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Tag Archives: suspense
Can you ever have too much color in your life? Jude by Kristine Mason @KristineMason7
Review & Giveaway – The Mind’s Eye by Perry Prete @PerryPreteBooks @iReadBookTours
Giveaway – Exposed by Alison Golden @PromoBookTours @alisonjgolden
One Sentence Review for Red Sky by Chris Goff @christinegoff
Red Sky: A Raisa Jordan Thriller by Chris Goff is a novel that deals with conspiracy and terrorism in Russia and China.
I won Red Sky Book II in the Raisa Jordan Thriller series, and Chris Goff’s debut novel, Dark Waters. You can see my review for Dark Waters, Book I, HERE.
Thanks to Peg B and Chris Goff.
Goodreads / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA
MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW
The Russians and Chinese are willing to take down a plane to stop the delivery of an envelope and Raisa must handle this delicately to avoid a Cold War…but she carries a big stick and knows how to use it in this frightening, intriguing, action packed spy thriller filled with danger and betrayal at every turn.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
When People’s Republic Flight 91 crashes in northeastern Ukraine with a U.S. diplomatic agent onboard, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service Agent Raisa Jordan is sent to investigate. The agent was escorting a prisoner home from Guangzhou, China, along with sensitive documents, and it quickly becomes apparent that the plane was intentionally downed. Was it to silence the two Americans onboard?
To avoid a diplomatic incident, Jordan must discover what the Americans knew that was worth killing hundreds to cover up. With Russia deeply entangled in the Ukraine and the possibility that China could be hiding reasons to bring down its own plane, tensions are high.
As international relations and even more lives hang in the balance, Jordan races to stop a new Cold War. Red Sky, Chris Goff’s pulse-pounding follow-up to Dark Waters, is yet another white-knuckle joyride for fans of Gayle Lynds.
Sex, Torture and Human Trafficking ~ Blood is Power by Ella Medler Review
MY REVIEW
Ella Medler’s Hunter Series has some of the most awesome, vibrant, eyecatching covers that relate to the story and I love them. I could never walk by without picking them up, just by the cover alone.
I had read Blood Is Heavier, Book I, and I was dying to continue Nick’s story. Blood Is Power picks up where Blood Is Heavier left off. I knew this would be another hit thriller and I was not disappointed. Fast paced, exciting and suspenseful.
Nick was tired of all the killing, but Campbell or Dallas had kidnapped Cameron and Maxi to make him do their bidding, so now they would have to pay. They had no idea what a big mistake they had made. If he was good enough to hire, they should have thought of the repercussions. He found the yacht easily.
Tequila is Nick’s best bud. They had been in Special Forces together and had a special bond. She understood him and would do anything for him. She is strong, stubborn and resourceful. He had Max and Cam. She was alone, but she takes care of his family as if it’s her own. She is obsessive, impetuous and pushes things too far. It gets her in trouble. I was freaking out for Tequila. I love her and am scared for her.
Police Officer Newton, along with Marsh is doing a lot off the grid. Newton has a disregard for rules. They are walking a mighty fine line, venturing on their own to save…..They will risk their careers to do the right thing.
What was Dollar dela Rue’s game? He enjoyed being turned on by others pain. Is he in to human trafficking? Aweful, just awful Ella. How do you come up with such evilness. LOL I love it.
“So much blood? I hope its worth it.”
“Blood is power. Its money and influence and authority. It’s me.”
Hard to not give away too much. Police corruption. Rich powerful men ruling the world. A few out for the few. They can bring you down on a whim. Is that happening now? I do believe in conspiracies. Just look at current events.
I love thrillers and this is a great one. From the UK to Cypress to the Maldines. Greed, corruption, pornography, sex slaves, murder, and the deepest, darkest depravities of the sexually perverted.
Death of a 1000 – ling chi.
The writing was so real, I was at turns afraid, disgusted and super pissed.
I can’t think of where she will go next but am glad to hear that Tequila’s story will be told.
Bonus material and an interview with Ella Medler is at the end of the book.
The interview is very entertaining. When she tells how she remains sane, I loved it. Cracking up. I loved reading how she chooses characters names, and does her research on locations, the military culture, maps, organ transplant, slave trade, trafficking…
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of Blood Is Power from Ella Medler.
5 Stars
SYNOPSIS
In this second instalment of his story, Nick Hunter proceeds to track down and eliminate every person involved in his son’s kidnap. But where will the chase end? And has he bitten off more than he can chew? Nick discovers a tangled net of human trafficking and corruption, and world-class players with a penchant for disturbed obsessions. Gritty, dark, chock-full of suspense. Don’t start reading if you cannot finish it in one sitting.
85,000 words approx, plus Bonus Materials 1, 2 & 3.
*
(non-spoiler excerpt)
“Action!” Dollar shouted. Then, quieter, to her. “Oh, I will enjoy watching your end, Precious. Every single second of it. Every cut, every lick of blood, every morsel of flesh that drops off your body.” Tequila felt her eyes bulge out of their sockets. She was too terrified to breathe, too stunned to think. And still, the beast walked nearer. He sneered, and then lifted up the scalpel until it was level with his chin. “Don’t forget to scream,” he whispered.
*
Don’t miss BLOOD IS THE END, the last book in the Hunter trilogy, due for release in 2014, and DEAL WITH IT! – Tequila’s story, a spin-off created by popular demand.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ella Medler is a U.K. author and free-lance editor. She writes fiction in more than one genre in a seemingly vain attempt to slow down her overactive brain enough to write non-fiction on subjects she knows a thing or two about. She also does not believe in the starchy use of English and ignores the type of rule that doesn’t allow for a sentence to be finished in a preposition. Her books are action-driven and well-developed characters are her forte. Loves: freedom. Hates: her inner censor.
Stalk Ella: Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Paper Gold Publishing
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The doctor is in….and he’s insane – Celeste: Primal by Kristine Mason @KristineMason7
Kristine Mason has taken the Celeste Files to a new level in Primal.
MY REVIEW
I have been waiting for Olivia to shine, and Kristine Mason is letting her show her stuff in Celeste: Primal. Olivia is only three years old, but when her mother is abducted, it is up to her to save her. I have read all of Celeste’s stories, and this one tops them all.
Celeste, John, and the kids were heading home to Wissota Falls, Wisconsin, for vacation. She wanted to go home, but, with her memories of the past and the last time she was there, I would have opted for the beach.
Maxine, Celeste’s mentor, has seven failed marriages and a house she shares with some friendly ghosts. Too bad they can’t talk to Maxine, but they use Celeste as a go between. They are funny and helpful, and this time they are talking to Olivia.
When Celeste goes missing, the wrath of CORE, owned by her father, Ian, comes down…There will be hell to pay and no one will stop until she is brought home.
Some CORE secrets will be exposed and I wonder what the repercussions will be.
I always laugh at myself when I come to the part where the action revs up and all the bad begins. I wait, anticipate, and revel in the badness. The darker, the better.
Primal is an apt title for this brutal, savage delving into parapsychology by those with their good and bad reasons for it.
OMG. I think I’m going to puke. OMG, Celeste…I have to wait, collect my thoughts as the horror and true evil of Martha washes over me, making my skin tingle and shivers run up and down my spine. I actually gagged. Through the tears pooling in my eyes, I read to the end.
If you love a breathtakingly beautiful love story and a horrifying supernatural thriller, this is one you will no be able to put down once you start. You will want the to follow the characters through their life, meet their friends, family, and ghosts, struggle through their trials with them, and share in their happiness during the good times.
If you have a ghost in your life, hold tight. You never know what help they can be in your time of need.
I love that Kristine shared the middle finger in the novel and if you want the chuckle I got hearing about letting the bird fly, read this yourself. You won’t regret it. Her writing will leave you wanting more.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Fear the living, not the dead…
John Kain’s wife, Celeste, has been abducted. With little evidence, the CORE investigator enlists the help of their clairvoyant, three-year-old daughter. He attempts to connect with Celeste through his preschooler, but he’s left with more questions than answers, and even more fear. Using psychic visions, his little girl somehow takes him into the paranormal world and shows him the horror his wife is facing—if he doesn’t find Celeste soon, he might never see her alive again.
Celeste has woken to a living nightmare. Thirty-five years ago, a psychiatrist obsessed with the supernatural had kidnapped her psychic mother. Although her mom had survived, the twisted doctor had murdered five other people like her, and thanks to her mom’s testimony, was sentenced to life in prison. Spurred by vengeance, the psychiatrist’s son is determined to continue with his father’s experiments, and he has a special room just for Celeste.
With the help of the dead, Celeste is doing everything possible to save herself from being tortured. But she’s running out of time. Her kidnapper believes he can enhance her psychic gift through brain surgery. The doctor is in….and he’s insane.
