Review: Path to the Key

Synopsis:

Magic is fading throughout the world and the supernatural realms can feel the strain growing daily, but Sarah doesn’t care about any of that. She cares about protecting her son from her vampiric ex-husband who is obsessed with gaining power. She’ll stop at nothing to ensure that Alex doesn’t get his hands on Jackson, even if it means welcoming more vampires and other supernatural beings into her life.

Their journey takes her across the country, seeking the help of a witch that has invaded her son’s dreams. A vampire named Zander threatens to bring all of her carefully constructed walls crashing down. She’ll break every rule and every preconceived notion they have about her, as long as she can save her son and give him the future that was stolen from her. Sarah’s path connects to the very battle that she tries to avoid, and when she embraces not only her growing power, but also her destiny- she might be able to change the tides of fate.       

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Path to the Key by April Canavan is book one to an amazing series. Full of magic, suspernatural beings and romance. I love the war between the good and the evil. Fight to save loved ones. Family, power, and determination. April Canavan’s writing is superb. I was lost instantly from the first page. Engaging, well-developed, and exciting. A war brewing. One involving power and ruling over others. A woman whose child is key to her evil husband’s game. Yet there’s another man, the brother, who can help save them. Path to the Key was entertaining. Easy to follow along. I loved it. Couldn’t stop reading it. Overall, I highly recommend it to readers everywhere. 

Review: Ahe’ey

Synopsis:

Morgan’s feminist books didn’t prepare her to deal with the dashing Gabriel and the land of Ahe’ey . . .
Ahe’ey: The Complete Collection
Morgan is a dreamer, change maker and art lover. She is a feisty, slightly preachy, romantic feminist full of contradictions and insecurities. Morgan uncovers a world where women have the power, and where magic is no longer just a figment of her wild imagination. Sounds like a dream, but it may, in fact, turn into a nightmare.
The world of the Ahe’ey challenges and subverts her views about gender, genes, and nature versus nurture.
The strong and uninvited chemistry between her and the dashing Gabriel makes matters even more complicated. His stunning looks keep short-circuiting her rational mind.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Ahe’ey by Jamie Le Fay is a fascinating paranormal fantasy. This novel contains a lot of strong themes that are brilliantly woven into an enjoyable read. I loved the characters. Jamie Le Fay definitely knows how to write a book that sucks readers into her fictional worlds. Entertaining from the start. The main characters, Morgan and Gabriel have ways of pulling me further into their story. Powerfully written. Excitement, adventure, intriguing and romantic too. Ahe’ey has it all. I couldn’t stop reading this book. Jamie Le Fay is indeed a talented writer. Her words are epic. 

Review: The Marelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id

Synopsis:

Fitz Faraday, his best friend Hollis, who comes from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks, and his hoped-to-be-girlfriend Josey, the new girl in town, are taken through harrowing events and thrilling misadventures, as they learn about life, love, death, the inner workings of the psyche, and the flimsiness of reality. After witnessing the murder of Professor Oliver Crowley, who has invented a way of bringing thoughts into physical reality, Fitz and his friends must exonerate the town bully, who is being framed for the murder. Using Professor Crowley’s inventions, Fitz soon learns he can bend the field of Id, a sea of golden dreams and wishes. Fitz finds himself drawn inside a new world he never knew existed. He hopes he will be able to use that world to help his friends and even his enemies. To do so, he must master Crowley’s technique of “Thought becomes light and light becomes physical.”

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Marelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shpaers of the Id by Aaron J. Lawler is a fascinating tale. Engaging, entertaining, and well-written. This coming of age novel is one that clearly keeps a reader’s interest and hooks them further into the plot. A group of teens trying to solve a murder peeked my curiosity. Not only is this book full of mystery, mayhem, and murder but also of a fantasy. Wonderfully woven…the characters are well-developed. I definitely recommend this read to readers worldwide. I’m an adult, and I loved it. 

Review: Onyx Webb Book Nine

Synopsis:

Welcome Back to the World of Onyx Webb! This is Book Nine. (Episodes 25, 26, 27, & 28) Haven’t Gotten Entangled Yet? Please Start with Book One.

Book Nine is the most cataclysmic book in the series yet and what we have been building to for so long. The web is almost entirely formed now. But questions remain: what happens to everyone now that it is?
Onyx Webb is a complex multi-genre mash-up that combines elements of supernatural suspense, crime, horror, romance, and more. The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times.
In Book Nine: The Mulvaney’s host the Solstice Eclipse Ball for the Restoring Savannah Foundation and Gerylyn’s prediction comes to pass. Stan Lee gets his revenge and Juniper battles a dark evil at the mansion. Onyx Webb spends her days at the lighthouse alone again without Noah Ashley but Noah may have other plans. Scroll Up and Grab Book Nine Today! 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Onyx Webb Book Nine by both Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz has been my new favorite series. This book series has it all and has everything readers want in each book. The characters are complex and realistic. Yes, there are dead characters…like ghosts but they so make this an interesting and unforgettable read. I love it all. These two writers are definitely masters of fiction writing. They have combined parts of both the past and present in ways that make it easy to follow along and understand. It’s hard to do that in any particular book, but Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz have succeeded each and everytime. Readers can also find a variety of every genre known to readers inside this novel. Yes, I’m serious. Yes, it works out perfectly. Onyx Webb is the main character of this series and I’m so sad to see this series coming to a close. Action, adventure, romance and mystery on every page. Overall, I highly recommend it to readers worldwide. 

Review: The Chamber Children

Synopsis:

What secrets await the children of Rose Chamber when they return to their North Carolina family home after their mother’s passing?

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

The Chamber Children by James T. Riley is a mysterious yet intriguing read. From the start he held my attention. Glued to the pages, I needed to know what happened and why. The Chamber Children aren’t like other children. Their lives were crazy ad different. Secrets about them and their lives came unraveling with each new page. Engaging. Stones from who knows where appear. A man takes them. And he takes the event as a sign that, that’s where he he should build a hous. When his children are born, he still carries the stones. The significance of these stones and the children are connected somehow. I was beyond intrigued. Hooked. Suspenseful is one way to describe The Chamber Children. James T. Riley sent me on one grand adventure. A fantasy worth reading.

Review: Uncharted Worlds – Xeno Encounters

Synopsis:

Uncharted Worlds—an exciting new speculative fiction series featuring bestselling and award-winning authors.

These ten mind-boggling adventures include tales of ancient aliens, other worlds, and imagined futures.

Join authors Michael A. Stackpole, Matthew Costello, F. Paul Wilson, Thomas F. Monteleone and others as they take you on a thrilling ride from the inner and outer edges of our universe and from the past to the future in: Uncharted Worlds—Xeno Encounters.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Uncharted Worlds: Xeno Encounters by many writers is quite the science fiction collection. This anthology features enegaging tales. Adventure, action, and thrilling worlds. Well-written. I’m not a huge fan of science fiction but the works found within this anthology were superb. I definitely look forward to reading more works by these writers. Overall, I highly recommend Uncharted Worlds: Xeno Ecounters to readers worldwide. 

Review: Nahia by Patricia Bossano

Synopsis:

She looks like a maiden of eighteen (acts like one too) but the Faery Nahia is sixty-seven when her future husband, a human, is born. 

Twenty-eight years pass before Anahi a sees him and follows her heart – she hides her true identity from him, she forsakes her home, and joins the human family she had promised long ago to watch over and keep from harm. 

Shortly after a daughter is born, Nahia’s true identity is discovered and she returns to the realm troubled by her blunder; she has changed the family’s genetic footprint. 

Chastised and with no hope of renewing the ties, Nahia watches from afar and becomes the silent giver of cradle gifts to new generations of shared descendants.

When the Faery Queen and the Keeper of the Forest, whose magic sustains the Faery dimension, are slain, the realm plunges into a dormant state.

To save her home, Nahia must obey her mother’s final instructions; perform the awakening ritual, become the new Faery Queen, and provide a vessel of royal descent for the keeper of the forest to inhabit. 

Trouble is, the royal descendant is also a baby girl she promised long ago to never harm. 

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

Nahia by Patricia Bossano is the latest book in the Faery series. Perfectly suited for teens and adults alike. This YA novel hold a lot more than beats the eyes. One particular Faery, Nahia, has a lot going on in her life. Mistakes happen and now, she has to make some tough decisions. The two worlds of humans and fairies alike come together. Powerfully written. Patricia Bossano knows how to engage her readers. I felt pulled from my seat and straight into her new world. The magical tale consisted of an emotional journey that tugged at my heart. Adventure, action, and romance. Suspenseful and entertaining, I highly recommend this book to readers worldwide. It’s a fantasy I won’t forget. 

Review: Dead Time

Synopsis:

If someone took everything you live for, how far would you go to get it back?
From award-winning author D. L. ORTON comes book three in the Between Two Evils series…
Shannon fights to stay alive inside a rogue biodome and discovers something totally unexpected… Peter. Lani is forced into the role of the reluctant heroine but rediscovers her street-kid mojo and sets out to find everything she’s lost. Diego receives another dirty sock (and a note) from the poorly aimed fireball express: “The window between universes is closing.” If Diego has any hope of getting back to Iz, he must get to the Magic Kingdom and power up the time machine before it’s too late. 
What could possibly go wrong?
Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Dead Time by DL Orton is book three to an entertaining series. Cleverly written by the award-winning writer. I can see why…her talent shines forth on each page. The plot grabs my attention. Leaving alert for what may come next. Fast-paced, edgy, and thrilling to read. Dead Time takes readers from their seats and sends them forth into the book. I was hooked. DL Orton has once more captured my interest. Her latest novel is a fantasy time-travel adventure that snatches readers up….overall, I recommend this novel to all. 

Review: Cradle Gift

Synopsis:

On the day she was born, Maite received a cradle gift from the faery Nahia-a gift that allows her to travel into other worlds while in a dream state.

At seventeen, Maite’s mortal world is torn apart with the tragic loss of her parents. Uprooted from the only home she’s ever known and isolated in a foreign country, the young woman struggles to make sense of her new life. But the conflict in the realm of Faery is about to bleed over into Maite’s reality. She finds herself in the middle of an ancient struggle between Nahia and the Beautiful One as they furiously clash for control over the realm.

Through her Cradle Gift, Maite uncovers the extent of the Faery Realm’s involvement in her life, and in her quest to come to terms with it, Maite has the help of best friend Emily, and David; a young man whose interest in genetics illuminates possibilities that will change her identity forever.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Cradle Gift by Patricia Bossano is the second novel in this exciting YA series. This second fantasy book, was magical. The writing was well done. The characters popped out of the pages. Engaging scenes that carried many themes like loss, friendship, and courage. Cradle Gift sends readers like myself deep into the plot. The troubles are only just beginning….a young seventeen-year-old girl has a gift that will spin her entire world out of order. Maite’s two worlds are about to clash and it will soon involve a long struggle that will try tearing her apart. The ending was epic…I can’t get enough of this talented writer’s world of fiction. Her characters will never be forgotten. Overall, I highly recommend the Cradle Gift to all. 

How growing up in a female-dominated family influenced my stories, characters, and the overall inspiration for writing the Fair Fae Trilogy.” By Patricia Bossano

How growing up in a female-dominated family influenced my stories, characters, and the overall inspiration for writing the Fair Fae Trilogy. ” 

By Patricia Bossano

In general English, Matriarchy is a form of social organization in which descent and relationship are reckoned through the female line. It is also defined as a social system in which females hold primary power, predominate in roles of leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property.

Present day matriarchal societies include: the Mosuo (near the border of Tibet), the Minangkabau of Indonesia, the Akan people of Ghana, the Bribri in Costa Rica, to name a few, but there are also the legendary Amazons, scores of fabled early feminists, mythological sisterhoods, and of course, Faerie, which in my opinion is the ultimate form of a matriarchal clan.
Each community of troop faeries is ruled by a Faery Queen, the first of them originating in Italy—where the sun is said to shine at its loveliest. From there they spread to different parts of the world during the expansion of the Roman Empire, seeking remote locations to set up their underground realms, learning the language of their host countries and adopting the more intriguing customs practiced there, as an act of silent diplomacy.

Being that the smallest structure of society is a family unit, I looked to my own in order to write what I know. On my mother’s side, women are in the majority so I say the beauty, the experiences, and the paradoxical personalities of the females in my family, directly influenced me and inspired the magic of Faery Sight, Cradle Gift and Nahia—true story!

Through my novels, I hope to give you a heartfelt snapshot of the life-journey of my characters who, like me, are part of a grand matriarchal clan celebrating not only the onward, dynamic spirit of the family but also the magical relationship between mothers, daughters and sisters. My dreams of publication became a reality through their support and encouragement, so in return, I feel compelled to be at best, an inspiration to them, and at a minimum, a source of entertainment.
I’m doing my utmost to paint for them a realistic picture of the magical world inside of us—the realm of faerie is the place where mundane abilities can be magnified through perspective and attitude. Sure, a full-fledged faery can fly and shape shift at will, but there is no less magic in the human dimension—I think faerie is an achievable state of being we can aspire to. In the human dimension, our spirits can soar and we may reinvent ourselves as we navigate each day. Buoyed by confidence, we are driven to accomplish ordinary feats and transform them into astonishing ones—such as waking up in the morning with a word of gratitude to the cosmos, thus creating a positive mood for the day ahead. Simply smiling to cause your brain to release endorphins, because we all know how life-altering those little neurotransmitters are…

Clean out your desktop and see how clearheaded you feel afterward—seriously, Feng Shui is practical magic at its best!
Whenever I feel discouraged and like I’m a rookie at life, I choose to see the ordinary as extraordinary and focus on the brightest aspect of any given situation. That seemingly insignificant shift in attitude gives me the satisfaction of knowing I’m doing the right thing, which in turn makes me smile (see above for what smiling does), and enthusiasm bubbles up inside me.

I believe faeries are due to surface all over the planet as nurturing forces of creation and restoration. I think my troop of full-blooded, hybrid fairies is part of a worldwide movement to explore the new, unlearn some of the old, and carry on with heightened awareness.

Review: The Dream Keeper’s Daughter

Synopsis:

An archaeologist discovers her presumed-missing boyfriend is trapped more than a hundred years in the past—a love story that transcends time and place, from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Memory Thief.
Eight years after the unsolved disappearance of her boyfriend Max Adair, archaeologist Isabel Griffin has managed to move on and rebuild her life with her young daughter, Finn, her last tie to Max. But after a series of strange incidents, Isabel begins to wonder if Max might still be alive somewhere, trying to communicate with her. She has no idea that the where isn’t the problem—it’s the when. Max has slipped through time and place, landing on his ancestral family plantation in 1816 Barbados, on the eve of a historic slave uprising. As Isabel searches for answers, Max must figure out not only how to survive the violence to come, but how to get back to his own century, the woman he loves, and the daughter he has only ever met in his dreams. 

Rating: 3.5-stars

Review: 

The Dream Keeper’s Daughter by Emily Colin is an enjoyable fantasy. The pacing is a bit slow at the beginning but otherwise a great read. Time-travel, dreams, and an engaging plot line kept me reading this book. I was intrigued by the archaeologist’s journey to finding answers as well as her boyfriend’s situation. Max Adair is stuck trying to figure his way back home to Isabel Griffin and their daughter. The suspense slightly builds into a climax causing an edge of the seat moment. Romantic, entertaining, and charming. The Dream Keeper’s Daughter is an emotional fascinating tale. I recommend it to others. 

Review: Faery Sight

Synopsis:

The realm of faery is breached and for the first time, Celeste comes face to face with a human. He strikes her as an extraordinary specimen and although they have yet to speak, her heart is racing. But Paloma, Celeste’s mother, is on her deathbed and before she breathes her last, the gruesome circumstances of Celeste’s birth are revealed, thus establishing the reasons why Celeste must leave the realm – her home. Grieving for her mother and dreading her inevitable entry into a world she knows is led by a woman bent on destroying her, Celeste yearns for one more glimpse of that handsome intruder.
Displeased with Celeste’s foolish longings, Nahia, Celeste’s birth sister, reminds her of a certain arrangement, also disclosed by Paloma, which means that when Celeste reenters the human world she views as contemptible, she will do so as the bride of a complete stranger.
Celeste has never been one to shirk or delay, but she won’t allow her romantic hopes to be dashed. She is compelled to fulfill the promise made to her dying mother, and she must satisfy Nahia, but above all, she must be free to give her heart to whomever she pleases.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Faery Sight by Patricia Bossano is one of the most fascinating YA reads, I’ve ever read. The book was deeply engaging from the start. I love it when novels suck me into their characters’ lives. Here, I met an interesting young lady, Celeste. She knows of the Faery world. A world must humans aren’t aware of…then her world turns crazy. Her mother tells her shocking things and now, it’s up to Celeste to choose her destiny. Rich, entertaining, and epic. This story has it a lot to offer. Righting wrongs, chasing down a sorceress, and returning back to a Faery world to claim the place as a rightful heir. Themes like loss, grief, love, and courage are found within the  novel. The charcaters both bad and good make this a must read. I felt like I was really there experiencing it all first hand. Well-told. Patricia Bossano has cleverly peaked my interest with her writing. I can’t wait to read more by her. Overall, I recommend Faery Sight to readers worldwide. 

Review: The Evaporation of Sofi Snow

Synopsis:

Ever since the Delonese ice-planet arrived eleven years ago, Sofi’s dreams have been vivid. Alien. In a system where Earth’s corporations rule in place of governments and the humanoid race orbiting the moon are allies, her only constant has been her younger brother, Shilo. As an online gamer, Sofi battles behind the scenes of Earth’s Fantasy Fighting arena where Shilo is forced to compete in a mix of real and virtual blood sport. But when a bomb takes out a quarter of the arena, Sofi’s the only one who believes Shilo survived. She has dreams of him. And she’s convinced he’s been taken to the ice-planet.
Except no one but ambassadors are allowed there.
For Miguel, Earth’s charming young playboy, the games are of a different sort. As Ambassador to the Delonese, his career has been built on trading secrets and seduction. Until the Fantasy Fight’s bomb goes off. Now the tables have turned and he’s a target for blackmail. The game is simple: Help the blackmailers, or lose more than anyone can fathom, or Earth can afford. 

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber is a fascinating YA book. The race to find answers is thrilling. A young girl loses her brother and a young man is worried he lost her, Sofi. Sofi isn’t sure if her brother is really gone or not. Miguel may know something…only now, he’s being blackmailed. Can an online gamer and an Abassador find a way to beat the odds?

Sofi is clever. She’s a charcater that I can easily connect to. Her loss and grief over her brother pulled me closer to her. When she thinks her brother may not be gone likeeveryone states…she goes searching for the truth. Her determination and bravery make this a worthy adventure. Then there’s Miguel. He is in a difficult position. Not sure of who Sofi really is but is pulled to her by a connection, soon leads him into danger. Video games and aliens are taken to a whole level in this stunning tale. Intrigue, suspense, and a deadly plot will keep readers sucked into The Evaporation of Sofi Snow. Mary Weber’s talent can be seen through her words. Every page absorbed me into the conflict…overall, I highly recommend this novel. 

Review: Dragonsoul

Synopsis:

Littlehorn is the last dragon, born into a world that wants him dead.

The dragon’s blue scales and orange eyes are a stark contrast to the dull gray around him. The sky is gray. The ground is gray. Everything is gray, even the skin, eyes, and hair of every other living creature, including humans.

When Denyth, a simple farmer dreaming of a world of color beyond the gray encounters Littlehorn, the two set out on a journey to find the truth of where Littlehorn came from and if there truly is a world of color beyond the gray.

But Denyth isn’t the only human who knows of Littlehorn’s existence. A dragon-hunter named Zero, who has dedicated his entire life to purging anything of color, is coming after Littlehorn to finish the job.

Dragon and human flee together to the colorful land called Evenar, coming across a host of odd, colorful creatures, including a cat-like shapeshifter who can hear the land, a pacifist troll who wields a club the size of a tree trunk, and even a group of walruses who can talk.

Just as they think that they have found paradise, they discover a terrible secret: humanity wasn’t responsible for the fall of dragons after all.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Dragonsoul by Kayl Karadijian is an interesting YA fantasy. I liked the two worlds created by this writer. One of color and life and the other full of gray and doom. The farmer boy who finds the last dragon egg made my heart melt. The two new friends travel in the world of color…where there are other fascinating characters. While the dragon hunter tracks the farmer down down to kill his new friend the dragon, aka Littlehorn. For those who love adventure, fantasy, and a good journey, this is definitely a novel to read. I was captivated by the plot from the beginning to end. Overall, I highly recommend Dragonsoul to all. 

Review: Coping with Death and Destruction

Synopsis:

This is a collection of twelve, high concept, multi-part short stories reflecting on and inspired by the death and transformation of the year 2016. It serves as an elegy for that period of time, submerging into its dark themes of loss, extracting what irreverence and hopefulness it can, and reflecting it through a prism of an eternal universe. Sorted astrologically, the stories sometimes span generations, depicting conflict based around such themes as apocalypse, dreams, aging, dying, ghosts, the afterlife, animals, nature, global politics and pop culture. Location also varies, taking the reader through several American states to North Korea, Africa, the Philippines and beyond – often peppered with heavy doses of Southern Gothic sensibility. Here you can read about religion based on science fiction and fantasy, a 1960’s lounge singer marginalized by the Beatles, or a mixture of drugs that allows the user to summon the dead. Several of the tales blend fact into the fiction, nodding to the cultural giants whose deaths loomed over the year 2016: David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Prince, Carrie Fisher and others. These are detailed and developed stories, intended to instill within the reader a sense of timelessness and a comfort in the notion of infinity. 

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

Coping with Death and Destruction by Arrison Kirby is an epic collection of short stories. Each one has a different plot. Every plot gives off another emotion. One that takes my heart and pulls and tugs until it sets me free. Sad, haunting, and dark. The tales told, captivated my attention with every page. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened this book. However, I am thrilled to have done so. This was a path full of multiple journeys that I won’t be forgetting. There’s a variety of unique characters and stories to suit the taste of readers everywhere. The emotions hit me hard and square. I loved it. Coping with Death and Destruction not only entertained me but left me to feel things…that’s when I knew this was a book I would recommend to all. One fantasy after another can be experienced by each story told. Well-written. 

Review: A Gleam of Light

Synopsis: 

In 1995, at the age of eight, Una Waters survived a terrifying encounter at 30,000 feet aboard Flight 564 from Dallas to Las Vegas. It changed her forever. After 21 years, and a decade away from the Hopi Reservation where she grew up as a child, a surprise plea for help brings Una back, to solve a mystery that threatens their traditional way of life. The U.S. Army’s sudden interest regarding a cave discovery in the Sacred Peaks has triggered alarm, leading to violence. With the help of friends, new and old, Una must confront her painful past, seek proof to qualify the ancient site for protection under law, and stand up to a stiff-necked general, whose agenda is more concerned with retrieving a mysterious power source. 

Rating: 3-stars

Review:

A Gleam of Light holds a promising adventure ahead. The characters’ struggles were realistic. The plot itself held some suspense over me. I was instantly intrigued as to what was going on that was so interesting that the army wanted to find. Then both Jack and Una have fears. Una’s fear is the greatest. Her fear of planes is one that I could definitely relate to. The writers, T.J. & M.L. Wolf both combined multiple words within this one read. The Native Americans and that of the white Americans worlds. Loneliness, survival, and violence break out on the pages. The journey was good. However, I felt someething was missing. The pace seemed to be at a constant steady walk. A cave discovery held the entire interest. I felt that Una got her peace that she was searching for too soon. The ending itself didn’t feel complete. As for characters like Jack, I didn’t really get to connect with him as much as I did with Una. I would have liked to have explored more on him and Colin as well. Other than that, I liked reading A Gleam of Light. 

Review: Cake Spell Disaster

Synopsis:

Mistmoor Point has a new dirty word… poison! 

Welcome to Mistmoor Point… 

A small town on a small island where magic is standard practice and witches rule. 

Felicity Redfern has a lot of jobs. 

Baker, girlfriend, novice witch… and… worst of all, private investigator. 

