Contest Winner! Jim Bernheimer's Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery

Hi everyone! I'm announcing the winner for the free e-book copy of Jim Bernheimer's new work!

Using random.org I chose Skyjammer as the lucky winner!

I'll email the author with your information!

Guest blog and giveaway!! Jim Bernheimer's Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery

Hi everyone!! I'd love to re-introduce you to a writer that I've featured before on my blog, Jim Bernheimer!

Jim has a new book coming out, Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery! It's fairly cool sounding for several reasons, not the least of which is that he wrote the entire thing on an HTC Tilt keyboard. Think about that as far as dedication goes!

Jim has agreed to not only write a blog for me, but to also give away a copy to one lucky reader! I've read some of his other stuff, so trust me when I say that you'll want to give this book a try! I've got a copy myself, so I'll have a review posted as soon as I finish!

All you have to do to win a copy is put your email down at the bottom in the following format (name at domain dot com) to ensure that spammers don't grab your stuff! I'll announce the winner on Sunday, September 16th!

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New Ways of Writing by Jim Bernheimer

I'd like to thank ChibiNeko for letting me guest post on her blog and also to promote my new release Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery.

Today, I'd like to talk about finding the time to write and the ways I've been trying to get more productivity.  Back when my wife and I just had one daughter, I could get away with staying up until all hours of the night poking away on my desktop or laptop.  That kind of ended with child number two.  She turned four the other day and the odds of me having set writing times are roughly slim and none.

Since time travel hasn't been invented yet (at least to my knowledge), authors who want to squeeze a few more grains of sand out of the hourglass need to get creative.  I've tried a few methods and will share with you my success and disappointments.

To date, my most successful attempt has been with my HTC Tilt mobile phone.  It has a slide out keyboard and my thumbs do the majority of the work.  This post was written on it.

The only real downside is that this method, when combined with my large thumbs, appears to be murder on my spelling.  Still, I just email the document and run it through my computer's word processor to catch the mistakes.  As far as productivity goes, I can usually get between 250 and 400 words per hour even if I'm using a treadmill or stationary bike.  The elliptical doesn't work because there is too motion.  (Yeah, I tried.)

The negatives are overcome by the sheer portability.  Add another page to the novel while my youngest is doing her gymnastics?  Not a problem.  Stuck in the back of a car on a long trip?  That too, unless you get a headache.

The other method that I have tried with less than stellar results is Dragon Naturally Speaking.  For me, it's the holy grail of writing - the notion that you could speak the words in your mind out loud and the book appears out of thin air at a rate of over a thousand words per hour.

Now here's the reality.  It takes lots and lots of practice.  You must speak slowly and work on your pronunciation.  If you're doing a fantasy novel filled with strange names and the like, be prepared to do a cubic ton of editing.  The upside to using Dragon is that the software gets easier to use the more you work with it.  The program "learns" your patterns and you "learn" the best ways for getting closer to the results you'd like to achieve.

The process begs the question - Are you training the software or is the software training you.  In my experience, it's a little of both.

One other problem I run into with the software is probably of my own making, but I'll throw it out there for you anyway.  I have a difficult time using it when there is someone else in the house.  Perhaps I’m easily embarrassed, but that’s just me.

Lastly, I've tried using a voice activated digital recorder during my commute or on long solo trips and then connect the recorder to my computer and process it with Dragon.  Again, this is a concept that sounds better than the reality.  It works fairly well for doing character dialogue, if you're the type of writer who can do the pretend conversations with your characters out loud.  Doing long blocks of descriptive exposition is a bit more difficult (at least for me).

Thanks again to ChibiNeko for hosting me today.  Here's a quick promo for Prime Suspects: A Clone Detective Mystery.  The story is a noir murder mystery set against a science fiction backdrop.  The concept that got me started writing the novel was the desire to write something in the vein of Blade Runner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep).  I wanted to do it from the eyes of a replicant…or in my case a clone.  At just over 55 thousand words, the paperback version should end up being between 160 and 180 pages when it is released in the next 4 weeks.  Right now it’s available on Kindle and the other electronic formats will follow.

Homicide detective David Bagini awakens on a strange world only to discover he is, in fact, the forty-second clone of the Bagini line. Having no memories of why his Prime entered into a clone contract, he wants answers.

The first problem is his Prime has been murdered and Bagini Forty-Two is now in charge of the investigation.

The second problem is all the clues point at one of his fellow clones and they already know all his tricks.

How can he solve his own murder when all the suspects have his name and face?

Link to novel - www.amazon.com/dp/B0090A4MLY

Link to website – www.jimbernheimer.com

Link to author central - www.amazon.com/Jim-Bernheimer/e/B0028OE2UA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Book Review: Deviant by Adrian McKinty

Title: Deviant
Author: Adrian McKinty
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: 10/01/2011
ISBN: 9780810984202







I really debated about whether or not to review this book because I didn't really know what to say about it. It isn't a terrible read but I just didn't get into this as much as I would have liked to. The following parts of the review will be semi-spoilerish (I'll leave the big stuff out) to some people, so if you're wondering whether or not to read the book then here's my opinion: It's worth checking out as a library book & reading. I also recommend that you read the book synopsis below because well, the official book description isn't all that accurate. Those details are in the book, but not to the degree that the official synopsis makes it appear.

Danny's not happy. First his mother got married to a guy that Danny just can't stand and now he has to leave his home because his mother got a new job in Colorado. To make matters worse, Danny's new school is "special" in that everything is controlled. The kids don't just wear uniforms- they're also not allowed to speak unless it's from a script. Supposedly the incredibly controlling environment is going to help kids excel, but it doesn't stop schoolyard bullies from finding ways to pick on Danny & his new friends. If these stressors aren't enough, there's the neighborhood's tendency for dead cats. The adults swear that it's due to coyotes, but the kids know better. They know that there's someone dangerous out there & that it's only a matter of time before he makes the leap from animals to humans!

First the good. I really appreciated that the author took such great pains to research the stages that a potential serial killer would go through as well as what might go through their minds. The rather gruesome beginning to the book sets a dark tone for much of the book's opening. When it comes to details about serial killing, the author is top notch.

However, when it comes to details about everything else the author seems to come up a little short. Scenes that revolve around non-serial killer emotions tend to fall a little flat & I really couldn't help but feel that a few lines here or there would have helped out immensely. One such scene occurs later in the book with Danny & there just wasn't enough buildup to really justify such a scene, especially since it's such a complete opposite of things he was feeling & thinking earlier. It also doesn't help that the book's official description doesn't really fit the actions of the book's bad guy. If you're expecting this to be about a serial killer then you'll be semi-disappointed. The book is mostly about Danny adapting to his new environment, his stepdad, & his new friends.

I'm willing to give the book the benefit of the doubt though & I'll still recommend it, albeit as a library read. I can see this having a pretty large appeal to the male reading audience, especially since it's so hard for young men to find a book that isn't aimed towards teen girls or written for a far younger mindset. It's just that this didn't draw me in like I really wanted & needed it to. It'll never capture the public mindset like Pretty Little Liars did, but I have a feeling that it'll still find a good following.

2.5/5

(Arc provided by Netgalley)

Check it Out: Jennifer Chase

Hi everyone! Here's your second dose of author coolness for the day!


I'd like to introduce you to Jennifer Chase, award winning author of Silent Partner, Dead Game, & Compulsion. When she's not writing up a storm, she helps others do the same! With a background in criminology, Jennifer has an insider's view to crime that not everyone can have.

Jennifer has agreed to answer a few questions I lobbed her way, so get ready for some pretty cool answers! (Yes, I asked the pizza question. I'm so hard hitting.)

What made you decide to write? Did you always know that you wanted to be an author or was there an “aha!” moment in your life where you suddenly knew that this was what you wanted to do?

I’ve loved books and reading ever since I was a young child. Writing was a great form of expression for me when I was young. It just stuck with me. As an adult, I went into another career, but writing was always in the back of my mind. In 2008, I felt that the timing was right and I wrote my first fiction/thriller Compulsion. It was actually my “aha” moment and I haven’t looked back.

What inspires you? Do you have a muse that you tap into each time you write or does your imagination respond to different things, like seeing an apple & suddenly deciding to write a story about an apple farmer?

Everything around us inspires me. I could see a vacant house, a heavily wooded area, or a long stretch of beach and I think about my writing projects or specific scenes. There are so many things for my imagination to draw upon and incorporate into a story.

How do you come up with the titles for your books? These can often be amongst the hardest things for authors to settle on, so how & when in the process do you start coming up with titles?

The best titles just pop into my head without any struggle. As I’m creating an outline and then writing a story, I keep a notebook and write everything down that pertains to my title. Some are terrible and others more accurate. I don’t pressure myself to get a title immediately, I let it simmer in the background and the right title floats to the surface.

Are any of the experiences in your books based on someone you know, or events in your own life? Have you ever seen or done any of the things in your book? If not, how did you go about doing your research?

My character’s experiences are based on a combination of my imagination, events and problems facing the world with crime and forensics, and my way of coping with them. I love to do research. I try to conduct research from a variety of different resources, such as the Internet, professionals, libraries, and talk to everyone I can about a certain subject. For my latest crime/fiction novel Silent Partner, it’s about a police K9 officer chasing a serial killer. I actually spent time training with the local K9 and learned first hand what it was like.

Who are some of your favorite authors? Have they helped inspire your writing by reaffirming your decision to write or by indirectly giving you ideas for various stories?

There are so many great authors out there. Here are a few of my favorites, Dean Koontz, Jeffrey Deaver, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, and David Baldacci. Reading all types of books and genres helps to inspire my writing abilities. I believe that you learn so much from reading as well as from every book you write.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Write what YOU want to write. Write was interests you the most and not what you think you should be writing or what someone else tells you. Stay focused and above all, write everyday.

What is the hardest thing about writing for you? Everyone’s got that one part of writing that seems to stick with them.

There are some writing days when it’s difficult to stay motivated and that pesky procrastination creeps up. I’ve learned to not be too hard on myself and try to refocus my writing energy in a positive way.

In the light of recent infamous responses to negative reviews, how would you recommend responding to negative reviewers?

It’s human nature that we ALL don’t see things in the same way. What a boring world it would be if we did? I admit, I don’t like negative reviews, but if the review is intelligent and constructive, there’s something to be learned from it whether you agree with it or not. However, there are some individuals out there that just write out mean comments. You have to learn to not fixate on these types of reviews and not worry about it.

What do you like on your pizza? (Not book related but everyone’s got a favorite topping!)

I love pizza! I like a soft, thick crust with pepperoni and extra mushrooms.

About the author:
Jennifer Chase holds a bachelor's degree in police forensics and a master's degree in criminology. Her intense curiosity in the psychological aspect of crime is what drives her to write crime fiction/. She is the author of Compulsion, Dead Game, and Silent Partner. She lives in California, where she's currently at work on her next book in the series.


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Curious to read more of Jennifer's work? Then check out her latest book Silent Partner, available through Amazon (in both paperback & kindle formats) & Barnes & Nobles! If you're wanting to read all of her works, you can find them easily on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, as well as a selection of them on Smashwords.

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Also, don't forget that there's still time to enter in my giveaway hop for a chance to win an amazon giftcard or one of several great ebooks!

Book Review: The Paris Secret by Angela Henry

Title: The Paris Secret
Author: Angela Henry
Publisher: Carina Press
Release Date: 01/17/2011
ISBN: 9781426891083







If the DaVinci Code & Julie Kenner's Play or Die series had a baby, I think it might be a little something like this. While it doesn't entirely fill the shoes of these two greats (hey, those are mighty big shoes), it definitely satisfied my cravings for hot romance & historical mystery during the holiday season.

Less than twenty-four hours after fleeing to Paris, Maya Sinclair is the prime suspect in a brutal murder—and targeted by the real killer. When she's viciously attacked in the gardens of Versailles, Maya barely escapes with her life thanks to sexy French journalist Simon Girard.

Simon has been investigating the mysterious death of his brother, an art forger with ties to the woman Maya is suspected of killing. Still healing from heartbreak of his own, Simon reluctantly joins forces with Maya, who has awakened feelings within him he thought long dead.

Their search for answers uncovers the existence of a secret society, and puts them on a quest to find a missing crucifix rumored to hold the key to everlasting life. Together, Maya and Simon race through Paris one step ahead of a killer who will do anything to ensure some secrets remain buried forever...

This really was fun to read. Simon & Maya have a lot of chemistry together in & out of bed. Something I found refreshing (and might be considered slightly spoilery) is that while the relationship is left up in the air until the end of the book, our dynamic duo didn't fight their desire to bed each other early on in the book. It's pretty much a romance staple for our romantic leads to deny the lust between the two of them, so it was nice to see a couple that did the opposite of that. There's still a little angst in the relationship, so it's not completely smooth sailing for them. Also interesting is the mystery of the crucifix- while there were a few bumpy spots to the hunt, the historical aspects were obviously well researched & lovingly detailed.

While the historical parts of the story were well done, at times the story just seemed a little too large for the page count of the book. The later parts of the book seemed a little too glossed over for how important they were, plus some of the discoveries at the end seemed a little too coincidental. However, it felt less like an oversight or "easy way out" than it was an attempt to fit into a specific page count or to keep in tone with the quickly paced ending. I can't help but feel that if there had been about 10-15 more pages to the book, it would have been perfect.

Overall this was a very fun book to read & I really loved the characters in this book. (Brian & Jerrod were two of my favorites, short as their time in the story was.) I just wish that the ending had been a little more fleshed out to fit the story that preceded it. It's still well worth reading, if only for the romance built between the two lead characters.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: American Vampire by Jennifer Armintrout

Title: American Vampire
Author: Jennifer Armintrout
Publisher: Mira
Release Date: 03/01/2011
ISBN: 0778328783





If you're wondering if this is a series, I don't have an answer for you. This story in Armintrout's newest can stand alone by itself, but it can quite easily start off a new series in itself. As far as tying into Armintrout's other vampire series Blood Ties, I can't honestly answer that either. There's not enough detail here to determine whether it's part of that canon, but Armintrout could easily declare that it is if she wanted to. What I can tell you is that this was a blast to read.


Welcome to Penance, Ohio - hell on earth! Graf's a vampire, and he loves it. He's free to indulge his every dark, dangerous and debauched whim. Until a road trip takes him somewhere he never expected. Now he's trapped in Penance, a town that no-one has been able to leave for five years. And he's stuck protecting Jessa who's beautiful, tempting...and very, very human! The townsfolk know she's tied to their troubles and don't look kindly on strangers, meaning Graf and Jessa have only each other to rely on. Which is making it harder for Graf to control his desire to devour her...But if he can keep his bloodlust in check, their bond could be the key to uncovering the secrets that lurk within Penance and delivering the town from it's curse.


Where to start? There's so much about this book that was interesting. The premise of a town that nobody can leave or enter would have been able to carry the book by itself, but adding vampires just made it a little bit cooler. (Hey, supernatural creatures make just about everything better!) I loved Jessa's weary acceptance of the life she's had to put up with for the last five years. It made both her previous actions as well as her reluctant attraction to Graf that much easier to believe. I also loved the attention to detail, such as the lack of luxuries in a tiny town cut off from civilization. You really begin to realize how much everyone's cut off when you read about your heroine using homemade soap & getting gaspy over a rare bag of flour.


Also interesting is the mystery behind the bloodthirsty creature (It, not Graf) that's been terrorizing everyone and keeping everyone inside the town. Some might be able to piece together the puzzle midway through the book, but Armintrout still has a few surprises left in her bag of tricks by the end of the book.


I'll admit that the book was a little slow to start, but once you're hooked, you're hooked. I do hope that there's a bit more, even if it's just a short story or a prequel. This really was just that fun to read.


(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Book Review: Mystify (Mystyx #2) by Artist Author

Title: Mystify (Mystyx #2)
Author: Artist Author
Publisher: Kimani
Release Date: 02/01/2011
ISBN: 0373534310






If you were on the fence about the first book, then rest assured that this entry will put you solidly in the “crazy about Mystyx” camp.

