Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Review: Vortex: Essays from a Sea of Nightmares by Robert Dunbar

Vortex

Review by Shellie for Vortex: Essays from a Sea of Nightmares by Robert Dunbar.

Shellie’s quick take:  A serious and sometimes humorous collection of nonfiction writings from an expert voice in horror - taking a look at some of the basics around the myths and monsters residing in the collective human consciousness.  A “must read” for anyone interested in literary horror.

Shellie’s description:   The collection contains 10 essays and an introduction. The subjects covered include the siren/mermaid, several on the “werwulf” and lycanthropy, two on the vampire, myths and legends peculiar to America, the Jersey Devil (where Dunbar shares some of the origins for his novels The Shores and The Pines – which is hilarious), female characters in horror, the literary sources of classic horror films (where he mentions a large number of classic horror flicks for the reader to explore), and a discussion on the roles of stereotypes (racial, gender, and homosexuality) within the genre.

Shellie’s thoughts:   In the essays Robert Dunbar’s range of writing styles is exemplified. His writing can be descriptive, confident, yet sometimes funny and self depreciative; but most importantly it’s concise and informative – he knows a lot about his subject matter and it shows. It’s also an excellent collection that has been written over the years, combined into a short, easy-to-read book. I devoured this book in several sittings but will be rereading and using it as a reference (especially for the movies mentioned). Recommended for any lover or writer of horror and dark fiction, for those who are looking for deeper insight into the genre, and also for fans of the author. It’s a 4.5 star in my opinion.


Uninvited Books | May 1, 2013 | 216 pages

For more information check out our press release page for the VORTEX.

Also VORTEX is being offered on sale for Kindle / $1.95 through Halloween!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Horrific and Thrilling Reads!

Horrific and Thrilling Reads for Fall.

Yes it’s almost Halloween. So perhaps you’re looking for a special book?

In the past several years John and I have had the pleasure of reading many thrilling and horrific books that we would like to share with you - just in case you’re in need of a recommendation for your fall reading list.

I have shown the books in four categories that hopefully will help you find some that may be of interest. I have included a “quick take” (a short description) with the cover, as well as the title and author’s name linking to our review post for the book for further information.

Horror

Descent

Descent ~ by Sandy DeLuca

A slowly intensifying and terrifying page turner that details a woman’s descent into abuse, addiction, and hell and/or insanity. It’s not a novel for the faint-of-heart.   

year of th storm

 

The Year of the Storm ~ by John Mantooth 

A complexly interwoven and otherworldly mystery that is also a dark coming-of-age story. It centers around the events leading up to several devastating tornados and a painful loss.

Night Pilgrims

 

Night Pilgrims ~ by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro 

It’s a stand-alone historical fiction novel that has horror and romance elements with a vampire as the main character. Set in Egypt in the 1200s, the main character (Count Saint Germain assisting as a translator) and a group of European Christian pilgrims are searching for holy sites and relics in the African desert, in hopes of redemption or money.

84214936

 

Goldenland Past Dark ~ by Chandler Klang Smith

A sweet yet dark and mind-bending coming-of-age romance about a sensitive and small clown who is traveling with a circus during the 1960s.

blood and other cravings

 

Blood and Other Cravings ~ edited by Ellen Datlow

Not for just vampire lovers, this is another compelling and diverse collection of horror from some of the best in the genre, edited by Ellen Datlow. What’s great about these stories, is they are not all based upon traditional “fangy” blood suckers since the cravings and feedings in this book are not only about blood.

the devil in silver

 

The Devil in Silver ~ by Victor Lavalle

In a Kafkaesque turn of event someone is submitted to a psychiatric unit who shouldn’t be. Just when you think things can’t get any worse, they do – in the dead of night patients are being attacked by some demonic creature which the staff might possibly be protecting.

Island of Dr Moreau

 

The Island of Dr. Moreau ~ by H. G. Wells

A classic science fiction and horror mix that includes monsters created by the amoral Dr. Moreau.

wood

 

Wood (a novella) ~ by Robert Dunbar

A metaphorical and darkly hilarious novella about an environmentally poisoned wood where a ravenous monster awakens.

 

Science fiction and Fantasy 

eyes to see

 

Eyes to See ~ by Joseph Nassise 

A very dark urban fantasy about a grieving father who gives up his natural eyesight in order to see things differently.

