BOOK NEWS: The Beatles flesh out zombie mash-up craze

US publisher hopes Fab Four will follow success of monster mash-up hit, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison are starring as zombies and Ringo Starr as a ninja in the latest addition to the publishing's hottest, and oddest, new craze: the monster mash-up.

Alan Goldsher's Paul is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion has been snapped by US publisher Pocket Books for publication in June next year, following in the footsteps of the surprise hit Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which was published this spring, and the forthcoming Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter and I Am Scrooge: A Zombie Story for Christmas, all out this autumn.

Goldsher's story starts in a Liverpool maternity ward in 1940, as a newborn Lennon is bitten by a zombie and doomed to wander the Earth for eternity. When he meets McCartney in 1957 he "bites off Paul's ear and sucks out his mate's grey matter, after which he spits a healthy amount of his own brain into Paul's carotid artery - and thus is born the greatest songwriting team in rock history," according to Goldsher's version of the encounter.

Harrison is quickly zombified, and "seventh level Ninja Lord Ringo Starr" is then welcomed into the fold. The Beatles enslave "hundreds of lusty teenage girls", invade the US where they mind-meld millions, releasing albums with hidden messages such as "Please please me by biting your young", "Dear sir or madam, won't you eat your neighbour", and "All you need is eternal life".

Their world begins to crumble when Lennon starts to date eighth level Ninja Lord Yoko Ono, and a band called the Zombies – whose members, Goldsher says, are not actually zombies - seeks revenge.

For those who are less than enamoured of the new trend, however, there is some relief: Goldsher's literary agent, Jason Ashlock, is unconvinced of its staying power, telling the New York Observer that "this monster mash-up craze can only last so long". "We chose this idea because it was inventive enough with the Beatles element that it could outlast what might not be a long-lasting trend," he said. "We were trying to think of something that wouldn't just be cool next year, but would continue to sell as an interesting item for many years to come."

BOOK NEWS: Mark Billingham wins crime novel of the year award with 'Death Message'

Mark Billingham's London copper DI Tom Thorne has seen off Reginald Hill's Yorkshire duo Dalziel and Pascoe and Peter Robinson's much-loved Inspector Banks to take the Theakstons Old Peculier crime novel of the year award at the Harrogate crime writing festival.

Billingham's Death Message is the seventh in his bestselling series of books starring DI Tom Thorne. This time Thorne is receiving photos of murder victims on his mobile phone, as a dangerous psychopath jailed years before manipulates former inmates into conducting his killings for him.

It beat titles by the cream of Britain's crime writers, including Ian Rankin, Lee Child and Val McDermid as well as Hill and Robinson to take the £3,000 prize, which also includes a handmade Theakstons cask. "Everyone was asking me if it had beer in it – it isn't full of beer, but there was plenty of beer around at the festival," said Billingham today. "Crime writers can definitely drink – there was one night which lasted until 5.30 in the morning."

Billingham won the inaugural crime novel of the year prize in 2005 with Lazy Bones, and said he was delighted and utterly surprised to win this year's award. "It was a stupidly good line-up – pretty much the A-Z of crime writing," he said. "It was incredible to win – usually when you're on a shortlist, even if you've told yourself you've no chance, right at the end you'll think well, there's only five of us, it can happen. But when, as was the case here, it's a big shortlist of 14 people, especially of that kind of quality – Ian Rankin, John Harvey, Val McDermid, Lee Child – you don't even think about it."

The prize is voted for by readers, with more than 5,000 votes cast. "It's the difference between getting a review from a critic and a review from a reader," said Billingham. "It's lovely to get a fantastic review in the Guardian or the Observer but it means a heck of a lot to get this prize voted for by readers."

Previous winners of the prize include Val McDermid and Allan Guthrie, with Stef Penney taking it last year for her Costa-winning debut The Tenderness of Wolves.

