The New Cover for Last Shot Revealed!

Happy New Year! 

Today is the day! Last Shot at Justice has its new cover, and is now up for pre-order on Amazon. That's right, ALL the Thomas Family Novels (formerly Boys of Syracuse, Kansas series) have been taken off all markets, and will come back one by one with new covers.

Without further ado, here is the new cover:

Its new release date is March 10, 2017, and it's on pre-order sale for 99¢ - if you haven't yet read this book, now is a great time to order it. There are no substantial changes to the story--so there's no need to buy it again, although I wouldn't mind if you share the love.

Stay tuned for news about a giveaway of a signed paperback in February. And if you can't wait to buy a copy, sign up for my mailing list and get a FREE copy there.

Best of Everything for 2017 - especially the best reads!

Review of First Crush by Ashley Ludwig

This book is fantastic. It kept me engaged and guessing through much of the book. A couple things I figured out fairly early, but I didn't know how events were going to unfold. I very much liked Nick, and I loved Natalie's strength of character. She might have saved herself some trauma by listening to Nick and Dalton a little more often, but honestly, I rather think I might have done the same thing in ignoring them.

The characters were all well drawn and fully realized. None of the main characters were hollow caricatures, and even the secondary characters felt real. I was fully invested in Nick and Natalie's relationship, and the success of their venture. I loved Corie, and Nick's mother.

The romance built realistically enough that I'd call it a love story rather than a romance - except that it really did move quite fast. If I had one quibble with the story, it would be that the flow of time was a little confusing to me. There would be mention of days passing, and the work on the property progressing at super speeds, and then come to find out only a couple days had passed when with the amount of stuff going on it felt like it had been weeks. Probably distracting enough to knock off half a star.

I liked getting inside the bad guy's head - it really kept the suspense up for me. Early on, I thought I had worked out who the Slayer really was, and I thought that it would be quite the feat to pull off, but turned out I was wrong. LOL 

As for content, there is mention of faith, but it did not feel in any way preachy. This is a clean read - one that doesn't stand out as clean, in that I wasn't thinking, "oh look, she replaced this dirty word with a cleaner one." It read smooth and there was no loss of interest for all that there is no sex or swearing. There is a bit of violence that mostly happens off screen, though we're given details of some of the fairly graphic results. I'd probably call it PG17, due solely to the two or three instances of violence. 

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Review of Charming Academy, by Jessica L. Elliott

I loved this book. It is very well written, and brought me to tears (of joy and sadness) on more than one occasion. I loved how it followed the wonder and angst of being young adults who are expected to fulfill their destiny by having the character of "prince charming" or "fair damsels" in a fairy tale world come to life. 

The dramas the students went through felt very natural, even if it was angsty. I'm generally not a fan of angst. Some YA books I've read the angst feels forced, but here the ebb and flow of friendships, and each character's development as they grew throughout the school years was captivating without being annoying. 

I enjoyed seeing the various characters and trying to figure out which of the classic fairy tales they were going to become. I'm not sure I figured out what the main characters' tale was, though. 

All in all, this is a sweet, family friendly storybook that does deal with some harsh worldly truths, like death, bullying, making mistakes, and standing up in the face of something that isn't right. There are lots of good life lessons, but no hint of it being preachy or boring. In short, I loved it!

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End of the Year? End of a Print Run!

I'm making some big changes!

Sorry if this is a wonky-looking post, but I've been trying to send it as a newsletter and it appears to have failed.So I'm posting this news here.

I've got some BIG NEWS that's actually kind of bittersweet.

I'm taking MOST of my books off sale at the end of this year.

I've come to the tough decision that I need to relaunch the books with new covers, and a new series name. While I love the existing covers, they don't quite capture what the books are about, and if I want to reach more awesome readers like you, I'm going to have to fine tune my brand. 

What does this mean to you?

Well, it means that any paperbacks with the current covers I have in stock are going to be on sale for a serious discount. Basically my cost, plus postage. And who knows? These might become collector's items someday. 

So check out my eStore and order your copies today. Once they're gone, they're gone - so don't miss out.

I've also discounted ALL eBooks to 99¢ from now until they go off sale. When they come back with the new covers, they won't be this cheap!

Shop the SALE Now!

Here's a partial peek at the new cover for Last Shot at Justice.
If you want a bigger sneak peek of what the new covers look like, head over to my website and see if you can find the "easter egg" - that's a graphic that seems a little out of place, and is really a link to a secret page that has TWO of the new covers on it.

