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{ HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY TOUR + GUEST AUTHOR POST } How a NASA Scientist’s Theory Inspired a Paranormal Thriller

December 5, 2011 in Fantasy & Paranormal, Fiction, Sci-Fi, Thriller

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of The Gaia Wars eBook edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including a Kindle Fire, Amazon gift cards up to $100 in amount, 5 autographed copies of the book, and 5 autographed copies of its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 9th, so you don’t miss out.

How a NASA Scientist’s Theory Inspired a Paranormal Thriller

THE GAIA WARS is fiction, but it was inspired—at least in part—by The Gaia Hypothesis. This hypothesis, proposed by NASA scientist James Lovelock, states that the Earth—the entire Earth—is a living thing. A vast, “super-organism.”

I read an article about Lovelock’s theory a few years back and thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard.

The Earth is alive. Think about it. If Lovelock’s correct, the Earth isn’t simply a chunk of interstellar rock hosting a collection of random ecosystems; it’s a cohesive entity. An organism. A being. I daydreamed about this idea, mulled it over; wondered how it might be incorporated into a novel. And in my imagination, I took the theory to the next level: What if the Earth is not simply alive, I asked, but also sentient?

I did some reading, and discovered that a lot of so-called primitive cultures believed this very thing. Understood it in their bones. Our ancestors were in tune with the planet in ways that we’ve forgotten. They could feel her heartbeat. Interpret her rhythms. They created Earth Goddesses to worship and celebrate.

Gaia (pron. guy-uh) is one of the principal deities of the Greek Pantheon. Other cultures used other names: the Tibetan people called the deity Chomolungma—Goddess Mother of the World. The Sumerians knew her as Ninhursaga. To Mesoamerican peoples she was Tlazolteotl.

A fictitious Pacific Northwest culture called the Denelai is at the center of THE GAIA WARS. As readers learn, the ancient Denelai people believed in the Earth goddess so profoundly that she would sometimes appear to them in human form.

At the start of the novel, troubled 13-year-old Warren Wilkes unearths a treasure deep in the Cascade Mountains while fleeing the law, learns about the Denelai and Gaia’s periodic visits, and finds that on one such occasion in 1550 AD, the tribe was attacked and the Earth Goddess wounded. The Indians were slaughtered and Gaia lost her memory and vanished into the wild.

As Warren soon discovers, Gaia is still alive and still trapped in human form. What’s more, the beast that attacked the Indian village 500 years earlier is on it’s way back with an army bred specifically to capture Gaia, unlock her secrets, and seize control of the planet. Warren must fight or see his whole world destroyed.

Readers seem to like the idea of a paranormal thriller with a thinking, feeling Earth at its heart. The feedback has been tremendous. Humbling. Yesterday (November 24, Thanksgiving Day) THE GAIA WARS rose to #17 on Amazon’s list of Top 100 Best Sellers in Children’s Action & Adventure. The Second Book of The Gaia Wars, BATTLE FOR CASCADIA, (just released) is also doing well. A huge thank you to all the wonderful readers giving these books a try!

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About The Gaia Wars: DEADLY SECRETS have been buried in the Cascade mountain wilderness for centuries. Hidden. Out of sight and out of mind. Until today… Warren Wilkes, age 13, doesn’t like what a greedy housing developer has done to his peaceful mountain community, so he vandalizes the developer’s property, flees into the wild, and stumbles upon an ancient human skeleton revealed by torrential rain. More than old bones have been exposed, however, and the curious artifact Warren finds makes him question his own identity, and his connection to an ancient terror. A terror destined to rise again and annihilate all that Warren loves. He must fight or see his whole world destroyed. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About Battle for Cascadia: When Warren Wilkes, age 13, stumbles upon a mysterious relic deep in the Cascade Mountains, wonder reigns. Brimming with secrets and sentient energy, the relic leads Warren to a fantastic chamber, and to shocking revelations about his identity. Now wonder has turned to dread. A forgotten terror—a demon that knows Warren better than he knows himself—has risen again and is assembling an army; gathering power with a singularly evil goal in mind: to capture and enslave the wild spirit of the Earth itself. As war erupts and the planet slips into chaos, Warren embraces his destiny and finds help where he least expects it. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Kenneth G. Bennett is the author of the Young Adult novels The Gaia Wars and Battle for Cascadia (the second book of The Gaia Wars), as well as the forthcoming Exodus 2018, a paranormal thriller set in the Puget Sound region of Washington State. A wilderness enthusiast who loves backpacking, skiing and kayaking, Ken enjoys novels that explore the relationship between humans and the wild. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and son. Visit him on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

To Win the Prizes:

Purchase your copy of The Gaia Wars for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!

…We can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

Vote for The Bookworm Society!

Click the image below to vote.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of The Gaia Wars or its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: Looking for a YA read that’s full of adventure & intrigue? Check out The Gaia Wars. Reduced to just 99 cents http://ow.ly/7ywpZ #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see The Gaia Wars book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs. Three chances to win! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see The Gaia Wars book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Win a Kindle Fire or a $100 Amazon gift card, simply by leaving a comment on Kenneth’s most recent blog post. How easy is that? Autographed copies of The Gaia Wars and its recently released sequel, Battle for Cascadia, are also up for grabs.

Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Tags: action, adventure, mystery, sacrifice, scary 2 Comments »

by Amy Fine

Maximum Speed | By Joanna Lee Doster

December 2, 2011 in Drama, Fiction, Life and Family, Thriller

Maximum Speed: Pushing the Limit by Joanna Lee Doster is a work of action-thriller fiction set in the crazy world of auto racing. Devlin Motor Sports is located in Florida with the exception of Connor, Sean’s brother and his family who lives in New York but never misses a Devlin race.

Plot
Sean Devlin is a successful auto racing driver and teammate on the Devlin Motor Sports team. He is tasered while his best friend and teammate Jimmy Stanton is kidnapped.

While Jimmy is still missing, Sean races in one of the biggest races of the season, but just when he thinks he has got it, he is taken out with a horrific crash but more than an “accident” is suspected.

As the truth about Jimmy’s kidnapping and Sean’s crash comes to light, the Devlin family has to decide who they can trust and realize who is behind all of this mischief. I guess you can say “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”!

Impressions
The plot tends to jump around a bit and it took me some time to follow the back-and-forth. But other than that, the story is action-packed in this condensed novel.

Without giving too much away, if you like action-thriller fiction, I think you will find this book to be just the “Friday-night” read you want…especially if you are a Nascar or racing fan!

Favorite Scene
My favorite scene is just when you think nothing else can happen to this family, Billy Ray, one of the Devlin crew, picked up Sean’s mom to bring her to the hospital to greet her son when he was released. This should be a simple trip but as with all things surrounding the Devlin family, a simple ride to the hospital turns deadly. You will have to read the book to see how this scene turns out!

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Favorite Quote
“We were just having a little fun with you. So we snatched your driver. What’s the harm in that?”

Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Tags: action, adventure, answers, family, friendship, growing up, life change, life lessons, living No Comments »

by Amy Fine

The Trust | By Sean Keefer {BOOK TOUR}

July 26, 2011 in Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

The Trust by Sean Keefer is a legal mystery, thriller & suspense novel set on the coast of South Carolina.

This novel follows an attorney, Noah Parks, in a sleepy South Carolina town that is drawn into probate of a will. This should be a very routine task—but the deceased, Leonardo Xavier Cross, is anything but normal.

Plot
Noah has never meet Mr. Cross but has been named to represent his estate and he is intrigued because the will states Noah will receive the contents of a safe deposit box once the all the legal actions are finalized. By taking on this task, Noah will meet many characters that each provide a new twist and turn to this story.

He also finds out that people he thought he knew might hold many ultimatums of their own. As people Noah come in contact with start dying off, he finds Mr. Cross has left some skeletons in his closet that must be discovered to fully lay this estate to rest. Noah Parks just hopes he will come out of this probate alive!

Impressions
I really enjoyed this book! It was a nice change from the romance/erotica I’ve been reading lately and the plot twists and turns kept me intrigued throughout. The characters you meet all have unique qualities and will leave you struggling on who is “good” and who is “evil.”

There is a constant flow to the book all the way to the end. I loved the fact that it was a solid mystery novel and easy to keep up with the characters and plot. It was hard to put this book down once I started! I will definitely be reading more from Sean Keefer.

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Favorite Scene
My favorite scene in this book (without giving too much away,) is when Noah’s office is ransacked right before he is supposed to go to the bank and open the safe deposit box. Thanks to Noah’s planning, he has a hidden stash with a copy of the papers he needs!

Favorite Quote
“Whoever packed this sure wasn’t excited about having someone stumble into whatever this is.”

Tour Notes
Please vote for my blog in the traffic-breaker poll for this tour. The blogger with the most votes wins a free promotional twitterview and a special winner’s badge. I want that to be me! You can vote in the poll by visiting The Trust’s official blog tour page and scrolling all the way to the bottom.

You can also enter to win a free paperback copy of this novel on The Trust’s official blog tour page. The winner of the give-away will be announced on Wednesday, August 10 – be sure to enter before then!

Book Trailer for The Trust

Learn more about this author by visiting his website, blog, Facebook or GoodReads pages or by connecting with him on Twitter.

Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Tags: action, adventure, answers, death, family, justice, life, memories, tragedy, trust, truth 2 Comments »

by Karina Knightingale

Bloodshot (Cheshire Red Reports Book 1) | By Cherie Priest

July 9, 2011 in Drama, Fantasy & Paranormal, Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Cherie Priest is famous for her steampunk series, especially Boneshaker, but this is her very successful debut in urban fantasy, which a lot of people called vampire noir.

Plot
Raylene Pendle (AKA Cheshire Red), a vampire and world-renowned thief, doesn’t usually hang with her own kind. She’s too busy stealing priceless art and rare jewels.

But when the infuriatingly charming Ian Stott asks for help, Raylene finds him impossible to resist—even though Ian doesn’t want precious artifacts. He wants her to retrieve missing government files—documents that deal with the secret biological experiments that left Ian blind.

What Raylene doesn’t bargain for is a case that takes her from the wilds of Minneapolis to the mean streets of Atlanta. And with a psychotic, power-hungry scientist on her trail, a kick-ass drag queen on her side, and Men in Black popping up at the most inconvenient moments, the case proves to be one hell of a ride.

Impressions
This is not a book for everyone. I know I absolutely loved it, but a lot of people didn’t for exactly the same reasons I found it great.

Raylene is paranoid, obsessive-compulsive, prone to anxiety attacks and snarky as hell vampire loner, who has a problem with authorities and that’s why she doesn’t live in vampire Houses (like mafia families) like everyone else. She is a great thief, she doesn’t feel remorse if she needs to kill someone and she’s got her own strong moral code.

When Ian, a blind vampire who was captured by the government years ago for some experiments and managed to escape, asks Miss Pendle to steal documents with his case from a military facility, she decides to help him because she can’t stand the idea of vampire like him suffering the possibility of staying blind forever.

Despite all her cold façade Raylene also looks after two street urchins who live in one of her houses.

So she is powerful and bitchy and ruthless, but she is also inherently good.

The supporting characters are entertaining as well. You know from the description that Raylene has a kick-ass drug queen helping her. Adrian/Sister Rose is an ex-navy SEAL (don’t ask me how they got together, otherwise it will be a spoiler) and a riot. Their tandem works great, and I’m quite looking forward to the next installment Hellbent, which should come out this year.

The street kids are tough and amusing too. First Raylene couldn’t get rid of them, and then she got used to them and now calls them her “pets”. She just can’t admit that they are very important to her; she is great at deluding herself.

If you look for a snarky sense of humor, moderate amount of violence and almost no romance in your urban fantasy you will like this, and you will like Raylene Pendle.

Favorite Scene
Raylene directing the boy’s escape from CIA through the ventilation system.

Favorite Quote
But I wasn’t up there, I was down in the basement with the slowly cooling husk of my latest meal. It was like a bad one-night stand. I was finished with him, and I didn’t want anything more to do with him. Ten minutes before he’d been irresistible. Now he was a mess that needed cleaning up.

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Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Tags: action, adventure, CIA, conspiracies, Interpol, men in black, secret government projects, strong female character, strong women, thief, vampires No Comments »

by Amy Fine

{ BOOK GIVEAWAY } Season of the Harvest | By Michael R. Hicks

June 30, 2011 in Fiction, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Season of the Harvest by Michael R. Hicks is a science fiction thriller that addresses topics that could very realistically happen in today’s world!

This book addresses GMOs (genetically modified organisms,) that are readily used in today’s food sources, and what can happen to them when they fall into the wrong hands and are used against us.

It will challenge the thought process on terrorism, radical groups, and the government. All of this with a twist of super-natural!

Plot
FBI Special Agent Jack Dawson is investigating the gruesome murder of his best friend and fellow agent, Sheldon Crane, who had gone rogue and was pursuing a group of eco-terrorists.

The group’s leader, Naomi Perrault, is a beautiful geneticist who Jack suspects of killing his friend. Once Jack gets relieved of his duties for investigating the case, he starts working on his own to find out what truly happened to Sheldon. The things he finds will take him through the ranks of government in an attempt to get to the truth.

As Jack gets further into the truth, he finds that the genetically modified crops that we are being forced to depend on for food weren’t really created by man. They were created for a far more sinister purpose. Sheldon’s death is just a casualty to the cause.

With the FBI, President, other government officials, EDS, and New Horizons, Jack has to try and figure out who the “good guys” really are and whose side he is on. The information he finds takes him on a journey straight into the world of corruption, aliens, and terrorism.

Impressions
First of all, this is a “must read” book! I don’t want to give too much away and due to all the twists and surprises in this book, I can’t say a lot. This book can really make you think about what you are eating!

There are many parts of this book that could very well be real and occur, even down to the aliens (if you are a believer.) Everyone has an opinion of government, nutrition, aliens, and authority and this books takes you deep into each one of those.

All of the sentences kept me on edge wanting to see what was truly going to happen, who were these people, what were they really up too. I couldn’t put it down!

The determination of Jack for justice and Naomi for saving the world is so strong and it’s easy to get caught wanting to be on both of their sides. For the most part, people want to always believe in people that are in position to protect them and their way of life.

The book will introduce characters that will strengthen this belief and some that will send you running away from those convictions. Along with Jack and Naomi, there are other strong characters in the Harvesters, Dr. Kempf, Alexander (Jack’s cat,) Renee, and fellow FBI agent Clement. With each introduction to a new character, the plot twists and turns.

Favorite Scene
This scene is where Naomi is showing Jack around the EDS compound in Sutter Buttes, CA. (Chapter 9.)

“Everything in here is built tough, Jack. The concrete is several feet thick in most places, heavily reinforced with steel.”
“Perfect for your little war,” Jack said.
“It’s not our war, Jack,” Naomi snapped. “It was thrust on us by an enemy who doesn’t know the meaning of diplomacy or negotiation, or even surrender.”

Favorite Quote
“Everyone today is focused on the threat of terrorism. Before that, it was Saddam Hussein. And for decades before that we were consumed by worry over the Cold War and nuclear holocaust. The irony is that the corn that Sheldon found in that lab in Nebraska, if it ever gets loose in our biosphere, will be far more devastating to humankind and the Earth as a whole than all the nuclear weapons ever made.” (Naomi to Jack)

WIN a SIGNED copy of SEASON OF THE HARVEST

Mike is giving away a SIGNED copy of his book!

ENTER THE DRAWING UP TO THREE TIMES: Once, twice, three times – it’s up to you!

(ONE)
Comment or ask a question in this post.

(TWO)
Like The Bookworm Society on Facebook! Just leave a comment on our wall or status about Season of the Harvest.

(THREE)
Follow @BookwormSociety on Twitter and @ us with a comment about Season of the Harvest. You may also RT one of our comments about the book.

Winners will be announced in one week – Saturday, July 9, 2011. Open internationally.

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Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Tags: action, adventure, fantasy, mystery, scary 2 Comments »

by The Bookworm Society

BOOK GIVEAWAY + Exclusive Interview with the Nation’s Extreme Weather Expert and Critically Acclaimed Author Mike Smith

June 16, 2011 in Author Interviews, Non-Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

Mike Smith is the US Thought Leader on Saving Lives during hurricanes, tornadoes and other extreme weather. Mike has dedicated his career to shifting the paradigm in weather warning systems and weather preparation.

As the author of “Warnings – The True Story of How Science Tamed The Weather,” he tells the one of a kind story that is both thrilling and educational to any reader who has ever experienced the wrath of Mother Nature. Mike took a few moments from this busy tornado season to answer our questions and share his expertise on this year’s storm season.

Bookworm Society: What inspired you to write “Warnings” and who should read it?

Mike: When Hurricane Katrina struck and so many lives were needlessly lost, I knew that more people needed to know about the weather warning system. Scientists in my field have fought great battles to get warnings out to the public and it is time for people to realize that meteorologists have developed a warning system that will save their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Tornadoes are not “unpredictable”! The warnings for this year’s storms have been uniformly excellent. But, as we are now learning, many did not appropriately respond to the warnings. We are just getting into hurricane season and tornadoes can occur at any time of the year. “Warnings” is a must read for this year’s storm season!

Bookworm Society: What inspires you to work with extreme weather?

Mike: The majesty of a storm on the horizon is truly a humbling and visually compelling experience. You can view some of my photographs of weather at www.mikesmithenterprises.com/photos. Aside from the visual aspects, I have always been drawn to finding the answers to difficult weather questions. Weather scientists have been able to examine extreme weather and provide answers that have helped save hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of lives. My greatest inspiration is knowing the every day the work I perform will educate people on how to survive extreme weather. My biggest goal is to stop weather related casualties.

Bookworm Society: What advice do you have for aspiring storm chasers?

Mike: Don’t chase storms unless you have been trained by a professional. Tornadoes are dangerous and violent. If you have a passion to see a tornado, sign up for one of the reputable storm tour companies. If you have questions about becoming a storm chaser follow me on twitter @usweatherexpert or on Facebook. Send me your questions and I will try to answer them.

Bookworm Society: Any parting advice on weathering severe storms?

Mike: Be prepared. Have a severe weather preparation plan in place. Listen to the warnings from your local weather sources or visit my blog – Meteorological Musings – for information. Take the weather warnings seriously, if a tornado is headed to your area get underground. If a hurricane evacuation is ordered then follow the orders. I have talked to so many people who didn’t think a weather related tragedy would happen to them , only to find out that weather does not discriminate about who or where it will hit. Read “Warnings” it will help you understand why you should stay tuned in and ready for severe weather. BE READY!

For more information about Mike Smith visit: www.mikesmithenterprises.com. Mr. Smith is available for professional speaking engagements on extreme weather and loves to talk about the weather. Mr. Smith will be giving away 5 autographed copies of “Warnings” to lucky readers who leave comments here or have questions about the weather.

WIN 1 of 5 COPIES of WARNINGS

Mike and his team are giving away 3 SIGNED books and 2 eBooks!

ENTER THE DRAWING UP TO THREE TIMES: Once, twice, three times – it’s up to you!

(ONE)
Comment or ask a question in this post.

(TWO)
Like The Bookworm Society on Facebook! Just leave a comment on our wall or status about Mike’s book or his interview with us.

(THREE)
Follow @BookwormSociety on Twitter and @ us with a comment about Mike’s book or interview. You may also RT one of our comments about Mike’s book or interview.

Winners will be announced in one week – Friday, June 24, 2011. Open internationally.

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Have you read this book too? Rate the book and join in the discussion below!

Rating: 4.5/5 (2 votes cast)

Tags: action, adventure, life, life change, life lessons, scary 8 Comments »

by Karina Knightingale

The Dark and Hollow Places (Forest and Hands of Teeth Book 3) | By Carrie Ryan

June 14, 2011 in Dystopian, Fiction, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Carrie Ryan writes dystopian YA novels about dark post-apocalyptic world with very few surviving cities on Earth among zombie hordes.

The previous books in the series are:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth

The Dead-Tossed Waves

Plot
There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister’s face when she and Elias left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the horde as they found their way to the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.

Annah’s world stopped that day and she’s been waiting for him to come home ever since. Without him, her life doesn’t feel much different from that of the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Then she meets Catcher and everything feels alive again.

Except, Catcher has his own secrets—dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah’s longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it’s up to Annah—can she continue to live in a world drenched in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return’s destruction?

Impressions
I like Carrie Ryan. Every time I read her book it brings to life a mixture of horror, desperate need to survive, enormous bravery and hope in a dark twisted world very similar to the one in 28 Days Later (did you see that film?) Plus after reading such book I guarantee you dreams filled with zombies chasing after you (at least, it always happens to me!).

This book can be read as standalone, but you’ll understand the world better if you start from the beginning. The main characters are interconnected, especially in the last two books.

Annah, the main protagonist, is a lonely girl living and trying to survive in the Dark City (previously known as New York). She reminded me very much of Temple from The Reapers are The Angels, another wonderful book in the same niche. She is tough and resourceful, but very insecure and doubts every step she takes.

In this book she is reunited with Gabriel, Catcher and Elias, characters from the book #2, just in time for a zombie horde to invade The Dark City. Desperately trying to survive the group makes a terrible mistake of asking for help from quasi-military organization of Recruiters in exchange of Catcher’s special talents, and now they are trapped between zombies and vicious half-mad men, who lost all semblance of humanity in face of impending destruction of human race.

While Catcher and Elias follow the orders of Recruiters, Gabi and Annah live day by day barely escaping rape and torture and planning their great escape.

It’s tense and nerve-wracking and full of darkness, but I totally loved it. You would too, if you like dystopias. It’s not the level of Hunger Games but it holds its own.

Favorite Scene
Last one with Annah in the tunnels

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Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Tags: 28 days later, dystopian, horror, post-apocalyptic, resident evil, zombies 1 Comment »

by Mike Rowlands

Warnings: The True Story of How Science Tamed the Weather | By Mike Smith

June 4, 2011 in Non-Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

Mike Smith takes us on a journey, not only of the history of tornado forecasting, the various bodies involved, the equipment and the lessons learned along the way, but also of the devastation that can so quickly befall a town that is hit by a tornado. It also touches sensitively on the after effects of these terrible events and the impact it has on the families.

About
What is unique about this book though is during this delicate and touching journey. Mike also slowly reveals his ow career in this industry, from passionate student trying to sell print outs of weather forecasts to his neighbors, to owning his own company and selling weather data and forecasting services to private companies and almost instantly saved Southern Pacific millions of dollars and the lives of the train crew after their first successful commercial tornado warning.

Impressions
This book is very focused in niche and carries a lot of technical information about the development of the equipment and various processes used for forecasting. I have to admit, Mike’s own passion for what has ultimately been his life’s work, shines through on every page and I found myself so engrossed at times, it was difficult to put the book down.

It reads like an Antony Beevor historical non fiction book, the intriguing interactions between the various government and commercial bodies involved in forecasting and how they ultimately ended up facing across each other in court after a plane crashed and lives were lost. Also, the vivid descriptions of a tornado tearing through a town, made this more like reading an adventure or thriller novel that contains some technical information about the nature of the equipment.

Favorite Scene
In one of the opening scenes of the book, the author’s home town, Ruskin Hights, was hit by a tornado. The general manager of the local store was caught out in the storm. After seeing cars lifted into the air and the houses disintegrate, he was picked up and thrown at a tree by “this terrible thing” “it was very black, just like mud. It had water and mud and everything in it.”

He grabbed onto the tree and was literally turned upside down while clinging on for dear life before the winds settled and he realised he was looking straight up into the eye of the tornado.

The way this scene (and many others) are written, and the fact that the author was effected by what you are reading, really put you in the centre of what is happening. You can almost see and hear the destruction going on around you. It is both disturbing and engrossing at the same time.

Favorite Quote
“How would you feel if you were a meteorologist who had just forecast a tornado? Would you be happy if no tornado occurs, though you’ll be bombarded by criticism from those listening to your forecast? Or do you hope for the tornado to make good on your prediction?”

This sums up one of the authors central dilemmas in the work he does and this is further supported by an anonymous poem

“Old Forecasters Lament
And now among the fading embers
These in the main are my regrets
When I am right no one remembers
When I am wrong no one forgets”

BUY WARNINGS: THE TRUE STORY OF HOW SCIENCE TAMED THE WEATHER

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Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Tags: action, adventure, life, life lessons, scary 1 Comment »

by Barbara Kamphuis

Port Mortuary (A Scarpetta Novel) | By Patricia Cornwell

May 25, 2011 in Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

Patricia Cornwell is one of the most famous authors in this genre. Her heroine, Dr. Kay Scapetta, even has her own cook books.

Over the years she has obtained positions with the most renowned Medical Examiner offices in the US, getting the deceased on her table to tell her what’s happened to them.

She is assisted by her husband, psychiatrist Benton Wesley, her high-tech addicted niece, Lucy and former police officer Pete Marino.

Plot
When Lucy and Pete come to get her with a helicopter, medical examiner Kay Scarpetta knows something is up. Soon a MEs worst nightmare seems to come true. Someone wasn’t really dead when they put him in the fridge and now he bled out in his body bag. Or was he dead after all.

At her arrival it seems that something is off. Her replacement during her stay with the military seems to have vanished and can’t be reached. Kay herself is being haunted by her past as a medical examiner in the military.

Three completely different cases all seem to be off.. A young man with Asperger’s syndrome is being held for cruelly murdering a young boy, a fact he seems eager to confess to, but the facts don’t add up. And a seemingly healthy man suddenly drops dead on the pavement while walking his dog in the same neighborhood where Kay en Benton live. The next morning his body bag suddenly is full of blood. How is this possible? And what happened to the young athlete found in the water?

And the biggest question: Where is Jack Fielding, her long time protege?

Impressions
This books starts of at high speed and that doesn’t stop until you’re finished. The whole story covers maybe 2 or 3 days and Kay barely gets any sleep. This makes her emotionally even more vulnerable to the ghosts from her past that have resurfaced.

The man she has taken under her wing for years, who she kept taking back as an employee, who she has slept with according to the rumour mill, has done some inexplicable things and now has vanished. And now her husband, forensic psychiatrist Benton Wesley, is acting strangely towards her. The infamous Dr Scarpetta gets insecure of what happened during her absence and she wonders what the plans, of the powers that be, are for her. Even the words early retirement pop up in her head.

Meanwhile a exotic murder weapon keeps her puzzled. The internal injuries look like they are from a blast but the victim only sustained a stab wound. And why didn’t he bleed until the next morning? The puzzle keeps Dr Scarpetta on the tip of her toes while emotionally she is falling apart.

This is a great novel with complicated puzzles, both forensic and emotionally for Dr Scarpetta. What will happen to her career? Was she wrong to trust her long time protege and friend? And is her husband back with the FBI without telling her?

Favorite Scene
When Dr Scarpetta talks on the phone with Erica Donahue, mother of suspect who murdered a young boy.

Favorite Quote:
“Trust your instincts. Don’t trust anything else. This is about power. The power to control people, to make them feel good or frightened or to suffer unbearably. Power over life and death.” –Dr. Kay Scarpetta’s thoughts

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Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Tags: adventure, answers, detective, justice, life, murder, mystery, scary, secrets, strong female character, strong women 1 Comment »

by Karina Knightingale

Reunion | By Jeff Bennington {SIGNED BOOK GIVEAWAY}

May 16, 2011 in Drama, Fiction, Horror, Suspense, Thriller

This book is a paranormal thriller, and I have to say there were two first in it for me. One: I haven’t read a book in this genre before (not counting Stephen King and Dean Koontz), two: this is a new author for me as well.

So far, the experience was extremely satisfying—and this is from someone who can’t stand watching scary movies, but loves scary books. Go figure!

ATTENTION: Minor spoilers ahead.

Plot
David Ray killed eight students and then turned the gun on himself. He thought the shooting and suicide would fix his world. It didn’t. The massacre threw Tanner Khan and the other survivors into chaos.

Twenty years later, Tanner and his fellow classmates reluctantly agree to hold a reunion to lay the past to rest. Although they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they come back to their hometown and reunite in the defunct school building. Old flames are rekindled, fears are ignited, and their lives are about to explode in a whirlwind of memories, haunted by the spirit of David Ray.

Once they’re inside the school, they discover that a dark entity has joined them. It has come to collect a debt, long overdue, and someone has to pay. Will Tanner and his classmates overcome their fears, putting the pieces of their lives back together, or will they be consumed by their worst nightmare?

Impressions
First of all, the story is split into two parts: the past and the present. In the past it concentrates majorly on David Ray and what was happening in his mind, which for me was the weakest part. David Ray just feels too forced, too adult in his thinking.

Apart from that, when the story continues in the present that’s when you start getting involved and invested into it.

Six survivors of the massacre agree to hold the reunion inside the school – Lana, who writes books now, helping to change the attitude to bullying to prevent such tragedies in the future; Maria – a therapist working with PTSD sufferers; Katy – a housewife, who got married to her school sweetheart Nick, whose brother was killed in the shooting; Bryan – a local policeman; aforementioned Nick who suffers from severe PTSD and alcoholism; Tanner – an adventurer and a successful businessman; and at last, Noah, an English pastor and paranormal investigator.

They all had a very hard time dealing with their post traumatic stress disorder and each of them is managing it differently.

At the same time there is a lot of paranormal activity going around the school which is kept quiet by local government. So when reunion starts, the inevitable happens, the school gets locked up, and the group has to understand what the malevolent presence wants from them in order to stay alive.

It was a gripping and at times chilling story, and apart from minor details which sometimes irritated and distracted me I found it extremely filling and satisfying. The details I’m talking about are minuscule like description of Nick‘s dream suddenly going into details of REM sleep and neurons. Or a logical question: why some people in horror stories have to make certain stupid mistakes? But I’m ranting here unnecessarily.

I have to mention that my two favorite characters were Nick and Noah. It might be a surprising choice for some, but they both kept their integrity no matter what, and that means a lot to me.

Overall, it’s a compelling and very good read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Favorite Scene
Noah’s speech in the end was quite profound.

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Reviewer’s Final Rating

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Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Tags: bowling for Columbine, ghosts, haunting, paranormal investigation, poltergeist, PTSD, school reunion, school shooting 7 Comments »

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