Archive for the ‘suspense’ Category

The amazing Ellis Vidler is one of my featured authors this month. Each Wednesday, I’ll be reviewing one of her fabulous books. There will be giveaways and guest posts, a whole lot of fun!

First, I reviewed Time of Death, her newest release.

Time of Death

goodreads-badge-add-plus .
While visiting near Charleston, South Carolina, an artist draws scenes of murder she can’t explain. Alex. The artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.
Connor. The prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water.
Rollins. The killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.

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Ooh, there are some really great characters in Time of Death. I think my favorite is Alex, no, Jax, no, Jelly. Oh, I love them all! Can’t wait for you to meet them. Go here to read my review.

Next, I reviewed Cold Comfort.

The giveaway ends Jan. 29th. Still time to enter here.

Cold Comfort

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After being dumped by her faithless fiancé, Claire Spencer has abandoned her dreams of a family of her own tucked neatly inside a picket fence. Instead, she’s plotting her solo course and settling for a quiet life as an independent Williamsburg shop owner. So how does she become a killer’s target?

Sometime security consultant Riley, burned out, disillusioned, and haunted by a young girl he couldn’t save, vows never to work with women again. But when a thug tries to kill the friend of a friend, the woman winds up in his arms, and all Riley’s plans go to hell. Knowing she’s in danger, he can’t walk away.

While dodging speeding cars, ducking bullets, and escaping through murky swamp waters, conventional Claire and freewheeling Riley struggle against their powerful chemistry—if she’s picket fences, he’s barbed wire.

Opposites do attract.

Now I’m reviewing Haunting Refrain.

There’s also a giveaway. Read on to learn more.

Haunting Refrain

goodreads-badge-add-plus for awaken

I just love the cover art for this book. The choice of blue is perfect and the scene evokes the same feelings I got from reading the story.

She doesn’t want to touch it again. But she has to. Kate can’t ignore what she’s seen.

Hands, cold and hard, tightened around her throat, choking her. Long fingers encircled her neck, and fingernails cut into her flesh. Strong thumbs pressed into her windpipe, forced her head back. She clawed at them, tried to free herself. Blinded by the rain and the curtain of hair that covered her eyes, she couldn’t see the face above her. She fought, desperate for air. Those powerful fingers squeezed harder. The world around her dimmed. She was dying.

Kate’s always been good at finding things, seeing glimpses of where something was. She never dreamed she’d see a murder.

At the urging of her friend, Venice, she joins a parapsychology study. She needs to learn more about her gift anyway. She picks up an item and the vision takes hold.

Now she’s a witness to murder. She refuses to go to the police. They wouldn’t take her seriously.  When Venice suggests they tell a friend, she reluctantly agrees, never dreaming he was a reporter.

John Gerrard smells a good story. He meets with the two women and subsequently prints his story, including Kate’s name in the article.

When the killer reads the paper, he’s stunned. After the panic subsides, he begin’s to make his plans.

He began thinking of ways to get to the women. First he would watch them, learn their habits. He wouldn’t mind watching Kate. She had a tight, sexy little body that had always appealed to him. And that hair – he bet she was a tiger.

Having no way of knowing how much Kate’s seen, he sets his plan in motion.

I really like Kate. She’s not wishy-washy and has a good head on her shoulders. She’s not like the femme fatale in the movies who ignore the warnings and go blithely on their merry way. She heeds the warnings and takes precautions. She’d better if she wants to keep that pretty head,

Her friend Venice is a riot. She’s clutzy and forgetful but she’s also caring and quirky. Though they are years apart, her and Kate are good together. It’s like they fill each others gaps. The author made Venice authentic for me. I’d like to meet her.

The suspense builds, you know it’s going to get worse, and you brace for the final confrontation. Ellis is a master at this. I found myself leaning forward towards my Kindle, like I could see ahead. I kept checking the battery to make sure there was enough juice left to finish the story.

Haunting Refrain is suspenseful, fraught with danger, and races to the finale.

4 Stars

Giveaway

I have two e-books to offer for the giveaway.

Entry is easy peasy. Just leave your email address and answer this question, “Have you ever had a psychic experience?”

This is an International Giveaway. Everyone can enter.

Contest ends Feb. 2nd.

Thank You and Good Luck!

About the author and where to find her.

Ellis Vidler

Ellis Vidler is a writer and editor. She and her guests talk about whatever comes to mind at her blog, http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com Ellis’s new suspense novel, Time of Death, will be released November 18th. Artist Alex Jenrette shares the psychic streak that runs through the McGuire family. Just as it does her cousin Kate (Haunting Refrain), that ability gets her into trouble when she draws a scene she never imagined–murder. The killer she can’t identify wants to eliminate her, but maybe help from unlikely sources will come in time. Cold Comfort, suspense with romantic elements, is set in December during the long nights before the winter solstice.  Claire Spencer owns a Christmas shop in the charming town of Williamsburg, VA. Her quiet life is turned upside down when she becomes a killer’s target. Everything she believed is a lie, but the truth is cold comfort. Her first novel was Haunting Refrain, a romantic mystery set in South Carolina, now out on Kindle. It has a touch of paranormal, and reviewers described the characters as “delightful.” Ellis published The Peeper with Jim Christopher, a retired law enforcement officer. The Peeper is a police procedural/suspense novel set in the South Carolina upstate. Tea in the Afternoon is a collection of three short Southern stories, not her usual suspense stories. Ellis is a member of Sisters in Crime. Her home is in the South Carolina piedmont with her husband, two dogs, and a collection of wildlife that shows up for breakfast.

