Author: cvegnad

October 28, 2015

Miracle Drug by Richard Mabry

In Miracle Drug, overcoming these odds will take more than a miracle drug – it will take a miracle.

About Miracle Drug

The infection wasn’t supposed to happen, but it did. The treatment was supposed to take care of it, but it didn’t. Then Dr. Josh Pearson discovers why – his patients, including the former President of the United States, have been dosed with a different strain of the original virus, one that is universally fatal. The only chance for survival is treatment with an experimental drug, but the manufacturer might already have discarded its supply.

As if treating the President of the United States isn’t stressful enough, the situation goes from bad to worse when Rachel Moore, a nurse Josh is falling in love with, falls ill. With the nation’s eyes on him, Josh must pull off a miracle to save a man who holds a good deal of power and the woman who holds his heart.

My Thoughts

A thrilling and suspenseful novel from start to finish, Miracle Drug keeps you guessing and never really knowing what to expect right to the very end.

I want to call this a medical thriller as it was full of medical suspense; an infection that is hidden behind another infection that needs a treatment that can not be found! Talk about intense! While a medical suspense novel, it is perfect to read for any individual without a medical background. The terminology was not overwhelming but instead exciting and kept your mind reeling.

The plot line was intense throughout the whole novel, building up to a fantastic but never quite guaranteed ending. The novel is well written and thought out with nothing left out that would make it hard to follow. A definite gem from start to finish!

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Dr. Richard Mabry is a retired physician who writes “medical suspense with heart.” His novels have won multiple awards: a semifinalist for International Thriller Writers’ debut novel; finalists for the Carol Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, and Romantic Times’ Reader’s Choice Award; and both finalist and winner of the Selah Award. “Miracle Drug” is his ninth published novel. He and his wife live in Frisco, Texas.

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

October 26, 2015

Framed and Burning By Lisa Brunette

Lisa Brunette is gearing up for her new release of Framed and Burning: Book Two in the Dreamslippers Series. Release date is November 27, 2015 and pre-orders are being taken now for this new novel.

Framed and Burning, Book Two in the Dreamslippers Series

Published by Sky Harbor LLC
# of pages TBD since it’s a pre-order
November 27, 2015 pub date
Genre: Mystery

Book Synopsis:

The Dreamslippers are a family of private investigators who have the ability to “slip” into your dreams. The first book in the series, Cat in the Flock, was published to critical acclaim and is trending at 4.5 stars on Amazon with 35 reviews. In Framed and Burning, someone sets fire to Mick Travers’s art studio, killing his assistant, and Mick won’t give an alibi. His dreamslipping sister–the eccentric Amazing Grace–is convinced he’s innocent, but her granddaughter and the police aren’t so sure. Was it Mick, or is something darker behind the fire?

ADVANCED PRAISE

“Framed and Burning is the second book in the Dreamslippers series. It’s easy to follow and hard to put down, making readers who may not have read the first book race back to give it a try!” – InD’tale Magazine“Lisa Brunette continues to develop vibrant characters in a stunning story that will keep you reading well past your bedtime!” – On My Kindle

PRE-ORDER ON EBOOK NOW FOR $1 OFF!

Only $2.99 if you order before November 27, 2015 – price goes to $3.99 afterward.

In the U.S. – Amazon – Apple iBookstore – for all iOS devices – Barnes & Noble – for the Nook – Kobo – numerous devices – Smashwords – for Kindle, Android, and most other formats

Outside the U.S. – pricing and discount varies – Amazon Australia – Amazon Canada – Amazon UK – Nook UK – Kobo International

About the Author:

Lisa Brunette is the author of the Dreamslippers mystery series. Book One, Cat in the Flock, is an indieBRAG honoree title that has been praised by Kirkus Reviews, Midwest Book Review, Readers Lane, and others.

Brunette is a career writer/editor whose work has appeared in major daily newspapers and magazines, including the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle Woman, and Poets & Writers. She’s interviewed a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, a sex expert, homeless women, and the designer of the Batmobile, among others.

She has story design and writing credits in hundreds of bestselling video games, including the Mystery Case Files, Mystery Trackers, and Dark Tales series for Big Fish and AAA games for Nintendo and Microsoft platforms.

She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from University of Miami, where she was a Michener Fellow. Her short stories and poetry have appeared in Bellingham Review, The Comstock Review, Icarus International, and elsewhere.

She’s also received many honors for her writing, including a major grant from the Tacoma Arts Commission, the William Stafford Award, and the Associated Writing Programs Intro Journals Project Award.

She blogs at www.catintheflock.com and has been a guest-blogger for Author magazine and Dr. Chris Michaels’s blog.

Brunette is a member of Mystery Writers of America and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.

October 21, 2015

Turning to Stone by Gabriel Valjan

Book four in the Roma Series, Turning to Stone finds our favourite team fighting against the most powerful and ruthless mafia gang, the Camorra.

About Turning to Stone

Alabaster Black aka Bianca Nerini returns as an investigation into a public official’s assassination pits Bianca and her friends against a backdrop of financial speculation, female assassins on motorcycles, and the Camorra, the most ruthless of Italian organized crime gangs.

En route to a secret meeting, Aldo Giurlani, the regional commissioner of Lombardy in northern Italy and a specialist on organized crime, is assassinated in the middle of a public square.

More mysterious is the package sent to Giurlani’s hand-picked team of five top investigators within the Guardia di Finanza (GdF), the Italian law enforcement agency that investigates illegal financial transactions, from money laundering to drug trafficking. Within the package are five copies of a book entitled Man of Smoke written by Aldo Palazzeschi.

