Review: Too Many Secrets (Cleo Sims Mystery #3) by Lynn Osterkamp

Too Many Secrets by Lynn Osterkamp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What part would you change in the story, and why? Just one part, I would have Brandi brought up on charges for reporting that Sabrina was away with a friend. She had crucial information and refused to share it. Then she would be required to pay back all the money she spent while everyone thought Sabrina was missing.

Consider the main character: what does he or she believe in? Cleo is willing to fight for what is right. Whether it is the rights of someone dead or just a client.

What are the most revealing scenes? When Cleo learns about the secrets of Moxie and Gayle after her second time in the apparition chamber

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: White Chalk by Pavarti K. Tyler

White Chalk by Pavarti K. Tyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Favourite scene …. When Mr. Harris gets arrested and Chelle has to deal with the arrest and what is being said. She feels beyond humiliated and what's worse the very person she felt was her safety net has now trapped her and exposed her to even more bullying. This was a rollercoaster ride like I've never felt in any book.
Favourite quote … "The tub hugged me tight, protecting me from everything beyond its bleached white confines" For this reader, from beginning to end this is what Chelle wanted - protection. She finally gets it but in a very twisted way.
Will you recommend this book? Without a doubt, I'll tell anyone and everyone about this book. I've never read books by this author so this was a fantastic introduction and now I'm going to read her other books as well.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Author Interview – Pavarti K. Tyler

What inspired you to write your first book? A friend of mine sent out a challenge to write a Middle Eastern Batman story.  So I did.  Shadow on the Wall

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? Endings.  I’m terrible at endings.  I can keep going forever, writing about what people ate for breakfast for pages and pages.  But endings?  I always want to blow everyone up.  Strangely, White Chalk is the first novel I’ve written where the ending just came naturally.

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it? Life is never easy, no one gets out alive.  What matters is how we treat others and how we care for ourselves.  Also, there’s nothing weak about asking for help.  Sometimes it’s the hardest thing you can do.

Do you intend to make writing a career? I already have!  Yay!

Have you developed a specific writing style? I think my readers would agree that everything I write is highly descriptive and emotional.  I’ve been told my writing is lyrical.  Since I write in so many different genres and I love to play with words, I don’t think there’s one style I utilize, but I hope all my stories provide a thoughtful and enjoyable read.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? My degree is in theatre, so I always bring a sense of the visual to a story.  I also think that my biggest strength is the ability to bring readers into moments in a visceral way.  This isn’t always fun, like in “Shadow on the Wall” there is a rape which is quite explicit.  It hurts, but you will feel it.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? No, when I get stuck on something, I just flip to whatever else I’m working on.  I’m usually knee deep in multiple stories in different stages of writing.  Right now I’m editing one, self-editing another, and starting to draft and third.

Chelle isn’t what most people consider a typical 13-year-old girl—she doesn’t laugh with friends, play sports, or hang out at the mall after school. Instead, she navigates a world well beyond her years.

Life in Dawson, ND spins on as she grasps at people, pleading for someone to save her—to return her to the simple childhood of unicorns on her bedroom wall and stories on her father’s knee.

When Troy Christiansen walks into her life, Chelle is desperate to believe his arrival will be her salvation. So much so, she forgets to save herself. After experiencing a tragedy at school, her world begins to crack, causing a deeper scar in her already fragile psyche.

Follow Chelle’s twisted tale of modern adolescence, as she travels down the rabbit hole into a reality none of us wants to admit actually exists.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Literary Fiction/Coming of Age

Rating – R (15+)

More details about the author

Connect with Pavarti K Tyler on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.fightingmonkeypress.com/

Review: y1 by Sherrie Cronin

y1 by Sherrie Cronin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where did the story take place? The most prominent area is of course the South Pacific. A lot of the descriptions seemed real so I assume the author has either lived or travelled there.
What other books has this author written? This book is apparently part of a series. The book club members and I haven't read the first book but we are looking forward to finishing the 3rd book and hopefully make our way back to the 1st book. Love the cover images for all 3 books.
What did you think about the villains in the story? As with any good story, this story also comes with a few twisted characters. Readers have an idea that it is Zane who will overcome this wickedness but at the same time, Zane is still making up his mind so this is the part where the story gets interesting. Does he become a hero or does he slip back into his shell, forget about the world and carry on with his life?

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.


View all my reviews

Review: A 3rd Time to Die by George Bernstein

A 3rd Time to Die by George Bernstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What were the main themes of the book? I once was lost but now I am found. How would you feel if you have lived a previous life and are now coming across things and people that seem so familiar to you but you don't know why? The theme of the book is about the main characters finding each other in present time amidst broken marriages and experiences.

Is the plot laid out clearly? In the beginning of the story, the author had many of us at the book club guessing. We had so many questions about how the book would actually end and were hoping that all sub plots will be resolved in the end. Everything came together in this well-written story I will be recommending to others.

Were you able to connect with the main character and why? Ashley and Craig are both main characters and I felt it was easier to connect with Ashley. I felt that Craig was sometimes a bit hard to read because he had too many layers but this may have been intentional so readers will keep reading to find out more about him.

