Maegan's review of Curse at Zala Manor by BBH McChiller

Reviewed by – Maegan Schaefer          

Book Review of – Curse at Zala Manor

By: BBH McChiller

My overall star rating -- from 1-5

Buy it at Amazon

About the book:

It's almost Halloween, and twelve-year-old AJ Zantony's world is threatened by an ancient curse that releases wicked pirates who had been trapped for centuries in his Aunt Zsofia's creepy mansion, Zala Manor.

The pirates--a vampire count, a pegleg skeleton, and a zombie--have three goals: to find a lost treasure, unleash the restless dead from their graves, and to settle a very old score by destroying the Zantony bloodline.

AJ has to stop them before midnight during Aunt Zsofia's annual Halloween party. Except he has a big problem--monster phobia! He's scared to death of monsters. But if he doesn't act fast, the streets of Craggy Cove will be crawling with zombies.

Will AJ overcome his fear and stop the monsters or bail out? Will Craggy Cove become Zombie Central? Who will be alive when midnight tolls? (from Amazon)

Book creation ratings:

Overall total --  30 out of a possible 30

-- Story & characters -- 10

-- Cover & title --10

-- Editing -- 10

* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:

-1- I starting reading this book in the morning and had a hard time putting it down. I ended up finishing it that same night.

-2- The characters are well developed. You really became absorbed with how the characters would end up and what might happen to them.

-3- This book is a mystery. I liken it to the Nancy Drew books I read growing up, except this one deals with real monsters.

-4- BBH McChiller really kept this book to an elementary school level; wonderful for kids just starting to learn to love to read.

-5- This book has it all from dark, creepy tunnels to hidden passageways, keeping you on your toes till the end.

Reader Recommendations

Genre -- mystery

Age recommendations – 8+

Sex content rating – none

Violence rating – not really much of that

Creepy rating- just enough to keep you reading to the end

Michael's review of Grave Vengeance by J. Thayer McKinney

Reviewed by – K. Michael Gibson

Book Review of – Grave Vengeance

By J. Thayer Mckinney

My overall star rating -- 4

Author website

Buy her books on Amazon

About the book: 

The Book follows Essie, a civil war era lady whom sheds her female roles to seek vengeance on those that did her family harm.

Book creation ratings:

Overall total -- 23 out of a possible 30

-- Story & characters -- 9

-- Cover & title -- 7

-- Editing -- 7

* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:

-1- The storyline was fabulous especially for those whom love period based fiction.

-2- The characters were well developed and fit the era they were portrayed 

-3- Imagery was well defined but allowed the reader to extrapolate the scene.

-4- The only downside I would have to give the work would be in editing, I noticed a few mistakes, primarily a shift from the first to third person perspective.

-5- Overall, Grave Vengeance is a hauntingly wonderful jaunt into the past! 

Reader Recommendations

Genre -- Fiction

Age recommendations – YA to Adult 

Sex content rating -- NA

Violence rating -- Mild

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-- Honey to Soothe the Itch -- 

by Kris Austen Radcliffe

Available free from Saturday, 1/11 - Wednesday, 1/15

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http://www.amazon.com/Honey-Soothe-Itch-Austen-Radcliffe-ebook/dp/B00EVCBL9W/

Shawna's review of The Vampire of the Church by Laleh Canaan

Reviewed by – Shawna Hembree

Book Review of – 

The Vampire of the Church

By Laleh Canaan

My overall star rating -- 4

Buy it on Amazon

About the book:

A story of vampires, angels, and a human who is enticed to enter their world.

Rumor has it that a vampire has been imprisoned in a cathedral in the small town of Brighton, New York.

Merlyn Marshall, a twenty-something-year-old woman who has grown up in an average family in New York City goes to Brighton, not for the winter vacation but to escape her own personal problems, not knowing that her life is going to change forever, for better, for worse.

What people say turns out to be true.

Merlyn will meet the mystery man; a man with abilities that no man can ever possess...

