Month: September 2017

September 25, 2017

Awoke Book Review

In Awoke, Katya must decide whether she values the simple and easy life she created for herself over the complex and difficult world now asking her to stand and fight.

About Awoke

Katya leads a normal life any teenager would be envious of – popular, pretty and dating the high school elite. Not she enjoys the spotlight, mind you. She wants everyone to believe she is normal.

But when Katya sees the real reason behind the earthquakes plaguing everyone in Boston, the truth rattles and shatters the perfect normal illusion Katya created for herself. An ability to see unearthly creatures and manipulate waves of life energy labels her as anything but normal. And it’s an ability that attracts unwanted and dangerous attention.

She reluctantly finds herself in the company of Gregor, a handsome member of an international spirit military team called the Kyrios. Her simple decision to help thrusts Katya in a world of the undead spirits, betrayal and a perpetual battle between undead monsters and the wardens that keep them in their place.

Katya must decide whether she values the simple and easy life she created for herself over the complex and difficult world now asking her to stand and fight.

My Thoughts

Awoke is an exciting adventure that sees a young teenager fighting against the undead spirits who are causing havoc on an unsuspecting world.

Katya hides behind the image of a normal teenage life, she is popular, pretty and dating the most popular boy in school. Inside though she hides some pretty big secrets – even from herself at times. She wants to ignore those secrets so that she can be normal and make her Mom happy. But in one moment everything changes. Katya meets a young man, Gregor, who is a member of the Kyrios who fight the undead spirits.

He sees in her something special and different. He knows there is more to her then even she can begin to imagine. This starts her down the path of finding her true calling which is full of monsters, lies, betrayal and even some romance.

This is the perfect novel for young adults and teenagers a like. The characters are well-developed and you can relate to them, who wouldn’t want to be Katya and have the powers she has? Not to mention the budding romance between her and Gregor? I loved the way the plot was woven and was not expecting the betrayal that occurred that really changed the way I thought the plot was going. I loved how the ending left it open for a second part in this series as I would really love to see what is next for Katya and Gregor and their fight against the undead. If you have a teen that loves supernatural adventures like the Shadowhunters, then this would be a great novel for them.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound and Kobo.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

K.T. Conte is a lover of books, people and all things wild and crazy. She received her B.A. in English from Boston College and her law degree from Suffolk University Law School. While she has and continues to be a licensed attorney, her first love has always been books from the tender age of 2. Originally from Massachusetts, K.T. currently lives in New York City with the monsters in the closet, her husband Everett, a couple of building fairies and her dog, Champ.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

September 25, 2017

Venetian Blood Book Review

A captivating tapestry of murder, betrayal, and family, Venetian Blood is the story of one woman’s brave quest for the truth—before it’s too late.

About Venetian Blood

Struggling to forget a crumbling marriage, forty-year-old Anna Lucia Lottol comes to Venice to visit an old friend—but instead of finding solace, she is dragged into a police station and accused of murdering a money laundering count with whom she had a brief affair. In the days that follow, Anna, an US Treasury officer with brains and athleticism, fights to clear her name in a seductive city of watery illusions. But as she tries to pry clues from a cast of uncooperative characters who implausibly deny what she sees and hears, she begins to question whether they are hiding something…or she is losing touch with reality. Racing to unlock secrets, she succeeds instead in unleashing a powerful foe bent on destroying her. Will she save herself and vanquish her enemies, including her darkest fears?

My Thoughts

I visited Venice in my mid-teens and I fell in love (and not just because my family on my Dad’s side come from there!). There is an air of mystery and history on every street mixed in with romance. It just has a special quality about it that I just can’t quite put into words. I was so excited to read this novel based in Venice and it did not disappoint me at all. She captured the mystery of Venice into her story that is full of its own mystery and history.

We have Anna who is trapped in a scandal of murder and an affair. This is in the backdrop of an even greater scheme of lies, money laundry, secrets and murder. She is trying desperately to clear her own name plus work an active case. No one in the city wants to quite help her as they try to protect their own citizens and the secrets that they hold.

I loved every moment of this well written novel. It pulls you in and leaves you craving more. It is very well written and suits the tone of the novel and setting. It is an exciting and suspenseful novel from start to finish – I could not put it down in fear I would miss what was coming next! I have to admit, I never saw the ending coming. It was an incredible and well-played out. Venetian Blood is a definite must read novel.

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Christine Evelyn Volker became intrigued by foreign cultures at an early age, which propelled her to study Spanish, German, and Italian. After pursuing an MLS and an MBA, she was drawn to international banking and became a senior vice president at a global financial institution. Her career brought her to Italy, where she immersed herself in the language and made frequent visits to Venice. A native New Yorker, she resides with her husband in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, where she heads a local library non-profit organization and writes about environmental sustainability. She is currently at work on her second international mystery, this one set in the rainforest of Peru.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

September 21, 2017

Ta’Mara Hanscom’s ‘The Pretender’ Blog Tour and Giveaway

Despite just meeting each other, Tillie and Noah’s lives have been mysteriously intertwined for many years in Ta’Mara Hanscom’s The Pretender. From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart-and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

Join Ta’Mara in celebrating the release of the second printing and new covers by entering to win her $75 prize basket giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

A copy of The Pretender
A $75 Amazon gift card
A decorative box containing measuring cups, ten recipes from the book, a potholder, a kitchen towel, pepper and salt grinders, kitchen utensils, and an olive oil dispenser

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on October 11. The winner will be announced October 12 on the Litfuse blog.

Disclosure: This is part of a blog tour that I received a digital copy of a book for. All opinions expressed are my own. This giveaway is run by Litfuse.

September 21, 2017

Many Sparrows Book Review

In Many Sparrows, either she and her children would emerge from that wilderness together, or none of them would.

About Many Sparrows

In 1774, the Ohio-Kentucky frontier pulses with rising tension and brutal conflicts as Colonists push westward and encroach upon Native American territories. The young Inglesby family is making the perilous journey west when an accident sends Philip back to Redstone Fort for help, forcing him to leave his pregnant wife Clare and their four-year old son Jacob on a remote mountain trail.

When Philip does not return and Jacob disappears from the wagon under the cover of darkness, Clare awakens the next morning to find herself utterly alone, in labor and wondering how she can to recover her son . . . especially when her second child is moments away from being born.

Clare will face the greatest fight of her life, as she struggles to reclaim her son from the Shawnee Indians now holding him captive. But with the battle lines sharply drawn, Jacob’s life might not be the only one at stake. When frontiersman Jeremiah Ring comes to her aid, can the stranger convince Clare that recovering her son will require the very thing her anguished heart is unwilling to do-be still, wait and let God fight this battle for them?

My Thoughts

Many Sparrows is the story of the power of a Mother’s love, strength, compassion, forgiveness and understanding. It is powerful and the emotions pour off of the page. Lori has a great way of dragging you into the story and you feel as if you are side by side with Clare on this journey.

The journey focuses on the Inglesby family as Philip (who has never been a man satisfied with his lot in life) forces the young family and his pregnant wife to travel across the dangerous frontier. When he is murdered, Clare is alone in the wilderness with her young son and begins to go in to labour. As her labour begins, Clare does not want to frighten her son and moves further off. It is in these moments, that her young son is kidnapped and claimed by the Shawnee’s as their own.

Jeremiah enters into her life and finds so much of himself in her. He helps her through her labour and together they set off to find her young son. Jeremiah is more than just her guide, he becomes a friend and teacher. Possibly even something more?

The novel focuses on Clare’s ultimate goal to reunite her family and move forward into the future. We watch as she struggles with her faith, her courage and as she learns compassion and forgiveness for the people who have taken away the most precious gift she has.

Many Sparrows is an amazing novel from start to finish and I could not put this one down!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of this book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of “Burning Sky,” recipient of three Christy Awards, “The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn,” Christy-nominee “The Wood’s Edge,” and “A Flight of Arrows”.

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

September 21, 2017

The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise Book Review

From the moment they met, Tillie and Noah wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but a deliberate omission will keep them apart—and that same omission will be responsible for the escape of a murderer, and a bride’s deception.

About The Pretender: A Blackguard in Disguise

Set in South Dakota in 1975, where eighteen-year-olds could order 3.2 beer in a bar, and loaded guns were kept under the counter.

Frankie Valli sang “My Eyes Adored You,” and American soldiers returning from Vietnam struggled with their new reality.

It’s within this tumultuous season of American history that Tillie Caselli meets Noah Hansen, and they are never the same again. Their lives were mysteriously intertwined—and had been for many years—yet they had no idea.

My Thoughts

This is a powerful story of love, hope, lies, regret and fate. In our story, Tillie is a young woman who has spent her life focusing on her art and yearning for the day she would find her knight. She was always taught the difference between a blackguard, the type of man who would use a woman and leave her, and a true knight, the man who you want to marry.

Noah has always been viewed as the rebel in the family. He drinks, goes to work but wastes his money and still lives with his brother despite his advanced age. He is hurting on the inside and uses his actions to display how he feels. His behaviour is so bad that he has friends of friends praying for him to come right – including Tillie’s Mother who has never met him.

In a twist of fate, Tillie and Noah meet. While Tillie is cautious at first, she sees the real Noah. The Noah that he tries so hard to hide from others. Noah is in love with Tillie from the moment he meets her. She makes him want to be and do better and push himself to become the man his family knew he could be. They have a short romance before Tillie leaves with a promise to return so that they can be married.

In a cruel twist of fate, Tillie believes that Noah is not the man she thought he was. The two are torn apart but never speak about what happened. They lose contact but never stop yearning for each other. Both become lost, heart sore and shadows of their former selves. The people who should be there for them, hide information from them thinking it will help heal them.

This was a beautiful story that I could not put down. My heart was just so sore for this couple! Their lives were ruined and futures changed in one second due to a simple misconception and later when others refused to tell the truth. As we watch the story unfold, you can see how a simple lie can destroy a person. This is a definite must read novel – I loved every moment of it! I felt like the ending is leading into a second book and I really hope that she does continue this story.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Born and raised in South Dakota, Ta`Mara loves to write about the Great Plains and the beauty and people of Italia. While her husband and children manage their two pizza ristoranti, Ta`Mara works full-time on The Caselli Family Series, and ministers to women. It is Ta`Mara s prayer that as the readers explore the truths in these volumes, they will come away with a new perspective on love, forgiveness, obedience, and God’s plan for marriage.

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