CelticLady's Reviews

Blood Passage by Michael J. McCann Review

2012-01-27T15:01:00.000-08:00

Title: Blood Passage

Author: Michael J. McCann

Category: Mystery & thrillers

ISBN 13: 978-0-9877087-0-0

Pub. Date: July, 2011

Price: $14.95

Pages: 250

Publisher: The Plaid Raccoon Press

In Blood Passage, a police procedural, Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue and Detective Karen Stainer become involved in a four-year-old cold case when a little boy named Taylor Chan begins talking about his previous life as the murder victim. Martin Liu, who was his mother's cousin, was shot and left to die in an alley a year before little Taylor was born, but now Taylor claims he knows the names of the men who shot him "when he was Martin." Skeptical of the boy's alleged memories, Donaghue and Stainer follow established police protocol to work the re-activated case while the boy's Uncle Peter Mah, a Triad enforcer, follows little Taylor's clues to track down Martin's killers and exact his revenge. Donaghue and Stainer must race to contain the violence sweeping their city while struggling to accept what their eyes and ears are telling them about the little boy’s claims.

Inspired by actual research currently being conducted at the University of Virginia by Dr. Jim B. Tucker as described in his book Life Before Life: A Scientific Investigation of Children's Memories of Previous Lives (St. Martin's Press, 2005), this novel explores the compelling questions surrounding past life memories in the context of a gritty, no-nonsense procedural.

Michael J. McCann

www.mjmccann.com

http://michaeljmccannsblog.blogspot.com

READ AN EXCRPT HERE: http://www.mjmccann.com/bloodpassageexcerpt.htm

My Thoughts:

Blood Passage is an exciting murder mystery that will keep you turning the pages. I love reading murder mysteries and police procedurals. Full of exciting characters, good and bad. The story is about the re-investigation into the murder of a young man, Martin Liu, which happened 4 years previous in the story. The case is re opened when a little boy starts saying strange things from a person in his previous life. The police are of course skeptical, especially hard nosed Dectective Stainer who with Homicide Dectective Hank Donaghue decide to investigate it anyway. As they get further involved in the investigation they are embroiled in the ways of the Triad. This is a story entwining two cultures, good and bad people, and the law. I especially loved the character of Karen Stainer, a no nonsense tough woman who is not afraid to get nose to nose with the criminal element, but does have a soft side to her. A very tense edge of your seat type of page turner that will keep you guessing to the very end. Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, this book will certainly make you go hmmm at the end. Michael J. McCann is also the author of The Ghost Man, a supernatural thriller. His new book of the Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel Series, Marcie's Murder, which is scheduled for publication in Spring 2012.

I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I received a review copy of this book from the author and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

Flat-Out Love, The Enhanced App Experience | Jessica Park

2012-01-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

Indie publishing and storytelling just got a whole lot better. Jessica Park, self-published author of the best-selling Flat-Out Love, is about to bring her story to life as an interactive book designed for the iPad and iPhone.

Flat-Out Love is a warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance. This is a true all-ages novel – very suitable for older teens, and equally engaging for adults. With over 65,000 e-books sold in just six months, great reviews, and many, many readers returning for a second and third time, this is a story we believe readers would love to see rendered in a beautiful, media-rich app for their iPad, iPhone, and iPod.

'Flat-Out Love: Enhanced Edition' augments the reading experience with:

Author commentary
Photo illustration
Short video scenes and music
Bonus chapters
Musical accompaniment by indie rock band In Like Lions
Interactive sequences
And more! We can’t give away all of our secrets :)

Additionally, the much-loved Facebook status updates, messages, and chats between the characters will be brought to life, allowing the reader to experience the suspense of the conversations as if they were happening in real time. We are trying to create a truly new reading experience that can pull the reader further into the story and captivate them with high impact pictures and interaction.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DIGIGLYPH GO TO THE LINKS BELOW:
http://digiglyph.org/authors/
http://digiglyph.org/publications/
http://digiglyph.org/blog/

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ENHANCED APP EXPERIENCE, KICKSTARTER AND TO DONATE TO THE FUND VISIT:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/digiglyph/flat-out-love-the-enhanced-app-experience-jessica?play=1

Sparkling Reviews: 2000 Followers Giveaway

2012-01-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

2000 Followers Giveaway!

includes:

*1 73 inch Mitsubishi TV

*1 Sony Home Theater Set (includes Blu Ray Player , iPod dock, and speakers)

*1 $1000 Visa Card (Cause you need food too right? nothing like a movie and take-out)

*1 $1000 Amazon Card (Cause you need Blu Ray movies to watch on your new system!)

The fine print: This giveaway is only for the USA and Canada, I am sorry about the restriction but it is necessary seeing as the electronics are coming from Best Buy.

You can enter here: Sparkling Reviews: 2000 Followers Giveaway:

The Bronze and the Brimstone by Lory Kaufman

2012-01-26T06:00:00.001-08:00

Join Lory Kaufman, author of the Young Adult Fantasy books, The Lens and the Looker and The Bronze and The Brimstone (The Fiction Studio), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in October, November and December on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Lory Kaufman

“I write Post-Dystopian fiction. After society’s collapse, which is imagined in so many great dystopian stories, humans will either fade into history, with the dinosaurs, or, if it learns the right lessons, society will go on to construct a civilization to last tens of thousands of years. History Camp stories are the exciting adventures of young people doing the latter.” -Lory Kaufman
On the artistic side of Lory’s career, he’s written, acted and directed children’s theatre and musical theatre. He enjoys art, especially sculpture. He loves science fiction and historical fiction and he has been deeply involved in the green movement all across North America. All this shows through when you read his work. Lory has three grown children and works and lives in Kingston, Canada.

