The Halo Effect by Anne D. LeClaire

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Halo Effect' A Novel of Suspense by Anne D. LeClaire

Grief often brings us together, but at times it will eat at the very fabric our our souls. Each must deal with loss in their own way, to come to terms with their own mortality. In The Halo Effect by Anne D. LeClaire we meet Will Light and his wife Sophie. Life has been kind to them, and their daughter Lucy rounds out the circle of love.

Yet, one day Lucy doesn’t come home. Days later her body is found deep in the woods. The initial pain of the loss brings Will and Sophie together, but Will is angry. He cannot get past the anger and rage of someone taking their daughter. Sophie finds her own way to deal, by getting involved in finding lost children and bringing them home.

They no longer communicate, and the anger only builds. Still, their marriage is not at a crisis point, one that Will does not want. But he is unable to move on.

When Sophie takes a break, and goes to the beach with a friend for the summer, Will suddenly understands that he is driving a wedge between them. Yet, he cannot control the rage that runs through him.

When Father Gervase asks him to paint portraits of the saints for a new cathedral, he is not interested. Yet Father Gervase is insistent. Slowly Will finds interest in the project, and as he chooses those who hold the look of pain, he finds a way to make them shine with saintliness. Unknowingly, his project will take him to places and to meet people that he cannot have imagined.

One of his models possesses something of Lucy’s that she would never part with. Will is incensed, wanting to act before speaking. Yet he finds that there is no guilt in this young student. Little does he know that the evil is lurking very close and that his questions and curiosity which have taken over some of the rage, is bringing the evil to light. Will he find the answer before one of Lucy’s best friends dies?

LeClaire has given us darkness, and evil, but finds a way to grace though the light of love. Her characters are your neighbors and friends, and the circumstances they experience happen all too often. She creates fierce, independent thinkers, and finds a way to tie in the events that shape them all. You grow to know and enjoy the individuals, and begin to understand their pain.

If you enjoy stories of people threaded with suspense and danger, you will find this The Halo Effect fits the criteria. The beauty of the paintings and the interaction with the priest ads a glow of greatness to a darkened soul. The story is dark and yet a twist of lightness shines through giving you hope for those involved.


This would be a great book for a reading group or book club, with lots of interesting thought for debate.

Rating 4/5

The Child Finder By Rene Denfeld

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Child Finder', A Novel by Rene Denfeld. 

Children are some of the most vulnerable human beings. They often go missing or disappear without a trace. Some are found, and many are not, creating loss and turmoil in homes and families that change the core pattern of their lives. In The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld, we meet Naomi, a young woman known as the child finder.

She has no past she can fully remember, but she knows that she must never give up on finding those who are lost. She is methodical, and strangely knowing of how to move forward. She is often the last hope of those to have come close to giving up.

Madison Culver disappeared three years ago when her parents were in the wilderness looking for a Christmas tree. She was there, and then she wasn’t. Naomi learns that Madison would have been eight years old now, and is relentless in her pursuit of answers.

In a strange dilapidated old cabin, deep in the wilderness we also meet Snow Girl, a child transformed by the weather, and captured by a deaf-mute trapper in the woods. She is sure of herself, yet understands that her safety is tied to making sure the man who made her out of snow remains trusting and sure of her as she as she finds her own way. Snow Girl is smart and resourceful, writing fairy tales to keep herself occupied.

Is she the missing child, and if so, can the child finder track her down? Will their worlds collide and bring about the safety and release of both? Naomi has her own past, one that drives her to look, a dream that keeps her moving to find those missing. And who is the trapper that no one really seems to know?

Denfeld brings us a tale of growth and loss, one of danger and stress. She tells the story from both sides, alternating between different character’s voices as the drama unfolds. The story takes you forward on a fast-paced search and recovery, one that keeps you turning the pages. Imminent danger is palpable, keeping you reading, while the mystery is deep and full of angst and loneliness. Danger and urgency are the prevailing worries.

If you enjoy mystery, romance, danger and some darkness you will love this story. This work takes you on a journey and keeps you turning the pages until the truth comes out. The characters will stay with you a long time.

The Child Finder would be a great work for a reading or discussion group, with a great deal of information to discuss and debate.

Rating 5/5

The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The End of Temperance Dare,' A Novel of Suspense by Wendy Webb. 

In The End Of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb, we are introduced to Eleanor Harper. She has become the director of Cliffside Manor, an artist’s retreat. Beginning as a tuberculosis sanatorium in the early years, it has made a name as a retreat for artists. Eleanor knows of the Manor after having done a story on it, as a journalist and crime reporter. When the position became available, she was interested hoping to find a more peaceful job, and very surprised at being chosen.

From the very first night things get off to a strange start; the prior director who had planned on retiring, commits suicide. With such an inauspicious beginning Eleanor finds herself feeling a sense of doom. With her background though she is unwilling to give up the job and moves forward to welcome her first group of artists.

As she meets the group assigned for her first retreat, she begins to wonder what has drawn them all together. She feels that each person was chosen personally by the prior director, but she cannot determine why. There is something eerie and frightful about the building, and some of the rooms. As strange things begin to happen, weird and frightening forces seem to be moving in, putting all the inhabitants at risk. Can she find a way to fight and save them all? Who is Temperance Dare, and why is she out for vengeance.

