Giveaway & Review – Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin @WriteThrillers

Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill LarkinThe cover for Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin hints at what’s in story for you. I love when the cover matches the story inside and if you are a fan a the dystopain with a little mystery and conspiracy, this novel is for you.

Bullet in the Blue Sky

by Bill Larkin

on Tour August 1- September 30, 2016

Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin coverMY REVIEW

I love the cover for Bullet in the Blue Sky and when I read about an 8.8 earthquake hitting Los Angeles and chaos reigns, I had to have it.

Terrorism, dystopia and a mystery wrapped in a conspiracy had me traveling with Schmitty and his gang searching for one man…Shaw. Why? What is so important that they will dodge gangs and thugs as they traverse an alien landscape on their mission.

There is danger at every turn, roads blocked, bridges down, fallen buildings and fires. How many will survive?

With guns blazing…They fight, plot, plan and wonder what is really going on and who’s behind it. They strive to stop total destruction, leaving some of their fallen comrades behind.

Bullet in the Blue Sky had me thinking…could…when will this happen. That was the scariest thing of all. It could be a terrorist attack or just nature letting itself be heard. Would Los Angeles become the Wild West again?

I believe in conspiracies and put nothing past people in their quest for money and power.

I received an ARC of Bullet in the Blue Sky from Bill Larkin in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

In the chaotic aftermath of a massive earthquake that leveled much of the Los Angeles region, a LAPD deputy chief sends an elite team of detectives on a rescue mission. They are ordered to set aside all law enforcement duties, to ignore the destruction and to focus on one task: Find LAPD Detective Gavin Shaw, who disappeared just before the earthquake.

Kevin “Schmitty” Schmidt of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department joins five others on the rescue team. With rioting, looting, attacks and homicides rampant in the streets, the six cops have to defend themselves while chasing down leads on the whereabouts of Shaw. The mission takes them through the dizzying war zone and the more they encounter, the more they wonder why they are searching for one man in these extreme circumstances. Why is this man so important to the deputy chief, and why now?

Schmitty discovers that others with high connections are also after Shaw. The questions pile even higher when they learn of a shadowy history between Shaw and the deputy chief. A history with deadly consequences for the team as they uncover a threat that elevates the mission to a race against time.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Fiction
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: August 4th 2016
Number of Pages: 366
ISBN: 978-0-9894002-1-3
Series: NO
Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

The adjunct lieutenant moved into the conference room and stood behind Jenkins and off to the side. Jenkins now addressed our five–person team.

“Your orders are to find Detective Gavin Shaw. He’s a member of Major Crimes and I need him here or I need to know where he is. That’s it. Nothing more.”

As Jenkins paused, several of the detectives looked at each other. Anderson opened her mouth. “Is he—“

Jenkins put up a hand. “You are not, repeat not, to take on law enforcement duties. You are not out to arrest looters, answer radio calls, help firefighters, or anything else you think you ought to be doing. Your only assignment is to find Shaw. And find him as fast as you possibly can. Am I clear?”

“Can I ask the importance of Detective Shaw at this juncture?” Mata said.

“No, you may not. Find him and bring him to me.”

“A search-and-rescue mission?” Anderson said in a puzzled tone.

“Call it that, Anderson. Lieutenant Tallon is in charge and you’d better be aware of what you’re facing. This city is falling apart. Aside from the destruction, there are forty-five thousand gang members, and at least that same number of state parolees and felons on probation. Then there are the opportunists who will loot, burglarize, and kill without the police to stop them. That’s probably a hundred fifty thousand bad guys in a city of rubble and fire.”

Jenkins let that number sink in a moment. The man projected political polish, as I would expect from somebody of his rank, but he didn’t hide his edgy urgency.

He went on. “The LAPD has almost ten thousand sworn, but who knows how many are still alive, much less how many can physically get mobilized. Break that down into twelve-hour shifts and there might be two thousand cops in the whole city at any given time. Three thousand if we’re lucky.”

Lieutenant Tallon said, “Sir that makes the odds against the LAPD about sixty-to-one.” His voice carried both cordiality and self-assurance.

Jenkins nodded. “That’s right. But you will be undercover. Plain clothes and a plain vehicle.”

“Where is Shaw?” Anderson asked.

“I don’t know.” Jenkins nodded to his adjunct who stepped forward and handed a folder to Tallon, then stepped back. “Here is his address and personal information. Best guess is home, but start wherever you need to and find the man.”

Anderson made a small snort. “What if he’s dead?”

“You find him, either way.”

One thing was for sure. Jenkins wasn’t sugarcoating the assignment.

“What about help from the outside?” I asked.

