fiction – Randi-Lee Bowslaugh

Review: Life Between Seconds by Douglas Weissman

Posted on May 14, 2023May 14, 2023 by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh

Peter and Sophia have both run from traumatic experiences in their lives. Life Between Seconds brings them together and pushes them to understand their past and hopefully find their future.

This is a slow read with big emotions. Human experiences are some of the hardest to put onto paper in a fictional setting, but Douglas Weissman hits all the emotional buttons. The present day is interspersed with memories of the past. Pleasant memories, along with the devastating memories that brought the characters to their present.

I particularly enjoyed the past memories. These helped to clarify why the characters were the way they were. The heartache must have been unbearable, yet they managed to continue going even with their lives in utter ruin.

The saying “It is better to have loved and to have lost than to have never loved at all” rings through this book.

If you enjoy a heartfelt story of love, loss, and acceptance, this book is for you.

Get your copy here (affiliate link).

Blog, Reviews

Review: Vorodin’s Lair by JV Hilliard

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh

This is the second installment in the Warminster series, and I am still hooked! I loved the first book and can’t wait for the next part. The story continues from where we left off, trying to figure out what the visions mean and trying to stop Graytorris. All while a war brews.

The novel is fast-paced and introduces new characters while expanding on the story of the previous characters. Each character gets enough ‘book time’ to make them feel alive. Even the minor characters are major players. Every action within the book has meaning to push the story forward. The fight scenes are exciting and not overbearing.

There is a specific part of the book that took me by complete surprise. I can’t say much more, or I will spoil it, but I was shocked and didn’t see it coming.

This series is marvelously plotted and well-written. I highly recommend it and look forward to part three.

Get your copy here.

Blog, Reviews

Review: Junkie by Robert P. French

Posted on November 4, 2022 by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh

Junkie is the first in the series of Cal Rogen detective books. It is the second I read (because you don’t need to read them in order!). We follow Cal as he tries to prove that his friend was murdered. During his investigation, Cal is dealing with addiction to heroin, potentially losing his daughter, and discovering hidden family truths.

The book is written in first person perspective, and each chapter designates which character we are following. Most of the book is written from Cal’s perspective. Like the other Cal Rogen novel I read, I like this style of writing for this book. It keeps the story moving at a nice pace while uniquely revealing the story through the eyes of various characters.

Robert P French did an excellent job of incorporating Cal’s addiction into the book respectfully. It highlights how people with addiction are still intelligent and hard-working individuals impacted by mental illness. Robert shares how difficult it is to live with an addiction and how there is a cycle of wanting to get help but knowing it will be a long and challenging path.

There were many times when I thought I knew who the murderer was, but I was frequently wrong. There were some exciting twists to keep me reading along with colourful characters.

I highly recommend reading all of the Cal Rogen series – even if you don’t read them in order!

Get your copy here (affiliate link).

Blog, Reviews

Review: Death’s Intern by D.C. Gomez

Posted on September 30, 2022 by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh

Death’s Intern is the first in The Intern Diaries series. Isis Black gets offered a job working for death. Her first few days on the job are not easy, but she is committed to helping her friend.

The book is written from the main character’s perspective. We are able to understand Isis’s thought process and feel the emotional turmoil that she faces throughout the book.

All of the characters were unique and enjoyable. Even the bad guys had some exceptional comeback lines. By far, my favourite is Constantine. He is a no-nonsense kind of guy. Once e you read the book, you will know why I love him so much!

The only pitfall was a few grammatical errors. Unless you are an avid reader, editor, or reviewer, you probably won’t even notice.

I was captivated by the story from the beginning. There was a great balance between prose and dialogue that kept the story progressing and keeps the reader invested. Overall, this was a great book, and I look forward to future encounters with Constantine and the whole team.

Get your copy here (affiliate link).

Blog, Reviews

Review: Jailed by Robert P. French

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh

Jailed is the seventh book within the Cal Rogan Mysteries, but the first one I have had the pleasure of reading. I was concerned that not reading books 1-6 would leave me completely lost. I was delighted to find out that this is not the case! Each book is a stand-alone story but based on the core character group.

Jailed is about a young man, Micah, who claims to have been wrongly convicted of the murder of his girlfriend. Cal and the rest of the Private Investigation team set out to get Micah out of jail. While Micah is in jail, there are two rival gangs, one wanting him dead and the other protecting him.

The book uses a first-person narrative, which is often poorly done. Robert, however, did a fantastic job of giving us the characters’ perspectives without being inundated with ‘I did.’ When I first started reading this book, I was a little concerned about this perspective because each chapter is through the eyes of a different person. It was weird wrapping my head around who would be speaking for the first three chapters because I am not used to reading books written from this perspective.

It worked so well for the progression of the story. Not only did we view the story through various sets of eyes, but the thought processes were interwoven so smoothly. I would not have wanted this book any other way!

The story kept me wanting to read on, and the twist I thought would happen didn’t. But there was a twist. If you like detective books, this is a must-read!

Get your copy here. (affiliate link)