All posts by tricia kristufek

Review: Anew

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Anew
Anew by Chelsea Fine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Life isn’t about the past and the future. It’s about today.”

Two years ago, Scarlet woke up in the forest alone, with no memories of her past. Now, she’s almost given up on remembering until a familiar voice pulls at her heart. Her determination to remember renewed, she revels in Gabriel’s familiarity, but there’s a secret he’s hiding that confuses Scarlet even more – one of the biggest being Tristan, his twin brother.

Throughout the book, Scarlet tries to regain her memories while also leading a “normal” teenage life. The reader is taken along for the ride as Scarlet gradually has memories return to her after meeting the Archer boys, but there is still a lot left unknown and in question. Secrets abound as the boys try to protect Scarlet from her inevitable fate while they all look for a cure.

A different take on paranormal, Anew sets sets the series up with intriguing characters and a very real life-or-death situation for Scarlet. Can the brothers find a way to save her, or are they doomed to relive her life and death over and over again? Anew’s ending leaves the reader crying for more.

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New Release: Forgotten

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EASTER SUNDAY EGGSTRAVAGANZA!

Great Minds Think Aloud Independent Publishing is celebrating their newest release, “Forgotten” by Doug Lucas with an Amazon Free Day! All of Great
Minds current releases will be free for one day only, Easter Sunday, April 8th, on Amazon.com. Go and grab these amazing titles listed below:

“Conversations With a Dead Man” by Doug Lucas

“The Man in the Mountain” by Doug Lucas

“The Spirit Archer” by Mike Evers

“Queen Emily’s Enchanted Kingdom (Sugarland)” by Lee-Ann Graff-Vinson & Emily Ann Vinson

ALL ABOVE TITLES FREE! FOR ONE DAY ONLY! ALL IN HONOR OF GMTA’S NEWEST RELEASE “FORGOTTEN” BY DOUG LUCAS! OUT APRIL 8TH, EASTER SUNDAY!

“FORGOTTEN” By Doug Lucas

Great Minds Think Aloud Literary Community will be publishing “Forgotten” by Doug Lucas, the release date is 4/8/2012. This novel will be available in all e-book formats on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Continue reading New Release: Forgotten →

Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1) Read-Along Week 1

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Welcome to my read-along answers for Masquerade by Cambria Hebert! This week’s questions were provided by Five Alarm Book Review and next week’s questions will be at Candace at Candace’s Book Blog.

Hope you enjoy! And if you haven’t read this book yet, what are you waiting for!?

Week 1/ Chapters 1-8 Discussion Questions

1. If you were disfigured like Heven (by some sort of accident) do you think you would have reacted the same way as her? (loss of self-confidence, hiding yourself, etc) Continue reading Masquerade (Heven and Hell #1) Read-Along Week 1 →

Guest Post: Nicola Black

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Today I bring to you a book of poetry by Nicola Black as part of the Making Connections book tour. First, a little Q&A with Nicola!

TK: Since this is a book of poems, do you have a favorite? One that speaks to you above the others?

NB: I think it would be a toss up between Tell Me and He Was There.  They both started as songs for me, and I catch myself singing them sometimes. They represent two prominent  areas of my life.  Tell Me questions existent and wonders if there’s a purpose for an individual, and He Was There, though written before I started dating my boyfriend, really describes our relationship and how I feel about him.  *blushes*
TK: Where do you get your inspiration from?
NB: My inspiration was from life really.  Observing it and experiencing it.  Going through the usual teen angst and coming out the other side more mature and secure.  And of course I am influenced by different mediums.  I see something on TV or read something, and it just clicks for me.  I have to write something down then.
TK: Who’s your favorite author? Genre?
NB: My favorite author is Charles Dickens actually.  But my favorite genre is fantasy.  Kind of a contradiction I think. 🙂
TK: What are you working on now? Can you give us an idea of what you’re novels will be about?
NB: I’m working on three novels and a collection of short stories.  The first novel I started was A Spy of Kings.  It’s about a young spy in another world who is sent on a dangerous mission with her dragon.  Along the way, she meets sarcastic Arnold the warlock, and charming Jaquoven Wolf, the crime lord. The second book I’m working on is Telepathetic. Kiera thinks she’s going insane because she hears a voice in her head. But the voice insists that he’s real. The newest novel is an experiment for me.  It’s called Numb Killings and is about a woman telling of her murders from person. It’s not too gory though. My collection of short stories is entitled Nightmares and Dreams.  I have a friend who describes them as psychological thrillers.
TK: Great! Thanks for stopping by, Nicola. Now, here’s more about her book: Continue reading Guest Post: Nicola Black →

Review: Midnight Magic: Be Careful What You Wish For!

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Midnight Magic: Be Careful What You Wish For!
Midnight Magic: Be Careful What You Wish For! by Nancy Di Fabbio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wish, I wish, I wish you were real and belonged to me. Please, please make my wish come true…

Mattie is horse crazy. Living in the small town of Gull’s Nest, she passes her summer days dreaming of owning her own horse and envying the rich girls that flocked to the town with their own horses to spend their summers riding and relaxing. But when Mattie takes a trip to see her Granny T and discovers a painting of Figure, a black horse with intense eyes, things start to change. She learns several lessons, including ‘Be careful what you wish for.’

Mattie’s changes through the book are fairly typical of the fourteen-year-old girl that she is. Materialistic and judgmental, Mattie learns to work for what she wants and to not judge a book, or horse, by its cover. Even while she pines for Figure to leap off the canvas and be hers, she ignores that Posey is a wonderful, show-experienced horse that she has right in front of her.

The book itself was sectioned off into chapters, sometimes very short, that would be good for a younger reader but somewhat disjointing for an older reader. The chapters are also titled, though in a font that is hard to read, which gives a glimpse of what’s to come.

Slightly reminiscent of “The Saddle Club,” Midnight Magic is a tale of growing up, learning to appreciate what you have in front of you and working for what you want. Full of spooky moments and mystery, Midnight Magic sure to capture a young horse lover’s attention and gallop away with it.

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Guest Post: Lizzy Ford

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Today I have the pleasure of having the FABULOUS Lizzy Ford stopping by for a guest post! In case you missed my reviews, Lizzy is the author of the Rhyn Trilogy – I highly suggest you get these books. They are quick reads and full of plot twists and loveable/hateable characters. In addition to all this writing, Lizzy maintains her blog, husband, dogs and cat. She’s like a writing superhero!

Make sure you read this one the entire way through – especially aspiring/new authors – as Lizzy gives some GREAT advice for how to present your manuscript (as well as yourself, online).

Continue reading Guest Post: Lizzy Ford →

Review: Rhyn’s Redemption

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Rhyn's Redemption
Rhyn’s Redemption by Lizzy Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“I mean, you look beautiful for a dead woman.”

Trapped in the underworld, Katie is racing against time to get back to Rhyn before Death claims her and her daughter’s life. Meanwhile, Rhyn is breaking down the barrier that keeps Death safe from the Dark One, willing to do anything to get Katie back before it’s too late.

When the time comes to choose between Katie’s fate and the fate of the entire world, will Rhyn make the right choice?

Once again, this fast-paced novella drags the reader in, taking them through the roller coster of emotions both Katie and Rhyn have been fighting the entire series. Rhyn maintains his noble character despite all his brothers and others throw at him, finally accepting what Katie has been saying all along – there is something good in him.

Rhyn’s Redemption grips you from the beginning and doesn’t let up, leaving you hungry for more.

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Review: The Endless Waltz

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The Endless Waltz
The Endless Waltz by Jacob Marc Schafer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

He watched as she danced the endless waltz he had pictured in his head so many times before. He watched and was happy.

Brett de la Cosa is on his return home to his fiancee when it happens: Davy Jones sets his Eye on him, intent to ruin the happiness Brett has. Brett is the sole survivor of the storm that sinks his ship and finds himself in Davy’s Locker. With the help of some undead friends, Brett defies Davy and returns to the world of the living, never again to set foot at sea.

While the story was quite interesting, there were parts that were just so unbelievable – even within the story’s own logic – that force the reader out of the story to shake their head. From having to check undead for signs of life to a leviathan that fits on a ship deck, it’s the small details that detract from the incredible things Brett does to overcome Davy’s obsession with keeping him from happiness.

A tale of overcoming odds and staying strong to who you are, The Endless Waltz dances its way away from Davy and back to happily ever after.

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