December 2015 edition by The Book Breeze

Reviews, Interviews, New Releases

Vol 5 Issue 12

December 2015

Jackie Marilla

turn the page c

in this issue Editor’s Greeting

Ready or not 2015 is about to become history. So, were you naughty or nice and how much of it showed up on Facebook?

Barefoot Writing Academy chats about setting goals. Last year my only resolution was to properly label the subject line in every email. It might seem a little thing but it with the amount of email I get on a daily basis it sure helped me organize. I think this year I will work on my lists. I’ve always been a list maker but I’m also a worldrenowned list loser. It’s time to put my lists in one location so I can enjoy crossing off each goal accomplished.

The Book Breeze got a dramatic new look in 2015 along with improved distribution and next year will see more changes, more opportunities for readers and writers to meet. Check it out on page 24. In this edition Shannon and I looked back at our favorite reads from 2015. Did any of ours make your list? Contact us and let us know.

Mahala Church reviewed DARK PLACES and RETURN TO DUST. Roberta’s Ramblings took a look at SNOW WAY OUT, BITE THE BISCUIT, CATNAPPED, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS, and A KILLER RETREAT by Tracy Weber. We will interviewer her next month.

We also interviewed romance author Jackie Marilla. She talked about Hawaii being her favorite setting. She also included a short excerpt from her new book ONE ORDER OF LOVE. Happy reading!

a Donn

December 2015

On The Cover ...

Jackie Marilla author of ONE ORDER OF LOVE Interview on Page 3

Articles Setting Goals by Barefoot Writing Academy ... Page 10 Review Columns

Favorite Books of 2015 Shannon’s Space . . . Page 13 The Eclectic Express . . . page 22 Mystery Barefoot Reviews . . . Page 9 Roberta’s Ramblings . . . Page 20

New Releases Everywhere

Jackie Marilla

Jackie Marilla writes contemporary romance from the Hawaiian Islands and beyond. She and her husband live on a macadamia nut farm on the island of Hawaii where they feed a clowder of cats and a flock of hodgepodge chickens. In a past life, she was an elementary school teacher.

Tell us about your new release. My latest release is a novelette length Christmas story called One Order of Love, Book One-Pancake Club Christmas Collection. This is a humorous second chance love story set in the fictional town of Mercy Ridge, Washington. Sami Burke, owner of the Memories Diner, loves all things Christmas—the music, the children’s gift drive, the parade, and the decorations. She especially loves the thought of winning the Christmas trophy for the Best Home Christmas Display in Mercy Ridge. This could be her year to win, if only she can come up with an idea better than Caroline Sauer, the reigning queen of yard decorations for three years running.

Wayne, Caroline’s husband, isn’t sure how to handle himself when Caroline decides to go to Spokane for several days to shop for her display materials. He can’t cook and ends up eating all his meals at Sami’s diner. When he realizes he doesn’t miss his wife as much as he probably should, he starts a journey of self-discovery and a second chance at love.

How important is setting to your story? Setting is very important. My favorite setting is small towns, especially those in Hawai’i, because that is a setting that I understand. I think it’s important to set stories in places that are believable so the reader isn’t questioning the authenticity of place. Since I live in Hawai’i, I like to set stories on my island because it gives me the opportunity to share some of the culture with my readers without writing a travelogue.

What do you hope readers take away from your work? I hope my readers feel some emotion while reading my stories. If I can evoke an emotional response, I think I’ve been successful. I always ask my beta readers to note on the manuscript if a scene made them tear up, laugh, or feel anger. Sometimes I go back and rewrite a scene if my beta readers didn’t have the emotional response I sought. I know I’m in trouble if their responses are the opposite reaction of what I hoped for!

Do you have a favorite writing place or writing rituals? My favorite writing place is my home office because that’s where I’m most productive. I do my best writing first thing in the morning while I sip—okay, sometimes I gulp—my coffee. My ultimate favorite time to write is during my once a year writers’ retreat. My writing partner and I book a week every summer in a location void of family. The place we rent must have a large dining room table, access to the

and a kitchen. We plan our menu before we leave home and shop once for groceries. We set goals for the week and post them. We start each day with a commitment to a daily goal and we celebrate our successes daily. At least once a day we take an exercise break. We eat, sleep, and drink writing for a week with no distractions. It is fabulous!

Do you have a reoccurring theme to your books? One recurring theme I use is secrets. In One Order of Love, the hero’s wife keeps a secret from him. I like to write about the outcome of keeping secrets from a loved one and how easy it can be to withhold information from one another. I have an ongoing debate in my head that questions whether keeping secrets is the same as lying.

What are you reading now? The Hawaiian Journal of History, Volume 47, compiled by the Hawaiian Historical Society. My next project is a full length historical romance set in my home state of Hawai’i. I’m fascinated with the history of cattle ranching and the changes that took place in the Hawaiian Kingdom in the 1800s. Excerpt from One Order of Love, Book One-Pancake Club Christmas Collection

They finished hanging the multi-colored lights around the crown molding and set clear glass vases filled with red and green glass balls on each table. Wayne stood back and looked at her. “Anything else?” “We’re down to the back room, but it’s late.” “If you want it done, let’s get it done. We’re not so old we can’t handle a short night once in a blue moon.” Sami directed the placement of the seven pencil trees in the meeting room. They covered the banquet table with a long red tablecloth. Sami pulled a ceramic tea set painted with holly from one of the tubs and set it in the middle of the table. A Country Christmas played in the background. Sami hummed along with Trisha Yearwood to “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and Wayne joined in. Before long, they were harmonizing, and stopped their tasks just long enough to look at one another before their eyes darted to safer things.

ÂŠ 2015 The Book Breeze Page 4

IA B.O.S.S.

by John Darryl Winston YA Dystopian

Released Nov 27, 2015

The most important thing in the world to thirteen-year-old orphan "Naz" Andersen is keeping his little sister safe from the mean streets of the Exclave. But after losing his best friend to gang violence, he begins to discover that the voices in his head, his nightmares, and sleepwalking are actually telekinesis and telepathy: a gift from his father of whom he has no memory. But when tragedy strikes again, Naz uses his newfound abilities to bring his friends' murderers to justice TELL THE STORY TO ITS END by Simon P. Clark

YA Fantasy Released October 2015 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Eren lives off stories and wants Oli to tell him every last one he knows. With Eren to listen, Oli starts to make sense of what’s happening to him and his family. But Eren is powerful and though he’s willing to help Oli, he’s not willing to do it for free; he wants something in return. Oli must make a choice: he can learn the truth-but he must abandon himself to Eren’s world, forever.

Written Word

works with an international group of clients, providing writing and editing services. Specialties: • Editing manuscripts (line, copy, substantive) • Ghostwriting • Developmental coaching for fiction and non-fiction • Business writing and editing, blogging, and web articles • Press releases and marketing tools For more information on specific services, see Written Word pages at www.lyricalpens.com. www.lyricalpens.com www.twitter.com/mahalachurch www.facebook.com/mahalachurch

BEARING IT ALL By Vonnie Davis

Paranormal Romance Released Oct 27 by Loveswept

A Scottish hunter and a French secret agent find themselves on a collision course with danger —and irresistible desire — in Vonnie Davis’s new bear-shifting Highlander novel, perfect for fans of Jennifer Ashley and Shelly Laurenston.

Marianne Evans Faith-Affirming Fiction (TM)

Sometimes the heart finds home in a most unexpected place.

All she wants for Christmas is her Master's Degree. All he wants for Christmas is a oneway ticket back to Los Angeles.

As a Christmas snow falls, as hope and joy move through the streets of New York City, Tiffany Zelling and Mitch Alexander must make critical choices about what’s to come in their lives. Can their futures meld?

Can Christmas at Tiffany's be God's answer…for them both?

Jackie Marilla’s One Order of Love

Sami Burke loves all things Christmas—the music, the children’s gift-drive, the parade, the program at her church, and the decorations. She especially loves the thought of winning the Christmas trophy for the Best Home Christmas Display in Mercy Ridge. This could be her year to win, if only she can come up with an idea better than Caroline Sauer, the reigning queen of yard decorations for three years running.

THE SALT BOX Eleanor Stem

Young Adult SF/Fantasy

A pristine planet is about to undergo a terrible change. Hepitia, the Star Goddess, watches a spaceship careen out of control through her galaxy. Embroiled in an old quarrel with her goddess sisters, Hepitia allows the ship to crash land on a green and silver planet, knowing it will unleash chaos where Arianhod and Ulyia rule. Augustus carries the last of his species in the spacecraft. They crash on a forested hill the natives consider a godplace. Before long Augustus finds the planet is unlike anything he’s ever experienced. Megaliths stand silent in the forest. Strange beings flit in and out of their vision. There are strange water-filled portals to the goddesses’ Otherworld. When a young man of the planet and a daughter of Augustus’ people disappear, the two species come together to search for their lost ones. When they locate Ruulf and Isabeaux, what will they find? Who will live and who will die? NATASHA’S DREAM The Natasha Saga – Book 1 by Heather Greenis Historical Fantasy

Walking the ocean front near their property, Keeghan and Will find a bottle containing a portrait of a royal family dated in the 19th century. This inspires an ongoing dream. P   rincess Natasha grew up knowing her parents wanted another boy, not a daughter. Raised in a sheltered environment, her only friends were her brothers and Nanny. An innocent swim brings a chance encounter, where she discovers a different life exists beyond the walls of the castle. Underprivileged children become her salvation and she dreams of a better life, a normal life.  Conflicted, Natasha must risking hurting her family to help them. Told the story is important to her, Keeghan is determined to learn why it dominates her subconscious.  "Certainly a book worth a read for lovers of romance wanting to get lost in the pages of a story. Natasha experiences a wide range of emotions in the twists and turns the author has created. The novel has an enticing plot of deep forbidden love and well-crafted characters. It is nicely written and will encapsulate the reader throughout as they journey with the young princess. Greenis has pulled you into her world and leaves you wanting so much more. Your heart will melt with this wonderful tale.

THE RETURN OF TACHLANAD by Kathy Fischer-Brown Young Adult Fantasy

Once upon a time in the beleaguered land of Lothria… A princess under a magical aura, her absent-minded sorcerer grandfather; a conflicted warrior prince; a young ne’er-do-well who finds an unlikely friend while on an impossible quest; an imprisoned queen, her betrayed king, their enchanted son and his beautiful enchantress; half-human man-eating rebel slaves; a band of blood-thirsty assassins…and Tachlanad, the legendary Sword of Names, missing for generations…  When the queen receives an omen, it can mean only one thing: the fate of all she loves hangs in the balance. The land and its people will topple into chaos if a tenuous alliance cannot be preserved. Her husband misled by sinister forces, her son gone missing, she sends her daughter and father on a journey far to the west to reach the impregnable stronghold of “the True King in Hiding.” There they will seal the truce with her marriage to the old king’s unwilling son and unite against the evil power that seeks to subjugate them. Unless the Imperon has his way.  An epic fantasy adventure for young adult and adult readers, The Return of Tachlanad is the first book in the “Sword of Names” series.

A HEART ENSLAVED by A.M. Westerling Historical Romance

Banished from his homeland for a crime he didn’t commit, Thorvald Stronghawk knows selling the Frisian beauty he’s captured will bring him the blood money needed to regain his good name. When the man who accused Thorvald of the crime is the one buying Gisela, Thorvald must decide what he wants more: To recover his reputation among his fellow countrymen, or tame the woman who has vowed to hate him forever for destroying her home and family.

Gisela of Falkenstead realizes the handsome, self assured Viking views her as nothing more than chattel to be bought and sold rather than a woman with a life and mind of her own. Although her head tells her to escape the man she thinks is nothing more than a savage murderer, her heart has other ideas. Will Gisela find a way to flee? Or will she find love and happiness in Thorvald’s arms?

A Scottish hunter and a French secret agent find themselves on a collision course with danger—and irresistible desire—in Vonnie Davis’s new bear-shifting Highlander novel.

Romance Intrigue Danger

In the pine-dense mountains of the Scottish Highlands, shape-shifter Ronan Matheson is running free when a desperate woman parachutes out of the sky, directly onto his furry, powerful chest. Instead of clawing her to death, Ronan’s inner bear longs to keep her safe. Once he’s back in human form, Ronan is amused by the mysterious beauty’s fearless attitude—and tempted by her expertly toned physique. But what could she possibly be doing in this isolated stretch of the Highlands?

French intelligence agent Anisa Brosseau never imagined she’d be on the CIA’s bad side— until she’s framed for treason and forced to flee in a stolen drone. Hiding out in a remote cabin, Anisa just needs some time to clear her name. What she doesn’t need is a brooding, muscle-bound Scot in a kilt to drive her crazy with lust. But when Anisa’s enemies come for her, Ronan calls on a secret weapon to protect his turf and the bonny lass he’s come to love.

Barefoot Book Reviews Return to Dust Andrew Lanh Poisoned Pen Press Mystery

In this crisp, well-written book, Lanh once again takes readers into the closely connected community of the Vietnamese, as he did in his first Rick Van Lam book, Caught Dead. When the intrepid private investigator sends flowers to the funeral of his infrequent housekeeper, he becomes mired in the complicated labyrinth of her life.

An unassuming, somewhat nosy woman, Marta Kowalski’s death reopens her Pandora’s Box of evil: writhing jealousies, vicious rivalries, and venomous cruelty. Lanh takes readers into the difficulties and prejudices Rick faces as an Amerasian, not welcomed by the full-blooded Vietnamese. But his sidekick, Hank Nguyen and Hank’s wise Buddhist grandmother receive him in friendship and provide valuable information to unravel the death of Marta. Was it really suicide or something far more sinister.

Mahala Church is a freelance editor and writer and teaches creative writing for teens and adults through her Barefoot Writing Academy. An accomplished workshop leader and award winning author, Pushcart Prize nominee, and published editor, she enjoys all aspects of writing. An avid reader of both literary and commercial fiction as well as biographies and memoirs, she particularly likes books set in Britain, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Deep South of the United States. You can follow her at www.lyricalpens.com.

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by Mahala Church

Dark Places (Red River Mystery) Reavis Z. Wortham Poisoned Pen Press Mystery/Thriller

A first-rate period piece with rare moments to catch your breath, Dark Places delivers one powerpacked scene after another. Balancing the multiple story lines effortlessly, Wortham skillfully keeps the reader on course, as Ned tracks his runaway granddaughter, Pepper, who is determined to get to San Francisco and join the Flower Children. He picks up a traveler, the enigmatic Crow, as he traverses the famous Route 66, leaving unsolved deaths and murders in the capable hands of Sheriff Cody Parker and Deputy Anna Sloan back home in the little town of Center Springs, Texas. Ned’s grandson, Top, does his best to “man” the house while Ned is on the road and take care of Aunt Becky, but he is struggling to fit into the town, faced with local bullies and the going is rough.

Infused with blasts from the past—drive-in movies with speakers hanging on car windows and trips to the little snack shop in the middle of the cars; hippies and their crazy vans, drugs, and runaway kids; outlaw motorcyclists; Route 66’s tangy little towns, bus stations, and diners; and charming ten cent RC colas, Dark Places vibrates with robust drama, violence, tension, and familial relationships. Complex plotting, believable characters, extraordinary dialogue that is true to the characters, and remarkable settings bring each scene to life.

HIS SOUL TO KEEP (Book 1 of the Dark Knights of Heaven) by TW Knight

Where fallen angels battle Hell’s demons, find their lost souls, and discover love while hunting for a prophecy that holds the key to either their redemption or their destruction. Saved from certain death, Cassidy finds herself bound to an angel cast out of Heaven. Rail has vowed to never fall in love, but fate has different plans. Heaven abandoned them, but they did not abandon their calling. Now soulless and exiled from Heaven, forced into an endless war, some will fall while others rise to find their destinies. They are the Dark Knights of Heaven

Barefoot Writing Academy Presents: SETTING GOALS I hope this column has been helpful to both readers and writers. This year we have discussed words, characters, horror, fantasy, and basics of creative writing. What about 2016?

While ignoring New Year resolutions has become a growing trend, I still set goals, resolutions, whatever you prefer to call them. On one of my blogs, Lyrical Pens, I wrote this year that ignoring resolutions might be a sign that we are losing good old American drive. A sign that texting is in; challenging is out. After all, if we are going to break the resolutions anyway, why make them? I may break them, but it will not be intentional. If we don’t strive to create new habits—healthy habits, goals for our writing, mountains to climb—how will we achieve anything? We are creatures of habit, enamored with the idea that if we wish for it hard enough, it will come true. Too many television shows, movies, and books endorse that concept loudly and clearly. Of course, now we know about photo polishing to make things quite different from what they are.

We all learned the concept of Delayed Gratification in Psych 101. It’s the ability to put off something mildly fun or pleasurable while anticipating something that is greatly fun or pleasurable. Wouldn’t you like to outrun your kids or grandkids at the mall, shock your doctor with healthy cholesterol levels, or see your work-in-progress published and selling like crazy? So, we can watch “Scorpion” (a new show I LOVE by the way) or we can put in one hour writing. Guess what 1 x 365 equals? A lot of words on the page, a lot of editing time, a lot of

plotting time, a lot of character development, a lot of words for your critique group to read. A whole lot of feeling good. Are you up to the challenge? May you have a very Merry Christmas and a successful New Year! Mahala

My popular class on Character Profiling is scheduled to begin again online in January 2016.

A new class on The Magic of Words will be taught online in February 2016.

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Love, Hawaiian Style by

Jackie Marilla

The Saga of Halvar the Hireling, set in an Alternate Universe on what is almost, but not quite, Manhattan Island by Roberta Rogow

THE RED STORM By Grant Bywaters Mystery Released Dec 1 by Minotaur Books

GALLERY PIECES By Larry Witham Crime thriller Released Jan 1, 2015 by Archway Publishing/Simon & Schuster

THE GIRL CALLED PRINCESS CHARLOTTE By Gerard Shirar Historical Mystery Released Oct 30,15 by Outskirts Press

PROJECT NEMESIS By Jeremy Robinson Kaiju thriller Released Nov 21 by Breakneck Media in print, ebook and audio THE BLOW-UP MAN

By Nina Blakeman Romantic Thriller Released November 2015 by Outskirts Press

STARE DOWN

By Ellen Parker Mild Romantic Suspense Released Oct 23 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

a e l e

HERCULEAN (Cerberus Group Book 1) by Jeremy Robinson, Sean Ellis Adventure/Action Released Aug 2015 by Brerakneck Media in print and ebook, audio coming soon

se s

JEWEL OF SOLANA (Royals of Solana #2) by Susan Sheehey Romantic Suspense Released Jan 22, 2016 by The Wild Rose Press

PATRIOT (A Jack Sigler Continuum Novella) by Jeremy Robinson and J. Kent Holloway Supernatural historical thriller Released October 2015 by Breakneck Media in print and ebook. ZERO HOUR, SHIFTING POWER By David Berko Sci-Fi Political Thriller Released Aug 2015 by author

RETURN OF THE FATHERS By Trevor Watson Sci-Fi Thriller Released Oct 2015 by Janus Publishing Co, Ltd

ÂŠ 2015 The Book Breeze Page 11

CHRISTMAS AT TIFFANY'S By Marianne Evans

REINDEER WARS By Liese SherwoodFabre Contemporary Romance

Sweet Contemporary Inspirational Romance Released Dec 1, 2015 by Pelican Book Group/White Rose Publishing in ebook

When an office romance gets ugly, it's Reindeer Wars!

A 5-star review holiday novella, and "A perfect start for the season!" Tina has a tendency to go a little overboard when decorating for the holidays, but Brian decides her skills are just what he needs to get into the Christmas spirit. Can this budding relationship survive when they find themselves in a knock-down-drag-out competition to win the office’s “most outrageous holiday sweater?” AWAY IN A MANGER A Molly Murphy Christmas Mystery by Rhys Bowen

Released Nov 17, 2015 by Minotaur Books

It’s Christmastime in 1905 New York City, and for once, Molly Murphy Sullivan is looking forward to the approaching holidays. She has a family of her own now: she and Daniel have a baby son and twelve-year-old Bridie is living with them as their ward. As Molly and the children listen to carolers in the street, they hear a lovely voice, the voice of an angel, and see a beggar girl huddled in a doorway, singing. Bridie is touched by the girls’ ragged clothes and wants to help. They give her a quearter only to watch a bigger boy take it from her. Molly quickly realizes that these children are not the usual city waits. As Molly looks for a way to help the children she gets drawn into an investigation that will take her up to the highest levels of New York society.

Sometimes the heart finds home in a most unexpected place.

All she wants for Christmas is her Master's Degree. All he wants for Christmas is a one-way ticket back to Los Angeles. As a Christmas snow, as hope and joy move through the streets of New York City, Tiffany Zelling and Mitch Alexander must make critical choices about what’s to come in their lives. Can their futures meld? Can Christmas at Tiffany's be God's answer…for them both?

ORNAMENTS OF DEATH A Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery by Jane K. Cleland Released Dec 1, 2015 by Minotaur Books

Christmas lights twinkle throughout the cozy coastal town of Rocky Point, New Hampshire and Prescott’s Antiques auction venue has been transformed into a winter wonderland for Josie Prescott’s annual holiday party. Josie is especially excited this year - Ian Bennington, a recently discovered distant relative, will be joining the fun.

the party is a success and Ian is a hit. It gives Josie an unexpected thrill to have family - and unexpected dread when he vanishes along with two 17th century miniature portraits..Determined to find Ian, Josie uses her knowledge of antiques to track the miniatures. In doing so she learns the true meaning of Christmas - and the true meaning of family.

Shannon’s Space

YA Reviews by Shannon Kennedy I’ve enjoyed a lot of really good Young Adult, New Adult and Middle Grade fiction this year. I can’t wait to see what 2016 brings. For now here’s a 5-Star round-up to kick-start your holiday shopping for that favorite reader.

DREAMER’S DAUGHTER Book 9 of the Nine Kingdoms by Lynn Kurland Berkley Trade ~ January 2015 ~ 5 Stars

Aisling of Bruadair’s quest to restore her country’s rightful rulers to their throne has been long and difficult. Now, after a lifetime of lies, she’s confronted with an unexpected truth: Bruadair’s salvation may lie within her. But the path to harnessing her newly discovered magical gifts threatens to lead her back through a past that may well spell her death. With his own magic restored, Rùnach of Ceangail has come to terms with the fact that the simple life he once coveted is no longer an option. Instead, he is determined to help Aisling fulfill her quest, even if his part of the bargain includes facing evil mages with power far greater than his own. But once they reach Bruadair, Rùnach and Aisling discover that nothing is as it seems, and not only must they accept their past, they must also embrace their destiny—before the enemies drawing near succeed in extinguishing all the light in the world…

THE MARKED SON Keepers of Life by Shea Berkley Entangled Publishing ~ August 2012 ~ 5 Stars

Seventeen-year-old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he's never met, he had no idea what. When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents' farm, he knows he's seen her before...in his dreams. He's felt her fear. Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power. Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he's completely insane or he's about to have the adventure of his life, because where they're going is full of creatures he's only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death...

THE TRAGIC AGE by Stephen Metcalf St. Martin’s Press ~ March 2015 ~ 5 Stars

This is the story of Billy Kinsey, heir to a lottery fortune, part genius, part philosopher and social critic, full time insomniac and closeted rock drummer. Billy has decided that the best way to deal with an absurd world is to stay away from it. Do not volunteer. Do not join in. Billy will be the first to tell you it doesn’t always work— not when your twin sister, Dorie, has died, not when your unhappy parents are at war with one another, not when frazzled soccer moms in two ton SUVs are more dangerous than atom bombs, and not when your guidance counselor keeps asking why you haven’t applied to college.

Billy’s life changes when two people enter his life. Twom Twomey is a charismatic renegade who believes that truly living means going a little outlaw. Twom and Billy become one another’s mutual benefactor and friend. At the same time, Billy is reintroduced to Gretchen Quinn, an old and adored friend of Dorie’s. It is Gretchen who suggests to Billy that the world can be transformed by creative acts of the soul. With Twom, Billy visits the dark side. And with Gretchen, Billy experiences possibilities. Billy knows that one path is leading him toward disaster and the other toward happiness. The problem is—Billy doesn’t trust happiness. It's the age he's at. The tragic age.

TWIST by Karen Akins St. Martin’s Griffin ~ April 2015 ~ 5 Stars

Bree Bennis finally has it all—a noncomatose mother, an uber-hot (albeit anachronistic) boyfriend named Finn, and a new-found mission to protect the timeline from those who would skew it for their own gain. But when she leans over one day to smooch said boyfriend, her lips meet those of her arch-nemesis Wyck instead. The timeline has been altered, and Bree is caught in the crosshairs. But when she goes back to repair the damage, she is stopped by none other than her Future Self, who delivers an urgent message: Someone is kidnapping Shifters from the distant past. It’s up to Bree to stop them. But first, she has to figure out who... and why. Continued on next page

Shannon’s Space Continued

To follow the trail of chronocrumbs, Bree reluctantly accepts her new undercover gig as Wyck’s girlfriend. Everything goes spiffy until Finn shows up in the 23rd century on the eager arm of a gorgeous fellow Shifter, Jafney. Even as Bree struggles with jealousy, she battles the nagging dread that Finn might be better off with someone less chronologically complicated. Her worst fear is confirmed when Finn becomes the kidnapper’s next victim. As Bree zeroes in on the culprit, it unravels her life one timelinechange at a time. She realizes that she alone has the power to save herself and everyone she loves. But to do that, she may lose Finn forever. CAMP PAYBACK by J.K. Rock Spencer Hill Contemporary – April 2014 – 5 Stars

Alex has big plans for camp this year, starting with making it the best summer ever. Having fun and breaking some rules will get her the payback she wants against her parents and her ex-boyfriend. Because of his disgusting texts, she's headed to a super strict all-girls school in the fall. Then she meets Javier and revenge doesn't seem nearly as important as getting to know the troubled loner determined to keep a low profile at camp. But Alex's trouble-magnet personality and Javier's need to stay in the background don't mix nearly as well as their irresistible chemistry. With her home life eroding under her feet and her last year of summer camp speeding to a close, Alex wants to make her mark on the world and squeeze every bit of fun out of her time with Javier. Too bad her old plans for revenge turn back on her just in time to ruin everything. Will she lose Javier too? CAMP FORGET-ME-NOT by J.K. Rock Spencer Hill Contemporary – October 2014 – 5 Stars

Playing it safe and fitting in may have rocketed Kayla West into the “In” crowd at Camp Juniper Point, but it's left her lonely. The only person she's ever been herself with was her former best friend, Nick, an outsider that pushed her to join the most popular girls cabin two years ago. Too bad being a Diva meant pressure to break up with Nick. Of course, Kayla had her reasons, but Nick can never know the real one.

She always thought she'd forget him one day and move on. Until he returns to camp a super-hot Olympian snowboarder. Now, every girl wants him and Nick seems determined to show her what a mistake she made. Or at least, she thought that's what he wanted. But when Nick starts sending her private notes--just like he used to--she wonders what kind of game he's playing. Nick's attention is making it tougher to stay in the background and play it safe, forcing Kayla to make a decision--stay on the

sidelines and get overlooked? Or take a chance on trusting Nick and, maybe... herself. PRETENDING TO DANCE by Diane Chamberlain St. Martins’ Press - October 2015 ~ 5 Stars

Molly Arnette is very good at keeping secrets. She lives in San Diego with a husband she adores, and they are trying to adopt a baby because they can't have a child on their own. But the process of adoption brings to light many questions about Molly's past and her family--the family she left behind in North Carolina twenty years before. The mother she says is dead but who is very much alive. The father she adored and whose death sent her running from the small community of Morrison's Ridge. Her own birth mother whose mysterious presence in her family raised so many issues that came to a head. The summer of twenty years ago changed everything for Molly and as the past weaves together with the present story, Molly discovers that she learned to lie in the very family that taught her about pretending. If she learns the truth about her beloved father's death, can she find peace in the present to claim the life she really wants? CLOSER TO THE HEART Book 2 of the Herald Spy by Mercedes Lackey DAW, October 2015 ~ 5 Stars

Mags was a Herald of Valdemar. But he had once lived the brutal life of a child slave. When he was Chosen by his Companion Dallen, his young life was saved, and he slowly adjusted to being well fed, educated, and treasured as a trainee in the Herald's Collegium at Haven. Singled out by the King's Own Herald, Mags would thrive in his secret training as a spy. His unusually strong Gift—an ability to Mindspeak and Mindhear anyone, not just others who were Gifted—made him a perfect undercover agent for the king. Sequel to Mercedes Lackey's Closer to Home, this adventure continues Mags's journey as Valdemar's herald spy. THE GIRL IS TROUBLE by Katherine Miller Haines Roaring Brook Press, July 2012 – 5 Stars

Iris Anderson and her father have finally come to an understanding. Iris is allowed to help out at her Pop's detective agency as long as she follows his rules and learns from his technique. But when Iris uncovers details about her mother's supposed suicide, suddenly Iris is thrown headfirst into her most intense and personal case yet.

A m a z o n B e s t S e l l i n g Au t h o r

H eb b y Ro m an

"They say a woman never forgets her first love, and Maricel Cardona hasn't forgotten Ramón Morales. She remembers dancing all night in Ramón's arms to the sensual beat of their homeland, Puerto Rico. When her family forced her to move to the States, she didn't know she was carrying Ramón's child. A self-made multi-millionaire, Ramón hasn't forgotten Maricel and the passion he felt, dancing with her. Now, at the pinnacle of his success, he's withdrawn from the world to safeguard his own secret. A secret that, if revealed, would change his life forever.

Reunited after twenty-seven years, will the high school sweethearts get a second chance at love or will their secrets tear them apart?" WHAT YOU SEE by Hank Phillippi Ryan Mystery/thriller Released Oct 20 by Forge

Why would a father abduct his own child? A wedding is planned in Jane Ryland’s family, but there’s a disaster instead. Nine-year-old Gracie -who was supposed to be the flower girl-has been taken by her stepdad. Where are they? Is the girl in danger? Reporter Jane Ryland learns there’s a limit to the bond of family-and learns to her peril what happens when loved ones are pushed too far.

Meanwhile, Detective Jake Brogan’s got a doozy of a case. Solving the case should be easy, but the pictures and surveillance video lead him to a dark conspiracy of extortion and stolen lives. Jane and Jake must explore where their loyalties llie - to each other? To their families? To their careers?

THE CAPTAIN’S STORY By Marie Cheryl Eddings Erotic Romance Released Feb 2015 by Amazon Kindle Ebook

The Captain's Story is the first of 13 novels in the Diaries of a Trollop. The cycle combines adult erotic romance with historical and international spy fiction. Later entries in the cycle will incorporate a bit of the paranormal. The stories are written from the viewpoint of a bright and highly precocious 18-year old girl. Marie encounters unexpected worlds of love and growth in the arms of three very multifaceted older adults who've had a lot of life experience. And they will not be her only intimate friends on a winding life journey. She will find herself in two disparate careers as a covert international intelligence analyst, flying under the cover provided by television spots for a US insurance company and modeling in fashion. In their own way, the books are a venture in counter-culture as well as intended good fun. They portray characters who have chosen to live their lives on a larger and more joyous scale than quiet desperation. You may read the Amazon introduction, the first few chapters and initial reviews at http://www.amazon.com/Captains-Story-Diaries-TrollopBook-ebook/dp/B00U4IXWKS

teen

New Releases

YOUNG ADULT New Adult

CERTAINLY SENSIBLE By Pamela Woods-Jackson Mild New Adult Contemporary Romance Released Dec 2, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook

FICTION

ASK HIM WHY By Catherine Ryan Hyde Fiction Released Dec 8, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing

THE LAST DREAMER By Barbara Solomon Josselsohn Women’s Fiction Released Dec 15, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing RESILIENCE IN CURLS By Natalie Keshing Woman’s Memoir Released Nov 3

CATS TEACH COOKING WITH CHOCOLATE By Anne Ackley Cookbook Published 2014 by Cats Are Great Companions

DIVERGENT BLOODLINE By TJ Shaw Spicy Paranormal Romance Released Dec 9, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook CHARM ME By Tena Stetler Spicy Paranormal Romance Released Jan 6 by The Wild Rose Press in ebook LITTLE BITS OF KARMA By Laura Simmons Paranormal Romance Published by Outskirts Press

for laughs

ZANTA CLAUS By D.C. Little Humor Released Nov 25, 2015 by author

BRICKING IT By Nick Spalding Humor Released Dec 1, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing

THE BETTE DAVIS CLUB By Jane Lotter Humor/Adventure Released Dec 8, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

A Longview Romance, Book 2

by Nancy M. Bell Contemporary Romance

Michelle Wilson has the world by the tail. Cale loves her and she loves him. Storm is happy and healthy. To top it off, Michelle has qualified for the Calgary Stampede. She can’t wait to barrel race for a chance at $100,000 on Showdown Sunday. All her dreams are coming true; nothing could possibly spoil her happiness. Could it? Shelly, her brother’s new girlfriend seems a tad too interested in her old friend Cale Benjamin. And what’s with Michelle’s ex-fiancé Rob who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places. Why can’t his brand new wife Kayla keep a tighter rein on that cowboy?

LOVING THAT COWBOY Victoria Chatham

Contemporary Romance

Trisha Watts has a past she’d rather forget. She lost a career and nearly her life in an accident that sapped her confidence and haunts her dreams. The world famous Calgary Stampede presents a welcome diversion, but her past catches up with her in a way she could never have imagined.  One more big rodeo win will fulfill all champion steer wrestler Cameron Carter’s ambitions but when he meets green-eyed, long-legged Trisha his ambitions turn to wrestling of another kind. Is this cowboy too hot for her to handle?  From the pristine wilderness of the Rocky Mountains to the thundering applause of the Stampede Grounds, Trisha fights her growing attraction to Cameron – a man who sweeps her off her feet one minute then ignores her. Not trusting her heart, Trisha can barely wait for the Stampede to finish so she can go home, never expecting that Cameron will cross an ocean to track her down.  Will she believe this determined cowboy’s explanation? Or will she close the door on what could be the love of her life?

c j petterson

A woman’s idyllic rafting trip with the man she loves turns deadly when they encounter her terrorist brother, and she knows someone she loves could die. With saucy dialogue, a sassy heroine, a hunky hero, and terrorists stalking the Colorado mountains, Choosing Carter is perfect for readers who want a taste of adventure, justice, and a sweet ending in their romance novel.

Romantic Suspense

A small-town scientist’s world is turned upside down when she accidentally spots a top-secret satellite, and a psychopath sends an assassin to silence her. When her CIA ex-husband, whom she still loves, gets involved, things get even more complicated. Deadly Star is a contemporary suspense tale of international intrigue and danger with a touch of romantic spice.

c j petterson

SILICON BEACH

By Davis MacDonald Thriller Mystery Released Jan 12 by author in print and ebook

Attacked on Santa Monica Beach. The Judge has made more than his fair share of enemies over his ten years on the bench. But this came out of the blue…or did it? So starts the Judge’s desperate search along the boardwalks of Venice, through the swank bars and restaurants of Santa Monica, the yuppie ghetto of Playa Vista, and the sex clubs of West LA as he relentlessly pursues adversaries who threaten him -- and anyone who gets too close to the secrets buried in Silicon Beach.

All the while the Judge must try to negotiate the compromises required to maintain his new marriage to a woman 20 years his junior, and come to terms with the child she carries. As the Judge closes in on his adversaries and the body count continues to mount, he finds his new bride and the child may become collateral damage in this deadly contest with conspirators who risk all to win all on Silicon Beach.

Follow the Judge as he upends public reputations, turns out private obsessions, confronts the power brokers of Silicon Beach, and unearths a secret so vast it threatens to overturn an entire industry.

Matt Carson and Trina Lovett befriend each other during turbulent times at a young age. Over the years, their friendship strengthens building a strong, unbreakable bond. At least that is what they believe. Life choices put an ocean between them, and the depth of their bond is tested.

Under the stress of being apart, heart-wrenching events leave them plagued with doubt. Danger forces them to make irrefutable decisions about what they want from life.

DIVINE

Montana Dreams Book 1

By Cait Jarrod

Released Nov 23, 2015 by author in print and ebook

Roberta’s Ramblings by Roberta Rogow

Long winter nights are good for cozy mysteries... here are a few for a good night's read:

Christine Husom has a new series, centering on a curio shop specializing in snow globes. The first in the series, SNOW WAY OUT (Berkley, 2015, $7.99) Cami Brooks has returned to her old home town in upstate New York after being involved in a distressing scandal, to open a new store and a new life. She's making a good start, but life gets more complicated when she finds the body of the town troublemaker with a knife in his back, right after her first snow globe making class. Things get more confusing when snow globes appear and disappear from the shop. Is the addled Vietnam veteran responsible? Or is there something more sinister going on? Past sins come to light, long-lost brothers are united, and the guilty are punished, in this slice of smalltown life. Instructions for making a snow globe are included

BITE THE BISCUIT, by Linda O. Johnston (Midnight Ink,2015,$17.50) also features a new shop, this one featuring healthy treats for dog. Carrie Kennersly works as a veterinary technician at a local clinic, but she's always wanted to have her own business. Now she's opening The Barkery, as an annex to a local bakery, and it looks as if her dreams are coming true... that is, until a rival pet store owner arrives at the opening and makes it clear that there will be only one pet store in town! When the rival is found dead, with one of Carrie's trademark dog buscuits nearby, it looks as if the rivalry has taken a nasty turn. It's up to Carrie to find the killer, while keeping her own pets in line and providing treats for the canine population of Knobcone heights, CA. There are red herrings a-plenty, and Carrie goes on several wrong trails before confronting a most unlikely killer. Recipes for dogfriendly treats are included. Deirdre Verne's DRAWING CONCLUSIONS (Midnight Ink, 2015, $14.99) takes us to the darker side of the mystery world, as Constance “CeCe” Prentice searches for the truth about her brother Teddy's death. On the face of it, Dr. Theodore Prentice's death was an accidet, triggered by his eating a cookie containing an allergen, but the police decide that

it's murder, and for some reason, CeCe is next on the list. The answers lie in the research institute funded by a mysterious Balkan entrepreneur, headed by CeCe's father, where CeCe's brother discovered the terrible secret behind their experiments. CeCe's skteches are important clues in finding the killer, whose motives are as warped as his experiements. Not an easy read, but a compelling one.

In a lighter mood, CATNAPPED!, by Elaine Viets (Obsidian, 2015, $7.99) is another case for private eyes Helen Hawthorne and Phil Sagemont, now happily married and living together in Palm Beach, FL. A tearful socialite wants them to get her beloved cat out of the hands of her soon-to-be-exhusband. It looks like an easy job, but then the husband turns up dead, and the cat is missing. Helen takes on yet another “dead-end job” as a cat groomer, while Phil checks out the dead man's background. The sleazy side of cat shows gets exposed, and so does a thoroughly nasty murderer. Another great entry in a long-running series. More pets take center stage in A KILLER RETREAT, buy Tracy Weber (Midnight Ink, 2015, $14.99). Yoga teacher Kate Davidson takes Bella, the temperamental German shepherd along when she's given an offer to teach at an exclusive resort. Trouble starts early, when Kate and her boyfriend Michael run afoul of one of the guests at the resort, whose unleashed dog sets Bella into a frenzy. Bella isn't the only one; this woman manages to insult or distress everyone in the place. It's not surprising that she turnes up dead; unfortunately for Kate, she has no alibi for the time of the murder. There are plenty of other suspects, all at cross purposes, and Kate finds herself fighting off the least likely of them at the edge of a cliff, before the murder is solved, and Kate resolves some of her personal issues. Plenty of character, and oddball characters, in this expedition into the Northwest. DON’T MISS OUR INTERVIEW WITH TRACY WEBER IN THE JANUARY 2016 EDITION.

New Releases

MY GAMBLING MAN By DeeDee Lane Spicy Time Travel Western Released Dec 16, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in ebook

FROM HERE TO FOURTEENTH STREET By Diana Rubino Spicy Historical Romance Released Dec 9 by The Wild Rose

DAUGHTER OF SAND AND STONE By Libbie Hawker Historical Released December 1, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing

My Mountain Man DeeDee Lane Spicy Time Travel Western Released May 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in ebook

HEART OF A HOSTAGE By Christina Hollis Spicy Category Romance Released December 4, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press in print and ebook LET ME BE THE ONE By Christa Maurice Spicy Contemporary Romance Released Dec 8, 15 by Lyrical Press (Kensington) in ebook

SWEET SENSATIONS By Lynn LaFleur, Ari Thatcher, Ann Jacobs, Lucy Felthouse, Denise A. Agnew, Anh Leod, L.M. Connolly, Marilu Mann Sizzling Contemporary Romance Released Nov 24 by Under the Sun Publishing in ebook

HORIZON By Tabitha Lord Romantic Sci-Fi Released December 2015 by Wise Ink Creative Publishing

DEEP By Jaine Diamond Erotic Romance Released Dec 2 by author in print and ebook COWGIRL STRONG: REDNECK DEBUTANTE By Jenny Hammerle Contemporary Romance Released July 2015 by CreateSpace

Sci-Fi

THE PRELAPSARIANS By John Gaiserich Post-Apocalyptic Released Oct 20, 2015 by author

LIQUID GAMBIT By Bonnie Milani Sci-Fi Novella Released October 12, 2015 by author

ÂŠ 2015 The Book Breeze Page 20

TO DANCE AGAIN By Hebby Roman Spicy Contemporary Romance Released Dec 11, 2015 by The Wild Rose Press

A self-made multi-millionaire, Ramón hasn't forgotten Maricel and the passion he felt, dancing with her. Now, at the pinnacle of his success, he's withdrawn from the world to safeguard his own secret. A secret that, if revealed, would change his life forever.

