March 10, 2014 by Tina Williams

Dark Indiscretions, by Shakuita Johnson

Fun and Fast Paced Urban Fantasy!

Adult content

Dark Indiscretions is a fun read, containing a fresh take on the world of supernatural beings. Although it contains some dark themes, it is also full of humour, feisty females, alpha males and characters whom the reader grows to love despite their many flaws. Due to the inclusion of some hot love making, including m/m scenes, the book is an adult read.

Book Blurb (summary)

What happens when your family is scarier than any nightmare and you don’t want to follow in their footsteps? Do you stay or rebel and have them turn on you? Jennifer Johnston experiences first hand why whispers are spoken in the dark about her species’ being evil when she was just a century old. What should have been another family argument over why she didn’t want to keep the bloodlines “pure” by marrying her brother turned into a nightmare and left her with more than tortured memories.

Jackson Dawls and Taylor Durham have been pack mates, best friends, and the other’s mate for as long as they could remember. A deadly species all their own but even they feared Mystics and their cruel and barbaric ways, but unforeseen circumstances bring them face to face with not one but a few. Will their lives be in danger or is something great and unexpected awaiting them? They also have to stay under the radar of the human society that is set out to destroy those they believe to be a danger to mankind.

When the three meet long ago secrets are brought to the light. Not only do they Jackson, Taylor and Jenny have to learn to get along with each other because they are fated mates, but someone is stalking Jennifer and performing sinister acts. Jennifer must seek guidance from old acquaintances and form unexpected alliances. She is met with riddles and startling revelations that she never would have imagined possible.

My Review

In Dark Indiscretions supernatural beings co-exist with human kind. Jennifer Johnston, the heroine, is a Mystic (a Vampyra Shapeshifting Witch). Jennifer is not typical of her race, who take pleasure in sadistic behaviour and who are regarded as evil by other supernatural beings. Instead, she has a conscience and does her utmost to resist the pull of the evil that nevertheless resides within her. Despite this, she is capable of great evil if the need arises.

Jennifer’s battle to go against the wishes of her family and not engage in an incestuous relationship sets the scene for the events in this novel. Even when she believes that she has escaped the evil that is her family she finds herself being stalked unrelentlessly by an unknown enemy. This happens at the same time that she discovers that instead of one fated mate she is ‘blessed’ with two, who happen to be Dylias, werewolves. Not only that but her mates, Jackson and Taylor, have themselves been mated for a long time and are deeply committed to each other. Who is staking Jennifer and how can she escape from her past, which still haunts her? Also will Jackson and Taylor find room for Jennifer and how will they cope with being mated to a Mystic, a race they despise?

There is much violence, danger and suspense in the novel, as Jennifer discovers the identity of her stalker and with the aid of Jackson, Taylor and others seek to destroy him before he destroys someone very dear to her. However, he is not going down without a fight. Jennifer and her mates must seek the help of others to succeed and we are introduced to a number of other characters as the tale plays out. There is also plenty of snarky humour and a number of smoking hot lovemaking scenes, notably between Jackson and Taylor, which I loved.

I enjoyed the character of Jennifer, the heroine. Although strong, she does struggle with the potential for evil that resides within her and also experiences trauma from past events. Krista, the other Mystic we are introduced to his novel, finds it far more difficult to curb her race’s natural instincts and it will be interesting to see how the author takes her story forward. It is Jackson and Taylor who stole the show for me however, as they are just so yummy! I enjoyed their reaction when they found out that Jennifer was their mate and I hope the author will explore the dynamics of how their existing relationship accommodates Jennifer a little more in the next instalment.

I found Dark Indiscretions to be a promising start to a new series. I liked how the author had taken the vampire myth and put her own spin on it and I am looking forward to reading Monsters Unleashed, the forthcoming novel. I recommend this series to readers of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Indiscretions-Shakuita-Johnson-ebook/dp/B00H5DODE4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386381480&sr=8-1&keywords=dark+indiscretions

Connect with the Author:

Blog: http://www.dark-indiscretions.com

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/b3arcat26/

Facebook Book Series page: http://www.facebook.com/darkindiscretions

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sljay1184

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7504850.Shakuita_Johnson

http://reachforthestarsmarketing.com/

March 4, 2014 by Tina Williams

SPOTLIGHT A Saint’s Salvation, by Beverly Ovalle

A Contemporary/Military Romance

A BIG welcome today to author Beverly Ovalle who writes romances which literally sizzle off the page! A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to review Beverly’s latest release, A Saint’s Salvation, and today Beverly is sharing the book blurb, an excerpt, a trailer and some fun facts which spotlight some insider information. You can find the link to my review of A Saint’s Salvation and our reviews of Beverly’s other books at the end of this post. Tina 🙂

Angel’s life changed the minute Saint saved her from a grenade. Now Saint has a second chance to prove he’s the man for her.

A SAINT’S SALVATION

by Beverly Ovalle

Published by Secret Cravings Publishing

Released February 10, 2014

Blurb:

Corporal Nicholas ‘Saint’ Santiago needs to go home to reclaim the man he used to be. To be the man he was before Operation Enduring Freedom slowly hardened his heart. He needs to reconnect to the values and the reasons he is doing what he does. Saint also needs to try to forget the courageous woman he knows was meant to be his.

Petty Officer Angelina Jones’ life changed the moment Saint saved her life. She survived the blast but now has to deal with the fact that she will never be whole. Knowing Saint received a ‘Dear John’ letter, Angelina has no intention of being his rebound romance. She needs to be loved for herself. She needs to forget about the one man she knows was meant to be hers.

They each try to find someone to help them forget.

But what does fate have planned for them?

Excerpt:

A shout from Hamilton brought him back to the here and now. “Hey, Saint, do you see any trouble coming?” On guard at the west wall, Nick shook his head. Not that it was much of a wall, a couple of sandbags holding up a makeshift bullet riddled wooden fence, an illusion of safety and security.

“No, it all looks clear.” Well, as clear as normal, Nick thought. The Seabees and the Army Corp of Engineers had done their best to give them a clear line of site, but the rubble of buildings and piles of rock where there used to be a town never seemed to go away. Rebels constantly hid there, randomly firing at their FOB, a forward operating base in Helmand Provence, making it almost impossible to build a more secure perimeter.

Nick could see kids playing in the dirt. In the distance the locals were harvesting the poppy fields. Some of the largest poppy fields in the world were right outside the walls of the FOB. Beautiful when in bloom, they were more pervasive and did more damage than the terrorists.

