I read this novel on a lark and it is the first zombie book I have ever tried to read. On the other hand, I have seen plenty of zombie movies and I mu...moreI read this novel on a lark and it is the first zombie book I have ever tried to read. On the other hand, I have seen plenty of zombie movies and I must say--this novel tops them all.
As an author myself, I am amazed at the detail in this novel, the background on the way the government works when dealing with world-wide virus outbreak, and the peek inside what might really happen if a virus mutated into a zombie pandemic. So realistic!
I particularly enjoyed the way the author executed the book, his writing style and use of the zombie genre. He knows his stuff.
Anyone who enjoys zombies should enjoy this book.
Rated R for language and zombie violence. (of course!)(less)
At first blush, Fighting the Devil isn't what it appears to be. Reading the cover synopsis, I expected a true-life who-dunnit/mystery thriller. What I...moreAt first blush, Fighting the Devil isn't what it appears to be. Reading the cover synopsis, I expected a true-life who-dunnit/mystery thriller. What I got was so much more. This novel is a beautiful, heart-wrenching, inspirational, and oftentimes harrowing memoir of the life of one of the bravest women I know: Jeannie Walker. Faced with living with a tyrant, she manages to find forgiveness in her heart, and love--the kind of love God has--for a person who treated her lower than dirt.
Yes, you will learn the details of the true-life murder of Jerry Eli Sternadel, but be prepared to be taken on an amazing life journey with a woman we'd all like to have for a sister.
Ellen C. Maze
Author of Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider, Christian Fiction/Vampire recently #52 in Horror/Occult on Amazon Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales (less)
Conant spins a yarn for the ages. A seemingly ordinary woman discovers that she's actually the goddess of another world. Falling in love as she explor...moreConant spins a yarn for the ages. A seemingly ordinary woman discovers that she's actually the goddess of another world. Falling in love as she explores her new parameters, Lilyana and Jason are meant to be together~~here OR there. The unexpected twist at the very end will compel us all to dive into the sequel.
Conant's storytelling lends itself to this genre. She knows her stuff, and all fans of fantasy should enjoy the time spent in her world. Some of my favorite elements of the book I have to leave out of my review because they might spoil things for you, but trust me, you will see many original elements come to life in these pages.
BLOOD MOON OF WINTER is a love story, a fantasy yarn, and a tale told from an original heart. Enjoy the ride.
Ellen C Maze Author of Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales (less)
Keila O’Broin is not your average young woman. Raised by two psychically powerful parents who trained her to battle evil in its worst forms, Keila is...more Keila O’Broin is not your average young woman. Raised by two psychically powerful parents who trained her to battle evil in its worst forms, Keila is a heroine a reader can get behind. At the opening of our story, she is suffering depression at the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death (her father having died previously). She feels responsible, and the guilt eats away at her happiness like a cancer. Amidst her self-pity-party, she runs into some teenage ghosts who lead her to a horrible monster who has been kidnapping and murdering children. Keila battles the creature, only to discover that it is a vampire—the first one she’s ever seen. When the dust settles, the vampire underling is dead, but she is terribly weakened. Thankfully (for us as well as for her!), she is rescued by the extremely handsome, alluring, and immortal Varick Eitenhauer. Forging a partnership with the 800-year-old vampire begins immediately; and while they massage out their personality quirks and temper their mutual attraction, they work side-by-side to rid Portland of the menace that so enjoys killing innocents.
Built like a beautiful, raven-haired Amazon, Keila isn’t your typical petite, blonde-haired, blue-eyed vampire bait. She is a warrior, and this is the very thing Varick (and the reader) finds irresistible about her. Our heroine’s character arc will take her from her self-pity and self-loathing to a surge in her self-esteem and a closer relationship with her adopted family members, Chris and Simy. These changes can only take place through trials; such as grueling warfare with creatures trying to kill her, and finding herself in the vampire she comes to love.
Author Raven Corinn Carluk has woven a vampire yarn that explodes with action, and strikes the reader to the core. The tale is told in superb, shall I say flawless, first person; you will *become* Keila O’Broin, Psionicist and Psychic Extraordinaire. You will know what it feels like to love, to hate, to battle and to adore as Carluk allows us to hitch a ride into her character’s mind. This is the type of book you read in one sitting because you can’t bear to stop, each chapter moving you to the next at a delightfully feverish pace.
Now, Carluk must get going with the sequel…I’m waiting…
Note to young or sensitive readers: “All Hallows Blood” is sexually explicit, but not sexually gratuitous.
"Sanctuary" is a town where, after escaping the sexual abuse of her husband, Shannon lands while checking off items on her bucket-list. What happens w...more"Sanctuary" is a town where, after escaping the sexual abuse of her husband, Shannon lands while checking off items on her bucket-list. What happens when she moves in, finds a job, and meets Seth is what becomes "our" sanctuary of entertainment and thrills.
Most everyone who has reviewed this book agrees that Seth (the hero) is the most compelling character of all. His good looks, his brooding way, his tragic past -- all combine to make us fall for him at least as hard as Shannon does in this book. I missed him when he wasn't in the scene and rejoiced when he returned.
Shannon was also complex and well-written. Most women have suffered some form of sexual abuse in their lifetimes, and in the least, known someone who has, and so that is why we pull for her as she goes through the tough tribulations thrown at her when she is kidnapped and held hostage by Seth's rival. The dangerous situation Shannon finds herself in and Seth's desperation to find her take the reader on a thrill ride only after we have fallen in love with both characters so much that we can't bear to see them apart. On the whole, this book moves very fast and I was never bored. Between keeping a wary eye on the bad guy and trying to keep up with Seth and Shannon's growing adoration for each other, there was never a dull moment.
As for the sex: Since my own readership ranges from pre-teen to adult (and they read my reviews of other books looking for recommendations), I feel I need to address the sexual content of the book. Some reviewers found the sex offensive, but I knew I was reading a romance and I was prepared for it. I think anyone who has ever read a romance will find that this one is done well and with tenderness and care. I personally recommend this book to people 18+ who appreciate romantic thrillers.
My verdict? A 5 - star novel for adults. I look forward to seeing what P.Q. Glisson cooks up for us next!
Ellen C Maze Author of Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales (less)
Alexander S. Brown delivers. In the manner of Stephen King and Robert McCammon, Brow...moreTRAUMATIZED by Alexander S. Brown
Don’t Turn Out the Lights!
5-Stars
Alexander S. Brown delivers. In the manner of Stephen King and Robert McCammon, Brown takes the reader down terrifying paths of horror and the macabre. And like the best horror writers, he doesn’t shy away from the gore and violence that accompanies the genre.
As a novelist, the first thing I noticed about this book was the expertise with which Brown weaves and formulates his short stories; each one seems more a novella, with well-developed characters and a precise plot. There’s no feeling of being rushed through the tale, even though page-wise, there’s not much time to work with. No, for me, TRAUMATIZED was a lot like reading a collection of tiny novels, each one more frightening than the last.
If I had to choose two of my favorites, I’d choose Bloodlines and The House by the River, but each tale holds its own value by its unique storyline and plot development. Brown made me worry for the protagonists, and worse—he tricked me many times when I thought it would end one way and instead it went another. He killed my favs sometimes (dirty scoundrel!), which only increased the frightening element of his storytelling.
If you like horror, you should enjoy these stories immensely!
Note: Rated R for violence, language and sexual content
PORTAL HUNTERS GUARDIANS has opened up a completely new world for me. As a busy writer of Christian horror--vampires, ghouls, demons and redemption fr...more PORTAL HUNTERS GUARDIANS has opened up a completely new world for me. As a busy writer of Christian horror--vampires, ghouls, demons and redemption from a biblical perspective--my opportunities to read outside of my genre is very limited. But when I met author David Furr online and started chatting about his book, I became intrigued by the remarkable basic-theme he presented: Tame portals, controlled by man and used daily as safe and instantaneous conveyance to pre-chosen destinations, versus rogue portals, which open without warning, anywhere on the planet with the opposite gate being anywhere in the universe. Imagine a rogue portal opening in our oceans, draining our limited water supply onto some far distant planet or star! Imagine a portal from a poisonous alien atmosphere opening over New York, spilling toxic chemicals our scientists have never seen before! How do we stop them? Who do we get to stop them? My imagination ran wild on these issues, so I secured a copy of this book to read for myself.
Portal Hunters does not disappoint on any level. Let's begin by mentioning that Furr has assembled an ensemble cast of diverse characters, well-written and distinct enough that I did not confuse them as we moved through the story. My favorite two were Eva Katona and Michael Traush, and even though this book was never drawn down by useless melodrama, if I had my druthers, we'd have a little romantic aside with these two in the next book . I also want to commend the author for the visual acuity he was able to achieve wasting as few words as possible. Personally, I prefer my scene description to be worked into the action, and this is Furr's method as well. Never was the plot slowed down to describe a flowery field or decorative architecture, except that which was important to the plot. Also, kudos on the careful writing of the dozens of hand-to-hand combat and battle scenes, so well-described and thought out that I could see every kick and shove in my mind as I read. Those are not easy to write, especially when you have to do so many, but Furr pulls this off with the ease of a seasoned writer. Well done!
Being a person of vivid imagination, I was especially pleased when Furr's solid sci-fi plot veered into the realm of fantasy by tickling inter-dimensional space issues. Whoo-weee! --that was a fun and unexpected bonus for me.
Lastly, I believe we'll see PORTAL HUNTERS on the big screen one day. This unique plot-line revolves around a fantastic and original twist on the "Stargate" theory. In the hands of a half-decent Hollywood director, this has all the makings of a blockbuster as big as Star Wars, with a new crop of heroes and villains for us to sink our teeth into. Until then, we'll eagerly look forward to the Portal Hunters next adventure.
North Star Captain Janaai Resnick has her hands full in this first installment of the North Star Serial. Not only does she have to prove herself to he...more North Star Captain Janaai Resnick has her hands full in this first installment of the North Star Serial. Not only does she have to prove herself to her crew, but also as soon as they head out, she must prove herself a capable leader when the ship is attacked by the Korelean threat.
Author Bryan Thomas Schmidt creates for us a likable and believable female lead that is supported by a cast as three-dimensional as those at the helm of the Star Trek series. With snappy dialogue and genre-correct technology, I think anyone who enjoys the space opera will put this one at the top of their list. I don’t usually read this genre, and I was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was.
As a bonus, at the end of this tale, Schmidt includes novel excerpts from a couple of his upcoming works, THE WORKER PRINCE and SANDMAN.
5— exuberant Stars for Story Excellence! 4 – encouragement Stars as he works on the craft
Youngster Pete Farrell lived in the shadow of his pals his who...more5— exuberant Stars for Story Excellence! 4 – encouragement Stars as he works on the craft
Youngster Pete Farrell lived in the shadow of his pals his whole life. In the opening scenes, you say to yourself, “What a goober!” as he un-athletically sends his bike end over end, and ends up having to walk home alone. But by then, you know that he is about to stumble upon something amazing. When he discovers the underground lab from ages past, Pete learns about a history never taught in school. Another slip inside the lab and Pete is literally changed forever. Now, your story is really afoot!
WHAM! BAM! POW! Peter Kelly brings us a rip-roaring superhero story that rivals any of those penned in Marvel Comics, and I feel we’re going to be seeing even more great tales from this young writer.
Word to the wise, read the story for itself, and don’t focus on the newbie errors sprinkled here and there. Peter Kelly can spin a yarn that will curl your toes and swell your chest with excitement. I hope he keeps his pen to the paper for years to come.
Good storytellers are more rare than you think, don’t stop now, Mr. Kelly!
5-Stars for Story Excellence! (For my YA readers, R-rating for language)
Ellen C Maze
Author of Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider, Bestseller in Kindle, Horror/Occult
In a story that begins in the 18th Century and ends up in 2080, THE SAFETY FACTOR has it all.
Abused by her drunkard father, young Maria stows away on...moreIn a story that begins in the 18th Century and ends up in 2080, THE SAFETY FACTOR has it all.
Abused by her drunkard father, young Maria stows away on a cargo ship headed anywhere but there. Hiding below decks, she considers her actions and the life she left behind; hoping she never gets sent back. Lady Farrell and her handmaiden Ellen board just before the ship leaves. Lady Farrell is traveling to Venice to marry and along the way, her handmaiden and her long-time friend, the ship’s captain fall in love and plan to marry.
Then everything goes sour.
Pirates! Like the hero that he is, the Captain lowers the two women and the girl over the far side in a long boat so they may escape while he and his men battle the pirates. The women float out to sea for 6 weeks until they are picked up by a strange-looking mirage that couldn’t possibly be real. Here is where your science-fiction tale really begins!
Jerry Travis and Josephine Mayes have given us tender characters with depth and amazing intelligence that the reader will root for throughout. This book touches human topics such as sexual abuse, social class structure and the existence of God, as well as eye-opening scientific revelations regarding the theories of past philosophers and the possibility of Time Travel. THE SAFETY FACTOR is truly an epic science fiction adventure that offers the most original theories of Time Travel ever seen in print. Read it and see for yourself.
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