Posts Tagged ‘Adventure’

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.

Ella’s book, Blood is Heavier was my first review and giveaway post for 2013! You can read my 5 Star review and enter the giveaway here.

Blood Is Heavier

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This week I’m reviewing  Martin Little, Resurrected. This story is quite different from  the thriller, Blood is Heavier.

Martin Little, Resurrected

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The cover art for this story is perfect. You know you’re in for a fun adventure before you even crack the book.

In the beginning there was…

Well, there was Martin Little, a cup of hot chocolate and a favor. That favor culminates in a mixed bag of people all crammed into a holding room at the police station.. It isn’t really important why they’re there, it’s what they do!

You have Martin, the eternal pessimist,  Gary, the drunken tramp, and Vee, the hippy girl. When the door opens, it’s Gary’s friend Archie with the keys to freedom.

Tired of waiting and not knowing what’s going to happen to them, they simply leave.

They rush to Archie’s van and tear out of the parking lot. His driving is atrocious and before too long Martin’s fears become real life as the van careens out of control and over the edge of the cliff. After a long, bumpy tumble to the bottom, darkness descends and Martin knows no more.

That is until he wakes up to a bright light. So bright he can see nothing of his surroundings. He sets off in search of anything and gradually hears voices ahead. He draws closer and eventually enters a huge crowd of people milling around in a rough line.

When he sees a familiar face, relief rushes through him. Vee explains the situation, and even though he scoffs at her idea, he starts to believe.

They died in the crash. They’re all dead, Everyone here is.

Vee drags him over to Archie and Gary and the four of them join the end of the line. As the line shortens they can see the “pearly gates”, except they’re golden and they stretch upward as far as the eye can see. One by one people are called and they enter.

Finally, they are the only ones left. When the door opens, instead of being called in, a hand reaches out and hangs a sign on the door and closes it again.

Gary walks up and reads it. CLOSED FOR LUNCH

They can’t believe it and bust a gut laughing. Looks like it’s business as usual even in Heaven.

Vee gets the crazy idea of trying the door, but when they do, it’s locked. Not to be denied, she digs around in her huge bag and pulls out a small bundle, which she proceeds to unroll.

Lo and behold, the woman has a lock pick set and she knows how to use it. Before too long they hear the lock give and the door swings open.

One by one they steal into Heaven.

Can you believe it. They picked the locks to heaven!

When I picture entering Heaven, I see the pearly gates and sitting outside is a little old man with a long, gray beard, checking his list, checking it twice.

Never, in my wildest dreams, would I have imagined stealing into Heaven.

Ella takes this idea and runs with it. I mean she tells of these amazing adventures. Her idea of Heaven is crazy, funny, and beyond imagination.

You may not be too sure of the characters at first, but soon you’ll come to like them and maybe even love them. They are all flawed. Aren’t we all? That’s what made me connect with them. By the end of the story, I was totally invested in their well-being.

When you follow the group into Heaven you are going to be amazed. It’s so different from what you’d expect. And a trip to Hell and an encounter with Hades leaves you roaring with laughter and wanting to visit.

This delightful tale makes you stop and think. Makes you want to be a little bit kinder to your fellow man. We are all in this big thing called LIFE together.

And the ending, ooh it’s a goodie! Don’t get me wrong. The author wraps it up nicely, but the door is left open for a whole lot more. Can’t wait to read Martin Little Takes Epic Action – Book Two.

My rating went from a 4 to a 5 halfway through the story.

       

Next week I’ll be reviewing Eternal Island – Book One of The Eternal Series by Ella Medler and K.S. Haigwood.

Check out these covers!

Eternal Island (Book 1 in the Eternal Series)

Coming soon Eternal Immorality Book Two in the Eternal Series

EI2Coverbig eternal immortality

There will be a giveaway and a supercool guest post by Ella and Kristie, all about how they came to write the books together.

Be sure to stop back and join the fun.