ABOUT KRISTINE MASON
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Kristine Mason is the bestselling author of the popular romantic suspense trilogies, C.O.R.E. Shadow, and Ultimate C.O.R.E. She is currently working on her next trilogy, C.O.R.E. Above the Law, along with a series of Psychic C.O.R.E. novellas.
Although Kristine has published a few contemporary romance novels, she focuses most of her energy on her romantic suspense stories, which she loves for their blend of dark mystery/suspense and sexy romance. She is fascinated with what makes people afraid, and is famous for her depraved villains whose crimes present massive obstacles for her heroes and heroines to overcome.
Kristine has a degree in journalism from Ohio State University and lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. If she’s not writing, she’s chauffeuring kids, gardening, or collecting gnomes. Oh, and she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!Connect with Kristine on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kristinemasonauthor, Twitter https://twitter.com/KristineMason7 or email her at authorkristinemason@gmail.com. You can also find out more about Kristine’s books at http://www.kristinemason.net
Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest
- You can see my Giveaways HERE.
- You can see my Reviews HERE.
- If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
- Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
- Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
- Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
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MY REVIEWS FOR KRISTINE MASON’S NOVELS
- Shadow of Danger / Shadow of Perception / Shadow of Vengeance
- Ultimate Kill / Ultimate Fear / Ultimate Prey (review coming soon)
- Celeste Files: Unlocked / Unjust / Unforgotten / Poisoned / Possessed
- Perfectly Twisted / Perfectly Toxic / Perfectly Tortured
Friday 56 #122 – Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler @ericaspindler
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it.
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or 
so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
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A messy bookshelf is the norm around the Fundin household. I just cannot help but pick up another book and another and another…
I have been reading Erica Spindler for some time now. Sometimes I pick up her books for my shelf and other times I check them out from the library.
I was so fortunate to be able to meet her and get her autograph on my copy of Killer Takes All.
I think this cover is ‘to die’ for.
My 56
She stopped and glanced over her shoulder at them. “Check the bulletin board over the desk,” she called. “I think you’ll find it interesting.”
(Page 56 in hardcover,1st edition, published in 2005)
Book Beginnings
Stacy Killian opened her eyes, fully awake. The sound that had awakened her came again.
Pop. Pop.
GOODREADS BLURB: Stacy Killian was exposed to the horrors of crime as a member of the Dallas police force. After moving to New Orleans to pursue a quieter life, a friend’s murder plunges her back into the role that she fled. Doubting that Spencer Malone, an overconfident, rookie homicide detective, is up to the task, Stacy vows to track down the killer herself. The investigation draws them into the frightening world of White Rabbit, a fantasy roleplaying game that is as real a life and death.
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Giveaway, Guest Post & Review – The Element Trilogy by Donna Galanti @DonnaGalanti
I am so excited to share Donna Galanti’s Element series with you today.
Soooo…let’s start with A Human Element.
A Human Element is an amazing fantasy that left me screaming for more.
The beautiful cover is only a prelude to the amazingl story inside.
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MY REVIEW
A Human Element is about man’s inhumanity to man, man’s callous disregard of other’s lives, but also, the lengths some people will go to do the right thing.
When her parents are killed and she is left alone, she is committed to finding the killer.
I felt such tension, suspense, fear and dread for the characters, that I was talking to them. Shouting at them. Telling them to watch out. He’s coming.
I LOVE this book. The further into A Human Element I read, the more engrossed I become. My heart beats faster as my eyes race across the words…faster and faster. I just have to know what is going to happen. I read on and it gets creepier and creepier.
See my full review HERE.
GOODREADS BLURB: Evil comes in many forms…
One by one, Laura Armstrong’s friends and adoptive family members are being murdered, and despite her unique healing powers, she can do nothing to stop it. The savage killer haunts her dreams, tormenting her with the promise that she is next.
Determined to find the killer, she follows her visions to the site of a crashed meteorite in her hometown. There, she meets Ben Fieldstone, who seeks answers about his parents’ death the night the meteorite struck. In a race to stop a madman, they unravel a frightening secret that binds them together.
But the killer’s desire to destroy Laura face-to-face leads to a showdown that puts Laura and Ben’s emotional relationship and Laura’s pure spirit to the test. With the killer closing in, Laura discovers her destiny is linked to his, and she has two choices—redeem him or kill him.
MY REVIEW
I loved A Human Element by Donna Galanti, so to continue the story in A Hidden Element was a no brainer. This is Book II of the trilogy, which contains a mish mash of genres: science fiction, mystery, thrills and romance.
A Hidden Element does fill in some of the story from A Human Element, but for the full effect I recommend starting with Book I.
I knew bad stuff was coming and I was afraid for Charlie. He is an innocent, but will he be swayed to the dark side?
Some of the aliens want to just live among us, fit in with us, side by side.
Others want so much more.
Aliens or human, it seems like we all have the same wants and desires, motivations and ego, dark and light, good and bad.
Charlie: Tomorrow. He would tell her everything tomorrow.
Adrian: He couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow delivered.
Ben: Tomorrow. He would fix this tomorrow.
Donna Galanti can sure spin an amazing tale that will keep you reading. The characters captivated me as I journeyed along with them, trying their best to make the right choices. I struggled to figure out who was good and who was bad, who would be the betrayer and who would survive. There are plenty of surprises and suspense and food for thought.
What would we do if we found out aliens walked among us? I have a feeling it wouldn’t be good. Would it be like First Encounter or War of the Worlds? Would you be curious or afraid? Would you want them living next door to you?
I’m just saying….
5 Stars
ABOUT A HIDDEN ELEMENT: Evil lurks within…
When Caleb Madroc is used against his will as part of his father’s plan to breed a secret community and infiltrate society with their unique powers, he vows to save his oppressed people and the two children kept from him. Seven years later, Laura and Ben Fieldstone’s son is abducted, and they are forced to trust a madman’s son who puts his life on the line to save them all. The enemy’s desire to own them—or destroy them—leads to a survival showdown. Laura and Ben must risk everything to defeat a new nemesis that wants to rule the world with their son, and Caleb may be their only hope—if he survives. But must he sacrifice what he most desires to do so?
Writing Your Last Line by Donna Galanti
What makes you decide to buy a book? Do you open it open up to the first page and decide on the first paragraph, or even first line? I have one friend who studies first lines. She roams a library or bookstore and randomly selects books to read their first lines then dissects them based on how drawn in she is. Did it grab her attention? Did it raise a question? Did it introduce the main character? And most importantly, does she want to keep reading?
Those first lines. They either grab you or they don’t. As writers, we only have a few seconds to impress readers enough so they will buy our book.
But what about those last lines? Those lines that complete a scene, chapter, or THE END itself that propel you to turn the page and read on, or that keep the story alive in your mind long after you’ve finished it.
One early reader of A Hidden Element was intrigued by the last lines of my chapters. She actually typed them up and sent them to me because she was so thrilled with how each one ended like a cliffhanger and kept her reading.
Here’s a sampling:
Killing was useful in so many ways.
The dark took her anyway.
She would do anything to save her family.
And that scared him more than anything.
She welcomed Death, but he did not come for her.
The nothing took him.
She screamed and ran into a darker hell.
The last words he heard whispered were, “forever dead”.
And it was not of this Earth.
He drifted away in it.
He could live with that, if only he could be a father to his sons.
The old fear hit him again in the gut.
The words shattered through him like hammer to glass – not from Earth.
He was empty inside, as he had always been.
The first stone flew.
The scars of Rachel and his sons seared his heart forever.
He was just a kid suddenly terrified of his own dad – and his own destiny.
He looked up at the open door that welcomed him.
After fifteen years the nightmare had begun – again.
They marched on toward a hidden enemy who watched – and waited.
Would you turn the page to read the next chapter – and the next? When you read these chapter lines together do they tell a story to you?
And what about our last lines in life? They are the final cliffhanger we leave the world with, leaving those we leave behind to wonder about.
Here are some cliffhanger last lines from famous folks. Would you want to keep reading about their life? Would their life story resonate with you?
Let us cross over the river and sit in the shade of the trees. – General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
I die hard but am not afraid to go. – George Washington, US President
Get my swan costume ready. – Anna Pavlova, ballerina
Go on, get out – last words are for fools who haven’t said enough. – Karl Marx, revolutionary
Why do you weep. Did you think I was immortal? – Louis XIV, King of France
I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark. – Thomas Hobbes, writer
It is very beautiful over there. – Thomas Edison, inventor
All my possessions for a moment of time. – Elizabeth I, Queen of England
What will be your last line?
