REVIEW: "Wrecker" by Dave Conifer

Jane and Steve need some work done on their house. Conveniently, Steve hears about someone who can not only do the work, but will do it really inexpensively. Serendipity! Or is it? Rob is a little rough around the edges, and Jane isn't so sure about this situation. Struggling through a rough patch in her marriage, however, she soon warms up to Rob and they become friends, sort of. He's a tragic, mysterious figure, and Jane finds herself intrigued by his past. Before long, however, Jane starts to realize just who Rob is and what he's all about, and his secrets include something she could have never have imagined. If she's going to make it through this situation intact, her strength and determination will be called upon like never before. If Jane thinks her life is bad now, she'll be amazed at just how bad it can get.

This novel by Dave Conifer started off as a bit "Nicholas Spark-ish" but turned into a thriller as the writing process evolved (the author talks about that here). I enjoyed this book. There were some neat connections that tied the story together and made for an exciting plot. These connections result in a satisfying, if a little unrealistic, ending. The final twist is definitely unexpected, and I'm not sure how I felt about it. I found it interesting, and it just added that much more to the ending, but the way it was written made it seem a little outlandish. I think it would have gone over better had the reveal been a little more subtle.

I really liked the character of Jane. I found her believable and interesting, and the most developed character in the book. I found Steve a little more cliche. His reactions seemed more over-the-top than the story called for, and he was almost a caricature of a busy, disinterested husband. Rob's character had a lot of potential, but he confused me at times. I realize he may not have been "all there" mentally, but I never quite got the whole "I'm doing it for her" train of thought. It seemed such a big part of his motivation, but I felt that particular thread didn't have a lot of closure. From the emphasis on that, I thought it might have played a bigger role down the line. The relationship between Jane and Rob was fascinating, and it was fun to follow the path it took throughout the story.

The writing was stylistically very simple, which made for a fast read. The story was engaging and interesting, with several twists and turns along the way. I found sections of dialogue to be somewhat unrealistic and trite at times, however. Some of the information presented through dialogue may have been better shown through actions, or by taking a step inside the characters' heads. Although the plot itself has a lot of depth, I felt the writing lacked some of that depth. The story dragged here and there, but it never dragged to the point where I wanted to put the book down. I was definitely interested from beginning to end. Towards the ending, the shifts between scenes and characters were quicker, and that was in line with the upcoming climax.

All in all, an interesting and fun read!

3.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Sugar & Spice" by Saffina Desforges

It's every parent's worst nightmare. A missing child, with no leads. A child's body found in the water. A community turned upside down in fear for their young. Claire, mother of a murdered girl, is determined to find answers. Why are some men sexually attracted to young girls? Does sexual attract equal the propensity to kill? As Claire struggles to find closure by investigating these questions, she finds herself further drawn into an insidious underworld. Will she ever find the answer she's most desperate to find-- who killed her daughter?

This novel by Saffina Desforges is immediately gripping. The topic is a terrifying train wreck; I was appalled, yet unable to look away. The author does a fantastic job presenting this controversial topic in a way that forces the reader to confront her own feelings and understanding of what is appropriate when it comes to sexual urges. The general feel is almost sympathetic towards pedophiles at times, but not necessarily sympathetic towards those who act on those urges, and that's an important distinction. Getting into the mind of several different pedophiles is not comfortable or easy, but the author smoothly compels the reader to take another perspective, if only for a moment, and confront what is appalling. Initially a bit slow for me, the story really picked up, and the 546 pages (on my sony) went by quickly. I was unable and unwilling to put the book down in the last several hundred pages. The characterization is beautifully done, and even the most loathsome characters manage to be somewhat sympathetic, if only as you pity them. There are some compelling ideas presented, soundly intertwined with the storyline. There are several storylines presented throughout the story, coming together at various points in the book. In retrospect, it seemed a bit disjointed, but felt fitting while engaged in the book.

With such a fluid writing style and compelling plot, I wanted to be drawn in through to the end. The frequent chapter breaks were too distracting to allow that. I wondered at one point if the chapter breaks were put in at regular intervals to ensure the chapters were the same length. Many of the chapters almost seemed placed to purposefully break the flow, which was confusing and disconcerting. A conversation would end abruptly because of a chapter break, but then continue in the next chapter as if nothing had happened. It gave me a "wait, did anyone else see that break?" type of feeling.  I'd rather have seen the chapter breaks when the setting or characters changed, or when a major plot event was revealed. Additionally, there were some typos in the form of missing punctuation and incorrect word substitutions (e.g., you for your). For the number of pages, the typos were not overly excessive, but they were noticeable and sometimes required a second read of a sentence or phrase. Finally, I'm still not sure what I think of the ending. I had made a guess halfway through the book that turned out to have some merit, but the actual conclusion was unexpected. I loved that I didn't figure it all out, but the ending almost seemed a bit of a mockery of the rest of the story. It didn't help that a character at the end shared an historical perspective of pedophilia that was eerily reminiscent to that shared by an earlier character. It seemed less a thought-provoking perspective and more like propaganda at that point.

Still, all in all, this was a riveting and thought-provoking book that made it difficult to turn away until the last page was turned.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

**The author has indicated that the typos I noted should be fixed in the final copy.

REVIEW: "Speed Dating With the Dead" by Scott Nicholson

The White Horse Inn. Located in the remote Appalachian Mountains, it's a perfectly spooky setting for a paranormal conference. With a haunted history and an utterly dreary atmosphere, the ghost hunters are in their element. Using their high-tech equipment, they are eager to capture the entities' visages and communications, even willingly offering up their own energy. Wayne "Digger" Wilson is the leader of this group, having dragged his unwilling teenage daughter along on the trip. He's got this whole ghost hunting schtick down pat; he knows exactly how to plan the hunting expeditions to keep his clients entertained. But Digger has an ulterior motive that no one- least of all his daughter- suspects. Digger's true purpose may actually be the catalyst to open up the door for something much scarier than a few lost ghosts....

Scott Nicholson has a gift for creating an action-packed storyline that begs to be read. I found myself enthralled, unwilling to stop turning page after page, late into the night. His writing style is wonderfully engaging, and his characters are brought to life on the page. Kendra is a typical teenager, with her secret thoughts and her outward disdain. Digger is the preoccupied father with bigger things on his mind, and he often forgets what's most important. His motley ghost hunting crew contains several intriguing characters, each with his own distinct personality. But the true stars of this story are the conference attendees. From the self-proclaimed skeptic who is just along to debunk the findings to the medium who channels demons, each character comes to colorful life under the author's pen. For fans of shows like "Ghost Hunters" and "A Haunting," the characters and tricks and tools of the trade in this book will be recognizable. I think the fluid writing and the clever characterization makes this an author to watch.

Starting out fairly tame, yet interesting, this story quickly and unexpectedly evolved into something sinister and dark, and I found myself a little lost at times. Throw Beth into the mix, and I never quite understood the whole angel/demon connection as well as I felt I should. I loved the character of "The Roach," but the way his motives were written were sometimes perplexing. I wasn't always sure upon which side he stood, which isn't necessarily a negative in and of itself, however, I felt like it was meant to be clear. I was eager to find out what would happen in the end, but some elements of this story left me a little muddled along the way. This was very reminiscent of some of Stephen King's better work in that it's spooky and can be gross, and it's not afraid to do the unexpected (yet somehow slightly predictable in that regard). Those can be very good things in a horror story, and it definitely kept my interest the entire way through.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the writing style and the characterization, and I look forward to sampling more of this author's work.

4 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

(I recently reviewed -and enjoyed- one of this author's children's stories)

Teaser Tuesdays!

