Monday, February 29, 2016

March 2nd 2016!

Hey guys.  Stay tuned on Wednesday.  As a group WaAr will be supporting This ------- http://www.nea.org/grants/886.htm National Read Across America day by providing you with as many free books as we possibly can.  If you follow this blog but am not in the group feel welcome to share your own free books as a comment and have friends come over as well. 

Remember, to also download the other free books so that we all can benefit from the rankings. 

Happy reading. 

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Book Review of Mind Games (Demon Trappers Book 5) by Jana Oliver



Book Title: Mind Games (The Demon Trappers #5)
Genre: YA/Urban Fantasy
Pages: 261
Author: Jana Oliver
Date Published: 31 October 2015

Synopsis:

A Demon Trappers Novel
Riley Blackthorne’s life as a Demon Trapper is about to hit the wall. Knowing she will always be a target for those who want to exploit her “connections” with Hell, she’s learning defensive magic. It seems the only way to ensure she and her fiancĂ©, Denver Beck, have a future together. But not everyone in Atlanta, or at the Vatican, is pleased by this news. In fact, some want to ban the use of all magic, and Riley would make the perfect scapegoat.

As a new demonic enemy stalks her, Guild politics roil the city, throwing the trappers into chaos. To protect herself and the man she loves, Riley will be forced to choose: continue in her legendary father’s footsteps, or carve her own path. A path that may well lead to her losing everything she so desperately seeks to protect.

Review:


Mind Games (The Demon Trappers, #5)Mind Games by Jana Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review 6*

This is the fifth book in The Demon Trappers series. I absolutely loved it!

Riley Blackthorne is a fantastic character. She has made a few mistakes, both personally and career-wise, but that just makes her human. I love her feisty attitude and have enjoyed watching her grow from a sixteen year old with a chip on her shoulder in the first book, The Demon Trapper's Daughter (US) or Forsaken (UK), to a determined young woman of nineteen in this book, who has literally faced both Heaven and Hell. Being a demon trapper is not an easy job, and being the only female in a male dominated career is definitely not easy either. Nevertheless, Riley can definitely kick Hell's ass one demon at a time.

I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this book and pre-ordered my copy when I found out it was available. Unfortunately, due to my large reading list, I wasn't able to read it when it was released in October last year.

I started to read this book and didn't put it down until I had finished it. The story is told through the eyes of both Riley and Beck. I felt like I was meeting family members or friends again after a long absence. I have missed these characters a lot, especially Denver Beck and the Kleptofiend (AKA Magpie demon) that began this journey for me. Denver Beck (or Backwards Boy as Riley calls him) became my first book boyfriend way back in 2011 when I read Forsaken. He is now training to become a Grand Master, and engaged to Riley, who is now a Journeyman. I also liked meeting a few of the other characters like Mortimer and Ayden, although I still have reservations about Lord Ozymandias. He didn't enamor himself to me when I first met him in the earlier books, and now he's only just bearable. Yes, he made an error of judgement and appears to be repentant, but there's something about him that still sends a shiver up my back. I suppose it's because he's the most powerful Necromancer in Atlanta. Simon, Riley's ex-boyfriend makes an appearance too. He's another character who has grown a lot since the first book.

This story is again full of danger, action and adventure. The demons are scarier (we are dealing with Grade five's (Geofiends) and Archfiends here, amongst others) and someone is determined to undermine the Atlanta Demon Trappers Guild. I must admit that this book took me on an emotional roller coaster ride from beginning to end. I also found myself shedding a few tears too. When I reached the end of the book, I found myself becoming extremely sad once more. As I said before, these characters have become my friends and saying goodbye is a bittersweet experience. I don't know if any more books will be written with Riley and Beck in them, but I would love to read more books from the Demon Trappers world, as it intrigues and terrifies me in equal measure.

Jana Oliver has written a fantastic series. I love her descriptions and the attention to detail which made me feel like I was actually there in the thick of things. Her world building is exceptional and extremely lifelike. I also love her fast paced writing style and the flow was wonderful. She has a definite fan in me. I have a few of her other books on my Kindle to read yet and I am hoping to get to them soon.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, and series, to everyone who loves to read books in the YA and Urban Fantasy genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


          


About The Author:



Jana Oliver is an international and Amazon bestselling author who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Her novels have won numerous awards, including the Prism Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Supense as well as the National Readers' Choice Award.

Her novels cross many genres, including Young Adult (the Demon Trappers Series, Briar Rose), time travel/historical mystery (The Time Rovers Series) and paranormal romance (Tangled Souls).

She is co-author of Socially Engaged: The Author's Guide to Social media, written with Tyra Burton.

She is happiest when she's researching urban legends, peering at old maps and adding to her growing collection of single malt Scotch.

Author Links:

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Crossing in Time by D L Orton book one in the Between Two Evils series.

About the book
If someone took everything you live for, how far would you go to get it back?
They say that love transcends time...  But what if your lover is murdered, and you're given the chance to go back in time to warn his much-younger twin? She agrees to go, knowing it will kill her in a matter of days, because it gives her one last chance to be with the man she loves. Except he doesn't believe her! In fact, he thinks she's one fry short of a Happy Meal. Oh, and she's suppose to save the world while she's at it. Go figure.

This offbeat tale is about falling madly in love when one is too cynical for such things, letting go of pessimism when it's the last life jacket on a sinking ship, and racing against the clock when one doesn't have the proper footwear. It's a coming-of-age story for old fogeys, a how-to-make-love guide for diehard celibates, and a laugh-out-loud tragedy with a hopeful twist.
http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Time-Between-Two-Evils/dp/1941368018/ref=la_B00TLGDI6W_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455792899&sr=1-1
click on the pic to buy the book from Amazon.com
and on audible.. .... second row of dots will take you to the book directly.
 
My review
By a weird twist of fate I accepted this book for review both in Kindle and on Audio format.  I don't know why I did that but boy am I glad I did it.
Here is the thing.  I do NOT get book boyfriends.  The entire concept for me is a bit weird and ahm... disconcerting.  But I do have a THING for male voices.  And the male narrator in this book as Diego sure made my knees weak. 
Mainly a love story the book was good, really good but as an audiobook with the extra dimension of not only Diego but also Lizzies voices as well as a host of other people I was enchanted with the story. 
The risk with a time travel book always lies primarily in the fact that the author needs to keep the reader rooted as well as show growth in the characters and when jumping back and forth that may not be the easiest thing to do although it sounds as if it should since certain current situation can be explained better and the author used this exactly to explain that even if it becomes known that a bad character trait has its roots in the past and was formed due to...not withstanding... and I loved this.  Because even if every single detail were explained we still would not have known. 
Ok back to the voice of Diego....be still my beating heart. 
 

 
The author
 D.L. Orton (Thank you Goodreads) 

Born

in The United States
Website

Twitter

Genre

Influences
 

URL


USA BEST BOOK AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR D. L. ORTON lives in the Rocky Mountains where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived triops. In her spare time, she's building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

*** Visit her Website & Blog:
http://betweentwoevils.com
http://blog.betweentwoevils.com

*** Sign up for freebies & new releases:http://betweentwoevils.com/website/si...

*** Compare books at Goodreads:http://goodreads.com/dl_orton

*** Chat with her on Twitter:http://twitter.com/@DL_Orton

*** Follow her on Facebook:http://facebook.com/BetweenTwoEvils/

Ms Orton is a graduate of Stanford University's Writers Workshop and a past editor of "Top of the
...more
 
 

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Cover Reveal: Cross the Stars (Crossing Stars Duet #1) by Venessa Kimball writing as V. Angelika


Title: Cross the Stars
Series: Crossing Stars Duet #1
Author: Venessa Kimball writing as V. Angelika
Genre: New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 8, 2016


A year shy of graduating from Georgetown University, Ella Wallace feels like she is losing direction. Having carved her own path through life, rejecting her family’s elitist influences, the last thing she wants is to waste time and prove her parents right. A happenstance summer-long program abroad offers the perfect opportunity to immerse herself in volunteer work, finding richness in family and purpose she has never experienced before.

Prince Rajaa bin Ammaar is returning home to Jordan from Georgetown University. His intent is to spearhead a refugee program meant to bring peace to his country. Amidst threats of civil war and revolt, Raj stands for his convictions, even when they challenge his family and the very culture he is preordained to uphold.

A chance encounter at a crowded party in D.C. brought Ella and Raj together for one fleeting moment – two people never thought to meet again. But it’s not until their diverse worlds collide in Jordan that they realize the power of their connection. With the refugee program as their reuniting bond, they must cross the stars and defy their clashing cultures to protect their forbidden love.
With the culturally rich Jordanian backdrop, Cross the Stars will take you on a journey into the geographical and cultural Middle East, the resilience of people amidst turbulent civil unrest, the parallel unrest of two lovers’ clashing fates, and the diversity they must challenge with every breath to keep their love alive.

Having always been passionate about the written word, Venessa Kimball embarked on writing what would become her debut novel, Piercing the Fold: a young adult urban fantasy series in 2010, with a 2012 release with Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly Publishing. She has also written the Teen contemporary romance series, the Evan series. Venessa also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name V. Angelika. When Venessa is not writing, she is keeping active with her husband and three children, chauffeuring said children to extracurricular activities, catching a movie with her hubby, and staying up way too late reading.



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Audio/Book Review of Tipping Point (Spire: Action-Thriller Book 1) by Simon Rosser



Book Title: Tipping Point (Spire Action-Adventure Thriller #1)
Genre: Action/Adventure/Thriller
Pages: 512
Audio Run Time: 15 Hrs 33 Mins
Author: Simon Rosser
Date Published: 28 December 2013 (E-Book)
17 September 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

Tipping Point: There will be no return...

1903: The Arctic's fabled Northwest Passage is navigated for the first time. 2012: An eminent climatologist is found dead in his London apartment. For Robert Spire, an environmental lawyer, what seems like a standard executor's appointment in his client's will, turns out to be anything but, as he is thrust into an international conspiracy involving a terrorist plan to push the Arctic to its tipping point, and the world to disaster...

TIPPING POINT is a fast-paced climate-fiction action-thriller with a perfect blend of suspense, action-adventure and thrills to keep you turning the pages until the very end.

TWO DEAD CLIMATOLOGISTS...
AN INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACY...
A LOOMING ECOLOGICAL DISASTER...


When eminent climatologist Dr Dale Stanton - in the process of studying the Atlantic Ocean's Thermohaline Circulation - is found dead in his London apartment, environmental lawyer, Robert Spire, is given the task to administer a large legacy left by him to global warming organisations. The job should have been straightforward, until a second climatologist, Dr Jack Bannister drops dead on the other side of the Atlantic.

AN INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACY

Spire's client - suspicious of her son's death - asks him to travel to San Francisco to investigate Dr Jack Bannister's death. Whilst there, Spire learns of a plan to seed the Arctic Ocean with an experimental substance - the aim, to prevent, or at least slow the Arctic's melting ice. A Russian female assassin is tracking Spire's every move however, suggesting that someone clearly has other plans for the region, and wants the climatologists dead at all costs.

A LOOMING ECOLOGICAL DISASTER

As evidence of increased glacial melt in Greenland and reduction in the Arctic ice mounts, Spire becomes determined to join the joint US/French expedition to seed the Arctic. He soon finds however, that the lives of all on board are in peril as he discovers a plan that threatens to push the Arctic to its tipping point and the Earth to disaster...

TIPPING POINT is an Action-Adventure eco-thriller which will have you racing from London, over to San Francisco and along the Northwest Passage to the Arctic.

Review:


Tipping PointTipping Point by Simon Rosser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary Audible code from the author in return for an honest review.

This is the first book in the Robert Spires series of thrillers. I really enjoyed it.

This book is narrated by Chris MacDonnell, who did an excellent job of bringing the story and characters to life. I did find, however, some of his reading pace a little too slow for my taste. His voice became so soothing that I felt myself nodding off. Now, this is not really a bad thing. However, as this is meant to be a thriller, falling asleep listening to it is!

Robert Spire is an interesting character. I liked him a lot. He is an environmental lawyer. He becomes involved in a mystery when he is made executor of Dr. Dale Stanton's will. As Robert delves deeper into the mystery of his charge's death, danger lurks in shadowy corners. Will Robert be able to find the truth, or will he die trying?

This is an intriguing story. I must admit that I did find the story a little difficult to get into at first. The story has several different points of view from several of the characters. I did find this a little confusing at times. Nevertheless, as the story unfolded, I began to enjoy it. There are several characters I liked, though a few of them fell foul of the Russian assassin, Ksenyia Petrovsky. They included Dr. Stanton, Francois Trimaud and Doris Stanton amongst others. However, there were a few other characters I didn't care for. These were the brothers' Farhim and Faric, as well as their servant, Gomez. These three men made me shudder! You'll have to read or listen to the book to find out why.

This story delves heavily into climate change and the science of reversing it. However, although I agreed with most of the author's views with regard to certain things, there were aspects, I felt, that were not explored well enough, or did not answer fully my own thoughts on climate change. Granted, this is a thriller and not a philosophical debate, so things were not as clear cut. In a way, I can understand the reasons behind Farhim and Faric's actions, even though I wouldn't condone it. I did find, however, some of the scenes to be rather drawn out, which made it lose some of the flow. A thriller is meant to build suspense for the reader. Unfortunately, I only found the last third of the book to be thrilling, as it culminated in a dangerous cat and mouse chase with the Russian.

Greed is a terrible vise. Unfortunately, I could see something like what happened in the book happening for real, which makes me incredibly sad. I have no answer to climate change. However, we need to all work together to slow down the impact we have on the atmosphere. We also need to plan better for more severe storms, floods, droughts and other weather related issues. We need to adapt to the weather quicker. Mother nature/ Earth is responding to our parasitic activity, she is completely within her rights to do so.

Simon Rosser has written a thought provoking action thriller. I love his writing style, though I did find it not as fast paced as other thrillers I have read it the past. This also affected the flow in my opinion. Other readers may not have the same response as myself.

Due to some scenes of a gruesome nature, I do not recommend this book to younger readers, or those of a nervous disposition. However, I highly recommend this book if you love spy thrillers, crime thrillers and mysteries. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


              

About The Author:




Simon Rosser LIb, was born in Cardiff, South Wales, UK, in 1968.

He is a personal injury lawyer and author of Action-Adventure-thriller novels with an Ecological/Cataclysmic theme.

Favorite authors - Ed McBain, James Patterson, Lee Child, Lincoln Child, Douglas Preston, Patrick Lee, Michael Grumley and Clive Cussler.

Favorite movies - Good The Bad and The Ugly, Jaws, Deliverance, Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, It's A Wonderful Life, Scarface, Play Misty For Me, Electra-Glide In Blue, The Abyss, Deliverance and many others.

Books - THE A-Z OF GLOBAL WARMING, Climate Fiction eco-thriller TIPPING POINT (Robert Spire adventure 1), Techno-thriller IMPACT POINT (Robert Spire adventure 2) and third Spire Action-adventure thriller, MELT ZONE. SciFi Apocalyptic Thriller, VAPORIZED is now out.

If you enjoy a mix of Egyptian and Greek mythology, Fourth Robert Spire historical action-adventure thriller, CATACLYSM of the ANCIENTS, has just been released.

The author has just completed VAPORIZED 2 and will soon start Spire 5 and a new stand alone thriller. Watch this space!

My first writing experience, if you could call it that, came from my love of horror movies. Saturday night would be horror movie double bill night. I'm talking about all the Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Vincent Price films, vampires, monsters, mummies and werewolves. I kept scrapbooks of all the films I saw between 1977 and 1981, and still have them to this day. I'd spend hours drawing a little picture of the film and appraising it - the writing part!

Roll on 25 years, I decided to write the factual A-Z of Global Warming to clarify the complex subject of climate change. My thrillers are a mix of ecological and techno-thriller with a bit of Science Fiction thrown in for good measure.

If you enjoyed reading any of my books, and have the time, please stop by and leave a Amazon review. It will be much appreciated, thanks.

For more information, visit the author's website at http://www.sirosser-thriller-writer.com/

Author Links:

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

Audio/Book Review of Dead Man's Reach (The Thieftaker Chronicles #4) by D.B. Jackson



Book Title: Dead Man's Reach (The Thieftaker Chronicles #4)
Genre: Historical Urban Fantasy
Pages: 366
Audio Run Time: 11 hrs and 56 mins
Author: D. B. Jackson
Date Published: 21 July 2015

Synopsis:

Boston, 1770: The city is a powder keg as tensions between would-be rebels and loyalist torries approach a breaking point and one man is willing to light the match that sets everything off to ensure that he has his revenge.

The presence of the British Regulars has made thieftaking a hard business to be in and the jobs that are available are reserved for Sephira Pryce. Ethan Kaille has to resort to taking on jobs that he would otherwise pass up, namely protecting the shops of Torries from Patriot mobs. But, when one British loyalist takes things too far and accidentally kills a young boy, even Ethan reconsiders his line of work. Even more troubling is that instances of violence in the city are increasing, and Ethan often finds himself at the center of the trouble.

Once Ethan realizes why he is at the center of all the violence, he finds out that some enemies don't stay buried and will stop at nothing to ruin Ethan's life. Even if that means costing the lives of everyone in Boston, including the people that Ethan loves most.

