Rae of Light

#Review: Wolfbound by Jane Bailey A 2 Star read This is a story of two halves: the one in which a pack of werewolves feature prominently and the other where a young woman’s anxieties about her lack of attractiveness to the opposite sex are foremost.   The protagonist, Eileen, has always felt there’s something other about herself. She’s battled long and hard to push this side of her nature aside. I was engaged.   When the plot brought her and Zachariah together I got the sense he was going to either bring her otherness to the fore or help her rid herself of it completely. The opening chapters of the book are solid in their descriptions and the writing style easy to read. However, this is where the plot unravels. Once a failed attempt at understanding Eileen’s true nature is described, the story loses its way and lingers far too long on her anxieties. The link between her relationship with Zachariah and who she truly is, is lost. Furthermore, I was very troubl...

This month as we celebrate the centenary of the right for some women to vote, I find myself remembering the remarkable women in my family who have shaped my life but never had the vote in their lifetime. By the time Mandela was released in 2014 my maternal grandmother had been dead almost a decade. It wasn’t until after Mandela’s release that the question of the right for all South Africans to vote was a viability. As South African women under the yoke of the Apartheid system, my grandmother and mother were denied the vote because of their racial status, never mind the fact they were female. Voting for all in South Africa finally became a reality in the 20 th century. This is a stark reminder the struggle for equality is very much an ongoing one. When I reflect on what these women gave me in terms of self-belief, psychological nourishment and love, I’m overwhelmed they did so despite the odds. It highlights the strength of character inherent in their natures. I have no do...

Noticing how slow you are to go to the polls dear readers, my WIPs wish to state their arguments for publication one last time before voting ends.   So here they are, speaking for themselves. When you've made up your mind please cast your vote in the poll in the sidebar. Hi there My name is THE WITCH ADOPTION PROJECT and I'm a WIP sitting in a folder on Rae's laptop. I want more out of life. I don't want to stay a draft forever more. I want to be published. So I'm appealing to you dear followers to support my cause and vote for me. Yes I'm young. Yes I'm precocious. But age is only good for wine and cheese. I'm neither. The rest is now up to you. You know what you have to do. So folks The young upstart makes some interesting comments but I'd like to stop you in your tracks. What you want to be doing is voting for me. It's simple really, I'm the final instalment in a trilogy so you know that means I'm going ...

#Review: The Spellbound Spirit by Lana Hart 5 Stars for engagement and plot 3 Stars for execution The plot is a haunting, murder mystery, erotica hybrid with a triangle of lead characters: Misty, Jack and Cassie. We all know the power of the triangle, especially where passion is involved. The murder victim also plays a key role in the events which unfold. During horrific descriptions there is an engaging use of language which incorporates the senses to good effect. At times though it is somewhat clichéd. Some of the turns of phrase are lovely with a clever twist on well used phrases: “She wasn’t about to look a gift ghost in the mouth.” But it is during erotic descriptions where I’m less convinced. This is because it tips into Barbara Cartland mode at times. The author negotiates big themes of loss, grief and familial mental health with great sensitivity. Misty’s fears regarding these issues feel authentic and are described with an accuracy which suggests the a...

When Rainbows Dare [ WRD ] is the final book in The Rainbow Quest Series of Science Fiction for young adults.  The series is set in an environmentally fragile domed London of the future.  People with limited resources are forced to remain in the Dome unless they can find another way to get off planet. Wealthier denizens rely on artificial intelligence to cater to their every need and prefer living off-world. In   Where Rainbows Hide  [ WRH ], Book 1 in the series, people use genetically engineered chimpanzees (Gen-chimps) to do menial tasks. As is often the case, these Gen-chimps have little rights and suffer constant abuses. A small group escape and set up a resistance movement. So we meet 19 year old Neera Luxquaera who inadvertently becomes embroiled in the resistance when she finds employment on-board a shuttle heading out on an expedition beyond her Domed world.     On-board she meets Chi, a genetically engineered chimpanzee who ha...