BOOK SPOTLIGHT: "Stake-Out (Paranormal Detectives Book One)"

*NOTE: Yes, this is my debut novel, under my nom de plume (pen name), Lily Luchesi! Shameless self promotion going on here!*

Synopsis:

Detective Danny Mancini is on a case, following a murder suspect. When he catches him, he finds out that the perp isn't even human: he's a 200 year old rogue vampire!
The department doesn't believe him, and puts him on early retirement, despite his many years of service to the Chicago Police Department, which sends him into a downward spiral.
Two years later, Danny gets an invitation from the beautiful, young and very attractive Detective Angelica Cross to join a secret branch of the FBI to help her track down Vincent, the wayward vamp.
But renegade werewolves, meddling immortal witches and Danny's strange visions of a life lived a century ago with Angelica make things more difficult than it should be.

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Bio/Links:

Lily Luchesi is a young author/poet born in Chicago, Illinois, now residing in Los Angeles, California. Ever since she was a toddler her mother noticed her tendency for being interested in all things “dark”. At two she became infatuated with vampires and ghosts, and that infatuation turned into a lifestyle by the time she was twelve, and, as her family has always been what they now call “Gothic”, she doesn’t believe she shall ever change. She is also a hopeless romantic and avid music-lover, and will always associate vampires with love, blood and rock and roll. Her interest in poetry came around the same time as when she was given a book of Edgar Allan Poe’s complete work. She then realized that she had been writing her own poetry since she could hold a pen, and just had not known the correct terms. She finished her first manuscript at the age of fourteen, and now, at twenty-one, has two contributing credits in anthologies and a debut novel, Stake-Out, is now available on Kindle Unlimited, published by Vamptasy Publishing.

Purchase the Wishful Thinking anthology, featuring her short horror/sci-fi story, "Kill 'Em With Kindness".

Published poet in the anthology The Struggle with her poem "Aftermath".

Read her FREE debut short story "The Ghost's Guitar".

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BOOK REVIEW: "Charlotte's Secrets (Demon's Love)" by Maryam Malik

As the Dark Ages reign over England, Julian an ordinary village boy is condemned for Charlotte's mysterious murder, his wife and to his surprise—a princess of royal blood. Oblivious of the presence of a centuries old demon, Julian is imprisoned in Elijah's inescapable dungeon where he waits for the injustice of a gruesome death. But when the young man is rescued at the hands of an unexpected guardian...he learns of his role as salvatoris liberet—the single truth that will alter his destiny forever. As alliances form, secrets unfold, and enemies reveal themselves, Julian must decide who to trust and how far he is willing to go for the only woman he's ever loved.

Charlotte's Secrets is the debut novel from Maryam Malik, and yet it feels like we've been reading her work forever. The story is visual and enveloping, taking you straight from your living room to the Dark Ages on page one.
The story feels similar to the BBC's interpretation of Robin Hood: the girl is murdered and her lover is accused. The big difference between Julian and Guy of Gisborne, however, is that Julian is innocent. He's a determined character, one whom you root for from the beginning. He's romantic, a hero and very endearing.
The characters he meets along his journey run the gamut from interesting to dangerous to diabolical. Ms. Malik easily weaves magic and paranormal elements into the tale, creating a unique world of death, love and magic.
I loved the desperation in Julian's heart, his deep love for the princess. Love drives this story, and it is that, not the thriller elements, that make this worth reading. I love it when a male lead wears his heart on his sleeve!
My only criticism is that I'd love to have seen it written in the third person, so we could've seen different perspectives from all characters, especially the queen.
An excellent debut; I see a very long career in literature for Ms. Malik!

4/5--a great debut!

Purchase Charlotte's Secrets via:

Official site
Amazon
Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW: "Compile: Quest" by Ronel van Tonder

In the year 2036, solar storms batter Earth crippling electrical infrastructures across the globe. Night falls and the ensuing pandemonium claims millions of lives, catapulting the world into chaos. 
In the midst of this global turmoil a hero emerges. The altruistic SUN Council intercedes, constructing enormous domes on each continent to protect the world’s population from the radioactive CME’s of the incessant solar storms. 
But not everyone makes it to the domes. In an attempt to survive the deadly radiation, hundreds of thousands of people dig into the earth, living in squalor under an oppressive military dictatorship. 
Now centuries later, the final stage of the SUN Council’s plan to decimate the world’s population approaches. But as victory glimmers on the horizon, two women from discordant halves of this new world start to unravel the conspiracy.

When we think of the greats of the science fiction genre, the first name that comes to mind is Issac Asmiov. He reinvented the genre and gave us a lot of information to process.
When we find ourselves thinking of the greats in the next decade, we will inevitably mention Ronel van Tonder, whose debut novel Compile: Quest is a feast for the imagination.
The story centers around a world in turmoil, even though some of the inhabitants have no idea that things were not always this way.
You have your typical elements, like a corporation trying to control everyone, robots as personal assistants and vicious war raging behind the scenes. But you have your unique points, particularly that the hero isn't a hero: it's a heroine. Two of them, actually. The two women chosen by the author to stop the SUN Council and end the war are as different as night and day, yet offset each other perfectly.
This world she created is frightening and somehow beautiful in its strange, cybernetic way. I love the lifestyles with robots and medical pods, all the strange things that, in 2014, don't seem to be that fictional.
Reading this is like going into a virtual reality machine, actually, and you won't want to leave once you've entered.

