Saturday, July 27, 2013

Liquid Lies by Lois Lavrisa




Teenage best friends CiCi and Francesca made a decision that haunted them for the rest of their lives. What started as a celebration of Francesca's eighteenth birthday became a tragedy with repercussions neither could ever have imagined. Four years later, after keeping the incident buried, a blackmailer enters their lives, threatening to expose their secret. In the idyllic resort town of Round Lake, Jet Skiers, swimmers and boaters center their lives on their upscale waterfront homes in their picturesque, peaceful Wisconsin town.

Who would expect it to be torn apart by the selfish decisions of the wealthy few? Who would guess that underneath this picture of serenity lay murder, deceit—and more murder? As CiCi finds herself in the midst of a hideous chain of events, she must wrestle with lies and their unintended consequences. In the process she confronts her own worst demons, finding herself enveloped in a turbulent vortex of events. Armed only with her own integrity and willingness to take responsibility for her past mistakes, CiCi must make amends for the past to secure her future.


Liquid Lies could have been a fun read that didn’t take me too far from home since I live about five miles from the Wisconsin border in Round Lake Beach, Illinois.  When I was a child this was similar to the idyllic resort town described in Ms. Lavrisa’s book, but has succumbed to urban sprawl and is now considered a suburb of Chicago.  (Ms. Lavrisa states in her bio that she based the town on a resort not far from here.)  I grew up in the city, but my uncle had a boat out here on the Chain o’ Lakes and we came up to go boating with them.

Ms. Lavrisa managed to keep me guessing far longer than most mystery writers as to who did what to whom.  I had some of it figured out, but not all of it and that takes talent.  I enjoyed her description of resort life through the eyes of a “townie.”

I was not going to comment on the lack of editing because I read an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) and I assumed the errors I noticed would be fixed before the book was released, but I scanned a few other reviews while I was looking for the price and page length and other people commented on the same errors I noticed—words that didn’t belong where they were, continuity problems, etc.  I’m borrowing the example another person used.  “Okay then, are you going to let tell me?”  It’s such a shame when a talented writer’s work is spoiled by lack of editing.

I realize I’m a grammar Nazi and I have pet peeves that even most editors today don’t notice because schools no longer teach proper grammar, among them “waiting on” instead of “waiting for,” “different than” instead of “different from,” and comma splices.  I see comma splices everywhere, and they drive me crazy but sometimes I think I’m the only one left on Earth who even knows what a comma splice is.  FYI—It’s the use of a comma to splice two independent clauses together.  Here’s an example of one from Liquid Lies:  “I’m just saying that, while I’m traveling to all the museums in Europe with my aunt, one day someone might offer me a million Euros to answer an art question, you never know.”  “You never know” is an independent clause.  It could be a sentence all by itself.  That comma splice can be fixed by separating it into two sentences, using a semi-colon, or something parenthetical like an em-dash.  I would make it a separate sentence as the one it’s in is pretty long already.  But I digress.  As I said, I’ve given up on comma splices in most books.

I’d like to recommend Liquid Lies.  Maybe your copy will be better than mine.  It would be a fun read if it was properly edited.

Length:  272 Pages
Prices:
Paperback:  $14.95
E-Book:  $0.99

Thanks for visiting.  RIW

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Into the Red by Kelly Whitely



Blurb:

Human blood is an illicit and highly addictive drug--if you're a vampire. Known as Red, its side effects are insanity, and eventual death. A group of Red-addicted vampires known as Poisoners are killing women risking exposure of their race, and one victim survives…

Dr. Evan Nichols, oncologist and vampire, lives a monk-like existence focusing on patient care and research to benefit his vampire brethren. Now his government has ordered him to take a mate—or they’ll choose one for him. It’s a horrible prospect, and one that might push him over the edge—until Fate throws him together with a human female.

Wary of relationships, Tara West has poured her energies into work and inventing cutting edge climbing equipment. She doesn’t like the gorgeous Dr. Nichols, yet finds herself unaccountably drawn to him.  When she survives the Poisoners’ attack, Evan rescues her. With time running out, he has to find her attacker in order to create an antidote to the poison before he loses his chance at love.

Thus the journey begins—into the Red! 

Review:

I normally don’t write reviews before I finish reading the books, but I’m over eighty percent into this one according to my Kindle and I’m pretty sure I can predict the outcome from here.  That doesn’t mean Into the Red is predictable.  As I’ve said before—I often guess things other people might not because that’s how I would have written it, and I’m really good at catching foreshadowing.  That said—

I hope my boss at Jupiter Gardens Press doesn’t read this, because I may get into hot water.  I have three books from the "slush pile" waiting to be read and recommended or not for publication, and I promise I will dive into them as soon as I finish writing this, even though Into the Red is screaming at me to finish it.  My excuse is that I haven't been home, and my Kindle is much easier to take to the VA and the laundry room than my laptop.  But there’s also the fact that Into the Red grabbed me and sucked me in and I haven’t been able to put it down.

Evan and Tara are two lonely people who have closed themselves off to love because of devastating losses in their pasts.  It’s difficult for them to trust that they’ll find love that doesn’t end in pain and loss.  Yet, they’re drawn to each other.  It’s Tara’s distrust and low self-esteem that leads her to the flee the restaurant where she runs into Evan when she thinks he’s left her after a one-night-stand, not having seen the note he left her.  She leaves via the alley, where the Poisoners attack her.  Fortunately, Evan realizes she’s left and follows her scent through the kitchen in time to rescue her, saving her life—temporarily.  If he can’t find her attackers alive and harvest their venom for the antidote in time, Tara will die anyway.  And Evan can’t contemplate losing another love.  But he doesn’t know they’re not the only threat.  I haven’t read how he’ll deal with that yet, but I know it’ll be good.  I don’t believe Ms. Whitely will let me down in the last twenty percent when the first eighty has been so gripping.  Follow the buy-link below and find out for yourself.

Length:  347 Pages
Price:  $5.95

You’ll notice I always include the publisher’s buy link.  That’s because authors usually receive 40% of the book price from the publisher.  Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%.  When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their cuts from what is left.  So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-Book Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40.  If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $0.83.

Downloading the file from your computer to your Kindle is as easy as transferring any file from your computer to a USB flash drive.  Plug the USB end of your chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from your “Downloads” box to your Kindle/Documents/Books directory.  I actually download my books using “Save As” to a “Books” file I created on my computer that’s sorted by my publisher, friends, and books “to review,” and then transfer them to my Kindle from there.  That way, if there’s a glitch with my Kindle, the books are on my computer.  Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement.

Thanks for visiting.  RIW


Saturday, July 13, 2013

Forbid My Heart by Kayelle Allen




  
Blurb:

Waking in the middle of the night, Izzorah begins to worry. His lover has pledged to take him back to visit his homeworld, but Izzorah knows the fact that they're gay could cause their death if the Kin Pride Council hears about it. Izzorah's heart tells him to trust Luc, but his fear is real. He snuggles up to Luc, seeking comfort.

Luc is immortal. He has the perspective to understand his lover's concerns, and not worry about them. He tries to distract Izzorah with a sexy game of dominance and submission played during their shared shower. Izzorah's unreserved trust and respect make Luc long to wipe out any shadow of trouble or sorrow. He would turn the Kin homeworld upside down to protect him, but convincing Izzorah he can do it will mean confessing a truth Luc is not yet ready to share.

Review:


Kayelle Allen is a good friend and I'm so sorry I wasn't able to give her story the rave review I would have liked to have written, but I have to be honest.
 

I enjoyed this short little waiting-room read, but was disappointed at the ending. From the title I knew it was part of a series, but I expected it to be able to stand on its own. There was enough history exposed that it should have done so, but the book ended with a promise unfulfilled.
 
This story was one of the publisher’s “Spring Fling” specials, Fling length being short-short stories, but I would have preferred a longer format in which Luc and Izzorah actually returned to Rah’s homeworld and Luc managed to eliminate the threat against them. I suppose I’ll have to wait for the next Fling story to read that installment.

Length:  Very Short, No Page Count Available
Price:  $1.99

You’ll notice I always include the publisher’s buy link.  That’s because authors usually receive 40% of the book price from the publisher.  Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%.  When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their cuts from what is left.  So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-Book Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40.  If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $0.83.

Downloading the file from your computer to your Kindle is as easy as transferring any file from your computer to a USB flash drive.  Plug the USB end of your chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from your “Downloads” box to your Kindle/Documents/Books directory.  I actually download my books using “Save As” to a “Books” file I created on my computer that’s sorted by my publisher, friends, and books “to review,” and then transfer them to my Kindle from there.  That way, if there’s a glitch with my Kindle, the books are on my computer.  Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement.

Thanks for visiting.  RIW

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Light My Fire by Elle Druskin

Blurb: 

Widowed single mother Kara Wilson has a lot more in common with Liberty Heights mayor and fire chief Woodrow Wilson than either realize. Both are secretly in love with the other, not daring to hope their dreams can come true. With the help of the “Miracle Dress” and Wayne’s psychic predictions, Kara and Woody just might have a chance for a happily ever after, Liberty Heights style. 

Review: 

Aw me-ann, I read Light My Fire too fast!  Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down.  As usual, Liberty Heights acquired one or two new residents and one or two people came home who had been living out of town, but the main romance focused on Kara Wilson, whose husband, Brian was killed in Afghanistan and Brian’s cousin and best friend, Woodrow Wilson who is Liberty Heights' mayor along with being a paramedic and fire-fighter.  Woody was in Afghanistan with Brian, holding him when he died.  Woody promised to take care of Kara and her daughter, Phoebe—not too difficult a promise to make.  If Woody had been just a smidge faster to ask Kara to the prom, she might have been his.  If he really got honest with himself, he’d cared for her since grammar school.  But Brian asked Kara first, so Woody took ditzy Lou Ann Freedbush who didn’t have a date and probably wouldn’t get one.  Woody is a genuinely nice guy.

Kara has feelings for Woody as well, and he’s always there for her, but she’s sure it’s because he promised Brian.  Will he ever see her as Kara, the woman?  It’s been over five years.  She’s stopped grieving.  She’s ready to date again, and she wants to date Woody.  She was happy with Brian, of course.  But if she’s really honest with herself, she’s had a crush on Woody her whole life.  She wished he’d asked her to prom, but Brian asked first.  Then Woody took that ditzy Lou Anne Freedbush.  That was such a nice thing to do.  She was sure no one else would have thought to ask Lou Ann out.  Should she try the Miracle Dress?  Would it make Woody notice her as a woman and not just Brian’s widow?

Liberty Heights is chock full of quirky people, and equally quirky animals.  Who doesn’t love a deaf dog who hangs out at the Chinese restaurant hoping for scraps because he loves Chinese cuisine, or a parrot who speaks French (not necessarily the French one uses in polite conversation)?  How about a chimpanzee who plays on the local Little League team, at least when they’re practicing?  Darned League won’t allow her to play in actual games and she’s a really good pitcher.  Or an ant-eater who prefers shoes?  Actually, now that Liberty Heights has a new French teacher, Antoine the parrot is spouting Victor Hugo and Balzac.  Wait!  Did George Washington sleep in Liberty Heights and was a battle fought there during the Revolution?  “Aux le barricades!”  Sorry, Antoine, wrong revolution.

This is Book Four in the Liberty Heights series.  Each book stands quite well on its own and will keep you laughing whether you’ve gotten to know the denizens of Liberty Heights and their history or not.  But they’re all funny and charming and wonderful to read.  If you want to feel good, pick up a book and take a trip to Liberty Heights, New Jersey.  You’ll almost wish you could move there, too.

Length:  205 Pages 
Price:  $5.50 
Buy Link:  https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=736&category_id=58&manufacturer_id=138&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

You’ll notice I always include the publisher’s buy link.  That’s because authors usually receive 40% of the book price from the publisher.  Editors and cover artists usually receive about 5%.  When you buy a book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or another third-party vendor, they take a hefty cut and the author, editors and cover artists receive their cuts from what is left.  So, if a book costs $5.99 at E-Book Publisher.com and you buy from there, the author will receive about $2.40.  If you buy the book at Amazon, the author will receive about $0.83.

Downloading the file from your computer to your Kindle is as easy as transferring any file from your computer to a USB flash drive.  Plug the USB end of your chord into a USB port on your computer and simply move the file from your “Downloads” box to your Kindle/Documents/Books directory.  I actually download my books using “Save As” to a “Books” file I created on my computer that’s sorted by my publisher, friends, and books “to review,” and then transfer them to my Kindle from there.  That way, if there’s a glitch with my Kindle, the books are on my computer.  Your author will be happy you did when he/she sees his/her royalty statement. 

Thanks for visiting.  RIW