Audio Book Review: Birthright

Birthright

By:  E.J. Stevens

Publish Date:  July 14, 2015, Audiobook Release May 12, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 7 hrs 4 mins
Narrated By:  Melanie A. Mason & Anthony Bowling

Genre:  Urban Fantasy

Series:  4th in Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series; Book 1 ~ Shadow Sight, Novella 1.5 ~ Blood and Mistletoe, Book 2 ~ Ghost Light, Novella 2.5 ~ Club Nexus, Book 3 Burning Bright

First Impression:  Ivy finally learns about her heritage, and who her real family is.

Synopsis:
Being a faerie princess isn't what it's cracked up to be...

Ivy must go to Faerie, but the gateway to the Wisp Court is through Tech Duinn, the house of Donn--Celtic god of the dead. Just her luck.

Unable to share her secret with Jinx, and with Jenna called away on Hunters' Guild business, Ivy must rely on Ceff and Torn to lead her to Death's door, literally, and back again. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, there's no saying what horrors lay in store within the Faerie realm. Too bad the Wisp Court is the one lead Ivy has in the search for her father--and possible salvation.

Maybe hiding away and dodging sidhe assassins isn't so bad after all...

First Sentence:
I grimaced at the noodles currently taunting me with their salty broth and rubbery texture, and pushed the steaming bowl away with gloved hands.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:
*I requested this book from the author or narrator for an honest review.

Ivy is known to the Faerie world as dead. This grants Ivy time to find her father, learn to control her wisp powers, and get her name cleared with the Faerie Council. Then she can get back to work to earn money again. Ivy and Jinx, at Jinx's determined request, do take one job, surprisingly it's Jinx's dad. He has floating light luring his watchmen away from his junkyard at night. Ivy can't speak the language of the faeries, and needs to find her father to learn and move the iron sick fey to another place. Summer solstice is nearing and Ivy has the key to the faerie realm to learn what happened with her father. She makes the journey and learns more than she ever thought she could about herself.

We get the dual voices of Melanie and Anthony, for female and male characters. Melanie feels the voice of what I hear or think of with Ivy. Anthony does a little voice for Sparky that reminds me of a little kid. Anthony does a few different voices and personalities with his voice for many different small character parts. I do like that the two narrators together gives us the opportunity to have one act out what is happening under the other's narration. They add in a few small audio affects as well, stone sliding over stone and water falling. Cool! However, I don't think it was my ipod but when Ivy and friends get to Faerie it seems the background becomes thicker--Ch 23 on audio. There are a few chapters that sound as though muffled, like the background is thick.  after that too. It's not a huge thing but I did pick it up.

The introduction is changed! The part about Ivy being the PI to inquire with, is different. It says that she's dead!

One thing I notice with each book is that we get each characters history the first time we meet them. This is the fourth book and I remember hearing the histories each time. I think at this point, we can back down on that detailed list. But I do like small hints of past events to remind us, and if it's from a novella that's not needed to continue in the series it makes you curious to get them.

Ivy gets a trip into Faerie. She starts to see her wisp side closer, learning more of what she's looking for. She gets time with a family member. But what she learns in the end is a shocker! Just wait until you learn what Ivy finds out about herself. Wow. Ivy's relationship with Ceff also grows. And her friendship with Torn is really something. She spends a good bit of time with Ceff and Torn, and they go through a lot for her. The two do have quick clips back and forth that is competition of each other but so fun too. They do torment each other, at least Torn torments Ceff with quick comments to Ivy. lol. We also have a new friend, Skilly. He grows on you quick.

This story had me thinking about past stories. I think Ivy, or someone, had contact with Queen Mab in a novella, and I need to go back to double check.

This is a series that is quick and easy to follow for me. Seeing it's summer time, I would highly suggest listening to this as you relax for the summer.



**If you found this review helpful, please click yes at Amazon and/or Audible. Thank you!

Sunday Post #132

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.

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

It's Sunday and I've been falling behind in everything. I have two or three reviews to write today so they can be posted this week and the week after. I also have a guest post to get done for you, with a giveaway. Exciting!

Not that I've been around as much these last few months, but in a few weeks I'm going to definitely be MIA. I'm going on a well needed vacation. I hope to get lots of relaxing in and little stress.

As for the testing I had done... The result is clean. But, there is always a but, they still don't like what was found and feel that it could lead to future troubles. So now I made an appointment to talk to a specialist. I know what is being suggested but I want to hear what the specialist says first before I take any actions, get all my ducks in a row so to speak.

Lovely.

Life has been enjoying throwing sour apples at us for the last year now. No breaks. 

So, life keeps moving on and we are in the ride for the long haul. I'll try to get visiting in more than one day a week. I will. 

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

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 only went to the gym 2 days a week with the testing I had done. I do weights and walk on the elliptical for 30 minutes.

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

What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:

The Side of Good / The Side of Evil edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
The Ghost Rebellion by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
I'm also working on Content Editing Work as well.

Current Audiobook:
I'll start new this week coming, on Monday!

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Stonebriar Casefiles: Bad Alchemy by Laura Nicole Spencer (You can listen for free too!)

Alight by Scott Sigler (You can listen for free too! One episode, a few chapters, a week!)

Finished Last Week: 

Nothing written.

Audiobooks from Audible:

Carrots by Colleen Helme
Otherlife Dreams by William D. Arand

Finished Podcast Book Listen:

Nothing

~~~~~~~~~~

Last Week on the Blog:

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

Posts:

Around the Internet...


Reviews:

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

"Oh goodness. This story brought the tears out. Something in Poppy's writing twisted my heart. All the feels were here."


Amber by David Wood & Rick Chesler

"I found I was thinking I'd enjoy traveling in person with these men on their adventures. Their personalities and humor are ones I'd enjoy. Plus the addition of possible dangers (okay with them, yes danger) they find themselves fighting out of, sounds exciting!"

Podcast Review:

Mama Bitchstress Reviews:

GIVEAWAYS:

Like Mermaids? I have an Audiobook through Audible I'm giving away!

~~~~~~~~~~

This Week to Come on the Blog:

I've decided to do three reviews a week for a few weeks, just to try to get caught up with what I have to share with you all. Hope you stop by to check them all out! :)
  Birthright
  Carrots

Author Post/Giveaway of Birthright.
Author Post/Giveaway by Cheree - space opera!

~~~~~~~~~~

Received Last Weeks:

Review & Review Consideration:

Audio Books Requested for Review:

Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:

Book:

Audio:

Free Ebooks:

(On my Kindle App) Links to books under title. They may or may not be free at this time.

Spellbound
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Five complete never before seen YA novellas to help you find a quick getaway this summer!!

Part of Your World by L.A. Starkey - When two worlds collide at the edge of the sea in a measure of desperation, a prince will bow before a commoner and a lost soul will finally be found. Part of Your World - Where love is waiting just beyond the edge of what you can see.

Glistens by Chess Desalls - Marian Spritz won’t gain guardian fairy status if she fails her summer school project. But when she hears a call for help—a song felt only by Glistens—she must choose between not letting her schoolwork and teammates suffer and protecting a ward who faces grave danger.

Tethered by Kelly Hall - Life had been simple for vampire Jayden Blackwell until he met the runaway Emmaline Grey. One taste of her blood revealed that not only is she a fledgling vampire on the cusp of her transition, but she’s also his bondmate and the granddaughter of his family’s biggest enemy. Will family feuding keep them apart or is it Jayden who compromised Emma’s survival?

Drops of Sunshine by Tricia Copeland - Working as lifeguard at a camp for the blind seems like the perfect escape for Nina. But a few perceptive kids can hear her thoughts. Can embracing her truth help her heal and reveal possibilities she never imagined?

Feathers and Fireflies by Melanie Rodriguez - Seventeen year old Rory of Vanora Village dreams of capturing the sacred summer solstice ritual of the animal shapeshifters with her trusty charcoal and parchment. But with only legends and tales to guide her, she cannot even convince her childhood friend, Lucas, that the ritual is real. On the night Rory follows the fireflies, she gets far more than she bargained for.

These fun beach reads have never been published before and were written specifically for this anthology. Hope you enjoy the adventure!!

Ascendance Rise of the Fallen by Bradford Bates
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
John Blackthorn is one of the Gifted, and a member of the Ascendancy. Partnered with a werewolf, John prowls the streets of 1920's San Francisco protecting the city from the supernatural. Using the gift of magic, they will face off against a growing threat, the Fallen. Leadership amongst the city's vampires is changing. The Ascendancy must find out what the new regime is planning, and stop it. Together, John and Sarah will find a way to save the city, that they love. 
This is the first tale in the Ascendancy Origins Series.

Ascendancy The Arena by Bradford Bates
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jackson Fairfield was your average kid until he started to see things. What if the things that went bump in the night were real, what if it was your job to stop them? Would you heed that call? Follow Jackson as he starts to discover just what it means to be born as one of the Gifted. Life has a funny way of thwarting your best-laid plans, but sometimes, just sometimes, what you find is more magical than you ever thought possible. 
Follow Jackson as he learns about magic, werewolves, the fae, and just what it means to grow up being one of the Gifted.

Origin of Might by Steeven R. Orr
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Most guys who go through a midlife crisis buy a new sports car. 

Oliver Jordan gets super powers. 

Origin of Might is the first in a series of stories set in and around Garrison City, home to such heroes (or Mighties) as the Shadow Fox, Power Surge, Lady V, Spitfire, and the legendary Captain Might. 

Can Oliver Jordan find the time to work two jobs, provide for his family, attend school functions, spend quality time with the wife and kids, and save the world? 

The answer begins here.



(On my Nook)

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

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

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
Birthright by E.J. Stevens

Carrots by Colleen Helme

Otherlife Dreams by William D. Arand

Debut Author Giveaway Hop

I'm having fun with these hops. I was thrilled to sign up for the Debut Author Giveaway Hop as I had listened to a new author and enjoyed her stories.

This is for authors who debuted in 2015.

I'm excited to share Carrie L. Wells with you!

The story I'm offering today is At the Heart of the Deep, from Audible.

At the Heart of the Deep

Oceanographer Luke McAllister races to figure out why the ocean depth is changing off Florida's Treasure Coast. But before he and his crew discover what's transforming the deep, he stumbles upon an even greater mystery. Leagues below the waves, he swear he sees...a mermaid?

Anya isn't allowed to get close to humans. But when a golden-haired researcher gets too close to her island, she can't afford to stay away. Together, this unlikely pair will seek to discover what's causing shifts in the ocean floor.

While their new alliance is forbidden, Anya will risk everything to save her beloved ocean. The only problem is she's not sure what's really luring her in - her love of the sea or the tempest Luke has stirred in her heart. Either way, Anya knows that the dangers facing the sea are nothing compared to what will happen to her when her father learns she's broken the merfolks' most sacred law. Can Anya and Luke discover what lurks at the heart of the deep before it's too late?

Giveaway:

1 Audible version of At the Heart of the Deep by Carrie L. Wells.

US only

Enter using Rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Curious about new authors? Check out the rest of the hop and enter for many more books!


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Audio Book Review: Amber

Amber

By:  David Wood & Rick Chesler

Publish Date:  July 6, 2015, Audiobook April 22, 2016

Format:  Audiobook - 5 hrs 33 mins
Narrated By:  Jeffery Kafer

Genre:  Mystery Thriller

Series:  7th in The Dane and Bones Origins series

Impression:  Maddock's team is the perfect combination to search for the lost Amber room, while Russians are looking too.

Synopsis:
They called it the Eighth Wonder of the World. For more than two hundred years, the world marveled at the fabled Amber Room. And then came the Nazis.

Since the second World War, one of the world's most magnificent lost treasures has lain hidden, and it's up to Navy SEALs Dane Maddock and "Bones" Bonebrake to find it again. Joined by Zara Leopov, their squad must follow the trail of clues from history in a perilous, action-packed race to find a treasure and unlock a deadly secret hidden in AMBER.

First Sentence:
Anguished cries of the dying echoed through the underground chamber.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles 

Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com, at my request.

Maddock is with his Navy SEAL partners, Bones, Professor, and Willis, on a mission to find the Amber room that went missing in the second World War. If they can't retrieve the whole room, at least bring home what they can. Diving the wreckage of a ship thought to have pieces or traces to the lost room, they find more than a clue. The mission turns dangerous as trouble from the Russian's searching the site as well board their boat.

Jeffrey voices these men with ease. Jeffrey has been narrating this whole series and connected series's, from what I've listened to. With Jeffrey narrating and David and Rick's writing, I smile at the small quips from the four men working together. They have a quick sense of humor that keeps their situations light as they work through them, but also makes me smile and keep the story light. Jeffrey's voice brings this to life for me. I have grown fond of listening to Jeffrey. He's always clear and easy to listen to. There is no background disturbances or echos to his voice. Also there is no pops on letters as he speaks. Perfect recording and narration.

From the beginning we see how Maddock, Bones, Professor, and Willis work as a team back when they were SEAL's in training. It's fun to listen to these men banter back and forth. They are a great pairing of friends and have great quick comments for each other, such a youthful feel to them as SEAL's in training.

I found I was thinking I'd enjoy traveling in person with these men on their adventures. Their personalities and humor are ones I'd enjoy. Plus the addition of possible dangers (okay with them, yes danger) they find themselves fighting out of, sounds exciting!

This is book 7, do I need to read in order? I don't think so. We are introduced to the characters at the beginning and see the bond between them all is strong. Then we go on with the adventure they find themselves on in this story, it's not a carry over from previous books, it's a new one. Sure there are drops of other missions together, but that just fuels the want to listen/read the previous books.

I would listen to the story again as I think I'd pick up some details that I missed with all that's packed into these pages. There are a few moments I wasn't 100% sure how the characters knew where to go. But, they are getting information from an Admiral and you don't question your superiors. They did find a journal that helps back the information too. Even as this is a shorter read/listen, it's packed full of details of the mission and action.

I do enjoy these characters and dangerous adventures. I will be looking for more of them!



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

Audio Book Review: The Glass Mermaid

The Glass Mermaid

By:  Poppy Lawless

Publish Date:  July 17, 2015, Audiobook October 30, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 1 hrs 54 mins
Narrated By:  Hollie Jackson

Genre:  Paranormal

Series:  1st in The Chancellor Fairy Tales series; Book 2 ~ The Cupcake Witch

Impression:  Oh the feels. Tears for sadness and joy.

Synopsis:
Kate I'm the last mermaid. I'm back on shores of Lake Erie, but the cold waters are silent. There is nothing here for me but ghosts and the beach glass that litters the rocky shore. Long ago, I lived below the waves. Now, I am the sole survivor, and at long last, my mermaid glamour is leaving me. Every day, I walk the beach. Every day, I wonder what happened to my people. The little pieces of colored glass that wash ashore give me simple pleasure. They are gifts from the lake, reminders of home. I fashion them into trinkets: necklaces, earrings, bracelets. They are beautiful things. The humans seem love them. Every day, I walk the beach. Nothing ever changes, until the day he says hello. Cooper I'm dying. It's not a question, it's a fact. The cancer is eating me alive. They told me I have six months to live, maybe less. I came home, back to Chancellor on Lake Erie, to die. The sunsets are vivid there, and I will relish every one. I've never seen anything more beautiful than a Lake Erie sunset until I see her. All life is as fragile as glass. What would you sacrifice to save the one you love?

First Sentence:
The surf lapped over my feet, sea foam tickling my toes.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository 

Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review, at my request.

Kate has lived long beyond her years. She's the last mermaid and feels the last spark of magic ready to leave her body. With that last tear, she's fighting to shed, leave her dead or let her live as a human? Cooper's returned home to spend his final days. He's dying of cancer. But Cooper has been seeing the beautiful woman on the beach every day for over a month now, and today he finds he does what he's said he won't do, not now. He talks to her, and asks her out. But the timing is wrong for them both. Or is it right?

Hollie's voice is easy to listen to because she embodies the characters. She doesn't do as many tone differences but she is a proficient at different personalities vocally. This is a big thing with identifying each character when we meet them. Hollie's narration of the descriptions written by Poppy brings the world to life. I can see the sunsets, feel the sea foam, and smell the air. Beautiful work!

The descriptions and heart present in telling them by Poppy's words are beautiful. Kate and Cooper feel like people full of life, or losing life.

Kate has a long past. With being a mermaid, she's lived long years. She's lived here then traveled around, then returned when those who'd recognize her were passed. Chancellor is home, after all. And a place where she'd like to rest her bones with those of her family's.

Cooper has a good heart. He'd lived down south working with dolphins in therapeutic sessions with children. Now, he's home where he was raised by his grandmother. He counts his paintings of sunsets and sunrises as he knows they gave him six months. He never intended to fall in love though, not when he knows he's dying of cancer. He's doing what he swore he wouldn't do.

Heart tightening. I felt for these characters. They have such sadness in their lives, but in some way they find a spark of warmth and life in each other when they know they shouldn't give hope. But hope might be what they both need.

Alice, the owner of the bagel and coffee shop, makes me smile. When Alice's near, her humor balances the sweet and sad twitches I felt.

Oh goodness. This story brought the tears out. Something in Poppy's writing twisted my heart. All the feels were here. I felt the twing of sadness for the characters. One wants to live and the other as lived long enough. Poppy's writing style brought this all to life for me. Even in the end, with a HEA, I still teared up. Just a perfect sweet moment. If only everyone could have this moment. So well written to bring such emotions out in me. I can't even express the feels I had.



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

Sunday Post #131

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.

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

Sorry, I've been MIA the last two weeks. It's been crazy here with all going on. And holiday's, no matter how small like Memorial Day, seem to throw a huge wrench in my schedule. I've also had some personal tests done, that I was NOT expecting. One more test and I should have results by Friday this week. I think all is going to be well though, after the last test, but they want to make sure. So there is the good side. But, I will say, I'm sick and tired of all the scares and bullshit going on lately. Our family has had about as much as it can take. Or, well, me.

Now I have lots of comments to respond to and a ton of visiting to make up for. I'm going to try my best to visit everyone. THANK YOU for being patient with me. *hugs*

There was a local author doing a small event at our local library yesterday. I went! I got to listen to and talk with Rebecca Drake yesterday. Was a wonderful time! She is a delight of a person and very easy to talk to about anything and everything. 

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

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 managed to at least keep going to the gym 3 days a week. I think working out my frustration is helping through all that's been going on. I do weights and walk on the elliptical for 30 minutes.

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

What's Happening in Books:

Current Read:

The Side of Good / The Side of Evil edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
The Ghost Rebellion by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
I'm also working on Content Editing Work as well.

Current Audiobook:
Carrots by Colleen Helme

Current Podcast Book Listen:
Stonebriar Casefiles: Bad Alchemy by Laura Nicole Spencer (You can listen for free too!)

Alight by Scott Sigler (You can listen for free too! One episode, a few chapters, a week!)

Finished Last Week: 

Struck by Amanda Carlson

Audiobooks from Audible:

Finders Keepers by J.J. Dibenetto
I'd Rather Be a Witch by Erin Hayes
Amber by David Wood & Rick Chesler
The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless
Birthright by E.J. Stevens

Finished Podcast Book Listen:

Nothing

~~~~~~~~~~

Last Week on the Blog:

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

Posts:

When Pigs Fly, Mini-Interview & Excerpt

The Walking House, Mini-Interview & Excerpt

Around the Internet...


Reviews:

Wrapped in the Past by Chess Desalls

Nemesis by K.A. Finn

Struck by Amanda Carlson

I'd Rather Be A Witch by Erin Hayes

Finders Keepers by J.J. Debenedetto

Podcast Review:

Mama Bitchstress Reviews:

GIVEAWAYS:

THREE days left to enter to win amazing 2 Audiobooks!!

~~~~~~~~~~

This Week to Come on the Blog:

I've decided to do three reviews a week for a few weeks, just to try to get caught up with what I have to share with you all. Hope you stop by to check them all out! :)
  The Glass Mermaid
  Amber

~~~~~~~~~~

Received Last Weeks:

Review & Review Consideration:

Audio Books Requested for Review:

Retribution by K.A. Salidas
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Immortality is never guaranteed... 

As much as she dreams of a simpler existence, blood and violence are Mira’s way of life. Former gladiator turned freedom fighter; she’s carved a trail from New Haven to Caldera Grove and back, freeing her people, the vampires, from enslavement by the humans. 
But with victory almost within reach, a new and powerful enemy emerges. One who’ll be satisfied with nothing less than complete subjugation—or destruction—of all supernatural beings. 
With a secret army of his own, he’s more than prepared for any resistance Mira and her patchy rebel forces can offer, and demands their immediate surrender. 
Never one to back away from a fight, Mira believes she’s ready for anything. But with the battle lines drawn she will be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. 
Kill or be killed. 

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Kate I'm the last mermaid. I'm back on shores of Lake Erie, but the cold waters are silent. There is nothing here for me but ghosts and the beach glass that litters the rocky shore. Long ago, I lived below the waves. Now, I am the sole survivor, and at long last, my mermaid glamour is leaving me. Every day, I walk the beach. Every day, I wonder what happened to my people. The little pieces of colored glass that wash ashore give me simple pleasure. They are gifts from the lake, reminders of home. I fashion them into trinkets: necklaces, earrings, bracelets. They are beautiful things. The humans seem love them. Every day, I walk the beach. Nothing ever changes, until the day he says hello. Cooper I'm dying. It's not a question, it's a fact. The cancer is eating me alive. They told me I have six months to live, maybe less. I came home, back to Chancellor on Lake Erie, to die. The sunsets are vivid there, and I will relish every one. I've never seen anything more beautiful than a Lake Erie sunset until I see her. All life is as fragile as glass. What would you sacrifice to save the one you love?

The Hierophant by Madeline Claire Franklin
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Demons are watching. They move invisible through our world, hunting for rare prey–most humans don’t see the monsters that lurk in the dark, and as long as you can’t see them, they can’t hurt you.

But Ana sees the demons. Monsters once found only in her late mother's bedtime stories have crept from the shadows, whispering her name and stirring ancient magic in her blood.

On the day her tarot deck foretells a disturbing change, Ana encounters an uncanny young man who literally stops (and starts) her heart. Trebor has strange powers, and an even stranger quest, and for some reason wants to help her. But the closer Trebor gets to the truth behind Ana’s power, the more important–and dangerous–his own quest becomes. Even more important that keeping Ana alive.

Because in a world haunted by demons determined to find the key to their empire, there is much more at stake than one girl’s soul.

Otherlife Dreams by William D Arand
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Runner has a problem. He and 499,000 men and women of the military are trapped in a game. Runner is the only person in the IT department in game, the only one with administrative access rights. And he doesn't remember his password. When their brains were synched with the game, it scrambled most of their memories. 

The problem is that whoever loaded their minds into the game, loaded them completely. If they die, their brain dies. 

Now it's time for Runner to flex his skills as a power gaming min maxer and see what he can do. Because every time he levels, he might just gain the memory of the password. Time to go Hardcore.

Icarus by Matt Verish
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:

Cole Musgrave’s dream of interstellar travel is about to become a nightmare. When a high-profile delivery is compromised aboard a state-of-the-art cargo vessel, the newly appointed captain finds himself embroiled in an assignment far above his pay grade. 

Blackmail, terrorists, a malfunctioning prototype A.I. pilot, and a sinister terraforming corporation with deep criminal ties await him. Who knew delivering cargo to the deep recesses of space could be so dangerous? 

Armed only with his cunning and past military experience, Cole is one against many. But this unorthodox interstellar cargo pilot won’t go down without a fight—even after he is faced with a choice that will alter the course of his life forever.

Extracted by Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler Jolley
PICK UP AT AMAZON
Goodreads Synopsis:
Welcome to the war.

The Tesla Institute is a premier academy that trains young time travelers called Rifters. Created by Nicola Tesla, the Institute seeks special individuals who can help preserve the time stream against those who try to alter it.

The Hollows is a rogue band of Rifters who tear through time with little care for the consequences. Armed with their own group of lost teens--their only desire to find Tesla and put an end to his corruption of the time stream.

Torn between them are Lex and Ember, two Rifters with no memories of their life before joining the time war.

When Lex’s girlfriend dies during a mission, the only way he can save her is to retrieve the Dox, a piece of tech which allows Rifters to re-enter their own timeline without collapsing the time stream. But the Dox is hidden deep within the Telsa Institute, which means Lex must go into the enemy camp. It’s there he meets Ember, and the past that was stolen from them both comes flooding back.

Now armed with the truth of who they are, Lex and Ember must work together to save the future before the battle for time destroys them both…again.



Purchased/Winnings/Gifts:

Book:

The Ghost Rebellion by Philippa Ballantine & Tee Morris
Goodreads Synopsis:
The chase is on! After rescuing Queen Victoria from the clutches of the Maestro, Agents Eliza D Braun and Wellington Books are in hot pursuit of Dr Henry Jekyll. While he continues his experiments on the aristocracy of Europe, he leaves a trail of chaos and despair in his wake. However when Eliza and Wellington run him to ground in India, they are forced to come face to face with ghosts from the past, and the realities of empire.

Meanwhile Ministry agents Brandon Hill and Bruce Campbell travel deep into Russia hunting down a rare ingredient to save Queen Victoria's life. Amid the cold they uncover a threat from the revitalized House of Usher that comes directly from their new Chairman.

All in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences will find their allegiances in question, and their mettle tested as a new dastardly era of international intrigue dawns.


Audio:

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Rise of the Six by Matt Ryan
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Joey Foust has no idea he’s a wanted man and his parents aim to keep it that way. They raised him as a normal boy in a small American town, hoping he and his friends don’t discover what lies beyond. And for eighteen years, they succeed. 

Joey and his friends, the Preston Six, were all born on the same day, but soon come to find they have much more in common than a simple birthdate. Details of their past are suspicious, and they are determined to figure out what their parents are hiding. 

Small threads of new information are discovered, leading the Preston Six to venture in search for the truth. What they find pushes the boundaries of their beliefs. Now, they’re forced to leave behind everything to face an unknown adversary who’s been hunting for them since the day they were born. 

They must rise as one, or fall to enemy hands 

This book contains mild language and violence. It is approximately 90,000 words(350 pages).

Impossible Paradise by Leeland Artra
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Pioneer or Heretic? The world's future hangs in the balance.

An incredible pulp steampunk adventures.

Captain Reinvo is ordered to take a prototype iron-sided steamship on its first voyage. The simple cargo run turns deadly when a storm drives the ship so far off-course the crew is sure they're going to fall off the edge of the world. Reinvo fights to save his crew, only to discover a place that shouldn't exist and which may yet get them killed as heretics.

If you like steampunk with elements of fantasy, speculative science-fiction, and thrilling tales, then you’ll love the fantastic serial adventures of the Endless Horizons Sagas, written in true homage to the pulp science-fiction classics.

Love and Challenges by Deborah A. Bailey
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Business owner Mac Mackennon is a perfect catch: attractive, ambitious and successful. He's a member of an old, established pride of lion shapeshifters, but determined to live life as a loner. Except that when Zora Mason walks into Mac's coffee bar one day and applies for the position of assistant manager, he knows without a doubt he's met the woman of his dreams. 

Can she accept life with a shifter-boyfriend? 