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Hot Enough to Kill by Paula Boyd

Book 1–The 1st Jolene Jackson Mystery
REVISED EDITION–July 19, 2012

Kickapoo, Texas, is the last place Jolene Jackson wants to be, but with her 72-year-old mother’s boyfriend murdered and Mother Dearest locked up because of it, she’s got little choice but to head south and deal with it.

Bullets are flying, chicken’s frying and there’s a lunatic on the loose in the mesquites with a shotgun who’s Hot Enough to Kill.
An excerpt is included in The University of Texas Press’ title, Lone Star Sleuths–An Anthology of Texas Crime Fiction

REVIEWS

“Don’t Mess with Texas! You’ll laugh your way from Kickapoo to Redwater Falls and back.” — Linda Huntley Wills, Redbook

“This is a wild ride with thrills, chills and laughs galore. Highly Recommended.” — Editor, I *Love* a Mystery

“…makes for fast, fun summer reading.” — Nancy Cook-Senn, Shawnee Escort
“Anyone who enjoys the works of Janet Evanovich or Joan Hess is going to love Ms. Boyd.” — Toby Bromberg, Romantic Times

“…a terrific mystery, sharply drawn, cleverly plotted, dynamically presented, and pure sleuthing entertainment from first page to last.” — Wisconsin Bookwatch

“The mystery genre has witnessed an abundance of female sleuths, but none quite like Jolene Jackson and her mother, Lucille.” — Argus Observer

5 Stars and 5+ Laughs! Has to be film adapted. Would make a delightful audiobook. ” …a hoot and a half of rollicking good mystery! The best dang novel I’ve read all year!” — Leann Arndt, The Midwest Book Review

“Carl Hiaasen meets Texasville! …a must read for your Sherlock funny bone.” — Judi Clark, Mostly Fiction

“… comedic characters you’ll just love. …a humor you can’t resist. I can’t remember the last time that I read a book as light and refreshing as this.” — Pamela Stone, My Shelf

“This first entry of an apparent series will leave readers loudly laughing at the antics of Jolene and her mother. Hot Enough to Kill is a tongue-in-cheek look at relationships and amatuer sleuthing. Still, the mystery has a character of its own that adds to a wonderful plot. If this tale is any example, Paula Boyd has a long running series that will provide much pleasure to fans.” — Harriet Klausner

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Mystery & Thriller / Women Sleuth

Rating – PG13

More details about the author

Connect with Paula Boyd on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://paulaboyd.com/

Review: The Final Straw by Ted Tayler

The Final Straw by Ted Tayler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Did anyone in the book do something you did not like? Colin killed and physically hurt people more than once. I definitely do not like him as a person but as a main character, he was extremely interesting and his lack of emotion was so well depicted to the point it can make your skin crawl.

Was there more than one conflict in the story? Each character was dealing with at least one major conflict in his or her life. Sue Owens found out what Colin was doing and then became conflicted about how to cover it up or conceal it, Karen was in desperate need of someone to talk to and heal after losing their baby but was so conflicted she started having sex with random men every Wednesday and Colin was just so conflicted he wanted to physically destroy the conflicts in his life.

Was the timeline easy to follow? Each scene flowed to the next scene in a cohesive manner and it was easy to understand time passing and the movement of the characters. Every page sucked me into the story more and more, and I always felt like I could everything that was happening in the book and I could easily feel the emotions of the characters.

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Colorado Mandala by Brian Heffron

Colorado Mandala by Brian Heffron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What were the main relationships explored in this book? Colorado Mandala focuses on four main characters. These characters are then connected to each other and their relationships take on different forms and emotions. You have Paul and Michael's relationship where Paul attempts to take on the role of "fixer". Then you have Paul and Sarah's relationship which develops into something strong but you will have to read to the end to find out how strong. The other relationships that are explored are Michael and Sarah; Sarah and her son, Stuart.

What did you like about the book … The characters were down to earth and loaded with emotion. Each of them had revelations for the one another and at times it seemed that Michael's PTSD functioned as a healing mechanism for all of them.

Favorite character(s)... Sarah. Next to Paul she was in the most difficult of positions. Mother, lover and friend. It was easiest to connect with her and from the beginning I wanted things to work out for her.

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Finding Claire Fletcher by Lisa Regan

Finding Claire Fletcher by Lisa Regan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3 things I liked about the book … This is my new favorite author. She presented a book that will be discussed in our book club for a long time to come. I loved the story for being fast paced, believable and full of emotion.

Favorite character(s) … Claire, of course. She's literally caught between a rock and a hard place. She wants, needs to fight back but the at the same time is beyond broken from all the torture she has experienced.

Favorite setting … When Claire spent the night with Connor. On the one hand, you have so much evil and then on the other, you have the start of something beautiful. I loved her flow of words and the way this scene was presented made me cry thinking whether Claire would leave or stay?

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Jack Canon's American Destiny by Greg Sandora

Jack Canon's American Destiny by Greg Sandora
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Which did you find more appealing, the introduction or the conclusion? The conclusion. It didn't feel like I had just finished a book. It felt as if I had finished watching a movie or a tv series.
Why would you recommend or not recommend this book? If you like political thrillers, then this book is definitely for you. While it does take a few chapters to kick into the main part of the story, once the action starts, it doesn't stop.

Did the book description relate to the story? I would have liked a little more. Right now, it's a short one paragraph which offers very little clue on what is going to happen in the book or with the main character.

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Evergreen (A Serial Killer Thriller) by David Jester

Evergreen by David Jester
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How do you define the central theme in this story. I think it was the families at Evergreen. They were each faced with a horrifying aspect that one of them could be the killer.

Would you recommend it? I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a chilling read.

Feel about main character? I wish he would have gone to the police after the first murder. But, he was damaged by his upbringing.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: They Still Call Me Sister by Deborah Plummer Bussey

They Still Call Me Sister by Deborah Plummer Bussey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Favourite character(s) … Really loved Kathy, her innocence with life helped to create a story within a story. She was constantly learning or seeing something new.

Did the plot pull you in or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book? I was pulled in from the first page. Loved the idea of Kathy becoming a nun. I had to force myself to put the book down when my lunch time was over, so I could sleep at night, to cook supper. Nothing about this book was a forced read for me.

Cover. The cover is so simple yet so important to the story.

Did you find that the cover and title represented what the story was really about? Yes, the cover and title represented the story. I can see Kathy still being called sister even if she is no longer a nun. It would probably be hard for friends and family to stop calling her sister.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: Be Good by Dakota Madison

Be Good by Dakota Madison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Would you recommend it? I would recommend only to adults who like romance and not offended by vulgar language.

What major emotion did the story evoke in you as a reader? Empathy for Anna. She just did not know she was on the road to destruction.

Amazement with Brett, he was so patient but sometimes too patient.

What are some of the major themes of this book? Forgiveness and change. Learning to forgive ourselves for past actions is the hardest part about learning we need to change.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: Time Killer by Todd M. Thiede

Time Killer by Todd M. Thiede
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What are your concerns about this book? If any part of the story was based on a true story.

Is the title a good one or a poor one and why? Title was perfect. It fit so well with the story and the killer's act of vengeance.

Tell in your own words the beginning of the book. Stephen wakes up and tries to roll over, when he realizes that something is wrong.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: The Book of Paul by Richard Long

The Book of Paul by Richard Long
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summarize the book without giving away the ending. The book was about a evil prophecy. About love, murder and family.

Consider the main character: what does he or she believe in? Martin believes in his love with Rose. He fought to save her from Paul. I liked the way relationships were explored in this book. It touched on the extreme emotions we feel when conecting with people around us.

In your own words what was the beginning of the book Martin was watching tv and doing exercises. Rose wasn't able to sleep.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: The Morph (Gate-Shifters, #1) by J.C. Andrijeski

The Morph by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Do any characters grow or change during the course of the novel? Dakota. She becomes more accepting and she adapts to her new situation better than I expected her to.

What motivates a given character’s actions? Different characters were motivated differently but looking at only Dakota and Nikhil, they were both motivated by curiosity.

Which characters do you particularly admire or dislike? None come to mind, but Hunsef was not a favourite.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: Dissolution Of Peace by Richard Flores IV

Dissolution of Peace by Richard Flores IV
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Top 3 things I liked about the main character. He was so loyal. He loved with all his heart. He was always alert for any situation.

What motivates a given character’s actions? Mike protects Christine with his life. She's the captain of the shop and Mike loves her.

What kind of book is this? Fiction - People are executed right there in court. It's done with a needle in the back. Moon City and Alcatraz in space.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: Sex and Death in the American Novel by Sarah Martinez

Sex and Death in the American Novel by Sarah Martinez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Which did you find more appealing, the introduction or the conclusion? Definitely the conclusion. Shows how much the characters have grown and allows them to expand outside their comfort zones.

Why would you recommend or not recommend this book? I would recommend to anyone who does not mind a few blunt/crude words. I understand the author stated this was literary erotica. Never saw the erotica just the literary part.

Did the book description relate to the story? Very accurate description. Gives just enough to interest readers without spoilers.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: Bad Traffick by D.V. Berkom

Bad Traffick by D.V. Berkom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Why would you recommend or not recommend this book? I would recommend this book to people who are interested in reading more about human trafficking. If the topic / theme disgusts you, then this book isn't for you.

Did the book description relate to the story? The description was pretty close and I looked forward to reading about Laine.

Cover – The cover was okay. The contrast in color was good.

If you could rewrite the ending, would you? I would have Leine find the last child. That seemed to be the only missing link when the story ends.

Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author.

View all my reviews

Review: The Hunter's Son (JC Mather, #1) by B.E. Jewell

The Hunter's Son by B.E. Jewell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who do you think the author intended to read this book and why? It's a book for all ages. Anyone who likes fantasy will enjoy this book and I really hope the author writes more.
At the end of the book, do you feel hope for the characters? Yes, I do. Especially for JC - He's young & he has his whole life ahead of him.
Does the title fit the story? The title is fitting seeing that the book is about a father and son.

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

View all my reviews