Blood Flats by Edward Trimnell

Release Date: November 18, 2011
Publisher: Beechmont Crest Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
All he wanted to do was to come home and make a peaceful life for himself in his hometown in Kentucky. Unfortunately for Lee McCabe, fate has other plans for him. After becoming a Marine and serving his country, Lee returned to the place he had always known. Shortly after he settled in, a brutal crime is committed next door to his trailer prompting him to go into defensive mode and check things out. Things go from bad to worse as other residents see him leaving the scene of the crime, falsely believing him to be responsible.

Instead of staying to answer any questions, Lee goes on the run. His history with the local law enforcement isn't one of the best, especially since his parents slighted the sheriff, Steven Phelps, by falling in love. Not only does Lee have the law on his tail but the men behind the initial crime are also after him to clean up their mess. All this weaves in and out of the many layers hidden within small town Kentucky and the underlying crime and meth problems found therein. Will he make it out alive? Who can he trust?

Review:
This book took me a while to get through due to the large ground that the book covers and personal obligations on my end. However, the story is definitely one that a person can get lost in. Right away the reader is shown the main character's life and then the action begins. With barely time to breathe, we're on the run and introduced to many unsavory characters lurking in the dark shadows of Hawkins County, Kentucky. I was almost afraid that the book would only have bad guy after bad guy popping up. Thankfully there are many shining lights scattered throughout the book that reflect the goodness in people as well.

With a large cast of characters, it's sometimes difficult to make sure that each of the important ones gets enough screen time. I think the author did a great job and achieved a good balance of keeping the reader informed on the lead character while giving a glimpse of what was going on behind the scenes, so to speak. Each of the characters did have their own flaws, distinct personalities. While a lot of the unsavory ones were showing off their bad sides, at times they did have their softer moments as well. I thought that was a great contrast and gave them dimension.

As I mentioned, there is a lot of ground that is covered within the books 300+ pages. There were a few times when my interest waned a bit only to find myself glued to the book the next minute. This is one of those stories that really rewards the reader for making it to the very end. Overall, it's an action packed, thrill ride that takes you from the hills and hollers of the backwoods into the sprawling cities and back.

Blood Flats by Edward Trimnell is currently available in both paperback and Kindle forms. Each can be purchased at Amazon.com by clicking the following link.
Blood Flats by Edward Trimnell

Currently Reading

Summer has decided it wanted to go out with a bang and has been heating up our area the past few days. I was really enjoying the unseasonably cool days during July but had a sneaky suspicion that the heat wasn't done with us. Weather is definitely being tricksy with us. What a perfect reason to scoop up a book or two and enjoy an air-conditioned room.

I wish I could say that I've been more productive in the reading department over the past week. These hats and scarves are beginning to overrun my workspace. I don't mind - too much. It's for a great cause so I'm working around them. Writing's been steady but not at a good quality everyday. There's been a lot of off days to be sure. The only thing that works for me is back away and come back a little later.

I'm reading through these this week;
The Kill List by Frederick Forsyth
Where We Belong by Catherine Ryan Hyde
My Dead Friend Sarah: A Novel by Peter Rosch
DiSemblance by Shanae Branham


So far, I've finished the following;
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Shadow of the Piper by L.P. Hoffman


Pretty soon, Autumn will be upon us. Are there any special events that you're looking forward to this season? I know it won't be too much longer and we'll have NaNoWriMo on our hands.

Until next time,
Kay

A Familiar Fate by Hope McLaren

Release Date:  June 19, 2013
Publisher:  Hope McLaren (Kindle), CreateSpace Independent Publishing (Paperback)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Violet Evans is not the typical sixteen year-old girl. She's an orphan who lives with a foster mom who rarely gives the poor girl a second thought. As questions about her past begin to swirl within her own mind, Violet also experiences strange, lifelike dreams that often leave her with questionable tastes in her mouth and many more questions about herself than before.

A series of events leads Violet to discover that the past she had been told by her foster mom was all a lie. One by one, she finds out the truths of who she is, where she belongs and what is expected of her. Will she buckle under the pressure? Will she be able to free herself from the ties of her past?

Review:
Although I'm still new to the realm of Paranormal YA books, I found myself enjoying this one from the start. Immediately I was drawn into Violet's world and experiencing her emotions. All the confusion and anger at the foster mom for the treatment and then betrayal when secrets were discovered. There were a few times that I forgot Violet was only a teenager because she acted more like an adult than some of the adults in the story. However, I feel that the way in which she grew up made her more adult-like than a regular teen should be.

The story moved in a very comfortable pace. It wasn't so slow that my interest was lost nor was it too fast that I had to backtrack to figure out what was happening. I again felt what the character was feeling when things did get overwhelming for her in a short span of time. With the way the story moved, it seemed as a natural progression of events. I could honestly believe that those things took place as they did.

This book is the author's debut novel, setting things up for an eventual series of books involving the characters and world created. I am looking forward to the next book as I want to see how a few of the characters have dealt with the way things unfolded within the present book. Overall, I truly liked this story and would very much love to give it 4.5 stars.

A Familiar Fate by Hope McLaren is currently available in both paperback and Kindle forms. They can be purchased at Amazon.com at the link below.
A Familiar Fate by Hope McLaren

The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic

Release Date:  May 28, 2013
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

Rating: 3 out 5 stars.

Synopsis:
For some, the island of Rosmarina is a heaven and forever calling to their spirits. For others, the island is a prison, unable or unwilling to change or adapt. Two sisters were born on the island and called it home for many years through political upheaval, wars and a dangerous time to believe anything other than what was feed to them.

Stories about a traumatic event in their family history propel the younger of the sisters to leave Rosmarina for the United States. The closeness of the sisters' bond is tested when the younger sister goes missing. Hellbent on finding her, the oldest follows the path to the United States where dark truths are unearthed and mysteries unraveled. Will either of them survive the unmasking? Or are they lost to the island forever?

Review:
This book was another that I was fortunate to win from a free giveaway at Goodreads.com. The blurb on the book's page intrigued me and I couldn't wait to dive into the world of Rosmarina. The cover is brilliantly beautiful. As I delved deeper into the book, I understood why the author chose the title.

It is a multi-generational story that takes the reader back and forth in time as the story progress. We're made privy to the war that destroyed so many Croatian family as well as the aftermath of being labeled an informer. The first part of the book was a little difficult for me to follow bits of the timeline. At times little warning was given before leaving a present day scene and entering something from the past. It was easy for me to become a little lost, go back and read the previous paragraphs to regain my footing.

Further parts of the story were arranged differently and flowed really well. I didn't have any trouble with these sections of the book. In fact, I thought these were the most intriguing parts of the book. Of course, they laid bare all of the secrets and what-ifs that had been following both of the sisters for the entire lives. I truly didn't expect some of the twists that the author threw into the story.

All in all, the story of the two Croatian sisters was captivating. I really felt for them as the world they knew tilted and they had to find themselves once again. This is a book that you will have to pay attention to what you read. Otherwise, you will get lost and have to backtrack. Maybe that's another moral taught by the book.

The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic is now available in hardback or Kindle versions at Amazon.com and other retailers. It can be purchased by clicking the link below.
The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic

Currently Reading

I know that I said it before, but I really can't believe that September's here already. It doesn't seem possible that the year is nearly over to me. There are so many things that I both need and want to have accomplished before the start of another year. I guess it would be wise to kick things into high gear to get them all done.

This past week I found myself still contending with a sprained wrist. Absolute no clue how it happened. All I do know is that it's annoying the crap out of me because I'm not able to work on the remaining pieces for the community project I have to finish in October. Yes, I've been able to zoom through quite a few books but I don't want to fail the kids. Not to mention the fact that I need to finish my submission piece for consideration into an anthology.

On the docket this week are:
The Kill List by Frederick Forsyth
Shadow of the Piper by L.P. Hoffman
Where We Belong by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
My Dead Friend Sarah: A Novel by Peter Rosch


Finished reading these so far:
Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown by Ryan Beull, Stefan Petrucha
Beautiful Whispers by Alice Ayden
Plastic Tulips in the Winter by Denice Vickers

What's been checked off your TBR list? Let me know in the comments. I'm always looking for recommendations.

Until next time,
Kay

Cemetery Lake: A Thriller by Paul Cleave

Release Date: June 2013 (first published in 2008)
Publisher: Atria Books

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
Theodore Tate's world turned upside two years earlier, sending him into a downward spiral that hadn't stopped. No longer a cop in Christchurch, he's become a private investigator to capitalize on his skills to maintain his facade of being a reputable citizen. On the day he's set to witness a routine exhumation of his client's father, the gates of hell appear to open and unleash the secrets within the cemetery lake's serene surface.

Unable to leave things alone, Tate pursues the series of odd events until the path brings him full circle to face the demons he's been running from the entire time. Tate and the few friends that he has left on the force must hurry to catch those responsible for the evil being done in Christchurch. But will they be too late to save more innocent women? Will Tate be able to save himself?

Review:
One of the things I love about winning books through the giveaways at Goodreads.com is the ability to find authors that I may never have known about otherwise. I'll be honest. I wasn't familiar with any of Paul Cleave's work but that will definitely change. Cemetery Lake is one of those books that pulls the rug out from under you time and time again. As you read and feel you have things figured out, there goes the rug and everything you thought you knew with it.

The main goal of any author is to suck you into a book so deeply that you find it hard to leave. I'd have to say that Cemetery Lake is very effective in this department. The descriptions, the actions and the characters all provide the reader with plenty of reasons to become lost within the covers. Being set in Christchurch also allows the reader to experience an unknown, yet familiar land and brings its own flavor to the story. Also, I liked how the weather played a key role in the story as well. It was as if the weather was a main character alongside Tate.

I think Theodore Tate has to be one of the most messed up characters that I have read in a long time. The fact that he has any luck at all despite the number of times he screwed up makes him all the more believable to me. I can't believe some of the things he gets himself into all because he's too stubborn to let things alone. The other characters' interactions with Tate are pretty realistic and the number of those believing in him dwindles as the novel progresses akin to how life works in reality.

The pacing of the story is constant from the first chapter. Though there are a few time jumps to move the story along, the action taking places does a great job of keeping the reader invested. At different times, I thought the action had peaked, only to see it climbing once again as another series of events leads to another bombshell. One thing after another happens until you think that there couldn't possibly be anything else. Then the twist gets you.

Overall, I really liked this book. My emotions were all over the place as I read it. From being disgusted to sympathizing to wanting to give the guy a Gibbs smack, I was strapped in and willing to go along for the ride. I look forward to picking up some of Paul Cleave's other books as soon as I can. If you're looking for a suspenseful, crime-filled book that will keep you guessing until that last chapter, you need to take a chance on this book.

Cemetery Lake: A Thriller by Paul Cleave is currently available for purchase in both paperback and Kindle forms. You can pick up a copy at Amazon.com by clicking the link below.
Cemetery Lake: A Thriller by Paul Cleave

September's Hopes and Dreams

Whoa. This year is flying by so fast! There's hardly been enough time to really step back and enjoy everything that's happened. I wouldn't trade it for anything though. Let's just say, I'm really happy that I'm finally doing something with the things that I love most - reading and writing.

I have always been a reader but never really set goals for myself. I figured that the days would come when things would just fall into place. Now, I realize that I have to put some effort into achieving anything and have been doing exactly that. Still very much a newbie in a lot of areas, but I love the fact that I'm learning new things as I take these baby steps to reaching my dream. So far, my goal for the year is to have read 100 books. That's the most I've ever read in a year that I can remember keeping track of and it's been a long time since I've done it. If everything stays on target, I'll reach that goal before the end of the year with extra to spare. But we all know how life works. I'll have to have a cushion, just in case.

As for the second item on my list, I have been pushing myself to write something every day that I'm able. Last week I sprained my wrist so I wasn't able to do much more than sitting and pouting for a few days. With the repeated practice, I feel that I've become more comfortable with the process of getting my ideas or stories on the page. A local literary magazine may publish an article that I wrote. I'm nervous because I wasn't sure it was exactly what they were looking for but it's an attempt that I wouldn't have taken a year ago. The next item on my agenda is finishing a submission piece for consideration into an anthology of work by the people of the Kindle users' forums. It's an open submission so I'm going to go for it.

The only other project on the list is the charity project for our local behavioral center. We've nearly finished the minimum amount needed of hats and scarves. I'm confident that we'll reach the goal and then some. No matter how much time it takes, the items will be finished for those children. Work's already started in the planning phase of the next project so I'll be doing more crocheting next year as well.

I hope this month is a great one for all of you. Lots of pages read and things accomplished in all your futures. Do you have anything specific that you're wanting to cross off your list this month? If so, feel free to discuss it in the comments. Lots of luck - no matter what you're doing!

Until next time,
Kay