Tag Archives: sci-fi

October 6, 2015 · 5:00 am

The True Picture by Alison Habens (Book Review)

‘The True Picture’ is the story of Veronica (Vera – True, Icon – Picture). It starts, around 33 AD, in the city of Tyre where ex-temple dancer and high-class purple dye trader Veronica comes face to face with Jesus one night at the necropolis as he tours Phoenicia with a crowd of followers.

 
Gradually she gives up all her treasures to follow him, too. She loses her towering hair-do and bronze bust of Venus, and leaves a trail of jewellery through Galilee and by the River Jordan, singing and drinking her way to the station on the Via Dolorosa where she wipes her master’s face with a cloth as he carries the cross. Famously, that image never fades: but the story of St. Veronica is refreshed in this funky new telling.
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
Man, oh man, I really wasn’t looking forward to writing this review. But, I gave Alison my word I’d be honest with my feelings regarding it. 
 
So with that said…… I’m sorry to say I didn’t enjoy this book. My opinion is NOT based on the fact it taps into religion. 
 
No, I felt Alison went overboard with describing everything in minute detail. I understand trying to set the scene for a reader but there comes a point where an author needs to learn “less is more”. 
 
With so much detail and information thrown at us, it reminded me of a textbook or an encyclopedia. Not highly entertaining but filled with vast amount of knowledge. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score:❤
 
Amazon Purchase Link
 
 
 

Alison Habens is the author of Dreamhouse, Lifestory , Family Outing, and new novel The True Picture. She is course leader for Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth and has a PhD on the subject of ‘divine inspiration’! (She lives in an old church on the Isle of Wight and commutes to work by hovercraft.)

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September 16, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase/Review of “Digging of the Past (Tales From Atlantis) ” – Sandi Brackeen

 

bookcover

 

The Spade of Apocatequil can raise the dead and grant immortality—and it’s been stolen!

When supernatural agents Riley Perez and Jason, her partner at the clandestine government agency DUE, are given the task of tracking down the magical artifact, they discover that the culprit may be one of the workers at an archaeological dig at Shady Shores. Is it John Braden, the head archaeologist on-site, who was involved in the original discovery of the spade? Or is it Danny Roget, the anthropologist, who claims that there have been strange sightings? Riley and Jason’s hunt for the spade is endangered by a rash of sudden, unexplainable deaths of people involved in the dig. Together with Cameron Delaney, the intriguing alpha werewolf who runs Cerberus Security, the company in charge of protecting the archaeologists at the dig, Riley and Jason must find the spade before it can be used to destroy the world!

 
 
 
 

Immortality? Now that’s tempting. Throw in an army of the dead, and hey, any evil overlord would kill for that package.

 
When the Homeland Security Service’s Department of Unusual Events, or DUE, assigned my partner, Jason, and me to this case, the file said the spade we’re looking for was valued at eighteen million dollars and belonged to the Peruvian Government. Stolen during shipment from Peru to the local University, the spade was scheduled for study, along with a number of the other artifacts uncovered on a dig site in Peru. According to our file, the HSS believed it had been stolen for financial gain or, perhaps, to cause an international incident. Not our usual type of case, but not unheard of either.
 
What the file didn’t mention was that this wasn’t just any gold spade. This was the Spade of Apocatequil. Peruvian legend has it that anywhere Apocatequil stuck this spade in the ground people sprang up. Now, the spade is believed to grant the holder immortality…

 
 
PURCHASE LINKS – Kindle – Paperback
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
We’ve all encountered books that we didn’t 100% love or hate. For me, this is one of them. 
 
Since this story included a demon, were, shifter/empath, I expected more action. More suspense. 
 
Just more. 
 
Let me describe my feelings as such…..
 
Think of the build-up, the excitement you feel when a rollercoaster climbs higher and higher. You can’t wait for the sudden drop. You’ve been waiting for it. The rush it brings you.  
 
Now imagine you get to the peak and instead of the powerful descent, the coaster creeps down the slope. There’s no screaming; arms raised into the air. No, there’s just a slow, easy decline back to ground zero. 
 
There were parts of “Digging of the Past” I found quite enjoyable. Jason, for one, was a very likable demon. I enjoyed how he made assignments fun. Plus, he adored pizza and so do I. Nuff said. 
 
One scene in particular was very humorous. The altercation between Cam and the guard. I guess when dealing with a were, “Sit Fido,” just won’t do. 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤1/2
 

PURCHASE LINKS – Kindle – Paperback

 

 
Website
Goodreads
Facebook

 

I live in Texas with a roommate, two Yellow Labs, a Shepherd/Border Collie mix, and two terrier mixes. The animals were all rescues, and I’m a strong supporter of rescue and the fostering program.

