Joy V Smith Day 2

First why don't you tell us a little about yourself?
I've been writing stories since I was a kid; I continued through college--sometimes when I should have been studying--and I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.  My stories and articles have  been published in print and online magazines, in anthologies and audiobooks.  I live in central Florida with Blizzard the Snow Princess and Bryn the Flying Corgi.

Newest release?
My latest story, "Cold New Planet," is in the anthology, Science Fiction Consortium.  It also takes place on a frontier.

What can we expect from your stories, action, drama, romance,sex, blood and guts?
There could be action and mayhem, drama and death, a little sex and/or romance and possibly blood and guts now and then.

Do you have a favorite character in your stories? Who? and Why?
Bolt is one of my favorite characters in Detour Trail; he is mysterious at first, but he helps Lorrie now and then--as she passes through his territory.  I really like him, but I don't want to give away too much.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book:
Jake, also a favorite character, is a mule; the story also includes horses, dogs, and Gray Cloud, the wolf, and assorted humans who join her along the way--or try to ambush her.

Has there been any other authors who have inspired your work or helped you out with your stories?
I teethed on westerns by Zane Grey and Max Brand, and I love stories with feisty heroines, including science fiction books by Andre Norton and James H. Schmitz, among many others.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
Reviews are always appreciated, and I'd love to hear what you particularly enjoyed about a story--or not.

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published?
Lots of good books are out there for readers. Check out the Liaden and Vorkosigan series by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller and Lois McMaster Bujold respectively, 'cause if you find a good series and author--and these are great--you have a lot of pleasure awaiting you.  
For writers, persevere.  When you finish a story--or even if you don't--put it aside to read later.  You'll probably discover typos and mistakes then.  Edit, edit, edit.  Those mispelled words and words used wrongly are distracting to a reader.  Look them up!


Do you have a favorite author? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?
Terry Pratchett.  His books are mainly fantasy, but they're witty and intelligent. (There's a book of quotes from his books: The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld.)  He shows humans at their best and worst, and he turns fantasy cliches on their heads.

Can you remember one of the first things you wrote? What makes it memorable? 
Besides making me cringe?  Well, some of the first stories had to be discarded.  I mean--Yikes!  But some early stories are funny, such as The Princess Quest, which is tongue-in-cheek, and Too Tight (flash fiction making fun of people and aliens) and Carnies (genetic engineering).  OK, I'll go with Carnies 'cause playing with carnivorous plants was fun. 


Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your work?
I've read a lot and seen a lot of movies, and sometimes they make me want to change them or the circumstances.  (Think Tribbles, for instance...)  They're percolating in my mind... 

Do you have any other interesting hobbies, pets or stories you would like to share?
I love exploring houses, whether old and abandoned or being built.  I've had a few pets (Okaaay.  Lots and lots of cats and dogs, a rabbit, ....)

Favorite places to travel or visit?
England, New England, and the West.  I'd love to return to all of those places.

And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

Detour Trail excerpt: 

She came out when she heard the sound of Jake’s hooves nearing the cabin and stopped at the door within reach of her favorite rifle; then she saw him coming down the path from the Summers.  She would have know him even without the gray wolf at his side.  He was pale and thinner than when she’d first seen him, but he walked easily.  She knew he’d had to hang on to the furniture when he first got up.  Star had told her.

He stopped at the bottom of the porch steps, but the wolf came on up.  “I’ve come to thank you.  They told me you saved my life.”

“You owe a lot to your wolf also,” she said.  “What’s his name?  I’ve often wondered.’

“Grey Cloud.”  He looked down at the wolf.  “Good Cloud,” he said softly.  “Good boy.”  He looked back at her, “and I’m Barrett Lee.”

“Lorena Emerson,” she said holding out her hand.  He came up the steps to take it.  They both knew each other’s names actually--but only second hand.  However, it was the polite thing to do and enabled them to start a conversation.  ...

Further into summer, Barrett’s leg was stronger, and he began running down the path and up again.  Exercising it, she realized.  He also seemed less content during his visits and looked up at the muntain now and then.  One day he asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?  I’m beholden to you; I can help with wood cutting.  I see you don’t have any wood yet for the coming winter.”

He looked at the cabin door, and she coaxed him in with an offer of cornbread.  He studied the fireplace.  “That uses a lot of wood.  You don’t have a woodstove, I see.”

“Nope.”  She didn’t tell him that she’d ordered one and it was its way.  She also didn’t tell him that she was going to pick it up soon.  He’d volunteer for that.  He could help her and get out of the cabins that were possibly begining to stifle him.  Brock had told her something about mountain men.  As a matter of fact, he’d mentioned it more often lately.

And that reminded her of a conversation a couple women had had in the general store a while back while she was there picking up more potatoes, salt, and some candy. “It’s not always easy getting a man to come up to scratch,” the older woman told the younger one.  “It’s a lot easier scaring them off by getting romantic and possessive.”  It sounded to Lorrie as if she spoke from personal experience.

Lorrie began her attack on the porch as they sat munching cornbread.  She touched his arm and batted her eyes.  “It’s so nice having a man around the cabin,” she said.  “You sure make a woman feel safe.”  She batted her eyes again and hoped she wouldn’t puke.  Or maybe he would.  “You should come down for breakfast some morning.  Real early.”  This time she didn’t bat her eyes.  She pressed his arm instead.

She wasn’t surprised when he slid away, stood up, and mumbled something about getting back to help Brock milk the horses or something.  Men, she thought, in relief and maybe a hint of regret.  She wasn’t surprised when Brock came down the next afternoon and told her that their visitor had gone.  Brock had taken him to town to buy a horse and was now on his way home.  “What did you say to him, girl?”  he demanded.

She shook her head and grinned.  “Men are so predictable,” was all she’d say.

You can find Detour Trail at the publisher:  http://www.melange-books.com/authors/joyvsmith/detourtrail.html
And Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Detour-Trail-Joy-V-Smith/dp/1612355706/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1364491553&sr=8-8&keywords=Joy+V.+Smith

Joy V. Smith
author of Strike Three, Detour Trail, Cold New Planet,
Pretty Pink Planet, Hot Yellow Planet,
Hidebound, Sugar Time, Crystal Quest,
and The Doorway and Other Stories

Joy V Smith Day 1

Detour Trail by Joy V. Smith

 

Westward bound on the Oregon Trail, Lorrie Emerson is left behind and alone after her uncle is killed.  Ignoring the wagon master's advice to go home, she rounds up others needing help; they join a later wagon train and are soon slogging through dust and mud and steep mountain passes, but it's not long before she's again forging her own trail and searching for a new home and supplies as winter reaches out its icy hands.... Settling the frontier isn't easy!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Detour-Trail-Joy-V-Smith/dp/1612355706/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1364491553&sr=8-8&keywords=Joy+V.+Smith

Joy V. Smith
author of Strike Three, Detour Trail, Cold New Planet,
Pretty Pink Planet, Hot Yellow Planet,
Hidebound, Sugar Time, Crystal Quest,
and The Doorway and Other Stories

New Release: Be The One is LIVEEEEE!

                                         

When heartbreaker meets ballbreaker sparks will fly.

→ US: http://amzn.to/1FBnMoP

→ UK: http://amzn.to/1FnM3BV

→ B&N: http://bit.ly/1ytSv6K

→ KOBO: http://bit.ly/1ChxRI4

→ iBOOKS: http://bit.ly/1uvmQCi

→ GOOGLE PLAY: http://bit.ly/1MfHiLU

Rockstar, Jett Vaughn, isn't against settling down, but no woman has ever held his attention long enough for a relationship to develop. That is until he meets Presley Hart. She's confident, opinionated and headstrong. She drives him to the edge of crazy, but he can't deny how she makes him feel.

He wants her heart, but she only wants his body.

Presley's not against giving her heart to a man, but she has too many reasons why he's not the one to give it to. Jett isn't a man who will take no for an answer though. He's about to declare war on her reasons and take what he wants.

** Please note this is a novella of approximately 25000 words that introduces you to Jett & Presley. Their story is completed in BE THE ONE which has just been released; http://amzn.to/1e5ezxl **



                                                 

Review of Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Lord of Scoundrels

By Loretta Chase

 

I don’t pay for many books – I prefer to see what I can find on free download days – but I did pay for this historical romance because of its high recommendations.  It doesn’t disappoint. 

Sebastian Leslie Guy de Ath Ballister is an earl.  He’s rich, but he’s far from attractive.  His father hated him.  His mother ran off and left him to his father’s mercy.  He has to pay for sex.  He gambles and carouses. No decent English woman with any self-worth would ever marry him.

Then Jessica Pembury enters the picture.  She is angry with Sebastian for encouraging her brother into a life of dissipation.  Yet, she finds herself strangely attracted to the brutish man.  She ignores his attempts to disgust her and refuses to find him revolting, like most woman do.  Sebastian is completely confused by Jessica yet finds himself falling in love with her.

Will Sebastian mend his wicked ways to win Jessica?  Is there a happily ever after for this odd couple?

The conversation and interactions between roguish Sebastian and clever Jessica are witty and hilarious.  Lord of Scoundrels won’t bore you for one moment. It was worth every penny.

Siobhan

Five stars

Review of Lost in Temptation by Lauren Royal

Lost in Temptation

By Lauren Royal

 

I’m a huge PBS Masterpiece Theatre fan, so I must admit that I’m becoming quite an enthusiast of historical romances.  There are many good and numerous bad books in this genre – this happens to be a good one. 

Lady Alexandra Chase, who lives with her older brother and two younger sisters, has always had a crush on her older brother’s friend, Tristan.  When Tristan moved to Jamaica, he sent her a cameo.  She’s treasured it ever since but has no hope of ever seeing Tristan again.  However, on the cusp of accepting a marriage proposal from the dreary, faded Lord Shelton, Tristan reappears, now a Marquess.  Despite the severe attraction between the two of them, Alexandra cannot marry Tristan.  He is suspected of murdering his uncle to inherit his estate and title, and no one in decent society will welcome him.

Alexandra is determined to clear Tristan’s name so that he can be accepted by English society again.  Will she be successful?  

The little details in this novel made it so enjoyable, e.g., the fact that the entire Chase family has a notorious sweet tooth.  Each chapter begins with a recipe from Alexandra’s old family recipe collection.  I found myself scurrying to the kitchen cupboards multiple times while reading this book; the descriptions of the cookies, cakes, etc. made me crave a snack with every reading session. 

Siobhan

Five stars

Michael Don Fess Day 5

The Cruising Serial Killer
By Michael Don Fess
Forman Blocker is a serial killer who preys on cruise ship passengers, assumes their identity,
and enjoys their assets as he island-hops around the Caribbean. Several grown men go on a
Caribbean cruise and never return.
The killer discovers assets he never expected to find and plots a path to enrich himself. Can an
iPad become the key to the mystery? The FBI thinks it has possibilities




"Casino Scams"


   A fictional look at some of the scams in casinos.   Based in Tunica, MS, the fast paced mystery keeps the pages turning.

Read Part COMING SOON :

Michael Don Fess Day 4

 These novels are based on new scientific discoveries first published in August of 2012. DNA was proven to be an excellent data storage medium.
    Archeologists theorize that the history of the universe was encoded in our DNA. In the novels, two graduate students undertake to decode that history they believe to be there.
    What they find changes their lives and nearly gets them killed by interests who don't want the truth revealed. Their DNA search becomes an international conspiracy.

"The Secret DNA Code" Available in PRINT and as eBook
"The DNA Conspiracy"  The Sequel now available as an eBook

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Know Your Time"

    An interesting dissertation on TIME. Have you ever wondered if time is different on other planets?
    Why are there twenty four hours in a day? 

Now at Amazon.com Barnes & Noble  Kobo, and Smashwords.com

Laurell K Hamilton and Anita Blake

Wanted to get on my blog talk a series I have really enjoyed. One of my favorite authors just put out another of the Anita Blake novels. Now if you have not read these books, be forewarned, they are not for the faint of heart and they are not easy reads. Blood, guts, horror, sex, mystery, vamps, were animals of every breed, zombies, witch's and even love await anyone who read this series. The series which starts with Guilty Pleasures(book1). The first of several books about Anita. You as the reader really getting to know the world as Anita does. Her job, an animator who raises the dead, and the powers she doesn't know about or even fathom. Now as each book unfolds Anita grows as character, learns new abilities and also learns more about the world around her and how she is affected by these new abilities she acquires. Each book builds upon each other so you must read them in order. The blood, guts and horror keep up and surprise you at each turn, giving you chills and nightmares along the way. With every book brings new challenges and shocking mysteries that would be a awesome horror movie. As more and more paranormal things go boo in the night, sexual tension starts to build in the series (about book 7 or 8). The tension builds and builds and eventually explodes into some pretty crazy sex scenes that will stop your heart. Far from the happily ever after story line but as Anita grows and learns about the world, Laurell K Hamilton does a good job at slowly getting you ready for more and more shocking things that make you want to read each story.

Here is the line up for the books

Guilty Pleasures (1993)

The Laughing Corpse (1994)

Circus of the Damned (1995)

The Lunatic Cafe (1996)

Bloody Bones (1996)

The Killing Dance (1997)

Burnt Offerings (1998)

Blue Moon (1998)

Obsidian Butterfly (2000)

Narcissus in Chains (2001)

Cerulean Sins (2003)

Incubus Dreams (2004)

Micah (2006)

Danse Macabre (2006)

The Harlequin (2007)

Blood Noir (2008)

Skin Trade (2009)

Flirt (2010)

Bullet (2010)

Hit List (2011)

Kiss the Dead (2012)

Affliction (2013)

Jason (2014)

Dead Ice (2015)   

I have several of the reviews to the series here on Julies Book Review and I'm currently reading Dead Ice and will have a review up soon. I highly recommend this series for lovers of horror and mystery but don't be squeamish about sex either (sex doesn't really get heavy until book 11 or 13).

Happy Reading
Julie Ramsey

Michael Don Fess Day 3

In today's world of cyberspace, there are people who can make the zeros and ones dance to almost any tune. Many of us have experienced a disastrous virus or an email web attack. One has to wonder about a sick mind that tries to inflict damage on innocent people.
Such is the mind of our protagonist as he flits around the Caribbean on cruise ships, killing his victims without pangs of conscience or regret. Only the combined intelligence and the determined effort of several other smart people can even hope to challenge such a person.
One surviving victim becomes the key for a high tech effort by authorities to capture the killer using the very latest electronic technology all the way from Miami's South Beach to Puerto Rico.
You are able to see the cat and mouse antics of people who are masters of their art, experience their pain in the agony of defeat along with the ecstasy of success in an epic battle of minds, all of which precipitates a shocking ending.


