The Abduction of Joshua Bloom / Michael L. Thal

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult/Science Fiction

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: YES

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Author:

A school teacher turned freelance author, Michael Thal has had over seventy articles published by magazines and newspapers including Highlights for Children and The Los Angeles Times. He has three other books, The Legend of Koolura and Koolura and the Mystery at Camp Saddleback, part of a middle grade series, and Goodbye Tchaikovsky, the story of a violin prodigy who loses his hearing. (Did I mention he was also one of our Pals?)

Description:

“A high school track star is abducted by aliens, explores strange worlds, uncovers genocide on a planetary scale, and is thrust into extraterrestrial politics that decides the fate of an Earth on the brink of war or unification.

The Abduction of Joshua Bloom tells the story of a teen abduction by an alien race who justifies their act in an attempt to save their people. Joshua finds himself in a world dominated by women, and men are subjugated to their whims. He travels to a dinosaur world, visits a water planet, and the alien home world doomed by a star about to nova.”

Appraisal:

I believe The Abduction of Joshua Bloom is the subgenre of science fiction that is termed space opera, with most of the action happening in space and a romantic subplot. The latter aspect is mostly low key given the target demographic which the Amazon listing gives as ages 10 through 18 or grades 4 through 12.

As explained in the book description, Joshua Bloom is a high schooler , abducted by aliens. It’s quite an adventure for Joshua as he’s exposed to these aliens, learns about the differences in their cultures and the ways they’re more technologically advanced than on Earth. He also falls in love with Anita, one of the aliens.

The language Thal uses is a good fit for the target audience, especially those toward the younger part of the target age range. It might also be a good read for someone in the older part of the targeted age range who needs an easier read, but isn’t normally attracted to the subject matter of books aimed at their reading level. There is one scene that hints at sex which some parents of younger readers might feel is pushing the limit for their age.

Anita scanned me with a mischievous glint. Her eyes told me what she meant, and my hormones did flip-flops. She grabbed my hand and took me to her room. I couldn’t believe my luck.

Even though the story takes place largely in space and is full of enough action and adventure to stay entertaining, the story is full of subtext that is very applicable to the here and now. The alien race who abducted Joshua is a matriarchy which should provoke consideration of gender roles and whether they serve to help or hinder society. It also raises the question of whether nationalism is one of the things keeping us earthlings from growing to our full potential.

FYI:

There is one scene that hints at sex which may be an issue for parents of some in the younger portion of the target audience.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four stars

Ruby Ransom (Jewels of Desire Book 2) / Erica Lucke Dean with Elise Delacroix

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Erotic Romance/ Suspense

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: NO

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Author:

Erica Lucke Dean:

“After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.”

To learn more about her, visit her website or stalk her on her Facebook page.

Elise Delacroix:

“Elise Delacroix married her high school sweetheart and moved to a remote hideaway far enough from civilization that she was forced to create her own entertainment. When playing charades got old, she came up with a plan to write erotic romance in order to keep life exciting. She may spend most of her days lounging in a pair of red flannel pajamas, but her characters wouldn’t be caught dead in anything less than satin and lace.

While Elise also writes in other genres using a pen name, it’s her collaborations with Erica Lucke Dean where she lets her naughty side come out to play. And oh, what a naughty side she has.”

Description:

“Red Callaghan climbs into bed after a wild night of clubbing… and wakes up with a gun to her head. Fortunately, she knows more about weapons than her would-be kidnapper, and she manages to disarm him then turn the tables by seducing him.

When shy chemist Will gets roped into settling his father’s gambling debt, he thinks the ruby he’s tasked to steal is a precious stone. He soon finds out it’s actually the daughter of a rival crime lord.

After striking a compromise, Red and Will collide in one explosive sexual encounter after another while executing their plan to teach both sides a lesson.”

Appraisal:

In book two of Jewels of Desire, Ruby Callaghan was as much fun as I was hoping she would be. She was gutsy, gorgeous, and genuine. She is also an MBA student at Harvard who was out at a local club for an evening of cutting loose after year-end finals, although Keegan, her bodyguard, was not willing to cut her much slack. Ruby has always had a thing for Keegan, however since he had known her since grade school he is not willing to see her as anything other than a younger sister. As a result all of Ruby’s advances are shot down and she revels in tormenting Keegan by constantly flirting with him. Ms. Dean has a way with dialogue, which reveal her character’s souls, and that sets her books apart from others for me.

When Ruby is awakened with a gun to her head, she quickly turns the table on poor Will who thinks he is there to steal a ruby gemstone, not kidnap a girl named Ruby. As she ties him to a chair with Ziplocs (Because everyone keeps Ziplocs in their bedroom since reading Fifty Shades of Grey, right?) he explains he was just trying to erase a bad debt of his father’s to help his mother out of a bad situation with the local crime boss, Big Al. So, Ruby concocts a plan…

Sparks fly as these two try to keep ahead of Ruby’s bodyguards and run around the city looking for a safe haven to carry out Ruby’s plan. Ms. Dean’s secondary characters are always well developed, although there aren’t too many in this story, you do get a good sense of who they are. I loved learning more about Ruby, she was introduced briefly in Diamond Duplicity. She is a strong, outspoken character who doesn’t take criticism from anyone. However, she has a soft core that she protects vehemently. And Will, oh my… what a swoon worthy science geek!  Yeah, he was hot! I loved the way he was able to get under and around the defenses Ruby had built to protect her heart. To say these two had chemistry is an understatement.

The ending was tense as Ruby tries to protect Will from Big Al and his crew as well as her bodyguards. I also loved the small part Max had in the end. I can’t wait to get up-close and personal with more of Ms. Dean’s characters in this series. As it continues, something is still amiss in the Callaghan organization.

FYI:

Adult language and strong sexual situations. While this could be read as a standalone this is the second book in the Jewels of Desire series and I would advise reading Diamond Duplicity first to know the whole story.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no issues with editing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Above The Forgotten World / Eric J Lopez

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Dystopian/Short Story

Approximate word count: 11-12,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO

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Author:

Information on Lopez is skimpy, although you can try his blog or his Facebook page to see if this has changed.

Description:

“Elisa Cruz lives in the near future. Humanity has failed. The world is scarred by man-made fire and bathed in radioactive waste. On the heels of our greatest blunder a savior appears. Atop a city of unimaginable technology this being offers us asylum. Humanity now thrives above the clouds in the city of Skyhaven under the protective gaze of Mark Aspen, the God-king. It's because of him we have survived and it's in him we must trust. But life is becoming more difficult with only one group we have been taught to blame, the Outcast.”

Appraisal:

Above the Forgotten World is a dystopian short story with a plot and characters that given the short format are okay, although far from unique. The world where the story takes place and the history of how it came to be was creative and distinctive. Most dystopian stories make a point, trying to get the reader to think about possible futures, and this is no exception. Overall, not great, but not awful either.

The story also delivered less than its potential because of numerous typos, grammar errors, and convoluted sentences. Whatever the editing and proofing process this went through before publication, it wasn’t adequate.

Format/Typo Issues:

A large number of typos and other proofreading and copy editing misses.

Rating: ** Two Stars

Molly Harper / Emelle Gamble

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

Ms. Gamble was first published by Harlequin Intrigue's line of romantic suspense as 'M. L. Gamble' and wrote seven books for them.

She writes relationship stories about women and the men they love and the friends they hold dearest, with a touch of mystery here, a ghost there, something extraordinary that gives the folks in her imagined world a little extra to deal with.

You can find out more on her website.

Description:

When a teenage fling left fifteen year old Anne Sullivan pregnant, she gave up the baby for adoption. Thirty years later, she learned that her adopted child might be at risk for multiple sclerosis after the birth father and others in his family died at an early age from the disease. She tracks down her daughter ’s adoptive family planning to share the medical news with them.

Appraisal:

This story sucked me in very quickly. The first meeting between Anne Sullivan and the woman who adopted her child was fraught with tension and complexity. Both characters were finely drawn and I found myself appreciating the predicament Anne’s sudden appearance on the scene created for them both.

Molly Harper, for whom the book is named, was the child that Anne gave up, and that first meeting led to increasing complexity as the two families dealt with a myriad of external difficulties and at the same time tried to cope with the realization that their lives had been based on a lie (neither mother shared the secret of the adoption).

It’d be difficult to share any more of the plot without spoiling your enjoyment of the story. I found it absorbing. If you enjoy women’s fiction, I think you will too. 

Format/Typo Issues:

Too few to mention.

Rating: ***** Five stars

#Free for your #Kindle, 7/17/2014

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.

The Ten Brides for Ten Heroes Cookbook by Various

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Two Birds by Vicki Tyley

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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.

Kimberly G. Giarratano / Grunge Gods and Graveyards

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: YA/Thriller/Paranormal

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

“Kimberly G. Giarratano, a forever Jersey girl, now lives in the woods of northeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and small children. A former teacher and YA librarian, Kimberly adores Etsy, Jon Stewart, The Afghan Whigs, '90s nostalgia, and (of course) everything YA. She also speaks Spanish, but is woefully out of practice.”

Description:

“Parted by death. Tethered by love.

Lainey Bloom’s high school senior year is a complete disaster. The popular clique, led by mean girl Wynter Woods, bullies her constantly. The principal threatens not to let her graduate with the class of 1997 unless she completes a major research project. And everyone blames her for the death of Wynter’s boyfriend, Danny Obregon.

Danny, a gorgeous musician, stole Lainey’s heart when he stole a kiss at a concert. But a week later, he was run down on a dangerous stretch of road. When he dies in her arms, she fears she’ll never know if he really would have broken up with Wynter to be with her.

Then his ghost shows up, begging her to solve his murder. Horrified by the dismal fate that awaits him if he never crosses over, Lainey seeks the dark truth amidst small town secrets, family strife, and divided loyalties. But every step she takes toward discovering what really happened the night Danny died pulls her further away from the beautiful boy she can never touch again.”

Appraisal:

While on the surface Grunge Gods and Graveyards is a ghost story with the common story conflict that the spirit in question is in limbo and needs something resolved before he can cross over to the other side, the story is much more than that. At its heart, it is a mystery. It’s a story about friendship and living as an outcast from the popular crowd. It shines a light on the good and bad of small town life. And last, as you might expect with the word grunge in the title, there is a subtle theme of the power of music to bring people together. An enjoyable read.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four stars

Reprise Review: Flaming Dove / Daniel Arenson

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Fantasy/Post Armageddon

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Availability

Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: NO Paper: YES

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Author:

Born in Israel in 1980, Daniel Arenson lived in Manitoba and New Jersey before settling in Toronto, Ontario. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and enjoys painting in his spare time.

He sold his first short story in 1998. Since then, dozens of his stories and poems have appeared in various magazines, among them Flesh & Blood, Chizine and Orson Scott Card’s Strong Verse.

In 2007, Daniel sold his first novel, Firefly Island, to Five Star Publishing. He's been writing fantasy novels since, including several standalones and two fantasy series: The darker Song of Dragons and the lighter Misfit Heroes. You can read more at his web site.

Description:

Since Armageddon, Heaven and Hell had beaten each other into a bloody, uneasy stalemate. It’s been twenty seven years and neither Heaven nor Hell is the clear winner in the war between good and evil. Set with the backdrop of post Armageddon earth, Daniel Arenson tells us the story of Laila, an Uzi and grenade carrying half-breed, fighting for a home or just a place to survive. Her mother was an angel, her father an arch-demon, Lucifer. Unable to survive in Heaven or Hell she was raised on earth. Born with claws, fangs, and bat-like wings, she is an outcast on earth as well.

Appraisal:

The first character we are introduced to is Nathaniel. He is a jaded and gritty angel who had lost his wings and an eye fighting an arch-demon during the battle of Armageddon. He was my favorite angel and he drew me in. This story though is about Laila, both forces of Heaven and Hell think having Laila on their team will finally turn the tide in their favor.

When Laila returns to Jerusalem and finally chooses a side, she has her own agenda and refuses to follow orders. She will not let her fate be decided for her. Her only friends are Volkfair, a very large black wolf, who fights by her side, and Bat El, her innocent and pious angel sister, who has only been on earth a few months and serves as a captain in Michaels’ army. We learn of their relationship through flashbacks that are easy to follow. Humans are a rarity now and seldom mentioned. It was easy to feel the angst and exhaustion of the characters. God seems nonexistent, except to Raphael, who seems to be in the story only to remind us that God exists in all things.

The characters are complex, fully developed, and well drawn; the plot is unique and flowed well. I enjoyed the tongue in cheek dialogue that served to lighten some scenes. The battle scenes were epic with tens of thousands of angels and demons, narrated with descriptive prose. The settings were vivid around Jerusalem, Caesarea, Masada and the Sea of Galilee. The ending was a bit surprising with a twist to leave us something to ponder and open enough for perhaps a sequel.

Arenson did get a bit repetitive in a few places describing angel wings and demon wings, but not enough to remove a star or lessen my enjoyment of the whole story. This story may cause you to rethink or reevaluate your concepts of good and evil.

FYI:

If you can not handle spitting, cursing, hard edged angels, or devils who have a heart and react with some humanity this book may not be for you.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five stars

TaleSpins / Michael Mullin

Reviewed by: Michael Thal

Genre: Fairy Tales (Alternative)

Approximate word count: 13-14,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

Michael Mullin founded Gemiknight Studios. Its subsidiary, Gemiknight Press published TaleSpins. In a previous life Mullin taught preschool and college, two positions he found disconcertingly similar. Michael’s greatest love is his pre-teen twins and his lovely wife. The Mullin family lives in Pasadena, California.

Description:

TaleSpins, written entirely in rhyme, retells the stories of well-known fairy tales with a new spin. In The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8^th Dwarf we uncover the true reason Snow White was able to survive the plot against her by the wicked stepmother. Then there’s Princess Penny in The Plight and Plot of Princess Penny. Penny is a not quite normal 15 year-old seeking revenge against classmate Darcy for her constant bullying ways. To get the best results Penny naturally turns to the local witch. Finally, in Jack’d, a modern day Jack and the Beanstalk tale, Jack is an impoverished teen tagger and thief who climbs a tall building to find wealth.

Appraisal:

Michael Mullin has a unique way of telling his stories. For example, in Jack’d we meet the doctor who says,

If you must know I’ll tell you that I am a doctor.

Little else will be revealed.

I’m too modest to say, but others

Have called me a giant in my field.

As readers are drawn into a retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, a what happened after story to the wicked witch’s cottage in Hansel and Gretel, and a new spin on Jack and the Beanstalk they are charmed by the turn of phrase and fresh stories that are produced by Mulllin’s poetry.

Yes, at spots the rhyme feels forced, but for the most part, the author does a superb job. Bravo!

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant errors.

Rating: **** Four stars 

Fragmented / George Fong

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Approximate word count: 70-75 ,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: YES

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Author:

George Fong is a retired FBI agent with 27 years service investigating violent crimes from robberies to murder. He is currently the Director of Security for ESPN. George started writing to find himself again. Fragmented is his debut novel.

You can learn more about the author at his website.

Description:

Five years ago Alvin Cooper murdered his family. No-one knows why, even FBI Special Agent Jack Paris who investigated the original case.

Then Cooper escapes from a minimum security prison. When a young girl goes missing Cooper is the chief suspect and Paris is on the killer’s trail again, trying to find the girl before the past happens all over again…

Appraisal:

I’ll admit to a bias right up front – I struggle with anything, whether it’s film or written word – that has child abuse at its heart. This is not to say that Fragmented is graphic or abusive, it’s not. But the idea of a child being kidnapped and maybe abused sends me cold.

However, putting this to one side as much as possible, Fragmented is a very well written book. It is pacy and peppered with twists and turns throughout. Just as the detectives think they’re getting near their man and the child, he’s gone again in a puff of smoke. Tension is created from pretty much the first page and remains throughout.

Fragmented shines a light on the murky world of abuse. It’s not pretty and the author stops short of a full punch to the gut, but it’s close enough. And I guess that’s where the strength of this story lies. That the author was able to produce this level of reaction within me.

The characters are strong, particularly Jack Paris. After twenty years in the FBI he’s wondering if there’s more to life, with an estranged wife and a job offer on the table he’s on the cusp of change. The author’s own knowledge and experience shines through. Fong also benefitted from the quality editing of Joe Clifford, himself a leading writer.

An excellent debut – it’s clear Fong has a hell of a career ahead of him.

FYI:

Some difficult scenes.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing of note.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Wind and Shadow (Talbot Trilogy)/ Tori L. Ridgewood

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Availability    

Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: YES  Smashwords: YES  Paper: YES

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Tori L. Ridgewood is a collector and teller of stories; a dedicated wife, mother, and high-school teacher; and is a practicing Wiccan. She enjoys reading, needlecraft, and overthinking movies.”

“She loves to travel, collect and make miniature furniture, and a good cup of tea during a thunderstorm or a blizzard. Under it all, she is always intrigued by history, the supernatural, vampire and shapeshifter mythology, romance, and other dangers.”

Learn more about Ms. Ridgewood at her website.

Description:

“Rayvin Woods, photographer and natural witch. She just wanted to start her life over again after a series of misadventures. She didn't count on rekindling a lost love when she came home to Talbot...or battling a malevolent vampire and his coven for her life.

Grant Michaels, police officer. He thought Rayvin was a murderer. He will do whatever it takes to protect the community he loves from danger...but will he learn to trust his heart, and the word of a witch, before it's too late?”

Appraisal:

Ten years ago Rayvin Wood was ostracized after being falsely accused for a tragic injury of the town’s sports hero, Jason Lucas, which left him a paraplegic. She is now heading back home to reunite with her foster sister and best friend, Andrea Renaud, to try to start life anew. Being pulled over by Grant Michaels, her high school crush and Jason’s best friend, was not an auspicious start. And neither was the huge sinkhole that shows up in the middle of town upon her arrival, which just happens to let loose an evil vampire, who had been entombed there a year ago, three days before Halloween.

It is clear there is a sexual tension in the love/hate relationship between Rayvin and Grant as the animosity flies and neither will admit they are drawn to each other. Grant can’t help but be attracted to Rayvin’s untamed, intelligent, and unapologetic character. Ms. Ridgewood does a good job developing her characters. However she had an annoying tendency to repeat facts about how they felt about each other in the past and the emotions they were going through now over and over again. This tendency led to the over usage of the words had had and the words, after all.

 “The confusion of emotions that had surrounded her when they had had their brief encounter on the highway was nothing now to the storm that rose within.”

“She had had to come back. She wasn’t sure what was more difficult, the fact that she could not avoid an encounter with Lucas forever, or the knowledge that she had had to face him again as a failure.”

“She might be a murderer, after all.”

“The ride had been cold, after all.”

There is a unique story here with lots of twists and turns as the plot unfolds and some captivating characters who are dealing with a lot of unusual situations. This story starts off strong and the sex scenes between Rayvin and Grant are some of the best I have read, they are hot! However, I feel like this book would benefit from a good re-editing. Not only for the issues already mentioned, but for trouble with some continuity issues towards the end of the book with timing and the order of events that get a little wonky.

To say that this book has a cliff-hanger is an understatement. Nothing was resolved to a satisfactory conclusion, only more problems presented themselves at the end. The good news is that book two is out. If you are willing to overlook the issues I had with this book you may find you will enjoy the story.

FYI:

Adult language and strong sexual content. Ms. Ridgewood uses Canadian spelling.

Format/Typo Issues:

I came across several editing issues from simple proofing errors to larger copy editing issues. I find it really hard to handle when a main characters name is misspelled.

Rating: ** Two stars