The Castle Doctrine: Daniel Faust rides again (YES!!!).

God I love Daniel Faust. He is just the right combination of conflicted and naughty to keep me interested.
So it will come as no surprise that I was delighted to crack the (digital) spine of book 6 in Craig Schaefer's amazing and addictive series.

'The Castle Doctrine' rolls seamlessly on from the previous volumes, with Daniel battling his immediate problems (a 3000 year old ego maniacal necromancer and a 30 something gangster with Daddy issues) while trying to unravel the mystery behind the series continuing theme; defeating the seemingly all powerful 'smiling man'.

More so that in other volumes, I was left wondering who was truly friend and foe.
Certainly Daniel's girlfriend, Hell hound Caitlin is a head scratcher.
Does she love him, is she even capable of  love?
Or is she playing a long game? Gradually, with each sweet encouraging nod in the direction of violence and mayhem, honing Daniel into the ultimate weapon to use in the service of Hell?

Certainly Daniel grows ever darker with each succeeding book; leaping across moral lines in 'The Castle Doctrine' that were most definitely left uncrossed in previous books.

So in the face of my growing unease, did I enjoy my reading time as Daniel shot, stabbed and magicked his way though the pages of this book? You betcha I did!

If you share my love for magic mixed with taut story telling and a billowing sense of encroaching doom, then you need to jump on board this series!
Do me a favor, start at the beginning; you will enjoy the show!

Happy Reading!
xoxox LMK

Buy it, Read it!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon Australia 

'Poe' by J. Lincoln Fenn: Demonically Good fun!

I have had the recent misfortune of reading a couple of real 'clangers' in a row.
Books that leave your teeth feeling rotted and your IQ level depleted upon completion (yes, I still have that issue with finishing books once I start...).

All this fictional garbage has left me feeling desperate for a 'real book', a book that is as satisfying as a healthy meal after a weekend binge.

'Poe', By J. Lincoln Fenn is just this kind of book; witty and horrific; gruesome and poignant with a twisty wonderful plot to boot.

The protagonist, Dimitri, is a delightful slacker, who does everything in his power to avoid setting foot in his workplace.
When he does show up, Dimitri is the author of the local Paper's most popular column, the Obituaries; which when you think about it, says a lot about his small town.


The story starts when Dimitri becomes column inches for his own byline; drowning in an abandoned well in the basement of a derelict mansion, notorious for tragic events.
Our hero does us the immense favor of not remaining dead; discovering when he does that the life of the miraculously 'not dead' is more complicated and rich than his wildest 'slacker' dreams.

Romance, demon hunting and ghost whispering ensue, all of which left this reader awake into the early hours of consecutive mornings (because unfortunately I did have to leave the house to work in the interim).

I would recommend 'Poe' as a wonderful tonic anytime you feel exhausted by mediocre reads; sink your mind into this book, you will feel all the better for it!

'Poe" is available for download or order from amazon.com via the following link:

'Poe', By J. Lincoln Fenn

I am optimistic that we have  not heard the end of Dimitri, he is a character that deserves at least a sequel!

'Forgotten Sin' : Not your average Wolf tale.

'Forgotten Sin' is the first in the Avenging Fate series by author Brian Hershey.

If the cover left you in any doubt, the book fits squarely in the paranormal genre, the 'Werewolf' genre to be exact.

Unlike recent Werewolf novels, or even books with Werewolf characters (I am thinking of certain hunky True Blood Characters here), 'Forgotten Sin' finds no romance or nobility in these hairy beasts.

Hershey's Werewolves, for the most part revert to 'type'; viciously dismembering any human that they encounter in their 'Wolfish Form'.

Hershey's main character, Dr Mya Bishop. is however a Werewolf apart from the norm, clinging onto what remains of her humanity, desperately trying to outwit the curse that has overtaken her life.

Afraid to leave the cage in the basement of her estate during the full moon and wracked with guilt over the lives she has taken over the course of her 250 year existence, Mya knows something has to change.

