• Quantum by Patricia Cornwell
• Rift by Andreas Christensen
  
• Season of Hope by Dayo Benson
  
• Taste by Mary E Twomey
  
• Ugly Girl by Mary E Twomey
  
• The Vine Witch by Luanne G Smith
  
• The Wave at Hanging Rock by Gregg Dunnett
  
• Yesterday by Amanda Tru
  
• Meadowlark by Melanie Abrams
• Brainrush by Richard Bard

Non-Fiction

• Trim Healthy Mama Plan by Barrett and Allison
  
• I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna
  
• The Diet Trap Solution by Beck & Beck
  
• The Obesity Code by Jason Fung
  

Christian Inspirational

• Women Rising by Meghan Tschanz
  
• Finding Intimacy With Jesus Made Simple by Matthew Robert Payne
  

Yesterday by Amanda Tru

This is the last book in my A-Z Challenge (yes, I'm aware it is only Y, but I'm trying not to buy more books until I have finished all the ones I already have, lol).

The blurb says: 

Her yesterday was five years ago. What will her tomorrow bring?

When HANNAH KRAEGER saves a family injured in a car accident, she has no idea she has changed events in the past. Waking the next morning, Hannah discovers her yesterday was really five years ago.

Each trip Hannah takes through time changes the timeline and her own life. With help from DR. SETH MCALLISTER, Hannah must unravel the mystery of why she time travels and who she actually is before the strange ability costs her future, the man she loves, and even her life.

What I found interesting about this time travel book is that the time travel is not instantaneous.  What I mean, is that when Hannah finds herself back in time, the timeline she left continues so to those around her it looks like she has run away or left.  It also means that she ages at the correct rate for her personal timeline, rather than living life in the past, coming back to the present/future and have aged for no reason to her friends and family.

This book is a sweet romance with a time travel twist. I'm not sure whether to class it as Fantasy or SciFi since the time travel is not because of a machine but because of divine intervention - so I've labelled it as both on the side. >>>

I did enjoy this book.  I liked trying to work out how the stories of the different characters interacted.  I liked seeing whether the romance between Hannah and Seth would blossom and how it was impacted due to her changing things in the past.  It's a nice book.

Rift by Andreas Christensen

 

As I read a lot of free kindle books, many are self-published, and many are the result of writing competitions.  When that happens, I find it interesting to see how common starting points can result in totally differing books.  Now, I don't know if that has happened with Rift, but there are definite initial similarities to The Hunger Games: Once a year a group of newly graduated (from High School) students get selected for Service to the State.  The students don't get a choice in where they serve, or whether they serve, but get taken from their home towns and villages for the greater good.

The blurb says:

In the ruins of what was once North America lays the Covenant, a nation forged by the iron will of the Moon people, who descended from their dusty refuge on the Moon after the Fall. The Moon people are wealthy, ruled by a strong government who protects its citizens from the dangers from outside their borders. Their greatest achievement is having learned the secret of immortality, and every citizen has the opportunity to live nearly forever if they choose to, a life of riches and abundance.

The English are the descendants of the original inhabitants of this place, and they live very different lives from that of the Moon people. They only live to serve the greater good, and citizenship is something few have the opportunity to earn. At the age of fifty all non-citizens are subjected to mandatory euthanasia. In order to maintain a sustainable society, they are told.

Every year a number of girls and boys at the age of eighteen are selected for Service to the State. The brightest and most talented are sent to become Students. The strong, the fighters and the athletes become Janissaries, a band of soldiers protecting the northern border from the enemies of the Covenant. The Wardens, a secretive organization known to operate far to the west, near the Rift, which makes up the border to the wastelands, sometimes choses one or two initiates, but nobody knows what becomes of them. And then there is the Corpus, where the whip rules and backs are bent.

Those who complete their Service, may become citizens. And although they will never be equal to the Moon people, they will have access to all the riches and opportunities granted by the Covenant leadership to its citizens.

As Sue is nearing Selection Day, she secretly hopes to be chosen, despite having to leave her mother and brother behind. She doesn't crave glory or wealth though. A man or woman with citizen status can do a lot of good, and although few return to their home towns, Sue hopes to return to give her family a better life on the other side of Service.

But the Covenant is rotten to the core, and as she begins to learn its secrets, Sue must question everything she has always taken for granted. Soon she will find herself in dire peril, for she has seen the truth and there will be no turning back after that...

This science fiction dystopian trilogy is set more than two centuries after the events of Exodus, in a future dystopian society forged from the ashes of global disaster.

Yeah yeah, I know that my two favourite genres are SciFi and dystopia, so when I come across a book that starts a series I will get absorbed and buy the whole series.  I know that it will be of no surprise to you to discover that has happened again, and I ended up buying and reading Covenant and Legacy too, but it had to be done - honest!!

So, Rift follows the story of Sue.  She is well educated and wants to go into Service so she can eventually become a Citizen and help her family have a better life.  She becomes an initiate to the Janissaries - military service designed to keep the English and the Moon people safe from the French and other outsiders, thankful to have avoided service to the Corpus - chain gangs used to mine the earth for raw materials often resulting in illness and death.

During her time with the Janissaries, Sue becomes captured by the French and is treated humanely in a hospital - nothing like the monsters and imagery that she has been fed with.  She discovers more corruption and starts to question everything to do with the Covenant and the Moon people - the saviours and masters of the English.

An amazing series.  The author is really good at conveying the emotion, thrilling, cliff-hangers and menace as you get your head around this future dystopia for Earth. Loved it.

I hadn't actually realised that this series is a sequel to The Exodus Trilogy, and not having the previous knowledge, did not distract from this series at all.  I have added the previous series to my wishlist.

 

Quantum by Patricia Cornwell

 Q in my A-Z of Fiction Titles is Quantum.  

The blurb says:

On the eve of a top secret space mission, Captain Calli Chase detects a tripped alarm in the tunnels deep below a NASA research center. A NASA pilot, quantum physicist, and cybercrime investigator, Calli knows that a looming blizzard and government shutdown could provide the perfect cover for sabotage, with deadly consequences.

As it turns out, the danger is worse than she thought. A spatter of dried blood, a missing security badge, a suspicious suicide—a series of disturbing clues point to Calli’s twin sister, Carme, who’s been MIA for days.

Desperate to halt the countdown to disaster and to clear her sister’s name, Captain Chase digs deep into her vast cyber security knowledge and her painful past, probing for answers to her twin’s erratic conduct. As time is running out, she realizes that failure means catastrophe—not just for the space program but for the safety of the whole nation.

 I don't think I've read any of Patricia Cornwell's books before, though I'm well aware she is a prolific and well-revered author.

The thriller side of this book I enjoyed.  Trying to work out what is going on with Carme as well as finding out why there was a suicide and the mystery of the tripped alarm.  However, I didn't see the point of the NASA background, the rocket launch and all that side of thing.  I get that it's just the backing for the story, yet it seemed so irrelevant, that the story could have been situated elsewhere and nothing much would be lost.

There is also no ending to the book.  I understand the idea of ending on a cliff-hanger, but I much rather books that have some sort of ending, with an epilogue/final chapter that introduces the cliff-hanger.  This book, however, simply doesn't end.

Overall, I'm just disappointed by this book.  Reading other reviews however, have shown me that even Cornwell fans didn't like this book, so that gives me hope should I ever decide to read one of her other series.

I've put the next book on my wishlist, just because I want to know how the story ends, but there are a load of books on my wishlist that I will be buying before the next one. 
(For new readers to my blog - hello, and welcome!  After discovering I had nearly 1000 unread books on my kindle [I love a freebie!], I'm now working through them, refusing to buy any more books until these are read and down to a decent level.  I'm getting there, with only 660 still to go, lol.  The only exception to my no-buying rule, is if a book is so amazing, then I do tend to buy the rest of the series and live in that world for a week or two...)

Book Organisation

Ok, so I have gone through all my past Book Reviews and tried to classify them, so that if you wanted to find a certain type of book that would be easy to do now.  All you have to do is look at the Word Cloud on the right, squint a bit, and then choose the genre you're looking for.

If you have read something based on my recommendation and think that I have missed a classification (from the list below), please comment and I will add it.  Depending where you read, there are 7 or 8 main classifications of genre (I have made sure I covered them all) but there are also 150+ subgenres and classifications that I can't always see the difference between.  As such, some things you'll have to give me artistic license for, such as grouping Paranormal under Fantasy, rather than giving it its own classification.  And I'm surprised to see that despite reading a load of Stephen King and James Herbert as a teen, I haven't got any Horror listed.  That's probably the only addition that I would make.

