remaininhislove

As Daniel Byers prepares to attend a basketball camp before his senior year of high school, the terrifying blurs that’ve plagued him for the last nine months return.

Dark images begin to haunt him—creatures crawling from the deepest pits of his nightmares, glimmers of chilling memories from his early childhood. But before he can unearth the meaning behind his mysterious hallucinations, Daniel must team up with two other extraordinary teens to save a young woman who has been abducted by a scientist obsessed with enacting his own warped form of justice.

This atmospheric mystery picks up where Fury left off and takes readers into the uncharted regions where reality and madness intertwine.

Review

What I liked:

The mystery. Mr. James can craft some interesting, yet slightly creepy mysteries that can really keep you invested.

Daniel. He is a bit too perfect at times, but I like watching his mind work.

Unreliable narrator. It never gets old. The fact that Daniel can’t trust his mind makes him a fascinating hero.

What I didn’t like:

James introduces three new teenagers. While I had nothing against them, it just felt like too much.

Once again, I felt like James was trying to teach me a lesson in every other chapter whether it was through a mini-story or an explanation. I just found myself skimming. Not only did it really not fit the narration to me, I felt like I could tell you how the author was going to vote in the upcoming election. It’s one thing if the character thinks a certain way, but the way James hones in on things randomly makes me think the author thinks a certain way. And to be honest, it’s presented in a kind of high handed way as well.

Lastly, the teenagers rarely felt like teenagers. They acted and talked like adults. I mean, these kids thought deeply and would have only have random inserted moments of teenage thoughts and activity. I say this as a person who reads a ton of YA and lives with a teenager. I don’t care how smart the kid is, at the end of the day, lets be honest, teens are consumed with themselves.

Overall, this was kind of a chore to get through. I kept reading because the mystery was interesting, and I am a fan of James, but I wasn’t crazy about this book.

I just recently read a romance novel, and the hero had secrets and the heroine had secrets and they would have moments where they were going to tell each other, but someone would arrive, or they would say something stupid to each other like ‘the past is the past’ and stop the other person from telling the secret. The secret, of course, being a major game changer in the novel.

Let me just say, I hate secrets in books.

They are such cop-outs. They drag a story along that doesn’t usually have a strong plot and then the other person finds out. And then there’s anger. And then the couple breaks up. And then the couple gets together again. It’s so formulaic and it’s almost patronizing. The only time they work, is if when the other person figures out the secret, they do not freak out, but instead trusts the other person. So, yeah, this rarely happens. If it did, it would mean that mature characters had been created who give each other the benefit of the doubt, and there would be an actual plot.

I have stopped reading certain authors because they use this formula over and over. I can think of only one author that I can completely count on to avoid deception and secrets: Roseanna M. White (not that every author relies on secrets, I just know when she has them, she doesn’t use them as a clutch).

How do you feel about secrets?

 

Thank you for being willing to be interviewed on my blog!

1. What made you first interested in writing a book?

I’ve loved reading since the first grade, and I still read each day. Every time I read fiction, I either wish I could change the story in some way, or get inspired by something in the story to come up with my own. This went on for decades, until last year I thought, “why wait any longer?” and started my first fantasy novel. Another impetus was that I admitted to myself that I was never going to be able to afford to retire from software development. Maybe I could “retire” to a life of writing fiction. I thought it was worth a shot.

2. What made you decide to write a YA fantasy novel?

My fiction interests are fantasy, science fiction, and political thrillers. I’ve started one of each (though the sci-fi one is a short story), and the fantasy novel grabbed my interest more than the other two, so I decided to finish it first. As for YA, I’m not interested in presenting bad language, explicit sex, or extreme gore in my writing, so a YA audience seemed natural. Also, I believe that teens should not be talked down to. Many (including MS Word’s automated reading level tool) would say that my writing is too hard for teens. I have more respect than that for teen readers, and I like the idea of challenging them, within reason. I write the same way for teens that I would for adults. Incidentally, my main character is a teen that many reviewers have claimed is unnaturally smart. I’ve known many smart teens, was one myself along with many of my peers. I like to think that “average” teens can admire someone like that without feeling demeaned.

3. Which authors would you say have influenced your writing the most?

In the fantasy genre, L. E. Modesitt Jr.’s Imager Portfolio is an example of the style that I like. Also Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera and David Eddings’s Belgariad. In general, the coming-of-age wizard stories intrigue me the most. I’m also a sucker for any stories where someone has to build up an infrastructure from a primitive state, like Robinson Crusoe or David Weber’s Safehold series. There are elements of that in my book too.

