First a quick explanation!
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.
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.
That’s the plan anyway, so let’s keep the 2025 momentum up with some more indie book love!
Title: Magic
Author: Mike Russell
Publisher: StrangeBooks
Blurb: ‘Magic’ is a surreal, comic and magical novel by Mike Russell. (Suitable for adults of all ages.) Told from the perspective of a young man who believes that stage magicians can perform real acts of magic, Mike Russell’s novel ‘Magic’ is entertaining and accessible at the same time as profound and unusual.
Does magic exist? Charlie Watson thinks it does and he wants to tell you all about it. Before he was famous, Charlie Watson decided to write a book to share with the world everything he knew about magic. This is that book. You will discover why Charlie always wears a top hat, why his house is full of rabbits, how magic wands are made, how the universe began, and much, much more. Plus, for the first time, Charlie tells of the strange events that led him from England to the Arctic, to perform the extraordinary feat that made him famous, and he finally reveals whether that extraordinary feat was magic or whether it was just a trick.
Mike Russell’s ‘Magic’ is magic.
Review: I confess I began this book wondering whether I would like it quite as much as Mike Russell’s surreal short story collections I have read previously, mainly because the unusual first-person narrative main character, Charlie, makes for difficult reading at the start of the story – he appears to have unspecified developmental delays and innocently believes that everything in the world is controlled by benevolent, invisible, immortal magicians.
Or at least, he does until it is cruelly revealed to him that that magic isn’t real and that magician’s tricks are just that… illusions. Then that it is, in fact, real, after all. And then we REALLY go down the rabbit-hole, and from sweet and simple the whole tone shifts to utterly surreal and deeply philosophical.
I found myself deeply moved and inspired by the wisdom and insights revealed through Charlie’s “wise fool” perspective on life, and by the end of the story I was filled with a renewed sense of hope, wonder and an awareness of the everyday magic all around us.
For a story that also features hybrid rabbit/top-hat creatures, that’s surprisingly powerful and profound!
Purchase Link: Magic on Amazon
Title: Orson the Great
Author: Colm McElwain
Publisher: Independently published
Blurb: From the writer of the ‘James Clyde’ book series comes a heart-warming, middle-grade story about a world-famous magician called ‘Orson the Great’.
When ten-year-old Orson Whitlock is given a deck of cards by his father on Christmas Eve 1970, he falls in love with magic. This present kickstarts Orson’s meteoric rise to the top of his profession.
By Christmas 1972, Orson is an established magician and performs to audiences in some of the most prestigious theatres around the world.
His blissful life is soon turned upside down, however, when he discovers a family secret going back generations. Orson is dragged deeper into a world of secret societies, deception, strange disappearances and unrest.
Events take a further unexpected turn when a brilliant, but feared, magician known as ‘Daxton the Destroyer’ challenges Orson to a contest for the most sought-after title in magic.
Teaming up with his assistant Agatha Anderson, Orson must put his skills to the test and confront his most formidable opponent yet – or face losing everything that he holds dear.
Review: Another story about magicians, but this time aimed at a younger audience, Orson the Great is a very unusual story about an 11-12 year old famous magician and his (same age) assistant and admin/PR manager.
Orson, the main character, is taught magic tricks and the magician’s trade by his father then finds out that he has inherited the title of Grand Master of a secret magician society, and that a competitor, a grown man known as Draxton the Destroyer, will be challenging him for the position… and possibly his life!
Cue a high stakes, exciting montage of running and hiding, training furiously and becoming famous on international stages, as Orson attempts to protect his family legacy and become the best magician of them all. In fact, for the majority of the story it felt almost TOO high stakes to be suitable for middle-grade readers and I felt that the writing must be aimed at more of a teen audience. But the author has a final trick up his sleeve which reveals the illusion and places us neatly back in middle-grade territory after all.
This is a fun read for independent readers looking for the kind of old-school adventure where 10-12 year olds can roam around hotels and trains, taking on fully-resourced adults and succeeding against the odds. Older readers might have to suspend their scepticism and choose to believe in magic (or at least in VERY long-term pranks) for this one.
Purchase Link: Orson the Great on Amazon
Title: A Season of Goodwill
Author: Stefania Hartley
Publisher: The Sicilian Mama
Blurb: How far should Viviana’s family go to avoid being thirteen at the table? Should Melina and Tanino attend a New Year’s party hosted by Melina’s old flame? Why do Don Pericle’s clients want a Christmas wedding at all costs?
Ten humorous and heart-warming short stories shining with the Sicilian sunshine, fragrant with red wine and ringing with Christmas bells, perfect for the festive season.
Review: Stefania Hartley specialises in cosy, humorous and romantic stories focused on family life and set in Sicily, and this seasonal collection is no exception to that rule. Each story contains plenty of Christmas cheer, with presents and festive food but, more importantly, the warm glow of family and friends gathering together in love.
Regular readers will enjoy the return of long-time married couple Melina and Tanino for some seasonal shenanigans, but this is also an ideal taster for newcomers to the author wanting a sample of the style and content of her writing. The writing is warm-hearted, touching at times and often gently humorous, with low stakes misunderstandings and cosy reconciliations.
This collection of ten stories is very easy, light reading, ideal for dipping in and out of in the run up to your own festive celebrations, or gifting to a book-loving loved one as a stocking filler. And, of course, it can be read at ANY time of year, whenever you need to top up on cosy vibes!
Purchase Link: A Season of Goodwill on Amazon
Title: Gerald Barkley Rocks
Author: Kyle A. Massa
Publisher: Independently published
Blurb: If your life was a song, what would it sound like? In the case of Gerald Barkley, it would be an elevator jingle.
Barkley’s never been the most memorable guy. Even as a longtime Los Angeles homicide detective, people tend to forget him. And when his death draws near in the form of a rare blood disease, he has to wonder…will anyone notice when he’s gone?
Add to that Barkley’s latest case: The mysterious death of Julian Strange, a rock-and-roll icon with an obsession for cats. Renowned as a wild performer and a dabbler in the odd, Strange procured a copy of the world’s oldest song. What does it have to do with his death? And what will Gerald Barkley learn from it all?
The debut novel from speculative fiction author Kyle A. Massa, “Gerald Barkley Rocks” examines music, fame, mortality, and the strangeness that composes them all. One part detective story, one part rock-and-roll elegy, and one part supernatural comedy, this book might just change your outlook on life—and death.
Review: I wasn’t sure whether to expect horror here or not, based on the cover and some of the author’s other books I have read, but this is actually an unusual detective story with a quirky paranormal twist.
Main character Gerald Barkley is one of those classic soon-to-retire detectives who seems to live for the job and have lost other live connections along the way, and he is now investigating his final case – the death of the lead singer and songwriter of Black Cat Waltz, a band that has personal memories for Gerald.
The worldbuilding ideas are so interesting here: I love the idea that each person gets their own personal Death but only a select number of people might be able to see them before the end. That said, for most of the story the fantastic element takes a back seat to the exploration of attitudes to life, death, priorities and second chances. In fact, even the detective/mystery element of the plot is more of a sidebar to Gerald’s journey of personal discovery.
A strange and unique quick read, but not always an ‘easy’ read, this story looks at how obsessions can blind us to other joys in life, and how easy it is to get misdirected from the things and people that make you truly happy. You can expect to finish the story feeling pensive but hopeful, and possibly slightly startled by the main reveal!
Purchase Link: Gerald Barkley Rocks on Amazon
Title: The Binding Day Truce
Author: J.P. Burnison & Allegra Pescatore
Publisher: AO Collective Publishing
Blurb: The end of centuries of war is looming.
Ilyas of Vine, War Leader of the armies of the Mad Queen Maevian Oriset, is sent off once again to hunt the deadliest foe he has ever faced: Willow of Herb. Tired of the fighting, but with too much on the line, Ilyas knows that this will be their last fight. This time, failure is not an option. This time, he will kill that damn monster, or die trying.
Willow of Herb has fought against Vine all of his life. Ever since the day the Mad Queen’s forces killed his parents, he has revealed in the bloodshed of war. As the only one with a hope of matching Maevian’s power, it is up to him to find a way to put an end to her reign of terror. Only one thing stands in his way: Ilyas.
In a war where neither side is truly good or evil, and shades of grey run rampant, who will be triumphant when these two forces meet again for the final time?
Review: This novelette is the first I have read of The Mountain Fell series by J.P. Burnison and Allegra Pescatore, as it belongs chronologically before Book 1, A Bond of Thread. While I did enjoy the story, I would probably (and very rarely for me!) recommend reading the main books in the series first and treating this as more of an added bonus, as there is little world-building, background or character context to place this story in as a standalone.
The main characters are Ilyas of Vine and Willow of Herb and we see the story from their alternating viewpoints from opposite sides of a war over the Mad Queen’s rule. Despite their differences, a temporary ceasefire in hostilities allows them to see each other in a different light and changes the course of both of their lives irrevocably as a result.
I was definitely intrigued by these characters and by the glimpses of worldbuilding and backstory here and am looking forward to reading the main novels in the series to find out more about the world of the Nine Lands. And for those who are ahead of me and have already read Books 1 & 2, I would recommend this novelette for a sneaky peek at the pre-story!
Purchase Link: The Binding Day Truce on Amazon
Magicians, more magicians, detectives and dead rock stars, and a Christmas collection of heart-warmers in this latest batch of indie goodies!
I hope you spot something you like the look of among them and maybe even find a brand new author to follow and enjoy.
Happy reading and keep shining! 🙂
