Tag: book

Books, great reads, Reviews

Where One Goes by B.N. Toler

debra

Hi everyone,

If you have not read this book, I recommend you to.  I found this book by way of an online book club that I belong to and it was the September selection.  This is the first book by this author I have read.

This book has three main characters:  Char, Ike and George.  Char can see the spirits of the dead and helps them crossover to the other side by helping them with their “unfinished business”, whatever it is that is keeping them here on this side.  This has been very hard on Char (short for Charlotte) since her family thinks she is crazy and kicks her out and her job of helping the dead is very difficult.  After being on her own for several years, she has had all she can take and decides to end her life.  As she is preparing to jump, she meets Ike and the story starts unfolding.  Ike died in the service, yet can’t move on because he is worried about his twin brother, George.  George owns a business that Ike was co-owner of.  As twins, Ike and George had that unique relationship that twins have and not only has he lost brother, but also his best friend and business partner.  George can not relate to this new reality and becomes messed up with drug abuse.  So Char and Ike are on the case to try to help George.  Over the course of the story, an interesting “relationship” develops between Char and Ike.  Interesting because the relationship cannot happen–Ike is dead.  However, there is a very strong connection between Char and Ike.  The problem is that a relationship develops between Char and George.  The story at times is heartwarming and heart wrenching, especially when the truth of Char’s abilities are brought out to George and his family.  Throughout the story, Char also helps Ike and George’s parents as well as a deceased little girl as she needs to cross-over but can’t yet.. Some additional suspense is also introduced because of a case that Char is helping a spirit with at the beginning.  Char also helps a buddy of Ike’s from the service who is in Ike’s hometown working at George’s bar.  She helps him deal with Ike’s death.  The characters evolve throughout as we watch how the story starts with Char helping Ike and in the end Ike helping Char and both helping George.

I thought this story was very touching and I enjoyed it.  I don’t believe I can ever re-read this book (I do this with books I enjoy) because of the level of emotional angst in it.  However, I do suggest you give it a look.

Out of the Box Blogs

Tough Love by Lori Foster

debra

Hi everyone,

Tough Love is the third installment of her Ultimate Series.  This series follows the lives of several fighters in the SBC, a fictional ultimate fighting company. This installment tells the story of Stack and Vanity.  I have enjoyed both characters since meeting them in prior books, No Limits and Holding Strong. Stack has wanted Vanity since meeting her and the same goes for Vanity.  Stack is a bit relationship-phobic and lacks any tolerance for deceit.  Without knowledge of this and the why behind it, Vanity decides the best way to get to Stack is by using a “smoke and mirrors” plan.  Through a series of unforeseen incidents, it takes a little bit for them to hookup, but when they do, they steam the pages.  The real story lies within how both of them come to realize they truly love one another.  Vanity completely captures Stack with her response to what he considers his crazy family including his sister’s beloved dogs.  Stack wins Vanity by showing her his love for his mother, his sister, his friends and the community. Vanity is alone in the world except for her best friend, Yvette (the heroine in the first book, No Limits) and the other fighters in Stacks’s circle whom she has developed real friendships with.  I loved it when the fighters stood on Vanity’s side when Stack discovered her small deception.  There is also a little suspense added in with someone hiring people to hurt Stack and Vanity steps into the situation in her own way to help which leads to the finale.

Although I don’t consider this to be the strongest book in this series (that still goes to No Limits, the first book in this series), this is a nice addition.  I ended up liking both Stack and Vanity.  This book also sets up the next story nicely.  I think everyone is really looking forward to Armie and Rissy’s story and we got a little peek of them here.  All in all, a solid entry in the Ultimate Series.  It is not necessary to read the books in order, however, I do suggest it so you can see the introduction of all the characters and the lead up to their stories throughout the series.

I received an ARC of Tough Love in exchange for an honest review.

Books, great reads, indie author, Reviews, scifi

Sins of the Father by Anthony Vicino

Karen

About two weeks ago I posted a review on another one of Anthony’s books Parallel. Needless to say I was not happy with the end. So Anthony messaged me and our conversation went like this:

Kar how could you write a review like that on your blog! I’m one of the few people who actually liked something you wrote, think you could throw a little of the love back, sheesh! Here! If you’re going to be so cruel why don’t you just start taking my books!

Sorry, that’s a total lie, he was a completely professional and was really nice. I imagine if I was an author that’s what I would think every time I saw a bad review, of course I’d never say it. Really, I promise. To top off the fact that he seems to be genuinely nice (see I told you most authors are) he was also kind enough to send me this novella so I could give his writing another chance. So that’s how Sins of the Father came into my possession. And let me tell you, this one is a winner.

Background first. The story is about Ricky who is a man is his forties locked in a mental institute for killing his grandmother when he was a child but he can’t remember why. Problem? He thinks he’s still 9 years old and is suppressing the truth. So can the doctors unlock his memories and make him whole again? And will he be able to survive?

This is a completely different story than the first one I read from Vicino, more of a mental mind game scifi than a multi dimensional multi world scifi, but I can appreciate both. I found myself unable to put this book down, constantly curious as too what was coming next in the story. This book really forced me to feel with the characters, which is hard for me, making the end even more impactful. If you want a taste of Vicino’s writing this was a great, quick read. I plan on picking up his full length book, Time Heist, to see if the trend can continue.

Thank you Anthony, redemption successful.

Out of the Box Blogs

Blood Dark by Lindsay J. Pryor

Les

Vampires, Lycans, 4th dimension creatures, OH MY! Ok so this was a really good book. You have Powerful Vampires, Human police, love, sex, and action.

This book is about a cop Caitlin who is infatuated with a master vampire Kayne, who in turn wants to let her in but is suppose to be a loner. They had a whirlwind 2 weeks together, but now reality has come back to haunt them. She goes back to work with the police department which he hates, so there is issues with why she would do it. There are so many things that happen in this book, I couldn’t possibly go into them all.

I liked this book a lot. Sometimes the main characters Caitlin and Kane made me want to choke them for their stubbornness. Nevertheless I couldn’t put this book down.

So basically, this book will make you laugh, make you crazy, and make you sad. The characters are well developed and the story is told from different perspectives.

This is book #5. Even though I didn’t read the first four I was able to read this one with no problem knowing what was happening.

Check it out!

Peace

Les