Jigsaw Soul by Scott Middlemist.

Arthur Logan is a soldier with the US Air Force and Jigsaw Soul is his first person narrative. Arthur has fought two wars in the Middle East, Desert Storm in 1990 and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. This novel was written in 2012 and is available as a 1034 KB Amazon Kindle eBook.

Jigsaw Soul is a very powerful book, it is not a glamourous boys' hero book where the good guys win. Jigsaw Soul is all about the horrors of war and men behaving badly. This novel starts off in Iraq where Arthur claims to be enjoying his deployment. He details attacks and abuses of Iraqis whilst revelling in the destruction of lives and property. The fighting and torture of Iraqis is gruesome, making this a gory read. By the time Arthur leaves Iraq, I felt quite shocked and battered from reading about all the violence.

Arthur returns to America and gets a regular civilian job. I thought the novel would then become more civil away from all the violence of Iraq. But Arthur's father had warned him that "When a bone snaps, you hear it and call for help, but if your mind breaks... the silence leaves you speechless." Arthur is involved in an incident at work and it becomes clear that he is suffering from PTSD. Arthur is taken to court and sent to a secure hospital for his actions. Whilst receiving treatment Arthur has many disturbing dreams that he has to deal with in order for him to be released to continue his life.

Jigsaw Soul is a novel which highlights how PTSD can happen and how severe it can be. We all have memories that can show up in our dreams, so PTSD could happen to anyone. The research behind Jigsaw Soul is very good and makes this a very realistic tale. It is a very violent book and can come as quite a shock when you are reading safely at home in your favourite chair. But the real world is like that, some men do evil things and have to fight their own demons running wild in their head.

Jigsaw Soul tackles a difficult topic that will make a lot of people feel uncomfortable. But this is real life and you can read about the suffering of others from the comfort of home, thankful that you are not a victim of PTSD. This is a gruesome book and being told from the heart puts you right in the middle of the turmoil. Hard hitting but so very revealing, this book has left a very big impression on me, so I will vote it the top score of 5 stars.

It get's under your skin by Paul A. Taylor.

This short horror story was written in 2010 and is available as a 64KB Amazon Kindle eBook. Darrin moves into a new room in a shared house rental. He gets to know his new housemates but there is a little problem. Things are not quite right and Darrin is concerned about bugs. Nobody likes talking about bugs but quickly things get under Darrin's skin.

This is a quirky little tale that is very well told. You quickly get to know just how Darrin feels. The tension is there as Darrin deals with the problems of his new home. This short story is an okay read. Paul has used it to showcase his storytelling skills and it succeeds as a coffee break read. This is a creepy tale that gives you a shiver. It is not a challenge to read and I found it a bright, refreshing read that I will vote 3 stars. Paul shows promise and could move on to writing full length novels if he comes up with a big story idea. I wish him well and hope his publishing dreams one day become true.

Hudud and Escape by A. P. Barratt.

Yasmin escapes Pakistan only to become a sex slave in Edinburgh. Adam is mugged for his smartphone and the special app he was developing. Hudud and Escape is a regular crime thriller where the oldest profession and new technology meet.

This 797 KB long eBook was written in 2013 and has an up to date feel. It is a story of today and features the shadier side of life in Edinburgh. This book is easy reading and follows both the struggles of Yasmin and Adam. The story of people trafficking is well known, so Yasmin's situation is not unique. The technology involved is so well explained that even a Windows user could understand.

The plot rolls along nicely and I enjoyed the drama as it unfolded. It had a nice British feel and the hope was always there that things would turn out well in the end. People work together and the right result comes with time. Because of this team work, the ending is not a surprise at all.

Hudud and Escape was an enjoyable read. It is a good book which I will vote 4 stars and ticks all the boxes. The brothel owner does have one very dark fantasy that I have not thought of before. This detail and the technology explained is a credit to the author as it gives his novel such depth.

The Genesis of Jazrael by Jeannie Ingraham.

Danielle, an American teenager, is on a plane which crashes in a desert. She is the only survivor and after a while Danielle struggles out of the wreckage. She walks through the desert to the city of Irem. Here she changes her name to Jazrael, meets many different people and falls in love with her new home.

This novel is not a plane crash survivor tale but a fantasy adventure featuring lots of magic. Join Jazrael in this fantasy world where everything you know about life on earth is rewritten. Things are different in Irem, where the laws of nature and physics do not apply.

This story set in the unreal city of Irem, is refreshing because it is new to Jazrael and to you. It is an entertaining adventure as Jazrael starts her new life in this make believe world where magic happens everyday. For all it's silliness, this book is a joy to read. You can escape your everyday life and enjoy this story for what it is, a magical escapism.

Jazrael meets a good range of characters who she spends a lot of time with, the atmosphere is rather cosy. There is a nice contemporary humour where Jazrael compares things from today's American life we are all familiar with, to her new life in Irem.

I enjoyed reading this book and found it a refreshing change to my regular favourite genres of crime, mystery and thriller. I think this is a good book and I vote it 4 stars.

The Genesis of Jazreal was written in 2013 and is available as an 339 KB Amazon Kindle eBook.

Everlasting Love (Love, lies and loyalty) by Shemeka Mitchell.

This is a first person narrative love story set in Texas. Follow Tessie Richards as she breaks up with one boyfriend and falls heavily love with Chris, an old friend from childhood. Chris becomes Tessie's soul mate and this novel follows the ups and downs of their relationship.

Everlasting Love is available as a 253 KB Amazon Kindle eBook that was written in 2013. This novel rolls along at a steady pace and the reader meets many of Tessie's and Chris's friends. This book is not claustrophobic and just about Tessie and Chris. But this book is a drag, I did not develop an empathy for Tessie. Most of her problems were her own fault. She is not the easiest of girls to have a relationship with!

Everlasting Love was not a joy to read, it is rather dull for a love story. Chris walked away from Tessie and I think most men would do the same. You have to like the lead character in a first person narrative and I did not warm to Tessie. I did not enjoy reading Everlasting Love and I was glad when I got to the unresolved end. I think it is a POOR read and shall only be voting it 2 stars. This is a novel I suggest you give a miss.

Canals by Everett Powers.

Canals starts off as a typical crime thriller as Detective Daniel Lawless comes to the scene of a dismembered body by a canal in California. Everett Powers then develops a wonderful story written in the style of a good police drama. Every character the reader meets is given a full introduction, it is not a case of "this is John, a 20 year old man" - you get to know each character as a real person. This character development is true for everyone, whether they continue to the end of this novel or meet a violent death.

Detective Daniel Lawless is a different type of policeman and has a quirky character. He likes opera and has a collection of 82 pairs of shoes giving him the nickname of shoe boy when he was at school. Before he can solve this death by the canal, another death occurs along a nearby canal. Something is going on around the canal network but can Danny solve the case before more people are killed?

Slowly the reader finds that this is not your typical crime thriller. Little bits of information are drip fed into the story to make you think that something nasty may be lurking in the canals. Bit by bit this story becomes a science fiction novel.

Everett Powers develops a wonderful plot that bit by bit becomes a race for Daniel Lawless to save the day. The reader along with Daniel begins to understand just what is going on along the canals and we begin to get the bigger picture.

Canals is a very entertaining read. I like the way it moved from a crime thriller to a thought provoking science fiction story. The message at the end is very moving and forces you to consider real life global issues.

I can find nothing wrong with Canals. It is a great story that was told with precision and detail. The writing is top quality and it was a joy to read. I enjoy walking my dog along canals and now I will always wonder what may be in the water. I vote this book the top score of 5 stars. Canals is available as a 609 KB Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2011.

Bishop's Isle Vol. 1 by Luke Shephard.

This is a short story of just 162 KB, part of a series written in 2013. The setting is a small island off the north west coast of Scotland. A pretty little island with 2 lighthouses and a harbour that would prove popular with tourists. Only thing is that the latest visitors are a little different!

Bishop's Isle is a flesh eating zombie tale where the residents of the island struggle for their lives. It is easy reading and the dark humour will raise a smile. The story is told in the style of the popular television programme called Heartbeat. Bishop's Isle is nothing special and ends when the two central characters, the lighthouse keepers, meet up.

Bishop's Isle did not inspire me, so I will not be buying the sequel Volume 2. This short story is an okay read and I vote it 3 stars.