REVIEW: The Sightless City By Noah Lemelson

Welcome to a world of æther and rust.

As both veteran and private investigator, Marcel Talwar knows this firsthand, and he likes to think he’d never participate in such things. However, that naïve idea comes to a crashing end when he takes on a new case that quickly shatters his world view. A trail of evidence points to someone in Marcel’s inner circle who’s using him as a pawn to conduct grisly experiments—experiments that could lead to genocide.

Now, Marcel is more determined than ever to discover who’s pulling the strings to this sinister plot. But the further he gets, the larger the target on his back becomes, and it’s not long before Marcel has to ask himself how much and how many he’s willing to sacrifice to get to the truth.

Noah Lemelson harmoniously merges unique genres in his new steampunk/apocalyptic/fantasy noir novel. “The Sightless City,” (July 20, 2021, Tiny Fox Press) is the debut novel of an upcoming trilogy, and has already received a First Place Award in the 2019 OZMA Book Awards for Fantasy Fiction. Lemelson places realistic and flawed characters in a world both strange and familiar. Strange in its unique creatures, machines, and magics, familiar in the corruption and cruelty that comes with industry and war.

Kidnapping. Enslavement. Murder. Those are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to actions some will take to protect their interests in æther-oil, the coveted substance that fuels the war-torn city of Huile.

“The Sightless City”

Praise for

The Sightless City

"A gripping mystery with an exceptionally fleshed-out world."

-- KIRKUS Reviews

“Stellar worldbuilding and quick pacing. This is sure to entertain any fan of gritty speculative fiction.”

-- Publishers Weekly

 

“Take one step into The Sightless City  and you’re pulled into a crackling adventure of intrigue, danger and mystery until the very last page. Lemelson builds an intricate steampunk fantasy world and sets it ablaze with haunting characters and deep moral questions. It’s a thrilling debut!”

-Amanda Silver, writer and producer of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Jurassic World

 

"Lemelson melds industrial revolution with powerful magic; and, like all revolutions, this one isn't a tea party."

-- Dave Higgins, author of Seven Stones: The Complete Series

 

"With one foot in the seemingly magical and the other in SF, The Sightless City hits that same sweet spot that Tamsyn Muir mines so successfully in Gideon the Ninth. Lemelson revives and updates the gestures of science fantasy to make it a truly 21st century form. Funny, dark, irreverent, and endlessly entertaining, The Sightless City is a rustpunk wonder and a first-rate debut."

-- Brian Evanson, award-winning author of Song for the Unraveling of the Worldand The Warren

 

“Feast your eyes on Sightless City, a world no one had ever seen until Noah Lemelson transported us to his exotic crossroad of fantasy, dieselpunk, and sci-fi.   It’s a book for all ages: past, present, and future.  At the same time.   Venture inside and this new author will be a part of your future.”

-- Gary Goldman, screenwriter of Big Trouble In Little China, Total Recall, Navy Seals

“Noah is an incredible writer. He has done what most sci-fi writers cannot. He wrote a believable sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk/thriller.”

-- Anne Hart, Instagram Influencer

“Big fat 5 stars for this book and a massive congratulations to Noah Lemelson for writing an exquisite debut novel.”

-- Melina’s Blog, blogger

“A longer read and I finished in just 2 short days.”

-- Lost in a Book Erin, Instagram Influencer

This author opened my eyes up to a whole new type of genre that really caught my attention. This author is wonderfully surprising it what he brings to his novels.

You will not want to miss this one! THE SIGHTLESS CITY had one of the most unique and well-developed world structures I have read in recent years! The diesel punk elements blend wonderfully into something I would describe as akin to dark fantasy, creating a rich and fascinating world for the story!

The city of Huile is both an industrial marvel and a nightmare after the Calamity, the fight for Huile's freedom. Marcel is a disillusioned veteran of that war, now working halfheartedly as a private investigator. Sylvaine is a Ferral, a nonhuman reviled by many, but all she wants is to become an engineer and work on her inventions. I fell in love so quickly with both Sylvaine and Marcel and found myself utterly invested in their separate stories and then their uneasy partnership as their paths finally cross and they work together against the evils of Lazacorp. I really want to know more about the mysterious warrior monk Kayip who seemingly comes out of nowhere to recruit Marcel and Sylvanie to his cause, and I hope there will be more background on him in the next book

You'll find yourself introduced to a new concept early on, and by the end you'll be so used to reading about it that you'll feel that it's always existed. The characters are all so well defined and interesting, too. Every single one of them is well thought out and feels real.

