Category Archives: 5 Star Reviews

Review – Restless Mayhem by Sue Coletta @SueColetta1

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Sue Coletta has a collection of thrillers that have given me hours of reading pleasure. Her covers are always amazing and covers have such a huge influence on me, so I invited her and her cover designer, Elle J Rossi from Evernight Designs, to share their thoughts.

Behind-the-Scenes Peek at Cover Creation

Sue: When Sherry approached me about writing a guest post with my cover designer, I thought it was a great idea. Readers only see the finished product, but a lot goes into each cover. Today, I’ve teamed up with my designer, the amazing Elle J. Rossi from Evernight Designs, to peel back the curtain on how we created the final cover for Restless Mayhem.

Ready? Let’s do this…

Before I approach Elle, I have a vague idea of what I want. For Restless Mayhem, the two most important elements were the wolf and dreamcatcher. Once I find images that somewhat match my mental picture, I send Elle multiple links to photo elements to either build from or use a guide. Included in the email, I also include the overall emotion I want convey. For Restless Mayhem, I wrote “dark but hopeful.” How she interprets that first email is beyond me. But somehow, she does.

Elle: Once I receive Sue’s email, I look over all the images she’s sent for review and start to get a good idea for the concept she’d like to see for the cover. Some authors will also send comps of covers in their genre/subgenre that they like. Since Sue’s most recent cover is part of a series, it’s important to stay on brand while also allowing the book to stand out as a new addition. As a fellow author (https://www.ellejrossi.com/), I know how important this first impression of someone’s book is. Humans are visual creatures, and Sue and I want to take advantage of that.

Once I have an idea in my head, I start the mock-up process. Ideally, I like to send the author a couple of rough options and get their feedback before purchasing the images we’ll use on the final. Once I have those completed, I shoot them off to Sue to get her thoughts.

Here are the mock-ups I sent for Restless Mayhem…

Sue: Both are awesome, right? I had to sleep on it to decide where I wanted to go. Plus, a snowstorm knocked out our power and I’d been trying to work via cell phone all day. Needless to say, I was absolutely fried when the mock-ups landed in my inbox. In the morning, I emailed Elle. Here’s what I said…

New day, and the brain’s working again. 😉

Okay, here’s what I’m thinking. I love the black wolf, but I don’t want anyone to think werewolves. The characters are saving Eastern Gray wolves. I’d prefer the dreamcatcher to be more of a focal point and the wolf to be secondary. If we took the dreamcatcher, red sky, and wolf from the first cover and made it clean and crisp like the second, added in a couple trees where the wolf can emerge from, I think it’ll be awesome.

Or…

Using the first cover again, pull the dreamcatcher forward and push back the wolf so he’s more of a ghostly, shadowy outline, and make it clean and crisp (without the added texture), that may be even cooler. Thoughts?

Once again, somehow Elle unscrambled that nonsense.

Elle: Sue may think that her feedback was rambling or nonsense, but it made perfect sense to me. So, I sat back and analyzed the two covers while considering her thoughts and reworking the cover. I used the same dreamcatcher from the first sample but completely replaced the wolf, added a new background, and blended the two together. I did the same on a fourth mock-up but with another wolf. I also omitted the tagline area and then sent those 2 options to Sue for more feedback.

 

Sue: I loved them both. Here’s where Elle and I had to pick apart the finer details of each cover and choose the elements that most resonated. I’ve worked with Elle for so many years, I value her input. So, I emailed…

OMG, I absolutely love them. Can’t decide between the two. Is it the same background behind the howling wolf as the other wolf?  The skyline and dreamcatcher are absolutely perfect.

Elle wrote back…

I’m so glad you like them. Similar backgrounds but not the same. I think it comes down to the actual wolf. I’m torn, but lean slightly toward the non-howler. 😁

I agreed. The non-howler was a better fit. My only addition was Poe, sitting on the S in Restless. True to form, Elle surprised me again. I’ll let her explain what she did.

Elle: I loved the idea of adding in Poe as it brought in another element from some of the previous covers. This, again, was another way to stick to the brand. However, when I added him in, he kind of disappeared into the background and was completely lost, which defeated the purpose of adding him in. I pondered on how to make him stand out. Of course, we could have him glow, but this isn’t that kind of book. J I could lighten him, but crows are black and should stay black, so that wouldn’t work. I opted to try lightening a portion of the background. That worked for multiple reasons: Poe is clearly seen, and it added another color which really made the cover come to life. I sent that latest version off for Sue’s approval, but I had a feeling this was THE ONE.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes peek at cover creation. The most important aspect of any partnership is mutual respect and trust. She does her job, I do mine, and the cover(s) reaps the rewards.

You can find out more about Elle’s design services here: https://www.evernightdesigns.com/

I want to thank you ladies for the fabulous post.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the amazing cover for Restless Mayhem by Sue Coletta, which was done in collaboration with Elle J. Rossi from Evernight Designs,. Mr Mayhem and Shawnee have come a long way since I first met them. I never would have predicted that Mayhem, Shawnee and her grandfather, Jacy Lee, would become eco-warriors to save the wolves and wolf dogs they found being trafficked. Buy one to hunt it down and kill it. How cruel.

I have so many highlights in my ereader, I confuse myself. LOL

The crows…sure the wolves are the stars of Restless Mayhem, but the crows are always there, always vigilant, always helpful, and their personalities shine through Sue Coletta’s writing. I find them fascinating and often refer to reality to confirm the authenticity of her writing. I worry for them, as much as I do their human friends. Shawnee and Poe’s ‘problems’ go back a long way and their interactions are laugh out loud funny, but when push comes to shove, he will be there. I wonder…will their feud ever end. 🙂

Shawnee…I love this woman. Maybe these quotes will give you an inside glimpse into who she was, is, and is becoming.

“Between the cougar attack and the bees, I couldn’t catch a friggin’ break. What’s next, a moose stomping me to death?”

Mayhem…

“True warriors are born with an inbred fight response rather than merely flight. And you, dearest Cat, have many of the same attributes.”

Sue Coletta richly details Shawnee’s training, and when they went flying through the trees, I slowed my reading, intrigued, trying to picture it in my mind. It was wild. Walking through the woods, making nary a sound, as they stalk the hunters. I have heard of that before and I love that Sue is able to make Restless Mayhem seem so real, except I don’t think Mayhem, Shawnee and Jacey Lee would get away with the things they do in the real world. Money, influence and prejudice hold too much sway. And…is there such a thing as a Wendingo?

Everything has a place in this world and when you remove an element, the environment reflects that loss. The Native American culture and environmentalists the world over have voiced their concerns and warnings. I love books that can incorporate all these elements into a cohesive novel that grabs me from start to finish.

I could go on and on and on and on, but I think you get the gist. I love, love, love the Mayhem series, since I cracked open the first book, but Sue Coletta supplies enough back story that I believe Restless Mayhem can stand alone. So, don’t be afraid to grab Restless Mayhem, then I am sure you will want to go to the beginning and see how we came to be where we are now.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Restless Mayhem by Sue Coletta.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Amidst a rising tide of poachers, three unlikely eco-warriors take a stand to save endangered Eastern Gray Wolves—even if it means the slow slaughter of their captors.

Deep in the woods of Jackson, New Hampshire, an ancient evil lurks. Armed poachers patrol a secret enclosure, holding captive a pack of majestic Eastern Gray Wolves. But three unlikely eco-warriors are determined to free the wolves, embarking on a dangerous mission to end their torture.

With courage and conviction, Shawnee, Mayhem, and Jacy Lee march onward, even if it means risking their own lives to take down the poachers and restore freedom to the wolves. It’s a battle between justice and injustice, and the eco-warriors are determined to win—no matter the cost.

But what if something even more evil lurks in those woods? What if Shawnee’s not ready to answer the cry for help?

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 26, 2023 by Crow Talons Publishing

ABOUT SUE COLETTA

Sue Coletta

Sue Coletta is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as one of the “Top 100 Crime Blogs on the Net” (Murder Blog sits at #5) for four years in a row. And recently, she appeared on an Emmy award-winning true crime show.

Sue also blogs at the Kill Zone, a multi-award-winning writing blog, and writes two serial killer thriller series (Tirgearr Publishing) and narrative nonfiction/true crime for Globe Pequot, trade division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.

For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where members will be the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside access to deleted scenes (if available). As an added bonus, members get to play in the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door.

BONUS: When you join Sue’s community you’ll receive two free killer reads!

Sue lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with her husband, and begins each by feeding all the wildlife in her yard. Her favorite “pets” are a murder of crows who live free but come when called by name.

Learn more about Sue and her books at: https://suecoletta.com

Website * Facebook Author Page * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Youtube * Amazon * Goodreads

MY REVIEWS FOR SUE COLETTA

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Review – The Deadening by Kerry Peresta @kerryperesta @partnersincr1me

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  • Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nLFtnm
  • Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56567166-the-deadening

MY REVIEW

WOW. The Deadening by Kerry Peresta is a suspense/thriller novel that keeps on giving, until the very last page is read and I do love the awesome cover. That’s right, even the ending was a total surprise. I am sooo happy that I have the next two books in the series, and I will be cracking open The Rising as soon as I finish writing this review.

I have read amnesia books before, so I thought I would like The Deadening by Kerry Peresta, but I had no idea how great a writer she was. It made me think of a Bones episode, when he literally tripped over her bloody body, except Olivia is alive. The pace and tension level kept me flipping pages, unpredictable moments coming one after another.

When Olivia first becomes aware of…well…anything, it totally creeps me out. Imagine, not being able to open your eyes, speak, move even a finger tip, yet able to hear what is going on around you. Hear people talking at you. Sarah, the nurse is an awesome character. The brain in an amazing organ, doing its best to fix itself when broken.

The characters are well developed. Of course, Olivia develops throughout the story, as memories return and she finds herself. Monty is a total dick, a wonderful villain, one I loved to hate. Niles…sometimes people get caught up in something and can’t find their way out. I had empathy for the man. The girls are girls. Sophie her mother is a fabulous, realistic character. Hunter, the detective who answers her every call, helps her unravel the mystery.

I am having a hard time reining in everything I want to say. I will tell you this, if you are a suspense/thriller fan, Kerry Peresta is an author you want on your reading list.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Deadening by Kerry Peresta.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Olivia Callahan’s quiet, orderly life is shattered when she regains consciousness in a hospital and discovers she is paralyzed and cannot remember a thing. The fragmented voices she hears around her help her piece together that an apparent assault landed her in the hospital, but nobody knows who attacked her, or why. After a chilling struggle to survive, she awakens from a coma unable to remember what happened to her or anything at all, except she has been told she is an entirely different person. Or is she?

Now, in spite of a brain injury that has rewired her personality, Olivia is on a mission to reclaim her life. As clarity surfaces and she starts to understand who she was, she is shocked. Had she really been that person? And if so, does she want her old life back?

  • Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

310 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 2021

Olivia Callahan Suspense (#1)

ABOUT KERRY PERESTA

Kerry Peresta’s publishing credits include a popular newspaper and e-zine humor column, “The Lighter Side,” and short stories in the published anthology, “That One Left Shoe,” and her first novel released in 2013 by Pen-L Publishing, “The Hunting,” contemporary women’s fiction. She spent twenty-five years in advertising as an account manager, creative director, and copywriter before deciding to devote more of her time to writing. She is currently working on her next novel, and the most current one, The Deadening, fiction, suspense; releases Feb. 23, 2021 and will be available for pre-order mid-January. Kerry has been published in several local magazines, including Local Life, Island Events, Bluffton Breeze, and Lady Lowcountry. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Island Writers Network of Hilton Head. She enjoys participating in writing conferences, and has served as chapter president of the Maryland Writers’ Association. Learn more about Kerry at www.kerryperesta.net, https://www.facebook.com/klperesta or https://www.instagram.com/kerryperesta (less)

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Review – The Social Affair by Britney King @britneyking_

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I was so excited when I found The Social Affair by Britney King on a free day.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have had my eye on Britney King for some time now and what I found in The Social Affair is so much more than I expected. At first, I was disappointed, thinking I had either read it before, or a book just like it, or seen something like it on a TV show. BUT, by the time I was done, I was amazed. She took this disturbing, dark, psychological thriller to a place I didn’t see coming. The twists and turn kept me on my toes and left me with a big smile on my face. I hope you don’t judge me unkindly, but the darker, more evil the plot, the more I get lost in the villains and victims, and the things that will be done to them, and I LOVED IT! Fabulous ending and one that was a total surprise. The excellent writing and pacing kept me flipping pages until the last page was turned.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In the tradition of Gone Girl and Behind Closed Doors comes a gripping, twisted, furiously clever read that demands your attention, and keeps you guessing until the very end. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories told in unorthodox ways, The Social Affair delivers us the perfect dark and provocative villain. The only question—who is it?

A timeless, perfect couple waltzes into the small coffee shop where Izzy Lewis works. Instantly enamored, she does what she always does in situations like these: she searches them out on social media.

Just like that—with the tap of a screen— she’s given a front row seat to the Dunns’ picturesque life. This time, she’s certain she’s found what she’s been searching for. This time, she’ll go to whatever lengths it takes to ensure she gets it right—even if this means doing the unthinkable.

Intense and original, The Social Affair is a disturbing psychological thriller that explores what can happen when privacy is traded for convenience.

ABOUT BRITNEY KING

Britney King lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, children, a dog named Gatsby, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge in a peach tree.

When she’s not wrangling the things mentioned above, she writes psychological, domestic and romantic thrillers set in suburbia.