Webb takes us into the darkness of a secret that has lasted for years. She chooses an old sanatorium, a place where many with tuberculosis end up dying, and develops a story that oozes doom and retribution. She creates a sense of terror from the very beginning with the death of the previous director.

She creates her characters with various strengths and flaws, making is hard to determine just exactly is happening, and she creates a connection between each of them, and someone or something to do with the early years of the sanatorium. The story creates an eerie feeling of impending danger, and keeps you reading with the lights on.

If you enjoy tales of suspense and horror, you will find this a clever work. Webb takes you into the dark places and holds you spellbound with terror.

This would be a terrific book for a reading group

Rating 4/5

The Language of Solitude by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: ' The Language of Solitude,' a Mystery by Jan-Philipp Sendker

China is a land of mystery to most. News and books can only give us a glimpse into those mysteries. In The Language of Solitude by Jan-Philipp Sendker, we are once again given another look into the intricacies of China and the life of those who call it home.

Paul, a journalist is just beginning to believe that Hong Kong is the place he determines to call home. In love with Christine Wu, he is beginning to overcome the tragedy in his past, one that has driven him away from all those he knew before.
Christine is a cipher, quiet and reserved and yet passionate. She has drawn him from the darkness of his past, while at the same time, having secrets of her own.

When she unexpectedly receives a letter from her brother, whom she has not seen since she was a child, she and Paul decide it is time to understand the secrets behind her own life. What they find is a grown man with sadness and problems all his own. Her brother’s wife is extremely ill, and his own health, is not the greatest, leaving their care up to his daughter.

Paul’s journalistic background sees a story and his compassion for people draws him in. Christine must head back to her own job, while Paul decides to find some answers.

With a country stark in tradition, and full of all the histories that create the mysteries of China, can Paul find answers without raising sleeping lions. Unable to turn away, he finds the sometimes many secrets are deadly, while some can set you free. Can he help those in need without waking the danger of the past?

Sendker does a wonderful job of taking us into the beauty and wonder of China, yet outlining the dangers of stepping into the past, for turbulence and fear is just below the surface. The depth of journalist investigation is brought to life, with the interest in how difficult the truth is to find. Many layers of investigation are brought forth, and you almost feel as through this could well be a news article as his character moves forward.

If you enjoy beauty, romance, love and mystery you will find them all in this work. The work is interesting and hold you enthralled through the end.

This would be a great work for a reading or discussion group.

Rating 3/5

Twisted, The Girl Who Uncovered Rumpelstiltskin's Name by Bonnie M. Hennessy

Posted First to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Twisted, The Girl Who Uncovered Rumpelstiltskin's Name by Bonnie M. Hennessy.

In a tale from childhood, Twisted by Bonnie M Hennessy, takes you on an alternate journey to a dark and bleak tale of love and courage, filled with revenge and regret as well as a strength of spirit.

Looking at the story of Rumpelstiltskin's rage and sadness, you follow The life of Aoife and a different path of how the lives of two such differing characters really came to being.

Aoife, the beloved daughter, is the strength of her family as she takes on the family farm to keep their finances afloat, while at the same time trying to keep her father out of trouble. He is deep in drink and gambling, but Aoife's goodness and strength of heart endears her to all those that see her dilemma.

When a young man of money happens to see her, he decides that she should be his, for unbeknownst to the town he is the Duke of the realm and will have what he fancies. Yet she rebuffs him, and while she has no idea of his identity, she has no time for a man with such airs.  As the Duke determines to have her, he finds a way through the weakness of her father, with both his drink and gambling. Joining the game and urging the poor man gamble his daughter away on a sure hand, all is lost when the hand does not come through. Her father through his muddled thoughts brags of her ability to make gold out of straw, his attempt to brag about her farming, but the Duke understands it to mean something far different.

Aoife, who has always found solace in the woods hides her pain and anger, as nature responds, her spark of spirit draws her magic, that of her kindness and regrets, but it is another, a strange interloper that finds his own home in the forest that takes notice of her pain and anguish as well as her affinity for magic and her beauty. So begins the strange friendship that begins with fondness and love and turns to hate and anger, that takes a tortured soul into the very depths of despair.

As Aoife finds herself in trouble trying to live up the talents her father has bragged of, the stranger from the woods uses his own twisted magic to help. Aoife, soon finds herself in love with the Duke, and with child. The temper of her rescuer from the woods sparks her urgent need to find his name, and takes her into further danger as she tries to save the child of her love.

The twisted tale of love and darkness builds in a direction both like and unlike that of the fairy tale of youth. Hennessy does a great job of holding true to the outline of the work but adds more depth of character, making you feel both appalled and sad, yet as the same time, the tension keeps you intrigues as to how it will all come together.

If you enjoy magic romance and danger, you will love this take on a fairy tale of old. It is darker and more thought provoking, but yet carries that same feel of the fear you felt as a child. Hennessy brings the tale to stark life and into the twentieth century.

This would be a great book for a reading group or book club.

 Bonnie M. Hennessy's Web Site:
http://www.bonniemhennessy.com/Bonnie M. Hennessy's Facebook:
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https://www.twitter.com/bonniemhennessyBonnie M. Hennessy's Goodreads:
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Bonnie M. Hennessy's Bio: Bonnie grew up a shy, quiet girl who the teachers always seated next to the noisy boys because they knew she was too afraid to talk to anyone. She always had a lot she wanted to say but was too afraid to share it for fear she might die of embarrassment if people actually noticed her. Somewhere along the line, perhaps after she surprised her eighth grade class by standing up to a teacher who was belittling a fellow student, she realized that she had a voice and she didn’t burst into flames when her classmates stared at her in surprise.

Not long after that, she began spinning tales, some of which got her into trouble with her mom. Whether persuading her father to take her to the candy store as a little girl or convincing her parents to let her move from Los Angeles to Manhattan to pursue a career at eighteen as a ballet dancer with only $200 in her pocket, Bonnie has proven that she knows how to tell a compelling story.


 
Twisted Book Summary:
Now she spends her time reading and making up stories for her two children at night. By day she is an English teacher who never puts the quiet girls next to the noisy boys and works hard to persuade her students that stories, whether they are the ones she teaches in class or the ones she tells to keep them from daydreaming, are better escapes than computers, phones, and social media.

An old tale tells the story of how a little man named Rumpelstiltskin spun straw into gold and tricked a desperate girl into trading away her baby. But that’s not exactly how it happened.

The real story began with a drunken father who kept throwing money away on alcohol and women, while his daughter, Aoife, ran the family farm on her own. When he gambled away everything they owned to the Duke, it was up to her to spin straw into gold to win it all back.

With her wits and the help of a magical guardian, she outsmarted the Duke and saved the day.

Well almost… Her guardian suddenly turned on Aoife and sent her on a quest to find his name, the clues to which were hidden deep in the woods, a moldy dungeon, and a dead woman’s chamber.

This is not the tale of a damsel in distress, but a tenacious, young woman who solved a mystery so great that not even the enchanted man who spun straw into gold could figure it out.

Not until Aoife came along.

Prices/Formats: $2.99 ebook, $12.99 paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Mythological, Fairy Tale
Pages: 306
Release: November 11, 2016
Publisher: self-published
ISBN: 9781539753421

Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3MC1K4?&tag=tributebooks-20

When The Devil's Idle by Leta Serafim

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'When The Devil's Idle, a Greek Island Mystery,' by Leta Serafim.

In When The Devil’s Idle by Leta Serafim, we follow the scene of a murder that is both troubling and odd. An elderly man is found on an isolated estate brutally murdered. The place this murder occurs is highly restricted to outsiders, and at the time of the murder the gate is bolted.

The family living there consists of a husband and wife and their two younger children. The murder victim is the grandfather of those children on the husband’s side. In residence at the time of his death the only other people there at the time are the gardener and the housekeeper.

Yiannis Patronas, of the Chios police, summons his top detective Giorgos Tembelos, to assist. In the Greek city of Patmos, when a German tourist is murdered it can only bring problems to the island. Giorgos brings his friend and amateur sleuth, a priest, Papa Michalis to help.

As they dig deep into the family history and the background of the victim, they find a past that is brutal. A Nazi and a killer, the old man has escaped his past to move to the island and live out his life with his family. But is his past behind him. Can it shed light on the brutality of his murder? As Giorgos and his friend Michalis travel to find answers, they uncover the story of his life and even darker rumors of a crime more brutal.

With so many red herrings and possible murderers, how can the Police decipher the real reason for his death? Until they can separate the darkness the surrounds the victim and the sickness and brutality of his past, they can only assume to understand what has happened. There is a deeper and darker grief at work and they must decipher the past and delve into the present to discover if that past is responsible, or if a new wave of secrets is behind brutal murder.

The characters are mysterious, and stay to themselves. While they avow no knowledge of what has transpired, it is obvious they are in hiding for some reason. With no friends, they are an island to themselves. While all appear very innocent, Serafim takes us into their own secrets to flush out the possible motive.

The detectives are an admirable mix of determination and steadfastness. The addition of the priest brings a bit of humor to the situation as well as distraction, for he takes away a bit of the fear of the police. His help is invaluable to this story.

If you enjoy mystery and murder this is a rare find. The descriptions of Greece are wonderful and help to take you there as you journey into the horror and history of the Nazi regime. This would be a great book for a reading club with a great deal of background to decipher.

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When the Devil's Idle blog tour site:
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Leta Serafim's Bio:

Leta Serafim is the author of the Greek Islands Mystery series, published by the Coffeetown Press, as well as the historical novel, To Look on Death No More. She has visited over twenty-five islands in Greece and continues to divide her time between Boston and Greece.

When the Devil's Idle Book Summary:

In the Book of Revelation, written by St. John on the Greek island of Patmos, it was said a pale horse would appear whose rider was death, others would cry out for vengeance, and the stars of heaven would fall to the earth. Death does indeed come to Patmos when a German tourist is found murdered in the garden of one of the island’s fabled estates. Yiannis Patronas, Chief Officer of the Chios police, is called in to investigate. He summons his top detective, Giorgos Tembelos, and his friend and amateur sleuth, Papa Michalis, to assist him. What the policemen discover will disturb them long after the conclusion of the case. Only six people were at the house at the time of the murder—the gardener and housekeeper, the victim’s son and his wife and their two children, a boy of seven and a teenage girl of sixteen. All appear to be innocent. But access to the isolated estate is severely restricted. Surrounded by high walls, it has only one entrance: a metal gate that was bolted at the time of the crime. Patronas can only conclude that one of the six is a killer. He continues to probe, uncovering the family’s many secrets. Some are very old, others more recent. All are horrifying. But which of these secrets led to murder?

Book 2 of the Greek Islands Mystery series, which began with The Devil Takes Half.

Price/Formats: $6.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre: Mystery Suspense Thriller
Pages: 192
Publisher: Coffeetown Press
Release: September 1, 2015
ISBN: 9781603819985

Amazon buy link
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The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest by Scott A. Lerner

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book review: 'The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest', a Samuel Roberts Thriller, by Scott A. Lerner.

Samuel Roberts has moved and begun a new life as he tries desperately to get over a relationship with Susan.  Unable to keep her from the danger that seems to follow him, she has moved on, leaving him free to find love again.

In The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest by Scott A. Lerner, we catch up with Samuel as he begins putting his new life together. When his friend Bob introduces him to a new woman, he is strangely smitten. Bridget Gillis is beautiful and vivacious and also happens to be a fortune teller. Yet if that wasn’t enough to get his “spider senses” going, she also belongs to a coven of witches.  The village that contains the coven was founded by her great aunt, and Bridget could certainly be her twin if the paintings are even close to her aunt’s depiction.
The relationship becomes quickly complicated as just a few days before Halloween; Bridget is to be tried by their coven for practicing dark magic. The punishment is to be burned at the stake. With

Sam’s background in law, he is the perfect advocate for her dilemma.  His best friend, Bob, is suspicious of the quick relationship, but comes to help all the same. Can they help determine if she is the good witch or the bad witch before it is too late?

Lerner gives us another fun and dangerous romp with his returning character Samuel Roberts. As usual Sam is only trying to do the right thing, and this new romance seems so wonderful.  Caught up in the crazy circumstances that usually accompany his life, he finally seems to have found a new direction and woman. Can it all really be so simple?

Bridget is such a mix of characters, part minx, part seductress and part innocence. Yet there are secrets hidden beneath her beauty. Calculated and cold she is temptress and succubus all at the same time ensnaring Sam in her life. She is in need of rescuing, is Sam the man that can get her back on track?

If you enjoy mystery, humor, romance and danger you will find this perfect for your library. Paranormal and magic thread throughout the telling and you will fall in love with the characters one more time.

This would be a great book for the upcoming holidays. It is fun and enjoyable, one you will want to pass on to your friends.

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The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest blog tour site:
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Scott A. Lerner's Bio:

Author and attorney Scott A. Lerner resides in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. He is currently a sole practitioner in Champaign, Illinois. The majority of his law practice focuses on the fields of criminal law and family law. Lerner’s first novel and the first Samuel Roberts Thriller, Cocaine Zombies, won a bronze medal in the mystery/cozy/noir category of the 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards. The second book in the series is Ruler of Demons. The Fraternity of the Soul Eater is book 3. Book 4, The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest, will be released on Halloween, 2015.

The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest Book Summary:

Samuel Roberts, a lawyer in Champaign, Illinois, has just moved to a new home to escape the memories of his old place—the stray body parts left by evil entities as well as traces of his relationship with Susan, who left him because he couldn’t stop risking both their lives trying to save the world. That leaves Sam free to fall in love again. Sam falls hard, suspiciously hard, for Bridget Gillis, a beautiful fortune teller who also happens to be a witch and a member of a coven. The village that encompasses the coven was founded by Bridget’s great-great aunt, also named Bridget and a dead ringer for her descendant. The new relationship quickly gets complicated. It is two days before Halloween, and Bridget is about to be tried by her fellow witches for the crime of practicing dark magic involving the blood of children. The punishment is to be burned at the stake. Bridget needs an advocate, and Sam is the perfect man for the job.

Sam brings in Bob, who is suspicious of his best buddy’s sudden passion. The two of them have until the Witching Hour on Halloween to clear Bridget’s name and find out who is killing the local children. As they comb the area for clues, quiz the locals, and take a crash course in witchcraft and Wiccan customs, Sam and Bob can’t shake the question: is Bridget a good witch or a bad witch?

The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest is the fourth book in the Samuel Roberts Thriller series, which began with Cocaine Zombies and continued with Ruler of Demons and The Fraternity of the Soul Eater.

Price/Formats: $4.99 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 230
Publisher: Camel Press
Release: October 31, 2015
ISBN: 9781603812917

Amazon buy link
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The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen by Katherine Howe

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review : 'The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen," a Paranormal Mystery by Katherine Howe.

In The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen by Katherine Howe we are taken into the strange and unique world of Wes Auckerman.  Having just arrived in New York to begin his summer term he finds himself on a film shoot for a séance at the home of a psychic in the East village.

As he views the setting through his viewfinder, he sees a beautiful young woman that intrigues him. Continuing his shoot his is disappointed when he cannot find her.  He is smitten and cannot forget her beauty and finds himself returning to the home of the psychic to find her.

When he finds her she too seems very attracted to him. Her name is Annie Van Sinderen, but she is mysterious as well as beautiful. She often seems to disappear just when he is getting settled and there is a great deal of mystery surrounding her. Yet even as his concern grows she reappears and often seems to have no memory of occurrences. She wonders why he has not shown up when in fact he has been waiting on her.

As the mystery deepens Wes begins to wonder if she is even real, yet his heart assures him she is. But is it possible that he is only imagining her beauty and nature. Others have seen her so she must be real. Can he find the mystery of her being, in order to find a way to smooth their path? His emotions are in turmoil and he is afraid for her. Annie is convinced that she has lost a ring, and Wes must help her before it is too late. Will this missing ring solve the mystery?

Howe has given us a paranormal mystery and love story of emotive and serendipitous proportions. Her characters are just the right mix of mystery and heart. You find Wes to be a romantic and he falls hard for Anne.  Anne is a mix of beauty, mystery and kindness that draws you in an unexpected way.  You are haunted by the beauty and beguiling mix of this story, and Howe takes you into a New York of both old and new.  Be prepared to fall in love with romance and mystery all over again, as you find yourself immersed in a strange yet fascinating tale.

If you love romantic, paranormal mysteries you will need this work for your library. It is a wonderful work of mysterious secrets twisted with romance and bits of darkness. Howe has given us a beautiful tale of love and threaded it through the beauty of New York.

This would be a great book for a reading or discussion group with interesting topics to discuss throughout.

Rating 4\5

A Girl Undone by Catherine Linka

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'A Girl Undone,' A Girl Called Fearless Series by Catherine Linka.

With renewed interest in dystopian worlds we are given a rare new work in A Girl Undone by Catherine Linka. Where marriages and women are bought and bartered, Avie has escaped her own confines with her real love Yates. After a confrontation with the government, he has been hospitalized in critical condition and she is on the run. She carries information that she must get to the Paternalist party if she can locate the correct person.

With the help of another friend, Luke, she tries to help keep them alive while finding the exact person who can use the information she now carries. Her face is on every news channel and a huge reward has been offered by the man who holds her own marriage contract. How can she move forward safely?

Can she find the only man who can make sure the information is used in the right manner before she is captured or worse? Garnering feelings for Luke, she is unsure what her next turn should be. She knows Yates is her only real love, and yet she is conflicted in her feelings. Can Yates survive his own wounds, and even if he does, will she be able to someway break free of the bonds that bind her to another man. One who is extremely ruthless and embarrassed at her running away?

Linka has given us a dystopian world with harsh guidelines and rules. Those who do not cave to the rules are often killed or disappear with no one the wiser. Avie’s only protection from death is the man she fears the most, the one that holds her contract. His character is one of the more complicated, and you will enjoy the process as Avie gets closer to her goal.

Avie is a character both bold and conflicted. She is never quite sure of herself and has some flaws that keep her from being too strong. Unsure of her direction, but undaunted in the task she has, she is compelled to move forward for a better world. That she is torn between her feeling for both Yates and Luke only makes her just a bit more human.

If you enjoy dystopian and futuristic worlds you will enjoy this work. There is romance, danger, mystery and at all times a belief in freedom that transcends the characters. The thrill of the chase and the tense romance will keep you reading to the very end.

This would be a fun book for a book club or reading group, with much dialogue about freedoms and other rights of individuals.

Rating 4/5

The Shadow Cartel, A Dominic Grey Novel by Layton Green.

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Shadow Cartel, A Dominic Grey Novel' by Layton Green.

Layton Green takes us deep into the underworld of drugs and murder in The Shadow Cartel, A Dominic Grey Novel.  When Grey is asked to look into the death of a friend by his old girlfriend, he can’t refuse. Little does he know that this cartel is run by a man known only as the General. a legend in the drug trade. He is invisible to those in the DEA who have been following the rumor of such a monster for years.

This character has combined religious ceremony using dark ceremonies as well as mythical assassins to keep the cartel in line and to keep all others away. He is ruthless but invisible. Also following the General are DEA agents Federico Hernandez and CIA operative Lana Valenciano, who decide to hook up with Grey in his quest for information.


As the leads tend to create misdirection and the rumors of death by mysterious assassins continue to grow, Grey must rely on every investigation from his past to help them find this elusive yet invisible killer before he can kill again. His mentor is out of commission, yet Grey keeps him informed of the strange and shadowy secrets they are tracking. Viktor is unavailable, but his mind is as sharp as ever, and he helps guide them to connections where there seem to be nothing. The strange world of unusual religions happens to be Viktor’s specialty, and he has contacts and knowledge that keep Grey on track.

With all the help at his disposal can Grey find the General and keep the deaths from piling up?  Can he find the answers behind the mythical assassins before they strike again?

Green gives us characters that have guts and a strong survival instinct. They are smart and at times extremely dangerous. While many of the thugs are just that, they are always controlled by their own fears, and Green gives us that scary individual that hangs out in your nightmares in the form of the General.  His character Grey is quite heroic but also very caring about people. Those he cares about have a champion, but those he is after understand his drive, so he is constantly in danger. Green portrayal keeps you guessing.

If you enjoy mystery and things that go bump in the night you will enjoy The Shadow Cartel. Dominic Grey is an investigator with heart, and his past as well as his elusive mentor keeps him ahead of many of the situations. This is an exciting work and if you enjoy the characters you will be looking for Green’s past work as well.

This would be a great work for a reading or discussion group.

Rating 4/5

Rock With Wings by Anne Hillerman

 Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Rock With Wings,' A Mystery by Anne Hillerman.

In Rock With Wings by Anne Hillerman, Jim Chee and his wife Bernadette Manuelito are finally able to put work behind them, to get away from their police work and help a relative get his business on its feet.  Part of the Navajo Tribal police they are ready for some down time. But their vacation is slated to be very short as each is called back in on a different case.

Chee follows the case of a missing woman from a movie location, and is still able to help his family friend. Yet once he thinks his case is complete it only becomes more cryptic. He is relieved to find the missing woman in good health until he stumbles across a gravesite very close to where she is taking pictures. Now since she is a part of the group making a zombie movie, he is unsure if it is a prop or the real thing.  His search brings him up against another mystery needing to be solved.

His wife Bernadette has her hands full dealing with a drug bust and trying to decipher the mystery of a fire in the middle of nowhere, as she also begins to look into a solar energy company that is trying to develop on Navajo land. Nothing makes sense as she follows the clues.

Hillerman continues to bring us the goods with her trio of investigators for even as Chee and Manuelito move in differing directions they still call in their mentor Leaphorn for advice. Her characters are intense and captivating. The separation of her heroes seems to create doubt and insecurity about their relationship, although each is certainly sure of their own feelings, just not as sure of that of their partner.  That adds its own sense of feeling in a strained atmosphere of crime that creates a tenseness in the individual situations.

Having two separate crimes being investigated individually with the input of their mentor, you are drawn between the differences of investigation, but also into how family plays a part in the Navajo Nation and in everything thing they do.  The emotions are well written, and with the separation of the crimes and the differing mysteries at play it is difficult to find a good place to stop and put the book down for later.

If you enjoy romance, mystery, Native American lore, and family you will find this book is what you are looking for. Hillerman gives us just enough of each to keep us both intrigued and entertained.

This would be a great book for your library, or for that of a reading and discussion group. The familial ties as well as the lengths people go to follow their dream will create a great deal of fodder for discussion.

Rating 4/5

The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Shadow Cabinet' by Maureen Johnson.

Beginning with Ghost Busters  and moving on to Men in Black we have become enamored of the idea that there is a special squad out there, helping to keep us safe from the strange and unnatural. Could such a hidden group exist in secrecy so deep it remains under the radar?

In The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson, we meet one such group and follow their exploits into the world of ghosts and darkness.  Reeling from tragedy Rory and her friends find themselves looking for one of their own who has been lost. Has he moved on to the other side, or is it just possible that Rory acted in time to save him.

As they begin their search, Rory’s friend Charlotte is kidnapped by a woman named Jane.  Known to Rory as a teacher and counselor, she is now recognized as the leader of a cultish organization that has its roots in the disappearance of a group of people from 40 years prior.

Rory and her group, known as the ghost squad find their own time running out as they search for their friend, and contain the damage that is engendered by Jane and her own group as they try to unleash a nightmare on the city. Can they stop the damage and still find Stephen before it is too late?

This is a fun and unique story of a group of those who find themselves in a position of powerful secrets as they clean up the city of London. Only a select amount of the chosen are included, but there is only one way that seems to lead to the abilities necessary. Near death experience seems to turn the tide and Johnson has given us an action packed thriller with humor and adventure as well as the danger of real crime. 

She has done a great job on creating characters, with the downright creepy to the smoldering and dangerous.  To be in such a group there must be a strength, yet along with that also comes the flaws, and that is what makes this a work to follow.

If you enjoy the paranormal connected with romance, danger, mystery and adventure you will find this a work to follow. Well written you will find the strange but likable characters keep you interested. If you are reading into the night be sure to keep your doors locked and your lights on for the strangely intense, creepy quality will makes the hairs on your neck stand at attention.

For those who enjoy this type of work it will be a great addition to your library, but make space for the series as it is sure to be spectacular.

Rating 4/5

Due for Discard by Sharon St. George

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Due for Discard, an Aimee Machado Mystery by Sharon St. George.

Having an active interest in the things that happen around you and to others is often the act of an intelligent mind, yet there are those who think of such people as nosy or even busybodies.  Such intent can be both a blessing and a curse.

In Due for Discard, An Aimee Machado Mystery by Sharon St. George, we find such an individual in Aimee Machado. With an active interest in everything and a penchant for asking questions, she is the quintessential person that could fit into either of the above categories.

Beginning a new job as a forensic librarian at a medical center in Timbergate, she is ready for a new start. Having broken up with her boyfriend Nick she only wants to move on. Things become extremely complicated when a murder happens on the first day of her job. Even worse is when the murder is of the wife of one of her new bosses.

Always curious, Aimee begins poking around but the tables are turned when her own brother becomes a prime suspect. Now her snooping will have to become even more important, for it appears that there is no other suspect, and she knows he is incapable of killing.

Her interest however, does not go unnoticed. Suddenly she becomes a target as well, and her grandparents Llama farm where she is staying becomes a focus for whoever is trying to stop her prying. Can she find the answer before she loses her own life? He brother has called in a favor from his friend Nick, who is also the boyfriend that she is trying to get over; can she find a way to work with him, for the benefit of all?

The characters are an amazing array of people and have such a great culture of distrust and concerns. Aimee is like a breath of fresh air that creates a bubble of humor but also opens a few hearts and minds to the differences in each other. As she penetrates the secrets of those involved you can see how her mind works and it endears you to her, creating a buy in on the possibilities of her being able to both find the answers and solve the crime while staying out of jeopardy herself.

Both her brother and Nick round out the group and you find yourself rooting for them both, her brother Harry to be exonerated, and for Nick to win her back. The interplay between the three is fascinating to behold.

If you enjoy romance and mystery and are looking for a new sleuth to hold your interest you will enjoy this book and the new Aimee Machado Mysteries to follow. Your mystery library will be the perfect setup for this new series.


http://duefordiscard.blogspot.com/


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Sharon St. George's Web Site:
http://sharonstgeorge.com/Sharon St. George's Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10908363.Sharon_St_George

Due for Discard Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23923941-due-for-discardTribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
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http://duefordiscard.blogspot.com/ Due for Discard Summary:

Aimee Machado is thrilled to be starting her first job as a forensic librarian at the medical center in the town of Timbergate, north of Sacramento, California. Her ebullient mood is somewhat dampened by her recent breakup with her former live-in boyfriend, Nick Alexander. And then there's a little matter of murder: on Aimee's first day on the job, a body is found in a nearby Dumpster and soon identified as her supervisor's wife, Bonnie Beardsley.

Aimee's heartbreaker of a brother and best friend, Harry, just happens to be one of the last people to see Bonnie alive, but he is hardly the only suspect. Bonnie was notorious for her wild partying and man-stealing ways, and she has left a trail of broken hearts and bitterness. Aimee is determined to get her brother off the suspect list.

Aimee's snooping quickly makes her a target. Isolated on her grandparents' llama farm where she fled post-breakup, she realizes exactly how vulnerable she is. Three men have pledged to protect her: her brother Harry, her ex, Nick, and the dashing hospital administrator with a reputation for womanizing, Jared Quinn. But they can't be on the alert every minute, not when Aimee is so bent on cracking the case with or without their help.

Book 1 in a new mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Aimee Machado.

Sharon St. George's Bio:

Sharon St. George had the good fortune to spend an idyllic childhood in a small northern California town, riding horseback and camping with her family in the nearby mountains. One of her favorite pastimes was reading fiction, and a trip to the library was always an occasion of great joy. She’s traded horses for llamas, but she still treks to the high mountain lakes near her home—always with a mystery novel in her backpack. Sharon’s writing credits include three plays, several years writing advertising copy, a book on NASA’s space food project, and feature stories too numerous to count. She holds dual degrees in English and Theatre Arts, and occasionally acts in, or directs, one of her local community theater productions. Sharon is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America, and she serves as program director for Writers Forum, a nonprofit organization for writers in northern California.

Prices/Formats: $15.95 paperback
Genre: Detective Murder Mystery
Pages: 340
Release: March 1, 2015
Publisher: Camel Press
ISBN: 9781603812238

Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603812237

Prices/Formats:
$4.95 ebook, $15.95 paperback

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TQMUVWU

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/due-for-discard-sharon-st-george/1120803480?ean=2940151250672&itm=1&usri=due+for+discard

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/520641

The Jack of Souls by Stephen C. Merlino

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Jack of Souls,' An Epic Fantasy by Stephen C. Merlino.

In The Jack of Souls by Stephen C. Merlino, Harric lives his last day knowing the curse on his family will be his undoing. An outcast and a rogue he begins having nightmares about his upcoming death. He has no intention of giving in; he knows that he will survive, but how?

He has some allies but they too are outcasts. Caris is a horse-whispering runaway, she is planning on becoming one of the Queens female knights, but she also feels she must help Harric survive. She is strong and bigger than even most men, but she is also very shy, comfortable only around her horses.  Then there is Sir Willard, he was once immortal and a champion, but had given it up, but is now addicted to pain-killing herbs. With their help Harric plans on keeping the curse from killing him.

Each of his compatriots has their own secrets, Caris is haunted and Willard wars with the Old Ones, an order of knights who have become immortal and mad. They have every intention of seizing the throne from the Queen, and Willard is desperate to save her.

Yet these are his allies and his friends and together they must find a way to eliminate the curse, and save their Queen.  Yet Harric is now faced with a magic that could break his curse, one that is forbidden. Can he stay focused and not fall into the temptation, for that way too leads to danger and possible death.

As they work their way through the dangers he finds more than he anticipated, including a love that is more than he ever expected. He must tread a path of duplicity and utilize his tactics to save them all from the dangers that face them.

The characters are an eclectic and amazing array of good and bad, with issues that seem both real and honest.  The depth of description helps you to visualize them as well as get into the minds assigned to them by the author. They become very real, like your own friends and advisers. The story too is bold and epic, a journey to safety and romance, but a journey of growth and courage as well.

You will find yourself immersed in the characters and the countryside as they travel to find the answers. Be prepared to spend some time because once started you will find it difficult to put down.  And even as you do put is down, you continue to think and worry about them, each with the situations they must overcome.

If you enjoy epic fantasy, magic, immortality and a mixture of the things that go bump in the night this will be the work you need for your library. For the romantic there is also fodder for your heart, for the dedication and courage that shines forth creates a corresponding glow in your own heart.

Stephen C. Merlino is an author to watch.
Rating 5/5


Stephen Merlino
stephenmerlino.com

 
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Nanovision by Paul T. Harry

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Nanovision,' A Technological Thriller by Paul T. Harry.

In Nanovision by Paul T. Harry, we are introduced to the subject of nanotechnology or nanomedicine, the medical application of that technology. 

A devastating murder and betrayal leaves one person dead and a young teen without both his father and vision due to the fire used to cover up that murder.  Daniel wakes up in the hospital with no vision and no memories. He doesn’t remember his life before his pain and has nowhere to go. 

Yet upon further search, an aunt that has cut off ties long in the past is located. She is involved in the field of Nanomedicine and works in research. Not sure she is capable of taking on such a tragic young man, she nevertheless does her best. Ethyl Santini is raising her granddaughter and leads a very busy life of research in a nanolab where she is at work on regeneration. The testing of animals has proved to be extremely workable, and she has been able to save many that would not have lived otherwise. 

In her heart she knows that she must help Daniel, and while she had not been aware she had a nephew, she is up to the challenge. Armed with her granddaughter’s approval she brings him into her family. Aware that while to the outside world he has been declared dead, there are concerns that he may still not be safe. 

The fit is perfect and Ethyl is thrilled to find Daniel so likable and as he bonds with her younger charge life seems to be just right. Yet now her lab is in trouble and she is uneasy about her own research. Knowing she could be ousted at any time, she does the unimaginable. She puts together a new formula for her own nephew. With his agreement, they begin a series of doses to see if nanotechnology can help his eyesight. None of them are prepared for the changes.  

As Daniel’s regeneration begins, his memory resurfaces, as well as anger at the death of his father and the assault on himself. Heading back to his home he is after the very man who changed his life. Judy, The FBI special investigator that followed the crime and found his aunt is notified and she begins the hunt to find him, for she knows more about this crime then he understands. Can she locate him before he finds those responsible? She is very aware that if he comes upon them first, he will not survive for they have been in the business of death for a long time. With his sudden disappearance, can she find him before it is too late? 

Harry has given us characters that are interesting and likable. His use of technology is an interesting foil and creates a plausible storyline. The action and undertakings seem very real and are much like some of the crimes we see reported in the news, yet he takes us on a rocky journey of home and nanomedicine. 

His interpretation of the reactions as Daniel’s blindness recedes is amazing and the action and interplay is sharp. You find the possibilities for exciting and strange. He has given us an intriguing thriller full of danger and excitement, and threaded it with the possibility of medical miracles. 

If you enjoy action, mystery and suspense with just a touch of the unbelievable you will find this a great book for your library. Once you begin, plan on a full day of reading, this work is difficult to put down. 

Rating 4/5 

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

Saga of Lyn: The Reawakening by Aric Carter

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Saga Of Lyn: The Reawakening', An Epic Fantasy by Aric Carter.

Knowing from the beginning where life will lead, having a plan and knowing exactly what you will do with the rest of your life, can be either a dream or a burden. Yet even that knowing can be changed in a heartbeat with no warning or preparation.

In Saga of Lyn: The Reawakening, by Aric Carter, we are introduced to a wonderful family who own a Tavern, The Hooded Lantern, on the main road of Tulane. This route takes travelers from the main cities to the Hitton Mountains and the sea of Galesh. Here Tegain Hostler lives and operates the tavern owned by his father and his father before him. A good natured amiable man, he makes friends easily, and is married to the love of his life. His wife Shae and his daughter Gwyn round out his world giving him joy and love. Life could never be any better. 

Closing up for the evening Tegain has a last minute visitor, one that troubles him deeply. With his family in the other room cleaning up, he is attacked and barely survives. When he awakes, his tavern is burnt to the ground and his family has perished. He is devastated and vows vengeance. When a regular trader, Karl Dunmire, a man with a military background shows up, he offers what help he can. 

Selling Tegain an old sword for weaponry, they join forces to take down the evil that has visited.

But there is more going on, for suddenly the sword is more than an old used weapon, much more. Tegain will need to come to terms with the secrets of the sword to wield its real power.  Can he with the help of his friend Karl find those responsible for his loss? As they begin their search they find that their entire civilization is in dire trouble. Can two men find the answers and help save Tulane from the scourging evil that has awakened?

Carter has given us a story of love and loss. His description of detail revealing the characters is tender and telling and yet there is a magic and strength of character in both his protagonists that you find both rugged and endearing. His characters are an amazing mix and you find yourself so involved in the story it is hard to put down. He has given us a world of beauty and darkness as events begin to transpire, taking you on a journey of adventure and courage. His fantastic medieval word is believable and the magic is unique and energizing. 

If you enjoy highly adventurous tales full of magic, fighting and romance you will find this tale perfect for your library. Be prepared for once you begin you will find it hard to put down, you are drawn into this world of danger with extremely likable characters, ones you have to stay with to be assured of their safety.  Aric Carter is an author to watch for and this series has just begun with a work that will keep you looking for the next.

Rating 5/5