Friday, December 23, 2011

Book Review: Full Tilt by Creston Mapes (Rock Star Chronicles #2)



Full Tilt by Creston Mapes (Rock Star Chronicles #2)
Publisher: Multnomah Books
E-book, 400 pages 
Fiction, Christian fiction/thriller/suspense/court drama


buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery




My Review:
I was excited to read book #2 in the Rock Star Chronicles, my review of Book #1, Dark Star can be found here.  Full Tilt did not disappoint.

Mr. Mapes uses more of the back and forth writing to keep the story interesting, this time going back and forth between the characters instead of back and forth between times.  And while the focus is still mainly on Everett, Full Tilt starts to include more of Everett's family as well.

It's definintely a wild ride and at times scarier than some of the horror books out there.  As a mom, I find "meth" a terrifying drug.  We actually had the first "meth" bust in our county just down the road from my house (we live in a rural area and thankfully drugs aren't a huge problem yet).  But meth is just bad and Mr. Mapes emphasizes that in this book.  Everett is back in this book trying to walk the Christian walk and do all he can to bring others to know Jesus including his brother, Eddie and his family who are still in shambles dealing with his son's death.  It's heart-wrenching at times and at others you just really want to smack Eddie and Sheila (and that's the point).

Mr. Mapes has done another great job crafting interesting characters and making a captivating and believable plot that kept me turning the pages.  The action was so great at times I had a very hard time putting the book down.  I felt very invested in the characters and look forward to the next installment in the series.  I think Mr. Mapes does a great job crafting the story around a Christian theme.  The Christian element never seems forced.  I enjoyed the book as a whole and cannot wait for my tour stop for book #3 next month.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

Check back next month on December 22, for my review of the next book in the series Full Tilt.

About the Book:

What Good Can Become of Psychotics, Meth Users, or the Mob? In this sequel to Dark Star, rock star Everett Lester is eager to share the redeeming power of Christ’s love with the world through his music. But reaching his family in their twisted lives is another issue altogether. His gambling-addicted brother, Eddie, and the rest of his deteriorating family greet Everett’s attempts with disdain and hatred. When the Mob gets involved, dangerous threats become a haunting reality. And when Eddie’s son, Wesley—who blames Everett for his brother’s death—hooks up with psychotic Tony Badino, the two meth-using antichrists will stop at nothing to bring Everett down and secure his demise!

About the Author: 
Talented storyteller Creston Mapes graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1983 with a BA in magazine journalism. Since then, he has written for major corporations, colleges, and ministries. He has written for Coca-Cola, TNT Sports, Focus on the Family, Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, and The Urban Alternative. His stories have been featured in magazines including Private Colleges and Universities, In Touch, Leaders for Today, and The Hockey News. Creston makes his home in Georgia.

Website
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The rest of the tour schedule can be found here.

FTC Information: I received this book through Media Guests for an honest review.  

I do make a small commission on purchases made through the links to The Book Depository and B&N.com on this blog.  Money made through these links will be used to host giveaways and to pay shipping on giveaways for the blog.  Thanks for helping.




Book Excerpt: Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch

Announcing the Scorpio Rising Social Media Whirlwind Tour!


As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Scorpio Rising eBook edition has dropped to just 99 cents this week.

What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes, including 2 Kindle Fires, Amazon gift cards up to $100 in amount, 5 autographed copies of the book, and 5 autographed copies of its recently released sequel, The Sting of The Scorpio. Be sure to enter before the end of
the day on Friday, December 23rd, so you don’t miss out.

 

 

To Win the Prizes:

  1. Purchase your copy of Scorpio Rising for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
  2. Fill-out the form on
    Novel Publicity
    to enter for the prizes
  3. Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book
    or a $50 gift card!
  4. BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance
    at $100!

...And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes
for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win
a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest
entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.


The Featured Events include:

Monday, Blogaganza on Novel Publicity! We’re kicking-off on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog. We’ll ask the writer 5 fun and random questions to get everyone talking. Leave a comment or question in response to the post, and you may win an autographed copy of Scorpio Rising or its sequel, The Sting of The Scorpio. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest!
A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. Autographed copies of Scorpio Rising and its sequel, The Sting of The Scorpio, are also up for grabs. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: Looking for a read that's full of love,
drama, and betrayal? Scorpio Rising has been reduced to 99 cents! http://ow.ly/7zA2s #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the Scorpio Rising book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. Autographed copies of Scorpio Rising and its sequel, The Sting of The Scorpio, are also up for grabs. Three chances to win! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the Scorpio Rising book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. Autographed copies of Scorpio Rising and its sequel, The Sting of The Scorpio, are also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Win a Kindle Fire! Two are up for grabs! Visit Monique’s website to leave a comment on any of her posts and sign-up for her author newsletter. One person will win for each method, so be sure to do both.

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About Scorpio Rising: Set in New York and Paris amid the glamorous and competitive worlds of art and real estate, Scorpio Rising takes the reader from the late 1940s to the 1960s through the tumultuous lives of its heroes. Alex Ivanov is the son of a Russian immigrant and part-time prostitute. He yearns
to escape his sordid life and achieve fame and fortune. His dreams of becoming a world-class builder are met with countless obstacles, yet he perseveres in the hope of someday receiving the recognition he craves. Half a world away, Brigitte Dartois is an abused teenager who runs into the arms of a benefactor with an agenda all his own. When she finds out that her boss has an ulterior motive, she flees again, determined to earn her living through her art. This career brings her fame, but also the unwanted attention of her early abuser. Monique Domovitch’s debut novel, Scorpio Rising, is a compelling tale filled with finely etched characters and a superb understanding of the power of ambition. Scorpio Rising promises to resonate with all who once had a dream. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About The Sting of The Scorpio: In Scorpio Rising, Monique Domovitch presented a compelling tale filled with colorful characters and the manipulation of power, ambition, and greed. Now she gives
us its spellbinding sequel, The Sting of the Scorpio, where Alexander Ivanov returns to New York with his new bride, Brigitte. The real estate industry is ripe with opportunity. Blessed with irresistible charm, ambition, and the single-minded obsession to succeed, Alex plots and manipulates his way to almost mystical success. Everything he touches turns to gold, but it’s never enough. When a hostile takeover bid leaves him struggling to save his beloved company, he suspects those closest to him of plotting his
downfall. Brigitte, the beautiful redhead who abandoned her country and her career to become his wife, feels alone. In return, Alex has betrayed her time and again, each indiscretion cutting deeper into her soul. Brigitte’s son, David yearns to be an artist, but Alex’s plans leave no room for such frivolous goals. He grooms a reluctant David to become the heir apparent until a devastating tragedy attracts the attention of another young man. The Sting of the Scorpio is a rich tale of a man at the mercy of his own greed and a woman bound by her need for love. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Monique Domovitch began writing at the age of fifty-five. Two years later, she has two self-published novels—her Scorpio Series—and a three-book deal with Penguin, for books she has written under the name of Carol Ann Martin. Never seen without her laptop, Monique and her husband travel the world and divide the rest of their time between their homes in British Columbia and California. Monique loves to hear from readers! Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Now please enjoy this beautiful excerpt from Scorpio Rising...

Half way around the world, Brigitte Dartois also liked drawing. Rather than buildings,
her pictures were of her family—Papa, Maman, and herself under a bright
sun. Sometimes she drew trees and flowers. Her subjects were the same as any other
child’s her age, but her pictures were different. They were strong and arresting.

“Viens voir, Colette,” her father called her mother. He held up a bright
drawing of a garden. “Regarde, don’t tell me our daughter is not talented.”

Colette Dartois looked, but to her, those colorful scribbles were no better than those of
any other nine-year-old.

She shrugged. “You shouldn’t compliment her too much. It will go to her head. Brigitte,
put that away and go do your homework.”

Often, Colette would look at her husband and her daughter with vague discomfort. He
paid so much attention to Brigitte and so little to her. Every day when Louis Dartois
burst through the door after work, it was Brigitte to whom he opened his arms after
a perfunctory kiss to Colette. Gradually, Colette’s love for her husband and daughter
festered into resentment and jealousy.

Then, when Brigitte was thirteen, her father died suddenly. Three months later, her
mother married Lucien. “Consider yourself lucky. Not many men are willing to be a
papa to a grown girl like you. You better be nice to him.”

Brigitte was filled with anger, betrayed by her mother's indifference. One night, when
Brigitte was alone in the house with her stepfather, she awakened to a pair of rough hands
moving over her body. “This will be our little secret,” Lucien told her when she opened
her eyes. “If you even think of telling anyone, I'll kill you,” he said. Then he raped her.

Her mother worked the evening shift as a barmaid at a club down the street, and for
the next three years, it became a nightly ritual for Lucien to stop in for une petite
caresse, as he called it. Every night he gave her the same warning. “You tell
anyone and you're dead.” Sometimes he went into gruesome details of what he would do
to her if she ever told. Brigitte believed him. So, she kept her mouth shut.

Once, she was the top student in her class. Her grades began to slide until she was close
to failing. She slept at her friends' flats whenever she could. At home, she was silent and
withdrawn. Her mother barely noticed.

“What's the matter with you?” Colette asked. “Get your act together. You keep it up and
you'll be kicked out of school.”

One night while Lucien was in her bed and forcing himself on Brigitte, the bedroom door
flew open. Her mother stood in the entrance, an expression of horror on her face. Lucien
jumped up and fumbled with his trousers. “It's the girl's fault,” he said, his voice coming
in halting breaths. “How's a man supposed to resist? She's always coming on to me. As
soon as you leave in the evening, she takes off her camisole and lets me see
her body. Colette, you've got to stop her, she's trying to break us up!”

“Get out!” Colette shouted, and her voice was like ice. The girl sobbed in relief. At
last, her ordeal was over. She would never have to see her stepfather again. “You're no
daughter of mine. Get out you putain.”

In shock, Brigitte realized her mother was speaking to her. She had lost! Lucien had won!
She dressed as quickly as she could, threw a few of her things into a pillowcase, and
slipped silently down the hall to the closet where her mother kept her purse. Sorry,
but I'll need this more than you will. She took all the cash she found. Then she left.

Two days later, a sales-help-wanted sign in a store window caught her eye.



Author This or That: Kimberly Reid (My Own Worst Frenemy)



Today I welcome Kimberly Reid, author of My Own Worst Frenemy, the first novel in the new Langdon Prep series.  She's here to tell us whether she prefers this or that.  Thanks Kimberly for joining us.

You can find my review of My Own Worst Frenemy here.

Breakfast or Brunch?
Brunch: It’s two meals in one so I can choose something rich like Belgian waffles, salmon crepes or eggs Benedict – oatmeal and yogurt have no place at a proper brunch. Plus, sometimes you get to have champagne. That’s so decadent in the middle of the day.


Regular Law & Order or SVU?
Regular: That was one of my favorite cop shows because it showed both the investigation and prosecution of a case. I always compare it to what I know of the process from my parents and husband, who all work in the law business. Between them, two have worked for the police, two for the prosecution, and one for the defense – so I had a chance to learn all sides of real life cases, including sitting in the courtroom for some of the jury trials they worked.

Sedan or Sports Car?
Sedan: I drive a sedan because it’s practical, but I’ve been fantasizing about driving a Ferrari since I was a kid. One year I thought I was cute and put it on my Christmas list, and my mom gave me a model Ferrari – a red 308 GTS. I still have it, right here on my desk, and I still dream I’ll one day have an extra half million lying around so I can buy one. While I’m dreaming, I’d also like a Lamborghini Gallardo in yellow.

Laptop or Ipad?
Laptop: I need a real keyboard. I don’t play around either – I have a laptop for writing, one for online stuff, plus a netbook. I’m mostly old school, but I used to work in the tech world and like my gadgets. My current favorite is a Wacom graphic tablet. Very fun, except it keeps me away from the laptop, which is bad for deadlines. I should probably have someone hide it from me until I finish the book I’m currently working on.

High Heels or Flip Flops?
High Heels: But not the crazy five and six inch heels. I need to be able to walk in them and I’m not super coordinated as it is. Heels don’t require your pedicure to be perfect, and have more support than Flip Flops, so they’re more practical than they look. This is what I tell myself when I leave DSW with heels that probably won’t get much wear since I mostly work from home in a T-shirt and yoga pants.

Trip around the world or trip to the moon?
The world: I love to travel and there are so many places on the planet I haven’t seen yet. My favorite part of traveling is discovering the food and music of each new place, and they don’t have either of those things on the moon.

M&Ms: Peanut or Plain?
Peanut: I delude myself that the protein makes them more nutritious.

Hair: Short or Long?
Long: I recently cut my hair short for the first time in a couple of decades. I’ll probably grow it out again – though I’m having fun with it being short, so you never know…

Necklace or Bracelet?
Bracelet: I have a ton that I never wear. I’m always at a keyboard writing a book or creating a spreadsheet at a day job, and bracelets get in the way. But I wore them all the time back in the day, before I had to earn a living on a computer.

Take a walk or go to the gym?
Walking: It clears my head and lets me think through life stuff while I get a little exercise. It’s also my favorite time to brainstorm book ideas and work through problems in my manuscripts. Bonus: when you live in Colorado, there’s no shortage of scenery.


Write at home or write somewhere else?
At home: I need perfect quiet for first drafts so I wake crazy early, before the rest of the house is up. For revising and editing, I can deal with some background noise, but I still need to be in my home office. The problem with working from home is fighting the urge to do normally boring stuff that suddenly becomes critical and/or interesting when I’m in writing procrastination mode – things like folding laundry, paying the bills, or cleaning the oven.

Spring or Fall?
Spring: I love the promise of it. Spring fever is a very real condition and lucky for me, I always catch it.


About My Own Worst Frenemy
Straight outta the Mile High City, Chanti Evans is an undercover cop's daughter and an exclusive private school's newest student. But Chanti is learning fast that when it comes to con games, the streets have nothing on Langdon Prep.


With barely a foot in the door, fifteen-year-old Chanti gets on the bad side of school queen bee Lissa and snobbish Headmistress Smythe. They've made it their mission to take Chanti down and she needs to find out why, especially when stuff begins disappearing around campus, making her the most wanted girl in school, and not in a good way. But the last straw comes when she and her Langdon crush, the seriously hot Marco Ruiz, are set up to take the heat for a series of home burglaries--and worse. . . .




buy the book from The Book Depository, free delivery