#canadianauthor – Rosepoint Publishing

Closer by Sea by Perry Chafe – #BookReview – Thriller and Suspense

Deckle Edge

Book Blurb:

From the writer and producer of the hit TV shows Republic of Doyle and Son of a Critch, a poignant coming-of-age debut novel about the mysterious disappearance of a young girl and the fragility of childhood bonds, set against the backdrop of a small island community adapting to an ever-changing landscape.

In 1991, on a small, isolated island off the coast of Newfoundland, twelve-year-old Pierce Jacobs struggles to come to terms with the death of his father. It’s been three years since his dad, a fisherman, disappeared in the cold, unforgiving Atlantic, his body never recovered. Pierce is determined to save enough money to fix his father’s old boat and take it out to sea. But life on the island is quiet and hard. The local fishing industry is on the brink of collapse, threatening to take an ages-old way of life with it. The community is hit even harder when a young teen named Anna Tessier goes missing.

With the help of his three friends, Pierce sets out to find Anna, with whom he shared an unusual but special bond. They soon cross paths with Solomon Vickers, a mysterious, hermetic fisherman who may have something to do with the missing girl. Their search brings them into contact with unrelenting bullies, magnificent sea creatures, fierce storms, and glacial giants. But most of all, it brings them closer to the brutal reality of both the natural and the modern world.

Part coming-of-age story, part literary mystery, and part suspense thriller, Closer by Sea is a page-turning, poignant, and powerful novel about family, friendship, and community set at a pivotal time in modern Newfoundland history. It is an homage to a people and a place, and above all it captures that delicate and tender moment when the wonder of childhood innocence gives way to the harsh awakening of adult experience.

His Review:

Growing up on an island has definite advantages and disadvantages. Knowing and relying upon all your neighbors is one advantage. Usually, the older boys and girls will make life difficult for the younger offspring. Pierce is one of those youngsters who is caught in the middle of the circle. The older kids beat up on him and his group mercilessly.

Islands near Newfoundland were great places to grow up in the latter half of the 20^th century, but cod have been harvested to near extinction and Pierce’s father fails to come home after a day fishing. He and his mother are marooned with few options. To earn spending money, the children are cutting the tongues out of Cod fish and selling them. The older kids want the money for themselves and steal or bully the kids and take the fish and tongues.

Anna is a budding young artist who is renowned for her excellent sketches and other artwork. She winds up missing and the entire island starts a search for her. She cannot be found. Pierce, his mother, and the middle-aged group set out to search for her. An elderly, reclusive man on the island is suspected of foul play. His habits spark suspicion among the young friends.

This tale is well-written and endearing. There are no dull moments and the reader is rewarded with an engaging and rewarding tome. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction, Coming of Age Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN-10: ‎ 1982185252
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1982185251
ASIN: B0BHTPZNS6
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: May 23, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Processed with Lensa with Auto Adjustments

The Author: Perry Chafe [born in St John’s, Canada] is a Canadian television writer, showrunner, producer and author. He is a co-founder and partner in Take the Shot Productions. Perry was the co-creator, showrunner, and head writer for the TV series Republic of Doyle, which ran for six seasons on the CBC, and an executive producer and writer for the Netflix/Discovery series Frontier, starring Jason Momoa. In addition, he was an executive producer and writer for Caught, a CBC limited series based on Lisa Moore’s award-winning novel of the same name. Perry is currently a writer and Co-Executive producer on the hugely successful CBC series Son of a Critch. On May 23rd, 2023, Perry will be releasing his much-anticipated debut novel, Closer By Sea, through Simon and Schuster Canada. [Goodreads]

Find the author at
https://www.perrychafe.com

Enjoy your day

Trapped (Orca Anchor) by Sigmund Brouwer – #BookReview – Teen and Young Adult

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Matt is counting down the days until he turns sixteen.

He’s been living with his foster parents in Yukon River valley in their isolated cabin. His plan is to leave and never come back. He is done with the harsh lifestyle and helping his abusive foster dad, Dan, run the traplines so he can make money selling animal furs. He can’t wait to start a new life on his own in the city. But when Matt discovers a big and valuable gold nugget, everything changes. What seems like a dream come true and an easy way out quickly turns into a nightmare that will test Matt’s wilderness survival skills to the fullest.

This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

His Review:

At the age of 16, a young man living with a step-father really doesn’t have a life of his own. Dan, the foster father, is a trapper and makes a living selling beaver pelts to clothing companies. Matt is nearly his size and is required to keep half of the trap lines going each day. Dan has the time to check the traps down to the minute and checks the backpack of pelts that the young man carries every time they check the traps.

A trapped beaver has a broken leg and cannot get into the beaver lodge. The young man takes pity on the animal and releases it. He checks the lodge and discovers a heavy fist sized hunk of gold nugget. How can he keep this from his foster father? The nugget is the ticket to his freedom!

Dan tracks his foster son’s footsteps in Dawson and gets wind of the nugget. He bullies the young man to get the nugget. The situation turns desperate. How can the young man protect his windfall and leave the abusive foster dad?

This is a fast moving and well written drama of a young man at life’s crossroads. Sigmund Brower writes a compelling, believable page turner which is short but very believable. 5 stars – CE Williams

We received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are his honest opinions.

Book Details:

Genre: Teen & Young Adult Orphans & Foster Homes Fiction, Teen & Young Adult Mystery & Thriller Action & Adventure, Teen & Young Adult Survival Stories
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (High Readability edition)
ISBN-10: 1459828615
ISBN-13: ‎978-1459828612
Print Length: 96 pages
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Trapped [Amazon]
Barnes and Noble

The Author: With over four million books in print, Sigmund Brouwer is a bestselling author of both children and adults books. His novel, Dead Man’s Switch, is the winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Canada’s best young adult mystery of the year and was a finalist in the TD Children’s Book Awards. His novel for grownups, Thief of Glory was selected as the a Book of the Year for the American Christy Awards and is a winner of the Alberta’s Readers Choice Awards.

He loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show. (www.rockandroll-literacy.com)

Have a great weekend from Rosepoint Publishing

Mordecai’s Ashes (Larsson Investigations Book 1) by Alana Crane – a #BookReview

Your next PI/Crime Fiction–#mustread

Book Blurb:

Karl Larsson is an out of work roughneck, home from the oil fields of Alberta and back on the coast for the first time in years. His wife has left him and his future looks bleak. Becoming a detective is the last thing on his mind, but when Karl learns that he has inherited his estranged grandfather’s agency he decides to take a chance.

He doesn’t expect much action in a city as small as Victoria, BC, but Karl soon finds that Victoria is only the base of operations. His grandfather’s business took him across the length and breadth of Vancouver Island, and the Island is a world unto itself, with a culture all its own.

When a reporter from a national news agency asks him to investigate a drug running operation on the Island, Karl is drawn into a dangerous game. Finding the truth sounds simple in theory, but as Karl delves deeper he begins to realize that more than his life may be at stake.

My Review:

You’ll excuse me if I’m at a loss for words—still sniggering, shaking my head, totally but happily surprised with that little twist at the end of the book and enjoying that afterglow of a hoot of a book that has me amazed this is a debut author.

Karl Larsson is the youngest of his siblings and at the moment out of a job, out of a marriage, and out of luck. He’s currently shuffling aimless when he gets a call from his sister that his aunt Matilda passed away and she’d appreciate it if he would help his mother clear her rental. Following the funeral and reading of her will, he is dumbfounded to discover he has inherited his grandfather’s (Mordecai’s) building and detective agency in Victoria, BC.

He’s young. What does he know? He’s naïve, lacks a lot of street knowledge, but the building and the agency gives him a direction. No license? No prob. What he is is a sympathetic protagonist, an underdog you’ll root for immediately. His head is on straight—he’s a good kid just trying to get along in this world. You can’t help but love him.

Then comes his cousin, Kelsey—she’s only 19—smart as a whip, intuitive, ingenious. She is clever, resourceful, and enormously engaging. You might have grudging respect for her, but she earns it—time and again when she proves an invaluable resource for Karl. You can’t help but love her.

The light-sided search and serve side of the detective agency moves along until a journalist (a former client of Mordecai) comes with a very serious investigation and soon Karl is heavy into the case with the initial support of Kelsey, which quickly turns grim.

The author carefully introduces the circumstances building her characters background, her main characters, and a well-plotted drug running operation into a fast-paced and immersive storyline. I enjoyed the description of the island and the little coastal BC communities. She builds sympathy for Karl; he’s naïve and a quick study, but the reader becomes fearful for him as he succeeds getting deeper into a situation that will not be easy getting out of. Kelsey speaks her mind with knee-jerk reaction and the reader is quickly drawn to her creativity and smarts. She is a strong co-protagonist. Can Karl keep Kelsey safe, much less himself?

The narrative cruises into the conclusion and the dust settles quietly, until little plot points, threads, begin tying off. There were questions, issues to be resolved (after all, this is Book 1) and the reveal at the end is one that will elicit a chuckle. My only problem is the edit misses—but the story and characters really win the day. Brilliant twist. Master storyteller. I’m so looking forward to Book 2!

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. These are my honest thoughts—loved it.

Rosepoint Publishing: Just Shy of Five

Book Details:

Publisher: Big Tree Press

Genre: Private Investor Mysteries, Crime Fiction

ASIN : B089LG7BB9

Print Length: 260 pages

Publication Date: June 1, 2020

Source: Publisher and author request

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Arlana Crane is a fourth generation Vancouver Islander, currently living in Calgary, Alberta with her husband James. She loves to read, write, knit, play the ukulele and attend the theatre. Summer vacations will find her back on her beloved Island, enjoying the ocean and spoiling her niece and nephews. For more information please visit arlanawrites.com.

Your next crime fiction.
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See You Soon, Afton – a #BookReview

Title: See You Soon, Afton (Afton Morrison Book 2) by Brent Jones

Genre: Currently #3787 on Amazon Best Sellers Rank in Kindle eBooks, Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Suspense

Publication Date: August 7, 2018

Source: Direct author request

Title and Cover: See You Soon, Afton – Afton Morrison, Book 2 (The Afton Morrison Series) by Brent Jones

Holy smokes! Book 2 literally sets the plot on fire with the dark and desperate attempt by Afton to find and save little Kim. The despot in Afton takes a back seat as she must act on that soft spot for the sweet and innocent volunteer library assistant who looks on her as a mentor. After all, she has yet to prove her psychopathic vigilante assassin status! If Afton ravaged your senses in Book 1 with her first-person account of her twisted, deep vigilante desires and her comprehensive search for the perfect victim to stem the Animus within her, Book 2 slams what you thought you knew about where this was going against a very hot, blackened wall. Continue reading “See You Soon, Afton – a #BookReview”