Night's Vampire Trilogy by Mary M. Cushnie-Mansour

Night's Gift by Mary M. Cushnie-Mansour
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Virginia always had a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the night she stumbled onto Count Basarab's porch was no exception. Drawn to the window by an unknown force Virginia peeps in to see two individuals in an argument. Frightened she tries to flee but is knocked unconscious by a statue. She awakes to find herself being watched by a beautiful woman. Who informs her that her fate is now to be determined by the Count. After several unsuccessful attempts to escape Virginia decides to play a very dangerous game to stay alive.
This is one of the best books I have read in a while the characters are fantastic, the plot is moving and the pace is smooth. This Romantic Vampire novel is a must read and is going into my to be read again shelf.


View all my reviews Night's Children by Mary M. Cushnie-Mansour
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Virginia is finally free from "The house". During the day when the Vampires were sleeping she runs away with her son with the help of an unlikely friend. She knows deep down inside, her freedom is fleeting because one day the Count will return for his son and the second seed he planted within her on their last night together. First, however, the Count must return home to deal with his uncle who is trying to overthrow him. Can he stay focused long enough to take care of business or will thoughts of her ruin them all?
Once again, this book is well worth the read it continues the story seamlessly and brings you closer to the characters than you ever thought possible. This is a great sequel it does not disappoint and leaves you wanting more.


View all my reviews Night's Return by Mary M. Cushnie-Mansour
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Count Basarab's foes have found Virginia. Does the Count risk it all to save his children and his wayward love? Does Virginia really want to return to the only man who can save her after her hard fought escape? You will just have to read this exciting conclusion to find out.
There are few series which can hold up to a continuous story line many loose direction and passion. This is not the case with this group of books from beginning to end this series is heartfelt and extremely satisfying. The characters are believable and you feel their emotions right along with them. I would recommend this series to anyone who likes Vampires, romance, and the thrill of rescuing a damsel in distress just in time.

My thoughts on the "Night's Vampire Trilogy" as a whole can be summed up best by a quote from my daughter. "This series is like Christmas breakfast, in the first book you have the eggnog shake to whet your appetite. Then the next one gives you the eggs and bread pudding to fill you up. Finally, you are rewarded in the last book with the tasty bacon to leave you satisfied."

 

Points of Origin by Darden North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is a saying it takes a village and this book is no stranger to that sentiment. It chronologically follows the lives of several people in the upper class community of Larkspur, Mississippi, and details how they directly or indirectly affect the life of Sher Foxworth and his family. The underlying theme of this book is the path of one individual as he makes his way on a unique journey to true manhood. However, there are several other stories woven in that prove that, while each individual is living out their own story, at the same time there are other stories to tell in which the original subject may or not have a role. In other words, we are all connected, yet we stand alone.

This is the most uniquely laid out story of any I have ever heard. It was as if I was a fly on the wall watching the lives portrayed in this book as they unfolded. I would recommend this book if you like heavy drama. The audio book was well laid out and the attempt of the narrator to do female voices was hilarious and broke up the darkness of the story, making it a more enjoyable read.

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Land of Falling Stars by Keta Diablo

Land of Falling Stars by Keta Diablo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Civil war took everything from Sophie her mother, father, brother and her man. She stood alone in the world until the fateful day when a Yankee stumbled down her driveway having enough of pain and loss she raised her father's gun and shot him. Much to her dismay, her old wolfhound bounded off the porch and started to lick him in the face. She hurried to the wounded man's side and there on the ground lay her childhood friend. Floods of emotion filled her the kind that bubbles inside until you can no longer contain them. Can she save him and herself or will her stubbornness tear both of them apart. What happens next is a journey of insight into the soul that will leave both the characters breathless.
This is a well written historical romance with rich characters, plot and overall flow. The lovemaking while instence is not overpowering or out of place in the overall story. The characters are well rounded and follow their personal, journey well. This book is well worth the read. The fight scenes while a bit repetitive are not badly written and flow well with the rest of the plot. The copy I received was filled with allot of formatting garbage and this distraction while annoying did not ruine, the overall enjoyment.

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I would like to welcome Keta Diablo to my blog,
Please introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do?

Hi Sally, thank you for allowing me to visit Wolf's Reading Den and for featuring Land of Falling Stars.

What genre do you like to write?
I love romance and write in many genres, paranormal, western, contemporary and historical.

If you were to branch out from your current genre which one(s) would you like to explore?

