Guest Post from Robyn Wheeler

Today I have a guest post from writer Robyn Wheeler author of Born Mad.

In October 2010, after being diagnosed with a mood disorder I had never heard of, I decided to pen my story in hopes of helping and educating others about Dysthymic Disorder. After much research, I wrote about my deep depression, how it affected my life and everyone around me as well as the symptoms and treatment for this low-grade but chronic depression. After four months of non-stop writing and research, I was ready to publish. A long-time friend edited my manuscript prior to sending it off to a self-publishing company called Balboa Press. Then two more revisions ensued before the final copy was ready for publication. Balboa Press was great to deal with: I selected my publishing package, paid my fee and was given step by step instructions on how to proceed and what would be happening next. When the book was ready for printing, I designed the cover and dust jacket as well as a set of questions for interviews and a camera crew came to my house for filming a short trailer for web sites and promotional purposes. The title of my book, Born Mad, came very quickly for me. I wanted something short and simple that relayed the message of my story. There were some rough patches like the numerous editing changes and waiting for the next step to arrive but in the end it is well worth the minor inconveniences. After the book was ready for publication, I was given two agents, one for social media such as Face Book, and Twitter and another agent for traditional media such as radio and television. Most of my interviews are done over the phone, Internet or web cam and sometimes I do need to travel for book signings and speaking engagements. If you have a unique experience or idea and believe your message will help others or entertain and delight readers, stay determined and do whatever necessary to get published. If you have "writers block", put the writing aside temporarily for a few d ays or weeks and eventually your thoughts will come to you when you least expect it. Also, I joined a local writers group before submitting my manuscript so I could test it out on others and receive feedback, comments and suggestions on how to be a better writer, get published and sell books. Writing a book is a lot of hard, dedicated work however, nothing tops the feeling of holding your story in your hands for the first time.

Paperback, 144 pages

Balboa Press

From Good Reads:

Follow Robyn Wheeler on her journey from fits of rage as an angry child, blunders and setbacks as an adult in deep denial, to her quest for awareness and enlightenment. Robyn takes you inside her deepest thoughts and fears, as well as her chronic anger and thoughts of suicide. After being diagnosed with a "bad state of mind" called dysthymia, Robyn wrote Born Mad to help others who may be unaware that they might be suffering from a low-grade chronic depression that will make life difficult, ruin relationships, and contribute to a negative and hopeless outlook on life. Born Mad includes symptoms of dysthymia and coping strategies, as well as the story of how Robyn came to believe in God, defeat chronic anger, and become the person she was meant to be. Read about her courage and determination to be happy and how her life has changed after having a "brain transplant." If you or someone you know suffers from constant mood swings, angry thoughts, and extreme worry or anxiety, Born Mad might shed light on the reasons why and how to fight your way through to hope, peace, and happiness.

My View:

I have not yet read Robyn's book although it sounds interesting. Today more and more people, especially children, are being diagnosed with something. I am not certain where this is coming from. Is it that we have better medical care and therefore things that were missed before are understood now? Is it because we have changed as a society and the pressures that go with it are bringing about more of these illnesses? Is it a combination of the two? I have no real answer.  I have thoughts on it.

I do think that along the way of enlightened society we have lost some core values in the home. Family is no longer the valued relationship it once was. Over time, family has lost real meaning in many homes. 

Marriage, (to me, it also includes committed relationships without the paperwork),  is no longer sacred. Instead of putting the energy and time into trying to work through a bad time - we simply walk away and start over. I am not saying we should stay in a relationship that is clearly toxic. But I do know people who have decided that divorce was the only option when a spouse lost a job and could not readily find one, when an injury from an accident or illness last "forever",  (meaning a few years), or just not "knowing" their partner anymore.  I always thought you at least made an effort with these changes. What I hear now is more and more of, "we are so different now. I found someone new who has the same interest as I do." And when I ask about the children and their feelings, I hear, "children are so resilient - they go with the flow." Really? Is that really what people honestly believe? I think children go with the flow because they are children and really have no choice. That has nothing to do with how they feel or what they are learning from this dissolution. 

Living close to brothers, sisters, parents is no longer the norm. Some of this is because of job situations or other forces like it.  But some of it is due, (in my opinion), to the ease of breaking up a family. People are replacing "family" with "friends". This can be a good thing as sometimes friends do become as close as real siblings. But if you take the easy way with family and then take the easy way with friends, what are you cultivating? Who is with you to the end? Your Face Book  Farmville friends? What are your children learning? I am not knocking Face Book. I do believe it is a wonderful tool. I have many family on my family page and that is how we keep our relationships going. Living in Alaska, while beautiful, can bring home just how far away my family is. I have also made friends on FB that I rely on and would not give up for anything, (my bookies are the most supportive people I know - this blog would not exist without the help and encouragement from Jenn at Books &Barks). But these friends and family relationships are not ones I would take the easy way with. I have a whole list of people on FB that I realize really would not put time or effort into keeping our "friendship" going. If my entire FB friendlist were made up of people who I had no connection to , I would be severely depressed. Yet I know for many people social pages on the web are where they connect to "friends". I think we are losing the art of face to face conversation and fun.

Home is losing its value as a haven. I can remember when home was where you went when your day was bad and someone would care enough about you to lift your day. Now I see everyone go to separate rooms and be alone with the computer, video game or television, (which seem to be in every room including a baby's room now). I have been in homes where the family texted each other from various rooms in the house instead of having face to face conversations. I have a hard time with that. 

I think many of us have lost the ability to balance things. All of the technology I mentioned can be a good tool but it needs balance. Our children need to know that anything that is good is worth the effort to maintain it. They need to know how to balance their lives. We need to know how to balance our lives. If not, I see depression becoming even more of an issue.

I do understand that depression, bi-polar and other mental health issues can be caused by imbalances in a person's body. I always believe you should see a doctor if you have deep depression or any type of depression that lingers or comes and goes repeatedly. However I also believe there are things we do or don't do that can contribute to mental health issues. 

If you are feeling depressed always, ALWAYS, talk to someone about it. Call your doctor or a help line in your community. The good thing with all this information on mental health is that the stigma is going away. It is no longer a bad thing to ask for help. 

Are you in crisis? Please call 1-800-273-TALK

For more information on Depression and /or Bi-Polar Disorder please go to this website: http://www.dbsalliance.org

Comments Welcome!

Meet Robert Nelson

I am going to be introducing some new writers I come across on my blog. Some of them have written books I have read, are reading or have on my TBR. Some of them may write a guest post for the blog. Others may just want to let you know about their book. The opinions expressed, unless otherwise noted, are the authors opinion. I just thought it would be a good way to get new writers out there. I will still be doing my own things - reviews, interesting books I find, Alaskan/Juneau stuff, autism awareness, the memes, products/businesses I like, (or seriously do not like in which I will tell you why),  etc. As this is a new thing I am really looking for any feedback in the coming weeks. You can do this publicly by writing a comment or you can email me your thoughts, (cristina@alaskanbookcafe.com). 

Writer Robert Nelson

Robert Nelson was born and raised in Garner, North Carolina where he earned the connections and street credibility needed to bring a sense of authenticity to his work. Consequentially, this lead to his stay in the luxurious NC-DOC where through a lot of retrospection he developed a strategy to defeat what he had become. Through the guidance of the Aryan Brotherhood and the variety of other hardened criminals he  played cards with he focused his energy into developing his skills as a writer to keep the youth from making the same mistakes he did. If he can open just one pair of eyes through his writing, everything he’s put into these pages would have paid off.

Robert has written the book:

Real-Eyez Realize Real-Liez

Kindle Edition, 309 pages

The War for the heart of Urban America won’t televise from some foreign shore. It’ll be fought in your living room with dope, cash, blood and bullets. The American way of life has strayed into the shadows and one by one we’re losing our children to the illusion of Hood Dreams and a Gangsta’s Paradise. 

Only one man stands strong enough to hold back the tide. A renegade Aryan Prodigy and his crew, and an unfathomable amount of guns are all that protects the last shreds of civilization in the streets. The name Riley Bennett will echo through the ages as he who so loved his people that he’d rather see the World in flames than see them suffer. 

The War is coming… Whether we’re ready for it or not…

My view:

I have not read this book. It looks like it may be an interesting look at someone's experience in prison. I do not have racial boundaries. I  find it fascinating when someone does. I cannot fathom saying one race is better than another. In my life I have found good and bad in all people regardless of skin color, religion, or culture. It truly escapes me how people come up with racial, religious or cultural superiority. 

I have also never been to prison. I have not even been arrested. I have no real idea what life is like behind bars. I do not know how that can shape your beliefs. I do believe that spending a vast amount of time in prison does shape what you come to believe and how you see things. Since a big portion of the population either has been to jail, prison or knows someone who has, I do think it is somewhat important to learn what we can of their views. Many do return to society. Whether or not they make it depends on many things, one of which is understanding.  You cannot make a difference in that which you do not attempt to understand or learn about. 
I watched a fascinating movie about prison that was based on a real life experiment.  It is available on Netflix, (DVD, BlueRay, Instant streaming - The Experiment on Netflix),  and is called "The Experiment". It was eye opening to say the least.  It is based on the Stanford Prison Experiment, ( link: http://www.prisonexp.org/ ), and is about a group of men who volunteered to be a part of a mock prison. Some were guards and some prisoners, (no one got to choose which - it was assigned), and the changes they went through in a short amount of time. 

If anyone has read this book or is planning to, please use the comment section, (or my email),  to leave your thoughts on it. I would really like to hear from you. If the author of this book sees this I would really like to hear from you. 

Comments Welcome!

Guest Post - Holli Pfau

Please be sure to check out all the blogs in the tour

PURE GOLD BLOG TOUR SITES

Lost and Found

Dogs always find us when we’re feeling lost.

I’m not talking about search and rescue dogs, the acknowledged heroes of the canine world.  I’m talking about the closer-to-home, garden variety rescue dog that is probably sitting at your feet right now.

These unheralded, sensitive and life-saving dogs probably do more to keep us humans on course and an even keel than we recognize.

My first golden retriever, Nikki, helped me to answer one of those Big Questions:  What shall I do with my life to really make a difference?  While I gnashed my teeth over this one, and fumbled with professional guidance, and chased my own tail in the process, little Nik, still a youngster at the time, patiently followed me around, gazed wisely into my eyes, and waited for me to see what she already knew.  A whole new career in animal-assisted therapy would let us work side by side in hospital rooms to offer her kindness, love and inspiration to patients in need.

It was as simple as that.  One day, when I wondered why God hadn’t sent me a sign to guide my path, I look down at Nik and the epiphany literally took my breath away.  As did Nikki’s unerring intuition and skill in her work.

Bodie came along with another mission in mind for me:  Expand my comfort zone in the wilderness.  While I felt the need to embark on even a short day hike with supplies to survive for days, Bodie launched into every exploration with boundless energy and true faith – we would all be just fine, and even better if we went farther faster.  His ebullient joy and confidence gradually seeped into my bones, too.

Sweet Sophie and gentle giant Tucker moved through life side by side, the epitome of true friendship.  When I needed to settle my soul and practice just being, instead of frenetically doing, they were there to model that for me.  Tuck showed me how, lying on the back deck, gazing up the hillside behind the house, nose twitching with delicious scents and eyes half closed in exquisite pleasure.

After that harmonious canine interlude, Daisy said “Enough porch sitting.  Let’s get up and RUN!”  Lest I be lulled into complacent pleasures, she had other things in mind.  Like activities that use your mind and your body, and take lots of training.  An awful lot.  And also the chance to practice patience and understanding and partnership and – well, the list goes on and on.  Daisy launched me into the world of dog agility, just when I needed something new to keep my focus, as well as hers.

We never feel so lost as we do after a loss, when we’re bumping into walls and sleepwalking through our days.  When we feel so adrift that it seems nothing will be able to tether us to shore again.  That’s when little Chatter arrived on my doorstep with her baggage.  Her issues weren’t apparent, as we unpacked her obvious assets:  beautiful breeding, handsome conformation, luxurious coat, deep brown eyes.  But digging deeper into her bag, we found insecurity and wounds from benign neglect, and the likelihood of physical abuse.  Now she needed someone to help fill her empty spaces and tuck confidence and safety and love into every corner of her being.

Golden retrievers all.  And all adopted as rescued or second-hand dogs.  Yes, I gave them each a home when they needed it most.  But they gave me more, every single day of their lives.  They taught me lessons I might not have otherwise learned.  And they found me when I was lost.  

My review:

This is one of the most heartwarming books I read this year. I admit I love dogs and am a true sucker for dog stories. I have a black lab, she is my most loyal and best friend. So you may be thinking I just liked the book because of being a dog lover. Yes and no. I admit I accepted the book because I am a dog lover and who could resist the cover dog? I most likely enjoyed the book more because I am a dog lover. However this book has a very good message. Holli rescued dogs who in turn rescue people. No they do not go looking for lost people. The stories are not of that sort. They rescue them by loving them and helping them. I have always believed animals have an extra sense - one that allows them to read our inner most feelings and respond to them. The stories in Holli's book are about her dogs doing that kind of rescuing. She uses them in a hospital program. Some parts of the book are heartrendingly sad. The dogs she rescues have some very sad things happen to them. I cried more than once. Holli also takes the time to let you know that bringing the rescued dogs home does not mean an easy, good time. I really appreciated that she included the challenges. I think it is very important to know what the reality is. I believe it is worth the challenges as the dogs give so much more back. I am very pleased to be able to say that Holli makes that part clear in her book. She tells wonderful stories of the animals not only doing their volunteer work but of life with her rescued retrievers. 

This is a very easy reading book. Holli writes in a very friendly way. Reading her stories is almost like hearing her tell them to you. I think it will make a perfect Christmas gift. I am actually purchasing copies to give to the elderly home here in my town as well as the shelter for their library. It is the kind of book that fills your heart. 

For more on Holli and these wonderful Retrievers please go to 

http://www.puregoldbook.com/

Comments Always Appreciated!

Review of Pulse of Heroes by A. Jacob Sweeny

TRICK OR TREAT ZOMPACOLYPSE HOP

HALLOWEEN FUN GIVEAWAY ENTRY

Pulse of Heroes by A. Jacob Sweeny

Paperback, 509 pages Kindle Edition by Thalamus Press

*This book was given to me for review. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions expressed are mine.  A Part of  Romancing Your Dark Side Book Tour.*

The Blurb:

A suspenseful, passionate, paranormal romance that sweeps through the emotions of first love and heartache as it traverses centuries and continents.

Michelle used to feel like she was behind in everything, especially school and relationships. Her great aunt from the old country says she is like a bland meal, "no salt or pepper". But in junior year, everything changes. Her father takes a position on the Town Council, a popular boy in school becomes interested in her, and most importantly, the Hekademos Learning Center, a private school for 'troubled' students, moves into her quiet neighborhood amidst the protests of the entire town.

After seeing the School Regent out with a group of young guys just before Christmas, Michelle is convinced that there is something odd about them. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she embarks upon a mission to figure out what is really going on. After an embarrassing fall over the school wall, Michelle meets Elliot and her ordinary ‘bland’ life changes its course forever.

Elliot is no ordinary human. In fact, no one at the Hekademos Learning Center is. Beautiful and fierce, they have survived throughout the millennia by weaving in and out of human events. Through them, Michelle learns that history and myths from around the world are dotted with references to their kind. Michelle falls madly in love with the ever-striking and mysterious Elliot and, as much as he tries to fight it, he develops strong feelings for her as well. Although Elliot carries numerous painful memories from his many pasts, he disregards his own better judgment and the advice of his friends, and finds himself falling for Michelle‘s offbeat personality. Their feelings grow in intensity, but when History catches up with them, the difference between their life paths threatens to destroy any future that they might have had together.

Michelle learns that there are infinite shades of gray between black and white, and has to deal with the bundle of contradictory emotions called love. After some unexpected twists during a family trip to Europe, she has to trust her intuition in order to face the danger and uncertainty of being drawn into Elliot’s wondrous world. Ultimately, it is up to Michelle to make the split-second, life-altering decision that will either tear them apart forever, or give them another chance.

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. The pace is slow so you will want to make time to read this. The author builds the story with a lot of day to day things.  Normally I get impatient with that but this time it worked for me. I really got to know Michelle and how she thinks, feels and reacts. This is knowledge of her is important to the story so, if you are like me and get impatient, hang in there.  I appreciated the way the author kept me on the edge of knowing Elliot. At first I was put off by it but then I realized she was putting me in Michelle's place. I knew what Michelle knew. I felt what Michelle felt. It really made this an easy book to fall into and forget where you really are. 

Another huge plus for me was the addition of all the history. I love history. I love reading about the Gods and Goddesses. This book is rich in it. A Jacob Sweeny made it engrossing to read. Ancient history can be hard for some people to be interested in but I really think even those people would love reading this book. 

I found this to be a well written, tender, suspenseful paranormal romance that slowly builds, leaving you breathless and wanting more. I found it to be an extremely moving book. One of my all time favorite books is Mists of Avalon and I truly never thought I would read another book I would hold beside that one. Pulse of Heroes just won a place next to it in my heart.  This is quite a feat as I first read Mists of Avalon over 20 years ago and it has held its lonely space for that entire time. I highly recommend Pulse of Heroes to you.  It truly blew me away.

An angry note here:  while visiting the author's site I learned that copies of Pulse of Heroes were pirated. That is so uncool! A. Jacob put her heart and soul into writing one of the best books I have read and to have it passed around like that is beyond words. Please buy the book. Don't steal. Pirating only looks good on Johnny Depp and I seriously doubt he is stealing books!

Here is the cover for Pulse of Heroes Book 2 which is available on the author's site. As she only uses pay pal, (which I refuse to use after a bad experience with them), I am hoping it makes it out to wider markets soon. 

A Jacob Sweeny's amazing website is here: http://www.pulseofheroes.com

A Jacob is on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pulse-Of-Heroes/108874512509753?sk=wall

A Jacob is a Good Reads Author: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665536.A_Jacob_Sweeny

Comments always appreciated!

Review of Whatnots&Doodads by Stacey Kennedy

TRICK OR TREAT ZOMPACOLYPSE HOP


HALLOWEEN FUN GIVEAWAY ENTRY

Whatnots & Doodads by Stacey Kennedy

ebook, 47 pages

 Liquid Silver Books

*This book was given to me for review. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions expressed are mine.  A Part of Dark Side Book Tours.*

For Bryanna, a witch from the Asheville Coven, magic is on the fritz. Shunned by her coven and her boyfriend Layton for her unruly magic, she seeks a new life for herself. It just so happens, fate steps in and brings her to Strange Hollow--a place where being different is not only acceptable, but encouraged.

When Bryanna arrives in Strange Hollow, Zeke, a demon gone good, is burning with Hell’s fire over her. Not only has she set his world ablaze, but he’s found one soul he can save. He’s determined to free her from the insecurities that have damaged her soul.

Together they experience lava-hot passion as they weave their way through a tornado of emotions. But when Layton returns for her, will Zeke’s attempts to break the unworthy cage woven around her be enough to keep her in Strange Hollow forever?

Wow! What a read! Lava-hot passion does not do it justice. Stacey Kennedy, (this is my first story of hers I have read), knows how to write erotica. I had to smoke 2 cigarettes when I was done with the first major erotic passage.

This is a novella so it is a quick read. However it packs a lot in. The story is well written. I was captivated by it. The romance, while being done in a quick amount of time, built slowly then exploded. I loved it! Bryanna was in a very fragile state and I really liked how Stacey gave voice to Zeke's thoughts in that regard. She chose to not let Bryanna be taken too easily. I also welcomed the message that Stacey gave of acceptance. Bryanna was very relatable for me. She has low self esteem when she arrives in Strange Hollow due to her lack of witchy abilities. Layton preferred her that way, I believe. Zeke, however, wanted to see her get her confidence back. I loved that. The message that you are of value, even if not all others see it that way, is very strong. Another thing I appreciated was, unlike most stories that do not explain why a creature, (such as a demon), is acting strangely unlike their kind, Stacey explains why that is in Strange Hollow. I found that refreshing. The characters were well thought out and very likable. I would love to see more of Strange Hollow and the various characters who reside there. While the story was fulfilling on its own I was curious for more. I am hoping that Stacey gives thought to making a series of novellas from Strange Hollow.

I thought this was a very enjoyable, fun, passionate read. Excellent for a chilly fall night. Definitely for adults though.

Stacey has a website: http://www.staceykennedy.com/

She is a Good Reads Author: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3473046.Stacey_Kennedy

Is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Stacey_Kennedy

Has FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorStaceyKennedy

Can be found on Coffee Time Romance: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1375

And is part of Paranormal Romantics: http://paranormalromantics.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html

Books by  Stacey Kennedy include:

    

    

Comments Always Welcome!

Halloween Fun with Suzan Battah and Birthday Wishes!

TRICK OR TREAT ZOMPACOLYPSE HOP

HALLOWEEN FUN GIVEAWAY ENTRY

DATING- Scary or Not?

Well, being new to blogging I hope I’m going to do a good job for your guys. I was born on the 30th of October, so I wonder - does that make me scary to men? I’m not all too familiar with Halloween being Australian but isn’t the 30th of October known as the Night of Death, or something? Or maybe men aren’t scared of me, it’s all just a conspiracy to annoy single ladies with bad dates by the government. I’m going with the government theory.

Being the obvious lover of romance novels and of course I most certainly adore men, no knocking here at all. I’ve just become super picky when it comes to going out on dates. Rules I prefer to adhere to from now on and hope all single ladies have some limitations:

·         The man must be well dressed, neat and tidy or at least be able to move in that direction without too much guidance.

·         Must have proper hygiene, no stinky men for me and if they wear a really nice cologne, I’m a sucker for good smelling men. mmmm, mmmm!

·         Must love loud and boistrous ethnic family and communicate with said loud and boistrous ethnic family - I’m happy to accommodate all types of family without prejudice as Jane Austen lovingly made clear with Elizabeth and Darcy.

·         Must not care that I love to write romance and won’t be able to stop writing romance and deal with it.

·         Oh and I really want to feel the WOW before I go on the date.

These are only basic rules, there is a whole heap of other rules I have but I won’t bore you with the list of what my ideal man could be. I’ve decided to come out of my dry spell of not dating and try dating again.

Hopefully this leads me onto the road of love. After all I’m very romantic, adore gorgeous passionate men and have been watching Farmer Wants a Wife too much.

Am I being too picky, are my standards too high?

Do I seriously need to tell a date to smell nice, hell no! He should know that already. Should I be seriously PO’d when a date steals my carpark and tells me about it later, hell yes! Should I laugh when I go meet someone online and go on a date to find out that he thinks I look a whole lot better in real life, I was definitely flattered, and it happened twice with two different dates, shame it didn’t work out. But I couldn’t go on in this life without knowing that I’m apparently more of a stunner in real life than in my pictures online.

So for this Halloween Year 2011, I Suzan Battah have decided to give dating another try. Good company, lots of romance, fun conversation and all of my guidelines aren’t being met? Hmmmm, it must be trick or treat. I’m after a treat... anyone else need one? Those last chocolates in the box too tempting to resist.

http://www.suzanbattah.com/

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/86936

Happy Birthday Suzan! I wish you much love, happiness and success in the coming year!

Review of The Hybrids of 2050 by Ami Blackwelder

The Hybrids of 2050 by Ami Blackwelder

Shifter Evolutions  #4

A Dystopian Shifter Romance 

Paperback, 290 pages

Published March 7th 2011 by CreateSpace 

Good Reads:

Alaska 2050 Hybrids caught between two worlds. Shifters on the verge of extinction. Humans divided on either side. Summary: Love and betrayal continue. Set in Alaska 2050, Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder continue their work for the SCM under the hard, maddening General Raul. With military life now a cat and mouse game between Melissa and the General, the hybrids and the SCM, will she still have room for Bruce in her life? Will she ever see her twins again? After betrayal strikes the General for a second time, is Melissa safe? Since the annihilation of the shifters, only two elders remain in Anchorage, and an uncertain future awaits the hybrids. Will Diamond overcome her heartache and loss and find a family with Unseen? When a human joins the team, will he prove to be trustworthy? Will Melissa aid the hybrids in their survival or will she deliver the ultimate betrayal? With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the page.

Me:

In this book we are introduced to the hybrid offspring of the Shifters and to new characters from Russia, including Uri a human. We learn more of Melissa's feelings toward the twins she bore with a shifter. Her relationship is still on with Bruce but both remain working in the lab even with torn loyalty. General Raul is more powerful and is more closely resembling Hitler,(or perhaps Hitler crossed with  Dr Mengele), with his experimentation on the Shifters. 

Ami Blackwelder has written an enthralling continuation to the Shifter Evolutions Series. This is the fourth book in the series and the second I have read. Ami recommends you start with the third and fourth books then decide to go back to the beginning or continue forward. The story continues to be well written and tightly woven. Your heart will be pounding through out this book. The characters are once again strongly written with more clues dropped at what motivates some of them.  I am becoming more intrigued with General Raul, (though I still do not like him). Ami does an awesome job weaving together the books in this series. The flow is flawless so far. The hard part for me comes next. I am left now with the agonizing choice of the beginning, (where my curiosity of General Raul will be sated), or following the story to the end. I do so badly want to know what is next. Hard decision time. I am not certain which way I will go. I weigh in about equal in curiosity of Gen Raul and the need to know what happens. Oh Ami, you are sadistic! I think I will be surprised as everyone else as to which way I go. To make matters worse, the first book of the new series, The Mers, is out on October 31st!!!. Kindle/Nook price will be  .99 cents. 

Ami's Books are a part of the Halloween Fun Giveaway. So if you want to read them, free, please enter today. Time is running out! To enter The Halloween Fun Giveaway Click This Highlight or go to the Giveaway Tab at the top. 

For the review of: The Shifters of 2040 

For Ami's website: http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com/

Be sure to check out all the giveaways on her blog. She has some awesome ones going on now!

Comments always welcome!