To find out more about Lory visit www.history-camp.com

About The Bronze and the Brimstone

What could go wrong in the 14th-century for three time-traveling teens? How about – EVERYTHING!

Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, three teens from the 24th century, are trapped in 14th-century Verona, Italy. They’ve survived many deadly experiences by keeping their wits about them and by introducing futuristic technology into the past. Principal among these inventions is the telescope, which brought them to the attention of the rich and powerful.

But standing out can get you into unexpected and dangerous situations. The nobles of Verona now believe Hansum is a savant, a genius inventor, especially after he brings them plans for advanced cannons and black powder. Being the center of attention is great, but the potential for trouble is now exponentially greater because people are watching Hansum’s every move.

Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disastrous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.

Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone.

Do they have a future in this past?

Follow this link to purchase here

TWO GREAT BOOKS FROM ROMANCE AT RANDOM!!!

2012-01-26T00:02:00.000-08:00

ANGEL'S REST BY EMILY MARCH
Gabriel Callahan has lost everything that mattered. All he wants is solitude on an isolated mountain estate. Instead, he gets a neighbor. Vibrant, no-nonsense Nic Sullivan is Eternity Springs’ veterinarian, and she has an uncanny plan to lure this talented architect back to the world of the living. First with a dog, next with a renovation project, and, finally, with a night of passion that ends with a surprise.

Now a man still raw from tragedy must face the biggest struggle of his heart. Can he forgive himself and believe in the power of second chances? Dare he trust in the promise of a future and a brand-new family here in Eternity Springs?

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/196347/angels-rest-by-emily-march

Read an excerpt below....

Angel's Rest by Emily March (Excerpt)

RIDE WITH ME BY RUTHIE KNOX
When Lexie Marshall places an ad for a cycling companion, she hopes to find someone friendly and fun to cross the TransAmerica Trail with. Instead, she gets Tom Geiger—a loner whose bad attitude threatens to spoil the adventure she’s spent years planning.

Roped into the cycling equivalent of a blind date by his sister, Tom doesn’t want to ride with a chatty, go-by-the-map kind of woman. Even Tom’s stubborn determination to keep Lexie at a distance can’t stop him from wanting more. But when the tour ends, where will they go next?

http://www.randomhouse.com/book/218035/ride-with-me-by-ruthie-knox

Read an excerpt below:

RIDE WITH ME by Ruthie Knox, A Loveswept eOriginal Excerpt
SOURCE: http://www.romanceatrandom.com/

The Shadow Cay by Leona Bodie Review

2012-01-25T19:53:00.000-08:00

Join Leona Bodie, author of the thriller suspense novel, Shadow Cay (WRB Publishing), as she virtually tours the blogosphere January 3 – 27 2012 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Leona Bodie

Can you imagine a thriller author married to a CSI star? Leona Bodie currently lives on the Treasure Coast of Florida with her husband Walter, a Miami-Dade Police Department forensic specialist for 21 years, who actually appeared in the pilot episode of the long-running TV series, CSI. She and he often collaborate. Originally from NJ, Leona’s career took her from high school English teacher to a biotechnology corporate executive and president of the Greater Miami Society of Human Resource Management before she shifted to writing books. Leona’s the author of COCOONED IN DARKNESS, the upcoming book FEAR THE WHISPERS, and her debut thriller SHADOW CAY, is the recipient of 4 literary awards. For more details about Leona Bodie and her books, please visit: www.leonabodie.com.

About Shadow Cay

Madeleine Nesbitt lives a privileged, sheltered life on a pristine tropical island paradise until the young girl is hauled off the deck of a capsizing ferry. Sixty-two passengers drown, trapped under the hull. Madeleine survives but her innocence dies that day. Despite the odds, she’s resilient enough to put her life together. However, nine years later she realizes too late that catastrophe is only the beginning of the dangers that lurk ahead when another maritime disaster hits closer to home. Someone wants to make sure the Nesbitt family never makes it out of paradise alive.

One peaceful night in a moonlit Bahamian cove, her parents are violently murdered on their boat, shattering the only security Madeleine’s ever known. Now that she’s uncovered a global link to her parent’s death and a terrorist conspiracy, she’s suddenly thrust into a world of international intrigue. Will a psychopath determine her fate or will she find justice before the killers return for the next of kin?

Read the excerpt here!

My Thoughts:
Shadow Cay by Leona Bodie is book about terrorists, greed, power and money. It is also a story of revienge. Madeleine Nesbitt lives the island life to its fullest until a tragedy takes place that changes her life forever. Forced to live with a murderer and drug dealer, Madeleine does what is necessary to survive and waits for the perfect opportunity to avenge her parents deaths.A story that at times had me on the edge of my seat urging Madeleine on. A fast paced story with lots of intrique and excitement. I enjoyed this story and highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from Pump Up Your Book and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

Book Swag Bag Giveaway! Enter at Fierce Reading Virtual Book Tours!!

2012-01-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

As a thank you to tour hosts,

Janiera at Fierce Reading Virtual Book Tours is having a contest. You can sign up to be a tour host and then

enter the giveaway here!!

Included in the giveaway:

A signed bookmark of The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges
Firelight Novel book swag
Sirenz book swag
The Pledge book swag and so much more

If you love to read and want to be a reviewer go here to sign up!!

Until The Next Time by Kevin Fox Book Recommendation and Excerpt

2012-01-25T11:39:00.000-08:00

Remember me. I’ll be waiting for you on Inchmore, by the ruins of the old schoolhouse, on the ninth of every December, from now until the next time.

For Sean Corrigan the past is simply what happened yesterday, until his twenty-first birthday, when he’s given a journal left to him by his father’s brother Michael–a man he had not known existed. The journal, kept after his uncle fled from New York City to Ireland to escape prosecution for a murder he did not commit, draws Sean into a hunt for the truth about Michael’s fate.

Sean also leaves New York for Ireland, where he is caught up in the lives of people who not only know all about Michael Corrigan but have a score to settle. As his connection to his uncle grows stronger, he realizes that within the tattered journal lies the story of his own life–his past as wel as his future–and the key to finding the one woman he is fated to love forever.

Whip-smart and full of suspense, Until the Next Time is a remarkable story about time and memory and the way ancient myths shape our modern lives–from what we believe to whom we love.

Source: http://www.workman.com/products/9781565129931/Excerpt From Until the Next Time

Released This Week

2012-01-24T16:46:00.000-08:00

On Sale the Week of January 23rd in Hardcover

January 23rd

HEFT by Liz MooreFormer academic Arthur Opp hasn't left his Brooklyn home in a decade. In Yonkers, 17-year-old Kel navigates life as a poor kid in a rich school. Kel’s mother, Charlene, is a former student of Arthur’s and calls him with a plea for help after two decades of silence.
W. W. Norton & Company * 9780393081503

THE LIVES OF MARGARET FULLER: A Biography by John MattesonWriter and social critic Margaret Fuller (1810–1850) was perhaps the most famous American woman of her generation. But she was also plagued by self-doubt. John Matteson captures Fuller’s longing to become ever better, reflected by the changing lives she led.
W. W. Norton & Company * 9780393068054

January 24th

ALL I DID WAS SHOOT MY MAN: A Leonid McGill Mystery by Walter MosleyAs his own life unravels, Leonid McGill investigates a complex case. Seven years ago, Zella Grisham came home to find her man in bed with her friend. Zella didn't remember shooting him, but she didn't deny it either. And the police found $80,000 from a recent heist hidden in her storage space.
Riverhead Hardcover * 9781594488245

AN AVAILABLE MAN by Hilma WolitzerWhen Edward Schuyler, a modest 62-year-old science teacher, is widowed, he finds himself ambushed by female attention. Edward is still in mourning, but when his stepchildren place a personal ad in the newspaper for him, he is torn between his loyalty to Bee’s memory and his growing longing for connection.
Ballantine Books * 9780345527547

BOND GIRL by Erin DuffyA bright, young, newly minted B-school graduate works her way up at one of Wall Street’s most prestigious brokerage firms --- only to confront the possible destruction of her dreams in the infamous 2008 financial bust.
William Morrow * 9780062065896

CITY OF FORTUNE: How Venice Ruled the Seas by Roger CrowleyTracing the full arc of the Venetian imperial saga for the first time, CITY OF FORTUNE is framed around two of the great collisions of world history: the ill-fated Fourth Crusade in 1202 and the Ottoman-Venetian War of 1499–1503.
Random House * 9781400068203

FAIRY TALE INTERRUPTED: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss by RoseMarie TerenzioRoseMarie Terenzio was John F. Kennedy Jr.’s personal assistant, his publicist, and one of his closest confidantes during the last five years of his life. Here, she recounts the unlikely friendship between a blue-collar girl from the Bronx and JFK.
Gallery Books * 9781439187678

THE FLIGHT OF GEMMA HARDY by Margot LiveseyThe resonant story of a young woman’s struggle to take charge of her own future, THE FLIGHT OF GEMMA HARDY is a modern take on Charlotte Brontë’s classic, JANE EYRE.
Harper * 9780062064226

MR G by Alan LightmanMR G is the story of Creation as told by God, or “Mr g.” Mr g is all powerful but not all knowing, and he does much of his invention by trial and error. As he watches his favorite universe grow, he begins to understand how the act of creation can change himself, the Creator.
Pantheon * 9780307379993

PINEAPPLE GRENADE by Tim DorseyGloriously unrepentant Florida serial killer Serge Storms is back --- and he’s finagled his way into becoming a secret agent in Miami. The incomparable Serge takes up spying for the president of a Banana Republic, and now Homeland Security wants to bring him down.
William Morrow * 9780061876905

TAKEN by Robert CraisWhen the police tell a wealthy industrialist that her missing son has faked his own kidnapping, she hires Elvis Cole and Joe Pike --- and Cole soon determines that it was no fake. The boy and his secret girlfriend have been taken by professional border kidnappers.
Putnam Adult * 9780399158278

January 25th

A GROWN-UP KIND OF PRETTY by Joshilyn JacksonFifteen-year-old Mosey is shaken when a small grave is unearthed in the backyard. Liza, her stroke-ravaged mother, is haunted by choices she made as a teenager. Jenny, Mosey's grandmother, holds together the strands of the three women's past, and will stop at nothing to defend their future.
Grand Central Publishing * 9780446582353

WHY JESUS?: Rediscovering His Truth in an Age of Mass Marketed Spiritualityby Ravi ZachariasRavi Zacharias believes that movements like New Age spirituality and society's obsession with human potential have combined like a "perfect storm" to redefine for popular culture what has been for centuries the classic biblical definition of the person, work and teaching of Jesus Christ.
FaithWords * 9780892963195

Source: BookReporter.com email list

Check It Out!!

2012-01-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

DailyScoup's Blazing Hot Giveaway - WIN a Kindle Fire!!!

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A Deeper Darkness by J.T. Ellison

2012-01-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2012

As a medical examiner, Samantha Owen’s job is to make a certain sense of death with crisp methodology and precision instruments. But the day the Tennessee floods took her husband and children, the light vanished from Sam’s life. She’s pulled into a suffocating grief no amount of workaholic ardor can penetrate – until she receives a peculiar call from Washington D.C. On the end of the line is an old boyfriend’s mother, asking Sam to do a second autopsy on her son. Eddie Donovan is officially the victim of a vicious carjacking, but under Sam’s sharp eye the forensics tell a darker story. The ex-Ranger was murdered, though not for his car. Forced to confront the burning memories and feelings about yet another loved one killed brutally, Sam loses herself in the mystery contained within Donovan’s old notes. The trail leads her to the untouchable Xander – a soldier off-grid since his return from Afghanistan – and then to a series of brutal crimes stretching from that harsh mountain war zone to this nation’s capital. The tale told between the lines makes it clear that nobody’s hands are clean, and that making sense of murder sometimes means putting yourself in the crosshairs of death.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION ONLY, NOT A REVIEW BY ME

Source: Amazon

In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Join Terri Giuliano Long, author of the women’s fiction novel, In Leah’s Wake(Createspace/Inspired Quill), as she virtually tours the blogosphere November 14 – January 27 2011 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Terri Giuliano Long

Terri Giuliano Long is the bestselling author of the award-winning novel In Leah’s Wake. Books offer her a zest for life’s highs and comfort in its lows. She’s all-too-happy to share this love with others as a novelist and a writing teacher at Boston College.

Her life outside of books is devoted to her family. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, traveling to far-flung places, and meeting interesting people. True to her Italian-American heritage, she’s an enthusiastic cook and she loves fine wine and good food. In an alternate reality, she could have been very happy as an international food writer.

Terri loves meeting and connecting with people who share her passions.

You can visit her website at www.tglong.com or connect with her on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/#!/tglong and Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/tglongwrites.

About In Leah’s Wake

Protecting their children comes naturally for Zoe and Will Tyler—until their daughter Leah decides to actively destroy her own future.

Leah grew up in a privileged upper-middle class world. Her parents spared no expense for her happiness; she had all-but secured an Ivy League scholarship and a future as a star athlete. Then she met Todd.

Leah’s parents watch helplessly as their daughter falls into a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties. While Will attempts to control his daughter’s every move to prevent her from falling deeper into this dangerous new life, Zoe prefers to give Leah slack in the hope that she may learn from her mistakes. Their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage.

Twelve-year-old Justine observes Leah’s rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family. She desperately seeks her big sister’s approval and will do whatever it takes to obtain it. Meanwhile she is left to question whether her parents love her and whether God even knows she exists.

What happens when love just isn’t enough? Who will pay the consequences of Leah’s vagrant lifestyle? Can this broken family survive the destruction left in Leah’s wake?

This mesmerizing debut novel tells the tale of a contemporary American family caught in the throes of adolescent rebellion – a heartbreaking, funny, ultimately redemptive quest for love, independence, connection and grace.

In Leah’s Wake is the 2011 BOOK BUNDLZ BOOK CLUB PICK and recipient of the Coffee Time Reviewers Recommend (CTRR) Award. This award, as selected by reviewers, recognizes outstanding writing styles in all book types and genres.

Read the first chapter here.

Book Excerpt:

Prologue

March

Justine strikes a pose before the full-length mirror hanging on her closet door. Chin up, hands by her sides. She draws a breath. “My dear. . .” she begins, and stops mid-sentence. Wrinkles her nose. She’s got it all wrong. She’s too—Toostiff. Too grownup. Too something.

She rakes her fingers over her short dark hair, sweeping the bangs out of her eyes, tugs at the hem of her pink baby-doll pajamas. She’s scheduled to deliver the candidates’ address at her Confirmation Mass this afternoon. When she learned, six months ago, that she had been selected speaker, Justine was ecstatic. Now, the very idea of standing in front of the whole congregation, telling hundreds, maybe thousands, of people how she’s learned from her own family what it means to be part of God’s larger family makes her sick to her stomach.

She has no choice. She made a commitment.

She folds her hands primly, setting them at chest height on her imaginary podium, glances at her cheat sheet, rolls her lower face into a smile, and begins again. “My fellow Confirmation candidates,” she says this time. Justine crumples the paper, tosses it onto her bed. My fellow Confirmation candidates. What a dork. She sounds about twenty, instead of thirteen.

She screws up her face. “I can’t do this,” she says, wagging a finger at the girl watching her from the mirror. She would feel like a hypocrite.

Justine plods to the bathroom, pees, pads back to her bedroom. The forecasters are predicting snow, starting later today. A dismal gray stratus hangs over her skylight. Her room is dark, the air raw. Her sister’s blue and gold Cortland High sweatshirt lies in a heap at the foot of her bed. Justine pulls the sweatshirt over her head, retrieves the balled-up paper. With the back of her hand, she flattens it out, and returns to the mirror to practice.

As always, on first glance, the girl in the mirror takes Justine by surprise. She’s grown two inches since Christmas, isn’t chubby anymore, her belly flat, the clavicle bones visible now at the base of her throat. She pushes her bangs out of her pale, darkly fringed eyes. With her fingertips, she touches her cheeks. Her features have matured, her nose long and straight, like her mother’s, her cheekbones defined. She curls and uncurls her toes. She wears a size six shoe, a size and a half smaller than Leah. Her toes are long and slim, the nails painted blue.

Justine crushes the sheet of paper, tosses it in the trash, strolls to her window, raises the honeycomb shade. Spring feels a long way away, the yard empty, the trees bare. A rush of cold air streams in, under the sash. The air smells of snow. Justine presses her hand against the cool glass, the way she and her sister used to do on the windshield of their father’s car, when they were small. Stop, their father would scold. You’re making a mess. She smiles, remembering how Leah loved egging him on. She pulls her hand away from the glass, watches her prints disappear.

Justine wishes, sometimes, that she could disappear, too. Poof, just like the handprint.

Poof, just like her sister.

My Thoughts:

In Leah's Wake tells the story of a normal family, or so they thought, that quickly changes into a family of teenage angst and how the family deals with it. The parents do not realize that their world as they know it is about to fall apart as the eldest daughter Leah gets involved in the wrong crowd and the wrong boy. Leah finds herself involved in the drug culture that slowly begins to destroy her life. Her grades suffer in school, her plans for college on a sports scholarship all fall apart as she gets more immersed in her feelings for the wrong lifestyle. Justine is Leah's little sister who suffers in her own way because of Leah's choices. Told with humor, compassion and love, this is a story not to be missed for the young adult or adult. I think this story would be helpful for parents that may be going through this very same situation and maybe give some insight as how to handle it. I loved it and read it in two sittings.

I received this ebook from Pump Up Your Books and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

Eating Smoke by Chris Thrall

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

“Chris Thrall left the Royal Marines to find fortune in Hong Kong, but instead found himself homeless, hooked on crystal meth and working for the 14K, Hong Kong’s largest crime family, as a doorman in the Wanchai red-light district. Dealing with violence, psychosis and the ‘Foreign Triad’ – a secretive expat clique working hand-in-hand with the Chinese syndicates – he had to survive in the world’s most unforgiving city, addicted to the world’s most dangerous drug.”

In the 1990s, former Royal Marine Chris Thrall found himself being sucked into a downward spiral in Hong Kong, when his work as a Wanchai bouncer drew him into the world of triads and crystal meth addiction. Now 42, off drugs and pursuing a new life, Thrall reveals how he saw the end -- and found a future -- in his autobiography "Eating Smoke."
You can read more here about the author and book...
http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/life/interview-eating-smoke-857206#ixzz1YV9tUFRP

My Thoughts:
Eating Smoke is a gritty true story of a young man who leaves the Royal Army for a better life in Hong Kong, or so he thought. Chris Thrall finds that life in Hong Kong is full of drugs, prostitution and the Triads and is not a particularly great place to be. As his addiction to crystal meth leaps out of control, he finds himself homeless, doing more and more meth, not taking care of his body and becoming extremely paranoid. I found this story to be sad, emotional and happy at the same time. Sad because of what the drug does to the body. Emotional because I can not imagine anyone living a life like that. Happy because Chris left Hong Kong and is now off drugs and living a much better life. I think this book should be read by anyone, whether you or someone you know is addicted to any substance or you just want a great non fiction book to read.
Visit the authors website: http://www.christhrall.com/

January 22nd Caitlin @ Chaotic Comprendiums

23rd Corral @ alchemyofscrawl

24th Sandie @ Booksie's Blog

25th Amanda @ Living, Learning and Loving Life

26th Zohar @ Man of la Books

26th Kathleen @Celticlady's Reviews

27th Chantale @ Geeky Girl Reviews

28th Mary @ Sweeping Me

29th Eileen @ Books R Us

You can purchase the book at the links below.
Amazon

Barnes and Noble

I received a copy of this book from Lightning Book Promotion and the website is http://lightningbookpromotions.com and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

2012-01-21T15:27:00.000-08:00

Free BeeSavy Tips & Tricks!

Are you one of the thousands of people already saving and earning with BeeSavy? If not, click here to join for free now! Once you've joined, BeeSavy wants to make sure that you are getting the most out of their free shopping site. To help new users get started, they are holding FREE training sessions this week! The sessions should last about 30 mins each and each class is the same so there is no neeed to attend more than once. Topics to be covered include how to shop with BeeSavy and tips for growing your referral cash back as quickly and easily as possible. Each session is limited to 100 people so be sure to register as soon as possible!

Webinar Schedule:

Tuesday January 24th 7:00PM-7:30PM EST: Resister Here

Tuesday January 24th 9:00PM-9:30PM EST: Resister Here

Thursday January 26th 7:00PM-7:30PM EST: Resister Here

Thursday January 26th 9:00PM-9:30PM EST: Resister Here

Bound by Books Hop 1/21

2012-01-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Bound by Books Hop hosted by Ever After PR! Our Guest Co-Hosts are CelticLady's Reviews, Thoughts of a Mother, Wife, & Daughter, Gina's Library, Crystal Trent Dotson Reviews, Stressed Rach, and Book Crazy Reviews.

Featured Author is Edward H. Carpenter at Read, Write, Listen and Facebook.

Are you a book reviewer looking to network with other book reviewers and authors? Are you an author looking for book reviewers? Bound by Books Hop is for you! Bound by Books Hop is open to all blogs!

Below, you will find three linkys: The first linky is for your blogs.
The second linky is for your Facebook fan pages.
The third linky is for giveaways! When you link up your giveaways, we will randomly tweet your giveaways!

Book reviewers ~ check out this new group to share your book reviews and giveaways! Authors are welcomed too!

***We do not have a button for this hop. If anyone wants to create one for us, we would appreciate it!

13 Inch Macbook Air and Apple TV Giveaway

2012-01-20T10:47:00.000-08:00

13 Inch Macbook Air and Apple TV Giveaway
Sponsored by 8 different authors! Thank You!
Exclusive to Sparkling Reviews!

Storage
256GB
256GB flash storage
Processor
1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with 3MB shared L3 cache
$1,599.00 model configurable to dual-core 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 with 4MB shared L3 cache
Memory
4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 onboard memory

Height: 0.11-0.68 inch (0.3-1.7 cm)
Width: 12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth: 8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
Weight: 2.96 pounds (1.35 kg)2
Intel HD Graphics 3000 processor with 384MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory 3

Apple TV

Apple TV. Now there’s always something
good on TV.

Everything you want to see and hear — blockbuster movies, TV shows, your music and photos, and sports — plays wirelessly on your HDTV via Apple TV.

Instant HD movies
and TV shows.

Rent thousands of HD movies, uninterrupted. Or buy TV episodes and watch them anytime.

Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo, MLB, NBA,
and more.

Play movies and TV shows from Netflix1, browse videos from YouTube and Vimeo, and watch live MLB games2 and get NBA scores, stats, and more.

AirPlay Mirroring and Photo Stream.

With AirPlay mirroring, whatever’s playing on your iPad 2 or iPhone 4S can wirelessly play on your HDTV.3 And your photos appear automatically with Photo Stream4 in iCloud.
Enter here

ALIENWARE GAMING LAPTOP GIVEAWAY!!

2012-01-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

ENTER THIS AWESOME GIVEAWAY AT SPARKLING REVIEWS!!!!!

Alienware™ M18x: The Most Powerful 18" Laptop in the Universe!

With powerful graphics options, including NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFireX™ technologies, the Alienware M18x delivers desktop performance in a mobile chassis.
Put the competition to shame with an optional factory-overclocked Intel® Core™ i7 Extreme processor.
If an 18.4" full HD display isn't big enough, you can wirelessly blast 3D games and HD content to any properly equipped external display. Note: 3D viewing requires additional equipment, sold separately².

RELENTLESS POWER

Get desktop performance in a laptop-sized package. It's the ultimate unfair advantage: the Alienware M18x laptop delivers the power you need to obliterate anyone or anything that stands in your way.

Overclocked to Overpower: Overpower your online enemies by upgrading to a factory-overclocked Intel^® Quad Core™ i7 Extreme CPU to 4.0GHz featuring Intel^® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 for powerful performance and lightning speed.

Advanced Memory Options: The Alienware™ M18x laptop comes locked and loaded with up to 32GB of DDR3 RAM³ at speeds up to 1600MHz for the ultimate multitasking experience.

New Hybrid Hard Drives: It's a win-win situation for every gamer: the SSD performance you crave, with the HDD capacity you need. Are you looking for the colossus of hard drive options? Select an optional dual RAID 0 configuration for extreme performance.

Kindle Fire Giveaway at Sparkling Reviews

2012-01-19T13:12:00.000-08:00

Enter here at Sparkling Reviews for a chance to win a Kindle Fire and a $50 gift card....

Sacrifice by Alexandrea Weis

2012-01-17T13:39:00.000-08:00

About Sacrifice
Nicci Beauvoir fell in love with the artist David Alexander in To My Senses, and then uncovered his killer in Recovery. Nicci is back to confront David's dark past in Sacrifice.

Stunned after seeing the man she believes is her beloved David Alexander in a crowd outside of St. Louis Cathedral, Nicci goes on a desperate hunt for the truth about David's demise. But to get the information she desires, Nicci must team up with David's former boss, the ruthless Simon La Roy. Nicci decides not to tell her fiance, Dallas August, about her involvement with Simon. As Nicci becomes hopelessly entangled in Simon's sinister plans, Dallas discovers her secret, and tries to protect her. But one night on a deserted French Quarter street, Nicci learns what really happened to David Alexander. Now she must engage in a deadly game of intrigue to keep what she has unearthed from Simon La Roy. In a final confrontation, a revengeful Simon forces Nicci to choose between her life and all that she has discovered. But what mystery is Nicci protecting and is it worth her future happiness? For Nicci, there can be no happy ending unless she keeps what she knows about David Alexander hidden from the world. It's a decision that will cost her everything. Is Nicci willing to pay the price? In the end, there can never be a happily ever after without a little...sacrifice.

About Alexandrea:

Alexandrea Weis began writing at the age of eight. In college she studied nursing and went on to teach at a local university. After several years in the medical field, she decided to pick up the pen again and began her first novel To My Senses. Since that time she has writen several novels and sold two screenplays (White River and Blood Will Tell). Blood Will Tell is currently in pre-production with Buyer Group International. Her work has been critically acclaimed and is continually growing in popularity.

Alexandrea Weis is also a permitted wildlife rehabber and works rescuing orphaned and injured animals. She recently has been working to aid oil soaked birds in the Gulf disaster .

My Thoughts:

Sacrifice by Alexandrea Weis is the third book in the Nicci Beauvoir series, after To My Senses and Recovery. Nicci has been through hell and back starting with the murder of her fiancee, artist David and ending with...well I am not going to tell you that. Just let me say that I love this series even though I did not read the first one. I was easily able to figure out what was going on. All of the books in this series can be read as stand alone novels. The story takes the reader along for the ride through mystery, intrigue, greed, murder plus a glimpse of post Katrina in New Orleans. If you love a great mystery then this is the series for you. Alexandrea has several new novels to be published this year, the first of which is called Broken Wings. She also has a previous series called The NOLA Series of which I intend to read. I highly recommend the work of Alexandrea and I look forward to reading more of her work.

I received a copy of Sacrifice for review purposes and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Join Lory Kaufman, author of the Young Adult Fantasy books, The Lens and the Looker (The Fiction Studio), as he virtually tours the blogosphere in October, November and December on his second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Lory Kaufman

To find out more about Lory visit www.history-camp.com

About The Lens and the Looker

THERE’S HOPE FOR THE FUTURE,
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PAST?

It’s the 24th century and humans, with the help of artificial intelligences (A.I.s) have finally created the perfect post-dystopian society. To make equally perfect citizens for this world, the elders have created History Camps, full sized recreations of cities from Earth’s distant pasts. Here teens live the way their ancestors did, doing the same dirty jobs and experiencing the same degradations. History Camps teach youths not to repeat the mistakes that almost caused the planet to die. But not everything goes to plan.

In this first of a trilogy, we meet three spoiled teens in the year 2347. Hansum almost 17, is good looking and athletic. Shamira, 15, is sassy, independent and an artistic genius. Lincoln, 14, is the smart-aleck. But you don’t have to scratch too far beneath the surface to find his insecurities.

These three “hard cases” refuse the valuable lessons History Camps teach. But when they are kidnapped and taken back in time to 1347 Verona, Italy, they only have two choices; adapt to the harsh medieval ways or die. The dangers are many, their enemies are powerful, and safety is a long way away. It’s hardly the ideal environment to fall in love – but that’s exactly what happens. In an attempt to survive, the trio risks introducing technology from the future. It could save them – or it could change history.

My Thoughts:

The Lens and the Looker is a unique time travel story for YA in that the characters, Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln must go into the past, after they are kidnapped and need to figure out how to get back to their own time of 2347. In order to do this they will need to use their own technology to accomplish this. In the meantime though, they have to live as people did in 1347 Verona, Italy. They find themselves having to live as the people of this era live, with diseases and uncleanliness and not very nice people. This is the first book of a trilogy and promises to be a very interesting and entertaining story.

I received a copy of this book from Pump Up Your Books and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

Romance at Random Reader Rally Free Book Giveaway

2012-01-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to participate in Romance at Random Reader Rally which will take place from 1/17/2012 - 1/31/2012.

My Giveaway will be one copy of Overbite by Meg Cabot. See below for details.

Hungry for more?
Bite into the irresistibly delicious sequel to Insatiable

Meena Harper has a special gift, but it's only now that anyone's ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard - a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican - has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena's ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead.

Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Antonescu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena's sworn off vampires for good . . . at least until she can prove her theory that just because they've lost their souls doesn't mean demons have lost the ability to love.

Meena knows convincing her co-workers - including her partner, über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf - that vampires can be redeemed won't be easy. . . especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena's friends and family as well.

But Meena isn't the Palatine's only hope. Father Henrique-aka Padre Caliente- New York City's youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case.

So why doesn't Meena - or Alaric - trust him?

As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare . . . and temptations she never even imagined existed, but finds impossible to resist.

This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew.

Link for Grand Prize eligibility, 1 Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the comments on the Romance At Random website:

Make sure you visit the other blogs for more great giveaways at link below:
Romance at Random

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lifting the Wheel of Karma by Paul H. Magid Review and Giveaway

2012-01-16T09:26:00.000-08:00

Lifting the Wheel of Karma Book Summary

A Profound Spiritual Journey of Extraordinary Healing and Redemption

Joseph Connell is a gifted high school athlete from Montana, loved deeply by his family, yet tormented by nightmarish visions he can neither explain nor escape.

He believes the answer to what threatens to crush him can be found in the knowledge possessed by a mystical old wise man, who lives deep within the remote Himalayas of India.

If Joseph is ever to find the peace he so desperately seeks, he must get this wise old man to reveal what he truly knows, but that will not be easy…for this sage knows far more than he admits.

A modern tale that harkens back to the myths of antiquity. It takes you on a remarkable journey, while exploring the themes of healing, redemption, forgiveness, sacrifice, and ultimately...peace within.

Paul H. Magid's Bio:

Paul H. Magid started writing his debut novel, Lifting the Wheel of Karma, twenty-five years ago while still in high school. It took him so long to complete because he tried repeatedly to abandon it, but the work refused to be forsaken. Eventually he realized that sharing this story with the world was, in fact, his Dharma.

Along the way he has worked as a Wall Street financial analyst, a waiter (not a very good one), a Hollywood Agent Trainee, a real estate developer, a summer day camp director, an award winning screenwriter, and independent filmmaker—including his autobiographical film, A Life Unfinished, which screened in The Hamptons International Film Festival.

My Thoughts:

Joseph has been tormented with nightmarish dreams for as long as he can remember. He desperately seeks release from these horrifying visions. When an accident puts him in a coma and with only one usuable limb, he despairs of never walking again, he is determined though so he seeks the advice and assistance of a man named Lahiri. Joseph travels to the Himilayans where he hopes to find the answers he seeks, while there he comes to love the land and stays for a period of time before he has to return home. This is a spiritual as well as healing journey that he undertakes.Finally his dreams are explained and he gains the wisdom he seeks. I was very surprises as to where this book was headed and enjoyed it immensely.

I received a copy of this book for review from Tribute Books an was not monetarily compensated for my review.

Paperback
Price: $15.00
ISBN: 9780984016068
Pages: 192
Release: September 23, 2011

Amazon buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0984016066?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com buy link
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&offerid=229293.9780984016068&type=2&subid=0

eBookPrice: $9.99

Kindle buy link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TJ3I4C?tag=tributebooks-20
Paul H. Magid web site:
http://www.paulhmagid.com/
Paul H. Magid Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KarmaNovel#!/profile.php?id=100002979900843

Lifting the Wheel of Karma Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KarmaNovel
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Lifting the Wheel of Karma blog tour site:http://liftingthewheelofkarma.blogspot.com/

GIVEAWAY:

PAUL H. MAGRID HAS GRACIOUSLY OFFERED THREE (3) COPIES OF HIS BOOK FOR GIVEAWAY.

FILL OUT THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A COPY.

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The Meerkat Wars by H.S. Toshack

2012-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

About the Book
It's all very well helping a young meerkat who's been poisoned by a scorpion. But when you've made friends with the whole Duwara tribe of meerkats, and you discover that they're at war with the Utongo, you may find yourself involved in that too, even if you're only a little black-and-white cat. And when you realize that the two tribes are fighting because each one believes it lives under The One True Sun, then you may have to undertake a very dangerous journey to help them see things differently. You may have to go through The Gorge.

About the author:

H. S. Toshack has lived and worked as an English teacher and educational consultant in the UK, the Caribbean, Africa, Thailand and the Middle East. He now lives and writes in Portugal...and travels, still.

His Paka Mdogo stories are set in Africa, but they are coloured by his experience of people, and lives lived, in all of those other places; and he intends to take his cat heroine Sheena, in future books, to some of them (perhaps Thailand next).

'Or rather,' he says, 'I'll let her take me. She led me through the first three books, after all. It was as if she was telling her stories through me. That's why I've put her portrait alongside my photo. She's my co-author.'

All three books are published in the UK, and 'The Meerkat Wars' has just been launched in the US.

A link to a recent review of the series: http://januarymagazine.blogspot.com/2011/09/childrens-books-meerkat-wars-by-hs.html

A link to the Paka Mdogo teaching and learning resources, which may be of interest to teachers and parents, and even young readers who want to think further, and write, about what they've read: http://www.litworks.com/childrens.php

A link to a list of H. S. Toshack's writing to date: http://www.jacketflap.com/hst

My Thoughts:

The Meerkat Wars is a story about an ordinary family pet (Sheena)that sneaks into the car when the family leave for vacation to the Baragandiri National Park, her third secret adventure). She ends up stranded in unfamiliar territory when she fails to sneak back into the Land Rover after the male human gathers wood. She comes across a tribe of Meerkats and the adventure begins. A delightful story for a parent to share with children and of course the older child will also enjoy this story. Love that the animals can speak and have varying personalities. I highly recommend it. The authors other books include

Paka Mdogo: Little Cat (Paka Mdogo Series) and The Gradual Elephant.

I received a copy of this book for review from The Cadence Group and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

$100 Amazon Twitter Blast

2012-01-15T09:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves Amazon Codes. Join Kobiso to win $100 to Amazon? Complete the entries in the Rafflecopter below. You can come back and do a few each day or do them all in one sitting! Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join The Facebook Amazon Blast!!

2012-01-14T11:57:00.000-08:00

If you are looking to grow your Facebook following – sign up for the Facebook Blast!
What is a Facebook Blast? You the blogger can join for $1.50 with one account –

Then Makobi Scribe will provide the prize-$100 Amazon code.

What do you need to do to join?
Post about the event with the button linking back to this post. (Right click save the image)
Send a paypal payment to jennifer@makobiscribe.com with your email address. After she receives the payment, she will send you the form to fill out.
You will get the instructions once you send payment.
Instructions on posting to your Facebook page can be found here
Then schedule the giveaway post to go live on Feb 1 at 9:00 am EST to Feb 15 12:01 pm EST
You can post on every blog you have, one post per Facebook account.
Makobi Scribe will email you on the 30th to remind you.