Introducing The Battle For Darracia Saga by Michael Phillip Cash!

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Meet Michael Phillip Cash

Michael Phillip Cash is an award winning and best selling author of horror, paranormal, and science fiction novels. Stillwell: A Haunting on Long IslandThe Hanging Tree, and Schism: The Battle For Darracia have all been named to Foreword Review's Book of the Year Awards. Michael currently resides on Long Island with his wife and children.

Connect and Socialize with Michael!


Schism: The Battle For Darracia by Michael Phillip Cash (2013)
Length: 202 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Schism: The Battle For Darracia Blurb: 

On the planet Darracia, an ever-widening social gap between its inhabitants is causing turmoil that is fracturing a once peaceful world. Struggling with his identity, nineteen year old Prince V'sair must harness the power of the elusive Fireblade, the secret to a warrior's heart, in order to overcome his uncle Staf Nuen's lust for supremacy. Will the energy of the Elements guide the young prince to his true destiny or will Staf Nuen conquer Darracia? 

After the success of his first three books (Brood XStillwell, and The Hanging Tree) Michael is fulfilling a dream and creating his own epic fantasy world. Schism: The Battle For Darracia is the first book in a planned series.

Collision: The Battle For Darracia by Michael Phillip Cash (2014)
Length: 258 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Collision: The Battle For Darracia Blurb: 

The Darracia saga continues with all the key players spread out and searching for answers throughout the solar system. Prince V'sair struggles to hold his fractured kingdom together without help from his family. His stepbrother Zayden is on a vengeful hunt for his evil uncle Staf Nuen. 

Tulani navigates her two worlds trying to bring them together. Staf Nuen, the orchestrator of the original coup, is making unholy alliances with nefarious new allies. Like the comet zipping across the horizon, all the different factions are heading for a collision course that will test both their faith and power.

Risen: The Battle For Darracia by Michael Phillip Cash (2014)
Length: 272 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Risen: The Battle For Darracia Blurb: 

Imprisoned on the dead moon of Bina, trapped at the bottom of the cold Hixom Sea, locked in a cell in the flooded Desa and blinded & defeated in the Eastern Provinces, the ruling class of Darracia is defeated without hope. In the stunning conclusion of the Darracia saga, V’sair, Tulani, Zayden and Reminda must dig deep and find both strength and faith to rise from the depths of the impossible and restore order to their home planet from Lothen, Staf Nuen and the evil armies of Geva.

May you read well and often

Calling All Book Reviewers!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Hello Everyone! I was delighted to learn recently that The Ice Bridge and Blood Forge by Kathryn Meyer Griffith were recently released as audiobooks. I've had the pleasure of reading approximately eighteen of Ms. Griffith's twenty-two currently published books. Of those twenty-two books, twenty of them have been released as audiobooks distributed by Audible.

The two newest releases are, of course, The Ice Bridge and Blood Forge by Kathryn Meyer Griffith. The Ice Bridge is narrated by Ashley Arnold and Blood Forge is narrated by Marilyn Ghigliotti. I haven't had the pleasure of reading either book as yet - although I hope to at some point in the very near future.


Meet Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Since childhood I’ve been an artist and worked as a graphic designer in the corporate world and for newspapers for twenty-three years before I quit to write full time. But I’d already begun writing novels at 21, over forty-two years ago now, and have had twenty (ten romantic horror, two horror novels, two romantic SF horror, one romantic suspense, one romantic time travel, one historical romance and three murder mysteries) previous novels, two novellas and twelve short stories published from Zebra BooksLeisure BooksAvalon BooksThe Wild Rose PressDamnation Books/Eternal Press; and I’ve self-published my last five novels with Amazon Kindle Direct and my dinosaur novels are my best-sellers.

I’ve been married to Russell for thirty-six years; have a son, James, and two grandchildren, Joshua and Caitlyn, and I live in a small quaint town in Illinois, which is right across the JB Bridge from St. Louis, Mo. We have three quirky cats, ghost cat Sasha and Cleo, and live cat Sasha (Too), and the five of us live happily in an old house in the heart of town. Though I’ve been an artist, and a folk singer in my youth with my brother Jim, writing has always been my greatest passion, my butterfly stage, and I’ll probably write stories until the day I die…or until my memory goes.

2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my horror novel The Last Vampire - Revised Author’s Edition ~ 2014 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS *FINALIST* for my thriller novel Dinosaur Lake.

The Ice Bridge by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2011)
Length: 254 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon and Audible!

The Ice Bridge Blurb:

She’ll fall in love again…with a man and the island. Charlotte returns to her Aunt Bess and Mackinac Island, a quaint retreat that welcomes summer tourists and allows no cars to renew herself and write about the island’s ghosts.
She’s come to help Bess with her heartache, an ended love with Shaun, and to renew a friendship with neighbor Hannah.

In winter Mackinac closes down and everyone looks forward to the ice bridge that freezes across the Straits of Mackinac.

Until Hannah disappears into the icy waters crossing it.

Everyone says it’s an accident. But Charlotte and her admirer cop friend, Mac, don’t think so. Something isn’t right. Hannah was too smart to go off the path.

So it’s murder…but why…how…by whom? In the end, it’s Mac - and perhaps Hannah’s ghost - who saves Charlotte and Bess’s lives when the killer decides they’re too close to the truth and tries to kill them, too.

Blood Forge: Revised Author's Edition by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2012)
Length: 248 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon and Audible!

Blood Forge: Revised Author's Edition Blurb:

This gun was forged in hell…and brings hell to anyone who touches it. An ancient evil is trapped in the bowels of darkness deep below ground, enduring an eternity of loneliness and torment. Then it discovers a way, an escape, back into the world of men…in the form of a seductively beautiful .357 Colt Python revolver.

Forged in the damned fires of the underworld, hammered from the strongest but cursed steel, the gun and the entity that inhabit it are capable of immeasurable destruction and insidious evil. Anyone who comes in contact with it, even touches it, will find themselves staring into the muzzle of a loaded and sinister gun…and into the mouth of hell.

May you read well and often

Joni Parker - Tangled Omens

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

14. Tangled Omens by Joni Parker (2012)
The Seaward Isle Saga Book 2
Length: 261 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 18 March 2015
Finished: 25 March 2015
Where did it come from? I originally downloaded a copy of this book for free from Amazon, although many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book and Joni Parker for sending me a copy of this book to read as well.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 12 April 2014 as an ebook; Since 2 February 2015 as a physical book.
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and have read and enjoyed The Black Elf of Seaward Isle by the same author in the past.

Lady Alexin - the orphaned fifteen-year-old half-elfin girl, and descendant of the Titans - is back for another rollicking adventure. This time Alex, who goes by the code name 'The Black Elf' - is tasked with locating a spy called the Horseman who is in league with pirates to steal Elfin gold. In her new role as a Tracker, Alex travels to Riverton to watch her brother Beren compete in the sword competition which is being held there.

Arriving in Riverton two months before the competition starts, Alex is baffled to learn that she is so early. Although she is at a bit of a loose end, she decides to stay in town to deliver her brother's newest sword to him as a surprise. After all, Alex reasons with herself, Beren's competition would be the perfect cover story for her own mission. Soon Alex picks up the trail of the Horseman, but she just may have run into some serious trouble; it appears the Horseman has some pretty influential friends, and they're definitely not happy with all the sudden attention.

In this latest adventure, Alex continues to unravel the mysteries of Seaward Isle. As she attempts to complete her mission, Alex must contend with a code name that makes her increasingly uncomfortable; superiors who can't see past her youth; and several unexpected aspects to the new gifts bestowed on her by her Titan ancestors.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and I avidly wanted to find out what would happen next. Tangled Omens by Joni Parker was fast-paced and enthralling, and I loved Alex and her interactions with many of the characters. I give this book a definite A! I can't wait to find out how this trilogy ends.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Tamara Branch - ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and So Much More

Sunday, March 22, 2015

13. ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More by Tamara Branch (2014)
Length: 90 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 21 March 2015
Finished: 22 March 2015
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 December 2014
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Tamara Branch is a new author for me.

