Indie books rock

Intriguing: Terrific imagination and very easy reading style. This is a strange, foreign, alternate reality where you feel right at home and quickly pick up what’s going on. Cool, quirky characters and an interesting story that may have only just begun… A very enjoyable read.

Try This One: I liked this. What a weird story. It’s very cleverly constructed and intriguing from start to finish. There’s something so simple and true about The Pusher. I’m wondering why I can so easily relate to him, lol… It’s a short read – definitely worth your time.

Lovely: What a wonderful romance. I was captivated by this cute, feel good little story from the opening scene. I guess you always know what you’re going to end up with, but it doesn’t come easily – keeps you waiting and hoping all the way to a smart, satisfying conclusion… Highly recommended reading.

Witty and Intelligent: This is an excellent, highly imaginative story you can just read and enjoy. You could also read it again and again and delve deeper into Plato, I suspect. I liked the witty, irreverent style of storytelling the author used, even apologetic about getting too philosophical or scientific in places. It kept things light and enjoyable and kept the story powering along. Terrific characters, especially the heroine. The sausages... classic!!

Gritty and real: The characters in this story are fascinating. Brilliantly portrayed, they are people we see around by day but have no idea about beyond their public persona. This is a powerful story that sets you up, shocks you, drags you deeper, and finally lets you take a breath. There are twists and deception to work your way through. It’s a fast and highly enjoyable read.

Impactful: These letters tell of a horrible thing. They drag you through some of the worst of human sickness and lead you to strength and triumph. To the extent they are fictional (which isn’t obvious), they are extremely well dramatized. I thought I knew where the account was leading, but there’s a twist at the end I certainly didn’t see coming. I thought the portrayal of the mother was excellent – the way it was so effectively done with so few words.

I want to go to the Beach House: Actually, I’ve been to the beach house, metaphorically. Any place with important personal history is the beach house. It’s horrible when you drive past somewhere you remember fondly from some life event years ago and find it’s been re-developed. It’s gone… This is a wonderfully uplifting read. The many stories, brilliantly intertwined, are so real and inspiring… If you’re an Aussie you will probably like this book. If you’re not an Aussie you will probably like this book.

Great idea: Simple, practical and makes a fantasy idea do-able. You will obviously make your money back many times over with the tips in this book. Cleverly put together guide.

Excellent: Cool characters, lots of fun, nice, wholesome message, and a great adventure. You'll love this one. Your kids probably will too.

Confronting: This took me out of my comfort zone. I didn't want to keep reading but was compelled to. There was no respite at the end. Very well crafted story.

Keeps you guessing: Wonderfully detailed, heart-warmingly and exhilaratingly romantic, sensually erotic, and with layers of intrigue stringing you along the path of a terrific adventure in time. This story rocks. I think it’s fantastic. It’s a smooth, fast-paced read that is always building, and the climax is fittingly powerful. I was left well satisfied, not wanting more. A particular vote of appreciation for the description of the jungle and depiction of historic local culture. It feels like you are there.

Thought provoking & wise: Fears Of Darkness is a warmly romantic adventure story. The depiction of building a life in nature is amazingly detailed. There is tremendous wisdom in the way the breakdown and fledgling rebuild of society is handled – in the exploration of human will and spirit. This is a story you settle back and lose yourself in. You walk with this small group of survivors and get to feel, smell, touch and taste everything they experience. There are several little romances and some shocking acts of violence pulling you one way and another. The entire story, and particularly the resolution, poses some interesting questions about us – our society.

Cold & clever: Kiss Of Life is an eerie, fast-paced thriller that pulls you in quickly and doesn’t really offer a chance to put the book down. The lead characters are cleverly cliché. The setting, like the portent of the tale, is cold. You feel that – all the way through, you feel cold. Intrigue builds and builds. You know the good guy is headed for trouble. Blindly, he is drawn as the story twists deeper with convenient lies, lustful passion and mind-control. You get all along where things are headed but the final reveal is more than you expect, as centuries of legend and myth come to life in an ending that is almost happy.

Adventure, misadventure: The reckless spirit of youth is captured in this tale of misfortune. In a cleverly delivered setting of mountain trails, a volatile earth and the harsh elements of nature, we are trudging in the shoes of a boy who wishes he could have the choices of this day over again.

Wylee Carter's clear and direct style has the tension of this misadventure building steadily. The ending this fine author relieves us with is warm, wholesome and satisfying.

Immerse yourself in this: The poetic charm of Victorian era London is all around us - immerse yourself in the burgeoning love between a kind and genuine cotton mill owner and a musically gifted damsel under the thumb of a brute.

Beaudelaire confronts us with the hardships and inequities of old world dominance and servitude, and in doing so, challenges us with the questionable ideals of our heritage. Did we once allow this kind of deprivation and abuse?

These are layers in a powerful story of romance, penned by an author with a penchant for caressing our imaginations with sweet sensuality, before mercilessly turning on us with harsh reality.

The authenticity pulsing through this story has me wondering whether Simone Beaudelaire penned it at all... Perhaps she inked it with a quill.

The work of a storyteller: Who or what is The Pearl?

I was fascinated by the incredibly detailed descriptions that made me feel as though I could see, touch, hear and smell everything this band of travellers experienced. I could easily visualise all the interesting characters and quickly gained a sense of their life and purpose. This is a world inhabited by a tremendous range of nice and nasty creatures.

What of Pearl though? Ahh - not so easy. We get to understand, and eventually come to know Pearl in bits and pieces of information fed to us rather teasingly by this fine author, this wonderfully gifted storyteller, Sandra Martinez. Pearl comes to life gradually throughout this magical adventure and she is well worth waiting for.

This is a fun, romantic story with a touch of darkness and treachery. It moves along quickly and doesn't really allow you to put it down, so perhaps get comfy before you start. As a fellow author who beta-read this story, I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy and to anyone wishing to give the fantasy genre a whirl.