4. When writing The Summoned King, how much of you or your life experiences do you feel became a part of the narrative?

My being bullied as a child and teen became a small part of the main character’s background. That provided the motivation for the main character, Jim, learning Krav Maga, the Israeli Defense Force self-defense system. I wish I had done that myself. Jim’s fear of public speaking is my own, and I used it when looking for weaknesses to give him. His shyness with young women came from the same source. His obsessions with learning many different things and developing many different skills came some from myself, but mostly from my oldest son, Christopher.

5. What are you working on now?

The Summoned King did not end with a cliff-hanger, but is obviously the first of a series, The Kalymbrian Chronicles (planned as a trilogy). That story needs to be completed, since a lot of people have read the first book, and they deserve closure. That’s my first priority. I’m also adding to the sci-fi short story, Jake’s Ladder, and the thriller, tentatively named Blood of Patriots, as I get inspired. And frankly, I’m spending a lot of time trying to get people to review The Summoned King, to attract more sales, which I need in order to retire someday.

I also have a pile of notes (on actual paper) of novel ideas that I’ve collected over the years. When I finish the current batch of writing, I’ll sort through those and pick some more to work on. If any of your readers have ideas they’d like to see become novels, I’d love to add them to the list.

If you want to learn more, check out:

Amazon book page: https://www.amazon.com/Summoned-King-Book-Kalymbrian-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01BKYMI3Q?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0&redirect=true

His author web site: www.neusysinc.com

His Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/Dave-Neuendorf-1672785119629902/?sk=app_2415071772

His Goodreads author profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14959423.Dave_Neuendorf

A link to the book’s preview:

https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B01BKYMI3Q&asin=B01BKYMI3Q&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_RvRFxbT07GW8X

 

Before Christ called her daughter . . .

Before she stole healing by touching the hem of his garment . . .

Elianna is a young girl crushed by guilt. After her only brother is killed while in her care, Elianna tries to earn forgiveness by working for her father’s textile trade and caring for her family. When another tragedy places Elianna in sole charge of the business, her talent for design brings enormous success, but never the absolution she longs for. As her world unravels, she breaks off her betrothal to the only man she will ever love. Then illness strikes, isolating Elianna from everyone, stripping everything she has left.

No physician can cure her. No end is in sight. Until she hears whispers of a man whose mere touch can heal. After so many years of suffering and disappointment, is it possible that one man could redeem the wounds of body . . . and soul?

Review

Let me start off by saying that Tessa Afhsar has written some of my favorite books…but I was disappointed at the subject matter of this one. I thought, it’s going to be sad and depressing. This book did have moments of sadness (like real sadness), I should have had more faith, because she still made this novel so good.

What I liked:

Elianna. You really get to know and understand Elianna. Though she had her flaws, she was a heroine I could get behind. She had some tragic things happen to her, and while she may have floundered a bit, when she found her footing it was something.

Ethan. Afshar writes some really good heroes. I loved Ethan because I loved the way he loved Elianna. Not just in word, but in deed.

History/Culture. One thing I love about Afhsar’s novels is that you get that rich, deep, detailed spotlight on the culture of the Middle East. Obviously in this book it’s Jewish and Roman culture. You manage to learn a lot without feeling like she’s stopping to teach you.

This story is about the woman with the issue of blood that Jesus heals in the Bible. I thought the entire book would be about her issue of blood. But it’s not. And I was glad that we got to learn about Elianna outside of her disease.

Spiritually, the novel grasps with serving and loving God in hard times and what that looks like.

What I didn’t like:

Ok. I’m not going to say what it was. But there was a situation that I didn’t care for. Kind of like a will they, won’t they? And I was like make up your mind!

Romantic Scale: 9

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. So looking forward to the next.

** I received a copy from Netgalley. My opinion is not affected in anyway.**

So, I’ve been writing!!!

It might have to do with the break I took from reading this month (though I have tons of reviews to post). Through the Rivers is shaping up nicely. I thought I would share a bit about my heroine Katherine Jean Tate. Or Kate Tate.

I found this picture of a young Phylicia Rashad and I stopped. I was like, there’s Kate. This picture has all the sass that encompasses Truitt’s younger sister.