5/5--a new age of sci-fi.

Purchase Compile: Quest via:

Goodreads
Amazon

BOOK REVIEW: "Blood Pact" by Sharon Rose Mayes

Riley Spencer has spent most of her life doing what is normal for her: attending school, spending time with her mother, and training to hunt vampires. It was how she grew up as part of the organization and when Nick comes to town and joins her team everything changes. Now Riley and the rest of her team begin to question everything they have learned about vampires and the organization that trained them to hunt the vampires that hide in the world.

For a debut, independent novel, I really liked Blood Pact. It had a great plot, good characters that ran the entire spectrum of personality possibilities and enough mystery to keep me reading.
There were some things, like a lack of a true narrative voice. Itdidn't sound like a teenage girl was the narrator of the story, but an adult looking on. There also could've been a little more passion bwhind the characters' words.
But Ms. Mayes made a great, solid effort at a YA paranormal novel. It probably won't transcend through to the adult market, as some YA novels do, but she still wrote a good story for teens today. It reminded me of how this genre was a decade ago, when I was a preteen myself. It was nice to read an author who still believes in a basic paranormal tale for those under eighteen.
I definitely want to read more from her and see how she progresses as an author!

4/5--a great start!

Purchase Blood Pact via:

Amazon
Goodreads
Google Books
Barnes And Noble
Smashwords

BOOK REVIEW/AUTHOR INTERVIEW: "Lost Voice" by Nicole Belanger

REVIEW:

Everyone knows someone who or, God forbid, was themselves, in an abusive relationship. Whether it's sexual, physical or emotional abuse, it's still abuse and too many people deal with it everyday instead of escaping.
In Nicole Belanger's debut novel Lost Voice, written when she was 15 and published when she was just 17, she deals with what goes on behind the scenes of an abusive household.

19-year-old Emily Sharpe hasn't had a great life. Her father left her family when she was a kid, taking her brothers with her. Her mother died when she was 15 and her adoptive father raped her.
She thought she won the lottery when she met and moved in with the handsome Jake... but really she won a trip to Hell.
She is beaten, cut and emotionally decimated on a daily basis. No one, not even her best friend, knows what's happening. As the abuse escalates, Emily knows she must tell someone, but every time she does, her voice becomes lost.

Ms. Belanger had a great idea and ran with it, but sometimes it seemed like she ran a bit too fast. Lost Voice is a great read into the mind of an abused young woman who can't get out of her situation.
Most of the story is her mind conversing with the reader. You really well feel as if you're inside Emily's head, feeling her fear and listening to her try and get her life together.
The story has a fast ending that will keep you reading, but the last two chapters went by a bit too fast for my taste. I  would've liked to have had some more detail into the "after" part.
But I can't really fault this book. A teen wrote about a problem that so many teens and adults deal with and wrote about it so realistically.
Readers will feel for Emily--either sympathy or empathy--and her hurt psyche will make you want to alternately hug her and slap her to wake her up.

Good read; could've used a little more flair and detail at the very end.

4/5--great debut.

INTERVIEW:

1. When/why did you decide to become a writer?

I didn't really decide to become a writer, it sort of just happened. I've been writing since I was six years old and I've always enjoyed it. Writing became a passion for me at a very young age, and I wanted to do something larger; so I began Lost Voice.

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy reading today?

I didn't read a lot growing up, to be honest. I didn't like having novels forced onto me in school, and it pushed me away from having a passion for it. After I wrote Lost Voice, I realized the only way to improve my writing, other than by doing it, was to read. I could see the different writing styles and create my own voice. I really admire work by Nicholas Sparks. I've never been able to write romantic pieces, and reading his work inspires me to try because nothing is impossible. 

3. What was the inspiration behind your novel Lost Voice?

I actually had to write a research paper for school and I didn't know what to write. I pulled domestic abuse out of a hat and after doing some research, I wanted to do more with it. I realized there was so much that people didn't know about it. There was a lot I didn't know, so I began doing more research.

4. What made you decide to write about such deep subjects at such a young age?

For some reason that even I can't figure out no matter what I write, it ends up dark. I'm a very happy person, don't get me wrong, but I lose myself in my writing. I want to make a point with the work that I do. I love action, and I'm able to get that when I write deeply.

5. All your characters are very three dimensional.  Were any of them based in real people?

It was unintentional at first, but there are traits in each of my characters that I pulled from at least one person I know. None of the characters are based off of one friend, they're kind of a mixture of each person and of people I meet. It makes the character their own person and I want my characters to feel real to my readers, not just a fictional person.

6. You're working on another novel now. What can you share about it with KSR?

Shadows is about a young woman who is fresh out of Nursing School and has been on the job for about three months. She works in a pediatrics unit and is happy that life is finally falling into place. After a traumatic shooting, she feels she didn't do everything she could to protect the person around her. Spiraling into a deep depression when the shooter slips away unnoticed, she discovers the only way out of the shadows of despair is to figure out who was behind the tragedy.

7. With fantasy and paranormal novels topping charts, why did you choose instead to write about such harsh reality target than what's popular now?

Fantasy and paranormal novels seem to be the norm nowadays, but I don't want to fall into a social mold. I prefer to write about things that can happen in everyday life. My readers are able to relate to my characters and what they're going through, even if it's just a small piece of the puzzle. I do want to try some kind of fantasy or paranormal piece some day.

8. What author (dead or alive) would you love to collaborate with?

That's a very good question. I love Stephen King's work. He puts such a dark twist on everything he writes and by collaborating with him, I think we could pull off quite the masterpiece.

9. Did you debate on how you ended your book or was it a set ending from the moment you thought it up?

I had an idea of how I wanted things to turn out for Emily. However, when I write, I let the story lead me. I love to be surprised with where the story may go. A lot of the time, I surprise myself with what I write next. Half of the ending of Lost Voice was a surprise for myself. Writing this way gives me the ability to enjoy the story as well, not knowing where it'll go next.

10. Why do you think,  personally, that so many people choose to live in an abusive home like Emily's instead of leave?

I think they're afraid of what would happen when they finally do leave. They become so used to the abuse that they don't know anything other than it. They become isolated and they're practically brainwashed into thinking that there's nothing else out there for them. They begin to think they deserve the abuse because they feel they did something wrong. 

11. What would you like readers to take from Lost Voice?

I want them to know that it's never too late to reach out. No matter how bad it gets, they can still get away. They're not alone, there are resources out there and people that are willing to help. It's not their fault and they deserve better. 

12. As a part of the next generation of novelists, what would you like to see change/return to the literary world in the near future?

I like originality. I understand there's a certain genre that becomes the "top" pick for readers throughout the year, however I want novelists to write whatthey want to write, whether it's what's "top" or not. If it's a good story and well written, people will read it, and that's what matters.

13. Where do you see yourself and your career in the next ten years?

Oh boy, ten years from now I'll be 29! That seems so far away. I'll definitely be working in the medical field, whether it be as a nurse or a paramedic. As for my career as an author, I'm hoping I'll have some more novels out. It took me three years after having Lost Voice published for me to start writing Shadows, but I'm hoping to start having a novel out every year. I don't care if I hit "famous" status or not. As long as I'm able to share my work with people and they enjoy it, I'll be happy. 

14. Would you like to see Lost Voice made into a movie?

I think Lost Voice would be a good Lifetime movie. I would absolutely be willing to see it become one, I think that would be pretty cool!

15. Thank you for participating in the interview! Can you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

Oh gosh, there's so much about me! Let's see, other than the fact that I'm 19...
First off, I'm an avid photographer. I absolutely love taking picture of people, animals and inanimate objects. It's another one of my passions. The cover of Lost Voice is actually a photo I took in North Carolina.
Secondly, someday I want to travel the world. I know a lot of people say they want to, but I truly do. I want to learn about other cultures and the best way to do that is to visit them. I will travel, someday, while I'm still young.
Lastly, I'm actually learning American Sign Language at the moment and I'm almost fluent. I've taken four classes so far and I love it. I have a minor in deaf studies with a concentration of ASL interpreting at the college I go to.

Find Nicole Belanger online via:

Author FB: facebook.com/authornicolebelanger

Photography FB: facebook.com/nicolebelangerphotography

Blog: nlbelanger.wordpress.com

Twitter: @nbelanger6

G+: plus.google.com/+NicoleLorretteBelanger

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Nicole-Belanger/e/B007AOQ4CM

BOOK REVIEW: "The Board" by William Bos

The Board is the story of five kids who inherit money, power, technology - and with a little help along the way - try to take over the world. Set in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1995, Jennifer and Brian are two kids who aren't part of the popular set. But they do know the difference between right and wrong. After the two fall in love, together they devise a plan of action to fight back and stop...The Board.

I can't say I liked this book and I can't say that I didn't, either.
The plot is very inventive, and I could actually see some of these things happening in real life with the amount of rich, powerful and very heartless young adults out there now.
The problem is, the plot is a bit confusing as you start to read the book. It doesn't become clear until chapter three exactly what the characters are up to. There is little description, and the dialogue is vety plain. No college kid, even the type A kids seen here, talk like Mr. Bos made his characters speak. There are very few conjunctions, making them seem foreign instead of American and the personalities are all very flat.
What I did like is that it's fast-paced, and the story was original. I can say there is no other plot out there similar to that of The Board. The plot could be a TV show. In fact, I think CBS would pick this up if they read this. (Any executives reading this right now?)
My problem is with the narrative. As I said, there is very little passion behind the writing. I know it wasn't meant to seem that way, but it does. The characters are very bland and the narration could've used more spark to engage the reader's senses a bit more. I think that this actually should be a screenplay instead of a book. Yes, that's a compliment!

I want to read more from Mr. Bos and see how his writing matures and grows.

3/5--needs work, but has a lot of potential!

Purchase The Board via:

Official site (lists all purchase links)