As fate would have it, this desire to combat evil and perhaps redeem her soul proves the spark for a series of events that will tip Mya even closer to the edge of evil.

The first in a series (still to be written), 'Forgotten Sin' is an entertaining read that occasionally shocks as it moves from Sedate and somewhat formal prose (perhaps a nod to Mya's 17th Century upbringing) to grisly descriptions of Werewolf attacks involving severed limbs and the consumption of human flesh.

While this variation is style is surprising at times, it succeeds in adding more suspense and interest to the narrative than may have otherwise been the case.

'Forgotten Sin' is a promising start to this new paranormal series and I have to admit, the end left me wondering..... what next?
Hurry up and write Mr Hershey!

If you are keen to give 'Forgotten Sin' a read, it is available for purchase from Amazon.com via the following link.

'Forgotten Sin'; By Brian Hershey

All purchase made via this link will support 'Little Miss Kindle'.

Extinction Point: A Chilling Apocalyptic view well worth your reading time!

What if the end of mankind's dominance on earth was as swift, brutal and unstoppable as our own world rule?

What if you were left to observe the end of the world, alone and surrounded by new and frightening creatures that spawn and mature seemingly in the slow blink of an earth day?

Such is plight of Emily Baxter, she has survived act one; the red rain that took the lives of everyone she knew (and seemingly the lives of every other living creature).

Question is, will she survive the aftermath?

This is the premise for Paul Antony Jones' post apocalyptic series, which begins with the red, blood like rain in book one, Extinction Point, heralding the beginning of the end for mankind.

Like any good series, Extinction Point, raises many intriguing questions; with What the? and Why? being key among these.

Jones' writes his book from the perspective of his resolute heroine, Emily. Her view-point can seem transactional at times (i.e. did this, had to do that to survive) , oddly enough this adds to the success of the story telling rather that distracting from it. Emily's observations gradually reveal the scope of what is happening, adding to the realism of one person struggling to survive in an unrecognisable world.

Emily heads north on her stolen (but who really cares, right?) bike, following the advice of the only other human voice she has heard since the apparent extinction of every other living soul. Jacob is a scientist, based in the cold north of Canada, who believes that the cold dramatically reduces the success of the red rain and the creatures it has spawned.

The real adventure starts here in book two, 'Revelations'; as more people get involved in Emily's story (all be it not many more) the emotional impact ramps up dramatically. Many readers will relate to at least one or two of the characters and their fates. After reading one plotline, I was left so sad I spent the night staring at the dark ceiling of my bedroom feeling something akin to grief.

Over the course of the three books, Jones does supply us with the answers to the key questions. Some of these seem a little preachy and trite (environmental damage by humans etc), perhaps reducing the final impact of the series.

This aside however, I loved this trilogy. The end of the world has never seemed so real, so relentless and so very very frightening!

If you would like to experience the end, the Extinction Point series is available for purchase through Amazon.com via the following link.

Extinction Point; by Paul Antony Jones.

For reviews similar to this, explore the 'Post Apocalyptic' tab at the top of 'Little Miss Kindle'.

The Zombie Apocalypse... sponsored by the NRA?

It is not my usual style to be controversial, but it has occurred to me recently that every Zombie book I have read (and I have read and LOVED a lot of them) could have been written by a gun toting NRA promoter.

Here are the top signs that the Zombie Apocalypse (in fiction at least!) is sponsored by the NRA:

- Ammunition caches are the centre of every surviving colony.
- No one shoots a gun, without first a description of its caliber and specs.
- The hero's all pack heat, a hockey stick, apparently, is a poor substitute for a rifle.
- True preppers may prefer sling shots, but not in Zombie fiction! There is always a handy stack of weapons and ammo at hand.

I often wonder, living as I do in a country with strict gun controls, how exactly am I expected to survive the coming of the Zombie?

According to popular Zombie reads, the answer is simple.

I'm not.

Vampires; It's ok! We CAN still love them!

I know that Vampires have lost their shine recently; in fact it seems that in terms of popular fiction, Vamps have gone from hero to zero remarkably quickly.
I would go so far as to say that even Zombies, with their gaping, toothy smiles are currently more marketable than their pointy toothed paranormal friends.....

I can't however, throw my love for Vampire fiction over that quickly, there are still some non cliched blood suckers out there to love, and I have the list to prove it!

Vampires we can still love:

1. Samantha Moon: The wonderful creation of author J R Rain, Samantha Moon is a Vampire 'second' and believe it or not, a mother and Private Investigator first. I love the gutsy and driven Sam, who actively battles the evil inside (as in this case Vampirism is a form of possession by a demon) while embracing the benefits, such as super strength and the ability to fly in the form of a massive and terrifying bat like monster. Can she hold out against the Demon inside or will she gradually be overtaken by blood lust? I for one am going to keep reading the 'Vampire for Hire' series until I find out! 
2. Kiera Hudson: Hmmm, I am seeing a pattern here, another kick ass crime fighting 'lady' Vampire. Though if I am going to be honest Keira is not exactly a Vampire, she is a vampire human hybrid fighting in a complicated war to save life as we know it from being completely 'reset'. Completely compelling stuff. 
3. Doran: This charming fellow is know as a 'Day Walker' and is a recurrent character in the Rylee Adamson 'Tracker' series by Shannon Mayer . He is absolutely incorrigible, sexy and cheeky. Better still, he doesn't actually get the girl, so he has to keep his mojo dialled to 11 every time we encounter him. Frankly, he is lots of fun without all the macho superiority complex common among fictional Vampire blokes!
4. James Asher: In all fairness, James is not a Vampire. He is a human; he is an ex British secret service human. He is an ex British secret service human hired by Vampires to find the person behind the seemingly calculated 'murder' of Vampires in post WWI London. He is also solid Gold fantastic at his job, all the while looking for ways to outwit his Vampire employers and find safe haven for himself and his beloved wife. This series is proof positive that Vampires can participate in actual 'plot driven' literature.

So throw off your Vampire love shame and get back with the programme! I have high hopes that Vampires will be back at number one (or at very least three) within the next decade (or so....)

All books in these series are available from Amazon.com via the following links; download or order for your Vampy fix ;-)...

Samantha Moon series; By J R Rain

The Kiera Hudson series; By Tim O'Rourke

The Rylee Adamson novels; By Shannon Mayer

The James Asher Novels; By Barbara Hambly

The Divergent Series: Sometimes life isn't fair....

The Divergent series, by Veronica Roth, has been compared in scope, theme and even success to the recently epic 'Hunger Games' Series.
Both feature a feisty, capable and conflicted young woman thrown into situations far beyond the pale of our 'real' society ideas of normal, fair or ethical.
Situations that require ruthless decision making and violent actions.

This is not where the similarities end, both series feature young people as the courageous catalysts for change in horribly corrupted worlds. Both also involve difficult romances and hard choices.

Unlike the Hunger Games however, the Divergent series has experienced both devotion and fervent backlash as the series moved towards conclusion.

Without being a 'spoiler' for anyone who has yet to read the books or (shudder) watch the movie (by the way, always read the book), the 'haters' take issue with the conclusion of book three (Allegient).

These unhappy folk have tweeted, facebooked and pinterested their disgust seemingly in their hundreds of thousands, and very nearly stopped me reading the books altogether.

Thankfully I ended up ignoring the many warnings and delved into the series for myself.

While I understand the disappointment of many readers in the concluding chapters, I say this in defence of this well written and intriguing series;

Sometimes life is not fair, in fiction and the real world alike.

That doesn't mean we should not enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Finally I would say, chill out, it's not real...... yet!

The complete series is available for purchase via the following link:

The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

Happy (or at the very least 'intense) reading :)

World War Z: Read it or Watch it?

