Monday, December 28, 2015

Black Harvest ADULT

Everyone is back, and trying to figure out why someone would kill one of Selena's friends over some old tablets he asked her to translate.  But when others are also killed out of our governments alphabet soup of agencies things get very serious, and the Project gets tapped to take over.
This book was a fast paced, action packed, on the edge of your seat suspenseful book, the twists and turns are awesome and the book is actually kind of scary when you think of the chances of it really happening.
My favorite character has always been nick but I think the author and the awesome narrator, Jack de Golia have changed my mind to the ever calm Ronnie.  I was listening to this book via audible and if you get the chance I highly recommend the audio version the narrator is so good he gives everyone a voice and really adds a pulse to the book.

5 STARS

Friday, December 25, 2015

This is Where It Ends YA

Wow, this book is intense and comes at a time when mass shootings are becoming all to frequent.  This book tells the story of one boys break, and what causes him to shoot up his school and how the lives of the other kids fit into the scenario as well.  This book will have you cheering one second and crying the next.  It is a hard book to swallow.
Each of our main characters has a dream and a reason why they can't fulfill said dream, but in the end the people of Opportunity find out what is truly important in their life, that there will be many tomorrows, they will make them good ones, and they will live.

This book is action packed, suspenseful and will have you holding your breath.  This book will pull you in and make you feel like you are right there with these kids for better or worse.  This book also shows great diversity which is something we still need to work so desperately on for this age group as it is still lacking in diverse books.

5 STARS

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Ornaments of Death ADULT

This is a awesome holiday mystery starring antique seller and avid detective Josie Prescott.  Josie is finally going to meet a distant cousin from across the pond, Ian Bennington.  Ian found Josie while researching his genealogical background, and since Josie has no other family this means it is a big deal for her.  But when Ian doesn't show up for a lunch date, Josie goes into detective mode.

All of the characters are well rounded and put together well.  The story is outstanding and while you might guess a twist and turn here and there, I doubt you will guess who did it until the end and that is the best part.  I love not being able to figure it out until the end, and hope you will too.

I was actually listening to the audio version and the narrator, Tiffany Morgan, gives Josie Prescott a wonderful voice, she made this book awesome to listen too, she really gave it heart.  I can't wait to hear more of Josie's adventures.

5 STARS

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Restoration YA


Restoration (The Revelation Series #5) by Randi Cooley Wilson
350 pages   Published on November 30th, 2015
Genre: YA Paranormal
 
This was one of the hardest reviews I have ever had to write.  It is hard to say goodbye to friends you have had for so long, but I must say this farewell book was one of the best written one ever.  Never lacking in action and suspense this awesome book just sucked me into their realm and I got to live the story with the characters, every agonizing glorious step that you just will not want to miss.  Everyone is back and ready for the final showdown, and who will come out on top good or evil?  Eve is as strong as ever, and she and Asher are still working to figure out their personal relationship and their relationship with everyone else in their lives, family, clan, and all the others they are now responsible for.  This was one well thought out plotted story from the first book to this the last one, and it has been one wild ride and I have loved every second of it, and I hope you will too.  
Amazon:
Smashwords:
Goodreads Add to TBR:
Would You Run Would You Fight Would You Fall To Fate If your heart was full of love, could you give it all up? Eve Collins will do anything to save those she loves, especially her gargoyle protector and mate, Asher St. Michael. With the world crumbling down around them, Eve and Asher must face the final battle between darkness and light. One that will end in great sacrifice. When the skies darken and love in it’s truest form is tested, would you run? When death becomes silence and battle lines are drawn, would you fight? If you had to sacrifice, to save the one you loved, would you fall to fate? Would you dare to let it go? The End, Begins. Restoration is the highly anticipated finale in the Revelation Series, a mesmerizing epic romantic journey filled with dark themes, beautifully melancholic musings, divine secrets, sacrifice and forbidden love  

  Randi new
About the Author:
Randi Cooley Wilson is a “New Adult” Paranormal/Fantasy and Contemporary Romance author. A resident of Massachusetts, she makes stuff up, devours romance books, drinks lots of wine and coffee, and has a slight addiction to bracelets.
For more information visit:
http://randicooleywilson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/R_CooleyWilson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorrandicooleywilson


The Giveaway:
One Winner Will Receive: $25 Amazon GC, All Five Paperback Books Signed and Swag Package
Five Winners Will Receive: $5 Amazon GC, A Signed Paperback of Restoration and a Swag Package
Ten Winners Will Receive: A digital Copy of any book from The Revelation Series
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Sunday, December 13, 2015

Casquette Girls YA Blitz

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The Casquette Girls by Alys Arden Published November 17th, 2015 Published by Skyscape Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
  Find out more about signed copies HERE!   
 
 
 

Seven girls tied by time. Five powers that bind. One curse to lock the horror away. One attic to keep the monsters at bay. ** After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne wants nothing more than her now silent city to return to normal. But with home resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normalneeds a new definition. As the city murder rate soars, Adele finds herself tangled in a web of magic that weaves back to her own ancestors. Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, who can she trust when everyone has a secret and keeping them can mean life or death? Unless . . . you’re immortal.  
About the Author


Alys Arden was raised by the street performers, tea leaf-readers, and glittering drag queens of the New Orleans, French Quarter. She cut her teeth on the streets of New York and has worked all around the world since. She either talks too much or not at all. She obsessively documents things. Her hair ranges from eggplant to cotton-candy-colored. One dreary day in London, while dreaming of running away with the circus, she started writing The Casquette Girls. Her debut novel garnered over one million reads online before being acquired by Skyscape in a two book deal. Rep’d by ICM.

Website
Twitter: @alysarden
Facebook
Blog

  The Excerpt:
CHAPTER 1 On the Road October 9th The day had finally come. Elation coursed through my head, my chest, my stomach—until the tips of my fingers tingled, as if the sensation were trying to escape the confines of my nervous system. My father and I were finally on our way home. Trying not to let the anticipation drive me crazy, I leaned back in the passenger seat and took deep breaths, inhaling the scents of worn black leather and bubble gum. The combination reminded me of sitting in the front seat as a child. I’d always been up for a ride in my father’s prized possession because I knew there’d be a sugary pink stick waiting for me in the glove box. The city wasn’t exactly encouraging people to come home yet, but my father had always been a bit of a rebel. This fact, topped with endless nights of me begging and pleading, had finally made those four little words slip out of his mouth: “Okay, let’s go home.” As soon as he caved, I fled the Parisian boarding school where my French mother had dumped me while my father and I were “displaced.” She didn’t tell me good-bye, and I never looked back. I landed in Miami late last night, and we were on the road by six this morning. I didn’t want to give my father the chance to renege. Ten hours later, we were still purring down the interstate in his 1981 BMW. But I didn’t mind the long drive. In my sixteen years, I’d never been away from my father for that long. I’d never been away from New Orleans for that long either. It felt like years since the mandatory evacuation, but in reality it had only been two months—two months, two days, and nine hours since the Storm had touched ground. The Storm was the largest hurricane in US history. Scientists were still debating whether it should even be considered a hurricane because it had smashed all previous classification parameters. They didn’t even name it. Everyone simply referred to it as “the Storm.” Economists were predicting it would end up being the greatest natural disaster in the Western world, and there were even rumors flying around that the federal government was considering constituting the area uninhabitable and not rebuilding the city. That idea was incomprehensible to me. The media was all over the place about the devastation. We’d heard such conflicting stories there was really no telling what would be awaiting us (or not awaiting us) upon our arrival. Had our home been damaged, flooded, ransacked, robbed—or any combination of those things? Was it now just rotting away? I fiddled with the sun-shaped charm hanging from the silver necklace that nearly reached my waist, wrapping and unwrapping the thin chain around my fingers. My phone buzzed. Brooke 3:42 p.m. Are you close? Text me as soon as you get home. I want to know everything, ASAP! xoxo. I quickly pecked, Adele 3:43 p.m. I will! How’s La-La land? <3 I didn’t exactly have a laundry list of close friends, but Brooke Jones and I had been attached at the hip since the second grade. The Joneses had been stuck in Los Angeles since the evacuation, and Brooke was freaking out on a daily basis because her parents were adjusting to the West Coast lifestyle at an alarming rate. Even the thought that her parents might permanently relocate to California made me cringe. “Waffle House?” my father asked as we sped past the Florida state line into Alabama. He proceeded down the exit ramp before I could respond. A bell dinged when I opened the door of the infamous southern chain, causing all of the employees to shout a welcome without looking up from what they were doing. My father headed to the bathroom, and I jumped into a booth, grabbing a napkin to wipe pancake-syrup residue off the table. “I’ll be with ya in a second, darlin’,” a waitress yelled from across the narrow, shoe box–shaped diner. Johnny Cash blared on the jukebox, the air reeked of grease, and the fluorescent bulb in the overhead light gave everything a sickly tint. I couldn’t help but chuckle, thinking about the stark contrast of this scene to my life just two nights ago: sitting in a café on the Champs-Élysées, eating a crêpe suzettes with my mother. Well, I’d been eating a crêpe. She’d never allow herself to eat something as appalling as sugar. Midchuckle, I caught the gaze of a guy sitting solo in a booth across the aisle, who was slowly stirring a cup of coffee. Our eyes locked. My cheeks started to burn. I grabbed a menu so I could pretend to focus on something and let my long waves of espresso-colored hair fall in front of my face, trying to recall the last time I’d taken a shower. Ugh. I’d been in transit for more than twenty-four hours at this point. I lifted my eyes to find him still looking intensely at me. He was probably a few years older than me . . . and far too sophisticated to be sitting in this particular establishment among the tall hairdos and flip-flops. His black leather jacket was not the biker kind you might find in any diner in the Deep South—it was softer looking, trendier, possibly custom-made. The jacket, along with his dark, slicked hair, made him appear part James Dean, part Italian Vogue. For a split second I forgot where I was, as if stuck in some kind of Paris–Alabama time-continuum hiccup. When I realized I was staring at him again, I became instantly flustered. His eyes didn’t move, but the corners of his mouth slowly spread upward into an innocent smile. Or maybe it was deceptively innocent? Just as my heart began to speed up at the prospect of finding out, my fork slid across the table, flew halfway across the room, and clanked against his ceramic mug. “Sorry!” I covered my face, mortified, and considered crawling underneath the table. I’d been so caught up in the moment I hadn’t even noticed myself flick it. “Don’t worry, honey, I’ll bring ya a new one,” the waitress yelled. As if I was worried about the fork. I’d nearly taken out the eye of the hottest guy within a fifty-mile radius. My heart pounded melodramatically. When I finally mustered the courage to raise my head to catch another glimpse of him, all I saw was his mug on top of a ten-dollar bill. Realizing I’d been hiding my gaze from no one, I became even more embarrassed. Of course he ran. I am obviously hazardous. “You okay?” my father asked as he slid into the orange leather booth. “Yep, the jet lag must have just kicked in,” I blurted out, “but I’m super excited for cheesy eggs.” “I thought you hated American cheese?” he asked suspiciously. “You always called it plastic.” “Yeah, well, I guess something becomes more desirable when you can’t have