Novel: The Dog Stars (Peter Heller)

Published - 2013, Language - English, Paperback, Pages - 416

ISBN13: 9780755392629

Hig, bereaved and traumatised after global disaster, has three things to live for - his dog Jasper, his aggressive but helpful neighbour, and his Cessna aeroplane. He's just about surviving, so long as he only takes his beloved plane for short journeys, and saves his remaining fuel. But, just once, he picks up a message from another pilot, and eventually the temptation to find out who else is still alive becomes irresistible. So he takes his plane over the horizon, knowing that he won't have enough fuel to get back. What follows is scarier and more life-affirming than he could have imagined. And his story, THE DOG STARS, is a book unlike any you have ever read. 

#Book Fatal Embrace

High-spirited horse trainer Jessica Stanson stumbles into the perfect job on one of the most elite ranches in Montana. Or at least it would be if her boss, ex-detective Michael Carven, stopped acting like he didn't want her there. Jessica has to prove herself to him on the ranch, and also try to penetrate his armor to get to the man inside. Michael Carven is a man who has left a difficult past behind him, and now works at his dream job raising horses under the Montana sky. But he knows that the past has a way of coming back to him, and soon enough, it does. A wave of violence hits the nearby small town of Riverside, nestled deep in the mountains, as a cunning serial killer preys on the population. 

Against his will, Michael finds himself both drawn into the case and coming to care for his independent new trainer. And if having a killer on the loose wasn't enough, his two worlds collide when Jessica becomes the only material witness in the case. Before it is over, Michael and Jessica will put everything they know and hold dear on the line to catch a vicious, cunning killer - and to protect each other as well.

Pages - 280

ISBN - 9781410402462

Author - Aris Whittier

Published - March 2011

Whispers of Death (Alicia Rivoli) #update

Pages - 266 pages

Published - September 2015

Language - English

ISBN - 9781516806

Haunted by Death, Amelia's dreams feel ever so real with each passing night. Plagued by the sense of palpable fear, she continues forward with the demands of life at the forefront.

Death had been searching for just the right person that could help him regain his powers. After hundreds of years it seemed all hope was lost as those that died were now stuck in Limbo, forever suffering in pain and anguish. A ray of light appeared as a vision from a stranger led Death to Amelia, though making her a willing participant would prove to be difficult.

An endearing and supportive husband is something every woman would dream of and something Amelia has been blessed with, although nothing could have prepared them for what was about to take place. Their lives were turned upside down in the blink of an eye and their outlook of life, and death, forever changed.

A battle with Death can make one question even their most righteous desires, despite the fact that a common enemy had brought them together. Can Amelia ever find solace with her new knowledge or would death be the only thing that will bring her peace?

Journey on both sides of the veil as Amelia helps battle an evil that threatens to take away all that she has ever known and loved.

Paperback:

https://www.createspace.com/5664981

http://www.amazon.com/Whispers-Death-Alicia-R…/…/ref=sr_1_1…

Ebook:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/573541

The Nano Experiment (Wid Bastian, Ivan Castillo)

Pages - 206

Authors - Wid Bastian, Ivan Castillo
Published - January 2015

ISBN - 9781506021980

Genre - Science Fiction

In the twenty second century, total war is destroying the planet. In a desperate effort to defeat the enemy, the Western Alliance develops nano technology, tiny machines that are implanted into human beings to enhance their physiology. A few super soldiers are created from this nano technology, but the West has also unwittingly unleashed hell. Earth is ravaged by hideous abominations spawned from a global nano plague.

Decades later there is little of humanity left, except in small outposts in the Arctic. A very special boy is born in one of these Alaskan colonies. Perhaps he is the one humanity has been waiting for, the warrior who can destroy the nano monsters and save the last vestiges of the human race.

Book Update: Shanti and the Magic Mandala (F.T. Camargo)

Author - F.T. Camargo

Paperback, 366 pages

Published October 31st 2014 by Lodestone Books

ISBN 1782795006 (ISBN13: 9781782795001)

Shanti and the Magic Mandala is an adventure in which fantasy and reality are mingled. The book tells the story of six teenagers, from different religious and cultural origins and different parts of the world, who are mystically recruited to form two groups - one in the Northern Hemisphere, and one in the Southern. They eventually gather in Peru, and through a single alliance, begin a frantic chase for the sacred object that can stop the black magician's final plan.

New Release - Mechanica (Betsy Cornwell)

Kindle Edition, 304 pages

Published August 25th 2015 by Clarion Books

Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home. 

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

Creating Monsters (Novel Review)

Intro

A psychedelic adventure set in a city on the verge of disaster.

