Once A Bookworm

Can I change my life?

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:49:00 +0000

Nope.

That's it.

I wish I can write soon.

I love my old self.

i miss u so much blogoverse!

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 11:40:00 +0000

Hi,

As of today, I am wife, mommy of two kids and a very hardworking employee.

I wish I could start to read and review books like I used to do. Works have made me tired and restless.

And of course, having two kids on top of that is much more for me to take it.

I will come back and I promise I will.

Until then please miss me as much I miss you peeps!

Love xoxoxo

Attract Your Ideal Weight: 8 Secrets of People Who Lose Weight and Keep It Off by zaheen nanji

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 04:13:00 +0000

Title: Attract Your Ideal Weight
Author: Zaheen Nanji
Pages: 60
Rating: 3.5/5
Cover rating: 2/5

Summary:

What would life be like if you no longer struggled with your weight?

What if you could look good, feel good and, most important, silence your mind about your weight and how you look!

With Attract Your Ideal Weight’s revolutionary insights to weight loss, you can! And best of all, you can kiss dieting goodbye forever. Research and real-life experiences of people who have lost weight and kept it off. It reveals No matter what sort of history you have with weight gain and dieting, you can attract your ideal weight. And it’s easier than you might imagine. If you want to stop struggling with your weight and start attracting your ideal body instead, this is the book you’ve been waiting for.

This book is based on the latest scientific research and real life experience of people who have lost weight and maintained their ideal weight. It reveals the eight secrets to attracting your ideal weight and includes inspiring success stories, helpful self-assessment questions and fun food experiments.

My 2 Cents:

After delivering a baby last year, my weight kind of shoot up from 60 to 70 kgs. Yup. Until now I am still suffering to lose weight. It seems like it's haunting to shed all those fats. But food is always a pleasure. My husband didnt mind my few extra kilos but really? This book thought me something else. Attract your own ideal weight. it is not about be skinny and showing your skeletons. It is just simply how to motivate your mind to keep yourself healthy in simplest way. This book shows how to keep positive about keeping fit and have your ideal weight. Reading this book make me love myself, and my goal has change to get my ideal weight instead of dreaming to fit size 0!

Interview: Author Zaheen Nanji + Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:00:00 +0000

About the Book

WHAT WOULD LIFE BE LIKE IF YOU NO LONGER STRUGGLED WITH YOUR WEIGHT?

What if you could look good, feel good, and most importantly, end the mind chatter about your weight and how you look!

With these revolutionary insights to weight loss, you can! And best of all, you can kiss dieting goodbye forever.

No matter what sort of history you have with weight gain and dieting, you can attract your ideal weight. And it's easier than you might imagine. If you want to stop struggling with your weight and start attracting your ideal body instead, this is the book you've been waiting for.

purchase-from-amazonThis book is based on the latest scientific research and real life experience of people who have lost weight and maintained their ideal weight. It reveals the 8 secrets to attracting your ideal weight and includes inspiring success stories, helpful self-assessment questions and fun food experiments.

Interview with Zaheen Nanji

Q: What inspired you to write the book?
I have been successful in maintaining my weight, and people who knew me asked how I did it or what my secret was. They were prepared to hear a name of diet or that I exercise every day. I never did any of those except for exercise 3 times a week on my elliptical. My answer to them was simple – I changed my habits and changed my relationship with food. They were shocked with my answer. So I set out to find people that had lost weight and maintained it and what I found were 8 common themes which are outlined in the book.

Q: What advice can you give their families?
Teach your children how to listen to their bodies and know when they are satisfied. I teach my own daughter that if you have eaten until your stomach feel uncomfortable against your ribs than you ate too much. So now she is learning how to listen to her body. Eat what is closest to God. What I mean is eat what is whole instead of highly processed. Get back in the kitchen and cook as a family.

Q: How does this book benefit individuals struggling with weight loss?
This is not your typical diet book. I don’t tell you how many calories to eat. The reason that individuals gain weight is because after a diet or weight loss program they go back to their old habits and behaviours instead of breaking those patterns. They go back to their old triggers that cause emotional eating. They have not learned how to listen to their body. They have not learned how to build resilience in this area. In fact, my book is like a pre-requisite course for individuals to read before going on a diet. My book has also been labeled as “ The Psychology Handbook for Weight Loss”.

Q: Does this book cover food addiction?
This book covers the understanding behind food addiction – which is secret #2 –Every Negative Behaviour Has a Positive Intention. What this means is we have to become aware of the reason or the gain we are getting behind an addiction and deal with that rather than the addiction itself.

Q: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
In the process of writing this book I learned how others had started listening to their body for symptoms when they eat a certain food that does not agree with them. Similar to people who suffer from allergic reaction which are physical manifestations, naturally thin people and those that have maintained weight for a long time explained that we have similar internal symptoms – these are not life threatening but in time they do affect our bodies and health. For example, for the longest time I suffered from bloating, gas and abdominal cramps when I ate icecream or drank milk. I felt my stomach was inflamed. However, I never associated it with that food because it would occur hours later. Once I consciously started becoming aware of what I ate and how I felt after, I started eliminating that food because it didn’t agree with me.

Q: What do you think will surprise readers the most?
What will surprise the readers the most is first the size of the book – it’s more like a handbook and I intentionally did that because I want my readers or individuals to refer to it like a handbook. The other surprise is that I’m not telling you to restrict your calories or go on a diet. I’m just showing you how to start changing your behaviors so that you can build your resilience reflex when it comes to
attracting your ideal weight.

Q: The title of your book what does it mean?
I like the word attract because it puts you in control. Once you start changing your behaviors and mind set, you automatically become a magnet that will attract your ideal weight.

Q: How long did it take to do the research, write the book, and have it published?
It took me about a year to do the research and four months to write the book.

Q: Describe your book in 3 words.
Behavior weight loss

Q: Who is your intended audience?
People who have struggled with their weight for a long time

About the Author

Zaheen's love affair with the written word began at an early age. As a teenager who stuttered, it was easier to write well than to speak smoothly, but that wasn't what inspired Zaheen to write. What motivated her was the fire in her belly burning to reach out, connect, heighten her understanding, increase her knowledge and help others to do the same.

Her first co-authored book: Unlock the Power of YOU: 12 Keys to Health, Happiness and Success wasl released by Aviva Publishing, NY in December 2012.

She is also a co-author of, The Confident Woman, an upcoming anthology.

Contest Details

This Giveaway is open Internationally.
PRIZES 1 Winners will each receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal Cash. 1 Winner will receive a one on one weight loss strategy session, Kindle copy of the book and weight loss CD.

Note: If you are having trouble with Rafflecopter you can enter by leaving a comment on one of participating sites page.

You can start entering the contest now.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

OR

Head to another CONTEST HERE!

Interview: Author Roch Zahradnik

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 06:43:00 +0000

Interview

1. What inspired you to write LAST WORDS?

The story started out as a “what if…?” What if a big-time police reporter were forced to do the dull work of obituaries, always dealing with the dead but never pursuing the why of their deaths.

2. The main character, Coleridge Taylor, mentions music often, are you a fan of the same bands Taylor references? What are your top 3 favorite songs from the 60s and 70s?

I like most of what Taylor likes, though found out about a lot of the groups later than he did. I was in high school from 1974-78. My group of friends and I thought we were mired in a musical wasteland, disco on the one side and hair bands (Styx, Foreigner, Kansas) on the other. Punk had not reached Poughkeepsie, so I did not become a fan of that music until I reached college, when I discovered the Talking Heads, the Police, and the Ramones. I also became a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen, who was neither punk, nor hair band, just real. My three favorite songs:

1. Thunder Road
2. Pyscho Killer
3. Sweet Jane (with the Intro)

3. How would you describe your journalism experience compared to Taylor’s?

Taylor obviously came up earlier than I did at a different time for newspapers. I started in the suburbs, while he’s always been in the city. He’s covered police stories far more than I ever did. Much of my career was in media and business journalism. I think Taylor is a much more tenacious reporter than me, braver even, doing anything to get the story. That’s what’s important to him. Other things have always competed with journalism in my life, including writing fiction.

4. When Laura and Taylor go out for drinks, the song “Gloria” by Patti Smith is playing in the background. What made you choose that song for them?

I loved Van Morrison’s “Gloria,” and I wanted to have Patti Smith singing a song from ’75 that she did sing and most readers would know.

5. What challenges did you face as you were writing LAST WORDS?

The first challenge was working full-time for a good chunk of the period I was writing the novel. There were days I might write half a page. That would get me down. I thought I’d never finish. The second was thinking that since I lived through 1975 I wouldn’t have to do a lot of research. I was wrong about that. It was all the little details that needed checking. Like when did the cost of a pay phone or subway token go up.

6. What scene was your favorite to write? Why?

The last, and not just because I was at the end. At that point I was really flying. You can see it all coming together. Second would be a scene early in the book when Taylor visits the makeshift homeless shelter.

7. Taylor carries a hefty literary name being named after the English Romantic poet Samuel Coleridge. What inspired you to connect Taylor to the English Romantic poet?

Taylor has a poor relationship with his father, an alcoholic English professor. His father gave him that name, and Taylor hates the ornamentation of it. Doesn’t much like his father either. Journalism is pretty much the opposite of poetry. I liked the name for all the contradictions it implies. I’m a huge fan of Morse and really wanted to go the one-last-name-only route, but didn’t want to be too much of copycat. This was my compromise.

8. Taylor works as a journalist in LAST WORDS. What was one of your favorite stories you covered as a journalist?

Covering the Cannes Film Festival. Stars. Glitter. Movies. Business. All wrapped into one two-week long party. At another time, I co-owned a weekly newspaper. Being the news outlet and voice for a community was a real kick, though there were a lot of different stories in there.

9. What makes 1975 so unique? What characteristics and traits define that time period in your perspective?

The year 1975 and the city of New York intrigued me because of the very striking parallels to America today. Then as now, an unpopular war was finally coming to its sad end. A major institution, the city itself, tumbled toward bankruptcy, threatening a cataclysm on the entire financial system. This as banks and ratings agencies ignored the warning signs or willfully misled the public. I chose this time period for the differences as well as the similarities. Solving a mystery in 1975 required good old-fashioned legwork and serious brainwork, rather than science fiction-like instant DNA typing and surveillance video available from any and every angle. Taylor has to find a pay phone when he needs to call someone. There’s something satisfying in that for me.

10. Is there any research that didn’t make it into LAST WORDS that you wish you could have included?

I learned a lot more about what a terrible beautiful mess Times Square was at the time than I could fit in. Some was cut; some I couldn’t even use. Things like the signage, the history of some of the restaurants. I could have written pages alone on the Horn & Hardart Automat and bored everyone but myself.

11. How would you characterize Taylor and Laura’s relationship? What keeps them together through all of the danger they face in LAST WORDS?

I think they are falling for each other in the midst of danger and a mutual love for breaking news. Laura may have the Columbia degree, but she loves Taylor’s street smarts and instincts for getting the story. Whether their work will be enough to keep them together is a question for the next book.

12. Did anything surprise you as were writing LAST WORDS?

Characters who came out of nowhere and became interesting and important.

How grim 1975 really was. Time has a way of mellowing things. I remember the mid-Seventies as a difficult period, but I was a kid so I wasn’t really plugged into how terrible things were in New York and the country. Gas shortages. Inflation. Unemployment. Crime. The South Bronx burning.

13. Taylor’s character faces his own pride along with other villains throughout LAST WORDS. Would Taylor consider his pride a virtue or vice? Why?

It’s a thin line there. His pride drives him to get good stories, the big scoops. When it drives him to the sins of hubris, he’s in trouble.

14. If you could go back in time, when and where would you go? Why?

I’m obsessed with time travel stories. In fact, I’m writing a time travel novel for middle graders. It’s hard to pick one, but if I had to, the time of Christ. His life affected all of Western Civilization, the entire glove. I’d like to see what really happened during that period. Either that or my own childhood, to see everything I’ve forgotten.

Read the Excerpt

The orderly rolled the gurney onto an elevator. Taylor stepped on, too. The orderly read his press pass. It expired in three months, and if Taylor couldn’t get back on the police beat by then, he’d lose it and all the access it gave him. Doors all over the city would slam shut. The thought chilled him.

“Coleridge Samuel Taylor.”

“Just Taylor.” He hated the literary ornamentation of his name.

“Name’s Jackson.”

The autopsy room looked like any operating theater with its silver-domed lights, trolleys of medical instruments and glass- fronted metal cabinets. The acrid smell of disinfectant was even stronger here.

A second orderly came in and helped Jackson shift the wrapped body onto a table, both of them grunting.

“Jesus, this body is frozen stiff,” Jackson said.

The second orderly shrugged and left, as if moving bodies was his only job.

“You said he died of exposure, right?” Taylor leaned in.

“Yeah, but he feels like ….” The orderly frowned. “The last time a body came in frozen solid like this was when a jumper went into the Hudson back in January.” He pulled the sheets open near the neck. The corpse was still dressed and the orderly fingered the material of the outer clothing. “The coat and sweater are cold but not frozen.” He slid his hand inside the sweater. “The undershirt feels like it’s iced right to him. The skin is frozen.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Taylor looked from the orderly to the body on the slab. “It’s like he froze from the inside out. Or his outer clothes were put on after he froze.” He made a note of this. “Be interesting to hear what the pathologist makes of it.”

“Not much if he thinks he’s cutting a homeless boy. How are you going to do a story on a dead nobody?” The orderly sighed and turned away.

I’ll find out what makes him a somebody. Getting frozen in your underwear and dressed by another person might do the trick.

“You gotta be a big somebody to get your death notice in the papers here.”

This victim’s story already bothered him. The boy was going to disappear. Taylor was watching it happen. No last words for the family. No notice taken anywhere by anyone. It had happened before, with Billy. This was going on now in Taylor’s city. There was no excuse for it.

“When did the body come in?”

“Night watch. Three, four in the morning.”

“You’re just now rolling him in?”

“No room at the inn. Kept the body outside in the ambulance.”

“What if they got another call?”

“Couldn’t. No one to replace the driver’s going off shift. Poor bastards had to take a cab back to their house. These budget cuts are just crazy. So we kept him cold out there. The guys just came back to get their wagon.”

“Where’d they pick him up?”

“The Meatpacking District.” Jackson looked at the body again. “I’ll tell you one thing. I doubt they’ll be cutting today. It’s going to take a whole shift to defrost him. Very strange. Or plain bad luck.”

Only the facts interested Taylor. They’d explain how this boy froze from the inside out, the cause and effect. Nothing unlucky. Nothing strange.

Jackson pulled off the sheet. The dead boy wore an army field jacket similar to Taylor’s. Threads hung at the edges of the rectangle above the left breast pocket where a name patch should have been.

“Whatever the name tag said, it wasn’t this kid’s,” Taylor said. “He’s too young for the military.” Could be the father’s, Taylor thought. Or maybe the boy bought it at the Army-Navy. Taylor would check all that out. The jacket had seen a lot of wear and tear. Some of that might be from life on the street.

“Now that I think of it,” Jackson said, “it looks like the one I got when I fought in Europe. You don’t see these as much. Thing never was warm enough.”

Jackson was right. The boy’s jacket featured lapels instead of a circular collar and the fabric looked thinner. The kid wore dungarees, patched the length of both legs, more patches than jean material really. The “V” of a blue sweater, probably wool, showed under the jacket.

Jackson nodded at Taylor’s jacket. “You a vet?”

“No.”

“Just like the look?”

“No.” The implication stung, as if his was a fashion statement. His brother, trained to fight somewhere cold in Europe, was ordered to Vietnam. Billy didn’t need the heavy jacket, or didn’t want to pack it, or had wanted to leave something behind with his older brother. Taylor wasn’t sure which. He gave it to Taylor and never came back. Maybe because of the question, the teenager became his brother Billy for a moment. Another kid forever lost to his family. The boy was the same height, though slighter and younger. What was younger when you were dead?

The orderly was saying something, forcing Billy’s face to fade, replaced by that of the dead boy. This face was smooth, without lines, and the nose straight. His lips were full, almost pouting, and his gray eyes looked directly into the bright overhead lights, unblinded and blind. His hair was thick, long and clean, which was odd. If this kid was homeless, it should have been matted and dirty.

“Look at this.” Jackson pointed to the jacket’s right sleeve.

More than twenty national flags were sewn down the outside of the right arm of the field jacket, from the shoulder to the cuff. France, Italy, USA, East Germany, Canada, the USSR, West Germany, Red China, and countries some Taylor couldn’t identify.

Taylor walked around the table. “Same on this side. No unit or rank. Those were cut away a long time ago. Just more flags. It’s like the UN.”

Thousands of army field jackets hung in the closets of New York vets, the families of the dead and even ex-hippies, but none would look like this one. Taylor knew people would remember it. This was starting to look like a story he could follow.

Jackson left the room. Taylor checked the boy’s left hand, leaned in to get closer and used his Bic pen to lift the fingers. They were smooth, almost feminine, with telltale signs of civilized living—clean, well-trimmed fingernails. Not a speck of dirt under any of them. The fingers on the right hand were the same. This kid wasn’t homeless, or hadn’t been for long. The field jacket would lead to someone who knew him, who could tell his story. He listed the countries of the flags he could ID and descriptions of those he couldn’t.

“I thought we were rid of you, Taylor.” Dr. R. Martin Quirk, the assistant coroner, stood inside the door. Taylor looked from Quirk’s long face to the stubby fingers that seemed imperfect instruments for prodding inside bodies, even dead ones.

“This kid wasn’t homeless,” Taylor said.

“What do you know? Don’t turn this John Doe into another of your page one specials. I’ve got six homicides in the cooler, bodies piling up in the emergency room—high priority, cops shooting civilians—and five accidentals, old people who froze to death in their apartments. I’ve got to cut them all anyway. They won’t let me put ‘unpaid Con Ed bill’ as cause on the death certificate.”

“Will you at least check the ‘missing’ list?”

Quirk always claimed to be overworked, but he was just plain lazy.

“That’s a cop’s job.”

“They won’t.”

“I’m not their master, thank Christ. Why don’t you do it? You’re the reporter.”

Taylor decided not to disabuse him of that notion. From his jacket’s right pocket, he pulled out and opened the collapsible Polaroid he carried for capturing a scene when a click was faster than taking notes. A snap-flash and Taylor held the instant photo, a black square until it developed. In two minutes, chemicals and metals would resolve into a color picture of the dead boy’s face. He needed it to track down who the kid was.

“I’ll call you to get cause of death.” He put the developing picture in his coat pocket next to his wallet and went straight through the double doors without glancing back.

Why didn’t the boy show the wear and tear of rough living? He might have been a recent arrival on the street, a runaway who didn’t bargain on the freezing weather and died almost as soon as he ran. A sad story. Newspaper readers loved sad stories, even if they said they didn’t.

About the Book

In March of 1975, as New York City hurtles toward bankruptcy and the Bronx burns, newsman Coleridge Taylor roams police precincts and ERs. In LAST WORDS by Rich Zahradnik (Camel Press, $12.49 paperback; $4.95 Kindle), Taylor searches for the story that will deliver him from obits, his place of exile at the Messenger-Telegram. Ever since he was demoted from the police beat for inventing

sources, the 34-year-old has been a lost soul. A break comes at Bellevue, where Taylor views the body of a homeless teen picked up in the Meatpacking District. Taylor smells a rat: the dead boy looks too clean and he’s wearing a distinctive Army field jacket. A little digging reveals that the jacket belonged to a hobo named Mark Voichek and that the teen was a spoiled society kid up to no good, the son of a city official. Taylor’s efforts to learn Voichek’s secret put him on the hit list of three goons who are willing to kill any number of street people to cover tracks that just might lead to City Hall. Taylor has only one ally in the newsroom, young and lovely reporter Laura Wheeler. Time is not on his side. If he doesn’t wrap this story up soon, he’ll be back on the obits page—as a headline, not a byline, in Rich Zahradnik’s LAST WORDS.

About the Author

RICH ZAHRADNIK is the author of the Coleridge Taylor Mystery series published by Camel Press. He was a journalist for 30-plus years, working as a reporter and editor in all major news media, including online, newspaper, broadcast, magazine and wire services. He held editorial positions at CNN, Bloomberg News, Fox Business Network, AOL and The Hollywood Reporter, often writing news stories and analysis about the journalism business, broadcasting, film production, publishing and the online industry.
In January 2012, he was one of 20 writers selected for the inaugural class of the Crime Fiction Academy, a first-of-its-kind program run by New York’s Center for Fiction. He has been a media entrepreneur throughout his career. He was the founding executive producer of CNNfn.com, a leading financial news website and a Webby winner; managing editor of Netscape.com, and a partner in the soccer-news website company Goal Networks. Zahradnik received his B.A. in journalism and political science from George Washington University.

mercy by bj daniels

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 07:30:00 +0000

Title: Mercy
Series: Beartooth, Montana #5
Author: BJ Daniels
Pages: 352
Rating: 3.5/5
Cover rating: 3.5/5

Summary:
For U.S. marshal Rourke Kincaid, there's the law…and then there's his law. When the two don't agree, he always trusts his instincts. A killing spree has gripped the Northwest, showing a strange connection that only he sees, and now the old rules of justice no longer apply. Forced to turn rogue, he goes deep undercover to track his mysterious female suspect to a quiet, unassuming café in the wild, isolated mountains of Beartooth, Montana.

But encountering Callie Westfield complicates his mission in ways he never expected. As suspicious as she seems, her fragile beauty and sexy charm get to Rourke. Then the gory crimes begin anew. With his heart suddenly at war with his instincts, he has only two options. Either turn Callie over to the law, or put everything—including his badge and his life—on the line to protect her.

My 2 Cents:
I have read her Atonement novel and really enjoy her book. And with Mercy I think it was enjoyable as well. When it is a romance, I expected romance in it. And the relation between Rourke and Callie is sweet and I think I liked all the scenes which gave me some time that made me hold my breath and I felt like my cheeks burning and red! The misunderstanding between Rourke as he suspected Callie as the serial killer somewhat gave a perspective that he had to put aside his feeling and focus to his job. He is attracted to Callie making his job much harder. But Callie sure has her own charm as well. There are so many twists and turns in this book. It's too complicated to explain but it's a fantastic book and will keep you turning pages faster than you can expect. All in all I think this book is a worth reading for your bedtime reading or while having coffee during weekend breakfast. Enjoy!

dash of peril by lori foster

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 05:16:00 +0000

Title: Dash of Peril
Series: Love Undercover #4
Author: Lori Foster
Pages: 480
Rating: 4/5
Cover rating: 4/5
Summary:
A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster.

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6'4" of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter

My 2 Cents:
Lori Foster has done it again. I like all her previous books in this series. The plot however seems a bit predictable to me. I can second guess what is coming. Maybe I should blame that I know her writing style already. Margo is a good character and she did her part quite well. On the other hand, Dash is killing me. At some points, I think he needs to stop being needy and naughty. Margo is a also a strong character and she is independent. What can I say? She's a lieutenant! But maybe there was some parts I like when I felt my cheek blushing when Dash kind of making Mango let go of her guard. They are perfect together. Although I have a complaint that the story in some way kind of not that real. It looks like it was just have to be made up to bring these two people together. But that was like a very very small complaint. but the best part I think would be when Foster brought up all previous characters in this book. So that every time I read about it, it would remind me of good stories about them in previous series. I think, this book is totally good, a really good story for your leisure read.

the collectors of dying breaths by m.j. rose

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 11:08:00 +0000

Title: The Collectors of Dying Breaths
Author: M.J. Rose
Pages: 384
Rating: 3/5
Cover rating: 4.5/5
Summary:A lush and imaginative novel that crisscrosses time as a perfumer and a mythologist search for the fine line between potion and poison, poison and passion…and past and present.

Florence, Italy—1533: An orphan named René le Florentin is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. Traveling with the young duchessina from Italy to France, René brings with him a cache of secret documents from the monastery where he was trained: recipes for exotic fragrances and potent medicines—and a formula for an alchemic process said to have the potential to reanimate the dead. In France, René becomes not only the greatest perfumer in the country but the most dangerous, creating deadly poisons for his Queen to use against her rivals. But while mixing herbs and essences under the light of flickering candles, Rene doesn’t begin to imagine the tragic and personal consequences for which his lethal potions will be responsible.

Paris, France—The Present: A renowned mythologist, Jac L’Etoile, is trying to recover from personal heartache by throwing herself into her work, learns of the 16th century perfumer who may have been working on an elixir that would unlock the secret to immortality. She becomes obsessed with René le Florentin’s work—particularly when she discovers the dying breathes he had collected during his lifetime. Jac’s efforts put her in the path of her estranged lover, Griffin North, a linguist who has already begun translating René le Florentin’s mysterious formula. Together they confront an eccentric heiress in possession of a world-class art collection. A woman who has her own dark purpose for the elixir… a purpose for which she believes the ends will justify her deadly means. This mesmerizing gothic tale of passion and obsession crisscrosses time, zigzagging from the violent days of Catherine de Medici’s court to twenty-first century France. Fiery and lush, set against deep, wild forests and dimly lit chateaus, The Collector of Dying Breaths illuminates the true path to immortality: the legacies we leave behind.

My 2 Cents:
Frankly speaking, it took me quite some time to finish the book. I think the story is like being dragged a bit. Or maybe I just didn't find enough interest in it to enjoy it. It lacked the suspense and a solid story that I like and left some holes that bothered me. The characters quite shallow, not well-developed or just awkward. Description of science, theories sometime quite extravagant for me, as well architecture and surroundings, the general story line tended toward a weak excuse to write a weird and quite awkward romance novel. Perfume making is quite weird with manipulating body perfumes and there was a lot of incidents quite interesting but I cant really connected to it, just saying that awkward sex scenes and all. But I have to admit that my enjoyment reading the book is because how amazing things that so awkward can be very interesting to other people.

For me, this book is suitable for person who love thrills, mystique and sex with extra punch of chills.

About the Author

M.J. Rose is the international bestselling author of fourteen novels and two nonfiction books. She is a founding board member of International Thriller Writers and founded the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz.com. Rose lives in Connecticut with composer Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled dog, Winka. To learn more about M.J. Rose and her work, visit her website at: www.mjrose.com.

interview: author Dr Eric Leuthardt

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 14:00:00 +0000

“Great science has the capacity to do great harm,” - Dr. Leuthardt.

Hi! Am very honoured to have author Dr. Leuthardt with us today. Please enjoy my interview with the very wise person with interesting mind. ;p

Darlyn: Eric it seems you do a lot of different things, could you tell me about them?

Eric: I guess that is true. First and foremost, I am a neurosurgeon. Additionally, I lead a center that delves into how the brain encodes information and develops advanced neuro-technologies. All these efforts have led me to starting several companies and being recognized as a prolific inventor. My newest hat is now a fictional author of the novel RedDevil 4 - a story that incorporates all those experiences into a futurist vision of where those efforts may end up.

Darlyn: With all these things that you are doing in medicine, science, and business, is there a unifying theme that links them all together?

Eric: Absolutely- it’s about creating the future. I think being a futurist is not simply about prognostication - trying to see what’s coming. It’s about seeing what the world can be and making that happen. Fundamentally it’s about having a vision and a plan. All the things that I am doing are in various ways fitting into that plan. When I started working on creating neuroprosthetics I looked at it strategically. I had to think about the science, the economics, and the social implications of unlocking the mind with brain computer interfaces. If I was going to make that happen I had to create the technology then I had to convince the scientific and medical community that this was meaningful - hence the lab and research. Beyond that, I also had to convince the market that neuroprosthetic approaches also made sense. That led to my first company, Neurolutions. Finally, I wanted the world at large to really think about what a world with neuroprosthetics looks like, which was the founding notion for my novel, RedDevil 4.

Darlyn: Tell me more on how the idea for how RedDevil 4 originated?

Eric: As a neurosurgeon, scientist, engineer, and inventor who has dedicated a lot of his time researching, developing, and testing brain computer interfaces, I wanted to imagine what the world would look like if we were successful; if brain computer interfaces became as common as cell phones in the human population. I wanted to imagine the impact that it would have on modern society ranging from pop culture to the constitutional amendments. Fundamentally I believe human nature won’t change. People will still be complex, selfish, sometimes noble, and often conflicted. Our fundamental needs and drives for self-preservation, esteem, recognition, socialization, and companionship will be largely the same. What will change will be the technological manifestations of those human drivers. There will be new capabilities that will lead to different, sometimes fascinating and sometimes horrifying, actualizations of our fundamental neurobiology. I wanted to explore the new strengths, weakness, and unforeseen dangers in this new future.

Darlyn: RedDevil 4 is intense, at times it really scared the hell out of me. What are some of the themes in the book and how do they mesh with your vision for the future?

Eric: First and foremost, the book has to be a good story – a really good story. Beyond the philosophic foundations, I wanted to have something that people found viscerally interesting, something that held them and captivated them both intellectually and emotionally. Also, some of the scenes that are jolting are intended to never let you forget some of the cautions that I have about neuroprosthetics. I think the notion of losing one’s autonomy is something that we as humans fundamentally fear. So in the scene when one of my characters has his body taken over and he watches his hand prepare the scissors that are about to mutilate his lover – that is a scene that will stick with you. The fear of “possession” has been with us since the dawn of time. RedDevil 4 takes that concept to a new level in a modern technological context. The other theme that moves through my book is how we deal with our creations. Whether it be father and sons, our technical inventions, or the things that we make by accident, that relationship has always been fraught with peril. Where Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, highlighted the danger of human arrogance, my approach was to highlight the danger of complexity. What happens when the technology we create becomes so advanced we cannot foresee, not what we will create, but what it will create?

As far as how this meshes with my vision for the future, My hope is that in the context of a hold-on-tight thriller people cannot help but explore these questions in their own terms. Something that can be talked about by everyone. It’s a story that some people will see as fantastic – what if in the blink of an eye you can truly experience any world that you want (just plug in). It’s also a world that some will see as dystopic – what if a piece of technology could take over your body. My hope is that it will start a debate. It will also inform us of a coming world where we can decide what are the limits, what are the boundaries of what is OK and not OK.

Darlyn: Are there some important influences that shaped your thinking behind the book?

Eric: There were several writers that strongly influenced my style and vision for the book. Growing up I read everything by Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. Their ability to mix psychology, cultural motifs, and technology forever changed my perception of the world. They created utterly realistic worlds that had such deep insights into our own human condition. Similarly, I wanted create a world in RedDevil 4 that was vivid, that you can feel and taste, yet something that a person today can relate to. Later in life, when I read Michael Crichton's works, I wanted to create something that could talk about complex scientific ideas, but have it be widely accessible. Just as Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park captured the public’s imagination and fear of the impact of genomics, I wanted RedDevil 4 to tap into a similar fundamental fascination and anxiety about science’s dawning capability to penetrate the most core aspect of being human – one’s thoughts.

Darlyn: So what’s next? Where does the technology and fiction go from here?

Eric: In a certain sense, the fiction precedes the technology. What I mean by this is that fiction, if successful, influences the society’s imagination. It channels resources and efforts of the entrepreneurs and young scientists and engineers to see if that fantasy is possible. Most often it is. To draw on several historical examples, the notion of a ray gun far preceded the discovery of a laser, and people fantasized about flying to the moon as far back as 400 years (Johannes Kepler’s Somnium,1634). The point here is that science fiction invariably focuses our scientific and technical efforts, because society - as channeled and expressed by the artist - have determined that it is something interesting and worth pursuing.

I am fortunate in that I get to play in both camps. From the futurist standpoint, RedDevil 4 was my first foray into what the world looks like when neuroprosthetics becomes ubiquitous and how it sets the stage for artificial intelligence. In my next work, I am also interested in the promise and peril of pervasive artificial intelligence. What does the world look like when synthetic intellects are as common as laptops. How does that change things? Even now with IBM’s push to make it’s AI, Watson, a utility service we see that that world is on the horizon.

In the here and now as a scientist and entrepreneur, I am working to invent the technologies that demonstrate the value of brain-linked technologies to society. My company Neurolutions is creating a brain computer interface for patients who have suffered a stroke and lost the function of their hand. By putting on a simple head cap and donning an exoskeleton for their paralyzed limb, they can regain simple control of their hand after a few days of training. Not only will this be game changing for the management of stroke, but it will fundamentally prove that brain computer interfaces are moving into reality as a mainstream technology. Beyond that, I think the next steps are to contemplate how these approaches can be used to enhance and augment the lives of normal people. In the short term, using signals directly from your brain to control devices like a smart phone - the ultimate hands free set. In the long term how can we amplify things like attention and memory to improve human performance -- I guess making the ultimate electronic version of an espresso.

Darlyn: Do you think that people will really want to alter their brains? Is that a realistic consideration for the future?

Eric: I remember as a child how people with tattoos were considered fringe and plastic surgery was something done for women with mastectomies or done secretly. The idea that a person could change their body was considered strange. In the past twenty to thirty years there has been a large shift in the notion of our bodies and their malleability. Rather than accepting what you have been given, people are coming to a different conclusion – I can change myself.

The way people change themselves thus far is mainly cosmetic. People embroider their personal styles on their skin. Sometimes hidden, sometime visible, approximately 15 to 25% of young adults now have tattoos. Over 50% of the population has a body piercing of some sort. Beyond either personal or social statements on their skin, people are having almost every part of their body surgically altered for aesthetic reasons. The growth of plastic surgery is projected to quadruple by 2015 to 55 million cases in the US.

Beyond this being an interesting bit of trivia, it’s telling us something fundamental - that people (the younger generation especially) will change themselves to suit their interest. The idea that people will alter their bodies will not be constrained to cosmetics. If there is a potential benefit of some sort in a self-modification, whether real or perceived, people will try it. Today we already see people alter their eyes to get better than perfect vision. And why not? It’s easy, low risk, and it improves the convenience of your life. Simple, right? As technology continues to evolve and makes functional modification of our capacities a low surgical risk with clear benefits, people will adopt the changes. So what could we modify? One could imagine that if brain computer interfaces become small, negligible in terms of surgical risk (like getting one’s ear pierced), and gave you the ability to manipulate your environment with your thoughts alone, then widespread adoption would become inevitable. RedDevil 4 imagines all sorts of scenarios of what people could enhance or alter; ranging from the ability to have tattoos that change with your mood, to hyperconnectivity to your motorcycle, to enhanced cognitive abilities.

Making it personal, one has to ask themselves - If you could have small implant that could allow you to access the web with your thoughts alone - would you? If you’re a lawyer and other lawyers have the ability to access any legal file with the speed of their thoughts, would you feel pressured to also get one? If you are an investment banker, and the current gain of having a ten millisecond time advantage over another trader is a million dollars (per millisecond), any interest in getting an implant? With technology moving at an exponential pace these are possibilities that are no longer fancies of the imagination. They are likely realistic considerations. Once realized, just like Lasik today, the question will not be a grand consideration, it will simply be “and why not?” The world of RedDevil 4 shows that. Imagine after some low key surgeries you could then communicate with other people’s minds, share thoughts, have virtual experiences of any type as if they are really happening, and download memories – quite literally your imagination is the only limit. With that type of upside, people would overwhelmingly be interested.

About the Book

Imagine a time when every neurological ailment can be cured, people paralyzed by accident, injury or stroke can walk once more, electronic devices are driven by our minds, and every wish can be manifested simply by thinking. With the emergence of brain-computer interfaces, people will be able to perform well beyond the limits of their physical bodies and enjoy experiences that extend to the heights of human imagination. It may sound like science fiction but the neuroprosthetic revolution is almost here. The next great technological shift is already being reflected in our popular entertainment—television shows “Almost Human,” “Person of Interest,” and “Intelligence,” which features a former Special Forces operative who has a microchip implanted in his brain. No one knows better how close we are to making this a reality than neurosurgeon and biomedical engineer Eric C. Leuthardt, author of the futuristic thriller REDDEVIL 4.

Like the great science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, Leuthardt creates a fully imagined world in this adrenaline-pumping thriller. In Leuthardt’s world, electronic devices are vestiges of the past and brain-computer interfaces, implanted in the doctor’s office, rule the day. For aging detective Edwin Krantz they are a necessary annoyance, until he and his partner, former navy SEAL Tara Dezner realize that a series of horrifying murders committed by leading citizens for no apparent reason might have a connection. They turn to renowned neurosurgeon Hagan Maerici for answers.

Maerici is nearing a breakthrough in artificial intelligence and realizes that someone may be tampering with the computer systems implanted in the brains of prominent people. Dezner and Krantz need his help to solve the riddle behind this rash of killings but soon find the neurosurgeon is a riddle himself. Could he be somehow responsible? As the detectives dig they discover a long-buried mistake made by Maerici, a mistake that could have devastating consequences to millions of people. With time ticking away, can they overcome the spiraling dangers from a dream of artificial intelligence that has gone horribly wrong and avert disaster by learning the devastating secret behind REDDEVIL 4?

About the Author

ERIC C. LEUTHARDT M.D. is a neurosurgeon and biomedical engineer as well as a recognized pioneer in neuroprosthetics. He is widely published in scientific journals and has received a number of scholarly awards in recognition of his contributions Dr. Leuthardt is the director of the Center of or Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology at Washington University School of Medicine, where he researches brain-computer interfaces. He is ranked as one of the most prolific inventors in the world, with more than 800 patents either granted of pending. REDDEVIL 4 is his first novel. http://home.reddevil4.com/

atonement by b.j. daniels

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:58:00 +0000

Title: Atonement
Author: B.J. Daniels
Pages: 235
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover rating: 4/5
Summary:
Just how far are people willing to go to keep their secrets? Protecting the citizens of Beartooth, Montana, is never an easy job. It's been one year, and Sheriff Dillon Lawson still feels guilty that he couldn't save his twin brother, Ethan. But the biggest test of his bravery comes when Tessa Winters arrives, claiming to be pregnant…with Ethan's baby. At first, Dillon can't decide if this beautiful woman is a con artist or a victim. If Ethan didn't die in that car crash, then where is he—and why is he hiding?

Now, Dillon is prepared to do anything to uncover the truth—anything except admit his growing feelings for Tessa. But with violence threatening, Tessa and Dillon must trust in each other to save not only themselves…but also Tessa's unborn child.

My Two Cents:
This is my first book of BJ Daniels, and I like it. The story is like something like revolves around us. It might be fantasy but it could be a reality of life. This could happen in real world.

I always have a thing for twins. I love it since I watched Full House Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen. But that was girls, and to have male twins, are even better!LOL.

At first, I thought the story would a typical love story and everything related to it. But this was much more. There’s intriguing elements in it. Mysteries and thrill are also included in the story line. I bet this is not just a romance book, but a thriller romance. The characters are natural and not so trying too hard, if you know what I mean. They played their roles effortless, like every word the author wrote seems natural to me. Of course, I love the Tessa’s character the most. She’s strong-will, independent and even she has her soft part, she tried to not make it shows. Being pregnant while all that situations and trauma happened made me saluting her.

Other secondary story of Nettie and Frank is a bonus to me. They are sweet couple and they are some desserts you don’t want to miss for your dinner. I hope that is not a very bad to picture them. Wink.

All in all, I love the whole package of the story. The ending is so-so for me anyway. Maybe just because near at the end of the story, I can guess what is coming? However, that doesn't mean the ending is bad, but kind of acceptable. Hope you all will enjoy it too.

About the Author

B.J. DANIELS, a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author, wrote her first book after a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist and author of 37 published short stories. That first book, ODD MAN OUT, received a 4 ½ star review from Romantic Times magazine and went on to be nominated for Best Intrigue for that year. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award for romantic suspense and numerous nominations and awards for best book. Daniels lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, and two Springer Spaniels, Spot and Jem. When she isn’t writing, she snowboards, camps, boats and plays tennis. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Thriller Writers, Kiss of Death and Romance Writers of America.
website: http://www.bjdaniels.com/
twitter: @bjdanielsauthor

Please join us on BookTrib for an engaging Live Chat with Western Romance author B.J. Daniels on March 10 @ 4 PM ET. B.J. is the writer of the Cardwell Ranch series and most recently, Atonement. Daniels draws inspiration for her novels from the beautiful natural surroundings in her home state, the Big Sky Country of Montana. Her stories are a mix of romance, suspense and of course, cowboys! Bring your questions to the Live Chat and please feel free to share this invitation on your social media pages!

rasputin's shadow by raymond khoury

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:35:00 +0000

Title: Rasputin's Shadow
Author: Raymond Khoury
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
On a cold, bleak day in 1916, all hell breaks loose in a mining pit in the Ural Mountains. Overcome by a strange paranoia, the miners attack one another, savagely and ferociously. Minutes later, two men—a horrified scientist and Grigory Rasputin, trusted confidant of the tsar—hit a detonator, blowing up the mine to conceal all evidence of the carnage.

In the present day, FBI agent Sean Reilly’s search for Reed Corrigan, the CIA mindcontrol spook who brainwashed Reilly’s son, takes a backseat to a new, disturbing case. A Russian embassy attaché seems to have committed suicide by jumping out of a fourth-floor window in Queens. The apartment’s owners, a retired physics teacher from Russia and his wife, have gone missing, and further investigation reveals that the former may not be who the FBI believe him to be.

Joined by Russian Federal Security Service agent Larisa Tchoumitcheva, Reilly’s investigation of the old man’s identity will uncover a desperate search for a small, mysterious device, with consequences that reach back in time and which, in the wrong hands, could have a devastating impact on the modern world.

My 2 Cents:
Let me get this straight, I had so struggle so much to while reading the book. There was time when I felt giving up to read, but thank god I keep on reading it to the end. Patience was what I need. The book for me, at the beginning of it, too hard to feel connected to. It was like so much things going on and with lack of my understanding of different language, I need more help to understand. English is not mother tongue and leave me quite a time to understand other language as well. But, no pressure.The good part is, this book had so much intrigue and elements of interest.I actually liked the fact that the author chose to incorporate the life of Grigory Rasputin into the story. He's really is something. Mystery and sometime mean. The whole story is quite slow for me, not that fast-pace and all. But the fact that there's so many facts incorporated in it, made me wants to know all and everything about the characters. All in all, it was a new experience for me. Might as well check his other books to check his other writing styles.

About the Author

RAYMOND KHOURY is a New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including The Last Templar, The Templar Salvation and The Sanctuary. Born in Beirut, Khoury and his family fled to Rye, New York when he was 14 to escape Lebanon’s civil war. Khoury worked as an architect and investment banker before becoming a successful screenwriter and producer for networks such as BBC. Today, he focuses on his writing career. Rasputin’s Shadow is his sixth book.

declan's cross by carla neggers

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 17:04:00 +0000

Title: Declan's Cross
Author: Carla Neggers
Pages: 314
Rating: 3.5/5
Cover rating: 4/5
Summary:
An escape to an idyllic Irish seaside village is about to turn deadly in this riveting new novel by master of romantic suspense Carla Neggers. For marine biologist Julianne Maroney, two weeks in tiny Declan’s Cross on the south Irish coast is a chance to heal her broken heart. She doesn’t expect to attract the attention of FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan— especially since a Donovan is the reason for her broken heart. Emma and Colin are in Ireland for their own personal retreat. Colin knows he’s a reminder of everything Julianne wants to escape but something about her trip raises his suspicion. Emma, an art crimes expert, is also on edge. Of all the Irish villages Julianne could choose… Why Declan’s Cross?

Ten years ago, a thief slipped into a mansion in Declan’s Cross. Emma’s grandfather, a renowned art detective, investigated, but the art stolen that night has never been recovered and the elusive thief never caught. From the moment Julianne sets foot on Irish soil, everything goes wrong. The well-connected American driver who invited her to Ireland has disappeared. And now Emma and Colin are in Declan’s Cross. As a dark conspiracy unfolds amid the breathtaking scenery of Declan’s Cross, the race is on to stop a ruthless killer…and the stakes have never been more personal for Emma and Colin.

My 2 Cents:
Reading from the summary, we could see there's a lot are going on. What makes me really happy with the book is, it is about a marine biologist. It was exciting to read something close to you in fiction books. I used to live by the sea when I was growing up, and it was superb! The setting of the book is perfect - a seemingly idyllic seaside town in Ireland. It's romantic and old world - a perfect place for romance and mystery to occur.And to add a lot of adventures into it, even more awesome. This was a great romantic suspense novel that had me eagerly turning the pages until the end. I've never read the author's work before, it can be a good stand alone as well as I wasn't that confused by the plot or the characters and their relationships. The characters were very well written, especially the two main characters of Sharpe and Donovan. We get to see their strengths, weaknesses, personalities, and their pasts. The plot was fast paced and flowed naturally, making it hard to put down. The mystery was intriguing and full of twists, which mystery and suspense lovers will find excitement and fun to keep up with.

About the Author

Carla Neggers has been spinning stories ever since she climbed a tree with pad and pen at age eleven. Now she has millions of copies of her books in print in more than 30 countries, and more than two dozen of her books have placed on the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. Declan’s Cross is the third novel in her acclaimed Sharpe & Donovan romantic suspense series that launched with Saint’s Gate and Heron’s Cove and has been praised as “a breathtaking reading experience” (Providence Journal), “gripping and suspenseful” (Nashua Telegraph), and “outstanding” (USA TODAY). Her popular Swift River Valley series debuted with Secrets of the Lost Summer, which spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews, including a starred review from Booklist and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews. Growing up in rural western Massachusetts with three brothers and three sisters, Carla developed an eye for detail and a love of a good story. Her imagination, curiosity and sense of adventure are key to creating the complex relationships, fast-paced plots and deep sense of place in her books.

getting rowdy by lori foster

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 02:00:00 +0000

Title: Getting Rowdy
Series: Love Undercover #3
Author: Lori Foster
Pages: 448
Rating: 4.5/5
Cover rating: 4/5
Summary:
Charismatic bar owner Rowdy Yates isn't the kind of man women say no to. So when he approaches waitress Avery Mullins, he fully expects to get her number. However, the elusive beauty has her reasons for keeping her distance; including a past that might come back to haunt them both.

Avery spends her nights working for tips; and trying to forget the secret Rowdy is determined to unearth. But when history threatens to repeat itself, Avery grows to rely on Rowdy's protective presence. As the sparks between them ignite, she will be forced to choose between the security she's finally found; and the passion she's always wanted.

My 2 Cents:
Her previous book that I've read Bare It All is one of my favorite. Now, this new one will be equally one of my favorite also. Lorry's writing always amaze me. I dont think she ever try so hard so hard to make it believable. Every words and sentences seem to be effortless but it works for me. One thing that really bugged me was his introduction character. To have regular sex for him to fill in his emptiness because of a girl who played getting hard to get is quite disturbing for me. LOL. But as the story went on, I totally understand. The reason why Avery acted like that, gave a different twist to jazz up the plot. Running away from something you cant handle sometime make you loose your sanity. All in all, the book really has a lot to offer. A little of romance, heat, steamy scene and a little bit of thrill in one single book. I had a great weekend with this book. So will you ;p

About the Author

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. She also received the Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy and Contemporary Romance.

Lori believes it is important to give back to the community as much as possible, so she routinely arranges events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

guest post: author daniel friedmann

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Was Adam the first man? Was man created by divine act in less than one day almost 6,000 years ago, as the Bible suggests?

Or did man appear 200,000 years ago as the culmination of numerous human-like species that existed during a span of millions of years, as the scientific record shows?

Both cannot be right. Or can they?

Why look at both sources of knowledge?

I initially came to think that science books answered everything. Yet, by my fourth year at university, some fundamental questions concerning our origins began to re-appear. Teens who experience a very detailed science education on origins seemingly in conflict with Sunday school teachings are confused. I realized that my nephews were asking the same questions and so where other kids their age. Like me, they were not getting satisfactory answers.

I decided to work through the issue when I wrote my book “The Broken Gift.” The book covers such topics as when humankind appeared, from a spiritual and scientific perspective; who was the first man and what did he look like. Why we are in some ways similar to apes and in others completely different; What does it mean?

The Broken Gift is based on the Book of Genesis which is part of the Judeo-Christian biblical canon. Genesis is also a major source for the Koran. Thus, The Broken Gift is applicable to Christians, Jews and many Muslims. As well as science enthusiasts and readers who love to explore intriguing possibilities.
There is also a free companion iPhone app, Bible Clock (http://danielfriedmannbooks.com/the-genesis-one-code/), enter Scientific time in the Bible Clock to find the corresponding biblical time and explore what other events were going on around the same time.

About the Author

Daniel Friedmann is CEO of MDA Corp., specializing in robotics. He has a master's in engineering physics and 30 years' experience in the space industry. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific papers on space industry topics. He is also a longtime student of cosmology and religion. The Genesis One Code is currently available on Amazon.com and the Broken Gift at Amazon.com and at his website: http://danielfriedmannbooks.com/.

you got to be kidding: the cultural arsonist's satirical reading of the bible by dr. joe wenke

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Title: You Got to be Kidding: The Cultural Arsonist's Satirical Reading of the Bible
Author: Dr. Joe Wenke
Pages: 206
Ratings: 3.5/5
Summery:
Why did God turn Lot's wife into a pillar of salt? Were there no other seasonings available? Why don't we know anything about the early years of Jesus? Did someone lose his baby book? Who reported the desert encounter between Jesus and Satan? Jesus-or Satan? And why does the Holy Spirit like to show up as a bird?

As irreverent as the musical The Book of Mormon, Joe Wenke's YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING: The Cultural Arsonist's Literal Reading of the Bible is an engaging, provocative and hilarious investigation into the bestselling book of all time. Written to "cause trouble" cultural arsonist Wenke, a keen observer of human gullibility, tempts readers to more closely examine the stories they think they know about the Bible.

Drawing upon the same pool of incendiary and cerebral humor as Bill Maher, Jon Stewart and the late, great George Carlin, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING is a call for humor to restore our sanity and our ability to think for ourselves. Just as it was written in the Bible-or was it?

My 2 Cents:
Let me get this cleared, I am not a Christian, Catholic etc. I dont know much about the religion and traditions that related to it but I love to get to know new things. I've never try to read any Bible but I have to tell you that his book is hillarious! It has a twist that makes you think even when everything is clouded with humours. My recommendation is please read it before you judge it. I have read a few other reviews and yes, lots of mixed reviews. Some find it very bad, but not to forget that most of readers thought it is great. I understand that a Bible is a Holy book, and I think it would be quite lenghty and need serious understanding. Compared to the author's book, in my opinion, he has his simple way to make people to understand Bible in such interesting way. Give it a go, and later, you can decide whether it's as good as I claimed it.

About the Author:

Dr. Joe Wenke, an outspoken and articulate LGBT rights activist, is the owner and managing partner of Xperience, a multi-million dollar marketing communications and production company with offices in New York, Boston and Detroit. He is the founder and publisher of Trans Über, a publishing company with a focus on LBGT rights, free thought and promoting equality for all people. His next book, PAPAL BULL: An Ex-Catholic Calls Out the Catholic Church, will be published this summer. He partners with Gisele Xtravaganza in Gisele New World, which produces events for the ballroom community. Wenke began his career as an editor at the Foundation Center in New York City. He was a speechwriter at Avnet for Tony Hamilton, the founder of the global electronics distribution industry, and wrote speeches for George Conrades, the head of IBM US. As a senior vice president at Caribiner International he served as the company’s lead communications strategist and head of global accounts. Wenke received a B.A. in English from the University of Notre Dame, an M.A. in English from Penn State and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Connecticut.

Website: http://joewenke.org/

candy and the cankersaur by jason sandberg

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 18:26:00 +0000

Title: Candy and the Cankersaur

Author: Jason Sandberg

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommended Age: 3-9

Summary: This is the sweet and funny tale of a young girl named Candy and her Cankersaurus Rex! Candy receives a dinosaur as a gift and is determined to train him to be a good pet. This playful homage to Syd Hoff will make all dinosaur-crazy boys and girls happy! Enjoy!

My 2 Cents: Personally, I think the book is awesome. However, I actually asked one of my little cousin to read and give his opinion. He said, even though Candy has a cool Dinosour, he thought it would be great if a boy has it instead of a girl. He claimed he would be a better friend to his Dinosour. LOL. I really thought that was funny for him to actually be jealous of Candy! That being said, have to agree that having a dinosour as a pet is like every little kid's wish, me no excluded. The book is fun, fresh, creative and very easily feel connected to the story. I would be delighted to recommend to my friends and mommy friends to read to their loved ones as a nice bedtime story.

About the Author

Jason Sandberg, born in Minneapolis in 1971, discovered the artwork of Jacob Kurtzburg in 1977 and soon acquired a love of drawing. He received a Scholastic Art Award before studying History and Studio Arts at the University of Minnesota from 1989 to 1993. Sandberg has had several exhibits in Minnesota and his drawings and paintings were published in various national indy art magazines throughout the 1990s. PREVIEWS magazine described his Pop Art as "base alternative art on mescaline." Critic and historian Scott McCloud classified his art as "uncategorizable," and Alternative Press Review described him as a talented artist who defies expectations. Sandberg specializes in acrylic painting and his work has been purchased by collectors in Europe and Asia. A one man exhibit of his realist paintings was held in Manhattan in September of 2004. Sandberg's work has appeared in PREVIEWS, NEW YORK QUICK GUIDE, JUPITER and NEW ART INTERNATIONAL. His primary influences are J.M.W. Turner and Edward Hopper.

Website: http://www.jasonsandberg.com/

the king's deception by steve berry

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 13:43:00 +0000

Title: The King's Deception
Series: Cotton Malone #8
Author: Steve Berry
Pages: 402
Rating: 5/5
Summary:
Cotton Malone and his fifteen-year-old son, Gary, are headed to Europe. As a favor to his former boss at the Justice Department, Malone agrees to escort a teenage fugitive back to England. But after he is greeted at gunpoint in London, both the fugitive and Gary disappear, and Malone learns that he’s stumbled into a high-stakes diplomatic showdown—an international incident fueled by geopolitical gamesmanship and shocking Tudor secrets.

At its heart is the Libyan terrorist convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103, who is set to be released by Scottish authorities for “humanitarian reasons.” An outraged American government objects, but nothing can persuade the British to intervene. Except, perhaps, Operation King’s Deception. Run by the CIA, the operation aims to solve a centuries-old mystery, one that could rock Great Britain to its royal foundations.

Blake Antrim, the CIA operative in charge of King’s Deception, is hunting for the spark that could rekindle a most dangerous fire, the one thing that every Irish national has sought for generations: a legal reason why the English must leave Northern Ireland. The answer is a long-buried secret that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire forty-five-year reign of Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch, who completed the conquest of Ireland and seized much of its land. But Antrim also has a more personal agenda, a twisted game of revenge in which Gary is a pawn. With assassins, traitors, spies, and dangerous disciples of a secret society closing in, Malone is caught in a lethal bind. To save Gary he must play one treacherous player against another—and only by uncovering the incredible truth can he hope to prevent the shattering consequences of the King’s Deception.

My Two Cents:
Steve Berry is not a normal author. Is he any good? He's one of the best. The 8th book in the series, The King's Deception is well-paced thriller story that will caught your attention from the first page until the last one. Nevertheless, I feel that this time, the story seems to have a lot of characters i.e villains. Dont get me wrong, I still like the whole scenes, flows and everything. It's hard to hate somthing you already adored for so long, right? There's another thing that intrigued my interest, his relationship with his son after got divorced with his wife. Sometimes, I think it is quite mixed feelings about it, but either way, it just adding up some spices to the story. As a whole, I the writing was tremendous with excellence like always. Not to forget to remind you that a little injections of fascination about Tudor and Elizabethan history behind as the story background. I felt it was brilliant. Any thriller fans will love this for sure.

About the Author

Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The King’s Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor’s Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. His books have been translated into 40 languages with more than 15 million printed copies in 51 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists. History lies at the heart of every Steve Berry novel. It’s his passion, one he shares with his wife, Elizabeth, which led them to create History Matters, a foundation dedicated to historic preservation. Since 2009 Steve and Elizabeth have crossed the country to save endangered historic treasures, raising money via lectures, receptions, galas, luncheons, dinners and their popular writers workshops. To date, nearly 2,000 students have attended those workshops.

In 2012 and 2013 Steve’s devotion to historic preservation was recognized by the American Library Association, which named Steve it’s spokesperson for National Preservation Week. Among his other honors is the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award, and the 2013 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award given by Poets & Writers. Steve was born and raised in Georgia, graduating from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He was a trial lawyer for 30 years and held elective office for 14 of those years. He is a founding member of International Thriller Writers—a group of more than 2,000 thriller writers from around the world—and served three years as its co-president.

guest post: author karolyn james

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 24 Jun 2013 15:15:00 +0000

Hot Guys to Die For

For fans of Nashville the TV show and Bella Andre, the BROTHERS OF ROCK series is dramatic, sexy, romantic,and entertaining. It sizzles!

Here’s a chance to ‘meet’ the guys in Chasing Cross, the band from my romance series, Brothers of Rock!

Johnnie – lead singer - He’s the unclaimed leader and hero of the band. He’s also in the first book – All Access – where readers get to know him, the band, and get to see Johnnie’s emotions as he has to make some life changing decisions in both love and life.

Danny – guitar - He’s Johnnie’s younger brother. He’s a little wild, always relying on the protection of his big brother. He’s the main character in book three (Bitter Farewell – coming June 2013) and for the first time in his life, he must face the world on his own.

Davey – guitar - In the second book – Broken Sound – Davey must come to grips with something potential in his past. A woman shows up with a baby and says it’s his. If that’s not heavy enough to deal with, Davey falls in love with a woman that isn’t the baby’s mother.

Chris – bass - Chris will appear in the fourth book and will have to face something similar to Davey. His life and his decisions are called into question and this normally quiet, partying rockstar has to find a way to grow up and man up fast.

Rick – drummer - In the fifth book, you get to meet perhaps the most complicated man in the band. He’s hiding so much emotion and hanging onto so many demons (especially those hiding at the bottom of a bottle), Rick finds himself struggling between trying to deal with his past, capture his present, and not lose his future. To top that off, he makes a life changing decision… life changing for himself and for the band.

Right now Chasing Cross will be featured in the first five books of the series… from there, perhaps, a new band will come forward and take the reigns of the series!

Book #1 All Access

With ALL ACCESS, a contemporary romance series begins that explores, life, love, and music. Join the five band members of Chasing Cross as they find that there's more to life beyond the stage.

Book Description:
Jess is caught off guard when a sexy stranger buys her a cup of coffee and asks her to sit with him. He's mysterious, nice, and even though he says the right things at the right time, Jess can sense that there's something hidden about him. As Johnnie sits across from the beautiful woman, he can't believe she doesn't recognize him. Everyone does. It comes with the territory when you're the lead singer of one of the hottest bands in the world, Chasing Cross. With one more show to go before taking a small break in touring, it feels like luck is on Johnnie's side. That is, if he can find a way to tell Jess who he is, without scaring her off.

After her best friend begs her to come to a concert, Jess finds herself standing in the middle of a crowd. The lights are off, music begins, and the crowd erupts in cheers. She doesn't know much about the band, but that's all about to change. When the lights come on, Jess can't believe her eyes. The lead singer of the band is the man from the café. Plucked from the crowd during the show, Jess makes her way backstage. The encore may have ended on stage, but the real show is just about to begin. Johnnie's passion quickly turns to romance but the more time he and Jess spend together, the more things get complicated. Johnnie has a big decision to make about himself and the band, testing his loyalty and love for the music, and when Jess's dreams start to come true, she starts to realize that true love exists, but it's not always an easy path to take.

Book #2 Broken Sound

The second book in the Brothers of Rock series is BROKEN SOUND, where lead guitarist, Davey, is faced with life changing decisions involving love, family, and as always, music.

Book Description:
Rockstars expect women to show up at their hotel room, but when a woman shows up with an infant and tells Davey he is the father, his world is turned upside down. Anna is a teacher and part-time waitress, desperate to make enough to pay off debts left to her by an ex-boyfriend who made her life a living hell. When her boss schedules her for an extra shift, he tells her it's her job to take care of a special guest... lead guitarist of Chasing Cross, Davey. The second Anna meets eyes with Davey, she feels something she's wanted for a long time. But with someone famous? That's impossible. Besides, Davey is there with a date.

When Davey returns to the restaurant, sans date, he asks to see Anna. She doesn't understand what he would want with her. He is a man with a big heart, kind eyes, and the true power that only a real rockstar could have. Then Anna learns the truth of Davey's life, from his haunted past to his rocky present. Still, she longs to be part of his future. But when Anna's own past turns potentially deadly, life and love suddenly collide in a way that could hurt everyone and leave someone dead.

About the Author

Karolyn James has been published over 100 times, reached bestseller lists on Amazon, and writes in both romance and erotic romance. Her two newest series are the romance hit, Brothers of Rock, and the erotic romance series, Rock Her Curves.

Twitter: @KarolynWrites
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KarolynJamesAuthor
Blog: www.KarolynJames.wordpress.com

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

platinum by jeffe kennedy

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:10:00 +0000

Title: Platinum
Series: Facets of Passion #2
Author: Jeffe Kennedy
Rating: 3.5/5
Book Description:
Althea Grant's Charleston gallery might be suffering from the bad economy, and her artistic aspirations have gone nowhere, but she's doing just fine, thank you. When bad-boy sculptor Steel rides up on his motorcycle looking to rent studio space, his infusion of cash is more than welcome. But his art is raw, visceral, sexual—and completely inappropriate for her pastel world of watercolor landscapes. Steel, fascinated by Althea's rare albino coloring, sees in her the key to his next piece: a metal satyr designed for bondage games. Moving into her gallery basement is the first step; seducing the cool Southern belle into modeling for him is the second. As Steel peels away her careful manners and tasteful outfits, Althea begins to realize her life isn't just fine at all—it's as pale and washed-out as the watercolor paintings she's failing to sell. Can she transform her life and accept her most secret desires?

My Say:
When a good girl gone wild, this will happen. The story was short, and I dont know, this time I feel everything was a little bit rushed for me. It happened so fast like so fast you dont know what is happening. It is understandable that Althea's decision is because she's struggling with her gallery and his whatever boyfriend, she just need a getaway and Steel happened to her gateway. Everything that happened really like I dont feel the connection, does it because Althea's running away? I don't know. At times, I felt Althea's relationship with Steel even in the end just plain and bland. When the romance happens, it was okay but not really thrilled or kind of not drawing me in. I think the series should be more on chemistry. Sometimes it is just not sex. But please give it a try, and maybe you like it even more the I do.

a shade of vampire by bella frost

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:19:00 +0000

Title: A Shade of Vampire
Series: A Shade of Vampire #1
Author: Bella Forest
Rating: 3.5/5
Book Description:
On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.
An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night. Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

My Say:
I would want myself being abducted and get to be with a handsome guy even if he's a bad guy. But a pale face, wold be a different story. Even if I love reading about romance of vampires, doesnt mean I want me to be a slave for my blood. Some chills either makes me intrigued and pique my interest.

Because I don’t believe that you are a slave to what you’ve become. I don’t believe that you simply can’t.

I cant resist myself from liking the book. Such chills mixed with intense creates such an ovelwhelming satisfaction. I have no complaints with book. I feel good and the stroy is a great. Fully recommended.

About the Author

"I guess my life as a writer started when I was five; I'd sit under the kitchen table with my box of multi-colored wax crayons (I miss those) and create picture books. Creative writing was always my favorite subject and I used any free time I had to sit down with a notepad. Not much has changed, except that now I have developed vampirish habits: my writing "day" typically starts at 1am.

I'm an avid reader, a big fan of cookie ice cream and I'm often travelling. When working I have to disconnect the internet for fear of being endlessly distracted by websites such as www.icanhas.cheezburger.com . Oh, and unlike the beautiful girl on my cover, I'm camera-shy..."

Email: bella [at] forrestbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashadeofvampire
Amazon: Click Here
Goodreads: Click Here
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AShadeOfVampire

Note: The author gave me a copy in exchange for an honest review. It will not in any way affected my review.

sapphire by jeffe kennedy

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:44:00 +0000

Title: Sapphire
Series: Facets of Passion #1
Author: Jeffe Kennedy
Rating: 4.5/5
Book Description:
A successful executive, M. Taylor Hamilton is on track with her ten-year plan. Too bad her personal life consists of hitting the gym and grocery shopping. Enter the seductive Adam Kirliss. They may have a working relationship, but everything changes at an office party when he handcuffs her to the rail of a yacht. Taylor writes off the adventure as too much champagne, but when Adam challenges her to a date, she agrees to meet up with him. And follow his rules. They share a night of exquisite intimacy, brimming with both pain and pleasure. But afterward, fearful of losing her heart, Taylor pulls back emotionally. Adam is determined to prove that she longs for the loss of control he can give her--and the passionate release it provides. How can he make her see that he wants her, and not just her body?

My Say:
I thought Sapphire as safe word is generically quite bold. As bold as the story would be. M is really a word that intriguing me to guess what it is. As an elegant and high class woman, yeah, I dont think Molly is suited to that kind of character. But Adam did everything to unfold the story behind the word M. He may just not get only one but also peeling so many layers of Taylor /M. Yeah, who could ever resist such a good-looking man in the first place? Even though I kind of hate Adam at first, hey, he came out to be a real better man after all. I think the book is overall is nice, sexy and bold story. It is whatever in between, romance, kinky, wild and sizzling. The book is fully recommended!

beauty and the beast by carole remy

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Thu, 30 May 2013 03:26:00 +0000

Title: Beauty and the Beast
Author: Carole Remy
Rating: 4.5/5
Book Description:
Mary Jane Andrews is what Texans call a pistol. She thinks fast, acts faster, and takes the consequences with a laugh. The year is 1950. Young reporter Mary Jane isn’t sure what SM is, but she’s heard that it’s going on outside Austin, and she’s determined to investigate. Once she meets the Master, she’s both enthralled and scared spitless. What’s a Master to do when his hotter-than-sin sexual soul mate shows up at the door of his highly illegal sex house? Don’t worry, he has lots of ideas. Trouble is, Mary Jane wants the story. And the Master won’t spend the rest of his natural life in jail. The sex is explosive, inventive, and addictive, both ways. Will it be bend or break for the insatiable Beauty and the masterful Beast?

My Say:
I totally like the book. A sheer hotness like melting cheese. Sexy, bold and thrills are mixed together to become such a great ending. Reading something sexy before sleep in my cosy bed, next to my husband, yeah, that is sure made me feeling great. Ok, enough. The thing is, I felt the Mary Jane nature of character is one of the reason I like the book. Her curiousity brought the readers to discover something beyond mind could think. It's like peeling a blossoming petals of a flower. You have to investigate to know things deeper. And the master? Wallah! Sure I could die in hotness! The book is incredibly sexy! Whoot whoot!

About the Author

Carole Remy lives in Mexico with her beloved dog Gemma. When she isn’t writing and touring her novels, you can find her rescuing dogs, learning wood sculpture, and salsa dancing!

Blog | Pinterest | Twitter: @Carole_Remy

bare it all by lori foster

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Bare It All
Author: Lori Foster
Series: Love Undercover #2
Rating: 4/5
Book Description:
"A cop's craving to know more about the woman next door could prove fatal in the steamy new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster"

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking. Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire.

My Say:
The book is totally a swoon-worthy! I was so caught up with the story and yes, it has made my day. Should I say that reading the book made me stares at my husband in such twisted mind. LOL!

I didnt read her first book. However, whoever can easily pick up and read as it is. The elements of suspence and romance somehow has it upside downs, but I'm glad this one completed each other as Reese and Alice complement each other. I must say Reese is such a character that I would totally approved of, not because he is what I want him to be but his role is perfect. I easily related to him. Alice was otherwise not so much for me. Maybe because she doesn't act like a grown woman? I must say she's quite odd or weird? I can't tell much but I think her personality is influenced by the mystery that Reese has to solve. Eventhough I found Alice was like that, one thing that I can be assured of was that their chemistery was really a time bomb waiting to explode as they claimed! I think the pace of the book is quite ample for us to know more the character and how their relationship is developing. What I like most about the book, it just grabbed my attention from the moment I opened to read it. Awesome!

About the Author

caged heat by milly taiden

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:56:00 +0000

Title: Caged Heat
Author: Milly Taiden
Series: Black Meadow Pack #2
Rating: 4/5
Book Description:

After five years traveling through third world countries to teach impoverished children, Samira Suarez has returned home to Black Meadows. What Sam didn’t expect was to be instantly overwhelmed by the desire to be with the one man she’s wanted since she was a teen, Riel Karven.

Riel has been patiently waiting for Sam’s return. For five long years he’s backed off and watched her come and go. This is it. His mate is back and he’s taking a stand. Sam’s need for Ry grows to unimaginable proportions. It’s almost as if she were in heat. But she’s a human…isn’t she?

There’s more at stake than Sam and Ry’s future relationship when she inherits her grandmother’s estate. One of her many relatives wants her out of the way. It’s going to take all of Ry’s determination and help from his friends to keep her alive. And it’s going to take delving into her past to find out why a human is going into mating heat.

My Say:
I must say Sam and Riel really have a good chemistry. I love reading their passion and love. So intense, racey and I couldnt put down the stroy. Even though this is the second book in the series, I can still feel related to it and the character themselves are enough to complement the storyline. The book is very enjoyable and engaging. I totally feel connected to the story, and it is quite revealling. It is recommended!

About the Author

Milly Taiden was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy. She began writing when she learned to put words together and her first book consisted of two homeless dogs living in a park for her second grade English class. She didn’t win a prize, but she acquired a love for writing that never went away.

When she’s not working full-time, texting with her best friend Heidi in England, chastising her son for pulling the dog’s ears, shopping with her sister Jewel or watching scary movies with her husband, she can be found writing on her laptop. She’s addicted to shoe shopping, chocolate and Dunkin Donuts coffee. A major reader when she can get her hands on a good book, she loves reading all Mina Carter, Cynthia Eden, Cynthia Sax among others.

Website: http://millytaiden.com
Twitter: @millytaiden
Facebook: Milly Taiden

the faulkner's apprentice by val muller

noreply@blogger.com (Darlyn Azlinda) — Fri, 10 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Title: Faulkner’s Apprentice
Author: Val Muller
Published: April 30th, 2013
Content Warning: Suggestive themes, non-graphic sexuality, and mild violence
Summary:
Lorelei Cecelia Franklin broke a twenty-year streak of bad luck when she won the L. Cameron Faulkner fiction contest. Apprenticed to the reclusive and famous author, Lorei will spend three weeks with the master of horror himself in the secluded mountains of Virginia. On her way to Faulkner's mansion, Lorei meets a leathery man who snares souls that desire too much, and everything in the mansion screams warnings against him. But with her lust for Faulkner, her appetite for fame, and her wish to protect her ailing mother, Lorei's chances for escape are slim.

My Say:
It is quite a long time since I've read such a chilling story. The Faulkner's Apprentice is actually will keep you up all night and assure you that you wont switch off your light while you're sleeping. At first I though loving dark places is such a weird and odd way to embrace creativity and inspirations. I love the character, Lorelei because she's willing to do anything to save the one she loves and achieve her dreams. It's quite a journey but I was intrigued by the storyline as well as the creativity of how the author relates the whole story and the characters. Sometimes I felt it was quite dragged a bit, but overall the story is good. I fully recommend to whoever loves horror book.

About the Author

English teacher by day, writer by night, Val grew up in cold and haunted New England, which seems to have colored her works with a tinge of the macabre. She currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two corgis, a rambunctious and curious dog named Leia, and a kind and obedient (yet terrified) dog named Yoda. Val writes for children and adults and, when not performing her day job as an English teacher, attends book events and elementary schools to conduct writing workshops.