Tag Archives: read in 2023

Techy Aliens – Xenome by Vivek Pravat @VPravat @booksirens

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I want to thank Book Sirens & Vivek Pravat for the opportunity to read and review Xenome.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

All I had to see was…a remote Pacific Island, something new birthed and not of this world, and I was curious. But, it was a little over my head when it came to the scientific information.

We started out with something I am familiar with, Holly’s mother being found dead. She goes to Melanesia to search for answers. All kinds of red flags were flying for me, and I asked myself, “Would I do it?” It doesn’t take long for danger to mount, guns blazing and bullets flying.

Holly needs to be on her toes, because danger and betrayal lurk around every turn. She has her boyfriend, David, at her side, and he is the only person she can trust. He is injured early on, and she is left to her own devices. As the story develops, other characters come into play that will be important to her.

The something new birthed is nothing I anticipated and I like that, but Vivek’s scientific explanations were confusing and stopped the flow of the story. I think others, more technically minded will grasp the concept quicker than I did, but once we got past that, the action ramps up, evil rises, betrayal and friendship come from unlikely sources, and savagery and death surround her.

I do love an author who isn’t afraid to kill off their characters, even ones I have come to count on and was saddened when they died a grisly death, but I have to consider the players in a game of world domination. Greed and power are at the forefront and the players will stop at nothing to go where no man has gone before. (LOL) Haven’t humans learned not to play God? Nothing good comes of it.

In the Afterword, Vivek Pravat shares elements of the story that are fact and fiction.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Xenome by Vivek Pravat.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

ON A REMOTE PACIFIC ISLAND, SOMETHING NEW HAS BEEN BIRTHED. SOMETHING NOT OF THIS WORLD…

Holly Truong is a field biologist on the verge of an experimental breakthrough on swarm intelligence. But when she receives news that her estranged mother has been found dead in faraway Melanesia, she is compelled to put everything on the back burner and go in search of answers.

Waiting for her there is an experiment of a completely unexpected kind: a recreation of alien life, made possible by a secret SETI program called Metis Eye. Earth is now host to a bizarre new life form—one utterly unlike anything the planet has seen in its four and a half billion years of existence.

However, as shocking as the revelation is, a deeper, far more terrifying secret lurks in the heart of the jungle. A secret that if left uncovered could mean the end of civilization itself.

Nature, red in tooth and claw, has returned to claim its dominion, and Holly is about to find out that she is the only one standing in its way.

  • Genre: Action and Adventure, Aliens, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Horror, Science Fiction,Technothriller
  • 450 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication July 31, 2023

ABOUT VIVEK PRAVAT (from his website)

Vivek writes books under the pen name Vance Pravat. Software engineer by profession, the author has been an ardent fan of science fiction since childhood. During the course of his work, he has lived and worked in several countries around the world, and prides himself on his ability to assimilate alien cultures and cuisines with all the gusto of some benign version of the Borg.

His love for fiction that doesn’t hesitate to ask big questions eventually compelled him to overcome the demands of his day trade and pen his first book.

His main areas of interest are AI, philosophy, history, physics, and geopolitics. When he is not too busy writing, reading, or entertaining his baby daughter, he likes to indulge in PC role-playing and collectible card games.

He is always happy to chat with his readers and can be found just an email or a PM away.

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Vampirilicious – The Darkest Blood by Kay Widow @KayWidow @booksirens

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Bloodline Dagger Series by Kay Widow may not be mind blowing, but I am having a great time following these characters, meeting new ones, and watching romance bloom. I will gladly grab any book I see by Kay Widow.

I love vampires, of all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t matter if they are sparkly or grotesque. It doesn’t matter if they are Edward Cullen, Angel, or Nosferatu. Bring ’em on.

In The Darkest Blood, we continue the Bloodline Dagger series. The Dagger can kill a vampire, but must be wielded by a human.

Alec Blackwood is a vampire lord and those at the top need to be one their toes. There are always those who wish to have their power. And…many times it comes from their family.

Of course, Alec has to run into that one human woman whom he cannot resist, and that is Nina. She’s pretty up front about what she wants and not afraid of his fangs. She is not a morning person, and neither am I. I love their lively banter.

“Wakey, wakey, oh, Tiny Angry One.”

The last third of the book picked up the pace. The danger rose to an unputdownable level. If the whole book was at this level of suspense, the rating would have been upped a notch. I love being able to easily read through a story, but, also, love when there is more meat on the bones.

I love Prologues and Epilogues and The Darkest Blood by Kay Widow has two epilogues, one for Alec and one for Nina. Hmmm, would you want to be turned into a vampire? I have thought about this myself, and I think…..

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Blood & Fang by Kay Widow.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

I loathe individuals born with a silver spoon in their mouths, people like Alec Blackwood.

I watch as he glides across the street on that black Harley,

Leaning low and turning women’s heads like some conquering hero.

He has money coming from all directions –

Gold watches, Gucci shoes, an apartment in the most expensive part of town.

People call him the King of Manhattan.

But underneath the darkness of his gaze, I can sense something supernatural –

Fangs that glow in the light like a warning, ready to strike.

I can’t let him discover what secrets I am hiding,

But something about him makes every cell in my body tingle.

His piercing eyes look through my soul, making me powerless.

It turns out my enemy is his enemy, and if we fail to unite,

Defeat is inevitable.

  • Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Vampires
  • 318 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published August 8, 2023

ABOUT KAY WIDOW

Kay Widow is a paranormal romance author. She writes page-turning romances that readers consume faster than she can produce.
If you love spicy romances with protective and dominant alphas who fall for sassy curvy women, then you might just love Kay’s novels.
Kay lives in Kansas with her husband, Irish twins, and all her book boyfriends.

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MY KAY WIDOW REVIEWS

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Review – The Parade by Matt J Pike @booksirens @SoothsayerMatt

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Parade is my first Matt J Pike novel. I was looking for some apocalyptic/dystopian books and came across it, so I clicked. Even though it is the fifth book in the Apocalyptic Survivor series, it is the first book in the Apocalypse Survivors Subseries, I never felt lost. And it is a great cover, that Matt designed himself.

My name is Zoe Carter, this is my story, and the story of all the members of the Norwood Hub during and after the impact of Comet 2014DM3 in April 2014.

How would you spend your time if you knew a comet would hit the Earth? Would you give up and part like it’s 1999? Would you be a prepper and gather resources, hunkering down to see who is left standing? Would you gather arms and weapons to protect yourself?

I love apocalyptic books, because I wonder what I would do. I think in desperate times, the best and the worst of humanity comes to light…and The Parade has a lot of the worst. Sometimes there is no choice, it’s a me or them situation.

Violence, vendettas, selfishness and greed – that’s what came out in us the most.

Of course, you have those who step up to lead, often through fear, and making sure they get what’s theirs first. When food runs out, they have a big target on their back. People have to have someone to blame. The simplest injury could mean death, as medical supplies run out or are non existent, not enough, or no doctors to help.

The ‘grenade’ event was quite clever.

An unlikely group of characters were drawn together for protection and survival. No one can predict who will survive and not all of them do. We have some sad moments, but that was to be expected. We have plenty of violence and death, and that was to be expected too. Your friend can quickly become your enemy. There are no winners in an apocalypse, just survivors. Would you be one of them?