“Anymore threats?”

“When aren’t there threats?” Every damn day there were threats. “Why, is there a problem?”

“The brass is making noise. When they do something stupid, we end up paying for it.” Hamilton sounded disgusted. As Hamilton spoke, shots were fired over and through the fence, adding more holes to the dilapidated barrier. Nick and Hamilton hit the ground, rolling toward the sandbags to return fire through the cracks. “See what I mean?”

“Yeah it’s been a while since they shot at us, at least a couple of days.” Nick’s sarcasm caused Hamilton to laugh.

“Probably someone is coming to pick up something from the poppy fields and they want to keep us from seeing who.” Hamilton glanced at him. “You doing okay?”

“Gettin’ there. It was just a shock, ya know?”

“Yeah, damn women. The least they could do is be faithful while we’re out here fighting.”

“Yeah, it sucks. I just can’t help thinking it’s my fault.”

“Fuck. How the hell could it be? You weren’t even there. The bitch knew you were gone, were going to be gone.” They fired shots, aiming at the muzzle flash in the distance. More Marines headed their way, sprinting from cover to cover. Perez came running, bringing out ammo and providing more fire power.

Another crack and Perez went down with a cry.

“Fuck! Medic! Man down!” The cry went out, passed through until the call went to the corpsman, while Nick tried to stem the blood flow. Hands pushed his away. Nick looked up. Petty Officer Jones, better known as Doc, had bandages ready.

“Help me roll this on until we can get him out of here.” Her voice sent a ripple through him. Nick had always ignored the attraction he had felt for her. He’d had his girl back home, and fraternization out here could get him thrown in the brig. Not to mention the brig out here was a hell hole.

Nick was leery about approaching Doc now. The Dear John letter had been a shock. He had known Leila for years. Hell, they had been friends since they were little. Her betrayal was unexpected. Nick didn’t even really know Doc. He could trust her with his life, but he wasn’t ready for another go around with his heart, no matter the attraction he felt.

Nick looked toward the fence line, rifle at the ready. Shots were firing sporadically around him. That’s when he saw it, the trail from a grenade launcher, unmistakable. Shit!

Fun Facts:

The name was changed less than two weeks before publication!

A Saint’s Salvation was inspired by my son’s tattoo

His tattoo says ‘St. Nicholas’ – the original of my book

A Saint’s Salvation took me eight months to write!

The name of A Saint’s Salvation was my editor’s suggestion

The teasers were made from photos from Afghanistan

The Marine in the teasers is my son

He only gave me permission to use his photo because he loves me

He only gave me permission if I cut off his head! LOL

Author Bio:

Beverly Ovalle lives in Wisconsin with her husband Edmond of 24 years and two Chinese Water Dragons. Having her own Dragons is expected as she is dragon crazy and anyone that walks in her house can tell. Her son Nicholas visits when he is on leave from the Marines. Her daughter Susannah visits to grocery shop in the pantry and to see what might be cooking for dinner.

Beverly has traveled around the world thanks to five years in the US Navy and has worked for the government in one capacity or another for the past 30 years. Beverly and her brothers have travelled most of the continental United States as children due to the station wagon from Hell. Still active with veterans, she is adjutant for her local AMVETS.

Beverly has been reading romances since her Aunt introduced her to the gothic romance in the fourth grade and is still reading every chance she gets.

Contact Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeverlyOvalleAuthor

Tumblr: http://ovalleba.tumblr.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ovalleba

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ovalleba/

Website: http://ovalleba.wix.com/beverly-ovalle

Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6982787.Beverly_Ovalle

AUTHORSdB at http://www.authorsdb.com/author-directory/preview?id=3752:beverly-ovalle

LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=236055547&trk=hb_tab_pro_top

Book Blogs: http://bookblogs.ning.com/profile/BeverlyOvalle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SSLYblog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SslySmileSomebodyLovesYou

Blog: http://SSLYblog.wordpress.com

Our reviews of A Saint’s Salvation, Dragons’ Mate and Lightning Strike (click on the book titles for the links)

February 13, 2014 by Tina Williams

The Father, Joshua Tree Trilogy Book 2, by N. W. Harris

The Rip-Roaring Adventure Continues!

Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy

Please note this review contains spoilers for book #1 in the series. Joshua’s Tree.

The Father follows on seamlessly after the first book in the trilogy, Joshua’s Tree (click title for our review), which tells of how the hero Joshua finds himself unexpectedly transported to a future dystopian Earth, which bears little resemblance to the world as he knows it. The planet is populated by warrior like people and strange creatures, including the terrifying and cannibalistic Sweepers. There Joshua meets a kick-ass, sword wielding female warrior, Nadia, who views him as the saviour, destined to save her world by destroying The Father, the creator of the Sweepers who threaten to annihilate all others.

During their quest to fulfill Joshua’s destiny, Joshua and Nadia form a mutual attraction and Joshua in particular learns a great deal about personal growth and self-sacrifice as he approaches his goal of destroying The Father. The big reveal at the end of this book is that Joshua discovers that The Father is his future self, the man responsible for the creation of the Sweepers and also the other races on Earth, including Nadia’s warrior tribe and the ocean based Atlanteans.

Book Blurb for The Father, Book 2: After discovering he’s destined to annihilate nearly all life, Joshua must take charge of a cannibalistic army of mutants with hopes of starting a civil war that will end the reign of evil—or bear the responsibility for destroying the few good people who remain on the planet. Captured by the leader of the sweepers, Josh learns he will grow up to be a genetic engineer responsible for creating the monsters. The Father recruits him to lead an army of sweepers against the evil generals who resist the termination of the sweeper experiment originally designed to bring an end to a global war that threatened to render the planet uninhabitable. At first repulsed by his telepathic ability to control the sweepers, Josh becomes addicted to the power to control thousands of the creatures at once. Believing him dead, Nadia rejoins her people, where she struggles to gain respect while leading them to safety. Inadvertently pursuing her across the land, Josh may not be able to stop his sweepers from destroying Nadia and her dwindling tribe when they collide in battle.

