Thursday, September 21, 2017

IN Control - An Ivy Nash Thriller: Review


NEW RELEASE....

A child is kidnapped, sending a mother into a panicked frenzy. It’s one of a dozen such crimes across central Texas, targeting those who live behind the pristine brick walls of master planned communities.

Ivy Nash hunts the kidnappers, but she quickly sees this case morph into something else entirely different…more dangerous, more twisted than anyone could imagine.

At the same time, the father of Ivy’s long-time friend pleads with her to do what no friend would ever want. But what she learns could shatter their worlds. An international drug trafficking ring. A professional hit. And one cover-up after another.

Secrets from the past are exposed, but how can Ivy separate reality from a smokescreen of falsehoods? With lives on the line, she can’t fail. The clock is ticking…

MY REVIEW

In this edition of the Ivy Nash thrillers, Ivy has a new mission. There’s a series of fake kidnappings and she needs to find out who is behind them. The crimes involve hacking and, of course, kids are in danger. At the same time, her best friend, Zahara, has a boyfriend who may be into something shady. Z’s father pulls Ivy in to find out if Zeke, the boyfriend is working for a drug lord and putting his daughter in danger.

While the Ivy Nash (IN) thrillers are a series, they can each stand alone, as this one does as well. As usual, there are lots of supporting characters, and Alex Troutt from the AT series shows up, but only by mention.  Her usual detective cohort on the local police force also aides her as Ivy and her sidekick, Christina, unravel these crimes while the murder and mystery continue to mount.


John Mefford is doing an amazing job giving us a complete character in Ivy Nash. Her character has developed exponentially, and we now see even more complexity in her role outside of the ECHO organization she created after leaving her job with social services. I can’t wait to see how much more she evolves in future IN thrillers. 


Available to buy from....
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble    iBooks   Kobo   Paperback

"Rife with deceit and deception and characters that leap off the page, this story is told with confidence through a sure hand, engaging both the mind and the heart. A compelling treat." -- Steve Berry, New York Times Bestselling Author

"An intense and heart wrenching story that keeps you engaged from beginning to end." -- Simon Wood, USA TODAY Bestselling Author of DECEPTIVE PRACTICES.

"I love the way that Mefford writes, seamlessly jumping between characters and time frames with no confusion, and he is extremely descriptive of the setting . You almost feel like you are watching a movie instead of reading a book!" -- Hilary Mahoney, Elusive Red Tiger

Above reviews from An Ivy Nash Thriller, Book 1, IN Defiance

Books in the Alex Troutt Thriller Series:
AT Bay AT Large
AT Once
AT Dawn
AT Dusk
AT Last

 
Books in the Ivy Nash Thriller Series:
IN Defiance
IN Pursuit
IN Doubt
Break IN
IN Control
Coming soon....
IN The End

Q&A with author John W. Mefford: 
Q: What do the Ivy Nash Thrillers have to do with the Redemption Thriller Series?

JWM: The Ivy Nash Thrillers comprise the second sub-series in the Redemption Thriller Series. The Alex Troutt Thrillers are the first sub-series. While I'll eventually write a series that connects the major characters and plots from all the sub-series, you don't have to read the AT books prior to the IN books. But I have to say, the AT thrillers are darn good.

Q: So you're saying you don't have to read the Alex Troutt Thrillers before the Ivy Nash Thrillers?

JWM: Nope. While a few of the characters might occasionally overlap between the series, they can be read as stand-alone. And then I'll wrap everything up in a final set of six novels that connects all of the main characters and stories from each sub-series. If you haven't read any of the Alex Troutt thrillers yet, you can try out the first three at a pretty nice discount. Just search for Alex Troutt Box Set.

Q: Can you give some insight into how Ivy Nash might connect to Alex Troutt down the line?

JWM: Sure…and then I'll send over a hit squad. Seriously, I'll be sprinkling in a few clues along the way for those who pay close attention to the details, but it will all come together in that final six novels of the Redemption Thriller Series. And it will be explosive and gut-wrenching at the same time.

Q: How many different sub-series are you planning to have in the Redemption Thriller Series?

JWM: Right now, I see four sub-series in the Redemption Thriller Series, with six novels in each. It's the most challenging and fulfilling creative endeavor I've undertaken. I hope you enjoy the journey.

About the Author
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble, and a Readers' Favorite Gold Medal winner.

A veteran of the corporate wars, former journalist, and an astute observer of human and social behavior, John W. Mefford has been writing his debut novel since he first entered the work force almost thirty years ago, although he never put words on paper until 2009. Once he started writing, however, he couldn't stop.

A member of International Thriller Writers, John writes novels full of electrifying suspense -- the same types of books he has loved to read since before he could shave.