The opening sentence of this book exhorts girls that they have 'IT'. 'IT' is defined as the greatness that all young women are born with, and the potential to dream big, do better, and to really own their lives. According to author, artist and motivational speaker, Tamara Branch, the true key to women living a successful life is to 'show up' in their life, and to take ownership of their situations in order to work towards what they want.

Packed with sage advice, life-changing insights and personal affirmations designed to help you soar, Tamara speaks to the heart of every girl. ItGirl4Life: How to Bring Out Your Special Something and so Much More is an empowering book, filled with the best ideas, tips, tools and principles that you can reference and build upon in order to begin creating a solid foundation which you can use to live up to your best potential. Get ready to fall in love with your own wisdom, beauty and strength.

I must say that I haven't really read that many personal motivational books before, perhaps one or two when I was a teenager, but that was about it. I honestly have never felt that I had poor self esteem, or many issues that I needed to work on. Yet reading Ms. Branch's book, I've learned that while I may have a very strong self esteem, and I have many of the positive traits which the author mentions in her book; it never hurts anyone to refresh their memories about what is good about themselves.

I realized after reading this book that I sometimes don't speak up as much as I probably should in certain situations. There's always something women can work on about themselves; to make themselves better people, stronger friends or indispensable bosses or employees. I would give this book an A!

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Joni Parker - The Black Elf of Seaward Isle

Friday, March 20, 2015

12. The Black Elf of Seaward Isle by Joni Parker (2012)
The Seaward Isle Saga Book 1
Length: 269 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 14 March 2015
Finished: 20 March 2015
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book and Joni Parker for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 February 2015
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and Joni Parker is a new author for me.

For the inhabitants of Seaward Isle, life is remarkably harsh and the majority of them treat life on the island as a case of survival of the fittest - never speaking of where they come from, yet trying to rebuild futures for themselves on a faraway island. You see, the population of the island is primarily composed of survivors of shipwrecks, each one swept off course by terrible storms and pulled through various rifts in time or from a variety of different worlds and realms. These alien time travelers have struggled first to survive and then to find a way to escape and return home.

Elves, dwarves and mortals exist and mingle together in a world filled with pirates, rife with political intrigue and steeped in magic. Their collective fates rest in the hands of one young woman, the orphaned Lady Alexin. Half-Elfin and sole descendant of Titan ancestry, Alex trained as a warrior and swore to avenge her parents' deaths. However, she is completely heedless that only she has the power to save them all.

I must say that while it took me some time to get into this story - I was slightly perplexed by the time traveling element - it was only a temporary feeling for me. Once I was drawn into the storyline, I really enjoyed reading this book. I found the characters and plot to be well-developed, and the time traveling was woven into the story and plausibly explained. I give The Black Elf of Seaward Isle by Joni Parker an A! I'm looking forward to seeing where this trilogy will lead from here.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Have a Blessed St. Patrick's Day!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

zwani.com myspace graphic comments
Free TwitterBackgrounds.org

I hope that everyone; old and new friends, online and offline friends, and family from all over, have a wonderful and much blessed St. Patrick's Day. I am truly honored and blessed to have you all in my life! :)

May you read well and often

T. M. Wallace - Wintergarden

Monday, March 16, 2015

11. Wintergarden by T. M. Wallace (2014)
Length: 204 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Started: 9 March 2015
Finished: 16 March 2015
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 March 2015
Why do I have it? I like fantasy and T. M. Wallace is a new author for me.

Fifteen-year-old Addyson Marten was absolutely convinced that by winning a game of Fairy Chess, she would win freedom for herself and her friend Connor from the place between her world and the fairy realms known as the Median Realms. Because Addy was protected by the Fairy Queen Adalira, she was returned home safely after she won the game, yet she returned with only partial memories of her time in the Median Realms. Addy was found wandering alone and feverish - stumbling through an area she knows as the Garden - the area that separated her home and the home of her eccentric neighbor, Mrs. Tavish. Her parents found her mumbling incoherently to the giant stone statues in Mrs. Tavish's garden.