Kate is:

22,

a former lounge singer,

unafraid of anything,

emotionally driven,

a lover of fashion,

and fun.

At least I think so, I hope you will too! Should be out around November or December of this year (possible sooner, but I would rather go long than short)!.

In Dee Henderson’s Missing a Wyoming sheriff is called to Chicago when his elderly mother goes missing. Paired with a savvy Chicago cop, the two realize her disappearance is no accident, and a race against the clock begins.

Dani Pettrey returns to Alaska with Shadowed introducing readers to the parents of her beloved McKenna clan. Adventure, romance, and danger collide when a young fisherman nets the body of an open-water swimming competitor who may actually be a possible Russian defector.

Lynette Eason’s Blackout delivers the story of a woman once implicated in a robbery gone wrong. The loot has never been found–but her memory of that night has always been unreliable. Can she remember enough to find her way to safety when the true culprit comes after her?

Review

Dee Henderson’s Missing-It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by Dee Henderson. The mystery is fairly intriguing. I found myself almost skimming so I could find out what had happened. However, I had problems with two things: the romance and the detective work. The romance was kind of like, ‘hey, I’m single,’ ‘you’re single’ we should date. And the detective work felt real. I do not doubt Henderson’s research. It was just boring as a reader to go through all of their tasks. But it’s a solid mystery!

Dani Pettrey’s Shadowed-I was most excited about this novel as I love Pettrey’s Alaskan series. I’m going to admit that I didn’t love it that much. Most likely as a result of it being a novella. I just didn’t manage to connect to the main characters much, their romance felt rushed, and while it made since for hero to be involved in the investigation, it made no sense for the heroine to be involved. That said, added bonus for being the McKenna’s history.

Lynette Eason’s Blackout was my favorite. Most likely because in order for a novella to really be successful (in my opinion) you cannot have the hero and heroine meet for the first time. And in this novella, the hero and heroine had known each other for a while, so the foundation for a quick romance worked. The mystery was super interesting as well. Forgotten memories? Shootouts? Murder & Mayhem? Sold.

Overall, it was an enjoyable novella collection, that suffered a bit from being novellas. That said, you get a nice sample of various mysteries by fabulous authors.

**I received a copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

She can’t forget the man she walked away from . . .

Liza Beaumont knew she was playing with fire when she let smoke jumper Conner Young into her life. Just friends, she promised herself, but she couldn’t help but fall for the tall, blond firefighter who needed her. But loving him got her burned, and she’s not about to risk her heart again.

His one chance to get her back . . .

Conner Young knows he blew his one chance with Liza. His personal losses—and his profession—made him wary of offering any promises he couldn’t be sure he’d live to keep. So he let her walk away, but he never forgot the place she’d held in his heart.

A race to find a missing girl . . .

Until Liza is attacked in the mountains by a rogue grizzly. Her panicked phone call alerts Conner to everything he lost—and still wants. Now, with a teenage girl missing in the woods, and a predator on the loose, Conner and Liza must fight against time and the elements to save her. But when the old friendship ignites into fresh sparks, are they setting themselves up to get burned again? And when disaster happens, will their nightmares pull them apart, or will they find the courage to survive?

If science is right, then I am crazy. And crazy is dangerous.

In a world where nothing supernatural exists, Tess Eckhart is positive she’s going crazy. After her complete freakout at a high school party, her family is too. So much that they pack their bags and move across the country, next to a nationally-renowned facility for the mentally ill.

Tess is determined to fit in at her new school, despite the whispers and stares. But when it comes to Luka Williams, a reluctantly popular boy in her class, she’s unused to a stare that intense. Then the headaches start, and the seemingly prophetic dreams that haunt her at night. As Tess tries harder to hide them, she becomes increasingly convinced that Luka knows something–that he might somehow be responsible.

But what if she’s wrong? What if Luka Williams is the only thing separating her from a madness too terrifying to fathom?

I’ve had this book for ages, and finally started reading it. It’s good guys. Really good. Book two here I come!

When Cimarron ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Badly injured, Chance demands that his will be read and its conditions be enforced immediately.

Without anyone else to serve as a witness, Heath is pressed into reading the will. If Justin, Sadie, and Cole Boden don’t live and work at home for the entire year, the ranch will go to their low-down cousin Mike.

Then Heath discovers the avalanche was a murder attempt, and more danger might follow. Deeply involved with the family, Heath’s desire to protect Sadie goes far beyond friendship. The danger keeps them close together, and their feelings grow until being apart is the last thing on their minds.

What are you reading this week?

Young lawyer Parker House is on the rise—until his grandfather’s mysterious past puts both of their lives in danger.

Parker House’s secret inheritance is either his greatest blessing . . . or his deadliest curse. The fresh-faced North Carolina attorney shares his German grandfather’s uncanny ability to see future events in his mind’s eye—a gift that has haunted 82-year-old Frank House through decades of trying to erase a murderous wartime past.

While Parker navigates the intrigue and politics of small-town courtroom law, Frank is forced to face his darkest regrets. Then, a big career break for Parker collides with a new love he longs to nurture and the nightmares his grandfather can no longer escape. Sudden peril threatens to shatter not only Parker’s legal prospects but also his life and the lives of those dearest to him.

Two witnesses, two paths, an uncertain future.

Review

I am fortunate enough to appreciate Mr. Whitlow on three levels: a) as a lawyer b)as a believer & c) as a reader. My thoughts on his latest book

What I liked:

The spiritual aspect of it. The novel deals with the ability to ‘see’ things spiritually whether it’s the future or where someone or something is located or whether someone or something is important. I loved the idea of someone moving in a gift of God in that way. It never felt silly or like parlor games, but instead felt like the more you know God, the more you can move in the ways of God. And some of those gifts may be hereditary (at least according to this book)

The law. I can tell you as a lawyer, I got exhausted reading about Parker’s case load. All the legal stuff felt so accurate to me, it almost felt like I reading about days in my office.

Parker and Frank. I loved their relationship. I loved watching both of them grow spiritually. They were great narrators.

The mystery. WWII stuff guys. It’s good.

What I didn’t like:

The romance. The girl was just too opinionated. I think she worked for the story and the mystery, but I wasn’t sold on why Parker would want to be with her.

Romantic scale: 6

Overall, a fantastic read from Robert Whitlow.

** I received a copy from Netgalley. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**

Blacklisted in the photography business when one of her shots causes a scandal, but desperate to somehow continue in the profession, Avery Tate answered an ad for a crime scene photographer. She fully expected to be laughed at, but crime scene analyst Parker Mitchell hired her outright–taking time to teach her the trade. Now she’s half in love with the man, half terrified to even acknowledge her feelings, and completely hooked on the job–until the next crime hits too close to home.

Avery attends the gallery opening of a new photography exhibit to support her best friend who modeled for the show. The only image of her, though, is a chilling photo of her posing dead. Only the photographer insists he didn’t take the shot, and Avery’s friend can’t be found. As Avery and Parker, along with Parker’s brilliant friends, begin to dig into the mystery, they find themselves face-to-face with a dangerous, relentless, and deadly threat which could endanger them all.

It has been six years since army nurse Jenny Bennett’s heart was broken by a dashing naval officer. Now Lieutenant Ryan Gallagher has abruptly reappeared in her life at the Presidio army base but refuses to discuss the inexplicable behavior that destroyed their happiness.

Ryan is in an impossible situation. One of the few men in the world qualified to carry out a daring assignment, he accepted a government mission overseas that caused his reputation to be destroyed and broke the heart of the only woman he ever loved. Honor bound never to reveal where he had been during those six years, he can’t tell Jenny the truth or it will endanger an ongoing mission and put thousands of lives at risk.

Although Ryan thinks he may have finally found a solution, he can’t pull it off on his own. Loyalty to her country compels Jenny to help, but she never could have imagined the intrigue she and Ryan will have to face or the lengths to which they will have to go to succeed.

Harry Houdni’s one-time apprentice holds fantastic secrets about the greatest illusionist in the world. But someone wants to claim them . . . or silence her before she can reveal them on her own.

Boston, 1926. Jenny “Wren” Lockhart is a bold eccentric—even for a female vaudevillian. As notorious for her inherited wealth and gentleman’s dress as she is for her unsavory upbringing in the back halls of a vaudeville theater, Wren lives in a world that challenges all manner of conventions.

In the months following Houdini’s death, Wren is drawn into a web of mystery surrounding a spiritualist by the name of Horace Stapleton, a man defamed by Houdini’s ardent debunking of fraudulent mystics in the years leading up to his death. But in a public illusion that goes terribly wrong, one man is dead and another stands charged with his murder. Though he’s known as one of her teacher’s greatest critics, Wren must decide to become the one thing she never wanted to be: Stapleton’s defender.