Review:


Dead Man's Reach (Thieftaker Chronicles, #4)Dead Man's Reach by D.B. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book in a fantastic historical urban fantasy. I loved it!

Ethan Kaille is an interesting character. He is a Thieftaker, a conjurer who uses his magic to track down thieves and the stolen items. I liked this eighteenth century gent. He has a very sharp mind, and is quite talented as a magical detective. He has a dark past, which gives him an air of mystery.

I downloaded this as an audio book, so I could listen to it while doing housework, or just before going to bed.
The tale was again narrated by Jonathan Davis, who brought the characters and story alive with his narration. I love his smooth tone and could listen to him speak for hours!

In this story, Ethan is faced with a challenging situation. Spells are being cast and people are being hurt. Unfortunately, there is no way for Ethan to find out who is casting these spells. Ethan has his suspicions, but is having difficulty in proving it. As the violence escalates, Ethan will have to use all his wits to find the culprit. When he finds out that an old foe is definitely behind the events, Ethan finds himself having to face more danger in order to confront him.

The story has several twists and turns, which kept me hooked from beginning to end. The descriptions of the characters and scenes brought Boston in 1770 to life; I could picture it quite clearly. The book is set about six months to a year after the previous story. There is still tension between Britain and her colony, and Boston is still struggling to deal with the highly volatile political situation within it's walls. There is plenty of action and danger in the story, but unfortunately in my opinion, some of the scenes seemed to be slightly overly long and tended to drag. There are, however, a few scenes that reduced me to tears. I will not say which ones, as this would spoil it for those of you who would like to read this book. Sephira Pryce, as well as most of the other characters from the previous books appear in this story. However, they did not interact as much with Ethan this time, as he purposely separated himself from them. I can understand why he would do that but, sometimes you need your friends (and even some foes like Sephira) to help. I wanted to shake some sense into him at times!

As I reached the end of the story, I felt that Ethan's character seemed to be more tired and dispirited in this tale. The struggle to survive as a Thieftaker seems to have taken it's toll on Ethan, who makes a decision that could change his life. I reached the end with mixed feelings. Whether this is the last book in the series, time will tell. However, if the author decides to carry on with this series, I would definitely love to read more.

D.B. Jackson has written a fantastic historical urban fantasy. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and action packed. But, the story flow was not as fluid as it could have been. However, I would most definitely read more of this author's books in the future as I am fast becoming a huge fan.

There are a few scenes of cutting (for spell making) that may upset some readers. Therefore, I do not recommend this book for younger readers or those of a nervous disposition. However, I highly recommend this book if you love paranormal, urban fantasy, mystery, thriller or detective genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


           

About The Author:



D.B. Jackson is the pen name of an award-winning author of twenty books — including epic fantasies, urban fantasies, historical fantasies, media tie-ins, and a book on writing — as well as more than a dozen short stories. His work has been translated into a dozen languages. As D.B. Jackson he writes the Thieftaker Chronicles, a historical urban fantasy set in pre-Revolutionary Boston. The first volume, Thieftaker, came out in July 2012 from Tor Books. This was followed by Thieves’ Quarry (Tor, July 2013), A Plunder of Souls (Tor, July 2014), and Dead Man’s Reach (Tor, July 2015). In addition to the novels of the Thieftaker Chronicles, D.B. has written and published several short stories set in the Thieftaker world.

Under the name David B. Coe, he is working on a contemporary urban fantasy series called The Case Files of Justis Fearsson. The first book in the series, Spell Blind, came out in January 2015 from Baen Books, and the second, His Father’s Eyes, was released in August 2015. The third volume, Shadow’s Blade, will be published in May 2016..

D.B. Jackson/David B. Coe was born in New York many, many years ago, and has since lived in New England, California, Australia, and Appalachia. He did his undergraduate work at Brown University, worked for a time as a political consultant, went to Stanford University, where he earned a Master’s and Ph.D. in U.S. History, and finally returned to his first love: writing fiction.

D.B. is married to a college professor who is far smarter than he is, and together they have two beautiful daughters, both of whom are also far smarter than their father. Life’s tough that way. They live in a small college town on the Cumberland Plateau.

