Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Review: Zombie! Haunted Mansion: Memoir of Jesse Jamieson by Zombie Origin Media

Zombie! Haunted Mansion: Memoir of Jesse Jamieson

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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Review: Sweet-pea's Thief by J. Cassidy

Sweet-pea's Thief

by 
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My Take:



Gambling for dollars is one thing. But gambling for days is something else. Charlie is dying of cancer. He only has months to live. But he hears of a raven-haired girl that will play poker with you, gambling for your remaining time. If you win, you leave with more time. If you lose, you... lose time. With little to lose, he plays poker with Sweet-pea, who relates during the game the incredible tale of why she is gambling Years of Life with the dying.

With her body stolen by a monster, and her soul pushed into another parallel realm with monsters and magic, Sweet-pea's survival depends on the protection of others stuck in this horrific realm with her. Hunted by bounty hunters, monsters and the mysterious Tin Master,  Sweet-pea finds that while attempting to regain her life, she may lose her soul.


Content:
Drug Content:
PG - Sweet-pea is given a bottle of pills to help her cope with the shock of losing her body, pills she quickly becomes addicted to.

Violence:
R - There's a good deal of violence and death, blood and gore. A torture chamber provides a horrific gory backdrop for one of the scenes. A hand is cut off, a throat is slit.

Language:
PG - There are a few cuss words, nothing serious.

Adult Content:
G - there's really no sexual content, though some obviously happened once off-screen.

Christian content:
Nada. There are some concerning concepts in this work, mainly that souls aren't eternal and can be used for food, that Time can be gambled away, or gained through a game of chance. There are some references to an afterlife. Heaven and Hell are referred to as real places, in other dimensions, but monsters can capture your soul during the 'tunnel experience' while heading to the bright light at the end of the tunnel. Loyalty, self-sacrifice, destiny and friendship play large parts in this tale. There is a definite struggle between good and evil here, but the lines are grayed.

Final analysis:
This book has an incredible concept - that between life and death there is a dimension the soul must travel through, and those souls can be stolen. That the body can be stolen, and the soul released to wander rather than move on to heaven or hell. The plot behind this story is gripping, the world-building phenomenal, and the action fast and furious. New life, Old life, are gathered like glowing marbles. Strange creatures like Griwald and Deadly Mimics threaten constantly, along with Tin Men and other horrific creatures. Magic amulets and spells are formulated and used to gain access to further dimensions, while time passes at alarming rates. Characters are often larger than life. However, the pacing dragged for me. It seemed to take an eternity for me to plow through some sections, while other sections moved so quickly I had to reread to catch important details. So, a great read, but some pacing issues. Four Stars!
About the Author:
J. CassidyJ. Cassidy's website reads,
I’m J. Cassidy and I used to be an oak tree growing in a park in England. I still like to be decorated once a year.
Pink, sparkly fluffles and rainbows make everything better.
She can be followed on Twitter: https://twitter.com/6twistedbiscuit


Review: Imprint Legacy by Dorian Keys

Imprint Legacy

Imprint Legacy by [Keys, Dorian]
My Take:


When Detective Robert Miers and his partner follow the clues left by the stiff they found in the old apartment, it quickly leads them to their own deaths. But Robert wakes up to find he's not dead, just confused, with a gap in his memory and a missing partner. After being suspended pending an internal investigation, Robert follows clues on his own regarding the mysterious men in black, clues that cause him to question whether his entire life has been a lie. 


Content:
Drug Content:
G - None.

Violence:
PG - There's violence and death, a gun battle and ray guns. There is no real gore. Some people die in a fire off-screen.

Language:
PG - The D-word is used once, and g-d is used a couple times.

Adult Content:
G - there's really no sexual content of any sort in this work.


Christian content:
Not really any. I wouldn't have any issue handing this to my kids to read, as they are all into their teens or beyond. There are questions raised in this book that make for some good talking points - ideas about loyalty, life and death, and our purpose in life. 

Final analysis:
This short novella is a whirlwind of twists and turns, a high-stakes action-packed scifi mystery. Fast-paced and immersive, the focus is more on action and plot than deep descriptive passages, which makes for a quick read with an interesting end. Five stars!


About the Author:
Dorian KeysOne day, a while back, Dorian handed his father a handwritten story. Five sentences telling of an unknown object landing on the backyard. He was seven.

At the time, he was praised for it, he thought nothing of it: everyone can do what i do. And everyone can.

Years later, Dorian self published his debut novel Imprint Legacy on Amazon. It was well received. Earning a four star rating from Literary Titan. Next year he self published a short story collection, and has a world of stories to tell.

Presently, Dorian lives in busy New York City together with his family. He writes every chance he gets carrying his laptop everywhere. Occasionally he shows up on Twitter, but the best way of contacting is on this website.

P.S: Unbeknownst to Dorian, his father laminated that original story and kept it with him. He yet has to see it again.