Forced to team up with the newly formed FBI, Wren races against time and an unknown enemy, all to prove the innocence of a hated man. In a world of illusion, of the vaudeville halls that showcase the flamboyant and the strange, Wren’s carefully constructed world threatens to collapse around her. Layered with mystery, illusion, and the artistry of the Jazz Age’s bygone vaudeville era, The Illusionist’s Apprentice is a journey through love and loss and the underpinnings of faith on each life’s stage.

Overwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a ranch on her own, Laurel Tracey decides to hire a convict—a man who’s just scary enough to take care of squatters and just desperate enough to agree to a one year post.

The years following the war have been hard on Laurel Tracey. Both her brother and her father died in battle, and her mother passed away shortly after receiving word of their demise. Laurel has been trying to run her two hundred acre ranch as best she can.

When she discovers that squatters have settled in her north pasture and have no intention of leaving, Laurel decides to use the last of her money to free a prisoner from the local jail. If she agrees to offer him room and board for one year, he will have to work for her to pay off his debt.

Former soldier Thomas Baker knows he’s in trouble when he finds himself jailed because he couldn’t pay a few fines. Laurel’s offer might be his only ticket out. Though she’s everything he ever dreamed of in a woman—sweet and tender-hearted, yet strong—he’s determined to remain detached, work hard on her behalf, and count the days until he’s free again.

But when cattle start dying and the squatters damage a barn, Thomas realizes more than just his freedom is on the line. Laurel needs someone to believe in her and protect her property. And it isn’t long before Laurel realizes that Thomas Baker is far more than just a former soldier. He’s a trustworthy hero who’s survived a terrible past. He needs more than just his freedom, he needs her love and care too.

Thirteen years ago, Natalie lost a part of herself when her twin sister died. Will traveling back to the family winery finally put the memory to rest, or will it completely destroy her?

When Natalie Mitchell learns her beloved grandfather has had a heart attack, she’s forced to return to their family-owned winery in Sonoma, something she never intended to do. She’s avoided her grandparents’ sprawling home and all its memories since the summer her sister died—the awful summer Natalie’s nightmares began. But the winery is failing, and Natalie’s father wants her to shut it down. As the majority shareholder, she has the power to do so.

And Natalie never says no to her father.

Tanner Collins, the vintner on Maoilios, is trying to salvage a bad season and put the Mitchell family’s winery back in business. When Natalie Mitchell shows up, Tanner sees his future about to be crushed. Natalie intends to close the gates, unless he can convince her otherwise. But the Natalie he remembers from childhood is long gone, and he’s not so sure he likes the woman she’s become. Still, the haunted look she wears hints at secrets he wants to unearth. He soon discovers that on the night her sister died, the real Natalie died too. And Tanner must do whatever it takes to resurrect her.

But finding freedom from the past means facing it.

So many to look forward to!

After a disastrous Middle East mission ends his six-year Army Ranger career, Finn McGregor needs some downtime. A peaceful month in the woods sounds like the perfect way to decompress. But peace isn’t on the agenda once he crosses paths with publishing executive Dana Lewis, a neighbor who is nursing wounds of her own. Someone seems bent on disrupting her stay in the lakeside cabin she inherited from her grandfather. As Finn and Dana work together to discover who is behind the disquieting pranks, the incidents begin to take on a menacing tone. And when it becomes apparent Dana’s foe may have deadly intent, Finn finds himself back in the thick of the action–ready or not.

Bestselling author Irene Hannon draws readers into a web of psychological suspense where danger lurks in dark corners . . . and keeps them captive until the very last page.

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are ruined when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life falling for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances he’s adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. He has nightmares and mood swings, and his unwavering independence keeps him from accepting help from anyone, including her. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on with the two in such close proximity, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into unchartered territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his corded arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

Two women separated by decades. Both set out to help others find their dreams when their own have crumbled.

It’s the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman ?after having inherited her great aunt’s wedding shop in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment. Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride. But days turn into months and months to years. All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet.

?More than eighty years later, former ?Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart’s Bend after finishing her commitment to military service. After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life.

When Haley decides to reopen the romantic but abandoned wedding shop where she and Tammy played and dreamed as children, she begins a journey of courage, mystery, and love.

As Cora’s and ?Haley’s stories intertwine through time in the shadow of the beloved wedding shop, they both discover the power of their own dreams and the magic of everyday love.