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

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 Swords & Sails
The Legacy of the Red Lion by David McAvoy II
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Swords & Sails: The Legacy of the Red Lion
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“Edward.” The Pirate Hunter said, glaring at him. “A shame for such a promising young man to throw in his lot with pirates. I will get out of this Edward, and believe me, when I do I’m going to make sure you hang right beside Wolfgang.”
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Having a great time reading this one! I can smell the briny scent of the ocean and taste the salt from the water’s spray on my lips. A good thing I don’t get seasick!
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A treasure map

A treasure map (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: The Emerald Quest

Author: Renee Pawlish

 
Book description borrowed from Goodreads.
A long-lost emerald, a missing treasure map, and a wealthy villain combine for an action-packed adventure!
Thirteen-year-old Noah Winter, the son of sea-exploring treasure hunters, dives the San Isabel shipwreck with his parents in search of a mysterious treasure map lost in the murky depths off the Florida Keys over a century ago. The map reveals the hiding place of the priceless De La Rosa emerald. But before the Winters can find the map, a wealthy treasure-hunting rival kidnaps Noah’s parents. Now Noah must match wits with a dangerous adversary, not only to discover the treasure map first, but to rescue his mom and dad before it is too late.
My Review
It starts simply enough. Noah and his parents go diving on a shipwreck, trying to locate a treasure map.  Somebody else wants the map and kidnaps Noah’s parents in order to exchange them for the map.  It is up to Noah to rescue his parents.  
Of course, I simplified the story line. There is no end to the action in this adventure. Rescuing his parents is just the beginning for Noah. Now they set off to find the treasure with the ever-present bad guys hot on their trail.
Renee takes you on a treasure hunt across the globe. Her characters are fun and realistic and you find yourself holding your breath in the hope that they will succeed. I loved everything about this book, the action, the vivid descriptions and the thrill of the hunt. There is much more to be told in this series.
The Emerald Quest is a good read for all ages and I highly recommend you join the hunt!
 
5STARS
 
About Renee Pawlish
From the time she was ten and tried to write her own detective series in the fashion of the Hardy Boys, Renee Pawlish has been developing her craft. Along with creative writing classes, Renee studied great writers like Dashiell Hammett, Rex Stout, Stephen King, Sue Grafton and many more. Once Renee graduated from college, she began her first novel. Now, all these years later, she has penned numerous books in a variety of genres.
Renee was born in California, but has lived most of her life in Colorado. When she’s not hiking, cycling, or chasing ball players for autographs, she is writing mysteries and thrillers. She has some middle grade novels waiting to be published.
Renee loves to travel and has visited numerous countries around the world. She has also spent many summer days at her parents’ cabin in the hills outside of Boulder, which was the inspiration for the setting of Taylor Crossing in her novel Nephilim: Genesis of Evil.
Other books by Renee Pawlish
The Reed Ferguson Mystery Series
This Doesn’t Happen in the Movies
Real Estate Rip-off
The Nephilim Series
Nephilim: Genesis of Evil
Books 2 and 3 soon to be released
The Noah Winter YA Adventure Series
The Emerald Quest
Take Five
A short story collection that includes a Reed Ferguson tale.
The Sallie House: Exposing the Beast Within
A non-fiction book about one of the most haunted houses in America.
 
To learn more you can follow her on Facebook:
on her blog:
on twitter:
 
A short review
Title: Return to Underland
Author: Alan nayes
 
My review
Spinner and Reglan are best friends. Spinner collects fossils and Regan wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. Finally, when he turns eleven, Spinner is allowed to venture beyond the meadow, but only if Reglan and his dog Otter goes with him.  They discover the tracks of a weird creature and follow them to a stream where they notice the tracks have changed. They are almost human.
I just love the heck out of this book. The author creates such a believable world, filling it with amazing creatures. Once the action starts, it never slows down.  With Spinner and Reglan, the author perfectly captured the preciousness of young friendship and trust. This is a quick read that leaves you smiling. Recommended for all ages.
 
5 STARS