Links

Website. http://www.ellisvidler.com

Blog. http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllisVidler

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4054785.Ellis_Vidler

Click on the covers to purchase her books.

I’m thrilled to be a part of this event organized by Karla@sharearead!

And now for the stunning reveal of Fire Country!

Fire Country by David Estes book one

Fire Country

In a changed world where the sky bleeds red, winter is hotter than hell and full of sandstorms, and summer’s even hotter with raging fires that roam the desert-like country, the Heaters manage to survive, barely.

Due to toxic air, life expectancies are so low the only way the tribe can survive is by forcing women to procreate when they turn sixteen and every three years thereafter. It is their duty as Bearers.

Fifteen-year-old Siena is a Youngling, soon to be a Bearer, when she starts hearing rumors of another tribe of all women, called the Wild Ones. They are known to kidnap Youngling girls before the Call, the ceremony in which Bearers are given a husband with whom to bear children with.

As the desert sands run out on her life’s hourglass, Siena must uncover the truth about the Wild Ones while untangling the web of lies and deceit her father has masterfully spun.

Title: Fire Country (Country Saga #1)

Author: David Estes

Publisher: ShareAread

Release Date: February 1st, 2013

Formats:  E-book

Goodreads TBR: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16160701-fire-country

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

If you’d like more information on this title or any other title by David Estes, feel free to contact me at karla@sharearead.com a replay will be sent as soon as possible.

Thank you

Karla Calzada

Director of Public Relations /Publicist

ShareAread, Connecting Authors with the readers who love them.
http://sharearead.com/
karla@shareAread.com
Content/Giveaway Manager & Co-Founder
http://passionatebookdivas.com
karla@passionatebookdivas.com

Founder

http://karlacc-bookaddict.blogspot.mx/

Press Release

Author David Estes

Contact: Karla Calzada Publicist

Early praise for the author

 

“David created a world I was excited to learn about and characters I cared about. I’ll remember this story for a very long time!”

Alexandria Nicole ~Goodreads

“Estes delivers a winner with confident writing that truly draws you into the story. “

Think ~ Goodreads

 

“The author, David Estes, has forged his name into writers to be watched and read.”

Marni ~Goodreads

 

“David is such a fantastic author and he really knows how to pull at the heartstrings.”

Kay ~K-Books

DavidEstes

 

 About the Author

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children’s and YA markets in 2010. He´s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table

 You can follow David at:

Blog

Author Facebook Page

Twitter

Goodreads

Goodreads fan page

The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers, #1)

  The Dwellers Saga

The Moon Dwellers Synopsis:

 

In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms.

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents’ crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

 

Buying Links

 

Kindle Ebook

Amazon Paperback

B&N Ebook

Smashwords Ebook

The Star Dwellers (The Dwellers, #2)

 The Dwellers Saga

The Star Dwellers Synopsis:

After rescuing her father and younger sister, Adele is forced to leave her family and Tristan behind to find her mother in the cruel and dangerous realm of the star dwellers.
Amidst blossoming feelings for Adele, Tristan must cast his feelings aside and let her find her own way amongst the star dwellers, while he accompanies Adele’s father to meet with the leaders of the moon dwellers and decide the fate of the Tri-Realms.
Will Adele be able to rescue her mother and make it back to the Moon Realm before the President and the sun dweller soldiers destroy her family?
Can Tristan convince the moon dweller puppets of the error of their ways?
Was Adele’s lost kiss with Tristan her one and only chance at love?
In her world there’s only one rule: Someone must die.

Buying Links

 

Kindle Ebook

Amazon Paperback

B&N Ebook

Smashwords Ebook

The Sun Dwellers (The Dwellers #3)

The Dwellers Saga

The Sun Dwellers Synopsis:

With those she’s closest to dying around her, Adele embarks on a secret mission to the Sun Realm to assassinate the President. Along the way she’ll uncover secrets about her relationship with Tristan that she might not be ready to face.

Tristan has a secret, too, one that’s been eating him up inside ever since he met Adele. Will he reveal all, and risk the loss of friendship and love at a time when he needs it the most?

At the same time, Adele’s mother, General Rose, must lead her soldiers into battle to face the sun dweller army in the hopes of holding them off until Adele can complete her mission. Can she outlast the strength of President Nailin’s elite fighting force?

There’s only one truth in their world: someone must die.

Bonus Material

 

Includes a bonus Dwellers Short Story (Anna’s Story) and a sneak peek at David Estes’s follow-up YA Dystopian

Series, Fire Country!

The Dwellers Saga books are now available everywhere eBooks and paperbacks are sold via Amazon.com. Also, David pledged when he started writing to always respond to his readers, and he loves getting comments and questions, so please contact him using one of his favorite social networking sites below.  He loves to get in contact with readers.