“In time. They’ll mobilize the National Guard and we’ll get relief and search-and-rescue teams, but it’ll take days.”

Tallon said, “We’ll be mostly on our own for the first forty-eight hours. Keep in mind just about every other city in Southern California has the same problems. Some worse, some better.”

“Jesus,” Anderson said.

Tallon said, “Chief, you’ll be here? We bring Shaw here?”

“At this time, I am in command of the department. The chief, assistant and other deputy chiefs have not yet been in contact. That means I’m the Director of Emergency Operations until further notice. That’s all. Dismissed.”

Jenkins motioned to Tallon to follow him and they stepped outside of the conference room with the adjunct lieutenant close behind. Tallon stood about six inches taller than the deputy chief, but Jenkins didn’t seem the least bit intimidated.

The doorway stayed open and I stood up, keeping my back to them, but close enough to hear.

“Lieutenant, I don’t know you very well, but I’ll tell you this with certainty. This is the most difficult challenge you’ll ever face on this job. I was told you have the intellect, resourcefulness, and tenacity to carry this out. Do not disappoint me.”

I heard Jenkins walk away. When I turned, Tallon had locked eyes with the other lieutenant. A beat later, she hurried after her boss.

** / **

Author Bio:

Bill LarkinBill Larkin writes crime fiction and is the author of two highly-acclaimed books: Bullet in the Blue Sky and Detective Lessons. He has also written several short stories, including The Highlands and Shadow Truth, both Amazon category bestsellers. Bill previously served as a reserve with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, then the Los Angeles Police Department where he worked in four different divisions and a detective assignment. Bill is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers.

Catch Up With Mr. Larkin:
Bill Larkin's website Bill Larkin's twitter

Tour Participants:



Don’t Miss Your Chance to Win Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours for Bill Larkin. There will be ONE (1) prize & ONE (1) Winner for this tour. The winner will receive 1 copy of Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin. Winners within the United States may choose either an eBook or a physical book however, winners outside the US can only receive an eBook. This is subject to change without notification. The giveaway begins on August 1st and runs through September 30th, 2016.

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Giveaway – Wicka by Christy Deveaux @christydeveaux

Wicka
Christy Deveaux
Publication date: May 28th 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

While mourning the loss of a mother figure, Elizabeth Blake, a smart but socially introverted seventeen year old girl from Ann Arbor Michigan, thinks she’s enrolling in an international school in the south of France to finish her final year of high school. Instead, she falls in love; finds out that she is a witch from an ancient family –– who weren’t thought to exist anymore; and discovers that her life is in danger, as the Elders believe that she is the heir to a legend they fear above all else.

Wicka, the debut novel by Christy Deveaux, has been compared to other fantasy paranormal tales such as Twilight, written by Stephanie Meyer and Harry Potter, written by J.K. Rowling. Young adults and grown ups alike are sure to love this adventure filled magical romance.

Goodreads / Amazon

Grab your copy for 99¢ for a limited time only!

Book Trailer:

 

Author Bio:

Christy Deveaux is the author of The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake series. Her highly anticipated first book in the series, Wicka, was just released this spring (2014). Inspired by traveling across Europe solo at a very young age, and many travel adventures since, the character and story line behind Elizabeth Blake was born. Christy majored in political science and earned a cross-disciplinary degree from the University of Western Ontario. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband, three children and a fish named Cow.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Friday 56 #96 & BB – Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard @elmoreleonard

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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.

~~~

2014-03-25 02.46.13

This is the perfect time of year for RUM PUNCH by Elmore Leonard.

This is the cover I have, a 1st edition hardback published in 1992. It is embossed with raised lettering and design. I love the heron with the ammo.

Check out the others below. I am curious which you would like best.

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1061913

My 56

They had booked Jackie at the admitting desk, removed the handcuffs, and brought her to a counter at the end of a narrow hallway where she was searched, photographed, and fingerprinted on six separate cards. She studied a list of bail bondsmen…

(Page 65, 56 was blank, in hardcover)

Oops…forgot Book Beginnings

Sunday morning, Ordell took Louis to watch the white-power demonstration in downtown Palm Beach.

“Young skinhead Nazis…”

My question to you:  Do you think Jackie and her bail bondsman will become an item?

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GOODREADS BLURB:  The inimitable Elmore Leonard follows up his bestseller Maximum Bob with a punch–Rum Punch–where a gun dealer, a flight attendant, and a bail bondsman make interesting bedfellows. When Jackie gets caught smuggling her boss’s gun money on the airline she works for, she hatches a plan with her bail bondsman to walk off with the money.

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WHICH COVER WOULD YOU CHOOSE, Including the one above?

 Rum Punch Jackie Brown Rum Punch Rum Punch

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Teaser Tuesday #72 – Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin @WriteThrillers

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Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of booksandabeat.

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!

