In My Mailbox

IMM (In My Mailbox) is a weekly meme hosted and created by Kristi at The Story Siren. 


This is a way to share books we received for review, bought, and borrowed from friends or library.


Received for review

The author of The Sharper Your Knife tells the inspiring story of how she helped nine others find their inner cook.


After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, writer Kathleen Flinn returned with no idea what to do next, until one day at a supermarket she watched a woman loading her cart with ultraprocessed foods. Flinn's "chefternal" instinct kicked in: she persuaded the stranger to reload with fresh foods, offering her simple recipes for healthy, easy meals.


The Kitchen Counter Cooking School includes practical, healthy tips that boost readers' culinary self-confidence, and strategies to get the most from their grocery dollar, and simple recipes that get readers cooking.

The life of a true twentieth-century hero told in a vibrant graphic novel format.


Through his quietly powerful leadership and influential use of nonviolent resistance in India's struggle against the British Raj, Mahatma Gandhi became one of the most revered figures of the modern era. While history has recorded Gandhi's words and deeds, the man himself has been eclipsed by maxims of virtuosity that seem to have little resonance in our everyday lives. In Gandhi, the third volume in our exciting new manga biography series, created in conjunction with Emotional Content, Kazuki Ebine combines a gripping narrative with stunning illustrations to share Gandhi's inspiring and deeply human story with a whole new generation of readers.


Developed in conjunction with Emotional Content.

It is 1986, a year when shooting blue movies is both chic and dangerous. It is the year that President Reagan publishes his chilling 1,960 page Commission on Pornography, payback to the religious right who had re-elected him to office in 1984. It is the year that superstar Traci Lords turns 18 and admits that she was underage when she performed in more than 100 erotic movies. Lies, Love & Porn is set during this turbulent time. Damon Luce, a cult film director, makes his fortune but loses his soul directing porn movies. PC, who Damon discovered and groomed, is reaching the end of her carnal career. Into their increasingly desperate lives comes a beautiful teenager with a false ID who calls herself Blue and who is on a fast track to mainstream movie stardom. At first Blue seems to be the answer to everyone's prayers but she has a game plan of her own.

Guest Author: Athanasios

Ancient Ramblings

• It's commonly known that the doom & gloom associated with 2012 we've all been hearing about that is based on the few surviving scrolls of the mayan era.  Thousands of written accounts of mayan life, their beliefs & their certainties i.e. science, mathematics, astrology, whatever physical & metaphysical knowledge they may have had were burned by the Franciscan & Dominican priests & their lackeys who took over mayan lands during the Spanish expansions into the New World.  Whether the awaited mayan armageddon happens or not is not the issue I'm raising here. What occurs to me is that whether the systematic whipping out of that knowledge was done purposely to keep something from world consciousness. We're all interconnected so what one part of the world knows there's a good chance that somebody else has thought the same thing i.e. pyramids by both early native americans & egyptians & much of their beliefs were similar, or not we cannot be sure because we don't have definitive records for either, especially the mayans, aztecs and incas.   


• Until now I was under the misinterpretation that the Mayan 2012 prophecies were based on remaining 7 codices out of an unknown amount of codices that existed before the Spanish conquered them. I was wrong it was only 4 that remained after the Spanish decided that all these scrolls were the work of the devil and the doom and gloom everybody is predicting for 2012 is based on 1, only ONE scroll the Dresden scroll, named thus because that's where it is now. Now we don't know what the scroll actually says, everybody is interpreting it. Not only interpreting but translating to boot, based on what 3 other scrolls? Our knowledge of Egyptian hieroglyphics only came to us after centuries of countless scrolls & wall carvings when Jean-François Champollion found the Rosetta Stone in the 1800's. We're still arguing that a lot of what's been translated from the Rosetta Stone is misinterpreted. Come on now can't we at least say that we're not sure about the Mayan scrolls conclusions & all our fears are based on incomplete and inconclusive data?


