Book Review: Ignoring Gravity by Sandra Danby

Ignoring Gravity (Rose Haldane, Identity Detective Book 1)

By Sandra Danby

Publisher: Beulah Press

Published: Nov. 21, 2014

ASIN: B00O3D2PFI

Amazon Synopsis:

Rose is adopted and doesn’t know it. 'Ignoring Gravity' connects two pairs of sisters separated by a generation of secrets. Finding her mother’s lost diaries, Rose begins to understand why she has always seemed the outsider in her family, why she feels so different from her sister Lily. Then just when she thinks there can’t be any more secrets…

This is the first in a series of novels about Rose Haldane, identity detective. This is what some of the early reviewers said: “Drama? Check. Suspense? Check. Romance? Check. Will-they-won’t-they? Check. Great twists? Check, check, check! I am pleased to say this story has them all and then some.”

“'Ignoring Gravity' is just the book to take with you to the beach this summer. It has everything you need: romance, family drama, humour – and some moments guaranteed to make you tearful.”

“There is a twist at the end which unexpectedly gave me the shivers as I contemplated history repeating itself. A well written book with a story which will keep you turning the pages. Thoroughly recommended.”

“This is the perfect summer read; I read this sprawled in the garden, under the sun. It really is the perfect mix of drama, family, love, discovery and friendship.”

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Imagine discovering you’re adopted. You find out from reading your mother’s diary after she has passed away. Your father and grandmother are still alive and neither of them has thought to mention it to you. Sudden identity crisis? Yes!

Rose wants to know who she is and who her birth parents are since she feels she never really fit into her family. As a journalist she has the skills to do the research required to get the information. What she finds totally surprises her.

Ignoring Gravity is full of twists and turns and surprises. There are hidden family secrets and lies that should have been brought out into the open years ago. Heartache abounds but wounds heal.

There really are a lot of surprising twists and turns in this novel. Ignoring Gravity was a compelling read that was difficult to put down. I think for Rose it must have been quite an awful shock to find out the way she did. If I were an adopted child, I would rather be told I was adopted by my adoptive parents rather than discover it by accident as an adult.

I thought there were some interesting insights as to how adoptions were handled in the 1950s and ’60s compared to how they are handled today and the sensitivity (or lack of sensitivity) towards the birth mother.

I gave Ignoring Gravity 5 stars out of 5 for being a thought-provoking read on a sensitive and sometimes difficult subject. Knowing who you are and where you came from is important whether you are adopted or not.

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

About the Author:

Author and journalist. Book lover. Tea drinker. Proud Yorkshirewoman.

Sandra’s first novel 'Ignoring Gravity', about two sisters linked by a generation of secrets, is available now at Amazon. She is currently writing the second novel in the series about Rose Haldane: Identity Detective. In 'Connectedness', journalist Rose travels to Spain as she unravels the adoption story of famous artist Justine Tree. What is Justine hiding about her time at art school in Malaga, can the truth be found in Justine's art? 'Connectedness' will be published in 2016. For more information go to www.sandradanby.com.

Her short stories and flash fiction have been published online and in two anthologies: 'Diaspora City' [Arcadia Books], and 'The Milk of Female Kindness' [Kasia James] - both available from Amazon.

Author Links

Website  *  Twitter  *  Amazon Author Page

Book Review: Survival of the Fittest by C.L. Clarke

Survival of the Fittest (Romantic Psychological Thriller): Do you have the will to survive?

 By C.L. Clark

Publisher: C.L. Clark

Published: Sept. 14, 2014

ASIN: B00NKYJ996

Amazon Synopsis:

"Love and Hate - A Thriller"

A story of one man’s descent into madness, the woman he wants to destroy, and the cop that saves her life as well as her heart!

One tragic childhood night, Gillian lost her father and her sight in a horrific accident. Blind and bereft, she was forced to endure the suffocating control of her over-protective mother until the day she was old enough to break free. With Garrett, her beloved Seeing Eye dog, at her side, Gillian made a simple, yet independent life for herself in a California coastal town. Strong of faith, lighthearted, and graceful, Gillian has never had reason to fear anything . . . until now.

A madman bent on ridding the world of "defects" has set his sights on Gillian. As he begins his horrific game of cat and mouse, each act of terror meant to break Gillian down, he must struggle with his own inner demons to hold himself together. Destroying Gillian may be the only way he can gain salvation . . . or at least lie to himself that he isn't falling apart and becoming a defect himself.

Rye, the homicide detective assigned to the case, wants nothing more than to catch the crazed killer who targets the handicapped. That was until he met the latest victim. Falling in love was never part of the plan. Now he must protect the only woman who ever captured his heart and stop the killer bent on her destruction, before it’s too late.

˃˃˃ In a game of cat and mouse, it can take all you've got to not be the mouse

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

Book Review: Moving On by Trisha Grace

Moving On (Ghost Of The Past Book 1)

By Trisha Grace

Publisher: Trisha Grace

Published: Jan. 24, 2012

ASIN:  B0071MZNQG

Amazon Synopsis:

For twenty years, Tyler Hayes had been ripped from his childhood home. After the horrific accident that took away his parents' life, Tyler's grandfather removed him from the mansion and sent him away. 

Now, after twenty years, his grandfather had passed away and he could finally go home. However, even in his death, Tyler's grandfather had betrayed him once again, leaving the mansion to a woman he had never met. 

Even though Kate Mitchell had never met Tyler, she knew all about the accident that changed the Hayes's family. Unbeknownst to her, was how she was going to end up being caught in the middle of a long estranged relationship between two different generations. 

Two complete different personalities would have to learn to get along and play nice in order to survive a will that would change their lives.

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

Book Review: Exchange Rate (Worth of Souls Bk 2) by Bonnie Paulson

Exchange Rate (Worth of Souls Book 2)

By Bonnie Paulson

Publisher: Captiva Publishing

Published: July 8, 2015

ASIN: B00WEJDQOW

Amazon Synopsis:

***Book 2 of a continuing series. Adult themes. *** 

I’m pregnant and I couldn’t be more excited. But the community Bodey, his dad, and I live in has rules. Rules that make Mom’s rules seem like safety nets. 

Only 200 people are allowed at a time. My baby will make it 201. 

The leader is making me choose someone from our house to die so there will be room for my child. Either I make the decision or they take… my… 
Even in the craziness that the world has become, I refuse to believe only 200 can live in it at once. 
The “community” is safe-ish, comfortable. We have food, warmth, and there isn’t immediate danger of being robbed while we sleep. 

Doesn’t it make sense we’d have to exchange something for all that? 
I’ve survived this long. Maybe that’s enough. Maybe I should die so my family can live. 

Or maybe I can get through the lines and find a people worth sacrificing for. 

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Book 2 of the Worth of Souls series, Exchange Rate finds Kelly, Bodey and John still trying to stay ahead of Shane and his gang who have been hunting them down for months. They are also looking for a safe community if they can find one.

I enjoyed the flow of the story. It was smooth and natural. The feelings of despondency and desperation of some of the characters that Kelly, Bodey and John met really came through and made me want to cry for them.

There were quite a number of twists and turns in this novel, some of them good, and some of them not so good. Camp Freedom Pass seems almost too good to be true. It is everything people have been saying about it – there’s electricity, running water, food and safety. Or is it?

The choices that they were given when it was discovered that Kelly was pregnant were impossible ones. The only real choice was to escape except that the only exit was through the front gate which was heavily guarded. Desperate, Kelly does the only thing she can in order to attempt to save the two men she loves.

Exchange Rate was riveting. The idea that one person in charge of a community could hold that much power and people would accept the kind of decisions he was making I found unthinkable, yet I suppose it probably would happen simply out of fear.

This book was fast paced and thought-provoking. It was a little more adult-themed than the first one in that there is some discussion of methods of contraception and women’s menses.

You’ll need to be prepared for a cliff-hanger at the end of this book which will be resolved in book three. I rated Exchange Rate 4 stars out of 5. It was highly entertaining and I would recommend this book.

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

About the Author:

Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and give every romance the genetic strength to survive. Bonnie has discovered a dark and twisty turn in her writing that she hopes you enjoy as much as she has enjoyed uncovering it. Dirt biking with her family in the Northwest keeps her sane.

Author Links

Website  *  Twitter

Cost of Survival Book Tour and Trailer with Bonnie Paulson

 

Cost of Survival (Worth of Souls Book 1)

By Bonnie Paulson

Publisher: Captiva Publishing

Published: July 6, 2015

ASIN: B00W0W5EV6

Amazon Synopsis:

Everything has a price - but is your soul worth your life? 

Anger isn’t an emotion anymore, it’s more of a survival mode I can’t afford to let go. 

My dad predicted World War III would happen in his life, but he died two years before… with my brother… 

…before Mom and I walked in search of refuge from the bombing. 

Strengthened by her faith, Mom never feels alone. But me? I don’t know what to believe or where to turn. Someone once said keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but I disagree. Friends scare me the most. They know me and my mom. Nothing about them is safe. The ones in charge… Control everything… 

Crud, I’ve started crying because I’m scared I won’t survive World War III. But a bigger part of me is scared I will. 

My mom is bleeding in my arms and she’s making me promise to follow her three rules. 

Pray. 

Don’t trust anyone. 

Stay alive. 

How long do I need to break all three? 

***This YA apocalyptic thriller is the first in a three book series. There are adult themes.*** 

CLIFFHANGER ALERT. This is the first book in a continuing series. Think of it like LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring in that the first book sets up the rest of the series. WARNING: This series is filled with emotional twists and panic-inducing action. Proceed with caution. The series is complete.

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

Book Review:Untraceable (Nature of Grace Book 1) by S.R. Johannes

Untraceable (Nature of Grace Book 1)

by S.R. Johannes

Publisher: Coleman and Stott

Published: Jan. 10, 2014

ASIN: B0069Z9A74

Amazon Synopsis:

16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. 

When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. 

Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

Dangerous Love Promo Blitz, Excerpt and Giveaway with Kara Leigh Miller and Jody Holford

Anaiah Press proudly presents
DANGEROUS LOVE by Kara Leigh Miller and Jody Holford
a romantic suspense novel available on April 14!

He’s fighting to forget his past while she struggles to remember hers…  

Doctor Josh Parker lives with guilt about his wife’s death every day.  

He believes himself incapable of ever loving again, but when a mysterious woman arrives in the Emergency Room, brutally beaten and left for dead, he starts to feel something he hasn’t felt in far too long: hope.  

Alessandra Matthews has no memory of the events that led to her being hospitalized. Worse, she has no idea who hurt her or why. Although she’s uncertain of who she is, she is fully aware of one thing—she’s falling for her doctor.  

Sometimes, what you don’t know can kill you…  

As Josh and Alessa work to solve the mystery surrounding her past, she soon realizes just how much danger she’s really in, but Josh refuses to let her face the darkness of her memories alone. With each of them struggling to put their pasts behind them, theirs is a DANGEROUS LOVE.  

Get your own copy of DANGEROUS LOVE by Kara Leigh Miller and Jody Holford:

Amazon      B&N     Smashwords

Book Review: The Sliammon Escudo by Geoffey Tigg

The Sliammon Escudo

by Geoffrey Tigg

Publisher: Rushing Tide Media

Published: Apr. 25, 2014

ASIN: B00JYKNYS2

Amazon Synopsis:

The Sliammon Escudo is a compelling adventure, mystery, and romance set in Victoria, British Columbia, and the West Coast of Canada. 

The story follows the emotional journey of Dillon, a First Nations young adult, who experiences his first true love and discovers his secret heritage through a diary written by his grandfather. The diary contains revelations known only to his mother and grandmother- until now. 

The Sliammon Escudo twists and turns as Dillon follows entries in the diary to learn the truth of his family heritage and a mystery long concealed from him as a child. Dillon is ultimately burdened with a decision that could either or harm or help his family and community. 

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

Snake Eyes Release Day Blitz Review with Melissa Pearl

Snake Eyes

By Melissa Pearl

January 30, 2015

Caitlyn Davis expects her sophomore year at UCLA to be perfect...until she walks into her dorm room to find Special Agent Zoey Kaplan of the FBI waiting for her. In that instant, she knows her idyllic year with new best friends, Nicole and Dale, along with her super hot boyfriend, Eric, is about to fall apart.

Having been forced to work with the FBI months earlier, Caity accidentally gave away her special ability to read people's emotions and know whether they were telling the truth. Now, Kaplan wants Caity to go undercover again for a secret operation that will bring her close to the sadistic Diego Mendez, a man believed to be involved in human trafficking.

Eric Shore is not a man who trusts easily. Having been burned multiple times, it’s hard for him to open up completely, but his love for Caity makes him want to try. Yet, her sudden withdrawal worries him, particularly when she chooses to spend time with her new roommate, Quella Mendez, over him. When Caity’s behavior begins to match that of her wild roommate, Eric wonders if their relationship is as strong as he believed.

As Caity struggles to maintain her relationship and do her job, she finds herself pulled further into a dangerous world that could take away everything she holds dear. Will Eric learn the truth in time to save her? Or will the man with the eyes of a snake destroy their perfect romance?

My Thoughts:

Snake Eyes is the third book in the Masks Series. In this series, Caitlyn Davis has been given a special gift where she is able to take off the masks of other people and see their emotions. In this episode of the series agent Kaplan of the FBI coerces Caitlyn into helping herself a sex trafficking case by threatening her boyfriend with an unsavoury character from her fathers past .

Caitlyn doesn't get paid for her work with the FBI yet she's put into physical danger. Just as she was planning on moving in with her boyfriend into an apartment off campus Kaplan bursts into her life and tells her that she can't do that and must stay in her dorm room on campus. Kaplan works things so that Caitlyn rooms with a girl named Quella who happens to be the daughter of a sex trafficker who is the suspect in Kaplan's case. Not only that but Caitlyn less keep everything a secret from her friends and from her boyfriend especially.

The story is told from both Caitlin's and Eric's point of view. The chapters tend to alternate between the two. I like this because it gave us the different points of view of the same situation.

There was lots of action, tension, and suspense in this plot twisted story. However, if you're hoping for a resolution by the end of this book you'll be sadly disappointed. This one ends as a cliffhanger. You'll have to find out what happens in the next book.

I would rate this book as adult themed due to the swearing in the book and the sexual scenes contained here-in.

For those who like mysteries I would recommend this book. I rated it four stars out of five.

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

~*~ABOUT MELISSA PEARL~*~

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books, ranging in genres from Fantasy to Contemporary Romance. She loves the variety and is excited about the books she has coming up in 2015.

"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."