Francesca Pelaccia - The Witch's Salvation

29. The Witch's Salvation by Francesca Pelaccia (2013)
The Witch's Trilogy Book 1
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Started: 28 April 2014
Finished: 8 May 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 23 March 2014
Why do I have it? I like historical fantasy and Francesca Pelaccia is a new author for me.

Trendy urban princess Anasztasia Senaslau is hiding a secret that only her relatives, family physician, and her best friend Chloe know anything about. Annie is an actual princess, born shockingly mortal in an otherwise immortal family that traces its royal lineage back to the time when Romania was known as the principality of Wallachia. Five and a half centuries before - according to family lore - a witch's humanity was stolen by two immortal families. As punishment, the witch cursed the patriarchs of both families - casting one patriarch from his homeland and imprisoning the other in Wallachia.

Anasztasia has grown up with the knowledge that her grandfather was of the House of Senesti - the patriarch who was exiled so long ago. His counterpart - Alexandru Craiovescu - was the imprisoned patriarch of the House of Barbat. Annie had always been told that on her eighteenth birthday, the Senaslau family would return to Romania and have "the circumstance of her birth": her mortality - in her grandparents' words - "remedied".

Annie has always felt out of place within her family. However, having grown up around immortality all her life, she has never felt like her life was her own. The words of the witch's curse have constantly haunted her, and her fate has always been inevitable. When she is subsequently kidnapped from a royal ball honoring her family's arrival to Romania, Annie has no idea that she and her captor will soon become pawns in the witch's sinister scheme.

Desperate to find out any information about his missing father, Matthias Craiovescu - the mortal grandson of the patriarch of the House of Barbat - agrees to deliver the American princess Anasztasia to his family's immortal nemesis - the witch known as Strigoaic. To ensure Matthias' cooperation, the witch imprisons his best friend Austin within a mirror.

The Houses of Senesti and Barbat had denied her of her humanity. But she could be compassionate; their mortal descendants would be granted immortality - but only if they go back in time and restore the witch's humanity. She will also break the 550-year-old curse which imprisons Matthias' family in their ancestral home.

To make their lives their own, the heirs must return to the most perilous day in their families’ past, Easter Sunday, 1457. This is the day Vlad III, aka Dracula, massacred all nobles and their families involved in the death of his father and older brother. However, is it possible for Anasztasia and Matthias to reverse the past when their families will not speak of their wrongs? How can they possibly refuse when the witch essentially owns their lives?

Comprehensive and deeply engaging, The Witch’s Salvation takes readers on a remarkable journey that spans time, immortality, family curses, and illuminates one of history’s most infamous and notorious figures.

Let me say, first of all, that I've always been fascinated by the life of Vlad III - ever since I watched Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula, when it came on television in 2000. So, that's initially what made me want to read this book. In my opinion, the plot was well-written and intriguing - the characters sympathetically drawn and fully developed.

This story completely captured my attention, and held it until the end. Ms. Pelaccia is a new author for me and in my opinion, this is an amazing debut. I give this book a definite A+! I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy - The Witch's Monastery.

A+! - (96-100%)

May you read well and often

Blog Tour For The Last Ancient by Eliot Baker From June 2, 2014 to August 29, 2014 - Come Join Us!

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Eliot Baker will be touring the blogosphere to promote his Supernatural Thriller/Historical Mystery The Last Ancient. This virtual book tour is being hosted by Pump up Your Book and will last from June 2, to August 29, 2014!

The Last Ancient Blog Tour Information:

Meet Eliot Baker

Eliot Baker lives in Finland. He teaches communications at a local college and runs an editing and translating business, but would be content singing for his heavy metal band and writing novels full-time. He grew up near Seattle, got his B.A. in World Literature at Pitzer College, and got his M.S. in Science Journalism from Boston University. He was an award-winning journalist at the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, and before that he wrote for the Harvard Health Letters. He spent four years pursuing a career in the sciences while at the Harvard Extension School, during which time he spun old people in NASA-designed rocket chairs and kept younger people awake for 86 hours at a time in a sleep deprivation study. He likes good books, all music, and bad movies, and believes music and literature snobs just need a hug.

His latest book is the supernatural thriller/historical mystery, The Last Ancient.

Visit his blog at www.eliotbakerauthor.blogspot.com.

Connect and Socialize with Eliot!

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

About The Last Ancient:

Around Nantucket Island, brutal crime scenes are peppered with ancient coins, found by the one man who can unlock their meaning. But what do the coins have to do with the crimes? Or the sudden disease epidemic? Even the creature? And who - or what - left them?