Sometimes being an outsider is the best way to fit in…

Sasha Carrington has grown up feeling like an outsider, and her parents are too concerned with scaling the Lincoln, Connecticut, social ladder to even notice her. They’d be really horrified to know about the supernatural abilities Sasha and her friends Krystal and Jake possess. But as part of the Mystyx, Sasha has found her place.

Now her parents have suddenly taken an interest in everything she does, and their timing couldn’t be worse. Sasha’s father wants her to become BFFs with snooty Alyssa Turner, who hates Krystal for stealing her boyfriend. Then there’s Antoine Watson, the boy Sasha has liked forever, the boy her parents would never approve of. But with the dark side getting more dangerous by the day, and the Mystyx’s own powers growing in unexpected ways, Sasha is facing choices that could affect her friends, her love life—and even her destiny…

I liked the first book in the series, but I have to admit that I enjoyed this book more than the first one. Sasha’s a pretty tough cookie & a little more assertive at times than Krystal was in the first book. (Although I do have to say that Krystal seems to be coming into her own in this book as well.) It also helps that the chemistry between Sasha & her crush Antoine is really well written & comes across nicely. Readers will really find themselves rooting for these two.

The book still has a bit of the growing pains that the first volume did, but Author is getting more comfortable with the characters & the plot, which comes across in her style. You can really tell that she had a lot of fun writing this entry. I just really wish that there were more questions answered in this volume- I found myself really getting frustrated along with the characters that there weren’t any real answers to their questions just yet. Even so, I really do recommend checking this book out- it’s well worth reading.

(ARC provided by NetGalley)

Read the first part of The Lying Game online!!

Thanks to HarperTeen, you can read the first few chapters on their site for absolutely free! Trust me- you NEED to read this book. It's an absolute necessity if you loved Pretty Little Liars!

Book Review: The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

Title: The Lying Game (Lying Game #1)
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: 12/07/2010
ISBN: 0061869708







Having read & loved Shepard's Pretty Little Liars series, when I got the chance to review her newest series I was over the moon. As soon as I received this book in the mail I ran off to read it & finished it in one night. It was that addicting of a read.

Emma's always bounced around from foster home to foster home, never finding a great place to live & often living with people who either held her at arm's length or tried to take more liberties with her than they should. When a mysterious & violent video shows a person that's identical to her, Emma researches it to discover that there's someone out there with her face. A sister she's never known, Sutton Mercer, invites her to visit with her, only for Emma to discover that there's more going on than she ever could have guessed. Sutton is dead & someone is intent on making Emma pretend to be her. As Emma uses her skills to investigate Sutton's murder, she begins to realize that she can't trust anyone in Sutton's seemingly perfect life & that everyone's a suspect. Little does Emma know that her sister Sutton is watching over her, equally in the dark about who killed her & hoping that Emma will bring her killer to justice.

I'll just say this: if you loved PLL, you'll love this book. It's got more of the same things that made the other series so fun to read: mean girls, dirty little secrets, rivalries, & of course- a hard to solve murder. Readers will love the character of Emma, being able to commiserate with her as she goes from elation at having a sister to horror as she begins to feel the threat hanging over her head.

I didn't really have any complaints over this novel- it was slickly written & trust me, you'll be addicted to this book just as much as you would PLL. I was initially a bit worried that the idea of a complete stranger slipping into someone's life (that she doesn't know) would be a bit hard to believe, but Shepard addresses this in a believable way.

This book is going to be one of the must reads of December & with the second book coming out in July, you won't have to worry about going too long without your next fix.

(Review copy provided by amazon vine)

Sara Shepard's The Lying Game is becoming a tv show!

I just discovered that Sara Shepard's Lying Game has been picked up for a tv pilot, which means that there's a chance for it to become a tv show at some point in time. With Pretty Little Liars on the air, it makes a lot of sense for ABC to try to bring out as many similar things as possible- especially since PLL has decent ratings & won the Teen Choice Awards.

This makes me want to read the book even more- after all, if it's getting picked up for a pilot without it being released yet then the book must be pretty good!

Book Review: Vampire Vacation by C.J. Ellisson

Title: Vampire Vacation (The V.V. Inn #1)
Author: C.J. Ellisson
Publisher: R.H. Publishing
Release Date: 10/10/2010
ISBN: 9780982661000







While there have been a lot of vampire books flooding the market, I can safely say that I haven’t seen a novel combine vampires, sex, mystery, AND innkeeping. Shoot, I’ve never seen a vampire hotel themed book before, so that element alone intrigued me.

Ancient vampire Vivian runs an Alaskan inn that caters to an ultra exclusive crowd, specializing in erotic pleasures. Money can’t buy your way in, nor will wearing the right clothing. No, to gain a room in this hotel you have to be an owner of a pair of fangs or at least be traveling with someone who does. Vivian’s pretty happy to spend her days quietly in the cold North, hiding her true powers from those would have her dead. When a dead body is found in one of the hotel rooms & old threats from the past threaten to re-emerge, it is going to take Vivian’s entire arsenal to figure out what is going on & to keep her precious peace from being disturbed.

Liberally sprinkling generous portions of red hot sex scenes in with a mystery that is slow to reveal its secrets, Ellisson gives the audience the usual vampire powers with just enough new additions to make the book interesting. Having a vampire run a hotel just for her fanged counterparts to freely romp in is something that isn’t usually seen, which works surprisingly well.

The only downfall of the book is that there’s a LOT of back story going on here, so much that some readers will wonder if they’ve picked up the second book in a series or if there are previous books out there further detailing Vivian’s exploits. Ellisson does her best to elaborate on Vivian’s past in brief glimpses, but it will still leave some readers feeling like they’re being left a little in the dark & looking for prequel novels.

Overall, this is a decent first novel by Ellisson. There are a few rough spots to work out here & there (mostly dealing with Vivian’s past as noted above), the spicy & lovingly written sex does make up for it.

I will let you guys know that while there is going to be a sequel dealing with things mentioned at the end of the book, the author has told me that there will be a prequel to the novels dealing with Vivian's past. So fear not- we'll eventually get a novel dealing with all of the past mentioned in the book!

(Reader copy provided by author)

Book Review: The Pinchbeck Bride by Stephen Anable

Title: A Pinchbeck Bride
Author: Stephen Anable
Publishing House: Poisoned Pen Press
Release Date: 03/04/2011
ISBN: 1590588584




If you like mystery then it's often troublesome to find books that actually have mystery in them rather than having a hero or heroine just walking through a mystery & having everything unfold for them with little to no footwork. It's incredibly frustrating because sometimes that takes the guesswork out of everything. Luckily for you, this book actually has it's main character do some actual sleuthing & footwork.

Mark Winslow's in over his head. Not only does he have to work on his standup routine but he also has to worry about being a trustee at a local museum dedicated to the Victorian era. Mingo House is well known for it's collection of curios... as well as for it's unsavory past of seances, stolen royal goods, & blood money. When Mark discovers a murdered young woman (in Victorian clothing no less) in the museum, he just can't help but investigate the murder. Is this the work of a calculated murderer or is Mingo House really cursed?

Readers will thrill at this latest entry in the Mark Winslow series, especially since there's so much here to like. Not only does Anable create a series with a gay lead, but he also manages to keep from making him the one note stereotype that can be seen in many mainstream mystery series. Mark is gay, proud of it, & isn't going to conform to anyone else's ideals. It's incredibly refreshing, to be honest.

Many will also like the rich atmosphere that Anable weaves for the audience as he also delivers a page turning mystery that will keep you guessing until the last few pages. (I know I didn't predict the ending until the very last part of the book!) You'll find yourself not only reading for those few more minutes longer, but you'll also enjoy the great interactions between the characters. Another great thing for potential readers is that while this is the second book in the series, it is incredibly easy to pick up & follow along with. (Which is how most series books should be.) No worries about not being able to keep up with previously mentioned story lines.

The only flaws of this book are that the book is a little dry to start off with & that the ending is a little rushed. Some might find that while the ending is very plausible, that they just wanted a little bit more to the story to expand & flesh out the conclusion a little. This doesn't mar the overall enjoyment of it all, though.

This is one book that is worth the read & I heartily recommend it to fans of cozy mysteries & page turners.

