"Scare Me", By Richard Jay Parker

I am amazed how some authors have such twisted imagination to pen gory, creepy thrillers that slowly draw its readers deep into a fictional world and leave them speechless because passing time with them is such a thrill…yes this one is that good

“When did you last Google yourself”. Aren’t you a bit curious?

This is the story of a wealthy businessman, Will Frost, who after being woken up in the middle of the night by a mysterious caller goes online to find a site in his name showing photos inside his home along with six other houses he has never seen before. A murder was committed in the first house and then he is told his daughter has been kidnapped and to save her he needed to visit each of the houses before the police shows up. Given tidbits of information Will is then on a wild chase around the world and founds himself running the deserted streets and smack into violence and murder…..is it scary…maybe…maybe not…

What a read. This psychological thriller has kept my full attention throughout. This story is so full of tension and intrigue I simple had to push on to see what would happen next. There is so much action and so many unexpected twists and turns to keep us on our toes, I had little chance to get off. It is such a very hard story to put down. Vividly said, the images described are imprinted in my mind. I definitely wouldn’t want to be in Will shoes.

Mr. Parker’s background as a TV script writer shines in this story and shows how skilled he is in portraying action and his characters’ emotion with the right words. Ok, I admit this story is far-fetched borders implausible but it makes for a very entertaining read. I love how the suspense exceeds the last words….Maybe a sequel….hope so..

I received “Scare Me” as a complimentary book from Lume Books with no obligations to write a review.

"The Book of Lost Names", by Kristin Harmel

This latest chronicles the story of a skilled forger who risks her life to help hundreds of Jewish children escape the Nazis during World War 11. This unforgettable historical novel is inspired by an astonishing true story. “The Book of Lost Names” is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of evil. This is the story of Eva Traube, her story transitions between 2005 in Florida and France 1940 where the life of a young Polish-French changed for ever.

The dual time line is easy to follow, it is smoothly done. Mostly set during the war, of course there is a great deal about the French Resistance and the incredible important role the forgers had to play in order to save thousands of lives. We follow Eva’s journey into a world of inner working of networks and into Eva’s personal sacrifice. We also have a love story of two people which time is not on their side.

The writing is touching and much care is brought to each character making this one of the most engaging stories I have read in some time. Who to trust and who not to trust were on everyone’s mind and the author highlights the struggles Eva suffered to find the right balance. There is a lot to this story, so much humanity in the words, so much pain…In Eva`s clandestine group we will meet other forgers, a priest, a bookstore keeper, her landlady and her mother who plays an important role. These good people are just a drop of good people doing dangerous activities under the nose of the Nazis.….many of them will be betrayed and will never be seen again…

The author tells us although her story is based on true historical facts she took liberty to change place, names and modified events to give her more freedom to transport us into a heart-warming story that would stay with us after the closing page….This page-turner surely did for me. This is one novel I had a very hard time to put down. Well-done.

I receive the ARC from the publisher Simon & Schuster Canada via Netgalleys for my unbiased and voluntary opinion.

"The Heart of a Hero", by Susan May Warren

Global Search and Rescue book # 2

This sequel to “Way of the Brave” continues the story of Jake Silver, a former Navy Seal working for a global search and rescue organisation, and Aria Sinclair, a surgeon who takes care of children with heart conditions. Jake had rescued her on Mount Denali in book #1. In this second edition, Aria heads to Florida to speak at a medical conference when a misdirected text is received by Jake. He immediately assumes Aria is in trouble and needs rescuing…He heads to Florida even if Hurricane Lucy is raging…..and the fun begins….or the nightmare….

In a background of a devastation scenario, this soft romance story is packed with emotions and deep feelings. Jack is a broken hero that carries a lot of baggage but he has a heart of gold. Aria is so prone to natural disaster and again has taken immense risks…. how many problems these two can get into…you wouldn’t believe it. Pages after pages of trouble….and we are deed into a drama filled with twists hard to imagine. One would say this story is a mixture of faith, suspense and action, maybe a buddy romance….

“The Heart of a Hero” does not let the two protagonists take a break, one problem after the other crosses their paths. These two are so well- defined they simply grab your heart and you soon forget they simply characters. Jake and Aria are not the only ones playing a particular role, Jake’s Navy body Ham and wife Signe have an interesting second chapter in their lives recounted, hopefully we will learn more in the future. Too many open questions not to be resolved…..We have other captivating characters that helped propel the story forward and added a human side to this gripping story.

This story is clean, no sex and no bad language and also has religion connotations. If you don’t mind reading a Christian adventure story you will enjoy this book. It left me with mixed feelings…..but curious for book #3

I received a copy from the Publisher Revell via First Reviewer Program for my thoughts

"Escape From Auschwitz", by Andrey Pogozhev

Memoirs of the Holocaust are very hard to read, reliving the horrors and sharing them with us has to be mentally agonizing.

