Saturday, October 19, 2013
My new home . . .
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
I am moving to Wordpress
Book Review: Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
Title: Odd Hours
Author: Dean Koontz
Series: Odd Thomas #4
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Publication date: 20 May 2008
Online presence:: http://www.deankoontz.com/
Source: My own audio copy
Narrated by David Aaron Baker
Amazon link: Odd Hours: An Odd Thomas Novel
Goodreads blurb:
Only a handful of fictional characters are recognized by first name alone. Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas is one of those rare literary heroes who have come alive in readers’ imaginations as he explores the greatest mysteries of this world and the next with his inimitable wit, heart, and quiet gallantry. Now Koontz follows Odd as he is irresistibly drawn onward to a destiny he cannot imagine and to undreamed of places where the perils he will face and the stakes for which he fights will eclipse all that he has known.
The legend began in the obscure little town of Pico Mundo. A fry cook named Odd was rumored to have the extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. Through tragedy and triumph, exhilaration and heartbreak, word of Odd Thomas’s gifts filtered far beyond Pico Mundo, attracting unforgettable new friends—and enemies of implacable evil. With great gifts comes the responsibility to meet great challenges. But no mere human being was ever meant to face the darkness that now stalks the world—not even one as oddly special as Odd Thomas.
After grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil that separates him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two otherworldly sidekicks—his dog Boo and a new companion, one of the few who might rival his old pal Elvis. But a true hero, however humble, must persevere. Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems. Now the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority…and in this dark night of the soul dawn will come only after the most shattering revelations of all.
Burnishing Dean Koontz’s stature as a master of suspense and one of our most innovative and gifted storytellers, Odd Hours illuminates a legacy of mystery and hope that will shine on long after the final page.
My thoughts:
Let me start by saying that I love this narrator. Some books are just better in audio form (I am thinking of THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE) and I think David Aaron Baker made this book for me. His calm, smoothing voice just carried the story of Odd Thomas perfectly. Sometimes Dean Koontz tends to wander off into some beautiful prose but David made it all just seem to flow together – loved that!
As with all the Odd Thomas books, the people that Odd meets, all have funny little quirks. I guess that if you are a little funny yourself, you just gravitate towards such. One of my favourites are the aging film director (actor) that employs Odd. He lives in the past and through his old movies. The conversations between him and Odd were just wonderful.
This book does not have loads of action and it all takes place inside of 24 hours. As usual, not all questions are answered so we will have to see if book 5 and 6 brings everything together.
I don’t think that any of the sequels of Odd Thomas will ever compare with the first book but the stories give us enough suspense and surprises to keep us reading (listening).
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Blogger has the worst editor . . .
I want to apologize for the formatting on some of my earlier blog posts. For some reason BLOGGER has changed my settings and removed/changed formatting on the posts. I have been unable to get it back to normal. I have even lost some posts. It has been really fustrating but at this point I am out of ideas . . .
Saturday, January 12, 2013
My Spotlight: Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans
Expected Publication date: 15 January 2013
Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow prisoners, Felicia passes the endless hours downloading memories and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and the boy she loved, Neil.
Then a girl in a neighboring chamber disappears, and nobody but Felicia seems to recall she existed in the first place. Something is obviously very wrong. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, she learns the truth: a rebellion is brewing to overthrow the Morati, the guardians of Level 2.
Felicia is reluctant to trust Julian, but then he promises what she wants the most—to be with Neil again—if only she’ll join the rebels. Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself in the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
My Spotlight: Crash by Lisa McMann
This book sounds awesome. Can’t wait!
Expected publication date: 08 January 2013
If what you see is what you get, Jules is in serious trouble. The suspenseful first of four books from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.
Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.
What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.
The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.
In this riveting start to a gripping series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Super Book Blast: Highland Quest by B.J. Scott
Highland Quest by B. J. Scott
BLURB:
No longer content in the shadows of his older brothers and on a quest to find his destiny, Bryce Fraser's chosen path is fraught with danger, passion, and decisions. Can his unspoken love for spirited, beguiling Fallon be triumphant in a time of war and uncertainty, or will they both fall prey to the devious plans of a traitorous laird from a rival clan?
EXCERPT:
Bryce closed the gap between them. She heard his footsteps, felt his warm breath on the back of her neck as he spoke, but didn’t turn around.
“Please dinna be angry with me, Fallon. I could not bear to think you held me any ill will. This is for the best.” He gently touched her shoulder.
“Dinna leave.” She dropped the sack and whipped around to face him, the words escaping before she could stop them. “Why must you go? Why must you risk your life?”
“You know why.” He yanked her against his chest and captured her mouth.
But this time she did not fight his advances. She wrapped her arms around his neck, responding with equal enthusiasm to his kiss. Her lips parted, welcoming the sweep of his tongue. As he deepened the exploration, her knees buckled, and she clung to his tunic as if her life depended on it.
Unshed tears stung her eyes, but she managed to blink them away. This might be the last time they would see each other and she suddenly found herself wanting a memory that would last forever. What she was about to ask was wrong, and could only lead to heartache. While she knew she should fight temptation with her last breath, she was only human.
“Join with me, Bryce,” she whispered against his lips.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
With a passion for historical romance, history in general, and anything Celtic, B.J. always has an exciting work in progress. Each story offers a blend of romance, adventure, suspense, and, where appropriate, a dab of comic relief. Carefully researched historical facts are woven into each manuscript, providing a backdrop from which steamy romance, gripping plots, and vivid characters—dashing alpha heroes and resourceful, beguiling heroines you can’t help but admire—spring to life. A member of RWA, World Romance Writers, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Savvy Authors, B.J. also writes contemporary, paranormal, time travel, and romantic suspense.
C.S. Lewis first captivated B. J.’s imagination in the fourth grade, and her desire to write sprang from there. Following a career in nursing and child and youth work, B.J. married her knight-in-shining-armor, and he whisked her away to his castle by the sea. In reality, they share their century-old home in a small Canadian town on the shore of Lake Erie with three dogs and a cat. When she is not working at her childcare job, on her small business, or writing, you will find her reading, camping, or antique hunting.
https://www.facebook.com/authorbjscott
http://authorbjscott.wordpress.com/
The author will award gifts of swag (including a canvas tote bag, a mouse pad, a pen, book thong, bookmark, can cooler, magnet, and key chain -- US/Canada only) to randomly drawn commenters from this tour and her Virtual Book Tour, and a grand prize of one $50 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter from this tour and her Virtual Book Tour.
Here is the rest of the tour participants, so lets get commenting!
1. Krystal Shannan - Where Love and Destiny Collide
2. Wicked Readings By Tawania
3. Books and Other Spells
4. JM Stewart
5. Adventure into Romance
6. It's Raining Books
7. Welcome to My World of Dreams
8. Andi's Book Reviews
9. My Devotional Thoughts
10. Wickedly Sexy Writers
11. Sandra's Blog
12. Romantic Historical Lovers
13. Simply Ali
14. Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem
15. All the days of
16. Sharing Links and Wisdom
17. Urban Girl Reader
18. Realmantic Moments
19. Sexy Adventures, Passionate Tales
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year!
Goodbye 2012 – you will not be missed! What a terrible rollercoaster year!
Hello 2013 . . . Welcome!
Let us hope for a year of joy and only happiness. For lots of books and wonderful reviews.
Happy New Year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)