The Almost Girl

The Almost Girl
March 20, 2016
OMG THAT COVER... AM I RIGHT??? Because LOVE IT!


I received a copy of The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard from the publisher. I knew from the moment I read the blurb that I was going to enjoy it. I was totally in the mood for a YA Sci-Fi!
When I read the first page, I was put off by one thing and almost stopped reading, but I said to myself “Don’t be absurd give the book more than one page!” so I pushed past this and I’m so glad I did. The beginning of this story is so intensely full of twists and turns I was sucked in and couldn’t wait to see where the author would take the story.
I loved Riven and with her it was one surprise after the next. Shea was easily a favorite character as well. The major issue I had with the story was Riven and Cades development … their friendship grew quickly and there was no moment for me where the two connected. You know that moment where someone does something, acts a particular way, or shows you a side of themselves that makes you change your mind about them. I missed it. However, toward the end of the story this didn’t matter so much. I accepted it for what is was and enjoyed the rest of the book. Plus those Vector suits! LOVE Them!!!
Amalie is a gifted world builder and I felt as though I was part of every scene and emotion. The action scenes were engaging and suspenseful and at times heart stopping.
The Almost Girl is definitely a book I would recommend as it was an enjoyable sci-fi and the author kept you guessing most of the way through, which is one of my favorite story elements. I cannot wait to read The Fallen Prince, Book 2 in the Riven Chronicles

Stalking Jack the Ripper


YOU GUYS!!!!

I received an ARC of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco At BEA this year( who just happened to be there & willing to autograph it <3 ).

I LOVED the cover (I MEAN LOOK AT IT) and synopsis instantly and was seriously excited to start reading. It was the FIRST BEA book from my pile I decided to read. I was a bit skeptical when I saw that it was from James Patterson's new imprint, not that there is anything wrong with JP. Its just there were only a handful of books by him that I enjoyed but I know he is well loved by other readers.

Well Mr. Patterson you did well! This is an EPIC story and the perfect choice for the first book in an imprint.

I fist started reading Stalking Jack the Ripper and was surprised to find it didn't quite read as much like historical fiction as I expected. It seemed some of the language and terminology was a little too modern. Though in all fairness that may be because I've been surrounded in historical fiction as of late and have grown accustomed to it.

I called the 'bad guy' from the beginning however I never could have guessed all those plot twists! The main character Audry Rose is adorable. She is spirited and unruly and yet still so demure. Thomas is really a pain in the butt, yet it suits him well. I was a huge fan of Audry's uncle and cousin. I want a story about Liza next. haha. There is a particular scene that takes place at the circus that really endeared me to another character but I can't say any more. NO SPOILERS. The Mystery. The Intrigue. The Horror. The Elegance. The blood! All tied together in a fancy lace package and if the story doesn't keep you up all night the included photos will!

Stalking Jack the Ripper is a MUST read & I think it officially holds the title for my second favorite book this year!



Brew - Because What Could Be Better!

Salem’s Revenge strikes without warning or mercy, ravaging the powerless human race under the forces of united gangs of witches, wizards, and warlocks. During the slaughter, Rhett Carter's foster parents and sister are killed, and his best friend and girlfriend are abducted by a gang of witches calling themselves the Necromancers, who deal in the dark magic of raising the dead. Rhett’s sword- wielding neighbor with a mysterious past saves Rhett from becoming another casualty of the massacre and teaches him the skills he needs to survive in this new world.
Rhett is broken, his normal high school life of book blogging and football playing shoved in a witch-apocalyptic blender. The only thing he has left is his burning desire for revenge. Armed with his new witch hunting skills and a loyal, magic powered dog named Hex, he sets out into the unknown with one mission: hunt and destroy those who took away everyone he ever loved.
But Rhett isn’t just a witch hunter; he has secrets of his own that he has yet to discover, secrets that his enemies will stop at nothing to keep him from.
And discovering the truth about himself is the human race’s only hope.
David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. David grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. They now live together in their dream location, Hawaii. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and started writing full time in June 2012. Now he travels the world writing with his wife, Adele. David's a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.

It's Finally Here!!! Zeus Is Dead .... The release we've all been waiting for!


BOOK DETAILS:
Title: Zeus is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure
Author: Michael G. Munz
Genre: Contemporary Mythological Fantasy
Release date: July 21st
Publisher: Booktrope Publishing
Length: 446 pages (paperback), 2014

The gods are back. Did you myth them?

You probably saw the press conference. Nine months ago, Zeus's murder catapulted the
Greek gods back into our world. Now they revel in their new temples, casinos, and media
empires—well, all except Apollo. A compulsive overachiever with a bursting portfolio of
godly duties, the amount of email alone that he receives from rapacious mortals turns each
of his days into a living hell.
Yet there may be hope, if only he can return Zeus to life! With the aid of Thalia, the muse of
comedy and science fiction, Apollo will risk his very godhood to help sarcastic TV producer
Tracy Wallace and a gamer-geek named Leif—two mortals who hold the key to Zeus's
resurrection. (Well, probably. Prophecies are tricky buggers.)
Soon an overflowing inbox will be the least of Apollo’s troubles. Whoever murdered Zeus will certainly kill again to prevent his return, and avoiding them would be far easier if Apollo could possibly figure out who they are.Even worse, the muse is starting to get cranky.Discover a world where reality TV heroes slay actual monsters and the gods have their own Twitter feeds: Zeus Is Dead:


Review:

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of "Zeus is Dead" in exchange for an honest review, so here it is.

I LOVE Greek mythology! It is something I have found interesting since I was a child, so I was already excited going into this book. I mean... "Zeus is Dead", but wait he's immortal so what the heck?
Does it get anymore hilarious? Take a group of insignificant mortals and toss them into... Well.... Mortal danger with some immortal foes, throw in a couple of bad attitudes and pissed off Demi-Gods and you've got yourself a party!

I was worried that this was going to be a story about Greek Gods on a reality T.V series, which I can tell you I would have had zero interest in. I really dislike reality television. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that wasn't the case at all.

When I first met the Gods I instantly fell in love. Every one had a different attitude, and they were all so true to the original Myths that it felt as tough I didn't have to get to know them... I already did.

Upon first meeting Leif I knew he would make an amazing main character, what I didn't know was he would completely revamp the concept of reluctant hero.Tracy on the other hand I sincerely disliked for quite  a duration of the book. She seemed way too uptight and well, drab...until it all changed.

This book is literally laugh out loud funny, all the way through. There were times where I couldn't decide which Gods side I wanted to be on!

The main Character is Apollo no, it's Leif no, wait it's Tracy  no, it's everyone... At one point or another, which I find positively fantastic.There is a solid plot ( which too often is missing from comical novels). This is the type of book Christopher Moore will wish he thought of first, and you're a fan of Chris you will enjoy reading "Zeus is Dead" immensely. A good, solid subplot is almost more important to me than the main plot. "Zeus is Dead" has several sub plots, each as amusing as the next.  I feel as though I can be really sucked into a book, which is just where I want to be and exactly where I found myself.

My absolute favorite was the way the author recreated the Fates. I think his take on them ( while holding true to tradition) was one of the most original I have ever come across. Though we shouldn't leave out the Muses. Each one spectacular in their own right. They are utterly hilarious and I found myself dying to know which one was in charge of inspiring what exactly. If that is not enough for you guys, we can take a minute to reflect on the following two words "Ninja Christians". Yeah that happened..








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ABOUT THE AUTHOR




An award-winning writer of speculative fiction, Michael G. Munz was born in Pennsylvania but moved to Washington State in 1977 at the age of three. Unable to escape the state’s gravity, he has spent most of his life there and studied writing at the University of Washington.
Michael developed his creative bug in college, writing and filming four exceedingly amateur films before setting his sights on becoming a novelist. Driving this goal is the desire to tell entertaining stories that give to others the same pleasure as other writers have given to him. He enjoys writing tales that combine the modern world with the futuristic or fantastic.
Michael has traveled to three continents and has an interest in Celtic and Classical mythology. He also possesses what most “normal” people would likely deem far too much familiarity with a wide range of geek culture, though Michael prefers the term geek-bard: a jack of all geek-trades, but master of none—except possibly Farscape and Twin Peaks.
Michael dwells in Seattle where he continues his quest to write the most entertaining novel known to humankind and find a really fantastic clam linguine.
Find out more about him at michaelgmunz.com. While there, it wouldn't hurt to get a FREE copy of Mythed Connections, the spiritual prequel to Zeus is Dead.



“Not since the people of Atlantis predicted ‘low humidity’ has there been such an original twist in Greek Mythology. This book is also far more amusing.”
—Brian Rathbone, creator of the bestselling Godsland Fantasy Series

Zeus Is Dead is a book about the return of old gods, but Cthulhu is not in evidence, and it did not drive me to the very edge of madness. Instead it is a hilarious, satirical, page-turning romp through a world beset by plagues of monsters, egotistical gods, and reality television shows. I highly recommend this book to those who value both their sanity and a hearty guffaw. ”
—Seamus Cooper, author of The Mall of Cthulhu

“Delivering us from a sea of endlessly morose and self-important supernatural fiction, Zeus Is Dead understands that Greek mythology is more than a little bit insane and—rather than ignore the unseemly aspects—embraces them with the appropriate level of snark and style. Munz’s tale echoes the bureaucratic insanity of Douglas Adam’s creations, the banter of Grant and Naylor’s Red Dwarf, and the cynicism of Ben Croshaw in order to bring us a clever, hilarious tale of adventure and grudging heroism.

I guess what I’m saying is that unless you really like your supernatural fiction all mopey and dull, you’ll find
something to love here.”

—Jonathan Charles Bruce, author of Project Northwoods




Be sure to check out Michael G Munz Author of Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure and The New Aeneid Cycle

Visit the website: michaelgmunz.com
Follow Twitter:@TheWriteMunz
Facebook author page: MichaelGMunz

THE GODS ARE BACK. DID YOU MYTH THEM?



You probably saw the press conference. Nine months ago, Zeus’s murder catapulted the Greek gods back into our world. Now they revel in their new temples, casinos, and media empires—well, all except Apollo. A compulsive overachiever with a bursting portfolio of godly duties, the amount of email alone that he receives from rapacious mortals turns each of his days into a living hell.

Yet there may be hope, if only he can return Zeus to life! With the aid of Thalia, the muse of comedy and science fiction, Apollo will risk his very godhood to help sarcastic TV producer Tracy Wallace and a gamer-geek named Leif—two mortals who hold the key to Zeus’s resurrection. (Well, probably. Prophecies are tricky buggers.)

Soon an overflowing inbox will be the least of Apollo’s troubles. Whoever murdered Zeus will certainly kill again to prevent his return, and avoiding them would be far easier if Apollo could possibly figure out who they are.

Even worse, the muse is starting to getcranky.

Discover a world where reality TV heroes slay actual monsters and the gods have their own Twitter feeds: Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure!


“Zeus Is Dead is full of laugh-out-loud moments, lashings of sly wit, moan-worthy puns, and a complex, fast-paced storyline. There aren’t very many humorous fantasy murder mysteries out there, especially not as intricately constructed as this one. Michael G. Munz takes a ’What if,’ and runs with it like a toddler with Mom’s smart phone. He evokes a pantheon of characters including, well, the actual Pantheon, plus modern characters who will ring the bell of familiarity without being trite or clichéd. Munz knows his craft as well as his Greek mythology, pop culture, and dysfunctional family dynamics. The guffaw-worthy throwaway bits (stay tuned for the battle sundae) will remind you of Douglas Adams. A very enjoyable read.”  

—Jody Lynn Nye, author of View from the Imperium and co-author of the Myth Adventures of Aahz and Skeeve

Be sure to check out Michael G Munz Author of Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure and The New Aeneid Cycle

Visit the website: michaelgmunz.com
Follow Twitter:@TheWriteMunz
Facebook author page: MichaelGMunz

Celebrate with David Estes & Fire Country




Today, Fire Country by David Estes turns one year old. In the first year since Fire Country was born, so much has happened. David signed with an agent, sold more than 10,000 books, wrote five more books and published a further three). He knew he just had to celebrate and he'd love for you to be a part of it! David owes so much of his support to the blogger community, and he wants everyone to have the chance to be a part of the Fire Country Birthday Bash.
Everyone goes home a winner, simply follow the prompts below and swipe your eCopy of Fire Country from Smashwords. Read and leave a review on Amazon if you enjoyed it. Feel free to share the code with your friends, family, neighbours and literary inclined pets.
Coupon Code: WH62C
Expiration: March 1, 2014
What's a party without prizes? Yes, David is not only giving everyone a chance to download their own copy of Fire Country, book one in the Country Saga for free, but he's also giving you stuff too. You could win an Amazon giftcard open internationally, U.S residents can win a signed copy of the David Estes book of your choice, or a handful of David Estes eBooks of your choice. Awesome.
Visit David via his Blog  Facebook • Twitterand via Goodreads
Pay Perry the Prickler a visit on Twitter and Goodreads

Strange In Skin by Sara V. Zook Review 


Title – Strange In Skin
 Series – Strange In Skin – Book #1
 Author – Sara V. Zook
 Genre – Paranormal, Fantasy
 Publication Date – July 24, 2012
 Publisher – Imagine Press 
 Cover Artist – Brenda Grate




 BLURB:
From the moment Anna James meets the strange prisoner Emry Logan, she becomes instantly obsessed and will stop at nothing to try to get another interaction with him. But going against her family and church aren’t without consequence. She is deemed a traitor as she quickly realizes that there’s more to Emry’s past than just murder. He has a special ability that is far from human that he only shares with her. Feeling this magical connection, Anna has to free her beautiful inmate so that they can be together finally, but someone else knows about Emry’s secret and wants Anna to stop digging for answers as she finds herself in the midst of a modern day witch hunt. The life of an innocent pastor’s kid suddenly is turned upside down in a war between good and evil as Anna begins to wonder which people in her life are on the side of good, and is she one of them. 


 Review: 
 When we first meet Anna she seems… well, dull. She is a good Christian girl ( which there is nothing wrong with), She works at her mothers antique shop and lives at home with her parents in a small , quiet town. The thing I didn't really relate to was her still living at home in her twenties. She didn't go to college? Didn't want to explore what the world has to offer? She just stayed home and started working in her moms shop. It seemed kind of odd to me, but that could simple be a personal opinion. 

 The story picks up quickly around chapter three when Anna starts receiving letters from Emry, but some of the romantic elements seem a bit over the top. This connection between the Anna and Emry happened a bit too quickly I think. The supernatural element flowed well with the story line and seemed natural. I liked that this story was a bit different from most, and how the girl is trying to save the boy instead of the other way around and how it was not your everyday Paranormal. I found it very refreshing. 

 Anna changes in many ways over the course of this story but I think most of these changes are for the better and I now realize why the author decided to show her the way she did in the beginning of the book. Toward the end Anna finally grows a pair and handles Buck, which I really enjoyed because, well obviously… 

The ending of this book left a lot of unanswered questions, I am still not sure I really understand where it is Emry goes, All in all I enjoyed Strange in Skin and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.


http://www.amazon.com/Strange-In-Skin-Sara-Zook/dp/1478277556/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387462303&sr=8-1&keywords=strange+in+skin


http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15772328-strange-in-skin

 ** Also a special thanks to Sarah for allowing me to participate in her blog tour and My Family’s Heart Book Reviews for handling all the hard work setting everything up.** 


 More About Sara:



 AUTHOR BIO
Sara wrote her first book at age six. Of course, it was only a few pages, handwritten by a 6-year-old and was about kitty cats. As a child, some days she would be out venturing in the woods with her older brother and cousins, but sometimes would stay inside and create stories, write them down in a notebook and then pretend to publish them by typing them up on her mother's old typewriter. "I know, what a weird child I was." From then on out, Sara didn't want to be anything but a writer. When others would ask her classmates what they wanted to be when they grew up, some would say the usual things, singers, veterinarians, astronauts, but not Sara. Sara would say writer, and then she'd get a strange stare. Writer? What child says they want to be a writer? Sara graduated from United High School in 2000, a small school out in the country where everyone knew each other from kindergarten up and could tell you every little detail about each other and still can. "It was a nice area to grow up, and I love going back." In 2004, Sara graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with a bachelor's in, you guessed it, creative writing. She had such a blast in college, met some of the greatest people that Sara still remains in close contact with along with her husband, Brad. They were married and had two children back to back, so while Sara was in "mommy land," her writing was put on the back-burner. Sara started writing again in the summer of 2010, and after three months, 'Strange in Skin' became the product of her imagination. Sara had so much fun writing it, she couldn't stop. She would work all day and then stay up late at night typing up a few more chapters. She didn't want it to end, so Sara decided she would have to write more books to follow it. The main characters, Anna James and Emry Logan, were people Sara could relate to, that she loved to relate to. There's nothing quite like a sappy love story that's so good it sucks you in. You want them to be together. They have to be together and you can't stop reading until they are together. That with a little paranormal twist, and voila, a book is born. Then Sara and Brad became proud parents once again. Sara is still in "mommy land" but also Strange in Skin fantasy land. The mix of both raising children and writing makes for some pretty entertaining days. Sara could write a million stories on her kids alone, especially the things that come out of their mouths that you're either so shocked they said or are so funny that you can't stop laughing.