25 May, 2018

Sleep State Interrupt by T C Weber - Book Spot Light




Science Fiction (Cyberpunk) / Thriller
Date Published: September 1, 2016
Publisher: See Sharp Press





Awards: 2017 Compton Crook Finalist for best first science fiction novel!





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In Sleep State Interrupt, a giant media corporation has taken over the Internet, created an addictive virtual reality called BetterWorld, and controls nearly all information. Politicians do their bidding and a brainwashed humanity serves a privileged few.

Waylee Freid, an unemployed Baltimore journalist with ever-worsening bipolar disorder, is the only hope for a brighter future. She and her countercultural friends bust a notorious teenage hacker out of jail and sneak into a closed presidential fundraiser at the Smithsonian castle, where they hope to record incriminating admissions that will wake up the world. Hunted by Homeland Security, Waylee and her friends must reach a sufficient audience by broadcasting their video during the Super Bowl. But to do so, they'll have to break into one of the most secure facilities ever built.



Read the First Four chapters of Sleep State Interrupt, plus a lot more extras, free at http://savethereefs.wixsite.com/sleepstateinterrupt


About the Author




Ted Weber has pursued writing and music since childhood, and learned filmmaking and screenwriting in college, along with a little bit of physics. Trapped at home during the "Snowmageddon" of 2010, he transformed those interests into novel writing, and has completed four novels and a number of short stories since then. By day, Mr. Weber works as an ecologist for a non-profit organization and has had over twenty scientific papers and book chapters published. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Karen. He enjoys traveling and has visited all seven continents.



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Until next time,

The Unity Game by Leonora Meriel - Book Spot Light

About the Book:

WHAT IF THE EARTH YOU KNEW WAS JUST THE BEGINNING?

A New York banker is descending into madness. 


A being from an advanced civilization is racing to stay alive. 


A dead man must unlock the secrets of an unknown dimension to save his loved ones. 


From the visions of Socrates in ancient Athens, to the birth of free will aboard a spaceship headed to Earth, The Unity Game tells a story of hope and redemption in a universe more ingenious and surprising than you ever thought possible. 


Metaphysical thriller and interstellar mystery, this is a 'complex, ambitious and thought-provoking novel' from an exciting and original new voice in fiction.


Book Links:


Meet the Characters:

The Setting: Earth



New York City. The 1990s. One of the world’s leading investment banks.


The Setting: Space


A distant planet. A dry surface orbited by three red moons and circling a distant sun. An advanced civilization living in underground chambers.


The Setting: Death


An open door. A library. A room of knowledge. A garden of dazzling color. The answers to every question that has ever been asked on Earth.



Meet David


A brilliant scientist and wildly ambitious, David abandoned an academic path to follow the glow of Wall Street money. From a small town in Canada, he is now determined to make the riches he has given up his scientific talents for. He is always on edge, he must prove he is better than the other bankers, he has to win the best deals. However, he is easy pickings for the multi-million dollar bosses who see how they can use a greedy, naïve young man for their own purposes. David falls further into risk, mistakes and desperation, clutching at anything around him as his dreams and world falls apart.



Meet Noe-bouk


Dry dust. Three red moons. A member of one of the most advanced civilizations in the universe, taught to believe that all the answers come naturally from the incontrovertible logic of the greatest good. Now, facing death, Noe-bouk decides to find out if there is something more than what he has been taught. Accepting a place on a space ship, the further he gets from the moons of Home Planet the more he understands that he knows nothing at all…



Meet Alisdair


A respected lawyer. An adoring grandfather. Alisdair collapses outside his law offices in London and finds himself standing beside his unmoving corpse. He feels wonderful! He spots some wide open doors and bounds through them to discover a library, a garden, and his dead wife. All his life he has burned with the questions of the universe: what is the purpose of existence? What is good and evil? How far does the infinite stretch? With an afterworld guide and his wife at his side, his only limits now are to come up with new questions as all of his horizons expand beyond imagination…


Meet Elspeth


Beautiful, young, angry. Apart from her beloved grandfather Alisdair, Elspeth has been let down by everyone in her life. She’s rejected her parents and their easy choices, she sees no meaning in the structures of society. She has always felt lost, and now the death of her grandfather is forcing her to make choices. With some money he has left her, she decides to follow a feeling and go on an adventure.


Meet Socrates


Legendary philosopher, pion of bravery and morality, a figure so strong his ideas and presence pervade the centuries and the dimensions of time and space. Who else would Alisdair call upon in the afterworld to help his granddaughter Elspeth, than the man he has revered his entire life, and whose teachings guided him? Yes, Elspeth can be helped, but she must be brought together with another soul – one who has truly lost their path.




Reviews for The Unity Game

 “A complex, ambitious and thought-provoking novel.” ~ Kirkus Reviews


“Elegantly written, expertly crafted and a moving message. I found this book very hard to put down. Moving and poignant.” ~ Lilly, Amazon US reviewer



“An engrossing, unique, and totally bizarre tale! I could not stop reading it once I started. Such a beautiful take on the afterlife, and its connection to those still living. A unity game, indeed!”~ Brenna, Goodreads reviewer



About the Author:
Leonora Meriel grew up in London and studied literature at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and Queen’s University in Canada. She worked at the United Nations in New York, and then for a multinational law firm.
In 2003 she moved from New York to Kyiv, where she founded and managed Ukraine’s largest Internet company. She studied at Kyiv Mohyla Business School and earned an MBA, which included a study trip around China and Taiwan, and climbing to the top of Hoverla, Ukraine’s highest peak and part of the Carpathian Mountains. She also served as President of the International Women’s Club of Kyiv, a major local charity.
During her years in Ukraine, she learned to speak Ukrainian and Russian, witnessed two revolutions and got to know an extraordinary country at a key period of its development.
In 2008, she decided to return to her dream of being a writer, and to dedicate her career to literature. In 2011, she completed The Woman Behind the Waterfall, set in a village in western Ukraine. While her first novel was with a London agent, Leonora completed her second novel The Unity Game, set in New York City and on a distant planet.
Leonora currently lives in Barcelona and London and has two children. She is working on her third novel.

Contact the Author:
Until next time,






21 May, 2018

Daughter of the Sun by Zoe Kalo - A free copy available - Book Spot Light

Daughter of the Sun
~ Cult of the Cat Series Book 1 ~


About the Book:



Title: Daughter of the Sun

Series: Cult of the Cat Series, Book 1

Author: Zoe Kalo

Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy / Paranormal

Word Count: 93,000 words

No. of Pages: 330






Mystery, adventure, a hint of romance, and the delicious sweep of magic...

Sixteen-year-old Trinity was born during a solar eclipse and left at the doorsteps of a convent along with a torn piece of papyrus covered with ancient symbols. Raised by nuns in the English countryside, she leads a quiet life until she’s whisked away to the Island of Cats and a grandmother she never knew. 

But before they can get to know each other, her grandmother dies. All that Trinity has left is a mysterious eye-shaped ring. And a thousand grieving cats. As Trinity tries to solve the enigma of the torn papyrus, she discovers a world of bloody sacrifices and evil curses, and a prophecy that points to her and her new feline abilities. 

Unwilling to believe that any of the Egyptian gods could still be alive, Trinity turns to eighteen-year-old Seth and is instantly pulled into a vortex of sensations that forces her to confront her true self—and a horrifying destiny.


Get Your Copy of this Book. Available for FREE for a LIMITED TIME ONLY! 


About the Author:
Storyteller at heart...


A certified bookworm and ailurophile, Zoe Kalo has always been obsessed with books and reading. The pleasure of writing and sharing her fantasy worlds has remained. Today, Zoe passes her stories to you with lots of mystery, adventure, a hint of romance, and the delicious sweep of magic.



Currently, she balances writing with spending time with her family, taking care of her clowder of cats, and searching for the perfect bottle of pinot noir.



Contact the Author:

Website * Facebook * Twitter










Until next time,



18 May, 2018

My association with books #FridayReflections

My association with books started around the age when I was studying 7th grade. Books have been my best friends of life from that time. 


My Association with Books


The foundation of my interest in reading is given by my Father. He used to maintain a small library at our home in our childhood. He does now too. I remember visiting book fairs and multiple bookstores exploring different books and trying hard to choose the best book to buy. My Father taught me the English grammar, Telugu grammar, introduced me to good literary works in Telugu, crosswords in English etc., in my childhood.  Even now, I love reading magazines, stories, articles about various cultures, traditions etc., But, I never got time to read good books during school days. I was busy with studies and dance classes even during summer holidays. Other than reading children stories in weekly magazines and newspapers, I never had time to read and finish a book at that time. 


Good books

That was until my close friend introduced me to Sherlock Holmes series. I borrowed a novel by Arthur Conan Doyle from her and it was so good that I finished it in a few days and my interest in reading just grew exponentially. Even though I was busy with studies and dance till my engineering, I always tried to attend Book fairs with my father and explore old bookstores in Hyderabad whenever possible, buy books and read sometimes. 

When I started working, I got more free time. When I found a local library near our hostel, my joy knew no bounds. I explored a lot of good books, read numerous novels and thus started my blog to share my reviews. So, in one way, my blog is created specifically for book reviews and because of my interest in reading. 


“I have always imagined that Paradise will be some kind of library.” — Jorge Luis Borges

Now, I am very happy to receive review copies from great authors and get a chance to read and review them on my blog. This has been a wonderful journey so far in my reading world and I hope to read many more good books in future and promote them on my blog.

What is your association with books? How did your interest in reading books grow? Do let me know in comments. 

Until next time,







Linking this to #FridayReflections hosted by Corinne and Shalini.
Everyday Gyaan

Also, linking this to #ChattyBlogs hosted by Shanaya.

16 May, 2018

3 Peaks of Happiness by AiR - Book Spot Light





Book Info:

Publisher: AiR
Foundation
ISBN:
9789352814466
Genre:
Non-Fiction / Self Help
Format: Paperback
Pages: 167
Price:
200/-











Book Blurb:

The whole world is seeking happiness. Who doesn't want to be happy? But is everyone happy? Discover the most fulfilling journey to bliss and ultimate everlasting happiness.

There are three peaks of happiness. Most of humanity lives and dies on the first peak, being glad and being sad, experiencing joy and sorrow like a yo-yo.


Twenty percent of humanity is fortunate to live a life of contentment on the Second Peak of Happiness that offers tremendous joy and peace.


A small fraction of humanity goes on a quest for the third peak. The Third Peak not only gives one eternal bliss, everlasting joy, and peace, but also gives one freedom from problems, worries, and pain!


This book is a personal experience of such a traveler who climbed all the three peaks. He shares his journey and shows you the way to the Third and Ultimate Peak of Happiness.

“You can be as happy as you want to be. True Happiness, Ultimate Bliss lies beyond a pursuit of Pleasure and Peace. It is experienced by those who Discover the Purpose of Life!”



Read an Excerpt:




Chapter 1



Happiness is a Journey
The whole world is seeking happiness. In fact, it seems like
we are all on an eternal journey to destination happiness. Yes, happiness is a
journey, but not many people know that it is the path itself. You cannot get
happiness, but you can be happy. While there is no one on earth who doesn’t
seek this treasure, there are only a few who truly understand what happiness
is.

Do you know that you
can choose to be happy or unhappy? Happiness doesn’t just happen; it is a
choice you make
”  -RVM

What is Happiness?
  Happiness is a state of mind. It’s a state of
joy, bliss and cheer. It is an emotion- energy in motion- that makes one glad,
just as unhappiness is an emotion, that makes one sad. A happy person is joyous
and he smiles and laughs just as unhappy person frowns and cries. We feel happy
and it shows. Happiness radiates through cheerfulness and enthusiasm. Although
happiness may be a common word, it is often quite tricky to define or explain
“Happiness”.

Everyone wants to be happy
Who
doesn’t want to be happy? Everybody on earth wants happiness, whether one is a
baby or an adult, be it man or a woman, Indian or American, black or white, or
rich or poor, who doesn’t want to be happy? Everybody alive on this planet
seeks happiness. Not just human being, it seems even animals wants to be happy.
We see that dogs wag its tail in joy, birds fly in the sky, fish swirl in the
water, and the peacock open their wings to dance in bliss. Don’t you think they
all seek happiness too? Everybody wants to be happy.

If
you were to ask different people around the globe, what they are seeking, you
would get different answers from each one. But if you further ask them, why
they are seeking it, you would get a common answer from all- “Happiness”. The
goal of life is happiness. Everyone wants to be happy, and people do different
things to achieve this one objective. To a businessman, a successful business
brings happiness. To artists, it may be a creative product that is born out of
their imagination. A student may be happy with excellence in exams, just as a
politicians is blissful on winning an election. We all do different things, but
whatever we do, the goal is one: We all want to be happy!

If you have not learnt anything, but have
learnt one thing that the goal of life is to be happy, you have learnt
everything!
” - RVM
 



About the Author:

AiR – Atman in Ravi, or the Soul in Ravi, is an embodied soul whose only mission in life is to realize the Truth and help people realize the Truth. 

He was born on October 15, 1966 in Bangalore, as Ravi V. Melwani. At a very young age, he mastered the craft of business and became a very successful businessman who revolutionized retailing in India with the stores Kids Kemp, Big Kids Kemp, and Kemp Fort. After making millions, he realized that life is not just about making money. He shut down his business at the age of 40, transformed his life to RVM living by the RVM philosophy – Rejoice, Value Life, and Make a Difference. He started doing H.I.S. work – Humanitarian, Inspirational and Spiritual work. His mission was to “Make a Difference” in this world before his journey was over.









Until next time,


13 May, 2018

Where I'll Find You by J A Owenby - Book Spot Light






New Adult Romance
Release Date: May 14, 2018

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We’re all a little broken sometimes.

Nobody knows this better than the beautiful and intelligent Hadlee Jameson. She had the love and support of her family until death claimed her father causing her mother to withdraw and become a heartless ice queen.

Burying her past to the point of denial and struggling to live in the present, Hadlee chooses to focus on college, work, and her close friends. That is, until she meets the charming and mysterious Kaisen Sinclair. After their initial meeting, Kaisen begins to show up everywhere, and Hadlee questions his motives. But as Kaisen gains her trust, she ignores her intuition and feels more alive than ever before as she falls in love.

Until…a dark history begins to surface. A history her mother hid from her, all of Hadlee’s life. To make matters worse, it’s tied to the guy of her dreams. As the truth unfolds, Hadlee realizes life is about choices. What decisions will she make? Does she allow the patterns of her past to resurface or does she find a way to forgive and love?

Where I’ll Find You is a haunting story of disturbing secrets and harrowing betrayal. Come along with Hadlee on her journey as she begins to put the pieces back together again. J.A. Owenby will once again delight her readers with this rollercoaster tale of emotional twists and turns.



Excerpt



I looked away from him, embarrassed I’d shared that detail on our first date.

“Hadlee, look at me.”

I slowly turned to face him again.

“The hardest thing I’ve had to do was take the memories that hurt so damn bad and create new ones after my mom died. Everything reminded me of her. Her laugh, the way she frowned when I’d gotten into trouble, her voice as she read to me at night. My heart ached nonstop, and I couldn’t seem to put the pieces back together. I was broken.”

He paused, brushing my cheek with his fingertips.

“Please, let me be a part of the new memories you create—the new ones that make you happy,” he whispered.

His gaze rested on my lips, and I nodded. I wanted that so much. New memories.

“Okay. I can do that.”

He kissed the top of my head as his fingers threaded gently through my hair and massaged my neck. I sighed softly, and then he pulled me tight underneath the blanket. Maybe I really could look at life differently with him next to me.



About the Author




J.A. Owenby lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and cat. She's a published author of six short stories, and she is currently working on her third full-length novel. She also runs her own business as a professional resume writer and interview coach—she helps people find jobs they love.

