It was a busy weekend here in Momma land, but in between gardening, canning, and entertaining my littles, I read Randall Allen Dunn's The Red Rider. I love a good thriller and this one made it hard to put down to get my work done!
Momma Says: 5 out 5 stars
The Red Rider is very well written in first person POV and it fits well into the Paranormal Thriller genre. There is a touch of romance but no steam in this one. However, it is bloody and there are some aspects of the story that may be disturbing to some readers.
Little Red Riding Hood is heading back into the woods to meet the big bad wolves … But she’s not little anymore. Having survived a childhood attack from a savage wolf, 16-year old Helena Basque remains disfigured with triple scars across her face. Bullied and plagued by nightmares of a supernatural wolf that spoke and stood upright, Helena urges her father to teach her how to hunt and defend herself. When she loses her parents and young sister to the wolves, receiving no help from the French government or her local priest, Helena sets out on her own to avenge her family. Armed by her friend Pierre with a repeating crossbow and other unique weapons, Helena takes a stand against the creatures, donning a red cloak like the one she was once forbidden to wear. She soon discovers a mysterious cult of werewolves with secret plans to seize control of Versailles and the entire French nation. Isolated and determined to accept whatever fate befalls her, Helena wages a one-girl war against the monsters as a strange and unlikely hero, refusing to surrender or slow down until she destroys the beasts. Every last one of them. Come along for the ride.
***
We all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but this dark tale paints Red in a new light. Helena has every reason to hide in a corner and never go outside again. Instead, she's tough and determined, even as a child, and becomes even more so as she moves toward adulthood.
As I've come to expect from this author, The Red Rider is packed full of heart racing, edge of your seat action. But, it's so much more than that. The story is quite dark and heartbreaking with Helena losing so much, but her fierce determination and bravery in the face of so much loss is inspiring.
This is not a book that's easy to set aside while you get your work done, nor is it one for the faint of heart. The tale is bloody and the author is quite descriptive in the telling of some truly disturbing and gruesome scenes, especially when you consider the people involved and how they affect our heroine. Helena's story is one of heart-wrenching loss, terror, and betrayal, but it's also one of family, loyalty, bravery, and hope. Dunn's talent shines in this thriller with its whiplash inducing twists and nail-biting suspense and action. This is one that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good heart pounding thriller.
The Red Rider is available on Amazon and is listed in Kindle Unlimited.
When sultry British
Baroness Piper Darrow falls on desperate times, she needs a
diversion—and cash. As a talented photographer, she jumps at the
chance to travel to the U.S. for a Manhattan Marauders football
event. But she gets more than she bargained for when buff quarterback
Wyatt Hunter’s errant pass lands…in her face. And when it results
in Wyatt’s comeback of a lifetime, the superstitious athlete is
convinced Piper is his good luck charm . . .
With his sights on
the Super Bowl, Wyatt will do anything necessary to keep Piper close.
The fact that she’s a feast for the eyes is a bonus. And as they
get closer, he discovers that beneath her proper English surface is a
sweet, sexy seductress. Soon the notorious playboy finds himself
genuinely smitten, and surprisingly open to love—until his powerful
family uncovers something about Piper that threatens to shatter his
trust. Now he’ll have to decide whether to team up with his fears,
or his heart.
Wife,
mother andreally
younggrandmother,Mackenzie
Crowneshares
her home with her high school sweetheart husband, a neurotic
Pomeranian, and a blind cat. She calls Arizona home because the
southwest feeds her soul. Her love of the romance genre has been a
lifelong affair, both as a reader and a writer. A bout with breast
cancer sharpened her resolve to see her stories shared with others.
Today, she’s a seven-year survivor, living the dream. Her friends
call her Mac. She hopes you will too.
They
say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but In
Egalion’s Imperial court, you can't tell one from the
other...especially when they change at the flip of a coin. Behind the
luxury and splendor lies a realm of treachery where cloak-and-dagger
political maneuvering threatens to destroy the peace of two thousand
years.
Twenty-five-year-old
Battlemage Jex Xander has a mouth that frequently gets him into
trouble, while in contrast, Enari Namelum speaks not at all. When Jex
becomes the target of a faceless curse-slinger, Enari, the girl he
has protected since the day they met, must now protect him. A string
of ritual human sacrifices coupled with Jex’s growing inability to
keep his feelings (and hands) to himself only serve to complicate
matters. Amidst the mounting chaos, passion and romance should be the
last thing on their minds, but life and the Goddess seem to have
other ideas.
In
a world as enticing as it is perilous, love, danger, and magic will
collide, leaving lives irrevocably changed. The events of a single
summer stand to change the course of more than just the kingdom of
Egalion and the ones dismissed as pawns may yet prove to b the most
important players.
Errant
Spark is the hush before the storm, the last deep breath before the
plunge. The flint has been struck and it’s possible the whole world
might go up in flames…because love in the Imperial court is as
dangerous a thing as backroom politics and jealousy can be as much a
driving force as silver and gold.
***
Fantasy?
Action? Romance? Yes! This romantic fantasy novel by Ronelle
Antoinette is a broad, epic, sweeping fantasy with more twists and
turns and ups and downs than a wild roller-coaster! The first
installment of the Elemental Trials series is one of those books that
really is so much more than what the blurb can convey. Described as
“surprisingly complex and visionary” by one reviewer, Errant
Spark will leave you mesmerized from the first page to the
last.
Hailed
by Amazing Stories Magazine’s Ricky L Brown as “a simple story
about interesting characters with just enough romance and magic to
make it work.” Errant Spark is as complex as George RR Martin, with
a world that is well-suited for conniving and cavorting. Rest
assured, there is plenty of sex and violence, but not as raw and
stabby as the aforementioned works. It’s more like a big kid’s
version of a fairy tale.
Recommended
for:
•Mature
teens and up
•Fans
of epic fantasy and romance
•Those
looking for characters they want to eat…or take home and
enjoy
•Readers
who can appreciate a gorgeous tapestry of magic, myth, and
mayhem
•Connoisseurs
of fine love stories that compliment the plot and that ‘slow
burn’
•Lovers
of surprises, twists-and-turns, and well-placed, necessary
supernatural elements
•Anyone
looking for sex, magic, love, fantasy, and a story that will sweep
you away
•Those
who don’t mind staying up all night so they can turn that final
page
Update:
As of 11/21/16, a series glossary has been included at the end of
this novel (in ebook and print form only).
A
night of careless passion leaves Battlemage Jex Xander and Adept
Enari Alycon in a precarious position. Long-time lovers they might
be, but the Imperial ambassador and the daughter of Egalion’s High
Mage have rather public roles in the court—whether they wish it or
not—and scandal couldn’t come at a worse time.
Treachery
will tip balances.
When
a hostile kingdom reluctantly agrees to parley, the fate of
two-thousand years of peace is on the line. In the midst of
negotiations, Enari becomes the target of one of the Greater
Maelstrom. She and Jex must race against time to save her life and
that of her unborn child. What happens when an earth-shattering
secret, a demon bent on destruction, and a kingdom teetering on the
brink of war collide is anyone’s guess.
Choices
will have consequences.
The
decisions of a few will determine the fate of many, and who or what
will remain standing in the end is still uncertain. Hearts and lives
are on the cusp of irrevocable change…and not necessarily for the
better.
Ronelle
Antoinette lives in western Colorado with her husband, two cats, and
one dog-who-believes-he's-a-person. While she is a mother of none,
she’s an auntie to what should qualify as a small army. She is an
admitted caffeine addict, chocoholic, and hopeless romantic who has
carried on a passionate affair with the genre of fantasy since she
was old enough to read 'chapter books'.
Ronelle
dabbled in creative writing for many years before making it a career.
(She even considered it as a major in college, though she ended up
getting a Bachelor's degree in Counseling Psychology.) She published
her first novel, Errant Spark, in July of 2016.
I used to listen to audiobooks constantly and got away from it, but I had the pleasure of listening to Personal Secrets by K.C. Wells today and I'm definitely going to have to get back to audio.
Momma Says: 4 out 5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personal Secrets is told in third person POV and while the narrator's voice seemed a bit gruff to me at first, as the story progressed, it worked well for the characters. This is book three in the Personal series, but I had no problem following the story. It is MM and fits well into the Romance genre. It is quite steamy, so I recommend 18+ readers.
Blake Davis and husband Will are delighted when Ed Fellows turns up at the hospital the night their daughter is born-even if he is covered in mud from playing rugby and drunk out of his skull. Teammate Colin is the Good Samaritan who drives him there, and when he takes Ed home, Colin finds himself on the receiving end of a blowjob. He has no problem with that whatsoever. He's been in lust with Ed since Ed joined the rugby team some 14 months ago. Only thing is, Colin's assumed up 'til now that Ed is straight. Except the man sucking him off certainly didn't seem straight....
Talk about the morning after the night before....Ed awakens to find a nearly-naked Colin asleep on his sofa. The problem is that for some reason, he can't get Colin out of his mind. Okay, so it wasn't the first blowjob Ed's ever gotten from a guy - or given, for that matter - but that was a long time ago, right? And why does Ed now want more?
With friends Rick, Angelo, Blake, and Will to advise him, Ed finds himself on a completely unfamiliar road, as he struggles to accept that maybe the line he is walking isn't as straight as he'd first imagined...
***
It had been quite some time since I'd had the opportunity to listen to an audiobook, so I was excited at the opportunity to listen to this one. I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't sure about Cornell Collins' performance at the beginning. He seemed a bit gruff to me, but as the story moved along and I started to understand the characters, it made perfect sense. The more I got to know of Ed, the more I could see that gruff voice coming out of him. In fact, Collins' whole performance on this book was good and added an extra element to the story.
The story itself was equally as entertaining. Ed and Colin make quite the pair with their tiptoeing around each other after their initial encounter. I almost felt sorry for Ed as he struggles with the opposition between what he thinks and what he feels. Colin is an all-around nice guy but will stand up for what's right. These two characters compliment each other so well and make for a truly engaging story. The two of them together, along with several captivating secondary characters, make for a fun, and at times funny, tale.
We do get some interesting side story with the goings on at Ed's workplace and while I haven't read the other books in this series, I'm assuming that some of those characters are featured in those books. From what I've learned of those characters from this story, I will be checking out the other books in the series.
Overall, I enjoyed both the story and the performance. Personal Secrets is the first book that I've read, um, heard by K.C. Wells, but it certainly won't be my last.
The buy links for Personal Secrets are listed under the cover photo. If you enjoy rugged characters and MM Romance, check this one out.
**I was gifted the audio version of this book by Signal Boost Promotions, which is hosting a review tour and giveaway. Scroll on down on this blog for all the info.
Blake Davis and husband Will are delighted when Ed Fellows turns up at the hospital the night their daughter is born-even if he is covered in mud from playing rugby and drunk out of his skull. Teammate Colin is the Good Samaritan who drives him there, and when he takes Ed home, Colin finds himself on the receiving end of a blowjob. He has no problem with that whatsoever. He's been in lust with Ed since Ed joined the rugby team some 14 months ago. Only thing is, Colin's assumed up 'til now that Ed is straight. Except the man sucking him off certainly didn't seem straight.... Talk about the morning after the night before....Ed awakens to find a nearly-naked Colin asleep on his sofa. The problem is that for some reason, he can't get Colin out of his mind. Okay, so it wasn't the first blowjob Ed's ever gotten from a guy - or given, for that matter - but that was a long time ago, right? And why does Ed now want more? With friends Rick, Angelo, Blake, and Will to advise him, Ed finds himself on a completely unfamiliar road, as he struggles to accept that maybe the line he is walking isn't as straight as he'd first imagined...
These
are the non-spoken titles I was known as since I started at Lake
Shore Uni almost two years ago now. When given the chance to leave my
horrific childhood behind - I didn’t hesitate. In fact, I was
ecstatic to have the door hit me on the ass on my way out of town;
because the only two things I actually loved in my traumatic life…
Were
coming with me.
And
whilst the three of us shared the same beat-up truck when we moved
here – that’s where the similarities unfortunately end.
Ethan
‘The Mule’ Jones, is kind of a super star on campus. Everywhere
he goes he seems to draw attention. I guess that’s what happens
when you’re headlining papers as the star basketballer for the LS
Eagles. But to me, he’s just Eth. A boy who still spends his Friday
nights snuggled up watching movies with me, and who walks me to
classes just to make sure I get there okay. He is my best friend in
every way, and I can’t imagine my life without him in it.
And
then there’s Jase.
The
truth is I knew from the moment I met Jase at the local skate park,
when he was smoking a cigarette and teasing Eth for his poor skating
ability, of how fiercely protective he was about those he cared for.
From the time he blew his warm breath over my injured knee, to when
he thankfully intervened on the most horrific day of my life. A day,
that still haunts me when I am alone in the dark.
He
saved me.
But
Jase has his own demons too. Even if he doesn’t go looking for it,
trouble always seems to find him. Which is why he has been absent
from our lives for the past two years.
Ask
my parents and they will tell you I had a gift for making a simple
event seem like an elaborate one. Purposely? No. Innocently? Yes. It
was my imaginary world that initially led me to believe I wanted to
be an actor. All of that role playing and living in fantasy... it was
an obvious direction for me. However, becoming quite uncomfortable
with the limelight quickly saw that dream diminish.
Over
the years I turned my world of fantasy into stories, and eventually
began writing them down. Before I knew it, 'Cut' had been completed.
When
I am not busy writing my next story, I am a working mum, housewife
and sometimes hockey wag :) In other words, probably some kind of
circus act who specialises in juggling ;)
I
hope you enjoy my blog, where I will be posting thoughts, other books
I am currently reading and even sneak peeks of my novels. I encourage
any feedback, comments or direct messages via my contact page should
anyone wish to get in touch.
I
am so thrilled to be sharing my journey and hope you enjoy my stories
as much as I enjoy writing them.
Break
out of the cold with a splendid spring and summer collection - nine
suspense filled tales by nine talented authors. Available for a
limited time, Lavish Publishing is proud to present Twist of Fate: A
Summer of Second Chances.
.
Inside,
new worlds await discovery. Women fight for their dreams and for new
lives while men stand up for love and for what they believe. Be swept
away by their exciting adventures, but hurry - this set will be gone
as quickly as these warm and lazy days of Summer 2017...
.
The
set includes:
.
Gilded
Rose
by Rebekah Dodson
When
Rose OConner meets the mysterious Alejandro Zabelta, he sweeps her
off her feet and shows her a love she never knew existed; but secrets
hide behind his dark eyes.
.
A
Sinister Bouquet: Awakening
by A. Nicky Hjort
Devyn
Mitchell has a choice- listen to the voice of her unborn baby or
die... again.
.
Captive
by
Samantha Jacobey
Raised
to be an assassin, used by Bikers and Drug Lords and hunted by the
FBI, Tori Farrell is running for her life.... Can you handle the
ride?
.
Negative
Eight
by Aubree Lane
Wedding
day dream or disaster?
.
Fatal
Lies
by Kristen Luciani
When
forbidden lust becomes a deadly game, the price of silence may be too
high to pay.
.
Shot
of Whiskey
by B.B. Raven
He
was the perfect horse, that fell into the wrong hands.
.
Saving
Cassie
by L.A. Remenicky
Everyone
has secrets, sometimes secrets can get you killed.
.
Crescent
Vendetta
by Desiree L. Scott
Vanessa
Burns has survived a life of brutality and neglect within a pack
hated by many but will she be strong enough to survive the possession
of an Alpha who should hate her?
.
Lucy’s
Vision
by Taya Wood
Lucy
radiates bright, invigorating colours and sees into hidden worlds.
Being normal and fitting in holds little appeal for this small-town
Aussie girl until testing her powers to their limits threatens her
sanity.
Rebekah
Dodson
is a prolific word weaver of romance, fantasy, and science fiction
novels. Her works include the series Postcards from Paris, The
Surrogate, The Curse of Lanval series, several stand alone novels,
and her upcoming YA novel, Clock City. She has been writing her whole
life, with her first published work of historical fiction with 4H
Clubs of America at the age of 12, and poetry at the age of 16 with
the National Poetry Society. With an extensive academic background
including education, history, psychology and English, she currently
works as a college professor by day and a writer by night.
A.
Nicky Hjort
is originally from Arlington, Texas- the second of five siblings, all
of whom have strong creative talents. She currently lives in coastal
central California where she practices medicine as an Ob/GYN. In
between being a lovingly devoted mother and delivering babies, she
writes stories that cross multiple genre lines- from Sci Fi to high
fantasy, but all of her stories have thriller and strong romantic
components. And for her clever reader, all of her manuscripts are
subtly connected to each other, with their purpose to explore all
facets of Love and Light. She likes to say that her stories write
themselves, and in the process, often write her, or at least the next
version of her hoping to emerge. A lover of all the arts, A. Nicky
Hjort hopes her stories might inspire you to find your inner creative
genius.
As
for her heroes- they are as varied and eclectic as her choice of
narrative genres, but when pushed to list her favorite influences,
she would say James Patterson, Barbara Kingsolver, Patricia Cornwell,
Dean Koonntz, Gene Roddenberry, Shel Silverstein, Suzanne Collins,
and Walt Disney.
Anyone
who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never
met a stranger and take up conversations any where at any time. I
work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often
in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be
dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the
middle of the night.
I
grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything
is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love
my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my
significant other, and many friends as well.
I
have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently
available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of
course, there will be many more stories to come.
Aubree
Lane
is a true story teller. This award winning author has been writing in
one form or another for most of her life and has loved every
moment.
Aubree
lives in the beautiful foothills of Northern California with her
husband, two wonderful sons, and a super special peek-a-poo named
Tanner. When not managing the pooper-scooper, Aubree can be found at
one of her favorite vacation spots ranging anywhere from Lake Tahoe
to Maui.
Her
motto: Write Until Your Butt Hurts, And Your Eyes Are
Crossed.
Aubree
and her husband enjoy the harvest of their seasonal garden and
relaxing in the paradise they created, called home.
Kristen
Luciani
is a bestselling author and self-proclaimed momtrepreneur with a
penchant for stilettos, Silicon Valley, plunging necklines and
grapefruit martinis. As a deep-rooted romantic who prefers juicy
drama to fill the lives of anyone other than her, she tried her hand
at creating a world of enchantment, sensuality, and intrigue, finally
uncovering her true passion. No pun intended…
I
am very stubborn and independent. I have a big heart and I love
children. One of the reasons why I chose to contribute to the Shades
of Fear Anthology is because it was for a charity that would
help children with cancer. I had a very unstable childhood; my father
was an alcoholic and my mother abandoned me. Thank goodness for my
grandparents. My grandfather, who is now 78, is still a big part of
my life. My son and I help take care of him. We are simple southern
folk who enjoy collard greens and fried chicken on Sundays.
L.A.
Remenicky is a wife and mother of two fur kids. A payroll
professional by day, she writes out the stories in her head by night.
An
avid reader all her life, she finally put pen to paper (or fingers to
keyboard) during NaNoWriMo in 2012 and has never looked back. When
she’s not typing away on her latest story with music playing in the
background, she can usually be found spending time with her family
and friends.
I
have been writing since I was sixteen years old and love to write
both horror and romantic suspense. I think there have been many
influences within my life that has set me on the path that I can not
help but walk. A few of those names consist of Karen Rose, Lisa
Gardener, Nora Roberts, Cynthia Eden, Catherine Anderson, Laura
Griffin, Andrea Kane, and Lisa Jackson, just to name a few. This list
by no means defines by own writing but they have indeed influenced my
desire to live outside of my own world and to create the thrill of my
dreams. I live on 40 + acres in the SHOW ME state with my six year
old daughter, with the wonderful addition of four dogs and a handful
of chickens. The weather is unpredictable, but the surrounding beauty
of the country helps my creativity as I sit on my top deck with my
laptop and coffee close by.
Unexplored
possibilities and impossibilities have always fascinated Taya Wood.
As a child she would stargaze most nights, wondering about the
universe and imagining how things used to be, are, and could be in
the future, so writing speculative fiction was inevitable.
Having
spent her former years as a graphic designer and life coach and then
running a business assisting creative people to earn a living, Taya
now writes magic realism and paranormal fantasy.
She
lives in an eco house in a forest with her husband, several
kingfishers and kookaburras, a fishpond, some water dragons and a
very large goanna.
