Monday, September 28, 2015

Live To Air: An Ethan Benson Thriller

From the Publisher: Television, politics, and the Russian mob: Live to Air is a riveting crime thriller, jam-packed with intrigue and unforgettable characters.

Ethan Benson is a charming and principled-if sometimes difficult-television producer in New York City who detests doing crime stories. But that's of no significance to his high-powered boss at the network, and Benson finds himself assigned to investigating a bloody shoot-out in the Meatpacking District, whose old grime and new glitz provide a symbolic background for a sensational murder that has dominated the headlines.

As he pieces together his story, Benson literally covers New York-from Central Park and Fifth Avenue to Little Russia in Brooklyn and Rikers Island in Queens-crossing paths with a fascinating cast of characters on both sides of the law. Unknown to Benson, organized crime may be only one facet of the thrilling investigation. With his wife and son in hiding and his life in danger, Benson draws closer to a resolution that will have explosive results for the criminals-and for some members of New York City's political elite as well.

My Review: You know those books that grab you from the start, and you tell yourself "Just two more pages!" Then, three chapters later....

That's this book!! Little did I know but Jeffrey Diamond's background is actually producing crime shows for major news networks, and he brings in his expertise in this novel. And it shows. There is no point where it lags, or you think "This is irrelevant." Nope. It's a pretty fast-paced book from start to finish.

We meet Ethan Benson, a producer who's passion is NOT anything dealing with crime stories. His boss gives him the job of putting together a TV special about a high-profile murder that involved the deputy mayor's daughter and it will revolve around Pavel Feodor, the guy who was just convicted of first-degree murder. He really has no choice but to take this on. But little does Ethan know what he's really about to get into. He thinks it's just an open and shut case, with Pavel being the guy, and all evidence pointing to him. But the more he gets involved and starts putting the story together, the more he starts to see there is a rabbit hole of twists and turns that might actually lead him in a different direction.

The experience Diamond brings into this is amazing and makes the story that much more real! I'm a sucker for crime fiction so this was heaven to me. ;) It has action, bad guys, the Russian Mob to be exact, who seem genuinely bad, and gives us a small glimpse into what high-powered people might just do to save their own skin.

Overall this was an awesome book! And I just couldn't put it down some days that I might need to go back and read it again to make sure I didn't miss anything!

There is also a sequel to this, and I really, really want to read and review that one as well!

Click here to purchase on Amazon!

                                                              *****5 Stars!

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Hazard of Shadows: Chronicles of the Goblin King Book Two

                      Book Promo!

The enchanted creatures of legend still exist, hidden away in the secret places of the world. They take refuge from an age of camera phones and government labs, from people who won’t let them live in peace. One of these last places of safety is known as the World Below.

Ancient powers are at work. The Lords of Faerie seek to revenge the death of Baron Finkbeiner and recover the mysterious Blade of Caro. Hidden in the shadows, they await a chance to strike. The chance arises when an old enemy escapes the splinter realm in which he is imprisoned. Anxious to settle the debt, the Faerie Lords send him to finish the Lady Elizabeth and her Champion once and for all.

After leading the revolution against the despotic ruler of the World Below, Mitch Hardy has taken the throne. He never wanted to be king. The whole idea of a government by right of combat sits poorly with him. Growing evermore uneasy with his new position, he begins laying the framework for self-rule. The enchanted peoples have known nothing but kings, but are adapting quickly to this new idea of governing their own affairs. It goes well, but Mitch’s plans are interrupted by the arrival of old enemies. Soon he is fighting for his life against a hellish enemy, the likes of which he never imagined.

Check out the trailer for Hazard of Shadows on YouTube!

Below, author Mike Phillips gives us a guest post on All about Goblins:

Hello everyone, and thank you for reading my guest post. My name is Mike Phillips and my new
book is Hazard of Shadows. I have been asked to talk about some of the more interesting
characters in the book, the goblins.

In folklore and literature, goblins have always been evil creatures. To this day, goblins are hiding
in our closets and under our beds. They are wicked monsters that are no happier than when they
are burning fields or robbing cradles. Living on the fringes of society as they must to avoid
camera phones and governmental laboratories, goblins lead harsh lives. Once they have been
won over, goblins are the best sort of friends. They may have terrible manners, they may say
awful things, they may smell bad, but we can all be that way sometimes. In the end, my use of
goblins helps us see the best in humanity.

Writing about goblins was a riot! Goblins live on the fringes of human society. They make their
homes in junk yards, abandoned buildings, sewer systems, and anywhere else people try to
avoid. Once they find a likely spot, the get to work. Goblins are clever with tools and machinery.

They will use and repurpose anything they can get their hands on, so many of their dwellings
look like they were designed by frat-boys. Not always the best of neighbors, goblins have to take
security seriously. They construct elaborate pitfalls to keep themselves safe from enemies like
collapsing tunnels, pongee pits, and mechanical traps.

Goblins, like their human counterparts, each have a unique personality. They live in what they
call crews, a sort of family, a lot like college dorm-mates. Each goblin has a special skill. One
might be a bully (a most desirable skill in the goblin world). Another might be crafty at making
traps. Some use sorcery or poison. Others are good at machinery. Some just eat a lot (another
desirable skill). Goblins, in general, have a loose sense of morality. If it doesn’t hurt another
member of the crew, with the obvious exception of fighting, then it’s usually okay. Fighting is
always acceptable behavior, though if an enemy is around, a goblin is expected to stop fighting
the other crew member and start fighting the enemy. Common sense rules like that are the
cornerstone of goblin society.

That brings us to the topic of goblin social structure. Goblin society is feudal. They organize in
crews, bound by familial ties or friendship. These associations are loosely formed, and if a goblin
wants to go it alone, no one holds a grudge. A crew may have two or three leaders at a time. It is
not unusual for goblins to disagree, so sometimes they have no real leader at all. Though they
fight with each other like crazy, but they are deeply loyal in times of trouble and would do
anything for the other members of their crew. No female goblins appear in Hazard of Shadows,
but that is a topic for another time.

People have been asking how to make friends with goblins, so I thought I’d wrap things up by
talking about that. Goblins are monsters, after all. To begin with, don’t look like a victim. They
are predators. If you run they will chase you down. The secret to making friends with goblins is
not to treat them like animals. They won’t be trained and can’t be suckered. Think of them as
that particularly feisty aunt that always speaks her mind. So if you want to make a goblin your
friend, it’s best to start with an act of kindness. Goblins have hard lives and even a small act of
kindness means a lot to them. In the book, Mitch does a favor for a goblin without even knowing
it. In turn, the goblin rescues Mitch from a pan dimensional, man-eating dumpster. Friends like
that are hard to find!

Mike Phillips is author of Hazard of Shadows, The World Below, Dawn of Ages, and Reign of the Nightmare Prince. His short stories have appeared in ParAbnormal Digest, Cemetery Moon, Sinister Tales, Beyond Centauri, the World of Myth, Mystic Signals and many others. Online, his work has appeared in Lorelei Signal, Kzine, Bewildering Stories, Midnight Times, and Fringe. He is best known for his Crow Witch and Patrick Donegal series. Please visit Mike at mikephillipsfantasy.com.






Lucidity: Book One of the Lucidity Series

                     Book Promo!

Zach Landis is a high school outcast with a beautiful girl that's drawn to him, yet frightened of him at the same time; he also has a fantastic ‘gift.’ He has dreams that feel like so much more, and nightmares that refuse to fade with the rising sun. So what is really happening when Zach sleeps?  

It might be connected to the mysterious disappearance of four teenage girls and he either holds the key to their survival, or a much darker destiny awaits him. More importantly, Zach’s obsessive love for Amy Collins leads him toward answers and salvation – but also toward the unveiling of an ancient evil that could destroy them both.

So walk if you dare the razor’s edge between sleep and waking, dreams and nightmares…Heaven and Hell.

See what Horrornews.com has to say about Lucidity! And find it on Amazon and Goodreads
Excerpt from Lucidity:

For the next hour, they soared in silent wonder through an Etheric world shimmering with holiday lights and shaking amid the onslaught of a winter storm. They glided with owls through dark forests as great trees creaked and moaned around them. They swooped with seagulls across the raging surface of the ocean, reaching down to touch the lashing waves as though playfully petting a ferocious beast they knew could swallow them whole. They drifted over a lone little lobster boat riding those wild waves far out at sea, and flew in circles around Ledge Island Lighthouse as its spinning beam rhythmically caught their ghostly forms and briefly turned the surrounding snowflakes into mad swarms of attacking fireflies.


Friday, September 18, 2015

In the Dark

                   *Book Promo*

When the worst happens and her daughter goes missing, a mother will do anything to find her…

Marissa Rooney’s daughter, Brooke, has been missing for days. Her roommate hasn’t seen her since that night in the bar. Standing in the middle of her daughter’s dorm room with a half-used vial of insulin clenched in her hand, Marissa comes to the terrifying realization that if she has Brooke’s insulin, it means that Brooke does not.

The missing person’s investigation takes a sudden and deadly turn when the police discover the body of another college student who went missing a week before Brooke. Desperate to find her daughter, Marissa fears time is running out. But she isn’t alone in her terror. A phantom from Marissa’s past is lurking in the shadows, waiting in the night, and holding her family captive…In the dark.

Robert Dugoni, Amazon #1 and New York Times bestselling author of My Sister's Grave called In the Dark "An edge-of-your-seat suspense novel. It scared the hell out of me. Read it with the lights on!"

Read an excerpt from the book:

Prologue:

The heavy gate groaned shut. After engaging the lock, he pulled the backpack out of his Jeep and slung it over his shoulder. It was a rare fall day in the Pacific Northwest, and he planned to take full advantage of the good weather. He had work to do.

He walked a quarter of a mile along the fence line and stopped. Then he pulled a “No Trespassing” sign from the pack and propped it against the fence. With a few sure strokes of a hammer, he nailed it to the post. The dull blows echoed in the quiet woods.

Branches and fallen leaves popped and crackled beneath his feet as he worked his way methodically along the ridge, checking the barbed wire fence for gaps. The cinnamon smell of the turning leaves was a sure sign that hunting season would soon begin, and he couldn’t afford to have strangers stumbling onto his property.

He nailed the last sign to the post.

There. That should keep the bastards out.

He turned and started down the rugged trail carved into the steep hillside. A couple of hundred feet below, the valley floor glimmered like an emerald in the late-day sun. Three cabins stood in the clearing beside the Tolt River. A half dozen more were scattered along the upper ridge, overlooking Lake Langlois.

The place had been a youth camp once, before the drowning of a teenage girl had destroyed its reputation. Afterward the camp had closed and the cabins had fallen into disrepair. It was a shame, really. He had fond memories of the place. While his father had spent the summer basking in an alcoholic haze, he’d spent it exploring the woods, far away from his father’s violent mood swings. By any measure it was a win-win.

Dappled sunlight shone through the thick canopy of branches overhead. He loved days like this.

Alone in the woods, he felt at peace with the world.

A scream rent the air, shattering the stillness of the afternoon.

It was shrill. Human.

Crows fled the safety of the trees, a torrent of black wings flooding the blue sky. Heart racing, he started to run. The uneven ground slid beneath his boots. Branches slapped at his face, and he ran faster, driven on by her panicked cries.

The valley floor was muddy after the long weeks of rain. The spongy earth slowed his pace as he raced toward the river.

Another scream. Louder.

“Help me. Oh, God. Please.”

It was coming from the cabin farthest from the water’s edge.

His boots pounded up the wooden steps. Hinges squawked in protest as he crashed through the door. 

The stench hit him hard—stale sweat and human waste. His stomach churned.

At first he could see nothing, his eyes blinded in the dim light. Then her slender form materialized out of the darkness—a slip of a girl, barely more than a hundred pounds. She was standing near the center of the room, her hands bound behind her back. A soiled University of Washington t-shirt hanging from her skinny frame. Pink panties. And nothing else.

The relief on her face froze the instant she spotted him. A small sob escaped her lips.

She stepped back, retreating into the shadows.

As if she could hide.

Click here to purchase on Amazon!

Friday, September 11, 2015

My Best Friend's Brother: Finding Troy (A Romantic Comedy Book 3)


~ CONTENT WARNING Recommended for ages 16+ due to bawdy humor, non-graphic sexual content and some strong language. ~

From the Publisher: Adonia, Luke, Gino, Lilly, Nikki, Troy and his cousin, Derek Daniels, are off to spend spring break in British Columbia. Adonia’s planning her new life with Luke, and she's sure nothing can ruin her vacation!

Nothing but her dad.

When Adonia and Luke spot an Irish wolfhound being dragged into an animal shelter, Luke feels compelled to save it from certain death. Adonia's always wanted a dog, and this one is perfect—perfectly huge, sweet, cute, and cuddly—so why would anyone want to kill this amazing dog?

What's eating Gino Barone? Maybe it’s the arrival of Troy De La Fontaine—the guy who's after his girlfriend. The guy who constantly one-ups him. The guy with the dragon tattoo.

Since Troy came into the picture, Gino's been acting off; so when the heirloom necklace he gave Lilly disappears, she knows something's up. She promised Gino's grandmother that it would never leave her sight, and now it's gone without a trace. Where did it go? Will she get it back? And what will finding Troy do to Lilly Jacobson's love life?

My Review: If you've read the first two books in this series then Book 3 keeps the story going seamlessly! We find Luke, Andonia, Lilly, and Gino are heading to Canada for Spring Break. But of course Burke is there...along with Adonia's dad who decides to come along at the last minute! And this time a new face is joining them, Troy De La Fontaine. Ever since Lilly first saw his picture she has had something for him, and the same goes for Troy. But with Lilly being in a relationship with Gino it makes things a bit complicated and Lilly doesn't know what to do. She's torn, and rightly so. Gino is great, sweet, and she loves him. But Troy is hot, built, and a sweetie too. So Lilly has a decision to make. So which one will she choose?

Luke and Adonia can't wait to get away together again. But their romantic vacation is spoiled when Adonia's dad decides he wants to tag along too. So now, much to Luke and Adonia's dismay, they will need to find ways of finding some "alone time" that will still have her back by her curfew.

So what seems to be an almost-manageable trip quickly turns into a whole lot of drama...on both sides! Feelings get hurt, things start to go missing, and some big decisions will be made.

Luke and Adonia find their alone time, but it might come at a price. And Lilly makes her decision, but someone will definitely be left with a broken heart.

Finding Troy is a great continuation to the first two books, and I literally found myself laughing out loud so many times! If you've read Books 1 and 2 then you will find that this one is not lacking in humor or romance either! Favreau has done another great job, and I can't wait for the next book!!

Go to Amazon and order it now! :)

Be sure to read my review's of Book 1 and Book 2!

                                                                          *****5 Stars!!



Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Onyx Webb: Book Two Episodes 4, 5, & 6

From the Publisher: The Onyx Webb series follows the unusual life of Onyx Webb along with a central group of characters in various locations and times. Written like a book version of a supernatural soap opera, each character’s story moves forward with most every episode. It may appear that the characters are entirely unrelated and yet episode by episode, the connections will become clearer And this is especially true in Book Two. Like being an inch away from a spider web, with each book, the web will move further and further away revealing the full story of every character and most importantly, the stunning conclusion for Onyx Webb herself.

In Book Two...
1. It's the 30's and Declan Mulvaney and best friend Tommy Bilazzo learrn to survive at the Open Arms Orphange despite the adults who run the place.

2. It’s 2010, and Koda Mulvaney is insane trying to see the girl in the mirror again.

3. Onyx Webb is finds herself living all over the country married to the crazy German, Ulrich, with no way out.

My Review: If you haven not read the first installment in the Onyx Webb series, then stop now and read my review of Book One, purchase and read the book, then come back and read this review...and purchase the book. ;)

This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites! In Book One we were introduced to a slew of characters and their story, and they all seemed to have no connection to each other. Until we kept on reading and saw that was not exactly the case. Now, in Book Two, those connections and stories go a little deeper, and are exposed a little more so we can really start getting our wheels turning as to how they will all really end up connected to each other.

I truly enjoyed this book with all the mystery, humor, anticipation, and overall good storyline! We are introduced to a few new characters, as well as given more clues to how some older, more familiar characters came to be where they are now. It's a great, quick read and will have you saying to yourself, "Just one more chapter and then I'll go sleep." But be prepared, it won't just be one more chapter....

I highly recommend this book (only if you've read Book One first!) and have no doubt you will enjoy it as much as Book One! Book Three will be out sometime next month (October 2015) so I cannot wait for that!!

Click here to purchase on Amazon!

                                                                   *****5 Stars!!