No Tears For My Father
by Viga Boland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
No Tears For My Father is a non-ficton book, and that being said there are some readers that can not handle the subject matter of the book. Viga Boland recounts her life with an abusive father, not only physically but sexually as well. She does not sugar coat the truth, but she does not get graphic just to sell books either. She walks a very fine line between the truth and reality, and she does so very well. This book follows her from her earliest memories until she writes this book, with most of the coverage being during the time she lived with her parents and underwent the abuse.
No Tears For My Father is a wonderful book for the healing of those that have experienced abuse at the hands of a parent. By writing this book, Viga Boland has set the record straight on her own history and freed herself from her father's grasp. By reading her words, other survivors can heal and realize that they are not alone, that others have went through the same things and survived. It is even good for those going through it currently, in that it gives them the hope to get out. For those readers who have never experienced the abuse, reading this book can help to give them insight into what goes on and how difficult it is for someone to get out. This is a courageous book and one that, as a reader I am thankful the author took the time to write.
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Veil of Midnight
Midnight Breed Novel, Book Five
by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Veil of Midnight is the fifth book in the Midnight Breed Series, and as a Vampiers series, I have to say this is the longest and best series I have read. Typically with a Vampire series, I get bored with it after a few books because it is always the same and yet this series has kept me guessing, it has followed different characters each time, but brought back familair loved characters too and kept me wanting to read more.
Veil of Midnight follows Nikolai on a misson that brings him into danger with an older Gen One Breed male and as he witnesses the cruel and inhumane ways of this male, he meets a woman, a Breedmate, who know nothing of the Breed except what little she was exposed to with the older cruel Gen One, and he has the task of explaining that the whole world is not like that and that there is a whole world of Breed out there completely different.
Reneta is a Breedmate, and she has only known the cruelty of the Gen One male that controls her. She wants to escape, but has no idea how, and is not sure what to make of Niko, he is so different than t=what she is used to, but at the same time she feels she can trust him.
Mira is a little girl, also a breedmate, caught up in this whole story, used as a plaything by one male and a pawn by another. The only person who cares for her is Reneta, and she has promised to take care of Mira, now Reneta must look to Niko to keep her promise.
It is a completely different story, yet at the same time, the same major fight is at the root of this story and they same things are going own but in such a different and unquiet way that it feels like a whole new story in a whole new setting.
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Lara Adrian
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/Lara_Adrian
Website Link: http://www.laraadrian.com
Midnight Breed Series
0.5 A Touch of Midnight
1. Kiss of Midnight My Review
2. Kiss of Crimson My Review
3. Midnight Awakening My Review
4. Midnight Rising My Review
5. Veil of Midnight My Review
6. Ashes of Midnight My Review
7. Shades of Midnight My Review
8. Taken by Midnight
9. Deeper than Midnight
9.5 A Taste of Midnight
10. Darker after Midnight
11. Edge of Dawn
11.5 Marked by Midnight
12. Crave the Night
12.5 Tempted by Midnight
Dragon Chalice Series
1. Heart of the Hunter
2. Heart of the Flame
3. Heart of the Dove
Warrior Trilogy
1. White Lion's Lady (currently free on amazon.com as a kindle download)
2. Black Lion's Bride
3. Lady of Valor
Midnight Rising
Midnight Breed Novel, Book Four
by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Midnight Rising is the fourth book in the Midnight Breed series. I have to admit up front at this point, after having read and reveiwed three of theses books, and starting this fourth, that I really like this series. I like the overall concept of the Vampire, yet not undead, a living being that reproduces and is in all rights a being much like a human, just other worldly. In this series, there is never the making of a new vampire, only a minon, and that process, while we find it still happening was outlawed as inhuman. So we find that they are cultured and normal and living within what are the normal perimeters of human life, and that appeals to a great deal of people.
Once again this book follows the Order on their never-ending missions to stop those out there that want to take over and get rid of the human race or at the lease enslave them. At the end of the last book, we found them in a border mountain not far from Prague where they found the hibernation chamber of an acient one that had already been awakened and removed. Rio; poor battered, bruised, and unstable Rio asked to stay behind to close up the cave and the rest returned to Boston.
We have to return to the first book to pick up Rio's story, on a mission one night Rio took the majority of an attack only to return badly injured and barely alive to find out that his Breedmate Eva had sold the Order out to force him to leave the Order, which Rio would not do, so he denounced her, and she killed herself. This left Rio in and even worse state of mind than state of body. We worked for a year, through the books to recover enough to be able to go on the final mission of book three with them. But still, he was not all well.