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Parade by Matt J Pike.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“Perhaps, like the scars left on the world we live in, the scars left on our species will take decades to heal – centuries even. May I – we – be forgiven for what we have done.” Zoe Survivor
You’ve heard from the heroes. Now get ready for the villains…
In the latest instalment of his award-winning Apocalypse Survivors series, Aussie author Matt J Pike returns to where it all began with a new origin story – this one told from the perspective of the bad guys. But when life on earth has been all but wiped out by an comet, simple ideas of good and evil aren’t as simple as they appear.
As the comet unleashes an ash cloud over the planet, stealing the sun and bringing on permanent winter, a brutal new era dawns for humanity. In a small corner of the world, in a broken city called Adelaide, a group of survivors gather on The Parade, a resource-rich shopping strip that offers shelter, warmth, water and food. What unites them is the simple desire to survive, what divides them is how far they’re prepared to go to make that happen.
In the power play for control of this frightening new world, one thing is clear. No one is getting through unscathed!
There is no good and bad. Only survival.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction
  • 242 pages, Paperback
  • Published May 25, 2023

ABOUT MATT J PIKE (from Amazon)

Like the legendary R M Williams, Matt was born in Jamestown in rural South Australia. But that’s where the remarkable similarities between these two end. While Reginald went from bushman to world renowned millionaire outback clothing designer, Matt is a complete dag who was lured by the city lights of Adelaide. Kindergarten in the big smoke was a culture shock, but it is here he first discovered his love of storytelling.

In high school that love found an outlet in a series of completely unflattering cartoons about fellow students and teachers alike. He survived long enough to further his art into a successful career in multimedia design but, like a zombified leech, the lure of the written word gnawed at him, forcing him to pen his first novel, the award-winning sci-fi comedy epic, Kings of the World. It was followed the next year by Amazon Australia dystopian sci-fi best-seller Apocalypse: Diary of a Survivor.

Matt donates part-proceeds of each book sold to find a cure for Rett Syndrome, a neurological condition the youngest of his three children, Abby, has.

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Would you want a super power? How To Start Your Own Country by Stephen Henning #stephenhenning

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have been with Samantha and James Blake since the beginning. Their parents did their best to keep them safe, keep their identities hidden. Lolly is Sir Michaels’ daughter. She is responsible for many deaths, but, since, meeting James, she has done a one eighty.

Sir Michael is trying to recruit all the people with superhero powers to populate Liberation Island and has a flash drive with the names of many of those with superpowers, and those who may develop them later in life. His goal is to give them a save haven, to protect them from governments and people that would like to ‘own’ them for their own designs. It sounds like a good idea, but, I am leery. Is that the real reason? Does he have an ulterior motive?

I won’t tell you who has possession of the flash drive once it has been taken from Sir Michael. That would ruin the fun of you finding out for yourself, but there are those that would do almost anything to get it.

Samantha is missing. Is she alive? Dead? Does someone have her?

You can find out what the book is about by reading the synopsis, so I won’t go into that. I will tell you, Lolly has become my favorite character. I love a good bad guy, and she has definitely proven she is not to be messed with. No one approves of James and Lolly being together, especially with her background. It would be hard to think she could change from a blood thirsty killer to a young woman wanting to do the right thing and be with her boyfriend.

He is her conscience. Can love conquer all?

It all comes down to…who you can trust. Where can you be safe? Many ruthless people would love to keep them hostage, use them for their own gain. Money? Power? Weapons?

We shall see how it plays out in this mini series that is part of the Class Heroes series. So buckle up and hold on tight. I am sure there is a lot of action, danger and intrigue to come.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of How To Start Your Own Country by Stephen Henning.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Freedom always has a price

How to Start Your Own Country is a mini series of three episodes within the overall Class Heroes book series. It continues the adventures of James and Samantha Blake, and a small group of people who have developed special abilities.

Previously, in Class Heroes….

Teenage twins Samantha and James Blake have developed superpowers following a bus explosion caused by pharma-tech mogul Sir Michael Rosewood.
Al Lester, known as the Alchemist, triggered nationwide riots in the UK by giving out ‘Super D’, a drug which temporarily gives users super strength.
Sir Michael, who’d been captured by the British security services, was rescued by his daughter Lolly.
Samantha and Al are both missing, presumed dead, following an attempt to kidnap them by the Russian mafia.
Sir Michael, reluctantly aided by Lolly, has established a small community for people with superpowers on an artificial island between Britain and France, where they continue their mission to find other people with abilities.
Deenpal Mander, a teenager with the power to heal people from any illness or injury, has escaped the clutches of a gang of evil people-traffickers, and has reached out to Sir Michael for help…

In How to Start Your Own Country Episode 1 “The Rise of Superhero Island”:

Sir Michael’s recruitment drive for superheroes is finally paying dividends, but a jealous rival threatens to sabotage his plans; James and Lolly’s ill-advised relationship heats up; Deen is terrified by the changes happening to his body; and the mystery surrounding Sam and Al’s disappearance is revealed.

ABOUT STEPHEN HENNING

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?

Website / Goodreads  /  Youtube

MY STEPHEN HENNING REVIEWS

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Giveaway & Review – Reflections On The Boulevard by L J Ambrosio @GoddessFish @authorlambrosio

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REFLECTIONS ON THE BOULEVARD by Louis J. Ambrosio

GENRE:  Coming of age

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I read the first book, The Reservoir Man (he gives you the illusion of reality instead of reality itself), and loved it, BUT Reflections on the Boulevard by L J Ambrosio BLEW ME AWAY. It was so thought provoking, that I had to stop at times and let it simmer. My mind was overwhelmed by the writing of L J. I laughed and I cried.

I love car trips and we (Michael, Ron and I) traveled the west, hitting new to me places. I loved seeing it through the eyes of an innocent, absorbing the wonder of our parks. I have never been to Europe, but seeing it through Michael and Ron’s eyes, and L J’s vivid descriptions, the world came alive and we knocked out his bucket list.

Ron is on a journey of intellectual awareness without knowing it.

Find your truth, then you will find your freedom.

Michael’s heart has no limits. He strives to see the good in people and shares his life lessons frreely. He is gay, but his relationship with Ron is one of friendship. Helping someone who needs a hand can leave him open to those who want to take advantage, but not so with Ron. His help pays off as Ron creates a life he never envisioned. When he met Michael, he was just looking for a safe place to lay his head and food in his belly. Michael took a lost boy and helped him to become a man. The journey was amazing, and I am so glad I was able to be there with them.

When Michael talks about sitting at his friends side while they struggle through the final stages of Aids, his words rang true, sometimes a person needs permission to go. I sat at my father’s side in the hospital and said those words. Within moments, I heard his final breath. My older sister was in hospice and, for some reason, I got up in the middle of the night to sit by her side for a while. I told her she could go, and she passed in the night. There were more moments like that in Reflections on the Boulevard by L J Ambrosio and I took them all in.

At the end, I saw what was coming and knew it would break my heart. I fought it as long as I could, before tears began streaming down my face as I struggled to see the words. I got so deep into the story, I felt I was sitting on the bench with them. Michael and I both have an appreciation of the power of benches, the incentive to sit a while and watch life happen.

I have never thought of myself as an intellectual reader, but L J, you can put me on your super fan list.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Reflections On The Boulevard by L J Ambrosio.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Michael’s story continues from “A Reservoir Man” (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe in Michael’s final journey in life, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.

  • Genre: Action & Adventure, Comedic Drama & Plays, Coming Of Age
  • 238 pages, Paperback
  • Published April 23, 2023 by Film Valor

ABOUT L J AMBROSIO

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio taught at seven universities. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljambrosioauthor/
  • Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorlambrosio
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louis.ambrosio
  • Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ljambrosio
  • Blog: https://ljambrosio.blogspot.com/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI2XkCETDOj_VUtCFcB74ig
  • Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reflections-on-the-boulevard-lj-ambrosio/1143396462
  • Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qIfb70
  • Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/reflections-on-the-boulevard/id6448296429
  • Rakuten Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/reflections-on-the-boulevard
  • Thalia: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1068548362
  • Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1384458?ref=draft2digital
  • Vivlio: https://shop.vivlio.com/product/9798985965162_9798985965162_10020/reflections-on-the-boulevard

MY L J ABROSIO REVIEWS

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Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S Saroff @stevesaroff

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

What first drew me in was the second line of the blurb: Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivation of criminals on the fringe.