A Bahamian lobster fisherman discovers a mystery hidden by the Nazis near the end of WWII and people began to be murdered. Why are they so desperate to preserve this secret? Did the Nazis really did get help from aliens when they made such phenomenal progress in the years during Hitler’s rise to power?



She shot her abusive husband and took a two week cruise. It was two weeks that changed her life as events unfolded beyond her wildest imagination.



What happens when a woman reaches the breaking point and shoots her husband in a desperate panic to save her own life. You’ll be surprised to know that she takes a two week cruise where the shocks only seem to get worse. 

Michael Don Fess Day 2

First why don't you tell us a little about yourself?

​I love to do anything creative. I've remodeled buildings, created sculpture, wrote and arranged music​, painted abstracts, and am writing fiction.

Almost eighty years old, I have a lot of experience to draw on and a lot of friends with stories.

Newest release?

​"The Secret​ DNA Code" and "The DNA Conspiracy"

  

What can we expect from your stories, action, drama, romance,sex, blood and guts?

​A lot of imagination​, unusual twists, interesting characters, and surprising endings.

Do you have a favorite character in your stories? Who? and Why?

​I've created so many with seventeen published books that I don't have just one favorite. I have several.

​

 Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:

​Researching in the Caribbean, the Bahamas and the Abacos was probably the most fun.​

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful? 

​Leave reviews and tell their friends.​

Do you have any tips for readers or advice for other writers trying to get published? 

​I published ten important ingredients for a successful novel at www.fessbooks.com​

Do you have a favorite author? If yes, what draws you to that person’s work?

​I probably enjoyed the work of Lawrence Sanders as much as any.

Can you remember one of the first things you wrote? What makes it memorable?

​The novel I renamed "A Political Dance' for the series including "Dancing With The Mafia" and "A Dance With Carlos"​

Where do you gather most of the inspiration for your work

​Mostly experiences, but the DNA series ​came from the TV program "Ancient Aliens"

   __________________________________________

Descriptions and author information can be found at www.FessBooks.com.

All titles are available at www.fessbooks.com, Amazon, B & N. Smashwords, etc.

Michael Don Fess Day 1

Passengers walking down the pier to explore the island had no idea they were being watched by a serial killer. He was searching for a male passenger who looked a lot like him so he could murder him, assume his identity, and go on board for the remainder of the cruise.

"The Cruising Serial Killer" is book one of a four book series of Caribbean mysteries.

The other titles are "The Cruising Black Widow" . . . "Mystery on Elbow Cay" . . . "Her Two Week Cruise"

Descriptions and author information can be found at www.FessBooks.com.

All titles are available at www.fessbooks.com, Amazon, B & N. Smashwords, etc.

Review of Sold to the BillionBear by Jennifer Wild

Sold to the BillionBear
by
Jennifer Wild


      Claire is a respected, valued member of the firm. After a friend convinces her to participate in the charity auction for a date, her life takes a drastic turn.

   I really enjoyed this book. Short and sexy, fun and keeps your interest. Claire is a good employee and loves her job but has let her life suffer and is truly unhappy. This is her story and how it changes. Meeting someone and having that connection and just knowing they may be the one. Worth the read and the author is worth following.

4 stars
Julie R

Review of Echoes from the Oasis by A.R Tirant

Echoes from the Oasis

By A.R. Tirant

Echoes from the Oasis is a historical fiction novel set in the Republic of Seychelles in the early 1900s.  For those of you who are not familiar with the country (I must admit I had no geographical knowledge of the area until reading this book), the Republic of Seychelles is 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, more than 1,000 east of Southeast Africa.  The climate is tropical and the inhabitants are descendants of British and French colonists and African slaves.

The author herself was born in the Seychelles in the 1950s.  She crafts an intriguing story of her home country, weaving in the gorgeous scenery and the customs and beliefs of the inhabitants.  The story begins with Anna, a teenage girl who breaks social custom and becomes a nurse.  Anna meets a young man, Louis, who is a member of the wealthy Du Barre family.  Anna and Louis fall in love – even consummating their love -- which is considered taboo in the strict Catholic society on the island.  The couple plans to marry but a shipwreck and other complications wrench the them apart.  Do Anna and Louis ever find each other again? 

I enjoyed this historical romance, particularly the fact that the plotline was really unique.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about new locations and accurate depictions of historical eras.

Siobhan

Five stars

Review of The Hester Street Kids by Armando Minutoli

The Hester Street Kids

By Armando Minutoli

Katie (Katherine Burdino) is an Italian-American nurse in New York’s Little Italy .  She meets Kevin Mandrell, a CIA agent and accomplished concert pianist with the Zurich Philharmonic, by chance, when Kevin finds himself wandering through the wrong neighborhood on the way to meet a CIA contact.  Kevin is saved by a young boy, Billy, who has lost his parents.  Billy takes Kevin to Katie’s home for safety.  Katie and Kevin develop an instant attraction.

