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Thursday, July 24, 2014

DJ's review of Lori's Song by Lori Foroozandeh

Reviewed by – DJ Carter

Book Review of – Lori's Song: The true story of an American woman held captive in Iran By Lori Foroozandeh

My overall star rating -- 4.5 stars







Get it on Amazon

About the book: This is the story of Lori's life and most specifically her experiences in what can only be called a POW camp in Iran. Lori starts at the beginning when she was a baby and adopted, and moves through time, sometimes quickly, to when she left American and went to Iran with her then husband. This is when her nightmares really intensify and it was years before she was able to escape and return to America weighing about 70 lbs and literally scarred for life. What Lori went through was heartbreaking and it does make the reader wonder just how many others have had similar experiences, but have never shared them with others, especially the public, the way that Lori has.

Book creation ratings:
Overall total -- 25 out of a possible 30
-- Story & characters – 9
-- Cover & title – 9
-- Editing -- 7
* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:
-1- This story is Lori's story, and you can almost feel her experiences as she relates them to the reader. I was stunned at what this woman has endured and continues to deal with as she slowly heals.
-2-  Lori does do a little jumping back and forth as memories surface, but she does let you know that she is jumping and that does not take away from the telling of the story at all.
-3-  Her descriptions of her surroundings were detailed enough to give the reader a very good mental picture of what she is seeing as well as the feel of the heat or cold, and any smells or tastes that went with the scene she was relating.
-4-  Lori does not pull any punches, she tells you what she experienced and what she knew and even lets you know what she questioned and still doesn't know to this day.
-5-  Anyone that has been through severe violence or rape may have a difficult time reading this book, but I would encourage everyone to give it a chance, and take Lori's words to heart. Know what you could be getting into if you move to a foreign country.

Reader Recommendations
Genre – Non-Fiction
Age recommendations – Adult
Sex content rating – Not explicit, but several mentions of rape
Violence rating – Violent

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Jacqueline's review of Fall by Scarlett Dawn

Reviewed by -- Jacqueline Driggers

Book Review of -- Fall by Scarlett Dawn

My overall star rating -- from 1-5






Get it on Amazon

About the book:
A savagely wicked new adult sci-fi series blasts off with Fall, the first novella in The Cold Mark Saga...

Only one thousand Humans survived The Travel from the shattered Earth. Some Humans say it was their penance for crushing such beauty. Eighteen-year-old Braita merely thought it was pathetic - pathetic that her people had been that blind.

Now, the Humans live in the solar system, Kline, where three planets are habitable. Joyal, the smallest planet, is embraced by the Humans - their family to love as they had never loved Earth. Though a planet covered mainly in water is dangerous real estate to dwell upon.

Their worry turns into devastating reality when Braita’s blessed village is struck by a tsunami. Population numbers must be kept to a minimum. Drastic measures must be taken. Braita’s life is twisted in brutality when she is chosen as one of the three hundred Humans to be removed from Joyal…and sent to the Mian, the aliens to fear, on the planet Triaz.

Thrown head first into a barbaric world she knows nothing of, Braita must adapt to a dark life as a slave of the Mian society. Her existence depends on it…and possibly, the fall of her heart.

Book creation ratings:
Overall total -- 21 out of a possible 30
-- Story & characters -- 7
-- Cover & title -- 7
-- Editing & formatting -- 7
* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My review:
So where do I begin?  According to the Amazon site, the book is about 66 pages long; and it only has 8 chapters.  So it's a very short book.

The story idea given in the blurb is what drew me to review this book.  Let me begin by saying that I was expecting more than I got.  Unfortunately, the blurb pretty much tells the whole story of the book, or most of it at least.  The author's writing is good, what there is of it; but this book is a rather puny start to a series.

To me, it read more like something that I would put down to capture the idea for a book; maybe that I had developed some.  (I'm a writer as well as a reviewer by the way.)  But it's not something I would have published yet.  She leaves a lot of holes in the storyline that she doesn't fill in very well.  How they got to the planet, what earth was like when they left, what caused the tsunami, why they built where they did, why they didn't take more precautions in preparation for the tsunami.  There's a great story here, a great book, just too bad the author didn't take the needed time to write it all.

The book begins rather abruptly and ends rather abruptly, which is, to say the least, very disappointing.  I very much wish the book had been longer, because there's a lot of the story that simply isn't told.  Plus, there are key story elements that are only barely hinted at, little less brought out; such as the fact that they do not touch, don't have sex, don't know what it is.  She just skips over so much of the important info about their society and how it functions.

In conclusion -- I got this book free in consideration for a review, which is good, because I would have felt a bit gypped if I had bought it.  I'm very disappointed in how thrown together and hurried into publishing that this book reads as.  I wish the writer would have taken more time and fully developed what could have been a great book.  As it is, it's an okay book that may leave you dissatisfied.  I doubt that I will be hanging around when the next in this series comes out, because I will have long moved on to other books, and forgotten this one.  Would I read this author again -- not likely.

Reader Recommendations
Genre -- science fiction
Age recommendations -- 17 plus
Sex content rating -- mild to moderate
Violence rating -- quite a bit, and very violent

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Devona's review of The Perfect Woman by Jeff Fuell

Reviewed by -- Devona Serenity

Book Review of -- The Perfect Woman by Jeff Fuell

My overall star rating -- from 1-5







Get it on Amazon

About the book:
Thirty years in the future a man can experience a relationship with a very unique woman...one that is manufactured for him. One man finds love with this “perfect woman,” only he never bargained in having to stop a world takeover as well. In the end, he must make a decision - does he save the world at the risk of losing his truest love?        



Book creation ratings:
Overall total -- 19 out of a possible 30
-- Story & characters -- 6        
-- Cover & title -- 4        
-- Editing & formatting -- 9        
* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:
-1- Not really my choice of genre and i have to admit that some points did confuse me with technology term, however the story that Jeff has created is a fascinating idea.         
-2- Very well written from a man's point of view, which sometimes gets lost in books. 
-3- An inventive view of the future that you can actually see coming true.
-4- The characters are very well thought of and likable.        
-5- Overall for a fan of sci-fiction, it would be a good read        

Reader Recommendations
Genre -- science-fiction, High-Tech        
Age recommendations -- 18+        
Sex content rating -- Mild        
Violence rating -- Mild        

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Jacqueline's review of Everything by N.B. Baker

Reviewed by -- Jacqueline Driggers

Book Review of -- Everything by N.B. Baker

My overall star rating -- from 1-5






Get it on Amazon

About the book:
Ella Stone is struggling to pick up the pieces of her life. Abandoned by her parents when she was an infant, both of the grandparents who raised her are now gone. Facing her future for the first time, Ella decides to move to Detroit in order to be near her two best friends. After a misguided relationship with a man she finds in bed with another woman, Ella begins doubting her life-changing move. That is, until she meets Chance St. John. When Chance fends off a brutal attack, he and Ella share an instant connection. As the two get to know each other, their passionate exploits both in and out of the bedroom make way for a deeper connection for which neither one was quite prepared. But despite their increasing closeness, Ella can’t shake the feeling that Chance is hiding something from her. His frequent nightmares and skittish responses point to a secret in his past that haunts him still. While Ella attempts to uncover Chance’s mysterious past, her own life takes a turn for the strange. As Everything builds to its explosive climax, Ella must discover the truth before Chance’s dark past consumes them both.

Book creation ratings:
Overall total -- 15 out of a possible 30
-- Story & characters -- 5
-- Cover & title -- 5
-- Editing & formatting -- 5
* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:
-1- Not a great book, not a bad book either, also not a memorable book.

-2- The reason why I say it's not a memorable book is I had to look it up on Amazon to recall what it was about, then had to pop the book open and skim to the end to recall how it ended.

-3- The best part is in the beginning of the book when she comes home and discovers her (?) whatever in bed with another woman.  Still not sure if he was her hubby or boyfriend.

-4- What turned me off to this book was the fact that the author went into exhaustive detail describing stuff - rooms, surroundings, décor, etc.

-5- By the time I got to the end, well, I think I skipped some pages.  If a book is really good, I remember it.  This one was not memorable at all.

Reader Recommendations
Genre -- romance
Age recommendations -- definitely 18 plus
Sex content rating -- quite a bit
Violence rating -- a good bit of this too

Friday, July 4, 2014

Jacqueline's review of Undercover Kitty by Edie Hart

Reviewed by -- Jacqueline Driggers

Book Review of -- Undercover Kitty by Edie Hart

My overall star rating -- from 1-5






Get it on Amazon

About the book:

Cory West is determined to find out who killed her sister, even if that means dressing as a sexy kitty and working at a strip club. Will the sexy bartender distract her from finding the killer before it’s too late?