This series is just brimming with originality and adventure and it is crafted in such a way as I cannot guess where it is leading, my head is just full of so many possible scenarios! I loved how the author describes Joshua’s initial fear and utter disgust at fighting alongside the despised Sweepers and how he feels when he enters their minds to control them and strives to take on the mantle of a warrior. I admired how Joshua does all that is in his power to protect Nadia and her people from being destroyed. His relationship with The Father, his future self, is complex, as expected. Whilst Joshua has no affection for him he has no choice but to follow his advice if the Sweepers are to be prevented from destroying all others and if he is to have any chance of returning to his own time.

Can Joshua cope with leading the Sweepers, whom he fears and despises? Can he trust his future self? Will his actions inadvertently lead to the demise of Nadia and her people? Will he be able to bring himself to leave Nadia when and if he returns to his own place and time? As Joshua becomes addicted to his psychic control of the Sweepers the situation becomes more and more perilous and his sanity is on the line.

The warrior Nadia is just as kick-ass as ever in this book, but she feels that she has failed to protect Josh and returns to her people accompanied by a band of Atlanteans, headed by Hydromidus, whom we met in the previous book. Hydromidus has formed an attraction to Nadia, an attraction which Nadia is aware of and which she also feels towards him. However, she has given her heart to Josh. I really liked the character of Hydromidus as he is himself is honourable and respects Nadia’s own prowess as a warrior, Events in the book are not always easy for Nadia and she has her own challenges to contend with as well as the worry of what has happened to Josh.

I enjoyed the The Father every bit as much as Joshua’s Tree! We find out much more about the history of the Earth and why the Sweepers were created and how they operate. Once again there are vivid and detailed descriptions of the strange landscape of this future Earth, the Sweepers and the frequent battle scenes, which contain much blood and gore. The book is full of excitement, adventure and suspense from start to finish and the author carries the reader along accompanying Josh and then Nadia on their respective adventures. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

I highly recommend this book to young adult readers and above, who are fans of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Futuristic reads, especially where the reader likes their reads to contain adventure, suspense, self-sacrifice and romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/young-adult/ya-action-adventure/the-father-joshua-s-tree-book-ii-detail

http://nwharrisbooks.wordpress.com/

Cover art by Marion Sipe www.marionsipe.blogspot.com

To Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK

February 11, 2014 by Tina Williams

GRINGA, by Eve Rabi – BOOK BLITZ!

Today we are thrilled to be participating in My Family’s Heart Book Reviews and Tours Book Blitz for Eve Rabi’s super duper and unforgettable modern romance GRINGA!

Scroll down to find out more about the book and the author and to read an excerpt and purchase links. It’s a wild, wild ride that you will never forget. Enjoy – I know that I did when I read it!
Tina 🙂

Please note the excerpt contains strong language and is only suitable for those aged 18+. By scrolling down and reading it you understand this and confirm that you are aged over 18.

TITLE – Gringa
AUTHOR – Eve Rabi
GENRE – Modern Romance
PUBLICATION DATE – December 9, 2013
PUBLISHER – Eve Rabi
COVER ARTIST – Eve Rabi

I was twenty-one, a sassy college student who took crap from no one. While holidaying in Mexico, I was accosted by The Devil of Mexico called Diablo and shot, because the s.o.b. mistook me for a spy.

I survived, only to encounter him again months later. How’s that for luck?

Furious and sick of all that I’d been through because of him, I slapped him, told him to go to hell and braced myself for the bullet. He could shoot me – I no longer cared.

But, to my surprise, he became fascinated with me and blackmailed me into becoming his woman. He’d slay the entire village that sheltered me, if I rejected his proposal.

He was Kong, hairy, tattooed from fingertips to face, with scary ass piercings, blood-shot snake eyes, a ruthless killer and above all, he was my murderer – how could anyone expect me to say yes?

To save the village I had to.

He took me by force, terrorized me into submission and made me his. To make matters worse, I had to put up with his ruthless, backstabbing family who hated me and wanted to kill me.

I despised the bastard and I told him that. Spark flew. Fists too.

But, the more I rejected Diablo, the more he wanted me.

At times he wanted to kill me because of my insolence, but other times he just wanted me to love him.

I was his Gringa and in an attempt to get my love, he began to change for me. Drastic changes that made me laugh at him at first, then made me curious.

As the days went by, I found myself drawn to him and I began seeing him differently. When I found out about his past, everything changed.

AMAZON (KINDLE)

(Please Note This Excerpt Is For 18+ And Contains Some Strong Language)

