Book Review of Where The Sun Sets by Ann Marie

Book Review of Where The Sun Sets by Ann Marie

Best friends since childhood, two women are forced to define that friendship when one is critically injured while protecting the other. While one woman must come to terms with past events she never stopped to notice, the other comes face to face with a past she fought hard to forget.

The story takes place during a twenty four hour period.
Antonia Dal Santo spent her whole life protecting her best
friend. Josephine Ferrero spent her whole life trying to become someone else. Protecting Josephine was Antonia's way of forgetting how no one protected her. Josephine was so busy acting she forgot who she really was. When Antonia is shot protecting Josephine, both women must face their own hidden truths, alone.

Review 4****

This is a very touching story. I enjoyed it very much.

Antonia Dal Santo is a wonderful character. She is very loyal to her friend. In fact, I would say that Antonia sees Josephine as a sister. She has had a very tough life, but has retained her spirit. I loved this character, as she is very strong and protective.

Josephine Ferrero is a character that set my teeth on edge. She is not a bad person, but she is exceedingly self centred, and seems to have tunnel vision when she wants something. She is always wanting to be the centre of attention. When Antonia is hurt, Josephine has a sort of wake up call.

This is a most intriguing psychological thriller. These two characters are both sent to the same convent school at the age of seven and strike up a friendship that lasts for decades. This tale is told in a very short time frame, but there are several flash backs to their childhood. This gives the reader the opportunity to understand the dynamic between the two friends. This book is full of suspense and mystery, not to mention danger. I was completely hooked from the first page. However, I did find that I wanted to throttle Josephine for her blinkered outlook; Never mind living on another planet, I think she lived in a completely different universe! I don't know how this woman functioned! That being said, once the danger sank into her brain, she began to see the bigger picture and actually started acting like a human being. I actually began to like her. There are a few twists in this tale that I never saw coming. All in all, an entertaining read.

Ann Marie has written a tear jerker of a book that took me on a roller coaster ride of epic proportions. A word of warning: There are some scenes of sexual abuse. Therefore, I do not recommend this book to younger readers or those of a nervous disposition. However, I recommend this book if you love thrillers or suspense. - Lynn Worton

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

This book came highly recommended to me.  Very highly by numerous people.  So I could not wait to start it.  When I eventually got around to reading it, I was a bit disappointed.  It started off and reminded me of The Hunger Games to such a degree that I felt a bit disappointed.  Not enough to put me of reading the book but enough to make me feel discontented.  But I am a trooper.  So I carried on, soon The Hunger Games was forgotten, the similarities paling, the dystopian world came alive in front of my eyes and it has been ages since I have liked a character as much as I do Tris.  This, people is a truly strong female protagonist.  This is also one of the central themes in the book…what is courage? What is self sacrifice and what good is knowledge….

To say that I am now one of this author's biggest fans is like saying a King guy writes horror or stuff… This woman is brilliant, the tempo she maintains in her book, pushing her characters and her readers onwards upwards and forward until you find yourself at the very edge of a cliff is masterly done.  I have the second book. So excuse me please…..

Jason Ellis, author of many books friend to all.

Jason Ellis says ~~~

Hi everyone :D

So, many of you will have heard of Author Adoption ... it is used a lot at the moment to assist us writers with promotion, marketing etc.

I, along with J.H. Glaze and Christine Hughes, were adopted by the one and only, the amazing, the legend that is Wanda Hartzenberg :D (Some believe that she is just a myth ... no one could LOVE authors as much as she does, surely??)

What does it mean, though? How can it help us, or you?

Well, to begin with, you have help straight away, another voice other than your own to shout about your book(s). Trust me, there are times when I need a lot more Jason Ellis' around here ... one to write, one to edit, one to drink tea ... you get the idea ;)

Wanda the Amazing(she's now transformed - superhero status has arrived) - will ask myself, Christine, and Jeff, where we all want to be in 3 months ... are we after sales? Are there books due to be published? What do you need to do and what can I do?

I'm very lucky to be in such a prestigious group of writers ... we all help each other already, when possible. Now we also have Wanda as well ... she can post when we can't, she can promote when we are too busy, she can network when we are editing or writing. And this is a key point to the author adoption idea ... I couldn't tell you how many hours I have wanted to sit and write a new chapter, or edit the book that I'd finished, but found myself too busy with the other side of my job; networking, blogging/ vlogging, promoting, marketing ... arranging give-aways ... the list goes on.

I look forward to the next few months ... I'm going to work that Wanda until she begs me for a day off ... then I'm going to work her some more hahaha!! :)

Here are links to J.H. Glaze and Christine Hughes on Amazon;

 http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Hughes/e/B0088YCINW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1359379614&sr=1-2-ent

&

http://www.amazon.com/JH-Glaze/e/B005SWFQGI/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Jason on Facebook can be find hiding at ....


http://www.facebook.com/HollySilverstoneBooks?ref=stream

On Amazon he is......
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Voices-Holly-Silverstone-adventure/dp/1906529183/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359452912&sr=8-2&keywords=jason+ellis

or

http://www.amazon.com/Amelia-Maylock-book-12th-awakening/dp/1906529078/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1359452912&sr=8-8&keywords=jason+ellis

Now show some love and go like these page links please. 

Here is Jason in his true persona.....BATMAN!!!!

The Eternal Gift by Candy Crum

The Eternal Gift: The Eternal Series by Candy Crum

Blurb

A young girl (Kailah) discovers that she is from a lost and forgotten powerful Immortal blood line after she meets a strange new physician at work. She begins to have visions and see spirits and has trouble controlling bad things from happening when she is angry. Along the way she discovers the terrible truth about who she is and the incredible power that is locked away deep inside her. Her Immortal ancestors want to use her to destroy the vampire race. Vampires want to use her power to destroy her Immortal ancestors. But hiding in the shadows are those who have been watching her since she was born. They want to help Kailah discover who she is and help her learn to use her abilities. They simply want for her to make the right decision before it's too late. Unfortunately for them time is not on their side and the Rogue Vampires have plans for Kailah no one could have imagined.

My review.

Kailah's story is one of a girl learning who she is and has to deal not only with growing up, real fast but also with loss, heartache and responsibility beyond her years.  Her powers, as she becomes aware of them is impressive and her understanding of what is happening is limited.

Even in these circumstances she grows into her role real fast and with a strength that you want to see in your main protagonist. 

The other characters, especially the evil one's is well fleshed out and their evil apparent.  Their motivation is explored but it does nothing to make them less evil and thus the reader is not left in an emotional ambivalent state.

The story is well told and progresses at a pace that keeps you turning the pages.  The end is a real cliff hanger.  And I am sure that most paranormal romance lovers will adore this book

A 4 * read and one I would recommend to all lovers of this genre. 

To Adopt an Indie Author.

Holly Silverstone book one by Jason Ellis ladies and gents...

So recently I have adopted 3 Indie authors.  JH Glaze, a horror /thriller author with a new romance book.  Jason Ellis, a children novelist with a recent thriller and Christine Hughes, a paranormal author with a romance book on Amazon as well.

 Why these three? Well is it not obvious? Can't you see the relationship between the three? Why, I never!!!

It is obvious.  They are all three of them brilliant authors.  Authors with lives like us, cars breaking down, a shortage of time and finance and with washing that needs to be done.

But they are not really LIKE us.  They are talented.  Very talented and I love their writing styles and genre choices because….well….because I love it…. lol.  But….it is also easier to promote such an eclectic mix than it is to promote authors within the same genre.

 So how do I plan to promote them.  With your help.  This is an Indie world but it is not, nor should it be a Indie eats Indie world.  We are all in this together.  So let us help one another.

Today's tip for loving an Indie author.

Like all their books and their author pages on Amazon. 

More tips to follow in the weeks to come. 

Also, pick up a book by one or all three these authors.  You will not regret it. 

Author Christine Hughes ladies and gents....

See more by JH Glaze on Amazon with the following link...

http://www.amazon.com/NorthWest-John-Hazard-Book-ebook/dp/B006G40WJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359097783&sr=8-1&keywords=JH+GLAZE

 Christine Hughes' author page on Amazon will allow you to have a peek at all her books...

http://www.amazon.com/Christine-Hughes/e/B0088YCINW/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1359097850&sr=8-2

 Jason Ellis' on Amazon gives you access to all his books as well as a video which will allow you to hear that sexy British accent..

http://www.amazon.com/Jason-Ellis/e/B0034PLAIY

The Life We Dream by J H Glaze, his first romance....

Oh and PS.  To my new adopted children, I am here to help you, not take orders.  The table is turning, and it is your turn to listen to me…. so be warned, this lady does not give a spoon full of sugar!!!!!!! Bwhahahahah!!! But I can be bribed!

Grade A Stupid by A.J. Lape

Grade A Stupid (The Darcy Walker Series) A J Lape

Fifteen years ago, Darcy Walker's parents thought it was a good idea to give her a unique name: Darcy, meaning "dark walker." Whether that was a stroke of genius or stroke of stupid, they definitely nailed the irony. She lacks direction, her grades stink despite a high IQ, she's boringly average--although flirting admirers claim otherwise--and God help her, she's infatuated with a bad-boy.

A bad-boy that her hottie best friend, Dylan, wishes would get acquainted with his fist.

And, oh yeah, there's that tattoo that was a royally stupid idea.

With her life spiraling out of control, everything changes when she skips class and finds a dead body...in fact, it gets worse. It jump starts Darcy's inner-verb, and her brain hardwired for action gets caught up in a situation she can’t let go.

Set in the fictional Cincinnati town of Valley, Ohio, Darcy falls into a world of threats, violence, and gangland exploits chasing down every clue to finger the murderer. When a fellow misfit is fingered for the crime, Darcy goes from zero-to-sixty trying to clear his name--constructing aliases, breaking the law, everything that makes perfect sense to her but reeks of Grade A Stupid to everyone else.

Trouble is...will she live to see 16?

I adored this book. 

The story is fresh, young and hip.  I think it is hip at the age of 39 I may not know anymore. 

The story is also logical.  Which is according to me, is a major plus point. 

Darcy, at the age of 15 is a beautiful young girl with ADD and an above average IQ.  She is also bored easily and all girl around the hunk in school. 

I think most if not all YA will love this book.  It is fun and Darcy is a very likeable character. I can also not see any parent taking offence or seeing this as being negative. 

I give this a 5 * rating.  Partly because I loved to read it and partly because I am convinced you will love to read it as well.

Buy your copy here -----  http://www.amazon.com/Grade-Stupid-Walker-Series-ebook/dp/B00A4CHNL8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359012505&sr=8-1&keywords=grade+a+stupid

Spud last book in the series

Spud Exit Pursued by a Bear

The end of a series and the end of an era for me.

As a South African I feel it imperative to say upfront that I do not really support our own artists and authors.
Painters, I love, we can capture feeling on canvass like few others. Writing, in my opinion, at least until a few years back, struggled.
We tend to overdo things, go emo in 3 seconds. Then I read my first Spud novel.

I was shocked. Here I found a novel that kept me captive, up late at night and making past-midnight hour calls to friends saying, asking and not waiting for a response -- have you read this? You must.....

So with the last book in the series the love I have found for South African authors came crashing down on me.
The shame, the self berating is constant.
Finding a single author that changed my mind pertaining to an entire countries ability to entertain -- astounding.

So here is to an author, one who made children who would never have dreamed of reading an entire book, begging their parents for the next in the series, here is to grownups, getting the finer nuances of pain and growing up, we all faced it! We all look back with shock and nostalgia.

Here is to a country who has gems that is unexplored.
That has citizens like me that pass them up for the next New York bestseller.

Here is to me, for coming to my senses and realizing that being home grown is a good thing.
A great thing.
Taking a journey down streets you actually know is a journey worth taking.

A 5 * rating. I would if I could have given it 10 *.
In my heart of hearts I give it a 100 * review rating and my appreciation for changing, very literally, my life.

WaAr

Purchase link

http://www.amazon.com/Spud-Exit-Pursued-Bear-ebook/dp/B009R69JJ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358854950&sr=8-1&keywords=spud