Review: Sonnets for Heidi by Melissa Bowersock

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Women's Fiction

Description:

“When her mother died, Trish Munroe inherited the care of her elderly Aunt Heidi, who suffers from Alzheimer's. But after Heidi's own death, Trish uncovers a forbidden family secret that takes her on a journey of the heart she never imagined.”

Review: Second Chance Heart by Marie Lavender

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Short Story

Description:

“After a wild storm forces her to take shelter in a small town inn, Dana Nelson thinks that all she has to worry about is a brief stay before she heads back to the city. She gets far more than she bargained for…

The last thing she expects is to run into an old flame, and even worse, the man who broke her heart twelve years ago. She’s sure that the only thing remaining between them is a strong attraction for another.

She can’t be more wrong…

The more time she spends with Vince Reynolds, the more she begins to believe she can trust him again. But, can she put her faith in the one man who captivates her, body and soul, or are some wounds too deep to heal? “

What about you? - Take our Readers Survey

Around our first anniversary we had a survey that asked questions about our readers, their reading habits, and interactions with Books and Pals. The results helped us understand all of you a little better and led to a few changes on the site. At the time we said we would do it again some day. Four years later, that hasn't happened. Why? I blame BigAl for being lazy. But better late than never, right? So here's your chance. Tell us about yourself below.

We'll be collecting answers for a bit more than 2 weeks through the end of the day (let's say Midnight Pacific Time) on February 14.

Reprise Review: dEaDINBURGH by Mark Wilson

Genre: YA / Dystopian / Thriller

Description:

Edinburgh 1645, the time of the bubonic plague. The victims are locked underground in catacombs. 2015 and these same catacombs are opened, the plague attacks the Scottish population. 2050 and Edinburgh is quarantined off. There are rumours of a cure, but finding the source is believed to be certain death at the hands of the zombies. Joey MacLeod is a trainee 'priest' part of a church that worships the zombies. But he escapes and with the help of Alys Shepherd learns about his past and the real source of the zombies..

Review: Horizon Japan by Patrick Colgan

This is the second half of a doubleshot review. For BigAl's take on the same book, look at the post from this morning.

Genre: Travel Memoir

Description:

A diary of travel through Japan.

Review: Horizon Japan by Patrick Colgan

This is the first half of a doubleshot. Check back this afternoon for Sam Waite's thoughts on the same book. Sam brings the perspective of someone who has lived in Japan for many years.

Genre: Travel Memoir

Description:

“From the crowds of Tokyo to the bears of the far North, from the jungle of the tropical islands to the blooming cherry trees in Kyoto, eventually arriving at the big emptiness left by the devastating 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Patrick Colgan, journalist and traveler, immerses himself in Japanese culture, nature and cuisine and writes about his discovery of a seemingly incomprehensible country. A place, Japan, where feeling a little lost can be fascinating, and trips never really end.”

Recently at The IndieView

The most recent interviews at The IndieView starting with a refresher on the different kinds of interviews. 

The IndieView

This is an interview with a standard set of open ended questions. While they focus on a specific book, they also delve into the author's history as a writer and the path they took in becoming an indie author.

The BookView

This is a shorter interview format for authors who have already done an IndieView which focuses just on their most recent book.

Reviewer IndieView

These are interviews with reviewers who have their own review blog that delve into their approach to reviewing. A great way to find other book blogs you might like to follow. (For authors, there is also an extensive database of indie friendly review sites you might like to check out.)

Allirea's Realm

By invitation only, these are quirky, often irreverent interviews done by longtime Books and Pals follower, Allirea.

(Authors and reviewers interested in doing an IndieView should visit this page for details.)



Reviewer IndieView with Diamante Lavendar

It is seductive to a writer to pump the story out and have it received by the public. But it is extremely important to take the extra time to set the book aside and come back later to re-assess the manuscript before publication.


BookView with Rusty Blackwood, author of Willow’s Walk

When all is said and done, I look at this novel and smile, for I truly am proud of what it has become, and the riveting story it tells.


IndieView with Sarah Anne Shockley, author of The Pain Companion

I write from a very genuine place, and my writing is about things that I have experienced on a deep level for myself. I am less interested in whatever the next hot topic is, and more interested in what is showing up in my life right now, and how it might be useful to others.


IndieView with Marian Thorpe, author of Empire’s Daughter

I spent about nine months re-submitting to agents and other presses, but after several versions of the same rejection letter – basically they all said “Beautifully written, not commercial enough”, I chose to self-publish.


Reviewer IndieView with Amy Shannon of Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews

Reading doesn’t just provide the reader information, but the stories take the reader on a journey. I don’t think it’s a dying pastime, but the formats of reading (from paperback to digital) may change.


IndieView with LC Coyle, author of The Drakon

I remember reading so many YA novels and thinking, “What a goody-two-shoes! No way that would happen!” … This book is for all the girls who are tired of thinking there’s something ‘wrong’ with them because they don’t have the pure-as-driven-snow outlook that female YA heroines today so often seem to share.


Reviewer IndieView with Charity Martinez of 5 Girls Book Reviews

I used to work in my girls’ school when they were in public school and most kids didn’t even read, parents didn’t make them read and some kids were in 5th grade and didn’t even know how to read!


IndieView with Derek Warmington, author of The Sun That Shines & The Storm That Will Always Pass

I’ve been writing for a long time, and I don’t think I could ever write about completely fictitious characters …


BookView with Lauri Boris, author of A Sudden Gust of Gravity

I really enjoyed inviting him into this story and letting him tell his side of things, and he was one of the most forthcoming characters I’ve ever worked with. And adorable. If only he weren’t so fictional and I wasn’t old enough to be his…well, youthful aunt.


IndieView with Denise L. Jenne, author of Annalise’s Up and Down Day

They are absolutely real people — not even borrowed from real world people. My characters are my great niece and her parents — although, if you were to ask Annalise, she might disagree.

Review: Cinders & Ash: A Cinderella Story by Rosetta Bloom

Genre: Erotic Romance/Fairy Tale

Description:

“Ella wants nothing more than to leave her wicked stepmother and spoiled stepsisters behind. Only, she needs money to get away. When Ella's stepmother, Lady Kenna, learns Ella has been secretly helping out the apothecary for a few pence, the evil woman gets her stepdaughter fired, and takes all of Ella's hard earned money.

Devastated and desperate, Ella decides to try the job a friend told her about: go to the castle to provide 'companionship' to a visiting noble.

Ash is a prince confined to a castle. The queen is convinced magic fairies are real and are out to do her son harm. That doesn't stop the young prince from having companionship delivered. When a beautiful maiden is brought to him one evening, he's completely intrigued. By her beauty, by her demeanor, by the fact that she'll only give her name as Cinders.

In this version of Cinderella retold, Cinders & Ash heat things up as they search for their happily ever after.”

Review: America IS Exceptional by Steven L Hall

Genre: Non-Fiction/Politics

Description:

“The Idea of America led to independent sovereign States, then to a Constitution and a new Union. The results of this 'American Experiment' were exceptional. Phase One, the first 120 years or so, marked a quantum leap in the standard of living and wealth, the result of a free people living under the Rule of Law. In Phase Two, since about 1900, America has diverged from its founding principles; today we find a country exceptional in many other ways, some of them not so positive. We are now entering Phase Three, and it is critical that more Americans are involved in the democratic process; that they identify their core beliefs; that they learn about our founding principles; and that they understand the politics and economics that are affecting our future as a nation. Throughout history great nations have risen and fallen; there is no guarantee that the American Experiment will survive. But it should. Liberty, the recognition of unalienable human Rights, and the Rule of Law are critically important. Freedom, however, is not free. This book started out as a series of letters and rants to my kids and grandkids, an attempt to help them learn about the issues facing us. It is for anyone who believes in the Idea of America and wants to participate in keeping the American Experiment alive.”

Blowing Our Own Horn

On a normal day we try to help you, our readers. Most days our post is a review (helping you decide if a particular book is for you). Sometimes we'll have a guest post from an author, a quick read to entertain or enlighten you while serving the dual purpose of a tryout, giving you a feel for the author's “voice” and other clues as to whether their books might be a good fit for your tastes.

Coming up in March we'll be conducting the 2016 Readers' Choice Awards, our fourth annual awards contest where we draw attention to the absolute best books we've reviewed in the prior year and ask you to weigh in with your pick for the best of the best. (You and other voters will also get entered in a raffle for some great prizes.)

Even “Ask the Pals,” our latest new feature that premiered earlier this week, while it might seem to be more about us, is actually so you can know us better than what you can glean reading between the lines of a review. We feel that this will make our reviews more valuable if you know the individual better as both a reader and a person.

However, today is an exception. It's not about you. It's all about us. Sorry. :)

Today marks our fifth birthday. We're excited that when school starts next fall we'll finally be out of preschool and get to attend the real school with the big blogs and blogesses.

In the beginning, it was just me. I kicked off with a review of the mystery thriller Brittle Shadows by Vicki Tyley followed by some commentary on the brand new (at the time) Kindle Singles program. It has been a constant learning experience from the beginning with one of my reviews going viral when the site was only a couple months old. I think my reviews have improved over time and the site definitely improved with the addition of the Pals. The three Pals with the longest tenure, ?wazithinkin', Pete Barber, and Keith Nixon, will each reach their four year anniversary as Pals in 2016. During the last five years we've reviewed more than 1,400 books. While that barely scratches the surface of all the indie books out there (it barely makes a dent in those we've been asked to review), we're still proud of what we've accomplished. But enough about us. Tomorrow, it's all about you again.

Review: Giant Dreams and Dragons by James Womack

Genre: Science Fiction/Young Adult/Short Story

Description:

“Professor Buford Doss, never got the respect or credit he deserved. Such prestige went to what he insisted were inferior peers and even mentally dense graduate assistants. But Professor Doss had a plan to remedy all of that. A big plan. A miraculous plan. And he was anxious to set it in motion, even if it meant engaging in a bit of deceit. You may say he had no intention of 'dragon' his feet on the matter. No siree. Not Dr. Buford Doss.”

Review: I Came to Find a Girl by Jaq Hazell

Genre: Psychological thriller

Description:

“A complex game of cat and mouse in the seedy streets of Nottingham ends in death. Young artist Mia Jackson is compelled to watch the posthumous video diaries of Jack Flood – controversial bad boy of the London art world and convicted serial killer. Can Mia allow Drake Gallery to show Aftermath in their retrospective of his work? Muse or victim, why was she allowed to survive?”

#Free for your #Kindle, 1/21/2016

The author of each of these books has indicated their intent to schedule these books for a free day for the Kindle versions today on Amazon. Sometimes plans change or mistakes happen, so be sure to verify the price before hitting that "buy me" button.

Charity's Soldier by Lisa Hill

Amazon US

Amazon UK

We normally only include free Kindle books available from Amazon in this listing, but author Maria E. Schneider has a deal going for free audio versions of four short stories. You can listen to them directly from her blog or download a ZIP file containing all four.

If you're interested, grab them here.

Two Birds by Vicki Tyley

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Author's interested in having their free book featured either here on a Thursday or a sister site on a Monday, visit this page for details.

Review: Kat and Maus by Jane Stadermann

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Description:

“Imagine if you woke up and you didn't know where you were and you couldn't remember getting there...this is what happened to Maus.”

Review: Mountains of Mischief by Gordon A. Long

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Alternative History

Description:

“Nobody messes with a Dalmyn wagon train. That is the credo of Dalmyn Cartage, and their drivers and guards are up to the task of keeping it that way.

Until Aleria anDalmyn goes out on her first assignment as wagonmaster and runs into a simmering quarrel involving an ancient boundary dispute and forbidden Mechanical weapons. And a Ghost Beast from an ancient tale, which Aleria would prefer not to believe in until the mutilated bodies persuade her otherwise.

Trapped in the suffocating depths of a crumbling mountain fortress by an ambitious and relentless foe, Aleria struggles to survive as her small party gets whittled down and her confidence in her ability to do her duty fades.

Even the sturdy presence of her guard Captain, Erlon, with his hand-and-a-half sword, and the handsome but diffident Kolwyn anLlannon, inheritor of the lore of the Old Ones, can protect her party if she makes the wrong move.”

Ask the Pals – What's Your Favorite Book of All Time and Why?

This is the first installment of a new feature we'll be running periodically. In it we'll ask BigAl and all the Pals a question and those who are willing will respond with an answer of a couple sentences to a couple paragraphs. (Except for Al. He's likely to go on and on for pages. That guy never shuts up.) You're welcome to suggest possible questions. To do so, email booksandpals(at)yahoo(dot)com with “Ask the Pals” in the subject line and we'll consider your suggestion for a future Ask the Pals post. Once we've had our say, feel free to weigh in with your answer to the same question in the comments.

Pete Barber

I’ve read Frank Herbert’s Dune at least five times. The story has a magnetic pull for me. A Hugo and Nebula award winner, Dune has sold over twelve million copies. I think the novel is more relevant today than it was on its release in 1965. At its heart is an epic adventure that deals with the consequences to a planet’s ecology when humans abuse finite resources for short term gain. In addition, the technologically advanced civilization responsible for asset stripping is threatened by ruthless religious fanatics who are waging a brutal jihad. Any of this sound familiar? Here’s what one of Mr. Herbert’s characters has to say:

You cannot go on forever stealing what you need without regard to those who come after. The physical qualities of a planet are written into its economic and political record. We have the record before us and our course is obvious.

As the central character, Paul Atreides, grows in stature and ability, he is tortured by a constant and desperate internal struggle and eventually forced to choose a path he regrets. Surely one of the most conflicted characters I’ve ever read. I’m not sure I ever liked Paul, but I felt great empathy for him and understood why he made the decisions he did.

The author sets his story in a complex, multifaceted “world,” politically intricate and technologically advanced and yet strangely familiar and often vividly described—here’s a glimpse of the desert at sunset:

The sun dipped lower. Shadows stretched across the salt pan. Lines of wild color spread over the sunset horizon. Color streamed into a toe of darkness, testing the sand. Coal-colored shadows spread, and the thick collapse of night blotted the desert.

Pigeon-holing Dune as sci-fi does the story a great disservice. If you haven’t read the novel then I’m jealous, because you have a treat in store that I can never again experience—the first time is always the best.

Keith Nixon

Absolutely impossible to say as my tastes have changed over the years, but Black & Blue by Ian Rankin sent me down the path of crime novels that's now pretty much all consuming.

?wazithinkin

I don’t have a single favorite book. It all depends on my mood. I loved Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series. Until Echo in the Bone. It kinda pissed me off, so I have tossed her aside and haven’t read the last one. Yes, I can be fickle when you mess with my characters or their writing style changes mid-series.

I really like Patricia Briggs, Jeaniene Frost, and Ilona Andrews. However, I have fallen behind on their series books because I am enjoying too many new Indie authors who write paranormal, urban fantasy, magical realism, or myth related stories.

Oh, I got distracted. My favorite books of all time will always be from Dr.Seuss. Why? He is classic, smart, and endearing. I read them all to my kids and my grandkids. Sure, I could have said The Neverending Story, The Indian in the Cupboard, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, or even Harry Potter. But Dr. Seuss was first and foremost.

BigAl

My normal answer to this question has been To Kill a Mockingbird. I had a lot of reasons for picking that. One is the obvious one, it's a great story with some lessons that we could all learn from, whether you're an ancient old man like me or a teen (how old I was when I read it). It was also a pick I couldn't imagine anyone would argue wasn't a reasonable choice, even if it wasn't what they would pick. Last, it gave me the opportunity to go on a rant about it not being available as an ebook. The last is no longer true. It's been on my Kindle since the release date. I rarely re-read fiction. Plus, my virtual stack of new books to read is always so high that I haven't gotten to it yet. Maybe some day.

Your Turn

What is your pick? And remember to email to the address above with your suggestions for future questions.

Review: Walk, Don't Run by Steven Jae Johnson

Genre: Memoir

Description:

“Here is a story that is glamorous, inspiring, and gritty — a marvelous fusion of the ups, downs, and in-betweens of life and music and passion in 1960s Hollywood, California, the place where dreams are made and chased and, sometimes, die.

When Steven 'Rusty' Johnson, Eddie Olmos, and Joey Zagarino met in high school in 1962, the sky was the limit and rock ‘n’ roll stardom was a record deal away. These three friends forged a life-long friendship that would take them through triumph and tragedy, victory and defeat, success and failure — all in the pursuit of reaching the rock ‘n’ roll dream.

This is not only the story of three dreamers, it is a true tale that shows that success — and life — is about taking it from the top, catching a good groove, and taking it one beat at a time.”

Review: How it Ends by Scott C. Lyerly

Genre: Science Fiction

Description:

Anita Lory is a grad student in robotics for Professor Brian Coleman. She is also his lover. Brian’s nemesis at Denlas-Kaptek Industries (DKI), the world’s leading robotics firm, is Eric Breckenridge, DKI’s executive vice-president. When Eric needs a professor to review DKI’s newest program, he requests anyone but Brian to perform the review. So Dr. Sidney Hermann is called in to examine DKI’s newest robots not realizing that he is about to set off a chain of events that will alter world history forever.

Review: Risking Ruin by Mae Wood

Genre: Chick-Lit/Contemporary Fiction

Description:

“How far can you bend the rules before you break them? Marisa Tanner's most important client, multi-billion dollar family-owned Brannon Company, has been sued by nine of its employees for sexual harassment. Marisa is a pro at handling sexual harassment allegations, but will she be able to handle the CEO's prodigal son as well as she can handle the lawsuits?

Clients are off-limits and Marisa could lose her law license and livelihood, but Memphis playboy Trip keeps making strong plays for her. Their attraction is undeniable and chemistry electric. Can she have her career and Trip, too, or will she have to choose?”

Review: So Much For Buckingham by Anne R. Allen

Genre: Mystery/Satire/Chick-Lit

Description:

“This comic novel—which takes its title from the most famous Shakespearean quote that Shakespeare never wrote—explores how easy it is to perpetrate a character assassination whether by a great playwright or a gang of online trolls.”

Review: The Cabin by Smoky Zeidel

Genre: Magical Realism/Historical Fantasy

Description:

“James-Cyrus Hoffmann has just inherited his grandfather's farm, and with it a mysterious cabin deep in the woods on Hoffmann mountain, a cabin he has dreamed about since childhood. When James-Cyrus enters the cabin, he is vaulted back through time to the Civil War era, where he meets Elizabeth, the brave young woman who lives there, and Malachi, a runaway slave.

James-Cyrus' neighbor, Cora, knows all too well the tragic history of the cabin. When James-Cyrus tells Cora about Elizabeth, Malachi, and his fantastic vault back through time, the two devise a plan to change the past and right a wrong that has haunted the Hoffmann family for generations. But can they find the key to unlock the past in time to change what history said happened to Elizabeth and Malachi?”

Review: Trading with Death by Ann Girdharry

Genre: Suspense/Supernatural/Short Story

Description:

“What terrible sacrifices will we make for those closest to us?

Will we be selfless or selfish?

Taka is tortured by her younger sister’s terminal illness. Then one dark day, in the middle of the woods, she is faced with an opportunity to change fate.”

A Challenge

We all like a challenge, don't we? As the new year begins, whether you're a resolution making person or not, it is often a time to take stock of where we are and where we'd like to go. If you explore the interwebs you'll find several reading “challenges.” Goodreads has one that is popular, asking you to set a goal to read X books in 2015 with you picking a value for X. There are several others.

I've got one I'm going to recommend. The Indies Unlimited 2016 ReadingChallenge. Why? Beyond the obvious reasons (that I'm pimping for IU) I like this challenge because it challenges the reader to expand what they read. If you accept and complete this challenge, odds are good that you'll expand the books you're willing to try just a touch. Not enough to take you too far out of your comfort zone, but enough to stretch that zone. Having done that myself since starting Books and Pals, I've discovered that books I'd have not given a second glance before due to genre are now among my favorites. It's been a positive in many ways including the obvious cliche about spice and variety. Yet it shouldn't stretch you too far. For example, Keith Nixon could complete the challenge without reading even one book in the romance genre. (No one thinks that would be a good idea except ?wazithinkin.)

Reprise Review: Blood Diva by VM Gautier

Genre: Paranormal/ Romance/ Contemporary Fiction

Description:

“The 19th century’s most infamous party-girl is undead and on the loose in the Big Apple…   Blood Diva is a sometimes humorous, often dark and erotic look at sex, celebrity, love, death, destiny, and the arts of both self-invention and seduction. It’s a story that asks a simple question – Can a one hundred ninety year-old demimondaine find happiness in 21st century Brooklyn without regular infusions of fresh blood?”

Review: Irony (Book 1) The Animal by Robert Shroud

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Police Procedural

Description:

Detective Reginald Thomas' career was going well. Then after a questionable shooting, his life starts to fall apart. His wife leaves him. The powers that be are reining him in and watching his every move. If it weren't for his partner, Reuben, who always has his back, and the comfort of a bottle, Reg would all alone.

