Cliff’s Descent by Dianne Duvall (Author), Kirsten Potter (Narrator)
Immortal Guardians Series, Book 11
Publisher: Self-published, Audio publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum
Every mortal who works at network headquarters knows that vampires reside below them. They were the first to surrender to the powerful Immortal Guardians who hunt them. And they did so, hoping they can be saved, that the doctors and scientists the Immortal Guardians employ can halt the progressive brain damage that robs all vampires of their sanity. Though curious, Emma never thought she would meet any of the vampires who remain under heavy guard several stories beneath her office. Then mercenaries strike, bombarding the building with heavy artillery. The vampires are freed to join the fray… and Cliff saves her life.
From that moment on, she can’t stop thinking about him regardless of the restrictions placed on interactions with vampires. When Emma discovers a way to speak to Cliff at network headquarters, she becomes even more fascinated by him. He’s smart, charming, and honorable to his core despite the darkness that lies ahead. And he seems to crave her company as much as she does his. Aware of the eyes that watch them, they keep their encounters innocent, limiting them to those of mere acquaintances. Nevertheless, their attraction grows and she soon falls in love with him even as the madness begins to claim him.
Cliff realizes his future is dark. As one vampire friend after another succumbs to insanity, hope that network doctors will be able to find a cure in time to keep him from meeting the same fate begins to dwindle, leaving him little to look forward to… until he meets Emma. Just speaking to her brings him a happiness and contentment he hasn’t experienced since before his transformation. And when they finally find a way to be alone together, everything changes. Emma burrows her way right into his heart and quiets the voices. She sparks dreams of a future with her that strengthen his determination to beat back the madness. But as time passes, the voices grow louder and insanity begins to chip away at him until he fears it will eradicate every part of him she fell in love with.
Will the two of them find a way to defy the odds and find their happily-ever-after? Or will Cliff’s descent consume him?
Archives for August 2021
Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Cliff’s Descent by Dianne Duvall (Author), Kirsten Potter (Narrator)
Only You by Willa Okati
Only You by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTI
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by FernSecond Chance — a small town where anything can happen — and does.
Once upon a time, a eighteen year old Alpha named Alex fell in love with a pretty Omega boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Zachary was everything he’d ever wanted — sweet, sassy, and sexy as hell. Alex would have married that boy and raised baby after baby with him — if Zachary hadn’t run away when Alex popped the question.
Alex doesn’t give up easily. When a train derails on its way to Alex’s hometown, he’s finally got another shot at the one who got away, and he’s not going to waste it. Now he’s got Zachary in his sights, and he’s never letting go again.
It killed Zachary to let Alex go the first time. He loved that man as much as Alex loved him, and he’s never fallen out of love, but he left to give Alex his best chance at living his best life. Zachary can’t — won’t — be sorry for that, no matter what it cost him.
Stranded in Second Chance with nowhere else to go and no way to get there, Zachary’s got no choice but to accept the help and shelter Alex offers. The chemistry’s still there. The desire. The connection. The yearning. But when the secrets they’ve both been keeping come to light, will they shatter their bond for keeps, or bring them together in a forever kind of love?
When they were teenagers Alpha Alex fell in love with Omega Zachary. But Zachary was from the wrong side of the tracks, and even though they were both kids, Zachary knew Alex was destined for far bigger and greater things than Zachary could achieve. So even though it broke his heart Zachary did the bigger thing and left, so Alex could achieve his greatness. But life and Second Chance has a way of bringing people back together again.
This is a smoking hot and thoroughly enjoyable read. I really enjoyed both Alex and Zach’s characters and while I admit I found their actions a little predictable they were both characters I felt I could empathize with and relate to.
I was pleased that much of the story is told from Zach’s point of view. Since he is the one who initially left Alex and made some of those fundamental decisions seeing and feeling his reasoning and the depth of his connection to Alex really made the separation between the men more palatable from my perspective. While I sympathized with Alex and found him an equally interesting character, I feel the story really shone better and gave the reader a deeper understanding of the whole situation coming from Zach’s voice.
The intimacy between the men was smoking hot and entirely believable. I thought the author did an excellent job showing Alex and Zach begin to rebuild their relationship and reconnect and while I felt the plotline itself lacked a little freshness it was really well written and I was invested enough in Alex and Zach to not mind this.
With some seriously steamy sex, two vibrant and interesting characters and a whole bucketload of baggage and history between them this is a fun and easy read I feel should appeal to many people.
Lacy’s First Last Kiss by Cooper McKenzie
Lacy’s First Last Kiss by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by NymphaeaWith his latest self-help book for couples with wide age differences hitting the market with a six-week book tour, his expertise and credibility are on the line. At 52, Tobias had never been married, and none of his relationships have lasted more than a year.
25-year-old Lacy is heartbroken and between jobs. She plans to visit her great-grandmother to work in the garden, read trashy romance novels, and relax. She never expects to marry a man she’s never met. But to save her sister’s job, Lacy reluctantly marries Tobias. Her only requirement is there can be no kissing on the mouth.
Can Lacy hold to her no kissing rule? Will city-boy Tobias survive time on the farm without internet or cell service? Will their marriage survive past the six-week book tour?
A chance at forever, but fraught with problems.
I picked this book up because I liked the idea of the forced, to a point, marriage. It’s convenience. Tobias needs a wife and Lacy’s available. It’s a cute premise. The writing clipped along well and I surged right through it in one sitting.
I understood Lacy’s aversion to kissing. She’d been hurt and didn’t want to be hurt again. It’s a believable and understandable premise. I rather liked the idea of these two people being thrown together, too. It’s cute.
If you’re looking for a quick, cute read, then this might be right up your alley. Check it out!
Strategy Quest by Paul A. Sacco – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Paul Sacco will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. In addition, the publishers are supplying this book, as well as others, FREE, here. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
In Strategy Quest: The Executive Guide for Finding Business Opportunities, you will learn how to achieve the strategic mindset necessary to create and decide on the business opportunities that will put you ahead of your competition.
Using the psychology of personality type, you will understand how to make the shift to this growth mindset. In Strategy Quest, you will learn that the strategic mindset is composed of Strategic Intuition and Strategic Thinking. Strategic Intuition creates strategic visions and concepts, while strategic thinking decides if these are genuinely strategic and the right choice for your business.
Strategy Quest uses business examples to show what the strategic mindset is and isn’t. The book also equips you with the tools that you will need for your Strategy Quest and shows you how to overcome the obstacle that you might encounter.
Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt
People often use the words goal and objective interchangeably; yet, when it comes to finding strategic opportunities, it is very helpful to distinguish between the two. Objectives are usually SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based). Goals are vague and qualitative and thus, allow for the divergent exploration of information and experiences. Divergent exploration is necessary for you to employ your introverted strategic intuition (NiS). Business objectives are convergent and rely on the deployment of Te or Ti.
Establishing Needs-Based Goals
Although a goal is vague, it can’t be so abstract that it fails to provide a starting point for exploration. Creating a strategic goal requires finding the right level of constraints, such that it is neither too vague nor too specific. A goal stated as, “finding an opportunity to gain ground or distance on competitors” is too vague to start you on your Vision Quest. A goal such as “improve our customer service” is too narrow to be strategic because it references a business function. An effective goal is constrained to the minimum extent possible while still providing direction.
Suppose that I gave you an empty canvas and asked you to paint. You will likely ask, “What do you want me to paint?” Your goal is too vague to know how to start. If I asked you to paint a car, I have constrained your choice of subject. If I asked you to paint something representing the abstract word transportation, your choice of subject is much broader. An effective goal contains an abstract need.
Abstract words are intangible. Consider that the word love is both an abstract word and a need. Although we can’t see it or measure it, we recognize it symbolically; for example, with a heart. Giving someone a gift is an action that can demonstrate love. When we feel love emotionally, we might express our feelings with a hug, for example. There are many different scenes you could paint if your subject is love.
To show how an abstract, needs-based goal can broaden our thinking about a problem, consider someone who has had their house broken into by a burglar who picked the front door lock. A tactical-thinking type would likely see the lock as his tangible problem and conclude that a better one was required. However, if he viewed the problem in terms of an abstract need, he might consider the goal of improving security. Since “security” is an abstract word, he can consider a broader range of information. Rather than simply researching locks, the person might also consider installing a security system, getting a dog, or moving to a better neighborhood.
About the Author
As President of Propheta Lucro Management Consultants, Paul specializes in helping leaders find strategic opportunities. One of the world’s top experts in strategic thinking, Paul has over 35 years of experience managing and leading businesses. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto holding both a B.A. Sc. in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. Paul is available to speak about business strategy or to teach, coach or facilitate the Strategy Quest method. For more information visit our web-site or contact Paul at: Email: Paul@prophetalucro.com
She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much by S. R. Cronin
She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much by S. R. Cronin
Publisher: Self
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by RoseOlivine, the fourth of seven sisters, has been hiding a secret as she travels to K’ba to meet her artist friends. Others assume she has fallen in love with another artist, and it’s not a match Mother would consider suitable. But it’s much worse that. For on the way to K’ba is the dirt poor nichna of Scrud, a place scorned by all other Ilarians. And in Scrud is the one man who understands her.
However, Bohdan is also is a realist, and a man who recognizes the dangers posed by an impending Mongol invasion. When he learns of Olivine’s unusual visual powers, he convinces her to pick up her bow and arrow and start practicing.
She does, though she’s more concerned with producing enough art to raise the funds to run away from home and live in K’ba, where she can paint all day and see Bohdan as often as she wants. If only her sister Ryalgar hadn’t learned of what she can do and decided Olivine and her fellow long-eyes held one of the keys to defending the realm.
Then, as if life wasn’t complicated enough, Olivine learns the artist community she yearns to be part of has developed a different take on the invasion. They feel certain the only way to survive is to capitulate completely to the Mongols demands. Artists who feel otherwise are no longer welcome.
Where does her future lie? The supposed invasion is coming soon and Olivine doesn’t have much time to decide.
The newest book in the Seven Sisters series is probably my favorite to date. And l loved the other books I’ve read!
This sister, Olivine, is an artist and doesn’t share a lot about her life with her parents and sisters. Her parents assume she wants to stay in K’ba because she has found someone special that she’s afraid they wouldn’t approve of – a starving artist. Her mom, especially, wants all her girls to make good marriages (she really hopes for a royal marriage for them all!). Olivine just wants to be free to create her art. And, it doesn’t hurt that on the way back and forth to K’ba she passes Scrud (the armpit on the face of the earth according to most of the Illarians) and has met someone who really gets her.
Each book in the series gets better and better, and the reader gets a more complete picture of this land, the people, and their interactions. I especially loved how Olivine and Bohdan slowly fall in love as they get to know each other and how they are both willing to put the other’s needs ahead of their own.
It was fascinating to find out more about the far-sight that this sister has and how it was used in the preparations for defending their country as well as how she used it in her artistic life.
I’m really looking forward to meeting in more detail the rest of the sisters and how they fit into the plans. Each book ramps up my interest in finding out how all these plans are going to come together. I can hardly wait.
I really recommend this entire series!
Your pet’s free consultation cialis muzzle might begin to become grey. It is only a symptom of an underlying medical condition is causing purchase sildenafil online an intimate issue, talk to your healthcare provider and ask what drugs you can take to prevent ED or erectile dysfunction. This medication doesn’t require a prescription .Medical effect of the drug just to generic levitra usa save money, time and efforts. It would appalachianmagazine.com prescription free tadalafil be no different had Barack Obama won no votes in the state.
Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie
Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by ChollaWhen she was twenty-six and broke, Skye didn’t think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the cash. Now approaching forty, Skye still moves through life entirely—and unrepentantly—on her own terms, living out of a suitcase and avoiding all manner of serious relationships. Maybe her junior high classmates weren’t wrong when they voted her “Most Likely to Be Single” instead of “Most Ride-or-Die Homie,” but at least she’s always been free to do as she pleases.
Then a twelve-year-old girl tracks Skye down during one of her brief visits to her hometown of Philadelphia and informs Skye that she’s “her egg.” Skye’s life is thrown into sharp relief and she decides that it might be time to actually try to have a meaningful relationship with another human being. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy.
Things get even more complicated when Skye realizes that the woman she tried and failed to pick up the other day is the girl’s aunt, and now it’s awkward. All the while, her brother is trying to get in touch, her mother is being bewilderingly kind, and the West Philly pool halls and hoagie shops of her youth have been replaced by hipster cafés.
With its endearingly prickly narrator and a cast of characters willing to both challenge her and catch her when she falls, this novel is a clever, moving portrait of a woman and the relationships she thought she could live without.
Skye Ellison lives live on her own terms and is just fine with that. She tells it like it is and rarely holds back. Which is both good and bad. Good in the sense that she doesn’t let anyone walk over her. When she sets boundaries, they stay until she wants them to come down. They way she handled certain toxic relationships was refreshing. Honestly, I wish I had half her nerve. Her attitude also had downsides, mainly in the way she kept people at arm’s length most of the time.
In a lot of ways, Skye is unlikable and unpleasant. However, the deeper you get into the story, the more time she spends around Vicky, the more you start to understand Skye and her reasons for making herself so inaccessible. As a character, she feels very authentic in a real way, not just a fictional one. She’s smart, she’s clever, and she’s also a hot as heck mess most of the time. I found it highly admirable that she admitted to it quite often.
Vicky did her level best to turn Skye’s life upside down, but in a good way. She pushed Skye, and in turn, pushed herself, to change, be different, to be better. I love the relationship that she forms with her biological mom, but the real gem is the relationship she has with her Aunt Faye. It’s not always easy, but there’s always love and respect between them. Their relationship is another realistic look into blended and alternative family units in today’s world. For me, it was refreshing to see something other than a horrible family or a perfect family.
Skye Falling is both an emotional rollercoaster as well as a laugh riot of a book. Every time Skye started getting too much into her feelings, she’d jerk us right out of it with some pithy comment or sarcastic retort. Even in the moments when I didn’t like her all that much, she never failed to make me laugh out loud. As a mother, I related so much to this story but, as a person, I found it engaging and highly enjoyable.
Christi Caldwell – Interview and Giveaway
Long and Short Reviews welcomes Christi Caldwell who is celebrating the recent release of Along Came a Lady. Leave a comment or ask the author a question for a chance to win a print copy of the book *US and 18+ only please*
Christi told me she can pinpoint the moment she knew she was going to be a writer. She was in 6th grade and had started writing her first romance novel (all hand-written in a one-ring notebook – she had about 20 of them). However. life went on, and she went on to college and graduate school, her love for historical romance led her to get an history education major.
“I always say my writing can be divided into two parts: the romance novels I wrote before my son was born…and then after him,” she explained. “My path to motherhood was a challenging one. I’m one of the 6.5 million women in the US dealing with infertility. As such, all my emotional energies and really my whole life became fixed on my infertility treatments. When my son was born, we learned of his diagnosis of Down syndrome. My world was completely rocked. I confess, my knowledge and understanding of Ds was limited. I learned quick that there were many health conditions that accompany Ds: GI issues, of which my son had and has many of. Cardiac conditions, which required frequent monitoring (before we were ultimately discharged from his cardiologist… that was one of the happiest days of my life.) Needless to say, there were constant specialist appointments and therapies. Books remained as they always had been throughout life, a great escape. Writing however, proved the greatest.
“When my son was just a baby, he was hospitalized. After a serious health issue and a hospitalization, we were forced to give up our house and moved into a one-bedroom apartment. My husband and I slept in a walk-in closet so our son could have a bedroom and space for his therapy. We couldn’t afford food, let alone books. (Thank God for libraries. Truly. They kept me sane and brought me joy.)
“I still remember the night, unable to sleep, I walked out of my closet-bedroom, and grabbed my old laptop and decided to resume writing. The decadent, lavish life of Regency England was one I felt so removed from. I couldn’t even heat my house. And yet, that world was one I loved so much to read and write. In that moment, I decided to write the stories of characters I could relate to. The working-class heroines and heroes who knew financial struggles, and who found themselves thrust in the ‘fairytale’ worlds of High Society. Imperfect characters whose lives seemed charmed but were a challenge. Characters who struggled…and ultimately triumphed. Characters whom most of us can relate with and to. Forever Betrothed, Never the Bride was the first full-length book I wrote in our tiny, cold apartment and became the first full-length novel to land on the USA Today Bestseller list.”
She has since seen 65 books published and has 3 more in various stages of production.
I asked her if she could choose a favorite.
“I always say when I’m asked to pick a favorite, that it’s like a parent whose been asked to pick their favorite child. It’s really an impossible task. That said, in that same vein…there are certain things about each of my children that makes them special, and fills my heart. Along Came a Lady is one of my favorite stories I’ve written. I’d had the idea of a duke with illegitimate children whom he wants to make amends with for many years, and was sooo eager to dive into the world. This story fed so much of what my author soul LOVES to write about: big families. Light moments. Heartwarming ones.”
“What comes first, the plot or the characters?” I wondered.
“Ooh! I LOVE this question. For me, it’s always the couples. More specifically, I start with one character, and because my worlds tend to be interconnected, a series where secondary characters in one book will have their happily-ever-after in a future one, I’ll know them in some way. In my head, I explore the layers of the hero or heroine, and consider what their ARC will or should be, and then build their happily-ever-after character, and ideal partner with this question in mind. As I believe all the best relationships are partnerships, I try to provide each hero/heroine with the person who can challenge them, but also help them grow.”
She knew she always wanted to be an author, so she pursued a history education degree so she could teach and also write. She did this for a while, but then life threw a spanner in the works.
“I found myself on bedrest with my now 7-year-old twin daughters. As a teacher in Connecticut, I didn’t have maternity leave or long-term disability, and as such, when my pregnancy became complicated, I was out of a job, and out of a paycheck. I spent my days writing…and also self-publishing those stories I’d had on my laptop.
“I oftentimes say I wish I could go back and show my younger self that I was living the dream I’d always carried.”
Her writing schedule is pretty strict. Before Covid, when her children were all in school full time, she would work from 9-2. But, she’s had to adjust her writing habits and her schedule.
“I write from 9-11:30 where I’m writing for 25 minutes with my sprinting partner, LaQuette, and then we have 5 minutes off where we can do social media or email checks,” she told me. “We’re so productive when we’re together. Then, I’ll join my kids for their school lunch break from 11:30-12:30. Then I resume writing for a block of 1-3. I tend to see to my social media work at night when the kids are sleeping!”
Finally I asked, “What is your most embarrassing moment?”
“I come from a family where my parents are extremely proud of everything I do. My dad, who is one of my best friends, has always been my most ardent supporter in EVERYTHING. When I had my first job interview for a teaching position, I had to perform a demonstration lesson. Basically, a teacher is asked to prepare a grade-appropriate lesson for a class of students you only just meet. I was obviously both excited and nervous.
“But because I’d been living away from home, and because I wanted to share the news about my first interview with my dad, I forwarded him the email from the school district.
“After I completed the first person of my interview, a one-on-one interview with the principal…I stood up to go for my demonstration lesson…when the principal slid a piece of paper across the desk. It was the email I’d forwarded my dad…only, he’d accidentally replied to all (which I discovered in the interview that day.) In it, he wrote about how much he loved me, and called me a #1 Draft Pick (we were big baseball fans and watched all the Yankee games together.) and proceeded to explain how foolish the district would be not to hire me. The principal circled his email, highlighted it, and walked out.
“I was so embarrassed in the moment. To this day, however, our family joke whenever my sister or I have special news to share is: email it to dad.”
Rafe Audley detests his father, the Duke of Bentley, for abandoning his family. Born illegitimate, he has worked the mines his whole life to care for his younger siblings. Edwina Dalrymple has spent her life making a name for herself as an instructor in etiquette, and she has yet to fail in preparing her charges for Polite Society. When Edwina is tasked with teaching Rafe the ways of a gentleman, she soon learns that Mr. Audley is no ordinary charge. Rafe is wholly uninterested in joining the Gentry, making his lessons Edwina’s most difficult undertaking yet. Taming the unruly man would surely elevate her status, but can Edwina put her own feelings aside in order to get the job done? As the bold teacher and stubborn pupil work to sabotage each other at every turn, Edwina and Rafe will learn that while opposites attract, the unlikely pair have more in common than they think.
About the Author: 
Christi Caldwell is the USA Today bestselling author of the Sinful Brides Series and the Heart of a Duke Series. She blames novelist Judith McNaught for luring her into the world of historical romance. She enjoys torturing her couples before they earn their well-deserved happily ever after. Originally from Southern Connecticut, Christi now resides in North Carolina, where she spends her time writing and being a mommy to an energetic little boy and mischievous twin girls who offer an endless source of story ideas.
The Rewired Series by Alexander Mukte – Q&A and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Do you have any tattoos? Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?
I have a boring answer here, but I don’t have any tattoos. I wanted to get one or several in college, but I could never decide what to get. I definitely appreciate how tattoos enable self-expression and have such artistic value.
Is your life anything like it was two years ago?
My life today vs. two years ago is like night and day. Two years ago, I was working in a large corporation. My days were filled with PowerPoint slides, Excel spreadsheets, and conference calls. Then my wife and I made a plan for me to pursue writing full-time. Now, my days are spent being present with my family and trying to be the best author I can be.
How long have you been writing?
Though I have gotten lost in stories in my head for as long as I can remember, I’ve been writing a relatively short time. I started putting pen to paper on The Recruiter, my debut novel, four years ago.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
While I only have a few years under my belt, the advice I would give to myself at the start would be:
1. Discipline is critical. You’ve got to figure out how to break things down into smaller tasks so that progress doesn’t seem so daunting.
2. Feed your brain. Keep a reading list of things you are interested in learning so that you can continually absorb new information. Your imagination appreciates the input.
3. Foster positivity. Identify a process that keeps you feeling positive. Embrace the value of affirmations, yoga, and meditation.
Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.
There’s a lot of symbolism in this series. Certain characters are embodiments of something much more significant, like fear, war, ego. Also, the colors in the cover art for each book are inspired by the chakras. Hopefully, this can create some fun dialogue for those who like to dissect and analyze the works you read. There’s both a discussion guide and a character map in the back of both books to aid in that too.
Also, Atlanta is a primary setting in both novels. So, for anyone who has lived or spent time in Atlanta, you can hopefully recognize some of the nods to areas in the city.
This is a fantastic, genre-bending series that weaves together the best mystery, visionary, and speculative fiction elements. With characters that span across books and time, The Rewired Series explores what plagues humanity and the impact each person can have while leaving you with the promise of a better tomorrow. Alexander Mukte wraps all of these themes inside edge-of-your-seat, engaging mysteries with larger-than-life characters you’ll want to revisit again and again.
A fast-paced and thought-provoking mystery that will keep you on your toes until the very end. The Recruiter is an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable start to the series, full of intriguing twists and turns.
Leslie may be an idealist, but she’s no fool. She trusts her boss, Ori, implicitly. He has vision, principles, and a way with people. When a bomb is detonated at work, she finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of events. All of a sudden, their lives are on the line, and every choice matters.
Is Ori who she thinks he is? Why would anyone want to hurt him? And how do they get out of this mess? Leslie doesn’t have it all figured out, but what becomes clear is that there’s a lot the world doesn’t know about Ori Clayborn.
Jessica is driven to make a difference by uncovering the truth. Investigative reporting is her life. One day she gets a unique assignment that leads her back to her hometown and into Ori’s orbit. What will she find, and what’s her role in this?
The Recruiter is a captivating, imaginative story that draws you in deeper and deeper, page-by-page. Alexander Mukte creates a universe that pulls you in and doesn’t let you go.
This bold and compelling sequel is an evocative page-turner on the journey to a better future.
Since her encounter with Ori years ago, Jessica, an investigative journalist, has continued her mission to print the truth that the world needs to hear. Her pursuit has led her to meet with a source, Zach Carver, a leading mind at Singularity Group. The meeting goes awry, and Jessica awakens to find that she has a gap in time and memory and that Zach is now missing.
What happened? Who is responsible? And how can she help Zach? It is imperative that Jessica find out, and to her surprise, Ori has reappeared to help her do just that.
Malik, an intelligent and inventive young man, is determined to find a way to overcome the virus that has impacted the world. When he crosses paths with powerful people at Confidence Biotech, the leading treatment and contact tracing company, they take an unusual interest in him. Then, all of a sudden, they paint Malik as public enemy number one, forcing him to go on the run.
What do they want from him, and does this mean that he is close to discovering something they couldn’t?
Deeply Rooted Dreams is the second installment of The Rewired Series, unveiling more of the universal trial that Ori alluded to in The Recruiter. Alexander Mukte’s second novel creates an even more intricate world, striking an engaging balance of mystery and wonder.
Enjoy an Excerpt from The Recruiter
Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Prologue
“Did you think we were going to let you get away with it?” The man’s voice was both incredulous and triumphant. The light from the full moon began to fill the room as Ori’s eyes adjusted. He inhaled deeply. The man continued as if he was talking to himself, “We knew you were up to something. Did you actually think that you stood a chance?” Ori surveyed the room. He squinted to focus on his surroundings.
“Are you listening to me?” the man continued speaking while Ori remained silent, not acknowledging him. Ori made out three bodies in the room with him: one talking, one holding a flashlight, and a third one close to what looked like the door.
The shack was an old cabin but was well built. No lights were turned on, nor was there a fire burning, so as not to attract any unwanted attention. The natural moonlight was perfect to illuminate most of the space. In the areas where the moonlight did not reach, there was the glow of a bright flashlight. This flashlight was suddenly pointed directly into Ori’s eyes.
About the Author:
Alexander had an active imagination his whole life, but it wasn’t until the birth of his son that he began putting the stories in his mind on paper. He wanted to be an example of someone pursuing his passion, dreaming big, and taking chances.
Alexander loves people, their stories, and their backgrounds as well as what shapes them, how they think, and what they dream about. He has a passion for learning and is known by most as an intensely curious person who eagerly soaks up anything and everything he can. He dreamt of a career that allowed him to learn new things every day. In writing, he has found a life that allows him to do just that.
After graduating with a degree in business, Alexander volunteered in the U.S. Peace Corps where he aided in creating sustainable small business ventures in Central America. Before taking this leap of faith, Alexander did Business Development and Consulting for large domestic and international companies. These experiences weave themselves into the characters, places and stories he creates.
An avid traveler, Alexander enjoys exploring new places with his family. He was raised in Southeastern Arizona, and now calls Georgia home, along with his wife and two sons.
The Recruiter is Alexander’s first novel, though perhaps the 39th in his mind. We hope you enjoy it, and Deeply Rooted Dreams, as much as we have.
NOTE: The Recruiter just won a 2021 American Fiction Award in the African-American Fiction category. It was also a finalist in the Cross Genre and Mystery/Suspense: Multicultural & Diverse categories.
Buy Deeply Rooted Dreams at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.
LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Eternal Seas by N. Christine Samuelson
Thanks for joining us on our 14th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC (along with other prizes). Follow and visit authors’ social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC (along with other prizes)!
Eternal Seas is a journey of life and love spanning time and place that few have the courage to take and fewer live to remember.
Ella Rowe’s lifelong fear of the sea and tragedies surrounding loved ones cause a soul-deep fear of love and relationships—until the sea brings a man perfect for her—Navy fighter pilot Daniel Ellsworth.
A powerful attraction draws them together in Key West, but undermining it is Ella’s sense of being cursed and haunted by deaths, family secrets, lies, spirits, and vivid memories of living in other times with similar fates – all caused by the sea. She believes loving Daniel will make him the next victim. Daniel questions pursuing her, knowing death could be a consequence.
They begin an odyssey spanning generations of time filled with mystery, otherworldly events, and peril leading back to Ella’s ancestral home in Maine. Will their destiny be fulfilled, or will tragedy be repeated as they endure heartbreak to find love, and face death to find life?
Buy the book at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, or Google Play.
Scavenger Hunt:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Social Media:
LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Mine By Design by Becky Moore
Thanks for joining us on our 14th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC (along with other prizes). Follow and visit authors’ social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC (along with other prizes)!
When Abby Markham witnesses the murder of a local cop with ties to a political dynasty, she finds herself not only in the crosshairs of a killer, but also on the radar of a powerful US senator.
The clock is ticking for her survival, and Detective Ben Owens knows the best way to keep Abby safe is to keep her close. But as the danger escalates, so does their attraction. With their backs against the wall, Ben and Abby will risk everything to make sure she survives the dangerous web of political corruption, lies, and deceit.
Buy the book at Amazon.
Scavenger Hunt:
Social Media:
