“Council of Peacocks (Activation)” by M. Joseph Murphy

“Council of Peacocks (Activation)” by M. Joseph Murphy is a highly entertaining and clever paranormal thriller.
It is a fun read with some unexpected depth. Set between Canada and Greece it involves amongst other great ingredients time travel, djinns and wizzards.

While out camping a group of six youngsters get attacked and run from what appears clearly not human creatures.
As they are on the run we learn more about how they link to a much bigger picture.

The Council of Peacocks, a group of ruthless wizards under the leadership of Propates are taking on the world while Wisdom, an immortal scorcerer and his team of ‘gifted’ youth, the Anomolies, fight back.

It is the classic battle of good versus evil, but not in as simple a way at all. The plot is highly evolved and complex, cleverly constructed and very engaging. Human kind is evolving and threatened, different groups of beings fight each other and battle for the ultimate tool to wipe the other out, time and events are muddled up by repetitive time travel to alter history, so there is a lot going on.

The book is written with great suspense and action that cleverly involves the hero and the anti-hero. The characters top me are clearly one of the biggest strengths of the book; they are not your average and boring stereotypes, they have issues, contradictions, a past and they make for some excellent entertainment. They even add some serious thoughts and a philosophical dimension to the story at times.

The paranormal or fantasy part of this thriller is very engaging with lots of great ideas and imaginative creations. You dive into this world and feel for once someone has not re-told the same story with just a different colouring.

There are surprises in the plot that save us from predictability, the language is superb and the humour in the novel was just right for an epic fantasy like this to ‘keep it real’.

I don’t often read fantasy books but this one pressed all the right buttons. .

Well done and highly recommended.

Watch out for my author interview with M. Joseph Murphy on GROUNDHOG DAY FEB 2nd on

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/

Social Media Links

Twitter https://twitter.com/Windswarlock (@windswarlock)

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joseph.murphy3

Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MJosephMurphy/posts

Blog http://councilofpeacocks.blogspot.ca

Website http://mjosephmurphy.info

Joseph Murphy was born and raised in

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REVIEW: M. Joseph Murphy – A Fallen Hero Rises

Tags

devils & demons, dragon, Epic fantasy, gay character, gay hero, gay paranormals, gay shifter, Gay YA, LGBT, magic, queer, sword & laser, sword and sorcery, vampires, were-beast, were-cat, werewolves & shifters, witches & wizards, YA Male POV

Watch out for GROUNDHOG DAY – FEBRUARY 2nd when M. Joseph Murphy is featured with more of his work and an interview on ChristophFischerBook.com

“A Fallen Hero Rises (Sword of Kassandra) by M. Joseph Murphy is an accomplished piece of fantasy / science fiction writing and a very enjoyable read.
Set on the distant planet of Maghe Sihre seers have ominous premonitions when an earthling crashes down through the void and onto their planet. The damage to the void is seen as a threat to the planet but there is also the mystery to resolve as to why the boy has landed on their planet. A separate narrative tells us about earthling Tadgh Dooley’s background as he gradually regains his memory.
From the first dialogue it was clear to me that the author has created some memorable and colourful characters that go beyond the often found fantasy stereotypes. With the – to my ears sometimes – obscure names and parameters of the new world it took me a little to get the hang of the story but the narrative that deals with Tadgh’s past hooked me into insisting and I am very glad I did. What follows is classic fantasy and science fiction fare with action and outworldly technology and fighting tools. However, I found much of the dialogue and the presented concepts of human and supernatural powers quite deep and meaningful. Tadgh has such powers and needs to control them. With wise men but also some villain figures around him the story has some truly great suspense that kept my interest on several levels.
As this is the first book in a series it does not come to a complete conclusion but leaves us craving for book 2.
I don’t often read fantasy and when I do I frequently feel it has been done before. “A Fallen Hero Rises” has some unusual and profound components that made me enjoy the read very much.
Recommended for fans of the genre and those who are curious and for those who like myself like gay characters in stories without it becoming a gay story.

Social Media Links
Twitter https://twitter.com/Windswarlock (@windswarlock)
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joseph.murphy3
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MJosephMurphy/posts
Blog http://councilofpeacocks.blogspot.ca
Website http://mjosephmurphy.info

Lorena Wood: “Vibrations”

Whitney Bentley, a gifted psychic, is tracking a serial killer targeting young boys in Phoenix. The side effects of absorbing so many violent images begin to take their toll on her body and she is forced to rely on a local detective to keep her safe.

Nick is not only unwilling to work with the psychic, he’s furious that her phony tricks will waste time and inevitably cause more deaths. Falling fast into a world he never believed could exist, he soon finds he needs Whitney, and not just for the case.

Whitney knows from experience that no one can tolerate her freakish skills long enough to fall in love with her, but the rugged detective sparks feelings she thought had died long ago. Nick’s world is turned upside down as the hunt for a killer becomes a struggle to protect the woman he can longer live without

“Vibrations” by Lorena Wood is a great paranormal detective story with a romance thrown in that is full of chemistry and sparks.
Psychic Whitney joins detective Nick in the investigation of a serial killer who focuses on young boys.
Whitney and Nick have sexual chemistry but take some time before they work well together and gel.
If, like myself, you watch series like CSI, Bones and the Mentalist, then you will appreciate how well thought through and written this story is. It uses known themes but Whitney’s gift comes at a price for her own health and makes her less of the superhero that we find so often in the genre. The vulnerability, the chemsitry between the characters and the plot are really well constructed and with plenty of care.

This is hugely enjoyable and hopefully the beginning of a successful detective series.

Find this book on your local Amazon store: http://bookShow.me/B00BPA61NO

I’ve always loved reading, but didn’t discover romance novels until my mom shared one with me. I was hooked. Good thing I found my romantic soul mate to act as my inspiration. My favorite stories always involve paranormal powers and strong women, so that’s what I write about. I love secret super powers.

I was born in upstate New York, lived in Arizona for many years, and returned to the chilly North East to raise my family. Gotta love the seasons! I bravely left my job as editor at Tribune Media Services to pursue a full-time writing career in July of 2012.

I always LOVE to hear from my readers, especially if you enjoyed the story and want to see more of certain characters. I haven’t written a sequel yet, but I’ve had requests so it’s in the works

Please Help a Fellow Author Who Has Suffered a Serious Stroke

REVIEW: “Among The Shrouded” by Amalie Jahn

 

“Among the Shrouded” by Amalie Jahn is a powerful and remarkable book
about an unimaginable and dark crime that is still happening in significant numbers in our modern world: Human trafficking.

Told from the perspective of several characters in Baltimore it shows the tragic life of women coming to the US in naive hope for a better future, only to find themselves trapped. Written with amazing empathy and care the book focuses on one particular woman from the Ukraine.

The parallel storyline that starts the novel off and which eventually intertwines with the trafficking concerns a woman who can see auras and who becomes fascinated with a man whose aura she cannot see during a police lineup. The supernatural theme of seeing auras is kept at a low profile, yet it has signifance in the story, just as other seemingly unconnected elements of the story come together unexpectedly.

The cast of characters that make up the story is perfectly chosen to bring home more subtle messages than the tragedy that is human slavery. The story of ‘the man without an aura’ is just as touching and moving. Jahn knows how to pull heartstrings but does so in a really tasteful and artistic manner.

There is hope and inspiration in the book, not all is doom and gloom. This is the second book by the author that I have read and – like “The Clay Lion” – I cannot recommend it highly enough

The book is available on your Amazon site

What if a group of psychic strangers came together to save the world?

Mia, Thomas, and Kate have paranormal abilities.
And a common destiny.

They just don’t know it yet.

Mia Rosetti is used to being different, especially since she can tell if people are good or evil just by looking at their auras.

But when a mysterious (and handsome) stranger walks into her life without one, she starts questioning her power and begins a search to find the true purpose of her gift.

What she doesn’t know is that aura-less Thomas harbors secrets of his own – an abusive past and the ability to avoid danger.

Halfway around the world, Kate uses a form of telepathy to provide for her sisters and is excited by the prospect of going to the United States to secure their financial independence.

None are aware of the ancient prophesy foretelling the birth of seven psychics destine to change the world. Among the Shrouded follows Mia, Thomas and Kate, three unsuspecting strangers whose lives intertwine to reveal the significance of their gifts and the greater purpose of their collective lives.

For an interview with Amalie and a feature on THE CLAY LION follow this link:

http://www.christophfischerbooks.com/amalie-jahn-the-clay-lion/

 

My review: Leap the Wild Water – history up close and personal

MALLA DUNCAN

I have just finished reading ‘Leap the Wild Water’ by Jenny Lloyd – a wrenching historical drama set in rural Wales in the early 19th century. Increasingly, I am finding Indie authors who have put together fine work – language, story, structure, research, background, etc. As a writer myself, I’m aware of the work that goes into achieving these high standards. I understand the difficulty when the excitement of the idea hits the cold white space of the page – and the double difficulty of doing this entirely on your own without a fleet of professional publishing people fussing around in the background. It takes guts to write and publish a book on your own – especially a book with the sweeping canvas and resonance of ‘Leap the Wild Water’.

It’s wonderful to see how imagination evokes such bold ambition. Not only does Ms Lloyd take us back in time…

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My Review of “The Luck of the Weissensteiner’s by: Author Christoph Fischer”

nativemericangirl's Blog

The Luck of the Weissensteiner’s

By: Author Christoph Fischer

 

An Authentically Compassionate and Brilliant sense of History and Family……

As I sit here mourning the loss of this precious and most beautifully written book and its characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with as “Author Christoph Fischer” poignantly express with words and the greatest depth of emotional History albeit fictional, but History all the same. I’m reminded that one of my majors in school was history and just like then I passionately devoured each and every word, sentence, paragraph, chapter and page…… I was drawn in and held captivated by the main characters familia “The Weissensteiner’s”. A Jewish family, who at the start of this incredibly amazing read has already experienced a migration from their once known lands and the loss of their mother and for Jonah their father, his wife and companion. Life was hard…

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“Agency Rules – Never an Easy Day at the Office” by Khalid Muhammad

“Agency Rules – Never an Easy Day at the Office” by Khalid Muhammad is a truly great spy thriller. Set in a modern day Pakistan it tells the chain of events set in motion by a terror attack in Karachi. Politicians, the army and the state secret service agency all have their own ideas as how to respond or retaliate for the offence. But it is our hero Khamal who goes in to do the work.

Pakistan is a perfect setting for this gripping thriller full of action and suspense. The country’s complex history and fractured political landscape provide an excellent ambience for the players of this novel. Gangs, Sheikhs, terrorists, politicians…
A comparison to works by LeCarre has been made by a fellow reader and while I would hate to imply that there are obvious similarities I will say that the two authors have certainly the same admirable competence in strong plotting, vivid characterisation and atmospheric style.
Pakistan and its people are often mis-represented in the Western world and I loved how the author managed to bring in a whole spectrum of characters, showing again a complex picture instead of resorting to simple stereotypes or clique; all the while also highlighting outside interests in the country and the internal struggles. While the story moves at a fast pace with compelling writing the author also raises many points about the country’s current state of affairs. It shows a writer with a sharp and thoughtful mind who knows also about diplomacy and international politics – just like any good spy thriller writer should in my opinion.

A good thriller with substance. Very recommendable.

“You are free to go to your mosque, temples and churches,” was the refrain when Pakistan was born in 1947, but that all changed after the first Afghan war when Pakistan was plunged into a sectarian and extremist battleground. It all changed again when Karachi was set ablaze by gangland violence that forced a hapless government to take direction from the powerful Pakistan Army.

From the crowded streets of Karachi to the barren plains of tribal areas, a boy transforms himself from an average man into a precision soldier and superior intelligence operative bringing the fight to the Taliban’s backyard. Kamal Khan, born and raised in the conflict ridden tribal area, gives up his privileged family background to serve his nation in a war that will define Pakistan’s future.

The cold adrenaline, the fear of the unknown, the shadowy hands, and the cunning that surpasses a Sicilian mind… the game of espionage in South Asia comes to life in Agency Rules, the spy thriller that takes the battle to the Taliban in Pakistan

When people talk about Khalid Muhammad, they talk about an entrepreneur who has helped others build their dreams and businesses. They talk about a teacher, who is dedicated to his students, both inside and outside the classroom, and they return the dedication tenfold. Now, they talk about the author, who has written a fast-paced, action-packed spy thriller about Pakistan, the politics, the Army and terrorism.

Born in Pakistan’s troubled Swat Valley, educated and raised in the United States, Khalid returned to Pakistan almost 17 years ago and fell in love with his country. His debut novel, Agency Rules – Never an Easy Day at the Office, is a journey behind the headlines about Pakistan, the world’s most dangerous place, to deliver an intense story that will challenge the reader to question what they have been told.

“Agency Rules – Never an Easy Day at the Office”
was released yesterday and can be purchased at your Amazon site:
http://bookShow.me/B00HUZOED2

Tomorrow I will be featuring Khalid Muhammad on my other blog ChristophFischerBooks.com

Author Wednesday – Julia Gousseva

P.C. Zick

Welcome to Author Wednesday. Today I welcome Julia Gousseva, the author of two books set in Russia during the years when it was known as the Soviet Union or the USSR. Moscow Dreams and Anya’s Story are both historical fiction set more than twenty years ago in a land often misunderstood and shrouded in mystery to the Western world.

 

Welcome, Julia. It’s such a pleasure to have you visit today. I’m curious about your transition from Russia to the United States. You are Russian, born and raised in Moscow. Now, you live in Arizona. How, when, and why did you come to Arizona?

I came to Arizona in 1993. At the time, Russia was going through major political, social, and cultural changes. One of the changes was that many Western companies set up offices in Moscow and were hiring people with a good knowledge of the English language. As…

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Thank You For Taking Me Home

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap

To all who have helped rescue a dog or cat, THANK YOU!!!

https://www.facebook.com/santapaulaarc

http://www.santapaulaarc.org/

If you have a minute, please help my shelter win a grant: (click on link below and fill in Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center. The VOTE tab will come up. Fill in the CAPS (in UPPER CASE) click on it and that will cast your vote. Thanks. 🙂

http://www.shelterchallenge.com/

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