One for Young-at-Heart Romantics

Linnet and the Prince 

by Alydia Rackham

My rating on a 100-point scale: 94

My recommender: 

     The author herself e-mailed me and asked if I'd read and review her book. I was provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

My synopsis: 

     Linnet is the younger of two princesses of Hilrigard. When Hilrigard is overtaken by the formidable Badi people, the Badi prince Rajak gives the Queen a choice: give him a princess for his wife or force him to slaughter the whole Hilrigard kingdom. Linnet, the tougher of the two princesses, chooses to go in her sister's place, and is tasked by her mother to kill the prince on the eve of the Water Gathering festival, two months hence. But the prince is not what he seems, and Linnet slowly but surely falls for the gentle and kind prince. And things get very complicated when her mother's "brother" assassins come to rescue Linnet the eve of the Water Gathering festival.

My review:

     I very much enjoyed this book. The characters are loveable; the story is captivating; the cultural elements are intriguing; the politics are realistic; and I couldn't help but wish for more story to come at the end. I very much appreciate the author's straight-forward, no-beating-around-the-bush, quick and simple way of telling the story, as this makes for a quick, yet intriguing and enjoyable read. 

     However, I must mention the negative: Characters "hiss" when they speak, and I'm not sure how this is possible or true. There were very little typos, but I did catch a few, including one which I think was supposed to be "every" but was actually "emach," or something along those lines. The formatting was slightly skewed in a few places. Also, the ending, the more I think about it, is a mite puzzling, but I won't provide any spoilers here.

I recommend to: 

Anyone and everyone who enjoys a good story, especially those involving clean and believable romance. 

I do not suggest this book for children under the age of 10, due to elements of mild gore.

Warrior's Woman 
by Johanna Lindsey

My rating on a 100-point scale: 90 

My Review:
     This isn't the best romance I have ever read, but it is pretty decent, in my opinion.
     There is much to love about this book: the science fiction elements, the future mixing with the past, the political reasons driving the story, and the unique mixing of cultures and beliefs, among many other things. The sensual scenes are relatively satisfying to read, as well, though a little cliche at times.
     However, there are a few things that one could very well dislike. Such as: A strong modern heroine being conquered by an animalistic feudal leader, who just happens to be exactly what she needed. The over-bearing male dominance in this novel is nearly sickening, however well it plays into the romance side of things. I have to admit that I was a bit like, "Really, that far?" when the male main character was first introduced. I feel like a few elements were just a bit overdone, that's all.
     Overall, this book is a good read. I highly recommend if you're a romance genre fan who may like a little science-fiction, futuristic element.

I recommend to: 
Fans of the romance genre.
  
I would not recommend this novel for anyone under the age of 15 due to multiple scenes of a sexual nature.

One for the Detectives in Us All

Collateral Damage
An Annie Ogden Mystery 
by Frederick Lee Brooke

My rating on a 100-point scale: 94

My recommender:

Novel Publicity provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My synopsis: 

   Annie Ogden has moved in with Salvatore D'Angelo, who propposes marriage to her the same day she's attacked on her morning jog. But her attacker ends up being Annie's old fiance from Iraq, and he's come to take her back into his arms of sunshine and passion. Annie has to choose between a man who treats her right and her burning flame for an ex-con she knew as a soldier in Iraq. And then a murder happens, and Annie's old flame is the prime suspect...

My review: 

   This is an awesome book! It's thrilling and intriguing, even if you can guess early on who done it. The characters are great, and realistic. The plot is clear and has some nice twists. The writing is generally good, but there are a few things I could complain abot. There were definitely times that I was like, "Wow! What great imagery!"
   Check out some of my updates while reading this book below. To read the full comments, check them out here on Goodreads.

The Second in a Series

Daughter's Justice
by Thaddeus Nowak

My rating on a 100-point scale: 91

My review:
   If you've read the first in this series and liked it, you'll definitely want to read this one. Stephenie's fight with her circumstances continues in this adventurous tale. I highly recommend to fans of supernatural/fantasy who like books with female heroines.

   Though there are a couple things I could complain about ("However" and a single technical error every 20 or so pages), this book was well worth the time. I cut back on my screen-time reading during this book, but it had nothing to do with the novel, only the format I had it in. I enjoyed this read immensely and think many other readers will too.

This sequel's predecessor: 
Mother's Curse

My recommender:  
   I recently participated in a blog tour hosted by Novel Publicity for this series. Though I didn't finish this sequel during the tour, I still feel the need to share my thoughts on it. 

Suggested restrictions:
There is some foul language throughout and a little gore, so be forewarned. I personally don't think anyone under the age of 14 should read this without parental guidance.

Mother's Curse Contest

Your picture may be worth $50 or a Kindle Fire

   Get your creative brain pumping, take some awesome themed photos, and you could find a brand new Kindle Fire waiting for you at the post office! Come celebrate with Novel Publicity and author Thaddeus Nowak as we close down the Mother's Curse whirlwind tour with a giant book appreciation party! Get ready to grab your e-reader, nun chucks, and perhaps even your wizard robes, but first read on for the full contest info. These contests have been extended until Friday, May 31 at 12 noon EST. Be sure to get your entries in before then.

The Mother's Curse Photo Contest

The Set-up: Put your thinking cap on and come up with a fun pictorial way to represent Mother's Curse. The most creative photo wins a Kindle Fire. We’ve also got two $50 Amazon gift cards to the folks who take the most epic fantasy photo and the most kick-butt combat photo. Just remember the book cover has to be visible in order for your entries to be eligible.  

What to do: Submit your photo entry at the official contest page or email it to emlyn@novelpublicity.com. *The cover of Mother's Curse must be visible in the picture on an eReading device.* You may submit multiple entries for more chances at the prizes, but you can only win once! So be original, show us your creativity, battle prowess, or love for epic fantasy.  

The Prizes:

• Most Creative: Kindle Fire
• Most Kick-Butt Battle Scene or Warrior Pose: $50 Amazon Gift Card
• Most Epic Fantasy: $50 Amazon Gift Card

A Witch, a Ghost, and Tour - Oh My!

Mother's Curse by Thaddeus Nowak

My rating on a 100-point scale: 92

My short and sweet review:

   This is a great novel! Adventurous, romantic, and entertaining. It's well-written and holds the attention of the reader. I highly recommend for anyone who likes fantastic supernatural stories, as I'm sure this one will not disappoint. 

   The only reasons I can't allow myself to give this a higher rating is: "however" is repeated too often, I think, and there is one single typo or technical error every 20-50 pages. I'm easily distracted by these types of things, and I know I'm a nitpicker, but I just have to mention them for my own piece of mind.

There is some foul language throughout and a little gore, so be forewarned. I personally don't think anyone under the age of 14 should read this without parental guidance.  

My recommender:

   This week, I'm participating in a blog tour for the above book and its sequel. Be sure to check out the tour page by clicking on the image to the right. There are also tons of reviews by others, so don't just take my word for it - learn more! 

An Excerpt:
   Feeling slightly better for having a bit of light to keep with her, she continued down the street, occasionally looking through a window to see the remains of a room.  After the third storefront she passed, she wondered at the reason all of the furniture and even drapes, carpets, and accessories had been left behind.  Even in the desperate flight from Antar, people were still taking their belongings.  They removed their drapes, even ones far less decorative then what Stephenie suspected were here.  Why would everyone desert a city and yet leave almost everything behind as if they were simply going across town to visit a friend?  She was hesitant to consider an answer.  This city had been deserted and abandoned for a long time.  Antar castle and city above had been there for as long as memory could recall and the original castle even before then.  Had any of those above known about a city deep in the rocks under their feet, there would have been stories.

A Party! You're Invited!

The Romance Reviews’ Sizzling Summer Reads Party
June 2013

    I am a participating author in this year's Sizzling Summer Reads Party! For a free copy of my debut novel Pieces, as well as many others, participate in this wonderful event free of charge. This event runs from June 1 to midnight June 30, so mark your calendars and plan to attend daily. There are lots of fun activities and great prizes, so be sure to check it out. 

   Clicking on the photo to the right will take you to the hosting page for this event and inform you of all you need to know. If you have any additional questions or comments, please let me know below and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. 

A Catholic-Themed Novel, Synopsis, and Interview with the Author

Sprainter by JT Therrien

My rating on a 100 point scale: 93

My thoughts: 

   I really liked this novel. It held my attention from beginning until end and ended up being a real quick read, ending too soon. There are a few things that could have been fixed, but from here on out, if a novel has less than ten total technical errors, I choose not to mention them in my reviews, as is the case in this novel. There simply isn’t enough to complain about. And the complexity of this novel and the enjoyment I got reading it totally makes up for whatever I could find to complain about it. I highly recommend for anyone and everyone who likes a good read.

My synopsis:

   A spray painter named MrE spreads God’s Word and revolutionary propaganda through illegal vandalism in a city purposely isolated by its government from the rest of the world. One routine night, a girl named OZone appears out of nowhere to admire his artwork, alarming the cops to his presence with her voice. She helps him escape being arrested and he takes her back to his hangout, a church where anyone can stay as long as they remain chaste, attend Mass, and bring food back with them whenever they’re out. MrE can’t help but wonder where OZone came from and who she is, and she seems to be incapable of telling the truth, but he has no choice but to trust her and let her stay. 

My interview with JT Therrien, author of The Well and Sprainter:  

   What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Are there any people who are extra special to you as a writer or as a person that you would like to tell us a little bit about?
   Um… I don’t understand the question. What do I do when I'm not writing? Lol… Well, I love to bike! In Southern Ontario, we have a great system of recreational trails, so I'm on there whenever it's not raining… or snowing. I'm married to a perfect woman who also happens to be a librarian, so we have a common love of books that keeps us together. Oh, and we also have a son.

A Review and Excerpt

Relentless by Joseph DiMari

My rating on a 100-point scale: 94

   This is a great read. I highly recommend to everyone old enough for the adult circumstances and horror elements. There are a few things I could complain about (mentioned in my comments, made during my reading of the book), but the complexity of the story and characters overcomes all the minor technical errors. This book is just so good, you have to read it for yourself to understand.

My comments made while reading this book:

"Other than small technical errors (OK instead of okay, till instead of 'til, a slight overuse of ellipses and exclamation points, etc), this is very-well-written and an easy, action-packed, fulfilling read. I'm very much enjoying the adventure and the plane hasn't even crashed yet." 

"With memorable and fun characters, this book is really a great read, a fun trip."

 "Intense. And, oh, the horror!"

 "Some of this story seems strangely familiar... But what a ride!"

   Also, with the author's permission, I am sharing an excerpt with you today (from chapter one)! Please enjoy: 

An Excerpt:

   Jack Andrews stared out the window at the receding landscape, his six-foot frame feeling a bit cramped in one of the small seats of the passenger compartment.  He had been with Prather Enterprises for 10 years now, and he took enjoyment in his work, dividing his time between his sedentary job and the more vigorous activities of hiking, swimming, and learning the art of Judo. 

A Review and an Excerpt

Book One of the Moa Series
Moa by Tricia Stewart Shiu

My rating on a 100-point scale: 62

     I read Moa, by Tricia Stewart Shiu, for its Novel Publicity book tour. Below are my comments and thoughts on this supernaturally-focused novel.

     First, I really like the way each chapter begins with an"spell" or ritual. This is original and unique, and I find it interesting, as I have never explored this kind of spiritual release. I love that the author has added such a personal and unique touch to this amazing story.

    Second, I found the story of the novel captivating. The author developed points of view well and the story was well told (here, I am referring mostly to detail, evocation of emotion, etc).  

     However I may like the author's story and unique twists, I must focus on the simply superficial for a little while, since I feel these things raise questions. Consider that I do not intend to draw attention to the faults of the novel or author, but I must mention the following things for my piece of mind. These statements are my personal opinions, but I must be honest. Take these statements with a grain of sugar and salt; they are meant to be constructive criticism at best. Keep in mind as you read the following that I tend to focus on the negative side of works that I have most recently read, and that it is human nature to focus on the negative.