Monday, September 29, 2014

Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead Audible book by Christiana Miller narrated by Marie Rose



Some details you might need --



About this book:



Mara is having the worst month of her life. At least, that's what her cards tell her and they've never been wrong. She's evicted from her apartment, loses her job, and is banned from Beverly Hills. So when the tarot cards predict her imminent demise, she uses a little magic to make her world right. Suddenly, an aunt she's never met dies, leaving Mara as her sole heir. But when Mara moves into her inherited home, she discovers Aunt Tillie never moved out. She's still one pissed-off old lady, even postmortem.



My review:

I must say, I enjoyed this book far more than I expected too.  Mara is a bit of a whiny little witch.  She seems to wait to be saved by everybody until it becomes clear that she is not going to be saved if she does not save herself.  But....she has a friend. Gus.  I adore Gus.  He is fun, flamboyant.  And totally outrageously addictively gay.  


The start of the book is very slow, the middle is well....the middle and the end goes at a break neck speed full of sex, hexing and ghosts and most of the time, especially at the start the book had me in stitches.  Gus is truly a riot and I absolutely adore him.



I cannot really tell you guys why I enjoyed it as much as I did.  It might have a lot to do with Marie Rose, the narrator who did a brilliant job with this book.  It might be Gus.  It might be that it was far better than I expected.  Who knows.

In the end I cannot wait to listen to more in this series and more books narrated by Marie Rose


WaAr




HANG ON....That is not all.



I have a giveaway for you.  Oh yes indeed.  You can win an audible copy of this book via raffle!!!!









 If audible is not for you but you like a witch....

Click on the pic to get an amazon copy if you do not like Audiobooks...

Audio/Book Review of The Boots My Mother Gave Me by Brooklyn James



Book Title: The Boots My Mother Gave Me 
Genre: YA/Coming Of Age/Romance
Pages: 280
Audio Book Run Time: 9 Hrs 57 Mins
Author: Brooklyn James
Date Published: 9 August 2010 (Kindle) 20 August 2014 (Audio)

Synopsis:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk through life in someone else's shoes?

Strong-willed tomboy Harley LeBeau puts you in the boots her mother gave her, as she takes you along her journey of escape from an abusive childhood and the desire to find herself as she comes of age. Made to feel a burden to her father simply by her gender, Harley is determined to prove her worth and independence, leaving the small town she grew up in and the one boy who gave her a soft place to fall, Jeremiah Johnson. Torn between saving herself and abandoning her mother and younger sister, Harley chooses her own life in hopes they will choose theirs, too.

A mature, candid read for everyone. A must for women. The Boots My Mother Gave Me explores the dynamics of abuse and dysfunction, the courage to overcome, the strength in sisterhood, and the ongoing conflict and unconditional love between mothers and daughters.

Climb into Charlene the Chevelle for a fast-paced story about a girl who is tough enough to survive and tender enough to learn to trust in love.

Review:


The Boots My Mother Gave MeThe Boots My Mother Gave Me by Brooklyn James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Updated Review:

Review 6******

I was given a copy of this book in audio format by the author in return for an honest review.

This is a very emotionally charged story that touched me deeply, and had me hooked from the first page.

Harley Le Beau is a very strong character. She has had to be, to cope with the verbal and physical abuse perpetrated by her father.
The one constant in her life is her mother, sister and her next door neighbour, Jeremiah Johnson.

Jeremiah (or as Harley calls him, Miah) Johnson is a wonderful character. He hasn't had a wonderful childhood either, but he is kind, honourable and gentle. I fell in love with him a little bit too.

Having previously read and reviewed this book in 2012, I was eager to listen to this story in audio format narrated by the author. I loved Brooklyn James's narration of the story and found her voice extremely pleasant to listen to. I also loved the songs and music, sung and played by her interspersed through the story, which brought Harley's character more to life. Reading lyrics to songs is a completely different experience to listening to them and how they are meant to be sung. They brought out a plethora of emotions in me, much more than just reading a story could ever do. I do love listening to country music with a catchy tune and great lyrics, so I wouldn't mind getting a CD or MP3 download of these songs to listen to on their own.

