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Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier #XOXperts
OVERVIEW
Fans of Chelsea Cain and Lisa Gardner will devour this edgy thriller about the gruesome secrets hidden beneath a small-town amusement park. From the author of Creep, Freak, and The Butcher, Jennifer Hillier’s “fine knack for creating hideous killers” (Booklist) is vividly on display.
Welcome to Wonderland. By day, it’s a magical place boasting a certain retro charm. Excited children, hands sticky with cotton candy, run frenetically from the Giant Octopus ride to the Spinning Sombrero, while the tinkling carnival music of the giant Wonder Wheel—the oldest Ferris wheel in the Pacific Northwest—fills the air. But before daybreak, an eerie feeling descends. Maybe it’s the Clown Museum, home to creepy wax replicas of movie stars and a massive collection of antique porcelain dolls. Or maybe it’s the terrifyingly real House of Horrors. Or…maybe it’s the dead, decaying body left in the midway for all the Wonder Workers to see.
Vanessa Castro’s first day as deputy police chief of Seaside, Washington, is off to a bang. The unidentifiable homeless man rotting inside the tiny town’s main tourist attraction is strange enough, but now a teenage employee—whose defiant picture at the top of the Wonder Wheel went viral that same morning—is missing. As the clues in those seemingly disparate crimes lead her down a mysterious shared path of missing persons that goes back decades, she suspects the seedy rumors surrounding the amusement park’s dark history might just be true. She moved to Seaside to escape her own scandalous past, but has she brought her family to the center of an insidious killer’s twisted game? Acclaimed author Jennifer Hillier’s bone-chilling thriller is masterful and fast-paced, hurtling toward a shocking, bloody conclusion.
REVIEW
Vanessa has new job as deputy chief of Seaside, Washington. A small, quiet town with an amusement park called Wonderland. Wonderland is not all it’s cracked up to be. Vanessa realizes boys have been missing for years and the trail leads to Wonderland.
This is a sneaky read. You know something is going on, but you are not quite sure what it is. You think you know who the culprit is, then it changes on you. I enjoy books like this and this one kept me entertained all the way through.
Wonderland is an excellent setting for this story. The doll museum is creepy and the author did a great job with that eerie place!! I visualized all kinds of weird and disturbing dolls…keep you up at night creepy!!
The characters absolutely make the book. There are quite a few “crazies” in this tale. And Vanessa is a strong, female lead…and I just love her. I really hope the author uses her in another book.
If you need a mild to moderate creepy, psycho tale, this is the one for you.
I received this novel from Simon and Schuster as XOXPERT 
PURCHASE HERE
Darkly, Deeply, Beautifully Release Day Party: 16 February plus GIVEAWAY
Blurb
DARKNESS HAS FALLEN, AND SHE ALONE WILL SEE THE LIGHT.
With her mother’s life hanging in the balance, Scarlett is devastated – and done with being in the dark. She wants answers, all of them.
But when was her pursuit of the truth ever straightforward?
Pulling a single thread impels a great unravelling. And each revelation will force Scarlett to rethink what she thought she knew about the Ceruleans, the Fallen, her family – herself.
All that came before was a mere prelude to this, the last journey. From London to Twycombe to Hollythwaite to Cerulea, Scarlett will be stalked by the ghosts of what has been, what may have been and what may come to pass. Until she reaches the place where it all began, and it all must end.
But in the final reckoning, none will survive unscathed. And some will not survive at all.
In this explosive conclusion to The Ceruleans series, all must be defined by their actions: sinner, saint… or something more beautiful entirely?
Excerpt
I kissed Luke then. I kissed him. Like I hadn’t kissed him in more than a week – since before London, since before Hollythwaite, since Barcelona: when we’d been just a regular couple on a city break, wrapped up in each other. Through the kiss I heard his sigh, the release of emotion. And then he pulled me to him, onto his lap, and I kissed his lips, his jaw, his collarbone, his shoulder, and he kissed my lips, my earlobe, my neck, my –
‘No!’
My robe had slipped, exposing my back, and I struggled off him and wrestled with the fabric entangled at my waist.
He stood up. Put his hands on my shoulders. Said my name with so much tenderness that I had to stop. Had to look at him. The room was steamy, the glass doors occluded. No one could see. Only him.
‘Trust me,’ he said.
I did.
Slowly, he turned me. I steeled myself as he took it in, the brand I now wore. Non Serviam. I will not serve. Emblazoned on my back in the form of angry, jagged scar tissue.
When I felt his lips on the nape of my neck, I jerked in shock. But his hands on my hips held me still as he traced the path of the scar, one kiss at a time, from its very top to its termination just above my bikini bottoms.
‘Beautiful,’ he said.
I turned to him. He smiled up at me.
Sinking down so that we were both kneeling, I said, ‘How could you…?’
‘How could I not?’ was his answer. ‘I was there, Scarlett. I saw what you did for your mother. That scar: it’s beautiful.’
‘But it’s a punishment, Luke. Because I sinned. That’s not beautiful. It’s dark. Wrong.’
‘No! Don’t you say that. Trying to save your mother – that could never be wrong. If I’d had the chance, I’d have done it. My mum, my dad, Cara… I’d have saved them all. And you. I would always save you.’
His eyes were glistening, and I lunged for him and hugged him hard.
‘So stop hiding it from me,’ he finished, his voice muffled in my hair. ‘Please. Because I love that scar on you so goddam much.’
I nodded into his shoulder and he squeezed me.
It was calm in our little haven. Still. Warm. Nothing existed but Luke and me. We held each other for a long time, drifting in the haze.
And then Luke sat back and said, ‘So, you and me. We’re good?’
‘We’re good,’ I told him. Then I frowned and added: ‘For now. You know, Gabe, the Fallen: I have no idea what we’re getting into.’
‘Me either.’ He reached out a finger and drew, in the condensation on the glass door, a little lightbulb. ‘But whatever lies ahead,’ he said, ‘it has to be better than living in the dark.’
Buy links
Megan Tayte bio
Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write, Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.
Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.
Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in a village of Greater Manchester. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.
You can find Megan online at:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13478850.Megan_Tayte
https://www.facebook.com/megantayte
https://twitter.com/megantayte
Posted in Book Spotlight
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The Flood Girls by Richard Fifield
OVERVIEW
This snappy, sassy redemption story set in small-town Montana is “a wild and crazy debut novel by a talented young writer” (Jackie Collins), filled with an uproarious and unforgettable cast of characters you won’t want to leave behind.
Welcome to Quinn, Montana, population: 956. A town where nearly all of the volunteer firemen are named Jim, where The Dirty Shame—the only bar in town—refuses to serve mixed drinks (too much work), where the locals hate the newcomers (then again, they hate the locals, too), and where the town softball team has never even come close to having a winning season. Until now.
Rachel Flood has snuck back into town after leaving behind a trail of chaos nine years prior. She’s here to make amends, but nobody wants to hear it, especially her mother, Laverna. But with the help of a local boy named Jake and a little soul-searching, she just might make things right.
In the spirit of Empire Falls and A League of Their Own, with the caustic wit of Where’d You Go, Bernadette thrown in for good measure, Richard Fifield’s hilarious and heartwarming debut will have you laughing through tears.
REVIEW
MY, MY, MY!!!! I am struggling to form a coherent sentence after finishing this tale!!!
This novel started slowly for me. But, it wasn’t long till I was vested in the wacky characters and not long after that…I couldn’t stop thinking about them. There are a good many characters in the read, however this tale would not be complete without a single one of them. Each individual is unique and has their own set of problems. The story would not work at all without each persons’ quirkiness. I am super amazed at this authors ability to pull in the reader and play on the emotions.
I was on an airplane when I arrived at a real emotional part. I am not a crier. There have been a paltry amount of books that have made me cry. Let me tell you, if I had been at the end of this book at home, I would’ve been a basket case. Took me completely by surprise.
The story is crass and sarcastic, but developed into an amazing read. One spot irked me a little and I hope someone catches it. I am a pharmacist and the author misspelled a drug…I know minor, and yes, it is so minor. But, it is easily fixed and should have been caught. Xanax is not Zanax. OK! OFF SOAP BOX!
Now….go get this read today!!
PURCHASE HERE
Little Miss Somebody by Christy Lynn Abram – BOOK SPOTLIGHT
Little Miss SomebodyBy Christy Lynn Abram
Genre: Coming of Age Fiction
Book Description
Fourteen-year-old Nikki’s world is turned upside down when her mother makes an impulsive move to Missouri. Having left everything she knew behind, Nikki is left to fend for herself from her mother’s vicious cycle of abuse and abandonment while living at her grandmother’s house amidst her mother’s drug addicted siblings. Feeling unloved and more than ever like a burden, Nikki seeks to find a missing piece to the puzzle of her life- her father. Along the way, she unravels more layers of family abuse and pain causing her to feel helpless. But she won’t give up. Not yet, Not Nikki. Not until she finds what she is looking for. Will Nikki find the love she so desperately needs?
Blurb One Liner: Feeling unloved and more than ever like a burden, Nikki seeks to find a missing piece to the puzzle of her life- her father. Along the way, she unravels more layers of family abuse and pain causing her to feel helpless.
Author Bio:
After enduring years of childhood abuse and struggling with depression and PTSD, Christy Lynn Abram embarked on a journey to self-healing using holistic wellness as her guide. Now, as a Wholistic Muse (guide to one’s self), author and creative entrepreneur, she teaches others how to live by design. Christy is trained in eight healing modalities, including: a Reiki, EFT, reflexology, massage therapy, and a crystal healer, all of which aided in her discovery of how to heal herself naturally. These life-changing skills also served as the foundation to helping others love themselves healthy. In her book Chakra Wellness: 7 Ways to Renew the Total she dives into the seven chakra centers from a mind-body-soul perspective. She has been recognized for her knowledge of the chakra system (by best-selling author of the Chakra Bible, Patricia Mercier), gemstone healing, and energy medicine. She contributes to several online publications on the subject of holistic healing and offers talks and insightful guidance to encourage others on their journey toward a better, fuller life. Although Christy has faced adversity in her life, she continues to see the world in a myriad of color and squiggly lines. In 2014, Christy decided to pursue her lifelong dream of being an interior designer. She is now the founder and principal designer at Happy Buddha Interiors, a full service design boutique, which applies a holistic approach to interior design. In her latest release, Little Miss Somebody, Christy wears her heart on her sleeve and delivers a poignant tale of love and sacrifice. Christy’s other activities include partnering with Pongo for Teen Writing, a Seattle based non-profit organization that offers expressive writing to teens who are in jail, homeless, or leading difficult lives. To learn more about Christy and her mission visitwww.christylynnabram.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorchristylynnabram
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WholisticMuse
Purchase Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1L9A8Hn
BN: http://bit.ly/1SD1nCg
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1QlWmHN
Risen First Book of the Nameless Chronicle by M.T Miller – BOOK SPOTLIGHT
OVERVIEW
In the middle of nowhere, a nameless individual rises from the dark. With barely any knowledge apart from how to speak and how to kill, he finds himself in a world gone mad. Worse off, nearly everything that moves is out for his blood.
Not knowing where to turn, the wanderer traverses the desolate landscape of a ruined continent. Along his travels, his mind and body are pushed to their limits as he desperately tries to make sense of what has happened to the world, what he is, and why he exists.
Foe after foe meets their end at his hands, yet each kill only serves to raise more questions. Is he even human? What has happened to the world? Where does his path lead?
The answer lies beyond the blood-stained horizon.
About the Author
In order to deal with everyday boredom, M. T. Miller decided to give a voice to the horrors that lurk in his mind. Risen, his first work, is a celebration of things he likes: a grim atmosphere, witty dialogue, and eccentric characters. He lives with his fiancée, somewhere outside of what we perceive as civilization. He enjoys long talks, video games, and spending time up in the clouds.
Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ALZDY6A
Twitter: @MillerNameless
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MillerNameless/
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The Achilles Heel by Karyn Rae
Annie Whitman’s ordinary
Midwest life is shattered with the sudden death of her husband Jack.
Thirty-five and failing at life as a widow, she turns to the comforts of vodka
in an attempt to camouflage the cold sheets of an empty bed. The necessary
inebriation helps her to cope with Jack’s death, but proves to be a deterrent
in recovering any sense of normalcy. After spending several months at the
bottom of a bottle, Annie stumbles upon a lockbox in the crawl space of her basement.
Opening this box also opens her eyes to the likelihood that Jack Whitman might
not have been the honest and doting man she married.
Midwest life is shattered with the sudden death of her husband Jack.
Thirty-five and failing at life as a widow, she turns to the comforts of vodka
in an attempt to camouflage the cold sheets of an empty bed. The necessary
inebriation helps her to cope with Jack’s death, but proves to be a deterrent
in recovering any sense of normalcy. After spending several months at the
bottom of a bottle, Annie stumbles upon a lockbox in the crawl space of her basement.
Opening this box also opens her eyes to the likelihood that Jack Whitman might
not have been the honest and doting man she married.
Annie
embarks on a mission to the Virgin Islands to uncover the truth about her
husband’s past and seek safety from her brother-in-law, who seems to be the
captain of his own sinking ship. While settling into paradise, she meets the
wickedly handsome, but surprisingly reserved Kessler Carlisle, who is
struggling with his retirement from country music superstardom. With Kessler’s
help, Annie discovers the heart’s uncanny ability to heal, and the possibility
that dead men don’t always keep their secrets-even if they’re buried in the
Caribbean waters of St. Croix.
The
Achilles Heel delves into the formidable fact that everyone harbors darkness,
and some will go to the depths of the ocean to keep their secrets hidden.
Author Bio:
Karyn Rae is an emerging Romantic-Suspense author. Her debut novel, The Achilles Heel was released in May 2014. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, and the Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers Guild. Karyn resides in Missouri with her husband, son, daughter, and chocolate lab- Augusta Mae.
The first part of Karyn’s life was spent in the South, and the last fifteen years have played out in the Midwest, but she’s still holding on to a shred of her Southern roots. She is a wife, mother, daughter, and sister who has made it her mission in life to carve out a career for herself, while keeping the husband and the children happy.
Buy the Book!
Review
Annie’s husband has been killed in a car crash. She soon begins to question many aspects of his life. This leads her to find a new man in her life. She is finally happy and very content. Then, her late husband comes back to life and tears apart what she has worked so hard to build.
Jack is a tough guy but is extremely selfish….needless to say he is not my favorite character. Annie’s new man is Kessler and I just fell in love with him. They have a great, intense romance that helps her to heal and grow.
I loved the mysterious aspect of this read. The hunt, so to speak, to find the truth. It really kept me turning pages.
A quick, intense read.
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
OVERVIEW
Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this powerful debut novel reveals an incredible story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades.
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.
An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.
For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.
The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.
In Lilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly has crafted a remarkable novel of unsung women and their quest for love, freedom, and second chances. It is a story that will keep readers bonded with the characters, searching for the truth, until the final pages.
REVIEW
Three women, three different experiences.
I love how this book is designed. Each girl has a chapter. So, you go from Caroline, the New York socialite, to Herta, the German doctor, to Kasia, the polish prisoner. The reader has three different perspectives. The feelings and circumstances expressed through each character carry the reader through multiple events, ordeals and emotions.
I was absolutely hooked on the very first word. First of all, this is my favorite time period to read. The setting had me hooked from the blurb. However, the characters and their experiences are what kept me so absorbed. There are so many aspects to this novel, I don’t even know where to begin. The love of Caroline, the guilt of Kasia and Herta….I don’t even know what to say about her. I hated her, but her circumstances left her no choice, until the end of the novel and I hated her all over again.
If I could give this novel 10,000 stars, I would!!! This is a must read!!!!
I received this novel from Netgalley for an honest review.
PURCHASE HERE
Riot a 1960s Love Story by Charles S. Isaacs- BOOK SPOTLIGHT
OVERVIEW
Two young lovers find each other just as the Vietnam War, the Antiwar Movement, and the Black Power Movement near their explosive peaks. Excitement, danger and heartache lie ahead.
It’s September 1967. Steve Harris – white, idealistic, naïve — begins his freshman year. During that year, he will fight to end the war, fall in love, confront painful truths about his family, and be jailed and beaten by police. Through this crucible, he emerges with a transformed consciousness, of the world and of himself.
His awakening begins with a rousing antiwar speech delivered by Emma Gold, a Depression-era radical. When Emma introduces him to young Cat Crawford — inter-racial, brilliant and exotically beautiful – his bewitching is complete. The two students’ instant friendship blossoms before long into a passionate love affair. Their bond is tested, though, by the mounting demands of the times, and by their own deep-seated psychological issues.
1968 is marked by campus unrest, urban rebellion, assassinations, and political violence that leads the two into clashes with the Chicago Police and the National Guard. The story builds to a heartrending climax during the street battles surrounding the Democratic National Convention.
This is a complex, fast-paced journey on an emotional roller coaster, punctuated by flashes of self-discovery and bursting with political and sexual passions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHARLES S. ISAACS has been a schoolteacher, college professor, social activist, community organizer, financial analyst, real estate consultant, gambler, Congressional aide, storyteller and occasional journalist. His undergraduate studies were in Mathematics (LIU-Brooklyn), after which he attended the University of Chicago Law School, living on the city’s South Side, when and where this story is set. His later graduate work was in the Social Sciences, earning an M.A. (New School for Social Research) and a Ph.D. (The Union Institute & University). His most recent book is the award-winning Inside Ocean Hill-Brownsville: A Teacher’s Education, 1968-69.
LINKS
Dream Killer by Mike Baldwin plus GIVEAWAY!
Dream Killer
By Mike Baldwin
Genre: Mystery
Book Description
To fulfill her friend’s dream, legendary sports agent Veronica Townsend has constructed a kids’ summer camp where baseball hero John Jensen was raised on a farm in Burlington, Kansas. Camp Dream Catcher, though, is in danger of shutting down after a lifeguard is murdered. With cancellations pouring in, Veronica must solve the mystery in a desperate attempt to keep the camp open.
Veronica adores her loyal assistant, Missy Sykes, the camp’s bookkeeper, a lonely, single woman born and raised in Queens. Missy is committed to assisting her boss in an attempt to keep open a camp that awards “free scholarships” to inner-city kids that normally couldn’t afford the fee.
Ashley Webb, the camp’s co-director, has taken a sabbatical from her job in Omaha to oversee the camp’s day-to-day operations. Since evidence reveals the killer most likely is on the camp’s staff, Ashley is concerned Veronica is in denial the camp needs to shut down until law enforcement officials uncover the person responsible for shooting the handsome lifeguard.
Reggie Gordon, the camp’s other co-director, is a former African American Major League Baseball star, who vows to help Veronica. Because he grew up in the projects in Chicago, Reggie sees the benefits of a camp that caters to inner-city kids.
When additional problems surface, it appears Veronica has no choice but to shut down the camp, in part because she made some risky financial decisions to open ahead of schedule. Veronica, though, is resolute the camp will not shut down so she can honor John Jensen, “the kindest man I’ve ever met.”
Review
Veronica has some sleuthing to do! When a murder occurs at her summer camp, her camp is in danger of closing. She must solve this quickly to keep her camp open.
Veronica is determined to keep this camp from closing, through many trials and tribulations. This camp offers wonderful opportunities to inner city kids to help keep their dream alive and to keep them out of trouble.
Veronica is a strong woman and refuses to be stopped. Needless to say, she really appealed to me. I love a secure, solid woman character and usually male writers miss the mark. This one was spot on!
Mr. Baldwin really knows how to spin a mystery. And the way he incorporates legacy, honor and values through out the book is exceptional.
I cannot wait to read more of his novels.
On a side note….not a huge fan of the cover….don’t let that stop you from reading!
I received this novel from the author for a honest review.
Author Bio
A former sportswriter, Mike Baldwin has transitioned to becoming a full-time novelist who specialists in mysteries that feature female lead characters; classic whodunits that appeal to mystery fans of all ages and gender.
His niche is fast-paced stories about dynamic female lead characters involved in plots packed with twists and turns, capped by surprise endings. Sprinkling in humor, Mike injects thought-provoking elements to introduce readers to new experiences while they’re being entertained by a fun story.
Mike’s favorite author is John Grisham because of his unique storytelling skills. He enjoys a well-written mystery whether it’s a page-turning novel or TV shows like Law & Order, Monk, Cold Case and Major Crimes. His favorite current series is “Suits,” simply because of the crisp, engaging dialogue. Mike’s only pet peeve is he believes many quality TV shows and commercials feature outstanding writing that rarely get the attention it deserves.
During his newspaper career, Mike covered Super Bowls and Final Fours, interviewed countless Hall of Fame athletes and coaches and was blessed his career allowed him to see the country. He attended games in 80 of the 90 NFL stadiums, NBA arenas and Major League Baseball stadiums, plus visited more than fifty college campuses.
The highlight of his career was when he wrote daily stories as a beat writer for The Oklahoman, the Oklahoma City newspaper. For seven years, he covered owner Jerry Jones’ team during the Barry Switzer era when the Cowboys were led by future NFL Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders.
Mike was humbled and honored last year when he was inducted into the Oklahoma Christian University Sports Hall of Fame (class of 2015).
DREAM KILLER eBook can be purchased at the following:
Amazon: http://ow.ly/WrBxQ
Barnes and Noble (Nook): http://ow.ly/WrBzp
Apple (iTunes, iBooks): http://ow.ly/WrBB9
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/dream-killer-1
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/49480134-mike-baldwin
Find the Author Online:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeatBaldwin
Website: http://mikebaldwinbooks.com/
Giveaway
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