July 14, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy, Book Two) by Tim O’Rourke

Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy, #2) Wow! Wow! And wow! Tim O’Rourke never ceases to amaze as reading his books provides the reader with shock after shock! Recommended for readers of 17 yrs and over, Moonbeam (Book 2 of The Moon Trilogy) is a very dark paranormal horror that also ticks all of the boxes when it comes to drama, love, action and adventure as well as it’s fair share of gore.

After being acquainted with the characters of Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy, Book One), Thaddeus Blake and Winter McCall – where the setting was, if anything, a little eerie and strange – the reader was provided with a great deal of action as the story unfolded and especially towards the end which is right where Moonbeam takes over. Thaddeus’ mansion is left burning as Thad and Winnie make their way to Scotland in the hope of finding the Moonbeam, as well as trying to escape from the police and the vampires that will be sure to hunt them down.

The Moonbeam is a precious stone believed to destroy all of the vampires and it may be Thad’s only hope in preventing the vampires fom tracking him. Unfortunately, even this precious stone does not come without its history, as Thaddeus is well aware. Thaddeus had the Moonbeam in his possession many years before and it had caused nothing but deep, dark troubles – all of which the reader hears about as the story drifts in and out of the present to Thaddeus’ dark past. It seems that with small doses of happiness, Thad’s life has been overrun with tragedy. As we learn more of Thaddeus’ history the reader cannot help but feel for him deeply, which is a different take of him than we are used to with Moonlight.

Events and settings are not so eerie and strange in Moonbeam as Thaddeus and Winnie have a deeper understanding of each other. Winnie has to come to terms with the events that have taken place and the reader hopes that she can put her trust in Thaddeus to look out for her and protect her. As we begin book 2 the adventure is well under way, not only with Thad and Winnie travelling to Scotland, but with the police following up on Thaddeus’ burning mansion and trying to locate him. Therefore, there is a faster pace throughout Moonbeam. However, the horror is as equal to or even moreso in Moonbeam especially the scenes of Ruby Little (the ghost of Winnie’s best friend) that are very disturbing. You’ll definitely be wanting to pull those bed covers over you when you read this!

As I explained in my review of Moonlight (Book 1 of The Moon Trilogy), at the time I wanted to jump into the story to pull Winnie out – to free her from all danger and from the strange Thaddeus. However, with Moonbeam I wanted to be Winnie, in the knowledge that Thaddeus would protect me from danger and that my feelings towards him were growing stronger. In a short space of time she has come so far with Thad; after him finding her begging on the streets of London, offering her accommodation in return for her to carry out household duties (and occasionally stand in the moonlight!) and then being attacked and watch their home burn to presently making their way to Scotland.

With every one of Tim O’Rourke’s sequels I have read so far they can all be read as stand alone’s as Tim is kind enough and clear enough to provide just enough information for the reader to understand the characters and the events taking place. HOWEVER, the reader will seriously be missing out on sooo much more! I strongly recommend that the earlier books are read to completely follow these characters on their great journey, to see them blossom. And I can promise you that you’ll fall in love with them.

I loved every page of Moonbeam until I reached those dreaded words, ‘To be continued…’, at which point I just wanted to scream, ‘No! How can he do this?!’ Talk about leaving the reader in suspense! ‘That’s a little dramatic!’ I hear you say in regards to my reaction – well, you most probably haven’t read a Tim O’Rourke book. They are frightfully addictive, powerful, exciting, horrific and fun. Believe me, you’ll constantly find yourself rooting for your favourite characters as Tim passes his passion onto the reader!!!

Moonbeam was provided by the author, Tim O’Rourke, for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

July 11, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel (Volume One) (Keira Hudson Series One) by Tim O’Rourke and illustrated by Craig Twyman

Vampire Shift - The Graphic Novel (Kiera Hudson Series One) Vol. 1

I always read Tim O’Rourke’s work with the feeling that I am in the story with the characters and witnessing up close all of the events that take place as his novels are so full of life with believable characters. And yet I find that in Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel (Volume One), with Craig Twyman’s graphics, the story becomes even more real – if that is at all possible!

Tim has this knack throughout his books to make them fun as well as descriptive, providing his readers with very strong imageries. With the help of Craig Twyman he has turned his first Keira Hudson novel into this beautifully illustrated graphic piece of art, keeping in the short, punchy descriptions and even illustrating the subtle points, i.e. car wheels squelching in mud, the flick of a cigarette, etc. This all creates a vivid scene in one’s head as it emphasizes the action, making it more dramatic. The artwork is so good that it captures even the expressions on characters faces and they are so accurate! It is amazing!!!

Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel illustrates Tim’s clarity in his writing as his descriptions in the novels really do help you to visualise very similar scenes to the ones shown in this book. Craig Twyman has been able to easily take Tim’s descriptions and turn them into another work of art through the use of illustration. It has been carried out in such a way that it is so readable and easy to follow.

On appearance it is very similar to that of a comic book, however I personally always found comics difficult to follow as there were very little explanations and not much dialogue. Here we have the description of characters/events as well as great dialogue and fantastic visuals. The graphics themselves reminded me of storyboards that are used in tv and film to aid the film makers create a scene-by-scene visual. This graphic novel would surely come in handy if Keira Hudson was to ever make it to to our screens!

The first few chapters of Vampire Shift are also available as podcasts via iTunes for FREE! It would be an experience to hear the narrative story, along with the sound effects, (from the podcasts) at the same time as following The Graphic Novel. This would give a sense of the whole atmosphere of the story.

A must-have for any fan, this is great if you would like to recap on some of the details of the story. BUT this is also a fantastic introduction into the Keira Hudson series, with the hope that a new reader would then go on to read the full novels of the series. You can click on the links to find the synopsis to Vampire Shift (Keira Hudson Series One, Book One) and my review (or below for my review), however please take note that this was one of my very first reviews, before this blog was created!

A few weeks back I was very lucky to win a signed copy of the front cover of Vampre Shift – The Graphic Novel after entering one of Tim’s competitions. I have just ordered the signed paperback copy of this Graphic Novel from Tim’s Keira Hudson shop! Go and take a sneaky peek!

I thank Tim for providing me with an e-copy of Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel (Volume One), and for writing such awesome books. And a thank you to Craig Twyman for bringing Vampire Shift even more alive with his fantastic illustrations!

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

July 11, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Vampire Shift (Kiera Hudson Series One #1) by Tim O’Rourke

Tim O’Rourke’s Vampire Shift (Keira Hudson, series one, book one) has just seen it’s release of a Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel, illustrated by Craig Twyman! Here is the reblog of my review for the original novel, with my review for the Graphic Novel to be posted shortly! Enjoy! Caroline 🙂

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Vampire Shift is a fascinating read. Set in a small, remote town in England with the main buildings being an inn, a police station and a church. It is surrounded by fields, cliffs and the sea. For some reason when visualising the fields and the inn I imagined the setting to be similar of that in ‘An American Werewolf in London’. The only difference being is that this novel is about vampires.

Keira was an interesting character from the beginning, having become a police officer so young and with high ambitions. When she decided to take on the murder cases and those of missing people in the Ragged Cove one of the first places for her to visit was, of course, the police station. With a very limited workforce and the sergeant sitting smoking a pipe and wearing slippers in this remote town, I couldn’t help but imagine ‘Heartbeat’ and…

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July 9, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Update by Caroline

What a week of some fantastic sunshine we have been having here in the UK! It certainly gets you in that holiday mood! We hope that you have been enjoying some fab books in the sun. Let us know what you have been reading 🙂 We would like to give a big, warm WELCOME to our latest followers. Thank you so much for all of your support and interest. We have also reached our first 100 ‘Likes’ on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AReadersReview. Thank you to all that shared our post and introduced some new followers. You’re very kind and myself and Tina appreciate it very much! You can also find us on Twitter at @areadersreviewb.

So, what have we been up to recently?:-

Since our last update we have posted our review of Hidden Agenda by Peter S. Berman, a fantastic crime/thriller and dramatic courtroom novel where the investigation into the topical case doesn’t stop until the very end! A widower and senior prosecutor at the LA District Attorney’s office (Jeremy Hart) has an affair with a beautiful ex-model who is married to a wealthy and powerful businessman. However, when her abusive husband becomes suspicious and violently attacks her, and later his body is found with two bullet holes in, it doesn’t take too long before the detectives charge Jeremy for the murder. After all he has the motive and no substantial alibi. BUT, is everything as it seems? Did Jeremy kill in order to protect the new woman in his life so they can be together with no fear?

To coincide with the release of ‘The Wolfstone Curse’ we have had our first and exclusive interview to post of author Justin Richards (BBC Consultant on the Dr Who titles!). Along with the interview we also reblogged our review, with Tina’s review to follow shortly. The Wolfstone Curse is suitable for readers of 11yrs+ and follows Peter, whose dad is an archaeologist, and Carys, whose resides in theWolfstone village inn that is run by her mother. When Peter’s dad has work to carry out at Wolfstone, Peter decides to go exploring. During this time Peter discovers the existence of werewolves and the curse that has been bestowed upon them. With an ally in Carys, the two teenagers go on a spectacular adventure of horror! This was an exceptionally fantastic read and I would recommend this to youngsters and adults alike.

