Category Archives: book reviews

Books of magic and the magic of books

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Sometimes such books are written to be just that, a joyous fun read that wiles away the passage through the clouds, or the click clack of rails. Books you can not take your time with because there is a unurgency to them that wants to be read all at once. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, books, fantasy, indie novels, indie writers, reads, writes | Tagged amreading, book, bookblog, reads, urban fantasy, urbanfantasy, writerslife, writing | 2 Comments

What is it about Alyssa?

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Mark Hayes

apparently all female main characters in Chic lit Urban Fantasy’s are called Alyssa, its a rule apparently, who knew… Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, books, fiction, indie novels, indie writers, novels, opinion, pagan, reads, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, bookblog, bookreview, books, pagan, reads, urban fantasy, urbanfantasy, writer, writers, writerslife | 2 Comments

Dear Edgar #6 MS Found in a Bottle

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Poe scholars are apt to say it was this story that truly launched Poe’s career. Certainly its is the first tale to read the way you expect Poe to read, with an ominous intensity wrapped in poetic language, creeping with ever more intensity towards a dark grim conclusion. In this tale then, you can see all that is to come late in Poe’s career. Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar #5 Bon-Bon

Posted on May 3, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Look too long in to the abyss and the abyss will make you an offer on your immortal aspect… Apparently. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, books, Dear Edgar, Goth, horror, opinion, Poe, quotes, reads, retro book reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged amreading, Dear Edgar, Edgar Alan Poe, horror, humour, Poe, reads, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

The Brave and the Odd guest post by PJ Martin

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Folklore and the truth about Kevin the gerbil , but mostly folklore Continue reading →

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Dear Edgar #4 Loss of Breath

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Mark Hayes

I shall not explain how he proposed to treated women in whom he diagnosed as afflicted with similar afflictions, including ‘nymphomania’ which is to say any woman who enjoyed any kind of sexual agency in her own right outside of the marriage bed, because frankly you don’t want to know. Just let me state it was horrendous. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, Dear Edgar, fiction, goodreads, horror, Lovecraft, Poe, quotes, reads, retro book reviews | Tagged amreading, books, Dear Edgar, Edgar Alan Poe, Poe, reads, writer, writerslife, writing | 6 Comments

Dear Edgar#3 A Tale of Jerusalem

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Mark Hayes

Roman’s, honest as the day is long, you pay them for an animal for sacrifice that’s what you get. Not a swine among them… In the basket however. Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, book reviews, humour, opinion, Poe | Tagged amreading, bookblog, Edgar Alan Poe, humour, Poe, reads, writerslife, writing | Leave a comment

Dear Edgar #2 The Duc de L’Omelette

Posted on March 7, 2023 by Mark Hayes

I find it hard to sympathise with anyone who puts a towel on their head to eat a bird that’s been force feed and drown in brandy. Continue reading →

Posted in book reviews, Dear Edgar, fiction, humour, opinion, reads, retro book reviews | Tagged amreading, bookblog, books, Dear Edgar, Edgar Alan Poe, goodreads, horror, Poe, read, reads | 5 Comments

Dear Edgar

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Mark Hayes

About a year ago I published a book that started out as a series of blogs in which I read the complete works of HP Lovecraft. A project I started as ‘filler’ posts for the blog. I’d expected the project … Continue reading →

Posted in amreading, amwriting, book reviews, books, Dear Edgar, Goth, horror, humour, indie, mental-health, opinion, publication, quotes, rant, writes, writing | Tagged amreading, Dear Edgar, Poe, reads, writerslife, writing | 4 Comments

Severn sisters…

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Mark Hayes

Seven is a strange number. According to numerology the number seven represents perfection and is a symbol of eternal life. Seven suggest completeness, there are seven wonders, seven days to the week. It is also the number of change, it is often said that at the age of seven we become complete within ourselves and our true personalities manifest. Continue reading →