The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland is anything but…I was quickly swept up in the incredible world he has created.
“Dad, I need help,”: my nineteen year old daughter said.
Dray’s life is going to change in ways he never could have imagined, and he has been instrumental in many of the scientific advancements in the year of 2047. His heroes will become his worst enemies.
Neural implants, drones, genetic engineering, tyranny, conspiracy, and scientific advancements make up Michael Bland’s incredible world of The Price Of Safety, an oxymoron. Imagine, if you will, that every action you take and every word you utter is being observed. And if THEY don’t like it, well…there will be repercussions.
Dray may be the main character, because he has what everyone wants…knowledge, but others stood out to me, too. One of the characters, Kieran is the ultimate villain and one of my favorite characters because of it. On the flip side, Talia, Dray’s youngest daughter, is another of my favorite characters. Her chutzpah is adorable. She is bright and impulsive.
As Dray’s eyes are opened and reality seeps in, the danger rises for him and his family. There is nowhere to hide.
The action ramps up to a frenetic level. Bodies will fall in the streets, buildings destroyed, entire neighborhoods invaded. A war is on, but the ‘herd’ has no knowledge of it. They are caught in the middle of those who rule and those who refuse to go down without a fight.
Mina, Dray’s wife….Good one, Michael. I love that you show no mercy to anyone. Every time I turn around, I find my jaw dropping, my sense of wonder at the depth and creativity of your writing coming alive on every page as the tension takes over, making me rapidly flip the pages, devouring the words, lost in the story. I was filled with anger and rage, sadness and despair, yet hope for those who will not stop to keep us free from tyranny.
I want to share so much more, but I want you, the reader, to have the same emotions running riot as you read The Price Of Safety by Michael C Bland, as I did. So this is all you get.
The Price of Safety is part of a planned trilogy and I can hardly wait to see what comes next.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
2020 INDIE BOOK AWARD FINALIST – SCIENCE FICTION 2020 INDIE BOOK AWARD FINALIST – THRILLER 2020 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALIST – NEW ADULT FICTION
By 2047, no crime in the U.S. goes unsolved. No wrongdoing goes unseen. When Dray Quintero learns his 19-year-old daughter Raven committed a heinous act, he covers it up to save her life. This pits him against the police he’s respected since he was a child and places him in the crosshairs of Kieran, a ruthless federal Agent. To survive, Dray must overcome the surveillance system he helped build and the technology implanted in the brains and eyes of the citizens.
To protect his family, he turns to a group of fighters who also discovered the government’s secret. But their help isn’t enough, for his adversaries have a level of control he’s unable to escape. That no one can.
Hunted and betrayed, with time running out, Dray must choose between saving Raven and dismantling the near-perfect society he helped create.
Michael C Bland is a founding member and the secretary of BookPod, an invitation-only, online group of professional writers. He pens the monthly BookPod newsletter where he celebrates the success of their members, which include award-winning writers, film makers, journalists, and bestselling authors.
His novel, The Price of Safety, was chosen as a Finalist of the 2020 Indie Book Awards for both Science Fiction and Thriller, and is the first in a planned trilogy.
Michael currently lives in Denver with his wife Janelle and their dog Nobu.
The Prologue, I love Prologues, for Into The Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe, got my attention and my curiosity humming. That’s a great start for what I think is going to be a great story.
What do you think about when your significant other is very late getting home, or doesn’t come home at all? Do you imagine them lying in a ditch on the side of the road? When I read it in the book, I couldn’t help but smile, because I have had that thought.
Part of the deal with Clodagh Shepherd’s marriage to Ryan, was a prenup saying she would turn a blind eye to his affairs. WTH! Why would she even marry him? Then, is he gaslighting her, making her think that she is crazy? Or is she crazy?
A book like Into The Silent Sea can be a wake up call for those in a troubled marriage. Keep on eye on your finances, or you may be left broke and homeless while he/she is living the good life.
At times I almost cried out loud, “Don’t drink the coffee.”
My head was spinning from all the psychological craziness going on in her head…and the craziness she has set in motion…and the craziness all around her..and the craziness that found its way into my head. Things are not as they appear to be and the more I read, the further down the rabbit hole I go. There is no way I was every going to figure this one out…and I was happy with the ending. She does prove the adage, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
I will warn you to take a deep breath before you dive Into The Silent Sea by Claire Stibbe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Dangerous is one thing. Deadly is something else.
