Killing Pace - Douglas Schofield (Review)

Laura Pace is a woman on the run—struggling to reconstruct her past, to rebuild her memories, to retrace her steps... and to identify the people who tried to erase her from existence.

Everglade City, Florida, March 2015. It’s been two months since Lisa Green crawled barefoot and bleeding out of a terrible car accident with three important questions: Where am I?... How did I get here?... and most importantly… Who am I? Her boyfriend Roland has been nursing her back to health under close watch. 

Lisa has amnesia. They both know that, but only Lisa knows that she hasn’t lost her ability to reason. And reason tells her that she is not Roland’s girlfriend. She is his prisoner. Gradually, Lisa remembers training and skills that she didn’t know she had and is able to make her escape. When a sheriff’s deputy finds her, she tells him she wants to report a missing person: herself.

What follows is a high-octane international chase, which involves US Border Control, the Sicilian mafia, and a shadowy organization specializing in trafficking infants taken from Syrian refugees and made available for adoption to wealthy American couples. Lisa, whose real name is Laura Pace, must figure out who she can trust and how to stay alive...
Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Killing Pace

Author: Douglas Schofield

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction

Publisher: Smith Publicity, Minotaur Books

Publication Date: November 21, 2017

Format: Finished copy.

Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Smith Publicity for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Look for it: Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Chapters.

My rating: 3.5 stars

KILLING PACE is a riveting, edge of your seat thrill ride. It ramps up the action, packs a punch, and doesn’t stop. There is a lot of information packed onto every page. This may bog the reader down if not immersed fully in the story. It is touted as a #metoo, post-Weinstein era read. I didn’t realize how eerily apropos it was for today’s social clime. Especially with the news coming out of the U.S. over the last several weeks. 

Laura Pace is an impetuous and fearless main character. I like her pluck, and she has no qualms with getting to the bottom of things. She has suffered through so much, but still rises to the occasion, and pushes to get what she wants. 

All in all, a fast paced read. You will need to keep your wits about you with this one, as it packs in so much information. I’m looking forward to finding out what is next for Laura. Douglas Schofield is an author to watch. 

Where They Found Her - Kimberly McCreight (Review)

From the author of the New York Times bestseller and 2014 Edgar and Anthony nominee Reconstructing Amelia comes another harrowing, gripping novel that marries psychological suspense with an emotionally powerful story about a community struggling with the consequences of a devastating discovery.

At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions.

When freelance journalist, and recent Ridgedale transplant, Molly Anderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the story for the Ridegdale Reader, it’s a risk, given the severe depression that followed the loss of her own baby. But the bigger threat comes when Molly unearths some of Ridgedale’s darkest secrets, including a string of unreported sexual assaults that goes back twenty years.

Meanwhile, Sandy, a high school dropout, searches for her volatile and now missing mother, and PTA president Barbara struggles to help her young son, who’s suddenly having disturbing outbursts. Told from the perspectives of Molly, Barbara, and Sandy, Kimberly McCreight’s taut and profoundly moving novel unwinds the tangled truth about the baby’s death revealing that these three women have far more in common than they realized. And that their lives are more intertwined with what happened to the baby than they ever could have imagined. Synopsis taken from Goodreads.

Title: Where They Found Her
Author: Kimberly McCreight
Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Format: ARC
Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters.
My rating: 4 stars

WHERE THEY FOUND HER follows Molly, as she and her husband are trying to come to terms with the loss of their baby. They move to his hometown for a fresh start. Molly, an investigative reporter, has had other things occupying her time, other than reporting. When a body is found, she is assigned to report the situation, not realizing how much this story will affect and traumatize her. She struggles with the past, as the story, and the body, haunt her waking moments.

There are a lot of secrets, and a lot of eyes watching the investigation. Particularly since the crime was committed in a small town. Everyone knows everyone, and everything is related. Innocuous comments made early on in the read later turn up and are extrapolated on. Molly is a character who one can sympathize with, as she mourns the loss of her child, and is trying to move on. A stranger in a small town, she is the perfect person to look at things objectively. Molly’s voice aptly shows the struggles she has trying to keep her past from interfering with the present.

We also get to know two other characters quite well, as they both voice their own turmoils. Barbara, and Sandy are compelling characters. I’m particularly fond of Sandy’s character. She is going through a very traumatic time, as her world is also falling apart while she is looking for her missing mother. I didn’t find Barbara very likeable, but her insight did add to the read.

All in all, an atmospheric, engaging, and suspenseful read. This book highlights harrowing subject matter, and has several underlying themes present. It will leave you questioning, as you become more immersed in the read.

Blog Tour: Deadly - Julie Chibbaro - Author Interview

Julie Chibbaro is here today with an author interview courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Deadly. Thank you for being here today, Julie! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy! 

Can you give us a description of DEADLY in haiku?

A girl scientist

fights a fever spread by

Typhoid Mary, cook

If you could jump into any story, and live out the story alongside the characters, what world/story would you most like to visit?

Most of the books and stories I love are pretty godawful worlds I wouldn't exactly want to visit. Like in The God of Small Things, she lives in a poor part of India. In The Poisonwood Bible, they live in a terrible part of Africa. I'm attracted to dark stories about people who overcome, or don't. That is the fascinating part for me.

What wouldn't you want to see grace the headlines of a major newspaper about you? What would you want it to say?

Um, is that a trick question? I wouldn't want to see anything about my housekeeping abilities. They're just embarrassing. I would want the headlines to talk about what a good mother I am. I think that's been a point of pride for me. And, of course, about my stellar writing ability, hee, hee!

If you were given the power to have three wishes granted, what would you choose?

Wish number one: Enough money to take care of my family and be generous with others in the world. Number two: A cure for cancer. Number three: to go back in time and use that cure on the people I've lost.

If you were a tree, which kind of tree would you be and why?

I think I'd like to be a banana tree. I love their long, elegant leaves, and the fruit they produce.

Thank you for answering my questions, and for being here today, Julie! 

Julie Chibbaro can be found on her website, and on twitter. 

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Prudence Galewski doesn’t belong in Mrs. Browning’s esteemed School for Girls. She doesn’t want an “appropriate” job that makes use of refinement and charm. Instead, she is fascinated by how the human body works—and why it fails.

Prudence is lucky to land a position in a laboratory, where she is swept into an investigation of a mysterious fever. From ritzy mansions to shady bars and rundown tenements, Prudence explores every potential cause of the disease to no avail—until the volatile Mary Mallon emerges. Dubbed “Typhoid Mary” by the press, Mary is an Irish immigrant who has worked as a cook in every home the fever has ravaged. But she’s never been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in solving one of the greatest medical mysteries of the twentieth century?

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Blog Tour: The Girl is Murder - Kathryn Miller Haines - Character Book Picks & Giveaway

Kathryn Miller Haines is here today with a Character Book Picks post courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her new book, The Girl is Murder. Thank you for being here today, Kathryn! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy! 

Iris loves two things: detective fiction and comics. In terms of books of her day, she loved Nancy Drew, though she’s getting too old for it now and, frankly, who wants to read about a perfect girl with a perfect life (and a cute little roadster) when your own world is falling apart? She reads Archie comics, but her fondness for them is fading for the same reasons: Archie and his friends are living the perfect high school experience, where bullies are punished, everyone is included, and the biggest trauma anyone faces is whether or not the guy they really like is going to ask them to the big dance.

That’s not Iris’s world anymore.

What she wants to read are dark stories. Eventually she’ll discover Raymond’s Chandler’s Phillip Marlowe and Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade, a cat so cool Humphrey Bogart will play him in The Maltese Falcon, and the novels of James M. Cain, whose dangerous femme fatales (Cora in Postman Always Rings Twice, Phyllis in Double Indemnity, Veda in Mildred Pierce) prove what Iris has long suspected: that being a woman doesn’t mean you’re morally superior.

And if she’s trading in Nancy Drew for darker detective fiction, she’s also exchanging Archie comics for Pulp magazines like True Detective, Dime Detective, and Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. These quick tales with the lurid illustrations will help her hone her skills and strengthen her stomach.

Thank you for sharing Iris' book picks with us today, Kathryn! Also, thank you for being here today! 

Kathryn Miller Haines can be found on her website, and on her blog. 

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Iris Anderson is only 15, but she's quickly mastering the art of deception in this YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars. It's the Fall of 1942 and Iris's world is rapidly changing. Her Pop is back from the war with a missing leg, limiting his ability to do the physically grueling part of his detective work. Iris is dying to help, especially when she discovers that one of Pop's cases involves a boy at her school. Now, instead of sitting at home watching Deanna Durbin movies, Iris is sneaking out of the house, double crossing her friends, and dancing at the Savoy till all hours of the night. There's certainly never a dull moment in the private eye business.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

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Giveaway Details

Kathryn Miller Haines has graciously provided Lost For Words with a copy of The Girl is Murder to give away. 

Thank you, Kathryn! 

Giveaway is US only.

Giveaway will end December 23, 2011. 

Please fill out this FORM to enter. Comments, while appreciated, won't be counted as entries. 

Thank you! 

Blog Tour: Blood on the Pen - David W. Huffstetler - Author Interview

David Huffstetler is here today with an author interview courtesy of the Tribute Books blog tour for his book, Blood on the Pen. Thank you for being here today, David! You can follow along with the tour here. Enjoy! 

Can you give us a description of Blood on the Pen in haiku?

Autumn of terror

By a killer they don’t know

Can they survive it?

If you found yourself in Jack and Elsie’s world, what would you do first?

Get the heck out of Texas. Well, maybe not, but their world is more than chasing a psychopathic killer. Their relationship gets more complicated, perhaps more special, by the day, so I might spend some time with a therapist. Of course, Jack already has one.

What one song describes the world as you see it?

I assume this means Jack and Elsie’s world, and it isn’t a song so much as it is a verse from a song. When I listen to Ed Ames, yes I said Ed Ames, sing Try to Remember, I am stricken by the line that says, “Without the hurt the heart is hollow.” It captures the pain of life, but also the hope, that eternal breath that says the pain comes from something deeper. If the people we care about weren’t so important to us, then it wouldn’t hurt so much to lose them, and you can’t have one emotion without the other.

If Murphy’s law applied to you, what scenario would you most likely encounter?

I only accept Murphy’s law in part. Bad things can happen, and they can happen at the worst time, but they don’t always happen. If it did apply to me, then the devastating bad thing would be for something to happen to my family. My writing is important to me, but the possibility a bad review or finding someone who can’t wait to trash your work on in a chat room is part of the price you pay when you step into this world.

Do you have any quirks about writing?

Quirks? Why, whatever do you mean? I like to be alone when I write. Some writers like to have a drink or play music, but not me. Perhaps a cup of coffee, but all I really want is to be left with my characters, so we can talk.

You’ve made the newspaper headline. What does it say? What don’t you want it to say?

Extra, Extra, Strange Author Writes About Love and Murder in Texas.

What I don’t want it to say is, Huffstetler’s Work Mediocre, Predictable.

Thank you for being here today, and answering my questions David! 

David W. Huffstetler can be found on his website, his blog and on facebook.

Blood on the Pen can be found as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Wild Child Publishing.

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Jack Harden is a modern-day Texas Ranger haunted by his wife's death a year ago.

But when a murderer strikes, he is called into duty. Now he must battle the urge to kill the drunk driver responsible for her death and the hunger to kill himself as he hunts for a serial killer who wants him dead.

Elsie Rodriguez is assigned to report on the murders for her newspaper and ordered to stay with Jack Harden. He's old school, tough, and doesn't want her there, but, despite his gruff manner, the big Ranger triggers something inside her. Something more than just her Latin temper.

Can she pull him back from the edge of sanity? Or will death win again?

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

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Educated in Dallas, North Carolina, David Huffstetler holds degrees in Engineering and Business Administration. He has worked in the area of human relations and spent fourteen years weaving through the maze of politics, including participating in a Federal Law suit as Chairman of the Workers’ Compensation Commission, with a sitting governor over issues of separation of powers. David has served on Boards of Directors for numerous professional organizations including Crime Stoppers, SC Workers’ Compensation Educational Association, SC Safety Council, the SC Fire Academy, and the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Workers’ Compensation. He has advised governors and legislators on matters of public policy and legislation. His wealth of experience is broad and brings deep insight to his writing.

David’s work as a senior manager with a major industrial concern took him to international venues and exposures that helped feed his urge to write Disposable People, a dramatic expose of the working conditions and politics that engulf undocumented workers. Disposable People is a top-ten “Suggested Book” at Tufts University in Boston, MA.

He turned the frustrations and rejection that plagues thousands of yet-to-be-published authors into the heralded mystery/thriller Blood on the Pen, with a serial killer disposing of literary agents. David, an avid history buff, led him to write Dead in Utah, the story of Joe Hill, the controversial musician and union organizer accused of a double murder in 1914.

His books receive praise from mystery readers across the globe.

As an editor, David edited a treatise on the South Carolina workers’ compensation laws, as well as, Shannon Faulkner’s novel Fire and Ice. Shannon was the first female cadet at the Citadel. She received national publicity for her federal lawsuit and was a guest on Good Morning America.

As an editor, public speaker, and seasoned professional, David has appeared on television and radio, and has lectured on the East Coast, California, Canada and Mexico.

David currently lives in Lexington, South Carolina with his wife, Trudy.

Blog Tour: The Wizard of Dark Street - Shawn Thomas Odyssey - Favourite TV Shows

Shawn Thomas Odyssey is here today with a guest post courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for his new release, The Wizard of Dark Street. Thank you for being here Shawn! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy! 

Since I am currently out and about on a bookstore tour, promoting my magical/mystery novel The Wizard Of Dark Street, and having a blast making the rounds on a splendid blog tour set up by the fantastic crew at Teen Book Scene, I thought it might be interesting to talk a bit about some of my favorite TV shows.

What, huh? You don’t want to talk about books? This is a book blog after all! Yes, I know, and I do love books more than just about any form of entertainment. But it would be careless of me to neglect to mention some of my most memorable moments in front of what my grandmother so affectionately called the “boob tube”.

