I was soooo excited when I won a fabulous signed hardcover for Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton and a paperback copy with a pile of goodies for Colel by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.
Kira Jane Buxton has definitely delivered on this original, unique glimpse into her zombie world where animals are the saviors and humans are the ones in need of saving. They can’t do it as individuals, it takes a murder to save a village. Hollow Kingdom is filled with every emotion I can think of, terror and fear, sadness and happiness, lost and found, tears and smiles, despair and hope.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
One pet crow fights to save humanity from an apocalypse in this uniquely hilarious debut from a genre-bending literary author.
S.T.,
a domesticated crow, is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with
his owner Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle’s wild crows (those
idiots), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®.
Then
Big Jim’s eyeball falls out of his head, and S.T. starts to feel like
something isn’t quite right. His most tried-and-true remedies–from
beak-delivered beer to the slobbering affection of Big Jim’s loyal but
dim-witted dog, Dennis–fail to cure Big Jim’s debilitating malady. S.T.
is left with no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into
a wild and frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis, where he
discovers that the neighbors are devouring each other and the local
wildlife is abuzz with rumors of dangerous new predators roaming
Seattle. Humanity’s extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one
determined to save it is a foul-mouthed crow whose knowledge of the
world around him comes from his TV-watching education.
Hollow Kingdom
is a humorous, big-hearted, and boundlessly beautiful romp through the
apocalypse and the world that comes after, where even a cowardly crow
can become a hero.
As soon as I opened the cover I began laughing and never quit. Colel is naive in the romance department, and when she meets the one…what to do… Especially seeing she is the Mistress of the Bees…and they aren’t liking him at all, and…he’s allergic. Delightfully sexy romp with evil gods and goddesses, vampires, mermaids, humans….and so much more.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a Standalone, Romantic Comedy a la Paranormal…
COLEL(Book #5, The Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. Series).
WARNING: This
book contains foul language, gratuitous sex against a truck,
outrageously rude immortal warriors in leather pants, snow, pigheaded
gods, a sexually frustrated goddess, a very hot and hunky florist guy
with a bad attitude and a big secret, Brutus bubble baths, a sneaky
invisible unicorn, unrequited love, bees, bees, and more bees, and
chocolates.
SOMETIMES LOVE BITES AND SOMETIMES IT STINGS.
Colel,
the Goddess of Bees, has been looking for Mr. Right for over seventy
thousand years. So when she meets the hunky owner of a small-town flower
shop and explodes with flutters and tingles, she’s almost certain that
he’s the one.
Only two problems: her tiny black-and-yellow army
suddenly won’t let her anywhere near him, and…is that a freaking
epinephrine pen in the fridge? “Dear gods! He’s allergic to bees? Say it
isn’t so.”
If simply dating the guy will kill him, how will she ever know for sure if he’s really the one?
Colel has a solution, but it’s drastic. Even for her. And what if he says no?
I have been with the Class Heroes by Stephen Henning since the beginning and am so happy to be back with them again. Lolly has become my favorite superhero because I have a love/hate relationship with her.
It has been a long time since I have been with the Class Heroes series by Stephen Henning. I have loved these teenage superheroes, watching them grown and learn about their powers and life in general.
Lolly is an exceptional character and has become my favorite. She is mean, evil, and now that she has a boyfriend, she is beginning to see things in a different light. She has the ability to control fire and I wonder what will become of her.
Her father, now I am not so sure he can be redeemed. He has the power to manipulate people int doing what he wants them to do. I wonder….does he use it on Lolly?
It’s been a while since Book IV, London Belong To the Alchemist, and Hearts and Minds picks up where it left off, and even though it has been some time, I had no trouble picking up where I left off.
There are moment of suspense where she is in serious danger, but, hey, she’s the main character. You wouldn’t kill her off, would you Stephen?
In Hearts and Minds, Lolly has reunited with her father after he spent nine months in prison. She struggles to find her own identity. I don’t trust the man at all, as they search for a missing girl who may have super powers.
Lolly, Lolly, Lolly….BEWARE! I feel a sense of danger, very subtle, yet always there and I don’t know who she can trust. The story doesn’t end here, so if we are looking for closure, we will have to wait.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Hearts and Minds by Stephen Henning.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Sixteen-year-old Lolly Rosewood, the cold and calculating anti-hero from the Class Heroes series, is back in a new, thrilling and dangerous mission. Lolly and her father, Sir Michael, are in Montana on the track of a kidnapped girl — Erica Barrington — who they believe has superpowers. But there are other people hunting for the missing girl. Can Lolly and her father find Erica in time? This is the fifth book in the Class Heroes series. It’s a journey of discovery — and more secrets — for father and daughter. Lolly has always trusted her father implicitly, followed his orders, and shared his goal to reach out to other people with special abilities. This mission to Montana is a new experience for Lolly as she battles to shake off the shackles of being seen as a little girl in her father’s eyes, and establish a new relationship with him as an equal. Warning: Contains Violence, Death, Sexual References, Dark Humour and some Upper Class British Snobbery 🙂
ABOUT STEPHEN HENNING
I
began writing the first Class Heroes book on my laptop in February
2011, but these stories have probably been continually playing in my
head since I was aged five or six, when I would act them out with toys
and with my friends. I then branched out into using pencils, colouring
pens and paper, moving on to writing pads and then my first computer.
So, as you’ve probably gathered, I have always enjoyed making up stories and the super-hero genre has been one of my favourites.
The CV-type stuff is that I went to Sheffield Hallam University to
study English. I then trained and briefly worked as a journalist in
Salford. After that, I moved into publishing – which was great. An
interesting and fun industry to be in and fascinating to see how books
are put together and sold.
After that I started doing technical writing, which led me to start
my own business with my friend and colleague Andrew Butters. My love of
writing, generally, led me back to writing fiction. Our company,
Elucidox Ltd, publishes the Class Heroes books.
If you want to know a bit more about me, what kind of super powers I
have and the kind of super villains I have to tangle with on a daily
basis, then feel free to watch Rage. This is a short film, that took a
long time to make. It’s a simple day in my life :-). Actually it’s just a
fun movie that I made with the very kind help of some of my best mates.
We had a laugh doing it, hope you like it too. And if you do, then why
not explore the super world of the Class Heroes books?
That Night by Azaaa Davis is Book II in the Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter series. I got so involved in Nadira’s World that I asked Azaaa if she needed any reviews for That Night…and she said yes. YAY!
I love when I find a series where I enjoyed the second book more than the first and that is what happened with That Night by Azaaa Davis.
That Night picks up where This Time left off, so you will want to read them in order.
A little recap: Nadira Holden had risen after twenty five years of being dead, to a world in which demons and humans lived together in ‘harmony’, or so the humans think. Nadira is possessed by a succubus and struggles to keep a leash on ‘her’. The succubus doesn’t mind killing off her friends, but it breaks Nadira’s heart.
Well, I must say, I am lost in her world, walking with the demons and humans, and wondering who controls what.
Nadira learns many things about herself and what she is capable of when her and her succubus work as one. When their life is on the line, we see who stands strong.
We are, however, left with a cliffhanger (frowning) and I plan to be around for These Moments, the third and final book of Nadira’s story.
4 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
All Nadira Holden wants is to preserve the last of her soul and create a new life free of magic, demons, and war. Her involuntary bond with a succubus makes her desires impossible. The threat of this disgruntled demon possessing her urges Nadira to find the succubus’s missing body.
Nadira’s only hope of avoiding demonic
possession lies with Derek, the only demon she can tolerate without
slaying. Except, his hands are full trying to secure his
recently-inherited title of prince. Desperate, Nadira agrees to help
Derek secure his title by experimenting with the deadly magic they once
generated in exchange for his aid in her investigation.
To
untangle herself from the evil that surrounds her, Nadira must be
willing to betray her friends and get cozy with her enemies. She may
even have to do the unthinkable: break the peace treaty that allows
demons and humans to coexist. If she can’t toss aside her scruples,
Nadira may not make it out of this ordeal with her soul intact. That
Night is book two in the Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter series. If you like
monster-slaying action and simmering romance then buy That Night today!
ABOUT AZAAA DAVIS
Azaaa Davis is an American author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels.
She fell in love with reading as a high school freshman and continues to read, write, and draw today. Her background in social work helps her portray realistic characters in otherworldly–and sometimes terrifying–situations. A New York native, Azaaa currently lives in New Hampshire (USA) with her husband and daughters.
She debuted with This Time, A Nadira Holden Novel, in 2018 about demon hunters, family ties and the magic of love. Azaaa is working diligently to finish writing more fantasy novels while raising her daughters. Thank you for showing an interest in her stories!
Dark Celebrations is not my first foray into Calvin Demmer’s world and I look forward to going wherever he wants to take me in this collection of stories.
I was going to review each story separately, but with Covid -19 around and being cooped up for six weeks now, I find my motivation running a bit empty. So…
I enjoyed all the stories and spending time in the world of horror and the supernatural. Calvin Demmer is skilled at crafting tales that give me the creepy crawlies,making me glad that it is fiction.
Wantta party? The door is open. Come on in. But, lock the doors and turn on the lights.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Each year, people all over the world celebrate special festivals and days, shining light on what they wish to remember and revere. But sometimes, inhabitants of the dark arrive with the desire to disturb proceedings. Dark Celebrations is a collection of twelve short stories… and the holidays will never be the same.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Calvin Demmer is a dark fiction author. His debut collection, The Sea Was a Fair Master,
was released in June 2018. When not writing, he is intrigued by that
which goes bump in the night and the sciences of our universe.
The Kelping by Jan Stinchcomb is a novella, a quick read at 67 pages.
Just looking at the cover made me want it. Who doesn’t love a mermaid and The Kelping reads like a B movie.
Craig Bo wanted to be Sea King, got to be Sea King….and so much more.
The Kelping is a different kind of mermaid story. Not really a romance, not really humorous, not really suspenseful…hard to describe but a mermaid memoir of a wife, husband, two kids and the life in the beach town of Beachside.
I always enjoy a good mermaid story and finding a new to me author. Good job, Jan.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Kelping by Jan Stinchcomb.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Doctor Craig Bo has
everything: a perfect wife and children, a thriving dermatology
practice, and a house in a lovely coastal town. Nobody is surprised when
he is chosen to be the Sea King of Beachside in his hometown’s annual
festival.
But after the festival Craig’s world turns upside down.
Something starts growing on his skin. His son tells him a story about a
sinister mermaid who lives in the attic of the local history museum.
And his beautiful wife, Penelope, can no longer hide her dark connection
to the sea.
As Craig grapples with his own secrets and misdeeds, he finally understands the woman he married and the plans she has for him.
Book 9 in the Rewind-or-Die
series: imagine your local movie rental store back in the ’70s, ’80s,
and ’90s, remember all those fantastic covers. Remember taking those
movies home and watching in awe as the stories unfolded in nasty
rainbows of gore, remember the atmosphere and textures. Remember the
blood.
ABOUT JAN STINCHCOMB
Jan Stinchcomb was born in San Francisco. She has a doctorate in Comparative Literature and has taught at the University of Oregon, Austin Community College and the University of Texas Extension Program. Currently living in Santa Monica, she is a story editor for Paper Darts. She has appeared in The Best Small Fictions 2018 and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, the Best of the Net and the Wigleaf Top 50 Longlist. THE KELPING, a horror novella, can be preordered from Unnerving. THE BLOOD TRAIL, a chapbook of dark fairy tales, is out now from Red Bird Chapbooks. Her novella, FIND THE GIRL, is available through Main Street Rag Publishing.
Coven: As I enter the supernatural world of Rebecca Main, I do so anticipating an adventure and I got one. Zoelle doesn’t know about the supernatural world, and that she is a witch, but when she ‘runs’ into Xander, her eyes are opened. I loved watching her grow and develop into a force to be reckoned with. Xander has definitely met his match
3 Stars
Midnight Soundrel: Quinn Montgomery leads a dangerous life, but she too does not know about the supernatural world. She fights her attraction to Ryatt, but I think we all know she will not be able to resist and will join the Adolphus Pack. She is human, but that doesn’t stop her from making her own mark and facing down her fears.
3 Stars
Wardens of Starlight: Calliope Sawyer has a secret that could cost her her life. I love this character and her willingness to put her life on the line for her friends. I could so easily relate to her, and she has become my favorite character. She’s tough, unstoppable when she sets her sights on what she firmly believes is the right thing. Rebecca Main makes Calliope shine. She wants to be a Starlight warrior and the supernaturals are her enemies. This will all change, when she meets Keenan O’Neal, a werewolf.
4 Stars
I didn’t take any notes while reading, because I was traveling and knew this would be a short review. I grabbed the three book set of A Soulmark Series by Rebecca Main for free from Amazon, and I believe it is still free. I got lost in this supernatural world, with characters that make me want to know more and I read one right after the other. Each book tells a couple’s story, but the overall storyline continues. Because the novels are familiar and easy to know where the author is taking me, no book surprises, I have rated the set as a 3, but each book got me more involved and when I met Calliope my feelings amped up and I raced through the pages. I was so disappointed when I reached the end. When I grabbed the book set, I thought it would be the complete series, but I believe there are 5 total. Will I finish the series? Hard to say, but I surely want to know how the characters can end with a happy ever after.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Destiny marks their skin…
The Adolphus Pack broke tradition. No more would they tolerate
the chokehold of the old ways. But the paranormal world doesn’t make
concessions in tradition or in love. Now, three pack mates find
themselves bound to strangers by an ancient magic, the soulmark.
Some love is forbidden…
Three strong-willed women will test the men of the pack.
The witch will threaten war. The thief will steal more than a heart. And the warrior will test their strength.
Enemies both old and new amass at their border…
Threatening more than just their hearts. As these
diverse couples struggle to navigate a world of scintillating passion
and supernatural danger, each must choose a side–enemies or lovers. For
the Adolphus Pack, these outsiders could bring them strength or be their
downfall.
Get the explosive beginning to the highly acclaimed ‘A
Soulmark Series’, from breakout author, Rebecca Main to experience tales
of love, lust, magic, and murder!
This Box Set includes the first three installments in ‘A Soulmark Series’
ABOUT REBECCA MAIN
Rebecca Main published her first romance novel—Coven (A Soulmark Series Book 1)—in June 2017, and hasn’t put down her keyboard since! Quitting their respective jobs in May 2017, Rebecca and her husband now travel the world. Their calico cat, Dorcas, waits patiently for their return to become a “city” cat once more. Rebecca is an avid reader, travel-hacker enthusiast, and karaoke queen (after a shot or two). Her current writing passion is romance with a hearty dash of supernatural and paranormal thrown in for good measure.
Tear-inducing accomplishments include hitting #1 on the Amazon Top 100 list in Fantasy Romance and Paranormal Romance for Witches & Wizards, free climbing out of Belize’s Crystal Cave, also known as the Mountain Cow Cave, and starting a publishing house—Via Graphia LLC—with her husband!
Sea Child LaVerne Thompson (Children of the Waves #4) Publication date: April 23rd 2020 Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Land or sea, he was her world.
Shawnah had a decision to make. Sea born but land raised, she now knew the truth of her birth and how far some would go to steal her powers. There was only one man she trusted to protect her while she learned how to protect herself. But what happens if she decides to flaunt destiny and not remain in the sea? Would she risk losing him? The children of Poseidon are fated to have one mate.