 

Six Gun Tarot

 

The Six Gun Tarot ~ by R. S. Belcher

A clever and entertaining mash-up of cowboy Western, mysticism, mythology, urban fantasy, and horror – all set on the edge of the Nevada desert in the late 1860s, in the weirdest little town you can hope to imagine.

dark companion

 

Dark Companion ~ by Marta Acosta

A retelling of the gothic classic Jane Eyre - it’s a special young-adult novel featuring snippets of Victorian genre classics at the beginning of each chapter. It also spotlights significant and current issues present in young women’s lives – such as romance, self esteem, drug abuse, violence - all in a readable, atmospheric story with a different type of vampire, and a sweet mythic thread.

all seeing eye

 

All Seeing Eye ~ by Rob Thurman

A dark, fast paced, paranormal novel that’s jam packed with action and snarky dialog. I am thinking it’s for fans of Dean Koontz (but with attitude).

Kassa Gambit

 

The Kassa Gambit ~ by M.C. Planck

A couple of paranoid loners find themselves in a web of conspiracy in this science fiction thriller.

Dinosaur Thunder

 

Dinosaur Thunder ~ by James F. David

Are you interested in dinosaurs, time travel, space travel, religious cults and strange “alien” species? All mixed together with a good dose of impending apocalypse? Then this book is for you.

 

 

Mystery and Thrillers

the cove

The Cove ~ by Ron Rash

A dark and tragic World War I historical fable that examines the role of superstition and patriotism gone awry within the rural Appalachian mountains.

The Wisperer

 

The Whisperer ~ by Donato Carrisi

A translated Italian crime fiction novel, that’s another thrilling read for the fans of this popular and immerging genre. A very dark psychological read, with a paranormal element, which is not for the faint of heart, or stomach.

The Widows of Braxton County

 

The Widows of Braxton County ~ by Jess McConkey

A women’s thriller with a slight paranormal bent that includes domestic abuse and family secrets as major themes.

The Alienist - Caleb Carr

 

The Alienist ~ by Caleb Carr

An excellent psychological thriller that is woven around many real-life people and events. A terrifying serial killer is stalking a very realistic 1896 New York City - and the only way to catch him is to create a new science of psychological profiling. Imagine Silence of the Lambs set in a time before computers and automobiles, when psychology is mostly regarded as “gobbledygook”.

Nonfiction

who was dracula

 

Who Was Dracula? ~ by Jim Steinmeyer

A historical telling of how Bram Stoker’s 100 year old cultural icon – Dracula - was created and became the character that holds awe even today. This book goes into some of the significant happenings going on around the creation of the novel Dracula.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Twitter Chat: Christopher Paolini and Brandon Sanderson

Twitter Chat TONIGHT from 9-10 pm EST, Christopher Paolini (@paolini) & Brandon Sanderson (@BrandSanderson) will join forces for a Twitter chat to discuss their respective new releases, ERAGON 10th Anniversary Edition and STEELHEART.

Join in using the #FantasyChat hashtag! Below are detail of their books:

Eragon

CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI, author of ERAGON (Knopf Books for Young Reader / On Sale October 22, 2013 / Ages 12 up) From self-published obscurity to international sensation, Knopf celebrates 10-year anniversary of ERAGON

Christopher Paolini was 15 when he began writing ERAGON, Book One of the Inheritance cycle. Now, nearing 30, he enjoys a success that is as magical as the fantasy novels he writes. His Inheritance cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance) has sold over 35 million copies worldwide and is available in 125 countries in 49 languages. His journey has been extraordinary.

This fall, Knopf is celebrating the 10th anniversary of this worldwide phenomenon with the release of a collector’s edition of ERAGON. This faux-leather bound edition features gold-foil line art on the cover and six glossy, full-color original illustrations on the interior by award-winning artists who inspired Paolini—John Jude Palancar (the Inheritance cycle cover artist), Michael Hague, Donato Giancola, Ciurelo, and Raoule Vitale—as well as Paolini himself. Christopher’s large, diverse and intensely devoted fan base—including many parents who thank him because ERAGON turned their reluctant readers into book lovers—are sure to add this special edition to their bookshelves.

Steelheart

BRANDON SANDERSON, author of STEELHEART (September 24 / Delacorte Press / Ages 12 up) STEELHEART, the #1 New York Times bestseller, is the first book in a new, action-packed thrill ride of a series!