It is not that often that I watch a movie and then read the book, (The Hunger Games Trilogy was another read inspired by the movie) however I enjoyed the Zombie Flick so much, reading the book seemed like the next logical move.

'World War Z', by experienced 'Zombie author' Max Brooks, is almost unrecognisable as the inspiration for the movie.
Oddly enough, this is not a bad thing for the reader, rather it allows them  to experience 'World War Z' from a different, yet completely absorbing, angle.

Book vs Movie; how both come out on top:

• Watch the movie to see Brad Pitt. There I said it, I just love looking at the man and as a bonus he is a rather fine actor.
• The book is narrated 15 years after the end of 'World War Z'; where a series of key interviews have taken place to determine the political and cultural failings that allowed the near extinction of the human race. While this might sound dry, it is actually fascinating. In the absence of actual Zombies, Brooks leaves the reader with the feeling that society is teetering on the edge of disaster.
• Fantastic use of CGI leaves you gasping in scenes of mass chaos as the Zombies take hold (literally.... with their teeth). Refreshingly though, while the movie is scary it is not excessively gory (how that was managed in a Zombie movie I will never know).
• Personal stories told to a nearly invisible narrator make the book version of 'WWZ' seem dreadfully real. Stories of government misinformation, inaction and intentional genocide mixed in with personal heroism and in some cases dumb luck hit home hard.
• The movie does have some clever links to the book, without providing a spoiler, the Israel approach being the most obvious of these. The book is clever and the movie draws on enough detail to seem clever too. The floating sanctuaries, the variation in national responses all seem logical enough to be real.

If I had to choose I would say this: 

The book is better as an intriguing and unique look at the Zombie apocalypse, focusing less on gore (though there is plenty of that) and more on the human response. 

The movies is better for sharing the experience, as I did with my significant other, eyes glued to the screen, shuffling a bit closer with each passing scene.

So all in all, good news! Feel free to read the book and watch the movie in any order, you won't be disappointed!

Both the book and the movie can be purchased through Amazon.com via the following link:

'World War Z'

Want a quick life 'escape'? The top three escapist 'worlds' on my Kindle

Reading is the ultimate escape, there is nothing like looking up from a book and being surprised to see your own home.
In point of fact, this is the ruler by which I measure the success of an escapist read. When my home seems less real than the world on the page.... well the author's mission has been accomplished.

Here are my top three picks for immersive reads.

1.  'A Song of Fire and Ice, The epic series by George R. R Martin has to be
the last word in 'alternative world' creation.
Don't rely on the television to bring you the mere 'gist' of the world Mr Martin has created. You need to 'read' the books to feel the cold seep into your bones, to shiver as the lurking evil creeps slowly from beneath the slow laden trees, to feel revulsion as the feral offspring of Cersai and Jaime reveal their true nature. For heavens sakes people, you HAVE to READ this one.

Ok, I might need to take a moment here before I move on....



2. 'The Remaining'. If you like your escapist world to be distinctly on the
apocalyptic side.... then this series by D.J Molles is for you. I know it was for me. A great premise, a soldier trained specifically to guide survivors
through world shattering events, finds himself adrift in a world full of 'infected' who are intent on, you guessed it, chowing down on the 'remaining' human population.
Don't be put off by the grisly nature of the Zombie genre, sure this series has
its fair share of gross, but the focus is firmly on the disintegration of the rule of law and decency as the 'scum' attempts to rise to the top.

3 The 'True Blood' series. God Bless Sookie Stackhouse, the sexy, gifted, part fairie, adventurous heroine of the True Blood Novels. Escape
to our world, only with more blood suckers and shifters and less need for clothes.
You have to love this exuberant mix of scares with, well, sex.
You might not want to live in her town, but it sure is fun to read about!
(p.s I won't judge you if you do want to live in her town!)

Keep posted as there is MUCH more escapism to follow of the pages of this blog, after all, isn't that what reading is all about?

All books in these series are available for purchase through amazon.com
via the links in this page.