Review of The Nanny Song by Misty Mount

I had a hard time reading about these characters. They were all so...flawed and at times seriously unlikeable. They were so well drawn that I felt a lot of discomfort in the beginning - like watching someone have a meltdown in a restaurant or something. I felt bad for Mallory, having to deal with those challenging children, and I felt embarrassed for the whole Colt family that the fallout from their failure to deal with their grief was on such public display. And even Mallory did some things that had me shaking my head, wanting to shake her - especially when she'd drift off into la la land at the most inopportune moments. 

That being said, reading about realistic - and flawed - characters gives me a look at a world I don't normally see, and makes me appreciate what I have in my life: No kids, no drama. There is definitely a place for that in fiction.

The further I got into the story, the more I was drawn in, and I actually stayed up pretty late a few nights, reading more than I had intended. I had to see what was going to happen next - how would Mallory deal with the next crisis, and would she get caught snooping around her employer's house? And most importantly, would any of them grow out of their poor behaviors? (Spoiler - they do! Which makes it totally worth all the cringe-inducing moments.) 

I found the story arc believable, the characterizations solid, and the character growth timed to perfection. The characters - with the possible exception of the mother - were totally redeemed in my opinion. Their poor behavior lasted no longer (nor shorter) than necessary to be believable and compelling, and there was just cause for every turn and bump in their interrelationships. (Any faster and it would have been too easy. Any longer, and a sane person would have given up.) 

So why not 5 stars? Well, the ending was quite abrupt. We weren't given a real sense of what the future would really hold for everyone. I did like the building relationship between Mallory and Brendan, but I questioned their declaration of love for each other at the end. I could definitely see it building toward that end, but I didn't quite think she had enough to go on to love him. Of course he would love her, but since he was a jerk for most of the book, I'd prefer to see her waiting to see that he was really mending his ways. I also had a bit of trouble with...not their age difference, per se, but the way Mallory is so often described as a "girl." It just made it hard to see her as a potential love interest for Brendan when so often it felt like she and Meela were being described as though they were sisters. And finally there were a few style choices that I found jarring. Not really errors, just small things that jarred me out of the story a few times. So, I'll have to leave it at 4. Maybe 4.5 

As for content, this is a sweet, clean story. Probably PG, but only for some references when Mallory and Rashelle are talking to each other. There's no swearing, no hanky-panky, and no major violence - although there are references to a rough childhood for Mallory, a couple run-ins with the schoolyard bully, and some speculation as to what really happened to Brendan's wife. Don't take that to mean the story is dull, though. There are a couple exciting scenes, and plenty of drama. 

All in all, I recommend The Nanny Song as a fine clean read.

Review of Curses, by Calvin Dean

Lovable retiree seeks girlfriend with a pulse. Fun ensues.

What a funny little story. Gets total props for originality in my book. It's like Inspector Cluseau or Barney Fife meets the Ghost Whisperer. Martin is a retiree with a haunting problem, and he is bound and determined to deal with it...as long as his girlfriend - the living and breathing one, anyway - doesn't have him committed first.

I found the story to be more of a comedy, although there were a couple eerie scenes, and even some touching scenes. Martin's bumbling efforts to conceal his "it's complicated" status from his neighbor (who he just so happens to believe is the love of his life) are enjoyably comical. I got the greatest visual of the man going about his days, dealing with some truly trying ghosts.

Not sure how you would categorize Curses. Maybe a cozy horror mystery? It was a definite fun break, for Halloween or any time. 

Review of Casting the First Stone by Lisa Lawmaster Hess

I won this is in a Facebook giveaway, and while it is not something I would necessarily choose to read, I thoroughly enjoyed Casting the First Stone.

It's a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, because the reader is a fly on the wall during a custody mediation that doesn't go well, and those kinds of confrontations always distress me. But the story is so compelling and well written that I was hooked. Usually I like lots of action and suspense in my reads, but despite this being "tame" by my "usual" standards, I was held in suspense wondering how it was all going to work out. 

The characters were well drawn and believable, and the conflict so well depicted, I felt fully invested in seeing things work out for these two disparate women, and for Charli, the "prize" they all were fighting for.  I found Angel to be sweet and brave, and Marita to be charming. Charli was perfect as the tween just starting to stretch her wings of rebellion. I though Jim was a jerk, and I hoped fervently that he would figure things out without hurting those around him too much.

Finally, I'm not a big fan of being preached at in books, and while the theme of church and faith was strong, it was deftly handled so that I never once felt like this was a lecture disguised as a novel. Very well done.

If you enjoy a clean, character driven read with just the right amount of angst and interpersonal struggle, you'll enjoy Casting the First Stone.

Review of His & Hers by Ashley Ludwig

5 Stars ~ This was absolutely delightful! I loved everything about it. Truly a love story more than a romance, there is very little (to no) angst, beautifully developed characters, and a storyline that played off of and mirrored the old classic movies of Hollywood's Golden Age. 

What does that even mean? It means I felt like I was watching two dear friends fall in love, and it didn't need to have angst or suspense or much in the way of drama to keep me involved and turning pages. (Not saying there isn't a tiny amount of suspense, and a wee bit of drama, but for me, those elements were secondary to the love story.)

I loved Cain. A guy like him could sweep me off my feet any time. And Misty felt very real, with her insecurities - though not your typical romance insecurities. There were also some genuinely funny moments, and sweet moments, too. 

The secondary plot involving Misty's grandmother was especially sweet - but I'll say no more than that, to avoid spoilers. 

This is a true clean read - no profanity, and nothing hotter than a few kisses that were truly steamy. I just thoroughly enjoyed it, and would recommend to anyone who likes a sweet love story reminiscent of an old, classic movie. Nothing deep, but it still felt substantial enough to leave me satisfied. Again, like watching dear friends falling in love. I cared about and felt I knew the main characters well enough to call them friends.

What else can I say? The only critical thing I can say is that the author's style included what I consider to be incomplete sentences. Not too distracting, especially once I adapted to the style - and it was definitely style, not errors. 

Overall, very well written, enchanting characters, sweet love story on multiple levels. Definitely worth reading!

Review of Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors by H L Burke

5 Stars all the way.

This was every bit as delightful as I had hoped and expected. A light read, despite some tense happenings. A bit on the predictable side, but there were a still a couple twists, and I certainly couldn't predict the pitfalls in the house of mirrors, or the fun inventions - the kinds of elements that draw me to the steampunk genre. 

I liked Nyssa as a resourceful, smart, and compassionate heroine. I very much look forward to reading more books about her - in fact I have already purchased the next two books, and will be reading them soon. 

I'd say more about the secondary characters, but I don't want to let any spoilers slip, so let's just say that they were all well drawn and delightful, too. 

Content rating would be PG-13, for some intense situations and a bit of violence, though it's not too graphic.

Review of Fear is Louder than Words by Linda S. Glaz

This was certainly a fast paced read. I'm not sure what all to say about it that won't result in spoilers, but I'll give it a shot.

There are three almost completely distinct storylines running through this book, the only element really tying them together is Rochelle. So the reader is watching Rochelle dealing with the terror her attacker has generated in her, while she is fighting her attraction to the man who saved her, and we're watching Kyle as he progresses and escalates his hatred for Rochelle - for unknown reasons until nearly the end - and then there is Maggie and Erik and the PhD clinic.

The threads are woven together well, and kept me interested and guessing what was going to happen next. I'm happy to say there were a few things I didn't see coming, but after the fact I thought, "well of course..." Which means they were set up well, but not made out to be blatantly obvious gimmies. 

The main characters were for the most part complex and very well developed. I could totally picture Kyle as played by Giovanni Ribisi, particularly the character Gio played in The Postman. I couldn't find a good picture of that character, but this one is close. 

I worried for a little bit that his reasoning for hating Rochelle so much wouldn't be sound, but it was totally compelling. Yes, he creeped me out, but I appreciated having his perspective in the book.

I loved Ed. He felt quite human and had his flaws, so he wasn't "too good to be true" but he was very much a stand up guy and someone to love having on your side in a pinch. He might have been a bit too much of a super-hero toward the end, for reasons I can't say without dropping a spoiler, but that is dramatic license and I'd lump most of it under "things you can do when fueled by adrenaline" and call it good. The only thing that bugged me about Ed was the way his falling in love with Rochelle was portrayed. It just seemed a bit weak. Perhaps because the "I don't know why I'm attracted to her" card has been played out so often in books. I do think it's a real thing - often people don't know what draws them toward others, but he didn't seem to know what it was about her for much of the book, and I guess I like a hero to know his own heart a little better, and be able to pinpoint what it is a little sooner.

Rochelle. Rochelle, Rochelle, Rochelle. I don't know what to say about her. On the one hand, she was strong. Strong in her beliefs, strong in her will to fight against her fear, strong in her faith and convictions. The fact that she spent much of the book afraid didn't detract from her strength to me. It takes a lot of strength to continue living life despite that kind of fear. 

But there was a lot of things I didn't "get" about her. I did several eye-rolls at her when she fled over misperceptions of Ed and Alicia. It's understandable and a common element in romance stories - common and overdone. It is a pet peeve of mine when people run away instead of confronting a situation more than once. I get that we can't all be strong enough to stand there and hash a thing out in the moment every time one comes up, but for me, I much prefer to see that kind of growth sooner rather than later. The more times a character runs rather than faces a confrontation, the less I like them as my heroine. It has become a weakness I despise. A personal bugaboo of mine. Does that make this book terrible? No, but I think it accounted for half of that missing star. 

The whole thing with Danny perplexed me. I didn't know where he fit into her timeline, how long they were together, (I'm sure it was listed, but I didn't get a feel for what that time meant to her other than "he treated her horribly" which didn't give me the sense of why she stayed with him, or why he did a particular thing that I don't want to spoil.) It felt like a plot element that had been forced into the story, and it didn't really fit.

The rest of the star loss comes from the secondary characters, who were a bit like cardboard cutouts to me. Again, treading lighting to avoid spoilers, there was the drunk, scorned wife, the over the top doctor with secrets to hide, the wanton woman - two of them, actually - and the best friend with the seemingly perfect life. I didn't feel connection with any of them most of the time, and it just left me wanting to see them more clearly, for how they affect the main characters.

The final element I want to address is the presence of religion: faith and conviction. I'm not someone who likes being preached at, and this book definitely did not push me off with overt "bible-thumping" or a holier-than-thou-attitude. Believe me, I wouldn't have finished if I'd felt put upon. No, the threads of Rochelle's faith and how she lived it, and her dreams for a life steeped in it, were very present but not overwhelming. The way her faith affected her relationship with Ed was touching and one especially beautiful moment even got a tear in the corner of my eye. So in short regarding the religious aspect, I think people who like a strong element of faith in the books they read won't be disappointed, but neither will the casual reader be turned off by it.

Overall, I recommend this as a clean read that retains plenty of suspense and excitement. The rating would be PG-13 - with an added caveat for violence. Any survivor of sexual violence and (mild spoiler) those who have lost babies may be triggered by scenes in this book. 

I purchased an e-copy of this book, and then won the paperback in a contest. I will be sharing the paperback with my mom, because I think she would enjoy it. 

Update on Activities and Review Catchup

It's done! It's on its way! I finished Should Monarchs Stumble in time for the release date I was aiming for, which is September 24th, the day of the Florence Festival of Books. It is available for pre-order NOW!

I have been so busy getting finished with the final story for the Bonnie Isles Trilogy - Should Monarchs Stumble - that I have totally neglected reviewing the stories I have been reading.

I listen to most books using a text to speech feature, and I'm allowed to do this while at work - driving a delivery van around town. That's the only way I've been able to "read" so many books. 

Now that I have the book "in the can" and the posters and banner made for the Florence Festival of Books, the Complete Trilogy formatted, uploaded and ordered, I can take a breather and catch up on some reviews. They're not going to be very detailed reviews, but you'll get the idea as to whether and how much I liked them.

Without further ado - several reviews, in no particular order.

From Fire Into Fire by Normandie Fischer - ★★★★★
I enjoyed this tale of two spies and their son very much. I have not yet read Two from Isaac's House, but I certainly will if this book is an example of the writing. (I have already procured it, but haven't started it, yet.)

This clean read is bittersweet, exciting, and full of interesting perspectives on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.
Content rating: This is a PG-13 read all the way. Totally flinch free.

Revolution by Adrienne Dunning – ★★★★★
What a sweet, fun read.
It's hard to miss with this sweet tale in which a ghost and feisty grandmother who team up as protectors/matchmakers for a woman running from an abusive fiance and a widower still aching for his lost love.

Content rating: PG 13, except there is a theme of domestic abuse - while I'm not opposed to kids knowing that that kind of abuse is NOT okay, it might be a trigger for some.

Shenanigans (Love, Sex & Magic #1) by T.B. Bond ★★★★
Fun story. Jackson makes a great book boyfriend. He's almost too good to be true, but I like my heroes like that.
I liked Edward, and the premise that all the sisters have boys names. It's going to make for a great series, I think. I'd say this is a bit of a serial - the story is not entirely wrapped up, and I expect to hear more about Edward and Jackson in other installments.

This has some fully depicted, graphic love scenes, so I would call it R-rated, but there is far more story than sex, so the sex scenes are not the driving force of the book. I don't remember the language being too coarse, but a quick search did reveal some f-bombs, so that is in keeping with the R-Rating, too. Language and Sexual content.

I think I read that this book has been overhauled, maybe since I got my copy (I'm working through a huge TBR) so hopefully the small errors that were littered throughout have been corrected.

My Name is A’yen (A’yen’s Legacy #1) by Rachel Leigh Smith - ★★★★★
I thought this was a wonderful book. It deals with a lot of tough topics - slavery and rape for starters - and has LGB themes to it, and yes, one questions the motive of one character who is only present in the story as a memory. (Some would call him a pedophile - but as this is Sci-Fi, I chose to believe that A'yen's people age faster than humans.) There are things in this book that will trigger some readers.

But the story is full of hope and perseverance and healing and learning to trust. The world building is exquisite, in such fine detail that I really felt I could understand the world I was reading about. I loved A'yen's strength and character, and I felt for him and the torment he experienced. I loved Farran's character, too. She was just as strong as A'yen and dealt with much of it alone, while he had so many friends to help him. For a long time, I wasn't sure he deserved her, until he got is head out of his you know what and saw what a great woman she was.

There are some sex scenes with a mostly closed door, and definite references to both hetero and homosexual love and abuse. It is not easy to read about the things that happen. I'd have to give it a PG-17 rating, for violent and sexual content. I think the language was pretty clean. A quick search revealed 0 f-bombs.

The Healer’s Rune – Lauricia Matuska - ★★★★
3.5-4 stars. (Can't make up my mind.)

I had the problem that I sometimes have with new adult, where I dislike the main character because she is so real. She's got a temper, and it almost makes her a strong woman, but it gets in the way of her listening to people who are trying to help her. The story also makes me uncomfortable, because it showcases the worst in people--pettiness, letting fear dictate your words and actions, and throwing others under the bus to save yourself. I spent the first 3/4 of the book not sure I was going to like it at all, but in the last 1/4 it started to come together, and I can see that it is actually working for the story.

I think I have more to say about this, but I need to process it some more, and write more when I have more time. Suffice to say it was well worth reading, and I will probably seek out the other books in the series when they come. A book that makes you uncomfortable isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Across Our Stars: Hamish – by A. Payne & N.D. Taylor - ★★★★★
5 stars all the way.
This is a fantastic follow up to Across Our Stars: Victor. The pacing is quicker and the action sequences more kick-butt.
I wanted to give a shout out to tell you all this sci-fi novel is great. If you like Sci-Fi that is more character-driven than technology-driven (although there is plenty of cool tech to read about) with complex characters and a twisting conspiracy plot, then this is the story for you!

Murder at Twin Oaks by C Z Bracket - ★★★★★
4.5 Stars
This was a very fine, clean cozy mystery. I liked the progression and the introduction of the various suspects and the investigation. I thought the resolution was good, though I may have missed some of the finer nuances since I was listening while driving.

I liked the rebuilding relationship with Victoria and the detective. I wondered by she didn't give her colleague a chance, though. I might have missed something, but I didn't really get why that was a non-starter as far as she was concerned. He seemed intent on firing something up with her.

The other thing I didn't quite get was why the clues kept getting sent to her. I wasn't satisfied by the explanation at the end. Again, maybe I just missed it, but those were enough to lose that full fifth star. I do look forward to reading more Victoria James Mysteries.

Content rating: this is a clean read. PG-13 - Any violence is off scene, although there is brief mention of some disturbing occurrences.

That's all for now - I'm still reading more, and will surely have more to say. Thanks for sticking with me. 

Trilogy news & Kindle Countdown!

I've been hard at work in the writing cave trying to finish off Should Monarchs Stumble. I'm sending it off to the editor this week, so you're one step closer to having a complete trilogy.

To celebrate, I'm having a Kindle Countdown on both A True Prince and To Make a King. If you missed the promo pricing for the pre-orders, you're in luck. From the 19th through the 22nd, you can get the books for just 99¢ each! From the 22nd to the 28th, they'll jump up to $1.99 ~ after the 28th, they go back to their re...gular price of $2.99 so don't miss out on this great deal while it lasts.

Is your little reader going back to school? Send them off with a great pair of fantasy stories! Or, get them for yourself as a treat for when the house is finally quiet again.