And, you will notice that some of the links give more than just books listed, especially in the non-fiction list, but you'll just have to cope with scrolling down to find the books for those.

So here is the list of classifications, so that if you did want to find something quickly, you can either click the link below, or the word cloud.

Fiction:
Adventure
Chick-Lit
Childrens
Classic
Cosy
Dystopia
Fantasy
Horror (No link yet, as there are no books yet)
Mystery
Romance
Sci-Fi
Thriller
YA

Non-Fiction:
Bible
Childrens
Christianity
Feminism
Non-Fiction
Real Life
Recipe
Weightloss

The Legacy of the Key by S L Morgan

 We're finally back on track with my A-Z of Fiction Titles with L being The Legacy of the Key.

The blurb says:

Reece Bryant’s life changes forever when a powerful and enigmatic stranger takes her from earth and into a fascinating new world.

Reece is forced to question exactly who this mysterious man is. Why is he so powerful and what makes him alluring in a fascinating way?

Her focus swiftly changes from the man who brought her to this world, to why she was targeted by him in the first place.

The comfort of her human life is tossed into a whirlwind of destruction when she learns the truth of who she really is.

How can you go from being an average every day college student that suddenly learns you’re the most hunted individual on the planet?

I did enjoy this book.  By choosing the book based on title, I hadn't read the blurb, so as it started, I was expecting the man, Levi, to be an angel, but that wasn't to be.  Also, because I hadn't read the blurb, I didn't realise how strongly this book was meant to be a love story.  It is a romance, and that wasn't lost, but my main criticism was that both Reece and Levi profess their love for each other too soon.  She fancied him, and then after one kiss it was suddenly true love.  I think the true love stuff could have waited until later in the book.

Anyway, this book starts with Reece, a medical student who is having to sort out her dad's affairs after his recent death.  She keeps spotting two well dressed, unusually handsome, men wherever she goes, but not everyone appears to be able to see them, or at least, not react to the weird things that happens around them.  In a bid to get back to normality, she goes for a run in the morning and finds herself being attacked by muggers and then saved by one of the men, who announces that if she doesn't go with him immediately, her life will be in danger from the people who arranged the muggers...

As if that wasn't enough to take in, Reece discovers that there are multiple dimensions, and multiple planets and races within these dimensions.  All of these converge on Earth, as the gateway between the different dimensions.  However, one race is power-obsessed, and seeks to find the Key in order to control the gateways between worlds.

I enjoyed the fantasy element of the story, and I liked the cosy romance and old-fashioned gentlemanliness and protocols within the book.  It isn't a straight romance either, and there is deception and intrigue, jealousy and rivalry all mixed up in this fantasy world that isn't that much difference to our own.

This is Book 1 of a 4-book series, and I have added the rest to my Wishlist.

Genesis Code by Eliza Green

Genesis Code is G in my series of A-Z of Fiction Titles. It's a story that focusses on 3 different locations: Earth, Exilon 5 and beneath the surface of Exilon 5.

The blurb says:

Investigator Bill Taggart will stop at nothing to find his missing wife. But standing between him and the truth is a secretive alien species on a distant planet. When his government pushes him to observe the species ahead of plans to relocate Earth’s population, Bill veers off course and straight into the path of one alien.

The surprising confrontation forces Bill to question whether the investigation into the savage species is needed. But when official government intel disagrees with the cold hard facts, he worries there might be another reason for the relocation plans.

A snap government order leaves the investigator in limbo and facing off against a new enemy that is more dangerous than the first. Worse, this enemy appears to live close to home.

A devastating set of plans is soon revealed that will destroy the lives on two worlds. And Bill is caught in the middle. Can he stop chasing ghosts long enough to save humanity from the real enemy?

I really enjoyed this book, and the next in the series is already on my wishlist.  It is set in the future when pollution on Earth has got so bad, that the human race has no choice but to relocate.  After searching the skies, Exilon 5 is a planet that would be perfect after a bit of terraforming.  Unfortunately, there is already a species that lives there, who are then forced underground.  The Indigenes want to know why people have taken over their planet and what they can do to stop themselves being wiped out.

Red White and Blues by Rysa Walker

This is the sequel to the prequel series of the Chronos Books.  I read and reviewed Now, Then and Every When last September, and loved the book so much that I pre-ordered the next in the Chronos Origins series.  It was finally finished and delivered to my Kindle, so I just had to read it, even though it's not part of my A-Z challenge.

This book is as good as the first!

The blurb says:

The United States’ past is hijacked in a time-warping adventure of future interdimensional, high-risk games by the bestselling author of the CHRONOS series.

History is turned inside out when off-world travelers challenge Tyson Reyes and Madi Grace to a real-life game of Temporal Dilemma. Three rounds from the opponents and Hitler takes Europe, Pearl Harbor never happens, a fascist cloud hangs over the postwar United States, and CHRONOS itself is erased from existence.

Now Tyson, Madi, and a team of seasoned players must make their moves—in 1930s New York. Jazz and the blues waft from Village clubs. The World’s Fair draws assassins. Madison Square Garden hosts Nazis. And the Manhattan Project never gets off the ground.

Tyson and Madi have only three days to undo the strategy that changed the tides of war and the fate of the world. A surprise survivor from CHRONOS could be their best hope for flipping the timeline. If he’s on their side. But can they risk trusting him when the past, the future, and the lives of millions hang in the balance?

I really don't want to say too much about this book, for fear of giving away spoilers, but it is mind-bending, and incredibly well-written.  If you haven't read the first book, read that first, just so you can jump right into this one without too much hesitancy.  I have not yet read any of the Chronos Files series, but have added them to my wishlist, as I know once I start reading them, I won't be able to put them down.

 

The Forever Man: Book 1: Pulse by Craig Zerf

 Pulse by Craig Zerf is the last book in my alphabet challenge, and it was a good one to end on!

The blurb says:

His training prepared him for anything. This invasion will test his limits…

American Embassy, London. Master Gunnery Sergeant Nate Hogan stands for integrity. But he’s not equipped to face violent solar flares that decimate the population, plunging survivors into war and chaos. Following a strange compulsion to leave his post for Scotland, Hogan discovers massive radiation from the cosmic disaster has transformed him into a superhuman.

But after a savage army of Orcs arrives in the UK through a rift in time and space, he’s hopelessly outnumbered by the bloodthirsty horde. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, he embarks on a desperate quest to alter the course of history.

Can Master Gunny Hogan win a one-man war against a powerful foe and prevent the end of humanity?

As I chose this book based on author's name, I hadn't read the blurb until I copied it just now.  I have to say, though, that I don't think this is a good write-up, as by the end of the book, the army of Orcs haven't actually invaded yet...

To me, this is a book of 2 stories, and as yet (probably because they haven't interacted) they are almost totally distinct.  

Firstly, you have the post-apocalyptic fiction: a Pulse of unknown origin, leaving the sky looking like the Northern Lights, has occurred, wiping out all electrical devices.  Cars stop on the motorway, planes fall out of the sky, and humans are plunged back into the dark ages, and with that, a loss of civilisation.  Master Gunnery Sergeant Nathaniel Hogan decides that his best course of action is to leave the American Embassy in London, where he was stationed, and to head north.  On his way, he comes across a private boarding school and stays to help them defend themselves against potential looters and discovers that he is The Forever Man.

This story is amazing.  It is really horrific in places (not graphic, but not suitable for younger teens) as you see the worst of human kind.  There are some characters that restore your faith in humanity too, as they band together to help each other and those less fortunate than themselves.  Some of the characters are a bit stereotypical - Americans who think they'll solve the pulse after a day or two, an Irish priest who likes his drink a bit too much... and it annoyed my unnecessarily that one of the character's name is spelled wrong (I can understand it, because I imagine a lot of people don't realise it's pronounced Keeva, but I daresay that Irish travellers would actually spell the name Caoimhe), but tbf, that is me nit-picking.

Secondly, you have the story of aliens: Stereotypical grey, humanoid aliens are in a war with an Elven army, when the Life Light disappears.  The Life Light is the source of their magiks (sic) so they determine that they need to pack up and follow the Life Light across the universe, as they have many times before. The realise the Life Lights have moved to Earth, so gather together their army of Orcs and Trolls and prepare to invade Earth.

