Tag Archives: Time Travel

Caitlin’s Song (The Carson Chronicles #4) by John A. Heldt-a review

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CAITLIN’S SONG (Carson Chronicles) by John A Heldt-a review

 

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About the book: Release Date May 2, 2019

Love, courage, and commitment take center stage as the Carsons, a family of time travelers, continue their saga in the great American West. For the Carson children, ages 19 to 29, an unplanned stop in 1962 is a chance to grow. Adam, Greg, and Natalie begin lives with new spouses in Boulder, Colorado, while twins Cody and Caitlin get their first taste of college. All plan to resume the search for their missing parents as soon as they can. For Tim and Caroline Carson, a planned stop in the rendezvous year of 1972 is a nightmare. While reading about their children’s lives in 1962, they learn that one has crossed paths with a killer. Faced with limited options, they race back to the past to reroute history and prevent a series of murders. In CAITLIN’S SONG, the fourth novel in the Carson Chronicles series, members of a modern family find romance, adventure, and terror as they seek answers and each other in four memorable eras of American history.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: CAITLIN’S SONG is the fourth instalment in John A Heldt’s adult, historical, time-travel series focusing on the Carson siblings-Adam, Natalie, Greg, Cody and Caitlin. CAITLIN’S SONG can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Carson Chronicles focuses on the Carson siblings, a family of time travellers, as they search for their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. Months earlier, the siblings discovered their parents had disappeared but an itinerary of places and timelines found the family on a journey of their own. Starting in 2017, the siblings travelled back in time to 1889, 1918, the tumultuous era of 1943-44, and presently in 1962 where the Cuban Missile Crisis is about to unfold.

Told from several third person perspectives CAITLIN’S SONG follows the Carson siblings to 1962, an unplanned time jump from 1942 that follows in the wake of potential disaster and a near death experience, but a time jump that brings the siblings up close and personal with family members they met in the past. Struggling to settle into life in 1962, Cody and Caitlin would enrol in college, where Caitlin will fall in love with a young man who is willing to give up everything he knows to experience life in the future; while Greg and his wife Patricia anticipate a new addition to the Carson brood.

Meanwhile Tim and Caroline Carson jump to 1972 where life as they know is about to unravel. Hoping to change history, our couple jumps back to 1941 in an effort to prevent disaster from destroying their family, and the people they love.

CAITLIN’S SONG is a complex, clever and engaging story of fictionalized history wherein the Carson family re-examines and experiences life they could have never imagined. John A Heldt journeys into the past as the close-knit Carson family battles between the present and a time not so long ago; the future and the unknown. Whispered secrets threaten the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis, as one family must consider whether to go back to the future, or travel in time to the past. CAITLIN’S SONG begins slowly as the sibling settle into 1962 but picks up steam as their lives begin to merge with a time period that threatened the peace and harmony of a struggling world.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
River Rising
The Memory Tree
Indian Paintbrush
Caitlin’s Song

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Follow John: Goodreads / Facebook / Website/Blog/ Twitter / Amazon / Instagram / Tumblr

 I’m a married father of two grown daughters and a son and, as of August 15, the grandfather of a delightful little girl named Stella. Before turning to novel writing in 2011, I worked as a sports writer and editor for several newspapers in Oregon and Washington, where I was born and raised, and several more years as a reference librarian in Montana. I love traveling around the western United States, watching sports, cooking, and experiencing the great outdoors. I currently make my home in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.

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Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles #3) by John A Heldt-Review, Interview & Giveaway

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INDIAN PAINTBRUSH (The Carson Chronicles #3) by John A Heldt-Review, Interview & Giveaway

Indian Paintbrush
Carson Chronicles #3
by John A Heldt
Release Date: November 26, 2018
Genre: adult, historical, time travel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 26, 2018

Arizona, December 1943. After surviving perilous six-month journeys to 1889 and 1918, the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, seek a respite in their home state. While Adam and Greg settle down with their Progressive Era brides, Natalie and Caitlin start romances with wartime aviators and Cody befriends a Japanese family in an internment camp. The time travelers regroup, bury old ghosts, and continue their search for their missing parents. Then old problems return, new ones emerge, and a peaceful hiatus becomes a race for survival. In INDIAN PAINTBRUSH, the sequel to RIVER RISING and THE MEMORY TREE, seven young adults find love and adventure as they navigate the home front during the height of World War II

••••••••

REVIEW: INDIAN PAINTBRUSH is the third instalment in John A Heldt’s adult, historical, time-travel series focusing on the Carson siblings-Adam, Natalie, Greg, Cody and Caitlin. INDIAN PAINTBRUSH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion.

Note: Indian Paintbrush, the favorite flower of Caitlin Carson, is a short-lived, wildflower found in forest clearings and grasslands across the Western, and Southwestern United States

Told from several third person points of view INDIAN PAINTBRUSH follows the Carson siblings, a family of time travellers, as they go in search of their missing parents Tim and Caroline Carson. Months earlier, the siblings discovered their parents were missing but an itinerary of places and timelines found the family on a journey of their own. Starting in 2017, the siblings travelled back in time to 1889, 1918, and presently in the tumultuous era of 1943-44. Adam and Greg, having fallen in love, would bring their new significant others along for the ride.

When the Carson siblings entered the portal in 1918, they had no idea what to expect in 1943 Arizona, an era fraught with the uncertainty of war. The 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor resulted in the forced internment of Japanese, Americans, at the Butte Camp in Rivers, Arizona , as America prepared to go to war. Struggling to locate their parents, always one step ahead or behind, Natalie, Cody and Caitlin would each discover love, but not all loves are meant for a happily ever after.

John A Heldt’s pulls the reader into a turbulent past; an era of distrust and anxiety; the unpredictability of war; and the knowledge of what was, and what would never be. Secrets revealed, and threats from the past force the siblings to, once again, run for their lives but along the way, the Carson clan would welcome two new travellers on their voyage of discovery and love.

INDIAN PAINTBRUSH is a complex story line awash in colorful facts, historical fiction, and the possibility of what might have been. A contemporary family caught up in the past, the Carson siblings, know that to interfere in history, could mean a different outcome for everyone concerned. Knowledge is a powerful tool but to reveal what was and what will be places everyone in danger including the people they love. An amazing storyteller, John A Heldt pens a story of survival, loss, history and love.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
River Rising
The Memory Tree
Indian Paintbrush

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

TRC: Hi, John, and welcome back to The Reading Café.

Congratulations on the recent release of INDIAN PAINTBRUSH.

