* NOTE: ARC provided in exchange for honest review of The Protector of Ambra * Lyn Brittan writes romantic adventure like nobody else. In The Protecto* NOTE: ARC provided in exchange for honest review of The Protector of Ambra * Lyn Brittan writes romantic adventure like nobody else. In The Protector of Ambra, she's in top form. Dr Pierce Hamilton, doc-on-call for Ambra, has gone rogue. He's AWOL, in Mexico, determined to "liberate" a rare Olmec statue from the monastery where it is being auctioned. His path crosses that of choclatier Melody Thompson, who is hot on the trail of the crooked Mexican wholesaler who is ruining her fledgling business. Melody is passionate in her pursuit of quality chocolate, business success, and justice. She's also as naive as a convent-raised Girl Scout. So what's a Knight of Ambra to do? Help the lady in her quest, of course! Nevermind that he's risking his own personal mission, his neck, and his career in Ambra...and maybe his heart? Pierce and Melody are engaging, intrepid, and a bit daft. They're all in - for chocolate, for historical treasures, for love, forever!
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* NOTE: ARC provided in exchange for honest review of The Protector of Ambra * Lyn Brittan writes romantic adventure like nobody else. In The Protector of Ambra, she's in top form. Dr Pierce Hamilton, doc-on-call for Ambra, has gone rogue. He's AWOL, in Mexico, determined to "liberate" a rare Olmec statue from the monastery where it is being auctioned. His path crosses that of choclatier Melody Thompson, who is hot on the trail of the crooked Mexican wholesaler who is ruining her fledgling business. Melody is passionate in her pursuit of quality chocolate, business success, and justice. She's also as naive as a convent-raised Girl Scout. So what's a Knight of Ambra to do? Help the lady in her quest, of course! Nevermind that he's risking his own personal mission, his neck, and his career in Ambra...and maybe his heart? Pierce and Melody are engaging, intrepid, and a bit daft. They're all in - for chocolate, for historical treasures, for love, forever!...more
DONYA LYNNE HITS THE TRIFECTA!! Full Circle, the end of the Strong Karma trilogy, sees Mark and Karma on the brink of their HEA - or not? How many wayDONYA LYNNE HITS THE TRIFECTA!! Full Circle, the end of the Strong Karma trilogy, sees Mark and Karma on the brink of their HEA - or not? How many ways can a romance self destruct? And how much do Mark and Karma really want their love to last? This is a sexy, romantic cliff-hanger right up to the end, proving that there are no greater adventures than adventures of the heart. Great writing, great characters, great reading!!
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DONYA LYNNE HITS THE TRIFECTA!! Full Circle, the end of the Strong Karma trilogy, sees Mark and Karma on the brink of their HEA - or not? How many ways can a romance self destruct? And how much do Mark and Karma really want their love to last? This is a sexy, romantic cliff-hanger right up to the end, proving that there are no greater adventures than adventures of the heart. Great writing, great characters, great reading!!...more
*NOTICE: I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Louise Clark's new novel, Lov*NOTICE: I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Louise Clark's new novel, Lover's Knot, is a historical romance set in England during the years of Cromwell's Protectorate. The Stuart king of England is in exile, the bitter war between Royalists and Cromwell's Puritan Roundheads is over, but peace is uneasy and Royalist families suffer for their continued loyalty to the exiled King Charles. Sir Philip Hampton, former cavalry officer in Cromwell's army, has been restored to his family's confiscated estate in order to infiltrate local Royalist sympathizers. The foremost of those is Lord Strathern, whose eldest daughter Alysa shares her family's political leanings. Philip and Alysa meet, fall in love, and begin a dance of deception, distrust, and desire. Philip's disgust with the violence of war and the abuses of power by Cromwell's military state war with his growing love for Alysa and his own honorable nature. Will he remain a Roundhead spy, become a Royalist in order to win Alysa, or find a way to remain neutral? Will Alysa discover his true identity and purpose in returning to his family estate? There is danger, intrigue and double-dealing aplenty before the Philip and Alysa can resolve their situation. Both Philip and Alysa are likeable characters who grow and change with the challenges to their beliefs and loyalties, and all the secondary characters are likewise well-developed and believable. The novel is well-researched, filled with historical detail and rich in descriptive narrative. Only rarely does author Clark mis-step into more modern language. Unfortunately, such wealth of detail comes at the expense of pacing; the plot moves so slowly that it undermines the dramatic tension of both the spy-thriller and the romance. Still, Lover's Knot is enjoyable and worthwhile reading.
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*NOTICE: I received a free copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Louise Clark's new novel, Lover's Knot, is a historical romance set in England during the years of Cromwell's Protectorate. The Stuart king of England is in exile, the bitter war between Royalists and Cromwell's Puritan Roundheads is over, but peace is uneasy and Royalist families suffer for their continued loyalty to the exiled King Charles. Sir Philip Hampton, former cavalry officer in Cromwell's army, has been restored to his family's confiscated estate in order to infiltrate local Royalist sympathizers. The foremost of those is Lord Strathern, whose eldest daughter Alysa shares her family's political leanings. Philip and Alysa meet, fall in love, and begin a dance of deception, distrust, and desire. Philip's disgust with the violence of war and the abuses of power by Cromwell's military state war with his growing love for Alysa and his own honorable nature. Will he remain a Roundhead spy, become a Royalist in order to win Alysa, or find a way to remain neutral? Will Alysa discover his true identity and purpose in returning to his family estate? There is danger, intrigue and double-dealing aplenty before the Philip and Alysa can resolve their situation. Both Philip and Alysa are likeable characters who grow and change with the challenges to their beliefs and loyalties, and all the secondary characters are likewise well-developed and believable. The novel is well-researched, filled with historical detail and rich in descriptive narrative. Only rarely does author Clark mis-step into more modern language. Unfortunately, such wealth of detail comes at the expense of pacing; the plot moves so slowly that it undermines the dramatic tension of both the spy-thriller and the romance. Still, Lover's Knot is enjoyable and worthwhile reading....more
* I received a free copy of this book. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* This book has an interesting if convoluted plot. S-L-O-W
* I received a free copy of this book. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* This book has an interesting if convoluted plot. Author TJ Adams takes a Kurt Sutter-like approach, meaning that very dramatic and graphically described events occur in a disconnected way, and remain unlinked until far later into the story. This is an especially frustrating approach to story-telling when combined with the nearly endless ruminations of both Leisl and Axel as they alternate points of view. That and the sheer volume of descriptive prose slowed the pace of the book to a crawl. It ended up being a fair amount of effort to read through to the end. I might have liked it more had it been more tautly written. On the plus side, Leisl and Axel are well-drawn and complex characters, and remain refreshingly true to their natures despite the pull of their supernatural bond. I liked both of them immensely. ...more
Well-written, thoroughly researched, and passionately argued; Brian Czech's vision of steady-state economics as the alternative to currently accepted Well-written, thoroughly researched, and passionately argued; Brian Czech's vision of steady-state economics as the alternative to currently accepted growth-based economic theory deserves thorough reading, study and discussion. Make no mistake: this is about a revolution. Start with his well-supported contention that all current economic theory is based on a fallacy: that natural resources are NOT fundamental to economic prosperity. Proceed to his argument that perpetual economic growth - the goal of current economic policy - is not only undesirable, but IMPOSSIBLE to achieve. Cringe, if you must, at his assertion that current "green" growth incentives are as damaging, and ultimately useless, as traditional wasteful exploitation of resources. Then wrap your mind around his thoughtfully described vision of the steady state, the alternative economic paradigm to our growth-based present mindset. Here is a brilliant mind, pushing us to see an alternative economic vision for our future and embrace the values and the actions necessary to effect change. This book should be read by all students of economics, all politicians and policy wonks, every CEO and CFO of every corporation, and anyone who feels concern about the next Wall Street "bubble" to burst on our economy....more
A fast read and a great addition the Cyborg Sizzle series. Barrel is the latest in a line of cyborg heroes to find his true mate. In this case, she's A fast read and a great addition the Cyborg Sizzle series. Barrel is the latest in a line of cyborg heroes to find his true mate. In this case, she's Nola, a teacher, a rebel, and a woman whose boundless compassion is just what a bunch of alien orphans and cyborg offspring need. This story is particularly dear to me because I live with and love a little "Ka-Na" of my own. Kudos to author Cynthia Sax for "getting it."...more
The Fifth Season won the 2016 Hugo Award - deservedly so. N.K. Jemisin's history of a future earth is the finest piece of writing I've ever read in thThe Fifth Season won the 2016 Hugo Award - deservedly so. N.K. Jemisin's history of a future earth is the finest piece of writing I've ever read in the SF genre. Told from three points of view - Damaya's, Syenite's, and Essun's, the novel imparts two important lessons. First, that the history of humanity is one of disaster and conflicts. Because the story of a disaster is told only by its survivors, and the story of conflict is written only by the winners, it is important to distinguish between history and truth. Second, finding truth is like peeling an onion layer by layer; the process tends to be slow, frustrating, even at times painful to the point of tears. Jemisen's terse and evocative prose guides the reader inexorably through this search for truth. Walking with her characters, experiencing and learning as they do the true nature of the world they inhabit, is a gut-wrenchingly immediate and powerful experience. This book is stunning, dark, utterly brilliant, profoundly affecting and unforgettable....more
*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Holy Moses!! I've read only one ot*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Holy Moses!! I've read only one other book by Kate Flora - one of her Thea Kozac mysteries - and I didn't much care for it. So it comes as something of a shock that Led Astray (A Joe Burgess Mystery) absolutely blew me away. I can't remember reading a police procedure/thriller more intensely gripping than this tale of murdered cops in Portland, ME and the police detective who leads the manhunt to identify and apprehend whoever is responsible. Central to the novel is the rivetingly portrayed Detective Sergeant Joe Burgess, the "meanest cop in Portland." Burgess is complex, a great bear of a man (grizzly, not teddy), who has seen far too much of the worst humanity has to offer. A Viet Nam vet with thirty years on the police force, he relies on his instinct, his fellow officers, and his training to solve crimes, to keep the public safe, and to keep himself alive. In this race against time, he runs on equal parts caffeine and true grit, enduring bullet wounds, sleepless nights, and the frustratingly slow pace of an investigation that needs to conclude before more cops die. At the same time, he's beset by worry over his newly acquired family. This curmudgeon who has lived a solitary life now has a live-in fiancee with two children and a newly-discovered teenage son of his own. Hs love and concern for them, plus his grief and anger at the deaths and injuries of his fellow cops, are dangerously distracting emotions when he needs clear focus on the case. His struggles to balance personal and professional aspects of his life add depth and humanity to the character portrayal. Other major characters in the novel are well-drawn also. The narrative is rich with descriptive nuances that reinforce the dark, gritty, intense mood of the plot. The dialogue rings true and adds to both mood and character development. Ms. Flora dots all her i's and crosses all her t's in the plot details, and keeps the suspense building to near-agonizing levels before the heart-stopping climax. The novel ends on an unexpectedly emotional note of catch-your-breath calm and relief - I actually found myself shedding a few tears. I haven't read the four Joe Burgess novels that precede Led Astray, but based on this fabulous fifth entry, I've put them on my "To Read" list....more
*NOTICE: I received a copy of this ebook through Hidden Gems Romance. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* A Remembered Land is a fas*NOTICE: I received a copy of this ebook through Hidden Gems Romance. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* A Remembered Land is a fascinating book. Set in the Maniototo district of New Zealand's South Island, much of the story takes place on the farm (in the USA we'd call it a ranch) of the Owen family. Beautiful topography is not the point here; the true landscape of this novel is the thoughts and emotions of the characters. Daughter Louise Owen is a brilliant young woman, gifted in mathematics and science, who has made some bad decisions in her past that have resulted in her being shunned by the close-knit farming community. As a result, she also struggles with mental health issues. Her parents are supportive and loving but lack the insight and ability to truly assist her recovery. Her meds have debilitating side effects, both physiological and social, and that only adds to her isolation and misery. Her intellect, her considerable pride, and her anger work against her, and despite her academic brilliance, there is no place for Louise outside university and her family home. At university she meets Cody, who shares her brilliance, her love of the land, and who has some devastating secrets of his own. He has the temperament and the heart to see through her facade, to break through her defensive walls, and accept her as she is. The meat of the novel concerns their developing love and their parallel struggles to deal as adults with past traumas and future potentialities. All the characters in this book are unique and memorable, their personalities - painted in exquisite detail by author Anya Forest - develop and grow as they interact throughout the book. The dialogue is definitely New Zealand colloquial, but very realistic and understandable to this American reader. Kudos to the author for tackling the issues of chronic depression and anxiety, and the medical, social, and emotional Gordian knot that binds sufferers, loved ones, and the community at large in anger and helplessness. Forest writes with empathy but not pathos, holding out hope while keeping it real - and this book is all about the triumph of hope. Though it reads as a stand-alone, this is actually a sequel to Forest's novel A Forgotten Sky, which I am now eager to read. Anya Forest is definitely on my list of authors to follow....more
*NOTICE: I received an ARC of this book from the author. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Freefall is just the first installment *NOTICE: I received an ARC of this book from the author. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Freefall is just the first installment of author Felix R Savage's trilogy, Earth's Last Gambit. I state this upfront, because those who are put off by cliff-hanger endings will want a head's up. I'm not a CH fan myself, but in this case all is forgiven, because what unfolds between the covers of this book is fantastic. It begins calmly enough: astronaut and amateur shutterbug Jack is the pilot on Space Shuttle Atlantis' last (classified) mission before she's mothballed. When the mission goes spectacularly wrong, Jack saves shuttle and crew, and they limp to the International Space Station to await rescue. Happily snapping photos of Jupiter and its moon, Europa, Jack accidentally captures something strange on film. Meanwhile on Earth, astronomer Dr. Skyler Taft is at Mauna Kea's IRTF observatory to do his boss's gruntwork observations of Jupiter and Europa. He's thoroughly bored, until he documents an anomaly on Europa with stunning implications for the scientific community. Jack and Skylar independently go through channels to share their strange discovery, and nothing happens... seemingly. But Jack somehow is fired from NASA's astronaut corps, while Skyler is recruited by a mysterious government acronym: he's now a techno-spy. Jack partners with old friend Oliver Meeks, and the two deduce what Jack has actually photographed: the exhaust plume of a spaceship in orbit around Europa. As in: NOT A HUMAN SPACE SHIP. A-a-a-and the race is on. What Jack and Skyler know soon becomes public knowledge, and humanity's first response – argue whether the alien presence is friend or foe – is followed by a second response – build a spaceship to go visit/welcome/destroy the aliens. Countries jockey for position in public opinion, in mission-critical roles, and for representation on the 5-year mission's crew. Said jockeying involves maximum deceit and skullduggery, and extends even to murder. The years of preparation are fraught with danger for everyone connected to the mission. 'Accidents' befall ship and crew, until at last they launch from Earth orbit for Europa. Jack and Skyler are among the crew. So is the spy responsible for their pre-launch mishaps. Up next? Five years of confinement on a mission to determine humanity's future, on a ship with a saboteur aboard. The suspense in this story is KILLER! Author Felix R Savage's depiction of the total (private and public) human response to this crisis rings authentic. The clandestine sabotage and murder play out, hidden beneath a propaganda facade that all is well. Governments act as we have all seen them act: in their own unenlightened and often erroneously perceived best interests. The private struggles and personal foibles of mission members, drawn with such detail by the author, contribute to the instability of the mission's crew. His characters, even secondary ones, live and breathe with strengths and flaws that spin consequences far beyond their intentions. Freefall espouses a gently cynical view of the whole first contact scenario, but with five years in space, and two volumes to fill, there is still opportunity for someone, somehow, to be the hero this saga needs. Sign me up for the full mission. I'm hooked! ...more
*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* Knoockout Love is a marvelous and*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* Knoockout Love is a marvelous and deceptively simple little book. It relates in a straightforward way the development of a relationship between pro wrestler Sean and nurse Maggie. Sean is the child of a raging alcoholic father who blames him for everything; he grew up in shelters and on the streets in a lifestyle that can only be called abusive. Pro wrestling both channels his rage and disguises the true source of his pain. Maggie, with the soul and the talent of an artist, grew up under such rigid parental control that she abandons art, becomes the nurse and the doctor's fiancee her parents want her to be, and rigidly suppresses her true self under the strict rules and rituals of her OCD. They meet, and against all odds fall in love. The novel downplays hand-wringing angst for the most part, and moves through the stages of Sean's and Maggie's growing awareness of the real issues they face, to their initially bumbling but increasingly effective attempts at healing, and their ultimate breakthroughs. Some readers might consider the story unrealistic, but the simple storytelling vibe of this book packs the power of a parable. Author Susan V. Vaughn has made the lessons crystal clear: name your demons and face them head-on; self-awareness gives us the power to choose; forgiveness is part of love; and love heals wounded souls. ...more
*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my independent, voluntary, and honest review.* Scary Modsters is the strangest g*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my independent, voluntary, and honest review.* Scary Modsters is the strangest ghost story I've ever read. It's also the strangest crime and revenge story I've ever read. It is one of the oddest romances I've ever read. And it is absolutely fantastic. The sad tale of 1960's rocker Peter Lane and his wife Jane, who were both murdered, is interwoven with the modern story of Rox, misfit '60s music fangirl, and her guy Niles, an oddly unemotional lawyer. Turns out Rox is Jane reincarnated, while Peter and Niles share an even stranger connection. In order to save his future with Rox, Niles has to have Peter's help to right some serious old wrongs, and there's a time limit to getting the job done. Filled with beautifully fleshed-out characters, jam-packed with fabulous music references that had me hitting iTunes search with every chapter, and written in a quirky style from three separate POVs (Rox, Peter, and Niles), this novel is impossible to pigeonhole but easy to love....more
*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* It's sunny Los Angeles, just after*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* It's sunny Los Angeles, just after World War II, and veteran/insurance salesman Hal Marten has a great life. He's successful and respected on the job, with a bright future in the insurance industry. He's not even one year married to his wife, Faye. Faye is a pretty, sweet, compliant woman who makes him breakfast and dinner though she can't cook worth beans, and enthusiastically sews her own clothes despite atrocious taste in fabrics and styles. She's not exciting, but Hal loves her. So, on a day when he deviates from routine to visit a local bar, he meets her antithesis - Pearl. Pearl is a stunning beauty who wears sophisticated clothes, and always drinks alone - one martini - and leaves the bar alone. Hal and Pearl become platonic friends, but Hal's new-found adventurous she has him behaving uncharacteristically at home. Faye, fearing the worst, hires detective Joe Ezell to follow Hal. Ezell reports Hal's once-weekly drink with Pearl. Faye is upset but doesn't let on to Hal. Shortly thereafter, Pearl is shot and killed as she leaves the bar, and Joe arrives home later to find Faye is missing. Time drags on, with neither the police nor PI Joe Ezell able to solve Pearl's murder, or locate Faye. The cops think Hal killed Faye, and he hires an attorney. The witch hunt grows more and more threatening as Hal learns that not only Pearl, but also Faye, is not who she claimed to be. And then, when at last the clues finally come together, no-one, especially Hal, could have imagined the bizarre outcome. This is a superb whodunit in the tradition of the old black-and-white Perry Mason episodes, with defense attorney, PI, and accused racing the police for the evidence to prove guilt and exonerate the innocent at the last second. I couldn't put it down....more
*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Pilot-turned-author Sylvie Kurtz b*NOTICE: I received a copy of this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* Pilot-turned-author Sylvie Kurtz brings all the thrill of flying to this romantic time-travel tale of past misdeeds, shattered lives, true grit, and desperate hopes. The characters in this book are fascinating. There's Jacob, physicist and aircraft designer, who back in 1946 helped orchestrate a murder by lynching and has spent fifty years since trying to find a way to right his old wrongs. There's Colin, maverick pilot in love with restoring and reproducing historic airplanes, desperate to gain the attention and love of a dismissive - and dying - father. There's Liesl, dutiful daughter and devastated widow, whose only reason to live is to fulfill her murdered husband's dream of opening a flight school. There's Billy, whose pathological need for power and control threatens an entire town from World War II to the mid-'90's. Jakob's guilt and genius plus Colin's flying skills and maverick temperament combine to send Colin crashing back in time, to Liesl, and the aftermath of the lynching. While Colin and Leisl work together to open her flight school and fix his crashed plane, they find in each other new reasons to live and to hope. They also find Billy ready to continue the evils of the past, for his own pleasure and profit. The suspense in this novel is an ever-present thrum beneath the romance. The normal daily life of a German immigrant town in the aftermath of WWII belies the constant threat of past misdeeds and present skullduggery come to light. Colin's window of opportunity to return home is fast closing. His plans and dreams are in 1996, but Leisl and love are in 1948, and it comes down to the last seconds before his conflict is resolved. That resolution, when it comes, changes past, present and future in ways unforeseen, leaving Jakob, Leisl, Colin, everyone - including the reader - at peace....more
