Archives for May 2014

The Dimension Scales and Other Stories by Gary Abbott

May 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

 

SCALE
The Dimension Scales and Other Stories by Gary Abbott
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (129 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Garry Abbott’s THE DIMENSION SCALES AND OTHER STORIES is a collection of fourteen short speculative fictions. THE DIMENSION SCALES is based around themes of malevolent and secret authorities, metamorphosis, survival and projections of contemporary fears into near-future realities.

From worlds inhabited by murderous animals, inept time travellers and clandestine, suburban social experiments—to the sentience, love and moral awakenings of artificial intelligences—THE DIMENSION SCALES invites you to explore the twists and perils of extraordinary moments in disturbingly familiar universes, linked together by one devastating epiphany:

“Something happened, and the world splintered…”

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While these stories can be understood without reading that section ahead of time, I highly recommend absorbing what the preface has to say before flipping to the next page. It only takes a few minutes, and knowing where the author was coming from beforehand greatly enhanced my reading experience.

“The Dimension Scales” begins with a man named Daryl cleaning up yet another small creature that his cat has expertly sliced apart inside the house. What happens next is one of the biggest reasons why I’m so eagerly anticipating Mr. Abbott’s next book. It takes a great deal of skill so pack so much intrigue into such a short story, and seeing how he managed to pull it off has earned this writer another fan.

Every story in this collection had an engaging premise. In a handful of cases, though, I wished the audience would have been given a little more information about what was happening. “Black Swarm,” which is about two men who try fumigate the kitchen after one of them discovers he has a serious ant infestation, is a good example of this. It has strong pacing and likeable characters, but the ending was a little abrupt. Cutting the plot off so suddenly made the rest of this tale feel slightly disjointed.

Repetitive, unnecessary noise is one of the most annoying things about living in close proximity to one’s neighbours. “The Beep Next Door” explores what happens to a man who has been driven to the breaking point by a beeping noise he can’t identify. The fast pace and generous use of plot twists in this story kept me guessing until the final paragraph. The last scene was so surprising and perfect for everything that had happened earlier that I laughed out loud when all was revealed.

Mr. Abbott doesn’t spoon-feed his audience. There were certain tales that I had to sit and think about for a little while before I understood how all of their pieces fit together, but it was always an invigorating process for this reader. Sometimes faintly implying something is far more powerful than spelling it out explicitly because it leaves so much room for interpretation

The Dimension Scales and Other Stories is the kind of anthology I can see myself reading over and over again. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves truly imaginative science fiction.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ladder to the Red Star by Jael Wye – Q&A and Giveaway

May 23, 2014 By 9 Comments

VBT_LadderToTheRedStar_Banner

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a digital copy of Ice Red to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

So, first, tell us about your book.

Ladder to the Red Star is a science fiction romance set on an environmentally devastated Earth three hundred years in the future. It is also a retelling of Jack and the beanstalk. This is book II in my Once Upon a Red World series, a saga following the lives and loves of Martian colonists as they uncover a plot that threatens the people of all the settled worlds of the Solar system.

What began the process for this book? Why did you have to write it?

I’ve always loved reading both science fiction and romance novels, but I couldn’t find many books with just the right combination of science and romance. So, I decided I would just have to write them myself.

Did you always think you were going to be an author?

I’ve been writing stories since very early in life, but my previous career was in art. I decided to become a professional writer when I first developed the concept of retelling fairy tale romances as science fiction.

What books/authors have influenced you the most?

My greatest influence is Kim Stanley Robinson’s vision space, technology, and Mars in the near future, but Ursula K. LeGuin and Larry Niven’s various ideas about how human cultures and bodies might change in alien environments also contributed a lot to my books.

What is your typical day like?

I spend time in the morning on promotional activities such as social media and advertising, and the rest of my work day is spent reading, staring into space and thinking, and then writing, sometimes long into the night. I write about 1000 words a day, or a bit more if I’m on a roll.

What do you enjoy doing when you aren’t writing or promoting a current book?

When I’m not writing, I read romance of various flavors, science fiction and fantasy, mystery if it’s not too gruesome, and nonfiction science and history books. I also watch action movies and television shows with plenty of kung fu and explosions.

Now just a bit of fun stuff:

People might be surprised to know I like….

Minor league baseball. The whole experience from the concession stands to the mascots to the game itself is just so much fun.

What is the last book you read?

The last book I read was The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. I like Heyer, because her Regency characters are even more alien than my Martians.

What is the last movie you’ve watched? Was it at the movies or at home?

Captain America, The Winter Soldier in the theatres. I can never get enough superheroes.

If you could be any fictional character from any book, who would you be and why?

Cthulhu. I’d like to try out being an eldritch abomination for a while.

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

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Anything else you’d like to include/mention?

Stay tuned for the next installment of the Once Upon a Red World series, which will feature two characters from Ladder to the Red Star. Can you guess which ones?

Cover_Ladder To the Red StarOnce upon a ruined Earth 300 years in the future…

Jacques Tallinn, biotech smuggler and thief, is after the cure for a brain disorder he’s suffered since childhood–a disorder inflicted by a powerful tyrant. To get the cure, Jacques will need to climb the space elevator to the new Zenith space station hovering above Earth and go undercover in the lab where it’s produced.

Martian head tech Devi Chandra is immediately intrigued by her sexy new lab assistant. Though she insists on keeping things professional, she finds herself charmed by Jacques. Until he betrays her trust, kidnapping her and spiriting her off to Earth.

All Jacques needed to do was steal the biotech and get back home. But when things go wrong, he can’t bring himself to leave Devi behind. Now she’s injured and a simple caper has become an intergalactic cause, endangering his life and the lives of millions of others. But the hardest part? Winning back Devi’s trust.

Enjoy an excerpt:

Dev knew men, knew them in and out, from their social affectations down to their cellular structures, and she knew something was wrong with this particular man. The cold watchfulness in his eyes, the overly careful positioning of his body nagged at her, told her not to be deceived by his apparent beauty and virility.

Even with Enrique Kurtz, she thought with a slight shudder, she was a woman confronted by a man. But with James, she was a woman confronted by an enigma. And that made her all the more curious about him.

Naturally, she had looked up all his Delpin-Kurtz records the second his back was turned, but nothing in them gave her any clues to this mystery. James’s biography told of a modestly successful career and an uneventful life.

But then, there was the look on his face when he stared down at Kurtz in the lab, the raw hatred he so quickly and carefully hid. That look, his body language, the scars on his arms…put it together, and it told a completely different story. But what was it?

And how would a midlevel med tech know a way to send secret communications to her mother?

There were deep and dangerous currents running beneath the surface of this situation, and Dev was helpless not to want to test them.

She stopped a few paces away from him. Without turning, he said, “I wondered if you were coming.”

She smiled. “How could I not? We made an agreement.”

He turned toward her then, and the hungry, desperate look in his eyes, combined with the uncertain grasp of his fingers on the railing, told Dev that she was caught, like she had never been caught before.

AuthorPicJael Wye grew up on the American Great Plains, went to school in the Midwest, and now lives in beautiful New England with her family and her enormous collection of houseplants. For more of Jael’s unique blend of futurism and fairy tale, don’t miss her ongoing series Once Upon A Red World.

Links

Website — http://www.jaelwye.net

Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jael-Wye/319251781482358

Twitter — @jaelwye

Carina Press — http://ebooks.carinapress.com/E34AFC6C-272A-4159-8711-ECF9E8916FFD/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=7D67744C-9A63-431D-AB1A-CE665DADDF0E

Amazon — http://www.amazon.com/Ladder-Star-Once-Upon-World-ebook/dp/B00GKBIQG8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1394308111&sr=8-2&keywords=jael+wye

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18272276-ladder-to-the-red-star

eBooks — http://www.ebooks.com/1550719/ladder-to-the-red-star/wye-jael/

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Ride Me by Jambrea Jo Jones

May 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

RIDE
Ride Me by Jambrea Jo Jones
A Book in the Dark Encounters Series
Publisher: Totally Bound
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (50 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/M, Anal Play, Toys, Voyeurism
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Clover

Let the games begin…
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Franco James is in for a night of self discovery when the owner of Dark Encounters, Trevor Keaton, takes him on a tour of the naughty toys on display for the Sex Carnival. They start with a nice Farris Wheel spanking and explore just how far Trevor can push Franco’s limits, but at the end of the night—will Trevor be his forever Sir?

In the dark, sultry world of dungeons and clubs, is it possible for two soul mates to find each other?

Franco James is pursuing a rather satisfying career at BDSM club Dark Encounters. He enjoys his job, works hard and knows the rules. The owner, Trevor Keaton has organized a Sex Carnival for his patrons and Franco is in charge of the popular Ferris wheel spanking machine where Doms and subs are queuing up for fun and a crowd gathers to watch.

The club’s boss, Trevor has had his eye on Franco for sometime. They shouldn’t be together, should they? Boss and employee? Well regardless of that lust and passion takes over and they find themselves in the back office having a whole host of fun. Boy, these two are great together.

Jambrea Jo Jones never disappoints in the m/m department or the D/s plotlines and this book is no exception. The writing is seamless, the characters sexy and the location pulls you into the story. I enjoyed the imagination of the toys and the way the couple came together with such longing. The relationship drama wasn’t too great that it got in the way of the story making Ride Me a quick and steamy read perfect for fans of the m/m genre to enjoy on a coffee break.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Seventeen by Mark Diehl – Spotlight and Giveaway

May 23, 2014 By 3 Comments


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One commenter will win $25 Amazon or BN gift card. See the Rafflecopter below for other ways to enter. Click the tour banner for the other stops on the tour.

Most of the world’s seventeen billion people are unconscious, perpetually serving their employers as part of massive brain trusts. The ecosystem has collapsed, and corporations control all of the world’s resources and governments. A bedraggled alcoholic known as the Prophet predicts nineteen year-old waitress Eadie will lead a revolution, but how can she prevail when hunted by a giant corporation and the Federal Angels it directs?

Enjoy an excerpt:

The man’s mouth hung open as he stared at her face. His long, ashen hair had shifted, revealing a smudge of grease or dirt that made an almost perfect circle on his forehead.

“Sir? Are you all right?”

His eyes widened. “It is you,” he said. “At last. I have been looking forward to meeting you for such a long, long time.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry it took me so long to get to your table, sir. I just clocked in.”

He blinked slowly, pondering her response. “Ah,” he said. “You are a waitress, still. Well, then, General, I would have a cup of Vibrantia, if it pleases you.” The man’s expression never altered and his lips remained mostly still as he spoke, making it seem as though his voice was coming from somewhere or someone else.

Eadie clenched her teeth, trying not to laugh, though his words made her feel as though she was being tickled with a feather along her spine. “I’m sorry, sir. This is a corporate restaurant owned by McGuillian Corporation, so we synthesize only McGuillian patents. We have Synapsate but not Vibrantia. Would that be all right?”

“Of course, General. That would be lovely, if it pleases you.”

“Okay, sir. And my name is Eadie, by the way.”

“Thank you, General Eadie. And, if you like, you may address me as many have lately come to do. I am the Prophet.”

About the Author:

Mark D. Diehl writes novels about power dynamics and the way people and organizations influence each other. He believes that obedience and conformity are becoming humanity’s most important survival skills, and that we are thus evolving into a corporate species.

Diehl has: been homeless in Japan, practiced law with a major multinational firm in Chicago, studied in Singapore, fled South Korea as a fugitive, and been stranded in Hong Kong.

After spending most of his youth running around with hoods and thugs, he eventually earned his doctorate in law at the University of Iowa and did graduate work in creative writing at the University of Chicago. He currently lives and writes in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Author’s Website: http://www.markddiehl.com
Buy the book at Amazon.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , ,

Brush and Whip by Sean Michael

May 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

WHIP
Brush and Whip by Sean Michael
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (90 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/M, Anal Play, Toys
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistletoe

The Kennel Klub takes pride in matching dominant shifters with the perfect mates.

Theo is looking for just that—someone to pleasure, to love, to take care of. Having dealt with tremendous personal losses, Theo uses his human form as a shield. No one can hurt him if he’s human.
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Drew hasn’t shifted in more than a year. After spending his life serving a cruel alpha, he was cast aside. Drew has found that it’s easier to protect himself if he’s a wolf. A sub at heart, Drew is apprehensive at the concept of losing control. But as Theo arouses deep needs in Drew, he’ll learn that ceding his will is just the beginning of this erotic battle.

Inside Scoop: Theo’s dominant nature may be just what Drew needs. These same-sex shapeshifters will burn up the sheets!

Pain and suffering is all Drew knows, so much that he has kept himself locked in his wolf form to hide away from it all. When Theo comes to the Kennel Klub he sees Drew and is more than willing to take on the challenge. Can Theo be enough for the wolf and also bring out the man or will poor Drew only know despair? Love is fickle but when it is given freely no one can stand in its way.

Theo and Drew’s story is full of emotions and takes readers on a great ride. I was drawn into their story right from the start. This fast paced story keeps you engaged all the way to the end. I enjoyed watching Drew’s fight to regain himself and fight for the love that he longs for. Theo is a god man. He is a considerate and patient Dom. The two make a wonderful couple and I enjoyed watching their relationship begin to take shape. Theo is more than willing to fight for Drew and he pushes Drew just enough to help him through it all. This is one story that will pull on your heart strings.

Not only does Theo and Drew’s story grab your attention but many of the secondary characters make an impression. I loved meeting many of them and hope that I get to return to this world again for another visit soon.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Jaguar Hunt by Terry Spear

May 22, 2014 By 3 Comments

HUNT
Jaguar Hunt by Terry Spear
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (350 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

An agent and a jaguar-shifter chase trouble, and each other, through the jungles of Belize…

Agent Tammy Anderson has a reputation: she prefers to work alone. So when she’s paired up on a mission with jaguar-shifter David Patterson—who’s only recently been released from jail—to say she’s less than thrilled is a understatement. Until she realizes that this sexy agent has what it takes…

Soon, what started as an “easy” mission to locate a missing jaguar takes the pair to Belize, where they’re chasing down two renegade teen shifters who know more than they’re telling. As the action heats up, can they keep their minds on the job and off of each other?

The basic theme of Ms. Spear’s latest adventure is best described by using Urban English: ‘when good guys go bad is when the real good guys are baddest’.

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Tammy and David spark off of each other early on in the novel. A reader sees them testing each other, feeling out as to what kind of personality each of them has. It’s comical at times, always interesting and it fit in with the movement of the plot. Little things happen, dialogue is exchanged and clues are dropped here and there throughout the story until a reader can finally start guessing who the villain is. I really thought I had it figured out. The joke was on me. I was caught by surprise by a couple of revelations and I loved that.

Secondary characters are extremely important to this plot conflict. Some confounded me, others made me laugh at times and a few had me scratching my head, “how’d they DO that?”. I liked how Ms. Spear wove two of the characters into the plot enough that they affected the hero and heroine. Many times I thought that they were too good at what they did for untrained hooligans, but they amped up the entertainment factor and provided many opportunities for giggles and chuckles. Certainly Tammy and David became exasperated with them at times, but that is what made it so fun.

I think Ms. Spear had way too much fun imagining the waterfall shower scene. By the time I was done reading it, I wanted one too. Whew!

Tammy’s neighbor, Gertie, was a kick. The author used the secondary character to reinforce to the heroine what kind of guy the hero was. Some readers might think Gertie falls into the category of a cliché, but I rather enjoyed the interaction, even more so because of Tammy’s reaction.

When Tammy and David finally scratch their kitty itch, it was hot reading. Readers who anticipate some seriously steamy love action won’t be disappointed. What I liked the best is that Tammy made David work for it. I love to see a man sweat.

One of the things I like about Ms. Spear’s novels is that she takes the time to give her characters depth and emotional complexity. A great example of that skill is the relationship between Tammy and her father. Readers are in for an eye-goggle. It certainly blew me away.

If a reader is in the mood for action, romance, intrigue and exotic locales, then pick up a copy of Jaguar Hunt and get immersed in the adventure. Ms. Spear has a history of writing books that provide solid entertainment and a fun time. Watching Tammy and Dave fall in love was all that and more. Try it and see for yourself.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Trickster Edda by Crystal Lynn Hilbert

May 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

RUN
The Trickster Edda by Crystal Lynn Hilbert
Publisher: Eggplant Literary Productions
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary, Action/Adventure
Length: Short Story (77 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Conrad just wants a hot dog. He isn’t expecting to run into the god Loki, or get involved in a family feud of epic proportions. But he does, and the trickster shoves something into his head. Something the other Norse gods are keen to get their hands on.

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So much for picking up a fast lunch at a food stand. Conrad never could have predicted how his craving for a hotdog would change the whole course of his day.

Conrad’s internal dialogue is as funny as it is informative. I learned quite a bit about his personality and moral code through everything he refrains from saying out loud. His reaction to his first meeting with Loki was a memorable introduction to this tale. It helped me to figure out this character and made me root for him even before I knew what his quest might be.

It was hard for me to keep track of all of the secondary characters who were introduced in rapid succession. Some of them were given such brief introductions that I learned little more than they names and the fact that they have supernatural origins. It would have been helpful to either know more about them in the text or have some sort of glossary of characters at the end of this novella.

Knowing Norse mythology is not required in order to enjoy this book. Basic information is provided about family trees and the origins of certain feuds. I was grateful for that backstory as someone who wasn’t familiar at all with these gods, and certain references made me want to learn more about the old Norse stories before rereading this one

The Trickster Edda is a quick, fun read that I’d recommend to anyone who loves myths. As would be expected with any pantheon of gods, there is a lot of playful drama to be found between these pages.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Werewolf Defender by Marisa Chenery

May 22, 2014 By 2 Comments

DEFENDER
Werewolf Defender by Marisa Chenery
Publisher: Forever More Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (104 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Jerrica Barnes has longed to experience life outside her settlement’s walls, but living in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies outnumber the living, she knows she’ll never get to fulfill her dream. But the day Calan, the werewolf defender, comes and saves her from a zombie attack, she finds her life turned upside down.

Calan has never allowed anyone close since he was turned a hundred years before at age eighteen, but Jerrica makes him long for things he hadn’t known were missing in his immortal life.

Jerrica and Calan have to overcome those who would keep them apart while Jerrica has to make a decision that could keep them together for all time or have Calan walking out of her life forever.

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One of the things I enjoy the most about zombie stories is seeing how the characters adjust to living with such a dangerous threat. Ms. Chenery’s approach to this topic was unique given that no one in Jerrica’s village can remember what life was like before the zombie invasion. It’s such a normal part of their existence that these characters are accustomed to things that I would find pretty scary in real life. Comparing their reactions to how I imagine I’d would approach certain situations was quite fascinating.

I would have liked to get to know Jerrica better. So much time was spent focusing on the romantic elements of the plot that I had trouble getting to know her as an individual. After finishing the last chapter, I’d still be hard-pressed to describe her personality or list her interests outside of her relationship with Calan. The passages that are dedicated to her interest in archery are intriguing, and I would have really enjoyed it if they could have been expanded.

The descriptions of the village where everyone lives made me want to learn more about it. Growing up in such a rigid society can feel stifling under the best circumstances, but what makes Jerrica’s situation unique is that she knows she’ll never be able to move away due to how dangerous it is in the outside world. I was even more intrigued by the rationale her parents and the other adults use for all of the rules they’ve created. I sympathized with their points of view almost as much as I did with the main character.

This book would have benefitted from another round of editing. There were multiple instances of run-on sentences and punctuation errors. While I generally understood what the sentences were trying to say, it was distracting to pause and figure so many of them out.

It took some time to figure out the most appropriate age recommendation. Jerrica is 18 when the plot begins, but she comes across as someone several years younger than her chronological age. Her innocent reactions to the opposite sex in particular felt like they belonged to someone in her early teens. There are some violent scenes, though, and the inclusion of them makes this book a better choice for high school aged readers.

I’d recommend Werewolf Defender to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance novels. This is a good introduction to that genre for young adult readers.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Under Fire by Denise A Agnew

May 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

FIRE
Under Fire by Denise A Agnew
Love Under Fire Series
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short Story (88 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The stakes are high and there’s only one man she’ll trust when danger rips her world apart.

But whatever associate scheme you choose, generic cialis usa you aren’t likely to become “men problem prone area”. Emotional stress can be a key and frequent cause of online levitra impotency in men. Cowper glands located at the back side (posterior-lateral) part of the membranous urethra at the base of your penis to maintain it.There are two classes of drugs that are cheapest cialis without prescription used to treat the erectile dysfunction and Pulmonary arterial hypertension. Extream-X Male Enhancement pills are pharmacological means planned to give a solution for man’s capacity prescription order viagra without to accomplish the men’s requirement while treating ED. Kathleen truly understands the saying “always the bridesmaid, never the bride”. Was she nuts the day she agreed to be a bridesmaid for the eighth time? Probably. Especially when helping with this wedding means she’ll be in close proximity to rugged Major Jake Frasier—the man she fell in love with when they were in high school.

Being out of control is the last thing Kathleen wants, and Jake tempts her to be the wild woman she used to be. He’s too hot, too disturbing, too stirring for her blood. But when gunfire strikes close, the fight for survival will forge a bond deeper than they ever imagined.

Inside Scoop: The couples in the Love Under Fire series find love through the crucible of a mall shooting event.

Kathleen McSwain has been the bridesmaid seven times without walking down the aisle once for herself. But she can’t turn her friend down when asked for an eighth time even if it means being in close proximity to Jake Frasier for a while. They share a history, and not a pleasant one, but Kathleen is determined to prove that as a woman she’s nothing like the insecure schoolgirl she’d once been. But when they’re out shopping in the mall Jake and Kathleen find themselves trapped in a storage closet with a mad gunman on the loose, beating on the door. Everything boils down to an undeniable fact. Jake and Kathleen still have plenty of unresolved feelings, and nowhere to hide from them.

I enjoyed the tension this book opened up with. While there’s the weight of unresolved history between Jake and Kathleen the three people they end up trapped with are also well drawn characters. Their discussions add to the tension and realism of the situation. Without actually having ever been caught in a crazed gun-man situation, I feel as if the scene Ms Agnew wrote could easily have been how people could react in such circumstances. Then the after-effects of such an emotional scene also seemed to roll on in a logical and wonderfully emotional manner. The author has a real flair for action packed, tension filled romance. I really felt for both Jake and Kathleen, for the complexities of their situation and the massive ball of emotions they are. Complex, multi-layered characters are a soft spot of mine and this book really filled that need for me.

If you’re a sucker for a man in uniform like I am, and enjoy character-driven stories I’d recommend this read. There’s not much external plot, but I didn’t really even notice that, instead I was caught up in Jake and Kathleen, their emotions, their reactions and the situation they’ve found themselves in. There is a “Happy for Now” ending which I still found to be quite satisfying. This is the fourth of fifth book of Ms Agnew’s I’ve read in recent times and all of them have been well worth the time with varying stories that always suck me in. She’s now an auto-buy for me and this book lives up to my every expectation. Recommended.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Secret Hum of a Daisy by Tracy Holczer

May 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment

HUM
The Secret Hum of a Daisy by Tracy Holczer
Publisher: Putnam
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery, Young Adult
Length: Full Length (312 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Thistledown

Twelve-year-old Grace and her mother have always been their own family, traveling from place to place like gypsies. But Grace wants to finally have a home all their own. Just when she thinks she’s found it her mother says it’s time to move again. Grace summons the courage to tell her mother how she really feels and will always regret that her last words to her were angry ones.

After her mother’s sudden death, Grace is forced to live with a grandmother she’s never met. She can’t imagine her mother would want her to stay with this stranger. Then Grace finds clues in a mysterious treasure hunt, just like the ones her mother used to send her on. Maybe it is her mother, showing her the way to her true home.

Lyrical, poignant and fresh, The Secret Hum of a Daisy is a beautifully told middle grade tale with a great deal of heart.

What if you lost the only home you ever had? How far would you go to find it again?
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Grace and her mother are each other’s family. Going place to place, they never call one place home for long. A terrible accident happens and Grace loses her mother to a fall in the river. For the first time, Grace has to navigate a life that is very different from the one her mother had carved out for them. Her writing, once so precious to her is bottled up inside, just like her feelings. Grace’s grandmother claims her and she struggles to adjust to “The After.”

How can she live without her mother? How can she find her place in a world where she doesn’t belong? She wants to return to her friend and live with her-a place her mother would have approved of. Only the plans we make are not always the ones laid out for us. Grace begins to find this out as she follows clues that lead her to find her new life. There is new friendship, family issues, loss, exploration and just a little bit of romance to be found.

This book was a journey into the mind of a child who has lost everything. Grace’s mother was her world. The small origami paper cranes she folded and the little birds her mother made out of spoons become stars to travel by in this uncharted voyage to find the center of grief and move beyond it. Grace wants no part of her grandmother-the woman who turned her back on her very pregnant mother. She can’t stand the sounds of the river so she stays in the shed, keeping her distance from everyone and everything.

The thaw is slow. Once it comes it unfolds like the petals of a flower in the garden Grace’s grandmother so lovingly tends. We are all a part of each other’s lives. The decisions we make do affect other people and sometimes you make mistakes that you want more than anything to take back. And sometimes you just have to accept the strange things about people are the parts that make them who they are and love them just the same.

This book had me in tears more times than I could count. It is a middle grade read that really reaches into the feelings of devastation you can have when your whole world gets turned upside down. Where is home? Is it a person or a place? The Secret Hum of a Daisy also made me think about imagery of origami birds and the wonderful story of Sadaku and the paper cranes. It also hit on poetry, specifically Robert Frost. Lyrical in the structure of the story and the inclusion of art and poetry, I really felt the exploration and tender unfurling of Grace’s spirit as her new world is revealed to her step by tentative step.

I cannot recommend this tale highly enough. It is a book that could help so many kids deal with grief-and adults too. It made me think of my father and his passing and just how hard it was. I looked for signs from him forever just so I knew he was still up there watching. And you know what? They are everywhere. The ebb and flow of our life is poetry in motion. It is art and substance made real by every breath we take. And sometimes, if you listen there really is a secret hum in the background telling you the way…

You have to read this book.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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