Zora knows a lot more about Mac (and the other shifters in town) than she's been letting on. Falling in love with a sexy shifter is more than she bargained for when it comes to dealing with sibling drama, learning the business, and managing an alpha male who's used to doing things his way. When a challenge to Mac's Pride threatens to destroy Mac's family, Zora has to decide whether to be claimed as his mate in a ritual in front of the pride. 

Who knew that love with a lion shifter would be so challenging?

I'd Rather Be a Witch by Erin Hayes
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Jordyn wasn’t careful with what she wished for.

After making a reckless choice that destroyed her life and the life of her high school sweetheart, Jordyn fled her small town to be a professional mermaid. Being around water suppresses her earth-based magic, something she desperately needs.

Yet Jordyn can't suppress who she really is - a witch.

When she learns that her mother is dying of cancer, she returns home. But it isn’t until people end up dead and everyone points fingers that she realizes her past is coming back to haunt her. Because her ex-boyfriend Zach has been waiting for her. And he hasn’t forgotten how she brought him back to life that night three years ago.

Jordyn will finally have to embrace being a witch to learn the truth. And it will change her life forever.

** I'd Rather be a Witch is a tie-in with How to be a Mermaid. It uses some of the same characters and can be read as a standalone or a complement to it. **

The Witch of Roan Mountain by Blaire Edens
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Maeve McMahan, a criminal defense attorney, has just blown the case of her career. When she returns home to the mountains of North Carolina to clear her head, she moves back in with her grandmother. On an easy hike, she meets the one woman she never expected to see: Delphine, The Witch of Roan Mountain. 

Accused of a terrible crime she didn’t commit, Delphine has been haunting the county since just after the Civil War and she can’t rest until her name is cleared. She’s counting on Maeve’s help to get to the bottom of the century-old mystery. 

Campbell Hyatt, a sheriff’s deputy, has never gotten over his first love, Maeve. When her grandmother breaks her leg, Campbell’s on duty and he finds Maeve at the top of Roan Mountain, convinced she’s seen a ghost. A cop who doesn’t believe in ghosts, he thinks Maeve needs to be focused on her grandmother not an old legend that hits a little too close to home for his liking. 
With Maeve’s car out of commission and Granny stuck in the hospital, Campbell and Maeve are thrown together in a quest to find out why Delphine was branded a witch. It will take both of them to get to the bottom of a nineteenth century story love story that may impact them more than they realize. Can they banish a ghost without rekindling an old flame of their own?

Lightning Kissed by Lila Felix
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Colby Evans can leap from one country to the next in a heartbeat. She can see every sunset in every time zone in the same day. She can travel across the world in a flash. She defies gravity and physics with every breath she takes. She's tested her abilities and found them limitless. 

She is the lightning. She is Lucent. And nothing can stop her. 

Except him. 

Theodore Ramsey isn't supposed to be able to flash like Colby. The power of travel is passed on from mother to daughter in their people. Except once in every hundred generations. 

Theo is the one. 

He can flash like Colby. And it makes him a target to their enemies and to himself. His abilities change everything he knows about life and throws his future into an uncertain tangent. In fact, the only thing certain in his life is the love he feels for Colby. 

Their love defies time and space and has been the only constant thing in their lives since childhood. But even their infallible love will be stretched to its limits. 

She will risk her life to protect him. But he will risk everything to protect them all.

The Boy Who Lit Up The Sky by J. Naomi Ay
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Lydia Kalila, the Princess Royal of Mishnah is forced into marriage with the son of her country's mortal enemy for the sole purpose of producing an heir. Duty comes before personal choice for a princess especially when her country has been at war for more than a thousand years. Lydia's pregnancy removes her brother and new husband from their respective lines of succession placing her yet unborn infant at the head of the both queues. No one is happy about this, especially Lydia who dies during childbirth from wounds caused by the talon-like toenails of her very strange newborn son.

Grief stricken at the loss of his daughter, the Mishnese King hastily sends Senya, his infant grandson off to a decrepit inner city orphanage with the intent to retrieve him much later when things got sorted out. At the orphanage, Senya is protected by the invalid Sister Meri who instantly falls in love with the little fellow. She's not bothered at all by his strange telekinetic and telepathic powers, flickering pupil-less silver eyes or wicked clawed toenails. The House Father takes a shine to the lad too and when Senya is six years old, he is summoned to the Father's chamber. The Father ends up in flames forcing Meri and Senya out into a snow storm running for their lives. 

Thus begins the tale of Senya, a prince created to be king of a planet but then tossed aside until his twelfth birthday when Lt. Taner, a Royal Guard detective is sent to retrieve him. It is unclear to all whether Senya is the product of something good or something evil but in either case, it is very apparent that he is something more than just Lydia Kalila's son.

Note to readers - This title contains graphic language, violence and sexual situations. It is not intended for children or young teens.

Metal and Magic: A Fantasy Journey
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Six fantasy novels take you on magical adventures you won't soon forget! 

DIXXON - Teen Witch by Steve Windsor and Lise Carter 
In seven days, if teen witch, Dixxon Dubois, survives turning sixteen, she'll decide the fate of magic and mortals alike. 

The Natural Order by R. J. Vickers 
Fifteen juvenile delinquents are recruited to harvest magic...only to discover that the magic is being used for a dark and twisted purpose. 

Wayward by Ronald Long 
A man without any memory of his past is thrown into a racial war that threatens to consume a continent. 

The Gauntlet of Feona by Kelechi Agu 
A hunter-thief discovers he is a king in waiting and needs to rid his world of an ancient menace. 

A Thread of Time by J Naomi Ay 
Spaceforce, it's like prison with benefits. 

The Hawk and His Boy by Christopher Bunn 
A thief robs the wrong wizard and ends up on the run as monsters, assassins and the Darkness itself try to end his life.

Mike v2.0 by J. Naomi Ay
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Goodreads Synopsis:
A Firesetter Prequel Short Story 

Let's face it, Mike is a loser. Despite being born with the proverbial silver spoon, he's a failure at just about everything. After being hit in the head with a baseball, Mike wakes up unable to see, prompting his grandfather, Steve to take him across the stars in search of cure. However, Mike and Steve end up finding something more than just Mike's lost sight, something that will turn Mike into a king.

Waking the Dragon by Rinelle Grey
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Goodreads Synopsis:
When Taurian the dragon prince awakens to find the world changed and an ancient enemy waiting for him, he needs the help of the woman who wakes him ensure his survival, even if she is a human.

Karla is irresistibly drawn to the half-naked man she discovered in an ancient chamber. But when he starts claiming to be a dragon, she’s sure he’s crazy. The sensible thing to do would be to drop him off at the nearest police station.

But she soon finds out that dealing with dragons is never that simple.

Waking the Dragon is part 1 (16,000 words) in a new paranormal romance serial set in a small outback town in modern day Australia. Part two is coming soon!

Forbidden Bond by Rinelle Grey
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Born together, wed together…

The ancient law is a curse to Brianna, whose twin sister has fallen in love with a man Brianna can’t bring herself to marry. To avoid disappointing her family, she fakes her death and escapes Eryvale to hide in the dazzling city of Bymere…but the city doesn’t live up to its promise.

Lonely and homesick, Brianna regrets her decision until she meets Lyall, a handsome mage. Their instant bond grows deeper, and despite knowing she can never marry him, Brianna accepts Lyall’s offer to leave Bymere before travellers from her village discover she’s still alive. Journeying to the exciting Isla de Magi, Brianna makes plans for a new life and is shocked to find she possesses mage magic as well.

However, when a chilling dream warns of an impending threat to her village, Brianna must leave the Isle and rush home to help her sister. Soon Lyall follows, chasing after the same threat and longing to reunite with Brianna. But can the two work together to stop the danger? Or will Brianna be forced to choose between her love for Lyall and the safety and happiness of her sister?

Lonely Souls by Karice Bolton
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Goodreads Synopsis:
Devastated by the loss of her mother, Triss throws herself into uncovering clues surrounding her mother’s disappearance. When the Witch Avenue Coven turns their back on Triss, she realizes she’s caught in a world that is ruled by Lonely Souls. But who is controlling them? 

Recognizing the herbal lore she grew up learning will do little to fight against the underworld, she is relieved when her best friend from childhood, Logan, returns to help her find answers. When they begin uncovering secrets from her family’s past, she learns her mother might not have been the only target. 

But as Triss falls deeply for Logan, she discovers her family isn’t the only one with secrets and his may be deadly.

Altered Souls by Karice Bolton
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Goodreads Synopsis:
The realm of Altered Souls brings nothing but unrest, deceit, and pain forcing Triss to come face to face with heartbreak from her past. 

Facing a betrayal like never before, Triss questions everything she thought she knew about her family, coven, and abilities. 

With the help of Logan, she embarks on a journey enabling her to confront the dark side of magic and the person who controls it. Realizing Triss’s ancestors have been seduced for centuries by the dark side, Triss and Logan must ensure no more in their world fall victim to the realm of Altered Souls, even if that means ending the ones they love.



(On my Nook)

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

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

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
Amber by David Wood & Rick Chesler

The Glass Mermaid by Poppy Lawless

Birthright by E.J. Stevens