*NOTICE I received a copy of this book from one of the authors. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* When a group of intrepid SF writ*NOTICE I received a copy of this book from one of the authors. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* When a group of intrepid SF writers created the world of Paradisi, it spawned a wealth of creative SF novels. Not to let opportunity pass, Samuel Peralta, the guiding genius behind the Future Chronicles short story anthologies, invited all writers with an interest to contribute to the newest anthology. Chronicle Worlds: Paradisi was born when twelve writers answered the call. This collection of short stories offers a dozen vignettes of humanity's post-apocalyptic second-chance world. The quality of writing here is uniformly top-notch. The stories are moving, generating emotions from hope and joy to anger and sorrow; but for me personally, the prevailing feeling was one of outrage at such squandered opportunity. There is a disturbing theme underpinning this anthology: the unvoiced suspicion that, were humanity in need of a do-over, we would do it all over again just like the first time. There are tales of man's heroic sacrifice, like “Nuking the Noomies” and “Cold, Angels. Paradise.” Other stories - “Solar Crossroads,” “The Fall of Seren,” and “Happiness” - detail the quieter but no less heroic sacrifices made by women in the new world. Ideological and religious influences from dying Earth make their way inevitably into Paradisi in “Final Flight” and “Down and Out in Caprinet.” And while the Founders work to establish Earth-born humanity's mastery of its new home, as in “Aelwyd,” the indigenous humanoid population suffers the catastrophic loss of their home and way of life. The displaced Ddaeran aboriginals and half-breeds form the new underclass, those whose only chance at survival is to accept their inferior status and limited opportunities, as in “A Touch of Deceit.” Some Ddaerans form an underground, as in “Unbreakable” and “Aderyn Tanllyd,” choosing to use weapons unavailable and unknown to the Founding race. And a rare few, like the protagonist of “Truth is Stranger” find clever ways to choose peace. Chronicle Worlds: Paradisi is both reflection and prediction; unsettling in its accuracy and fascinating to read. Truth told in the language of SF....more
*NOTICE: I received this book free from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* Meet Lainie Lovett: widow, mother, fou*NOTICE: I received this book free from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* Meet Lainie Lovett: widow, mother, fourth grade teacher, and lifelong amateur soccer player. She's a stable, upper middle class, don't-rock-the-boat solid citizen, until by chance she and her soccer team girlfriends see a team mate's husband in a bar, with a floozy who isn't his wife. Days later, said hubby turns up dead; Lainie's curiosity leads her accidentally to the murder scene, and to Bill Stavik, hunky employee of the deceased and now prime suspect in his boss's murder. Lainie and Bill are attracted, and their attraction leads the local cops to suspect Lainie as well. The romance bumps along as does the murder investigation. Lainie's struggle to clear herself with only her own wits and resources lands her in increasing difficulties, until mild-mannered good girl Lainie gets her inner Nancy Drew on and solves her problems her way. Like all good mysteries, there are twists, turns, and red herrings aplenty. The romance simmers in the background, adding to the complexity of the plot. The cast of well-drawn supporting characters livens up the book, while the author's deadpan humor and droll narrative keep the mood light. Still Kicking is the first of three Lainie Lovett mysteries; I for one will certainly read the next!...more
*NOTICE: I received this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* Witch of the Cards is a fascinating chimera*NOTICE: I received this book from eBook Discovery. This is my voluntary, independent, and honest review.* Witch of the Cards is a fascinating chimera of a novel. The same intriguing cast of characters populate two interwoven plot lines. One story is a historical romance set in NYC and the Jersey shore during the Great Depression. Young orphanage graduate Ivy works as a nanny for a wealthy family. While on a vacation she meets a spiritualist/Tarot reader named Peter. The romance sparks, the obstacles to true love appear, and the final resolution happens just in the nick of time. A wealth of period detail (including dialogue) and well-written characters (even the secondary ones), combined with marvelously descriptive narrative, more than makes up for the standard love story plot. The other story, inextricably woven into the first, is the paranormal coming-of-age tale of Fiera, young water witch, discovering her true identity and coming into her true heritage and powers. Barely able to understand and control her powers at first, she must learn quickly before those who would steal her powers can find and destroy her. Absinthe, hallucinogen-laced candy, flying Tarot cards and other witches and magical creatures help create this mesmerizing alternate place-out-of-time where Fiera's struggle plays out. The genius of author Catherine Stine lies in her own near-magical ability to weave these two tales together so seamlessly, while paying meticulous attention to details of time, place, and character. (One mention of a string bikini was the only slip-up I found.) The downside here is that such complexity and detail come at the expense of pacing - this novel moves very slowly, especially in the beginning. Persist, fellow readers: Witch of the Cards is worth it....more
*NOTICE: I received a ARC from the author. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* A. Wilding Wells writes magnificent love stories, and*NOTICE: I received a ARC from the author. This is my voluntary, independent and honest review.* A. Wilding Wells writes magnificent love stories, and Of Winged Creatures & Nesting Grounds is perhaps her best work to date. The protagonists are 30-something Hunt Hardick, MD, OB/GYN, and 20-something Happy Go Lucky, performance artist/grad student. Hunt has overcome a tragic childhood trauma with the help of a large supportive family, and is more than ready to find love, marry, and have a family of his own. He doesn't do good-byes. Happy is struggling valiantly to overcome her own more recent horrifying family trauma, as well as a progressive and disfiguring skin disorder, with the help of her "plan" for achieving the normal milestones in life without the complications of an actual relationship. She doesn't do love or relationships. Happy and Hunt meet at a bar, where she is drowning her sorrows at the death of her bird. He's attracted and the chase is on. Hunt pursues Happy with undisguised intent, blatant sexuality, and an empathetic tenderness that could melt a heart of stone. Happy is committed to her plan, but Hunt's gently relentless seduction is healing balm to her wounded soul as well as awakening her unexplored sexuality. The end may not be entirely surprising, but Hunt and Happy's journey to HEA-land is fraught with obstacles and miscues that build the romantic suspense to near-painful levels before they finally get it right. AWW is noted for her stunningly complex and quirky characters whose flaws and strengths stem from life-altering events. Hunt and Happy are two of her best. With his incredible capacity to forgive and to love unconditionally, Hunt is an iconic and unforgettable hero - the Sir Galahad of the 21st century. Happy is his damsel in distress, a wounded bird whose fragile condition is overmatched by her boundless courage and her unwavering commitment to living on after life has robbed her of so much. Theirs is a love story for the New Age....more
*NOTICE: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.* When P.I. Sierra Martindale su*NOTICE: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.* When P.I. Sierra Martindale suffers massive heart failure, she requires a heart transplant. She receives the heart of deceased software engineer Sofia James. Sofia, however, is not ready to go into the light. Victim of foul play, she haunts Sierra's dreams, and increasingly invades her waking life. Sierra is driven to adopt Sofia's quest for truth, justice, and maybe a little vengeance too. Sierra is drawn into Sofia's life, family, and marriage, and the unfolding story of Sofia's death leads to industrial espionage, betrayal, and an attraction to Sofia's husband, Wyatt. The plot moves quickly through Sierra's initial disbelief, her increasing acceptance of Sofia's call to act, and the convoluted trail of clues that twist its way to the sadly karmic conclusion of the investigation. Writer Sylvie Kurtz does a fine job of making Sierra's haunting/possession seem strangely benign, despite the compulsion it generates. The characters for the most part stay in the moment, revealing themselves through their interactions as the plot unfolds. I found this story moving, engrossing, and satisfying, and I will definitely look for more of Ms. Kurtz' fine writing. ...more
*NOTICE: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.* Tears in the Fabric of the Uni*NOTICE: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.* Tears in the Fabric of the Universe is a collection of ninec short stories by Patrick Astre. Billed as an anthology of sci-fi thrillers, the nine well-written tales showcase Astre's view of a Rod Serling-like universe where time and existence are fluid, but karma, and maybe love, is forever. I rate the stories as follows:
5 Stars – for dark, chilling mood and inexorable retribution “Gone Fishin' “ - A Mafioso goes deep sea fishing and is caught himself “Tears in the Fabric of the Universe” - Bitter petty criminal finds a means of vengeance...
4 Stars - for irony “Colored Town” - Dying VietNam vet helps avenge past wrongs “Fate” - a sailor in 1963 survives his predicted death... “Instincts” - in 3012, a different take on surviving the apocalypse
3 Stars – for justice done and satisfying conclusions “Easy Death on Sunday Morning” - A loser gambling addict creates good karma – just in time. “The Romanichells” In WWII, Jews captured by the SS are saved by paranormal justice
2 Stars – dark and chilling, but too disjointed. Fleshed out, this one might make a good novel. “A Haunting in Shoreham” - a cop turns paranormal investigator to help friends...more