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Archive for June 12th, 2018

The Moscow Deception

Posted in 4 Star Books on June 12, 2018| Leave a Comment »

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The Moscow Deception (The Guardian – 2) by Karen Robards

The second electrifying novel in the Guardian series, by New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards.

Bianca St. Ives makes her living as a high-end thief and a genius of disguise, conning criminals out of the money they stole – and all for the greater good. A femme fatale Robin Hood, she’s learnt everything she knows from her father. Now that she’s taken over running the family business, it’s not just Richard St. Ives on most-wanted lists, but Bianca, too.

After faking his own death, the word is out that Bianca’s father is, in fact, alive, and having just pulled off a major heist in Austria, he has a dangerous task for Bianca that will see her travelling to Russia to steal ancient jewels and artifacts. But now all eyes are on Bianca, and escaping international pursuit will be harder than ever…

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Karen Robards 

Author’s Bio

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than fifty books and one novella. She has won multiple awards including six Affaire de Coeur Silver Pen Awards for favorite author.

Karen has been writing since she was very young, and was first published nationally in the December 1973 Reader’s Digest. She sold her first romance novel, ISLAND FLAME, when she was 24. It was published by Leisure Books in 1981 and is still in print. After that, she dropped out of law school to pursue her writing career.

Karen was recently described by The Daily Mail as “one of the most reliable thriller….writers in the world.”

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My Review

4 stars

Bianca St. Ives is a master criminal that has taken over her father’s business. But it seems someone has put a contract out on her. Bianca must race against time to pull off a serious heist to get some leverage to save herself. But when she seems to finally get close to pulling this off, she quickly learns there are no friends in this world. She is on her own.

I admit that I have not read the first book in the series. This could be a standalone book but I have a feeling that it would have been better to read the series in order. Bianca is a bad ass and on top of her game. She clearly has connections since she finds herself in all kinds of trouble yet she manages to find someone that can just help her out.

This is a great story with lots of action and a great lead character. There were a couple spots that the story seemed to flow a little off but overall the action kept me entertained. I’m curious to see what I missed and how this series is going to progress.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank MIRA for the opportunity to read and share this book.

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The Awakened

Posted in Uncategorized on June 12, 2018| Leave a Comment »

I’m re-posting this book since I managed to get my review added. Sorry about that.

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The Awakened by Julian Cheek

My name is Sam. I am nothing special but apparently if I don’t wake up, both this world and that other one will be destroyed. Nice One! All I wanted was to disappear into my own world and be left alone. But, No! Even THAT was taken away from me.

Well just wait. You want me to fight? I’ll show you “fight.”

You took the most important thing in my life away from me, and now I am coming for you.

Hidden away in your mountain stronghold, even the rocks around you will not stop me getting to you.

You started this war.

I am going to finish it!

Seventeen year old Sam just wants to be left alone!

He has enough to cope with in his invisible, suburban, existence without having some fantastic and, frankly, unasked-for, alternate reality drop into his life asserting that he has powers beyond his wildest dreams. And that unless he does something, both his world, and that of Muanga-Atua, will come to a horrible end.

A terrifying episode one blustery night may be enough to start to erode the impregnable shell he thought he had built up around himself. A shell, not to keep others out, but to keep the rage in. Could he afford, as was the norm now, just to do nothing?

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Author Information

Living  in  Petersfield,  Hampshire,  Julian  Cheek  has  worked  for  over  thirty  years  as  an  architect          working  on  several  major  projects  including  Mercedes  World,  a  competition  for  Battersea  Power  Station,  NikeTown  and  most  recently  a  high  rise,  Versace  branded  residential  building  in  London.  When  not  designing  he  is  embracing  his  other  creative  interests,  writing.  His  first  book,  You  should  not  wake  a  hibernating  Puff-Adder  (2011)  was  a  series  of  short  stories  inspired  by  his  childhood  growing  up  in  South  Africa.

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My Review

4 stars

Sam recently lost his brother and is having a hard time adjusting. He can barely get through his classes and his home life is difficult. He feels invisible and that his parents cared more for David than him. His mother is a ghost and his father takes out the loss on Sam. Sam is turn up, feeling invisible, and angry all the time.

But when he sleeps he is taken to a strange land where the people know him as Sam of the Shade. They are expecting him to help them from the death that is wiping them out. Sam is convinced that this is nothing more than a dream. He has an inkling that something is familiar but can’t seem to get past the idea that it is a dream and a manifestation of his present situation.

I felt for Sam, his parents are suffering the loss of David in their own was and Sam seems to be getting the short end of the stick. I understand why he is so angry and lost as he constantly beats himself up and blames himself for David’s death.

I did have a bit of a tough time getting into the story. I felt for Sam but was getting tired of the whole this is just a dream things. It made the story drag and made me get a little irritated by Sam. Now, having said that, this is not one of those HEA stories. Sam is going through hell and things are not just going to get better magically. Sometimes you have to have everything taken away to see what you really have.

This was an interesting book and one I think you should check out. You might love it or hate it but I think it is one that she be given an opportunity to prove itself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Authoright for the opportunity to read and share this book.

Tour Schedule

Monday 4th June – Fiction Fascination

Tuesday 5th June – Cliste Bella

Wednesday 6th June – The Pewter Wolf

Thursday 7th June – An Awfully Big Adventure

Friday 8th June – Big Book Little Book

Saturday 9th June – YA Wonderlust Blog

Sunday 10th June – A Daydreamer’s Thoughts

Monday 11th June – JBronder Book Reviews

Tuesday 12th June – Charlotte Somewhere

Wednesday 13th June – Stories_To_Live_By

Thursday 14th June – The September Issue

Friday 15th June – Kirstyes

Sunday 17th June – Amy’s Bookish Life

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Hart of Darkness

Posted in General Information on June 12, 2018| Leave a Comment »

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Hart of Darkness (The Hart Series, Book 1)

By S.B. Alexander

Romantic Suspense

Releasing June 12, 2018

The road to love is paved in the dark.

Former gang member Dillon Hart abandoned the streets to join the US Merchant Marines. He feels his life is finally on track until he returns home to discover that his sixteen-year-old sister is missing. With his younger brother in jail and his older brother living a life of crime, it’s up to Dillon to find Grace. After four years of searching, a phone call from a morgue gives him a lead that he can’t pass up. Enlisting the help of a cutthroat reporter may be his only hope.

Crime reporter Maggie Marx has just the right mix of grit and sex appeal to get anything she wants, even the darkest stories on the street. Growing up in a gang, she had her fair share of setbacks and obstacles. When Dillon Hart seeks her help, she’s more than ready to take down the street’s biggest enemy. Her actions could help her exact revenge or land her in the belly of the beast.

As Dillon and Maggie team up to search for Dillon’s sister, they aren’t prepared to find what lies ahead. One family is torn apart. Another is brought together. Hearts are shredded, secrets are uncovered, and love takes on a whole new meaning.

Intended for audiences 18+ Strong language and sexual content.

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S.B. Alexander

About the Author

S.B. Alexander is a bestselling romance author of the Maxwell Series. Her books are filled with stories that tug at your heart, and are filled with romance, drama, action and suspense. As much as she loves to write, she also loves to read. Some of her favorite authors growing up were Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe. She stills enjoy reading Stephen King. In fact, she loves most genres, although in the past three years she has gravitated toward the romance genre, which is when she started her journey to write her first book. Her motto: write what you love to read.

Aside from writing, she’s a huge sports fan, in particular, baseball. Since she hails from New England, she is a diehard Red Sox fan. She’s also a navy veteran and former math teacher, loves white powdered donuts, and handbags. Her husband calls her the bag lady. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing golf and hanging out with friends and family.

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The author is giving away a $100 Amazon GC to one lucky reader!

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Excerpt

I parked two blocks from a sea of red and blue flashing lights. I grabbed my bag, hopped out of my car, and ran up to the crowd that had gathered around.

I sidled up to an older lady. “What’s going on?”

She didn’t even look my way. Instead, she lifted up on her tiptoes to see over others’ heads. “Word is the cops are in a standoff with some gang.”

My internal radar was firing on all cylinders. “What gang?”

She clutched the robe she was wearing. “Not sure.”

I plowed through the throng to get a better view. Some protested as I wiggled my way up to a man in blue, whose name read Miladin on his uniform shirt. I knew some cops but not him.

Police cruisers and unmarked cars littered the street on the other side of the police barricade.

I flashed my reporter credentials. “I’m here to see Detective Ted Hughes.” I scanned the men in blue and some in plain clothes. Ted was tall, lanky, and sometimes hard to miss with his thick mustache that was similar to the actor Tom Selleck’s. I did another once-over and spotted Rick. He wasn’t as tall as Ted, but he was husky, compliments of the gym he lived at during his off-duty hours.

Officer Miladin narrowed his dark eyes. “Civilians are not allowed past this barrier.”

“I work for the paper, so let me through.” I knew working as a reporter held no clout to get me into an active police scene, but most cops knew I was close to Ted.

Officer Miladin stabbed a finger at another police barrier along the sidewalk in front of the brick homes that lined the street. “The media is over there.”

I didn’t budge from my spot. “You’re new. Aren’t you?”

Miladin’s voice dropped an octave. “I said over there.”

I huffed and decided it wasn’t worth arguing. Ted would only kick me out anyway.

I spotted Deidre, a news reporter for CBNT, a local station in the city. If anyone had a lead, it would be Deidre. She was relentless in her hunt to get the big story. I was about to make my way over to her, when a shot rang out through the humid night.

People screamed and scattered.

The cops took cover behind their vehicles.

I managed to duck behind one of many cars parked along the curb. The lady in the robe joined me, breathing heavily, while the crowd scattered to take cover.

Then silence ensued.

I slowly peeked through the car window, when the lady in the robe nudged me.

She pointed a red-painted nail toward the driveway of the house across from us. “Look.”

A girl with bold red hair darted from the back of the house, setting off the motion sensor.

Miladin, who had abandoned his position, edged along the base of the house and down the driveway. He said something into his radio, when the redhead climbed the chain-link fence.

Considering the girl was running, I suspected the cops didn’t have the house completely surrounded. Or if they did, then their attention wasn’t on the girl.

The crowd seemed to be holding its breath.

I would like to thank Sage’s Blog Tours for the opportunity to share this book.

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