Sunday, June 29, 2014

Payback's a Beach - Falafel Jones

Payback's a Beach is the second novel in the Max Fried Mystery series. I recommend you read the first novel, Life's a Beach, Then you Die, before this one.

Max Fried is back in another case involving beaches, boats, and a body. This time it's Ed's daughter Brenda who's in trouble. She's the prime suspect in the murder of a man she had dinner with. The problem is she doesn't remember a thing. Max has to figure out who killed the mystery man in order to get Brenda off the hook. There's plenty of sleuthing, suspense, and some interesting twists. Very highly recommended.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Crush - Chrissy Peebles

Crush is the first novel in the Crush eries. This book is free for the kindle. This novel is also part of a collection of five stories called Suspending Reality, all by Peebles. The collection is also free for the kindle.

Taylor Sparks is seventeen and coming out of a bad breakup. Taylor and her parents just moved to Big Bear Lake, California from New York City. Moving from the big city to a house is the woods is a big change, but Taylor is adjusting. Then Taylor meets a mysterious boy named Jesse in the woods while chasing her dog. She could be in love, but there's something about Jesse that Taylor doesn't know. Jesse is dangerous. Will knowing make a difference though.

This book is too much about teenage romance and too little about the adventures of having a paranormal boyfriend. Every time Taylor and Jesse meet you can expect two or three or more pages or how dreamy he is. That's it for me. Now maybe if you're a seventeen year old repressed girl you'll enjoy this. I didn't. Then there are the crazy lack of knowledge mistakes. At one point cougars and bob cats are interchangeable animals. At another point quintuplets meant four babies. At least have the sense to have some knowledge of what you're writing about, or get an editor who does. Not recommended.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Eternal Vows - Chrissy Peebles

Eternal Vows is the first novel in the Ruby Ring series. This book is free for the kindle. This novel is also part of a collection of five stories called Suspending Reality, all by Peebles. The collection is also free for the kindle.

Sarah Larker is a paranormal researcher. She's hot on the trail of bigfoot. She's searching in the same area where she was chased by one of the beasts ten years ago, the same place where her sister mysteriously disappeared. Then Sarah is caught in a portal that transports here to another dimension. One where bigfoot is real and they are the guardians of the portal. A dimension where her sister has been for the last ten years. This isn't the best writing in the world, but there is plenty of action, suspense, and some interesting characters in this story. Once again, the author seems to think cliff hangers are going to keep the reader coming back for more. The writing and story are not that good. Not when there are plenty of other free books. Still, recommended.

Monday, June 23, 2014

The Zombie Chronicles - Chrissy Peebles

The Zombie Chronicles is the first novel in the Apocalypse Infection Unleashed Series. This book is free for the kindle. This novel is also part of a collection of five stories called Suspending Reality, all by Peebles. The collection is also free for the kindle.

Dean Walters is just seventeen when a virus strikes, turning the world into a nightmare. A nightmare where people are turned into zombies by the mysterious virus. A year later Dean steals an experimental vaccine, and tricks is brother Nick into helping him smuggle their sister Val out of a protected city. Val has been bitten and that's a death sentence. Dean and Nick have many adventures trying to avoid zombies and keep their sister alive. The story is suspenseful and has plenty of action. It's stilted in places, and the chapter transitions read like a TV screenplay with commercial breaks built in. The worst is the non-ending, with a huge cliff hanger. That said, I still recommend this book for all the zombie junkies out there.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

The Enemy - Charlie Higson

The Enemy is the first novel in The Enemy series. This book was free for the kindle when I downloaded it. It's now $7.39, but I can lend it to the first kindle user who asks.

In the England of this tale a plague has swept the world. Only adults are affected. Adults are turned into mindless diseased killing machines. Machines who prefer to eat the surviving children. The small band of children, holding out in the Waitrose supermarket complex, have survived for a year, but they're losing more kids to the marauding adults all the time. Then a new kid shows up and tells of a safe haven for survivors. The Waitrose group decide to migrate. The story of their survival and adventures is well worth reading. The characters are alive and the danger is palpable. The ending is satisfying, even if it almost compels you to read the remaining books in the series. Highly recommended.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Wanted: Dead or Undead - Angela Scott

Wanted: Dead or Undead is the first novel in the Zombie West series. This book is free for the kindle. Zombies in the wild wild west? An interesting new wrinkle to the zombie craze.

Elisabeth Story was just young girl when she was forced to kill her father and two of her brothers. They'd been infected by the zombie virus. Her father had killed her mother and bitten her brothers. There was nothing else Elisabeth could do. But Elisabeth didn't escape unscathed. She was bitten too.

Trace was a gambler and a drifter. When his card game was interrupted by a zombie, and the zombie was killed by a beautiful red headed girl, Trace was fascinated. Trace followed Red out of town and later befriended her. As Trace and Red made their way west, trying to avoid the zombies roaming the plains, they picked up more stragglers. Can their group survive the zombies and the coming winter? Is Trace after Red for her heart or the bounty on her head? A great new twist on zombies. Even the ending was good, although you may find you want to read the next book in the series. Highly recommended.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Dragon's Triangle - Christine Kling

Dragon's Triangle is a nautical adventure, conspiracy theory, mystery novel. This book was free when I downloaded it, but it's now $4.99 for the kindle. I can loan it to the first kindle user who asks though.

Maggie Riley is a security consultant who lives on her boat, the Bonefish. The Bonefish and Maggie are currently located at the Ao Chalong Anchorage in Phuket, Thailand. Maggie is still missing her ex-lover Cole Thatcher, who supposedly died in a diving accident four years ago, but she keeps thinking she sees him, she suspects he's alive, and she's always looking. Then Maggie gets a letter from someone who claims to have been friends with her grandfather, and has information for her, but he wants her to meet him in Bangkok. Maggie decides to take the bait and an adventure begins that will change her world and threaten her life. This is a great story. It starts slow, but by the end it's going gangbusters. And an excellent end it is. Very highly recommended.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Planet Urth - Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci

Planet Urth is the first novel in the Planet Urth Series. This book is free for the kindle.

Avery and June could be the last two humans left. Avery is only 17 and June is only 8. They hide every night from the lurkers and spend every day trying to find food and honing their fighting skills. They've been driven into hiding by the Urthmen, mutants who've taken over the planet. After a devastating war, over 200 years ago, much life mutated in horrifying ways. The humans who managed to hide and survive are now being hunted ruthlessly. Then, while hunting one day, Avery glimpses more humans. Can Avery and June save these humans and become a family again, or will the Urthmen find them first? This book started out slow. The writing style is more like a term paper than a novel. The lack of contractions and stilted language almost made me stop reading. But I'm glad I stuck with it. This is a very good book, with interesting characters and adventures. The ending is not a cliff hanger, but clearly there are more books in this series to explore. Highly recommended.

Friday, June 13, 2014

See How She Runs - Michelle Graves

See How She Runs is the first novel in the Chronicles of Izzy series. This book is free for the kindle. Best friends should not kidnap best friends.

Izzy Boone is a bike messenger in the busy city of Chicago. Izzy started life in the small town of Geneva Alabama. At eight years of age both of Izzy's parents died. When Izzy delivers a package to a Mr. Xander, her life takes a strange and dangerous twist. Izzy discovers she's a seer and her best friend Kennan is her guardian. Their efforts to stay alive and avoid capture by Xander and the "Corporation" are a dangerous and interesting adventure. Eventually Izzy will have to face the Corporation and fight for her freedom. This is a great book. I really enjoyed it. The cliff hanger ending is even good, for a cliff hanger. Highly recommended.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

The White Aura - Felicia Tatum

The White Aura is the first novel in the White Aura series. This book is free for the kindle.

Olivia Whitehead is just a junior in high school. Livvie runs track, has a best friend, and has dreamed about a boy she's never met, every night, for over a year. Scott Tabors is a sophomore in college. Scott likes art, works in his grandmother's shop once a week, and invades Livvie's dreams every night. Scott is a sorcerer. Livvie is Scott's heart mate. A curse on Scott's family keeps him from meeting Livvie in the flesh, but in their dreams Scott and Livvie are inseparable. When an evil sorcerer plans to take Livvie for his own, Scott has to do something. What Scott doesn't know is, Livvie has powers of her own, and those powers are just starting to manifest. This book is interesting, but has too much teenage angst. Once you get past that it's a fun book and hard to put down at times. It has a really lame ending though. Once again, a cliff hanger spoils a good story. Recommended.

Blood Debt - Nancy Straight

Blood Debt is the first novel in the Touched Series. This book is free for the kindle. Supernatural takes on a whole new twist with the Centaur race.

Camille Benning is 22 years old. Cami finally got her father's name from her mother, but it was while her mother was lying on her death bed. Now she has to decide if she wants to meet her father or not. Will he be what Cami expected or will he disappoint her? Cami not only discovers she has five brothers, but that she's not even human. She has a whole lot to learn about what she is, but staying alive and keeping the man she loves safe are also important. This is an interesting story of discovery, magic, danger, and romance. I really don't like cliff hangers, but the rest of the book is great. Highly recommended.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Outview - Brandt Legg

Outview is the first novel in the Inner Movement series. This book is free for the kindle. If you want a total overdose of new-age mumbo jumbo, with a side of teenage angst, this is your book!

Nate is just 16 years old. Nate's father died four years ago, and two years ago his brother Dustin was committed to a mental institution. Nate thinks he's going insane. He's having visions he calls outviews. He seems to be seeing his own death, but in past lives. Once Nate understands that he's just awakening to his true powers, his mission is to free his brother. But Nate and his friends have to stay alive before they can rescue anyone. The government is hunting Nate because he knows something they're willing to kill for. This story is engaging, it's suspenseful, and it's totally unbelievable. I'm a fiction junkie, but I can't suspend my disbelief long enough to take this book seriously. And then the ending is a total cliff hanger to make you read the second book. Not me. If you're into astral projection, past lives, spirit guides, reincarnation, and karma you'll probably love this book. It's got all those and more. It also has a hero who's 16, a smart ass, and totally conflicted when it comes to girls. If you can deal with that, then I recommend this book.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Reign of Blood - Alexia Purdy

Reign of Blood is the first novel in the Reign of Blood series. This book is free for the kindle. What if everyone in the world was turned into a vampire, but some people didn't realize it?

April Tate was a teenager, living in Las Vegas with her mom and brother, when the virus started. Everyone who got sick, died or turned into a vampire. April and her family survived, but barely. They live in the mountains, but scavenge in Las Vegas to live. Then April's mom and brother disappear. April is desperately searching for them. When April first encounters a new kind of vampire she does what comes naturally. She kills it. But the new vampires may be the key to finding her family. April will have to take a chance and form an alliance. It may be her last mistake. Plenty of action and suspense. Way too much introspection. The ending was just bad. Clearly just a setup for the next book in the series. Recommended, if you are willing to put up with the angst.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The Choosing - Jeremy Laszlo

The Choosing is the first novel in the Blood and Brotherhood Saga. This book is free for the kindle. In the kingdom of Valdadore, each person owes five years of service to the kingdom, at their coming of age. The Choosing is where their method of service is decided.

Seth and Garret are twin boys. They're coming of age, and must make the journey to the capital city of Valdadore to attend the choosing. Garret looks forward to joining the army. Seth can't decide how he wants to serve the kingdom, or if he wants to serve at all. Along the way Seth and Garret make friends with others heading to the choosing. Ashton and Sara join their party. This is the story of the group's adventures and decisions, in a land with magic, war, and dangerous creatures. This is a great story, but you'll definitely want to read the rest of the saga. Unfortunately, it's not free. Very highly recommended.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Witch Song - Amber Argyle

Witch Song is the first novel in the Witch Song series. This book is free for the kindle. A very satisfying book and ending.

Brusenna is a just a girl of 14. Senna and her mother Sacra avoid town because they're witches, but Senna goes to market to spare her mother the stares and mumbles. When she's rescued from a shopkeeper by a strange woman named Coyel, Senna takes her back to see her mother. Coyel is also a witch and needs Sacra's help. The next day Senna's mom leaves with Coyel and Senna is left to care for their homestead. Eventually Senna sets out to find and rescue her mother, and any other witches she can. The adventures Senna experiences help her grow, and the strength she gains on the journey may be all that's standing between the world and destruction. This is a great book. The story is clear, the characters are well developed, and the ending is grand. Very highly recommended.