Last Outlaw Cover Reveal

October 30, 2024October 31, 2024Lee Hall 12 Comments

The time has come to officially reveal the cover of my 9th book and western horror Last Outlaw. It has been quite a journey to get to this moment for me and I’m incredibly proud to be here after a difficult few years. For all of the creative endeavours I’m currently pursuing, writing and releasing books is what matters the most and writing is home to me – it always will be.

Scroll down to check it out…

Last Outlaw is officially available now in both digital and paperback!

( Links are below )

Goodreads Book Page – feel free to add it to your list, this helps with visibility

Amazon US Paperback

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon UK Digital Book Link

Amazon US Digital Book Link

Paperback links coming soon (Amazon is currently approving them…)

‘River Faces North’ – Reviewed by A-M Mawhiney

October 23, 2024October 23, 2024Lee Hall 4 Comments

A-M Mawhiney, Author of Spindrifts and Spelldrifts Shortlisted for the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize reviews ‘River Faces North’ by Anne M Smith-Nochasak.

I have not read many books with a rebel grandmother but I now believe there should be more of them. But it is doubtful anyone could imagine a rebel grandmother who would live up to Anne M Smith-Nochasak’s Meredith Flora Hardy, also known as Flo.

River Faces North is the story of Flo and her granddaughter River. The story begins in 2035 when River’s parents leave her with Flo as they travel on foot to the east to join a rebel group determined to overthrow the Blessed Elect, a group of self-appointed despots who rule over the lands with dire consequences to anyone who breaks any of the six rules.

The reader follows Flo in her routines to provide scarce food and protect her granddaughter, and others, from the ever watchful agents of The Elect. Not knowing who the agents are leaves Flo in a constant internal turmoil about whom she can trust. Flo also leads us through her encounters with The Elect who have now even more worrisome plans for the future that Flo vows she shall resist no matter the consequences to her. Through Flo’s experiences this rebel grandmother shows her determined resistance which she hides cleverly masked in an air of submission and obedience.

Smith-Nochasak has a precision in her style of writing that is masterful. With each carefully chosen word the story creates a reading experience the reader will not soon forget. She eloquently weaves poignant and hopeful moments with dramatic and, at times, shattering events that evoke deep emotions through her eloquent and vivid prose. Her accomplished character development brings the story to life sometimes in ways you cannot anticipate. Many characters carry secrets that shape not only who they are, which is expected, but also the actions they take that are instrumental to what happens next.

While the lives of people in 2036, as Flo recounts them, are the result of a future post-apocalyptic event, a friend reminded me that many people in our own times live the same way Flo and her neighbours do. So, for some readers the world in River Faces North may seem like a futuristic fantasy, it is reality for many others.

River Faces North is the first of the Taggak Journey trilogy. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thank you to fellow author A-M Mawhiney, for providing this review. You can find more information about A-M Mawhiney here.

River Faces North by Anne M Smith-Nochasak is available now and more information can be found here.

‘Someone Else’s Horror Story’ by Rebecca Crunden – Review

October 22, 2024Lee Hall Leave a comment

A short atmospheric tale of the unexpected!

Rebecca Crunden presents a short atmospheric tale of the unexpected that I read in just one sitting. It has the feels and vibes of the Twilight Zone but with a spooky British style to create an enjoyable reading experience that kept me wondering where it was going.

‘Jace Venable’ will do anything for a quiet life and finds himself moving away from the city after inheriting his late father’s home. On his journey to getting the place in order he takes in a young man who has seemingly run away and so the mysterious intrigue begins. Motivated by kindness and more the desire to keep his life quiet, ‘Jace’ unknowingly puts himself on a path to the unexpected after taking in this person and the repercussions might even be eternal.

With some atmospheric description and writing style that will keep those pages turning, this quick-read tale is perfect for those who enjoy tales with a twist.

5 Stars

‘After Io’ by Elliott Wink – Review

October 20, 2024October 20, 2024Lee Hall Leave a comment

A Space Sci-Fi Thriller with plenty of suspense and tension…

The deep dark depths of space make for a great setting in this sci-fi story which is packed with suspense and tension. After a contract job abruptly ends in disaster, the crew of the ‘Persika’ must fight for survival as it appears they are being targeted or is it all in their heads? Just who is out to get them may have something to do with their employers who are simply referred to as the ‘Company’.

Luck doesn’t seem to be on the side of ‘Bryn’ or anyone else on the ship’s crew as events turn into a battle for survival where time is running out along with the most important life supporting resource one can find in space – oxygen. Just how she and the rest of crew found themselves in this situation is due to paranoia and part sinister intentions and even some corporate espionage which make for a great vessel to tell this story. The implications of decision making and how everything plays on the conscience of the characters is laid out well by Elliott Wink and there are some chilling moments where everything isn’t quite what it seems. I found the ending to be a little abrupt and I hope that further books in the series provide more detailed answers about the world introduced in this thrilling opener. I’d certainly be interested in reading the next title!

‘There was something keeping them in darkness, hoping it would envelop them. There was someone who wanted them dead…’

4 Stars

Weekly Ramble #203

October 18, 2024Lee Hall 3 Comments

Things are moving even closer towards the release of my 9th book Last Outlaw. Very soon I will be on the look-out for some readers who would potentially be interested in reading an advanced digital copy with a view of getting in some early reviews. If you are interested, please do reach out!

Releasing this book has been a long time coming as the past few years have been spent focusing on other content. My Patreon has grown in that time alongside YouTube but like I said before, writing books is home to me and I am nearly there. In the background I’ve also been fighting burn-out and a lot of anxiety – the mind of a creative can be fragile thing sometimes and this book release feels much like a comeback for me or even a return. A huge part of why I haven’t released anything new in that time is because last year I spent much of my effort querying and preparing for that. It took a lot out of me and then to have zero positive responses was quite a blow, but onwards I have trudged.

My ace card is this new release. It has been sitting and waiting for its time which is very nearly here!

The last few years have not been easy but a lot of progress has been made gradually. Afterall I’ve kept going, even at a slower pace and those who do keep going, find good things!

Indie Books Perfect For Halloween: Part 2

October 15, 2024Lee Hall Leave a comment

Supporting fellow indie authors over the years has brought me closer to so many awesome books so I am back again for this spooky season to showcase some indie reads perfect for Halloween!

‘One Road In’ by Hannah R. Palmer

First on my list is a British Psychological horror that I discovered all the way back in February. The cover really drew me in and I had to read it.

It’s the mid 90’s and ‘Sadie’ is forced to return home from her new life in London in the wake of her missing brother reappearing after 5 years. The mystery begins to unfold and all of which centres around a small offshore island.

You can read my full review here

‘Hall of Hauntings: Spooky Stories’ by N.S. Ford

For me spooky season is all year round and I really enjoyed this collection of shorts by N.S. Ford. From a haunted house survival reality tv show to even works of art that contain more within to furniture with a mind of its own, you’ll find some original concepts here alongside some more familiar ones in a well-written collection of spookiness.

You can read my full review here

‘Murder at the Pirate Festival’ by Abigail Yardimci

Quite possibly one of my favourite books I’ve read this year revolves around pirates and murder mystery based in a British seaside town. Every element of Abigail Yardimci’s writing contains a depth and strength that pulls this story together presenting a real three dimensional world brought to life on the page. Spooky season isn’t complete without pirates and murder.

You can view my recent video review here

You can read my full review here

‘Death Cult’ by Janelle Schiecke

An enjoyable, mysterious, unpredictable and slightly gory tale about two fellas who take a wrong turn. This one had all types of vibes and even reminded me of the many horror movies I’d rent from blockbuster back in the day. Perfect for spooky season.

You can read my full review here

‘Dream’ by Cathleen Maza

Dreams have always been a fascinating subject for me and this chilling tale takes the concept of a recurring nightmare and turns the mysterious/psychological volume all the way up.

You can read my full review here

‘Rider’s Blood, Moonlit Black’ By Myka Silber

Westerns are one of my favourite genres and combine that with some magical concepts, horror and a main character you want to root for and you’ll get a great read like this one.

You can read my full review here

‘Sly Fox Hollow: A Novel’ by Brett Allen

Another contender for one of my favourite books of the year and a mutli-genre comedy that I thoroughly enjoyed. A small town dominated by a shady corporation, one dead mayor and a mysterious presence of dogmen make for a perfect and fun/spooky story

You can view my recent video review here

You can read my written review here

And that wraps up part 2 of Indie Books Perfect for Halloween. Thanks for stopping by, you can read part 1 here.

Talking Mental Health

October 10, 2024October 10, 2024Lee Hall Leave a comment

Mental Health is an important subject to me and seeing as today is World Mental Health Day I’m taking the opportunity and time to reflect upon this important subject. There are a plethora of ways the challenges of daily life can effect our minds and that’s okay. The idea of talking about our mental health may have seemed strange some years ago but talking about it can unite us and even make bad things seem a little better.

I’ve suffered from anxiety several times in recent years and I’m learning every day how to deal with it directly and indirectly. Part of my process for a long time has been to write down my feelings and thoughts – hence why I am here trying to do my part in spreading some positivity about mental health. I’ve even talked about my anxiety struggles on social media in recent times which was received in a positive and supportive light which meant a lot. As a creative, I know that I need my mind to be in good health to pursue what I am passionate about so I’ve always tried my best to treat mental health with importance.

The world has come a long way from not talking about mental health, but it can do better, we can all do better to talk about it more. We can also do more to be kind and respectful in online spaces because there’s another human behind the handle and it isn’t always clear what is going on in their life. This can also be applied offline because to me, kindness and caring for others is what will create an environment where all of us can be more open about our mental health. It all starts with having that conversation and asking others how they are.

Today I am wearing my Mind badge and Mind is a UK based mental health charity who do some wonderful work to help others. You can find more info about Mind here.

‘Sly Fox Hollow: A Novel’ by Brett Allen – Review

October 7, 2024Lee Hall Leave a comment

A comedic tale that is quite literally as smart as a fox…

Brett Allen flawlessly combines a range of themes to create a comedic tale that is quite literally as smart as a fox while also being rather fun in many different ways. From the important message of community to even poking fun at the elite who want nothing more than division to control others and even politics with a big dose of cryptozoology – some of these subjects are heavy while others are mysterious but this book deals with everything in a light and comedic way which is not an easy thing to achieve.

Everything we are told about the book’s setting of Fox Hollow is richly detailed, from its history and mythos to what it stands for in more recent times. A small town that is dominated by a corporation with shady business practices and a reputation. That is alongside some of the colourful characters led by reluctant hero William ‘Bomber’ Merridan and the newly appointed ‘Sheriff Connie Hayes’. Their journey makes up the bones of this mystery thriller comedy and after the Mayor is found dead, the madness and hilarity begins.

The balance between comedy and perhaps some more serious subjects is just right here and the humour used here in particular is a vessel that allows the story to approach near enough anything. Sly Fox Hollow asks the ultimate question of what if? What if some of these things exist? What would happen if people have had enough of being controlled and divided by the elite? And the answers are delivered through a metaphoric reflection of the real world by way of comedy and some great writing.

“Myths have to come from somewhere…”

5 Stars – A very enjoyable read – I’ll be sharing more fun quotes from it via my YouTube book review coming quite soon! Thank you to the author for sending me digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Awesome Indie Books Releasing This Month: October ’24

October 3, 2024Lee Hall 1 Comment

Welcome to a new venture celebrating awesome indie and self published books that are being released this month. Supporting fellow authors is a huge staple of this blog and so let us dive in.

Hearts Entwined by Scarlett Archer

‘To know what faith has to offer Myra and Noah, delve into this heartfelt love story, woven with Taylor Swift references that will surround you throughout the book.’

Release Date: October 29 2024

‘One Road In’ by Hannah R. Palmer

‘Hall of Hauntings: Spooky Stories’ by N.S. Ford

‘Murder at the Pirate Festival’ by Abigail Yardimci

‘Death Cult’ by Janelle Schiecke

‘Dream’ by Cathleen Maza

‘Rider’s Blood, Moonlit Black’ By Myka Silber

‘Sly Fox Hollow: A Novel’ by Brett Allen

Hearts Entwined by Scarlett Archer

Court of Lies & Cinder (The Stolen Royalty Series Book 2) by A.R. Kaufer

Dead Man’s Alliance (Diablo Series Book 3) by Brooklyn Kerr

RELENTLESS BLADES: VOLUME I of THE PROPHECIES OF ZARUNE by Russell Carroll

The Lucenta Chronicles (Book One): A City of Lost Hearts (Part One) by H Louise

Sinner’s Pass by Shaun Fitzgerald

HOPES OF THE WEARY by Ken McCarthy

Allured (Love and Burlesque Book 1) by Van R. Som

Mystery On Knox Island by Lia Ramsay

A Haunting Between Worlds by Ashley S. Hattle

Ghost Train by Natalie Jacobsen

Return of the Calico Kids by Todd Downing

Alex McKenna and the Academy of Souls by Vicki-Ann Bush

Coming Home by Phoebe May

A Song of Ravens and Wolves by Cara Devlin

Hell’s Hunter by Dylan Altoft

Savage by Melissa Stevens

To Become A Flower by CEON

Shadow of a Rose (The Madness of Miss Rose Book 3) by Christopher Stanfield

Wicked Tongue by C. L. Schneider

The Wrong Brother: A New Adult College Romance by Maren Jenner

The Scorching: The World in My Hands by Nick Snape

Last Outlaw by Lee Hall