Noah Lemelson is a short story writer and novelist who lives in LA with his wife and cat. Lover of Science Fiction, Fantasy, New Weird, and Punk. He received his BA in Biology from the University of Chicago in 2014 and received his MFA in Creative Writing from the California Institute of the Arts in 2020. He has had several of his short stories published in both print and online magazines, such as Allegory, Space Squid and the Outsider’s Within Horror Anthology.

AUTHOR Q AND A: Noah Lemelson

1. Reading a bit of your bio I am curious what brought you to writing after going to school for biology originally?

I was writing a bit during college, and for a while after graduation I was working in a lab while taking writing classes. I even applied to a PhD program in animal behavior and was waitlisted. But around that time I just realized I was happier writing. In many ways I’m still trying to answer those same questions that got me interested in biology, questions about human nature and our place in the universe.

2. What authors inspired you into writing?

Hmm… I grew up with classics of sci-fi and fantasy, Tolkien, Heinlein, Frank Herbert, as I got older I got really into Stanislaw Lem and Ursula Le Guin. Sci-fi has always been my favorite genre to read, I love its emphasis on big ideas. I also need to give thanks to my mentor at CalArts, Brian Evenson (who writes excellent literary horror, if you haven’t read him.)

3. What inspired you to create such a unique and intricate world as you did in Sightless City?

Boredom, mostly. I came up with the basis of the universe as a teenager. I think I’ve always been interested in industrial decay, and the allure of ruins and wastelands. In this digital age, there’s something bizarrely attractive about old industry, even as destructive as it could be. 

4. What are your favorite characters to write and why?

I have a soft spot for Sylvaine, but honestly it's a lot of fun to write villains. Villains can just go places and do things that more heroic, or even just vaguely decent, characters wouldn’t, and it can be equal parts fun and horrific to see what they are capable of. Verus, I particularly liked to write, he’s just a jerk, and does the least to hide it.

5. Does your personal and private life seep into your books?

I hope not! There’s not too much in my life that fits directly into the grim world of The Sightless City. I’m sure if I dug deep I could find some comparisons, but I prefer not to dig.

6. How did you become interested in Fantasy fiction novels?

I’ve always loved sci-fi and fantasy. As for my own work, I’ve never been too strict with genre conventions. I write things that aren’t real, and I think it’s easier to fit those things into fantasy, sci-fi has some extra rules. As for why I write speculative fiction in general… I like the freedom it provides. I also enjoy worldbuilding, creating landscapes, histories, and cultures, and we kind of already have all of those already in the real world. (Though I do love reading about them!)

7. Do you see yourself as becoming a famous author with followers?

No idea. I hope so, or rather, I hope I become a writer with readers. Fame and followers themselves don’t particularly matter, (I’m terrible with twitter anyways) I just want my book to be in the hands of those who would enjoy it. I want to provide the wonder I received as a young science fiction and fantasy reader. 

8.  What can we look forward to from you in the future?

I’ve been hard at work on the sequel to The Sightless City. I have the trilogy all sketched out, I’m just doing all the filling in. I also have another project, but it’s still in progress and I have no publisher at the moment, so I don’t want to announce too much.

 

REVIEW: A Story Of Giants By Scarlett Ripley

 

What if I told you that we are not alone, that our world is but one of many, and that Giants walk among us?

Book 1 of the debut fantasy series, A Story of Giants.

Leanna Salinger won't open her heart to anyone beyond her younger sister Violet. Everyone else she loves is gone. But when their internal abilities awaken, the young women discover the truth behind their beloved grandmother’s stories. We are not alone. Our world is but one of many on an infinite string. Those among us called to guard the realms are called Giants.

Join Leanna as she enters their ranks and trains to travel the realm. Leanna is a Warrior Giant, measured not by physical size but by the power of her gifts. Giants, under the supervision of the Council, keep watch over the worlds guided by principles of humility and compassion. Leanna is asked to train with three other newly-emerged Giants under the surly and watchful eye of celebrated Warrior Lieutenant Gyan. As Leanna and her compatriots embark on a multi-world quest to stop insurgent Giants from overthrowing the Council, Leanna must overcome a tragic past which has come to define her and open her heart to the man who loves he

This was a very interesting world to explore and I love the imagination and possibilities that the author presented. There is a lot of world building and idea exploration in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed A Story of Giants. We get introduced to some interesting characters and see some pretty neat worlds. I did struggle with the pace of the book. Sometimes a lot happens, and I want more of the details, but then sometimes the book focuses for a long time on pieces that seem less important to the overall storyline. It makes the book overall feel a little slow to me.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters either. I enjoyed meeting them and I hope the book explores them further. There are quite a few that are intriguing. I also hope that we get a bit more Leanna...I feel her character needs a little more development to help her be consistent.

I enjoyed this well-written fantasy romance! The book is definitely of the young adult variety with some sweet romance mixed in. Leanna makes a fine main character. She is strong yet reserved; loves deeply but trusts few.

I love Nan as a character, too, and wished she had stuck around longer. Truthfully, the first part of the book where Leanna and Violet were young is my favorite. The “strange things” that happen around Leanna are fascinating, as are Nan’s explanations.

4 stars

Scarlett Ripley's series "A Story of Giants" is a fantasy series based on string theory. She loves to blend fantasy, science fiction, adventure, romance, and psychological study in her writing, given her stories a broad appeal beyond traditional fantasy-genre books. All of her writing features strong female protagonists.

In addition to the continuing "A Story of Giants" series, Scarlett is working on a modern-day gothic romance, "Death Knows," among other projects.

Scarlett lives in London, England. Scarlett loves to hear from readers and encourages them to get in touch with her via her website, www.scarlettripley.com.

REVIEW: Aeroreh: The Ealdspell Cycle Book 1 By Jesikah Sundin

 DREAMS ARE DANGEROUS

Princess Æroreh Rosen was faerie blessed before her birth. To promote the New Dawn Era, the Queen coded her daughter with every feminine perfection.

Beauty. Gentleness. Obedience. Musicality. Kindness. Grace. Good cheer.

Hunger and lung sickness plague the Kingdom of Ealdspell. But Æroreh is plugged into The Dream, a program created by a sect of faeries to control the realms through illusions of beauty and contentment. All Æroreh has ever known is blissful servitude to a cursed system, and she believes her realm is prospering. Until a different faerie sect decides to wake her sleeping mind and set her true magic free.

Meanwhile, Félip Batten MacKinley holds a dangerous secret. With no easy future in sight, he accepts that he’ll die a burden to his foster parents, his true history erased. But a tempting offer from the faerie’s Fate Maker leads Félip to cross paths with the hauntingly beautiful Æroreh—a young woman who represents all he loathes.

Yet only she has the power to awaken a new Dream.

Æroreh is a gritty spin on the romantic tale of Sleeping Beauty and blends faerie magic and pagan ritual with high technology. For fans of Margaret Rogerson and Holly Black.

This is a must read if you love a mixture of different fantasy types. It has technology or steampunk type, romance, strong female characters, fantasy, happily ever after. Take your pic and you have it in this book.

Let's just say that Aeroreh is a bit crazy and I love it! I was almost scared off by the technology mixed with magic idea as it is presented in the description, but I'm so glad I read it. The technology really played such a tiny role that it as almost didn't matter, but it still did.

This book  is a beautifully twisted Sleeping Beauty retelling that injects a hint of dystopian sci-fi into a lush fantasy landscape.  The intriguing combination of technology and faery lore makes this a stand-out in a sea of fairytale reimagining's. 

Félip is the perfectly imperfect contrast to our heroine, Æroreh. He is charming, humble, and pleasantly real in a world where people are programed to behave "ideally". I loved him from the first page he is mentioned. Æroreh took a bit more time to see through all the glamour, but once she started revealing her true nature, I enjoyed seeing her character flourish.

Jesikah is such a creative writer. If you are looking for a unique fairytale then this book is for you. Im looking forward to reading more by this author.