For anyone who doesn’t know John A. Heldt, would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow John: Goodreads / Facebook / Website/Blog/ Twitter / Amazon / Instagram / Tumblr

John: I’m a married father of two grown daughters and a son and, as of August 15, the grandfather of a delightful little girl named Stella. Before turning to novel writing in 2011, I worked as a sports writer and editor for several newspapers in Oregon and Washington, where I was born and raised, and several more years as a reference librarian in Montana. I love traveling around the western United States, watching sports, cooking, and experiencing the great outdoors. I currently make my home in the Las Vegas, Nevada, area.

TRC: What challenges or difficulties did you encounter writing and publishing your first novel?

John: Like most authors starting out, I faced several. When I created The Mine in 2011 and early 2012, I did so without any formal knowledge of novel writing, publishing, or selling books in a competitive market. So I sought help where I could find it. Several friends and family members, including my (then) 17-year-old daughter Amy, provided much-needed help and guidance. With their assistance, I managed to produce a novel that is still selling today.

TRC: How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

John: I became much more disciplined and methodical. I evolved into a plotter who set time aside for specific tasks, outlined chapters in advance, and enlisted the help of others. I did what I could to learn from my mistakes and streamline the process of putting out a novel.

TRC: Would you please tell us something about the premise of INDIAN PAINTBRUSH and the Carson Chronicles series?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

John: The series is a family saga with a time-travel twist. In book one, River Rising, Adam Carson, a 27-year-old Arizona engineer in 2017, discovers that his missing parents are not victims of foul play but rather secret time travelers who became stuck in 1888. Armed with the knowledge he needs to find them, Adam convinces his younger siblings — Greg (25), Natalie (23), and twins Cody and Caitlin (17) — to join him on a rescue mission, which soon becomes a perilous life-changing journey that takes the travelers from the 1880s to 1918 and beyond. Indian Paintbrush is series’ third book. Set primarily in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1944, it focuses less on the search and more on the siblings as they get on with their lives in their grandparents’ time. Adam and Greg start families with their Progressive Era wives, Natalie and Caitlin strike up romances with wartime aviators, and Cody fights injustice as a regular visitor to an internment camp for Japanese Americans.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

John: I plan two more books. Number four will be set in Boulder, Colorado, in the fall of 1962, during the height of the Cuban missile crisis. Book number five will be set in Maine in the summer of 1983 and be based on my own experiences as a camp counselor.

TRC: From where did you get the idea for the CARSON CHRONICLES?

John: I got it from reading John Jakes’ family sagas. He is the author of Kent Family Chronicles and the North and South trilogy. I love the way he tells stories.

TRC: What drew you to write a ‘time-travel’ series?

John: I did not decide to write any series until long after I published my first book. When I released The Mine in February 2012, I did not intend to write another book. I wrote The Mine primarily to check off an item on my bucket list. Then came a surprising number of sales and positive reviews. I reevaluated the situation and decided to keep going. Because I liked viewing history through modern eyes, I stuck with the time-travel theme and published The Journey (2012), The Show (2013), The Fire (2013), and The Mirror (2014) in short order. I also built on The Mine story by writing two novels (The Show and The Mirror) that completed a Smith family trilogy within a five-book series. I so enjoyed putting together the Northwest Passage series that I continued with the American Journey and Carson Chronicles series. I hope to create at least one more time-travel series before moving on to other things.

TRC: What kind of research/plotting did you do, and how long did you spend researching /plotting before beginning the CARSON CHRONICLES series?

John: I am a plotter of the first order. I spend dozens of hours researching and outlining books and series before I write a single word. I do this mostly for practical reasons. I want to get from Point A to Point B without getting lost or painting myself into a corner. When writing time-travel novels, authors must pay particularly close attention to detail and the established norms of the genre. To do otherwise is to invite unnecessary trouble.

TRC: Does historical accuracy play a large role in the CARSON CHRONICLES series? Do you believe an author should follow historical accuracy when writing a book or series about the past (regardless of genre)?

John: Yes to the first question and mostly yes to the second. I am a history buff who goes to great lengths to achieve historical accuracy in my works. On occasion, I will even change things that most readers would not notice or even care about. For example, when writing The Mine, I removed a reference to Glenn Miller’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo” from a chapter set in July 1941 because the song did not hit the airwaves until weeks later. That said, I understand the need to bend the rules on occasion. Though I believe authors should strive for historical accuracy as often as possible, particularly when presenting the big picture, I also think they should have some latitude when presenting the smaller stuff. I know I have strayed from the “rules” a few times. For example, in several of my works, I have set up humorous, sometimes poignant, encounters between my time travelers and celebrities. Scenes like these are what separate historical fiction from the just-the-facts-ma’am history most of us read in school.

TRC: What was the most challenging scene to write?

John: Without a doubt, it was the first chapter of Hannah’s Moon, the fifth and final book in the American Journey series. Based on a wrenching personal experience, it portrayed a young childless couple in a hospital room following the birth of their stillborn son. I spent more than a month working on that chapter because I wanted to get it right.

TRC: Do you believe the cover image plays a deciding factor for many readers in the process of selecting a book or new series to read?

John: Yes. Readers are a lot like people looking for a new house. They first judge a product on its curb appeal and then decide whether to investigate what’s inside.

TRC: Do you believe the self-publishing industry hurts the traditionally published author, or publishing industry as a whole? If so, how or why not?

John: Yes and no. Some indie authors still publish poorly written works that reflect badly on their peers and the industry as a whole. Many others, however, do not. They make important contributions to the market by producing works — solid works — that might not have seen the light of day ten to fifteen years ago. They are writing books that readers want but could not always find in the past because of restrictions on genre, length, and content.

TRC: Do you listen to music while writing? If so, does the style of music influence the storyline direction? Characters?

John: No. I need quiet when writing. I simply cannot write or edit in an environment where there are distractions or background noises. That said, I listen to music — relevant music — when planning a book, plotting storylines, and creating characters. For example, when laying the groundwork for Class of ’59, a novel set mostly in a South Pasadena, California, high school in the spring of 1959, I compiled a soundtrack of 1950s songs and listened to it for hours. I wanted to get a feel for the times before writing the book.

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception people have about authors?

John: I imagine it’s that our work is very exciting. In fact, it can be very boring. Writing a novel is a pedestrian exercise that requires gobs of time, quiet, and solitude. On the plus side, we have the chance to meet a lot of interesting people, particularly when marketing our books, and sometimes travel to interesting places when researching them. I have traveled to the primary settings of more than half of my thirteen novels and enjoyed every trip.

TRC: How should authors measure a book’s success?