I like a flawed character, and these characters are definitely flawed. Enzi was a stutterer. His mother died when he was twelve and his father hit the bottle. He was bullied at school and ignored by his teachers. He was removed from his fathers home, passed from school to school, bullies to bullies, until her ran away at fourteen. He roamed from job to job. He became enamored with patterns, which led to mathematics.

He becomes involved with Kaori, a woman he met at a party and she is a piece of work.

He does a little something for Tsai, and before he knows it he’s in over his head. Threats fly and he struggles to find a way out of the tangled web he has become involved in. I wondered how, or if, he would get out of the situation that threatens his life and those around him. We do have an elusive guy he goes to for a bit of peace and quiet, and he becomes a favorite of mine.

I flipped between a three and four rating, but the ending was worth that extra star. Many times I find the ending is what saves a book for me. Good job, Steve.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

While breaking into a financial network, a hacker falls for a dangerous artist.

Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivation of criminals on the fringe.

Critics and reviewers are calling it “Wonderfully written,” “A novel to read now,” and “A literary thriller with a soul.”

Set in Montana, Paper Targets simmers with greed and love before boiling over along the red-flagged path between lost and found.

From the publisher:

Paper Targets reads like a confession from someone double-cursed with the skills to make money and the sort of love that makes sorrow. It is a captivating story. What got me on the first read of the manuscript was the writing. Stark, yet emotional. Dark while still being relevant and heart-breakingly clear. For a few pages, I wondered to what genre the story belonged. Then I didn’t care because all I wanted to know was what would be revealed on each page turn. Paper Targets is a story of modern crime set in Montana with connections and events in the money world of New York, Seattle, and London. The descriptions of Montana rock and sky blend and flow easily — with only the slightest of wobbles — with the descriptions of technology and cityscapes of grey concrete.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
  • 249 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published February 2, 2022 by Flooding Island

ABOUT STEVE S SAROFF

Steve Saroff is a well-known short-story writer, novelist, and entrepreneur. He published over 30 short stories, printed traditionally in Redbook and other national magazines, and is the author of Paper Targets; The Long Line of Elk; and the forthcoming Mixed Drinks. He also hosts the literary podcast Montana Voice.

Steve Saroff was a runaway who became an author and a computer coder. He has helped artists, writers, musicians, and a few good actors start careers. He helped launch Submittable, the submission system used by publishers, and he was the founder of FreeMail Inc, the first commercially successful web-based email system. FreeMail was acquired just before WorldCom and Enron’s multi-billion-dollar criminal fraud and collapse — still the world’s largest combined criminal frauds. His novel Paper Targets digs into a buried fringe from that corrupt time.

(Author’s photo was taken from the time of the oil-field events in Paper Targets)

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Review – Sketching Rebellion by Felicia Ketcheson @booksirens

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I want to thank Book Sirens and Lava Lake Books for the opportunity to read and review Sketching Rebellion by Felicia Ketchseon.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I grabbed Sketching Rebellion by Felicia Ketcheson not realizing it was going to be a series. It seems like most of the books I read any more are series. It’s okay, as long as I get to find out the final result, beginning to end, but that doesn’t always happen. Anyways I did enjoy Sketching Rebellion. I was on a binge of apocalyptic/dystopian reading and got a little click happy, grabbing willy nilly.

Sketching Rebellion’s target audience is teen and young adult. I do enjoy a good coming of age story and Breel was a fascinating character. Normally, I like a little more brutality and depth of despair in my apocalyptic reading, but the blurb states that Breel is seventeen years old, so that is a clue for the target group.

As usual, those in power wield a heavy sword to keep everyone in line, using the threat of execution for the slightest infraction, like sketching/drawing, when she is forbidden to do so. How far can you push someone, no matter the age, before they push back? And what happens when they do?

One of the scariest things is…there is no punishment for those who report other citizens. In fact, they are rewarded for it. Who can you trust? You can never be sure what is going on in someone’s mind. Family turning in family, friends turning in friends, coworkers…Instead of ‘lock her up’, it’s take her out.

Some of the most unlikely people will be those who support taking action against the regime. Some will fall, and the ending….I was saddened, afraid for the ones who chose to reshape their world into something better. BUT, that is for another day. I am hooked and I look forward to finding out what comes next. I rated Sketching Rebellion with the target audience in mind.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sketching Rebellion by Felicia Ketcheson.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Conformity is mandatory. But seventeen-year-old artist Breel rebels anyway.

In the city of Lexum, personal choice is nonexistent, and defiance is severely punished. Breel is alone in seeing the injustices in her world. Isolated due to her beliefs and haunted by the disappearance of her uncle, she finds solace in the forbidden act of drawing. Creating art is a rebellion against an oppressive regime that stifles self-expression.

When a glimmer of hope emerges in the form of a resistance group, Breel faces a decision. Will she risk execution to join their fight for a society which would celebrate rather than condemn her artistic skills? Or will she continue hiding her non-conformity?

The outcome of her choice will not only define her own fate but may also set in motion a revolution that could reshape her world forever.

2022 Killer Nashville Claymore Award finalist (Juvenile/YA) .

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense, Technothriller, Thriller, Young Adult
    [ Previously published as Intercludae.]
  • 320 pages, Paperback
  • Published July 1, 2023

ABOUT FELICIA KETCHESON

Felicia Ketcheson is the author of Intercludae, which was a 2022 Killer Nashville Claymore Award finalist (Juvenile/YA category). At age seven, she wrote her first book about a dog, cat, and bee. Four years later, she randomly started writing a short novel, catapulting her into the world of series writing. When she’s not devising ways to destroy the lives of her fictional characters, she works as a medical researcher and database developer. Database developing is a passion she simultaneously loves and hates. She lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

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Review – Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott #DontLookAway #NetGalley @RachelAbbott

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I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott. This is my first Rachel Abbott book, but I have my eye on her.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Prologue is super creepy and I quickly began ‘flipping pages’. AND, I am going to start off by saying, if you don’t have blinds, curtains, drapes, or some kind of window covering and close them, especially at night, well…..read this. LOL

Nancy Holland had never wanted to come back to Cornwall, but her Aunt Helen had passed away and left the cottage to her. Nancy’s sister, Lola, had disappeared here and she had nothing but bad memories. She was alone. Her mother had passed away and her father had died in a car accident. She carries the guilt of the disappearance and deaths on her shoulders.

I had an instant dislike of her father, Ray. He heaps all the bad onto her, telling her it is her fault. He gives me the creeps and I wonder what the real story is. I think Rachel Abbott did a great job of describing him because I felt he was slimy, a snake, and I never waivered. Am I right? Am I wrong? I have to read on to find out.

She is not in Cornwall long before the search for her sister, Lola, is reopened due to new evidence. There was also a body found in a cave and even more questions arise.

Effie, I think she is a wonderfully developed character. Her personality comes through the pages and I love that she is there for Nancy.

Stephanie and Gus have a crisis and I must say, I would have been furious. I don’t want to say why, BUT, men need to wear a condom! Take some responsibility for your actions. I am not liking Gus very much. I feel he is arrogant, egotistical and patronizing towards her.

Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott started out slow for me. I kept getting the heebie jeebies though. I felt there were a lot of secrets, dangerous secrets buried in the pages. Men sure don’t come across as winners in this book. I felt rage, disgust, empathy, sadness, and hope, among a lot of other things as the story unfolded.

I am trying to describe how dark and disturbing many facets of Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott are, without giving anything away. I had ideas of what was going on, some were right and some were wrong and some I totally missed the mark.

The story is not over, and I saw that coming, sorta….so, I’ll be waiting for the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Don’t Look Away by Rachel Abbott.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

She never wanted to come back. Now she’ll never leave.

Nancy Holland’s sister disappeared on a holiday in Cornwall eleven years ago. She hasn’t been seen since, and Nancy never returned. Until now.

Life has pulled her back to the seaside village and cottage where young Lola was last seen.

Back then, Nancy couldn’t see what was right in front of her eyes. Can she now finally uncover what happened to her sister?

But somebody doesn’t want her here, digging into the past. If she discovers the truth at last, they’ll never let her leave again.

  • Genre: Crime, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Suspense, Thriller
  • 400 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 3, 2023Series by Bookouture
  • Series: Stephanie King #3

ABOUT RACHEL ABBOTT

I was born and brought up in the north of England, and worked for many years as the managing director of an interactive media company. I wrote every day – everything from creative proposals to user manuals – but most exciting of all was writing interactive dramas – including for the Cluedo (Clue in the US) interactive games. I was fortunate enough to sell my company in 2000 and we moved to Italy where we bought and restored an old country house.

I have published six full length novels and one novella, and my seventh Come a Little Closer is due for release in 2018. I now live on the beautiful island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, where I write full time.

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Review – Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton #DylanNewton #netgalley #ChangeofPlans

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I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton. I cannot recommend this book enough!!!!!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

What an amazing surprise Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton was. I have read a couple of her stories, so I grab anything of hers I see. I love this fun cover and the romance inside. There are some fun moments and lots of romance. The characters are addictive.

Imagine, if you will, the ringing of the phone. You answer and you are told your brother and his wife died and named you guardian of their three young children. Of course, the wicked grandparents think you are incapable of raising them and sue you for custody. As I read along, I thought, why didn’t she take a vacation and have the children stay with them. I think they may change their mind.

The children: five year old Addison, who refuses to take off her fairy wings. I can picture her, spinning around the room with a smile of innocence on her face. Then we have eight year old Cecily who won’t bathe. Once we found the reason why, it all made sense. Tween, June hates everything about life and is constantly in trouble, lippy and standoffish.

Bryce, their guardian, struggles to cope. I feel for her. Not only is she doing her best to take care of the children and find work in a new place, she is grieving for the loss of her brother. She has no family left. No support system. Her breathing exercises to calm herself in high stress are familiar to me. The garbage plate in Rochester, New York, been there done that. I love a book that has a taste of reality for me.

Ryker left the Marine corp because of the loss of his leg. He has PTSD and nightmares haunt him as her relives the worst day of his life. He avoids everyone, tinkering in his garage, where he restores vehicles. He rarely ventures out, but a visit to the grocery store changes his life forever.

Cecily had dropped her lucky rock under a grocery shelf and gets stuck.

“Let go of the change and the rock so I can pull you out, and I’ll give you a dollar.

“Two dollars,” bargained her niece, “and I get to pick out the cookies this week.

I was laughing out loud. I think I picked the perfect time for me to read Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton. I laughed and laughed. I cried and cried. I shared in Bryce’s lack of confidence in her new role, her grief. The writing is heavy and light at the same time and flows so smoothly, I reached the end before I was ready.

“I’ve been waiting to see him in his fairy wings. Only Aunt Beamer says the fairies don’t leave heaven ’cause the gates are locked. Have you ever seen a fairy, Mr Ryker:”

When Ryker found them in the grocery store, saved Cecily and played pirate with Addison, I found myself grinning like a fool, then her heartbreaking cuteness was like a punch in the gut. The tears flowed, so I will warn you to have a box of tissues handy.

The moment they met it changed both their lives. They slowly began to open up and think they could have the happiness everyone desires. Of course, we have a communication problem. Doesn’t that always happen in a romance story or real life? I thought she was too quick to do what she did, but I can understand her hurt. Other than that, I couldn’t find a single thing wrong with the book.

No matter what genre is your favorite, I can’t recommend a better book than Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton. to give you your emotional requirement of ups and downs, highs and low, bliss and despair, and…and…and…and…

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Change Of Plans by Dylan Newton.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.

When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won’t bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.
 
It’s been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he’s lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.  
 
When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store’s baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?

  • Genre: Adult, Comedy and humor, Contemporary, Fiction, Literary, Romance, Chick LIt
  • Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 1, 2023 by Forever Grand Central Publishing

ABOUT DYLAN NEWTON

Dylan Newton

Dylan Newton was born and raised in a small town in Upstate New York where the local library was her favorite hang-out. Despite earning a degree in English Literature, Dylan spent more than a decade sidetracked by an executive position in corporate America where she swears she contracted testosterone poisoning. After leaving, she dedicated herself to more estrogen-rich passions, like motherhood, writing romance novels and her never-ending quest for the perfect date night.

Dylan married her high-school sweetheart and they are busy living out their own happily ever after in sunny Florida with their two incredible daughters.

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MY DYLAN NEWTON REVIEWS

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Review – The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs #kathyreichs #netgalley #thebonehacker

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I want to thank NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read and review The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs. I still watch the Bones series reruns and never hesitate to pick up a Kathy Reichs book.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I always want to love a Kathy Reichs novel and I did enjoy and do recommend The Bone Hacker, but it fell a little short for me to love it. I do enjoy the adventure of heading to the Turks and Caicos, a place I have never been, but loved learning about, murder and all.

I smiled and laughed at the picture her words brought to mind of her dog, Birdie, sitting at the table minding her manners so she can eat with her human family.

A death in Canada has her on a plane to the Turks and Caicos faster than she can think, WTH. And there my confusion begins. Kathy Reichs has so much going on that doesn’t seem to connect in any way. I know to be patient, that most authors will bring it all together and once I have the full picture it all makes sense.

For an established author like Kathy Reich, I have very high expectations and look for excellence. I did not find that here, but Musgrove, then Monk grew on me. Island life doesn’t function the same as on the mainland, and I love the individuality of the characters.

I didn’t find anything earth shattering, but The Bone Hacker did have its moments. It confirmed for me…privacy is an illusion. If half of what I read in the book was true, unless you are completely off the grid, big brother is watching.

I enjoyed The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs, but it was not one of my favorites. Regardless, I am sure I will pick up the next book of hers I see.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-second high-stakes thriller featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, following a series of bizarre disappearances on the islands of Turks and Caicos, enters a sinister labyrinth in which a new technology may wreak worldwide havoc.

Called in to examine what is left of a body struck by lightning, Tempe traces an unusual tattoo to its source and is soon embroiled in a much larger case. Young men—tourists—have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos for years. Seven years ago, the first victim was found in a strange location with both hands cut off; the other visitors vanished without a trace. But, recently, tantalizing leads have emerged and only Tempe can unravel them.

Maddeningly, the victims seem to have nothing in common—other than the strange locations where their bodies are eventually found, and the fact that the young men all seem to be the least likely to be involved in foul play. Do these attacks have something to do with the islands’ seething culture of gang violence? Tempe isn’t so sure. And then she turns up disturbing clues that what’s at stake may actually have global significance.

It isn’t long before the sound of a ticking clock grows menacingly loud, and then Temper herself becomes a target.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 352 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Series: Temperance Brennan #22
  • Expected publication August 1, 2023 by Scribner

ABOUT KATHY REICHS

Kathy Reichs

Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. She is one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A professor of anthropology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.

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MY REVIEWS FOR KATHY REICHS

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