Endangered by Dani Hoots ~ Book Review

Book Synopsis:

Chrys has been in the Underworld for thousands of years, hidden away by her father, Hades, from all the other gods. He's afraid that if someone finds out about her, that they will destroy her because of the dichotomous power that she holds, the power of life and death. So she has remained in the Palace of Hades all her life, making very little friends and always bored out of her mind. 

Huntley would have never guessed that after he died that he would wake up with a beautiful girl standing over him. And that she would be the Dark Lord of the Underworld's daughter. Yet, for some reason, she keeps him around as her tutor, as if he knows anything about the world. But Huntley knows that all she really wants is a friend; being trapped in the Underworld can get pretty lonely. 

That is, until Chrys decides that she wants to run away to the human world after a big fight with her mother Persephone. Chrys claims that her father is over reacting and that nothing bad will come of it. There's no way that the gods will notice she's there for only a couple of days, right?

About the Author:

Dani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, and is currently in the Your Novel Year Program through Arizona State University.

Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series.

Book Review:

Chrys has been locked away hidden from the world. She is a secret her father intends to keep. If anyone were to find out about her existence, there could be hell to pay, especially since her father is Hades, god of the underworld. But, the truth is that Chrys was never suppose to be born. Hades and Persephone were never supposed to be able to have children. Zeus made sure of it, and would destroy her if he were to ever discover her. So, Hades does the only thing he knows that will protect his beloved daughter - he keeps her secluded in the Palace of Hades with just a few souls for companionship. 

But, after a few thousand years or so, Chrys starts to wonder about the world above. She recruits her two best friends to defy death himself and sneaks out of the underworld for a “quick” trip to experience what she is missing. But, as the saying goes, father knows best.

The writing leans more toward the teen age group, but the plot is truly entertaining. This author did a fantastic job of blending a modern world and Greek Mythology. Endangered is witty and a fun read. Hoots did a fantastic job of character building for the two main players, but was a bit weak developing the supporting characters. This is the first in this series, so I hope that we are able to learn a bit more about how these characters operate and fit into Hoots’s world. I give Endangered a 3.5 star rating! 

Purchase a copy on Amazon. 

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Andrea'. I received a copy of this book from the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are honest and my own.*~ 

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The Stilt House ~ by D.C. Waterman

Length: 198 pages

Word Wise: Enabled

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As an illegitimate fishing guide on the waters of south west Florida, Shamus Pickford rarely gets a day off to enjoy the sport he’s done his entire life, but when he does, he calls on his old friend Klinger Nowel to accompany him. All the stars have aligned to make this trip happen. The tides were checked and the weather was noted, all were a go. The two set off at the break of dawn in hopes of catching that one big one, but when they spot a precarious plane flying over Charlotte Harbor, Klinger’s contagious enthusiasm and curiosity gets the best of them, a decision they will soon regret.

http://www.amazon.com/Stilt-House-Shamus-Pickford-story-ebook/dp/B015BONW2C
 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13459702.D_C_Waterman





D.C. Waterman is a passionate outdoorsman with a fever for writing. Daily, he skims the shallow water of Charlotte Harbor on his skiff brain storming and researching his next story. When D.C.’s not exploring his next story, you’ll find he’s quite the companion for adventure.


I was pleasantly surprised with  the twists in this book.  Although my fishing knowledge is lacking.  I picked it based on  my curious side, and books descriptive nature.  Shamus  was in South Florida enjoying a day off with his friend Klinger.  They start talking about fishing rods, and different sorts of fish, it's foreign to me.  I do feel excitement when he describes crashing waves on the boat, the water and beautiful scenery. This begins as a simple fishing story rod, bait, boat and all.  Little did I expect they would be in the middle of a drug drop and a plan gone haywire.  Shamus and Klinger should have minded their own business.  Instead prying eyes lead to Klinger getting kidnapped.   Lester and Eliot get involved in a plot to make some fast cash.  When a bad deal gets even worse, there are no winners.  Shamus and Klinger realize the simple things in life can't be taken for granted.  The story had a nice pace with unexpected twists and turns.  I was not expecting a surprise ending.  I give this book three stars.  I was pleasantly surprised for a book I picked on a whim.  I  understand how these events could be real.  I know a people personally,who have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

You may purchase this book on your kindle app.

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Giant Killers: Overcoming Obstacles and Seizing Opportunities - Book Tour and Review

Book Description (SYNOPSIS):

Giant Killers: Overcoming Obstacles and Seizing Opportunities

by Steve Lawson 

Published December 1st 2014

It seemed a lopsided battle. On one side, a small shepherd with a sling and five stones. On the other, a heavily armored ten-foot giant whose taunts and challenges immobilized an army of seasoned warriors.

The story of David and Goliath has become an almost universal underdog story; but in reality, Goliath never stood a chance.

In "Giant Killers," emotional intelligence speaker, consultant, and author Steve Lawson identifies the five vital emotional and social skills David possessed: identity, discipline, graciousness, action, and hope. When combined with the power of God's grace, these strengths made it possible for David to defeat Goliath, build a mighty army out of social rejects, and establish the greatest kingdom in the history of Israel.

We all face giants in our lives, if not as literally as David did. But like David, we can overcome any challenge, seizing with confidence the opportunities God places in our path. "Giant Killers" teaches you how to do so, providing a foundation on which you can build success after success. It all begins with you-and your willingness to trust in God's grace.

