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Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Book Review of The Phoenix Blade



Book Review of  The Phoenix Blade
      Sponsored by Virtual Book Tour Cafe
  

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Genre: Action/Drama
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: April 24, 2013

Blurb: 
Follow the journey of Andrew Lancaster and his friends as they are thrown in the middle of the biggest government conspiracy to hit the United States. Andrew is contacted by a man known only as the Benefactor; claiming to be a government official that has been monitoring Lancaster and his friends. He is told they have enough evidence to arrest them for treason, but would like to hire them instead for a top secret government project. As a bonus the Benefactor says he will reveal something Lancaster has wanted to know for the last six years. Who killed his mother?

Author Information: 

Andrew Hess (1983-present) was born in Lindenhurst, NY where he spent most of his life. After living in the New Paltz/Poughkeepsie, NY area for five years (2003-2008) he returned home to Long Island to pursue his dream of writing. Andrew published his first book, The Chamber of Souls (2011), where he blended free verse poetry and short story into one book.
Contacts:

Blog | The Real Phoenix 13 | Book Page FB | Twitter | Linkedin

Giveaway:

5 Signed Paperbacks, 5 Ecopies, and (2) $10 Gift Cards


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt: 

“I keep thinking how so much has changed in the last ten years.”
                “Here we go again.”
                “I mean it.  When we were kids everything was different.  The world was more peaceful.  Everyone got along and helped each other.  But now everyone’s fueled by greed, corruption, and they get some sick pleasure from hurting others.”
                “I know what you mean, but there’s not much we can do about it.  Too many people think they have to do whatever’s necessary to get ahead in life.”
                “I still wish we could change it.”
                “Yeah, it’d be great to get rid of all those people.”  Mike reached for the remote to turn the movie back on.  “Too bad it’ll never happen.”
                I knew he was right.  Our idea was ludicrous.  But at that moment, my cell started ringing. 
                “Talk to me,” I answered.
                “Yes hi, I’m looking for Mr. Andrew Lancaster,” a stern confident voice said. 
                “Who’s calling?”
                “Someone who has the power to change your future.”
                “If this is some telemarketer, you can hang up now.  I’m not interested.
                “I assure you this isn’t a sales pitch and I’m not a telemarketer.”
                “Then what do you want?”
                “It’s come to my attention that you and a few friends have been talking about eliminating certain types of people.”
                “What are you talking about?”
                “Don’t play dumb Mr. Lancaster.  You and your friends have been monitored for some time now.  We know everything.”
                “Who are you?”
                “I’m someone from the government that would like to give you an ultimatum.  We have e-mails and recorded conversations between you and your friends talking about killing people that are as you said evil.”
                “Look, Mr. we were only joking around.”
                Mike heard the panic in my voice.  My face turned pale white.
                “What’s going on,” he whispered.
                I placed the call on speaker and placed a finger to my lips.
                “Be that as it may.  You’ve been under our watchful eye for several months.  Now, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way.”
                “And that would be?”
                “The hard way is we send our agents to your house and arrest you for conspiracy and possible treason.”
                “Are you fucking serious,” Mike shouted.  I quickly covered his mouth with my hand.
                “Who is that?  Who’s with you?”  I didn’t reply.  I could hear him rifling through papers.  “Ah yes, that is most likely Mr. Santangelo.”
                “How does he know my…”
                “What’s the easy way,” I asked.
                The man cleared his throat.  “Simple, we hire you to go through with it.”
                I laughed it off immediately.  “Yeah right, and next you’re going to tell me that I’m the next in line to be King of England.”
                “I don’t know about that, but I’m very serious.  We have a list of targets and evidence that proves their illegal activities.  We would like to give you the chance to make the world a better place.”
                “If you have evidence against them, why not put them in jail where they belong?”
                “Because they have ways of getting around our judicial system.  We all know it’s fallible.”
                “But why me?”
                “Who better to lead a team than someone who has never received justice for his own mother’s death?”
                “But it was ruled an accident.”
                “That’s what you were led to believe.  I have proof she was murdered and know who’s responsible.”

Review: 

This was a very interesting book.  At times it was difficult to follow, but generally it was fascinating. It was a take on vigilante justice.  If you could, and knew you could get away with it, would you be willing to kill people who committed crimes and got away with them...especially if you knew you would get away with it?  And what if the person who commissioned these crimes was in a position of power?  At what point would it become too much or wrong?

I love the idea.  It's one of those questions that has been debated for years. 

The ending of the book was oddly vague.  I was left wondering exactly what had happened, yet not in a bad way. 

This book makes you think, which I enjoy in a book.  I give this book 4 out of 5  clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Book Review of Her Dear & Loving Husband, Book 1



Book Review of Her Dear & Loving Husband, Book 1
 Sponsored by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours




Publisher Copperfield Press (April 1, 2011)
Series: Loving Husband, #1 (trilogy)
Category: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Some Historical
Tour Date: September, 2013
ISBN: 9780615472607
Available in: Print & ebook,  268 Pages

Her Dear & Loving Husband
Book One of The Loving Husband Trilogy
By Meredith Allard

James Wentworth has a secret. He lives quietly in Salem, Massachusetts, making few ties with anyone. One night his private world is turned upside down when he meets Sarah Alexander, a dead ringer for his wife, Elizabeth. Though it has been years since Elizabeth's death, James cannot move on. 

Sarah also has a secret. She is haunted by nightmares about the Salem Witch Trials, and every night she is awakened by visions of hangings, being arrested, and dying in jail. Despite the obstacles of their secrets, James and Sarah fall in love. As James comes to terms with his feelings for Sarah, he must dodge accusations from a reporter desperate to prove that James is not who, or what, he seems to be. Soon James and Sarah piece their stories together and discover a mystery that may bind them in ways they never imagined. Will James make the ultimate sacrifice to protect Sarah and prevent a new hunt from bringing hysteria to Salem again? 

Part historical fiction, part romance, part paranormal fantasy, Her Dear & Loving Husband is a story for anyone who believes that true love never dies.

Author Bio:

Meredith Allard is the Executive Editor of The Copperfield Review,  an award-winning literary journal for readers and writers of historical fiction. She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from California State University, Northridge. She has taught writing to students aged 10 to 60, and she has taught creative writing and writing historical fiction workshops at Learning Tree University, UNLV, and the Las Vegas Writers Conference. Her writing has appeared in journals such as The Paumanok Review,  Moondance, Wild Mind,Muse Apprentice Guild, The Maxwell Digest, CarbLite, Writer’s Weekly, and ViewsHound. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Links:

Meredith on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormeredithallard
Meredith on Twitter: https://twitter.com/copperfield101
Meredith on Google+: https://plus.google.com/101687256587444508026/posts?hl=en

Book Review:


            Imagine having dreams that seemed to show you dying, or showed you people you knew but you never saw their faces and then one day you moved to a new town and started to recognize things from your dreams.  Then you find out that the things that go bump in the night are real… and one of them used to be your husband… in a past life…   Okay that would be a little TMI for me.

            This book is great and has all those elements.  I give it 4 out of 5 clouds.  This book is the first book in the series.

Praise for Her Dear and Loving Husband:

"I thought the story was great. I did not want to put the book down. With all the twists and characters the book keeps you gripped to the edge of your seat. With a bit of romance mixed it makes a wonderful read. Reading about the witch trails added a mystical touch. Charles Dickens and Jane Austen even made their way into the read. This is a book I will re-read again and again"- Babs Book Bistro Website

"The historical facts regarding the Salem witch hunts, trials and executions served as the backbone for this interesting paranormal romance and i loved how author Meredith Allard wove her magic around them.  I also loved how the author's use of modern English seamlessly flowed into 17th century speech when her characters Sarah and James relived their dreams and memories respectively. Magic, romance, mystery and suspense make Her Dear and Loving Husband a great read for me!"- aobibliophile Website

"With strong gothic flavor, this beautifully structured story captures the intensity and frenetic activity of the late 1600's and the Salem Witch Inquisitions and trials. Graphic scenes and sequences are brilliantly depicted in small segments throughout the modern-day story. I enjoyed the tale and especially the secondary characters who sometimes provided levity during an otherwise often harrowing chronicle. This is a wonderfully spooky love story that is painstakingly researched and eloquently penned.- Laurie Jenkins, Laurie's Paranormal Thoughts 

"If you like a bit of history, some paranormal goodness and a downright good story, look no further than Her Dear and Loving Husband for your next read.  Sarah's past life is really what makes the story. I love the way Meredith brings her former life to us through the dreams/nightmares she has. She really brings her former life to life well.
I also love the modern day witches in the story. Jennifer and Olivia really help Sarah to find her true self. There's a lot going on in this book, but everything is tied together nicely and the story is super enjoyable. There are so many books with vampires out there now, this is definitely one that is well worth reading. It is the first book in the "Her Loving Husband" series and once you read it you will want the next book immediately."- Andrea Guy, A Chick Who Reads Website

"First of all, I loved this book! The "love conquers all things, including time" theme was absolutely delish for my locked in a closest hopeless romantic inside. And personally, my favorite character really was James. He is a wonderful combination of modern and traditional. He loves Sarah and Elizabeth, both for their individuality, their uniqueness. And he is willing to sacrifice everything to protect Sarah. How sexy is that? 
Sarah was a great character. She is a strong woman who has kept secrets for years, living a life that just hasn't felt completely right. After moving, she begins to feel everything falling right into place; her life feels right when she is with James. 
I loved the development of not only the characters, but also the crisis. Can't give too much away, but you can bet your next book that you will be on the edge of your seat wondering if all is going to turn out okay. Overall, this is an amazing book, and I really look forward to reading more by Ms. Allard. Highly recommend!"- Cana Elene, The Place of Reads Website

This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Book Review of Kiss and Tell

Book Review of Kiss and Tell
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

Author: Monica Corwin
Genre: Erotic Romance
Blurb: 

In a world of one night stands and friends with benefits, Tony is ready to experience all life has to offer, if only Jeremy could allow her to forget his hands, his mouth, and his proposal.

Tonya McGregor has everything a girl could want except...a man. Well, she has a man, just not one she wants. Transferred overseas to her international office, her father intends to teach her about the market. Instead of learning the lay of the land, she starts learning the men, including her sexy ex across the hall. On the advice of her best friend, Tonya takes a more active role in her love life, effectively ruining it for good.

Jeremy Brandt left New York City to get away from the rejection, the pain, and humiliation of falling for the boss's daughter. Self imposed exile in South Korea turns distracting once Tonya sweeps into the Seoul office. Sleepless nights and long days spent between Tony's thighs ignite emotions Jeremy thought he buried long ago.

The mistake of a lifetime throws Tonya back into Jeremy's arms and each day that passes they drive closer to finally holding on to something real or losing it forever.

Author Information: 

Monica Corwin is an outspoken writer who dreams of making romance and erotica accessible to everyone, no matter their preferences. When not writing romance, Monica spends time finishing her degree in English and working full time while raising her beautiful shiny new daughter.

Contacts:

@monica_corwin





Excerpt: 

 "I brought this report your father wanted you to sign." She eyed it, and then took it from me carefully, reading the title page. It was a lame excuse but it got me here. I walked around the desk and leaned in. She could smell me and I knew it; my cologne had always been a huge turn on for her. 

I wanted her yesterday, and I wanted her today. It was tomorrow she had the objection to. 
"Tony, I want you." I whispered in her ear. Her shiver was enough to give me the green light and I captured her earlobe gently between my teeth. 
"Tell me you don't want me and I'll leave." 
I licked the lobe and bit it again. Then I moved down her neck. Her perfume aroused my senses, turning me on even more. 
I spun her chair around so she faced me. She didn't move, but merely watched me, waiting to see what I would do. I reached down and lifted her by the hips, picking her up, depositing her on the edge of the desk. The exact place she'd been when we stopped yesterday. 
I slid my hands up her body to her face and captured it. Slowly I leaned in, making eye contact, waiting for her stop me, and I kissed her. Kissed her exactly as I wanted to since I saw her this morning. I knew she was the woman for me because no other woman had ever made me feel this way, never aroused me with just a glance. 
Her mouth tasted like cherries. I kissed her hard and long. When I released her mouth I leaned my forehead against hers, still holding her face. 
"I thought you said it was over," she whispered. 
"I just can't seem to stay away from you. I even moved across the globe and we somehow made it back to each other." 

Review: 

Hot and sexy!  Those are the best words to describe this book.  Star-crossed lovers Tony and Jeremy end up working side by side in Korea, again.  In an effort to get over Jeremy, or at least get past him, Tony makes an internet date that doesn’t quite go as she expects.  Find out what happens when she realizes she loves Jeremy, but he won’t have anything to do with her.  Then something happens and she takes a big risk.  Will it pay off in the end?

This book is hot.  I give it a 4 out of 5 clouds and a 7 out of 10 on the chili pepper rating scale.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.