J.A. is an avid reader of thrillers, romance, new adult, and young adult novels. She loves music, movies, and good wine. And call her crazy, but she loves the rainy Pacific Northwest; she gets her best story ideas while listening to the rain pattering against the windows in front of the fireplace.

You can follow the progress of her upcoming novel on Facebook at Author J.A. Owenby and on Twitter @jaowenby. Don’t miss out on updates and giveaways at www.jaowenby.com.



Contact Links






Purchase Link

RABT Book Tours & PR

Until next time,

10 May, 2018

A cloudy evening #ThursdayTreeLove

Thursday tree love


Until next time,



Linking this to #ThursdayTreeLove hosted by Parul

The Woman behind the waterfall by Leonora Meriel - Book Spot Light

About the Book:
Heartbreak and
transformation in the beauty of a Ukrainian village.

For
seven-year old Angela, happiness is exploring the lush countryside around her
home in western Ukraine. Her wild imagination takes her into birds and flowers,
and into the waters of the river.
All that
changes when, one morning, she sees her mother crying. As she tries to find out
why, she is drawn on an extraordinary journey into the secrets of her family,
and her mother's fateful choices.
Can Angela
lead her mother back to happiness before her innocence is destroyed by the
shadows of a dark past?
Beautiful,
poetic and richly sensory, this is a tale that will haunt and lift its readers.


Book Links:


Meet the Characters:

The Setting

Ukraine, a village deep in the countryside. A picturesque, verdant landscape. The houses are beautiful but have few amenities: water is gathered from the well, clothes are washed by hand, and the “outhouse” toilet is in the garden. Life is hard work here, and close to nature.

The Language

There are many Ukrainian words in the novel, especially emphasizing the names of endearment Ukrainian people give to each other. Lastivka is “little swallow”; zaika is ‘little rabbit”; harnenka is “my beautiful one.”

Meet Lyudmilla

Lyuda is a beautiful woman in her early twenties who has suffered some hard knocks early on. Pregnant at just sixteen, she left school and the child’s father moved into their house in the village. Her father died, and her mother soon after, and Lyuda found herself a teenager loaded down with the pressures of a baby, looking after a house, and a man who expected her to cook for him and be the light-hearted girl he fell in love with. Eventually, the situation grows intolerable for him and he abandons her. At seventeen, she is entirely alone with a small baby. She falls into a deep cycle of depression and self-blame, feeling that her life is over and that she is at fault. She doesn’t let anyone close to her.
It is only when her daughter Angela is a little older – aged seven – that she starts to notice how sad her mother is.  She decides to do something about it.

Meet Angela

Seven-year-old girl Angela has been left alone to do as she likes for most of her life. Her mother makes sure her dresses are clean and her hair is untangled, but she is free to play as she wishes. She has a wild imagination and she sees no boundaries between her thoughts and the world around her: she flies in the body of a bird, she becomes the wind, she enters a storm – she is pure spirit and possibility.
When she starts to notice her mother crying every time she is alone, Angela is determined to find out why, and to help her mother regain the happiness she herself feels. At the heart of her investigation are questions that now begin to haunt her: Where is her father? Why does no one come to the house? Why does her mother cry when she thinks no one can see her?
When Angela meets the spirit of her grandmother, they come up with a plan to help Lyuda.

Meet Zoryana

The name Zoryana, which comes from the Ukrainian root zorya, means star, dawn, youth, day or spring. Zoryana has returned to the Earth in spirit form after seeing the unhappiness of her daughter and her failure to move past her teenage mistakes.
Zoryana feels that she did not prepare her daughter enough for the real world before she died, and she sees her struggling and unhappy. She wants to show her that life has highs and lows and that she must choose a new path for herself. She connects with her granddaughter Angela, who is not daunted by meeting the spirit of a relative, and together they help Lyuda to understand and see the joy in her life.

Meet Kolya

Nicolai, or Kolya, lives next door to Lyuda and brews home-made vodka in his shed. He sells it to her and catches rabbits for her to eat. He was a childhood friend of her mother, Zoryana, and he hates to see her so unhappy. He’d love to help her, but she pushes him away. When he finally makes a terrible mistake, there is a high price to pay.

Reviews for The Woman Behind the
Waterfall

“Readers looking for a
classic tale of love and loss will be rewarded with an intoxicating world” ~~ Kirkus Reviews
“The language is lyrical and
poetic and, in places, begs to be read repeatedly for the sheer joy of it… A
literary work of art.” ~~ Fiona Adams,
The Richmond Magazine
“Rich and poetic in detail,
it is an often dreamy, oneiric narrative rooted in an exaltation of nature… A
lovely novel.” ~~ IndieReader

About the Author:
Leonora Meriel grew
up in London and studied literature at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland
and Queen’s University in Canada. She worked at the United Nations in New York,
and then for a multinational law firm.
In 2003 she moved
from New York to Kyiv, where she founded and managed Ukraine’s largest Internet
company. She studied at Kyiv Mohyla Business School and earned an MBA, which
included a study trip around China and Taiwan, and climbing to the top of
Hoverla, Ukraine’s highest peak and part of the Carpathian Mountains. She also
served as President of the International Women’s Club of Kyiv, a major local
charity.
During her years in
Ukraine, she learned to speak Ukrainian and Russian, witnessed two revolutions
and got to know an extraordinary country at a key period of its development.
In 2008, she decided
to return to her dream of being a writer, and to dedicate her career to
literature. In 2011, she completed The Woman Behind the Waterfall, set in a
village in western Ukraine. While her first novel was with a London agent,
Leonora completed her second novel The Unity Game, set in New York City and on
a distant planet.
Leonora currently
lives in Barcelona and London and has two children. She is working on her third
novel.

Contact the Author:




Until next time,







4 steps for a perfect Dum biryani #FlavoursomeTuesday

Dum Biryani is a specialty of Hyderabad where the spicy rice is flavored with mutton/ chicken/ vegetables. This item is basically from Mughalai cuisine. Biryani is one of the top 5 things to try in Hyderabad.

Me, being an immature cook was afraid to try this for a long time. The rice needs to be half boiled and cooked with spices and vegetables/ chicken/ mutton. We should know exactly how much time we should cook the rice before starting the dum process. But, recently I watched a video from Vah chef on Vegetable Dum biryani and tried it. It came out perfect. I used the same process to prepare Chicken Biryani and was successful too.

Dum Biryani, Hyderabadi Biryani, Chicken Biryani

Here are a few important steps to get that awesome Hyderabadi Flavour:

1. Marination

Whether you are attempting a vegetable Dum biryani/ Chicken/ Mutton dum biryani, just use the following ingredients to marinate. Marination for 2 hrs is enough but overnight is perfect.

Vegetables/ Chicken/ Mutton pieces (1/2 kg)
Salt - As per taste
Chilli powder - 2 spoons
Cut green chilies -  3 to 4
Ginger garlic paste - 2 spoons
Cumin powder - 1 spoon
Corriander powder - 1 spoon
Curd - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - A few
Corriander leaves - A few
Lime juice - 2 spoons

2. Boiling of Rice

This is very crucial. I was afraid to attempt the dum biryani only because I didn't know what it means to boil rice by 70%. Fortunately, I found an easy way for it.

First, soak the basmati rice for 30 mins (usually, 4 to 5 cups is good for 1 kg chicken/ vegetables/ mutton). Boil water in a big saucepan by adding a few oil drops, salt, spices like cinnamon, biryani leaf, cardamom, cloves etc., When water bubbles, add the soaked rice. Wait until the water starts to bubble with rice. When it does, just put a timer for 5 mins and switch off the stove after 5 mins. Rice will be 70% cooked.

3. Starting process

In a big handi, add the required oil and spices like cinnamon, biryani leaf, cardamom, and cloves. Add onion cut into long slices and 6 green chilies slit in the middle. Stir continuously that the spices and onions are not burnt but turn to golden brown. Add 2 spoons of ginger garlic paste and fry in low flame until the masala smell comes out. Add a few mint leaves, cashew and 1 spoon of ghee. Then, add the marinated vegetables/ chicken/ mutton. Let it cook for 5 to 10 mins with lid covered.

Before we start the dum process, the vegetables/ chicken/ mutton should cook 70% so that they are soft and tender mixed with spices.

4. Dum process

Now in a different handi, add layers of cooked rice from step 2 and gravy from step 3 with fried onions, ghee, and a few drops of saffron milk(saffron soaked in milk) sprinkled over each layer. Cover the handi by sealing it tightly with aluminum foil and placing the lid on it. We should set stove in low to medium and cook the biryani rice for 15 to 20 mins.

Now, the perfect biryani will be ready to serve. It is usually served with Mirchi ka salan and Yogurt mint chutney.

Dum Biryani

I know, I am not very good at writing recipes, so please follow this video when in doubt. My version might be customized from this video.



I hope you will be able to do a perfect Hyderabadi Dum biryani. Enjoy :-)

Until next time,








Linking this post to #FlavoursomeTuesday by Sunita Rajwade of MumbaiOnAHigh and Shilpa Gupte of Metanoia



Also, linking this to #WritingWednesdays hosted by Corinne.


09 May, 2018

The Face on the Other Side by John Carenen - [Book Review]


The Face on the Other Side (Thomas O'Shea Mysteries)
by John Carenen


About the Book


The Face on the Other Side (Thomas O'Shea Mysteries)
Mystery
3rd in Series
FPS (February 10, 2018)
Paperback: 340 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1945338946

He’d promised Sheriff Payne that he wouldn’t take any more matters into his own hands. So, when on a leisurely morning drive, SEAL-trained Thomas O’Shea sees two girls attacking a boy on a sidewalk, he opts not to intervene. When the boy is later murdered in the local hospital, though, all promises are off. What seems at the start to be a simple case of gang activity turns out to be far more. Even O’Shea, who has seen more than his share of evil, could not have guessed what is about to transpire…

Purchase Link: Amazon India

My Review

Thomas O'shea , the main character is a good human being. When something bad happens before his eyes, he cannot stop himself from interfering. Even though he promises his friend and sheriff Payne that he won't get involved in unnecessary matters, he accidentally watches 2 girls beating a guy called Pete on the sidewalk. He follows up through the case with Police and finds that there is more to the beating and then murder. A simple case which looked like bullying turns out to be a gang's plan. On the sidelines, the author also touches upon the personal life of Thomas about his ex-wife Karen and his relationship with his girlfriend Olivia who is a school teacher.

What I liked about this story are characterization and the narration.  There are not many twists and this is not an on the edge thriller but is a riveting tale with good characterization and a little mystery. Olivia is a practical person, whereas Thomas is smart and sensitive. The ending, of course, is unexpected and nice. I loved the suspense and guessing on the culprit till the end.

My Rating: 4/5

PS: I have received this book from the author through Great Escape tours for review and this is my honest opinion on the book.

About the Author


John Carenen, a native of Clinton, Iowa, graduated with an M.F.A. in Fiction Writing from the prestigious University of Iowa Writers Workshop and has been writing ever since. His work has appeared numerous times in Reader’s Digest (including a First Person Award), McCall’s, Dynamic Years, and other periodicals. He has been a featured columnist in newspapers in Morganton, North Carolina and Clinton, South Carolina. His fiction has appeared in regional literary magazines. A novel, Son-up, Son-down, was published by the National Institute of Mental Health. He is happily married to (long-suffering) Elisabeth, and they have two grown daughters, Caitlin and Rowe. When he isn’t writing, he thinks about getting in shape, cheers for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Boston Red Sox, and takes frequent naps. He has traveled extensively, having visited 43 states and 23 countries. He is a USAF veteran, having served in the Philippines and Massachusetts. A retired an English professor at Newberry College in Newberry, South Carolina, he is hard at work on another novel.
Author Links
Purchase Links

Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway







Until next time,




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