Sunday, December 10, 2017

Sunday Post #185 - I'm back!

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share new about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi all! Sorry for the month and a half off. It'll be a touchy month here in December as well with the holiday so close. (Still lots to do to get ready.) But things have gone well. I made it through November and completed my hours I set as a goal. Yeah! I also completed the first round of re-writes and have started the second round. Yeah again! I'm hoping to get it touched up this round to a point to send out for a read through to someone that can help me through the rest and fine tuning the story (and if it's even worth fine tuning).

We've been busy with lots of family stuff on weekends. And started readying for the holidays. So much! I'll be working on photo posts over at Spellbound in a Flash as well. Oh! I picked up a new camera that was on sale. Sweet! I'm learning this camera and how the pictures are looking with different settings. It's totally different from my old camera. We also cut down our tree and started decorating. I still have a few rooms to clean and set up yet. I've got a few full weekends on the way, but hope to get to visit you all a little bit.

So, what have you been up to? Hope everyone is doing well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Fit Booker:

Goal:  Workout in any form of exercise (or on Wii Fit) 2x's a week. (to feel better and hope to drop a few pants sizes)

How did I do last week... I ... Have been a complete slacker! Life is going full time and trying to everything I want is hard. lol.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:
Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier
AND Content Editing work

Current Audiobook:
Teeth of the Gods by Sarah K.L. Wilson

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Alone by Scott Sigler (You can listen for free too! Go to Scott's website.)


Finished Last Week: 
Void Trip by Ryan O'Sullivan & Plaid Klaus


Audiobooks from Audible:
Deadlands: Boneyard by Seanan McGuire
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Hunter, Healer by Lilith Saintcrow
Steamforged by Eric Asher
Strain of Resistance by Michelle Bryan
Hell's Rejects by M.R. Forbes


Finished Podcast Book Listen:
None.


DNFed:
Stonebriar Casefiles: Bad Alchemy by Laura Nicole Spencer (You can listen for free too!) - Author's stopped posting it.
~~~~~~~~~~

Last Two Weeks on the Blog:


Cover Reveals: (click titles to go to post & learn more)




Guest Posts:


Posts:

Spellbound in a Flash:

Spellbound in a Flash now has a Facebook Page!
Football season has started, so you can catch my photos of the games at the Facebook Page.

Challenged Writers:



Around the Internet...



Reviews:
The Half-Assed Wizard by Gary Jonas

"I enjoyed the way Gary plotted this story to come together in the end. Crafty. There was a twist to who's connected to who and what the ultimate goal is. I was surprised at one twist to the story. I enjoyed the power we find in Brett and curious to see what he may do with it in the future, along with his friends too."


Curiouser and Curiouser by Melanie Karsak

"I was pleasantly surprised with Melanie's creation here. She captured so many important elements from Alice in Wonderland yet wrote a different story that feels true to the world. So well done!"


Boneyard by Seanan McGuire

"These characters have internal battles they are fighting before they come to the external ones. They grow in their experiences and understandings along with fighting what's after them. Great parallel here with both. Sometimes external battles help make the internal ones clearer. Annie has more baggage she's carrying along, more battles she'll have to fight with what and who is after her."


Void Trip by Ryan O'Sullivan & Plaid Klaus

"I quickly found, I enjoyed these two characters and thought I could have fun reading them. And the being after them, he would give me enough of that rushing heart beat to wonder if Ana and Gabe will get caught and what will happen if they do. Though, I have this hunch there is more to this being that's after them."


The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

"...the book was well written in this way, to rise a feeling from me. This means I cared for someone and didn't like others. But, as this is happening I saw sparks of moments where the one being used was slowly making her way into the man's heart and attention. I melted in these small moments."



Podcast Review:




Mama Bitchstress Reviews:



GIVEAWAYS:


~~~~~~~~~~

This Week to Come on the Blog:


I have two reviews to finish and schedule for you.



~~~~~~~~~~

Received For the Last Month:
(Note: Links to Amazon are buy links where I could earn commission, in case you are interested.)


For Review Consideration:



Audio Books Requested for Review:
Strain of Resistance by Michelle Bryan
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
I was 12 years old when the world ended. For eight years I've survived in this craphole once known as earth. Fighting the alien parasite that mutated most of the population into blood-thirsty freaks, while the rest of us became the lunch special on their alien menu.

Now things are changing, and not for the better. The parasite is evolving. Becoming smarter, stronger and deadlier.

They've already stolen everything from me. My home. My family. Even the man I loved. It's time for this bullshit to end once and for all.
My name is Bixby and I'm the resistance.

Teeth of the Gods by Sarah K. L. Wilson
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
My world is unraveling and it's all my fault. 

I'm alone in the world, my magic won't surface, my mother is dead, and everything I do just seems to make things worse. My father is planning to chain me to an enemy he defeated - literally. What should I do? I refuse to just give up my freedom! Is it really too much to ask that someone be on my side and that I get to have just a little bit of fun before my life ends?

The Legends Saga Collection by Stacey Rourke
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Amazon Synopsis:
The Horseman is unending, his presence shan’t lessen.
If you break the curse, you become the legend.

Cursed by the malevolent spirit of the Headless Horseman, Ireland Crane seeks a way to break free from her soul crushing bond. Croaking ravens. Telltale hearts. Dizzying time travel. Coercive witchcraft. The lines between fact and fiction blur as the works of Washington Irving, Edgar Allen Poe, HG Wells, and Nathaniel Hawthorne come alive around her in this thrilling three book series:

Crane
Raven
Steam

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS by Natalie Wright
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
A deadly alien virus spawns an epidemic. Predators attack Europe. And a clandestine organization conspires to profit from chaos and forge a New World Order.

In this heart-pounding finale of the award-winning H.A.L.F. series, Tex, Erika and the rest are in a race against time. They fought for their lives. Now they battle to save our species.
 


Tex and Erika are fugitives and running for their lives. But when Tex falls gravely ill, a Navajo healer is his only hope for survival. Tex emerges from the ordeal changed in body and mind and with vital information: how to stop the predatory M’Uktah from overtaking the human population and destroying those he has come to love. 

Erika Holt seeks a respite from the constant threats to her life but she’s not about to give up. As she and Tex launch a mission to shut down the intra-galactic highway used by invaders who prey on humans, she grows closer to her troubled half-human companion. But what about her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Jack? 

Jack Wilson, with his friend Anna Sturgis, is on a mission of his own. He’s determined to destroy The Makers, an illuminati-like organization behind the H.A.L.F. program. It’s time to put an end to their schemes for world domination. Complicating matters, an anti-viral that could save millions from an alien virus has been stolen. As both alien and human forces line up against them, the destiny of all mankind is hand the hands of these young warriors. And time is running out.

Spirited Christmas by Gary Jonas
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
In this short novelette, a little girl hires Jonathan to get rid of a ghost that haunts her family every Christmas. The hauntings have escalated from sightings to full possession. It should be an open-and-shut exorcism, but when Jonathan discovers the truth, it's more than he bargained for...
Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Shakespeare in Love meets A Christmas Carol in this transporting debut novel set during the whirlwind period in which Dickens wrote his beloved classic, as he embarks on a Scrooge-like journey of his own.

For Charles Dickens, each Christmas has been better than the last. His novels are literary blockbusters, and he is famous on the streets of London, where avid fans sneak up on him to snip off pieces of his hair. He and his wife have five happy children, a sixth on the way, and a home filled with every comfort they could imagine. But when Dickens’ newest book is a flop, the glorious life he has built for himself threatens to collapse around him. His publishers offer an ultimatum: either he writes a Christmas book in a month, or they will call in his debts, and he could lose everything. Grudgingly, he accepts, but with relatives hounding him for loans, his wife and children planning an excessively lavish holiday party, and jealous critics going in for the kill, he is hardly feeling the Christmas spirit. 

Increasingly frazzled and filled with self-doubt, Dickens seeks solace and inspiration in London itself, his great palace of thinking. And on one of his long walks, in a once-beloved square, he meets a young woman in a purple cloak, who might be just the muse he needs. Eleanor Lovejoy and her young son, Timothy, propel Dickens on a Scrooge-like journey through his Christmases past and present—but with time running out, will he find the perfect new story to save him? 

In prose laced with humor, sumptuous Victorian detail, and charming winks to A Christmas Carol, Samantha Silva breathes new life into an adored classic. Perfect for fans of Dickens, for readers of immersive historical fiction, and for anyone looking for a dose of Christmas cheer, Mr. Dickens and His Carol is destined to become a perennial holiday favorite.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

Glass Town by Steven Savile
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
A brilliantly rendered story about obsession and one man's attempt to unravel the mystery that destroyed his grandfather's life, set against a magical and intricately woven cityscape.

Steven Savile has been an international sensation, selling over half a million copies of his novels worldwide and writing for cult favorite television shows including Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Stargate. Now, he is finally making his US debut with Glass Town, a brilliantly composed novel revolving around the magic and mystery lurking in London. 

In 1926, two brothers both loved Eleanor Raines, a promising young actress from the East End of London. But, along with Seth Lockwood, she disappeared, never to be seen again. Isaiah, Seth’s younger brother, refused to accept that she was just gone. 

It has been seventy years since and the brothers are long dead. But now their dark, twisted secret, threatens to tear the city apart. Seth made a bargain with Damiola, an illusionist, to make a life size version of his most famous trick, and hide away part of London to act as a prison out of sync with our time, where one year passes as one hundred. That illusion is Glass Town. And now its walls are failing. 

Reminiscent of Clive Barker’s Weaveworld and Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Savile brings out the magic in the everyday. Glass Town is full of gritty urban landscapes, realistic characters, conflict, secrets, betrayals, magic, and mystery.

Villain's Pride by M.K. Gibson
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Shadowmaster is back . . . whether you wanted him to be or not! 

Jackson Blackwell, The Shadowmaster, is in over his head this time. After his last adventure, where he tore fantasy novels a new one, Jackson has to deal with the repercussions of angry gods, angrier conspirators, and the wrath of his pregnant girlfriend! 

(I know . . . actual consequences in a comedy/action series? How avant-garde! --I think. Okay look, I really don’t know what that means. I’ve always just wanted to say it and I’m too lazy to look it up.) 

Thanks to a godly decree and a crafty clause, Jackson has been banished from his home. And the only universe kindly enough to take him in is one infested with comic-book-style superheroes and supervillains. A perfect place to cause mayhem, right? Well, it wouldn’t be much of a book if it were. 

Comics don’t play by the rules and Jackson has been tasked to do something “unique.” Whatever is a villain to do? 

Follow the adventure of Jackson Blackwell as he attempts to manipulate his way back to the top while dealing with all manner of dark detectives, godly aliens, expensive power suits, and the most daunting challenge of all . . . looming parenthood.




Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:
Book:
Dark Time by Dakota Banks
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Three hundred years ago, she sold her soul to a demon. Now she wants it back.

For centuries, the woman calling herself Maliha Crayne has lived a second life - as an assassin for the malevolent creature who owns her soul. A haunted killer with the blood of countless victims on her hands, she has finally discovered a way to nullify the demonic pact that chains her: If she saves a life for every one she has taken, she will be free.

But if she fails, her punishments will be unspeakable, unendurable . . . and neverending.


Audio:
Trace of Magic by Diana Pharaoh Francis
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Even the most powerful tracers can’t track you if the magical trace you leave behind is too old. But I can track almost anything, even dead trace. That makes me a unicorn, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Lock Ness Monster all rolled into one. In a word, I am unique. A very special snowflake. And if anyone ever finds out, I’ll be dead or a slave to one of the Tyet criminal factions. 

Riley Hollis has quietly traced kidnapped children and quietly tipped the cops to their whereabouts one too many times. Now she’s on the radar of Detective Clay Price, a cop in the pocket of a powerful magic Tyet faction. When he blackmails her into doing a dangerous trace for him, Riley will have to break every rule that keeps her safe. Or become a Tyet pawn in a deadly, magical war.




Free Ebooks:
(On my Kindle and Nook App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.
Elemental Secrets by Elle Middaugh
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
With her mother long deceased and her father recently deployed, Valerie Moore is sent to live with her eccentric aunt in a tiny town nestled in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Being a Navy brat has made her into a bit of a loner, and making friends isn’t high on her list. 

Time with her aunt, however, soon convinces her that a life of loneliness really isn’t what she wants. So, she opens up and makes a few friends - friends with secrets. 

Her love life quickly becomes a mess. Torn between the conflicted heartbreaker next door, the persistent jock at the top, and the rugged college bad boy, Valerie finds it almost impossible to choose just one guy. 

Romance isn’t her only problem, though. 

Secrets are revealed about her family, her friends and relationships, and her whole world… 

But the biggest secret of all is unveiled when Valerie discovers she has Elemental powers, unleashing a rapid chain of irreversible events.

Elemental Lies by Elle Middaugh
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Valerie Moore is an Elemental, a person who commands one of the classical elements of wind, water, fire, or earth. She’s special, though. She controls two—fire and water—though sometimes it seems like they control her.

After the accidental exposure of Elementals to humanity, Valerie finds herself—and all of her kind—struggling to attain equality. Three different groups fight to secure leadership, and with all of their hidden agendas, she doesn’t know which side to choose. The balance between peaceful cohabitation and all-out war is precarious, at best.

When a chance meeting brings Val and earth Elemental Cade Landston back together, everything changes. She realizes what she knew in the beginning—that he’s the one she wants. Her desire to win him over draws her closer to him, and his vengeful mission to hunt down her murderous grandfather brings them both closer to trouble.

From mysterious doppelgangers to reckless rescue missions, scapegoat bombings, and evolving Elemental powers, Valerie strains to keep up.

All she knows is she must stop her grandfather at all costs. To do so, she has to figure out the truth, but how can she do so when almost everyone she knows has been telling lies?
 

The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Three times they tried to kill her. Then a professional was hired. So was Riyria.

When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane.

Magic of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Mika Stillwater is a mid-level earth elemental with ambitions of becoming a quartz artisan, and her hard work is starting to get noticed. But when a panicked baby gargoyle bursts into her studio, insisting Mika is the only person she’ll trust with her desperate mission, Mika’s carefully constructed five-year plan is shattered. 

Swept into the gritty criminal underworld of Terra Haven, Mika must jeopardize everything she’s worked so hard for to save the baby gargoyle from the machinations of a monster—and to stay alive…

Blackbeard's Freedom by Jeremy McLean
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
What would you do for your Freedom?

Would you steal?
Kill?
Die?

For Edward Thatch, there is no questioning the depths he will go for his Freedom.

Edward didn’t know he bought a former pirate ship, and when the marine captain Isaac Smith threatened to take his ship, and Freedom, away Edward took matters into his own hands.

Edward’s action sends him, and his best friend Henry Morgan, running from the law on an adventure across the historical Caribbean & Latin America. The two will have to fight not only to stay alive, but to stay free during the so-called “Golden Age” of piracy.

Edward also finds that half the ship he bought is locked, and the previous owner left clues to find the keys. Edward and his crew must follow the clues and face games of life and death before they can claim said keys.

Will Edward and Henry embrace the life that’s been thrust upon them, or will they crash against the rocks of their misfortune? See how Blackbeard came to be the scourge of the Caribbean Sea and beyond, and follow him on his fantasy adventures in The Voyages of Queen Anne’s Revenge!

A Burden Given by James Bee
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
No good deed goes unpunished. 
Gerald is a bastard, born to a Queen who despises him. Tasked with investigating a suspicious death, Gerald is sent far from his home in the Capital. However, when he arrives at the village Redstone, he finds unexpected dangers waiting for him. Now Gerald is isolated, outnumbered, and far from the life that he knew. Yet he must succeed, no matter the odds, if those under his protection are to survive. Packed with mystery, politics and pulse quickening action, A Burden Given is a fast paced read that pulls you in and doesn't let go.

Kitty Cat by May Sage
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Aisling has every reason in the world to like her life as it is: away from the shifter community. Tucked in her little corner of the world, she sees no reason to gets involved in the drama of the ever warring packs, until trouble knocks at her door.
Trouble wrapped in a delicious package her cat wants to claw.

Raygan didn't know what he expected when he moved his pride to the loner's territory; maybe having to deal with a criminal, or someone in hiding. Instead, he found a fiercely protective, insanely attractive lunatic with secrets he wants to unravel.
A lunatic who might very well be his fated mate.
This book is a standalone; expect a full resolution, no cliffhanger. Also expect explicit language.

Born to Magic by David Wind
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Welcome to Nevaeh— a world where technology no longer exists, but magic does. 

Long ago, the violence and radiation of the terrorist wars killed America. Those left dwell in a world of ritual and magic where ten dominions struggle for supremacy and a dark power rises to claim all. 

Areenna, the only daughter of the King of Freemorn, is barely eighteen, yet her psychic ability is strong. She is summoned to ‘The Island’ and learns that the fate of her world is in her hands. She must undertake a perilous journey to save Nevaeh from destruction. But she will not travel alone. 

Mikaal, the son of the High King of Nevaeh, has as much at stake as Areenna. Their quest takes them through haunted wastelands filled with mutants while an evil force does everything in its power to stop Areenna and Mikaal—for it wants Nevaeh as its own.

Mistletoe and Mischief: A Collection of Magical Holiday Tales (anthology)
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Limited Edition Holiday Collection!

Sixteen magical holiday stories from NY Times and USA Today bestsellers and award-winning authors are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. This collection will whisk you from Christmas season in steampunk London to Yule celebrations with the coven to Hanukkah celebrations with a supernatural twist. Battle Krampus, ghosts, vampires, demons, and a hell of an eggnog hangover in this special collection of paranormal, horror, urban fantasy, and steampunk holiday tales.

PEPPERMINT AND PENTACLES: A Steampunk Christmas Fairy Tale by Melanie Karsak
HELL'S SILVER BELLS by Margo Bond Collins
A HARKER CHRISTMAS by Erin Hayes
POINSETTIAS and POLTERGEISTS: A Southern Stones Short by Blaire Edens
HEARTLESS IN NEW ORLEANS by Pauline Creeden
ALL IS BRIGHT by Jayne Fury
MISTLETOE AND MONSTERS by Katie Hayoz
THAT OLD FAMILIAR FEELING by S. K. Gregory
'TWAS THE NIGHT by Evan Winters
HOLIDAY MAGIC by Carrie L. Wells
FESTIVAL OF GASLIGHTS by Bokerah Brumley
THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST by Anna Albergucci
DAWN by T.K. Bradley
THE TOWN IN THE MOUNTAIN by Angelique Archer & J. Mills
EGGNOG & EXORCISM by Deb Christie & Margo Bond Collins
HIGH TIDE HOLIDAY by Ella Malone

Murder of a Werewolf by April Fernsby
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
A Cozy Mystery With Witches 

Brimstone - a town where supernatural beings live - and where crime is on the increase. 

Just like her gran, Cassia Winter is a witch. The Winter witches are responsible for investigating crimes in Brimstone. The only problem is, Cassia doesn’t know she’s a witch yet. 

When Gran tells Cassia about her true nature, Cassia dismisses it as nonsense. But a terrible incident causes Cassia to change her mind. With her cat, Stanley, at her side, Cassia enters Brimstone and is soon investigating the murder of a werewolf.

As Dead As A Vampire by April Fernsby
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
A Cozy Mystery With Witches 

Cassia Winter is a witch. She investigates crime in the supernatural town of Brimstone. 

There’s an increase in the illegal use of black magic in Brimstone resulting in the crime rate escalating. Taking her gran’s advice, Cassia takes up residence in town so she can observe anyone who’s acting out of character. 

It’s not long before Cassia comes across the murdered body of a vampire. Cassia discovers he was a particularly nasty vampire who had countless enemies – and there are many residents who are happy to see him dead. But which one of his enemies actually killed him? 

Glimpses: An Anthology of 16 Short Fantasy Stories
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
16 Short Fantasy Stories written exclusively for this anthology
Take a Glimpse into 16 fantasy worlds with this anthology of short fiction by some of the brightest new fantasy fiction talent.
Download this amazing collection of fantastic stories and find your next favourite fantasy author today.
Stories from: Adrian G Hilder, Cameron Wayne Smith, Craig A Price Jr, Eloise Hamann, J C Kang, Georgina Makalani, Kevin Partner, Kevin Potter, Killian C Carter, Nicholas Kotar, S K Randolph, Sarah KL Wilson, Shawn Robert Smith, Stefan M Nardi, Tom Hansen, Victoria DeLuis & Meg Cowley

The Little White Christmas Lie by Kristy Tate
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Carson Trent doesn't know that the beautiful Millie Cruise who literally falls into his lap on the morning train is really Camille Harper, a rock star of the romance industry. 
Millie doesn't know she is headed for Carson's grandmother's picture perfect inn in a quaint New England town. 
Neither Carson or Millie know that their lives are about to spin out of control thanks to a patch of black ice, a cow, and a little white Christmas lie. 

Fugitive of Magic by Linsey Hall
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
In the city of Magic's Bend, I protect what's mine. No matter what.

To the world, I'm a just a Conjurer. To my closest friends, I'm a FireSoul--a dangerous Magica with forbidden powers and a dragon's soul. The downside? If anyone discovers what I am, I'm dead. So I lay low, kicking butt with my weapons, not my magic.

Things get ugly when I witness the murder of a powerful vampire ally and become the key suspect. Soon, I'm hunted by the sexiest, strongest supernatural I've ever met. Ares is an unheard of vampire hybrid, and it's hard to say if he wants to kiss me or kill me.

I've got three days to catch the real killer. The bad news? It will take my forbidden magic to succeed. But can I control it, much less keep my secret with Ares watching my every move? Especially when the stakes get ever higher?

I'm used to protecting others...now I have to protect myself.

I'm Not Afraid of Wolves by Erin Hayes
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Christine would do anything to get away from it all.

After escaping an abusive marriage and heading up a group of brand new performers, she’s tired and in need of a vacation. So when her sister Sara wants her to go camping out in the mountains of Georgia with the girls, she packs her bags for some rest and relaxation. Not even meeting a gorgeous park ranger like Colton Donnelly is going to distract her.

Except Sara didn’t tell her the real reason for the trip: she’s running away from a terrible secret. One that puts all of their lives in danger.

Now the vacation that Christine so desperately needed is ruined, but that’s the least of her worries. She has to use her wits and skills to save them all. Because she soon finds out that werewolves are very real. And they’ll stop at nothing to get their claws into her sister.

How to Talk to Ghosts by Erin Hayes
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Lita didn't expect to inherit trouble when her uncle died. 

As someone who can talk to ghosts, Lita’s always been more comfortable around the dead than the living. That's especially true with her estranged father, who cares more about building his business empire than her. 

Then her eccentric Uncle Neptune died, leaving behind an aquarium that Lita’s dad wants for himself. The only problem: Neptune left it to someone else. 

Now Lita’s dad wants her to help him to get it back. But her uncle’s friends are so…strange. It seems like everyone has their secrets, including her father. And he will stop at nothing to fulfill an ancient conspiracy to take over the world.

And Lita may be the only one who can stop it.

How to Be A Mermaid by Erin Hayes
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid. 

So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.

Everything's great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare -- she's turning into a mermaid herself. For real.

Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it's sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.

Blood and Mistletoe by E.J. Stevens
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Holidays are worse than a full moon for making people crazy. In Harborsmouth, where many of the residents are bloodsucking vampires or monstrous fae, the combination may prove deadly.

Ivy Granger, psychic private investigator, returns to the streets of Harborsmouth in this addition to the bestselling urban fantasy series.

Holidays are Hell, a point driven home when a certain demon attorney returns with information regarding a series of bloody murders. Five Harborsmouth residents have been killed and every victim has one thing in common—they are fae. Whoever is killing faeries must be stopped, but they only leave one clue behind—a piece of mistletoe floating in a pool of the victim's blood.

The holidays just got interesting. Too bad this case may drive Ivy mad before the New Year. Heck, she'll be lucky to survive Christmas.

Blood and Mistletoe is an Ivy Granger series novella.
 





Free Audio Books/Stories:


~~~~~~~~~~
Reviews to Come:

Soulless by Skyla Dawn Cameron
The Sentinel by Chris Lester
The Muse by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Making the Cut by Chris Lester
Metamor City: Whispers in the Wood by Chris Lester
Lex Talionis by Starla Huchton
Spark by Starla Huchton
Heir to Kale by K.L. Bone
Tales from the Archives Vol 4 #5 - Old Sinner's Bones
The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan
Danger's Halo by Amanda Carlson
Hunter, Healer by Lilith Saintcrow
Steamforged by Eric Asher
Strain of Resistance by Michelle Bryan
Hell's Rejects by M.R. Forbes

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Audio Book Review: The Beautiful Ones

The Beautiful Ones

By:  Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publish Date:  October 24, 2017, Audiobook Release October 24, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 12 hrs 48 mins
Narrated By:  P.J. Ochlan

Genre:  Historical, Fantasy, Paranormal

Series:  Stand-alone

Impression:  Sometimes people have to fight through the hard times to find true love.

Synopsis:
In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be.

Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valérie Beaulieu, she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamed of, but Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive.

The Beautiful Ones is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the Belle Époque.

First Sentence:
Hector was like a castaway who had washed up on a room of velvet curtains and marble floors.

Purchase At:
Amazon

AudibleAudiobooks.com 

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.


P.J. Ochlan is a new narrator for me. It took me a few chapters to get use to his proper feel to the words, as is expected with the style of the time our characters are in. I do very much like his sound for Hector, though for Antonina I had to get use to it. He does do different tones and voices for the characters, easily differentiating them for us. I found I really enjoyed his narration as the book went on. When we came to the emotional moments, his voice was full of love. Though, when he voiced Valerie. Grrr. He did a great job and made my heart thump with anger. Well done!

Antonina, Nina as she likes to be called, comes across as a sweet girl that's staying at her cousins in the city to help form her to the proper way as she's from more country setting. I love the more informal feel we get from Nina. She seems so friendly and not backstabbing and two faced as some in the city are. She finds a friend in Hector from the moment she meets him. She's starting to find she's attracted to Hector with each meeting.

Hector... He sounds formal. He's been away from "home" for ten years, and is hoping to see the woman he fell in love with before he left. Valerie. It happens that Nina is the cousin of Valerie's husband. Where Nina is falling for Hector, I feared Hector was using Nina to get into Valerie's home and to see her. This could only go one way, right?

This is more a historical fantasy romance with a touch of paranormal to it. The setting and formalities remind me of a historical setting. But Hector has a special ability, telekinetic powers, that bring a paranormal feel to the story. And Nina has a special ability as well, which is something she and Hector have in common and brings them together.

We get three POV's - Hector, Nina, and Valerie. Yes, this is a love triangle that's very complicated. Valerie's married to Nina's cousin. Nina is visiting to be shaped into the formal lady she can be. Hector. Well, Hector has returned to see his long love, Valerie, but stumbles across Nina which gives him a connection to Valerie.

I get frustrated and angered when people use others or play with emotions of others for their benefit. This book frustrated me in that way. Which is not a bad thing. I felt for the characters which drew me to feel frustrated with them and what they are doing to others. Grrr. I wanted to slap these people. All they think about is their selves and not the harm they are doing. Playing games with another person's life for their own pleasures. That's a selfishness of the rich in this world, or so it seems.

That all being said, the book was well written in this way, to rise a feeling from me. This means I cared for someone and didn't like others. But, as this is happening I saw sparks of moments where the one being used was slowly making her way into the man's heart and attention. I melted in these small moments.

This is a romance. The paranormal with the talent of moving things with ones mind is a part of the characters, something that could be a connection. More a historical romance feel to the story. This story has two parts. In these two parts it seems the positions shift, slightly, in who is the innocent love. These characters have to fight for what they want. Even if it's not for love but for money.

Some times people have to live through the hard times and mistakes in love to find their true love, learning the feelings.



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon. Thank you!

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Comic Book Review: Void Trip

The Void

Words By:  Ryan O'Sullivan
Illustrations By:  Plaid Klaus

Format:  PDF

Series:  1st in Void Trip series

1st Impression:  Fun hippies in space.

Synopsis:
From writer RYAN O'SULLIVAN (Turncoat, The Evil Within, Warhammer 40,000) and illustrator PLAID KLAUS (Turncoat), comes the story of Ana and Gabe, the last two humans left alive in the galaxy. They're low on fuel, they're low on food, and they're low on psychedelic space froot, but they're still determined to make it to the promised land: hippy-paradise, super-planet Euphoria. This is the story of their journey, the friends and enemies they made along the way, and how the universe responded to those who dared to live freely within it.

Purchase At:
Amazon


Thoughts:
*I was given this free review copy at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

We meet Ana and Gabe as they are attempting to steal fuel for their ship. And we learn about Froot, as Ana loves Froot. Ana and Gabe are traveling together to reach the Promised Land - Euphoria. Ana's determined to make the journey to Euphoria worth it. So she's determined to find the special place organically - by trial and error travelling. Or so she claims is the reason to not turn on the computer's AI.

Where we have Ana and Gabe taking fuel, we will have Space Police following. They are being tracked by one being in particular. And he wants their computer's AI turned on so he can find them.

I enjoyed the artwork in this comic. I found looking it over, it was pleasing to my eye. The characters are drawn realistic rather than abstract. There are characters that aren't human, but they are drawn with a way that you know they are characters in a world. Which, kind of reminded me of all the characters we get in space sci fi shows, books, and stories. I like seeing a diverse universe, and this comic hints at that presence.

Ana reminds me of a good old hippy. She loves her Froot, which is a drug, and the free spirit feel to finding her way. I loved Ana's view on fuel and no one owning it. She really made a cool point that struck a chord with me. Gabe feels like he's the more focused and alert one of the two. Maybe even the drive to keep them moving forward rather than dwindling to long in one place. The two seem like a great pair to keep the story line interesting and moving.

Though, there was a moment I wasn't sure where a sword came from in the story. That was my only moment of wonder. I actually wondered if it was my pdf format I received, that I was missing a page. But, this aside, the characters have befriended me as they do in their meetings of others on the page.

I quickly found, I enjoyed these two characters and thought I could have fun reading them. And the being after them, he would give me enough of that rushing heart beat to wonder if Ana and Gabe will get caught and what will happen if they do. Though, I have this hunch there is more to this being that's after them.

Of course, this is the first comic in the series. When I came to the last page, I wanted to know more! lol. So, I guess I'll have to keep an eye out for more comics.


If you'd like to check out the comic, you can read the first 10 pages online.

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Audio Book Review: Boneyard

Boneyard

By:  Seanan McGuire

Publish Date:  October 17, 2017, Audiobook Release October 17, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 11 hrs 27 mins
Narrated By:  Emily Bauer

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  3rd in Deadlands series (But can stand alone as each book by different author)

Impression:  Their internal battles come to ease when they fight the external horrors they face.

Synopsis:
The newest book based on the hit Weird West RPG franchise Deadlands!

Step right up to see the oddities and marvels of The Blackstone Family Circus and Travelling Wonder Show! Gasp at pit wasps the size of a man’s forearm. Beware the pumpkin-headed corn stalker, lest it plant its roots in you!

Annie Pearl is the keeper of oddities, the mistress of monsters. Her unique collection of creatures is one of the circus’s star attractions, drawing wide-eyed crowds at every small frontier town they visit. But Annie is also a woman running from her past . . . and the mother of a mute young daughter, Adeline, whom she will do anything to protect.

Hoping to fill its coffers before winter sets in, the circus steers its wagons to The Clearing, a remote community deep in the Oregon wilderness, surrounded by an ominous dark wood. Word is that a traveling show can turn a tidy profit at The Clearing, but there are whispers, too, of unexplained disappearances that afflict one out of every four shows that pass through the town.

The Clearing has it secrets, and so does Annie. And it may take everything she has to save her daughter―and the circus―from both.

A gripping tale of the Weird West, set on the haunted frontier of DEADLANDS, the award-winning game from Pinnacle Entertainment Group.

First Sentence:
The plains of Idaho seemed to stretch from here to Heaven in the moonlight, if such a place existed, and the Blackstone Family Circus rolled over them as silently as a wagon train can roll, which was to say, not silently in the least.

Purchase At:
Amazon

Audible, Audiobooks.com 

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.


Emily is a new voice actor for me. I found I liked her early on. She tells us the story as though I'm sitting and listening to a talented story teller. When she comes to the voices of the characters she puts added tones and innuendos into the voices that fit for the characters. Each character had their own voice and emotion to fit their personality and the moment they are in. She even voices a little girl as young as she should sound. Emily did a great job with voicing all characters differently. Wow. She's one great voice actor. Emily's tension grew with the story as we went. In the darkest moments, her voice was strong with emotion, tension, and worry. I felt all the emotions and was drawn to keep listening. Amazing work. I enjoyed her voice acting very much!

I've not read or listened to any of Seanan's books yet. This is my first. And I liked how she hints at things with details instead of just saying what the obvious is. Like the description of bruises and seeing ribs, instead of telling there was abuse or lack of food. This gives me a feel rather than just knowing what has possibly happened.

We start the book with the Blackstone Family Circus traveling and get a feel for the people in the circus. It's a bit slower paced as we meet the characters in their surroundings.

As the story is told, we get it mostly from Annie's view point. But there are times we get the view from Nathanial's mind along with a few others. It's a graceful shift in the story that you don't realize it right away that you are seeing the story from another's view. It keeps the story going forward with a smooth transition.

I think if I was reading this book, I would have stopped. It felt slow moving for me. But, Emily's narration kept me holding on. And I started to grow curious about The Clearing. Chapter seven is about when I started getting interested in the story. The reaction of the town to the circus people and Oddities Annie cares for. Things picked up for me in the book when we got to The Clearing. When we got into the woods, oh yes, this is what I was looking for. But before all this, it felt slow.

When we get to The Clearing, we start to see the personality of the people who live here. They are... unkind. And the things that could go oh so wrong with what the circus has and the way these town folk are... oh so wrong can happen. Though, when out on the search I get lost in Annie's thoughts as she's walking through the forest. I just didn't feel to connect with this character. I felt as though it was more character driven and I just wasn't into it. I wanted more events to happen.

The cover depicts some of the Oddities that Annie cares for very well. I really like this cover.

These characters have internal battles they are fighting before they come to the external ones. They grow in their experiences and understandings along with fighting what's after them. Great parallel here with both. Sometimes external battles help make the internal ones clearer. Annie has more baggage she's carrying along, more battles she'll have to fight with what and who is after her.



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon. Thank you!

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Audio Book Review: Curiouser and Curiouser

Curiouser and Curiouser: Steampunk Alice in Wonderland

By:  Melanie Karsak

Publish Date:  July 7, 2017, Audiobook Release September 13, 2017

Format:  Audiobook - 5 hrs 24 mins
Narrated By:  Lesley Parkin

Genre:  Fantasy, Steampunk, Fairy Tales

Series:  Steampunk Fairy Tales stand-alone

Impression:  Alice in Wonderland feel in a new story.

Synopsis:
To save the Hatter, Alice must work with the one man she despises so much that she might still love him.

* * *

Alice thought she’d turned over a new leaf. No more working for Jabberwocky. No more making deals with the ruthless Queen of Hearts. No more hanging around The Mushroom with tinkers, tarts, scoundrels, and thieves in London's criminal underbelly. But she’d been bonkers to dream.

Hatter’s reckless behavior leads Alice back to the one person she never wanted to see again, Caterpillar. Pulled into Caterpillar's mad schemes, Alice must steal a very big diamond from a very royal lady. The heist is no problem for this Bandersnatch. But protecting her heart from the man she once loved? Impossible.

First Sentence:
"Curious." I strained to look out the window of the carriage at the crowd thronging toward Hyde Park.

Purchase At:
Amazon

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Alice follows the boy who stole her employers pocket watch, Rabbit, back into the life she left behind. Into the rough part of town she returns, summoned. The love she once felt for William surfaces as the man he is now needs her help. Blackmailed into helping to save her sisters love, The Hatter, from his debt, Alice agrees to help Caterpillar.

Lesley's tone when speaking as Alice feels to fit her curiosity, which is the feel we get from Alice in many stories of her adventure. She has an opinion that she voices, not mean or rude, just a thought to add to the discussion.

Melanie writes Alice with the feel we would expect. A curious young lady with thoughts of her own to share. The story isn't as much falling down a literal hole like in the original story. But Alice living in a world full of wonder, and following a boy nicknamed Rabbit. The world created is full of steamwork and clockwork items. This blended with the steam and smoke draws a world of danger and mystery in which Alice is pulled back into. This is a talent as Melanie very craftily wrote the story in the actual living of the characters.

We see the world full of clockwork and steampunk from the beginning. There is a darkness to the story as well, particularly with one of the characters. Creepy, dark. But fits in the harsh life of the characters here. There is even a touch of magic present. Just a touch. Mostly the world is steam and clockwork.

There is a feel of double meaning to words, it's not confusing but tricky. Listen closely to catch it. I love how people have two names; real name and a nickname. Like William who's known as Caterpillar in town. Each name goes with a different part of his life. Which person is he when talking to Alice? William or Caterpillar? Both are of a different nature and are known for different things to Alice. This gives the twisty feel that we get from Wonderland.

Melanie touches on all the main characters from Alice in Wonderland in her remake. It was a nice game for me to see about spotting them all, though their names do give them away.

I was pleasantly surprised with Melanie's creation here. She captured so many important elements from Alice in Wonderland yet wrote a different story that feels true to the world. So well done!



****If you found my thoughts helpful, please click Yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

To NaNoWriMo or Not To NaNoWriMo?


Many of you know it's been crazy train around my place. Nothing bad, just life moving on fast forward. I love doing all that life has in store for me lately but I also miss doing all the things I love to do with blogging and writing. But, it's okay. Like I said, I get to do more amazing things and enjoy much with friends and family.

So, to no surprise I'm going to take November off.

Like usual, it's NaNoWriMo time. I'm technically NOT doing NaNoWriMo. I've not signed up as I am not working on a new novel, or 50,000 words. I've decided to take the month and work on an existing WIP. I am in the process of doing re-writes now, but they are going slow. I want to use November to work more hardcore on this novel and get it to a rough point where I can send it to someone to read and talk about what is wrong and how to fix it.

November will be full of re-writes and re-reads of this project. I'm hoping to get through the whole draft I have here at least once and start into reading this again.

I will stop in for a quick visit from time to time as I do have audio book reviews to go live and I want to keep in touch with everyone. I do miss you all.

So, it'll probably be like life is happening now. I'll post two posts a week, if I have them, and my Sunday Posts. I'll work to get on for visiting twice a week for a bit. So leave comments and I'll return to your blog.