Tag Archives: sci-fi

April 3, 2016 · 5:00 am

Destiny Series: Five Novelettes With A Twist by Casi McLean (Book Review)

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GET IT WHILE THE OFFER LASTS!! 
—–> KINDLE LINK <—–
 
 

A note from the author:

I designed The Destiny Series to give readers a taste of my writing and leave them wanting more. Five short stories that capture the essence of my genre and style: ethereal, supernatural, romantic, paranormal, heartwarming, all rolled into one book, sprinkled with a touch of magic. I hope my shorts entice you into my novels.

Allow me to introduce you to:

Self-reliant Reagan Nichols is no stranger to challenges, but ever since twilight fell over Spirit Lake and that murky mist oozed inland, everything felt surreal. When she finds a little girl wandering through the eerie fog, Reagan vows to save the child’s father from the bowels of a ghostly vessel adrift on the lake. Will the three survive a confrontation with pure evil in order to meet their Destiny?

Savanna Bradford’s impulsive reaction to her boyfriend Ryan’s proposal spirals her into a rendezvous with fate and a mystical gift that could alter her future. Will the timeless struggle between dreams and passion bait her into repeating history, or will a simple gift from her bizarre encounter steer Savannah toward her true destiny before it’s too late?

Sabrina Wentworth’s bewildering gift swept her into the sensuous arms of a dream lover. Every night, sometime after midnight, she slips into an illusory world drenched in passion. But the sands of time run out tonight. Can Brie find the key to her fantasy world before the reality of her ex boyfriend’s deadly plot plays through or will she be destined to death after midnight?

Prominent heart surgeon, Sierra Norton, performs minor miracles on a daily basis, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would live one. When lightning strikes her flight the aircraft plunges, swirls through turbulence, and catapults Sierra into a treacherous past––the attack on Pearl Harbor. In a whirlwind blur, Sierra’s courage, skill, and passion challenges her sanity. Can the convergence of three strong women reset history to fulfill her destiny?

When New York Time’s best selling author, Katlyn Harris, discovers a timeworn painting in the attic of the isolated home she mysteriously inherits, she feels a surge of déjà vu that spins her into a mysterious fantasy. Can dreams pierce the realm of reality or is Katlyn’s mystic connection to the antique painting the fulfillment of a promise torn from the pages of history?

Just when you think you’ve got the story figured out, BOOM. Romance, suspense, time-slips, mystery and a touch of paranormal, all wrapped into one book.

 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

1) Destiny: This supernatural short story wasn’t exactly spooky but it had a very precious ending. 
 
2) The Gift: I concur with the message in this tale – “It’s the people in life that matter, not the things.” No truer words have ever been spoken.
 
3) After Midnight: I don’t blame Sabrina for wanting to stay in her “dream world”. Aidan (dream guy) was a million times more the man than Derek (real world man). Aidan was loving, sweet, a true doll. Derek, on the other hand, was a despicable man who lied, cheated, and threatened her life. Dream vs reality —> Pretty easy choice!!
 
4) Convergent: This tale would’ve made an excellent episode for the Twilight Zone!!
 
5) The Pegasus Chronicle: Another quick, magical read about lovers overcoming unworldly obstacles and finding each other again. 
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤


—–> KINDLE LINK <—–

 

 

Casi McLean’s fascination with writing flourished even before she learned to read. At three she beamed with anecdotes entertaining family and friends and, at eight years old, had published her first short story, The Apron String Captain. But when her fourth grade teacher read aloud Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle In Time” Casi’s creativity spun into high gear and she knew she was destined to pen novels of her own.
 
Casi grew up in McLean, Virginia, a suburban Washington DC. After graduating from the University of Georgia, with a major in design and a minor in education, she returned to Virginia to teach English and creative writing. Now the mother of two adult sons, Casi lives in Atlanta. where she writes stories to stir the soul with mystery, fantasy, and romance.
 
Beneath The Lake, her debut novel and the first book of a time travel trilogy, follows her five mystical novelettes released in 2014 and reveals the quintessential manifestation of Casi’s imagination sparked by her childhood dreams.

Website: casimclean.com
Twitter: @casimclean
Facebook: Casi McLean
FB Author Page: Casi McLean-Author
Goodreads: Casi McLean
Amazon Author Page: Casi McLean
 

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March 26, 2016 · 5:00 am

Beneath the Lake by Casi McLean (Book Review)

 

 

A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery’s car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy, black water, she awakens in the arms of a handsome stranger, in a place she’s never heard of — 34 years before she was born.
 
When the 2012 lawyer tangles with the 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. BobbyReynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes. Learning the truth about her origins does nothing to stop the passion from taking root in his heart, and leaves him torn between finding a way to help Lacey return to 2012 or convincing her stay with him.
 
The desperation to find her way home dissolves as Lacey falls in love with a town destined to be erased from the face of the Earth, and the man who vows to protect it. Will the couple discover the key to the mysterious portal before time rips them apart? Or will their star-crossed spirits wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake?

 

 

BUY NOW AT AMAZON: KINDLE / PAPERBACK
 
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

If you enjoyed the movie The Lake House (starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, 2006) then you’ll absolutely adore this novel. Two destined souls, from two different time periods, united (or reunited in their case) through a chain of events. Like the movie, it was sweet, romantic, and had a HEA. 
 
But the story doesn’t end when the soul mates find their way back to each. No, Casi had a couple more surprises up her sleeve which kept me engaged to the very end. I truly believe it’ll have the same effect on you. 
 
Great story and a true delight to read. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
 Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
 
BUY NOW AT AMAZON: KINDLE / PAPERBACK 
or at these other fine locations: Barnes and Noble / Kobo /
 
 

Casi McLean’s fascination with writing flourished even before she learned to read. At three she beamed with anecdotes entertaining family and friends and, at eight years old, had published her first short story, The Apron String Captain. But when her fourth grade teacher read aloud Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle In Time” Casi’s creativity spun into high gear and she knew she was destined to pen novels of her own.

Casi grew up in McLean, Virginia, a suburban Washington DC. After graduating from the University of Georgia, with a major in design and a minor in education, she returned to Virginia to teach English and creative writing. Now the mother of two adult sons, Casi lives in Atlanta. where she writes stories to stir the soul with mystery, fantasy, and romance.

Beneath The Lake, her debut novel and the first book of a time travel trilogy, follows her five mystical novelettes released in 2014 and reveals the quintessential manifestation of Casi’s imagination sparked by her childhood dreams.

 

Email: casi.mclean@gmail.com
Twitter: @casimclean
Facebook: Casi McLean
FB Author Page: Casi McLean-Author
Goodreads: Casi McLean
Amazon Author Page: Casi McLean
 

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March 24, 2016 · 5:00 am

Charm Me by Tena Stetler (Book Review)

 
Summer Dawn Riley’s an extraordinary elemental witch whose troubled past haunts her. She’s created a calm life for herself teaching yoga and keeping people at a distance. Her life takes a one eighty degree turn when she enrolls in a woman’s weapon’s class and meets ruggedly handsome Devlin Sawyer. 

Devlin, a former Navy Seal, has sworn off women after two long-term failed relationships, but there is no denying his attraction to Summer. She intrigues him like no other woman ever has. 

Despite her attempts to ignore him, Summer is drawn to Devlin. His magic signature is strong, but he’s no warlock. Will Valentine’s Day magic find them a future together?

 

Getting to her feet, she brushed the dust from her black yoga pants, tugged at the bottom of her bright orange tunic, and flipped the light switch on. A soft glow of florescent lighting flooded the large room, soothing Summer’s nerves. Guess she would never be the same carefree individual she was before the incident. Oh, shake it off. You’re safe and it’s time to get on with life. “Come on Pip, let’s get this place open.”

A massive stone fireplace towered in the corner.  She picked up an arm full of wood and flung it in the general direction. Logs landed in the fire pit and neatly arranged themselves in a tepee shape. With a magic flick of her finger toward the hearth, flames raced up the aspen logs. “That’s better.”

She raised her arms, about to send the yoga mats back to their proper place when the heavy wooden front door creaked open. Piper rushed toward the door, teeth bared and a growl rumbled in her throat. Summer whirled around and yelped as Devlin ambled into the room, black hair tousled and glistening with melting snowflakes. His nonchalance at the dog’s approach surprised her as he slowed to a stop. Piper sniffed around him, backed up a few inches, then stood at alert in front of Devlin.

“You scared the bejeebers out of me.” Summer held her hand to her chest as her heart thundered.

“What are you doing here?”

“Call your guard dog off and I’ll tell you.” The corners of Devlin’s mouth curved up into a smile, a faint light twinkled in the depths of his dark eyes.

“Piper, leave it…come.” The dog gave Devlin a last sideways glance, trotted back to Summer and sat at her side.

 
 
Purchase Links:
 Amazon
Wild Rose Publishing
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
With the skittishness of Summer around the dangers lurking in the dark, I thought more would’ve unfolded which might’ve created a more in-depth plot. Maybe if this was a full length novel rather than a short story, my wish would’ve came true. However, this was a short story who’s main focus was on love —hence it being a Valentine’s story. 
 
True to form with all LOVE stories, there was romance and romantic gestures. Devlin sure knew how to woo a woman. Lucky witch (Summer).
 
All in all, not a bad read. Short, sweet and (for lack a better word) charming. 🙂
 
HEA
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)  
Score: ❤❤❤
 
 Amazon
Wild Rose Publishing
Kobo
Barnes and Noble
 
 
 
 
With the majestic Rocky Mountains for a backdrop, Tena Stetler is a paranormal romance author with an over-active imagination.  She wrote her first vampire romance as a tween, to the chagrin of her mother and the delight of her friends. Tena finds stories in the strangest places, while camping, kayaking, or hiking in the mountains. Even at a gun club, weapon class and Agility training for her chow dog she found a story, Charm Me. So far, she’s only found one dead body (imagined not real) during a camping trip, turned it into an exciting paranormal romantic suspense that’s nearly complete. For many years, Tena worked as a paralegal for a criminal law firm. You won’t believe the tales she can spin from that experience! Colorado is her home; shared with her husband, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-year-old box turtle.  She loves the adventure of a road trip. Together with her husband and their companion animals, they have logged thousands of miles in their RV visiting over three-quarters of the United States.  The great northeast and Alaska are still on the bucket list. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn. 
 
 

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March 20, 2016 · 5:00 am

Interview with Elaine Calloway

Urban Fantasy – With a Twist 
Q&A with Amazon Bestselling Author Elaine Calloway
 
 
 
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself and your books.
 
A: Thanks for having me here! I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Journals in elementary and high school gave way to short stories and novellas in college and beyond. Then one day I wanted to try novel-length fiction and I’ve never looked back.
 
As far as genre(s), I write paranormal & urban fantasy books, but with a twist.
 
Q: Intriguing! Can you explain?
 
A: I follow most of the rules of Urban Fantasy. Lots of world-building, a confident hero/heroine, a very specific task to execute. But instead of killer vamps or dark hunters, my characters are a bit more human. My Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind Elemental protagonists have super powers just like many in the genre do. However, it was never my intent to write a comic-book themed story, so I added a twist to ratchet up the tension: My Elemental
characters do have super powers. Yet they cannot show their powers in public. This adds a layer of conflict as they must rescue innocent humans.
 
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Elementals?
 
A: I’d been toying with a good vs. evil tale for a while. Then “The Fifth Element” came on TV one night. I’d also read a recent article about how readers were loving books with fallen angels in them. That was when everything came together. So many stories come alive by nuggets of tales having the time to marinate before they gel together. So my Elementals are the good guys, protecting humanity from the evil fallen angels who want to take over.
 
Q: You’re working on Book Five now? Will there be any more in the series?
 
A: Maybe. I think Book Five ends on a good note, so any additional books in the series would really be offshoots of the main series. I’m also busy writing my other series, The Southern Ghosts Series, and I have
ten planned for it. Only three are out now, so that keeps me busy typing and writing!
 
Q: Are your books available at all retailers?
 
A: Yes, all except Google Play. My Elemental Clan Series is four separate books (with the first one being free) or you can purchase the boxed set of four books for a discounted price. Links are below.
 
 
 
Get Water’s Blood for Free (Book 1) – Links to all Retailers on my Website
 
 
 

 

Get the 4-Book Set  – http://amzn.to/1LhbNF8
 
 
 
Q: Tell us about your other series.
 
A: It’s called the Southern Ghosts Series. Part humor, part romantic suspense, part ghost stories, part humor. Readers seem to really enjoy the characters in each one. So far books 1, 2, and 3 are set in Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, respectively. Book 4 will take place in Texas and I’m outlining that now. For more info, go to my website here: http://www.elainecalloway.com/books/southern-ghosts-series/
 
Q: How can readers get in touch with you if they want to know more?
 
A: I love to hear from readers! My website is www.elainecalloway.com and has links to all my books and info. You can also sign up for my Readers list here and that gets you access to sneak peeks, cover reveals, and
discounts that the general public won’t have access to.
 
Thanks again for having me here, and I look forward to meeting new readers!
 
 
Kam: As always it’s a pleasure having you on my blog. I just know readers will love this interview, love your works, and you’ll make many more fans.  Best of luck on all your projects. 
 
Until next time…….
 

 

 

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March 14, 2016 · 5:00 am

Risky Tide by CJ Matthew (Book Review)

 
 
 

Katie joins SBW’s exchange group still hiding a secret that could put the entire team at risk. After two exchange disasters, the team goes up against someone dumping toxic lab waste. Time has run out for Katie to conquer her demons.

Peal built his exchange team into a highly effective unit and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it running smoothly. When Katie freezes up during a critical phase of the mission, she sets off a marine park alarm. She may be beautiful but if she keeps endangering the missions, he’ll be forced to send her back to SBW.

Author signed copies are available at Fiction Addiction, 1175 Woods Crossing Road Ste 5, Greenville, SC 29607 or available on Fiction Addiction’s website: HERE.

 
 
—–> REVIEW <—–

 (review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

A plot centered around toxic waste and an assassin might seem like a heavy, non-enjoyable read but CJ added enough humor and romance to keep things light. Her aquatic catchphrases such as “cod crap”, “squid shit” and “shark shit” kept me smiling. 
 
The emotional retelling of Katie’s encounter with a shark will have you connecting with her character, if you weren’t already. 
 
Speaking of connecting to characters: I didn’t feel any emotion towards Brian, Pete, or Charles. They were just BLAH roles BUT I did heart Peal big time. He was a sweet, strong, considerate man/dolphin who knew how to romance a lady/dolphin. 
 
Yup, he would make most ladies dream of being Katie. Well, not this chick. That’s because I dislike the taste of lobster and those two ate it entirely way too much. Now, if I could be a dolphin and eat tacos 24-7. Ha… yeah, I don’t that would go over well in the shifter community. Guess I’ll stay human. 🙂
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5
(highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
GET YOUR KINDLE OR PRINT COPY TODAY!! 
 
 
 

CJ Matthew is the author of paranormal romance suspense series Dolphin Shore Shifters. Her debut novel, Blood Tide, features a pod of dolphins posing as humans that work through their oceanic conservation corporation Save Blue Water, based in Santa Barbara, California, to protect the oceans at any cost.
CJ grew up in an Air Force family that travelled all over the U.S. and around the world. She spent her high school and university years living in California, which inspired her love of marine life and the Pacific Ocean.

A member of Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) Romance Writers of America, CJ lives and writes near a lake in the woods northeast of Atlanta. When she isn’t writing or reading romances, CJ likes to travel and to spend time with her two grown children, a brilliant grandson and a feisty cat named Max.

Website Link
Twitter
Facebook
Amazon author page
Goodreads author page

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