Today I’m excited to share the cover reveal of Cleansing Fire by Emily Mah. This is the third book in the Sky Chariots Saga and releases September 20th. The first two books, Restless Earth and Blessing Sky are available for sale.
About Cleansing Fire:
Kasha has lived her life in hiding, working the job of the City Engineer of Wingmount, in a society that lets neither women, nor any member of the Tanoa race work trades. Finally, she has been offered the chance to work for her own people, who must evacuate their beloved Earth Shaman from the slopes of an active volcano. No other engineer in history could build the craft that Kasha has designed for this task: the sky chariot.
However, in order to fly it, she and her cousin, Ahote, will breach the most sacred rules of the Andalanos, the pale skinned race of people who govern their nation. Once, Kasha thought she would not mind betraying them. They had only given her grief.
But as she has grown in her talent for engineering, many Andalanos have supported her at great risk to themselves. Even high ranking government officials seek her counsel and beg for her aid in a costly war they fight on the coast, in a part of the kingdom Kasha has never seen and never thought she’d care about.
There is no way to help one people without betraying the other, and in this society, betrayal often means death. Kasha must decide where her loyalties lie, and whether she is up to the task of saving the last shaman of her people.
About the Author:
Emily writes as both Emily Mah (for science fiction and fantasy) and E.M. Tippetts (for chick lit). Her short stories have appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, The Black Gate, and anthologies like The Dragon and the Stars, Shanghai Steam, and The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth. Her E.M. Tippetts novels have been on the Amazon Top 100 numerous times, and her novel, Someone Else’s Fairytale was semi-finalist for the Best Indie Book of the Year – Kindle Book Review, and a runner up in Romance for the Best of the Independent Book Awards – eFestival of Words.
Do you like to walk on the dark side? Check out Forbidden Things: Dissident by Nikki McCormack and get a taste of how bad things can get.
I love finding out about the covers of books. Do you choose a book by its cover?
INTERVIEW
Can you describe your dream home?
My dream home wouldn’t need to be too extraordinary. I would have a few special spaces, including a cat room or dedicated outdoor cat enclosure, a two or three story tower with a spiral staircase (the door to which would be hidden behind a movable bookcase) which would house my writing office, and I wouldn’t mind a movie theater. An ocean view would be a nice bonus.
That doesn’t seem to be too much to ask for. LOLIf we were to come to your house for a meal, what would you give us to eat?
I would make seared ahi tuna in wasabi butter sauce. I love making this for dinner guests because it means I get to eat it too.
That would be great, because I don’t cook. I’ll do the clean up, though. Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.
I’ve gotten some great fan mail from my book, The Girl and the Clockwork Cat, but I think my favorite bit of fan mail is still from a ten-year-old girl regarding the short story, Beyond the Twilight Zone, published in the November and December 2007 issues of Cricket magazine. The letter reads:
“I absolutly love love love your magazine! my favorite story so far has been beyond the twilight zone, November-December. Way to keep the suspence going!”
The next sentence says that her favorite books are the Harry Potter series. Yeah, that one made me smile a lot.
It’s wonderful that you are able to reach a young audience and help them appreciate the love of a good book. Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go?
I would be tempted to go back to Ireland. One of my other books in progress begins there and I would love to see so much more of that country. Alternatively, I might ask to go to Malta to visit some of the ancient ruins there. I often find inspiration when I’m in any place where I can be surrounded by history. The older the better.
They both sound like a wonderful place to absorb the feel of a setting you are writing about. Who designed the book cover for the book you are touring?
Raquel Neira (http://kellieart.deviantart.com) did the cover art for Dissident. She was selected by my publisher to do the cover art for The Girl and the Clockwork Cat. I thought she did a great job on that project so I approached her to do the art for the Forbidden Things series when I decided to self-publish.
It is fantastic that the cover designer appeals to you so much, you are able to keep a working relationship going into the self publishing world. Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
Ascard power can strengthen, heal and create. It also has great potential to destroy, enough to topple entire governments. Indigo’s country places strict limitations on the use of ascard so she must channel her talents into the healing arts or risk severe punishment. An orphan from a disgraced family, trapped by her father’s treason, Indigo struggles to reclaim her place in a society that has driven her into an abusive engagement.
Then a mysterious stranger from a neighboring country contacts her using ascard. He needs help escaping his prison so he can bring an end to his emperor’s oppressive rule or die trying. His unshakable devotion to his cause and the passion hidden behind his cool arrogance move her to help him at the risk of being branded a traitor herself.
When the politics of society bring them together a second time, Indigo decides to use her growing powers to help him fight his war. If only she dared fight for her own future with such passion. Perhaps she can find the courage to do so by helping the man she has fallen for win his revolution. She might have exactly the power he needs to succeed.
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EXCERPT
Her attention wandered to the fountain sprouting up in the center of a nearby courtyard, simple and elegant like a great stonework lily. A man stood by the fountain, watching water droplets falling with the shimmer of multicolored gems in the bright sunlight. Long silver hair hung to the middle of his back like a frozen waterfall. His smooth pale skin and unusual hair marked him as Lyran, but his regal bearing and rich attire didn’t befit a slave or merchant.
Curious. “Have you seen him before?”
Andrea turned, following her gaze. “Who?”
“The man beside the fountain.”
“There’s no one by the fountain.”
Andrea’s reply tugged at her awareness, but the silver-haired Lyran was turning toward them now. His pale eyes met hers and the air pressed from her lungs as if a corset were being pulled too tight. The buildings lurched and spun in her vision.
“Indigo?”
She sank to her knees. Andrea crouched down with her, her eyes wide and frightened. She held Indigo’s shoulders tight, her lips moving. Indigo heard only the pounding of blood in her ears.
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ABOUT NIKKI MCCORMACK
Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12 (which is still tucked away in a briefcase in her office). Despite a successful short story publication with Cricket Magazine in 2007, she treated her writing addiction as a hobby until a drop in the economy left her with an abundance of free time to focus on making it her career.
Nikki lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest tending to her awesome husband, two sweet horses, three manipulative cats, and a crazy dog. She’s a wine and tea fanatic who loves sitting on the ocean in her kayak surrounded by open water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. She also enjoys horseback riding, archery, PC gaming, dancing, good anime, etc. She studies Japanese and practices Iaido because she believes we should never stop learning.
Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L Reid is a paranormal series that will have you asking for more. I love the title and the cover spoke to me, kinda creeping me out. LOL
Check out the pretties and be sure to read to the end to enter the giveaway.
The Pretty Dark Nothing series has some of the most beautiful covers foreshadowing the story of the paranormal and supernatural. There was no way I was missing out on reading Pretty Dark Nothing, with a cover like that and the writing on the tombstone.
Quinn is being terrorized in her dreams, but the terror keeps escalating and now she lives in fear during the daylight hours. She is afraid to sleep, afraid to close her eyes, afraid to be alone, afraid of the dark, dark shadows that were after her. How long could she go without sleep, popping caffeine pills and sucking on energy drinks.
Aaron had died, along with his mother and sister, but he had been brought back to life. He came back with a gift and a curse. His music saved him after the accident. His father struggled at the loss, barely making it through each day.
Quinn was drawn to the new guy, Aaron. He was so mysterious and private, that he created interest for that very reason. He felt the connection too. Was it telepathy? Was it more than that?
Jeff is her ex boyfriend, even though it takes all her effort to stay away from him. He is now dating a snotty cheerleader and I think he is getting his due.
Marcus is Aaron’s best friend and has his eyes on Reese, Quinn’s best friend. He is a fun loving, big hearted, happy go lucky kind of guy. These two stick with Aaron and Quinn through thick and thin, half the time not even understanding what is going on. They are the yin and yang of friendships.
The love triangle in Young Adult is a common theme. As long as the story is written well and the relationships seem real enough, I can live with that. Teenagers can be dramatic and confused by such powerful emotions, but they are not alone. Love is love, no matter what age and being dumped is a personal rejection. I wanted her over the jock and moving on.
The novel is told from both Quinn and Aaron’s perspective. This caused the book to be drawn out and drag in parts, but it surprised me how quickly I became invested in Quinn, then Quinn and Aaron. Two damaged and lonely people drawn together. Heather kept the suspense and anticipation alive, even though I did not feel a sense of urgency. I was still very curious about why Quinn and Aaron seem to be so important – to who?
When Heather L Reid mentions Carl Sagan and Cosmos, I thought we had another connection.