The answer leads reporter Simon Stephenson on a journey through ancient mythology, numismatics, and the occult. Not to mention his own past, which turns out to be even darker than he’d realized; his murdered father was a feared arms dealer, after all. Along the way, Simon battles panic attacks and a host of nasty characters - some natural, others less so - while his heiress fiancee goes bridezilla, and a gorgeous rival TV reporter conceals her own intentions.

Purchase Your Copy From Amazon!

Monday, June 2 - Interview at Between the Covers
Tuesday, June 3 - First Chapter Reveal at Pump Up Your Book
Thursday, June 5 - Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book
Monday, June 9 - Book Featured at Examiner
Tuesday, June 10 - Interview at PUYB Virtual Book Club
Wednesday, June 11 - Interview at The Dark Phantom
Thursday, June 12 - Book Featured at The Literary Nook
Monday, June 16 - Interview at As the Page Turns
Tuesday, June 17 - Interview at Fabulous and Fun
Wednesday, June 18 - Book Featured at What Is That Book About
Thursday, June 19 - Book Featured at Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
Monday, June 23 - Interview at Beyond the Books
Tuesday, June 24 - Book Featured at Mom With a Kindle
Wednesday, June 25 - Interview at Straight From the Author’s Mouth
Thursday, June 26 - Interview at Workaday Reads
Friday, June 27 - First Chapter Reveal at The Book Rack
Monday, July 7 - Interview at The Writer’s Life
Tuesday, July 8 - Character Interview at The Literary Nook
Wednesday, July 9 - Book Review at Deal Sharing Aunt
Thursday, July 10 - Book Review at Bound 4 Escape
Monday, July 14 - First Chapter Reveal at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, July 15 - Book Featured at Cheryl’s Book Nook
Wednesday, July 16 - Guest Blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Wednesday, July 16 - Book Review at The Crime Scene
Thursday, July 17 - Guest Blogging at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews
Monday, July 21 - Book Featured at Plug Your Book
Tuesday, July 22 - Book Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark
Wednesday, July 23 - Character Guest Post at As the Page Turns
Thursday, July 24 - Book Review at I Heart Reading
Monday, July 28 - Interview at SheWrites
Tuesday, July 29 - Book Review at So I Read This Book Today
Thursday, July 31 - Book Featured at CBY Book Club
Monday, August 4 - Interview at Blogcritics
Tuesday, August 5 - Book Review at Mary’s Cup of Tea
Wednesday, August 6 - Interview at Virginia Beach Publishing Examiner
Thursday, August 7 - Book Review at Bless Their Hearts Mom
Monday, August 11 - Interview at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, August 12 - Book Featured at Booklover Sue
Wednesday, August 13 - Guest Blogging at Curling Up By The Fire
Thursday, August 14 - Interview at Allvoices
Monday, August 18 - Interview at Review From Here
Tuesday, August 19 - Interview at As the Pages Turn
Wednesday, August 20 - Guest Blogging at The Writer’s Life
Thursday, August 21 - Book Review at Hanging on Every Word
Monday, August 25 - Interview at I’m Shelf-ish
Wednesday, August 27 - Book Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Thursday, August 28 - Book Review at Written Love
Friday, August 29 - Book Tour Highlights at PUYB Virtual Book Club

May you read well and often

Calling All Book Reviewers!

Hello everyone! :) I hope that you are all having a wonderful day today. I know that I am! ;) Anyway, I recently received an email from author Connie Corcoran Wilson, and because I think she is such a remarkable writer, I thought that I would make a request of all the readers of Emeraldfire's Bookmark.

Like so many authors out there, Ms. Wilson is always on the look out for more reviewers for her books. All that is required from these potential reviewers, is a willingness to read the book, and also to write a fair and honest review of what you read. As I've said before, this is just a request of all the readers of my blog - but if you do decide to review any of the books in The Color of Evil Series, I would appreciate it very much! And I know that Ms. Wilson would as well. ;)
   

Meet Connie Corcoran Wilson

Connie (Corcoran) Wilson taught composition at 6 IA/IL colleges and wrote for 5 newspapers. She currently writes for 6 blogs, was named 2008 Content Producer of the Year by Associated Content (2009), Midwestern Writing Center Writer of the Year (March 30, 2010), received the Illinois Women's Press Association Silver Feather Award on June 6, 2012, and has received numerous E-Lit Gold Medal awards for her works, including the first book in The Color of Evil series. She currently is a Featured Contributor for Yahoo, reviewing movies, television, entertainment and politics.

A graduate of the University of Iowa, Berkeley, Western Illinois University, Northern Illinois University and the University of Chicago, she was film and book critic for the Quad City Times during the 70’s and 80’s. Her (Jan., 2011) nonfiction release It Came from the ‘70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now consists of 50 reviews written during the seventies, with 76 photos, major cast and interactive trivia.

Connie’s continuing short story collection, Hellfire and Damnation, stories focused on the 9 Circles of Hell described in Dante's Inferno will soon have a third installment. Her screenplay based on her novel Out of Time was a winner in the 2007 “Writer’s Digest” competition.

In addition to interviewing Kurt Vonnegut, William F. Nolan, David Morrell, Joe Hill, Frederik Pohl, Jon Land, John Irving and Anne Perry for print and online publications, Connie taught for 33 years, founded and was CEO of 2 businesses (Sylvan Learning Center #3301 and Prometric Testing Center #3301), has a son (Scott) and a daughter (Stacey) born 19 years apart, is married 45 years to husband, Craig. Her twin granddaughters, Ava and Elise, who appear on the cover of her humorous book of essays, Laughing Through Life, turned four on January 11, 2013.

She lives in Chicago and in the IA/IL Quad Cities.

The Color of Evil by Connie Corcoran Wilson (2012)

Length: 254 pages

Purchase your copy from Amazon!

The Color of Evil Blurb:

Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others, he sees colors. These auras tell Tad whether a person is good or evil. At night, Tad dreams about the evil-doers, reliving their crimes in horrifyingly vivid detail.

But Tad doesn't know if the evil acts he witnesses in his nightmares are happening now, are already over, or are going to occur in the future. He has no control over the horrifying visions. He has been told (by his parents) never to speak of his power. All Tad knows is that he wants to protect those he loves. And he wants the bad dreams to stop.

At Tad's eighth birthday party (April 1, 1995) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the clown his parents hire to entertain Tad's third-grade classmates is one of the bad people. Pogo, the Killer Clown (aka Michael Clay) is a serial killer. So begins 53 nights of terror as Tad relives Pogo's crime, awakens screaming, and recites the terrifying details to his disbelieving family. The situation becomes so dire that Tad is hospitalized in a private institution under the care of a psychiatrist--who also does not believe the small boy's stories.

And then the police arrest Pogo, the Killer Clown.

Flash forward to the beginning of Tad's junior year in high school, 8 years later. Tad is 16 and recovered from the spring of his third-grade year. When Michael Clay was caught and imprisoned, the crime spree ended and so did Tad's bad dreams.

Until now, in the year of our Lord 2003, when evil once again stalks the land.

This is a terrifying, intense story of the dark people and places that lurk just beneath the surface of seemingly normal small-town America. As one reviewer says, "Wilson nails the darkness beneath the surface of small-town Midwestern life with an intense story based on fact."

Tad must wage a silent war against those who would harm the ones he loves. A battle to the death.

Red is For Rage by Connie Corcoran Wilson (2013)

Length: 260 pages

Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Red is For Rage Blurb:

Red is For Rage is the second book in the award-winning The Color of Evil series by Connie (Corcoran) Wilson. The Color of Evil won the E-Lit Gold Medal for Horror (Jenkins Group), and the Silver Feather (IWPA).

In Book Two, we learn more about the exact nature of Tad’s paranormal power, Tetrachromatic Super Vision. Can this keen sight help Tad find Stevie Scranton? Will Tad suffer another breakdown from reliving the crimes of serial killer Michael Clay (aka, Pogo, the Killer Clown), as he did when only eight years old? Can Tad learn to harness his special sight to help his loved ones?

When Stevie Scranton goes missing, best friend Tad vows to do everything he can to find him. Even if Stevie is dead, Sally and Earl Scranton, (his parents), and Shannon, (Stevie’s older sister), crave closure. Tad enlists the help of retired policeman Charlie Chandler and a team of volunteers, including Charlie’s old partner, Evelyn Hoeflinger. This rag-tag team of detectives continues searching for Stevie Scranton, the runty misfit of Cedar Falls’ Sky High. In their search, they discover a monster every bit as dangerous as Pogo and must confront him in order to save Stevie.

Tad sees auras around others that tell him whether they are good or evil. The truly evil are surrounded by a khaki aura (THE COLOR OF EVIL). At night, Tad suffers vivid nightmares that depict the crimes of the evil-doers. Michael Clay (the serial killer Pogo) escapes custody. On the loose again, Pogo’s actions restart the vicious cycle of violent nightmares. Pogo poses a threat to the entire town of Cedar Falls, but he is especially a threat to Tad McGreevy.

Pogo has one main goal: kill Tad McGreevy so that Tad cannot disclose Clay’s location. Pogo doesn’t realize that, up until now, Tad has been unable to harness the paranormal ability he possesses. Now, Tad McGreevy must try to learn to use his unique gift. Stevie Scranton’s fate hangs in the balance. Tad’s power, if precognitive, could save everyone he loves.

Jenny SanGiovanni returns from her father’s home in Boulder, Colorado, to finish her senior year with her old classmates. She brings home a new set of problems. Jeremy Gustaffsson, the fifth-year senior boyfriend in Jenny’s junior year, graduated. But Jeremy is still in town, still obsessed with Jenny, still dangerous. When Jenny broke up with Jeremy, it made Jeremy mad. Bad things happen to good people when Jeremy Gustaffsson gets angry and descends into a red rage.

All Jenny’s cheerleader friends from her junior year are back. Many, like Janice Kramer, Heather Crompton and Melody Harris, have problems of their own. Jenny deals with adolescent issues such as self-esteem and self-worth, problems that tax her soul. But Jenny is not alone. Another Sky High student is driven to the brink. Will that individual plunge into the abyss of despair?

And what of the adults? What has the stress of Stevie’s nine-month ordeal done to Earl and Sally Scranton’s marriage? What problems confront the other adults in Cedar Falls as three evil-doers rise up to create chaos and do them harm?

Red is For Rage and rage runs rampant in this small Iowa town in the year of our Lord 2004.

Khaki=Killer by Connie Corcoran Wilson (2014)

Length: 220 pages

Purchase your copy from Amazon!

Khaki=Killer Blurb:

Khaki=Killer, the third novel in The Color of Evil series, follows young Tad McGreevy and friends at Cedar Falls' Sky High Lab School through the second semester of their senior year.

Recently named a "PageTurner" by Shelf Unbound magazine and NABE Pinnacle Thriller winner, the series details the adventures of the young man (Tad McGreevy) with the power to detect auras around others (Tetrachromatic Super Vision) and to relive the crimes of those with "the color of evil" in his dreams. Khaki=Killer.

Praise For The Color of Evil Series:

As reviewer (True Review) Andy Andrews put it: "Wilson makes all this count and mixes the ugly and the good in ways that can turn out to be rewarding for readers...There are moments of a real gift here...deft touches...especially between Stevie (Scranton) and his girlfriend, that are quite touching and even inspired...So, I remain happy to follow this series, I am assuming this series will reach a conclusion and I cannot wait to see how Wilson writes it."

"Connie Corcoran Wilson weaves a deftly fine scalpel in an age where a crude blade is more the norm. Her work is a smooth, subtle hybrid mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror that realizes a unique and pointed vision in the great tradition of Phillip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury. Her voice is a wonder to behold, at once dark and somber while maintaining a glimmer of hope that shines in the hearts of her heroes, who cling to the light. Like Stephen King, nothing escapes her discerning eye, the result of which is tale after tale that bleed life onto the page, both literally and figuratively." - Jon Land, bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong Series

"Connie Wilson is back - She's good! She's DAMN good! In a world of mainly bad-to-fair writers, she stands above the crowd with plot, description , and strong character. Believe me, you'll enjoy her latest! that's a guarantee!...She's a born storyteller!" - William F. Nolan, Living Legend in Dark Fantasy, Logan's Run, Logan's World, Nightworlds

"Wilson's characters come alive on the page. Comparisons to Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Philip K. Dick aside, Wilson has spent 33 years teaching students in this age range. She knows what she is talking about."- Gary Braver, author of Flashback and 8 other thrillers.

"The Color of Evil series is old-school psychological horror, artfully blended with new-school shocks and twists. ..Bravo!" - Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author, multiple Bram Stoker winner

May you read well and often

Blog Tour For The Unholy by Paul DeBlassie III From June 2, 2014 to August 29, 2014 - Come Join Us!

Hello Everyone! I am extremely happy to announce that Paul DeBlassie III will be touring the blogosphere to promote his Psychological/Paranormal Thriller The Unholy. This virtual book tour is being hosted by Pump up Your Book and will last from June 2, to August 29, 2014!

The Unholy Blog Tour Information:

 Meet Paul DeBlassie III

Paul DeBlassie III, Ph.D., is a psychologist and writer living in Albuquerque, New Mexico who has treated survivors of the dark side of religion for more than 30 years. He is a member of the Depth Psychology Alliance, the Transpersonal Psychology Association and the International Association for Relational Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. Dr. DeBlassie writes psychological thrillers with an emphasis on the dark side of the human psyche. In The Unholy, a young curandera, a medicine woman, intent on uncovering the secrets of her past is forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil archbishop. Set in the mystic land of Aztlan, The Unholy is a novel of destiny as healer and slayer. Native lore of dreams and visions lure the unsuspecting into a twilight realm of discovery and decision.

Visit his website at www.pauldeblassieiii.com or his blog at www.pauldeblassieiii.blogspot.com.

Connect and Socialize with Paul!

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Blog 

About The Unholy:

A young curandera, a medicine woman, intent on uncovering the secrets of her past is forced into a life-and-death battle against an evil Archbishop. Set in the mystic land of Aztlan, The Unholy is a novel of destiny as healer and slayer. Native lore of dreams and visions, shape changing, and natural magic work to spin a neo-gothic web in which sadness and mystery lure the unsuspecting into a twilight realm of discovery and decision.

Purchase Your Copy From Amazon!

Monday, June 2 - Book Featured at Examiner

Tuesday, June 3 - Interview at The Writer’s Life

Wednesday, June 4 - First Chapter Reveal at Pump Up Your Book

Thursday, June 5 - Book Featured at The Book Rack

Monday, June 9 - Interview at Deal Sharing Aunt

Tuesday, June 10 - Guest Blogging at The Story Behind the Book

Wednesday, June 11 - Guest blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner

Thursday, June 12 - Book Featured at Beyond the Books

Monday, June 16 - Guest Blogging at Literal Exposure

Tuesday, June 17 - First Chapter Reveal at Between the Covers

Monday, June 23 - Guest Blogging at Shelley’s Bookcase

Tuesday, June 24 - First Chapter Reveal at I’m Shelf-ish

Wednesday, June 25 - Book Featured at The Dark Phantom

Friday, June 27 - Book Featured at The Literary Nook

Monday, July 7 - Interview at PUYB Virtual Book Club

Tuesday, July 8 - Guest Blogging at The Writer’s Life

Wednesday, July 9 - Interview at Between the Covers

Thursday, July 10 - Interview at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews

Monday, July 14 - Book Review and Interview at Words I Write Crazy

Tuesday, July 15 - Interview at Blogcritics

Wednesday, July 16 - First Chapter Reveal at Read My First Chapter

Thursday, July 17 - Interview at Review From Here

Tuesday, July 22 - Guest Blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, July 23 - Interview at Literarily Speaking

Thursday, July 24 - Interview at As the Pages Turn

Friday, July 25 - Interview at Nancy Woods Blog

Monday, July 28 - Interview at Virginia Beach Publishing Examiner

Wednesday, July 30 - Book Review at Review From Here

Friday, July 31 - Interview at As the Page Turns

Monday, August 4 - Book Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark

Tuesday, August 5 - Guest Blogging at Bibliotica

Wednesday, August 6 - Guest Blogging at Literal Exposure

Friday, August 8 - Book Review and Character Guest Post at Castle Macabra

Sunday, August 10 - Book Review and Guest Blogging at Ashley’s World

Monday, August 11 - Interview at The Dark Phantom

Tuesday, August 12 - Guest Blogging at Bea’s Book Nook

Wednesday, August 13 - Book Featured at Plug Your Book

Monday, August 18 - Interview at Beyond the Books

Tuesday, August 19 - Interview at The Book Rack

Wednesday, August 20 - Book Review and Interview at My Life, Loves and Passion

Monday, August 25 - Interview at I’m Shelf-ish

Tuesday, August 26 - Book Featured at SheWrites

Wednesday, August 27 - Interview at Allvoices

Friday, August 29 - Book Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

May you read well and often

Celia Bonaduce - A Comedy of Erinn

28. A Comedy of Erinn by Celia Bonaduce (2013)
The Venice Beach Romance Series Book 2
Length: 231 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Started: 27 April 2014
Finished: 1 May 2014
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Dorothy at Pump up Your Book and to Jaidis for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 March 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary romance and Celia Bonaduce is a new author for me.

Erinn Wolf is looking to reinvent herself. A once celebrated playwright who had taken Broadway by storm in the 1980's, she is now a struggling photographer living in California. Erinn is almost broke, a little lonely, and tired of being a source of her sister's constant worry. 

When a producing job on a reality TV show falls into her lap, Erinn is absolutely thrilled to be finally making a paycheck. And when a handsome Italian actor named Massimo rents her guesthouse, she's certain her life will soon include a romantic subplot. Life is certainly looking up for Erinn.

But with the director - brash, gorgeous young Jude - dogging her every step, Erinn can't help but start seeing herself through his lens - and wonder if she's been reading the wrong script all along...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought that this story was fast-paced and funny; and I found that the characters were really well-rounded and likable. I was drawn into the plot right away and wanted to see how the story would eventually develop. I give A Comedy of Erinn by Celia Bonaduce a definite A!

This is the second book in The Venice Beach Romance Series, although it doesn't necessarily have to be read in that order. I would certainly love to read the other two books in this series - The Merchant of Venice Beach and Much Ado About Mother - in the future.

A! - (90-95%)
              

May you read well and often

Reading Wrap-up For April at Emeraldfire's Bookmark

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Emeraldfire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog.

Anyway, I started out April with about two hundred unread books lying around the house and ended the month with...umm...uncountable amounts of books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from authors, Bookmooch and a Library Book Sale that Mom and I went to on the 9th.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Sea Wife by Holly Cook
- Dinosaur Lake by Kathryn Meyer Griffith
- Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman
- The Affair by Lily Maxton
- The Duke's Shotgun Wedding by Stacy Reid
- To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis by Andra Watkins
- Seeing Green by Annabel Hertz

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Luthier's Apprentice by Mayra Calvani
- Schism: The Battle For Darracia by Michael Phillip Cash
- His Conquest by Diana Cosby
- Mind Games: A Cassie Scot Novel by Christine Amsden
- The Captive Bride by Susan Spencer Paul
- The Fifth Daughter by Elaine Coffman
- Interruptions by Susan Froetschel
- Julie and Romeo by Jeanne Ray
- Lily Fair by Kimberly Cates
- Man of my Dreams by Johanna Lindsey
- Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress by Elizabeth Boyle
- Only by Your Touch by Catherine Anderson
- The Phoenix by S. Alden Reilly
- A Season Beyond a Kiss by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
- Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper
- Some Like it Sinful by Deborah Raleigh
- The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart
- The Wedding Vow by Jill Henry
- What a Gentleman Wants by Caroline Linden
- Of Dreams and Shadow: Forget Me Not by D. S. McKnight
- Tangled Omens by Joni Parker
- The Education of George Washington: How a Forgotten Book Shaped the Character of a Hero by Austin Washington
- Shaking Out the Dead by K. M. Cholewa
- Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert
- The Knight and the Rose by Isolde Martyn

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Accidentally in Love With...A God? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
- Dinosaur Lake by Kathryn Meyer Griffith
- The Affair by Lily Maxton
- The Duke's Shotgun Wedding by Stacy Reid

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me, considering. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 7

Pages Read: 1,405

Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was April. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

May you read well and often

Introducing Khaki=Killer by Connie Corcoran Wilson!

Connie Corcoran Wilson will be having a signing for her latest Young Adult Paranormal Thriller Khaki=Killer, the third book in her hugely successful The Color of Evil Series. This book signing will be launched at The Book Rack in Moline, Illinois, on Saturday, May 31st from 1 to 4 P. M. Also, you will be able to download Khaki=Killer for free via Kindle from July 8th-12th!

July 8th-12th is the week of International Thriller Writers' Conference in New York City, where it will be displayed on an easel so that the artwork by Vincent Chong (cover artist for Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, William F. Nolan and a host of others) can be enjoyed. These books have won E-Lit, Pinnacle, Lucky Cinda and Silver Feather awards and Shelf Unbound magazine named Red is For Rage a "page-turner of 2013" and one of the best independent covers of the year (Paula Phanback's).

As Ms. Wilson says at the end of her email: "Hope to see you on Saturday, May 31, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Book Rack in Moline (IL) , or, at the IWPA (Illinois Women's Press Association) tent at Printers' Row in Chicago, where I will be accepting my second Silver Feather Award at a luncheon at the Union League Club on Saturday, May 17th, 2014, the 2nd time in 3 years my writing has won this prestigious award."

