The Summoning Fire by David Michael

Article first published as Book Review: The Summoning Fire by David Michael on Blogcritics

Prepare to be spooked in the most unusual way. The Summoning Fire by David Michael has such an effect. When you are in Hell on Earth almost anything can happen and usually does. Devils and demons roam at will, and death is as common as coffee.

Reece-anne and her lover Sam have been assassins for the Old Man for the last few years. It is a brutal job and their initiation was worse then can be imagined. They travel together, Sam with her katana, a beautiful black sword, and Reece with her trusty shotgun. Death is just another day in Hell on Earth and even these weapons wielded by two women attract no outward attention. The Old Man is one of the most prolific of the crime lords, having escaped from hell, he is having the time of his life. He can eat his fill of the plump human tourists that make their way into Hell on Earth from Suburbia, and he can inflict pain at will. Reece and Sam feel it is time to break free. This is exactly what the Old Man has been waiting for as he needs the blood of one of them to create a summoning.

Luring them to his Penthouse, knowing their plans for him, he sets his trap. Deciding that Sam is the most dangerous of the two, he makes his choice and she is the one whose blood is used in the summoning. Her death will bring the very horror that is necessary in his plans for the earth, and will also help him to control this creature of the dark. Little does he realize that he has also created a different type of killer, that of Reece herself. Madness overcomes her in her despair and anger. He leaves her in misery secure in his invulnerability.

As darkness descends in the form of the summoned, death and disaster follow. The Old Man, realizing he has made a mistake by leaving Reece alive, sends the summoned after her. At every turn there is something--the summoned fights the command from his summoner--and yet because the summoner know its true name, it must follow his command. What is it about Reece Ann, that even the most unearthly blackness fights the command to destroy her? Will she get her revenge and release the torment from her very soul? Will evil truly win the war?

David Michael has written a unique and interesting cast of characters, and chose to make Reece the heroine. Or did he?

This is a story of horror and pain, and not for the weak at heart. It is graphic and sometimes cruel but always with an underlying theme. It is set in a time and place where all hell has broken loose literally. The Princes of hell have created an exit from that very place, many of them being destroyed in the process, leaving the Old Man as he is called, as the leader. He is a Prince of darkness, but refuses to be named, as true names have power. He is cruel and callus and his visage is more then horrible, it creates both fascination and fear.

The creature of darkness is the stuff of nightmares, absorbing any living thing it touches, learning from memories of those absorbed, leaving only wet skeletal remains behind. You are alternately horrified by it and at times cheering it; somehow David Michael has given it a somewhat human thought process, through its absorbtion of its victims. While it is a creature of loathing, it is also a creature pulled from it's home, following directions from a hateful master, wanting only to return to that place from whence it came.

This is a fast paced and extremely creative story, full of violence and horror. I would recommend reading this book in the full daylight unless you are sharing it with friends. Cover the windows and turn on the lights, be prepared to be scared.

Rating 4/5
The Summoning Fire

This book was recieved free from the Author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Diggers Bones by Paul Mansfield Keefe

Article first published as Book Review: Digger's Bones by Paul Mansfield Keefe on Blogcritics.

Tarek Rashid (Digger) is Angie’s best friend. He is the only one of her colleagues that stood by her in the aftermath of a career ending decision. Angie published her findings before completing all the work only to find that her information was incorrect Angie is shattered, her world has collapsed, and she leaves behind archeology, her life long dream.

While Angie Cooper is finishing her fluff piece for the paper, her new job, she receives a call unexpectedly from Digger. He is frantic and it is important that they meet.

As they sit across from each other, Angie notices that Digger is not himself, he continues to glance around frantically as he tells her that not only has one of her other colleagues, Professor Rothchild, been murdered, but he has what is the find of a life time. He will need her help. As he is talking, a well-dressed man in a business suit sits next to Digger at the table. The man, after asking him what he has told Angie so far, pulls out a gun and shoots Digger in the head.