Where you can find David Estes hanging out:

Blog/website: http://davidestesbooks.blogspot.com

Facebook Page/s: http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Estes/130852990343920

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/davidestesbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/davidestesbooks

Other YA Books by David Estes

 

The Country Saga (A Dwellers sister series):

Book One—Fire Country (Coming March 1, 2013!)

The Evolution Trilogy

Book 1- Angel Evolution

Book 2- Demon Evolution

Book 3- Archangel Evolution

Children’s Books by David Estes

The Nikki Powergloves Adventures:

Nikki Powergloves- A Hero is Born

Nikki Powergloves and the Power Council

Nikki Powergloves and the Power Trappers

Nikki Powergloves and the Great Adventure

Nikki Powergloves VS The Power Outlaws (Coming in 2013!)

The amazing Ellis Vidler is one of my featured authors this month. Each Wednesday, I’ll be reviewing one of her fabulous books. There will be giveaways and guest posts, a whole lot of fun!

Last week I reviewed Time of Death, her newest release.

Time of Death

goodreads-badge-add-plus
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While visiting near Charleston, South Carolina, an artist draws scenes of murder she can’t explain. Alex. The artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.
Connor. The prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water.
Rollins. The killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.

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Ooh, there are some really great characters in Time of Death. I think my favorite is Alex, no, Jax, no, Jelly. Oh, I love them all! Can’t wait for you to meet them. Go here to read my review and enter the giveaway  to win a print copy(US/Canada Only) or an e-book(International). Ends Jan. 20th.

Today I’ll be reviewing Cold Comfort.

Read on to learn about this thrilling book and to enter the giveaway.

Cold Comfort

goodreads-badge-add-plus

After being dumped by her faithless fiancé, Claire Spencer has abandoned her dreams of a family of her own tucked neatly inside a picket fence. Instead, she’s plotting her solo course and settling for a quiet life as an independent Williamsburg shop owner. So how does she become a killer’s target?

Sometime security consultant Riley, burned out, disillusioned, and haunted by a young girl he couldn’t save, vows never to work with women again. But when a thug tries to kill the friend of a friend, the woman winds up in his arms, and all Riley’s plans go to hell. Knowing she’s in danger, he can’t walk away.

While dodging speeding cars, ducking bullets, and escaping through murky swamp waters, conventional Claire and freewheeling Riley struggle against their powerful chemistry—if she’s picket fences, he’s barbed wire.

Opposites do attract.

My Thoughts

My thoughts are all over the place. The beginning of this story hits the ground running and never slows down.

In the opening scene, Claire is fighting for her life when an unknown attacker tries to kill her. If not for her neighbor and his son, he may have succeeded. Claire is a petite woman and her attacker was large and determined. He only relented when he heard the neighbors rushing to her aid. His parting words, “I’ll be back, sweetheart.”

She thought she was safe. The car with the mismatched headlights wasn’t behind her. She pulled into her driveway and while climbing out of her car, the attack occurred.

After a ride in an ambulance and three stitches in her scalp, Claire is released from the hospital. She’ll have some sore muscles, a headache and some bruising. She tells the police officer that she’s seen the car following her for the last three days. She’s also had the hairs stand up on the back of her neck like someone was watching her, and she can’t shake the feeling someone’s been inside her home. Nothing is missing but her bedspread has been disturbed and she smelled traces of cigarette smoke. She thought maybe she was imagining things. She’s been through a lot.

Her mother died recently and her ex-fiancee ran off with his secretary two weeks before they were to be married. It’s not like she isn’t stressed.

The officer tells her it sounds like someone is trying to scare her, maybe a stalker. He drives her home and makes sure the house is secure before leaving. Claire hits the sack but sleep is a long time coming.

She arrives late to her Christmas shop, Mistletoe. There’s a police car out front and Mary , her assistant, rushes over to explain. Someone has been in the shop and they left something on Claire’s desk.

Who is doing this? On her desk is a dismembered doll, its little arms and legs scattered across the top and it’s head off to the side. Out of the limbless body protrudes a pencil. This is not the act of a stalker. This is something else entirely.

At Mary’s insistence, she calls Ben Riley for help. He’s what you’d call a problem -solver. At first he refuses to take her case, brushing her off as a hysterical female. Then Mary’s brother, Ray, calls and urges him to reconsider.

“”I’m asking you, Riley.”

So Riley is standing in the dark outside of Mistletoe, waiting for Claire to leave. She locks up and walks to her car, but before she can get there a car comes racing towards her. Riley tackles her out of its path and the car rushes off.

“Okay, lady. I’ll take your case.”

“The reluctant detective, I presume.”

And so it goes. The attacks keep coming, each one more serious.

Who wants her dead and why? Claire hasn’t a clue and it’s Riley’s job to find out.

Riley didn’t expect to like her, and he was damn sure she wouldn’t like him.

He was wrong on both counts. He knew he should have stayed away, but it’s already too late. He’s emotionally involved now, and he’ll protect Claire or die trying.

The mystery builds and builds as does the attraction between Claire and Ben.