This well-written memoir is absolutely heartbreaking and totally incomprehensible. In detail, Mr. Pogozhev recounts his years as an internee in Auschwitz- Birkenau, what he says is beyond imaginable. How this Russian man was able to survive was beyond extraordinary, with all the will power and a lot of luck he with other inmates managed to fool the Nazi and escape…not an easy task.

I have read many books and never get tired to read how those not selected to the gas chamber managed to survive and how strong they were to be able to accomplish the tasks imposed on them and keep their sanity…although some couldn’t and committed suicide. Day after day of cruelty simply hard to believe human can do this to another human. “Escape from Auschwitz” is an incredible graphic account of survival. Although the title is deceiving since most of the narrative covers the atrocities behind the barbwire fence, the last few chapters recounts the escape and the aftermath and finally in the last chapter we read a very touching witness testimony given by Mr. Pogozhev at the trial.

This is the first time I read a memoir through the eyes of a Russian POW. His account is similar to those I read before. Very moving as they are all….

This book is not enjoyable by its content but is a must read.

My thanks to the author for reliving this nightmare, to Pen & Sword for publishing the memoirs and NetGalleys for the opportunity to read this heart- wrenching account.

"Cold Heart", by Sean-Paul Thomas

If you like a main character to be a villain instead of a hero read “Cold Heart”. Estelle Munroe nicknamed “Cold Heart” is an assassin serving a mysterious individual with powers to control whatever he wants in the shadows. But after a successful mission Estelle discovers that her sister Gayle drowned while swimming in the Clyde in Glasgow. Gayle was scared of water and to Estelle her death was totally out of character, more than questionable and even impossible. She had to find out what happened to her sister even defying he superiors orders to stay put….but at what price…..what a thrilling read.

In a third person’s point of view, the story flips between Estelle’s past and the present as she navigates through the mystery of her sister’s death. The methods of this ruthless assassin determined to find the truth are brutal and at time even unnecessary but are definitely effective. Estelle is certainly very hateful, uncaring and heartless human being. The author gave her a very interesting and difficult persona: at first you start hating her and cannot see anything qualifying her actions but slowly you are pulled in and rooting for her success in avenging her sister’s death. Estelle is a seriously kick-ass female protagonist and is well-defined character. I love her.

This novel is filled with violence and is very graphic. It offers several twists along the way and provides quite a roller coaster ride till the end. The wonderfully exciting and engrossing plot is well-written and crafted. This is one story where the author takes us into the dark side of the human psyche and into the world of brutal killings….

“Cold Heart” is attention grabbing…I loved it…well-done

"January River", by Bernard Jan

“January River " is a heartwarming story you should not pass. A simple tale of a boy growing up in the picturesque little town of Greenfield till many years later he is invited to come to New York.

If you think this story may be boring…....think again. The beautiful landscape of words and emotions will grab you and won’t let you put the book down till you reach the conclusion. The words flow smoothly through the page and highlight how passionate the author’s is about his subject. The narrative is descriptive and endearing and focusses on the life‘s up and down, a life study of sorts. We travel with Ethan on his journey from child to adult through a series of joys and sadness. The loss of a close friend and of his beloved dog will leave you heartbroken. This is an emotional roller-coaster ride of emotions. No doubt, “January River” is an exceptionally well-written book in tone and content, much care is taken to sentences as much as it is for the plot. The characters populating the story are darlings, especially Ethan.

“All rivers carry their secrets, but not every river keeps its secret forever.”

What a compelling story told by a true master. Thank you Mr. Jan for this wonderful story I thoroughly enjoyed .

"Break In", by John W. Mefford

Ivy Nash thriller #4

Redemption Thriller # 10

Ivy Nash dedicated her life to rid the world of those who prey on children, which is why she started an organisation called ECHO. Their mission is to protect vulnerable children, especially the ones in the foster home system.

In book #4, this strong woman is called upon to search for a missing boy by his grandfather. No sooner does she rescue the boy, his brother goes missing as well. Strange coincidence….and a nightmarish outcome….

Oh boy, this series is getting darker and a little crazier as it moves on. Again we are on the edge of our seat, biting nails, watching over our shoulder along with Ivy waiting for the predator to strike again. Despite all of her life experience nothing has prepared her for the “fun house” and the terror unlike any other…. Ivy ends up in the greatest danger of all, in the clutches of a master criminal.

This story is very descriptive and a roller-coaster ride through crime after crime. The large cast of nefarious characters are mostly in disguise so you can’t know who they really are till the author’s gives us mini bites of information. This story is rife with deceit and deception and is told with confidence. But, (always a but) I lost interest along the way; the author’s obsession with the many torture methods was over the top, too many gory details for my stomach. For this reason “Break In” is by far not my favourite story.

Hopefully book #5 will be less farfetched…….