As well as The Wolfstone Curse, Templar Publishing have very recently released Emily Diamand’s ‘Ways to See a Ghost’. To coincide with this great release, you can read Tina’s in-depth review. A paranormal horror for those aged 11+ crosses two teenagers; Gray with a father heavily into UFO sightings and conspiracies; and Isis with a mother claiming to be a psychic. As well as it’s dark moments there are some brilliant comedic moments as both of these parents begin dating. Although the mother claims to be a psychic it is in fact her daughter that can see ghosts. However, Isis cannot mention this to her mum when it is the ghost of her little sister that she can see. To mention it would destroy the happiness that her mother has tried to build up since the fatal day. When her mum is invited into an elite pysycic society, there is doubt almost immediately on the intentions of the society’s leader. The whole story connects together with the ghosts that Isis can see and the unexplained sightings Gray and his father experience. Lives are in danger but can Isis and Gray figure it all out in time and prevent any tragedies? (Also reviewed previously by Caroline.)

Lastly, but most certainly not the least, we have posted our review of C.J. Pinard’s ‘Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen! An absolutely thrilling urban paranormal series consisting of vampires, shifters, sylphs and the heroes of it all – the Immortals, whose job it is to police mostly the vamps and shifters. In The Vixen we follow the foxy Immortal Kathryn’s story. This is full of tragedy, heartache and love. However, Kathryn is not a force to be reckoned with as she is bold and more than capable of looking after herself with the power of mind-reading. The title and the cover art are excellent in helping describe Kathryn. Meanwhile, there are talks of having a new leadership amongst the vampires, the shifters open up a new club in town and Melina takes time out to contemplate her future. But will she return in time for the Immortals to take their dose of Enchantment in order for them to remain immortal?

THIS WEEK

Tina is planning to post a review of the hot paranormal romance Nalini Singh’s Tangle of Need, #11 in the Psy-Changeling Series very soon! Whilst I am hoping to review Vampire Shift - The Graphic Novel (Kiera Hudson Series One) Vol. 1 Tim O’Rourke’s Vampire Shift – The Graphic Novel (Kiera Hudson Series One) Vol. 1, illustrated by Craig Twyman. This is a brilliant visual for those that have already read the novel and it’s a great introduction for those that are ready to join the Keira Hudson adventure!

Shortly after I will be reading and reviewing Gary Richardson’s short story Ratty’s Bones, concerning an inmate who has spent the last six years in silence during his time inside. However, during the latest meeting with his social worker he suddenly decides to speak about his childhood, upbringing and broken friendships!

Lover At Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #11) Towards the end of the week Tina is hoping to review the latest paranormal/urban fantasy Black Dagger Brotherhood book by J.R. Ward – Lover at Last! Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy, #2) And I’m hoping to post an author post from Tim O’Rourke alongside our review for the paranormal horror Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy, Book 2)!

Late July/early August we will be hosting a book blog tour for White Chalk by Pavarti K Tyler and to prepare for this I will be reading White Chalk this week and preparing a review ready. Other books I’m hoping to read over the following weeks are, the urban fantasy Boreal and John Grey by Chrystalla Thoma, the fantasy of Brooke Morris’ The Pull and the thriller/horror The One Percenters by John Podgursky!

I hope that we have a little something for you in our ever growing collection. Again, many thanks to all of you for your support. Have a fantastic week 🙂

Caroline and Tina 🙂

July 2, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen by C.J. Pinard

Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen (Enchanted Immortals, #4) Sexiness, sassiness and sophistication are what you can expect from Kathryn Jones in C.J. Pinard’s fourth instalment in this brilliant urban paranormal Enchanted Immortals series, The Vixen. The Vixen takes the reader on a journey through Kathryn’s past, from the death of her parents and her sleazy, rough life in Chicago, right on through to Kathryn becoming an Immortal.

After leaving Chicago Kathryn settled in LA, but after having a tragic experience and then focusing completely on policing the vampires and shapeshifters, does she then meet the man of her dreams? Although The Vixen concentrates on Kathryn’s character and her story I do love how the various groups, i.e. shapeshifters, vampires, sylphs and Immortals, have their own agendas/stories – but it is the Treaty that all of these species have all made with the Zie Council which bring them all together.

We begin The Vixen with a dramatic and effective prologue which engages the reader from the off. Poor little Kathryn as a youngster, desperate cold and hungry, being led by her mother to a shelter to escape her father. The reader already has a sense that Kathryn’s father is violent and abusive and can therefore understand why her mother is running. However, Kathryn is a scared little girl; scared of her father and scared of running to the unknown. The Vixen has it’s fair share of action and horror and the prologue is no exception to the latter! From this short piece of writing alone, the reader is connected to Kathryn and you have to continue on the journey of this desolate soul.

As with all of the Enchanted Immortals books, The Vixen switched from past to present. C.J. writes in such a way to make the story easy to follow and keeps the excitement flowing as one moment we’re reading about the 1920’s and then present day, back to the 1930’s. The story is constantly keeping pace and going back and forth between the vamps, shifters, immortals, etc, keeping the reader informed on the different events taking place. The reader is reminded of how Kathryn met up with Jonathan, how Thomas became an Immortal and also Tony Bianchi – an investigator with the BSI (Bureau of Supernatural Investigation).

The reader is also reminded of the shifter, Sheena, and what happened to her. For those that do not know and have not read the previous books of the series – this is a revelation and as well as a great recap, making The Vixen well written and informative enough to read as a stand alone. However, I would recommend that all books of the series should be read as they are all fantastic and each book focuses on a different character (please click on the links below to read our reviews):-

Enchanted Immortals – Thomas’ story

Enchanted Immortals 2: The Vortex – Jonathan’s story

Enchanted Immortals 3: The Vampyre – Pascal’s story

Having each book focus on a different character enables the reader to come up close and personal with each one and thus helping to empathise and connect with each character as well as providing a full background for the whole series.

Before reading The Vixen I viewed Kathryn as a more supportive character as Jonathan and Thomas, espeically Jonathan, were seen to be the heroes. In the Vixen Kathryn comes to the fore and I now see her as an equal, especially as she is so bold. The Immortals also have their own superpower: Jonathan is extremely strong; Thomas is very fast; and Kathryn can read minds. This makes all of them individually capable of surviving well on their own. As a team they are extremely powerful.

Poor Thomas is left waiting for news of pregnant Malina as she has left their apartment for a short while to contemplate what to do about her future. Being a sylph, after giving birth she will become a mortal, leaving Thomas and her child to carry on without her once she dies. Malina has experimented with the Enchantment in the hope that she would keep her immortality, however thus far no experiment has worked. Thomas is prepared to become a mortal with her, however this would leave their child, not to mention his best friend, Jonathan, without him. Sylph Serina is put into a difficult situation as Malina stays with her but would rather Serina not mention it until she has had time to think.

Shapeshifters Seth and Malachi are desperate to be released from the Island’s prison. Being cooped up is not doing them all that good, especially when they need to turn and their instinct urges them to hunt. However, after asking for Melina on several occasions, will she finally allow for their release? Not only are Seth and Malachi seeking their release, there is also a discovery that they make. How will this affect them? Has prison helped them learn their lesson, or are they still up to no good? I must admit there was a part of me that felt sorry for Seth. Meanwhile, a new bar, The Polecat, is opening up in town and is run by shapeshifters. The Immortals and BSI go quietly to check it out.

Since the demise of vampire Pascal, Angel is looking for a more suitable leader for the remaining vamps. Brandon has taken it upon himself to lead but it seems to have all gone to his head and the others are quite young to lead. Angel visits an elderly human/ex-vamp, Darius, to discuss her plans. The reader is instantly given the impression that Darius is similar to Samuel L. Jackson in both looks and personality. After I thought this, I smiled to myself when it was mentioned in the book which is an example of how clear C.J. Pinard writes.

Although the end of the story does wrap up quite nicely, the epilogue leaves the reader hoping for more. What becomes of Angel? Will Seth and Malachi revert to their old ways after the revelation they have learnt? The Vixen, unfortunately is meant to be the concluding book of the series and in all honesty the series could be left as it is. However, there are so many characters that could go on to do more that I cannot help but try to persuade C.J. to write another.

There is the novella, BSI: Bureau of Supernatural Investigation, that will be released at a later date. I cannot wait for this as the reader experiences an ‘X-files’ feel when reading about these guys. It is absolutely fantastic stuff – C.J is one of my favourite authors as her work is so full of life, full of different characters, so exciting and action-packed. If you haven’t had a C.J. Pinard experience yet then you have to buy these books. You won’t be disappointed!

At the time of writing this post you can purchase the Kindle Editions of the first two books of the series for only 77p at Amazon UK or for $1.17 at Amazon US!

I received Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen from the author, C.J. Pinard, gratefully. In return for her kindness and because I absolutely love this series I have written an honest and fair review.

If you would like to contact C.J. Pinard you can reach her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CJPinardAuthor or you can e-mail her at cjpinardauthor@gmail.com.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

June 30, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Exclusive interview with Justin Richards, author of The Wolfstone Curse

You may remember that we reviewed author, and Creative Consultant for BBC Books on the Dr Who titles, Justin Richards’ The Wolfstone Curse recently. We posted the review along with an author biog of Justin too.

Well, now The Wolfstone Curse has been released and Justin has kindly taken some time out to give us an interview! A Reader’s Review Blog would like to say a great big THANK YOU to Justin and Templar Publishing for their support leading up to The Wolfstone Curse’s release.

We hope that you enjoy reading the following questions and answers and would love to hear your thoughts. Now we will pass you over to Justin:-

1. After reading The Wolfstone Curse I was left wondering, ‘Wow, where does Richards get his inspiration from?’ Could you give us an insight to this, Justin?

A lot of it is actually perspiration, and a lot of it is desperation! I tend to ‘collect’ ideas and things that interest me. Then I wonder what would happen if you put them together, how they might relate. So for The Wolfstone Curse, I combined werewolves and stone circles. That gives me a starting point – and quite often my starting point then disappears as the story takes shape and it turns into something else.

2. Was there anything in particular that gave you the idea to write about werewolves?

I’ve always been fascinated by werewolves – they are monsters but ones with a tragic personal story. It was a challenge to put a new spin on a traditional monster as well. I did the same with vampires in The Parliament of Blood a few years ago, so I guess I just thought it was time to have a go at werewolves! Actually, the first idea I had for Wolfstone Curse was a spooky house, and down in the cellars is a secret area. That stayed in, of course. But originally I thought that the basement would be a werewolf museum – a huge private exhibition where the werewolf family had preserved artefacts from their history and proudly put it all on display… That would still have worked, but it distracted from what became the main narrative. So the museum was reduced to a tomb and the paintings… Maybe it’ll turn up in another book.

3. Do you use any visual objects to help in describing any of the events/characters? If so, what do you use?

Sometimes for places and settings, either I visit them, or feel inspired by a place… Or I work from photographs. For Wolfstone, I had a real stone circle in my mind, for example. I used to try to find pictures of people who looked as I imagined a particular character did. But the pictures of them in my imagination were always better, so I don’t bother now!

4. Who is your favourite character in The Wolfstone Curse, and why?

I think it’s probably Carys. She’s had, as we discover, a strange and difficult time of things stuck at home in the middle of nowhere and meeting Peter gives her a chance to move on from that. Outwardly she’s so confident and aloof – especially when they first meet – yet inside she’s really far more diffident and emotional…

5. When reading The Wolfstone Curse it certainly came across that a great deal of historical research had been done. Was this the case and did you enjoy researching for The Wolfstone Curse?

I did do quite a lot of research, although much of that then got changed into other things. Yes, all the werewolf legends and facts and figures are from historical and mythological research. But of course the history of the Wolfstone Circle is made up – although some is based on legends and stories about other circles. The Crystal Room is based – very loosely – on the Amber Room that disappeared from a palace near St Petersburg towards the end of the second World War when it was looted by the retreating Germans…

6. Who are your favourite authors and/or books?

I read a lot – adult and children’s fiction as well as non-fiction for research and for fun. It’s difficult to choose favourites. Maybe I’m easily pleased! One of my favourite (adult fiction) books is ‘The Eight’ by Katherine Neville which is part historical, part set in the 1970s and all about Charlamagne’s chess set.

7. In between the researching and writing, what are your favourite pastimes?

Between reading, writing and my family I don’t have a lot of spare time! I enjoy cooking, though I don’t pretend to be very good or adventurous at it. Watching television and films and going to the theatre – all of which I kid myself is research, of course.

8. Last but not least, I absolutely loved the characters Peter and Carys. They are great heroes for the reader of either gender. Are we likely to meet up with them again in another adventure?

I hope so. I have all sorts of ideas about what they might get up to next – about the adventures waiting for them. I think there’s lots of potential in the characters that I’d like to explore. But it all depends how well The Wolfstone Curse does whether more Peter and Carys adventures are viable. I hope so. I can’t wait to get writing them!

The Wolfstone Curse can be found on Amazon UK!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ‘The Skeleton Clock’ by Justin Richards – get the Kindle edition from Amazon Also in the Apple iBooks Store Sample or purchase The Skeleton Clock in other eBook formats http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56152 And read about ‘The World of The Skeleton Clock’ – free from www.JustinRichardsWriter.com

Follow me on Twitter – @JJCRichards

June 30, 2013 by Caroline Barker

‘The Wolfstone Curse’ by Justin Richards

Now released, Justin Richards’ The Wolfstone Curse! Here is a reblog of our review, along with an author interview (above).

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‘The Wolfstone Curse’ is an action-packed thriller of horror and adventure where teenager Peter, visits the remote village of Wolfstone with his archaeologist father, Professor Crichton, who is due to be carrying out his work at the ancient Wolfstone Circle in the Cotswolds. As a teenager, in a very isolated place, Peter becomes bored and goes to explore the surrounding area, in particular the Wolfstone Manor. As the story unfolds Peter discovers the existence of werewolves and the curse that is placed upon them.

The story begins with a diary entry, dating from the Second World War, by a soldier who has just been briefed on the Nazi experiments taking place at Castle Wolfenburg. His group of commandos are sent to attack the genetically engineered SS Wolfen soldiers to prevent these experiments from taking place. There is no holding back with Justin Richards as the reader enters the story at…

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June 29, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Hidden Agenda by Peter S. Berman

‘Hidden Agenda’ by Peter S. Berman is an amazing five-star crime-thriller/courtroom drama novel! It keeps the reader engaged, with plenty of dialogue, brilliant characters and most importantly, a dramatic storyline. Hidden Agenda is separated into four sections (books), beginning as a crime thriller, taking the reader right into the thick of a courtroom drama as it builds it’s way with many twists and turns into the concluding fourth section.

After losing his wife in an accident a few years before, Jeremy Hart, a senior prosecutor in the LA District Attorney’s office, is encouraged by his counselor to try socialising again. She offers him a ticket for a charitable event where he first meets Claire Carleton. Ex-model Claire is trapped in a loveless marriage to a wealthy and powerful man, Peter Carleton, who is also very abusive and possessive towards her.

Love blossoms between Claire and Jeremy and they wind up in an affair that neither one wants to walk away from. However, with Peter always looking over her shoulder it is difficult for Claire and Jeremy to meet up. After messaging to each other over the internet, Peter’s suspicions of an affair are proven when he catches Claire sitting as her computer as a message from Hart pops up. Peter goes on to violently attack Claire and threaten her life – either that or she could lose her two daughters if Peter was to take them to Brazil with him. Leaving her with no options, Claire is trapped and reveals all to Jeremy.

Later, Peter’s body is found on the driveway of his home where he has been shot to death. It is then up to the detectives, Gibson and Donahue, to establish the motive, the opportunity and the culprit. Jeremy Hart is suspect no.1 and as the evidence points to him it is not long before a trial begins. However, as more questions are raised, Gibson and Donahue continue to investigate behind the scenes to find out the truth of Peter’s murder.

Hidden Agenda is beautifully woven together and is written in such a way that it is easy for the reader to follow and yet produces an engrossing story. The first section (Book 1) of Hidden Agenda introduces the readers to Jeremy Hart and Claire Carleton as the reader follows Jeremy’s story, getting to know the main characters involved. Book 2 focuses on detectives Gibson and Donahue as well as the main investigation where we are made aware of the evidence. This takes us to Book 3, concentrating on the courtroom drama of the trial with lawyers, Brunon and Kelly, and then finally we reach the concluding section Book 4!

As a reader, I really enjoyed that Hidden Agenda keeps to the one crime continuously and is written and broken down in order. It keeps the reader engaged and interested as well as opens up your eyes for those who are not too familiar of the courtroom system. I really enjoyed reading this style of writing. Even during the trial scenes Donahue and Gibson were still working and questioning certain areas of the case behind the scenes which constantly keeps the story moving forward and the reader hoping that they find out the answers to all of their questions.

One of my favourite pieces of writing in this book is when Berman describes the sun setting as Hart is about to visit his colleague, John Taylor. At this point Hart is at a loss as to what to do regarding the beating that Claire has taken from her husband, Peter:

“It was just after 6.00pm. The sun had set in a crystal clear sky and the city far below him was a twinkling sea of lights, blanketing the horizon like so many stars in the Milky Way.”

These lines create a beautiful and moody atmosphere for the reader and I personally drowned in these words as I felt the dilemma that Hart was in.

I found myself being a little sympathetic for Hart’s character when he becomes emotional when speaking with his attorney, Brunon. After being locked up, awaiting for his trial, Hart is growing weary and was a shadow of a man in comparison to earlier on the book. However, this was mentioned subtly but still had an impact on me. This certainly helped keep the character Hart alive.

My overall favourite section of Hidden Agenda was Book 2 where the reader is introduced to detectives Gibson and Donahue. Gibson is a family man with a loving wife. He is used to working alone but on this particular case he is asked to work with female detective Donahue. Donahue is a feminine but strong and level-headed woman. Gibson and Donahue work really great together and whilst keeping a great sense of professionalism there is also a nice friendship that grows between them. The reader really gets a sense that Gibson admires and respects Donahue to the point where he considers working with her on a more permanent level. Considering that Gibson was always used to working alone this would be quite a change for him.

For the characters alone, especially ‘Gibby’ and Donahue I would love to read another story by Peter S. Berman. I can only hope that he will create another great crime novel with these fantastic detectives in. The crime in Hidden Agenda is laid out well for the reader and this style of writing is so easy to follow and yet constantly keeps the reader interested and guessing the outcome. If you like a great crime-thriller you will not be disappointed with Hidden Agenda!

For the purpose of an honest and fair review A Reader’s Review Blog received Hidden Agenda gratefully from BookHub publishing.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

June 24, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Update by Caroline

Wow, guys, it has been a while since our last update. I hope that you have all fared well and had many great books to read. A big WELCOME to our latest followers – we hope you enjoy our blog and please feel free to comment as we’d love to hear from you! So, what have Tina and myself been reading? What have been our latest reviews? What other areas of interest have we posted about lately? And last, but not least, what are we planning to read and review over the next week or two? Hopefully, this update will answer all of these questions by providing you with a recap and forecast for the coming week!!!

Firstly, I would like to mention our nomination for the One Lovely Blog Award, nominated by Sarah Colliver! Thank you so much, Sarah. To take part, Tina and myself have provided you with 7 pieces of trivia about ourselves and provided nominations of blogs that we feel deserve more credit. Please check it out and have a look at our nominees’ blogs and have a little laugh when reading a few personal touches from Tina and myself. As well as clicking on the link above, you can also find it on our About Us page, along with our nomination for The Liebster Award!

The lovely Sarah Colliver is an author, blogger and a keen photographer. Not only was she kind enough to nominate us for the award, she has written an author post for us to coincide with Tina’s review of her Peggy Rodman series. In Tina’s words, “These poignant and uplifting tales describe how Peggy Rodman, a wife and mother, uses a new found gift to help lost and confused spirits make sense of their past and reunite with their loved ones. At the same time Peggy finds some comfort from her own grief at the death of her dear mother. Although both tales brought tears to my eyes, they both ended on a positive note and I found them to be inspirational and uplifting reads in their examination of love, loss and reconciliation in this life and the afterlife.” For Tina’s full review please click on the link above.

We have also welcomed Paul Hodge from his blog, Freak Folk Tales, as he kindly allowed us to publish one of his eerie, paranormal short stories, The Woman Who Floated Above The Hedge! This is a tale of an unwelcome visitor that may give you the heebie jeebies!! Thank you, Paul!

This surely has been a week for A Reader’s Review Blog to welcome many guests, as we also have featured a post from Sabrina, ‘The Urban Book Thief’, on Deconstructing the Alpha Male!! Here Sabrina has analysed the different male heroic characters and noted the different types of alpha male. This is a fantastic and fun read! Thanks, Sabrina!

As well as having our fantastic guest bloggers, Tina and myself have also reviewed two fantastic novels. I reviewed SJ Sprague’s follow up to ‘A Presence in Russell County (The Organization, Book 1)’, which is ‘Mulberry (The Organization, Book 2)’. The Organization series is an exciting crime thriller, focused on an elite organization that deal with corrupt officers of the law. With sufficient evidence they are able, if need be, to try and sentence the corrupt officers swiftly and justifiably. The Organization series is truly a great read and does not go without romance either! Meanwhile, Tina has reviewed Gena Showalter’s ‘Wicked Nights (Angels of the Dark #1)’ about a heavenly match between a human and an angel. This is a spin off series from Gena’s fantastic Lords of the Underworld series, and as the cover shows it is a little on the HOT side!!!

Upcoming on A Reader’s Review Blog…

Which leaves us to talk about upcoming reviews! Well, as already reviewed by myself and to tie in with our ghostly posts, i.e. The Woman Who Floated Above The Hedge and Peggy Rodman series, Tina will be reviewing the young adult sci-fi/paranormal Ways to See a Ghost by Emily Diamand. We were lucky enough to receive a pre-released copy from Templar Publishing for the purpose of an honest and fair review. Ways to See a Ghost will be released in July. For a taster, please check out my review here. Tina is also looking to review the young adult sci-fi The Wolfstone Curse by Justin Richards (the Creative Consultant for BBC Books on the Dr Who titles), also set for release in July from Templar Publishing. For a more adult read, Tina is hoping to review Eve Rabi books Obsessed With Me – When She Rejected Him, He Set Out to Destroy Her book 1 and 2! There will be more on these soon so please keep checking in!

I am currently reading a dramatic crime/thriller, ‘Hidden Agenda’ by Peter S. Berman. When Jeremy Hart, a senior prosecutor in the LA District Attorney’s office, has an affair with a young married woman, her wealthy husband becomes suspicious and is then killed. Detectives Gibson and Donahue are on the case and nothing is as obvious as it seems!

Following Hidden Agenda, I will be reviewing two paranormal novels, Enchanted Immortals 4: The Vixen by C.J. Pinard and Tim O’Rourke’s latest release, Moonbeam ( The Moon Trilogy, Book 2)!! You can check out my review of Tim’s Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy #1) and also my reviews of C.J.’s earlier novels, Enchanted Immortals (Enchanted Immortals Book 1), Enchanted Immortals: The Vortex (Enchanted Immortals Book 2) and Enchanted Immortals: The Vampyre (Enchanted Immortals Book 3)!

I hope that we have included some great books for you all to think about! Have a great week and we hope that you check in from time to time!

Happy reading 🙂

Caroline ARR

Post image of warrior with sword: CURAphotography/Shutterstock.com

June 18, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Mulberry (The Organization, Book 2) by SJ Sprague

‘Mulberry’ is the second book of this great crime thrilling series, ‘The Organization’, by SJ Sprague. The Organization series deals with corrupt law enforcement officers who take part in drugs and gun crime, which often involves beatings, murders and cover ups. However, justice can be done and done quickly if The Organization have anything to do with it as long as they have enough evidence. The corrupt officers will do anything to cover their tracks and in ‘Mulberry’ the reader is given a great example of this when they beat Davin Presser, making him comatose.

Mulberry begins with an excellent prologue of an ex-police informant, Sterling Greaves, who had become aware of some officers’ activities – in particular the drug running – and had reported his findings, along with some evidence to the police force. Yet, nothing was done and it left Sterling running for his life, living in the woods for three years, to prevent the dirty cops from killing him. The twist that Sterling has on these cops is the evidence that he has collected and buried in the woods, until he has a chance to use it. He reaches out to Samantha Biggers, an ‘angel’ in Sterling’s mind, who is now a member of The Organization.

Samantha Biggers, a widow and previous victim of corrupt police (check out A Presence in Russell County, The Organization Book 1), has now joined The Organization, moving to Holcomb County to be near her trainers, John Hollingsworth and Stuart Crogan. And nothing is better for Sam’s training than a case she can be involved in as soon as she moves to Holcomb.

Unknown to the culprits of Davin’s beating his six year old son, Kale, witnessed the terrible attack. However, it affected Kale to the point where he began to behave in an infantile manner. He began to crawl and became mute. His only way of communicating is by drawing the same picture repeatedly and with the same colour. Will Sam be able to decipher the meaning of these drawings?

Although Mulberry is first and foremost a crime thriller it probably offers the same amount of romance as it does crime, with Crogan’s growing relationship with his chess playing friend and trainee, Sam. It certainly clarifies the reader’s confusion from the last novel in regards to Sam’s lovelife, where the reader at one point believed that Sam and John were to be happy ever after. I think that Mulberry is definitely Crogan’s book as he steals the show for me. I love how he does everything he can to ascertain Sam’s safety and the way how when she isn’t with him he’s thinking of her, and yet he still allows her space for herself. He respects her opinion and treats her as an equal when it comes to The Organization’s work. Crogan is also caring when it comes to his long-term friend, John. He does worry about the relationship he has with Sam and how it could affect John. Crogan is just a really nice guy.

John’s character has the reader sympathising for him in parts as Sam, or ‘Brit’ as he always called her, is romantically quite distanced from him, however at times he does become a little too creepy for me as he is a little persistent and leaves certain messages on Sam’s answerphone that are a little too personal. Maybe Sam is to blame a little though, as she wasn’t altogether clear that their relationship had ended and thus leaving John a little lost and possibly half expecting her to be closer to him seeing as she moved to Holcomb. I don’t dislike John as it has been clear that John is a very strong member of The Organization and he knows how to get things done. The fact that he had an injury whilst serving as a soldier and is now in a wheelchair certainly doesn’t hold him back when it comes to taking down a band of criminal cops. I love his decisiveness and direct manner.

Whilst reading the first novel, A Presence in Russell County, I found that it ended abruptly, however Mulberry ends at a perfect pace and leaving the reader fully aware of where the characters stand and where they are possibly headed. This novel is definitely a five star! My only disappointment was that I missed the character Cap Finch from the first novel and I was hoping for a mention of him as I really like his involvement with the case in Russell County. I always tend to go for the supporting characters and in some cases they don’t reappear in the sequels!

SJ Sprague writes Mulberry really well, making it clear to the reader that the characters have a history from book 1 and have now, especially in Samantha Bigger’s case, made a fresh start with her move, her job and in her lovelife. Therefore, Mulberry could be read as a stand alone. Although I strongly recommend for you to read A Presence in Russell County before this novel as it is fantastic, introducing the characters really well and providing the reader with their background!

The paperback edition for Mulberry is now available on Amazon.com, the paperback edition is currently $13.29 and the Kindle version is $5.11. Also available on Amazon.co.uk , the paperback version is currently £9.39 and the Kindle version is £3.38!

You can also purchase the paperback or Kindle edition of A Presence in Russell County on Amazon.com ($10.74 for paperback and $4.73 for the Kindle edition) and Amazon.co.uk (£7.45 for paperback and £3.18 for the Kindle edition). Prices correct at the time of posting this review.