When he’s not writing, he chases his youth on bike or a basketball court, all while making mental notes of people and societies across the land.



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Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Writing for Bliss by Diana Raab



NEW RELEASE...
A Seven-Step Plan For Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life

Writing for Bliss is most fundamentally about reflection, truth, and freedom. With techniques and prompts for both the seasoned and novice writer, it will lead you to tap into your creativity through storytelling and poetry, examine how life-changing experiences can inspire writing, pursue self-examination and self-discovery through the written word, and, understand how published writers have been transformed by writing.

Poet and memoirist Raab (Lust) credits her lifelong love of writing and its therapeutic effects with inspiring her to write this thoughtful and detailed primer that targets pretty much anyone interested in writing a memoir. Most compelling here is Raab's willingness to share her intimate stories (e.g., the loss of a relative, ongoing struggles with cancer, a difficult relationship with her mother). Her revelations are encouraging to writers who feel they need "permission to take... a voyage of self-discovery." The book's seven-step plan includes plenty of guidance, including on learning to "read like a writer," and on addressing readers as if "seated across the table ." Raab covers big topics such as the "art and power of storytelling" and small details such as choosing pens and notebooks that you enjoy using. She also helps readers with the important step of "finding your form." --PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

Available to buy from....
From Loving Healing Press http://www.lhpress.com/

"Writing for Bliss is about the profound ways in which we may be transformed in and through the act of writing. I am grateful to Diana Raab for sharing it, and I trust that you will feel the same as you read on. May you savor the journey." --from the foreword by MARK FREEMAN, PhD 

"By listening to ourselves and being aware of what we are saying and feeling, the true story of our life's past experience is revealed. Diana Raab's book gives us the insights by which we can achieve this through her life-coaching wisdom and our writing." --BERNIE SIEGEL, MD, author of The Art of Healing 

"Only a talented writer who has fought hard to overcome life's many obstacles could take her readers by the hand and lead them through the writing process with such enormous compassion, amazing insight, and kindness. Diana Raab is a powerful, wise, intelligent guide well worth our following." --JAMES BROWN, author of The Los Angeles Diaries and The River 

"Writing for Bliss is far more than a 'how-to manual'; it enlightens the creative process with wisdom and a delightful sense of adventure. Bravo to Bliss!" --LINDA GRAY SEXTON, author of Searching for Mercy Street: My Journey Back to My Mother, Anne Sexton 

"Uniquely blending inspiring insights with practical advice, Diana guides you on a path to discover the story that is truly inside you and yearning to be told." --PATRICK SWEENEY, coauthor of the New York Times bestseller Succeed on Your Own Terms

MY REVIEW


This book is literally a road map for therapeutic healing through writing, but it is also a great development tool for writers in general. The purpose for writing is not as important as the journey, and Diana Raab has outlined the steps to free any writer to move along that journey. I have been stuck in many of the phases of this journey, and just reading through these steps has offered me genuine movement. Setting up the space for writing, and especially realizing I don't need permission to write my emotional truth have been liberating. 

There is a wealth of inspiration in this book, for any writer - whether aspiring or practicing. The book deals with difficult topics to write, including intimacy, and finding your authentic writing voice; and all in an easy to follow, genuine voice. 

I recommend it for writers, bloggers, poets, and journal writers. I'm lending mine to my daughter, who writes comic books. Its a gem. 

MY MISSION
“Through my writing, mentoring and workshops, I guide others to discover and tell their own unique stories and abiding truths. The craft and practice of writing can be transformative and empowering—a cornerstone for emotional and psychological well-being, and a way to tap into one’s true inner voice and passions.” -- Diana Raab

Other books by the author...  
About the author
Diana Raab, PhD is an award-winning memoirist, poet, blogger, workshop leader and speaker. Her passion is writing for healing and transformation.

She's the author of eight books and over 500 articles and poems, and editor of two anthologies, WRITERS ON THE EDGE: 22 WRITERS SPEAK ABOUT ADDICTION AND DEPENDENCY and WRITERS AND THEIR NOTEBOOKS. Raab's two memoirs are REGINA'S CLOSET: FINDING MY GRANDMOTHER'S SECRET JOURNAL and HEALING WITH WORDS: A WRITER'S CANCER JOURNEY. Her fourth and most recent poetry collection is called LUST.

Raab has been writing since the age of 10, when her mother gave her a Khalil Gibran journal to help her cope with her grandmother suicide. Since then, she has been using writing as a way of healing and transformation and inspiring others to do the same.

She is the mother of 3 adult children, and grandmother to two. She lives in Southern California.

She blogs for for Psychology Today, PsychAlive, and Boomer Cafe.

Find the author on the following sites...



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Thursday, September 7, 2017

Lottery In Paradise: Review


Meet the crime-solving duo of the Florida Keys: Madison who has all the charm of the girl next door, not to mention a deadly aim and Fab, her best friend, a femme fatale private investigator with a taste for danger and stilettos.

When their neighbor is found dead, the headlines read, "It doesn't pay to be a lottery winner." It gets you nothing but an endless line of crazies at your door, greedy relatives and acquaintances. Sleuths Madison and Fab don't have time to be concerned about the latest murder; they have problems of their own trying to figure out why their house has suddenly become the focus of several attempted break-ins. The duo are off on more adventures -- what could go wrong chauffeuring a limousine full of college girls? Or chasing after a custom Ferrari? Along the way, there's a break-up, a wedding, and the usual run-ins with the law.

If you like sassy, exciting crime novels, then you'll love Lottery in Paradise, the eleventh book in the scorching Paradise series about two seductive ladies who use unconventional and highly entertaining measures to maintain the peace in the steamy and twisted paradise of Tarpon Cove.

The Paradise series, are Florida Keys mysteries, “great as stand-alone reads, but they're like chips...you won't be able to devour just one!”

MY REVIEW

This 11th entry into the Fab & Madison Adventures in Paraidse series starts off in a whirlwind of activity, and it doesn't let up from there. Even if you have never read one of the Paradise novels prior, you will be swept up into the night and day personalites of Madison And Fab, detective extraordinairres. This go around, their recent lottery winner neighbor is murdered and their home is once again  hot bed of unwanted activity and attention. 

A series of break-ins coupled with threats on the lives of the two detectives beg them to find out if they are somehow connected to the murder. Meanwhile Madison is trying to fix the rocky relationship of Fab and her sexy boyfriend, Didier; and get her brother straightened out too.

Old and new characters join the mayhem, murder and yes, fun. There's plots and subplots, rich characters, action and intrigue throughout this storyline. You won't want to put it down. I didn't!

Available to buy from.....

"Another FABULOUS book by one of my favorite authors. I love how there are always several different stories going on. I loved the ending..." 


"Another great story in the Paradise series! My love for these quirky characters grows with every book! Hope they never end!"

"An excellent story that is jammed packed with fun, happiness, anger, & a few stupid decisions. She captures the reader's attention & keeps it from beginning to end. This is another winner in the Paradise series!"
Above reviews from Amazon

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Book Excerpt
Fab hit the steering wheel with a closed fist. "I'm going to run that jerk off the road."

"No. You. Are. Not. And you're not going to shoot out his tires either." Though there was a zero chance of that happening. As talented as the hot, sexy woman was, she couldn't steer and shoot at the same time. "We'll act like normal people and call the police." Normal, I laughed to myself. I hadn't heard myself described that way in a long time. Mostly, I heard "weird" bandied about. An over-exaggeration - I'm familiar with weird, and that's not me.

"You better come up with something better than that." Fab pulled up alongside the truck on the driver's side.

I powered the window down and hung my head out, my hand in mid-air, ready to flag the man down, even though I knew that chances were slim that he'd pull over. Pulling my head back in the window, I said, "Change of plans." I pushed my red hair back into place, smoothing it down, certain it was a wind-whipped mess. "The fancy tow truck is one of Brick's."

Brick and I had a tenuous relationship; it was hard to trust him when I knew he never put Fab's safety first, or mine either. He opposed our relationship, knowing that several times I had convinced my daring friend to calm down and rethink her plan. As backup to Super PI Fab, there were few jobs that didn't include flying bullets and running for our lives. I was happy for the respite. So were our boyfriends,who'd had a face-to-face with Brick, laying down the rules: no more withholding details, and if it came out after the fact that he knew there was a high chance of danger, it would be the last mistake he would make. My boyfriend followed that up with a right cross to Brick's eye.

Fab made an outraged sound. "I don't believe you."

~~~~~~~

Also available in the Paradise Series
      
      
    
                         


About the Author
I've been writing, in one way or another for as long as I can remember; poetry, sappy short stories (my best friend made me swear that I’d never show anyone until I changed the names), and a romance novel shoved under my bed.

I wanted to create books with a wide-range of unforgettable characters, with heat and romance, and lots of guns. It wouldn’t be complete without a slice of humor and charm.

I live with my family and demon children aka rescue cats in South Florida.

Find the author on the following sites...


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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR'S GIVEAWAY
Win $25 Amazon.com Giftcard / Paypal Cash
(winners choice)
Open Worldwide
Ending on Sunday 24th September at 11.59pm EST


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Give Me The Light: ACHORO Travel Makeup Mirror Review

I have been looking for a compact mirror with great lighthing to help me when I want to put on makeup, eyelashes, check out my skin to see...