The Adversary’s Good News by Israfel Sivad Review

On March 1, 2018March 1, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warning: This book deals with themes of suicide, drug use and abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

An intense fantasy horror adventure takes a troubled young man through the bowels of the afterlife in author Israfel Sivad’s The Adversary’s Good News. Here’s the synopsis:

A divine comedy – inverted. Christian Michael Anderson hasn’t been doing so well lately. He’s out of work, out of money, and out of alcohol. But when he loops a stolen rope through the exposed rafters in his ceiling and places that noose around his neck, his adventure has only begun… Encountering joke-telling gargoyles, the “Great Beast” imprisoned in a cage, a drug-dealing Tinkerbell, and much more, Christian eventually realizes he’s entered a psychologically haunted world far beyond anything his nightmares ever envisioned. But it’s not until his final imprisonment in the serpentine city of Pandemonium that he realizes he’s been tricked into confronting his own, personal demons.

The story of Christian was an exhilarating and terrifying journey through death. I would describe it as a much more horror filled version of Alice in Wonderland on acid. A world filled with dead artists, gargoyles, demonic sirens and more, these creatures help establish the chaotic world the author has created. The story itself is one of the most thought provoking I’ve read in 2018. The novel deals in some pretty serious themes, and helps show the reader why it’s important to examine the life we lead and make the most of it. Our lives are filled with ups and downs, and we often make mistakes. However this book felt like more than just a horror story. It felt like life, in which we all have to find ways to accept the things we cannot change and move on to rebuild our lives once more.

The writing was phenomenal. The protagonist Christian was complex and filled with inner turmoil. While he felt a desire to do the right thing, his addictions and fantasies held a massive pull within him, tearing him apart from the inside out. The imagery was strong throughout, creating a colorful and sometimes gruesome world where up was down, black was white and the people spoke in constant riddles.

Overall this was a great read. While filled with some triggering topics, the story overall was powerfully intelligent and allowed readers to think about the broader aspects of life, as well as the inner turmoil of their own lives. It was a breathtaking horror adventure through the afterlife, and if you haven’t yet you have to check it out for yourself. So be sure to pick up your copy of The Adversary’s Good News today!

Rating: 10/10

The Sugar Mill by Bhav Mangat and Harp Seehra Review

On March 1, 2018April 6, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair, honest review. All opinions are my own.

A beautiful collection of poetry comes to life in authors Bhav Mangat and Harp Seehra’s The Sugar Mill. Here’s the synopsis:

“The Sugar Mill” is a doodle filled collection of poetry and prose that explores experiences with distress, love, and cultural taboos. With a strong emphasis on self-discovery and growth, the book proves to be a true celebration of the self and all forms of intimacy. The journey is divided into 4 chapters, each following a different stage of sugar refinement: Cane, Crushing, Cleansing, and Crystallizing.

This story focuses on a central story of a young boy from a very broken home. It tells his story of surviving hardships in his childhood, only to meet a fellow classmate and fall in love. It tells the story of their love, and helps show him the love that never resided in his own life back when he was a kid. It’s a story of childhood lost, love found and making your own family. The writing is beautiful and well done, bringing a light to serious themes and topics like the way women are treated around the world and the insecurities that mistreatment can bring. It also highlights a refreshing amount of love and joy that can be found in the best relationships, as with the poem “I Must Be Scenic”, which depicts the way two people in love view those they love in context with the rest of the world.

Overall this was a wonderfully written poetry book that deserves to be read. Full of hardships, struggles, romance and true love, this is one of those rare books that redefines the genre. With wonderfully innocent doodles that bring a unique form of imagery to life within the poems themselves, this is a wonderful example of how poetry in the modern age looks, and how we should all be absorbing it. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copy of The Sugar Mill by Bhav Mangat and Harp Seehra today!

Rating: 10/10

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Book Tour: Bleeding Hearts by Dana Provo

On February 22, 2018February 12, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, book launch, Book Promotion, Book Related Blog PostsLeave a comment

Title: Bleeding Hearts

Tag Line: Finding love is difficult, especially when it tries to kill you.

Genre: New adult, romantic suspense

Blurb: Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare.

Red roses, a reminder of her parents’ killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life.

Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again?

Short Blurb: When Cami Lucks accepted a date with a charming, gallant stranger she didn’t know it would be the beginning of her worst nightmare. She becomes an obsession for Carson, her first love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life. Now Cami must work with the police to stop the illusive murderer before he finds her.

Author Bio:

Dana Provo has always loved books and reads everything from young adult fantasy to adult historical romances. When she’s not reading or writing her next novel, Dana can be found riding her horses and getting ready for competition. Dana lives with her husband and two house plants in Richmond, Virginia.

Excerpt:

My arm trembles as I grip the cool handle of my pistol, keeping a firm grasp to ensure it doesn’t slip out of my sweaty hand. It usually stands sentry in my left nightstand to scare the nightmares away. But this isn’t a dream. The room is dark and hides the face of the man whose intent is to kill me. But I know who he is. A metallic taste fills my mouth; I want to gag. My blood drips off the blade in his hand in slow, steady beats on the carpet. My arms shake as I lift the barrel and point it in his direction. He doesn’t move. His heavy breaths alert me to the meager distance between us.

We’re at a stalemate.

A soft glow from the lamppost just outside my window casts a sliver of light on his face. His dark, beady eyes that I have grown to know rake over my body like I’m another one of his many victims. He lifts the edges of his mouth into a smile. My heart plunges into my stomach. I know what that sinister expression means, and I think back to all the times he had looked at me like that before. I had been so blind.

Before I react he lunges at me, grabbing onto my waist and twisting me to the ground. I shriek as my head slams against the bed frame. Black spots flood my vision. I squeeze my hand only to find it empty. My gun is gone. The sound of the knife clattering on the floor gives me slight hope. Not much though. He climbs up my body trying to pin my arms to the floor. I thrash my fists around, desperate to knock him off.

“Get off!” I scream, pulling on his shirt and kicking him off balance. Wrapping his hands around my arms, my attacker cuts off the circulation of blood. Rug burns flare across my skin as he drags me across the carpet. He closes his hands around my neck, shutting off my air supply. I pull at his hands but it’s no use; he has always been stronger than me. My pulse drums a frantic beat in my ears. The air slowly leaks out from my lungs, killing any hope I may have left. I search for the gun around the room; it may be my only savior now.

“Why are you doing this?” I struggle to get the words out. He squints his dark eyes. I’m wondering if there might be a chance that he will stop this madness. I am wrong.

“It’ll be over soon, sweetheart.” His hands again tighten around my neck, blocking the air from entering my lungs.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordanaprovo/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaProvo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icehorses12/

Blog: https://authordanaprovo.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/authordanaprovo

Amazon: https://goo.gl/aL1YR8

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://a.co/3z28apX

Barnes & Noble: http://fw.to/mfIx33N

iBooks: https://itun.es/us/KydHeb.l

Kobo: http://goo.gl/ea1W0W

Smashwords: http://goo.gl/r99gn5

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Interview with Author(s) Two Sisters

On February 21, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Book Promotion, InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

My name is Steph (I wrote the book under the pseudonym Two Sisters), I live on a farm and I have a pet tortoise called Squirtle. I started writing for fun when I was fourteen, I enjoyed writing mini stories and because I loved books so much, writing became a hobby. My first book was about pirates but I never managed to finish it. I started to seriously get into writing when I went to university and I worked as a content writer for some digital marketing agencies. Since then, I’ve been writing feature film scripts (animation and horror) and fantasy stories.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

I absolutely love fairy tales so I wanted to write a collection of my own tales. What’s great about fairy tales is that they can be incredibly dark and provide important messages for readers too. As my sister loves to draw and is working to become an artist, I asked her to be my book’s illustrator and that gave me the push to write the book and get it published.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Each short story in this collection has its own message so I want readers to interpret them in their own way. I do hope that readers will be inspired to look back at Brothers Grimm and Angela Carter fairy tales as most people believe fairy tales are animated and fun because of Disney. It’s insightful to look back and see that fairy tales were originally created to SCARE people and TEACH people lessons.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

Darkness and evil fairies. When writing dark fairy tales, it’s fun to write about evil characters that don’t always get their comeuppance in the end, sometimes the heroes are the ones who are punished because they are unwilling to change.

