Bee's Knees Reviews

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Crown of Phoenix Series By Alison DeLuca - Presented by First Rule Publicity

6:00 AM Robin Blankenship 1 comment

I am delighted to be apart of this book tour. Steampunk is a fairly new to me genre and this series is an awesome plunge in to the genre. There are three books currently in this series. I was able to read the first two books and look forward to the third. I was so glad I already had book two in hand when I finished the first book. DeLuca is a wonderful storyteller and these books are the type that suck you in and you almost feel like you are in the story. Her characters are so believable and they are so well written you begin to care about what happens to them. I recommend these books not only to steampunk lovers but people who enjoy an engrossing enjoyable storyline.

I give Book one and Book two 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopses for all three books:

Book One – The Night Watchman Express

Miriam Pearson’s father has died. Her guardians, The Marchpanes, take over her house and her father’s company. The strong-willed girl instantly clashes with their son, Simon. The Marchpanes hire a governess, Mana, to take care of her. Mana is black, and has magic powers. She and Miriam eventually become friends. With Simon and Neil, his friend, they uncover a plot by the sinister Barbara Cantwell to use Miriam’s father’s company for evil means. Barbara is very beautiful, and at first, Simon is very attracted to her.

Once Barbara realizes that Miriam and Mana are on to her scheme, she forces the guardians to fire the governess. Mana is hustled out of the house by the Marchpanes, but Miriam, Neil and Simon follow her to the Night Watchman Express. However, Miriam and Simon are captured and put on the Night Watchman, bound for a sinister destination. Mana is loaded onto a boat headed to Big Star Island.

Neil manages to steal a boat and follow Mana’s captors to the island. A native girl, Riki, rescues him and brings him to her house. She is spoiled and her mother has no control over her, but Neil manages to become her friend. Her father forces him to stay with the family so Neil can be Riki’s companion and manage her wild behavior.

Neil learns about Atol, the king of the island, who seized power after the last monarch was killed. Atol is plotting with Barbara Cantwell to force the islands to produce drugs instead of bolemor wood, and he is also shipping his people out for use in human experiments. Neil discovers that Mana is the rightful queen of the island, and is being held by Atol. Neil and Riki manage to rescue Mana, and they head back to the mainland to look for Simon and Miriam.

Book Two – Devil’s Kitchen

Miriam and Simon are imprisoned on the Night Watchman Express, heading for the Devil’s Kitchen. It is a huge, dirty factory where the prisoners process the drug imported from the island. Simon tries to fight the guards and is hauled away to a huge, strange house belonging to Barbara Cantwell.

Miriam is forced to live in a cell and work underground under the fearsome Headmistress and Headmaster, who run the factory. Meanwhile, Mana and Neil arrive and start searching for their friends.

Simon wakes up in Barbara’s house and undergoes torture. He manages to gain her trust by pretending to be on her side. Eventually he is rescued by Mana. Miriam is about to be punished by the Headmistress and Headmaster when Mana and Simon arrive and rescues her. Barbara tries to kill Mana but is foiled by Simon.

Mana regains her kindgdom, and Miriam regains her home and future control of her father’s business.

Book Three – The Lamplighter’s Special

Miriam, Simon, Neil, and Riki reunite on Lampala for the summer holiday. They are happy to be together but wonder what has happened to Neil’s family.

Neil’s sisters, short-sighted Lizzie and beautiful Ninna, are forced to work in the Manor House to help take care of new guests.

The guest arrives, a lovely lady called Miss Wilkinsl. She and her brother have a mysterious obsession with the Crown Phoenix.

Lizzie meets Toby, the oldest son who cannot leave the attic. They become friends. Lizzie is also forced to work in Miss Cantwell’s rooms, where the dresser, Siddons, tortures her with violence and overwork. Siddons locks Lizzie in a room, and Toby finally emerges from his attic to rescue Lizzie.

Toby fixes The Crown Phoenix.They all board a ship called The Lamplighter’s Special and sail to the island. On the way, the typewriter works some strange magic and they arrive in a matter of hours instead of weeks.

Lizzie, Ninna, Toby and Priam discover there is a person hidden below deck in the boat.

Miss Cantwell takes the four children to the island and strands them there. They are rescued by Miriam, Neil, and Mana.

Miss Cantwell threatens to blow up the islands with the Crown Phoenix. She is captured. The rest return to the boat and head back to England, but Toby’s agoraphobia returns.

About the Author

Alison DeLuca grew up on an organic farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were British, so in the summers she went to stay with her grandparents near Dublin.

There was no stereo or TV there, so Alison, her sister, and her cousins spent the summer inventing stories and plays for each other. “This gave me the ability to entertain myself with my own imagination in any situation,” she says. “We used to be taken to tea with great-aunts, and we were expected to sit on an uncomfortable couch and not move or say a word. It was possible to endure it because I was watching my own little stories play out in my mind.”

