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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nFirst a quick explanation!<\/strong><\/p>\n Due to some severe health issues over the last few years, and a lingering chronic condition, my planned review schedule went right out of the window and I have been scrabbling ever since to get it back on track.<\/strong><\/p>\n In an attempt to try to regain some lost ground, I have been scrunching some of my (overdue) reviews together into one or two posts each week: shorter reviews, but still covering all of the points I intended to.<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s the plan anyway, so let\u2019s keep the 2025 momentum up with some more book love!<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Title:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0The Seven Hungers: Brine Council<\/em><\/strong> Blurb: \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Heed the Brine song, for the Old Gods have returned, and the world will drown in brine and darkness.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n On the back of his confrontation with the Crimson King, formerly disgraced Crown sorcerer, Ambrose Drake, is sent to picturesque Port Douglas to investigate a curious emergence. Still reeling from his recent elevation to Regional Director, Drake and his companions are confronted by something ancient and hungry which has clawed its way out of the briny depths. Brine Council is a fast-paced, urban fantasy thriller with horror elements throughout. Fans of The Dresden Files, The Laundry Files, Constantine, and Hellboy will love this second book in The Seven Hungers series.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n **NOTE: This book contains graphic descriptions of nightmarish monsters, with a dash of gore. If you\u2019re turned off by horror elements, this may not be the series for you. If you\u2019re fine with a little creepy, monstery type terror, then fill your boots! **<\/em><\/p>\n Review:<\/strong>\u00a0This is the second book in the Seven Hungers urban fantasy-horror series and, like the first, it is packed with loads of action and magic. I would definitely recommend reading the books in series order, as this picks up right where Book 1 left off, as Ambrose, Winter, Rook and Janus have to throw themselves straight into repelling another terrifying Hunger invasion while still reeling from the aftermath of the Crimson King events. Plus, there is loads of character backstory and worldbuilding which you need for some things to make sense!<\/p>\n This would have been an easy 5-star read for me (I love a bit of snarky, urban fantasy-noir!), if it wasn\u2019t for how almost bullet-proof main character Ambrose feels from the very beginning of this story. By the end, I felt like he could get ripped into 2cm squares and I would still feel confident that he would somehow emerge more or less whole and still fighting. It does make his character fun to read and allows for constantly escalating levels of peril, but also lowers the stakes for me a little, as I couldn\u2019t get a real sense of any limits to his power, resources or sheer dumb luck!<\/p>\n That aside, I really like all of the characters and worldbuilding, and how the plot is different from the first but slowly building on it too, and I am fascinated to find out more about the Hungers, Lilith, and how someone might possibly recover from long-term disembodiment, so I will definitely continue to follow this series with interest.<\/p>\n Title:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0Boneless<\/strong><\/em> Blurb: \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>A vampire without their wolf\u2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Grim\u2019s best friend is missing. With the Ember Guard baffled and the list of victims growing by the day, Grim\u2019s going to need a lot more than coffee and takeout to solve this case.<\/em><\/p>\n Grim can see the bones, but can they learn how to follow them alone? And how do you find a kidnapper whose captives steal themselves away?<\/em><\/p>\n The Ember Bones novellas feature an honest depiction of platonic intimacy, thrilling mysteries, and happy endings galore. Sink your teeth into this cozy modern fantasy.<\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Review:<\/strong>\u00a0I actually found this short urban-fantasy-mystery-noir novella a little easier to get into than Unbury the Bones<\/em>, as I felt like I had a better grip on the characters. The two novellas could easily be joined together to form one full-length story, in fact, as this story carries straight on from the cliffhanger ending in Book 1.<\/p>\n I really missed Argyle\u2019s positive influence on the tone of the story here, as Grim is a much more sombre and reflective character and the two work well together to create a balance. I also found myself getting a little bit frustrated at how long it took for Grim to piece certain clues together which felt quite glaring to me, but then, I wasn\u2019t struggling with the deep emotional distress that they were throughout the book!<\/p>\n As before, this is an interesting story world and characters that I would love to see more of \u2013 the unique lore and worldbuilding hiding behind just these short plots is so intriguing \u2013 so I will definitely be reading more Ember Bones in future too (I feel like I\u2019m saying that a lot these days and my TBR pile never seems to get any smaller\u2026 I wonder if the two are related?!)<\/p>\n Title: Pacific Dash<\/em><\/strong> Blurb: \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>PACIFIC DASH<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0is a colorful new novel tracking the vagabond life journey of Dashiell Bonaventure, a young American who roams Asia for decades, visiting beaches, vice dens and casinos, all in pursuit of thrills and truth. This vivid work of gaudy fiction transports readers to exotic worlds and will delight all fans of armchair global travel, adventure fiction or romance.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n In 1968, a job transfer catapults young Dash\u2019s family across the globe, leaving the cornfields of Illinois for far-flung Hong Kong. In his youthful innocence, the teen believes this expatriate high school adventure is just a temporary detour but he is mistaken, for thus begins his lifelong odyssey drifting between continents and crisscrossing Asia in an adventure of self-discovery.<\/em><\/p>\n He roams for decades, traversing Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar and more. Eccentric and flamboyant personalities roll through his life as Dash wades through jungles, beaches, and cities of the Far East.<\/em><\/p>\n Along the way, he falls desperately in love but also makes bitter enemies. He saves lives and nearly loses his own, backpacking and motorcycling across Indonesia. He finds a gig working on an illegal floating casino offshore from Singapore. And as the decades pass, he eventually attains impossible wealth after pioneering the 1990s VIP gambling junket business in Macau, hosting \u2018whale gamblers\u2019 from across the region.<\/em><\/p>\n And that\u2019s when his troubles REALLY begin.<\/em><\/p>\n PACIFIC DASH<\/strong>\u00a0is the next best thing to taking your own journey down the colorful back alleys of Asia. Sparkling with anecdotes and color, this story is designed to charm readers by parachuting them into the festivals, culture, and vice dens of the Far East. Exhaustively researched and historically accurate, this book was written by a veteran \u201cOld Asia Hand\u201d and is an education in itself as to cultural practices and the astounding sites of SE Asia.<\/p>\n The story unwinds at a furious pace, truly a mad dash: From a sudden disaster at international high school in cosmopolitan Hong Kong \u2026 to fantasy years jetting around the globe as the collegiate prot\u00e9g\u00e9 to the world\u2019s reigning literary rock star \u2026 From a dreamlike backpacking idyll through culture-lush Indonesia \u2026 to an unplanned decade riding a sleazy floating casino in the Straits of Malacca \u2026 and finally on to Dash\u2019s stunning rise to power as the wealthiest Westerner in Asia and king of Greater China\u2019s casino business.<\/em><\/p>\n With\u00a0PACIFIC DASH,<\/strong>\u00a0readers experience life amongst Asia\u2019s elite, the young princesses and princelings at the international high school in 1960s Hong Kong. They hang out with Aussie surfer dudes in Bali and go tromping down the 1970s hippie trail to Afghanistan, Nepal and beyond. They thrill to illegal high-stakes baccarat tables on the high seas and gorge on spicy foods eaten by hand off banana leaves. And they fall in love with the gorgeous Fiona Lo Ting-Ting and make friends with intriguing characters like Snakehead Goh, PY (Little Fatty) Lee, Chickie Schmidt and Jackson Toh.<\/em><\/p>\n This karma-laced tale is akin to a mash-up between a Paul Theroux travel narrative and Alex Garland\u2019s \u2018The Beach\u2019 \u2026 with a pinch of Forrest Gump too, as amazing, unexpected adventures just keep happening to good old Dash. Many readers also liken it to the infamous \u201cFlashman\u201d series by George MacDonald Fraser.<\/em><\/p>\n PACIFIC DASH<\/strong>\u00a0is the newest offering from\u00a0BANANA LEAF BOOKS<\/strong>, a new imprint specializing in the adventures of Westerners adrift in Asia.<\/em><\/p>\n Review:<\/strong>\u00a0Pacific Dash<\/em> is a fictional travel memoir of the main character Dashiell Bonaventure. We start with Dash in Hong Kong for his schooldays, then follow him to Illinois, Bali, Malaysia before returning to Hong Kong in a grand finale that ties all of his disparate adventures together. He faces explosions, drownings, bike accidents, dabbles in gambling rackets with various crime lords, is kidnapped \u2013 the list of his action-packed encounters could go on and on, as he fits a lot of drama into the years covered in the book. <\/p>\n This is a really unusual and original book \u2013 a rollercoaster of highs and lows as Dash rides the wave of good and bad luck across Asia, somehow always miraculously coming out on top (just!) through sheer luck, karma or fate. His narrative voice is consistently naive and innocent, no matter what experiences and criminal elements he is exposed to and everything just seems to happen to him, to his perpetual surprise. (He reminded me very much of Robin Hobb\u2019s passive protagonist characters like Fitz and\/or Nevare, but transposed into a modern non-fantasy world.)