John: I don’t know about other writers, but I measure a book’s success by the impact it has on readers. If a novel prompts people to read the next installment in the series, it has succeeded. If it does not, it has failed. As an author, I can tell you that there is no better feeling than producing something that complete strangers want to read again and again.

TRC: What is something that few, if anybody, knows about you?

John: I was a triple major as an undergraduate at the University of Oregon in the 1980s. I could not decide whether to major in journalism, history, or political science, so I attended school an extra year and earned a bachelor’s degree in all three disciplines.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

John: I am currently working on converting some of my early books to print. Almost all are available only in Kindle and audio format. I plan to market Indian Paintbrush in December and January and then turn my full attention to writing book four in the Carson Chronicles series. I expect to have the next book out by the summer of 2019.

TRC: Thank you, John, for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the new release. We wish you all the best.

John A Heldt is graciously offering the first three ebooks (mobi, epub or pdf) in the CARSON CHRONICLES Time Travel Series to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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10. Giveaway runs from December 13-18, 2018

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The Memory Tree (Carson Chronicles #2) by John A Heldt-a review

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The Memory Tree (Carson Chronicles #2) by John A Heldt-a review

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.au / Amazon.uk /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 2018

Days after barely escaping 1889 with their lives, the Carsons, siblings from the present day, resume their search for their missing parents in 1918. While Adam and his pregnant wife, Bridget, settle in Minnesota, unaware of a wildfire that will kill hundreds, Greg seeks clues in his great-grandparents’ Mexico, where he finds love, danger, and enemies. At the same time, Natalie, the ambitious journalist, follows a trail to World War I France, and teen twins Cody and Caitlin rekindle a friendship with an old Pennsylvania friend haunted by her past. In THE MEMORY TREE, the sweeping sequel to RIVER RISING, several time travelers find answers and meaning as they continue the adventure of a lifetime in the age of doughboys, silent movies, and Model T’s.

•••••••••••

REVIEW:      Time traveling books are always a treat to read. The best part about time traveling books is you get pretty much an all-you-can-eat buffet of book genres. You get a little bit of romance, action, suspense, and the best part of all is the historical fiction. And when the book written right, the other elements like the story arc and the character development is even more enhanced.

     Another plus about this book is the numerous likeable characters. There are five children in the Carson family and they have their own personalities. They all have their likeable traits complete with their own remarkable adventures.  I thought it was really cool they all made the decision to split up in hopes of finding their parents. Each of their adventures were all equally enjoyable. Adam and Bridget stay behind in Minnesota as home base for all communication. Greg roughing it in Mexico where he meets bar owner Patricia who he ends up marrying. Natalie takes on going overseas to France to interview and write about the soldiers in the war for her job. As for the twins, Caitlin and Cody go to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania where they spend time with Cody’s first and former love Emma. Even the parents, Tim and Caroline had some adventure too in Mexico. That had to be amazing to go back in time to actually witness the birth of Caroline’s grandmother.

     As for the women Adam and Greg took on as wives, they made great choices and they fit in with the family very well. Bridget is very kind and caring but despite that she is also very courageous and intelligent. Patricia has the loyalty that can rival a pit bull. She will walk through fire to those who have her loyalty.

      One concept I want to get into that I really enjoyed was the memory tree at Emma’s home. Just trying to imagine the beauty of the spruce tree with all the ribbons tied to it is beyond breath-taking. The symbolization of tying a ribbon to a branch in remembrance of loved ones that are lost to them like death, tragedy or war. The ribbons are even replaced often to keep looking new. It really is a beautiful way to honor and remember loved ones.  

     Despite things from Greg’s adventure in Mexico catching up to them, they do get their happy ending to make it to their portal to go home and hopefully find their parents…or will they? Can’t go wrong with time travel books getting a smorgasbord of genres on top of a fun history lesson. You get crazy adventures with every character that totally enhances the story arc and character development. The only drawback with time travel novels is that they are very long books but they are worth it; you won’t regret it.

Reviewed by Xtina

Copy supplied for review

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Uncontrollable (Beyond Human #3) by Nina Croft-a review

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UNCONTROLLABLE (Beyond Human #3) by Nina Croft-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK : Release Date September 24, 2018

Quinn Sutherland, second in command of the Tribe, a group of powerful telepaths, has always been certain of who and what he is—one of the good guys. All he wants is to keep his friends safe—no easy feat when everyone in the world is after them. While on a rescue mission, he meets a mysterious FBI agent, who appears to know a lot about them, and seems to want the same thing he does. But her assignment could literally mean the death of him…

When Melody Lyons is inducted into the Federation’s elite Time Control Unit, it’s the pinnacle of her ambitions. Only when she’s sent back to the twenty-first century to eliminate a group of rogue time travelers, she never guesses she’ll fall for a man who died two thousand years ago… Quinn awakens emotions she hadn’t known existed, and for the first time, her loyalties are tested.

••••••••••

REVIEW: UNCONTROLLABLE is the third instalment in Nina Croft’s paranormal, sci-fi, post apocalyptic romance series focusing on a class of supernatural humans known as the Tribe-descendants from a group of people discovered, over 150 years earlier, by an expedition to the Mountains of the Moon (Congo Free State of Africa). This is Tribe member Quinn Sutherland, and Special Agent Melody Lyons’ story line. UNCONTROLLABLE can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory, history and cohesion. There is a continuing premise throughout. There is a prequel short story-NO MORE LIES-that introduces the premise behind the series concept. On that note, NO MORE LIES can be found in the multi-authored anthology THE TELEPATH CHRONICLES originally released in 2014.

SOME BACKGROUND: The Tribe believe themselves to be descendants of a species of humans, found in Africa, blessed and cursed with obviously similar physical traits, and supernatural, psychic powers. Their discovery has led to the formation of the Conclave who have taken it upon themselves to experiment with the mind and the brain, destroying that which they do not understand. The Beyond Human series focuses on the Tribe’s struggle to survive against a human faction of government who have been tasked with hunting down anyone with psychic powers.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Melody and Quinn) UNCONTROLLABLE follows Special Agent Melody Lyons as she embarks on a two-thousand year journey into the past wherein she will meet the man with whom she will fall in love. Melody is a member of the Federation’s elite Time Control Unit, a special faction that governs time-travel, searching for the source of anomalies in space, an anomaly that has led our heroine to the year 2017, and the hunt for a man linked to the original Tribe. What Melody never expected was to find her future in the guise of Tribe member Quinn Sutherland, a man who battles between head and heart with his attraction to a woman he knows nothing about. What ensues is the building relationship between Quinn and Melody, and the potential fall-out as the past, present and future collides in an attempt to thwart or engage the Cataclysm that destroyed 95 percent of the Earth’s population in the year 2020.

Melody Lyons holds the secrets to Earth’s demise but sworn to not interfere in Earth’s history, our heroine struggles as she endeavors to uncover the truth about what happened and why. Quinn Sutherland knows that Melody is hiding a secret but something is blocking his ability to read her mind. Unable to resist due to his attraction to our story line heroine, Quinn will find himself two thousands years in the future caught between an interstellar war between species of unknown origins.

The relationship between Quinn and Melody is one of immediate attraction but Melody knows she doesn’t belong in the twenty-first century. From a time where physical and emotional comfort have but all been forgotten, Melody finds herself wanting and needing the pleasure and luxury of physical contact. Quinn isn’t about to question his attraction to a woman who could destroy them all but something about Melody tugs at his heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters are fun, flirty, knowledgeable and strong. Quinn’s group is desperate to rescue the man they have come to call friend and father, but the group has been targeted by more than one enemy.

The world building continues to focus on the members of the Tribe, as they search for more of their kind in an attempt to understand the who, what, how and why. As the Conclave continues to search and destroy, another enemy from the future is hoping to kill them all.

UCONTROLLABLE is a fast paced, action-packed, intriguing and intelligent time-travel story line of discrimination, specieism, betrayal and lies. The future has collided with the past ensuring total annihilation of the present- a butterfly ripple of epic proportions. Worlds at war are battling for power and control affecting everything in their path. The premise is thought-provoking, intense and imaginative; the romance is stirring; the characters are spirited and lively. Nina Croft’s BEYOND HUMAN is a dramatic, intimate and captivating series that will have you thinking twice about interfering in the space-time continuum.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Unthinkable
Unspeakable
Uncontrollable

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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On Highland Time by Lexi Post – a Review

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On Highland Time by Lexi Post – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

 

Description:
For fans of sexy Scottish Highlanders who know how to treat a woman like a lady.

When someone changes history, affecting the future, Diana Montgomery, the most experienced agent of Time Weavers, Inc., travels back to 1306 Scotland to change it back. Her mission, to find the culprit and ensure a minor clan chief dies in battle as he originally had.

Diana is well-prepared to infiltrate the small MacPherson clan. What she’s not prepared for is Torr MacPherson, the ruggedly handsome warrior with a kind heart and a steadfast loyalty—the Laird she’s supposed to ensure dies.

 

 

Review: 

Oooooooh ..On Highland Time by Lexi Post is a time travel novel, which I have not read one of those in a while. 

Diana is a time traveler, working with a small team for TWI, (Time Weavers Inc.)

Their job is to go back in time after a Disturber (technically a bad guy) has altered a section of history and return it to how it should have be. (We do not find out why they want to disturb time, and it’s a little frustrating, hoping it gets cleared up in the next book)

A Disturber alters events, and the history of the world changes. (Good or bad I’m not sure at the moment)

Diana’s latest job is to go back to Scotland. (A Disturber has saved the life of a man who was to die in battle, and this changes the whole future). Diana is to make sure the man dies in battle and to identify the Disturber and bring him/her back to be interrogated by the TWI. 

Torr is the Laird of a small clan, loyal to Robert the Bruce. He has lost most of his family in battle, his only living relative is his younger brother. He won’t marry and he certainly doesn’t do relationships, in fact he keeps himself detached from everyone, he feels that he can’t bear to lose another loved one, and even the women he sleeps with all know that he won’t settle down, He won’t even bed the same woman twice. 

Diana arrives a few weeks before the battle.   When on previous missions to change time back, she keeps a low profile, making no friends nor does she bring attention to herself. But things don’t always go her way, and before she’s knows it, she’s befriended by the clan, and the Laird almost immediately notices the strange woman in his camp. 

Torr is looking for a possible spy so he notices all new faces, and there are several. But the one that disturbs him the most, is a woman, and he can’t get her out of his thoughts. 

He invites Diana to his bed and is shocked when she refuses…..But Diana has a job to do, she doesn’t have time for the handsome Laird. 

Diana is having a hard time doing her job this time, she finds Torr to be a good man with a big heart who is good to his clan and truly cares about them all.  Can Diana complete her task successfully? 

 I really enjoyed this story and thought the twist at the end was well done. I did have a few questions and queries, and I hope these are answered in any further books in this series.

(1) what’s a disturber ? 

(2) what do they gain from disrupting the past? 

And I wasn’t really sure about her team that she works with (including her boss “Jules”) 

(1) more info on the powers that some of her team members have.

On Highland Time is a promising start to the Time Weavers Inc. series.

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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Of Sand & Stone by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

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Of Sand & Stone by Lauren Smith – Review & Giveaway

Of Sand and Stone Banner

 

Of Sand & StoneAmazon / B&N / Kobo

DESCRIPTION
She was destined to save his heart of stone… 
Bookish museum curator Rebecca Clark has given up on dating. Real life men aren’t nearly as perfect as the men in the paintings and statues she sees every day at her job. But one night she whispers a prayer to the universe to send her the perfect man. She had no idea a goddess is listening… 

Devon Blake was Regency London’s most wicked lover but when he sleeps with the wrong woman and leaves her unsatisfied, he finds himself cursed by none other than the Goddess of love herself. After living two centuries trapped as a marble statue, Aphrodite gives Devon one chance to redeem himself or he’ll face an eternity of made of stone. He must prove he can satisfy a woman’s every desire without satisfying his own. 

When Rebecca discovers a naked man in her art gallery instead of a priceless statue at midnight she has no idea he’s the answer to her prayers. Aphrodite has sent Devon to be Rebecca’s perfect man. Can Devon earn Rebecca’s love and trust by proving his selflessness or will it be too late? 

 

 

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

LAUREN!  Lauren just did Time Travel, the hardest genre for me to completely enjoy and she nailed it.  This story was so “out there”, and I loved every guilty indulgent moment of it.  MORE MORE MORE!  LOL

Of Sand and Stone by Lauren Smith is a short story that you can enjoy in an afternoon, time travel romance, with a side of a ticked off goddess that will have you chuckling out loud and praising the female race for taking a stand against the “non satisfying male”!  It was utterly ridiculous in the best way ever and made me so happy I still am smiling when I think about it.

Devon Blake was a very bad boy.  Not in a good way either.  He is from the regency era, known to be a rake, devilish lover and is cocky as all hell!  He has a night with Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and leaves her wanting.  Well Aphrodite is having none of that and curses him to be frozen inside a statue of stone and sand to learn his lesson.  She is ready to lift his curse, if he can prove he is worthy of it.  If he cannot satisfy the woman she chooses he will live inside this statue for eternity.