Cyrus didn’t think that applied to him, since he was a hybrid born of both land and sea. He never searched for a bride. But fate had other ideas, and once he held Shawnah in his arms, Cyrus had no intention of letting her go. When she is once again threatened, Cyrus is willing to take on the gods of the sea, or even her father of the land, to protect her and remain at her side.
She stirred in his arms and opened her stunning hazel eyes to stare into his golden ones. She smiled.
‘You’re safe now.’ Cyrus spoke into her mind.
‘I know you. How do I know you?’
He frowned. ‘I’m not sure, but at some point in our lives, our paths may have crossed. Come we must hurry.’
‘Where? I don’t remember much. Can you tell me what’s going on?’
‘Yes, but we need to get out of here. Trust me.’
His heart paused as he held out his hand and waited. It began beating again when she placed her hand in his.
Author Bio:
LaVerne Thompson is a USA Today Bestselling, award winning, multi-published author, an avid reader and a writer of contemporary, fantasy, and sci/fi romances. She also writes romantic suspense and new adult under the pen name Ursula Sinclair, her alter ego, who likes her relationships a little more complicated. http://www.amazon.com/Ursula-Sinclair/e/B00415YAVK/
Her stories are highly sensual with erotic elements but she has a few that are considered erotic. Most of her books also have a touch of violence and a few more than that. She enjoys good action scenes in movies and has incorporated some of those elements in quite a few of her books. She is also a certified chocoholic.
Sign up for her newsletter to receive a chance at special freebies and sneak peeks at her work in progress. http://bit.ly/1hA7C9W
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Millions have already died, and thousands more are perishing daily. As a last ditch effort to preserve the human race, the government implements Project ELE. With the earth heating at rapid speeds, all remaining survivors are forced to turn to F.E.M.A. shelters to wait out ELE’s wrath.
Fifteen-year-old Willow Mosby’s life, as she knows it, ends the moment she walks through the shelter’s door. Willow has to quickly adapt to the new challenges that shelter life demands, the least of which includes making new friends and working a full time job.
Soon after making an interesting discovery, Willow and her friends start exhibiting strange abilities. Seeking answers, they embark on a mission to find out what these new abilities mean and whether they are a gift or a curse.
This new adventure can send her world crashing down around her. The question is: Can Willow survive the fall?
***We’ve heard your reviews and have since corrected all of the errors we could find that were mentioned in the reviews. We appreciate your support and comments! Thank you for taking the time to read our books!
I added Project ELE by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckles to my TBR on 9.27.12. I do love a good apocalyptic/dystopian tale and I am curious about what exactly the Project is. Are you?
I am new to audiobooks and it took me a very long time to listen to the entire book. I feel my review may not reflect my true feelings about the story, because of my brain wanting to wander all the time. Anyway….
I did spend a lot of time laughing, especially with the dialogue. Jonathon Cook did an awesome job with the narration. He had me laughing my head off with Bob’s accent and made it easy to determine who was talking. Tegon Maus has created an interesting storyline and the missing girl is much more than she seems. Peter Anderson’s search for her leads him on a wild adventure, filled with danger and new friends.
I voluntarily reviewed a free ecopy of the audible for Bob by Tegon Maus.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
After 27 years as a newspaper man, Peter Anderson’s career is slipping away, at least it was, until he stumbled upon the story of a lifetime. Sent to do a fluff piece about lights in the night sky over Arizona, he discovers far more than he ever expected when he comes upon a mysterious young woman held prisoner in a basement. After helping her to escape, she disappears before he can learn the truth about who she is or where she came from. His search for her leads him back to the lights in the sky and leaves him with more questions than answers. The only thing he knows for certain . . . the only thing he can count on are the two words offered repeatedly by his friend and guide . . . “IS BELT.”
ABOUT TEGON MAUS
I was raised pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends I could conjure.
The first thing
I can remember writing was for my wife. For the life of me I can’t remember
what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in
my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after
that. I spent a good number of years chasing other dreams before I got back to
writing.
