Review: SWIMMING UPSTREAM by Jack Thompson (Raja Williams Mystery Series, 3)

Review:  SWIMMING UPSTREAM by Jack Thompson (Raja Williams Mystery Series, 3)

Reading any novel in this series is like sinking into a hot tub with a glass of champagne and a good book. Comfortable yet adventurous, cosy yet full of the evils of the human heart, edifying yet revealing of human frailties, the series features an extraordinary protagonist in private investigator Raja Williams. Of rainbow Caribbean descent, he is an attractive and appealing figure, grounded in deep empathy and possessing a nearly non-earthly psychic sense.

This installment involves an attorney in environmental law, dead inexplicably on Mount Rainier, an individual with no enemies. Raja declares it murder, and off he goes, with prime hacker partner Vinny. If justice and truth can be exposed, Raja Williams will see to it.

Author Jack Thompson generously provided me with a digital copy of SWIMMING UPSTREAM. No renumeration was exchanged.

REVIEW: COOKIE'S CASE by Andy Siegel

REVIEW: COOKIE' S CASE by Andy Siegel A really odd--bizarre--medical case elicits the attention, at a chance meeting in an exotic club three years later, of two malpractice/personal injury attorneys, and an unjustly barred neurologist. The "victim," a dancer who really does possess the proverbial "heart of gold," has been triple damaged: incompetent surgeon, incompetent lawyer, deceptive boyfriend: a real trinity of narcissistic nastiness. Start the story and immediately find yourself engrossed. I reviewed a digital ARC generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes.No remuneration was exchanged.

REVIEW: THE HAUNTING AT GRAYS HARBOR by Michael Richan (THE RIVER #8)

Review: THE HAUNTING AT GRAYS HARBOR by Michael Richan This is the eighth, and newest, in author Michael Richan' s THE RIVER series. I've loved them all, finding each one even better. Surprisingly for me, I've read them consecutively. The entire series is great. The characters are endearing: protagonist son-and-father team Steven and Roy; Eliza, Maynard and Dixon, Winn and Deem. The spirits are riveting too; and though each story stands alone, they also form an entirety.

Review: OUTSOURCED by Eric J. Gates

REVIEW: OUTSOURCED by Eric J. Gates

An exciting and convoluted thriller with a strong thread emphasizing the Federal Government's insertion into the lives of private citizens, and a strong "paranormal" type element. I'm reminded of Hitler's capacity to alter mob behavior by speech; here the instrument is a certain formerly Tibetan object, now used as a pen. Those readers of science fiction are surely familiar with the concept that in dimensions in which thought or words alter reality, proper focused intent is essential. Here, proper focused intent is essential when composing with this "pen," because this object also alters reality.

I reviewed a digital copy generously provided by the author for review purposes. No fees were exchanged.

Review: BLOOD INFERNAL (ORDER OF THE SANGUINES #3) By James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell

REVIEW: BLOOD INFERNAL by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell   (Order of the Sanguines #3)

A rip-roaring historical prologue sets the scenery for this riveting thriller whose suspense never falters. Readers who loved the first two books in the Order of the Sanguines Series (BLOOD GOSPEL and INNOCENT BLOOD) will find this conclusion immensely appealing; those who haven't yet read the first two novels can still enjoy this one (and will be inspired to check out the earlier books, and enter the saga of the Sanguinists, once preternatural monsters who have converted to the Blood of Christ, and archaeologist extraordinaire Dr. Erin Granger, herself bonded to the Blood Gospel of Christ.

Review: THE DAMNED by Andrew Pyper

REVIEW:  THE DAMNED by Andrew Pyper

Nearly middle-aged, Danny Orchard is a twin survivor and a best-selling author of a memoir of his own after-death experience. By choice, he is solitary and lonely, as he believes his deceased twin Ashleigh will intervene in any attempt to form a meaningful relationship. Unfortunately, Danny's belief is accurate. Born a sociopath, Ashleigh quite literally possessed no soul, but was infused by a drive for control and for cruelty. Murdered on her 16th birthday, she is neither "gone" nor "forgotten"; her Will attached itself to Danny the way an unformed embryonic twin sometimes emerges as an internal tissue mass in the surviving twin.

This novel is graphically violent, gritty, and gory, and includes some unpleasant "taboos." While.not for the weak of stomach or the easily offended, it is excellently written and was a one session read for me, as I couldn't stop till I finished. I'm now off to peruse Andrew Pyper' s earlier excellent novels.

Review: FINN FANCY NECROMANCY [Preview] by Randy Henderson

Review: FINN FANCY NECROMANCY [preview] by Randy Henderson

Imprisoned in Fae for a quarter-century for Necromancy he did NOT commit, poor Finn's set-up continues: at the moment of his release to Earth, an enforcer appears in an assassination attempt on Finn's changeling, who has taken his place for the past twenty-five years. As the portal is closing, Finn must barrel through without recovering the changeling's memories of Finn's life; or remain in Fae, perhaps forever. Someone really means to keep Finn barred from his Earth life.

Review: I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU by Joanne Clancy (NIGHT OF THE KILLER#1)

Review:  I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU by Joanne Clancy (THE NIGHT KILKER #1)

Set in Dublin and London, this first mystery in THE NIGHT KILLER series pits Detective Chief Inspector George Ellis of the Dublin Crime Against the Person Squad, against an elusive, clever, cunning and very determined killer, whose murderous acts are crimes of passion, because each one he designs to repeal an act of "betrayal" committed some decades prior. DCI Ellis is middle-aged, but two decades witnessing the horrid consequences of humanity's cruelty have aged his soul. No matter what he tries, the killer remains unnoticed; but Ellis' efforts lead to a series of personally shattering revelations. I can't wait to read the next installment.

Review: WORDS ONSCREEN by Naomi S. Baron

Review:  WORDS ONSCREEN

Examination of the phenomenon of "onscreen reading" (ereaders, tablets, smartphones, desktop computers, laptops) vis a vis traditional reading (print books; printouts--in other words, "hard copy"), WORDS ONSCREEN takes an academic viewpoint. Linguistics expert Naomi S. Baron looks at both sides of the debate: aficionados of print vs. aficionados of e-reading, and explores e-reading globally.

I think in the end, it comes to a matter of personal preference. I myself began reading print books (voraciously) in the 1950's, and loved the content, the weight, the fragrance. But more than a year ago, I gave up reading print in order to preserve my eyesight (I read on an iPad and several different generation Kindle Fires). Many contemporary print books use font that several strains my vision. I expect more of my generation will take up e-reading for similar reasons.

I highly recommend that all readers, publishers, authors, and academics peruse WORDS ONSCREEN and ponder its conclusions.

Review: APEX PREDATOR (BEYOND A PSYCHOPATH BOOK ONE) by J. L. Faura

Review:  APEX PREDATOR

Clever, cunning, insightful: this up-close and personal look at sociopathy illustrates the process of such minds, illuminates their sense of entitlement (imagine a toddler grown large, with power and deception: "I want that, I will have it--NOW!!"), their inability to empathize, sympathize, or understand others. Author J. L. Faura gives us the "inside view" of these predators, those who stand at the top of the food chain because they lack conscience as does a shark or jellyfish.

I reviewed a digital copy provided via StoryCartel for review purposes. No fees were exchanged.

REVIEW TOUR: 18 THOUGHTS by Jamie Ayres (MY SO-CALLED AFTERLIFE #3)

18 Thoughts, by Jamie Ayres

 

Genre: young-adult, coming-of-age, paranormal-romance

 

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

 

Date of Publication: 01/27/15

 

Cover Artist: Michelle Johnson at Blue Sky Design

 

Description:

 

Olga Gay Worontzoff left the Underworld for her final year of high school anxious for things to return to normal, but fate has other plans.

 

The new hottie at school reads her thoughts but nobody else’s. Her best friend wakes up from his coma acting like a completely different person. Caught in a world that’s a mix of familiar andsupernatural, she must confront what she will—or won’t—do to bring him back and stare down her own perceived inadequacies to face a couple of tenacious demons, figurative and literal.

 

Everything she thought she knew about reality will change as she walks the line between past and present, fear and faith, love and loyalty.

 

And by the end of a heartbreaking year, she might be forced to realize “normal” in the conventional sense of the word is the one thing she may never achieve.

 

Find Online: Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

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About Jamie Ayres:

Jamie Ayres writes young adult paranormal love stories by night and teaches young adults as a public school teacher by day.

When not at home on her laptop or at school, she can often be found at a local book store grabbing random children and reading to them. So far, she has not been arrested for this.

She lives in southwest Florida with her prince charming, two children (sometimes three based on how Mr. Ayres is acting), and a basset hound. She spent her youthful summers in Grand Haven, Michigan and this setting provided the inspiration for her debut novel, 18 Things.

She really does have grandmothers named Olga and Gay but unlike her heroine, she’s thankfully not named after either one of them. She loves lazy pajama days, the first page of a good book, stupid funny movies, and sharing stories with fantastic people like you. Visit her website atwww.jamieayres.com

 

Find Jamie Ayres Online:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads