Tag: anthony avina

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lady Midnight: The Dark Artifices Book One by Cassandra Clare Review

The enchanting world of the shadowhunters returns with as much powerful storytelling and riveting character development as one might expect from legendary YA author Cassandra Clare in the first in a new trilogy, Lady Midnight. The first in The Dark Artifices trilogy brings readers back into the complicated battle of good versus evil and even more complicated romantic entanglements.

Blending new and returning characters from The Mortal Instruments series, the story follows Emma Carstairs and the Blackthorn family in the Los Angeles Institute. No longer children and grown Shadowhunters, Emma and her parabatai Julian Blackthorn continue to battle demons, keep the peace between downworlders and protect mankind. However, Emma is still investigating the deaths of her parents during the Dark War, and Julian is desperate to hold his family together after his father’s death. When a series of murders resembling the murders of Emma’s parents brings a faerie convoy to the Institute, they see an opportunity to get answers and get Julian’s brother Mark back, after spending years as a prisoner of the Faerie Courts. Their investigation will bring them into the darkest corners of Los Angeles and the secret world full of dark magic, murder and blood, and will slowly uncover more secrets both from outside forces and from within.

The book does a marvelous job of continuing a rich story full of history while keeping it fresh and intriguing with a new setting and complex family dynamic. What is great is that the story seems to mature, as do the characters, which reflects the growth of the audience who has spent years reading the series. The characters get into more adult situations both personally and professionally, and getting to know characters who were born into the shadowhunters world rather than coming into it as a newcomer speaks volumes about the fresh perspective the story takes. This is such a great read that sparks a great new mystery and this reader and writer looks forward to the next book in the Dark Artifices series. Pick up your copy today!

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Tales From The Shadowhunter Academy: (1-10) By Cassandra Clare

The story of everyone’s favorite former vampire and hero, Simon Lewis, continues in a collection of ten short stories from Cassandra Clare and
other amazing YA authors. The collection, titled Tales From Shadowhunter Academy, follows Simon as he travels to the famed Shadowhunter Academy,
recently reopened to train hopeful shadowhunters after the losses they recently had to endure in the recent wars. In an effort to remember the
boy he once was and become something more, Simon agrees to train, and faces the challenges that come with it, from the social classes that
divide the students, to the stress of trying to live up to a person he doesn’t remember being, to the demons and other creatures they have to
face while training. Throughout these ten stories, not only will fans be able to see the story of Simon Lewis continue, but will get a glimpse
into the vast history of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders, from the tales of Tessa Gray and the London Institute, to the early days of Valentine
and the Circle and more.

These stories are incredible pieces of fiction that will make everyone glad to see their favorite characters continue to grow and evolve in the
story, and while the focus is rightfully on Simon, everyone’s favorites from the original books make their presence known. Getting to know
some of the characters in the coming Lady Midnight book and the children who will make up the new generation of shadowhunters makes for a fun
read, and the vast history that is written and explored in just 40 pages a story is just amazing, and makes this reader believe that this world
is so open and great that the number of stories Cassandra Clare and other authors could tell is limitless. If you haven’t yet, read these incredible
stories today, and be glad that you did, because they are sure to be a big help when you read Lady Midnight, which this writer is set to do next.
The shadowhunter world is addictive to read, and one I never want to stop exploring.

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire Review

The Dark War reaches it’s climax in The Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire. Clary Fray’s demonic brother, Sebastian, is attacking
Institutes around the world, either killing or turning Shadowhunters into his Endarkened warriors. After the latest attack on the Los Angeles
Institute leaves children orphaned and others kidnapped, the Clave brings the Shadowhunters from around the world back to Idris, where a plan is
to be made to defeat the evil Sebastian. When Clary is forced to flee with her mother, Luke, Jace and the Lightwoods to Alicante, Simon is left
behind with Maia and Jordan, his bodyguard and friend from the Praetor Lupus. When the mentally unhinged Maureen, the new head of the New York
Vampire Clan, kidnaps him, Simon must turn to an unlikely ally for help. Soon, Clary and Jace, along with their friends, must go to an unimaginable
place in order to stop Sebastian once and for all, and they will have to sacrifice greatly if they are to stop him from turning the world to
ash.

This book is the final chapter in the story of Clary Fray and her friends and family, along with the twisted tale of her brother, Sebastian. The
grim tale of the Shadowhunters being torn apart as their friends and family are either murdered or turned into demonic, inhuman versions of their
former selves is incredibly addictive to read. There are some deep emotional stories in this book, as the prospect of death and apocalyptic
battles lead the main characters to seek refuge with one another, and shed their barriers in order to gain clarity before their most harrowing
battle yet. The writing is superb, and with some of the most dramatic, emotional scenes yet in the series, this is the perfect ending to the
Dark Shadowhunter story line, and the introduction of new characters is a perfect way to set the story for the next series. With shocking twists
and turns throughout the book, this reader and author is hard pressed to find a better example of powerful storytelling, and I for one am looking
forward to the next part of this incredible world created by the wonderful Cassandra Claire. Everyone should pick up their copy of this book
today!

Interview Questions for David McCaffrey

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

First off, congratulations on Hellbound. It’s a fantastic read and am happy I got the chance to review it.

1) Tell us a bit about what your inspiration for Hellbound was.Honestly, there were two inspirations. The first of them was the quantum theory of Schrödinger’s cat.
Having read the story you might identify with it; it demonstrated the
conflict between nature and behaviour and what we observe to be true on a
macroscopic level. The experiment consisted of him placing a cat in a
steel chamber with a small amount of hydrocyanic acid. If a single atom
of the substance decayed, it would trigger a relay mechanism which would
trip a hammer and in turn break the vial and kill the cat.
You
cannot know without popping the box whether the substance has decayed,
the vial broken and the cat subsequently killed. It therefore, according
to quantum law, exists in a superposition of states which means it is
both alive and dead simultaneously until you open the box and discover
which it is.
Hellbound
was a tale of deciding which scenarios the antagonist, Obadiah Stark,
could be existing in. Only at the end do you discover which of those it
actually is.
The
second inspiration was Kung Fu Panda! No kidding!! A tale of the most
unlikely evil overcoming the most despicable of evils. Hellbound is an R
rated version of Kung Fu Panda if you really squint!!
2) What kind of research went into the creation of this story?I
have a big thing about research. I will spend weeks gathering as much
material as I can and reading around a subject so that when I begin to
write about it, it feels, smells and sounds real. My writing coach,
Steve  Alten taught me that. Make it believable or else you cheat the
reader and will lose them. So I spend an awful amount of time reading
around the death penalty, executions and the morality that goes hand in
hand with such an emotive subject. It was important to the story that I
do not give my opinion, only the facts and allow the reader to decide
for themselves.

3) Was there a particular case or person that inspired Obadiah Stark’s character arc? Obadiah
Stark is like the love child of all the most evil serial killers in
history! Tapping back into the research element, I read around Ted
Bundy, Charles Manson, Richard Ramirez, John Wayne Gacy to name a few
and took characteristics form all of them and remoulded them into
something familiar but hopefully at the same time, new. Most
importantly, he needed to be sympathetic which I know sounds bizarre but
for the story to work the reader had to potentially be able to
sympathise with him despite all his crimes. Again, I don’t know if it
works for all the readers, but that was my aim. I saw him as Wentworth
Miller in my mind for an actor to play him!! I became quite fond of
Obadiah  actually!!!

4)
How much inspiration for the story’s setting did you take from your own
life? The descriptions of the various settings were so well written I felt like I was there.Thank
you! I love Ireland and wanted to set it somewhere different than
normal. Ireland has such history and is so beautiful, so it seemed
ideal. I have family from there and have visited many times so I drew on
those experiences and that knowledge and looked at a lot of maps to get
the locations correct! I tried to have the setting influence elements
of the story and lend them a sense of depth. I hope I succeeded…I
certainly enjoyed writing about the country and the various locations.

5) What author or book most inspired you to become an author?Steve
Alten, without a shadow of a doubt! I owe everything to him and
Hellbound wouldn’t exist if not for his patience, mentorship and
coaching. He took me on as a writing coach client and showed me how to
create a beat sheet, how to draft and edit chapters, how to develop
characters and how to weave a narrative. I thank him in every book and
will always do so. He is an amazing author from adventure thrillers
about giant, prehistoric sharks to political dramas concerning 9/11.
Absolute genius and genuine, humble man. I think more than anything I
wanted to make him proud as I had never really had that in my life where
someone was proud. So, yes, Steve Alten!!!

6)
Is the mystery thriller/horror genre something you are the most
passionate about, or would you consider working in various different
genres?I love
psychological thrillers, however I have so many extremely talented
author friends who write in genres I could never do; comedy, apocalyptic
fiction, love stories, fantasy. If I was to go outside my comfort zone
then I think I would write a love story (or try to!). Though I do have
gangland thriller in the works which I am writing with a friend who has
the most amazing story to tell and I have a infection outbreak thriller
all drafted and ready to go!!! I do think there are ore original tales
that can be told in the thinner genre. That’s what I am aiming for, to
create stories that are just a little different. In the words of Shane
Ward, ‘That’s My Goal’!

7) What do you enjoy developing more: your characters or your plot?I
think I would have to say both! I certainly enjoyed trying to develop a
good plat that can keep the reader guessing and taking them on an
exciting journey. that said, it is nothing without some good characters
to breath life into the scenarios and worlds you create, so to me they
are mutually exclusive. I loved developing the character of Obadiah
Stark for Hellbound. I wanted him to make readers anxious and resentful
towards him for his evil nature, but wanted him to be personable.
Personable evil was my mindset when creating Obadiah…an engaging
murderer!!

8) If you could talk to your character, Obadiah Stark, and ask him one question, what would it be and why?Ooo,
good question. Hmmm, I think I would have to ask him “What does it feel
like to feel?” the why would be because after his experience, I think
it would be interesting to know whether a remorseless person is capable
of feeling remorse.  Though I might ask him “Who would win in a
fight…Batman or Superman?” Everyone wants to know that!!
9) How important has social media been to the development of your author brand and readership?
Social
media has been vital in allowing me to reach new people who might like
to enter the world I have created. I have met so many fantastic authors
and bloggers who have become good friends; Louise Hunter, all the girls
at Crime Book Club, Tracy Fenton and all at The Book Club, Noelle
Holten, Shell Baker, Maxine Groves, Gordon McGhie, Sarah Hardy, Gigi
Gus, Jane Wignall,  Llainy Swanson, Emma Tasker, Jane Andrukiewicz,
Donna Marie McCarthy, Ryan Mark, Rob Enright, Tim Adler, Andy Males,
Bekki Pate, Paul Ferns, Leigh Russell, Karen Long, Paddy Magrane,
Charlotte Teece…I could go on forever!!! The bottom line is that every
single person I have mentioned and all of those didn;t have the space
for have helped me become a better author and helped share Hellbound to a
wider audience. Whether a review or a mention, I wouldn’t have any of
these opportunities without them, or people like your good self…none
of us writers would. I am only tiny in a huge literary world but it is
ridiculously exciting and I owe it all to the social media sites such as
Twitter and Facebook and the people I have met there that anyone knows
about Hellbound at all.
10) What are your plans for future writing projects? I
have the gangland thriller I mentioned in progress alongside a follow
up to Hellbound and In Extremis titled Nameless; not a direct sequel but
set in the same universe (a little like Marvel. All the films are
connected but not about the same characters). Both will be out in
October time. I also have the infection outbreak thriller I mentioned
all beat out and ready to start and some ideas for a few other
novellas…enough to keep me out of trouble!!!

Thank
you for your time David. I look forward to reading more of your work
and appreciate you taking the time to do this interview.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to chat to you Anthony.  It was a pleasure!

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

11/22/63 by Stephen King Review:

The master of horror and suspense has done it again, bringing a unique and epic look back at American history in his novel, 11/22/63. The story
follows Jake Epping, a high-school English teacher who is thrust into a world-changing adventure when his friend and local diner owner Al shows
him a ripple in time residing in his diner’s pantry. Al, who a day ago was living and thriving, is now much older and dying, and wants Jake’s
help in stopping Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating John F. Kennedy. When he learns that each time he steps into the past, he goes back to
the exact same day, in 1958, he first goes back in time to help another friend of his, Harry Dunning, whom was brain damaged after his father
murdered his family and left him for dead. After a mildly successful trip to the past and stopping the murder, he realizes he has the power to
rewrite history, but will face life and death situations when the timeline tries to stop him from meddling. Soon he returns to the past, and
spends years there, investigating and following the life of Lee Oswald in order to determine if he was the sole assassin. However life gets
complicated when he meets Sadie, and falls in love. Juggling a desire to stay in the past and continue his mission to save Kennedy, Jake must
face the complications of living a double life, fighting the timeline’s attempts to stop him and saving the woman he loves from the dangers of
her past.

The book is a phenomenal read, and showcases that Stephen King is still at the top of his game. Getting a very real sense of what life was like
back in the late 50’s and early 60’s, this novel showcases the vast difference in societal views, exploring themes of racial tensions, religious
over-saturation and the global political scene as a whole. It actual has a lot of bearing on the current political landscape in our world, and
manages to bridge the gap between the past and the present. It also is a thrilling adventure, that explores the age old question, are things
meant to happen the way they do, or can they be changed? 11/22/63 is a must read novel that demonstrates to new readers why Stephen King is still
a master of his craft, while longtime fans will enjoy the nods to Stephen King’s established universe and the larger than life questions he always
asks through the themes of his novels. If you haven’t yet, you should read this book today!

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hellbound by David McCaffrey Review

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review.
Many thanks

Evil has a new face in author David McCaffrey’s sensational novel, “Hellbound.” This book is a thrilling tale that explores both the complex mind
of a serial killer and the effects he has on the world.

The story follows Obadiah Stark, aka “The Tally Man”, a ruthless serial killer who is facing execution at ADX Absolom, a desolate prison similar
to Alcatraz. With the witnesses present and an eager journalist who’s followed The Tally Man’s long career as a killer, Stark is put to death,
but journalist Joe O Connell finds some odd things that make the execution come into question. Soon he begins to uncover secrets while looking
into the mind of the killer that will bring the execution into a whole new light. Meanwhile, Stark awakens to find himself in a whole new world.
Expecting oblivion after his death, he learns he’s back in his childhood hometown, with a wife and child and a whole new life he has no memory
of. After rejecting this life and going on a viscous killing spree, (ending with a police shootout that claimed his life), Stark reawakens to
find the day has reset, and this new life has restarted for Stark again. After the day repeats over and over again, Stark is forced to examine
himself and face the grim reality of the dormant emotions that reside within him.

This is a unique thriller that takes readers on a exciting journey to discover the true meaning of justice, morality, and evil. Part horror
story, part conspiracy thriller, the alternating POV’s between Joe and Obadiah offer a great view on both sides of the story, from both the
eyes of the journalist fighting to learn the truth to the eyes of a demented killer getting in touch with his humanity. The author has created
a fun world that easily conjured up a cinematic feeling, like this was something I could watch on television today. With a twist ending that
leaves readers wanting to delve deeper into the world of this story, Hellbound is a fantastic read that everyone should read today. Be sure to
pick up your copy of David McCaffrey’s “Hellbound” today!

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Mortal Instruments: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Claire Review:

SPOILER WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

The fight for Jace’s soul wages on in the fifth book in Cassandra Claire’s epic YA series, The Mortal Instruments. After the cliffhanger ending
of the fourth book, Clary finds herself being investigated by the Clave after Jace disappears, as does the body of her brother, Sebastian. With
Isabelle, Alec and Clary frantic to find Jace and Magnus, Simon, Maia and Jordan eager to help, Clary soon learns the devastating truth behind
the disappearance. Sebastian is alive, and the ritual that raised him has tied him physically to Jace. Worse yet, Jace has become a pawn, controlled
and made into an obedient partner to Sebastian’s powerful will. Soon Clary finds herself forced to become a double agent, infiltrating Sebastian
and the mind-controlled Jace’s secret hideout in order to figure out their plan, while the rest of the group goes on a dangerous mission to
find a weapon capable of separating Jace from Sebastian.

The forces of heaven and hell become much more involved as the plot of Jonathan Morgenstern come to light. The son of the deadliest Shadowhunter
to ever betray the Clave is even more evil than anyone could have imagined. The scenes between Clary and Jace, and Clary and Sebastian, are
incredibly powerful narratives, while the development of both Simon and Isabella is a welcome addition to the story itself, and serves as a
reminder of the vast array of characters the Shadowhunter universe really is, and the mythology of the series is heavily explored throughout the
novel. By book’s end, a bloody war will loom ahead, as the final book of this series will bring an end to the vast saga of Clary Fray and her
journey. Will Clary find a way to stop her demonic brother? Will she and her friends and loved ones survive? We’ll find out in the final book,
City of Heavenly Fire.

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Interview with Author/Illustrator Isis Sousa:


1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and
how you came to be a writer.

Hi Anthony! First of all, I want to thank
you for the great opportunity! I never know what to tell about myself… But I
can start sharing about the things I do. I work as professional illustrator doing
most book covers nowadays and before that I have worked as graphic designer in
the heavy metal music industry. I also do photography as hobby, most
nature/landscapes, I am a woodcarving apprentice and ornament painter and on my
scarce free time I also enjoy climbing/hiking on mountains and nurture a
passion for languages. I begin to write by accident. I had an idea for a story
one day and by the time it was the self-publishing boom… And then I asked myself,
why not publish it? Just for fun? Then, I did it and the story was “The Night
of Elisa.”

2) Where did the inspiration for “The Night of Elisa” come from?

It came from a dream I had 13-14 years ago.
I was there, in this place where the twilight was eternal and discovered the
people around me were all dead… I had a warning about the death of a friend/co-worker
in that dream. Which came true about a week later, and this experience has been
imprinted in who I am to this day. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the book and Francis
Ford Coppola’s movie were also very remarkable to me. Music has also a great
influence in what I do and. I’d say those were the main sources of inspiration
for the story 🙂

3) What other writers or artists have inspired your work?

Oh boy! This list would be endless! I am an
art nuts, I collect art books and images, fiction and a loooot of music. I can
say writers such as Stephen King, Mary Shelley, Clive Barker, Allan Moore, Bram
Stoker, Oscar Wilde, to name a few. (Yes, I am all about classics, both the old
school and the modern.) I love the works of illustrators painters such as Mark
Simonetti, Pierangelo Boog, Corrado Vanelli  and Raphael Lacoste and many, many names of
the classic arts.


4) What do you find is your best creative outlet: writing or artwork, (i.e.
illustration, graphic design, etc?)

Artwork, no doubt! 🙂 Writing is too
tiresome, too slow, and full of letters 😉 Doing art is so free, colourful,
flows like good music.

5) You mention in your bio you are a metal fan. What bands do you listen to
when you are working on your next book or piece of art?

I love many Metal bands and also the
classics in Hard Rock. Some of the most inspirational bands for me are Paradise
Lost, Moonspell, Therion, Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation,  and Crematory to name a few.

6) What is your favorite genre to both read and write in?

Gothic, classic Gothic stuff 🙂 I am attracted
to the Dark and the Fantastic, and the Romantic aesthetics.

7) How do you feel social media has impacted your reach as an artist and
writer?

To be honest, it has impacted tremendously.
Art communities such as CGScociety, Sketchoholic, IAMag and Art Station (which
are the social media for digital artists/illustrators) together with Facebook, connected
me to great names of the industry and clients.

As an author, my best social media is
GoodReads and recently, Twitter. Goodreads, specially, has enabled me to
connect with most of my readership and helped me spread the word about my work
and come across a lot of cool authors, such as yourself! And now Twitter is
putting me across a lot of interesting people with common interests.

Without social media, it would be extremely
difficult to show the world the work that I do…

8) What do you find more rewarding when
writing: developing plot or creating your characters?

Characters, characters and characters 😀
Developing plots give me headache 😛 Characters are fun, I can imagine what
they are made of, what do they like, what they look like and how they would
react in given situation… This is such a cosy part of the process.

9) What is one genre you would never write in and why?

Hm, I am kind of an “anti” person, so it
would be most genres! LOL Don’t get me wrong. I love to read most genres and I
like to add a pinch of romance, horror, mystery and anything dark in my work as
a general rule. I think perhaps the least attractive genres to write, would be
in my opinion, a “romantic romance” or a “sweet romance”, also erotica. these genres are just
not me, but I respect  and root for those who write them. Oh and I almost forgot – Young Adult. I dislike 99% of YA stories out
there and I see no fun at all in writing about teen years, ew! 😛

10) What are your future plans for your writing and art careers?

The most selfish of all!!!  – To be able to live out of my illustrated
books someday and to paint ONLY for myself (meaning, as an artist, I would not
need to make commissioned work for any clients, anymore!). I love my clients,
they are smart, fun, great minds to work with, but every artist’s dream is to
paint for him/herself! ^.^

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Mortal Instruments: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Claire Review

SPOILER ALERT: MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

The Mortal War is over, and life has gone on for Clary, Jace, Simon and the rest of the group in Cassandra Claire’s fourth Mortal Instruments
book, City of Fallen Angels. Weeks after the bloody battle in Idris, the Shadowhunter home, Clary is back in New York, starting her training
to become a Shadowhunter. With the knowledge that they are not in fact siblings, Clary and Jace pursue their romantic relationship for the first
time, but soon Jace starts pulling away, and Clary is left to figure out what is haunting the boy she’s falling in love with. Meanwhile, Simon
is adjusting to life as not only a vampire and Daywalker, but as the bearer of the Mark of Cain. Wrestling with his vampiric nature and trying
to maintain a normal “human” life, (as well as an unexpected love triangle), Simon soon learns that there are new, powerful players interested
in him, and soon he learns just how powerful the Mark truly is. With dead Shadowhunters being found around the city, a new conspiracy threatens
to tear apart the happiness and peace they all thought they could enjoy with the death of Valentine.

Rather than leaving the fate’s of these incredible characters up to the imagination, fans will be delighted to delve deeper into their stories,
and it is quite a refreshing take on a story in which the battle continues for these naturally bred warriors and protectors. Multiple new enemies
are introduced, while this book does an excellent job of taking the reader through the viewpoints of multiple characters this time around. By
the book’s end, the book will have lain the groundwork for a brand new trilogy and a darker mystery than ever before imagined. The intricate
details lain in this book make for an addictive read, and the fifth book is sure to continue that addiction.