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Devil Music

11/30/2014

1 Comment

 
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About the Book:
Cain Pseudomantis leads a miserable life. Bound to the mortal world by a powerful spell no demon could hope to break, he must obey his human master’s every command or face harsh punishment. He finds solace in the rock music which he listens to when he isn't running unsavory errands for his master. Then everything changes. While on a mission in a seedy section of 1980s Los Angeles, Cain impulsively buys an electric guitar and discovers an unusual talent for music, a talent that catapults him to hair metal stardom. With three superpowered human band mates and his beautiful girlfriend Michelle by his side, his life starts to look a lot better. But Cain soon finds that even rock stars have troubles. The crusading televangelist Nathaniel Breen—who happens to be Michelle’s father—accuses him of turning the city’s youth to Satan worship. Meanwhile a mysterious killer known only as the Engineer terrorizes the Los Angeles rock scene with a series of brutal murders. When Cain and his friends attempt to unmask the killer, they discover a deadly secret that could cost Cain his hard-won freedom, and possibly his life.






Review: 
Cain is a demon on Earth, bound to serve a powerful Warlock Mr. Warwick.  Cain is often abused by Warwick and his older son, Lance.  Warwick sends Cain on an errand to Los Angeles to bring back a girl that Lance thinks he has fallen in love with.  Cain has a difficult time in L.A., and falls on using his skills to kill rats for people, until a woman tells him to go buy a guitar.  Cain lands himself in a Metal band with some strange characters. The rest of his band mates have all been taken by a strange man called The Engineer, they were experimented on and given different powers.  Cain also finds the girl he was sent to get, Michelle; only Michelle is now Cain's girlfriend and Michelle's father, Breen believes Cain's band turns people to Satan worship.  Instead, Cain and the band would rather take down the Engineer.  


This book had a very unique premise that got me interested and made me want to figure out what the heck was going on. It did take me a little while in the beginning to overcome the initial confusion with everyone's relationships and abilities. The explanations of demons, warlocks and magic usage come later and are leaked throughout the book.  I also wanted to know why everyone thought a demon roaming around was so normal, but I guess for the music scene  of Los Angeles in 1982 with plenty of drugs going around, some of this was normal.    For a demon on Earth, Cain is not what I expected.  He is a slave and tormented by his master and older son, but still can use magic of his own. Cain's personality is also affected since Warwick can delete his memories.  It was interesting to me to find out about Cain's past and see the world through a demon's eyes as well as how the use of magic was built into the story.  The driving factor of the story for me was the Engineer and how he was tied to Cain's band mates; however, at over 500 pages the story had a lot of rock-band shenanigans and took a while to get around to around to finding the Engineer.


This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.  

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About the Author: 
 Carly Orosz lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her husband. She graduated from Kalamazoo College and went on to earn an MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College. Her poetry has been published in Wavelength Journal and SpoutMagazine. In her spare time she enjoys cooking, weaving on a hand loom, and studying the art and cultures of pre-Columbian Mexico.


Connect with Carly on her website, Facebook, Twitter,or GoodReads..

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Transformed

11/25/2014

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About the Book: 
Transformed by E.V. Fairfall 
Publication date: January 1st 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Thea, all-mighty Mother Earth, only had one rule to follow above all else, one promise to keep to her brother: never take a human form. She would’ve kept that promise if it weren’t for Brice. He’s handsome and confident, but above all he’s merciless.

He’s also a hunter who has tormented Thea for years. She believes if she could teach Brice compassion, she might finally be able to save her creations and herself from his savage ways. Then she meets Chamber: another hunter.

She soon finds herself fascinated by−and torn between−the two boys: Brice and Chamber. Lost within a torrent of human emotions, Thea starts to lose who she is as she falls in love with the one thing that she’s always hated: a hunter… a human.

Goodreads


Review:
Many, many years ago two beings of light crash landed on the Earth, destroying everything.  The Earth gave them a new form and they set to work re-creating everything that had been destroyed.  After millions of years, the humans they created know them as God and Mother Earth.  Mother Earth roams the world as an animal form, often being hunted and killed only to reappear in another part of the world that needs her help.  After re-incarnating for several hundred years on the Willipord property, she decides that she must do something drastic to change their ways of over-hunting.  Her brother, God, has forbid her from taking human form, but she decides to do just this.  If she can make a WIillipord boy fall in love with her as a human and then shoot her as an animal, maybe they will change their ways.  

