Review of Turned by Morgan Rice

Turned by Morgan Rice
Pages: 196
Publisher: Morgan Rice
Reviewed by: Tai
Rating: 3/5

 In TURNED (Book #1 of the Vampire Journals series), eighteen year old Caitlin Paine finds herself uprooted from her nice suburb and forced to attend a dangerous New York City high school when her Mom moves again. The one ray of light in her new surroundings is Jonah, a new classmate who takes an instant liking to her. But before their romance can blossom, Caitlin suddenly finds herself changing. She is overcome by a superhuman strength, a sensitivity to light, a desire to feed--by feelings she does not understand. She seeks answers to what's happening to her, and her cravings lead her to the wrong place at the wrong time.

Her eyes are opened to a hidden world, right beneath her feet, thriving underground in New York City. She finds herself caught between two dangerous covens, right in the middle of a vampire war. It is at this moment that Caitlin meets Caleb, a mysterious and powerful vampire who rescues her from the dark forces. He needs her to help lead him to the legendary lost artifact. And she needs him for answers, and for protection. Together, they will need to answer one crucial question: who was her real father? But Caitlin finds herself caught between two men as something else arises between them: a forbidden love. A love between the races that will risk both of their lives, and will force them to decide whether to risk it all for each other

Tai's Thoughts:

For a first of a series book I liked Turned and I will definitely at least read the next book of the series. I liked the story. I still don’t know much of what’s going on as this book basically is a set-up for the series but I am intrigued enough to want to know more. I was also so immersed in the story towards the end that I was frustrated when it ended because I wanted to read more about Catlin and Caleb and what is to become of them. Cliff hangers they get me every time.

There were a few errors and inconsistencies that pulled me out of the story but not enough to take away from the story. There were parts in the book where I literally went “Really??” on how situations progressed. For instance the romance in the book felt rushed and not believable to me however I hoping for an explanation in the next book to explain this since so much was left up in the air at the conclusion of this book. Also there was very little character development on supporting characters as we didn’t see them much but again I’m hoping this improves in the next book now that the story has been set up. For the little glimpse we see into Catlin’s relationship with her brother Sam I liked their chemistry and am looking forwarded to reading more about Sam.

 I rated this book overall 3 stars because while it lacked in character development I did start to bond with the characters. I enjoyed reading Turned and am looking forward to reading the book of the series to see if the potential I see in this book comes to fruition.  

It's Monday! What are you reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Shelia @ Book Journey.

I have been really busy lately getting my online business going, so I haven't had a lot of time to read.

Here are a couple of books I have started to read:

Night Circus (Arc) by Erin Morgenstern (Just started it)

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow (Better than I thought it would be)

Two very different books, and also two very different types that I wouldn't normally pick up.

So what are you reading?

It's a blog hop!

Well I am running a little late this week doing the Friday blog hop, but I guess its better late than never! If you want to participate in the blog hop just head on over to Crazy-for-books and check out the rules. :)

“Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets?”

Do I have pets, do I have pets! Why yes I do..lol. I actually have about three to many and possible getting one more...as of right now I have 6 little doggies. I am a sucker for a dog and I have now learned my lesson that you NEVER let you little doggy have puppies because if your anything like me, you get attached and keep three out of the litter of six. :( I would have kept them all but I knew I really shouldn't..LOL.

Then we live out in the country and that is another word for 'through away the dogs you don't want' part of town. :(  So we end up with a lot of strays, some stay some go. I can't help but feed the scrappy looking things when I see them, and well one adopted us and stayed. She is a little Shitzu and the sweetest thing and besides being old I just can't see why anyone would have dropped her off. :(  The picture above is Scrappy (the stray, after we had her hair cut because she was so well Scrappy and it was like shearing a sheep..lol)

Now my dad tells me of a German Shepard that needs a home and I am like oh no, don't tell me that..LOL, so he might be my next rescue, not sure yet. :)

What about you? Do you have any pets?

Fiction Express Chapter reviews (3-6)

I promised Fiction Express I would review the book Remy Brunel and the Ocean of Light with each chapter that was published on the site. I am a little behind because I have been really busy with a new business adventure. So today I am making myself play catch up. So today will be Chapters 3-6 and if you would like more information about Fiction Express and their books or about writing for them then please go check out their website.

The third chapter starts with Remy being in a bit of a fix. Thaddius is pretty sure that she has stolen the jewel from the exhibit, but he can't prove it. Gustav tells Remy that she is on her own and she must run away from the circus.

She almost gets robbed by a little thief named J, but Remy is pretty fast and can climb good so she catches up with him. She decides to buy the little rug rat something to eat and she finds out a lot more about Lord Abernathy from J.

Meanwhile, Thaddius is in serious trouble with the Chief Inspector because Thaddius was the last one to be seen with the jewel.

In chapter four, we have the Proffessor in disguise coming to the rescue for Thaddius and he breaks him out of jail. Thaddius has decided to go talk to Lord Abernathy and will be their bright and early as  it was already 5am.

J has taken Remy to Lord Abernathy's home so she can see if there could possible be a way into the home so she can steal the jewel back. J forgets to tell her about the dogs and as she is running back toward J with the dogs chasing her she runs smack into Thaddius.

