Indie Author - Book Reviews

January 2026

Once Upon an Ancient Curse: A Red Riding Hood

Retelling

By Michelle Miles

This was such a lovely re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood, and I really enjoyed it.

The author's writing style is smooth, atmospheric, and easy to sink into, making this

a perfect quick, cozy read with fairytale magic woven throughout.

Poppy is a strong and likable heroine, Rowan and Poppy’s dynamic was one of my

favorite parts; there's clear attraction, but also caution and emotional distance, which

made the tension between them feel natural and earned, although not slow-burn.

The Wolf King storyline was a good take on the original. I appreciated that Poppy

hoped for redemption for him, even though he ultimately felt too broken by loss and

the curse he carried. It gave the story a bittersweet edge that worked well with the

darker fairytale tone.

The Angel of Kings Cross

By Jay Neill

The Angel of Kings Cross is a haunting and heartfelt urban fantasy that blends gritty

London realism with hidden-world magic. The story follows Betty, a woman

rebuilding her life after escaping an abusive relationship. Her work with the homeless

around King’s Cross grounds the novel in compassion and humanity, and the author

paints the city with raw authenticity, its shadows, its hope, and its forgotten corners.

Betty's quiet strength and determination make her instantly sympathetic.

Her routine is shattered when she meets Caden, a young man who seems out of

place even among London's lost souls. Their connection begins with curiosity and

caution, but quickly deepens into something far more mysterious. Caden's secret;

that he is one of the LineFolk, magical beings bound to the Circle Line. This

introduces a richly imaginative layer to the story. The mythology is unique, eerie, and

woven seamlessly into modern London life, giving the novel a world-within-a-world

feeling that fans of urban fantasy will love.

The story explores themes of belonging and courage. The tension between the

human and supernatural realms is compelling. The Angel of Kings Cross ultimately

shines as a tale quiet heroism. It's emotionally evocative and anchored by characters

you can’t help but root for; a standout read for anyone who loves magic hidden in

everyday places.

What truly sealed this story for me was the unforgettable Christmas rescue. When

Betty's abusive ex confronts her, Caden reveals his true nature in the most

breathtaking way, unfurling his wings and carrying her into the sky. The moment is

cinematic, shocking, and beautifully symbolic, and the stunned reactions of the

onlookers add a brilliant touch of realism. Jay Neill's writing shines here: sharp,

funny, emotionally layered, and effortlessly immersive. His prose hooks you instantly,

and his world building is both inventive and meticulously crafted. This short story is a

perfect introduction to his upcoming Curious Physiologies series, releasing in

February, and I'm counting down the days. If you want to read this gem yourself,

head to Jay Neill’s website and subscribe, you won’t regret it.

A wonderful five stars

The Legacy He Left Behind: A Cozy Mystery of Buried

Truths and Family Promises

By Thomas Vale

The Legacy He Left Behind has all the ingredients of a cosy mystery: an atmospheric

lakeside town, whispered secrets, and two reluctant allies digging into a past no one

wants uncovered. Windermere is vivid and haunting, and Thomas Vale's prose is

truly enchanting. His writing style was one of the highlights for me; he paints scenes.

Where the book struggled, for me, was in clarity and payoff. The premise is

compelling: Elias Monroe returns home carrying a box of strange relics, each linked

to someone the town has lost, and Claire Bennett sees in those relics a chance to

clear her father's tainted name. It sounds like the setup for a layered, revealing

mystery, but the story never truly lets the reader in.

Despite the promise, I often felt left in the dark. The plot offers hints without follow-

through, shadows without shapes. Townsfolk appear, secrets are implied, and

tension is built… but very few actual answers are given, even by the end. I found

myself repeatedly trying to piece things together without enough information to truly

understand what was going on.

It almost feels like this book is only half the story. Given its short length, Book two

might have needed to be bundled or at least provide some immediate continuation to

avoid the sense of incompleteness.

By the end, I still didn’t fully understand the bigger picture, and it left me wishing the

plot had been developed a bit more. The book is pretty short, so maybe Book two

will finally bring the answers this one set up. I'm planning to read it, because the

writing really is wonderful, I just wish the story itself had given more.

The Legacy Continues: A Tale of Corruption, Courage,

and the People the Shadow Tried to Break

By Thomas Vale

This second installment of The Windermere Legacy hooks you from the opening

pages and never loosens its grip. What begins as a quiet, coastal town mystery

quickly ignites into a high stakes race against corruption as secrets burn, money

vanishes, and the ominous presence of the Shadow grows darker. The questions

planted so carefully in the first book finally begin to unravel here, and the pay-off is

deeply satisfying. The novella format makes it nearly impossible to put down; I found

myself reading straight through, completely absorbed.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its expanding cast of characters. Claire

Bennett and Elias Monroe remain compelling at the center, but the addition of Lena,

the café owner, Maris the determined local reporter, and Parker, brave, wounded,

and quietly powerful, adds real emotional depth to the fight for justice. Each

character feels purposeful, human, and necessary, making Windermere itself feel

like a living, breathing place full of people worth rooting for. The sense of found

family resistance against an unseen enemy is especially rewarding.

The prose remains beautifully thoughtful and lyrical, but this time the plot and

action accelerate, shifting the pace from a slow burn to a tense sprint toward a

thrilling ending. The stakes feel higher, the danger more personal, and the Shadow

more terrifying than ever. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat, speed reading to

see who would survive and what truths would finally come to light. This book is a

wonderful addition to the series, an easy five stars for me, and I sincerely hope to

read the next two books, because if this is any indication, the best may still be

ahead.

The Forbidden Crown

By Nora Marrs

From the first page, the prose is breathtaking; lush, lyrical, and sharp as a blade

wrapped in silk. Every sentence feels alive, humming with magic and menace. I

devoured this book in just a few hours, completely swept up in its beauty and

savagery.

Seris is a fierce, aching heroine; half fae, half mortal, and wholly unforgettable. Her

defiance, vulnerability, and quiet strength made her impossible not to root for. And

Kade… Prince Kade of House Rakir is everything I crave in a morally grey love

interest: cruel, magnetic, dangerous, and devastatingly restrained. Their romance

doesn't rush; it simmers, tightening with every shared glance and unspoken choice

until it finally ignites like wildfire.

This is not a story for the light-hearted. It's drenched in angst, shadow, and emotional

intensity, with prose beautifully interwoven with pain, hope, and fire. The stakes are

brutal, the power dynamics razor-sharp, and the longing is exquisite. Every act of

protection feels like a betrayal waiting to happen. Every moment of tenderness

threatens ruin.

I give this book five stars because it gave me hope; hope wrapped in darkness, hope

born of resistance, and the fierce passion of a mortal soul standing against the

cruelty of the fae. It's seductive, devastating, and unforgettable. I'm still thinking

about it long after the final page. As you can see, I love poetic prose and this gives it

all, memorable and unforgettable for one dreamer.