Immortal Blood by Magen McMinimy – Book Review


Synopsis:

A perfect night on the town turns out to be her worst nightmare. A date with a handsome man is the catalyst for events that she thought only happened in fairy tales. Thrust into a world of danger, Isabelle has no idea what is in store for her as the Light and Dark Fae fight over her future.

Isabelle Moreno is a young woman working her way through life, finding little time for love and adventure. Until she agrees to a date with a mysterious stranger, only to find out the secrets this man holds are something she could have lived her entire life without knowing. The Dark Fae Luck Eater has found something enticing in Isabella’s humanity.

Bain is an arrogant playboy and an Immortal Light Fae Warrior. He and his four brothers fight for the safety of the human race while remaining something of myth. After weeks of tracking the Dark Fae Luck Eater, Bain comes across yet another victim, in Isabelle.

Bain has finally found his match in this feisty human as she fights against him and her ever growing attraction to the Immortal who is bound to protect her.

Immortal Blood Magen McMinimy

Review:

I just finished reading Immortal Blood, the first book by Magen McMinimy in the Immortal Heart series and I can say I will be getting all of them.

McMinimy has created and original take on the Fae and the world they live in. They are amazing and different and spectacular. Talk about getting hot and bothered about paranormals… you definitely will. The passion between Izzy and Bain is undeniable. It is deep and hot. I was completely invested in this book and everything about this world.

McMinimy evokes depth and passion in her writing and her originality is exceptional. If you love Kresley Cole, you will Love Magen McMinimy!! Come and experience a new world of originality in the paranormal world and find the Fae that’s perfect for you!

TWIST Reviews – One Story at a Time – I Am Serna by Magen McMinimy


Disclaimer: These reviews pertain to stories in the anthology – Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST.  I have a story in this book (Bloodlines – I won’t be reviewing my story ;), so many feel that I cannot objectively review other stories in the same book I am also featured in… that being said, to each their own, I know my own level of integrity.  Thus, people can choose to believe me or not.  I want to review them and give my opinion… so I am.

Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST

Synopsis:  When a paranormal hit man is hired to protect a beautiful young witch from a dangerous witch of the black arts, he is torn between protecting her or falling for her…

Review: As I started reading this story, I was completely engaged.  Author, Magen McMinimy, has a wonderful flow to her style and the characters were intriguing.   Unfortunately, it was as though this story ended abruptly.  I actually turned the page, looking for more.  I felt as though it was unfinished.  I also figured out the TWIST.  It is my humble opinion that this story could have been exceptional if it had gone on for another few pages and given us a second TWIST, which it was open to do.  Again, Magen McMinimy has an amazing style and fantastic character development, I just felt it fell short in this particular story.

3 pink stars

Magen dreams is the world of the supernatural and looks forward to continuing her Immortal Heart Series and creating worlds for her readers to get lost in and characters to fall in love with. She loves to read and spends as much of her free time with family and friends as possible. Believing life is what you make of it she follows her dreams through anything that would threaten to hinder her.

Magen McMinimy has written several pieces which are available at online retailers.

Twins of Aurora Shadowed MemoriesHalf Blood Princess Resurection Stone Dark Soul Blood Claim A Witch's Mark

Immortal Blood

 

TWIST Reviews – One Story at a Time – Bloodlines by S.L. Dearing


Disclaimer: These reviews pertain to stories in the anthology – Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST.  I have a story in this book (Bloodlines – I won’t be reviewing my story ;), so many feel that I cannot objectively review other stories in the same book I am also featured in… that being said, to each their own, I know my own level of integrity.  Thus, people can choose to believe me or not.  I want to review them and give my opinion… so I am.

Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST

Synopsis: When two children witness the abduction of their mother by the Gestapo, they are whisked away to France, where in the safety of the forest, they discover who they really are…

Review: Nope!! This is my story, the one I won’t review… well, because it’s mine and I already know how I feel about it.  I love it, but I’m biased.  So instead, I have put an Excerpt below.  Hope you enjoy… and maybe want to know how it ends 😉

Bloodlines

“I didn’t ask you to find just any children, Lieutenant Henke! I want those children! Idiot!”

The SS officer bowed his head, clicking the heels of his black boots together.

“My apologies, General. I was led to believe these children would be taken to Birkenau at Doctor Mengele’s request… for the Twins project.”

The SS General looked at the young lieutenant with disdain. The fair-haired Aryan youth was rising in the ranks of the SS due only to his fanatical obsession with the Fuhrer and the influence of his father. The lines around General Heinrich Muller’s mouth deepened. Idiots…everywhere.

“It is not your concern why I want these children… just find them! These specific children! And when you do, you will come and tell me and I will retrieve them! Do you remember the names I gave you?”

“Yes, General! Sascha and Eduard Engel!”

“Good… then locate them immediately and return to me and me only. Now Go!”

The lieutenant nodded and raised his arm.

“Sieg Heil!”

Muller raised his arm and clicked his heels together.

“Sieg Heil!”

Lt. Fritz Henke lowered his arm and turned, promptly walking towards the giant, black oak doors. He opened them and exited, then spun around and closed them behind him.

Muller pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up. He walked over to the window and looked out at the dark streets of Berlin, watching the rain fall hard and fast on the unhappy passersby. The Master’s plan was almost complete. The Chosen were being eradicated from the planet and the sheep were following the puppet. The only thing left to do was to find the children. His face twisted into a grimace, his blood pumping furiously to his brain as he clenched his hand into a fist. He had been so close before, but that bitch wouldn’t tell him anything. They had somehow gotten the children to a new location. He began to sneer. He would find them… and when he did, no one would be able to save them.

The bright light of the moon shone through the little window above the bed of Sascha and Eduard Engel, illuminating the tiny room where they slept. Eduard breathed deeply, lost in the world of sleep as his sister lay quietly next to him. She stared at the sky through the glass, the tiny flakes of snow gently falling from heaven. She twirled an oval, bronze pendant in her fingers and smiled. She remembered her mother. Her mama had always told her that snow was God’s way of sending little pieces of heaven to his people on earth so they would remember Him. Sascha missed her. ~~~

Well, there you have a snippet of my story… unfortunately, if you want more (which I hope you do – Please…) you have to get the book. 🙂  If you’re interested in any of my other writings, they are below.  Nothing like a little shameless plug, right?  Thanks… one more TWIST review to go!!!

Apocalypse cover front-book-cover1.jpg

S. L. Dearing was raised in California and grew up in Arizona. Shannon attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, studying biology, then moved to Los Angeles where she spent several years studying at Los Angeles City College’s renowned Television/ Film program. She has worked on several film projects in many capacities, like First A.D. and Producer. She is a book reviewer for the Big Blend Magazine and has her own blog where she posts about life and books. Shannon has been writing since grade school, but over the years she has written several screenplays, poems and short stories. The Gathering is her first novel. Shannon currently lives in the No Ho Arts District of the San Fernando Valley of Southern California.

Follow Shannon Website: http://www.sldearing.com

Amazon Autor Page: http://www.amazon.com/S.-L.-Dearing/e/B00AWIC4JK

TWIST Reviews – One Story at a Time – Number 18 by Michael Loring


Disclaimer: These reviews pertain to stories in the anthology – Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST.  I have a story in this book (Bloodlines – I won’t be reviewing my story ;), so many feel that I cannot objectively review other stories in the same book I am also featured in… that being said, to each their own, I know my own level of integrity.  Thus, people can choose to believe me or not.  I want to review them and give my opinion… so I am.

Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST

Synopsis: 

A horrible villain stalks a woman through a carnival, waiting for the right moment to strike.  A cat and mouse game that will end badly… but for whom?

Review:

I was very impressed by Michael Loring’s style and flow.  His images were vibrant and clear.  He beautifully executes the tension in this story, creating block after block of pressure as we anticipate what will happen next. I personally did figure out the TWIST in this story, but it didn’t detract from the read and that doesn’t mean you will figure it out.  It was a wonderful story and I look forward to reading other works by Michael Loring in the future.

4 pink stars

Michael Loring is also the author of Dehumanized available at online retailers.

Dehumanized

Michael Loring was born in Bristol, Connecticut, but has lived in a variety of places such as Florida and Tennessee. He likes to think of himself as an amateur Lycanthropologist, studying werewolves ever since he was eight years old when he first saw An American Werewolf In London. He currently resides back in his birthplace of Connecticut with a house full of women who like to drive him up the wall until he finishes his chores. Though they seem to avoid him during the night of the full moon for some unexplainable reason…

Follow Michael Website: http://www.michaelloring.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ pages/ Dehumanized/ 273293846073390

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ MichaelLoring

Paranormal Anthology with a TWIST – It’s LIVE!!!


Paranormal Anthology with a TWISTThe second book brought to us by Editor and Book Reviewer, Cynthia Shepp, is now available.  This time she has partnered with author and designer, Rene Folsom, to bring us a collection of multi-genred tales, all containing a unique and unexpected TWIST.  This isn’t a review, just a notice of release .

What began as an idea soon set into motion a chain of events that would lead to heart-stopping action, amazing suspense, and stories that will stick with you way after you are done.

Unique, unexpected, beyond imagining…shocking TWISTS that will have you frantically turning back the pages to see what clues you overlooked to have missed what was coming.

Paranormal stories that span across the genre and will wow you, shock you, and leave you gasping for more.

11 different authors, one main idea, and worlds that will TWIST your imagination…

Featured Stories:

“Voices of the Soul” by Rene Folsom
“Number 18” by Michael Loring
“Sweet Lenora” by Bart Hopkins
“Truth or Dare” by Jon Messenger
“Suburban Zombie” by Anthony Lance
“All I Want for Christmas” by Jason Brant
“In the Eyes of the Beholder” by Penelope Bartotto
“Little Tchotchkes” by Nicki Scalise
“I am Serna” by Magen McMinimy
“Bloodlines” by S. L. Dearing
“Metronome” by Eaton Thomas Palmer

Edited and Compiled by Cynthia Shepp & Rene Folsom

Head on over to Amazon and grab a copy… you won’t regret it!!

Next Big Thing Blog Hop!!


Well, I did this a while back, but was asked to participate again and Lo and Behold, I do have a new work about to come out… So, Thank you, Penelope Anne Bartottp at The Library at the End of the Universe (http://libraryendofuniverse.blogspot.com/).  She and I will each have stories featured in a new anthology by Cynthia Shepp (http://cynthiashepp.wordpress.com/ ).  Paranormal Anthology with a Twist will be available VERY soon!! You can read about my story Bloodlines below!!

XOXOXOXOXO

Q. What is the working title of your book?  The Book about to be released is Paranormal Anthology with a Twist, edited by Cynthia Shepp and Rene Folsom
Q. Where did the idea come from for the book? Cynthia started a contest in September, 2011 where her readers, and several authors she knows, submitted short stories based on a specific set of prompts, there were winners chosen and 11 stories were chosen to be in an anthology (Apocalypse: An Anthology by Readers and Authors).  She opted to continue the contest, which has become one of my greatest inspirations.
Q. What genre does your book fall under? This book would fall under Paranormal – thrillers maybe… I haven’t read all the stories yet!!
Q. Which actors would you chose to play your characters in a movie rendition? Oh, wow… Hmmm, Mueller, maybe… I don’t know… Ooo, James Spader… Or Ron Perlman… Patrice, no idea…
Q. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?When two children escape the clutches of the Gestapo, they learn more about themselves then they ever thought possible.
eQ. Will your book be Indie published or represented by an agency? It will be published independently.
Q. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Hmmm, not sure I’ve read anything like my story, but the compilation will more than likely be a representation of several books.
Q. Who or what inspired you to write this story? Cynthia and my fascination with WW2.

Next Big Thing Blog Tour


I am horribly delinquent on this and I must apologize to Luna Nightwyn and Sophie Davis, but here we go.  I was brought in by the two of them.  You can find their wonderful blogs below.  Also, Sophie is hosting an event on Facebook right now called Fall in Love with Fabulous Giveaways (https://www.facebook.com/events/556374757706194/)

Luna Nightwyn: http://www.nightwyn.com/d/

Sophie Davis: www.SophieDavisBooks.com

This is my Q & A… my interview as it were 🙂  Hope you enjoy reading about my writing experience… well, with these questions 🙂

What is the working title of your next book?  The working title is The Awakening and it’s the sequel to The Gathering: Book One of the Lia Fail Chronicles… available now at Amazon!! LOL!

Where did the idea come from for the book?  Well, its a series, so it’s really The Gathering that was the catalyst.  It was when the invasion of Iraq was about to take place.  And North Korea was being crazy and I thought, what would happen if World War 3 hit?  But I’m kind of an optimist, so I began to wonder what life would be like in the aftermath and since I don’t believe most people would use nuclear weapons, I cam e up with new weapons that killed people but made the land still livable.

What genre does your book fall under?  It’s really a culmination of many genres, but I suppose it would best be classified as a Paranormal, Epic Fantasy/ Adventure with Romantic overtones and a Horror/Thriller undertow.  that should be a new genre 🙂

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?  Oh, Wow… um, Maybe Jessica Chastain would be good to play the lead character… she’s a little young right now, but maybe by the time she’s the right age… wink, wink… other characters, I don’t know.  

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?  Hmmm,  A journey of self-discovery set in a post-apocalyptic world of magic, where evil demands a sacrifice, but love is the greatest weapon.  I don’t know… that’s hard…

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Ha ha… I’m my own agency.  Self-Published and Self-marketed. 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?  Oh, wow, from idea to finished book, about 7 and half years.  But they always say to write the first book then toss it.  I figure I wrote and re-wrote this book like 3 times.  So I already did that. 🙂

What other books would you compare this to within your genre?  Honestly, I haven’t read anything like my book, but I did have one person compare it to the Dies The Fire Series.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?  As I said above, I started to think about war.  As far as sitting down to write a novel… I’ve always written and I think when I finished reading the Harry Potter Series and the Series of Unfortunate Events, I though “Why not”?

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?  Well, I’ve split up the majority of villages by religion.  It seems to me that people follow a path to their beliefs before anything else… before race, or heritage.  My books are really about change, acceptance and tolerance.  That’s where the war theme really plays out… it’s about everyone, everywhere learning to tolerate each other.  You don’t have to like each other, but we should all tolerate each other 🙂

Baby (Species Intervention #6609 Book One) by J. K. Accinni


Baby (Species Intervention #6609)The Synopsis, Netty is a naive teenage farm girl given in marriage to an older brutal opportunist disguised as a successful citizen during the years of Prohibition in Sussex County, New Jersey. After years of enslavement, Netty flees into the night from her rapist husband, traveling back to the farm worked by her parents, where she rescues an unfamiliar damaged creature she finds in a cave in the woods of her childhood, falling in love with the enigmatic creature she names Baby. Together they find happiness and fulfillment despite the changes to Netty’s body wrought by the proximity of the unusual creature. When a handsome Italian stranger comes into Netty’s life, complications ensue as she falls in love while trying to hide the bizarre and wondrous changes to her farm and her body. Netty, Baby and Wil strive to conquer obstacles thrown in their path by life, succeeding wildly until the heart-rending and astonishingly brutal climax to their story.

I absolutely loved this book!! It was original and inventive and beautifully written.  The character of Netty is a woman of her time.  She survives horrible injustices and still holds true her own ideals and all in the late 20’s and early 30’s of rural New Jersey.  J.K. Accinni draws a beautiful portrait of the locale and the people who live there.  This is a dark tale, of hate and betrayal, but with hope and love, but it steps outside the box, delivering a page turner and an ending you might not expect.  I literally read this book in like 5 hours as I couldn’t put it down, needing to find out what happened to Netty, Wil and Baby.  Baby, a character to fall in love with, truly beautiful and charming.  I look forward to reading the other 4 books in this series, and finding out where J. K. Accinni will take me.

Vindicated by Scott Harper (Book Review)


Vindicated - Scott HarperThe third book in the Wendy Markland Series is Vindicated by Scott Harper.

The third book has us picking up directly after Wendy’s encounter with the walking dead and other nefarious creatures.  She has left an opportunity to find happiness with survivalist Garland Potash and is on her way to Florida, searching for more vampires and trying to lose someone on her tail.  Enter Colm Pryce, a hunter with a heart of gold.

Scott Harper once again ramps up the adrenaline as Wendy is now the hunted, as a group of mercenary vampires are seeking to destroy her.  This book like the others is well crafted and paced beautifully.   Mr. Harper has taken his readers on a wonderful ride and we have seen Wendy grow and mature on an emotional level.  Just as the books before, Wendy is pinned against a horrible foe, but now she has Mr. Pryce.  And once again, she may be given a chance to be happy and find love… the chance to have a normal life.

I have loved reading this series and I hope that there will be more to come.  I’ve really grown to like Wendy, although I should hate her for all of her beauty, but I can’t help it.  I love her.  Scott Harper has created a wonderful character and world that I enjoy visiting, I hope I get to go back for more.

Necromancer by Scott Harper (Book Review)


Necromancer - Scott HarperThe second book in the Wendy Markland Series is Necromancer by Scott Harper.  At the end of Predator of Prey, the first book, Wendy is reeling from the knowledge that vampires and werewolves truly exist and is attempting to recover from the death of her younger brother, Glen.  Necromancer picks up two years later and not too much has changed.  Wendy is still trying to track down any vampire she can find and destroy it, but it’s been a pretty arid two years, until she here’s about Pinewick, NJ and the walking dead.

I am quickly becoming a fan of Scott Harper and this series.  I loved the first book and I love this one equally.  I really admire the change up in this book, from vampires to other worldly “villains”.   Scott once again delivers fully fleshed characters and introduces us to a new band of allies that Wendy can ultimately depend on.  Wendy is beautiful and smart with an iron will, but she is flawed and vulnerable and this book definitely shows us those strengths and flaws.  Wendy is someone we the readers are rooting for and can also identify with.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading book 3, Vindicated.