After graduating from West Chester University, Alison became a teacher of English and Spanish, teaching students from kindergarten up to college level. She loved teaching, and it was with reluctance that she left the classroom to be a fulltime mom when her daughter was born.

While she was teaching and raising her daughter, Alison took every free minute she had to write. The Night Watchman Express and The Crown Phoenix Series were the result.

She is currently working on the final book in the series, as well as several other projects.

You can find Alison here:

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/alison.deluca.author

OR http://on.fb.me/TNWEfb

Twitter - http://twitter.com/ - !/AlisonDeLuca

Google + http://bit.ly/ADGoogle

Author Central: http://amzn.to/ADeLucaAuthorCentral

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/alisondeluca/

Good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4707891.Alison_DeLuca

Blog: http://alisondeluca.blogspot.com/

Buy The Books:

Amazon

TOUR DATES -

10/15 - A Book Vacation - Review
10/16 -The Independent Review - Review
10/17 - Splash of Our Worlds - Review
10/19 - Bloggin’ As Author, Librarian, and Geek! - Review
10/20 - The Bookworm Daily - Guest Post
10/21 - Unabridged Andra - Review
10/22 - Author Interrupted - Review
10/23 - Earth’s Book Nook - Character Post
10/24 - Kayla’s Reads and Reviews - Review
10/25 - The Red Headed Bookworm - Review
10/26 - Author Interrupted - Review
10/27 - My Chaotic Ramblings - Character Interview
10/28 - Written by Brittan - Review
10/29 - Library Girl Reads and Reviews - Guest Post/Excerpt
10/30 - Lost Inside the Covers - Review
10/31 - Author Interrupted - Review
11/01 - The Roaring Mouse - Interview
11/02 - Illusions of Intimacy – Interview/Excerpt
11/03 - A Few Words - Review
11/05 - Motherhoot - Guest Post
11/06 - Fictional Candy - Character Post
11/07 – Carlie M A Cullen – Review
11/08 - Lost Inside the Covers - Review
11/09 - Window on the World - Review and Interview
11/11 - Books,Writing,Tea- Review
11/12 - Bunny’s Review - Interview/Excerpt
11/13 - Walking on Bookshelves - Character Interview
11/14 - Kara Loves Reading - Review
11/15 - Book Reviews and More - Review and Interview
11/16 - Momma Joan Explains It All - Character Post
11/17 - Wickedly Bookish -Review
11/19 - Jade Kerrion - Character Interview/Excerpt
11/20 - Split Horizons - Review and Interview
11/22 - Lost Inside the Covers - Review
11/23 - Best in Fantasy Blog - Character Post
11/24 - The Cabin Goddess - Review
11/26 - Miraculous - Review
11/27 - Workaday Reads - Review
11/28 - Alchemy of Scrawl - Review
11/29 - Stuck in Books - Guest Post
11/30 - Darlene’s Book Nook – Character/Excerpt
12/01 - The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia - Review
12/02 - Mary’s Cup of Tea - Review
12/03 - Miraculous - Review
12/04 - Reader Girls -Review
12/05 - Bee’s Knees Reviews - Review
12/06 - Reading Away the Days - Review
12/07 - Book Lover’s Hideaway - Review
12/08 - Full Moon Bites - Interview
12/09 - Sapphyria’s Book Reviews - Character Post
12/10 - Miraculous - Review
12/11 - Celtic Lady’s Reviews - Guest Post
12/12 - Night Owl Reads - Review
12/13 - Book and Movie Dimension - Review
12/14 - Jess Resides Here - Review and Excerpt
12/15 - Ali’s Bookshelf – Review

12/16 - Me and Reading - Guest Post

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from First Rule Publicity from the author as part of a virtual book tour. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Traitor Angel by H. David Blalock Presented by Seventh Star Press

6:00 AM Robin Blankenship 2 comments

Traitor Angel by H. David Blalock

Presented by Seventh Star Press

My Thought:

This is the sequel to Angelkiller and while I fully enjoyed the first book this book was so much more. This one is built up from the first book and everything was more exciting and detailed and more enthralling. It is fantasy but also very much a thriller in that I become captivated by the story. Something I always love about Blalock books is the characters. He writes beautiful, engaging characters. The type character you almost feel you could have a conversation with. One of my favorite things about this series is it is a gaming book as well. You can tell Blalock is a very intelligent well read person who has really put heart and soul into his writing. I would recommend this book to any one that likes a great series with intriguing characters. I look forward to more books in this series. Blalock has been on my must read author list for quite awhile. Thoroughly enjoyed, Highly

recommended.

My Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars.

Synopsis of Traitor Angel:

In Traitor Angel, the second book of the Angelkiller Triad, the war between The Army of Light and The Enemy continues behind the scenes. Unknown to the general population, the battle for control of humanity is heating up.

Jonah Mason, called Angelkiller, faces more than one decision. His Army resistance cell is wounded physically and emotionally, on the brink of falling apart. The mysterious allies calling themselves Knights are pressuring him to abandon his people. Meanwhile, the world outside draws closer to Armageddon.

As Mason and his friends pursue their campaign against Dorian Azrael's global megacorporation, Andlat Enterprises, the stakes get higher with each desperate foray into the enemy's computers. They are fated to lose one of their number and gain an unlikely ally, but any advantage they gain could be fleeting at best.

If they fail, it could mean the end of The Army and all resistance to the forces of Darkness.

About the Author:

H. David Blalock has been writing speculative fiction for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in print and online in over three dozen publications, spanning every format from short stories to novels, non-fiction articles to screenplays. He is also editor of _parABnormal Digest_ for Sam's Dot Publishing. To find out more visit his website at www.thrankeep.com.

Art that can be found in the book. Art is by

Matthew Perry.

Buy the Book:

Amazon - Paperback

Amazon- Kindle

Barnes and Noble Paperback & Nook

Find out more about H. David Blalock:

Website

Facebook

Google +

Goodreads

Seventh Star Press

Continue to follow H David Blalock's tour.

Tour Dates October 29 - November 24th

10/29 Great Minds Think Aloud - Review

10/30 Splash of Our Worlds - Character Post

10/31 A Book Vacation - Guest Post

11/1 The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia - Excerpt

11/2 JeanzBookReadNReview - Interview

11/3 Vilutherial Reviews - Interview

11/4 Crossroads Reviews - Review

11/5 The Bunny’s Review - Character Interview

11/6 Ali’s Bookshelf - Review

11/7 Red Headed Bookworm - Guest Post

11/8 Azure Dwarf Horde of SciFi & Fantasy - Review

11/9 From the Bootheel Cotton Patch - Character Post

11/10 A Few Words - Review

11/11 The Independent Review - Review

11/12 The Oaken Bookcase - Review

11/13 Beauty in Ruins - Interview

11/14 Ginger Nuts of Horror - Interview

11/15 Bookishly Me - Review

11/16 Full Moon Bites - Interview

11/17 A Daydreamer’s Thoughts - Guest Post

11/18 Stuck in Books - Guest Post

11/19 Sheila Deeth - Review

11/20 Bee’s Knees Reviews - Review

11/21 The Cabin Goddess - Review

11/22 Darlene’s Book Nook - Guest Post

11/23 Book and Movie Dimension - Review

11/24 Jess Resides Here - Interview

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from Seventh Star Press author as part of a virtual book tour. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Spook House by Michael West Blog Tour Presented by Seventh Star Press

6:00 AM Robin Blankenship No comments

If you will indulge me a minute, while I ramble. I am a reader. I am never without something to read. I over the years have found books by accident or suggestions or through recent years blog reviews. So if you will a little 6 degrees of Michael West. My husband years ago said that I should read Stephen Zimmer’s Crown of Vengeance, My husband knows me well and I loved it. As I got to know Stephen he suggested I read Cinema of Shadows by Michael West, I trust Stephen so I did and I was hooked. I love horror. I love vamps, lycans, slasher movies, I love it all but it had been awhile since I had read a sleep with the light on horror story with a story and characters that I like. So I wanted to take moment to publicly thank Mr. Zimmer for that and with that said I will be honest and say that Michael West is of one of my favorite all time writers. His writing is smart, is stories are intense and captivating. He is one of the rare ones that I can honestly say I have loved everything he has written. But I will stop going fangirl all over the place and get to it. I begged to be on Michael West’s blog tour and I am so excited to be on it. His new book is Spook House.

My Thoughts:

Well I guess by know you can tell I loved it. West can make scary monsters and people to care about that are also scared of scary monster leading you to care about the people put in wonderfully scary spots. I started reading this book and I literally could not put it down. So just to sum it up this book is awesome, fun, scary, clever. This is a book that will not disappoint.

My Rating: 5 out of 5.

Synopsis of Spook House:

There are some places in this world that go far beyond any normal definition of “haunted.” These places are so evil, so diabolical, that they become gateways to Hell itself. The Fuller Farm is one such place.

It is said that old man Fuller conducted unspeakable acts, blood rituals and human sacrifices, all in an attempt to gain the ultimate knowledge, the ultimate power. And then, he was killed–horribly murdered on his own lands, leaving the house to stand as a vacant monument to his wickedness. But once a door is opened, it can never really be closed.

Now, the stars are right. The gateway is ready to once more unleash unspeakable horror upon the town of Harmony, Indiana. And this will be one Halloween that they will never forget!

About the Author:

Michael West is the critically-acclaimed author of The Wide Game, Cinema of Shadows, Skull Full of Kisses, and The Legacy of the Gods series. He lives and works in the Indianapolis area with his wife, their two children, their bird, Rodan, their turtle, Gamera, and their dog, King Seesar.

Every Halloween, he turns his garage into a haunted house