When the mayor’s anniversary party goes wrong, disaster happened! 
1. Half the town is sick. 

2. The mayor’s in a coma. 

3. The most disastrous part… One person’s dead. 
And someone will take the blame. 

Felicity’s mother and her supernatural bakery. 

Is this a case of magic accidentally gone wrong, or is something more sinister at bay? 

Felicity’s counting on her boyfriend, master warlock and sheriff of Mistmoor Point, Lincoln Maxwell, to help her solve the crime.

But … Lincoln thinks he already knows who the culprit is—Felicity’s mother! 

With no one on her side, Felicity has no choice but to use her novice witchy powers to investigate on her own. 

But the job proves too big for one witch alone… or one amateur witch to be exact! 

When her own life gets threatened, there’s only one friend Felicity can turn to for help… 

Her mother’s familiar, a fuzzy feline named Sunny. 
But can they fix this mess before someone else gets killed? 

What if Felicity’s mother really is to blame? 

GRAB YOUR COPY NOW … 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Cake Spell Disaster by Zoe Arden is phenomenal. Imagine ring the best baker on your side of town and landing a huge bake job, only to fall sick as well as everyone else. One person dies…others severely ill. Felicity doesn’t believe that her mother ‘accidentally’ added the wrong ingredients to her bake goods. Plus, Felicity’s brother is acting strange and a threat is left in the form of a note on her car. The who done it vibeis set perfectly. Two cats are involved. One is a spy for the enemy and the other is a detective for his owners. However, it takes for a deep investigation and for Felicity to get hurt before the final clues are set. From there things get out of hand…literary. I enjoyed reading this paranormal novella. It was sweet, hilarious and dangerous. The mystery of the Cake Spell Disaster kept me intrigued from the beginning to end. I loved the characters. Both the good and bad characters were brilliant. Each added to the story.  Overall, I highly recommend Zoe Arden’s novella, Cake Spell Disaster, to readers everywhere. 

Review: Jorie and the Magic Stones

Synopsis:

When Marjorie went to live with her frosty maiden aunt, she couldn’t imagine the adventures she would have with dragons — good and bad — and all the strange creatures that live in a mysterious land beneath the Tarn. The spunky 9-year-old redhead forges an unlikely friendship with an insecure young boy named Rufus who lives with his crusty grandfather next door. When Jorie — for that is what she prefers to be called — finds a dusty ancient book about dragons, she learns four strange words that will send the two of them into a mysterious land beneath the Tarn, riddled with enchantment and danger. Hungry for adventure, the children take the plunge, quite literally, and find themselves in the magic land of Cabrynthius. 

Upon meeting the good dragon, the Great Grootmonya, Jorie and Rufus are given a quest to find the three Stones of Maalog — stones of enormous power — and return them to their rightful place in Cabrynthius. Their mission is neither easy nor safe, and is peppered with perils in the form of the evil black half-dragon who rules the shadowy side of the land. They have to deal with a wicked and greedy professor, the tragic daughter of the bad dragon, caves of fire, rocky mountainous climbs, and a deadly poisonous butterfly. 

Jorie must rely on her wits and courage to win the day? Can she do this? Can she find all three Stones? Can she save Rufus when disaster befalls him? Can she emerge victorious? She and Rufus have some hair-raising challenges, in which they learn valuable lessons about loyalty, bravery, and friendship. 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Jorie and the Magic Stones by A. H. Richardson is a children’s fantasy full of magic. Adventure, friendship, and danger can be found within the these pages. I was immediately drawn into the tale. A. H. Richardson has a way with leading readers further into her world of fiction. As an adult, I was fascinated with the journey. Dragons, magic, and tons of action to keep me entertained all night long. The charcaters are three-dimensional. It’s easy to relate to them and get lost within the scenes. Traveling a magical land, completing a challenge, and finding oneself is a lot of fun. Rich, engaging, and well-told. Jorie is a brave girl who journeys far to help find three stones and return them. Along the way, things happen. Danger is close by and the suspense was phenomenal. I can this book being loved by both adults and children alike. The story elements are appealing to all ages. Overall, I highly recommend Jorie and the Magic Stones to readers worldwide. 

Review: The Thought Readers

Synopsis:

A new series about mind readers from USA Today bestselling author… 

Everyone thinks I’m a genius. 

Everyone is wrong. 

Sure, I finished Harvard at eighteen and now make crazy money at a hedge fund. But that’s not because I’m unusually smart or hard-working. 

It’s because I cheat. 

You see, I have a unique ability. I can go outside time into my own personal version of reality—the place I call “the Quiet”—where I can explore my surroundings while the rest of the world stands still. 

I thought I was the only one who could do this—until I met her. 

My name is Darren, and this is how I became entangled with all the Russians and learned that I’m a Reader. 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Thought Readers by Dima Zales is an outstanding first novel to a new series. For those who love fantasy, sci-fi, and a puzzling plot, than this is definitely the book for you.

I haven’t read any other novels by the talented writer, Dima Zales, however, I am going to after reading this book. His writing is fascinating. I was taken straight into the main character’s story. Told from his point of view. He has a unique ability and doesn’t know the  reasons why or how. I found that prickling my curiosity and glad it did. There was plenty of action, mystery, and craziness to keep me hooked. I didn’t know what to expect…and when another person liked the protagonist popped up on scene…I was instantly pulled in further. The Thought Readers is quite intriguing. I recommend it to readers everywhere. 

Review: Rayna

Synopsis:

Rayna escaped the bordello as a teenager. She meets a Buddhist monk that helps her to learn that life is worth living again. She learns different languages and several studies of martial arts. Rayna also has a secret. Without warning, time will stop moving. Only Rayna is allowed to move in this frozen world. She can not control it, but uses it to her advantage to seek revenge on those that have hurt her.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Rayna by R. K. Marts is a wonderful YA fantasy. One that instantly draws out an emotional attachment to the protagonist. I felt her sadness, anger, and frustrations. Then, the knowledge about her birth mom only led my curiosity out further. 

Rayna is a young girl who spent her entire life in an orphanage. The kids teased her because of her pretty looks. She has never known her mother. Soon, she’s adopted and and that’s where the plot takes a knife to one’s heart. Dark, frightening, and sad. Rayna will experience things girls herage never should have to go through…yet it still happens. From there she escapes and friends a monk. A man who defended her. I wanted to hug the monk. After that the plot spirals readers further on a journey of revenge, discovery, and a mission for truth. 

R. K. Marts’ book was easy to read. Following along, was simple. Danger, violence, sex, arejust a few themes inside this tale. I would recommend this YA read to those eighteen or older due to the adult content. Beside that, the story was powerfully told and engaging to read. I recommend Rayna to readers worldwide. 

Review: Mute Desire

Synopsis:

This new world is dangerous, lonely, and scary.

Standing up to packs of Blasted has never been so risky. In spite of her visions, she can’t always tell where the next attack will occur. She needs help, even more so since the dice are loaded.

It happened a moment ago. There used to be four of them fighting the enemy, there’s only three now. They’re surrounded, trapped in a dreary place with no hope, with no choice but to surrender. Only one person can save them, the terrifying man who makes her heart skitter. 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Mute Desire by Chris Lange is brilliant. The thrilling fantasy led me onto a deep, erotic, and frightening journey. I never knew what to expect. From visions to notes and a deadly unseen enemy, a woman and three others are to be found and safe the world from an enemy. An enemy no one has seen. Kat has visions. Mind blowing ones…especially when it leads to the sexy hulk of a man living near her. He is mostly mute except for one word phrases or when he demands her to do something to him…their passion is hot enough to burn. One man already got close to Kat and her heart and turned out to be a traitor. So, she’s worried about having that happen again. But then she learns she can trust the man with her now. He’s there for her. 

Mute Desire brings a world barely hanging on a thread. Danger is everywhere. No where to hide, and an enemy that needs to be fought… but it’s hard when no one knows who the enemy really is. Then, a close ally turns out to be an undercover bad guy…all nightmares break loose. The race is on…and the scenes bring up the fear, intrigue, and suspense…

I couldn’t put this novel down…

Hot, engaging, and truly a page turner.

Chris Lange knew exactly how to lure readers like me into this fictional masterpiece. Mute Desire is an adventure readers don’t want to miss. I highly recommend it to all. Overall, I’m looking forward to the next book. 

Review: Red As Blood

Synopsis:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets Six of Crows—this international bestseller is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that chills to the bone, and not just because of the icy winter setting. 

Lumikki Andersson has made it a rule to stay out of things that do not involve her. She knows all too well that trouble comes to those who stick their nose where it doesn’t belong. But Lumikki’s rule is put to the test when she uncovers thousands of washed Euro notes hung to dry in her school’s darkroom and three of her classmates with blood on their hands. Literally. 

 A web of lies and deception now has Lumikki on the run from those determined to get the money back—no matter the cost. At the center of the chaos: Polar Bear, the mythical drug lord who has managed to remain anonymous despite his lavish parties and notorious reputation. If Lumikki hopes to make it out alive, she’ll have to uncover the entire operation.

 Even the cold Finnish winter can’t hide a culprit determined to stain the streets red.

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

As Red As Blood by Salla Simukka is a striking new YA thriller. I was drawn into the dark adventure ahead of me. The character, Lumikki Andersson, is a phenomenal protagonist. Her past experiences help her in her current situation. Deadly, frightening, and suspenseful. Lumikki ends up involved in something no other other would want to be involved within…death lies on the future. Hanging in the air like a heavy blanket that one can’t shake off. Only time will tell, if Lumikki can get the answers before something ends up happening to her. 

Salla Simukka has enticed me into her world of fiction. I have read many fantasy novels but this was definitely one that caught my attention. The plot showed potential. Needs a bit of kinking out…otherwise it was brilliant. The main character seems to have skills that are too good for this first piece in the series. I would have liked to see her struggle a bit more with her abilities aka skills versus her being perfectly skilled. Although her past seems to make her perfect skills believable yet…still. She’s young yet and shouldn’t have it well-tuned.  She should learn what flaws are in her best skills and get them sharper as each book comes out…instead of already being perfect in book one. All in all, the character intrigues me. She’s determined and brace enough to risk her own life. That,are me really connect and like her a lot. Overall, I recommend this dangerous tale, As Red As Blood, to all. 

Review: The Price of Valor

Synopsis:

In the latest Shadow Campaigns novel, Django Wexler continues his “epic fantasy of military might and magical conflict”* following The Shadow Throne and The Thousand Names, as the realm of Vordan faces imminent threats from without and within.
In the wake of the King’s death, war has come to Vordan.

The Deputies-General has precarious control of the city, but it is led by a zealot who sees traitors in every shadow. Executions have become a grim public spectacle. The new queen, Raesinia Orboan, finds herself nearly powerless as the government tightens its grip and assassins threaten her life. But she did not help free the country from one sort of tyranny to see it fall into another. Placing her trust with the steadfast soldier Marcus D’Ivoire, she sets out to turn the tide of history.

As the hidden hand of the Sworn Church brings all the powers of the continent to war against Vordan, the enigmatic and brilliant general Janus bet Vhalnich offers a path to victory. Winter Ihernglass, newly promoted to command a regiment, has reunited with her lover and her friends, only to face the prospect of leading them into bloody battle.
And the enemy is not just armed with muskets and cannon. Dark priests of an ancient order, wielding forbidden magic, have infiltrated Vordan to stop Janus by whatever means necessary…

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Price of Valor by Django Wexler is the fascinating tale. There’s everything a reader needs…action, suspense, war, magic, fantasy, and a bit of romance. I loved it. The pages were brought to life. I have never read a novel by Django Wexler but I will most definitely start. This was an engaging, dark, and intense read. Each character added to the plot…creating a build that only grew. The ending….has only left me with more need to read the next book by this talented writer. The Price of Valor has a lot to offer. A Queen, secrets, and enemies …danger hanging around everywhere. Overall, I recommend this brilliant masterpiece to readers worldwide. 

Review: The Tourist

Synopsis:

THE TOURIST is a masterpiece of suspense and a gripping new spin on the time travel story.

THE FUTURE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.

It is expected to be an excursion like any other. There is nothing in the records to indicate that anything out of the ordinary will happen.

A bus will take them to the mall. They will have an hour or so to look around. Perhaps buy something, or try their food.

A minor traffic incident on the way back to the resort will provide some additional interest – but the tour rep has no reason to expect any trouble.

Until he notices that one of his party is missing.

Most disturbingly, she is a woman who, according to the records, did not go missing.

Now she is a woman whose disappearance could change the world.

With breathtaking plot twists that ricochet through time, this is the most original conspiracy thriller you will read this year. 

Rating: 3.5-stars

Review:

The Tourist by Robert Dickinson is a conspiracy thriller. However, it was more of a time-travel adventure. The beginning of this book was well-done. The suspense was great. It intrigued me in a way, that I wanted to learn more. But as the story progressed, I felt confused. I didn’t really know much on the prisoner who was trapped or why. Then, the prisoner is asked to go on a mission, but it didn’t exactly know if he or she was going to free afterwards. The prisoner’s identity remained hidden longer than I would have liked. This was the first book I have read by Robert Dickinson. The plot was centered around a bus trip to see the 21st century. The tour guide preferred the 19th century. The time eras were hard to follow along at times. Something unknown was going to happen but the tour guide wasn’t sure what nor why. A tour member goes missing and that’s what the whole story is centered around…the missing woman. 

Review: Vault of Dreams

Synopsis:

Albanland. Emerald hills and ice blue lochs, bordered by Nørds raiders and the haughty monarchs of South Angle, each dynasty eager to seize lands weakened by a civil war in which a usurper has risen to seize the cloven throne.

Morgance, Faer Princess of the Night.

And by her side, the fearsome Ultan Skölhammer, sworn Guardian of the Crown.

But Rhoswen, rightful heir to the throne, princess in exile, leads a final uprising from the depths of the forest, an uprising that twists together the lives of the most unlikely companions.

A notorious thief accused of a crime she did not commit.

A baird apprentice searching for the meaning of life.

A pair of brothers who can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

And a gypsy bound to the ancient artifact known only as the Vault of Dreams. 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Vault of Dreams by Luke Taylor is is an outstanding YA novel. I read a lot of YA books and this one has beat them all. Luke Taylor has created a fictional world where the rightful ruler is fighting to gain her throne back. War breaks out, loyalty is shown, and a budding romance begins. This fantasy novel has everything. Action, adventure, friendships, and a fight worth reading. Absolutely, an epic tale. 

The Vault of Dreams reads as vividly as the Lord of Rings books. I was hooked. The rightful queen, Arelyn, is a character to hold. Watching her, throughout the pages was fun.  Niles is another interesting character. Him and Finleigh are great. Finleigh is a young gsypie. Niles turns into a Lord at such a young age. Morgance is a bold and strong character. Evil too. Arelyn and Finleigh become friends. Two good charcaters. I liked them both. Strong female protagonists.  Each character both bad and good added to the plot. The exciting part was that each got to tell the story from their point of view. That was a susrpise. Most writers who try this, end up losing readers due to the point of view taking away or not adding enough to the story. I found the changing point of views to being good. It was like stepping into each character’s soul. Understanding them better. I easily see this book as a crossover read. Both yong adults and adult alike will get lost in within this world. Luke Taylor has outdone himself in this spectacular piece. I look forward to reading more by him in the future. 

Review: Spectra

Synopsis:

One touch of Spectra’s fingers leaves the predator Bay craving more.

Spectra is a Balance; a decedent of angels whose soul has been intertwined with that of sorcerer Alexander, although her heart belongs to Mercury, the son of an archangel.
Bay is a predator de Sang and sorcerer, who runs his own private security company, fighting the purist organization Essence. Seeking out Spectra for her special abilities the last thing he expected to find was a Balance strong enough to withstand his potent energy. With her heart and soul already claimed, could there be room for another in her life? 

When Bay’s infatuations bring Spectra to the attention of Essence and put her life at risk, he must learn that sometimes sacrificing the ones you love is the only way to save them. 

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Spectra by Ebony Olson is a paranormal fantasy read. One that offers readers a lot of action, intrigue, and romance. The characters are suspenseful. Each has a goal. That goal leads them into each other’s circle. Once entered, there’s no turning away from what pulls them together. A fight worthy of every readers’ heart. Strong, bold, and entertaining. 

Ebony Olson brings together one of the most fascinating mixtures. Angels and magic. A heady combination. Especially in the form of Spectra and Bay. These two characters had me captivated from the beginning. Three-dimensional, highly engaging, and so many possibilities…I loved it. Every page was enticing. Left me, feeling an adrenaline pumping into my system as each scene unfolded. Powerfully written, Spectra, is a must read for all. This new writer has definitely caught my full attention. I look forward to reading more of her work. 

Review: Pink Diamonds

Synopsis:

Sex and the City meets Fear of Flying on the dance floor. It’s now or never for Alexis. She’s determined to reinvent herself and make her mark, but when she falls in love with Argentine tango, romance gets in the way. Newly divorced transplant to Los Angeles, Alexis takes up Argentine tango as a way to meet people, but really to resuscitate her comatose sexuality from the deep freeze that was her marriage. She knew she was a goner right after that first tangasm, a fabled phenomenon and here she is having multiples right out the gate. 

Tango sets something loose in her, something wild and hungry. She enters a series of romantic misadventures with the men who give her tangasms on the dance floor but her usual good judgment is confused by shape-shifting lovers and past-life scenes bleeding through into present reality. When her recklessness puts her life in danger, she freaks out. She resolves to focus on work. No more romance. Not until she can heal and trust herself again. 

Then Nico enters Alexis’ life and rocks her world. It is the biggest opportunity of her career. She can’t blow it by getting romantically entangled with the client. Yet if her dreams are true, this isn’t the first time they’ve met. When a former self from a past life barges in, things come to a head. From the sexy milongas of Los Angeles to stylish Milan and sultry Rio, Alexis ignites a passion she never knew and discovers the power of reinvention.

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

Pink Diamonds by Mikhaila Stettler is a seductive yet deep tale. Dancing on the floor is more than just an exercise or an entertainment. For Alexis, it becomes a night of real passion and danger. Past colliding with the future…a whirlwind of events that will change Alexis’s life.  Mikhaila Stettler has created an erotic, fiery, yet engaging story. I found myself lost in its depth. The instant feelings and connection Alexis feels…is so believable. She is an incredible character. One that knows to take it slow but her body says differently. Sex, lust, and love. Powerful, unique, and entertaining…Pink Diamonds isn’t like any other tale. Once I started, I couldn’t stop reading it. Overall, I recommend it to others. 

Author Interview with M.L. Crum

ULM: What lead you to writing your first novel, Irony of Time? 

Three years ago I found myself at a point in my life where I was trying to figure out more about myself. I had just come off of participating in the Avon Breast Cancer 2-day Walk where I had been training, with my two best friends, for 6 months prior to the walk. It was a wonderful experience to do something that was more than my own world. But when the walk ended my one friend got busy with her new house. My other friend had a new job. I was now off for the summer since I teach and my two children were old enough to have their own lives, interest and summer activities all lined up. I found myself wondering what more there was to me than a teacher, mother and wife. What else could I do? I wallowed in that for two weeks until one morning I awoke from a very vivid dream. The kind of dream that makes you sit up quickly and think Wow! That was interesting! I wanted to know more about these two characters that were in my dream. I wanted to know what happened to them after the one made such a dramatic decision. I sat there for awhile thinking of this dream then Stephenie Myers came to mind and how she wrote the whole Twilight Series stemming off her dream. I thought if she could do it, I certainly could give it a try. I thought I might get maybe 50 pages, but the moment I sat down at my computer to type, that first scene from my dream poured out of me and these characters came to life. That became chapter one of Irony. It was then that I remembered I use to have a passion for writing. I wrote all the time when I was younger up until college. It was then my passion turned to teaching young children. By the end of that summer I had finished the first round of the book which was almost 300 pages.

 

ULM: Inside of Irony of Time, your character, Miriam, goes through a journey of redemption. What was it like creating her?

Miriam was exciting to bring to life. I knew her name right away. The arc of her character was fun to write because I got to show at different ages. First at the age of 26 she was an amnesiac, but living so blissfully with only the current year memories to sustain her. She had found happiness away from something tragic that had happened in her past that still haunted her dreams. She was feisty and ready to discover everything and anything about herself. She wasn’t afraid to take charge even with her lover, the mysterious physicist, Dr. Ian Stone, who was shrouded in a lot of secrets himself.  

 

Then I got to write her as a 16 year old when she traveled back in time. Not only was she a 16 year old, but this teenager with all her memories back intact, having the mind and experiences of a 26 year old, but a body of a young girl. Could you image? It was challenging to bring that to life, but fun. Now she was in a race against time trying to prevent that one tragic event that had spiraled her whole life out of control. She was on the cusp of the one event that destroyed her family-this family she now remembers and treasures.

 

The range of her emotions through this journey hit every possible level as she had to rediscover her inner self over and over again, working through the weaknesses that broke her down when utter heartbreak occurred to discovering and using her strengths to overcome the pain, betrayal and despair. She used all this to really find her true self.

 

ULM: What were your thoughts when bringing to life, Dr. Ian Stone?

 Now, this character was a little different. He wasn’t as clear to me in the dream. I knew he was there. I saw what he did, but he was a mystery to me. One I wanted to figure out. I did not have a name for him until many chapters into the book. I left blank lines or used a pronoun. I researched and made a list of mysterious male names. Ironically, his name actually did not come off that list, but all of the males (except William) from Book two, Hope With Stickers, did. I really loved the name Damian for him, but Vampire Dairies had that name for their seductive, mysterious, sometimes evil, character. I love the actor who portrays Damian, Ian Somerhalder, so finally I just decided to use his first name. To be brutally honest, I visualized Ian Somerhalder whenever I was writing a chapter with Dr. Stone in it.

 

Dr. Ian Stone is a character I wanted readers to be confused about at first, uneasy, not sure what to think kind of feelings. Maybe then a sort of liking occurs. Next all of a sudden hate his guts. Then for the rest of the story find yourself in a hate-love relationship with him. My goal by the end is for readers to land solidly on one of those feelings, but if they’re still on the fence then when they read the first chapter of Book Two and gain some clarity with what he did and what would happened if he didn’t, that seals the deal for them.

 

ULM: Inside book 2 (Hope with Stickers), readers really get to meet Hope. A mother who lost her child. What lead you to this specific plot? 

 

Hope showed up towards the end of Book one. She is only there for one and half pages, but she makes a dramatic impact as she actually detours the time traveling Miriam from a path where abuse would have entered her life again. I instantly knew there was more to this woman’s story. I thought that it would be so interesting to find out what would have happened to Hope and her run away daughter if she never met Miriam during her time traveling journey and then the complete altered path her life took because she did cross paths with a time traveler. I purposely left out 14 missing days in Irony because I knew what was going on with Miriam during that time and how Hope played a bigger part than just one and half pages, but that would not be discovered until book two.

 

ULM: Hope with Stickers is an interesting read. Can you share with us, readers, who the Novaks are? Especially, Rylas Novak. 

 Ah, Rylas. He is a character you love to hate and then hate that you love him.  

Not to give too much away concerning the paranormal aspects of this series, but the Novaks are a mysterious family of private investigators. Quade and Declan are brothers and Rylas is their cousin. They run their operation in secret out of their nightclub, Taboo, in North Carolina. They have a connection to Ian because they once enlisted Ian’s help with a case they were working on many years back. Declan is the strong leader of the group who manages everything the way he see fit for the good of their kind. Quade is the misunderstood, humorous misfit of the group. That leaves Rylas— the tortured, bruiting, cocky but handsome detective that takes an odd interest in Hope for there is something about her that begins to shatter his whole world.  
ULM: What are you other hobbies besides writing? 

I have a passion for teaching. I teach first grade and have taught for over 15+ years now. My other passions are reading and cooking.

 

ULM: How would you describe Hope with Stickers using only three words?

 Textured, memorable, heartfelt

 

ULM: What themes can readers find in your work? 

I think in the Irony of Time series there is a theme for almost anyone. There is the bond of family love with a focus on sibling love that sometimes only seems to occur either later in life or after a tragedy. That leads to the theme of making each moment count now by appreciating and loving one another. Other themes include overcoming tragedy, finding self-worth, redemption and forgiveness. Romance and passion wind itself through all the themes.

 

All my stories have a curve ball somewhere that comes out of left field when you least expect it because that is what I love to read.

 

ULM: If your novels were to become movies, who do you see playing Miriam, Hope, Dr. Ian Stone, Rylas, Declan, Quade, Carly, Lisa, and Miranda?

 

To be honest, I only ever had Ian Somerhalder in mind for Ian.  

Rylas, I feel needs to be someone new and hot, but if I had to pick then maybe a cross between Josh Holloway and Charlie Hunnam, but with black hair.

In the book Miriam describes Hope as a Cheryl Tiegs almost 40-years-old looking waitress. So, someone similar to her since she is a model and not an actress.

The rest, I simply cannot think of a current actor that would fit my visual of what he/she looks like.

 

ULM: You have a third novel coming out soon. Can you share with us, readers, what Heart of Mine is about? 

Heart of Mine is the third and final book in this series. It is divided into several parts. The beginning and the end parts comes from the point of view of a surprising character that is really the heart of this whole series. The middle is how all the stories and central characters from each book come back together in a very unique way. All three books tightly intertwine each other in so many ways that readers will encounter those aha! Moments throughout each book as scenes and events unfold which trigger a new understanding and realization concerning something from one of the previous books. Even from the biggest of moments to the smallest of minute details, there are hidden secrets being slowly revealed.

Book three wraps it all up in one big, I-didn’t-see-that-coming bow.

 

ULM: Any other projects to come out after your third novel? 

 

Yes, over my Christmas break I began writing my fourth book. It is about a young, first year teacher….go figure. Well, I wanted to write about something I know a lot about. There is romance, possibly a love triangle…hint, hint. It is humorous, but there is a central tragedy that has occurred. This form of tragedy is a worry that plagues the mind of all teachers everywhere and one in which some have endured.

 

ULM: What is it like teaching? Did this influence your stories?

 

Teaching is like having a job you can never leave. I mean that in every sense of the phrase. I mean I can’t see myself ever leaving teaching until they push me out the door. Because it brings me joy and satisfaction through interacting with children as I help them grow, learn and achieve, but also there is never a punch-out clock. Even as I type these answers I’m watching the time and thinking of my lesson plans I have to finish for next week, systematically filing through the five days and the subjects of math, social studies, science, reading and writing. Then there is the pile of journals I need to assess tonight (while I am mentally preparing for a week of two different formal individual assessments in reading, I need to give each of my 24 students). A coworker said she even teaches in her sleep, which her husband can verify because of what she says out loud.

My favorite subject to teach has always been writing. I love being a part of their growth as a writer from September through May. The magic that would happen there in their writing would be one of my joys.

Now, I don’t think the first three books where influenced by my teaching, but more of an escape. I needed to demand a punch out clock for short periods of time. Even in the summertime between online courses I had to find a way of escaping into another world with imaginary adults and events I could control. It was a way to get lost.

Now my fourth book is heavily influenced by teaching as I previously mentioned.

 

ULM: What is your advice to other writers?

Writing, editing, formatting and publishing (self-publishing) are the easy parts. It is the marketing that is the biggest challenge. Get out there now, before your book is going to be published, before the formatting, before the editing and writing. Get out there and get seen, be heard, while you are thinking about becoming a published writer. Build your writer’s platform NOW.

 

ULM: Where can readers find you and your books online?

Book one and two, The Irony of Time series, are both found on Amazon.com, my website and Goodreads

mlcrum1.wix.com/author

You can also learn more about me and what’s going on by following me at:
www.facebook.com/authormlcrum

www.pinterest.com/mlcrum71

www.goodreads.com/author/show/9018423.M_L_Crum
Amazon: M.L. Crum
 

 

 

Review: Regolith

Synopsis:

Elle is a sales superstar at Aspen-Hayward Inc., a company specializing in consumer products and medical supplies. To her surprise, she is hand-picked by the company’s board to run the Research and Development department with an impossible mandate: deliver an industry-leading adaptive learning program to anticipate consumer needs, or else. Aspen-Hayward—languishing in the shadow of its nearest and largest competitor, Rossigland Inc.—is wagering its future on Elle’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Greggory work for a security team responsible for loss prevention along Rossigland’s far-reaching and treacherous supply chain. During a routine delivery run, Daniel and Gregg encounter an unusual threat that leads them through a wild ride of adventure.

Elle hires Noam, a developer-savant who quickly brings her department to the verge of something great: the world’s first artificial consciousness, capable of creating humanity’s most needed solutions— saltwater agriculture, a cure for aging and cancer, and sustainable energy.

What none of them know is how their two worlds will collide with an impact of unprecedented scale.

Characters

Elle

Ellison Cole is a tough young woman: a joy with friends but tenacious at the office. She relies heavily on her underachieving but lovable confidant, Cy. Elle has a complicated past and her present becomes more conflicted after meeting Victoria, a more tenured executive at Aspen.

Daniel Brevier

Daniel is a field manager for Rossigland security. If there is one person you can count on to solve a problem, Daniel is your guy—but don’t expect him to avoid making a mess in the process.

Noam

Noam Cohen is much more than a developer and has effortlessly excelled since a young age. He is nothing short of a prodigy at his job and is “a natural” when the team is off-duty.

George McPherson

George is Rossigland’s low-profile COO and, over the course of the book, emerges as much more important than he first appears.

Major Themes

Chaos vs. Order

Evolution: Does a superintelligence present a risk or a benefit to humanity, or both?

What does it mean to be human? Is our purpose to be purely objective, or is humanity defined by an imperfect but vibrant subjective experience?

Advanced physics: an abundance of Earth-like planets in our galaxy; quantized super-vacuum theory related to the AI’s power once born.

Ellison Cole and Aspen-Hayward

Aspen-Hayward wants to rise to the level of sophistication of Rossigland Inc., a larger and much more successful competitor. Senior leadership promotes Elle to bring a sales-oriented focus to Research and Development. She hires Noam and later directs him to take the program to the limit, even if her methods and motivations are compromised in many ways. Then things become complicated.

Daniel Brevier

Daniel and his crew suffer an attack and soon gain valuable intelligence from the crew of another ship. Greg returns to his family, while Daniel smells danger and wants a piece of the action.

Action he finds in a series of adventures, at a classified armory to a battle at an energy processing facility to the brink of an epic battle for humanity’s survival.

The Two Stories Converge

We later discover the problem Daniel discovered is much larger than anyone had imagined while Elle and Noam struggle to realign their project. The two stories weave together in an intricate and beautiful conclusion that will leave you wanting more.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

H. William Glenbrook has masterfully woven two tales combining them into a super novel. Each story has its own set of characters and consequences. Both of these will soon be emerging together. Suspenseful, intense, and well-written. I haven’t read a novel like this one. There is a lot of action happening. Trouble ahead. Regolith is like having Star Wars collide into our real world.  The danger is a huge threat. No one will just realize the extent until they’re pressured into trying to stop it. The writer has combined business, technology, and fantasy into one interesting story. Like with all businesses choices are made and it can break or make the people involved. The plot is clever and fast-paced. Regolith is full of action and intrigue. It kept me keep reading until I reached the last page. The characters are the most fascinating group, ever. Smart, savvy, and bold. Their personalities make them believable. H. William Glenbrook has taken the impossible and made into something that could be possible. Quite frightening. The reality of the future…will keep readers engaged. Overall, I highly recommend this book, to all. 

Review: Beyond Every Mirror

Synopsis:
His death is the only thing that can save the life of the woman he loves.

The pain that registered on her face at his words nearly sent him sprawling to the straw. His body shook, not only with the cold that had overtaken his healing torso but with fear, anguish and the battle with himself to take back the words, to gather her into his arms and say he was sorry and he would never let go. But, she needed to heal and she needed to move on with her life, such as it would be. And, though she may never forget, one day they would stop making her watch his death, witness the tortures. She would have children and a life, a family of her own. Something she could never have with a ‘sacrificial pawn,’ as he saw himself. 
“It’s time for you to go, Meirah, and never come back.”

*****

Diana Gabaldon meets Anne Rice in this fast-paced time dimension paranormal romance that will blow your mind.

*****
Beside his own image, Dane Bainbridge sees another; a ginger haired beauty–behind her, red mountains and clouds as if from another world. He’s seen her his entire life, a life filled with glamour and fame… and loneliness. For the woman in the mirror is his one true love. But, this he does not know, not until he is dragged into her world–one of beasts and lands beyond imagination. One where his sacrifice is the only thing keeping her and the world in which she resides alive. 

Once they are together, he remembers it all, and that knowledge means his doom for all eternity. But if he escapes her world, she will perish as will all others behind the looking glass. He is the key that keeps her alive, and she is the key that gives him hope. Can they break the curse that keeps them separated by torture and death? Can they escape together from a world that exists beyond every mirror?
Rating: 5-stars

Review: 

Beyond Every Mirror by Christine Church is an amazing fantasy. Christine Church’s novel was well-written. Every page intrigued me further. I couldn’t put this book down…the scenes were vivid and exciting. The characters were well-developed. There is a famous rockstar musician, Dane. He sees a woman in a mirror. Their connection is deep, intant, and painful. Painful due to their separation. Magic keeping them apart. As they get to see opeach other time from time in another time dimension, the plot thickens. Danger and a blazing need by both characters will knock readers off their seats. Dragging them into the book. A curse they must break. I got to explore an unusual world where Dane meets his love, Meirah. Meirah is a unique character. She’s strong just like Dane. Not exactly human either. Dane is human. He’s clever, strong, and talented. Only he can save her…Beyond Every Mirror brings sacrifice, family, and love into readers’ palms. These themes were woven in a perfect blend. Just the right amount of action, romance, and adventure. Once the book has been opened, there’s no returning…the writing plunges readers into its depth. Overall, I highly recommend this to fans of The Lord of the Rings. 

Review: The Oarsman

Synopsis:

In the novel, The Oarsman, a magical river begins singing out, and a dying man suddenly aches to know if the paradise at its end is real enough to fill his heart. He hires an oarsman to take him upstream, but a twisted encounter sends them back to revisit every role the man has played in his long life.

A merchant hoarding, an artist trying to capture love with a brush, a warrior looking for peace in war, and a dreamer imagining himself a knight to fight a dragon — these, and more, were faces of the man.

As forces try to derail their quest, and as they row further back into the man’s past, the man begins to suspect that the oarsman is more than he seems.
The Oarsman, with its combination of adventure, fantasy, and spiritual inspiration will delight any reader, and also excite the currents of the river flowing through all our hearts.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Oarsman by Zubin Mathai is one of the most fascinating reads I have read. It begins with a man set on a journey. A journey to finding that peace he so desperately yearns for…yet resides within him the whole time. Peaceful, engaging, and inspiring. Readers will enjoy this tale.  A fantasy that allows readers to explore the character’s deep soul. As the story unfolds the man has a lot to learn before his journey is complete. Man struggles. Life is complex and difficult. But if we truly allow ourselves time to discover, we can find what we search for inside ourselves. I loved the deep meanings found on the pages. Rich, entertaining, and beautifully told. The book almost makes life look like a maze. We all must find our way to the end (opening). Overall, I highly recommend The Oarsman to all. 

Review: Under The Double Integral- Ray Donner (Planet Master)

Synopsis:

Under The Double Integral is the second in a series of novels by Stan Burns. It is a sequel to Stan’s first novel, Extraordinary Space, The Integral. Under The Double Integral is a work of science fiction that blends everyday life activities of a family from a moderately sized Midwestern community with various other intriguing activities, known only to a few, mainly that of exploring the vastness of space. In the novel, an ordinary teen is given the means to travel to distant planets and back. His explorative curiosity of the planets is first sparked while in high school and this curiosity continues well into his college years. While Ray Donner’s extra-planetary adventures are intended to be kept secret from his younger siblings, their antics are nevertheless evident throughout the novel. Amazingly, Ray reaches a breakthrough that could have astounding implications for all mankind, a second chance if you will, for mankind to get it right. Ray Donner (Planet Master) – Under The Double Integral, and Beyond the Final Frontier.

 Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Under the Double Integral – Ray Donner (Planet Master) by Stan Burns is an astounding piece. Explore science and the vast world of space. Every pages leads readers on a journey of a lifetime. Imagine exploring Mercy and Venus and finding valuable gems. Just being on the planets would be exciting enough. I felt like all the things that I learned in Physcial Science were being taught to me again. Except in this entertaining world of fiction, I could easily see how the knowledge would come in handy. Knowing the tempartures and atmosphere stuff is fascinating. The combinations of what there are up of is interesting. The moon, sun, and space travel will definitely hook readers. I definitely was lured. Captivated by the story. The characters were refreshing and kept me turning the pages. Intrigue, educational, and adventure all wrapped into one brilliant read. I haven’t read the first novel, in this series, but I look forward to reading it. Stan Burns has truly created an engaging read. Loved reading his latest book. Overall, I highly recommend Under the Double Integral to readers worldwide. 

Review: Dominion of the Star

Synopsis:

The totality of a solar eclipse lasts only a few short minutes. That’s more than enough time for an apocalypse to erupt. 

Almost eighteen years have passed since the Eclipse changed the Earth forever, and Sebastian Za’in rose from the chaos and seized control, imposing his order on the broken planet. In a world ruled by fear and superstition, where all gods have perished, there is no one that can stand up to Za’in, the man rumored to be one of the Nephilim—hybrid offspring of Angel and Man. In a few short months, another Eclipse will occur, and while there are those that expect a new natural disaster, Za’in has plans of his own . . . 

Completely unaware of this global turmoil, Kayla Steelryn has spent most of her life in a quiet village, longing to uncover her hidden past. When she leaves her home in search of answers, she finds herself faced with the truth about her identity, forced to choose between the two men she loves, and thrust into a conflict where she alone has the power to stop an event more disastrous than the end of the world.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Dominion of the Star by Angelica Clyman is a fascinating world of fiction. Here, both evil and good reside. The past is no more…and the present is awful. Then, there’s the unknown of what the future will hold. Bold, engaging, and the most intriguing fantasy ever…Dominion of the Star will steal readers from their seats. I found myself curious and hooked. The plot holds a promising story full of action. Danger, war, and destruction all on a tipping scale sinking closer to a reality. Imagine a world once destroyed and soon to be under another terrifying moment. The characters were well-developed. The turn mail wasn’t just an external one but also an internal conflict. Kayla is a character I could easily relate to and feel her emotions. She’s seeking answers and those answers lead her on an adventure of a lifetime. Interesting, suspenseful, and intense. Angelica Clyman held my attention from the first page onward. Her story is one that has a lot to offer. Romance, coming of age, and leaves readers wondering what will come. Overall, I recommend this novel to all. 

Review: The Tut Clone Contracts

Synopsis:

Readers of this Book Will … 1. Enjoy robot combat with live ammunition at the 2033 Munich Oktoberfest as Edison Richards, a ten-year-old Tut clone, competes against the leading war-robot operators of Europe. 2. Participate in an attack on a drug lord’s mining camp in Guatemala as Kachil Coban, a Tut clone undergraduate at the University of Chicago, rescues a young Mayan cousin from sexual slavery. 3. Hide under a sink in the Oriental Institute as two of the Tuts’ girlfriends raid the place one night, looking for evidence of the clones’ origins. 4. Join a truck convoy crossing Cairo under fire as the Tut clan, now united, takes over their ancestral homeland, founds the 34th Dynasty, and revives a dysfunctional Egyptian state. 5. Listen in at the Tuts’ first press conferences as they meet the challenges of ruling Egypt after a lost war, an Islamic insurrection, and economic chaos. 6. Join the funeral procession of John Jazz Tut, assassinated by a terrorist, as he becomes the first royal interred in the Great Pyramid of Giza in 5,000 years. Hear Gordon Geertsma, now Tutankhaten II, deliver a funeral oration and restore Egypt to its place as a leading center of civilization in the year 2046, newly renumbered Anno Aegypti 6046.

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

The Tut Clone Contracts by Jan Issaye Berkhout is one marvelous journey. Jan Issaye Berkhout takes readers into an unforgettable adventure of a lifetime. Intrigue, action, travel. Egypt is a fascinating place where so much can happen. This story has everything readers could dream of plus, more. It’s fast-paced and thrilling. There’s robotics, slavery, dysfunctional state of Egypt and others. Wars, danger, political as well as economic conflicts are brought into the tale. Creating a rich fantasy filled with nothing but exploration as the plot unfolds. 

This novel, caught my interest from the title alone. Anything with Egypt catches my attention. In fiction, there was a ton of room to make a story. The writer, Jan Issaye Berkhout went beyond any writer. I was excited, caught in suspense, and loving every moment. Every page had visual and entertaining scenes. The characters were well developed. Some parts of the novel, were educational. I found myself completely engaged inside of The Tut Clone Contracts. Whether one is into technology, sci-fi, or adventure…this is the perfect read as it has it all. Overall, I recommend it the book to readers worldwide.

Review: Computer Love Inc. III (Blood Brothers)

Synopsis:

Computer Love Inc.’s team of elite scientists have developed a new technological wonder, yet it brings with it unforeseen events bearing serious implications. The Guardian of Development, as this supreme Companion has been named, is dangerous – and not only for the mere fact that it represents the epitome of all artificial intelligence combined. Overwhelmed by what his team has created and burdened with the responsibility of time travel technology, Marius realizes he needs immediate assistance. Together, he, Zak, and John, are forced to take on challenges far beyond any they have ever encountered.

The government’s involvement has surpassed the point of empty threats; now, their presence is tangible and undisguised. Marius realizes that his company could potentially lose everything. Fueling the concept of an inside company traitor, Zak develops suspicions that convince John and Marius to take action. To make matters worse, the threat of a radical group, Rights for All Companions (R-FAC), has grown stronger. It’s become difficult to determine where alliances lay, and it seems that no one can be trusted. Has Computer Love Inc. spawned a source of technology that surpasses humanity? One thing is certain: a battle is brewing. With ideologies divided and battle lines blurred, will it be humanity or artificial intelligence that prevails?

Rating: 5-stars

Review: 

Computer Love Inc. III (Blood Brothers) by both Kurt and Jessica Hansen is the third installment to their amazing science fiction series. What I love about this novel, is that it contains all of the science fiction elements and is still addictive to read. I normally do not read science fiction. However, when I do, I am very picky. Kurt and Jessica Hansen have created a stunning piece. Their book brings out my other favorite elements like mystery, suspense, and intrigue. I was hooked. 

The story once more has political and government issues. Plus, the artificial intelligence robot is a major hazard to all. It’s strengths make it a threat. The government wants it. The role of science and how far it goes shows readers the scariness of it all. How far is too much? When science reaches that boiling point where it becomes it an issue to all makes me wonder if scientists really would go as far as possible to stop their evil creations…Computer Love Inc. III (Blood Brothers) is indeed a compelling read. Readers will love traveling in time and following along as the suspense builds up…overall, I highly recommend this tale to readers worldwide 

Review: Computer Love Inc. (Gestation)

Synopsis:

After the sudden deaths of two previous Computer Love Inc. CEOs, Marius takes control of the company. Embracing the talents of his godson, John, and his best friend, Zak, he hires the boys to oversee the Companion Services Division. Marius refines his breakthrough technology, the Brain Machine Download, and as a result, creates his double, M2, as the prototype. Together, they ignite the future of Computer Love Inc. by acquiring an elite team of scientists to expand the company’s technological boundaries. Meanwhile, Marius struggles with the government’s demands for a clandestine initiative – the Secret Service Companion. Between the looming government presence and the overwhelming force behind his new team of inventors, can Marius survive the outcome of his own creations?

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Computer Love Inc. II: Gestation is the second stunning installment to a fascinating series. Both Kurt and Jessica Hansen have created a world in which readers will love. Once I opened the book, I was immediately transported into the scenes. Inside, readers will marvel at the scientific discoveries and computer technology. I was amazed. Artificial intelligence is a major topic and theme being explored by more and more scientists. The main character doing the same is believable. His creation is one that he should disable but can’t bring himself to do so…reminded me of Frankenstein a bit. Government politics plays another role of this novel. Marius is a CEO who has the power to create amazing things…and one of those things are wanted badly by the government. The results are mind blowing. Technology, future, and fantasy all wrapped into one marvelous title. Fast-paced, gripping, and highly entertaining. Computer Love Inc. II: Gestation will leave readers wondering what if…Truly a thrilling journey that I didn’t want to end. Overall, I highly recommend this to readers everywhere. 

Review: The Meteorite Chronicles (Earth Under)

Synopsis:

A well-traveled young adventurer and a successful, determined meteorite hunter, Bryce has been obsessed since childhood with the magical allure of space rocks. This mission provides him with all the facets of life that he is most drawn to: global travel, meeting new people, adventure, discovery, and the hunt. In a dust-covered desert village on the edge of the earth, Bryce finds himself injured, alone, and pursued, the threat of death a constant travel companion. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that his quest for meteorites would take him where he will soon find himself.

Jasmina is the stunningly beautiful, courageous, self-reliant, strong-willed tribal princess from the other side of the world—and from Bryce’s past. The powerful and mysterious leader of her village on the edge of the Great Sand Sea, she displays a depth of wisdom and experience far beyond normal, the clever glint in her gorgeous emerald eyes hinting at an otherworldly past.

What starts as a typical globe-trekking adventure to recover these stony treasures from space leads Bryce on a hazardous journey to a strange new world beyond his wildest imagination. Mankind is in for the shock of twenty millennia as Bryce and Jasmina reveal the truth about our home world, Earth.

Will Bryce and Jasmina survive their pursuers? Will mankind survive—and will the Earth survive mankind? Can the pending doom be avoided? Will our worlds come together to defend the Earth against the treachery and relentless attack by an amoral, powerful, and malicious enemy?

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Earth Under isn’t like any other typical science fiction book. Sure it’s elements are the same but the story is captivating. It immediately draws readers into its plot. Action, suspense, science and some romance. All packed inside this explosive read. I usually don’t read sci-fi but after this book, it gives me more hope for its genre. Now, I will be looking at sci-fi fantasies with a lot more attention. Edwin Thompson has deleivered just the right amount of everything. He has pulled me into his world of fiction faster than I thought I would have been. 

Here, inside this entertaining tale, I met a character from planet Earth who then goes on an adventure many of us never dreamed of…Bryce is fascinated with space. Space holds a lot of possibilities…and in this case, he meets an alien woman, Jasmine. Both from different worlds are thrust together to battle in keeping the evil plan from happening. Time is ticking away fast and the heroes will have many challenges ahead of them if they are to make it alive. Earth Under should be made into a big motion picture. I can already see the scenes coming alive…vibrant, fast-paced, and full of danger. I highly recommend this sci-fi fantasy to readers everywhere. 

Review: Pepper’s Ghost

 

Synopsis:

Charlotte Alexandra Long is determined to create her own life, but severe reverberations await her at the crossroads of each decision and always the possibility that the very thing she put in place on her own terms could be wiped away by an uncertain future. As Pepper’s Ghost weaves in and out of her experiences as a teen and young adult, and locations in the South and Midwest, Alex emerges from the remains of young Charlotte, but her evolving identity will never escape being an outsider in society’s eyes. After a series of ill-fitting jobs, Alex joins a traveling amusement company as a sideshow performer, where illusion and reality interplay through the metaphor of an old theater trick. She faces challenges from her troubled but devoted father, her self-absorbed mother, a spectrum of circus employees, and emotional ties to memories and places that give solace in times of ambiguity and loneliness.

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Pepper’s Ghost by William Auten is a YA read that will lure readers into its depth. The young character, Charlotte Alexandra, aka Alex, is interesting. She is unlike most leading female characters. What she really is surprised me…her journey was one wild roller-coaster ride after another.  The dynamics of family life are played throughout this read. The parents make the life for Alex a bit more complex than should be. I liked how as a main character she was constantly challenged. Alex took on each challenge moving through life the best she could do. Sometimes things worked out and sometimes not. William Auten portrayed the realities of life along with fantasy in way the just made readers like myself more curious. Memories…and emotions were strong, it was easy to be swept up within them. Pepper’s Ghost is a coming of age tale that comes off as entertaining, mysterious, and deep. The plot was developed and the pace was steady. Overall, I recommend it to all.

Review: Computer Love Inc.

 

Synopsis:

Computer Love Inc. is the story of an imminent bio-robotics boom,
a questionable death, and two young paramedics who stumble into a technological nightmare in the form of a tiny blue chip. With the help of an eccentric godfather, they become compelled to unlock the mystery of what’s become of a famed artificial intelligence manufacturer, forced to make troubling moral decisions along the way. Through sharp twists and action paced faster than an air-car, Computer Love Inc. weaves a complex technological tale of conflict and camaraderie, all the while leading us to ask ourselves: What does it mean to be a true friend? And, should some truths remain unspoken?

Rating: 4 stars

Rating: 

Computer Love Inc. by both Kurt and Jessica Hansen is a fascinating science fiction read. Fans of this genre will immediately fall in love with the plot. It is fast-paced, exciting, and pulls readers into its depth. Technology and the future are major themes incorporated into this well-written novel. I am not usually one to read science fiction, but this one was great. It held my at attention from the start. Plus, it contained mystery, suspense, and a bit of romance. Those are my favorite things to look forward in any read. Both writers put together a compelling read for readers to enjoy. Robots, science, fantasy, and death all in one action packed title. The characters were mostly males who dominated the entire book. Only one female. Quite an interesting world of fiction to explore. Overall, I recommend this book to readers everywhere.

Review: Dystortions (100 Hues of Purple)

Synopsis:

Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple is a tale of mystery, murder, and love in a parallel universe, with a bit of humor. Addy O’Malibul is a former journalist who is convicted of murder and imprisoned on a planet called Malaprop, strikingly similar to Earth, but with a few twists and many Dystortions in translations of data transmissions from a planet known as Hearth. Glitched up radio communications are bombarding Malaprop – a world where fearful national security analysts, politicians, and P.R. flacks re-write history and distort facts to recreate their reality in Hearth’s image. The Dystortions in those radio communications sometimes appear to twist words backwards and create opposite meanings, but maybe also reveal underlying truths.

There’s just enough good science and wacked-out myth-busting to make the story hauntingly credible – and enough saucy romance to keep things hot. It’s much warmer and more colorful than any shades of grey.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple by Lisa Pell is fast-paced and thrilling. The plot doesn’t wait for readers. Instead, it instantly takes them on a journey through time and space. Addy is a character unlike any other. She starts off like a everyday fictional character then progressing into a whole another category. Her thoughts and actions are what propels readers to look deeper. Traveling from single to married then, arrested and convicted, Addy never has a boring moment in her life. Until she’s locked up, then time is all she has. Her relationship with her husband is great. Joking and sexual. Sweet and hot. But just as life was good it soon turns bad…finding the truth will be harder than thought. Addy’s dreams each contain a different hue of life. In the end good overcomes the bad. 

Lisa Pell has woven a piece of literature that is thought provoking. Each situation gets harsher and more cruel. The story is told from protagonist’s eyes. I felt intrigued. The pages flew by and before I knew it, I had landed at the last page. Dystortions: 100 Hues of Purple shows readers many messages. It’s up to readers to analyze their content. Action, adventure, and fantasy all brought together in one marvelous volume. I was surprised. This book’s tale was unlike many i have read. It was rich, bold, and engaging. Truly enjoyed reading it. Overall, I recommend it to readers everywhere.

Review: Dark Rage

Synopsis:

In a universe of myth and magic that spans the known, two great forces battle for control of all the realm, and at the heart of it are two powerful sisters, Princess Asora of the enchanted Utopian Kingdom and Queen Laxur of the mighty Darkcon Empire. Asora and Laxur clash with great nations, armies, and powers. However, both wish to reshape the universe in their image and ideals–one with enlightenment and progress, the other with greatness and order.

Asora, a magical princess, seeks scientific and technological advancements, both for peace and war. Laxur, a dark queen, wants greater power and revenge. Love and morality be damned.
Change can create great opportunities and new life, but it can also lead to terrible strife.

In all this, the people from both nations love their leaders (Asora and Laxur). But the world around them is coming down around them. New factions rise to protect the old ways. And to that, Laxur discovers a power that is beyond all. Asora discovers an ancient machine of great power built by a culture from eons past.

Asora and Laxur have become the wills of their people and nations. And the fate of this universe is in their hands.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Daniel Darcey has written Dark Rage, with belivable out of this world characters!!! The two main characters are sisters. These sisters are opposites who fight each other using their magical power, talents, and knowledge of technology to keep the other one away from their plans. Asora loves history, reading books, and knows more about advance technology than her evil sister Laxur. Laxur uses her power of seduction to persuade people to do things for her. Laxur knows more about military fighting than her sister Asora. Both sisters love each other even though they constantly fight against each other for good versus evil. This amazing novel, contain excitement, love, adventure, advance technology, romance and wars between two kingdoms. There is never a dull moment when reading, Dark Rage. You will find yourself on magical discoveries, falling in love, and battling your toughest enemies. Daniel Darcey’s book is one that is geared for all readers in every genre! His stunning and brilliantly written plot will leave you asking for more. I highly recommend reading his first novel in the series. Once you begin, you will never stop reading. I look forward to this writer’s next book and grand adventure in this series. A sci-fi fantasy full of promise.

The writer’s talent is obvious from the beginning. His creation of Laxur an Asora was brilliant. No creature nor character can compare to the two sisters. Their personalities are so different from each other. Both princesses are determined. They will use everything in their power to keep their kingdoms alive. But how far will one of them go? Power is a major theme. I see both the good and bad sides of it within this new novel. Daniel Darcey also, let’s readers see the characters best and worst sides. I loved that. It made the characters come to life. Their world then became three-dimensional. The war is never over…and the fighting never stops. There will always be a new enemy to fight and choices to be made. Where the sisters go and what will come, is something that readers everywhere must dive into to see for themselves. I was never really into sci-fi fantasy until I read this book. Daniel Darcey has masterfully woven a series that has snatched me from my chair and deep into it’s pages. Dark Rage is a must read for all.

Review: The Guttersnipes

Synopsis:

Charlie Daniels is more than six feet tall, allergic to almost everything, and has a pet dinosaur at home. His life in Arizona is relatively normal. That is, apart from the nightmares Charlie has… But when his dinosaur, Trike, gets kidnapped by a strange old lady and her cat-like sidekick, Charlie and his misfit friend Arty are sucked into a story bigger than both of them. Risking everything to rescue Trike, Charlie and Arty are flung into the past, landing in the chaos of New York City, 1865. Dodging the mysterious Nasten Cobblestine, and avoiding the perils of New York’s nastiest street cleaners’ strikes, test Charlie’s wits as well as his courage. All he wants to do is reunite with his dinosaur and somehow find a way back home… As Charlie searches for Trike, he draws dangerously close to P.T. Barnum’s eerie museum and the creature that lies within. Will he find Trike and get home alive? And who is the Ice Lady of his nightmares?

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Guttersnipes by Scott Eric Barrett reminded me so much to the Night of the Museum movie. I felt that this had similar qualities. A fantasy adventure about a boy and his dinosaur. They get separated and the boy keeps searching for his dinosaur, Trike. However, the boy isn’t aware what everything is nor means but figures pieces out as the story unfolds. A father who isn’t what he appears. A danger that will carry on even beyond the ending…I am interested in reading the next book from this writer. I was intrigued. Just enough suspense, action, and danger to keep me turning the pages. Time travel, magic, and secrets. Charlie is an interesting character. I really liked him. His personality makes readers like myself feel compelled towards him. His caring and sweet ways are believable. Mysterious til the end, The Guttersnipes by Scott Eric Barrett is a must read for adults and children alike. I can see this as a crossover novel and as a big screen motion picture. Overall, I highly recommend this entertaining piece of fiction to all. 

Review: In the Service of The Boyar

Synopsis:

In the land of the Boyar, a boy will fall in love and become much more than a man. Fleeing with his family from danger, a boy catches a glimpse of Fifika, as their clan travels with haste to the lands of the boyar, a mysterious benefactor. Smitten, the boy becomes her playmate there in the Carpathians where the boyar resides and whose hillsides are filled with enchanted beasts. The boyar assures the clan that the beasts are harmless unless provoked, but some of the members are not so sure. When tragedy visits Fifika’s family, the boyar invites her and the boy into his castle to learn from his English tutor, a lazy and fearful man. The boy, now almost a man, falls deeply in love under Fifika’s tutelage. When he finally learns Fifika’s secret, he must choose between his family and the only life he knows and the uncertain dangers of life with her in the mountainous lands of the boyar with a very different kind of family.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

In the Service of The Boyar by Jason Graff is a marvelous adventure. Full of mystery, danger, and the unknown. A young boy  and his family travel around from place to place. No particular land or people like them. Here, readers see the stigma that is attached to the boy and his people. Anger and cruel attitudes shown to this group. Then, they stumbled upon a land full or the most extreme dangers. Wolves and other creatures. If rules aren’t followed, bad things occur. This also reminded me of the Jewish people. How they were led out of Egypt and then went against God. Their rebellion caused them trouble. Just like the people inside this tale. The dialogue and action moved the plot forward. The story was told in the young boy’s point of view. It worked well for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fictional piece. The characters were well-developed. I felt both sad and a little frustrated at the gypsies. But like all humans we have our faults. I also, enjoyed the theme of respecting the nature. Nature isn’t something humans do well at keeping peace with…we’re always going against nature’s call. Jason Graff’s writing style hooked me from the first moment and held me captive until the end. His words left me feeling spooked and curious as to what was going to happen next. Adventure would be the one word I choose to describe this fantasy. Family, love, loyalty, and betrayals are themes inside here. In the Service of The Boyar by Jason Graff is a read that I highly recommend to all. 

Review: The Furies’ Bog

Synopsis:

A bog may be Earth’s undoing, but it will be a gift to Mars. Digging up bog bodies and analyzing corpses are the last things archaeology graduate student Felicity Cratchett wants to do. And when unusual mummies are discovered in the subpolar region of Polar Bear Provincial Park, it’s the last place she wants to go. But since her faculty advisor insists that she log more hours in fieldwork, she has little choice. In a remote bog with a small team of scientists, Felicity unearths the greatest secret of our time—a secret with ties to ancient Rome, roots in Botswana, and a link to the first people to exercise abstract thought. This revelation will challenge the conventional theory of human origins and human evolution. Meanwhile, astronaut Lucas Wilson, a man tormented with a deep-seated anger, is terraforming Mars. He reluctantly descends to the Red Planet’s surface with his fellow astronauts, preparing to direct their exploration. Mars, in its birth pangs, will challenge every step he takes, with gas explosions and raging rivers, with damaged fuel processors and limited oxygen supplies. In the midst of these disasters, Lucas must keep his companions from discovering a feat of genetic engineering that will transform Mars like nothing has in over a billion years. The double helix of this masterwork twists all the way back to Earth and Felicity’s mummies. But if he fails, Lucas must decide whether to take up Mars’s sword, or to cast the weapon into a bog.

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

The Furies‘ Bog by Deborah Jackson is truly a unique read. It combines the wildlife study and a mission into one great read. The story started out something like that of the Call of the Wild and then transformed into a whole different universe.  Here, readers will find genetic engineering, human evolution, and a deadly mission. Deborah Jackson created a book that intrigues readers minds. Like the boneless mummies found in the bog. A bog that may be the earth’s undoing. Sensitive material and an unwanted investigation dragged me further into this engaging tale. I enjoyed following Felicity and Baruti  as the plot unfolded. These characters held my interest all the way to the end. The Furies’ Bog is science fiction fantasy novel that I would recommend to readers everywhere. I give it a four star rating due to the slow opening in the beginning. I really had to tell myself to keep turning the pages. Once I got past that, it was like the book took off for me. I enjoyed Deborah Jackson’s writing and look forward to reading the next adventure. 

Review: Supernova

 

Synopsis:

C. A. Higgins’s acclaimed novel Lightless fused suspenseful storytelling, high-caliber scientific speculation, and richly developed characters into a stunning science fiction epic. Now the dazzling Supernova heightens the thrills and deepens the haunting exploration of technology and humanity—and the consequences that await when the two intersect.

Once Ananke was an experimental military spacecraft. But a rogue computer virus transformed it—her—into something much more: a fully sentient artificial intelligence, with all the power of a god—and all the unstable emotions of a teenager.

Althea, the ship’s engineer and the last living human aboard, nearly gave her life to save Ananke from dangerous saboteurs, forging a bond as powerful as that between mother and daughter. Now she devotes herself completely to Ananke’s care. But teaching a thinking, feeling machine—perhaps the most dangerous force in the galaxy—to be human proves a monumental challenge. When Ananke decides to seek out Matthew Gale, the terrorist she regards as her father, Althea learns that some bonds are stronger than mortal minds can understand—or control.

Drawn back toward Earth by the quest, Althea and Ananke will find themselves in the thick of a violent revolution led by Matthew’s sister, the charismatic leader Constance, who will stop at nothing to bring down a tyrannical surveillance state. As the currents of past decisions and present desires come into stark collision, a new and fiery future is about to be born.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Supernova by C. A. Higgins is the second adventure in this brilliant series. A sci-fi fantasy that brings women up to the forefront and puts them on an unthinkable journey. I found this novel, quite interesting. It had all the right elements of its genre and still swept me off my feet. I love the computer intelligence shown inside this tale. One that is almost human like. Frightening, intriguing, and highly entertaining. Supernova is about computer science, emotions, and choices. Choices that can have consequences…C. A. Higgins is a talented writer who words lured me deep into a fantasy that has it all. Fighting, action, and technology. The emotional journey was like that of a roller coaster ride. Very exciting. Overall, I recommend this tale to readers everywhere.

Review: The Ghost Writer

 

Synopsis:

Once a writer, always a writer . . .

What would you do if you came back as a ghost? You could finally write that novel . . .

Meet Arnold Showalter, ghost.

At night, Arnold haunts the magnificent underground Mystic Caverns of Appalachia. But during the day, Arnold becomes The Ghost Writer, the first “literary voice from beyond the grave.” Yet before Arnold can capitalize on his fame, he must first exorcise the “ghosts” of his own past. And it is easy to become bitter when one is dead . . .

Fortunately, Arnold’s world is rocked when he meets Clarisse, a 15-year-old fatality of a car accident. Her fresh outlook and spunky energy awaken Arnold to the real possibilities of post-life existence. Clarisse inspires a quest that takes Arnold to the farthest reaches of the universe, and deep within himself.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

The Ghost Writer by Damon Norko is a paranormal urban fantasy. Imagine being a ghost, who is a bestseller from the beyond. However, being a ghost even a talented writer doesn’t suffice especially for Arnold. He needs something more to keep him busy. A ghost that is easily bored, is one that will get into a whole leap of trouble. Arnold needs a friend to quake his thirst in his afterlife. Fate is funny, because he ends up getting not one but many friends. Friends who will also get into major trouble along with Arnold. Arnold is a ghost that is not like any others i have read about…he days the norm. Damon Norko has created an unusual yet highly entertaining fantasy that readers everywhere will enjoy. The ghost’s journey and growth as a character are brilliant. Arnold is also, very easy to connect with…his feelings are believable and portray him as realistic. I enjoyed this short easy-to-read novella. The Ghost Writer is one that baits, lures, and hooks. Overall, I recommend it to all.

 

Review: Waiting for a Lifetime

 

Synopsis:

Sunny Siebel isn’t an ordinary girl – she can see what others can’t. She has the ability to see and communicate with the deceased.

Only sharing the company of lost spirits waiting to move on, her life changes when she meets a Reaper for the first time and realizes what she has been missing – why she is so different – when she falls in love. What she didn’t expect was how their connection would change her.

Acquiring comfort and solace in her newfound love, Sunny finds herself running from heaven itself while getting caught in the middle of an even larger plot that not even her assailants see coming.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Waiting for a Lifetime by Samantha Markham is a brilliant YA fantasy. I couldn’t believe the raw talent that this writer had until, I read her debut novel. This tale takes readers on a young woman’s journey in life. Her mother died and she can see and talk to ghosts. No one knows she can except her. Until, she meets him. The reaper captain. Appears to be her age, yet his age is much older than Sunny Siebel would have thought. But that doesn’t keep her attraction to the new strange guy in front of her. Something about her ability to see ghosts attracts the reaper closer to her. Their friendship is instant and something deeper begins to develop. Something that isn’t looked upon as good by the world from which the reaper comes from…it’s banned to be in a relationship with a human. But then again, Sunny ends up susprising both herself and the reaper when an unknown power escapes from her hands.  Waiting for a Lifetime describes this novel perfectly. The waiting of the two characters in finding each other is indeed like and will be a lifetime. Samantha Markham’s characters are believable and her world of fiction is highly entertaining. An deeply engaging tale that brings paranormal an YA issues together beautifully. I enjoyed reading it. Look forward to reading the next grand adventure by this writer. Overall, I recommend this story to readers everywhere.

Review: Deborah Rising

 

Synopsis:

Set in ancient Israel, Deborah Rising (HarperCollins, 2016) portrays the dramatic (and unlikely) rise of the first woman to lead a nation in recorded human history. In the tradition of The Red Tent, The Fifth Mountain, and The Mists of Avalon, this absorbing novel delivers an inspiring story of suspense and adventure in pursuit of freedom and self-determination, starring a courageous 14-year-old girl who would become the most powerful woman in biblical lore.
Before he was murdered, Deborah’s father had dreamt that his daughter would one day become the leader of the Israelites. But the social and religious mores of her time dictated that a girl must marry–even against her will–and obey her husband in all matters. When Deborah is forced to marry the violent son of the local judge, she rebels, determined to forge a path of her own.

Captivated by the notion of escaping the arranged marriage and fulfilling her late father’s dream, Deborah embarks upon an epic journey to find a mysterious elixirist, one rumored to be blessed with the ability to turn women into men. It is a journey that proves increasingly perilous–filled with wild beasts, lustful men, unscrupulous priests, and warring tribesmen. Yet Deborah manages to attract unlikely allies, including lepers, slaves, Moabite traders, and even a dead tiger, while she persists in the face of seemingly insurmountable setbacks and continues to pursue her daring quest.
Part historical novel, part adventure story, part visionary fiction, Deborah Rising is a captivating tale about a girl on the cusp of womanhood, whose unrelenting struggle to overcome discrimination, sexism, and paternalism spoke to the lives of girls and women today.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Deborah Rising by Avraham Azrieli is a stunning historical fantasy. One that has an epic journey that no reader could guess. It’s nothing like anything I have read. This novel brings about some historical people and their customs as well as what kind of lives they lived back then. I was constantly intrigued by the story. Each page sent me on another journey. the main journey was one that a father passed down to his youngest. After losing her parents and her older sister, the young girl sets off to fulfill her destiny. However, trouble comes her way each time. The men from her land are worshiping idols and killing innocents due to lies and greed. The lives of women are similar to those of the Indian customs. Many women are controlled by men. A paternal ruling that still survives, today. I was frightened by what the women went through constantly. Even if they followed rules by their society there was always a man or men who abused them. Sadly, many are stuck in this threatening lifestyle. Like Deborah’s older sister. One false accusation and she like many other women were stoned to death over a lie. Women were not permitted to speak on their defense. I almost wished Deborah’s sister retaliated. Imagine letting your own people stone for no reason at all. Why should the innocent be slaughtered so easily? Realistically told and captured the time period perfectly. Avraham Azrieli is indeed a talented new author. His work can be read by teens and adults. The issues presented in this novel were strong yet the material was done in a clean manner. After reading this book, I felt like I traveled back in history. The young woman’s journey was quite fascinating to follow. An adventure that is both intriguing and entertaining. Deborah Rising is a YA religious tale, that I highly recommend to readers worldwide. I believe that the issues shown in this title are ones that need to be read by all.

Review: Quantum

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Someone wants Captain Admiral Zander Graydon dead. Like yesterday. Zander’s convinced his attractive assistant knows more than she’s willing to say, and if he can stop running long enough, he’ll find out exactly what she’s hiding. Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros is determined to keep her CO safe. Before she tips her hand, however, Mae has to figure out if the alluring man she’s protecting is the real Captain Admiral Graydon. Or an alien shape-shifting imposter.

On the run and no one to trust…not even each other.

Captain Admiral Zander Graydon has seen a lot of action, but almost getting killed three times in one day is pushing it. Only the company of his new assistant, Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros, makes things a little easier to swallow. Except the delectable Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros is hiding a number of secrets, and her presence might have something to do with the continued attempts on his life.

It’s no accident Lieutenant Marshal Mae Petros finds herself in the firing line alongside the charming but very off-limits Captain Admiral Graydon. She’s taken the job as the admiral’s assistant to determine if a shape-shifting alien has killed the CO and assumed his form. Whether the admiral is human or not, Mae finds herself getting way too close to him as they run for their lives.

Military to the core, Mae and Zander will have to overcome their suspicions of each other to work together, when they realize the fate of the entire universe is at stake.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Quantum by Jess Anastasi is a science fiction fantasy novel that readers everywhere will enjoy. I am one who gets bored with just about all of the science fiction novels. However, this one was definitely up my alley in a good book. This novel had the action, adventure, suspense as well as a hot spicy romance to keep me interested. Quantum is book two of Jess Anastasi’s series and I loved it. I haven’t read the first and was able to follow through this one easily. After having read this second title, I am now intrigued to read the first and third novel within this series. The writing is superb. Jess Anastasi knows how to lure readers deep into her world of fiction.

Quantum is an action space adventure. Filled with shape shifting aliens set to invade the human occupations all over the galaxy. There’s only been a select few who have come to witness the aliens and what they can do. There seemed to be only one thing to help fight the aliens. That’s by using guns that resemble stun guns in our world. But just like the ordinary guns in our world, there are only so many bullets to use. Same restrictions apply to these powered guns that affect the aliens. Aliens that can do so much damage. Then there’s the issue of some aliens already infiltrated into the top government positions that can easily have other humans attack their human friends. Also, there are two friends. One was hurt by the aliens and sends out a woman he trusts to find out if his military friend is an alien in disguise or not…but then things get complicated. The friend and woman are being chased by an unknown enemy and the aliens are trying to kill them. Plus, despite the horror of the situations they just faced…they went and had sex. Sex that was explosive. Neither one can stop thinking about the other…and in their world distractions can kill. Jess Anastasi also have alliances from characters that readers wouldn’t expect to form in order to prepare and fight off the aliens attacking the human world. Danger, excitement, and desire will definitely keep readers from calling this science fiction fantasy boring…overall, I highly recommend this read to all.

 

 

Review: Wishing for You

 

Synopsis:

She’s a girl who can’t remember. He’s the guy she can’t forget…

It’s her final semester of high school, and Kimberley Rey is curious about what will come next. She needs to pick a college, but her memory disability complicates the choice. Will her struggles, to remember, make it impossible to leave home?

Help arrives through an unexpected and supernatural gift. Grant is a “genie” with rules. He can give her thirty wishes (one per day for a month) as long as the tasks are humanly possible. Kimberley knows just what to ask for–lessons in how to live on her own.

But her wishes change when a friend receives a devastating diagnosis. As she joins forces with Grant to help her friend, Kimberley learns that the ability to live in the moment–to forget–may be more valuable than she ever knew.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Wishing for You by Elizabeth Langston is a beautifully written novel. One that makes readers want to revisit it time and time again. The main character, Kimberley, has short term memory. This is viewed as a great distress to her. However, throughout the tale, she learns that it’s not as bad as she once thought. Her weakness makes her special. She is perfect for a man who needs a woman like her. The bond between the two characters is sweet. I loved how a man looked beyond Kimberly’s weakness and saw her strengths instead. Absolutely, an enjoyable fantasy read that will delight many. The friendship, romance, and subject matter covered within were amazing. Elizabeth Langston masterfully wove real issues into an entertaining yet inspiring novel. Overall, I highly recommend Wishing for You to readers everywhere.