Alana Woods’ book reviews: FADOESQUE by John L Work

I’ve read all of Work’s novels and without exception thought them classy thrillers, but this one is on a totally different level.


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The story grips, the writing is masterful, and the main character, Mike Donnelly, is oh-so-real. In fact, everything about the book is so spot on I can’t fault it.

Work’s descriptions in places make you pause, go back, and re-read them, the second time to savour the wording and muse on how perfectly the phrases are constructed.

And I dare you not to smile at the reasoning of why a man, any man, is incapable of resisting a beautiful woman; it’s priceless.

I wondered at the title before beginning to read but it was quickly explained and I have to say how absolutely perfect and poetic it is for the story.

A final comment is about Work’s usual habit of anchoring his stories with facts; it’s one of the reasons why his stories are so good.

I’m not going to give anything away about the storyline except to say that FADOESQUE doesn’t disappoint.

FADOESQUE on Amazon

Imagine being lost at sea

The sea – it’s an integral part of so many stories: The Odyssey, The old man and the sea, Moby Dick, Twenty thousand leagues under the sea to name several classics among the many.


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They all have a common theme: surviving the elements. It doesn’t get more basic.

Which is why I dare to mention my story imbroglio in the same breath.

Imagine the fear of going overboard 25 kms out to sea, at night.

I’m serious. Really imagine it.

Knowing that although you’re completely alone, you’re not alone. You might have survived the fall, but will you survive the predators beneath your feet? Will you survive the unrelenting tides and weather?

But let’s face it, it’s the thought of those predators that are making your toes curl right now.

Enough to give you nightmares, isn’t it.

Could you possibly survive? What would you need to attempt it?

A sense of direction? The will? The ability to swim? Strength? Endurance?

You would need all of those and more.

Noel Valentine. Does she have those qualities? Any of them?

Maybe, but will they be enough?

Imagine going overboard 25 kms out to sea from here, Sydney Harbour heads!

On a dark night 25 kms off the coast of Sydney, Australia, she goes over the side of a luxury yacht. She doesn’t want to. It’s a choice between a quick death aboard at the hands of criminals or a slow one overboard. Instinct impels her to the slow option.

For an atmospheric glimpse here’s my new half minute imbroglio trailer.

Sea trailer for imbroglio

If you’d like to read Noel’s story here’s the link to imbroglio on Amazon.

Imbroglio Alana Woods Author

 

 

The Sorceress and the Demon: Vampire Addictions, book 3 by Thea Atkinson

This is the third and final book in the urban fantasy VAMPIRE ADDICTIONS series by Thea Atkinson and I’ve read all three because the story’s a good one.


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Sorceress and the demon 380 KB

 

The trilogy follows Jade Sanchez as she emerges from a bad relationship and falls immediately into the clutches of vampires and witches.

The books become increasingly darker with book 3 finally revealing the tragedies that have shaped Jade into the driven creature who believes she can exist in a world full of monsters who care nothing for humans. Except she finds one who makes an exception with her.

Book 3 is elemental and visceral. From the outset the pace and descriptions grab your attention as Jade is flung between the present and ancient Rome, not knowing if she’s hallucinating or revisiting a past life.

Over the three books the story develops, deepens and becomes complicated. The finale blazes along with the fires that consume Nero’s Rome. It’s a terrific ending to a terrific series.

SORCERESS AND THE DEMON on Amazon

Read my interview with THEA ATKINSON

Alana Woods’ book reviews: VIOLATED by Carolyn Arnold

Carolyn Arnold can certainly tell a cracker of a story.
She’s a 5 star storyteller.


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Violated

What a terrific read this was. In the space of an afternoon I read the whole story, not wanting to put the book down until I knew the outcome.

Violated follows 31-year-old FBI agent Brandon Fisher who works in its Behavioral Analysis Unit. He’s just out of his probationary period and become a fully-fledged agent. His position in the unit and the present investigation into a murder is complicated by a past romance with a co-worker who is implicated in the crime. It rapidly develops into hunting for a serial killer with serious sexual and mental problems.

It’s the fifth in Arnold’s Brandon Fisher FBI series.

Given it’s the first one in the series I’ve read I was pleased to find it was a stand-alone story with just enough references to previous books for me to understand the back story and relationships.

I was intrigued by Arnold’s use of first person point of view for Brandon Fisher and the criminal the unit was tracking down, and third person for all other characters. I liked it. I felt I was in their minds, feeling and thinking everything they were.

The pace was fast, the characters well developed and real, and the dialogue no-nonsense and entertaining while also revealing depth of character.

Scene-setting is minimal; some authors can paint a picture with a few words and Arnold is one of them.

Anyone wanting more than a surface skimming of people’s intentions and motives should like these stories. Arnold obviously does a lot of research before putting metaphorical pen to paper, and it shows.

Buy VIOLATED:   Amazon   |   Barnes & Noble   |   Apple iBooks

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Take this link to my 27 March 2016 interview with Carolyn Arnold
Take this link to my review of Carolyn’s Assassination of a dignitary