The full shortlist was:

Death Message by Mark Billingham

The Accident Man by Tom Cain

Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child

Gone to Ground by John Harvey

Ritual by Mo Hayder

Garden of Evil (David Hewson

A Cure for all Diseases (Reginald Hill

The Colour of Blood by Declan Hughes

Dead Man's Footsteps by Peter James

Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride

Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid

Exit Music by Ian Rankin

Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson

Savage Moon by Chris Simms

Book Review: THE EXECUTION OF JUSTICE BY MICHAEL PHELPS

Genre: Detective Thriller, Crime Fiction
Published by: Blue Line Publishing Inc. (Jan 2009)
Pages: 397 (Hardback)
ISBN-10: 0578007274
ISBN-13: 978-0578007274






Mike Walsh is promoted to Detective in the elite Robbery-Homicide Division of the Indianapolis Police Department which means more money but also more and longer hours. As he and his partner, Jack, get more and more involved in solving several armed robberies and serial killer cases, his marriage is under strain........and when the pressure mounts something has to give.

My Thoughts:

Michael Phelps debut novel is full of police procedures which he seems to know quite well, but my main problem was that everyone was so nice! Even some of the bad guys. It was just too unrealistic to believe that no-one had any flaws or had anything bad to say about anyone else, and nobody argued, they just seemed to agree with everyone, there was no shouting.

Also, there was too much trivia, I knew every breakfast and dinner meal that Mike and his wife ate, every item of clothing that Mike wore, the exact time he got up, what they watched on TV every evening and what time they went to bed. Too much information! It just clogged up the book and was quite boring to read.

So, while this was not a page turner of a book it did have plenty of good points. I liked the storyline overall, the gradual build up to the search for the armed robbers was quite exciting, it was certainly easy to follow what was happening, no complicated plotline here. As the characters were so well described I felt like I knew them and I was sad when Mike's marriage was in trouble. This is a good crime fiction detective story by someone who knows what he's talking about!

Michael Phelps website (which I think gives far too much of the plot away) informs us that this is the 1st in the Detective Mike Walsh series and another book is in the pipeline.

TITLE: THE EXECUTIVE OF JUSTICE
AUTHOR: MICHAEL PHELPS

Special Thanks to Michael Phelps for sending me a copy of the book to review.

In The Post Today: ACROSS THE POND BY STORYHEART

ACROSS THE POND BY STORYHEART Synopsis:
Finding himself packed off to friends in the USA, fifteen-year-old English born Fred Squire is not happy. Then he meets Brittany.
Struggling with his feelings for Brit and the language, Fred is further confused when he meets Brit's flirtatious friend, Angel.
Escaping from a confrontation with Steve Harris, the neighborhood bully, Brit tells Fred her dark secret about Harris, and Fred's world is turned upside down.
Life continues to throw Fred a curveball when he catches a baseball worth a small fortune. Further run-ins with Harris, a crazy family BBQ, and a chase through a mall all add to Fred's American adventure.
"Brit and her Brit", know that their young love will be followed by heartache when Fred has to return to England. But not before some final twists in the tale.
With romance, adventure, humor, first love and even a little sport thrown in for good measure. Across the Pond takes the readers on magical trip that all will enjoy, from the young to the young at heart.
This sounds like a fun book, probably aimed at Young Adults, but as I'm 'young at heart' I'm sure I'll enjoy it too! Website for Across the Pond is here

Book Review: THE JEWEL KEEPERS: Book One: Albion by EJ Bousfield

The Jewel Keepers: Book One: Albion by EJ Bousfield

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Kings Hart Books (May 2009)
Pages: 210 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1906154147
ISBN-13: 978-1906154141





EJ Bousfield's debut novel introduces us to two young girls separated by almost 2,000 years. In the year 2008 13 year old Katie's nana tells her the story of a magical Jewel which was 'a gift from the Gods' and has been missing for many years. She says that Katie is a Jewel Keeper who must try and find this Jewel before it gets into the wrong hands.
Katie does have special gifts but dismisses her nana's tale as just a nice story from an old lady who has been in 'The Sanctuary' Hospital for too many years but as Katie is leaving her -

'It is no story Katie,' she heard Nana call as she walked out of the room, 'it is your destiny.'

In the year 23 A.D. 11 year old Mortunda, the daughter of the King of the Brigante tribe, also has special gifts and her destiny too is linked to the Jewel. But in what way? And how is she linked to Katie?

This is the 1st book in The Jewel Keepers trilogy and at the end I was intrigued enough to want to know the answers to many of the questions.

EJ Bousfield's writing was fast paced and never boring, her descriptions and attention to detail made the story come alive. I was fascinated by the mysterious and highly valued Seronydd seers who were 'the eyes of the Gods' who could see into the future and who the rebellious Mortunda was drawn to.

I think that young and not so young adults will be fascinated to learn more of the girls' destinies.

The 2nd book in this fantasy fiction series is called 'Mona' and The Jewel Keepers website is here



TITLE: THE JEWEL KEEPERS: BOOK ONE: ALBION
AUTHOR: EJ BOUSFIELD

BOOK NEWS: The Rise and Rise of Stephenie Meyer in the UK

Stephenie Meyer worth more than £12m in 2009 so far . . .

Stephenie Meyer was worth more than £12m to the UK book trade in the first half of 2009, according to Nielsen BookScan. Her success has helped propel the young adult fiction genre into the fastest growing sector of the retail book market. By contrast fitness and diet books, food and drink titles, and memoirs have become the worst performers.

In the week that Meyer's Twilight sold its one-millionth copy in the UK, analysis of the first half of the year showed that Meyer has helped her UK publisher Little, Brown record sales growth of 40.4% (£35.5m), while the young adult fiction category has now become the fastest growing sector, with revenue growth of 123% (£19.4m). Its growth is more than double that of the politics and government genre, which has grown 46% year-on-year, thanks chiefly to Obama-mania.

The figures, from Nielsen BookScan's Total Consumer Market for the 24 weeks to 13th June, showed that across the market sales were down just 1.3% year-on-year at £684.2m, despite tough comparisons with 2008, when the trade had hits from the likes of Delia Smith, and Katie Price, as well as a fully functioning Richard and Judy Book Club.

Meyer has helped her publisher Hachette grow its market share, and pull away from nearest rival Random House, the pair now standing at 16.1% and 13.1% respectively. But neither Hachette, nor its subsidiary Little, Brown, are among the fastest growing publishers in the first half: Canongate with revenue of growth of almost 200%, and Grove Atlantic, with growth of 117% lead the top five. Titan Books, Sweet & Maxwell, and John Blake have all seen growth above 50%. Of the top 10 publishers, only Hachette and Oxford University Press have grown sales, while Wiley's have remained flat.

Philip Stone, charts editor of The Bookseller, said: "Although the bottom line is that book sales are down 1.3% on last year, there are some genres bucking the trend. The economics sector is performing incredibly well, spurned on by people keen to understand the current crisis. The poetry sector has been buoyed by a popular new Laureate and a BBC poetry season. And the 'pet memoir' is the new 'mis mem'."

Taken from thebookseller.com

Book Review: The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Beautiful Books (2008)
Pages: 348 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1905636245
ISBN-13: 978-1905636242







First Paragraph:

As Corradino Manin looked on the lights of San Marco for the last time, Venice from the lagoon seemed to him a golden constellation in the dark blue velvet dusk. How many of those windowpanes, that adorned his city like costly gems, had he made with his own hands? Now they were stars lit to guide him at the end of the journey of his life. Guide him home at last.

Of all the Glassbowers in Murano in the mid 17th Century, Corradino Manin was the best and most famous. His name was legendary. Down the centuries his ancestor Leonora Manin, living in London, whose marriage had just ended, has decided to make a new beginning in the city of her birth, Venice. It is then that she discovers the age-old rivalries that have been hidden for so many years and which have far-reaching effects on her new life.

Marina Fiorato's knowledge and love of Venice shines through on every page, as this tale of past treachery and jealousy slowly unfolds and the vivid descriptions of the Glassblowers art were a fascinating look at a dying tradition.

The only negative comment I have is regarding the love interest, Alessandro. I never felt that I knew him or what he was thinking, and the relationship between them seemed very contrived.

However, this doesn't really detract from the story as I found myself thoroughly engrossed in this mystery and Venice is now on my list of must-see places!

Marina Fiorato's website can be found here



TITLE: THE GLASSBLOWER OF MURANO
AUTHOR: MARINA FIORATO

BOOKS READ IN JUNE

BOOKS READ IN JUNE 2009

If you want to read any of my reviews just click on the name

Beachcombing by Maggie Dana 9/10

To The Heart Of The Nile by Pat Shipman 8/10

Wolf Song Visions by Linda and Scott Reade 7/10

Book Review: Sea Changes by Gail Graham

Sea Changes by Gail Graham

Genre: Difficult to categorize - part Fantasy, Fiction, part Mystery
Publisher: Jade Phoenix Publishing (2009)
Pages: 401 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 069200100X
ISBN-13: 978-0692001004





Sarah, a middle-aged American living in Australia, is recently widowed. Her daughter, Felicity, who "was born angry" wants her to 'move on' with her life, something which Sarah is finding difficult to do.

One day she swims out to sea, intending to commit suicide. There she meets a young girl, Bantryd, who takes her to the bottom of the ocean to a whole new world where Sarah finds friendship, peace and trust. Back home she wonders if she was dreaming or was it real. Bantryd bears an uncanny resemblance to a missing heiress and when Sarah becomes the chief suspect in her disappearance she begins to find resources within herself she didn't know she had.

This is one of the most unusual books I've ever read, it was part fantasy and part real, and I loved the idea of a world underneath the ocean! As Sarah struggles to cope with a life turned upside down she constantly thinks "What would Charles do?" (Charles being her late husband).

None of it could have happened, and it did. ........maybe she's going mad. But she doesn't feel mad. The police didn't think she was mad. This must be what it's like for people who are kidnapped by aliens. Nobody believes you. You don't even believe yourself.

People who have lost loved ones will identify with Sarah, she was confused and sad and had no-one to talk to who really understood her. I think that's why she felt so secure in the undersea world, everyone trusted and believed in her.

Gail Graham's writing was simple, the type was double line spacing and the words were easy to read (always a bonus for me!). If you're looking for something a little bit different I would recommend this for a Summer Read.

Special Thanks to Jade Phoenix Publishing for sending me this Review Copy

Book Review: Women, Wisdom & Dreams by Anne Scott

Genre: Mind, Body & Spirit
Publisher: Nicasio Press (2008)
Pages: 131 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0981863612
ISBN-13: 978-0981863610









Have you ever wondered what your dreams mean, what they are trying to tell you?

In Women, Wisdom & Dreams, Anne Scott believes that

Dreams show us what we need to know, over time. If a woman accepts a dream as the beginning of a fertile process, and learns simply to hold it with curiosity and acceptance, then this vital energy, this forgotten language, can begin to tell the truth of who she is.

Throughout the book there are many instances of womens dreams and Anne Scott's interpretations of them is fascinating; she also explains how women can heal themselves once they have begun to understand their meaning, as "dreams are messengers bearing images that heal and restore life."

She recommends that we should get into the habit of writing down our dreams when we awake in the morning (or if we awake in the night) as "this sends a message that you are receptive, that you are listening, and will often make it easier for you to recall your dreams. This is how to welcome the wisdom that comes from our depths."
I think this book is an excellent introduction to the dream world which certainly made me more aware of them and whilst reading this book and afterwards I found that I dreamed more and definitely remembered the dreams in the morning so maybe the book's magic is working already!

"While dreams may not make our lives easier, they can help us to live more mindfully, aligned with the soul."This was a nice, easy to read book and, at only 126 pages long, it can easily fit into your bag and be dipped in and out of when you just want to remember a few thoughts.

