Archive for April, 2015

Review: Blood Music – Jessie Prichard Hunter

Thursday, April 30th, 2015
Blood Music
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Witness Impulse (April 7, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062389270
ISBN-13: 978-0062389275
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
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Synopsis:

A killer with a fascination with classical music is killing and raping women. Three people along with the cops become involved in trying to figure out who this killer is and stopping him before he kills again.

Characters:

Zelly Wyche – A young woman who has an almost dangerous obsession with serial killers.
John Nassent – A man whose sister was killed by a serial killer.
Madeleine Levy – A near victim of a serial killer, who managed to escape his clutches.

Review

This novel grabbed me from the very beginning. I could relate to the various characters. The character of Zelly, obsessed with serial killers, and always talking to anyone who’ll listen about them. John Nasent, whose sister was killed by the serial killer in this story, and is bent on avenging her. Then there is Margaret, who just narrowly escaped but is still shattered psychologically.

The author was a bit out of the box, I think on this story, as you know very soon into the novel who the killer is. But the big draw is watching all the other characters and their reactions as they begin to piece together the crimes, and figure it all out.

The scenes of the crimes themselves while violent aren’t as over the top as they could be. Even the fringe characters have full personalities and are not your typical stock characters. You also get to look back into the killer’s life, his childhood, and how he became a killer.

Overall a great psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages. If you’re a fan of the Psycho-Thriller, than you definitely want to pick this one up, and be sure to drop back by and let us known what you thought.

About the Author

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Larissa at Claire Mckinney PR for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Blood Infernal – James Rollins

Tuesday, April 28th, 2015
Blood Infernal
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (February 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062343262
ISBN-13: 978-0062343260
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

A dark force is released and wreaking havoc amongst the sanguines and mortals. A string of grisly murders occurring around the world brings together Jordan Stone, Rhun Korza, and Erin Granger to once again save the world. But this time, the evil may be too much for even them to handle.

Characters:

Jordan Stone – Military Forensic Expert and The Warrior of Man
Father Rhun Korza – Vatican Priest and the Knight of Christ
Dr. Erin Granger – Archaologist and the Woman of Learning.

Review

This is billed as the final entry in the Order of the Sanguines series, which really is a shame because it’s the one series of James Rollins I personally have enjoyed the most. I like the action and the mythology that is incorporated into the storylines.

As usual within this, there were a lot of twists, turns, and cliffhangers. There were holy betrayals, and allies you’d never expect. With a force as evil as what they go up against, one has to wonder if they will make it out alive. To answer that question, you’ll just have to pick up Blood Infernal.

If there were one drawback to it, it would be a subplot involving a character from the past novel(s). That storyline never really seems to fit into the whole of this story, and seems as if it was throne in just to include the character. If that part were left out, I think the story would have functioned just the same.

If I were to rate this on my usual scale, I would rate it for 18 or older. The reasoning behind it is because of a lot of the violence, some language, and adult situations. But if you’re a fan of Mr. Rollins, a Fan of the Sanguines series, or just a fan of Paranormal Fantasy in general, than you definitely want to check out the final entry in the Sanguines trilogy. Be sure to drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

James Rollins is the New York Times bestselling author of thrillers translated into forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the “top crowd pleasers” (New York Times) and one of the “hottest summer reads” (People magazine).

Acclaimed for his originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets—and he does it all at breakneck speed. Find James Rollins on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, and at www.jamesrollins.com.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Danielle at Harper Collins for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Officer Elvis – Gary Gusick

Thursday, April 23rd, 2015
Officer Elvis
Publisher: Alibi (April 21, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10:
ISBN-13: 978-
Order e-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

Someone in Mississippi doesn’t seem to like people impersonating the King. In fact it’s disliked so much, that these impersonators are getting knocked off one by one. Lieutenant Darla Cavanaugh needs to find out who and why, before more are killed.

Characters:

Lieutenant Darla Cavanaugh – Member of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
Rita Gibbons – Darla’s partner, and a big Elvis fan.

Review

The story begins with Tommy Reylander, known to the people in his town as Officer Elvis, performing a show in a senior center. We get to see how obsessed he was, from the expensive jumpsuits, to making his girlfriend look like Priscilla, and even calling her Cilla. Everything about him oozed Elvis. As he leaves in his Pink Cadillac, he is blown up, and marked Return to Sender.

The case is given to Darla Cavanaugh who requests Rita Gibbons for her partner. At first they think it’s a personal vendetta, but when a second impersonator is killed, leaving them All Shook Up, they determine that it’s probably a serial killer.

Their investigation leads them all over Mississippi and the surrounding areas, meeting various Elvis Impersonators, scummy business men, and obsessed fans. The ride along with them is quite entertaining and the author really captured the feel of the southern lifestyle I felt. The plot was very creative, who hasn’t found some of the less than stellar Elvis impersonators annoying.

Overall I found it to be an enjoyable story, with a huge twist that felt true to the whole Elvis story. So if you enjoy some rather lighthearted thrillers, Don’t be Cruel and pick up a copy of Officer Elvis. Be sure and stop back by and let us know what you thought. Thank you. Thank you very much.

About the Author

Gary Gusick Gary Gusick is a former advertising executive with more than thirty years experience as a copywriter and creative director. He is a winner of numerous national and international awards for creative excellence in advertising. The Last Clinic is his first novel.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Lisa at TLC Book Tours for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: A Feast for Crows – George R. R. Martin

Tuesday, April 21st, 2015
 A Feast of Crows
Mass Market Paperback: 1104 pages
Publisher: Bantam (September 26, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 055358202X
ISBN-13: 978-0553582024
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Order E-book here:
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Synopsis:

The never-ending struggle for the Iron Throne continues throughout Westeros with forces coming from all directions to claim it for themselves. Who will survive A Feast for Crows.

Characters:

Jon Snow – Illegitimate son of Ned Stark, Member of the Night’s Watch.
Sansa Stark – Oldest Daughter of Ned Stark
Arianne Martell – Princess of Dorne, and oldest child of Doran Martell.

Review

This was originally going to be one book. However, it was so large, that George R. R. Martin decided to split it into two books, this volume, and the companion volume Dances with Dragons. Each books focuses on half the characters, and one side of the world. In this case, it’s the people in and round Westeros.

A Large part of this novel focuses on the people of Dorne. Up until this point, we the readers haven’t seen much of Dorne. We’ve seen Oberyn Martell rather briefly in A Storm of Swords. This time we see many of his children, siblings, etc. This to me was one of the more interesting aspects to this story. I loved the daughters of Oberyn. The one aspect of the story that didn’t appeal to me, was the storyline with Arianne Martel and Myrcella Baratheon. Even after reading the whole series, I have no clue what that whole section was about.

Cersei Lannister in King’s Landing is facing problems of her own. A religious fundamentalist group has began a rise to power, and they aren’t very happy about her past behaviors. This storyline I rather liked, because after all her machinations in previous novels, she finally gets a bit of payback for her behaviors. Karma is indeed a bitter companion.

Arya Stark has arrived in Braavos and is beginning her training in the ways of Black and White. She’s fascinated with the thoughts of revenge and killing those who hurt her family. It may be the dark side of my soul, but I find her to be one of the more interesting characters in the whole series.

But in true Martin fashion, those are just some of the story threads you’ll read about in Feast of Crows. There are plenty more. Overall, this wasn’t my favorite book of the whole series. It just seemed to drag at times, and while it introduced a lot of new and interesting characters and places, nothing really seemed to move forward much.

If you’ve been reading A Song of Fire and Ice though, you’ll need to read this. If you haven’t, you’re really missing out. It’s a great fantasy series and while long winded and confusing in parts, takes you on a great ride. Definitely check it out, and stop by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

George R.R. Martin sold his first story in 1971 and has been writing professionally since then. He spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer-producer, working on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and television pilots that were never made.

In the mid ’90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire.

He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he’s allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with the lovely Parris, and two cats named Augustus and Caligula, who think they run the place.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Unelmoija – Elle Boca

Thursday, April 16th, 2015
Unelmoija - The Dream Shifter
Print Length: 208 pages
Publisher: Poyeen Publishing (November 24, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10:
ISBN-13: 978-
Order e-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

A young girl begins on a journey of discovery. What is she discovering? That she’s no mere human, but something known as a Weeia, with very special powers. But then she finds out there are those wanting to kill her because of those powers.

Characters:

Amy McKnight – A young woman discovering her special abilities.
Thomas McKnight – Amy’s Father and one of the most powerful Weeia’s.
Duncan Bittersdorp – A young man about Amy’s age, with a different set of powers.

Review

I don’t typically read a lot of Urban Fantasies. When the opportunity comes along, I’ll read them, but they aren’t something I’ve typically gone out of my way to find. I’m not sure why, because when I’ve read them, I’ve enjoyed them. But when it comes to fantasy, I’m more of a classical Lord of the Rings fantasy fan. That being said though, I really appreciate the genre, and Unelmoija is no exception.

Elle Boca seems to follow the classic Hero’s journey model. The role of the reluctant adventurer is filled nicely by Amy. The mentor figure is in the guise of Duncan Bittersdorp, he becomes a kind of Obi-Wan Kenobi to Amy, teaching her about the Weeia, her powers, the political organization of her people, etc.

Along her journey, Amy is met with many dangers, some life threatening, some emotionally devastating. But it’s watching her journey, and her growth and acceptance of her powers that draws you along through the story. As this is the first chapter in a 5 books series, I’m not completely sure of the overall plot as of yet. The author leaves a lot of questions at the end. Why are they trying to kill Amy, and who are they? Is her father, a good guy, or evil personified. Like you, I’ll simply have to read the next novel in the series to find out.

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, and the idea of Vampires and Werewolves leave you with Not another one, then you’ll find this a refreshing story. It comes across as more of a female superhero story, with her, much like young Peter Parker, discovering the extent of her power and what having them means to her future. So for all you Urban Fantasy fans out there, check out Unelmoija: Dreamshifter. Be sure to drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Elle Boca Elle is the author of the Miami Weeia urban fantasy series about superhumans. Growing up the only child of a monkey mother and a rabbit father she learned to keep herself entertained and spend time reading.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Elle for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You – The Oatmeal

Tuesday, April 14th, 2015
How to Tell If Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You
Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing; Pap/Pstr edition (October 9, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1449410243
ISBN-13: 978-1449410247
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Review

Anyone that has ever owned a cat, will find things to chuckle at in this book. From signs on how to tell your cat is trying to kill you, to cartoons about cats at work. Some of the jokes are much funnier than others, but they all strike a chord of truthfulness. For yourself as a cat lover, or for the cat lover in your life, you definitely want to check this book out. Be warned though, there are some comic bits with very strong language, so this is definitely for adults.

About the Author

Brilliantly whimsical yet oddly informative, TheOatmeal.com is an entertainment Web site full of comics, quizzes, and stories. The site gets more than 5 million unique page views a month; 250,000 blogs and Web sites have linked to it. TheOatmeal.com is written, drawn, and coded by Matthew Inman, a king of all trades when it comes to the Web. Matthew lives in Seattle, Washington. He subsists on a steady diet of crickets and whiskey. He enjoys long walks on the beach, gravity, and breathing heavily through his mouth. His dislikes include scurvy, typhoons, and tapeworm medication.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: A Ghostly Grave – Tonya Kappes

Thursday, April 9th, 2015
A Ghostly Grave
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Witness (March 31, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0062374818
ISBN-13: 978-0062374813
Order book here:

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Order E-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:
There’s a ghost on the loose—and a fox in the henhouse

Four years ago, the Eternal Slumber Funeral Home put Chicken Teater in the ground. Now undertaker Emma Lee Raines is digging him back up. The whole scene is bad for business, especially with her granny running for mayor and a big festival setting up in town. But ever since Emma Lee started seeing ghosts, Chicken’s been pestering her to figure out who killed him.

With her handsome boyfriend, Sheriff Jack Henry Ross, busy getting new forensics on the old corpse, Emma Lee has time to look into her first suspect. Chicken’s widow may be a former Miss Kentucky, but the love of his life was another beauty queen: Lady Cluckington, his prize-winning hen. Was Mrs. Teater the jealous type? Chicken seems to think so. Something’s definitely rotten in Sleepy Hollow—and Emma Lee just prays it’s not her luck.

Characters:

Colonel Chicken Teater – Deceased wealthy landownwer and prize chicken owner.
Emma Raines – Undertaker, Amateur detective, and in betweener.

Review

This is the second novel in the author’s Ghostly Southern Mystery Series. Let me start by saying that I’m loving this series. The characters are quirky and fun. The plots are not overly complicated. The entire story is written with a great sense of humor.

It’s great fun to follow along with Emma, as she tries to communicate with the dead, without everyone thinking she’s lost her mind. A subplot to this story is that of her grandmother running for mayor.

Each character in itself is well designed, and has it’s own separate personality. Chicken Teater for instance, even though dead, still has a longing for Sweet Tea.

I think this book and series would find a great audience with those who love Cozy Mysteries. While there is a little violence it’s not way over the top, so I’d rate this as PG-13 for teens and older.

But it’s definitely on my recommend list, and I look forward to the next entries as they come out later on this year.

About the Author

Tonya KappesFor years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans.

HarperCollins and Witness Impulse is thrilled to be publishing this insanely talented and wildly successful author for the first time with A GHOSTLY UNDERTAKING (Witness Impulse; February 24, 2015; $7.99 mass market), the first in her hilarious and spooky Ghostly Southern series.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Andrea at Witness/Impulse for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: A Killing At The Creek – Nancy Allen

Tuesday, April 7th, 2015
A Killing At The Creek
Print Length: 220 pages
Publisher: Witness Impulse (February 17, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: n/a
ISBN-13: 978-n/a
Order e-book here:
amazon

Synopsis:

While delivering a school bus, a woman is savagely murdered. The suspect turns out to be a 15 year old kid. Elsie Arnold and the Prosecutor’s office must build a case against him, while simultaneously avoiding destroying the case through their own mistakes.

Characters:

Elsie Arnold – City Prosecutor.
Tanner Monroe – Young Man on trial for murder.
Bill Ashcroft – Detective investigating murder.

Review

Ms. Allen in her second novel, set in the Ozark mountains, managed to keep me quite entertained. The book opens with a blood soaked bus and a male figure covered in blood. We can see from this beginning that the male is someone you should be frightened of. He truly gave me the creeps.

The character of Elsie, while likeable, I’m not sure is someone I’d want representing me. She’s so eager to be given a murder case, that at times she crosses the line. She does things that shouldn’t be done out of a need to impress others working on the case.

The character of Tanner Monroe kept me guessing the entire time. Did he do it? Did the other guy he talked about exist? Is he insane or just a great manipulator.

The plot isn’t a mystery in the classical who done it sense, but more of a did he do it, and if so why? But mostly it’s about Elsie, about building the case for murder, and about how fragile a case can be.

Overall, it was a great story, and for all those of you who love the legal thriller, I think you’ll find this book to be right up your alley. So give it a shot, and drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Nancy AllenNancy Allen practiced law for fifteen years as Assistant Missouri Attorney General and Assistant Prosecutor in her native Ozarks. She’s tried over thirty jury cases, including murder and sexual offenses, and is now a law instructor at Missouri State University. Her debut novel, a legal thriller entitled The Code of the Hills, was published in 2014 by HarperCollins/Witness. The second book in her Ozark mystery series is A Killing at the Creek.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Andrea at Witness/Impulse for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: A Storm of Swords – George R. R. Martin

Thursday, April 2nd, 2015
Mass Market Paperback: 1216 pages
Publisher: Bantam (March 4, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 055357342X
ISBN-13: 978-0553573428
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Brienne of Tarth – A Female Knight.
Arya Stark – The youngest, headstrong Stark Daughter.

Synopsis:

*********************** Warning Spoilers may apply for those who have not read the previous books *******************

The War of the 5 Kings is covering the major part of the landscape. Who will reign victorus. Will it be Joffrey Baratheon, Stannis Baratheon, Robb Stark, or are there other unseen forces waiting to seize the throne?

Review

The Third installment in George R. R. Martin’s Epic Fantasy series A Song of Fire and Ice. Brienne of Tarth is charged with returning Jaime Lannister to King’s Landing in exchange for Arya and Sansa. Along the way she must face many adversaries with their own agendas.

Robb Stark is busy trying to keep his army together as they continue to win battle after battle, while his little sister Arya finds herself on the run and joining with a group of rebels. Meanwhile, at the Wall, Jon Snow and his brothers find themselves defending the wall against a horde of wildlings.

This was the longest book in the series, and at times really seemed to drag a bit. While there was a lot of blood spilled, a lot of storyline, and a lot of action, there was also a lot that just seemed to drag me out of the story. George R. R. Martin can spin a great story, but there are times where he seems to spend way too much time on descriptive prose.

That being said though, I liked the book, and will continue on to read the last two in the series. I’m anxious to find out what occurs with all these characters, and that is where the strength of these novels come in, is in character development.

For those of you into the series, or lovers of fantasy novels, you definitely want to pick up this series. But for readers with limited attention spans, I don’t think this series would be for you. Definitely for older teens and adults to the violent content, language, sexual situations, etc.

If you give it a read, drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

George R.R. Martin sold his first story in 1971 and has been writing professionally since then. He spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer-producer, working on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and television pilots that were never made.

In the mid ’90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire.

He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he’s allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with the lovely Parris, and two cats named Augustus and Caligula, who think they run the place.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.