D.J. Weaver's Blog, page 8

APRIL'S KISS IN THE MOONLIGHT by Jean Joachim

April's Kiss In The Moonlight was written by Jean Joachim and is available for purchase at www.amazon.com  You can learn more about this incredible author by visiting her website at: www.jeanjoachimbooks.com

    April is a beautiful, intelligent girl who is seeking to lead her life in a different direction than her father. Eventually, April meets and falls in love with, Rusty but a tragedy will soon change all that. After April's mother intervenes and brings her back home to recuperate, April soon becomes focused on getting her life together. She soon meets fireman,Gavin Daly and soon the bitterness of her past is replaced with sweetness.
    Okay... first things first... I LOVE ALL OF JEAN JOACHIM'S BOOKS. I love romance novels and Jean does an incredible job of telling a beautiful story and making you fall head-over-heals in love with her characters. 
  Though I am a huge romance fan, but I am not easy to please. I never have to worry about that with Jean's novels because she never disappoints!
April' Kiss In The Moonlight is a fantastic read as are ALL of Jean's books. I am giving April's Kiss In The Moonlight a 5-spider rating and recommending it to anyone who loves romance. T Lane

CINDERELLA'S SECRET DIARY: BOOK 1 LOST by: Ron Vitale

   Cinderella's Secret Diary was written by Ron Vitale and available for purchase at www.amazon.com      This fiction book tells the story of Cinderella after the dream wedding and happy ending. The writer takes you on a journey into Cinderella’s life after the marriage begins and shows you how quickly things can go wrong… even in a fairy tale!      After her marriage to the Prince fails because of his adulterous ways and her inability to conceive an heir, Cinderella finds herself miserable and unhappy. As she records her thoughts and feelings in a journal; sharing her world with us, a twist in the plot steers us in another direction.       When I started reading this book, I was a little apprehensive and unsure if this would be the right book for me… I could not have been more wrong!  Cinderella’s Secret Diary is a new twist on an old favorite. Join the author has he takes you on a fairytale journey and shows you what happens in fairy tales after ‘The End’.     I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story! I am giving this book 5-spiders and urging you to pick up a copy TODAY! T Lane

AVENGING INNOCENTS FIRST KILL COMPETITION

ATTENTION READERS:
In appreciation for all of your support of Cruelty To Innocents & Collecting Innocents, we are introducing...
 'THE AVENGING INNOCENTS FIRST KILL COMPETITION'
 What we want from you--
--An original character with unique, quirky, or creepy characteristics
 *this includes: name, skin, eye, and hair color, and any back story that is specific to that character*

 --A great tag line for your character (good examples are '"I'll be back!"and "They're Here!")
 Participants will need to submit their entries to me at ckwebb73@gmail.com OR via the 'contact' page on The Innocents website http://theinnocents.weebly.com/
WHAT THE WINNER GETS:
 --Your character will replace our already-dead first kill, which is set up and carried out in chapter 1!!!
 --We will include your name and your winning character in our acknowledgements, on our dedication page.
 Your character and their tag-line, will go in the synopsis for the book on the back cover!
 So that is all there is to it...  WINNING CHARACTER DIES FIRST!!!

PLEASE ENJOY THIS EXCERPT FROM OUR FRIENDS AT PENGUIN BOOKS:

Reprinted by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., from There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister’s Husband, and He Hanged Himself by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya, selected and translated by Anna Summers. Copyright © 2013 by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya. Translation and introduction copyright © 2013 by Anna Summers.

A Murky FateThis is what happened. An unmarried woman in her thirties implored her mother to leave their one-room apartment for one night so she could bring home a lover.This so-called lover bounced between two households, his mother’s and his wife’s, and he had an overripe daughter of fourteen to consider as well. About his work at the laboratory he constantly fretted. He would brag to anyone who listened about the imminent promotion that never materialized. The insatiable appetite he displayed at office parties, where he stuffed himself, was the result of an undiagnosed diabetes that enslaved him to thirst and hunger and lacquered him with pasty skin, thick glasses, and dandruff. A fat, balding man-child of forty-two with a dead-end job and ruined health—this was the treasure our unmarried thirty something brought to her apartment for a night of love.He approached the upcoming tryst matter-of-factly, almost like a business meeting, while she approached it from the black desperation of loneliness. She gave it the appearance of love or at least infatuation: reproaches and tears, pleadings to tell her that he loved her, to which he replied, “Yes, yes, I quite agree.” But despite her illusions she knew there was no romance in how they moved from the office to her apartment, picking up cake and wine at his request; how her hands shook when she was unlocking the door, terrified that her mother might have decided to stay.The woman put water on for tea, poured wine, and cut cake. Her lover, stuffed with cake, flopped himself across the armchair. He checked the time, then unfastened his watch and placed it on a chair. His underwear was white and clean. He sat down on the edge of the sofa, wiped his feet with his socks, and lay down on the fresh sheets. Afterward they chatted; he asked again what she thought of his chances for a promotion. He got up to leave. At the door, he turned back toward the cake and cut himself another large piece. He asked her to change a three-ruble bill but, receiving no reply, pecked her on the forehead and slammed the door behind him. She didn't get up. Of course the affair was over for him. He wasn't coming back—in his childishness he hadn't understood even that much, skipping off happily, unaware of the catastrophe, taking his three rubles and his overstuffed belly.The next day she didn't go to the cafeteria but ate lunch at her desk. She thought about the coming evening, when she’d have to face her mother and resume her old life. Suddenly she blurted out to her office mate  “Well, have you found a man yet?” The woman blushed miserably: “No, not yet.” Her husband had left her, and she’d been living alone with her shame and humiliation, never inviting any of her friends to her empty apartment. “How about you?” she asked. “Yes, I’m seeing someone,” the woman replied. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes.But she knew she was lost. From now on, she understood, she’d be chained to the pay phone, ringing her beloved at his mother’s, or his wife’s. To them she’d be known as that woman—the last in a series of female voices who had called the same numbers, looking for the same thing. She supposed he must have been loved by many women, all of whom he must have asked about his chances for promotion, then dumped. Her beloved was insensitive and crude—everything was clear in his case. There was nothing but pain in store for her, yet she cried with happiness and couldn't stop.

Book Review of THE OVERTAKING by Victorine E. Lieske

 The Overtaking was written and published by Victorine E Lieske copyright@2011 and may be purchased through www.amazon.com  You may read more about Victoria and her work at www.victorinelieske.com/

Shayne Barlet goes to a great school, has great friends and lives in a nice place. He also has a girlfriend he loves, but she knows the truth and so does his best friend. His life is all a lie… Shayne has been kidnapped; his powers disabled and his memory changed.
Danielle didn't mean to fall in love with Shayne. She was only supposed to watch him and report his movement. But now that he was in trouble, she just had to help him even though it meant danger to herself.
This YA/science fiction was a very interesting read and difficult to put down. I don’t normally like books like this, but I really enjoyed this one. It had the mystery, adventure, and romance that kept me guessing all the way to the end and the characters were so real and easy to relate to. I will be very interested to see how this series plays out. Ms. Lieske is doing a wonderful job and I’m giving this book a 4 spider rating.
TLane

WEBBWEAVER BOOKS on Blogtalk Radio

WEBBWEAVER BOOKS on Blogtalk Radio Presents:
THE CHRISTMAS 'BOX-O-BOOKS' This is it!!! The WEBBWEAVER BOOKS on Blogtalk Radio Christmas 'BOX-O-BOOKS'!!*This Giveaway Is Open To EVERYONE and shipping will be covered by me* To date, we have twenty-one books, some signed by the authors, that will be going into the box, BUT we are still adding books daily as authors join us on the show, and graciously donate copies of their work. What do you have to do to get this collection of books?? Simply leave a comment here... that's it!!! So... Leave us a comment(s), follow the blog, follow the radio show... EASY!! For those interested in earning extra entries, I will add two entries for each person who follows THIS blog and two more entries for each person who follows WEBBWEAVER BOOKS on Blogtalk Radio http://blogtalkradio.com/webbweaverbooks Best of luck and Merry Christmas from WEBBWEAVER BOOKS!!! 

