Thriller

#Review – Fiat by Jeffery D Schlaman – #Financial #postapocalyptic #thriller.. Definitely something new!

Fiat by Jeffery Schlaman

Synopsis:

By the fall of 2016, the country is already on the verge of financial collapse, despite the most aggressive actions conceivable by the Federal Reserve. When foreign debt-holders suddenly dump their debt in an act of aggression against the United States, hyper-inflation ensues, bringing the government to its knees.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fiat-Jeffrey-D-Schlaman/dp/149356093X

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20296598-fiat

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fiat-jeffrey-d-schlaman/1117760935

Review:

** Review done in conjunction with SayWhatSavannahMae, check out her site for more info**

** I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own**

5 stars

Something I completely love? Books with post-apocalyptic/dystopian themes and undertones. I adore being terrified of what the future may hold for me, what technology will bring us, when the government will cause. This genre is one that allows so many authors the chance to predict the future in a way, so I hold it to pretty strict standards, because if you’re going for that genre, you need it to be a believable course of action that leads us there. Which brings me to this book… Fiat..

This book addresses a terrifying future that hits home, a little too hard considering the current economic issues our country faces. I don’t think a book with financial implications has every scared me before this novel, but this one did give me a bit of fear. Things you don’t take a lot of time to think about sometimes have a way of creeping up, and I feel that way about this book. I don’t really think too much about our economics and financial issues as country, but as I was reading this book, things started feeling more and more realistic. Look what a ruined economy did during the great depression.. Materialism is a running theme in this novel. Humankind and our need for things, newest and best.

Overall, I thought the author has a very strong skill for the technical part of the novel. Written well, flows good, and interests you pretty quickly. As for the plot, it’s good. It is set in the near future, which makes it a bit improbable, I admit, but none the less, it’s a frightening concept to think of food going up to $100 for some things. We don’t deal with one main character in this novel, rather a variety of people at all different stages in their lives. We get some high powered (or used to be) people like Chairman of Federal Reserve or a Bishop, but we also meet a stripper, police officer and some others. All these people trying to survive, and some trying to fix things, and not always honestly. I have to say, I normally don’t like books with multiple characters, because things get muddled, but in this one, I have to say it worked, and really tells the story how it needs to be told.

So, would I recommend this book? Yes, fans of thrillers, political novels, and even some dystopian would probably enjoy this book, or at least be a little shaken up by it, and that does seem to be the author’s point, and a point well achieved.

What do you think? Are you interested in picking this book up?

#Review – Miracle Man by William R Leibowitz – Fascinating, thrilling and realistic!

Review of Miracle Man – William R Leibowitz

Synopsis:

REVERED REVILED REMARKABLE The victim of an unspeakable crime, an infant rises to become a new type of superhero. Unlike any that have come before him, he is not a fanciful creation of animators. He is real. So begins the saga of Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in human history. But where did his extraordinary intelligence come from? As agents of corporate greed vie with rabid anti-Western radicals to destroy him, an obsessive government leader launches a bizarre covert mission to exploit his intellect. Yet Austin’s greatest fear is not of this world. Aided by two exceptional women, one of whom will become his unlikely lover, Austin struggles against abandonment and betrayal. But the forces that oppose him are more powerful than even he can understand.

Amazon | Smashwords| Goodreads

Review:

** Review done in conjunction with SayWhatSavannahMae, check out her site for more info**

** I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own**

This book sure has an opening, I’ll definitely say that. The prologue is mysterious, interesting, and really makes you want more right away. The author has the hook down pat. I don’t want to spoil it, I see a bunch of reviews telling you what the beginning is, but its better that you just read and find out, because I didn’t expect what it was from the opening! It kept me reading, and I think it’ll keep you reading as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s got a great storyline, a bit of an Ender’s Game feeling to it, with the special program and the hidden agendas, but overall, very good and unique enough to stand on its own. I thought the author really took the time to flesh Bobby out, and really give us a driving force for him. He’s a great character, and with great people, there’s always someone trying to manipulate them. That’s exactly the story here. It’s perfect. The writing is solid, the story is pretty refreshing and it’s got strong main character. Technically speaking, the author has written a great novel, it flows, it draws you in, and it finishes strong.

As for plot, you’ve got a genius character, who we follow through his life, and the great thing is that this book isn’t over anyone’s head. It’s a read for the everyperson who likes thrillers and science. We’ve got Bobby who has lived his extraordinary life, and only wants to do well, after the bad life has handed him, but we’ve also got outside influences trying to push Bobby in a different direction, using his life and doubt to push him where he doesn’t want to go. It’s a thriller, not just in the hidden agendas and motives but also on a personal level, because you really start to care about Bobby, and want to see Bobby happy and succeeding in what he chooses. There’s a lot of undertones in morals and what’s rights and even slightly ethical in this novel. It really pulls you in, you just start to feel it.

I would suggest this book. It read easily, and quite quickly, it’s got a good storyline, strong character to lead us, and some interesting questions it raises. If you enjoy thrillers, or even a bit of sci-fi, then I think you wouldn’t regret picking up this book, and giving it a read. I think you’ll enjoy it.

About The Author:

William R. Leibowitz practices law in New York City and lives in the village of Quogue with his wife, Alexandria, and his dog, Georgy.

#Review – Stan by Richard Wold – A deep journey into good & evil!

Stan by Richard Wold

Ever since he survived a suicide attempt, New York artist Stan Foster has not been himself. Plagued by amnesia and a head full of visions of death and destruction that fuel his ever-more disturbing work, he claws his way through a life he doesn’t recognize in search of his true identity. What he finds leads him to believe he is Satan, spit out from the bowels of hell to live among the mortal inhabitants of earth. Is he delusional, or is there truth behind this troubling revelation? One woman can help him find out. Enter Abigail: lapsed Catholic, lonely city dweller, and psychiatrist with a heart of gold. Meeting Stan makes her question everything she’s believed about faith and humanity for so long, but she must overcome her own troubled background to offer him the redemption he needs—and ultimately wants.

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Smashwords

Review:

4 Stars – B+

This was an interesting concept novel. I’ve always said I look for books which strive to break from the normal, and this book definitely did that. We meet Stan, when he decides to end it all, and throw himself off the Washington Bridge. I mean talk about grabbing a reader. This book makes you commit right from the beginning and keep reading. I like how the author approached the topic of Satan, he doesn’t automatically assume you believe in him, because like the character most people are unlikely to jump to that answer first, but assume mental illness or shock. I do like how human nature plays a role in this book, really character driven, and we get some insight into what drives them. Wold really makes the reader question things throughout this whole book. You may come into this book knowing what good and evil are but by the end, I bet you’ll be questioning a little bit. You get influences in Stan life, both what we’d consider good and evil, but there’s something laying under the surface of both of them, so who can he really trust? I do wish they would’ve let us get to him being Satan on our own, leaving hints and clues instead of basically spelling it out for the reader, I didn’t enjoy that. I like a little more mystery and a little more work on the readers part. There’s a little bit of romance in this book as well, but it doesn’t play a primary theme at all, mostly this book has elements of a mystery and a thriller, with a long inner running conflict on what really is good and evil. I enjoyed it, I thought it was refreshing, though some choices the author made didn’t resound with me, but overall a good read and something new.

*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Richard Wold is a business owner and consultant. He currently lives in Gurnee, Illinois. Stan is his first novel.

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The Wicked We Have Done – Guest Post & Review #getWicked @sarahharian @BerkleyRomance #NewRelease #MustRead

Guys, I’m totally stoked to share with you today’s blog! 🙂

A guest post from Sarah Harian, author of The Wicked We Have Done ON RELEASE DAY! This book blew me away, literally, like off my chair! She’s a phenomenal talent, and I just cannot wait to see what her career holds for us readers! 🙂

As I was reading this lovely book, I kept wondering hmmm.. .this should have a kick ass playlist.. and LO & BEHOLD! IT does, and I’m getting to share it with you today! How lucky are we!? But before I do, a little about this book, that you’ll need to pick up, like today. 🙂

Synopsis:

Darkly suspenseful and completely unexpected, The Wicked We Have Done is a debut author’s thrilling new take on New Adult romance.

Twenty-two-year-old Evalyn Ibarra never expected to be an accused killer and experimental prison test subject. A year ago, she was a normal college student. Now she’s been sentenced to a month in the compass room—an advanced prison obstacle course designed by the government to execute justice.

If she survives, the world will know she’s innocent.

Locked up with nine notorious and potentially psychotic criminals, Evalyn must fight the prison and dismantle her past to stay alive. But the system prized for accuracy appears to be killing at random.

She doesn’t plan on making friends.

She doesn’t plan on falling in love, either.

BUY IT!

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

My Review:

Grade: A+ (Five STRONG stars)

HOLY COW! This book… yes, it drew me in, and yes, it had a bit of a Hunger Games feel, but seriously! *claps hands* GO SARAH! This book is so interesting and fresh, I am so glad to have gotten the chance to read it! I ❤ NEW IDEAS, and this book is one of them! As I’ve said in other reviews, romance books for me aren’t a grab, but add in a killer plot line and you’ve got me hooked! I love romance as long as I have a story to go along with it, and Sarah has done this. I feel as though the Compass Room was such an interesting idea, testing the morality of an accused killer, somewhat like Divergent’s testing, it really pulled out some wonderful character building as the story went on, and really gave us a new idea for a justice system.

Evalyn has to have her thoughts examined, all while playing a sort of game that will determine if she gets freedom or death. Her, along with other young people, who I must say, the author did a good job pulling quiet a few of them out of the background, and fleshing them out, even if they weren’t the main character, and I love to see that! The author really took a genre and concept that has been flying off the shelves for YA, and crafting into something deeper & stronger for the NA genre, and I’ve got to say, I was impressed.

Some people don’t like seeing books in the same vein as others, but honestly, it’s a theme, and there’s no rule that says author’s can’t play with it. Hunger Games pulled from Battle Royale, and so on and so forth, and I feel like yelling, “DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS THEME,” when I see people complaining. Sarah does an outstanding job putting her personal creative spin on this genre, and I adored it. The character’s had a really intangible strength to them, in the face of what they were undergoing, and I did think that you really pull the most from characters when you put them in situations like The Compass Room. She focuses on the story, over the romance, and doesn’t throw in any clichéd love triangle moments. Once you pick this book up, you’ll keep reading… it’s well written, with a lot of thought behind it, and it shines as a debut novel for Sarah Harian! I’m excited to see more from her!

Guest Post by Sarah – #GetWicked Playlist! 🙂

(As I run off to add these to my phone, and grab the book again!)

The Wicked We Have Done playlist is compilation of angsty and mostly dark songs. Since I have a very difficult time listening to music with lyrics while writing (my attention span is embarrassingly short), these songs resonated me while I was brainstorming—either in the car on my way to work or walking my dog. Here is my list of creepy, sad, and intense tracks for The Wicked We Have Done:

Spotify Playlist: https://play.spotify.com/user/sarahharian/playlist/4ybQgUDUGHEqJAynf7BIjU

“Seven Devils” by Florence + The Machine: This song is the ultimate creepy. I bought Florence’s album right when it came out, around the same time I was drafting TWWHD, and this song become instant fodder for me. I love how ghostly and chilling it is. It really parallels the book in a sense that the dark pasts of all of the characters are rebirthing.

“End of Me” by A Day to Remember: This song reflects a lot of the darkness of Evalyn’s past and losing those she cares deeply about. Instead of reflecting the grief of her loss, it reflects the anger she feels behind being abandoned.

“New Tricks” by Great Northern: Eerie and whimsical, this track is reminiscent of the strange horrors the characters face while in the forest of the Compass Room. It also parallels the moment when Evalyn decides to take matters into her own hands.

“Sink” by Brand New: This song is a delicious bundle of angst. It’s ragey and twisted. I feel like it represents the states of mind of all of my characters in the Compass Room, and the lengths they go to help each other when it comes to survival.

“Peace of Mind” by The Jezabels: When I first heard this song, I was in the process of revising a death scene. I cried, obviously. I think this song gives meaning to the little hope that the inmates have when they start making relationships with each other, and the refusal to believe that friends and lovers could die at any point within the prison.

“Come Clarity” by In Flames: I’ve loved this song for a long, long time. To me, it is about reflection, the presence of someone new, and their ability to erase the nightmare of the past.

“Millstone” by Eisley: This song IS Evalyn, particularly the line, “There’s not a moment to relive my time and space/ There’s not a moment to undo anything”. It encompasses her confusion and heartache in both The Wicked We Have Done and the sequel A Vault of Sins.

Don’t you love this?! Shout out! Tell me if you’ve read the book, or if you love any of these songs! I promise you, fans of NA Romance, The Hunger Games or even Thrillers, will love this book! I’ve still got it’s hook in me, and I can’t seem to shake it! So I’ll be reading it again! 🙂

About The Author:

Sarah Harian grew up in the foothills of Yosemite and received her B.A. and M.F.A. from Fresno State University. When not writing, she is usually hiking some mountain or another in the Sierras, playing video games with her husband, or rough-housing with her dog.

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#Cover #Reveal! The Risen Dawning: Anniversary Edition! You need this book! @MarieFCrow #giveaway #zombies #CollectorsEdition #FridayReads

If there’s one thing in my blogging journey that really makes me proud, it’s the fact that Marie F Crow, the visionary genius behind The Risen series, has chosen this blog to be the home of her killer books! 🙂 I was lucky enough to reach out to Marie and beg her to let me read a copy and review it, and finally she did! It’s been heaven ever since, so I can’t even explain to you how excited I am for this! This Anniversary edition of The Risen Dawning is loaded with new scenes, and will get better insight to readers about some of their favorite characters! I’m so excited I could burst! 🙂 I’ve heard rumors this book, “reads like a whole new story”

Get Excited

Giveaway Note!

Marie F Crow is giving away a signed Dawning on her Facebook Page! Go enter to win!!

Synopsis:

Helena Hawthorn has lived her entire life in the dark shadow of her perfect younger siblings, The Hawthorn Angels. Now as the world awakens to a new horror, she will have to risk everything to keep them safe or forever be haunted by the failure to keep them alive. Each day will bring a new victory, or a new scar, as Helena learns that the dawn waits for no one.

With her newly bonded family, the local motorcycle club G.R.I.T., they will discover the world now holds much deeper horrors for them than they could have ever imagined. The Risen not only stalk the earth but stalk their nightmares as well.

And Finally, The covers! 🙂

Aren’t they totally just what you would want? I know I want that zombie face sitting on my coffee table! It’s perfect! Stay tuned to the blog for more updates as to other new Marie F Crow books, and when you can grab your own copy of The Risen Dawning Anniversary edition! 🙂

About The Author:

Marie F Crow is the author of the post-apocalyptic series, The Risen. She weaves her stories around the human element of the horror verses the “monsters” themselves. She believes that the real horror of life does not come from the expected, but from the unexpected responses of the human nature and what depths of trauma a person has to survive in certain situations. She began writing The Risen series when feeling that the popular genre was slipping too deep into the realm of pure “slasher” and forgetting what the horror of zombies can mean for a story.

Now with her children’s series launched, Marie hopes to use her favorite “monster” as a teaching tool to inspire children to understand that not everything that looks scary, is scary. With Abigail and Her Pet Zombie series, Marie hopes to further spread her love for all things “that go bump in the night” with small children showing them that it’s okay to be different and to embrace those same differences in those around them.

Marie F. Crow

Stalk Her!

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#TheWeightofBlood – Blog Tour & #giveaway – @LauraSMcHugh @atrandom @20SB

Today I’m so excited to share with you this amazing new book I got from Random House and 20SomethingBlogger! The Weight of Blood by Laura S McHugh! It’s going to be released on March 11th! I got an ARc copy of this book to read and review, and share with you!! Plus, I get to host a giveaway!!

So about the book!

Synopsis:

For fans of Gillian Flynn, Scott Smith, and Daniel Woodrell comes a gripping, suspenseful novel about two mysterious disappearances a generation apart.

The town of Henbane sits deep in the Ozark Mountains. Folks there still whisper about Lucy Dane’s mother, a bewitching stranger who appeared long enough to marry Carl Dane and then vanished when Lucy was just a child. Now on the brink of adulthood, Lucy experiences another loss when her friend Cheri disappears and is then found murdered, her body placed on display for all to see. Lucy’s family has deep roots in the Ozarks, part of a community that is fiercely protective of its own. Yet despite her close ties to the land, and despite her family’s influence, Lucy—darkly beautiful as her mother was—is always thought of by those around her as her mother’s daughter. When Cheri disappears, Lucy is haunted by the two lost girls—the mother she never knew and the friend she couldn’t save—and sets out with the help of a local boy, Daniel, to uncover the mystery behind Cheri’s death.

What Lucy discovers is a secret that pervades the secluded Missouri hills, and beyond that horrific revelation is a more personal one concerning what happened to her mother more than a decade earlier.

The Weight of Blood is an urgent look at the dark side of a bucolic landscape beyond the arm of the law, where a person can easily disappear without a trace. Laura McHugh proves herself a masterly storyteller who has created a harsh and tangled terrain as alive and unforgettable as the characters who inhabit it. Her mesmerizing debut is a compelling exploration of the meaning of family: the sacrifices we make, the secrets we keep, and the lengths to which we will go to protect the ones we love.

Praise for The Weight of Blood

“A fantastic novel, rich in character and atmosphere . . . This is one you won’t want to miss.”—Karin Slaughter, author of Unseen

“Laura McHugh’s vivid and enthralling The Weight of Blood centers on a mother and daughter in a seemingly benign yet deeply horrifying small town. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last.”—Vanessa Diffenbaugh, author of The Language of Flowers

“The Weight of Blood pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. What starts as Lucy’s coming-of-age story becomes a chilling tale about the price of secrets. As the menace deepens, so does the tension. Laura McHugh has written a terrific novel.”—Meg Gardiner, Edgar Award–winning author of The Shadow Tracer

“McHugh’s debut is as lush and evocative as its Ozark setting, with luminous prose and characters you can’t help rooting for, even as the mystery surrounding them intensifies and the odds against them grow more and more harrowing. I couldn’t put it down.”—Carla Buckley, author of The Deepest Secret

“In this clever, multilayered debut, McHugh deftly explores the past of an Ozark Mountain family . . . with plenty to hide and the ruthlessness to keep their secrets hidden. . . . This is an outstanding first novel, replete with suspense, crisp dialogue, and vivid Ozarks color and atmosphere.”—Publishers Weekly

“Debut novelist McHugh comes out swinging with this gripping tale set in the Ozarks of Missouri. . . . Her prose will not only keep readers turning the pages but also paints a real and believable portrait of the connections, alliances, and sacrifices that underpin rural, small-town life in Henbane.”—Library Journal (starred review)

How amazing does that sound?? I know I killed Gone Girl in two days, and I read this one just as quickly! It’s addictive and entertaining, and will consume you! You need to check it out!

Preorder it on Amazon!!

Review:

Grade: A (5 Stars)

This book is outstanding! Such detail, plot and development, I was just drawn in and I couldn’t put it down! This book really makes you think, and question things. The mystery is really surrounded by a community, and it’s not exactly like gone girl, but it is in depth, and though the mystery element is exposed a lot sooner then expected, you don’t lose interest as a reader, because it’s the way the other has developed her novel. She really pulls you into this small community, and asks you to start looking around. Start noticing what’s different in small communities, what’s accepted, and what really makes up a family. There’s some violence in the book, and murder, but it’s not over the top, and it really deepens the plot for the story. Overall, I thought the author did an outstanding job creating such a good character in Lily, she’s strong, and I loved that unlike some mystery books, the character didn’t do stupid, dangerous things while trying to solve the mystery. She was smart, clever, and did what she could, and it works out. It really gives you a better picture of a realistic murder mystery. There’s also a lot of other emotional moments in this book, that work in the vein of female experiences, and situations that we see and face in daily life, from mental illness to teen pregnancy and we really look into it a little deeper in this book. Yes, there’s mystery but there’s so much more to this book, I’d hate to see someone pass on this book because they don’t like mystery. You need to read this book because it sticks with you, it makes you think, and as a female it really brings something else to this novel I can’t really explain. I enjoyed reading it, I read it quickly and I was completely involved! I look forward to more books from this author. A very strong debut novel, and one I’m considering a re-read of! 🙂

*I was given a copy by Random House & 20SomethingBlogger for a review! All opinions are my own!

About The Author:

Laura McHugh’s debut novel, THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD, will be published March 11th, 2014.

McHugh lives in Missouri with her husband, children, and large furry dog. She is currently at work on her second novel.

You can find her on:

Twitter | Her Facebook Page | Website | Goodreads Page