Initially paralyzed with fear, Angie breaks away, running for her life, horrified at what she has just witnessed. The information that Digger has shared sounds unreal, and makes no sense. The Bones that he and Professor Rothchild have uncovered hold the clues to the murders of these two men. Angie makes a decision to follow up on Diggers clues and solve the mystery of the murder as well as the mystery of the bones.

Little does she know that the decision she has made will lead her into a past that will shake the very foundation of the religious world, as we know it. The information will lead her into a world of fear and death, betrayal and disbelief, but it will also heal a part of her that she thought bruised beyond all hope.

In Diggers Bones, Paul Mansfield Keefe has brought to life a possibility of epic proportions. Keefe has written a story that is well researched, and just unbelievable enough to be believable. As Angie and her friends find each of the clues, set up almost as an old-fashioned scavenger hunt, Angie herself appears to be the target of a maniac. She escapes death at every turn, and it appears that there are at least two different factions interested in keeping them from finding Digger Bones. She is a very flawed individual and yet she is endearing, she makes mistakes but has such a deep level of trust you really root for her, and yet you know that one of those closest to her is a betrayer. She will have to dig deep within herself to find the answers to every thing that has lead her to this pass. She will have to leave behind that past in order to move forward and we are there, through this book, for the journey.

Their adversaries seem to be able to track their every move, and they need to understand how this is happening. They have no idea in advance where the next clue will lead them. Is there a traitor in their midst?

As Angie struggles to bring the information to light, there are those just as determined to bury the truth. Angie struggles to find the correct way to make the truth known and what she finds is that not only has Digger left her the clues, but he has also left her the answers to the very heart of the discovery. Is it right to bring information into the world that could damage the very structure of what makes the governments of the world? Digger’s answer through his clues, offers the only solution viable.

Diggers Bones is a roller coaster of emotion, this story is full of surprises and the ending is no different. The epilogue was an exciting addition to the story and drew it all together. You will learn to love many of the characters, and take a personal stake in the outcome of their adventure.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great adventure, but I also believe that a book club or reading group would find a great deal of different and interesting, and possibly controversial information to talk about.
Digger's Bones (Angie Cooper Series)

Rating 4/5

This book was received as a free e-book from the Author. All opinions expressed are my own based off my reading and understanding of the information.

This week's question comes from Christina who blogs at The Paperback Princesses.


"When you read a book that you just can't get into, do you stick it out and keep reading or move to your next title?"

Answer:
I  always continue to read. I do however pick up another book so that I have something I am interested in going at the same time.  I alternate because after all I do read for pleasure. What I find about books is that just because I do not like it, there are others that would love it, so unless the grammar and spelling are horrendous, I continue to read and give what I hope is a fair review, that is why I got into blogging. I have been lucky so far and have not found anything too bad. Great question Christina.

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

This review was originally written for the Romance Reviews http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=153


Ai Li is the number six child of the family Chang during the Tang Dynasty. Trained in the ancient art of butterfly swords by her grandmother, she is no meek woman, she is a warrior. As with most women of the time she is sent off to be married to Li Tao, to help cement relations between their lands. Ai Li learns of her intendeds duplicity as well as his involvement in the death of her brother and realizes that he is a traitor. She takes the advice of an old lieutenant, Wu, dresses as a young lad and escapes her promised husband in order to warn her father of his treachery.

Ai Li is a strong and independent woman, but is also very respectful of her parents and their traditions. While she does not want to marry a man she does not know, she follows her family’s wishes.

When she escapes, she knowingly breaks tradition, but feels that her family would understand when they learn of Li Taos part in the death of her number four brother. It is during this juncture that she meets Ryam a barbarian from another country. She is kind to a stranger when she could just ignore him; she does not treat him as most foreigners are treated. She is a mix of strength and femininity with a very good heart.

Ryam is trying to forget his part in the death of his comrades. He is in a strange land with nothing but his sword and his wits to protect him. When he first spots Ai Li, she is dressed as a young man. He sees through her disguise immediately and is amused that she seems to be pulling it off. He gets involved when Ai Li is being attacked, where he then becomes her one man rescue. Not that she is not capable and very deadly with her butterfly swords as he sees for himself. He is fascinated by the contrast between the purity of her womanliness and the strength of her skills with the swords.

As Ryam agrees to stay with her till she gets home to Changan, they run into many serious satiations where each is required to draw on their deepest internal spirit to get them through. They are being pursued by Ai Li’s bridegroom, Li Taos, who will not allow himself to lose face by her desertion. As a consequence of them traveling together, they begin to learn about each other as well as develop a trust based of mutual respect. What neither of them anticipates is the attraction, which is there right from the beginning. On Ryam’s part this attraction is visceral and raw; he is hard put to keep himself away from her. The glances cause heat and you can feel his tension and his urgency. Since he has made himself her protector, he continues to try to protect her against himself. Ai Li also feels the attraction but is very aware of the situation she is in. She is still betrothed to another man, and while she at least hopes her family will understand why she has left and possibly caused them embarrassment, she is also even more aware of his foreignness and how it will be accepted by her family. Every touch, every look, between the two of them has you yearning for more. There must be a way for them to be together, as their tension strains at the very bond that holds them together.

This is a wonderful story of family and how they come together; it is about learning to trust yourself as well as those around you. Jeannie Lin brings the time and place together in such an amazing way, almost as though you were watching it through the words. This is a brutal time and place in history but also a time of the most famous of love stories, the most beautiful poetry and the most exquisite fashion . She has brought us to a place in history and brought it to life; she has allowed us to see what many have never had a glimpse of. The story was well told, the romance bold but sweet, and the characters were exactly what was needed to bring it all together. There were a few times in the story where it bogged down a bit, causing it to lose momentum, but over all, it was a wonderful read.

Summary


Ai Li has escaped her intended husband in order to inform her father of his treachery as well as his involvement in the death of her brother. She has not gotten very far before her would be rescuers decide to become her captors. Ryam is unwittingly drawn into this by the kindness that she has shown him. When he saves her, only to be saved by her in return, they become traveling companions as she races to reach her father.

They are pursued by her intended Li Tao, and run into danger and excitement at every turn. Ai Li is well trained in the ancient art of Butterfly Swords by her Grandmother, unbeknownst by her mother. This is not what well bred young women do. They are obedient and follow their father’s wishes.

Ai Li is a mixture of amazing strength as well as a source of innocence. Ryam is a barbarian in a land of refinement. They are meant to be together, but they may be in the wrong time and the wrong place. Butterfly Swords is a fast paced and energetic book with wonderful characters. Will they be able to break the bonds of obedience, and what will happen to their forbidden love?

Rating 4/5

This book is a free ARC ebook received from Net Galley. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Secret of Ka By Christopher Pike

Sara Wilcox is spending the summer with her Father in Turkey, What she finds is that she is on her own most of the time due to his job at Bectar, a hydroelectric construction site. Sara finds the language difficult and loud, it is hot and crowded, no fun at all. She has just turned 15 years old and looking for something to do.


It is then that she meets Amesh. He also works for the same company as her father. She finds him very attractive and really likes him. He is missing and arm, injured at his work he explains to her, and is now a delivery boy. He is able to get her to the job site where they discover a carpet. There is something about it that has them both excited, but especially Sara. She can feel some sort of power in it. They find a way to sneak it away without being seen, and take it back to the hotel. It is beautiful and seems to be made of some material that they had never seen before. Sara decides to see if she can cut a small piece off, and finds that it will not cut. She puts a lighter to it and it flies across the room.

Wow! They have discovered a flying carpet. While they discuss how they can keep their secret, they order up food, and clean up. As Amesh is in the shower, Sara surfs the internet and finds several articles about flying carpets. One of them talked about ley lines, magnetic lines that surrounded the earth, as being the fuel that helped them to fly. Sara learned the information as quickly as possible. They decide to see if they can find these ley lines, and if so, would they be able to operate the carpet. The compass should react abnormally when they were within the ley lines, so that is what they look for. Curiously enough, they found some ley lines and laid the carpet upon them. As they did several of the tassels folded and stood straight up looking like possible driving apparatus’s. They climbed on and off they went for a ride.

The carpet has its own agenda; it works for Sara and seems to communicate with her. She feels close to it almost as though it is a part of her. Amesh is very jealous and petulant, but refuses to leave her side because he is having trouble trusting her. His family is extremely poor and he sees the carpet as a way to riches.

The carpet takes them to another place, and even possibly another time, where they are guided by the carpet onto an island. It is here that Sara finds she can communicate with it. She also learns from the carpet that she is of the ancient lineage of the Kala, and is in fact a Royal Princess. This is why the carpet responds to her. It is the carpet of Ka, and is very important. While it communicates and answers many questions, it leaves many unanswered that she will have to find out for herself. There is something happening in her world and she will have to be the one to save them.

On the island they find a beautiful city consisting of towers. They find that this is where the Djinns are located. As they learn about these beings, they find there is good and evil involved. They can grant you three wishes, but there is a price. The first wish is for free, the second one requires something of you and the third makes you a thrall, or slave of the Djinn.

Amesh becomes enamored of this thought and at the first actual wish he surprises Sara by asking for a wealth of jewels instead of his arm. As he sees how his wish comes true, he becomes besotted with the Djinn, giving it even more power over him. He feels in control of the Djinn, instead of what is really occurring. The Djinn is gaining control over him. Thus emboldened he makes a second wish, that to get his arm back. Amazingly enough his arm is returned to him. As Sara protests and tries to let him know what he is getting himself into, his jealousy takes over. He feels that she just wants what he has. He and the Djinn take the carpet from her and head back to Turkey leaving her there on the island.

Sara is on her own, but finally runs into a very kind older man and a young woman. They put her to work on their farm, where she learns milking as well as pottery. As she learns the pottery she also learns more about the Djinn and how to control them. She feels responsible for Amesh and therefore must save him. One more wish will destroy him and it is up to her to keep that from happening.

How will Sara get home? Will she return and really be able to save Amesh from his own weaknesses.

This is a fun and fast paced story that keeps you guessing at what is going to happen. Just when you think you know where it is going, the story takes a twist and sends you into an entirely different direction.

While Sara is only 15 years old, she seems far older then she is. She is smart and caring, and just a bit of a handful. Amesh is a lonely young man, hurting and bedeviled at what life has thrown at him. He is very close to his family, but has allowed his weakness to guide him and become someone else. He is looking for revenge and puts his family at risk as he looks for answers.

This is a YA book and at times that is obvious. However as the story twists and turns it also makes for fun reading for book lovers of all ages. A rollercoaster of fun, enjoy.
The Secret of Ka available at Amazon

Rating 3/5

This book was recieved as an e-book, free though Netgalley. All opinions are my own based of my reading and understanding of the material.

Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman

Article first published as Restored Hope by Brenda Youngerman on Blogcritics

At 10 years of age Camilla Lynn Miller died. She had lived just seven days longer then her twin brother Sammy. Her death was hardly noticed because she was an invisible child. Her life was fractured by the death of her twin and Camilla was no more. Her place was taken by a fragile little 10 year old girl, who now went by the name of Samantha.

Camilla’s family consisted of her Mom and Dad, her twin brother Sammy, and her older brother Jason. He had been watching over Sammy when he fell from the tree and died. Because of their bond Camilla had absorbed Sammy and now there was only Samantha.

As Samantha begins to heal, and the family attempts to come together, Jason struggles with his guilt over Sammy’s death. How much can a family deal with when another child dies, this one self inflicted.

Sam’s Mom Tara, shattered by the suicide, the unimaginable death of yet another child, retreated into a shell. Sam was placed in the background once again, and became a prisoner in her own home. Every thing revolved around her Mom and as Sam grew she planned on escaping. As she moved away from home for college she found the first very real family she had ever known in her friend Tracy.

This is a heartbreaking and tragic story of the damage inflicted through the total disconnect of a family. Will Samantha find what she is looking for? Will she learn to love and trust again?

As I read Restored Hope, I tried to gage my feelings about this book; I realized that when Brenda Youngerman wrote her character Camilla, she really is invisible. As I went back I could only find a shadow of the little girl. Jason was very much front and center and his interaction with Sammy was certainly well written. Through it all there was just this sweet little girl that only looked on. She was just a vague figure in the background, curiously fading in and out of the story.

Camilla lived vicariously through Sammy and they communicated almost telepathically at times; with Sammy’s death she had actually felt him die. She could feel herself, falling with him, flying to the ground as he fell from the tree. The pain is palpable and you feel it, as Camilla deals with his death in the only way she can, by becoming someone else.

The whole story was surreal, somewhat like having a dream. I could have been watching from underwater the scenes rippled and surged moving in unexpected directions, not at all clear.

While the story is a tragedy, it is also a story of hope and dreams, and how love can heal even the deepest wounds.

Sam was so disconnected that while I could feel her pain and see where it came from, I found myself somewhat impatient that she struggled so much with trust. I would imagine that you would have to walk in her shoes in order to really understand.

I would recommend this book for book club reading as well as discussion groups. It touches on so many of the issues of today.
Restored Hope
Rating 4/5

I Recieved this book free from the author. The opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

No Greater Sacrifice By John C. Stipa

Article first published as No Greater Sacrifice By John C. Stipa on Blogcritics

An unexpected summoning to France for the reading of a will draws together a strangely damaged group of individuals. Renee d’ Arcadia an archaeologist, recently diagnosed with terminal leukemia, David Arturo a war veteran with a troubled past, Paul Meehutch an extremely large, overweight man with a chip on his shoulder, but full of knowledge, and Gerard Tremblay assistant curator of the church where the reading is to take place, elderly and yet strangely spry.

This is just the beginning of a journey that will send them into the past, and involve them in a 100-year-old mystery resulting in the death of Father Berenger Sauniere, the parish priest of the Rennes-le-Chateau.

It will take all their wits and experience as well the hidden clues only hinted at in different works of literature, to find the truth. They must race against the clock to find the answers before a sinister group of individuals bent on evil and the destruction of the church, discover them. Gerard Tremblay has many of the answers and as he begins to fill them in, he too is brutally murdered. With danger and death at every turn will they find the answers in time?


What they find in each other will give them the strength to overcome evil and find the truth of the murder at the Rennes-le-Chateau.

"No Greater Sacrifice" is an intriguing book that is full of depth and extremely captivating. I am generally a quick reader, but because there was such an array of beautiful and interesting places and things, I took my time and savored the story. The characters were flawed and yet dynamic, demanding your pity or anger at times, and yet drawing your admiration in situation after situation. The interaction between them is funny and down to earth, displaying a real and human face that makes you miss them when they are gone.

Even with the immense amount of background surrounding the story, it was easy to follow. The clues were ingenuous and created a kind of “Indiana Jones” feel, with our friends ducking and dodging the dangers as they manifested.

John C. Stipa has created a fiction that makes you laugh and makes you cry; it is full of ugliness and beauty, and at every turn of the page, anticipation builds. There is a ribbon of hope weaved throughout the story, so while it is sometimes a bit dark, the hope ads a lightness that keeps the evil, which also twists its way though the story, at bay.


This is a great story and I would recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries, romance and danger. John C. Stipa has created it all and set a pace that keeps you moving. This is a book quite reminiscent of the Da Vinci Code in the complexity of it’s theme.

This would be a great book for a book club or reading group. It is definitely one for your library, to be read and savored periodically when you are looking for a story full of hope.

Rating 5/5
No Greater Sacrifice

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.