He is ready to take her to jail so he can be proven innocent, but J tries talking him into listening to what Remy has to say about Lord Abernathy.

In chapter five, Remy and Thaddius make a deal that they will work together to find the jewel. Neither one of them are happy with the deal, but its the only way to see what Lord Abernathy is up to. J thinks something scary is happening down in the tunnels, he thinks it is where all the missing people are going.

Down in the tunnels, they all get themselves in a bit of trouble.

In chapter six, Thaddius falls into some sort of machine while Remy and J manage to stay in the tunnels. As they try to find away to get Thaddius out they stumble upon what was really going on down in the tunnels, and they can't believe their eyes.

J spots his best mate Tommy working in the tunnels but Remy tells him they can't try and rescue him yet. As they try and make their way out of the tunnels to get help they are captured, and who ever it is the person knows Remy.

So that is my overview of all the chapters I needed to catch up on. I can't wait to find out who exactly it is in the tunnels that knows Remy. It sure makes next Friday seem like a long ways away!

I am really enjoying the story of Remy Brunel and the Ocean of Light. It is a lot of fun getting to vote on what you want to happen next then seeing if what you picked was what happened. The writing is face paced and its really easy to get through the chapters quickly. I really think that if you like adventure type teen books that you would enjoy Remy.

Review of Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch

Legacies of Talimura: War of the Witch by Angel Haze
Pages: 286
Publisher: Angel Haze
Rating: 4/5
Review Source: The Author, Angel Haze
Reviewed by: Lex Write


Back of Book Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Debonair, a witch from the Unspoken Lands, has meddled in the forbidden practice of magic and has created an army of nightmarish proportions. When sixteen-year-old Astanyx and his two best friends return from a hunting trip to find their small town of Polca reduced to smoke and ash, they find themselves thrust into battle for which they haven’t been trained.

With the Help of his comrades, including and esteemed warrior, one of the last great wizards and a princess they’ve sworn to protect, Astanyx must fight to unite the kingdoms of humans, dwarves, and elves. He must ask forbidden questions that no one wants to answer, questions about Talimura’s dark history. As Debonair’s brutal warriors lay siege to the kingdoms, Astanyx is driven to pursue a fateful quest for a blade powerful enough to defeat the malevolent witch before she destroys the three kingdoms and unleashes an unspeakable, ancient evil.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. It has all of the hallmarks of a great fantasy epic reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings and the newer Inheritance series. It is so full of action and has a really fast moving plot. There are all manner of magical creatures: dwarves, goblins, wolves,elves, orcs, ogres, birdmen, hellfangs, armies of the dead, and sorcerers.


Angel has created a huge world with so much happening, and even though she introduces a lot of new characters and situations, she writes so well that I felt a connection to them (there were times when I was yelling at some of the characters hoping they would survive the battle.) Astanyx is on the quintessential hero’s quest. He has survived the terrible destruction of his home and the massacre of his friends and family. He is sent on a quest to warn the nearby (and far away) kingdoms of the monster army by his dying father. He finds friends and teachers along the way who help him discover the power and bravery inside of him and becomes a true hero and warrior.


While some of the scenery and creatures a little too closely resemble those of The Lord of the Rings (the underground castle of the dwarves, the forest of the elves and some of the personality traits of the dwarves and elves,) she was able to make each individual character a unique individual and so they felt different enough and real.

There were some editing errors like missing words or repeated words  and once and a while they would trip up the flow of the story, but they were few and far between and the story itself swept me up enough  that they were hardly noticeable.


There was a lot more action than character development but because it is a series and because of the multitude of characters,I assume there will be more development across the series. I look forward to getting to know Talimura and the people who live there better.


I'd recommend this to people who liked the Inheritance series and The Lord of the Rings and for anyone who likes the fantasy genre in general.

I give it a 4 out of 5

New blog tour, need bloggers. Flame of Surrender by Rhiannon Pialle!

Hi everyone,

Book Promotions is looking for some bloggers for a new tour. Nov. 1st-10th Rhiannon Pialle's book Flame of Surrender will be touring and I need some bloggers who would be willing to host the book during the tour. It's a YA ebook and I would love to invite you to participate in this tour.

Blurb:

The boy who follows death meets the girl who could cause the apocalypse.

Krishani thinks he’s doomed until he meets Kaliel, the one girl on the island of Avristar who isn’t afraid of him. She’s unlike the other girls, she swims with merfolk, talks to trees and blooms flowers with her touch. What he doesn’t know is that she’s a flame, one of nine individually hand crafted weapons, hidden in the body of a seemingly harmless girl.

Nobody has fallen in love with a flame until now. She becomes Krishani’s refuge from the dreams of death and the weather abilities he can’t control. Striking down thousand year old trees with lightning isn’t something he tries to do, it just happens. When the Ferryman dies, Krishani knows that he’s the next and that a lifetime of following death is his destiny.

And Kaliel can’t come with him. The Valtanyana are hunting the flames, the safest place for her is Avristar. Krishani can’t bear to leave her, and one innocent mistake grants the Valtanyana access to their mystical island. They’re coming for Kaliel, and they won’t stop until every last living creature on Avristar is dead. She has to choose, hide, face them, or awaken the flame and potentially destroy herself.

Contact me at booklady2007@gmail.com if you want to be a part of this tour!

Review of Candy Wars

Candy Wars: The Tooth Fairies vs The Candy King by R. G. Cordiner
Format: Kindle
Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by: Timothy

You may not like your sister, but are you really going to fight a war against her? James and Emily never get on - always fighting and arguing! But when James wakes up one night as his tooth is stolen by a jelly monster he follows it into a weird and wonderful world. Chocolate archers come out of the walls and fly in bubble gum balloons, giant rock candy trolls roam around, icing sugar snowmen appear and disappear, all under the direction of the Candy King who is preparing a war against the tooth fairies! Soon Emily and their cat Muffins find themselves joining the fairies, with only a toothless dragon and a phoenix with hay fever to help them fight the mighty Candy Army! "The Candy King is waiting for you."

Thoughts:

What an imagination! Mr. Cordiner creates a world full of fun surprises, and a lesson about sibling affection.

The author presents these surprises and the lesson from the perspective of two children—the heroine, Emily, and her brother James—and writes in a way to which children can relate. For example, the adventure starts when a tooth fairy comes to collect James’ tooth:

“The child, a young boy, had his mouth open in his sleep and his hands gripped his pillow, which was becoming increasingly damp due to the drool leaking out of his mouth. The creature flitted down lower. She was now so close that she could smell the stench of the baked beans that the child must have had for dinner. She screwed up her face as the stink waves floated out of his mouth.”

James accidentally goes through the portal to Candy Land and—lo and behold—all evidence that he existed in this world vanishes, even from the memory of his parents. But Emily remembers him and, though they never liked each other much, worries about him. It turns out that only children can remember James. Certainly not their bullying teacher, who has a metal cage that can be hoisted to the ceiling for picking on Emily!

But Emily finds her way into Candy Land herself, and the author gives full play to her imagination. James, it turns out, has entered Candy Land in the realm of the Candy King, who is about to make war on the Tooth Fairy Queen—who rules the realm where Emily enters.

The Candy King has created a fascinating array of soldiers. There are marshmallow men who “didn’t run around the trees, they ran through them – their bodies hitting the trees in a gloopy mess and then splitting around it and reforming on the other side!” There are chocolate archers, some of whom try to fly a bubble-gum balloon which “was now heading straight towards the rock face at an alarming pace. PHHMP! It smacked into the wall and exploded. A toffee like liquid ran down the rock.” There are huge sugar-snowmen, rock-candy giants, jelly monsters… Read the book to find more!

Meanwhile, Emily is having adventures with a phoenix with hay fever, who explodes whenever it sneezes, with a dragon whose teeth were stolen (this turns out to be important), and with her new friends the tooth fairies: “Like totally, human,” [the tooth fairy] said in a shrill voice, “it is like, such a pleasure to finally meet you.” When Emily hears of the planned attack of the Candy King, she helps the fairies defend their kingdom, without knowing that her brother is fighting on the attacking side!

And from here, I can’t tell you anymore without spoiling the plot—except that Mr. Cordiner creates a fun and imaginative climax and a satisfying resolution.

Review of The Colonel's Lady

The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz
Pages: 408
Publisher: Revell
Review Source: Donna from Revell
My Rating: 4/5




In 1779, when genteel Virginia spinster Roxanna Rowan arrives at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, she finds that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna is forced to take her father's place as scrivener. Before long, it's clear that the colonel himself is attracted to her. But she soon realizes the colonel has grave secrets of his own--some of which have to do with her father's sudden death. Can she ever truly love him?

This is the first novel I have read of this author and it was really good. I am not a huge historical fiction fan, but I do like the colonial era.

Roxanna is running from her past and thinks that going and seeing her father at the fort he has been at for a while. Along the way to the fort her boat is taken over by Indians and a small group of ladies make it out alive. Roxanna is sort of the leader of the group as they make their way to the fort. Roxanna is a great Character.

What Roxanna doesn't know is that her father has been killed while fighting and now she is left with nothing. Colonel Cassius McLinn, takes  her fathers dieing words seriously. He ask Cassius to take care of his daughter, so he ends up giving her, her fathers job. I felt a little sorry for Cassius because it is sort of his fault that her father is dead. Because of this horrible secret you know its going to put a riff in their growing friendship.

The ladies who travel with Roxanna to the fort are a bit rough and a lot of fun. They have left their homes in hopes finding husbands. They are great secondary characters, especially the little girl Abby.

There is a lot going on inside The Colonel's Lady, spies, red coats, Indian attacks and love between two people that keep trying to hid their feelings. What more could you want from a good romance!

This is definitely a story about forgiveness, faith and love. I would recommend it to anyone who loves Christian historicals.

Tuesday Teaser: White Witch Pond

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

White Witch Pond by Jody Kihara

Ebook: 45%

"Just as she was about to turn away from the window, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She whirled around and her breath halted. Standing right in front of her was the old man with pale blue eyes and yellowish skin."

(Don't that just make you all sorts of curious! :) That is the end of chapter 9 where I am in the book. I have to get off of here and see what the old guy wants!)

What do you have to tease me with!

Looking for Christian Fiction bloggers!

Hi Everyone,

I have a author who is going to hook up with Book Promotions my new blog tour site and her two books are Christian Suspense. Now I know there are Christian Fiction bloggers out there or bloggers who don't mind reading Christian Fiction, its just that your hiding. :0) She is worried that I won't be able to find any bloggers, but I am determined to find some for her!  So if you like to review Christian Fiction will you please send me a email at booklady2007@gmail.com.

Thanks,
Stormi

Review of Don't Go There: A Robblogger Look at Travel

Don't Go There: A Robblogger Look at  Travel by Robb Logger
Format: Kindle Edition
Publisher: (author) Amazon Kindle Devices
Review Source: Diane Lebow (friend of the authors)
My rating 3.5/5
Reviewed by: Timothy

What a delightful and intriguing premise for a book! Robb’s girlfriend wants to travel, and Rob doesn’t. So anytime Robb’s girlfriend suggests a country to visit, Robb hops on the web and finds reasons, often very funny reasons, for not going there.

For example, Robb’s girlfriend wants to visit Greece, and Robb comes up with this:

“A survey conducted in China showed Greece was Chinese people’s number one choice as a tourist destination. Austria, like China, announced that Greece was their favorite destination too. So before travelling to Greece, dear readers, I think you have to ask yourself: Do I want to spend my vacation with Greeks, Chinese, and Austrians? I don’t think I’ve been less tempted. I like Chinatown, I like Oktoberfest, and I like feta cheese, but all three at once, in the same place? No thanks.”

The narrative is lifted by Robb’s self-deprecating charm, his obvious love for his girlfriend, and his great sense of the ridiculous. But beware, young readers, Robb’s jokes are often sexual, and some are pretty explicate. (There. That ought to sell the book.)

Readers will react to Robb’s organizational style in different ways. It’s not really a polished organization. This can either be charming, since it adds to the sense of spontaneity, or frustrating. I’d say I was about 25% charmed, and 75% frustrated.

Don't Go There, discusses Sweden, Greece, Australia, Russia, Mexico, Ireland, England, Switzerland, Egypt, Canada, and a surprise bonus-- Thessalon, Ontario, Robb’s birthplace (where we learn some funny things about his dad!)

In evaluating these places, Robb uses such sources as tourist bureau’s posts, wiki, and common knowledge, pushes them through his often hysterical imagination, and comes up with his no-go reasons. For example, of Ireland, Robb finds this tourist come-on: “Fancy crowning a goat, cheering on the boys in green or indulging in some oyster shucking? Festival time in Ireland is a year round party.” Part of Robb’s response, “I’ve had some strange ideas while drinking. Dressing up my cat has crossed my mind, but actually doing it, then parading her through town, claiming she were Queen of America? I’d hope someone would have an intervention for me. I can’t reward a whole town for doing something that PETA should likely investigate. Drinking, music, dancing, and a goat. At last call I’d need to be assured someone was sober enough to protect the goat’s honor. -1 point.”

Part of the fun of Don’t Go There consists in Robb’s criteria for judging a country—from native celebrities to attractions such as nude beaches. The reader learns some interesting information about every country.

So, if you’re thinking about traveling, or just want a good laugh, I recommend Don’t Go There as a quick and fun read.

Timothy Davis

Review of Haunt

Haunt by Amber Delaine
Format: Kindle Edition
Publisher: Amazon Digital Device
Review Source: The author
Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed by: Tai

Artist Megan Nelson has never lived anywhere but the tiny Texas town in which she grew up. There is one bus, one corner store and everybody knows everybody. So when a stranger shows up, Megan is more than curious.

Adam is more than he seems: beautiful and strange. Megan soon finds herself falling in love with him as she learns who he is and where he comes from.

But being with Adam comes with a price. The closer Megan gets to Adam, the more she realizes he holds a dark secret which threatens to tear apart everything she has ever known.

On top of it, Megan is plagued with guilt over her best friend, Tony. As her new love life puts a strain on their old friendship, Megan learns how love can help her overcome her terrifying circumstances and change the rest of her life

Thoughts:

I liked this book in the sense of the story idea and its potential however I found some hang-ups that prevented me from truly enjoying the book. I liked the story (without re-capping the story or spoiling any of the plot) where it was leading me and how it keep me wanting to know more.

I couldn’t put the book down because I really wanted to know what happened next. However the details within the story were not consistent and because I pay attention to the details I kept getting pulled out of the story and having to go back and reread the previous passages to ensure I didn’t misread what was suppose to be going on. For example, in the book it stated that it was a Saturday when an event occurred and then like 2 pages later still discussing the same incident the book states it is occurring on a weeknight to explain why something else is relevant. Those types of inconsistencies of the minor details frustrated me cause I kept having to go back because I got confused to what was suppose to be happening.

 I also found some of the situations not developed for instance I still have questions to why certain things happened cause explanations weren’t given like I am not entirely sure how the overall plot resolved itself…why the problem is solved other than the author telling me it was. I don’t understand the relationship of Tony and Megan either, I couldn’t feel their closeness and as they are the main characters I felt I should be able too. I would have like to see more of why they were friends other than them growing up together.

