Doomboy by Tony Sandoval

Doomboy by Tony Sandoval
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Warning the following review contains spoilers so continue on with caution.

I'D a.k.a Doomboy feels like there is a hole in him. His life will never be the same after the death of his girlfriend Annie. So in order to fill it he plays his guitar to the sky for her not realizing it is being picked up on radio air waves and that is music is touching all that can hear it.

The story its self is told with the combination of drawing and words. And they flow together great. I found the art work to be a little hard and rough around the edges but I think that was the point. This is a story of a guitar playing, metal loving kid who just got his heart ripped from him and his journey to find away to become whole again.

So graphic novel + metal I assumed it would equal awesomesauce but it didn't quite reach my expectations. That is not to say it wasn't good because I did enjoy it. Just not to the full extent as I though I would.

I was given an eARC for review via Netgalley.


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Book tour: The Girl Who Came Back to Life: A Fairytale by Craig Staufenberg

The Girl Who Came Back to Life: A Fairytale by Craig Staufenberg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sophie is a 12 year old girl who lives with her grandmother ever sense the death of her parents. She desperately wants to take the trip up north to the City of the Dead not to send them over to the next life but to take them back to the land of the living. Her grandmother willing to take her along as she goes to send of her husband but only if Sophie can pay for her half of the trip.

I really don't know what I think to be honest. I was expecting something TOTALLY different then what I read. And I mean totally. I was expecting something a little more fantasy like I think. Yes it had elements of it, with the City of the Dead. But this book is more about the journey Sophie takes as she learns how to deal with the death of her parents.  It's a story about different ways people cope with loss and finally being able to move on and let them go.

See I thought it was going to be a story of a young girls adventures in the City of the Dead not the means in how she got there, in fact there is not a whole lot of time or attention on this place once we finally get there which isn't until the end of the book pretty much.

So I was a little disappointed, but I have myself to blame as I was envisioning a different kind of story. But for what it was a journey, a coming of age story it was alright. I don't get how it's called a fairytale though, that part baffles me a little.

About the author:

Craig Staufenberg is a writer and filmmaker living in NYC.

Website: http://craigstaufenberg.com/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/YouMakeArtDumb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com
 /YouMakeArtDumb
 Google+: https://plus.google.com
 

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Pick up your own copy here: amazon

I was given a paperback copy for review from the author as a part of :

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Book Tour: Twinkle by SJ Parkinson

Publisher: SJ Parkinson (July 14, 2014)
Category: Science Fiction, Thriller
Tour Date: October, 2014
Available in: Print & ebook, 600 Pages

Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!!!!

Oh sweet mother of pearl, what can I say about this book.

Intense!
Gripping!
Action-packed!

Twinkle captivated me and held my attention, For book of this size it's hard to imagine that I wished I could read it all in one sitting.  For me to give something 5 stars is something. I'm rather picky when it comes to my star rating and well I found this book to be most deserving. A sure sign that I will love a book is when I think "okay would make a kickass movie, this NEEDS to be a movie." which I can complain that they left such and such a scene out. But that's a different story.

Imagine this if you will it's the 4th of July and you go out with your family to watch the fireworks display, a fire works display that is worldwide and record breaking as it's the first of it's kind. A fireworks display set off from outer space. Of course you will will want to be out watching it, and probably kicking yourself if you can't.  It's big, it's out of this world, it crashes Twitter for f's sake. Now imagine the next day the world as you know goes black....

A world wide blindness.....

There are suicides, chaos, society and the government as we know it is falling. And now it's up to those unlucky enough, or should I say lucky enough to have not seen the display to race against time to save humanity.

Ok this was a fantastic scifi thriller and I loved it. I will admit I grumbled a little a first with all the character hopping, but I got quite use to it as the book went on. But yes overall fanfrickintastic!!!!!!

Go read this book! And someone anyone turn into a motion picture, please!

I was given a paperback copy of this book for review by the author for Premier Virtual Author Book Tours!

About the Author:

Mr. Parkinson was an Air Force avionics technician, a decorated veteran of the Persian Gulf War, and several United Nations peacekeeping missions. He has lived overseas in numerous countries and travels extensively. His novels have been praised for their realism and sold in fourteen countries, winning multiple international awards.

Awards: Three “Outstanding in Genre” Gold Seal awards from Red Adept Publishing and Kindle Book of the Month award Oct 2013 by the People’s Choice Book Awards.

Website: http://sjparkinson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SJ_Parkinson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SJ-Parkinson/228716213898027
Google+:  https://plus.google.com/104993789048415208166/posts

Buy Twinkle:

Amazon

Book Tour: Always with You by Andrea Hurst

Always with You by Andrea  Hurst
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Publisher: Independent Self Publishing

Publication Date: February 6, 2014

This is the first book in this genre I have read in quite sometime now, to be honest I haven't been in a romance book mood lately. Other areas peaking my interest, that's not to say I'll scoff at them, many line my bookcase in my room.

Cathy has been through a lot and has come out strong for it, maybe a little too strong with a wall around heart. She runs a successful health restaurant/inn  catering in organic and other health foods, some coming her very own garden.  She's happy with her life, at least she's content with it. That is until an old high school friend needs a favor.

When Pam, her husband Jamie and their four year old daughter Amber become guests at Cathy's house the things she thought she wanted in life start to change. Wanting more then the lot she's been given.

Always with You for me was a very quick read, fluffy as expected. I don't say fluffy as an insult, just a way to describe the lightness of the story. I was torn when reading this because I liked Cathy and I wanted her to be happy but torn because of the situation, it was made a little easy by my dislike of Pam because well she a little bit bitch like. To be fair it's a little understandable but I mean come on, some low blows lady.

I wasn't really sure how I expected the story to play out and I was a little surprised at times. I have to say the epilogue made me smile.

We have forbidden love, the importance of family and finally the strength to love again.

Over all it was an okay book 3.5 stars.

Some parts felt a little to familiar to me but I guess that's life it's easy to connect and relate to sometimes.

Purchase The Book:

 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Always-You-Andrea-Hurst-ebook/dp/B00IAD5SME/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1413678322&sr=1-1&keywords=always+with+you
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/always-with-you-andrea-hurst/1119007048?ean=9781495326783&itm=1&usri=always+with+you+andrea+hurst

About the Author

When not visiting local farmer's markets or indulging her love for chocolate, Andrea Hurst is an author and literary agent. Her passion for books drives her to find and write stories that take readers on a journey to another place and leave them with an unforgettable impression. She is a developmental editor for publishers and authors, an instructor in creative writing at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, and a webinar presenter for Writers Digest. She lives with her dachshunds in the Pacific Northwest, on an island much like the fictional Madrona, with all of its natural beauty and small town charm.

Her published books include Always With You, The Guestbook, The Lasy Dog's Guide to Enlightenment and Everybody's Natural Food Cookbook, and she co-authored A Book of Miracles.

To learn more about Andrea and her books, visit www.AndreaHurst-author.com.

Join her on Facebook for book giveaways and more delicious recipes and scenic photos from Madrona Island at www.facebook.com/andreahurstauthor

 Connect with Andrea:

Author Website: http://www.andreahurst-author.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/andreahurstauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndreaHurst_

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AndreaHurst

I was given a paperback copy for review from the author as a part of Pump Up Your Book! virtual book tour*

Book Tour: Order of the Seer Trilogy by Cerece Rennie Murphy

4 out 5 star for whole trilogy!

A seer is a individual who gets visions of the future and according to society is "the devil". But that is just a load of BS feed to the public so an organization call the Guild can go around "collecting" them for their own purpose. And by collecting I mean breaking into homes, murdering the entirety of the house while kidnapping the seer. And Seers are the bad guys? Riiight..

So what is right and wrong? Legal and illegal? It is illegal to test on humans but yet it's legal to murder seers loved ones and capture them against their will? So yet again I ask you what is right and what is wrong, legal and illegal?

This story centers around a few different set of characters, and their journey to band together to take down the guild with the help of others, sadly like in any battle there are casualties in the process. But that being said  there is reunions, and bonds of love so strong. Brothers and sisters, lovers, fathers and sons. Mother and daughter. 

So when I decided to sit down and start these books, I did not realize how quickly I would be sucked into them.  The Order of the Seer is a page turning, trilogy that will grab your right from the start. It will hold your attention and before you know it you've finished and left amazed at how fantastic the whole ride was. 

Each book picks up where the other ends and is action packed right from the start. The writing is superior and I have to say Cerece Rennie Murphy is going to be an author to watch out for. I know after flying through these I will be flying through the next books she releases.

About the author:

Cerece Rennie Murphy fell in love with science fiction at the age of seven, watching “Empire Strikes Back” at the Uptown Theater in Washington, D.C., with her sister and mom. It’s a love affair that has grown ever since. As an ardent fan of John Donne, Alice Walker, Kurt Vonnegut and Alexander Pope from an early age, Cerece began exploring her own creative writing through poetry. She earned her master’s degrees in social work and international relations at Boston College and Johns Hopkins School for Advance International Studies, respectively, and built a rewarding 15-year career in program development, management and fundraising in the community and international development arenas – all while appreciating the stories of human connection told in science fiction through works like Octavia Butler’s “Wild Seed,” Frank Herbert’s “Dune” and “The X-Files.” In 2011, Cerece experienced her own supernatural event - a vision of her first science fiction story. Shortly after, she began developing and writing what would become the “Order of the Seers” trilogy. Cerece lives just outside of her hometown of Washington, D.C., with her husband, two children and the family dog, Yoda.

For more information, follow Cerece at http://www.cerecerenniemurphy.com

Author Blog: http://kickingandscreamingblog.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cerece-Rennie-Murphy/205753729546299

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CereceRMurphy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094167.Cerece_Rennie_Murphy

Purchase The Book:

 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Order+of+the+Seers+Cerece+Rennie+Murphy&rh=n%3A133140011%2Ck%3AOrder+of+the+Seers+Cerece+Rennie+Murphy

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/cerece-rennie-murphy

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/series/96956-order-of-the-seers

I was given copies for review, as a part of Pump up your book virtual book tours

The Seer of Shadows by Avi

The Seer of Shadows by Avi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read: September 2014
Source: Hardcover, Library
Publisher: HarperCollins

I've wanted to read this book for a few years now, and I hate that I was not overly impressed with it. Story wise I found it creepy and interesting. But it didn't have my attention at all times. Parts just seemed to drag on as it would lead into other good bits. I don't think its unfair for me to want to be engrossed through out. And no it has nothing to do with the particular age group to which this book was written for. Because I can honestly say that if I read this back when I originally took interest in it it would probably taken me a little longer to complete.

Set in 1872 New York we have Horace, a photographer apprentice. The man he is working for sees an opportunity to make himself more none in the upper class in his field and hopes to see more money come in. Playing on a "grieving" mother he sets in motion a scheme to photo the "spirit" of her daughter. It is Horace's job to capture the images of said spirits. Not knowing that he is treading in an area that could potentially cause great harm.

I wish I wish that I didn't grow board at times, because truthfully the story-line was really good but I fair I can not rate it higher then 3.5 due to the fact that I did find it dragging. :(

Book tour: Hooked by Bobbi JG Weiss

Hooked by Bobbi J.G. Weiss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hooked is a story of man who never knew his father, but being told he looked very much like him. Knowing that he use to own a bookstore, was a swordsmen and they share the same temper that seems to be handed down from son to son. But other that he knows nothing. This is a tale of a man losing his mother and trying to find out who is father is. His mother never telling.

Jonathan Edward Stuart, a book store owner and former alcoholic has always had dreams, nightmares a more fitting word for it. He has always had bad habits, Melanie thinks he is a very Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide like, others that know him say he's child like. Could these be just a result of the nightmares, his drinking, or does it fun in family. he stumbles upon what looks to be a story, which appears to be the memoirs of Captain Hook, of the Jolly Roger.

But it can't really be truthful?
It's just a tale right?

Peter Pan is a name that to him, brings fear and nightmares. He is a demon boy and Neverland is child hell, where children who are bad go, that's the story he's grown up to know.  And he's always was led to think he had one foot there.

We flip back and forth between the real and the imaginary in Hooked, what is the real? One day Jonathan is here the next waking on the Jolly Roger. Be he isn't Captain Hook. Parts of whats happening in his life is missing, he's experiencing blackouts.

How do you tell fact from fiction, when both meld together, the melding is enough to drive a man crazy.

A wonderful tale of a mans struggle with what is real and isn't. Written well with just a few minor editorial mistakes.

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About the author:

Author Website: http://www.weisswriters.com/

Hooked Website: http://www.hookedthenovel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobbiJGWeissBOOKS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobbiJGWeiss

Google+: https://plus.google.com/111990590036706829025/about

Tumblr:  http://www.bobbijgweiss.tumblr.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscombobbijgweiss

				Bobbi J.G. Weiss Author of Between Worlds, Age of Aquariums, Prom Time, Deceptions, Breakaway, Hiro, Hiro, Dragon Warrior, The Tale of the Mogul Monster, Token Wishes, and S...
				View on www.goodreads.com	Preview by Yahoo

You can buy Hooked at the following:

Amazon 

Barns & Noble

Smashwords

*Disclaimer: I was given a paperback copy of this book from the author for review as a part of Pump your book virtual book tour* 

Book Tour: The Silver Pearl by by Michelle Diener

The Silver Pear by Michelle Diener
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*I received an eARC copy for review as part of Paranormal Cravings book tour.

Rane still on the search for his brother, Kayla the knowledge of her wild magic and how she can use it to stop the war that is brewing. A battle that will be epic among the sorcerers. She holds the power to end it all.

We meet a new magic welder is this story, Mirabelle, and like Kayla her powers are different, because she is the only female sorcerer. Which might not end so well for her, but all four of them, both couple share a common goal, the ending of the sorcerers battle.

The Silver Pearl takes up exactly where The Golden Apple leaves off. And for those who don't get the chance to read book one the author brings the reader up to speed in the beginning of the story.

I found this book to be more suited for the YA or lighter fantasy fans, or the fantasy romance reader. I holds your attention without gong too complex as some other fantasy books may.

I enjoyed both books and am looking forward to reading other works by Michelle Diener.

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