Book creation ratings:

Overall total --  23

-- Story & characters -- 8

-- Cover & title -- 7

-- Editing -- 8

* based on a 1-10 scale with:  1-4, poor; 5-7, good; 8-10, very good.*

My 5 point review:

-1- The format is that of a daily entry in a journal. It does move in order over a short span of time.

-2- The characters are okay. It could use a little more depth.

-3- Overall, It kept my attention and I was anticipating what would happen next.

-4- I was sad that it just ended abruptly. In a snap, it was just over.

-5- I hope the following books, as this was part 1, will finally bring a resolution (a happier ending) to the characters.

Reader Recommendations

Genre – Paranormal Romance

Age recommendations –17+

Sex content rating – was not all that descriptive

Violence rating – vampires=blood and violence

Lake's Review of Static by Michael R. Collings

Reviewed by: Lake Leafty 

note:( my first blogged book review)

Book review of Static 

by Michael R Collings

My overall star rating: 4.5

Buy Static on Amazon

About the book: 

Pain inherits the home of his Great Aunt. Legally he can't change anything about the house including contents. Turns out the house is HAUNTED. It haunts it's tenants and anyone remotely involved with them or it. Want to find out how or why? 

Book Creation Rating: 26! overall out of a possible 30. 

---Story and Characters -10

---Cover and Title.          -7

---Editing.                        -9

My 5 Point Review:

1- I started this book via Audible. The voice was a good one. It's a real page turner. So much, in fact that I had to get the kindle version for when I wasn't driving.

2- Mr. Collings has such a way with words, especially when it comes to description and analogies. It's like you are there.

3- You're really able to get inside the characters head. They are all very like able.

4- There are a few parts I was uncomfortable with. But I don't believe he delved into those parts too far. Plus anytime there was a sex scene they left you at the door.

5- There is some foul language.

Reader Recommendations:

Genre: Horror 

Age Recommendation: 18+

Sex Content Rating: love/lust/and mention of gay lust

Violence Rating: Violent at parts

Book Spotlight -- Pieces of Perfect

***$0.99 Christmas SALE from Friday through December 25***

Heat up your winter with the hot contemporary romance

PIECES OF PERFECT,

an Amazon bestseller in contemporary women's fiction.

"The authors do a really great job on bringing the characters to life and thank god for having a female lead that isn't shy, meek, or absolutely unrealistic.  I give this five stars because it deserves five stars. Cannot wait to see more work from these authors!" ~Amazon Review

http://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Perfect-Elizabeth-Hayley-ebook/product-reviews/B00DU48LC2/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pieces-Perfect-Elizabeth-Hayley-ebook/product-reviews/B00DU48LC2/

Spotlight -- Shadow Lord by Tony-Paul de Vissage

Today we throw our book spotlight on:

Shadow Lord by Tony-Paul de Vissage 

http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Lord-Tony-Paul-Vissage-ebook/dp/B00GH0YJP4/

VAMPIRES AS THEY SHOULD BE.

“Shadow Lord will draw you into a world where love, vengeance and honor intermingle. It will change the way you think about vampires.”--Tony Eldridge, author of The Samson Effect

“There is romance and some hot scenes in this one but the paranormal and historical aspect of this novel stands out. The author has obviously done a lot of research and I applaud that depth and eye for detail and this unique new vampire world .”--AmberKatzke's Book Blog (Vienna, Austria)

“From the very first word to the last, this book is a roller coaster ride of emotions.”--Aislyn Faye, Author

Shadow Lord, first in the 2009 Maryland Romance Writers “Reveal Your Inner Vixen” contest, in the Horror category.

******************************

Men call them vampires. They call themselves aventurieri. For generations, they hide in the mists of the Carpathians away from their human foes.

In 1793, everything changes… Their Prince’s assassin is murdered. His son demands revenge.

Marek Strigoi’s quest for justice will take him from his Transylvanian homeland to the Hellfire clubs of Vienna and the boudoir of a Parisian Marquise, but not even love will stop his vengeance.

Mrcea Ravagiu must die.

When both the hunter and the hunted are vampires, not even Hell will stand in the way!