This story is just a bit random.  I get, from the description, that this book is meant to be "genre-bending", but these two stories are so separate, I feel that they should be separated.  What species are these aliens? Why are they in a war with Elves? Why are they using Orcs and Trolls and other created creatures?  As none of these questions are answered, I feel that this first book could have not mentioned the aliens at all, and it would be better.  Or, because you want to introduce them before the second book, maybe an epilogue introducing the aliens and the start of their journey to Earth.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this book, and I have added the rest of the series to my wishlist.  I want to find out what happens next to The Forever Man, and see whether he helps many other people.  This book hints at his destiny (and the blurb says he is to go up and fight against the invading aliens) so I do want to know what happens next. 
I just need to get through the majority of the unread books on my kindle first.

Now, Then and Every When by Rysa Walker

This was my W in my alphabetical list, and I guessed by the title it would be about time travel.
I wasn't wrong.

This book follows the story of Madi, who is living in her grandfather's home in the year 2136.  He was a prolific writer, though there is mystery surrounding his works as some people don't believe he actually was the author of everything he wrote, due to differing styles and topics. One day, she finds something emitting a light in the back garden - she digs it up, and it's a medallion.  She can see it is emitting a light, but other people can only see a dull piece of metal.  Madi realises this medallion is a CHRONOS key and she can use it to travel through time and space.

I'm not going to go through too much of the plot, because I don't want to give it away - not least for those of you who realise that this series is a prequel, so already know some of the characters.  I didn't realise it was a prequel, so read this in it's own right.

The blurb says:

When two time-traveling historians cross paths during one of the most tumultuous decades of the twentieth century, history goes helter-skelter. But which one broke the timeline?

In 2136 Madison Grace uncovers a key to the origins of CHRONOS, a time-travel agency with ties to her family’s mysterious past. Just as she is starting to jump through history, she returns to her timeline to find millions of lives erased—and only the people inside her house realize anything has changed.

In 2304 CHRONOS historian Tyson Reyes is assigned to observe the crucial events that played out in America’s civil rights movement. But a massive time shift occurs while he’s in 1965, and suddenly the history he sees isn’t the history he knows.

As Madi’s and Tyson’s journeys collide, they must prevent the past from being erased forever. But strange forces are at work. Are Madi and Tyson in control or merely pawns in someone else’s game?

The beginning is slightly complicated in its style, as it flips between three time zones (2100s, 2300s and the 1960s), inter-spaced between the chapters are quotes from various historical documents, which hint towards a Genetics War, a company called CHRONOS, and a "virtual reality" game called Temporal Dilemma.  However, once you get used to this, the story is really gripping. 

I loved it.  There is so much going on, and I'm sure if you were aware of the original series it would be even better, but as a standalone, it was great.  There is so much going on, and it is interesting to read about things in the past, and seeing things in the future written-as-past, as well as things in the far-future.  

In fact, my main annoyance with this book is that this series is a prequel and Book 2 of this series isn't out until JANUARY 2021!! I have already pre-ordered it, but it's ages until January!  Additionally, because I know there a series that comes after this one, I don't want to start reading those, because I'd like to finish reading the prequels, beforehand.

Gah! Life is hard when authors don't write fast enough! 😉😆

Tomorrow's Guardian by Richard Denning

Tomorrow's Guardian is another children/teen's book, and is D in my series of choosing books based on author's name.  I think the reason I have so many kids books in my to-read list, is because every now and then I come across lists of "30 books every bibliophile should read", "50 books everyone should read before they are 50", and recently a "books every child should read before they are 21".  I add them to my wishlist, thinking that my girls may want to read them one day.  Of course, they don't want to.  At some point I get notified that books on my wishlist are free, so I "buy" them given the chance, and they automatically get added to the to-read list on my kindle.  And since they sound good, at some point I actually download them to read them - like this one - without realising until I actually start reading that they are aimed at children, and not 30-something year old adults...

The blurb says:

Experiencing disturbing episodes of déjà-vu, eleven year old Tom believes he is going mad. Then, he meets the adventurer Septimus Mason, who shows him that he is a “Walker” – someone who can transport himself to other times and places.

Septimus explains that these abilities could be removed leaving him, once more, an ordinary schoolboy. Given the hurt these talents have caused, the choice would seem easy enough, but it is not so simple.

In dreams, Tom has experienced life as other “Walkers” in times of mortal danger: Edward Dyson killed at the Battle of Isandlwana, 1879; Mary Brown who perished in the Great Fire of London, 1666; and finally Charlie Hawker, a sailor who was drowned on a U-boat in 1943.

Reluctantly agreeing to travel back in time and rescue them, Tom has three dangerous adventures before returning to the present day.

Tom’s troubles have only just started, however, for he has now drawn the attention of powerful individuals who seek to use him to change history and to bend it to their will. This leads to a struggle wherein Tom’s family are obliterated from existence and Tom must make a choice between saving them and saving his entire world.

The Hourglass Institute Series is a Time Travel adventure for Young Adults: Time Travel Sounds like fun until you try it.

Prepare yourself for a thrilling dash through history as your read about the adventures of Tom and the Hourglass Institute.

Without overstating it, I was blown away by this book.  Yes, it is aimed at teens or young adults, but there is a lot going on within it.  There is the sci-fi aspect of the time travel, or since it is an innate talent of the Walker it could be seen as magic with a fantasy genre.  It also has aspects of historical fiction, as Tom goes back in time to different periods; horror due to living/experiencing the deaths of other Walkers from the past, and the story describes a dystopian future of what could be if our history was to be altered.

As I am trying to read all the books on my kindle and not by more, I have 'only' added the sequel to my wishlist, rather than buying it outright; but I look forward to reading the next in Tom's adventures when I do start buying books again.  (I am also trying to encourage my girls to read this book, so that they get absorbed by this book and provide me with the excuse of buying the next one earlier, lol.)

The Empty Door by E R Mason

The blurb for The Empty Door says:

Cassiopia Cassell’s high IQ had always been too much for the men she’d dated. But now her beloved father was missing, and the only way to rescue him required she retain the services of a man with special abilities, a man she did not care for, and one she would have to convince to accompany her through an unexplained portal that led to dangers beyond imagination.

This book for me was a mixed bag.  It has tonnes of potential and some really good ideas.  Unfortunately, it seems to be two books in one.  There's one storyline which has this artefact that causes people to see their true being (and therefore the suicides of some bad guys).  Simultaneously, there's the storyline with the missing physicist, hidden experiments and a portal to another world.  Each of these plots has potential to be great books in their own right, I just don't understand why they've been put together?

That said, I have put book 2 on my wishlist, so it can't have been that bad.  I just hope this book focuses on the Cassiopia/SciFi side of things...

The Ravagers by Alex Albrinck

I've still been working through my list of books from my old kindle that I had bought, but hadn't read.  Now I have a new one, there's a feature where I can automatically see all the books that I have and haven't read, so I don't need to keep my paper list any more.  Anyway, The Ravagers by Alex Albrinck was next on my list to read, so I have read it this month.  Having read previous books by him, I knew I wouldn't be able to put this down, and I wasn't wrong.

The blurb says:

In the distant future, humanity staggers as wave after wave of population decimating catastrophes push humanity near its extinction point.

A gift from the past provides them a way forward, and soon the human race is exploding its numbers, recreating civilization, generating art and commerce, and expanding its technological capabilities. The growing human civilization also bring back the concepts of war; East and West wage an eternal detente, neither side willing to attack, neither willing to announce peace.

In the midst of resounding success, a dark force conspires against humanity: the unleashing of a shockingly deadly, destructive weapon that will leave humanity on the brink of extinction once more.

Five people must deal with the launch of this weapon, work to survive, atone for their role in its creation, and try to discover and thwart the plans of those who launched it. 

Before it's too late. Before everything is gone.

The Ravagers is set in the future and refers to our time as "The Golden Ages".  It is interesting because it has advanced technology in some areas, but not in others (for example, no air travel) and people are scattered around the world in densely populated, walled citiplexes, that keep everyone safe from the beasts that roam the land.  One of the ways that technology is advanced, is in the area of weaponry - Ravagers are robots that can deconstruct any material (except Diasteel!) down to its atomic constituents, before using those elements in order to create more ravagers.  As such, a few can easily become a thick oily sea of ravagers ravaging the country.

It took me barely a week to read all the books in this series.  I don't want to go into too much information, but there were some surprises that actually did surprise me!  There were also some I could spot too, but was riveting nonetheless.  This series is set in the same universe as the aliomenti series, but you certainly don't have to have read that to read this - I personally recommend you read both!

Adam's Journey by Alex Albrinck

Last year I read and reviewed books 1-7 of The Aliomenti Saga.  It's a great series that I loved all the twists and turns, bringing SciFi, time travel, and fantasy together with an innocent man who is told he's the saviour with an egotistical maniac who wants him dead.  Go on, read it.  The series is great.

