Thursday, August 31, 2017

Book Review: Pretend You're Safe by Alexandra Ivy

Pretend You're Safe
Title: Pretend You're Safe

Author: Alexandra Ivy

Stars: 5 out of 5

Review:
From start to finish readers will not be able to put this book down until they know who is leaving the lockets. 
Never Judge an author by one book they wrote or you will be disappointed. I have read ARES Security Series written by Alexander Ivy I found disappointing because I felt the story lacked meat to the characters. 
Pretend You're Safe I couldn't put down from first to last page. The characters will pull readers in keeping them interested to see what will happen next.
The story is in a way second chance romance but it only helps the enhance the characters and help tell the story which will keep readers on their seat I promise.
The author really takes time for readers to get in the mind of the killer even with the rush of the ending.  The story is wrapped up in a nice little bow but readers will know that Jaci still has things to work though and Rylan won't let her go. The relationship doesn't feel forced but perfect blend and balance though out the story.
This story has me wanting to read more by Alexander Ivy. Lesson learned just because you don't like one authors series doesn't mean you won't fall head over heels in love with another one of her books.
I can't wait to read more by Alexandra Ivy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers Kensington Books. s


Synopsis:
HE KNOWS YOU
Jaci Patterson was sixteen when she found the first golden locket on her porch. Inside were a few strands of hair wrapped around a scrap of bloodstained ribbon. Though the “gifts” kept arriving, no one believed her hunch that a serial killer was at work. Now Jaci has returned home . . . and the nightmare is starting once more.

AND HE’LL NEVER LET YOU GO
Back then, Rylan Cooper was an arrogant deputy sheriff convinced that Jaci was just an attention—seeking teen. It was a fatal mistake. There’s a murderer in their midst, someone determined to settle old scores and keep playing a twisted game. And it won’t end until Jaci is his forever . 



Kindle Edition352 pages
Expected publication: August 29th 2017 by Zebra

About The Author:
Alexandra Ivy
I'm not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother's knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on. 

Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Book Review The Yoga-CBT Workbook for Anxiety: Total Relief for Mind and Body By Julie Greiner-Ferris and Manjit Khalsa

Manjit Khalsa


The Yoga-CBT Workbook for Anxiety: Total Relief for Mind and Body
Title: The Yoga-CBT Workbook for Anxiety: Total Relief for Mind and Body

Author(s) Julie Greiner-Ferris and Manjit Khalsa

Stars: 5 out of 5

Review:
As someone who suffers from Anxiety and many who of you will understand that it can take a toll not only one you mind but on your body. I found I would have chest pains shooting painful chest pains that sent me to the hospital at the age of 30 thinking I was having a heart attack only to find out nothing was wrong.  Many times have attack I find I am so exhausted I can sleep for days with little to no energy.  I found help in medication but it doesn't cure it.  It does help control my body and mind.
In the last three years I have been seeking out new ways to find help for my anxiety when I find medication can't control it.  
For those who have the patience of a toddler this book will help coming under 200 pages. It starts off with warm ups that work on a persons posture. As you more forward readers will work on exercise Self Compassion which many of is need we just don't want to admit it. The areas are clearly marked tell you steps 1-7 or more on how to control your body and mind.

This is a 6 week program which I hope will help me better control as well as teach my children how to better control the anxiety we each feel.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy

Synopsis:
Millions of people suffer from anxiety—it can keep you trapped in the “worry cycle.” When you’re under stress, your thoughts are racing, and you find yourself repeating the same anxious patterns over and over again, it has a negative impact on your relationships, health, and overall well-being. So, how do you get past your anxiety to increase peace and relaxation in your life? Yoga-cognitive behavioral therapy (Y-CBT) can help.

This book offers the first research-based model to combine the benefits of traditional psychological practice with the therapeutic benefits of Kundalini yoga—often referred to as the yoga of awareness. This combination will enable you to effectively address both problematic thought patterns and the physiologic outcomes of emotional distress simultaneously.

With the proven-effective techniques provided in The Yoga-CBT Workbook for Anxiety, you’ll find peace for your anxious mind and a state of relaxation for your body. More than just being able to manage your anxiety and stress, you’ll be ready to transform your whole life for the better.

Yoga for Seniors includes free downloadable guided audio practices and printable PDFs. Instructions for downloading these extra features can be found on page 229 of the book.