TITLE: WOMEN, WISDOM & DREAMS: The Light of the Feminine Soul
AUTHOR: ANNE SCOTT

Special Thanks to Lisa Roe at Online Publicist for the review copy

Book Review: North from Calcutta by Duane Evans

Genre: Espionage, Political Thriller, Action
Publisher: Pecos Moon, LLC (2009)
Pages: 348 (Hardback)
ISBN-10: 0981945406
ISBN-13: 978-0981945408








Synopsis:

In a gripping story torn from today's headlines, Tarek Durrani, a westernised Pakistani intelligence officer races to stop an attack against India by a Kashmiri terrorist group. A successful attack could mean war between India and Pakistan, with possible nuclear ramifications. Of more immediate concern to Tarek, the attack also will take the life of Sahar, the seductive Indian architect, who has cracked the combination to his soul.

Duane Evans is an ex CIA Officer turned author and this is his debut novel.

This book took me completely by surprise in that what I was expecting it to be turned out to be totally different. I thought it would be a macho book, with plenty of bad language, have an extremely complicated plot, torture scenes with gory details, etc. but it contained none of those which was possibly one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much.

I thought the slow and steady build up was compelling throughout (the explanation at the beginning regarding the situation with Kashmir was a nice touch as the reader doesn't always know everything and I found it invaluable to refer back to while reading the book).

The writing flowed easily and the main character, Tarek Durrani, the Pakistani Intelligence Officer, was both believable and very likeable. His love for the beautiful Indian Sahar gave him an extra reason for trying to stop the attack.

Ambassador Salim watched Tarek's arrival and took advantage of his momentary distraction to take his first hard look at this man on whom so much would depend. As Tarek's gaze swung round to meet his own, a slight smile came to Salim's lips. Yes, he knew in an instant, Major Durrani was the man for the job.

This is a thrilling action tale (with a little romance) that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Duane Evans website can be found here



TITLE: NORTH FROM CALCUTTA
AUTHOR: DUANE EVANS

BOOK NEWS: Macmillan orders 85k reprint of Michael Jackson biography

According to thebookseller.com :-

Macmillan is rushing through a reprint of 85,000 copies of J Randy Taraborrelli's Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness in anticipation of a surge in demand for Jackson products following the pop star's death last week.

The book, published in paperback 2004, is currently 28th in Amazon.co.uk's bestseller chart, despite being listed as 'out of stock'. The publisher, which said late Friday that it was still waiting orders and assessing quantities, is expecting delivery of the £8.99 paperback on Tuesday.

There have been numerous reports that sales of Jackson's albums, and DVDs, have gone through the roof since news of his sudden death emerged last Thursday (25th June). However, no new book on Jackson appears to have been commissioned since Taraborrelli's book, and this is the only title on the singer in Amazon.co.uk's top 100 list.

The Bookseller reported on Friday (26th June) that independent publisher John Blake has commissioned a new biography of Jackson. Michael Jackson – King of Pop: 1958-2009 is being written by Emily Herbert, a long-time fan of Jackson, who has interviewed him "on several occasions" in the past. It is scheduled for release on 24th August and will be a B-format paperback, priced £7.99.

Omnibus Press is also looking into the possibility of creating a special 'memorial' edition of its Michael Jackson: The Visual Documentary of Jackson. Richard Hudson, sales director, said the publisher was "in discussions" with the author, Adrian Grant, about updating the book. The fourth edition of the title was published in 2005. Hudson added Omnibus was considering reissuing "two or three" other books on the singer.

THE SPOOK'S APPRENTICE BY JOSEPH DELANEY

The Spook's Apprentice (Wardstone Chronicles) by Joseph Delaney (In America it is called The Last Apprentice: The Revenge of the Witch)

My eldest son was in Manchester (England) at the weekend and this book was being given out to passers-by so, of course, he brought it home for his mum! I've never heard of this happening before, just handing out copies of books. Is this a new marketing idea?

About the book:

A wonderful and terrifying series by a new writer about a young boy training to be an exorcist. Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before Thomas. Somehow Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the County, the horror begins ...

This is the 1st of 6 books by Joseph Delaney, the publishers have just re-issued them all with new covers. The Wardstone Chronicles website is here.

Joseph Delaney was brought up in the same area of North West England as me and his books are partly inspired by the famous Pendle Witches from Pendle Hill in Lancashire - see the interesting Wikipedia article here. Pendle Hill is just a few miles from where I live.





Genre: Fantasy, YA
Published by: Red Fox (re-issued Mar 2009)
Pages: 352 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1862308535
ISBN-13: 978-1862308534

Book Review: Wolf Song Visions by Scott and Linda Reade

Genre: Mind, Body and Spirit
Published by: BookSurge (Second Edition) (2009)
Pages: 268 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 1439233993
ISBN-13: 978-1439233993









Linda and Scott Reade were drawn together because they both started having the same visions and dreams in the early 1990's.
The dreams were of Lela and Kahla, two Native Americans who loved each other about 400 years ago.
Scott dreamt of a large drum shaped rock......he had no idea where it was but he knew he had to find it, and in time he did, and realised that this was where Kahla's strong presence was.

I started reading this book with an open mind, and I finished it still with an open mind.

The book starts with journal entries from both Scott and Linda on their journey to find Drum Rock, then the story starts of their lives long ago.

This account of how the Native Americans lived and hunted was very enthralling as I followed their rituals and learned of how they believed very much in destiny and how everyone and everything is connected. They led a simple, happy and peaceful existence, respecting nature.

It is also a moving love story of Lela and Kahla who were inseparable from the day of Lela's birth.

The book also contains prophesies that were told to Lela and Kahla, which the Authors say is the real purpose of this book.

I would recommend this for anyone interested in Native American traditions and rituals, but it is also a fascinating story on its own.



TITLE: WOLF SONG VISIONS: The Earthwalk of Lela and Kahla Remembered
AUTHORS: SCOTT AND LINDA READE

Book Review: To The Heart Of The Nile by Pat Shipman

Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical
Publisher: Corgi Books (2005)
Pages: 543 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0552771007
ISBN-13: 978-0552771009









First Line:

The nubile girls would be sold in January 1859.

They say that truth is stranger than fiction and this novel of the amazing life of Florence Baker is truly unbelievable.

Barbara Maria Szasz (the future Florence Baker) was born in Transylvania in 1845. At the age of 4 her mother and brothers were murdered by soldiers during the Hungarian Revolution. She then fled with her nursemaid, walking miles, to a refugee camp in the Ottoman Empire. When her nursemaid disappears Florence is kidnapped and taken to a harem where she is raised until the age of 14 when she would be sold at auction to the highest bidder in 1859.

By chance, a Englishman named Sam Baker is at the auction out of curiosity, he is instantly smitten with Florence but is outbid. He bribes the guard and they flee.

Florence's next adventure begins..................together they go in search of the source of the Nile in Africa.

Most of the book is concerned with their first expedition and of the many problems they encountered, including mutiny, surviving serious illness many times, of hostile tribesmen, malnutrition, danger at almost every turn, sandstorms, unreliable porters and the torrential rain!

Sam shot and killed a crocodile as

crocodile stew was one of the crew's favourite meals, though Sam and Florence found ....... it was not to their liking. "Of all the rank stinking flesh I ever saw," Sam complained as he tried to chew the rubbery meat, "crocodile stands first. The flavour is between that of musky fish and the perspiration of a dirty person."

This is one of the most fascinating life stories I've ever read. I wondered why I had never heard of these explorers before, why hadn't I learned about them in school? Florence's bravery and determination as she stayed by Sam's side are an absolute inspiration. Sheik Achmet of Wat el Negur described her as 'having a heart stronger than a man's and is afraid of nothing'. Sam thought she had the heart of a lion.

Throughout it all Florence and Sam had forged an unbreakable bond that would last a lifetime.

Pat Shipman's novel was very compelling though some of the attention to detail I did find a bit boring. But at no time did I consider not finishing it as I was always eager to learn more of this extraordinary couple.

This is a book about romance, danger, exploration into uncharted territory, Victorian double-standards, the African slave trade, that I would not hesitate to recommend.

For Sam and Florence Baker's wikipedia page click here.



TITLE: TO THE HEART OF THE NILE
AUTHOR: PAT SHIPMAN

In The Post Today (Actually, they arrived while I was on holiday)

2 Books

Dark Worlds : Project 31 by Zack Daggy

Synopsis (From darkworldstrilogy.com)

Careview seems like a nice enough place to live. With its small town feel and family owned diners, many visitors have used such words as quaint and charming while passing through. But those that stay long enough quickly change their mind. These are the ones that hear the whispers in the dark, the rustling in their closet, and the scratching from beneath their beds. There is a darkness in Careview. It lies in the shadows, and it’s waiting.

Moving back and forth between 1977 and 2008, PROJECT 31 interweaves the stories of four unlikely Careview residents…a diner waitress with exotic looks and matching heritage, a doctor with a traumatic past, a plainspeaking handyman who knows everyones secrets, and a gothic college girl that is determined to get exactly what she wants. Together they must brave a storm that has been brewing for nearly thirty-one years, but trusting each other might prove to be more than half the battle.

From the mind of Zack Daggy comes the first installment of The Dark Worlds Trilogy, a breathless, page-turning, light-speed read that hooks you in and doesn’t let go. An original horror series that’s sure to remind you why you should fear the dark.

FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD

You can download a free Ebook of The Secret which, according to Zack Daggy the author, is prerequisite reading for the Dark Worlds Trilogy - please click here.

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Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood

Synopsis: (From Sethharwood.com)

In the three years since Jack Palms went clean: no drugs, no drinking,no life, he's added fourteen pounds of muscle, read 83 books, and played it as straight as anyone can ask him. Now, when an old friend from L.A. calls, he hits the streets of San Francisco to help a group of Czech drug buyers make one big score, a single drug deal that he hopes will set him up for life.

But when people start turning up dead, and an old nemesis on the police force calls, Jack finds himself with just 24 hours to track down San Francisco's biggest drug supplier or face charges that will put him behind bars.

Only an Oscar-caliber performance will get him through this alive.

FREE AUDIOBOOK

This is also available to download FREE - just click here

Special Thanks to Heather at Ariel Publishing.

HOLIDAY!

Hello Everyone - Just a short post to let you all know that I'm on holiday now - please feel free to still leave comments and emails and I'll reply as soon as I can - Thank You!

Book Review: Beachcombing by Maggie Dana

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Macmillan New Writing (2009)
Pages: 341 (Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0230742688
ISBN-13: 978-0230742680









Synopsis (from Amazon):

Jillian Hunter treasures her independence. She's raised two sons by herself, launched a small business, and restored a tumbledown beach cottage in Connecticut. But when a trip to London reunites her with Colin an old flame she hasn't seen in 35 years, Jill falls for him all over again. Love makes Jill reckless. This could be her chance for a new beginning. But Colin isn't quite the boy she remembers..........

First Line:

There's a party going on downstairs, and it's for me.

My Thoughts:

If I could pick my next door neighbour it would be Jillian Hunter. She was the sort of person who could keep a secret and who could also help you unblock your kitchen sink! I shared a rollercoaster of emotions with her, from her falling in love to falling out with her best friends, I really felt at the end of the book as if I knew her, and I wanted so much for her to find her deserved happiness.

I thought Maggie Dana's excellent and witty writing was spot-on and I identified on so many levels with Jill, yet she was so different to me. I could never climb up onto my roof and mend loose shingles! This probably sums up her independent and spirited nature

Letting go of my sore foot, I lurch out of my rope nest and feel like screaming. Not because my toe is on fire, but because I've bloody well coped. I've spent a lifetime coping because that's what you do when there's nobody else to pick up the pieces, and when I think about women like Shelby and Diana who fall apart because a guest complained or the bartender quit or, heaven forbid, the florist delivered the wrong flowers, I get seriously mad.

Maggie Dana quotes on her website that a friend challenged her to write a novel about feisty middle aged women, as there weren't enough of them, and I think she's succeeded in doing just that.

I was engrossed in this book from beginning to end - and would happily recommend it to anyone wanting a great read with convincing characters and amusing moments - never boring!

Special Thanks to Maggie Dana.

Book Review: Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl

Genre: (Christian) Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers (2009)
Pages: 284 (Hardback)
ISBN-10: 1595547053
ISBN-13: 978-1595547057









First Lines:

"Come on, Jalapeno!"
Katie Converse jerked the dog's leash.

My Thoughts:

Katie, a 17 year old student goes missing before Christmas.
With no clues to go on, the police and her family are baffled by her disappearance.

In Lis Wiehl's debut novel we are introduced to the 3 members of the 'Triple Threat' Club, who are Allison - a Federal Prosecutor, Cassidy - a TV Reporter and Nicole - an FBI Special Agent, all friends from way back.

As they all get involved in the case, we learn about any new developments from each different angle, from Nicole interviewing the distraught parents to Allison grilling the main suspect to Cassidy's nightly TV news reports of her 'scoops', all of which I found very compelling.

As each of the women did have such different roles, I was about half way through the book before I could remember exactly who each of them was, e.g. when Allison was mentioned, I had to keep checking the blurb on the book to jog my memory of who she was! Maybe my brain just couldn't cope with remembering 3 main characters.

But, overall, I thought this was a very intelligent thriller, with just enough twists and turns to keep my interest going till the end.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys crime thrillers.

At the end of the book you can read the first two chapters of Lis Wiehl's next book Hand of Fate which is out in April 2010 - the 2nd in the 'Triple Threat' series.



For Lis Wiehl's website click here.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers - this book was part of their Book Review Bloggers program.

BOOK NEWS

According to thebookseller.com

Headline Unzips humour for Christmas

28.05.09 Catherine Neilan

Headline is hoping to corner the comedy market in the run up to Christmas, with the launch of three humour titles this autumn. Foremost among the trio is Rainbow Unzipped!, an "official and uncensored" look at life behind the scenes of the popular TV show, as told by Zippy, George and Bungle to journalist Tim Randall.

This is the first time the "squabbling" Rainbow stars have agreed to lift the lid on what really went on, having rejected approaches from publishers for the past 17 years. Headline described the resulting book as a "hilarious and nostalgic romp through their life stories". It will be released on 1st October, in hardback, priced £12.99. Publisher Emma Tait said: "It's a wonderful and irreverent slice of nostalgia humour that is truly laugh-out-loud funny."

I remember Rainbow on the TV but I don't think I ever watched it. I just wonder why they've decided to "tell all" now?

Before it unzips Rainbow, Headline is publishing its follow up to last year's bestselling Evil Penguins with the September release of Evil Cats (hb, £7.99).

Illustrator Elia Anie's book "confirms once and for all that felines are as capable of dastardly deeds as any other member of the animal kingdom", Headline said. Tait added: "Evil Penguins was one of the big humour hits of last Christmas, and with cats as the subject matter this year, we think Elia's new book has the potential to be even bigger."

I've never heard of Evil Penguins but it sounds like a fun read!

Topping off the titles is another sequel—Busty, Slag and Nob End, the follow-up to Potty, Fartwell and Knob—which is published on 15th October (hb, £9.99).

Russell Ash has compiled real names of places and products as well as people from around the world. Each name has been thoroughly checked and authenticated, from Connie Lingus and Blo Job to Harriet Nicewonger and Dick Swinger.

Publisher Val Hudson said: "As this country's greatest living expert on naughty bits, Russsell's delivered another belter of a book with this piece of smut-lit."

I love the sound of this book - it's difficult (but funny) to believe that there is actually somebody called Dick Swinger. What were their parents thinking of??!! Guess what hubby's pressie is this Christmas? Haha