 Of all the characters Tony was my favorite however he is not a character that will stick with me in that I want to read more about him and his world just in the sense that he was the character in the book that I look most forward to reading scenes about. I don’t know if it was the size of the book, a lack of character development, or me just not being able to relate to the characters but I didn’t bond with the characters like I typically do when immerse myself in a book. Feeling drawn to the characters and enjoying my reading experience are big deals for me and since this book lacked in what I most want out of a book it gets 2.5 stars. 

Review of The Accidental Genius of Weasel High

The Accidental Genius of Weasel High by Rick Detorie
Publisher: EdgmontUSA
Pages: 208
Review Source: Amazon Vine
My Rating: 4/5

A book for the Wimpy Kid who has grown into a Wimpy Teen
Larkin Pace desperately wants a new camcorder. How else is he going to become the next great filmmaker? But his dad won’t give him any money, his sister is determined to make his life miserable, and his nemesis Dalton Cooke is trying to steal his girlfriend. Now this height-challenged aspiring director must chronicle his wacky life for a freshman English assignment.

I have never read the Wimpy Kid series, so I really wasn't to sure about how I would like a book full of cartoon drawings. Surprising I found it to be fairly funny and some of the cartoons cracked me up.

Larkin Pace calls himself a Accidental Genius. As he defines it "An accidental genius is somebody who possesses an awesome talent that happens to be totally useless." His talent is with movies, he has seen thousands of movies and has the ability to remember every plot to every movie he has seen. Sometimes he can even recall huge chunks of dialogue.

There was this one part at the beginning where Brooke and Larkin are waiting in line and did a famous part from Scareface. It ended with 'Say hello to my little friend' and he pulls out a little stuffed rabbit. It was pretty funny.

The book deals with the typical teenage problems, that most  can identify with. The parents that don't understand you, the desires to be something great (film maker), horrible older sibling,bullies, pranks, and Larkin has been friends with a girl since they were little, but is she really is girlfriend?

Over all I found it to be a very humours account of a every day teenage, but with a bit of exaggeration. I would recommend it to anyone who likes the cartoon style books.

Review of Spiral X

Spiral X by J.J. Westendarp
Publisher: Kindle Edition
Pages: 259
Rating: 5/5
Review Source: the author J.J.Westendarp
Reviewed by: Lexi

Back of Book Synopsis: (fromGoodreads.com)

 Cheryl Erikson is a Vampire Hunter with a problem. A dangerous new drug named Plast has found its way onto the streets of Dallas. She would prefer to let the DEA and local law enforcement handle everything, but since the dealers also happen to be vampires,she has no choice but to step in and put a stop to it. With the help of her best friend Virgil and a fellow Hunter named Tank, Cheryl must work to eradicate Plast from the streets of Dallas. It's a task that becomes more difficult as she comes under the gun, quite literally, from a contract out on her head. Coupled with a nosy police detective looking to peg her for a triple homicide, and a sudden interest in her activities from a powerful vampire recently arrived in the area, it's enough to force her to accept help from the least likely of sources, a mysterious Hunter named Rev. Through him, everything she thinks she knows, and everything she stands for, is challenged in ways she never imagined.

Thoughts:

1st of all, everyone should go check this book out because 10% of the proceeds will be donated toChild’s Play, a charity that donates games, books, and cash to sick kids in hospitals across North America. To learn more about the charity go to www.childsplaycharity.org

I absolutely loved this book. It was action packed and I was totally blown away by how focused I became on the plot.I actually had to read it twice because the first time I read it, I practically devoured it while trying to figure out what happens next, and of course, I completely forgot to take notes so I could write a good review.

I love Cheryl, she is such a great strong female character. She totally kicks butt. A lot of times in paranormal books,the female character keeps getting put into situations where she needs to be rescued by some hunky supernatural guy, and ends up playing the damsel in distress rather than the butt kicking vamp hunter that was promised. While I do love those books too, it is just nice to see a crazy cool female main character. I will say that she does end up needing to be rescued but throughout the ordeal she stays strong and holds her own. I liked all of the plot twist sand the fact that it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.

J.J. Westendarp does a really good job on all of the characters, not just Cheryl, they all have great multi-faceted personalities and are totally believable. I especially love the villains and Idon’t want to spoil anything for future readers so I can’t say why I love them so much but I will say that you think you know who the good and bad guys are but nothing in this story is exactly as it seems.

Some of the other character that I like:

Virgil: Cheryl’s hacker best friend and roommate. Virgil is a really sweet guy who helps her out on the technological aspect of her job of hunting vampires. He also helps show Cheryl’s sensitive side because he forces her to talk about her feeling. They have a totally sweet relationship where they call each other their soul mates. It was very cute what Cheryl thought about him “We were soul mates through and through. If we never met anyone else in our entire lives, we would be ok with it. So long as we had each other. It was strange to feel that way about a person I would never even think about marrying, but there it was” P.172

Stonebriar: A nosey cop who keeps getting in her way while trying to pin murders on her. He hounds her ceaselessly and he is a continual thorn (his name is perfect for him) in her side for the majority of the novel. He is a stereotypical cop but he is fun because he forces her to try to work around him. He also develops as a character throughout so you never know quite what to expect from him.