Katie and Kevin fall in love, but their romance is complicated by the mafia ties in Katie’s family.  While growing up, Katie never knew that her father, an upstanding pharmacist, was behind so much illegal activity.  However, after being taken into confidence by a concerned aunt, who grew up with her father, Katie comes to realize the unsettling depths of her father’s underworld connections, which began with his childhood on Hester Street (hence, the novels’s title -- The Hester Street Kids).

The Hester Street Kids is an enjoyable read about Italian American life in urban America in the 1950s.  The author delves into the main characters’ culture and religion and how it has affected their everyday life.   Some of the characters are enjoyable, others disgusting, some pitiable.  The interactions among these various individuals makes for a great story filled with intrigue and suspense.

I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in a fiction novel with historically accurate descriptions of the culture of Italian Americans in the United States in the mid-20^th century.    

Siobhan

Five stars

Review of Temporary Saints by Mark Warhus

Temporary Saints
Mark Warhus

One of the benefits of reviewing for JBR is to come across something I would never read, but
once I do I’m glad I did. “Temporary Saints” is one of those books. I am not religious; I am a
Taoist knowledgeable about Christianity.
First and foremost “Temporary Saints” is very well ­written with an extraordinary plot. The author
knows of what he speaks and has created ordinary people living through some not ­so ­ordinary
circumstances. Familiarity with “The Lives of the Saints” was helpful in getting what the author ‘s
book structure was all about but it’s not necessary to understand what’s going on. The sane and
the crazed are alive and well in this novel.
Sarah is the temporary saint. She is found one night levitating in a Catholic parish church by the
housekeeper and pastor. Saying she was sent by God to deliver a message prompts the pastor
to call the archbishop. The archbishop brings in Michael a gay psychotherapist to evavluate
Sarah’s state of mind and health.
Thus begins the well ­told tale. Throw in some miracles, the power of the media, the struggles of
a divorced couple with a teenage son and a gay father, along with controversy between
conservative and liberal­ minded Christians about the place of homosexuals in organized religion
and you have a brew of laughter and hatred that will make the judgmental person squirm.
The book is spot on in its depiction of reactions to the clash between Christian liberals and
conservatives and the challenge of being a saint in a secular society. If you suspend disbelief
long enough for this excellent quick read you’ll be glad you did. I am.

Bill S
5 Stars

Review of Stiletto by Caddy Rowland

Stiletto - The Avengement Series

Author - Caddy Rowland

What women does not feel powerful and sexy in a nice 4", red shiny leather stiletto heels ?? They are waiting for just the right foot to step into them and reveal a secret unlike any shoe.

Jasmine had a rough life, nothing has ever came easy to her. She has worked for everything she had. At a young age she went to New York seeking a new life. With no family she was on her own. Tory saved Jasmine, got her job and helped her get up onto her feet. Jasmine was dancing in a first class gentlemen's club when she met Stu. Stu swept her off her feet out of a world that no women belongs in.

Jasmine was living her fairy tale dream. She had a husband, glamorous house, all the clothes and a prince charming to top her dream off. It all soon comes crashing down around her when Stu tells her the his company is being investigated. His college friend and partner, John made sure Stu would take the fall for a company that did not exist.

Jasmine lost it all and she has one thing on her mind REVENGE. She will make sure John pays for what he has taken from Jasmine. For 2 years she planned and waited for the perfect time. . . . . . Jasmine feels nothing but, hate and soon she will be able to express all her feelings.

What a great read ! ! ! Rowland painted to the prefect picture in this novel. This is one that you will not want to start UNLESS you can read it from the first sentence to the last. Jasmine is a true SURVIVOR, she lost everything not just once but two times in her life. I can not wait to read book 2!!!

5 WOWZERS stars

Wende

Release Blitz for The Only One for Her

When is a heart too broken to fix? Just days before his wedding, handsome, successful entrepreneur, Trace Michaels, finds out his love wasn’t enough. With a broken heart, Trace lands in Maui, hoping to find solace in the beautiful island. What he finds is beauty, but in the form of an alluring, grieving woman. One he feels an instant and inescapable attraction to. Young widow, Lindy Bernard, had her heart broken when her husband died. In Maui to reluctantly close a chapter in her life, she suddenly finds herself in the arms of a drop-dead, gorgeous Adonis. After his relentless pursuit, Lindy and Trace begin to find healing...only to have that endangered by a secret threatening to tear them apart. All is not what it seems in Trace’s company, and it seems one woman has set out to ruin him. Can he juggle the odious plots against him while chasing the woman of his heart? Will she wait or are some hearts too broken to be fixed? Excerpt: I couldn’t get the image of Lindy out of my mind—her long, golden hair waving in the breeze. The black halter dress, which showed off her gorgeous form. When I grabbed her to stop her from falling in, the feel of her body against mine had begun something to me. I felt the need to protect her. A desire to know her. It was the strangest thing that had ever happened to me. I hadn’t felt overpowered with emotion like this before. It wasn’t just physical attraction. Something about Lindy just called to me. My heart had gone out to her and when she walked away, she somehow took my heart with her., I wanted to know everything about her, but I’d only gotten her name.

http://tinyurl.com/onlyoneforherkindleus
http:/tinyurl.com/onlyoneforherkindleuk
https://www.facebook.com/carliesextonauthor
https://twitter.com/CarlieSexton4
http://www.carliesextonromance.com/


About the author:
I have always had a passion for reading my entire life. I love it so that I dedicated my life to educating children. As a teacher, I have had the profound pleasure of teaching children to read and explore their imaginations through a good book. Just recently I decided to write a story that had been on my mind. Now I have several that I want to turn into additional books. Writing has become a passion that I dearly love.