Book II is available, so no waiting is necessary and I didn’t. I jumped right in to Pretty Dark Sacrifice.
I received Pretty Dark Nothing from Heather L Reid in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.
Heather L. Reid is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing new tales of fantasy and horror.
I am excited to share Heather L Reid’s Pretty Dark series.
Just look at the beautiful cover and you can see why I couldn’t resists checking it out further. Then, I read – All it will cost is her blood – in the synopsis. Hmmm…
So let’s get to my review and the giveaway. You too can have a copy for your very own.
Title: Pretty Dark Sacrifice (Pretty Dark Nothing #2)
Publication date: July 28, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Heather L. Reid
MY REVIEW
Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L Reid is Book II in the Pretty Dark series, but I will do my best to only share my feelings and not include any spoilers.
Pretty Dark Sacrifice picks up where Pretty Dark Nothing left off.
Quinn still hasn’t mastered her powers and I am wondering if she needs a swift kick in the ass and to be told to “man” up. At least that is how I felt in the opening pages, but she quickly proved me wrong. She grew to be stronger, both physically and mentally.
Her best friend, Reese, is normally a happy go lucky girl and the kind of best friend we all wish we had, but her secrets were driving a wedge between them that she thought could not be avoided. Reese deserves a normal life and I want it for her.
Will Quinn fulfill the prophecy? Will she be the savior or the bringer of doom?
As Lilith inserts her evil presence, the story’s pace increases for me. I begin to feel a sense of danger and suspense. Just what I’ve been waiting for. I was enjoying the story, but wanted some of that extra kick. You know what I mean.
Humans, demons, sentinels, immortals and Lilith. The box, Eve and angels.
The angels make me think of the TV show, Supernatural. Just because they’re an angel, doesn’t make them good.
Can you change your destiny? Aren’t we given the power of choice?
A love story that lasts for eternity.
As the story develops the clash between good and evil threatens the humans very existence.
Quinn has grown and developed, gained confidence and fights doubts, determined to accomplish her goal – to save Aaron.
I was given a copy of Pretty Dark Sacrifice by Heather L Reid in return for an honest and unbiased review.
4 Stars
SYNOPSIS
It’s been five weeks, two days, and eight hours since the demons forced Quinn to throw herself into the raging river, since Aaron sacrificed himself to save her, since his body disappeared without a trace.
Everyone wants Quinn to move on, but she can’t, not after a spirit appears to her at Aaron’s memorial, convincing her he’s still alive.
When a mysterious box materializes on the very spot Aaron disappeared, Quinn finds she’s at the center of an ancient prophesy of betrayal, revenge, and sacrifice that takes her to the depths of the underworld to face Lilith—Adam’s first wife.
If Quinn can stop Lilith from unleashing the demon horde Eve, trapped inside the box during the Battle of Eden millennia ago, she will save the human realm and free Aaron from an eternity in torment.
All it will cost is her blood.
ABOUT HEATHER L. REID
Heather L. Reid is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing new tales of fantasy and horror.
The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice.The only rules are to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and find any sentence or a few ( no spoilers) that grabs you and post it..
Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
Please include the title of the book and the author’s name.
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I have tried to come up with a way to make things simpler for myself when it comes to choosing my next novel to share. This is what I have come up with.
I am starting with the first novel on *this* bookshelf and…
now I am on to the second novel, Meg by Steve Alten
I have been a huge fan of Steve Alten’s for some time now. I find his creatures amazing and love having them come alive on the pages as I read each new story. I am always eager to see what he will come up with next and I think he is taking this series of novels in a direction most of us fans never saw coming.
Jim shot a quick glance over his right shoulder and saw jaws wider than a school bus snap shut, catching nothing but water. As the Meg’s torso plunged headfirst and down into the wave, the surfer cut again hard to his right, accelerating n the dark, shooting past the last place he’d seen the luminescent white monster.
(56% of a hardcover)
MY BOOK BEGINNINGS
The Professor:
“Imagine a great white shark, fifty to sixty feet in length, weighing close to forty thousand pounds. Can you visualize that?” Professor Jonas Taylor looked at his audience of just over six hundred and paused for effect. “I find it hard to imagine myself sometimes, but this monster did exist. Its head alone was probably as large as a Dodge Ram pickup. Its jaws could have engulfed and swallowed four grown men whole. And I haven’t even mentioned the teeth: razor-sharp, seven to nine inches long, with th e serrated edges of a stainless-steel steak knife.”
SYNOPSIS
Revised and Expanded. On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean’s deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom. The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he’s sure he saw but still can’t prove exists – Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark. The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds. Taylor spends years theorizing, lecturing, and writing about the possibility that Meg still feeds at the deepest levels of the sea. But it takes an old friend in need to get him to return to the water, and a hotshot female submarine pilot to dare him back into a high-tech miniature sub. Diving deeper than he ever has before, Taylor will face terror like he’s never imagined. MEG is about to surface. When she does, nothing and no one is going to be safe, and Jonas must face his greatest fear once again.
I love covers!
Meg has a couple of covers for different editions.
These shots and video were taken by Mr Wonderful and me over the last several days.
Thursday – The clouds rolled in and I mean that literally. I have been watching the skies since Thursday, when the crackling boom of thunder surrounded the house and I opened the front door to investigate. Funny how the bad weather is out front and the sun shines on the pool and patio. *all photos not to be used without permission*
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Friday – We had an itch to visit the beach and had to scratch it. We hadn’t been to Hooters for a while, so a wing call was in order. Hooters is on Pensacola Bay, with a view of the piers for boats and, of course, our signature white, sandy beach. It is a great place to people watch, especially as this storm rolls in. I can certainly see why we are the lightning capital and so many people are struck by lightning. Check out the video and you will see why for yourself.
Thunderstorm over Pensacola Bay (c) sherry j fundin
Actually, I can’t remember if me or Mr Wonderful took this, but I am think three strikes and we may be out.
Hubby took this from a video. It looks like someone opened up a portal in the sky and said, “Hey you dumbasses, get off the beach.”
Saturday – Mr Wonderful was working the Pensacola Wahoos baseball game, but the starting time was delayed. As the cloud rolls in, the tarp rolls out.
This is just your typical Florida weather.
What’s the weather like in your neck of the woods?
A Taste for Mystery by K D Rose is currently on sale at Amazon for only 99 ¢ during the tour. You get two novellas for the price of one.
GUEST POST
I am excited to have K D Rose here to tell us about her books covers.
I am a *cover girl* so I love to hear how an author feels about their covers and the amount of work they put into the covers themselves.
So…take it away K D.
K.D. Rose Covers
Covers are one of my favorite things to do for my books. I love looking over stock photos and imagining covers that could work! For example, I literally have the most wonderful cover photo right now that I want so bad to put out but have no book for it!
My published books are a variety of cover work. Some of them I did myself, some I got from cover designers and some are half-in-half. Half-in-half means that I found a great photo and could do most of the design work but ran into a problem that my poor tech skills could not overcome so I went to a designer for that one issue or to smooth out the look. And really, to be honest, in most cases the eye of a professional designer is so much better. They just have the experience needed for the best layout. My eye is for picking great photos and that’s about it.
So here are some of my books and experiences:
My very first book. I worked with a talented graphic designer I know who happens to also be a talented writer, Jeremy Parker. I had very strong ideas of what I wanted for this journey to uncover the truth told via poetry, dialogues, short stories and essays. He totally got it and produced what is still my favorite graphic designer cover.
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Here is one of the covers I produced myself. The book is full of pictures like this, picked out exclusively to go with the poems they are set to. The book itself was written for teenage girls especially for empowerment during those years when feeling empowered can be so hard. I still love this cover and it’s my favorite of those I’ve done myself.
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Here’s a cover with an interesting story. This book was originally acquired by a publisher. It is book one of a YA/NA paranormal series. I already had a cover picked out but once it went with the publisher, their cover artist made the cover you see here. Then the publisher went out of business. I retained the cover artist so cover the book was now known by could stay. That cover artist is the talented Fiona Jayde.
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Here is my original cover that I had made for that book- this is one of the half-in half’s I talked about above. Part me, part designer— the talented owner of Amygdala Designs. Very different feel isn’t it. That is the great thing about licensing your own pictures and obtaining your own covers. Most likely I will use it for book 2 of the series which will only require small changes to the cover.
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For my three new releases out right now, one of which this blog post is for, simplicity was key. One was published by Three Worlds Press who used the cover I already had set for the book.
The Brevity of Twit looks like this. It’s a humor book about communication on Twitter.
Anger’s Children is all red with a bullet effect over the tag line.
Last, but not least, A Taste For Mystery went through several transitions, including getting a lot of feedback from wonderful authors on groups I belong to. Here is the final cover:
I’m happy with the way all my covers have come out. It helps when as an author I get to participate in the process. It gets the creative juices flowing plus I gain valuable experience from those who know design. All in all a win-win.
Thank you so much for taking the time to put together such an informative guest post, K D. I loved learning about all your covers and see that you strive for some of the things that grab me…simplicity being one of my favorites. I think a simplistic cover takes a lot of creativity to express the story inside.
I hope you enjoyed your visit, K D and I look forward to having you here again.
I love the cover in its simplicity. The light and shadows make me look a little closer for any hidden clues. Do you see any?
Add me to Goodreads now.
A Taste For Mystery (Two Novellas)
by K.D. Rose
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BLURB
A Taste For Killing
Mystery and Romance blend together when competing detectives Carolyn Woods and Jack Heart are both hired to solve a murder, only to realize they are working the same case. To complicate things, Carolyn and Jack have an on again, off again relationship. Then there is Evan Jones, a handsome architect— but he’s also a suspect.
Can Carolyn solve the case as more and more murders pile up? Will her relationship with Jack hinder their investigations? And what about Evan Jones? He seems like the perfect man, but could he actually be the murderer?
One thing is for sure: someone close to Carolyn and Jack has a taste for killing.
A Taste For Danger
Jack Heart drinks to excess daily. His apartment is in shambles, he’s isolated himself from all his friends, and he stumbles to the couch every night to sleep off an alcoholic stupor. All that changes when he receives a phone call with a job offer from a man he barely knew. Asked to go undercover in an elite business, Jack is thrown into the deep end and hasn’t a clue what he’s in for— or looking for— until he starts asking questions.
Suddenly, Jack must track down an embezzler inside a swanky corporation riff with politics, game-playing, and treachery. The deeper Jack goes, the more dirt he finds. Can this out-of-place detective survive and still crack the case? Not to mention some of women he works with have plans for him—plans that are way more than he bargained for.
One thing is certain: Jack’s taste for danger will take him to the edge of disaster.
EXCERPT
Jack made sure to get his parking pass from the secretary for tomorrow. He wasn’t made of money, and today was gonna cost him twenty bucks. Cheryl followed him out, and they took the elevator down together. Jack thought this little get-together might be a good chance to interview her. What was she head of again? He couldn’t remember. He’d have to ask her. His instincts told him to wait until the bar.
Jack made sure to put his briefcase in the trunk. Cheryl brought a satchel with her and sat up front. She directed him out. Apparently she lived not too far away from him, although in the city, even a block of traffic could turn a short drive into an hour. Stuck in rush hour, Cheryl made small-talk.
“So you dined with the big cheese today?” She opened.
“Word gets around fast.”
“Yes, anytime someone from HQ comes, everyone knows it. Knows to be on their toes.”
“I see.”
“What they can’t figure out is whether to be on their toes around you.”
Now he got it. She was on a scouting mission for the office. He wondered if they drew straws. “I’m just a nobody,” he said.
“I doubt that,” said Cheryl, “or the Deputy VP wouldn’t have taken such an interest in you. So what are you here to do?”
She said it smiling and casual, but underneath he could feel the shark in her.
“I’m not allowed to discuss the details,” he said.
“Oh my,” said Cheryl and raised her hands as if she was being held up. “Never mind. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
“Thanks,” he said, then stayed quiet. She didn’t try to pry anymore. He wondered if she would after a few drinks. Wait. That was his plan. Who was playing who here?
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ABOUT K D ROSE
K.D. Rose is a poet and author who currently has published “Heavy Bags of Soul”, “Inside Sorrow”, “I AM”, “Erasing: Shadows”, “Anger’s Children: Three Shorts That Will Blow Your Mind”, “A Taste for Mystery: Two Novellas” and her new release, “The Brevity of Twit”.
K.D.’s book, Inside Sorrow won the Readers Favorite 2013 international Silver Medal for Poetry. With fellow authors around the globe, KD was also a founding member of the e-magazine, INNOVATE.
K.D. has an eclectic mind and loves language, physics, philosophy, photography, design, art, writing, symbolism, semiotics, spirituality, and Dr. Who. KD Rose is an avid supporter of music, the arts, cutting edge science, technology, and creativity in all forms. K.D also has a chronic illness but doesn’t let it get her down. K.D. considers herself a “Spoonie” on the lam.
BAD TRAFFICK named a 2012 Top 5 Indie Pick by BloodWrites and a Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews! Also recently named a semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Review Best Books of 2013!
Although Bad Traffick is part of a series, it is a standalone novel and can be read by itself.
I am a huge fan of Leine Basso, a strong female protagonist, and DV Berkom. Her thrillers will leave you eagerly anticipating the next one. And I am ready, so bring it on.
Judging by the cover of Bad Traffick, I think DV Berkom will be having me gritting my teeth and hanging on the edge of my seat, hoping and praying that Leine Basso will find the girl before the traffickers. And I am not wrong.
Bad Traffick grabs my attention from the opening page and never lets me go. DV Berkom has the ability to put me in a state of suspense from cover to cover, rooting for the good guys…and maybe one not so good gal, while wishing the worst on the criminals and evil that spread their cancer to the young and innocent.
Leine Basso is an ex assassin and is now working security for an actor, Miles Fournier. His long lost sister comes to him for help to find her twelve year old daughter, Mara, who has been kidnapped by traffickers.
Leine is a strong female protagonist who is a suspect in three cold murder cases. She and Jensen, a detective for the LAPD Robbery Homicide Division, have the hots for each other, but with her being a murder suspect, they have to communicate on the down low. Will Jensen risk everything to be with the babe magnet?
Leine has a special relationship with her twenty one year old daughter, April. They have much more in common than your average mother and daughter. They had both been abducted. Now, April wants to learn “the business.” Hmm, could that be a story for another book? I guess we will have to wait and see. In the meantime…
There is much more going on than trafficking and I am very suspicious. Who can you trust? I found myself holding my breath, leaning forward in my seat with my hands tightly clenching the book as over and over again someone tried to kill her. Is it the same person or group? Is there more than one? I know it can’t happen, but I find myself yelling and talking to her, because even I do not know who she can trust.
Bad Trafffick is the second book in The Leine Basso Series, Serial Date being the first. They stand alone, so no cliffhangers or waiting to find out the ending. Still, I can hardly wait to begin the third book in the series, The Body Market, that sits patiently on my side table saying, “Read me.” DV has also just released the fourth book in the series, Cargo.
I received a copy of Bad Traffick from DV Berkom in return for an honest and unbiased review.
5 Stars
SYNOPSIS
Dangerous obsessions take center stage when a former assassin and a homicide detective race against the clock to find a missing girl before she’s lost forever.
Identified as a person of interest in three cold case murders she didn’t commit, ex-assassin Leine Basso accepts a temporary position as a bodyguard for A-list actor Miles Fournier as a favor to Detective Santiago Jensen.
Soon, a woman contacts Miles claiming to be his long-lost sister and confides that her daughter has been abducted by traffickers. Leine must confront her own demons as she races to rescue the girl before it’s too late.
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 Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 1 box set (includes the 1st four novellas in the series).
(The Kate Jones Thriller Series, Vol. 2 includes Cruising for Death (#5), YD, and AOWTTD, all for $8.99 (bought separately they would be 12.99)
***all covers link to amazon, I am an affiliate***
Check out all these beautiful covers for the Kate Jones thrillers by DV Berkom.
GIVEAWAY
DV Berkom is offering an ebook from her backlist to one individual commenter. International. All you need to do is answer the following question and leave your email:
“I am a *cover girl*. What is your favorite thing about the cover for Bad Traffick by DV Berkom?”
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of adailyrhythm.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read. Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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The Fisherman’s Son by Marilyn Peake is a middle grade fantasy. Her last newsletter announced it was free, so I quickly checked it out.
I mean look at that cover – dolphins, swimming and playing in the sunshine. I can almost feel the water flowing across my as I swim with the dolphins.
The Fisherman’s Son by Marilyn Peak is still FREE. Just click on the cover and get your copy. While you are there, be sure and pick up the other two, The City of the Golden Sun and Return of the Golden Age.
…Wiley collapsed on the couch, put his face in his hands, and began to sob uncontrollably. Deep in his heart, he expected that someone would come over to him and comfort him.
Do you think anyone did?
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(28% on Kindle)
SYNOPSIS
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THE FISHERMAN’S SON is a middle grade fantasy novel about the adventures of Wiley O’Mara. On the back of a magical dolphin, the twelve-year-old rescues six boys trapped in an ancient city under the sea. Along the way, he fights both The Beast in the Forest and a Fire Beast guarding the city of old.
REVIEWS
PIERS ANTHONY, author of the Xanth series, the Incarnations of Immortality series, the Adept series, and so much more!
Now I have read The Fisherman’s Son. This is a nice children’s fantasy, grounded in realism. Even the fantastic element is realistic, in that the dolphin doesn’t abridge the rules just for convenience; the right introduction has to be made. It’s not all right to make the excuse “I lost the cup because of a bear.”
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief of the “Midwest Book Review”
The Fisherman’s Son is a delightful and colorfully narrated tale which documents Marilyn Peake as a story teller of considerable narrative skill.
Rebecca Brown, Founder of “RebeccasReads”
The Fisherman’s Son is a complex tale simply written, with fascinating detail & unblinking reality borrowing from legends & sagas deep within our collective memories.
Phillip Tomasso III, “The Best Reviews”
Marilyn Peake has burst onto the scene as a promising writer with the release of her first middle grade novel, The Fisherman’s Son.
…Peake is a talented, creative and passionate storyteller. The Fisherman’s Son is a thought provoking, heart-felt fantasy novel with a twist. It lends itself to great discussion questions to be reviewed with parents, teachers, or friends. Easy to pick up and read, hard to put down.
Beverly J. Rowe, “My Shelf”
The author’s descriptions of the underwater world are exhilarating as Wiley traverses the depths and meets up with wonderful undersea creatures and the fearsome dragon-beast that guards the entrance to the village.
This book would be a great read-aloud project for the whole family.
Tracy Farnsworth, “Roundtable Reviews”
Marilyn Peake launches her debut with a fast paced offering that contains excellent imagery amidst a coming of age story.
The Fisherman’s Son will appeal to readers both young and old.
This relatively quick read is a perfect offering for those who love fantasy.
Sharon Schulz-Elsing, Contributing Editor of “Curled Up With a Good Book”
Marilyn Peake’s first fantasy novel for young readers, The Fisherman’s Son, calls to mind all the mystery and wonder of Orson Scott Card’s earlier mythological works such as Hart’s Hope or Seventh Son in its quest-style tale, and in its evocative descriptions of a place much like early nineteenth-century Ireland comes close to the lush and luminous visual treatment of John Sayles’ magical film The Secret of Roan Innish.
…this children’s debut shines with fear, wonder, triumph and loss. Few readers will be able to resist this tale of a resourceful young boy…
Jennie S. Bev
This first book by author Marilyn Peake shows her tremendous talent in story telling.
In many ways, I found The Fisherman’s Son a strong novel for children.
Cheryl McCann, “Review-Books”
The Fisherman’s Son is a children’s novel filled with fantasy, adventure and the heroic qualities of a brave, young boy. Even though it is considered a children’s book, I certainly enjoyed the rich, descriptive text of this tale.
Covers are linked to Amazon.
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I have been toying with a way to make things stand out, such as synopsis, about the author and some important details, like commenting problems.
Which do you like better (this or the above), or do you have another suggestion? I would love to have your input. Thanks so much and happy reading.
Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12 (which is still tucked away in a briefcase in her office). Despite a successful short story publication with Cricket Magazine in 2007, she treated her writing addiction as a hobby until a drop in the economy left her with an abundance of free time to focus on making it her career.
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3 Stars
Heather L. Reid is both American and British and has called six different cities in three different countries, home. Her strong sense of wanderlust and craving for a new adventure mean you might find her wandering the moors of her beloved Scotland, exploring haunted castles, or hiking through a magical forest in search of fairies and sprites. When she’s not venturing into the unknown in her real life, she loves getting lost in the worlds of video games or curling up by the fire with good story. For now, this native Texan is back in the Lone Star State, settling down with her Scottish husband and writing new tales of fantasy and horror.
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so of the book you are reading along with you initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.
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.
