Mystic series - Book Review

Jo Michaels, author of Yassa and The Abigale Chronicles, now gives us the Mystic series, a young adult paranormal tale geared towards finding strength from within. I read Mystic: Bronya (book 1) and Mystic: Lily (book 2), the series will include five novellas and one novel that will bring everything together.

The premise behind the Mystic series touches upon the paranormal. Markaza, a teen-aged tattooed blue hair girl has visions of a powerful being trying to destroy the Earth. Markaza has one year to go all over the U.S. recruiting specially selected women with powers they don't even know they have. From the first book in the series Mystic: Bronya, we learn who are these women, though I've only read the first two and can only guess at the story behind the rest of them:

• Bronya Thibodeaux from Houma, LA, she has physical strength and as a Lesbian suffered prejudices in her small town. 
• Lily Conyers from San Diego, CA has the ability of sight control, her glamorous life was destroyed by a car accident.
• Sheila Morgan from Chattanooga, TN - Mood control - Child abuse.
• Melody Acworth from Atlanta, GA - Sound control - Anorexic.
• Coralie Meyers from New York, NY - Cunning - Abortion.
• Markaza Turner from New York, NY - Future seer - Depression.

The series aims to give positive messages emphasizing themes like how cruelty can hurt people, the dangers of drinking and driving, and how beauty and strength come from within. The situations the heroines face are not sugar coated and the characters themselves have flaws that make them relatable.  

In the case of Bronya, her problems come from being a Lesbian in a small town in Louisiana  where she suffers ridicule and a humiliating heartbreak. On the other hand Lily is on top of the modeling world, beautiful with great life and handsome boyfriend. It all ends when she decides to drive drunk, crashes her car and her face is disfigured.

In both cases Markaza appears at just the right time, her mission is to befriend them and in some way convince them to leave their current lives and move to New York, where they unknowingly join WSTW - Women Save The World.

As the stories unfold we get to see glimpses of the future, in Mystic: Lily we see the terrible danger Sheila is in, as well as the reason why all these women are being recruited. The women all have a special ability they don't even know they have and they will need to dig very deep down in order to find it...plus the clock is ticking because the danger has a due date, Markaza'a 18th birthday.

The novellas are written in a way that you will read them in one to three sittings, the stories have a way to keep your interest and the description of each hometown is dead on - at least I know it is with San Diego since I live here!

In a way this review is incomplete because the series is just starting, there are many questions, character and plot development to look forward to in the months to come. Mystic: Bronya is available on Amazon and will be free from 10/27 to 10/31 in celebration of the publishing of Mystic: Lily on October 30th.

You can read the interview with author Jo Michaels or connect with her through the following sites:

Website: http://www.writejomichaels.com/#!home|mainPage
Blog: http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/writejomichaels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/writejomichaels
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5833874.Jo_Michaels

Interview with Jo Michaels

I met Jo Michaels several months ago when we both participated in a 28-day blog challenge and since then she's been on my list of authors to read. Finally I had a chance to read her and it's great that its at the beginning of the Mystic series, a young adult paranormal tale of strength from within.


Each story deals with a particular deep emotional problem, how did you choose the issues to give to each character?

I looked around at the world and considered what people are judged for. Things that really bring out the hate or fear in other people because they don't understand those things. I have friends with every issue I address in the books and I wanted to show my readers what kind of struggles people face before the cruelty is put on top of it. Add that on, and you have a pretty messed up person that's fighting a lot of personal demons. Putting a name or a face on an issue makes it more personal, and showing what someone else feels about things that happen to them (either by their own screw-ups or nature) is important to bringing forth understanding. I'm hoping to help people see there are two sides to every story. People that are different from you or me aren't bad; they're just different. It doesn't mean they need to be judged, feared, or hated.


Even though the stories deal with women in their teens, I've noticed that cigarettes are very prevalent in their lives, especially Markaza's. Is there a certain significance to this habit?

A few of the girls don't smoke: Lily, Melody, and Shelia (who does it a few times while telling her story but it's very out of character). Markaza does it to help with the stress. She started when she had her first vision and never quit. Truth be told, a lot of teens do it and a lot of teens don't. I just want my characters to feel very real and, sometimes, real people smoke. But no, there's no significance to it.


