Tag Archives: creatures

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Tagged as action and adventure, afterlife, atmosphere, black magic, colors, creatures, elements, family, fantasy, friends, magic, Middle-Grade Fiction, mutants, pixie, pixies, planets, portals, prince, prophecies, queen, review, royalty, secrets, souls, suspense, teen, traitors, universe, villains, YA

February 1, 2022 · 7:00 am

Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal by Peter Wilson (Book Review)

MOONBEAM AWARD WINNER!

Something has changed at the Gregson Manor. An evil force from the family’s past has returned to upheave their lives.

Jack and his cousins explore the family secrets as they are pulled through a portal into a universe of endless worlds and possibilities.

Together, they race to escape and destroy the evil Theorden and his followers who strive to unlock the power of the Forgotten Portal and wreak havor on Gregson Manor and the World.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

The trio from Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal (Jack, David, and Rosie) reminded me of Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione. Three young adults band together to save their home, family, and friends from an evil, magical being. In both scenarios, there was a chosen one (teen) who had the power to defeat the villain. Of course, he can’t do it alone. He needed assistance.

While there were many similarities between this book and the famous series by Rowling, Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal possessed its own unique features. For instance, Peter Wilson’s story had a punkey – a puppy + monkey, a mutant-looking creature. There were also portals that took you to different worlds in the universe. Could you imagine visiting a new planet every time you go on vacation?! That would be amazing!!! This feature would be a great discussion topic in a classroom. Where in the universe would you go? You could go even farther and have your students design their planet and include its features (animals, vegetation, food sources, etc.).

Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal had many qualities that drew my attention and held my interest, besides those mentioned in the last paragraph. I loved the magical elements and the manor’s attic. There were so many artifacts to view in this room, each one with its own story to tell. It also had a bonus feature that you won’t see in a typical attic. (No spoilers; buy the book *smiley face*)

What I would change?
I wish the Shadow Man’s identity weren’t so easy to figure out and so soon in the story too.

Like I said in the opening paragraph, I do believe there are some shared traits between this story and the HP books. However, with that said, I did enjoy reading Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal and recommend others read it as well.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤1/2

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Tagged as action and adventure, beasts, creatures, family, fantasy, friends, magic, Middle-Grade Fiction, mutants, pixie, planets, portals, review, secrets, suspense, teen, traitors, villains, wolves, YA

November 12, 2021 · 7:00 am

War of the Staffs by Steve Stephenson and K.M. Tedrick (Book Review)

The goddess Adois brings a powerful vampire warlock named Taza through the void to turn Muiria into a planet of evil using her powerful staff. Needing an army, he turns a race of dark elves into vampires, but Prince Tarquin is born to fulfill a prophecy to stop Taza.

The prince cannot do it alone. The Wizard Celedant sends him to the Borderers, an elite group of dwarves to learn how to fight, while the wizard begins his search for the Staff of Adaman, the only thing capable of thwarting Taza and Adois’ Staff.

War of the Staffs is the search for two pieces of the ancient Staff of Adaman to counter Adois’ plans. The darkness is rising and using the black power of the Staff of Adois and his army of dark elves, giants, and orcs, Taza will begin a reign of terror the planet will not soon forget.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

There were quite a few elements in War of the Staffs that reminded me of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. However, War of Staffs differed from the popular series (mentioned in the opening sentence) by incorporating vampires and unique magic abilities. Taza (warlock and vamp) used his specially acquired magical skills to infiltrate his enemies and summon beasts of all sizes. The creatures he controlled led us into some pretty epic battle scenes. You’ll witness clashes between dwarves and orcs, wizard versus wizard, powerful beasts descending from above, and those awaiting the heroes in dark caves. There were numerous entanglements, so you won’t have to wait long for action scenes!

With the number of characters featured in War of the Staffs, this book could have its own trading card set. People would probably love to roleplay the book. However, I would suggest a Glossary of Characters and Terms.

Heads up: War of the Staffs is book one in a series.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤1/2

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KM Tedrick is a writer and ghostwriter in the fantasy, science fiction, adventure, Christian, and young adult genres with one book that was made into a movie, and over sixteen books published.

Author Steve Stephenson an admitted bibliophile collects rare fantasy and science fiction media. He obtained a B.A. in history and an M.A. in Library Science. He has written four books including the War of the Staffs trilogy.

You can connect with Steve Stephenson through his Facebook Link or at Linkedin

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Tagged as Army, battles, beasts, creatures, dark fantasy, dragons, dwarves, elven, fantasy, giants, magic, monsters, ors, prophecy, review, royalty, sci-fi, sword and sorcery, vampires, warlocks, water spirits, wizards

October 29, 2021 · 7:00 am

Peel Back and See by Mike Thorn (Book Review)

In spaces both familiar and strange, unknowable horrors lurk.

From the recesses of the Internet, where cosmic terror shows its face on an endless live feed, to a museum celebrating the sordid legacy of an occultist painter, this chilling collection of sixteen short stories will plunge you into the eerie, pessimistic imagination of Mike Thorn. Peel Back and See urges its readers to look closer, to push past surface-level appearances and face the things that stir below.

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

Peel Back and See is a collection of sixteen (16) short stories that are heavy on unforgettable encounters with hungry creatures, blood and gore, fear, Satan, and (weirdly enough) sexual arousal.

Some stories stuck with me more than others. Below are my top five (5).

1.) Mr. Mucata’s Final Requests: Everyone knows you don’t try to double-cross Satan. I mean, come on, don’t even try. Deals with him are also a bad idea. Seriously, the worst possible choice a person can make. If you believe in the devil, demons, and hell, say NO to anything offered. Period!

2.) @GorgoYama2013: We’re raised to know you NEVER go into a stranger’s car. Horror movies have ingrained in us to NEVER go into a strange basement, especially alone. Victor broke all the rules. What he met could best be described as a horrific version of Krang (the brain) from TMNT. If you don’t know who I am talking about, look him up!

3.) Vomitus Bacchanalius: Okay, people are vomiting. Aliens are eating the regurgitated food. There are goo-faced men. Ugh, this story was gross, BUT good! I loved the nod to Gordon Ramsay too. 🙂

4.) The Furnace Room Mutant: This story stood out more because you’d think an unnatural being would be the monster in the story. I like it when authors step out from the paranormal norm. 🙂

5.) Havoc: This was the first story in the collection, and it made me close my laptop and take one giant step back from it. Read the story, and you’ll understand why. There was only one part I wasn’t too keen on — a flashback scene between student and teacher. I don’t want to divulge too much, but it made my score drop from a five to a four. (for this story only, not the overall score of the anthology)

In Peel Back and See, thirteen of the sixteen stories scored three and above. That’s impressive! I encourage others to read the collection and see which story has you cowering under the covers.

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link
Journalstone.com

Mike Thorn is the author of the short story collection Darkest Hours. His fiction has appeared in numerous magazines, anthologies and podcasts, including Vastarien, Dark Moon Digest, The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and Prairie Gothic. His film criticism has been published in MUBI Notebook, The Film Stage, and Vague Visages. He completed his M.A. with a major in English literature at the University of Calgary, where he wrote a thesis on epistemophobia in John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness.

Connect with him on Twitter (@MikeThornWrites) or visit his website for more information: mikethornwrites.com.

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August 14, 2021 · 7:00 am

Realms of Glory, Realms of Death (The Epthelion Series) by Sandra Kopp (Book Review)

Valhalea lies in ruins, the victim of sorcerer Lucius Mordarius’ wrath.

In the black forests of Barren-Fel Ryadok, a rival sorcerer possessing a weapon capable of leveling the continent, snakes his destructive tentacles across Epthelion. Amid the chaos Destiny unites five unlikely allies: an ostracized mystic and his younger brother; a tradesman and a battle-hardened mercenary; and the daughter of a murdered nobleman–each a thorn in a sorcerer’s side and marked for death.

Battling nature’s wrath, the sorcerers’ relentless pursuit, and a land notorious for devouring its inhabitants, they find temporary sanctuary only to be thrust to opposite ends of Epthelion–the girl to the west where she falls into the hands of the blood-thirsty Horse Lords; and the men into the dark reaches of the shadowy east.

Victory is essential; defeat spells certain death for their world. The girl must survive the Horse Lord’s brutality and rally them to her aid in defeating Mordarius while the mystic races to destroy Ryadok before his sweeping holocaust.

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

There are not many fantasy books that I think would 100% translate beautifully onto the big screen. However, I believe Sandra’s beasts, the lesser ones and the Destroyer, need to be brought to life in 2D or (better yet) 3D. Once you read Realms Of Glory, Realms of Death, I’m sure you’ll agree Sandra’s magical bringers of death need to be shown on a big screen.

Besides the beasts, what I adored about Realms Of Glory, Realms of Death is its plot/subject matter is not limited to one age group. As a parent, I look for books that my daughter and I can read and discuss. I don’t recall seeing any unfavorable words except whore. While I am not a fan of this word, it didn’t hurt the book or affect my rating. I would still recommend my daughter to read it. I would encourage you to read it also.

I can’t end this review without pointing out how much I appreciated Sandra giving props to women and their abilities. We are fierce. We are strong. We can fight. We are leaders!

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)
Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2

About Sandra Kopp

I’m an Idaho native, a lover of chocolate, builder of kingdoms, and ever a dreamer. From childhood I loved a good story and spent hours lost in the wonderful and fantastic worlds I found in books. Even while pursuing a career in Information Technology I remained a voracious reader, and in 2003 began penning my own stories. My first three, a fantasy trilogy which I am currently reworking, were influenced by The Lord of the Rings. My current book, The Windwilder Haunting, arose from the arson fire of one of Pasco, Washington’s last landmarks, the James A. Moore House. The house’s rich and colorful history intrigued me, and I am proud to say I played a small part in its restoration. The Windwilder Haunting, however, details a fictional family and set of events. After relaunching the trilogy (in about two months) I will be working on a prequel to the Windwilder tale.

Fantasy and paranormal romance remain my favorite genres, but I am also working on a familial saga and a series of children’s books based on Timothy Wonder, an adventurous lad with a huge imagination.

When not writing, I enjoy photography, hiking, cycling, and playing the accordion.

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