Writing Opinions

THE MATING by NICKY CHARLES

2013-04-22T20:44:00.000-05:00

5 out of 5 *****

Elise is a young werewolf who loves life in her pack. She is in love with her best friend Bryan and cannot wait to become his mate. One day, out of the blue, she is summoned before her packs council and told that she will be mated to the neighboring packs Alpha, Kane, in order to create an alliance and expand their territories. She is heart broken over the loss of the future she had imagined with Bryan but knows she must do as her father asks for the good of her pack.
Kane has just become the new Alpha of his pack and needs a mate. He knows that this is not how Elise pictured her life but hopes to make her happy. After their first mating, he takes her back to his home and pack. Everyone seems to be so excited to meet her and accept her as part of their pack. Elise slowly begins to feel at home in her new pack but trouble is surrounding them on all sides. Someone wants the pack off their land and will do anything to make it happen.
Could it be Kane's brother, Ryne, who lost the challenge to become the Alpha male? Or the oil company who wants to drill for oil on Kane's land?

This book was amazing! It is the longest book I have read in a while but it kept my attention all the way through! I was completely enthralled with the plot and the characters. The plot was tight and the characters were so real that I felt as if I had known them forever. This is the first book I have read by Nicky Charles and I was completely blown away.
I found this book at the Nook store. It is a free download, although I would gladly pay to read Nicky Charles. You can find it here. There is also an author site, which you can visit here. Please be sure to read this book and then rate it on the Nook site and/or drop by the author's site and let her know how much you enjoyed it!

JESUS CALLING by SARA YOUNG~5*****'s AND BEYOND!

2013-01-17T13:08:00.000-06:00

JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young is, hands down, my favorite devotional book. There is a devotional for each day along with the scripture and verse Mrs. Young used to write the devotional. She takes those scriptures and applies them to a situation that you might facing in Jesus' point of view. Since I am writing this post on January 17th, I am going to use today's devotional as an example below.

Come to Me with a thankful heart, so that you can enjoy my presence. This is the day that I have made. I want you to rejoice TODAY, refusing to worry about tomorrow. Search for all that I have prepared for you, anticipating abundant blessings and accepting difficulties as they come. I can weave miracles into the most mundane day if you keep your focus on Me. Come to Me with all your needs, knowing... that my glorious riches are a more-than-adequate supply. Stay in continual communication with Me, so that you can live above your circumstances even while you are in the midst of them. Present your requests to Me with thanksgiving, and My Peace, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your heart and mind.~ Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. 2004. pg. 19

Psalm 118:24; Phillipians 4:6-7, 19

I keep this book on my nightstand along with my Bible and read each day's devotional before I start my day. Since I have started doing this, I have developed the habit of reading my Bible while drinking my coffee in the morning. It started as just reading the correlating scriptures for each devotional and turned into me carrying my Bible to the kitchen table and reading it before starting my day. Of all the habits I could develop, this one is AWESOME! I have noticed that I think more about how I should react in a given situation according to God's word instead of just going with my first reaction. I have begun to pay attention to how I speak to and treat others, I try harder to be patient with those around me, and I am just trying to be an all around better person.
The devotionals in this book are a comfort to me and have been nothing but a positive in my life. I would suggest this book for anyone 12+. I say 12+ because I think that, by that age, most young people would be capable of reading it and taking the message to heart. However, if you have a young person in your life under the age of 12 that you feel is mature enough to read and understand it, by all means give them a copy. This book began changing me from the inside out and I can't say enough about it.
You can purchase the Kindle version of JESUS CALLING by SARAH YOUNG through Amazon here or you can purchase the actual book(in hardcover or paperback ) here. For those of you who have already read this wonderful book, feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you liked it and, if so, how it has changed your life.
Happy Reading!

House Of Mercy by Erin Healy

2012-10-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

This is the next book I will be reviewing for BookSneeze. I absolutely LOVE the cover and have heard wonderful things about Erin Healy. Has anyone read anything by this author? If so, let me know what it was and what you thought of it.

10 Christians Everyone Should Know by Mitch Stokes-3***

2012-10-31T13:53:00.000-05:00

I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for a review. The book was rich with interesting facts about some of the greatest Christians in our history and I liked reading it. However, if you're not a big fan of history, you may not enjoy this book. The way it is written is rather dry(like a history book) and it requires a little more attention to understand and follow than most Christian nonfiction. I gave it three stars for these reasons.
I particularly loved the section on Galileo. He was a favorite of mine in school and I guess that never changed. There are many other interesting facts in this book about people like George Washington Carver, Jane Austen, John Bunyan, and Johann Sebastian Bach to name a few. Learning about these people, their lives and devotion to God was a wonderful journey and continually made me thankful that I live in a time and country where I am free to worship God.
Readers can learn a lot from this book, so I would suggest at least trying it out. The more you know, the more you grow, right? Maybe you too will feel the sense of thankfulness I felt after reading 10 Christians Everyone Should Know. This title is available at amazon.com here. Happy reading!

Winner for the LOVE'S PROPHECY e-book contest

2012-09-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who commented both on the review and for the contest. The winner for the Love's Prophecy contest is Cathy Brockman! Cathy, keep a check on your email for the info on the book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and if you are willing to do it, be sure to leave a review for it on amazon!

LOVE'S PROPHECY CONTEST!!!

2012-09-01T12:37:00.002-05:00

Alright folks, if you want to win a free e-book copy of Love's Prophecy, here's what you need to do. Go to Brenda's blog, Romance With A Bite and read the excerpt she has posted from the book. Feel free to look around and leave comments because Brenda loves to hear from her readers. After you have visited with Romance With A Bite and read the excerpt, come back here and answer this question:

What would Breeana have to give up in order to stay with Mel?
Be sure to leave your email in your comment so that, if you win, we have a way to notify you. The winner will be chosen on Monday. Good luck and happy reading!!!

LOVE'S PROPHECY by Brenda Dyer-5*****'s and an 'A' for AWESOMENESS!!

2012-08-31T13:32:00.001-05:00

I have done reviews for several authors on Writing Opinions and, as a result, I have an ever growing list of 'favorite authors'. These are authors I check up on regularly at amazon.com, Goodreads, and other sites to see if and when they have new books out. Brenda Dyer is the latest addition to that list. I love the paranormal genre, but have avoided most of the vampire tales because they have been done to death. I am so glad I read this one!
The male lead in this novel is Mel. He is a vampire who walks the streets of Vancouver at night hunting and killing demons. However, Mel is given a new assignment. He is given the task of finding out what the Vampire Prophecy is all about. As he begins to dig for information about the Prophecy, he finds Breeana. Not only does she have the mark of the Prophecy, Mel has dreamed of her. The love that grows between them puts Breeana's life in danger and Mel has to go to extreme lengths to keep her safe. What part does Breeana play in the Prophecy? Will they find a way to keep their love even though they come from two very different worlds?
The characters in Love's Prophecy will stick with you. They are well written and instantly become new friends...or enemies. Brenda definitely has a talent for writing in a way that keeps you interested and moving from page to page and chapter to chapter. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens and to become involved in the lives of Mel and Breeana again.
To get your copy of LOVE'S PROPHECY go here. If you would like to learn more about the author, Brenda Dyer, go to her website here: Romance With A Bite or to her blog site here: Romance With A Bite Blog.
There will be a contest starting tomorrow and the winner will receive a free e-book of Love's Prophecy!!!! Come back and check for details :)

Through Rushing Water by Catherine Richmond-5*****

2012-08-08T13:13:00.002-05:00

Sophia Makinoff thinks she knows exactly what she wants in life but when she is jilted by the man she thought she was going to marry, she is completely humiliated. In her humiliation, she does the only thing she can...she signs up with the Board of Foreign Missions and is fully prepared to go to China. She is not prepared for what happens next. Sophia is sent to the Ponca Indian Agency to be the new teacher. Amid horrible poverty and injustice, Sophia finds her purpose and her faith in God is strengthened. She meets some new and wonderful friends, including Will Dunn who is the Agency's carpenter. Through their mutual love of the Poncas and of the Lord, they forge a strong friendship. Can that friendship last through the tragedies the Ponca face? Will it turn into more than friendship?

Through Rushing Water is a wonderfully written novel full of heartbreak and love, tragedy and triumph. This novel is Christian Fiction but it is based on the very real and very tragic history of the Ponca Indian Tribe. I can't begin to imagine how many hours of fact finding and research went into the writing of this novel. Mrs. Richmond did an outstanding job of making the reader feel the characters' frustration at seemingly unanswered prayers and their joy and thankfulness at prayers that were answered quickly. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone who loves Christian Fiction and history. It is appropriate for anyone from advanced young readers to adults.
This book was provided by the publisher through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. I did not have to write a positive review, this review is my own opinion.
You can find Through Rushing Water by Catherine Richmond in paperback at amazon.com here. The Kindle version is also available here. If you would like to know more about Catherine Richmond, you can find her website here. To learn more about BookSneeze, become a BookSneeze reviewer, or to browse other book reviews, please go here.

5***** Review for A VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY by LINDA GOODNIGHT

2012-07-21T20:15:00.000-05:00

This book was precious. I read it in a little over a day and loved every single minute of it. The characters were so real, I almost expected them to step out of the story and into my living room. The main characters are Molly McCreight and Ethan Hunter. Molly is a woman who has experienced horrible tragedy and has alienated herself from most of her family and friends, including her church family. I identified with her immediately because she suffers from panic attacks and so do I. Ethan has experienced tragedy of his own and is doing everything he can to bring his baby daughter up in a way that would be pleasing to God.
During a brutal ice storm, these three individuals are brought together by the Lord and a friendship slowly begins to form. As you read this novel, you will experience the heartache of both Molly and Ethan and their triumphs. As they pray for guidance on how to make decisions that are pleasing to God, you will want to bow your head and do the same.
This book drew my attention to the fact that I haven't prayed as often as I should and that I haven't been as dependent on God to lead me as I should be. I hope that you get as much from reading this novel as I did.
At the time of this posting A Very Special Delivery is free on amazon.com and you can find it here. If you are interested in learning more about the author, Linda Goodnight or other novels she has written, you can find her website here. To get other titles by Mrs. Goodnight through amazon.com here is a link to her Amazon Author Page.

5***** Review for LOVE FINDS YOU IN WILDROSE, NORTH DAKOTA by TRACEY BATEMAN

2012-07-18T06:32:00.001-05:00

This is a Christian fiction novel and it was a fantastic and refreshing read. I love Christian fiction and use to read novels by Jeanette Oke with my Grandmother when I was a teenager. Books that are set in the West during the frontier days have always captured my imagination.
LOVE FINDS YOU IN WILDROSE, NORTH DAKOTA was awesome from page one. I was immediately drawn into the lives of Rosemary Jackson and Finn Tate. Mrs. Bateman has an easy and fluid writing style that makes it easy to spend the day with the characters in her book. The book is 320 pages long and I read it in a day.
Because this is a Christian fiction novel, there are no sex scenes to make the reader blush. It is a very tender and sweet story that has well developed characters who depend on the guidance of the Lord to guide them through the heart break and hardships that were so much a part of life on the frontier.
Reading this novel, I felt as if I were making new and very dear friends and I hated to reach the end. I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys reading about frontier life and how God plays a role in even the smallest aspects of every day life. I believe it is also an appropriate read for young readers.
Here is the description from amazon:
Only the strongest flowers thrive in the wilderness. Rosemary Jackson has traveled all the way to the frozen tundra of North Dakota territory to visit her twin sister, Rachel. It’s been three long years since Rachel left Kansas with her new husband for this wild place. But Rosemary arrives to find only a grave, a grieving brother-in-law, and an underfed baby. She has no choice but to stay and see her sister’s family through the long winter. Finn Tate has just buried his beloved wife, and he cannot seem to take care of himself or his infant daughter. He needs help. But he cannot stand the sight of Rosemary, who reminds him so much of Rachel, standing at his cook stove. When Rosemary settles into a neighboring homestead, Finn realizes she is far more strong-willed than he ever anticipated. But after a series of mishaps on Rosemary’s property threaten her livelihood, it becomes clear that Finn is not the only one who wants her to go back to Kansas. When the wildflowers arrive with the spring, will Rosemary be forced to leave everything she’s come to love in Wildrose, North Dakota?
You can purchase this novel by either clicking the title above or by clicking here

Missed Reviews.

2012-07-17T20:22:00.000-05:00

For those who follow my blog...Did ya miss me? It has been very frustrating to get my internet and computer to work together. Either my computer crashed and the internet worked or the internet didn't work and the computer did. I finally had to have my modem replaced and new wiring run! I will have several reviews up in the next week or two so keep looking for them and don't give up on me.
Thank you for your patience and for continuing to follow. To the authors who have contacted me and requested reviews, thank you for your interest and all of the wonderful stories I have had the pleasure of reading!

Learn To Treat Yourself and Your Family With Herbs

2012-05-29T12:34:00.000-05:00

On June 16th, I will have Anke Bialas, author of a series of books called Homemade Health, on Beth's Writing Opinions. The information about the healing properties of herbs and how to make your own is amazing. She writes in such a way that the reader doesn't feel overwhelmed. She gives simple and easy to understand instructions on how to make your own remedies. Here is the link to her books on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_8?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=anke+bialas&sprefix=Anke+Bia%2Caps%2C574

Reasons That I Rate Books 5*****

2012-05-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

If you picked up a book and couldn't get through the first couple of chapters, would you force yourself to read it? I don't think so, not if you were reading for pleasure. If you couldn't read it all the way to the end, why would you try to rate or review it? I think that there are redeeming qualities in every written work. The plot may be awesome and the writing just sucks or maybe the writing is great but the plot stinks. Either way, someone somewhere will like it while others don't. This is why you never see a rating from me that is less than 3 stars. I'm not trying to slam an author by giving them a bad review. I am trying to find books that my followers will enjoy reading. If I can't give a book a good rating, chances are that book didn't hold my attention in the first chapter or two. If that's the case, I put it down and won't write a review because I didn't get to the end of the book. If I didn't get to the end, I don't have the whole picture so it wouldn't be fair to review it.
I look at any author's work like it is their baby. I wouldn't walk up to a parent on the street and say, "Wow, what an ugly baby!" Likewise, I wouldn't tell an author that their novel is horrible. As an editor, I gave suggestions to my authors about certain things. If the conversation between characters was flat or sounded forced, I would let them know. If a description was so long that I forgot what was actually being described, I would let them know that as well. If, I come across a book I can read but it just didn't really do it for me, I may not rate it at all. I might just say it was an okay book and leave it at that.
So, there you go. This is why you won't find bad reviews here. Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated! Happy Reading!!

Bulletproof by Jeff LaFerney

2012-04-24T17:46:00.000-05:00

Haven't we all wished for access to just a little more of our brain? Maybe for extra memory power to help us remember where we put our car keys, to solve that problem we keep stumbling over at work, or maybe a little psychic mojo to help us win the lottery? Bulletproof by Jeff LaFerney gives us a glimpse of the possibilities of having that extra brain power and we can see that it may not be as great as it's cracked up to be. Here's a tiny taste of the mystery in Bulletproof:

The technicians eyed each other uncertainly while the nurses and the intern were not sure what to think. To near silence in the operating room, the doctor removed the retractors holding the brain and closed the dura with sutures. The bone flap was placed back in its original position and secured to the patient’s skull with titanium plates and screws. As the doctor left the operating room, he noticed that his hands were shaking. What he had done was unethical, but he did it for the good of science. His conscience chastised him for doing such a terrible thing, but his mind told him that what he had done was justified, and he planned to eventually prove to himself that it was orchestrated for the overall good.

It was immediately obvious to me that a lot of planning and research went into the writing of this book. One of the great things about Jeff LaFerney's novels is that both the care and pride he takes in his work are obvious. Bulletproof opens in an operating room with a surgeon who has more on his mind than removing a tumor and saving a life. This automatically made me curious to find out more and kept me engrossed throughout the story. Mr. LaFerney has a vivid imagination and extreme passion for writing that both come out well on the page.
While it may seem to start a little slow for some readers, Bulletproof is a wonderful read and definitely worth adding to your bookshelf. It will be released tomorrow on amazon.com here. Mr. LaFerney also has a website here, and his author page at World Castle Publishing can be found here.

Changes Ahead for Beth's Writing Opinions??

2012-04-19T08:25:00.000-05:00

Most of my book reviews are on books from the paranormal, horror, or thriller genre. Occasionally, I will review a book that is a romance or self-help but that is rare. It has come to my attention that Writing Opinions looks "girly" and "frilly". This is not a bad thing, but doesn't really fit with the types of stories I review. The start to 2012 was rather rocky for me and I neglected my blog, (Bad Blogger!!), but since things are beginning to even out for me, I am thinking of changing the theme to something a little more spooky. I had almost decided to just delete Writing Opinions and put my effort into something else, but I just can't seem to let go of it.
For one thing, when I post reviews, the author gets just a little extra advertising from Google. I know a lot of wonderful writers who are extremely talented and I love to know that I can help them in some small way to get that extra little bit in there. I have several ideas for the new look. I want to get myself an original rating symbol, for one. I am leaning hard toward a moon with the highest rating being '5 moons'. Of course, instead of the word 'moon', there would be a picture of the moon. Here are a few pics I have so far:

Moon 1

Moon 2

Moon 3

Moon 4

The pictures would be smaller to fit in the Title Bar after the Name of the book being reviewed and the author. Which one do you like the best?

Another thing I want to do is change my background image. Right now, it's the mountains that you see behind the blog itself. Again, shooting for spooky here. Here are some of the pics I have in mind for that.

Background 1

Background 2

Background 3

Background 4

Background 5

Background 6

Background 7

Background 8

Background 9

I will also be creating a blog button. This button will reflect my passion for the night time and/or for wolves. I would love to know what everyone thinks. I have had a couple of friends working on this little make-over, but I want to get some opinions from people who follow me or just would like to have some input. In the comments section below, let me know which picture you like for the rating symbol and which one you like for the background. Thanks bunches!!

THE HAY FORT by Judith Ann McDowell~5*****

2012-04-18T15:11:00.000-05:00

If you follow my reviews, then you know I reviewed Rougarou by Judith before. This woman has an amazing imagination and talent for writing! She can drag a reader into her story from the first page and keep you there until the book is finished. THE HAY FORT is no different. The storyline isn’t her usual but; nevertheless, she was on top of her game with this book. Here is the book description from amazon.com:

When teens Willie and Butch Coby stumble on some filled jars in an old abandoned bus they have no idea what they are inviting by taking the jars away. Not until their biology teacher checks out what the jars contain do they begin to realize some adventures can cost you your life or worse turn that life into a living nightmare. Let all who know the name of the beast... Give up his name for he will not hold back his wrath against a child of the most holy.

This story will take you places you never expected it to go. It has all of the elements that make up the best paranormal stories; ghosts, witches, and demons. Willie and Butch are so well written that they will remind you of what it was like to be young and carry around a hefty imagination and sense of adventure. You will also remember how worried you could get if you thought you were fixing to be grounded forever! This was a great read and an awesome adventure!

Here is the review of Rougarou there will also be a review of Rougarou II following shortly. All of Judith's books are available from her author page at World Castle Publishing, here and also from amazon.com here.

Happy Reading!!!

The Falcon And His Desert Rose by George R. Lasher-5*****

2012-04-10T08:00:00.003-05:00

A BIT ABOUT GEORGE:
I write fiction, frequently seasoned with a dash of supernatural flavor. My stories have appeared in several on-line magazines and paperback short-story anthologies. In the 70s, I worked in radio & dabbled in music as a songwriter, singer, and drummer. Since then I've been a sales manager at several places in Houston. Originally a therapeutic hobby that I started in 2000, writing has become a passionate obsession. "Welcome to my imagination."

Cloned from the remains of an ancient Egyptian god, a young man named Horace is sent to Boston's M.I.T. to study molecular biology. After graduation, he is expected to return to Egypt to recreate The Fluid of Life, an ancient elixir capable of eliminating death. The Egyptian government plans to use the magic potion to create an immortal army that will restore them to their former glory as the world's premiere superpower. Horace becomes sidetracked, however, when he falls in love with Jeanne Mosley, a beautiful, but feisty, co-ed. Complicating matters, his best friend at M.I.T., Thomas Franklin, the son of the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, love's the same girl. After graduation, while attempting to recreate The Fluid of Life, Horace (who changes his name to Horus) resorts to terrorism in an effort to break the will of countries that oppose Egypt's political agenda. Employing his blossoming, supernatural abilities, he returns to the U.S., intending to assassinate the leading candidate for the next presidential election. Before returning to his native country, Horus kidnaps Jeanne, the queen of his dreams. Based on information given to the CIA by Thomas, an international manhunt ensues, culminating in an attack by U.N. Peacekeeping forces on a bunker beneath the Great Sphinx at Giza. Will Thomas and the U.N. Peacekeeping troops successfully rescue Jeanne? Can Horace be stopped before perfecting the formula for immortality, or will the entire world be enslaved and kept under the watchful eye of Horus, the reincarnated son of Osiris?
Okay, so in this one book, there is an enormous government conspiracy, a love triangle between college kids, and murder afoot. I had the oddest reaction to the “bad guy”, Horus. At some points in the story, I really wanted to see him get the girl and succeed, but then he would do something enormously horrible…like kidnapping Jeanne, and I would want to see him get what he deserved. Of all the wonderfully written characters in this book, I was drawn to Horus the most. From the first page the action was non-stop and I had a hard time putting it down to do anything. Mr. Lasher is an extraordinary storyteller and a genuinely warm person.

If you would like to know more about George Lasher, his website is here. You can also visit his author page and buy a copy of The Falcon And His Desert Rose here. You can read some of his amazing short stories here. So go visit with him, you’ll be glad you did.

New Reviews.

2012-03-30T07:17:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend and into the next week, I will be posting some reviews. The Hay Fort by Judith McDowell and The Falcon and His Desert Rose by George R. Lasher will be the first two. Keep an eye open for them!

Learning from the choices you make.

2012-03-27T14:14:00.000-05:00

So today I had an epiphany. Everyone knows that life is all about the choices you make. Where you are today is a result of the choices you made yesterday or last week or five years ago. Can you be happy, though, with where you are today and still miss what might've been if you'd made different choices? Sometimes I find myself regretting a choice I've made that put me on a different path from the one I fiercely wanted to go down. I love my life today and the people in it, but every now and then, my heart hurts and longs for places and people I left behind years ago.
I guess part of appreciating what you have now is dependent on what you had before. Learning from the heartaches and bad choices of the past and moving forward while trying your level best not to repeat those mistakes in your present or future. Looking back on my life, I am a lucky woman to have met so many wonderful people and to have loved and been loved by a few. I also learned from the ones that I hated and who hated me, so all in all, I guess it is okay to be happy now and to miss what might've been.

FREE book~Crossroads by Mary Ting

2012-03-24T07:31:00.000-05:00

~The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.~ Mark Twain

This is Mary Ting’s Crossroads. Here is the blurb from amazon:
Claudia Emerson has a good friend who shares the same first name and last name. That friend unfortunately dies in a tragic accident during homecoming dance. Claudia is distraught at the loss of her friend, but is even more disturbed by her dreams, which seem to take her to another place called Crossroads. Unknown to her, Crossroads is like a second heaven, a place between heaven and earth. It is where the souls of humans in comas or near death experiences may wander.
There, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn't her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia. Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her.
Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should? The answer awaits you! Follow the exciting path to Crossroads!
Here are just a few of the reviews for this awesome story:
"Crossroads contains action, twists and romance that has you flipping through the pages so fast that you're at the end and ready for more before you know it." Gabby, Nashville Young Adult Fiction Examiner/What's Beyond Forks

Watch out Edward Cullen! The angel Michael has officially given you a run for your money! Teens everywhere will add a new fictional boyfriend to their ever growing lists! OMWings! An amazing paranormal angel romance that stays with you long after the last page has turned. I need more! Jennifer Howell with LateBloomerOnline.com

"I'm taking a break from vampires and spending time with Mary's angels. Michael can wrap me inside his wings and take me away. Very original. So much passion and danger. I could not put it down!" Charlotte Blackwell, author of Embrace series
"Crossroads-a romantic adventure that keeps you guessing. Mary Ting's character, Claudia, will capture your heart and make you believe in angels."~ Joann Buchanan, author of I Am Wolf/Shark Radio
"Crossroads is an exciting debut book with a rich paranormal mythology, unique angel-lore, forbidden romance, action, suspense and plot twists. With her detailed writing and a plot that flow wells, Mary created a world I enjoyed visiting, and a story that was hard to put down."~ Katie with Mundie Moms
To download this FREE from amazon for your Kindle or Kindle app for PC, click the book title.
Crossroads by Mary Ting

If you don't have a Kindle, don't cry, you can still read these books by downloading the Kindle for PC app found here. They also have the new option of reading instantly in the "cloud" you can find out more about that here.
HAPPY READING!!!!!!!

FREE Book~Courting the Darkness by Karen Fuller

2012-03-22T09:18:00.004-05:00

~The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.~ Mark Twain

This is the first “free book” post I’ve done, mainly because there are so many wonderful sites that keep my Kindle well stocked with the freebies. Ereader News Today and Pixel of Ink are two of my faves. However, these are special books. The authors of each are friends of mine. They are both wonderful women and amazing authors. First is Karen Fuller’s Courting the Darkness. Here is the blurb from amazon:

She was wanted by everyone...
All she wanted was to be left alone, or at least that's what Desiree Dupuis thought she wanted. She was born a very powerful witch. It figures the one back fired spell she cast would make her a very wanted woman. Drake, the Vampire King, wanted her for her magic. Jason Hargrove, the witch hunter, wanted to see her burn. Caleb Jenkins, the shape-shifter, wanted to possess her. Mica Sinclair, the Rogue Vampire...Well...Mica wanted her heart.
Danger and adventure awaits...
Desiree had no trouble finding danger, suspense, lies, deceit, and most of all romance...She found love where she least expected, but at what cost? Are the risks too great?
After being tugged in four different directions, all Desiree wanted was to Court the Darkness.
Here are some of the reviews for Courting the Darkness:

“ I enjoyed Karen Fuller's book, Courting the Darkness. Her main character, Desiree, is a witch who casts a spell that backfires on her making her never age and granting her immortality. She is 125 years old at the start of the story. I really enjoyed this premise, and I also appreciated the great details that Ms. Fuller uses in her circle and spell casting. It really gives us another view into the world of magic…This was a fast read to me and I really enjoyed the new concepts that the author presented. There were a few things that I wanted her to go into more detail on because I was intrigued by the story she was weaving. I wanted to know more about the world and how these witch trials were still allowed. I also wanted the story to be longer in certain cases. For example, Desiree needs to cast this spell, but she does not think she can do it. We only see one attempt at the spell; although I assume there were other attempts that we just weren't privy to for she has been in her work space for quite some time. I always feel that if I want to know more about the story, that the author has done a good job getting my attention. I would definitely recommend this book and plan to read the author again. I had trouble putting this book down as well!”~Melissa Duhr, Bloomington, IL.
“Well I want to start out with saying that I could not put this book down. I loved the characters, the plot and the storyline. I was neglecting my daily activities when I was reading this great book. Courting the Darkness is fast paced, full of action and adventure and just and all around great read. This book comes highly recommended by me for anyone over the age of eighteen.” ~Catie Vargas, Indiana

To get this book for FREE for your Kindle or Kindle app for PC, click the title of the book, Courting the Darkness by Karen Fuller

If you don't have a Kindle, don't cry, you can still read these books by downloading the Kindle for PC app found here. They also have the new option of reading instantly in the "cloud" you can find out more about that here.
HAPPY READING!!!!!!!

Can you say FRUSTRATION???

2012-01-17T21:35:00.000-06:00

I have tried for weeks to find reasons why I should stay with Blogger. "I'm use to the layout and WordPress isn't nearly as easy to work with", or, "It's just to freaking irritating to export and import all my other posts". Well, tonight, I did it. I have moved to WordPress. Over the weekend, I couldn't respond to people's comments because the 'reply' button wouldn't work and tonight two people brought to my attention that they couldn't comment on a review I re-posted! I have had enough monkeying around by Blogger and until they do a major overhaul and fix the stuff that keeps goofing up, I will struggle along and learn how to navigate WordPress. If you follow me here, please come follow me there. Here is the link: Writing Opinions Too

ROUGAROU by JUDITH McDOWELL

2012-01-17T18:24:00.000-06:00

Hot and balmy Louisiana nights in a dark and dangerous swamp is the setting for JUDITH McDOWELL’s novel, ROUGAROU.

People in Saint Anthony’s Parish, Louisiana know how to deal with the lethal and slithering creatures that call the swamps home. What they can’t deal with, however, is the Voo-Doo magic that brings forth an extremely deadly creature with a thirst for human blood.

When the body count starts to rise in Saint Anthony’s Parish, each one mutilated to the point of being almost unrecognizable, Detective Donovan Hays and his close friend and ex-partner, Jack Olivier’, get a crash course in what it’s like to live in a horror movie. As they race against the clock to save their loved ones and their town, the questions weighing on their minds are; what sort of creature are they up against and can they find it before it’s too late?

This was a pulse pounding read that kept me scared silly and on the edge of my seat the entire time. It has been newly edited, (by yours truly!), and re-released by World Castle Publishing. You can also visit Judith’s Facebook Fan page here.

I would suggest to anyone who loves horror or paranormal books to read this as soon as you can download or buy it! It also has some romance mixed into the plot for the lovers out there.

ROUGAROU is currently on the front page of All Romance E books here under ‘New Releases’. It has also gone live on Barnes and Noble here. This will be worth checking out!

Once you’ve read it please come back and let me know what you think of it. It is truly an exhilarating reading. Happy reading! Stay tuned for more novels by Judith McDowell!

Winner for the Wisdom of Evil E-book!!

2012-01-16T12:42:00.000-06:00

Soooo, not many comments this weekend for The Wisdom of Evil :( I am so sad. However, there were a few, so as promised, there is also a winner. Denise Norcross!!!!!!! If you will inbox on FB and include your email address, Scarlet will be getting with you on the free book. Hope you enjoy it!!

The Wisdom of Evil by Scarlet Black.

2012-01-13T21:51:00.002-06:00

The Wisdom of Evil

Scarlet Black

Q&A with Scarlet

1) At what age did you decide you wanted to be an author?

I’ve always wanted to write. I was around 8 years old when I read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (My favorite children’s book to this day.) I wrote little pamphlets up and tied them with a ribbon to give away as presents at around that age. I was always an avid reader. Believe it or not, I started writing short screen plays while in the fifth grade, which were actually performed in the auditorium at school. What a rush it was! I then went onto short stories and finally full length novels.

2) Where do your ideas come from? Are they based on your life experiences or do they just come to you?

My ideas come from both. A lot of my characters are based, at least in part on real people I’ve come across. The Wisdom of Evil is one such book. Salem Moon came to me in bits and pieces. I get a lot of ideas while doing mundane stuff, like weeding or cleaning. I carry a personal recorder with me so I don’t forget them.

3) When you began to write seriously, how long did it take for you to finish your first book? (How often did you start and stop?)

The Wisdom of Evil is my first novel. It took me over a year to write, including a lot of revisions and editing. I usually finish, then have two beta readers read it, then go on to edit and revise myself before it ever goes to publisher. So, yes, I do stop and start. If the writing becomes choppy and ceases to flow, I’ll walk away for a bit and come back to it. The novel is also one of two. I had two totally separate ideas for it. I kept the original, which I will work on now. It’s a dystopian thriller called: Last Rites of a Nation.

4) Was it difficult to get your first work published? If so, why?

Yes, it was. I must have queried over one-hundred agents and publishers. Most were very kind and the reasons for rejection were mostly “Current trends” in the market. Lol! I’m a firm believer in making the trends, not following them. While this makes it more difficult to compete with what’s out there now, I feel that writing well; and coming up with truly original ideas is satisfying. I was pleased that World Castle picked it up. Shortly after, I did retain an agent, but with another piece, a novella called “The Last Gift.”

5) In The Wisdom of Evil, Glory isn’t merely afraid of death, she is absolutely terrified of it. So much so, that she will go out of her way to avoid any situation she thinks could possibly cause her death. Do you think that most of your readers will be able to identify with her fear on some level?

I think fear of death is a basic instinct we all share. The phobia Glory suffers from is a very complex and hard to treat problem. This is a very down to earth story and I’m sure readers will be able to identify with an ordinary woman and her family as they go through the worst grief imaginable. In all horror, it’s necessary to isolate the person and that is effectively done because she can’t tell anyone, except her husband who doesn’t believe her. The Grim Reaper won’t leave her alone; she can’t hide and has to fight back.

6) Throughout this story, the reader watches as Glory transforms from a terrified and helpless woman who is controlled by her fear, into a woman who masters that fear in order to fight for what’s important to her. Is that a message you intend for your readers to see or did Glory’s character just develop that way as your story progressed?

Yes, that is the message I wanted to convey. Everyday women can relate to doing whatever it takes, despite their fear to protect their family. Glory’s character did develop somewhat on its own while writing, but I had written a bio for her and an outline for the book, so I knew what would she’d be like for the most part.

7) Considering all of your published works, do you think that they each have a deeper meaning, a positive message that you want your readers to pick up on or do you write your books solely to entertain your fans?

To entertain the reader (I hope) But,all of my works have underlying meanings and messages to them. My favorite writers, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Anne Rice, Dan Brown and Michael Crichton all have deeper meaning and insights into the human condition. And really, I can’t help myself being a psychology major. LOL! I hope to always leave the reader with “food for thought” when they finish my books. I hope they enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Everyone knows that from the moment we are born, we begin to die. The journey from birth to death is called ‘life’. Everyday life is full of situations that, given the right timing and set of circumstances, can bring the Grim Reaper to our soul’s door. How would we behave, I wonder, if we could see Death coming to take the souls of our loved ones and, in the end, our own?

Perhaps we would become our own version of Glory Soloman in The Wisdom of Evil. As the story starts, Glory is like a terrified mouse in a room full of cats, constantly searching for a way out or a safe place to hide that isn’t there. Glory knows that, eventually, her time will come to shake hands with the Reaper, but that doesn’t mean that she is going to go easily into that endless sleep.

Death has a plan for Glory. He is going to take away everyone that she holds dear and then, when he’s had his fun breaking her heart and her mind, he’ll take her. That’s what he thinks, until our timid and terrified Glory comes out swinging. How does one fight the inevitable, the promise of death creeping closer and closer every day? Every hour? Every minute of our life? Ask Glory, she’ll tell you.

Read Scarlet Black’s The Wisdom of Evil to find out who wins this battle of life and death and how a battle such as this can be won…or lost.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I have to say I have never read one like this before. Scarlet did a fantastic job of dragging the reader in from the very first page. I have to give this book a 5***** rating. My advice to you is to BUY THIS BOOK NOW! I guarantee that when you finish this one, you will want to devour all of Scarlet Black’s work!

Happy Reading.

Buy The Wisdom of Evil from amazon.com here