Readers' Favorite

April 30, 2016

Z is for Zombies #AtoZChallenge

by Claire Rees



I have always had a love of horror and zombies horrify me. But for some reason I still love to read about them. The books I have reviewed today are new to me. But I enjoyed them a lot and think I have found some new authors to stalk, ah i mean follow.



Killshot
Killshot by Aria Michaels

Killshot follows a group of teenagers who all meet on top of the school’s gym roof to watch ‘Icarus’ a solar flare due to happen that night. But something goes terribly wrong and they find themselves having to lock themselves inside the school’s basement to stop them from being burned alive.

After a full day of hiding they decide to wait until nightfall when it's cooler to venture outside. But when they do, they find themselves in a ghost town. Those they do find have been burned alive.

They set out together to visit their homes and find each one touched by chaos. They find some ‘infected’ zombie like creatures that they call ‘leeches’. It also seems that two of their group, Zander and Liv have been infected by this virus but instead of destroying them it seems to have given them special powers.

Soon they discover that all is not what it seems and that the US government played a part in this virus and have secret underground places for the Powers That Be to retreat to in times of emergencies just like this.

Now Liv has to get to her little brother but has to dodge the leeches, and also the military who are rounding up all survivors to check them for infection.

From the first chapter I was hooked, I liked the group of survivors, each with their own personalities and quirks. I followed along their story like I was one of the survivors.

The writing is fast and descriptive and kept me turning page after page, hoping to uncover the secrets the military are trying to keep hidden, hoping that Liv and her crew got to where they needed to go safely.

It had me both excited and terrified to see what horrors and troubles they would run into next.
Liv’s relationship with Zander blossoms throughout and is the sweet to the sour of the problems they face.

I recommend Kill Shot to those that love dooms day, apocalypse stories where pain and love go hand in hand. Where government secrets and underground labs are common.

Buy Killshot at Amazon


Killing the Dead
Killing the Dead by Richard Murray

Who better to have by your side in the middle of a zombie apocalypse than an experienced killer?

This is exactly what happens to Lily, when she knocks on the nearest door begging for help whilst running from zombies. She meets Ryan and even though she is horrified by him being a serial killer, in this new apocalyptic world numbers mean safety so she decides to stay with him for a little while trusting him when he promises he won't hurt her.

Ryan starts to feel something whilst with Lily, something he cannot explain and soon finds himself needing Lily to like him, promising not to kill innocent people ever again and meaning it.
On the road to safety they meet different people and see lots of horror. Even getting separated, they manage to find each other again at a local military safety area and find their group growing in numbers.

But once again the zombies come and overwhelm the guards, breaking into the compound. Ryan's quick thinking gets them out of the area quickly and they even manage to save another group of people.

I enjoyed this adventure with Lily and Ryan. I'm hoping that as the series progresses that Ryan gives up his murdering ways and becomes somebody that the group can depend on.

It’s quite a unique story, I don't think I have ever read a zombie story written from the point of view of a serial killer.

I also enjoyed the fact that the story is based in the UK where we don't really have guns, and so the characters were forced to find other weapons, knives, crow bars, baseball bats etc.

Buy Killing the Dead at Amazon


Days with the Undead
Days with the Undead by Julianne Snow

The story is written as a diary of a small group of survivors during the days following day one of the zombie apocalypse.

They don't seem like they belong together at first but once you hear their stories of how they are connected and how well they work together, each bringing some vital skill to the group you will see how well organized this group really is.

She tells of their life on the road, the difficulties they face, the undead, the police from other states who have not been properly informed of the outbreak, the bad humans killing and maiming other survivors just because they can or to steal their stuff.

She also tells each of their back stories, and what they were doing on the day ‘patient zero’ was admitted into the hospital only to die and come back to life.

Days with the Undead is packed from start to finish with action, blood and gore and kept me glued to it. I couldn't get enough of each of their stories as well as their combined effort to survive and couldn't wait to see how it would end.

As for the ending- wow. I didn't see it coming; I was really shocked but it was a fitting end.
It was very well written and I would really like to read more books from this author.