Bay City has a maniac on the loose. Dubbed The Animal, the women in town hardly dare go out at night. Reg sees his chance for redemption. If only he can catch The Animal.

Review: Be Mine by Cait London

Genre: Historical Romance/Western Romance

Description:

“1881 Montana. Hardened businessman Sam Taggart hires Emma to care for his mountain man father and little sister-brat. Emma is neat, plain, a sock knitting, curvy German immigrant, who alternately enchants and drives Sam nuts. She isn’t the society businessman’s wife Sam wants, but he sure wants Emma who is definitely a virgin with every bachelor in the Territory wanting her and her socks. What’s poor Sam going to do?”

Review: The Reveal: A Detectives Seagate and Miner Mystery by Mike Markel

Genre: Police Procedural/Mystery

Description:

“Many citizens in the small college town of Rawlings, Montana, are unsurprised to learn that Virginia Rinaldi, the world-famous sociologist, was murdered. A few are secretly pleased. Her political enemies knew her as an ideologue who used insults, threats, and blackmail to promote her unpopular social views. When Detectives Seagate and Miner begin their investigation, they discover that a local prostitute had recently moved into the professor's house, angering Rinaldi's college-age son. And when the community learns that the prostitute made a lesbian porn video with one of Rinaldi's students, tensions on campus erupt, leading to more bloodshed. Drawn into a horrifying world of sexual violence and exploitation, Seagate devises a plan to flush out the killer. The plan appears to be on track--until Seagate unwittingly jeopardizes the life of her partner, Ryan Miner.”

Review: Plymouth Rock & Roll by P.J. Morse

Genre: Mystery

Description:

Clancy Parker heads to the New Pilgrim Music Festical to play with her band, but while she is there she helps another band whose frontman gets into trouble with the law. Clancy has to find him before the police so his band could headline the music festival. Of course, there are others looking for Justin Hollander, including a group who wants him dead.

Review: Sarabande by Malcolm R. Campbell

Genre: Magical Realism/Adventure/Literary/Fantasy

Description:

“When Sarabande’s sister Dryad haunts her for three years beyond the grave, Sarabande begins a dangerous journey into the past to either raise her cruel sister from the dead, ending the torment, or to take her place in the safe darkness of the earth. In spite of unsettling predictions about her trip, Sarabande leaves the mountains of Pyrrha and Montana on a black horse named Sikimí and heads for the cornfields of Illinois in search of Robert Adams, the once powerful Sun Singer, hoping he can help with her quest.”

Review: Selling Steve Jobs' Liver by Merrill R. Chapman

Genre: Satire/Science Fiction

Description:

“In 2003, Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

By 2009, the cancer had spread to his liver. Near death, Jobs flew to Tennessee, where he underwent an organ transplant. The fate of the discarded liver remains a mystery, one that is revealed in Selling Steve Jobs’ Liver: A Story of Startups, Innovation, and Connectivity in the Clouds.

Selling Steve Jobs’ Liver ... begins when two serial-failure entrepreneurs, Nate Pennington and Ignacio Loehman, are contacted by a mysterious man who sells them the technology titan’s lost liver. The opportunity inspires them to ideate, innovate, and finally create a new company, Reliqueree, whose mission is to reposition death and dying in the market's mind by replacing 20th century mortuary processes and concepts with fresh thinking and new technology to enable the living to enjoy the benefits of enhanced remembrance and connectivity with those in the post-life.

Determined to change the world, Nate and Ignacio create the uLivv, the first device designed to leverage the IoDT (Internet of Departed Things). As part of their launch strategy, Nate and Ignacio repurpose Steve Jobs’ genome and liver to create a compelling value and promotional proposition for their new family of products and services.”

Review: Dies Irae by BV Lawson

Genre: Mystery

Description:

In the third book featuring investigator Scott Drayco, music majors are murdered at a prestigious private college. The killer leaves taunting clues in the form of complex music puzzles.

Review: The Braid by Angela Yuriko Smith

Genre: Horror/Short Story/YA

Description:

“There is something wrong with Cambria's new babysitting job when she gets drawn into a little girl's game of pulling faces—with no one. Cambria's simple world begins to fragment. It all starts when you tie the knot.”

... And a Happy New Year.

BigAl and The Pals wish all our readers a happy New Year.