 This is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here are the rules-- Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser: 

"It hung just beneath the surface, suspended amid the sundry flotsam and jetsam that characterises an urban canal in old age. Oil slick rainbows on the water's dark surface iridescent in the August sun, added to the spectrum of colours the canal paraded, in the form of crisps packets and plastic shopping bags, drawn irresistibly to the water." 

page 166, "Sugar & Spice" by Saffina Desforges

(To find out what was there in the water, you'd better read the book! Review coming soon.)

GIVEAWAY! Win your own digital copy of "The Watcher" by John Brinling

The horror was starting again...

Official Blurb:                          

Janet Stapleton – widowed, confined to a wheelchair, living in a remote Connecticut farmhouse - didn’t believe in out-of-body experiences until she had one and witnessed a brutal murder. The second and third ones were no less horrific. Her investigation into why she was chosen to see these murders soon has the demonic killer pursuing her. 

John Brinling brings originality to fiction. His writing brings characters to life and he surprises you at every turn. If you'd like to check out some of his shorter work for free, or see what others books he has available, check out his Smashwords page! The author is generously giving away THREE copies of this book, so your odds of winning just tripled!

Entering is always easy- just comment on this post with your email address and your preferred format. If you are one of the lucky winners, you'll receive your ebook via email. Available in .mobi (Kindle), .epub (Sony/Nook) or .pdf (computer or other viewing).

I reviewed another of John Brinling's books, "Ghost of the Flea," this past November, and I'm really looking forward to reading "The Watcher!"If "Ghost of the Flea" is any predictor, I'm expecting clever and unique characters, an engaging storyline, exciting plot twists, and an unexpected ending.

 If you simply must have this book NOW, contest be damned, it's available for a very reasonable price at Smashwords and Amazon.

(All winners chosen by random.org. Contest closes on April 15th.)

REVIEW: "Exchange" by Dale R. Cozort

Sharon Mack has volunteered to help with the latest "exchange" happening in her town of Rockport. She's heard stories of what this alternate dimension contains: deadly monkeys, huge bears, out-of-place kangaroos, and various other strange and deadly creatures. If she can survive the two weeks until this block of land is returned to its own dimension, then she'll be in good shape. Unfortunately, she hadn't counted on her violent exhusband kidnapping their special needs daughter, or her repeated encounters with the convicts who had managed to escape to this alternate world during an exchange two years ago. Add in the mysterious cult members and some marines, and Sharon has a lot more to contend with than she expected. What will happen when the dimensions exchange places again? In which dimension will Sharon stay?


Written by Dale R. Cozort, this novel contains a truly unique concept- that of periodic "exchanges" of land with an alternate dimension. With just a day or so of preparation time, these exchanges may be routine, but they are fraught with immense danger and interesting potential. I loved this concept! It's fascinating to think of the possibilities in alternate dimensions colliding on a periodic basis. The repercussions of huge tracts of land in different dimensions "exchanging" with one another are potentially devastating for both dimensions. This concept is truly the strongest point of this novel, and the underlying storyline does maintain interest level until the end. You won't know in which dimension Sharon remains until the last few pages, and you just may be surprised at what you find out.

Although I really enjoyed the overall idea behind the book, there were several things I didn't like about the story. The characters didn't feel well-rounded to me, and the dialogue didn't ring true. I felt that almost any piece of dialogue (with the exception of Bethany's short blurbs) could have be said by a number of other characters. I didn't get a good feel for characters by the things they said. So much of the novel consists of conversation back and forth, so it was difficult to immerse myself into this novel when the characters sounded so much like one another to me.  I didn't get a lot of emotional depth from the characters, and that left the characters feeling one-dimensional and unrealistic. Additionally, the matter-of-fact dialogue tended to mask some of the quick changes in scene with various characters entering and exiting, and I found myself rereading passages in several places to get a grip on what had just happened.

The plot is full of twists and turns- so many that you just sort of give up on doing any guessing, and just read the words on the page. There is a twist at the end that is very unexpected and really thought-provoking, but I felt the details behind this twist were explained too many times by too many people. I think tightening up the conversations between characters, some of the twists, and making the ending more succinct would have made this book more powerful. Overall, I love the concept behind this story, and that made it worth the read to me.

3 /5 stars

Available at Amazon and Stairway Press

Check out the author's blog:   http://dalecoz.livejournal.com/

REVIEW: "The Eye of the Idol" by Paul Dayton

The Eye of the Idol. An incredible and mesmerizing artifact that has touched the lives of many. An artifact with a story and a history- cursed, perhaps, as those who touch it seem to suffer the consequences. North Korea on the warpath, a luxury ship sunk in the early 1900s, a thief forced to execute his own wife; all seemingly unrelated elements that are somehow connected in the most unusual ways.

Blending fact with fiction, Paul Dayton weaves a tale of intrigue that spans centuries. The author pulls seemingly unrelated pieces of history together in a fictional tale fueled by actual truths. I thought the concept was really interesting, and I was pulled in by the description. I was envisioning an exciting tale filled with historical facts and fascinating ties. I wanted to be drawn into the story, to escape into a fascinating tale of adventure. I really wanted to love this book.

While I was interested in the historical details included in the book, I just couldn't immerse myself in the story. I was confused by some of the exchanges and events in the story; perhaps because the characters all sounded the same to me. The conversations between characters didn't ring true, and I felt the characters were mostly one-dimensional. A lot of historical context gets explained by way of conversation between several RCMP officers, and, although the facts themselves were of interest, the conversation relaying those facts was dry. Adding to my confusion, there were several sentences with entire words missing, and the punctuation (including quotation marks) was incomplete in places-- this story would really benefit from additional editing. Some of the transitions to different time periods in history were clearly defined by chapters and headings, others were not defined at all, leaving me to wonder where in time I was. I felt the characters and the connections needed some more polish and substance. I think the potential is there for this story to be a riveting adventure, and the author has really done his research into these historical events, but the execution fell flat for me.

In the beginning of the story, there were numbers (but not hyperlinks) that I assumed corresponded to endnotes. Later in the text, there were hyperlinks that led to websites with more information. When I got to the endnotes after the epilogue, the notes had no numbers attached. It wasn't easy to see which note went with which item in the story. As I read most of this story on my Sony PRS-505, the endnotes and the hyperlinks were useless to me. I could click on the hyperlinks on my Droid X, and that was nice, but for ereaders with no touchscreen capability, it doesn't serve much purpose. I wish the author would have chosen either endnotes or hyperlinks: I vote hyperlinks, even though I couldn't access them on my 505, as they are less obtrusive. Endnotes make me feel I'm reading a history book, and this was meant to be a fictional tale with historical facts embedded. If I'm reading a novel, I don't want to be flipping back and forth (a frustrating task on an ereader, in particular). A hyperlink I can ignore or follow (if my device supports it).

In short, a great concept with real possibility, but it just didn't do it for me. Add in the need for further editing, and I gave this:

2.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

Update: The author is working to hammer out the kinks I noted. I have a deep admiration for authors who take feedback seriously and take those thoughts into account. Some of the issues I noted with endnotes and such are to do with what's allowed by the publishing platform.

REVIEW: "Brittle Shadows" by Vicki Tyley

A tragedy surrounded by controversy leads a devastated fiance to her own deadly act, and her shattered sister is left to pick up the pieces. Something just doesn't seem right about the circumstances surrounding her sister's death, and Jemma is determined to discover what that is. Despite veiled threats and mysterious events, Jemma persists in following the clues to their inevitable ending. If she trusts the wrong person along the way, she may not live long enough to put all the pieces together...

As with Vicki Tyley's other books, this book grips you from the very first scene, setting up a ride that twists and turns until the very end. New clues lead to potential suspects, and it's anyone's guess as to the who, what, and, most importantly for the reader, the why. As I read, I constantly formulated and dismissed perpetrators and motivations, as each page turn brought me closer to the surprise ending. Along the way, I fingered the right person, only to change my mind a few pages later. This book manages to get the reader to become an active participant in the story, and that always makes for an enjoyable read.