Over the intervening months, her parents honestly believed that Addy's strange trip had only been a dream; hallucinations which a feverish brain and an overactive imagination had conjured. And Addy found herself being lulled by her parents explanation...almost believing that what she had experienced had never really happened. However, Addy can't completely quell her doubts: there was supposed to be another person with her - a boy with red hair and moonlike glasses - someone who was very important to her, yet Addy can't quite grasp her fleeting memories of him.

Now with March just beginning, Addy finds herself at a loss. The Garden is different, strange and almost foreboding - but Addy still finds a certain peace and calmness whenever she walks there. On one of her solitary walks, Addy finds a curious looking sundial, lying half-buried in the snow. When she holds it in her hand, she slowly begins to recover some of her lost memories. She slowly begins to remember Connor, along with the vague feeling that he is in horrible danger. Despite her increasing suspicion that Connor needs her help, Addy has absolutely no idea where he is or how she can get back to him.

In order to rescue her kidnapped friend, Addy must find a way to enter the Median Realms once more, traveling to the center of the Garden's magical Labyrinth to free Connor from the influence of the witch-queen Uthrace. And together, Connor and Addy must learn to control their own magical abilities to fight the growing evil threatening the Human and Fairy Realms.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found the plot exciting and well-developed. It was a very quick read for me, and I am delighted to say that I have Ms. Wallace's award-winning Under a Fairy Moon on my TBR pile already. I would give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Introducing The Jack of Souls by Stephen C. Merlino!

Friday, March 13, 2015

Meet Stephen C. Merlino 

Stephen Merlino lives in Seattle, WA, where he writes, plays, and teaches high school English. He lives with the world's most talented and desirable woman, two equally fabulous children, and three attack chickens.

Growing up in Seattle drove Stephen indoors for eight months of the year. Naturally, that meant he read a lot, and at the age of eleven he discovered the stories of J.R.R. Tolkien and fell in love with fantasy.

Summers and rare sunny days he spent with friends in wooded ravines or on the beaches of Puget Sound, building worlds in the sand, and fighting orcs and wizards with driftwood swords.

About the time a fifth reading of The Lord of the Rings failed to deliver the old magic, Stephen attended the University of Washington and fell in love with Chaucer and Shakespeare and all things English. Sadly, the closest he got to England back then was The Unicorn Pub on University Way, which wasn't even run by an Englishman: it was run by a Scot named Angus. Still, he studied there, and as he sampled Angus's weird ales, and devoured the Unicorn's steak and kidney pie (with real offal!), he developed a passion for Scotland, too.

In college, he fell in love with writing, and when a kindly professor said of a story he'd written, "You should get that published!" Stephen took the encouragement literally, and spent the next years trying. The story remains unpublished, but the quest to develop it introduced Stephen to the world of agents (the story ultimately had two), and taught him much of craft and the value of what Jay Lake would call, "psychotic persistence."

Add to that his abiding love of nerds - those who, as Sarah Vowel defines it, "go too far and care too much about a subject"- and you have Stephen Merlino in a nutshell.

Stephen is the 2014 PNWA winner for Fantasy. 

He is also the 2014 SWW winner for Fantasy.

The Jack of Souls by Stephen C. Merlino (2014)
Length: 352 pages 
Purchase your copy from Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

The Jack of Souls Blurb:

An outcast rogue named Harric must break a curse laid on his fate or die by his nineteenth birthday. As his dead-day approaches, nightmares from the spirit world stalk him and tear at his sanity; sorcery eats at his soul.

To survive, he’ll need more than his usual tricks. He’ll need help - and a lot of it - but on the kingdom’s lawless frontier, his only allies are other outcasts. One of these outcasts is Caris, a mysterious, horse-whispering runaway, intent upon becoming the Queen’s first female knight. The other is Sir Willard - ex-immortal, ex-champion, now addicted to pain-killing herbs and banished from the court.

With their help, Harric might keep his curse at bay. But for how long?

And both companions bring perils and secrets of their own: Caris bears the scars of a troubled past that still hunts her; Willard is at war with the Old Ones, an order of insane immortal knights who once enslaved the kingdom. The Old Ones have returned to murder Willard and seize the throne from his queen. Willard is both on the run from them, and on one final, desperate quest to save her.

Together, Harric and his companions must overcome fanatical armies, murderous sorcerers, and powerful supernatural foes. Alone, Harric must face the temptation of a forbidden magic that could break his curse, but cost him the only woman he’s ever loved. A tale of magic, mischief, and the triumph of tricksters.

May you read well and often

Kathryn Meyer Griffith - Night Carnival

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

10. Night Carnival by Kathryn Meyer Griffith (2014)
Length: 14 pages
Genre: Short Story
Started/Finished: 10 March 2015
Where did it come from? From Amazon
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 February 2015
Why do I have it? I like short stories and I have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Angela is still grieving the losses of her mother and husband - which have both happened within the space of a month - and she feels somewhat disconnected from her life. However, she can never remember a time in her life when there has ever been such a mysterious looking carnival that has come into town. Angela has been to many carnivals in her life, certainly, but she has never seen one that came into town with so little fanfare - almost none, in fact.

Late one evening, feeling especially lonely and depressed, Angela decides to get out of her house and go for a walk. While she isn't specifically heading for the carnival, that's exactly where she's drawn - drawn by the eerie calliope music and tattered tents. Walking among the variety of skill-game booths, Angela is mesmerized by the inhabitants of a carnival the likes of which she has never seen before: demonic steeds flashing their hooves and neighing silently to the moon - a living carousel being spun by phantom hands, wraithlike luminescent creatures lurking in the shadows along the midway and the Ferris wheel, aglow with twinkling lights, moves without human hands to control it.

The animals in the center ring are perhaps the strangest of all: the lions, tigers, and elephants have no human trainers, they are monstrous and gigantic - so much larger than normal, and they seem to float. The sad-faced clowns have the ability to manipulate the crowds with only their glittering eyes and thoughts. Angela soon learns the truth of the carnival - the clowns and other carnies are all vampires.

Their leader, Dominic, has been searching for centuries...for Angela. He's an ancient and powerful being who offers her something she's never had before...Love. A soulmate. A place to call home...forever.

Yet, is Angela willing to give up her humanity for this creature of the night? Is she willing to join herself to him - spending eternity among the vampires, shape shifters and ghosts of the traveling carnival? Could Angela truly be happy as one of them? Would she willingly die for him?

I must say that I really enjoyed reading this story; the characters were well-developed for the length of the story, and were quite likable for vampires. I actually wanted to read this story much earlier then I did. I downloaded a free copy of this ebook from Amazon during Ms. Griffith's four-day sale in February. I never expected that it would take me just under a month to read such a short story - lol!! I would give this story an A!

A! - (90-95%) 

May you read well and often

Calling All Book Reviewers!

Sunday, March 8, 2015

So, I was delighted to learn recently that the first book in A. B. Whelan's young adult fantasy series, The Fields of Elysium Saga - Fields of Elysium - is, I believe, permanently free to download on Amazon. I would like to thank Kathy at I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Ebooks For Review for sending me all the information about Ms. Whelan's book. In fact, I downloaded a copy of Fields of Elysium by A. B. Whelan for myself in March of 2015. I'm really looking forward to reading this book as soon as possible! ;)


Meet A. B. Whelan

A.B. Whelan writes young-adult fantasy and sci-fi stories with plenty of romance, action and a hint of religion. She is the author of the award winning Fields of Elysium Series. She is known for giving away loads of signed books and unique goodies. Find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads and Google+.

The Fields of Elysium Saga is a young adult romantic fantasy. The first book of the series was inspired by amazing movies like Dirty Dancing, Avatar, and Twilight and earned praise from prestigious review companies and readers.

Safe and Sound: A Fields of Elysium Novella by A. B. Whelan (2014)
Length: 156 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Safe and Sound: A Fields of Elysium Novella Blurb:

In the world where freedom is no longer your right; where being in love and starting a family is not a blessing but a curse, a baby is born. To spare him from the harsh life the Arkanian slaves in Terraka City have to endure, his parents attempt the impossible. 

They have to pay a high price for their courage. 

Heartbroken and lonely, Victor Sorren spends his life waiting for his father’s return. But how much pain and suffering can be inflicted on an innocent young boy before hatred takes over his heart? Yet there is no darkness without light. And falling for a girl from Earth might provide just the right amount of light to bring hope back to Victor’s dark heart.

Safe and Sound is a tale about loss, friendship, royalty and love.



Fields of Elysium: A Romantic Fantasy by A. B. Whelan (2013)
Length: 424 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Fields of Elysium: A Romantic Fantasy Blurb:

CAN LOVE MEND A HEART FULL OF HATE? 

Small town girl, Molly Bennett, moves to Los Angeles where she becomes an 
outsider while attending Beverly Hills High School. It seems life cannot be any more dreadful. Then one day after school, something magical happens. 

On a secluded hike in the Hollywood Hills, Molly chases her disobedient mutt and only friend into a hidden cavern. She stumbles upon a strange glimmering gateway that transports her to Arkana, a planet that is the cradle of an advanced human race. There, teenagers navigate amazing flying vehicles, compete in perilous games for glory, and possess supernatural powers. While Molly tries to wrap her mind around this unbelievable discovery, she meets the alluring and mysterious Victor Sorren. He is a Sentinel Apprentice, whose hatred toward people from Earth is beyond understanding. 

Yet every time Victor unpredictably saves Molly’s life, his heart draws closer to hers, no matter how much he tries to fight against it. It further complicates things that their growing friendship is strictly forbidden. Earth people are prohibited in Arkana, yet Molly continues to cross through the portal to Arkana to see Victor. Torn between their double lives, they go down a dangerous path, from where there is no return and multiple endings. 

Would you fight to be with the one you truly love? What cost would you be willing to sacrifice for that 
love? 

Fields of Elysium is a suspenseful romantic tale full of forbidden secrets, danger, deception, and the never-ending fight for true love.

Valley of Darkness: A Paranormal Romance by A. B. Whelan (2013)
Length: 349 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Valley of Darkness: A Paranormal Romance Blurb:

What if we were not alone in the universe? What if your boyfriend were a supernatural alien? What if you had to choose between two worlds?

After months of amazing adventures and secrecy, Molly and Victor find peace in each other's arms. Adam's memory has been erased. The secret of the Arkanians is safe. Life couldn't be more perfect.


But Molly is robbed of her short-lived happiness when a devastating tragedy strikes her family, shattering her entire existence. Faced with a terrifying future, she feels that there is nothing left for her on Earth but an insensitive aunt and her little brother, while Arkana promises a place where she might find happiness and purpose again.

Victor tries to convince Molly to move to his village in Arkana, where they can live together in secret. But Molly refuses to live in the shadows. She wants to be a Sentinel and join the fight against the Terrakas. But getting into the Academy requires more than a pretty face.



City of Shame Part I by A. B. Whelan (2014)
Length: 152 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

City of Shame Part I Blurb:

When life gives you no choice other than to be strong or perish, you soon learn who you really are...

Since discovering the wormhole that connects Earth to Arkana, Molly Bennett faced joy and pain, love and death, excitement and danger unlike anybody else she knew. But her biggest challenge is about to begin. She is inside the force field, lost in Terraka City with people she doesn't know. Life is more dangerous under Taronno's tyranny than she and her Arkanian friends anticipated. Time is running out and she must figure out whom to trust, how to stay safe, and how to get back to her beloved Victor.

Victor Sorren's life changed the moment Molly showed up on Arkana. His love for her came easy, but admitting it to her took every bit of courage he had. Obstacles always threatened to tear them apart, but together they overcame all of them. Now, Molly is gone and Victor doesn't know how to deal with his worry and loneliness. Going after her would mean certain death, but this is the price he is willing to pay to see her again.

The race against time has begun. Will Molly be able to find her way back to Victor before it's too late?

City of Shame Part II by A. B. Whelan (2015)
Length: 192 pages
Purchase your copy from Amazon!