He grabs me by the scruff of my neck and drags me out of the room to the lunch table.
‘Leave me the fuck alone!’
He shoves me into the dining room. It’s Saturday so that entire gang is there, in the mood to party and to be entertained. Watching Diablo drag me to the table gets them excited.
Humiliated and seething, I sit down and drum my nails on the table. I don’t eat or look at him.
‘Eat!’ he orders.
I ignore him and drum louder, furiously.
A man named Norman, seated next to me, leans over and says, ‘Señorita gringa want Whiskey?
‘Yes please, Norman.’
Norman pours the whiskey and places the glass in front of me.
‘Thank you Norman,’ I say, bypassing the glass and reaching for the bottle.
Norman’s eyes grow huge when he sees me taking giant swigs from the bottle.
It’s awful. I hate whiskey. Tastes like gasoline to me.
‘Damn!’ I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. ‘This sure is mighty fine whiskey, Norman.’
‘Eh, Señorita gringa, my name …’
‘Lemme pour you one, Norman.’ I top his glass to the brim and hand it to him. ‘Knock yourself out,’ I chuckle.
Diablo’s not smiling.
Yeah, I’m supposed to be nice to him now that the FBI is involved. Well, fuck the FBI and Fuck him.
As lunch progresses, I’m feeling a little more relaxed now. Warm in my toes and even a little confident. Well, they’re eating lunch and I’m drinking mine – whiskey, Tequila and some other shit on the table.
After a few more swigs from the bottles, I cross my arms over my head and whistle Hit me Baby One More Time by Brittany bitch. Totally out of tune, but hey, who gives a fuck right now.
Diablo’s hairy face reveals little, but somehow I don’t think he’s comfortable with my drinking. Hell, I’m not comfortable with my drinking, but screw him.
They’re passing around pictures. Pornographic pictures and the conversation becomes steamy.
Usually, I pass on the pictures, but today, I snatch them out of Norman’s hand. ‘Lemme see that!’
I peer at the picture then burst out laughing. ‘That’s the fugliest flower I have ever come across,’ I say.
‘Eh, Señorita gringa, iiis not a flower, iiis a, how you say it…?’ He snaps his fingers.
‘Vagina,’ some other fucker calls out.
I peer at him. ‘What?!’ I snatch it out of his hands again. ‘Gimmee that.’ I stare at the picture. ‘Mm. Can’t be a woman’s vagina. It’s too fugly. Has to be a man’s.’ I hand him back the picture and go back to my neglected bottle.
‘So many Gringas,’ Antonio says, perving over the pictures. At the mention of the word ‘Gringa’, all eyes zero in on me.
Am I embarrassed? Hell no!
‘Hey, don’t look at me,’ I say and down another Tequila, whiskey – whatever – I’ve lost track of what I’m drinking. ‘I don’t roll that way. Why don’t you ask the fugly asshole at the end of the table?’
There is a collective gasp in the room and all eyes dart towards Diablo, including mine. Now he’s gonna be really pissed. Great.
But his amused response in Spanish brings on some guffawing.
‘What? What did he say, Norman?’
Norman is pissed enough to explain. ‘Diablo say, is like a fucking a Colchón sometimes. He say, is a big let down. And, Señorita Gringa, and my name is not …’
‘Colchón … mattress? He said that, did he?’ I let out a long, low whistle. ‘Well Norm, what the hell does he know, huh?’
I smile at Norman. ‘Can I call you “Norm?” I don’t wait for him to answer. ‘He don’t know jack. Foreplay – hell, he probably thinks it’s some kind of sugar-free chewing gum or something to do with his car’s steering wheel. Huh, Norm?’
‘But Señorita gringa, my name is not Norm, it is not Norman, it is Lucas.’
I stare at him for so long, he starts to flinch. ‘Lucas?’
He nods.
‘Why didn’t you say something, Norm? Okay, I’ll call you Lucas from now on, Norm.’
‘Eh …’
Santana almost falls off her chair laughing.
I look at Norm. ‘Now Norm,’ I point to Santana, ‘she’s probably laughing at what I said. Or she’s laughing at what the fuckwit at the end of the table said about me – the mattress – whatever shit …but, you ever seen a donkey laugh, Norm?
‘No, Señorita gringa. But my name …’
‘Never? Well, it’s your lucky day, Norm, cos you’ve seen it now.’ I jerk my head towards Santana.
Well, that magically erases the smile of donkey’s face.
‘You biiitch!’ Santana screeches. ‘I fargin’ kiiill you!’
I smile and raise my bottle at her. ‘Take a “fargin” number and get in “fargin” line.’
Troy comes up to me. ‘Gringa,’ he whispers, ‘come, let me take you to bed so you can sleep it … ’
My eyebrows shoot up. ‘Take me to bed? Are you better in bed than your brother? Christ, I hope so, Troy!’
Troy turns scarlet and shrinks back, all the while glancing nervously at Diablo.
Diablo looks at everyone around him falling out of their chairs with laughter and his breathing becomes like that of an emphysema patient – raspy and labored.
‘He really is lousy in bed Troy. And you know what? I don’t like him. He’s hairy and yuuuuck! He won’t let me visit my … ’
Diablo slams his fist onto the table, rattling the table and animating plates, cutlery, glasses.
‘Fuck! Look what you did Satan – you nearly made me spill my …’ I jerk back and peer at the label on the bottle in my hand. ‘What the fuck is this shit? Anyhoo, you’ve made me lose count of how many drinks I had. Have to start all over again. In case I have to drive.’
Diablo suddenly whips out his knife and flings it ninja-style at me. I duck and it hits the wooden beam behind me.
‘Ooooh!’ I cry shaking both my hands mockingly. ‘I’m in trooouble now! Biiiiga trooouble.’
‘Go gringa, go!’ some of the men cheer.
‘Whoookay!’ I say.
Diago stands up.
I stand up too and look him in the eye, my eyebrows disappearing behind my spiky fringe.
Breathing heavily, he creeps slowly to me, but I’m ready for him. I kick back my chair and sidle around, using the table as a barrier between us.
‘Watch him move, like a … eh, what you say for walrus in Spanish?’
The men laugh harder. Even Christa laughs.
‘You will farkin’ die!’ Diablo roars.
‘And who’s gonna farkin kill me, huh?’ I ask, dancing on the spot. ‘You?’ I throw my head back and laugh.
More laughter around me.
Diablo runs to his knife, grabs it off the beam and runs towards me.
But I’m already out of the villa and racing towards the cliff.
‘I’m going to kiiiill you!’ he yells as he chases me.
‘Fuck you, motherfucker!’ I scream over my shoulder and sprint ahead. I don’t care if he kills me, I just don’t want to be assaulted by him. He’s super strong and I stand no chance against him if he does. I’ve never seen him run before and I’m hoping he’s out of shape and slow. Well, the big lunch should make him sluggish.
But to my dismay, I can actually hear his breathing. I’m surprised at my slowness. Must be something to do with the booze. I have to admit, I didn’t realize how drunk I was until I started running. Too late now.
I run up the hill and through the dense foliage, passing startled villagers tending the cannabis crops. They stop and stare when they see Diablo chasing a gringa with a knife in his hand. Behind Diablo are his men, some on horseback and some on foot, not wanting to miss the moment Diablo finally kills the insolent Gringa.
‘Go, gringa go!’ I hear.
I run faster than I ever did in my life.
‘You will die!’ Diablo threatens behind me, still brandishing the knife. His breathing is getting louder and I know I have to do something.
The rock pool! I know for sure that Diablo is no match for me in the water. Very few people are. I head for the pool.
Changing route confuses Diablo and for a few moments, the gap between us increases, allowing me some respite.
I’m desperate to reach the rock pool so that I can shake the enraged animal behind me.
But to my dismay and my surprise, he catches me.
‘Let go of me, you fucking freak!’

AUTHOR BIO
Eve Rabi lives in Australia, but she was born in South Africa.
She is the author of 20 books and is known for her kick-ass leading ladies, alpha males and no holes-barred love stories.
Oh, and let’s not forget about humour, it’s a must in her books.
To quote a smashwords.com reviewer: “When you pick up an Eve Rabi book, forget sleep. She writes gripping page turners that will keep you reading till the very end.”

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | SMASHWORDS | TWITTER

LOVE STORIES BY EVE RABI
Deception – A Palace Full of Liars – Book 1
Deception – A Palace Full of Liars – Book 2

Burn’s World – Book 1
Burn’s World – Book 2
Burn’s World – Book 3
Burn’s World – Book 4

CAPTURED – My Sworn Enemy, My Secret Lover – Book 1
CAPTURED – My Sworn Enemy, My Secret Lover – Book 2

Gringa – A Love Story Book 1
Gringa – A Love Story Book 2
Gringa – A Love Story Book 3
Gringa – A Love Story Book 4

THE CHEAT – A Tale of Lies and Infidelity – Book 1
THE CHEAT – A Tale of Lies and Infidelity – Book 2

You Will Pay – For Leaving Me (This book is free to Eve Rabi Fans)

Obsessed with me –Book 1
Obsessed with me –Book 2

Betrayed – He’d get his Girl at Any Cost

My Brother, My Rival (Book 1)
My Brother, My Rival (Book 2)

January 25, 2014 by Tina Williams

RAIN, BY NICOLE HURLEY-MOORE – Synopsis, Trailer, Review, Author Bio and Giveaway

RAIN BLOG TOUR

Title – Rain
Author – Nicole Hurley-Moore
Genre – Fantasy (medieval fairytale)
Publication Date – 20th November 2013
Length (Pages/# Words) – 169 pages
Publisher – Jupiter Gardens Press
Cover Artist – Tibbs Design

BOOK SYNOPSIS
1216 AD
On the mountain, high above the village of Farran – Nuri is caught between heaven and hell. Two men fight for her love and her soul. The first is Maras, an elemental being who follows the storms. Nuri knows that he is not human, he’s something more. She believes he is her beautiful fallen angel. Yet he is transient and is bound to the elements and their love may be as fleeting as the storm itself. The second is Brother Erebus, a pious monk whose tortured soul is twisted by his desire for her.

But Nuri may sacrifice more than her heart when the Church brands her angel a demon. As Brother Erebus will do anything to protect her soul from the silver haired devil, even if he has to crush her body to do it.

BUY & TBR LINKS
Amazon Kindle Link | Barnes & Nobles Nook Link | Smashwords Link

iTunes Link | Goodreads Link

MY REVIEW

A Magical Fairy Tale – Sensual Fantasy/Paranormal/Medieval Romance

This novel is pure magic – a beautiful and sensual romance that has all the elements of a fairy tale for adults. It has well defined and believable characters and a strong plot set in a world akin to that of European folk lore and fairy tales of old.

The love story at the centre of the novel is pure delight to read. I loved how Nuri and Maras meet and how her love rescues the tortured and lonely water elemental from his self-imposed exile from the human world, due to his misplaced guilt about past events. There are many romantic moments and sensual love making scenes as the novel progresses and the couple find that they cannot ignore their mutual attraction. Nuri herself represents all that is good and selfless, but she also has a strong personality and is prepared to give her all to protect Maras her Angel. Erebus by contrast is truly a troubled soul, who is twisted by jealousy and lust and has lost his grip on reality. There is a great cast of supporting characters who also play a key role in the tale.

The author paints a vivid picture of the village of Farran and its inhabitants and I was immediately drawn into the plot and identified with the emotions of the characters. The tenor of the novel oscillates between darkness and light – the beauty and goodness of Nuri’s and Maras’ romance and the malevolence of Erebus’ twisted and unrequited love for Nuri and his belief that Maras is a demon that he must destroy regardless of the damage to Nuri. The descriptions of the storms, when they appear in the tale, I found particularly poetic.

Like all good tales it has many layers of meaning that as a reader I related to. Whilst it is first and foremost a love story of two people finding their soul mate it also explores the themes of jealousy and lust and reminds us that the demons which exist are those that reside within individuals. It also examines the prejudice and fear that some have towards others that appear to be different to us. The writing is sublime and reminded me of some of the fantasy novels of Linda Mooney and Christine Pope. I will definitely be checking out other books from this author. Recommended for readers of historical novels with a paranormal twist and lovers of fantasy romance.

AUTHOR BIO
Nicole has always been a lover of fairy tales, history and romance. She grew up in Melbourne and has traveled extensively, whilst living her life through the romance of books. Her first passion in life has always been her family, but after studying and achieving a History degree and Honours in Medieval Literature, she devoted her time to writing historical romance.

She is a full time writer who lives in the Central Highlands of Victoria with her family, where they live in the peaceful surrounds of a semi‐rural town.

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January 16, 2014 by Tina Williams

Not Another Soldier,by Samantha Holt

A Hot, Sexy and Suspenseful Read!

Sensual Military Romance

Samantha Holt writes fabulous medieval romances and she has now produced her first full length contemporary romance in Not Another Soldier. Once again she has penned a super sensual read, simmering with sexual tension and hot love making scenes, in a plot containing strong characters, danger and suspense.

In Not Another Soldier – Sienna has just buried her husband Rob, a Marine, the very man whom she was about to divorce due to her unhappiness with their marriage. Rob’s best friend Nick, also in the military, has been drawn to Sienna for years and has disliked how Rob treated her. Both Sienna and Nick have been aware of their mutual attraction, as Sienna’s marriage crumbled around her, but have refused to acknowledge it, valuing their own friendship. Nick has never made a move on Sienna, being an honourable man and loyal to his friend. Similarly Sienna has stayed true to her marriage vows. Nick feels that now all bets are off and determines to make Sienna his. However, despite her attraction to Nick, Sienna resolves not to get involved with another soldier, believing that it can only lead to isolation and unhappiness.

Emotions run high after Rob’s death and Nick and Sienna succumb to their mutual attraction in some emotional and smoking hot scenes! Sienna tries to stick to her guns and is determined to remain a singleton for a while, to regain her self-confidence and independence and not get involved with another military man. Yet Nick is not so easily rebuffed, and when Sienna is in danger due to the criminal activities of her deceased husband he will use everything in his arsenal to protect her. NOTHING will prevent him from making Sienna his woman, not the ghost of Nick, not Sienna herself and certainly not a drugs cartel from Rob’s past, which is putting Sienna’s life at risk. When danger closes in, Nick wants to be there to protect her. However, will she let him into her heart and life and realise that he is NOT just another soldier and nothing at all like her deceased husband? Also will she survive the attention that she has attracted from the leader of the drugs ring?

I absolutely ADORED Nick! He is loyal and honourable and above all single minded in his determination to protect Sienna and to overcome her doubts to ensure that they have a future together. I liked that he was honest with her about his feelings, and whilst respecting her views he never gives up on her and takes every opportunity he is presented with to foster a physical and emotional bond between them. A determined Alpha male, with a heart of gold, is just SO SEXY! He is conscious of the injury to his leg that he sustained whilst serving for his country but loves Sienna even more for the fact that she neither pities him nor puts him on a pedestal for it. Sienna has been through a lot during her marriage and her self-confidence has been eroded. Despite this she is a strong and sassy character. Her attraction to Nick, which she finds impossible not to succumb to, wars with her determination to maintain her independence and she feels that everything is happening too quickly.

The book is a fantastic read, with an exciting but credible plot, characters who you can believe in and great pacing which maintained my interest throughout. As with all Samantha Holt’s writing sexual tension oozes from the page whenever the hero and heroine appear together and the love making scenes are sexy, sensual and sublime. The novel is written in the first person and whole chapters are recounted either from the POV of Sienna or Nick. I felt that this gave the novel a more contemporary feel and also worked well as it allowed the reader to get into the minds and the motivations of the two main characters and view the different scenes through their eyes. The element of suspense and danger in the novel certainly added to my enjoyment. I feel that this author has found another sub genre of romance in which she can showcase her writing talents.

If you like your contemporary romances to be sensual and contain strong characters and an element of suspense then this is definitely a read that you should consider. I expect that readers who are already fans of Samantha Holt’s historical romances will enjoy her foray into contemporary romance as well as readers of contemporary romances who are new to her work. I sincerely hope that she will be writing more full length contemporary romances.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase links: Amazon UK Amazon US

Find and connect with Samantha Holt:

https://www.facebook.com/romanticfiction

http://www.samanthaholt.org.uk/

http://www.samanthaholtauthor.blogspot.co.uk

January 6, 2014 by Tina Williams

One Way or Another You Will Pay, by Eve Rabi

Revenge of the Master Manipulator!

This novel is once again an original, emotional and compulsive work from Eve Rabi. It is a read that her fans will not want to miss and those who enjoy thrillers and dark romantic suspense will also enjoy. Do not read after the first paragraph if you want to avoid spoilers for book 1, You Will Pay- For Leaving Me (currently FREE on Amazon US and Amazon UK and Smashwords). Please note that as it describes scenes and the repercussions of domestic abuse, this series does contain scenes of violence and threat, some of it sexual.

In this and the previous instalment in the tale, You Will Pay: She Left her Abusive Husband He Took Revenge, (click title for our review), the author tackles the difficult and often taboo subject of domestic abuse. The abuser in this story is a sociopath who seeks brutal revenge on his wife who leaves him after years of abuse. There are harrowing scenes of threats, violence and murder and although not an easy read the ability of Eve Rabi to weave a compulsive and addictive story containing real life issues and characters with whom the reader can identify with is once more underlined. The remainder of this review contains spoilers for book 1.

In book 1, You Will Pay – For Leaving Me, we met Arena, married to businessman Tom. Tom likes to control Arena, from how she dresses to how she wears her hair and who she socialises with. His control also extends to their son Warren and after Arena becomes pregnant and their daughter Sasha is born, his behaviour turns violent. Arena finally takes the plunge and leaves him to make a new life for herself and her children. However, Tom dishes out the most terrible revenge imaginable on Arena and her family and is truly beyond redemption. Arena and Bear, the new man in her life, dish out their own revenge on Tom, which I absolutely loved! After the end of book 1, I was sort of happy that Tom had been incarcerated, although secretly I would have preferred him to have been AT LEAST 6 ft under! The fact that he was in prison due to the actions of Arena and Bear I regarded as natural justice after his sickening crimes against Arena and baby Sasha.

In book 2, Arena and Bear are happily married, living with Warren, Tom and Arena’s son, Bear’s daughter Amy, by his first marriage, and their own baby Savannah. All is fine and dandy apart from a series of abusive and threatening letters that Arena begins to receive from Tom, trying to persuade her to bring Warren to visit him. Arena does not respond to his letters and they abruptly cease. After a brief respite, the tenor of the letters changes and Tom claims that he is suffering from terminal cancer and that he needs to see Warren before he dies. Arena is torn between her hatred and distrust of Tom and the fact that he is in effect making a deathbed request that it would be heartless to ignore. After all what can he possibly do to her if she does visit as he is behind bars?

You need to read the book to see how Arena copes with the situation and the consequences of her decision on whether or not to acquiesce to Tom’s request. What I will reveal is that this instalment and Tom’s actions are just as chilling as book 1, as even from his prison cell Tom attempts to bring Arena, Bear and their family to their knees. Arena and Bear’s love is tested to the full and lives are put on the line. Once again this stellar read contains some intense and dark moments and once again I read it into the small hours.

I enjoyed finding out more about Bear in this book, such as what makes him tick, his relationship with Arena and how he seeks to protect her and their family from Tom. I felt for them both when they were faced with the terrible consequences of Tom’s actions and there were some truly heart rending scenes. I also enjoyed the character of Ritchie, Arena’s brother who supported them and the pivotal role played by the character of Ingrid.

This is perhaps one of Eve Rabi’s darkest works to date, Nevertheless it still contains her trademark scenes of intense love between the hero and heroine, the survival of a strong woman who survives against the odds, self-sacrifice, heart rending emotional scenes and a plot where the reader has absolutely no chance of predicting what will happen next, let alone the outcome.

I strongly rrecommend this book to fans of Eve Rabi and also to those who are not adverse to reading about difficult issues and examining the darker side of humanity.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Purchase links: Smashwords Amazon US Amazon UK

Eve Rabi’s website

Eve Rabi Facebook

December 15, 2013 by Tina Williams

Her Savage Scot, Highland Warrior Chronicles #1, by Christina Phillips

Political Intrigue, Innocent Deception and Blinding Passion

Erotic Historical Romance, with Paranormal Elements: Adult Read

OMG! If you thought that Christina Phillips’ Romans and Celts were hot in her Forbidden series, then check out her passionate Picts and sexy Scots in her Highland Warrior Chronicles. The author once again combines a spellbinding historical romance with a superb erotic read, which will keep you panting for more. She writes in a way that transports you to the time period and creates truly memorable heroes and heroines.

Three novels are planned: Her Savage Scot; Her Vengeful Scot and Her Defiant Scot, in which three Scots warriors of the Kingdom of Dal Riada, pledge to keep the peace in the wild Highlands of ninth century Pictland. Each is destined to fall in love with a Pictish princess –cousins who are determined to save their beloved land from the savage invaders. Instead they lose their hearts to their wild foreign warriors.

Book Blurb

In Her Savage Scot, when tough Scot warrior Connor MacKenzie rides into the barbaric lands of the Picts on a mission for his king, he never expects to be captivated by a beautiful Pictish widow. Drawn under her spell, yet unaware of her true identity, he risks everything for one passionate night in her arms.

Aila, princess of Pictland, swore long ago she would do anything within her power to help defeat the Vikings who invaded her land and murdered her husband. But after meeting Connor, her frozen heart thaws and once again she imagines a future filled with love and passion.

When Connor delivers the message from his king, Aila becomes a pawn in a deadly game of politics. Her heart belongs to Connor, but she must marry the prince of Dal Riada – Connor’s half-brother. But the fates have other plans for the star-crossed lovers as they fight their enemies and themselves to find true love.

Her Savage Scot involves a combustible mix of political intrigue and violence, innocent deception and blinding passion. The first part of the novel sees Aila innocently conceal her identity from the Scots Warrior Connor. She is assailed by a strong and unexplained visceral attraction and feelings that she has not experienced since her husband’s death nine years ago. Connor, mindful of her widowed status and despite their undeniable connection, decides not to pursue her. However, their mutual attraction is such that they engage in a slow sensual dance of seduction, before coming together in a maelstrom of fiery and erotic passion.

Once Aila’s true identity as Princess is revealed and her political role in marrying Fergus, Connor’s half-brother, becomes clear, their nascent love is sacrificed to the need for their two peoples to unite against a common enemy, the Vikings. The remainder of the plot contains misunderstanding between the lovers, tension, drama and treachery and deceit on the part of others and my heart was truly pounding as their safety and HEA hung in the balance!

Christina Phillips has a real skill for penning addictive storylines and creating credible and memorable characters. Aila and Connor are just so perfect for each other! Aila is a proud, yet vulnerable woman, with a traumatic past, who lives a reclusive life. For reasons which become clear in the novel, she has rejected the old pagan religion in favour of Cristianity, in a society where the old religion is still revered. However, as the attraction between her and Connor intensifies, the goddess Bride once again calls to her and she cannot ignore her true destiny.

Connor is a man that every red blooded woman would ache to possess. He is a strong alpha hero, with an innate sense of honour. He soon realises that Aila is his and wants no other and he does all he can to protect her from others and even from herself, as she becomes a political pawn at the mercy of others. The romantic scenes between the couple are truly beautiful and Christina Phillips combines sexual tension with scorching erotic love making scenes and a credible historical narrative with great finesse. She writes in such a way that the reader gets inside the characters’ heads and feels every nuance of their thoughts, feelings and sensations.

I enjoyed all the characters in the novel, the good guys and the bad guys, but particularly Cameron MacNeil and Ewan MacKinnon, the Scots warriors who will encounter their own Pictish princesses in the other two novels planned in this series, Her Vengeful Scot and Her Defiant Scot. I was also fascinated by the different cultures of the Picts and Scots. If like me you adored the author’s last historical erotic romance series, Forbidden, then you will also love Her Savage Scot. I also recommend it to readers who like their historical romances to sizzle with erotic love making scenes, alpha males, strong heroines and have a strong page turning plot and romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

A copy of this novel was given to me by the publisher for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

A Romantica® historical erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave.

ISBN: 9781419940446

Release date: 20th November 2013

Ellora’s Cave Amazon ARe Nook Amazon UK Kobo

Goodreads

Christina Phillips’ website http://christinaphillips.com/

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/christinaphillips.author

For our reviews of TAINTED and BETRAYED click on the links below:
TAINTED BETRAYED

November 5, 2013 by Tina Williams

Joshua’s Tree, by N.W. Harris

A Wild Ride through a Future Earth!

Young Adult Sci-Fi Fantasy

Joshua’s Tree, N. W. Harris’ first novel, is a great romp, containing a fantastic kick ass heroine and an unlikely hero who is transported to the future. It is set in a strange landscape, with terrifying cannibalistic creatures and it contains intervention from on high and non-stop adventure. There is also a budding romance and a plot that involves both personal growth and self-sacrifice.

In Joshua’s Tree, after a fall from his skateboard, seventeen year old Joshua wakes up naked in a strange and frightening world, where he is attacked and kidnapped by menacing creatures. Before the creatures can reveal their evil intent, he is rescued by a sword wielding female warrior, Nadia, astride a strange beast. Nadia, whose village and family have been destroyed by the sweepers, the terrifying creatures that have Joshua in their clutches, is convinced that Joshua is the saviourof her world, as foreseen in a prophecy. Joshua has no option but to accompany her on a bizarre and dangerous journey, where he learns that to return to his own world he must find the strength within himself to overcome his fears and avenge Nadia’s people by executing The Father, the creator of the canniabalistic sweepers who threaten the lives of all on this world.

Nadia is a character that I sometimes long to be in my imagination – a strong, self-controlled and skilled warrior, who takes no c*** from anyone and does not hesitate to go in for the kill with her sword and dagger, a figure which brought to my mind a younger version of Xena, the warrior princess or Lara Croft! She does have her vulnerabilities however, and these are revealed as the novel progresses. By contrast Josh is an unlikely hero, more of a thinker, not a natural warrior and he has zero confidence when it comes to girls, especially those as attractive as Nadia. He is grateful to Nadia for being his protector in this strange world and for helping him to adjust to the life of a warrior, but he resents being reliant on her. Although desperate to go home, he sometimes feels that he has a connection to the world and has growing feelings for Nadia. I loved how Josh grew in stature physically and mentally throughout, becoming if not yet an equal to Nadia in terms of her fighting skills at least complementing her with his skill at strategy.

Much of the novel focuses on the hero and heroine, their growing relationship and the transformation of Joshua from 21 century teenager into a warrior worthy to fulfil a prophecy. Although Nadia is attracted to Josh, she wants to keep him at a distance so that they do not become distracted from their quest as so much is at stake. Josh is initially both attracted to her strange beauty and resentful of her – she is part of the alien world that is keeping him from going home and she seems superior to him in every way, a true warrior, whereas he sees himself as puny and weak. There are many misunderstandings between them as the plot develops and leads Joshua to his destiny, as they struggle with their feelings for each other. There is also blood and gore a plenty, with innards and brains being spilt and limbs torn apart. The plot contains many twists and turns, with a cliff hanger at the end, which I am so wanting to know how it can possibly be resolved in future instalments! Will Joshua return home if he survives? Will he want to? Will he have a choice? And what of Nadia and the other characters and the future of this world as it hangs in the balance?