4 stars

JESIKAH SUNDIN is a multi-award winning Dystopian Punk Lit, Fairy Tale, and Historical Fantasy writer, a mom of three nerdlets, a faeriecore and elfpunk geek, tree hugger, nature photographer, and helpless romantic who married her high school sweetheart. In addition to her family, she shares her home in Monroe, Washington with a rambunctious husky-chi, a red-footed tortoise, and a collection of Doc Martens boots. She is addicted to coffee, laughing, and cheese... Oh! And the forest is her happy place.

WEBSITE

https://jesikahsundin.com/

NEW RELEASE: His To Cherish By Sierra Cartwright

Only her innocence could save him…

HIS TO CHERISH @SierraCartwright

⏩http://bit.ly/HisToCherish

--

Shannon Hunt 

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REVIEW: Boss By J. L. Lora

She's out of options...

With nowhere left to go, Carissa Elliott will do anything to escape a crime boss' obsession. But becoming the boss of a powerful cartel to save herself and her loved ones is more dangerous than she ever imagined. Carissa plans to fight like Hell to get what she wants—even if it means facing off against a man more threatening and irresistible than she can handle. Alec McLean has an agenda of his own. And Carissa is right at the top of it.

Now, it's up to this small-town girl to prove to everyone—even Alec—that she's as ruthless as any man. But can she really show them who's boss?

This was a wonderfully written novel about mobsters and a life of crime with a romantic  twist to it.

It is a book full of serious life issues, trauma, heartache, heartbreak, love , lotsa of action and fun and full of humor. The ending is completely hilarious.

 Carissa and the trinity are amazing. They gone through so much being stuck around different mob personalities in their life. But finally Carissa takes a stand not willing to put up with these violent men anymore and she becomes the one bad guys fear.

Alec oh man he yummy but such a giant jerk. Some chapters I want to shoot him lol. But he falls for her so head over heels and sometimes doesn't understand what to do with that.

I look forward to reading more from this lovely author. She is a gem being discovered.

4 stars

A Dominican-American author. Her stories explore the dark side of good characters, people living in the gray areas of life while playing the cards life has dealt them. Through them, she manifests her love for strong heroines and their equally powerful Men. She currently lives in Maryland, pursuing her dream of writing compelling, sexy, can't-put-down stories about empowered, badass alpha heroines and take-your-breath-away alpha heroes

If you wish to know more information about her, you can find her on her website: www.JLLora.com.

 

REVIEW: The Winter Of My Love By J.L. Lora

Spencer Grayson’s structured world is collapsing. The surrogate he hired to carry his and his late wife’s child has gone missing and the wrong woman is inseminated. There weren’t supposed to be loose ends in this transaction, but it’s turning into a zero-sum game he can’t afford to lose.

Artist Winter Alexander has painted a perfect picture for her life. But when a routine procedure results in an accidental pregnancy, the realistic portrait she painted turns surreal. It’s an error she can't brush away with a tube of titanium-white, no matter how much she might want to. Especially not when the Grayson is determined she become his substitute surrogate.

To Grayson, Winter is an abstract piece, a collection of soulful shapes and swirls he’s hopelessly mesmerized by. One he wouldn’t have envisioned in his life before. Winter finds Grayson controlling at first, but beneath those cold eyes lies a longing, a torch of desire and vulnerability that makes her agree to things she’d never considered.

They embark on a 40-week journey in the name of a child, navigating through a sea of self-doubt, conflicting emotions and rising feelings. When these nine months are over, will Grayson be able to convince Winter to make him and the baby part of her picture-perfect landscape? What happens next is something neither of them sees coming. 

 Oh this was an amazing Book i read one of this authors other novels in this series and this one puts it to shame. 

  It pulled at my heart strings and had me in constant tears at the end for chapters because of all the emotions going on in this book.

  I absolutely love Grayson, at first he comes off as very straight forward and serious but as u see the relationship between him and Winter open and explore you see how sweet and wonderfully romantic of a man he is.

  He is so my favorite character by far. Love love love him.

 This author is amazing with writing these entailed characters and different plotlines. I love how its not just one type of characters rich or well off or mediocre living people its a mix of both for the couples in her story and it balance's the story out seeing out different the characters are and how it compliments each other.

 Love her writing style.

J. L. Lora is a Dominican-American author of contemporary and romantic suspense. Her stories explore the dark side of good characters—people living in the gray areas of life—playing the cards life has dealt them. Her stories manifest her love for badass alpha heroines and take-your-breath-away alpha men.

REVIEW: The Autumn You Became Mine By J. L. Lora

SHE WAS ETCHED IN HIS HEART

Chase

I’ve never walked away from a fight in my life…until Lauren said we didn’t have a chance. Then I ran back to the underworld.

Racing? I’m revved for it. Boxing? I never pull my punches. Gambling? I’m all in. The chips fall, I get knocked down and end up in Baltimore. Now, I’m back in front of the woman imprinted in my heart since I was a kid, who sent me spiraling twice. Will the odds be in my favor if I bet on her again?

Lauren

Guerrera a la guerra. Warrior goes to war. That’s my motto. I fight battles every day, tackling them in my choice of armor, velvet red lipstick, and honey-gold eyeshadow. I am going to build my business. Nothing and no one will get in my way. My problem? I can never say no to Chase Blake. Even when he shatters my world as he does my soul. He’s back, and I won’t let him distract me when I’m so close to my dream.

When my life implodes, I’m forced to face my truth. He’s in my heart and staying there. Can I trust him not to wreck me again?

Oh man this author definitely takes you on a trip into their world full of drama adventure Sex fighting turmoil and love. I cannot wait to read the next book I have for this author. She is absolutely amazing at puling you into the story of all the characters not just the two main ones but all the supporting characters as well.

Lauren is such an interesting character she does so much for everyone with no regard for herself even though her life crumbles around her. But that pride is what is killing her and her family. She tears at my heartstrings with how much her family puts her through and she just does whatever they say because they are family and she wants to be closer.

All her friends are amazing and wonderful but definitely dont get where she is coming from poor vs the rich and all.

Chase oh my ….what can I say about him other than yum and ooh lala. He's sexy romantic sweet and has loved her since he was 13. He's reckless, stupid, full of himself but the perfect guy for her and I constantly wanted her to just let him in.

5 stars all the way

J. L. Lora is a Dominican-American author of contemporary and romantic suspense. Her stories explore the dark side of good characters—people living in the gray areas of life—playing the cards life has dealt them. Her stories manifest her love for badass alpha heroines and take-your-breath-away alpha men.

Learn more about J. L. Lora at www.JLLora.com.

 

REVIEW: Mindcracker By Braden Bell, Brandon Gray

At sixteen, Molly is already the best bloody thought-snatcher in Victorian London, picking people’s minds and selling their secrets.

When her growing talent captures the attention of a brutal criminal, Molly flees. Her escape is unexpectedly aided by a mysterious figure who promises to protect Molly—if she will break into the only unbreakable mind in London: Sir Edward Carlton, lockbox for Her Majesty’s Government.

Desperate to escape, Molly agrees, gaining entry to Sir Edward’s house, mind, and his mysterious, haunting memories. Sneaking into his thoughts each night is easy—at first. But before long, Molly suspects she’s being manipulated and finds herself trapped in a tangled web, unable to tell friends from enemies who blackmail, kidnap, and murder with ease.

Soon, Molly must choose between her life and the lives of those she loves—or use her wits and growing psychic powers to change the rules of a game she barely understands.

I have reviewed for this author before so I was very happy to review for him again.

This book was no suprize in the full of excitement and fun filled story.

This was full of intrigue and mystery I had no clue what was going to happen next in this novel.

The beginning starts a lil slowly but once it gets going you cant put it down.

Molly is this wonderful amazing character that just struggles in life in general and hasn't really had a way to hone her powers or explore them until she gets put into a forced situation with Edward and his cousin who help her hone her skills somewhat.

Edward oh my he is such a droolworthy characters.

I wont add spoilers but I didn't expect at all who her parents were and what would happen between her ad Edward. Such a  surprising page turner this was.

I was in such tears at the end of the book with her St. Teddy and Edward. So emotional and heart wrenching.

4 stars