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

This is a great question. If I only had to choose one character to speak to, it would be Princess Emelia. I would ask her: “If you had a chance to break your curse, would you take it? Even if it meant your mother would be unhappy forever.” Emelia is a sad character who still loves her mother even when she is cursed by an evil faerie because of her mother, at the end of the story it looks like she has accepted her fate.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

I would say Twitter but it’s been great talking to readers on Goodreads.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Just write and be confident in your writing. I feel like I’ve wasted years with my writing because my confidence had been knocked down by nonconstructive feedback. If you love to write, keep writing and get your work out there.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I’m currently working on an urban fantasy YA book series which I’m really excited about. I’m also writing a horror feature screenplay so I’m hoping in the next couple of months to start sending my work out and see what happens.

Book Tour: Prince of the Sun, Princess of the Moon (Rulers of the Galaxy) by M.R. Anglin

On February 20, 2018February 12, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, book launch, book news, Book PromotionLeave a comment

Book Description:

For years the Moon Palace in the Valley of Aijalon and the Sun Tower in the Plains of Jashar has stood as testaments to the power of the sun and the graciousness of the moon. Helio and Lumina, Guardians of the sun and moon, kept watch over them and the Prince and the Princess who ruled them. But the Prince and Princess are missing, and the sun is exhibiting strange behavior. Now Joshua and his younger sister, Deborah, must untangle a web of lies and deceit to uncover the secret of who they really are and save their world from an imminent disaster brewing in the heavens. And they must hurry. Between the earthquakes, the sun and moon standing still in the sky, and the planet Jants hovering closer than it’s ever been, the planet could be torn apart before they have a chance to do something about it.

Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Princess-Moon-Rulers-Galaxy-ebook/dp/B078T6KJSN
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38118811-prince-of-the-sun-princess-of-the-moon

Excerpt:

“Mr. Delango.” Mrs. Blaine’s voice sliced through the air, jarring Joshua out of his thoughts.
He jumped to his feet. “Yes, ma’am.” All around him snickers erupted as each of his classmates stared at him. Joshua stifled a groan. Judging by their reaction, he had missed something important.
“Perhaps you would like to elaborate on our topic?” Mrs. Blaine motioned to the blackboard.
Joshua winced. He had been staring out of the window and had no idea what she had been talking about.
His best friend, Neil, shrugged. With his skin the complexion of milk and Joshua’s the complexion of chocolate, Neil always said together they were two halves of the best drink ever to have been invented.
But now he shook his head at Joshua. “I tried to warn you,” he mouthed.
Joshua cleared his throat. “You are doing such a fantastic job at explaining this, Mrs. Blaine, I can’t elaborate.” He punctuated the remark with a smile meant to charm her.
“I think you can.” Mrs. Blaine pointed to the board. “Why don’t you come up and fill out this diagram?”
Joshua bit back a comment and made his way to the front of the classroom. The walls were white, and though Mrs. Blaine had set a plastic, potted tree in the corner, there were no posters or papers on the walls . . . just a blackboard where Mrs. Blaine wrote her lessons . . . not at all like the other teachers’ classes with their motivational posters and charts plastered all over the walls.
“No distractions for wayward thinking children,” Mrs. Blaine had said the first time someone remarked on the lack of decoration.
Joshua took the chalk from her and approached the blackboard. Empty spaces in the diagram she had written mocked him, but the words, “Planet/Celestial Body” and “Guardian” were written in separate columns at the top. At least Joshua knew what she was talking about now—the solar system and its Guardians.
“Fill it out.” Mrs. Blaine smirked. “Unless you aren’t smart enough to goof off in class and still retain the information.”
Again his classmates snickered.
Joshua took a deep breath and studied the diagram. Then he raised his chalk and wrote:
Planet/Celestial Body Guardian
Sun Helio
Chern Maro
Marte Cero
Melíne Alandri
Geon N/A
Geon’s moon Lumina
Arion Lucin
Jants Junen
Rindt Rin
Nuardt Urin
Plútz Plandte

Once finished, he faced Mrs. Blaine. “Is that correct?” He held out the chalk to her.
No one snickered now . . . well, except Neil. His face had surged red with the effort of stifling his laughter. To date, no one had bested Mrs. Blaine at her game to humiliate students who weren’t paying attention. In fact, Mrs. Blaine herself stared at the diagram Joshua had written with her mouth set.
Her eyes narrowed. “Go sit down.”
Joshua shot a smile at her as he went.
“See me after class,” Mrs. Blaine said.
Joshua winced. One smart gesture too far.
“The rest of you, commit this chart to memory.” Mrs. Blaine tapped the blackboard. “It will be on the test next week.”
“Dude, are you crazy?” Neil leaned over to him as Joshua sat. Joshua had to bite back a smile. His friend acted like he had been the one called in after class. “She’s going to hate you now.”
Joshua shrugged. “I’ve got more important things to worry about.”
“Like what?” Neil whispered, copying the diagram.
“Like . . .” Joshua stared full into the sun. “I think the sun is off by two minutes.”
Neil paused in his writing. “What?”
“The sun.” Joshua glanced at Mrs. Blaine to make sure she wasn’t watching. “It should be a little to the right. It’s in the wrong place.”
“Have you been moon-bathing or something? You’re as batty as a night-person.”
Joshua scowled at his friend. “Don’t say that.”
But Neil went on, ignoring Joshua’s annoyance, or . . . more likely . . . not noticing it at all. “The sun can’t be in the wrong place. It’s impossible.”
“Maybe.” Joshua could overlook his friend’s oversight. After all, he didn’t know how offensive the saying was. “But I’ve done the calculations over and over—”
“Done the calculations?” Neil snickered. “What do you know about calculations like those? There are smart people in the capital whose job it is to watch the sun. Don’t you think they would have said something if the sun was in the wrong place?”
“I guess . . .” Joshua faced the front of the class where Mrs. Blaine continued her lesson. He wrote the diagram down, more to get his mind off of the nagging feeling in the back of his mind than because he needed to remember it. Neil was right; Joshua had to be wrong. After all, Helio, the Guardian of the sun, was the epitome of precision. The sun would never drift out of position on his watch.
Still . . . a feeling, like a stone sitting in his stomach, told Joshua something was amiss. He had seen the sun doing strange things before. The other day he thought he saw it flickering, and the day before he was certain its rays were less intense than they should have been.
Joshua swallowed the knot rising in his throat and resisted the urge to fiddle with the gold necklace he wore hidden under his shirt. If something was wrong with the sun, he had more than filling out diagrams and studying for tests to worry about.
They all did.

About the Author:

M.R. Anglin has always had a fascination with space—particularly the moon and stars. She also has three amazing nephews, two adorable “near-nephews,” and one brilliant niece, so it’s no wonder she eventually wrote a story that combines these loves into one. You can often find her gazing up at the Florida sky at night or hunching over her notebook/computer by day. She is the author of the Middle Grade novel, Lucas, Guardian of Truth, the self-published Silver Foxes series. She has also been included in the Coyotl Award winning anthology, Gods With Fur (FurPlanet 2016) and Extinct? (Wolfsinger 2017).

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authoranglin
Twitter: @authoranglin
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/mranglin
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authoranglin
Deviantart: http://michelay.deviantart.com
Website: http://lyeland.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6425004.M_R_Anglin

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Book Release: Blood and Romance by Anthony Avina

On February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn book launch, book news, Book Promotion, Book Related Blog Posts, Personal Blog PostsLeave a comment

Hi there guys. Seven years ago I released a short book of poetry called Blood and Romance. Today I updated the book to better reflect my writing, gave it a cool new cover and finally gave the book a paperback version. Now the book is available in Kindle and Paperback formats. If you enjoy good horror and romance themed poetry, then pick up this cool book for only $4 on Amazon, and best of all it’s available for Prime members (free shipping)! I hope you guys enjoy it and in the comments below if you read the book tell me your favorite poem.

Buy the Book!

Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters Review

On February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

If you thought the fairy tales of the Brother’s Grimm couldn’t get any darker, then you thought wrong. In Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters, the stories we all grew up on are twisted in shocking and creative ways. Here’s the synopsis:

Inspired by Brothers Grimm and other sinister tales, Dark & Darker Faerie Tales is a collection of dark stories about evil faeries, corrupted heroes, vengeful innocents and malicious monsters. Delving into the darker side of fairy tales, each story offers a twisted journey that’ll make you wish for a happy ending.

Written and illustrated by Two Sisters, witness an unlikely friendship in “The Woodcutter and The Oak Tree,” discover what happens next to Little Red Riding Hood, and learn why it’s so important to be wary of who you meet in the woods.

This is one of the most unique story collections of 2018. The dark twist on tales like Red Riding Hood made for highly entertaining and nostalgic reading all at once, while tales of evil witches and heroes turned villains made the stories become even creepier than you could have ever imagined. The writing fit perfectly in line with the classic fairy tale style, while bringing a much darker horror twist into the genre. The stories are rich with vivid imagery, each page dripping with twisted characters and surreal settings that only a fairy tale world could bring to life.

Overall I loved this story. In fact so far it’s one of my top reads of 2018. The stories managed to be original and unique while paying respects to the fairy tale classics. Taking these stories in fantastically unexpected ways, this is the fairy tale collection horror fans around the world have been waiting for. If you haven’t yet, be sure to pick up your copy of Dark & Darker Faerie Tales by Two Sisters today!

Rating: 10/10

Book Trailer Reveal: Onions by Cy Young

On February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Book Promotion, Book TrailersLeave a comment

We have a brand new book trailer for author Cy Young’s Onions, a YA novel. Here’s a synopsis along with the trailer! Enjoy.

Onions has just been sent to his 16th foster home, Despondent, he steals the purse of Sandrine, a retired circus performer. Instead of turning him in to the police, Sandrine enlists the boy in her fight against City Hall. In the process, Onions learns the importance of reading, having a worthwhile life-goal, and how to play the trumpet, his ultimate redemption. Sandrine is a strong role-model for pre-teens through 18-year-olds as she helps Charles Wesley Onions find meaning in life. A tragic event leads to the powerful, uplifting, and inspiring ending. Finally, Onions is a modern-day Holden Caulfield .. without the swearing.

Awake Under The Night Sky by Vanya Sharma Review

On February 15, 2018April 6, 2018 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

It’s a story as old as time itself. Two people from very different worlds meet by chance and find themselves falling madly in love, only for fate to intervene in their happily ever afters. Yet in author Vanya Sharma’s novel Awake Under the Night Sky, we get to feel the raw emotions and the powerful way that love impacts the lives of these two young people. Here is the synopsis:

Witness to the ravages of poverty and neglect, Vivian is driven by a purpose, in a world that seems to have lost its conscience. In the fires of loss, a young and fierce Andre has forged an iron will to succeed. His journey halfway across the world does not deter him, but only strengthens his determination.

Two people on the threshold of their lives, touched by love but driven by duty, following separate destinies. He has a past to restore, she has a future to change. Are their paths destined never to converge, or might the vagaries of fate unlock the buried dreams of two proud hearts, and offer a new beginning?

I loved this story. It was incredibly emotional throughout the entire read. Its an interesting concept, as it showcases that we do not always know when or if we will find love, and how that love will impact the dreams we once had. It makes us as readers question what is more important in life: one’s dreams or true love? It also showcases how outside forces can intervene and cloud our minds in the face of love, and how our lives are forever impacted by that found love, both good and bad.

The only small critique I have is that the book ends surprisingly abrupt. This may be a creative choice by the author, but it was shocking as you expected a final scene to play out and instead were left to draw your own conclusions on how things played out in the end. While readers will have a good idea of where things go from there, you become so invested in these two characters that you are left breathlessly wanting more, or at the very least to have confirmation as to these two lover’s fates. Other than that the author does a wonderful job of drawing the reader’s emotions out through this powerful romance. As the Valentine’s Day holiday passes, this book is a great way to keep romance alive and witness the way love changes us forever.

Overall this was a wonderfully written book with a beautiful story and rich characters throughout. Exploring various cultures and backgrounds, the story does a great job of connecting people from different worlds through one singular and purposeful thing, and that’s love. If you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copies of Awake Under the Night Sky by Vanya Sharma today!

Rating: 8/10

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