Old Beginnings Cosmic Blast

Book review: Dreams of the Cursed

Title: Dreams of the Cursed (Dreamer #2)
Author: Allie Jean
Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal
Length: 184 pages approx
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop (October 3, 2013)
Buy Link: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/101


Synopsis:
A violent war has waged in secret underneath the notice of humanity since the beginning of time. Evil has pledged the destruction of humanity in spite of a power those that covet it could not possibly contain. Now the Warriors have inherited this fight and are honor-bound to rid the world of this ancient malevolence. By guarding the most precious, piercing light they possess-their female kin known as the Oracles or Dreamers-the Warriors have a chance against the darkness. Chantal Breelan, plagued by horrific nightmares for most of her life, believes something is wrong with her. Why else would she have such visions of destruction? But when creatures of terror came crawling out of the shadows to hunt her down shortly after her eighteenth birthday, she discovers the truth. Her dreams become reality, throwing her headfirst into a battle wrought by cursed monsters, where death and torture lie at every turn. Mathias is a descendant of a Fallen Angel and a powerful Warrior. He vows his life in service to pay recompense for the sins of their fathers by guarding Chantal from within the shadows. Long has he fought, shedding sweat and blood, hoping that his struggles wouldn't be in vain. With Chantal's life in danger, he is forced to reveal himself, yet she manages to surprise him with her fierce tenacity and strength. In his sacrifice, he finds redemption and life's ultimate reward-a love to surpass all time. Now Chantal has picks up the reins of her birthright and stands by her Warrior kin, by Mathias. She's on a mission to rescue others like herself. Yet, in this challenge, a battle of wits is exposed. New players are discovered, throwing strategies into question. When the truth comes to light, can Chantal hold her band of brothers together, or will they crumble under the weight of betrayal?

Review:

Paranormal is not the genre that I normally read. However, this book, kept me going and I was glad I consented to review it. Chantal is plagued by terrifying nightmares of monsters and wonders why. Shortly after her 18th birthday when she comes to know the truth, she is even more horrified.
Chantal is a strong heroine who grows as a person as the story evolves. I didn't really like the torture of the young dreamers but I could see that this is essential to the plot.
The book definitely kept me reading and seeing that I don't like paranormal stories, it says a lot.
Well written with a well thought out plot, I would recommend reading this book.


Author Bio:
Allie Jean was born with an overactive imagination. She spent her childhood inventing stories and telling tales. Her mind never shut down, even while she slept. Vivid dreams containing extensive, elaborate plot lines of good overcoming evil villains captured her nightly visions, lingering into her waking hours and filling the pages of her well-loved bounded diaries. She was encouraged by her parents, even at a young age, to write down her tales, and it has remained a somewhat secret hobby. As a busy wife, mother and critical care nurse, Allie’s love of storytelling has been reborn through the adventures of her unforgettable characters.


Links:
Website: http://Alliejean.net
 About.Me: http://about.me/allie.jean
TWCS: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/authors/detail/35
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralliejean

Cross the Ocean Book Review

Title: Cross The Ocean
Author: Holly Bush
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 258 pages approx


Synopsis:


1871 . . . The very proud Duke of Wexford was about to have his orderly world blown apart. At the age of twenty-four, Blake Sanders had wed a beautiful, dutiful wife and she had borne him three children. But now as mid-life approached, the Duchess had the unheard of temerity to leave him! Too mortified by her behavior to mix in ton company, Blake sought companionship with his best friend and neighbor, Anthony Burroughs, and his wife Elizabeth. But Blake had forgotten the Burrough’s were entertaining a houseguest, Elizabeth’s distant cousin, a spinsterish ‘Amazon from America’.
Gertrude Finch, a champion for women’s rights, had long ago decided most men were useless other than Uncle Fred who’d raised her on his horse ranch near Chicago. While travelling with other Suffragists, Gert lectured women on the perils of passion and the value of independence but thought of neither when Blake kissed her. While opposite in nearly every way, other than an attraction neither could deny, their one night of passion would change her world, and send Gert scurrying her way back home across the ocean.
When Blake discovered his heir had stowed away on Gert’s ship, he set out on his own adventure to America, to bring the boy home and to see Gert once again. Traversing America’s vast wilderness, Blake discovered that Gert had changed his life. Whether riding the rails or meeting common folk, Blake saw a whole new way of living but most of all, he realized something about love. He found he was not immune, and his heart could love, and love deeply.




Review

The book reminded me a lot of Gone with the Wind - only it was set in England. Gertrude is a strong minded woman who is attempting to stand up for herself in the Victorian era and we all know that it would have been particularly hard as women were seen as being decorative and silent.

Blake being the ultimate chauvinist and a womanizer would probably not have been suited to being the love interest but then opposites attract and the result is explosive.

The book really took me back in time and it has been some time since I have read a historical romance.It is extremely well written and I must admit I am keen to read other stories by her.

5 stars

Author Bio:

Holly Bush was born in western Pennsylvania to two avid readers. There was not a room in her home that did not hold a full bookcase. She worked in the hospitality industry, owning a restaurant for twenty years and recently worked as the sales and marketing director in the hospitality/tourism industry. Holly has been a marketing consultant to start-up businesses and has done public speaking on the subject.

Holly has been writing all of her life and is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, particularly political and historical works. She has written four romance novels, all set in the U.S. West in the mid 1800’s. She frequently attends writing conferences, and has always been a member of a writer’s group.

Holly is a gardener, a news junkie, has been an active member of her local library board and loves to spend time near the ocean. She is the proud mother of two daughters and the wife of a man more than a few years her junior.

Author Links:
www.hollybushbooks.com
@hollybushbooks
 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Holly-Bush/247399131941435

Buy Links:
http://www.amazon.com/Cross-the-Ocean-ebook/dp/B00D381HR6/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3 https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/cross-the-ocean/id655238415?mt=11

This book review is part of the Cross the Ocean Book Tour by Charisma Book Tours.

Hitchhiker Cosmic Blast

Hitchhiker

Supernatural abilities haunt her. Brainiac students taunt her. The FBI “Freak Squad” wants her. Will she abandon her extra sensory talents in favor of freedom, or will she hone them to help catch crooks? Former army brat, Ainsley Benton, may have finally found her place in this world, and it’s among the freaks. This small town art teacher has the ability to see, hear, and feel what other people are experiencing, and now the FBI’s freak squad wants to use her “human bug” abilities to catch bad guys. Despite her fear of commitment, failure, and responsibility, Ainsley temporarily agrees to join this team of misfits, and ends up risking her life to investigate a conspiracy that may only be one of her schizophrenic coworker’s paranoid delusions.

Buy it now from Amazon | Burst Books

 
  Author Bio:

Audra's love of writing began in the third grade, when she was chosen to go to a young author’s conference based on her story, "The Dragon Cookie,” which is about a giant cookie that comes to life. She continued writing, and was sometimes asked to write stories for friends as birthday gifts. Audra went to college thinking she would go into journalism, but opted to go into publishing instead, and even took an internship at Yale University Press. She married right after college and was unable to find a publishing job where they were living in Seattle. Audra took an office job. After helping put her husband through law school, she went back to school and got her teaching degree. Audra enjoyed teaching, but once her oldest was born, she chose to stay home. At the encouragement of friends she started writing again, the result being her first novel, Watcher, which was released in January of 2013. Audra and her husband now live in a small town in Eastern Washington with their three boys. They also have a black Lab named Benji who eats shoes, gophers and packages left on her front porch (thanks Fed-Ex). She recently went back to work as a Kindergarten teacher, but she still writes, dabbles in on-line shopping and plays Texas Hold ‘Em with her friends as often she can.

Website | Facebook

  Giveaway: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card Open internationally. Ends 9th December 2013

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Book Review: The Howling Heart

Title: The Howling Heart

Author: April Bostic

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Length:  244 approx

Publisher: Eternal Press (August 1, 2013)

Synopsis:

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.

Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv---wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.

Review

I do not normally enjoy reading paranormal romances but this was quite interesting. The characters are such that one can easily connect with them. The writing is original and the few twists in the plot help to keep the reader intrigued.

The introduction of the Norse Gods were quite a new thing for me. Also be aware that this book is not for children as some scenes can get quite steamy! It is of course an adult Romance!

Some bits I found too descriptive and had to quickly skim through these but all in all the book was a good read and I enjoyed reading it. 

Author Bio:

April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled "A Rose to the Fallen".

Her first short story, "Right Here, Right Now", released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled "Eros, My Love", and a sexy romantic comedy entitled "Love Addiction".

After five years, she released her second novel, "The Howling Heart" in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April will release her fourth short story in December 2013, an 18^th century paranormal romance entitled "A Dark Scandal".

Author links:

http://www.aprilbostic.com

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2768953.April_Bostic

Buy Links:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Howling-Heart-ebook/dp/B00EDTXEXY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375923994&sr=1-2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-howling-heart-april-bostic/1116609472?ean=9781629290201

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Howling-Heart/April-Bostic/Q768485862?id=5761812668403

Book Review: Blown Circuit by Lars Guignard

Blown Circuit

Blurb

Michael survived China. Barely. But now he's got bigger problems. A pair of coordinates broadcast on an obscure frequency have brought Michael to Istanbul, Turkey where credible chatter has emerged that a terrorist group plans to use a devastating device to hold the world hostage.

Designed by Nikola Tesla, arguably the greatest inventor of the Twentieth Century, the device is experimental, it is capable, and it has been missing for almost sixty years. If Michael is to prevent a catastrophe, he'll need to get to the device before the Conspiracy or risk upsetting the global balance of power forever. Of course, !nding the Tesla Device is one thing, knowing whom he can trust with it is another matter entirely.

To survive, he'll have to do both. If he doesn't, what started as a bad day is about to become a disaster.

Can Michael fight his way through the lies and deception to save the world?

If you can't get enough of the action of Lee Child and Vince Flynn, the intrigue of Robert Ludlum, and the adventure of Clive Cussler and James Rollins, you are going to LOVE Blown Circuit!


Review:

I had previously read another book by the author - Zoe and Zak & the Ghost Leopard and quite enjoyed it. This book however, puts the author in a totally new dimension. I didn't read the first book - Lethal Circuit but it didn't really matter and I was able to follow this book well. It is an independent book really.
The book has a lot of action and suspense and is definitely a fast paced read. Beware though - make sure you have enough time to read it all at one go as you will find it hard to put down.
The characters are well created and the entire story is very well written. Michael is a very likeable character and his character is someone that one roots for.
Exciting places to visit, terrorists, moles in the CIA - whats not to like?
A very exciting read and highly recommended.

Purchase from Amazon  

Author Bio

Lars Guignard is a former film and television writer and graduate of both McGill University and the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. His bestselling novel, Lethal Circuit, has been a TOP 100 Amazon Spy Thriller since its release. In addition to the Circuit series, Lars is the author of the children's adventure series, Zoe & Zak and the Ghost Leopard, Zoe & Zak and the Yogi's Curse and the paranormal mystery series, Brood. Ever since attending high school in the Indian Himalayas, Lars has been an avid backpacker and traveler. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest where he is busy completing the third Michael Chase thriller for release in 2013.

For news about new releases, please join his email list here: http://www.larsguignard.com/contact/

He can also be reached at the following places:

Blog: www.larsguignard.com

Twitter: @Lars_Gu

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LarsGuignardAuthor

The Howling Heart Cosmic Blast

 

The Howling Heart

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.

Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv---wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author Bio:
April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled "A Rose to the Fallen".

Her first short story, "Right Here, Right Now", released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled "Eros, My Love", and a sexy romantic comedy entitled "Love Addiction".

After five years, she released her second novel, "The Howling Heart" in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April will release her fourth short story in December 2013, an 18^th century paranormal romance entitled "A Dark Scandal".

Website | Goodreads

 

Giveaway:

One winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card plus The Howling Heart ebook in either epub or PDF format.

Open internationally.
Ends 27th October 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway