Quick Book Review – How (Not) to Kiss a Toad by Elizabeth A. Reeves
How (Not) to Kiss a Toad by Elizabeth A. Reeves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Totally quirky and inventive, this paranormal romance was easy to read, easy to fall into for a few hours, and easy to love. I’m pretty sure there has to be a “next book” at least I hope so! Off to look for it now (fingers crossed)!
Crow: Episode Two Now Available (New Adult Fantasy Series by Alex Owens)
It’s early, even. Check it out!
About the Crow Series:
Cassiopeia “Pia” Alexander is just your typical college student. She can’t pick a major, her love life is virtually non-existent and the only thing good in her life seems to be her job as an Animal ER Nurse. Even that doesn’t feel like enough, though.
Beylin Callaghan is one of the Brotherhood tasked to give souls a winged-ride from one life to the next, and to remove the memories from each soul so that they can start with a fresh slate in their new incarnations.
But he’s keeping a secret– a secret that when exposed, will bind Pia’s fate to his own. For better or worse.
Links:
Crow: Episode One (5/19/2013)
Crow: Episode Two (5/23/2013)
About the Author:
Alex Owens is a woman with little free time, which means she stays up all hours of the night putting pen to paper. By day she’s June Cleaver in jeans, and by night she writes. Somewhere in the middle of all that she finds time to tend ‘dem babies, fry up the bacon and curl up with a good book (or ten), much to the chagrin of her family. She’s currently at work on her paranormal Blood Chord Series and the New Adult fantasy series, Crow.
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- New Series by Alex Owens – Crow (New Adult Fantasy) (quirkygurl.com)
Quickie Book Review – Bedlam Maternity by Morgan Gallagher
Bedlam Maternity by Morgan Gallagher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very well done. The writing was tight, yet evocative in the “chills up your spine” kind of way. Definitely recommend for fans of classic horror stories. The setting (hospital) and cast of characters amped up the ghastly tension even further too.
I read this as an ARC a while back, and I can still recall the details with enough clarity to re-goosbump myself. So that’s saying something about the power of the story, for sure!
Quicky Book Review – No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells by Rose Pressey
No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells by Rose Pressey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having read a few other books by Pressey, I knew that I was going to like this book if it was anything like her others. I’d classify this one as more a light-chick lit/ paranormal/ sweet book, as opposed to some of Pressey’s more gritty, action-packed novels.
Overall, an interesting premise, original quirky characters and a swoon-worthy romance (with a dash of mystery and suspense). And it’s very well-written, which further cements Pressey into my “authors I must read everything they’ve written” list.
New Series by Alex Owens – Crow (New Adult Fantasy)
Guess what? We’ve got news!
Fans of Alex’s should be super-stoked to find out that while she’s waiting on the latest round or revisions to come back for book two in the Blood Chord series, Alex decided to start a whole new series! Drumroll, please…
Introducing The Crow series!
Crow: Episode One is live on Amazon now and Alex has committed to getting out a new episode monthly. Plus, she’s asking for reader interaction! Alex wants to know what you, the reader thinks, where you see things going for the main characters, and anything else you want to say about Crow. Who knows, you could end up influencing the story in a big way!
Amazon Link to Crow: Episode One
Here’s the blurb for Crow: Episode One:
Cassiopeia “Pia” Alexander is just your typical college student. She can’t pick a major, her love life is virtually non-existent and the only thing good in her life seems to be her job as an Animal ER Nurse. Even that doesn’t feel like enough, though.
Beylin Callaghan is one of the Brotherhood tasked to give souls a winged-ride from one life to the next, and to remove the memories from each soul so that they can start with a fresh slate in their new incarnations.
But he’s keeping a secret– a secret that when exposed, will bind Pia’s fate to his own. For better or worse.
Crow: Episode One is novella length (approx. 9,000 words) and is the first installment in this new adult fantasy series. Subsequent episodes will be released on a monthly basis and fans are encouraged to visit Alex’s website to influence the outcome of the overall story.
You can read more about the Crow series, and get the updated release links and schedule by visiting Alex’s site.
