Scott A. Lerner - Ruler of Demons - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Only eleven shopping days till Christmas. And less than a week to save the world.

Three nuns—in Chicago, Paris, and Jerusalem—have been killed in a religious ritual. The choice of victims and the macabre details of their deaths indicate that someone is following a recipe provided on an ancient text—a recipe to unleash the forces of hell on earth. The final sacrifice must occur on the Winter Solstice.

Samuel Roberts, a small-town attorney in Urbana, Illinois, knows a bit about the supernatural, having triumphed at least once over the forces of evil. Thanks to a friend who is aware of Sam’s little known previous efforts on behalf of mankind, Sam is hired by a big Chicago law firm to take on a sensitive case. His mission? Nothing less than halting the impending apocalypse.

Sam and his good buddy Bob travel first to Jerusalem then Paris in a desperate race to save mankind.

Link to read an excerpt.

My Review

Nothing gets the pages turning like a showdown between good and evil, and mystery author Scott A. Lerner pens a battle royale starring none other than God vs. Satan. It turns out there's a secret formula written on an immortal piece of human flesh that was uncovered with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It was under lock and key at the Vatican until someone stole it. The problem? No one knows if conducting the ritual sacrifices (a.k.a. the sick and twisted killing of nuns) will bring Jesus back to earth or release the devil from hell. Who could possibly stop either of these epic catastrophes from happening? Sam Roberts, a small town defense attorney from Urbana, Illinois, is charged with the task. But is he up to the challenge?

Roberts seems to be singled out by supernatural forces for these kind of assignments. He dreads getting involved, but he does so anyway. This time, he's backed into a corner when he finds a chopped off human tongue on his table. So he calls his friend, Bob, and hops a plane to Israel to begin the investigation. The plot weaves through a variety of foreign locations from Jerusalem to Paris before setting up the climatic conclusion in Chicago. Sam and Bob chase a trail of breadcrumbs given to them by scholars, cab drivers and religious fanatics only to end up right back where they started. It's a wild goose chase that explores the background of the world's three major religions - Christianity, Judaism and Islam - through the eyes of a main character who doesn't profess affiliation to any of them. Sam is the secular man trying to uncover the logical truth behind the spiritual superstitions embedded in the various cultures.

The journey takes some twists and turns along the way from a murderous fire demon attack in a hotel lobby to the appearance of a beautiful woman who somehow takes a liking to the sci-fi loving, Bob. Not to mention, the HOME ALONE style escape from a basement dungeon and a homeless man with cockroaches crawling all over him issuing prophetic words of doom. The novel is jam-packed with details from TV and movie references to mouth-watering descriptions of local cuisine. Lerner has a keen eye for the world his characters inhabit making it come alive for the reader in all three dimensions.

Overall, the mystery aspect is intriguing, but it's the banter between Sam and Bob that holds the book together.

***

Ruler of Demons can be purchased at:
Amazon

Prices/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $13.95 paperback
Pages: 202
Publisher: Camel Press
Release: December 15, 2013
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

Author and attorney Scott A. Lerner resides in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. He is currently a sole practitioner in Champaign, Illinois. The majority of his law practice focuses on the fields of criminal law and family law. Mr. Lerner lives with his wife, their two children, and their cat Fern. Lerner collects unusual antiques and enjoys gardening, traveling, reading fiction, and going to the movies. His first novel, Cocaine Zombies, won a bronze medal in the mystery/cozy/noir category of the 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards.

Links to connect with Scott:
Web Site
Twitter
Goodreads
Blog Tour Site


About the Giveaway

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April Bostic - The Howling Heart - Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.



Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv---wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.

Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.

Video Book Trailer



My Review

This paranormal romance took me out of my comfort zone in a way I wasn't expecting. I've read a lot of stories about wolves and humans falling in love, but this rendition takes it one step further. What if the furry, four-legged creature with razor sharp teeth wasn't able turn back into a man after having the girl fall in love with him? Would their relationship continue? That's the gray area that April Bostic explores in THE HOWLING HEART.

Paige Donovan is a girl in her early twenties who reconnects with Riley Gray, the guy who's been secretly pining for her for years. They met briefly as children when Paige was vacationing with her parents in their cabin in the Rocky Mountains. Back then, Paige didn't know Riley was a wolf, but when she comes back to the cabin for the first time after her father dies, Riley immediately recognizes her scent. Sure, she's attracted to him, but she doesn't immediately share the same level of intense devotion that he has for her. In fact, she's a little creeped out by it.

Riley admits that he hasn't dated anyone his entire life, while she's had her heart broken on more than one occasion by guys who have cheated on her. Riley goes on to explain that wolves mate for life and if she agrees to let him mark her with his teeth they'll be bonded for eternity. These animal tendencies of Riley's personality are usually brought to the forefront. He walks around in public naked. He climbs through her bedroom window. He howls when she tries to leave him.

And then, Paige faces a FIFTY SHADES OF GREY-like dilemma when Riley starts questioning just how far she's willing to go with him. At first, she's appalled and won't even consider what he's asking. But little by little, he begins to chip away at her reluctance. She starts to imagine different scenarios with him, open to the possibility of taking things in a different direction. The subject matter delves into areas that are meant for mature audiences and reader discretion is strongly advised. The participants don't actually go there, but the innuendo and foreshadowing are highly suggestive and should come with a warning label. I found parts of the book to be quite graphic in detail, and high in shock value. I was taken by surprise by such passages and wasn't anticipating them based on the synopsis.

This novel works best for readers who are open-minded when it comes to their tastes for the erotic. For a more general audience of romance lovers, it might come across as controversial and disturbing. It all depends on the comfort level of the individual in regards to explicit content and deviation from the basic romantic formula found in most love stories. Regardless of personal preference, Bostic succeeds in describing sexual situations you won't soon forget.

***

The Howling Heart can be purchased at:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore, Books a Million

Prices/Formats: $6.95 ebook, $17.62 paperback
Pages: 234
Publisher: Eternal Press
Release: August 8, 2013
Click to add to your Goodreads list.


About the Author

April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled "A Rose to the Fallen".



Her first short story, "Right Here, Right Now", released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled "Eros, My Love", and a sexy romantic comedy entitled "Love Addiction".



After five years, she released her second novel, "The Howling Heart" in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April will release her fourth short story in December 2013, an 18th century paranormal romance entitled "A Dark Scandal".

Links to connect with April:
Web Site
Goodreads
Blog Tour Site


About the Giveaway

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