indie reads

‘The Man and The Crow’ by Rebecca Crunden – Review

Lee Hall 2 Comments

A short sharp enjoyable tale of magic and the unexpected…

Having just read this book in one sitting I found myself enthralled by page 4 where the story unexpectedly flips and takes the reader on a journey of folklore, witchcraft and murder.

With darker tones and a magical theme that merge together well, Rebecca Crunden delivers a well-written tale that might only be twenty four pages long, but it represents hundreds of years of history and lore for the title character. Throughout, the addictive writing style carries a humour that is both fun and perfect for the genre while the imagination is also given plenty of room to work alongside that history and lore suggested here – as the ending promises, that’s the start of the next story!

For anyone looking to be whisked away only for a short time but through some imaginative literature, this is the one for you.

‘Screaming would have been the sensible thing to do; it also proved impossible. Screaming would mean she’d be able to unlock her jaw and at the moment it felt like her jaw had rusted shut…’

5 Stars

‘Witch in the Lighthouse’ by Azalea Forrest – Review

Lee Hall

A quaint and fun magical tale…

This was my first Azalea Forrest reading experience and an enjoyable one at that. ‘Witch in the Lighthouse’ is a quaint and fun magical tale that follows ‘Magnolia’ as she inherits a Lighthouse from her recently passed away uncle in a town that isn’t so welcoming of her kind.

Having had previous negative encounters with those of the magical persuasion Maggie faces the task of convincing the small seaside town of Lightview that she is there to help. Whilst some make her feel welcome, others are stubborn to the thought of a witch in their town even if this world of practical magic can help them in so many different ways. Just what did happen in the past and even to her uncle? The intrigue intertwines with the moving plot here keeping readers interested throughout.

Eventually the story unfolds as does the history of Magnolia’s family and what follows is an epic meeting of forces that carries an original and deeper meaning of responsibility of power and much more. Magical forces in this world can be used for both good and bad which is explored well here. The characters, setting and story were very well executed and I’d be more than happy to read another title by Forrest.

5 Stars

Awesome Recommended Indie Reads #8

Lee Hall

And so the journey of reading indie books continues. Here are some of my recent reads…

‘Sentinel: Galaxii Book 4’ by Christina Engela

‘Immersive and enjoyable space-sci fi…’

Full Review

‘A Still Life’ by Elliott Wink

‘Short and intriguing, an original sci-fi tale perfect for reading in one sitting…‘

Full Review

‘Dead of Winter’ by Antoinette McCormick 

‘It comes in the night…’

Full Review

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‘Fallout’ by Pat Griffith

‘An imaginative and highly original tale about first contact with corporeal beings from another world some of which are already here….‘

Full Review

‘Where Darkness Meets Light’ by Sabrine Elouali

‘Thought-provoking poetry reflecting many themes surrounding the dark and light…‘

Full Review

‘San Francisco Suite: A Rudy Parsons Story’ by Ethan McCaffery

‘Well-written detective mystery with noir tones and a metaphysical twist…‘

Full Review

‘Pirate Sea’ by Kyler Kuehler 

‘A swashbuckling and sometimes brutal tale packed with action‘

Full Review

And so that wraps up another edition of awesome recommended indie reads. Thanks for stopping by and remember to leave a review after your next read!

‘Pirate Sea’ by Kyler Kuehler – Review

Lee Hall

A swashbuckling and sometimes brutal tale packed with action

Pirate Sea is a page-turning swashbuckling tale with a brutal edge that follows young ‘James Vane’ as he is captured by a band of pirates in the 1700’s. The writing style is both a befitting tribute to the famous pirate tales seen in classic literature whilst also having a modern feel.

Not long after readers are introduced to the story do we see events turn for the worst for young ‘James’ as his father’s ship is intercepted by the infamous pirate vessel known as the ‘Blood Revenge’ and helmed by Captain ‘Scar Eye’ – I enjoyed the naming here, it felt both original and familiar which hit the right tones for a pirate themed story. Soon enough those events turn brutal which is something that rings true from real history, this isn’t just the glamour of swords and sails, its gritty and violent. This is also a sign of things to come.

“He was pure pirate and reasoning with pure pirate was impossible”

A quote that sums up the journey James would have to take in this story to find any kind of redemption or escape and there is a heap of character development as he adjusts to these new pirate surroundings. It is during this journey that he discovers a history that is very close and personal and with it comes a tale I very much enjoyed.

4 Stars

Awesome Recommended Indie Reads 7

Lee Hall

I’ve been reading and reviewing indie books again so its time to take a look at some recent titles that I thought were awesome…

‘Powerless’ by Vicky Ball

A well-written twisting thriller with darker themes…

Full Review

‘Lazy Creativity: The Art of Owning Your Creativity’ by Kyle Bernier

A detailed, modern and refreshing take on creativity that covers so many applications for success!

Full Review

‘An English Teacher in Mexico: Memories of a Midlife Career Change’ by Irene Pylypec

A fun and insightful well-written account of adventure and culture…

Full Review

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Those who do join my Patreon will get regular shout-outs on my Twitter for you and your work in front of my near 30,000 followers. Plus you’ll get exclusive access to my growing series of Twitter Coaching Sessions, future guides and fiction.

‘The Tolworth Beacon’ by Huw Langridge

Intriguing British mystery with tension, atmosphere and code-breaking vibes…

Full Review

‘Recovering Alice’ by Catherine Morrison

A gripping uplifting tale of romance and relapse…

Full Review

And so that wraps up another edition of Awesome Recommended Indie Reads! Thanks for stopping by!

‘The Tolworth Beacon’ by Huw Langridge – Review

Lee Hall

Intriguing British mystery with tension, atmosphere and code-breaking vibes…

There’s a lot going on in the life of ‘Chris Powell’. His marriage is strained and there’s an important royal visitor coming to the shop he manages in just a few days time. After a strange attempted burglary at a neighbour’s place the intrigue unfolds in what is a mystery filled ride where I found myself quickly turning pages.

After he mysteriously receives a radio frequency number, Powell realises he is on the path of deception and tension as he has to decipher what it means while finding out what is really going on. Is someone watching him from afar or is he paranoid? Questions arise as tension builds and eventually a very real threat emerges. For those who are interested in the subject of number stations and even code breaking will enjoy this interesting novel with a range of themes and heaps of atmosphere.

4 Stars – Reviews left via Goodreads and Amazon

Awesome Recommended Indie Reads 3

Lee Hall 1 Comment

It has been a while since I put out one of these posts and there’s a few books I’ve read in that time. All indie and all recommended. As an author myself I understand the struggle that is finding reviews and the pillar that holds this place together is content driven by indie reads. Let us dive in…

‘King of the Wicked’ by T.R. Hamby

‘An immersive imaginative take on Angels, humanity and immortality…‘

5 Stars

Full Review Here

‘Spook City, U.S.A.: A Shadybrook Community Patrol Novella’ by Drew Purcell

‘Fun, unconventional easy-to-read comedy that never takes itself too seriously while delivering a good story with plenty of laughs…‘

5 Stars

Full Review Here

‘Wonder Rush’ by Dan McKeon

‘An immersive and suspenseful teen spy thriller with some darker edges, a positive message, originality and depth…‘

5 Stars

Full Review Here

‘Born in Stockport – Grew up in the Royal Navy: Book One’ by Maurice Perkins

‘An entertaining and gritty series of real life tales told with charm…‘

4 Stars

Full Review Here

‘ARIA: Book 1 of the Scintillance Theory’ by Gyorgy Henyei Neto

‘Immersive science fiction with some mystery and time travel elements…‘

4 Stars

Full Review Here

‘Nevada Noir : A Trilogy of Short Stories’ by David Arrowsmith

‘A brief but deeply descriptive brush with the dark…‘

4 Stars

Full Review Here

Thanks for stopping by and remember to leave a review next time you read a book.You can expect another one of these posts very soon!