Goodreads

PURCHASE

Amazon

About Steve Lawson

A former small-business owner and church planter, Steve Lawson recently stepped down as the senior pastor of Grace Community Church in Greenville, Texas, to focus on his writing, speaking, and leadership training activities.
He holds a doctor of strategic leadership degree from Regent University, a master of divinity degree from The King’s University, an MBA from Amberton University, and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Texas.
Lawson owns Leadership Transformation Inc., providing emotional intelligence training and consulting to organizations of all sizes. More information on his consulting services is available at www.leadershiptransformation.net. An avid blogger and writer, Lawson is available for speaking engagements in churches, seminars, and conferences. You can contact him at www.stevelawson.us.
He and his wife, Karen, live in Greenville, Texas. They are the parents of three grown daughters.

Connect with the Author:

Website | Blog | Twitter  | Facebook | Goodreads

Book Review by Carmen:

I absolutely loved this book! Growing and maturing as a person, and in your faith is important. This book shows you how to do that. The real life stories that are told about how other people had the confidence to make things happen and to follow God's plan is amazing and inspiring! A 5 star rating all the way! I got a copy from Worldwind Virtual Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. 

*Be sure to support the author by buying their books and connecting with them on social media. 

Follow the entire GIANT KILLERS Tour Here

Brought to you by Worldwind VBT

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Home by Elizabeth Murphy ~ Book Review

Book description:

Aspen Kirkland is a slut. Or at least, that's what she's spent all of high school believing. So when she goes to visit her estranged father the summer after graduation, she has no reason to believe things will change. But then she finds her childhood best friend Sean again, and everything changes. Sean is smart, driven and Harvard-bound: everything Aspen isn't. But the more time she spends with him, the more she feels their old connection. He makes her feel like the person she was before high school, before her life did a 180. But Aspen doesn't want to change, and she doesn't want to make any more mistakes. Between her renewed friendship with Sean, a cute local boy and the revelation that her father may not be as clueless as she once thought, Aspen feels the ground shifting beneath her every day. As the summer unfolds, she finds herself working to reconcile her past, present and future, and carve out a place in her constantly changing universe to call home.

Purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the author:

Elizabeth Murphy is a YA author with one book published and many more to come. She began writing her first novel, Home, when she was a senior in high school. She is also the author of Aspiring Authors Unite, a blog for writers of all genres. She is a forever Potterhead and serious Star Wars nerd who will read pretty much anything. She is currently in college pursuing her BA in public relations with a minor in creative writing and working on her second novel.

Review:

*** 3.5 stars

This is the debut novel of Elizabeth Murphy. She pens down a girl’s struggle with her past, her parents and the future. Aspen Kirkland has problems in all of these areas and we follow her tackle these problems one by one. At the end of the book I was really satisfied and although it seemed hopeless in the beginning, it really is a feel good story. 

Aspen has a tenuous relationship with her father at the start because he was not much around, she only spoke to him like four times a year on the phone, he’s even always away when she arrives at his place for the summer. And then he springs another surprise on her and she doesn’t even know how to feel about it. He’s also always asking her about what she’s going to do in college. Frankly, she doesn’t really have any idea yet what she wants to do in her life. And then last of all, she’s been feeling bad about herself, sleeping with so many guys, starting in her junior year with a guy named Nick. It wasn’t at all how she imagined it to be. At the time she thought it gave her power over them, but it really just leaves her with a hole in her heart afterwards. She’s not proud of her past, yet finds it difficult to change. Old habits die hard. Luckily she has her friend Hannah and I really liked what a good friend and voice Hannah was. And she also reconnects with her former best friend Sean, the one she had to leave to go live with her mother in Austin when her parents divorced. She meets him again at a chance encounter and they pick up right where they left off. She forgot what fun it was to be around him. But then a hot looking high school student pops up and she’s feeling her old tactics resurface. 

This was certainly an enjoyable read but I still found it a bit hard at times to follow her actions in the past. I still don’t fully comprehend why she went through so many guys if it didn’t give her any satisfaction and that it was all coming forth from her first bad experience, or why she and Will really had to break up, her thinking pattern is hard to follow. I guess that’s a teenager for you, it’s not always very logical. On the other hand, I really liked how it all evolved into positive things, and I loved the last chapters, I even felt a bit emotional.

*I received a free copy of this book from GenuineJenn in exchange of my honest opinion* 

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Backpack Chronicle: The Perspective by Adam Que - Book Review

Book Description:

This is a short story collection of contemporary-literary fiction. Each story examines the way the characters look at things and perceive the world around them. And how each character differs in doing that, or so they think? Because despite their differences the characters learn from and experience with one another. As well as sharing similarities in their personalities. Simply put, they share their humanity and they share their rawest emotions even at their most vulnerable.

Where to Purchase:

Amazon:
USA: USA Link
Australia: Australia Link
Brazil: Brazil Link
Canada: Canada Link

France: France Link

Germany: Germany Link
India: India Link
Italy: Italy Link
Japan: Japan Link
Mexico: Mexico Link
Netherlands: Netherlands Link
Spain: Spain Link
UK: UK Link

Connect with the Author:
Twitter: Twitter Link

Author Bio: 

(This picture was very kindly provided by the author, so thank you!)

Adam Que was born (August 19,1988) and raised in New Jersey. Now living in Jersey City, Nj he is a contemporary fiction writer who's stories are very introspective. May they sometimes be comical, sarcastic, or in your face by nature they usually tell a truth, are heartfelt, and life-examining. Besides story telling he is an engaging poet, which is shown in his self published poetry book called P.L.E.A.S.E. Also an athlete who has competed in many sports including amateur MMA, he notes the fact that competing and working hard in athletics has helped him become a more disciplined and passionate writer. Even though fairly young and in the beginning of his writing career, Adam Que wants to share his artistry, and his authentic point of view.

Book Review by Carmen:

This is a collection of short stories, most of them I enjoyed. They range from somber, to lighthearted through to action packed; a selection for a wide range of readers. This was a relatively quick read for me. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

*Please be sure to support the author by buying their books and connecting with them on social media. 

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