In modern Philadelphia, where a deep economic depression has left the city near collapse and most of its inhabitants in gruesome poverty, Mitchell Gray, a twenty-year-old graduate student in a beleaguered university physics department, spends most of his time playing piano and touring the city’s worst slums in stolen cars. He is a technical virtuoso whose scientific ideas challenge the foundations of his field but he lives in hiding from one of the world's most powerful billionaires, a man obsessed with the quiet Mitchell and determined to capitalize on his strange inventions.

When Mitchell falls in love with an older woman, the wife of a wealthy pharmaceutical executive, their relationship inspires him with a mad plan use his creations to change the world. With the help of a brilliant and neurotic chemistry student named Charlie Nolan and technology so advanced that it resembles magic, Mitchell devises horrifying yet harmless schemes and supernatural hoaxes, causing an uproar in the city.

His nights as a modern day robin hood also raise the alarm of some of the real monsters in Philadelphia, including a mysterious child murderer rumored to possess supernatural powers, known only as "The Demon." Christopher Rankin's debut novel is a haunting story of love, friendship and survival in a world of revolution. 

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Review

A very dark, enigmatic story that explores the familiar themes of despair, anger, and revenge, Creating Monsters is a book that is hard to put down. If you had the intelligence and ability to exact revenge, would you? The main character is thoughtful and insightful, but allowed himself and his talents to be manipulated in ways he didn't approve. Along the way to revenge, monsters are created all around him: some by his doing, some by circumstance. In the end, when he steps back to view the whole picture, what has he really accomplished? 

The storytelling is exquisite. Word choices and ease of phrasing lull the reader into this dream-like world. The haze over the city is a great metaphor for the lack of clarity most of us have for what is happening around us. At times, imagery reminded me of the dark Batman movies. 

There are other common themes in this book: vigilantism, love, losing one's parents, young scientists in a lab... Many readers can enjoy this story because of their interests in similar genres.

The biggest problem I had with the book was the editing. Many issues of missing punctuation, missing words, incorrect pronouns, homonyms used, spelling errors were throughout the entire book. Normally, this would be quite upsetting to me. However, I enjoyed the story so much, I jumped right over the problems. This may not be the case for all readers. For this book to be great, it needs a thorough editing job. For now, it is very good.

If you are a reader who enjoys dark stories, who likes to read about characters exacting revenge, you enjoy comic book characters who create a new powerful persona to seek justice, or you enjoy futuristic fantasy, please check out this book. It's the author's debut novel, and I'm excited to read more from him! 

Rating - 4/5

Real Virtue (GR Review)

Author - Katy Lee

Published - April 2012 #Goodreads_Review

In a virtual reality game where she can fly, someone’s aiming to take her down.

Mel Mesini is a New York City restaurateur and an avid, virtual reality world traveler. But her successful life—both online and in reality—takes a swerve the night her father is seriously injured in a hit-and-run. To make matters worse, Officer Jeremy Stiles, the man who had once cut her deep with his harsh, rejecting words, is heading the investigation.

When Jeremy realizes Mel is the actual target, his plan is to protect her—whether she wants him to or not. What he wants is answers, especially about this online game she plays. Is it a harmless pastime as she says? Or is she using it to cover something up? As a faceless predator destroys the things that matter to her, Jeremy knows he’s running out of time before she loses the one thing that matters most—her real life.

Amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/cjtxzg5
BN link: http://tinyurl.com/bnjg5k5 

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Real Virtue is an engrossing story of a Mel, young woman who flees her past to recreate herself in a whole new image. The world she has made for herself—and thinks she controls—begins to unravel when her father is injured in a hit-and-run accident and Mel returns to the home she left many years before. Mel is forced to confront reality and fantasy on many levels: her own involvement with a video game, the mystery surrounding the attempts on her life, her mother’s schizophrenia, and the qualities of the man who once rejected her and is now trying to save her. This thriller kept me guessing until the end and was satisfying on many levels. The character of Mel I found to be very difficult to connect to because she basically lived in her own worlds where she saw negativity in every situation, even the most innocent. Jeremy on the other hand took everything so personally, as if he failed, and would preach about God and religion. I am not a terribly religious person so it was a little overwhelming to hear all of his speeches about his path and purpose. The progression of Mel’s understanding of the relationship she once fled from, contrasted with the world she created for herself was as intriguing as the stalker-mystery parts of the book. Real Virtue is a great read.

The Silvered by Tanya Huff (Review)

Hardcover, 454 Pages, Year 2012

ISBN - 0756407435

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The Empire has declared war on the small, were-ruled kingdom of
Aydori, capturing five women of the Mage-Pack, including the wife of the were Pack-leader. With the Pack off defending the border, it falls to Mirian Maylin and Tomas Hagen—she a low-level mage, he younger brother to the Pack-leader—to save them. Together the two set out on the kidnappers’ trail, racing into the heart of enemy territory. With every step the odds against them surviving and succeeding soar….

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Review

"I had a hard time figuring out what I thought of this book. It was fun to read, although parts of the middle did drag on a bit. The world building and the conflict between science and magic that has been set up is intriguing, and I am interested to see where this goes in future books. My main problem with The Silvered was the rather simplistic relationship between Tomas and Mirian (and, to a lesser extent, all other werewolf/mage pairings). The attraction between men and women of the wolf/mage pack seems to be based almost entirely on visceral and instant connection (whenever a wolf met Mirian they couldn't stop talking about how good she smelled). This type of instant magical connection takes away from the build-up of a strong relationship for me. I actually didn't see much of a romantic connection between Tomas and Mirian outside of the magical connection, and it seems like a kind of lazy way to set up a romance so that you don't have to actually think about what might connect two characters. Having said that, I did like the end of the book and will be reading any future volumes in the series."

Rating - 6.5/10

Pelican Bay (Book Review)

Pelican Bay Review by Wanda (GR)

Author - Jesse Giles Christiansen

Pages - 209

Year - 2013, Publisher - Imajin Books

"Pelican Bay begins in 1931, the year of the great depression, and the drowning of a young boy, Aspen Langsley. It then jumps to present day and the lives of Ethan Hodges and Morgan Olinsworth. Ethan loved the sea and at a very young age he met Captain Shelby, a fisherman whose ship was always docked off the edge of the bay. Captain Shelby was a man of some age. Just how old he was no one knew but, regardless, he was a friend to Ethan. Ethan’s first surf board was made by Captain Shelby when he was just twelve years old. As Ethan grew so did his love for the sea and for Morgan. Ethan was a writer and Morgan was a librarian with a strong love of books and research. They had been friends since they were kids and Ethan loved Morgan fiercely. Getting Morgan to admit any feelings for Ethan was virtually impossible but he never gave up hope.

Then, one day, strange things started happening and after three mysterious deaths, including the death of Aspen Langsley in 1931, everyone began to suspect Captain Shelby. While Ethan loved Captain Shelby he also knew there was something strange about him. With Morgan researching Captain Shelby and rumors about him flying around Pelican Bay, Ethan isn’t sure what to believe. Should he trust his fisherman friend or be wary of him? Is Captain Shelby nothing but an old fisherman that loves the sea or is he a mysterious figured that is literally a part of the sea? Join Ethan and Morgan on their perilous journey as they work to solve the puzzle that IS Captain Shelby.

I had such mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the story from beginning to end and I kept finding myself wanting to know what would happen next. I did find it a little overly descriptive. Things were described with such fervor that I found it slowed my reading because I was trying to process the details, but, I DO think readers of mystery and/or fantasy will enjoy the plot. It is a book that I think would be more accepted by a young adult audience but, at the same time, I can’t in good conscience recommend it to young adults because it does contain strong language in a few places and I think the buyer needs to be aware of this in case they are purchasing the book for younger kids. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

Rating - 4/5

**A copy of this book was provided for free by the author for my honest opinion**"

METRO 2033 Novel Review (Ajay_D)

Ajay Dhillon - METRO 2033 (NOVEL) Review #421brandbeedifed#freelancetalents #Ajay_D

"This is one of the best story I've ever read in any format (comics/movies/books). Potent psychological horror, suspense and adventure mixed together to form an intoxicating blend. There is no filler in this book; each chapter gives you something new and exciting to read about. The suspense is through the roof and you want to know what happens with each passing sentence....something so rare in 500 page novels. Amazing story that takes place in a new and unique setting.

Might be little expensive for some, but the price of admission is worth it - trust me.

Synopsis: In late 2013, a nuclear war occurred. Russia was targeted with atomic bombs, causing severe radiation across Moscow. This forced the few 1000 survivors to live underground in the metro stations away from the deadly effects of radiation. Moscow has one of the largest Metro systems in the world and it becomes mankind's last refuge in this story. In addition to extreme radiation, many animals were heavily mutated into aggressive beasts, which make travel on the surface dangerous. People have formed communities in many of the stations, but there are lots of stations which remain unexplored and littered with dangers like radiation, paranormal activity, cannibals, and mutants. 

The story is about a young man in the year 2033, who has to travel in the tunnels of Metro, go from station to station, to reach the military establishment inside the Metro in hopes of eliminating a new and unknown threat (some call them the dark ones - a mutated version of man with paranormal powers) that has terrorised his home station. Considering the dangers (both humans, ghosts, and mutants), his journey won't be easy. Amazing book, from start to finish. Must read."

421 Brand Beedi Rating - A+ (Above 90%)