Paperback176 pages
Expected publication: September 1st 2017 by New Harbinger Publications

About The Author(s)
Manjit Khalsa
Manjit Kaur Khalsa

Julie Greiner-Ferris
Juile Greiner-Ferris 

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Book Review Take to the Limit (An Unbroken Heroes #4) By Dawn Ryder

Take to the Limit (Unbroken Heroes #4)
Title: Take To The Limit

Author: Dawn Ryder

Stars: 4 out of 5

Review:
I have read a few of the the books in this series and each one can be read as a stand alone novel.  Take to the Limit is book 4 of the Unbroken Hero series where readers are introduced to Shadow Ops task force.  I found it interesting that author are able to take a series which as a reader would think you need to start at book one to understand what is going on in book 4. Readers do not worry. Each of her stories are all individual stories with tie into what happened in the previous books without slowing down the main story.
Dawn Ryder is one of those rear authors who are able to create stand alone novels where readers can start at any story 1 or 4 and still know what is going on and what has happened without getting lost in the current Novel.
The story is a fast pace romance with suspense that is predictable. However the author as the ability to bring reader in hooking them with feisty dialogue, strong will female leads who gives all well as they get. The characters grow, change and develop from the beginning to the end of the story.
Dawn Ryder knows how to tease readers with romance and than give them the spice they expect from her writing. 
Thank you to Publisher for the advance copy I received from netgalley. I can't wait to read the next in this feisty female lead series.

Synopsis: 
A hardened military machine, Bram Magnus is a tough, combat-ready, all-American hero who never surrenders. But the one thing he can't fight? His smoldering, intense attraction to his girlfriend's younger sister. He's always kept his feelings locked deeply down. But when his girlfriend betrays him the night before he ships off to Afghanistan, Bram has one chance to show the woman he's resisted for years that he wants her as fiercely as the first day he saw her.

Ever since her older sister first brought home the soldier with steely hard muscles and piercing eyes, Jaelyn has wanted Bram, and when her sister casts him aside the night before he leaves, Jaelyn can't resist one steamy hot kiss with him. But danger is not far behind, and even as a deadly enemy hunts them, their relationship only grows more explosive. It's all Bram can do to keep Jaelyn safe, but with a threat this powerful, will they pay the ultimate price for their passion?

Paperback
Expected publication: August 29th 2017 by St. Martin's Press

About The Author:
Dawn Ryder
Dawn Ryder has not been abducted by gypsies. She stepped through a time tunnel and has been busy writing about Scots in kilts and English Knights for Kensington’s Brava line. but she will return, very soon to her special operations guys and the other characters that are demanding their turn to tell their story. please check back for updates and click on over to MaryWine.com to discover what she’s got releasing

Monday, August 28, 2017

Book Review Hard Justice (Alpha Security #3) by April Hunt

Hard Justice (Alpha Security, #3)
Title: Hard Justice (Alpha Security #3)

Author: April Hunt

Stars: 4 out of 5

Review:
Lets face it who doesn't love sexual tension in books, TV and movies? I Whats better is when you add a feisty female who can physically take care of herself but emotionally is a wreak around the one man who can push her buttons and she pushes right back.
Hard Justice follows the characters of the Alpha Security series with hot sex scenes and great sexual tension that will keep romance readers hooked.  Just like the other two books it can be read as a stand alone novel but will make more since if read as a series.  The action is over the top which mean suspend you beliefs but if you read the other two you already know that.
The banter between Charlie and Vince is fun fast pace and will keep reader wanting more.  Even after the couple figures out what they need you still are reward with a feisty Charlie who doesn't back down from a fight which she will win.  Charlie has flaws she demands trust but gives non which comes from her childhood which readers will quickly learn.  
There is a few surprising twist readers may or may not see coming but the suspense alone will keep readers on the edge of their seats devouring ever last work April Hunt writes on the page leaving reading wanting more.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advance copy.and Central Publishing)

Synopsis:
As the first female operative at Alpha Security, Charlotte "Charlie" Sparks has her work cut out for her. Sure, she can wrestle a man to the ground and hit a target at 200 yards with the best of them. But sometimes, being surrounded by all that testosterone can drive a woman to distraction-especially when that distraction is six-and-a-half feet of cocky, confident, Alpha-trained muscle.