~~~~~~

Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin

I was lucky enough to get a copy of Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin for a tour in September. I will be sharing my review then, but I wanted to give you a taste now.

For me, this has it all: a taste of the apocalypse, mystery, suspense, thriller, conspiracy, spies and politics, action and adventure.

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30812165

MY TEASE

“Shit, look”, Anderson said in a low voice.

Down the street, several figures walked out of the wall of smoke as if born from it. Hands covered their mouths and noses, but they strutted on. Gangbangers, vigilant and charged. Ready for something. In all, there were about fifteen of them. Several heavily armed.

(page 166 in paperback)

I love that cover and wonder where he is walking to and why. Will he make it wherever he is going safely? When I first started reading Bullet in the Blue Sky by Bill Larkin, it made me think of the Tom Hanks movie, Saving Private Ryan…only it takes place here in the US.

Add me to Goodreads

GOODREADS BLURB:  In the chaotic aftermath of a massive earthquake that leveled much of the Los Angeles region, a LAPD deputy chief sends an elite team of detectives on a rescue mission. They are ordered to set aside all law enforcement duties, to ignore the destruction and to focus on one task: Find LAPD Detective Gavin Shaw, who disappeared just before the earthquake.

Kevin “Schmitty” Schmidt of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department joins five others on the rescue team. With rioting, looting, attacks and homicides rampant in the streets, the six cops have to defend themselves while chasing down leads on the whereabouts of Shaw. The mission takes them through the dizzying war zone and the more they encounter, the more they wonder why they are searching for one man in these extreme circumstances. Why is this man so important to the deputy chief, and why now?

Schmitty discovers that others with high connections are also after Shaw. The questions pile even higher when they learn of a shadowy history between Shaw and the deputy chief. A history with deadly consequences for the team as they uncover a threat that elevates the mission to a race against time.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Save

Giveaway & Review – The Eaters by Corrie Brundage @Corrie_Brundage

Eaters_Origin_BannerThe Eaters: Book One of the Origin by Corrie Brundage has an amazing cover and I was very excited to be a part of the tour and given an opportunity to review the book.

I am very curious about the story inside. How about you?

TheEaters300RGBThe Eaters by Corrie Brundage

MY REVIEW

The cover for The Eaters by Corrie Brundage is so eerily intriguing that I can hardly wait to share the marvelous story inside with you. What do you think of the cover? What do you think the story will entail?

Dr Mina Brice works with non human species. She has a special relationship with animals, a telepathy of sorts. She is heading into the dangers of Nigeria. I am right there with her, with the animals, with the people and with Jack MacConnell, a hot and sexy doctor. Her fantasies run wild when she thinks of Jack and so do mine. Will there be a romance? It sounds like they will make a great team, so…Let’s see what kind of trouble will befall them.

Mina is a klutz. It makes her very human to me, until…She dies in a tsunami, awakening 500 years later in Utopia. Now, she is a clone, but not a “normal” clone. How? Why? Did Jack make it? Are things too good to be true? The saying: If it seems too good to be true applies. There is always a cost.

Due to climate change, global warming and animal extinction, she wonders if anyone is “out there”, watching. We did this to ourselves, so why would they save us if they were?

The Eaters by Corrie Brundage sent alarm bells ringing in my head. I am always looking for conspiracies and The Eaters raises many questions making me wonder about my own reality. I am super curious about this series. I love when reality crashes into science fiction and fantasy. It makes we wonder what will become of us, considering how badly we treat our world. I can see where the main storyline is going, but the parts and pieces along the way twisted and turned and I am LOVING it. Aliens….clones….

I was engrossed early on, quickly involved and I believe much trouble is coming her way.  As my suspicions arise, so does my anticipation of what is coming. The pace picks up as the questions increase, my doubts growing.

I loved this original and creative world written by Corrie Brundage and can hardly wait to see where she takes the series. This 260 page paperback copy was jam packed with aliens and science fiction goodness, suspense, danger and romance. The characters…well…if you are like me, some you will love and some you will hate, but they all have their contribution to make to this fantastic story. The conclusion was abrupt, but I can live with it, even if it ended here and now….but wait…there’s more, so stay tuned for the next book in the series.

I received a copy of The Eaters by Corrie Brundage in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

About Origin, The Eaters #1

 So not your usual post-apocalyptic, clone vs. hybrid romance-adventure…

Brilliant, brave, determined, and just a little bit…distracted.  Meet Dr. Mina Brice, dedicated savior of species, and scientist with a secret. On a planet ravaged by climate change, her ability to mind-meld with earth’s imperiled beasts has made her a valued member of a team dedicated to saving as many as they can from extinction.

Unfortunately, Mina’s inability to connect with her fellow humans has kept most of them at arms length. Except for Jack—handsome, dashing-with-a-touch of goofy, totally distracting Jack. Dr. Jack MacConnell was never supposed to be part of Mina’s gameplan.  But when thrown together on a crazy-dangerous mission, both fate and a deadly tsunami seem determined to propel them down the same fraught—and occasionally delicious—path. Perhaps forever?

 But forever turns out to be a fluid commodity when both awaken 500 years into the future in a city called Origin. Presided over by aliens known as The Travelers, it is a world at once familiar and totally strange. And for Mina and Jack, it will become a battleground…against a hybrid race of predators loosed on the human population, against those whose dark side is so very carefully hidden,  and even, as fate throws a heartwrenching twist their way, against…each other?

Corrie Brundage kicks off The Eaters trilogy with an intoxicating tale of pulse-pounding action for fans of urban fantasy and science fiction to devour and savor.

Goodreads | Amazon

ABOUT CORRIE BRUNDAGE

Corrie Brundage is a former model, opera singer, and personal trainer who, out of sheer boredom and personal relief from planetary insanity, completed five novels in the space of twelve months. She pumps iron, is a political junkie, and is a dedicated animal advocate.

Instagram | Tumblr | Twitter | Goodreads

***

GIVEAWAY

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)

Ends July 27th

Prizing is provided by the publisher, hosts are not responsible. Must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 18. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Free Book & Giveaway – Ghost Hope by Ripley Patton @rippatton @XpressoTours

Ghost Hope
Ripley Patton
(The PSS Chronicles #4)
Publication date: June 15th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult

Olivia Black does not feel safe. Nightmares plague her sleep and haunt her days. If she has to endure one more minute stuck in a safe house in rainy Portland, she’s going to lose it. When Mike Palmer sneaks off to find her sister Kaylee without her, it’s the last straw. She has to do something.

Then Palmer’s hackers find the Dome on a satellite feed: dark, abandoned and smack in the middle of the Oregon desert three hundred miles from where it started. If they can reach it before anyone else, they can crack the computer systems and access every piece of information on PSS the CAMFers and The Hold have ever collected.

But in order to do that, Olivia must return to the origin of her fears in a race against all the forces that have ever pitted themselves against her. She must unravel decades of deceit to reveal the true origins of Psyche Sans Soma to the world at last.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Previous books in the series:
Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000037_00040]

**Grab Ghost Hand (book 1) for FREE! Plus, book 2 & 3 are on sale for 99cents – until the end of June only!**

EXCERPT:

“Olivia!” My mother’s voice jolted me awake.

I sat up in the rental van’s passenger seat, wiping drool from my cheek. Chase and T-dog’s Westfalia had stopped in front of us at a massive gate rising out of the darkness, topped with barbed wire and sporting several Danger: High Voltage and No Trespassing on Federal Land signs.

We had arrived at Umatilla, and I’d fallen asleep, like I always did in a moving vehicle, before I’d explained to my mother that I’d lied about our destination. We were not on a scenic over-nighter up the Columbia River Gorge. That had just been a cover story.

“Olivia Anne Black,” she said, pointing at the gate. “What is that?”

“Um—I don’t know,” I stammered. “We must have taken a wrong turn.”

“Is this the motel?” Grant asked groggily from the back. It sounded like I wasn’t the only one who’d taken a nap.

“No, it’s not,” my mother answered testily. “What the hell is he doing?”

She was referring to T-Dog, who had gotten out of their van carrying something bulky under his arm. When he set it down and started fiddling with a controller in his hands, I realized it was one of those personal drones. Suddenly, the little thing lit up and went whirling into the air, kicking up dust and flying over the gate. On the other side, it dipped down and stopped, a green light flashing on its undercarriage as it hovered over some kind of control panel. As I watched, a green light began flashing on the panel too, like they were communicating with one another. Because they were. T-dog was hacking into Umatilla. He was breaking into a federally-owned chemical depot.

I could feel my mother turning toward me, a question in her eyes, her lips parting to ask it.

Headlights, high and wide, flashed in the rearview mirror, blinding me. They were barreling down on us, but I only heard the rev of the engine just before the crunch of impact.

The whole van jerked forward, shoving us toward the back of the Westfalia and stopping only inches from its rear bumper.