I loved the premise of this book, Mother Earth taking a human form, named Thea, in order to change human's relationship with nature.  I also liked that Thea did not know much of being human or human emotions.  It was very different getting to read about someone experiencing jealously, shame, and love for the first time.  Also, Thea's brother, God was painted in a very different light.  At the mention of God, I thought this book might have some overly religious tones and themes. However, this God is secretive and deceitful, especially with Thea.  For me, this secret was where the book picked up.  The plot moved a little slowly in the middle as Thea vied for the attention of the Willipord boy, Brice, that she originally chose to have fall in love with her and his cousin, Chambers.  Of course there is a love triangle.  Brice is rude and untrustworthy, but Thea decides to stick to her plan of seducing him even though she has had actual feeling for Chambers, who is sweet, helpful and trustworthy.  So, even though it takes a while to get to the drama and make the change that Thea wanted originally, Transformed offered an original plot with some unexpected twists and a big love triangle in the middle.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

Buy the Book: 
on sale for 1.99$ during the tour!
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About the Author: 
I love to write just as much as I love to read. I try to read a book per week, which doesn’t always work out, but it’s the thought that counts. Aside from all that I am a huge animal person.

Transformed is my first novel, but it isn't my first publication; I've had several short stories published over the last two years. My main goal as a writer is to explore humanity and to give people something fun to read.



Author links:
http://fairfall.com/
https://www.facebook.com/e.v.fairfall
https://twitter.com/EV_Fairfall
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7485494.E_V_Fairfall

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Neverland

11/23/2014

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About the Book: 
 Although Angelina McFarland loves reading fairytales, she never dreamed of falling right into one herself. But that’s exactly what happens when she slips on her balcony and a flying Peter Pan catches her mid-fall.

Ending up in Neverland where no one seems to age and laws of nature are out of control, Angel has no idea how to get home. Worse, the ruthless Captain Hook captures her and keeps her trapped on his ship, the Jolly Roger, where she gets caught between the lines of a timeless battle. But the more time Angel spends with the captain, the more she sees beneath his ruthless façade.

As Angel desperately tries to find a way to return to her real life, she discovers a train ticket to London in her pocket. It won’t be any help in getting off the island, but as her memory fades away the longer she stays, this is all she has left to remind her of her former life and why she can’t give up trying.

Or is staying in Neverland forever the better choice after all?

Grab a happy thought and follow Angel on an adventure that will keep you breathless and smiling long after you read the last page…

 Get it From Amazon


Review:
Angelina McFarland lives in an upper-class home in London, England.  Angelina jumped at the chance to take care of her two younger sisters when their nanny moved away as a retreat from proper manners, clean hands and gowns.  The girls love for Angel to read them the story of Peter Pan every night.  One night after putting the girls to bed, Angel falls off of her balcony and straight into Neverland.  She is swept out of the trees by Peter Pan himself and meets the Lost Boys, only to start to become a Lost Girl; her memories of her life in London begin to fade beginning with her name.  Angel desperately wants to get back to her home and her family, so she finds the one and only ship on Neverland, but it is Captained by Jamie Hook.  

A retelling of Peter Pan with many twists.  I loved the premise of Neverland, falling into the world of Peter Pan only to find that things are not as she read in the fairy tale.  The world-building of Neverland itself was exciting, from Peter and the Lost Boys home inside a tree, to fairy homes, mermaids and Captain Hook's ship.  The romance was a little obvious, but still a good twist with plenty of steamy scenes.  The chapters were broken up between Angel's point of view and Hook's, which helped to keep track since they both had a very similar dialect, complete with American curse words and vernacular for a girl from London and a pirate from Neverland.  The book ends on a huge cliffhanger, so I will see where Pan's Revenge leads us.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  



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About the Author: 
Anna Katmore grew up in Vienna. After she graduated from school at the age of 18, she moved to Austria’s country side.

Apart from traveling around the world, her one big passion is writing. She says about herself that she has been a storyteller all her life. Already in kindergarten, she came up with the most exotic fantasies and tales. Her teacher used to call her a liar. Anna calls it the cornerstone of her writing career.

Inspired by authors such as Lisa Jane Smith, Stepheny Meyer, and Becca Fitzpatrick, she started writing her first novel in 2009. Excessive reading and analyzing the structure and characters of her favorite books helped her develop the necessary skills and her very own voice. Because of her love for the language, she writes stories in English first, and when she finds a few weeks to squeeze into her tight writing schedule, she translates them into German later.