Rev: the mysterious Hunter. Her teacher in the ways of vamp hunting tells her about him and so he is this enigma throughout the novel. I definitely want to see more of him in any sequels that come up.
Cheryl does not really have any love interests in this story except for Tank who is an occasional friend with benefits and Thom a guy she dates (but it’s complicated). Tank has a humorous part when he forces her to show off her tattoo, which is on her hip while she is wrapped up in a curtain, to an entire swat team. The other minor characters, as well,are great.

I know I’m gushing, but I was really pleased by the quality of the writing as well as the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves strong female character, action and adventure, paranormal and cop stories.
I give it a 5 out of a 5.

It's a Blog Hop!!

Howdy everyone! It is time for another blog hop Friday! If you want to participate please go to Crazy-for-books to check out the rules!

Today's questions is a fun one!

"Let’s talk crazy book titles! Highlight one or two (or as many as you like!) titles in your personal collection that have the most interesting titles! If you can’t find any, feel free to find one on the Internet!”

Well, right now I would have to say that The Atomic Weight of Secrets or The Arrival of the Mysterious Men in the Black by Eden Unger Bowditch would be the most interesting and strangest title I have ever seen!



What unusual titles are in your TBR pile?

Review of The Undertaker

The Undertaker by William F. Brown
Format: Kindle Edition
Review Source: The author William F. Brown
My rating: 4/5

Pete Talbott is a California native and harried Boston computer wonk still grieving over the death of his wife Terri, when he found himself at the wrong end of Gino Parini's .45 reading his own obituary torn from that morning's newspaper. Talbott figured it was all a big mistake until Parini showed him his wife's obituary too, and this was a mystery Talbott couldn't leave alone. From a funeral home in Indiana, to car chases on the Dan Ryan, a bloody Back Bay townhouse, snipers in New York City's Washington Square, sleazy lawyers, corrupt County sheriffs, mafia hit men, the FBI, an army of Chicago cops, and that unforgettable scene in the upper berth of an Amtrak Train, "The Undertaker" is a thrill ride with a touch of humor and romance. Someone with a penchant for sharp scalpels and embalming tables is planting bodies under other people's names; and if Talbott doesn't stop them, he and his quirky new girlfriend, Sandy Kasmarek, will be next on the Undertaker's list. (from Amazon.com)

The Undertaker was a surprising good action thriller that has you curious from the very beginning.

This is my first book by the author William F. Brown and so I wasn't real sure about how I would like the book. Peter's wife died of Cancer a year ago so when he is confronted by Gino, a hitman, and shown two obituaries one of himself and the other his wife, it really makes him mad. First off, he isn't dead, and secondly he doesn't like the fact that someone is using his wife's name like that. He sets out to try and see why a couple in Ohio are buried under his name and he gets more than he bargained for.

He ends up in the middle of a huge conspiracy and now this man Ralph Tinkerton,aka the undertaker will not  give up till he is dead. During all of these he meets Sandy who was the ex-wife of one of the other obituary names and she ends up going along for the ride, well that and the fact that Tinkerton would kill her too.

At first I really wouldn't think of Peter as the action type, he is a computer geek. When pushed because of the fact he doesn't like his wife's name being used the way it was is a huge driving point in why he keeps going. When he finally messes with the wrong man, Tinkerton, he is no longer just doing it because of Terry. It is because now he is running for his life, to clear his name in a string of murders. At first I really wasn't even sure if I like Peter all that well, but he sort of grows on you.

Sandy on the other hand, I just didn't really like her. I think she pushed Peter to much, in the way of a relationship. She kept flirting and throwing herself at him even when she knew he just wasn't ready because of Terry. It made me mad a few times, so when they do hook up I just wasn't feeling it.

Ralph Tinkerton is the main bad guy in this story and he is creepy! This guy as some major issues going on, and is totally insane. Out of everyone I think I liked him best, he was the ultimate bad guy and you really loved to hate him. He felt no remorse for killing innocent people who he called 'loose ends', even when they had no clue what was going on.

The part I really wasn't that impressed with was the train track with the gang. I know he was using some sort of gang talk but most of the time I was like what on earth are they talking about. I will admit I skimmed over most of that part as it just didn't flow to me.

Over all, I really enjoyed The Undertaker and I would recommend it to any one who loves action thriller books.