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick

Title: Draw the Dark
Author: Ilsa J. Bick
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Release Date: 10/01/2010
ISBN: 076135686X







Sometimes first impressions can be misleading. When I first took a look at this book, I have to admit that I passed it over in favor of other flashier titles that were out there in the YA categories on NetGalley. I kept coming back to it though- the idea of the book just sounded interesting. I have to keep reminding myself that sometimes some of the best books can be the most unassuming.

Christian would like to tell you that he's just your average teenager, but that'd be far from the truth. From a young age he's always been thought of as different. One of his first teachers hung herself because of what she saw in one of his drawings. His aunt suffered a horrible car accident after he drew something for her in a fit of anger. His parents mysteriously disappeared, although he doesn't think he had anything to do with that. So it's no wonder that most townsfolk view him as a freak. You see, he can't help but draw & many times his drawings show people an uglier side of themselves they'd rather ignore. When Christian finds himself in trouble for graffiti drawn on a barn belonging to the richest man in town he discovers that he's uncovered something truly ugly- something that the town's been hiding for years. Nazi prison camps, murder, & a door without a doorknob, Christian is about to discover that his peculiar talent might actually help save him rather than hurt him.

Bick manages to write a solidly entertaining book that crosses over several different genres & succeeds at thrilling the audience. Many readers will be surprised to discover that the USA hosted several Nazi prisoner of war camps instead of it being something Bick cooked up for the book. (I've always been aware of other types of internment camps, but not these.) This helps bring a much needed level of realism to the book that makes the more fantastical & supernatural elements of the book that much more effective.

The characters in the book are wonderfully written & many readers will be glad that Christian doesn't spend the majority of the book angsting or being emo about his predicament in life. That frees up a lot of time for him to wonder exactly what is going on with him & give the reader a nice look into his past & current ways of thinking. The only downfall is that the book does take a while to get started & some readers will have to give the book a little for it to establish itself. Once the book gets started the pace of the book picks up very quickly & you'll find yourself frantically reading just to find out what exactly will happen next.

I'll warn the reader- Bick leaves the book open-ended enough to where she could very, VERY easily write a sequel or three if she chose to. (I hope she chooses to.) This book was far better than I could have ever hoped & when I finally reached the last page, it was with a little bit of regret- I really wanted to know what would happen with Christian, his talents, & everyone around him.

(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Book Review: Vows, Vendettas and a Little Black Dress

Title: Vows, Vendettas and a Little Black Dress
Publishing Company: Mira
Release Date: 06/01/2010
ISBN: 0778327892






Kyra Davis, I blame you... for getting me so into another series that I feel that I have to rush out & boy every single book. When I got this book from the vine program, I wasn't aware that it was the fifth in a series. I wouldn't have immediately guessed it from the writing- it was smoothly written enough to where even a new reader like myself could get drawn into it. Now I just have to read everything else so I can get the whole story.

Sophie Katz isn't your typical San Francisco native. Not only is she a well published author, but she also has a penchant for getting herself into trouble. On the night she discovers that one of her best friends is getting married to the man of her dreams, her friend Dena is shot in the back. Despite a long list of lusty encounters, everyone initially seems to be at a loss as to who would do such a thing. Well, until they discover that one of the wives of Dena's ex flings (who didn't tell her he was engaged) has a vendetta against Dena & her shop!

I loved this book. Seriously. It's fantastic & if not for that pesky interruption I call work, I'd have kept at this book & read it in one go. I loved that I was able to pick up the fifth volume in a series & be able to keep up with everything that's gone on so far. Sure, I did occasionally feel like I'd missed out on some obvious references to past books, but overall the book was fantastic.

I loved the characters, loved the storyline, loved the writing... EVERYTHING! I also loved that the character of Sophie was half black & Jewish, but didn't make a huge deal out of it. It was great. The book might be a little fluffy for some mystery readers, but it still doesn't detract from how much I enjoyed this book.

So yeah... the storytelling styles of Kyra Davis is going to be putting a huge dent in my wallet. I simply *have* to have the previous four books in this series!

(Book provided by the Amazon Vine Voice program)