Category: Reading

Navigating Nightmare Ecstasy, by The Junk Talk Poet, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Literature, Poetry, Reading, Review

I’m cautious about reviewing poetry: it’s an esoteric art form with echoes of the world of the contemporary arts. In other words, a field full of the pretentious attempting to bamboozle the unwary, and too often succeeding. It differs from the world of visual art in the amount of cash thrown at it, of course, …

Continue reading Navigating Nightmare Ecstasy, by The Junk Talk Poet, Reviewed.

Scent of the Boggel-Mann, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Fiction, Reading, Review

Phew! I picked this up to read with my morning cuppa and couldn’t put it down! I’m glad I didn’t read it last thing at night: nightmares! Linda Acaster is a talented writer with a fertile imagination, which she puts to great use in this horror story. The tension builds from the outset, with small …

Continue reading Scent of the Boggel-Mann, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed.

Lucky Always, by E.D. Lappin, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Fiction, Reading, Review2 Comments

This is a singular novel from an author who really knows how to tell a story. Set in the murky world of ‘black ops’ during the troubles of Northern Ireland, this book gives insights into a world that many readers will suspect, but could never be sure, existed. The depth of research is extraordinary, with …

Continue reading Lucky Always, by E.D. Lappin, Reviewed.

No Flies on Frank, by Danuta Reah, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Reading, Review

This is a little gem. A sort of cosy-crime/horror melange. It's a short work, and wastes no words to tell its tale. No doubt some readers will find it grisly, but I thought I detected a certain tongue-in-cheek approach on behalf of the writer. There is an undertone of dark humour and the author carries …

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The Cunning Man, by John Yeoman, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

This ‘fictorial’ as the author calls it, should start a trend amongst authors with a desire to help other writers improve their craft. That is precisely what John Yeoman does in this collection of historical mystery stories. He tells a tale and inserts footnote links in the text, these lead to the footnotes, which explain …

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Let’s Get Digital, by David Gaughran, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

A book I bought as part of a package for indie authors. I’m glad I did. So far, and this is the second in the pack of three, it has been a thoroughly worthwhile investment in terms of time and money. In fact, I would happily have paid significantly more for these books. This volume …

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Write. Publish. Repeat, by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, Reviewed.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Reading, Review

I downloaded this book as part of a package of 3, offered for a very silly price, by which I mean, cheap, very cheap! It’s the best few pence I’ve ever spent. I’d have happily paid a hundred times more. This is the first book in the package and it speaks to me. Oh, how …

Continue reading Write. Publish. Repeat, by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant, Reviewed.