Reprise Review: Rescuing Lara by Lyn Horner

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense/World Mythology

Description:

“Lara Spenser is running for her life. She guards a treasured relic from ages past that no one outside a select group is supposed to know about. Yet, an evil one has learned of its existence and his minions are hot on Lara’s trail. Although she has escaped to Ireland and is living under an alias, her special sixth sense tells her the ‘Hellhounds’ are growing near. Injured in a car wreck that killed her beloved uncle, she is desperate for someone to act as her bodyguard.

Enter Connor O’Shea, ex-Special Forces soldier. Now the foreman for a crew of oil and gas well firefighters, Conn is on an extended vacation after a devastating explosion on his last job. Out of curiosity, he answers Lara’s ad for a ‘strong chauffeur’ and takes on the job of guarding her temporarily.

Conn has his hands full, not only keeping Lara safe but also trying to help her recover from deep physical and emotional wounds. As days and weeks pass the two grow closer and romance blooms, but their tenuous peace is shattered one terrifying night by Lara’s pursuers. Conn may prove his ability to protect her, but can he help her fulfill her destiny as High Guardian of apocalyptic secrets? Can he rescue her from the soul-deep pain that holds her prisoner?”

Author:

“Lyn Horner is a baby boomer born in San Francisco, California, raised in Minnesota and now residing in Texas with her husband and an ever-changing band of cantankerous, beloved cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn first worked as a fashion illustrator in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and later as an art instructor for Art Instruction Schools… After quitting work to raise her children, she took up writing to save her sanity. This hobby quickly morphed into an obsession with historical research and plot building.”

Learn more about Ms. Horner by visiting her website or follow her onFacebook.

Appraisal:

Lara is temporarily wheelchair bound after a suspicious car wreck that left her scarred and her uncle dead. His death makes her the heir to an ancient family scroll of their Druid ancestry and sacred secrets she has promised to guard with her life.

She flees to Ireland hoping to dodge the Hellhounds who are pursuing her. Realizing she needs a bodyguard, she hires Texan Conner O’Shea, but she is reluctant to share too much information with him. Conner happens to have Irish blood in his family also and has promised his mother while he is in Ireland he will try to locate some descendants from their family line. Lara quickly begins the search with the help of her hired housekeeper, who wasn’t too fond of Conner in the beginning. However, Conner is a smooth operator and finds his way into her good graces easily enough.

It was easy to imagine the Irish countryside with the author’s descriptive prose as Conner becomes tour guide for Lara, trying to distract her from obsessing about the Hellhounds. When Lara’s sixth sense picks up a warning that the Hellhounds have found her cottage, Conner decides to take Lara back to Texas with him as quickly as they can. Ms. Horner does a good job weaving the tension and suspense of the main story arc of Lara’s mission with the ancient Druid scroll and being pursued by the Hellhounds with Lara’s own emotional dilemmas. She is a strong-willed woman with some emotional insecurities that get the best of her at times. Conner has lost his heart to her and does his best to prove his worth and devotion to Lara despite the fire and brimstone she throws at him. He will pull all of his resources together to protect Lara and help her fulfill her mission to locate the other guardians and defeat the Hellhounds.

This is book one of the Romancing the Guardians series. It ends with Conner and Lara fleeing west out of Texas in search of a safe hiding place. It’s going to be very interesting to see how things develop next with Dev, an ex-friend/employee of Conner’s, who has offered to assist Lara.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

This book does contain sexual situations that may offend some.

Added for Reprise Review: Rescuing Lara was a nominee in the Romance category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran February 15, 2015.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofing errors.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: Descending Moon (Totem Book 8) by Christine Rains

Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Mystery/Mythology

Description:

“Some say the moon is for lovers, but wise folks know to fear it.

Kinley Dorn must be strong for her family in these dark times. Sometimes she feels she’s all that’s holding them together. But when the frightening Moon Man attacks and bestows a burdensome gift upon her, Kinley might have to do more than simply help her family. She will have to battle a god, but which one? If it’s the sly man hunting her in the astral plane, Kinley might not make it out alive.”

Author:

“Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not reading or writing, she's going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. and Untethered Realms. She has one novel and several novellas and short stories published. Her newest urban fantasy series, Totem, is almost complete at nine books.”

To learn more visit Ms. Rains website or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

This addition to the series centers mainly on Kinley and the myth about the Moon Man. Ms. Rains has done a wonderful job building her myths in this series. The plot moves fast as Christmas is approaching and the bear totem looms closer than ever. So why has the Moon Man chosen Kinley to terrorize?

One thing I really enjoyed was a larger role for the local vampire, Bert Ellsworth. The Dorn sisters are building and designing Bert’s new home in the wilderness. Ransom, Kinley’s boyfriend, is also Bert’s personal assistant. His help becomes dire for Kinley and I hope to see more of him in the future.

Descending Moon is action packed and full of tension with a shocking ending on more than one level. That fact alone makes book eight exceptional. I’m not sure how they are going to manage getting all the tokens to put the totem pole back together to save all shifters in one more book. However, I am looking forward to finding out.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Descending Moon is book eight in the TOTEM series. It is important to read this series in order as events build, and characters grow from other books in the series.

Be warned about sensitive adult topics and there are several F-bombs.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: How to Remove a Brain by David Haviland

Genre: Non-Fiction

Description:

“•How was history changed by a single Soho water pump?

•Which condition was treated by trapping a child inside a tree trunk?

•Where is the soul found?

•How long does it take to digest chewing gum?

•What are hiccups for?

•Did the Gauls brush their teeth with urine?

•Does organ theft actually happen?

•Is it safe to fly with breast implants?

•Did Christopher Columbus import syphilis to Europe?

•Was King George V killed by his doctor, in order to meet The Times’ deadline?

Taking in everything from the outrageous (yes, Hitler was addicted to crystal meth) to the eye-watering (such as the renowned surgeon who accidentally cut off his patient’s left testicle) to the downright disgusting (like the ‘cure’ for toothache used by the Egyptians involving dead mouse paste), this book proves that medical science is not for the faint-hearted, lily-livered or weak-stomached!”

Author:

David Haviland is a journalist and author based in London, England.

Appraisal:

This is a collection of short vignettes that answer such burning questions as “Did Christopher Columbus import Syphilis to Europe?” or “Did President Harrison die of a cold because he refused to wear a hat during his inauguration?” Some have a historical slant, as with the above, others are more contemporary. Some of those questions aren’t likely to pique your interest based purely on the question. “What was unusual about Dr James Barry?” is an example that didn’t grab me. What ties all these vignettes together is they touch on some medical subject.

Although some of the questions might not grab your attention, even the most boring questions might have an interesting or amusing answer. For example, Dr Barry is a trailblazer as the “first British surgeon to perform a successful Caesarean section in which both the mother and child survived.” Doctor Barry is also interesting as a trailblazer in other ways which were a secret until the good doctor’s death. Haviland’s dry wit creeps into many answers, adding a touch of humor. If you’re interested in trivia or discovering which things that many believe to be true aren’t, you should find How to Remove a Brain an entertaining read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

UK spelling conventions, etc.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review copy was a pre-release ARC, so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Review: Foreign Relations by Rebecca Forster

Genre: Mystery/Police Procedural

Description:

“Traffic in downtown Los Angeles turns hellish when a woman hurtles from an overpass and crashes through the windshield of a car on the 110 Freeway. Narrowly escaping death in the epic pile up, Detective Finn O’Brien and his partner, Cori Anderson, throw themselves into the fray: Cori to triage and Finn rushing toward the flaming car in a desperate bid to save the woman. But survival is not an option. As the car explodes in a fireball, she dies in his arms. When her autopsy reveals a gruesome secret, Finn is determined to prove her death was no accident. Together with Cori, he follows a twisted trail that leads into the veiled and exotic world of L.A.'s exiled African community, the luxurious enclaves of Hollywood and finally to the doorstep of a third world despot whose cruelty knows no bounds and whose influence has a stranglehold on the City of the Angels.”

Author:

The author of numerous thrillers in multiple subgenres, USA Today bestseller Rebecca Forster lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

Appraisal:

This is only the second book in the Finn O’Brien Thriller series and already I feel like I’ve turned into a raving fan. In my mind, the case Finn and his partner Cori are working on doesn’t matter. They’re the reason I’m reading. The police procedural series that I’ve liked the most drew me in because of the appeal of the regular characters. That’s the solid foundation that’s needed for any series to succeed. Here, it’s not only the positive attributes Finn and Cori bring to the table (integrity, doggedness, and loyalty to name a few), but their imperfections as well, which lay that foundation. Not being able to tell the other how they feel about them is just one imperfection both share.

