"Blood Related" by William Cook - Review and Giveaway

BLOOD RELATED

BY WILLIAM COOK

 

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS EXCERPTS FROM "BLOOD RELATED" THAT INCLUDE PROFANITY AS WELL AS GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL REFERENCES THAT SOME MAY FIND OFFENSIVE OR DISTURBING

"I remember looking at Charlie and noticing he was visibly erect as he stood there staring, trembling with excitement and fear.

The sick fuck.

I would never stoop to be so obvious.

How tactless!
 

My curiosity got the better of me and I made the mistake of asking Pa why they had to die and, just before he knocked me unconscious, he said that they were a ‘present for a pig.’ Later on, I would find out for myself exactly who Ray Truman was and what he was capable of."

My Review


“Blood Related” is a fascinating journey through the mind and life of a third-generation serial killer. He is both a victim and a victimizer. He is deeply damaged and mentally ill. He embraces and is turned on by his murderous lifestyle.  He finds fulfillment in it and sees it as an expression of who he is. But he also knows it’s wrong and dreams of “one day becoming a better person”.

THE RADIO MURDERS: THE COLLECTORS

By Chuck Collins

“The Radio Murders: The Collectors” by Chuck Collins is a compelling story that pulled me in from the first page and never let me go. The plot was tight and well paced. Every page revealed something new and intriguing. Every character was well developed and interesting, none of them ordinary or predictable. My only complaint is the end of the story.  It was a total surprise and I found some of it not completely believable.

The story begins with a standoff between a woman who has killed several people before and a man she believes has something of great value to her. The entire ordeal is aired live on the radio show that is hosted by the brother of the murderous woman. When the opening scene ends, we are left with many questions that are dealt with in the rest of the book. It’s a story of family and greed and the things we will do for either. It has intrigue, sex, exotic locations, politics, and murder. The one thing it does not have is a dull moment.

The behavior of some characters at the end of the book seemed contrary to their nature and out of character to me. This is my only criticism of the book. It’s a ride that starts on page one and keeps moving and turning until the very last page. I highly recommend “The Radio Murders: The Collectors” if you’re looking for a fun, intriguing read. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

Blog Tour Review - "Wanderlust" by Elieba Levine

Publisher: Pinnacle (September 26, 2012)

Category: Erotica
Tour Dates: March, 2013
Available in: ebook  196 pages

ADVENTURE From New York to Kenya to Katmandu, Jane Perry sets out to explore the world and finds romance and excitement at every turn... PASSION From Bali to Sydney to Hawaii, Jane follows her heart's desires... and leaves behind men who will never forget her... WANDERLUST An erotic odyssey of passion and obsession. Part of a trilogy: Wanderlust, Interludes, Escapes

 About Elieba Levine:

 

Elieba Levine is a passionate writer and discerning editor who currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has written five fiction novels, a picture book, and an award-winning screenplay. Her extensive world travels greatly influenced the settings in her erotic trilogy Wanderlust, Interludes, and Escapes-which have recently been released in electronic format. She is currently working on her next novel.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EliebaLevine
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Elieba-Levine/118028291680615?ref=hl

My Review:

"Wanderlust" is the story of passionate affairs had by Jane Perry as she travels to exotic places all over the world. The descriptions of her travels add interest to the story and provide some insight into things one might witness in these locations - things like the exotic animals and their behavior in Kenya and the markets of Kathmandu. 

I found the characters flat and didn't care much for the main character. Every time she turned around there was a man she was considering have sex with. I understand that the point of the book was that Jane was allowing herself to have new experiences but she just seemed easy to me. A total stranger on a plane asks her to share his room and she agrees. I would have liked more intrigue, more emotion, more connection between the objects of her desire.

The sex scenes were fairly well done. I did get caught up in some of them. But it didn't help the book overall much. Much of the plot was very predictable and lacked much imagination.  

"Just Breathe" by Kendall Grey

JUST BREATHE

By Kendall Grey

So . . . well . . . I'm not an official part of the "Just Breathe" blog tour today but I just have to share my review or I might bust!

There were parts of this book that I wasn't crazy about, things I could nitpick about. But I'm not going to do that because this book deserves better than that.   

First, the characters.  I will go on and on about Zoe and Gavin shortly but we cannot overlook Sinnder and Scarlet.    I talked about Scarlet in a previous review.  I loved her then and I love her in this book.  She is beautiful, oozes sexiness and is the embodiment of evil.  What's not to love? She's fun in her own devilish way.  Lust pours out of her.  She knows what she wants and heaven help the person who gets in her way!

And then there is Sinnder - sort of a male version of Scarlet but with some morals.  He fills women with desire and knows it.  He literally can get them in bed, give them the most amazing night of their life, and have them wondering how the heck they ended up with him the next morning. They don't care how though, they just want more. He has a conscience though and, unlike Scarlet, he knows when he should dial it back.  He also hates Scarlet.  We find out why at the end of "Just Breathe". 

Zoe and Gavin - {deep, audible sigh}.  What can I say?  They're beautiful - inside and out.  Meant to be together (literally - there's a charming story about this). They save each other from themselves.  They show each other real love.  They hurt each other.  They forgive.  They go on and love each other even more. And then there is the sex.  (Noticing a pattern here?) 

The sex between Zoe and Gavin is a whole different ball game than what we associate with Scarlet or Sinnder.  It is physically amazing but it's way beyond physical.  It's heart and soul and body and mind.  The sex is amazing because of all of the non-sexual parts of their relationship.  It's on a whole new level because their love for each other is on a whole new level.

I could go on about Zoe and Gavin but I'll shut up because I want to talk about the main message of "Just Breathe". There are many purely fantasy things about "Just Breathe" - battling elementals, talking whales, and the Dreaming to name a few.  But the lesson it illustrates is very real.

"Just Breathe" is about real love - between lover, friends or family - and love vs sex.  It's about the unselfish nature of real love.  Gavin is tempted by the undeniable sexual magnetism of Scarlet.  Even Zoe is tempted by the fire of Sinnder that fills her head with ecstasy-filled images. Neither of them even briefly considers that they love these people.  I won't say anything to spoil the plot but suffice it to say that they both know that their love for each other vastly surpasses any fleeting thoughts of sexual encounters with anyone else.

"Just Breathe" is also about the unselfish nature of real love.  Real love is not "what's in it for me". Real love is me wanting the best for the other person, whether I gain from it or not.  

I'll quit gushing now. I'm a big fan of Zoe and Gavin and the more I read the deeper I fell for them.  Get the book.  Read it.  Laugh, cry, roll your eyes, fight the internal battle between loving some of the things Scarlet says and does and hating her evilness. Bet you'll want some vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce when you're done. (Read the book, you'll understand. ;) )
 




  

"Exhale" by Kendall Grey

EXHALE

by KENDALL GREY

COVER DESCRIPTION

The man of Zoe Morgan’s dreams isn’t only real, he’s interested. In her. But her boss wants her too, and is leveraging his unsolicited advances with the threat of blocking the huge promotion she's after. When he places a spy on her research team, the intense stranger discovers more than he should, and Zoe fears hiding a relationship with Gavin Cassidy from her boss is the least of her worries. The whale she must protect has been marked for death, and Zoe's old enemy Scarlet is eager to deliver the killing blow. To both of them.

Australia’s Sentinels must find and lock the door into the Dreaming before Fyre Elementals launch another attack on innocent dreamers. But corruption and distrust abound, and Gavin believes someone on the Sentinel council is in league with the Fyres. As he reluctantly embraces his new role as council leader, Gavin must not only keep Zoe safe from Scarlet's vengeful clutches, but organize a Sentinel defense strong enough to prevent a full-blown Elemental war—with a traitor fighting by his side.

*This book contains graphic language, sex, and violence. Not suitable for readers under the age of 18.

**The author will donate all profits from the sale of the JUST BREATHE trilogy to programs that educate people about whales and the challenges they face.

MY REVIEW 

"Exhale" continues the story begun in Kendall Grey's book "Inhale".  It is the second in a series of three and I enjoyed it more than I did "Inhale".  

by Chinese artist An He

I understood the Elements theme a bit better in this book, which made it easier to follow.  That part of the story hasn't hooked me so far though.  And, like in "Inhale", I wasn't crazy about some of the metaphors in this book. There are other pieces in this book that do have me completely pulled in and eager to read about in "Just Breathe", the last in the series.  In fact, as soon as I finished "Exhale" I downloaded "Just Breathe" to my Kindle and started reading right away.

Zoe and Gavin are so completely, passionately, truly in love.  I may have to have a word with Ms Grey if they don't end up together at the end of "Just Breathe"!  Their desire for each other, the sexual attraction, is smoking hot.  The descriptions of their sexual experiences on a physical, emotional, and mental level pull you in.  I found myself reading faster when things started to heat up and smiling or raising my eyebrows when one said something especially seductive to the other.  

Zoe and Gavin's love story is more than sexual attraction though - part of what makes it so appealing.  They each have obligations outside of their relationship that they have to fulfill.  The theme of the Elements in the story creates its own challenges for their relationship.  They know that although they want each other immensely, there are other considerations and they love each other enough to respect those other considerations.

There is one other character that I must mention - Scarlet.  God help me if I knew the woman it would take everything in me to not smack her upside the head!  She is sexy and gorgeous and conniving and evil to the core.  She has a ravenous appetite and doesn't care what she has to do to satisfy her appetite.  She has many agendas in the story and is one of those characters that you love to hate.

We learn more about both Gavin's and Zoe's families in this story and are introduced to a couple of new characters.  I literally gasped in one scene when there was a revelation about one of these new characters.  A revelation I didn't see coming at all.  

Ms Grey also gives us another very well done ending.  In fact, this one is way better than the one in "Inhale", and I liked the one in "Inhale" very much.  Get out the hanky people!  You're gonna need it!

I admit that I am hooked at this point.  I can't wait to find out what happens with Zoe and Gavin and I hope that Scarlet gets everything she deserves.  And, I can't forget to mention the beautiful story about the whales. It's sweet and touching and I hope they are treated with the grace and respect that such gorgeous creatures deserve as the series winds down.

If you read "Inhale" but haven't read "Exhale", do something about that.  Hold on to your heart.  Be prepared to smile and cry and find yourself giving advice to characters.  "Exhale" is a ride you don't want to miss.   

About the Author

Kendall Grey, word wrangler, whale warrior, wicked wench, and lover of tongue-tripping alliteration, was born without an off-switch between her brain and mouth. She's been called the "Flux Capacitor of Twitter" (@kendallgrey1) and "A little package of love all wrapped up in F-word paper," but she's really just a maniacal writer relaying eyewitness accounts of the rave inside her head. She writes urban fantasy with strong romantic elements and also dabbles in erotica and horror on occasion.

Kendall lives off a dirt road near Atlanta, Georgia, but don't hold that against her.

You can connect with her here:

justbreathenovels.com
kendallgrey.com

INHALE

BY KENDALL GREY

*This book contains language as well as violent and sexual content that may not be suitable for those under the age of 18"

"Inhale" is the story of two people, each dealing with the guilt of literally not saving someone dear to them.  Zoe is passionate about whales and pure of heart.  Gavin is hot and edgy and empty inside.  When they meet it's head-spinning, can't-see-straight, rock-my-world love.  There are a couple of catches, however. Zoe thinks Gavin is just part of her dreams, and Gavin is afraid to tell her the dangerous truth that it’s all real.

"Inhale" is about human nature.  It's about acknowledging all facets of ourselves as people and learning to balance it all. It's a story about the danger of imbalance.

There are many things I enjoyed about this book. I fell in love with both main characters.  Zoe is beautiful inside and out.  Her love for whales is touching.  She is strong and determined and absolutely crazy about Mr Perfect (her nickname for Gavin) in her dreams.

Gavin is a gorgeous rock star with a good heart.  He has more power than he wants to admit and he falls truly, madly, deeply in love with Zoe.  He realizes though that she has an important role to play in impending disaster in the Dreaming, a role he doesn't want her to play because doing so puts her very life at risk.  

This is a beautiful story in many ways, but there were a couple of things that bothered me.

One was the Dreaming World.  I eventually caught on to it somewhat, but there were portions of the story that took place in the Dreaming that confused me.  I get the overall concept, but some of the action just didn't click in my  head for some reason.  I read another book recently in which the main character alternated between worlds.  I never got confused in that one.  I could picture the other worlds and the events that took place in them, but I couldn't always do that with "Inhale".

The other thing that bothered me was some of the metaphors.  There were many that were clever or made me laugh, but there were also many that I felt were weak or over-the-top.

One complaint I have about a few books I've read recently - weak endings. I don't want a few short, unimaginative paragraphs that neatly wrap everything up.  I don't want a cliche ending with dialogue and action that my 12 year old could write.  Give me some emotion.  Make me smile and nod my head with heartfelt satisfaction.  Or make me scream at the book "that can't be the end!" Make me cry!  Please don't give me a quick, simple happily-ever-after ending that requires no creativity on your part.  

To Ms Grey - Thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful ending.  We get into Gavin's head and heart.  His relationship with Zoe takes a significant step.  The last chapter has many sweet spots.  There is a beautiful story line throughout the book that is related to a wooden bird that Gavin received as a child.  That story line has a very pleasant turn at the end of the book.  Well done Ms Grey.  Very well done.  Thank you.

Book Cover Descripton

After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.

Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country.

*This book contains graphic language, sex, and violence. Not suitable for readers under the age of 18.

**The author will donate all profits from the sale of the JUST BREATHE trilogy to programs that educate people about whales and the challenges they face.

About the Author

Kendall Grey, word wrangler, whale warrior, wicked wench, and lover of tongue-tripping alliteration, was born without an off-switch between her brain and mouth. She's been called the "Flux Capacitor of Twitter" (@kendallgrey1) and "A little package of love all wrapped up in F-word paper," but she's really just a maniacal writer relaying eyewitness accounts of the rave inside her head. She writes urban fantasy with strong romantic elements and also dabbles in erotica and horror on occasion.

Kendall lives off a dirt road near Atlanta, Georgia, but don't hold that against her.

justbreathenovels.com
kendallgrey.com

SEVEN POINT EIGHT: THE SECOND CHRONICLE

BY MARIE HARBON

EXCERPT

She focused on the door, and felt a tingling sensation as the atoms of her consciousness oozed through the cherry oak. The illumination of a board room followed the momentary darkness. A large table dominated the room, around which fifteen seats were equally spaced, and a Japanese tea set took pride of place in the centre. The room’s décor suggested simplicity, the key feature being a large set of samurai swords, split between three walls. Tahra gazed at them, admiring their antiquity and military splendour.

The men took their seats, opened their briefcases and laid out some paperwork in neat piles, while the middle aged man positioned himself at the head of the table. Tahra assumed he was the bank manager. He spoke, although none of it made any sense to her. She watched from the shadows, observing how paperwork changed hands along with some fervent discussion.

I wish I knew what they’re saying, she thought. Although it looks like they’re hammering out a deal. 

One of the men picked up a large briefcase from the floor, placed it on the table as if it were heavy and flicked open the clips.

I need a closer look, Tahra told herself.

Eager for an enhanced view of the proceedings, she homed her consciousness in on the briefcase and confirmed her expectations. Wads of Yen filled the briefcase, stacked neatly, extravagant value only established by the expression on the face of the bank manager. The bringer slid it across the table, and Tahra moved even closer.

At that point, the men stopped talking. Is the deal off? she wondered.

In unison, their heads turned towards one point in the room. This couldn’t be…

They can see me?

Their indignity at being disturbed quickly turned to terror. They babbled incoherently, eyes wide, mouth agape, brows furrowing. What scared them so much? Didn’t they like women? Looking down to see how she’d manifested, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Oh…!

Her energy body had materialised in the physical world, in this very room. It glowed red, with an arterial network in magenta pulsing and glowing, alive with a raw vigour that she’d only seen in the other dimensions.

I look demonic. No wonder they’re afraid.

The men grabbed the papers from the table, stuffed them in their briefcases and scurried to the door, as if a monster had just broken into the room, intent on eating them. However, the bank manager didn’t frighten so easily. His lips set in a straight line, eyes zeroing in on Tahra, he reached up and slid one of the samurai swords from its sheath on the wall.

Normally, such a weapon would inflict critical damage on a mortal body, but as he swung it at her, the blade passed right through her. Not even a glitch in her energy body. As the blade failed to injure her, the bank manager’s face fell, babbling something in Japanese with a raised voice.

Tahra looked down again at her energy body, finding no damage. A malevolent smile spread across her face.

I’m invincible. I’m a God here too.

REVIEW

Wow!  Where to begin on this one? 

I guess I should start by saying that I did not read the first book.  I thoroughly enjoyed this one though.  There was no point in it that I was distracted or tempted to put it down.  It held my interest through all 747 pages.

There are so many themes and layers to this story.  At the highest level it’s about two men who both are researching the ability to explore alternate realms of existence.  One has more pure motives than the other.  One is willing to do whatever it takes to reach the end goal.  He is willing to destroy anyone or anything that gets in his way.  Then there is the woman that they both love that is critical to this exploration.  She wrestles with herself throughout the story.  Is she good or evil?  What are her true motives?  But there is so much more.

There is exploration of different facets of us as humans.  Cruelty, beauty, love, clinging to the past – all of these are examined.  This book also looks at where we draw the line with our abilities.  The fact that we can do something doesn’t mean that we should.  Where do you draw the line?  It looks at the choices we have to make out of love.  Choices we make because it’s best for those we love, not necessarily for us.  Choices we make because we don’t want to appear a certain way.

It’s sci-fi, Egyptian occult, physics, romance, family love, good vs bad, regret, and friendship.  A fascinating read.

I’m searching for what I didn’t like.  Hmmmm.  OK, there were times that I felt like there was a jump in the story line.  Like there was a piece missing.  It felt a few times like the jump that was made from point A to point B didn’t make sense to me.  This is possibly because I didn’t read the first book, but I don’t think so.  Maybe I’ll go back and read and then read this again and see if I feel the same.

I enjoyed this very much.  The plot was compelling and tight; the characters were very well developed; the descriptions of the settings were excellent.  One warning – there are some graphic descriptions of human mutilation.  A very well done book.  

The author is offering a FREE copy of Seven Point Eight: The First Chronicle for everyone via Smashwords  Plus, 12 ebook swagbag including, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal and YA titles.!

To enter for a chance to win the giveaway, email me at soniafogal@gmail.com with 3 themes of the book that I mention in my review.  You really should read this one!  Why not get it free?  You have until midnight EST on Tuesday, January 15, 2013!

SLIDING BENEATH THE SURFACE

(THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY #1)

BY DOUG DILLON

I’m pretty hard to please with Young Adult paranormal books, but this one was very good.

The St Augustine pyramids are an important part of the story

This is the story of 15-year old Jeff Golden discovering, accepting, and learning to use his psychic powers with the assistance of a shaman named Lobo and his friend, Carla Rodriguez.  In the beginning of the story he is plagued by nightmares that keep him from sleeping at night.  He shares this with Carla who  introduces him to Lobo.  Jeff learns about the supernatural cause of these nightmares and the three characters go on a paranormal adventure to a historic battle to deal with it.  The battle isn’t fictional, and the obvious research that Dillon used in his descriptions of that conflict and its participants is impressive. 

Jeff is a likeable character, a typical teenage boy trying to do the right thing but resisting every inch of the way for most of the story.  He learns many things in the course of the story.  One is that he can control his reactions to things that happen in his life - a valuable lesson for anyone to learn.

Carla is also very good character.  She is sassy and strong and a good friend to Jeff.  She has her own powers that Lobo helped her deal with previously, so she can relate to Jeff’s current dilemma and is eager to help him.  I liked her very much.

Lobo lives on Mantazas Bay

Lobo is a good character but a bit flat.  He’s stern, doesn’t smile, doesn’t like to be bothered.  He is extremely wise about supernatural matters.  Although there are times in the story when Jeff senses a hint of possible concern from Lobo, he seems largely indifferent, outside of anger and impatience.

The Nights of Lights takes place during this story

While I would have liked more character development, the plot and the setting were exceptionally well done.  The plot kept me curious, kept me reading, wondering what would happen next.  Descriptions of St Augustine were striking, creating clear images of the setting in my mind.  St Augustine itself was almost a character in the story.  Historical themes in fiction are hit and miss with me.  Sometimes I find them hard to follow, but that was not the case here.  Dillon’s account of historical events throughout the story were clear, easy to understand and engaging.  His ability to connect history with the setting and Jeff’s life is impressive.

There were two things that bothered me.  One was the lack of development of the character of Jeff’s mom.  It felt like the author made a decision to write her off as a disinterested mom instead of including her in the story.  All we know about her is that she likes to drink and sleep at her boyfriend’s house.  There are a few references to the death of Jeff’s father.  I would have liked to know more about how that affected her and the relationship between her and Jeff.   She could have added a fascinating layer to the story. 

The other thing that bothered me was the relationship between Jeff and Lobo.  It was fun in the beginning but became monotonous.  Their reactions to each other and interactions with each other became predictable.  Given the intense experiences they have together this relationship could have developed in some interesting ways.

I recommend this for a Young Adult reader, and I think that some adult readers would appreciate it as well.  Despite some weaknesses with character development, the book is well written, and fun to read.

Book Cover Description

A new resident of America's oldest and most haunted city, St. Augustine, Florida, fifteen-year-old Jeff Golden suddenly finds himself up to his eyeballs in frightening paranormal experiences.  At the end of his rope in trying to figure out what is happening to him, Jeff decides to rely on his friend Carla Rodriguez, and Lobo, an old Native American shaman, for help.  

Despite this guidance, things get even worse.  Jeff's spine tingling encounters increase in number and intensity at an alarming rate, scaring him even more.  Eventually, he makes the startling discovery that unresolved circumstances involving a bloody event directly out of Florida's distant past threatens his sanity and possibly his life.

Finally, overwhelmed by forces he cannot understand or control, Jeff's world shifts from frightening to downright terrifying.  In desperation, and on Lobo's advice, he leaps headlong into the unknown in order to save himself.  What Jeff discovers though is that he has entered a level of reality he is completely unprepared to handle while unwittingly dragging Carla with him.  

Like all the books in THE ST. AUGUSTINE TRILOGY, the premise for Sliding Beneath the Surface is simply this:  You create your own reality.

About the Author

A former award winning educator, Doug writes about things paranormal and historical.  His interest in the paranormal comes from personal experiences as detailed in the nonfiction adult book he and his wife wrote titled, An Explosion of Being: An American Family's Journey into the Psychic.  Out of those events and extensive historical research, he then created Sliding Beneath the Surface for young adults, Book I of the St. Augustine Trilogy.  Doug set his trilogy in the oldest and most haunted city in the United States, St. Augustine, Florida.  Books II and III of the trilogy are on the way.