Ex-SEAL commander Vince Franklin has been on some of the most dangerous missions in the world. But pretending to be Charlie's fiancé on their latest assignment in Miami is his toughest challenge yet. Vince and Charlie are like oil and water; they just don't mix. And when their fake romance generates some all-too-real heat, Vince learns that Charlie is more than just arm candy. She's the real deal-and she's ready for some serious action.
 


Kindle Edition
Expected publication: August 29th 2017 by Forever

About The Author:
April Hunt
April blames her chocolate addiction on being born near the country chocolate capital in Hershey, Pennsylvania. When April's not busy raising her husband and two young children (yes, that's worded correctly), she can be found writing about her next brooding alpha hero and the woman he never knew he needed, but now can't live without

HEATED PURSUIT is her debut release with Grand Central Publishing. Alpha Up and meet the heroes of Alpha Security...you'll be SO GLAD that you did.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Book Review: After She's Gone (DI Matthew Adams #1) by Sheryl Browne Choc Lit

After She's Gone (DI Matthew Adams, #1)
Title: After She's Gone (DI Matthew Adams #1)

Author:  Sheryl Browne

Stars: 4 out of 5

Review:
After She's Gone will pull at readers heart strings how does one more on after the loss of a child knowing you could have prevented it? 
Sheryl Browne paints a very raw man who feels as if he lost everything and can only find peace inside of a bottle.  The story is very much a police procedural story but it also has heart and soul as Matthew and Becky struggle to find their peace after the death of their daughter. 
Matthew throws himself into finding the killer his nemesis Patrick Sullivan.  Sherly tries hard to make every character come to life and she does it so well that Patrick Sullivan is a broken man who take his angry out on Matthew Adams instead of the real reason he turned himself into a vile and evil man.
Each characters will pull at the readers heart strings as the face pace thriller takes you to edge and brings the readers back finding peace.  
After She's Gone is a intense face paced cat and mouse game that will have readers wondering if the cat will eat the mouse in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Choc Lit for the chance to review Sheryl Browne

Synopsis:
There’s evil and then there’s Patrick Sullivan. A drug dealer, pimp and murderer, there are no depths to which Patrick would not sink, and Detective Inspector Matthew Adams has found this out in the most devastating way imaginable.
When Patrick’s brother is shot dead in a drug bust gone wrong, the bitter battle between the two men intensifies, and Matthew finds it increasingly difficult to hold the moral high ground. All he wants is to make the pimping scum suffer the way he did … the way Lily did.

But being at war with such a depraved individual means that it’s not just Matthew who’s in danger. Patrick has taken a lot from Matthew, but he hasn’t taken everything – and now he wants everything.


ebook
Published February 2017

About The Author: 
Sheryl Browne
Hi, I’m Sheryl Browne bringing you edgy, sexy contemporary fiction and psychological thriller. A member of the Crime Writers’ Association and the Romantic Novelists’ Association, I have several books published and two short stories in Birmingham City University anthologies, where I completed my MA in Creative Writing. Recommended to the publisher by the WH Smith Travel fiction buyer, my books come to you from multi-award winning Choc Lit.
I live in Worcestershire with my husband, son and a variety of disabled dogs. According to readers of my thrillers, I also apparently make an excellent psychopath.

After She's Gone – He's killed your child and kidnapped your wife. What would YOU do?
Sins of the Father - What if you’d been accused of one of the worst crimes imaginable?
The Rest of My Life - “You can’t run away from commitment forever … “ Two damaged hearts, a sizzling sexual connection. Can love find a way to bring Adam and Sienna together?
Learning to Love – Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely places …
Somebody to Love – Sigh with contentment, scream with frustration. At times you will weep.
Warrant for Love - Blackmail, lies, adultery, heartache. Three love stories wrapped up in one sexiliciously hilarious package.
A Little Bit of Madness – White Knight in Blue rescues The Harbour Rest Home.
The Edge of Sanity - How far would YOU go to protect your family?

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Book Review Dead Cold (Emily Stone) By Jennifer Chase

Dead Cold (An Emily Stone Thriller)

Title: Dead Cold (Emily Stone)

Author: Jennifer Chase

Stars: 5 out of 5

Review:
This the first I have read by Jennifer Chase and while I was told it is a stand alone I felt lost when certain  characters are introduced but not enough information given causing this reader to get lost. 

