Indie Book Reviews and Recommendations
Every new romance has its ups and downs... Its bumps in the road... Its blackmail notes... A misunderstanding ties the fates of three men together in this heartfelt, sensual, and uproarious romantic puzzle. Blackmailer's Delight is a tale of lives tossed into the air, then reassembled in some rather unexpected ways.
Written as a Civil War memoir, The Hag Rider explores fifteen-year-old Jack Benson’s transition to manhood as he tells his soldier’s account of life in the Confederate cavalry, a life convoluted by the spectral manipulations of Vanita, an old witch-woman who is sworn to protect him. Her hidden presence seems to protect Jack throughout the war in amazing ways, across countless miles, through patrols, battle, and capture.
It’s the summer of 1977 and a suffocating heatwave has enveloped New York City. On the brink of financial ruin due to an ongoing fiscal crisis, and with a crumbling infrastructure stretching public resources to their breaking point, the city is on the precipice of catastrophe. Organized crime syndicates, gangs, and outlaws rule a city overrun by crime, poverty, and violence. Socialite Carolina Lynch has been kidnapped by one of these gangs and is being held for ransom in one of the five boroughs. Former Force Recon Marine and Vietnam War veteran Vicente “Vic” Espada is working as a Fugitive Apprehension Agent for a failing bail bonds company and living check to check without very many options. But when Vic’s friend and former Force Recon sergeant Oran Burke approaches him with a job offer to find Carolina and lead Oran’s team of highly trained operatives to her location, Vic thinks his luck is changing for the better. But things don’t go as planned and with New York City plunged into darkness by a citywide blackout, Vic and Carolina find themselves alone and on the run from her violent kidnappers and their homicidal leader. Through an urban nightmare filled with marauders and psychopaths, Vic and Carolina must make their way to safety while trying to survive one night in Fear City.
Throughout my academic career, I have read snippets of this book. A chapter here, a few paragraphs there. Normally, it was an activity set by one of my English or Writing classes in high school and college. And although I enjoyed O'Brien's writing and could feel his pain tugging on my heartstrings, I have never had the opportunity--or courage--to read the entire book. I decided to change that this summer. I ended up reading this entire book in not only one day, but one sitting.
In this seemingly normal story about a couple of body snatchers from Glasgow, Scotland in the late 19th century, David Craig takes us on a terrifying and unexpected journey fraught with creatures from a nightmare. Foley and Hunt wind their way through coverups and mystery, kidnappings and brainwashing, even murders, all simply so they can go back to their normal, mundane lives of scrounging up enough money to take to the bar at night and keep Foley's pharmacy open during the day. But when they begin to uncover the secrets of the Sooty Feathers Club, their lives can no longer be "normal." Now, Foley and Hunt have to fight for their lives with the help of the age-old Templars and a woman with a grudge. Will they be able to beat back the evil penetrating Glasgow? Or will they end up as a Vampyre's midnight meal?
In the Ottoman Empire, the vampire Queen rules with absolute control. The human Sultan is under her constant compulsion and she has turned all of the officials into Ubir. But are all of the Ubir happy with this? There may be a plan afoot to depose the Queen... Timur is an orphan Ubir, with no recollection of being human. He fears himself, his Ubir curse, and attempts to get by with as little blood as he can to survive. Emel is a mischievous human girl of marrying age, set to marry the son of a detestable woman. However, Emel and Timur alike are drawn to each other, ever since their chance encounter that day in the streets. Can they stay apart? Can Timur afford to remain away from her and her blessing of relieving hunger?
The Book Dragon 
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