In book four, months have passed since the team left Rio in the cave near Prague. He is still hidden deep within, but he is giving in to his mind and the dreams and the anger. He feels he is of no use to the team, the scars are too much for him to bear and no one will be able to look at him like that anymore, he is sure of it, his plan, to use the explosives he has with him him to close of the cave and close himself into the cave. The problem is that he is weak, he is no longer feeding and he is having trouble standing or concentrating. He just sleeps.
On an unplanned vacation of her own, Dylan Alexander is walking past the caves when she sees a ghost asking her to help him, help who she thinks, Dylan hates this, she has seen random ghosts all her life and she has never understood why, on curiosity she wanders into the cave, only to awaken a sleeping Rio and notice a drawing on the wall that has her confused, it looks exactly like her own birthmark. As she takes pictures, the confusions clears from Rio and he realizes he has a mess to clean up.
I am always so impressed with the writing and the way the story flows in this series, that I am turning page after page and before I know it I am done with the book and I am still wanting more. I love this series. I really feel it is well written and easy to connect to and even if you don't like a typical dark, foreboding vampire series, you might like this. These vampires are anything but dark and foreboding. The are powerful warriors. Each over six feet tall, well built and full of muscles with patterns of glyphs, sorta like tattoos that they are born with, over a majority of their bodies that change color depending on mood.
Even though this is book four, and you get a great deal of Rio's story in the previous books, you could still pick this book up and read it without reading the others. Of course if you did that, you would probably be hooked and running out to catch up!
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Midnight Awakening
Midnight Breed Novel, Book Three
by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Midnight Awakening is the third book in the Midnight Breed series. Even though it is a part of a series, and it is best read in order, if you happened upon this book and read it without knowing of the first two books, you would be able to follow the story and enjoy it well enough.
This book finds us focusing on Tegan, who is a first generation breed and his struggles over the many centuries he has been around, his hurts and how he has shut his emotions down so deeply so as to not awakening the feelings that almost killed him in the past. He has fought the dreaded Bloodlust and come out on top, but it cost him the ultimate sacrifice. Tegan is over six feet tall, has the glyphs and the sexist thing, he is described at one point in a pair of blue jeans with the top button undone. The image of this is enough to make my knees go weak! Something about the glyphs and the muscles of these Breed males just does me in!
We are re-introduced to Elise, who has been raised all her life in the Darkhavens, but after the deaths of her mate and her son, she has taken it upon herself to fight the rogues herself. Elise is also the sister-in-law to Sterling, or better known as Harvard, and he has always wanted her for his own, even when she was married to his brother. This truth comes up, Elise never realized it in all the time she lived with Sterling.
We also travel to Germany in this book and met, Andreas, who is a Darkhaven member, but one who has been helped by the Order in the past and is willing to go out of his way to help them now. He is above the corruption that is being found in the Darkhavens in the previous books, and most likely in the future books as well.
I loved the book, as well as the first two, loved the way it was written and how the story and characters flowed. I got into them and wanted to know more about them and to find out what happens. But I find that the more I read the books, the less I feel able to reveal in the reviews, because I don't want to give away too much, and I kinda feel protective of the story's now that I have read so far into the series.
All I can say is it is gonna be a LONG wait for the next book to get here next week!
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The Juice Of Life: (Children's Picture Book On How To Be Grateful) (Ages 4-8)
by Assaf Marcus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As a parent and an part of Children's Ministry, I am always looking for books to teach and instruct children of all ages.
I got this book and the author's other book, Peaceful Lion.
I loved it! It really spoke to the level of children, but not just young children. In fact, I am thinking of sharing this one with our youth group kids. Although it is written in easy to understand terms, I think the story itself will appeal to the teens and make more sense to them than a number of other things.
Once again I find that the author has done a wonderful job, and given me a book that I want to share with the kids and I think will work wonders in explaining and getting across the message.
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The Peaceful Lion And The Nagging Crow
by Assaf Marcus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Books for kids and helping them to understand abstract concepts are always something I love. I have kids, I am active with other children's programs and schools and so I am always looking for something I can share with those children.
I got The Peaceful Lion and the author's other book, The Juice of Life.
This book is so spot on. It explains the abstract concept of not allowing someone else to influence your attitude in a way that the youngest of children can understand.
