Sunday, May 31, 2015

Book Spotlight with Excerpt : In The Eyes Of Madness (Chronicles of Declan Peters) (Volume 1) by Michael Ka Chun Pang




In The Eyes Of Madness 
(Chronicles of Declan Peters) (Volume 1) 
by Michael Ka Chun Pang



Series: Chronicles of Declan Peters

Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: SolaFide Publishing; 1 edition (April 30, 2015)

Kindle Edition

File Size: 442 KB
Print Length: 198 pages
Publisher: SolaFide Publishing (April 29, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

About the book: 

A near tragic incident at the hands of his psychotic mother left Declan Peters alone and with so many questions.

Years later, Declan is determined to find a way to be closer to his mother and takes a job at the institution where she's being held. That fateful decision will be the impetus for a chain of events so terrifying that Declan will question his own grasp on reality.

What he finds will be more horrifying than anything he's ever experienced and more dangerous than anything he's yet known. In a place, rife with demonic possession and sadistic beings, will Declan finally be able to find the answers he's longed for before its too late or will he succumb to the evil forces that inhabit the institution and all who live there?


Excerpt



Amazon Buy Links

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Book Review: How To Catch A Prince by Rachel Hauck


How To Catch A Prince 
by Rachel Hauck


Series: Royal Wedding Series
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (February 24, 2015)

Hardcover: 522 pages
Publisher: Thorndike Press Large Print (October 7, 2015)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 1961 KB
Print Length: 357 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0310315549
Simultaneous Device Usage: Up to 5 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
Publisher: Zondervan (February 24, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Audio CD
Publisher: Oasis Audio; Unabridged edition (February 24, 2015)

Ratings: ★ ★  

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from BookLook Bloggers. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

My thoughts:

A DNF rating for this book. The characters are all forgettable, and the story has weird names, weird happenings that they couldn't really hold my attention. One major issue I had with this was the magical elements of the story. Sorry, not into that thing.
    
There are others who loved the book, you might want to read them HERE.


About the book:

Prince Stephen came to America to escape responsibility. But what he found complicates his life more than ever.

Corina Del Rey is happy with her life in Melbourne, Florida. She spends her days engrossed in her career as a journalist and has her sights set on climbing the corporate ladder if for no other reason, to distract herself from her dissolving family. But when she is confronted with the past she fought so hard to put behind her, she struggles to make sense of her future.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom has moved on since the tragic death of his buddies in Afghanistan. A star professional rugby player, he has no intention of looking over his shoulder at what could ve been.

But when a notice arrives in the mail requiring his and his wife s appearance before the courts to dissolve their marriage, he must deal with the questions rumbling around in his heart. He thought his marriage had been annulled long ago, but his memories of Corina Del Rey remain close. Does he still love her? Can he even find her? Above all, can he tell her the truth about that fateful night in Afghanistan seven years ago? If he does, he might really lose her forever."


Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Status : Blogger on SICK LEAVE



Let me start by telling you guys that I will be AWAY for a while. I'm going in for a tonsillectomy this weekend and although this is only a minor operation, I think my blog posts will be a little sporadic.

I have been having health issues the past months. Just February last year, I was diagnosed to have endometriosis which my doctors took so long to figure out. I've been having mild and sometimes severe pains in my pelvic area. Doctors from private and public hospitals cannot exactly identify what is causing this pain as my lab tests/ultrasound wouldn't show any abnormalities inside me. And then one day, I literally can't move my whole body. Immediately after I told them the pain is everywhere and one movement would cause severe pain in my whole body, including my head, they took a picture of my pelvic area again, this time using CT scan and finally they saw something! So that was my first operation. Just yesterday, after I got my clearance for the tonsillectomy (after months of check-ups and tests), I found out that this endometriosis is growing again and I will deal with that after the tonsillectomy.