When Clodagh Shepherd’s curiosity gives way to obsession, her thoughts turn to revenge. In the wake of her husband’s affair and subsequent disappearance, Clo makes an impulsive decision to befriend the beautiful stranger who has stolen her life. Answering an ad for a home help, she moves into the home of her husband’s mistress and is immediately drawn into the chilling reality behind the idyllic façade of Hamptons Life. Central to her terrifying nightmare is a deadly secret—a secret someone will kill to keep. In this dark and twisting thriller, Clo proves the adage ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ with shocking consequences.
Claire Stibbe is the winner of the 2021 Page Turner Award for Fiction and a prolific novelist. Today, she writes dark, domestic suspense novels that draw on her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse. Her aim is not just to tell gripping stories but to inspire other survivors to find freedom and independence.
Claire worked as an Executive Assistant for twenty years in both London and the Far East. She now devotes herself full-time to writing. Her novels owe much to her years as a member of the Albuquerque Police Citizen’s Academy where her main focus was the impact of violence towards women and their families.
Claire now lives in Utah with her husband and son, and her cat, Edward, who sleeps on her desk while she writes. She is addicted to reading and sharing the crime fiction love. To keep up-to-date with her new books and blogs, sign up for her newsletter at: https://linktr.ee/ClaireStibbe
Member: Albuquerque Police Citizen’s Academy, International Thriller Writers, CWA, Sisters in Crime, Alliance of Independent Authors and Mystery Writers, New Mexico Book Co-op, and Southwest Writers.
Awards: Winner of the Page Turner Writing Award and the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards, Wishing Shelf Silver Medal Award, Award-Winning Finalist 2019 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest.
Angels, demons, ghosts,the walking dead…I am so all over the Veil of Shadows series. So many elements that I love. Combine some Walking Dead, some Lucifer, some Supernatural, some Charmed and I am in Heaven…Hell…and everywhere between. I didn’t realize I had Sparrow Man sitting on my ereader until I went to write a review for the first book of the Veil of Shadows Omnibus by M R Pritchard. It has been patiently waiting to be read since 4.7.16 and after reading it, I was sorry I had waited so long. The good thing about waiting, is now I have the entire series. No waiting to find out the final solution and you will need the entire series to get it.
Sparrow Man
“I was alone. Waiting for my fiance to get home -” “His name is Jim?”
Meg sets out to find him…alone. Every step is dangerous and she is ill equipped to handle it on her own. It’s a good thing she comes across Sparrow. Is it be chance or fate? She thinks he’s crazy. Obsessive about collecting feathers. About Jim, I didn’t see that coming at all. About Meg, I knew something was up with her. After all, she is the star of the show, so she has to special in some way. About Sparrow, his identity slowly came to me, but I didn’t grasp the full story. As Meg finds out her history and lineage, the full betrayal brings her to her knees. I am super pissed off for her and I would love to be there and help her kick some demon ass. The familiarity with The Walking Dead, Supernatural and Lucifer made reading Sparrow Man wicked good and easy to visualize the action. Sparrow Man laid the foundation for the entire series, which needs to be read in order. It did end in a good place with no cliffhanger. I will be devouring Nightingale Girl, Book II, ASAP.
Nightingale Girl
It didn’t take long for me to become enamored with Nightingale Girl. She is outgoing, vivacious, gets around on roller skates, and is locked in the dungeon by her father. She is a bit off, as is Sparrow, her brother. They are under a curse and the only way to lift it is for one of them to serve their time as a Hellion. Their father was a coward and refused to go, so it falls to Sparrow. I feel Nightingale and Meg will be good friends and Nightingale begs her to bring her to Hell with her and Sparrow while he serves his time. It’s so bright in Heaven that Meg goes around with sunglasses. She carries a machete that Lucifer gave her, created in the bowels of Hell and will only cut for her. It made me think of Michonne in The Walking Dead and Mazekeen in Lucifer. She is half dark and half light, trying to figure out where she really belongs. I think the car situation is funny. Hell gets jeeps and Heaven gets Cadillacs. Meg and Sparrow’s relationship in Hell makes me think of Phoebe and Cole in Charmed with some vampiric moments thrown in. Oh, and Noah…I love the ghostie guy. Danger is all around and when it’s time for Meg and Nightingale to leave, Sparrow must stay behind. We end with:
“Monsters aren’t so bad.” Good ol’ Nightingale is here, haunting my dreams…”He’s your monster now, Meg.”
Scarecrow
Scarecrow picks up where Nightingale Girl left off, so the series needs to be read in order. Meg is being hunted. Not just by demons and angels, but she is on the America’s Most Wanted list. Enter her lawyer, Reuben. She doesn’t know it yet, but she gets more than she bargained for with Reuben. She travels from Heaven to Hell to the Earthly plane and back again. Sparrow wants her to return to Hell to be with him, but I don’t blame her for being hesitant. Sooner or later, she will have to choose between the dark and the light, good and evil. The zombies are rising, choices will be made…AND, WOW, that ending. I sure didn’t see it coming….and I LOVE IT.
Raven King
Meg reminds me so much of Michonne (The Walking Dead) and Mazekeen (Lucifer) as she swings her machete, lopping off heads of the walking dead and demons, battling good and evil, inside and out. She must find Sparrow to restore the balance across the planes, as the dead run rampant through Heaven and Hell. The Hellions and Angels body count rises. I am saddened at the loss of some wonderful characters, but sometimes they gotta go for the good of the story. Isn’t that right M? I love how Meg orbs around the planes in a ‘Charmed’ fashion. Meg had been alone for so long, her heartache is a new feeling for her. Vibrun is a brutal, savage ruler. Power mad, greedy. If you stand by his side, be very careful. He is like a rabid dog, liable to bite the hand that feeds him. Where is God, as all this is going on? The ending…OMG!!!!!!
Nightjar
We pick up where we left off. Meg poofed and brought blood and the smell of death back to Hell with her. Skeele had been at her side when she was broken and bloody before, and he’d be by her side again. Hell needed her. She brought light to Hell’s darkness. Thrush, Noah & Nightingale’s baby, are the the heart of Nightjar. We have some lighthearted, laughable moments, and I love when an author gives us those feel good moments when a story is so heavy. Teari’s sorrow is deep and I love that, though she is an angel, she is Meg’s friend and Meg has not given up on healing her wounded body. Everyone knows that Hellions lie, but Angels are just as proficient at lies and deceit. Gabriel, her father, will make a choice…and we have another jaw dropping ending…AND I LOVE IT!
Night Owl
Skeele has been by Meg’s side, sticking like glue. He may be a bit grumpy, but whatever she needs, he is there. She doesn’t know how he feels, but his insecurity makes him feel unworthy. He doesn’t know the secret she harbors. He makes himself weak, loosing weight because he feels she needs the blood and he starves himself so she can have what she needs.
I have pledged my life to her, he thought, why does she despise me? I make her physically ill. She can’t even look at me.
I chuckle here, chuckle there. I’m loving Jed and Shay. I love that they want a dog. I love that they sit around the table eating dinner in Hell, like a Lifetime Christmas movie.
Why is she running? No, no, no. But, this adventure ended up being so much fun…for me.
He should stay so I don’t wind up fucking a log in the backyard.
Meg had me cracking up. There is so much I want to share, but I don’t want to spoil anything. I am reveling in Meg’s story. She is finally accepting her role.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Veil of Shadows!!!!!!!! The world she created is filled with adventure, romance, danger, love, Heaven meets Hell, the walking dead roam above and below, and fate and destiny are woven into a spellbinding fantasy. Does god have a plan?
I am awed by M R Pritchard’s writing and she is definitely at the top of my must read list! This is the second mind blowing series of hers that I have read! The Phoenix Project was the first.
5 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
Some people are cursed. Or in Meg’s case, damned. She’s on the run, harboring a deadly secret. Sparrow, an unexpected travel companion, knows she’s hiding something more profound. Unimpressed by tales of her sinful past, he hungers for the truth, especially about the day she killed those seven men.
Meg finds, the Seven Kingdoms of Heaven are far from wonderful. Meg’s promise to never leave is tested as Sparrow’s behavior grows strange, yet again. As the daughter of an Archangel and the Devil’s own spawn, Meg knows paradise comes with complications. Love, however, has the power to change even a world-weary country girl, even if it means losing her mind.
There is no rest for the wicked. Meg’s determination to forge her own path leads her to the Earthen plane, where she battles personal demons and seeks a new life. But the absence of Sparrow is a heavy burden, and Nightingale haunts her dreams. To make matters worse, an unknown hand keeps unleashing zombies nearby, forcing Meg to confront her heritage.
The relentless monsters of her world show no mercy. Without wings and Sparrow by her side, Meg struggles to find her place in her realm. She hatches a plan to rescue Sparrow, but it spirals into disaster.
Haunted by Sparrow’s shocking betrayal, Meg faces a breaking point. Caring for an amputee Angel and two refugees from the Earthen plane adds to her mounting pressure. With King Gabriel imprisoned and a kidnapped baby Thrush in her care, time is running out to prevent Thrush from sharing the Nightjar’s fate.
Revenge and redemption collide, forcing Meg to confront her inner demons and desires. Will her quest for vengeance consume her, or can she find the strength to protect those she holds dear? In a race against time and her own turbulent emotions, Meg’s choices will determine the fate of those she loves.
As Meg grapples with the heartbeat in her womb and the constant threat to her friends, she decides it’s best to disappear. Fleeing to the Earthen plane to hide and plan her next move, she encounters mysterious assistance amid thunderstorms and insatiable hungers. Will Meg destroy the one man who would follow her through hell and high water?
Discover a world where love battles darkness, destinies entwine, and wickedness knows no rest in this thrilling dark fantasy romance omnibus.
ABOUT M R PRITCHARD (from Amazon)
M. R. Pritchard is a two-time Kindle Scout winning author, her short story “Glitch” has been featured in the 2017 winter edition of THE FIRST LINE literary journal, and her short story “Moon Lord” has been featured in Chronicle Worlds: Half Way Home (Part of the Future Chronicles). M. R. Pritchard holds degrees in Biochemistry and Nursing. She is a northern New Yorker transplanted to the Gulf Coast of Florida who enjoys coffee, mint chocolate, cloudy days, and reading on the lanai.
Visit her website MRPritchard.com and sign up for her newsletter. You’ll get a monthly newsletter with updates, day to day shenanigans, and book deals.
The Wolf I Want For Christmas by Abigail Owen was part of the Christmas After Dark anthology that is no longer available. I never got to read the anthology, but I was able to get my hands on Abigail Owen’s novella. I do want to cite the other author’s stories:
I love Abigail Owen’s writing, so I was super excited to see she had a Christmas novella I had not read. I have read most of her books and I loved them. Her writing style is a perfect fit for me, and I was not disappointed with The Wolf I Want For Christmas.
Shyla has not seen Cade since he left town ten years ago…and now he’s knocking on her door. They’ve both changed a lot, grown up into a couple of pretty impressive packages. I thought it was hilarious that she is allergic to dogs…because he’s a werewolf. LOL
He knows she’s his mate, but she doesn’t…
The Wolf I Want For Christmas by Abigail Owen may be short and sweet, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some issues to overcome, especially the fight for becoming the alpha of the pack…oh, and taking her as his mate.
I smiled and laughed my way through The Wolf I Want For Christmas, ending with a warm, fuzzy feeling and a happy ever after.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Cade Campbell has spent ten years in hiding, preparing to return to his small town, the pack his uncle stole from him…and the mate who doesn’t know she’s been waiting for him. When he shows up on Shyla’s doorstep a few days before Christmas he discovers the sweet, quiet girl he grew up with is all woman. The problem is she’s become a loner, is obsessively neat, and allergic to dogs. Bad news for this wolf. Still, Cade’s not giving up on her or on taking his rightful place as alpha. Maybe this year Santa could finally get things right.
Multi–award-winning paranormal romance author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic. Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.
I jumped between a three and a four rating for Killer Dead Victim Alive by Michael Geczi. I love serial killers…I mean reading about serial killers. But, that’s not all that drew me to the novel. A good title and the tropical content of the cover spoke to me.
We are on the beach near Santa Monica Pier and what do I spy? Why it’s Keith John Victor, serial killer. What??????
Mollie Granger and Greg Nichols, detectives in the Criminal Investigations Unit of the Santa Monica Police Department are on the case. Keith Victor had killed six people and a missing person, Chrissy Weeks, is attributed to him. Is she deal or alive? We shall see. And we do. She walks into the police department with a story that won’t hold water.
Mollie is hard working, has sharp instincts and is always asking questions. I loved this description from a colleague:
….her pupils were shaped like question marks because her eyes always “”looked like they wanted to now more.”
Her significant other, Gwen Seward, is an African America lawyer specializing in civil rights, while Mollie is a white police officer. Not only are they gay, but they will have to deal with racial differences and how they look at life. Many of Gwen’s clients have been profiled by police and the question remains…are the guilty or innocent?
The biggest question…who killed the serial killer? I quickly discovered who, but the motive remained hidden and I loved how Michael Geczi led me to the answer, step by step.
K J…hmmm. I wonder what part she plays in the abduction of the women and Chrissy. Her super power is being invisible, blending into the scenery, living in the shadows. How sad. Life has not been kind to K J and neither is Michael Geczi.
I love how some criminals think they are smarter than those out to catch them and I’m not sure what narcissistic game Chrissy is playing.
Funny what a small world we live in, with lines crisscrossing our lives, woven into a pattern not easily seen. Was it fate or Karma that brought Keith and Chrissy together?
Killer Dead Victim Alive by Michael Geczi was a wild ride. We got, not just one dysfunctional, dangerous villain, but two. Even when I think I know what’s going on Michael manages to pull a surprise out of his hat.
I didn’t get my hand on the first book in this series of books about serial killers, The Deadly Samaritan, but I hope to be there for the next one. Michael Geczi left the surprise ending open and I love it, so maybe….things are not always as they seem and our time in Santa Monica is not over.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
“Killer Dead, Victim Alive””If you’re a fan of Freida McFadden, David Baldacci, or Harlan Coben, you’ll find this book captivating and imaginative.”
The serial killer is dead; the expected seventh victim is alive, and the Santa Monica detectives and the FBI agents are shaking their heads.“Who-done-it” meets “why-done-it.” The A twisty mystery, spiked with psychological and cultural implications, all playing out in sun-drenched Santa Monica.Police Detectives Mollie Granger and Greg Nichols respond to a call near the world-famous pier. A dead male, shot in the forehead at close range, is posed in the sand. He’s Keith Victor, a serial killer who’s murdered six persons and kidnapped a possible seventh, Chrissy Weeks.Meanwhile, six miles away, Weeks walks into a police station, says, “I think you’ve been looking for me,” and claims Victor dropped her off outside an hour earlier. Quite the trick, given the coroner says Victor’s been dead for thirty-six hours. Weeks, a narcissist with a complex backstory, views most people as chess pieces to be played. And she’s playing at mega speed, even though her never-ending lies and moves – some of which backfire – quickly turn her into a suspect from a victim.The case comes at a difficult time for Granger, a middle-class white cop having relationship problems with Gwen Seward, a wealthy African-American civil rights attorney. They’ve drifted apart since the George Floyd murder shined a bright light on their differences and challenges. They’ve even tabled plans for marriage and kids.Granger focuses on Weeks even as she and Seward attempt to repair their relationship. In the process, the detective learns that families, love, truth, and understanding overcome personal and professional challenges and bring unexpected second chances.
Genre: Fiction, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 17, 2023 by Tierra Buena Publishing
ABOUT MICHAEL GECZI (from Amazon)
Former Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Associated Press and Dallas Morning News writer and editor; Wall Street executive; best-selling author; communications/crisis consultant and university instructor (University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism). Also author of Futures: The Anti-Inflation Investment. Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife, Lisa.
A Day In the Life by Andrew Masseurs is one of those books that is very hard to review without spoiling any of the goodies inside. At only 86 pages, it packs a wicked punch.
I love apocalyptic novels, and Andrew Masseurs’ debut novella has Michael awakening to a desolate world where he is the only survivor. As he searches for his wife and daughter, he finds he is not alone after all. Each day passes with more strange and dangerous creatures making an appearance and I wondered how in the world Andrew Masseurs would wrap this up.
I was swept away by the story and had more than one OH NO moment that left me devastated. I felt like weeping with Michael and wondered how he would pick himself up and make it through another day. The ending…
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Michael awakens to a world where everyone has disappeared. Not only must he come to grips with the sudden loss of his family, but he must also survive in a changing, overgrown, dangerous world filled with new predatory creatures. A Day in the Life for a man on the edge.
