#EXCERPT: Hunting Taylor Brown by Rhys Hagan

Outlaw bikers, rogue police, brutal gangsters and a ruthless assassin converge in the city of Shoremont to claim the bounty on Ryan Hall’s head and recover the girl he rescued—Taylor Brown.

Taylor is the daughter of a powerful and calculating mob boss, Cameron Brown, who isn’t sparing any expense to know his daughter is safe and exact vengeance on those responsible for her kidnapping.

While the depraved maniacs of the city scrounge for their reward, Detective Jesse Wishman and Larry Manning must confront the mutual pain in their pasts if they hope to successfully resolve the case. When Manning’s daughter, and Wishman’s fiancée, was killed; it caused them both to spiral into obsession and self-loathing until they were forced to meet once again.

Join the estranged detectives as they attempt to defy the odds by clearing Hall’s name and uncover a conspiracy behind the disappearance of a child.

 EXCERPT:

He sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead, trying to hide his nervous sweat. He wanted this to be over as much as I did. The only reason he’d wanted this case was that the evidence was condemning, making it light work, and it’d be good for his career. The question was could he live with himself if he ignored what was staring back at him from my phone for the sake of his reputation?

“Here’s what’s going to happen. You tell me what you know, and I’ll tell you what I know,” I demanded.

“How do I know I can trust you?” he asked. “You could just be using me to help your buddy. Then I get fired, and you fuck up the case.”

“At this point, I’ve got a lot more to lose than you do.” I leaned in and tentatively admitted, “To get what I want, I need your help . . .”

Manning began anxiously rubbing his wrinkled forehead again. Thunder covered the silence, making the entire house rumble while I waited for a response. Because of how fast this was unraveling, chances were Hall’s fate would be decided by what happened in the next few days—and by Larry Manning’s next sentence.

He hocked down the rest of his whisky and slammed down his glass. Taking a seat across from me, he began, “Two days ago, Taylor Brown went missing . . .”

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Born in Regional Victoria, Australia in 1990, Rhys Hagan displayed a passion for creative writing throughout his childhood years.

After high school, he joined the Royal Australian Army as a rifleman to develop skills he will carry with him for life. His experiences have also enriched his perspective as a writer. He regularly draws on his time in the military as a source of inspiration for his writing.

To find out more about Rhys, his novels, release dates, and sneak peaks—check out his website.

 

#BLAST: Tuning In by Chris Neal

How would you like to be twelve and be able to hear the unadulterated thoughts of every confused adult around you? Not every memory, but a person’s active thoughts. It makes for an interesting childhood.

Now trained as a con artist, by his family, Michael is all grown up and spreading his wings out in the real world, but there is a problem. Whether pulling small scams, impersonating a rich brat or playing poker with the mob, Michael is utterly unsatisfied with life. He questions his purpose and talents.

Chance smiles upon Michael, and he gets a job helping to steal a jewel collection with a sorted past. Jewels rumored to be the property of royalty, used to fund wars and even stolen once by the Nazi’s. Stealing that which has already been stolen is too tempting an opportunity to pass up.

He must infiltrate the high-powered New York law firm of Bishop, Adams, and Davenport. The smart and ruthless senior partners know where the bodies and the jewels are hidden. Michael must walk among them undiscovered as he and his team search for the jewels.

As a con artist this is a dream job but who is conning who, and what is that darkness he senses?

Buy for $.99 on Amazon  (free Kindle Unlimited) / Smashwords

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About Chris Neal

Chris Neal is the author of the Tuning In Series.

He is a fan of all things urban fantasy including The Dresden Files and shows like The Originals, and Constantine. His love of reading and his children are his inspiration to write his stories and share his humor.

The Tuning In series is his first foray into writing about the paranormal con artist Michael Cheffied.

#BLAST: Seer by Eli Bloom

Fifteen-year-old Grace “Gray” Fable can speak to the dead. When her dad moves from Los Angeles to be with his mysterious girlfriend, Gray must attend notorious Willowbrook High School, the scene of a mass shooting five years earlier. When she meets the ghosts of those who died that tragic day – including the school shooter himself – she must uncover a dark secret to lay the victims to rest, and find peace for their families before it’s too late to stop another tragedy. A YA Supernatural novel.

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  Eli Bloom is a young adult author living in Los Angeles with his wife and three cats – one named Grace, of all things. He believes in ghosts.

  Follow the author's Website / Goodreads / Amazon

#BLAST: Angel Hero by Lizbeth Hartz

Dazzled by open-hearted Hawaii firefighter Vic Lazzarini, dispatcher Lizbeth is puzzled by his friendship with Jaku Cardoza, a little man who thinks he’s something big. Liz shakes like a palm frond in the trade winds when Jaku corners her in the alarm room and pummels her with sadistic stories. Gentlemanly Vic couldn’t be more different, and she dreams of romance with this Prince Charming she’s found after too many frogs. But a grisly crime in the gentle rain of a Hawaiian Valentine’s Day morning shocks her out of her fantasies and plunges her into the greatest struggle of her life. Liz knows one wrong move could snuff out her life quicker than she can say, “Fire Department. Are you reporting an emergency?” This is a true story. Names and descriptions, dates, and places were changed to protect the innocent.

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"I spent 14 of my 36 years with federal civil service employed as a dispatcher for two military fire departments on Oahu. My true-crime memoir Angel Hero grew out of that experience. I live with my fiancé, Barry, in lush Manoa Valley above the University of Hawaii." Follow the Author http://www.authorlizbethhartz.com/ www.kwillbooks.com/lizbeth-hartz

#REVIEW: Professor Birdsong’s Dumbest Thieves, Thugs, & Rogues by Dr Leonard Birdsong

The Professor has delighted in telling you stories from his first two book series, Dumbest Criminal Law Stories and Weird Criminal Law Stories. Now he writes for fun and your enjoyment in his latest, Professor Birdsong’s Dumbest Thieves, Thugs, & Rogues.
These stories are some of the best from around the world and should bring you many good laughs.
For instance: A thief in Phoenix just released from County jail on drug charges ran laps around the jail celebrating his freedom, then tried to carjack a truck belonging to the jail.
 The Miami man arrested for stealing a corpse from a casket at a funeral home.
An Orlando bandit who broke into a convenience store by bashing in the front door with his head.
 The awkward thief who burglarized an Albuquerque home only to be confronted by the 66-year- old wife and her 70-year- old husband who held him at gunpoint in his car loaded with their household possession until police arrived.
 The San Jose thug who confessed to murder by cutting out the middle man and presented himself to the Santa Clara County jail with his confession.
 An impatient Wendy’s drive-thru customer in Chicago, so hungry he opened fire on another driver who tried to cut in front of him;
 The thug who was sentenced to a year in jail for trying to sell a backpack of dirty socks as marijuana.
 The Norwegian prisoner gone rogue who used a surfboard to escape from an island prison.
 A Frenchman suspended from his job with pay for 12 years who sought compensation of $500,000 because he claimed his career was ruined.
 And so many other stories about dumb thieve, thugs, and rogues that will make you laugh out loud.

 Buy it on $2.99 Amazon or Free with your Kindle Unlimited Subscription

My Rating: 4 stars
My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As with many of Professor Birdsong's books on the tales of our more illustrious criminals, this book will leave you shaking your head at some of the capers of  the people who inhabit the lower reaches of intelligence and criminal behavior. Like the guy who is surprised when the police track his footsteps in the snow...really?
The thing I liked the best about this book was the explanations of the words of thieves, thugs and rogues...who knew there was actually a difference when we use them almost interchangeably now.
Overall, this is a quick, one sitting read that will have you laughing. It's almost like the Jerry Springer of criminal activity.

About the author:

Professor Birdsong received his J.D. from the Harvard Law School and his B.A. from Howard University. He teaches law in Orlando, Florida. After graduation from law school he worked four years at the law firm of Baker Hostetler. He then entered into a varied and distinguished career in government service. He served as a diplomat with the U.S. State Department with various postings in Nigeria, Germany and the Bahamas. Professor Birdsong later served as a federal prosecutor. After leaving government service, and before he began teaching, Professor Birdsong was in private law practice in Washington, D.C. Find Pfr Birdsong on his website and on Twitter @Prof_Birdsong, on Literary Addicts and Goodreads.

 Professor Birdsong is giving away a $20 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner. Fill out the widget below to enter.

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#SALE and #GIVEAWAY: Unbarred Innovation by Mayur Ramgir

This book contains everything that will motivate its readers to realize their true potential. It will inspire readers to take a different perception about how things work in this world. It provides strategies, tips and guidance on how any individual whether young or old, educated or uneducated, can influence the world with their thought-provoking ideas. It also contains motivational stories of the most successful innovators in the world and how they overcame adversities to come up with unthinkable inventions. Innovation is not limited to a few people and nor it is only the realm of scientists, artists and creators. You can be the next innovator contributing to a better world and this book shows you how! It is in YOU to push your limits and reach your potential. This book brings you all the tools and guidance necessary to wake up your inner innovator and get started! "It is important to note that all the proceeds generated by this book will be donated for charitable causes such as providing education, shelter, food and basic needs for underprivileged children, eradicating poverty, hunger and solving social and global issues. "  

On Sale for ONLY $.99 or FREE on Kindle Unlimited Mayur is a visionary and the founder of Zonopact. He is passionate about what he does and innovation is at the heart of his success. He has contributed to various research projects and single-handedly developed CLINTRA, a latest innovation in enterprise software. Having keen business acumen led Mayur to start his first business at the age of 18.He has completed MS in Computational Science and Engineering from Georgia Tech (USA) and other degrees and professional courses from University of Sussex (UK), University of Mumbai (India), MIT (USA) and University of Oxford (UK). Enter to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card. Fill out the form to enter

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#REVIEW: Delta: Revenge by Cristin Harber

Title: Delta: Revenge
Series: Delta Series
Author: Cristin Harber
Publisher: Mill Creek Press
Published Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN: 9781942236344
Pages: 250
Buy It Link: Amazon

Synopsis: A Tortured Hero with a Heart of Gold
Growing up on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Javier Almeida has only his older sister to protect him. When she’s sold to a human-trafficker, he vows to hunt down those responsible.

Years later, Titan Group’s Delta team finds him, tattooed and brawling, a vigilante protector with information they want. They take him in and train him, working him harder than a man should be driven, until he’s a soldier harboring an obsession. Ready for revenge, Javier ghosts his way across the globe, tracking the men who took his sister and working elite private security jobs.

Meets Sweet and Sassy

Jilted at the altar, Sophia Cole turns the reception into a one-woman party. She’s intent on devouring all the cake and champagne, so she can bask in the calories she’s been avoiding. In the midst of the revelry, he walks in, the one man she can never ignore.

Javier is her older brother’s black ops teammate—an automatic Do Not Go There. But if there’s one thing better than fondant and a buzz to ease the wounds of a cheating fiancé, it might be a one-night stand with a South American military man.

It's a Game Changer

Javier didn’t expect to see Sophia again. He never thought he would even want to see her again. He shouldn’t have touched her, but his mind won’t stay away from her.

Now, Sophia Cole is thousands of miles away from the safety of her parents’ lavish estate and working alongside him in hell. She’s a staffer at an Embassy, and he’s there to keep them alive. There are bombs and bullets and blood-hungry enemies.

And then she’s taken. Gone. Just like his sister. But so much worse.

My Rating: 4 1/2 stars

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Javier Almeida grew up on the streets of Rio De Janeiro, fighting to survive, while in another country, Sophia Cole is living the life of one of the very wealthy. Fast forward years into the future, and Sophia is left at the altar, but when she comes across her older brother's teammate, she totally goes for that, and it's so much more filling than the cake and champage she was about to consume.
Oh Cristin Harber, how I love thee! With as many military, black ops romances as she has written, and she can always come up with something different than the ones she has written before. The plots are always written to keep the reader involved in the characters and suspense. She always writes female characters that are both relatable and people that you would want to emulate, either in their sassiness, intelligence, or in this case, just plain backbone. Sophia is a fantastic character, yes, she was brought up in a lifestyle that I could only dream of, but she's down to earth enough that she wants to work hard and make something of herself, not just have it given to her.
As usual, Cristin delivers an exceptional plot, and amazing characters, romance and suspense. I can't wait for the next in the series.

#REVIEW: Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

Title: Flawed
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Series: Flawed #1
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 9781250074119
Pages: 336
Buy It Link: Amazon
Synopsis:
Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.
But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.
In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and flaws are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

My Rating: 5 stars

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I've seen some pretty bad reviews for this book, and I understand where they are coming from. Looking from the outside in, how can you not think this whole society set up is stupid, and ridiculous?! Looking from the outside in at segregation, or slavery, or homophobic actions, or equal rights for women....it all looks stupid. How can they not see how ridiculous and narrow-minded and stupid they were all being?!
But that's the point of the book. While we are in society, right now, in the present, we live in a society that for some people is *just fine the way it is*. And sometimes, there are no big society changes, no civil rights movements that are shaking our society as we know it, and in that peaceful blessed moment, everything is just fine the way it is. But it doesn't mean there is some inner turmoil, some injustice happening.
Celestine finds herself in that peaceful, blessed moment where everything is right with the world. And then, in a moment where her heart, her morality rules over what society expects of her....that's when she becomes the Flawed one, the one who is outcast. And suddenly she and her family see what it means to be on the outside of the normal society.
I absolutely loved reading this book, before the summer brought the upheaval of society with the Black Lives Matter movement, and the violence against police officers, before Trump or Clinton became a household word, and families broke apart as battle lies for rights were drawn in the sand.

#REVIEW: Angel In Training by CL Coffey

Title: Angel in Training
Author: CL Coffey
Series: Louisiangel #1
Publisher: Smashwords
Published date: February 17, 2016
Pages: 312
ISBN:9781502592095
Buy It Link: Amazon

Synopsis:

After a night out turns fatal, a misunderstanding with the Archangel Michael presents Angel with a chance at Eternal Life: the opportunity to earn her wings and one day become an archangel herself. Angel is given the task of protecting her charge, trainee detective, Joshua Walsh.

There's no denying the attraction between Angel and Joshua, only Michael has pretty strict rules: no drinking, no drugs, and certainly no relationships with humans. Thankfully, she's got other things to deal with, like trying to convince Joshua New Orleans has a serial killer who is preying on other angel potentials like herself.

Angel must quickly learn that when keeping someone safe, doing the right thing is not always the easiest, especially when you've got an archangel looking over your shoulder.

 

My Rating: 4 stars

 

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my gosh, what an awesomely fun book to read. Having grown up in New Orleans, I love reading books with New Orleans as the city in the story. And yes, that was the main reason why I started reading this book. But, ultimately it was not New Orleans that kept me reading page after page with my kindle glued to my face. The author has a fantastic way of writing a story that keeps you reading, creating characters that keep you engaged, and a storyline that doesn't lag behind.

Angel is more than a little miffed at the way her answer to the question that basically boiled down to, "Do you want to live or die?" turned out. And who can blame her? She's just out of her teens, her life has been turned upside down, she's now an "angel in training", she's supposed to protect a super hot guy, and keep her hands off him. Well, I think I'd be a little miffed too. And of course, trying her hardest isn't enough for her trainer, the archangel, Michael himself.

I'm not sure I've ever read anything by this author before, but this is a new series to keep on my radar!