Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Stiletto Safari - Kate Metz

Stiletto Safari is a novel, but if it was a movie, it would be a total chick flick. A very good chick flick. This book is $2.99 for the kindle, but free for Amazon prime members.

Zara Hamilton has a rich boyfriend, a great job as a corporate lawyer, and some wonderful BFFs. When her boyfriend Nick is arrested for insider trading, Zara's life starts to fall apart. In a matter of weeks, Zara finds herself doing volunteer work in Namibia. She also realizes she's falling for a man she can't stand, and who apparently can't stand her. In Africa, Zara finds out some amazing things about herself, and that love is not always what you expect it to be. Other than almost overdosing on estrogen, this is a great book. Very highly recommended.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Access to Power - Robert Ellis

Access to Power is a political thriller. This book is $2.99 for the kindle, but free for Amazon prime members. This book is one I could not put down. If you like political thrillers, this is a must read.

Frank Miles is a political consultant. His current big project is the race for senator in Virginia. Frank's client has the money to fund a huge campaign, and with three weeks to go Frank is pushing hard. Then Frank's long-time partner is murdered, in what looks like a robbery. Before the bodies stop piling up Frank is running for his life, and the term "dirty politics" takes on a whole new meaning.

In this story, the underhanded tricks that political consultants will stoop to is amazing, and the candidates being touted by the consultants are right down there in the gutter with them. There's probably more truth to that part of the book than fiction. This novel is enlightening and entertaining. Right up to the last page, this book never failed to hold my attention. Very highly recommended.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Marked - Kim Richardson

Marked is the first book in the Soul Guardians series. This is a stand-alone book though. There are no cliff hangers to frustrate you. This book is free for the kindle.

Kara Nightingale was a fairly normal 16 year old art student, before she was killed by a bus. Then she became a guardian angel and her life, or death, was anything but normal. Kara is trying to save lives, or at least souls, and fighting demons to do it. This is a book that's great for young and old adults. Humor, suspense, and plenty of action. Highly recommended.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Max and the Gatekeeper - James Todd Cochrane

Max and the Gatekeeper is a great adventure novel for kids and adults. This book is free for the kindle.

Max Rigdon is 12 years old. He's not happy about having to spend the summer with his grandfather. When Max discovers his grandfather's secret he quickly changes his mind. What kid wouldn't want to learn magic? Max joins his grandfather and friends in the age old battle of good versus evil. It makes for an interesting and dangerous summer. Highly recommended.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Dark Visions - Jonas Saul

Dark Visions is book one in the Sarah Roberts Series. There is no cliff hanger though. This novel stands on its own, and does so brilliantly. This book is $2.99 for the kindle, but free for Amazon prime members.

Sarah Roberts is 18 years old. She's a troubled young woman who's discovered she has psychic abilities. These abilities manifest as automatic writing. When Sarah has a blackout, she leaves herself notes that predict the future. But Sarah's notes don't just predict, they tell her how to change the future. Sometimes changing the future is a dangerous business.

I loved this book, but it took a while to get used to the almost spartan writing style the author uses. Get past that, and you're going to want to read straight through to the end. Very highly recommended.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Thirst - L.A. Larkin

Thirst is a thriller that takes place in Antarctica. This book $4.99 on the kindle, but free for Amazon prime members.

Luke Searle is an Australian glaciologist. He's a member of the Australian research team at Hope Station in Antarctica. When the station comes under attack, Luke is determined to make it out alive and save as many as he can. The trouble is, he's fighting an enemy he doesn't know, and the relentless weather conditions at the bottom of the world. There's plenty of action and suspense. This book keeps you turning pages way past bed time.

Unfortunately the book is too preachy about environmental issues that the author doesn't even have right. Sorry to let the author know, but even the pseudo-environmentalists beating the drum don't call it global warming any longer. They've switched to climate change so weather changes can't disprove their politically driven theories. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if the author had kept the politics out of it. Get a soapbox someplace and leave your books alone. I still recommend this book for the action and suspense. I won't read anymore by this author though.

Friday, February 15, 2013

The Geronimo Breach - Russell Blake

The Geronimo Breach is a spy thriller with some serious political commentary. Of course the spy in this novel would make Inspector Clouseau look like James Bond. It would be a comedy of errors, except it's deadly serious. This book is free for Amazon prime members and $4.57 for others.

Albert Ross is a diplomat stationed in Panama. Al is a loser, a boozer, and shady to boot. He uses his diplomatic status to do a few side jobs to pay for his bookies and his booze. Al takes what looks like a simple job, escorting a man across the border to Columbia. The job is not as simple as Al thought. When bodies start to pile up, Al finally realizes he's taken a job he won't be coming back from, one way or the other. Plenty of action for anyone. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Very highly recommended.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Halfskin - Tony Bertauski

Halfskin is science fiction. This novel is about a process that goes beyond modern medicine. A process that has the potential to change mankind forever, if mankind will let it. This book is $2.99 for the kindle. Free for Amazon prime members.

Biomites are artificial stem cells that can be injected into a human body to help heal injuries, even catastrophic injuries. Biomites can also be used to enhance humans, and that scares some people. There are biomite laws that make it illegal for any human to be composed of more than 50% biomites. Since biomites continue to replace normal human cells as time goes on, everyone will eventually reach that level. When someone cross the 50% threshold they become a halfskin. At that point their biomites are deactivated. Of course, what's left of the human dies.

Nix Richards was in an auto accident when he was five. His parents died, but Nix was saved by biomites. Nix was treated so young that at 18 he's fast approaching that 50% threshold.

Nix's sister Cali Richards is a biomite engineer. Cali makes it her personal crusade to find a way to keep Nix alive. She's very good at her job, but is she that good?

This story something that makes it great. It has a villain who you find yourself yelling at, even though it's a book. Marcus Anderson is chief of the Biomite Oversight Committee. He hides behind his religious zeal, as he looks forward to deactivating halfskins. Evil often hides behind the cloak of religion. Marcus is evil. Can Nix and Cali beat Marcus? He has the full weight of the federal government behind him. It will be close.

I loved this book. It's only February, but this is my favorite novel of the year so far. Very highly recommended.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Omega Zero - Ryan Henry

Omega Zero is a post-apocalypse novel, but without zombies for a change. This book is 99 cents for the kindle.

Trent is on the run from the law. A drug deal gone bad has him hiding in the wilderness along the Appalachian Trail. When he decides to come back to civilization, he discovers the whole world is dying. Trent seems to be immune to the disease that is ravaging humanity, but he can't be sure. Eventually he runs into Emily. She seems to be immune too. The truth is much more sinister though. In the end it's not clear if Trent and Emily will be the last two people on earth. This book was very violent. It seemed appropriate to the story though. The only problem I had was the conclusion of the book. The story just kind of drifted off the end. Still, recommended if you like post-apocalypse.

Black Ops The Gate - Bob Mayer

Black Ops The Gate is a thriller with roots back to WWII. This book is $4.99 for the kindle.

Lake is deep undercover, for a government organization nobody knows about but the president. When he's forced to improvise to stay alive, it's clear his current assignment has become more than he thought it was. More important and more dangerous. Throw in some Koreans, some Japanese, and an atomic bomb from WWII, and the action picks up. Can Lake unravel the puzzle in time to avoid a big boom? You have keep turning pages to find out. Highly recommended.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Volcano Watch - Toni Dwiggins

Volcano Watch is the first book in the Forensic Geology Series. This is a stand-alone book though. No cliff hangers. This novel was free when I downloaded it. It's now $2.99 for the kindle. Murder and volcanoes make a volatile mix.

Cassie Oldfield is a forensic geologist. Her hometown of Mammoth Lakes has been coexisting with their volcano since the town was founded. Now the volcano is starting to wake up. People are dying, but not from the volcano. Murder is a more immediate threat. The tension is palpable. This is a book I had a hard time putting down. My favorite quote from the book is with regards to the USGS volcano alert levels: "The Survey alert level WARNING does not do this justice. They need another level. HOLY SHIT." Very highly recommended.

Friday, February 1, 2013

The Weight of Blood - David Dalglish

The Weight of Blood is book one in the Half-Orcs series. To characterize this fantasy as dark is like labeling the grand canyon deep. This book is still free for the kindle.

Harruq and Qurrah Tun are half-orcs. Harruq is the big strong warrior type. His brother Qurrah is smaller and thin, but Qurrah has dark magic that makes up for his size. The two half-orcs are living on the fringes of society by theft and murder. It just gets darker from there. I continued to read this book, hoping for some redemption for the two brothers. I was disappointed. When given the chance to choose between good and evil, the brothers almost always choose evil. The book did a good job of pulling the reader in, and I continued to hope that at least Harruq would choose the right path. If you like dark fantasy consider this one, but be warned, it's very dark. Recommended.