Book Review ~ Scythian Trials by Elizabeth Isaacs

THE TOUR SCHEDULE AND LINK. http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2018/11/the-scythian-trials-by-elizabeth-isaacs.html

SYNOPSIS

Descendants of the Amazons, the Scythians work alongside prominent governments but answer to no one. Warriors living on the fringe of civilization, they live by one credo: Strength through Equality. Power through Knowledge.
Nya Thalestris is the brightest Scythian of her generation. Strong, capable, ruthless, she is sure to earn a spot in the Trials, a time-honored mating ritual responsible for the evolution of her species.
Abducted by their sworn enemy, the Drahzda, Nya is forever altered and spirals out of control. The Society sends in Jax Nickius. Infamous psychologist and one of the most brutal warriors of their kind, he discovers triggers planted in Nya’s mind. As Nya solidifies her spot in the Trials, Jax develops a plan to help—while pursuing her as a mate. But, Nya’s attraction to Jax is at war with her instinct to never let anyone get too close.
During the Trials, Nya’s repressed memories surface, revealing a new enemy—one from inside the consulate walls—and a traitorous alliance on the horizon that could irrevocably change the course of history.
Since before the Bronze Age, the Society has managed to safeguard humanity from itself … until now.

THOUGHTS

Great world building and I loved the combination of ancient Amazons (Think Wonder Woman) and humans. Humans are known as Allos and Amazonians are Scythian. While this does have fantasy elements, fierce women fighters in a modern time it also has a love story attached to it. Basically to break it down the Scythian's train in elite schools if they are "worthy" and at the end of that time they pick a mate from Scythian men who compete in a trial to prove they are the best. Our main character Anya has a past she can't remember but doesn't like touch because of it. Her companion and counselor Jax has been able to help her through this but now with the trials approaching she is discovering things she didn't remember "triggers" and wondering if she is ready to accept a mate. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast action paced book and flowed well enough that I wasn't constantly rolling my eyes at the "love story" or even the world building. I at times find myself wishing this was a real thing. I highly recommend this book. 

YOU CAN PICK IT UP

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for THE SCYTHIAN TRIALS
"... Fun and sensual fantasy [with] magnetic characters." ―Publishers Weekly
"The Scythian Trials crackles with life, hums with heart, and pounds with action for one hell of a read." ―San Francisco Book Review
"If you loved the Hunger Games and Divergent and just all around kicka$$ characters with an amazing storyline then you will love this." ―Books With Jess

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Isaacs is an author, teacher, and publishing professional who began her career as a national presenter for Resource Profiles, where she developed teacher seminars designed to foster creative brain stimulation. Moving into formal education, she helped at-risk students improve their writing skills as well as created and implemented a creative writing/blogging program that centered on teaching the 21st-century learner. Works stemming from this initiative were published online and seen in over 40 countries.
Elizabeth receives invitations to speak nationwide at schools and book clubs. She co-founded the popular book blog, Chirenjenzie, which reaches thousands of readers throughout the world. The writer support and reader interest group promotes and interacts with followers on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter. Elizabeth has a Master’s degree from Austin Peay State University, where she studied classical opera. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
Her newest work, The Scythian Trials, is slated for release in 2018.  

PHOTO CONTENT FROM VESUVIAN BOOKS

WEBSITE: http://elizabethisaacs.com/

TWITTER: @authoreisaacs  
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1783576.Elizabeth_Isaacs
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/EFIsaacs
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/authoreisaacs/

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BOOK TRAILER

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Review ~ Killing Is My Business by Adam Christopher

TOUR SCHEDULE and LINKS.
http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2017/07/killing-is-my-business-by-adam.html

Title: Killing Is My Business

Author: Adam Christopher

Synopsis

A blend of science fiction and stylish mystery noir featuring a robot detective: the stand alone sequel to Made to Kill

Another golden morning in a seedy town, and a new memory tape for intrepid PI-turned-hitman--and last robot left in working order-- Raymond Electromatic. When his comrade-in-electronic-arms, Ada, assigns a new morning roster of clientele, Ray heads out into the LA sun, only to find that his skills might be a bit rustier than he expected....

Killing is My Business is the latest in Christopher's noir oeuvre, hot on the heels of the acclaimed Made to Kill.

