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Book Details:
Book Title: THE ELEGANT EMU (a Harmony Adventure) by Karen M. Bobos Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 40 pages Genre: Children’s Picture Book, Fairy Tale Publisher: Bobos Babes, Ltd. Release date: June 2022 Content Rating: G for everyone.
Book Description:
The magical sisters are enrolled in an etiquette class when their manners are not fit for the king and queen of the enchanted land of Harmony. Can Elizabeth the Emu help the royal sisters?
In the beautiful and peaceful land of Harmony, three magical sisters, the Bobos Babes, uproot the kingdom’s tranquility with some
not-so-polite actions -nose-picking, belching, and other noisy…expulsions. Their parents, the King and Queen, enroll the
sisters in the elegant Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class where they learn manners and other ways to self-improve like being on time,
politeness, and proper personal hygiene.
Elizabeth the Emu explains to Angel Scarlet, Princess Daphne, and Fairy Cora that having proper etiquette is more than good manners, it’s about being kind and courteous. And for the sisters? Well, let’s just say that they will be needing more than one lesson from Elizabeth the Emu’s etiquette class.
Karen M. Bobos is the multi-award-winning author of the Adventures in Harmony series, which was created in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. While living in a city of unrest, her family left Chicago to stay with her mother in Northwest Indiana for several months. She and her husband were determined to keep life filled with wonder and magic for their three daughters, Scarlett (6), Daphne (5), and Cora (3). The Adventures in Harmony series was created to entertain her daughters during their stay at Gigi’s home and is filled with characters from the sisters’ world. Everyone deserves to escape to a land filled with love and adventure where creatures co-exist and happiness awaits.
I am a huge fan of D V Berkom’s Leine Basso and Kate Jones series, starring some strong female protagonists. I have had many hours of reading pleasure and was super excited when I received a copy of her Claire Whitcomb Western Collection. A new genre for her, but I have no doubt it will be a hit.
Retribution: D V Berkom hooked me from the opening pages and I know I am going to love Claire, as she is forced to grown and change, from a family woman who watched her entire family be murdered to a gun totin’ force to be reckoned with. Woo Hoo…Let’s get on with it. “Don’t let them win Claire.” It was Josiah’s voice in her head, as surely as if he”d spoken the words aloud. And she vowed then and there to do just that. I should have known that D V Berkom would pot a twist that I never anticipated. Even though Claire wanted to crawl into the grave with her family, that was not to be. The law enforcement was enough to piss me off, so I can only imagine how she would have felt. Typical treatment of a woman and I love that if they weren’t going to look for the slaughterers of her family, she would do it herself. Riveting, suspenseful.
Gunslinger: She had met some wonderful people in Leadville, who had come to her aid when she was her most desperate. She would use what she had learned to become a Gunslinger. Action from the getgo causes her to draw her rifle and we’re off with a bang. I am sooooo loving this woman. She is headed to Tombstone, boarding her horse Rose at the OK Corral and having dinner with Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp. OOOOO what fun. She loves wearing men’s clothing, but cleans up real nice when the situation calls for it. The characters and situations D V creates are colorful, delightful, and badass. Her research shines through her words.
Legend: We move to the next phase of Claire’s life as she accumulates more friends and more experiences. I so love this gun totin’, card playing, do the right thing wild west woman. Claire grows, facing new people and new challenges, and does not act on impulse. Will she find a new love? With what she’s been through, I feel she’s deserves a new love, a fresh start, a new adventure.
Overall: WOW. Congratulations D V. You did a fabulous job breaking into the world of the wild west. I love all the historical elements…from going west, to homesteading, Indians, murderers and thieves, gun toting, gold busting adventure. I loved meeting some western legends and traveling to some famous towns. The descriptions of the characters and the details of the 1800s brings Claire’s world to life. Will there be more Claire adventures? I sure hope so.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Claire Whitcomb by D V Berkom.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
‘Retribution’ is DV Berkom’s first western-themed novel, and first in this brief series centered on protagonist Claire Whitcomb. In a literally fiery opening, Claire is left homeless with her entire family killed before her eyes. Set in and around Leadville, Colorado in 1880, the story tells how Claire seeks help, then seeks justice, then seeks retribution.
One of the strongest aspects of this series is that Claire is blended in with a number of historical characters that add authenticity and intrigue to her adventures. Some of the larger-than-life real people you meet here have already had stories, poetry, and opera (really!) written and performed to this date.
In ‘Gunslinger,’ Claire leaves Leadville for Tombstone, Arizona Territory at the end of summer 1880 . She has an introductory letter to Wyatt Earp from her mentor, Leadville’s now-retired marshal, Mart Duggan, as she takes the newly connected railroad spur to Pueblo.
Along the way, Claire foils an attempted robbery of the train before they can safely traverse Royal Gorge. She takes on the role of security for a touring actress and her entourage and expects to ensure her safety on the way to Tombstone. Once arrived in the “town too tough to die,” Claire connects with the Earps and befriends Doc Holliday. She is further embroiled in the mystery of the attempts on the life of her thespian protectee and proves her worth as a true Gunslinger.
‘Legend’ opens in March 1881, and Claire has wintered in Tombstone without getting into too much trouble, but there are some clouds on her horizon, and not only late winter snow. In ‘Legend,’ Claire will have to sort out her ambitions as gunslinger and friend to Holliday and the Earps.
The saga winds back to Leadville, Colorado and finally on to Alaska.
Throughout this saga, Claire is developed as a complex character, Sadly, his may be the end of the short series
ABOUT D V BERKOM
DV Berkom is a slave to the voices in her head. As the author of two
popular thriller series (Leine Basso and Kate Jones), her love of
creating resilient, kick-*ss female characters stems from a lifelong
addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing
to find the female equivalent within those pages.
Raised in the Midwest, she received her
BA in political science from the University of Minnesota and promptly
moved to Mexico to live on a sailboat. Many, many cross-country moves
(and several years) later, she now lives just outside of Seattle,
Washington with the love of her life, Mark, an ex-chef-turned
contractor, and writes every chance she gets.
For more information, please visit her website at www.dvberkom.com.
The cover for Bad Fairy Strikes Again by Elaine Kaye is so darn cute how could I possibly resist reading about Thistle Greenbud. I was amazed that an author I love so much, Abigail Owen, created the cover.
Smiles and delight abound as I embark on a mystery adventure with Thistle and her fluttery friends. I immediately fell in love with them all.
We have a mystery to be solved. Thistle’s dad is missing.
As the gang investigates, Elaine Kaye’s creative writing made it so easy for me to visualize them fluttering through the forest. Each fairy has a uniquely cute personality. I want to meet them again. I want to hang out with them. If I physically stepped into the book, could I be a fairy too?
The message fits the story and blends in seamlessly.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Bad Fairy Strikes Again by Elaine Kaye.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Thistle Greenbud
thought the nickname Bad Fairy was behind her, but she can’t escape it.
Someone is spreading a rumor about her that just isn’t true and can ruin
all of her hard work in getting into Advanced School. What fairy would
do such a thing?
As if that’s not bad enough, Thistle’s dad goes
missing. Not a single fairy in Tinselville has seen him. He’s vanished
like pixie dust. Her mom is distraught, and Thistle is worried. Where
could he be?
Thistle and the Flutters, along with Dusty and Moss,
are on both cases. Can they find out what happened to her dad and solve
the Bad Fairy rumor? Thistle hopes so!
Age Range: 8-12
A Bad Fairy Adventure Series: Bad Fairy (#1) Bad Fairy Strikes Again (#2)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green Adventure series. She first created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup, thus inspiring the story Pea Soup Disaster. Bad Fairy is her middle grade debut and the first of A Bad Fairy Adventure series.
Kaye has worked as a
library assistant and teacher’s assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine
State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu,
Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home. She is a grandmother of three boys.
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those
neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything
like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in
your stacks.
Ellie Fox, quirky pilot, mechanical genius, and drug smuggler, never thinks ahead to the consequences of her actions. When her boyfriend, Max, asks her to “play a Game,” his term for one of his crazy criminal ideas, Ellie agrees and the two of them wind up on the hit list of a Japanese crime lord. On the run for their lives from their disaster in Montreal, the two lovers must find a way to outwit their formidable opponent. Will they live to regret playing such a dangerous Game?
I added Hashimoto Blues by Sarah Dupeyron to my TBR on 11.15.12. Just reading the blurb makes me think that is why I grabbed it as a freebie on 7.21.12. The reviews were fun to read and make me think this will be a fast and fun read with delightful characters that I will want to know more about. The cover doesn’t do much for me and I think the author would do better with the book by creating a new one. I’m just saying…
I thought long and HARD (lol) about whether to share Radley’s Home for Horny Monsters, let alone read it, but I was curious. A long lost relative dies and Mike inherits everything! He is the caretaker of a historical house and the monsters that live there. It didn’t take me long and I found myself saying NO, UH UH, NO WAY. Explicit sex and a LOT of it, but I read on. I found myself laughing, at times, and worrying for Mike and his friends, at other times.
There are those who want the house…at all costs…and will do anything to get it.
Erotic/erotica stories are not a normal read for me. I do love that it does have that shock factor. SEX, SEX, AND MORE SEX, with mythological monsters, no less, and I did enjoy my visit to Radley House.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Radley’s Home for Horny Monsters by Annabelle Hawthorne.
4 Stars
Radley’s Home for Horny Monsters
Horny Monsters Book 1
by Annabelle Hawthorne
Genre: Erotic Modern Fantasy
Read the story that won both Best Erotic
Fantasy and Best Erotic Story by a New Author in the 2018 Clitoride
Awards!
“If you like sexy fantasy, and I do, this is one great
read.” -Piers Anthony, author of the Xanth series
When Mike Radley inherited a mysterious old house from a
long-lost relative, he wasn’t sure what to expect.
He didn’t expect a sexual encounter with the nymph in his
bathtub.
He really didn’t expect to discover a house full of
affectionate monsters.
And he definitely didn’t expect a pair of witches bent on
stealing the home’s magic from him.
Welcome to the Radley House. Expect the unexpected.
Disclaimer: This erotic fantasy contains graphic sex scenes with mythological beings.
** Coming Soon! **
Radley’s Labyrinth for Horny Monsters: Horny Monsters Book 2
Annabelle Hawthorne lives somewhere deep in the Rocky Mountains and spends her days working hard to write you some of the best erotic literature money can buy.
When not writing, she spends time with her family and can always be found within spitting distance of some form of coffee.
Title: Edge of Death, Book Two of the Admiralty Archives Author: Joni Parker Publisher: Village Green Press LLC Pages: 452 Genre: Urban Fantasy
BOOK
BLURB:
In this
second installment of The Admiralty Archives, the warrior Lady Alexin, the
Keeper of the Keys for the Elf realm of Eledon, finds herself exiled to the
harsh world of near-future London. Rendered little more than a political pawn
by the Elfin Council of Elders to avoid a war with the Rock Elves, she has
little choice but to struggle to find her way in this strange new land. Taken
under the protection of kindly mentors, Vice Admiral Malcolm Teller of the
British Royal Navy and his wife, Alex brings all her skills to the fore as she
uncovers a series of deadly plots.
Murder
is on everyone’s mind as an underground White Supremacist organization takes
aim at Admiral Teller while two wizards, resurrected from death, must kill Alex
in order to survive. To make matters worse, the Rock Elves dispatch a hundred
assassins from Eledon with their sole mission to bring Lady Alexin to the very…
Edge of Death.
Alex had never felt so alone in her entire life. She stared
blankly out the window of the limousine she shared with Admiral Teller and his
staff. Her eyes focused on her reflection as a tear escaped down her cheek. She
swiped it away. It wasn’t that she didn’t feel grateful for their help and
support, but her heart ached—she wanted to go home…to Eledon…to her Elf
grandparents…to her job as the Keeper of the Keys…not to London.
Alex’s mortal father had died when
she was four and she’d been raised by mortals until she turned fifteen. She
thought she’d have a better understanding of life here on Earth, but she
didn’t. She even missed the snooty Council of Elders and the grumpy Chamber
Elf. Helping those mortals had been the worst decision she’d ever made. Over
seven hundred sailors on five ships had been stranded in Eledon and she’d
returned them safely. She brushed away another tear and looked around. Good,
no one’s looking at me. She turned back to the window.
An unusual sound caught her attention and she gazed out the
sunroof of the black limousine. It was a helicopter. Or a chopper. A
helo—whatever they called it. Alex leaned her head back and sighed. What was it doing here? It wasn’t part
of the motorcade. Over the past few weeks, she’d seen a lot of them flying in
and out of Portsmouth’s Royal Naval Base in southern England. The Royal Marines
had told her about them. This one hovered way too close. The pilots smiled and
waved at her, so she waved back. Friendly, she thought, at first. But why were
they wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day? Her instincts told her something
wasn’t right. Who were these men?
Assassins? Why were they waving at me? The hairs on the back of her neck
rose as she thought of the worst-case scenario. The helo was going to attack
them.
She nudged Leftenant Nelson of the
British Royal Navy—the red-haired, fair-skinned man raised his chin, but his
eyes remained fixed on the screen of his mobile. He played a video game to pass
the time.
“Wait.” The
young officer pushed the buttons with his thumbs and stared intensely at the
small screen. The car crashed and the game ended. “Damn it!” He shook his fist
and gritted his teeth. “I can’t get past this level. What in the bloody hell do
you want?” He pulled his ear buds out and turned sharply; his eyes narrowed—his
anger still prevailing.
“Sorry, but
why is that helicopter flying so low?” Alex pointed up. She had learned one
thing about the mortal world—it could be dangerous here.
“It’s just
a traffic helicopter, looking for accidents on the highway.”
“So why are
those men wearing sunglasses? It’s cloudy out.”
“They’re
pilots—they think it makes them look cool.” He waved his hand dismissively and
went back to his game.
“Good.”
Alex felt relieved. Her instincts were wrong. No need to worry. This was normal. Since that night she was supposed to return home to Eledon, but
couldn’t, she wasn’t quite sure what was normal and what wasn’t here in
the mortal world. She relived the scene, repeating in her head on an endless
loop and clenched her jaw. Lord Fissure of the Rock Elves had threatened to
kill her grandfather if she tried to return home—and the sneer on his face told
her that he’d won.
Sitting across from her was Vice
Admiral Sir Malcolm Teller. He was a kind man, but he was a mortal…and a
target. She’d already foiled three assassination attempts on him. He was
targeted by a white supremacist group called the 23rd Infantry, just
because he was a black man. It didn’t make sense to her. Over the past few
weeks, he’d also become her mentor and benefactor and promised to help her find
a way home. But how? He didn’t know
anything about the Elf world. Were there
more entry points somewhere? Even she didn’t know—she was stranded. No, exiled.
Next to him on a laptop computer
was Captain Jonas, a brilliant naval officer and the Admiral’s chief of staff,
who always looked at her with suspicion. Was
there any way to convince him I wasn’t a scout for an alien invasion? She
doubted it. He was a stubborn man.
Over the past few weeks, the
Admiral had taken charge of the return of the sailors, the ships, and the
civilians who’d been stranded in Eledon, while she’d made friends with Captain
Shauna O’Leary, Royal Marines. Alex worked out with the Marines on a daily
basis and learned a lot about the mortal world from them. This morning,
however, she was notified the Admiral had completed his task and would be
leaving for London in an hour. She would have liked more time—she barely had a
chance to say farewell to Shauna. But she packed quickly and got to the
limousine before anyone else.
Alex had no clue what to do next,
but she felt an urgent need to get back to Eledon to protect her grandfather
from those Rock Elves, especially Lord Fissure. Until she figured out how, the
Admiral had offered to let her stay with him and his wife. Without any other
option, she agreed.
Her best hope of getting home was
to find Ecstasy, the wizard. He’d brought her to the mortal world in the first
place, but even Detective Inspector Tyler of Scotland Yard couldn’t find him.
So, how could she?
* * *
Leftenant Nelson tapped her arm. “Hey, Alex. I didn’t mean
to snap at you like that. You didn’t know about the traffic helo. Sorry.”
“It’s all
right. Sorry, I bothered you.” Alex wasn’t really sorry, but thought it was the
polite thing to say. He’d always been pleasant to her. The chopper rose higher
over the vehicle, pacing the limo’s speed on the highway. Its body was made of
glass and metal with pods on either side. Alex stared at it curiously and went back
to her thoughts.
Without
warning, the limo veered off the main highway and exited onto a two-lane
country road. Alex grabbed hold of a handle to her left and sat up straight,
alert for trouble. Her eyes widened and her pulse quickened as her head swiveled
around, looking for the source of the problem.
“What’s
going on, Jonas?” Admiral Teller dropped the newspaper onto his lap and looked
over to the Captain.
“I’ll find
out, Admiral.” He pressed a button near his head. “Petty Officer Thomas, where
are we going?”
“Following the security car in
front, Captain. It’ll take us around an accident ahead.”
Captain Jonas glanced at the
traffic on the highway. It wasn’t slowing down and his phone didn’t have any
reported accidents. “Thomas, there aren’t any accidents reported. Call the
security car and get them back on the highway. We have an appointment at the
Ministry this morning.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Yet, the limo continued along the
empty country road.
Thomas reported back. “Captain, no
reply from the security car.”
The Captain grew alarmed; this
wasn’t supposed to happen. He checked his phone again, still no accidents. He
craned his neck to look at the traffic, flowing smoothly on the highway.
The sound of the chopper drew
closer. Alex looked out the sunroof—the pilots grinned. This time, not in a
friendly way. Alarm bells went off in her head.
“I thought the chopper was supposed
to watch traffic on the highway.” Alex looked to Nelson, who was also peering
out the sunroof; his jaw tight and his eyes focused on the chopper.
“I don’t like this.” Captain Jonas
pressed the button. “Thomas, get us out of here!” His eyes narrowed.
“I can’t, sir. We’re boxed in.”
“Leftenant, send out a distress
message immediately!”
Nelson’s thumbs flew over the
screen of his mobile phone, sending out a text message.
Alex felt helpless and she could
tell the men didn’t know what to do either. She turned in her seat to see the
driver’s face in the rearview mirror. His eyes were so wide she could see white
around his pupils as he clutched the steering wheel.
Captain Jonas slammed his laptop
shut and pushed the intercom. “Thomas, take evasive action. Turn left up
ahead.” He turned to his right. “Fasten your seat belt, Admiral. Leftenant,
call for help again.”
The Admiral put on his seatbelt and
Alex tightened hers. The Leftenant sent out another message over his phone.
Thomas slammed on the brakes and turned the limo to the left. The long vehicle
barely made the sharp turn and skidded sideways before it straightened. Then he
stepped on the gas. All at once, he jammed on the brakes and nearly ran into
the chopper as it hovered low over the road.
Alex broke into a sweat. How are we going to get out of this? She
looked to the Admiral, who looked at the Captain. No one had any answers.
“Turn right!” The Captain pointed
to a smaller road.
Thomas quickly turned the limo down
a road which became a dirt path leading into a pasture where black and white
cows munched on grass. The limo broke through a barbed wire fence and drove
into the field. Alex gripped the handle as she bounced in the seat. Oh, my stars!
“Damn it! Turn around! Get us out
of here!” The Captain’s eyes grew large as the chopper followed behind. “Did
you send the message, Nelson?” He pulled the Admiral away from the window as Nelson
frantically texted another distress message.
“Jonas, this car is armored. We’re
safer in here than out there.” The Admiral pointed out the window.
“Thomas, get us out of here!” Jonas
waved his hand forward.
“I can’t, sir! I’ve lost control!”
The steering wheel spun wildly under his hands as the limo fishtailed across
the grass.
Alex rocked to the right as the
chopper’s nose tilted down. “It’s aiming at us!” She pointed out the back
window. The Marines had told her about helos, firing rockets and shooting guns,
but that was in a war zone, not in the English countryside.
Two white streams of churning smoke
fired from the pods on the chopper, exploding just behind the vehicle, kicking
up mounds of dirt, and lifting the rear end. Gunfire strafed the back window,
shattering the glass but remaining intact.
Alex covered her face as the limo
sped through the field, barely missing a cow. Seconds later, the limo ran into
a stone wall and came to an abrupt stop. The airbags deployed and everyone sat
stunned for a few seconds.
“The chopper’s coming around for
another crack at us, Captain.” Leftenant Nelson grabbed the door handle. “Let’s
get out of here!” He scrambled out the door, followed by the rest, jumping
behind a stone wall in front of a stand of trees.
Just as they ducked behind the
wall, the chopper sent two more rockets at the car, which exploded at the rear.
Then it opened fire with machine guns. In spite of the armor plating and
bulletproof glass, the limo was severely damaged—it hissed and steamed.
Alex hunkered down next to Nelson
as bullets pounded against the wall. She’d never felt anything so powerful and
wondered if the wall was strong enough to protect them. It brought back
memories of when she’d been shot, but somehow, she didn’t remember it this way.
Her recent training with the Marines had involved simulated bullets; this
wasn’t the same. Her panic rose. She couldn’t move. Her breathing grew shallow;
sweat dripped off her face. She felt if she was on the edge of death, about to
go over. The men were just as scared as she was.
Her courage was buoyed by a short
lull in the action; she peeked around the wall and saw the chopper back up to
maneuver for another round. I have to do
something.
“Is there a weak point on the
chopper?” Alex asked.
“The rotor on top.” The Captain
pointed up.
As the chopper flew forward, Alex
aimed the palms of her hands at the rotor. “Break!” she shouted. An intense
beam of blue light shot from her hands, knocking the rotor off. The blades
struck the ground, sending dirt and shrapnel in all directions while the cabin
tumbled across the field and exploded.
“What in the bloody hell was that?”
Captain Jonas stared at her—his eyes wide.
“My blue light.” She grinned at
him.
“My God!” The Captain glared at
her. “Don’t do that again!”
Why
was he so surprised? The Captain had seen her use it before when she’d
healed some people. She pressed her lips together in frustration.
“Wicked.” Nelson glanced at her and
nodded, raising an eyebrow.
Wow,
that’s weird. He can raise one eyebrow at a time. At least, Alex thought it
was unusual. She’d never seen…
“Stay down!” Captain Jonas pushed
the Admiral’s head behind the wall as he detected movement to the left. The two
fake security vehicles had arrived on scene. Out of one car, two men in black
ran at them on the left—they were scouts, leading the attack.
“Men on the left.” She nodded to
Leftenant Nelson.
“More on the right.” The Leftenant
grimaced. “We’re screwed.”
“I’ll use my blue light again.”
Alex was about to raise her hands.
“No!” The Captain glared at her.
“Don’t use that thing. It’s unnatural.”
“So are guns. We can’t just sit
here and do nothing.” Then, she had another idea.
About the Author
Fantasy novels are Joni Parker’s writing passion. Thus far,
she’s written two complete series:“The Seaward Isle Saga,” a trilogy, and “The
Chronicles of Eledon,” the award-winning four-book series. Her latest series,
“The Admiralty Archives,” began with the publication of her book, “Curse of the
Sea” and continues with the second book in that series, “Edge of Death.” Her
work extends beyond novels into short stories and blog articles. Joni’s retired
from military and federal government service and devotes her time to writing.
She currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.
I have seen Tegon Maus’ books around and heard such good things that I had to find out for myself. I was not disappointed.
The story is about Enon, a Jonda and mind reader, and Elisabeth, kidnapped royalty.
Enon would either be a hero or a dead
man. The fighting is fierce, but he makes a good showing, even managing
to hook up with a woman who has his number. Their verbal banter is more
often funny than hurtful.
Would betrayal take the king’s life? Isn’t there always someone hiding in the shadows wanting the kingdom?
The world created is fraught with danger
and enemies at every turn. Will the frightened little man become an
unwilling hero? Well, all I can say is the journey is long and arduous,
and not all will return.
Tegon Maus can sure spin a tale, drawing me in, making me crave more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Gift by Tegon Maus.
4 Stars
BLURB
Tucker
Littlefield is a liar, a thief, a con-man. In an attempt to take advantage of a
party thrown by the King, he becomes involved in a kidnapping – the King’s
niece, Elizabeth, to be exact. Because of his fear of the dark as well as
heights, and a good many other things, he finds himself stabbed and bleeding to
death. To save him, a Shaman for the Jonda – Daneba – turns him into a soul
bearer for the Kindred. In an effort to find Lizie, Littlefield finds the Norha
instead and their leader Tahki – a cannibalistic tribe the lives under a
volcano that will leave no stone unturned to find Lizie. Littlefield is
blackmailed into her recovery. Will the help of his companion, Enon, help them
save Lizie…and themselves?
“Transformed by a
primitive magic beyond a civilized man’s understanding, I was given a horrible
gift that no man should possess… It held me, twisted me, turning me at its
bidding. I was enslaved by its power, compelled to devour the souls of the dead
until I became the monster of my fears. I have seen things I wish never to see
again. I have done things of which I wish never to speak. Yet I must if I am to
find the answers to fulfill my hope. I have walked upon blue ribbons of molten
stone to peer into the depth of a man’s soul. I watched as a promise made at
birth brought my friend Enon to sacrifice everything to become whole again –
all in an effort to save the life of his child. I have cried without shame for
the loss of all I hold dear and for fear that the future will hold more than I
can bear. I am Tucker Littlefield. Know all that I say now is
true-spoken.”
EXCERPT
She grabbed my right hand, holding it tightly. I was frozen
with fear and could not escape. The dagger suddenly flashed in her hand and she
drove it deep into my palm. I wanted to scream, but nothing came out of my
mouth. If it did, it was drowned out by the wails of Enon’s dog. It howled,
pained as deeply as I, as the flames of the fires became fingers, rippling out
to tear open the dog’s chest. They responded to Daneba’s voice, doing her
bidding, and peeled layers of flesh, laying open bone and hide alike, exposing
the animal’s beating heart.
A second unholy scream filled the air, deeper, wilder than
that of the creature laid open at my side. It was Enon, and all that had
happened to the dog began to repeat itself with him.
He, still kneeling, screamed as his chest turned inside out,
his beating heart exposed to my gaze.
I was next to be disemboweled by her spell. The tearing of
cloth and the sizzle of the fire as it pulled open my skin was deafening. The
snap of bone wrenched at my fear and as I looked down, there beat my own heart.
Blood ran freely from the hole in Enon’s hand. Daneba’s chant gained volume as
she collected it in a silver bowl and the wind blew harder. As she chanted and
the fire licked out repeatedly toward me, she poured Enon’s blood into the
fresh wound in my palm and between my fingers. She raised the bowl higher and
the blood that streamed from it thinned to a single strand.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
I was raised
pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all
the imaginary friends I could conjure.
The first thing
I can remember writing was for my wife. For the life of me I can’t remember
what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in
my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after
that. I spent a good number of years chasing other dreams before I got back to
writing.
Elias Zanbaka reached out to me through Goodreads offering his short story, Environmentally Friendly, to me for review. I’m glad I took him up on the offer. At the time of posting, it was free (be sure and check for the “0”) and you can grab it HERE.
I’m so glad I grabbed this original, intense, wild rollercoaster ride of a short story that had me zipping through the pages, following a cop trying to do a good thing, giving more than taking and leaving me wanting more of this wonderful character.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Out of seven billion people, one man has declared war on Mother Nature and plans to bring it to its knees.
Out of all the criminals in Los Angeles, he’s the number one target being hunted by the LAPD tonight.
And out of the entire LAPD, one officer is hell-bent on helping him complete his mission.
Michael Phillip Cash writes some great novels and I am excited to read Witches Protection Program. I am a sucker for a great cover and that gun has me very curious. What do you think it contains?
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Wes is the black sheep of the family. Is it because of his reading disability? It made him seem slow and he had to work harder just to maintain what others found so easy.
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Now…he was being sent to DUMBO at the Witches Protection Program, having to abandon his dream job. He doesn’t believe in witches, elves or anything magic, but I have a feeling that is about to change.
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Enter Morgan…who denies her legacy as a witch and heir to Pendragon, a very successful make-up company.
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I can’t help but laugh at Wes and Alistair. A comedy of errors…or should I say ego. Wes needs that chip knocked off his shoulder.
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Morgan’s best friend is not a witch, but she aspires to be. Her spells made me think of Charmed (a TV show) and I couldn’t help but laugh at the wording of her spells. The question is…will they work?
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Will the frog turn into a prince or will the prince turn into a frog? I laughed my way through the entire scene. Michael Phillips Cash’s ability to make me visualize the scene as it unfolds, makes it uproariously funny and sticks with me throughout the story.
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Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash is Charmed. The magic and romance runs AMOK. The serious and humorous collide in this wickedly fun paranormal story of greed justice and romance.
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I received a copy of Witches Protection Program from Michael Phillip Cash in return for an honest review.
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4 Stars
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Book Description
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Wes Rockville, a disgraced law enforcement agent, is given one last chance to prove himself and save his career when he’s reassigned to a 232 year old secret government organization. The Witches Protection Program.
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His first assignment: uncover a billion-dollar Cosmetics company’s diabolical plan of using witchcraft for global domination, while protecting its heiress Morgan Pendragon from her aunt’s evil deeds. Reluctantly paired with veteran witch protector, Alastair Verne, Wes must learn to believe in both witches and himself.
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Filled with adventure, suspense and a rousing good time, Michael Phillip Cash creates a tongue-in-cheek alternate reality where witches cast spells and wreak havoc in modern day New York City.
“Follow me, kid.” She led him down a gray hallway with mulberry-colored carpet, more plush than anything he’d ever seen in a governmental office. The place had to be a city block wide, with corridors branching off to other conduits. Here and there, a doorway opened. Wes saw that many were filled with groups of people sitting at polished conference tables. Some rooms were dark, with shades drawn, the light of a presentation on screens peeking through the slats of the blinds..
Staff walked through the hallways, nodding to each other. Some were in pairs. All had a badge hanging on a chain or attached to a pocket. He squinted, but he couldn’t make out the impression on the shield. Forget about attempting to read it. He shrugged; while it looked official, it was unfamiliar. For a person who grew up with an entire family in law enforcement, he found it odd that he’d never seen it before.
“What is this place?” he asked.
“This is where the magic happens,” she told him cryptically.
She opened the door, whispering, “Prepare to be amazed.” Then, with a giant pop of her gum, she disappeared.
“Where…” Wes turned, looking for the woman, but couldn’t see her anywhere. “Where is…”
“Oh, she’s gone. Come in already,” a male voice ordered impatiently.
Wes spun to the speaker, his eyes settling on a small man seated at a glass desk. He was in a neat gray suit but wore a black turtleneck, which made him look like some odd, eccentric leftover from the beatnik generation. He was older than Wes’s father, Wes guessed somewhere north of sixty, with the thickening middle of a sedentary life, a tanned complexion, and silver hair. His chubby face sported a neatly trimmed goatee. Wes wondered where his beret might be. The man studied Wes with interested black eyes that glowed with merriment.
“What kind of department is this?”
“Mr. Wesley Paul Rockville. Son of Harris and Melinda, brother to Lauren and Andrew. Tough act to follow. Runt of the litter?”
Wes bristled, wondering where this pint-size dude got off calling him a runt. At six foot three, he was hardly considered small. “I fail to see what this has got to do with my reassignment,” he said icily.
The older man ignored him. “The young gun who had his free will sucked right out of him.”
“No one took my free will!” Wes shouted, his face hot.
“I think Miss Genevieve Fox did a pretty nice number on you.”
“What are you talking about?”
Alastair cocked his head, a smile playing on his lips.
“I don’t think this is funny, um…Alastair. I’m getting out of here.” Wes had had enough. He was pissed and hungry.
“Sit down, Agent Rockville. It’s time you learned about your new assignment.”
About the Author
Michael Phillip Cash is an award-winning and best-selling novelist of horror, paranormal, and science fiction novels. He’s written ten books including the best-selling “Brood X”, “Stillwell”, “The Flip”, “The After House”, “The Hanging Tree”, “Witches Protection Program”, “Pokergeist”, “Monsterland”, “The History Major”, and “Battle for Darracia” series. Michael’s books are on the Amazon best-seller list and have also won numerous awards. Additionally, he is a screenwriter with 14 specs under his belt. Michael resides on the North Shore of Long Island.
I saw this fun challenge, Can You Read A Series In A Month, and thought, “I have the perfect series to read”. I recently won the third book in the Rick Yancey series, The 5th Wave, from Jessica @ a Great Read. When I read it had been made into a movie I checked it out further and found the first two books in a bundle on Amazon and they were on sale, so I grabbed them.
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Here is my completed series screenshot for The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey.
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You may want to check out my reviews and see if this fantastic adventure series is something you or someone you know would enjoy. From teens to us old guys, Rick Yancey has created a fantastic alien/zombie, science fiction/horror, apocalyptic/dystopian series that KNOCKED MY SOCKS OFF.
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The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey is a #1 New York Times Bestseller, and now a major motion picture starring Chloë Grace Moretz.I have not seen it, but after reading the series I really, really, really want to.
OMG. Rick Yancy grabbed me by the throat right out of the gate and never let me go. I am blown away and totally creeped out.
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Alien = extinction.
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‘The only way to stay alive is to stay alone.”
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And Cassie is. Five months from normal to alone.
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Now, let’s go back in time and find out how Cassie came to be alone.
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Ninety seven million people wiped off the face of the earth. She keeps a journal just in case…well, in case there is anyone left to read it, except for the aliens. She has a special note just for them…”BITE ME!” I’m with her!
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Could you imagine? Silence! Think of sitting on your porch or patio listening to the hum of the world around you…automobiles in the distance, birds singing, your neighbor starting their car to go to work. Now, imagine it gone.
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Deafening silence (urban dictionary definition) – when even the solemnity of silence has become too loud.
Deafening silence described: the point of silence in which one can feel the fine hairs in the inner ear vibrating with the subtlest change in air pressure. Going out on a limb, but the sound of dead proteins rubbing and creating static nerve pulses to the brain at such a lean frequency that the wave pattern is then magnified by your brain to the point of confusion, annoyance, uneasiness, or anxiety.
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Will the children be the ones to save mankind?
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Other than Cassie, some of the characters I became curious about were Evan, Zombie, Ringer and Nugget.
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The twists and turns take me down the long…dark…rabbit hole. I want to know who will win the war for Earth. Who will survive and who will not? Be careful who you get attached to. Like some authors I know, Rick Yancey is not afraid to kill off his characters.
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Rick created a dark and terrifying world where characters counted on their insight and intuition, as much as their training and their desire, to survive.
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I just can’t stop reading…my eyes are blurring and I can’t see the words, can’t focus, but…I’m almost there…
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Truly an unputdownable book. I laughed and I cried. I screamed and I whispered.
I despaired and I hoped. But, above all, I kept reading til the very end…of The 5th Wave.
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Even the acknowledgments written by Rick Yancey are very entertaining.
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I read all three books, 1095 pages, in two days. That’s how good this epic series is!
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5 Stars
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GOODREADS BLURB:After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother-or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
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I did finish the book and went straight to bed, only to pick up…
I absolutely loved the first book. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, and could not wait to open the pages for The Infinite Sea, and I mean really open the pages of my paperback copy that I bought. I rarely buy books any more, because I get so many great ones free, and borrow from my sister or the library, but this was a set I wanted to have for my shelf.
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I began this in the morning and I read it cover to cover in one sitting.
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Picked up right where the first book, The 5th Wave, left off.
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The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey started out with a BANG…and kept on going.
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Dammit Teacup.
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We discover what the gang is made of as they experience love, loss and sacrifice.
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What do the aliens want? Why don’t they just wipe them out already? Are they toying with them, like a cat with a mouse?
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We will lose some old friends and meet some new ones, but at least for the moment, life goes on.
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Rick Yancey is a master storyteller in this epic series filled with complex characters, some good, some bad, and some down right evil.
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The Infinite Sea is a thought provoking novel that may keep you up at night…wondering.
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I read all three books, 1095 pages, in two days. That’s how good this epic series is!
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5 Stars
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GOODREADS BLURB:How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.
Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.
Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.
Finally…I will know the end of this awesome trilogy.
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Who will be the last one standing…alien…human…somewhere in between?
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I root for the ultimate romance to survive.
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Dumbo is the one who brought me to my knees!
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Treachery, betrayal, love and sacrifice…
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The Last Star by Rick Yancey will stick with me long after I have put the book on my shelf. Will it do the same for you? Will it leave you pondering your own definition of purpose and humanity?
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I have fears for Cassie and a smile for Bear, as Cassie thinks, “Yes, Daddy, I want to fly.”
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The 5th Wave series is not the story I thought it would be…it far surpassed all my “high” expectations. I cried through the ending with a smile on my face for the happy and the sad.
They’re down here, they’re up there, they’re nowhere. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us.
But beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Betrayed first by the Others, and now by ourselves.
In these last days, Earth’s remaining survivors will need to decide what’s more important: saving themselves…or saving what makes us human.
4 Stars