I did write a New Adult Romance last year – Season, Unforgettable and really enjoyed writing the story of Rann and Season. For some reason, the book played like a tape in my mind, which really surprised me. Not all books are easy to write, but this one must have wanted to be published. I consider it a romance, but one reviewer said, "I loved how this romance book turned thriller!" Like I said, Season, Unforgettable took on a life of its own. (Season, Unforgettable, https://books2read.com/u/b620oJ)

 How long have you been writing? What prompted you to start writing?

I believe I started writing my first book, Decadent Deceptions in 2008. I thought about writing for many years before I actually sat down to write. I think when I read To Kill A Mockingbird in the 6th grade, the seed was planted. But life gets in the way-marriage, children, sports activities and all that. It wasn't until my children were older that I actually planted my butt in the chair and began writing. (Decadent Deceptions, https://books2read.com/DecadentDeceptions)

What inspires you to write?
Watching people (hope this doesn't sound creepy). Lots of times I go to a large mall, sit on a bench with a notepad and watch people interact. I pay attention to their clothing, their body language and mostly their expressions while they're talking. Sometimes I can hear the conversation as they pass. It's a very interesting study….how people relate to one another.

I also get ideas for stories from something I read on the Internet or while doing research in a certain era. The idea for Land of Falling Stars actually came from a real life story about how a southern family crumbled when one brother fought for the North, the other for the South. Only one returned home when the war ended. This happened all the time during the Civil War, cousins would fit against cousins and many neighbors living in border towns were split on which side they supported. (Land of Falling Stars, https://books2read.com/FallingStars)

When a story idea pops into your head, how long does it typically take to write it (from start to finish)?

That depends on the length of the book. I've been writing for some anthologies lately. That's where 8-9 authors each write a story and they're compiled into one book.  These stories have shorter word requirements, like 30,000 words. A story for an anthology might take me several months. A full-length novel of 80,000 words takes longer, usually 4-5 months. It also depends on the amount of research one must do to make the story authentic. For Meko's Woman, I did hours of research on the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers. With stories about Native Americans, a writer must do a lot of research on mythology, beliefs and customs of the particular tribe. While it's loads of fun, it's also time-consuming. (Meko's Woman, books2read.com/u/4Ey2Ze). Note: This book was previously published under the title Where the Rain Is Made, was nominated for a Bookie Award and received 35+ five star reviews.

What do you find to be the most difficult part of the writing process?  Easiest?

The most difficult part is discipline. While you have no one standing over your shoulder telling you to write, you don't do well in this competitive market unless you continue to produce books. That means writing every day, or setting a word count goal every day. There are perks to this too. As I said, no one is standing over me with a whip. LOL. It's nice to have this freedom.

Of all your characters whom do you most relate to?

I think there's a little bit of me in all my heroines (maybe some of my heroes too), but not one in particular that stands out. If authors say their characters aren't like them, that's a stretch. Lol. Every experience we have, every person we meet, stays locked somewhere in our brain. I happen to believe authors draw on those experiences and people (especially themselves) when writing their books.

8) Is there one of your characters that you did not like when you started
writing about them, but found yourself liking by the end of the story?

Oh, yes. Frank, the cop turned private investigator, from my Crossroads series (Gay romance) is not very likeable. He's crude, rude and selfish. I intentionally wrote him that way so by the end of the series, he'd 'find' himself, learn how much he had to lose by being such an unlikeable person, and discover redemption. This series is not for everyone. First, because of Frank's character, second, it's gay romance, and third, it's very erotic. But it's also a love story. (Crossroads, Books 1-4, https://books2read.com/Crossroads)

9) What is your least favorite part about writing?

You're never done when you type 'The End'. After that comes all the promotion which is never-ending. Promoting the book, blog tours, ads, interviews, and a dozen other marketing events follow publishing EVERY story. This is also very time-consuming but something authors must do in order to remain competitive in the market. It's necessary but not as fun as writing.

10) When you are not writing or editing what do you do for relaxation?

Thank you for asking. It's one of my favorite things to talk about. I'm a huge animal lover. I spend my spare time supporting and contributing to the local animal shelter, whether that means visiting so I can help exercise the dogs or dropping off towels and/or food for both cats and dogs. I'd love to take all of them home, but, of course that isn't possible. I do what I can in small measures. I also like to study genealogy, read, and play cards.

11) What genre of books do you like to read?

I do read romance but never when I'm in the process of writing one. Mostly, I read mysteries, thrillers and paranormal novels. I'm drawn to ghost stories and discovered only recently I often write about them, no matter the genre. My latest western romance series features ghosts - Comes An Outlaw (https://books2read.com/ComesOutlaw ) Comes A Specter (Free on Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GXBF25X/) and the third book in the series is Comes A Lawman (in the process of writing).

13) Tell us about your books where can people find them?

Another question I'm very fond of answering. Thank you again for asking. I've listed some of my books and links above, but you can see all my books and read my reviews on my Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Keta-Diablo/e/B002BODURI/

Sally, my sincere thanks for taking time from your busy schedule to interview me. You have a lovely blog and I'll be visiting often in the future.

Your fans, followers and friends can find me on the Net at the following places:

Author Web Site | Author Blog | Twitter |Facebook | Amazon |
 Google+ | Newsletter Signup | Instagram | Book Bub | Goodreads |


 

Bodies on Raw by Marisa Ignacio Hormel

Bodies on Raw by Marisa Ignacio Hormel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of testimonials gathered together to highlight the power of a naturalist lifestyle. The individuals in this book were sick and run down so they switch to a raw food diet. The group found that if they stoped poisoning their bodies with processed food and ate raw fruit, vegetables, and nuts instead they felt better on the inside and therefore felt better on the outside.
I originally requested this book because my husband was very sick, he had high blood pressure, low testosterone, he was gaining weight exponentially despite counting calories, he had sleep apnea, and Hidradenitis Suppurativa so bad he had to have surgery to remove two masses from his legs. Since cutting all grains and dairy from his diet, drinking only water, eating pineapple for breakfast, blueberries for lunch and organic chicken with avocado for dinner the blood pressure has decreased, the HS inflation is less, the sleep apnea happens less often, he has more free testosterone, and he has even started to lose weight instead of gaining it. I have seen first hand how a raw diet can help someone. I truly believe that if raw fruit, vegetables, and nuts were more affordable than processed foods instead of being more expensive than more people would choose a natural raw diet instead and their bodies would be better off for it. Overall, this is an inspirational book is filled with bodies, helpful insights, and motivational thinking. It is well written and the photos while they are of nude bodies are very tastefully done and portray the theme of this book very artistically. I would recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about starting a raw diet or needs a little encouragement to continue on their current raw path. I think this book would beter as a physical book then a digital one as some of the photos are large and the insperational quotes included are hard to read as white text on a black background. I had to turn off my screen everytime my children walked into the room.

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Riding Lightning by Erin R. Bedford and J.A. Cipriano

Riding Lightning by Erin R. Bedford and J.A. Cipriano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maya a dragon shape shifter, has always been a total disappointment to her father the dragon king so much so that he had her banished to earth, where she was left to fend for herself for five years. That is until her cousin came to fetch her back home because her sister was found to be barren and for a dragon this is a terrible fate. When Maya arrives, she finds her father has already chosen two suitors for her, leaving her to choose between them. Instead of letting her visit with her mother and sister, her father instantly demands that Maya and her potential mates all go on a quest to a neighboring country to get a treaty signed. Along the way Maya finds more than she bargained for including another suitor.
The only thing hotter than three sexy dragons vying for the right to breed with you, is this book. This book is filled with believable characters, fast paced dragon fights, and hot sex that will leave you longing for more. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes shape shifters, fantasy, romance, and a bit of love verses lust drama.

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The Oscillator by J. K. Neve

The Oscillator by J.K. Neve
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Theo is an average kid in an extreme world filled with harsh environmental issues and a group of bullies who will not leave him alone. The only ray of sunshine that does not burn his skin just his heart strings is Mel. Despite being part of the cool crowd Theo finds out that she is more down to earth than he previously thought. Torn between who he was and who he becoming he finds himself in an endless loop just like the mysterious oscillator he found in his backpack until it explodes in an electrifying experience. This is one of the best science fiction, fantasy books I have read in a while it is well worth the read and highly enjoyable. The characters are believable, the story is fast paced and full of emotion. I would recommend this book to everyone. I just wish that there was a bit less foul langue not that it was bad I just cannot share this fantastic book with my children and that is a shame because I believe they would enjoy it as much as I did.

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Seeds of Foreverland Tony Bertauski

Seeds of Foreverland by Tony Bertauski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Harold was a smart kid who came from a messed up family. Each day his parents worked in the basement looking for a cure to his mother's illness until one day it happened, the world as Harold knew it crashed to the ground at the bottom of the basement steps and was never the same again. This was a quick read filled with mystery, science, and the overall emotional frustration of the character having to deal with bullies and his mother's illness. If you like science fiction then you might find this book interesting, but since it is an origin story, it is missing some needed suspense.  The main character carried this book entirely on his shoulders and while his part was fantastic the supporting characters lacked depth and drag the story down with vague conversations and lack of presence until the end and by that time it was too late the story was over. I would recommend this book for science fiction fans and I hope I can continue with the Foreverland trilogy, so I can fully understand the path this author was trying to take with this universe.

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