Wednesday 17 October 2018

IA: Invincible Assassin by John Darryl Winston


IA: Invincible Assassin by John Darryl Winston
Published in America by BHC Press on the 9th October 2018.

Featured in Cover Characteristics: Stairs

How I got this book:
Received a review copy from the author

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to buy this book:

The Book Depository
Wordery
Waterstones
Amazon US / Amazon UK

The only thing worse than having nothing to live for is having nothing to lose

When tragedy strikes his best friend, Harvis Young knows there will be a reckoning, especially since Naz Andersen possesses the supernatural powers of a god. Now it’s up to Harvis to save the guilty from Naz’s wrath. Beyond the mean streets of Marshal Park, Harvis will discover a darker path than anything he’s ever seen. His friend may not have the only soul that needs saving.

This new installment in John Winston's IA series slots in between IA: B.O.S.S. and IA: Union and I would advise having read at least the first two books in the series before turning to IA: Invincible Assassin in order to avoid any inadvertent spoilers and to understand the backstory which has led to Naz's intense grief. Winston took the brave decision to narrate IA: Invincible Assassin from the point of view of Harvis Young, a supporting character in the early books. I loved this change of perspective as it allowed me to observe Naz from the outside (so to speak) as well as getting to know Harvis better.

Dubbed the Wordsmith due to his poetic abilities, Harvis is desperate to help his friend, Naz, but doesn't really understand how best to go about this. Winston obviously put a lot of thought into this portrayal which always felt authentic so I could appreciate how a young man would feel and act in such a situation. Despite wise advice from his parents which Harvis does try to heed, he discovers a scarily violent side to himself. I liked the positive relationships between Harvis and each of his parents too. IA: Invincible Assassin incorporates lots of action scenes in a fast-moving story, and also manages to be philosophical without those sections dragging. I think this is a great addition to the series!


Search Lit Flits for more:
Books by John Darryl Winston / Young adult books / Books from America

Monday 15 October 2018

Clockwork Dollhouse by Jordan Elizabeth + #Giveaway


Clockwork Dollhouse by Jordan Elizabeth
First published as part of Gears Of Brass in 2014. Republished by CHBB as a single story on the 8th October 2018.

How I got this book:
Borrowed from my partner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where to buy this book:

The Book Depository (unavailable)
Wordery (unavailable)
Waterstones (unavailable)
Amazon US / Amazon UK

The clockwork dolls seem to be moving on their own. What are they trying to show?

When Ainsley moves in with her uncle, the governor, it seems like a beautiful situation. An orphan is finding love in an elite household. However, she carries with her the power to reveal her uncle’s darkest secrets.

Jordan Elizabeth's short story Clockwork Dollhouse has been republished as an Amazon single this October and it's a perfect creepy Halloween story - maybe even one to read aloud by the fireside for a really atmospheric scare! I love the idea of the mechanical dolls and their house. We have a friend who makes automata so I could easily envisage how they would move. Clockwork Dollhouse is only a short story of course so there isn't space for deep character development or anything like that, however I appreciated how Jordan captured the essentials of her characters. There's also a great sense of menace as Uncle Robert begins to realise what is happening in the dollhouse.

And now it's time for the Giveaway!

The prize is an ebook copy of Clockwork Dollhouse by Jordan Elizabeth.
Open internationally until midnight (UK time) on the 29th October 2018.

Entry is by way of the Gleam widget below.
(GDPR: Gleam will ask for your email address so that I am able to contact the winner. I will then need to pass the winner's email address on to Jordan Elizabeth so she can send out the ebook.)

Clockwork Dollhouse by Jordan Elizabeth / Literary Flits giveaway



Search Lit Flits for more:
Books by Jordan Elizabeth / Horror fiction / Books from America