WebbWeaver Launches Brand New Blogtalk Radio Show

"WebbWeaver Books on blogtalk radio... where your favorite authors read their books to you and clothing is 100% optional!"Have you ever wanted to ask your favorite author a question? Now you can...WebbWeaver Books on Blogtalk Radio call-in number- For those of you who have not heard, WebbWeaver has recently launched a brand new blogtalk radio show called WebbWeaver Books http://www.blogtalkradio.com/webbweaverbooks   We have two shows already in the history books, but we need YOU to make it a success. We have welcomed Jean Joachim, Thomas Emson and today we will welcome best-selling author Tasha Alexander, but this only tips the iceberg!! The schedule we have coming up is almost too good to be true and loaded with some of the biggest names in the literary world. We will also be bringing you the very best in Indie and small press authors who may be less known, but still show up when it is time to tell a great story!!  WebbWeaver Books on Blogtalk Radio will feature an author's 'Reading Room' where readers & listeners get to hear their favorite writers read from their work, without having to leave the house!! We have several 'readings' already scheduled and more and more writers are inquiring about the WebbWeaver Books 'reading room' every single day. There will be TONS of giveaways, including signed book giveaways and massive boxes filled with books from some of the wonderful writers who take the time to stop in and read for us. There is only one catch...  YOU HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED FOLLOWER OF WEBBWEAVER BOOKS RADIO & WEBBWEAVER REVIEWS!!!   Here's what you do... First... Look in the righthand column. See that box that says 'Followers'? Click the 'follow' button and enter your info when prompted. Next... head over to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/webbweaverbooks And follow us there too!! You can even sign up for e-mail and text reminders so you are certain to never miss a show!!! That's it... after that, tune in to WebbWeaver Books on Blogtalk Radio each Tuesday and Friday at 4 p.m. CST and keep an eye out for 'special airings' throughout the weekdays for those authors living 'across the pond'.

WEBBWEAVER BOOKS Radio Show Launch and Giveaway

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Book Review of DARK THOUGHTS AND DARK FORCES by: JK Dark

Dark Thoughts & Dark Forces was written by J.K. Dark and published by Poor Boy Press in 2012. It is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ You can learn more about this author by visiting his blog at http://onthedarkside.wordpress.com/

From the website:
'Dark Thoughts & Dark Forces is a short story collection of mystery, suspense, and murder. In it, author J.K. Dark guides the reader through the minds of killers, hauntings, voodoo, and the unspeakable, unexplainable atrocities of mankind.'
'Throughout the pages of his highly compelling tale, Dark weaves stories through cities with rich historical backdrops, from St. Louis, Missouri, to New Orleans, Louisiana, as the settings for many of the stories examine the culture and heritage while telling tales that leave as many questions as answers.'

Let me start off by saying that I do not take on too many short story collections for review, and there is a perfectly good reason why I don't...
I love them too much!! There is nothing, in the entire world, more depressing than a poorly written collection of shorts. But, every now and again, I stumble across something so unique and well written; I just have to share it.

I knew from page one that J.K. Dark had sent me something special, something I had never seen before. His one, two and three word sentences are a thing of utter beauty and quickly grab you with their rhythmic, poetic flow. The stories are so tightly woven that you do not see the endings coming until they smack you in the face and then you can't help but smile at the sheer genius of the author's ability to create something so original and fresh.

The titles of the stories are quirky and alluring, capturing the attention of the reader, while the author discreetly pours his honeyed literary libations into every nook and cranny of the readers psyche. Before the last word is read, you will find yourself drunk on the mystery, horror and realness of the stories as well as their characters.

I could go on and on about this author's work OR I could simply say...
'If you are a fan of oddly and beautifully crafted stories that linger long after the pages have all been turned, then I urge you to grab a copy of Dark Thoughts and Dark Forces.'
I am giving Dark Thoughts & Dark Forces a 5-spider rating (well deserved) and recommending it to anyone interested in horror, mystery, thrills and chills or anyone who just loves a great book filled with wonderful stories!!
CK Webb

Book Review for One Major Mistake by: Starr Gardinier Reina

One Major Mistake was written by Starr Gardinier Reina and published by Suspense Publishing. One Major Mistake is set for release in July of 2012. One Major Mistake will be available in print and digital formats at http://www.amazon.com/ or wherever books are sold online. You can learn more about Starr and her writing by visiting her website at http://queenwriter.com/
F.B.I. agent Pavel Ivanovich is back in this third and final installment in Reina’s ‘Ivanovich’ series.

When the body of Brenda Haxton, the ex-wife of Pavel’s partner, Nick Haxton is discovered, everything about the case feels wrong. Without a definite cause of death and the possibilities ranging from murder to drug overdose, Ivanovich vows to uncover the truth. But, as the case moves forward, Ivanovich finds a connection to a vicious drug lord, making the stakes even higher than before.

Ivanovich is a stable, solid agent with a whole world full of distractions and problems, but none are as much fun as his steady girlfriend, Teresa Mancini. Teresa is tough, hilarious and has enough spunk in her to justify a book series of her own!! Teresa’s storyline is sharp, quirky and fun and her side venture as a ‘doggy treat guru’ is brilliant!!

First Things First…
I am not happy about with this book… not happy at all!!
As if I don’t have enough books in my TBR stack, Starr Gardinier Reina is now forcing me to add two more that list; the first two books in the series. Humor, sex, and violence woven together so brilliantly, it will have you questioning ‘Is this really a work of fiction’, One Major Mistake has something for every type of mystery lover.
Reina has a voice and style of writing that is so special and original she has officially been added to my list of favorites. With beautiful editing, smart dialog and enough layers to satisfy even the most finicky of readers, One Major Mistake is sure to be a breath of fresh air.
I am giving One Major Mistake a 4 ½ spider rating and recommending it ONLY to those folks looking for a great, summer read!!

*On a final note, though this is the third book in this series, I was able to read it without having read the first two books HOWEVER, as I often do, I highly recommend that the reader begin with the first book and move forward. This way, you avoid back tracking the series (like me) and are sure not to miss anything.*

CK Webb

*Author Bio*
A paralegal by day, she’s an author by night. Apart from being an award winning author for her short story "Cut", Reina has appeared in a blaze and made her mark on the literary world with her Ivanovich Series. The first is “In the Name of Revenge”, the second, “Deadly Decisions” and the third, "One Major Mistake" is to be released July 10, 2012. Having studied and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Literature/Creative Writing, she has found her unique style and is known for her works' distinctive voice, making every character stand out.

Reina is the artistic creator of the Ivanovich series featuring Pavel Ivanovich. Flanking Ivanovich's side in "Deadly Decisions" is Teresa Mancini, who vies with Ivanovich for readers' attention. According to J.M. LeDuc, who was "raised in an Italian family", Teresa "is perfect... like all your characters". Reina is also the author of young adult novella "Cruel Whispers" and its sequel novel "Cruel Past".

Reina is an executive editor for Suspense Magazine. She has been interviewed in the newspaper and on the radio with relation to her fiction work. She has been a co-host on Suspense Radio.

She has won three Best Speaker awards as well as Best Evaluator at the Voice Ambassadors chapter of Toastmasters. Reina is a member of Sisters in Crime, Los Angeles Chapter and nationally. She has always been active in events. As co-chair and main coordinator for the West Coast Author Premiere, she arranged the weekend-long event to help authors from all over network, learn and share their work with the public. Reina has also been instrumental in compiling authors and planning a local author event at Barnes and Noble in Ventura, California along with the store’s event manager.

Please read more about Starr at www.QueenWriter.com or visit her blog at www.qw-blog.blogspot.com.