Anyway, I held off reading the eighth instalment, Adam's Journey, because I didn't want to ruin the series as some sequels who go back to a story line don't quite hit the mark... Boy, was I wrong!

As soon as the book started, I was swept away into the world of nanotechnology and magic, immediately remembering everything that had happened previously and watching wide-eyed as I saw the same stories from another perspective, getting better whilst simultaneously being more complex.

The blurb says:

The greatest journeys in life are often those taken in silence, with no one else watching. They are the journeys of self-discovery, when one learns one's true history and destiny. They are the times when self-discipline must trump the massive desire to act in a manner that offers a short term benefit... but a long term disaster.

Adam long knew he faced such a journey, one he'd face completely alone. He didn't know how he'd ever begin; fate seemed stacked against him. And yet he knew the stakes, knew that his failure -- or his discovery -- could doom him and those he loves most.

And then... fate smiled on him. For just a few brief moments, the window opened, and he commenced that journey.

He--and the world--would never be the same.

Despite me saying the plot is intricate, it is actually an easy read.  The story is well written so you always understand as much as you need to know at that time, without it becoming too complicated or difficult to follow.  Though some things you don't fully understand until later in the books, there are no plot holes, and everything comes neatly to an end, without it becoming twee.

I have some more books written by Albrinck that I can't wait to read.

Skip by Perrin Briar

I read this book in a day and I was a bit disappointed, as it has the potential to be a really good bit of Sci Fi/Fantasy.

Jera Wythnos is betrothed to a wealthy family, in order to protect her own family from ruin.  However, she discovers the brothers are not all they seem to be.  Unable to get out of the engagement she decides to run away in the middle of the night.
Meanwhile, Elian Stump walks into a clock shop, claiming to be looking for a job.  The old watchmaker turns him down, until a cuckoo makes an appearance and the watchmaker changes his mind.
Jera manages bribes Elian to allow her to hide in the shop, when those searching for her break in and damage the clock tower, causing Jera and Elian to Skip forward in time.

The blurb says:

A Mysterious Clock Controls Time. What Happens When It Breaks? The clock tower is the center of the town of Time. It counts down the hours, minutes and seconds of every passing day. But unbeknownst to the local inhabitants, it is at the center of a great deal more than that. It is the center of the universe and controls time itself. But it is old and beginning to break, sending the world’s inhabitants skipping forward and back through time. Seventeen-year-old Jera Wythnos, betrothed to marry a powerful lord, runs to escape her responsibilities and pursue her dream of traveling the world. Hot on her heels is her betrothed, moving heaven and earth to find her before the wedding day. Elian Stump is an outlaw on the run from a bungled heist, but he carries with him a dangerous secret that threatens to either free or ensnare the world. They confront sinister forces at every turn, hell bent on preventing them from achieving their goal, and taking control of the clock tower for themselves. The universe has chosen this unlikely pair to collect all three replacement clock pieces scattered across the world before the clock tower, and time, breaks for good. On their journey they make friends and enemies, encounter strange and wonderful mythical creatures, and face their own internal demons.

The book is very fast paced, and doesn't go into the depth of character that I would have liked.  Additionally, the first book just stops, presumably to encourage you to buy book 2, whereas I prefer books to be roughly self-contained (even if there are overarching stories throughout the series) or at least a lead-in to the following book.  Not having read the next one, for all I know this could have been one large book that has been split up in order to make the author more money.  Book 2 isn't available on Kindle, and I didn't enjoy the story enough to warrant putting a paperbook on my wishlist.

King Arthur and Her Knights books 4-6,7 by K M Shea

Yesterday, I wrote a post reviewing the first 3 books in this series, and ended saying I was about to buy the next set.  Well, I did, and the book after that!

Spoiler Alert:
Though there's no spoilers of these books in the review ahead, if you want absolutely no inkling about what happened in the first book (beyond what I wrote yesterday), don't read any further!

So the next 3 books in the series are called Embark, Enlighten and Endeavor. By the time I was reading this book, I was hooked and needed to find out what happened next.  Britt's biggest secret, her gender, is finally found out and spreads throughout her knights. She has to try and regain their trust and loyalty, whilst facing other enemies.

The blurb says:

Britt Arthurs has finally settled into her role as the substitute King Arthur. She’s even made peace with her growing feelings for her surprisingly young and handsome wizard advisor, Merlin. If only it could last. 