Reunited after twenty-seven years, will the high school sweethearts get a second chance at love or will their secrets tear them apart?"

GOLD RUSH WEDDING By Suzanne Lilly

Historical Sweet Romance Released Nov 29, 2013 by Pitner Publishing in ebook

Lucinda Martin York and George Arnold Jr. have been through floods, fires, and freezing cold together in their pursuit of gold in California. Lucinda dreams of becoming one of the first women doctors. George dreams of building a mining empire. They are deeply in love and their friends and family are in Sacramento ready to celebrate their marriage. Only one thing can tear them apart. This 5 star reviewed short story in the California Argonauts series of gold rush novels is available for free.

Jackie Marilla’s One Order of Love

Long Shadows Grace DeLuca 2nd Edition

Global Silver Best Mystery Fiction 2014 Available Amazon

Eclectic Express Reviews

Eclectic

Mystery

Urban Fantasy

The December column is always my favorite because I get to look back at my favorite reads from this year. 2015 saw the third book in the Duke City series by Max Austin released in June. DUKE CITY DESPERADO was a fun frolic through the misadventures of Dylan James and his buddy Doc who tried to rob a bank through the drive-up window.

Yeah, most of us would see the folly in this right from the start but Doc, well, his perspective was skewed. It comes as no surprse that Doc was immediately captured but Dylan manages to stay about a half-step away from the law through a crazy set of circumstances that only Max Austin can deliver. Each book in the series stands alone with one common element: Alburburque, New Mexico.

If you like crime from a slightly tweeked angle you’ve got to give the Duke City series a go. The Jamie Sinclair series by Nichole Christoff is a hit for me. The debut was THE KILL LIST where Jamie and the baggage she calls “ex-husband” try to rescue his three-year-old daughter from kidnappers. In the course of her investigation she meets her love interest Adam Barrett who feeds stray dogs. Ladies, can I get a collective *sigh* on this. Tightly written, with great insight to military life, Christoff delivers a fast-paced series for the romantic suspense crowd. I definitely recommend you grab all three.

LGBT

Paranormal

Sci-Fi

Young Adult

Another series that grabbed me was the urban fantasy series HIDDEN by Colleen Vanderlinden. I stumbled onto the books from a free give-away on FB and didn’t stop reading until the last book.

The first book, LOST GIRL, introduces us to Molly Brooks, a telepathic vigilante with a passion for finding lost girls. Fast paced, funny and heartwrenching this series delivers a host of fascinating supernatural characters in a highly imaginative world.

From the first page to the last this series is gold. I haven’t delved into Ms. Vanderlinden’s other series but they are certainly on my TBR pile.

UP FROM THE GRAVE was the exit in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. I enjoyed the strong willed vampire killing Kat and her teacher/husband Bones escapades and all the characters from that world, many have found series of their own.

While this wasn’t the best book in the series it is still a must read once you’ve dived into the tale and I do recommend that you enter their world. The paranormal adventure BRONZE FOX by Diana Green was a delight. Tobias is a fox-shifter and Etty a streetwise ball of fire are teamed up in an adventure that is part Stargate, part steampunk and all adventure. Author of the Dragon Clan series, Ms. Green has written a wonderful tale. The only complaint I had was that I would have like the romance to take a little longer, I was enjoying the dance. BTW, Ms. Green also designed the gorgeous cover. Continued on next page

This year saw the final installment in the Unknown Assassin series by Allen Zadoff. The first book I AM THE WEAPON introduced us to Boy Nobody. Taken at an early age and transformed into a teenage assassin, Boy Nobody was always the new kid in school, becoming who ever he needed to in order to get the job done. All went well until he started asking questions.

I loved the series and the final book, I AM THE TRAITOR gave a satisfying ending to these fast paced and intriguing books. This award winning series has been translated into over a dozen languages and has been optioned by Sony Pictures. Great for teens and adults.

This last book in my list of 2015 favorites is THE SOUND OF GLASS by New York bestselling author Karen White.

The generational effects of domestic violence are at the heart of this story. The story opens with a tragic plane crash in 1955 near the home of Edith Heyward in Beauford, South Carolina that deposits a suitcase in Edith’s yard and leaves the reader with a mystery.

Fast forward to 2014, Merritt Heyward loses her firefighter husband but inherits his family home in Beaufort where she meets the brother-in-law she didn’t know she had. Arriving in Beaufort on Merritt’s heel is her too-young stepmother, Loralee, and her half brother, Owen.

Roxane Gay delivers the powerful tale of Mireille Duval Jameson in AN UNTAMED STATE. While visiting family in Haiti Mireille was ripped from her fairy tale life and held for ransom. Knowing her father would never pay, this strong-willed woman fought to survive the horrific abuses inflicted on her by her captures.

White brilliantly guides us through the awkward interactions of four people who seemingly have little in common as they grow to become a family. Rich details, compelling characters and numerous secrets keep you engaged until the last page. I loved this book.

NO HORSE LEFT BEHIND by Shannon Kennedy

The true power of this story comes in the second half of the book, after Mireille has been released by the kidnappers. Her journey back from the trauma was something I could not stop reading. I requested a review copy of this book because Barney Teegarden just seemed like the kind of guy whose company I would enjoy. I was right. I loved this book and the residents of The Belladonna Arms. Inman tells this tale of people who look out for each other with tenderness and humor. I look forward to grabbing the first two books in this series.

YA fiction

Released by Fire and Ice YA in print and ebook We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Book Breeze. Contents of this emag are repeated on our blog throughout the month.

Looking ahead ... Each month will have a focus and special advertising rates.

January is Indie Author month. February is romance.

March is paranormal month with Patricia Briggs on the cover

April is all about Mysteries and Thrillers with Hank Phillipi Ryan on the cover. Planning a blog tour? We are happy to host. Contact us through the For Authors page.

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Suggestions: Genre history or trends Vampires through the ages Historical heros and herones Graphic novel trends How Sci-Fi shapes our view of the future Contact us with your ideas.

ÂŠ 2015 The Book Breeze Page 24