Ten years ago calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary people extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics were no friend to man. With their incredible gifts came a desire to rule. And to rule man, you must crush his will. Now, in what was once Chicago, an astonishingly powerful Epic named Steelheart has installed himself as emperor. Steelheart possesses the strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said that no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, and no fire can burn him. He is invincible. Nobody fights back… nobody but the Reckoners.

A shadowy group of ordinary humans, the Reckoners spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them. And David wants in. When Steelheart came to Chicago, he killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David has been studying, and planning, and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. He has seen Steelheart bleed—and he wants revenge.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Review: The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart

The Drunken Botanist

Review by Shellie for The Drunken Botanist – The Plants that Create the World’s Drinks by Amy Stewart

Shellie’s quick take:  A tastefully fun book for anyone interested in knowing the background for the ingredients that go into creating your favorite alcoholic drinks, including chemistry, historical drama, archeology, recipes, and a fun layout with illustrations and intriguing snippets. This is an excellent book for the geeky imbiber and/or gardener.

Shellie’s thoughts:  Definitely not dry, this book has been broken down visually and thematically for clarity, so it’s not like reading a text book. With an easy to digest visual style the book’s contents are divided into three major parts. The first is Distillation and Fermentation where the author alphabetically addresses the plants Agave through Wheat (including an end section called Strange Brews). The second part is Suffusions and it tells about the plant flavors which are added to the basic alcohols mentioned. It’s then broken down into Herbs, Flowers, Spices, Trees, Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds. The third part then covers the plants that are added to the drinks after they are mixed in a glass, using the topics Botanical Mixers and Garnishes.

Happily at the end of many of the sections for the book the author includes recipes for cocktail, syrups, infusions, and garnishes. She embeds short informational snippets on various subjects such as “A Field Guide to Tequila and Mezcal”, “Bugs in Booze”, “What’s the Difference between Ale and Lager”, “Know your Gins”, and more. The book also makes recommendation of what brands of liquors to use, which not to bother with, and other suggestions for creating upscale and finely crafted libations. It also has some gardening advice on growing plants for your own personal garden so that you can add them to your drinks.

I listened to the book in audio first then took a look at it in its hardbound format for further in-depth digging - and I loved both. The audio version was well read from a reader with a pleasant voice and featured a little clink of a glasses to designate the reading of each recipe. I did however feel the need to be able to look at the layout of the book’s organization, so the hardbound version may be little more practical.

This is a completely fun book which I would recommend. If you enjoy tasteful and upscale libations, are interested in how and what you are drinking is made, and would like some historical details and drama around the process in their creation then this will be a book for you. It would also make a wonderful gift for gardeners and drinkers alike. 4.5 stars.


  • Hardback | 400 pages | Algonquin Books | March 19, 2013
  • Audio CD | HighBridge Company |Unabridged | 10.25 hours edition | March 19, 2013

Both of these wonderful (audio and hardbound) books were loaned from our local library.

Amy Stewart is the award-winning author of six books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world. She is the cofounder of the popular blog Garden Rant and is a contributing editor at Fine Gardening magazine. She and her husband live in Eureka, California, where they own an antiquarian bookstore called Eureka Books.  http://www.amystewart.com/

Here’s the publisher’s blurb:  Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. Thirsty yet?  In The Drunken Botanist, Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries.

Of all the extraordinary and obscure plants that have been fermented and distilled, a few are dangerous, some are downright bizarre, and one is as ancient as dinosaurs—but each represents a unique cultural contribution to our global drinking traditions and our history.

This fascinating concoction of biology, chemistry, history, etymology, and mixology—with more than fifty drink recipes and growing tips for gardeners—will make you the most popular guest at any cocktail party.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Giveaway: Nightlife by Matthew Quinn Martin (and Spooktacular Hop)

Nightlife

Giveaway for Nightlife by Matthew Quinn Martin and information on the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, where tons of blogs offer ways to enter and win bookish prizes. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the fall season than with winning books.


For this hop we have a copy of Nightlife for one US or Canadian address. Below is the description from the book jacket:

For centuries an ancient evil has slept beneath the streets of New Harbor. This Halloween, it wakes up.

An action-packed debut horror novel from talented new writer Matthew Quinn Martin, Nightlife pits a feisty bartender and a mysterious loner against bloodthirsty terrors as alluring as they are deadly.

Nightclub bartender and serial heartbreaker Beth Becker might be a cynic. But when her best friend goes missing Halloween night, Beth knows it’s up to her to find out what happened.

Her quest will take her on an odyssey through the crumbling city of New Harbor, Connecticut. Along the way she meets a homeless prophet warning of something he calls the “Night Angel”—a bloodthirsty creature that feeds on the forgotten. And she will form an unlikely bond with a hunted stranger who knows all too well what stalks the streets at night.

He tells Beth the hideous truth about the nightmare creatures that have haunted mankind’s imagination for eons—creatures the world calls vampires. Together they are the only hope for New Harbor, but to defeat what lurks in the shadows they’ll have to conquer something far stronger than fear—their own desires.

Pocket Star | 384 pages | October 2013


Spooktacular2013

Now for the hop and giveaway information:

Please be a reader/follower to enter this contest. You can choose one way to qualify from the list below.

Ways to “follow”:

  1. Facebook: for updates in your feed -add me as a friend.
  2. Your Email Box
  3. Feed Reader
  4. Twitter
  5. Google+
  6. Pinterest
  7. Goodreads (Add me as a friend – there are no giveaway updates here only reviews.)

And please fill out the Google form:

Now for the links for the other blogs offering giveaways for the hop. Good luck and happy hopping!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Incoming Books: October 12, 2013

vicious

We have our latest incoming books listed below with the publisher’s descriptions.


Vicious by V. E. Schwab

A masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, desire, and superpowers.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.

Tor Books | September 2013 | Hardcover | 368 pages

Delias Shadow

Delia’s Shadow by Jaime Lee Moyer

It is the dawn of a new century in San Francisco and Delia Martin is a wealthy young woman whose life appears ideal. But a dark secret colors her life, for Delia’s most loyal companions are ghosts, as she has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with an ability to peer across to the other side.

Since the great quake rocked her city in 1906, Delia has been haunted by an avalanche of the dead clamoring for her help. Delia flees to the other side of the continent, hoping to gain some peace. After several years in New York, Delia believes she is free…until one determined specter appears and she realizes that she must return to the City by the Bay in order to put this tortured soul to rest.

It will not be easy, as the ghost is only one of the many victims of a serial killer who was never caught. A killer who after thirty years is killing again. 

And who is now aware of Delia’s existence.

Tor Books | September 2013 | Hardcover |  336 pages

The One Eyed Man

The One-Eyed Man by L. E. Modesitt, JR.

The colony world of Stittara is no ordinary planet. For the interstellar Unity of the Ceylesian Arm, Stittara is the primary source of anagathics: drugs that have more than doubled the human life span. But the ecological balance that makes anagathics possible on Stittara is fragile, and the Unity government has a vital interest in making sure the flow of longevity drugs remains uninterrupted, even if it means uprooting the human settlements.

Offered the job of assessing the ecological impact of the human presence on Stittara, freelance consultant Dr. Paulo Verano jumps at the chance to escape the ruin of his personal life. He gets far more than he bargained for: Stittara’s atmosphere is populated with skytubes—gigantic, mysterious airborne organisms that drift like clouds above the surface of the planet. Their exact nature has eluded humanity for centuries, but Verano believes his conclusions about Stittara may hinge on understanding the skytubes’ role in the planet’s ecology—if he survives the hurricane winds, distrustful settlers, and secret agendas that impede his investigation at every turn.

The One-Eyed Man is a thrilling new far-future science fiction novel from New York Times bestseller L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

Tor Books | September 2013 | Hardcover |  352 pages

delphi room

The Delphi Room by Melia McClure

Is it possible to find love after you’ve died and gone to Hell? For oddball misfits Velvet and Brinkley, the answer just might be yes. After Velvet hangs herself and winds up trapped in a bedroom she believes is Hell, she comes in contact with Brinkley, the man trapped next door.

Through mirrors that hang in each of their rooms, these disturbed cinemaphiles watch the past of the other unfold—the dark past that has led to their present circumstances. As their bond grows and they struggle to figure out the tragic puzzles of their lives and deaths, Velvet and Brinkley are in for more surprises. By turns quirky, harrowing, funny and surreal, The Delphi Room explores the nature of reality and the possibilities of love

ChiZine | September 17, 2013 | 250 pages

wikiworld

Wikiworld by Paul Di Filippo

Wikiworld contains a wild assortment of Di Filippo’s best and most recent work. The title story, a radical envisioning of nearfuture sociopolitical modes, received accolades from both Cory Doctorow and Warren Ellis. In addition, there are alternate history adventures such as “Yes We Have No Bananas” (which critic Gary Wolfe called “a new kind of science fiction”); homages to icons such as Stanislaw Lem (“The New Cyberiad”); collaborations with Rudy Rucker and Damien Broderick; and a posthuman odyssey (“Waves and Smart Magma”).

ChiZine | September 17, 2013 | 325 pages

 

nbody

The n-Body Problem by Tony Burgess

In the end, the zombie apocalypse was nothing more than a waste disposal problem. Burn them in giant ovens? Bad optics. Bury them in landfill sites? The first attempt created acres of twitching, roiling mud. The acceptable answer is to jettison the millions of immortal automatons into orbit. Soon Earth’s near space is a mesh of bodies interfering with the sunlight and having an effect on our minds that we never saw coming. aggressive hypochondria, rampant depressive disorders, irresistible suicidal thought—resulting in teenage suicide cults, who want nothing more than to orbit the Earth as living dead. Life on Earth has slowly become not worth living. and death is no longer an escape.

ChiZine | October 15, 2013 | 200 pages

A Taste of Blood Wine

A Taste of Blood Wine by Freda Warrington

1918. A First World War battlefield becomes the cosmic battleground for two vampires, as Karl von Wultendorf struggles to free himself from his domineering maker, Kristian.

1923. Charlotte Neville watches as her father, a Cambridge professor, fills Parkland Hall with guests for her sister Madeleine's 18th birthday party. Among them is his handsome new research assistant Karl - the man Madeleine has instantly decided will be her husband. Charlotte, shy and retiring, is happy to devote her life to her father and her dull fiance Henry - until she sees Karl ...

For Charlotte, it is the beginning of a deadly obsession that sunders her from her sisters, her father and even her dearest friend. As their feverish passion grows, Karl faces the dilemma he fears the most. Only by deserting Charlotte can his passion for her blood be conquered. Only by betraying her can he protect her from the terrifying attentions of Kristian - for Kristian has decided to teach Karl a lesson in power, by devouring Charlotte.

Titan Books | Paperback | 512 pages | 3 May 2013

The Heavens Rise

The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice

New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice brilliantly conjures the shadowed terrors of the Louisiana bayou—where three friends confront a deadly, ancient evil rising to the surface—in this intense and atmospheric new supernatural thriller.

It’s been a decade since the Delongpre family vanished near Bayou Rabineaux, and still no one can explain the events of that dark and sweltering night. No one except Niquette Delongpre, the survivor who ran away from the mangled stretch of guardrail on Highway 22 where the impossible occurred…and kept on running. Who left behind her best friends, Ben and Anthem, to save them from her newfound capacity for destruction…and who alone knows the source of her very bizarre—and very deadly—abilities: an isolated strip of swampland called Elysium.

An accomplished surgeon, Niquette’s father dreamed of transforming the dense acreage surrounded by murky waters into a palatial compound befitting the name his beloved wife gave to it, Elysium: “the final resting place for the heroic and virtuous.” Then, ten years ago, construction workers dug into a long-hidden well, one that snaked down into the deep, black waters of the Louisiana swamp and stirred something that had been there for centuries—a microscopic parasite that perverts the mind and corrupts the body.

Niquette is living proof that things done can’t be undone. Nothing will put her family back together again. And nothing can save her. But as Niquette, Ben, and Anthem uncover the truth of a devastating parasite that has the potential to alter the future of humankind, Niquette grasps the most chilling truths of all: someone else has been infected too. And unlike her, this man is not content to live in the shadows. He is intent to use his newfound powers for one reason only: revenge.

Gallery Books |336 pages | |October 2013

Shadows Curse

Shadow’s Curse by Alexa Egan

Can the magic of desire defeat the powers of darkness?

Forced by her half brother to use her dark gift of necromancy for profit, lovely Callista Hawthorne is determined to flee to her one chance for safety, her aunt in Scotland. With no hope of success unless she finds help on the long road north, she offers cursed shapechanger David St. Leger an irresistible bargain.

David—one of the mysterious Imnada—stalks the night streets of Regency London as a large black wolf. Renounced by his own kind, he spends his desperate rage on thieves and murderers. While Callista’s proposal will allow him to escape the terrible enchantment binding him, agreeing to her terms will force him into the treacherous world of the half-Fey Other, his clan’s ancient foes.

Drawn together by danger, David and Callista find passion in each other’s arms. But can they forswear the centuries of enmity separating their two races, and find a love they dare not even imagine?

Pocket Books |  416 pages |September 2013

A Study in Silks

A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway

Evelina Cooper, the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes, is poised to enjoy her first Season in London Society. But there’s a murderer to deal with—not to mention missing automatons, a sorcerer, and a talking mouse.

In a Victorian era ruled by a council of ruthless steam barons, mechanical power is the real monarch and sorcery the demon enemy of the Empire. Nevertheless, the most coveted weapon is magic that can run machines—something Evelina has secretly mastered. But rather than making her fortune, her special talents could mean death or an eternity as a guest of Her Majesty’s secret laboratories. What’s a polite young lady to do but mind her manners and pray she’s never found out?

But then there’s that murder. As Sherlock Holmes’s niece, Evelina should be able to find the answers, but she has a lot to learn. And the first decision she has to make is whether to trust the handsome, clever rake who makes her breath come faster, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything for her if she would only just ask.

September 24, 2013 | Pages: 560 | Del Rey

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000032_00027]

The Water Thief by Nicholas Lamar Soutter

CHARLES THATCHER is a private citizen, which is to say that he’s the private property of the Ackerman Brothers Securities Corporation. He’s got problems: the cost of air is going up, his wife wants to sell herself to another corporation, and his colleagues are always trying to get him tossed into the lye vats.

But when he discovers a woman stealing rainwater, he sees his chance to move up in the world, maybe even become an executive. He reports her, spinning a picture, not just of a thief, but of a seditionist and revolutionary, someone who believes in that long-dead institution called “government.”

Then she vanishes.

Overcome with guilt, he tries to track her down. What he discovers is an underground movement every bit as seditious as the one he had imagined.
But as he becomes enamored with their cause and with life outside his corporation, Charles must contend with a larger truth; in a world where everything is for sale and lies are more profitable than the truth, even a group of revolutionaries can have something to hide.

248 pages | CreateSpace | April 2013

The Circle of Thirteen

The Circle of Thirteen by William Petrocelli

How far do the ripples of violence go?  The Circle of Thirteen begins with a mindless act of family violence in 2008 and spans seven decades, finally culminating in the desperate effort by Julia Moro, the U.N. Security Director, to stop a major act of terror.  In this rich, textured thriller, Bill Petrocelli weaves the story around themes of poverty, political corruption, environmental disaster, and the backlash against the rising role of women.

In 2082, as a catastrophic explosion threatens to destroy the new United Nations building in New York, Julia Moro finds herself on the trail of the shadowy leader of Patria, a terrorist organization linked to bombing attempts and vicious attacks on women. One of those groups of women – the Women for Peace — was headed by thirteen bold women who risked their lives to achieve world peace and justice.

Weaving back and forth in time, this gripping narrative illuminates the unbreakable bond between strong women, providing an emotionally grounded window into the future’s unforgettable history. This is a thrilling ride that will mesmerize until the end.

336 pages |  Turner | October 22, 2013

Nightlife

Nightlife by Matthew Quinn Martin

For centuries an ancient evil has slept beneath the streets of New Harbor. This Halloween, it wakes up.

An action-packed debut horror novel from talented new writer Matthew Quinn Martin, Nightlife pits a feisty bartender and a mysterious loner against bloodthirsty terrors as alluring as they are deadly.

Nightclub bartender and serial heartbreaker Beth Becker might be a cynic. But when her best friend goes missing Halloween night, Beth knows it’s up to her to find out what happened.

Her quest will take her on an odyssey through the crumbling city of New Harbor, Connecticut. Along the way she meets a homeless prophet warning of something he calls the “Night Angel”—a bloodthirsty creature that feeds on the forgotten. And she will form an unlikely bond with a hunted stranger who knows all too well what stalks the streets at night.

He tells Beth the hideous truth about the nightmare creatures that have haunted mankind’s imagination for eons—creatures the world calls vampires. Together they are the only hope for New Harbor, but to defeat what lurks in the shadows they’ll have to conquer something far stronger than fear—their own desires.

Pocket Star |  384 pages | October 2013


It’s been a month since our last post, which I will blame on our latest trip to England (and Scotland). And yes we had a blast! 

Please enjoy our collection of incoming books and let us know your thoughts on any that you have read or find interesting.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...