I love a romance where the relationship starts out bumpy and the attraction catches the characters by surprise. These two are so different yet so perfect for each other.

The author had me hanging on every word, excited to see what would happen next. I couldn’t read fast enough. Don’t worry, I didn’t miss a thing.

Looking for a story that’ll leave you breathless? Cold Comfort barely gives you time to come up for air.

Five deep breaths for Cold Comfort!

5 Stars

Giveaway

I have one print book(US/Canada Only) and one e-book(International) to giveaway.

*To enter please leave your email address and answer this question, “Have you ever felt like someone was secretly watching you”

Giveaway ends Jan. 29th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

And on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd I’ll be reviewing Haunting Refrain and hosting yet another giveaway!

Haunting Refrain

goodreads-badge-add-plus

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Good intentions go awry and a newly discovered psychic gift becomes life-threatening in Ellis Vidler’s debut, Haunting Refrain. After a psychometric photographer touches a headband and witnesses, in her mind’s eye, a missing coed’s murder, and a reporter hard up for news mentions the mystery vision, the girl’s killer embarks on a new homicidal mission: he’ll do anything to keep Kate McGuire from getting him caught.

Make sure you mark your calendar. You won’t want to miss these! And don’t forget to enter the giveaways!

About the author and where to find her.

Ellis Vidler

Ellis Vidler is a writer and editor. She and her guests talk about whatever comes to mind at her blog, http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com Ellis’s new suspense novel, Time of Death, will be released November 18th. Artist Alex Jenrette shares the psychic streak that runs through the McGuire family. Just as it does her cousin Kate (Haunting Refrain), that ability gets her into trouble when she draws a scene she never imagined–murder. The killer she can’t identify wants to eliminate her, but maybe help from unlikely sources will come in time. Cold Comfort, suspense with romantic elements, is set in December during the long nights before the winter solstice.  Claire Spencer owns a Christmas shop in the charming town of Williamsburg, VA. Her quiet life is turned upside down when she becomes a killer’s target. Everything she believed is a lie, but the truth is cold comfort. Her first novel was Haunting Refrain, a romantic mystery set in South Carolina, now out on Kindle. It has a touch of paranormal, and reviewers described the characters as “delightful.” Ellis published The Peeper with Jim Christopher, a retired law enforcement officer. The Peeper is a police procedural/suspense novel set in the South Carolina upstate. Tea in the Afternoon is a collection of three short Southern stories, not her usual suspense stories. Ellis is a member of Sisters in Crime. Her home is in the South Carolina piedmont with her husband, two dogs, and a collection of wildlife that shows up for breakfast.

Links

Website. http://www.ellisvidler.com

Blog. http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllisVidler

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4054785.Ellis_Vidler

Click on the covers to purchase her books.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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My teaser for today is from Rapture by Phillip W. Simpson

Rapture (Rapture Trilogy, #1)

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I watched when Noah loaded up the Ark.I watched what became of those who were left behind. The misery, the anger, the terror. Some things don’t change. Take these times for instance. Humans knew He would return at some point – in fact, some of you even tried to predict his return – and yet most did nothing about it. Carried on living their lives, murdering, stealing, cheating. Fighting wars, killing innocents. He tried to warn you. Think about the amount of natural disasters that have occurred in the last few years. Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, flooding, plague and pestilence. Animals mysteriously dying in their thousands. No-one paid any attention, and now look what’s happened to them. Chapter 5, pg.59

 Feathery wings arched above her shoulders, their pale luminescence immune to the moon’s light. Chapter 3, pg.31

This is the first book in the series and  I’ll tell you right now, I’m going to read them all!

mailbox photo: MAILBOX MAILBOX.jpg

This is my own version of a bookhaul post where  I’ll be telling you about all of the books I got this week, whether print or e-book.

I got a few books this week, some free, some for review, and some I purchased just for my reading pleasure.

I also post reviews on another blog aknifeandaquill . It’s all about horror. If someone doesn’t die, we don’t do it here!

Here are some freebies I picked up to review on both blogs. Double exposure for the authors:)

Just one for this week.

Freebies for my blog fuonlyknew.

Books I won.

Books for review.

Books I bought.

A light week for me. Had to curb back and catch up.

You can click on the covers to purchase any of these.

So what did you get this week? See something you like? Do you have any of these? Leave a comment and let me know.

Book Blast: Just Breathe by Kendall Grey 

He made a deal with the devil to save the woman he loves…
After a terrible accident rocks the foundation of their relationship, Australian Sentinel Gavin Cassidy and whale biologist Zoe Morgan call it quits. Gavin can’t forgive himself for shattering her trust, and being with the sexy rock star is killing Zoe. Literally.
But love—and duty—are powerful motivators, and alliances are forged in the most unlikely places. With the key to salvation locked inside the mind of an unconscious child, Gavin must find another way to snuff out the Fyre Elementals before millions of humans die, or make good on his deal with the devil and lose the one he loves. Again.
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Today is the book blast for Just Breathe by Kendall Grey.  I’m reading Inhale right now and then it’s on to Exhale.  I’ll be doing my reviews in February.

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CLICK THIS LINK TO VISIT KENDALL’S SITE AND ENTER TO WIN A KINDLE FIRE HD!!

