Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus - Featured Author Book Review

Night Chill by Jeff Gunhus Book 1 in Night Chill series Genres: Horror, Paranormal,    Suspense, Fantasy

     I see a lot of book synopses that claim works by lesser known authors are King-like or that their writing style is similar to Koontz. I always take these with a grain of salt. But in this case, it is very true. The plot was so deeply layered and well thought out I was half expecting a scene where someone spots Pennywise while driving through Derry, or of someone eating a bologna and Bermuda onion sandwich (has anyone else noticed King's character's obsession with this sandwich?), or that Jack was committed to Juniper Hill Asylum because this book does have that amazing degree of creepiness that Stephen King has perfected. Then again, there IS a yellow lab, which reminds me of the golden retriever which Koontz often has traipsing through his plots.

Pride and Prejudice - Pick of the Month Review

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Genres: Classic, Romance,    Historical Romance

     Before I found Goodreads and their book groups, my daughter and some of our friends had formed a book group on facebook. When picking what we would read next, I was outvoted on this book. I mean, yeah, I'd heard it was good and did want to read it, but Pride and Prejudice was not high on my list of priorities. I was enthralled. Meg Ryan's character had it right in You've Got Mail. While discussing this book she claims that she gets swept away in the language. Our reading group had a very slow pace of only 5 chapters per week, as we all work and have other things going on. I could not put it down after only 5 chapters, there was no way. I snuck ahead to the 6th chapter on that first day of reading. And then just one more chapter. Maybe one more. Several hours later I had finished the book and was starting it over, fully prepared, and wanting to read it a second time - five chapters at a time, with my book group.

     Mr. Darcy is a typical English chap of fortune - well bred, well mannered, and tight-lipped. He is assumed to be a pompous boor when actually, he is a bit shy around strangers and not very good at small talk. Some of this is due to his pride. He feels he would have nothing in common with those in a lower social station than himself.

The Fortune Quilt - Fun Read Friday

The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich Genre: Romance, Humor

     This. Was. Hilarious! At one point I got the giggles so completely that my brother actually felt the need to check that I didn't accidentally take too much of my pain medication.

     While not necessarily a non-believer of psychics, Carly is wary of the many shamans who use hoaxes and tricks to bilk believers. When assigned to interview a woman who makes quilts that can predict the future, Carly thinks the woman is just using it as an angle to sell her product, until her own reading begins to come true.

The Ouijiers - Book Review

The Ouijiers by Matthew Ballotti Genres: Science Fiction, Horror

     In all honestly, I didn't have very high expectations for this book. I had downloaded it out of curiosity because the author is a frequent caller on a pod cast that I listen to, and because it was free. But this book was incredible.

     Paul buys a Ouija board as research for the college paper he is writing for his occult history class. Strange things begin to happen immediately. This story asks the ages old question "Are Ouija boards truly doorways into another plane of existance?" Take this theory one step further and suppose that it is not a one-way doorway and you have the main plot of The Ouijiers.

The Partner - Review

The Partner by John Grisham Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

     The reader is dropped into the middle of the story, floundering to play catch up, pressing on to find out the events that led up to this point. The story unfolds through recollections and narratives of the characters until the reader reaches that "AHA!" moment where all the pieces suddenly fit together neatly and everything suddenly makes perfect sense.

     After finishing the book, I could only sit back and think "WOW!" the plotting and planning that went into this story proves exactly why John Grisham stays on the best selling list.

Review of Demon Evolution by David Estes

Demon Evolution Book Two in The Evolution Series by David Estes

     Demon Evolution picks up right where Angel Evolution left off. I'm not going to say where exactly. I'm a little hesitant to give much of a synopsis for those who haven't read Angel Evolution yet. I don't want to spoil it. Angels vs. Demons, good vs. evil, add in a couple of teenage romances with their usual angst and volatile mood swings and you have a wonderful combination of assorted conflicts and adventure.

Review of Angel Evolution by David Estes

Angel Evolution by David Estes Book 1 of The Evolution Trilogy

     This book should come with a warning label. CAUTION: Do not start unless you have a nice chunk of free time in your schedule because you will not want to put it down. Luckily for me, I had the house to myself and scheduled to laze by the fire with my Kindle while ignoring the snow flakes fluttering outside the window behind me.

     The heroine is intelligent and sassy. The bad guy is, well it's not obvious who the bad guy is, as both of the main male characters are likeable but mysterious. The story flows easily, never bogged down by slow passages.

Fossil River Review

Fossil River by Jock Miller

     America is desperate for oil. The earth is quickly running out of the valuable fossil fuels. Scientists have found a new oil field in a national park high in the Alaskan mountains. But the oil field is in the territory of the deadliest predator on the planet. Until recently, the grizzly bear had been given this title but with the oil fields another discovery is made. A new species. Actually, an old species, long thought to be extinct.

     This book was a PYOL from the first page. A fast paced, action packed plot that ranks right up there with the Jurassic Park saga. I found it difficult to set it down even long enough to forage for food. That might have been a good thing as some parts were gory enough that I wouldn't have wanted to run into them while eating.

     The characters and attitudes were believable if somewhat predictable. While it was typical behavior of the teens in the story to not consider the danger of heading out into the national park on their own, I couldn't help but roll my eyes and think "DUH! Dinosaurs are dangerous." Even the herbivores are huge and equipped with deadly defenses which can easily kill a person. There wasn't much that even I can complain about in regards to editing, though it wasn't perfect. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a love and/or fascination with dinosaurs.

I give it my personal PYOL rating!

Legion of Bats Book Tour - Book Review

Legion of Bats by Shadow Stevens Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy

     Zoe has always felt like an outsider. Arrested after an arson that she couldn't have conceivably committed, she is taken to what looks to be a mental hospital and finds that nothing in life is as it appears to be.

     I was a little skeptical of this book, based on its title. I had assumed it would be yet another vampire story, but it has nothing to do with vampires or bats. This was an incredibly fun and enjoyable read. The characters are very personable, likable, and fairly well defined. There weren't a whole lot of plot twists or suspense, yet there was that urgency of wanting to know what is going to happen next.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - Book Review

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Genres: Classic, Historical Fiction

      I have been procrastinating on writing this review. This is one of my all time favorite stories, and I have been trying to define why. Certainly not because of the senseless violence depicted. It is doubtful that it is the historical era that draws me. But I do think perhaps that history does play a role.

      A Tale of Two Cities was the first classic that I had been introduced to. I remember my mother had bought me a boxed set of illustrated classics for children when I was just knee high to a grass hopper. Also included in the set, from what I can remember, was Great Expectations, War of the Worlds, and The Man in the Iron Mask. All of these books hold a special place in my heart, more from nostalgia of my childhood, now that I think of it, than the actual quality of the stories.

Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum - Pick of the Month Book Review

Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum by Stephen Prosapio Genres: Horror, Paranormal

     I don't read a whole lot of spooky stories any more. I still enjoy an occasional Stephen King book from time to time, but I've gotten jumpy in my old age and just don't have the nerves for it anymore. This could be because I usually read at night with just the one little lamp lit. I'm too cheap to turn on more than that so it is pretty dark while I'm reading. However, this book was GOOD.

Cottage by the Sea - Review

Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware Genres: Romance, Suspense

     I really got into this book more than I had expected. It had the usual entanglements of unnecessary jealousies and petty misinterpretations that seem to be mandatory in romances, and I find so tedious to read through to be honest. Sometimes I just want to shake the simpering "heroine" and scream for her to chill, so he's talking to another female, so what?! Even through all that, I was riveted to the story.

     Cottage by the Sea is more than your typical romance, there is also an element of drama and suspense as well. Not even your typical "who dunnit" type of suspense but just not knowing where the story will take you next.

     Some parts were incredibly predictable, but others left me picking my jaw up off the floor thinking "I didn't see that coming". There is also a lesson to be learned here as well. There are two sides to every story and sometimes more than one victim to every diabolical scheme. Not everything in life can be taken at face value without considering other's motivations and emotions.

     That's all I'm saying before I end up giving too much away. I definitely give this book the ratings of PYOL. As my mother used to warn us "Plan Your Own Life" because she wasn't putting the book down until she read the conclusion.

I give it my personal PYOL rating!