Meet Connie Corcoran Wilson

Connie (Corcoran) Wilson taught composition at 6 IA/IL colleges and wrote for 5 newspapers. She currently writes for 6 blogs, was named 2008 Content Producer of the Year by Associated Content (2009), Midwestern Writing Center Writer of the Year (March 30, 2010), received the Illinois Women's Press Association Silver Feather Award on June 6, 2012, and has received numerous E-Lit Gold Medal awards for her works, including the first book in The Color of Evil series. She currently is a Featured Contributor for Yahoo, reviewing movies, television, entertainment and politics.

A graduate of the University of Iowa, Berkeley, Western Illinois University, Northern Illinois University and the University of Chicago, she was film and book critic for the Quad City Times during the 70’s and 80’s. Her (Jan., 2011) nonfiction release It Came from the ‘70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now consists of 50 reviews written during the seventies, with 76 photos, major cast and interactive trivia.

Connie’s continuing short story collection,Hellfire and Damnation, stories focused on the 9 Circles of Hell described in Dante's Inferno will soon have a third installment. Her screenplay based on her novel Out of Time was a winner in the 2007 “Writer’s Digest”competition.

In addition to interviewing Kurt Vonnegut, William F. Nolan, David Morrell, Joe Hill, Frederik Pohl, Jon Land, John Irving and Anne Perry for print and online publications, Connie taught for 33 years, founded and was CEO of 2 businesses (Sylvan Learning Center #3301 and Prometric Testing Center #3301), has a son (Scott) and a daughter (Stacey) born 19 years apart, is married 45 years to husband, Craig. Her twin granddaughters, Ava and Elise, who appear on the cover of her humorous book of essays, Laughing Through Life, turned four on January 11, 2013.

She lives in Chicago and in the IA/IL Quad Cities.

The Color of Evil by Connie Corcoran Wilson (2012)

Length: 254 pages

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The Color of Evil Blurb:

Tad McGreevy has a power that he has never revealed, not even to his life-long best friend, Stevie Scranton. When Tad looks at others, he sees colors. These auras tell Tad whether a person is good or evil. At night, Tad dreams about the evil-doers, reliving their crimes in horrifyingly vivid detail.

But Tad doesn't know if the evil acts he witnesses in his nightmares are happening now, are already over, or are going to occur in the future. He has no control over the horrifying visions. He has been told (by his parents) never to speak of his power. All Tad knows is that he wants to protect those he loves. And he wants the bad dreams to stop.

At Tad's eighth birthday party (April 1, 1995) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the clown his parents hire to entertain Tad's third-grade classmates is one of the bad people. Pogo, the Killer Clown (aka Michael Clay) is a serial killer. So begins 53 nights of terror as Tad relives Pogo's crime, awakens screaming, and recites the terrifying details to his disbelieving family. The situation becomes so dire that Tad is hospitalized in a private institution under the care of a psychiatrist--who also does not believe the small boy's stories.

And then the police arrest Pogo, the Killer Clown.

Flash forward to the beginning of Tad's junior year in high school, 8 years later. Tad is 16 and recovered from the spring of his third-grade year. When Michael Clay was caught and imprisoned, the crime spree ended and so did Tad's bad dreams.

Until now, in the year of our Lord 2003, when evil once again stalks the land.

This is a terrifying, intense story of the dark people and places that lurk just beneath the surface of seemingly normal small-town America. As one reviewer says, "Wilson nails the darkness beneath the surface of small-town Midwestern life with an intense story based on fact."

Tad must wage a silent war against those who would harm the ones he loves. A battle to the death.

Red is For Rage by Connie Corcoran Wilson (2013)

Length: 260 pages

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Red is For Rage Blurb:

Red is For Rage is the second book in the award-winning The Color of Evil series by Connie (Corcoran) Wilson. The Color of Evil won the E-Lit Gold Medal for Horror (Jenkins Group), and the Silver Feather (IWPA).

In Book Two, we learn more about the exact nature of Tad’s paranormal power, Tetrachromatic Super Vision. Can this keen sight help Tad find Stevie Scranton? Will Tad suffer another breakdown from reliving the crimes of serial killer Michael Clay (aka, Pogo, the Killer Clown), as he did when only eight years old? Can Tad learn to harness his special sight to help his loved ones?

When Stevie Scranton goes missing, best friend Tad vows to do everything he can to find him. Even if Stevie is dead, Sally and Earl Scranton, (his parents), and Shannon, (Stevie’s older sister), crave closure. Tad enlists the help of retired policeman Charlie Chandler and a team of volunteers, including Charlie’s old partner, Evelyn Hoeflinger. This rag-tag team of detectives continues searching for Stevie Scranton, the runty misfit of Cedar Falls’ Sky High. In their search, they discover a monster every bit as dangerous as Pogo and must confront him in order to save Stevie.

Tad sees auras around others that tell him whether they are good or evil. The truly evil are surrounded by a khaki aura (THE COLOR OF EVIL). At night, Tad suffers vivid nightmares that depict the crimes of the evil-doers. Michael Clay (the serial killer Pogo) escapes custody. On the loose again, Pogo’s actions restart the vicious cycle of violent nightmares. Pogo poses a threat to the entire town of Cedar Falls, but he is especially a threat to Tad McGreevy.

Pogo has one main goal: kill Tad McGreevy so that Tad cannot disclose Clay’s location. Pogo doesn’t realize that, up until now, Tad has been unable to harness the paranormal ability he possesses. Now, Tad McGreevy must try to learn to use his unique gift. Stevie Scranton’s fate hangs in the balance. Tad’s power, if precognitive, could save everyone he loves.

Jenny SanGiovanni returns from her father’s home in Boulder, Colorado, to finish her senior year with her old classmates. She brings home a new set of problems. Jeremy Gustaffsson, the fifth-year senior boyfriend in Jenny’s junior year, graduated. But Jeremy is still in town, still obsessed with Jenny, still dangerous. When Jenny broke up with Jeremy, it made Jeremy mad. Bad things happen to good people when Jeremy Gustaffsson gets angry and descends into a red rage.

All Jenny’s cheerleader friends from her junior year are back. Many, like Janice Kramer, Heather Crompton and Melody Harris, have problems of their own. Jenny deals with adolescent issues such as self-esteem and self-worth, problems that tax her soul. But Jenny is not alone. Another Sky High student is driven to the brink. Will that individual plunge into the abyss of despair?

And what of the adults? What has the stress of Stevie’s nine-month ordeal done to Earl and Sally Scranton’s marriage? What problems confront the other adults in Cedar Falls as three evil-doers rise up to create chaos and do them harm?

Red is For Rage and rage runs rampant in this small Iowa town in the year of our Lord 2004.

Khaki=Killer by Connie Corcoran Wilson (2014)

Length: 220 pages

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Khaki=Killer Blurb:

Khaki=Killer, the third novel in The Color of Evil series, follows young Tad McGreevy and friends at Cedar Falls' Sky High Lab School through the second semester of their senior year.

Recently named a "PageTurner" by Shelf Unbound magazine and NABE Pinnacle Thriller winner, the series details the adventures of the young man (Tad McGreevy) with the power to detect auras around others (Tetrachromatic Super Vision) and to relive the crimes of those with "the color of evil" in his dreams. Khaki=Killer.

Praise For The Color of Evil Series:

As reviewer (True Review) Andy Andrews put it: "Wilson makes all this count and mixes the ugly and the good in ways that can turn out to be rewarding for readers...There are moments of a real gift here...deft touches...especially between Stevie (Scranton) and his girlfriend, that are quite touching and even inspired...So, I remain happy to follow this series, I am assuming this series will reach a conclusion and I cannot wait to see how Wilson writes it."

"Connie Corcoran Wilson weaves a deftly fine scalpel in an age where a crude blade is more the norm. Her work is a smooth, subtle hybrid mix of science fiction, thriller, and horror that realizes a unique and pointed vision in the great tradition of Phillip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury. Her voice is a wonder to behold, at once dark and somber while maintaining a glimmer of hope that shines in the hearts of her heroes, who cling to the light. Like Stephen King, nothing escapes her discerning eye, the result of which is tale after tale that bleed life onto the page, both literally and figuratively." - Jon Land, bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong Series

"Connie Wilson is back - She's good! She's DAMN good! In a world of mainly bad-to-fair writers, she stands above the crowd with plot, description , and strong character. Believe me, you'll enjoy her latest! that's a guarantee!...She's a born storyteller!" - William F. Nolan, Living Legend in Dark Fantasy, Logan's Run, Logan's World, Nightworlds

"Wilson's characters come alive on the page. Comparisons to Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Philip K. Dick aside, Wilson has spent 33 years teaching students in this age range. She knows what she is talking about."- Gary Braver, author of Flashback and 8 other thrillers.

"The Color of Evil series is old-school psychological horror, artfully blended with new-school shocks and twists. ..Bravo!" - Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author, multiple Bram Stoker winner

May you read well and often