Showing posts with label Favorite Author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Favorite Author. Show all posts

Charles' Book Nook Top Ten Best Reads of 2015




2015 was an awesome year for readers. So many great books came out and as a fan of so many new authors, many older books I discovered quickly became a new favorite. In no particular order, I present my top ten reads of 2015. 
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Antythera is the new Earth. 
Why? 
Because that’s what President Baro, ruler of the planet, wants to call it. 
And if you don’t agree, the President will have you Droned. 

The world has become a much smaller place since the lower and middle classes have been converted to mindless servants.  Free will, granted only to the elite, is in jeopardy of complete extinction.   

But Force Steele, son to one of the President’s highest ranking advisors, can’t live under the thumb of his controlling father, or the President, any longer. Force has dedicated himself to eradicating Droning, but when the President orders the Antidote Gear destroyed—the part of the machine that could free the drones by reversing the program that controls them—all is lost. Lacking necessary materials, there is literally no way in Force’s world to replace the one-of-a-kind gear. 

Force’s only choice is to partner with shifty mechanic, Calerbius Brown, and embark on a risky mission that will take Force and his rag-tag crew across the lateral dimensions, where they must often steal materials—even from themselves—in order to fix their own dwindling world. 

Episode 1 - Amazon | B&N
Episode 2 - Amazon | B&N
Episode 3 - Amazon | B&N
Episode 1 - 3 Bundle - Amazon | B&N
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At fifteen, an accident turned my world upside down. Scarred in every way possible, I shut down, finding comfort by self-inflicting pain.

I’ve grown accustomed to the truths of my life, but I’m tired.
Tired of this reality...
Tired of the need...
Of the pain...
I’m weary of being this person...
Of being alone...
Though, I’m more afraid of letting someone in.

It’s been five years.
Can I return home and face my fears? Overcome the pain?
It’s time to find out.

For too long, the story of my life has been one of horror.
I want my fairy tale.
I want my prince, my happily ever after.

The question is, does it want me?


*This is a standalone novel following a character introduced in the From The Wreckage series. It is not necessary to read that series to enjoy this story.*

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Mark believes he is alone in the world. Rejected by his parents as a child, he spent his childhood bouncing from one foster home to another. The loss of his beloved little brother, Davey, makes him believe he has nothing left to live for. Mark finds himself on a destructive path after agreeing to help a person from his childhood.

A wager made by two strangers sets a chain of events in motion: Mark finds the one person he believed he had lost forever, while he desperately tries to get out of the life he has made for himself. Never having allowed himself to get close to anyone, he can't understand the connection he has to Libby. Can Mark escape the life he set in motion seven years ago and allow Libby into his life, or is his karma fractured permanently?

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Ancient gods. Modern times.

Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos (the god of sleep) and Thanatos (the god of death). She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world.

Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her.

The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive.

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Did you just see a flash of lightning across the sky on a clear sunny day? Don't blame Mother Nature.

Skylar Rome should have been having the best summer ever, before heading off to college. Suddenly her whole life changes while visiting her cousin, and meeting the Grand brothers; Mason, in particular. Though she's sure he is someone she should stay away from, the attraction was undeniable.

Strange things begin to happen, throwing Skylar's life into turmoil. Implausibly, she gets caught up in a world where the descendants of ancient gods have super powers, and evil beings are after her. Not only are her discoveries difficult to accept, but now she is running out of time and running for her life, while trying to unravel the mystery of what they want from her. Forced into a battle set into motion long before she was born, will Skylar find the answers she seeks, or will she die trying?

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Zoey’s life has taken a dramatic turn. Only a few months ago she was a Collector working for the a secret part of the government called the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), tracking and collecting fae. Her life had been changing and improving with a partner she loved and a sister she adored.

Now all that is gone—Daniel murdered by a fae, and Lexi killed when the Seattle area is devastated by a powerful, magical electrical storm. Zoey herself is altered by her association with the Wanderer, Ryker, in life-changing way.

Zoey discovered she was an experiment from the very company she worked for. She could die at any moment of a threatening defect—taking Ryker’s magic with her.