Then there is Bianca’s tenuous online contact with a mysterious online contact known as Loki, who delivers a cryptic message to her, takes on a new twist with the appearance of a brilliant young obsessive-compulsive man who joins her team.

Complicating matters even further, old enemies and, more problematically, Alabaster’s former employer Rendition, a murky covert U.S. government agency that does more than just investigate financial crimes still have grudges to bear against her.

As new mysteries unfold, Bianca’s group quickly discovers that Naples might just be the most dangerous city in Italy.

My Thoughts

Wow, wow, wow! Just when you think a series can’t get any better! I fell in love with book four in the Roma Series as the past collides with the present in a unique and suspenseful unfolding. You never quite know what to expect in this novel.

This was by far the best novel in this series as Gabriel slowly reveals and pulls back the story layer after layer. The other three novels make small appearances and patterns left slightly undone come together. While you don’t have to read the other three novels to understand this particular one, you really should to get the full effect and impact this novel makes. Bianca is at her finest in this novel. Her character has really developed from book one and we are able to glimpse the more human side of her. The side of her that loves and cares, not just the girl who can tear down corruption in companies.

Book Four, Turning to Stone, is a novel you do not want to miss out on. It has something for everyone in it that will have you reading long into the night.

You can purchase a copy of Turning to Stone on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Gabriel Valjan lives in New England, but has traveled extensively, receiving his undergraduate education in California and completing graduate school in England. Ronan Bennett short-listed him for the 2010 Fish Short Story Prize for his Boston noir, Back in the Day. His short stories and poetry have appeared in literary journals and online magazines.

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.

October 21, 2015

Evitable Destiny by Izabela Monick

Revenge, trust, love and murder collide in Evitable Destiny by Izabela Monick.

About Evitable Destiny

After Chris’s mother dies, he vows to seek revenge on his mother’s ex-lover Kevin whom he blames for her death. He also vows to never make his mother’s mistakes and fall in love.

When Kevin’s company begins to falter, Chris sees his chance and kidnaps Kevin’s step-daughter, Julia. His ransom? Kevin must cancel his business saving deal in order to have Julia returned alive. What Chris doesn’t count on is his feelings for Julia, who pushes his buttons and whose own feelings for her kidnapper become confusing.

As the romance between Chris and Julia heats up, other factors slowly come into play. Chris is not the only one who wants Julia, and others will stop at nothing to capture her. Will Chris fight for his future with Julia or will he let destiny play out on its own?

My Thoughts

Evitable Destiny follows the story of Chris and his plot to take revenge on Kevin for his Mother’s demise. Julia is the key to his revenge. When he kidnaps her, he feels nothing about it. But slowly a relationship builds between them. Julia develops a Stockholm syndrome for Chris but is angry with him for not trusting her. The middle to end of the novel was full of twisting shocks and surprises, many of which I did not see coming at all!.

The plot is a really great idea but it almost feels like something may be missing, almost as if it needs to be developed a bit more in the beginning. After the slowly built beginning, the story becomes fast paced and exciting to follow. By the middle of the novel you do not want to put it down, as the story becomes fast paced with lots of curve balls thrown your way. Some of which completely shocked me (in a good way!).

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Izabela lives in New York with her husband and two children. She works as an accountant during the day and writer at night. Izabela delights in shocking her readers with unexpected turns and twists.

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

October 19, 2015

Valley of Decision by Lynne Gentry

Every choice has a consequence in the explosive conclusion to the Carthage Chronicles as Lisbeth returns to third-century Carthage for a thrilling final adventure in Valley of Decision.

About Valley of Decision

Thirteen years ago, Lisbeth made an impossible decision – leave third-century Carthage and her husband Cyprian behind for good. She knew it was to protect her daughter Maggie, so Lisbeth gathered the strength to move on with her life.

All these years, Lisbeth has thrown herself into her work and raising her headstrong daughter, all to live up to the promise she made to Cyprian. But Maggie is sick of being protected. In an act of teenage rebellion Maggie decides to do what her mother can’t, secretly returning to the third century on a quest to bring her father back, leaving Lisbeth no choice but to follow.

With Maggie’s surprise arrival in Carthage, chaos ensues. She finds her grandmother on trial for murder and attempts to save her, but instead the diversion sparks a riot that nearly destroys the plagued city. Only one thing will appease the wrath of the new proconsul of Carthage: the death of the instigator.

Will Lisbeth arrive in time to save her daughter from the clutches of Rome? How can God possibly redeem such a slew of unwise decisions and deep regrets? Filled with heart-wrenching twists and riveting action, Valley of Decision brings the romantic adventure epic, The Carthage Chronicles, to an electrifying conclusion.

My Thoughts

History, time travel with just enough romantic spin on it makes the final novel in this series epic!

In Valley of Decision, we see a grown up version of Maggie who doesn’t understand why her Father can’t just be saved by coming to the future. She is resentful of her Mother for in her opinion, just leaving him there. What she can’t appreciate is the full impact on changing the past and why her Mother was trying to protect her.

When Maggie makes a hasty decision to travel alone back in time, Lisbeth must follow her. This is when everything goes wrong. They find themselves stuck in the middle of death, trials, illness and deadly plots. Valley of Decision will keep you guessing and begging for more. I know that I personally would love to see this series extended!! The series has been well written, thought out and easy to follow with just enough plot twists.

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

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Lynne Gentry has written for numerous publications. She is a professional acting coach, theater director, and playwright. Lynne is an inspirational speaker and dramatic performer who loves spending time with her family and medical therapy dog.

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