Review: The Fall of Gondolin

The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien is another tale of ‘Great Tales’ of the Elder Days. There are three books total in the ‘Great Tales’ of the Elder Days which include Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien, and The Fall of Gondolin.

I enjoyed reading these tales. Tolkien has brought to light more characters and their labors which provided me with great details of Tolkien's world he had envisioned. A lot of trials, loss, and tragedy struck the peoples of Gondolin.

I loved reading about some of the history of Tolkien's world. The characters are deep with trials of their life lead and their losses.

A big treat for me was reading Christopher Tolkien's telling of his father's revisions, additions, and his father's thoughts. This had to be a daunting task and with the help of Christopher's colleagues, he was able to bring to light these tales of the elder days and to give a bit of insight as to what Tolkien's father had in mind concerning his passion of his created world. Christopher Tolkien doesn't get the credit he deserves for helping bring his father's world to light, and I am without question indebted to him for his toiling efforts of bringing this epic story to a full and completed tale, as fully as he could, and bringing it to the public for our enjoyment. I will cherish these stories and will pass them to my children and grandchildren in the hopes of them loving this epic story as much as I do.

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Review: Beren and Lúthien

Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of the Tales of the Elder Days as touched upon in The Silmarillion.

Beren and Lúthien is another story that finally has seen the light of day. I loved reading this tale and learning more about other characters in Tolkien's world. In addition, the poems were beautiful with beautiful prose. I had not realized what an amazing poet Tolkien was. This was an added treat for me.

I highly recommend anyone who loves Tolkien's work to read this. You will not be disappointed.

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Review: The Children of Húrin

The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien is a tragic story of The Children of Húrin, one of the unfinished tales in The Silmarillion.

Though The Children of Húrin was a great read, it was a tragic one, but I loved learning of what happened fully to Hurin's children, Túrin and Niënor. It has been years since I've read The Silmarillion, so this was a necessity read, for me.

I highly recommend lovers of Tolkien's work to read this tale.



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Review: Roverandom

Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien is a story based on an event that happened when Michael Tolkien was but a boy.

Four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his favorite toy dog and his father created this story to give Michael an idea of what might have happened to his little toy dog.

This was such a fun read!

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Review: The Winter of the Witch

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden is the final installment of the Winternight Trilogy. Moscow is on the brink of war, and the plague has come, and one witch girl, Vasya, is determined to do what must be done to save her city.

This was an excellent ending to a wonderful story of one girl's determination and strength. Katherine Arden's ability to draw the reader in and hold them is outstanding. A brilliantly written novel of self discovery, determination, strength, love, and doubt in oneself make this one of my favorite stories.

A must read for anyone looking for a strong female protagonist.

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Review: NOS4A2

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill is a story about a young girl, Victoria McQueen, who has a secret gift for 'finding' things. When she 'finds' Charles Talent Manx, her life is changed forever.

Joe Hill's writing is captivating, his world building is impeccable, and I loved the Easter eggs throughout the story as a nod to his father.

For anyone who loves Stephen King, this is a great choice to read as Hill's writing and story telling is chilling.

A brilliant story I highly recommend.




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Review: The Story of Kullervo

The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien is a compilation of drafts, notes, and essays, plus the short story of Kullervo who was tormented by the dark magician, Untamo.

It was interesting to read the 'extras' in this book. It gave me an idea of J.R.R. Tolkien's process of writing and insight into the story and how it came about.

I believe this a must read for people wanting to know of Tolkien's creative process.

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Review: The Fireman

The Fireman by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Fireman by Joe Hill is a novel about a plague, Draco Incendia Trychophyton, also known as Dragonscale.

I love how Hill brings his characters to life, and the world he creates is chilling. With incredible writing, I recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopian tales.

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Review: Heart-Shaped Box

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill is a novel about rock star Judas Coyne and black, heart-shaped box and the dead man's suit it contains.

I absolutely loved this story! I have to say that I am loving Joe Hill's work as much as I do his father's.

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Review: I am Drusilla: vampire short reads(Kindle Single)Stand-Alone Books, An Original Short Story

I am Drusilla: vampire short reads(Kindle Single)Stand-Alone Books, An Original Short Story by Lucille Moncrief
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am Drusilla by Lucille Moncrief is a short story about High Priestess Drusilla and her love, Egino.

This is a short story of love and determination. This short is emotionally charged, drawing me in and not letting go. This tale is very well written, and though it is short, it is one of the best vampire stories I have read in a long time.



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Review: The Dead Orphanage

The Dead Orphanage by A.A. Allsop
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Dead Orphanage by A.A. Allsop has an alternative cover, and title of Peter Green and the Unliving Academy: This Book is Full of Dead People (The Unliving Chronicles 1) by Angelina Allsop. This story is about Pete Green, a fourteen -year-old boy who finds himself dead, but can't remember anything but his name, age and the fact that he is dead.



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

For starters, I loved this story. It was fun, imaginative, and full of fun characters. The author takes us on a fantastic journey of a boy trying to find out who he is. He makes friends, and in doing so finds help. I loved the characters. The creatures are fun, and the world the author created is unique to me. I've not read about such a world before, and this story was delightful and emotional.

With that being said, this book could have used better editing, but it did not hinder my enjoyment and I'm looking forward to reading more of Peter's adventures.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars.








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Review: Horns

Horns by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Horns by Joe Hill is a stand alone novel about a young man, Ignatius Perrish, waking up after a night of drinking too much and discovering he has grown horns.

I have to say that Joe Hill's writing definitely gives his father, Stephen King, a run for his money. Superb writing and great character development give this story depth. I highly recommend this book to any Stephen King lover.

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Review: Haunted Tales

Haunted Tales by Samie Sands
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Haunted Tales by Samie Sands and other various authors is an anthology of poems and short stories.

1. The Damaged Doll by Kevin S. Hall: ***
2. Rebirth by Cecilia Hernando Doldan (poem): ***
3. The Evil Among Us by Nicholas Boving: ****
4. Fortuna and the Dead by Stephen Downes (poem): **
5. Joining In by Kody Dibble (poem): **
6. Graveyard Encounter (A True Story) by June Lundgren: **
7. Haunts & Horrors by Amy S. Pacini: *
8. Hyde and Seek - The Tale of Young Master Henry Jekyll (A sample of the play) by June
Rachelson-Ospa: ***
9. Caged by Justin R. Beeman: *****
10. When Ed Met Avril by Martha Jette: **
11. Your Knife by Debbie Johnson (poem): **
12. Final Revenge by Gisela Woldenga: **
13. The Changeling by Anthony V. Pugliese (poem): **
14. The Haunted Hoagie by Matt Mesnard: *
15. Demon Comes to Challenge my Faith by Martha Jette: ** Read like a textbook.
16. Better than his word by Rick Eddy: * Opinion piece.
17. Erebus by Michele Jones: ***
18. Prologue: Till Heaven Then Forever by Linda Heavner Gerald: DNF. Contained too many religious
opinions.
19. Henry's Ghost by Linda Jenkinson (poem): ***
20. Heart Surgery by Jake Elliot: **
21. The Pale Lady by Kally Jo Surbeck (poem): ****
22. Transcending by Ekta Rawat: * I couldn't make sense of this story.
23. The Ghost Sheets by Mathias Jansson )poem): *
24. Under the House by Will Zeilinger: ***
25. The Fall and Rise of Lucifer by Delaina M. Waldron: ** Two of the characters were mixed up.
26. Upside the Down Elevator by Kimberly Klemm: **
27. Cryptic Apparition by Amy S. Pacini (poem): **
28. Possession is Nine Tenths (A sample of the play) by Trisha Sugarek: ***
29. Poem by Rae Desmond Jones: *
30. Dark Portal (A True Story) by June Lundgren: ****
31. Shadow People by Michele Jones (poem): ****
32. Shadows and Ghosts by Cecilia Hernando Doldan (poem): ***
33. For the Love of God by Nicholas Boving: **** Loved this story.
34. A Household Mystery by Cecilia Hernando Doldan: ***
35. Played (A Sample of the Play) by Jonathan Ospa: ***** This story was fun.
36. The Town That Hell Spat Out by Kevin S. Hall: **** Familiar characters of horror made this
story fun.
37. The Replacement by Linda Jenkinson: * This story was a bit confusing.
38. Cursed Document by Samie Sands: ** Using words out of context ruined this story for me.

There were several issues with the poems and stories in this collection, but the good shorts more than made up for it.

Overall, I give this anthology a 2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.



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My Top Ten Books of 2018

I had a tough time deciding what books were my favorite for this year. I read quite a few decent traditionally published books, which is unusual for me. I finally decided on the following books. 

10.

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

I really loved this story. It's a mystery, but also a story of acceptance and finding out who you are, where you're from, and where you fit in. 

You can read my more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/10/review-serafina-and-black-cloak.html

9.

Darkstorm by M.L. Spencer

M.L. Spencer's beautiful prose, world building, and character development breathe life into this tale of love, betrayal, determination, and intrigue.

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/11/review-darkstorm_69.html

8.

Ella Dethroned by Brandon Barr

Brandon's ability to bring his characters to life and bring out their emotions is what makes Brandon's writing intriguing and addicting. Brandon's ability to create worlds and take us on an engaging adventure is truly remarkable.

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/11/review-ella-dethroned.html

7.

Infestation by William Meikle

This story took me back to the B horror movies that I loved as a kid! Fantastic story, and I definitely recommend it! 

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-infestation.html

6.

The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor

This is a horror mystery with so many twists and turns. It kept me engrossed.

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/06/review-chalk-man_14.html

5.

The Apples of Idunn by Matt Larkin

Excellent plot involving Odin of Norse mythology.

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/07/review-apples-of-idunn.html

4.

Pursuit of Shadows by J.A. Andrews

Instead of your usual trope, J.A. has given us a story of one man's determination, and hope in finding his sister, therefore adding something new to the fantasy genre.

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/09/review-pursuit-of-shadows.html

3.

Hero by C.F. Welburn

This is the best of the books, so far. There is more action than the other books, which was an unexpected treat!

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/12/review-hero.html

2.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The writing is beautiful, and with the addition of the vintage photographs, it made the story even more believable. 

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/10/review-miss-peregrines-home-for.html

1.

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I have never heard any Russian fairy tales, so this was quite the treat.

You can read more of my review here:

http://feeroberts64.blogspot.com/2018/10/review-bear-and-nightingale.html

I read some familiar authors and discovered new authors. I love discovering new authors. I hope you all can discover some new authors, too. I read some really good books this year and I hope to read more good books in 2019. As for my best of post, this was such a hard decision, but I did it. Feel free to give some of these authors a shot, if you haven't already. Wishing you all the best for your reading goals in 2019! Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

Review: Ragged Heroes: An Epic Fantasy Anthology

Ragged Heroes: An Epic Fantasy Anthology by Andy Peloquin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great anthology with diverse characters. I loved the writing styles of the authors, and their individual stories are exciting, and kept me enthralled. I highly recommend this collection.

Disclaimer - I received a copy of this book from one of the authors in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Review: Death at Dusk by Joshua Robertson

4/5 stars

Death at Dusk by Joshua Robertson is a stand alone novel in the Thrice Nine Legends Saga. The princess's life is in danger. Can Teodor Bacheva of the Crimson Sun keep her safe from Brenn Dardrogan and Dusk Legion?

This is a great addition to Thrice Nine Legends Saga. This story is full of political intrigue, and emotions run high. I thoroughly enjoyed Robertson's writing. The characters are well fleshed out, and the world building is good. I'll be reading more of this author's work. I definitely recommend this story.

Buy it here:

https://www.amazon.com/Death-at-Dusk-Joshua-Robertson-ebook/dp/B07LCYCGRC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546020498&sr=8-1&keywords=Death+at+Dusk

Review: Paragon

Paragon by C.F. Welburn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paragon by C.F. Welburn is the final installment in The Ashen Levels Saga. We follow Balagir on his final journey for questions to be answered.

I loved this series so much and am not liking that it is over. Balagir is one of my favorite characters of all time from a new author, no less. The writing is superb, and the characters are very well fleshed out. The ending threw me for a loop, though. I definitely wasn't expecting this ending, but Welburn tied up everything, albeit a bit too tidy for me. I would have liked one more book (just one more, please?) added to this saga, but overall, it was a great way to end this series. I most definitely recommend this series. It has races that I have never heard of, which was a treat, and I can't say enough about Welburn's writing style.

I'm giving this book 4.5 stars because of the too tidy an ending, for me personally. Goodreads doesn't have the option of half stars, so I'm rounding up to a 5.

I'm looking forward to more stories from C.F. Welburn.

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Review: Hero

Hero by C.F. Welburn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hero by C.F. Welburn is the fourth book in The Ashen Levels series. Balagir ends up in a war he tries to prevent.

This is the best of the books, so far. There is more action than the other books, which was an unexpected treat! I wish there was a ten star option on Goodreads, because this book deserves it! I'm surely going to miss this series when I'm done with the fifth and last book in this series. Well done, Welburn!

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Review: Adept

Adept by C.F. Welburn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adept by C.F. Welburn is the third book in The Ashen Levels series. This book picks up where the second book leaves off. Balagir is on his search to find the meaning of his life and if being an Ashen has a purpose.

Balagir is one of my most favorite of characters I've ever gotten to know through a story. I love the way Welburn has brought Balagir to life. His struggles keep me rapt, hoping for the best for Balagir.

I just love Welburn's writing style, and I love this world that he has created. This story is definitely different than your usual fantasy story in that it's more about the character than the usual tropes.

Easily one of my favorite stories, and am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

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Review: Journeyman

Journeyman by C.F. Welburn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Journeyman by C.F. Welburn is the second installment in The Ashen Levels series. This story picks up where the first book left off. We travel with Balagir as he alights on a journey of self discovery.

This is easily one of my favorite series of all time. Welburn's storytelling is superb, and he drew me in and kept me rapt as the story unfolded. Welburn brings his characters to life and the world building is impressive. If you like character driven stories, I highly recommend this series.



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