This is a short Gothic story full of darkness and foreboding, portraying the worst of human nature as the twists reveal themselves.
Read in less than half an hour, this well-written story provides an intriguing escape that fits into any busy day.
Rather than a ‘whodunnit’ kind of mystery, this is a story about particular events of World War I and the consequences of those events for one English family.
Harriet McDougall is not a detective as such, but when she feels the need to find answers about her sons’ experiences in the war, she uses her intelligence, instincts and resourcefulness to investigate until she finds the resolution she seeks. Harriet is a sincere and kind woman whom readers will both like and admire.
The cast of characters is varied and interesting, adding colour, texture and some surprising twists and turns to the story.
This story is very interesting but also quite emotive and challenging, creating a profound effect on the reader. The narrative progresses at a good pace, drawing the reader deeper into Harriet’s quest and into her family as the story unfolds.
This is an excellent story for lovers of both historical fiction and mystery, but also for readers who value remembrance of the fallen.
When an amateur theatre company reunite for their 20th annual performance of Shakespeare’s’A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, one might expect they’d have their act together.
‘Midsummer’s Bottom’ immerses the reader in the lives of the actors, but also in the lives of the fey characters who are weary of seeing themselves represented in the troupe’s performances.
Like the play being performed, the story is an enjoyable romp through a glade in a forest, complicated by love, jealousy, and fey interference in the lives of humans.
This book is well-written and quite entertaining. The characters are varied and interesting, made complex by their desires and motivations, and intricately connected to both the play and one another’s lives.
Just how the plot will resolve keeps the reader guessing right to the end.
This book is recommended for readers aged 18 and over, as ‘Midsummer’s Bottom’ does contain some adult content, although not graphic or gratuitous.
‘A Song of Sixpence’ tells the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, her marriage to Henry VII, and the lives of her siblings in the years after the death of Richard III.
The book has been well researched, filling in the spaces between known facts and recorded history with a well-constructed and very credible ‘what if?” story about the fate of her younger brothers, known as the Princes in the Tower. The author draws the reader into the lives of both Elizabeth and her younger brother Richard, using their perspectives to weave a rich tapestry of storytelling in which historical figures are fleshed out, consistently with what history tells us of them, yet taking on life once again, each with their own unique blend of different motivations, fears, flaws and strengths that make this story both compelling and engaging.
The narration by Alex Lee is very easy to listen to. Her reading is expressive and fluent, and her use of tone, voice and accent to achieve effective characterisation is consistently excellent.
‘The Final Act of Mercy Dove’ is a complex story, full of brooding darkness, fleeting glimpses, and layers of illusion, perception and truth that both inform and obscure the reader’s perceptions as the story progresses.
At times it is darkly sensual, at other times it is macabre and suspenseful.
This is a good read, although not one recommended for the squeamish.
‘Of Vultures and Kings’ Is a most enjoyable children’s fantasy book that takes the reader on an adventure into enchanted forests, secretive realms and dangerous, unknown places.
This is a very entertaining story that delivers positive lessons about friendship, loyalty and trust in times of adversity and fear.
A great book for independent readers and for family reading, this book would make a great addition to personal collections and to school and community libraries.
Book Squirrel announced the third annual Golden Squirrel Independent Book Awards on December 28th, 2020.
These are the books or series that Book Squirrel has deemed the best in their genre from those read and reviewed on this blog in 2020.
This is not a voting or popularity contest. It’s entirely subjective, based on Book Squirrel’s excellent taste. Book Squirrel has been as fair and impartial as a squirrel can be in awarding the winners with a 2020 Golden Squirrel Gold or Silver Award.
There is a Gold and Silver award given by genre, and an award for Book of the Year.
Ronaldo and the Flying Reindeer Academy by Maxine Sylvester
Lucy Evans Instaexplorer: Dragons Rock by Millie Slavidou
Mya by Missy Sheldrake
Miss Mabel’s School for Girls by Katie Cross
13 Ways to Midnight series by Rue Volley
Dead by Morning by Kayla Krantz
Foul is Fair by Jeffrey Cook and Katherine Perkins
Kennedy Awakens by Greg Alldredge
Ice and Embers by Melanie Karsak
The Damien Dickens mystery series by Phyllis Entis
Book Squirrel’s Review
Book Squirrel’s Review
Cirque de Slay by CeeCee James
The Marquesa’s Necklace by PJ MacLayne
A Dark Covenant by F.B. Hogan
All The Children On The Porch by Dona Fox
Ice and Embers by Melanie Karsak
Eye of the Beholder by CH Clepitt
The Hollow Crown by Jeff Wheeler
A Moth in the Flames by S.E. Turner
The Day I Saw The Hummingbird by Paulette Mahurin
The Secret Diary of Eleanor Cobham by Tony Riches
A Queer Old Christmas by CH Clepitt
A Haverton Christmas by TL Clark
Dead Lake by Darcy Coates
The Malan Witch by Catherine Cavendish
My Dream Woman by CH Clepitt
Promise of the Opal by Lyra Shanti
The Spyglass File by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
Footprints In The Sand by Pam Lecky
Fallen Captive by Aliya DalRae
Red Dot Capers by C.A. King
Regency Love by TL Clark
Sweet William by Sherrie Hansen
The Auctioneer by J.S. Frankel
Andora Pett and the Oort Cloud Cafe by Richard Dee
Webley and the World Machine by Zachary Chopchinski
The Last Temptations of Iago Wick by Jennifer Rainey
Bentwhistle the Dragon: A Threat From the Past by Paul Cude
The Unhuman Series by Wilkie Martin
For its combination of original story line, characterisation, excellent writing, and ability to carry the reader to a different time and place, the award for BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 goes to
‘Mya’ by Missy Sheldrake
The third novel in Wilkie Martin’s Unhuman urban fantasy mystery series is just as entertaining and intriguing as the first and second.
‘Inspector Hobbes and the Gold Diggers’ delivers another riotous mystery story while at the same time taking a more personal turn for both Inspector Hobbes and his sidekick, Andy.
As always, Martin’s witty writing is highly entertaining and as engaging as the story itself.
This quirky and fun read provides yet another great escape from reality.
What a magnificent tale! Subtitled ‘Steampunk Snow Queen’ this was far, far more than a fairy tale retelling. It is a complex blend of Gaslamp fantasy, mystery, historical romance, and Shakespearean theatre that enchants and encompasses the audience, drawing them into the story and behind the scenes until there is no desire to escape.
The cast of characters is a varied and colourful as in any piece of theatre, their features, costumes and voices full of colour, texture and depth. Individually, they are lifelike and realistic; together, they generate a level of energy and drama that makes the audience feel as though they are right there in the scenes and events of the story.
A magical blend of beautiful writing and flawless narration, Ice and Embers is a masterpiece of storytelling.
The sequel to ‘Webley and the World Machine’ in Zachary Chopchinski’s Hall of Doors Steampunk adventure series is an action-packed, highly entertaining adventure story that features Adal, Arija and their friend Kip, a Dweller of Webley’s World Machine.
This story is set in Taraveil, another of the worlds that lie beyond the doors in Webley’s Hall of Doors. Once again, Chopchinski’s world building is complex and detailed, full of fascinating technology and diverse, colourful characters. Rich sensory detail adds texture and dimension to the various settings and environments in the book, complementing the action, characters and complications of the story.
Snarky and confident, Adal and Arija meet their matches in Ypsilon and her Grinder compatriots. Through conflict, danger and the formation of unlikely alliances, the integrity and loyalty of each of the central characters is tested as the story progresses.
Just like Adal and Arija, Ypsilon, Sasha, Van and Masa are characters that young adult readers will relate to. They are strong and flawed, passionate and vulnerable, smart mouthed and profoundly loyal to their own.
Chopchinski’s writing is edgy and descriptive, in keeping with the story and the world in which it is set. The story moves at a good pace, keeping the reader and their imagination fully engaged.
‘Kip and the Grinders’ is fast paced, distinctly original steampunk fiction that demands to be finished once started.
