Ingrid Hall's Blog, page 12
May 8, 2015
Review of Unfiltered and Unlawful: by Payge Galvin and Ronnie Douglas
Unfiltered and Unlawful by Payge Galvin and Ronnie Douglas
Payge Galvin has always wanted to be a writer and feels incredibly lucky to be the head co-writer of the amazingly hot UNFILTERED series. It all began during a spa weekend with Payge Galvin and eleven of her best friends (and a few���okay, a lot���of Cosmos), when talk of the sexy books they loved to read turned into dreams of the fabulous stories they’d love to write. A plot slowly emerged: twelve strangers, a pile of dirty money, and a dead body���and one crazy plan to write the sort of books they would want to read, together.
This is, at its heart, a love story. Oh, sure, there’s also great���I mean REALLY great���sex scenes, believable characters, a murder, drugs, a cover-up, and enough references to unrequited love to fill a boxcar headed out of Rio Verde, where most of the action takes place.
But Sasha���the twenty-something lead character���is party to a murder in the coffee shop in which she works as a barista. In fact, she and twelve others who are in the shop when the murder goes down are all equally complicit in the crime when they steal the man’s drug money���$100,000, split twelve ways.
The incident���which is capped by the innovative cremation of the remains by a customer whose family just happens to own a funeral home���sparks a need for Sasha to get out of town. But she can’t go alone. She needs to take her borderline abusive ex-boyfriend with her in hopes of starting a new life away from the druggies who are bound to come along and want their money.
Can she domesticate Tommy, the bad boy she just can’t seem to stay away from? Or will she finally consummate her smoldering attraction to Adam, Tommy’s cousin? He’s tall, muscular, and every girl’s dream wrapped in tattoos from head to toe. He’s also attracted to her, but, as luck would have it, he knows that���as his cousin’s main squeeze���Sasha is off-limits.
Without revealing too much, Sasha does find herself finally in a secluded location with Adam and the sexual tension is so thick you couldn’t cut it with a sharp condom wrapper.
“I arched my back, my breath coming in short gasps as need grabbed me by the throat. This was so wrong, but that didn’t matter to me anymore. Nothing mattered but the feel of Adam’s skin against mine, of his lips skimming over me. He trailed kisses down my body, his tongue flicking out to tease me with the promise of what he would do next.”
Okay, so maybe there’s more than just tension here. Sasha tries so hard to keep her friendship with Adam strictly platonic, but the battle is an uphill one. Does she ultimately lose? Will the drug lords find Sasha and kill her? The suspense is delicious, and the author spins it out well.
This book is for every single female���and married, too, I suppose���who likes their sex scenes hot, explicit and steamy. I didn’t find the sex offensive or off-putting in any way. After all, the reader gets caught up pretty quickly in the excellent descriptive passages detailing Sasha and Tommy’s dysfunctional but highly erotic relationship. And sure, the pace of the plot lags a bit as Sasha goes through about ten orgasms in a row, but who cares?
I won’t spoil the ending by revealing whether or not she and Adam finally get together, or whether the drug dealer’s friends ever catch up to her���not to mention the police, who don’t seem to wonder where one of their premier drug kingpins has suddenly disappeared to. Suffice to say that you won’t be dissatisfied with this book overall, if it’s your kind of read.
May 7, 2015
Who would like a 33% discount on all my Editing Services?
That���s right; I am running a special promotion in which you can enjoy a 33% discount on all Editing Services available via www.luv2write.net. ��How nice am I?
What do you need to do?
Simply refer a client to my new business services, making sure they add your name as ‘the referrer’ on the contact form and when I secure some work from them, you will be rewarded with a 33% discount on any editing service that you choose!
As simple as that!
As a reminder, my Editing Services include:
Manuscript Assessment
Full Edit
Blurb & Synopsis Writing
Cover Letter Writing
May 4, 2015
Review of Burden: by A.J. Shute
Burden by A.J. Shute
This 347-page epic dystopian tale is a mixture of horror and mystery. We follow the main character Artemis, a deeply troubled youth, as he tries desperately to find his true purpose — both in his dark little village at the edge of the forest, and in the world “Outside.”
The book leads the reader through a series of gruesome scenes in which Artemis, as the village healer, has to amputate arms and perform uncomfortably detailed butcheries of his fellow villagers. There are also hints of cannibalism.
Artemus is constantly on the verge of violence against both those around him and the iron-fisted rulers of the village, the Vallincourts, and an even more cruel character named West, who particularly enjoys whipping and beating women and children, for petty reasons that can simply be classified as crimes against the village. Indeed, the demonic West is responsible for breaking the shins of Mother Rain — another central character — for her crime of running away from the village. She becomes pregnant, ostensibly by an Outworlder, and is severely punished for that as well.
As the story develops, Artemis leaves the village to visit the Outside world, where he obtains medical supplies. It is as modern as the village is backward, and he has friends there. Yet even they have a distinctly dark side.
The story continues to reveal ever-increasing abuse to the village residents, some of it at the hands of Artemis, brought on presumably by the constant stress of living in the autocratic small society. There are also a few steamy sex scenes, but even these take on a somber hue as all acts of passion — and compassion — seem to be forbidden in the context of village life.
Some of the author’s poetic turns of phrase are superb: “They carefully wrapped Mother Rain’s slender body in the worn blanket . . . as if rolling a dried corn stalk.” ��And another: “He remembered how even the taste of the air became so sweet on his tongue and so soft in his sore lungs.”
I found this story to be troubling and yet strangely compelling. It is written in a stilted voice that almost makes me think that English is a second language for the author, who uses colorful adjectives and run-on sentences frequently to extend scenes that are nevertheless full of character insight and bloody, inexplicable horror in Artemis’ small village and in the world beyond.
For me, the book, while richly populated with multilayered characters and an interesting premise, moved very slowly — almost too slowly to hold my interest for its full length. And it is populated with phrases such as, “The world snap and will go black.” I often puzzled over these non sequiturs that I am sure were meant to add texture to the story, but frequently just got in the way of my understanding many of the passages.
Shute has written a long and colorful tale of mysterious conflict between and amongst the villagers and the people in the Outside world. The ending is unexpected and reveals much that has heretofore been a mystery. Readers who enjoy a complex — and bloody — horror story will not be disappointed by Burden.
May 1, 2015
Review of Hashtagged: by Kimberley Hix Trant
Hashtagged by Kimberley Hix Trant
Kimberly Hix Trant is a North Texas technology consultant with a degree in journalism from Texas A&M University. Her first exposure to computers came when her mother, an early champion of technology-based learning, came home with a TRS-80 computer and insisted Trant learn to use it. Watching her granddaughter reminds Trant that future generations will never know the security and privacy of a life lived offline���and that everything posted online lives on. Her hobbies include travel, music, books, and movies���all the good things in life.
Hashtagged: This Is How the Future Started is a captivating story about where we’re all headed if we don’t watch out.
It is, by turns, illuminating and horrifying, imagining what may happen if the millions of Facebook friends, Tweeters, InstaGrammers, and other Social Media users around the globe don’t voluntarily throttle it back some and gain perspective about the prodigious amounts of personal information they are shooting into cyberspace.
I loved this book. It is the well-written tale of Maddy Smith and her journey to a not-so-distant future, where an authoritarian government���aided by the ever-evolving technology spawned by an unchecked Internet Goldfinger���threatens personal liberties in a very real and chilling way.
Yes, it is science fiction, but just barely. The author manages to weave the story of the hunt for her beloved and long-lost father, a charming and far-sighted innovator in hashtag land, and a merry band of technological misfits known as The Dinner Club, into a full-out glimpse of an apocalyptic future that may yet await us all.
As I said, it is a cautionary tale of where our digital footprints will lead us if we’re not more careful. But it is mostly just a good read���a true page-turner that, as they say, you won’t want to put down.
There many good turns of phrase:
“Some days the adventures were virtual���knowledge gained, technology explored.”
“Truly winning is about more than employing the various techniques of strategy and the so-called rules of people. It’s about layering those with a bit of art.”
“‘Focus on the pattern, indeed.’ This was a phrase that I heard many times in my life. I can still hear his voice today.”
“This would have been their version of a Rave, all lined up and sniffing the cocaine of the future���a time-traveling man.”
Five stars for Hashtagged���and a warm welcome to an outstanding storyteller.
April 30, 2015
Bromance: a whole new meaning! How naughty are you?
Bored? Take my fun quiz to put the sparkle back into your Friday!
Originally posted on Confessions of Luna Ballantyne:
Happy Friday everyone!
Who is up for a little fun this morning?
I have a fun little quiz for you all to put a spring in your step and get you in the mood for some loving this weekend���The quiz is inspired by the best-selling novel by Sabrina Paige.�� Who would have thought that keeping it in the family could be so much fun? Judging by the way this book has shot��up the best-seller list lots of you are tempted by the forbidden fruit���You don���t need to have read the book to take the quiz!
EXCERPT FROM��TOOL: A STEPBROTHER ROMANCE��
Gaige reaches for me, his hands wrapped around both of my wrists. ���And I���m not nice. You don���t want someone nice,��� he says, his voice guttural, like a growl.
���Let go of me,��� I say through gritted teeth. ���You have no idea what I need.
���He pulls me against���
View original 1,942 more words
April 29, 2015
Happy 85th Birthday, Nancy Drew! What’s Your Favorite Nancy Novel?
I loved Nancy Drew. Who else loved her?
Originally posted on Daily Savings From All You Magazine:
Nancy Drew, iconic teen detective, feminist before her time, and role model for millions of girls (myself included), turns 85 today. I still remember sitting in my attic growing up and poring��over the tattered box that housed my mother���s complete collection of hardcover books���56 in all, published from 1930 to 1979.
To celebrate this milestone, below are some awesome retro covers from the 1950s of some of my favorite Nancy novels. Now if you���ll excuse me, I have to sleuth for secret passageways and chase some villains down dark alleys.
Tell us, what���s your favorite Nancy Drew novel?
You Might Also Like:
Celebrate World Book Day With 13 Amazing Children���s Books (For Every Age!)��
Harper Lee to Publish ���Mockingbird��� Sequel (Plus 12 Other Classic Children���s Books You Didn���t Know Had Sequels)��
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Photo: Nancy Drew Sleuths
April 28, 2015
Feedback wanted for a mystery new product…
Curious? Sign up for updates to the Luna Ballantyne newsletter via http://www.luv2write.net
Originally posted on Confessions of Luna Ballantyne:
Hey,
I am in the middle of ahem, shall we say ���test-driving��� a new product that I will be launching in the near future as part of my Luna Ballantyne brand.
I am not going to tell you right now exactly what it is. All I am going to say is that:
* It is NOT a book.
* It is a seasonal product that millions of people buy throughout the year
I am going to be looking for volunteers to provide me with honest feedback within the next few weeks���
If your curiosity has been piqued, make sure you don���t miss out by signing up for updates��from my Luna Ballantyne newsletter���You can sign up at http://www.luv2write.net
April 27, 2015
Damned Lies: by Dennis Liggio
Damned Lies: by Dennis Liggio
Dennis Liggio says that he is probably some sort of sorcerer or a robot sent back in time to save the future. The cover story he is currently using is that he grew up in New York but somehow ended up in Austin, TX nearly two decades ago. His current whereabouts in Austin are unknown, but there has been some success luring him out of his secret lair with tea, Chinese food, and those fancy little cornbread biscuits that you get at certain restaurants that always seem amazing while in the restaurant but are never close to that good when you get them home. Rumor has it that if you say his name three times in front of a mirror at midnight in a darkened room he will appear and give you Hostess Fruit Pies.
I loved this book from the start. Damned Lies: Things That Never Happened to Me, and a Couple Things That Did is a cautionary tale involving, as the description notes: “mad science, ghosts, zombies, giant robots, cursed swords, epic confrontations, clumsy violence, cultists, unanswered questions, bemused footnotes, good friends, sworn enemies, hidden references, the secret of the universe, and at least one very pissed-off Lovecraftian God.”
It’s the unlikely story of a New York City teenager who successfully clones himself to get out of a boring job and travel a bit during the summer after his high school graduation. Problems ensue when the clone decides it wants a life of its own.
But wait. I’m getting way ahead of the real story, which is about the misadventures that befall the narrator, whose name never quite enters into things. It’s not important. We, as readers, are much more interested in his long stint as a bare knuckles hobo fighter, his brief interlude with a stranger who transports him to a parallel universe to fight an evil being who has left his mark on the narrator, and the woman he almost escapes with except for one small problem: she’s dead.
He begins hitchhiking and runs across a vampire-killing nun, a jet-propelled semi-tractor trailer, and three-hundred-foot tall robots, created for the cold war, but never used.
The breadth of author Dennis Liggio’s far-ranging imagination is staggering. He weaves an impossible tale and yet makes it all very plausible. There is great writing here and memorable turns of phrase: “Higher than a penthouse on Park Place;” “finding gaps, like a spaceship in an asteroid field;” and finally: “I’m sure there could have been a spoiled breakfast sandwich created from their intermingling fumes.”
Liggio creates believable characters I very much cared about. Some die, some live; the reader is never sure from one moment to the next what the fate of each character is going to be. Indeed, the book’s only fault lies in not knowing what ultimately became of the vampire-killing nun, or the turbocharged truck driver, or even the philandering clone (that’s one of the better scenarios, but you’ll just have to read about it yourself.)
I found myself laughing out loud at some of the irreverent humor and Liggio’s sharp-edged wit and sarcasm seldom misses the mark, if you don’t mind a constantly wisecracking smart-ass as the lead character. Personally, I loved it.
Damned Lies is the first of a series of books by Liggio, all published originally in print and (I assume) only recently made available online. If you’ve got $3.99 to spare and just want some good, old-fashioned escapist fiction, with a bit of a sci-fi twist, download a copy. You’ll be glad you did.
I give Damned Lies a solid five stars.
April 24, 2015
The Birth of a Phoenix: by Candice Snow
The Birth of a Phoenix by Candice Snow
Candice Snow was born near the seaside in California, but unfortunately she never learned how to surf. Raised on a steady diet of both��Charlie and the Chocolate Factory��and��The Hobbit,��she blames these works for her overburdening imagination and weird sense of humor. She is a gamer, a Pokemon Master, cosplayer, and a newly initiated Whovian. She currently resides in Tennessee, where she is majoring in English Literature and Education at Austin Peay University. When she is not procrastinating, she is hard at work on her next novel (and sometimes her term papers).
In Birth of a Phoenix by Candice Snow, a dystopian world is brought chillingly to life by an accomplished first-time auhor. Florence, the strong and fiery lead character in this gripping novel must fight every day of her young life���for her dignity, her poor adopted family in the backwoods of North Carolina, for love, and, ultimately, for her life.
Displaced from her home in Brooklyn, New York by the Half War that has pitted the races against each other, we follow Flo through situation after situation that would daunt a young woman of lesser strength���both physical and mental.
Her desperate love for a black servant her own age is thwarted time and again as she is forced to marry someone else at age sixteen. It’s the time-honored tradition in The Colony, which is ruled by an evil upper caste of people called The Blackwoods. They are the self-proclaimed royalty in The Colony, and their word is law. Dissension is punishable by a quick and painful death.
Will Flo ultimately escape her bondage and find true love? Or will she remain a struggling victim of circumstance and ironclad rules beyond her control?
This book kept me guessing, as any good book should. There are plenty of highs and lows, many falling so fast and close upon the other that the reader can easily lose track if he or she is not paying close attention.
This book is not for the faint-hearted. There are graphically violent scenes that may make you queasy as Florence tries to solve the mystery of The Faceless���a race of monsters that roam a nearby wood, wreaking terror and havoc on all who wander too near.
The portions of the book that deal with Florence’s romance are well-drawn, and keep the reader guessing as to whether Flo will ever requite her complicated feelings for Tyrese. There is precious little love to be had anywhere else in The Colony as rules, traditions, and plain old bigotry seem to rule the day���and night.
The environment created as a backdrop for this book is so real you can smell the flowers and feel the raindrops on your head during one of the passing thunderstorms that Flo is deathly afraid of. That’s another aspect of the book I found satisfying���the lead character’s strengths are balanced equally with her weaknesses, making her eminently believable.
In all, I found this book to be a first-class read for anyone who appreciates and enjoys YA literature. The author clearly knows what her audience is expecting, and delivers with a great debut novel. I look forward to a sequel.
April 23, 2015
Our Day of Passing: An Anthology of Short Stories, Poems, Fiction and Essays
COMING SOON
Our Day of Passing: An Anthology of Short Stories, Poems, Fiction and Essays ��
Do you have a macabre fascination with death and the afterlife?
If so, then this anthology is definitely for you and best of all it will be FREE. Published from July 2015, it includes an ecclectic and diverse mix of short stories, poems, fictions and essays related to the possibly slightly ghoulish subject of ‘death! Sooner or later it comes to us all and just like ‘love’ and ‘war’ it is a topic that can stimulate the most creative and thought-provoking written pieces.
Thanks to all of the contributors, Our Day of Passing is testament to that.
Permanently FREE via Smashwords ��� Published from July 2015
Contributors:
Adam E Morrison
Aliki Barnstone
Allyson Lima
Candida Spillard
D B Mauldin
Dada Vedaprajinananda
David A Slater
David King
Dee Thompson
Dennis Higgins
Donald Illich
Edward Meiman
Eileen Hugo
Emily Olson
Franco Esposito
Ingrid Hall
Joan McNerney
Joshua Little
Kin Asdi
Madison Meadows
Malobi Sinha
Marianne Szylk
Mark Aspa
Mark David McClure
Megan Caito
Michael Brookes
Michael Burke
Pijush Kanti Deb
Prince Adewale Oreshade
Rafeeq O. McGiveron
Richard Hennerley
Robin Reiss
Sasha Kasoff
Stephanie Buosi
Strider Marcus Jones
Talia Haven
Valeri Beers
Virginia Wright
