Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Z Squared Blog Tour and Giveaway with Sherrie Cronin

Z Squared
By Sherrie Cronin
Publisher: Cinnabar Press
Published: Jan. 26, 2013
ASIN: B00B6LCV54

Amazon Synopsis:

Alex once walked away from a rare ability to warp time, thinking it was only a young man's trick to play basketball better. Now, as a father and teacher, he needs to relearn the skill quickly before the past begins to destroy his own future. To protect his daughter and his most promising student, he must stop the school at which he teaches from turning the clock backwards to an era of white supremacy. 

An old high school friend is in desperate need of Alex's unique gifts to help solve an ancient Maya mystery. As the puzzling artifact offers a rare chance to bridge the past and the future, its story begins to intertwine 

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Chronicles: The Library of Illumination Book Blast and Giveaway



Chronicles: The Library of Illumination - Release Blitz
By C.A. Pack
Young Adult Fantasy
Date Published: April 29, 2014

 photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png
  
Within the walls of a centuries-old building lies the magical Library of Illumination, a place where books literally come to life. 17-year-old Johanna Charette is the youngest curator ever chosen to oversee the day-to-day operation of the library and she knows, in case of trouble, having an assistant can be invaluable, so she hires 16-year-old Jackson Roth to give her a hand. Jackson gets off to a rocky start, but manages to prove his mettle. Besides, he’s kind of cute and a lot of fun.



Johanna is charming and brilliant—and a natural born leader. She keeps the library 

Monday, April 28, 2014

Yesterday Mourning Blog Tour and Giveaway with Renita Bryant

Yesterday Mourning
By Renita Bryant
Publisher: Mynd Matters Publishing
Published: Jan. 10, 2014
ASIN: B00CNTJIJA

Amazon Synopsis:

Yvette is a forty-one year old woman struggling to cope with losing both parents during her twenties—one to terminal disease and the other to life’s complications. Over the years, she learned to repress the pain of watching her mother die and the resentment of having her father casually walk out of her life. Now as she packs her bags to return to her Georgia hometown and the house where final goodbyes were never spoken, a growing sense of uneasiness intensifies. 

Vera is the kind-hearted stepsister Yvette never imagined nor wanted. She was an innocent teenager when Yvette’s father, the Pastor, entered her life. Although broken 

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Book Review: The Seventeen Commandments of Jimmy September by S.R. Wilsher

The Seventeen Commandments of Jimmy September
By S.R. Wilsher
Publisher: S.R. Wilsher
Published: Dec. 10, 2013
ASIN: B00H8NR91A

Amazon Synopsis:

Warlord, ‘General’ Jimmy September believes he is a great soldier and teacher, destined to lead his people to a better future. In order to fund an upcoming war, he kidnaps five multi-national aid workers from a refugee camp in West Africa. 

When the governments of the nationals involved refuse to pay a ransom, Mark Samuel, finance director and father to one of the hostages, misappropriates three million sterling of company funds to secure his son’s release. 

As he battles his way through a hostile environment and unhelpful officialdom, struggling to hold on to the 

Friday, April 25, 2014

Review: A Year of Tears: Learning To Trust And Accept Love Again by Nikki Knight

A Year of Tears: Learning To Trust And Accept Love Again
By Nikki Knight
Publisher: Nikki Knight Creative
Published: Dec. 3, 2007
ASIN: B00GW3LQ98

Amazon Synopsis:

Not quite poetry, nearly a journal, and as real as it is fiction, A Year of Tears is a short story that offers a glimpse into the mind of a nameless female character with a wounded heart. It is unknown, even from the author's perspective, what this woman has endured--possibly an abusive relationship, the loss of a loved one, or lifelong, pervasive feelings of inadequacy. What is certain is that the woman is afraid to trust, begin new relationships and open her heart again. 

