Book Review: Time to Live

Title: Time to Live (Inheritance of Time #1)

Author: Jordan Elizabeth

Narrator: Emily H. Gilson

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Time-to-Live-Audiobook/B07ZL4JGL7

Summary

A witch’s magical orbs. Clan Wars that have lasted centuries. A heritage shrouded in secrecy.

Welcome to 17-year-old Banon Andreeta’s world.

Banon is a child of Clan Genae and can do things most people can’t. Which might account for her rebellious behavior. Or maybe she’s just a magnet for trouble. Either way, she’s in hot water more often than the average teen.

When she rejects Fred, a random creep at the mall, she makes an enemy who will bring unwanted attention from Clan Julae, her own clan’s mortal enemy.

She also makes a friend in Clan Julae – the intriguing Hadley. Drawn to each other, neither understands the forces behind the attraction. Or that they are from opposing clans. Hadley only knows Banon is in danger and he must protect her.

But the long-standing Clan War is not as much in the past as the Genae thought. Their very existence is threatened by enemies known and unknown. And the only thing between them and death is Banon. A secret weapon even they don’t know they have.

My Review

5/5 Stars

After Banon turns down a creep at the mall, she opens herself up for a world of trouble. Banon is no ordinary 17-year-old girl. She has powers. No one knows though, and she’s afraid of what will happen when the truth comes out. After an assassin is sent from the rival Clan, she has no choice but to reveal her secret. She might be the key to winning the war once and for all.

I love how quickly this went from a seemingly normal book to an urban fantasy. When the book opened, I wasn’t really sure what it was about. A bunch of teen boys trying to pick up some girls. From there, the main protagonist, Banon, stands out. She stands up for herself and has no idea that the random creep she’s turning down is really part of the enemy Clan.

I liked Banon. She was spunky and rebellious, though I admit she made a few questionable decisions. She wasn’t afraid to put up a fight though, and that’s something I always admire. Especially in female MCs. The Clan wars between witches was interesting, and the more I learned of the characters, the more engaged with the story I became.

Narration was well done.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Book Review: Death Masks

Title: Death Masks

Author: Kim Richards

Narrator: Ron Harman

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Death-Masks-Audiobook/B08BBB5Z1G

Summary

Bill Cristo reluctantly takes up an exercise routine. One evening, he takes a jog and comes face-to-face with a killer. His local metro park is no longer safe for anyone. Unsure of why he survived that first encounter, Bill is determined to catch the murderer before anyone else dies. Then it sets its sights on his girlfriend.

My Review

4/5 Stars

There’s a killer on the loose. One with power and stealth. Bill is unfortunate enough to come across it one day. Somehow, he survives, but he doesn’t forget the encounter. Fueled to catch the murderer, his quest becomes a race against the clock. The killer has moved its sights from Bill to those dearest to him.

Bill was a standard type of character. He had a normal job and average life. He’s the kind of character that readers can relate to. While he made some questionable decisions, they were the kind that anyone in his type of situation might think would work. I loved the way the author eased us into his mind.

It was easy to guess the killer about midway through the book, but that didn’t detract from the suspense. There was something almost titillating about knowing who the killer was before the main character.

I’ll admit this book was a little hard for me to get into at the start, but I stuck through it, and I’m glad I did. The twist at the end was amazing.

Narration was okay. A little overdramatic in spots, but still easy to listen to.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

An Excerpt of What I Did

I’m excited to announce that my first psychological thriller novel, What I Did, launches in one month!

What I Did is a psychological thriller that tackles issues in modern day society. Tough topics such as toxic masculinity, mental illness, and active shooter situations are covered from the point of a view of a millennial giving the story a surreal modern-day vibe.

It leaves you with the question, what would you do to survive?


In order to celebrate, I’d like to share a little excerpt with you guys.

I started to read an article about a girl who supposedly escaped the grasp of a serial killer when an IM popped up on my screen. I expected it to be from Keaton since, if she had texted me back, I hadn’t seen it. Instead, the message was from an anonymous profile and said three words: I see you.

I stared at it, clenching my teeth. I didn’t have many enemies simply because I never interacted with humans. There’s only one person who would have the gull or motive to try and scare me like this—Samuel.

Snarling, I wrote back the words You’re an ass.

I closed my laptop and hopped up, going over to my window to peer at the ground below through the cracks in the blinds. I didn’t see anyone, and normally, I would’ve been concerned at such an ominous message, but I wasn’t. My blinds were closed, the door locked. I was on the second floor. The only other way into the apartment would be through the fire escape. I pulled the blinds back to stare at the spot. The silver staircase hanging into the blackness of night was empty.

Huffing, I let go of the blinds, listening to them crash together before I stormed out of my room, pacing to get the anger to go away. I wanted to confront him, to make him stop this once and for all, but it slowly came to me that in the grand scheme of things, there wasn’t much I could do.

I surveyed outside the living room windows too but still saw no movement below. This was Samuel trying to get under my skin, and it was working. Most likely, he had never been here. He was at home, laughing at himself for getting a response from me.

Why am I so gullible? I growled to myself, going back to my room much slower than I had left.

