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She reads books as one would breathe air, to fill up and live. 
– Annie Dillard

Review: Book of Ida by Grea Alexander

4/22/2019

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Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: SeaMonkey Ink
Publication Date: August 14, 2012
Pages: 208
Format: ePub
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Buy on: Amazon, Kobo


Synopsis

Did the Amarna line really end with King Tut's Death?

Ancient Egypt. 1324 BC.

The last living male descendant of the Amarna line, Pharaoh Tutankhamun, has died suddenly under mysterious circumstances. His wife, Queen Ankhesenamen, is left without a male heir. The ambitious vipers Ay and Horemheb are nipping at her heels in their bid to seize power.

Queen Ankhe has but one hope to maintain her hold on the throne - an alliance with the Hittites. With Ay and Horemheb watching her every move, there is only one person she can trust to save her and her line - a girl, a slave - Ida.


Review

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I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Oh how I love historical fiction!

Ida
I wasn't so sure about Ida at first. I knew she was meant to be a slave but she was pretty dang bossy for a slave. She was rough and harsh. She seemed very unwilling to be a slave girl born with nobility in her blood.

Eventually though, life tamed her a bit. She became head slave and a beloved friend of the Queen Ankhesenamun and childhood friend of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, and eventually his forbidden and secret love. Quite an admirable feat for this woman to bear and live with.

The moment that Ida chose to be Tut's wife of his heart, her life was set for an entirely new path. All the supporting characters played their parts well for Ida's story to flourish. I enjoyed the happiness that Pharaoh Tutankhamun before his unfortunate death at such a young age, the secret that Ida carried to as much safety as she could muster, and the eventual just desserts for the scheming Queen Ankhe.

This is a short, sweet historical fiction with a lovely touch of romance with one of Ancient Egypt's most famous Pharaoh's.

About the Author

Grea Alexander is a female writer of African American, Native American and French descent who does not write her profiles in the 3rd person.

Born and raised in Houston, TX, I have successfully wormed my way across many a border and have, in effect, managed to infect all that I survey with my particular brand of grea-ness. My books are very character-driven with a focus on flawed, dynamic, culturally-diverse characters and strong, smart female protagonists.

Connect with Grea

Website
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Review: Prophecies of the New World by Royce Sears

4/14/2019

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Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: March 25, 2016
Pages: 298
Format: ePub
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Buy on: Amazon, Kobo, B&N



Synopsis

Catastrophe befell Earth seventy-five years ago after an alien virus was introduced, accelerating evolution in wild and unpredictable ways. Humanity has become an endangered species, but an ancient prophecy, a Warrior of the People, and his prophetic vision of an unknown youth may be the keys to healing both the human race and the planet.

After being wounded in battle, Otaktay- a warrior of the People- receives a prophetic vision which opens the door to the rediscovery of a lost and forgotten prophecy as old as the first people of North America. With the guidance of the Ma'iingan, he and his band of brothers- the Swooping Hawks- are sent on a desperate race against time to find and rescue the young man foretold by the Prophecy of the Seven Fires.

In the New World, survival of the fittest is the rule as the struggle against savage, bloodthirsty predators and shifting paradigms creates an exciting and action-packed adventure where old magic and ancient prophecy shape the future.


Review

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I received this eBook from the Author in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a unique read for me. It mixed the apocalypse, an advanced dystopian world in which people are surviving the best they can with what they have and the skills they've learned. It's also managed to sew Native American beliefs into the story quite seamlessly.

The author has done a great job at building his world, creating unique characters, adding in new and old lore and adding in the horrors of a lawless world with monsters at your back, and monsters in humans.

That all being said, the story does possess some pretty tough topics. Although we've all gathered that in a dystopian world with no laws, people show the worst of the worst. With no one to have them face their crimes, they get away with it. Especially if someone is desperate enough to turn blind eyes.

Either way, this was written well and I did enjoy it, as dystopian sci-fi is a favourite of mine. I recommend it for any other dystopian sci-fi fans.

About the Author

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Born in the heart of West Virginia, Royce dreamed of becoming a writer throughout his younger years and was always an avid reader. Starting out with an old, and often temperamental typewriter, he wrote poems and stories that helped to develop his young imagination. A kind-hearted teacher in Junior High School took his first "manuscript" home for the summer and painstakingly read through pages and pages of violent, poorly written L. Sprague de Camp-esque combat scenes. She returned it the following school year with the classic red marks, suggestions, and encouragement that fueled his desire to write. (I still edit with a red pen, just to experience the nostalgia of that first "manuscript") A word processor, a gift from his grandparents, became the source of many tall tales which unfortunately never left the realm of the 3.5 inch floppy disks. Those tales, and the disks they were stored upon, faded into the digital oblivion of lost ideas. 

He later joined the Navy, serving on the USS Belknap (CG-26), the USS Mississippi (CGN-40) and at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, in Portsmouth, Virginia. After a brief career in sales, he went back to school at Marshall University, and is now a Registered Nurse in Charleston, WV at one of the largest hospital systems in the region. He attended and graduated from Saint Mary's School of Nursing and Marshall University. 

Royce lives near Charleston, WV with his wife Carolyn, and their menagerie of fur babies.

Connect with Royce

Website | Goodreads | Twitter
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Featured Book: Hamartia by Raquel Rich

4/11/2019

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Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure
Publisher: Words Matter Publishing
Publication Date: August 15, 2018
Pages: 340
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Buy on: Amazon, Indigo, Kobo, B&N, IndieBound



Synopsis

Grace's nine-year-old son, Jordan, is dying. First, the Metagenesis disease will tear his soul from his body, and then it will kill him. Desperate for a cure, Grace agrees to take part in an illegal clinical trial cloning souls. Supported by her best friend Kay, the two embark on the ultimate "Vegas Vacation" to the past in search of the right soul to clone, racing against time to save Jordan's life. But someone is trying to stop them and when they discover why, Grace must make a choice: let her son die or kill her husband. If she kills her husband, she triggers widespread Metagenesis, sealing the fate of the human race with a new plague.

Humanity is counting on Grace choosing to let her son die.
Hamartia Trailer

About the Author

Raquel Rich is a self-employed English Language Teacher and an author with Words Matter Publishing. She loves to travel, suntan, walk her dog, and is obsessed with all things Beauty & the Beast. She despises cold weather, balloons, and writing about herself in the third person but noticed all the real authors do that. Raquel recently left (ok, got let go from) a career in the travel industry and rather than looking for a real job, she wrote her first book, HAMARTIA. Born and raised in Canada to Brazilian parents, she lives in the Toronto area with her family. Married to the guy she’s been with since she was fifteen (her baby daddy), her superpowers include being a mom to their two awesome grown-ass boys and one fur baby. She’s also an okay step-mom and an auntie to a clan of classy ladies.

Connect with Raquel

Website | Twitter | Facebook
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Featured Author: Almond Jones (Wingmen Blog Tour)

4/4/2019

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Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Almond Jones LLC
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Pages: 476
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Buy on: Almond Jones | Amazon | B&N


Synopsis

Celeste Bonalee is anything but average. In fact, she's one of a kind - a highly skilled courier pilot with dreams of owning her own hangar. One last delivery is all she needs.

There's only one thing stopping her... World War II.

When Celeste is shot down over Paris in 1940, it'll take more than she ever expected for Celeste and her dreams to survive in a world that is falling apart.

Can Celeste and her wingmen make it back home in one piece? Or will war consume her generation and its aspirations?

WINGMEN is the story of us all and the lessons we have yet to learn.


Grab your Free Chapter of Wingmen

Free Chapter

Interview

Where do you get your ideas for your books? Who or what inspired your idea?
AJ: I write because I have a story to tell. My ideas  come from stories that need to be told. We live in a time where there is a strong need for people to understand each other. That is a large part of this story. 

How did you develop the plot and your characters? Are your characters based on anyone?  
AJ: No, my characters aren’t based on anyone. I pull them from my imagination. Once I know my characters, I know their story and what they will and won’t do.

Do you write when you're inspired? Or do you have a schedule you keep to?
AJ: I write consistently. If I’m working on a project, I write a little bit everyday. If I’m starting a new project, depending on what it is, I do the character work first. Then I can write.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? Maybe a piece of advice that stuck with you from your adventure into the world of publishing?
AJ: Write the story. Figure it out. No one is going to tell you how to do it or how they did it, so get to work.

Tell us a bit more about yourself. How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspires you to write?
AJ: I didn’t know I wanted to be a writer. In fact, I tried everything I could not to be one, but God had other things in mind. It was something that took years to figure out. So, I’m just getting started.

How much of yourself goes into your writing? Or do you keep yourself separate and base the character on someone else entirely?
AJ: I separate myself from all my characters. They react differently than I would and make different choices. It’s difficult to write about myself, so I make sure my characters are their own person.

What has helped shape and improve your writing?  
AJ: Getting an editor and other industry professionals to proof my drafts. They can tell me things about my writing that will help me write a better draft and get my projects to where they need to be to proceed to the next phase.

What are you reading right now? Do you recommend it or have any other recommendations?     
AJ: I lean toward nonfiction in my personal reading times. I finished reading Redefining Moments in Black History:  Reading Between the Lies by Dick Gregory a few months ago. I’m looking for my next good read.  

Connect with Almond Jones

Website
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Featured Book: Carnival of Horror by Kevin J. Kennedy

4/3/2019

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Genre: Horror, Anthology
Publisher: KJK Publishing
Publication Date: October 22, 2018
Pages: 358
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Buy on: Amazon


Synopsis

Roll up, roll up!

Welcome to the carnival!

Enjoy the sweet smells of the cotton candy and candy apples. Listen to the calliope music as you wander among the many stalls, to the screams of children enjoying the various rides. It’s all been designed to take your money, but you already know that. What you are not aware of, however, are the strange goings-on of the carnival world after dark. Do the carnies want more than your money? Does the fortune teller know more than she tells you? Are some of the games more dangerous than others?

Explore your worst fears, and perhaps gain some new ones, in these twisted tales of what really goes on at the carnival after dark!

Table of Contents:

Mark Fleming - Lifeblood
Lex H. Jones - For One Night Only
Andrew Lennon - House of Illusion
Jason M. Light - Abandonland
David J. Fielding - Wobbly Bob
Ike Hamill - The Pinch
Christina Bergling - Zoltara
Gary A. Braunbeck - In a Hand or Face
John Dover - Frimby's Big Day
David Owain Hughes - The Last Freakshow on Earth
H.R. Boldwood - Mister Weasels and the Cosmic Carnival
Joe X. Young - The Frog Prince
Guy N. Smith - Blood Show at the Carnival
Steven Stacy - The Voodoo Man
J.C. Michael - What a Price to Pay for a Fucking Teddy Bear
Selene MacLeod - Sweetheart
Kevin J. Kennedy - Vampiro

About the Author

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Kevin J Kennedy is an author/editor from Scotland. He is the co-author of You Only Get One Shot, and the man behind the best-selling Collected Horror Shorts anthologies and 100 Word Horrors. His stories have featured in many other notable anthologies in the horror genre and he has recently become a guest editor for several publishers. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association.


Connect with Kevin

Website
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    I'm Leticia, I'm 37 from Ontario, Canada.

    My blog has moved to Shh, I am Reading on Wix . Please contact me there. 



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  • Home
  • About Me
    • General Inquiries
  • Policies
    • Review Policy >
      • Genres I Read
      • Rating System
    • Privacy Policy
  • Request a Review
  • Challenges
    • Past Challenges >
      • PopSugar RC 2019
      • PopSugar RC 2020
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    • This or That 2022
    • Alphabet Soup 2022