False Flag: Publication Day!

False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series, is now available on Amazon!

From now until Saturday 7th, the Kindle edition will be FREE to download.

And to celebrate the launch, we’re giving away the Kindle edition of Battle Ground, Book 1 in the series, TODAY ONLY! Don’t miss out!

Battle Ground and False Flag on a bookshelf

False Flag is going on a blog tour, starting today! Check out these book blogs for reviews and write-ups. We’ll post direct links on the blog every day – check back here to find out what the reviewers think of Book 2!

False Flag Blog Tour list

False Flag: FREE Download Tomorrow!

False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series, will be launching on Amazon TOMORROW!

Advert for False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series

From tomorrow, Kindle and paperback editions will be available to buy direct from Amazon – and from tomorrow until Saturday, the Kindle edition will be FREE to download.

Don’t miss the False Flag blog tour, starting on launch. We’ll post links to all the blogs here so you can see what the reviewers think of Book 2!

We’re insanely busy this week, so if you leave a comment, please be patient! We will be checking the blog, and we will moderate comments as quickly as we can. Thank you for your understanding!

False Flag Countdown: Two Days!

False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series, will be launching on Amazon in TWO DAYS!

Advert for False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series

From September 5th, Kindle and paperback editions will be available to buy direct from Amazon – and from September 5th-7th, the Kindle edition will be FREE to download.

Don’t miss the False Flag blog tour, starting September 5th. We’ll post links to all the blogs here so you can see what the reviewers think of Book 2!

We’re insanely busy this week, so if you leave a comment, please be patient! We will be checking the blog, and we will moderate comments as quickly as we can. Thank you for your understanding!

False Flag Countdown: Three Days!

False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series, will be launching on Amazon in three days!

From September 5th, Kindle and paperback editions will be available to buy direct from Amazon – and from September 5th-7th, the Kindle edition will be FREE to download.

Don’t miss the False Flag blog tour, starting September 5th. We’ll post links to all the blogs here so you can see what the reviewers think of Book 2!

We’re insanely busy this week, so if you leave a comment, please be patient! We will be checking the blog, and we will moderate comments as quickly as we can. Thank you for your understanding!

False Flag Countdown: One Week!

We are so excited that False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series, will be launching on Amazon in one week!

False Flag cover image

From September 5th, Kindle and paperback editions will be available to buy direct from Amazon – and from September 5th-7th, the Kindle edition will be FREE to download.

False Flag will be going on a blog tour from September 5th – we’ll post a full list of blog tour stops as soon as we can.

The next week is going to be insanely busy, so if you leave a comment, please be patient! We will be checking the blog, and we will moderate comments as quickly as we can. Thank you for your understanding!

False Flag: Countdown to Publication

We are very excited to announce that False Flag, Book 2 of the Battle Ground series, will be published on Amazon in two weeks!

False Flag cover image

From September 5th, Kindle and paperback editions will be available to buy direct from Amazon – and from September 5th-7th, the Kindle edition will be FREE to download.

False Flag will be going on a blog tour from September 5th – we’ll post a full list of blog tour stops as soon as we can.

The next two weeks are going to be insanely busy, so if you leave a comment, please be patient! We will be checking the blog, and we will moderate comments as quickly as we can. Thank you for your understanding!

YA Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1)

Title: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1)
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 3/5

I wasn’t sure that a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast would be my kind of book, but several people recommended it, so I grabbed a bargain copy and started reading. And to begin with, I still wasn’t sure. Nothing much happened in the first half of the book. The story seemed to be treading water – establishing the characters, but not going anywhere. I was tempted to give up, until I passed the middle of the story, and suddenly discovered that I couldn’t put it down.

Harper, a girl from modern-day Washington DC, finds herself in the fairy-tale land of Emberfall. She’s been kidnapped in an attempt to break a curse placed on Crown Prince Rhen. All she has to do is fall in love with him, and he won’t change into a monster at the end of the season – but she’s the three hundred and twenty-seventh girl he’s tried to win over, and the rest have all failed.

The first half of the book feels less like a story than a sequence of events. I’m glad I kept reading, because when the events and the context come together, the intrigue kicks off and the stakes are raised for all the characters. When Harper starts to engage with the politics and people of Emberfall, and to see that she could make a difference, the book changes course and the story becomes much more engaging.

Harper is an interesting character. She has a minor disability, but she doesn’t let it define her. She is strong-willed, brave, and determined to fnd her way back to DC. The Crown Prince and his guard constantly tell her that she’s not like the other girls, who played the game and waited to fall in love. She takes action where she sees the opportunity, and she does not accept her role in the breaking of the curse.

Rhen is also interesting, but frustratingly bad at communicating with Harper. While half the chapters are narrated from his point of view, none of the depth the reader can see is evident to Harper, in the earlier chapters she narrates. She can only see the arrogant prince, used to ordering people around and keeping himself hidden in the castle. It takes a painfully long time for her to to understand the challenges he is facing, and to see that he is trying to protect her, and his people.

By the end of the book, I cared about Harper, Rhen, and the guard, and I cared about what happened to the people of Emberfall. The final chapters bring everything together in a genuinely dangerous and exciting finale, and put in place a really interesting twist for the sequel. The first-person present-tense narration suits the story, making the adventure and danger more immediate and real, and the twists in the story ensure that the reader can never guess what the next chapter will bring. I ended up enjoying the book, so if you find it slow to begin with, stick with it – it gets better!

Have you read A Curse So Dark and Lonely? What did you think of the story? And what about the characters – Harper, Rhen, and Grey? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.


Please keep your comments YA appropriate. Be patient! We want to hear from you, but comments are moderated, and may take some time to appear.

YA Review: Boy 87

Title: Boy 87
Author: Ele Fountain
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 4/5

Boy 87 cover image

This is a short and deceptively simple book, following fourteen-year-old Shif as he makes the dangerous journey from his home in Africa to find safety in Europe. The plot is straightforward, and the first-person narration is pared-back, childlike, and sincere. At first glance, the storytelling feels simple, but there is just enough here to allow the reader to connect with Shif, and to experience the frightening events of the story with him. The elegant, spare language gives the reader clear insights into Shif’s character, his hopes and dreams for the future, and his ability to survive the trials of the journey. Nothing is over-dramatised, but the threats and the danger feel real.

With its simple storytelling and short length, Boy 87 feels like a book for younger children, but the events Shif describes require a YA level of maturity to understand and connect with. As an adult I found the story truly frightening, imagining what it would feel like to have to leave your home, escape to another country, and trust people smugglers to take you on the dangerous sea-crossing. This isn’t heroic YA. It isn’t a story of adventure or triumph. But it is an insight into the motivations of the migrants who try again and again to reach safety in Europe. Shif’s experiences are relatable, haunting, and undoubtedly realistic, and the book would make a great introduction to the subject of migration, majority/minority world politics, and the value of human life.

Boy 87 is an easy but thought-provoking read, and an effective introduction to an important contemporary subject. Definitely recommended.

Have you read Boy 87? What did you think of the story? Click through to the full blog to access the comments section, and share your thoughts! No spoilers, though – you can post those on GoodReads!

Review cross-posted to GoodReads.


Please keep your comments YA appropriate. Be patient! We want to hear from you, but comments are moderated, and may take some time to appear.