Monday, February 08, 2016

By Angela Yuriko Smith - The Literary Lizard

About the book
 
A good book opens doors, as one little lizard discovers. He escapes his cage after learning to read, and goes on the hunt for new words. Next time you're at the library, keep an eye out amongst the shelves for a lizard reading about dragons. Everyone loves a good book, even little, green lizards.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Literary-Lizard-Angela-Yuriko-Smith/dp/1517320941/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Click on the pic to get your copy.
 
My review
 
Ok so I have done a few of these and the rule of thumb is children is very easily impressed with a pic on every page.  I remember I had several books on fairy tales when I was a wee one but the book that got read until it fell apart was not the one with the best stories, or best told stories, it was the one with the most eye catching pics.
So this book has some amazing illustrations in it.  Simple, eye catching etc.  Everything it should be but it is the story that stole my heart.  Awh.  What a sweet little library card carrying lizard and what a great inspiration to us all.
Loved this.
WaAr rrg

Thursday, February 04, 2016

Audio/Book Review of The Sun Dwellers (The Dwellers Saga Book 3) by David Estes



Book Title: The Sun Dwellers (The Dwellers Saga Book 3)
Genre: YA Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic
Pages: 370
Audio Run Time: 9 Hrs 17 Mins
Author: David Estes
Date Published: 27 November 2012 (E-Book)
30 June 2015 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

With those she's closest to dying around her, Adele embarks on a secret mission to the Sun Realm to assassinate the President. Along the way she'll uncover secrets about her relationship with Tristan that she might not be ready to face.

Tristan has a secret, too, one that's been eating him up inside ever since he met Adele. Will he reveal all, and risk the loss of friendship and love at a time when he needs it the most?

At the same time, Adele's mother, General Rose, must lead her soldiers into battle to face the sun dweller army in the hopes of holding them off until Adele can complete her mission. Can she outlast the strength of President Nailin's elite fighting force?

There's only one truth in their world: someone must die.

Review:


The Sun Dwellers (The Dwellers, #3)The Sun Dwellers by David Estes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third book in a fantastic YA Dystopian series. I loved it!

Adele is a wonderful character. I liked her feisty, sarcastic attitude from the beginning but, like any teen, she can be a little prickly and defensive. I love how she has grown in character throughout the series. She is a teenage girl living in the Moon Realm, one of the Tri-Realms created when the earth was faced with a mass extinction event when a meteor was found to be hurtling to Earth. Sent on a mission by her mother to the Sun Realm, she finds herself facing even more danger. As secrets are revealed, can she survive the oncoming battle, or will President Nailin succeed?

Tristan is also a wonderful character and the heir apparent to the Presidency of the Tri-Realms. I liked his sense of honour and decency. He has a more compassionate attitude than his tyrannical father. Facing his father is not going to be easy, but he is determined to confront him on his own terms. Wanting to reveal a secret he's been hiding for years, will he lose everything he holds dear?

Having previously downloaded the other two books in audio format, I decided to download this too. This audiobook is again narrated by the two readers, Julia Whelan and Will Damron. They both did another fantastic job bringing the story and characters to life. Sometimes, having two narrators can be an off-putting experience for some readers, but I have no problem with it. They have pleasant and clear voices to listen to and I would definitely listen to more books read by them both, whether together or alone.

I started to listen to the story and was quickly hooked; it continues from the end of book two. This book is again told from both Adele's and Tristan's points of view in alternating chapters. This gives the reader an insight into the protagonists thoughts and feelings, as well as scenes that play out without the other character being in the picture.

Tawni has a more prominent role in this book. I really like her. She's very resourceful and just as feisty as Adele. Roc is still one of my favourite character's with his charm and easy-going personality. Trevor is also a fantastic character. I originally thought that he was placed into book two to make a romance triangle between Adele and Tristan. However, I was pleased to find out that this was not the case. He is like a brother to Adele, though I think he would have liked to have been more.

There are several twists and turns that kept me riveted. I found myself on a huge emotional roller coaster ride from beginning to end; laughing and crying in equal measure. I love the shopping scene, as well as the body surfing one. There is a huge fight scene that packs such a huge emotional punch that I had to stop listening to it to dry my eyes (a total ugly cry, if you get my meaning). Once I composed myself, I continued listening to it. As the story rolled on to it's conclusion, I felt sad because I didn't want it to end. As it ends on another cliffhanger, I guess I shall have to read The Earth Dwellers, since it's not out in audio book yet. However, I will need to continue with reading the Country Saga first, as The Earth Dwellers ties up both sagas.

David Estes has written a fantastic dystopian novel that has turned me into a huge fan of his. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and the flow is extremely fluid. His characters come alive, and the descriptions of the environs left me breathless. I am looking forward to reading more of his books in the foreseeable future.

I highly recommend this book if you love books like The Hunger Games, Divergent and The Maze Runner, or YA, Dystopian or Post Apocalyptic genres. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


              

About The Author:




David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife and soul mate, Adele, who he's now been happily married to for three years.

A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and has completed more than 20 novels, all of which have been published. In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now living in Hawaii.

David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes! Recently he's been inspired by some of his favorite authors, like Dean Koontz, Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and Neal Shusterman.

David's a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.

Where you can find David Estes hanging out:


The Dwellers Saga:
Book One- The Moon Dwellers
Book Two- The Star Dwellers
Book Three- The Sun Dwellers
Book Four- The Earth Dwellers

The Country Saga (A Dwellers Saga sister series):
Book One- Fire Country
Book Two- Ice Country
Book Three- Water & Storm Country
Book Four- The Earth Dwellers

Salem's Revenge:
Book One- Brew
Book Two- Boil
Book Three- Burn

Slip Trilogy:
Book One- Slip
Book Two- Grip
Book Three- Flip

I Am Touch

The Evolution Trilogy:
Book One- Angel Evolution
Book Two- Demon Evolution
Book Three- Archangel Evolution

Children's Books by David Estes:

The Adventures of Nikki Powergloves:
Nikki Powergloves- A Hero is Born
Nikki Powergloves and the Power Council
Nikki Powergloves and the Power Trappers
Nikki Powergloves and the Great Adventure
Nikki Powergloves vs. the Power Outlaws
Nikki Powergloves and the Power Giver

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

WaAr rrg FA of February, Angela Yuriko Smith brings us Karmic Circle

Karmic Circle by Angela Yuriko Smith

Book blurb

You can‘t hide from karma. Each of us receive our just rewards in time and evil is repaid tenfold. Three separate, but interlinked stories explore the law of reaping and sowing as a small dog finds his way through a dark and dangerous city. Be wary of your deeds—there‘s no cheating the Karmic Circle.

http://www.amazon.com/Karmic-Circle-Angela-Yuriko-Smith-ebook/dp/B017VDOWGG/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1454414913&sr=8-13&keywords=angela+yuriko+smith
Click on the pic to get your copy from Amazon

My review

I cannot believe I am saying this but I am.  This is the first story ever where I am glad to say the characters were not all that developed.  Here is why I am saying this.  This story is dark.  Really dark. And the poor dog is the one that suffers the most with loss, and confusion but the humans, all but one is really bad people.  Ok no make that two.  I actually almost really cried when the mean man was so obviously rude and in the end cruel to the old hobo.  Being homeless in and off itself simply says you do not own a home.  It does not make you a lesser human.  It does not make you incompetent to care.  It makes you the same as every person who is still paying a bond.  Paying rent.  Home-less.  And when that awful man showed up I was furious.

And that people.  That rambling above is but a taste of what you can expect when you read this story yourself.  It puts you through the ringer.  Then puts on the spin cycle and you end up being relieved that the story is over but wondering at random acts of selfishness and it's true import since everybody is always talking about Karma and an act of kindness.  This book explores the dark side of Karma, true.  But in every single instance one choice, one simply yes in stead of no or no instead of yes could have lead not to existing but to an act of kindness instead of horror and deprivation.  I cannot say I liked this book.  I can say I admire the authors voice and her ability to get the reader to see how the coin flips in air during a coin flip.  That is a remarkable skill. 

About the author

Born
in Madisonville, Kentucky, The United States
November 21, 1968

Website

Twitter

Genre

Member Since
May 2011

URL

Angela Yuriko Smith publishes a monthly online newspaper by day (PanhandleFocus.com), blogs at Dandilyon Fluff (dandifluff.com) by night and writes fiction as often as possible in between.

Her published works include fiction and nonfiction across multiple genres and she has been included in various anthologies and online publications.

In the past she has served as a host for JournalJabber online radio talk show and has been interviewed on National Public Radio for her nonfiction work.