Without a doubt, she thinks connecting with readers is the best part of this gig. You can find Britney online here:

MY BRITNEY KING REVIEWS

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Giveaway & Review – Aqua Paws by Patricia Allieri @ireadbooktours

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Book Details:

Book Title:  Aqua Paws by Patricia Allieri
Category:  Children’s Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 39 pages
Genre:  Children’s Book
Publisher:  Aqua Kids Books
Release date:  Apr 4, 2023
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for everyone.

MY REVIEW

Beautifully illustrated, wonderfully written, Aqua Paws by Patricia Allieri has everything I would love to have in a picture book, if I was a child. I loved it! The story is cute with an ecological message that can make a child feel like they can make a difference while enjoying what our watery world has to offer. A story of friendship and teamwork. I love the does and don’ts at the end of the book that mirror the only leave a footprint message. There is also a do it yourself build a crab project that adds more fun, making the story continue after the book is read. I highly recommend this aquatic adventure.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars
Book Description:

Splish! Splash! MEOW! Most cats hate water, but not Aqua Paws. He loves it! There’s just one problem: he’s terrified of crabs!

Then Aqua Paws finds himself in a sticky situation, and the only one around to help is a crab. Can Aqua Paws push his feelings aside before it’s too late? Full of whimsical sea creatures beautifully illustrated by Stella Maris, Aqua Paws also warns of the dangers of ocean pollution. A story that your child will fall in love with, that helps teach a valuable lesson at the same time.
Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N 
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Patricia writes stories about the ocean, cats, and friendship. With beautiful illustrations and heartfelt characters, she aims to entertain and inspire readers to feel brave, adventurous, and appreciate the environment. Patricia’s memorable characters include Aqua Paws and Purple Beak with many more on the horizon. Her fiction picture book, AQUA PAWS, has subtle hints of pollution in our oceans and children can help by collecting the harmful trash. Patricia lives in Texas with her husband. She treasures time with her two grown daughters and her grand babies Tate (Tater-Tot) and Pierce. Her love of animals, the beach and the environment is undeniable.


connect with the authors: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram 

Enter the Giveaway:
AQUA PAWS Book Tour Giveaway



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I Am So Lovin’ The Epic Fantasy of Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti With Illustrator Bethany Stancliff @DonnaGalanti #bethanystancliffe

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PREORDER – Will be released 4.4.23

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for some reading material to give your child hours of reading pleasure, getting lost in a fantasy world where Sam and Tuck take some amazing adventures, I must recommend this series.

The books are beautiful, with wonderful illustrations that draw us into the book, making it easier to visualize the scenes as they unfold, offering a little something extra to keep children involved, maybe even putting themselves in Sam and Tuck’s place.

Sam has a big heart and a need to help others, drawing Tuck into her adventures. Verny the Wyvern and Barloc the Unicorn are a couple of their best friends and volunteer to help them go Beyond The Portal to find discover answers about the disappearance of her biological mother.

Not only will they get the answers they are searching for, but they will help others who are in desperate need of it. All of them will be surprised at the outcome, learning that things are not always as they appear and helping others comes back to you. I love watching them grow and develop into more complex characters that are willing to accept what is, to go above and beyond what is expected of them, doing it with love and compassion.

I highly recommend the Unicorn Island series by Donna Galanti. Children will have hours of fun on Sam and Tuck’s adventures, playing on Unicorn Island, solving mysteries and making new friends of the supernatural kind. Their imaginations will blossom, maybe believing in magic and legends that are sure to supply hours of entertainment. I hope I conveyed my love of this series without spoiling anything for anyone.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island: Beyond The Portal by Donna Galanti.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The secrets of Unicorn Island are all revealed in the final book in Epic’s middle-grade fantasy series! When Sam and Tuck discover a way to unlock the answers they’ve been seeking, they must set out to discover the truth…

For Sam, knowing a little about her mother’s disappearance through the portal is almost worse than knowing nothing at all. Determined to distract herself, she tries to learn everything possible about caring for the herd on Unicorn Island. But when she and her friend Tuck stumble on a coded verse in The Unicorn Protector Creed, they are faced with an even greater task.

With no way of knowing what’s beyond it, Sam, Tuck, and Barloc the unicorn step through the portal and find that not only is Sam’s mother no longer a unicorn protector, she also lives in a world plagued by its own problems—and convinced that the only solution to them rests in the horn on Barloc’s head.

With the portal closing at sundown on the third day, Sam and Tuck are in a race to rescue their friend, reunite their families, and save another world from a terrible fate of its own making!

ABOUT DONNA GALANTI

Donna Galanti is the author of the bestselling paranormal suspense Element Trilogy and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series. Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine, a writing contest judge at nycmidnight.com, and regularly presents as a guest author at schools and teaches at writing conferences. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna also loves teaching writers about building author brand and platform through her free training series at yourawesomeauthorlife.com. Visit her at donnagalanti.com.

CONNECT WITH DONNA:

MY DONNA GALANTI REVIEWS

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O M G Lost Girl by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings #PeterPan

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Michaelbrent Collings is an author that captured my heart, just don’t cut it out, PLEASE!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

This is a true fairie tale. And like all true fairie tales, it is bloody, violent…and there is no guarantee that good will win in the end.

Michaelbrent Collings writes some of the darkest stories I have ever read and creating some of the most violent villains that I have ever ‘met’. I love that the stories are so original and unique, and I challenge you to figure out what is coming before it happens. I sure can’t. I am sure my review is not going to do Lost Girl justice, but I will do my best.

The stars are Eve, Peter Pan, Wendy and Hook, but don’t let the fairy tale fool you. Not all characters are as you expect them to be. Be careful who you trust. Be cautious who you let into your life. Who can you trust? It’s hard to say, because even her mother and grand mother have secrets they do not share.

I have read several books in the past few weeks where a character has asthma. That adds an extra level of danger. For Eve, it has gotten worse and she feels something is coming, something evil. How can she prepare for it if she has no idea who will bring it and what it will be? I never could have anticipated any of it, if I hadn’t read the blurb…vampires! Oooo, I love vampires. Don’t care if they are blood thirsty cannibals or soft and friendly.The big question is…who is the good guy and who is the bad guy? The Lost Boys are truly lost in this unconventional coming of age story.

Brutal, violent, savage:

Gaping holes. Hearts cut from their bodies. No blood. No blood no blood no blood because there was NO BLOOD MOMMY NO BLOOD AT ALL.

Eve has no father, an alcoholic mother and a grandmother with alzheimers who always wants Eve to read her favorite book, Peter Pan, to her. She is on her own. She abuses herself, just to feel alive. She is bullied and abused at school, but she continues to attend. She wants the education, regardless of no support, no friends, and teachers turning a blind eye. Dreams, or should we say, nightmares, haunt her sleep.

My heart breaks for her, but I had a feeling…somehow…she would find someone, something good would come out of her life. Well, it doesn’t work out like I thought. I was constantly surprised, if that is the correct word. Nothing is at it seems. No one is as they seem. The complexity of the novel kept me riveted, rapidly ‘flipping pages’, wanting to get to the end, but not. I wanted more…

Lost Girl by Michaelbrent Collings was published in 2012, but I feel there is more to be told. Give me more!!!!!! How about it M?????? Are the characters talking to you yet??????

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lost Girl (Formerly Peter & Wendy: A Tale Of The Lost) by Michaelbrent Colliings.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Eve has no father. An alcoholic mother. Abused at school. A loser. But when the new boy comes to school, things start to change. He’s popular, he’s good-looking, he’s smart. He likes her. And he wants to kill her. Because he’s Peter Pan. And he’s a vampire.

Eve is Wendy’s great-great-great-great-granddaughter, and Peter has made it his mission to seduce and destroy every woman in the Wendy line.

Eve can’t stay with him, but can’t stay away, either. Now, the only one who can save her is a young man, crippled and lonely, named Captain Hook: sworn protector of the Wendy line.

Eve has to uncover the mysteries that have roots in her past, and that will change her future. Mysteries that will determine whether she lives, dies… or suffers a fate worse than death.

Because Eve is changing herself. Becoming faster, stronger. More than her life is at stake. Her soul is up for grabs, and Eve will have to find more strength than she knows to stay alive… and to keep from becoming the thing she fears…

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

MY MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS REVIEWS

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Artwork & Guest Post for Green Shoots by Ben Westwood @benwestwood #ecologicalthriller

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The beautiful cover caught my eye. The title made me curious. And this line from the blurb finished me off:

Green Shoots is a story of grief and revenge, a gripping crime thriller with an ecological heart.

I reviewed Green Shoots by Ben Westwood on November 16, 2022. Everything about his book spoke to me and I was amazed at Ben Westwood’s ability to pen such a fabulous debut novel. So….I decided to spotlight the artwork and cover that knocked my socks off.

You can see my 5 STAR review HERE.

Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

The artwork has always been central to my novel Green Shoots, not least because the ideas for the cover and the mural came before I had even started writing the book.

I’ve always been obsessed with the color green. It’s my favorite color and I’ve always had a lot of green in my house – from the carpet to blankets and clothing. Of course, it’s the color of nature and the environment, and bathing in green light is supposed to be great for the soul. I always find myself drawn to natural surroundings to feel better.

Calling the book Green Shoots did present some problems though – it doesn’t sound like a thriller. It sounds like a nature book or possibly an economics book – “green shoots of recovery” etc. This is why the central image of blood dripping off green shoots is so important and ended up on the cover. With that image, I feel the story is defined – it’s an eco-thriller, which expresses a love of nature under the shadow of violent crimes. The image itself only appears in the book once – in the video that the killer releases globally, which in effect expresses his manifesto.

“Out of their ashes, green shoots will grow” – these words were a sort of mantra and again they came to me before even writing the book. As I was writing the first couple of chapters, I knew that I wanted the killer to leave that message at the crime scenes. But as I was writing, I realized it would be far more interesting to have a visual representation of the words rather than leaving them simply written. That’s how the idea of the mural came about. I liked the idea that the words came from somewhere else, repeated by the killer rather than actually coined by him. When I repeated the sentence to myself, I clearly visualized ashes and death on the left and rebirth on the right. I then pictured a mural with the detail of this image.

It’s described in chapter 3 of the book: “On the left is a scene of scorched earth, blackened tree stumps, skulls and bones, merging into thick forest on the right with toucans, monkeys and indigenous children. The graffiti written in white in the soil below reads: ‘De sus cenizas crecerán brotes verdes’. My Spanish is good enough to know it means: ‘Out of their ashes, green shoots will grow.’ ”

The mural first appears as a photograph in the first crime scene, but appears later in the book as an actual mural in South America. Its appearance is never fully explained and that was deliberate – I have always admired subversive pop-up artists such as Banksy and I had that idea in mind.

When the book was finished, I knew there was still some creative work to do. I wanted someone to actually paint the mural – not on a wall but as a painting. I have no painting talent at all so I found an artist – my friend Anna Walker, who lives local to me in Sussex, England. Over a couple of months she moved from sketches to completing the painting. It now hangs on my wall. It’s big – over a meter wide and dominates by living room.

The words and their accompanying images very much define the book. It is a book about hope coming from despair – both personally for John and for the world at large.

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Blew My Mind – Operation DFC by Janelle Taylor & Ashley Fontainne #AshleyFontainne

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All I’m going to say is…READ MY REVIEW..and you will want to Seek and Destroy too.

Amazon / Goodreads

Audiobook coming soon

MY REVIEW

Well, my mind is officially blown. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning two days in a row. The deeper into the book I went, the action, danger, betrayal, brutality, savagery sociopathic and psychopathic action became. At every time, they swept me off my feet, filling me with disgust, barely able to keep from gagging over the things done to John Sims.

I knew Ashley Fontainne could pen an off the chart novel, but this is my introduction to Janelle Taylor. They are both now must read authors for me.

Operation DFC – Die for Country

Operation DFC – Die for Cathy

Operation Seek and Destroy

John Sims had been a POW, so when the CIA recruited him for his first mission, to save POWs and MIAs, he never hesitated when Dave Carter asked him, “So, you’re willing to die?” His answer, “Absolutely.”

John thought the service would give him freedom from the brutality of his father, but he hadn’t anticipated the price. He knew what it was to be tortured and starved, kept prisoner for two years by the North Vietnamese, before he was rescued, the sole survivor of his unit.

I was a teenager during the Vietnam War. I remember a lot of things about it, The Draft, Agent Orange, not being allowed to win and how the service men were treated when they came home. I used to read a lot of WWII & Vietnam history and novels. I cannot imagine what it would be like, whisked from the life you have in the United States and plopped down in the jungle, in the desert.

In John’s case, he also gave up his past, his present and maybe even his future, hiding his real name, breaking all ties with family and friends. BUT, he would keep secret Cathy, his first love and the love of his life and Brad, his best friend that looks out for Cathy, Brad’s cousin, when John was away.

John has no idea what is coming, and neither did I. It was so much more than I expected, even though I knew Ashley Fontainne was capable of doing most anything to her characters. Now, I see that Janelle Taylor will too, so I will be looking for more of her work in the future.

My emotions were all over the place: angry, surprised, shocked, appalled, terrified, sad, heartbroken, horrified, furious, devastated…I could go on and on, looking up words and synonyms to describe my feelings.

I never saw half of what was coming throughout the novel. I read and read, not even thinking about when I would reach the end. I was just reading to find out what came next…UNTIL…DAMMIT…there was no more. I never even thought about it being a series. I guess you could say there is a cliffhanger, because the characters mission is not complete. Now it’s time for Lewis Roger Lee Bradford (Wolfman) from Shreveport, Louisiana to seek retribution. Black Viper, Red Dog, and Raccoon will be along for the ride and they are out for blood.

I sure do hope you Ladies are writing fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Operation DFC by Janelle Taylor & Ashley Fontainne.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

I came to rescue my imprisoned brothers, but now I’m one.

Arriving in Thailand for my first black-op, Operation DFC, as part of an elite team ready to act on recent intel that over a thousand men and/or their remains are still behind enemy lines, Bangkok is our last stopping point before slipping into Vietnam and extracting as many American prisoners as possible.

For me, this is personal. From 1971 to 1973, I was a POW; and now, ten years later, I work for the CIA under the fake identity of John Sims, Field Expert for Crop World, an international firm run by the agency.

While in my hotel room, the unthinkable happens. Bangkok may end up being my greatest challenge as my courage, patriotism, and honor are on the line, and I find myself in the toughest physical and mental battle of my life, wondering if Operation DFC will be my first, and last, covert mission.

ABOUT JANELLE TAYLOR

The legendary Janelle Taylor was born on June 28, 1944 in Athens, GA. In 1965, she married Michael Taylor with whom she had two children, Angela Taylor-MacIntyre and Alisha Taylor Thurmond. Ms. Taylor attended the Medical College of Georgia from 1977 to 1979 and Augusta State University from 1980-1981. She withdrew from the latter after she sold her first two novels. Today, she is the author of thirty-nine novels, three novellas, and many contributions to other collections. There are thirty-nine million copies of her works in print worldwide and she has made The New York Times Bestseller List eight times. Ms. Taylor’s works have also been featured ten times on the “1 million +” bestseller’s list at Publisher’s Weekly.

Some of Ms. Taylor’s most recent books include By Candlelight, Someday Soon, Lakota Dawn, and Lakota Winds (due out in paperback in May 1999). She has also made contributions to other books including The Leukemia Society Cookbook, Christmas Rendezvous, and Summer Love. In addition, readers can see her as co-host of the QVC/TV Romance Book Club Show.

Ms. Taylor’s interests include collecting spoons, coins from around the world, ship models, dolls, and old books. She loves to fish, ride horses, play chess, target-shoot, travel (especially in her motorhome and out West), hunt for Indian relics, and take long walks with her husband. Reading, in particular books set before 1900 and current Biographies, Thrillers, Horror, or Fantasy novels, is also one of Ms. Taylor’s favorite activities. She is also extremely active with charity work and was even featured on the cover of Diabetes Forecast in February of 1998.

She lives in the country on seventy-nine acres of woods and pasture with a lake and a catfish pond. She writes her novels in a Spanish cottage which overlooks a five-acre lake, a working water mill, gazebo, and covered bridge.

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ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

Ashley Fontainne

Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.

Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/

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Review – The Loyalty Of Children by Chris Lewando @westcorkwriter

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MY REVIEW

Chris…you will always be a must read author for me! I love vigilante stories and Chris Lewando has outdone herself in The Loyalty of Children, Book III of the Suffer The Little Children series. I love walking on the dark side of life through words, wallowing in the filth of humanity, the dregs of society. I, also, like seeing them get their comeuppance.

Chris Lewando’s writing style speaks to me. Below is just one example of how in sync we are. She is talking about watching the news, which Dee and I don’t do.

“…What good does it really do to ‘know’ what horrible things are happening if we don’t act? And most of us don’t have that freedom, we’re too busy just hanging in there with our family and financial dramas to get out and make a difference. And I guess that’s just what the politicians need us to do.”

The Suffer The Little Children series may be fiction, but it has the ring of truth when describing the villains and the depths they will go to to scratch their itch. There are a lot of triggers in the series, so if you don’t have a strong stomach and a need for vengeance…BEWARE.

I love Dee, a character that I could never be. Feisty doesn’t begin to describe her. To face what she faces, a sense of humor does come in handy. Living on the run, constantly picking up her bag and moving to the next place. She knows how dangerous her life is, but that doesn’t stop her from doing what she feels needs to be done. She does not run from danger, but takes a methodical approach to meeting it head on. How will her story end?

…the criminal mindset is new to me; it’s a leaning curve. I wonder if I’ll live long enough to get the certificate.

Mikey…WTF…I don’t even know what to say. The author’s end note tells how Mikey came to be and I had to research it and find out more for myself. I love when an author has me doing research, arousing my curiosity, making me have to know more.

The ending….oh man, I did not see that coming. I couldn’t figure out how Chris Lewando would wrap it up and I love that she caught me so off guard. I would love to crawl around in her head. BUT, I hate that the story was over. I have to know what comes next for Dee, her father, Amy, Greg, and all the other characters that work together to save the children. I feel there must be more coming….

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Loyalty Of Children by Chris Lewando.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

If her family is going to survive, Dee needs to kill the bad dude, or die trying… Deirdre and her father rescue two children who are living rough. But are they what they seem? As she tries to find out why the boys ran from their foster home, the action escalates once again… ***** ‘It feels like a TV Netflix series the whole way through. There MUST be a sequel planned.’

Dee has saved her vigilante-father from the clutches of the FBI, and a long term of imprisonment, but in her moment of triumph, she learns that the man she calls ‘the pedo baron’ has infiltrated her sister’s home in the guise of a friend. This silent threat to her sister’s family means she has to take action, but what?

*It’s possible to read this as a standalone novel, but there are brief references to previous action, so the author recommends that the series be read in order.*

A feisty character with a crusty sense of humor, this unintentional heroine brings an original voice to a character-led story, and finds an inner strength even she hadn’t known about.

ABOUT CHRIS LEWANDO

Chris Lewando

I trained as an English teacher, but the planned storyline drifted off-track. I landed in an office, producing management statistics – a different kind of fiction. I have been writing for many years, with quite a few mainstream genre novels and short stories published while I was still working full time. I gained a Creative Writing Masters (hons), and have been a novel-writing tutor since lessons were sent by snail mail and the nearest thing to a mobile phone beamed Captain Kirk onto the Enterprise. I live in rural South West Ireland, play Irish music in pubs for tourists, drive a camper the same age as me, and self-publish standalone novels with multiple viewpoints and complex characters.

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Review – Nunzio’s Way by Nick Chiarkas

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I won a copy of Nunzio’s Way, by Nick Chiarkas along with the first book in the series, Weepers.

Check out this EXCELLENT COVER. What do you see? Once you read the book, it will become even clearer. Artists at zebradog.com did an amazing job.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Weepers series by Nick Chiarkas got even better than Weepers, Book I, in Book II, Nunzio’s Way. I have grown to love these characters, no matter what bad things they do. The series raises that age old question, nature or nurture. Are we a product of our environment? I cannot imagine what it would be like growing up in the housing projects, wondering, every time you step out your door, is this the day I die?

The Prologue will give you a glimpse into Nunzio Sabino’s life to catch you up, as told by Father Joe to Father Casimiro, a new man in town. Nunzio had been in love…It is tragic, heartbreaking, and brutal. It also explains why Nunzio trusts few people. He was thirteen and the five of them, Nunzio, Father Joe, Pompeo, George and Nick, meet every Tuesday, even to this day.

“Does Nunzio ever worry about some ambitious hooligan wanting to take over?”

“Nunzio is the top lion. He is constantly watched by the ambitious and the aggrieved. He can’t show weakness. He can’t let a single insult – especially a public one – go unchecked. Continued leadership requires constant vigilance and no margin of error. None.”

Angelo, I have been with him since he was seven years old, struggling to find his place in the violent world he lives in. He will have to fight for it, maybe even kill for it, and everything has a price to be paid.

I do love an author who isn’t afraid to kill off his characters, even some that I have come to care about. He took me by surprise and I was even a little ticked off. Well done.

Nick Chiarkas brings to light many problems that persist to this day. I felt their need to kill or be killed. If you read his biography, I think you will get the same impression I did. That the Weeper series feels all too real. Gang warfare in the 1960s…has it changed?

Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I knew a lot of the characters from Weepers, so I was already involved in their lives, but Nick Chiarkas too me to a whole new level. The violence, the brutality, the love, loyalty and betrayal, the flawed characters that stole my heart, I will not soon forget.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nunzio’s Way by Nick Chiarkas.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“In this city, you can have anything you want if you kill the right four people.” ~ Nunzio Sabino

In Weepers (Book 1), Angelo and his gang, with a bit of help from his beloved “uncle” Nunzio Sabino, defeated the notorious Satan’s Knights. Now, in this standalone sequel to Weepers, it’s 1960 and Nunzio is still the most powerful organized crime boss in New York City, protecting what’s his with political schemes and ‘business’ deals.

Against this backdrop of Mafia turf wars, local gang battles, and political power-plays in the mayoral election, the bodies begin stacking up. An unlikely assassin arrives fresh from Naples after killing a top member of the Camorra to avenge the murder of her family. She blends seamlessly into the neighborhood and with the focus on the threat from the Satan’s Knights, no one suspects that Angelo’s father and Nunzio are next on her hit list. Nunzio has lived his entire life by the mantra; Be a fox when there are traps and a lion when there are wolves. Will Nunzio be a lion in time?

ABOUT NICK CHIARKAS

Nick Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects in the Two Bridges neighborhood on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.

On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply

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