Tag: LGBT

Review: Harkworth Hall by L.S. Johnson

~ sharisakurai ~ 2 Comments

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Harkworth Hall by L.S. Johnson

35510328“Ask him about his wives.”

Caroline Daniels must marry, and marry well. But in her remote corner of England eligible suitors are few and far between, and none hold a candle to her closest friend, Diana Fitzroy.

When Sir Edward Masterson arrives, he seems the answer to Caroline’s financial worries, though she instinctively dislikes the reticent, older merchant. Soon Sir Edward has set his sights on acquiring both Caroline and the decaying Harkworth Hall.

Caroline’s future seems secure, save that his enigmatic secretary hints at a dark secret, and Sir Edward shows an unusual interest in tales of monsters … and the blood in Caroline’s veins.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Goodreads: Harkworth Hall by L.S Johnson

Review

Rating: 5 stars

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

Set in nineteenth century England, only child Caroline Daniels is under pressure to marry to secure her future. When the wealthy Sir Edward Masterson appears to take an interest in her, Caroline is torn between accepting the match or following her instincts that Sir Edward is not all that he seems. Opting to do the later and together with Sir Edward’s secretary Mr Chase, who has a secret of his own, Caroline begins to uncover why Sir Edward has arrived in her remote corner of England and just what his obsession is with the derelict Harkworth Hall.

Harkworth Hall is a very atmospheric, gothic tale. Caroline is a likeable and unconventional heroine who defies the stereo-types of her time. Uncovering the secrets of Harkworth Hall fuel her secret desire for adventure and a life that in her time would normally be out of reach for her. I enjoyed Caroline’s blossoming romance with Chase amongst the mystery and look forward to seeing their unconventional relationship for the times progress further.

The author brought together a wonderful combination of historical and mythological fiction together with a female-female romance to form an intriguing and thrilling tale and I cannot wait to read more of Caroline and Chase’s adventures in the future.

Review: Mercy’s Prisoner (Life Prison Volume 1)

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Mercy's Prisoner

Mercy’s Prisoner (Life Prison Volume 1) by Dusk Peterson

“‘You have committed a vile and savage act, one that any other nation would punish with death. Our punishment, on the other hand, will only be to give you what you want. You have sought to live in a world without boundaries of civilization, and such a world shall henceforth be your dwelling place.'”

A cold-hearted murderer. A vicious abuser. A young man hiding a shameful secret. A bewildered immigrant. A pure-minded spy.

All of these men have found their appointed places at Mercy Life Prison, where it is easy to tell who your enemies are. But a new visitor to Mercy is about to challenge decades-old customs. Now these men’s worst enemies may be hiding behind masks . . . and so may their closest allies.

A runner-up in the Rainbow Awards 2014, the book bundle “Mercy’s Prisoner” can be read on its own or as the first volume in the Life Prison series. Friendship, desire between men, and the costs of corruption and integrity are examined in this multicultural speculative fiction series, which is inspired by prison life at the end of the nineteenth century.

Purchase Link: Amazon.com

Mercy’s Prisoner on Goodreads

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

Rating: 3 Stars

Mercy’s Prisoner (Life Prison Volume 1) is set inside a 1800s prison called Mercy. It is a life prison and those who are sent there have committed the worst crimes imaginable. They will die in prison; escape is impossible and they will never be freed.

Mercy’s Prisoner is a dark read. The prisoners have committed horrific crimes (such as child murder) and due to this the guards feel it gives them the right to treat them appallingly (they beat and rape them on a regular basis).  This raises some interesting questions in terms of morals; yes the prisoners have done truly terrible things, but does this give their guards the right to treat them terribly in turn?

It’s clear that the author has done their research and has cleverly woven this into an atmospheric and gritty read.

The novel consists of several interlinking stories. The first of which I really enjoyed, but after that I found myself getting lost. By the end I was struggling to understand how the stories all fitted together. However, this is Volume 1 so the ambiguous ending is most likely intentional and will be further explained in later novels.

Overall I did enjoy reading Mercy’s Prisoner. It’s a dark novel with plenty of atmosphere and I would very much like to read later volumes in the series.