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Monday, October 29, 2012

The Shadow Man - Blog Tour

The Shadow Man - Mark Murphy (blog tour)


Overview

Savannah surgeon Malcolm King had a perfect life—a loving wife, devoted daughter, and a thriving medical practice. And then it all ended. A chance encounter with a reckless driver in an airport parking lot leads to his first brush with the law. The senseless slaughter of a neighbor’s pet soon follows, with Malcolm inexplicably questioned in the matter by the police. An adversary is found decapitated. An acquaintance is chopped into pieces and stuffed into a garbage bag, Malcolm soon finds himself the prime suspect in a serial murder case. But he’s not a killer. Or is he? Who is the Thin Man who lurks at the edges of his vision? Are the flocks of ravens that crowd overhead a warning of impending doom? Or do they exist at all? And how can he protect his family from something—or someone—he knows absolutely nothing about? As Malcolm fights to discover the truth, he learns from a mysterious Seminole tracker that he may not be the first victim of a chameleon-like serial killer known as The Shadow Man. Malcolm’s quest for justice takes him perilously close to the edge of sanity—and perhaps a little bit over it. The Shadow Man is a new breed of psychological thriller, serving up a dark look into the human soul that will have the reader searching for the truth. In Mark Murphy’s debut novel, respectable surgeon Malcolm King becomes entangled in the mind games of a psychopathic serial killer. Malcolm’s home is invaded, his medical practice falls apart, and his family is threatened by a faceless assailant from the world between light and darkness: the Shadow Man. The Shadow Man begins with a killer, identified only as “Q,” dumping a woman’s dismembered body into a Florida swamp filled with hungry alligators. The action then shifts to Savannah, where Malcolm’s car is side-swiped by a dark-tinted SUV which then disappears into the night. The seemingly random hit-and-run is the beginning of a nightmare when the mysterious SUV is found to bear license plates from a stolen vehicle—and the stolen vehicle’s owner is found dead in a Florida hotel. A string of horrific murders follows. Malcolm soon finds himself the prime suspect in a serial murder case, having to convince the police—and himself—that he is not responsible for these crimes. But what is the truth? Can Malcolm save himself and his family? Or will the Shadow Man win out at last, dragging them all into oblivion? The Shadow Man is a unique work. Beautifully written, it is at once evocative and gruesome, an exploration of the intimate bonds of a loving family and the sheer terror of having those things stolen away. This novel is heart-pounding thrill ride the reader simply cannot put down.

My Thoughts:

Wow talk about fast paced! I picked this book up last night and just couldn't put it down. I got so involved in trying to figure out the plot of the story that I had to force myself to put it down last night to get some sleep. 

The book is full of suspense and horror. I never quite knew what was coming next. It was a little predictable at the end yet even with that, I felt completely satisfied by the end. 

Mal is a great character. Strong in the light of everything going on around him.  I loved Billy and wish I had gotten some more story from him. I would love to see a book revolving around him and his family. Amy, Mal's wife, she was pretty tough but the toughest ones in the family was definitely the daughter and the elderly dog. Those two were tough as nails. 

So to finish, great, fast paced, edge of your seat thrill ride. Like that kind of thing? You'll love this book for sure.

Author's Website: Mark Murphy

Mark Murphy's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/dr.markmurphy

Mark Murphy's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/Heeldawg

Mark Murphy's Blog:
http://shadowmanblog.com/

Savannah Book Festival:
http://www.savannahbookfestival.org/authors/mark-murphy/
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186


The Shadow Man
 blog tour site:
http://the-shadow-man.blogspot.com/

Sunday, October 28, 2012

What Are You Reading


It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the week:
Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne 
The Raft - S.A. Bodeen
Nobody Has to Know - Frank Nappi


Books I am reading this week:
The Lost Prince - Julie Kagawa
The Iron Thorn - Caitlin Kittredge (audiobook)

Books to Finish This week:
The Lost Prince - Julie Kagawa

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Monument 14 - A review

Monument 14 - Emmy Laybourne (publisher)


Overview:

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world — as they know it — apart.

My Thoughts:

This was a gritty tale of natural disasters and the fight for survival by a group of kids. It is not a feel good, warm fuzzy kind of novel but it definitely strike a chord with the reader. It kind of reminds me a bit of Red Dawn but instead of bad guys you have hailstorms, massive earthquakes, chemical spills.

The characters all manage to pull at my heart strings in one way or another. They are a motley bunch. You've got Kindergartners through Seniors, jock to nerds and a little bit in between. They are locked up in a department store with the world going nuts around them. They have no contact with the outside world for the most part and they have no idea where they're parents are or even if they are still alive. I can't even begin to imagine the pain and stress that would cause to a grown person but to a child, how tragic.

I loved watching them go from being scared and manic to taking control and learning to survive and rely on each other. There's are scenes of alcohol/drug use, violence and some brief sexual situations but not too over the top on any one of them. 