Book creation ratings:
Overall total -- 15 out of a possible 30
-- Story & characters -- 5
-- Cover & title -- 5
-- Editing & formatting -- 5
* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:
-1- The author uses the word 'excitement' to describe a man's arousal in one part.  Such a scene killer.

-2- I found the book to be dry, dull, and predictable.  Certainly not memorable at all.

-3- The killer was no surprise at all.  It was so obvious.  Too obvious.

-4- It's not a bad book, but it's not a great book either.

-5- The characters seem to lack depth and detail.

Reader Recommendations
Genre -- romance
Age recommendations -- 17 plus
Sex content rating -- moderate
Violence rating -- moderate

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Jacqueline's review of Dragon's Chase by Mina Carter

Reviewed by -- Jacqueline Driggers

Book Review of -- Dragon's Chase
By Mina Carter

My overall star rating -- from 1-5







Get it on Amazon

About the book:
He’s found his mate. But can he convince her that he’s her dragon?

Working for the Paranormal Protection Agency has never been boring, but shadow-dragon Duke didn’t expect to meet his mate in the line of duty. He certainly didn’t expect a warrior every inch his match, or for her to slap him across the ass with her tail and take off across the city.

With Baron on a very personal protection detail, Duke has to fly solo on the pair’s investigation into the warlock who nearly killed Baron’s mate. Just one problem, his mate is working with the warlock. So, dead or alive, he has to bring her in…

She found the one thing she didn’t want. Her mate. Now she needs to get rid of him before he ruins her mission…

Sleeping for centuries has it’s drawbacks, Chase knew that going in. What she didn’t expect was to wake with a Warlock’s spelled collar around her neck and to find her charge, the Queen’s daughter, in a cage. Vowing to free them both will take skill and strength and she doesn’t need the distraction of a hot as hell male dragon trying to make his claim on her. Even though her heart aches to complete their joining, she can’t. Not yet.

The mission, or her heart. Can she have both? Or will she need one to complete the other?

Book creation ratings:
Overall total -- 27 -- out of a possible 30
-- Story & characters -- 10
-- Cover & title -- 8
-- Editing & formatting -- 9
* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:
-1- Mina Carter is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.  I really like her stories and writing style.

-2-  I have reviewed another book in this series, and this book is an excellent addition to that series.  You can find my other review here:
http://jdslzone.blogspot.com/2014/05/jacquelines-review-of-paranormal.html

-3- This time out, we have dragons!  I love dragons.

-4- The action is intense, and keeps you hanging on until the last moment

-5- This book has a deliciously wonderful surprise ending!  That's all I'm telling!  To know more, you'll just have to read the book.  It's great!

Reader Recommendations
Genre -- paranormal, fantasy
Age recommendations -- 18 plus
Sex content rating -- sizzling
Violence rating -- intense

Book spotlight -- Ten Brides for Ten Heroes

Ten Brides for Ten Heroes
Multi-author boxed set

I don't know about you, but I simply love box sets like this.  It gives you a great chance to sample the writing of several different authors, all in one set.  I especially love it when they are bargain priced at .99 cents.  So . . . lets start with the buy links, and where you can grab your copy:


Also, there's a free cookbook that goes with this, that you can download from Smashwords.  Here's the info on that:
In this cookbook, you’ll find twenty recipes that go with the Ten Brides for Ten Heroes collection—two favorites provided by each of the authors. All are tied to the stories in the boxed set. Some are for foods served at the wedding receptions depicted. Others are from meals the hero and heroine enjoyed or from their family’s favorite recipes. Each dish—from appetizers through main dishes and desserts—is introduced by a little background on the story or characters. Here you’ll find Mini Crab Cakes from Return of the Runaway Bride, Peanut Chicken from The Army Doctor’s Wedding, Raspberry Streusel Muffins from Here Comes the Bride, and seventeen other tempting treats.

These recipes are the authors’ gifts to our readers. It’s our pleasure to share a little more of what makes our writing meaningful to us. We hope you’ll think of Ten Brides for Ten Heroes when you make these tasty dishes.

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Now here's some more info on what you'll get in the boxed set:

BLURB:
Ten Brides for Ten Heroes spans the gamut of the ever-popular wedding romance genre—from heartwarming laughter to thrilling adventure, from sweet to steamy. This 10-book bundle features novels by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. So get ready to toss the bouquet and say, "I do!" as ten brides risk it all to find their happy ever after.  



Patrice Wilton:
Wedding Fever by Patrice Wilton - The romantic comedy series, Serendipity Falls. 
Mila O’Reilley owns Wedding Fever, a bridal boutique in Serendipity Falls Mall. She sells more than dresses, she sells dreams along with the belief in happily-ever-after – a sentiment she personally doesn’t share. Can a jaded bridal consultant and a cynical news reporter uncover the true mystery of Serendipity Falls without being swept away in the madness?
Find Patrice at: www.patricewilton.com 

Helen Scott Taylor:
The Army Doctor's Wedding by Helen Scott Taylor - The Army Doctor's Series
Major Cameron Knight throws himself into the danger of front-line, battlefield medicine to keep the demons from his past away. When he rescues an injured charity worker who's saved a tiny newborn baby, he marries her so they can take the orphan back home for surgery. With this brave woman he finally has the chance to redeem himself and find love.

Mona Risk:
Wedding Surprise by Mona Risk – The Holiday Babies Series 
Claire and David faced many challenges over the years. Finally, Claire's dream of a wonderful white wedding to the man she loves is about to come true. Two weeks before the wedding, Adriana, the high-school classmate who’s tried to snatch David several times, makes an announcement that threatens to destroy the couple's happiness. Is Claire and David’s love for each other strong enough to turn the worst wedding surprise into the best?
Find Mona at: www.monarisk.com 

Alicia Street: 
Tomboy Bride by Alicia Street – The Dance 'n' Luv Series    
Kendra returns home for her brother’s wedding determined to get her age-old crush to finally see her as more than a tomboy. But will her game of making him jealous with a hot and handsome faux-beau make him fall for her—or backfire and leave her in ashes? 

Rebecca York:
Destination Wedding, by Rebecca York – The Decorah Security Series
From the moment Nick Cassidy signed on as one one of Camille Norland’s bodyguards, sexual sparks flew between them. Although determined to keep his emotional distance from her, Nick is forced to admit his real feelings when she’s kidnapped by a ruthless Russian mobster with matrimony in mind.  Can Nick rescue her before the wedding night?  Can they escape from Victor Zanov’s tropical island death trap?  And can they come to terms with their complicated relationship?
Find Rebecca at: www.rebeccayork.com 

Annie Jones:
Summer of Love by Annie Jones
Brides, Beehives and Barbecue! Can mother daughter mayhem be far behind? Bless her heart, it's 1967 and a determined southern bride isn't sure love is really all she needs.
Find Annie at: http://theanniejones.com/ 

Donna Fasano:
Return of the Runaway Bride by Donna Fasano
Savanna returns to her hometown to explain why she fled on her wedding day, but she never imagined how her escape all those years ago changed Daniel. Can she make him understand—and forgive?
Find Donna at: www.DonnaFasano.com 

Rita Herron:
Single & Searching by Rita Herron
A woman looking for love... A reporter looking for a story... A mad rush to find a criminal... When the truth comes out and danger strikes, will they succumb to the passion burning between them?
Find Rita at: www.ritaherron.com 

Theresa Ragan:
Here Comes the Bride by Theresa Ragan
Samantha Johnston, a reporter for the LA Beat, attends the wedding of one of America’s hottest actors in hopes of learning the identity of his mystery bride, and ends up saying, “I do.”
Find Theresa at: www.theresaragan.com 

Mimi Barbour:
Love Me Tender by Mimi Barbour – The “Elvis” Series
After her year in Texas as an exchange student, Annie leaves pregnant and heartbroken. Nine years later she returns to introduce her eight-year-old son to his American family. And to the man who still haunts her dreams – the handsome, embittered rancher who never knew he’d fathered a son. 
Find Mimi at: www.mimibarbour.com 

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Doesn't that sound yummy!
Want to know more?  

Visit their facebook page for even more info:  

And you know what makes this even sweeter?  A rafflecopter giveaway:


a Rafflecopter giveaway