Of course, the story still has to work, and this one does. It combines international intrigue and Hollywood in the kind of story that could only take place in Los Angeles. Multiple story threads take unexpected twists before they all come together as Finn and Cori nail the culprit. I’d like to claim I saw it coming. The clues were there. But nope, that’s not who I would have guessed was whodunit.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

While the second in a series, this book can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release ARC and I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Review: Twelve Stories for Summer by Linda Mansfield

Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

"Twelve Stories for Summer offers a baker's dozen of fictional but realistic short stories set in summer. It's for teenagers through senior citizens who could use a few minutes of relaxation. Some of the stories take place at typical summer destinations like a state park, an amusement park, a baseball stadium, a public auction, a Fourth of July parade, an outdoor concert, a riding stable and an auto race. Others show people volunteering during a church mission trip and tornado relief efforts. One story features two college friends reminiscing over dinner. A bored boy at the beach is another subject.”

Author:

Linda Mansfield is a former editor at a Manhattan publishing house and current owner of a PR firm in Indianapolis.

Appraisal:

I’m not sure what to make of this collection and therefore what to say or even what rating to give it. I’ll try to explain.

Generally, the writing is solid, from a technical standpoint. The characters are interesting. But too often I’d hit the end of the story and think “is that all” or “what was the point.” One story that springs to mind as an exception to this is the tale of a guy on his first date in three years and how he messes up. It was good, made a point, and could have ended strong. Instead the ending made me want more, wanting to know what happened next.

As I’ve stewed about this I’ve come to the conclusion that the issue here might not be these stories, but that these aren’t the right stories for me. Yeah, that’s it, it’s not you Twelve Stories for Summer, it’s me.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although one of a series of 4 short story collections (each collection stories about a different time of year), the author indicates that the books stand alone.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: Maggie on the Cusp: Transcendence Book 2 by Lynne Cantwell

Genre: Magical Realism/Contemporary Fantasy/Drama/Native American Myths

Description:

“Maggie Muir Brandt has been charged by a Shawnee creation spirit with the renewal of the earth. But her elderly mother is losing her grip on reality, and Maggie feels she must set aside her own life to move back to her childhood home to take care of her.

Maggie’s brother Sandy objects, saying it would be better for their mother to live closer to him. Sandy abused Maggie all through their childhood, and that history makes her suspicious of his sudden interest in their mother. Then, in a vision, she sees a water panther – a monster – attack a drowning doe, and she knows the water panther is Sandy and the doe is their mother. In her vision, Maggie thwarts the water panther’s attack. But she knows he will be back, and she can’t hold him off forever.

It’s an impossible situation, but it must be solved, and soon. Because time is running out for the earth, and Maggie can’t fulfill her destiny until she has subdued her own demons – including Sandy.”

Author:

“Lynne Cantwell writes mostly urban fantasy and paranormal romance, with a dash of magic realism when she’s feeling more serious. She is also a contributing author for Indies Unlimited. In a previous life, she was a broadcast journalist who worked at Mutual/NBC Radio News, CNN, and a bunch of other places you have probably never heard of. She has a master's degree in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins University. Currently, she lives near Washington, D.C.”

To learn more about Ms. Cantwell check out her website or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Maggie has just returned home to find her mother suddenly having memory problems, which she didn’t have when Maggie entrusted her care to her brother Sandy. Then she catches Sandy trying to get their mother to sign the deed to her house over to him alone. Compound that with the disturbing dreams Maggie has been having and she decides to take a drive to see if she can sort her thoughts out. Subconsciously she ends up in familiar territory. She recognizes the area as the place she found a turtle effigy as a child, as noted in the first volume of this series, so she gets out to walk the site. Not too far away she finds a bird effigy, which she adds to her necklace with the turtle.

At her mom’s senior center Maggie literally runs into an old classmate who is offering free legal advice to seniors. Luckily, Rick is more than willing to take on Mrs. Muir’s case to update her will and make sure everything is in order to take care of Mrs. Muir’s best interest in the future.

With that problem taken care of Maggie is left to sort out what is going on with Sandy and take a long hard look at her family’s dynamics growing up. This means confronting the truth about everything that has been denied or overlooked just to keep peace in the family. It’s an emotional journey with some devastating results.

Each character is wonderfully written and fully developed. The dialogue is intelligent and realistic. In the first book, Maggie in the Dark, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Riley, Maggie’s ex-husband’s current wife. I now have a new-found respect for her. I can’t wait to see where Maggie’s journey takes her next. Well done Ms. Cantwell, you never fail to impress me.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Maggie on the Cusp is book two of the TRANSCENDENCE TRILOGY, following Maggie in the Dark. It is important to read this series in order.

One instance of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing significant.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Review: Checkmate by Curt Larson

Genre: Thriller

Description:

“Sebastien ‘Bass’ Masters loved technology and machines. He loved improving the output of machinery, making them sing. When his father passed away, he took over and grew the family textile business. When the opportunity arose to get into computer chips—semiconductors—with his father-in-law, he jumped in with both feet. He put his mechanical genius to work developing new and innovating technologies that launched their start-up into a contender.

When his father-in-law died unexpectedly, his wife took over the reins of the semiconductor company—then divorced him and shut him out of not only the semiconductor business but the textile factory as well.

When his son found him in Hawaii tending bar barefoot and asked for career advice, Bass realized it was time to get back into the game. With limited resources at his disposal, starting from scratch was out of the question. With no one willing to finance him in semiconductors, textiles was his best option. A path which led him right back to his old factory, closed and shuttered for years. But his ex-wife wouldn’t sell it to him.

Undaunted, he created a shell company and stayed in the background, working all the angles to buy and close the deal. Hiring his son to work for him infuriated his ex-wife even more and she was not about to let him win.

The game was now well and truly on. Who would win? Who would lose? Who would pull off the final Checkmate?”

Author:

A native of the Detroit area, Curt Larson has had a long and varied career working as a draftsman and engineer. He has two other novels available.

Appraisal:

The dedication to this book is to the author’s sons with a wish that “the business advice buried in these pages find them and serve them well.” There is some of that buried here. For example, the idea that “the guy who doesn't make a mistake is the guy who doesn't do anything” is a good one to understand. In broad strokes, the story is a good one. However, once you get into the detail there are major issues.

Some are technical. There are too many proofing misses. There are issues with redundancy – yes, repeating the same story points over and over again. (Yeah, I have that problem too.) Did I mention repetitiveness? There are words that add nothing to the story. There are words that tell the reader way more than they need to know (or care to know).

Some issues are with the way the story is presented. For one simple example, a private investigator is listening in as the protagonist and his son have a conversation in a restaurant. He supposedly overhears father and son mention the names of their girlfriends in the conversation. If he heard Angela and Alicia, I’d buy it. But instead we have this.

Hector listened intently, hoping for more tidbits. He duly noted the name Angela Vaquero, although the name meant nothing to him, and Alicia Henderson, during the course of the conversation.

Not only am I not buying it, but as it turns out knowing the last names isn’t needed for anything later in the story. This is just one of many examples of the story stretching credibility. Doing it while telling us something that isn’t even needed is even worse. As I said, there is a decent story buried here, but not without cutting about a third of the words and lots more polishing.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

An excessive number of typos and other proofreading misses.

Rating: ** Two Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 125-130,000 words

Reprise Review: The Divide by Nathan Doneen

Genre: Travel Memoir

Description:

“How far would you go to answer a simple question?

After his final year at university, Nathan Doneen wasn't satisfied with the direction his life was heading. He had doubts … he had questions. In June of 2013, Nathan set out on his mountain bike to search for answers along the Great Divide, a 2700-mile route that traces the Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico… and he set out alone.

Thrown into the world of erratic weather, cramped bivy sacks, and overwhelming solitude, Nathan was continually forced from his comfort zone, putting his personal growth on steroids.

With both his future and past in mind, Nathan's revealing and honest account illustrates the challenges of the route—and life—and how it's possible to find the strength and courage to move past them.”

Author:

“Nathan Doneen grew up on a wheat farm in the Palouse Region of Eastern Washington. After graduating from Eastern Washington University with degrees in Biology and Environmental Science, Nathan rediscovered his passion for adventure and for writing. He is currently pursuing both...”

For more, visit Doneen’s website.

Appraisal:

The travel memoir or narrative has long been one of my favorite non-fiction genres. Part of that is the obvious. I love to travel and since being on the road all the time isn’t feasible, experiencing new places and things vicariously is an alternative. But it’s more than that. A good guidebook or the right internet site can take you to the same places. Besides that, the way you experience a place will be different than how anyone else does. (In fact, in some instances I’ll have been to some of the places myself and the vicarious experience is replaced by comparing notes, which was true for much of this book for me.)

Books like this, what I describe as a travel adventure or quest, with a specific, usually difficult goal involved (in this case, riding a bike on roads and trails that roughly follow the Continental Divide of North America from well into Canada to the Mexican border) are also entertaining and interesting to me for other reasons. Getting a feel for the logistics of such an undertaking satisfies the curiosity of my more analytical side as does the problem solving involved when unanticipated problems come up.

