Aurora’s brother had been murdered, but only after being tortured.
I love that she is alone…in the middle of the night…
Thump. What’s that? Is it the cat? Thump. Uh-oh. I know Jane…and that is no cat!
Hide? Run? Too late. Merry Christmas to her. 🙁
Brady…Okay, I didn’t see that coming. Instalove…Instalust…The scenario is pretty far fetched, but it is fiction and I do love to forget the logical and set my mind free to follow where the author wants to take me.
Do you want a short, easy read, with thrills, chills and a happy ever after? You might want to give this a try.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Diamond Star by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
~ Part of the Heart of a Hunk multi-author box set ~
It’s
Christmas Eve, and Aurora Kinsley is grieving her brother who was
recently murdered. That quickly becomes the least of her concerns when
she wakes in the middle of the night to find four men trashing the
house. To survive the mess her brother left behind, she’ll have to put
her trust in one of the men who killed her only sibling.
** Warning: Graphic violence and themes of sexual assault/abuse **
I am not a huge scifi fan, but after reading The Heights of Perdition by C S Johnson, I knew this was a series that I really wanted to finish. Thankfully, C S Johnson agree. So…here we are on The Breadth of Creation, Book II of the Divine Space Pirates Trilogy. You will want to read them in order.
The Breadth of Creation by C S Johnson is the second book in the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. I loved the first book and was ecstatic when I received the rest of the series. It’s rare when I do finish a series and this is one where I felt I had to know the ending. So let’s get started.
the Breadth of Creation picks up where The Heights of Perdition by C S Johnson left off.
Aerie is anything but predictable and that makes for some exciting reading. I like a person that bucks the system and shows some independence. After all, it is thinking outside the box that brings about advancement.
The Heights of Perdition made me think of the Patrick Swayze movie Red Dawn. I loved it, so it was easy for me to get lost in Aerie’s world.
To keep from spoiling things for you, I will only tell you that Aerie feels something in her life is very wrong. And that is putting it mildly.
Rebels, dissenters and the religious are ready to fight for their right to live in freedom. It’s the usual debate of those who wish to rule and use an iron fist to do it. Outlaw religion, the arts and anything else that helps people to dream of what could be. But…how far can you push someone before they push back?
C S John has created a believable world that shows both sides of humanity, with all the gray areas popping up, because that’s life. It could be our future. Lots of food for thought and seeing that the trilogy is complete, I will not have to wait to see how they resolve their lives. That is always a plus in my book.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Breadth of Creation by C S Johnson.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Life in the United
Revolutionary States has never been easy for Aerie St. Cloud. Recovering
from recent injuries and unable to recall the last few weeks of her
life, she feels haunted by a growing absence in her memory. Stepping out
in search of the truth, she is determined to get the answers she
seeks—even if they only bring her more pain.
After losing Aerie,
Exton Shepherd once more faces the temptation to take his revenge
against the URS, and General St. Cloud in particular. With the help of
his family, community, and Aerie’s long-lost mother, Merra, he leads
them into battle to reclaim the Ecclesia’s outpost of Chaya in hopes of
finding inner peace.
Surrounded by secrets and deception, and
plagued by their own shortcomings, can Aerie and Exton find their way
back to each other without sending the world into further chaos?
ABOUT C S JOHNSON
C.
S. Johnson is the author of several young adult novels, including
sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles series,
the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy.
With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in
Atlanta with her family. Find out more at http://www.csjohnson.me.
Okay, this is my second attempt to create my review post for Deception Bay by Chris Patchell. I had the review written since November, but was waiting for it to release this month to get all the details. Then, it got buried in my draft folder and now…Any of you who have switched to the new WordPress **** know how frustrating this can be. I pushed the schedule button and voila…it disappeared…gone forever.
But not so Deception Bay. I love the gorgeous cover and it holds all the elements to hook me. I was also traveling when I read the book, so my notes from reading it back in November are scarce and my memory…well, let’s not discuss that. LOL
I love a prologue, especially one like Deception Bay’s that immediately hooked me and never let me go.
Austin is heading home to Whidbury Island to see about his mom, who has been in an accident.
He has a panic attack and meets Ellie.
The cat…named CAT after Inspector Clouseau’s valet because he’s sneaky and attacks when you least expect it. Makes for some hilarious scenes and I do like the extra fun with the critter.
If Austin wasn’t a writer, I might mistake him for Jim Rockford, from the Rockford Files. He’s constantly getting beat on. Love the character.
I figured out some of the mystery from the prologue, but I’m still working on the who. Why would anyone want to hurt his mother? Sure, she had issues, but who wouldn’t when their Golden Boy was taken from them before his time.
Austin is forced to face his past and the inner demons that he can’t seem to get rid of. He grows, changes, forgives and solves a couple of mysteries along the way.
Three deaths, past and present.
A wonderful tale of secrets, murder and mystery, with laughs along the way. I do love some chuckles with my murder
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Deception Bay by Chris Patchell.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
She’s armed. He’s dangerous. Together, can they stop a killer from tearing a small island community apart?
When
wise-cracking cozy mystery author, Austin Martell, left his hometown on
Whidbey Island for the bright lights of New York, he vowed he would
never go back. But some promises are impossible to keep, and when Austin
discovers that his mother has suffered a serious accident, he has no
choice but to return. Austin soon learns that her accident may be no
accident at all, and secrets that were laid to rest after his brother’s
tragic death off the coast of Deception Bay, have now begun to surface.
Austin
finds himself in the center of a real-life murder mystery, when Police
Chief Ellie Sharpe uncovers a curious connection between the author and
the death of a local businessman. Born and raised on Whidbey and trained
as a New York cop, Ellie is smart, and tough, and determined to solve
the mystery behind the killing before more people die. Sparks fly as the
two pair up to figure out who is responsible for the murder. The closer
they come to discovering truth, the more desperate someone is to keep
the sins of the past from coming to light.
Someone close to Austin harbors a deadly truth. Can Ellie unmask a killer before Austin becomes one more secret buried beneath the waves of Deception Bay?
ABOUT CHRIS PATCHELL
Chris Patchell is the bestselling author of In the Dark and the Indie Reader Discovery Award winning novel Deadly Lies. Having recently left her long-time career in tech to pursue her passion for writing full-time, Chris pens gritty suspense novels set in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her family and two neurotic dogs.
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.
~~~
Kristine Mason is one of my favorite authors, ever since I read the CORE Shadow Trilogy. She writes some fantastic stories and I would like to share one of her latest in the Mechanics & Mayhem Series, Sully. Looking for a sizzling hot thriller? Sully may be for you.
Tears
slipped down her cheeks. “Was the driver alive when you left?”
(page 56 in Word)
BOOK BEGINNINGS
DETECTIVE JANE
COOPER’S heartbeat pounded in her ears as a tow truck, police cruisers and
ambulances came into view. She parked along the shoulder of US-90 and drew in a
deep breath, hoping the sudden wave of anxiety-induced dizziness would pass.
When one of her fellow Violent Crimes Unit detectives, Keith Pierson,
approached her car, she quickly wiped her sweaty palms along her pants, then
exited.
GOODREADS BLURB
Army veteran and mechanic Sully Dolan spent decades avoiding a serious relationship. After how he’d been raised, he never understood why people bothered with love. Sex, sleep and food were all he needed. Then he meets Detective Jane Cooper.
Sully was supposed to be a one-night-stand. From the moment Jane gripped his hair and fell naked onto his bed, she’d told herself as much. Only one night turned into two, then three… Jane wants to be with Sully, but because of a dark secret that could destroy her if discovered, she brings their relationship to a screeching halt.
After Sully’s best friend is found unconscious on the side of a road, with a dead man next to him, Jane is thrust back into his life as lead detective for the investigation. Although bitter she ended things between them, Sully still misses her. But after too many rejections, how could he trust that she won’t stomp on his heart again? As they try to work through their differences, the past comes back to haunt Jane. Not only could her secrets be revealed and once again tear her and Sully apart, if she isn’t careful…she could lose her life.
I have read several stories by Lawna Mackie now and I am definitely hooked on her writing. I’ve read about a gargoyle, a cowboy, and now a gypsy. She also has some great covers. And that tagline…makes me want to go to the circus and meet Avalon.
Gypsy Bride is my third book by Lawna Mackie and I was eager to begin reading. I enjoyed My Gargoyle and Stiletto & Spurs, so now it’s off to the circus. I don’t find a lot of gypsy stories and I do love to read about the free spirit of the Romani.
Maverick and his partner were roused from bed by a ringing telephone. Their presence was requested in helping to find a missing girl. That scene had me smiling and looking forward to another fun read by Lawna Mackie.
Avalon’s grandmother had said…Go…Meet your destiny. So she did. Now, she’s stranded.
A beautiful, talented Romani woman, a circus performer, horses and a fox to work with, two handsome men vying for her hand in marriage and a domineering father. I don’t think I have read about a fox as a woman’s friend and I do like that Lawna Mackie incorporates the unique in her stories.
Her biological clock is ticking…and there he is, to the rescue. It may be instalove for him, but it is destiny for her.
Sizzling hot romance meets some bumps on the road to bliss.
Lawna Mackie writes with wonderful creativity making her characters come to life, making me become involved in their lives and well being, and me hanging on every word to learn their story.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Gypsy Bride by Lawna Mackie.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Free spirited, athletic
and absolutely stunning. He stared at the beautiful horse who had
captured the audience’s attention—then he saw her. Astride the
magnificent animal, Avalon Boswell commanded the horse’s attention
without so much as a bridle or saddle. In the small town of Black
Hills, Montana, Park Ranger, Maverick McGregor had not expected Avalon
the Romani Gypsy horse rider to capture and control his heart the way
she did with her horses.
After listening to her tarot
card-reading grandmother, Avalon ends up being rescued off the mountain
by Maverick—maybe her grandmother had been correct. Avalon is dedicated
to the equestrian show An Evening Under the Stars. Night after night she
performs effortlessly but time is running out for her. Prearranged
marriages were a thing of the past, but her father refused to break her
upcoming nuptials.
With the risk of losing everything including Maverick, Avalon makes a deal. She has five days to convince her fiancé she is not the woman for him, and then somehow try to convince Maverick he’s the only one for her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lawna
Mackie was born in Jasper, Alberta. After finishing high school and
post secondary she moved to Calgary, Alberta, married her husband and
settled in the small town of Didsbury, Alberta.
Lawna would tell you that a lot of her
creativity comes from her mother, who could design and build, just about
anything. Her mother never lacked the talent for hand-making toys. “She
always amazed me. My brother and I were never bored because she made us
flutes, toy cars, and even parallel bars in the trees,” she explains.
Her other creative inspiration comes
from her husband Jeff, and the many adventures they have had. It was on
one particular trip to British Columbia, when she stopped at the
Enchanted Forrest that the fairy tale world called to her to write a
story.
Along with the love she has for her
husband and family, is the deep admiration and compassion she has for
animals. “They bring so much joy and inspiration to my life I don’t know
how I would ever live without them,” she says. Alaskan Malamutes are
near and dear to her heart. With one Malamute, one Bichon Shih Tzu, one
farm cat and a Bengal, her house is never quiet.
Lawna writes contemporary romance and
paranormals. One fan writes, “Lawna’s books are well-written and are
impossibly good! The scenes are unexpected and very creative. I highly
recommend her books!”
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.
~~~
I read Heaven Enough, Book I (see my review HERE) some time ago and loved it, so I am very excited to share the cover for Ken La Salle’s new sequel, Heaven Denied.
MY 56 is the first paragraph, since I don’t have the book…yet.
In the remains of a bedroom down in the seaside town of Ocean Beach, California, a broken man bolted out of a nightmare and returned to his life.
(published in 2018)
GOODREADS BLURB
What would it be like to have heaven enough?
For
just a few, brief days on the Pacific Crest Trail, Matt Murphy knew. He
fell in love, faced his true self, and came to understand what was
really important in life – until the woman he fell in love with died and
his life was cast into the chaotic emptiness of grief. Within that
emptiness, Matt lost his wealth, his job, and everything that helped his
life make sense.
Matt believed he could accept that if it really
was the price of true love… Until he learned that the woman he loved
had already been married.
Where that left him and what it meant
for the love he thought they shared, Matt couldn’t know. His only
recourse would be to meet the man who had married his love and
understand what that love had meant to him. How could he have lost her?
How could he have pushed her aside? How could he have given her up when
losing her broke so much of what was left of Matt’s heart?
Matt
is going to have to find out. Even if it means blundering through
another relationship, driving into a lake, just a bit of kidnapping, and
possibly facing the kind of man he really is, was, and always will be.
The results of which could change Matt’s life forever…
I love anything to do with water, so when I was given the opportunity to dive into Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day, I was all in. Do you believe in the lost city? How about Poisedon?
Woo Hoo! Alyssa Day has certainly caught my attention with an empathic Riley Dawson and a hot group of Poseidon’s warriors that are on a treasure hunt, of sorts. I know I’m all tingly and ready to go. lol
Her grief called to him. It would not be denied. He must got to her.
The mental telepathic dialogue had me cracking up, so I put a smile on my face and prepared myself for a fun, sexy read. I mean, she’s an empath and he’s a high prince, the first of Poseidon’s warriors, so what could possibly go wrong.
“You’re not going to drink my blood or rip my arms off, are you? Because my day has really sucked, and I’m so not up for that,” she said…
Barrabas, a powerful vampire, felt the disturbance caused by their meeting. Oh man, so cool. Water warriors and blood sucking Vampires. What more could I want? I am hooked and happy.
Everything Conlan does is for Atlantis, so denying his overwhelming desire for Riley, who is not only a forbidden human, but also an empath, literally brought him to his knees. Conlan and his warriors were tasked with protecting the humans from shapeshifters and vampires, and were clearly from the Land of Hunk.
I am feeling upbeat, having fun, sharing Conlan and Riley’s internal dialogue and lovin ‘ every minute of it. And now we find out why they are above ground…Poseidon’s Trident has been stolen. Conlan could lose his kingdom if they don’t recover it.
“You’re not a vampire, because you’ve got a heartbeat,” she said. “Are you a shapeshifter? What kind of furry are you going to get?” He laughed. “I’m not going to turn furry, brave one. I am nothing you know.”
Conlan knows that empaths don’t exist, yet here’s Riley. He also knows that the soul meld doesn’t exist, yet how to explain the sparks between them.
Well, Alyssa, you drew me in, kept me riveted to the pages, worrying and fretting, laughing and smiling, never letting me go. The action kept the story flowing as I devoured the words. The world created was full of wonder and I am so happy to have been able to visit Atlantis and meet all these fabulous characters that escaped from the mind of Alyssa Day.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlanteans,
Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans
in the new world. There was only one rule-desiring them was forbidden.
But rules were made to be broken…
When she calls… Riley
Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She’s
blessed with a mind link that only Atlanteans have been able to access
for thousands of years. Being an “empath” may explain her wistful
connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides,
and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below…
He will come. Conlan,
the High Prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve
Poseidon’s stolen trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the
intimate emotions-and desires-of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the
uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst
of a battle to reclaim Poseidon’s power, how long can a forbidden love
last between two different souls from two different worlds?
ABOUT ALYSSA DAY
Alyssa Day is the pen name (and dark and tortured alter ego) of RITA award-winning author Alesia Holliday. She is a multiple finalist in the prestigious RITA awards for excellence in romance fiction and has won several awards for her novels.
ATLANTIS RISING was the first of Alyssa’s Warriors of Poseidon novels for Berkley Publishing, and was featured on the cover of the March, 2007, issue of Romantic Times BOOKClub magazine! Additionally, it rocked the bestseller lists, hitting the Waldenbooks, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Bookscan, and the prestigious USA Today bestseller lists! ATLANTIS AWAKENING came along several months together and did the same thing – only better!! And then her anthology SHIFTER, with authors Angela Knight, Lora Leigh, and Virginia Kantra, spent three weeks on the prestigious New York Times bestseller list!
Her publisher was thrilled, her family was thrilled (they could eat!), her dogs were thrilled (bacon!!). Now she’s happily writing her fingers off, deep in the world of Atlantis, the Warriors of Poseidon, and a new exciting group of allies (??), the Fae.
Alyssa has long been an avid fan of all things Atlantis, supernatural, and in any way pertaining to lost civilizations. When she was six, she told her mother that she would discover Atlantis one day—and now she has!
In 2006, Alyssa (writing as Alesia) was awarded the Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. The RITA is the highest award of excellence in the genre of romance fiction. If we can get this new website on track, you’ll see a picture on your right of Alyssa with her agent and editor the night she won the RITA® award.
