#MusicMonday: Robbie Williams "Angels"

Review: Lee Child "Gone Tomorrow" (Jack Reacher #13) ~~ #JackReacher #Review

 



Publisher:  Bantam

ISBN: 978-0345541581

My Rating: 5/5




New York City. Two in the morning. A subway car heading uptown. Jack Reacher, plus five other passengers. Four are okay. The fifth isn’t.
In the next few tense seconds Reacher will make a choice--and trigger an electrifying chain of events in this gritty, gripping masterwork of suspense by #1 New York Times bestseller Lee Child.
Susan Mark was the fifth passenger. She had a lonely heart, an estranged son, and a big secret. Reacher, working with a woman cop and a host of shadowy feds, wants to know just how big a hole Susan Mark was in, how many lives had already been twisted before hers, and what danger is looming around him now.
Because a race has begun through the streets of Manhattan in a maze crowded with violent, skilled soldiers on all sides of a shadow war. Susan Mark’s plain little life was critical to dozens of others in Washington, California, Afghanistan . . . from a former Delta Force operator now running for the U.S. Senate, to a beautiful young woman with a fantastic story to tell–and to a host of others who have just one thing in common: They’re all lying to Reacher. A little. A lot. Or maybe just enough to get him killed.
In a novel that slams through one hairpin surprise after another, Lee Child unleashes a thriller that spans three decades and gnaws at the heart of America . . . and for Jack Reacher, a man who trusts no one and likes it that way, it’s a mystery with only one answer–the kind that comes when you finally get face-to-face and look your worst enemy in the eye.


My thoughts

He's done it again. This was a brilliant story resulting in some sleepless nights because I wasn't able to put the book aside.

Reacher travels in a subway late at night, when he witnesses one of the passengers acting 'suspicious'. Moments later he's involved in a murder and events unfolding that in true Reacher style,  he does not rest until he knows the reasons for her actions.

Brilliant. It's fast paced, it's a thriller / mystery at its best.

Highly recommend this one!

May I introduce: Shea McIntosh Ford "The Stone of Kings"

 

 

 

The Stone of Kings

by Shea McIntosh Ford

 

Blurb:

Twelve year old Ardan is hopelessly distracted because he wants to meet a real faerie. But when he gets his hands on a mysterious red book loaded with faerie spells and accidentally sends himself three hundred years into Ireland’s future, he soon learns that there are more important things on which to focus his attention. Throw in some immortal druids, fun storytelling, a touch of forbidden romance, along with the music and antics of the legendary Irish harper, Turlough O’Carolan, and you’ll become swept up in a very real Irish mythological adventure.

 

 Author:

Shea McIntosh Ford is the author of Harp Lessons and The Stone of Kings. She lives in Florida with her loving husband of eleven years and two boys, ages four and six. Growing up she lived under the delusion that prejudice and bigotry were no longer being taught to children. Oh, how much she has learned. After feeling powerless as a first year teacher when one student adamantly said that Americans should send ALL Mexican’s back to Mexico, Shea has found her voice through her writing. While she knows that bigotry probably won’t be eradicated altogether, at least she’s doing her part to help decrease it. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheaMcIntoshFord
Blog: http://sheaford.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @SheaFord1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SheaMcIntoshFord

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/stringdancer/ 

 

Purchase Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Kings-Shea-McIntosh-Ford-ebook/dp/B00MN0769I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1407931060&sr=1-1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-stone-of-kings-shea-mcintosh-ford/1120113717?ean=2940150762626

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/466619

 

Excerpt:

Abandoning his work as he was so prone to do when he got excited about something, Ardan led Thomas into the library, but not before doing the forbidden—he opened its closed door.
Once inside the room, both of them forgot about looking for a story book. On Bresal’s hand‑carved writing desk was his curious little red book. The old scholar must have been distracted by the sight of his musician friend nearing the cottage from the library window and neglected to hide the book as usual. Its pages lay open, and unmistakable magic hovered over the leaves. They heard light random notes, like the sound of the tiniest of wind chimes played by a faint breeze. As they gaped, they noticed each tinkling sound corresponded with a tiny point of light which would burst and disappear above the book.
Thomas breathed out a gasp of surprise. “Who is this Bresal fellow anyway?”
Ardan could not answer. He began to wonder the same thing. His pulse quickened as he neared the book.
“What are you doing?” Thomas dropped his voice to a whisper as he grabbed onto the boy’s shoulder. The color in his face had drained away.
“I merely want to read it,” Ardan said. He shrugged away Thomas’s hand.
“I do not think we should go near it.”
But Ardan continued nearing. Despite his own warnings, Thomas followed closely behind. Ardan picked up the book and began to turn the pages. He expected to hear more sounds and see the lights dance quicker, but instead, these features decreased until the pages settled again.
“What does it say?” whispered Thomas.
“Some is in Irish and some English.” Ardan’s gaze, as expected, went for the Irish text. He read aloud, “Solas agus airy biedh tú, Leabhar na mianach mo lámha chun saor in aisce.”
Right away, the tinkling noise intensified as did the lights. But what shocked Ardan was the book lifted from his fingers and hovered in front of him.
“Saints be blessed,” said Thomas and he let out a burst of high‑pitched laughter.
They both stared in awe a moment until Ardan saw Bresal and Turlough advancing toward the house from their walk in the garden. “No,” he gasped. His heart hammered at the trouble he would be in if Bresal found them out.
“Does it say how to reverse it?” asked Thomas, his voice raised in pitch.
Ardan’s gaze scanned the pages, desperate to avoid punishment, but none of the lines written in Irish appeared to fit the need. When Ardan reached for the book to try another page, it shied away from him. Frantic, he read aloud one of the English lines without comprehending the meaning.
“A need I have to mend a mistake, a new time please, for lives are at stake.”
Nothing happened.
“This sounds like the right one,” said Thomas. “Perhaps you should say it in Irish.”
Ardan could not find the Irish counterpart and so struggled a moment with the translation then said, “Is mór agam a cheartú botún, le do thoil A am nua a shaoradh ó na terror.”
The book filled the room with such a bright light, Ardan could see nothing else.

Get hooked on "Innocent Tears" - #MFRWHooks @AstraeaPress

 

Welcome to another MFRWHook!

 

"Innocent Tears" is set in Melbourne / Australia

             

 

I hope you get hooked by this Snippet

 

BLURB:

Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody.

With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle.
But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do.

 

 

Today's hook:  

As soon as Emma hung up the phone to Jack, the sound of Nadine’s small steps grabbed her attention. The young girl stood in the door holding tightly to her doll. Her hair was in a mess, and her

cheeks red. Yawning wide, she came towards Emma – and Emma couldn’t help but smile.

“Hello Naddie.”

“Hello,” Nadine said with a sleepy voice, on the verge of another yawn. “Grandma gone?”

Emma picked her up and sat on the chair with the girl on her lap. “Your Grandma and Grandpa have gone to a meeting, but they told me you knew I was coming.”

Nadine beamed. “Yes.”

“I’m a bit new to this, so how about you tell me what you would like to do. Did you bring any other dolls?”

Nadine hopped off Emma’s lap. “Yes,” she said excitedly, while rushing into the bedroom. She came back with – what else! – her bag packed with dolls, and then emptied the contents onto the

floor in front of Emma.

“I see,” Emma laughed. “You brought a whole town.”

Nadine quickly involved Emma in her imaginary story, and Emma couldn’t help but adore the girl for coping so well with the loss of her mother. After ordering some biscuits and milk for

Nadine, they both sat down at the table and a corner of Emma’s mind wondered about the girl’s mother. She knew curiosity killed the cat, but asked anyway.

“Naddie, sweetie, what happened to your mum?” she asked carefully whilst having a bite of a biscuit. She watched Nadine cautiously, not wanting to upset the girl.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Stars:

I am a big fan of Miss Blobel's work. I love her characters and get so into their lives and how that comes together and culminates in the end. I loved Flynn and his apprehension about having to be a new Dad to a child he had never met. Emma's involvement and her torment of having to chose the right man. Jack's dormant abusive behavior and Teresa indifference to Nadine, who by the way was a very endearing child. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Kudos to its author!!

4 Stars:

A very good story that keeps you turning the pages to find out what is going to happen next. A fairly predictable ending but who doesnt like a happy ending?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Tales - ADDRESS ~ Where #Authors #Write to a #Prompt

 

Welcome to Tuesday ... Welcome to Tuesday Tales ...
I continue with my story about Connor and his dad Jack, who's ill with cancer. Connor lives in London and is visiting his father who lives in a small town along the Victorian coast.

Today's prompt is: ADDRESS
Enjoy - and feel free to leave a comment. And don't forget to click the link below to go back to the main Tuesday Tale site for more stories by very talented authors.
 

It took Emily a second to redirect her mind back to the current situation.

"No, not at all. My last patient took forever to take his medication, so I'm running behind time a little bit," she lied. "Did you find the address all right?”

He laughed. "This is Fermosa Bay. It takes some effort to get lost here"

"Excuse me, Mr Hot Shot."

Shaking his head, Connor placed the meat on the bench. “Yes, I found your place all right. Jack made sure of it.”

She waited for him to turn and look at her, when she asked, “Am I intruding too much if I’d ask about your conversation with him?”

Connor lifted a shoulder in a light shrug. “Nah, but how about we get some food on the table first. I’m starving.”

Not really sure how to take his reply, whether he was indeed only postponing the subject or hoping for her to forget about it after dinner, she simply nodded. Within minutes he was busy cooking the meat on the barbeque, and she prepared a tossed salad, as well as some bread and cheese. When they both sat down for their meal, she opened a bottle of red wine as they sat on her small balcony.

“Have you always lived here?” he asked.

She arched a brow. “Seriously? Why would I leave?”

He shrugged. “Studies, a man, job… hell I don’t know.”

It’d been something she’d never considered. Leaving Fermosa Bay would be the last thing on her mind. Not even for a man.

She shook her head. “No. I’ve always lived here and probably, or at least hopefully will always live here.”

They ate in silence for a long moment before she spoke. “Tell me about your life in London. You’re a lawyer. No Mrs Connor. Any ex-Mrs Connor?”

He chuckled. “Nope, no ex either.”

“I always thought lawyers are chatty people. You must’ve missed that lesson.”

His mouth curled in a smile.

“How about what made you choose to be a lawyer?”

“Dad’s got a firm. In a way it was expected of me.”

Emily paused, her fork half way to her mouth, and stared at him. Something within her stirred, but she wasn’t able to pinpoint it to something. Surprise? Pity? Or was it the tone in which he’d delivered his last answer?

“Are you serious?”

Their gazes met and he returned her stare with raised eyebrows. “Okay, which part of my answer doesn’t sit well with you?”

She placed the fork on the plate, leaned forward with her elbows on the table and arms crossed. “Well, I have to admit, you calling someone else dad sounds vaguely weird, but it was expected of you? Connor, this is the twenty-first century, you cannot expect your children—”

“London is not Fermosa Bay, Emily.”

“I get that, but—“

He sipped on his wine, but never breaking their eye contact. Was that his way of telling her to let it go? Telling her the subject was taboo? The excitement of a dinner with Connor all of a sudden abated and anger mixed with sadness built up in her.

“It wasn’t the perfect upbringing,” he suddenly said.

She blinked a couple of times trying hard to not get teary.

With a shrug, he added, “But it is what it is and I cannot change it.”

Not sure how to respond, she stayed quiet.

He placed his knife and fork on the plate and pushed it away. “I’ve been wondering for the last couple of days how life would’ve been if mum and I hadn’t left. But I cannot complain. I got a good education, a great job, some good friends, and a neat little house outside London.” He looked up at her. “Life’s not always wrapped up in some fancy, colourful wrapping paper, but it’s still a gift worth treasuring.”

 
 

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Out now

 

 

 

 

#MusicMonday: "Let it go" from the #movie #Frozen

Snippet Sunday - Little Beginnings 01/03/2015 #Reading #romance

 

 

~~~

LITTLE BEGINNINGS

 

Jeri lives in Hobart where she owns a gallery. Since her divorce, many years ago, she's finally ready to "be" with a man again. But finding the right one seems to be harder than she thought.

 

~~~

 

Jeri nearly melted into a puddle despite trying her best to be annoyed with Ely. But with him so close, his mouth nearly touching her face, her pulse went into overdrive.

Shaking her head, she grabbed her phone and dialled Olivia’s number.

“Sweetie, I need you to come over. I’ve got a burst pipe here with water everywhere.”

“Are you kiddin’?” Olivia replied.

Jeri rolled her eyes. “Kidding would be something along the line: your blind date showed up here this morning.”

There was a loud sigh at the other end of the line. “I know. I owe you big time for that.”

“Good. Get your behind into gear and come over. Bring you mum as well.”

“Do you have someone look at the pipe?”

Jeri fumbled with the mop. “Sweetie, honestly. I have half the gallery under water and you want to chit chat? Of course I have organised a plumber.”

She hung up, smiled, and got started with the mopping.

 
 

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 I do appreciate each single one of them!

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