km_allan's reviews
227 reviews

Ochre Dragon by V.E. Patton

4.0

If you want a fantasy tale that covers all bases, this is the book for you. Dragons, magic, time gates, Gods and Goddesses, other worlds, and dystopian societies reliant on futuristic tech make up the bulk of this beautifully written story. It's mainly told from the perspective of three different female characters, who seem to have no connection to each other until the pieces of their lives start to come together towards the end of the book. By the time you get to the closing chapters, you won't want to put it down, and it's a solid start for what is sure to be a great saga.

That Night in Paris by Sandy Barker

5.0

This book made me want to do two things: travel to Europe, and eat all the cheese. It also left me with a smile on my face and provided the escapism we all sorely need now in 2020.

That Night In Paris follows self-proclaimed love fugitive, Cat Parsons, on a bus tour she booked after sleeping with her roommate and realising it was a big mistake. On this tour, she meets and instantly forms a bond with a group of women, all of whom have their own reasons to be on the tour, and all of which I’d love to read about in other books!

As this book is about Cat, she runs into her best friend from when she was a teenager, a French man named Jean-luc. Their reconnection takes up the latter part of the story, and provides the romance, until Cat screws it up. Can she transform from a selfish love fugitive to someone who could see herself in the one thing she fears-a loving relationship? It’s definitely worth reading to find out.

Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley

5.0

A beautiful book that gives you an insight into the life of someone living in the spectrum. Relatable, realistic, and full of believable characters, relationships and situations. Go along with Peta as she learns how to find a place in the world when it’s complicated and confusing, and the strength she needs to find within herself and those closest to her to get through. Highly recommended.

Reverie by Ryan La Sala

3.0

A good concept let down by the execution. It took a really long time to get into this book, so much so I stopped reading it and read two other books before returning to Reverie. It gets more action packed toward the final few chapters, but by then there’s so many characters and so many things going on it’s a little hard to keep track of. I never really warmed to any of the characters either, which made it hard to care what happened to them.

A Sunset in Sydney by Sandy Barker, Sandy Barker

5.0

Ever since reading Sandy Barker’s first book, One Summer In Santorini, I’ve been waiting for the conclusion to Sarah’s love story and I was not disappointed. This is my favourite book by the author so far (although I say that with every new release), and it had me laughing out loud, wondering what choice Sarah was going to make, and grinning ear to ear by the time the final chapter came to a close. This is the ultimate escape fiction, whisking you off on a travel adventure filled with fun, real characters, food descriptions that will have you salivating, and romance that will touch your heart.

The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker by Joanna Nell

5.0

This is the perfect book if you're looking for an escape into a lovely tale. Go along with Mrs. Henry Parker as you find out about her life on a cruise ship, the new friendships she makes, and the hunt for her husband, who seems to have disappeared! Told in a mix of flashbacks and present-day, the story is expertly weaved together by a talented writer. This is the first Joanna Nell book I've read, but it won't be the last. She knows how to craft characters you care about and injects enough humor, mystery, and fun into the book that it'll keep you turning the page.

A Song For Bill Robinson: Book One in the Holds End Series by C.E. Atkins

5.0

This is the second book I've read by C.E. Atkins and I think she just gets better and better. A Song For Bill Robinson focuses on Bill and the place he lives, an estate called Holds End. It's here he has a home with his Dad, brother, and younger sister after his mother left to pursue a singing career she never got to start when she was younger. Bill has inherited her talent and takes his anger at her leaving and channels it into a singing competition. In his estate also lives Bill's two childhood friends, Summer, and Adam. Bill's relationship with them both is complicated and very true to life. It's one of the highlights of the book, as Bill balances his romantic feelings for both of them. The estate isn't without its enemies either, another childhood friend who doesn't like Bill for reasons that become clear as the story progresses takes it upon himself to make Bill's life a misery. While the characters are the heart and soul of the book, there's also a bigger mystery about a murder, and a cowardly bashing that happens to Bill. Finding the truth kept me reading, but so did the relationship of the characters and the decisions and mistakes they made. C.E. also expertly weaves music into the narrative, which gives it an authentic feel. This is only the first book in the series, and I can't wait to see what else happens to the residents of Holds End.

A Song For Bill Robinson by Chantelle Atkins

5.0

This is the second book I've read by Chantelle and I think she just gets better and better. A Song For Bill Robinson focuses on Bill and the place he lives, an estate called Holds End. It's here he has a home with his Dad, brother, and younger sister after his mother left to pursue a singing career she never got to start when she was younger. Bill has inherited her talent and takes his anger at her leaving and channels it into a singing competition. In his estate also lives Bill's two childhood friends, Summer, and Adam. Bill's relationship with them both is complicated and very true to life. It's one of the highlights of the book, as Bill balances his romantic feelings for both of them. The estate isn't without its enemies either, another childhood friend who doesn't like Bill for reasons that become clear as the story progresses takes it upon himself to make Bill's life a misery. While the characters are the heart and soul of the book, there's also a bigger mystery about a murder, and a cowardly bashing that happens to Bill. Finding the truth kept me reading, but so did the relationship of the characters and the decisions and mistakes they made. Chantelle also expertly weaves music into the narrative, which gives it an authentic feel. This is only the first book in the series, and I can't wait to see what else happens to the residents of Holds End.

Life in the Time of Coronavirus: An Anthology of Short Stories written in Lockdown 2020 by Min Chow, Jahin Tanvir, Aramiha Harwood, Mel Hall, Benzahra Mustapha, Naomi Shippen, Rosie Abbot, Christopher Alan Smith, Steve Matthewman, Anne-Marie Smith

4.0

An interesting collection of short stories and personal essays touching on the common theme of the coronavirus pandemic. Some stories do the theme justice and immortalise current times on the page, others add an imaginative twist that focuses on an alternative story or future take on the virus, and some barely touch on the topic, going in a different direction entirely. Highlights include “Salt” by Min Chow, “Swimming Pool” and “The Change” by Naomi Shippen, and “One Of Us” by Olivia G.

The Damsel Gauntlet by P.A. Mason

5.0

A Fun Tale

I love fairytales that play on all the tropes in a new way and The Damsel Gauntlet does just that. Set in a fascinating world where Gretchen the witch teams up with trolls and a dragon for a challenge that will help out a prince in ways none of them expected. It’s full of colourful characters, laugh out loud moments, and is a nice, quick read that’s perfect for all ages.