This older YA story is like a biography of Harley's life. It follows about 10 years or so of her life, after being thrown out by her abusive father. It is a very poignant tale. I loved the interaction between Harley and Jeremiah. It shows that love can bloom even in the most damaged of hearts. This is a very difficult book to read, especially if you have gone through something similar. However, this book deserves to be read, as Harley's voice needs to be heard. Harley's journey is full of ups and downs, love and hate, anger and forgiveness. The reader is swept up in the emotional roller coaster that is Harley's life. There are some really humourous scenes that made me giggle, but there are also some scenes that had me bawling my eyes out. Though there is mention of sex in this book, it is tastefully done and is not explicit or erotic in any way. Some of the subjects in this book are very difficult to listen to, never mind read, but Harley's journey in trying to find herself and what she wants with her life, combined with the love/hate relationship with her father, makes this book a MUST READ.

Brooklyn James has written a story that has stayed with me for two years, but listening to it reminded me how powerfully this book affected me. I love her fast paced writing style, and the flow was wonderful. I am now looking forward to reading her other books as soon as I can.

Due to the mention of alcohol abuse, as well as physical abuse, I do not recommend this book to younger readers, or those of a sensitive nature. However, I highly recommend this book if you love older YA, Coming of Age and Romance genres. - Lynn Worton

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Book Review of A Diary's House: Where True Love Endures by C. David Murphy



Book Title: A Diary's House: Where True Love Endures 
Genre: YA/Coming Of Age/Historical Romance
Pages: 478
Author: C. David Murphy
Date Published: 1 August 2012

Synopsis:

A Diary's House is about adventure, lost love, and the hope that dreams, even those in the final years of life, can at last prevail. It is of a young boy’s attempt to become a man, the once-lost secrets of a diary, a sweeping romance which transcends time and place. It is more than a boy’s journey into manhood, but the mysteries of so many lives unknowingly intertwined, now brought together in a climatic ending; all from the engrossing world embedded in a forgotten diary; a diary of a woman.

Born in the vast and looming mountains of North Carolina during the 1870’s, Landon Hampshire always remembered the folklore and legendary tales his father told him during his early childhood; about the people of the Kituhwa (Cherokee) and the birth of this tribal nation – an enchanting story he could never forget. Incorporating the aid of an eccentric old French trapper (old man Montague), Landon and his friends set out on an adventure, their initial intention is to discover treasure and become men. But what Landon will eventually come to discover is more than he ever bargained for.

Landon didn't realize his boyhood adventure would yield the incredible journey he ultimately experiences - going down the mysterious and mystical Randola River. At the base of the river is an island even more mysterious than the Randola itself.

The island releases many of its mysterious, yet even many more are created when Landon discovers, on the island, a diary of a young woman who lived forty years prior during the 1830’s (Trail of Tears). The diary entries are hopeful, though haunting. It reveals, in intimate detail, the life and dreams of this very special young girl who is turning into a woman of beauty and adventure, her love for a Cherokee boy, and the trials she will ultimately face. Her story unfolds through the reading of her diary, and Landon suddenly finds himself caught up in a sweeping, empowering world of re-invention and ultimate redemption.


Review:


A Diary's HouseA Diary's House by C. David Murphy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

This is an interesting coming of age story. I really enjoyed it.

Landon Hampshire is a very interesting character. He is a thirteen year old son of a well respected family living in Windrow Heights in North Carolina. I really liked this young lad. He is a curious and sensitive boy, but in a hurry to grow up. In the process, he ends up in the biggest adventure of his life.

I was not sure, when I was approached to read this book, whether or not to read it, as this type of story is not my normal genre. I decided to give it a try however, and I was pleasantly surprised because I really did enjoy it. I did find the story a bit slow and laborious, especially at the beginning and I nearly gave up on it, but I kept going. The second half of the story gathers pace and gets quite exciting! I know that people, way back in time, had a totally different attitude and even a more formal speech pattern to today, but I found Landon's "voice" seemed older than it should have been. Granted, this may have been because he was an older man recounting this tale. However, the formal speech did help me get into the time frame better, even though sometimes I felt like I was wading in treacle and feeling a bit lost. The scenes were written with a wonderful descriptiveness that brought it to life. I really loved the Randola raft scene; it was exciting and nerve wracking. The only problem I had was trying to decide if this story was an adventure, horror, ghost story or romance, as there were all of these elements mixed in it, which took me on a roller coaster ride of emotion. This book also has a lot of myths and history of the Cherokee people who lived in the region 50 years previously. Landon, during one of his adventures, finds a diary of a young woman. This diary is, in it's own way, a historical account of what happened to the Cherokee nation in what would be later known as the "Trail of Tears", though it is first and foremost a memoir of a young girl growing up and falling in love. However, the diary is much more than that and, as I read the entries, together with Landon, I finally understood the significance of it and Landon's relationship to it, as well as his destiny. I did find myself in tears on more than one occasion, so I recommend having a tissue handy. There are several twists and turns in this tale that surprised me and, by the end of the book, I was an emotional wreck.

C. David Murphy has written a coming of age story that touched me deeply. I didn't really care for the rather slow start to the story, but the second half's exciting pace made up for it. This difference in pace also slightly affected the flow, but once the author gained confidence in his writing, the flow evened out beautifully. I would definitely consider reading another one of this author's books in the future.

I recommend this book if you love YA/coming of age, adventure, romance or historical fiction genres. - Lynn Worton

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Audio/Book Review of Beautiful Redemption: Caster Chronicles, Book 4



Book Title: Beautiful Redemption (Beautiful Creatures #4)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Pages: 479
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Date Published: 23 October 2012

Synopsis:

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?
Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.
Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

Review:


Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles, #4)Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth and final book in the Beautiful Creatures saga. I loved it!

I downloaded this book in audio format, as I wanted to read it, but didn't have time to. Having this book in audio format allowed me to listen to it whilst doing household chores, or before bedtime.
The story is again narrated by Kevin T. Collins, but this time he is joined by Khristine Hvam. Both narrators do a fantastic job bringing the characters alive by giving them their own accents and voices.

Ethan Wate is an extremely interesting character. I liked him very much. He is a sweet, loving young man, who happens to be a human in love with a Caster. This, it turns out, can be extremely dangerous.

Lena Duchannes is a character I didn't really like in the first book. She had a "woe is me" attitude that really grated on my nerves. However, as this series has progressed, she has grown on me and it has been interesting to see her transformation from an emo-girl to a confident Caster.

This story continues from the rather shocking cliffhanger at the end of the third book, and is now told from two points of view - Ethan's and Lena's. This is an exciting conclusion to this series. I was hooked from the first few minutes into the audio book.

Lena, Link, Liv and Amma are all trying to come to terms with Ethan's sacrifice to repair the order of things on the Eighteenth Moon, whilst hiding the fact that he's dead from Ethan's father. Meanwhile, Ethan finds himself in the Other World, with his mother and Aunt Prue. Ethan finds out that his page in the Caster Chronicles had been tampered with, and sets out on a quest to reclaim it.

This story is even more exciting than the previous one, and I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat on occasion. There was, however, a character I didn't expect to find in the Other World, Seraphine. She may have been a dark Caster, and made some bad decisions in her life, but I felt that she redeemed herself in the end. There are also some new characters brought into the story, such as Amma's family - the Greats - Uncle Abner, Aunt Ivy, Aunt Delilah, Twila and not forgetting Grandmama Sulla, the great prophet. It was nice to finally meet them. But, I think that my favourite character in this book was Xavier. He is a character that I really liked, but felt sorry for. He has not had an easy life, thanks to Angelus, one of the Keepers of the Caster Chronicles. I did have an unanswered question or two about Xavier, but that was my only bugbear with the story. Angelus was introduced briefly in Beautiful Chaos. As I found out more about Angelus I decided that he was definitely not someone I would like to meet.

As the story unfolded, I was cheering for not only Ethan, but for Lena and the gang as they set off on a quest of their own. The story was fast paced and exciting most of the time, but it also tended to slow down in places. However, this didn't totally stop my enjoyment of the book. It was a roller coaster ride of adventure and emotion from beginning to end. When I did finally reach the end, I found it to be bittersweet; I was happy with the ending, but sad that it had finished. I will miss these characters, mostly Link and Ethan I have to say, but I could always visit them again by re-listening or re-reading the books.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl make a great writing team. Their writing style has improved a lot since the first book, and it is more fast paced. The story also flows a lot better. I would definitely read more of their books in the future.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA or Paranormal Romances. - Lynn Worton

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Thursday, September 18, 2014

M.C.V. Egan's The Bridge of Deaths 75th Anniversary Event.


About The Bridge of Deaths

"M.C.V. Egan twists truth and fiction until you question your perceptions...it is a story of real love, triumph and search for self."- Beckah Boyd @The Truthful Tarot

5 out of 5 stars:"An unusual yet much recommended read."-Midwest Book Review

On August 15th, 1939, an English passenger plane from British Airways Ltd. crashed in Danish waters between the towns of Nykøbing Falster and Vordingborg. There were five casualties reported and one survivor. Just two weeks before, Hitler invaded Poland.

With the world at the brink of war, the manner in which this incident was investigated left much open to doubt. The jurisdiction battle between the two towns and the newly formed Danish secret police created an atmosphere of intrigue and distrust.

The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical sources to solve "one of those mysteries that never get solved." Based on true events and real people, The Bridge of Deaths is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through conventional and unconventional sources in Denmark, England, Mexico and the United States. The story finds a way to help the reader feel that s/he is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions.

Cross The Bridge of Deaths into 1939, and dive into cold Danish waters to uncover the secrets of the G-AESY.

Get the revised 75th anniversary of The Bridge of Deaths on Amazon in ebook and paperback.


About the author

M.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Vergara Egan. Catalina was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1959, the sixth of eight children, in a traditional Catholic family.

From a very young age, she became obsessed with the story of her maternal grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo--mostly the story of how he died.

She spent her childhood in Mexico. When her father became an employee of The World Bank in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s, she moved with her entire family to the United States. Catalina was already fluent in English, as she had spent one school year in the town of Pineville, Louisiana with her grandparents. There she won the English award, despite being the only one who had English as a second language in her class.
In the D.C. suburbs she attended various private Catholic schools and graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland in 1977. She attended Montgomery Community College, where she changed majors every semester. She also studied in Lyons, France, at the Catholic University for two years. In 1981, due to an impulsive young marriage to a Viking (the Swedish kind, not the football player kind), Catalina moved to Sweden where she resided for five years and taught at a language school for Swedish, Danish, and Finnish businesspeople. She then returned to the USA, where she has lived ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish.

Maria Catalina Vergara Egan is married and has one son who, together with their five-pound Chihuahua, makes her feel like a full-time mother. Although she would not call herself an astrologer she has taken many classes and taught a few beginner classes in the subject.
The celebrated her 52nd birthday on July 2nd, 2011, and gave herself self-publishing The Bridge of Deaths as a gift.



Find M.C.V. Egan and The Bridge of Deaths on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and online.

Now why are you here? Why for the interview naturally...... read this

Is The Bridge of Deaths really a culmination of 2 decades of research? Why are you so interested in WW II History?
Yes, at least a good eighteen years of research. I was so clueless when I began to dig around the plane crash that killed my grandfather in 1939 so I guess someone with a better historical background would have never taken that long.
I am embarrassed to admit that I had to look up almost every incident I came across even something as common knowledge as The Munich Pact.
I know I had to have studied it at some point in school or university but to be honest I know I did fail history at least once.

Why are you releasing a revised edition and what is different from the original?
When I released the original in 2011I was so afraid that people would dispute some of the files I used that I carefully and meticulously added footnotes for EVERYTHING, over 200.
To my surprise some people loved that, mainly lawyers! But it felt like awkward reading for some, and it was understandable, especially in the e-book format as the footnotes can be distracting. In the revised version I added the necessary footnotes to the narrative and got rid of all of them. I also summarized two parts that were loaded with information and detail and added them to the back as appendices for the more curious readers.
The book is formatted in a very user friendly way so the reader can go from one chapter to the other or to the appendices.
To give it a more up to date touch, as the book takes place in 2010. I added an epilogue in the summer of 2012.
The new cover has the image of my grandfather’s watch which is part of the story.

Over 200 footnotes? So this is not a novel, or is it?
Oh yes it is a novel. It has fictional elements so it must be categorized as such. The characters that sift through the data are fictional even if two are strongly based on real people; one of whom is me!
I also used very “unorthodox” ways to research such as psychics and past life regressions; not my own, and that to many is fiction.

How did you use psychics and past lives?
I have two watches, one that was my grandfather’s and another sent to us by British Airways LTD. The use of psychometry is not that scoffed at, I mean the FBI has used it, so I thought, Why not? It was just amazing, with no photos or previous knowledge a psychic started describing the bridge and another the lettering on the wing of the plane.
The most shocking was that all described to a T another of the men who died for the second watch, no spoiler! I won’t tell you which but it was uncanny. There were five people gifted in psychometry who did this for me.
The individual who had the long past life regressions, five in total has asked to remain anonymous, but I was allowed to sit in and take notes, they were also recorded but the quality is horrible which is a shame because just like Maggie in the book, I did ‘go under’ and slept through one of them!

Now, why else are you here today? Why to ask questions, and to enter the raffle giveaway and to share, share, share.  

Click on the link below to enter the raffle giveaway.  




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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Authors Allies Literary Group, and Associates presents : Ole Hallows Eve challenge.....


Authors Allies Literary Group, and Associates presents:




Do you like things that go bump in the night?

Do you like books?


Do you love winning?


Click on the pic to see what type of Kindle eBook could be yours!

Can you purchase an eBook? Read in in one night? Leave a review on Amazon?  If so you can win a book/books of your choice via Amazon worth $15.

If you can purchase but not read within a night..... then an eBook worth $5 could be yours.

If you can read and review but not purchase then we can supply a copy and you might walk away with a kindle book of your choice worth $5!!!!!


So what do you say?  

Are you up to the challenge?



Comment here, leave me an email addy and keep your eye on this blog.....

Audio/Book Review of Beautiful Chaos (Beautiful Creatures #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl



Book Title: Beautiful Chaos (Beautiful Creatures #3)
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Pages: 523
Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Date Published: 18 October 2011

Synopsis:

Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home from the Great Barrier, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected -- and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What -- or who -- will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it's not Lena -- and the mysterious figure is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself -- forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and he's afraid to ask.

Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

Review:


Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles, #3)Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Beautiful Creatures saga. I loved it!

I downloaded this book in audio format, as I wanted to read it, but didn't have time to. Having this book in audio format allowed me to listen to it whilst doing household chores, or before bedtime.
The story is again narrated by Kevin T. Collins, who does another fantastic job in bringing the characters alive. He gives each character their own personality and voice.

Ethan Wate is an extremely interesting character. I liked him very much. He is a sweet, loving young man, who happens to be a human in love with a Caster.

Lena Duchannes is a character I didn't really like in the first book. She had a "woe is me" attitude that really grated on my nerves. However, as this series has progressed, she has grown on me. Maybe it has something to do with her attitude change now she has claimed herself.

This story continues from the end of the second book. I liked the fact that this story was again told from Ethan's point of view. I was hooked from the first few minutes of the chapter.

Lena has claimed herself, but in the process "the order of things" has been broken. This means that Gatlin is suffering through a heat wave and an infestation of lubbers (a type of grasshopper similar to a locust). However, this is the least of Ethan's problems. He is still hearing music and finds out that it's a shadowing song (a message from his mother in the Other World). Meanwhile, Link has a problem of his own. After the fight with Abraham Ravenwood and then being bitten by John Breed, Link finds out that he is now an Incubus (he is now calling himself a Linkubus!). I loved this character's attitude to finding out that he is now supernatural. If I was him I would have freaked out a bit more, but I loved his cheerful acceptance; he is one cool dude! I also loved getting to know the Great Aunts better! Their constant bickering made me laugh, but you could feel the love behind their comments and complaints. There are several twists and turns in this story, which kept me enthralled, but there is one HUGE twist that I did, unfortunately, see coming near the end of the book. However, this twist is still shocking in it's finality and left me in tears. I am now looking forward to reading/listening to Beautiful Redemption as soon as possible, to find out what happens next!

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl make a great writing team. Their writing style has improved a lot since the first book, and it is more fast paced. The story also flows better and is much smoother. I would definitely read more of their books in the future.

I highly recommend this book if you love YA or Paranormal Romances. - Lynn Worton

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Friday, September 12, 2014

Book Review of Starfire Angels (Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 1) by Melanie Nilles



Book Title: Starfire Angels (Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 1)
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Pages: 190
Author: Melanie Nilles
Date Published: 1 January 2009

Synopsis:

They've been coming here for thousands of years, using Earth as a sanctuary to escape threats from their own kind. Mankind knows them as angels, and one of them left a child upon her death to be raised as a human.

Raea is now a high school senior and her life as a human is about to end. The crystal shard she bears is not a pretty pendant; it's a collective of powerful entities who chose her as their Keeper, a protector of one of the four shards that power a machine capable of destroying whole worlds. Those who desire the Starfire's power have sent an agent to find her, but she's too busy evading a nosy reporter ready to exploit her secret and dating a hot new foreign student to notice. Nevermind learning what she really is.

Only one person on Earth can help her, the last person she ever expected. But he's not from Earth. Life as a human would be so much easier.

Review:


Starfire Angels (Dark Angel Chronicles, #1)Starfire Angels by Melanie Nilles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the Dark Angel Chronicles. I really enjoyed it.

Raea Dahlrich is a character I really liked. She is a seventeen year old with the usual angst issues. But, all is not what it seems and her life is about to change forever. I liked watching this character grow throughout the story.

I downloaded this book a while ago, but never seemed to get time to read it. I found myself in between books and decided to give this story a try. I am glad I did, because it was a really fun story to read.

Raea is not the only great character in this story. I really liked Josh, Raea's best friend. He is a wonderful guy, if a bit obsessive about finding the "Dark Angel" who had been spotted helping people in the town. His enthusiasm made me smile. Then there is the mysterious Elis, who lives next door to Raea. He is full of secrets, but as the story progressed I found myself liking him a lot. I didn't really warm up to Pallin, the new student in Raea's class. And with good reason, as it turns out.

This story is very similar to some of the other YA romance books I have read over the years. However, this book has a unique twist. This twist gave the story a freshness that was surprising to say the least. The author has taken the concept of aliens, known as Inari (or Angels to us humans) using Earth as a sanctuary in a galactic war. This war has raged for millennia over the Starfire Crystal, a powerful collective of entities. Raea is thrown into this war and finds herself pitted against the Shirukan, who are after her piece of the crystal. There is plenty of danger and adventure in this tale, but not all of it from the Shirukan; there is also a nosy reporter digging around. The story is action packed and fast paced. I was sad to reach the end of the story, and I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Melanie Nilles has written a wonderful young adult paranormal romance. I loved her fast paced writing style, but some of the scenes didn't seem to flow as smoothly as they could have. Nevertheless, her book was an enjoyable read.

I highly recommend this book to teens aged 15+ and to adults who love reading the YA Romance genre. - Lynn Worton

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Monday, September 08, 2014

Audio/Book Review of Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead (Toad Witch Series Book 1) by Christiana Miller



Book Title: Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead (Toad Witch Series Book 1)
Genre: Occult Humor
Pages: 332
Author: Christiana Miller
Date Published: 18 June 2014 (Audio Book)

Synopsis:

A little magic can go a long way -- to really screwing up a girl's life!

Mara is having the worst month of her life. At least, that's what her cards tell her and they've never been wrong. She's evicted from her apartment, loses her job and is banned from Beverly Hills. So when the tarot cards predict her imminent demise, she uses a little magic to make her world right.

Suddenly, an aunt she's never met dies, leaving Mara as her sole heir. But when Mara moves into her inherited home, she discovers Aunt Tillie never moved out. She's still one pissed-off old lady, even post-mortem, and she blames Mara's magical meddling for her death.

When Mara accidentally releases a demon and awakens the spirit of the most powerful witch in history, Tillie's ready to kill her -- literally. It's the only way she can think of to save the girl from herself.

The witch and the demon, however, have other plans for Mara's body!

Review:


Somebody tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead (ToadWitch, #1)Somebody tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead by Christiana Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary audio book copy from the author in return for an honest review.

This is the first book in the Toad Witch Series. I enjoyed it.

I downloaded this audio book and started listening. This story was narrated by Marie Rose. She did a wonderful job in bringing the characters to life, but I felt that her narration was a bit rushed at times.

Mara is a character I struggled to like. In fact, I wanted to strangle her myself due to her "woe is me" attitude. Granted she has not had the best of luck, what with losing her job and then her apartment, but in a way she brought these things on herself. She is a powerful witch, though I found her to be a poor lead character.

This was a story that I struggled to get into at first. I found myself a bit ambivalent to most of the characters, which saddened me. However, I did love Gus. He felt more like a lead character to me, rather than a secondary one; I loved his flamboyant and boisterous attitude.The story lagged and didn't really get interesting until Mara met Aunt Tillie at the cottage. I found myself doing a lot of eye rolling at some of the situations Mara found herself in, and was fully on Aunt Tillie's side for getting rid of her. However, that being said, it was interesting to follow Mara through the latter part of the story. I am not fully versed on the practice of Wicca, so cannot comment on whether the spells used by both Mara and Gus would actually work. However, to err on the side of caution, I would say don't use them - you could accidentally release a demon, or a power hungry witch! There are some light moments in the story which made me giggle, but there are also some dark moments that made me shudder. There are also several twists in this tale that kept the latter half of the book interesting, but there were also a few threads that were left loose and never fully explored. Perhaps these will be dealt with further in the series. Unfortunately, with all due respect to the author, I don't think I will be continuing with this series, as I just couldn't connect with the characters. Though I love paranormal stories full of humor, this book just wasn't my cup of tea. I will leave it up to you, the reader, to decide for yourselves.

Christiana Miller has written an intriguing tale. Her writing style is not particularly fast paced compared to other authors I have read, but she does have a flair for describing scenes vibrantly. Her world building was wonderful, but her characters, especially the heroine, could have done with being less helpless and had more common sense. The flow of the story was a bit erratic in the beginning, but evened out near the end.

Due to several mentions of explicit sex and sexual acts, I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I recommend this book if you love paranormal romance or stories about Wicca and witches. - Lynn Worton

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Sunday, September 07, 2014

Blog Tour: Spotlight and Excerpt - RUIN The Waking by Lucian Bane

RUIN The Waking

Today, I am pleased to be part of the blog tour for Lucian Bane's book, RUIN The Waking. Please make him feel welcome! - Lynn 


Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

To judge and execute. That is Ruin's power and desire. But Ruin's memory is empty of how he came to be here on Earth and why. After saving Isadore-- a neuroscientist living in the swamps of Louisiana-- from a sexual predator, she volunteers to help him. Ruin soon discovers that judging and executing wicked humans while linked to such a difficult and beautiful woman who can't help but involve herself in every aspect of his business, is proving to be more difficult than judging the world.

Book Trailer


Buy Links





Fun Random Facts About Lucian
Favorite Icecream: Butter Pecan
Favorite Song: Wish You were here (Pink Floyd)
Favorite Time: early morning
Favorite Smells: Ivory soap, Ivory dish liquid, Pine sol, and Camp fires
He loves to eat crushed ice



Excerpt +18

She suddenly jerked up in bed and Ruin spun around. “What are you doing!” she cried.
“I…” He suddenly found himself unable to utter the words 'checking on you'. “I was watching you sleep.” She gasped. “Oh my God, what did you see?”
“I…” Again there was no lying. “Saw your breasts.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “I’m…” He let out a growl of exasperation. “Want to say I’m sorry but I can’t seem to.”
“Because you’re not sorry!”
“That…is absolutely correct.” She stormed out of the bed and made her way around to look at me, holding her sheet tight. “And why wouldn’t you be? What is wrong with you?”
“I don’t know.” But he did surely know if he looked at her that he’d do something worse, so he turned his head away.
“You-you come watch me, you’re not sorry, and ohhhh, now you can’t look at me.” She gasped and spread one arm out. “And-and, I’m just supposed to tolerate all of this?” she shrilled. “I’m supposed to be the all accommodating swamp slut host, to the maleficent… hominid voyeur with the ever hard penis but not from ever touching it, are you seeing the freaky in this yet?” Her voice had gradually gotten higher and higher. “And for fucksake! What is your GOD DAMN NAME!” He looked at her, breathing through the need that had spiked to dangerous from her anger, and now her close proximity to him in only that sheet. 
“Back up, Isadore. Now.”
“Back up?” She stepped closer. “Well while you’re watching my tits, Mister, I was having a dream about a man who was in dire need and God told me to help him!” She nodded incessantly with crazy looking wide eyes. “That’s right, I was ready to get rid of you and so I go out of my way, go the extra mile and pray for your sorry ass only to wake up to you watching my tits!” she screamed the last.
“You…prayed? For me?” 
“What?” Like that was the stupidest of stupid questions.
“Why would you even do that?”
“Because I’m Christian. That’s what we do, we pray for people who need prayer and you clearly need it, don’t you agree?” 
“So…you believe in God?” Already his disgust had reached massive levels and he couldn’t even keep the sick reaction from twisting his face. 
“I said I prayed and you’re asking if I believe in God? I know you’re not stupid and you did not answer me, what is your name. I am not discussing a thing more until I know that. Tell me your name. Right now. Don’t tell me you don’t know it, either.” 
“Well, what if I don’t know it?”
“Do you not know it?”
“I’m not sure what my name is.”
“Not sure?”
“Am I not speaking clearly?” She pointed in his face. “Don’t get smart.”
“If you don’t quit being this way with me, Isadore, I’m going to remove your sheet and do things that will likely make you scream and I won’t stop until I’m done. I don’t even know what I’d do, but something tells me I’d take all the time in the world to figure that out until it’s entirely and perfectly done.” She stood with her mouth open. 
“You’re threatening to rape me?”
“I wouldn't need to rape you.” 
She gave a huge exasperated single laugh. “Welllll aren’t you the perfect and astute virgin lover!”
Ruin closed his eyes tight and focused the ice in his veins to push back the heat. “Just ask me to show you, and I will. I may be a virgin, a first time lover, but every second I can’t do what burns in me to do, is an eternal fucking torment.”
She gasped and when he finally looked at her for fear of her silence, she just stared at him.
“You said fucking,” she whispered, dazed looking.




Author Lucian Bane

My name is Lucian Bane, and I'm an Ineffable Dom. That just means, do yourself a favor and please don't try to fit me into categories. Complicated Dom, Intricate Dom, or Confounding Dom work too. I don't want a woman I can break, or overpower, or exercise my dominance over. I want a woman I can come undone with. I want a woman I can jump off the cliff with into that abyss of holy hell, this is beyond me, beyond my control. And thank God, I have found that woman in my wife. I think there are many men like myself, and I hope my writing will be a map for them. (A map for women as well, to let them know Doms like this exist.) I want to challenge them to go for the complete power exchange with a woman, but don't be a coward and not give the same that they demand or expect. Consider that when you give one hundred percent of yourself to a person, there is no more of you to give away. You now belong to them the way they belong to you.
As young men, inner Doms need a master to train them. I once bowed to my inner Dom's reckless and tireless desires, but when I gave myself to God and conformed my will to His, that inner Dom bowed to His will. The transformation made me into what I am today. What many would call an Ineffable Dom. But its equal term in the Vanilla world, in my opinion, is a real man.

Social Media Sites:
Ever wonder where can find Lucian, well here's a whole list of places he hangs out.

Website/Blog

Facebook:
Paranormal Romance by Lucian Bane https://www.facebook.com/groups/309957352515481/

Amazon Author Page

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Community:
#Lucian Bane’s Dom Wars BDSM

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Thursday, September 04, 2014

Book Review of T.E.D.: Tim Eric Delsin by Jayson James



Book Title: T.E.D.: Tim Eric Delsin
Genre: YA LGBT Fiction
Pages: 320
Author: Jayson James
Date Published: 14 March 2014

Synopsis:

TIM is being bullied. No one in high school wants to be known as a tattle-tale and to do so would only make things rougher for him. The repercussions would most likely make him an outcast, and without any friends.

ERIC is frustrated with life. His parents are overbearing and if they ever knew the person he really was, they would throw him out of their house. His friends are not much better, they only like him when he is who they expect him to be.

DELSIN is gay and ready to come out. Unfortunately, life at home is on the brink of falling apart with his parents constant fighting. Admitting the truth could bring his whole world crashing down around him.

Each of these three needs to decide whether the risks of being honest about who they are outweighs the importance of being true to themselves. This could mean ruining life as each of them knows it. Maybe it is better to remain miserable in order to play it safe. On the other hand, doing nothing doesn’t seem to working either.

Review:


T.E.D.T.E.D. by Jayson James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

I have not read many books in the young adult gay and lesbian genre, so when I was approached I was a little wary. However, I like to think I have an open mind, so I said yes. I am so glad that I did, because I loved it!

Tim is a wonderful character. I liked him a lot. He is a typical seventeen year old, trying to cope with more than the usual angst; he is quite sensitive and kind. Maybe a little too much, which makes him vulnerable to the school bully. Afraid to report the bully in case of making the situation worse Tim hides it from his family, but his best friend Delsin knows.

Delsin is also a wonderful character. He has been friends with Tim since grade school, and is quite protective of him. Unfortunately, his home life is very dysfunctional and he has problems of his own to deal with; not least of which is knowing he is gay and afraid of his parents' reactions to his news.

Eric is a character that I thought I would love to hate; he is the bully who has been attacking Tim. However, as I got to know him a lot better, I actually felt myself feeling sorry for him. His life is just as angst ridden as the other two characters, but he has a secret that he has been hiding.

I started reading this story and was completely hooked! This tale is told in the alternating points of view of these three characters, which gives the reader a greater insight into their characters. These characters have flaws, which brings them to life. The main voice is Tim's, who uses his journal entries to describe events and his feelings. Each of these three boys have a shared past. Tim and Eric were friends when they were younger, but we never find out why they stopped being friends until further into the book; Tim and Delsin are BFF's and next door neighbours.
Although I really enjoyed meeting these characters, my only complaint about this story was the change from first person (Tim) to third person (Delsin and Eric). This in itself was not really an issue once I got used to it, but it was a bit unsettling at first. However, why the author used this type of narrative becomes clearer further into the story. As the story unfolded, several events in the tale shocked me, and some touched me deeply. However, one event made me realise why Eric bullied people; he is acting out to make himself feel better. Bullies are either jealous, being bullied or are abused themselves. I will leave it to you to find out which category Eric falls into. I reached the end of the story and I found it a bit bittersweet; I was sad to say goodbye to these characters, but happy that they had found peace with themselves and each other.

Jayson James has written a fantastic young adult story that explores several topics that every teen can relate to: bullying, angst, depression, stress, suicide, abuse - sexual, verbal and physical, friendship and love. He brings a sensitivity to these topics so that they do not feel judgmental. Although I have not read any other books by this author, I would certainly consider reading more of his work in the future.

Due to the mention of sex and sexual acts (not explicit), I do not recommend this book to younger readers. However, I highly recommend this book to older teens (16+) and adults who like to read YA or LGBT genres. - Lynn Worton

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