From glimpses Markaza has seen on her crystal ball and dreams, it looks like the thing to battle will be a physical monster of some sorts. Can you say anything more on that?

It's a physical monster that's the embodiment of something prevalent in the world that grows stronger every day. When the girls pick up on what it is, they'll have an idea of how to defeat it. Can't include the spoiler! But what I can say is: Once you, the reader, realize what it is, you'll see it alive all around you. It may very well terrify you when you see how much it encompasses your life without you knowing it. My call to action is: Do something about it. It's all about the small things we do every day that make a difference.


So far I'm picturing WSTW (Women Save The World) as The Justice League. Once everyone is together and ready to go, will they have super hero type costumes?

That's an awesome comparison! While costumes could be cool, I think these ladies are unique enough without them. Adding costumes wouldn't make sense because we're celebrating their individuality.


Will the whole story be told in a series of novellas or will there be a novel at the end?

Bronya, Lily, Shelia, Melody, and Coralie are all novellas. Markaza (book six) will be a full length novel because it will tell her story as well as the final battle.


Will there be a story dedicated to Markaza?

Yes and no. You'll find out about her in book six but you'll also get the story of the battle and how these chicks kick butt and take names. It won't be done the way you may think and there's a scene in Shelia that will bring you closer to understanding what it is they have to do to win.


How often do you plan to publish the rest of the stories?

Every two months. Shelia will be released 12/21/12, Melody in February, Coralie in April, and Markaza in June.


You can read the review of the series or connect with Jo through the following sites:

Website: http://www.writejomichaels.com/#!home|mainPage
Blog: http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/writejomichaels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/writejomichaels
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5833874.Jo_Michaels

Author Jo Michaels

Dangerous Waters - Book Review and Giveaway

Some of my favorite stories have to do with people starting a new life in a new city or country. In the case of Dangerous Waters Jeanne Le Page starts her new life by coming back to her hometown of Guernsey.

Jeanne left the island at age 16 after her parents died in a boating accident which she survived and can't remember. The death of her Grandmother and a painful break-up brought her back to Guernsey where she began to reconnect with childhood friends. Her initial intention was to settle her Grandmother's estate, sell a property she inherited and get back to London.

Jeanne is in deep need for healing, and the process began as she approached Guernsey and had a panic attack. Once she was back at her Grandma's cottage, Le Petit Chêne, she began to re-introduce herself in Guernsey's way of life and made the decision to stay, renovate the cottage and confront the biggest mystery in her life: the amnesia regarding the accident.

During the renovation Jeanne discovers documents that will change her life. Some of them are old traditional French recipes and something she never expected: love letters between her Grandma and someone other than her Grandfather. This part of the story touches on a romantic and sad love story that happened in the time when Guernsey was under German occupation during WWII. It is fascinating to join Jeanne as she slowly uncovers the truth.

Le Petit Chêne is a distinct character in the book, the renovation goes very deep into its foundation and its a metaphor for the self-discovery Jeanne is going through. Cottage and person are gutted and renovated, coming out at the end looking almost the same but with an inner strength that will get them through anything coming their way.

Another important character is Guernsey itself, a tiny island in the English Channel. The descriptions give a great sense of what is like to live there, and at least personally, the more I read about it, the more I want to visit it.

And before I forget, there is romance in the air for Jeanne, but won't comment on that part, it will be a treat for the readers to find out more about it!

Now for the giveaway, Anne Allen is providing a free copy of Dangerous Waters to two lucky winners. Leave a comment before October 17 telling us a little something about your hometown and you will be entered in the giveaway. Best of luck!

Check out interesting tidbits about Dangerous Waters in an Interview with Anne Allen and if you're interested in more information about the book or author, please visit:

Website: www.dangerouswaters.co.uk
Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Waters-Mystery-Guernsey-ebook/dp/B007P1EIAU
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Waters-Mystery-Island-Guernsey/dp/1780882300
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13632950-dangerous-waters
Twitter: @AnneAllen21

Interview with Anne Allen

I met Anne Allen thanks to Twitter and this book blog, she asked if I would be interested in reading her book and once I read a few reviews I was convinced. Dangerous Waters offers a story of self-discovery, healing, love and a few mysteries that need to be solved. To learn more about Dangerous Waters, please read my review and check out the giveaway!

