Book Review: “The Witch & the Wicked” By Kade Patrick

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Rating: 5 stars

Headline: A dark fantasy with added bite, “The Witch & the Wicked” will have you thirsting for more

Review:

The first instalment in a new fantasy series, The Witch & the Wicked by Kade Patrick drops readers into fast paced action from the very first paragraph. The story is told in first person narrative from the point of view of two characters, Rune and Kaineres. Rune, exiled and on the run, is an isolated woman of desperate means, trying to navigate and escape the clutches of bloodthirsty monsters and revenge-seeking soldiers. Alongside these shady figures, there some refugee in a small commune which includes Kaineres, a male witch acts as the community’s chief healer and spiritual guide. When an injured Rune approaches the commune for sanctuary, both she and Kaineres must learn to work together to keep those they hold dear safe from the external forces operating against them. And yet, in an increasingly unstable world where it is always winter, the cost of kingdom-wide peace depends on the secrets Rune is willing to share, but is it worth the cost?

This book falls into the juicy zone of fantasy reads, for both coming in at 410 pages, and for its dark fantasy content, which includes corrupted monsters, passionate romance arcs and no shortage of blood and violence. Switching between the first person narratives of Rune and Kaineres, the book opens with multiple chapters that are essentially Rune’s monologue thoughts and reactions as she races to get to safety in a hostile environment. The descriptions and world building are beautiful, although some readers may hanker for more dialogue earlier on in the book. Once The Witch & the Wicked jumps to the perspective of Kaineres, the story picks up in pace and introduces a differing perspective from a figure deeply embedded in the commune, compared to Rune as the outsider needing to prove her worth.

The relationship between the two characters play off each other nicely, gradually developing the “enemies to lovers” trope that will have readers on the edge of their seats. Other characters are also given the space to develop their own unique personalities and tone of voice. Given the volume of pages, Patrick as an author does a great job at keeping the plot focused on a core group of figures, and choosing to only head hop between Rune and Kaineres (which also plays cleverly into the title of the book, The Witch & the Wicked). The writing quality is of a high standard, and perfectly suited to the core elements that fans have come to expect from the fantasy genre as a whole.

The Witch & the Wicked is a superb book, perfect for any lovers of dark fantasy and magic. It is well written and contains plenty of action and fighting scenes, as well as calmer moments of character introspection. If that wasn’t enough, the cover design is beautiful too. The only question I’m left asking is when can I get my hands on the next book in the series!

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “The Witch & the Wicked” By Kade Patrick

Purchase Link: “The Witch & the Wicked” By Kade Patrick (Amazon)

Author Website: https://djrbooks.com/kadepatrick

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Throwback Tuesday: Because I Can in Amsterdam

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Following on from my previous article around reuploading my travel vlogs so everything is in one place, next up we have “Because I Can in Amsterdam”.

A trip I took in the spring of 2029, there is almost something sweetly naïve about the video, in a world where no one could have imagined the events that would unfold less than a year later.

Hope you enjoy the throwback as much as I did re-watching this years later.

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Poetry Review: “On Colonized Ground” by Rebecca Dietrich

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: Rebecca Dietrich’s poetry collection delves into identity, resilience, and colonialism with broadly interesting results

Review:

On Colonized Ground is the new poetry collection from author Rebecca Dietrich. A short collection of twenty one poems, in Dietrich’s own words, this a collection which aims to explore “identity, legacy, and resilience”, while also confronting “colonialism and the resulting pain and generational trauma.”

Within this standalone collection, poems range from the short (and not so sweet), including “The Last Lullaby”, to poems which are broader in length, such as is the case with “The Road to Dorothy”, which tips into a second page. The book also includes the previously published “Taken”, which featured in the 2023 anthology, S/He Speaks: Voices of Women and Trans Folx. A personal favourite of the collection is “Gen Z”, which succinctly highlights the challenges faced by the younger generation(s), past and present.

The poems within On Colonized Ground are, superficially, good. They all set a striking cord of frustration and resilience, set within first person narrative (presumably that of the author herself). This tone of voice and perspective is effective, however toward the end it starts to feel a little repetitive and lacking an injection of variety. A poem such as “Collapse”, retold through the perspective of nature as it watches the world crumble around them, would have been an interesting avenue to take, as opposed to the human narrator blasting an unnamed person, or group. This is spit-balling here, but in essence this broadly is where the collection lacks. It needs a differing perspective to make the reader truly walk away from this collection with more questions than answers, and a greater drive to want to be that instrument of change.

As poetry collections go, On Colonized Ground marks a solid starting point from Dietrich. With a bit more thought into wider voices and perspectives, the only way is up.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “On Colonized Ground” by Rebecca Dietrich

Purchase Link: “On Colonized Ground” by Rebecca Dietrich (Amazon)

Author website: https://rebeccadietrichpoetry.wordpress.com/

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Throwback Tuesday: Solo Travels in Bruges

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As part of my efforts to clear down and condense videos into a single place, I’m reuploading a number of historic videos onto my @aeb.thewriter account on YouTube.

That in mind, what better opportunity is there to take a moment to reflect on some of my videos of old. And when it came to deciding which video to start with, there could only be one candidate.

The first of my solo travels, and solo travel videos, the Movie Maker masterpiece that was a trailblazer for all those that followed. Ladies and gentlemen, all the way back from 2018, may I present to you…

…”Wish You Were here? Solo Travels in Bruges (Brugge)”.

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Book Review: “Flume” by ‘Bigfoot’

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Rating: 3 stars

Headline: “Flume” struggles with its weak characterization and plot, making it a less engaging read for its intended audience

Review:

Flume is a middle grade novel, written by an author who goes by the name ‘Bigfoot’. This is the author’s second middle grade novel, following on from their previous publication, The Projectionist.

Told through the first person perspective of Shanks, Flume follows this young boy who receives a ticket to ride the infamous water slide Flume for his birthday. Set in central London, England, this hair-raising ride involves many twists and turns and maybe an abandoned boat or two, as Shanks and his friends navigate this perilous ride and the mysteries that surround its creator. One thing is for certain, this will be a twelfth birthday Shanks will never forget.

To say this story is fantastical would be an understatement. To truly get into the story readers have to put aside logic, such as why a water-based ride would be open to the public in the middle of a thunderstorm, given the slide is routinely hit by lightening. Then there’s the location aspects, such as the ride being high in the sky and skirting around The Shard, a notable London landmark on the edge of the River Thames. By the time we’re told that the ride’s inventor, Mr Poppity, was perceived to have done a “bodge job” on building the ride, only to go missing three summer ago in mysterious circumstances, then as a reader you just have to accept everything at face value and go along with it. Still, there’s being fantastical, and then there’s being downright bizarre. Sometimes detail is scarce, other times it feels like an info dump.

As a reader, there doesn’t feel like there is any strong plot or character motive driving the story. If Shanks is so terrified of this ride, why does he feel obliged to jump down it? There isn’t quite enough at stake to hook readers in from the offset, instead the storyline only sort of comes into focus about a quarter to a third in.

For its intended target age audience of middle grade, Flume misses the mark when taking into account the lack of a strong storyline that drives the plot forwards in a meaningful way.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Flume” by ‘Bigfoot’

Purchase Link: “Flume” by ‘Bigfoot’ (author website)

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Lisboa (Lisbon) ’26

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Video montage of our recent trip to Portugal’s capital city. Enjoy!

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Book Review: “You’re Not Your Job: Going Above and Beyond for Yourself” by Daniel Voigt Godoy

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Rating: 4 stars

Headline: An insightful book that helped me see the world beyond deadlines and the 9-5

Review:

You’re Not Your Job: Going Above and Beyond for Yourself is a self-help / personal development guide by debut author, Daniel Voigt Godoy. Godoy enters the creative profession with over 25 years in a variety of roles, from technology scientist to teacher.

In what could be seen as a 50-20-10 split between guidance, personal experience and thought-provoking exercises for the reader, this is a guide that can easily be consumed in one sitting. The reader exercises are also helpfully repeated in the two appendix sections towards the end of the book, which is great for those wanting to see them all laid out in one place.

As a book of 127 pages go, this is a tidy and manageable read, with a strong cover design and pages that are beautifully formatted with the inclusion of simple illustrative diagrams and note-style sections to encourage reader engagement. The tone of voice strikes the right balance of professional and informal, and gives the strong impression of an author who has been there, done that and got the t-shirt to prove it. The content treats readers as equals and supports them to see beyond the 9-5 day job, in a way which they are unlikely to receive from a traditional employer (for obvious reasons).

Personally, I was not always convinced by some of the recommendations made by the author. For example, the attitude of “living for the moment” when it comes to financial savings and some of the slightly probing questions placed on readers at the end of the opening chapters. It is a difficult tightrope to walk when trying to get people to see the bigger picture, but when author suggestion dips into something akin to formal guidance, that is when a reader should be seeking the guidance of someone who knows their onions (and is fully qualified for them too!)

You’re Not Your Job is a thoroughly engaging title and one that would suit the majority of those in any form of employment. Godoy’s entry into the publication market is a strong one, an author you could probably have a laugh or two with over a coffee. Entirely personal opinion, but just a hunch.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “You’re Not Your Job: Going Above and Beyond for Yourself” by Daniel Voigt Godoy

Purchase Link: “You’re Not Your Job: Going Above and Beyond for Yourself” by Daniel Voigt Godoy (Amazon)

Author Website: Daniel Voigt Godoy (dvgodoy.com)

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I don’t care what people say, this is a perfectly reasonable amount of food to take from a cold buffet

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Exactly what it says in the title. I would add that this was at all-day event, one that was self-funded and related to my hobbyist interest in writing/publishing. (And there was also a massive queue behind me.)

In fairness, what fool only grabs savouries without planning for dessert? (According to the WhatsApp message Boyfriend Ben sent me at the time, apparently no one.)

My family, however, they were impressed.

For reference, the plate was the size of my hand. And I may have still been eating cake on the journey back home.

After all, if you can’t recoup the entry fee on the buffet lunch, when can you?

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Children’s Book Review: “Myrtle the Odd Circle” by Sara Wilson

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Rating: 2 stars

Headline: “Myrtle the Odd Circle” suffers from its lack of positive messaging and missing character development

Review:

Myrtle the Odd Circle is a children’s picture book, written by Sara Wilson. The story follows Myrtle, an orange coloured shape that is not quite as round as her friends. The story takes readers on Myrtle’s journey of self-acceptance, during which Myrtle begins to see that there may be some perks to being different after all.

A children’s book of twenty four pages, Myrtle the Odd Circle comes in at the right length for its target demographic, aged up to three years old. Wilson describes herself as “a retired journalist and globe-trotter.” When it comes to writing for younger audiences, Wilson also comments that she aims to create stories that “not only entertain but also educate and inspire young readers to appreciate the world around them.” The book does not credit an illustrator, so the assumption has to be made that the author also provided the book’s artwork.

While there are charming elements to this story, Myrtle the Odd Circle seems to miss the mark a little in its execution. The storytelling itself has the potential to explore interesting themes around inclusivity and acceptance, but instead the story structure is reduced to a series of walk-in characters approaching a sad Myrtle and asking her why she is sad. Only in the final few pages does Myrtle discover one way in which she can flip her perceived disadvantage into her superpower. This is followed by a somewhat lack lustre statement from the main character that “being different is okay”. Even in children’s books, some character development is always needed, otherwise you are left with a bunch of 2D characters that are unrelatable and not particularly likeable, either.

In terms of the writing style, the use of bracketed words for nearly every other line reads as somewhat sarcastic in tone. An Example:

“Let’s find our friends,” says Betty.
(Betty always has a plan.)
They find Sunny.
“Why so sad, Myrtle?” asks Sunny.
(Sunny is always sunny.)
“I’m not round like you,”
says Myrtle.
(Here we go again.)

This type of disjointed narration yanks the reader out of an immersive storytelling experience to be replaced with a somewhat cynical viewpoint in a book which should be aiming to reinforce positivity where possible.

Sadly, Myrtle the Odd Circle seems to miss the mark, and while the bones of a good story are there, it would take a good deal of revision to get it to the place it could have been. In fiction writing character development is king, and tone of voice is queen.

AEB Reviews

Links:

Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Myrtle the Odd Circle” by Sara Wilson

Purchase Link: “Myrtle the Odd Circle” by Sara Wilson (Amazon)

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“Health and Safe-Tea at Work”: A Very British Parody

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I can take no credit for the production of this (or even finding it online, that credit goes to my wonderful Ben). But this health and safety informational parody from the company Yorkshire Tea got a proper laugh out of me so hopefully you guys will enjoy it to.

This one goes out to my fellow Brits.

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