Her preferred genres are YA and fantasy romance.

In late 2012, Anna debuted with her novella PLAY WITH ME and later made this the first book of a series called Grover Beach Team. PLAY WITH ME was a finalist in its category for the RONE (Reward Of Novel Excellence) Awards, hosted by the InD’Tale magazine at the Romance Novel Convention 2013 in Las Vegas.

One funny fact: People always told Anna that she can’t make a living with being a writer. So when PLAY WITH ME came out and sold more than 500 units every day during the first four weeks, she was thunderstruck. It took her a few days to realize what was going on.



Anna is married and has a 12-year-old son. She loves her two cats, Lily and Emma, as much as she loves her family, tries to stay fit with ZUMBA dancing twice a week, and usually spends 86% of her day writing. The remaining time is used up for food and inevitable sleep.


If you still want to know more about me, my FAQ page is the right address for you. http://annakatmore.com/faq/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorannakatmore



Twitter: @AnnaKatmore


Read An Excerpt: 
To my right, I find the gold-toothed pirate who announced the captain on board yesterday. He sits shirtless on a barrel, cleaning one of his boots. Spitting onto the tip, he rubs it with a smudgy cloth. Gross. But he’s the perfect member of the crew to tease into mutiny. He seems like someone who the others would listen to. Well, after Hook and Jack Smee.

As inconspicuously as a butterfly, I take a few swaying steps toward him, rock on the balls of my feet a few times and finally sit down on a heap of white linen and fishing nets. “Well, hello there,” I say innocently enough, though I can hear how my voice trembles.

The man gives me a greedy sideways glance, but he doesn’t return my greeting.

“What are you doing?”

“Cleanin’ me boots, lass,” he tells me in a rumbling deep voice and spits again. His saliva is tinted brown from tobacco and I have to take a deep breath in order not to puke.

“Is this all you do the entire day?”

“It’s enough for now.” Apparently he’s done with this boot, because he puts it on and pulls off the other, starting the disgusting procedure anew. I watch, transfixed. “Why are ye so interested in me boots, lass?”

“Hm? Oh, I’m just wondering why you’re spending time here, cleaning them, when you could be out doing, I don’t know, pirate things?”

“Pirate things?” he repeats in an amused tone.

“You know like ransacking other ships…fighting with other pirates. Isn’t this what you’re supposed to do after all?” Yeah, good tactic, Angel, I encourage myself.

“We would. But the Jolly Roger is the only ship out on the sea.” His eyes zero in on a spot of seagull poo on his boot and he gathers some real nasty phlegm from his throat. The sound raises goosebumps on my arms and makes my scalp prickle. He spits slime on the spot then polishes it off with the cloth. “There’s not much to pilfer in these waters.”


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The Vineyard

11/22/2014

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About the Book: 
Ten years after their college days together, three wounded and very different women reunite for a summer on the island of Martha's Vineyard. As the come to grips with the challenges and crises in their lives, their encounter with a reclusive poacher known only as "the fisherman" threatens to change everything they believe about their world--and each other.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | 


Review:

Three college friends reunite on Martha's Vineyard for the summer.  Expecting a care-free summer, the reunion is really anything but.  Dory, who lives on the Vineyard and come from old money.  Bearing the name Delano, Dory defies many of the standards for a woman in her position, including being unmarried at age 32.  Charlotte arrives at the island with an immense amount of grief.  With the ashes of her dead daughter in tow, Charlotte does not plan to visit for long; but has plans of walking out into the ocean and never coming back.  Turner is running from some bad decisions made on her blog, hoping a much older man with her home address won't be able to stalk her.  Each of these women has a life-changing encounter with a mysterious man on the island known only as the fisherman.  Outside the law, the fisherman sells mouth-watering jumbo shrimp out of the back of his truck.  The fisherman also seems to have a sixth sense for knowing certain things about people.  

The Vineyard was a very surprising read for me, not at all what I was expecting.  Each of the women's characters were very in-depth and unique.  First introduced is Charlotte.  I was not very sure that I was going to like her, quite literally drowning in grief at the death of her young daughter and the Church's refusal to bury her unbaptized remains in consecrated ground, Charlotte makes the decision that if her daughter will not be going to heaven, than neither will she.  Charlotte's actions soon after this quickly change my views of her, also the scene of her attempted suicide is very well written and seems honest to the experience.  Dory seems very carefree at first, but after her encounter with the fisherman and a grim diagnosis, things seem to change.  Turner is a very strange character, often making decisions that seem out of place, however, she uses her friends experiences with the fisherman as stories on her blog and that decision brings around more strange events.  The fisherman himself is an enigma, I was wrapped up in solving the mystery around him.  Without giving too much away, this was a unique story with excellent characters that went on unexpected routes.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

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About the Author: 
Michael Hurley and his wife Susan live near Charleston, South Carolina. Born and raised in Baltimore, Michael holds a degree in English fromthe University of Maryland and law from St. Louis University.

The Prodigal, Michael’s debut novel from Ragbagger Press, received the Somerset Prize for mainstream fiction and numerous accolades inthe trade press, including Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, ForeWord Reviews, BookTrib, Chanticleer Reviews, and IndieReader. It is currently in development for a feature film by producer Diane Sillan Isaacs. Michael’s second novel, The Vineyard, is due to be released by Ragbagger Press in December 2014.

Michael’s first book, Letters from the Woods, is a collection of wilderness-themed essays published by Ragbagger Press in 2005. It was shortlisted for Book of the Year by ForeWord magazine. In 2009, Michael embarked on a two-year, 2,200 mile solo sailing voyage that ended with the loss of his 32-foot sloop, the Gypsy Moon, in the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti in 2012. That voyage and theexperiences that inspired him to set sail became the subject of his memoir, Once Upon A Gypsy Moon, published in 2013 by Hachette Book Group.

When he is not writing, Michael enjoys reading and relaxing with Susan on the porch of their rambling, one-hundred-year-old house. His fondest pastimes are ocean sailing, playing piano and classical guitar, cooking, and keeping up with an energetic Irish terrier, Frodo Baggins.

WEBSITE: http://www.mchurley.com/
GOODREADS: 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5445584.Michael_C_Hurley
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mchurleybooks


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The Current

11/19/2014

2 Comments

 
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About the Book: 
Publisher: Yannick Thoraval (September, 2014)
Category: Literary Fiction, Climate Fiction
Tour Date: November, 2014
Available in: ebook, 312 Pages


Peter Van Dooren’s wealth and prestige mean that his family wants for nothing – except a husband and a father.

When the president of a sinking tropical island in the south pacific calls on the world’s most ingenious entrepreneurs to help save his people, Van Dooren reckons his plan can save the island and its people’s way of life.

If it works, Van Dooren’s plan will not only make him richer, it could also change the very idea of nations and borders. After all, changing the world is what Peter really wants to accomplish. 

The thing is, not all of the islanders share Van Dooren’s vision for their homeland. That won’t stop Peter from risking everything to prove that nature can be tamed. Playing God may cost Van Dooren his fortune and his own family.

While Peter plots a world away, his wife, son and daughter sink deeper into their own personal abyss of retail therapy, amateur pornography and Christian fundamentalism.

Everyone is adrift on the same tide of greed, lust and fear. This is the current that shapes the world. It always has; it always will. 

Commended by judges of the prestigious, Victorian Premier's Literary Awards for an Unpublished Manuscript and finalist in the International Showcase Screenwriting Competition, 'The Current' is a novel about the difference between having a house and losing a home. The style of writing is literary (thoughtful but humorous), and will appeal to readers of Jonathan Franzen (particularly Freedom), Ian McEwan (particularly Solar) and Michel Houellebecq (particularly Platform). Stylistically, The Current offers readers a back and forth split storyline and portent of danger comparable to Paul Thomas Anderson's film, Magnolia (1999).

Buy the Book:
Amazon


Review:
Peter Van Dooren identifies as a businessman.  After growing his father's shipping company, he is considered a forerunner in the engineering and business world.  This prestige earns him an invitation from a president of a small island nation, L'Eden Sur Mer.  As sea levels rise, L'Eden Sur Mer is sinking and the residents of the island will soon lose their home, their cultures and their identities.  President Koyl invites Peter to a summit of his peers to come up with ideas to save the island.  Peter gladly accepts the invitation hoping to become the next great engineer of his time; also leaving his home and family behind for months without him.  Meanwhile, Peter's wife Alma finds solace in retail therapy, his daughter Gracie becomes involved in a Christian fundamentalist group and his son Steven grows more addicted to pornography and finds an online job at a sketchy business.

I was drawn to this book because of the environmental aspect of the sinking island, a real issue that is affecting many island nations.  The issues facing L'Eden Sur Mer accurately reflected many Pacific Island nations.  The reactions of the inhabitants of the island also seemed real when facing the loss of their home. Peter's character very interesting, there was a conflict between the good he was doing to save a nation and the damage he was doing to his family by leaving for long periods of time.  I was very intrigued by the idea Peter came up with to save the island, I only wish it was put into action.  However, the focus of the story is on work vs. family and there is certainly an exploration of maintaining that balance.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

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About the Author: 
Yannick Thoraval is a professional communications adviser and university lecturer.

Best known as an essayist, Thoraval has publishing widely for both academic and general audiences. 

He formally studied film, philosophy and American political history, attaining a masters degree from the University of Melbourne before leaving academia to pursue commercial writing interests. He ended up working as a copywriter in marketing and communications.

Thoraval’s fiction has received critical acclaim. His first screenplay, Kleftiko, was a finalist in the International Showcase Screenwriting Awards. Judges of the prestigious Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, Australia, highly commended his first novel, The Current.

The novel draws from Thoraval’s personal and professional experiences of working in the Victorian State Government, particularly his work in international development with the nation of Timor-Leste.

He is a career migrant and has lived in the Netherlands, France, Cyprus, Canada and Australia. Moving internationally from a young age has left him feeling culturally stateless, despite holding three passports.

Thoraval is a quiet advocate for refugees and asylum seekers. He is a founding member of the World Writings Group, which helps refugees write about their experiences of forced migration.

He has pledged to donate 10% of the proceeds of this book to assist the settlement of refugees. 

He currently lives in Melbourne, Australia, where he teaches professional writing and editing.  He is working on his second novel.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/YannickThoraval
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008295216884

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The Luthier's Apprentice

11/17/2014

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The Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani Violinist Detective Series #1 Publication Date: May 15, 2014 Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult Purchase from AmazonPurchase from B&N

The Luthier's Apprentice Cover

Synopsis

Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), one of the greatest violinists who ever lived and rumored to have made a pact with the devil, has somehow transferred unique powers to another… When violinists around the world mysteriously vanish, 16-year-old Emma Braun takes notice. But when her beloved violin teacher disappears… Emma takes charge. With Sherlock Holmes fanatic, not to mention gorgeous Corey Fletcher, Emma discovers a parallel world ruled by an ex-violinist turned evil sorceress who wants to rule the music world on her own terms. But why are only men violinists captured and not women? What is the connection between Emma’s family, the sorceress, and the infamous Niccolò Paganini? Emma must unravel the mystery in order to save her teacher from the fatal destiny that awaits him. And undo the curse that torments her family—before evil wins and she becomes the next luthier’s apprentice…
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About the Author

Mayra Calvani

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer's Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. She's represented by Serendipity Literary. She lives in Belgium with her husband of 25+ years, 2 wonderful kids, and her two beloved pets. When she's not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Review:
Talented violinists are disappearing.  When Emma's violin teacher,  Monsieur Dupriez also goes missing, Emma wants to investigate.  Lately, Emma has been having some psychic visions and premonitions and these mysterious disappearances seem to have something to do with the supernatural.  On top of the missing violinists,  Emma's aunt Lily has fallen ill and her mother has to go to her, leaving Emma in the care of her Grandfather.  Emma's Grandfather is a luthier-someone who makes violins, and is training Emma to take his place.  In her Grandfather's attic there is a locked door that may hold the answers.

I really liked the premise for this young adult, paranormal mystery book, a string of missing violin virtuosos that stretches back for centuries.  When the disappearances start up again, Emma is compelled to investigate  since she is tied to the violinists through her teacher and her grandfather.  I enjoyed the mystery of the alternate world, evil magic ruled by a jilted queen bent on revenge.  Emma and her friends are adventurous and vaulted into a dangerous world, with many ties back to Emma and her friends families, the suspense builds as they find out that the they will be tied to the alternate world if they can not stop an evil ceremony set to take place on Halloween.  This was a surprisingly good read for me, the combination of music, history and paranormal was intriguing and unique. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  
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The Clever Mill Horse

11/16/2014

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About the Book:
Publication Date: August 15, 2014
Caspian Press
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 424
Genre: Historical Fiction

A young woman’s gift could weave together the fabric of a nation…

1810, upstate New York. 21-year-old Ella Kenyon is happiest gliding through the thick woods around her small frontier town, knife in hand, her sharp eyes tracking game. A gift for engineering is in her blood, but she would gladly trade it for more time in the forest. If only her grandfather’s dying wish hadn't trapped her into a fight she never wanted.

Six years ago, Ella’s grandfather made her vow to finish his life’s work: a flax-milling machine that has the potential to rescue her mother, brother, and sister from the brutality of life with her drunkard father. The copious linen it yields could save her struggling town, subjugate the growing grip of southern cotton. Or it could be Ella’s downfall. If she’s not quick enough, not clever enough to succeed, more than her own life rests in the balance…



Buy the Book: 
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Review:  
Ella has worked tirelessly with her grandfather to develop a working machine to mill flax.  When her grandfather is killed by a band of horse thieves, his dying wish is for Ella to finish the machine and secure the patents.  This turns out to be much harder than expected.  Ella's father is a drunk and routinely beats her mother and siblings, Ella has become their protector by learning knife throwing skills from a local Indian, Pete.  Also, some parts of the machine are wearing down quickly and Ella must engineer a way to decrease the friction before taking the design to the patent office; however, Emerston, another man in town has his eye on Ella's design and aims to patent the design for the flax mill before her. 

A grand historic adventure set in the 1800's weaving a story of the  why linen production, made from flax fiber, never overtook cotton.  I loved Ella's character, a young, female engineer in the 1800's who loved to be outdoors and could hunt, throw a knife and keep her wits about her in most situations.  Ella had many obstacles to overcome with the finalization of the flax mill and the race to the patent office.  The antagonist, Emerston was conniving and ruthless, I was amazed to see what he did to get the designs for the mill away from Ella. However, the adventure he led Ella and her companions on was fast-paced and exciting.  While there is plenty going on plot wise in the book, the most interesting struggle for me was Ella's internal struggle of finishing the machine 


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About the Author
Jodi Lew-Smith lives on a farm in northern Vermont with her patient husband, three wonderfully impatient children, a bevy of pets and farm animals, and 250 exceedingly patient apple trees which, if they could talk, would suggest that she stop writing and start pruning. Luckily they’re pretty quiet.

With a doctorate in plant genetics, she also lives a double life as a vegetable breeder at High Mowing Seeds. She is grateful for the chance to do so many things in one lifetime, and only wishes she could do them all better. Maybe in the next life she’ll be able to make up her mind.

For more about Jodi and about the lives and world of the characters in the novel, visit her website or blog. You can also connect with her onFacebook and Goodreads.


Read an Excerpt: 
An invention can become a member of the family. Someone you must attend to even 
when you’re tired to death of it. A pint of your blood. 
 Fifteen-year-old Ella Kenyon strode the muddy path to the door of her grandfather’s 
blacksmith shop and paused. She wasn’t ready to go inside. The twilight air of April was too 
sweet, too layered with melting snow and fresh black soil. A soft misting rain had begun, raising 
fog and frosting everything with a veil of tiny drops. Turning from the door she slipped around 
the building, ducking beneath the small window opening so her grandfather wouldn’t see her, 
and scrambled over scrub and stone to the river flowing behind the shops and mills of 
Deborahville. Her grandfather’s shop was the last on Main Street and his stable, a hundred feet 
farther downstream, across the stable yard from his shop, was the last building within the village. 
She peered across the Bache River to the plowed fields on the other side, where the 
placid acres of melting snow had become a ghostland of fog, swirling with wraiths of mist. The 
air out here was alive and fragrant, full of taunting possibility. The river, powered by spring 
rains, rang with heroic noise and splash beneath puffs of fog. The shop behind her would be 
stuffy and stale and she desperately didn’t want to go in. 
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Afterworld Series

11/16/2014

1 Comment

 
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About the Books:
Afterworld Series by Karice Bolton 
Genres: New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic

Synopsis book 1 - RecruitZ:
Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.


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Synopsis book 2 - AlibiZ:
Rebekah vows to expose the truth behind the RecruitZ that are killing the innocents. These creatures must be stopped, but so should the people controlling them. When Rebekah uncovers who is behind the uprisings, her own life becomes in danger.



Goodreads: 
https://www.goodreads.com/series/113202-afterworld

Purchase:
AlibiZ- Amazon
RecruitZ-Amazon
B&N




Review: 
In a world that has supposedly recovered from a zombie outbreak, Rebekah and her husband a trying to rebuild their life until Rebekah husband is targeted and killed by a strange group of zombies. Rebekah fears that these zombies were different than the rest and the attack was planned.  In her grief, she determines that there is a conspiracy and Rebekah turns to revenge.  Meanwhile, Rebekah has to put up a facade of normalcy, or else be taken away.  Rebekah sets out to put herself into the world of the dangerous people who train zombies, with the help of a bartender, Preston, she finds more than she thought possible. 

I liked that the story takes place in a world that is recovering from a zombie apocalypse.  There is still danger, but it is from an unlikely source, the one that Rebekah and Preston are determined to bring down in revenge for their loved ones.  This gave the story a unique plot with something other than just killing all the zombies.  From the prologue, I knew that this story would be good, an emotional opening, but one that fuels Rebekah's intentions. Rebekah is an extremely tough character and I enjoyed seeing her increase her skills in an attempt to uncover the conspiracy.  Preston is a nice balance to her character, sweet but tough and smart. Preston and Rebekah sort through conspiracies and cover-ups offering up there are plenty of thrills, action sequences and emotional roller coasters 


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About the Author: 
Karice received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W. She has written fifteen novels and has several exciting projects in the works. Karice lives with her husband and two English Bulldogs in rainy Washington.

Books currently available:
Luke Fletcher Series: Hidden Sins (Book 1), Buried Sins (Book 2) – coming soon
Beyond Love Series: Beyond Control (Book 1) Beyond Doubt (Book 2) Beyond Reason (Book 3) Beyond Intent (Book 4) Beyond Chance, Beyond Promise, and Beyond the Mistletoe coming soon
Afterworld Series: RecruitZ (Book 1) AlibiZ (Book 2) – October 2014
The Witch Avenue Series: Lonely Souls (Book 1), Altered Souls (Book 2), Released Souls (Book 3) Shattered Souls (Book 4)
The Watchers Trilogy: Awakening (Book 1), Legions (Book 2), Cataclysm (Book 3), Taken Novella (Watchers Prequel)
The Camp

Author Links:
http://www.karicebolton.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5240334.Karice_Bolton
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karice-Bolton/218230041566833
https://twitter.com/karicebolton

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Memory Card Full

11/11/2014

2 Comments

 
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About the Book: 
A book for anyone who has loved and lost and found the space in that loss to become the person they were meant to be.

When Rufus, Liz Weber’s oddly proportioned but adorable dog dies of old age, her life begins to unravel. She is forced to let go of the one constant in her life and move forward. Memory Card Full is a memoir of her life as a bartender, model and aspiring writer in Manhattan before and after Rufus. Without him, she is alone and broken-hearted and her life spirals downward while her friends and family struggle to understand what she is going through.

Prior to Rufus’s death, Liz Weber’s life was far from dull. Whether serving drinks to a gaggle of quirky regulars at a bar or walking around in her skivvies for extra cash as a lingerie model, she fought hard to remain a self-proclaimed “professional free spirit” and aspiring writer, even it meant enduring a lush for a manager or a cranky, Israeli-folk-music-loving boss. None of it really mattered as long as she had Rufus, who taught her about unconditional love in an untraditional way.

Memory Card Full is the story of Liz’s journey through grief, which leads to an  unexpected encounter with the long unheard voice of the woman inside of her. On water skis at an adult sleepaway camp, Liz realizes that there are important things in life that Rufus’ love had caused her to avoid. Embracing her power and strength, she is finally able to accept that letting go of him is the best way to go on and find love for herself and others.

Frank, funny, and deeply moving, Memory Card Full is a memoir for anyone who has loved and lost and found the space in that loss to become the person they were meant to be.

Review: 
When Liz Weber travels to Mexico, she wants to document parts of experience; when her camera tells her that the memory card is full, Liz must finally decide to delete some pictures of her dog Rufus that passed a year ago and fully come to terms with his death and the fact that she has finally moved on. 

In Liz Weber's memoir, she presents a candid and humorous view  about the role of her faithful canine companion in her life and then an honest look into the grief process and finally moving on after his death.  Liz takes us through her trials and tribulations in the dating world, family squabbles and many jobs (now I know what fit models are!) as she presents the role that her dog, Rufus played in her life through that time.  I could easily identify with her feelings as her beloved dog went through the aging process and having to make the decision of when to end his life.  

The memoir is split in two; the first section taking place before Rufus passes and the second section after Rufus passes.  I felt much more connected to the first part and enjoyed reading about Rufus as well as Liz's life and wacky bosses.  The second part of the book deals with the grieving process and moving on.  As we all grieve differently, there were some parts of this for me that I could not relate to.  I appreciate LIz's honesty within her experience, however, I just was not expecting to read about intimate sexual encounters and drug use within a memoir about the loss of a dog.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  


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About the Author:


Liz Weber is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn. Her work has appeared online at Narratively, and Apartment Therapy. When she is not contributing to lifestyle websites, including Citypath and Bored and Thirsty or doling out dating advice to the urban female set on the popular website The Fat White Guy, she’s blogging about her past as a children’s party performer (she makes a mean balloon sword) and the time she drove her moped through a souvenir stand in Mexico. Her short story about working in a male strip club for women was featured in the 2009 Staten Island Arts Festival.

Visit Liz at her website.


2 Comments

Arcana

11/10/2014

0 Comments

 
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About the Book:
Arcana
by Jessica Leake

Adult Historical Fantasy

Hardcover, 288 pages

November 18th 2014 by Talos
Goodreads


Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London Season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome – or dangerous. Through her late mother’s enchanted journal, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform Arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. The machinations of the fashionably elite are a constant threat, but worse still are those who covet Katherine’s Arcana, seeking the power of her birthright. They could be hiding behind the façade of every suitor, even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood. With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?

 

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Indie Bound

 

Or, would you like a special personalized/autographed copy of Arcana? You can purchase one from Fiction Addiction HERE.


Review:
Katherine Sinclair has the power of arcana, magic drawn from the power of the sun. Her mother was a Sylvan, passing the power down to her children.  Katherine's arcana is particularly powerful, with the ability to heal.  However, with power comes responsibility and in the early 1900's, Katherine must be careful to not be accused of being a witch.  At the age of debut, Katherine and her younger sister are sent away from their country estate where they have the freedom to roam and ride horses to the stuffy and rule-filled London season with their Grandmother.  Katherine must make her debut amid London society and find a suitor that will not betray her and her gift.  Luckily, she has her mother's enchanted journal for guidance which warns her of two suitors, each with their own intentions. 

I loved the premise of this book, a girl born with magic fueled by the sun who must be careful with how she practices her magic, or be called a witch.  Katherine, or Wren, is a great character.  She would rather be racing horses with her brother, has an incredibly quick wit and is compassionate and caring.  The descriptions of the London debut season were elegant, with the gowns, carriages and dances.  The two men that Katherine must choose between are presented early and each of their intentions become obvious rather quickly.  The majority of the book is Katherine vying for the attentions of each man, quickly finding out which one means her harm and then regaining the attentions of the other.  These parts dragged a bit for me, however, there were some racier romantic parts that piqued my interest.  I would have loved to see the magic and paranormal aspects woven into Katherine's story a bit more, the land of Sylvani was intriguing and I would have loved to see what else could be done with the powers of arcana.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

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About the Author: 
I’m a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful children (two toddlers and a newborn, in fact, so I think you can begin to see why my blog may be a bit neglected) and author of Arcana: A Novel (Skyhorse/Talos, November 4, 2014), my debut historical fantasy with a heavy dose of romance. I have a particular obsession with blending different genres, but almost everything I write has an element of fantasy and romance. I’ve been in love with historical England ever since my first literary crush: Mr. Darcy (I can’t even count the number of times I watched Pride & Prejudice–the A&E version, of course!!) I’m represented by the fabulous Brianne Johnson of Writers House, and I live in Greenville, SC.

 

Before I was a writer, I worked as a psychotherapist. I spent several years working at a psychiatric hospital in Birmingham, AL, but after my husband graduated as a pharmacist, we moved back to Greenville. I claim Greenville as my hometown now since I spent most of my childhood here, and I’m a proud alumna of St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Winthrop University.

 

Website - Goodreads - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest


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    Hi there! I'm Stephanie and I obviously love reading.  As, the title suggests, I read at least one hundred pages a day.  I enjoy most book genres; however, my favorites are historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, thriller, horror and YA.  I also read a lot of non-fiction science and gardening books for my occupation.  I enjoy reviewing books and as always, any book that I receive for free is read in return for my honest review.  

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