I had already spent a large part of my anger on Mom and now whatever was left had evaporated. I was alone and cold again. Sighing, I hopped into bed, pulling the blankets up to my shoulder and put my head underneath my pillow.

Maybe tomorrow, things would be better.

Like what you read? Preorder for the special price of 99 cents!

Cover Contest: Vote Dead by Morning

They say not to judge a book by its cover but I need you to do just that. If you liked the cover of my book, Dead by Morning: A Dark Fiction Novel (Rituals of the Night Book 1), please vote for it for the Cover of the Month contest on AllAuthor.com!

I’m getting closer to clinch the “Cover of the Month” contest on AllAuthor! I’d need as much support from you guys. Please take a short moment to vote for my book cover here: Click to Vote!

Cover Reveal: Veiled

Veiled is the second and last book of the Tethered duology.

Tethered duology fall under supernatural suspense. This means you get your solving mystery with a dash of the unusual – for those who loved the TV show Medium.

Book one in short is about a girl who received a donor heart from a serial killer, Willow starts getting  visons from the killer and sometimes his victims too, the notorious Devil breath Killer’s victims are finally found but they soon come to realize that there is way more going on  than just a serial murders.

You can find Tethered here.

Or you could grab it free with the pre- order set Notorious Minds 99c, where Veiled will be featured for a limited time.

About Veiled

Returning home cleared of all charges Willow is welcomed by press, politicians and old high school friend and bullies alike. During her opening speak a vision strikes, hard and fast. She falters, her fingers find a pen and she start scribbling and sketching like a mad thing. The humiliation is bad enough to send her running, but what she sketched is about to change the life she’d fought so hard for and the freedom from the serial killer that still haunts her – with one sketch it all disappears. The sketch is the same as the one that led her on the path to The Devils Breath Killer, with one faint detail that differs. Within the cage, made of ribs, tied to the human heart it houses a key, a key she recognizes from somewhere but cannot recall.

She tries to tell everyone the Cult has followed to her home county, and the killing will start soon, but no one will listen except the same FBI agents and her sister who had run from the law the last time. BUT this time they are in a third world country with none of the resources they need at their disposal to prove their case.

The clues keep coming, and pieces of human bone gets sent to her, with taunting clues and keys to find and stop the killer – with each bone, another victim has been claimed. And should the bone puzzle be complete – everyone she loves including her will die.

What does it take to commit the perfect crime?

Delve into these dark and twisted tales by twenty USA Today and International Bestselling Authors. No matter what kind of crime story typically catches your imagination, there’s sure to be something for everyone.

Conspiracies, political plots, and yes, even murder, are just a few of the crimes waiting inside this box set. Discover a narcissistic grandmother running an underground syndicate, or a support group bent on murder…and even a serial killer who turns his victims into fairytale creatures. Uncover the passion, jealousy, and fear lingering in every tale.

This box set is packed with thousands of pages that will hold you on the edge of your seat, crying for answers. Definitely a must for fans of Patterson, Lee, and Grisham. One-click to pre-order today!

CLAIM YOUR FREE READS AND GIFTS https://notoriousmindsboxset.com/pre-order-giveaway/

Buy it for 99 cents

An Excerpt of Dungeons and Demons

Those of you who have been with me for a while have heard mention of the Halloween boxset that I’m part of, so this announcement will only be half new to you guys. For those of you who are new to me, a quick catch-up. This Halloween, I’m going to be just one of 19 authors submitting a chilling story for the Soul’s Day Boxset. This is my first project of the sort. Many of the authors included in this boxset are USA today and International bestselling authors. We’re aiming high with this one.

Anyway, each story within the set will have its own story and focus. Well, since the last time I’ve mentioned this project, I got the cover for mine.
Isn’t it pretty???

A tiny excerpt of Dungeons and Demons:

Shawn plopped down to the ground with a heavy heart. In the back of his head, all he could see was the fear on Milo’s face during those final moments. He was dead. He was really dead, and Shawn didn’t know how to process it. Rhys’ words bounced around the inside of his head, and all he could do was laugh.

 Three dungeons down out of the seven that they had been tasked with, and yet, Shawn didn’t feel like celebrating. He wanted to throw up. The oasis that usually brought him a sense of peace did nothing for him because he could picture the first time they’d seen it with Milo right by their sides. He’d taken the best of the situation and filled their canteens with the unnaturally clear water from the canteen, restocking his healing supplies with the available leaves.

Shawn looked at Jack, at the hint of sorrow in his burly friend’s eyes. He was sure that Jack was having the same thoughts that he did. Did it really count as a victory if only two of them made it out of this?

 Shawn tilted his head back, his glasses moving awkwardly along his long nose, as he stared up at the sky overhead. It was light blue, the clouds looking like cotton balls. It looked very much like an ordinary day. A beautiful day. Shawn never would’ve guessed they were trapped in a game by a classmate turned demon.

 Shawn had just a moment where he wished Rhys would show himself in the flesh so he could stare him in the eyes. Then he shivered at the memory of what Rhys had admitted to. He wasn’t human. What did Shawn possibly think he do against him? So far, he and Jack had only survived because they’d had Milo.

