Jason M. Hough: The Exodus Towers

You will need to read the first book within this series The Darwin Elevator before this novel as it sets up everything from the characters to the plot. Plus it was a great read and an amazing debut novel as well.

In the second novel in his Dire Earth Cycle series, the Builders are coming, the time line is getting closer, how prepared are you for them to return:

They are slowly building the new colony in Brazil trying to fortify a life away from Darwin, but still trying to prevent the vast number of spies that Blackfield still seems to be sending their way and his overall goal is still to rule space and Earth at the same times. Blackfield is not the only thing they have to worry about, from sub-human attacks and a group of cult like immunes, it is one battle after another and everyone if looking to Skylar to solve the problems. The one thing that over shadows everything is the timeline, the builders are coming and no one has any idea of what they are going to bring this time.

This novel takes up shortly after the first novel the Darwin Elevator leaves off, they have created their own new colony and appear to prospering well on Earth, but not so much in space. I like that there was not too much of a time gap where things could have happened. There were so many big events in the first novel that lead the reader to hear that I did not want to miss a thing.

I'm a huge fan of Skylar, I like the way he thinks, act everything. He is a well rounded character that may stray a bit to the more adventurous/risky side of things, but that is how he gets things done. I actually think I prefer Skylar's character away from Tania and the colony. He is an explorer and adventure at heart and being tied down to one place where there really is no crisis is a waste of his abilities.I also like that he has the ability to think outside the box and knows that the towers need to be followed and explored to determine if they are going to be harmful to them.

This book easily could have been divided into two books if Hough would have decided to draw out the Gabriel encounter, but I am glad he did not. I think he addressed a topic that needed to be discussed, are there more immune out there other than the few that we know about. What happened to some people that were unable to make it to Darwin in time. with this I am happy that Hough decided to introduce some new characters to help Skylar out. While there are not chapters from their point of views, they are great secondary characters

I like that there are several points of view within the novel. You are able to see what is happening in Darwin, and the towers above as well as Belem and their towers. This gives an overall view point of what is happening in and above Earth and how everyone is fairing. I know some people do not like the different view points but I think it is one of my favorite things that Hough does within his novel.

For someone who does not tend to drift towards sci-fi novels, I found myself fully engrossed with this story and I think this mainly has to do with Skylar's character and Hugh's world building. I never actually feel like I am a reading a sci-fi novel more like a possible future for us. I recommend this series to those who love sci-fi and fantasy but also to those who are thinking of trying either of those genres, this series will surprise you as it keeps surprising me.

Enjoy!!!

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R. F. Sharp: No Regrets, No Remorse

In his debut novel R.F. sharp shows what happens when murder resolves around lawyers who know the law inside and out:

Oscar us a former lawyer who has found his passion in making art and running a art gallery. He is a long way from the court room and has no designs of returning ever. However, when his former partner, Roy, is accused of murder, Roy does not want anyone representing him but Oscar. Roy knows that Oscar believes him when he says that he is not guilty. But Oscar is going to need all the help he can get from his roommate Sydney Simone, who has her own secrets that she hides from Oscar and a set of skills that he is not even aware of. As the two of them get closer to the real killer they get their own target on their back.

Overall this novel was okay, but I did not get what I expected from this book. I thought that Sydney was the main character of this novel based upon the premise but other than the first chapter, Oscar was the more prominent character. Sydney's story and character were secondary and I actually think there were more chapters from Oscar's point of view than Sydney's. This is why the premise was so confusing, it is meant to be Sydney who is the main character whose story we are meant to follow, not Oscar. Sydney's story was the one that had me interested enough to pick up this novel and I feel jilted by not getting to fully explore it. Whomever wrote the premise for the book did not read this book before they did.

It was interesting reading about Oscar attempting to re-navigate through  world as a lawyer as well as as a now investigator. Oscar was an easy character to like as  he attempt to navigate through in almost a child like way. I think he seems to always think the best of people even though that gets him into trouble a few times through out the book. there are also times when this character aspect is frustrating because he misses things that are right in front of his face.

This book had a lot of promise, you can tell that this is Sharp's debut novel, it lacks an overall finesse and flow of a more seasoned author. The mystery in the novel is overall okay, it was able to hold my attention, it was predictable at times, but I will say that there were a few times that Sharp was able to surprise me. Therefore, I think that Sharp may be an author to watch out for in the future. I think that once he has the ability to refine the story and content more there will be something great here. I would read another novel by Sharp to see if there are improvements between the first and second novel. Those who are looking for an easy mystery to follow and read would enjoy Sharp's novel.

Enjoy!!!

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George R. R. Martin: A Storm of Swords

I believe that most people know that they NEED to read the first two novels within the series, A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings before they read this novel, even if you are just watching the TV series, I have heard that there are quite a few differences between the books and the show that this would not adequately prepare you to understand what is happening in the third book. And really who would want to read these novels out of order?

This is the book where the shit hits the fan. You don't know what is going to happen next and who is going to survive this book. Not since the first book have I been this shocked, I did not see any of what happened coming, as I do not watch the TV series I did not know what to expect, or what people meant about the red wedding. Well now that I have read this book I can understand what all of the talk about. I do not know how truthful the red wedding in the book and the one on the TV are the same but it think either way you get that Holy CRAP moment. You also get your reaffirmation that no one is truly safe in Martin's books. However, I think that is what I love the most in his novels. If you think the red wedding was insane to happen, just wait to see what happens next, in the third book there is so much more than just the red wedding.

After the second book being more of a political one, I was glad to see that Martin followup with a book that had more action within int. I believe that this book has the most action within it when compared to the first two novels. It was nice to see some death happen on the other side of the coin this time around, as it seemed to be in the first two novels a little bit one sided almost to the point where Martin was favoring the less popular characters or the antagonists within the novel. I think one of my favorite battles is the one to prove Thieran's innocence of the murder. That was one full of suspense and you didn't know which side was going to win.

I liked the point of view of Jamie in this book and the changes that he makes as a man, and realizes what has been happening around him. I think Jamie is going to be a major player in the next few books. Dani also had some interesting points, but she is still (for the most part) the most disjointed in the novel, with very few links back to the other story/characters other than the fact that she wants to rule the seven kingdom's again (there is one major player that does come into her life later in this novel, which was a shock and interesting, but I still think that there is not much connecting her back, even to the point that none of the people in power or vying for power of the seven kingdoms is even still aware that she is till alive and poses a threat to all of them). I question why Martin has had Dani within the novels thus far. He could have introduced her and her story later and possible would have made more sense then, than just having tidbits of information now.

The ending of this book was pretty crazy too and I cannot wait to get my hands on the fourth book. I understand why this series has so many followers and has became a sensation before the TV series was created. Even for those of us who do not read too many fantasy books, Martin so far has kept the fantasy to the light side of things (not sure how well that sits with avid fantasy readers, but I personally love it). So if you are looking for the book with the Red Wedding this is the one for you, but this book has so much more than the Red Wedding, and was another great read by Martin.

Enjoy!!!!

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Nick Lake: Hostage Three

Nick Lake takes on the challenging situation of being a hostage aboard a yacht where the pirates are only interested in your monitory worth:

Amy has spent the past year trying to get her father to notice her, whether it be her clothing or the piercing that she has gotten, she is trying anything to make him notice something, anything about her. Well she got his attention when she was kicked out of school in the very last day of her very last exam, meaning that she would not graduate. But the last thing she though would happen would be to find herself, her step mother and her father aboard a yacht setting sail. Amy was looking forward to ignoring her step mother and father and loosing herself in her music but their vessel is taken by pirates. Amy become known as hostage number 3 and as she spends what are possible her last few moment alive she tries to understand what drives someone to become a pirate and with this information Amy hopefully will be able to get out alive

The prologue grabs your attention right away and you feel the need to know what has lead up to that point, what has happened before. Will she die, will she survive. It was an interesting place for Lake to begin the novel, but I believe it was the right one. If he had chosen to start off the novel with Amy being in school and the antics that she pulled I am unsure if I would have continued reading this novel.

I was not a fan of how the book was written as it was strictly from Amy's point of view. As this is a YA book I found her thought process was a little hard to follow and at times immature even for a 17-18 year old. This immaturity could have been due to circumstances from her past, however, part of me thought that due to her past circumstances she would be more mature. Not being able to relate to Amy and her thoughts did put a hindrance me completely liking the novel, but I think that Lake succeeded in other areas that I was able to proceed in reading and finishing this the book. Additionally, due to the fact that the book is told in past tense from the prologue there is a bit of jumping around as Amy remembers things from her past with her mother. Amy's mother was a very interesting, frustrating and well ready for the loony bin type of character, which I think explains many reasons in regards to Amy's personality. Therefore, I think that some individual may have additional challenges in not only reading this book but at times following the story as there are times where it seems a bit disjointed.

While I was unable to connect to Amy as a character for the most part, I found her story very interesting and did not want to put it down especially the last 100 pages, I powered through them. I needed to know how the story would end This book probably wont end the way you think it will, not quite the happily ever after that you think is coming. I really like that Lake did not take the "easy" way out with this novel as he very well could have. The ending actually made me like the book more. The story that Lake has created with its sense of realism, that this could happen to anyone traveling that route, was really well done and engrossing

It was also interesting to read the attempt of the pirates (or coast guards as they like to be called) to distance themselves from the hostages, but yet still allowing them quite a bit of freedom. Lake does a good job in exploring the capturer/captive mentality that Amy, her family and the pirates go through. I think I would also have liked to have some parts from the point of view of the pirate Farouz, which we kind of get when he tells Amy about his past, but I think it would have been interesting to be inside his head to see his point of view. It was also interesting to see how the pirates (coast guards) had turned it into a business and seemed to know all the ins and outs associated with that business, even having fines if one of the pirates hurt a hostage without permission. It was also interesting to witness the pirates "playing" with the captives minds with their riddles and mind games, you can feel the uncertainty in Amy each time this happens and you feel her thinking is this going to be the end. This definitely added to the suspense aspect of the novel.

This is the first book that I have read in the YA genre that was not paranormal in nature so it is a little bit different in that it is a contemporary novel but I still enjoyed it. I think the storyline will hold this story together for adults, and I think that Amy's though process is that to what is similar to a teenager (though I do not think that of a 17/18 year old but that is just my opinion) so I think that young adults would enjoy it as well.

Enjoy!!!

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Author Interview & Giveaway: A.J. Myrfield

A late addition to my blogoversary feature, but I do understand that life can get in the way of writing and reviewing, especially for indie authors. So please welcome to Blood Rose Books Today:

A.J. Myrfield

Is there a book, author, story or person that inspired you to become a writer?

JK Rowling – Rumors state that the day Harry Potter was finally accepted to be published she was actually going to claim bankruptcy. If this is true or not I don’t know but the fact is this author never gave up. She believed in her work until the end and it didn’t matter how many people told her “No” she kept trying.

With her new books that have come out she decided to write them under a different pen name. I’m just speculating but I assume she did that to see if people really enjoyed her new stories. She wanted to see if she could sell them without her famous name on them. Again this is just speculating but like I said she inspires me.

What have learned about yourself since you started writing?
That I can do anything I put my mind too. I am dyslectic and I was lucky to pass English in High school. I do not have a degree in English or anything that has to do with writing, yet I have written and published 2 books. Anyone can do anything if you put your mind to it.

What has been your biggest challenge as an indie author?
Learning the publishing process. As you know we had an editing issue with the first print of book one. I was truly embarrassed with all of the “typos” and spelling mistakes in it. I’ve learned that I need more then one editor to look over my work and I personally read over it word for word to hold myself accountable too. Never assume something is perfect or will be done properly. It is my name on the book everyone holds me accountable.

You work in law enforcement, was writing this book a release for you as it covers some very intense, dark and disturbing topics?
Yes. Some of the stuff I deal with in Law enforcement makes me very angry. Five years ago I started writing for a release. I was angry with our court system and how victims were treated. You will see how I feel throughout my series.

What do you think would be the hardest or most challenging genre to write a novel in and why?
Any Non-Fiction book – Due to the amount of research that you would have to put into it. You would want everything to be backed up by the proper facts.

The Dagger of Souls is a very dark themed novel what appeals to you about the dark and disturbing aspects of human nature?
I write about what happens in real life with a mix of fantasy. When I go to work I see the dark and disturbing aspects of human nature. I deal with it every day. I write for a release but I also write for

the victims I deal with.

Everyone in the world focus’s on the Criminal. When you read the news paper they follow the criminals trail and talk about what crime he/she committed. But no one talks about the victim. No one knows that many victims have to go through years of therapy or take medication just to fall asleep at night. They don’t know about the nightmares that haunt them in their sleep or the flashbacks that harass them when they are awake.

People don’t know what kind of strength it takes to survive the dark and disturbing aspects of humanity. With my books I want to show them what kind of strength victims need to have to survive.

Did you want to use your novel to bring some of the hard topics (those not always discussed like bullying, racism, at home family violence and suicide) to the forefront, that yes these still do occur?
Yes – As mentioned above I plan to use these books to show the world what people go through everyday. Its time to remember the victims, support them, and help them. It’s time for Criminals to accept responsibility for their actions and no longer be the highlight of the news. (Don’t know if that’s possible but its worth a try)

Since is it a main theme within your novel, and really precedes many of the main events within The Dagger of Souls, “When you look in the mirror, what do you see?” Do you think this type of self reflection is important as both a teenager and an adult?
Yes – Before you can love who you are you need to know who you are. If you don’t like what you see (and I don’t mean your reflection) then you need to change it. We all need to love ourselves inside before we can even work on the outside. We are all meant for something important in this world we just need to believe in ourselves so we can achieve what we thought was impossible.

Do you have any information on upcoming works or events that you are able to share?
The Dagger of Souls – The Rise of Inferno, which is book two in the series of 6, is in the printing process. We will have the books in Alberta in NOV. I will be doing numerous signings throughout NOV and all will be posted on my web page lovelightcreations.com. They will also be posted on The Dagger of Souls facebook page.

I am in the process of writing book three. This book is called The Dagger of Souls - A Krac of Static. This book will focus on Hate Crimes, Sexual Assault, and as always Self Esteem.

What is one book on your shelf that you cannot wait to read (can either be a new or old favorite).
I would really like to read the series The City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare. I enjoy the supernatural and any book that brings me out of the real world.

I want to thank A.J. for stopping by with her interview and giving some insight to her experiences as a writer and an indie author. Make sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below (Open INT)


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Angie Fox: The Accidental Demon Slayer

In the first in a paranormal romance series Angie Fox takes the readers on a ride that literally consists of going to hell and back:

Lizzie has her life mapped out, well not just her life, her day to day is mapped out each day that she lives a fairly structured (and some would argue) dull life. The most exciting that happens to Lizzie on a daily basis is the children she teaches in preschool, but Lizzie's life is about to get all the more excited, unpredictable and dangerous. It begins with her biological grandma showing up, out of the blue. Lizzie didn't even know she had a grandma, let alone a Harley riding, butt kicking one. Lizzie is about to learn about her destiny and it nothing like she planned, its full the unknown excitement, danger and a very good looking shape shifting Griffin. Lizzie is going to have to choose whether she prefers her old or new life in order to save the world.

I wasn't 100% sure what I thought I was going to get out of this book. I knew it was going to be a paranormal romance novel, but I thought there would be more to it than that and this was true and not true at the same time. There were times when there was really interesting aspect within the book but then it would do an abrupt face and it was all about the sex feelings (even though there is only one sex scene) I'm not sure if Fox herself knew which direction to take the novel and I think it shows within her writing.

I had a hard time connecting to Lizzie as a character. I found for the most part she was really scatterbrained and her thought process at times was hard to follow. It was weird to me that she had just come into all of these powers and she knew (for the most part) what to do, how to do things in a matter of hours, maybe 2 days tops. This seems counter to Lizzie's character through out the novel and I cannot see

I think that anyone who reads this book and owns a dog will find Pirate really funny. Fox totally knew how to give that dog the right personality within this book. I think Pirate was my favorite part and made me think of what my pup would say to me at all those moments. I guess starting my review off with a secondary and maybe even tertiary character really show what I thought about this book, and there were times where I struggled to get through. I found for the most part, just a lack of interesting plot and I was not a fan of the main character, which I think can hinder any read.

Dimitri was an interesting character and I liked that he was a griffon, you don't see too many griffon's in the novels you read, especially shape-shifting ones, so that was a nice addition. Was not a fan of the romance (especially the instant attraction that seems occur in these novels) or the sex scene in the book, but that is just an overall personal preference of mine, so I am sure that others have enjoyed it. Additionally, Biker Grandma witches, say what? Who are obsessed with road kill, need I say more. The witches within the coven are brass, and bad-ass biker chicks who can hold their own in any battle and are slightly obsessed with roadkill and possums, but who can blame them if that is where they get their powers from.

The story overall was interesting and it basically wraps up enough in the end that I do not feel the need to read the other books in the series, now a series about Pirate, I would be all over that one, lol. I think Fox excels at writing her secondary characters as those were the ones that I found interesting. Overall, Fox needs to work on making Lizzie the character everyone wants to follow and know more about as she is the Main Character. This book was just okay for me, maybe those who want something of a lighter read will enjoy this and maybe those who like paranormal romance, but it was not for me. I cannot see myself continuing this series.

Enjoy!!!

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