Evolution Of Evil By Steven F. Freeman

What It's About:

Jan Summit, senator’s wife and world-class biologist, has disappeared from her Alzheimer’s research center on the Galapagos Islands. When cryptologist Alton Blackwell is called in to decode the scientist’s last message, he learns of a breakthrough discovery, one that could revolutionize treatment for the debilitating disease. 

Alton and wife Mallory, an FBI agent, join an elite force sent to track down the missing scientist. In doing so, they uncover a world of shadowy intrigue—a land where environmentalists, competing pharmaceutical companies, and local Galapagos citizens all battle to suppress the results of Summit’s cutting-edge research. The investigators’ search is further complicated when a string of murders with apparent connections to both the black market in exotic wildlife and Summit’s research begins within days of their arrival. 

Following a trail of clues as enshrouded as the islands’ volcanic slopes, Alton and Mallory face mounting danger in their race to recover Summit and track down the culprits who hope to suppress her work. Along the way, they discover that some facts—and some people—aren’t always what they seem

What The Reviews Say:

What a joy it is to follow a new author as he develops and grows! Steven F Freeman’s sixth book in his Blackwell Files, The Evolution of Evil, is perhaps his best work yet. Steve, you’re not a rookie anymore!

After thieves break into a research lab on the Galapagos Islands and scientist Jan Summit disappears, cryptologist Alton Blackwell and his FBI agent wife Mallory are recruited to join a team of investigators to find the missing researcher and recover the important Alzheimer’s studies. Working with the local authorities, the team must find the researcher,

who suffers from severe asthma, as soon as possible. Adding to the sense of urgency is the fact that she is also the wife of a powerful US Senator, who is putting pressure on the group to locate his wife ASAP. Has she been kidnapped? Murdered? If she is alive, why haven’t they heard from the kidnappers?

While Alton begins the laborious task of decoding the encrypted research files, Mallory pores over financial records looking for clues, and the rest of the team interviews witnesses. As possible motives and suspects begin to emerge, dead bodies begin to show up in remote spots. Are these murders related to the missing scientist and her theory about a cure for a devastating illness? Or are they simply random killings?

Mr Freeman has introduced a fascinating ensemble of characters this time around. I was particularly interested in a several of them, and in one case, my instincts proved to be correct. Without being given many concrete clues, we are left to our own devices when it comes to solving the crimes in Freeman’s books. In typical fashion, Alton puts it all together after making a discovery or two, which the author does not share with the reader until the mass assembly at the end, a la Hercule Poirot. Having read the previous five novels in the series, I am used to this format and can go with the flow. As Poirot would say, I use “the little gray cells” to consider what other suspects may have to hide that may not be related to the case at hand. But I may have said too much – at any rate, it makes for a tantalizing read, because the pieces of the puzzle fall into place quite nicely.

It sounds like there is a bright future for Team Blackwell. Stay tuned. - Jean F. Coldwell (Amazon.com)

Alton and Mallory have another mystery on their hands. Asked by the NSA to assist in finding a missing senators wife who is also a scientist the head to the Galapagos Islands, but once there the mystery is bigger than anyone realized. And it's a race to find the missing person before a medical condition kills her or worse the kidnapper decides she is no longer useful and kills her!

Alton is on the case once again in another great who done it style mystery. You collect the clues with him and the others on his team and it's a race to see who can figure it all out first. And Blackwells record is 6-0 with me never managing to figure it all out before him. And that's one of the top reasons this series it so great you can never figure it out before the author is ready for you to.

So sit back and enjoy the ride.... Unless you can figure it all out before Alton Blackwell! - Crystal (Amazon.com)

Steven Freeman has become a master of description, which allows the reader to really see the story. His primary characters, Alton and Mallory, are simply terrific. You feel like you know them, their strengths and frailties, and you love them. The setting in the Galapagos is described so well that you can picture the island, and almost feel like you are right there.

The plot is suspenseful and with unexpected twists and turns and the ending gives closure to the story. He has done his homework and the parts that are related to technical aspects of the story are clear and accurate. If you want a great book that you will have a hard time putting down, don't miss this one. I'm sure he will be one of our most read authors in the very near future. - Sharron Grodzinsky (Amazon.com)

This is my favorite Blackwell Files installment! Clever, edge of your seat drama set in a beautiful place. I enjoy reading this series because it is believable, without being too technical. Each character has interesting and authentic position in the book. This particular book had Alton and Mallory solving a series of crimes that entwined with each crime and developed as I read. I am ready for this series to be a television series. Very awesome stories. - Rowleyteach (Amazon.com)

About The Author:

Thriller/mystery author Steve Freeman is a former member of the US Army's Signal Corps, a twenty-eight year employee of a large American technology company, and an avid traveler who has visited five continents. The novels of "The Blackwell Files" draw from his firsthand knowledge of military service, the tech industry, and the diverse cultures of our world.

He currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia with his wife, daughter, and three dogs.

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Among The Sheep By Kindle Author Marlene Bell

Next up to go under the spotlight is kindle author Marlene Bell's book Among The Sheep, which is available from the Amazon Kindle Store now!

What It's About:

In Among the sheep, award winning artist, nature photographer, author and shepherd Marlene Bell shows readers how she utilized her artistic abilities while falling into the business of keeping sheep. With wit, style, and grace, over time this city girl turned farmhand entrepreneur learned how to run a lucrative sheep operation while balancing a mail order and Internet gifts business. In twelve chapters, she offers tips, guidance, and valuable professional advice with a warm, down-home feel. With chapter titles such as "A Surprise Gift," "The Mail Order Queen," and "Momentum" she shoots from the hip with her tales to provide the sheer (pun intended) wisdom of over thirty years with sheep and her related business ventures. More than anything, this guide shares a memoir of a woman who wears a number of hats. She exemplifies the idea of turning a love for animals into a lifetime commitment to caring for and celebrating them.

What The Reviews Say:

I have raised sheep for 15 years and have never found a book more knowledgable on every aspect of the sheep business/hobby. Tips on raising, tips on selling and of course how to turn it into a business. Whether you are thinking of getting sheep, have sheep or want to succeed like Mrs. Bell you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy. I especially appreciated the time Mrs. Bell took to share her tips for suceeding in the show ring and how to sell her animals. A book not to miss.

Ebook Format: Kindle

Where To Buy: Amazon Kindle Store

Champagne Cocktails By Kindle Author Lisa Shea

Next up to go under the book spotlight is kindle author Lisa Shea's mouthwatering book Champagne Cocktails, which is available on the amazon kindle store now.

What It's About:

Champagne cocktails are the perfect treat for every occasion, and this Champagne Cocktails book brings you 105 recipes for daily delight! Enjoy a green, minty bubbly while lounging in your back yard. Toast with a sapphire blue cocktail during your elegant evening. Party with bright orange mixers when celebrating with friends. A rainbow of colors and a cornucopia of flavors await you on each page. 

Add in fun toasts, Champagne quotes, a step by step guide to opening a Champagne bottle, a wealth of photos, and you have the world of Champagne at your fingertips. 

Cheers! 

What The Reviews Say:

An informative and delightful read. Wish I had had it with me while in the French Champagne region. However, I love trying out the recipes and surprising my friends!

Ebook Format: Kindle.

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Cotter By Kindle Author Peter Glassman

Next up to go under the spotlight is COTTER by kindle author Peter Glassman. Read on to find out more about this great book which is currently available on the amazon kindle store.

What It's About:

Jacob Cotter survives the Civil War to finish Yale Medical School and confront two more battlefronts–one in Connecticut as a medical student and one in Texas as a surgeon. In 1868 Cotter is financially solvent for Yale from banking two-year’s worth of bounty hunter money. Post-Civil War medicine is exciting. Cotter experiences advances in anesthesia and antisepsis enabling surgery and medicine truly saving lives. He finds pseudoscience–phrenology–laughable. However, he must confront his siblings who disowned him after his father was killed in the war alongside him in 1864. His brother and sister want him dead. 

After graduating Yale, Cotter finds private practice in Endura Texas with a colleague as also being under fire trying to establish the first hospital in the area. Cotter faces a ruthless land baron extorting and killing opposing citizenry. He also finds his father’s murderer part of the lethal lot. Dr. Cotter is forced to combine his stethoscope and his sixguns.

What The Reviews Say:

I have become a big fan of Peter's work. He deserves far more attention than he has gotten, like Van Gogh. Cotter is a prime example. Glassman has moved into historical fiction with a medical bent and delivered authentic events and juicy details about the period. That said, it does not get caught up in the details for their own sake, there is a compelling story that is supported by the details.

It is a fast read with well drawn characters and tense action bits that jump off the page and stay with you. While it may be classified as a western, more than half actually takes place in Connecticut, a connecticut we would not recognize but gain understanding as the tale unfolds. Set in the immediate post civil war period, it is a time of rapid advances in medicine with procedures we would recognize as routine today but then were quite new. It was also a period of advances in gun technology and other innovations that are fun to see explored and exploited by the inhabitants of that era as any new technology would be. I felt a part of that time as I immersed myself in the pages of the book.

Glassman tells the story of Jake Cotter, going back to medical school at Yale after working with his father as a surgeon during the war. He is saddled with his own demons yet manages to confront those who would intimidate and use deadly force in furtherance of their own agenda. I was continually surprised at the plot turns and I frankly lost more than a little sleep just seeing how Cotter would get through the next situation. Glassman always gives us quirky and likable characters with his trademarked catchy names. Plus a great deal of action, suspense, intrigue, double crossing and evil men who must be confronted, with violence if need be.

Ebook Format: Kindle

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BASIC Boy By Kindle Author Christopher Peter

BASIC Boy by kindle author Christopher Peter is available from the amazon kindle store now. Read On to find out more about this great book.

What It's About:

You’ve heard of haunted houses … but what about haunted computers? What do you do when there’s literally a ghost in the machine? When the past collides with the present and something sinister's come along for the ride? 

Cal Stubbs has big problems. It’s not just that he’s struggling to get used to his stepdad Rob, who’s weirdly obsessed with stone-age computers (what the heck’s a ZX Spectrum anyway?), while his real dad’s gone to ground. It’s not even that his geeky best friend has more luck with girls than he does. 

No. It’s definitely more the creepy nightmares and the freaky messages coming through on the laptop from some sick psycho troll. 

Meanwhile, back in 1984, the teenage Rob has a dark secret. He’s done something terrible … and a kid who died but won’t stay quiet is hell-bent on making him pay. And, mad though it sounds, the price might be his future stepson. 

As Cal gets more disturbing messages and Rob struggles to remember exactly what happened in 1984, they soon realise that a malevolent shadow is breaking through into the present, intent on wreaking havoc. How do you fight a ghost that can program a computer? They’d better figure out how and quickly, before time runs out …

What  The Reviews Say:

This incredibly entertaining, well paced and excellently written ghost story is hard to stop reading once you begin.

What is the secret of its success? It isn't just that you get a good scare, although that is a terrific part of it.

The other aspect that is wonderful, however, is the fact that the reader comes to care and understand about the lives of the characters.

These people, whether you are immersed in 1984 or 2014, are very real. When they become trapped by the machinations of their computers it is flat-out frightening.

Whether back when(thirty years ago), or just around the corner in time (2014), the reader will become quite involved ... almost a part of the story.

The author, Christopher Peter, really knows how to hold one's interest. Each of your senses will be expertly assailed and on alert during the course of this novel. I have rarely enjoyed being frightened and being curious as to what would happen next quite so much as with Basic Boy.

What is more, everything which takes place is quite believable.

Essentially, the plot ties two boys together, one from 1984 and one from 2014. I am not spoiling anything when I note that the story jumps back and forth, chapter by chapter, between the two. They both get equal time in this story. By the end you will be reading with mounting excitement as the chapters go back and forth in time. The two main characters, Rob and Cal, will ultimately need to work together to defeat an unearthly menace which involves something they each love equally: their computers. Their families and friends will have to assist them in the fight.

