Michael B Chikondi has a distinct writing style that I find intriguing. It is not in your face, but subtle, eerie and creepy, such as in Creeping Fate. A Victorian gothic romance is an accurate description. It is 1847 London. Cecilia Everett’s family is gone and she is a wealthy woman. It is time to be wed, but there are no men in sight. I felt I knew where this was going pretty quickly, but Spencer Black and John Oliver kept the mystery alive. I wasn’t sure who was the good guy and who was the bad guy, but sometimes…well, I know what I want to say, but I feel that will give it away, so mum’s the word. You’ll have to read Creeping Fate by Michael B Chikondi to find out for yourself what becomes of Cecilia.
“:…choose a man who loves you more than you love him. Such a man won’t let you down.”
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Cecilia Everett, still grieving the loss of her family, and struggling under the weight of societal obligations, knows she must start to build a life for herself. Under the guidance of her indomitable Aunt Euphemia, she turns her attention towards the prospect of marriage. Its London, 1847, and even an heiress like Cecilia cant escape the pressure to find a husband. Two candidates soon capture her attention; the respectable, but difficult, Spencer Black, and the notorious playboy, John Oliver. As she begins to fear her mind is unraveling, might it be, her financial situation is more alluring than she is?
Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Romance, Victorian
109 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2023
ABOUT MICHAEL B CHIKONDI (from Amazon)
Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.
“Can we approach?” we call.
“No soliciting.” the voice returns.
“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”
“Ask.” the dread voice responds.
“Alright, who are you?” we try.
“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”
“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.
“Yes, but now…I hunger…”
We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.
Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.
In Sir Henry’s Heart, we pick up where we left off in The Girl From The Basement, Book 3, of the Idle Hands series by Michael Chikondi. It’s all about Miriam and Sir Henry. Sir Henry had become fixated on Miriam and those he sets his sights on never survive his obsession. Will Miriam be the first? I have hope. After all, the entire series has taken place with Sinjen and Miriam side by side.Can Miriam find a way to save herself, seeing no one is allowed to intervene?
It’s funny how fascinated the vampires are with Miriam’s diary. Gave me some chuckles and that is always good when we are dealing with blood thirsty vampires.
Sinjen works with vampire hunters, cleaning up messes not of his own making. I love it. Vampire and vampire hunter, working together. Sinjen is one of the few vampires able to do so. His faith in humanity has been depleted.
The Idle Hands series has been a wild ride, filled with ups and downs, and could it possibly end with love and romance? I must admit, Richard and Miriam deserve a happy ending after all they have been through…and managing to stay human amongst the vampires is quite the feat.
I have loved being along with each adventure taken in the Idle Hands series by Michael Chikondi. I am eager to see where we will go next.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Sinjen and Miriam find themselves at a crossroads. As it becomes apparent that Sir. Henry will not be dissuaded from pursuing her, she has no choice but to return to him. Sinjen’s hands are tied, by order of the House of Nightfall and by his Mistress. When Sinjen receives a black envelope from Lord Mica, the most powerful vampire prophet, he is devastated. These letters mean that death is certain, and Sinjen must face a more immediate danger.
Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.
“Can we approach?” we call.
“No soliciting.” the voice returns.
“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”
“Ask.” the dread voice responds.
“Alright, who are you?” we try.
“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”
“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.
“Yes, but now…I hunger…”
We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.
Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.
Because The Girl From The Basement by Michael B Chikondi is the third book in the Idle Hands series, I am not going to go into specifics and spoil anything for you. I will, however, tell you how much I have enjoyed learning about Michael’s complicated brand of vampires. We have politics, betrayals, killing at the drop of a hat, conspiracy and machinations for power. Sound familiar? Sound human?
Sinjen is a fascinating vampire. Sure, he will kill at the drop of a hat, but he has his own set or morals. I find his neediness funny and sad at the same time.
Sinjen is working with Lord Aster, investigating the rogues, but when he meets Eve, it becomes all about Eve. She is not who or what she appears to be. He has a complicated relationship with Miriam, a human and an order of monks have an extreme dislike for his kind. We have a lot of action and players involved in, but Sinjen is a master at maneuvering around and manipulating others.
Brace yourself for The Girl From The Basement, Book 3 of the Idle Hands series, by Michael B Chikondi. With this series, you will need to begin at the beginning, with Book I, Like Father Like Son.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
After the events in the Highlands, Sinjen begins to work with Lord Aster to uncover the truth about the rogues they discovered. As the vampire couple begins to integrate into Nightfall, Sinjen is sent away, in search of the fledgeling who escaped their clutches. By the time he meets Eve Morgan, something is wrong. Either someone got here before him, or Eve might be something abnormal. While he gets to the bottom of it, he finds he has two other problems. Miriam’s safety, and an order of monks with a particular dislike of the undead.
Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.
“Can we approach?” we call.
“No soliciting.” the voice returns.
“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”
“Ask.” the dread voice responds.
“Alright, who are you?” we try.
“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”
“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.
“Yes, but now…I hunger…”
We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.
Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.
Sinjen, the vampire, takes a vacation, his first time off in fifty years. He’s taking his Thrall, Jack, his human friends, Miriam and Richard, and his lost love, Carlotta to a caste where they will play a murder mystery game.
I love Sinjen. He’s a complicated vampire. He is needy, looking for love, for a reason to get up each night. He searches for a reason to live, and I think he found it when he met Miriam. He won’t change her, won’t keep her for himself. But, his friend, who he thought was his thrall, is in love with her and she seems to be attracted to him too. Will Richard and Miriam marry? Probably.
With Miriam he has found a new vocation? Solving mysteries. Their first, which was supposed to be a game, turned into exposing the rogue vampire that is killing people in a most gruesome and torturous way.
The event takes place in a castle, so will there be a ghost or two?
We have a snowstorm and they are cut off from the world. Is it Aster’s doing? Aster is a vampire that dominates all others. I thought it was him, but when they discover the group is not the only vampires, Aster finds it is better not to use his ability to control the weather. Still, a vampire is never stranded and I was surprised when Sinjen turned into a wolf. I knew they misted, which was cool. He also has the ability to hypnotize people, so he can take a sip or two and wipe their minds.
I am hooked on these characters. Sinjen is such a unique vampire. He is so needy, yet strong and savage when necessary. He is dominated by Eliza, a cruel mistress that revels in his pain, but now, since The Mystery Game, Aster has given him an out and he plans on using it to his advantage. I can hardly wait to see what his next adventure will be.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mystery Game by Michael B Chikondi.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
With his first time off in fifty years, Sinjen Carlyle decides to take his friends, Miriam, Jack and the fair Carlotta out to enjoy a murder mystery play. It’s to be set over a week, at a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Their hosts, an eccentric mystery writer and his charming wife. Before they have even made it to their rooms, he begins to suspect that he and Carlotta may not be the only two vampires there. As a snowstorm rolls in, and the play begins to blend fantasy a little too closely to reality, could there be a more sinister cause? And, with three vampires penned into on building, can they solve the play, and manage their appetites, before a real death takes place?
Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.
“Can we approach?” we call.
“No soliciting.” the voice returns.
“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”
“Ask.” the dread voice responds.
“Alright, who are you?” we try.
“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”
“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.
“Yes, but now…I hunger…”
We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.
Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.
The old time feeling of the cover for Like Father, Like Son by Michael B Chikondi definitely speaks of vampires to me.
Sinjen Carlyle is a typical vampire, some good and some bad about him, and he quickly grew on me. When he meets Miriam Green, a human, he is immediately attracted to her and wants to get to know her better. Sinjen is a complicated character. He seems very needy and he looks after those he cares about, but he is not afraid of killing those who get in his way in a brutal and savage fashion.
Eliza is waaaay past cruel…to everyone. She is Sinjen’s master. I will be curious to see if she gets her comeuppance in Book II The Mystery Game.
Boredom seems to be these vampires downfall. Is it better to take yourself out, or find a reason to go on. Living forever can be quite the pickle. What do you do with all that time?
There are a lot of characters that make their own statement and I loved meeting each and every one of them, the good, the bad and the ugly. Jack may be one of the primaries, but Richard stood out to me, too.
We have a lot of vampire action, human and vampire interaction, romance, murder, mystery and mayhem. A worthy read that is kept me entertained.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Like Father, Like Son by Michael B Chikondi.
4 stars
GOODREADS BLURB
After fifty years in the custody of his ‘aunt’ Eliza, Sinjen Carlyle is allowed out for New Year’s eve. He spends it in Whitby, meeting Jack, the thief, and his sister Carol, an enterprising madam. As it begins to rain, he takes cover in a tea house. A sweet woman catches his eye, dark, plain and proper. The very picture of his cousin in her youth. Miriam Green, hard-working, and alone in the world, sticks in his mind. When his ‘aunt’ Margaret suggests he should find someone to make him feel human again, he decides to get to know her better. For the first time, Carlyle has a taste of freedom. Can he entice Miriam with a little mystery, while keeping his own secrets? Can he keep her alive? And, when Jack is attacked, can they find the culprit, or has he stumbled onto something beyond his capabilities?
Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.
“Can we approach?” we call.
“No soliciting.” the voice returns.
“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”
“Ask.” the dread voice responds.
“Alright, who are you?” we try.
“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”
“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.
“Yes, but now…I hunger…”
We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.
Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.
