Book Spotlight - Crumble by Victor Penro

Crumble

Description

Kent Robbs lives in his own dark, sad world, and he isn’t sure what it would take to turn him into someone who could fit with the rest of society. An amazing guitarist, he’s nevertheless cursed with stage fright that keeps him from truly using his gift. After a run of bad luck that is literally fiery, someone finally lends him a hand.

Musician and music producer Gino Favori hires Kent to play in his band. In a relatively short amount of time, Kent makes friends for life and even falls for the band’s sultry lead singer, Erin. Although his demons continue to haunt him, he is determined not to squander this opportunity and what may be his last chance at success.

When the band goes on tour and finds the situation overwhelming, Kent becomes the one to pull them
together. He dismisses his own issues and puts his bandmates on his shoulders, carrying them so they can see over the clouds. But Kent’s luck is never that good for long. Once he finds himself over the hell he created for most of his life, it looks like the band, his love life, his sanity and the world may crumble in spite of him.

Genre: General Fiction

Facebook Page: Crumble the Novel

About the Author

Victor Penro was born in Cleveland, Ohio. From the fifth grade on he knew that he wanted to be
a writer. After graduating from Shaker Heights High School he entered college in Chicago. It was at Columbia College Chicago that he went deep in the culture of writing in the college’s creative writing department. After a hiatus of college Victor wrote many short stories and a few screenplays. Crumble was his first full novel. He currently lives in Chicago, IL.

Review ~ Born in Flames (Born in Flames Trilogy #1) - Candace Knoebel

Ebook received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Published: September 6th 2012 by 48fourteen

ASIN: B0096PPK4Q

Description

Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon.

Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?

My Opinion

I first saw this book when I entered a giveaway to win a copy. The beautiful cover caught my eye and the dragon concept intrigued me. Sadly I didn't win so when Candace Knoebel offered me a chance to review the book - when I took part in a cover reveal for the sequel - I was quite excited and jumped at the chance to accept. 

Recently I have started to read more and more dragon themed books and I'm starting to get into them. Born in Flames presented an interesting concept with Aurora not remembering anything from her previous life in a different world. You get thrown straight into the action which did confuse me a lot as no description of who everyone is, is given and so it was hard to make out what was going on. However the book did remain at a fast pace and even though people aren't cleared up until the end it did add to the over all mystery as you follow Aurora's journey of discovery. It also helped me feel like I was finding stuff out with her rather than being a few steps ahead.

The plot line in Born in Flames was constructed and structured well however the book could use a serious edit as beside the numerous grammatical error there were a few continuity issues. This left the book either contradicting previous events or forcing me to re-read bits to check whether the information really had been stated for example, at one point Aurora tells Fenn a letter that has just been read out mentions him directly by name but when you read the letter it does not. It not only confused me but ruined the overall finish. Other times it could do with an edit to avoid repetitive sections that seem to go over the same information with unnecessary detail. I must admit I did skim some parts as I was like "OK I already know this and have been told a few times, move on..." and parts became boring.

With regards to the characters, I have to say I love the name Aurora and the way the author linked it to the name's meaning I thought was quite clever. For most of the book though, Aurora was whiney and annoying, throwing tantrums at the first sign of any hardship. She also came across as quite childish, a fact shown with her nickname of "Mr Creepy" for a guy trying to help her. I did like her towards the end where she did start to come alive but personally it was a bit late and I would have like her development to be spread through the novel rather than all at once. It also felt like she wasted a lot of time with her whining and refusing to do things. I mean they were on a time scale and it just lacked a realistic quality. For me there was no sense of urgency. 

On another note I would have liked more romance as personally it all seemed a bit abrupt. They had been living together for years and never done anything about it or admitted their feelings but within a space of a few weeks they have this deep connection all of a sudden. Not to mention when they both admit it finally Fenn was cut out of the novel! Maybe he will be in the sequel and more will develop, I don't know. 

Overall Born in Flames was a fast paced book that did hold my interest, however if the writing continues at the standard it is right now I'm not sure I will be able to read the sequel as this book was in need of a good edit to get rid of mistakes and hone in on the main points to get rid of unnecessary detail that made it seem long winded in places. I love the cover and the overall concept and think with some changes Candace could have a good book on her hands.

                                           

Book Tour ~ The Underground Witch by Debbie Dee Spotlight & Giveaway

The Underground Witch

Description
As the last of the Incenaga Witches, Emmeline has been tortured and forced to use her power to kill. But unlike the Incenagas before her, she has survived. With her freedom restored, she should feel safe, invincible even. After all, she has the protection of Prince Erick’s army and a power strong enough to obliterate any enemy. Yet Emmeline lives in fear for the next person who will try to control her, and no one can seem to find the tyrant threatening to claim her. 

Until it’s too late. 

With everything on the line, and the enemy at her throat, will Emmeline be able to use her power like never before? Even if it kills her? 

In The Underground Witch, the second novel of the Incenaga Trilogy, Debbie Dee  delivers enough adventure, heartbreak, and suspense to captivate readers at every turn.



Author Bio

Debbie Dee recently moved to southern Idaho with her husband and three children where she is learning how to be a country girl in her favorite pair of blue heels. She adores fairy tales and happy endings, but secretly crushes on the bad guy now and then. 

As a dedicated musician who practices way too much, she never expected writing would sweep her off her feet until she jotted down a scene from a daydream, which turned into two scenes, which turned into a messy house and her first novel. Since then she hasn’t been able to let a day go by without writing. 

In addition to writing, she plays the piano, harp, violin, and gets in frequent fights with her cello. She loves to read and play board games - when she is winning. 

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

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Book Spotlight - Sanacion: The Black Hole Mission by Mary Louise Davie

Sanacion: The Black Hole Mission

Description

Oxygen is depleted on the now-polluted planet Earth, and the people of the world have come to the ultimate realization that the survival of mankind is only possible if they find a new home. And not just a new home-but, a new planet.
Nature's response to the unilateral taking of its resources and giving back unwanted pollutants has resulted in an uninhabitable, poisoned world. Now, in 2265, people are required to wear oxygen masks and protective outer clothing. Now, with so many individual things having gone wrong, any attempt to repair the earth's environment is faced with the difficulty of simply knowing where to begin. From the climate shifts that have northern America facing a mini-ice age and Europe becoming a desert, to the magnetic pole reversals, the greenhouse gases and intensive atmospheric changes make the earth the harsh environment people now know.
The nations of the world are declaring a moratorium on war, and they're working together at a moon base, building three space ships using three different technologies. Three ships with three different modes of travel are scheduled to embark on a search for a new terrestrial home in the hope that one will find a habitable planet and mankind will survive. One huge ship, the Sanacion, has the most difficult mission of the three: to travel down the black hole V4641 and blow a hole in the vortex wall using a bomb made from star material.
As the shuttles travel from planet Earth and make the trip to the lunar site, solar flares, destructive tornados, and other weather events devastate the moon base. Sanacion is forced to depart the base sooner than planned, and begins its mission with one strike already against it.
With a population of several-hundred-thousand civilians and military personnel, Sanacion embarks on a quest to find a new home for mankind. During the voyage conflicts arise, and a battle between the civilian leadership and the military command for control of the mission results in a fight for Sanacion's very survival. With everything testing their resolve, what will happen when they must face the black hole? Will mankind's arrogance doom the mission and simply trade one hell for another?

Buy Link: Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Mary Louise Davie is a lifelong writer, most widely known as a poet and songwriter. An amateur astronomer with background in science and an interest in theoretical physics. She spends many a night searching the sky through her telescope. Mary grew up in Union County, New Jersey and now lives in rural West Milford.

twitter: @MaryLouiseDavie
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Book Spotlight - Vagabond Boy by Joel Everett Harding

Vagabond Boy

Description
This true adventure memoir written in a creative non-fiction style concerns a boy who navigates through an unusual childhood while traveling throughout 1950s America with his restless parents, bumping into reality at every turn. The author's encounters with strange landscapes, curious people, and dubious caretakers dangle confusing lessons he must choose to accept or discard at his peril. The book abounds in humor and boyhood adventure, but chaos also hitches a ride on the family’s wandering path. Eventually that path ends abruptly and he is swept toward an emotional chasm that threatens to swallow and imprison him forever, and to secure his future with a purposeful life he must somehow decipher secrets in a mysterious forbidden pond that beckons him.

Genre: Memoir

Buy Links: Amazon Paperback, Amazon Kindle, Smashwords

Trailer & Excerpt

About the Author

Joel Everett Harding has professional credentials in a variety of scientific fields, including river geomorphic restoration, bioengineering design, ecosystem ecology and animal and human behavior. He has been a scientist to private industry, federal, state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. When he is not writing and otherwise working he spends his time in the Piedmont with his family photographing and painting the landscape, tending his gardens and koi pond. This is his first published book.