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Buy Links
*All profits from the sales of INHALE, EXHALE, and JUST BREATHE will be donated to whale education.
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If you haven’t started this series yet, you can read INHALE for free on Kindle!  Just click this link and check it out!
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Word diddler and whale warrior, Kendall was born without an off-switch between her brain and mouth. She’s been called the “Flux Capacitor of Twitter” and “A little package of love all wrapped up in F-word paper,” but she’s really just a maniacal writer relaying eyewitness accounts of the rave inside her head. She writes urban fantasy romance and dabbles in erotica and horror on occasion. Kendall lives off a dirt road near Atlanta, Georgia, but don’t hold that against her.
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The amazing Ellis Vidler is one of my featured authors this month. Each Wednesday, I’ll be reviewing one of her fabulous books. There will be giveaways and guest posts, a whole lot of fun!

I’m going to start with Time of Death, her newest release.

Time of Death

.
While visiting near Charleston, South Carolina, an artist draws scenes of murder she can’t explain.
Alex. The artist. After a tree falls on her house, she joins her aunt on an unspoiled island, but something wakens her family psychic streak. She draws eerily accurate scenes of violence, but she knows nothing about them.
Connor. The prosecutor. He’s building a case against a drug lord one piece of evidence at a time. For him it’s personal, and he can’t risk a relationship with a witness, especially a psychic who’ll blow his case out of the water.
Rollins. The killer. He’s a cog in a much bigger wheel, and the witness to his acts of violence threatens his operation and his life. He’ll do anything to see that doesn’t happen.
 

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Ooh, there are some really great characters in Time of Death. I think my favorite is Alex, no, Jax, no, Jelly. Oh, I love them all! Can’t wait for you to meet them.

Alex is clutzy, funny, a bit naive and like a momma bear when someone she cares about is threatened.

After a tree smashes in her roof, Alex comes to stay with her Aunt Isobel on Chicora Island. While up a tree taking photographs she sees something she shouldn’t. Nothing that stands out, just two men talking.

This scenario is very believable. Think about it. We go about our normal life seeing hundreds of things every day. You see two people talking, then it’s out of your mind.  When weird things start happening to you and those around you, when someone tries to kidnap or kill you, those two people don’t just pop instantly  into your mind. You’d be trying to rehash anything that stands out, not something so ordinary.

That’s why Alex can’t figure out why someone is trying to kill her.

Enter tall drink of water Prosecutor Connor Moran and his faithful companion Jax. He’s been after Rollins for a long time. He just hasn’t been able to pin anything on him. When he realizes that’s who’s after Alex, he does everything in his power to keep her alive. She’s a witness to a murder and doesn’t even realize it.

Rollins is a gangster personified. He kills without remorse, sometimes for the littlest things. If he’s after you, you better start praying. The people he sends don’t always kill you right away. Sometimes they like to play with you, like a cat does with a mouse. If they’re after you, they won’t stop coming until they get you. They’re after Alex and will mow down anyone standing in the way.

A story inside this story that I’d like to read more about is Isobel, Alex’s aunt. She made a big impression with her throwback hippy style. She’s very self-aware and intelligent and I’d like to get to know her better.

There are two characters that kind of stole the show and my heart. Jelly and Jax. Jelly is a giant of a man, with a simple mind. Jax is a three-legged retired military working dog. Both have handicaps and both shine from the pages. They added a special seasoning to the story.

There’s mystery, humor, murder, mayhem and some romance in Time of Death. Something for all of you. If you’re like me, after reading this book you’ll be wanting more. You won’t want to say goodbye.

Five Jax for Time of Death.

       

Please welcome Ellis!

We’ve had many dogs, some smart, some not so much, some gentle, some wild. But all were loving and wonderful companions. I consider dogs the greatest gift to mankind. Cats are good friends too, but not in the same way.  Dogs will lay down their lives for you. And they have a strong sense of a person who’s a threat. (We did have a cat who attacked a peeping Tom once, but we later found it was a man the cat hated anyway.)

When I was writing Time of Death, I felt it lacked something. After weeks of struggling with characters and the plot, I stumbled across Kevin Hanrahan’s blog about military working dogs. The dogs saved many lives and gave so much, often their own lives. That’s where I found the story of Anax and Marc. Read it. Both are heroes.

Anyway, Anax immediately leapt into my story. He added that one missing ingredient that brought it all to life. I fell for Jax, as I named him, and he took on his own personality and injected himself into many scenes. I found a picture of a German shepherd with the perfect expression. He’s photographer Sergey Kamshylin’s Zakhar, but he’s my Jax. Here’s Connor Moran, the prosecutor, explaining to Alex about his dog’s behavior around Merlin, her cat.

10944046_s JAX for ellis vidler review

“Jax?”

“My dog. He was a military service dog, very well trained, and he won’t bother Merlin. How does the cat feel about dogs?”

“He’s been around them, but he’ll be cautious.” Military? She hoped he was right that the dog was well trained. They’d be in someone else’s house, and she didn’t want to worry about Merlin. “Tell me about Jax. What kind is he?”

“German shepherd.”

Images of lunging, snarling dogs flew through her head. She straightened, wide awake now. “Go on.”

As if reading her mind, he said, “He was trained for explosive detection. He’s not an attack dog.” His eyes held a faraway look.

The other character I found especially interesting to write was Jelly Biggs, a retired heavyweight boxer who’s taken a few too many blows to the head. Here’s the bad guy watching Jelly, his bodyguard:

Movement caught his eye, and Rollins spotted the big man running across the sand. Jelly’s thoughts might tumble like lottery balls in a bin, but the former heavyweight still floats like a butterfly.

Thanks so much for the wonderful guest post Ellis.

GIVEAWAY

I have one print book(US/Canada Only) and one e-book(International) to giveaway.

*To enter please leave your email address and answer this question, “Are you a dog person or a cat person or both?”

Giveaway ends Jan. 20th.

Thank you and Good Luck!

Next Wednesday, Jan. 16th I’ll be reviewing Cold Comfort and hosting another giveaway!

After being dumped by her faithless fiancé, Claire Spencer has abandoned her dreams of a family of her own tucked neatly inside a picket fence. Instead, she’s plotting her solo course and settling for a quiet life as an independent Williamsburg shop owner. So how does she become a killer’s target?

Sometime security consultant Riley, burned out, disillusioned, and haunted by a young girl he couldn’t save, vows never to work with women again. But when a thug tries to kill the friend of a friend, the woman winds up in his arms, and all Riley’s plans go to hell. Knowing she’s in danger, he can’t walk away.

While dodging speeding cars, ducking bullets, and escaping through murky swamp waters, conventional Claire and freewheeling Riley struggle against their powerful chemistry—if she’s picket fences, he’s barbed wire.

Opposites do attract.

And on Wednesday, Jan. 23rd I’ll be reviewing Haunting Refrain and hosting yet another giveaway!

Good intentions go awry and a newly discovered psychic gift becomes life-threatening in Ellis Vidler’s debut, Haunting Refrain. After a psychometric photographer touches a headband and witnesses, in her mind’s eye, a missing coed’s murder, and a reporter hard up for news mentions the mystery vision, the girl’s killer embarks on a new homicidal mission: he’ll do anything to keep Kate McGuire from getting him caught.

Make sure you mark your calendar. You won’t want to miss these!

About the author and where to find her

Ellis Vidler

Ellis Vidler is a writer and editor. She and her guests talk about whatever comes to mind at her blog, http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com Ellis’s new suspense novel, Time of Death, will be released November 18th. Artist Alex Jenrette shares the psychic streak that runs through the McGuire family. Just as it does her cousin Kate (Haunting Refrain), that ability gets her into trouble when she draws a scene she never imagined–murder. The killer she can’t identify wants to eliminate her, but maybe help from unlikely sources will come in time. Cold Comfort, suspense with romantic elements, is set in December during the long nights before the winter solstice.  Claire Spencer owns a Christmas shop in the charming town of Williamsburg, VA. Her quiet life is turned upside down when she becomes a killer’s target. Everything she believed is a lie, but the truth is cold comfort. Her first novel was Haunting Refrain, a romantic mystery set in South Carolina, now out on Kindle. It has a touch of paranormal, and reviewers described the characters as “delightful.” Ellis published The Peeper with Jim Christopher, a retired law enforcement officer. The Peeper is a police procedural/suspense novel set in the South Carolina upstate. Tea in the Afternoon is a collection of three short Southern stories, not her usual suspense stories. Ellis is a member of Sisters in Crime. Her home is in the South Carolina piedmont with her husband, two dogs, and a collection of wildlife that shows up for breakfast.

Links

Website. http://www.ellisvidler.com

Blog. http://theunpredictablemuse.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllisVidler

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4054785.Ellis_Vidler

The original blog about Anax. http://khanrahan.com/2012/01/25/marc-and-anax/

Click on the covers to purchase her books.

I love reading and reviewing short stories and collections. You get a little bit of everything and they are a challenge to review.

For today, I’m reviewing The Lady of Chains ~And  Other Stories by V. Shaw. Read more to enter the giveaway.

The Lady of Chains and Other Stories

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NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER READERS

The Lady of Chains

Remember; you have seventy-two hours to do the deed and not a moment longer. Cut her throat and remove her heart. That, my girl, is the only way to destroy the wretched creature.”

Viola knew she shouldn’t have taken Mrs. Casket’s offer.  Viola’s heart stutters with each step up the long winding staircase. She really needs the money, but can she actually do this?

Greylock is a city of rust and steam, patrolled by metal soldiers who’s only purpose is to kill . They are best avoided. Nothing ever grows here and being an orphan, Viola struggles just to live.

It’s been chained up in the tower for years. If It ever escaped, it would finish what it started.

Mrs. Casket’s proposition seemed like a great opportunity, but now that she’s about to come face to face with The Lady of Chains, the Destroyer, Traitor of Greylock, Viola’s having second and third thoughts.

There is all kinds of weird in this story. A lady immobilized with chains, a machine with gears and valves that controls her movements, and a mysterious connection between Viola and the Lady. This novelette has depth and excitement.

I love the steampunk flavor and the well placed scenes of horror make this an edge of your seat read.  The author’s ability to develop her characters in-depth, describe the city as if I could see and smell it, and create a unique and startling plot just blew me away.

Hansel and Gretel

You know the story. Brother and sister tricked into the woods and abandoned there by their parents. They stumble around, lost and afraid.

In V. Shaw’s version of this tale, things are quite different. As time passes, Hansel and Gretel begin to change, to become a part of the forest. They are becoming.

This one surprised me. It started out familiar but then took a turn to the mysterious. It’s not the witch, eating children, you have to worry about.

The author got creative and gave you a whole new spin on an old fairytale.

Rogan and the Gargoyle

Megan regains consciousness, a peculiar metallic taste on her tongue. Probing her mouth, she pulls out a lump of flesh.

Then she recalls everything. The gargoyle grabbing her, taking flight, and the taste of its skin when she bites it.

They’d all been a part of the Health and Fitness class and went to the Highlands of Scotland to enjoy some rock climbing and camping. The lodge was isolated and outfitted with the barest of necessities.

Megan wishes she’d never went into the barn. That’s where she discovered the hideous statue.

When night fell, the statue came to life and picked them off one by one.

Big Dave, Meg and Rogan are all that’s left now.  If the stories are true, it turns to stone during the day. What should they do, run for it or try to hunt it down and destroy it?

If they’d had that one piece of necessary, need to know information, their decision might have been different.

Silent World

All the adults are gone along with most of the children. Alex and Thorn live in the farmhouse he was raised in. After taking her in, Alex tries to make life for her as normal as possible, as safe as possible, in a world of extreme winters and blistering hot summers.

They’ve been doing okay, keeping up patrols to destroy the Carpathians and meat-sacks that stumble upon the farm. Thorn is very good at taking them down. She’s very agile and ferocious for such a young girl. For all they know, they could be the only humans left.

Then there’s a knock on their door, more like a thump and a scrape. When Alex hears the faint cry for help, he risks opening the door. Standing there, in the white out of the winter storm, is a figure clad in fur and leather, face not visible . He rushes to catch the stranger when Thorn sidles up and conks the visitor on the head.

Alex stops Thorn from shooting the stranger and they put him in one of the kennels in the basement.

At first the young man wants nothing to do with them, but his infected wounds make him too weak to leave. Slowly nursed back to health, Finn begins to come out of his shell.

As the days pass, Finn grows stronger and becomes friends with Thorn. He treads lightly around Alex, not sure of how to act around him. Living in close quarters, they all begin to bond, to work as a team.

But Alex has a secret, a terrible one. One that puts them all in danger.

I’m still wondering if the beings are vampires or zombies or both. They don’t play a big role in the story though. Alex, Thorn and Finn are the major players and the author shows you their flaws, vulnerabilities, and loneliness. I enjoyed reading about them as they began to become friends. The relationship between Alex and Quinn left me curious. Not sure how I should interpret it. The hope the characters bring to each other, along with their struggle to survive allows you to bond with them and their story. You can’t help but care what happens.

All of these stories would be great as full novels. I’d love to know more. Each one has an element of horror but V. Shaw also brings to the table the fragility of human nature and our strengths when faced with impossible situations.

I gave this a Five for keeping it real.

Praise for Lady of Chains ~ And Other Stories

“V. Shaw’s talent for writing a good story is apparent in her very first book. The Lady of Chains and Other Stories doesn’t disappoint.” KDH Reviews
“The story is written to captivate the reader and it does this with the greatest of ease . . . I loved it and couldn’t put the book down.” Amazon.com
“A definite must read! Each story is a gateway into another world which takes your imagination to a whole new place with engaging & quirky characters. Very intriguing stories. Hard to put down.” Amazon.co.uk

About the author

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V. Shaw is the author of the short fiction collection, The Lady of Chains and Other Stories. Born in Scotland, she studied Film and Media at Stirling University. Having reviewed horror films for the now defunct FatallyYours.com, she has turned her attention to creating her own stories.

Writer. Urban explorer. Climber. Horror junkie. Beer guzzler. Book obsessed.
Cinema and television fiend. Nerd for life.

Her debut horror novel, The Fragile Things, is due to be released in March.

The Fragile Things

Her blog

Goodreads

Giveaway

V. Shaw is offering five e-books for the giveaway.

To enter, please leave your email address and answer this question, “What do you like about short stories and collections?”

Contest ends Jan. 16th.

Thank You and Good Luck.

Click on the cover to purchase your copy.

Dina Rae is giving away Bad Juju for free right now. Get it now. I don’t know how long it’ll be free.

Go here to get yours.

Bad Juju

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A Haitian bokor mentors two teens in the dark arts. Their spells backfire.

