Tag: book

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Finders Keepers by Stephen King Review

A deranged fan breaks into the home of his once favorite author, hellbent on making the writer pay for refusing to publish more of his work and
for making his favorite character, Jimmy Gold, into a sellout. After he kills the writer and takes his money and unpublished notebooks, he hides
his treasure before being sent to prison for another horrific crime. Thirty-five years later, the criminal returns to society, ready to collect
his prize he’s spent his life waiting to claim. Yet he soon learns a teenage boy discovered his loot, and took it to help his family. With the
deranged killer hellbent on reclaiming his prize at any cost, only retired police detective Bill Hodges, along with his most trusted associates,
Jerome Robinson and Holly Gibney, can stop the murderer before the boy pays a terrible price. This is the plot for Stephen King’s Finders Keepers,
the sequel to the highly praised Mr. Mercedes.

This book is a phenomenal read and a great return to the life of Bill Hodges. The new characters of murderer Morris Bellamy and teenager Peter
Saubers is a welcome addition to the series, and the way the past and present collide is so fun to read. The way Mr. King explores the way
passionate readers interpret and absorb a writer’s work brings a new spin on the detective series, while the return of an old foe teases an
explosive and deadly concluding chapter in book three of the series, End of Watch. This is a great sequel that is not to be missed, so make sure
to pick up your copies today!

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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!