Dear Books......

'Blow' by K J Waters: The Storm has Arrived!

I've always loved the art form that is a 'Short Story'. There is something amazing about a really punchy plot line playing out over 2000 words or less.

The author has no time for detailed character development, wordy extravagant descriptions or lengthy 'back story'.

Every word has to count, because less face it, every word adds to the count!

'Blow' by K J Waters, is one such pocket rocket packed into only thirty pages, delivering a tense and violent story in glorious, wordy, technicolor.

The plot unfolds during a vicious, growling Hurricane inside a claustrophobic and battered house.
The house acts both as a shelter for three frightened men, and a cauldron in which Waters mixes up her potion of suspicion, terror and nerves stretched taut.

I can reveal nothing more about the plot itself, spoilers in the 'Short Story' world have to be a no no!

I can say however, that as a work of art, 'Blow' is worth the investment of any readers time, ticking as it does the three essential boxes of Short Story Excellence: Plot, Tension and Punch!

If you need a brief and powerful respite from the everyday, then 'Blow' is your medicine; I know it has inspired me to check out more work by this talented author.

Hit the following link to check out her author page at Amazon.com!

K J Waters



As always, Happy reading:)

Daniel Faust: Get in my Kindle!

There is a lot of magic in my world, especially now that I am focusing on reading books with a  'Magical' edge.

So far in my 'magical reading month' I have read two series with a historical flavor; full of dresses with a lot of buttons and propriety galore (both of which are admittedly quite often ripped aside.)

I have loved both these series (check out the reviews via this 'Magic Portal'), the reading has been A-Mazing! 

The time has come however, for some gritty, sexy, darkly modern magic; all of which I found in the 'Daniel Faust' series of books by author Craig Schaefer.

This series, beginning with the aptly name 'The Long Way Down', has all the elements essential to lure readers into eagerly devouring installment after installment.

The main character, (no surprises here) Daniel Faust, is as conflicted as they come.
A self described criminal, with as he sees it, no redeeming features; Daniel manages to still somehow come across as a heroic figure.
A sorcerer who uses a deck of cards and mocked up enchantments to ply his trade, Daniel finds himself deeply ensnared in the hellish (literally) business of the Los Angeles occult.

Employed by a grieving man to investigate the murder of his Granddaughter; Faust is single minded in his pursuit of those guilty not only of murder but of shredding the victims soul into shrieking fragments of horror.

What comes next is a tense, dark and sexy plot, as Daniel uses all his sorcery and courage to avenge (no mere 'solving for Faust') this evil crime.
Throw in a crew of well rounded support cast and a succubus with dubious intent and you are left with a story that grips from page one.

If you enjoy your magic potion with a dash of sex, a drop of self loathing, a sprinkle of horror, a good slosh of mystery; all performed with a hangover, then this series is most definitely for you!

All five books currently completed in the series are available for purchase from Amazon.com via the following link:

The 'Daniel Faust' series by Craig Schaefer

Happy reading!

'The Paper Magician': Magic and Love Beautifully Entwined!

Reading 'The Paper Magician' by Charlie N. Holmberg feels like those rare times when I am lucky enough to find myself sitting in a comfortable chair, lit by a warm ray of sunlight, with no one else in the house. There is a feeling of warmth, contentment and underlying bliss that is hard to beat.

'The Paper Magician' itself is golden and warm, lit from within by gorgeous detail and sustained by a unusual and briskly paced plot.

With an unique take on the practice of magic and a realistic historical setting, Holmberg has delivered a novel that feels like peeking into a parallel universe.

The story opens, with a defiant and unhappy young magician, Ceony, set to meet her supervising magician, and perform the ceremony that will forever bond her to the practice of paper magic, extinguishing all other dreams and options she may have had.

Unbeknownst to Ceony, this moment, seemingly filled with despair, will set her on a course of  dangerous adventure and unexpected fulfillment.
She will learn, the hard way, not to judge a  branch of magic, or indeed a magician by its cover. Sometimes that which seems 'average' and bland, can transform into something the heart cannot do without.

Ceony discovers that love, even love unknown and unacknowledged can be the source of great courage ( though I suspect Ceony had a fairly stiff spine to begin with.)

I loved 'The Paper Magician' for it's slow burn romance and genuinely touching moments. Holmberg makes it easy to imagine falling in love and finding your purpose in this gorgeous book.

I managed to read 'The Paper Magician' and then the two subsequent books in the series, 'The Glass Magician' and 'The Master Magician'; in the space of four days. I am pretty sure that anyone taking on board my 'highly recommended' rating for this series, would equally enjoy the devouring of these great reads.
If you are lucky, it might be in a comfortable and sun drenched chair!

All three books in the series are available for purchase from amazon.com, either in Kindle format, or perhaps more appropriately 'paper back'.:)

Happy Reading!

Books are The Great Romantics!

Pictured is a copy of the 'Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam".

Translated from the original by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859.

'A flask of Wine, a Book of 

Verse - and Thou

Beside me singing in the

Wilderness - 

And Wilderness is Paradise

enow.

I mean, swoon right? I reckon he 'Out Bard's' Shakespeare!

Omar Khayyam was a Persian Poet, Astronomer, Scientist and Mathematician who lived in the late 11th and early 12th century.

He is responsible for a vast body of 'Rubaiyat' (quatrains), his work is both brooding, romantic and spiritual.

I am the proud owner of the lovely little book pictured above, books can be treasures too!