Chaotic Ninja

The Teacher by Katerina Diamond Even before I flipped to the first chapter, I already sensed that the story is going to be very dark, but I wasn’t prepared for how gruesomely dark the story is. At one point, I actually flinched when the author described the last moments of this one poor, poor character. Was it over the top? Perhaps. Did the character deserve it? Perhaps not. But my theory is that the graphic depiction was used to justify whatever was to come (dun-dun-duuun!). This effectively puts the reader in an ethical and moral quandary (that is if you’re like me who gets too involved in stories like this). What’s great is that even DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are in that same predicament. So yeah, we’re all in the same boat. Although it’s easy to get hooked, there’s a lot of jumping around between story arcs, timelines, and characters. If you have short-term memory, it can be challenging. (Sorry, Dory, this isn’t for you). The next hurdle ...

In fantasy stories, Book #0 is usually the big set up with an even bigger cliffhanger; the characters are introduced and the fantasy world is established. Escape from Zandell  by Dale Furse  has managed to do that, but it was a bit of a confusing set up and it’s a challenge to keep up with the characters early on. But once you get to the second act, things start to make sense and you begin to understand the characters and their respective motivations just a little bit (there are still questions though).  One problem here is that it’s not clear (at least not to me) who the real main character is. It seems to shift depending on the circumstance. But  I like that there’s always this feeling that something ominous is lurking and any second, some character will die or will be in grave danger. It’s that kind of storytelling that piques my interest. Surely, it’s worth following the series, in the hope that this is just the start of something epic to come.   ★★★...

LIKE. SHARE. FOLLOW . . . DIE       How can you resist such a killer tagline? There’s a disturbance in Twitterverse and the person goes by the name @Apollyon. A faceless and seemingly harmless entity has gained notoriety when the “Following” count becomes a tally of victims. The elusive suspect becomes a viral twitter sensation  the police scramble to identify, but fail miserably. Enter Freddie Venton, the spunky but down on her luck wannabe journalist who’s been waiting for the right break to come. The opportunity presents itself when she reconnects (fortuitously) with an old friend Nasreen Cudmore, now a police officer. Using an underhanded tactic, Freddie gets to her first crime scene and becomes involved in it when the police hires her as a consultant because of her social media “expertise”. While this is an entertaining read for its unique plot, it’s hard to ignore how ridiculously inept the police are. And this hurts the story...

Been playing catch up with reading and reviewing. I’m 33 books behind schedule. Goodreads said so.  Why should I care about what Goodreads say? You see, I joined the 2015 Reading Challenge and pledged to read 80 books, which translates to 6.66 books per month (I’m glad I’m not superstitious).   Easy peasy, right?  No.  It’s September and I’m still struggling to get halfway through the challenge. I’m still convinced I could do it, but I’m going to need a strategy of some sort.   I realised that I could probably pull this one off by reading all the short stories and novellas on my TBR list. It’s not cheating. Just slightly devious planning. The Memory Man by Helen Smith Two women, memory loss, a dead man, and a psychic. Everything else are fragments. This is a bizarre story that I quite frankly did not get the first time I read it. So I had to read it again. I like to believe I got it the second time around. Or probably not. It’s like the movie...

Everything’s better with bacon. Immersed is steampunk wrapped in bacon. That’s how good this novella is. There’s a new badass heroine in 1850s Chicago and she’s not to be messed with. Melusine Doré  slays monsters and beasts for a living and does so without breaking a sweat. The rough and tough exterior conceals a past that defines her present. She’s unbreakable. Or is she? Rival monster-hunter Levi Cannon seems a worthy opponent but a profitable offer forces them to work side by side; an opportunity that has some dire repercussions. The chemistry between Melusine and Levi is unmistakable – from the playful banters to the accidental contacts to the sexual tension. They’re quite a pair. Author Katie Hayoz has this incredible knack for perfectly timed plot twists. She knows how to tease and knows when to astonish. Immersed is steampunk with soul.  ★★★ ★ ★  5/5  

From the moment the first chapter of “ Names of the Dead ” ended, I knew Connor Montrose was going to be one hell of a character. Defiant, head-strong, and driven by vengeance. He’s an exceptionally written character with the swagger of a CIA operative and the fighting chops of a killing machine. From there, it’s hard to tell if he’s the good guy. The narrative style is frantic and restless, but never confusing. This is magnified by the reader’s access to Montrose’s state of mind. The inner dialogues not only make us privy to Montrose’s innermost thoughts, they also make us feel that we’re part of this intricate web of lies and deceit. It’s as immersive as playing a first person shooter – pumping bullets, maiming enemies, and leaving a trail of dead bodies as location shifts from Rome to Zurich to Paris to Tehran. Add the involvement of abbreviated agencies in double cross and conspiracies, then you have a sensational international thriller in your hand. Author Mark Le...

      DEMONS & PEARLS by PS Bartlett A fearless female pirate fueled by adrenaline rush, stakes her claim to the Captain-less ship filled with grubby buccaneers out to get her and her cousins. It’s chaos! It’s madness! It’s freakin’ awesome! And that’s just the beginning! There’s no situation too precarious and no man too dangerous for Ivory Shepard. She’s just one hell of a character. She’s a total firecracker! This prequel to “ The Blue Diamond: The Razor’s Edge ” is a pulse-pounding, beard-curling, action-packed story that has enough voltage to power up a Kindle device. It’s more than just a frenzied pirate tale. It brings to the fore controversial issues with tremendous passion, evident in the narrative style and tenor. This is such a thrilling read; not encumbered by lengthy expositions and sappy romance talk. It just tells an electrifying story of love, murder, revenge, and survival – not necessarily in that order. ★★★ ★ ★ 5/5 ...

No Snobby Reader was hurt in this conversation. SNOBBY READER: What are you smiling about? KINDLE NINJA: Just finished my list of top 10 books for the year. SNOBBY READER: Let me guess, 9 of 10 are crime and mystery books by Koontz, Patterson, Lehane, and Brown, and one token outlier, possibly a memoir. KINDLE NINJA: Hah! Not even close. These are mostly indie books. Here, have a look - from #10 to #1.   SNOBBY READER: Ah, obscure titles, from unknown authors. KINDLE NINJA: Is that disdain I detect? SNOBBY READER: You know how I feel about crappy books. KINDLE NINJA: There will always be crappy books, indie or not. SNOBBY READER: I read books that challenge the mind. KINDLE NINJA: Calculus books do that, but they’re no fun. You should try to read books outside of your preferred genre. Meet obscure authors. Mingle with the commoners, your Highness. SNOBBY READER: They don’t measure up to the Classics or the Nobel winners. I take plea...