Presented somewhat like a diary, the inner monologue of this timid soul tells the emotional tale of her journey 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Chronicles: The Book of Illumination Blog Tour and Giveaway with Carol Pack

Chronicles: The Library of Illumination
By Carol Pack
Publisher: Artiqua Press
Published: April 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0983572374

Synopsis:
   
Within the walls of a centuries-old building lies the magical Library of Illumination, a place where books literally come to life. 17-year-old Johanna Charette is the youngest curator ever chosen to oversee the day-to-day operation of the library and she knows, in case of trouble, having an assistant can be invaluable, so she hires 16-year-old Jackson Roth to give her a hand. Jackson gets off to a rocky start, but manages to prove his mettle. Besides, he’s kind of cute and a lot of fun.

Johanna is charming and brilliant—and a natural born leader. She keeps the library operating on an even keel. Jackson is clever and intrepid. He relies on his wits to keep them out of danger when trouble arises. Unfortunately, his derring-do is one of the reasons why they sometimes find themselves in awkward

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Book Review: Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery by Ace Hansen

Julius Caesar Brown and the Green Gas Mystery
By Ace Hansen
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Published: July 9, 2013
ASIN: B00DV704KU

Amazon Synopsis:

When a mysterious green gas crisis breaks wind, the Global Air Group (GAG) offers a million-dollar prize to the first person to discover the cause. Julius Caesar Brown dreams of winning the cash so he can pay off Jake the Snake, the blackmailing bully who threatens to ruin his chances with the cutest girl in fifth grade. But Julius can barely pass a 

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Book Review: Daughter of the Winds by Jo Bunt

Daughter of the Winds
By Jo Bunt
Publisher: Jo Bunt
Published: Jan. 23, 2014
ASIN: B00GK4GRFW

Amazon Synopsis:

When the Turkish invade Cyprus in 1974 Pru, a young British Army wife, has her life turned upside down. Two weeks later she flees the country with a baby who isn't hers. 

Over thirty years later that baby, now a grown woman called Leni, returns to the island of 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Book Review: Tulagi Hotel: A World War 2 Novel by Heikki Hietala

Tulagi Hotel: A World War 2 Novel
By Heikki Hietala
Publisher: Fingerpress
Published: Sept. 27, 2012
ASIN: B009ISHPDK

Amazon Synopsis:

The War is over, but for Marine pilot Jack McGuire, it's only just begun. 

Unable to adjust to post-war life, he buys a surplus Navy seaplane and heads for a small island which had been occupied by the Japanese in 1942. He sets up a colonial-style hotel on the island over which he used to fight. 

But his past soon catches up with him. A parade of war veterans float through the hotel, sending Jack hurtling back into dogfights over the Solomon Islands, as the story of his wartime life unfolds. Then, out of the Pacific 

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Book Blast and Giveaway - The Epherium Chronicles: Embrace by T.D. Wilson

The Epherium Chronicles: Embrace
Book one of The Epherium Chronicles
Hope. Captain James Hood of the Earth Defense Forces remembers what it felt like. Twenty-five years ago, it surged through him as a young boy watching the colony ships launched by mega-corporation Epherium rocket away. He, like so many others, dreamed of following in the colonists’ footsteps. He wanted to help settle a new world—to be something greater.
Then came the war…
Hope. During years of vicious conflict with an insectoid alien race, it was nearly lost. Though Earth has slowly rebuilt in the six years since the war, overcrowding and an unstable sun have made life increasingly inhospitable. When mysterious signals from the nearly forgotten

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Book Review: Tough Scratches Book 2: Finding the Path by Eichin Chang-Lim

Tough Scratches Book 2: Finding the Path
By Eichin Chang-Lim
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Published: February 18, 2014
ASIN: B00I0EAZRQ

Amazon Synopsis:

"Earlier that morning, Russell signed the paperwork mechanically. Upon Russell's completion, the security guard brusquely set a gray sweatshirt on the table, ushering him to follow him to freedom. 
Freedom... 

A concept previously so elusive was now his to grab. But with it came the fact he was starting from scratch. Freedom felt foreign. Scary, even. 
Russell walked out the gate feeling like he was walking for the first time, expecting to fall." 

For seven years straight, the sole thought on Kayla's mind is the moment she would reunite with her husband. She looks at her daughter and dreams of the day she will have a father once again. When that day finally comes, however, many conflicts continue to plague her. 

What she doesn't expect is the type of life they will have after they are brought back together. When surprises and tragedy befall Kayla and Russell, they must look within themselves for strength once again. This time, life and livelihood are threatened like never before.

Book Links
Amazon  *  B&N  *  Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Tough Scratches Book 2: Finding the Path finds Russell being released from prison and on his way back to Kayla and their daughter. Now they just have to figure out how to make it together as a family.

I think Tough Scratches Book 2: Finding the Path does a good job of touching on some of the issues that a couple might have once one of the pair is liberated from prison. Self-esteem is a huge issue, particularly for men who often have their identity wrapped up in being the breadwinner. It really can be devastating for them when, like Russell, it seems like no one will take a chance on them and hire someone with a criminal record.

I liked that this book was realistic in that it showed that Kayla was not perfect. She did not have blinders on and she did find herself attracted to other men. However, it’s what she did with those feelings that was important.

I also loved the importance of family values in Tough Scratches Book 2. I loved how not just the nuclear family pulled together, but the extended family worked together.

No relationship is perfect because we are not perfect. All we can do is make choices that will benefit the all the people involved or affected by that relationship. Communication was the key. When they weren’t communicating, things went downhill, but when they talked things out, they were able to work things out. Russell and Kayla show that despite the difficulties, it can be done, and if both parties are willing to work together, both parties can be happy.

I enjoyed this book very much. I think it might be a good book as a starter for a group discussion or counselling session on relationships. I gave this book 4 stars out of 5.


Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are my own.

About the Author:

Dr. Eichin Chang-Lim was born in Taiwan. She received her BS degree from National Taiwan University and her Masters degree from the University of North Texas.  She earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern California College of Optometry and is currently in a private practice with her husband, Dr. Andrew Lim, near Los Angeles.  They live in Orange County, CA and have one son, Theodore and one daughter, Victoria.  She is passionate about writing and enjoys listening to classical music and opera.  She does modeling and acting when opportunities arise, for her love of performing and media arts.

Contact the Author
Website *   Twitter  *  Email 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Literary Addicts Spring into Book Event Book Blast and Giveaway April 18 - May 5

SpringintoBooksEventbanner
Welcome to the Spring Event April 18 – May 5
We are having a Book Blast and Virtual Book Party. Check out the books sponsoring  and content below 
GiftedCoverEven in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift.
Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself.
When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its 

Book Review: Sleepy Bunny – A Nap Time Tail by Gregory Isherwood

Sleepy Bunny – A Nap Time Tail
By Gregory Isherwood
Publisher: MyInkBooks.com
Published: December 2, 2013
ASIN:  B00CC1LC34

Amazon Synopsis:

Sleepy Bunny - A Nap Time Tail is a wonderfully written story about a young bunny rabbit who prefers sleeping and dreaming than joining his siblings on a family picnic in the park. 

A plethora of colorful rhyming prose captures the reader’s imagination and carries them through Sleepy Bunny’s dream-filled odyssey. Along the way, the reader is introduced to a number of fun loving characters 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Book Review: Spellweaver by Claire Bridgeman

Spellweaver (The Spellweaver Chronicles)
By Claire Bridgeman
Publisher: CJ Bridgeman
Published: October 20, 2013
ASIN: B00G2BKV28

Amazon Synopsis:

Felicity Lucas never really knew her mother. Even though they had lived together for all the fourteen years that Felicity had been alive, they had barely even had a meaningful conversation. It was a relationship that was far from perfect. 

So when her mother dies in a car crash and Felicity is sent to live with her estranged father in a deprived London borough, she is determined to move on. It isn't easy - content with her solitude, she's never had 

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Cover Reveal: The Fire's Princess (An Elemental Royals Novel) by Ley Hayley

By Ley Hayley
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: June 4, 2014

Synopsis:

Rose has lost everything she's ever known. 
 