The author clearly has a strong imagination to create such a diverse future world, where some creatures are genetically engineered, similar, but so different from our own. It is a world of extreme landscapes, which blends futuristic technology with elements of past cultures on Earth. The novel is very much a coming of age story as well as a romance, but it is also more than this, addressing issues of personal growth and destiny for Josh (and Nadia too) as they are both subjected to a series of increasingly more terrifying tests of endurance and sanity, which allows them to grow and develop, but which puts a stain on their relationship. For me the novel has an almost mystical quality and the strongly drawn and well rounded characters also represented some major archetypes: Josh is the unlikely hero/saviour; Nadia the warrior; The Father, the evil creator/scientist, and there is even the wise man/spirit guide, the Sensei, who appears sporadically throughout.

Joshua’s Tree is a fantastic, read, which will keep you glued to the text until you have reached the end. I strongly recommend it to fans of sci-fi/fantasy adventure, who like some romance in their tale, with a thought provoking and action packed plot.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

I received this book for free from Story Cartel in exchange for my unbiased review.

http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/young-adult/ya-action-adventure/joshua-s-tree-detail

http://nwharrisbooks.wordpress.com/

http://storycartel.com/

Cover art by Marion Sipe www.marionsipe.blogspot.com

October 21, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Dead Water (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 6) by Tim O’Rourke

Dead Water (Kiera Hudson Series Two, #6) It is such a treat to read a Tim O’Rourke story. As it has been a few months since I have read Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series 2 Book 5), I was beginning to think I’d forget where I left off! Oh no, not with Tim. His writing allows for the reader to easily carry on the Keira journey, with reminders throughout where the story has been to. Therefore also allowing a fresh reader to the series to settle into the story. With Vampyrus, Lycanthrope, Skin-Walkers and more, this paranormal series will grip you like no other!

Dead Water largely follows half-breed Keira and Vampyrus Potter and Murphy travel to the Dead Water, in search of their friends, Kayla and Sam. During their journey, in the ‘pushed’ world they have found themselves in, they are gradually turning into statues, cracking and slowly turning to dust. However, during moments of ingesting a little blood they are able to keep going until they reach their destination. Upon finding it a little too easy to have reached their destination, Keira fears that not all is as it seems!

After reading the subsequent novel, fans of the series are absolutely desperate to know how Keira and Potter’s relationship will fare. In Dead Water we follow the story from Keira’s and Potter’s points of view. It is more than fair to say that at the beginning of Dead Water Keira is quite hurt and upset. After finding out who she really is, and that her lover and friend, Potter and Murphy, have been lying to her she doesn’t really have much to say to them. Potter, in particular, has a hard time from Keira especially as Keira feels betrayed by him in more ways than one. Unfortunately for Potter, Keira doesn’t want to hear that he was only trying to protect her and spare her feelings. She can’t possibly give in to him as she knows she would only get hurt again.

Poor Potter was actually betrayed himself, with the idea of upsetting and manipulating Keira. It is so clear why fans of this series love Potter. His feelings are so strong but not always transparent to Keira. However, reading his point of view the reader does understand him and the reader wants to pull Keira aside to explain this to her. There have been moments when Potter has been a little too trusting of others, especially of the female kind, and has ended up in some messy situations!

Even though there are some pretty intense moments between Potter and Keira, on the other hand there are some really great scenes with Potter and Murphy. In regards to Keira, Murphy is a little overbearing in an observant and protective manner. However, some of Murphy’s remarks to Potter about her are obvious, annoying or over the top. It’s almost like Murphy is trying to get a rise out of Potter. To which Potter replies brilliantly in his sarcastic manner which made me laugh out loud at times. This provided a great relief in between the overall tense feeling.

I also thought it was fantastic to read about Keira using her investigative skills, trying to find Kayla and Sam, as she returns to the snow-covered field where they had been involved with a wolf attack with Potter and Murphy in Chapter 4. (This is where many of Potter’s sarcasm comes to the fore with Murphy!) This scene, as well as how Keira carefully works out what has happened as she illuminates certain possibilities, really took me down memory lane to the first instalment of Keira when she first visited the Ragged Cove and met Potter and Murphy in Vampire Shift! Here Keira was taken to her first scene where a body was found just within the tree-line of a field and Keira used her ‘seeing’ abilities to spot the smallest of details! This scene is very fresh in my mind, especially after having read the Graphic Novel of Vampire Shift a few weeks ago.

The excitement grows with each chapter. There is a great use of dialogue, as in many of Tim’s books. This makes it a fun and quick read, even though the plot itself is very rich in intensity and depth. The scenery changes so much, along with the weather conditions, as the story moves on. This again is typical of Tim O’Rourke, especially in the Keira Hudson series. We begin with snow, fields, the blood red Dead Water, the upward current of the Fountain of Souls, forestry and the town of Wasp Water. You can also gauge from some of these names that Tim’s imagination takes you to a completely different ‘pushed’ world of your own as the stories remain alive and strangely real. It is also regular for Tim to introduce new characters and in this instance it comes in the form of statues, which have strangely been following Keira and her friends to the Dead Water.

The ending of this one will certainly shock many fans. On the one hand I am thinking, ‘Tim, what have you done!?’, and on the other I am quite excited of the possibilities that it could bring. I do have my own theories so I hope I am right. I personally believe that if an author does surprise you, even in a negative manner, that it is a work of brilliance. These days I don’t think it takes much to shock people, especially open-minded people. And I also like an author that isn’t too predictable!

The following instalment, ‘Dead Push’ is available now and I will hopefully be reviewing it very soon. In the meantime, come and check it out on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Please check out all of our Tim O’Rourke reviews (below).

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

Vampire Shift (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 1)

Vampire Wake (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 2)

Vampire Hunt (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 3)

Vampire Breed (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 4)

Wolf House (Potter’s Story) (Kiera Hudson Series 1 Book 4.5) – novella

Vampire Hollows (Keira Hudson Series 1, Book 5)

Dead Flesh (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 1)

Dead Night – Potter’s Secrets (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 1.5) – novella

Dead Angels (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 2)

Dead Statues (Keira Hudson Series 2, Book 3)