it.” There were certainly no American-cheese-like products in France. We ordered and then sat in silence while we waited for our food. My father turned his head to stare out the window. I knew he was too nervous to ask me about Paris, and I was not going to readily volunteer up any information. It was weird to spend your entire life with someone, be suddenly separated for two months, and then reunite. It felt strange that it felt strange being together. Luckily the food came quickly, and soon he was polishing off a stack of waffles, while I forced myself to choke down eggs smothered in plastic cheese. “How about I drive for a while?” I asked as we headed back to the car. “How about I drive and you study?” “Why should I study? Technically, I’m not even enrolled in a school right now.” “You are enrolled in a school right now, Adele . . .” I unintentionally slammed the passenger door after getting in. “You are technically still enrolled in Notre-Dame International.” He pulled out of the deserted parking lot and in his best I-am-serious voice added, “And if we get to New Orleans and find out you can’t get into a local school, you’re going to be on the first plane back to Paris. Back to school. That was the deal.” “I am not going back to Paris.” I didn’t care what I had previously agreed to. “Je déteste Notre-Dame International! Je déteste Paris!” I said in my most dramatic French accent, but I stopped myself before I said something about detesting my mother. Those were words he certainly would’ve understood. But he had only himself to blame for my speaking French; he was the one who’d forced me to take private lessons since I was five—a year after my mother had skipped town—as if my ability to speak her native language might bring her back. “I can’t believe you shipped me off there in the first place. I belong here, not with rich kids in boarding school. Not with her.” My eyes began to well up. I knew my reaction would upset him, but even the thought of having to go back to Paris made me want to jump out of the moving car and run away. He didn’t know what to do or say next, and soon the old Bimmer filled up with awkward tension. The slightest sign of teen-girl tears made Macalister Le Moyne uncomfortable. My father always tried his best to be paternal, but it never really seemed natural for him, not even after all this time of it being just the two of us. He patted my hand. “Don’t get upset. You know school comes first.” I’d never once heard him say anything bad about my mother, but I could tell he felt relieved that I’d fight to stay in New Orleans with him instead of returning to her in Paris. He was simultaneously terrified and proud that I’d inherited his rebellious streak rather than her need for refinement. Ever since I could remember, my father lived with a perpetually tired look. He’d inherited the ever-popular bar Le Chat Noir from my grandfather around the same time my mother left us, making him an artist-turned-business-owner and single parent all at once. Since then, he kept mostly nocturnal hours, waking midday to give himself enough time to work on sculptures and furniture in his metal shop before going back to the bar. Now he was unshaven and a bit shaggier than usual, appearing to have aged a few years in the last couple of months, just like all the other displaced citizens of New Orleans. The Storm had been peculiar, not just because of the suddenness with which it had grown but because its target had been so unexpected. The day before it hit, the Storm was a routine Category 2 hurricane—not something to shrug off but something people knew how to handle— predicted to make landfall somewhere around Galveston, Texas. Eighteen hours prior to hitting land, the hurricane unpredictably changed course and headed straight for New Orleans. Trying to clear the city with such short notice caused total mayhem. We ended up evacuating to Miami with a few of Dad’s bartenders, never dreaming we’d be gone for more than a few days. But before the Storm left the Gulf of Mexico, it tipped the Saffir-Simpson scale, and once it hit land, like most folks upon arrival in New Orleans, it didn’t want to leave. We watched in horror as it hovered. And hovered. And hovered. All we could do was stare at the TV and wait for our unwelcome houseguest to take a hint. That was before the levees broke and turned the city into a fishbowl. When reality kicked in and we were suddenly unable to return home for an undetermined period, my father decided I would be better off in Paris with my mother than in Miami with a bunch of vagabonds looking for bar work. I wasn’t sure if he really believed that or if he’d just cracked under post-Storm pressure; either way, he shipped me off to France as soon as he managed to get in touch with her. As far as I knew, that was the first time they’d had contact in the twelve years she’d been gone. I refused to let the tears fall as I looked out the car window. I’m not going back to live with her. I won’t let it happen. New Orleans is my home. Even thinking about going back to Paris made me immediately selfconscious. Up until eight weeks ago, I’d always thought of myself as just a normal teenager—not the head-cheerleader type but not the type to be shoved into lockers either. I did pretty well in school but was certainly not in the running for valedictorian. Besides rebellion, I’d also inherited my father’s artistic tendencies, but (to my curatorial mother’s high-art dismay) I channeled them mostly through designing clothes. Despite all of this, I’d hardly tipped average by Parisian standards. During the last two months, I couldn’t have felt more plain, more uncultured, or more passé. My Parisian classmates were like ballerinas in six-inch heels, born to analyze haute couture and recite Baudelaire, making my skinny jeans and DIY dresses seem childish and unsophisticated. I sighed and attempted to push the French memories out of my consciousness: the sparkling Eiffel Tower, the macarons from Ladurée, and most of all Émile. My stomach twisted. I definitely didn’t want to think about Émile. Not the way his slight smile always made me wonder what he was thinking. Not his Vespa or ’iz stupid, sexy accent. Pathetic, Adele. You didn’t mean anything to him. He’s just your mother’s assistant. The car went over a bump, and I realized trying not to think about Émile was actually making me think about Émile. Ugh.  
The Giveaway: 5 physical copies open US only. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Trailer
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Thursday, December 10, 2015

The Seventh Pillar ADULT

Nick and Selena are on their own and against some secret assassins that leave weird symbols behind.  This book is so fast paced that you will be tired just reading it.  Suspenseful as ever, it might be the third book but it is just as good and well written as the first two, no slacking here by Lukeman.  Audiobook narrator Jack de Golia made the audio version awesome.  His use of varied voices for characters, his tones, and excitement for the story made me  want to stay in my car longer just to listen more.  He gives the book a pulse, it is awesome.

5 STARS

Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Lance ADULT


Another wonderful book by Alex Lukeman.  The Lance is about the lance that pierced Christs side while he was on the cross being crucified.  This lance is said to have special powers in the occult world and the German SS was big into the occult and a lot of the occult beliefs.  This book revolves around a German high ups son, now living in the USA, trying to bring back some of these old German ways, and of course Nick and Selena are neck deep in all of the this, and trying hard to dig their way out.  The Lance is as action packed and suspenseful as White Jade.  But when listening to the audible version it is all Jack de Golia and his awesome narration that makes it worthwhile.  He is a great narrator and really ads heart and rhythm to the book.

5 STARS

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

The Urban Boys YA Blitz

urban boys kn smith book blitzdec the urban boys

The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by K.N. Smith
Genre/ Age Group: Young Adult Fiction (Action-Adventure w/ elements of Paranormal), 12+

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Boys-Discovery-Five-Senses/dp/0989474755/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-urban-boys-kn-smith/1122739135?ean=9780989474757
Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/urban-boys-discovery-five/id1045819157?mt=11 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26850355-the-urban-boys

  "If you're looking for an action-packed page-turner, look no further than The Urban Boys. This modern-day tale of good vs. evil captivated my imagination from start to finish. You won't be able to put the book down. You'll be mesmerized!" Ingrid Hart, Mountain View, CA
"A must read!!! An absolutely riveting story about the struggle between good and evil. Five young men experience a surprising, somewhat whimsical, yet very dangerous journey into a dark world from which they must emerge victorious. A dark stranger leads the way. The first in a series, which will have you on the edge of your seat. Amazing!" T. Wilson, Elk Grove, CA
"The Urban Boys took me up and down the most exciting, twisty, curvy roads on the planet. This is truly an adventure filled novel that gets more exciting as the pages turn. The dynamics between the boys gets more complicated as the Dark Stranger comes onto the scene. Good vs. evil, amazing fight scenes, Alina and her nunchucks, the dreaded Druth, dealing with one’s fate … it’s all there! Not only is this the best read of the season, but the emotion and inspiration felt by the reader makes The Urban Boys one lasting and unforgettable story!" Carl Jones, Carmichael, CA
(First in a series) Five boys, a dark stranger, a fearless girl, vicious thugs, and the evil Druth. A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve. A mysterious energy source heightens the boys’ senses to extreme levels. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become hypersensitive gifts that forever change the world. On a mission to root out evil, tension and furious battles confront the boys at every turn, but they must embrace their fate. Overview: The story’s small town of Danville Heights, a carefully crafted universe, contrasts with the dark, gloomy town of Sandry Lake, where evil abounds. Upon the boys’ mysterious incident with the energy source, they’re instinctively called to Sandry Lake to fight evil. Their senses guide them each time. However, secrecy about their mission, furious battles with evil thugs, extreme fatigue, and stress and pressure soon overwhelm the boys, but they must find a way to embrace their fate. A lurking, dark stranger seems to know their plight, and a strikingly beautiful, fearless girl lends way to heightened confusion. Shocking details about these two characters, and the evil antagonist, the dreaded Druth, twist the story even further. Despite tension and fierce battles, will the boys hold it together long enough to fulfill their destiny? Intriguing, intelligent, and full of action, The Urban Boys offers a memorable, emotion-packed, thrilling ride for all audiences. Get ready for the twisting and grinding of this adventure story, which artfully integrates cinematic-level action in an edge-of-your-seat narrative for young and mature readers alike!

  kn smith
About the Author:


K.N. Smith is an American author and passionate advocate of childhood and family literacy programs throughout the world. She continues to inspire students of all ages to reach their highest potential in their literary and educational pursuits. An established non-fiction writer, Smith chose the teen fiction genre as a way to enhance her daughters’ (then) high school literary experience, and to engage other youth in literacy development. Her creative literary flair offers young and mature readers central themes of loyalty, responsibility, honesty, fear, and triumph. As a result, scenes become artfully integrated with cinematic-level action and high drama. Her stories twist, turn, and grind through elements of science-fiction and action-adventure in diverse, exciting, edge-of-your-seat narratives. As an ardent supporter of youth and family literacy programs across the globe, she states, “My hope is that The Urban Boys will spark imagination in a wide variety of readers while elevating global literacy efforts. It’s important that we have diverse families of readers for generations to come.” K.N. Smith has over twenty years experience in writing, communications, and creative design. She lives with her family in California.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorknsmith?_rdr=p
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14431555.K_N_Smith
Twitter: @knsmith_author

Book Excerpt:  
Prologue
HUGE, CURVY LEAVES BEAUTIFULLY ARRANGED WITHIN THE PRESERVE offered the perfect backdrop for a midnight encounter between two friends who happened to be unequal in their mindsets as well as in their needs to control. Curiously, a beautiful, black midnight lent air and mystery to the setting of which each was familiar. But almost immediately the conversation went awry, and perhaps on purpose.
You don’t think I’m capable of leading us in the right direction, do you? We can’t stay here going nowhere, and I’ve chosen you to go with me. We need to stay together!” said an imposing Joaquin Grayson as he squeezed the life out of Ross Dawson’s arm. “We’ve been doing fine for almost a year. Why you want to cut out now?”
We’ve been going back and forth from here to there and everything’s alright, I guess,” said eighteen year old Ross. “But you’ve changed. It’s not the same. It’s like I don’t even know you anymore. Man, why do you need so much power?”
For the first time, the mellow, demure Ross trusted himself to speak up, to question the mounting dissention clouding their friendship. He remembered that only a short time ago a youthful adventure took place in this forbidden milieu. A place from where tales of strange happenings, mysterious noises, and unsolved disappearances emerged, or so it was said.
And during that youthful adventure within the preserve, when confronted by that mysterious accident, they all changed, and then he changed.
Somehow, the misunderstood, glowing energy that dripped from those huge leaves caused a solo ambition. And it had only gotten started on a dangerous course that would be littered with intense brutality checkered with misguided emotion and overtones of force and power - a deadly combination anxiously waiting in the wings.
As a result of this line of questioning, and while wondering what would happen to Ross’ gift, Joaquin set his intention. Only nineteen years old, yet extremely demanding, he knew he would not be able to turn back. He let go of Ross’ arm, turned away, and ran his slender fingers through his thick, shoulder length, medium brown hair.
At just under six feet, his lean yet muscular frame worked diligently to contain the rising tension within, being careful not to give any indication of his next move. A black tank top tightly hugged his chest to reveal lightly tanned skin that perfectly harmonized with his long, uneven hair.
And with his hair still clutched in his hand, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply as he listened for Ross’ movements. Pacing a little, he rationalized that he was the only adequate soul who could orchestrate and command a new way of life. Surely, a concoction of domination that would ultimately gratify only himself.
And in the absence of even a hint of an exchange, Joaquin spun around and lunged at Ross, grabbed him by the throat, and knocked him down. With dry, brittle leaves and debris suddenly thrust upward, the two were covered in a dark, hazy hell as they pursued a violent struggle for what seemed like an eternity.
As he gained his footing, Ross shot back with a punch to Joaquin’s head followed by several body punches. Joaquin stumbled backward and fell giving Ross those precious, few seconds required for escape.
With speed as the distinguishing factor that thrust him from walking to running, the shorter, 5-foot-8 Ross frantically stretched his quivering legs through any physical or mental process he could assemble. His rich, brown skin absorbed a rush of pulsating adrenaline. He tried to ignore his thunderous heartbeat, which was now thumping clear to his ears, to concentrate on any and every path that would lead him out of the preserve and as far away as possible.
With his baseball cap blown to the wind, his short, curly hair openly embraced the moment, which was littered with deep panic and a singular appreciation for survival.
The unfortunate turn of events that took place only minutes earlier were actually the accumulation of countless episodes in which Joaquin expressed his need to control … any and every thing. This sudden, violent spree was simply the smoky glow at the end of a dark tunnel, and they had ventured across the breaking point inside this familiar, gloriously lush landscape.

At that very same moment on the other side of the preserve, out where they were not supposed to be, Della Sato and Juson Yamada, both in their early twenties, examined the stars on what would be the defining night of their young lives.
Although somewhat disturbing tales had surrounded the mystery of the forest for generations, it offered a secret privacy unavailable in their everyday lives. They set foot within looking for the perfect place to nestle. Walking and talking, all was quiet and peaceful just as they had imagined.

Now heavy on his heels, Joaquin gained speed and caught up with Ross running up from behind, and he wrapped his arm tightly around Ross’ neck. His long, brown hair whipped and swung, practically covering both of them. Unable to break free, Ross elbowed him in the ribs and Joaquin finally let go. They exchanged a flurry of punches, jabs, and kicks that set the bruising process in motion.
Although fatigue was setting in, Ross somehow found the strength to jump high circling backward. He landed a ferocious blow to Joaquin’s back that knocked him down yet again. He frantically resumed his search for a way out, but Joaquin took only moments to compose his expressionless self, and the pursuit had fallen hopelessly back on track, and with furious traction.

With an assist from the moonlight, the curvaceous appeal of those big, wavy, round leaves with their lime, jade, and avocado tones mesmerized Della and Juson. Now resting in a shallow place, Juson looked deep into Della’s almond eyes as he stroked her straight, black hair, and told her what she meant to him.
You know we’ll be married someday. It’s in the cards,” he laughed. “No, seriously, I really love you.”
I love you too,” said Della.
His solid, athletic frame meshed with her delicate figure. And being completely hidden behind a massive, beautiful leaf, their passion spilled over in total privacy.
They drew in close and kissed with animated fervor.
But suddenly, the sickening roar of the brawl between the two friends inched closer and closer to Della and Juson. He put his hand over Della’s mouth and listened cautiously to determine the source of the fracas. He squinted his eyes and shook his head to signal the need for silence as they waited it out.
With no verbal exchange between the unseen individuals, it was impossible to conclude the situation. Juson peeked out for a split second and saw a brutal fight taking place between what looked like two men.
Joaquin landed multiple blows upon Ross’ head and took a few in return, and they continued fighting without pause. And as Joaquin charged forward, Ross was pushed onto a tree where a low, dry, brittle branch met his torso. The branch crashed to the ground leaving Ross with a serious wound.
The thunderous thud whipped the leaf covering Della and Juson, but it quickly snapped back in place. And when it did, Ross could be heard stumbling backward and over the branch. He tripped and fell to the ground landing only inches from Della and Juson. Joaquin pounced upon Ross choking him as he punched him in the face.
Still hidden, and with that huge, curvy leaf now pressing against Della and Juson, Joaquin wrapped his hands tightly around Ross’ neck. He pressed his full weight into the evil action and waited for the end to arrive. He was entirely exhausted, and when it was over, he fell beside Ross and stayed there for a few minutes while the forest absorbed this malicious, vile act intentionally choreographed by Joaquin.
Ross’ empty, wide open eyes expressed the fear of the moment, or perhaps the horror of what he feared he was destined to face. Joaquin stood up and let out painful moans as he rubbed his eyes, which were suddenly burning. Unable to see clearly, he stumbled out of the forest and into the night going anywhere it would take him. With his eyes burning under a furious, deep red, he would remain in this agonizing condition for three, long days.
Completely terrified, Della and Juson were clear on what just happened, but had no choice but to exact more patience than they could have imagined would ever be needed in their lifetimes. As though they were totally blindfolded, and not knowing who it was, there was no reference point for this deadly, vicious act.
And as the night progressed, they found the moment to make their move. In disbelief, they ran home and enshrined this secret in their hearts under that striking, glowing moonlight on the most fateful night of their young lives.
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Sunday, November 29, 2015

BOTS Emergent Behavior YA

Robotics prodigy Edmond West creates the first Artificial Intelligent being that people can not tell the difference between man and machine.  But after hiding her for so long the government finally finds out and wants Edmond to mass produce more like her, however, Edmond knows this will just lead to the AI's enslavery, and that is when the action starts.  This I believe might be a book before its time, I am hoping it is not to advanced in the science part (especially for this opening book) for teens, because I think the idea and background for the book is awesome and so much can be done, so I guess we will just have to see where the author goes from here.

4 Stars

Friday, November 27, 2015

Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War MG

This is a awesome retelling of the story of Michel Chikwanine's boyhood.  Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his first real experience with his countries civil war was when he was five years old and was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier, and do things no child or adult should ever have to do.  He did manage to escape and make it back home.  Michel's father was a political activist who had troubles too, most of the family finally fled to a refugee camp.  From there Michel, his mother and one of his sisters finally fled to Canada, later another of Michel's sisters was able to join them.  This book is Michel's retelling of his life with wonderful, colorful, illustrations, so all children can understand the problems that other children face in other parts of the world.

5 STARS

The CLay Lion YA

The Clay Lion in my opinion is one of the best time travel books for young adults ever!  The well thought out process of not only the theory of time travel but of the consequences of changes in time lines and the understanding the difference between fate and destiny and why things happen for a reason even if we don't understand what it is.  The author goes through major issues of fate, destiny, love, loss, personal choice and grief, all twisted together.  Brooke, the main character, must figure everything out for herself in her life through her trips and grow enough to learn when to let go.  I still don't have the proper words to describe how I feel about this most wonderful book it just kind of left me with my mouth open.  However, this is also another of those awesome books that is hard to talk about for fear I might give something away.  But I will say the audible version was GREAT, the narrator Lorelei King worked magic and really brought the book to life with her wonderful use of voices and obvious love of the book.  She really put some life into the audio, you might not want to get out of the car.

5 STARS

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The Game of Lives (The Morality Doctrine Series) YA


Michael is a gamer who loves to game, but what happens when the game becomes real.  When the game you where once playing was fun is now a race for humanity and you are not sure who your friends are anymore.  You only know that you are the only one that can save humanity from that which has escaped from Pandora's proverbial box.

Like the other two books in the Mortality Doctrine series this one is no different, James Dashner will keep you up way past your bedtime reading his face paced, action packed, suspenseful, twist around every corner, thought provoking, page turning book. Written in true Dashner style this book and the others in this series will quickly become favorites of young adults and adults alike just as his Maze Runner series did.  This book will keep you wondering what will James Dashner think of next.

5 STARS

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Tails of the Apocalypse


This is fourteen short stories about animals in a dystopian, post apocalyptic worlds, all written by awesome writers, in which part of the proceeds of each book will go to Pets for Vets, so please what is not to love?  These are amazing stories, yes I will be up front, sometimes the animal dies, but it is worth it, being a veteran myself and helping with the working dogs on my base may have skewed my perspective  a little on how much I feel  and love the way these animals interact with the human aspect of the stories, but these animals are all heroes.  This is book is for all those hero animals that didn't come home or the ones that help the two legged heroes that come home not quite whole.  So give it chance I think you will love it as much as I did, but keep the Kleenex close.

5 STARS

Athel (Mayake Chronicles Part2) YA




Athel is a back with his sister, Akaela and friends and they are on a hunt to find things to help defend their city from the Gaijin.  But in doing so they get wrapped up in a puzzle to find the lost entrance to the underground city of Astraca.  Either way it is a race to save the Mayake people.

In this book you find out more about both races of people as thee is a extra added character that adds a twist to the book.  It is fascinating to watch the characters grow especially Metal Jaw.  Everything blends so wonderfully, these books are so great with all the action and suspense, I can not wait for part three.  If you find yourself like me and can not wait more don't over look Giorgi's two short stories that are set in this world, The Gaijin Girl, and the Tails of the Apocalypse in which the there is a short about Athel's falcon Kael.

5 STARS

Thursday, October 29, 2015

White Jade The Project Book 1 Adult

When Selena's Uncle is killed over a very old book very few people in the world can even read.  Selena is one of the those few that can help find the book and help translate it.  For that she is thrown into Project's world.  Project is a covert intelligence unit that reports directly to the President (PONTUS).  This becomes a life and death struggle not only for Selena and her Project partner Nick, but also between the United States and China.
This is a great fast paced action thriller, with secrets, adventure, discovery, traps, and weapons around every corner, or at least most corners.  The author does a awesome job to no trivialize when Nick and Selena are forced to take others lives, and I like that, with some other books with agencies and military authors tend to take a very cold approach.  The characters a very well rounded and balance each other out very well.  The story is also well developed and thought out.  Narrator Jack de Golia is awesome putting his spin on the characters voices and giving the story a heartbeat.  his narration has kept me in my car longer than necessary on many occasions.
This book is only the first of many in the Project Series and I can't wait to get more!

5 STARS

Monday, October 26, 2015

NEED YA

When a new social networking site called NEED is introduced into the towns high school population it spreads like wildfire, even though it is by invitations only and has very strict rules.  But when Kaylee truly asks for a need, things as different for her but she's not sure why, but when things start turning bad for those around her, she wants out.  But at what cost?
This is a really cool book and it is very hard for me to tell you much about it without giving anything away.  So I'm going to say this book is full of friends, frienemies, action, adventure, suspense, and intrigue, and you should be counting the days until it comes out, it is that good!

5 STARS!

Saturday, October 24, 2015

The Academy ADULT

The Academy is the awesome second book to the Lost Tales of Power series, and it picks up several years later.  Master Vydor now has a functioning academy in his own realm and plenty of students applying to be accepted there.  At this point in time there is one in particular, James, applying who if is successful in his first initiate years and becomes a student will change his name to Shadow, he has already served in the Imperial Navy and left with honor, and this book will show how his honor is tested again and again and how he does defending it.
I have fallen in love with this series and others of Trigili's.  I wish it hadn't been such a huge time jump , as I really liked Vydor in the first book and missed his younger ever present self.  But quickly became engrossed with James so all is good.  I also like how war and killing is never trivialized in these books, the good guys do have to kill bad guys , but they have to deal with their emotions about those actions afterwards, and that is the reality of war, not what you usually see in movies and such.  The characters are all so well put together, so complex, but each developing so nicely as the book went on and to hear narrator Jack de Golia do the voices was awesome he is such a great narrator bringing out the heartbeat of the story, he just keeps you on the edge of your seat all the time, he is so great.  If all that isn't enough to hook you the action and suspense thrown in should do it for sure, awesome book, awesome series.

5 STARS

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Voyagers: Game of Flames MG

The Alpha crew is back in their second book of the series and they are on their way to collect the second of the elements, Magnus 7, on the planet Meta Prime.  But what they don't know just might hurt them, some things they find out soon enough like the Omega team following them, other things they find out as the book goes along, but hey you should know me by now, no spoilers here, your going to have to read the book to find out all the exciting things that happen to both teams on Meta Prime.
This book keeps up with that awesome action level set by author D.J. McHale in the first Voyagers book Project Alpha and doesn't let up at all.  The character continuity is still working and even Anna might be starting to show a side of maybe she might have made a bad decision, very out of character for her, but a good step.  There are some definite surprises, so this book is not one to be missed by any means as things are really heating up (clue there).  This is a short series of books so you really don't want to miss any of the books or you might be lost in space.  Stay turned, with any luck hopefully, I can keep bringing you more reviews from the rest of the series.

5 STARS

Friday, October 16, 2015

Mosaics ADULT

Track is back, and is racing to catch a serial killer before he kills again.  But the odd thing is the killer always leaves behind mosaic tiles at the crime scene, but what do they mean?  And when the same tiles appear in Tracks own yard, he knows he must hurry, or he might become a piece himself.
I love these Track Presius books, E.E.Giorgi's knowledge of police investigation and crime scene processing are some of the best.  She is also a master of suspense, she can start it on page one and carry it all the way through to the end of the book with no problem, and action, come on we are talking about Track here.
I have actually listened to both Track books since they are available on audible, and while narrator D. Joseph Fenaughty has a good voice for the books it is clear he is not from or spent much time in southern California as some of his pronunciations are off (also a medical term or two), but those are easily forgotten about.

5 STARS

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Banneker Bones and the Giant Robot Bees MG

This book was awesome and I truly believe it is David Radtke, the narrator, of the audio version that made it that way for me, as he as really a wonderful narrator.  But hey, the book was pretty great too, so when does the next one come out Mr. Kent?  We are waiting!  Really I can't wait to see how Ellicott, Reggie, and  Banneker are doing now that the giant robot bees excitement has died down, and Reggie is back safe at home after being kidnapped by the bees.  You see while Ellicott and Banneker happen to be cousins, Reggie is Ellicott's only friend in his new school in fact the whole town of Latimer City that is to be Ellicott's home while attending school at the Latimer Universities Archimedes Program were all three attend school.So Ellicott wants his friend back pretty bad, but what is Banneker's motives?
This book is paced well to keep the readers attention with action around every corner, the characters are well thought out and work well together even when they are not always willing.  Overall this is a great book and audiobook for not just middle graders but for all readers.

5 STARS

Monday, October 12, 2015

Enemy of an Enemy ADULT

What a great book by author Vincent Trigili!  This is an awesome sci-fi/fantasy/Navy book.  His wonderful plot and great characters kept me riveted to the book and asking for the next, ok the really cool spaceships and the fact that I now want to be a dark knight doesn't hurt.  this book had me hooked from the beginning and kept me up past my bedtime reading until it was finished, since it was also available on audible (cheap if you have the kindle book) I got to keep going on the book while I was in the car, the narrator, Jack de Golia, made the book sound awesome as well, sometime it was hard to choose which I would rather do (most of the time I listened, shhh).  I was also very impress by Tragili's knowledge of the Navy and its workings and customs, he had them down.  Really it is a awesome book and audio all the way around well worth it.

5 STARS

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Black Widow Forever Red YA

If you love the Avengers by Marvel than this book is for you!  Centered around Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) this book is so fast paced and action packed it will have you spinning like Iron man flying out of control (by the way Tony Stark does play a roll in this book as well). 
Natasha is one of the worlds best assassins, trained since she was a little girl by psychopath teacher, Ivan, in Moscow.  Many years back Natasha was sent to kill Ivan and ended up saving a young girl just like herself, Ava.  Ava looked to Natasha as a big sister, but Natasha not being the sister type turned her back on Ava, which only made Ava very bitter.  But now Ivan is back, and he wants Ava.
This book is awesome!  Everything about this book is great, the writing, the characters, the action, the twists, the story!  I don't want to say to much and give anything good away so you will have to read it for yourself.

5 STARS

Monday, October 5, 2015

Apocalypse Meow Meow MG

This was a very cute graphic novel and a the second of the series.  Even though it is cute and just a story about some animals trying to survive after a apocalypse there is more to the story if you look for it.  In this book the dogs need to beat the large kitty to win the twonkies all for themselves and their friends.  Can the dogs do it by themselves or will they need some help from their friends?  This really is a good book and all the animals have such great personalities, the way some of them have banded together to survive this dreaded circumstance, especially for house pets.  But I suggest you first read book one Apocalypse Bow Wow as some of the things in this book where a little confusing since I had not read the first one, but you can get the main story ok without the first book, there are just a few things that pop up that are strange without the first book.  Still loved the book and thing you all will too.

5 STARS

Friday, October 2, 2015

We'll Never Be Apart YA

This is a very well thought out psychological thriller for young adults.  Poor Allie is back at Savage Isle mental hospital after her twin Celia set fire to a barn and burns her and kills her boyfriend Jason, after escaping from their first stint at Savage Isle.  Allie and Celia, along with Jason, when he could be assigned to the same foster home, have all had tough lives.  So the first time Allie and Celia get sent to Savage Isle is for robbery, no surprise there, but Jason get sent to detention for almost beating the station clerk to death.
The characters are all incredible and well thought out, there is no way this book would work without giving everything away if it didn't.  The storyline is so awesome and well placed I just don't want to give anything away, so, I am going to stop now and just say read it, you'll love it.

5 STARS

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Fires of Invention MG


Mysteries of Cove is an awesome new series by Scott Savage.  Fires of Invention is so action packed it is like a steam engine at full speed from the start all the way to the end.  This is such a cool book I would not have guessed from the start anywhere close to what the book was about and that is good because the book was so much better than I ever dreamed.  This book is so much more than a steam punk type book for middle graders, it has twists and turns that make you think.  If you really want to try and figure it out before the end, well good luck.  The characters all come together very well  to pull off everything throughout the book whether it be good or bad, and even some of that can be a surprise.
How would you like living in a world where you can not draw a picture, write a story, make something new, or modify something for the better without risk of being thrown in jail or retraining, as the officials are more likely to call your time with them.  Trenton just couldn't stop building things, and Kallista was driven to find the truth about her father and that brought the two together in a secret so big it could have ended both of their lives as they know it.  But instead, no matter how it turns out,  they end up saving each other.
 
5 STARS 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Hardwired YA

Lucas tested positive for the warrior gene like his brother before him, I means he possibly predisposed toward violence.  In Lucas' time it means he shipped off to secure government facility to test him thoroughly to make sure he is not one of the ones that will turn violent.  Unfortunately, the tests they put these teens through is enough to turn even the most calmest of the calm violent, but even if they hold it together and make it out they are so changed and the people around them are scared of them just because they carry this gene their lives are now ruined, to the point most often of no return. 
This book is so cool, it makes you think how things can change in our world today as they find new genes and test for this and that and want to do more and more with genetics all the time.  As it is right now, they have half of us thinking whether or not we want or need to have certain medical tests done because what if it shows something off the wall, that in 2 or 3 years might come back to haunt us.  But this  book goes farther and has the government locking kids up and changing their lives forever, until they meet Lucas, Chris and Carly than it all changes in one night.  In one snowy, dark, cold night three kids try to make a difference, the question is do they succeed? 
This book is so action packed and suspenseful, you will think you are locked in the Bake Shop too, where if the guards are the ones out to get you than it is probably your roommate, either way there is nothing you can do.  The characters are perfect together, although there are times you might think why this guy, but keep on going all will become clear.  I really liked this book it kept my interest way past my bedtime, and I think it will become a book that teen book clubs can talk about.

5 STARS

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Edge MG

In this sequel to the book Peak.  Roland Smith kept to his style of writing as in his other books, fast, furious, and totally packed with action at every turn.  There are surprises you won't even guess are  coming and twist and turns that will spin you like your on a twisted climbing rope.  This book is just a mile a minute fun!  Peak and his friends are back after only six months for another climbing adventure, this time in Afghanistan, however, this  is shrouded in more mystery and secrecy than Zopa the sherpa turned monk but sometimes climbing master.  The only constant is the help from the mysterious Shen, snow, leopard.  Will this end up being Peak and his mom's last climb?

5 STARS

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Max The Brave PB

Max is a fearless kitten. Max is a brave kitten. Max is a kitten who chases mice. There’s only one problem—Max doesn’t know what a mouse looks like! With a little bit of bad advice, Max finds himself facing a much bigger challenge. Maybe Max doesn’t have to be Max the Brave all the time…
Join this adventurous black cat as he very politely asks a variety of animals for help in finding a mouse. Young readers will delight in Max’s mistakes, while adults will love the subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor of this new children’s classic.
 This is one of the best picture books I have seen in a while, of course I read it as soon as I got it, than had to run and show it to our children's librarian so she could get her order in right away because I know Max is going to be a big hit with our younger readers.  Characters standing up to and dominating monsters and fears are always a huge hit with parents of the younger children and the children as well.  Max this tiny black kitten who portrays this unknowing, innocent, and one track hero knows what he wants and won't stop until he reaches his goal, there are so many things we can learn from this little ball of black fluff if we just open our minds to the story because each time I read the book I learn something new.  This is such a awesome book on so many levels don't miss out. 
5 STARS
About the Author:
Ed Vere is an author, artist and illustrator with a long track record of success in the picture book category. Max the Brave was named one of The Sunday Times’s 100 Modern Children’s Classics. His book Bedtime for Monsters was shortlisted for the 2011 Roald Dahl Funny Prize and Mr Big was chosen by Booktrust as the official Booktime book for 2009 (and was distributed to 750,000 British schoolchildren making it the largest single print run of a picture book). Vere was the World Book Day illustrator for 2009.

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Saturday, September 12, 2015

Beautiful Star of Bethlehem (Adult)

* If you read my blog a lot than you know I don't usually do adult books but this was a special request from my mom, and it is a Christmas book (and you just thought I was only a sucker for AI books) and it was clean so what the heck.

This is not your typical warm fuzzy all the way through Christmas book.  This book will run through the whole gambit of your emotions at one time or another during the span of this book.  Even though there are sad and disturbing part in this book that might make you mad there are also many warm loving and funny parts the make this book the beautiful gift to us the reader I believe it was meant to be.  It is a awesome and powerful read the kind that will want you to slow down and appreciate what you have and tell the people you love that as well.  Take the time now to give this book a try especially if you have never tried  Traci Copeland before this is a good quick read from her to get you started.

5 Stars

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Dagger (The D.U.S.T. Ops:Mission Book1) YA


When Ultimate Evil engulfs the entire world, only Dagger can pierce the Darkness—even if the Apocalypse falls on a school night!

Dagger Beaumont is a High School senior who’s been recruited by D.U.S.T.—a covert governmental organization dedicated to battling supernatural terrorism all over the globe.

However, Dagger’s unresolved conflict over his missing brother could be his undoing, as he races around the world battling the Dark Reich, a diabolical organization on a quest to possess an ancient artifact and unleash a mystical plague to enslave humanity. If that weren't treacherous enough, Dagger must juggle his life as a secret agent with his social life, where he faces romantic rivalry for the guy of his dreams, a mysterious and handsome new student at his haunted boarding school.

But in a high-stakes world where nothing is as it seems, and death lurks in every shadow, love rides shotgun with survival!
 
This is a wonderful new series by Steven Dos Santos, you might remember him from his other award winning young adult dystopian series, The Torch Keeper, in which he is working on finalizing the third book now.  Like that series this new series, The D.U.S.T. Ops, also shows great diversity that our young adult departments desperately need more of.  Dagger is classified as a young adult paranormal espionage adventure, I was very curious to see how all of that was going to fit together, but it sure did and is so action packed you will have trouble finding time to breath.  Dagger and his friends are typical high school seniors, for the most part , and they have the same family issues, school issues, love issues, and ghost issues (?) as the rest of us.  There is some romance but the spying and suspense will also keep you reading well past you bed time.  Another awesome read from Steven Dos Santos and yes #WeNeedDiverseBooks!
 
5 Stars