Author Spotlight: Christy J. Breedlove

Welcome to TRB Lounge, the section of TRB dedicated to Book Promotions. Today, we are featuring Christy J. Breedlove, author of Screamcatcher: Web World, for the Author Spotlight feature.

About The Author

Author Christy J. Breedlove

Christy J. Breedlove (Chris H. Stevenson), originally born in California, moved to Sylvania, Alabama in 2009. Her occupations have included newspaper editor/reporter, astronomer, federal police officer, Housecleaner and part time surfer girl. She has been writing off and on for 36 years, having officially published books beginning in 1988. Today she writes in her favorite genre, Young Adult, but has published in multiple genres and categories. She was a finalist in the L. Ron. Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, and took the first place grand prize in a YA novel writing contest for The Girl They Sold to the Moon. She writes the popular blog, Guerrilla Warfare for Writers (special weapons and tactics), hoping to inform and educate writers all over the world about the high points and pitfalls of publishing.

 YOU CAN CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR HERE
WEBSITE | Amazon | Blog

My Dream Catcher Story

by Christy J. Breedlove

It all started here. This iconic item, which is rightfully ingrained in Indian lore, is a dream symbol respected by the culture that created it. It is mystifying, an enigma that that prods the imagination. Legends about the dream catcher are passed down from multiple tribes. There are variations, but the one fact that can be agreed upon is that it is a nightmare entrapment device, designed to sift through evil thoughts and images and only allow pleasant and peaceful dreams to enter into consciousness of the sleeper.

I wondered what would happen to a very ancient dream catcher that was topped off with dreams and nightmares. What if the nightmares became too sick or deathly? What if the web strings could not hold anymore visions? Would the dream catcher melt, burst, vanish, implode? I reasoned that something would have to give if too much evil was allowed to congregate inside of its structure. I found nothing on the Internet that offered a solution to this problem—I might have missed a relevant story, but nothing stood out to me. Stephen King had a story called Dream Catcher, but I found nothing in it that was similar to what I had in mind. So I took it upon myself to answer such a burning question. Like too much death on a battlefield could inundate the immediate location with lost and angry spirits, so could a dream catcher hold no more of its fill of sheer terror without morphing into something else, or opening up a lost and forbidden existence. What would it be like to be caught up in another world inside the webs of a dream catcher, and how would you get out? What would this world look like? How could it be navigated? What was the source of the exit, and what was inside of it that threatened your existence? Screamcatcher: Web World, the first in the series, was my answer. I can only hope that I have done it justice. You can be the judge of that.


About The Book

 

When seventeen-year-old Jory Pike cannot shake the hellish nightmares of her parent’s deaths, she turns to an old family heirloom, a dream catcher. Even though she’s half blood Chippewa, Jory thinks old Indian lore is so yesterday, but she’s willing to give it a try. However, the dream catcher has had its fill of nightmares from an ancient and violent past. After a sleepover party, and during one of Jory’s most horrific dream episodes, the dream catcher implodes, sucking Jory and her three friends into its own world of trapped nightmares. They’re in an alternate universe—locked inside of an insane web world filled with murders, beasts and thieves. How can they find the center of the web where all good things are allowed to pass? Where is the light of salvation? Are they in hell?

AMAZON | GOODREADS

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author/book featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Spotlight: Alexandria: World Class Life Story by BDL

Welcome to TRB Lounge, the section of TRB that helps authors and publishers promote their titles. Today, we are featuring BDL, author of Alexandria: World Class Life Story, for one of our features, Book Spotlight.

About The Book

Book Name: Alexandria: World Class Life Story

Author: BDL

Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

Genre: Fiction, Inspirational, Drama-Dystopian

Page Count: 850

Release date: 25th September 2018


Synopsis

Ruth is a legendary runner of the late twenty-first century whose biography inspires a dynamic political resistance to a future Judeo-Christophobic America. Her incredible World Class Life Storyis paralleled by a quest to salvage her beloved nation from extermination. But, she must first find a way to embolden a new generation of patriots to stand against dystopia.

Alexandriais a powerful drama that ambitiously explores what happens in this type of society. Will this be the end of America? And liberty? Discover the importance of following through with commitments no matter the cost. Are you ready to see how this provocative epic tale unfolds? So get set. Get ready. And gear up for the spellbinding dramatic “End Game”.

“She raced past the finish-line toward the End Game—because she loved her country.” ~ BDL

Check out Alexandria: World Class Life Story‘s book trailer on YouTube.

get the book here:

AMAZON | NOOK | iTUNES


About The Author

Author BDL’s fur-baby – Harry

BDL is a proud American from the Southeast. The Author sends a warm sincere thanks to TRB and to all for taking interest. Also, BDL would love to hear from you on Twitter and email. And honest fair reviews are always welcomed. Alexandriais a marathon, not a sprint. Happy reading and cheers!

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR
TWITTER | Email | Goodreads | Bookbub

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Book Review: Why She Lied by Julie Coons

Author: Julie Coons
Release Date: 3rd March 2019
Genre: Psychological thriller, Dark Fiction, Crime, Adult, Suspense, Mystery
Series: 
Edition: E-book
Pages: 183
Publisher: Self-Published
Blurb:
Will she have to lose her child to save her child?
The day she tells her boyfriend she’s pregnant, is the same day he tells her he’s been accused of molestation. His trial is set to begin the following day.
She needs answers…
To get them, she tricks her boyfriend into signing a release form, giving her full access to all of his legal documents. She uncovers the truth, he’s guilty.
To save her unborn child from this monster, she gets an abortion.
FIVE YEARS LATER and still rebuilding her life, Julie finds out her ex-boyfriend has just become the most wanted man in America, involved in human trafficking. When detectives ask for her help locating him, she gets drawn into a baffling mystery. What began as a seemingly simple search soon turns into a much darker reality.
Someone from her past is watching…
Bit by bit, the tapestry of her own secret childhood begins to unravel. What she learns about her past will haunt her forever: family isn’t always what it seems.
Can she help bring this predator to justice, or will she die trying?

WHY SHE LIED is a gripping psychological thriller full of mystery, intrigue, and buried secrets.

REVIEW

★★★★

Why She Lied by Julie Coons is a refreshing new dark psychological thriller with a great concept, a nicely executed plot and decent characterization. This book had just the right amount of complexity to make it an engaging read without being too overly complex.

Overall, this book was a gripping thriller. The characterization wasn’t exactly spot on, but I cared for the main character, Julie, enough to read through the entire book with interest. The layers of background made her a likeable lead and, although the flashbacks and some character traits felt redundant, I felt she was a decent protagonist. Though, again, I wasn’t able to connect or relate to her entirely for some reason.

The writing was good for most parts, though at times the narration felt redundant and there was more of ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing.’ As it was on the simpler side, the reading was easy and the book, because of the tight pacing, turned out to be a surprisingly quick read even for a less-than-200-pages-book.

I liked this book and would recommend to all thriller lovers, especially the ones who love reading dark thrillers with layered and complex characters.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Let me finish: A Rare Insight Into Living With A Lifelong Stammer by Paul O’Meara

Author: Paul O’Meara
Release Date: 15th June 2019
Genre: Non-Fiction, Real Life
Series: 
Edition: E-book
Pages: 180
Publisher: Self-Published
Blurb:
From the school playground to job interviews, oral exams to delivering a best man’s speech, these are not always easy to navigate especially when you are confronted with a stammer.
How does a stammerer approach such situations? What’s a stammerer’s biggest fear? Let me finish answers these questions and more.
More than 70 million people worldwide stammer, and Paul is one of these people.
Stammering can be all-encompassing. It can affect your self-esteem, education and career prospects, and Let me finish offers a rare insight into a stammerer’s world.
Paul recounts his life experiences. The highs and lows, battling other people’s preconceptions, while explaining the intricate and tailored techniques that he applies every day to speak more fluently.
His story is told with a cocktail of sincerity, struggle and joviality. It will make you think, laugh and ultimately change your perspective on what it means to live with a stammer.

REVIEW

★★★★+1/2

Let Me Finish: A Rare Insight Into Living With A Lifelong Stammer by Paul O’Meara is an enlightening and enriching real-life story of the author which, as the title says, provides a rare, and important, insight into the life of a stammerer showing the aspect which we often tend to either ignore unwittingly or remain unaware of.

I’d like to begin the review by sharing that the short introduction at the start of the book served its purpose in helping me understand the book a little better providing a brief glimpse into the author’s backstory. So I greatly appreciated it for that and also for making this book feel more real than most of the other non-fiction books as I was able to connect with the story better.

I enjoyed this book and appreciated the insight it provided into something not many people, including me, are aware of. Everyone’s life has some struggles but for some people, these struggles become something more troublesome because of situations that are entirely out of their hands. And most of the time, we don’t realize what kind of battle a person is fighting emotionally and mentally due to the effects of such circumstances and situations.

Coming back to the book, it was surprisingly well-written and in a style that made me, a fiction lover, enjoy this book as much as I do fictional stories (this is something which rarely get to see in non-fiction books and the biggest let down, at least for me, when it comes to this genre.) So I was very happy to see that the writing sang and flowed well and made this book an enjoyable read. The style of the author and the humorous undertones were polished and executed well. It made this book a light read without losing any of its message or importance.

I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to everyone who liked reading books. This book has a lot to offer everyone whether they read non-fiction or not.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

ARC Review: Simon Grey And The March Of A Hundred Ghosts by Charles Kowalski

Author: Charles Kowalski
Release Date: 1st August 2019
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Historical, Travel
SeriesSimon Grey (Book #1)
Edition: E-book
Pages: 192
Publisher: Excalibur Books
Blurb:
Alone and lost in haunted Japan…

Japan, 1620: A mysterious shipwreck has left cabin boy Simon Grey stranded in an unfamiliar, dangerous land.

He hoped that a long sea voyage would provide some relief from his “gift” of seeing ghosts everywhere on land. Instead, he finds that his ability draws him into the shadowy world of yokai, the spirits and monsters that roam Japan by night. Together with the mysterious Oyuki, daughter of an English sailor-turned-samurai, Simon must earn the yokai’s trust and help, while staying one step ahead of the Shogun’s guards and an evil sorcerer determined to discover the “secret” of Simon’s powers.

As they struggle to stay alive and find a way home, Simon and Oyuki deal with friends and foes from both sides of the grave.

Simon Grey and the March of a Hundred Ghosts is a gripping fantasy adventure that will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson and Young Samurai.

REVIEW

★★★★

Simon Grey And The March Of A Hundred Ghosts by Charles Kowalski is a beautiful historical story set in the backdrop of Japan, laced with unlimited adventure, which proved to be an absolute entertainer.  I enjoyed reading this book because it had the perfect characterization a solid and unique concept and good writing style. It had all the elements to make it a complete and fun read.

The writing style was simple yet effective and the story flowed pretty well from the beginning to end. The pacing was even and the tension created had a great graph. The book was culturally rich and provided keen insights into Japan’s history all the time carefully managing not to get too overly informative.

Overall it was a really enjoyable book and I’d recommend it to all readers who enjoy reading adventure stories in historical settings, especially the readers who like exploring new cultrues.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review: Beneath Pale Water by Thalia Henry

Author: Thalia Henry
Release Date: 26th October 2017
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Travel
Series: 
Edition: E-book
Pages: 248
Publisher: Cloud Ink Press Ltd
Blurb:
Set amidst the physical and psychological landscapes of New Zealand’s southern hills and grasslands, Beneath Pale Water is a social realist and expressionistic novel that follows a triangle of three damaged individuals – a sculptor, a vagrant and a model – who have grown calcified shells against the world. Their search for identity and belonging leads them into dangerous territory that threatens both their sanity and lives. As their protective shells crack they are left vulnerable – both physically and emotionally – to the high country winds and their own conflicts that, ultimately, might free or destroy them.
“Powerfully evokes the landscapes and seasons of inland Otago.” Owen Marshall

Winner of the IPPY Gold Medal Award, Australia/New Zealand – Best Regional Fiction, 2018

REVIEW

★★★★

Beneath Pale Water by Thalia Henry is a wonderfully written book rich with descriptions of places that authors take us through one-by-one via her skillfully created characters. I enjoyed this book and felt that it was very different from the other, modern contemporary, genre fiction.

This book had a great story, good characterization, simple yet effective writing and a beautiful atmosphere which enveloped it from starting to end. Equal parts philosophical and entertaining, this book was uniquely interesting and engrossing. Initially, it took me a couple of pages to get into the story but once I got into the flow of the book, I was in it for good. I appreciated the author’s resistance to over-indulging in exposition as it saved the book from being too heavy.

A considerably quick that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about other countries and cultures.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon

Graphic Novel Review: Plagued: The Devil Did It by Shakil Somani

Author: Shakil Somani
Illustrator: Mark Superales
Release Date: 4th June 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Graphic Novel
Series: 

Edition:
 PDF
Pages: 58
Publisher:
Blurb:
Lukas “Kas” Green, a successful British filmmaker and billionaire living in Los Angeles, takes the wrong girl home one night – she turns out to literally be the daughter of the Devil.The Devil punishes Kas by overrunning his brain with the creativity his film career has been built upon.
Consequently, anytime Kas even thinks about sex, his mind is overcome with sketches and hallucinations.Kas attempts to cure himself of this plague of ideas and distractions, whilst balancing his movie-making career, the overpowering sketch-like stories in his mind and of course, trying to rejoin the population of Bonetown.

Review

★★★★

Plagued: The Devil Did It by Shakil Somani is a new fantasy comic book which is equal parts engaging and entertaining. The book was really engrossing and I enjoyed reading it a lot! The story was good with a nice and smooth flow, the concept was unique and interesting and the characterization was pretty good complimented well with well-written dialogues throughout the book.

The illustrations were very detailed and visually very appealing. They made the book extremely enjoyable. I’d recommend this book to all comic books and graphic novel readers and to anyone who is interested in exploring works from a new author.

You can also read this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

You can read this book for free here: WebToons
Please note that this link was provided by the author himself and is in no way an illegal or pirated source.