PRAISE FOR A HIDDEN ELEMENT:
“Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall
“Fascinating…a haunting story…”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath
“Will keep you up long past your bedtime…a pulse-pounding read.”—Allan Leverone, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Final Vector
PRAISE FOR THE ELEMENT TRILOGY:
“Unrelenting, devious but full of heart. Highly recommended.” —Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Code Zero
“Chilling and dark…a twisty journey into another world.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of When Shadows Fall
“Fascinating…a haunting story…”—Rebecca Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of The World Beneath
Purchase the Element Trilogy on sale through December 7th
Book 1 A HUMAN ELEMENT for $0.99
Book 2 A HIDDEN ELEMENT for $1.99
ABOUT DONNA GALANTI:
Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse that has lots of nooks and crannies, but sadly no ghosts. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.
ENTER GIVEAWAY!
Prize Pak:
Win $15 Amazon Gift Card, e-book of The Dark Inside, Element Trilogy story collection, and become a character in the final Element Trilogy book!
- You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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He’ll Get His Revenge in For the Love of Grace by Andy Blackman #Andy Blackman
I was offered a chance to read For the Love of Grace by Andy Blackman and I am so happy I jumped on it. This suspense thriller quickly captured my attention and held it throughout.
Thanks Rachel at Authoright Marketing & Publicity and Andy Blackman for the chance to read and review this fantastic novel of love, loss and revenge.
MY REVIEW
Thank goodness I had a sixth sense about For the Love of Grace by Andy Blackman, because neither the cover or the blurb made me anticipate what was to come. I was quickly captured, wondering how Tom will unravel his complicated life and find a happy ending.
Tom grew up poor and hungry, with a thirst for knowledge that was aided by a photographic memory. He is a gentle, loving boy, devoted to his mother, until…
His entire life changed in the blink of an eye. Circumstances beyond our control can cause our lives to take a turn we never could have anticipated and this is just what happened to Tom.
I feel so much sympathy for Grace, his mother, that deserves sainthood in my book. She is a selfless, loving person, giving to others just because of their need. How much pain is such a wonderful person supposed to endure? I feel *** is not doing right by her.
I am halfway in and my heart is breaking for Tom. He is a good guy caught up in bad situations through no fault of his own, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Life deals him some bad breaks, but this 30 minutes was the worst of his life and nothing would stop him from exacting his revenge. And I am with him! I want to pick up a gun and hunt them down like the brutal savages they are.
I love when a man is bad and good at the same time. Know what I mean? Where do you draw the line? I sympathize with Tom, I feel his pain through Andy Blackman’s words. Andy does a fantastic job of taking me sky high only to drop me, splatting my feelings all over the ground.
I knew from the beginning that something really bad, tragic, would have to happen to take him down the road of an assassin and I kept waiting for it to happen. The suspense never let me rest. The writing created a sense of impending doom.
The peripheral characters are not written just for support. They all play an important part in his life, whether they are his friends or on the receiving end of his wrath, but this is Tom’s story.
I don’t know why I didn’t see the ending coming. I should have seen it. I guess I was so wrapped up in Tom, that I really didn’t want it to end, because I just could not find a way for it to end the way I wanted.
My only complaint…the book is too short. I would have loved to be with Tom through his training to become such a proficient killer. I would have loved a few other parts of the story to be fleshed out more, giving me more details. Maybe this is just because I didn’t want the story to end. BUT…it doesn’t.
I definitely want to check out Book II, The Second Son!!!!
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of For The Love of Grace from Andy Blackman.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB: Grace Backer had a life full of tragedy. But despite everything, she raised her son, Tom, with her secret intact. Tom is a prodigal child, destined to escape the slums of the East End of London for a better life; circumstances will make him flee his loving mother and their home much sooner than expected.
Tom starts a new life in Odessa, Russia, and with the help of new-found friends starts a business. At last, he is finally accepted into a new and loving family, but one which holds its own dark secrets. A chance meeting with the son of a duke of the realm leads to close friendship and a new business partnership. When Tom decides to move his company to London and have his regal new friend run it, the firm thrives. However, not everything is as it seems, and Tom’s business soon conceals dangerous secrets of its own.
Years later, when Tom finally decides to return to London, he is a wanted man, one hunted by the intelligence agencies. If he is finally to be reunited with his beloved mother and his best friend, he must fight to put the past behind him. But keeping secrets is never easy.
- You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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- Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
- Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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- Thanks for visiting fundinmental!