If you like zombie apocalypse books from a survivor’s point of view then you will really enjoy this one. I couldn't get enough of it.

Buy Days with the Undead at Amazon


Claire Rees, reviewer. Claire lives in a small village in the South Wales Valleys, UK with her husband, two kids and five snakes. She will hopefully be starting an English literature course this September. She has always loved reading books. Her favorite genres are horror, mystery and fantasy, although if the story line is good she'll read anything. Connect with Claire on Facebook.




Get even more book news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mHTVL. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

April 29, 2016

Y is for Young Adult Books #AtoZChallenge

by Donna Huber




Though I'm a couple of decades past my Young Adult days, I still enjoy reading books for young adult. I'm not sure what the appeal is. Maybe it is a bit of nostalgia for the teen years or the innocence of the characters. If you are like me and enjoy YA books, then check out some of the most popular titles.


The Star-Touched Queen
Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.

Buy The Star-Touched Queen at Amazon


When We Collided
We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever.

Buy When We Collided at Amazon



Every Heart a Doorway
Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.

Buy Every Heart a Doorway at Amazon


Down with the Shine
There's a reason they say "be careful what you wish for." Just ask the girl who wished to be thinner and ended up smaller than Thumbelina, or the boy who asked for "balls of steel" and got them-literally. And never wish for your party to go on forever. Not unless you want your guests to be struck down by debilitating pain if they try to leave.

These are things Lennie only learns when it's too late-after she brings some of her uncles' moonshine to a party and toasts to dozens of wishes, including a big wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was abducted and murdered six months ago.

Lennie didn't mean to cause so much chaos. She always thought her uncles' moonshine toast was just a tradition. And when they talked about carrying on their "important family legacy," she thought they meant good old-fashioned bootlegging.

As it turns out, they meant granting wishes. And Lennie has just granted more in one night than her uncles would grant in a year.

Now she has to find a way to undo the damage. But once granted, a wish can't be unmade...

Buy Down with the Shine at Amazon


Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here
Meet Scarlett Epstein, BNF (Big Name Fan) in her online community of fanfiction writers, world-class nobody at Melville High. Her best (read: only) IRL friends are Avery, a painfully shy and annoyingly attractive bookworm, and Ruth, her weed-smoking, possibly insane seventy-three-year-old neighbor.

When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. And if they ever find out what Scarlett truly thinks about them, she’ll be thrust into a situation far more dramatic than anything she’s ever seen on TV…

Buy Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here at Amazon


Donna Huber, founder & publisher. Donna is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour. She reads most genres, but her favorite books are psychological thrillers and stories that highlight the survival of the human spirit against unbelievable circumstances.




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April 28, 2016

X is for X-Files #AtoZChallenge

review by Claire Rees




Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt, a romantic YA story, starts off normal enough; nerdy girl, Marsha, falls for the new boy in school, Rigel, who is also the star quarterback, Drop dead gorgeous and way out of her league. Knowing that she has no chance with him doesn't stop her from fantasizing about being with him.

Starstruck
Then Rigel starts to pay a lot of attention to Marsha and when they touch, sparks fly – literally.
Not able to ignore this intense connection that they have Marsha starts to ask questions and eventually forces Rigel to tell her what he has been hiding.

He takes her to meet his parents so they can help to tell her their secret, that they are really from Mars, and that they emigrated to Earth 75 years before.

Suddenly Marsha finds herself in the middle of a Martian political war, with missing alien royalty and the threat of dangerous Martians coming to her small town looking for the missing royal heir.

Even though this book was written for a younger audience I found myself lost in its pages. Enjoying the developing relationship between the two main characters, Rigel and Marsha. Rooting for the nerdy girl to get the hot, popular guy.

Then throw in the alien race threatening to take over Earth I really enjoyed this book, and have placed the following three books on my TBR list.

The author writes the mystery and secrecy well in the book, and leaves you dying to know what's going to happen next.

The characters and story line are very well written and it's easy to get addicted to the lives of these teenagers whose high school issues are the least of their problems.

If you enjoy YA romance added together with alien races then you will love this book.

Buy Starstruck at Amazon


Claire Rees, reviewer. Claire lives in a small village in the South Wales Valleys, UK with her husband, two kids and five snakes. She will hopefully be starting an English literature course this September. She has always loved reading books. Her favorite genres are horror, mystery and fantasy, although if the story line is good she'll read anything. Connect with Claire on Facebook.


Get even more book news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mHTVL. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

April 27, 2016

W is for Wizard #AtoZChallenge

by Ross Kitson



As a lifelong Marvel True Believer I had mixed emotions when on perusing the phase 2-3 schedule for Marvel films I saw Dr Strange tucked away in there. The good Doctor, Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth Dimension, has never been one of Marvel’s big-hitters in terms of sales or popularity, yet oddly was one I have fondest memories of. In the reprint collections that were on sale in the UK in the 1970s and early 1980s, some of the early Ditko Dr Strange stories featured in wondrous black and white. With its bizarre convoluted spell names, iconic villains (the dread Dormammu, Baron Mordo, Eternity) and psychedelic art style there was a peculiarity to it, a difference to the standard superhero offerings, which fascinated.

Image from www.comingsoon.net
In the comics Dr Strange and his magical world seems to run effortlessly with the hi-tech world of space craft, mutants, time travel and planet eating giants. But the breadth of fifty years of Marvel Universe, with some re-inventions and re-boots along the way (agreeably nothing compared to DC), gives a very broad palate to integrate somewhat inconsistent principles together. There are some villains who straddle the world of magic and technology, Dr Doom for instance, and they work surprisingly well. Yet the Marvel Cinematic Universe is far younger, and has made a solid effort so far to try and hang together and continue between films and TV (obviously the utter non-consistency of the X-men films is a separate studio thing to Marvel/ Disney as they are owned by Fox). And magic… well that’s not really featured has it?

To the casual watcher it probably seems a minor quibble when we have green monsters created by gamma rays, a hi-tech knight powered by a reactor in his chest, and a super soldier frozen in a block of ice. But all the origins and characters thus far have been grounded in science, whether earth-bound or not: Iron Man and Captain America, arguably the two most popular of the MCU franchises, are products of advanced science and experiment. Thor, two solo movies and two shared movies under his mighty belt, could be a contender for a magical character. Yet the films convey to me Asgard as a hi-tech alien culture, occupying a pocket dimension, especially when the Dark Elves attack in spacecraft with energy weapons. Loki is a sorcerer in the comics, and perhaps in the films is the only real example of magic with illusions being his forte.

Image by Steve Ditko
from www.comicbookcartography.posthaven.com
So Dr Strange will be the MCUs first substantive foray into magic, and I wonder whether they will spin it as true magic or as a some science variant, for example manipulation of other dimensional energy with psychic ability or some other cod-physics explanation. There’s no problem if the film is magic in isolation, and the film exists in its own sub-milleu, but the real beauty of the MCU for comic geeks like me is that the films aren’t isolated. The cameos, and the guest appearances, and the cross-overs are what are elevating this series of films beyond anything that’s been attempted cinematically before. The eagerly awaited Captain America 3: Civil War, is in essence another Avengers film, with multiple supporting characters and feels like a Marvel comic cross-over event on celluloid. So it’d be a sad move for Dr Strange to inhabit part of a shared universe in which he can’t interact, can’t contribute… and indeed a waste of Benedict Cumberbatch as an actor!
In the comics, Dr Strange was a key part of the esoteric team The Defenders. Although there’s part of me that would love to see Dr Strange levitating into action against Thanos, I feel it more likely that he’d have more in common joining the other branch of Marvel’s visual franchise: the Netflix TV success of Daredevil. Although the adult tone of Daredevil is out of kilter with the likely 12 certificate of a Dr Strange film, the latest series of Daredevil features the Hand and Elektra and covert displays of magic (with a character who just won’t die). Power Man is due next, grounded in science, but Iron Fist on the horizon is a distinctly mystical character that would be hard to do well without some reference to sorcery. It’s difficult though to know how whether the tone of Dr Strange film will match the street level heroes of Daredevil/Jessica Jones/Power Man/ Iron Fist. In my gut… I suspect not, which may then leave Dr Strange as a bit of an outsider in the MCU, but one with a very distinct and exciting flavour.

Image taken from www.sciencefiction.com
So roll on November, and see what magical delights Dr Strange has cooked up for us under his voluminous Cloak of Levitation.

Ross M Kitson, features writer. Ross is a doctor, occasional blogger, full time geek, and sporadic author of fantasy and YA sci-fi. Connect with Ross on Twitter.

Get even more book news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mHTVL. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

April 26, 2016

V is for Vicious Vampire #AtoZChallenge

by Alison DeLuca



When I was in 5th grade, I bought Dracula from one of those book order forms. Remember those? You paid 50 cents and weeks later got a flimsy paperback in return. Heaven!


courtesy wiki commons
The day I received Dracula, my first peek inside showed it was written in diary and letter formats. What a disappointment! I didn’t crack the book again until I had to stay home sick with stomach flu. There was nothing else interesting on the bookshelf, and so I settled down to Bram Stoker’s classic.

Days followed, and I could not put down the book. I couldn’t sleep either, since I was convinced an eerie fog with glowing red coals for eyes would enter my bedroom the instant I turned off the light. Sorry, Mom, for that electric bill, but I really thought turning off my bunny night light meant certain death.

Stoker sucked me in (see what I did there) with his masterful suspense and misty atmosphere. In the thick fogs rolling across London and the English countryside, anything could happen. I was particularly aghast and thrilled by the section including news clippings about the Boofer Lady, a white phantom haunting the moors after Lucy’s death. And just as the action seemed to slow down, along came Professor Van Helsing with blood transfusions and hypnosis.

The book is a masterpiece of horror, not pausing until the very end. In the cold light of the new millennium, Dracula might seem dated. However, Stoker’s genius of continually upping the stakes (I’ll stop) keeps the story horrifying.

Besides, the characters are simply amazing. We start with Jonathan Harker, a London businessman who nearly becomes the first victim. Perhaps he’s only saved by the Count’s need for those boxes of earth from Transylvania.

We then move to my favorite character and Jonathan’s fiancée, Mina Murray. She’s strong, intelligent, and brave. Along the way she’s attacked and, as a result, develops paranormal powers. This fits perfectly within Stoker’s alternate universe.
courtesy wiki commons

In my opinion, Mina is the first real super hero. She is strong, but the villain exploits what he sees as a weakness – her love for her best friend, Lucy. Dracula feeds on Mina and gives her insight into his alien mentality. Mina works with the very odd Van Helsing (hello, the King Laugh speech? What is that all about?) and Jonathan, now her husband, to use her new powers for good.

And did I mention the sections set in the insane asylum? The diary narrated by Dr. Seward as analysis of his patient, Renfield, really stands on its own as a terrifying short story. What happens to Renfield is one of the saddest things I’ve ever read. It fits with what Stephen King tells us about writing horror: “I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.”

Stoker accomplished all of this without sexual tension, descriptions of male torsos or female chests, ‘her blood sings to me’ or the like. Dracula remains my favorite vampire, because he just doesn’t care about you.


He wants to bite your neck, and feed.


Alison DeLuca, features writer. Alison is the author of several steampunk and urban fantasy books.  She was born in Arizona and has also lived in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain. Currently she wrestles words and laundry in New Jersey. Connect with Alison on FacebookTwitterGoogle+Pinterest, and her blog.


Get even more book news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mHTVL. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

April 25, 2016

U is for Unbelievable Ghostly Drama #AtoZChallenge #MondayBlogs

by Elisa Hordon




Writing a blog post about one of my favourite ghostly paranormal series sounded like a great idea in my head...lol But then I start writing, and omg, how to summarise the 16 books Terri Reid has written so far in the Mary O'Reilly series without giving away spoilers, because I'm not a fan of spoilers at all and I really want everyone to read the series so here goes.

Loose Ends
book one
Terri Reid has written 16 Mary O'Reilly mysteries so far with a couple of spin off books as well involving two of Mary's brothers Sean and Art. I really love how Terri writes about the whole family with the main series focused on Mary, but Mary's family is where her strength comes from. So it is important that they all have a role in the series as it really brings it together and having her family pop into stories just adds to the great character base in this series. I also love that the author saw that the other strong characters from the Mary series deserved their own stories. That just makes this series even more awesome because now we have spin offs for two of Mary's brothers Sean and Art so far and those books are just as awesome as the Mary series.

So what is special about Mary O'Reilly?

Mary is a private investigator with a twist, she can see and communicate with ghosts.

Mary also comes from a strong Irish family with strong ties within the law enforcement community in Chicago, Illinois.

When I met Mary for the first time, I clicked with her character immediately. Sixteen books later and I seriously love her more and more with each book.

Mary overcame death. Yes, she actually died when she took a bullet for her brother Sean (something he has not forgiven her for, as Sean felt it was his job to look after Mary). Mary came back, even though she came back with strings attached. Not only can Mary see ghosts but she needs to help the ones drawn to her and that can lead to trouble for Mary, a lot of trouble.

Mary and her family are from Chicago, they are a law enforcement family and very Irish. Mary's mother Maggie runs the family with a loving heart, no one messes with Maggie's family especially her only daughter Mary.

After the shooting, Mary packs up and moves from Chicago to small town Freeport, Illinois were she opens her Private Detective business. Mary had to leave the city because there are just too many spirits for her to cope with on a daily basis. She figured moving to a small town would be less of a ghostly problem for her, boy was she wrong.

Mary meets local police chief Bradly Alden who is fairly new to Freeport himself but he knows from their first meeting that there is something different about Mary and he plans to find out just what that is and why he has this overwhelming desire to protect this women he just met.

From Mary's first case involving the haunting of a senator, to kidnapped babies, serial killers who have their sights set firmly on Mary, for a small town Freeport, Illinois, has enough paranormal activity and cold cases to keep Mary on her toes but with the help of Bradly and her good friends Rosie and Stanley, plus we eventually add in the gorgeous Scottish Professor of the paranormal Ian MacDougal and a friendly fireman Ghost Mike and I think Mary has everything covered, most of the time...lol

Good Tidings
book two
The characters are strong and well written, I love it when Mary's family plays a part in the story especially Mary's Mum Maggie she is a special woman who loves her family unconditionally even though their chosen careers give her constant cause to worry.

Rosie and Stanley are awesome characters, they are funny and even during the toughest and saddest times of these stories Rosie and Stanley add an appropriate amount of light hearted humour.
Police Chief Bradly Alden is strong, tough and loves his job, he also has a vulnerable side and a past he hides from instead of dealing with, until he meets Mary and finally wonders if there is happiness in his future, if only he's open to grabbing it.

Ian MacDougal the hunky Scotsman and Professor of the Paranormal (and yes every time I was reading about Ian there was a very strong Scottish accent in my head...lol), like Mary, Ian can see ghosts and he studies paranormal activity for a living so helping Mary is a dream job for Ian, keeping Mary safe is a whole other ball game. Ian is the perfect partner for Mary and I love the friendship they develop over the books from when Ian comes into the series.

Mike, the fireman ghost plays a big part in Mary's life throughout the books from when he comes into the series. Mike may not have lived the best of lives and he may be filled with regrets but in his ghostly life he decides it's time to step up his game after he meets Mary, yes she has that effect on a lot of people. Mike surprises me more and more during the series he is great at helping Mary on her cases and doing what he can to help keep her safe, I also love how Mike is just as protective of Mary as her brother's ...lol and really I love how Mike tells it like it is he doesn't hold back at all and usually that is just what Mary needs whether she wants to admit that or not.

Mary's neighbours become great side characters adding love and humour to the books especially little Andy and his sister Maggie they both add a great loving element to help lighten the books even in a small way, it's still an important, the happiness and sometimes hilarity the kids bring into the series is much needed at times to keep the main characters grounded when they come across real horror in their chosen professions.

The paranormal mysteries are the backbone of this series and even though you often know who the murderer is before the end it's not always about finding the murder it's about catching them without getting killed, working out why they have done the horrible things they have done and also giving closure to the victims so they can pass on in peace and loved ones they have left behind.

Never Forgotten
book three
There is a romance that develops between Mary and Bradly, it is also important and as it grows it shows how well they work together also the trust they find in each other is an important aspect to the series even at points when it seems the trust is lost they find it again and in return they find each other again, but that’s enough about that, as I don't want to give away spoilers I really want everyone to read the series.

I really love Mary's wicked sense of humour, it is especially poignant that she keeps it throughout the 16 books, even with everything she endures in these brilliant stories. Sometimes I wonder how she has not only survived but thrived and then I realize it's the loved one's she surrounds herself with that give her strength, love and a laugh all while driving her crazy at the same time...lol it all works and the result is a great series of books you will always remember with a cast of characters who will always have a place in your heart.

Buy Terri Reid's books at Amazon


Mary O'Reilly Book List in order

Loose Ends
Good Tidings
Never Forgotten
Final Call
Darkness Exposed
Natural Reaction 
Secret Hollows
Broken Promises
Twisted Paths
Veiled Passages
Bumpy Roads
Treasured Legacies
Buried Innocence
Stolen Dreams
Haunted Tales
Deadly Circumstances

Sean's Spin Off
The Order of Brigid's Cross (Wild Hunt #1)

Art's Spin Off
The Blackwood Files - File One Family Secrets

Short Stories that add to the Mary O'Reilly series
Irish Mist (Sean's Story) best read before The Order of Brigid's Cross
Three Wise Guides - explains more about Mary's gift from after she was shot.
Tales Around The Jack O'Lantern - The O'Reilly clan are gathered for Halloween and the traditional ghost story.
Tales Around The Jack O'Lantern II - more Halloween ghost stories

Elisa Hordon, reviewerElisa lives on the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia were she spends her days reading, journaling, painting, cooking and home schooling her daughter. She has always been an avid reader, Elisa loves reading many genres of books except horror; her favourite genres would be mystery, romance and paranormal. Elisa also loves pursuing many creative outlets if she is not relaxing with a book she can be found writing, sketching, painting or cooking. Elisa loves to share her obsession with books especially with her family and friends. Reading and reviewing books is a favourite pastime of Elisa’s.



Get even more book news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mHTVL. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.

April 24, 2016

Asteroid Made of Dragons by G. Derek Adams

by Donna Huber


Asteroid Made of Dragons
A few years ago I was getting my hair cut and talking to the ladies that worked at the salon about my blog as they were readers. As I was leaving one lady mentioned that her friend had written a book. I left a card with her and said if he was interested in a review to contact me.

G. Derek Adams did contact me and I read a book that was far from my usual reads. He called it "swordpunk". At the time I was just becoming familiar with steampunk, but for a local author I would give his a chance. You can read my review of Spell/Sword here.

Then a month or so ago I saw a notice from my local bookstore that Derek was having a launch party for his 3rd book - Asteroid Made of Dragons. I'm curious about the story and have a copy, though haven't gotten to it yet. It is part of the Spell/Sword series, but as someone at the book event asked the books can be read out of order. (I haven't read the second book).

I did go to the book launch and it was one of the best author events I have attended. This is the first time I've met Derek and he is a lot of fun. He has a nice following, especially for an indie author, as the local bookstore was full. Derek had the crowd laughing for much of the talk.

To experience a bit of his personality, check out his blog: https://spell-sword.com

While I'm still not sure about the "swordpunk" description, I can tell you that this is a fantasy adventure with characters you are going to love. (If you read my Spell/Sword review you know I came to care about the characters, and several people at the book launch expressed concern for their favorite character).

Read the opening chapters:





Buy Asteroid Made of Dragons at Amazon

About the author:

In his formative college years at University of Georgia, G. Derek Adams spent his time cultivating a love of words, theater, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. Adams has written two previous novels and is threatening to write more. He has an abiding love for the fantasy universe and an unabashed desire to play within it. Adams lives in Athens, Georgia, with his beloved, a dog, two cats, and a rescue warg.
Twitter  *  Facebook  *  Blog






Have you attended a great author event? What made it awesome for you?

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