Review: Night Shadows

Title: Night Shadows

Author: Stephen L. Brayton

Synopsis: 

Des Moines Homicide detective Harry Reznik and F.B.I. agent, Lori Campisi, have their hands more than a little full when they team up to investigate a series of gruesome murders. 

With life throwing them one obstacle after another, the unlikely pair has no choice but to put their personal issues aside as they battle malevolent creatures from another dimension. With everything to lose, they have no one but each other to count on in a wicked game of survival.

My Review:

Completely awesome! I was so enthralled reading this book. I don't even know where to begin....

Harry Reznik is investigating a series of very gruesome murders (trust me this is not for the faint of heart). NO leads, NO suspects, NADA. ZILCH. Not until Special Agent Lori Campisi shows up to help him investigate. She has previous knowledge and experience with the "unknown" and the "otherworldly". They are also complete polar opposites, which adds to their tension while working. While they investigate, more people keep dying, and their only developing lead points to what is lurking in the shadows.......OR.....is it the shadows themselves???? 

Excellent read. Fast paced, thrill ride. This book definitely makes you question all of those bumps in the night. I most certainly will be sleeping with the light on tonight! 

My Rating:

One Amazing Wedding Cake

you can pick this book up @

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

OmniLit

Review: Beautiful Sins-Leigha Lowery

Title: 
Beautiful Sins-Leigha Lowery

Author: 
Jennifer Hampton

Synopsis:

The skies of the Dark Coast, the Pacific Coastline of U.S. States has been infected with a strange chemical reaction from a military experiment gone awry. Constant cloud cover rules over the lands. Leigha Lowery, a sixteen year-old popular fiction writer in the local free press is pulled from the only home she knows in Detroit, MI when her mother decides on an impulse to marry a doctor she's been dating over the internet and moves to the small town of Banks, Oregon. As she adjusts to her new life of wealth and power, she begins to realize that the rumors about the Dark Coast aren't even close to what she's witnessed. Prince Alexander Sommers, the son of King Royce, and heir to the throne has taken a fascination to her. He pulls her into a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, and many other creatures of the night that have decided to make the Dark Coast their home.

My Review:

What first attracted me to this was the cover. It is absolutely beautiful (no pun intended.). I give Jennifer Hampton major props for putting together such a gorgeous design. Now for the story. Very clever. Although there are some grammatical errors, (Ms. Hampton states in the beginning, she edited this herself) in my opinion it did not distract me from reading this tale. I feel if Ms. Hampton can acquire an editor, she will be selling books like crazy! 

I was totally in love with Prince Alex (omg!!! he sounded like a total hottie! I kept thinking about Angel from Buffy lol)  and the loved the idea of a Lifemate. (you'll have to read to find out!).  What really surprised me about this story, was that I actually cared about the characters and what happened to them. To many times have I read books where I'm like "ok...so what," but this was NOT the case with Beautiful Sins. This story is full of drama, love, suspense, and not to mention all of the sexy characters. I definitely recommend this book! Great Job Jennifer!

My Rating:

One Amazing Wedding Cake!

you can pick up this book @

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Cover Crazy #1 An Apple For Zoë - The Forsaken

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by: The Book Worms

Ok! This is my first Cover Crazy and my favorite right now is...........

An Apple For Zoë - 

The Forsaken

by Thomas Amo

I know that the cover is really dark, but it co-insides with the theme...

Here's a summary of the book:

The City of San Francisco is locked in a grip of fear. A series of occult murders has led, Inspector Thomas James, to a crime scene similar to a murder committed 90 years ago in the once grand Aleris Hotel. A place where power barons of the early 20th Century engaged in witchcraft. And silent film stars indulged in the most wicked of sins.

A place where no one questions the black smoke that rises from the hotel's incinerators in the middle of the night.

What I love most about this cover is the wicked detailing in the door to the left of the girl. The scroll work is awesome, and I love how it alludes to what is lurking behind the door. I will definitely say the book and the cover are both awesome. Both are very mysterious and interesting. I will be doing a review of this book soon!!! 

I promise!!!! 

pick it up @

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Review - The War Is Language: 101 short works

Title: The War is Language - 101 short works

Author: Nath Jones

Synopsis:

A compilation of ultra shorts in three sections culminating with absurdest letters to a fake advice columnist.

This high-impact triptych of prose poetry and flash fiction probes identity in experience. Focusing on the impressions of a woman and a soldier as 21st-century Americans, the first and second sections of the book explore memory and dichotomy respectively. The book’s third section, of letters to a fake advice columnist, is a sarcastic interaction with an absurd existential authority figure. As a whole, the book calls into question our post-post-modern establishment of anti-authority conformists.


My Review:
I was really blown away by this series of shorts. This book is broken into 3 sections. The first section deals with memories, the second dichotomy, and the third - well as it says above - letters to a fake advice columnist. Since this book was broken into 3 sections I decided that I would review it as such. 
Section 1 - Breadcrumbs Ablaze
I really liked this section. I chuckled a bit, I got angry, I got frustrated. I even cried a little. The imagery Ms. Jones' uses to explain the simplest thought or idea is just outstanding. I very much enjoyed: An Admissions Essay, Wanted, Debriefing, Poetry and the one that was so touching to me was Blue Butterfly Falling Out Barrette. 
Section 2 - Chimerical Pinwheels
Now this section was  very interesting. It was quite thought provoking and informative. I found myself on an information roller coaster, my thoughts about the subjects that were presented, went up, down, here and there. The only problem I had with this section, was that I found myself reaching for the dictionary. Overall it was very good.
Section 3 - Letters When Gods Won't Do
I love love love love loved this section!!! ROFLMAO!!! I did, well almost. It was very funny. I would love to see a full novel: Letters to a Fake Advice Columnist or Cheaper Than a Therapist. Very well done. 


Overall I really did enjoy this collection of shorts. 


My Rating:
A cute birthday cake

you can purchase The War is Language: 101 short works @

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

I was Awarded!!!! =)

Soooo..... big thanks to Evie @ Bookish who gave me this super awesome award!!!! My first!

check out her blog! it is very adorable! =)

OK so for this award I must link to the person who awarded me - Evie @ Bookish, post 7 things about me and then pass the award onto 7 other bloggers! 

7 things about me:

1. I am a huge fan of BONES!!! I love love love love the show! I very much wish I could meet T.J. Thyne! =D
2. ummmmm.... I love playing RockBand with my husband and our best friend. I sing, play drums, guitar, bass, & keyboard. Our band is called "Now Here's Roy".
3. I still like to feel like a kid sometimes - so I eat fun shaped mac n cheese. =) Tonight was Toy Story.
4. I read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in 6 hours. Yes I did, and I do remember what happened. 
5. I alphabetize my books and movies, unless its a set, then they go together. A little OCD, but I just like things neat.
6. I developed a strawberry allergy working for my job....ironically I don't miss them anymore.... they actually sound disgusting to me.
7. My favorite place to go to escape for the day or weekend is Monterey (California). The weather is so beautiful, it's by the ocean, which I love! My husband proposed to me there. :-D

and..........the 7 bloggers I am awarding are.......drum roll please............

Annabel @ My Book Addiction

Belinda @ Belinda Frisch - A Writer With a Dark Side

Akasha & Lexus @ Hale & Salvatore Supernatural Must Reads

Danny, Heather, Cutie, uhyesplease & Pushy @ Bewitched Bookworms

Stephanie @ StephTheBookworm

Cait(lin) @ The Cait Files

Stephanie @ Book Love Blog

TBR Thursday #1

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Stephanie 

@ Book Love Blog

here's was sittin' on my shelf,  well my fireplace actually:

Harm None

(a rowan gant investigation)

by M.R. Sellars

When a young woman is ritualistically murdered in her Saint Louis apartment with the primary clue being a pentacle scrawled in her own blood, police are quick to dismiss it as a cult killing. Not one for taking things at face value, city homicide detective Ben Storm calls on his long time friend, Rowan Gant-- a modern day practicing Witch-- for help. 

In helping his friend, Rowan discovers that the victim is one of his former pupils. Even worse, the clues that he helps to uncover show that this murder is only a prelude to even more ritualistic bloodletting for dark purposes.

As the body count starts to rise, Rowan is suddenly thrust into an investigation where not only must he help stop a sadistic serial killer, but also must fight the prejudices and suspicions of those his is working with--including his best friend

***read this book about 8 years ago, want to read it again so I can finish the series***

______________________________________________________

Beautiful Sins-Leigha Lowery

(The Thaneaddus Chronicles)

by Jennifer Hampton

The skies of the Dark Coast, the Pacific Coastline of U.S. States has been infected with a strange chemical reaction from a military experiment gone awry. Constant cloud cover rules over the lands. Leigha Lowery, a sixteen year-old popular fiction writer in the local free press is pulled from the only home she knows in Detroit, MI when her mother decides on an impulse to marry a doctor she's been dating over the internet and moves to the small town of Banks, Oregon. As she adjusts to her new life of wealth and power, she begins to realize that the rumors about the Dark Coast aren't even close to what she's witnessed. Prince Alexander Sommers, the son of King Royce, and heir to the throne has taken a fascination to her. He pulls her into a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, and many other creatures of the night that

have decided to make the Dark Coast their home.

*** A pdf of this story was sent to me for review***

Spotlight! Jen Wylie - Author of The Forgotten Echo

Today is a very great day! Not only did I have the privilege to read The Forgotten Echo (a short story) by Jen Wylie, but I had the amazing opportunity to interview Jen as well.....

Jennifer Wylie was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.

Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.

Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories. Sweet light is her debut novel to be published in 2011.

Jennifer resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her husband, two boys, Australian shepherd a flock of birds and a disagreeable amount of wildlife.

Author Interview: Jen Wylie
Fun Random Questions:

Hardcover or Paperback? 

Paperback

Bookmark or Dog ear a page? 

~gasp!~ bookmark of course!

Coffee or Tea? 

Coffee

Pepsi or Coke? 

There is a difference (ducks and runs from the fanatics)

Vanilla or Chocolate? 

Chocolate!

Favorite fictional character? 

Jack Sparrow :)

Favorite scary movie? 

I actually don't watch scary movies, they give me nightmares (seriously)

Favorite Disney Princess? 

Cinderella

Pasta or Pizza? 

Pasta

Vampire, Ghost, Witch or Werewolf? What would you be and why?

Ooh that's a hard one. If I can be an Immortal witch then I'll choose that. A ghost doesn't do much, and I don't want to be hairy. Vampire is a possibility, though I'm not sure on the blood drinking

-sleeping all day sounds good though :D

More Serious Questions:

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? 

I am a stay at home mom of two boys. We live in very rural Ontario, Canada. I hate cold and snow-fate screwed me over there! We also have a dog, and a lot of birds. :)

When did you begin writing? Who or What were your inspirations? 

I started writing in public school. My mother is an avid reader and I took after her with that, writing was just something which I seemed to have a knack for and enjoyed as well.

Do you have a favorite place to write or a favorite time of day? 

I write at my desk in 'my' room. All my craft stuff is down here too, and the fire place (so its the warmest room in the house LOL) Usually I write in the evenings after the kids go to bed.

What made you write The Forgotten Echo? 

It was just one of those stories that popped into my head, and I actually had a chance to write it down before I forgot. My brain is constantly thinking about something story related. I'm surprised it hasn't exploded yet.

What genres do you like to read in your spare time? 

Anything fantasy. Even better if it has at least a hint of romance in it too! I'll also read science fiction but that's about it.

Is writing your full time job, or is it just your super hero persona? 

Good question. Being a mom is rather full time, and I have other things I do as well. I'm rather all over the place really. I love writing very much, though edits rather give me a headache at times LOL

Do you have any quirks or special rituals you must do before writing or when completing a story?

I have a gumball addiction while writing. If i get stuck I move to chocolate, or FunDip, for some extra energy. I'm a rather happy person, so when anything good happens, I write a good scene, finish etc,  I'll do a happy dance or bounce around. :D 

If you could be a character from any of your stories who would it be? Why? 

Hmmm. I don't know that I would want to be any of my main characters. I'm not really nice to any of them. I'm rather glad we'll never meet :) As a writer I like making things difficult, throwing obstacles in their path and I don't always have a happy ending (well I usually do..sometimes..lol)

What are your thoughts about books that become movies? Do you prefer to read the book first or see the film? 

I'd rather see the movie first. If I read the book, I just spend the whole time watching grumbling about what is missing or different. LOL

Are you currently working on anything right now?

Oh yes! I have a short story series for young readers which is keeping me very busy. A new story comes out the first Tuesday of each month (for a total of 6 stories) So I am busy meeting story and editing deadlines for that. My Tales of Ever series is a lot of fun to write. It is a about a young firestarter who gets banished to a place called Ever and has to learn to control her powers, and survive. The first installment, Banished, came out March 1^st. The second will be released April 5^th.

I just want to thank Jen Wylie for stopping by and doing this awesome interview! And don't forget to check out My Review of The Forgotten Echo.

Please Visit Jen @

Jen Wylie's Website

Jen Wylie's Blog