Book Review: Chronicle of the Mound Builders by: Elle Marie

Rating: 4/5

Publisher: CreateSpace

Publish Date: October 29, 2012

Origins: From Blog Tour for Review

Format: Trade Paperback

Order Links:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kindle / Nook / iTunes

Synopsis: Archaeologist Dr. Angela Hunter discovers an ancient codex at a Mississippian Indian dig site in the St. Louis area. Knowing the Mississippians, or Mound Builders, had no written language, she is determined to solve the mystery of the 700-year-old, perfectly preserved codex.

In the early 1300’s, an Aztec family is torn apart. A judge rebelling against the Aztec tradition of human sacrifice is cursed and escapes his enemies with his 12-year-old son. They travel from the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi River to settle in the thriving community of Migaduha, modern-day Cahokia Mounds, Illinois.

Angela recognizes the symbols as Aztec pictograms and begins to translate the story. However, other forces also want the codex and will do anything to get it. Can she learn the secrets of the chronicle before the tragic events of the past are repeated today?

Review: Angela Hunter is an archaeologist working on a dig in the Cahokia Mounds. When a beautiful jar with a birdman etched on it is found, Angela is given the jar to date and open. When she and her father, fellow archaeologist Peter Hunter, open the jar they find a codex. The codex, as Angela learns when she is translating it, is the story of an Aztec family who had to endure much to stop an evil so great it decimated an entire civilization. Yet, there are forces at work which strive to stop Angela as she gets ever closer to the truth…

‘Chronicle of the Mound Builders’ was a fascinating story told fully in two times – the present, with Angela and Joseph, and the past, with Tototl and Chipahua. I felt the details we learned through Tototl and Chipahua’s struggle against an evil nahualli (or priest), Ichtaca, gave enormous depth and realism to the story. I think if we only had the story as told through the codex as Angela translated it, we wouldn’t have as rich an understanding of the evil which threatens the present day. As the past and present collide, the action picks up and you’re waiting breathlessly to see what happens next! I was instantly caught up in the story which is a testament to the astounding amount of research the author did. ‘Chronicle of the Mound Builders’ is a spellbinding tale!

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Book Review: Murder as a Fine Art by: David Morrell

Rating: 5/5

Publisher: Mulholland Books

Publish Date: May 7, 2013

Origins: From Publisher for Review

Format: Hardcover

Order From:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: GASLIT LONDON IS BROUGHT TO ITS KNEES IN DAVID MORRELL'S BRILLIANT HISTORICAL THRILLER.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his memoir Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, is the major suspect in a series of ferocious mass murders identical to ones that terrorized London forty-three years earlier.

The blueprint for the killings seems to be De Quincey's essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts." Desperate to clear his name but crippled by opium addiction, De Quincey is aided by his devoted daughter Emily and a pair of determined Scotland Yard detectives.

In Murder as a Fine Art, David Morrell plucks De Quincey, Victorian London, and the Ratcliffe Highway murders from history. Fogbound streets become a battleground between a literary star and a brilliant murderer, whose lives are linked by secrets long buried but never forgotten.

Author Bio: David Morrell is a Canadian novelist from Kitchener, Ontario, who has been living in the United States for a number of years. He is best known for his debut 1972 novel First Blood, which would later become a successful film franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. More recently, he has been writing the Captain America comic books limited-series The Chosen.

For more information on David Morrell and his novels, please visit the official website.  You can also follow David on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Review: Thomas De Quincey and his daughter Emily have been brought to London under mysterious circumstances. While they are in London, vicious and brutal murders take place reminiscent of murders from over forty years earlier. As De Quincey’s essay "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts" describes the murders in detail, the Scotland Yard is determined to receive De Quincey’s assistance or secure his arrest. De Quincey and his daughter are in a race to clear his name amidst the growing civil unrest and his laudanum fueled dreams.

‘Murder as a Fine Art’ is an addictive read! It is so easy to get drawn into the world of Victorian London in 1854 through Mr. Morrell’s vivid description, dialogue, and characters. An intensely compelling and exciting book, ‘Murder as a Fine Art’ will capture the senses and the imagination. I don’t want to give anything of the story away – just read this book!

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Book Review: Dolls Behaving Badly by: Cinthia Ritchie

Rating: 5/5

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publish Date: February 5, 2013

Origins: From Publisher for Review

Format: E-book

Order From:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: Carla Richards is a lot of things. She's a waitress at Anchorage's premier dining establishment, Mexico in an Igloo; an artist who secretly makes erotic dolls for extra income; a divorcée who can't quite detach from her ex-husband; and a single mom trying to support her gifted eight-year-old son, her pregnant sister, and her babysitter-turned-resident-teenager.

She's one overdue bill away from completely losing control-when inspiration strikes in the form of a TV personality. Now she's scribbling away in a diary, flirting with an anthropologist, and making appointments with a credit counselor.

Still, getting her life and dreams back on track is difficult. Is perfection really within reach? Or will she wind up with something even better?

Review: Please note: This books contains mature content, so please be over the age of majority before reading.

‘Dolls Behaving Badly’ is a bold and frank look at the roles women are given in society and by themselves. Carlita (Carla) Richards wears many hats: she is a mother, ex-wife, friend, daughter, sister, member of the workforce, frustrated artist…and “dirty doll” maker. I found the recount of Carla and her friends’ antics both highly amusing and poignant. I think ‘Dolls Behaving Badly’ is a book for all adult women. I laughed out loud at several points and felt for each of the characters. Ms. Ritchie brings all the characters to life easily, so you feel an emotional attachment quickly and deeply. The situations Carla and the other characters find themselves in are ones myself or any of my friends could find ourselves in. Humorous and starkly real, I highly recommend ‘Dolls Behaving Badly’!

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Book Review: Insatiable by: Emily Kimelman

Rating: 4/5

Publish Date: December 24, 2012

Origins: Purchased

Format: Trade Paperback

Order From:  Amazon

Synopsis: INSATIABLE is the third novel in Emily Kimelman's best selling, award winning Sydney Rye Series of dark murder mysteries. This series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

INSATIABLE begins with private detective Sydney Rye living a simple, disciplined life in London, but when a dangerous man from her past calls, Rye finds she cannot turn him away. Robert Maxim explains that the daughter of a powerful friend has gone missing and he wants Rye to find her. In exchange he offers her something she had given up hope of ever having; freedom from her past.

With her dog, Blue, at her side, Rye meets up with her new partner, a handsome man she's not sure she can trust. Heading for Mexico City, they go undercover, posing as husband and wife. After meeting with the bereaved parents, Rye starts to sense that there is more going on than just a missing girl. But it isn't until they arrive in the Yucatan Peninsula, hot on the girl's trail in Paradise, that all hell breaks loose. Sydney has to reach out for help from old friends and deal with the consequences of her past, if she's going to find the girl and keep them all alive.

Review: Sydney Rye is enjoying a relatively quiet time with Carlos in London when she get a call from Bobby Maxim. Bobby’s firm set Joy up as Sydney and as such, Bobby’s calling in his marker. He’s sending her to Mexico City along with his operative, Blane Nichols, to find a missing girl. Not just any missing girl, but Ana Maria Hernandez Vargas, the daughter of two pretty powerful and wealthy people. Sydney quickly learns things aren’t as clean-cut as they seem as she’s forced to call on friends and strangers for support. Can Sydney find the girl and the truth before it’s too late for herself and the others?

‘Insatiable’ is the 3rd book in the Sydney Rye series and they keep getting better! The character development and the vivid descriptions of the locales draw readers in quickly to the action. I do believe it is best to read the first two books in this series prior to ‘Insatiable’, as the books are the ongoing events in Sydney’s life. I think this is the book where Sydney truly accepts her old life is over and sheds it as she’s neck deep in the situation she’s thrown into. I don’t want to get into too much detail for fear of spoiling the shocking twists Ms. Kimelman has given Sydney. I’m very impressed with the growth of both the author and Sydney throughout this series!

Sydney Rye Series: Unleashed (1), Death in the Dark (2), Insatiable (3)

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Interview with Carol Nicolas, author of The Sixth Power

Publish Date: January 22, 2013

Order Links:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: Tania Westing, a high school senior, is one of the Gifted Ones, descendants of an ancient family with seven special powers. Some of the powers are common, and some are rare.

Until her geneticist brother Tom was murdered, Tania lived an ordinary life. Now hidden in her mind is a clue that will reveal Tom's research, including secret formulas to unlock all seven powers. During spring break, Tania meets and falls in love with handsome Dan Maclean. When Tania reveals her rare power to heal, the evil Gifted Ones who killed Tom suspect Tania has his research and formulas and come after her. Tania must learn to use her powers to help save Dan's sister in time to keep Tom's secrets safe.

Author Bio: Carol Nicolas lives in northern Utah (USA) with her husband. A native of Canada, she attended BYU-Idaho (formerly Ricks College) and obtained a bachelor's degree in education from Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah USA). A teacher, mother of five, wearer of silly socks, and fan of sci-fi/fantasy books and films, she enjoys growing herbs and vegetables, painting, and researching her family history. She likes rock, pop, Celtic and classical music. She has traveled throughout Europe; her favorite city there is Paris, though the romance of Venice is a close second. She speaks American English (with a Canadian accent after she has been talking with her Canadian family on the telephone for just a few minutes), as well a basic modern Greek, which she studied for 4 years to be able to communicate with her husband's family on their bi-annual trips to Greece. Her deepest secret: she hides chocolate in her desk for emergencies! Her latest book is the YA paranormal, The Sixth Power.

Interview: Q. Please tell us about your current release.

The Sixth Power is about Tania Westing, a high school senior from San Diego.  She is one of the Gifted Ones, descendants of an ancient family with seven special powers. But Tania has been told never to use her powers or to reveal her abilities.  Until her geneticist brother, Tom, was murdered, Tania lived an ordinary life. Now hidden in her mind is a clue that will reveal Tom's research, including secret formulas to unlock all seven powers. During spring break, Tania meets and falls in love with handsome Dan Maclean, who is also Gifted. When Tania reveals her rare power to heal, the evil Gifted Ones who killed Tom suspect Tania has his research and formulas and come after her. Tania must learn to use her powers to help save Dan's sister and to keep Tom's secrets safe.

Q. Can you tell us about the journey that led you to writing?

Having come from a long line of storytellers and lovers of good books, I’ve always been fascinated by the storytelling process.  As a teenager I wrote poems, stories, and even a sappy romantic novel called The Silent Lover, that is safely filed away where no one will see it.  I’ve been writing down my ideas and dreams ever since.  About five years ago my nephew died, and I began to think seriously about what legacy I wanted to leave behind when it was my time to go.  I had many ideas for stories, so I began to write, beginning with what would become The Sixth Power.

 Q. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your current release?

As one reader pointed out, people who work in restaurants don’t get their lunch breaks at noon, so I would change the time of Tania and Roger’s lunchtime conversation.

Q. What is the hardest part of writing for you?

When my husband says, “This part isn’t logical!  You need to change it...”

Q. Do you have a musical playlist you listen to while writing? If so, what kind of music?

Definitely!  I enjoy a wide variety of music, such as Owl City, James Taylor, David Archuleta, Kenny Loggins, Jonas Brothers, Whitney Houston, Simon and Garfunkel, and Miley Cyrus.

Q. What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I have a stash of chocolate hidden in my desk drawer, and I snack on it as I write.

Q. Do you plan any subsequent books?

I am currently working on a series of books that take place within the world of the Gifted Ones.  Claire McDaniels is the main character, a girl who must overcome great odds.   There will be romance, mystery, betrayal, murder, and adventure as Claire and her friends work together in order to heal the land and restore the rightful leader of the McDaniels clan.

Q. Please tell us your latest news.

My grandson is coming to visit me!  Yeah!  I can hardly wait.

Q. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

I hope you enjoy The Sixth Power.  If you have time, let me know your thoughts.  I’d love to chat.

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