I'm glad Anne agreed to be interviewed and give us a little more insight about the story:

After reading the story I Googled Guernsey, it's such an itty bitty island, and from the descriptions in the story it seems so charming. Have you visited Guernsey?

It’s certainly small! About 5 miles by 7 and you can drive round the coast line in about an hour. Mind you, there are even smaller islands in the Channel Islands and one, Herm, also figures in Dangerous Waters. Here there are no cars and both residents (about 50) and tourists walk everywhere. I lived in Guernsey for nearly fourteen years from 1988 and then made a very reluctant return to England. I’ve left behind not only one son but a number of friends to give me a valid reason for frequent returns. I fell in love with the island and the people after enjoying a holiday there in 1987 and vowed to move there as soon as possible. And you’re right, Ellie, it’s full of charm and has a lot to offer visitors as well as residents.

Guernsey

The love story between Jeanne Le Page's grandmother and Wilhelm, the German soldier was so tender and interesting in a historical sense. What can you tell us about the research you did about that time period?

I was fortunate to be able to talk to people who had lived through the Occupation, gaining first-hand accounts of what life had been like at that time. Also, luckily for me, that period is well documented locally, providing me with a rich source of historical material. The Islanders still celebrate Liberation Day every year to mark the arrival of British forces on May 9th 1945.


Where did you get the inspiration for the cottage Le Petit Chêne?

I had lived in a farmhouse in the area where ‘Le Petit Chêne’ could be found and knew the local cottages well. I’d actually undertaken a large-scale renovation of my home so knew what would be involved for Jeanne. Including the stress! Her cottage wasn’t the same design as mine but the garden had similarities. However, mine had a small pine forest instead of an orchard. And the German bunker mentioned in my book actually existed – in my garden! We had it professionally renovated – it had been prone to flooding – and even had the original German signs re-painted. My sons had an illicit party in it while we were away one weekend and we only found out because a neighbour complained about beer bottles being thrown in to the adjoining lane. I had decided early on that my story needed to include an old cottage with secrets and I didn’t have to look far for inspiration. 

Guernsey Cottage

Jeanne Le Page's journey of self-discovery and memory recovery through hypnosis seems to parallel Le Petit Chêne's renovation. Both went through mayhem at their foundation and both came out of it stronger. While you were writing the story was it your intention to link Jeanne and the cottage this way?

Most definitely! For me it was a key strand of the plot and I’m so glad you’ve picked up on it. Both Jeanne and the cottage were in need of TLC at the beginning of the book and I wanted the renovation of the cottage to reflect the changes taking place in Jeanne. For her, the cottage had symbolized her lost, loving family and by bringing it up to date in the 21st century she was echoing her own progress towards renewed life and love. I’ve often found that people take on a big project like a house renovation when they’re searching for something new in their lives – a fresh start. And there’s a tremendous feeling of satisfaction when it’s completed. We can pour our ‘love’ energy into a home instead of a person if we happen to be single.


The book has yummy recipes at the end, have you made them? Are they family recipes?

Guernsey Bean Jar

I’ve only made the ‘enne jarraïe d’haricaöts’ – Guernsey Bean Jar and it was delicious! The recipes are genuine old Guernsey recipes passed down through the generations and are well known locally. I’ve also eaten loads of Gâche , a fruit bread smothered with rich Guernsey butter. No calorie counting allowed!

Gâche with butter

What are you working on now?

My second novel, Finding Mother, the story of a young woman who, as her marriage crumbles, seeks to find her natural mother. She feels the need to understand herself and her roots while re-evaluating her life. The story also focuses on the history of that mother and the grandmother who have kept secrets from each other for years. The setting is predominantly Guernsey (shows how much I love the place!) but there are excursions to England, Jersey (another Channel Island) and Spain.


Thank you very much Anne for such a great story and donating the books for the giveaway.

