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Monthly Archives: April 2019

Maestra Rising (Project Enterprise #8) by Pauline Baird Jones – Cover Reveal with Excerpt

30 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by WWMB in Cover Reveal

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Cover Reveal, excerpt, favorite series, Pauline Baird Jones, scifi, scifi romance, series, space opera

What’s that you say?  You need a good scifi adventure.  With a pretty dollop of romance.  And you could use a little quirkiness?  It sounds like you are saying that you need a Pauline Baird Jones / Project Enterprise fix?

In that case, I have good news.  Today I have a cover reveal of the soon-to-be-release Project Enterprise novel – Maestra Rising.  It will be out on June 18, but you can pre-order it today. In fact, I recommend it.  For today, here is a sneak peak at the cover (love it!) and at an excerpt from the book.  Thanks to Pauline Baird Jones for giving us this tantalizing taste of what is to come!

About Maestra Rising

She’s a gifted scientist. He’s a robot with a human mind. Can they save a lost ship and find love among the stars?

Nivi awakes from cryosleep plagued by guilt. The scientific genius had hoped her people would avoid war if she went into cold sleep, but she learns her sacrifice was in vain. And now a vicious enemy approaches a stranded Earth spaceship. Desperate to reactivate the technology she needs for the rescue, Nivi enlists the help of an attractive robot with a human consciousness and wisdom beyond his years…

Moose survived slavery but never forgot the feeling of worthlessness it forced upon him. After living in the body of a robot for years, he sees an opportunity to help the brilliant Nivi if he becomes human once again. In a new body with new dangers, he worries that the genius scientist will never see him as more than the robot he once was.

Outnumbered by a relentless foe, Nivi and Moose attempt to put their desires on hold to ensure humanity’s survival.

With time running out, can they defeat the enemy and enjoy a future filled with love

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Excerpt from Maestra Rising

Here is an extended excerpt about Arian and Coop from Found Girl: Project Enterprise 6. You’ve all been wondering when they are going to be rescued! Well, this is the book where they try. But as you can see, if you read the excerpt, they are in a LOT of trouble because thing are heating up where they are.

Please note this is an unedited version because I (Pauline) couldn’t wait to share it.

Deep in the tunnels of the Phoenicopterian’s central planet, the intermittent ticking echoed off the walls, seeming to reach up and out into space itself. That was the plan, according to Arian, Captain Jackson “Coop” Cooper thought a touch gloomily, as he followed his bird guide down and then down some more through the dull and rather damp tunnel system. Waiting wasn’t really his thing and Pappy—General Boyette—wasn’t a great wait-on-events guy either.

Hope had been, well, not high. Not Pappy’s skill set either. But Arian’s SOS beat trying to hoof it home in a hundred years or more—if they managed to elude the fleet of vicious storks hungrily pacing outside this sanctuary. He suppressed a memory of his fight with the storks and the men who had died. He hadn’t watched the video of that fight, hadn’t wanted to watch it again. He’d been there, so it already played on an almost constant loop inside his head.

Pappy had watched it because that’s what commanders of men did. He’d never seen the old man come out of a briefing that pale.

They’d been brainstorming an alternate plan ever since, trying to learn from the skirmish and do better the next time, if the SOS didn’t work or help didn’t come in time. Ideas for what to do better or different were thin on the ground and now—well, that’s why Pappy had sent him here.

They passed into the fountain room, then out again. That damn fountain was the only way he knew he was almost there. Like the Phoenicopterians, all the tunnels looked alike to him.

The tall double doors opened at their approach. The first time he’d been here, he’d wondered if they were all on the menu. He was glad they hadn’t been, but finding out they were kind of friends had not helped that much.

The guide stopped, letting him enter on his own. The room had morphed from weird dining room to echoing space with nothing but the Urclock and then into a sort of not-fun home away from home for them. Not that he felt comfortable doing anything but hugging Arian when anyone could walk in at any time. And often did.

The Phoenicopterians had moved in a couple of chairs, a bed, and a work station so Arian could be comfortable during her vigil. Somehow they’d managed to accommodate her other needs without her needing to get too far away. Pappy let him spend as much time here as events allowed.

Or when there was bad news.

She looked around, as if she sensed him coming. His breath caught and his heart kicked into high. Her smile lit her face until she saw his eyes. He hated that he’d been the one to erase that smile. It was the first thing he’d fallen for—

“It’s—” She stopped, her head turning to the side as Hoteimai—him or her, Coop still wasn’t sure—entered, moving toward them with that peculiar flamingo-like gait. Coop had been around them long enough to be able to tell when they were worried. Like now.

Arian’s fingers tightened around his, but her voice was calm. “They’ve broken through again? Haven’t they?”

The large bird raised and lowered its long pink neck in a nod.

“Not big enough for a ship to get through. Yet,” Coop added because what they’d done once the storks could do again, particularly when the array had already been damaged.

She nodded, her glance straying toward the Urclock. He didn’t want to look, but he couldn’t help it. The third symbol still blinked red, then yellow. They’d had some hope when the seven signal came on, but then nothing. At this point, if anyone answered the signal, could they get here in time to help them?

Suddenly the Urclock pulsed, light coming from the symbols and it also seemed to come from the surface of the thing, too. Arian’s eyes glazed for a few seconds and then it was over. Coop blinked in the bright light, his grip on Arian tightened as she swayed slightly.

“Was that…them?” he asked.

Instead of answering, she looked at the Urclock. It had changed. Arian’s symbol still blinked yellow and red, and another one had joined in hers. One and seven were yellow. And the rest were red. Not blinking red, but solid red.

“What does that mean?” Coop asked. Maybe red didn’t mean the same thing to this tangram thing…

“The Tangram can not form.” Hoteimai’s tone was flat, almost resigned, as if it had expected this.

“It’s been a long time,” Arian said, her brows creased. “But the One is active. She—” Arian’s gaze turned dreamy, distant. “The Maestra will not stop trying.”

Despite her words, her wide worried gaze met his. He managed a crooked grin for her.

“So, maybe we won’t be home by Christmas, but Easter for sure.”

************************

Maestra Rising is the eighth novel in the epic Project Enterprise sci-fi romance series. If you like gripping adventures, captivating characters, and emotional out-of-this-world encounters, then you’ll love Pauline Baird Jones’ thrilling saga.

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Pre-order Maestra Rising at Amazon (releases June 18):

Other purchase links here: http://paulinebjones.com/books/maestra-rising/

Purchase books in the Project Enterprise series:

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About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Pauline Baird Jones never liked reality, so she writes books. She likes to wander among the genres, rampaging like Godzilla, because she does love peril mixed in her romance. Loves chocolate, bacon, flamingoes, and mid-century modern anything.

American Witch by Thea Harrison – Review

29 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by WWMB in Book Review

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, desert, paranormal, romance, series, The Harrison, witches


About American Witch by Thea Harrison

Power can change a person…

For months Molly Sullivan endures the inexplicable: electrical surges, car breakdowns, visions. She even wonders if she might be the cause… and wonders if she might be crazy. Then she discovers her husband has cheated on her. Again. Now Molly realizes she is a newly awakening witch and a woman pushed over the edge.

Revenge can shape a person…

Josiah Mason is a Powerful witch and the leader of a secret coven with a shared goal: to destroy an ancient enemy who has ruined many lives. Josiah lost years to this man, and his sole focus is revenge. He’s prepared for every contingency—except encountering a beautiful new witch who understands nothing of the immense Power building within her or the attraction she wields over him.

Danger can bring them together…

When divorcing her husband, Molly uncovers a dangerous secret he’s willing to kill to protect. She turns to Josiah for help, and they discover a connection between Molly’s husband and Josiah’s enemy.

As they work together, a spark ignites between them that threatens to become an inferno. But Molly is done compromising herself for any man, and Josiah’s mission is his top priority. And the enemy is cunning, cruel, and drawing ever closer.

As the danger escalates, so does the tension between them. Is a lasting relationship possible? Will either of them live long enough to try?

**********************

Review of American Witch

American Witch is the first in a new trilogy. It is a spin off of the Elder Races series, but you don’t have to read that series to appreciate this new one. I had read only two of the many-book series and did not feel like I missed anything.

This new book kicks off the series with a blast of magical storytelling, sure to spell you into reading late into the night. Despite the fact that I did not like the hero, I loved the story and plan to read the next book in the series.

Like I said, I did not like the hero. Josiah was too power hungry and this is one of the first things he proves to Molly. Despite that flaw, Josiah and Molly are drawn to each other. But as if to prove my point, early in the story, Josiah’s thoughts of Molly prove he is not necessarily a good person:

As he already knew, quite well goddammit, there was no room for nice people in this life.

But, like I said, they are drawn to each other and Josiah can help Molly with her newly emerging witchly Power. She really needs the guidance. This results in a complicated, tumultuous relationship. Molly and Josiah are two very determined people who have no business being together while Josiah is on his mission. But they can’t stay away from each other.

Molly’s knows they need to stay away from each other. Her thoughts:

Because we know this dance, don’t we my friend? We’ve been here before in this private place.
You push harder, and I give in. You fall into you animal while I rise up to meet you.
And we might break our hearts, but we’ll say it will have been worth it.
To bathe in this fire one more time.
Just to spark the fire.
One more time.

By the way, in case you can’t tell from Molly’s thoughts, there is quite a bit of ardor in this book. Lovemaking. Sex. Well-written and only detracting if the scene got too long (the first sex scene). ‘Cause I wanted to get back to the main story.

I love the story, the complex characters, the motion, the heart and magic. But I especially loved the writing (see Molly’s thoughts above) in this book. If you are going to write a spinoff, do it the way Ms. Harrison has. Different enough from the original series, with intense characters, and a plot to carry the series. I wonder how long I will have to wait for book 2…..

Oh yeah, now I want to move to a particular little village in the Bay Area.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Links

Add American Witch to your Goodreads shelf:

Purchase American Witch:

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An Artless Demise (Lady Darby Mysteries, #7) by Anna Lee Huber – Review

01 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by WWMB in Book Review

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Tags

5 stars, Anna Lee Huber, body snatchers, Book Review, favorite series, historical, mystery, series


About An Artless Demise by Anna Lee Huber

November 1831. After fleeing London in infamy more than two years prior, Lady Kiera Darby’s return to the city is anything but mundane, though not for the reasons she expected. A gang of body snatchers is arrested on suspicion of imitating the notorious misdeeds of Edinburgh criminals, Burke and Hare—killing people from the streets and selling their bodies to medical schools. Then Kiera’s past—a past she thought she’d finally made peace with—rises up to haunt her.

All of London is horrified by the evidence that “burkers” are, indeed, at work in their city. The terrified populace hovers on a knife’s edge, ready to take their enmity out on any likely suspect. And when Kiera receives a letter of blackmail, threatening to divulge details about her late anatomist husband’s involvement with the body snatchers and wrongfully implicate her, she begins to apprehend just how precarious her situation is. Not only for herself, but also her new husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, and their unborn child.

Meanwhile, the young scion of a noble family has been found murdered a block from his home, and the man’s family wants Kiera and Gage to investigate. Is it a failed attempt by the London burkers, having left the body behind, or the crime of someone much closer to home? Someone who stalks the privileged, using the uproar over the burkers to cover his own dark deeds?

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Review of An Artless Demise

The latest book in one of my favorite historical mystery series returns Lady Darby to the place where Kiera’s life first got far too interesting. London, 1831. Also, just to remind Kiera why she left the city in the first place, a rash of body snatchers is plaguing the city again (still?). A recent body, sold to anatomists, has been declared a murder victim.

I ached for Kiera, now back in the thick of things, suffering everything from condemning glances to outright accusations. With so many reminders of her life with her deceased husband, anatomist Sir Anthony, Kiera must persevere when Gage and she take on the latest Mayfair murder case. A young lord killed, with the murder made to look like a burking (body snatching). At the same time, a blackmailer is targeting Kiera.  And just for good measure, a former associate of Sir Anthony plans to publish the anatomist’s journals, sure to include unsavory details about Kiera’s life with Sir Anthony.

So, not a pleasant visit to London Town for Kiera.

Always, when being reminded of Kiera’s past, I am outraged at culture and the treatment of women in 19th century England, making them possessions of their husbands with no rights of their own. As it happens, Kiera’s new husband Gage is 180 degrees from Sir Anthony and just the man Kiera loves and appreciates as he supports her and partners with her. Gage and some of Kiera’s stalwart friends are a breath of fresh air in what often feels a very burdensome environment for Kiera.

An Artless Demise is a mystery to be sure. But it also sheds light on a very dark side of London: body snatchers, filthy conditions, exploited children and society’s lack of regard for the poor.

The author does a good job of providing Kiera’s background without boring the seasoned readers of the series. Many characters from other books show up in this book. In fact, at times I struggled to recall who some of the characters were. However, like Kiera, I persevered and was rewarded with enough details to figure out who was who.

Why do I keep reading this series? Two main reasons. 1) Kiera is quite the unique heroine. Self-doubt and fear combined with such intelligence, courage, and tenderness make her special. 2) The historical setting has so many amazing details, evidencing the authors careful research. As long as Ms. Huber feels Kiera is worth writing about, I will keep reading this series.

Anna Lee Huber has done it again, giving us plenty of suspense, history and heart in An Artless Demise.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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