Quickie Book review – Tranquility by Anya Bast
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Quick, well-written shifter short story / novella. I read this on my lunch break (about 20 minutes). The story has action, drama, and a heap-helping of steamy goodness. I just wish it was longer… the characters were great, but I didn’t get to know them as much as I would have liked.
It probably doesn’t help that I haven’t read #1 yet… as I’m sure if this is more of a serial story spread over multiple shorter-length installments, then I’d probably feel more vested in the players.
Off to find book one!
Book Review- All The Wild Children by Josh Stallings
All The Wild Children: A noir memoir by Josh Stallings
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve been putting off writing a review of this book, because I just don’t think any collection of words that I can come up with will do it justice. It’s good, so very good that I’d like to take it home with me at closing time.
It may be a memoir, but All the Wild Children reads more like a cross-genre novel (hints of literary, suspense, coming of age, etc.) Like Stallings’ other books, the writing in this book is gut-punch powerful. The bit about the boys being home alone when (can’t say…spoiler!) gave me rolling waves of goose-bumps that lasted damn near five minutes.
Despite having a sh*tty lot-of-it as a child, Stallings isn’t blaming anyone, so much as just telling it like it was. And brilliantly, I might add. I don’t even know if that makes sense, but hopefully once you read this memoir you’ll understand.
One thing I loved is the way Stallings spins a phrase. There were several examples in this book, but the one I loved the most is the one that went something like “This will read better then it lived.” Hell, I probably butchered that one too.
So I’m yelling at you now– go read All The Wild Children. Then check out the novels by Stallings. Your gray matter will thank you.
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Quickie Book Review – Out There Bad by Josh Stallings
Out There Bad by Josh Stallings
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read the first novel by Stallings (Beautiful, Naked & Dead) and loved that one, so I don’t know why I was surprised to find myself deeply engrossed in Out There Bad as well. Maybe it’s because I never love books in a series equally– they’re a bit like children in their own unique way with good points and mediocre points.
But Stallings hit another grand-slam with this one. I finished it well over a week ago and bits of it still haunt me, and my heart breaks all over again for Moses and everything that haunts him so. I don’t know how Stallings does it; he turns readers inside-out, flips them around and drops us on our tails with a thud. And we beg like children, “Do it again!”
Damn fine writing.
Fast, gritty and real is this novel. Don’t dawdle. Read it.
Out There Bad is just bad, man.
Quickie Book Review – The Eclective: The Apocalypse Collection
The Eclective: The Apocalypse Collection by Emma Jameson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a fabulous sampler of some of the most creative, talented indie authors on the market right now. Each story was inventive and wholly captivating. And I loved the way multiple genres were represented in the collection– having a little bit of something for everybody.
On a side note, the way each author approached the theme with such different techniques really jump-started my own creativity, so I’d highly recommend reading short stories in this format in order to get your own creative juices flowing 
Get your copy of The Eclective: The Apocalypse Collection today
Quickie Book Review – Witchy Business by Eve Paludan
Witchy Business by Eve Paludan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A quick paranormal read… great characters, interesting setting and details. I was a little irritated by the way the main character Elle, went along with being man-handled by her so called friend… It felt a little too out of character and flimsy. But overall, I was ecstatic to see one of the main tenants of paranormal mythology so morphed into something quite new and original.
Nice way to spend a relaxing spring day outside reading!
Quickie Book Review – Venice Vampyr by Tina Folsom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a steamy little novella that wasted no time getting to the goods, so to speak. Underlying all that was a decent plot and great characters that were fleshed out as much as they could be in the shorter novella format. Several inventive scenes skirted the lines of taboo, making the novella more memorable in my opinion.
Interesting enough that I’ll certainly go on to look for the next novella in the series.
Cover Reveal – The Taste of Lavender by Emma Shane
Happy Friday! I just wanted to hop on here and show everyone the new cover for Emma’s soon-to-be released novella, The Taste of Lavender. The blurb is still a work in progress, for now you only get this ethereal image.
So, what do you think?