Dead Cold is a non stop action thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seat that doesn't take prisoners.  The story starts off with a kidnapper rescues that readers can only question how the heck did they make it out alive.
From there the story only keeps on going with the same speed while Emily and the Detective Danny Star hunt for a serial killer that gets into the minds of everyone twisting their ability to think clearly.
The author is able to create a timeline for readers by using date and time headings instead of chapters. Which readers will need as they dive into Emily's life and work.
The characters have dept that will be able to connect with them right away. Everyone is beautiful and handsome but I have found that seems to be the norm in books today.

Than you to Netgalley and the publisher JEC Press  for the review copy and I can't wait to read more by this author.

Synopsis:
What happens when one California community has a disturbing spike in homicides? It catapults cops into a deadly game of murder. Frozen human body parts hideously displayed at the crime scenes offers a horrifying interpretation that only a sadistic serial killer could design—and execute. 

On the hunt for a complex serial killer, vigilante detective Emily Stone must face her most daring case yet. Stone’s proven top-notch profiling skills and forensic expertise may not be enough this time. 

Young and ambitious, Detective Danny Starr, catches the homicide cases and discovers that it will test everything he knows about police work and the criminal mind. Can he handle these escalating cases or will the police department have to call in reinforcements—the FBI. 

Emily Stone’s covert team pushes with extreme urgency to unravel the grisly clues, while keeping their identities hidden from the police. With one last-ditch effort, Stone dangles someone she loves as bait to draw out the killer. She then forces the killer out of their comfort zone with her partner Rick Lopez, and with help from a longtime friend Jordan Smith. A revelation of the serial killer’s identity leaves the team with volatile emotions that could destroy them. 

The killer continues to taunt and expertly manipulate the police, as well as Stone’s team, and as they run out of time—they leave behind everyone and everything—in Dead Cold. 



Kindle Edition326 pages
Published July 2nd 2017 by JEC Press

About The Author:
Jennifer Chase
Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning author and consulting criminologist. She has authored eight crime fiction novels, including the multiple award-winning Emily Stone thriller series along with a screenwriting workbook.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor degree in police forensics and a Master's degree in criminology. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent sociopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells. In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Book Review Project Pandora (Assassin Fall #1) by Aden Polydoros

Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros
Title: Project Pandora (Assassin Fall #1)

Author: Aden Polydoros

Stars: 4 out of 5

Review:
Project Pandora is one heck of a mix of suspense, mystery, throw in romance as well as action and violence though the entire book. Just a heads up this is just the beginning and trust me when you finish you will be wanting more from this author and series. 
This story is a little to dark for teen but safe for more of the young adults. This story has a lot of Greek mythology which I couldn't help but eat up. The story ended and all I could think is how much longer to I have to wait for the next in the series.
The author has a wonderful ability to blend action and character development into a story that races alone at the speed of light. 
Great start to a series I plan to read.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy.

Synopsis:

Tyler Bennett trusts no one. Just another foster kid bounced from home to home, he’s learned that lesson the hard way. Cue world’s tiniest violin. But when strange things start happening—waking up with bloody knuckles and no memory of the night before or the burner phone he can’t let out of his sight— Tyler starts to wonder if he can even trust himself.

Even stranger, the girl he’s falling for has a burner phone just like his. Finding out what’s really happening only leads to more questions…questions that could get them both killed. It’s not like someone’s kidnapping teens lost in the system and brainwashing them to be assassins or anything, right? And what happens to rogue assets who defy control?

In a race against the clock, they’ll have to uncover the truth behind Project Pandora and take it down—before they’re reactivated. Good thing the program spent millions training them to kick ass.


Paperback300 pages
Expected publication: August 1st 2017 by Entangled: Teen


About The Author:

Aden Polydoros
Aden Polydoros grew up in Long Grove, Illinois, and now lives in Arizona. He is a writer of young adult fiction. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys reading and going on hikes in the mountains. Aden Polydoros is a 2015 Gold Medalist in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards and has published two short stories in Best Arizona Teen Writing of 2015. PROJECT PANDORA (Entangled, 2017) is his debut novel.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Book Review: Disavowed (NYPD Blue & Gold #3) by Tee O'Fallon

Disavowed by Tee O'Fallon

Title: Disavowed (NYPD Blue & Gold #3)

Author: Tee O'Fallon

Stars: 3 out of 5

Review:

This Story Can Be Read As A Stand Alone Novel
There is a lot to like about this book and there is a lot to dislike. I really wanted to give 4 stars but there was so much inner monologue it became easy to just ignore or move past quickly. Most of the inner monologue didn't enhance the story to really add more to the characters that Tee O'Fallon created.
Daisy can be annoying for her pining for a man she hates but loves. Dom lost this true love several years before and his past is keeping him from moving forward the same second chance love story I have read many times over.
While the characters are well developed and the author kept true to the characters she created they were annoying at the best of time.
The action/suspense is what saves this book. She is able to bring action back scenes that will keep readers wanting more but the romance readers will move over quickly finding this read fast and empty.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy


Synopsis:

NYPD Detective Dom Carew can’t forget the violent way his lover was killed in Afghanistan fifteen years ago. The pain and trauma of her death still haunt him, and since then he hasn’t let a woman under his skin. Until one incredible, hot and steamy night with stunning and sassy Daisy Fowler.

Sexy, gorgeous, and hunky doesn’t begin to describe Dom Carew, but Daisy’s been burned by Dom before. A year ago, he bolted from her bed in the middle of the night without so much as a gee you were great in the sack, babe. Never laying eyes on his handsome face again is the plan. If only their paths didn’t keep crossing. If only she didn’t still find him irresistible as sin.

Seeing Daisy again sets Dom’s blood on fire, but he’s about to embark on the most dangerous undercover op of his life—infiltrate the Pyramid, an international organization of assassins. Love has no place in his heart or his world, but when the dangers of his job threaten Daisy, he’ll destroy anyone in his path to protect her.



ebook
Expected publication: August 28th 2017 by Entangled Publishing (Select Suspense)

About The Author:

Tee O'Fallon
Tee O’Fallon has been a federal agent for twenty-three years, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. Tee’s job affords her the unique opportunity to work with the heroic and sexy men in law enforcement on a daily basis. For Tee, research is the easy part!

Besides writing, she loves cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and all things canine.

Tee is the author of the NYPD Blue & Gold Series: Burnout, Blood Money, and Disavowed. Visit www.teeofallon.com to sign up for newsletters and keep tabs on Tee’s latest releases, including her next novel, Lock ’N’ Load, the first of her brand-new Federal K-9 romantic suspense series.


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Book Review: Say No More (Gravediggers #3) By Liliana Hart

Say No More (Gravediggers #3)
Title: Say No More (Gravediggers #3)

Author: Liliana Hart 

Stars: 4 1\2 out of 5

Review:
4 1\2 out of 5
If you like Cat and Mouse type of Romantic Suspense stories you need to pick this one up.  IT can be read as a stand lone but trust me you will want to read the first two.

Thank you to Liliana Hart for switching up how this story was started completely different from the other two which makes a reader excited to see that a writing isn't using the same format for every single book in a series.
Each book in the gravediggers series is different book one was the beginning with lots of introductions but kept close to the two main characters which readers will fall in love with. Book two I found it to be a little confusing and felt it as if the writer wrote scene and threw them together in hopes the story would make since.
Say No More is very much in the traditional of romantic suspense with action, romance, (Sexy Sex scenes) not to mention for the romantic in women this story will tug at your heart strings the more you read until the very end. 
The story has twist that readers will see coming but it isn't about the twist its about the story of two that readers will fall in love with more than Dacon and Tess in book one which was my favorite until I met Dante and Eva.
One note there were times when once again it felt like the scene was written and just thrown in the book and didn't quite make since to me. That is why the book isn't a 5 stars.
I honestly think this is the best in all of Liliana Hart series I have read and I can't to read more in the Gravedigger Series.


Thank you to the publisher Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc for sending me a copy to give my honest review.

Synopsis: 

Sometimes the dead do rise…

Dante Malcolm is a man of refined tastes. He was once a part of Britain’s Elite Intelligence Force, but there was a reason he’d never been able to capture Simon Locke, the notorious thief who always seemed to be one step ahead. That’s because Dante and Simon were one and the same, until Dante’s double life eventually caught up with him and now he belongs to the Gravediggers.

Eva Rothschild is a Detective Inspector with Interpol and is the one responsible for catching MI-6’s most notorious agent in his final heist—except the heist killed him. But something has never felt right about his death, and it’s haunted her for months. It was too easy, and Dante Malcolm was too smart to go down that way.

Dante might belong to the Gravediggers in body, but his heart and soul will always belong to the next job. The rest of the team doesn’t know about his alter ego because he made sure the information went missing from his file. So when the job he’s always waited for seems like a possibility, he sneaks out of the country like a thief in the night, only to run into the only woman who’s ever been able to match him in wit—and passion—for the job. Except they’re standing on opposite sides of the law—and only one of them can walk away with the prize.
 


Kindle Edition384 pages
Published July 25th 2017 by Pocket Books (first published July 24th 2017)

About The Author:
Liliana Hart
Liliana Hart spent five years teaching music in the public education system. She molded America’s youth, busted kids for smoking pot in the restrooms, and broke up illicit affairs behind the stage on a regular basis. (Liliana’s Addison Holmes Mystery Series, about a small town teacher who gets into a whole lot of trouble, is somewhat autobiographical, but she won’t confess to which parts).

Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex. 

Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America. 

Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.

Enjoy the Adventures!





https://www.amazon.com/Say-No-More-Gravediggers-Book-ebook/dp/B01M5IJN1M/ref=pd_sim_351_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C473AABQT27FXR5PSEX1

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Book Review: The Coldest Fear (Shades Of Death 3) by Debra Webb

The Coldest Fear (Shades of Death #3)
Title: The Coldest Fear (Shades Of Death 3)

Author: Debra Webb

Stars: 4 out of 5

Review:
This is the first in the series I have read and the second I finished it I picked up the first two. The story works well as a stand alone novel but the first few chapters readers will feel they are missing out on something special.

Debra Webb as a wonderful ability to create a web of strong characters that stay true from beginning of the  to the end of the novel.  The Killers are evil to the point of creepy and I am not sure I want to let my kids out of my site.  The story creates a great blend of mystery that keeps readers on the edge of their seats while giving them romance to keep hope that good will win.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy and my opinion. 

Synopsis:
A killer with nothing left to lose.  Afraid or not, Detective Bobbie Gentry has a monster to confront. The pain of losing her family and nearly her life to a criminal's vile hunger is still fresh, but now the landscape is different. Now she's not alone. Now she has Nick Shade to trust. Nick treats the terror of his past with vengeance. He's dedicated his life to hunting serial killers, and he'd give up his last breath to save Bobbie. When a string of killings bloodies Savannah's elite society and causes cold cases to resurface, Bobbie is captured in a city more haunted than Nick's inescapable nightmares. And as the murderer strikes close, Nick and Bobbie will need to become even closer if they're going to survive.


Kindle Edition352 pages
Expected publication: August 29th 2017 by MIRA

About The Author: 
Debra Webb
DEBRA WEBB is the USA Today bestselling author of more than 140 novels, including reader favorites the Shades of Death, the Faces of Evil and the Colby Agency series. She is the recipient of the prestigious Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense as well as numerous Reviewers Choice Awards. In 2012 Debra was honored as the first recipient of the esteemed L. A. Banks Warrior Woman Award for her courage, strength, and grace in the face of adversity. Recently Debra was awarded the distinguished Centennial Award for having achieved publication of her 100th novel. 

With more than four million books in print in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood when her mother bought her an old typewriter in a tag sale. Born in Alabama, Debra grew up on a farm. She spent every available hour exploring the world around her and creating her stories. She wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the Commanding General of the US Army in Berlin behind the Iron Curtain and a five-year stint in NASA’s Shuttle Program that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has expanded her work into some of the darkest places the human psyche dares to go. Visit Debra at www.debrawebb.com or write to her at PO Box 10047, Huntsville, AL, 35801.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Book Review Shades of Gray by Vicki Hinze

Shades of Gray by Vicki Hinze
Title: Shades of Gray

Author: Vicki Hinze

Stars: 3 1\2 stars out of 5

Review:
This is the first book I have read by Vicki Hinze.  I found the first few chapters of the book was a little bit difficult because she was setting up the characters and developing them but it made the story move along at a snails pace which could turn off readers. I would say if you don't understand military terms you will want to keep your computer close by to type in the acronyms because Vicki Hinze uses them all the time which again can be confusing for readers.
The story starts to build after readers are introduced to characters and it picks up speed with twist and turns as well as a better understand what are gray areas in life and the military.  if you love mysteries you will find it predictable but she does throw in a few parts to keep you reading and wondering.
Thank you to Netgalley for the  copy.  

Synopsis:
Vicki Hinze, wife of a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, writes authentically about the American military in this first novel of a series intended to honor the men, women, and their families who make untold sacrifices in the service of their country. Laura Taylor will go to any lengths to help her longtime friend Jake Logan and his son Timmy, whom she adores. She'll even marry Jake in order to prevent his crazy, alcoholic ex-wife from gaining custody of Timmy. Because Jake's work as a Special Operations major is so dangerous that it's unlikely he'll survive, he and Laura agree never to fall in love. Then Jake is sent on a covert mission to stop a terrorist group from poisoning a city's water supply with biological weapons, and he uncovers evidence that forces him to suspect Laura of treason.

Paperback244 pages
Published June 21st 2012 by Bell Bridge Books (first published 1998)

About The Author:
Vicki Hinze
Vicki is the award-winning author of 30 novels, 4 nonfiction books and hundreds of articles. She's recognized as an author and as an educator by Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.

Vicki mentors writers through her Writers' Zone program and has for well over a decade.

Currently she's writing faith-affirming thrillers and inspirational romantic suspense. Her latest releases are SURVIVE THE NIGHT, Book #1 in her Lost, Inc. series, and NOT THIS TIME, Book #3 in her Crossroads Crisis Center series. Books 2 and 3 in Lost, Inc. will be released next.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Book Review: Jack of Hearts By Christopher Greyson

Jack of Hearts by Christopher Greyson
Title: Jack of Hearts 

Author: Christopher Greyson

Stars: 4 stars out of 5

Review:
An enjoyable light mystery novel that could easily be read in an afternoon. The characters were realistic and the storyline moved along without any hesitation. This is the first time I have read a Jack Stratton novel and after reading the brief descriptions of prior novels, at the end, I feel I would have had a better feel for the characters if I had read the entire series. This is not a criticism only an observation for my own benefit as the novel easily had a beginning, middle and ending.

I have rated this book 4 stars.

I obtained an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Synopsis:
Jack Stratton is heading south for some fun in the sun. Already nervous about introducing his girlfriend, Alice, to his parents, the last thing Jack needed was for the dog-sitter to cancel, forcing him to bring Lady, their one-hundred-and-twenty-pound King Shepherd, on the plane with them. The dog holds Jack responsible and wants payback. On top of everything, Jack is still waiting for Alice’s answer to his marriage proposal. 
When his mother and the members of her neighborhood book club ask him to catch the “Orange Blossom Cove Bandit,” a small-time thief who’s stealing garden gnomes and peace of mind from their quiet retirement community, how can Jack refuse? 
The peculiar mystery proves to be more than it appears, and things take a deadly turn. Now, Jack finds it's up to him to stop a crazed killer, save his parents, and win the hand of the girl he loves—but if he survives, will it be Jack who ends up with a broken heart? 



Kindle Edition
Published August 14th 2017 by Greyson Media, LLC

About The Author:
Christopher Greyson
Christopher Greyson is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of mystery, action, and thriller novels. His acclaimed Detective Jack Stratton Series has been read by over a million readers and counting. This action-packed series has a broad appeal, finding favor with mystery, thriller, and romance readers alike. The series includes And Then She Was Gone, Girl Jacked, Jack Knifed, Jacks Are Wild, Jack and the Giant Killer, Data Jack, and Jack of Hearts. Christopher Greyson has also penned the successful epic fantasy Pure of Heart

Greyson's love of mystery and adventure began with his grandfather, a World War I decorated hero. He will never forget being introduced to his grandfather's friend, a WWI pilot who flew across the skies at the same time as the feared legendary Red Baron. Since he was a little boy, Christopher Greyson dreamt of what mystery was around the next corner, or quest lay over the hill. If he couldn't find an adventure, one usually found him! Now he weaves those tales into his stories. 

Christopher Greyson's educational background is an eclectic mix of degrees in Computer Science, Theatre and Communications. He resides in Massachusetts with his lovely wife, Katherine Greyson, author of the bestselling romance-mystery series Everyone Keeps Secrets and their two wonderful children, Laura and Christopher. 

Please visit ChristopherGreyson.com, where you can message Christopher Greyson. He enjoys hearing from his readers. Sign up for his newsletter, join in the Detective Jack Stratton discussion on the blog, enter the giveaways and win prizes like a HD Kindle Fire Tablet! Follow Detective Jack Stratton on Twitter @chris_greyson 

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Book Review: A Minor Fall by Price Ainsworth

A Minor Fall
Title: A Minor Fall

Author: Price Ainsworth

Stars: 4.25 stars out of 5

Review:
A story that encompasses love, deception, guilt, despair, and tragic loss. When you read this story your feelings with run the gamut from distain to despair. But the ending will leave you hoping for a brighter future for the two primary characters in this life changing drama. 

I enjoyed this book and have rated it 4.25 stars. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a story that will take you through a wide range of emotions.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Synopsis:
The Minor Fall is a modern interpretation of an Old Testament saga. Davy Jessie is a young, personal injury trial lawyer working as an associate in a top-drawer law firm in Houston, Texas in 2005. In addition to trying difficult (sometimes impossible to win) cases assigned to him by the firm, Davy also assists Tim Sullivan (one of the named partners in the firm) in prosecuting more serious cases. Sullivan is a flamboyant, fashionable, facile at formulating a memorable turn of phrase, philandering litigator with a long history of trial victories and the material rewards that a contingency fee practice can yield. Davy is enamored with Sullivan and attempts to emulate Sullivan’s professional (and personal) behavior.

After Davy wins one of the cases he was not expected to win, Sullivan designates Davy to lead the firm’s efforts in representing a group of landowners in eastern Kentucky whose properties have been contaminated by oil field production. Beth Sheehan, a contract lawyer hired by the firm to help with discovery on the case, travels to Kentucky with Davy where they have a brief affair, Davy returns to find that his wife Michelle is pregnant. The fallout from the affair and the stress of preparing the case send Davy spiraling into depression and emotional paralysis. Along the way down to his moral crisis, Davy contemplates existential questions about the nature of law, the importance of literature, the existence of God, and what (if anything other than single malt Scotch or cold chardonnay) gives meaning to life as he considers losing his wife, leaving the law firm, and abandoning the practice of law.


Hardcover320 pages
Published April 18th 2017 by SelectBooks

About The Author:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15558561.Price_Ainsworth
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Price+Ainsworth&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Price+Ainsworth&sort=relevancerank

Friday, August 18, 2017

Book Review Avenging the People by J.M. Opal

Avenging the People: Andrew Jackson, the Rule of Law, and the American Nation
Title: Avenging the People

Author:  J.M. Opal

Stars: 2 out of 5

Review:
This has been a very hard review for me to write as I find myself liking some parts of the overall material presented but filled with disgust with the end conclusion. I expected to have more information about President Jackson but was left with nothing at the end. The author did forewarn the reader early on that this was a revision work for which I was grateful. Approximately 34% of the book was a source listing for the author's references. If the author had written this book during the President's life I have no doubt he would have been challenged to a duel for insulting his honor.

I have rated this book 2 stars and would not recommend it to anyone else.

I obtained an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Synopsis:
Andrew Jackson towered over American life during the second quarter of the nineteenth century, so much so that the period has been dubbed the Jacksonian era. With the passionate support of most voters and their families, he broke through the protocols of the Founding generation, defying constitutional and international norms in the name of the "sovereign people." And yet Jackson's career was no less about limiting that sovereignty, imposing one kind of law over Americans so that they could inflict his sort of "justice" on non-Americans. 
Jackson made his name along the Carolina and Tennessee frontiers by representing merchants and creditors and serving governors and judges. At times that meant ejecting white squatters from native lands and returning blacks slaves to native planters. Jackson performed such duties in the name of federal authority and the "law of nations." Yet he also survived an undeclared war with Cherokee and Creek fighters between 1792 and 1794, raging at the Washington administration's failure to "avenge the blood" of white colonists who sometimes leaned towards the Spanish Empire rather than the United States. Even under the friendlier presidency of Thomas Jefferson, Jackson chafed at the terms of national loyalty. During the long war in the south and west from 1811 to 1818 he repeatedly brushed aside state and federal restraints on organized violence, citing his deeper obligations to the people's safety within a terrifying world of hostile empires, lurking warriors, and rebellious slaves. By 1819 white Americans knew him as their "great avenger." 
Drawing from recent literatures on Jackson and the early republic and also from new archival sources, Avenging the Peopleportrays him as a peculiar kind of nationalist for a particular form of nation, a grim and principled man whose grim principles made Americans fearsome in some respects and helpless in others. 


Hardcover336 pages
Published June 1st 2017 by Oxford University Press, USA

About The Author: 
J.M. Opal is Associate Professor of History at McGill University. He is the author of Beyond the Farm: National Ambitions in Rural New England and the editor of Common Sense and Other Writings by Thomas Paine.

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