Then to top it off we're left with a cliffhanger and I'm glad to say I just found out there is at least a book 2 coming in spring 2013. I can't wait!

Author's Website: Emmy Laybourne

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Eve and Adam - A Review

Eve & Adam - Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate ( publisher)


Overview:

In the beginning, there was an apple –
And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker's head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.
Just when Eve thinks she will die – not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.
Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect . . . won’t he?

My Thoughts:
This will be a short but sweet review. I enjoyed this book. It was easy to get into and the story was pleasant and enjoyable. The premise kind of creeped me out. The thought of genetically made humans doesn't seem so far out of reach in modern times but the whole idea creeps me out. 
Bottom line, if you are looking for a quick, easy read with a story line that doesn't require you to think long and hard about it, this is the book for you. 

Sunday, October 14, 2012

What Are You Reading


It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the week:
The Shadow Man - Mark Murphy
Eve and Adam - Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate
Where or When - Anita Shreve
Books I am reading this week:
Not sure Yet other than my school book
The Iron Thorn - Caitlin Kittredge (audiobook)

Books to Finish This week:
How I managed to read 3 book this past week is amazing. I used to do that all the time but once I started working full time, I was lucky to get one done.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Uncontrollable - A Review

Uncontrollable - S.R. Johannes (author)


Overview

Untraceable (Book 1) was named the winner of IndieReader Discovery Award 2012 (Young Adult)

As 16 year old Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program". 

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter on record, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is killing two silk plants and watering a cactus. 

After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues. 

Little does she know, she is being hunted too.

My Thoughts:

Another great book from S.R. Johannes! Just like the first one it was filled with action, mystery, suspense, and the most important to me, the great outdoors. 

I think the setting is what really draws me in. I love how the main part of the story happens in the woods. The author doesn't make the woods a scary place to be but instead she makes them beautiful and serene even in the mist of danger.

Grace's character is put to the test yet again and I wonder how in the heck she hasn't crumbled yet. I'm pretty sure by now I'd be huddled in a corner mumbling and crying. She is one heck of a strong willed character even if I still want to grab a hold of her and tie her to a chair so she will stop running off into apparent danger. 

In short love the book, love the characters, and really love the setting. 

Two Thumbs Up!

Author's website: S.R. Johannes

Sunday, October 7, 2012

What Are You Reading


It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the week:
Uncontrollable - S.R. Johannes

Books I am reading this week:
Not sure Yet other than my school book
The Iron Thorn - Caitlin Kittredge (audiobook)

Books to Finish This week:
Something I hope. Lots going on this week so not sure what I will finish but I'm going to try to finish at least one book 

Monday, October 1, 2012

Glass Boys - Blog Tour October 1, 2012



 

Glass Boys - Nicole Lundrigan (publisher)

Synopsis:

With vivid and unflinching prose, Nicole Lundrigan has created a riveting and deeply human saga of the persistence of evil and the depths and limits of love.

When Roy Trench is killed in a drunken prank gone wrong, his brother Lewis sees blood on the hands of the man responsible: the abusive alcoholic, Eli Fagan. Though the courts rule the death an accident, the event opens a seam of hate between the two families of Knife's Point, Newfoundland.

Desperate to smother the painful past with love, Lewis marries Wilda, and the pleasure he takes in their two children -- Melvin and Toby -- recalls the happier days of his childhood with Roy. But as he watches his small family fracture, the darkness of the past begins to cloud the present, leading Lewis back to Eli Fagan -- and his watchful stepson, Garrett Glass.

In the style of Newfoundland literature, established by Michael Crummey and Lisa Moore, Glass Boys is the haunting story of an unforgivable crime that brings two families to the brink.

My Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this book.While it was well written, parts of it might have been too well written for my taste. There is subject matter that eluded to stuff that made my stomach turn. It made it hard for me to continue at times. But the book wasn't bad, I just don't think it was meant for me to read. 

This is going to be one of those rare occasions where I tell you not to just take my word for it. I want you to go read the other stops on this blog tour. See what others think. I really do think it just boiled down to not my kind of book and I think others may have really liked it. 

Author's website:  Nicole Lundrigan

Other participating blogs:

8/31/2012  Comfort Books  http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/
9/1/2012  Cmash Loves to Read  http://cmashlovestoread.com/
9/3/2012  Booksellers without Borders NY  http://booksellerswithoutbordersny.com
9/5/2012 Travel Spot http://travelspot06.blogspot.com/
9/6/2012  Leafing Through Life  http://leafingthroughlife.blogspot.com
    9/7/2012  Pieces of Fate  http://piecesoffatesusan.blogspot.com/
   10/1/2012  My Life in Not So Many Words… www.ziarias.blogspot.com
   10/2/2012   I'd Rather Be At The Beach  http://ratb2.blogspot.com 

Links: