Author Archive: PaulineMorgan
Mistletoe by Alison Littlewood (book review).
Strong emotions can leave their mark. One of the theories behind hauntings is that powerful events are recorded by the fabric of the place they happen in and are replayed when the right trigger is tripped. Other ghostly sightings are attributed to unfinished business on the part of the deceased. This might be benign or, […]
Magic Triumphs (A Kate Daniels novel book 10) by Ilona Andrews (book review).
In a more and more competitive market, writers have to do more to make themselves noticed, not only by the potential publishers but by the readers as well. Thus, the first novel in a series needs to put the protagonists into great peril, ramping up the tension and perhaps allowing them to survive by the […]
The Monster Of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht (book review).
A difficult thing to decide is exactly what a monster is? In horror, it is often as a term to describe a hideous, dangerous and probably supernatural creature that menaces from the shadows. The word ‘monster’, though, just means big. These are recognisable monsters but more scary are those that are not outwardly recognisable. They […]
Sword And Pen (The Great Library book 5) by Rachel Caine (book review).
Fire is capable of destroying in a way that is spectacular and devastating. Precious things, whether mementos lost in a house fire of important archaeological artefacts like those destroyed in the conflagration in Rio’s Museum can never be replaced. Most people have heard of the fire that supposedly destroyed the Great Library of Alexandria. It […]
The North Beyond Part 2: Maesrhon by P.M. Scrayfield (book review).
‘The North Beyond’ is one big novel divided into four books, of which this is the second part. As a result, there is little to guide the reader in the architecture of this fantasy world. Part one was the story of Numirantoro (none of the characters have a familiar diminutive), her childhood and how she […]
Electric Forest by Tanith Lee (book review).
One of the problems with choosing from the plethora of books on offer is which one. Should it be something a friend with similar tastes has recommended, a new author you’ve not yet sampled or one of the ‘classics’. The term ‘classic’ is itself a minefield. Younger readers tend to think of them as on […]
A Bite To Remember (Argeneau Family book 5) by Lynsay Sands (book review).
The ‘Argeneau Family’ series of books is like a relay race. The baton of focal character is passed on between the end of one novel and the start of the next. ‘A Bite To Remember’ is the fifth in the series involving the Argeneau family. What makes members different is that they are vampires in […]
Killing Gods: A Superhero Novel by Tony Cooper (book review).
One of the best reasons for writing a sequel is if the characters have more story to tell and if it is sufficiently different from their first outing to keep the readership enthralled while holding on to all the features that made the original idea captivating. It is not easy to do and many authors […]
A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay (book review).
The idea of a fantasy set in an alternative world is not a new one. Often it is a single change that make all the difference. A number of authors have experimented with the sub-genre: what if Lincoln wasn’t assassinated or Hitler was? What if Napoleon had succeeded in invading Britain or the Romans hadn’t? […]
Tall, Dark And Hungry (Argeneau Family book 4) by Lynsay Sands (book review).
It is widely accepted that there is a section of readers who, having found a genre they like, demand more of the same. It is part of reason why Mills & Boon has been and still is such a success. Not all their novels have coy, virginal and idealistic heroines as the books have been […]
