To Read, or Not To Read

‘The Venus Club’ and ‘Song of The Moth’ (2 Fairy Tales of horror) are available FREE on Amazon over the Easter weekend FRIDAY - MONDAY U.K Link >>>  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Venus-Club-Horror-short-ebook/dp/B004V0VXFQ U.S Link>>>   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V0VXFQ Also Available on all International Amazon platforms. Winner of the indie horror spring 2011 award, ‘The Venus Club’ is a dark little tale about revenge. When Eleanor flees the horrors of her upbringing in a violent and brutal abattoir based in the London The Rookeries, she is saved by a mysterious woman, Kate, who offers her riches beyond her wildest dreams; all Kate’s establishment caters to almost every possible taste, including the bizarre and the weird, but nothing tastes quite as sweet as revenge. ‘The Song of the Moth’, set in Edwardian London is a twisted tale of obsession and desire. A traditional style fairy tale is given the high gothic treatment. With Nemo’s mother in

Title: Resolution Author: Brian Libby Publisher: Avid Readers Publishing Group Published: December 6, 2010 Paperback, 542 pages ISBN 13:  9781935105817 Genre: Fantasy Source: Author Goodreads Summary: The third volume in the Mercenaries seriesThe storm arrives: the Calamian Islands are invaded by powerful forces of an alien civilization abetted by suborned mercenaries. The Pelicans Mercenary Regiment, part of the outnumbered troops available to resist the onslaught, must try to stem the tide until the New Empire can intervene-if, indeed, the Empire itself is not overrun. My thoughts: Resolution  is the third book in the Mercenaries series and picks up right around the time that  Gold and Glory  left off. The Saris have invaded the Calamian Islands and the Pelicans have joined the forces opposing them. The main cast of characters are back. Although in this installment you really get to know many of the commanders from the other regiments. I really like the character of

1. Please tell our readers about  Aversion . Aversion  is a paranormal story about a girl,  Gemma  Green, who has the power to push thoughts into the minds of her assignees to stop them from carrying out acts that will affect their futures. She is not alone in her vocation as an  Averter  but she is unique because she is the only female  Averter  she knows of. Unfortunately  Gemma  runs into trouble after carrying out her first Aversion and she has to make some big decisions that will affect both her life and that of her first  assignee , Russ Tanner, her school’s tennis champ. Aversion is not intended as a simple romance story; it is one of discovery, change and acceptance for the two main characters.   2. Why did you choose the fantasy/paranormal genre to write in? I was a huge fairytale and epic fantasy tale fan in my childhood and I pretty much fell in love with any story that had some form of well-developed mysticism to it. As I grew older and started to expand my writ

New Suspense/Thrillers you should add to your TBR THE DOLL: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel by  Taylor Stevens Hardcover | On Sale  June 4, 2013 Born to missionary parents in lawless Africa, taken under the tutelage of gunrunners, and tortured by one of the jungle’s most brutal men, Vanessa Michael Munroe was forced to do whatever it took to stay alive and has built a reputation on doing whatever it takes to get the job done. On a busy Dallas street, Munroe is kidnapped by an unseen opponent and thrust into an underground world where women and girls are merchandise and a shadowy figure known as The Doll Maker controls her every move. While trusted friends race to unravel where she is and why she was taken, everything pivots on one simple choice: Munroe must use her unique set of skills to deliver a high-profile young woman into the same nightmare that she once endured, or condemn to torture and certain death the one person she loves above all else. Driven by the violence

Title: Finn Finnegan Author: Darby Karchut Publisher: Spencer Hill Press Published: March 12, 2013 Paperback, Arc, 200 pages ISBN: 9781937053321 Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy Source: Publisher Summary: Finnegan MacCullen: a thirteen-year-old apprentice with the famous Irish temperament. Gideon Lir: a legendary Celtic warrior with a bit of a temper of his own. Secretly, these blue-collar warriors battle the hobgoblins infesting their suburban neighborhood...when they are not battling each other. Finn (not bleedin' Finnegan) MacCullen is eager to begin his apprenticeship. He soon discovers the ups and downs of hunting monsters in a suburban neighborhood under the demanding tutelage of the Knight, Gideon Lir. Both master and apprentice are descendents of the Tuatha De Danaan, a magical race of warriors from Ireland. Scattered long ago to the four corners of the world, the De Danaan wage a two thousand year old clandestine battle with their ancient enemy, the A

Title: The Real Jane Austen: A Life of Small Things Author: Paula Byrne Publisher: Harper Published: January 1, 2013 Ebook, ARC ISBN 13: 9780062199065 Genre: Nonfiction Source: Edelweiss Amazon Summary: The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things offers a startlingly original look at the revered writer through a variety of key moments, scenes, and objects in her life and work. Going beyond previous traditional biographies which have traced Austen’s daily life from Steventon to Bath to Chawton to Winchester, Paula Byrne’s portrait—organized thematically and drawn from the most up-to-date scholarship and unexplored sources—explores the lives of Austen’s extended family, friends, and acquaintances. Through their absorbing stories, we view Austen on a much wider stage and discover unexpected aspects of her life and character. Byrne transports us to different worlds—the East Indies and revolutionary Paris—and different events—from a high society scandal to a petty case of sh

Why I wrote about Abortion and Rape   by Rachelle Ayala Hidden Under Her Heart is a very personal book. I didn’t originally intend to capture  the heart-wrenching and divisive issues of abortion and rape . I was inspired by Matt Patterson, author of My Emily , to come to terms with the death of my son Ross in 1995. I told him I was in awe of his ability to look back through the years and write a memoir about his daughter Emily, her birth, illness and death. He said I could do that too, someday. At the time, it was unfathomable. I could not view my son’s pictures without crying and didn’t think I could relive those days in the NICU. My friend Melisa Hamling, author of Twenty Weeks , encouraged me to use Ross’s life in a positive way. I remember a scene at my kitchen table shortly after Ross died. My two friends, avid pro-lifers, were sitting around criticizing second trimester abortions. I was in a fog and refused to think about these things. But it dawned on me that R

Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Author: L. Frank Baum Illustrated by: Michael Sieben Published: February 19, 2013 Published by: Harper Design Hardback, 224 pages Genre: middle grade, fantasy Source: Publisher Goodreads Summary: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the first book in the Land of Oz series although Baum did not originally intend for Oz to be a series. The story chronicles the adventures of Dorothy Gale in the Land of Oz, after being swept away from her Kansas farm home in a storm and deposited in a field in Munchkin Country. The falling house kills the evil ruler of the Munchkins, the Wicked Witch of the East. Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He wrote thirteen novel sequels, nine other fantasy novels, and other works. My thoughts: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  by L. Frank Baum is timeless. Even if you haven't read the book, you've probably watched the movie. I know I'

Title: One Direction: A Year With One Direction Author: One Direction Publisher: Harper Collins Published: January 2, 2013 Paperback, 64 pages ISBN: 978-0-06-222317-3 Genre: Non-Fiction Source: Unsolicited from Publisher Goodreads Summary: One Direction are the biggest band on the planet. Celebrate their story with this official guide crammed full of exclusive interviews and never-seen-before photos. My thoughts: One Direction is very popular among the teen set these days. The band has been everywhere from concerts to award shows, from television appearances to magazine covers. One Direction: A Year With One Direction  takes a look at their lives from their beginning on  X-Factor to where they are today. This book includes interviews with each member, articles such as how they feel about their fans, and their personal style. This book is something that every One Direction fan will want to own. It's full of fun facts, quizzes, and insight to this boy band. It also

1. Describe The Mark of Abel in three words. Lucifer - Redemption - Heart 2. Lucifer has a starring role in The Mark of Abel. What made you choose him? He chose me. National Novel Writing Month 2007 started with a scene I wrote in 2003. A vampire bites the woman he loves in order to turn her, giving her the greatest gift he knows. She doesn’t understand, is abhorred, and rejects him. The original title was Rejection: A Vampire’s Tale. As things progressed, Lucifer decided he wanted to be the hero. The biggest rejection in all stories is Lucifer’s expulsion from heaven. As I thought about it, it made sense. Fallen angels are seen as demons and vampires are demons. According to math, if A=B and C=B than A=C. Making Lucifer a vampire made sense. I was surprised no one had done it before. 3. Why did you decide to give Janie the gift of painting? I love art, but I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler. I initially made her a painter to differentiate her from me. That’s also wh

Title: Crash: Visions, Book 1 Author: Lisa McMann Narrated by: Allyson Ryan Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio Published: January 8, 2013 Length: 5 hours 18 minutes ISBN13: 9781442357587 Genre: Young Adult Source: Publisher Goodreads Summary: Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that. What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow. My thoughts: I've enjoyed several books by Lisa McMann, so I was excited to read Crash.  Though this story was good, it was not great. The story line is easy to follow but it failed to captivate me. The story centers around Jules. She's a normal teen in every way except she has visions of a crash that involves her families nemesis and

Life, Liberty, and Virus Thirteen by Joshua Alan Parry Controlling medical costs in the United States, to put it kindly, is a work in progress. If I was a pessimist, I might liken our current situation to a runaway train dragging us all towards financial ruin, but I am more of a "cup-is-half-full-of-crippling-debt" kind of guy. In my novel, Virus Thirteen , I delve into a universe where the United States’ medical system is vastly different than it is now, where ever-increasing medical costs and insurance premiums have left the majority of Americans without any health care at all. The U.S. government, saddled with the medical bills of the uninsured, is bankrupted. Subsequently, the greatest depression the country has ever known follows. From the ashes of this economic collapse, the Department of Homeland Healthcare is formed, an organization whose sole purpose is to provide medical care to all and, more importantly, to control its costs...by any means necessary. A t

Scientists James Logan and his wife, Linda, have their dream careers at the world’s leading biotech company, GeneFirm, Inc. But their happiness is interrupted by a devastating bioterrorist attack: a deadly superflu that quickly becomes a global pandemic. Linda’s research team is sent to underground labs to develop a vaccine, but security is soon breached and Linda is in danger. To save her, James must confront a desperate terrorist, armed government agents, and an invisible killer: Virus Thirteen. Thanks to Tor, I have a copy of Virus Thirteen to giveaway to a lucky reader. This giveaway is open to US addresses only. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. a Rafflecopter giveaway

This April, Knopf will publish Manuscript Found In Accra, the new novel by internationally bestselling author Paulo Coelho. Set in the heart of Jerusalem on the eve of certain invasion in the year 1099, Manuscript Found In Accra continues Coelho's unmatched ability to reveal the essence of who we are, what we fear, and where our hope for the future comes from. To pre-order the book click here . If audio books is your thing, Manuscript Found in Accra is read  by Jeremy Irons. How great is that!

1. Emblaze is the third novel in the Embrace series. How many books do you have planned for this series? I think it is now safe to say there will be five books in the series. I was never sure and didn't want to over commit or restrict the story so I have been taking it one book at a time. But I do feel that book 5 will be the end.  2. You have some great characters. Which character is your favorite and why? I tell the story in Violet's point of view so I am most definitely closest to her. I feel all of her heartache and emotion so I am also most invested in her. That said, I don't know...it is like asking a parent to pick a favorite child. I love the three main characters - Violet, Lincoln and Phoenix the most. But it wouldn't be the same without Steph's logic, Spence's humor, Onyx's bite, or Griffin's morality. They all work together. 3. What is your favorite scene in the series so far? There is a chapter in EMBLAZE written in Phoenix's

Q&A WITH SUSAN MALLERY, AUTHOR OF THREE SISTERS With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans. Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com and www.facebook.com/susanmallery . 1) You’ve lived

Title: Emblaze (The Violet Eden Chapters #3) Author: Jessica Shirvington Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Published: March 5, 2013 Ebook, ARC ISBN-13: 9781402268465 Genre: Paranormal Source: Publisher Goodreads Summary: Once again Violet Eden faces an impossible choice ... and the consequences are unimaginable. Violet has come to terms with the fact that being part angel, part human, means her life will never be as it was. Now Violet has something Phoenix - the exiled angel who betrayed her - will do anything for, and she has no intention of letting it fall into his hands. The only problem is that he has something she needs too. Not afraid to raise the stakes, Phoenix seemingly holds all the power, always one step ahead. And when he puts the final pieces of the prophecy together, it doesn't take him long to realize exactly who he needs in order to open the gates of Hell. With the help of surprising new allies, ancient prophecies are deciphered, a destination set and,