“What the—?” Grant yelled, and I heard cries of alarm from Passion and Samantha.

My seatbelt dug into my waist and my shoulder, but the airbags hadn’t deployed, so that was good.

In front of us, T-Dog scrambled back into their van and slammed his door. The gate started to open, the drone hovering on the other side, still blinking green.

There was another crunching sound and a slight tug backwards. Then, more revving.

“Hold on. They’re coming again,” my mother said, jamming the van into drive and laying on the horn like a mad woman. We couldn’t go anywhere. The Westfalia was right in front of us and some lunatic was behind us, gearing up to rear-end us a second time.

“We have to go through,” I told my mom, gesturing at the gate.

“I know,” she said, glaring out at the windshield and revving our engine now. “Get out of my way, you two. What are you waiting for?” she mumbled under her breath, laying on the horn again and not letting up.

The vehicle behind was almost upon us. I could hear it coming.

Up ahead, T-dog glanced at me in his side view mirror, but it was too dark to read his expression. Had he and Chase set us up? Was this their doing?

The gate was open wider now, maybe wide enough for the Westfalia, but would it be enough for our bigger van?

“Hold on,” my mom said, glancing in the rearview mirror and slamming her foot on the gas.

I braced myself, this time for impact from the back and front, but it didn’t come.

We surged forward, gently kissing the back bumper of the Westfalia, both of us racing through the still opening gate. I heard a horrible sound, metal screeching against metal, and sparks flew in a shower away from us as the huge closures of the gate scraped down both sides of our van.

As soon as we were free and clear, Chase veered off to the right and pulled to a stop. As we drove past, I could see T-Dog holding the drone remote out his window, working it frantically, trying to close the gate before our attackers made it in. But he wasn’t fast enough. The pick-up truck that had rear-ended us roared forward, squeezing through just like we had. For a moment, I thought it had a really weird hood ornament, but then I realized it was the drone, flying low and toward us in front of the truck.

“Get higher,” I murmured to the little thing. As if hearing me, it did, rising above the front of the truck only to plummet a second later just as the vehicle overtook it.

And then it was gone, sucked under the huge wheel of the big truck with a soft crunch and a shower of shrapnel spraying from its undercarriage.

“Stop the van,” I told my mother, but she’d already turned and was pulling up alongside the guys.

“Who is that?” I shouted out my window at Chase, pointing at the truck as it pulled up, headlights blinding us all, the gate clanging shut behind it.

“I have no idea,” he shouted back. “But I think we’re about to find out.”

A truck door slammed.

A dark form moved, crossing the dusty swathe of its high beams, and a man emerged, tall, wrinkled, and tan, a long rifle dangling from his right hand.

 

Author Bio:

Ripley Patton lives in Portland, Oregon with one cat, two teenagers, and a man who wants to live on a boat. She doesn’t smoke, or drink, or cuss as much as her characters. Her only real vices are writing, eating M&Ms, and watching reality television.

Ripley is an award-winning short story writer and author of The PSS Chronicles, a young adult paranormal thriller series. The first book in the series, GHOST HAND, was a semi-finalist for The Kindle Book Review 2013 Best Indie Book Awards and a Cybil Award Nominee.

The second book in the series, GHOST HOLD, was released in September 2013.

The third book in the series, GHOST HEART, was released in October 2014.

And GHOST HOPE, the final book of the series will be released in the Spring 2016.

You can find out more about Ripley and her fiction on her website at ripleypatton.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Friday 56 #87 & BB #63 – Gone Wild by James W Hall @jameswhall

.
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.

~~~

Gone Wild by James W Hall

I love to travel with murderous psychopaths to exotic locations. How about you?

MY FRIDAY 56

He played with the straw, lifted up a handful, let it fall on his belly. Lifted another handful, let it all on his belly. Burying himself in straw. Deeper and deeper till it was nearly dark. Trying to sleep in that dark, but unable to.

(page 56 in hardback)

MY BOOK BEGINNINGS

Allison Farleigh felt the dull tingle of a leech on her neck. Her fourth this week. With her right hand she reached back and touched the thing, fixed to her flesh like a damp strand of dough. She couldn’t see it, but knew the leech was black with an eerie inner shine like a dark tube of neon.

Add me to Goodreads

GOOREADS BLURB

THE JUNGLE WAS EERILY QUIET…THEN TWO ALMOST SIMULTANEOUS RIFLE BLASTS CUT HER DAUGHTER’S SCREAM IN HALF. THE EXPLOSIONS ECHOED THROUGH THE FOREST, SWEPT LIKE ICY WINDS DOWN THE DARK CANYONS OF ALLISON’S HEART…

As her daughter lay dead on the jungle floor, Allison cowers in a cave, hearing the poachers’ taunts, “All-iii-son, All-iii-son. Come out, come out, wherever you are.” They’re hunting game in Borneo. Human prey. Her. Allison Farleigh, the conservationist whose obsession with protecting wildlife has unleashed human savages, twin psychopathic killers trafficking in endangered species. From Malaysia to Miami they stalk her, even as she is driven by her own twin demons, rage and guilt. Desperate, Allison reaches out to the only man she knows can help: Thorn, a Florida renegade who knows the savagery in men’s hearts. Together they are plunged into a world gone wild, as the hunters corner the most dangerous game of all: a mother bent on revenge….

~~~

The cover below is the hardcover edition I have that was published in 1995 by Delacourte Press.
Which cover do you like best?
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Gone Wild (Thorn Mystery, #4)

~~~

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Giveaway – Forest of Demons @amoscassidy

A new voice in High Fantasy, Forest of Demons by Debbie Cassidy, is available for download today!

No one goes into the forest alone.

 No one steps off the beaten path.

 Nineteen-year- old Priya has lived in the shadow of the forest all her life. She knows the rules better than anyone. Do not go into the forest alone and never stray from the beaten path. Her village has lived in tentative peace with the inhabitants of the forest for decades, until the day that someone breaks the rules.

 With first blood drawn, Priya’s dreams of leaving for the Capitol are put on hold as the village goes into lockdown. The unbearable heat shifts to a bone-chilling winter and just as Priya thinks she will be trapped forever, two strangers stumble into the village with a fantastical story that will shatter all her conventions, freeing her at a horrifying cost.
Now Priya’s dreams are coming true, but in a way she could never have imagined, and the burden of protecting her people falls upon her shoulders. Will Priya succeed in delivering a message that could save them all?
From the dusty heat of a small village, to the icy grandeur of the Capitol, Priya must make an impossible journey.

 Freedom always comes at a price.

Grab your copy today!

Debbie Cassidy is a 35 year old multi-tasking ninja who lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her

three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuit s are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Debbie has been writing for eight years under the pen name Amos Cassidy with her best friend, Richard Amos, but Forest of Demons is her first solo venture, and the first book in a four book high fantasy saga.

You can connect with Debbie via her website at amoscassidyauthor.com. Check out her personal page and her other books under the pen name Amos Cassidy. You won’t be left without a great read while you wait for the next installment in the Forest of Demons saga.
Sign up to Debbie’s newsletter to get updates on her new releases: http://eepurl.com/bVywM5
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 Sign up to her Forest of Demons newsletter to get up to date information on new releases and take part in exclusive giveaways: http://eepurl.com/bVywM5
Sign up to the Amos Cassidy newsletter and receive two free novellas and information on new releases, exclusive giveaways and much more: http://amoscassidyauthor.com/amoscassidy-free-download/
GIVEAWAY:
$15 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends 5/25
Giveaway is provided by the tour organizer, hosts are not responsible in any way. You must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win.

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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Europa Awakenings by P R Garcia – A Must Read Epic Saga Giveaway

Europa Awakenings by Pam Garcia has an amazing cover that made me feel I had to have it. After reading the synopsis I knew I had to have it. I even enjoyed learning about Pam from her bio, be sure and check it out. Her commitment to the oceans around us makes me feel I have met a kindred spirit.

I realize this is a long post, put P R Garcia has so many wonderful things to share, I could not decide what to keep and what to discard…so I included it all! Sci-fi, fantasy, reality…you decide.

Let’s welcome P R Garcia and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of the post!

GUEST POST FROM P R GARCIA

EUROPA Awakenings in the first book in the EUROPA Series, a collection of six novels that addresses the question of “What happened to Atlantis?”  It is a new, fresh concept connecting the legendary city to *******’s ice moon, Europa and to the ancient city of Puma Punku in Bolivia, plus gives an explanation as to why the city was sunk overnight and what happened to the inhabitants.  (Hint:  They’re still here)

INSPIRATION FOR BOOK

EUROPA Awakenings came about as an inspiration while watching a documentary one uneventful day.  I am a big sci-fi fan and watch numerous shows about possible life on other planets and moons.  This particular day the documentary was discussing *******’s moon, Europa.  I had never heard of this moon and was completely enthralled.  She is totally shielded by a thick layer of ice and astrologists believe that beneath her ice there exists a moon-wide ocean that may contain simple life.  Immediately, I wondered why the life had to be simple?  Europa has been in existence almost as long as Earth has, so why couldn’t it contain complex-life?  Even sentient life?  And since it is a closed-environment, uninfluenced by anything in the universe, the possibilities could be endless.  That idea sparked the beginning of the Europa Series concept.  When I went to bed that night, my thoughts were still filled with the possibilities, thus causing me to dream about a race of intelligent beings, called Oonocks, who had to flee Europa and came to Earth – the Atlantians.  For the next few days the thoughts of Europa and the Atlantians filled my mind, as well as my dreams.  Unable to shake the thoughts, I sat down at my computer and began to type, hoping to possible write one book.   When EUROPA Awakenings was finished, I stopped typing, but the feeling that there was more of her story to be told plagued my thoughts.  I’m no working on book number ten.

Currently EUROPA Awakenings has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon and a 5 star rating on Goodreads.  (Which I consider very good since the Harry Potter Collection has a 4.5 star rating and the Star Wars Trilogy has a 4.6 rating.)  It received a 5 star Reader’s Favorite Rating.

A huge thanks to P R Garcia and I am very excited to share all her goodies with YOU, my readers.

coveror1with seal

Add me to Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am AMAZED and BLOWN AWAY by the epic saga, Europa Awakenings by P R Garcia!

I was hooked from the beginning and putting down this almost 500 page novel was done with much reluctance, but my hands hurt from holding the book and my eyes are blurring, making the words almost unreadable. I read the book slower than normal, savoring the story unfolding page by page, experience by experience, good and bad, life and death and above all, love and sacrifice.

Atlantis was born from a need to hide…hide not just from their enemies, but us…humans. If aliens are watching us, walking among us, it would behoove them to be wary, secretive. I agree with P R Garcia’s writing, we humans kill what we fear.

Mermaids? No. Underwater creatures? Yes. Humans? Yes.

Europa has no idea she comes from Atlantis, from a alien race forced to leave their planet.

This is her journey of discovery.

The first threat comes from a source I figured out pretty quick. I pride myself on that. It also creates a great twist to the story.

I knew there would be a romance and I wondered where her boyfriend, Terrance would come from. Would he be alien or human? Does love conquer all? We shall see.

The characters are so much more than they seem, changing forms, sacrificing, always loving, doing their duty to protect…her. The characters and world building are complex and developed to such a point, I feel I am there, interacting with them. I feel their paralyzing terror, their need to protect at the cost of their own lives. I weep with those who mourn their fallen soldiers.

Of course, I love Europa and her soulmate, Terrance, a naive human that has no idea what he has stepped into, but goes all out just to be at her side. I don’t know if I can choose just one hero, but I love Jeanip. Loyalty and duty could be his middle name. With a protector such as Jeanip, I cannot help but feel they will survive, but will he?

As P R Garcia explains what happens when they return to the water to die, it makes me think of spreading a loved ones ashes on the water, allowing them to travel on.

Europa Awakenings contains so much action and adventure, the suspense and pacing so intense, the book is unputdownable.  Everywhere I look, there is another hint of danger. The sense of impending doom follows me through the pages. I know something is coming, I just don’t know when. More than once, P R Garcia caught me by surprise and I love that.

Europa Awakenings is a wonderful combination of the paranormal and supernatural, myth and folklore, fantasy and romance. P R Garcia took me to the depths of hell and brought me up to the light of the sun. I am at a loss for words to describe the elaborate and imaginative world and characters, on land and in water, that Pam has created. I am entranced, enthralled, amazed and astounded.

There will be much more of their story, but…for now…they are safe.

I am so happy that Book II is on its way!

I received a copy of Europa Awakenings by P R Garcia in return for an honest review.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos  5 Stars

ABOUT EUROPA AWAKENINGS

EUROPA Awakenings is the story of a young human who’s heard of Atlantis, but never given it much thought. All she knows is that she is going off to college and will, at last, be free of the strict security rules she must live by.  But her future is a delusion, her life a fabrication, a charade created to keep her from knowing the truth.  And what neither she nor her protectors know is that their family’s enemy has returned and is stalking her, waiting for his chance to end her life.

The day after her birthday, Europa’s perfect world is destroyed when JeffRa assassinates her mother, believing she was Europa. Seeking solace in her mother’s bedroom, Europa discovers an entrance to a secret attic where she finds picture of her parents hundreds of years old. But the most terrifying find is her mother’s diary. Inside, Queen Medaron wrote that Europa would be born human and never know who she really was. Unwavering in her attempt to learn the truth, she embarks on a journey of discovery, a journey of many dangers as JeffRa chases her, determined to personally end her life. Along the way, Europa will lose almost everyone and everything she loves, learn that shapeshifters are real and the powers of magical Orbs.  Somehow, through all of this, she must discover the truth of her past and awaken the queen inside her. To accomplish both, she has to learn and accept the true story of Atlantis, embrace the Oonock race and identify with what lies beneath the ice shield of Europa.

ABOUT P R GARCIA

When asked who I am, I usually tell people I am a not-too-grayed-haired old lady who, at the age of 61, was inspired to write a book.  The book turned into two, then three.  In three years I have written nine and am presently working on book ten.  All are full length novels, averaging 464 pages each.

In 2008, I moved from Michigan to Southern California.  Since I grew up along Lake Erie, I had a love for the water, so it wasn’t long before I could hear the ocean calling to me.  I began to volunteer on the whale watching boats as a naturalist through Birch Scripps Aquarium and the San Diego Natural History Museum.  It is there that I expanded my knowledge of cetaceans and other marine life, a knowledge and love I carried into the books.

MY DREAMS

To see my story play out on the big screen before I leave this world.  My other dream is to receive at least one hundred reviews on the books.  I welcome both favorable reviews and those with criticism.

For more information about the books, or me, visit my website:  prgarcia1.com.  There is an index on the web site showing the characters, as well as a listing of places and Oonock terms.   I have a YouTube video on EUROPA Awakenings at https://youtu.be/EvSVloULZ2I

I just recently updated the cover of EUROPA Awakenings to better reflect the story.  The cover now shows the red-haired Europa, with her sanctuary, Saint’s Isle, on the right had side, and the presence of large whale’s tail on the left.  The whale is key to her survival, but you’ll have to read the story to find out who he is.  The first chapter was also updated, so you will note that the paperback holds a release date of 2-27-2016, while the eBook maintains the original 12-9-2013 date.  They are both the same book.  Due to the significant changes in Chapter One, the paperback required a new ISB Number and a new release date.

 EUROPA Awakenings can be ordered through any bookstore or online on Amazon.  For exciting news about the ocean, cetaceans or important environmental issues, you can follow my Facebook page Europa Awakenings, which is just shy of 1300 likes.

Check out her website here.

GIVEAWAY

We have a fabulous giveaway to share with you. There will be two winners. P R Garcia is offering a signed copy to one US commenter and one ebook to another commenter, so International  is all good. Entry is easy…just leave your email and answer the question:

If anything is possible, what would you do first to help our oceans and the creatures who live there?

Giveaway will run from 4/5/16 – 4/19/16.

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Teaser Tuesday #65 – Icy Passage @AnnGimpel

Welcome to my Teaser Tuesday #65 – Icy Passage by Ann Gimpel.

Teaser

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Booksandabeat.

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!

~~~~~~

I was very happy to get a copy of Icy Passage by Ann Gimpel for a review tour and I am so glad I did. Stop back by for my review on April 7, 2016, if this sounds good to you.

The title caught me first. Most of the time it is the cover…but check out this cover. Hot and cold! Who does the guy make you think of? It jumps right out at me and I am curios to see if anyone else makes the connection.

Icy PassageAdd me to Goodreads now

MY TEASE

“Would you like me to spell you watching Kayna. You’re dead on your feet.”

Brynn shook his head. “No. But if things turn to shit, I’d like to be able to call you. It might take two of us to keep her alive.”

(83% on Kindle)

GOODREADS BLURB

Author’s Note: This book has been substantively rewritten and re-edited from the original. It’s over 20% longer, and tells a more satisfying tale.

Tumble into the icy danger of Antarctica with a blazing hot romance. Mittens and fan required.

Fresh out of residency, Dr. Kayna Quan opts for a tour in Antarctica. Money is short, so she hires on as medical officer aboard a Russian research vessel headed for McMurdo Station. Primed for almost anything, she plays her paranormal ability close to the vest.

Stationed on remote South Georgia Island for two years, Brynn McMichaels is eager for a change. When cultures of the single-celled organism, archaea, overgrow their bins in his lab and begin shifting into another form, he worries he’s losing his mind and talks with scientists at McMurdo, but they have problems of their own—bad ones. Brynn agrees to help. The weather’s too uncertain to send a plane, so he hitches a ride aboard Kayna’s ship and brings his mutant culture colonies along.

Attraction sparks, urgent, hot and powerful, between Brynn and Kayna, but her disclosure about her magic is a tough nut to crack. It doesn’t help that her dead father is stalking her. Lethal cultures, bizarre illness, and McMurdo’s refusal to let them land force Brynn and Kayna into an uneasy alliance. Will their fragile bond be enough to thwart the powers trying to destroy Earth, and them along with it?

 

  • To see all my Giveaways, go HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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