I will be using this book with a couple of different children's groups, and with one in particular I will be adding some concepts because of their ages, but this is something that I think every primary school age teacher should have in their own personal libraries. In fact I might just have to buy some copies for some of my favorite local teachers!
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Kiss of Crimson
Midnight Breed Novel, Book Two
by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the Midnight Breed Series, and if you have read the first, then you are a step ahead and already know a great deal of the background, but I was impressed that even if you hadn't read the first novel, you could actually read this one and not be lost, although you would probably be tempted to go back and read the first if you are like me, but this one could stand on it's own.
In this book, we learn more about Dante, he is an older Breed but not a first generation, and he has inherited his mother's gift of seeing death. His mother was able to foretell her own death and his fathers death. Dante has been seeing visions for years of what he thinks is his own death, and he has been running and fighting as a warrior to keep ahead of the vision.
We return to the main compound to find the same warriors; Lucan, Gideon, Rio, Nikolai and Tegan along with the Breedmates; Savannah and Gaberielle. We are introduced to a new Breed male, someone who has always lived in the Darkhavens, which would be like the cities specially for the Breed and the Breedmates, Sterling Chase, who soon is known as Harvard.
At the end of the first book the Warriors had gotten a leg-up on the Rogues by blowing up their headquarters with the help of Gabby's photos. Now the Rogues are back and working on a new plan.
Quite by happenstance, or fate, Dante ends up at a low-rent vet clinic run by Tess, who turns out to be a Breedmate, and the fun starts there. As with all Breedmates, Tess has a special ability, but for most of her life she has seen it as a curse, and only with Dante's help is she albe to own her ability and realize that it is a gift, not a curse.
Dante is just a perfect specimen of maleness. He is tall, over six feet, like most all the Breed and well-built, muscles for days on end. Then there are the glyphs, a natural occurring marking, sorta like a tattoo that all Breed are born with covering the skin. They change colors and hues depending on the Breed's moods. The older generations, or those closer to the original Breed, have more glyphs than those younger or newer Breed. There is just something about the way these guys are described that makes the reader weak in the knees!
I loved the book. I loved the first, and I have to say there was still a great deal of character development. I learned about Dante and Tess, and got to know them and to want to see what happened to them and to root for them. It was well written, so much so that I just had to finish the book last night before I could go to bed, I had to know what happened. I just was that involved.
I am looking forward to the next book, because from the teaser in this book, it is a direction I did not forsee, it almost changes one of the characters in the story from what they were in book one, and yet I am finding that interesting.
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Kiss of Midnight
Midnight Breed Novel, Book One
by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book in the Midnight Breed Series, which follows a lineage of Vampires bent on protecting the Human race from learning about their exsistance.
We are introduced to Lucan, probably one of the oldest of the Breed and learn the history of how the Breed began and was started. We also meet the other warriors working with him, Tegan, another older Breed; Dante, Rio, Nikolai, Conlan and Gideon. As we learn of the Warriors and what they do and how they protect the human race from "Rogue" Vampires, we learning another interesting fact, all of the Breed are male.
There are a line of females, called Breedmates, that are actually human woman that have a specific genetic difference that allows them to mate and produce offspring for the Breed. They are highly valued and honored and respected. The thing is, can you image what a shock to the system it is to the women when they find out they are Breedmates?
The first book follows Lucan through a rough period where he is fighting an addiction called Bloodlust, it is the taking of too much blood, more than needed to sustane him, and it is what turns vampires rogue and very dangerous. As an older generation vampire he must fight it more and be weary of it all the time, and as he is fighting he discovers a woman that has the uncanny knack for actually seeing the vampires, for photographing their homes and for not being susceptible to the memory erase that the vampires use when they have to on humans to allow them to forget encounters with vampires. Then, while trying to protect Gabrielle he discovers she is a Breedmate, and he knows even more that he has to protect her, and he has to explain everything to her, which doesn't go as well as he wishes.
All of this is occurring as the Rogues are organizing and launching a full war on the Breed, things are changing and life is getting more and more dangerous for the Breed and the Humans, and can this small bunch of warriors be enough to fight them all off.
I loved this book! I loved the way the story line developed, I felt for both the mains in the book, and in fact I was so excited to see where the next book would go and to keep following all the characters. I really enjoyed the depth that the author went to, to bring the people to life, to give them a real personality and a history and to make you feel for them. You wanted them to work things out, you wanted happiness and you wanted the good guys to win. It was so well written and flowed so well, that I sat to read and before I knew it the book was done!
The other thing that I really was impressed with was the descriptions of the Breed. The men are large, usually over six foot and well built with lots of muscles. They also carry dermoglyphs, which look kinda like tattoos, but are naturally occurring and change colors based on moods. i can picture these men in my head, and they are something else. There is just something about them that attracts you and makes you wish they were real.
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Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment
by Ricky Mon
My rating: 3.75 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Loxy and his sister Lana live on a far away planet. They and their parents, along with four other families were sent there to determine if the planet could support life, and if so to build a colony. Loxy and Lana, as well as the others on this planet are what are called merged humans. This means that they have human and animal DNA merged together. One day the parents on the planet all disappear, and it is up to the kids to find out what has happened, and to find out all the truths of the world outside their small planet that their parents have hidden from them throughout their lives. Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is science fiction, but there are real life morals and applications from the story that can be applied to real life. Ricky Mon does a wonderful job in merging the science fiction story to attract the attention of the readers with the moral and ethical issues that need to be learned about and learned from.
Loxy Quum and the Merge Experiment is a young adult book, but I definitely feel it could be read by Middle School children, in fact I think it might be a great book to read in school. While the story is science fiction, there is real life application. You can trace the treatment of the merged humans to slavery and more in history. This is what makes this book one that would work well in a school setting for kids to read. While they get a fun story, they also learn of the real life impacts of discrimination. Ricky Mon takes some tough ideals in discrimination and puts them into a story that most pre-teens and teens would enjoy reading. This is a win-win book, and something that teachers would be pleased to take a look at and possible teach from. Even if not in school, I think this is a book worth reading for that age set.
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Silver Moon Deja Vu
The Deja Vu Chronicles
by Marti Melville
My rating: 4.2 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
When we first met John he is a paramedic working on a patient, upon arrival at the hospital he sees a nurse that he thinks he knows, in fact he is sure she is someone from his past. Very quickly we find out that when he means his past, he means his long ago past life! Silver Moon Deja Vu is John's story. In a past life he was a pirate captain in love with an Irish lass named Kathryn. There are trials and setbacks, good times and promises and a romance that lives on past their lives. Add in some superstitious pirate crew members and a hussy lady pirate and you have a wonderful story. Marti Melville mixes Irish and Caribbean traditions, Druids and Voodoo to give a story that is part romance and part adventure, but all enjoyable.
Although Silver Moon Deja Vu is the second book in the Deja Vu Chronicles, it can stand on it's own quite easily. I had not read the first book and had no trouble following the story or understanding what was going on at all. Of course it is probably even better if you have read the first, but it was good without. John and Kathryn are characters that are so real, they have flaws that lead them to mistakes that hurt them, but they love deeply and have tempers. Marti Melville adds in some paranormal aspects into the story with the Irish folklore and ideal that Kathryn has a gift, she is a witch in the Irish tradition and able to heal. Her role on the pirate ship is the ship's doctor or healer. There is also some Caribbean Voodoo since the ship is traveling and Kathryn can't ask her grandmother questions, she searches out those where they are at, which just happens to be Trinidad. This is a wonderful story for those who love romance, adventure and paranormal or any of those. Definitely one that you want to check out.
The Deja Vu Chronicles
Book One: Midnight Omen Deja Vu
Book Two: Silver Moon Deja Vu
Book Three: Onyx Rising Deja Vu
Book Four: Cutthroat's Omen: A Crimson Dawn
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The Nightlife: New York
The Nightlife, Book One
by Travis Luedke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
New York is the beginning of a series called The Nightlife by Travis Luedke, which is a vampire novel, but it is sexy.
Aaron is a college aged kid working as a waiter in a local New York restaurant, dealing with the older lady patron that likes to drink too much and grab his ass. After work this night his roommate Kyle calls and asks him to bring home beer, his ex-girlfriend and some of her friends are there and they want to party. Just what Aaron needs, Delia was his first serious girlfriend and she dumped him.
Michelle is drop-dead gorgeous, five foot blonde bombshell. She happens t be walking by the restaurant when Aaron walks out for the night and he is fascinated. He can't believe she even glanced at him, he is so far out of her league, but she does.