If you want more information about the book or the author, please visit:

Website: www.dangerouswaters.co.uk
Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Waters-Mystery-Guernsey-ebook/dp/B007P1EIAU
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Waters-Mystery-Island-Guernsey/dp/1780882300
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13632950-dangerous-waters
Twitter: @AnneAllen21

Anne Allen, author of Dangerous Waters

Demon Vampire - Book Review

Some stories are like appetizers, others are like lunch and my favorites are like desserts. In the case of Demon Vampire, I can easily say its like a Thanksgiving Dinner with every single fixin' you can think of!

The first thing that struck me as I read this story was the Anne Rice feel to it. But I made the initial mistake of treating it like an Anne Rice novel, in which I can easily skip pages and not loose the thread of the story. Not with Demon Vampire, there is vital information everywhere! This brings me to the second thing I noticed, this book re-taught me to be patient, relax and enjoy the story. I 'm very used to reading books that are 250 pages or less where the plot and dialogue is developed very quickly. In this case, especially at the beginning, the characters get there when they get there, in this book there's no rushing.

First we are introduced to Zack, an awkward teen, who, even though has weird blood-filled dreams, he doesn't feel like he's anything special. Then we meet David and his daughter Kyli who are plotting to kill Zack because of what lives inside him, an ancient, evil Demon Vampire, one that can and will destroy civilizations with its uncontrollable power. At this point I thought I could predict the main plot, but I was so wrong!

As the story unfolds we meet Orhn Damascus, a vampire/vampeal that comes out of the blue to torture Zack. This torture teaches us important things about Zack and Kyli, who comes to rescue him, and we get to know Orhn's fascinating story of love and loss later on in the book. As new vampires and vampeals are introduced, we learn about their stories and relationships with each other. As it is with people, there are "good" and "bad" vampires and the thing about immortality is that if a vampire has a grudge, it will fester and grow for centuries and so far I didn't see any of them wanting to forgive and forget or move on.

While I enjoyed all the back stories, among my favorites where Del Marin's who learned how to exist among humans and even work for a living as a tax accountant before becoming an artist. We also meet Malio, who has serious anger issues! And my favorite: Salas, THE Demon Vampire. The rest of the vampires are united in wanting to kill Salas or the very least delay his return for another 300 years by killing his current unsuspecting host, Zack.

Throughout the story, the other vampires mention how evil Salas is and in this story we meet three of his hosts: Moira, Love and Zack. Each one deals with Salas in a very different way, but each one of them knows they are doomed no matter what path they take. At least in my case, I found Salas seductive and bad-ass, if I was the host, I'm pretty sure I would give in to what he wants very quickly!

Demon Vampire introduces new concepts to the vampire mythology, or at least they are new to me. We have Redgold which is the crystallized blood from a vampire taken thanks to a specific ritual during an eclipse. Vampires are categorized depending on their gifts into Focus, Psychics or Alteration. There is the ancient story on how Vampire Elders created the Demon Vampires and so much more.

The story goes from the present day where Zack is trying to figure out what the hell he is, to the past, where we get to find out the stories of the different vampires and vampeals surrounding Zack. There are several centuries-old relationships in this story, but the main one is between Zack and Kyli.

Poor kid, he never stood a chance with Kyli. Here is this super hot goth girl making the first moves, of course Zack would fall for her! Though I'm sure she didn't anticipate her eventual feelings for him. At times I found Kyli very annoying, she would get angry and hurt Zack as a way to teach him lessons, but even I never could anticipate what would make her happy or angry. Zack had to learn everything the hard way. As the story progresses, Zack will grow - literally. There will be a mental and physical transformation as he realizes what he is and what is inside him.

The ending of Demon Vampire seemed to me like the ending of the Fellowship of the Ring, you can tell there will be more, a lot more. Even in the last chapter, Kyli is still explaining things about the Vampire Elders. I'm sure all this wealth of information will be needed when the next books in the series come along. When you finish the book, one thing I can almost bet is that you will go back and re-read Chapter One!

To read my interview with author Virgil Allen Moore, please click on this link.

Interview with Virgil Allen Moore

I met Virgil through Goodreads.com, he sent me an e-mail asking if I would be interested in reading his book, which he described as "an epic paranormal work of dark fiction"....how could I resist?

Even though I'm a fast reader, it took me almost two months to read his book. Demon Vampire has a lot of meat in it and after reading a chapter or two I would take a step back from it and then come back for more, I enjoyed that. It reminded me when I was in junior high and two years in a row I would read Les Miserables, which took me all summer, but I loved it!

As I read Demon Vampire I've been in contact with Virgil through Twitter and some months ago while I was in the middle of a blog challenge he did two guest blogs for me (I was so grateful!). These are the posts:

• Day 17 - "Of all the things that might have developed from writing a book, I never imagined that I'd break my keyboard in doing so....."
• Day 18 - "My most memorable experience is easy to surmise, yet unrelenting to me while being a writer: Criticism...."

I'm very glad Virgil agreed to write for my blog one more time and answered the following interview questions. These questions have to do with the book Demon Vampire and it is my hope that after reading them you will be interested in reading the book for yourself, follow this link to read my review.

Virgil Allen Moore

I've read several vampire stories and series, from Bram Stroker's Dracula and Lord Byron's poems to the Sookie Stackhouse series (don't judge me, they're awesome!), so far I don't remember ever reading about Vampeals, Demon Vampires, Vampire Gifts or Redgold. Is this something new you are bringing to the vampire mythology or is it based on other works?

Those are a lot of questions. I've watched and read a great deal of Japanese and Chinese plots. I draw a great deal from their mythology and styles. Vampeals are from a series called Vampire Hunter D. Vampire Gifts mostly from pen and paper gaming such as Vampire The Masquerade. However, Demon Vampires and Redgold are my own unique creation. I wanted to forge something that would be feared, even to vampires. "An abomination among monsters." I needed to create something that an elder vampire would be afraid of. A reincarnating demon vampire fit the ticket far too well ;) Redgold on the other side was a solution to vampeals that worked its way very well into the storyline. Crystallized vampire blood that turns a vampeal (half-vampire) into a full vampire. So far, I don't think anyone has ever tackled those two story concepts in a vampire novel, let alone any other type of novel. 

On a follow-up side note: When I Googled "Vampeal", "Demon Vampire" and "Vampire Redgold"; Virgil Moore comes up in the first page...Well Done!

From your author picture I see you enjoy dressing in a style reminiscent to Gary Oldman's portrayal of Dracula. As you write the Redgold series, is there a character that represents you? And I hope it's not Malio!

God no, not Malio. He is sick and twisted, almost perfect antagonist that we all love to hate. As for me, I'd have to say that Zack, is me. As far as the personality type that is. His reactions to the events in the book are my reactions if I was there. At least at his age. One of the things that makes my series special is that you get to see the character from a very young point of view at the beginning and throughout the course of the story, he's physically nineteen and has grown several inches in height. Beyond that, readers will be able to see him get older as the series progresses. I won't go into details now, but Zack changes a lot. You will be able to see how his mind and choices develop as time goes on. Not many other series let you see that much change over such a large scale.

Does Zack ever gets to meet his Mom? I know its a spoiler, but can you give any hint?

Yes. It's a truly horrific meeting though. There is a lot of storyline explaining why she even settled down in the first place. Since you know she was such a "free spirit" to say the least in the time that Yugo and Orhn knew her, everyone always wonders why in the hell she would meet a normal guy like John and have a kid. All I can say is that she has a very disturbing reason for everything that she has done over the past several hundred years. Also, there is a blatant reason why I never talked about her gift in the book. All I can say is that she has a psychic gift and it is terrifying. 

Zack's Dad seems a little too non-chalant about everything that's happening to his teenager. Is he in some sort of trance?

That's a very good guess, but no. John is based mostly on my own mother. I had a very lax childhood and if those things happened to me, I think she would have reacted the same way. That is as much as I'd tell her ;) John just gets into his own world at times. Of course Diane, his new girlfriend is partially to blame for things as well. At least distracting him for that matter.

I hope I didn't miss it as I read the story, how are hosts choosen? Is it random or does Salas have a specific reason why he chooses a host?

Nope, it's random. Except for the fact that it can be sometimes foreseen by certain vampire psychics that have a specific type of future sensing gift. It's the reason why Kyli, David, Marin, and Yugo found Zack in the first place. It wasn't by chance. Malio simply didn't have access to a psychic that was good enough. Yugo did. The same goes for Orhn tracking down Lucretia, he didn't have the access. Same for Damien. 

I know these are very little details. I've hidden so much in the storyline that I'm actually surprised you were able to figure out that much. Not many others have. Also, everything that I haven't answered in book one has a building point later on in the series. I incorporate all. 

And one more teaser for book two. You get to meet Sophialla Ashmore. She shows up in the main book and has a hell of a back story as to how she fused with her demon vampire.

Another follow-up side note: I made notes from each chapter to keep track of all the info. Which is the same thing I did with the Game of Thrones books to keep track of the avalanche of characters!

What are you working on now? 

Demon Vampire: Redgold. The direct sequel to the current main storyline. I will also be writing another side novella from Kyli's point of view. Originally I had planned for all the side novellas to just be an addition to the main books, but as of yet, I have decided to tie them into all parts of the Redgold Series. There are people and events from the side novella that will come into play. So far several characters from a few other stories I have written have made their way into the book. Ellen, is one of those characters. He began in a story about an immortal demon named Ouroboros that continuously reanimates his host. It's a story that also takes place in Gainesville, but a few years after the main storyline of The Redgold Series. 

Demon Vampire: Redgold will be coming out later this year. Be sure to tell everyone about it and sign up to follow my blog for details about the book release. Visit http://demonvampire.com/ to follow the book, and be sure to like the facebook page as well. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Demon-Vampire/126728070744115

Thank you so much for sharing your book with me and I know I will continue to read the rest of your books. Best Wishes!

Traffic - Book Review

I read Hardit Singh's short stories Crossroads and Fast Lane, before reading his novel Traffic and I have to admit at first it was a hard story to read. Traffic deals with the white slave trade, women who are kidnaped and forced to work in brothels.

I've read other stories that deal with sex trafficking, but they mostly show the detective side, in this story you will see in-depth the lives the women are forced into. The story follows Melanie Swift, a woman kidnapped by a man she trusted and thrown into a world of brothels with no way out.

In the first part of the story we see Melanie's inner and outer life. Melanie is a bright, confident woman with a great will to live who just happens to be very beautiful, therefore marketable. We see her day to day activities which include very graphic and disturbing sex scenes. We also get to see her inner struggles to remain sane and hopeful in spite of it all. Her strength of character does get her in trouble and punished more than once.

During this time Melanie meets several women with different attitudes towards their enslavement. Some accept it and thrive, moving up the ladder to become call girls while others will do anything to escape. Theresa is one of those women who refuses to accept that lifestyle and will be Melanie's reminder of what their lives should be. Time and time again freedom seems so close and by the end of the first part of the story, Melanie's situation does seem hopeless.

Now comes the second part in which we're introduced to Carla Fontaine, a detective who meets Melanie and Theresa thanks to an unorthodox personal matter. Carla will become the rope that helps them climb from out of the hole and the shovel that will help them bury all the bad guys from the brothel and the police department.

I particularly enjoy the way Singh creates detectives, they have deep issues from their past, they are very smart and they don't act like a stereotype. Carla Fontaine has a lot to offer with problems with her ex-husband, her partner and ex-lover, her convict sister and still manages to solve a few cases while uncovering the corruption deep within the human trafficking unit in the police department.

For me the story was entertaining and gripping, but it also made me think and shudder. When I pass massage parlors I wonder if they have a basement with kidnapped women. Customers would never know if they're dealing with kidnapped women since they have to act like its just a job. How could they get away if their families are being threatened? Is death the only way out for some of those unlucky women?

I wouldn't consider Traffic an erotic novel, but there is a lot of graphic sex scenes as well as a very thoroughly researched inside look at the sex industry. With three very strong female characters, Traffic is a great book to read!

You can read an interview with author Hardit Singh and if you're interested in purchasing his books visit his Amazon page.

Author Hardit Singh