My Thoughts

So where I went wrong with this book is I missed out on the first book. That being said I had no idea this wasn't the first book until I found out on goodreads. That being said I have to say I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. I enjoyed reading this "noir mystery" about a robot in the 50's who is the world as a hired hitman. Who solves crimes but only remembers 22 hours. Do I have your attention now because that is what caught mine other then the fact that this is a basic mystery wrapped in an action wrapped in a robot. I enjoyed it a 100% and I can't wait to go back and read the first one. I think that the series should keep going for sure.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for KILLING IS MY BUSINESS

"Hits hard, spins your head around, and leaves you stunned. The Ray Electromatic mysteries are so freakin’ perfect you’d think robot hitmen and retro supercomputers had always been part of noir fiction.”—Peter Clines, author of Paradox Bound and The Fold

"Humor, action, and heart: everything I've come to expect from an Adam Christopher book, and then some. A marvelous read!"—New York Timesbestseller Jason M. Hough, author of Zero World

“Delivers like a punch from a two-ton robot in a zoot suit.”—Delilah Dawson 

"Atmospheric and charming as hell. Adam Christopher has an extraordinary talent for scooping you up and dropping you into an alternative LA that feels just as real as the street outside your house."—Emma Newman

Praise for the RAY ELECTROMATIC MYSTERIES

"Robot noir in 60s Los Angeles? You had me at 'Hello.'"—John Scalzi, New York Times bestselling novelist

"Gripping, funny, deadly and suspenseful."—Boing Boing
“Delivers like a punch from a two-ton robot in a zoot suit.”—Lila Bowen (aka Delilah Dawson)

"The dialogue is effortlessly swift and clever, and even the B-movie climax is a spectacle to behold. Above that, though, Ray sparks to live, and his antiheroic slant only makes him that much more compelling and and sympathetic. Knowing that there are only two more Raymond Electromatic mysteries to come is the book's only disappointment."—NPR

"Genre mash-ups don't always succeed, but this one will please fans of both gumshoes and laser beams."—Publishers Weekly

"A fun, fast read for anyone willing to take the speculative leap--a must-add for most fiction collections."—Booklist (starred review)

"Made to Kill is yet more proof that we should all be thankful for Adam Christopher and his imagination. This tale of robot noir is unlike anything I’ve ever read—Adam’s is a weird and wonderful voice and we are lucky to have it."—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Aftermath

"Adam Christopher has brilliantly deduced what should have been obvious all along: Classic noir and robots are a perfect match. Part Chandler, part Asimov, and part Philip K. Dick, Made to Kill is a rip-roaring cocktail of smart, sharp, twisty, cyber-pulp awesomeness."—Adam Sternbaugh, author of Shovel Ready

"Made to Kill is just the sort of exciting genre collision that marks out Adam Christopher as one of the hottest new young SF writers."—Paul Cornell, author of The Severed Streets

"A smart, rollicking noir/SF mashup. One of the best books I've read all year."—Kelly Braffet, author of Save Yourself

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam Christopher’s debut novel EMPIRE STATE was SciFiNow’s Book of the Year and a Financial Times Book of the Year. The author of MADE TO KILL, STANDARD HOLLYWOOD DEPRAVITY, and KILLING IS MY BUSINESS, Adam’s other novels include SEVEN WONDERS, THE AGE ATOMIC, and THE BURNING DARK.

Adam has also written the official tie-in novels for the hit CBS television show ELEMENTARY, and the award-winning DISHONORED video game franchise, and with Chuck Wendig, wrote THE SHIELD for Dark Circle/Archie Comics. Adam is also a contributor to the STAR WARS: FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW 40th anniversary anthology.

Born in New Zealand, Adam has lived in Great Britain since 2006.

Photo Credit: Lou Abercrombie

WEBSITE: http://www.adamchristopher.co.uk/
TWITTER: @ghostfinder
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/590743.Adam_Christopher
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/adamchristopherauthor/

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Review ~ Graveyard Shift by Michael F Haspil

TOUR SCHEDULE and LINKS.

http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2017/07/graveyard-shift-by-michael-f-haspil.html

Title: Graveyard Shift

Author: Michael F Haspil

Synopsis 

Police procedurals go supernatural in this gritty urban fantasy debut 

Alex Menkaure, former pharaoh and mummy, and his vampire partner, Marcus, who was born in ancient Rome, once hunted evil vampires for UMBRA, a super-secret unit of the NSA. That was before the discovery of a blood substitute and a Supreme Court ruling allowed thousands of vampires to integrate into society.

Now, Alex and Marcus are vice cops in a special police unit. They fight to keep the streets safe from criminal vampires, shape-shifters, blood-dealers, and anti-vampire vigilantes.

When someone starts poisoning the artificial blood, race relations between vampires and humans deteriorate to the brink of anarchy. While the city threatens to tear itself apart, Alex and Marcus must form an unnatural alliance with a vigilante gang and a shape-shifter woman in a desperate battle against an ancient vampire conspiracy.

If they succeed, they'll be pariahs, hunted by everyone. If they fail, the result will be a race-war bloodier than any the world has ever seen.

My Thoughts:
This book took on a different spin and I have to say I wasn't expecting it. At first it took a minute to get the barrings of this book. Once you wrap your head around the fact that the main character Alex is a Mummy a freaking mummy pharaoh reborn into a Vice agent who fights vampires and bad guys. His partner is a vampire agent who worked for the Vatican. Now that you have that under control you also have to know Vampires are real and are legal in the US and want their rights back. Add to this there is a group that want all vampires dead and starting with the main one. 

The book overall was interesting it went on side stories that were funny like a teenager pretending which was a funny side story. I did enjoy the humor not humor and the twist and turns. This story kept me interested and at times made me wonder what was going to happen next. I did enjoy this book and I hope that others will too. 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for GRAVEYARD SHIFT

“Gritty urban fantasy and hard-boiled noir packed into a hand grenade of awesome!” —Mario Acevedo, author of Werewolf Smackdown

“Those who enjoy police action mixed with urban fantasy may want to try this series launch.”—Library Journal, starred review

“The buddy-cop formula gets an undead twist with Alex—also known as the pharaoh Menkaure, reanimated to carry out an eternal duty—and Marcus, his vampiric colleague, who serve as cops in a special paranormal unit. Between the two of them, they have several thousand years' worth of superpowersand martial aptitude. The action is gritty, cinematic, and unrelenting...the worldbuilding is intriguing (as a figure drawn from Egyptian mythos, Alex injects fresh blood into undead tropes), and the reader runs no chance of growing bored during the tense race to the finish, in which a confrontation with an old enemy lays the groundwork for a potential sequel. Fans of urban fantasy, noir, and tightly choreographed action scenes will enjoy the blood and bullets in this adrenaline-heavy ride through crime scenes and secret societies.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Inventive and cleverly crafted with a unique premise, Haspil's urban fantasy is absolutely gripping. With strong, intelligent storytelling, distinctive, vivid characters, and gritty, edgy dialogue, Haspil will capture readers. Alex is a compelling, powerful hero and Marcus, his partner, is astrong and enthralling counterpart. With an intricate plot filled with actionand intrigue, Haspil lends a fresh voice to urban fantasy with his exciting and riveting debut.”—RT Book Reviews, four stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael F. Haspil is a geeky engineer and nerdy artist. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he had the opportunities to serve as an ICBM crew commander and as a launch director at Cape Canaveral. The art of storytelling called to him from a young age and he has plied his craft over many years and through diverse media. He has written original stories for as long as he can remember and has dabbled in many genres. However, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror have whispered directly to his soul.

When he isn’t writing, you can find him sharing stories with his role-playing group, cosplaying, computer gaming, or collecting and creating replica movie props. Lately, he devotes the bulk of his hobby time to assembling and painting miniatures for his tabletop wargaming addiction.
Michael is represented by Sara Megibow of the KT Literary Agency and Adrian Garcia of the Paradigm Talent Agency.

He has collected and made replica movie props for over twenty years and enjoys the way a particular collectible lets an individual connect with a meaningful story.

He spends entirely too much time gaming or thinking (some might say ‘scheming’) about strategies and tactics in all kinds of gaming be it board games, computer games, or his passion, tabletop wargaming. He devotes the largest share of the gaming pie to Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. He has collected and played Grey Knights, Space Marines, Tyranids, Dark Eldar, Necrons, and Space Wolves. Michael is a regular contributor to “The Long War” a premiere podcast and webcast dedicated to tabletop gaming, but especially to Warhammer 40,000.

Photo Content from Michael F. Haspil

WEBSITE: http://michaelhaspil.apocprod.com/
TWITTER: @MichaelHaspil
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14055047.Michael_F_Haspil
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelHaspil/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Rogue428/

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

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http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e849f7751222/
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