Monday, February 01, 2016

Book Review of Gabby, The Protector: Finding Forever (Gabby, Angel of God: Angel Adventures Book 2) by Greg Sandora


Book Title: Gabby, The Protector: Finding Forever (Gabby, Angel of God: Angel Adventures Book 2)
Genre: Christian Fiction
Pages: 345
Author: Greg Sandora
Date Published: 9 September 2015


Synopsis:
Ancients foretell Political Power rising from unimaginable darkness. In The Protector, Gabby is given an earth assignment that puts her angelic powers to the test. Take the journey into Heaven in this epic battle between good and evil. A Presidential candidate is destined to rise to power and destroy mankind. Will his dark secret keep him from the highest office in the land? Can Bo and Gabby defeat the most powerful evil in the Universe before it's too late?

Review:


Gabby, The ProtectorGabby, The Protector by Greg Sandora
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Angel Adventures series. I liked it.

Bo Garrett is a wonderful character. He is a man who has had his faith tested and won. With a new career as a baseball player for the Boston Red Sox, Bo finds himself helping the angel, Gabby with one of her assignments. Evil is lurking and they have one chance to stop it from invading the political arena.

This is not a book I would typically pick up, nor is it one of the first genre's on my list. However, as I have previously read the first book in the series, I decided to read it once I heard it was available.

I started reading this book and was glad to meet Bo and Gabby again. Although I found myself turning the pages, I just couldn't find it in me to love the story. It's the basic good versus evil story.
I am not the most religious person out there, but I am not a non believer either. Some of the thoughts shared by Gabby are quite deep and meaningful. This book is not only religious, but deeply political and touches on matters that resonate with the common man, things like housing, urban renewal and social care; I know these are important issues. But, I don't know if I was in the proper mood to read this story, as I struggled to care about the characters. Kolbe Zane is basically a psychopath in my opinion, and is determined to become the next President of the United States. Johanna Kearns is the former Secretary of State and is Kolbe's cousin, though they were brought up as brother and sister. Their greed and immorality make them the perfect target for evil. As the story unfolded, I felt they received their just desserts, though I felt pity for Johanna in the end. However, I reached the end of the book with mixed emotions. Though I liked the story, I am not sure whether or not to continue with this series.

Greg Sandora has written a most unusual Christian Fantasy. His writing style is relatively fast paced and his characters are interesting.

Due to some violence, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I recommend this book if you love Christian Fiction. - Lynn Worton

View all my reviews


           

About The Author:



Greg is originally from Maine. He lived and worked in Portland for years before moving to Southwest Florida. His first book, All In: The Race for the Presidency, is a Presidential Thriller, or some might say White House Thriller. Think the Crime and Passion of the Godfather meets the Romance and Innocence of Camelot. The story is packed with action and adventure. One reviewer writes: "Jack Canon's American Destiny is very intense. Early in the Book I knew I had to put my seat belt on, I was sure this was going to be one hell of a ride, and boy it was. One thing I especially appreciated in this author's Book is just how he was able to bring the story across with so many twists and turns that all came together masterfully."

The sequel to All In is titled: Love, Lust and Loyalty, Women of the White House. It's a story of Kindness, Passion and Courage. It has all of the components of the first book, but leans toward a Presidential Romance Thriller. The sequel is just as action packed, but with more spice, some reviewers say it's sensual. To quote one reviewer - "Unsurpassable, this story is darn good, a real work of art. Women of the House by Greg Sandora has been written with a vibrating "passion" if that terminology didn't exist before - it does now....I found that Jack was the kind of guy I liked immediately while Sandy was just perfect - I chose to review it because of the mystery behind it."

Greg's Angel Adventure Series includes Gabby, Angel of God and The Protector, Kingdom of Heaven. Both are Supernatural Romance Thrillers involving an angel, Gabby, and a man named Bo. During a visit to Bar Harbor, Maine Bo encounters a beautiful angel named Gabby; quite accidentally, he is told - she wasn't supposed to make him aware of her existence. His purity of spirit, kindness and capacity for love has revealed her to him. He falls hopelessly in love with the beautiful creature, as humans cannot resist angels. Both books fit nicely in the Supernatural, Romantic Thriller, and Paranormal and Time Travel genres. All Greg's books have adventures and thrills, are fast paced and have hilarious moments.

Greg's mom and dad were artists, his father painted and his mother wrote poetry and loved to garden. Most Saturdays the family loaded up the 1970 Chevy Impala to trek to a one man show somewhere or other. Greg took a different track graduating with a business degree; owning and operating an Award Winning Franchise Fitness Center in the Portland area for 15 years. Currently, Greg is living in Florida with my beautiful wife and children, following his passion, writing.

Author Links: