The Monster Has Arrived In the Delta – Review

Posted on August 31, 2012 by fundinmental

Delta Legend by Kelan O’Connell

BLURB

When I first picked this book up all I saw was a monster in the water, super, right up my alley. I love these stories. As I read along, it became apparent it was much more than that. Kelan did a great job with the small town descriptions and details of the people lives that brings them together to save their town and themselves, detailing their acts of heroism, growth and change, bringing out the best in people.

Calvin was mechanically inclined and from early on he had been able to make broken things work, to take something apart and put it back to working order. He was the McGyver of the Ghetto.

He knew it was wrong to go out with Rashawn, his childhood friend, but he did it anyway. Rashawn had talked him in to hot wiring his Escalade, said it was his ride and he wanted it back. It had been impounded. Of course, they got busted. Angela, Calvin’s mother didn’t expect this kind of problem from Calvin because he had a mind of his own and didn’t follow the pack. She knew it had to be because of his loyalty to Rashawn. In Juvenile court, the judge told Calvin cocaine had been found in the car.

Angela was sending him away for the summer. His Uncle Samuel had a place in the Delta and he was to go there and give him a hand in his shop. Angela kept his Ipod and cellphone and put him on the bus to the Delta.

Samuel wasn’t too sure about having Calvin for the summer, but what could he do? He had a soft spot for his niece and her take no prisoners attitude. Calvin, with his mechanical abilities, might come in handy at Samuel’s Maritime Repair Shop.

When Samuel picked up Calvin at the Greyhound Terminal, he offered his hand. He liked that Calvin had a good handshake. It said a lot about him. He knew Calvin would feel like he had come to the end of the earth, but he hoped he would come to love the Delta just like Samuel had.

Samuel turned suddenly and drove down a dirt road to a produce stand. He thought Calvin would follow him out of the truck, but he ended up introducing him to the Cheng’s through the truck window. Mei-Li worked the stand with her mother and was happy to have a distraction. Dent, Mei-Li’s younger brother, quickly won Calvin over. As they pulled away from the stand, Calvin couldn’t help but look back and saw Mei-Li watching as they drove away.

Calvin and Jess were sitting in the cafe when someone came roaring up to the gas dock in their boat. It was obvious something was very wrong. They were shouting at the sheriff that he had to come see what they found – a woman’s mutilated head. As they tore off heading to Desperation Slough, Jess led Calvin on a tour of the marina.

Jess took Calvin out on the water in the ski boat. When he radioed his mother to let her know, she knew he would be heading out to Desperation Slough. Calvin liked the speed of the boat as he sat on the back of the seat. Not bad, he thought.

As they passed a huge freighter, they rode the wake, flying through the air. Speed, machine, water. Calvin was really beginning to enjoy the day.

They kept going toward the Slough passing the rich boys on the way and came up on the Casa del Agua, which was overdue back at the marina. Jess thought it looked empty, but it was one of theirs and late, so they stopped to check it out. There was music playing and melted drinks and the dingy was gone, so Jess just figured they left the boat for lunch and headed on to Desperation Slough. As they reached the area of the Sheriff’s boat, Jess kept his distance, but picked up the binoculars to watch the sheriff scooping things from the water – body parts. As he watched, he saw them pull something red from the water and realized it was the dingy from the Casa del Agua. Jess called Sergeant Ray Cruz and told him he thought it was the rich Vegas couple who had rented the Casa del Agua. Jess figured it wasn’t a boat accident, there was no way a propeller would chop them up like that.

Crawfish : Single vector lobster isolated on white background.

When Heustus left the Crawdaddy Club drunk, Danny had kept his keys. He didn’t realize Huestus had a spare in his pocket. As he zigzagged down the road trying to light a cigarette, he didn’t see the turn and drove right into the levee. He was so drunk he got out to check under the hood, not realizing he was standing in water. The lights were still on and he saw something unusual in the water that sobered him up. He dove through the window of the car, but before he could pull his legs in, he was pulled back out of the car.

As Calvin settled in, he found it wasn’t so bad. He liked working in the shop, alone, late at night. He even got used to the quiet, with just the hum of the insects.

