Category: reviews

Uneven Exchange Book Review

iRead Book Tours

In Uneven Exchange, Alexandra Callet’s life runs hot and cold. At the age of thirty-three, Alexandra owns a stunning home and a successful interior design company. But she is in love with her business partner, Jake Taylor, and he doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a woman. She decides to take a trip to Mexico where all seems to fall apart.

Uneven Exchange Book Review

About Uneven Exchange

Like fire and ice, Alexandra Callet’s life runs hot and cold. At the age of thirty-three, Alexandra owns a stunning home and a successful interior design company. But she is in love with her business partner, Jake Taylor, and he doesn’t even seem to realize she’s a woman. She should be on top of the world, but instead she feels dragged down by the void in her heart. Hoping for answers, she decides a trip to Mexico might soothe her soul.

Jake Taylor only pretends to be a confirmed bachelor. Jake has been entranced by Alexandra’s determination and exotic beauty since the moment they met, but she has no idea how he feels. He considers confessing his love, but fears jeopardizing their friendship and business. He’s caught in a web of pretending he doesn’t care, and doesn’t see a way out of it. Alexandra is recruited for a dangerous mission. Following her trip to Mexico, her resemblance to a member of an assassin’s family leads Alexandra to be recruited by the DEA. Her training leaves her distracted, and her business begins to suffer. Jake notices her sudden change, and feels her slipping both personally and professionally beyond his reach.

Should he finally take the chance…before it’s too late? After all, he has nothing to lose. However, when Alexandra returns to Mexico for her mission, things go terribly wrong. Will she be able find the strength to fight and escape the peaceful haven that has now become her prison?

My Thoughts

Romance, suspense, action and more all in Uneven Exchange!

Alexandra is a quiet, beautiful young woman with a great career working in her own company with the man she has had a crush on for a while. She is also timid to let him know how she feels or how to even approach the topic with him. When she escapes for a mini getaway to Mexico she is spotted by the DEA, as she resembles very closely a vicious assassin’s sister. They pull her into a plot to capture this man but this proves to be more adventure then what she was counting on. She definitely rises to the occasion in this story! The timid, young woman becomes bold and fearless as she takes on this new persona. Jake can sense this change in her but is powerless to stop it. He tries to reach out to her but is left wondering if it was too little, too late.

I loved every turn of this book, by mid-way through the adventure is unbelievable and forces you to not stop reading (you can’t just leave this book at one chapter without finding out what happens next!). The ending is incredible and will you leave you craving just that little bit more of what happens next. This novel is a fantastic read for both mature young adults to adults that love adventure, suspense and action with a little twist of romance.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, S.K. Derban moved to London within the first three months, and remained in England until the age of five. Her father, an American citizen, was a decorated veteran of the second world war. Derban’s mother, born and raised in the United Kingdom, was involved with the London Royal Ballet Company, and a great fan of the arts. Even after returning to the United States, Derban’s life was filled with a love of the theatre and a passion for British murder mysteries. S.K. Derban has always remained passionate about writing, and is thrilled to finally share her work with others.

Her personal travel and missionary adventures also help to transport readers virtually across the globe. When writing, S.K. Derban relies on all aspects of her life, from her faith in the Lord, to her love and knowledge of the arts.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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In The Context of Love Book Review

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In The Context of Love, hat makes us step back to examine the events and people who have shaped our lives? And what happens when what we discover leads to more questions?

In The Context of Love Book Review

About In The Context of Love

Angelica Schirrick wonders how her life could have gotten so far off-track. With two children in tow, she begins a journey of self-discovery that leads her back home to Ohio. It pains her to remember the promise her future once held and the shattering revelations that derailed her life.

Can she face the failures and secrets of her past and move forward? Somehow she must learn to accept the violence of her beginning before she can be open to life, and a second chance at love.

My Thoughts

In The Context of Love, we have a powerful story of perseverance, lost loves and forgiveness. It is written as series of something similar to journal entries. She tells her story to the love that she lost in high school, the one that made her feel loved and special. Angelica starts the story with the tale of her husband in prison and having to bring her children to see him. You can feel the pain and betrayal pouring off the pages of her story. My heart broke with her as I turned each and every page.

In The Context of Love, each page is a new step in the journey, full of tension and suspense. You never really know what is coming next. When her high school love is torn from her, you feel the immense pain she goes through. You want to console her and guide her but know that nothing can save her from the pain she is going through.

I love the way Linda writes, it is like magic as you turn each page as it is woven poetically. I literally could not put this story down, I loved it that much. You just want to keep reading to find out what happens to Joe (her lost love), Angelica, her children and if she can find forgiveness, love and acceptance.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Linda K. Sienkiewicz is a published poet and fiction writer, cynical optimist, fan of corgis, tea drinker, and wine lover from Michigan. Her poetry, short stories, and art have been published in more than fifty literary journals, including Prairie Schooner, Clackamas Literary Review, Spoon River, and Permafrost.

She received a poetry chapbook award from Bottom Dog Press, and an MFA from the University of Southern Maine. Linda lives with her husband in southeast Michigan, where they spoil their grandchildren and then send them back home.

Book Trailer

In the Context of Love | Book Trailer from Linda Sienkiewicz on Vimeo.

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Barking Madness Book Review

Barking Madness Book Review

Barking Madness is a coming of age thriller set in the backdrop of the paranormal.

Barking Madness Book Review

About Barking Madness

Seventeen-year-old Rosetta Harper is plagued by nightmares of a masked man. With her father’s new career move, her family has just relocated from Florida, to the small New England town of Ashwood, which is a quiet town and close-knit community where you know your neighbors and trouble is a word unspoken. But soon after her arrival, both Rosetta’s and her classmates worlds come crashing down.

Michael hates his family and feels alone and unloved. He only finds comfort when he’s with his friends, but even they get on his nerves. Everything about Ashwood and his life bores him, until Rosetta Harper moves into town. With her as a new classmate, Michael finally gets the excitement he was looking for, but it may be at too high a cost.

My Thoughts

In this novel, we have our two main characters, Rosetta and Michael, both from opposite sides of the social scene in their small town school. Rosetta, gorgeous and popular, just moved to the small town of Ashwood. She quickly fits in with the popular group of kids and is admired by many of the males at her new school, including Michael. Michael has led a difficult life, he feels unloved at home and that his Father is never there for him. He is instantly attracted to Rosetta but nothing happens until their lives intersect in a monumental way.

Their lives intersect when Rosetta is attacked in the woods near her home and it isn’t until a month later that the consequences from this attack begin to unfold, even if they are not well understood by Rosetta and Michael. It is this changing point that the novel centres around.

I love the paranormal twist that occurs a quarter of the way through this book. The first part dives into their high school lives, which is completely realistic picture of the high school scene. You may even recognize people you knew in high school in this novel! I love the paranormal aspect of this novel, you don’t even realize what happened to Rosetta until about half way in the novel (and when you realize what happened, you can’t wait to find out more!). I wish I could say more but it would spoil the novel for you and I don’t want to do that! The nightmares that torment her are sometimes hard to follow but these give greater insights to the plot line.

Barking Madness is a well written, thought out novel from start to finish that readers from young adults and up can appreciate and enjoy. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Ryan Hill is a YA Fiction writer. Born in Connecticut, Ryan now lives in Massachusetts with his family and is a student at UMass Amherst. His novel appeals to young adult readers and people of any age who are looking for a good psychological thriller. It’s a ghost story with a lot of emotion and sarcastic humor. When not in front of his computer writing or studying, Ryan can be found playing Xbox with friends, watching movies (He’s a huge movie buff), or working out at the gym.

Ryan’s knack for writing fiction emerged at an early age, when he wrote stories for his own enjoyment. He decided to put his hand to writing a book at 17, when he came up with the concept for the dark, witty, and suspenseful psychological-thriller, Barking Madness. He enjoyed creating the different layers of characters and relationships in his story, and like any debut author, found it difficult to stop. Science fiction, thrillers, and horror are his favorite genres.
Visit Ryan, as he loves to get messages and friend requests on Facebook, www.facebook.com/RyanHillAuthor. Happy Reading!

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Playing the Part Book Review

Litfuse Book Tour

In Playing the Part, can they accept who they are behind the parts they play in time to save the day?

Playing the Part Book Review

About Playing the Part

Lucetta Plum is an actress on the rise in New York City, but is forced to abandon her starring role when a fan’s interest turns threatening. Lucetta’s widowed friend, Abigail Hart, is delighted at the opportunity to meddle in Lucetta’s life and promptly whisks her away to her grandson’s estate to hide out.

Bram Haverstein may appear to simply be a somewhat eccentric gentleman of means, but a mysterious career and a secret fascination with a certain actress mean there’s much more to him than society knows.

Lucetta, who has no interest in Abigail’s matchmaking machinations, has the best intentions of remaining cordial but coolly distant to Bram. But when she can’t ignore the strange and mysterious things going on in his house, it’ll take more than good intentions to keep her from trying to discover who Bram is behind the part he plays.

My Thoughts

Lucetta is an actress who is admired for her fragile nature that she plays on stage. Her true nature is as far from the characters she plays on stage as possibly can be. She is strong, independent and free willed. She does not need the men who adore her on stage character and want to take care of her, something she does not need.

Bram happens to be one of those men. He wants to pamper her with attention and pampering. When he finds out that she does not need nor want this attention, he is kind of lost with how to treat her and how to accept her. He also has a deep secret that he has been hiding from many people,including his aunt Abigail (who would love to see him with Lucetta!).

I loved our two main characters who are so perfect for each other but both were stubborn and hiding a secret that they were too afraid to share. They wanted romance but were both to scared to look for it. They have to learn to accept each other for who they are and open up to each other about their past and present in order to move forward.

Throw in some mysterious happenings in his home with Lucetta almost being hurt several times and we have a romance bubbling under mystery and suspense! Playing the Part was an excellent novel from start to finish. I wish I could have just a little bit more of their story, it is always sad when a good novel ends!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Jen Turano, author of the Ladies of Distinction series and the A Class of Their Own series, is a graduate of the University of Akron. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Coinman An Untold Conspiracy

Coinman An Untold Conspiracy
Title: Coinman 
Author: Pawan Mishra
Publisher: Lune Spark LLC

Date Published: Nov 04, 2015

Number of pages: 236
 
Genre: Fiction/ Humor/ Satire
Book Description:

An Untold Conspiracy is a humorous account of a man with a quirk–and
the extraordinary measures his colleagues take to combat it!

Set in a small town in northern India, this story follows Coinman, his peculiar habit and the incredible animosity it provokes in everyone around him. He just wants to do his clerk’s job with colleagues who’ll treat him fairly. He just wants a wife who will treat him like a husband. He just wants a happy home life. Instead, what does he get?

His colleagues are planning his complete destruction.
His wife is an obsessed actress more than a little “off plumb.”
And there are enough shadows and secrets in his home for two lifetimes.

Can Coinman ever get what he wants? Or will that cost him his sanity?

Read a sample chapter on Lune Spark.

Purchase a copy on Amazon.

Quotes from Coinman: “Isn’t life a collection of weird quizzes with no answers to half the questions?” “The only thing God is afraid of is a strong-willed human!”

“People say there are thousands of options we have in life. I say we have only two: we can either be happy or be unhappy.”

“Talented minds have always been stealthily targeted by mediocre ones.”

About the Author:

Pawan
Mishra is a leader in the technology and finance industries. He
completed his education, including postgraduate work, at Indian
Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), India, in 1999. He
discovered his passion for storytelling, reading, and creative writing
during his early childhood. Originally from Aligarh, India, Pawan now
lives in Morrisville, North Carolina, with his wife Ritu and two
daughters, Mitali and Myra.
To learn more about Pawan and his writing, visit: www.pawanmishra.com.
Connect: Blog | Facebook (Author | Book | Lune Spark) | Twitter (Author | Book) |
 
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April 4 – Donna Book Reviews
April 6 – Mels Shelves
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