In the Introduction to Europa28, writer Laura Bates states that ‘women see things differently […] it comes as a shock, because our default setting is to see things through men’s eyes without ever realising we are doing so.’ I am more than inclined to agree. It’s along this premise that we find Europa28, an anthology
Well if you’ve found your way to this review you’re either a fan of Planet of the Apes, Folio Society or a consumer of fiction – well if that’s the case you are in for a mighty fine time. If you’re a space travelling lost soul and discovered this (a message in a bottle if
The motif of the Bird flies all the way through Anna Vaught’s novel, Saving Lucia. It encapsulates in its image a plethora of contradictory notions: freedom and constraint, strength and vulnerability, companionship and loneliness, elation and desolation. The birds that flit in and out of this novel offer both solace and sorrow to the characters
A librarian – Irena and Prince Kai – a dragon, are sent on a mysterious dangerous mission to acquire an old book from Mr Nemo, a well-known collector. Irene and her companion are told they must succeed to realign and stop probable chaos in their world. Irene and Kai are sent on this adventure to
Rym Kechacha worked as a professional ballet dancer with the Northern Ballet before becoming a teacher. She has an MA in Creative and Life Writing from Goldsmith’s University and Dark River is her debut novel. Dark River entwines two parallel stories, both centring on a mother fighting to protect her family from the impact of
Ritual by Steve Stred is a novella with some serious bite. It’s quite a difficult book to read on many levels, its no nonsense approach to taboo subjects causes an unease from pretty much page one and continues through the book to its grisly conclusion. You want to look away at numerous points, but Stred
A raw and gritty look into the workings of a modern-day marriage, The Codes of Love is a gripping debut that combines soft, hazy images of the isolated countryside with the overwhelming intensity of love and lust. Hannah Persaud makes us question everything we think we understand about relationships and gets underneath the skin of
One of the best things to have come out of 2019 in my reading and reviewing was the discovery of Steve Stred – a writer who blew me away with a few tales of dark fiction including The Stranger and his brilliantly disturbing and deliciously woven masterpiece Piece of Me. So, when I heard that
I’ve not read Albert Camus before (I know, I know) but after discovering and reading ‘The Outsider‘ I can honestly say that I’ll be reading a lot more of his works (I’ve just ordered ‘The Fall’ and again it looks deliciously brilliant). ‘The Outsider‘ is a slow burning drama around one mans decent into chaos
I’ve been going on a journey recently with regards to Kealan Patrick Burke’s books, and boy what a journey it is turning out to be. Steve Stred who had read and advanced copy of my novella Juniper and kindly offered me a quote to use in the publicity of it mentioned that my writing reminded
