BOOK REVIEW: “Deadly Ties.” By Maggie Thom. @maggiethom2 #RRBC

Meet Author Maggie Thom.

Want to take an adventure beyond your fingertips?
Award winning author, Maggie Thom loves the challenge of creating a web of secrets, lies and deceit. She doesn’t want you to figure it out until the end. Author of The Caspian Wine Suspense/Thriller/Mystery Series – Captured Lies and Deceitful Truths with Split Seconds published soon – and her other individual novels Tainted Waters (2013 Suspense/Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine) and Deadly Ties. Take the roller coaster ride. It’s worth it. Get your free copy of Captured Lies.

Her motto: Read to escape… Escape to read…

“Maggie Thom… proves her strength as a master of words, plots and finely chiseled characters… she weaves a brilliant cloth of the many colors of deceit.” Dii – TomeTender

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DEADLY TIES

She went to jail for the right reason but the wrong murder.

With her mom in a coma, Kyara is determined to discover who is behind the brutal attack. Does her grandmother’s recent release from jail have anything to do with it? The police believe that some meth addicted youth are responsible but what Kyara uncovers is shocking. Is anyone telling the truth? Even Ryan who she thought might be able to help her is harnessing his own dark secret. Is he truly trying to help her or does he have his own agenda?

The golf course wasn’t built because the sport was gaining in popularity but to hide a deadly secret. Those responsible are determined to keep it buried and those who know anything are being silenced. Kyara finds herself trying to catch an old woman, stay ahead of those trying to kill her and unveil the truth. But can she do it before a town pays the ultimate price?

MY REVIEW.🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟 Nothing tastes as good as revenge!

Once I had accustomed myself to Author Maggie Thom’s pacing I settled down for what proved to be a fast-paced and suspense charged thriller of a book!

The author has a marvelous talent for laying out numerous plot lines, and merging them with the skill of a surgeon. Many reviewers have covered the basic story-line and it is a complex one. I enjoyed the characterizations so much that they deserve a strong mention.

Meet, Getty. Sixty-seven years old, newly released from a twenty-year prison stretch, for a murder she did not commit. Oh, make no mistake, she murdered someone alright. Just not the man she was alleged to have killed. Getty is fueled by an overpowering need for revenge, intertwined with a guilt she will never shake.

She is out for blood, no matter who gets in her way. The character development is well handled. Getty is not quite what she appears to be. Or is she? That is just one challenge facing the reader, as Author Maggie Thom leads you deeper into the story.

Meet Kyara … Getty’s grandaughter. Kyara, shattered and damaged from the stigma she’s carried all her young life. Wanting to trust, and not knowing how, without exposing herself to yet more hurt and shame.

The author shows us Kyara’s guilt at her own treatment of a mother she’s ashamed of, and her proud determination to discover just who had been responsible for injuring her. Kyara is a strong character amidst a cast of strong characters. The author has created a character we can identify with, making Kyara human and three-dimensional, so she comes alive on the page.

A Myriad of supporting characters enrich the plot, all of them intensely visual, but it is the ever threatening aura of the characters even when they are not present on the page that makes this book the terrific thriller that it is.

Author Maggie Thom has created memorable characters that will linger long after you close the last page.

PURCHASE HERE on AMAZON.COM

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#RRBC, IT’S COMING FROM BOTH SIDES

A must read post from a heart that is open to all.

Watch Nonnie Write!

Last night I happened upon a very interesting documentary about the desegregation of busing in Boston public schools.  The call for desegregation and the first years of its implementation, led to a series of racial protests and riots that brought national attention, particularly from 1974 to 1976.  It led to a decline of public school enrollment and white flight to the suburbs.  (ref:  Wikipedia)

One teacher asked his class of all black students, why did they think the white kids left their school?  The response was:  “They didn’t want to sit next to us.”  #Sad.  I recently heard a white kid say:  “They are prejudiced against us, too.” WOW!  (When the word too is used, we openly admit that it is going on.)

I don’t recall the name of the documentary as I came in on the middle of it, but it moved me so much…

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BOOK REVIEW: “Finding Gina” by Lizzie Chantree.

FINDING GINA by LIZZIE CHANTREE

A contemporary romance read with a magical twist! By Lizzie Chantree.

Can a sprinkling of stardust overcome a past full of demons?

Gina had traversed the breadth of the country in her little campervan to try and find everyone on her grandmother’s list, before her father drunk himself into an early grave. She leant down and pulled the battered and worn journal from her bag and opened it to the latest page. The neatly written names were etched onto her heart and she was determined to visit every single one and compensate them in some way. Her family’s debt had to be repaid.

Lewis read another provincial story about a ‘guardian angel’ who had been helping families across the country and his reporters nose began to itch. He was sure that if he could track down the girl they were talking about, he would unearth an even bigger story. He just had to work out how to locate her and then find out what it was that she was running from!

MY REVIEW. 🌟🌟🌟🌟 + A warm and entertaining read.

Romance isn’t a genre I read a great deal. When I do, I would normally look for something perhaps a little more gritty. However; I recently watched the book trailer for “Finding Gina” and it left me curious about just what the book would hold. So I went into the book understanding that it wouldn’t be offering the steamier side of romance. I read it based on that understanding.

Other reviewers have commented about the few editing glitches the book has, and yes, I noticed them, but they weren’t numerous so they didn’t prove to be too great a distraction.

The characterizations in the book are well drawn, and most, but not all the people you meet on Gina’s journey towards happiness are necessary and great additions to the overall story line.

The humor is quite delicious, and the misunderstandings between characters are a delight; and a reflection of the very human failing we all seem to possess, of looking for the worst case scenario and refusing to see the possibility of people just caring without a hidden agenda.

I was cheering for the good guys and hoping that all would come right in the end. If you are looking for steamy romance, you won’t find it here. This book plays gently with love, it offers up hope and just that feel good aftertaste of something sweet.

I wish we could give a 4+ rating, sadly we can’t. I enjoyed the book for what it is, a feel good and light, easy read, for those days when that is exactly what we need to sit down with.

It is a lovely story.  I found the only distraction for me was too many characters that didn’t need to be added to further the storyline. Would I read more of Lizzie Chantree’s work? Absolutely, yes! I believe her to be a very talented author.

PURCHASE ON AMAZON.com

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#RRBC is THE place to be! Lets ROCK in this Writers’ Conference! Join in this amazing opportunity to share and learn.

Rave Reviews Book Club Writers’ Conference & Book Expo! Registrations close NOVEMBER 23rd 2016.

#RRBC is THE place to be! Join in this amazing opportunity to share and learn. Treat yourself to the Christmas gift that just keeps on giving!

Are you a Writer, Editor, Cover designer or Publicist; a Publisher or Blogger, or a an avid Reader dedicated to finding and reading a selection of the best the online world has to offer? The RRBC WRITERS’ CONFERENCE & BOOK EXPO has something for everyone!

If you checked any of the above then this post is pure gold!

There is an Exciting, ground breaking Conference on its way … DON’T miss the opportunity to take part in just some or all of the following opportunities!

RRBC WRITERS’ CONFERENCE & BOOK EXPO

 FEATURES: Take a look at these amazing opportunities to participate!  Then register for the Conference by NOVEMBER 23rd with YOUR own Booth/Books/Workshop.

 Literary Lingo 101

Marketing 101

Blogging for Success

Editors: Sniffing Out the Right One

Why Your Brand Is Important

Indie Vs Traditional

Formatting Made Easy

Your Best Self-Promotion Tool: Promoting Others

Building Your Author Platform

Writing the Perfect Book Review

Book Blurbs Dos & Don’ts

Social Media Dos & Don’ts

Writing in the Senior Season

Why You Should Never Refuse a Live Media Interview

Cover Design (FREE Session)

*Conference Dates:  December 1st thru 3rd

*Registration Deadline:  November 23rd

Registration Link:  https://rrbcwritersconferencebookexpo.wordpress.com/registration-general-information/register-now/

 Pricing Link:  https://rrbcwritersconferencebookexpo.wordpress.c/registration-general-information/registration-packages-pricing/

NON-MEMBERS:
Vendor Booth Rental – $75/per table
Book Listing (linked title/cover/combination) – $5.00/ea.

REGULAR PRICING (Sept. 16 – Nov. 23, 2016):
MEMBERS:
Author/Vendor Booth Rental – $75/per table
Book Listing (linked title/cover combination) – $5.00/ea

NON-MEMBERS:
Vendor Booth Rental – $100/per table
Book Listing (linked title/cover combination) – $5.00/ea

Sounds fabulous doesn’t it? So don’t hesitate, to participate!

REGISTER NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

RRBC Holiday Train “Book Trailer’ BLOCK PARTY!

Hi and “WELCOME” to Rave Reviews Book Club’s HOLIDAY TRAIN “BOOK TRAILER” BLOCK PARTY at Welcome to the World of Suzanne Burke in Sydney: AUSTRALIA.

 

 This is a celebration. I am here, living, loving and laughing each precious day. I look forward to every sunrise, for it is a gift to be treasured. I could never have done this alone. My capacity to survive would never have been enough on its own. At times it only took the smile of a stranger to help me through another day.

My memoir is written under my pen-name of Stacey Danson.

My memoir “Empty Chairs ” is not an easy book to read. The subject of ‘Child Abuse’ will never be an easy topic to discuss. But, if we, as caring, loving, human beings are ever going to have a hope of making a difference, we all need to stop hiding ourselves away from what is undoubtedly a painful and confronting issue.

I have lived it. I ran and hid from it for too many years. It took the love and understanding of people just like you to help me confront and deal with my demons.

YOU … yes …YOU, CAN make a difference, but first you need to remove the shield you hold to your eyes and the protective layer you hold to your heart, and take a look.

Help the children, by helping yourself to understand.

I’d like to introduce you to my book trailer and I do hope that you will take the time to check out my book.

To be eligible to win one of the many prizes on offer please leave a comment on the BOOK TRAILER site.

VIEW BOOK TRAILER HERE

Stacey Danson, lived through and beyond horrific child abuse. This book tells of her brutal beginnings, the streets of Sydney at the age of eleven were preferable to the hell she endured at home. She ran, and those streets became her home for five years. She was alone, ill, and afraid. Stacey also had an unshakeable belief that she would do more than just survive her life. She would not allow her future to be determined by the horrors of her childhood. She reached out for something different; there had to be more to life; if she could only find it. She had a dream of a life where pain and humiliation had no place. She was determined to find that life. Empty Chairs is the beginning of the journey. Now she is living the dream.

Once again, thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to share your thoughts and comments on my trailer and also, at the bottom of this post if you have a moment.  Good luck on winning my giveaways!  I’ll see you at the next stop of this awesome “BOOK TRAILER” BLOCK PARTY!

EMPTY CHAIRS on AMAZON

Purchase Empty Chairs on Amazon U.K

Purchase Empty Chairs on Amazon.com.au

 Follow me on TWITTER @pursoot

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Book Review: ‘A Perilous Thirst’ by Rhani D’Chae @rhanidchae #RRBC #MustRead #IARTG

Hello and welcome to my Book Review of “A Perilous Thirst” by Rhani D’Chae.

Meet Rhani D’Chae.

Rhani D’Chae is a visually disabled writer who was born and raised in Tacoma, WA. Because of her failing eyesight, she no longer reads as much as she used to, but she does enjoy falling into the worlds created by other Indie authors as often as her vision will allow. Shadow of the Drill is her first published novel, and is the first in a series that revolves around an unrepentant enforcer and the violent life that he leads.

She enjoys chatting with readers and fellow writers via Social Media sites, and loves getting comments and other input from those who have read her work. She is on Facebook, and also on Twitter, @rhanidchae. Also, if you have the time, please stop by her blog: rhanidchae.wordpress.com.

BOOK BLURB

A short story about a gay vampire in the early days of the AIDS epidemic

 

MY BOOK REVIEW 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Dark and Intimate. A portrayal I will long remember.

 

Having read and enjoyed this author’s previous work ‘Shadow of the Drill’  I was more than a little curious to see how she handled the Paranormal genre. I am not a fan of Vampire’s, with the exception of Anne Rice’s classic Le Stat series. So I read this purely out of my prior knowledge and enjoyment of this authors work.

The first person narrative is difficult to pull off successfully, some authors tend to preach rather than invite you in to their world through the mind of their character.

This author doesn’t make that mistake. It took only a few minutes before I was caught up in the story. I was captured by the need to learn more about this Vampire, this intriguing, brutally honest, and yet somehow intensely vulnerable defiance of all things human.

This author creates empathy, a difficult and often overlooked skill in the short story genre. She paints the canvas with rich color, and dark shadow, allowing us to visualize this creature of the night clearly. We are made the confessional for his thoughts and feelings, we are invited to understand his inability to love. Ultimately we are invited to sit in judgement, and render a verdict on his desire to continue an existence devoid of hope.

Author Rhani D’Chae has a gifted pen. Her writing inspires thought and characterizes pain.

I will seek out more of her work, because of that gift.

I no longer care about the ‘other’ sparkling depictions of Vampire’s  for this one has me converted. Many reviewers have asked for more of this story. I found that surprising in some ways. For me this tale is complete, and its shortness only adds to the intensity.

 Purchase ‘A Perilous Thirst’ here on Amazon.

Visit Rhani D’Chae’s Author Page on Amazon here.

Purchase ‘Shadow of The Drill’ here on Amazon

Follow Rhani D’Chae here on TWITTER @rhanidchae

 

 

Book Review: “My GRL” by John W. Howell @HowellWave #RRBC #IARTG #Thriller

Hello and welcome to my review!  “My GRL” by John W. Howell. The first of the John Cannon Thriller series.

Meet Author, John W. Howell.

John began his writing as a full-time occupation after an extensive business career. His specialty is thriller fiction novels, but John also writes poetry and short stories. His first book, My GRL, introduces the exciting adventures of the book’s central character, John J. Cannon. The second Cannon novel, His Revenge, continues the adventure, while the final book in the trilogy, Our Justice, launched in September 2016. All books are available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.

John lives in Port Aransas, Texas with his wife and their spoiled rescue pets.

John J. Cannon successful San Francisco lawyer takes a leave of absence from the firm and buys a boat he names My GRL. He is unaware that his newly-purchased boat had already been targeted by a terrorist group. John’s first inkling of a problem is when he wakes up in the hospital where he learns he was found unconscious next to the dead body of the attractive young woman who sold him the boat in the first place. John now stands between the terrorists and the success of their mission.

MY REVIEW OF MY GRL 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I’m always a little skeptical when I begin reading an author with whom I’m unfamiliar, especially when they are writing in my favorite genre.

I go into any book,  with high anticipation tempered by restraint.

I immediately walked into unfamiliar terrain. I have never read a  work of fiction with the perspective of first person present before. It felt a little uncomfortable at first, but the plot it is so intensely gripping that my discomfort disappeared rapidly, and I settled back excited to continue.

I found myself liking the pivotal character John Cannon, he had depth, and a quirky, often wry, sense of humor. Author John W. Howell incorporates pithy one-liners throughout the book, and some of them actually had me laughing out loud as I read. The humor affords the reader the chance to draw a deep breath: You’ll need it, as the pacing of this book is fast, the tension high, and the suspense is nerve shattering.

I’m one of those dreadful people that seem to successfully predict the outcome of books and movies: NOT this time. Author John Howell has nailed it. I took the bait several times, then found myself chuckling at just how wrong I’d been.

We are given deep insights into what drives John Cannon. A couple of reviewers call the character of John Cannon, naive. My take is that the character has a profound love for his country, he is a total and unwavering patriot, and uncaring of who knows it. His apparent naivety,  for me at least, equates to his unwillingness to judge things without deep introspection.

At times I wanted to grab the character by the throat and shake him, and in my opinion, that is precisely what the author wanted us to do. He allows John Cannon to be human, a guy you’d want to invite over for a cook out; a guy with flaws, dreams and desires.

. John Cannon becomes three dimensional and highly visual. THAT for me is the trademark of a fine author.

This author encapsulates all that any reader could ask for in the pages of this book.

My GRL is the first book in a THREE book series.

I’m heading off to buy book 2.

‘John Howells Blog

John W.Howell Author PAGE AMAZON

PURCHASE MY GRL HERE ON AMAZON

PURCHASE BOOK 2 ‘His Revenge” Here

PURCHASE BOOK 3 “OUR JUSTICE” HERE

Connect with John W. Howell on TWITTER here @HowellWave

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Book Review: “Charlottesville” by Joanne Sexton.

 

BLURB.An American Civil War Love Story

Being a southern belle is hard enough, but it’s even harder if your perspective is at odds to those of your parents and of the times. The Civil War swoops into the heart of the South, taking husbands, beaus, and hope. No one dreams of being a widow, or of harboring a fugitive, but Savannah never was one to follow rules.
There should be shame in falling in love with a Yankee, the very symbol of how she lost her husband and how the South has been disrupted and destroyed, but the heart is free despite being caught in a cage. Love is as cruel as it is kind. Suffering two swift losses, husband and then Jed, Savannah lives with the only thing left; hope.
Savannah hopes she can find him again, hopes he can find her, despite the carnage of war, despite the desecration of law and order. A rebel never surrenders, and neither does Savannah.

 

My REVIEW.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Fresh, inviting and a good read.

The challenge any author faces when writing a romance novel set in America’s Deep South just prior to the outbreak of the Civil War is huge.

Comparisons will inevitably be made to the book that set the bar so high in this field. Yes, I’m talking about “Gone with the Wind.” Margaret Mitchell’s characters are the benchmark, and trying to erase the visions of Clarke Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivienne Leigh as the indomitable Scarlett O’Hara is difficult if not downright impossible.

Having read previous works by author Joanne Sexton I wanted to see just how she attacked this awesome challenge. I made a concerted effort to read this book as something fresh, new, and set my pre-conceived notions aside.

If you can do that, then you are free to enjoy this fresh take.

The characterizations are beautifully crafted in this book, there are no cookie cutter types here, each of the pivotal characters are fresh. I found myself invested in their lives from the outset.

Meet Savannah. Raised in the Deep South by parents who dared go against the norm, and elected to free their slaves before Lincoln had ever called for it. Her friends are aghast initially; however Savannah’s dignity and sturdy defense of her parents choices win many, if not all of them, over.

They don’t share her upbringing, but she is someone they love and admire. The conflict is well handled.

Savannah finds love and marries; just in time for him to be sent off to fight in a war, he believes is just.

The author communicates the frustrations of distance and uncertainty extremely well. Savannah’s innocence is shattered in the aftermath of his death.

When she takes in a Yankee in the form of Jed all her beliefs are challenged, and challenged harshly. The author allows us to see her inner turmoil; the guilt she carries as she begins to fall heavily for a man fighting on the other-side is handled well.

Jed is a strong male figure. Depicted well.

Ultimately, this book is a Romance. Although the conflict of the setting and the people and their aspirations are clearly and lovingly etched, it is ultimately a romance, and a fine one.

If Romance is what you are seeking in this book, then you will enjoy it. Fresh, inviting and a good read.

Purchase ‘Charlottesville on Amazon .com

Amazon PAGE for Joanne Sexton.

You will find Joanne on Twitter at @JoWritesRomnce.

Joanne Sexton on Facebook here

#RRBC and ME…color me happy!

Are you expecting a rave? Good … That’s what you’re getting.

Firstly let me shed some light on my previous experiences online …

My memoirs, ‘Empty Chairs” and “Faint Echoes of Laughter.” were both originally Traditionally published. Sadly, my publisher closed their doors, and my work disappeared from view.

I was gutted.

My confidence levels were at an all time low, and the thought of self-publishing was shoved to the end of my ‘Can do’ list.

I had made some lovely friends on line, and spent the next four-years on my old blog “Soooz Says Stuff” site, blogging, actively promoting contests that I created, promotions, new releases etc. You know the drill. “Soooz Says Stuff” had a total of 287 followers.

I was well in to writing my first thriller, loving the journey but having no end vision for what I would do with it when it was complete.

Like many of us; I was utterly hopeless at promoting my own work. My comfort zone was in bringing attention to the works of folks I admired.

Then, only four-months ago I stumbled upon Rave Reviews Book Club.

I read and re-read the rules of the club, took a close look at what they were doing and more importantly just how they went about it. I liked what I saw.

That was only four-short-months ago.

Let me share a few statistics with you, for both prior to #RRBC & AFTER Joining.

BEFORE #RRBC =June 2016 … 1423 Followers on Twitter. NO new followers in June.

AFTER Joining #RRBC= July 2016 …2052 Followers on Twitter. 629 NEW FOLLOWERS.

I took part in a wonderful blog party tour hosted by #RRBC It was THE most commented on and successful post I’ve ever had. My friend list exploded! My TBR grew huge.

This trend has continued … as at around five-minutes ago, My Followers on Twitter number 3580. I have almost tripled my Followers.

My book “Acts Beyond Redemption” was selected as one of #RRBC’s OCTOBER books of the month. The response and huge support of the #RRBC community garnered me more sales than I had ever had of my book, and the reviews just keep on coming.

AND THEN! Yes there’s more, I was interviewed live from Sydney to the USA and beyond on

And as if that weren’t enough #RRBC are having another party online this time it’s

Yes, I am taking part! My trailer and post is scheduled for NOVEMBER 22^nd, and I am extremely excited, and why wouldn’t I be?

One of THE most important things to note about the ‘reviews’ is that this club INSISTS on HONEST reviews. If the book is amazing then of course say so. BUT if you can only offer a constructive review and rate it less than 4/5 stars, then you are encouraged to do so. Honest Reviews mean exactly that.

RRBC is achieving something very important here, the club recognizes talent, and does everything it can to promote and share that talent. That support translates into the “bottom line.”

I am and always have been a huge supporter of Indie Authors if I admire their work.

I have finally found a warm supportive home where all of us are like-minded. And to TOP all of this amazing stuff, My memoir “Empty Chairs” and Faint Echoes of Laughter” are BOTH sitting comfortably in the TOP 100 in their genre In Kindle in the U.K.

Color me CONTENT! Don’t wait…pop in and take a look at #RRBC this is one place where you get out of the club, exactly what you put into it.

My blog now … this one … has in excess of 7000 followers! Just a ‘tad’ different to the old blog at 287. AND THEN SOME!

So … Do YOURSELF a huge favor…Take a look. I’m so delighted that I did.

Learn much more about #RRBC right here.

MY AUTHOR page on Amazon

Purchase Acts Beyond Redemption for just $0.99 HERE on Amazon

Purchase Book 1 of my Memoir “Empty Chairs” here on Amazon

Purchase book 2 of my Memoir “Faint Echoes of Laughter” here on Amazon.

 

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