Her father has been murdered. She has fled her home in the Forested Land to take refuge with King Andrew Rivers in a foreign kingdom. 
 
Her home is under the control of a tyrant king, one who will stop at nothing to see Rose and all of her family dead. She has to fight to stay hidden, stay alive, and find a way back home. 
 
Now Rose must find a way to organize a rebellion to get back to her homeland, as well as win the hearts of a kingdom that doesn't know her. With lords scheming with hidden agendas and her own secrets threatening to

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Peacock Swamp Book Blog Tour with Katie Femia

TheNinebooktourbannerpeacock-swamp-the-nine-katie-femia-style-F
Peacock Swamp: The Nine (Book 1)
By Katie Femia
Publisher: Katie Femia
Published: Mar. 4, 2014
ASIN: B00IWX4XBE

Peacock Swamp: Book 1 | The Nine

In 2064, The Nine are preparing to assemble. This board of individuals is President Madame LaFonte’s solution to an ailing nation in search of medical care. While it seemed ideal at first, the folks of the borough are quickly discovering it isn’t quite what it seems. The lucky ones are issued a red gown and another chance

Where Was God Blog Tour: Interview With Sheila Jackson








I'd like to welcome Sheila Jackson to Shelf Full of Books for an interview today. She is the author of Where Was God? Their Hearts Burned to be Together.  Let's start with the interview Sheila, and then we'll tell everyone about your book.







The Interview

What was the inspiration for this book?
I wanted to address the long-term effects of abuse and the damages it causes.  We work, worship, and hang-out with people that have learned to mask their pain. Verbal and physical abuse is real. There is no magic pill for getting over it. We’ve always heard 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Where Was God Blog Tour with Sheila Jackson



Title: Where Was God? (Their Hearts Burned to be Together)
Genre: Christian Fiction Romance Suspense
AuthorSheila Jackson
PublisherConcerning Life Publishing
Pages226 
FormatPaperback/Kindle

Synopsis: 
Where Was God? Fayth Angelica Hope, questioned after the death of her father. Reared by a mother who could give, Cruella Deville, a run for her money as, “The Queen of Mean,” Fayth turns her back on the church, her faith, and love. She believed, no, just and merciful God would have abandoned her to the harsh brutality of her mother’s iron fist. Her emotional and spiritual scars run deep, lasting into adulthood.

As a promising investigative reporter, she decides to change her name. Her given name of Fayth has more curses attached to it than blessings. She hopes the switch to Angelica will give her the clean slate she desires.

Assigned to investigate financial advisor Jasion McCoy, Angelica goes in determined to 

Fourth of July by Cami Checketts Release Day Party

Fourth of July Release Party - Monday, April 14th
Win a great prize and get the book for $.99 today only.


When eight parade floats explode during the annual Fourth of July celebrations, Agent Chris Harmer must find who planted the bombs before the terrorists strike again.
His troubles aren't isolated to terrorism. Chris falls in love with the FBI's feisty psychiatrist, Alexis Osborne. She won't commit to someone who doesn't share her religious values, and Chris has no desire to convert.

There are two great giveaways to celebrate the release of Fourth of July. The purse and scarf pictured below (bought from the fabulous Sugar 'n Spice) will be given away through the Rafflecopter form.
Also, the first twenty people to buy Fourth of July at one of the following retailers, share the special $.99 price to any social media site, and email Cami (camichecketts@yahoo.com) will receive their choice of Dead Running audio book or The Colony as a kindle gift.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, April 12, 2014

In A Wolf's Eyes Blog Tour and Giveaway: Author Interview with A. Katie Rose

Today on Shelf Full of Books I will be interviewing Katie Rose, author of In a Wolf's Eyes. But first, let's find out a little bit about Katie.

The Author:


A. Katie Rose is a Colorado native, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. She enjoys riding, teaching and learning from horses, likes camping, reading novels, watching movies and, of course, 

Friday, April 11, 2014

In a Wolf's Eyes Blog Tour and Giveaway - Guest Post: A Bit O' Advice with A. Katie Rose

150
In a Wolf's Eyes (The Saga of the Black Wolf)

By A. Katie Rose
Publisher: Untreed Reads Publishing
Published: April 25, 2012
ASIN: B007XXQWZ4

Raine is a slave, a gladiator. Known as the Bloody Wolf, he is the champion of all champions in the Empire of Khalid. Ly’Tana is a warrior princess of Kel’Halla and is set to wed the heir to Khalid’s throne, Crown Prince Broughton. When Raine and his new wizard pal, Rygel, accidentally murder the High King, they set in motion events rapidly spiraling out of control. Ly’Tana discovers the true, and violent, nature of her betrothed, a man nicknamed Prince Brutal for his vicious nature, and escapes her marriage.

But Brutal will stop at nothing to have her for his wife. To entice his runaway bride into a trap, he brings down and captures her griffin bodyguard, Bar. Ly’Tana vows to have Bar back or die trying. She seeks the help of Raine and Rygel, and frees Bar from Brutal’s clutches. Yet, in doing so, Raine and Ly’Tana are forced to flee for their lives, hunted by Brutal’s secretive assassins.

Can they escape the hunters and their silent, evil hounds? Can Ly’Tana evade Brutal’s hungry need to marry her and seize her beloved country? Can Raine keep Ly’Tana alive and still save himself from capture and torture? Can they stop themselves from falling in love?

Thus begins the first novel of The Saga of the Black Wolf series.

 Book Links

150About A Katie Rose

A. Katie Rose is a Colorado native, and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. She enjoys riding, teaching and learning from horses, likes camping, reading novels, watching movies and, of course, lives to write fantasy books. She currently works as a photographer in San Antonio, Texas, and is a slave to her six cats and four horses. “In a Wolf’s Eyes” is her first novel.

Author Links
 Website  *  Twitter  * Goodreads  *  Facebook

Guest Post


A Bit O’ Advice
Don’t take this the wrong way, folks. I’m a fairly new published writer, my first novel has been out a couple of years, my second arrived on the scene last July. Permit me to share my experiences of writer wannabe. Take it for what it’s worth and maybe it’s not worth much at all. It comes from the heart, however.

First piece of advice: polish your manuscript till it gleams. Edit, revise, edit some more and then take another long hard look at it. Do you need that scene? Does it push the story along? Do you have the tension in each chapter needed to carry your readers? If you’re planning to self-publish, make sure someone proofs it for you. You may be a great self-editor, but we as writers are too close to our own work. If you can’t afford one, have a friend or family member help. Even if you plan to submit to a publishing house or agent, it may still behoove you to have another person take a look. As a reader, nothing annoys me more than seeing mistakes in a published work. I know of one best-selling novelist that is so famous, her editors fail to check her books anymore. I see things in there that made me cringe. No, I’m not going to name her, but you’d recognize her.

Second, accept the fact that you will be carrying the marketing load. Large publishers give new books about one month to succeed or crash. Then it’s onto the next one. And the next. Smaller publishers may believe in your work, but they don’t have the time nor the budgets to market. Ask other writers what they do to keep their books in front of readers. Explore the vast world wide interweb and find those sites that can help you market. GoodReads is an excellent place to start – if you have time to sit at your computer and chat with readers. Freado.com is a good one, as is BookDaily.com. I got involved with another site that I paid money to have certain products and not only didn’t I get my money’s work, I can’t even talk to the guy in charge. If anyone wants to know who that is, I’ll tell you that web site’s name only in private.

Third, if you plan to submit to publishers and agents, follow their submission guidelines to the letter. Authors who don’t send what the agent or editor wants get tossed aside without a second glance. Not just submit what and when they want, mind your manners. I’m sure your parents taught you ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Politeness goes a long way. As does graciousness. If you’re rejected, don’t take it personally. I know, don’t say it – that’s one of the hardest parts of this business to understand. I took my rejections personally, at first. But do not, whatever you do, write a scathing letter in return telling the aforementioned agent or editor off. If possible, send a gracious thank you and move on.

My own editor has said he doesn’t much appreciate bad manners. He’s also said he’s rejected a manuscript, only to have the writer fix it and resubmit – and he took it. A rejection may be an opened door. In addition, if you have an editor considering you, do not pester him. Give him time, weeks or even months, to sift through his pile before asking, politely, if your manuscript is what he needs and/or is looking for. If he hasn’t, give him more time.

Last, I think I should advise persistence. Keep at it. If the big publishers refuse you, consider medium to small outfits. I decided that, for me, the way to break into the business is e-publishing. And the third publisher I submitted to accepted my first novel, “In a Wolf’s Eyes”. That was three years ago and things have changed so much in that time. Publishing in general, readers, tablets, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, traditional books – all are so very different than when I first tried to get published. Think of how much more they’ll change in the future.

 Kindle Fire HD International Giveaway
To be in with a chance of winning a Kindle Fire HD, everyone who purchases either In A Wolf's Eyes and/or To Catch A Wolf and email proof of purchase to sylv@book-tours.com will be placed into the draw. Purchase one and get one entry, purchase both books and get three entries. In A Wolf's Eyes Amazon US, Amazon UKAmazon DE, Amazon CA, Amazon AUCatch a Wolf Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon CAAmazon AU

This giveaway is international
One of $50 Amazon Coupon One of $30 Amazon Coupon
The winner will be announced at the end of the tour.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Book Blast and Giveaway: Hawthorne by Sarah Ballance

Hawthorne
Hawthorne by Sarah Ballance 

 After a terrifying encounter with the unexplained, it takes ten years and the news of her grandmother’s passing for Emma Grace Hawthorne to return to her childhood home. She seeks peace in saying a proper goodbye, but what she finds is an old love, a sordid family history, and a wrong only she can right. Living in the shadow of Hawthorne Manor, Noah Garrett has never forgotten about Emma Grace. In a house full of secrets, his search for missing documents reveals a truth that can cost him everything. What he finds gave Emma the freedom to walk away from the mansion, her heart free and clear, but at what price to Noah?  

Praise for Hawthorne "This is a marvelous ghost story. The mystery, the suspense, the 

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Book Review: Dog Gone, Back Soon by

Dog Gone, Back Soon
By Nick Trout
Publisher: Hyperion
Published: April 8, 2014
ASIN: B00EXTSU3S

Amazon Synopsis:

When Dr. Cyrus Mills returned home after inheriting his estranged father's veterinary practice, The Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the last thing he wanted was to stay in Eden Falls, Vermont, a moment longer than absolutely necessary. However, the previously reclusive veterinarian pathologist quickly found that he actually enjoyed treating animals and getting to know the eccentric residents of the tiny provincial town-especially an alluring waitress named Amy.

So Cyrus is now determined to make Bedside Manor thrive. Not an easy goal, given that Healthy Paws, the national veterinary chain across town, will stop at nothing to crush its mom-and-pop competitor. And the

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Book Review: I Will Fly: The Green Fin Fish Story by Elan Ezra

I Will Fly: The Green Fin Fish Story
By Elan Ezra
Publisher: Elan Ezra
Published: January 6, 2014
ASIN: B00A9XJ4PU

Amazon Synopsis:

Would you like to inspire your kid? - You can! 
This is a picture book about Joel, the fish who wanted to fly. 
Will he succeed? 

A simple story for young children. The story is an inspirational children’s book, about making our dreams come true. 

Book Links

My Thoughts:

I liked this children’s book about this little fish that wanted to fly. Joel was different from all his fish buddies in that he had a dream. He worked hard every day to accomplish his heart’s desire. It didn’t matter to him that he wasn’t like all the other fish.

I liked that I Will Fly teaches that it’s okay to be different. We don’t need to be the same as everyone else. There is nothing wrong with having different goals and dreams than other people. Even if others scoff at you and say you will never reach your goal, it’s important to keep working towards it. You may surprise them 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Book Review: Killer by Jonathan Kellerman

Killer: An Alex Delaware Novel
By Jonathan Kellerman
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: February 11, 2014
ASIN: B00EMX9QQA

Amazon Synopsis:

After thirty-five riveting, internationally acclaimed novels of psychological suspense, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman returns with his most stunning thriller to date. Killeris a mesmerizing L.A. noir portrayal of the darkest impulses of human nature carried to shocking extremes.
 
The City of Angels has more than its share of psychopaths, and no one recognizes that more acutely than the brilliant psychologist and police consultant Dr. Alex Delaware. Despite that, Constance Sykes, a sophisticated, successful physician, hardly seems like someone Alex needs to fear. Then, at the behest of the court, he becomes embroiled in 

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Book Review: The Lie by Ashley Fontainne

The Lie
By Ashley Fontainne
Publisher: RMSW Press
Published: January 1, 2014
ASIN: B00FUTP4KM

Amazon Synopsis:

GOLD MEDAL WINNER - FICTION 
2013 ILLUMINATION BOOK AWARDS 

Karmen Moncrille's name has been known throughout the world since the age of sixteen when her first book shot to the top of the bestseller's list. Now everything she writes is an instant hit, and her legions of devoted fans eagerly await her next release. 

The mysterious Karmen always blamed debilitating panic attacks as the reason she avoided publicity and has become a recluse. Which is exactly what she wants the world to think. Only Karmen knows the truth behind her introverted nature. Terrified of being asked where her ideas come from, she fears being branded a raving lunatic. 

Now just a week before her twenty-third birthday, Karmen’s world implodes. The madness that haunts her dreams spills over to her reality and she questions her sanity. Suddenly everything has changed and now the world will transform with her. Her last book will unleash the truth and alter mankind—forever. 

Is Karmen's ability to write a gift or a curse? She's about to find out if her entire life is a lie. And why she was destined to write it.

Book Links
Amazon  *  B&N  * Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Karmen Moncrille was an award-winning novelist since the age of 16. Everything she writes is an instant success. An extreme introvert, she has never given any interviews, until at the urging of her mother she agrees to answer a few pre-agreed upon questions on national television. As the interviewer steers the interview into areas regarding her ideas for writing, Karmen freezes up and collapses in a panic attack.

I found The Lie to be a very dark novel.  The novel starts off in the past with an occultic ritual sacrifice and then goes on to a couple of other scenes that seem totally unconnected. That’s okay, because everything is brought together later in the story.

Once in the present, we learn about Karmen Moncrille, a reclusive author. Karmen’s novels come to her in dreams at night through visitations of bodiless heads of dead authors. When Karmen wakes, the novels are complete and she doesn’t remember writing them. She doesn’t want anyone to know this because she doesn’t want anyone to think she is crazy. So between her anxiety about the interview and the interviewer asking questions about how she comes up with her ideas, Karmen has a panic attack and faints on live television.

I had a hard time writing a review for this book because it was so different from anything in this genre than anything I had ever read before. I had been told that this was a Christian novel and the forward at the beginning of the book also indicated the same, so I was totally not expecting the profanity that I found throughout this book. I personally don’t like profanity in any book that I read and was very surprised to find it in a book that is in the Christian category.

The writing in The Lie is brilliant. When Ms. Fontainne is writing about the evil aspects within her book you can really feel the evil. She has the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat with so many totally unexpected twists and turns in her plots.
The characters feel very real, and Ms. Fontainne writes them in such a way that the reader can relate to them. The scenery was vivid and easy to visualize, making the forest scenario very scary indeed.

As for whether The Lie actually fits in the Christian book category or not, I would have to say that I definitely think it does based on the Scripture within and spiritual message the story contains. The message aligns with that of the Bible. It did surprise me was how dark and evil the first part of the book felt.

The Lie is one of the most unique books in its genre that I have ever read. I gave it 4 stars it out of 5.


Thank you to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive review was not required. All thoughts are my own.

About the Author:

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.

Her muse for penning the EVISCERATING THE SNAKE series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley's love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.

In the Works:

Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.


Books soon to be released: 
Fine as Frog Hair
Empty Shell

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