Lucien Nazaire flees his Haitian homeland and meanders around the United States for decades. He settles in a Wisconsin trailer park filled with elderly tenants. He meets Jake and hires him for odd household jobs. As their relationship progresses, Lucien invites the boy into the world of Voodoo.
Jake LaRue lives in foster care with his abusive uncle. The Voodoo lessons give him a sense of power within an otherwise helpless situation. Despite his loner status, he instantly connects with Henry, his only friend in high school.
Henry Novak has Asperger’s Syndrome. He fixates on historical events, most recently the 2010 Haitian earthquake. Like Jake, he becomes passionate about the dark side of Voodoo. They learn how to cast spells on those they hate and lust, leading up to dire consequences.
Months after the Haitian earthquake, Henry convinces his family to volunteer for the island’s reconstruction. Their mission turns into a nightmare when he mysteriously walks off of the campsite.
Bad Juju is a balance of horror, romance, and literary fiction intended for adults and mature teens. The plot uses research involving the Voodoo religion.

This is a great book. You can read my review here.

Other books by Dina Rae

I really enjoy Dina’s writing and I’m working my way through her books. Right now, I’m reading Halo of the Damned. As soon as I’m finished I’ll be back here to tell you about it.

Click on the covers to purchase the books.

I am doing some author spotlights this month and one of them is the amazing Ella Medler. Each week I’ll be doing a review for one of her books and there will also be a guest post and some giveaways.

Blood Is Heavier

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Nick is living the American dream. He has a successful business, a beautiful home, he’s married to the love of his life, Maxi,  and has a 4-year-old son, Cameron, who steals his breath when he hears his laughter.

He never dreamed he’d settle down and be in such a rush to get home every day. It was his whole world now.

Then, it was all gone in an instant. With one phone call, his world comes tumbling down.

His wife calls him on his cell to remind him to pick up their son from a birthday party. She tells him his friend JB is at the house with her, waiting for him to return.

JB is a bad man, one he never hoped to meet again. He’s a part of Nick’s past. A past filled with killing. That JB was there with his wife sent chills down his spine. Nick knew him for what he was. Killers always recognize each other.

Nick wrestles with whether to pick up his son first or rush home to deal with JB. In the end, his decision doesn’t matter. It’s been taken out of his hands. The trap was too well set.

In a blinding flash of light, his hopes and dreams explode. One moment he sees Maxi waving at him in the window. In the next, the house disintegrates with a loud whoomp.

This scene made me think of the movie The Punisher. The part where they come and kill his whole family. The scenes don’t read the same but the feelings I had were as powerful. First there’s the shock and horror. Then there’s disbelief and sadness. Who could do such a thing?

I could see this scene play out in slow motion, like tunnel vision, Nick racing to his house, but there’s nothing left of it but a fiery pile.

The sharks from Nick’s past have caught up with him, and this is their warning to him. They now have his son, and he’ll do what they want or he’ll never hear his sons laughter again.

The last time Nick saw his wife she was smiling and waving to him, right before the house exploded. This vision would replay over and over in his mind, fueling the fires for the reckoning to come.

What becomes of one half when the whole gets ripped to shreds? When you have no hope, how do you continue to exist?”

They murdered his heart and now they’ve stolen his soul, his son. You know what follows. Rage and a deep, aching need to spill blood. And blood will be spilled.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyZS0wYCYzo]

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I loved the pacing of this book and how the author flashed back to different times in Nick’s past.

It was fun to read about how Nick and Maxi met and the pickle they got in. Their connection was quick, but that’s only natural when you might be about to die.

The author takes you to the past and back again, keeping the story flowing smoothly and filling in the details. She keeps you entertained and builds the mystery, dropping in hidden clues, making you go this way and that way like weaving through heavy traffic.

Make sure you set aside plenty of time before you settle in. You’ll have a hard time stopping before you reach the end.

Five smoking guns for the thrilling action and tantalizing suspense of Blood is Heavier.

       

Giveaway

Ella is graciously offering 5 e-books of Blood is Heavier for the giveaway!

Entry is easy. Just leave your email address and answer this question, “What would you do to protect your loved ones?”

Good luck!

Contest ends January 15th.

You will be seeing a lot more about Ella and her books here on fuonlyknew!

About the author

Ella Medler

I live in Cornwall with my husband and our two teenage daughters. Together, we care for a large assortment of pets, some small enough to fit in a fish tank, and some capable of causing you significant injury on impact. I was born in Transylvania but got chucked out due to my inability to grow fangs and reluctance to sleep in coffins.

My first book, MARTIN LITTLE, RESURRECTED is a lighthearted fantasy novel full of action and unique takes on life. It’s total escapism. Heartened by positive reviews on my first book, I published BLOOD IS HEAVIER, an action thriller, which is an explosive and emotional struggle to save a father’s most treasured possession. ETERNAL ISLAND, a paranormal romance, is now live. I have co-written it with a brilliant American author, Kristie S. Haigwood. My next release is book two in the Hunter Series, BLOOD IS POWER, which should be out before the end of the year. In the pipeline are sequels for all of the above and a spin-off from Blood is Heavier – Tequila’s story.

Future works

Blood is Power (Book Two in the Hunter Series)

Martin Little Takes Epic Action (Book Two in the Martin Little Series)

Deal With It – Tequila’s story

In collaboration with Kristie.S. Haigwood

Eternal Immorality

Eternal Inception

Contacts

Blog

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

To purchase these books, click on the covers.

Books by Ella Medler

Books written with Kristie .S. Haigwood