O---kay! So since I have two health issues to deal with, I will stop accepting review requests I think until the end of August. For authors waiting for my book review, reading status can be found at the right side of my blog. 

That's it and wish me luck!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Book Spotlight with Chapters 1-3: The Replacement by Jason A Pellegrini


The Replacement 
by Jason A Pellegrini


Paperback: 406 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 12, 2015)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 807 KB
Print Length: 408 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

About the book: 

After a violent altercation with an infamous New York City drug lord, Patrick Sullivan believed his career in law enforcement was over. Yet, not even a year after his resignation, he finds himself back on the job. This time, a detective in the homicide unit. 

While battling the ghosts of his past, Patrick and his new partner, veteran detective Jonathan Hawkins, find themselves chasing a killer who is constantly one step ahead of them. 

As the body count increases and no substantial leads are discovered, tension between the two cops threatens to boil over. They attempt to coexist as they hunt down a sadistic serial killer who does more than just take his victims' lives.


Chapters 1-3



Amazon Buy Links

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Book Spotlight and Review: Protect Her by Ivy Sinclair



PROTECT HER 
(Parts 1-3)
by Ivy Sinclair


Kindle Edition
File Size: 803 KB
Print Length: 202 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

About the book:

Human. Angel. Demon. 

Three species that have coexisted since the beginning of time, although humankind is blissfully unaware of the predators and protectors that walk among them. But there is a new threat emerging that affects them all. 


The story begins when an innocent girl is saved from certain death by a man who straddles the worlds of darkness and light. Their relationship holds the key to saving everyone. 



PROTECT HER: PART ONE BUY LINK

Get in. Get the job done. Get out. Get paid. 

It’s a simple motto that I’ve lived by for the last five years. It’s kept me alive and made me rich. 


There’s no love lost between me and the supernatural beings who walk the world beside us. But when it comes to being able to retrieve valuable information from the dead, Necromancer Riley Stone is the only game in town. They know it. I know it too, and that’s why my services aren’t cheap. 


The archangel Benjamin hired me to find out why he has a new demon problem. Three demon interrogations in, and the only thing I know is that the demons are in hot pursuit of a nameless young woman. She’s here on Calamata Island, and the demon officials are willing to risk Benjamin’s wrath to grab her. 


But I found her first, and she’s nothing like what I expected. In my line of work, you can’t afford to let anyone get too close. But there’s something about Paige Matthews that I can’t shake, and she needs my help. I won’t turn her over to Benjamin until I help her find out why the demons are after her. 


So now I’ve got a demon problem, and I’m in way over my head. 



PROTECT HER: PART TWO BUY LINK

Want to know what happens to a human caught in the crossfire between angels and demons? I’m going to make sure that Paige Matthews doesn’t find out. 

The job that originally brought me to Calamata Island might be done, but I can’t leave Paige behind. Without me she’s defenseless against the demons that are after her. I just met her, but I feel protective of her, and I can’t walk away. Not yet. 


Paige is at the epicenter of something big, and none of it is good. It’s not just the demons that want her. The angels are in on it too being led by the archangel Benjamin. 


Paige’s past is being hidden by her amnesia. Those secrets want to be let out. It’s up to me to make sure that she stays alive long enough to find the answers that will finally reveal it all. 



Excerpt



PROTECT HER: PART THREE BUY LINK

I want Paige Matthews. The archangel Benjamin’s claim on her soul is one that cannot be easily broken, but I intend to try. Of course, that’s assuming that she would want someone like me once this is all over. 

First, we have to get off Calamata Island in one piece. I know someone who can help Paige finally unlock the memories of her past. That’s the key to gaining the upper hand against the demons who are coming for her. Among those is a familiar face; a demon official who stole something from me five years ago. Having a shot at a little vengeance in the process is all right with me. 


Everything’s coming to a head, and this is one fight that I intend to win. I just have to make sure that I don’t lose Paige in the process. 



* * *

Ratings: ★ ★ ★  

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Ivy Sinclair. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

My thoughts:

I am not the type of reader who gushes over book covers but this time I gotta say I love the cover! Looks so sweet yet intriguing and deadly. Cool!

As for the story, it was just okay. It was all good actually, the first few chapters but having read and loved Anita Blake (necromancer) by Laurell K. Hamilton and Georgina Kincaid (succubus; angels and demons) by Richelle Mead, I was expecting something more. Sorry, I blame myself for having read too many books, my mind tend to compare. I think had I not read these two series, Protect Her would have been more than okay for me. 

Characters Riley and Christopher made the story engaging, but I cannot say the same for Paige.  SPOILER!!! Trying to uncover her secret/past was, hmm tiring? My usual reason for losing interest in the book is when the secret is being kept too long. In this case, after three parts or 200 plus pages, Paige's identity is still hidden from us, readers!  Not  good. Would I keep reading? I don't know. I really like where the story is headed for Riley and Christopher. SPOILER!! Even though secrets of these two men were already revealed, felt like there are more to learn.   By the way, twists of the story were done neatly. 

To read others' positive reviews, click HERE.


About the author:





Ivy Sinclair cut her romance teeth on classics like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, and Sabrina. She is a firm believer in true love, a happily ever after ending, and the medicinal use of chocolate to cure any ailment of the heart. Ivy's guilty pleasures include sushi, endless Starbucks lattes, and wine. Readers of Ivy's stories can expect smoldering sweet stories of romance that tug at the heartstrings.




Monday, May 18, 2015

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?




"It's Monday! What are you reading?" is a fun meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. This is where we share the books we have read the last week and our reading plans for this week.



Books Reviewed


MIND OVER MURDER 
by Cary Allen Stone

Detective Jake Roberts and FBI profiler Mika Scott return in the murder mystery Mind Over Murder––the long awaited sequel to After the Evil. Both await the arrival of the flight that brings the infamous serial killer Lori Powers back to the U.S. to face charges escorted by Interpol agents. 

Jared Hamilton is a genius, has earned multiple PhDs, and is twenty-five years old. His father Richard Hamilton is of one of the wealthiest men in the world. His mother Contessa was once an international supermodel. Jared has turned down offers by captains of industry, presidents of Ivy League universities, and Wall Street bankers. What Jared wants most is to be a criminal. He is already a world-class hacker and has committed a variety of felonies. Now he wants to experience the feel of blood on his hands. Jared wants to be a serial killer like Lori Powers and he wants Lori to be his consort. He devises a heinous plot to get Jake to bring Lori to him. When Jake discovers that he is Jarod’s next victim he puts together a plan, albeit illegal, to stop him. 

This is not your run-of-the-mill serial killer story. “Mind Over Murder” is the perfect serial killer read!

Read 4-star review HERE




CANDY AND THE CANKERSAUR
by Jason Sandberg


This is the sweet and funny tale of a young girl named Candy and a Cankersaurus Rex! Candy receives a dinosaur as a gift and is determined to train him to be a good pet.

Read 5-star review HERE







Books for Review

PROTECT HER (Parts 1-3)
by Ivy Sinclair

Human. Angel. Demon. 

Three species that have coexisted since the beginning of time, although humankind is blissfully unaware of the predators and protectors that walk among them. But there is a new threat emerging that affects them all. 

The story begins when an innocent girl is saved from certain death by a man who straddles the worlds of darkness and light. Their relationship holds the key to saving everyone. 

PROTECT HER: PART ONE 
Get in. Get the job done. Get out. Get paid. 
It’s a simple motto that I’ve lived by for the last five years. It’s kept me alive and made me rich. 

There’s no love lost between me and the supernatural beings who walk the world beside us. But when it comes to being able to retrieve valuable information from the dead, Necromancer Riley Stone is the only game in town. They know it. I know it too, and that’s why my services aren’t cheap. 

The archangel Benjamin hired me to find out why he has a new demon problem. Three demon interrogations in, and the only thing I know is that the demons are in hot pursuit of a nameless young woman. She’s here on Calamata Island, and the demon officials are willing to risk Benjamin’s wrath to grab her. 

But I found her first, and she’s nothing like what I expected. In my line of work, you can’t afford to let anyone get too close. But there’s something about Paige Matthews that I can’t shake, and she needs my help. I won’t turn her over to Benjamin until I help her find out why the demons are after her. 

So now I’ve got a demon problem, and I’m in way over my head. 

PROTECT HER: PART TWO 
Want to know what happens to a human caught in the crossfire between angels and demons? I’m going to make sure that Paige Matthews doesn’t find out. 

The job that originally brought me to Calamata Island might be done, but I can’t leave Paige behind. Without me she’s defenseless against the demons that are after her. I just met her, but I feel protective of her, and I can’t walk away. Not yet. 

Paige is at the epicenter of something big, and none of it is good. It’s not just the demons that want her. The angels are in on it too being led by the archangel Benjamin. 

Paige’s past is being hidden by her amnesia. Those secrets want to be let out. It’s up to me to make sure that she stays alive long enough to find the answers that will finally reveal it all. 

PROTECT HER: PART THREE 
I want Paige Matthews. The archangel Benjamin’s claim on her soul is one that cannot be easily broken, but I intend to try. Of course, that’s assuming that she would want someone like me once this is all over. 

First, we have to get off Calamata Island in one piece. I know someone who can help Paige finally unlock the memories of her past. That’s the key to gaining the upper hand against the demons who are coming for her. Among those is a familiar face; a demon official who stole something from me five years ago. Having a shot at a little vengeance in the process is all right with me. 

Everything’s coming to a head, and this is one fight that I intend to win. I just have to make sure that I don’t lose Paige in the process. 


Currently Reading

AFTER THE GOODE
by Cary Allen Stone

Jake Roberts' superiors in Atlanta Homicide gave him a choice––retire, or face criminal prosecution. Jake went beyond the rules to capture serial killer Jared Hamilton. Jake decided to retire and move to Los Angeles with his Hollywood agent girlfriend Caitland where he writes best-selling crime novels. They decide to take a mini-vacation to visit his best friend in Phoenix. Bobby Goode is a superstar comedian. During his opening night in Phoenix, he humiliates a heckler. After the show, the heckler stalks Bobby with a baseball bat. Defending himself, Bobby shoots the man. He panics from the fear that he will lose his fame and fortune if anyone finds out. At the crime scene, Phoenix homicide detectives Wynter Williams and Vince Farina investigate a charred body and torched Cadillac. They invite Jake to consult on the case. Jake later determines that it is Bobby they are looking for. On closing night, inside the comedy club, Jake and Wynter arrive to arrest Bobby––"Shots fired!"


DREAMS OF PERFECTION
by Rebecca Heflin

Best-selling romance writer Darcy Butler is holding out for perfection in the form of her own carefully-crafted heroes. Once blissfully engaged to be married, Darcy's post-traumatic commitment phobia is depriving her of the very thing she wants most: her very own happily-ever-after. Now, here she is just six months shy of her thirtieth birthday, and not a Prince Charming in sight. Successful lawyer Josh Ryan is the boy-next-door with a soft spot for the less fortunate, and Darcy's best friend without benefits. Darcy often comes to him lamenting her love-life, or the lack thereof, whereupon Josh patiently doles out his sage advice. Problem is Josh is in love with Darcy. But when Darcy finds herself looking into the handsome face of the man who graces the cover of her soon-to-be-released novel, she's convinced her dreams of perfection have come true. Or have they?


Book Review: Mind Over Murder (A Jake Roberts Novel Book 2) by Cary Allen Stone



Mind Over Murder 
(A Jake Roberts Novel Book 2)
by Cary Allen Stone


Series: A Jake Roberts Novel
Paperback: 346 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 31, 2014)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 503 KB
Print Length: 348 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: B00I6M51AI
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Cary Allen Stone. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

I have been trying to write this review for weeks now but I just can't seem to find the right words to describe exactly how I felt reading this book. Plot-wise, just like the first book, Mind Over Murder was a good mystery-thriller too. Jared Hamilton's story had me biting my nails. I liked how the author weave his story, there's a right amount of action and suspense. Oh well, while I found the book enthralling, I want to be honest here. I was soooo disappointed with the characters death. Sorry, a little spoiler there but it bothered me so much that I stopped reading for a week. It might not bother other readers (5-star reviews here) but it surely bothered me that I'm taking out one star for this second installment. 


About the book:

Detective Jake Roberts and FBI profiler Mika Scott return in the murder mystery Mind Over Murder––the long awaited sequel to After the Evil. Both await the arrival of the flight that brings the infamous serial killer Lori Powers back to the U.S. to face charges escorted by Interpol agents. 

Jared Hamilton is a genius, has earned multiple PhDs, and is twenty-five years old. His father Richard Hamilton is of one of the wealthiest men in the world. His mother Contessa was once an international supermodel. Jared has turned down offers by captains of industry, presidents of Ivy League universities, and Wall Street bankers. What Jared wants most is to be a criminal. He is already a world-class hacker and has committed a variety of felonies. Now he wants to experience the feel of blood on his hands. Jared wants to be a serial killer like Lori Powers and he wants Lori to be his consort. He devises a heinous plot to get Jake to bring Lori to him. When Jake discovers that he is Jarod’s next victim he puts together a plan, albeit illegal, to stop him. 

This is not your run-of-the-mill serial killer story. “Mind Over Murder” is the perfect serial killer read!

About the author:


Cary Allen Stone is a brilliant writer of psychological thrillers and murder mysteries. He writes with a keen eye for detail-the graphic violence is chillingly realistic. He delivers a taut, darkly introspective, cunning and well-executed plot by leaning towards the fallible side of his characters. He understands the criminal mind avoiding the stereotypes that dominate crime thrillers. There is a good balance of chemistry and conflict, good and evil that fans will find enthralling. His characters become embedded in our psyches and the pace of his unraveling of his thriller is a ride not easily forgotten. Cary Allen Stone is an important name to watch. This is one superb crime writer!--Grady Harp Top 100 ReviewerVine Voice 2014

In addition, he had a non-speaking character role in an AAA Club advertisement and has done voice-over radio commercials. He is currently working on his next Jake Roberts novel. He is a member of the Phoenix Writer's Club, the Arizona Authors Association and The Desert Sleuths, Author Social Media Support Group, International Thriller Writers.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Book Spotlight with Chapter 1: Contract City by Mark Falkin



Contract City 
by Mark Falkin

Hardcover: 280 pages
Publisher: Bancroft Press (March 31, 2015)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 2317 KB
Print Length: 280 pages
Publisher: Bancroft Press (March 10, 2015)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.


About the book:

After the assassination of President Barack Obama seven years ago, after the riots that followed, riots so severe that martial law was implemented, in 2021, the nation has changed. And though things have changed, some things remain the same. Like many teenagers, seventeen year-old self-admitted film geek Sara Christie wants to be understood and escape her current life. Her family life is falling apart, due to her estrangement from her mother and the fact that it is clear that her parents are headed for a divorce; her high school social life isn’t doing much for her, even though she has a great friend in Nikki; and twin brother Adam is maniacally training for the big Army-sponsored gaming tournament. Her love life is, well, non-existent. 

But she’s passionate about film, and with her junior year coming to an end, she embarks on a summer during which she intends to make the documentary film needed for her college application to UCLA’s vaunted film program. She’s got the grades, the extracurriculars, and now, the perfect film subject: over the last few months, someone has been creating impactful, transgressive yet beautiful street art, graffiti mostly, all over her home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city that has become the first fully privatized city in the country . . . and a police state. 

This new YA thriller by Mark Falkin is authentic, gritty, and riddled with important themes relevant to today’s real world. A politically charged YA debut brings up just what might be percolating under the surface of young America. 

Excerpt from Chapter 1






About the author:

Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mark Falkin graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and then the University of Oklahoma College of Law. 

By day he is a literary agent and recovering music attorney. He is the author of, Days of Grace, which was optioned for a film, and nominated for a literary award, The Needle Award, at POD-dy Mouth blog, where the reviewer said, “This is literature at its best . . . Falkin could easily be likened to the aforementioned Lethem or to Augusten Burroughs or even J.D. Salinger.” Bookpeople, said “Here’s more proof that Austin is home to some of the best new writers around . . . Falkin’s novel is reminiscent of the writing style found in Lethem, Sedaris, Coupland, and Kerouac, with his sharp wit and journalistic style.” He hopes to set the “YA Dystopian” genre on its ear with his new novel, Contract City.

Visit his website at http://www.markfalkin.com.

Follow him on Facebook / Tweet him 

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Book Spotlight and Chapter 1: Dead Money Run (Lou Malloy Crime Series) by J. Frank James



Dead Money Run 
(Lou Malloy Crime Series) 
by J. Frank James


Series: Lou Malloy Crime Series
Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (August 26, 2013)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 703 KB
Print Length: 302 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: J. Frank James LLC; 1 edition (August 12, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.


About the book:

Lou Malloy learns of his sister's death right before he is released from prison, having served 15 years for the theft of $15 million from an Indian casino. He wants two things: to keep the $15 million, which no one has been able to find, and to track down and punish whoever killed his sister.

Lou Malloy teams up with Hilary Kelly, a private investigator. In no time, Lou has found the hidden $15 million, recovered guns and ammunition hidden with the money, and murdered two low-level mobsters and fed them to the crocodiles. 

As the body count rises, the story grows more complex and his sister's death becomes more mysterious. 

About the Author:

J. Frank James is the author of crime thriller novels. His crime fiction books are gripping and suspenseful with readers being unable to put them down once they get into them. Jim has a passion for writing, and he certainly has the knowledge and experience to write realistic crime thriller novels, thanks to his extensive background in law. Jim attended law school, where he was a member of the law review. He even went on to pass the state bar and started his own law practice that specialized in complex litigation.

Jim’s experience in law helps lend credibility to his crime fiction books. Not only that, Jim has traveled extensively and gains inspiration for his crime thriller novels from his travels. Some of the countries that Jim has visited include Peru, Brazil, Italy, Greece and countless others. From observing other cultures and gaining new experiences, Jim is able to infuse new life into his books and develop believable characters that readers can identify with.

At present, Jim has published four crime thriller novels in the Lou Malloy Crime Series: The Run Begins, Dead Money Run, Only Two Cats, and Blue Cat In Paradise. They offer the readers just enough information to keep them guessing and trying to solve the crimes until the end of the books when they are actually revealed. Jim’s books provide fresh and unique takes on crime. They are not the same whodunit type books that have been done over and over again. By infusing his personal travels into his books, Jim creates characters and atmospheres based on just enough truth to be relatable.

Jim’s books have everything in them from robbery to prison to family. They have hard and soft elements simultaneously to really capture the life of a hardened criminal who is still very human and struggles with the same emotions as the rest of society. At the same time, Jim gives the reader perspectives from private investigators to balance out the story.

Jim’s books even have a hit of romance when his characters come to care for each other as more than just friends. Then, crime and love mixes to create a dynamic atmosphere that is even more complicated than ever before since characters care not only for each other but for their other family members as well. Jim has an amazing way of incorporating various elements into his crime novels to create thrillers that readers cannot get enough of. All four of his books in the series carry on one from the other to continue the same story concerning the hardened criminal who did 15 years in prison, Lou Malloy, and who comes to be his partner, private investigator, Hilary Kelly. The two of them go it together to create gripping stories that keep readers coming back for more.

Jim is an artist and creates all of his own book covers.

To learn more, go to http://www.jfrankjamesbooks.com/ 

Connect with J. Frank James on Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook.


Chapter 1






Amazon Buy Links

Friday, May 15, 2015

Book Review: Candy and the Cankersaur by Jason Sandberg



Candy and the Cankersaur 
by Jason Sandberg 

Kindle Edition
File Size: 8358 KB
Print Length: 34 pages
Publisher: Jason Sandberg eBooks (June 12, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Jason Sandberg. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

My kids, 9 and 6 y.o. love this! Illustrations are colorful and nice to look at. The story is easy to read, recommended to mommies looking for a good bedtime story with moral lesson.


About the book:

This is the sweet and funny tale of a young girl named Candy and her Cankersaurus Rex! Candy receives a dinosaur as a gift and is determined to train him to be a good pet. This playful homage to Syd Hoff will make all dinosaur-crazy boys and girls happy! 

About the author:


Jason Sandberg, born in Minneapolis in 1971, acquired a love of drawing after discovering the artwork of Jacob Kurtzberg. His paintings have been exhibited in Minneapolis and Manhattan. Art Historian Scott McCloud classified his work as uncategorizable. “I’m a Fine Artist who also wants to produce the ‘missing books’ from my childhood, the books I wished I’d had.”

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Blog Tour and Excerpt: Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1) Christi J. Whitney


Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1)


Author: Christi J. Whitney
Publisher: HarperCollins/HarperVoyager
Pages: 400
Genre: Young Adult (Urban Fantasy)
Format: Paperback/Kindle

About the book:

Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades, and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.

But when strangers arrive in town, Sebastian soon realizes that his world is nothing at all what it seemed. Secretive gypsies surround him, shadowy figures stalk him, and the girl he’s been dreaming about turns up at school.

Now Sebastian must protect this girl at all costs, even if it means he will never be normal again.

For More Information

Grey is available at Amazon US and Amazon UK.
Get it for your Nook at Barnes & Noble.
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Watch the book trailer here.
Read Chapter One here.


Book Excerpt:


‘Sebastian!’

I hear my name, but I can’t answer. I’m trapped by the image in my head.

It flashes again.

Rainbow-scorched leaves. Gypsy music.

Caravans of faded paint. 

‘Sebastian Grey!’

Dark and nothing. 

I struggled for words. ‘Yes, sir?’ 

Are you joining this group or not? I need to get a list . . . ’

Another flash.

Bonfires. Starless night.

A girl dancing. Ribbons in her hair. 

‘For the last time, Mr Grey, wake up!’
My mind ripped free. I jolted, launching papers into orbit. For a split second, I wasn’t convinced of my surroundings. Then, as fluorescent lights bored through my skull, it hit me.

I was in the middle of class. 

And twenty-five pairs of eyes were staring straight at me.

All my school supplies littered the floor – textbooks, papers, colored index cards. Everything except the pencil that I’d somehow snapped between my fingers. I coughed and hunkered in my seat. Across the aisle, Avery leaned sideways in his desk, giving me the look I’d seen way too many times: the one that questioned my sanity. 

‘Crap,’ I whispered.

I’d done it again.

Mr Weir moved closer. He glowered at me from under spidery eyebrows. I prepared myself for the tirade. But just as he took a wheezing breath, the bell rang. I shrugged and gave him my best smile as the room reverberated with slamming books and screeching chairs. 

Mr Weir grunted and waddled back to his desk, my outburst promptly dismissed as more important matters – like the end of the school day – took precedence. I dropped to one knee and recovered my textbook. 

‘Hey, Sebastian, you okay?’ Avery towered over me. ‘What just happened there?’

I blinked away the lingering haze. ‘It appears I must have dozed off.’ 

‘Seriously, man,’ said Avery, his brows shooting up. ‘Who talks like that?’ He knelt and picked up one of my library books, examining it with a shake of his head. ‘I swear, sometimes I think you read way too many old books. They’re messing with your head.’

I snatched it out of his hands. ‘I don’t read old books.’

‘You read Shakespeare.’

‘That’s different.’

Avery laughed, shoving papers at me. ‘Sure it is.’

I stuffed them in my bag, taking care to hide my tattered copy of Hamlet from Avery’s prying eyes. We squeezed into the crowded hall, avoiding locker doors banging open and shut around us. 

‘You never answered my question, you know,’ Avery continued.
 
‘I realize that.’

We strolled in companionable silence down the hallway. Okay, maybe I was the one who was silent. Avery Johnson – senior superlative and social giant – had something to say to everybody we passed. At the end of the corridor, he stopped.

‘Okay, what was it this time?’

‘Nothing,’ I replied. ‘I fell asleep.’

‘Yeah, right,’ Avery said in an amused huff. ‘That wasn’t a nap. That was a complete zone out. Same as this morning in gym, when you stood there like a zombie until Alex Graham smacked you in the face with the ball.’

‘I’m athletically challenged.’

‘Try strange,’ he replied.

‘Can you maybe find another expression to stare at me with? It’s not helping.’

Avery went dramatically serious. ‘Sorry.’

‘Oh, that’s better,’ I replied. ‘I feel much more comfortable now.’ Avery’s features didn’t change. There’d be no avoiding it this time. I worked out my confession. ‘Okay, so you know when you stare at a camera flash and then you keep seeing the glow, even after it’s gone?’

‘Yeah . . . ’

I gripped the strap of my backpack. ‘Well, I keep seeing this same thing in my head, like a camera flash. Only not a light. An image. It used to just happen at night, but now I’m starting to see it during the day.’ 

‘What exactly do you keep seeing?’

‘A girl.’

Avery whistled slyly. ‘Must be some dream, eh?’

‘No, it’s not like that.’ My head throbbed. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers. ‘It’s not a dream.’

‘A vision, then,’ said Avery, lighting up like Christmas. ‘You can see the future! Or maybe the past. You know, like that guy on TV. The one that helps the cops solve cases and junk.’

I grinned sideways. ‘If only. ’Cause that would be kind of cool.’

‘And profitable,’ added Avery. ‘We could totally . . . ’

‘Hate to disappoint,’ I said, holding up my hands before he could spout off some money-making scheme that I would – mostly likely – lose cash on. ‘But I don’t have dreams, visions, premonitions, or anything worth printing up business cards for. It’s just an image. I probably saw it in a book somewhere.’

‘Well, whatever it is, when you come out of it, you do this jerking spaz thing.’ He demonstrated for my benefit. ‘Like a bad episode of Sebastian Can’t Dance. Maybe you should ease up on the caffeine.’ 

‘Oh, you’re hilarious,’ I said, shoving him towards the exit doors. I wasn’t about to tell Avery I’d seen the image every night for two months, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had any decent sleep. I’d reached the limits of sharing. ‘Glad to know I covered all the basics of self-embarrassment. Maybe next time I’ll work up a drool.’

Avery pushed open the set of metal doors, flashing a Cheshire grin as he passed through. ‘Hey, don’t worry too much about it, Sebastian. It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve done something weird.’ 

About the Author



Christi J. Whitney is a former high school theatre director with a love for the arts. She lives just outside Atlanta with her husband and two sons. When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she can be found directing plays, making costumes for sci-fi/fantasy conventions, obsessing over Doctor Who, watching superhero movies, or pretending she’s just a tad bit British.

Her latest book is the young adult urban fantasy novel, Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1).

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