I thought the author's descriptive powers were excellent. The writing evokes a mood of urgency and uneasiness. As well, there are humorous real life daily situations, described in a fun manner. You get a break from the tension this way. This is well done and unforced. That is a part of what makes this book so hard to put down.

I have loved all sorts of ghost and horror stories since I was a child. However I would definitely categorize this as most appropriate for Young Adult and any age above that. It is wonderfully honest in its depiction of the reality of family life. It is also unflinching in describing the life styles of teens struggling through their awkward years. That makes this fun to read, even while you are being scared out of your wits.

I thought all the major characters were quite real, yet noble. I cared what happened to them. Not once did I say to myself, "Ah, this is just a ghost story". Because it isn't just a ghost story.

Rather, it is a study of life in the nineteen eighties, an examination of life now, a comparison of what makes them the same and what makes them different, AND it's a cracking great ghost story on top of all that.

The computer comes of age in Basic Boy: A Digital Ghost Story.

You are going to love how chilling yet gratifying this book is. It is great fun!

Basic Boy, A Digital Ghost Story by Christopher Peter is a must-read for anyone who loves originally written adventure/thriller/horror stories!

Note: I am American. I had no problem understanding the difference in the style of writing or in understanding the vernacular. However there is no question that the author, Christopher Peter is British. Frankly, that made it even cooler!

Ebook Format: Kindle

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In Your Dreams By Ant Richards

Looking for a good thriller? If so then take a look at kindle author Ant Richards novel In Your Dreams which is available on the amazon kindle store now. Read on to find out more:

What It's About:

Jack Parsons thinks he is living a normal life, but all that is about to change.

He works as chief editor at The Great Escape, a specialized travel magazine. Some might even consider this to be a dream job, rich with travel and adventure. Jack frequents places most can only fantasize about visiting and has accumulated a lifetime of memories. His real life is fantastic, but his dream life is beyond description.

When he starts to literally live his dreams, his once-normal life becomes anything but. It all starts innocently enough, but slowly, his dream-driven life turns from pleasant and exciting to something much more sinister. Trapped inside an increasingly more convoluted web of confusion, deceit, and dangerous indecision, everything Jack values—love, trust, and loyalty—is called into question. Who can he trust? Which experiences are real? Which are illusions? As his two worlds taint each other, he’s desperate for answers. He knows he has to save someone, but who? From what? And why?

And why him?

To save his sanity and the life of his mystery target, Jack must call on every skill he’s collected over the years. Most would consider the ability to live their dreams to be a blessing, but to Jack, it’s a curse. Jack is about to learn that the sins of his past are the nightmares of his present—and that closure comes at a cost.

What The Reviews Say:

Ant Richards has just published his first book. I was pleasantly surprised that for a new author, he really wrote an engaging story line. After getting through the first few chapters, I found it hard to put the book down. The story line was clear & entertaining and I found myself reading into the night, day after day. He kept you guessing as to what happened next and I had great visuals of the areas in Amsterdam & London from his descriptive details. A great book you won't want to put down.

Ebook Format: Kindle

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High Ground By Jack Turner

Looking for a great read? Why not check out kindle author Jack Turner's book High Ground which is available from the amazon kindle store right now. Read on to find out more about this book.

What It's About:

When the crew of the starship Raw Deal crash on a planet at the edge of the known galaxy, they find themselves plunged into different sides in a bloody civil war.

Fihn is a Pariah, a supernaturally strong transhuman who was once part of the greatest fighting force the galaxy has ever seen. Now an outcast and a slave, he’s searching for a chance to finally claim his freedom.

Holden is an engineer, a specialist in kick-starting a culture’s technology and dragging them back to the stars. Ambitious and selfish, this war is the opportunity to get the respect he so desperately craves.

Xu is a strategist, the equal of almost any General in the galaxy. Haunted by her past choices, she’s determined to do the right thing even if it gets her killed.

Each believes they are the only survivor. Each believes their cause is the right one. Alone, any one of them has the skills to tip the war in their favour.

But unwittingly pitted against each other, only one will be able to survive…

What the Reviews Say:

Good science fiction writing has a heart beating at its core and tells a story that's supported by the science rather than a story ABOUT the science. High Ground is a great example of this. From the opening pages, you can't assume you know what's going on, and Turner avoids the typical sci-fi tropes. You don't even notice that you're being led gently by the hand into a caper story, with three interweaving plot-lines that feel like they belong in a high-adventure movie, you know, the kind they really don't make anymore. Engaging and fresh, High Ground feels old-fashioned, but reads modern.

Ebook Format: Kindle.

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Stop The World By Sherry Mayes

Next up to go under the spotlight is kindle author Sherry Mayes YA novel Stop The World, which is available on the amazon kindle store now.

What It's About:

Set in the dusty desert town of Cedarville, North California, beauty queen, Jody Angel Taylor believes her life is all mapped out: glamorous, clever and popular, and due to marry her handsome boyfriend, she has it all. Until one night she has a devastating car crash, ending up paralyzed - and her perfect world collapses. 

Committing media suicide and publicly blamed for her own accident, everything around her falls apart. She becomes a lonely recluse, feeling she’s lost everything including her legs - her boyfriend to her best friend, her father to an affair, her mother to depression - but above all she fears losing her mind. 

What she doesn’t know is that someone across the globe is about to throw her a lifeline. Can she find the courage to take it? 

Determined to love again and clear her name, she embarks on a new adventure that will transform her life beyond all expectations.

What The Reviews Say:

I tend to read a lot of alternate world type YA books (paranormal, dystopian) and Stop the World was a nice change for me. Although it is a work of fiction, it’s based on a true story and, therefore, very much “of this world”.

Jody is our main character and to some extent, we all know a Jody. She’s the one that everyone wants to be. She’s gorgeous, intelligent, wealthy, popular, and has the dream boyfriend. That is, until her life is forever changed by a car accident. Jody’s story is about learning the value of character over beauty. When face with being a paraplegic, she learns the shallow depth of her relationships, and herself. She learns that having a boyfriend, getting married, and living a life of high status isn’t what life is about. But the greatest lesson she learns is the value of knowing and loving yourself.

Jody isn’t a very likeable character in the begging of the story. She’s whiny and self-loathing. Not very attractive qualities, but hey, who wouldn’t have times like that if they were faced with her challenges. I will admit that because of where the story began, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. I would have gotten more quickly involved in it had it began from the beginning and progressed, rather than in the middle and then backtracked, if that makes sense. It would be the equivalent of saying “B,A,B,C”. However, the story picked up quickly after that and I really began digging in. The remaining three quarters of the book far outweighed the very beginning and earned it a five wing in my book!

Mayes teaches us that perfection isn’t real. The most important thing in life is attaining perfection, its about being a person that you can love and respect. It’s about loving someone for who they are and who they dream to be and be loved by someone who respects you enough to support you in your dreams.

Ebook Format: Kindle

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Glen Haven By Margaret L Lauder

Next up to go under the spotlight is kindle author Margaret L Lauder's Glen Haven which is available in the amazon kindle store right now.

What's It About:

Barbara March is devastated at the tragic loss of her beloved husband Edward and at the age of sixty she was still a glamorous and beautiful woman. The chance of a new life opens up when she befriends Lord Marcus Logan the laird of Glen Haven Castle on board the cruise ship Queen Elizabeth 11, but it soon becomes apparent to Marcus than in the shadows of Barbara’s life going back into the past and having to recall that she gave up her successful and fulfilling singing career whose sopranos voice became the darling of the opera houses with her breathtaking performance across Europe and America is a subject she is reluctant to talk about. 

Giving up this indispensable precious gift, it was a story best left unspoken, left undisturbed in the book of life. Finally there is Victoria her daughter found the prospect of her mother’s marriage painful so soon after her father’s death and a devoted grandfather to Kate and Mandy. Victoria shows a fierce determination to stay loyal to her father’s memory and severs her connection with her mother but in her heart she knew how much her mother loved her grandchildren and her father would not have approved of separating them from their grandmother and so they came to Glen Haven Castle with Dora, Barbara’s sister during the summer and Christmas holidays loving every magical moment of their stay. 

What The Reviews Say:

Glen Haven is a story of shattered dreams in which Barbara March was one of the most popular soprano stars in the world and she was adored by countless millions of fans At the height of her career she suddenly announced that she was to retire and leaving us with performances to cherish. She had been shattered by by Edward untimely death left on her own now and at sixty still glamorous and beautiful she could hardly wait to get away to give herself time to think about her life. 

Going on holiday had been a good idea and that was where she met Lord Marcus Logan on the Cruise ship Queen Elizabeth 2.Gentle in his ways a refined man he began looking forward to seeing her at dinner and in the weeks to come on board ship the emotional attraction was established and strong. Her life was not over a new chapter had begun and a year later they were married , but it soon apparent to Marcus that the loss of her career had hurt her deeply and emotionally, and one day he hoped she would at last be able to talk about it and free her from the pain and let go of everything held too long.

Ebook Format: Kindle

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Book Spotlight On Under Cover By Phil Rowan

The spotlight is on kindle author Phil Rowan's thriller Under Cover, which is available in the amazon kindle store right now.

What's It About:

Under Cover has right-wing/anti-immigrant tendencies escalating in Europe with increasing conflict between moderate Muslims and radical Islamists. American journalist Rudi Flynn is recruited by a US/UK intelligence team to counter Iranian activists who are plotting to nuke soft Western targets.

Briefly ...

A French writer Flynn knows is shot in the Paris Luxembourg Gardens and has his throat slit by an Islamist assassin who shouts 'Allahu Akbar!' as his target collapses. Flynn befriends his murdered colleague's sexually pro-active and occasionally quite outrageous right-wing Front National mistress, Chantelle. He also works with Sophia, a seductive and very attractive Israeli agent who briefly kidnaps him in India. He is then sent to Cuba to check out a French Algerian Muslim by Leah, his Controller at the US Embassy in London. Here he gets a pointer from the Guantanamo detainee, who professes to be a Muslim moderate, but is later shot as an activist. Flynn's double agent act finally falls apart in Paris. The Iranian nuclear bombers want to execute him, and it's about to happen when Sophia and her Israeli associates come to his rescue in the remote French Correze countryside.

What The Reviews Say:

This is an exciting story that roams all over the world from New York to London to India to the Middle East to Guantanomo. It is centred round the struggle between Islamic extremists and Western intelligence agencies. Rudi Flynn, an American journalist, is recruited to work for the British and American secret services in order to act as a double agent, at one time professing support for moderate Muslims and then (as ordered by his superiors) voicing sympathy for the terrorists. The spark for the ensuing whirlwind of events is the murder of Anton du Prey, a French journalist married to an Iranian. 

Before long, Rudi is immersed in a maze of intrigue, vicious thugs, assassins and a medley of beautiful women with firm and dexterous vaginal muscles. Rudi goes from one sexually proficient and formidable lover to another, amongst whom are his (female) American Homeland Security controller; a crack Israeli agent; the Iranian wife of his murdered friend; and the right-wing journalist and supporter of the French National Front, Chantelle Cocteau. The story is written in the present tense; this gives the events a sense of journalistic urgency and immediacy.

The author himself was a journalist, and the ability to create local colour and authenticity in his description of different countries and international issues stands the story in good stead. Check this book out; you'll be enthralled by the succession of explosions, killings, assassinations and shoot-outs and, above all, the indefatigable energy exhibited by Rudi in his ability to satisfy so many strong-willed women.

Ebook Format: Kindle

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Book Spotlight On The Ninth Window By Kelly Proudfoot

What's It About?:

Nine women. Nine Stories. One thing in common. 

At a weekend writing workshops, inhibitions melt away. 

Each one shares an intimate story, only to discover that their facilitator - Louise - has neglected to bring her own story. 

The women give her two weeks to come back with a juicy tale - and she delivers "with bells on." 

Then her husband finds out.

What The Reviews Say:

This is a story with several other stories nested within - each very different from the others. The book has a really fresh premise. I liked the writing style, and appreciated the fact that it was nicely edited and proofread.

It's difficult for me to review this without including any spoilers. I can say that every story within the book is really sexy (although Chapter Six was my least favorite.) The ending was really unexpected. An overall enjoyable erotic novella - one of the best I've read lately.

About The Author:

Aussie living in Nashville TN. Author of the fantasy chronicles - "The Storming Archives" and erotica "The Ninth Window".

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Book Spotlight On Talia By Christy King

What's It About?:

Teenage queen, Talia, struggles with her own self-destructive ways, while trying to be a compassionate and fair ruler in a land of magic, werewolves, and vampires. Within her lies a darkness – one that will endanger the very people of her kingdom. In an attempt to protect them, she makes a pact with the vampires in a bid for peace. In the end, the trust she offers may be the very thing that leads to her own demise.

What The Reviews Say:

TALIA is an invitation to the fantasy world that Christy King has created. Aerie is a small kingdom rich in natural resources wedged between two powerful and ambitious neighbors. Quite unexpectedly, Aerie's king dies and his teenage daughter Talia inherits both a war and a serious werewolf and vampire problem. The young orphaned queen has her own problems, however. She has self-destructive habits and in her younger years was always trying to slip away from the castle. She surrounds herself with a tight-knit group of advisers, guards, and servants who share a devotion to her and her kingdom.

Where the novel shines is in character development. Each member of Queen Talia's inner circle has his or her own motives made clear through his or her actions. There is a great deal of palace intrigue, but Talia insists to chart her own course, for good or for bad, in a world where men hold almost all the cards. She plays to her own strengths and takes calculated risks in her dealings with vampires, rival kings, and those seeking her hand.

King does a good job establishing her own world. The vampires, werewolves, and normal humans are portrayed a bit differently than in much of fantasy. Readers will find some things are also rather different from many fantasy worlds based on medieval Europe, which at first can seem anachronistic, but King works these details to her advantage--and Talia's.

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Book Spotlight On Michael Hanson And The Desolate Woods

What's It About?: 

Michael Hanson’s high school peers think he’s weird, at least in part because of the golden armband that’s been there since he was an infant and grown as he grew. But he doesn’t let it bother him. He’s got two good friends, a loyal (if sometimes annoying) little sister, and two parents who love him. He’s figured out he’s adopted, but other than that, he doesn’t think there’s anything exceptional about him.

He’s wrong.

Just before his fifteenth birthday, the symbol on his armband begins to glow, and Michael starts waking up floating over his bed. Little by little, through the guidance of the winged beings Ethan and Izra, he learns who he is—a powerful immortal from the ancient bloodlines of Earth.

Together with his sister and friends Trenton and Anya, Michael explores a fantastic world of magic and unseen dangers, where a rogue immortal whose plans for gaining power and wreaking havoc threaten total destruction.

Unless Michael can stop this madman, his immortality isn’t going to last for long.

What The Reviews Say:

Ahhh, to be a kid again! Adventure, fantasy, heroics, secret worlds and special abilities, remember the days when you were invincible? E.L. Ervin’s Michael Hanson and the Desolate Woods is a return trip to youth for some of us and a first time trip into the world of fantasy and superheroes for younger readers that will open new doors into the magical world of reading.

The adventures of young Michael and his friends dares the world of reality to compete with such an engaging tale as Michael discovers he has super powers and enters another world where hidden truths are revealed and his life is changed forever as he and his friends must discover the extent of their powers and how to control them while using them wisely.

E.L. Ervin directed her tale to younger readers who do not need a “connect the dots” plot with details of “how” something came to be. She brilliantly uses the open minds and wild imaginations of youth to live her tale alongside of these young heroes. With a rapid-fire pace and constant action, there is never a dull moment as this sometimes quirky cast of characters find themselves with unusual complications in a strange world where one day is equal to one minute on Earth. One has to love an author who knows how to hold her audience spellbound!
A great summer read that may prevent the dreaded phrase, “I’m bored.”

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Book Spotlight On Little Crush: Tales Of A Teddy

What's It About?:

Little Crush is a series of three children's books about a talking teddy bear, who introduces a touch of magic to a young family's lives. 

There are three books in the 'Tales of a Teddy' series at present:

Book 1: A Bear's Beginning

Book 2: The Way to a Bear's Heart

Book 3: A Bear Behind

Written to be ideal for bedtime reading  & featuring original full colour illustrations, the series has charmed children & adults alike. 

What The Reviews Say: 

I felt like I could clearly envision the scene in my mind with the sufficient, but not overly detailed, scene descriptions/narratives.

I like how the story shows the better side of human nature such as generosity and kindness.

This story is good for children because of this.

I also like how the mom didn't automatically disregard the bear because it was dirty.

There's a reason why kids do what they do.

Be sure to check out the Tales Of A Teddy Website: http://www.talesofateddy.co.uk/

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Book Spotlight On The Field Of Blackbirds

What's It About?: 

Former SAS soldier Jeff Bradley thought he had left warzones behind when he inherited a vineyard in rural New Zealand. But now his vineyard manager, Arben Shala, has gone missing in his native Kosovo. An enigmatic message tells Jeff that his friend is in grave danger.

Determined to find Arben and bring him home, Jeff travels to Kosovo and finds a lawless state in the grip of criminal gangs. Corrupt officials obscure every lead. With the help of USAID director Morgan Delaney, Jeff delves into the province’s seedy underworld and uncovers a conspiracy of terrifying scale. A web of dark connections links the captors with a terrorist bombing campaign across Europe, and now it is no longer just Arben whose survival is at stake.

Double-crossed by allies, watched at every turn, can Jeff get to the heart of the conflict before the warlords get to him?

What The Reviews Say:

The Field of Blackbirds by Thomas Ryan is a thriller about Jeff Bradley, a former New Zealand military man, and his dangerous quest to find his missing friend.

Jeff’s business associate Arben has travelled to Kosovo to see into a dispute over his family’s vineyard. Jeff gets a message from his panicked friend, and then suspects the worst when Arben disappears.

In a swirl of corrupt officials and honest friends who are almost impossible to tell apart, Jeff looks for Arben in the corrupt post-war city. Double crosses and shadowy events turn Jeff’s search into a dangerous plunge into the Kosovo bitter weather to find the truth.

The Field of Blackbirds is a well-written journey into the desperation of people struggling to regain, or retain, their humanity in the soup of crooked local politics. Mixed in was a ghost intelligence agency on a relentless pursuit of an international terrorist. The taut plot had twists to the end. Thomas Ryan’s well-drawn characters mad me cheer their successes and also doubt their motives. The story’s sense of place was so well defined that at times I felt the numbness of Jeff’s gloveless hands, and I wrinkled my nose at the sour odor of fear.

Readers who love thrillers that make them stay up all night would enjoy The Field of Blackbirds. Be sure to wear gloves while reading this book to keep Kosovo’s frigid winter from nipping your fingers as you turn the pages.

About The Author:

Award winning novelist, Thomas Ryan, has been a soldier in a theatre of war,he has traded in Eastern Europe, trampled the jungles of Asia,and struggled through the trials of love and loss. Armed with these life experiences Ryan turned to writing thriller novels and short stories. Ryan considers himself a story teller, a creator who has enthusiastically plunged his psyche into the world of creativity and fantasy. With the reader in mind he weaves colourful characters into the threads of his riveting storylines. Taking readers on a thrilling journey is what motivates Ryan as a writer. 

Book Links For Thomas Ryan: