Review: The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal by J. Thorn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy Reading Level: Adult Recommended for:

Disclosure: I picked up a copy of this book when I found it free on Amazon; I am under no particular obligation to anyone, but am happy to provide an honest review.

Synopsis: John awakes from a Halloween party with a hangover and a dead cell phone, on the first day of the End of Days. He's desperate, on the run, and fighting for his life.

My Thoughts: Wow, this book is quite a ride, in which a man named John gets caught between fanatical Catholics that have decided to cleanse the world of “Infidels” and a motorcycle gang that calls itself the Keepers of Wormwood, while his wife Jana ends up with another group of survivors, and they both have strange dreams involving Father, the fanatical leader of the Covenant.

Thorn has a real gift for description. Consider this passage: “The cold November sun sent weak rays onto the floor of the old house. The floor beneath snickered, trying hard to hold back snaps of bawdy laughter. The temperature dropped with ease.” There are some spelling mix-ups, such as “thirty odd six” for “thirty-aught six”, but overall the pace is too fast to really stop and notice these sorts of things.

It’s a terrific coincidence that I’m posting this review on International Blasphemy Day, since in many ways this story deals with faith, redemption, fanaticism, belief, being an outsider vs. conforming to the conqueror (We welcome our new insect overlords), and the End of Days. Strong themes, and overall, strongly presented. The only real problem I had with the story was how characters were introduced – they would just appear, with their name, and that was the introduction. It made it a little hard to feel comfortable with them: “Hey, whose this Alex dude?” But they were eventually described, and the reader just had to keep up.

I think folks who enjoy apocalyptic fiction will like this story. It’s intense, it’s not pretty, and it was a good story. Definitely check it out.



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Tracy Sharp presents: "Spooked" free for your Kindle!

So, I've been hinting about this book Spooked, first in my giveaway for this week here (you can still sign up, if you haven't already), then I reviewed it yesterday (review here). Now, as I mentioned, I'm holding a giveaway for e-copies of this book for Samhain, but if you just can't wait that long for your chance to win it, then today is your lucky day, because Spooked is, right now this very moment, free on Amazon for your Kindle! So, click on the picture, or click on the name, go to Amazon, and GRAB YOUR COPY NOW! And please give the author some love and a review if you like it! I absolutely loved it, and squeed with delight when I heard that, first, Tracy Sharp is writing a horror novel and then, she is writing a sequel to this one! Me? I can not WAIT 'cause I loves me some Tracy Sharp books. I sure do hope you will love them too!

International Blasphemy Day: Part Rant, Part Fun

For the past few years, I've wanted to do something special to commemorate International Blasphemy Day, September 30.
Blasphemy is defined as: (noun)

1 a: the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God b: the act of claiming the attributes of deity

2: irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable

There are a lot of people around the world throwing out "blasphemy" as an excuse for acting like nutjobs (Fundamentalist Islamic Extremists, I'm looking at you, you bottle-throwing, fire-bombing, murdering dickwads. I'm also looking at you, right-wing Fundamentalist Christians who somehow think women should be sent back to the kitchen and kept barefoot and pregnant, and certainly kept in grass huts during "that time of the month"). They get upset because people aren't showing proper reverence toward their beliefs. Well, I have news for you people:

Your beliefs are not our beliefs; therefore, our actions are not blasphemy, because we are not showing contempt or lack of reverence toward our sacred beliefs. Just because you think something is sacred, that doesn't mean it matters any more than a hill of beans to us. Maybe if you acted like civilized human beings, we could work something out. Instead you take any excuse to murder and destroy - how is that solving your problems? Take your example from these people, instead...

Anyway, I did not set out to make this a serious, ranty post. I actually wanted to do something fun, but things in the world are serious right now, and I could not address the idea of blasphemy without a nod to that reality.

Anyway, on to the more fun aspects! How about some fun - in a fight, who would win - Jesus or Godzilla? Go here and find out! (It's a game, so time will be wasted) Or how about this classic South Park episode, where Jesus goes up against Satan in a boxing match?

Finally, how about some Cthulhu? My idea of blasphemy? Writers who don't check their work before they publish:

Finally, for a sobering example of what might happen if the Fundamentalists take over the USA, check out Randy Attwood's Rabbletown: Life in These United Christian States of Holy America (my review here), which is available as ebook or as a paperback through Amazon's Print-On-Demand service.  I think everyone in the world should read this book, but that's just my opinion (but I'm sticking to it).  I've listed extensive quotes from this book on the Goodreads page, and I think these rules are ones by which more people should live.

So, Happy Blasphemy Day - Go Ye Forth and Blaspheme. What is the point of free speech if we don't use to offend someone today?

Review: Spooked

Spooked by Tracy Sharp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Dark Fantasy/Dark Urban Fantasy Reading Level: Young Adult Recommended for: Young adults on up who like a scary story

Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Lorelei has a special talent. She can steal the deepest, darkest secrets from anyone she meets.

Unfortunately, using her unique power opens a window within her that leaves her vulnerable to the Shadow Spooks, some very nasty creatures from the dark side. So Lorelei has learned to block out the secrets of others, because if the Spooks discover where she is, they will snatch her away and make her wish she were dead.

But then a girl from her high school disappears. Then another. And another. Lorelei might be able to discover who is abducting the girls of Saints Hallow High, maybe even save them, if she uses her unique gift. . .

Can Lorelei stop more girls from being stolen before being taken by the Shadow Spooks? Or will she become one of the missing?

My Thoughts: I read this author’s Leah Ryan series, as well as her novella Camilla, last year and just loved her writing style, so when she offered her new YA novella for review, I jumped all over that. (As a note, links to all those reviews can be found in my current giveaway – link here where links are enabled – which is running until Monday morning, so if you still haven’t stopped by, please do so, if for no other reason than as a handy way to check out the other reviews.)

Like Camilla, this is a perfect story for the Halloween season – it is creepy, spooky, scary and just... wow. It totally kept me reading until I was done. The pacing is super fast, which is necessary for a novella-length story. The only problem I have with this book is, like Camilla, that it is too short and I want more! This book is seriously left open for a sequel or two, so I am very much hoping to see one, or more, because this is one seriously interesting world that Sharp has created.

While I wouldn’t recommend it for more sensitive readers, as it really is quite a scary and creepy story that is almost what I would consider horror (but not quite), I would definitely recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good, scary dark fantasy, especially of the “urban” type, with overtones of the supernatural. High recommendation from this reader!

Extra Bonus Information: I am giving away three copies of this novella on my blog for Samhain, so be sure to stop by between Oct. 22 and 28 to sign up for your chance to win!



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Review: The Rebels

The Rebels by Elizabeth Lang

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Space Opera
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of space opera

Disclosure: I received a free ebook copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: After escaping the Empire, Adrian Stannis is plunged into the world of bounty hunters and rebels, each one valuing his head with the kind of single-minded intensity that does not bode well for his dream of peace and a fully stocked lab in a quiet and obscure corner of the galaxy.

Dragged along against his will by a barbarian intent on selling him back to the Empire, Adrian 'accidentally' kidnaps an emergency room doctor, while Kali and Bryce try to find him and become embroiled in an adventure of their own.

My Thoughts: I read the first book in this series, The Empire in April of this year review here if links are enabled). This book jumps right into the action and I struggled to remember what happened in the previous book, but then I found a page on the author’s website that offered an alternate first chapter – here, on her current projects (if links enabled) – and that helped.

This book sometimes read like a comedy of errors – miscommunications, misunderstandings, and missed connections leading to people chasing all over the galaxy on unnecessary searches. One hunter team, bounty hunter, or rebel group after another kept showing up. It occasionally made me roll my eyes, but it did keep the tension high, and the problems with the Empire versus the rebels... well, it certainly made for a most interesting moral dilemma. There were a few issues with the wrong verb tense here and there, but overall it was fairly clean and well-edited.

A third book is planned, called The Andromedans. More information about this series can be found here (if links enabled).

For fans of space opera or light military science fiction, especially if the book presents a moral dilemma, I think you will find this series a good fit. I know I’ll be watching for the next book in the series – I want to see how it all ends.



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Book review: "Morgue Drawer for Rent" by Jutta Profijt

Morgue Drawer for Rent review
Author: Jutta Profijt
5 out of 5 stars

Book Info: Genre: Thriller/Suspense w/ paranormal elements (ghost)
Reading Level: Adult
Book Available December 2012
Recommended for: Fans of mysteries/thrillers/suspense who don’t mind a touch of supernatural and a whole lot of humor

Disclosure: I received a free paperback ARC/uncorrected proof from the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from the Back of the book: Life was peaceful for coroner Martin Gänswein – until the unfortunate day he met Pascha, the foulmouthed ghost whose body once inhabited morgue drawer number four. Now an unwilling participant in solving the murders of those who pass through his morgue, Martin wishes more than ever that he could turn off his talent for communicating with the dead. Unfortunately for him, such things are easier said than done, and when organs begin to disappear from corpses buried in the local cemetery, Martin and Pascha are pulled into their most dangerous case yet.

My Thoughts: This is the third book in this highly entertaining series. I have read the first two books in this series, “Morgue Drawer Four” and “Morgue Drawer Next Door” and those reviews can be found here (first book read in March, 2012) and here (second book read in June, 2012) (where HTML formatting and linking are supported – if you cannot see the formatting or links, please go to my blog, Now is Gone, as that is where this can best be viewed). I have to say that I’ve loved this series so far and am very excited that they continue to translate and release this wonderful stories into the US.

Like previous books in this series, I spent a lot of time whilst reading the book laughing, snorting, and otherwise expressing amusement. Pascha continues to amuse with his attitude, asides, and hilarious voice. His mention of the fact that only posers would spell poser poseur, for instance, had me rolling. As did his attitude toward the temporary displacement of the forensic staff: “And of course it would be kind of a hassle if he realized only after he was back at the office that he’d accidentally stuck someone’s eyeball into his pocket, because then he’d have to get back into his car or take the train over and return the eyeball to its rightful owner.” And his opinion on dramadies: “...definitely dramadies [are out], too. To me, if the writer can’t make up his mind if he’s doing drama or comedy, then he should switch to making paper airplanes until he know what he wants.” Not to mention his descriptions of Philip “Piggy Bank” Forch as “loafering” from place to place – reading it frequently led to gales of laughter.

I can certainly relate to having a boss that is more concerned with how to save a few pennies than in making the work environment a bearable one, and Forch is a particularly egregious bureaucrat.

The main problem in this book is the theft of body parts, and even whole bodies, from the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Cologne, where Martin and his coworkers try to do their job through the obstructive maneuvering of Piggy Bank Forch. A side plot involving Birgit and Martin looking for a new apartment, and Pascha falling in love, keep the pace moving along without bogging down.

I would recommend reading this as a series; while you could read each individual book as a standalone, you get more of the story, more of the personality, and just more by reading it as part of the series. I believe the fourth book in this series is slated to be translated into English and released sometime in 2013, but I don’t know for certain. I do know that I’ll be watching for it, and will definitely be grabbing it first chance I get. If you enjoy your thrillers with a touch of the supernatural and a whole lot of humor, you won’t want to miss these books.

Review: Starlight

Starlight by Arshad Ahsanuddin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Note: This re-read was of a potential 3rd edition omnibus paperback that includes elements of some of the novellas.

Disclosure: I edited the original, 1st edition manuscript in late 2011. I have just finished a re-read as a beta-reader of a proposed new edition paperback that includes elements of some of the novellas and a new epilogue. I do not receive any monetary compensation for my opinions about this book.

Synopsis: Secrets and lies are the watchwords of Starlight, the fourth chapter of the gay vampire saga Pact Arcanum. After over thirty thousand years of war, something new walks the Earth, which may be the greatest weapon yet in the war between the races.

Earth, 2142. A century after his father’s death, Antonio Jameson has returned home to pay his respects to a man he never had a chance to know, but has always resented. Captain of the Jumpvessel Singularity, he has spent his entire adult life navigating the void between the stars, blissfully avoiding any part of the fate that the higher powers had decreed for him in the war between the White Wind and the Red. But in a world where immortality is commonplace, death is not always what it seems, and destiny is not so easily cast aside.

My Thoughts: If you have seen my reviews, you know I'm a fan of the Pact Arcanum, and of Ahsanuddin's wonderful writing style. The plot in this one is just a wonderfully smooth, beautifully detailed, and engaging as in each of the previous books. It is obvious that the author has put a lot of work into getting this book "just right". I was one of the fortunate ones who was able to see this one develop from an outline to a finished product as a beta reader and editor at an intermediate level (there were some before me and some after me, so I was not the only one to put a red pen to this book), and that was a great experience. If you still haven't experienced the Pact Arcanum, I highly recommend you do so, now that there are four books and a few short stories and novellas out there to feast on - because trust me, once you get started, you'll want to immerse yourself into these books. This is not "Twilight for gay men," but a rich story that is developed perfectly and will appeal to a wide range of readers - fans of vampires, space opera, near-future sci fi, magical reality, and so forth. As always, I highly recommend the Pact Arcanum and hope that you will take the opportunity that a new book in the series gives you to join in the fun.

I really love what Arshad has done with this proposed new edition - the extras put in since the originally developed story add to the richness. I spent a lot of time during the last 20 percent of the book crying, but it was a good thing - bittersweet tears, some out of sorrow, some out of joy. I've mentioned in previous reviews that these characters have become real to me - I would love to know these people. I think it is a real sign of talent for an author to create that kind of devotion in a reader, and I can't praise these books highly enough. If you have not yet experienced the Pact Arcanum, after all my raving about them, what's keeping you? Go, read them!



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Review: Then and Now: The Harmony of the Instantaneous All

Then and Now: The Harmony of the Instantaneous All by Randy Attwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Note: I originally read this 10/6/11. Re-reading as a polishing edit in preparation for the author to provide this as a POD paperback.

Reading Level: Adult

Disclaimer: I originally read this from an ebook provided by the author, who asked me to give him some ideas as to genre and provide an honest review.

Synopsis: Stan Nelson, in his forties, is mired in nostalgia for the 1960s and the woman he lost then. He figures his only way out is to write about why he is so frozen. He creates in words the times and characters of then. He locates those characters in the now so they can comment on the veracity of his words about then. Except for the Chinese woman who first introduced him to the Tao. And it turns out understanding the Tao of building a tea hut in the now just may be his release from the then.

My thoughts: Randy asked me to read Then & Now and give him some ideas of the genre. Like all of Randy’s wonderful stories, this one is hard to quantify. It tells the story of Stan Nelson and his time at KU in Lawrence, KS during the events of winter and spring 1969 – 1970, including the riots sparked off when a police officer shot a young, black man. Stan was a sort of hub – center of a group of people who were all involved in the scene in different ways. While there are a number of romance elements in the story, I think it is even more a coming-of-age story – showing how the events and repercussions of the events changed Stan’s life and how he dealt with those changes. Edit: I feel it only fair to warn people that this is written from the point-of-view of the times, and as a result there might be triggers for those sensitive to racist and sexist language. These things are used to create a sense of reality and timeframe and while probably shocking, I think the usages are justified. End edit

Anyone interested in aspects of the 60s’ culture and events, and/or interested in how people relate to each other and learn about themselves should find something to love in this story. I was engrossed in it throughout and read it straight through, stopping only when absolutely necessary, and then for as short a time as possible. Like all of Randy’s works, I can highly recommend this book to just about anyone.



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Tell Me Something Tuesday

Welcome to Tell Me Something Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by Cambria Hebert. If you decide to join in, be sure to go by her post and link up with Mr. Linky! In her own words:
Welcome to my weekly meme Tell Me Something Tuesday where I ask you something and you tell me the answer!! It’s as simple as that and I thought it would be a great way for all of us bloggers to get to know one another! So this is how it works: I post a question here on my blog and then i give my answer. I invite all the bloggers to take the question and post it on their blog with their answer and we can hop around and see what everyone says! If you are a blogger don’t forget to leave your link at the bottom of this post! If you aren’t a blogger – that’s okay too!! Leave your answer in the comments section!


Tell Me Something:

In honor of fall and my favorite month (October) tell me what you love best about Halloween and fall. Feel Free to post pictures! Do you plan to dress up for halloween? If so, what would you be? If not when was the last time you dressed up and where were you?

My answer: When I lived up North, Autumn was my favorite time of year. I loved the crunchy dead leaves, the wonderful scent of dead leaves and burning leaves and the crisp nip of the chill air on my skin.

Of course, down here in the South, the Autumn doesn't properly start until it's practically winter, so it's just not the same. But I love Samhain - it's my favorite Holy Day - and I love the Halloween season. I used to go out on November 1 and find little witches on clearance and bring them home. I realized the other day that I haven't done that in years. I usually don't dress up, but a few years ago I got a wild hair and dressed up ... well, see for yourself:

Now THAT was freakin' scary! No one actually came by, but I did scare the little girl next door when I went out to get the mail that night...

Hold on, let's put something a little nicer on here - how about my husband? He's a handsome bloke. This is one of his favorite costumes

Much better!

Here's Cambria again!
NOTE: this is the LAST Tell me Something Tuesday until November. I will be back with a new banner and all new questions. If you have some you would like me to ask email me via the contact form on this website. Don’t worry I have many posts planned for this blog in Oct so I will still be around so I look forward to seeing you all in Oct!!!!

There is no question to grab but I will post the first Question for November on this blog the last week of Oct to make it easy for everyone.

Review: Moonlight

Moonlight by Arshad Ahsanuddin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Note: I originally read this book in 1st edition 8/13-14, 2011. This re-read is of the proposed 3rd edition of the paperback.

Disclosure: I received a free eBook copy of the first edition of this book in exchange for an honest review. The book has been revised and re-released in a new edition with some content changes, but the essential plot remains the same. the book I just finished re-read is the proposed 3rd addition, with additional changes.

My Synopsis: When an attack on Toby and Andrea Daniels (the President’s daughter) results in the death of Toby’s AI, the AI’s internal government – The Nexus – unveils itself to the Armistice, and humanity, demanding retribution. The resulting backlash by humanity causes the development of an organization called Organic Underground, devoted to the destruction of The Nexus and establishment of the AIs as being under the control of organics. Toby agrees to serve as liaison between The Nexus and the Armistice, leaving him in great danger as OU attempts repeatedly to assassinate him. How do they keep finding him? Who is the traitor in their midst?

Additionally, in this book, we see the relationship between Toby and Layla growing, and a surprising result of their union. Nick and the group of people we spend most of our time with in the first two books are more in the background in this one, as the Armistice moves into its second generation of mortals.

My Thoughts after the first reading: After an intense three days reading these books, I’m left rather adrift – these are so well-crafted that one is completely inside the world while reading them, and there is a resounding silence in my ears now that they are done. I don’t know how it is I am going to wait until the next book in the series comes out – it is due sometime in 2012. Edit: Starlight: Book 4 in the Pact Arcanum by Arshad Ahsanuddin, as well as two novellas, is currently available.End edit That should not stop you from buying the first three books in the series and immersing yourself in this world – it will just make it all the more enjoyable when you reintegrate yourself with the next installment. That should encourage you to grab the full set now available and hope for another installment soon!

My thoughts after the second reading: I am still amazed by this series and the worlds that Arshad Ahsanuddin has created in them. I'm so glad I decided to go through and re-read this books, and this time I get to go straight into Starlight. I am also very excited to hear that Mr. Ahsanuddin is now working on the prequel, where we will learn more about Luscian and the rise of both the Nightwalkers and the Sentinels. Still highly recommended I am Katy Sozaeva, and I approve this message ...



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Giveaway #14: The Leah Ryan Mysteries by Tracy Sharp, complete set

This week I have an awesome treat for fans of mysteries featuring wonderfully sassy heroines - I'm giving away two ebook sets of the Leah Ryan mystery series - all three books, in ebook format of your choice, to two lucky winners! This series includes: Repo Chick Blues, Finding Chloe, and Dirty Business. I read and reviewed these books last September, from the 28th through the 29th, and my reviews can be found here (book 1), here (book 2), and here (book 3).

Like usual, leave me a comment with your email address (and preferred format: Nook or Kindle - I also have PDFs of the first two books, but not the 3rd), and next Monday, I'll draw two lucky winners who will receive the entire set!



Also, just to let you know (and to build anticipation), I will be giving away Tracy Sharp's new young-adult urban fantasy, Spooked, for Samhain, so be looking for that giveaway at the end of October! I'll be doing my best to read and review it prior to the giveaway.

Good luck, everyone!

PSSSST: By the way, Tracy Sharp has another book out there, originally published under a pen name, that I read about the same time as those others last year. It's a wonderful little ghost story, featuring lesbians, and if that sounds like the sort of thing you might like, please check out this book: Camilla(that link goes to the Smashwords page, so you can buy it - believe me, you want to). My review can be found here.

J. Taylor Publishing Presents: Cover Reveal "Resonance" by J.A. Belfield

Resonance
A Holloway Pack Story #2.5
by J.A. Belfield
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Target Reader: Adult
Keywords: Urban Fantasy, Werewolf

Back of the Book

Guilt is a heavy burden for the one carrying it.

Jem Stonehouse is no exception to this rule.

What if she’d acted sooner? What if she’d fully recognised the threat? What if she hadn’t allowed the male pack members to head into the witches’ ambush?

For one, youngest pack member Josh Larsen wouldn’t be trapped in the sleep of the dead.

Now, Jem is convinced it’s her job to bring him back to life no matter what it takes— learning more about her heritage, risking pack exposure, or travelling to places she couldn’t have imagined possible.

Even if the journey endangers her soul.

URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/27

Other Books in this series include:
Instinct (#0)
Eternal (#.5)
Darkness & Light (#1)
Blue Moon (#2) (Coming December 3, 2012)

James Hutchings Presents: "The Case of the Syphilitic Sister" on JukePop Serials

With an innocent girl dead, America's finest superheroic detectives must find and destroy a sinister cult!

Read the first chapter (with more to come) here!

Hutchings is a new writer on the scene, whose works The New Death and Others and Two-Fisted Tweets have both been read and enjoyed by yours truly. The review for The New Death... can be found here and the review for ...Tweets here.

Definitely check out this serial story, which Hutchings describes as "a detective/superhero story set in a two-fisted version of the 1930s." I know I will - this sounds like just the sort of thing I love!

My obsession: The Cruxshadows

My husband has been listening to The Cruxshadows for a bit longer than I have, but they captured my imagination with the song "Sophia".  This song was so incredible, that I've been known to listen to it over and over again, just to hear the amazing and uplifting lyrics.

The lyrics inspire me to be a better person, to stand up for the little person, and to let no one suffer if I can help.  I then listened to more of their music, and I was hooked - they obsess me.  I hope they will obsess you, too...

The lyrics of "Sophia) (courtesy of Lyricstime) (and video is 2nd below):
Spoken: (the human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty)

When life is left behind this isolation
Cruelty and hatred have become
The cause of those whose eyes are full of wanting
The truth will still abandon none

So you must carry this light into the darkness
You shall be a star unto the night
You will find hope alive among the hopeless
That is your purpose to this life

The lips draw words and hands find actions
Still there is more within one heart
Into the silence will you answer
Before the chaos will you come

Do not injustice to another
Defend the weak and innocent
Let truth and honor always guide you
Let courage find the light within

Stand up when no one else is willing
Act not in hatred or in spite
Be to this world as a perfect knight
Even if it means your life

Here i am
Alive among the injured and the dead
Here i am
Thy will be done
Santa sophia (here i am)
Pieces borne to your victory
Athena sophia (here i am)
Thy will be done (how can i hope to live)
What i cannot dream

You cannot map the ways of divinity
This much is known only unto god

And through these doubts and through your confusion
Know that you are chosen to this fight
Look to find a soul filled with compassion
Look to see a living source of light

Do not injustice to another
Defend the weak and innocent
Let truth and honor always guide you
Let courage find the light within

Stand up when no one else is willing
Act not in hatred or in spite
Be to this world as a perfect knight
Even if it means your life

Here i am
Alive among the injured and the dead
Here i am
Thy will be done
Santa sophia (here i am)
Pieces borne to your victory
Athena sophia (here i am)
Thy will be done (how can i hope to be)
What i can't believe

Spoken: (the human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty. if you wish to find that which becomes the dividing line between mankind and other biological classifications, it rests not in brain size, dominance, or even emotional capability, but lies in the unique capacity for human beings to reflect on their actions and show regret, what is most certainly the ability to empathize, that gives them their position. all animals understand love and affection, but only man shows the propensity to place himself into the shoes of another lifeform. losing this capability, among individuals of this species, reduces them below their much heralded position, and readies the climate for the likely fall of man, the fall from grace)

Do not injustice to another
Defend the weak and innocent
Let truth and honor always guide you
Let courage find the light within

Stand up when no one else is willing
Act not in hatred or in spite
Be to this world as a perfect knight
Even if it means your life

Here i am
Alive among the injured and the dead
Here i am
Thy will be done
Santa sophia (here i am)
Pieces borne to your victory
Athena sophia (here i am)
Thy will be done (how can i hope to find)
What i cannot see

Here i am
Alive among the injured and the dead
Here i am
Thy will be done
Santa sophia (here i am)
Pieces borne to your victory
Athena sophia (here i am)
Thy will be done (how can i hope to be)
What's inside of me.

A few videos:

Happy birthday, Frodo and Bilbo Baggins!

The world is a brighter place with your presence!

Review: Sunrise

Sunrise by Arshad Ahsanuddin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Please note: I originally read and reviewed this book in August of 2011. I have since become a beta-reader for Arshad Ahsanuddin and the book I just re-read is the prospective 3rd edition for the paperback edition. Minimal changes to the review are designed to bring this into line with my current reviewing standards.

Disclosure: The original review was done on an ebook edition (1st edition) that I received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Sunrise, the action-packed second book in the groundbreaking vampire saga by Arshad Ahsanuddin, again amps up the bloodlust, desire, supernatural powers, and conflicting passions that converge—and clash—in this world torn by warring factions of Nightwalkers, Daywalkers, Sentinels, and Humans. This inventive foray into the homoerotic world of humans and vampires is certain to stir the senses of those enthralled by the genre. This prequel to Sunset charts the rise of the Armistice, as Takeshi, Anaba, and Rory realize their supernatural destinies and embark upon a fantastical foray into a netherworld where vampires and vampire hunters war by night.

It is the year 2015 in San Francisco, and three musicians of the band Nightfall are out celebrating the long-awaited triumph of their debut album. Their fates are forever changed when a sudden attack in a deserted alley propels them into a millennia-old battle that tries their allegiances and changes the very nature of their beings. After the attack, Takeshi, Anaba, and Rory are thrust unwillingly into a nightmarish world of metahuman predators as each has been chosen to play a pivotal role in this supernatural skirmish for global dominance. Takeshi is born to be the Wind of Earth, leader of the Sentinels, mystical soldiers in an endless war of extermination against the Nightwalkers who prey upon humanity. Anaba is transformed into the Wind of Fire, the strongest spellcaster of her generation. Rory wields the unparalleled psychic power of the Wind of Air, and who should have been their strongest ally, is taken by their enemies and forged into a weapon to bring them down. Can the three put aside their differences to defeat the bloodthirsty evil they face, or will their fledgling alliance be destroyed by the dark forces that have aligned against them? All the while, hidden longings and crises of conscience come together in a vampire tale of intrigue and romance certain to get your blood pumping and your heart racing.

My thoughts: This second book in the Pact Arcanum is a prequel to Sunset, providing us a more in-depth look at many of the events that led to the events in that novel. We see the origination of the Armistice, the early days of Nick’s career, his budding friendships and relationships that exist later in his life, his descent in the darkness of addiction and his friends’ attempts to help him rise back up again. We also get a bit more of a look at some of the players in the Court of Shadows, the Nightwalkers. The addition of the information from the novella Radiant Burn adds the background information that was formerly missing, and provides much additional action that I found particularly compelling.

The Pact Arcanum is becoming a friend – the world and character-building that Arshad has put into this story is so amazing, I can’t even explain properly. You have to read it – it is so many things, so much more than a gay sci-fi vampire story. I won’t repeat the gushing from my review of Sunset - I can hope that you have read that review as well (and if not, you can find it here if you are viewing this where links will show) – but will say that this book is a worthy continuation of the series, and that it also comes with my highest recommendation.



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Review: Doing Max Vinyl

Doing Max Vinyl by Frederick Lee Brooke

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Mystery/Thriller Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: Those who like to watch and see rather than to feel and be.

Disclosure: I picked up a free copy from Smashwords last year. While I’m under no obligation, I am happy to provide an honest review.

Synopsis: Max Vinyl rose from meager circumstances to run a highly profitable computer recycling company along the shores of Lake Michigan. But when his girlfriend discovers his dirty little secret, she sets off a series of increasingly insane events that escalate to include an Iraqi War vet in search of a new calling, thugs in search of a payday, and one explosive aquatic escape.

Some people believe the water beneath the waves of Lake Michigan is crystal clear down to the bottom. This couldn’t be further from the truth—at least not since Max Vinyl entered the computer recycling racket. Since then, the lake has become his own personal profit center. But when Tris, his environmentalist girlfriend and receptionist, finds out his dirty secret, all hell breaks loose at work and at home as he discovers Tris’ extremely combustible—and creative—violent side. Iraq War veteran Annie Ogden has struggled for three depression-filled months in a forest preserve cabin since returning from the Middle East. When two of Max Vinyl's thugs threaten her sister, Annie gets dragged into his corrupt world, giving her life purpose. And for Max, that’s a big problem. Will Max Vinyl hold up under the coordinated attacks of two angry women? And will Annie find the inner peace that has escaped her so far? As things spin out of control it’s all Max can do to stay one step ahead—until his life hangs precariously in the balance!

An absurd journey into the heart of modern corporate lunacy, Brooke’s first installment of the Annie Ogden mysteries, loaded with strong women and fallible heroes, full of hysterics and wholehearted chicanery, is as funny and addictive as it is uproarious and entertaining. Doing Max Vinyl is an incisive examination of greed and disconnection.

My Thoughts: I told the author, when he contacted me to ask if I’d review this book once I read it, that I would try to get that done in August. Well … that didn’t happen, due to a large backlog of Netgalley and Vine books that I had to get done, and a heavy editing schedule on top of my health problems. So, my apologies, but I’m finally getting to it!

So, to get the technicalities out of the way. The story is well written and well edited. The plot flows smoothly, the characters all have individual voices, the description is just enough to help you visual the people and places, but not so much as to suppress your imagination. Technically it’s wonderfully well done – so I was very puzzled that I had such a hard time getting into it.

After considerable thought on the matter, I’ve decided it’s the point-of-view. It’s a limited-omniscient, third-person point-of-view in which we hardly ever get into the thoughts of the person we’re watching. It’s all very much just on the surface, like watching a television show, without letting the reader get into the mind of the person about whom they are reading. For me that would not necessarily always be a problem, but in this case I think the additional information gained by getting more into the characters’ heads would allow the reader to feel more of a sense of connection to them, and lead the reader to have more interest in what happens to them. As it was, I felt completely disconnected from the characters and, as a result, disconnected from the plot too. Unfortunately, I just could not finish. However, I think a lot of readers would enjoy this story just fine, so don’t let this discourage you from checking it out.



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Review: Sunset

Sunset by Arshad Ahsanuddin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Please note: I originally read and reviewed this book in August, 2011. Since my original reading of the trilogy, I have become a beta reader for Arshad Ahsanuddin, and my re-read was of the third edition upcoming of the paperback.

Disclaimer: My original review was done after having received a free copy of the first edition of the ebook in exchange for an honest review. This review is only slightly altered to fit in my current standard of reviewing.

Synopsis: Bloodlust, desire, supernatural powers, and conflicting passions ignite on every page of Sunset, the groundbreaking vampire drama by Arshad Ahsanuddin. With millennia-old magic, and ever-shifting allegiances, this inventive new series unveils a scintillating, homoerotic world of Nightwalkers, Daywalkers, Sentinels, and Humans who battle for dominance in the not-too-distant future. In Sunset, the action starts in Los Angeles in the year 2040. The terrorist Medusa and her followers lay siege to a star-studded celebrity awards ceremony, complete with a nuclear bomb. One individual, the vampire Nicholas Jameson, must come forth in all his supernatural might to thwart the imminent mass destruction. As Nick takes on the terrorists, the fragile peace between the races hangs perilously in the balance as the supernatural peoples are exposed. It is up to Nick to uphold the Armistice formed by these tenuous factions. As conflict escalates for the imperiled Armistice, Nick must undertake whatever means necessary to secure peace for his family, friends, and the world as he knows it. Can Nick overtake the dark forces and guide the humans and metahumans into coexistence? As clashes rage and desires smolder, Sunset offers a gripping tale of fantastical political intrigue that is certain to pique the passions of vampire fans and hot-blooded romance devotees alike.

My Thoughts: If I could, I would give this 10 out of 5 stars – this is one of the most amazing things I’ve read in … a long time. I was initially intrigued by Arshad’s description in our forum that it was a “gay vampire” story – but it is SO much more than that. It is a romance of unbelievable beauty; it is an adventure, full of thrills, excitement and terror; it is a science fiction story, part space opera, and has elements of self-sacrifice for the greater good; it is about vampires, and magic-users and humans and how difficult it is for everyone to try to live together – but how wonderful it is when they do. It is about redemption, hope, love and growth. It is … AMAZING. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

The basic plot revolves around Nick Jameson, who is known as a Daywalker, or a vampire who has been redeemed and received back his soul. He is instrumental in stopping a plot that would have destroyed the greater Los Angeles area with a nuclear bomb; as a result, the metahumans are exposed to humans, and Nick is then appointed as the Ambassador to Humanity. We are introduced to the various races – the Nightwalkers, who are the vampires; the Daywalkers (already described) and the Sentinels, who are magic-users genetically programmed to hunt and kill the vampires. In North America, an unprecedented situation has been created where a truce has been put into effect – the Armistice. Opposed to the Armistice are the unaffiliated Sentinels and the Court of the Nightwalkers.

I can’t go into the plot much, because I don’t want to spoil things - I will say that I laughed many times; I cried several times, too, and that is very unusual for me. I felt like these characters had become my own friends, confidantes and enemies – Arshad is masterful at descriptions and characterizations, and you will come out of this book truly feeling like you just returned from another world.

This book is followed by Sunrise and Moonlight, which were the original trilogy. Later was Starlight as well as a number of novellas, which are being incorporated into the 3rd edition paperbacks. I absolutely love this series of books, and it is only lack of time that stops me re-reading them over and over.



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Tell Me Something Tuesday (on Wednesday)

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Cambria Hebert. If you decide to play along, be sure to go to this week's main page and link up with Mr. Linky. In Cambria's words:
Welcome to my weekly meme Tell Me Something Tuesday where I ask you something and you tell me the answer!! It’s as simple as that and I thought it would be a great way for all of us bloggers to get to know one another! So this is how it works: I post a question here on my blog and then i give my answer. I invite all the bloggers to take the question and post it on their blog with their answer and we can hop around and see what everyone says! If you are a blogger don’t forget to leave your link at the bottom of this post! If you aren’t a blogger – that’s okay too!! Leave your answer in the comments section!

Tell Me Something:

Do you like to read stand alone novels – why or why not? What is the last stand alone novel that you read?

My Answer:
Yes, I do enjoy reading stand-alone novels! They seem to be few and far between lately, since the modern modus operandi seems to be toward series, but there is a certain satisfaction to getting the entire story in a single chomp. My most recent stand-alone novel (at least as far as I'm aware it's stand-alone) was The Hallowed Ones, which I read just a couple weeks ago (click on the link on the name to see that review).

That is not to say that I don't like a series - when I really enjoy a character or world, I want to spend as much time as possible with them, so extremely long-running series, like the Saga of Recluce or the Lucas Davenport series, really appeal to me. Of course, there is always the danger - like in many of Piers Anthony's series - that the ongoing series will degenerate into repetition and silliness, so it is important to be aware of that situation (note: Piers Anthony's stand-alone novels, such as Firefly and Shade of the Tree, are brilliant).

So, basically, if the book is good, I love it. If a stand-lone book is good, I love it. If a series is good, I love it. What's not to love? I am an obsessive bibliophile, after all!

Just a note: when this post from Cambria showed up in my inbox today, I got very confused, thinking I'd lost track of time again. Despite everything, today is Wednesday, so it's TMST in name only. Don't worry - you didn't get lost in time!

Before you go: grab next week’s question: (the FINAL question until Novemeber – TMST will be on haitus in October)

In honor of fall and my favorite month (October) tell me what you love best about fall and halloween. Feel free to post pictures! And do you plan to dress up for halloween? If so, what will you be? If not, when was the last time you dressed up and what were you? (Pictures!!! lol)

Why this week will also be quiet here on Now is Gone

As most of you know, I'm normally quite firm on my "no editing on weekends" rule, because I have so much reading and reviewing to do, but I heard from one of my authors today that she's just received her book back from the proofreader and has scheduled it for formatting next week, and needs me to do a second pass... this weekend.

So, I fully expect to finish the manuscript I'm editing tonight and had planned to do Randy Attwood's Then and Now: the Harmony of the Instantaneous All during the rest of the week, in preparation for offering it as POD (Print on Demand). (Awesome book, by the way - you can read my review, written about a year ago, here if you are curious.) Well, due to my myriad health issues, I simply cannot work two weeks' solid, which is what it would end up being if I did all of this, so unfortunately Randy's book will be somewhat delayed so I can take a couple days off before working on this other book this weekend, which I'm only doing because it is so urgent and I know I need to look at it again.

However, I started re-reading Sunset, the first book in the Pact Arcanum (wonderful books, sort of a sci-fi/Urban Fantasy mix; review of this first one here and the rest can be found everywhere I could find to post them at the time), Sunday night when I went to the ER, expecting the sort of wait time I normally get in those places, but this 3rd edition is very expanded and I'm only at 31 percent. So, I'll be trying to finish that book tomorrow, and then will have only a couple days to read before hitting the grindstone for probably six or seven days straight.

This is problematic, because I have a crapton (metric, not Roman) of books to get read before Samhain, but I need the money I get from editing to make sure all the bills stay paid. So, anyone expecting reviews, I'm doing my best, but things ... are.... slowing..... down. Sorry.

We'll hope to get back on-track with the reviews soon.  Meanwhile, if you want to relieve my stress, Paypal donations are happily accep-- ACK!! *gets dragged offstage by cane hooked around neck*

*runs back onstage* Seriously, I do apologize about the continuing slow-down on my reviews. I've just had a huge glut of editing lately, between new manuscripts and second passes. I'm hoping to get one free week in October to try to catch up a little bit.

You guys are all the greatest! Thanks for your continuing support.

Guardian.co.uk - Waterstones bookseller found trolling self-published author

Just another example of how NOT to behave as a professional.  What is wrong with people?

Guardian.co.uk - Waterstones bookseller found trolling self-published author

Bloodsucking parasites...

So, I was really hungry and had already eaten the last orange and didn't feel like fighting over a piece of cheese with my cats, so I used some of my editing fees to order a Gyro Wrap (tm) sandwich delivered.

 While I was waiting, I noticed a mosquito landed on my hand and decided that, since she was a mother and all, I'd just let her feed. It was quite fascinating, really. I saw her go from this -->

To this v





At which point I gently blew on her to get her to fly away - at that point she was just being greedy and probably would have ended up like that down there if I hadn't shooed her away.

This does not mean I'm going to go soft on fleas, however; I see one of those things and manage to catch it, it's getting itself squished.

Happy Monday!  And watch out for those bloodsucking parasites, no matter what type they are!

Winners of Giveaway Lucky #13!

Okay, here's the deal... I had set the giveaway to six copies, but only had 10 entrants, so what I'm going to do is give a copy of iFeel to each of the 10 people who entered my latest giveaway! You're ALL WINNERS!!!

Thanks to Kitty at Great Minds Think Aloud for providing me a copy of this great book and letting me run wild giving it to my friends.

Watch this spot, I have some great giveaways coming up, but I will not be starting the next one until this next Monday, to give myself some breathing room.

E.J. Stevens Presents: Cover Reveal for "Brush with Death"E

E.J. Stevens, author of The Spirit Guide series and the Ivy Granger Psychic Detective series, would like to present the cover for the fourth book in her Spirit Guide series, Brush with Death. Isn't that a gorgeous cover?

Brush with Death (Spirit Guide #4):

Samhain was scary, but graduation is downright terrifying.

Yuki and Emma's recent brush with death has unexpected consequences.

Until last winter Yuki could only smell the dead, but the touch of death's embrace has awakened latent powers. With the help of her friends, Yuki must face her new abilities. Will her psychic powers become the curse they all have feared? Curse or gift, Yuki's new vision begins leading her down an unknown path, but is it a road that only she can follow?

Emma's close encounter of the death kind has her questioning her future as well. Until now she had it all; brains, beauty, conviction, fabulous friends, and a scholarship to Tufts Veterinary School. She knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. Emma had a plan for everything, but she never bargained for her own traitorous emotions. When graduation comes, will Emma follow her dreams...or follow her heart?

I'm so excited - I've been wanting to read this series ever since I heard about it, and Ms. Stevens has kindly provided me with the first three books, and will be sending me an ARC of the fourth book soon. I'm very much looking forward to reading these books - if I don't get to it by Samhain, I'll definitely be getting to it by Yule, so watch for my reviews. You can also see my review for the first book in the Ivy Granger series, Shadow Sight, by following this link.

You can follow E.J. Stevens at her blog From the Shadows.

Review: Miami Spy Games

Miami Spy Games by Armand Rosamilia

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Spy/Techno-thriller Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: Fans of dark urban fantasy, spy thrillers, zombies, techno-thrillers

Disclosure: I received this Amazon eBook as a gift from Vincent Hobbes of Hobbes End Publishing (the publisher) in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Miami, 2012. A new gun has made its way from a Russian science lab to the streets of Miami—a gun that destroys the executive functioning power of the brain, turning people into zombie-like beings. 

The Miami Asymmetrical Clandestine Elite Service (ACES) team must intercept these weapons before they arrive at their intended destination. 

Follow the Miami ACES team in their thrilling adventures in this new series.

My Thoughts: Inspired by actual events. That mention, at the beginning of the book, and the snippets of newspaper headlines, chilled my blood. Then I fell into this amazing story and barely breathed until I finished it.

Rosamilla and Waters have a real gift for description, characterization, and exciting plot flow. This is a short story, but I still got a firm grasp on the world, the characters and the plot in the short time given. I especially like the interactions between Kostas, Mike and Jennifer, along with whom I was frequently rolling my eyes at Kostas’ antics. I really liked Mike, too, and couldn’t help but sort of like Ozzie/Oliver as well, despite what a tool he was.

This novella is superbly edited, so kudos to Hobbes End for that. I am definitely immediately adding the rest of this series (as currently available) to my wishlist and watching for future episodes. I should point out that these stories are being written by various people, and the next story in the series is San Diego Spy Games: 1967 – The Saga Begins by AK Waters and Nathan Palmer.

I have a few other books by this Rosamilla in my wishlist; he’s one I’ve been interested in for awhile, and if this is any example of his writing, I’m doubly interested in them. I’ll be sure to let you know when I get a few more, and will review them no matter how I acquire them.

I highly recommend this book if it sounds like the sort of thing you would like. I enjoyed it immensely, and thanks to Mr. Hobbes for gifting me this copy so I could read it. I’m totally hooked on the Spy Games!



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Review: Dutiful Daughter

Dutiful Daughter by Christopher Kellen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Science Fiction/Space Opera Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: Fans of science-fiction and space opera.

Disclosure: I picked up a copy of this book free first on Smashwords and then later on Amazon (because I forgot I had it); I am under no particular obligation, but am happy to provide an honest review.

Synopsis: During routine wargame maneuvers, the V.S.S. Renaissance encounters strange FTL signatures approaching their home world on an attack vector. Join Captain Trace Atherton as she fights the battle that could cost her crew, her career, and maybe even her life...

For fans of military science-fiction authors like David Weber, Fred Saberhagen and David Drake, Dutiful Daughter is a short story set among the Syndicate Worlds, where glorified crime bosses own entire planets and fight each other for fun and profit.

My Thoughts: This is a very short story, which is both good and bad. Good, because it was a quick read when I wanted to get one more review done this weekend, and bad because space opera requires a vast, sweeping canvas on which to apply its overall brush strokes.

That said: holy crap, when is Kellen going to write the books for this story? This is fodder for a terrific series of space operas and/or military science-fiction and I want to read them now! If you’re a fan of the genre, and especially if you enjoy David Weber’s Honor Harrington series, you will not want to miss this wonderful short story.



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Review: Widow's Might

Widow's Might by Sandra Brannan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Suspense Thriller Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: Fans of mysteries, suspense, thrillers

Disclosure: I received a free ebook ARC from JKS Communications (the author’s publicist) in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: The third Liv Bergen mystery picks up right where the second one left off: the murder of Liv’s future sister-in-law has been solved, but an older rancher has been bludgeoned to death in a style eerily reminiscent of a long-inactive killer known only as the Crooked Man. FBI agent Streeter Pierce, still on assignment in Sturgis, South Dakota, must now turn his sights on tracking down the killer—his nemesis from ten years earlier. Pierce doesn’t complain, though; he’s falling in love with Liv and sets in motion an unconventional plan to recruit her for the FBI’s training camp in Quantico as they work the case together. But is Liv falling for the brilliant, exotic agent Jack Linwood instead?

Once again, Liv’s vast knowledge of the Black Hills of South Dakota—territory made famous by the gold rush that followed General George Custer’s expedition—and the novel folk who live there leads her to unearth critical clues about the Crooked Man. But are facts enough to safeguard Liv’s sister Elizabeth and her friend, an elderly woman battling cancer who was attacked just days after her husband was murdered? Will the frail yet feisty widow recover her strength in time to help Liv thwart the Crooked Man’s murderous plans and fatal blows?

My Thoughts: I read the first two books in this series – In the Belly of Jonah and Lot’s Return to Sodom – last November (2011). From the looks of my reviews (which you can see by following the previous links), I quite enjoyed the books, but due to the 400 or so books I’ve read in the interim (between actual reviews and edits), I’ve quite forgotten what they were about. Sadly, I simply did not have time to re-read them before starting this one, so I’ll have to hope I didn’t miss anything important.

I am always amused to read books set in a place where I have been. In the case of the Black Hills of SD, it is an area to which I have been several times, as my family frequently traveled through SD on the way to Missouri and would sometimes sight-see on the way, and a friend of mine used to live in Rapid City and I spent some time there with her as well. This hardly makes me an expert on the area, but I am at least aware a bit of what it is like there.

This was a pretty fun story. It’s full of twists and turns and a very clever serial killer that Streeter has been chasing for over 10 years. Plus lots of interesting historical facts concerning Custer’s expedition to the Black Hills, which resulted in the finding of gold and the breaking of the treaty that allowed the Sioux to remain in their sacred area. This, of course, led to the war with the Native Americans that eventually led to Custer’s Last Stand. It’s obvious that the author did a lot of research and put the information in subtly but consistently, which is quite impressive.

I warn potential readers that they will need to start at the beginning of the series, In the Belly of Jonah, and read the books in order to get the most out of the story, which continues from book to book, requiring the reader to have read the previous book to get the most out of the current story. I have spoken to a few people who tried to start here and were stymied, so... fair warning.

However, that said, this is a series I would highly recommend to folks who enjoy a twisty set of suspense/thrillers with a feisty and unique heroine. Things are rarely as they seem, and that’s just terrific. If you enjoy thrillers, mysteries and suspense, definitely check out the Liv Bergen series by Sandra Brannan. You’ll be glad you did. The next mystery in this series is scheduled for next year. I can’t remember the exact title at the moment, but it’s something to do with Noah, so be sure to watch for it.



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