Harlow Morgan Takes Flight! In this new middle grade sci-fi series, Lyndsey Lewellen takes her action-adventure style of storytelling into the world ofHarlow Morgan Takes Flight! In this new middle grade sci-fi series, Lyndsey Lewellen takes her action-adventure style of storytelling into the world of steampunk fiction. In a world where one girl finds her talents and jump-first, ask questions later tendencies lead her, her sister, and their friends head-first into danger. The team is forced to learn how to fight a dark evil with the light of truth and friendship. The story is full of flying steam-powered ships, a floating city in the air, and swashbuckling sword fights. As always, Ms. Lewellen’s story is full of twists and turns you won’t see coming.
Kids wanting to read a book that takes them into a fantastic fantasy world and keep turning the pages will enjoy this 1st book in the Harlow Morgan series by the award-winning author of Christian Sci-fi books. I can’t wait for the 2nd book to find out what’s next for Harlow and her friends. ...more
In Lyndsey Lewellen’s first YA dystopian sci-fi book, The Chaos Grid, she took us through a Mad Max type ride through 2224 TexaFasten Your Seat Belts!
In Lyndsey Lewellen’s first YA dystopian sci-fi book, The Chaos Grid, she took us through a Mad Max type ride through 2224 Texas, complete with weather fluxes and strange monster-like creatures. In the second book of this duology, THE CRIER STONE, her main character Juna must face her worst fears in the domed cities of the Plex.
If you love page-turning, non-stop action, and a cast of characters who will have you rooting for them every step of the way, you’re going to love this book and all its Blade Runner vibes. Be warned, the rollercoaster ride to the climax of this book will have you holding onto your seat and catching your breath.
Can’t wait for more books by Ms. Lewellen.
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The debut novel of Allie Bruton's Lost Daughters of Atlantis series, RIPTIDE, is a great summer read for any age YA or even non-YA paranormal romance The debut novel of Allie Bruton's Lost Daughters of Atlantis series, RIPTIDE, is a great summer read for any age YA or even non-YA paranormal romance lover! Ms. Burton takes us quickly into the life of Pearl, a sixteen year old who has suffered years of misuse and abuse by her adoptive parents. Pearl has unusual abilities when it comes to being in deep water and has always been treated as a "freak". When she saves a little boy from drowning in an amusement park pool, she puts her future in jeopardy. She also meets Chase, a boy who wants her to put her trust in him. Despite her growing attraction for the boy who looks at her like she's "special special" and not a freak, Pearl isn't sure she can trust him.
Ms. Burton has woven a story of young love, betrayal, self-discovery and intrigue among the legend of the lost world of Atlantis. Your heart will connect with Pearl and her journey to find independence, self worth and someone who will see her more than a tool. You'll be turning the pages to discover more of Pearl's past and what may become her future.
Merged review:
The debut novel of Allie Bruton's Lost Daughters of Atlantis series, RIPTIDE, is a great summer read for any age YA or even non-YA paranormal romance lover! Ms. Burton takes us quickly into the life of Pearl, a sixteen year old who has suffered years of misuse and abuse by her adoptive parents. Pearl has unusual abilities when it comes to being in deep water and has always been treated as a "freak". When she saves a little boy from drowning in an amusement park pool, she puts her future in jeopardy. She also meets Chase, a boy who wants her to put her trust in him. Despite her growing attraction for the boy who looks at her like she's "special special" and not a freak, Pearl isn't sure she can trust him.
Ms. Burton has woven a story of young love, betrayal, self-discovery and intrigue among the legend of the lost world of Atlantis. Your heart will connect with Pearl and her journey to find independence, self worth and someone who will see her more than a tool. You'll be turning the pages to discover more of Pearl's past and what may become her future....more
Here's the blurb: Dylan Roberts was orphaned as a child… Her parents died on a rural highway in a drunk-driving accident. If only she'd been able to do something that night. Dylan grew up with one all-consuming goal--to save others. Training hard to become a trauma surgeon, only to have her dearest friend die in a jungle, far from medical aid, once again Dylan is left feeling as useless as she did after her parents' death.
Grieving and at loose ends, she visits her two pregnant sisters in their new home of Westen, intent on making sure both safely deliver their babies. The town is about to open its first hospital, complete with a trauma unit, which her sisters and the town council believe Dylan should head.
At a crossroads... Being in Westen has its risks. She finds herself struggling against the attraction she’s long had for her friend, newspaper owner, Sean Callahan. Trouble is, Sean wants more than just a casual fling, but he doesn’t want to pressure Dylan into staying in Westen.
Will tragedy force her hand? When danger from a beloved town member’s past comes to light, lives hang in the balance, will Dylan’s skills make a difference this time? And will she finally understand the true meaning of family?
Here's the blurb: Dylan Roberts was orphaned as a child… Her parents died on a rural highway in a drunk-driving accident. If only she'd been able to do something that night. Dylan grew up with one all-consuming goal--to save others. Training hard to become a trauma surgeon, only to have her dearest friend die in a jungle, far from medical aid, once again Dylan is left feeling as useless as she did after her parents' death.
Grieving and at loose ends, she visits her two pregnant sisters in their new home of Westen, intent on making sure both safely deliver their babies. The town is about to open its first hospital, complete with a trauma unit, which her sisters and the town council believe Dylan should head.
At a crossroads... Being in Westen has its risks. She finds herself struggling against the attraction she’s long had for her friend, newspaper owner, Sean Callahan. Trouble is, Sean wants more than just a casual fling, but he doesn’t want to pressure Dylan into staying in Westen.
Will tragedy force her hand? When danger from a beloved town member’s past comes to light, lives hang in the balance, will Dylan’s skills make a difference this time? And will she finally understand the true meaning of family?...more
This festive holiday season, Noel Fisher, an Army Reserve linguist, is looking for a chance to reconnect with his daughter, Callie. When Callie gets eThis festive holiday season, Noel Fisher, an Army Reserve linguist, is looking for a chance to reconnect with his daughter, Callie. When Callie gets excited about career day at school, where a horse from a local farm will be present, Noel sees a chance to make his daughter's dreams come true.
Montgomery Taylor, a shy equestrian therapist and horse trainer, runs a business from her farm on the outskirts of Westen. When Noel offers to work on her farm's outdated electrical system in exchange for free riding lessons for Callie, the two of them form an unlikely bond.
But when two innocent people are put in jeopardy, it's up to Noel, Monty, and the people of Westen to save them. With danger, romance, and the holiday spirit, Close to Sleigh Bells is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This was one of those action packed, fast-paced books that I couldn't put down. It's a YA dystopian set in Texas 2224. It has monsters, weird weather This was one of those action packed, fast-paced books that I couldn't put down. It's a YA dystopian set in Texas 2224. It has monsters, weird weather storms, dangerous antagonists and one very determined heroine who doesn't want to be a heroine. There's even a subtle undercurrent of romantic tension for die-hard romance readers like me. Even though it's a YA novel, any adult who loves sci-fi, Dune, Mad Max or just a great adventure will want to read this book!
I can't wait to read the next book by this author!...more
CORNERED, book 3 in the Neptune's Five WW2 spy-chaser series is now up for pre-order at these retailers:#preorder #historicalromance #RomanticSuspenseCORNERED, book 3 in the Neptune's Five WW2 spy-chaser series is now up for pre-order at these retailers:#preorder #historicalromance #RomanticSuspense #ww2romance
CORNERED is the third book in the Neptune's Five WWII spy-chaser novels. In this book, our featured hero is Chief Petty Officer, Warren "Chief" Smith, the oldest and most seasoned sailor of the team.
The story is told in two parts because of some historical timeline issues. The first part is in August, 1941. Which makes it sandwiched between SHANGHAIED and TRACKED, the first two novels in the series.
Yeah, that's because my team are the spies in this book and are on a secret reconnaisance mission to French Morocco. America is still neutral and has a pact with the French Vichy government there to deliver supplies of food, goods and oil to them. If I had waited to start this story's timeline for after the end of TRACKED, the team would've been going into an enemy country as our neutrality with the Vichy government ended when we were at war with Germany.
The Neptune Five team is on a mission to learn what they can about the Axis forces in Morocco and how to navigate a particularly difficult river. To achieve this, they need a guide. Enter Elizabeth "Betty" Devereaux, an American missionary nurse who has traveled up the Sebou river many times. Warren isn't happy that he's required to use a woman to help him navigate this river, being attracted the dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty only adds to his irritation. As that irritation turns to admiration, he fears her safety when the team must return to the States, leaving her behind to continue her mission work.
Not a great move for a modern romance novel to seperate the hero and heroine. You're supposed to keep them together. Even strand them in isolation so they have to deal with their emotions and attraction for each other. Mine are now half-a-world apart. This was nearly a hundred years ago, so their communictions were limited. Long-distance calls were for emergencies due to their expense and cell phones were non-existant. The only option back then and for my characters was writing letters.
Then Pearl Harbor happened, trapping the heroine in enemy held territory. But she was still able to get her letters out through the Embassy in Spanish Morocco, which was still neutral. Through these letters Betty and Warren's attraction has turned to love.
Then the letters stop.
That takes us into November, 1942 and the eve of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa. The team is on a seperate and very personal mission to find Betty....more
Blurb: November 1941. America remains politically neutral in the war rocking the rest of the world. In the background, government and military leaders are preparing for the inevitable by shoring up the Army and Navy.
A cryptic message Army codebreaker Ruth Haynes, daughter of a retired colonel, recognizes the code she and her brothers created as children. One brother, a spy for the British, is warning her of a Nazi plot to sabotage the 2nd Armored Division during secret war maneuvers, the same division where his twin is a gunner on a tank. When her attempts to alert both the Army and the State Department of the imminent danger meet deaf ears, she goes to her friend Sophie and the Neptune’s Five team for help.
His mission Known by the locals as ghost, Sean “Scout” Hanahan grew up poor in the mountains of Kentucky silently hunting for prey to feed his family. The youngest member of the spy-chaser team, he functions as both their tracker and sniper. When Neptune assigns him to shadow the little lady codebreaker, he saves her from dangerous men on her trail. As the pair team up to search for the saboteurs, her safety is now his first priority.
Danger draws near As storm clouds of war near the shores of America, can Ruth, Sean and the team uncover the traitor in their own government and stop the spies before lives are lost?
EXCERPT: The footfalls on the cobblestones started a few blocks from the diner. Fighting the urge to run, Ruth forced herself to walk at a steady, measured pace. The last thing she wanted to do was let whoever was following her know she’d caught on to their surveillance.
Up ahead was a store with a glass window and a streetlight nearby. She’d passed it earlier on her way to the diner. It had a lovely display of autumn sweaters. This time she’d stop and look at them. Hopefully, she’d catch a glimpse of the person shadowing her.
As she neared the window display, she mentally inventoried what she had with her that could be used as a weapon. Her father, the Colonel, had given her a small Beretta pistol to carry with her when she left for Washington back in the spring, but she’d left it in her room at the boarding house. Until right this moment, she had never felt like she needed to carry it with her. Her purse was light weight and only had a few coins in it, nothing heavy enough to use to bash someone over the head. So, the slightly pointed heels of her shoes really were the only weapon she had if the person behind her decided to attack.
Finally, she reached the shop with the display window and slowed her steps, turning to look inside, as if she were contemplating the stylish coats on the stands. As she stood there, she listened. The footsteps had stopped. Looking into the window, she studied the reflection behind her.
Come on, move into the light so I can see you, you bastard.
Nothing moved.
Had it been her imagination? Was she suspicious just because she was worried about Billy and Teddy?
Always listen to your instincts, girl. That little voice you hear is God warning you that something isn’t right. The Colonel’s words bolstered her courage. The bus stop two blocks down was lighted and still had people at it this time of the evening. A fool would be crazy to attack her there.
Quickly, she turned and headed that direction, pulling her purse strap over her head to free her hands. She opened her ears for sounds behind her, which was difficult given her pulse thumping loudly with each beat of her heart. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she controlled her pace to not give away her rising panic.
She edged closer to the brick building, so she could press herself into one of the recessed doorways built into the wall if her follower decided on a blitz attack. How she wished she was in the country and wearing boots instead of high heals in the city. She’d know how to maneuver herself in the woods.
Her eyes focused in front of her, she scoped out the terrain. An alley lay ahead. Once she traversed it she’d be on the same block as the bus stop. The only place she’d have to be careful was the step off at the alley. When she’d crossed it the first time going to the diner, she’d noticed how broken the cobblestones were there, almost turning her ankle. She’d have to slow her steps to cross the alley carefully and that would give the person behind her an advantage.
Five more steps to the alley.
The steps behind her kept pace, not closing the gap.
Three more steps.
She clenched her hands into fists, stretched the fingers back out, then tightened them once more with the thumb on the outside, ready to give a punch.
One more step.
Just as she stepped from the sidewalk down to the cobblestones, a hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the side, another hand landing on her mouth that was opened to scream, as she was clenched up against a warm body and dragged into the darkness.
Acting on reflex from years of wrestling with her brothers, she shoved her elbow back into her captor’s ribs. He let out an oof in pain but didn’t release his hold on her. She lifted her right foot and slammed her pointed high heel down into his foot.
“Aw, Geeze,” he said in a deep voice just behind her ear. “Stop hurting me. Sophie sent me.”
The words were like magic, she stopped fighting him and let him pull her back into the dark alley and through a doorway. Once inside, he immediately released her and moved back to the door, peeking out. “There were two of them following you.”
“Two? I only heard one set of footsteps.” She moved closer and squatted down to peek through the crack he’d made with the door, her head just below his. A few seconds later, a man in a suit and long coat came running up to the curb. A car reversed from up the street to stop right beside him.
“Where’d she go?” the man on the sidewalk said.
She couldn’t hear the other man’s reply, but the first man turned to run up the alley.
The man standing beside her closed the door and turned the deadbolt lock without making so much as a click. In the dark he took her elbow, this time very gently and nudged her away from the door.
Footsteps pounded on the cobblestones outside the door. A few moments later the doorknob jiggled.
Ruth held her breath, prepared for whoever was on the other side to come in....more
Here's a short excerpt from DRAINED: Detective Aaron Jeffers’ favorite day of the week was Wednesdays.
Mondays sucked. Not like it did for regular nineHere's a short excerpt from DRAINED: Detective Aaron Jeffers’ favorite day of the week was Wednesdays.
Mondays sucked. Not like it did for regular nine-to-five workers. No, Mondays held a special suckiness when you were a homicide detective. If you worked the weekend, you spent Monday bringing the higher-ups up to date on any case you caught over the weekend, explaining why you haven’t closed it and all the other fun paper-work parts of the job. If you were lucky enough to be off the entire weekend, then your name was first up for whatever tragedy brought on by human greed, jealousy, evil or stupidity resulted in a dead body.
Fridays weren’t any better. While the rest of the working world was busy getting excited about their weekend off—planning family activities, get-togethers, sporting events and parties—the detectives were trying to close up cases and praying that the phone didn’t ring before they could get out of the office if they had the weekend off. And if they had the weekend on call, that was a whole other problem.
Actually, any day could suck when you worked homicide.
Wednesdays held a bright spot for Aaron for a totally different reason.
He looked up as the front door to the restaurant opened and in walked the reason, Brianna Matthews. As the tall, statuesque blonde hurried through the lunch crowd to their usual table almost every male head in the place turned to admire her beauty and the soft sway of her hips. Not that she paid them any attention. In the three years he’d known her, she not only ignored the unwanted attention, she tried hard not to elicit it—jeans, and a turtleneck sweater, that didn’t quite fit her form, but hinted at all the lush curves underneath; the messy pony tail meant to hide it’s natural curls, instead gave the illusion of having just climbed out of bed; the lack of makeup couldn’t quite hide the lovely complexion and small freckles scattered across her cheeks and pert nose.
As she reached the table, he stood and took her hand for a second of hello. No hug, not fake kisses on the sides of the cheek. The brief hand holding was all the touching she’d allow him. It was all she allowed anyone.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” she said after she’d draped her wool coat over the back of her chair and they were seated, scooping the big dark sunglasses off her face and leveling her deep blue eyes at him. The small scars around her left eye were barely visible these days and most people would think them early wrinkles. But he knew the truth of how she’d gotten them. “I’ve had a bit of a bad morning over at the shelter.”
“Something happen?” he asked, fighting the tension in his voice. Right before they’d first met, she’d been kidnapped and tortured in the state-wide sex trafficking scandal. In fact, the night they met, he was the one who carried her out of the ring-leader’s mansion. He knew she’d been seeing a counselor since the incident, and he suspected she had some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder going on. Who wouldn’t? The last thing he wanted to do was trigger her anxiety with his natural tendency to see danger in anything that strayed from the status quo....more
The Alice Network was one of the most compelling books I've read in a long time. Two time periods, two different wars, with two female protagonists thThe Alice Network was one of the most compelling books I've read in a long time. Two time periods, two different wars, with two female protagonists that have more than one connection. Eve Gardner is not a character you will fall in love with immediately, but the the more you read about her life, the more you come to understand her. Charlie St. Clair is looking for her cousin in post WWII France. Not only does she find the truth with the help of Eve and her driver, but she learns a lot about love, friendship and loyalty along the way.
It has it's dark, gruesome, gritty parts, but they made the positive parts sing. I cried, I laughed, I couldn't stop turning the pages....more
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