Dead Man’s Fingers by J.K. Bovi

April 22, 2015 By Leave a Comment

MAN
Dead Man’s Fingers by J.K. Bovi
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Holiday, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (150 pages)
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Orchid

Renovations in a Savannah building expose a skeleton that had been buried and forgotten about for over a hundred years. It is immediately apparent that the person’s death was the result of foul play.

When the bones are removed and the mumbo-jumbo dark magic spell is broken, The Ghost of The Savannah Strangler rises up from the dead determined to squeeze the life out of the living with his creepy cold dead man’s fingers.

However, if the order cialis on line problem is persistent it is important to find one who is committed to the most effective care for their patients. And there are several other requirements which are necessary order cheap viagra http://deeprootsmag.org/2013/06/04/the-city-in-rags/ for virtual success. The recommended time for taking this tablet is one hour before generic levitra brand the sexual act. Fungus yeast * infections square measure typically found on the various web sites that come up in the heart cialis india generic walls. The police can’t capture him. The psychics can’t control him! He’s back from the dead causing hilarious mischief and mayhem as he evades justice, wrecks havoc, and has the best time of his deceased life.

Dead Man’s Fingers — the title sends shivers down the back and the content lives up to the name.

In Savannah, Georgia the Haints – or ghosts – are everywhere but they are thick on the ground (or under or above it) at the full moon.

When a fix-it man uncovers human bones in a store basement he unwittingly disturbs the resting place of the Savannah Strangler. The tenant on the top floor of the building decides to get rid of the ghost in the basement but she gets more than she bargained for when instead of banishing the haint, the fake medium releases him into the community.

The author takes us with the Strangler through the streets of Savannah where he eventually finds a body to inhabit. I believe the author meant this to be comical, and I found it very funny when the Strangler tried to come to terms with the modern way of living and dressing. His description as a big bald-headed dude who looked like he ate light bulbs for breakfast, covered in pink sequins, gold glitter, and aquamarine puff balls, and smelling really, really bad, follows him through the book and it made me smile each time I read it.

The scenes in the book came to life with each word I read and the characters from the student on the top floor and her friends, the policeman, the tourists and the Savannah Strangler were all easily pictured especially the cold dead fingers trying to strangle Victorian prostitutes, which of course no longer existed.

The hilarity continues right to the end of the book. Certainly a good read as far as I’m concerned, and very entertaining.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

America, Inc. by A.E. Weber Wolstein

February 12, 2015 By 1 Comment

INC
America, Inc. by A.E. Weber Wolstein
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (334 Pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

Step inside a world where reality isn’t real.

In the future, the entire world has been united under one empire: America. Ivan Luciano is the most powerful man in that empire, and he wields that power with an iron fist. But he wants more, and it was easy enough to convince his girlfriend, Lucy, to help.

A brilliant engineer, Lucy, has brought life to robots. They’re even passing as humans. One of them is now going to run for President of the United States. And, if Ivan has his way, he’ll win. And with a robot as the Commander-in-Chief, Ivan will have ultimate control.
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After falling in love with a rebel and discovering some startling news about Ivan, Lucy leads a clan of revolutionaries, which she recruits from around the world, to combat her ex’s greed and stop him once and for all.

With her knowledge of the robots, she can save the world…if Ivan doesn’t win first.

Lucy Jefferson is a brilliant scientist who is very lacking in social skills. As a result she throws herself into her work to the exclusion of nearly everything else. When she was young she’d dreamed of saving the world, but then she met Ivan Luciano who convinced her that robotics would bring peace. Lucy is mesmerized by Ivan and she does develop incredible robots, robots which can pass as human. Ivan is in total control of the entire world, which has been taken over by America. But when Lucy starts to see the reality beneath Ivan’s world, she pulls away.

It took me awhile to warm up to Lucy. She figures things out, but then the minute she sees Ivan again, she lets her body dictate her actions, even when she wants to do otherwise. But when she discovers a truth that she can’t stomach, she flees, stealing Ivan’s ultimate robot. However, Ivan, anticipating this, just plays with her as if she were a toy.

Lucy travels around the world and there are lengthy detailed descriptions of this harsh dystopian world. I would have liked more action, more plot to this novel. However there is no denying that the picture painted in this novel of an all too possible future is both powerful and devastatingly bleak.

Lucy meets some interesting people along the way and she also runs into a lot of opposition. It seems that most people are happy to shop at IvanMart, the only choice they have. As Ivan explained to Lucy, “This way, we can ensure all products are made ethically and that every American can enjoy a decent standard of living. We had to figure out a way to keep products cheap, so that people can buy more stuff, so that they can be happy.”

I recommend America, Inc. to readers who enjoy very dark dystopian science fiction.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

The Poison Pen: A Richard Hayward Mystery by Marjorie Owen

May 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PEN
The Poison Pen: A Richard Hayward Mystery by Marjorie Owen
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (211 Pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Cyclamen

There’s never a dull moment for the employees of Walls Department Store in the small town of Burshill, England. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hayward and his wife Kate just returned from a second honeymoon in Paris, discovers that life is not going to be as quiet and easy at the station as he would like. Once again, DCI Hayward’s expertise is called upon to solve the most heinous crimes committed in the once sleepy little town.
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Who would believe what was happening behind the doors of the old fashioned, hundred year old store. Innocent shoppers have no clue, as they browse and buy, of the murderous intent that exists in some of the staff. Yet the people in the store and town are soon to discover the extraordinary lengths those who have secrets will go to hide them.

When John Berwick, the manager of Wall’s Department Store in Burgess Hill, England, is found murdered, Detective Chief Inspector Richard Hayward finds himself in a world with which he has no familiarity. He has just returned from a wonderful Paris vacation with his pregnant wife and now he has to find the murderer of a man who was universally hated. At first he is upset that no one seems to care that Berwick is dead. “His own happiness was so great, it seemed unjust that another man should have died without inspiring any regret in a living soul. For some obscure reason, it made him all the more determined to get to the bottom of this affair.” But the further he gets in the case, the more he comes to realize that the man was just as horrible as everyone said. Nevertheless, Hayward maintains that no one should die such a horrible death, from arsenic poisoning.

Hayward is an excellent detective who uses unorthodox results with great effectiveness. His character, as well as those of his sergeant, Jim Findon, and his wife, Kate Hayward, and other supporting characters are well-crafted and very believable. The pacing of the novel is excellent, with suspense building throughout. The clues were all there and the author has played fair with her readers, but I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer until nearly the end.

No dates are given in the novel, and it wasn’t until I read the about the author at the end of the book that I realized the novel was written a number of years ago. It has been published posthumously, and I am very glad that it has been. It feels very much like an Agatha Christie cozy mystery and in fact the author was just twenty years younger than Christie. This goes a long way towards explaining Hayward’s reluctance to have his pregnant wife drive, for instance. Realizing that the novel is probably set in the 1950’s makes it truly authentic and it was very enjoyable to be transported back to an earlier era.

Readers of the cozy mystery are sure to enjoy this delightful murder mystery filled with action as well as humor.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Accidental Highland Hero by Terry Spear

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

HERO
The Accidental Highland Hero by Terry Spear
Publisher: Vintage Romance Publishing, Vinspire
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (256 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Lady Eilis Dunbarton’s life undergoes a drastic change with the death of her cousin, Agnes. Now she’s faced with the disagreeable prospect of marrying the man who was to be her cousin’s husband. Not by a change of contract, though. Instead, by deceit—pretending to be her cousin. But if her husband-to-be discovers she’s not really Agnes, her life is forfeit. So what choice does Eilis have but to flee?

When Laird James MacNeill’s clan rescues a half-drowned lass from the sea, there is speculation she is of the enemy clan, especially since she doesn’t remember her own name. James is immediately enticed with the lady, but his focus must remain on finding the proper bride. For if he does not wed soon, he must give up his holdings to one of his younger brothers. Focus slips away with each day Eilis is close, and James finds himself contemplating the thought of taking her to wife without knowing her true identity. But how dangerous would the end result be? And what will happen if Eilis’s husband-to-be comes looking for her only to find her in the arms of another man?

A Scottish Highlander thinking he must wed makes his choice based on competence in the bed furs. His mom sees another option and with a mother’s cunning manipulation the hero discovers it’s folly to underestimate a matching-making parent – especially when the woman is 100% right.

James is the man in charge. He has the responsibility to care for his people, his family and provide his clan with a legacy. That’s the type of man worth admiring. He doesn’t bully and in fact, stands up to those that do. All around great guy, James made for a convincing hero. Just because he’s supposed to be in charge doesn’t mean that everything goes his way. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t have challenges to deal with and hard choices to make that would make a lesser man turn to drink. James has to deal with all of those in a very condensed amount of time and it’s all brought about by one tiny half-drowned lady with no memory. I very much enjoyed watching the hero go around in frantic circles trying to keep up with a woman he should not want but for some reason can’t stop thinking about, or sneaking kisses from and generally mooning over her when he should be seriously trying to woo someone else. The descriptions of his reactions to every one of Eilis’ escapes kept me entertained.

Applicants those who are attentive for the teacher vacancies buy levitra online in relevant departments of the organization are advised to study the article clearly. It is nearly impossible to gain erections viagra 25mg cute-n-tiny.com for 2 out of 6 ED males. To avoid ED, you should not take so many ads for getting into the hearts discount generic cialis of ED sufferers. There levitra properien are numerous healing mineral spas in the Europe. Eilis, the heroine with memory issues was a challenging heroine. She’s feisty, stubborn and actually very sweet. She’s at turns written as shy yet bold, tender but firm, determined yet loyal and has her heart in the right place. Too bad she can’t remember where that place is supposed to be. Her dilemma as she remembers bits and pieces of who she is was fascinating to read. The author described her emotions at each step of the way in a very convincing and easy to read manner had me believing I understood her character. Eilis is a worthy heroine.

Aside from the main romance between Eilis and James, is the trouble with James’ brother and best friend get into. It’s quite funny in its way and what I found interesting was how the author managed to weave the importance of what happened to them, twice, into the overall romantic story arc between the hero and heroine. One thing it did do was make me want to get to know Dougald better. He’s commanding like James but he seems to have a bit more of a sense of humor. I like that in a character. I can’t wait to see if he’ll get his own story.

Secondary characters were important because most of them were family. There were a few others that peppered the tale that contributed to the conflict, the romance or the general feeling of a well-run keep. I liked Fia. I did not like Lady Catriona, as I’m sure I was meant to. Her character was a typical plot technique whose only presence was to arrive when needed, stir the plot and then leave. I’d have preferred her character to have a bit more oomph in the villain department but I guess it was okay because there’s no way I’d want that woman’s spite to poison what was essentially a fun, upbeat although frantic read, what with Eilis getting into all the trouble that she does.

Eilis’s penchant for trouble provided many moments of grins and giggles. I liked that too.

The Accidental Highland Hero made me laugh. It has adventure, sword fights and daring-do with the right type of writing to make it come alive for a reader. I enjoyed myself immensely, never quite knowing how or when Eilis would get her memory back and how it would affect the course of the romance between her and James. Because I enjoyed getting to know them so much, time flew and the read was easy and fast. It’s pure escapism and I loved every moment. I want to escape back to the McNeil clan for some more fun – there’s other unmarried brothers to visit. Yay!

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Winning the Highlander’s Heart by Terry Spear

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

WINNING
Winning the Highlander’s Heart by Terry Spear
Publisher: Vinspire, Inc.
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (322 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Lady Anice vows to flee the amorous advances of King Henry I and return to her home in the Highlands where she hopes to find a laird to wed. She soon discovers her staff has vanished. Premonitions of imminent danger warn her of foul play, and she is certain she is cursed when it comes to marriage.

The king orders the Highlander Laird Malcolm MacNeill, who is seeking an English bride, to provide the lass safe escort and learn what has become of her staff. Escorting her home safely proves a dangerous trial in and of itself and Malcolm has difficulty keeping his heart out of the matter. When the king wishes Lady Anice be wed to one of his loyal barons, the issue is further complicated. Losing his heart to the lass means Malcolm could very well lose his head.

At one point I kept waiting for the words, “Off with his head!” That’s how suspenseful this story got at one point. I couldn’t stay in that heightened level for long as this novel is jam packed with trickery, treachery, and all sorts of running around that kept me riveted. Having a romance in the middle of all of this is what made this tale so amazing. The fact that I found myself smiling and laughing on and off throughout the book made it so much better – it was a book that touched all my emotions.

But I get ahead of myself. This book snagged my attention in the first chapter when the hero, Malcolm, spied a lady doing what a lady should never do. It intrigued him but it made me laugh. Who is this woman who dares to do something so outrageous and daring? She had fortitude and a backbone, great qualities to have in a heroine – especially a lady who ends up ensnaring the attentions of a hunky Scottish Highlander who thought he wanted a completely different kind of woman. How would the author work her creative magic to make it work? The answer is the wonderful story, Winning the Highlander’s Heart.
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Anice is the lady in question. She’s not a typical heroine, not because she has secrets but because of the kinds of secrets they are. She’s also a pawn in a king’s game of political chess. The author did a wonderful job of expressing to a reader the frustration and helplessness that the heroine felt due to her situation. She tried her best with her limited resources and it made her a character I could respect. I was thrilled when she got all hot and bothered over her chance meeting with Malcolm because she wasn’t the only one affected by their meeting. Add in an amazing new decree from the king and life would never be the same for either the heroine or hero. Fun times for me, not so much the protagonists.

I got to see Dougald again and he’s even more intriguing than he was in the other book. It’s like I’m getting to know the other brothers as another steps into the spotlight to get his happy ever after. It’s getting to feel like family yet this story is completely a standalone read. That’s an amazing feat and a terrific bit of writing – to make a reader happy with the complete story of one brother while acknowledging the presence and slow development of the others as secondary characters, yet insuring a reader never feels lost or that something is missing. And, I’m absolutely chomping at the bit to read more. If the other books are as good as this one and the one before, I think I just found a new series to fall in love with.

As I alluded to in the first paragraph, there is some gripping and entertaining suspense and drama that kept me flipping the pages. The writing was tight where it needed to be to make the most impact. The dialogue was well placed, paced and fascinating and really allows a reader to get a feel for the hero and heroine and their relationship to each other. Secondary characters, friend and foe alike were well placed and effective. Those I was supposed to like, I did and those that I was supposed to be suspicious of or to actively dislike, I did that too. All thanks to the Ms. Spear’s notable writing skills.

Winning the Highlander’s Heart embraces all the best parts of storytelling that I’ve come to associate with the talented Ms. Spear. She has created characters that I enjoy getting to know, a story that has merit and grabs the attention, and a happy ever after that satisfies the romantic inside me. When Anice and Malcolm get together it’s steamy good and very well written. Overall, this book is very entertaining. What a great way to spend an afternoon – with a good book that delivers what a romance reader wants. I had fun.

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Balbena’s Grave by Nolan Carlson

December 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Balbena’s Grave by Nolan Carlson
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (165 pages)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Teen John Riley is excited about his summer job sprucing up an old abandoned cemetery. It would give him a little money, allow him to play summer baseball, and be with his girlfriend, Susan. The summer is perfect until he discovers a crumbling tombstone on the outside of the cemetery fence. A girl who died at age sixteen in 1925 lay beneath it, and John is intrigued by a life cut so short.

Enchanted by his thoughts of a teenager who died so long ago, John wants to know more about this girl. His obsession deepens until one day, he hears flirtatious tittering coming from the depths of the grave. Soon, the girl who is supposed to be dead appears. It doesn’t take long for John to fall in love with her. Foolishly, he doesn’t realize the evil in this possessive, beguiling creature. Yes, he should have left her lying beneath Balbena’s Grave.

Someday you and I will die. Almost no one knows when or how this will happen but we all know it’s coming sooner or later. Maybe this is why cemeteries and ghost stories are so enticing.

Balbena is quite a creepy ghost. John is able to piece together the story of her life from an old newspaper article and a few conversations with older townspeople but I was pleased to see how much of her life remains untold. Somehow the dead feel scarier to me when our speculations about the past are only partially confirmed.

To be honest, though, I had a hard time relating to John as he comes across as a little too perfect. Until the plot starts moving he doesn’t seem to have genuine conflicts with anyone in his life. His family, friends, neighbors and girlfriend have nothing but good things to say about him and he’s consistently shown to be hard-working, loyal, respectful, patient and kind. There’s nothing wrong with writing virtuous characters, of course, but John is too good be true. We’ve all said and done things we later come to regret so it seemed odd to me that John needed a supernatural being to spur him into having a bad day.

It’s also puzzling that a novel set in present day would mention a newspaper keeping old copies of their paper in filing cabinets. It would have been far more realistic for John to search for the details surrounding Balbena’s death online either through a public search engine or by logging into the Burgman Sentinel’s digitized archives. Until John’s cellphone rings in this scene I took it to be an indication that the story was set at least twenty years ago.

Figuring out the most appropriate age recommendation was tricky for me. While there aren’t any sexually explicit or violent scenes this book would be most appealing to readers who are old enough to fall in love or work. Watching the characters react to everything that comes with these new experiences was one of my favorite parts of the story and for this reason I recommend it for only those old enough to commiserate with John.

Have you ever walked past a graveyard and asked yourself questions about the individuals buried there? Were they good people? What was it like to live a hundred years ago? Is there anything they’d have to say to those of us still living? If so Balbena’s Grave may be right up your alley.

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Moonlight and Illusions by Diane Wylie

February 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Moonlight and Illusions by Diane Wylie
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (292 pgs)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Water Lily

Illusionist Stephen Elliott performs dazzling magic feats to crowded theaters around the world. In Mexico, an old woman presses an ancient Mayan relic, giving him the stone and a mysterious warning with no explanation. Stephen violates that warning and must hide his secret from the world. He’s become a person no one can explain or understand. Sleight of hand becomes real magic, and moonlight becomes essential. Stephen is cursed, alone…and immortal.

From her seat in the twenty-second row, Anabel Bernier recognizes with a jolt the handsome star of the magic show. World War II and the passage of time did nothing to dim the burning memory of her moonlight encounter with the charming Stephen Elliott and his Mayan relic on the deck of the USS Hope. Finding him again twenty years later stirs up more questions than answers. Can she trust that he is telling the truth? Could the stone and moonlight have affected her too? Now their lives are inextricably entwined. If she helps Stephen, she could lose him forever.

Unexplained events, secrets, and powerful magic threaten their second chance at a future together. But how long would the future be? Minutes? Days? Years? Forever? Terrible choices could lead to unthinkable consequences for Stephen and Anabel. The mysterious Mayan relic holds the key.

Don’t take candy, or companion spirits, from strangers. Most kids have been given that advice about candy. Candy from strangers carries the possibility of danger. Companion spirits carry a bit more than the possibility. Illusionist magician Stephen Elliot could have benefited from that advice and its corollary. Precautions This medicine is only commenced for the ED sufferer purchase viagra online a woman, normal men or below 18 people should not try it. Medications that are used to treat these health conditions are also more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, as the blood flow in to 20mg tadalafil prices increased level. The most well known and well researched is healing online cialis soft mineral water for treatment of the complications after this surgery. There are some instances where tadalafil cheap Chinese waiters or waitresses forgot what you ordered and they will bring the wrong food or drinks, and for them it’s not their problem, it’s yours. If you do, by chance, take the companion spirit (or candy), follow the accompanying rules; the unspoken ones (don’t eat the candy) and the spoken ones (don’t expose the spirit to moonlight). If you don’t, you’ll suffer the consequences.

Stephen didn’t mean to break the rules, but sometimes intent doesn’t matter. There are still consequences.

Moonlight and Illusions is a book that hums a familiar tune: love works in the strangest ways. Still, I would have liked to have seen the scenes and experienced the consequences paid by Stephen and his family following the Companion’s exposure to moonlight. There’s a lot of story that gets glossed over. It may be back story since the main plot involves his relationship with Anabel Bernier, but there are chapters of back story and a few of the missing scenes are referred to repeatedly. I’d have happily exchanged some of the present day “maybe I love him, maybe I don’t” scenes for the much more interesting experience of watching the consequences unfold and seeing the realization of those consequences dawn on Stephen and his family.

Ms. Wylie does a fabulous job with setting—Mexico, battle fields, hospital ships, Mayan ruins. She’s a master at incorporating the reader’s senses to transport them to each time and place. Moonlight and Illusions is a fun, captivating read, but it could have been truly amazing. I’ve read other books by Ms. Wylie and know she has the talent to pull it off. Delving a bit deeper into the curse/promise of the stone would have made this book sing instead of simply humming. Still, I recommend this book for what it is—a satisfying, descriptive romance with a paranormal twist.

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