 
I have always been an avid reader of mysteries, fantasies, and romances, and I like being able to combine the three into one story. My full time job is as the Public Information Officer for the local Sheriff’s Office, and I teach English part time at the local Community College.
 
I have a couple of degrees lying around somewhere, and I’ve been writing ever since I can remember. I took time off for work and school, and previously my writing has been more geared toward short stories and academic papers. I have now switched to writing fiction and currently have several more books in the works. 

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September 8, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase / Interview and Review of “Dream Student” and “Dream Doctor” – J.J. DiBenedetto

 Welcome, J.J. DiBenedetto!!
 
 
 
1. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?
 
(J.J.) I’ve been writing since at least junior high school.  But I didn’t really finish anything of any length until after college, and I never really did anything with those stories.  It’s not until about 3 years ago, when a friend sold her first novel, and I decided, “why can’t I do that, too?” and then I got moving.
 
2.  Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(J.J.) Usually, I try to work on a different story, or skip ahead to a scene I know I need later in the book, just to get myself writing something.  It generally works.  But there have been times I’ve gotten stuck for 2-3 weeks before I could really pick up writing again.
 
3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(J.J.) I’ve got my day job (in the marketing department of a large non-profit organization), taking care of my Mom, spending time with my wife, and then there’s being trained by my cat.  All that keeps me very busy!
 
 
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
 
(J.J.) It’s no secret with me – everyone knows.  Friends and family are all very supportive, and I’m grateful for that!
 
 
5. Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
 
(J.J.) Frank Herbert, Stephen R. Donaldson, Nick Bantock, Alistair Reynolds, Katherine Kurtz – I think that’s a good start to a list!
 
 
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
 
(J.J.) Obviously I’d love to see my own books on the screen.  I think the Dream Series would make a fantastic TV series or series of movies on the Hallmark Channel or someplace similar.  I can totally see Danielle Panabaker (Dr. Caitlin Snow on “The Flash”) playing Sara.
 
 
Danielle Panabaker – aka Sara
 
 
For someone else’s book, I would love to see Mark Helprin’s “Winter’s Tale” adapted properly as a movie.  I don’t know who I’d cast in it (but definitely not Colin Farrell!)
 
 
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
 
(J.J.) I’m working on the final book of the Dream Series (Dream Wedding, out October 20th). Once that’s done, I’ve got a couple of ideas about what will come next, but right now all they really are is ideas and not even fully formed yet.
 
 
8. Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?
 
(J.J.) All my books are on Amazon, and you can see them at http://viewAuthor.at/JJDiBenedetto.  They’re in a series, so you should read from book one straight onwards – time passes and life happens to the characters as the books go on.
 
 
9. Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
 
(J.J.) They can visit my website: http://www.writingdreams.net.  Or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DreamSeriesBooks.  Or on twitter at https://twitter.com/JJDiBenedetto.  Or via email at mailto://james@writingdreams.net.
 
 
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(J.J.) Basically, THANK YOU!  to everyone who’s read my books, everyone who’s been supportive and encouraging, and to my friends and family, my wife most of all.
 
 
Ok ladies and gents, before you run off, I want to share my thoughts on book 1 and 2 in the Dream series. I’ve also attached images for the entire series so make sure and check them out as well. 
 
Oh and don’t forget to drop us a line below!! 
 
 
 
 

College junior Sara Barnes thought her life was totally under control. All she had to worry about was her final exams, Christmas shopping, applying to medical school – and what to do about the cute freshman in the next dorm with a crush on her. Everything was going according to plan, until the night she started seeing other people’s dreams.

It’s bad enough that Sara is learning more than she ever needed to know about her friends and classmates, watching their most secret fantasies whether she wants to or not. Much worse are the other dreams, the ones she sees nearly every night, featuring a strange, terrifying man who commits unspeakable crimes. Now Sara wonders if she’s the only witness to a serial killer – and the only one who knows when and where he’s going to strike next.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Between adjusting to life as a newlywed and trying to survive the first month of medical school, Sara Alderson has a lot on her plate. She definitely doesn’t need to start visiting other people’s dreams again. Unfortunately for her, it’s happening anyway.
Every night, she sees a different person and a different dream. But every dreamer has one thing in common: they all hate Dr. Morris, the least popular professor in the medical school, and they’re all dreaming about seeing him – or making him – dead.
Once again, Sara finds herself in the role of unwilling witness to a murder before it happens. But this time, there are too many suspects to count, and it doesn’t help matters that she hates Dr. Morris every bit as much as any of his would-be murderers do.

 
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
Have you ever wondered what your friends or family dream about at night? Especially when you see them smiling or hear them talking in their sleep. Since I have two chatterboxes living with me, I admit I’m curious. 
 
To walk in happy dreams would be a kick. Heck, I wouldn’t mind stepping into the mind of some wacky ones, too. Maybe not ones with giant ants though (referencing passage in book). 
 
However, to step into the dream of a killer and watch helplessly as they end a life. Man, that’s rough. On one hand, you could do as Sara did and use the dreams to your advantage; save a life. On the other hand, you’re watching a murder unfold and might not be able to help. What that would do to a person’s psyche…. Can’t even fathom. 
In Dream Doctor, Sara is engrossed into a more twisting mystery. She steps into the dreams of many “suspects” and has a real conundrum on her hands. Who wants Dr. Morris dead and who’s actually trying to kill him? 

Doesn’t this sound like the theme to a Lifetime Movie? *grins*

My only small issue with the story was the jerky feeling I had while reading it. Comparison: Have you ever ridden with someone who was attempting to learn to drive a stick? 

Stop. Start. Stop. Start. Repeat! 

That’s how the flow of the book was for me.

However, I did enjoy “viewing” the dreams right along with Sara. J.J. made me, as a reader, feel like Watson to her Sherlock. 

 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤1/2
 
 
Want More? Then check out these titles too!! 
 

 

 

 

 

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August 26, 2015 · 5:00 am

The Eternity Road by Lana Melyan (Book Review)

YA Paranormal

 

When her best friend’s brother tells her that two strange men are following her, Amanda thinks that Craig is just being overprotective. Amanda has nursed a secret crush on Craig for years, but he’s never seemed to notice or care about her before.

But Craig’s warning coincides with a strange dream, and Amanda starts to get the sense that nothing in her life is what it seems to be—and that perhaps nothing in her life will ever be the same again.

Then Hanna and Craig start acting really strange. They forbid Amanda from going anywhere without them and insist that she’s in danger.

What Amanda doesn’t know is that Craig and Hanna are Hunters. And their job is to protect Amanda from the vampires chasing her so that she can fulfill her mission. The only catch is that Amanda has no clue she even has a mission to fulfill…

 

 

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

 

This book might be geared towards the YA crowd but I found enjoyment in it as well and I’m well above the teeny-bopper age bracket. 
 
Now, it’s not a real shocker who Amanda really is or shall I say was. Lana obviously wasn’t attempting to keep us guessing. This book was about Amanda’s journey to the knowledge hidden deep within and reclaiming her life. 
 
Along the way, the group of hunters lost key family members. 
 
Power is tempting and when one of your own craves the dark side….. watch out. I won’t name names of who were the casualties of the battle but I will say more than one of the good guys died for their cause — to protect the human race against evil. 
 
Ladies and gents, young and old, I can say (without a single hesitation) you will adore this book if you fancy vampires, witches, and immortal hunters.  
 
And after you read this tale and see the words “to be continued”, you’ll be saying the same three little words I am about to type……..  
I WANT MORE!!! 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
 Score: ❤❤❤❤❤
 
PURCHASE LINKS: Kindle / Paperback
 
 
 
 

When she came home from work one day and, tired, crashed on the couch in front of the TV, she found her daughters (13 and 17 years old then) watching some TV show with horrible monsters. She couldn’t convince them to switch the channel, so she watched it with them. Later she would love that show as much as they did. That TV show was “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” She was always interested in supernatural stories, but this was something new, something different, that made her want to create her own story in that genre.

 
Twitter: @lanamelyan

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August 22, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase/Interview and Review of “Programmed to Please” – Jenna Ives

 

Very human Tau Cetus police agent Jai Turner is sent undercover as a Beautiful Dolls sex robot in order to bring down the planet’s most notorious arms dealer, Marque Callex. Jai’s assignment is to use the Beautiful Dolls’ legendary sexual techniques to coax information out of Marque on his illicit dealings – information that will lead to his conviction.

Reclusive arms dealer Marque Callex only accepted an invitation from Beautiful Dolls because with his deadly line of work – and the dangerous secrets he’s keeping – he can’t afford to let a real woman into his life. But neither Jai nor Marque are what they seem, and their week together has consequences neither expect.

 
Buy now at Amazon.com!!
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
A world with sexbots? Yeah I can totally see that coming to pass. With the way technology is advancing, I have no doubt a life-like robot isn’t being developed somewhere in a lab right now. 

Creepy? 
Maybe. 

My real concern is how sanitary the bots will be to their “renters”. I mean, if I were to purchase the services of a sexbot (not saying I would), I need to make sure it’s been scrubbed since the last “user” had its fill of it. 

Hello, germaphobe over here!!

Thankfully, there was no actually BOT BOINKING happening between Jai and Marque. Jai merely pretended to be one, rather convincingly too. Of course, when you are as lonely as Marque, you’ll believe it because you’re starved for a few moments of happiness. Real or not. (Special Note: There was some robot fun during a “training” session. Jai had to learn how to sexual perform as a robot.) 

Luckily for him, the feelings he developed for Jai saved him. Literally and figuratively. 

All in all, I liked this book – a lot. It wasn’t all about the sex. It had a solid plot and that plot wasn’t pushed to the backside while we watched repeated sexual scenes splashed across the screen/pages. 

For me personally, I think a story is golden when the plot is not throw out there like an afterthought. 
So with the combination of great sex scenes and a solid plot, which wrapped up nicely with no lingering “WTF” moments, I’m highly suggesting you order yourself a copy today. 

 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2
 
Buy now at Amazon.com!!
 
 
 

1. Welcome, Jenna Ives! For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business? 
 
(Jenna) I started telling stories to my two brothers and little sister when I was about eleven, so you could say the creative gene came out in me at a very early age. From there it was easy to put the stories down into print.
 
 
2.  Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(Jenna) My critique partner says there’s no such thing as writer’s block, just bad planning. I’ll bet you can guess she’s a plotter, LOL! I’m a “pantser” (I write by the seat of my pants) so sometimes I DO experience writer’s block, but I believe that if you know how your story starts and how it ends, then getting there is part of the fun, even if sometimes you stumble along the way! If I feel blocked, I take a
nap. Or a walk. The mind is very good at thinking even when you don’t think you’re thinking, LOL. The answers will come and the “block” will dissolve.
 
 
3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(Jenna) Well, I have a day job (actually two jobs) so I don’t have a lot of free time. At night and on the weekends I try to write as much as I can, but I DO have a standing date with my husband. We go to an afternoon movie and out to dinner every Saturday.
 
 
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts? 
 
(Jenna) Ha, ha… my mom knows that I’m a multi-published, award-winning author, but she also knows my stories are too sexy for her to read. A few people at work know I’m a romance author, but they don’t know my pseudonym.
 
 
5. Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If
you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.  
 
(Jenna) “Favorite” is hard, because I read across a wide genre of titles. I love historical fiction, so Dorothy Dunnett and Bernard Cornwell would definitely be on that list, but I’ve also read and enjoyed Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins.  Anne Rice was writing about vampires before they were trendy, and as for romances, Leigh Court is definitely a favorite.
 
 
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
 
(Jenna) I think The Legend series by Marie Lu would be awesome on-screen.  As popular as Insurgent/Divergent/Allegiant, for sure! I don’t know who I’d cast, though…
 
 
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further. 
 
(Jenna) Right now I’m just finishing up book 3 in my Tau Cetus chronicles, a slightly-futuristic series which features police agents and Beautiful Doll sex robots working to save their planet.  The titles are Programmed To Please, Programmed To Protect, and the third, Programmed For Power, should be out shortly!
 
 
8. Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order? 
 
(Jenna) You can find my books on amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords, anywhere books are available J  The order is listed above.  I also have The Initiation Of Isabella with Samhain Publishing, and there’s Snow White And Her Seven Lovers, which is a modern-day take on the fairy tale!  The title says it all…
 
 
9. Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
 
(Jenna) Fans can contact me at jenna@jennaives.com, follow me on Twitter @JennaIvesAuthor or connect on Facebook.  I’m part of a multi-author blog at http://fierceromance.blogspot.com.
 
 
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(Jenna) I write romance novels because with all the challenges and stress in our daily lives, I like to guarantee that a reader of my books can escape into a story with a happy ending.  We all deserve that!
 
 
 Ladies and Gents, I hope you enjoyed my interview with Jenna Ives. If you have any questions or comments for Jenna, by all means, leave her a message below. But before you do, make sure and keep scrolling down because she has a whole lot more to offer!!  
 
 
 
   
 
 

The saga of futuristic police agents and sexbots continues…

Tau Cetus police agent Leith Wyatt is tasked by the ruling High Council with overseeing the production of a robot army for the planet’s defense. Wyatt doesn’t trust the oily robot manufacturer Anson Carron, and when Carron gives Wyatt the Beautiful Doll sexbot Ginger as a gift, Wyatt knows it’s a trap — Beautiful Dolls are legendary for their addictive sexual prowess. Wyatt tries to resist the Doll, but Ginger is sweet, kind, sexy, and every intimate encounter puts him deeper under her spell. And when Wyatt discovers Carron’s plan to overthrow the High Council in order to grab control for himself, Wyatt must decide whether his loyalty lies with the planet he’s sworn to protect, or the megalomaniac creator of the android he now loves.

Buy now at Amazon.com!!

 
 

In her position, what would you do?

Three months ago, I woke in a hospital ER. Poisoned. With no memory or money. On the day I was discharged, my ER doc offered to let me move in with him and his 6 friends. I only planned to stay until my memory returned & I could figure out if someone really had tried to kill me, but something about these seven men attracted me powerfully enough to want to explore it.Intimately. That is, until the day my fiancé showed up…

Buy Now at Amazon.com!!

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