In a race against time, Ryker and Zoey set out to find a way to transfer his powers back before it’s too late. Their journey takes them to the rainforests of South America, dealing with those who are after something Ryker possesses and who will stop at nothing to obtain it for themselves.
What Zoey and Ryker discover can destroy them or tear them a part for good.

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Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated, that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is descended from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business. Which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its next fairytale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

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A dangerous game has begun.

Sydney. Her skin felt as soft as it looked. I shouldn't have touched her, but I couldn't help myself. I've been to New Orleans dozens upon dozens of times. It's a unique city, filled with tourists and superstition. And until tonight, I'd never been superstitious. 

An old fortuneteller freak stopped me on the way to the diner and said I would make a decision that would change my path. She didn't know that I'd walked the path to this very restaurant before. It had been a few years. 

Who knew that the decision to return would be blessed with a beauty-five foot six with curves in all the right mouth-watering places. Clothed in cheap polyester, stained with God only knew what, Sydney was a vision. Blonde hair to her waist. Big brown doe eyes. I could almost taste her. 
In his game, everyone's a pawn...

I didn't miss the rumble of her stomach when I asked her to dine with us. She was hungry. Something that flashed in those eyes told me it wasn't because she just skipped lunch today. Maybe I could meet some of her needs. Forget that. I could definitely meet her needs, but it was up to her to let me. So, I left her my business card, my number. 

Girls like Sydney, they're afraid. They never make the first move. Most never even make the second. I doubt she'd call. I'd tipped her well, not because she was the best waitress I'd ever had, not even because she was within my sites. I tipped her so that when I came back to the diner, she would remember me. She would want to serve me. 

And, oh, would she ever serve me. I just have to play my cards right. 
...and he's never lost a game.

Dark Bishop is unsuitable for those under the age of eighteen due to adult language and situations.

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m/m/m

Steve, Joey and Adam's story....

Steve and Joey have been happily together for two years. But their busy schedules get in the way of time they should devote to each other. It's not until Adam comes into their lives do they realize what has continued to be missing from their little family.

Book 10 of the More Than Friends series

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Working for the man upstairs stinks, but working with Samantha, an angel in training? Offensive!
Only one thing is so powerful, so dangerous that Heaven and Hell must work together to find it: the Shard of Gabriel.

With a mysterious Black Cloud of Death hot on the shard's trail, a desperate Heaven enlists the help of Bartholomew, a demon who knows more about the shard than almost anyone. Six years ago, he had it in his hands. If only he'd used it before his coup to overthrow the Devil failed. Now, he's been sprung from his eternal punishment to help Samantha, an angel in training, recover the shard before the Black Cloud of Death finds it.

If Bart wants to succeed, he'll have to fight the temptation to betray Samantha and the allure of the shard. After an existence full of evil, the only way Bart can get right with Hell is to be good.


And there you have it. My top ten reads for 2015. I assure you, it was difficult trimming them down to ten and making some cuts because I read quite a few wonderful tales this year. Did any of your favorites make the cut?

Here's to a happy 2016 reading year!

Happy New Year ~ Charles
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Book Review - "Fractured Karma" by Nancy Straight


When I thought about this month's topic, I immediately thought of my favorite author, Nancy Straight! Because of Nancy and her first book, Meeting Destiny, I was introduced to a whole world of indie authors with so many wonderful stories to tell. Now, while I love all her books (especially Blood Debt!) I fell in love with her newest work, Fractured Karma. If you haven't read it yet, I hope I can introduce you to it here and that you'll give the Brewer Brothers series a try!


Book Overview

Mark believes he is alone in the world. Rejected by his parents as a child, he spent his childhood bouncing from one foster home to another. The loss of his beloved little brother, Davey, makes him believe he has nothing left to live for. Mark finds himself on a destructive path after agreeing to help a person from his childhood. 

A wager made by two strangers sets a chain of events in motion: Mark finds the one person he believed he had lost forever, while he desperately tries to get out of the life he has made for himself. Never having allowed himself to get close to anyone, he can’t understand the connection he has to Libby. Can Mark escape the life he set in motion seven years ago and allow Libby into his life, or is his karma fractured permanently?