As Samuel finished up his phone call, Calvin was prowling around in the back of the shop. He uncovered an old Yamaha Wave Runner. Samuel told him he could have it to work on as long as the paying jobs came first. He told Calvin that Jess could probably help him, if he needed it. Jess invited Calvin skiing and used the loan of the tools to get him to show up. When Mei-Li arrived he tried to back out, but she was not going to have it. Jess smiled to himself as he started the boat.

When they came back in another dead body was being bagged. They were beginning to add up.

A lot of the kids would be going to One Plank – the huge summer party. Even though some were forbidden to go, they snuck out anyway. Ray had the sheriff’s boat out , just close enough, in case of an emergency. Him and Burt, his deputy, were patrolling the area, but saw nothing unusual. He knew what was going on, had been at the party himself many years ago. It was harmless enough, just kids letting off steam.

Three of the kids wandered off on their own to a secluded cove. They were skinny dipping and playing Marco Polo. When Stocky jumped off the diving raft, he jumped right into the monster’s mouth. What was it? The screaming brought the rest of the kids to the cove.

When the creature attacked them, Calvin couldn’t figure out why it didn’t eat them – the monster and Mei-Li were eye to eye and it left them to return to the cove.

Then Mei-Li took them to her grandfather who proceeded to tell them about the legend.

5 STARS

I won this book in a Giveaway on fuonlyknew’s blog. Thank you Kelan and Laura for the giveaway. It included some good swag.

I love creature stories, so it’s easy for me to rate this one very high. The cover was over the top. Simple, yet complex, as you delve into the eye trying to see what’s there. The cover and title related well to the book, it’s important to me that they do.

I really got a feel for the small town setting, where the cafe seemed to be the focal point and you could hear what was going on. The cops even hung out there. I used to visit a small southern town in Mississippi, and their local hangout was a gas station, where everyone would meet, drink colas and play checkers. Very quaint.

Characters were well developed, seemed very real, and I could picture them in my mind. I could relate to them. Some of the characters were hateful and disgusting, others so much like your next door neighbor. Just living their lives. When Kelan described Huestes as a Weeble, I busted out laughing . It brought back memories of buying them for my son when he was young. Can’t you just picture Huestes? “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.”

Laid a good base in the first half to crank it out in the second half.The suspense kept building and I kept waiting for the creature to appear. Every time someone went near the water, I was waiting for the monster to get them. Just like Jaws. Don’t go in the water. How many times do you have to be told, don’t go in the water. LOL!

Just like the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Aliens……would you believe it if someone was trying to tell you what happened if you weren’t there to see it for yourself?

There were two surprises at the end, one I saw coming and I figured Kelan threw that one in to distract me from the other one, which I didn’t see coming. lol Even though there is a Book II, this tied things up nicely, while leaving it open enough to continue the story. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next, so I hope you are busy writing, Kelan.

The history leading to the legend was well-developed and detailed, going in to depth about Chinese history in relation to building the Transcontinental Railroad System and the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta.

I can absolutely see this as a movie. As I was reading along, the scenes played out in my mind as the story unfolded. I saw the ending as if I was watching it.

ABOUT KELAN O’Connell

As a young adult, Kelan O’Connell spent her summers aboard a family houseboat in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Apparently, she still harbors suspicions about those deep murky waters. Though she’s been writing in one form or another since the age of 20, Delta Legend is her debut Young Adult Crossover novel.

Kelan began writing in college, creating character monologues as a way to stand out in auditions while also cranking out sketch comedy. She holds a degree in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University and has worked in the Entertainment Industry in Northern California and Los Angeles, among her many other day jobs.

She currently lives in Northern California with her partner, Sound Engineer/Producer Tom Size, and the incredibly spoiled pets of Camp Runamuck.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/Kelan_OConnell

Be sure to visit Kelan’s blog: http://kelanoconnell.blogspot.com

and the Delta Legend website: http://deltalegend.com

Delta Legend / Review and Interview/Giveaway Soon (fuonlyknew.wordpress.com)
Delta waterways cleanup costly, time-consuming for agencies (sacbee.com)
Loch Ness monster finally caught on camera? (sott.net)
Scottish Sailor Claims to Have Best Picture Yet of Loch Ness Monster (news92fm.com)
The Conversation: Eclectic Delta coalition is set to fight proposal for ‘peripheral tunnels’ (sacbee.com)

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Dark Dealings Review

Posted on August 30, 2012 by fundinmental

Dark Dealings by Karen-Victoria Smith

. Dark Dealings

Micaela was driving to Bridewell to visit her Una when she saw Reece, the son of Chief Deerfield of Pokanoket, on the side of the road. He appeared bloody and beaten, maybe dead. She stopped and went back to check, but there was nothing there. Had her visions returned? Samhain was approaching and was the time of year when Spirits and people could move between worlds. Was Reece a spirit?

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Peggy, Reece’s wife was Yankee. She was at the house when Micaela arrived and told her Reece was missing. Because of her “gift” , Micalela had been treated as a pariah but now that they needed her help, they wanted her to use her “gift” to find Reece. She had buried it deep when she left Bridewell and wasn’t sure if she could pull it out at will. As she held Adam’s hands, she found her way to Reece. It was if she was really with him, not sitting on the porch with Adam. The horror was more than the mind could imagine and she told Reece to hold on, Peggy was pregnant and they were coming to save him.

Micaela returned to New York just in time for the party at the Metropolitan Museum. While she was there she met Francois Leveque, who tried to get her alone. She could tell he was afraid, but they were interrupted by Baron Vasilievich before they could talk. She arranged to meet him in a couple of days at his hotel.

She had a recurring nightmare for the past four years. She was fleeing something and ran into a clearing. Her Una and mother were there and told her they were glad she had come to take her rightful place, but there had never been a beast before.

Micaela was meeting Francois in his hotel room, but there was no answer at the door. As she knocked again, the door opened on its own. The living room was in a shambles. The bedroom was covered in blood, it was everywhere. Even though she didn’t want to, she went to the bathroom thinking he could still be alive. When she saw him in the tub, his throat and chest had been ripped out. As she fought the scream, she fumbled with her cell phone trying to dial 911.

Thank God her friend responded with the others. Nikki was a cop and her friend, there to help. She had accumulated time and said she was taking it. Micaela was determined to find out what happened and Nikki was going to help.

At first she was surprised when she looked across the room and saw Francois. They were having his wake at the Salmon Run Inn. What was he trying to tell her?

She headed back to Bridewell for some leisure time. She needed to regroup. She stopped at a diner for a quick bite. When she felt a tingle, she looked around to see why. Lately she had been having more and more psychic events and tried her best to control them. She spotted a Hummer she thought was following her. When he rammed into the back of her car, she thought of Francois. The road was abandoned and the police were too busy to respond to her call for help. When she gunned the Porsche to outrun the Hummer, two motorcycles took over the chase. She managed to lose them. The only thing watching her now was a large bird, black as night, as she headed to Bridewell and Una hoping she wasn’t bringing the bad to her.

When she arrived and was leaving the car, she saw a black feather on the dashboard and took it with her. It felt like it was humming to her and she looked up to see the Raven above her parents bedroom.

Everyone was there, Nikki, Liam, Una, Reece, the Pokanoket Ethan Lowell, Sons of Danu, Sean Murphy… What was going on? Whoever had been after Francois was now after her.

Liam and Micaela walked to the creek to talk, he told her she should come to the gathering in the Grove, that plans for Beltaine were set. She said no, she never came to the Grove but she would be at the Ceili.

She felt her gift was out of control, she had to talk to Una before she left again. Micaela told her about seeing the entire Grove when Reece was missing, seeing Francois beat up and dead, and how at the dance she was there, yet somewhere else. Una told her to remember what her father used to tell here while they were out sailing. “Don’t fight the currents or the wind, use them.” Una assured her the Grove was there to help her.

3 STARS – Would Recommend to Others

I won this in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway. Karen was gracious enough to sign my copy for me. Thank you Karen.

I liked the cover and the title. I always like a simple, clean look, with a little mystery. I like it when they make me think what the book might be about before I read the book blurb. I thought the cover and title both were relevant to the book.

Events start happening at the very beginning of the book. The suspense and mystery continue through the book, keeping you on your toes while you try to figure out what is going on. Karen doles the story out in small pieces so you can’t quite be sure of what will happen next.

Characters were interesting. Really had me wondering about Lowell and Ivan. Couldn’t quite figure out who was good or bad. Even when I thought I had them figured out, it kept twisting and turning making me unsure again.

“When she thinks the spirit world is a much a part of her childhood as the NE Patriots and the Boston Red Sox”, it made me smile. My husband is an avid Red Sox fan and his brother is a Patriots fan. It makes the story feel more real when I can relate to it in a personal way.

Other than a few editing errors, nothing that interfered with the flow of the story in any way, I thought it was well written and easy reading.

To order this book, simply click on the cover.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/KarenVictoriaSmith

Website: http://kvictoriasmith.blogspot.com/

Twitter Username: kvictoriasmith

Thomas Magnum meet Casey Holden

Posted on August 28, 2012 by fundinmental

Falling Immortality by Robert Downs. Falling Immortality: Casey Holden, Private Investigator

Casey Holden was a Private Investigator. His office was located in a warehouse in Norfolk, Virginia. His parents had died and left him wealthy, so money was never an object for him. He played as hard as he worked and took jobs by referral only.

Casey was sitting in his office when Felicity, the femme fatale, walked in. She said her husband died two years ago and the police had never found the murderer. She told me it was a freak thing, of course it was. Artis Farren, her husband, was at his local hangout when a guy walked in, shot him and walked back out. No one had seen anything. I could tell she was hiding something, but that usually goes without saying. She was chain smoking while she was telling me this, but all of sudden she abruptly got up and walked out without saying anything.

It had been two years and the police had gotten nowhere. I love cases that aren’t supposed to be solved, so I picked up the phone and called Ian Jackard, my best friend who is a cop. As always, he’s happy to hear from me. I had to smile to myself as I said that.

Ian called back and said it had been Greg Gilman’s case, but I could come down and see the file. Me and Greg didn’t get along so well. I punched him out once and he wouldn’t forgive me for making him look like the fool that he is.

When Ian said I had more lives than a Siamese cat, I thought it was true, it had been the same for my parents.

I was in my office going over the file, what little there was. The autopsy report was missing which immediately raised questions in my mind.

I jumped in my car and headed over to the Hotspot to see if I could find out anything about Artis’ murder. I struck out, but when I left someone was waiting to follow me. I figured Tiny Watson, who was the bar owner, had put them up to it. I knew he was doing more than just running the bar. There had been an incident 3 years ago when 2 college kids ended up in the hospital and 2 bouncers in jail. That doesn’t sound like the type of place someone like Artis would hang out at.

I was going to check out the other witnesses, shake them up and see what happens. I had a pretty loose way of running an investigation. An investigation was like a puzzle, you put it together one piece at a time. I came up with zilch. I asked Ian to do a background check on Tiny Watson.

I had run into Gilman at the station when I went to pick up the file. I just couldn’t leave well enough alone and had to pick at him. I should have known Gilman wouldn’t take our run in at the station lying down. I was pretty sure the cop had been following me around for a while before he pulled me over and took me straight to Gilman’s office. When I told him to hand over the autopsy report and I’d be gone, he told me I was messing with the wrong dead guy.

Felicity had called and wanted to meet for dinner. Maybe she was ready to give me some necessary information. She proceeded to tell me her husband was a greedy criminal in love with the almighty dollar. Even if he was a criminal, his murderer still needed to to pay. When she went to the restroom, she never came back.

I was awakened at 4am to a threatening phone call, telling me to back off or else. Or else what, was my question.

After my coffee and run, I showered and grabbed my gun on my way out the door. Best to be prepared. Something was wrong about this whole mess and I wasn’t giving up until I had the answers.

3 STARS – Would recommend to Others

Won on Goodreads First Read Giveaway. I would like to thank Robert who was gracious enough to autograph my copy. I was first attracted to the cover, red always seems to catch my eye. Then the title, Falling Immortality, how could you not want to look a little further to find out what the book is about? The blurb made me immediately think of Tom Selleck as Magnum P.I. and Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade. The femme fatale genre. Light airy. Whimsical.

I love this kind of light mystery mixed with humor. Makes me laugh all the way through. I can just picture him as he walks into a world of hurt. The characters were what I expected and I was happy to visit with them.

I liked when he talked about internet surfing and Cox cable, I thought cool. I could really relate because I also surf the internet on Cox cable. How small a world is it?

2005 Dodge Viper SRT-10. Made me think of Magnum P.I. with his lackadaisical way of running his investigations and the juggling of all the luscious women all the while tooling around in a way hot car. I love cars with lots of power, who doesn’t?

About this author

Robert aspired to be a writer before he realized how difficult the writing process was. Fortunately, he’d already fallen in love with the craft, otherwise Casey might never have seen print. Originally from West Virginia, he has lived in Virginia, Massachusetts, and now resides in New Mexico. To learn more about the author or Casey, visit the author’s website: http://www.RobertDowns.net Look for Casey’s next adventure.

To order this book, simply click on the cover below.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/RobertDownsBooks

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RobertDownsBooks

Website: http://www.RobertDowns.net

Email: robert@robertdowns.net

Solo sleuths: Local P.I.s say their jobs are misunderstood (naplesnews.com)
Peter Falk Double Bill: Murder By Death (1976) & The Cheap Detective (1978)… (videokrypt.wordpress.com)

Bring It On Isaac!

Posted on August 27, 2012 by fundinmental

Ain’t no hurricane gonna bother me, because …………………………………………………………….

Hurricane Isaac Is Not Going To Blow Me Away.

Posted on August 27, 2012 by fundinmental

. Ain’t no hurricane gonna blow me away. I can hang in there with the best of them.

I’ve driven around Hurricane Danny taking photos and video out on the barrier islands and down on the beaches. I wasn’t here for Katrina or Ivan, thank goodness, but my husband and I are just crazy enough to jump in our car and go to the beach. The power of these storms are something that cannot be explained unless you have experienced one. As long as it’s a Category Two, my husband and I will be doing our best to get some photos and video footage to post.

Isaac Projected Path

Sorry if I missed anything today. I will be checking my email shortly, but have spent all day battening down the hatches. Doing the normal things we do when for these storms, bringing in the plants and anything else that can be blown away or in the pool. Stocking up on gas, food, and most importantly, water.

My biggest worry is my pool, because I seem to spend half my time in it. Maybe I was a mermaid in a former life, or maybe I’m one now and just don’t know it.

Because I live in Florida, this is not an unusual occurrence. Hopefully, we will be able to keep power and I can continue to do my “normal” , but if you don’t hear anything from me it will only be because I cannot reach out to you.

Floater One AVN Enanced image

Isaac ‘Could Rival Hurricane Katrina’ (investmentwatchblog.com)
US: Will Isaac rival Katrina? (crofsblogs.typepad.com)
Hurricane Forecasting: Part 2 – Dumpster Diving, Squashed Spiders, & The Flying Spaghetti Monster (valleywx.com)
Deja Vu In New Orleans? (blogs.the-american-interest.com)
TS Isaac adjusts his course (txwclp.org)
Miss. Gulf Coast communities keep watchful eye on Isaac (wwltv.com)
Isaac May Become Major Hurricane in Gulf (newswatch.nationalgeographic.com)

Murder in Provence by Susan Kiernan-Lewis – Review

Posted on August 23, 2012 by fundinmental

Murder in Provence (Maggie Newberry Mysteries, #3)

Maggie has decided to write a cookbook because she is bored and her husband, Laurent, is a chef. She doesn’t know anything about cooking, but she figures she can get all she needs from him. It is driving him crazy. He seems to spend more time in the vineyard and with his friends at the bar than her.

Everyone had heard of the murder of the nurse who worked at the same hospital as Yves. It had been two weeks and there was no arrest or suspect in sight.

Maggie was losing her best friend, Grace, who was returning to the United States, but she had met Brigitte and they seemed to hit it off right away. Maggie’s life took an immediate turn for the worse when Brigitte, Marie’s daughter was murdered. Grace came for Maggie so they could go to Marie and help in any way possible.

Maggie hadn’t been told that Brigitte had been raped and beaten as she was killed. Rene, Marie’s husband hated Yves, Brigitte’s husband and told the police he knew it was him.

Maggie looked at Marie and she could feel her anguish. How do you handle losing your child? We’re supposed to go first. Maggie went to the kitchen thinking of coffee, just something she could do to help Marie. Detective Inspector Roger Bedard intercepted her, suggesting she come back at another time. That so wasn’t happening. She was not leaving her friend.

Maggie was surprised by her sudden feelings of attraction to the detective. She couldn’t help thinking, what’s this. She loved her husband, Laurent. Did the detective feel it too?

Maggie and Laurent were having dinner, when Maggie blurted out that she wanted to help find the killer. She had helped solve a murder a year earlier and cleared her friend of suspicion at the same time.

La Canard was the meeting place of the village. Maggie made an appointment to meet Detective Bedard at the cafe. He wouldn’t give her any information, but that wouldn’t stop Maggie.

When she returned home, Pijou, Brigitte’s, sister was there, drunk and flirting with Laurent. She told Maggie, not only was Brigitte’s best friend sleeping with Yves, so was she.

Maggie realized she was on her own, and she was surprised to find that it wasn’t so bad in Provence. It had finally started to feel like home.

She was sitting in a cafe when she noticed Madeline entering a house across the street. She decided to visit her to see what she could find out and was glad she did. They hit it off right away and Madeline proceeded to tell her who killed Brigitte. And made a point of telling her that the police hadn’t even questioned him yet.

I was offered this book in return for a fair, honest and unbiased review.

3 STARS – Would Recommend to Others

A nice cover with eye-catching colors. Title tells the story.

A light murder mystery for great summer reading on the beach or around the pool.

The descriptions of the area were so detailed that you could visualize the countryside.

Characters were real. It was interesting to watch Maggie as she grew and changed through the story. Friendship. Amazing how someone can influence you without you realizing it until long after.

There were some editing errors, but I find this a common occurrence in almost every book I read, even from the best sellers of the large publishing houses.

About the Author

Susan Kiernan-Lewis is an Air Force Brat who has traveled the world and racked up over 40 addresses in her life (and she’s not finished yet.) Presently living in Atlanta, Georgia she writes in several genres including mystery, romance and women’s lit. Professionally, Susan is a freelance advertising copywriter and video editor. Connect with her at suekier27@me.com and follow her at her website: susankiernanlewis.wordpress.com.

Susan Kiernan-Lewis has many other books available, these are just a few of them. If you wish to order one, simply click on the cover to take you to Amazon.com.

http://www.goodreads.com/SusanK-L

http://susankiernanlewis.wordpress.com

Provence Truffle Hunting Weekends At Hotel Crillon le Brave (homepad.wordpress.com)

Tiger Paw First Round Winners!

Posted on August 22, 2012 by fundinmental

During our giveaway of Tiger Paw, Charles came up with another giveaway idea. All you had to do was find the answer to the riddle. From Charles:
My Tiger Riddle: What is one thing tigers CAN’T do that other big cats can do?

1) Tigers can do this when they are little, but as they get older they get too heavy!

2) They can do this in one direction but have trouble in the other!

3) In cases of danger, like flooding, they will do this to save themselves but normally they are reluctant to do it.

The answer is CLIMB TREES!

Tigers will climb trees up to the age of sixteen months but after this age they’re too heavy for the branches! In the monsoon season in India and Bangladesh, they will climb a tree to escape flooding, but as the video shows, they can get up the tree but have difficulty getting down. They can’t figure ou that they need to descend backwards!

Congratulations to the First Round Winners: Jill – D.H.Nevins – Janna You’ve won a copy of Tiger Paw.

There’s still time to enter to enter my contest for 3 ebooks at: http://wp.me/p2uiv4-28

Go to Laura’s blog for a chance at an additional 3 ebooks at: http://wp.me/p27ipo-k0

Riddle Me This/Riddle Me That/Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Cat? (fuonlyknew.wordpress.com)
Giveaway – Catch a Tiger by its Tail (fundinmental.wordpress.com)
Tiger Paw Trailer and Announcement! (fuonlyknew.wordpress.com)
World tiger population approaching possible extinction (greatcatsoftheworld.wordpress.com)
Tigers and Tourists: To Restrict, or Not to Restrict (suzanneyork.wordpress.com)
Dog herds tigers (news.yahoo.com)

Have you been “Chosen” ? Review and Giveaway

Posted on August 20, 2012 by fundinmental

Dark Passage: Chosen by M. L. Woolley

Bill had come to Olalla about a year ago, after seeing a TV program about a paranormal investigation. He thought he might find an idea for his new book. He had noticed the large Victorian house and saw there was an estate sale being held, so he went in to look around. He found an old Bible that he wanted to buy and approached the sales lady. As she gave him a receipt, she also handed him a real estate brochure. He arranged for a full tour of the house and bought it.

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Jen was remembering when her and her dad used to visit Olalla. She had great memories of the times they had spent there. Her attorney, Peter, told her about the need for his client to have someone to house-sit and Ivy thought it would be the perfect opportunity for her to get away from John. She would be able to live in the house for free, so she could get out of debt and finish nursing school. The cat liked Jen and Ivy told her that was a good sign. She felt the house was welcoming her.

John was angry she had been out with Ivy. When he punched her, he was afraid he killed her. He knew Jen was moving on and leaving him behind, but he just couldn’t let her go. Like any abusive husband, he told her it was her own fault. She made him hit her. He had threatened to kill her. Jen was going to file a restraining and divorce papers against John.

With John’s increased violence and her mother’s death, she was so miserable she created an alternate world for herself in her dreams. She had an imaginary friend and the dreams she had of him seemed so very real to her.

Dr. Winter was Jen’s boss. She told him she needed a week off to move away from John. What could he say, except yes. He really didn’t want to hear about her personal problems. While Jen was going through procedures for filing the restraining order, she saw Lisa and Dr. Winter at the courthouse. The thought went through her mind, what are they doing here, together?

Dr. Winter and Lisa are plotting, trying to pull the plug on Bill, who is in a coma. Lisa would do anything to get her hands on Bill’s house. Her life is on the line. As they stand over Bill’s bed talking, they never stop to think that Bill can hear everything they say. He knows his fate is out of his hands, and their plans for him are not good.

Ivy helped Jen pack up her belongings from the house she shared with John and took them to the house she would be looking after. Ivy stayed for dinner and as she got ready to leave Jen to her first night at the house, John called ranting and raving. She asked if Jen wanted her to stay, but she told her John didn’t know where she was, so it would be OK.

For Bill, Jen’s dreams were his reality. When he kissed her, he felt the passion. On the beach with her, he could hear the waves crashing on the shore and smell the salt in the air. How long would he be allowed to meet with her like this?

In Jen’s dream she had found a watch with the initials J P on the beach and in the morning found it wrapped and lying outside the front door. Had he delivered it to her and if he did, how? He was only in her dreams.

The house had been left as if the owner just walked away. She knew something had to have happened quickly, with no time to prepare, and felt the house wanted her to find out why. As she went through the photo albums she had found, she was stunned to realize – it was the man in her dreams, Bill Nichols. She found a key and knew it was meant for her to find it. Since her mother had died she felt a supernatural connection to things. Jen doesn’t realize that all the spirits around her are not good. Some have an agenda of their own.

John found Jen, but something had found him – a woman, the Angel of Death. When he tried to approach the house, he saw an apparition in the window that terrified him. As he ran he found the woman, who told him – “It’s begun”.

Jen: She was outgoing and fun to be with, until John started having problems and taking it out on her. After her mother died, she felt lost. She was unsure of herself. She created an alternate world with an invisible lover.

Lisa – The cat didn’t like Lisa, why? She was so beautiful, that people would stop and stare when they saw her. She was a very good liar and could usually get people to give her whatever she wanted from them. She thought she was the center of the world.

Ivy: Ivy was Jen’s best friend since childhood. They were like sisters. She was always there for Jen. She always looked impeccable, her hair and makeup perfect. Since her family died, she had felt such survivor’s guilt that it was hard to carry on in the land of the living. She took risks that could have ended very badly, maybe ending her life. Did she care? She always had a special affinity with horses, they made her feel free.

Bill: As he lies in a coma, he appears in Jen’s dreams, not sure how it is happening or why. He knows his love for her is forbidden and doesn’t know what will happen because of it. He hears and knows what is going on around him, but is unable to do anything about it.

Peter: He is Bill’s childhood friend. Since Bill has been in his coma, he has become his guardian. When he receives emails from Bill, he wonders how that could possibly happen.

4 Stars – Would highly recommend to Others

Won on Laura,s (fuonlyknew) blog giveaway back in June. I love the misty cover. Created an aura of mystery and intrigue as I delved further into the picture trying to see all there was to see hidden in the mist. The book blurb made the cover and title seem an appropriate fit. Now, lets see if it all comes together as I read the book.

Prologue hooked me. It fit everything that the cover and title inveighed. It made me think that the story to come would take me through an adventure of reality and magic, good and evil, revenge and redemption. The title fits the story as the characters pass through the door from reality to the supernatural. I expected a good read and got one. The characters were well-developed and made me feel a wide range of emotions as I read through the book. I finished it in one sitting. Even though it is not a quick read, I found myself unable to put it down.

A few editing errors but did not affect or change the flow of the story or alter my rating. While there is a Book II, this book ties up the story nicely and gives you a quick peek into the future.

Giveaway: M. L. Woolley has been gracious enough to offer as a giveaway 5ebooks and one Paperback. As always the entry is easy. Contest ends September 3, 2012 so be sure and enter soon. Simply comment below.

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To order the book, simply click on the cover below.

Blog: http://mlwoolley.blogspot.com

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twitter: mlwoolley1

Review – Life Descending (fundinmental.wordpress.com)

Children’s Coming of Age Story

Posted on August 20, 2012 by fundinmental

Flickering Hope by Naomi Kinsman

Sadie sets off to check on Patch. She knows Frankie’s dad, Jim, wants to get rid of Patch, so she has to be careful and cover her tracks. Jim thinks Patch is a problem to be taken care of, but Sadie thinks of her as a pet.

While she is out there, she runs into a young girl. Her family is living in a shack in the woods. The girl swears her to secrecy or she will expose Patch. Secrets have a way of coming out.

She loves visiting Helen and Andrew. Helen studies the bears. Sadie likes Andrew, she has a crush on him.

Secrets. Andrew’s secret. Frankie’s secret. Frankie is her enemy or is she? Does she want to be friends?

The girl in the woods says everything will be great if they find the bear. My bear?
3 Stars – Would Recommend to Others
Won in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway. A children’s book. Picked it up to read because the cover and title made it look like a fun, easy read. A short book to just relax with and enjoy a fun romp through Sadie’s mind. I could just imagine what the gravy looked like with all the different food colors added – olives on their fingertips, playing as if they were finger puppets. A nice story about a girl questioning life’s reasons, God, friendship, faith. Fighting for what she believes in and never giving up.

I could feel empathy with the characters and thought the story covered the problems and confusion that all kids go through. It was well written and the story is something that kids can relate to.

All the wonderful things that involve the holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Does it bring back memories? The gift of giving, friendship and loyalty.

About the author

Naomi Kinsman is the author of Spilled Ink (winner of the 2009 Moonbeam Gold Medal for Educational/Activity book) as well as the From Sadie’s Sketchbook series (Zondervan). She has written and directed over 50 plays for young audiences, and has written for Highlights, Spider and Devozine magazines.

As founder of the Society of Young Inklings, Naomi shares her passion for writing and creativity with young people across the country. Society of Young Inklings offers game-based classes, unique resources, national club membership and publishing opportunities for young writers. Naomi has a BA in Theatre Arts from Seattle Pacific University, has studied theatre with the Piven Theatre Workshop and ACT, and has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University.

She is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the San Francisco South chapter of SCBWI. Naomi lives in Northern California with her husband, and identically colored pets: a tuxedo cat and a Portuguese Water Dog.

To get a copy of the book, just click on the link below.