It took two years for Britt to be crowned King of Britain, raise Camelot, and establish the Round Table. It takes only a moment to bring everything crashing down on her. 

When Britt's biggest secret--her true gender--is revealed, she realizes that there is a price for her lies. For the knights of Camelot--whose loyalty she has won through blood, sweat, and tears--might never forgive her.

Perhaps even more devastating, at a time when Britt needs him most, Merlin becomes aware of her love and pushes her away in the most painful of ways. Merlin won’t let anything, including his own heart, stand in his way of a united Britain. Or so he tells himself.

Can Britt reclaim her knights’ loyalty and reconcile with the wizard who she loves as more than a counselor?

When I finished these three books, even though I had only bought them that day (yes, I'm a fast reader, but was still 370 pages) I had to buy the final book so that I knew how the story concluded.

By this time, Britt finally feels at home in Camelot and settled in this century. Endings is a fitting title at the end of this series as it tries to bring all the threads to a satisfying conclusion.  However, life is never easy for our hero, and she faces the might of Rome as the Emperor tried to conquer Britain.  Not only that, she had to watch as Merlin pretends to fall in love with Lady Vivien.

The descriptions says:

Peace never lasts. Britt has finally settled into her life as King Arthur. Her knights know her real identity, her lands are are free from war, and she has friends and a family she loves. 

But all of this is threatened when the Roman Emperor invades.

Merlin thought Rome was his greatest fear, but as he finally recognizes his own feelings for Britt he discovers a greater terror: Britt coming to harm. Merlin will do anything to protect her, even if it means distracting the evil magic user, Lady Vivien, by acting the part of her lovesick fool. 

Old enemies and allies make an appearance as Britt forges new alliances for the sake of the impending war and tests her knights as never before. In order to repel the Romans and assure Camelot's survival, Britt must achieve Merlin's greatest ambition and unite all of Britain. 

Will she succeed, or will she fall on the battlefield?

I like a book with a decent ending where everything gets neatly wrapped up.  However, there are still twists and turns.  In my mind I guessed how the story would wrap up, and I was wrong.  Some parts were on the right lines, but in a different way to what I was expecting.  I was happy with the ending, and pleased I read the series.

King Arthur and Her Knights by K M Shea

I am going through my kindle, and trying to read more of the saved books, rather than buying new books every time I get a voucher (such as for Christmas).


So, I chose this book because I was interested to explore the idea of King Arthur being a woman.  I didn't expect this book to start in modern times, and it is actually due to Merlin's magic that a woman is unexpectedly taken back in time, and told she is to be the new king.  Only Merlin and her closest knights are aware of her real gender.


The blurb says:

In a place and time not her own, one woman must risk everything to protect her life, her kingdom, and her heart.

Britt doesn’t want to be a leader, and she definitely doesn’t want to pretend she is the legendary King Arthur. But history has other plans.

A magical summons back through time lands Britt into the schemes of the surprisingly young and handsome wizard Merlin. He has some bad news: the real Arthur has disappeared, and the sword in the stone has chosen Britt to take his place. 

But life in ancient Britain isn’t safe. The kingdom is fragmented, with enemies on all sides, and there’s little chance for mercy if Britt’s real identity and gender is exposed. Britt will soon find herself fighting for her life again and again on behalf of her people.

And then there’s Merlin. Focused on his goal to unite Britain, he’s oblivious of Britt’s growing feelings for him. Or so she thinks. But what future can they have in a world that only sees them as monarch and confidant?

Don’t miss this collection of the first three stories in the bestselling King Arthur and Her Knights series plus exclusive bonus content not available anywhere else.

The finished King Arthurs and Her Knights series is based on Arthurian legends and lore. It is sprinkled with humor, love, and more than a dash of magic. If you enjoy strong characters and tales about the Knights of the Round Table, check out the King Arthurs series today!

I found it a bit difficult to get into initially, mainly because it wasn't what I was expecting.  I would also say that I don't think I'm the intended demographic; I would say this is more a book for teenagers or young adults, but still can be enjoyed.  It is easy to read, however, and the books are much shorter than I expected.  I think there is scope for the author to either expand the books a bit (delve into the lives of the characters a bit more), or collate some of the books together.  But was enjoyable enough that I have just purchased the second set (books 4-6) in the series.