I live with my handsome husband in Southern California. We enjoy the relaxed lifestyle that California provides. We have two beautiful dogs, but on children.

http://onceuponanalpha.com

http://www.facebook.com/onceuponanalpha

http://www.twitter.com/onceuponanalpha

Review of The Friend Zone by Kristen Callahan

Book:  The Friend Zone

Author: Kristen Callahan

5 Stars

Genre: New adult romance

After reading the first book in the Game On series (The Hook Up) I was impressed with author Kristen Callihan's writing and looked forward to reading book two "The Friend Zone". Readers were first introduced to Gray Grayson, college football star, in the first story and The Friend Zone is the story of Gray and Ivy Mackenzie, his future sports agent's daughter. The story starts with a very witty and entertaining monologue of texts between Gray and Ivy that had me laughing out loud. The friendship turns into something more after they finally meet, but not without resistance from both parties. They both fear losing a valued friendship if a romantic involvement doesn't work out between them. Their relationship is humorous, bittersweet, and amazingly hot all rolled into one! Ms. Callihan was able to capture the true essence of Gray's and Ivy's feelings for one another from friends to lovers, and everything in between. This is a great read and I would recommend this series as must read for 2015.

 

KD

Review of Lily in Chains by Kate Richards

LILY IN CHAINS

BY KATE RICHARDS

For Barry, the opportunity to help build the newest Las Vegas resort, the BDSM-focused Carnivore Club, offers the chance to put aside two years of longing for the sub who ran away. In the glittering city in the desert, he could make a new start and a new life. The gift of a 1Night Stand from his mysterious partner in the endeavor.

Lily’s fears drove her away from the man of her dreams. In fact, she ran all the way home to learn her mother had been diagnosed with cancer and needed her help. After two years of caring for her mother, they lost the fight and Lily was cast adrift to once again pick of the threads of her life.

Terrified she’d flee the instant things got too intense, Lily asks Madame Eve to help her set up a date with a Dom. If she can handle one night with a stranger, maybe she can return to Barry and beg him to take her back.

this was well-written and fast paced short love story read.  characters and whole BDSM well done too.

 Barry and Lilly so much passion and love between two of them you can feel it. lilly ran away back home take care of her mother who had cancer and also she run from barry too how she felt and who he was and what he does in the bedroom. barry was all over the place not knowing what he did to lose woman he fell in love with and claimed as his. years later they get that chance to face what happen. will he give her a second chance and why she left in the first place.

REVIEWER

OLIVIA

5STARS

Review of Schism by Clabe Polk

Schism (A detective Mike Eiser Novel) #3

Clabe Polk

Raven's claw is moving guns into Atlanta and other major cities. When the AFT caught one member,  Mad Dog was made a deal. . . He helps the ATF get the "Claws" and he will spend no prison time . . . if he fails he will be seeing the inside of a 4'x4' cell block for some time.

The "default" president smelled a rat and is on to Mad Dog. He knows Mad Dog will be taking them all out in a short amount of time. He ships him off the "boondocks". They feel he will be no good to the ATF there.

Mad Dog is making tracks to getting new members, no what the age, no matter what the cost. When Mad Dog picks the wrong to boys to join his gang things go array. . . . .

Kat a single mom has been dealt a rough hand, she knows what the future will be if her boys end up in the wrong hands. She will do everything in her power to keep her boys safe. There is no bond greater than your children and there is no line you will not cross to keep them safe. The question is what line will she have to cross ??

Schism is full of stone cold gang terror at its finest !! The novel will not let you down. I read this before I realized it was a book 3 and did not seem lost at all. I will warn you this novel is full of gang "lingo" I followed thru the novel just fine. I felt it added character to the novel. Very good read  :)

5 stars

Wende 

Clarissa Cartharn

Release date: 31 June, 2015

Title: Captive-Veiled Desires

Author: Clarissa Cartharn

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb: 

Nora Jennings quit her job as a photographer for a small community newspaper to fulfill her dreams of traveling. First stop- Kashmir, the land renowned as heaven on Earth. 

But dreams have a terrible habit of turning into a nightmare. And suddenly she finds herself bound and gagged in Afghanistan, ready to be wedded to Pashtun arms smuggler, Adam Afridi.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClarissaCartharn

Authors from Julies Book Review: KD Bryan

Santos Family Series

Book #1  No Regrets With You   .99 cents

Book #2  Love's other Plan  $2.99

Book #3  All the Missing Pieces  $2.99

All are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble for Nook and Smashwords

Blurb: 

The Santos Family Series is set in St. Louis Missouri and centers around the Cuban-American Santos family. Each book is centered around a different sibling, but it is also a continuation with members from previous stories woven in each book. These are definitely not stand-alone stories and need to be read in order. 

Author contacts 

Facebook : KD Bryan

Email: kdbryanauthor@gmail.com

Twitter: @KDBryanAuthor

Authors from Julies Book Review: John Andersen

Jack Elliott, a divorced, ex-stock broker has sold his landside accommodations and now lives full time on his seventy foot motor yacht. A chance encounter with an alluring woman leads to a weekend trip with friends to the Florida Keys aboard the yacht, with companionship and maybe more, as the primary motivating force. 
Unforeseen circumstances forces the crew of the yacht to reformulate their original plans and an exciting, if risky, adventure unfolds before them, even as a powerful U.S. Senator tries his best to foil their objective; the raising of a lost, gold laden WW II Nazi submarine. 
The Senator is also after the submarine, but for totally different reasons, and pursues them in his own yacht with an unerring tenacity which soon becomes unnerving. This yacht, more than twice the size of Jack’s boat, has a captain and crew who are more than willing to carry out the Senator’s every command, legal or not. 
From the Florida Keys to Ft. Lauderdale, on to Wilmington, NC, Bermuda, and the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, the Senator hangs onto their coat tails with a dogged determination. 
With the help of many old and new friends, a lot of detective work and unlimited perseverance, the team finally locates the missing submarine and a lot more besides. 
Now the only thing left to accomplish is to make sure that the Senator has been effectively neutralized from interfering.

Authors from Julies Book Review: TS McKinney

Victoria Winstead.  My parents are the reigning King and Queen of Hollywood and since

I am their only child, that clearly means I am a pampered princess who is accustomed to

getting everything I want, when I want it, and how I want it…and right now, I want the

most coveted role in Hollywood.  One thing stands in my way.

Grayson Leman.  This bastard is the only son of the reigning Prince and Princess of

Hollywood and I hate everything about him; always have and always will.  Our families

have a history and it isn’t pretty.  It’s ugly; Hollywood style. Oh yea, he’s the one thing

standing in my way.

Annabelle Hutchinson. The creation of a writing trio that has managed to rock the entire

female population with their erotica novel, Dark Lovers.  I’m not kidding you one bit.

They have single-handedly brought mommy porn front and center and made it not only

acceptable but sexy as hell. A movie deal was made and I am literally (this is

embarrassing to say) having to actually fight for something for the first time in my life.

Not to worry though…I am Hollywood royalty.

Authors from Julies Book Review: Clabe Polk

Kathryn Addison Thomas, “Kat”, is a survivor of Atlanta’s Bowen Homes Projects and nobody
messes with her sons...especially gang members bent on recruiting them.
So, when Milton Davis “Mad Dog” Lincoln is banished by the leadership of his street gang, The
Raven’s Claws, as a suspected federal informant, he tries to start a new chapter of the Claws in
Poplar Bluffs. His first recruit, Quinton Thomas, wants to be a Claw, but sees Mad Dog for what
he is, an obsessive , violent user of others to achieve his own ends. To that end, Mad Dog
subjects Quinton, his brother, his girl friend, and his other friends, even other gang members, to
fear, intimidation, injury and even death attempting to intimidate Quinton into joining.
It’s up to Detective Mike Eiser to sort out Mad Dog’s agenda, but because of fear, and because
Mad Dog uses his gang members to commit chargeable crimes for him, Eiser is limited to
charging Mad Dog with petty crimes, at least for a while.
When Mad Dog’s federal management team decides to use Mad Dog’s contact with a North
Korean agent –provocateur to sell guns illegally for themselves, Mad Dog responds with
multiple double-crosses, and a desperate plan to take the money and run. However, his desperate
plan runs head-long into a showdown with Detective Eiser and the Jericho County Sheriff’s
Office.
Literally crawling out of a disastrous confrontation, Mad Dog makes a last run at revenge against
Quinton Thomas for rejecting him and the Raven’s Claws...with completely unpredictable
results. But then, Kat Thomas is a survivor, and nobody messes with her sons...especially gang
members bent on recruiting them...and, something hidden in Kat’s background may help
Quinton even more.

Review of The Shadows By JR Ward

The Shadows - A Black Dagger Brotherhood Novel
by JR Ward


      Trez and Iam, brothers and in hiding from their past. The two have been through it all and have each others backs and would die for the other. When their past catches up with them Trez needs to come to terms with what he has to do. Trez is the next father of the  S’Hsibe's future Queen. Or so it has been told in the stars. He has been running from this fate for years with his brother at his side. Now working in his clubs,with prostitutes, drugs, and alcohol make him unsuitable for the Queen and the cleansing itself may kill him anyway. Iam will run with his brother and do what ever it takes to get him out of his duty. Everything is made worse when Trez meets The Chosen Serena and his life is forever changed. But with his destiny already set according to his people, he may never get the chance at true happiness. But if Iam has anything to say about it, he will get his chance.

JR Ward does it again with The Shadows. Trez and Iam have been working with the BDBH(vampire series) for a while now and have become characters that I have been waiting for. Their story made me laugh, tears of joy and sorrow and in awe of how the story unfolded. I never expected some of the twists and turns JR made. These books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood are long, emotional draining and are some of the best books I have had the privilege of reading. From book 1 to The Shadows, JR keeps you guessing and leaves you wanting more. If you haven't read these, do! Read these in order to get the best out of the story. LOVE this series.

5 AWESOME stars
Julie Ramsey

Review of Beyond A Resaonable Doubt by Linda Prather

In Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, Linda S. Prather creates a world where the rich and powerful operate above the law with impunity. Greed, corruption, and murder are par for the course. People, even family, are as dispensable as last year’s cashmere sweater, and can be eliminated when they start talking too much or become useless or burdensome.
Jenna James, a morally upright up-and-coming district attorney in a Texas office that is a hotbed of corruption, is involved in an unsatisfying relationship with Michael Elkins, the son of of a powerful and feared judge. When she is called upon to look into the suspicious death of the judge’s wife (at the request of Judge Elkins’ other son, who had been imprisoned) the obstacles become higher and higher. The situation spirals out of control and the death toll rises. it seems the “bay guys’ have all the power, and needless to say, Jenna’s faith in the justice system is irreversibly altered and she no longer knows whom to trust.
Ms. Prather creates some terrific characters. The judge and his sexually aggressive son are pure evil, Jordan Elkins is the furious “black sheep” son who will challenge his father and brother to get justice for his mother. Jenna is the brave DA who refuses to back down. In fact, the deaths of a few people close to her only fuels her rage and determination. Clifford Beaumont, although not above using coercive tactics, is portrayed as a family man who cares more about protecting his family than about wealth and prestige. Marcus Dade, an irritable defense attorney for the rich and powerful, seems to have an agenda of his own (though what that agenda is is not made entirely clear). David Garcia, the district attorney who is dying of cancer, who, at the end of his life, repents of the times he got sucked into the corruptive schemes. And the various henchmen hired to do odd jobs for them, such as Drago, Gregory, and two unidentified terrorists hired to detonate a bomb. There are also characters on the side of good, such as the butt-kicking Loki and her team. However, my favorite characters are the hilarious, dynamic Jake and Harry, two police officers hired to watch Jenna when it becomes clear her life is in danger. They provide comic relief in an otherwise serious novel, and I hope they are back in the sequel.
As far as the plot, it starts a little slow, but soon picks up, and when it does, the reader is hooked. A few concerns I had were the mention of a supposedly accidental killing that Michael committed when he was a teenager (of someone hinted to be a prostitute) that never went anywhere (I’m more forgiving of loose ends like this when a book is first of a series). Also, the whole shooting at the airport scene is a little strange. Someone is shot in an airport, police gun down the “shooter” and the real shooter gives his target a flesh wound and somehow escapes with his victims in tow? I think I misunderstood this scene. Otherwise, security at this airport is extremely incompetent and lax. All writers have to take fictional liberties to move along the plot, but I felt this particular scene could have been better handled. Otherwise, although the plot is a tad predictable and cliched (most pure crime thrillers are-no offense intended to the writer), it is well-written, fast paced, and keeps you hooked to the end.
No issues that I saw with grammar, stylistics, or formatting.
To summarize, I give an A+ for characterization, an A- for plot flow, and a B+ for plot development. Well worth a read if you enjoy a fast-actioned crime thriller. I am looking forward to the sequel.

4stars
Jessica W

Review of Rise of the Iron Eagle by Roy A Teel

Rise of the Iron Eagle
Roy A. Teel

How many murders take place in this novel? Let me count them. Never mind. This is the first
book of a series. By the time Roy Teel has finished the series maybe he won’t even know.
Without reading the other books in the series I’m suggesting this is the book where the reader
should start. About halfway into the novel you know who the Iron Eagle is. The question you
wind up asking yourself is do you want the killer to get caught? It seems inevitable that he will,
especially since there’s been an innocent person or two killed among the bad guys and the Iron
Eagle lets no bad deed go unpunished. I won’t plant a spoiler, you’ll have to read the book.
The characters are well drawn - cops, FBI agents, doctors, school and hospital administrators
(is there an agenda here?), LA Latinos who love the police, and cops’ wives who walk on the
wild side. Everything’s been thrown into the gumbo - serial killers, the homeless, child predators,
and ménage a trois among the good guys and their gals.
LA has no shortage of the seedy and unseemly and this book takes full advantage of it. The
author knows his turf.


You won’t fall asleep counting the killings. Well done, Roy Teel.
4 Stars
Bill S