Review of The Father's Child

The Father’s Child by Mark Adair
Publisher: Kindle Edition
Pages: 149
Rating: 3.5/ 5
Review Source: The Author Mark Adair
Reviewed by Lexi


John Truman, a bright, introverted, college student belongs to the New Dawn...he just doesn't know it yet. The 300-year-old, Oxford-based,secret society designed him, created him, and built their organization to interface with him. They cannot survive without him; he cannot survive without them. All he wants is a simple, normal life of hanging with his friends,succeeding in business, and living happily-ever-after with his childhood friend, Susan. All they want...is to rule the world.(From Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

I am sort of a sucker for secret society books. I like the creepy and mysterious aspect that they provide and this book did not disappoint.  New Dawn had all of the makings of a Kool-Aid drinking cult.(Paul the comic relief character makes a joke about it)

The Father’s Child  starts at a party thrown by a group of friends known collectively as The Beatles because their names are John, Paul,and George (very cute) and we get to see a pretty good picture of the main characters personalities. John is shy, naive, and anxious and he has some sort of condition that causes him to have creepy visions. He is also super smart: he has a photographic memory and speaks Latin all the time. Paul is very social and obsessed with women his thoughts are like ticker tape of dirty thoughts,which was very amusing most of the time but sometimes it slowed the flow of the story.  . Susan makes an appearance at the party but we only know that John is in love with her and Paul thinks she is weird. George is the adventurous one and we only see him briefly as he is describing a spy adventure he had at a local pub. During the party, George gets kidnapped starting John Paul and Susan (with the later addition of Sam an FBI agent and Julia a former CIA agent and Paul’s love interest) on a wild adventure.

The only things I did not like about The Father’s Child  was that at first it started out kind of slow, it was sort of hard for me to figure out whether Paul or John were narrating (until I realized that they switched off pretty much every other chapter), and the timing of everything felt off at some parts. In John’s chapter it would say “after a few weeks” when in the previous chapter Paul is doing something that does not finish until the chapter afterJohn’s and the events were only supposed to take place in an evening. But, I totally got sucked into the story after the rocky start, and I had to read it straight through to the end. There was a lot of action and I especially liked the fact that I did not know what the “right” side was.  There were a lot of twists and turns and I totally did not expect the conclusion. All in all, I really liked the story and the unique way that technology and religion combined to make such a creepy cult.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes science fiction, thrillers, or mysteries because it had a good amount of each.

Author Guest Post: Jeff Horton

Today on my blog I have Jeff Horton author of Christian Fiction. His books The Dark Age and The Last Prophet are  apocalyptic thriller and I have asked him to tell us a little bit more about what apocalyptic thrillers and what made him write them.. 

Please permit me to begin by saying thank-you for allowing me to be a guest author!

I've always been fascinated by apocalyptic thrillers as I suppose most people have. Apocalyptic stories in which the world is threatened and the unlikely hero finds himself in the right place at the right time to make a difference, or post-apocalyptic thrillers where the protagonist is in a position to change the world for the better, have always inspired me, and made me realize how small many of the everyday concerns of life really are. During the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty-first century, apocalyptic stories became increasingly popular, particularly at the box office. Movies like Armageddon, Deep Impact, and 2012, just to name a few, have captured and held our imagination.

I didn't necessarily set out to write a post-apocalyptic thriller when I started writing The Dark Age, but it soon turned into one. As I did research for my first novel, The Great Collapse, and my second novel, The Dark Age, I was astonished to learn how vulnerable our national infrastructure and our civilization itself are to powerful electromagnetic pulses and solar flares. In 2008 a report requested by Congress was completed by the EMP Commission. It confirmed that a single nuclear warhead detonated high in the atmosphere somewhere around Kansas could potentially take out the United States' national power grid. In The Great Collapse, an EMP attack and a solar flare knock out power worldwide, causing civilization to collapse within months. The attack renders it impossible for anyone anywhere on the planet to rebuild technology, and with most of humanity no longer possessing the know-how to safely live off of the land, it is a struggle just to survive. Five-hundred years later during the Dark Age, people once more live by the bow and the arrow, hoping that a legend about the Great Oracle is true, and that civilization will one day return to the Earth.

The Last Prophet is a story set during the end of days, and is based on material taken from the book of Revelation in the Bible. There is so much imagery, meaning, and wonder in the book that I've long desired to write a story based on it. I've come to believe that all human beings share an innate interest in the supernatural, and have from the beginning. Since Christianity is itself based on the supernatural, I decided to embark on writing a story set during the events as described in Revelation. Since I was also interested in exploring what it might be like to actually be one of the last two prophets or witnesses mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Revelation, I wrote The Last Prophet in the first person from the prophet's point of view.

Find Jeff Horton on the internet:

Website at http://www.hortonlibrary.com.
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Author.Jeff.Horton,
Twitter, http://twitter.com/#!/Jeff_Horton
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4478744.Jeff_W_Horton!

Buy his books at amazon.com:
The Dark Age (Survivors of the Pulse)
The Last Prophet

In my mailbox!

Hosted by Kristi of  The Story Siren.

This week I got one book for review, but it sure came in a really cute wrapping!

Isn't that cute! I almost didn't want to open it but I was curious to see what the book was about. I have never heard of this book until I got it yesterday, but it sounds really cool.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

So what book/s did you get in the mail?

The Twelfth Paladin by Nora Weston: Author Interview/Giveaway

Please welcome Nora Weston to my blog. She is the author of the book The Twelfth Paladin and she has been kind enough to answer a few questions and giveaway a copy of her book! Details below the interview.

Blurb:
The Twelfth Paladin

Good against evil battles as angels, demons, and a temptress extraordinaire, named Rachel Darnell, vie for the soul of Jake Cottrell. Jake foolishly dares Hell to burn him. Hell agrees.

Scarred with angelfire by a rebellious angel, named Micah, Jake Cottrell is sanctioned to become the twelfth paladin in Micah’s supernatural unit of slayers. However, regret abounds as Micah is banished and ordered to protect what he now despises…a human he believes is unworthy of such an honor. Never fear, Jake is a seeker of mischief who soars on a blistering blacktop to escape the wrath of Hell while he transforms into the twelfth paladin.

Interview:

Tell me something about yourself that is not in your author’s bio.

Great question! I have a love/hate relationship with L’Oreal hair color.

For over twenty years, I’ve been “experimenting,” and believe me...I’ve paid dearly for it more than once! One mishap with hair coloring left my locks looking as red as Disney’s Little Mermaid, but the worst day happened when my hair turned out like Cruella de Vil. Yep, I had to get it cut short. That was a super bad day.

Something less ridiculous is that I’m also an artist. I work mainly with watercolors and acrylics. Eventually, I plan to illustrate my characters and scenes from my books. I just started using some online drawing/paint tools and love them!

Who inspired you to write?

It’s not so much a person, as a place. I grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia, and my home was set against dark woods. Every night, whispers from afar and eerie howls, surely of shapeshifters or werewolves, held me spellbound. Combine that with too many hours spent watching The Twilight Zone, plus Dark Shadows, and there was no way to contain my imagination. The original Star Trek episodes influenced me as well, but my kids have rejected them probably a thousand times.

　
Do you have a favorite author/s?

So many authors come to mind, but my favorites are Alexandre Dumas, Edgar Allan Poe, and Stephen King. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is my all-time favorite book. It has romance, action/adventure, murder, lust, and revenge. Oh, my...I may have to read it again!

　
Why write about Angels?
For me, angels represent supernatural power that could be envied by all creatures, great and small. However, they are beings with free will, so they have temptations like the rest of us. Imaging their inner conflicts, their hopes and desires, and then placing them in difficult situations with humans intrigues me. They also make fascinating characters because angels are not restricted by any time period. Micah, the banished angel in The Twelfth Paladin, has collected his paladins from many time periods. Aldegar, Micah’s oldest surviving paladin, was rescued from the banks of the Sea of Azov in 448. He has an exciting history with some rogue warriors from Attila’s army. You can see the possibilities with history and angels!

　
Tell us a little about your book The Twelfth Paladin?

The Twelfth Paladin dives deep into a dreadful realm where temptations of the wicked kind devour Jake Cottrell’s ability to choose good over evil. William Congreve wrote, “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned,” and Jake goes to great lengths to prove that. This supernatural/thriller explores how temptations can warp reality...make wrong seem right, and The Twelfth Paladin sheds light on the powerful roles hope and faith can play when a person is in dire need of a spiritual transformation. I’ve been told by a reader this novel was a “coming of age” story to him. Jake goes through hell to finally accept he is accountable for all of his mistakes, but he also has the ability to change his life, as well as the others around him.

If you could make it into a movie, who would you want to play the leading roles?

Wow! This is a tough one. Okay, here goes...

Jake Cottrell: Liam Hemsworth or Jake Abel, although Emile Hirsh has the look for Jake too.

Davis Travers: Xavier Samuel or Kevin Zegers
Angie Helms: Romola Garai

Rachel Darnell: Zoe Saldana

Micah (angel): Bin Won

Cara Mitchell: Isla Fisher

Any advice for aspiring authors?

Sure! As far as submissions to potential markets, follow the guidelines exactly as they are written. If possible, find a contact name. One of my favorite sites to find markets is Duotrope.com. Make sure to click on all of the tabs at the top of the site because the markets are further categorized to make finding markets easy. Also check out Ralan.com.

Observe and listen to everything. Take notes of what makes an impression on you. Music, artwork, architecture, sounds and sights of a big city or a small town, the clothes people wear, and even the accents used by various people are all fair game for inspiration.

If you get writer’s block, take a break and do something else to open up your imagination. This could be painting, drawing, or a musical endeavor, but researching unusual places works too. Explore a part of your city’s historical section to see what it sparks within.

Are you working on anything new?

Currently, I’m working on the sequel for Guardian 2632. It’s a science fiction novel that revolves around the time traveling adventures of Zane Grayson. Zane is the executive director of Guardian TMF, a time monitoring facility. He’s in charge of fixing paradoxes in time, but soon discovers his future may exist in the past...1998 to be exact.

I’ve also been researching possible time periods and settings to be used for Micah’s paladins. Aldegar has the potential for his own storyline.

　
Where could my readers find you on the Internet?

I’m easy to locate, and all are welcome to visit!

Website: http://2noraweston.com
Blog: http://noraweston.wordpress.com
Twitter: almostsanelady
Melenge Books: http://www.melange-books.com/authors/noraweston/westontwelfthpaladin.html



Thank you for hosting my giveaway today, Stormi!

Giveaway

Nora is giving one lucky person a copy of The Twelfth Palidan. She is letting you have
your choice of either a paperback or ebook copy.  (Paperback US only, ebook can be internationally)

To Enter:

Fill out the form to enter (must do this)

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