The characters were defined nicely, and I felt I really got to know each of them. I could genuinely relate to Jemma, and I felt liked her character. Through her eyes, I was able to get to know the other characters a little more, including the sister who was tragically lost. The writing style is fluid, for the most part, and very readable. The book has that "fun factor;" interesting and enjoyable, and difficult to put down before you've devoured every bit.

Although I really enjoyed the overall story, the jumps between many of the chapters was somewhat bothersome. I also noted this when I reviewed one of her previous releases, "Sleight Malice." Some chapters would end in a bit of a cliff-hanger, but the next chapter started hours after the cliff-hanger had been resolved. When this happens, the readers miss out on experiencing the anxiety and intensity along with the main characters, and it takes us away from that sense of being present. I'm present right up to the cliff-hanger, then I feel detached as I struggle to figure out what's happened. It's akin to having a brief blackout and then trying to recreate what you must have missed. An effective technique when used sparingly, but somewhat disconcerting when used with relative frequency.

Overall, a recommended read. A Vicki Tyley book is always a good bet, and I look forward to each new release!

4 /5 stars

Available on Smashwords, Amazon  and Barnes & Noble

IndieView-- with me!

I was very honored to be invited to participate in an IndieView with Simon Royle, author of the captivating novel, "Tag." (If you haven't read Simon's book, it's definitely worth the read. You can read my review of "Tag" here.)

If you're not familiar with Simon's site, Simon does a fantastic job showcasing Indie authors through his IndieViews. He also does a great job of connecting authors and reviewers via his Indie Reviewer list and he keeps up a showcase of review links called the "Latest Indie Reviews from around the Web." Without a doubt, Simon's site is a one-stop resource for authors, reviewers, and readers. If you haven't already checked it out, you are definitely missing out!

So, as I was saying, I was quite honored and excited to be chosen for Simon's latest IndieView. I really appreciated that chance to explain myself a little more, and he had some wonderful, thought-provoking questions that were a lot of fun to think about and answer.

You can read my "IndieView" here!

REVIEW: "Tag" (Book One: The Zumar Chronicles) by Simon Royle

Life is irrevocably changed for Arbitrator Jonah Oliver the day he's called in to work with a mysterious runner, Jibril Muraz, who seems to have no past, and an amazing ability to avoid the potency of the truth treatment. Jonah is not sure why this strange and alien being is asking specifically for Jonah's services, and things become even less clear when a telepathic message is received directly from Jibril that hints at secrets and betrayal. With little explanation, and much confusion, Jonah is thrown into a race against the clock to stop a terrible plot designed to eliminate two-thirds of the population. All the odds are stacked against him, and he soon finds that his past is not what he thought it was, and his future is even more uncertain.

In his first novel, Simon Royle has managed to create a riveting thriller that kept me up much past my bedtime. From the first chapter, I was engaged and eager to discover the secrets of Jonah's life as they unfolded. The book is set a century in the future, and the world looks much as we may expect; it is different, but somehow exactly the same. In line with the human tendency to shorten words of common objects (think net for internet, phone for telephone, TV for television), some of the important terms of this century include, amongst other terms, dev (device), trav (travel), and cred (credit- monetary units earned by "contributions"). Although common travel has extended to the moon and the world is now united, at least in theory, the people and the experiences are recognizable and definitely feasible. The idea of "tagging" humans with their identity numbers is perhaps not even as far in the future as the timeline chosen for this book. This fictional reality is extremely realistic, and the implications of such a future really demand to be considered.

The characters in this book were interesting and decently developed for a thriller. I may have enjoyed some additional development when it came to some of the relationships, particularly between Jonah and Mariko, to really understand their connections. In a fast-paced storyline like this, however, it really is more secondary to the action, and the action was well done. The writing style was very engaging and readable. I really didn't find myself rewriting any passages in my head, and that's always a good thing! The plot was well-paced, and it really compelled me to read the whole way through, especially as I began the last half of the book. The book switches from first person (when Jonah is present) to third person (when we're with everyone else), and it made me do a quick double take once in a while, but that is probably my fault, as I have a tendency not to read chapter headings, and that is where the time, place, and characters were clearly spelled out.

I really enjoyed this thrill ride, and had only a few piddly issues. One was that there were fewer commas in this book than I am used to. It may be attributable to writing style, but commas around clauses and the names of those addressed in speech really help me to interpret the prose appropriately. The author definitely included commas, and those used were certainly used appropriately, but I felt there were some missing. It didn't create any real issues with readability, but as I "read" in my head, it didn't force me to pause in places I normally would have paused. Additionally, as I read this book, I kept waiting for the twist that changed a good guy to a bad guy, or some major event that really turned the tables on what I thought and made me gasp "oh my gosh!" That moment never came. It wasn't necessary for a successful story, it just has the effect of adding to the suspense and excitement of a storyline such as this.

4.5 /5 stars

Available at Smashwords and Amazon

REVIEW: "Sleight Malice" by Vicki Tyley

A fire destroys a neighbor's house and Desley is anxious to find out what happened to the residents of the house- her best friend and her friend's husband. When it turns out that the only casualty of the fire is an unidentified man, the search for the missing couple is on. Desley's determination to unravel the mystery of what happened to her best friend takes her on a suspenseful journey to the truth; a truth that just may change her forever.

Vicki Tyley gives us another great read. Suspenseful and intriguing, this book is hard to put down, and each small twist and turn keeps you engaged right through to the end. Each new secret that is uncovered leads you to make new guesses as you try to discover the truth right along with Desley. With well-developed characters and interesting connections tying them together, there is never a dull moment. You are pulled further into the story with every new discovery, and it's hard to put the book down before you find out what truly happened.

Having read the author's first book, "Thin Blood," I was very pleased to find the writing style in her second book more fluid and engaging than her first. The actual writing shows growth and maturity, and proves the author is one to watch. There were several places, however, where I was confused by a seeming jump between chapters. One chapter would end in a bit of a cliffhanger, and the next would start the next day, or hours later in a different location, without any of the intensity of the previous chapter's ending. Those jumps were a bit confusing, and somewhat of a letdown after the ending of the chapter before. It added a bit of an awkward break in an otherwise exciting, flowing storyline.

Overall, a great story that is well worth the read. I will continue to look to Vicki Tyley for stories that hold my attention and make me want to read more!

4.5/5 stars

REVIEW: "Dark End of the Spectrum" by Anthony S. Policastro

With some serious editing, this book would make a good movie. The plot is consistent with some of the action/adventure thrillers gracing the screen, and the concept is original, and one I haven't quite seen before.

That being said, this book needs a lot of work. The author uses a lot of descriptive language, and some of it is quite nice. However, those phrases are thrown into a mix of run-on sentences filled with grammar errors, and noticeably lacking proper punctuation (I'm not sure there is a comma anywhere). Quite a few times, I found myself giggling aloud...at parts I am pretty sure were not meant to be funny. Many chapter divisions seem to come in the wrong place, throwing off the cadence of the book. The dialogue is awkward, and there seems to be only two ways people talk, one of which is "yelling." At times I felt like the author thought of a few cool ways to say something, couldn't decide which one to use, then put them all in. I think good editing would make for a more succinct and engaging storyline. There are also a lot of strange transitions, confusing action scenes, and extraneous events that detract from the storyline. Less is more.

As I started reading, I wanted to give this book at least three stars. Then I kept reading and wanted to give it one star. Just by virtue of actually wanting to finish it (which I did by doing a fair amount of skimming so I wouldn't be distracted so much by the writing), I gave it one and a half stars.

I found the topic interesting, and I wanted to like the book. After some serious editing and revising, perhaps I could.


1.5 / 5 stars