BOOK REVIEW - CHAOS BORN by REBEKAH TURNER - CHRONICLES FROM THE APPLECROSS # 1 - ESCAPE PUBLISHING - 4.5 SETH & ROMAN STARS !!

By: Rebekah Turner
Published By : Escape Publishing ( click title )
Released : Available Now
Details: Digital, 333 Pages

RATING: 4.5 SMEXI SETH & ROMAN STARS with a dash of snarky REUBEN

Blurb: Goodreads

A fresh and exciting debut novel introducing the Chronicles of the Applecross.

Lora Blackgoat, smuggler and mercenary, has been lying low after a job gone bad made her a laughing stock in the industry. When a childhood friend turns to her for help, Lora leaps to restore her reputation and starts hunting a killer who is stalking the gas-lit streets.

She never expects that her path will lead her to the Order of Guides, a sadistic militant religious organisation - or to Roman, a deadly and dangerously attractive half-angel warrior who also hunts the killer.

When Lora discovers that the killer has broken fundamental laws of magic to enter the city, she also uncovers a conspiracy that leads back into her own dark past.


BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

I love me some Urban Fantasy and Rebekah Turner, Australian author, has wowed me with her first instalment in this new series. 

Now, this is either Chronicles From The Applecross series # 1 or, The Chronicles Of The Applecross. The digital book says both, Goodreads chooses Chronicles From The Applecross, either way, this was a smashing start to this series, with a nice dash of Steampunk.

This is one of Escape Publishing’s ( Imprint of Harlequin Australia) first lot of digital books released.

Love the detail in the world building. The Outlands, is in the human world, Bangkok, the modern world, modern technology. If you are in the know and can pay the hefty toll price you can cross into The Weald. Gas light, horse drawn hansom cabs, corsets, and a whole array of fantasy/paranormal creature’s co-exisiting, the best they can together. The Outlands is a common hiding place for criminals from The Weald. Modern technology won’t work in The Weald. 

For some reason it does for Lora.

It was a lot of fun being in this world Rebekah built for the reader, full of danger, magic, mystery, violence, gore, untrustworthy characters, smexi lads, twists and a Lady who plays by her own rules.

Love all the characters. The Butcher of Applecross is the particularly nasty villain.

Lora Blackgoat aka Chopper, is a runner. Due to her Snow White hair, she is assumed to be a Witch Hunter...... but is she? This 31 yr old with the bung knee, due to a horse accident, is a kickass chick. She relies on her cane with the carved goat head, more than not. She takes a whooping in this book and she gives as good as she gets. Her mouth I fear will be the death of her. She is a gambler, likes her drink of the ‘let’s get smashed’ kind, illegally smuggles weapons over the border, smokes cigarillos and is a handful for Gideon and her adoptive mum Orella Warbreeder, an Elf Witch.

Lora works for Gideon, a Satyr, ( half goat ) for the Blackgoat Watch and she is also the ward of Gideon Blackgoat . Gideon loves his fez’s and a nice smoking jacket. He wanted to be able to blend with humans so he gave himself a makeover of the not so goat looking style.

I did laugh out loud at some of the things Lora says.

“I get accosted all the time,” I said defensively. “So, you can shut the f*^k up.”

“And then there’s the matter of your filthy sailor mouth. You’ve the morals of an alley-cat, Lady Blackgoat, and one of these days, you’re going to find yourself in the kind of trouble you can’t insult, drink or fist fight your way out of.” Taunton gave another sniff. “It’s no wonder you’ve grown to be a bitter spinster.”

“Who’s bitter? I’m a free woman wearing expensive boots,” I snapped. “Now, can you take this quick-draw rig or not?”



“Yee-es?” I drawled, not needing a map to know where this was going to go.

The man gave me a wide, shit-eating grin. “How much for a roll?’

“F*#k you.” I arched an eyebrow like he bored me, and turned back to the bar.

“What’d you say, bitch?” he growled.

“Alright.” I kept my back to him. “I take it back. Un-f*#k you.”

Next thing I new, my arse was being grabbed and rubbed like he was wishing for a genie. I spun and knocked his hand away.

“Like it rough, do you,” he growled. “Ugly white-haired bitch like you would have to take it doggie style.”

“You kiss your mother with that mouth?” Cloete was all coiled energy, eye zeroed in on the warlock and one hand hovering near the knives at her belt.

“Too early in the night for this, innit?” the barkeep behind us asked. “This is why women aren’t welcome here. Nothing but trouble.”

“They started it,” I protested, not taking my eyes off the warlock.

The sailors were watching with interest, stupid grins on their dirty faces as they waited for the night’s entertainment. Cloete gave me a wild look that promised violence and I said some bad words in my head.


The characters are colourful and as dangerous as some of them are smexi.

Rebekah has a wonderful witty imagination and can handle juggling a lot of characters successfully, bouncing them off each other to weave a well thought out plot.

Captain Seth Hallow likes to call Lora ‘dimples’, he also doesn’t mind a bit of off duty time with Lora. He is a rather smexi character. He has known Lora for fifteen years. They have history. He is of the slap and tickle variety. Someone she finds hard to resist.

And doesn’t he know it.

Watchman Captain Caleb Haskett, a childhood friend of Lora’s, has separated himself, wanting more from his life, leaving Lora and their childhood friendship behind......until......

Enter Regulator Roman, half Nephilim. These dudes should be feared, but Lora really fears nobody. Roman is a smexi guy, although different to Seth, their characters are strong, and protective of Lora.

But why?

Joseph ‘The Hacksaw’ Daleman, is the loan shark Lora owes money to. Note the middle name. Yes, he would be the one you don’t want to borrow off or else........it ain’t pretty.

I was drawn to the book purely based on the cover. I am so happy the story was just as good.

This first instalment is rich in imagination, throw in some hellspawn, an exorcism or two, add the dark and dangerous world of The Weald and its colourful characters, and you have the beginnings of a kickass urban fantasy series that I can tell is going to rock my face off. 

Oh, and not to mention the contract she has on her own head, she kind of pis&ed Benjamin the Bloody off by killing his brother.

I think she wants to give Benjamin the 'forked sign of evil' , I think equates to giving 'the bird'.

I look forward to reading more in this very promising series.

FAVE QUOTES:

Kill zombie dog. Blow chunks later.



I tried to get myself under control, tried to distract myself by thinking about something gross and unsexy.

Overcooked broccoli. Farts in a small room. Gideon naked.

I nearly vomited in my mouth, found I was under control again.

Michelle