The Locksmith

Very few memoirs interest me and so it goes I present before you all, The Locksmith by Lafe Metz (as told by Kurt Mann).

Here is the summary of the book:

Kristallnacht. Midnight. Sixteen-year-old Kurt Kann hurtles 300 miles across Germany on a motorcycle to protect his family from the unbottled fury of the Third Reich. But he arrives too late. Kurt finds their apartment ransacked and his family gone. His mother has been brutalized, his little brother traumatized, his father imprisoned in Dachau. With daring and ingenuity, Kurt suppresses his own terror to defy the Nazi regime in a desperate struggle to win his family's freedom and secure passage to America. Years later, as a Sergeant in the 203d Engineer Combat Battalion, Kurt leads his squad onto Omaha Beach. He marches across the continent, leaving dead Germans and broken hearts in his wake. Nothing will satisfy him but a final showdown with the Superintendent who betrayed his family that fateful night in November, 1938. In the battle for one man's soul, will Kurt succumb to blood lust and vengeance, or transcend cruelty and injustice to achieve understanding and something like love?

Told through the pen of Lafe Metz by Kurt Mann, it speaks of the locksmith - a true story of a young Kurt, Jewish  in the Nazi Germany. Our tale begins in Kristallnacht hurrying home to in order to protect his family but he is a little bit too late. His apartments have already been searched and ransacked and his family in shambles with his father imprisoned in Dachau. Hearing of the wrong done upon his family Kurt is upset but rises to the occasion and is determined to get his father out of the concentration camp and avenge her mother's embarrassment. 

After successfully getting his family to America through the bribe money they decide to start anew there. But trouble arises again with the pearl harbor under attack and revenge against the superintendent who had betrayed his family to the Nazis in mind, Kurt returns to Germany to attain his goal.

The two world wars were a difficult time, certainly I was not born then but I had read enough history books to know that war times are the harshest and WWII is well by far a disastrous time of the age. Nazi Germany were not only a ruthless bunch but every thing that had happened under Hitler's rule definitely does not paint Germany in good light and especially against the Jews there. So to get to read a true count of Mr. Mann who was successful enough to evade that and escape to America and there after returning to Germany as an American soldier, well the details speak for themselves - those were harsh times.

Although at times certain points could have used a bit more details but nevertheless the book truly had us transferred to the Nazi era and all of Kurt Mann's struggle against them in order to keep his family safe were awe-inspiring. A true encounter to look at.

Genre :      Historical, Memoir


Publisher: LoudCloud Publishing


My Copy: Courtesy of author


Rate:              3/5 (liked it)

The Arranger

Thriller, suspense, futuristic and cunningly crafted, I present before you all my views The Arranger by L.J. Sellers.

Here is the summary of the book:

The year is 2023 and ex-detective Lara Evans is working as a freelance paramedic in a bleak new world. She responds to an emergency call and is nearly killed when a shooter flees the home. Inside she finds the federal employment commissioner wounded, but she’s able to save his life. The next day Lara leaves for the Gauntlet—a national competition of intense physical and mental challenges with high stakes for her home state. She spots the assailant lurking at the arena and soon after, she lands in deep trouble. Who is the mysterious killer and what is motivating him? Can Lara stop him, stay alive, and win the Gauntlet?


Set in 2023 USA our story by far revolves around two arcs. One shows of ex-cop and current paramedic Lara Evans who as her duty states much respond to every distress calls and responds to an emergency but is nearly killed when a shooter flees from the scene of crimes and who would she find as the victim but the federal employment commissioner. Co-incidence, think not - on the eve of her leaving for the Gauntlet - a national competition of intense mental and physical prowess and high stakes for her home town, the winner not only gets a huge prize money and a line-up of advertisements to showcase her but also wins jobs for her hometown - which is a rather good way of earning in the future when due to deflation numerous people face unemployment and the working few try to hold onto their post with a long list of replacements in tow. So Lara wants the jobs to return to her state and is determined to win the competition.

She sees that assailant at the gauntlet games and lands herself in trouble with the Gauntlet managing committee. Can she stop this person before something worse happens and also win the games....well read on...read on.

Lara Evans is our typical heroine, 42 years old, ex-cop a homicide detective and now a freelance EMT is rather a reckless person rushing into scenes without thinking and is a rather determined and point to be noted wants to win at the Gauntlet games and breaking the notion that woman don't win there. But as usual trouble follows and after her roommate is found dead she must do all she can to stay alive and simultaneously try to catch this mysterious attacker.

One arc done the next one follows simultaneously of a nerdy-geeky who is the one arranging the mishaps. Rather lonely and an attention seeker would do anything to gain the affections of a girl he likes.

So the future is rather bleak don't you think? Well the government is still the same. Corruption is abound in all fields of society. The federal government in the USA has been radically downsized, unemployment is high, health insurance is rare and a lot of government services, including basic EMT and police services have been cut to the bone. There are elements of dystopian near future sci-fi afloat as well. Corporations and big business are the true powers, as they control all government agencies and control who works where and the position they can occupy. Salary raises and advances are a part of the pages of history books.

A nice setup to the Gauntlet games as well. A part that is rather very well written and very exciting. And vaguely resembles The hunger games(Suzanne Collins) but to a 9 out of 100% mark. Since the money is scare it is a good setup and there is the grant money as well.  The winners bring home money for their home state, which can be used to generate jobs. This devotion of hers to bring back the jobs to her state is a cause to cheer for.

There are some elements of surprise as well and it is how the two arks co-relate is the point that makes the story work. Miss Sellers has done a very great job with it.

Click here for the Tour page

Genre :      Fiction, Thriller, Suspense


Publisher: Spellbinder Press


My Copy: Courtesy of author 


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Shiewo: A Fantasy Flight to Adventure

Preferable for the 13 up group. I present before you all, Shiewo: A Fantasy Flight to Adventure by Ciye Cho.

Here is the summary of the book:

The universe of Orberana is a place of great wonder and peril, a dizzying landscape filled with clouds that can talk, clockwork beings that mark their own time, and painted animals that awake in the night. Shiewo Morose is the captain of a flying ship powered by music. She is also a determined young woman on a mission: a quest to find the Wishing Fish that created Orberana. Sailing above the clouds, Shiewo and her crew (Erduu the bamboo, Theo the cloud, Livingston the goldfish, and Felix the painter) are headed for worlds of crazed clockwork bureaucrats, tyrannic kings, and tornado children--worlds that will test not only the crew's bravery... but their very understanding of adventure. Theirs is the odyssey of a lifetime...

It is a world full of colours that come in every shade and form....well I suppose it correctly assumes the fat that the world which we are about to enter is well weird to a T...but it is also the land of dreams for any fantasy lovers.

Our story begins with Felix, a young artist in Galvanary (weird name for a city) who tries everything within his reach to turn his little world in the smog filled city a bit colourful via his art and his colours. One day his life suddenly takes a complete u-turn. His encounters with a cloud, a bamboo man and a ship captain with an attitude changes it all. He goes after them cause they have stolen something that belongs to him....his roof seriously (o.O) but all this goes down the drain when he finds the reason why they wanted his roof. They want to find the originator of Orbenara a.k.a. the wishing fish.

But that is not all, their ship with which they hope to track this mythical creature is shaped as a fish and the strangest detail of all....it runs with music (hmm....nice use of the physics of sound..impressive)

While this is just the beginning - a start to their adventure but yes more is to come and with each bounding task, they grow stronger and wiser.

All in all not bad - although i got bored through it a bit. maybe the reason being that the story is meant for adults or young adults for that matter. But yes the author Ciye Cho does a good job with it - very imaginative - very colourful - and very musical. Kids will definitely enjoying this adventure of a "different" kind.

Genre :      Fantasy


Publisher: Studio Amazepop


Rate:              3/5 (Liked it)

Keeping Grace Alive

I love a good thriller but it is a good senile thriller that I prefer much better than the all around actions. So here I present my views of Keeping Grace Alive by Annie Lee.

Here is the summary of the book:

Rudy Talbot, head of one of America's largest organized crime rings, hires his main hit man, Jessie Conners, to kill his step-daughter Grace. Jessie Conners is a seasoned hitman who has never missed a hit before. That is, until he met "Gracie" five years ago and fell in love with her. Gracie is a rebellious socialite in her mid-twenties. Refusing to marry the current Senator's son, Phillip Proctor, Gracie stands in the way of Rudy Talbot and his political dreams. Rudy knows both Jessie and Phillip have feelings for Gracie. Attempting to play the two men off of each other, Rudy's plan backfires when Jessie stages an abduction to whisk Gracie to safety. But Conner's had no idea that falling in love with Gracie would lead to the seemingly impossible task of keeping Gracie alive as her own medical conditions and step-father threaten her every move. Hiding her in his Pocono Mountain cabin, it soon becomes apparent that the only person who can keep Gracie alive is herself. And the only thing that guarantees her safety, going back and facing her past, will most likely get her killed. Jessie Conners goes against everything he knows in a struggle to save the love of his life. Suspense, mystery, and romance await readers of Keeping Grace Alive.

While thriller is maybe a form of fiction that well explains the idea of adrenalin rush but it is adrenalin rush in more way than the action aspect of a thriller novel.

The story picks up with Jessie Conners is a seasoned hitman who has never missed a hit before of Rudy Talbot, one of the most ruthless head of one of America's largest organized crime rings. He hires Jessie to remove his pesky rebellious step-daughter Grace "Gracie" Talbot out of his forever. For refusing to marry the current senator's son she stands in his way of his political gains. Jessie on the other hand has his own agenda at hand. At the previous three attempts Jessie had purposely botched them. Why? Simple he loves her....he fell for her five years prior at a chanced meeting.

But Rudy may be onto something this time. He even has something of his own planned out. Jessie is down to the last straw. This may be the last chance to save Gracie. And yes Rudy's plan to play off Jessie and the senator's son knowing both to have feeling her backfires when Jessie stages an abduction and takes off with Gracie to safety. What follow is a turn of events...well you can say roller coaster ride of emotions and circumstances that lead to the conclusion that only Jessie can keep her safe....and well step-up to the ultimatum if he wants that safety to be prolonged.

Keeping Grace Alive is the first of the Pocono Mountains series and it is well written. While a lot of things at first may seem impractical and fictitious but when you come to think about it you'd say...'well there are exceptions to the rule....come on imagine a huge, 6 foot plus black guy who cries at Hallmark commercials...kinda sounds ridiculous but there are exceptions. So it works for me. 

If the relationship between Jessie and Grace be mentioned. Well I'd say they make a unique pair. A lot of the readers might connect them to Shakespeare's starcrossed couple Romeo and Juliet but I won't compare them to that - well melodrama (Well Jessie and Gracie do get a happy ending while Shakespeare's pair get not a kind happy ending but peace I suppose). Every interaction between them is endearing and sweet and up to a certain extent sensual. Jessie maybe this big bad hit man but he falls deeply in love with this fragile woman and completely submits himself to her. He's also not ashamed to tell her that he loves her from the moment he saw her, and gives her a chance to see if she feels the same.

Also as I had already mentioned before and i'll say it again - it is well written. The biggest complement an author expects is that his/her readers are able to connect to her writing and enjoy the tale. So, in context i'd like to congratulate Miss Annie Lee for a job well done. 

Genre :      Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Romance


Publisher: Tobias Books


My Copy: Courtesy of publisher


Rate:              4/5 (Really liked it)

Intoxication

Don't normally review novella and this is a first for me. So here it goes - Intoxication by Tim Kizer.

Here is the summary for the book:

For the fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz...How do you force a confession out of a coworker trying to poison you? Do you kill those who dismiss your fears and believe you are paranoid? What do you do if you start questioning your own suspicions--and sanity--as you take the law into your hands? In this disturbing tale of derangement, a young psychopathic woman is slipping into madness as she fights an enemy that may exist only in her imagination. She has to resort to desperate measures when she realizes that a gun, security cameras in her apartment, and constant vigilance will not be enough to survive.

Paranoia or delirium can make you do a lot of things. Things which you would regret later in life. And if it is a life threatening close call then you are bound to be paranoid. Now I don't claim to be a book critic and as I have already stated above I'm reviewing a novella for the first time. So i'll try to straighten out my thoughts.  

Leslie who works for an accounting company just had a near death miss. Someone from her work place had tried to poison her but luckily it was a friend who got in the way and had a fainting spell due to it. This incident  triggers Leslie's senses and she goes investigating for the truth but ends in getting more than she bargained for.

Novellas by description are short novels, i.e., by estimation up to 10,000 words at maximum (may vary). The thing is like in novels where every thing is fully described with long sentences and long paragraphs (again depends) the fact does not work in novella where you have to be short and to the point. And Intoxication has every such quality. It is an easy read.

Apart from Intoxication it also has two more bonus stories - Hitchhiker and The Bike. The three stories in his collection are thriller and expect two-or-three twists is essentially the same. At first the story seemed a bit flat but as we read further the good stuffs come into play. The general plot of this book is intriguing and there are plenty of twists and turns until the surprise ending. Although Intoxication could have been much better as a full fledged novel since the material involved is pretty heavy and a lot of places it felt the plot needed to elaborate more like not enough evidence is shown that Leslie actually had gone made or the fact that she resumed right away that there was poison in the coffee after Rick's fainting fancy. 

But overall it was very enjoyable and I commend Kizer for the amount of work he put in it.

Genre :      Fiction, Suspense, Thriller


My Copy : Courtesy of the author


Rate:              3/5 (Liked it)

For Every Action: There Are Consequences

Finally I get to read a suspense novel of the good kind and I loved it. Here is For Every Action: There are consequences by Gail M. Baugniet.

Here is the summary of the book:

Pepper Bibeau’s insurance investigations for a Wisconsin-based company sometimes involve a murder, but she never thought she would cause one. Days before the 1968 Democratic Convention, Pepper arrives in Chicago to settle questionable medical claims from an elusive doctor. Her assignment also includes a background check on a life insurance beneficiary who admits to stabbing his wife. When a close friend is killed, and Pepper is hospitalized after an unprovoked attack, a homicide detective decides someone wants to put a stop to her investigations. For her safety, he suggests she return to Wisconsin, but Pepper is determined to learn why her insurance investigation has stirred up a tragic chain of events. What she discovers are the devastating consequences of one person’s greed that she must expose before someone stops her, permanently.

There are few suspense/thrillers out there which are detailed and offer a plot which gradually escalates the tension at each step while also keeping it steady, For Every Action... does just that. Although I'm not very much in times with American History or the Vietnam War (come on its bad enough learning all those names and dates about all the wars fought here in India - so don't expect me to know about the history of every country in detail) but i'll try to straighten the facts and thoughts on this book.

Pepper Bibeau, our protagonist is an insurance investigator for a Wisconsin based company which sometimes handles murder cases but she would be the cause of a murder is hard to believe. Pepper arrives in Chicago to settle questionable medical claims for an elusive doctor. Her assignment also includes a background check on a life insurance beneficiary who admits to stabbing his wife. There in Chicago some unforeseen events leads to  her friends murder and when Pepper herself is hospitalized after an attack, the homicide detective decides someone wants to put a stop to her investigations. For her safety, he suggests she return to Wisconsin, but Pepper is determined to learn why her insurance investigation has stirred up a tragic chain of events. What she discovers are the devastating consequences of one person's greed that she must expose before someone stops her, permanently. An interesting plot and along we go on the ride.

Pepper is a strong woman character dealing with her own personal demons while suffering from PTSD after a stint in Vietnam where she served a 12-month deployment in Vietnam. After she returned home, she took a job with an insurance company and now investigates insurance claims. The author has a feel for the times; her social references to the 1960s are on target. She travels to Chicago in time for the 1968 Democratic Convention to track down a shifty doctor who has some explaining to do to her firm. The story also has a Hawaiian connection; Pepper was born there and her son is now staying with relatives there, so the storyline moves between the three locations, making for an intriguing read.

Within these pages the author expresses a unique writing style and cadence to the story. The premise is plausible and the book's descriptions are very well done. There are many instances where minutest of details are provided where most authors would overlook doing it. The locations are described so well that I felt I was right there in the middle of it all. The book's pacing is a unique combination of story and character development delivering hypertensive action with a relaxed pace, which is not an easy task i'll tell you.

The book is interwoven with subtle nods to historical events and landmarks of Chicago. The corrosive elements of unchecked greed and drug use result in murder, leaving no one unaffected. Though set in 1968, this mystery is as timely as today's headlines. With its colorful characters, attention to detail, and plot twists, For Every Action....will string you along and keep you guessing right up to the end.

Genre :      Fiction, Suspense, Thriller


Publisher: Create Space


My Copy : Courtesy of the author


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked it)

The Awakening

Manga is my guilty pleasure (besides boy bands that is) and courtesy to netgalley and the publisher I got this ARC of The Awakening by Donald Lemke, illustrated by Claudia Medeiros.

Here is the summary of the book:

In every moment of time, two sides exist. Each has a story, and each its own point of view. One event. Two perspectives. The choice is up to you... In 1984, a teenager finds a cassette on the streets of Tokyo, Japan. At home, the teen sticks the mysterious tape into his Walkman and pushes play. Suddenly, an Oni-like creature awakens deep below the apartment building. It surfaces, seeking out the irritating music and chasing the boy to the rooftop — where both their fates will be decided. A part of the Good vs Evil series.

As the tradition goes manga is read from right-to-left but this graphic novel can be read in three different ways. All of which can be interpreted in equally different manners. The scenes enfold in blue and red frames, showing Yoshihiro Tanaka’s point of view for the good, and the Oni’s (demon) for the evil. There is a note at the beginning of the book saying that the reader can first do all the blue frames before doing the red ones, or vice versa, and read them all together afterwards and see how differently it works each time.

I tried to read through the blue and red frames separately only ended up confusing me. I guess this type of reading material does not really work all that effectively when read as an e-copy since you have to scroll through the whole page and see either the red or blue frames anyway even when you’re reading the opposite color. I appreciated the story more when I read it in full, blue frames, red frames and all. The ending, though, leaves a wide array of interpretations for the readers.

Lots of questions arise at the end of the book - Has Yoshihiro been eaten by the Oni? Has Yoshihiro become the Oni? Are those scenes where the Oni awoke to the music from the mysterious cassette tape mere representations of the monster finally awakening within Yoshihiro’s subconscious?

If you ask me then i'd consider Yoshihiro and the Oni are two different being - its easier to understand the plot like that and in the last frame where both of them stand in the same posture it looks like they have somehow merged together because of that mysterious tape or somehow Yoshihiro is no longer the same after that ordeal. 

Nevertheless, the graphic novel cannot be seen in one light even if you think long and hard over it because different people with a different mind-set are bound to view the plot from a completely different angle than the other and with all the differing lines of thoughts I suppose it is best to leave it at that.

Genre :      Fiction, Graphic Novel


Publisher: Capstone


My Copy : Courtesy of netgalley and the publisher


Rate:              2/5 (It was ok)

The Last Dragon

Thanks to netgalley and the respective publishers we get to read up coming books a.k.a. advanced reader copies before they hit the the market and offer our views of them. Coming under here is another one of them, graphic novel The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen and Illustrated by Rebecca Guay.

Here is the summary of the book:

Master storyteller Jane Yolen ("Owl Moon" and "Sword of the Rightful King") and celebrated fantasy artist Rebecca Guay ("Swamp Thing" and "Magic: The Gathering") weave a textured and lyrical tale of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way. Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew - with only a healer's daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way.


So the story here is pretty simple to follow and the concept pretty old, Dragon. These fire breading reptiles used to rule the lands two thousands years but humans have driven and defeated them in the May islands. But one is still left. The book portrays the life of this one dragon; how it grow un-noticed, how it wreaked havoc in the surrounding village and how eventually it met its end. The plot swirls around the honored fantasy tradition of family caught in the battle to save their village from a rampaging dragon.

The above paragraph makes it sound like a fairy-tale. Well yes it is styled as a fairy-tale. A Chinese or Japanese (don't know the difference b/w their art forms) fairy to be exact since dragons feature heavily in their culture. True to its word every illustration has an oriental touch to it. Certainly every picture has been elegantly drawn, stringing us long to the ancient times. Although e-copies don't exactly make you appreciate the work as much as they do in print but oh well.

So far so good but these factors fall short of the cons present. The story felt rushed, it is be pointed out that a graphic novel works only when they go hand-in-hand with the plot. While the plot was pretty simple a lot more could have been done to it to give it a new touch and the end felt a little bit to rushed to me. Also the title makes it sound like the dragon plays a huge part in it - like it talks or feels - while yes the events center around the reptile shaping the story towards the conclusion but he doesn't do anything else that is implied with a title with ‘dragon’ in it. The story is also pretty slow on the uptake. Also there are no character developments shown.

The illustrations was incredibly beautiful though the story line did not quite resonate with me as much as I had hoped. Pretty much the only reason as to why i'm giving it a 3/5 rating.

Genre :      Fiction, Graphic Novel, Fairy-tale


Publisher: Dark Horse Comics


My Copy : Courtesy of netgalley and the publisher


Rate:              3/5 (Liked it)

Shadows of Suspicion

Got to love bookblogs.ning - you get to meet so many new authors each day. Shadows of Suspicion by Ashley Dawn is one of those.

Here is the summary:

Revenge is the agenda…“Find my sister.” Rick Reiley’s words were what drove Luke to search mercilessly for Kerry. He is in a race against time to find her and will have to face more than a criminal mastermind to get close to her. He is prepared to give his life for her, but what about his heart? “…I would like you to meet….My wife.” Those words from her enigmatic rescuer threw Kerry more than anything else that had happened to her in the last few days…and that was saying a lot! Kerry’s simple life is turned upside down when she is kidnapped and dragged to the middle of nowhere by a madman. She trusts Luke with her life, but can she trust him with her heart? As Luke fights to keep Kerry safe, the chemistry ignites and the danger gets closer. Will God protect them while Luke tries to sort out his heart….and capture Kerry’s?

Although the book misses by a point on my rating scale but I loved the book. Not only was it fast paced and nicely laid out but also a fast read. Not this is not the first book of the series and I have not read the first one yet but this one has a story of its own - kind of can be called a standalone but not quite. So bear with me as I try to display my thoughts about the book.

First kidnapped and then becoming the obsession of the son of a mastermind criminal is not how Kerry Reilly envisioned the ending of her holiday vacation spent in the arms of her very close-knit family, but happen it did. Luke Reeding, a trusted friend and undercover agent, is contacted by Kerry's brother to aid in bringing her back to safety and finds himself becoming very personally attached in the process. Will providing stauch protection and gaining faith in the Lord help smooth their path as they try to bring this criminal to justice? Can Kerry and Luke get past the shadows in their pasts to move forward with a loving and fulfilling relationship?

Lots of question and the book has all the answers. That was everything in short. Now lets lay it out one-by-one.

Kerry Reiley is a second grade teacher who loves what she does. She is a simple girl who loves people (including her family) and people love her too. But...when you have brothers that work for the FBI (Jordon) and CIA (Rick)you may have to watch your back. Revenge is what Chris Deveraux wants. That and his father's release from prison. When her brothers find that she's been taken by him...Rick calls in a friend he knows can get her out.

Luke Reeding is good at what he does and owes Rick a favor saving his life. He thinks he's rescuing a damsel in distress. What he doesn't count on is finding a beautiful, capable, strong willed, very witty girl. As they are thrown together in hiding waiting for Rick and Jordon to capture Chris Deveraux they develop a very strong attraction between them. She knows she can't let her heart fall for this man who doesn't share her faith. It's pretty hard though when he's everything you've desired. Luke has never met a woman like Kerry nor felt the 'forever' type feelings he's dealing with lately. Both know they have no future together or is it true that all things are possible with God?

From the first page until the last I was totally engrossed. We met and fell in love with the Reiley family in the author's first book Shadows from the Past. (Jordon & Aurora's story). Shadows of Suspicion is Kerry Reiley's story. I love that the author continues to involve the whole family. I love how she blends suspense, humor, emotion and a solid biblical message concerning salvation and being unequally yoked, into the story. The Reiley family dynamics is something to behold. The brothers are very protective alpha males who love to play hard and love hard. Over the top good! The women are strong and stubborn but also protective of their family.

The book was a fast read and I would like to recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a contemporary suspense novel with romantic and inspirational elements added.

Genre :      Fiction, Suspense


Publisher: Suspense Publishing


My Copy : Review Copy - all thanks to the author


Rate:              4/5 (Really liked it)

The Ultimate Sacrifice

New authors everyday and its was pleasure to read them giving new meaning to used concepts and even adding new points to the ever increasing and fantasizing young adult fiction bases. Read on about The Ultimate Sacrifice by Talia Jager.

Here is the summary :

Within our world exists a much darker world only known to a select few. Some are identified as "gifted" and brought to a special institute where they develop their own unique talent and understanding of this world within our world. It is here Kassia finds out her talent is both dangerous and difficult to control. She has the ability to inflict pain on an individual within her sight. It is only after a friend is being attacked that she realizes her talent is much more powerful when she brings death to the attackers. Little did she know that use of such a powerful talent alerted demons to her existence. Suddenly she is on the run with her best friend, who ironically is immune to her power, and a new kid at school she was falling for. Realizing she can't outrun the demons, she seeks the guidance of a local shaman. The shaman explains the only escape is through her own death. In order to protect her friends and institute, she sets out to do just that.

Think would you be able to give the ultimate sacrifice to protect your loved ones, your friends? 

The Glendale Institute students are "gifted." This story focuses on Kassia, a mind-blower, one who delivers pain with her mind and can even cause death. Her friends, Mira, Daxton, Noe, Auralee, and Zane all play equally important roles as they come together to stop an army of demons, disgustingly rotten creatures of darkness - of hell; from taking over and everyone being destroyed by them and their evil leader, Kern.

The plot was pretty easy to follow, there’s absolutely nothing complicated about it. Still, at the same time, I was longing for more details and challenges because it was such a good story with added twists. Nonetheless, I’m giving the author some kudos because after a few chapters, I was fixed to the book. I wanted to read more of it, but before I knew it, it’s over. The story took off a bit slow, revolving around school and romance, but as it progressed, everything started to go wild and quite thrilling. On top of that, the first person perspective worked well in bringing both Kassia and Mira to life. The voice was very teenage-like, matches their characters and their emotions were portrayed in convincing manners. All in all, the language used was simple yet flawless.

Although we don't have enough details about all the character but Daxton was interesting. Anybody would love a guy who can whisk you out of your troubles to fantasyland, literally without breaking a sweat. I'm sure every girl out there wants a Daxton too!

The author has a great why of capturing the readers attention. I almost felt like I was there with the characters in the action scenes. I just hope there is a squeal to this one. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Genre :      Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal


Pages :      221


My Copy : Review Copy - all thanks to the author


Rate:              4/5 (Really liked it)

In My Dreams

Bookblogs is proving a wonder. You get to meet so many new folk - blogger, readers, reviewers, authors alike and I chanced upon In My Dreams by Cameo Renae and loved it.

Here is the summary:

It was happening again. The dreams. The nightmares. It was something seventeen year-old Elizabeth "Lizzy" Hayes thought she'd outgrown; dreams that would come true; detailed premonitions of how people would die. This time she dreams about her boyfriend, Michael Young, and soon discovers that he's been found... dead. Michael hasn't crossed over because he was murdered, and now his murderer is coming for Lizzy. His spirit won't rest until she is safe, and as a newbie spirit, the easiest way for him to make contact is through Lizzy's dreams. When she dreams, it's as if he hasn't died. Lizzy must learn to pull on her inner strength to survive horrifying events. Meanwhile, in the spirit world, Michael learns everything he can about his supernatural gifts to help. But will it be enough to save her?

A general element about a novel - it should be well paced. Well no questions asked In My Dreams is a well paced novel. Descriptions (especially of landscape) were atmospheric and breath-taking. And the plot points were well laid out. And most of all the language was simple nothing too modern and nothing too classy. But the best thing is - I was hooked from the beginning - normally whenever I read I make a point to stop after 4 or 5 chapters for a day but this had me hooked to the teeth and I knew I simply had to finish it at once. And I must also add Ms. Renae you made me cry with the last chapter of this book and that's saying something cause I'm not a very crying type of a person.

So, Lizzy Hayes is our protagonist here and much to her chagrin has grown accustomed to having dreams of how people will die - dreams that are actually detailed premonitions that eventually come true. So, when she has a dream about her boyfriend, Michael, Lizzy discovers soon thereafter - much to her horror - that his dead body has been found. Because he's been murdered, though, Michael's spirit has not crossed over to the other side, and he's determined to do whatever it takes to stop his killer - who now has his sights set on Lizzy. But can Michael save his endangered lover before it's too late...? - A fairy tale romance - the perfect boyfriend and a dependent gal - but don't go thinking about Bella Swan (Twilight) - Lizzy is way better than her (Bella is say was the most irritating protagonist is have read about....more so after Kristen Stewart began to play the role.....then she became pathetic - but don't go flaming me I like Bella-Edward saga and i'm just making a ref.) but yes Lizzy and Michael's relationship is way sweet and serene.

Although the main plot point is pretty common and has been done before but the author breathes new life in it and makes it so that we feel that we are the one experiencing it as it is happening and not just as a simply reader but we feel that we are a part of the story.

In My Dreams is quite the exciting supernatural thriller. Author Cameo Renae breathes intriguing new life into what has become a rather familiar concept. As the action of the novel unfolds, readers are sure to find themselves on a roller coaster of different emotions, including everything from sadness, tantalizing terror to joy - culminating in the desperate hope that Michael and Lizzy's efforts finally come together to prevent her untimely demise.

I Quote - It is a definite page turner, an engaging, attention-grabbing read from beginning to end. You Won't be able to keep it down until you read it till the .

Genre :      Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal


Publisher: Createspace


My Copy : Review Copy - all thanks to the author


Rate:              4/5 (Really liked it)