Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Book Review: Blue Twilight


Synopsis: Every song has a story behind it… 

Lisa is looking forward to a fresh start when she moves to Tennessee. She is focused on her dreams of becoming a song writer and won’t allow anything to distract her. Then she meets Jake and her world is turned upside down. He could wind up being the one to make all her dreams come true or will he shatter them instead? 



Jake wasn’t prepared for Lisa to storm into his life. But now that he’s got her, he’ll do anything to keep her—including lie to her. When the past resurfaces, what lengths will he go to convince Lisa that some dreams are worth fighting for? 

Buy Links: Amazon
Add to your Goodreads "Want to Read" here

Want to learn more about the author, Sarah King? You can find her on Goodreads here


Blue Twilight Trailer






Blue Twilight is author Sarah King's debut novel, and what a sweet way to introduce herself to the book world. 

Blue Twilight is a story about love, forgiveness, trust, redemption, overcoming the biggest hurdle in finding love, your heart, and just a touch of mystery. All that sounds heavy but Mrs. King does a fantastic job at balancing the story with light-hearted humor. I found myself fascinated with the main characters and wanting to learn more about them. There was a sense of wanting to know what was going to happen next, and getting a glimpse into the world of these two seemingly ordinary folks traversing their way on this journey of love. 

Lisa, is an intelligent and independent woman, who's confident in herself yet has her weaknesses that you only see in her inner dialogue. She's truly identifiable. 

Jake, well... what can I say about Jake. He's this elusive country cowboy that you just can't help but fall in love with him. All he has to do is just stand there and smile. His heart completes the total package. 

Blue Twilight is a stand alone story that was truly welcoming. One that I truly enjoyed reading and worthy of burning the midnight oil to finish reading it. 

Do I recommend Blue Twilight? You betcha I do! If you love country music and all things cowboys, read Blue Twilight, it won't disappoint. 

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Book Review: Peeper









WARNING: Contains sexually explicit scenes and a healthy dose of sarcasm.

Synopsis: Adam 'Jenks' Jenkins' carefree life as a small-time private investigator is about to get very complicated. There's something 'off' about his new client, but work is hard to come by in the Welsh town of Llanrhos, and the return is far above his usual paygrade. All he has to do is find a mystery woman and retrieve a set of sexually explicit photographs. Sounds easy. Too easy. Jenks' sanity is tested as the case drags him ever deeper into the dangerous world of Veronica Tailor, where blackmail, seduction and threats of violence run rife. Even his home life is affected as his wife's obsession with Veronica sends her libido into overdrive. 
Will Jenks ever solve the case? Will his wife become a lesbian? Will he ever manage to get some sleep?


Author:  S J SmithPublisher: Sinful Press (June 29, 2015)Buy Links: Amazon US; Amazon UK




Hmmm... where to begin? I guess I should start by saying that this book absolutely rocked! I'm no stranger to sexually explicit books, or smut books, so the nature of the story was nothing new. However, what was new was the voice of the book, the story line, and the narrator of the book. 

The book is written and narrated from a male's POV and I loved it. There was a sense of something new and fresh, for me. This wasn't a love story in the sense of falling deeply in love, but it was a love story nonetheless. I loved how there was no fluff built up around the sex scenes. No "as I looked into the deep blue pools of his eyes, I fell deeper under his spell as he plunged his manhood into me" type stuff. This story was raw and filthy good. 

Of course, it wasn't just sex, which is probably my favorite part of the story. There was substance to the book, the sex was just a hazard of the job as the main character set out to solve a mystery brought to him from a client. Jenks, the main character, sets out to prove to himself that he is a damned good private investigator when he gets a job he can't refuse. With the help and encouragement of his wife, Jenks solves this mystery while going on the wildest ride of his life. 

Do I recommend this story? Yes, I do! Before you do, forget all other smut books you've read because this is not your run of the mill smut story. This one will take you on an explicit ride that you won't forget. 

Monday, June 29, 2015

Book Review: Bloodfellas





Synopsis: "When there's no room left in hell, the dead will turn to crime." Boardwalk Empire meets the Walking Dead. Zombie Gangsters take over the streets of Prohibition era USA. A horror-crime mash up available from Markosia in 2014


Author: Jasper Bark

Illustrator: Mick Trimble
Publisher: Markosia Enterprise Ltd, (February 28, 2015)
Buy Links: Amazon





As far as graphic novels go, this one is fantastic. I've never read a graphic novel, which I recently learned is a collection of story arcs in one book, and I'm happy to have been introduced to graphic novels via Bloodfellas. While it took me a minute to get used to the format, I don't regret one minute of reading this novel. 


Bloodfellas is a unique take on zombies. Zombies, as we all know, are the undead and what better monster to be in charge of a sophisticated crime world where drugs, murder, and avenging death rules. 

Mr. Bark has always had a unique take on zombies and I've always enjoyed that. That's what makes this graphic novel a page turner. I read this novel while on a flight, and it was a great distraction of turbulence. I was disgusted at what I was reading but it was a good disgust. I cringed but it was a good cringe. This story is just full of gore but the humanity behind it makes it a worthwhile read. Everyone deserves love, compassion and understanding, even the undead.. well Mr. Bark's version of the undead. 

Do I recommend Bloodfellas? I do. If you've never read a graphic novel and don't have an aversion to reading about gore, drugs and murder, go for it. 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Book Review: Bottled Abyss



Bottled Abyss


Synopsis:

Herman and Janet Erikson are going through a crisis of grief and suffering after losing their daughter in a hit and run. They've given up on each other, they've given up on themselves. When their dog goes missing, Herman resolves to find the animal, unaware he's hiking to the border between the Living World and the Dead. Long ago the gods died and the River Styxx dried up, but a bottle containing its waters still remains in the badlands. What Herman discovers about the dark power contained in those waters will change his life forever.

Author: Benjamin Kane Ethridge
Publisher: Horrific Tales Publishing (April 3, 2015)  
Buy Links: Amazon






First... let's talk about that cover! Wow! I'm normally not a 'judge the book by its cover' type of reader but when I saw this cover before the book was published, I knew I needed to read this story. That cover speaks emotions that this story will make you feel... despair, loneliness, disgust, and the will to carry on, yes, carry on. Every reader takes away something from every book they read. What I took away from this book is that despite your personal horrors, you have to carry on. No matter how. 

I've got to say that if you love a good Greek mythology story, this is far from what you know. I loved the take that Mr. Ethridge brought with his view on the River Styxx and its inhabitants. But, this story is much more than that. Mr. Ethridge conveys a story of unimaginable loss that no parent should suffer, no marriage should suffer. 

While this story was a bit slow to start with, it grabbed my attention as the story starting going in a completely different direction I thought it would go. Some stories you can read and pretty much figure out what the ending will be like. Not this one. Bottled Abyss grabs your attention with every gruesome and horrific turn that the characters encounter. The scenes are so well written that you find yourself being there witnessing everything as if you were just a mere bystander in the story. As if it were a train wreck that you just can't look at away because you're intrigued as to how and what will happen next. 

I'd say to definitely grab Bottled Abyss and give it a shot. It's worth the read. 



Saturday, January 10, 2015

Book Review: Angel Manor



Synopsis:

A beautiful house – with a dark and deadly secret. 

When Freya inherits her mother's childhood home, she sees it as an opportunity. A chance for a new life with her best friends, as they convert the crumbling mansion into an exclusive hotel. 

Instead, they'll be lucky to escape with their lives. 

As the first hammers tear through the bricked up entrances, a dark, terrible and ancient evil stirs beneath the house. An evil that has already laid claim to Freya and her companions' souls.


Buy Link: Amazon





When I started reading Angel Manor, I knew it was going to be a scary book but I didn't realize how terrifying it would be. Angel Manor will definitely go in my top favorite horror books of all time. It is definitely a truly horrifying book.  I distinctly remember reading this book while the wind was howling outside and the house was making noises. Those are great elements to scare someone especially when they are reading a scary book or watching a scary movie.

Ms. Noordeloos has different supernatural themes going on in the book that can seem overwhelming to the story. However, she ties them all so well that these different themes flow as one symbiotic theme. Never was I confused in the story with what was going on. Never was I confused as to whose head I was in while reading. This story takes the span of a few weeks but it never slows down.

Angel Manor is definitely not for a person who is easily offended or grossed out by graphic and violent themes. Ms. Noordeloos does not hold back in her writing of this story. She pushes these boundaries and when you think she can't push it anymore, she pushes it even farther. I loved that... I never thought I would but I did. She drew me in to the story so much that I couldn't put it down.  Ms. Noordeloos wrote her characters to embody evil and that came through in her writing.

One of the things I truly enjoyed about Angel Manor is that you don't know what's going to happen. You may think you know but you don't. Ms. Noordeloos just spins the tale to keep you guessing as to what's going to happen.

Do I recommend Angel Manor? You bet I do. When a book grabs my attention the way Angel Manor did and I couldn't put the book down, that's when you know it's a truly great book.


Friday, January 2, 2015

Book Review: Lost is the Night - Khale the Wanderer Book 2





Synopsis:
Khale the Wanderer: lost in the wilderness, scarred by Milanda's fate. 
Lord Barneth: the butcher of Colm hosts a feast in Khale's honour - but to what end? 
Cacea Selwen: a mysterious servant-girl whose fortune becomes bound to Khale. 
The Thoughtless Dark: a figure emerges from its shadows to decide if, this night, the Wanderer shall die. 

What others have said:
"Greg James has a wonderfully vivid and creative imagination which sets him apart from other writers in the Fantasy genre." - Cheryl Bradshaw, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Sloane Monroe Series 

"James' writing is flawless and strong. There were many moments when I forgot anything existed but the world he had built." - Heather Marie Adkins, Author of Abigail, The Temple & The House 

"This is dark fantasy of the highest calibre." - Adrian Chamberlin, Author of The Caretakers




Greg James delivers an unforgettable saga in this second installment of Khale the Wanderer books. 

James reintroduces previous characters into this story as well as new ones. He also introduces new and nightmare inducing foes that will make you scream for dear life. Each character introduced is profound and I found myself fighting alongside with them, wanting them to live to see another day, as bleak as those days are. 

In Lost is the Night we find Khale struggling, more than he has in his long existence, for his life. Khale is more vulnerable in this story and we see that side of him. In Under a Colder Sun, Khale was unreachable. Yes, I found him to be interesting with his roguish way but in Lost is the Night, Khale is more human and we see that side of him. We see him literally fighting for his life and fighting for another's life. 

This story takes on a life fighting journey that lasts through an entire night. Never does James skip a beat with everything that is happening. He tells this tale incredibly well and never was I confused as to whose story I was reading.  In the end, you will be left wanting to know more about Khale's fate as he embarks on a new journey in a different and frightening world. 

Do I recommend Lost is the Night? Oh you bet I do. A fantastic grim dark fantasy that will leave you yearning for more.