City of Shame Part II Blurb:

We do anything for the ones we love...

Since Molly Elizabeth Bennett has been living in exile bereft of all memory of her past, she only knows the world to be an unfair and brutal place. Inside Terraka City, where control, violence and humiliation keep people in abject fear, her faith in humanity has faltered. But just like the forest after a fire, she also rises from the ashes.

Meanwhile, Victor Sorren embarks on a hazardous rescue mission with Little Pete and Annabella to find his beloved Molly, unaware that she doesn’t remember him. For a mixed-blood Motley Terraka City, where only purebred species have the right to live, is a dangerous place to be. Yet the three friends follow Molly’s footsteps even though they jeopardize their own lives with each step.

Four friends. Scattered in four different places. All of their lives in peril. The Imperial Guards hunting them. The Emperor wanting them dead. They just want to find each other and leave this city of shame. But with the stakes so high, wishful thinking may not be enough to save them.

Will they all be strong enough to survive this deadly mission into Terraka territory?

May you read well and often

Book Excerpt Blog Tour For Blindsight by Susan Peterson Wisnewski From June 1, 2015 to June 26, 2015 - Come Join Us!

Friday, March 6, 2015

Hello Everyone! I am delighted to announce that Susan Peterson Wisnewski will be touring the blogosphere to promote her Paranormal Suspense/Thriller novel Blindsight. This virtual book excerpt tour is being hosted by Pump up Your Book and will last from June 1, to June 26, 2015!

Ms. Wisnewski is also doing an awesome giveaway - she is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner at the end of her Blog Tour. Be sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form below, and I wish you all the very best of good luck in taking part!

BlindSight Blog Tour Information:


Meet Susan Peterson Wisnewski

Susan Peterson Wisnewski is an indie author from the northeast. She writes thrillers and paranormal with a sprinkling of chick lit and horror.

From a cruncher of numbers to a stringer of words, she decided it was time to follow her dreams and put down on paper all of those stories that floated around in her head. Raised in New York City and Long Island, she is a consummate shopaholic having been given the gift of style from her mother and grandmother. When not writing, she can be found shopping, visiting museums, gardening, or being walked by her oversized puppy.

Her books are a genre mix all neatly packaged together. Surprise and twists keep her readers guessing and she has been accused of writing books that can’t be put down. Pushing characters to challenges themselves is her trademark as is a creating strong female characters – no damsels in distress here. Her inspiration comes from seeing a situation and then enhancing it to create an unusual story line. And yes, she does see ghosts, or spirits as they prefer to be called and has had her run ins with a fairy or two.

If you have a book club and live on Long Island or in the Southern Vermont area, she’d be happy to come for a visit.

Her latest book is the thriller/paranormal/suspense, BlindSight.

Connect and Socialize with Susan!


About BlindSight:

Life is already bad enough after Tisha Adams loses both her job and her beautiful Manhattan apartment. Living in a musty garage apartment and working for her uncle in Queens, her life is upended when she witnesses a murder on her train commute.

When the body disappears, she teams up with Detective Murphy, a man with mysterious abilities. But Tisha is keeping a secret of her own, a skill she’s always hated and feared. The dead speak to her. And if she touches a person, their past, present and future are revealed to her.

But as the body count rises, and those closest to Tisha are drawn into the nightmare, Tisha’s only choice is to reach out to her estranged grandmother to learn more about her intuitive talents. In a race against the clock to rescue those in danger and solve the murders, she’ll need all her abilities. Even the gift she’s been afraid to use. The dead will speak, but only if she’s willing to listen.

Purchase your copy from Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card From Susan Wisnewski!

This is how it works. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below and comment on each blog stop to win 5 extra entries!



BlindSight Book Excerpt Publicity Tour Schedule:


Monday, June 1 - Book Excerpt #1 - The Writer’s Life
Tuesday, June 2 Book Excerpt #2 - The Literary Nook
Wednesday, June 3Book Excerpt #3Literarily Speaking
Thursday, June 4 Book Excerpt #4I Smell Sheep
Friday, June 5Book Excerpt #5Kristy Centeno
Monday, June 8Book Excerpt #6Written Love Reviews
Tuesday, June 9Book Excerpt #7Mythical Books
Wednesday, June 10Book Excerpt #8Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Thursday, June 11 Book Excerpt #9Lori’s Reading Corner
Friday, June 12Book Excerpt #10Authors and Readers Book Corner
Monday, June 15Book Excerpt #11Our Family’s Adventure
Tuesday, June 16Book Excerpt #12FictionZeal
Wednesday, June 17 Book Excerpt #13Dreams Come True Through Reading
Thursday, June 18Book Excerpt #14Celtic Lady’s Reviews
Friday, June 19Book Excerpt #15Fallen Over Book Reviews
Monday, June 22 - Book Excerpt #16 - StoreyBook Reviews
Tuesday, June 23Book Excerpt #17Maureen’s Musings
Wednesday, June 24Book Excerpt #18 Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Thursday, June 25Book Excerpt #19Bound 2 Escape
Friday, June 26 - Book Excerpt #20Confessions of a Reader

May you read well and often

Gordon A. Kessler - Jezebel: A Horror Thriller Novel

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

9. Jezebel: A Horror Thriller Novel by Gordon A. Kessler (2001)
Length: 388 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 11 January 2015
Finished: 4 March 2015
Where did it come from? From Amazon
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 26 July 2012
Why do I have it? I like horror and Gordon A. Kessler is a new author for me.

During the time typically referred to as the 'dog days' of summer, Animal Control Director Tony Parker and his assistant, the beautiful and seductive Sarah Hill, witness the strangest phenomenon they have ever seen in their careers. For some inexplicable reason, large dogs are turning on their owners and savagely attacking them. And it seems that with each attack, Tony Parker is being taunted by an unseen madman. He must discover a reason for all this insanity, and fast, because these murderous attacks have to stop.

Meanwhile, Jezebel, a gigantic black Great Dane has killed her master and is on the loose, terrorizing the city and stalking Tony and his family. So, it falls to Tony and Sarah to unravel this mystery and somehow put an end to all this carnage. Jezebel's reign of terror must be stopped at all costs; in fact, it has become imperative.

Because, you see, there is one other complication: Tony seems to have come down with an annoying little virus. No, it's not one of those irritating summer colds. It means certain death. Sleep lightly tonight, America, if you can...Jezebel is on the loose! She's a murderess, huge and black as a Hell-bound night, so you had better beware...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - it was well-written and the plot was well-developed and fast-paced. The characters were sympathetically drawn and I really felt for them in their various troubled situations. I must say that even though they were vicious, bloodthirsty killers, I couldn't help feeling tremendously sorry for the dogs.

I just kept remembering back to watching the movie Cujo when I was about thirteen. Despite all the horrible mauling Cujo did, I still felt horribly sorry for the dog on some level. I would give this book a definite A! I'll certainly keep my eyes open for more books by Gordon A. Kessler to put on my Wish List.

A! - (90-95%)

May you read well and often

Reading Wrap-up For February at Emeraldfire's Bookmark

Sunday, March 1, 2015


Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Emeraldfire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog.

Anyway, I started out February with about two hundred unread books lying around the house and ended the month with...umm...uncountable amounts of books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from authors, Amazon, Netgalley and Bookmooch.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- Epitaph: Revielle by Victor Nieves
Not Without my Father: One Woman's 444-Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace by Andra Watkins
- Growl by Ashley Fontainne

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Night Carnival by Kathryn Meyer Griffith
- The Black Elf of Seaward Isle by Joni Parker
- Tangled Omens by Joni Parker
- The Cat Who Brought Down the House by Lilian Jackson Braun
- Animal by Nikki Rae
- Narvla's Celtic New Year by Therese Gilardi
- Blood Mission by Joni Parker
- And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander
- The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun
- The Cat Who Smelled a Rat by Lilian Jackson Braun
- Growl by Ashley Fontainne

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me, considering. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 872
Grade Range: A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was February. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

May you read well and often