Veronica Mars: Short lived on the small screen, true, but may it live long and prosper in my heart. A teen girl gumshoe who’s witty, smart, and cute as a button? Who could resist? The cast of characters was simply to fantastic for words, and the writing sensational. If only I had been so cool in high school.

Six Feet Under: One of the best family dramas ever created, in my opinion. The perfect balance of dark humor and emotional rollercoaster. With a new death each week, the show gave me a sense of appreciation for all that I have, and a reminder that life is to be lived right now, and not in the future. Oh, and the last episode of season five? Hands down the best TV show finale ever made. Simply took my breath away.

The Sopranos: Never knew it was possible to relate so much with Mafiosos. But that, of course, was the brilliance of the show, and to me is what great storytelling is all about: showing us the humanity behind the mask. Several other HBO shows that did a brilliant job of this would be The Wire, Roam, and Deadwood (and I don’t mention this last one simply because I composed a lot of the music for the show, but because it, like the Sopranos, had this mind-boggling ability to transform bad guys into, if not good guys, then at least someone we could understand and care for…no small task with a group of thieves and sociopaths).

Dexter: I really did not expect to like this one, but I became a real fan after the first few episodes. How is it possible that a show could survive when its main character is a serial killer? I’ll tell you how. The secret is in the music. Now don’t get me wrong. The writing is top notch, and the acting spot on and believable. The interpersonal relationships really make the show human, even when Dexter is struggling with his own humanity on the inside. But the real magic of the show is the music. It’s the music that turns blood baths in to light-hearted romps into the world of vigilantism at its most extreme. Everybody wants Dexter as their brother.

Bones: This one I started watching simply because the guy who played Angel was on it…David Boreanaz. But it was the fantastic cast of characters that truly sold me on the show. (Is it obvious yet that I’m a character person?) But let’s not forget the beautifully ludicrous scientific plots. In my opinion, the more outrageous and over the top, the better, and the scientific team’s ability to deduce the location of a killer’s birthplace by the discovery of a dust mote on an eyelash is true entertainment. Disbelief suspended? Check! I Love it.

Buffy and Angel: These have to be two of my all time favorites. Buffy the Vampire Slayer took my breath away with its originality, humor, genius cast, and a truly stellar writing team that never failed to capture my imagination fully in the ever-expanding Buffyverse. For me, Buffy (the TV show) is the perfect B-movie times one-hundred. And Angel was right up there with it. Talk about characters that transformed. Just think of shy Willow Rosenberg becoming an all-powerful witch, or bumbling Wesley Wyndam-Pryce’s transformation into a seriously believable badass. Dear Mr. Whedon, please give us more, more more!

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: This 1980’s British (Granada Television) series is the quintessential Sherlock Holmes. And in this humble writer’s opinion, no other performer has ever managed to capture Holmes’ idiosyncrasies and quirky yet brilliant methods better than Jeremy Brett. His portrayal is nothing short of genius; each episode a masterpiece of suspense. Is it cheesy? Absolutely. Is it outrageous? With out a doubt. Are the mysteries baffling? Indubitably. Is it the perfect Sherlock Holmes? I believe the answer is elementary: YES, YES INDEED!

The Wizard of Dark Street is available in bookstores nationwide and online in both hardback and eBook formats.

Please visit: http://www.thewizardofdarkstreet.com

I have to say that many of the shows you have listed here are some of my favourites as well. My ultimate favourite would have to be Buffy though!  

Thank you so much for being here today, Shawn! I can't wait to read The Wizard of Dark Street. It sounds awesome! 

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Oona Crate was born to be the Wizard's apprentice, but she has another destiny in mind.

Despite possessing the rare gift of Natural Magic, Oona wants to be a detective. Eager for a case, she is determined to prove that logic can be just as powerful as wizardry. But when someone attacks her uncle--the Wizard of Dark Street--Oona is forced to delve even deeper into the world of magic.

Full of odd characters, evil henchmen, and a street where nothing is normal, The Wizard of Dark Street will have you guessing until the very end.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Blog Tour: Kings & Queens - Courtney Vail - Derek Character Interview

Courtney Vail is here with one of her main characters, Derek, for a character interview courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Kings & Queens. Thank you for being here, Courtney and Derek! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!

What's your friendship with Majesty like? When/how did you first meet?

Most people annoy the snot outta me like a tooth ache, but Majesty’s at least bearable. She makes me laugh sometimes, so that does count for something. I knew OF her long before we were actual friends, since we grew up in the same crap town, Cedar Creek. But we didn’t start hanging out until we had a baby together in Junior High. No, not a REAL baby, don’t go spreadin’ that around. We shared one of those lame eggs in Sex Ed. Without even asking my opinion, she named our brat Eckersley. You know who Eck is? Dennis Eckersley? He’s a former Sox player and current NESN announcer. He’s one of only 2 pitchers in MLB history to have a 20-win season and 50-save season. I didn’t know that. She told ME. Any chick who’s well beyond a pink-hat fan gets my attention. That’s when she first intrigued me. And she hasn’t really stopped.

What was going through your mind when you realized Majesty wasn't coming back with the flowers? Did you think anything had happened to her?

Um, maybe you don’t know, and please don’t tell her I said this, ’cause I’d prefer to do it myself and don’t want you stealing my thunder, but she’s a spaz. Not always, no, but if you put her pic in the dictionary beside the definition, she’s had enough ditzy moments, that more than one person would nod profusely about the association being dead-on right. So, I just chalked it up to Majesty being Majesty. A ditch or a flakeout. Of course, given what actually happened, that she suffered so much because of me and my raging hormones, I feel like the world’s biggest heel and will carry that regret forever.

Your friendship with both Alex and Majesty growing up was pretty tight. If you could confide in someone about your secret fears, would you have confided in them?

Fears? I probably have a lot of ’em but I don’t even acknowledge them for the most part. I’ve always believed fear makes you weak, so I’m in this habit of suppression. As soon as I even consider blabbing on myself, or start looking too closely in the mirror, all these alarm bells go off and I close up shop.

What would your ideal date be, and who would it be with?

Oh, come on … No sir. I’m not normal, so she’d have to be as whacked out as me. Not as damaged, but as gutsy and guarded for sure. The whole teddy bear, please-hold-my-purse, where-the-hell-are-you, wanna-watch-the-rose-ceremony-with-me thing? Yeah. I can’t do that. I’m not boyfriend material. I’ve had plenty of action, but not even one girl I’d dare say was mine. And honestly, I’m not hoping to find her either. Too much drama.

Each man is the architect of his own fate. Do you believe this is true? What are your thoughts?

I’ve always believed that to a degree, like, if you walk around pissy all the time, looking for demons and disaster under every rock, it’ll not only find you, it’ll rush you, again and again. You know how they say ‘he was just looking for trouble’ or ‘she made herself sick’? Based on how you handle things, you can control a lot of your fate. But really, if you happen to have the misfortune of being targeted by the Kings and Queens, your fate is pretty much up to them.

Now for some quick questions. What is your favorite:

Song? - Breath by Breaking Benjamin, Pain by Three Days Grace.

Band? - I’m not particular. Anything loud but meaningful and deep works.

Colour? - Green, like lawn green, NOT forest, not anymore, not since the girl vanished before my eyes. A simple tip in the balance makes all the difference between exhilaration and horror.

Food? - Yesterday’s bacon burgers. Man, they marinate the meat in this secret sauce or something. It’s so juicy and flavorful and worth fighting to the death for. I swear there’s some addictive ingredient because I truly can’t go more than a few days with inhaling one. 

Hold the onions, eh?

Subject? - English. I was blessed by the gods with this talent to BS in lyrical form. It thoroughly delights me to get so much undeserved praise. I make fools of gushing teachers every single day without them even knowing it.

Pastime? - Um, really? Need you ask?

Hey, what's wrong with paintball? =)

Book? - Lord of the Flies

Baseball team? - Red Sox. And ONLY the Red Sox. If they’re not in the post season, I skip it altogether, just don’t care.

Thank you for being here and answering these questions, Derek. Thank you Courtney for stopping by with him too! =)

Courtney Vail can be found on her website, her blog, and on twitter.

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Seventeen-year-old Majesty Alistair wants police to look further into her father’s fatal car wreck, hopes the baseball team she manages can reclaim the state crown, aches for Derek…or, no…maybe Alec…maybe. And she mostly wishes to retract the hateful words she said to her dad right before slamming the door in his face, only to never see him again.

All her desires get sidelined, though, when she overhears two fellow students planning a church massacre. She doubts cops will follow up on her tip since they’re sick of her coming around with notions of possible crimes-in-the-works. And it’s not like she cries wolf. Not really. They’d be freaked too, but they’re not the ones suffering from bloody dreams that hint at disaster like some crazy, street guy forecasting the Apocalypse.

So, she does what any habitual winner with zero cred would do…try to I.D. the nutjobs before they act. But, when their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and even friends start looking suspect, the truth and her actions threaten to haunt her forever, especially since she’s left with blood on her hands, the blood of someone she loves.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Kings & Queens, Courtney Vail - Blog Tour Review

Seventeen-year-old Majesty Alistair wants police to look further into her father’s fatal car wreck, hopes the baseball team she manages can reclaim the state crown, aches for Derek…or, no…maybe Alec…maybe. And she mostly wishes to retract the hateful words she said to her dad right before slamming the door in his face, only to never see him again.

All her desires get sidelined, though, when she overhears two fellow students planning a church massacre. She doubts cops will follow up on her tip since they’re sick of her coming around with notions of possible crimes-in-the-works. And it’s not like she cries wolf. Not really. They’d be freaked too, but they’re not the ones suffering from bloody dreams that hint at disaster like some crazy, street guy forecasting the Apocalypse.

So, she does what any habitual winner with zero cred would do…try to I.D. the nutjobs before they act. But, when their agenda turns out to be far bigger than she ever assumed, and even friends start looking suspect, the truth and her actions threaten to haunt her forever, especially since she’s left with blood on her hands, the blood of someone she loves.

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Kings & Queens

Author: Courtney Vail

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Little Prince Publishing

Publication Date: Available Summer 2011

Format: E-book ARC

Source: Received from author courtesy of the Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Courtney Vail and Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Teen Book Scene. You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking the banner located below the review. 

My rating: 3/5


Majesty overhears part of a conversation that involves plans for a church massacre. She has a lot going on in her life at the moment, having just recently lost her father in an accident. She doesn't think it was an accident, but is having a hard time proving that to the authorities. Now with having overheard this conversation, she's unsure what the police will do as they don't seem to listen to her at all. She calls in an anonymous tip, but unfortunately the massacre is just the tipping point to an entirely large scale operation and she is ensnared deep within it. Even her friends will be scrutinized as the revelations keep hitting closer to home. 
Kings & Queens starts out with this erratic overload of information coming from every which way. Almost like someone is talking way too fast, or like rodents on steroids. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though it does take some getting used to. The voice of the novel is quite reminiscent of Sin City actually, almost with that same voice-over quality. Immediately the reader is hooked wanting to know what Majesty is contending with. Her two best friends, Alec, and Derek also are quite enticing in their own ways, and their stories are just as compelling and confusing as Majesty's. Once certain elements were revealed to the reader, the book became even more intricate. Nothing is left to the wayside, and the killers seem to be one step ahead of Majesty at all times. 
The story is intricate in detail, and Majesty has to go through a whole school's worth of suspects. With her father's accident tangled up with Majesty's sleuthing, there are a lot of threads on the go. Alec and Derek both have their own problems that they are working through, and we get to view things from their perspective as well. Though the main point of view is from Majesty, it does jump to Alec and Derek at times. 
All in all, an interesting, and intriguing read. With thoughts being hurled at the reader from Majesty's ever-active and ever-investigative imagination, it does resemble a slalom course of information. Intricate in detail, this one is sure to hook and keep the reader guessing until the very last page. 

Revelations - Laurel Dewey - Blog Tour Review

In this third Jane Perry novel, Laurel Dewey takes Jane out of Denver to the small town of Midas where the Chief of Police is a close friend of Jane's boss. Jacob Van Gorden, the fifteen-year-old son of a prominent area businessman, has disappeared and all signs point to his abductor being Jordan Copeland, a man who committed a similar crime decades ago. Jane settles into this little community for much longer than she wants, living with a preacher and his family (including their eccentric teenage daughter who was Jacob's girlfriend). There are signs that Jacob is still alive, so the clock is ticking. And as Jane investigates Jordan Copeland, she begins to have doubts about his guilt and begins to uncover signs of devastating – and even deadly – secrets all around Midas.

Meanwhile, Jane must deal with two considerable secrets of her own. One hits her in the gut before she leaves Denver and the other creeps up on her from the most unlikely of places. And on top of this, Hank Ross, owner of a bar in Midas, has somehow managed to find a way beneath Jane's armor-plated defenses, forcing her to contend with feelings she hasn't allowed to surface for a very long time.

Revelations is the most powerful and personal Jane Perry novel yet. Teeming with the passions and ambiguities that make Laurel Dewey so compelling to read, it is a breathtaking story of mysteries revealed and withheld.

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Revelations (Jane Perry #3)

Author: Laurel Dewey

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Publisher: The Story Plant

Publication Date: June 14, 2011

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from Tracee for the Pump Up Your Book blog tour. Many thanks goes to Tracee for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Pump Up Your Book

Look for it: Amazon

My rating: 4/5 

Revelations is the third book in the Jane Perry mystery series. Jane has just received some devastating news, and is on her way in to work to take a short leave of absence, when her colleague Sergeant Weyler tells her that they will be heading to the town of Midas to help out an old friend of his with a baffling case. Grudgingly, Jane goes with Weyler, but when they arrive, she finds out that she isn't wanted there. She is ready to leave, but the bizarre qualities to the case have her focused on finding out what happened to Jake Van Gorden. In a surprising twist of fate, Jake, as he attempted to commit suicide, ended up being kidnapped. The plot thickens, and secrets roil to the forefront as Jane looks into every aspect of Jake's life. Midas isn't your run of the mill town either, and everyone has secrets that they don't want stirred up. Jane will have to dig deep if she is going to find Jake alive. 

Revelations is a book that is aptly named. Secrets abound, and in the town of Midas, everyone has something to hide. When Jane starts poking around trying to uncover what happened the night Jake was kidnapped, she uncovers some interesting facts about the townspeople of Midas. She is a character that immediately evokes sympathy from the reader as they see her dealing or not dealing with her personal crisis. On top of that, she decides to quit smoking which compounds her frustrations and makes her quite irritable. She has a straightforward approach as is, but Weyler questions her as he realizes that something other than quitting smoking is bothering her. She ruffles feathers with Weyler's old friend, police chief Bo Lowry, right from the start which puts Weyler in an uncomfortable position. 

Jane is a strong character, and she is determined to see the case through. She has made a connection to the case which won't allow her to give up. Her determination and grit, coupled with her thumbing her nose at Lowry makes this an intriguing, and captivating read. The many characters from the town of Midas also make this an excellent read as we get to see their eccentricities, and secrets come to light. 

All in all, this is a thrilling, suspenseful and at times mystifying read. Laced with horror, this book calls out to the thriller junkie in all of us as we see secrets bared, and what lengths one will go to to keep everything buried. Even though this is the third novel in a series, it can easily be read as a standalone. The attention to the characters, detail, and the ominous sense of horror pervading the read will have you reading this one well into the night. This is one that I would definitely recommend to mystery and thriller lovers everywhere. 

Blood of My Brother - James LePore - Blog Tour Review

When Jay Cassio's best friend is murdered in a job clearly done by professionals, the walls that he has built to protect himself from the world of others begins to shatter. Dan Del Colliano had been his confidante and protector since the men were children on the savage streets of Newark, New Jersey. When Dan supports and revives Jay after Jay's parents die in a plane crash, their bond deepens to something beyond brotherhood, beyond blood. Now Jay, a successful lawyer, must find out why Dan died and find a way to seek justice for his murder. 

Isabel Perez has lived a life both tainted and charmed since she was a teenager in Mexico. She holds powerful sway over men and has even more powerful alliances with people no one should ever try to cross. She desperately wants her freedom from the chains these people have placed on her. When Jay catapults into her world, their connection is electric, their alliance is lethal, and their future is anything but certain. 

Once again, James LePore has given us a novel of passions, intense moral complexities, an irresistible thrills. Fille with characters you will embrace an characters you will fear, Blood of My Brother is a story about a quest for revenge and redemption you won't soon forget. 

Title: Blood of My Brother

Author: James LePore

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: The Story Plant

Publication Date: December 28, 2010

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from publicist for Pump up Your Book blog tour. Many thanks goes to Tracee for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Pump Up Your Book

Look for it: Amazon.

My rating: 4/5

Jay Cassio and Dan Del Colliano have been inseparable friends since they were five years old. They survived the Newark riots together, and continued to look out for one another throughout the years. Now, Dan has been murdered, and Jay is on a mission to avenge his friend's death. 

What he soon learns, is that Dan may have been a pawn in a much larger, dangerous game; a high stakes game of money laundering, drugs, and corruption at the highest level of government. Jay will do anything to avenge his friend's death though, even if it requires his own. His pursuit of justice will take him from his old New Jersey neighbourhood to the coast of Florida, and the streets of Mexico. 

Jay is a fully rounded, three dimensional character. His background has been hardship after hardship. When his parents died in a plane crash he retreated into himself, and it was only Dan who was able to bring him back to life again. Dan has been everything to Jay, a friend, confidant, and protector. When he is brutally murdered, Jay is horrified. His case is still open, but no one is working on it, and so Jay takes it upon himself to uncover Dan's last moments and avenge him. Jay is emotionally distraught, and Blood of My Brother shows just what lengths a man, or anyone, will go to, to avenge the death of a loved one. The mystery deepens further though as Jay finds out the FBI is involved, but he is only given the runaround. When more deaths start piling up, Jay can only assume that he'll be next. His voice, his emotions, and his being are all indicative of someone who will do anything to avenge his beloved friend. However, everything is not black and white, and there are many varying shades of gray. Those who work for the police department, or in other positions of power may be corrupt as well, and this book shows the nuances between those characters who have crossed the line, and those who are holding their ground. With a full cast of characters it is easy to become lost not knowing who is who; however, LePore juggles all of his characters and the various threads of his plot with skill, leaving the reader appreciative of the journey they are taking alongside the main characters.

Isabel Perez is another character who garners attention, and it is only a matter of time before her destiny becomes entangled with Jay's. They are a well-matched pair, both reeling from the loss of someone close to them, and the bond they forge while on the run is strong. They will need help from various friends, and each other, if they are to achieve their ultimate goals. 

All in all, this is a fast-paced, enthralling, and thrilling read. Definitive characters, and an action-packed plot make this an enjoyable and fast read. The addition of Jay's past memories throughout only strengthens the book and shows the magnitude of the bond he had with Dan, making his decisions all the more credible and heartfelt. Fans of James Patterson's Alex Cross series will enjoy this read, though it is a bit heavier than Patterson's work. LePore is definitely one to look out for in the future. 

An interview with Don Rearden author of "The Raven's Gift"

Don Rearden is here today answering some of my questions and talking about his recent release (and debut novel) The Raven's Gift. Thank you for being here, Don! If you haven't read The Raven's Gift yet, you can view my thoughts on it here. You can also find out more information about Don at his website located here. Suffice to say, I think this is a phenomenal book that should be read. It's such a good read that I've already added it to my favourites list for 2011. I know it's only March, but this book is THAT good. Check it out. 

What was the inspiration behind "The Raven's Gift"?

My inspiration for this novel came in the form of a simple question. What if? What if you lived in a remote place and something bad happened and no one came to help? That idea haunted me for a while and then news of birdflu in Asia broke and then my "what if scenario" became much more real. See, the migrations of large numbers of birds from Asia and the South Pacific all point north in the summer, this means Alaska and Canada are ground zero for an outbreak of birdflu, should the virus mutate and go "pandemic."

Where I grew up in Southwestern Alaska, we had this oral tradition of the horror stories from early epidemics like influenza, measles, and diphtheria striking the Yupik villages, and news stories about a possible birdflu epidemic made me begin to move beyond that "what if" to a more immediate and compelling story about people trying to survive after a devastating pandemic struck rural Alaska and no one comes to help.

That is really the "germ" that started the story. From there I just dove into what I know best, characters and their struggles. So while the inspiration for the plot comes from a possible and plausible pandemic, the true inspiration for me came as I wrote the story and first met John and the blind Yupik girl. I don't think inspiration created them so much as I got to know and love them, and they inspired me.

Would you ever be able to make the decisions that John has to make?

That's a crazy question that I can't answer. Okay. I'll answer it. But don't tell anyone. Yes. I think I could make the decisions that John makes in the story, but only because I have been in survival situations out on the tundra and I understand a little about how those moments and decisions define you. Sadly, where I grew up one learns to deal with death all to frequently. You build up a sort of tolerance for the bad that happens. Someone falls through the ice or freezes to death, or commits suicide (which is all to common) and you lose some of your ability to grieve and you become a bit hardened. John is thrust into this world and also becomes hardened by it, but there is hope for him, and I think his decisions reveal that. Just like I think there is hope for all of us. Kids shouldn't have to grow up coping with constant death in their communities. They shouldn't have to make tough decisions like the ones John faces in the novel.

What song would best describe his personality? Does the book have a theme song?

This is the best question ever! While writing I usually play music. I have an eclectic taste, and often try to pick music to fit the mood of the novel at the time. While writing much of The Raven's Gift I listened to original music written by my good friend, Kevin Morgan. Kevin is Yupik, a musical genius, and one song, "Anyways" is the song that fits John and this book perfectly. If you listen to it, you'll see how the song fits the theme of what John is looking for and what Rayna is looking for in the book. 

If you could meet any character from any book ever written, which book and character would you choose and why?

This is a tough one. Of course I would like to meet Ishmael the gorilla from Daniel Quinn's Ishmael. That character has already influenced my life and my own work, but I still have much to learn from him as a writer and teacher. So yeah, as odd as it sounds I'd love to sit down with that amazing silver-back gorilla and pick his brain about how to save the world. 

If I was to meet one character purely for my own selfish reasons? Well then I think I would probably join Cutuk, from Seth Kantner's Ordinary Wolves for an expedition across the tundra looking for fossilized mammoth ivory. I'd never met a character that I really identified with before Cutuk. My experience of growing up as a white boy on the tundra isn't unheard of or maybe not even all that rare, but in terms of characters who understand what that world is like to a young white boy in a Yupik or Inupiaq world, Cutuk knows.

If you could be a tree, what kind of tree would you be, and why?

That's funny. Ask someone from the tundra what kind of tree I would be? We don't have many choices. One tree that we have, that I'm not a huge fan of, are alders. In Alaska we have these thick groves of alders, nearly eight to ten feet tall, and they are gnarly and nearly impossible to walk through. They are resilient and never seem to be bothered by the incessant winds. Still, I don't think I would be an alder. Though that answer probably fits me best. I am partial to the big old growth hemlock in my yard up here on the mountain above Anchorage. These tall twisted trees are ancient; I can only imagine what changes they have seen and will see long after I have left this land.

Thank you for stopping by and answering my questions, Don! I love how informative your answers are! 

Here is the book trailer for "The Raven's Gift." It aptly pulls together the elements and the feeling of desolation that is sensed throughout the book. Doesn't this make you want to run out and read it right now?