Jay Bell

Review: Hell’s Pawn

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Hell's Pawn
Hell’s Pawn by Jay Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I choose Hell’s Pawn based on the author and the incredible cover art. The story lives up to both as a somewhat epic jaunt through afterlife complete with visitations from just about every major religion. This is perhaps the one hiccup to the story in that the philosophy of religion, belief, faith, and the afterlife is thoroughly discussed. The story doesn’t try to advocate one faith or belief system over any others but it does examine the concept of faith from many different angles and may not be what every reader is looking for. It’s important to read with an open mind and trust that the story is not trying to preach or condemn, but instead almost enlighten. Continue reading →

Review: Something Like Summer

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Something Like SummerSomething Like Summer by Jay Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Something Like Summer is a moving coming of age story that will definitely appeal to readers. Unfortunately I didn’t particularly like the main character in Ben but in many ways this is completely subjective. He happened to touch on a few personal pet peeves that are unlikely to bother other readers, although the issue of fidelity may be a problem for some. The writing though is very engaging, bringing you into Ben’s journey with an absorbing intimacy. Although this isn’t a fast paced read, it’s a story I didn’t want to end.

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The Cat in the Cradle by Jay Bell

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The Cat in the Cradle by Jay Bell

Blurb:

“An interesting and intriguing novel with many original ideas.”~Piers Anthony, author of the Apprentice Adept and Xanth series

The Cat in the Cradle is Jay Bell’s debut fantasy novel. The novel takes the reader on an exploration of the Five Lands and the different realms of the strange and fantastic Oligarchs. Each Oligarch possesses a different colored loka that enables them to wield a unique style of magic. Dylan, aided by his talking cat Kio, must prevent the lokas from falling into the hands of a power hungry killer before the Five Lands is brought to its knees. The print version of The Cat in the Cradle features 25 original illustrations, one for each chapter.

fantasy YA ..