My Take

What can I say about this book? It's unlike the other books in Nancy's series and yet she doesn't stray from her ability to weave a story with such passion that you find yourself (literally) laughing out loud and crying throughout the narration.

Fractured Karma is the tale of Mark Brewer. We met him and his brother Dave in book one, His Frozen Heart. Unlike Nancy's other tales where a female lead tells the story, Nancy provides the story from Mark's perspective. This makes for a very good read and interesting tale. I certainly don't want to spoil anything, as many of my friend's curiosity was peeked in the first book while wondering what the story was behind the mysterious Mark. Needless to say, I do not think fans will be disappointed. As I read through the tale, I could not help but feel a real connection with Mark's character. His back story and struggles are compelling and emotional. I think many readers who have been guessing will be surprised when they learn his story.

I'm a huge fan of Nancy Straight's work and have one or two favorites in her portfolio that I absolutely love; however, Fractured Karma has quickly swooped in and taken the lead as my all time favorite. Mystery, romance, adventure, and suspense make for one fun ride and Nancy has found the perfect formula to blend it all together. 

I give this book:


Get your copy today and start your adventure! And if you haven't read His Frozen Heart yet, start with it first and learn about Dave (books should be read in order).



His Frozen Heart (#Free eBook on Amazon November 5 - 9, 2015)

Amazon (Kindle, Paperback, Audio Book)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback)


Fractured Karma
Amazon (Kindle, Paperback)
Audible (Audio Book)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback)

About the Author


Nancy Straight, Me, and my sister Kelly at UtopYA2015

Nancy Straight is an author of impossible love stories, but doesn't every great love story sound impossible until you experience it? Nancy grew up in Iowa. She spent ten years traveling the world with the US Marine Corps, and settled in rural South Carolina with her family. She has a undergraduate degree in education and an advanced degree in management, but her true passion lies in surprising readers with her unpredictable plot twists.

Connect with the Author


Giveaway


This giveaway is open to US and International fans! Two winners will be selected. One winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card. A second winner will receive an audible credit for His Frozen Heart and Fractured Karma (one code for each). 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now continue the fun and hop on over to the next giveaway!


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Cover Reveal - "The Barrier Between" by Stacie Marie Brown

    




Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1kDt4vK
Purchase on iBooks: http://apple.co/1Mgevul
Purchase on Nook: http://bit.ly/1LMowKp
Purchase on Kobo: http://bit.ly/1H0fVSc

Zoey’s life has taken a dramatic turn. Only a few months ago she was a Collector working for the a secret part of the government called the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), tracking and collecting fae. Her life had been changing and improving with a partner she loved and a sister she adored. Now all that is gone—Daniel murdered by a fae, and Lexi killed when the Seattle area is devastated by a powerful, magical electrical storm. Zoey herself is altered by her association with the Wanderer, Ryker, in life-changing way. Zoey discovered she was an experiment from the very company she worked for. She could die at any moment of a threatening defect—taking Ryker’s magic with her. In a race against time, Ryker and Zoey set out to find a way to transfer his powers back before it’s too late. Their journey takes them to the rainforests of South America, dealing with those who are after something Ryker possesses and who will stop at nothing to obtain it for themselves. What Zoey and Ryker discover can destroy them or tear them a part for good.
 
   

Haven't started reading the Collector Series yet?



Purchase on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1kDtbYq
Purchase on iBooks: http://apple.co/1zVbgmq
Purchase on Nook: http://bit.ly/1WafvVu
Purchase on Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LTrNLg

  Zoey Daniels has been tossed from foster home to foster home, where she grows up fast and tough. When she is placed in her “last-chance” home, she finds a reason to stay and turn her life around: her foster sister, Lexie, who is paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Zoey will do anything to keep her safe. After high school, Zoey is hired by a special government agency, the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), where she meets the other reason to remain: Daniel, her co-worker. The man she loves. But there is something unique about Zoey. She can see fae. Because of this, the DMG hires her to work as a Collector: catching, researching, testing, and using the fae to save human lives. The work never registers on her sympathy radar. She was raised to think of fae as beasts that feed on humans and want to destroy them. When devastation hits Seattle, Zoey's whole world is turned upside down. The electric storm connects her to a ruthless fae, a Wanderer named Ryker, whose dealings expose them to even more trouble and danger. They embark on a journey, running and hiding from both the government and fae, both of which threaten their lives and those they love.

About Stacey Marie Brown




Stacey Marie Brown is a lover of hot fictional bad boys and sarcastic heroines who kick butt. She also enjoys books, travel, TV shows, hiking, writing, design, and archery. Stacey swears she is part gypsy, being lucky enough to live and travel all over the world. She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family's farm, raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts. She volunteers helping animals and is eco-friendly. She feels all animals, people, and environment should be treated kindly.
 
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Blog Tour - "City In Embers" by Stacey Marie Brown


Stacey Marie Brown has written some of my favorite books! Her Darkness Series was so awesome I read all four books in a few short weeks! Now she's writing a spin-off series and I'm so please to get to share it with you today! City in Embers is the first in Stacey's "Collectors Series." One reason I love Stacey's books so much is for the a) Hot Guys! and b) her wonderful writing style. Stacey's characters are so realistic, it becomes easy to get lost in her books. She is definitely blamed for many late nights and book hangovers.


City in Embers



Book Overview


Zoey Daniels has been tossed from foster home to foster home, where she grows up fast and tough. When she is placed in her “last-chance” home, she finds a reason to stay and turn her life around: her foster sister, Lexie, who is paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Zoey will do anything to keep her safe.

After high school, Zoey is hired by a special government agency, the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), where she meets the other reason to remain: Daniel, her co-worker. The man she loves.

But there is something unique about Zoey. She can see fae. Because of this, the DMG hires her to work as a Collector: catching, researching, testing, and using the fae to save human lives. The work never registers on her sympathy radar. She was raised to think of fae as beasts that feed on humans and want to destroy them.

When devastation hits Seattle, Zoey's whole world is turned upside down. The electric storm connects her to a ruthless fae, a Wanderer named Ryker, whose dealings expose them to even more trouble and danger. They embark on a journey, running and hiding from both the government and fae, both of which threaten their lives and those they love.


My Take


This was another great story written by Stacey! Zoey and Ryker are wonderful and I love how this book builds up to what we foresee as a budding relationship rather than jumping right in. City in Embers, as a spin-off of the Darkness Series, takes place around some of the events that we originally come across in Darkness of Light. However, having read the prior series is not a requirement by any means (although I would highly recommend it). The story is the beginning of a stand alone series and does not reference the prior series at all, so you will not feel like you've missed out on anything if this is the first books of Stacey Marie Brown's that you read. 

Zoey is a known as a "collector," a group of governmental agents tasked with collecting various fae within our world. But a devastating electrical storm causes Zoey to team up with those she would normally hunt. Now Zoey's survival hangs in the balance as her hunt for truth may be more than she bargained for. 

Stacey's ability to weave wonderful tales is in full force in City in Embers. The painting of Zoey's back story through memories and dreams provided a great way to keep the story moving while making the reader fall more deeply in love with her. Ryker provides the hot, dangerous sex appeal Stacey is best known for writing and he is definitely a character we soon find ourselves going "all in." And let me not forget to mention one of my favorite characters, a little sprite named Sprig. Sprig was given some of the greatest lines and comebacks the book offered. Definitely someone I would love to hang out with! If you are a fan of Stacey's Darkness Series, this first new book in the Collector's Series will not disappoint!

Overall, I give City in Embers:




Get Your Copy Today!


Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)

About the Author


Stacey Marie Brown is a lover of hot fictional bad boys and sarcastic heroines who kick butt. She also enjoys books, travel, TV shows, hiking, writing, design, and archery. Stacey swears she is part gypsy, being lucky enough to live and travel all over the world.

She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family's farm, raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts. She volunteers helping animals and is eco-friendly. She feels all animals, people, and environment should be treated kindly.



Connect with Stacey


Author Page
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon Page


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