• Of the four remaining singularly unique Mayan scrolls that all our Mayan hypotheses are based on the single one we’ve interpreted the prediction for the end of the world is the Dresden scroll, located in Dresden, Germany. Now here's the interesting part, there are MANY unique & singular books & codices in Dresden, notably the original German Book of Abramelin. 

• What's that you say? The Abramelin was written in the 14th century originally in Hebrew, who most linguists agree is very similar to German about Kabalistic & ancient Hebraic magical practices. This is important to note not because magic exists or not but because many believed it did, most notably ALL the opium & absinthe addled european gentry who established such crack pot organizations as the ODO, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Wicca & Thelema peopled by William Yates, MacGreggor Mathers, & Alistair Crowley. Also important to note that these magicians & secret orders based their practices on the work on the Abramelin by MacGreggor Mathers in his english translation of a french translation of the original german or as we saw ancient Hebrew. So the two times it was translated so skewed the content of the Abramelin that in the most recent english translation from the original German shows four distinct sections to the Mathers' version of three. Was Mathers trying to condense and edited the content to fit, did he make mistakes who knows? One thing for certain all those we hold as dangerous, magicians and sorcerers in our modern time were practicing their craft on incomplete & doubtful foundations.

• There have been many maligned & misunderstood people in history who we've come to believe and characterize as evil.  Notably Alistair Crowley.  I'm not defending whatever he did or how he lived his life but I think it should be noted that he is a very good example to have as what NOT to do in your life and how you conduct yourself. In fact any Ubber bad person i.e. Stalin, Satan & the like can be used thus.  Sounds simplistic I know but it works.


• It’s only a matter of time where these men will become model beings. They will be revered and looked up to. This has happened with cultures, most notably Rome. Rome became because the powerhouse it is known as because they destroyed all their enemies.  First it was their neighbours on the Italian peninsula then it was the Carthaginians in the Punic wars, then the Greeks to their west then the rest of the world with the Hittites, Persians, Egyptians, Carpathians & Celts.  What would the world look like now if they hadn't?  If the Carthaginians had won the Punic wars where the Romans were armed lawyers & the Carthaginians were armed merchants would we be a more commercial society?  What about the Celts, if they had defeated Caesar would we be a more spiritual society? Interesting to me don't know about anybody else though.


• Rome’s intellectual & scrupulous successors the Catholic Church followed the same rules: they weren't called Roman Catholic Church for nothin'.  From their inception they tolerated NO opposition, nay they took it further: they tolerated NO thought of opposition.  If there was even spoken dissension those dissenting were excommunicated, shunned or killed outright.  Not just individuals though, whole other beliefs & deviants of Xianity were warred on: Crusades 1-8, the Reformation wars, most jewish people who lived in medieval Europe, or obliterated from the earth: the Albigensian Crusade. Incredible how the Romans went from temporal power to spiritual dominance where the real money is.

Athanasios: Author/Creator ==> 

    Mad Gods is easily found     @: mad-gods.com

& Mad Gods is easily followed@: mad-gods.com/blog

Movie Review: Letters to Juliet

Letters to Juliet


Director: Gary Winick 
Stars: Amanda Seyfried 
           Vanessa Redgrave 
           Gael Garcia Bernal 
           Christopher Egan 


Ratings: 


 ★ ★ ★ 




My thoughts: 


In Verona, Italy, there is a place where one can leave love letters addressed to Juliet Capulet. These letters are usually asking help from Juliet. Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie, a fact-checker from New York. Together with her fiance', they went to Verona for a vacation. When Sophie went to Juliet's house, she found out the letters attached on the wall of Juliet's balcony are collected and answered by the Secretaries of Juliet (Club di Giullieta). Sophie as an aspiring writer, asks the secretaries of Juliet to try and answer one letter which she found left on the wall for fifty years. She answered Clare's letter and then suddenly her grandson, Charlie showed up angry. His grandmother now wants to look for her lost love, Lorenzo Bartollini, thinking they can be reunited again after fifty years. The story goes from there, Sophie helping Clare to locate her one true love. 


It was a cute love story, enjoyed this movie. Though honestly, I only enjoyed the love story of Clare and Lorenzo. I was not impressed with Amanda Seyfried and Christopher Egan's acting in this film. I didn't think they have enough chemistry to make the film believable. I even hated the ending of this movie, felt like I was watching a Disney film. I actually enjoyed Victor's character here (Gael Garcia Bernal). Wished he played Charlie instead. Overall, it was a good romantic comedy film, you know one of those movies worth renting.

Friday Blog Hop

It's time for the weekly hop!

If you want to join the fun, visit Parajunkee's View for the linky HERE ;)

Now for the question of the week ;)

Q. It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

A. I would love to make Vampire Academy a reality without Strigoi of course. I would love to meet Rose and my gawd the super hot Dimitri Belikov. Another one would be The Lord of the Rings world. I'd love to see the Elves. Oh my, I would really love to meet one.... 

Book Review: El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal

El Filibusterismo

Author: Jose Rizal
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics; 1 edition (May 31, 2011) 

Ratings: 
★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

El Filibusterismo (The Subversive) is the sequel to Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) written by Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Rizal dedicated this book to the three martyr priests Don Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, Don Jacinto Zamora who were executed by Spaniards on charges of subversion in 1872. 

I first read this book (along with the first one Noli Me Tangere) as a requirement in my high school classes, of course the stories were written in Filipino. Fourteen years later, I was given another chance to read El Filibusterismo in English version (originally written in Spanish), provided by it's publisher, Penguin Classics. I realized it was a boring story then maybe because it was taught in school, never read it with much enthusiasm but now I found it an interesting story of revenge. I can only imagine Rizal's situation when this book circulated in the Philippines. I am not an expert of Rizal's work and the Philippines history but I think this was one of the many reasons why he was executed by the Spaniards. I enjoyed reading this book so much and would like to recommend this to readers of classic books. 

About the book:

El Filibusterismo (The Subversive) is the second novel by Jose Rizal (1861-1896), national hero of the Philippines. Like its predecessor, the better-known Noli Me Tangere, the Fili was  written in Castillian while Rizal was traveling and studying in Europe. It was published in Ghent in 1891 and later translated into English, German, French, Japanese, Tagalog, Ilonggo, and other languages. A nationalist novel by an author who has been called "the first Filipino", its nature and a social document of the late-nineteenth-century Philippines is often emphasized. For many years copies of Fili were smuggled into the Philippines after it was condemned subversive by the Spanish authorities.

Characters from the Noli (Basilio, Dona Victorina, Padre Salvi) return while new ones are introduced: Simoun, the transformed Ibarra, Cabesang Tales and his struggle for justice; the nationalist student Isagabi; Indio priest Padre Florentino. Through them the colonial milieu is expanded-its official-dom, education, legal system, power plays, social patterns and see a new as context for conflict and insight. Translator Soledad Lacson-Locsin is the first to have worked from facsimile editions of the original manuscripts. The result is the most authoritative and faithful English translation to date, one which attempts to preserve in English the cadence and color of the original.

About the author:

Jose Rizal was one of the leading champions of Filipino nationalism and independence. His masterpiece, Noli Me Tangere is widely considered to be the foundational novel of the Philippines. 

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Guest Author: Wally Wood

GHOST WRITER:


Although I have made my living as a ghostwriter of business books for the last twenty-plus years, I’ve always thought of myself as a novelist. I’ve been writing fiction—short stories, plays, novels, even some poetry—since I was 14 years old. I’ve been in fiction workshops, poetry workshops, and earned an MA in creative writing from the City University of New York. As a volunteer, I’ve taught creative writing to middle-school students and to prisoners in two different state prisons. None of this, of course, says anything whatever about my writing. 


I was brought up to believe that if a book were good enough, it would eventually find a publisher and an audience. After all, anecdotes circulate to prove it: The Bridges of Madison County was rejected by 29 publishers before Warner Books took a chance on it. Stephen King had given up on Carrie (and writing) when his wife rescued it from the trash. John Kennedy Toole had not only given up, he killed himself after A Confederacy of Dunces was rejected. But those are all books about which we’ve heard. How many worthwhile books are never published? (The flip side of that question—how many atrocious books are published?—is not a subject I want to address.)


In my experience, hundreds—thousands!—of reasons exist not to write fiction. There’s no money in it. The world doesn’t need another book. Your story is banal, the characters cardboard, the setting hackneyed, and what’s more you never learned to use the comma properly. So why do it?


I’m sure the reasons are as varied as individual writers. I do it because it helps me impose meaning and structure on experience. It helps me to live what I consider to be a full life.
An inmate student once asked me, “What is the meaning of life?” I did not have a good answer then, or now, but I’ve come to believe that one’s life means what you make it mean. Within a novel, lives and experience do have meaning or the writer wouldn’t have included the action, incident, or dialogue. In fiction, after all, you can’t get away with the preposterous, and meaningless, coincidences that routinely occur in life. As Harry Turtledove (of all people) is credited with saying, “The difference between fiction and non-fiction is that fiction must be plausible.”


All of this is to say that I like to read and write fiction that tells me something about the world and people in it that I cannot get from, say, a travel guide, a biography, or a history. I speak Japanese and have led tours of Japan. It seemed a natural step to put a dozen fictional characters in real Japanese locations in Getting Oriented: A Novel About Japan. Do readers learn something about Japan? Something. About the human condition? Something. About the way the world works? Something. 


As a ghostwriter, I believe my role is to help the author say whatever he or she wants to say as clearly and effectively as possible. My stock phrase is, “all the ideas are the author’s, all the words are mine.” That’s not strictly true because I record my interviews and work from the transcripts, so many of the words actually are the author’s.


In my first conversation with a new client I ask what an editor asks: Is there a market for this book? If so, how big a market? Is the subject worth a book? What are the author’s qualifications? Do other, similar, books exist? In some cases, I work with the author to create a proposal that we sell to a publisher before we begin to write the book. 


I spend as much time as I can with the author to immerse myself in that world. I went to one author’s day-long seminar then spent almost another day and a half interrogating him before I began the book proposal. If the author has speeches, white papers, presentations, whatever, I want them. Once we have a structure for the book and a tentative table of contents, I ask questions like: What do you want the reader to know at the end of this chapter? Is this the best order to present the information? What else should we include?


We meet regularly throughout the writing process, although today that meeting may be via phone or e-mail. For one recent book, I did not meet a California-based author in person until after the book appeared. I send the author every chapter as I write to ask for feedback, and some authors are far more hands-on than others, editing what I have written, which is fine. It is still his/her book.

Ideally, the relationship between author and ghostwriter is as intimate as a good marriage; no secrets, no hidden agendas, no lies or evasions. I don’t see myself as a pair of hands, pounding a keyboard on behalf of the author, but as an equal collaborating for a common goal. All of my authors contractually do acknowledge me inside the book.


I get asked about the relationship between my ghostwriting and my creative writing. With a business book, I have a wealth of material to work from. With fiction, I have to make everything up. While I use fictional techniques to great effect in non-fiction (description, scene-setting, dialogue), I have no limits—beyond plausibility—in fiction. In a novel, I can tell you what a character is thinking and feeling. In non-fiction I can tell you only what I’ve been told or learned through research and experience. 


In any event, while writing Getting Oriented was immense work, it also gave me enormous pleasure. I can only hope that the readers who find it and read it receive half as much enjoyment as I had creating it.


Wally Wood
www.gettingorientednovel.blogspot.com

Guest Author: William Esmont

In the best selling Kindle techno-thriller, The Patriot Paradox,ex-CIA analyst Kurt Vetter and his mysterious partner Amanda Carter race against the clock to unravel a plot to reignite the age-old conflict between The United States and a newly resurgent Russia.


Barely staying one step ahead of a team of fanatical CIA assassins, they sprint across Europe in a mad scramble to prevent a senseless war, only to find they can trust no one, that they are all alone. What they don't see, what they have no way of knowing, is the plan behind the plan. The Moscow bomb is but the opening move in a game ofhigh-stakes nuclear chess that threatens to upset the entire world order. The man behind the scenes, former Chechen warlord Magomed
Gasanov has his eyes set on a much larger goal, a prize for which he is willing to sacrifice millions of lives.


In Pressed, the forthcoming sequel to The Patriot Paradox, we once again find Kurt and Amanda on the run, fleeing Washington with the President and his National Security Advisor after a surprise nuclear attack on the United States Atlantic fleet. After the events in Moscow, the president no longer trusts the existing intelligence organizations, believing them tainted by the events that almost brought the country to war with Russia. He turns to Kurt and Amanda in his time of crisis and places the fate of the nation, the world, in their hands. With no other choice, Kurt and Amanda, accept their mission, this time with the full support of the United States government.

But the threat to global security has not been extinguished. In fact, it is worse than anyone ever imagined. Sensing a once in a lifetime opportunity, new threats have emerged, new players in a game of international espionage intent upon striking while the United States is distracted. Can Kurt and Amanda save the world once again?


Who is behind the new threat and what are their motivations? Find out this Christmas in Pressed, available on all major eBook platforms and in print in January.


You can reach William at:
Web: http://www.williamesmont.com
Email: william.esmont@gmail.com
Twitter: @WilliamEsmont
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/WilliamEsmont-Facebook


William's other works include:


The Reluctant Hero Series (Espionage Thriller)
   - The Patriot Paradox (October 2010)
   - Pressed (Winter 2011)


Elements of The Undead Series (Zombie Horror)
   - Fire: Elements of The Undead (May 2011)
   - Air: Elements of The Undead (A Novelette) (October 2011)
   - Earth: Elements of The Undead (Spring/Summer 2012)


Self Arrest (December 2009) (Bio-Thriller)

Book Review: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

Succubus Revealed

Author: Richelle Mead
Paperback:  304 pages
Publisher:  Kensington (September 1, 2011)

Ratings:  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

Succubus Revealed - the END. Oh my. I loved this book! 

The last book Succubus Shadows ended with Seth cheating on Maddie with Georgina. So naturally, Succubus Revealed begins with Seth and Georgina back together. They'd overcome the never-ending problems with Seth's mortality and Georgie's immortality. They'd also overcome their second biggest problem - sex. Georgina still sleeps with other men while she rationed her sex life with Seth. Yes, fair, right?

Everything is so great until Georgina receives a letter from Hell for a job transfer. Something's wrong but she couldn't figure it out. With the help of her friends, she discovered that there is indeed a second contract! 

The plot and twists in the story were well done but the main twist was a little bit predictable. I guess re-reading Georgie's story a number of times would make this book predictable *grins*. 

I enjoyed Roman's participation in this book. I wish Ms. Mead would write a spin-off series and Roman is the lead character.

I had this crazy theory that Carter is in love with Georgina but no. He just cares for Georgina because uhm.... well .... *walks away* sorry no spoilers... ;)

Reading this book was such an emotional experience. It was a great conclusion to the series. I will definitely miss Georgie and the Heaven and Hell gang.

If you loved Ms. Mead's VA series, I'm positive you will love this series too!    

About the book:

In Georgina Kincaid, succubus and she-demon, #1 New York Times bestselling author Richelle Mead has created one of her most enticing characters. But with a shot at love, and maybe even redemption, is the ultimate seductress finally going soft? Like hell she is. . .

Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations. . .to Las Vegas.

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it—no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won't include the one man she's risking everything for. . .- Goodreads

About the author:

Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy. 

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous. 

Guest Author: Behcet Kaya

Whenever I am asked why I wrote my novel, Voice of Conscience, I must admit to being a late bloomer as a writer. After years of acting, my creative side gravitated to writing a story that had been percolating in my head for some time; the story of a troubled man and how he faces his inner demons. Voice of Conscience actually started out as a screen play, but I realized how limiting that form of writing was. There was so much more I wanted to describe and express.

My motivation for writing my first novel was two-fold. The country of my birth fascinates people and rightfully so. Turkey has a long history with many civilizations enriching its soul. I wanted to share some of those traditions (particularly of northeastern Turkey) with the American people. Intertwined with that was the need to create a literary work that would touch the reader’s soul and inspire him or her to question, probe and think about life.

The message, that revenge does not pay, is one that touches every culture and every human being in one form or another. However, most people are reluctant to talk about it. I wanted to explore this topic in a fictional form, to explore cultural practices and how instilling these practices so deeply into our children can become all consuming.

Voice of Conscience begins in a small village in northeastern Turkey, where Ramzi Ozcomert Jr., secure within his family structure, is suddenly catapulted into a fearsome adult world after the brutal death of his parents and sister. He is whisked away in the middle of the night with only the clothes on his back, but carrying his heritage, his culture, everything he has learned from his parents, his family, and his village.

Shattered by grief and fear, Ramzi begins his flight from threats both real and imagined that take him from Istanbul to London, engendering in him a deep need for revenge. His plans are interrupted when he discovers love in the most unexpected of times, allowing himself to fall for an American girl and start life over in California. When Ramzi looks back at his successes, he begins to remember what he has also lost. His deep, instinctual teachings of vengeance began to consume him, until he can no longer take part in his accustomed life and in the happiness of his loving family. Ramzi’s obsession will take him to the very heart of his past as he travels back to Turkey, culminating in an ending that will confound all expectations.

Voice of Conscience articulates a collision of opposites – of Turkish customs and Western values, loss and new life, love and hate – and will appeal to readers who enjoy literary novels; those who not only want to be entertained by complex characters, but also want to delve into questions of life.

In addition to Voice of Conscience, I have just completed my second novel, Murder on the Naval Base, which is currently in its editing stage. I also have begun writing a sequel to Voice of Conscience entitled, Erin’s Story.

Readers can purchase a copy of my novel on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Please visit my website at http://www.behcetkaya.com.

Book Review: Blood for Love by Chris M. Finkelstein

Title: Blood for Love
Author: Chris M. Finkelstein
Paperback: 346 pages
Publisher: Crave Books (April 3, 2011)

Ratings:

★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

Blood for Love tells the story of mother and son, Martha and Jan living in a planet where love is considered as a dangerous virus. Once a person is found to be carrying this virus in his/her system (in short loving someone), the person will be automatically executed by DeathBT or Death by Torture.

Love is only allowed for mother and child during the first five years. When the child reaches the age of five, the mother and child should separate and must go through love-deprogramming rehabilitation for four weeks. Love deprogramming means torture
for both mother and child, this way love will be forgotten and will then be replaced by hate.

I liked the book, the story was interesting. However, it was not easy to read especially the part where the government is torturing the "love-lovers". After reading chapter 2, I had to stop and put the book down. I wasn't ready for this. It took me days to pick up the book again and when I did, I was surprised with myself that I was able to read the whole book (with some skimming due to cruelty and violence).

This is such a thought-provoking story. The plot is so original and so interesting, even the characters held my attention. Overall, it wasn't an easy book to read because of the violence and cruelty. However, I believe this is a great book I would like to recommend to those readers looking for a unique experience.
 

About the book:

This is the story of the life of Jan, a gifted male D’otian living on a violent, predatory planet. His mother Martha is part of a love-preservation network, outlawed by a world in which love is punished by DeathBT.

When the underground network attempts a daring escape into the poisoned wildlands, they inadvertently cause a catastrophic explosion.

The explosion draws the instant wrath of the now doomed NOV, the only remaining nation on D’ot. The escapees take off into the wildlands, with stolen vaccines that they need to survive out there. The wildlands are aptly named.

Jan is guided to a five thousand year old hidden temple, which holds treasures and knowledge never before seen. The escapees begin to hope for a brave new world of peace and freedom, but the NOV continues to haunt Jan’s dreams.

Can the reptilian humanoids overcome their violent nature?

What will they do with freedom?

Can they control what they have found in the hidden temple? - Goodreads

About the author:

Chris M. Finkelstein was born in the woods and raised by Christian wolves that had become secular Jews by two thousand years of refinement, the first half quite dark. - Amazon

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Chris M. Finkelstein. The review posted above is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Guest Author: Beth Trissel

Although set in Georgian England, the tumult taking place in France during the explosion of the French Revolution is the backdrop for my new historical romance, Into the Lion’s Heart.  This story has the honor of launching the new series The Wild Rose Press is debuting called Love Letters.  The premise behind this theme is that a letter must be the cause of bringing the hero and heroine together.  At 96 pages, Into the Lion’s Heart is an easy but satisfying read.  However, I did as much research for it as I would a full novel.

Several waves of nobility called émigrés fled France,beginning in 1789, while they still could.  Sometook refuge in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland where they plotted against the Revolutionary government and sought foreign aid to help them restore the old regime.Many émigrés also sought refuge in England, including the King Louis XV111’s brother the Comte d’Artois, the future King Charles X. Most of the nobility who remained in France were guillotined during the Revolution, along with members of the clergy and a large number of commoners.  The guillotine was greedy for ever more victims.  No one knows for certain, but it’s estimated that as many as 40,000 people were guillotined by the end of the reign of terror. 

Into the Lion’s Heartopens with the hero, Captain Dalton Evans (fought in the American Revolution) journeying to Dover to meet the ship carrying a distant cousin, Mademoiselle Sophia Devereux, who’s fleeing the French Revolution.

Blurb:
As the French Revolution rages, the English nobility offer sanctuary to many a refugee. Captain Dalton Evans arrives in Dover to meet a distant cousin, expecting to see a spoiled aristocrat. Instead, he’s conquered by the simplicity of his new charge. And his best friend Thomas Archer isn’t immune to her artless charm, either.


Cecile Beaumont didn’t choose to travel across the Channel. And she certainly didn’t expect that impersonating her own mistress would introduce her to a most mesmerizing man. Now she must play out the masquerade, or risk life, freedom – and her heart.~


Excerpt:
Choking on the brine, she thrashed to right herself. Dalton spat saltwater from his mouth and fought to regain his seat while pulling her up with him. Not his most dignified effort. She was the devil to get hold of—kept slipping away. He grabbed her again, only to be knocked back down and rolled with her in the swill on the bottom of the boat.


Damn and blast! Tom and another man hoisted them upright in the prow.


“Thanks,” Dalton grunted, biting his tongue in the presence of a lady. “All right?” he shouted at her, and shifted her securely onto the seat beside him.


“Oui!” she sputtered when she’d recovered her breath.


She shook all over—must be chilled to the bone. They’d be fortunate if she didn’t catch her death, probably bruised too from tossing about in the skiff. The sooner she was safely housed indoors by a toasty hearth, the better.


Keeping an arm around the sodden woman, he peered into a striking pair of charcoal-gray eyes set above a pert nose and framed by fine dark brows.


She parted trembling, bluish lips. “Merci Monsieur—QueDieuvousbénisse—Les saints nous bénis en préservent,” she stammered, thanking, blessing him, and calling on the saints.
Dalton was tempted to call on them himself, but her outpouring took him by surprise.


Not content with acknowledging his aid, she turned to Tom, crouched on her other side, and blurted similar gratitude—nearly incoherent in the tumult raging around them. Tom gave a nod through gritted teeth then bent his head over the boat and heaved the contents of his volatile stomach.


She tilted her head at Dalton, eyes crinkled in sympathy. “Mal de mer,” she said, using the French for seasick.~


Into the Lion’s Heart is available at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble,and other online booksellers.


For more on my work please visit my website: www.bethtrissel.com

My blog is the happening place: http://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/

Book Review: Riser by Becca Smith

Title: Riser

Author: Becca Smith

Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace (June 5, 2010)

Ratings:

★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this book very much. The author wove a unique futuristic storyline that definitely grabbed my attention. I think writing a futuristic storyline can be hard as there are so many things to consider. 

In this book, in the year 2020, anti-aging pill or Age-pro was invented and by taking this pill anyone could be eighteen forever. You can actually  determine whether a person is rich or poor by their looks since Age-pro is quite expensive. People who had money can start taking the pill at eighteen while those people who had less money, they usually start taking the pill at the age of thirty. The story is unique too because the lead character, Chelsan has the ability to raise or re-animate every dead thing within the four-mile radius. Reminds me of Anita Blake, the lead character in the Anita Blake Series who's main job is to raise zombies. Such an interesting power to have. 

I would have rated this book 5-star if not for the following reasons:

First, all three guys here are drooling over Chelsan and Nancy. To be honest, it was a little bit annoying to read. I would really prefer guys do not drool over girls.

Secondly, the story became predictable when the killer was known right after Chelsan's mother was murdered. So there's nothing much to think about except the revelation of Chelsan's mom and pop's love story.

Overall, it was a great book. If you are looking for a nice refreshing story, you might want to pick-up this book.

About the book:

Black swirling holes churning madly in the center of every corpse. This is how eighteen-year-old Chelsan Derée sees the deceased. Her ability to connect to the black spinning holes allows her to control every dead thing within a four-mile radius. But that's the least of her problems. It's 2320 and Chelsan Derée has to survive another year of high school, which for her is pure and utter torture, mainly due to the fact that her schoolmate Jill Forester's favorite activity is making Chelsan's life a living hell. If that isn't enough, Chelsan's impossible crush on Ryan Vaughn makes her brain do somersaults on a regular basis, especially since she is positive he doesn't know she exists. And being eighteen Chelsan has to deal with the pressure of whether or not she should take a little pill called Age-pro, which cures aging, making the world eighteen forever and highly over-populated. When Chelsan's mother, Janet, is brutally killed, along with everyone else in her trailer park, Chelsan finds out that she was the intended target. Chelsan must use her power to raise and control the dead to save herself, protect her friends and take down the man responsible for murdering her mother. - Amazon

About the author:

Becca C Smith received her Film degree from Full Sail University and has worked in the Film and Television industry for most of her adult life. Becca wrote and illustrated Little Family Secrets, a graphic novel based on the true story of her great aunt who was famous for murdering her husband. Becca is also the co-author of the teen graphic novel Ghost Whisperer: The Haunted. She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and two cats Jack and Duke. - Amazon

Note:


I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Beccaa Smith. The review posted above is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book. 

Happy Friday!! ;)

It's time for the weekly hop!

If you want to join the fun,

visit Parajunkee's view for the linky . . . .

 

Q. If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? Why and to what?


SPOILERS for 
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyers 
Merciful by Casey Adolfsson
Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton
Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris


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For Breaking Dawn, if I could change the ending, Volturi and the Cullens would have a great final battle. Volturi wanted to kill Renesmee because they thought Edward and Bella made a vampire baby. Confrontation happened and showing of powers, great! I was really looking forward, so ready to see the action but after just a few explanation in the meadow, all conflicts were resolved! That was so disappointing. And of course, no Jacob imprinting on Renesmee, pleaseee! Yuck! It would have been better if Jacob just imprinted on Leah.


Merciful - I didn't like the ending that Blaise left Acacia. I would love to end the book with "happily ever after".


Anita Blake series - I haven't read the entire series(7 out of 20 books), but I read somewhere that Richard no longer exists in the last books. I would love to see Anita end up with Richard Zeeman.


Sookie Stackhouse series - Who will she end up with? Of course I would end the series with Sookie ending up with Beeel. The series started going downhill after the 9th book ... I would have ended the series with just ten books. I'm so tired of seeing Sookie getting all the powers in the world.....