Like what you read? Preorder now for 99 cents!

Need an extra incentive?

Preorder the Soul’s Day boxset and get a digital bundle of goodies for free! Gifts include a digital postcard, a bookmark and a poster as well as a bundle of free reads donated by the authors.

Book Review: Coffee at Midnight

Title: Coffee at Midnight

Author: Brandon Ford

Narrator: Michael Butler

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Coffee-at-Midnight-Audiobook/B08BMW7974

Summary

The clock strikes 12:00. A full moon hangs beyond the windowpane as the fireplace flickers and pops. Time to curl up in your favorite easy chair with a steaming mug and a cozy blanket. It’s going to be a long night. Follow a bevy of buxom ex-call girls as they embark on a cross-country road trip and happen upon a crashed UFO. Join a trio of friends as they assemble for a rooftop barbecue and share their darkest secrets. Watch as an intoxicated bridesmaid stumbles her way through a crowded wedding reception to give an impromptu toast, but instead bears her soul. Listen in on a heated telephone conversation between a jealous boyfriend and his coed girlfriend as she shares a strange story concerning a bizarre favor. Between the covers of this unusual collection, you’ll find these stories and many more, all guaranteed to tempt, tantalize, titillate the senses. In Brandon Ford’s Coffee at Midnight, you’ll experience a grab bag of ooddball situations and meet an array of quirky characters. So make sure the coffee’s strong, the fire’s warm, and the blanket’s soft. This’ll be a night you won’t soon forget.

My Review

5/5 Stars

I’ve read just about everything that Brandon Ford has to offer in the horror genre.

That being said, it was interesting to hear him branching out other genres. This collection of delightful literary tales covers just about everything from bickering old couples to vengeful wedding toasts and childhood feats of strength.

Even though the stories are short, the characters are well thought out, realistic, and it was easy to relate to the qualms of every MC. In the usual Brandon Ford way, each story ends with a sort of twist.

My favorites in the collection were:

The Claw End: An old married couple bickering over a photo frame takes a violent turn.

Under Your Spell: A hypnotist uses his powers for evil to pursue the love his life who coincidentally also happens to be the love of his identical brother’s life as well.

Tastes Good: Upon stumbling into a crime scene, a college student assumes it’s a prank and promptly licks the blood off the corpse.

Narration was solid and straightforward.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Book Review: Decayed Etchings

Title: Decayed Etchings

Author: Brandon Ford

Narrator: Alexandra Johnston

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Decayed-Etchings-Audiobook/B08BNV9KBW

Summary

In his first collection, Brandon Ford delivers 18 brand-new, never-before-published tales of the dark, twisted, and macabre. Buried within this gnarled book, you’ll discover jilted lovers, cheating spouses, bizarre fetishes, acid trips, and roaming sleepwalkers. You’ll meet noisy neighbors, struggling writers, vengeful females, and even a monster or two.

With Decayed Etchings, you’ll dive headfirst into a world of ghoulish delights that will surely satisfy even the most jaded gorehound. In this world, there is always something lurid hiding beneath. You need only scratch the surface.

My Review

5/5 Stars

A collection of 18 dark, suspenseful stories.

Each story ended with a twist, some more surprising than others. While most of these stories were straight horror, there were a few dark humor pieces mixed into the bunch as well.

My favorites in the collection were:

The Suiter: A one-night stand goes horribly wrong.

 Sledgehammer: A solider fed up with the sounds of construction work takes matters into their own hands.

Camera Shy: A hitman with a habit of recording his victims prior to the kill.

The narration brought every story to life.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Book Review: Leash and Other Short Horror Stories

Title: Leash and Other Short Horror Stories

Author: Brett Schumacher

Narrator: Brett Schumacher

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Leash-and-Other-Short-Horror-Stories-Audiobook/B089NVSGH4

Summary

From Creepy Ghost Stories YouTube channel narrator and writer Brett Schumacher.

Leash and Other Short Horror Stories is a horror anthology of 13 short, creepy, scary, and sometimes gruesome monster stories. These hair-raising stories will make your mind tingle and your paranoia kick into overdrive.

This chilling set of frighteningly strange and weird stories are tales of the unexpected – of deceit and of unspeakable beings that hide in the recesses of the mind and the shadows of dark forests.

Including: A tale of a gas station attendant and the creature that stalks him in a storm like he had never witnessed before. The newly found journal entry of Robert Tolliver’s nightmarish dreams that ravage his life after a horrific accident in the swamps of Louisiana. A butcher’s child created of steel and blades used to cut meat. A story about a new embalming fluid with a terrible side effect. The tale of a man and his friends on a camping trip. A leather collar and a vile beast that reigns over a pile of corpses. Plus many more!

My Review

4/5 Stars

Creepy and entertaining, this is a solid collection of horror short stories that will leave you with chills. If you’re looking for fresh insight into horror, this collection will be one of your favorites.

My favorite story from the collection: It Came with the Storm.

I always love when the authors narrate the books. This one was no different.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.