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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Book Review for Blacklisted by Luke Romyn





Blacklisted

by
2 stars
Buy: Amazon UK
Buy:Amazon US
Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle
Published:  Luke Romyn
Source: purchased copy Genre: Mystery Thriller Suspense



Blurb

Nobody can escape their past. It will always be there, returning to haunt you in the darkest times of your life.

Mike Swanson knows this – his past torments him daily, and he sets himself upon a path of death and misery. He justifies his dark deeds by enacting them upon those he perceives as evil, not knowing that the real evil lies within himself.

Killing the scum of society, Mike becomes one of them and draws the attention of a group who require people with his skills. Unwillingly enlisted into the notorious ‘Blacklisted Brotherhood’, Mike must first survive horrendous training in order to hunt down a madman whose deeds will see the world plunged into anarchy if he succeeds.


My Thoughts

I love a good conspiracy theory thriller novel they are among some of my favorites, that being said this book is the first one I have ever come across that I just could not finish. Trust me i have tried its been on my kindle for a very long time and i will read a bit and have to stop but the more i read the more i am just not liking it.

Sadly i got as far as 33% completed but just cant seem to click with the characters and the secret government agency and what they are trying to do with the worst of the worst type of criminals. The main character a mass murderer abused from childhood not many breaks in life, the few good moments always turn bad so he decides to turn bad too. Gets arrested is being questioned when a secret agency knocks the entire police station out and kidnaps the guy. Apparently having done this all over the US like no one would put two and two together and then make these criminals go through life or death exercises until they have weeded out the cream of the crop criminals to use to bring down a huge bad guy.

I just could not get into this one. It is just too unbelievable to be believable.








 

Book Review for The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Spinoza #1) by J.R. Rain




The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo 

  (Spinoza #1)

by
5 stars
Buy: Amazon UK
Buy:Amazon US
Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle
Published:  J.R. Rain
Source: purchased copy Genre: Paranormal Romance



Blurb
Three years ago, high school student Veronica Fortune witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. Now armed and dangerous, she sets out to hunt down the very thing that destroyed her life.

That is, until she disappears.

Spinoza is a private investigator who specializes in finding the missing. He's good at what he does. Damn good. But he's also a recovering alcoholic and a royal mess. Hired to find Veronica, Spinoza won't let his personal demons — or demons of any kind — get in the way of finding the truth about the missing girl.

Now following a bizarre set of clues that leads him into stranger and stranger territory, Spinoza is about to come face-to-face with something legendary...and something hungry for blood.
 
My Thoughts


I absolutely loved this books of course I love anything to do with Vampires. J.R. Rain has done it again with this book. His style of writing detailing the people in the book so you can close your eyes and picture them like you are right there watching everything unfold. The humor and wit he puts into his characters is awesome. I even like how he mentions characters from another book really great.

This is a great story a Private Investigator in search for a womans adopted granddaughter who has been missing longer than normal for her. The twist the girl believes she is a true vampire slayer. Veronica as she is known was on the hunt for one particular man "vampire" believed to have killed her parents and Spinoza was going to find her come hell or high water. He was the best in the business and that was why Detective Hammond of the LAPD referred the grandmother to him.

I enjoyed how during the search for Veronica you learn about Spinoza's life, the trials he has gone through to get him where he is now. The loss of his wife and son the alcohol issues and the reoccurring nightmares he has. He shares this with his buddy Detective Hammond and his girlfriend so its really great really brings you into the story more.

I just have really fallen for J.R. Rains style of writing and just downloaded 6 more books of his. Great job.












 

Book Review for Unintended Consequences by Marti Green



Unintended Consequences

by
4 stars
Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle/Paperback
Published:  Marti Green
Source: purchased copy Genre: mystery suspense









Blurb

How much would a father sacrifice for his child?

Nineteen years ago, Indiana police found the body of a young girl, burned beyond recognition and buried in the woods. They arrested George Calhoun for murdering his daughter, and his wife testified against him at the trial. The jury convicted him. Now his appeals have been exhausted and his execution is just a few weeks away. George said he didn't do it. That the body in the woods isn't his little Angelina. But that's all he's ever said - no other defense, no other explanation.

Dani Trumball, an attorney for the Help Innocent Prisoners Project,wants to believe him. After all,there was no forensic evidence that the body in the woods was George's daughter. But if the girl isn't Angelina, then who is it? And what happened to the Calhoun's missing daughter? For nineteen years, George has stayed silent. But that's about to change, and the story he tells Dani - if it's true - changes everything.
 
My Thoughts


Dani Trumball is married to Doug a legal professor at a local university and mother to Jonah a special needs chold diagnosed with Williams Syndrome. Dani works for the Help Innocent Prisoners Project. Usually she writes the final legal appeals and such after fellow coworkers have proven a prisoner was wrongly convicted. But a letter from convicted child killer George Calhoun has her investigating his claim that the body they found was not his daughter Angelina.

George and Sallie Calhoun loved their beautiful daughter Angelina but she is fighting for her life with a occurrence of Leukemia that has spread. Already in debt from their first battle the doctor is willing to waive his fee but the Calhoun's already owe so much the hospital wont budge. Without treatment Angelina will surely die. George and Sallie make the toughest decision in their lives. One that winds them in prison, Sallie gets life in prison while George gets the death sentence.

19 years later and 6 weeks before he is to walk that final walk to his death sentence, all appeals exhausted he still maintains the burned body of that little girl was not his daughter, not his beautiful Angelina so in one last ditch effort and with the prodding of the warden he writes to HIPP and his letter winds up on the desk of Dani Ttumbal. Now its up to her take the case or turn it down.

Dani takes the case and brings in Tommy Norland former FBI and office flirt but hes the best investigator and he doesn't believe George is innocent so he will be a great balancing board. And Melonie Quinn assistant editor of the law review has a passion for setting things right just like Dani the perfect fit for this case.

Their investigation leads them down many twists and turns. After Dani meets with George she truly believes the body they found was not the daughter of George and Sallie, even though Sallie who hates George swears that was their daughter. Dani and Melonie fight and lose many different appeals. Tommy receives a threat. People are being killed. And Dani is beginning to lose hope.

But then a small thread and the more they pull it the mow the truth unravels. Could George be telling the truth, could that burned body be that of another missing girl? Could Angelina still be alive. Its down to the wire and Dani is fighting for an innocent mans life.

This is a great legal thriller well written I felt drawn in from the start and was on the edge of my seat wondering is he telling the truth.






 

Monday, January 14, 2013

Book Review for The Body Departed by J.R. Rain



The Body Departed

by
5 stars

Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle/Paperback
Published:  J.R.Rain
Source: purchased copy Genre: Paranormal




Blurb
Two years ago, a man broke into James Blakely's apartment and shot him in his sleep. Twelve times, killing him instantly. Dead and confused, James discovers he has a choice: he can move on into the afterlife, or he can stay behind. Unfortunately, since James has done some very bad things, moving on into the afterlife can only mean one thing: the fires of Hell. Or so he thinks. Forgoing eternal damnation, James instead chooses to haunt his old apartment building.

Now James's days are mostly spent visiting his daughter and ex-wife, welcoming new neighbors, and talking to those who can see the dead. It's a simple, peaceful life, but with each passing day, James discovers something more and more alarming: memories of his former life—and even his own identity—begin slipping away. Faced with the prospect that he is rapidly deteriorating into a state of nothingness, James sets out to save his eternal soul. With the help of his daughter and a world-class medium, his journey to peace and forgiveness will not be an easy one, especially for a ghost who still wishes to be a father—and who fears he is destined for a fiery Hell as punishment for sins he cannot remember. Now, as James begins to uncover the devastating secret that connects his soul to earth, he will discover that even in death life has a few surprises.



My Thoughts


I love paranormal books but I really enjoyed this one. Your emotions will range from laughter to crying to happiness to caring with each turn of the page.

The story of James a ghost stuck here on earth with unfinished business visiting his daughter at night and talking to a medium while trying to figure out just how he will keep himself from hell. After the death of his most favorite school teacher James gets his medium friend to help him. He knows he has to do something and that it also just might help him.

James meets a young ghost Jacob and later learns who he is and just whats been keeping him bound to earth. While trying to figure out how to make it all right he has some fun freaking out the hot shot of a ghost hunting show. But with a heart to heart from Jesus and his special medium friend he is eventually able to mend a lot of broken fences and eventually he is able to finally let go and go home.

This was such a fun book to read I absolutely loved it.











 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Book Review for When God Whispers Loudly by Chris M. Hibbard



When God Whispers Loudly

by
4 stars
Buy: Amazon UK
Buy:Amazon US
Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle
Published:  Chris Hibbard 
Source: purchased copy Genre: Christian Read



When God whispers, the wise listen. In this short story, a busy husband and father fails to heed the quiet voice of the Lord. I doing so, he experiences the loving admonition of God whispering loudly.




My Thoughts

I was born and raised in a Christian home with parents very involved in our local church, my father was the bus minister and youth minister and my mother taught a Sunday school class and Awana class. Growing up in a Christian home you always hear about God and Jesus on a daily basis.

Many continue on their path with the Lord and many walk away or wander off the path God has for each of us.

This book is a quick dose of reality. From the very start you are drawn into this family's life. And through the father's eyes you see how God had worked in his wifes life and his childrens lives. And then you learn how God worked in his life without him realising it.

How in one quick moment, one horrible accident, how very much this families life could have changed and how God used this incident to show the father what a great life he really had and how he had always been there. How the father just wasn't listening. God was truly whispering loudly.

This book moved me to tears, touched my heart and my soul and I to realize maybe I haven't been listening as closely as I should be. Great book...








 

Monday, January 7, 2013

Book Review for A Highlander in Her Past by Maeve Greyson

A Highlander in Her Past

by

4 stars
Buy: Amazon UK
Buy:Amazon US
Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle
Published:  The Wild Rose Press  
Source: purchased copy Genre: Paranormal Romance


Blurb


How bad could one little spell be?

Trish Sullivan, archaeologist and favorite aunt to the MacKay children, never thought she'd regret those words until Ramsay, the eldest MacKay lad, hurls them back to the 1400s with a botched transportation spell. Now she and Ramsay must find a way back before accidentally altering the past and unknowingly changing the future. That is, if Trish can survive the first trip across time without losing her life...or her heart.

What harm could come from a little soul-binding?

Proving his Highland honor alive and well, Maxwell Sullivan agrees to bind his soul to Trish's in order to save her life. But Highland honor isn't much help when Maxwell loses his heart in the bargain to the sassy woman headed back to the future.



My Thoughts

It is the 1400s and Maxwell is tired of hearing how he needs to be married. While listening to Keanan ramble on about it he looks into the magical mirror to see this beautiful woman, who looks so different from the women he is used to seeing. Her image is burned into his eyes. Who is this woman and why did he see her.

Trish is an archeologist and favorite aunt to six nieces and nephews in 2020. On a visit to their home she learns they are all in touble after Ramsey the eldest was performing some pretty powerful magic gone wrong. While being punished Trish is talking to him about it and decides to allow him to try again with her. The results are not what either of them expects.

Trish and Ramsey are hurled back in time to a familiar place but not quiet the same and right into the arms of Maxwell. Ramsey handles the outcome much better than Trish and in order to save her life Maxwell binds his to her. And on the day they are to wed something happens and Trish's world is turned upside down. She and Ramsey are ripped back to their time and she comes face to face with the reality that Maxwell is no longer there or is he.

What a cute book I really enjoyed reading this one. I have always loved "Highlander" type books and this one with its bits of magic in it just added to the whimsy and funness of the book. This is the first time reading a book from this author and I will most definitely be reading more of Maeve Greyson's books.




 

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Book Review for Fatal Consequences (Fatal #3) by Marie Force Kindle Edition



Fatal Consequences (Fatal #3)

by
5 stars

Reviewed by: Tonya
Format:Kindle/Paperback
Published: Carina Press   
Source Purchased copy Genre: Romantic Suspense




Blurb


The murder of two members of the Capitol Cleaning Service might’ve been just another homicide investigation—that is if one of them hadn’t been romantically involved with a married senator from Arizona. Lt. Sam Holland and her team are plunged into another complex case that at first seems open and shut. But as Sam tugs on the threads of the investigation she uncovers a deep, dark Washington secret that threatens the careers of some of the government’s highest-ranking officials. Racing to catch a killer before he can strike again, Sam and her fiancé, U.S. Senator Nick Cappuano, attempt to plan a wedding while her colleague Detective Tommy “Gonzo” Gonzales faces life-changing news.



My Thoughts

Sam and Nick are back again for book 3, with Nick preparing for reelection and Sam back on the job as they celebrate their engagement yet another mystery to solve. Several women are murdered, one of Sams own is horrible attacked and the clock is ticking for Sam to figure out just who is killing women in her city. As always it hits close to home with Sam and Nick and the political world is turned upside down again from yet another scandal. This one by far the best scandal so far.

I love how Marie writes her story lines, they are so fast paced and entrenched in details. Not only do you feel like you are right there while Sam and her team are chasing down the bad guys, but you are right there while Nick is dealing with reelection, they deal with her family and a possible new member to their family and you begin to learn a lot more about Cruz, Gonzo and McBride.

Even though the main characters are Nick and Sam, I love how Marie adds in the story lines for Gonzo and Christina, Cruz and Elin as well as her father and his new bride Celia. This book starts off with the wedding of her father and Celia and what a wedding it is. And just builds from there.

Like the other books I couldn't put this one down and before I knew it I was done and rushing to download the next one. Great job Marie as always.