Rebecca Clarke is a museum curator and so done with dating men.  She’s had enough and finds her work far more satisfying that any man.  When she comes across this sand and stone statue she recites a few lines that apparently release this naked man from it.  YUP a naked, hot, every girls dream kind of man!  But he’s an arrogant rake from the past.  UHHHH like she needs another arrogant jerk in her life.

These two were so amazing together.  I am telling you the humour alone had me, let alone the story.  But being Lauren Smith I knew the story would deliver as well.  Devon trying to figure out things in the 21st century was absolutely perfect and it made him completely endearing and Rebecca really had no chance when the wit came out.  Devon learns his lesson as well, and let’s just say there is a whole lot of satisfaction happening by the end of this book!

I really think Lauren Smith is the Queen of the short story.  She does it perfectly.  There is always a build up in characters, storyline, she finds unique ways to keep her readers engaged and wanting more.  Not wanting more because it was too short, but wanting more because it was that good!

Leave your brain out in left field readers, grab that class of happy bevvie, curl up and be ready to laugh and celebrate what power a woman can really have!  For the record .. it’s never good to make Aphrodite mad .. that goddess is some ruthless!  LOL

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy supplied for review

 

Giveaway

Lauren is graciously offering a  signed paper copy of a book of your choice from Lauren’s backlist to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

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7. Giveaway open USA/Canada only

8. Giveaway runs from November 26 to 30, 2017

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Saint’s Grove Series-a review

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Saint’s Grove Series-a review

Saint's Grove Series 1-12

The Saint’s Grove series is a twelve book, multi-authored paranormal, fantasy, time travel anthology focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the aftermath of a total lunar eclipse, and the alignment of the planets, that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. Three hundred years earlier, a similar phenomenon resulted in a deadlier battle wherein a number of the supernatural beings remained behind and took up residence in and around Saint’s Grove, Virginia. These are some of their stories when the past returns to the future. I had the opportunity to read seven of the installments and will give a brief overview and my thoughts about each story line. 

THOUGHTS: The SAINT’S GROVE multi-authored series is an enchanting mix of twelve, interconnected, paranormal romances that takes place during the alignment of the planets and a lunar eclipse one week prior to Halloween. Very few of the characters question the existence of the magical portal, otherworlds, time travel or supernatural beings, which made for a rapid introduction to each of the story line’s premise. All of the romances are more or less immediate attractions and insta-love while a few are time travel/ second chances at a happily ever after; the level of intimacy and romance varies with each story line ranging from no sexual contact to provocative and erotic.

A few of the stories require another round of editing to eliminate some errors in grammar and spelling, as well as some blatant issues with points of view. Most of the characters are well-developed; their background history and connections to Saint’s Grove, Virginia is clear and concise.

Take a chance with Saint’s Grove and the supernatural beings that inhabit ‘our’ planet.

Join the SAINT’S GROVE  Facebook party  on October 29, 2016 at 12pm CDT: HERE

••••••••••••••••

Hearts AligningHEARTS ALIGNING
Saint’s Grove
by Miranda Hardy

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

About the book: Release Date October 3, 2016

With madness comes truth…with truth comes sorrow.

Ellie Whitaker thought she had a clear path ahead of her… she would sell her bar, return to school, and enjoy a change of scenery, but one peculiar event in the night sky is about to change everything, not only for her but for everyone in Saint’s Grove.

Bryan Nichols has always struggled with his curse. Life as a werewolf is anything but easy, but when you have an overbearing father, life can be even more difficult. After his return from college, Bryan distances himself from the pack and finds solace in an unlikely place with a woman who has no idea how smitten he is with her.

When the most spectacular lunar eclipse shrouds the alignment of six planets, portals open to varying dimensions, unleashing creatures from other realms. Soon, chaos erupts, bringing death and destruction with it. Along with those horrifying events comes significant changes to Ellie’s body, revealing that she’s not entirely human. She has no idea who she is nor where she belongs, and she only has seven days to find answers that may undoubtedly change her future. The choices that present themselves will not be as easy as she first thought. She will need to decide between the man who saved her and the world that would worship her.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: HEARTS ALIGNING by Miranda Hardy is part of the multi-authored paranormal/fantasy/time travel series focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the aftermath of a total lunar eclipse, and the alignment of the planets, that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. This is bar owner Ellie Whitaker, and werewolf shifter Bryan Nichols’s story line. All books in the Saints Grove series can be read as stand alone stories without any difficulty. It is not necessary to read the series in order. The number assigned to each installment is simply the order in which they were released. HEARTS ALIGNING is a bit of a departure from some of the other installments as there is no time travel involved in the story line premise.

Told from first person point of view (Ellie) HEARTS ALIGNING focuses on the search for the truth. When the lunar eclipse portal opened in Saint’s Grove Virginia a number of strange things begin to happen to our story line heroine along with the discovery of several journals revealing a little bit about her background story. Enter Bryan Nichols- a quiet, reserved, and reluctant heir to the local werewolf pack, and the man who will save our story line heroine when the past comes looking for revenge. Ellie will learn that, she too, is not quite human, and with it the truth about her parent’s death, and the identity of the strange old woman who lives in the hills.

HEARTS ALIGNING reveals some of the lore and history surrounding the paranormal presence in Saint’s Grove Virginia, and its connections to the last lunar phenomena, three hundred years earlier, that created the rift between Earth and the Otherworld. Miranda Hardy introduces the local pack of werewolf shifters, and their connections to the mythology and stories in and around the small town where most of the residents have some supernatural ability. The premise is entertaining; the characters are a mix of good and evil; the romance is a little underwhelming-I didn’t feel the connection between our leading couple.

_______________

Her Forbidden KnightHER FORBIDDEN KNIGHT
Saint’s Grove
by Carly Fall

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

RELEASE DATE: October 5, 2016

Centuries ago, she was a princess and he a knight. Their forbidden love was torn apart by circumstances of the times, and her brutal death…

Arabella “Bella” Franklin has a nice, stable life in Saint’s Grove, Virginia. With no recollection of her previous existence as a princess, the newly-reincarnated young woman is living the dream—a successful bakery owner with some semblance of a social life. However, boredom and loneliness continue to be her constant companions.

Those feelings quickly disappear when the townspeople gather to witness a once-in-a-lifetime, major astrological event. Unbeknownst to them, the occurrence opens the seams of the universe, allowing any and all paranormal entities to descend onto the quiet town, transforming it into a place of mayhem and danger.

When Bella is attacked by a vicious demon, Jayden, an Angel of Death, comes to her rescue. Unlike Bella, he remembers everything about their past lives, and is delighted knowing that their reunion will give him an opportunity to possibly rekindle their passion, as well as regain his life as a human. But becoming human again comes with three caveats. He must convince Bella of the love they shared so many centuries ago, she must kill a demon – her murderer from her previous life – and she has to want Jayden to stay.

With only seven days to meet those demands, memories of her past life begin to surface. With them, comes the knowledge that if she can’t kill the demon before the seal closes, she—and possibly Jayden—may be forced to spend eternity in Hell.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: HER FORBIDDEN KNIGHT by Carly Fall is part of the multi-authored SAINTS GROVE paranormal, time travel series focusing on the town of Saints Grove, Virginia. This is bakery shop owner Arabella ‘Bella’ Franklin, and Jayden-an Angel of Death who has returned to Earth to save the woman he has loved for hundreds of years.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Bella and Jayden) HER FORBIDDEN KNIGHT is a second chance story line. Centuries earlier, in the 1400s, Sir Jayden fell in love with Princess Arabella Wissant of House Garin but the man to whom she was forced to marry destroyed any hopes of a happily ever after. Battered, raped and abused, Arabella would die at the hands of Ulric Bayton, Prince of Praegan but not before proclaiming her undying love for Sir Jayden. Fast forward to present day and the now Angel of Death Jayden is given a second chance to save the woman he loves from the same demonic evil that took her centuries earlier. Earth, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury are about to align perfectly setting off a total lunar eclipse that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. The man who destroyed Arabella’s life will come back hoping to destroy her life again and again.

HER FORBIDDEN KNIGHT is a story line that jumps between the past and present where the reader returns to the past to witness the growing but forbidden love between a knight and the princess he loves. Present day Arabella’s memories slowly resurface about a time long ago to discover her love for the Angel of Death has never diminished. The premise is enchanting; the characters are colorful and spirited; the romance is captivating and seductive. There is plenty of sexual tension between our leading couple knowing that to act on their feelings is forbidden (in the past), and that a present day love affair is hindered by the return of the ultimate evil. HER FORBIDDEN KNIGHT is a sexy, second chance romance with dynamics characters and an energetic flow.

_____________

Crossing TimeCROSSING TIME
Saint’s Grove
by M.H. Soars

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 9, 2016

A love story that defies the barriers of time

When a cosmic event opens the seals to the universe’s spiritual planes, the town of Saint’s Grove will be in for a Halloween they will never forget. Supernatural creatures — good and bad — will take over the quaint little town, creating havoc and destruction. But the event will also bring together two people from very different worlds. Two people who would never have fallen in love otherwise…

Madison Frost never believed in fairy tales or happily-ever-afters. She didn’t have time to daydream about a knight in shining armor when she was desperately trying to keep her business from going under. When her town gets invaded by supernatural creatures, she saves a mysterious man who manages to breach the barriers of her steely heart. There’s only one problem, she believes he can never be hers for loyalty is calling him back home, back to the 19th century.

Albert Saint is a man filled with regret and anger. Forced to return to Saint’s Grove — a place he hates — he tries to forget his inner turmoil with alcohol and illegal fights. Everything changes on the evening someone tries to murder him. Albert narrowly escapes death and travels through time, crossing paths with a beautiful brunette who saves him. He can’t explain the powerful connection he feels toward Madison, an emotion that will make him question everything he ever believed to be true.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: CROSSING TIME by M.H. Soars is part of the multi-authored SAINTS GROVE paranormal, time travel series focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the aftermath of a total lunar eclipse, and the alignment of the planets, that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. This is coffee shop owner Madison Frost, and Albert Saint’s story line.

CROSSING TIME is a story of discovery where witches, warlocks and guardians enter into a centuries old battle to possess a rare amulet with extraordinary powers. Albert and Madison will fall in love; Madison’s best friend Cher will discover some powers of her own; and a supernatural Guardian will endeavor to protect everyone concerned.

The premise is entertaining with plenty of action and mystery; the characters are colorful; the romance is fated by time and circumstance.

I did have one issue as it pertained to a particular attack against out story line heroine wherein she is poisoned by a magical vine that for some reason had little to no affect on anyone else who touched the vine as well. Perhaps it was something that was overlooked but I would have thought that the poison would have had the same affect on everyone……*walks away thinking too hard*

______________

Across The UniverseACROSS THE UNIVERSE
Saint’s Grove
by Elise Marion

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 11, 2016

Anika Butler lives a quiet, unremarkable life. Without friends, family, or a love life to keep her occupied, she spends her spare time daydreaming over the painting of a man who was born in the 1800s.

When she joins the other residents of Saint’s Grove to witness a rare lunar eclipse and planetary alignment, the man from the painting appears in front of her claiming to have traveled through time, and she will discover that she is anything but ordinary. When he tells her of their past lives together as lovers, Anika knows that it must be impossible … yet strange dreams begin to feel like memories, until she can no longer deny that something within her recognizes him as her eternal soul mate.

Isaac Parker lost everything when his fiancé, Aurora Barton, was murdered right before his eyes. The witch who killed her also afflicted him with a curse: he can never die, making it impossible for him to be reincarnated. When the eclipse and planetary alignment occurs, allowing him to travel through time, he returns to Saint’s Grove seeking the Star Anthame, the ancient weapon that was used to curse him. With only seven days to locate the relic and break his curse, this is his only hope for finding Aurora again in his next life. He never imagines he will find her in Saint’s Grove where he last saw her, now reincarnated as Anika Butler.

However, a witch with a grudge will re-emerge into their lives, forcing them to fight for their futures, and for love. If the curse isn’t broken, they may lose their chance at happiness together … not just in this life, but in all the lives to come.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Elise Marion is part of the multi-authored SAINTS GROVE paranormal, time travel series focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the aftermath of a total lunar eclipse, and the alignment of the planets, that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. This is antique shop owner Anika Butler, and Isaac Parker’s story line.

NOTE: CROSSING TIME, RACING TIME, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and THE GHOST AND THE BELLE (Saint’s Grove) are also part of the multi-authored STAR ATHAME LEGEND series as well.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Isaac and Anika) using memories from the past covering several different time lines ACROSS THE UNIVERSE follows Isaac Parker as he ventures to present day Saint’s Grove, Virginia in search of the ‘star athame’. Approximately one hundred and thirty years earlier Isaac was cursed to live the life of an immortal never crossing paths with the woman he loved-a woman that time and fate have deemed his lover for all time. Arriving through the portal during the lunar eclipse, Isaac not only begins the search for the mystical dagger but for the woman that calls to his heart. What ensues is the rekindling of the love between two people torn apart by the jealously and betrayal of a spurned nineteenth century witch.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is a story of second chances, reincarnation, fated lovers and magic. The premise is spirited but at times got lost between the back and forth of several time lines, and the various incarnation of the leading couple. The characters are magical; the romance is provocative and intense-the $ex scenes are intimate without the over the top erotic imagery. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is a sexy and energetic addition to the Saint’s Grove anthology.

___________

The Ghost and the BelleTHE GHOST AND THE BELLE
Saint’s Grove
by Rose Shababy

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: October 13, 2016

Always a loner, Irene Bell prefers to spend her days tending her little bookstore in the sleepy little Virginia town of Saint’s Grove. After all, she tells herself, what other company does a girl need when she has her books?

But when a much anticipated lunar eclipse and planetary alignment bring a meteor that tears a rift between realities, the entire town is thrown into chaos as mythology becomes reality.

A reality that includes a drop-dead gorgeous ghost named Benjamin Churchill, who appears naked and unconscious, smack dab in the middle of her store.

A chance meeting with a witch reveals he’s been cursed, his body and soul bound to his former office, now Irene’s bookstore. The only way to break the curse is to assemble the long-lost pieces of a mystical artifact known as the Star Anthame, a knife created by magic and cursed by the darkest witch Saint’s Grove has ever known. No one knows where the pieces lay, and worse, they aren’t the only ones looking for it.

Racing against a ticking clock, both Irene and Benjamin must fight the irresistible attraction between them.

Breaking the curse means Benjamin can finally cross over. Failing means he’ll be stuck between worlds for another thousand years. And no matter how hard they look, they can’t seem to find a way for him to stay.
What’s a girl to do when the man she loves is a ghost?

•••••••••••

REVIEW: THE GHOST AND THE BELLE by Rose Shababy is part of the multi-authored SAINT’S GROVE paranormal/fantasy/time travel series focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the aftermath of a total lunar eclipse, and the alignment of the planets, that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. This is book store owner Irene Bell, and Benjamin Churchill’s story line.

NOTE: CROSSING TIME, RACING TIME, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and THE GHOST AND THE BELLE (Saint’s Grove) are also part of the multi-authored STAR ATHAME LEGEND series as well. The Ghost and the Belle wraps up the Star Athame Legend premise.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Irene and Benjamin) THE GHOST AND THE BELLE is a story of time travel and ghosts where our hero Benjamin Churchill becomes trapped in present day Saint’s Grove Virginia-a shadow of his former self. With the lunar eclipse and the planets aligned, Benjamin’s ghost is hurdle one hundred and fifty years into the future, present day Saint’s Grove Virginia, where he will fall in love with bookstore owner Irene Bell. As the couple search for a way to send Benjamin back to his time, they will discover that not everything was as it appeared to be one hundred and fifty years earlier- a murder, a fiancé, and a betrayal of the heart will send Benjamin to an early grave.

THE GHOST AND THE BELLE is the fourth and final book focusing on the mystical Star Athame dagger that had cursed four of our story line heroes. The premise is imaginative and revealing as it brings this particular arc of the series to its’ conclusion. The relationship between Benjamin and Irene is one of mutual attraction but because of the hero’s ‘old fashioned’ values, I did not feel the immediate pull of want and need.

I did have a few issues with the editing/writing as it pertained to the switch between first and third person perspective in one particular chapter of the story. The back and forth between first and third person for our story line heroine was obvious and disconcerting, and the error should have been caught by the editor or proofreader. There were also a number of repetitive phrases and series of words in successive paragraphs that should have been modified so that the duplication wasn’t such a distraction; and some issues of grammar and spelling (e.g. to vs too) were also overlooked. Hopefully another round of editing will correct the problems.

THE GHOST AND THE BELLE is another fated lovers story; a time travel tale of betrayal and retribution; ghosts and witches; magic and mayhem that brings together several of the series couples and characters who are all connected by the mystical dagger.

_________________

All Dragon's EveALL DRAGON’S EVE
Saint’s Grove
by Casse Narome

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 15, 2016

Ana Benten spent her life dreaming of something bigger for herself. After high school graduation, she leaves Saint’s Grove in the hopes of finding what will make her truly happy. But even the best-laid plans are no guarantee. When her grandmother passes, Ana’s life comes full-circle. She’s forced to return home and accept what life has thrown at her. The last thing she ever imagined she’d have to accept, arrives in the form of a handsome stranger who barrels into the jewelry shop she inherited, just in time to save her.

Ka-Riu knows what it’s like to have your life turned upside down in the blink of an eye. On what was supposed to be an ordinary day, spent soaring through the skies with his siblings, Ka-Riu and his people find themselves trapped in a curse – in another dimension, in human form. The only way to reverse the curse and gain his life back is to find the stones and the Bentaizen Goddesses who can assist his people. He is on a mission to not let his family down.

Strangely drawn to this mysterious man, Ana volunteers to help the legendary Ka-Riu. Could saving the dragons be the key to finally realizing where she belongs and set her on her true path? With the clock ticking and destiny impatiently waiting, their joining of forces has the potential to change countless lives, especially their own. Will the new path they set lead to Ana finally embracing her true destiny and living the life she fought so hard to attain with the dragon that has undeniably fallen for her?

••••••••

REVIEW: ALL DRAGON’S EVE is part of the multi-authored SAINT’S GROVE paranormal/fantasy, time travel series focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the aftermath of a total lunar eclipse, and the alignment of the planets, that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. This is jewelry store owner Ana Benten, and dragon shifter Ka-Riu’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Ana and Ka-Riu) ALL DRAGON’S EVE follows Ka-Riu as he and his family pass through the lunar eclipse portal to Saint’s Grove, Virginia in the hopes of locating the Clan Stones. For three hundred years the dragons of Inventurea Prism have been cursed; their dragons dormant, and to release their dragons Ka-Riu returns to Saint’s Grove in search of the mystical Hearth Stone aka Clan Stones that are said to carry the power of the dragon. Enter jeweler and ‘goddess’ Ana Benten-a woman unaware of her connections to the dragons but a connection that is triggered with the lunar eclipse.

ALL DRAGON’S EVE is an entertaining story line that is a bit of a departure from the other Saint’s Grove installments wherein the ‘dragons’ are able to travel back and forth through the portal throughout the story, and there is no interplay with any of the other happenings in Saint’s Grove. There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including all of Ka-Riu’s extended family of siblings and dragons that make for some fun and humorous moments. We are introduced to Ana’s best friend Paola who finds herself a prisoner of a man hoping to keep Ana for himself.

Once again, I had a few issues with this story including some problems with cohesion, grammar and spelling; and an inordinate amount of, what I can only describe as, ‘filler’ that, at times, bogged down the flow of the story. The premise is lighthearted; the characters are affectionate and charming; the romance is a quick jump to happily ever after.

____________

Worlds ApartWORLDS APART
Saint’s Grove
by Amy Richie

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 17, 2016

“When I was seven, my father killed me. It was after they brought me back to life that the ghosts found me. They followed me to my world – to Saint’s Grove.”

Sammy Jo Edwards’ small town life has been anything but ordinary. She’s grown used to the strange occurrences that only seem to affect her. But, when a seemingly normal event lands her in extraordinary circumstances, Sammy Jo is hard-pressed to understand what has happened, let alone figure out how to get her old life back.
The last thing Soothsayer Ben expected when he “saw” Sammy Jo enter his world was to find himself drawn to her. Yet, when fate seems determined the two should meet, his growing attraction to her is quickly met with danger. The life Sammy Jo so desperately wants back is threatened.

With only seven days to find the portal back to her world, Sammy Jo and Ben embark on the most dangerous mission of their lives. If they succeed, Sammy Jo gets her life back. If they fail, there will be no future for anyone.

Can they really save the future? And what will become of their hearts if Ben and Sammy Jo are once again worlds apart?

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: WORLDS APART by Amy Richie is part of the multi-authored SAINTS GROVE paranormal, time travel series focusing on the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia and the aftermath off a total lunar eclipse and the alignment of the planets that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil. This is soothsayer Ben Monroe, and Sammy Jo Edwards’s story line.

Told from first person point of view (Sammy Jo ) WORLDS APART is a paranormal, time travel romance that follows twenty year old Sammy Jo Edwards as she is hurdled forward in time following a lunar eclipse and the alignment of the planets that will open a portal to the otherworld releasing all mythical beings for an epic battle of Good versus Evil in the town of Saint’s Grove, Virginia.

WORLDS APART reads like a middle-grade / YA story line. The story line is uncomplicated and slow to build; the text and conversations are simple; the requisite evil is easily tamed but I never felt wholly engaged with the characters or what was happening in the world around them. It felt as though there were too many details missing, and the background information regarding the future time period is virtually non-existent. There are a few twists and turns at the end of the story line with the potential for a happily ever after-for now. Perhaps the author has plans for a future installment focusing on what happens with Sammy and Ben’s return to the past.

Copies supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Class of ’59 (American Journey #4) by John A. Heldt-a review

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Class of ’59 ( American Journey #4) by John A Heldt-a review

Class of 59

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk

When Mary Beth McIntire settles into a vacation house on June 2, 2017, she anticipates a quiet morning with coffee. Then she hears a noise, peers out a window, and spots a man in 1950s attire standing in the backyard. She panics when the trespasser sees her and enters the house though a door to the basement. She questions her sanity when she cannot find him.

In the same house on March 21, 1959, Mark Ryan finds a letter. Written by the mansion’s original owner in 1900, the letter describes a basement chamber, mysterious crystals, and a formula for time travel. Driven by curiosity, Mark tests the formula twice. On his second trip to 2017, he encounters a beautiful stranger. He meets the woman in the window.

Within hours, Mary Beth and Mark share their secret with her sister and his brother and begin a journey that takes them from the present day to the age of sock hops, drive-ins, and jukeboxes. In CLASS OF ’59, the fourth book in the American Journey series, four young adults find love, danger, and adventure as they navigate the corridors of time and experience Southern California in its storied prime.

REVIEW

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

OK, so I have been reviewing for John Heldt for a while now, and I admit that when I start one of his books, he is already at a 5 star rating, simply because he ALWAYS delivers. Every time I review I think, “my goodness, seriously there has to be something that I can pick at?”, but NOPE, NEVER IS! This time is not the least bit different, and I struggle to find new ways to gush about John’s writing. So instead of trying to find new ways to write an “OMG, I LOVED IT!” review, I am just going to write the gush of happy that I felt, and if it comes across repetitive, well it’s John’s fault for writing another freaking fantastic book! LOL

Class of ’59 is the fourth book of John A Heldt’s American Journey Series. This book was MY FAVE! I always make mention of my dislike of time travelling books (other than The Outlander Series) and for sure now, other than American Journey Series. This book had a more lighthearted feel, with it’s own unique sense of danger and angst, but forefront to all of John’s books, and especially in this one, is romance and love. I love a gritty dirty book, but John doesn’t deliver this, thank goodness, because what he has done, that many dirty gritty book authors do not, is make me believe in timeless romance and sweet true love. How refreshing!

Mary Beth lives in 2017, and is vacationing with her sister Piper, when she sees a man strolling into the house’s basement. This man is dressed as if he comes from the 1950’s. Before we know it, an elaborate story of finding a letter that the original home owner wrote, with description of time travel, surfaces. Deciding, “well let’s see what happens!” we are back in the 1950’s where poodle skirts, sock hops, drive in movies and old fashioned teenage fun is being had by our characters. Mark (who was the man entering the basement) has a brother Ben who becomes paired up with Piper. Essentially, sisters Mary Beth and Piper become romantically involved in brothers Mark and Ben.

Innocent fun and experiences are being enjoy by both couples, and true love is blooming. However, time travel comes with consequences, and times are dangerous for our couples. Before long, the questions of “Where is it the most safe?”, and “Is it fair to ask one person to jump into life with another outside of their planned existence?” are asked. Is this even possible? Unfortunately, fate takes over and separation must occur. What does one do when they have found a once in a lifetime love with another, but decades is what is separating you? Is there a way back to each other or was it only ever meant to be brief?

Ya, my heart string got pulled as well! LOL I found I asked myself more than once, if I was ever presented with the ability to time travel, would I do it? It also made me reflect of how different eras produce such different generations, but love will always be love.

Strong, well rounded, and believable characters. Strong story with vivid examples of a time I have never experienced but think I came about as close to it as I could reading this book. John, you never cease to amaze me with your talent. If you are looking for a fantastic time travel series, please, PLEASE do yourself a favour and read John A Heldt!

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
September Sky
Mercer Street
Indiana Belle
Class of ’59

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Rachel T.

about the author

John HeldtFollow John: Goodreads / Website/Blog/ Twitter /

John A. Heldt is the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage and American Journey series. The former reference librarian and award-winning sportswriter has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, Heldt is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life at johnheldt.blogspot.com.

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