<\/p>\n The plot seems to have a loose structure, with no real beginning or end, just a sequence of peaks and troughs which you can still see stretching out ahead of Dash after the final resolution.<\/p>\n There were a couple of aspects of the story that I struggled a little bit with: Dash\u2019s view of women seems to categorise them all as either ugly bitches or exotic goddesses of beauty and goodness, with not a lot of nuance between, and he has a tendency towards casual racism \u2013 misnaming people with nonsense like Yin Tin Tong or Ning Nang Nong \u2013 with no malice but a cavalier attitude towards the feelings and humanity of other people which seems to characterise his entire approach to life. What the kids might call \u2018real Main Character energy\u2019!<\/p>\n But, luckily, you don\u2019t have to like someone or agree with them to enjoy reading their action-packed life story and, taken as a fictional tour through Asian travel, landscapes and culture, this is very readable and entertaining. <\/p>\n Title: Happy Bastards<\/em><\/strong> Blurb: \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Do you feel unsatisfied with your life, work, or relationships? F!*k satisfaction! There\u2019s something more than happiness and success. Break through the limits society has put on you. Discover a meaningful life, full of bliss and joy, experienced by\u00a0happy bastards.<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Happy Bastards<\/em>\u00a0is a radical memoir and self-development book written by entrepreneur, blogger, and life provocateur Alex Monaco. Alex looks you straight in the eye and tells you your beliefs must change if you want to experience real bliss. And while unflinchingly exploding the delusions we tell ourselves, he also gently guides you to a new, better narrative for your life that will grant you the sheer joy you never thought possible.<\/em><\/p>\n If you like hard-won wisdom, in-your-face advice, and doing instead of complaining, then you\u2019ll love Alex Monaco\u2019s best-selling kick in the pants.<\/em><\/p>\n If you\u2019re ready to accept the harsh truth and reframe your thinking, get your copy of the\u00a0Happy Bastards<\/em>\u00a0manifesto today!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Review:<\/strong>\u00a0Motivational non-fiction book Happy Bastards<\/em> takes a look at the kind of people the author admires and wishes to emulate and sets out steps for how to manifest their life quality for yourself.<\/p>\n The author\u2019s tone comes across as excited and enthusiastic, but also somewhat bombastic and didactic, depending on how you feel about this kind of motivational instruction. He appears to have supreme confidence that what works for him will work equally well for everyone and that the only reason people might fail to succeed is that they don\u2019t try hard enough or believe in themselves enough.<\/p>\n The anecdotal evidence relies quite a lot on survivor bias and extrapolating to the general from the individual. For example, one woman mentioned was poisoned but \u2018made up her mind\u2019 to survive and did, so Monaco reasons that you needn\u2019t die from so-called \u2018certain death\u2019 if you just fight hard enough and keep the right mindset. Of course, this discounts the possibility that many of those who did<\/em> die in that situation also fought equally hard not to and \u2018made up their minds\u2019 not to but died anyway, so their stories don\u2019t make it into the record. Monaco is keen to attribute any advantages he has in life to his hard work and positive mindset \u2013 and those clearly do contribute to his success \u2013 but his insistence of the universal application of these methods suggests that anyone who doesn\u2019t have his advantages is just making excuses for not working hard enough or not having the confidence to take risks.<\/p>\n That said, the book contains some good, basic ideas about living life fully and in the moment; believing in yourself; putting your all into everything you do; and being more of a \u201chappy bastard\u201d in every situation. None of this is new, but Monaco\u2019s simple, direct expression, forceful charisma and sheer exuberance are likely to help those messages reach new audiences who don\u2019t usually subscribe to \u2018mindfulness\u2019 or \u2018wellbeing\u2019 ideas. And the book is full of rhetorical questions, imagination exercises and hyperbolic exhortations to keep the flow brisk, conversational and easy-to-digest.<\/p>\n To summarise the overall message of the book: work hard; believe in yourself; follow your goals; respect your value; don\u2019t listen to anyone who wants to knock you down; keep a Positive Mental Attitude; be happy with what you have got and who you are, but also strive to do and be better; and be confident. All important lessons to master for good mental health and I can\u2019t argue with any of them. Following those mantras is very likely to help transform you life into a more successful and positive version, if not the full Alex Monaco, HB version of it!<\/p>\n Title: 1000 Fun Facts for Immature Adults, Vol. 1<\/em><\/strong> Blurb: \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>If you want to flex your brainpower and impress just about everyone, then keep reading\u2026<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Did you know that the average adult produces enough saliva in their lifetime to fill two swimming pools?<\/em><\/p>\n Or that there\u2019s a small town in Central America where fish literally fall from the sky every year without fail?<\/em><\/p>\n In today\u2019s digital age, what\u2019s life without selfies? Well, in the 1800s, getting a good shot in a snap was unheard of. Since being photographed back then would take hours, people had to wear back braces just to keep still.<\/em><\/p>\n Imagine adding these fun facts \u2013 and hundreds more \u2013 to your arsenal. They can be quite handy when you want to put an end to that excruciating awkard silence in social gatherings, stand out from the rest of your colleagues in the office, or simply dazzle your date.<\/em><\/p>\n After all, serving an earful of trivia just may be the quickest way to someone\u2019s heart \u2013 as this book would tell you, hearing is your fastest sense with a near-instant response time of 0.05 seconds.<\/em><\/p>\n What\u2019s more, knowing little tidbits of mind-blowing information may be just what you need to level up your \u201csmall talk\u201d game.<\/em><\/p>\n At the very least, you can have hours and hours of highly entertaining conversations \u2013 just add a little dose of fascinating facts and you\u2019re good to go!<\/em><\/p>\n Inside, here is just a small fraction of what you will discover:<\/em><\/p>\n And much more.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n Remember when you were a kid and that amazing feeling you had whenever you found out something new?<\/em><\/p>\n There\u2019s no stopping you from rekindling that simple joy of discovery, that wide-eyed curiosity, and that sense of childlike wonder\u2026 no matter what age you\u2019re at.<\/em><\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re into facts that sound too unbelievable (but are definitely true) or random bits about science, history, food, celebrities, your body, and the universe \u2013 or perhaps you\u2019re just in need of a lifeline for long trips and family reunions \u2013 this book has got you covered.<\/em><\/p>\n Review:<\/strong> If you\u2019re looking for something interesting and amusing to add to your toilet-library then this is definitely the book!<\/p>\n Although it is aimed at \u2018immature adults\u2019, there isn\u2019t much that my curious 9-year-old couldn\u2019t handle and it is written in a very accessible, quirky, light-hearted style, with plenty of humorous asides to keep things entertaining.<\/p>\n The facts cover all sorts of topics: animals; science; space; the environment; people; entertainment; sports\u2026 there is something for everyone in here.<\/p>\n This book would make a great novelty gift for a Secret Santa, stocking filler or birthday extra and the writing style alone made me want to read more from this author. I would recommend this to anyone who likes \u2018strange but true\u2019 style trivia, pub quizzes or just funny writing in general.<\/p>\n
Author: \u00a0Morgan Quaid<\/strong>
Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Dark Ether Press<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Drake must meet this challenge while struggling to control the powerful Sovereign who resides within his flesh, a Hungerborn being that threatens to tip the balance and send Drake and his companions to a watery death.<\/em><\/p>\nPurchase Link:\u00a0<\/strong>Brine Council\u00a0on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n
Author: \u00a0Coyote JM Edwards<\/strong>
Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Independently published<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nPurchase Link:\u00a0<\/strong>Boneless\u00a0on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n
Author: \u00a0Chet Nairene<\/strong>
Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Banana Leaf Books<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nPurchase Link:\u00a0Pacific Dash<\/em>\u00a0 on Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Author: \u00a0Alex Monaco<\/strong>
Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Monabooks Publishing<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nHere\u2019s just some of what you get after reading this book:<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Purchase Link:\u00a0Happy Bastards<\/em>\u00a0on Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Author: \u00a0Bryan Spektor<\/strong>
Publisher:<\/strong>\u00a0Independently published<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
Purchase Link:\u00a0<\/b>1000 Fun Facts for Immature Adults\u00a0on Amazon<\/em><\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n