However, there is a third item that I find essential for a travel memoir if it is to hit the highest mark for me, putting the journey chronicled in the story into a bigger perspective. What did this experience teach the author about life, the world, and his or her place in it? It’s this area where The Divide excelled. In between the day to day adventure and problem solving, Doneen considers his life thus far and where he wants it to go from there, not unlike a coming-of-age adventure novel. But even better, it’s true.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language.

Added for Reprise Review: The Divide was a nominee in the Non-Fiction category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran December 28, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Review: Environmentally Friendly by Elias Zanbaka

Genre: Suspense/Short Story

Description:

“Out of seven billion people, one man has declared war on Mother Nature and plans to bring it to its knees.

Out of all the criminals in Los Angeles, he’s the number one target being hunted by the LAPD tonight.

And out of the entire LAPD, one officer is hell-bent on helping him complete his mission.”

Author:

Information on the author is sketchy, but it appears he is an Australian college student.

Appraisal:

As I sat down to write this review I read the book description above and said, “oh, that’s what was supposedly happening.” Sure, that the police were chasing someone was obvious. That this was an intense chase with lots of action was apparent as well. Beyond that the only feeling I had was cluelessness. I wasn’t following what was happening or why I should care. Sometimes with short stories you have to fill in the gaps with your imagination, but my imagination came up short on this one. I didn’t get it.

The author did show a flare for language to show the intensity of what the characters were experiencing. But too often it went overboard, stretching things a bit too far. For example, one character is chasing another when the person being pursued is described this way:

“His target’s crazed eyes glared in delight at the polluted sight.”

So, we have a guy running away and the guy chasing him sees his eyes? Maybe. But they’re crazed, they’re glaring, and showing delight all at once? Seriously?

I wasn’t sure what to make of a line that said, “a globule of nausea suddenly shot into his chest” and questioned whether saying a character “resisted the anger that wanted to lunge him forward towards his target” made sense. I’m confused as to what it meant when a character spoke with “blood-curdling calm.”

However, it is a quick read. Maybe you’ll understand what only confused me.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ** Two Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 5-6,000 words

Review: Molten Dusk by Karissa Laurel

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Mythology/Romance

Description:

“While recovering from a devastating betrayal, Solina becomes increasingly drawn to Thorin as he helps her hunt down Skoll, the mythical wolf who vowed to kill her. If she can find and destroy the beast, she’ll bring a swift and brutal end to her enemies’ schemes. But nothing ever goes as planned in Solina’s strange new world.

During her search for Skoll, Solina uncovers a plot to unleash a battalion of legendary soldiers and launch an apocalyptic war. Before she and her allies can locate the fabled army, several ghosts from her past return to haunt her. Solina must fight for life and the fate of the world, or her hopes for love and a peaceful future will go up in flames.”

Author:

“Karissa lives in North Carolina with her kid, her husband, the occasional in-law, and a very hairy husky. Some of her favorite things are coffee, chocolate, and super heroes. She can quote Princess Bride verbatim. She loves to read and has a sweet tooth for fantasy, sci-fi, and anything in between. Sometimes her husband convinces her to put down the books and go to the flea market to find something rusty to reuse and purpose.”

To learn more about Ms. Laurel please visit her website or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

WOW! Karissa Laurel is a wonderful storyteller. All of her characters are authentic and well written with depth. The plot is riddled with twists that keeps the tension and intrigue high. There is double-crossing as well unexpected help when you least expect it. And epic battles with mindless soldiers that Solina’s fire can’t harm.

Solina’s journey is enhanced by a vision quest, which helps her sort out the nightmares she is having and the guilt she feels about her brother’s death. Thorin also shares some of his fond memories as well as heartbreaking times of his past with Solina.

Through it all Solina remains true to herself, meaning she still defies Thorin occasionally. Despite that, they both do their share of saving each other in dire times. Solina knows how Thorin feels about her, but she is strong-willed and won’t admit her emotional walls are crumbling.

There is so much more I haven’t mentioned and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed in Molten Dusk. All plot points are tied up nicely with a satisfying ending. I’m not sure if this series is finished though, I can see other stories stemming from this solid foundation.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Molten Dusk is book three in THE NORSE CHRONICLES. I would recommend reading this series in order starting with Midnight Burning then Arctic Dawn.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing errors.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words