Fates conspire and events happen that end up causing Michelle to make the decision to take Aaron home with her and heal him by turning him into a Vampire like her. When Aaron finally awakens four days later he doesn't believe her story at first, finally she gets through to him, and she tells him she will be his master, since she changed him and he will always answer to her.
New York is all about Michelle teaching Aaron to be a vampire, and Michelle learning some things that she didn't know because her former master wasn't a good guy. The two of them developing a relationship. At the same time, getting a little revenge on Delia and rescuing Michelle from two corrupt cops who are hell-bent on taking her down.
It is a great story, lots of romance and sex between Aaron and Michelle, but even more a relationship and true bond forms more than just the master because I turned you stuff. The revenge and rescue was great. It was just a fun and wild read, and something worth the time. Pretty fast read.
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Circumstellar
by J.W. Lolite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Ingrid has always been a bit different, her eyes are purple, and there aren't that many of those around and then of course there is the fact that they have a sort of glow to them, but her Aunt Kaline won't say anything about it, won't talk about her parents to her or about much of anything else for that matter. So Ingrid counts on her best friends Lesia and Ty for what she needs in life. They have been best friends since the time Ingrid moved to Dust Veil and they have always been there for her. As things begin to get strange, and she uncovers information about her parents they are still there for her and it turns out there are reasons the three of them were drawn to each other in the first place. J. W. Lolite brings the story of a child of mixed parentage, who has some secrets but the abilities to help, but doesn't know it yet in Circumstellar. It is more a story of the loyalty of friendship and family than the other worldliness of the parentage.
Circumstellar is a great story for teens and young adults. Although it is in this popular ideal of a child who has special abilities but was raised as a human child and only finds out in their teens, it is not about those abilities as much as it is about the loyalty of the friendships, the family and the connections to people. The abilities are second and don't play much of a role in the story, in fact they are hardly developed and are not in play in what Ingrid needs to do, it is friendship and loyalty that is what decides what happens. J.W. Lolite gives the reader a story that will attract the young reader because of the genre, but attract the parents because of the message and delight both with the story.
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Stuck
by Stacey D. Atkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Odette is twenty-three, living at home with her mother and younger sister, working at the local convenience store where she has been since high school and just rolling along with life. She finally realizes that she is restless,she is Stuck, that this isn't what she wants out of life, that she wants something more, but she has no idea what she wants or how to go about it. This is the summer she will meet Henri, a rich kid from the yacht club and Ben a research scientist in the area on a project. Henri introduces her to sailing, but she keeps information about he life from him which leads to trouble. Ben knows all about her, in fact he understands her better than she understands herself sometimes. Stacey D. Atkinson gives us a story of growing up in a small town, and breaking free. Finding out what you want for yourself and going for it.
Stuck is what so many people become. We just go with what we are doing, never questioning and looking for something better. Stuck is not only the story of Odette, but it is also the story of her younger sister Sophie and her mother too. They are all living in the trailer together, in a poor town with poor expectations. Only when Odette makes plans to get out, to do something more does Sophie also realize that she can do more, she doesn't have to follow in her older sister's footsteps and marry young and have kids. You might call it a coming-of-age story, but it is more an awaken o what life can be outside of what you know. This is a great book for young adults and adults alike.
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Primary Fault
The Schattenreich, Book One
by Sharon Kae Reamer
My rating: 3.2 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Primary Fault is the first book in a series called The Schattenreich, which is a realm or another place in the book. The story is set in Germany, where Augustus and his father have always lived. Now that his father has passed away, and his mother also, Caitlin, who lived in American with her mother, has returned to Germany to be with her brother. Augustus is an earthquake researcher, and where they are is along a primary fault line, so there are earthquakes in that area. Augustus is kidnapped and a doppelganger is going around committing crimes that Augustus is being blamed for, Caitlin alone is determined to find the truth. Sharon Reamer brings together other realms, people from those other realms interfering with life here and earthquakes to form a unique story.
As Primary Fault is set to be the first book in the series, it does not really explain the whole Schattenreich idea to you. It is mentioned, and you sort of figure out that it is another realm, and this one family is in charge of guarding the gateway, but that someone has broken through which caused the kidnapping of Augustus. What you never figure out is what is actually is, why they protect the gateway, and who this family is. Maybe that is to come in the later books. Sharon Reamer does a good job in writing a story that you want to read to figure out what is going on, but at the same time you are a bit disappointed in the end that you haven't figured it out. Which is good for a series, but not so good for readers.
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