I love doing cover reveals. This Speak Easy cover “speaks” for itself.
Title: Speak Easy
Author: Melanie Harlow
Expected release date: July 22, 2013 Genre: Historical
Age Group: New Adult
Cover Designed by: Tom Barnes Design
July, 1923. The ‘20s are roaring, and twenty-year-old Tiny O’Mara is desperate for a little anything-goes excitement. But when her father is kidnapped by a mobster in Detroit’s exploding organized crime scene, she’s shocked to find herself caught up in the bootlegging wars of Prohibition—and torn between two gorgeous gangsters on opposite sides.
To save her father’s life, she’ll have to choose between them. But deciding whom to trust isn’t easy in a world where everyone wants something—be it booze, money, power, or sex—and no one cares what it takes to get it.
Temptation is everywhere.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her lipstick red, and her history with the naughty bits left in. SPEAK EASY was inspired by her cocktail-culture obsession, her affection for good gin, and the view from the end of her street. She lifts her glass to NA readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI.
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Earth Keepers have been watching our planet since time immemorial. The nine chosen ones were record keepers and decision makers, in charge of deciding Earth’s fate.
This is the beginning. To have a beginning, must there be an end?
Catharsis is a beautiful red planet inhabited with beautiful people of all ages. They had beautiful faces, beautiful bodies, beautiful homes, beautiful yards, beautiful stores, beautiful…., well, you get the drift. They were surrounded by beauty.
They even went so far as to eliminate pets, then animals of all kinds, because they created messes and that was totally unacceptable.
What would one sacrifice for beauty?
Everyone and everything was beautiful, except…….
The Uglies like simple clothing, going barefoot and smiling. The Catharsian’s saw the Uglies as diseased. Could ugly be contagious? All Uglies were locked up in Camp Ugly, surrounded by an electric fence and guarded 24/7.
They were allowed to marry, but only allowed to have one child. The Catharsian’s thought if they kept lowering the population, eventually the Uglies would disappear.
The Uglies focal point was the Gathering Square. Their most valuable possession, the Lemurian Mother Crystal, was located in the Temple of Mu, in the Square.
Surviving took everything they had. There was no time to protest or worry about being pretty.
Once a month, the Uglies were allowed to leave their prison to gather supplies, clothes and medicines. A small group of Runners went out to gather whatever they could carry on their bodies. They were heroes. Not all runners returned healthy and some didn’t return at all.
Catharsian beauty is on the outside. Uglies beauty is on the inside.
Then everything changed.
“The time of Karma is now.”
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
Awesome. Stretches my imagination to a point I could not get to on my own.
I love the cover. Beautiful and simple. The title fits the book. This is a short story, a history lesson, the beginning of the Earth Keeper Chronicles.
I love how Lada Ray takes historical events and twists them into a fantasy world.
One child. Sound familiar? Isn’t that going on today in China?
Surviving took everything the Uglies had. To me that rings true for the poor and middle class of today. We are kept so busy trying to survive, we don’t have time or are too afraid to protest. We might lose what we have.
“No Uglies Allowed” hung in stores and pharmacies. Sound familiar? Made me think of slavery. Not only were they not allowed in the stores, if people helped the Uglies, they would be penalized. Made me think of slavery.
To gather and be happy, singing from our souls under such terrible conditions, is what makes us human. We try to make the best of whatever we have.
The Runners going though trash and finding, perfectly good clothes and food made me think of the homeless on the streets today. Our trash is often their treasure.
So you see what I mean about Lada Ray’s ability to take history and twist it into a story that takes as into the fantasy world. It is only limited by her imagination.
Be sure to read about the author. She is as fascinating as her books.
I picked this book up on a recent Amazon free day. Thank you Lada Ray.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Living her life in the fast lane, Lada Ray, M.A., always wanted to write cool stories, which she’d been imagining in her head ever since she can remember. Instead, she listened to her well-meaning parents and started her life in a more traditional way (for her, that is). Born in Russia, she is a world traveler, linguist, financial consultant, Feng Shui Master, shaman, futurist, and metaphysics/spirituality researcher.
Lada holds a Master’s Degree in comparative linguistics (graduated summa cum laude,) is fluent in several languages and has traveled to twenty six countries in Europe, Asia, North and South America, as well as Africa. She had worked in Havana, Cuba as an interpreter for the Russian educational exchange delegations, including a couple of interviews with the man himself – Fidel Castro.
In the USA, she published articles in the Hartford Courant & taught Russian on cable TV. Then, something inexplicable possessed her to work as financial consultant for AIG and Smith Barney/Citigroup. But later, she came back to her senses and quit the corporate world to pursue her dreams. She studied Feng Shui in Hong Kong and Malaysia, and received her Feng Shui Master’s certification from the famed Asian author, Lilian Too (graduated first in class). For years, Lada operated an extensive feng shui website and blog – a hit with both local and worldwide fans – and authored over thirty articles on feng shui and spirituality. At the same time, she taught her proprietary feng shui courses and did public speaking.
A few years ago, Lada finally got her ultimate wish, and now she imagines her stories full-time in the bustling New York City and beautifully serene Catskill Mountains, NY, where she lives with her family and calico cat.
Lada Ray is the author of the Accidental Spy Adventure Series, including the Amazon & Kindle bestseller, GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), mystery/thriller STEPFORD USA (Accidental Spy Smalltown Adventure), and GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel). She is the creator of the new, top-rated metaphysical YA fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, and the EARTH KEEPERS CHRONICLES: ORIGINS (Catharsis, Lemurian Crystal, Atlantis).
Visit Lada’s innovative & cool author website: LadaRay.com
For posts about Russia & world, feng shui, spirituality, predictions read her popular blog: LadaRay.wordpress.com
Twitter: @LadaTweets
Youtube: Lada Ray Channel
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
I read the book blurb and it made me think of Clive Cussler. This is more of a spy adventure than a treasure hunt. It is based on a true story. In 1918, during the Russian Civil War, the Gold Train was attacked and the entire Russian Empire’s Gold Reserve was taken. Intrigued? Put your traveling shoes on and come with me.
The conductor stopped the train when he saw two kids on the tracks, running and waving him down. He couldn’t run over the kids. The commissar tried to get the train back up and running, but it was too late. When the Gold Train was found, the cargo was gone and only bodies were left behind.
Russian Journalist Svetlana Svistunova told me she was closing in on an answer and would love to have my help. I was more than ready. I had married Paul and and had my sweet baby Lara, but I also had a gypsy spider that wanted to be let free. Now was the perfect time.
Paul was very helpful. He gave up a great opportunity to give me one of my own. I was shocked by his sacrifice. I guess I never realized how much he loved me and wanted me to be happy.
I kissed Lara good bye and told Lily to watch over her. No one ever seemed to notice that Lily and I communicated telepathically. After all, she is a cat.
Boris, an old friend of my grandma’s, had given me a package for Vera, his friend in Russia. It was a jewelry box. I never looked inside it, but I might have been better off if I had.
Svetlana and I clicked right away. She showed me the secret compartment where she kept her notes and off we went, sightseeing. She said tomorrow would be soon enough to start on the story.
We saw a sign. Rada Famous Gypsy Psychic and Fortuneteller. Her predictions were ominous.
“You’ll find something extremely valuable, but lose something even more valuable in return.”
But for Svetlana it was more foreboding.
“…it won/t be your destiny to get to the bottom of this story…you won’t live to finish it….”
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I love treasure hunting stories and I love Lada Ray’s writing so I was really looking forward to reading this. It was not what I thought it would be, but I was not disappointed. I have read several of her books and love the way she blends the historical with fiction and the paranormal. The words flow smoothly as the story unravels.
Her writing grips me as soon as I open the book and the ride to the end is full of murder, conspiracy, intrigue, passion, betrayal, loss and sorrow.
Trouble always seems to find Jade. What would we do if it didn’t? After all, I don’t want to read about my life. I want fast paced, action packed adventure. All the rest is gravy. lol
Vera – Boris’ friend. Jade hadn’t listened to her Grandma’s stories, but Vera told her she had royal blood. She wanted Jade to go with her to the Grand Ball at the Menshikov Mansion. Jade was suspicious of her and felt she had an ulterior motive.
The gypsy fortuneteller had told her, “you’ll go to a ball, where you’ll meet your Prince Charming.”
Alexei – He had saved Jade from muggers in Moscow. She was very suspicious of him. He seemed too convenient, too helpful, too trusting. Was he her Prince Charming or would he turn into a frog? When she was around Alexei, it was hard to keep in mind that she was married, with a child waiting back in the US.
Be aware that there are a couple adult scenes.
I was almost to the end of the book when I saw it coming. The segue into her next adventure.
Rachel, her best friend – “you only come truly alive when you are working on a case.”
“I recall Jason….” (from Stepford USA)
“Last I heard he was in Asia. “
I am hooked again. Where is my Asian adventure? Dragon Gate.
Once I read her book Earth Shifter, I was eager to read more from her. I won this book on Lada Ray’s blog, along with Green Desert and Stepford USA, books in the Accidental Spy Adventure Series. To see my reviews of those books, scroll down to the links below.
I look forward to reading many more books from Lada Ray.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Living her life in the fast lane, Lada Ray, M.A., always wanted to write cool stories, which she’d been imagining in her head ever since she can remember. Instead, she listened to her well-meaning parents and started her life in a more traditional way (for her, that is). Born in Russia, she is a world traveler, linguist, financial consultant, Feng Shui Master, shaman, futurist, and metaphysics/spirituality researcher.
Lada holds a Master’s Degree in comparative linguistics (graduated summa cum laude,) is fluent in several languages and has traveled to twenty six countries in Europe, Asia, North and South America, as well as Africa. She had worked in Havana, Cuba as an interpreter for the Russian educational exchange delegations, including a couple of interviews with the man himself – Fidel Castro.
In the USA, she published articles in the Hartford Courant & taught Russian on cable TV. Then, something inexplicable possessed her to work as financial consultant for AIG and Smith Barney/Citigroup. But later, she came back to her senses and quit the corporate world to pursue her dreams. She studied Feng Shui in Hong Kong and Malaysia, and received her Feng Shui Master’s certification from the famed Asian author, Lilian Too (graduated first in class). For years, Lada operated an extensive feng shui website and blog – a hit with both local and worldwide fans – and authored over thirty articles on feng shui and spirituality. At the same time, she taught her proprietary feng shui courses and did public speaking.
A few years ago, Lada finally got her ultimate wish, and now she imagines her stories full-time in the bustling New York City and beautifully serene Catskill Mountains, NY, where she lives with her family and calico cat.
Lada Ray is the author of the Accidental Spy Adventure Series, including the Amazon & Kindle bestseller, GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), mystery/thriller STEPFORD USA (Accidental Spy Smalltown Adventure), and GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Iraq Prequel). She is the creator of the new, top-rated metaphysical YA fantasy/thriller THE EARTH SHIFTER, and the EARTH KEEPERS CHRONICLES: ORIGINS (Catharsis, Lemurian Crystal, Atlantis).
Visit Lada’s innovative & cool author website: LadaRay.com
For posts about Russia & world, feng shui, spirituality, predictions read her popular blog: LadaRay.wordpress.com
Twitter: @LadaTweets
Youtube: Lada Ray Channel
To keep updated on the latest happenings here on fundinmental, follow by email. If you were following me on my old blog, but have not subscribed here, on my new blog, you will need to follow by email again. I lost all my follower information when I moved. Thanks and I look forward to seeing you.
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
Living her life in the fast lane, Lada Ray, M.A., always wanted to write cool stories, which she’d been imagining in her head ever since she can remember. Instead, she listened to her well-meaning parents and started her life in a more traditional way (for her, that is). Born in Russia, she is a world traveler, linguist, financial consultant, Feng Shui Master, shaman, futurist, and metaphysics/spirituality researcher.
