Final Cut EdiTing

 Glam Girl T's Pick of the Week with her personal review... Each review will include a rating of 1 through 5; one being good and 5 being the very best.  Purses, lipsticks, pairs of shoes, or some other type of glam will reflect the rating. I hope you enjoy.

FLAMES IN THE SKY by LINDA LAROQUE

As legend has it, over 1000 years ago in the time of the Chacon Anasazi Indians, a perfect turquoise stone existed, holding special powers. The stone fell into the hands of evil, and because of this, the gods struck the evil holder of the stone, Nukpana, with lightning, breaking off two small pieces of the stone, now referred to as “the twins.” Nukpana never received a proper burial; his body burned, and the ashes stored and sealed in a clay bottle, trapping his evil essence but never allowing him closure.

Current time: An innocent Rita Santiago accidentally damages Nukpana’s containment bottle, releasing his essence. He is now free, ready to take revenge on the Anasazi people and wipe out any sign they ever existed.

Madison Evans, a fiery red head, substitute violinist in the Houston Symphony with a PhD in art, finds herself on a quest to learn more about her ancestry and the history of the special turquoise locket left to her after her mother’s death.

Since acquiring the locket, Madison has been having dreams, almost nightmarish, and they always include a certain warrior and witch woman. What could these dreams mean? Are they trying to tell her something?

Madison’s journey lands her at the Chaco Canyon in New Mexico where she meets the handsome Lonan Stone; a native, National Park Ranger with important ties to more than one of the local tribes.

After several terrifying mishaps, they soon discover that someone is desperately wants Madison’s locket—but why? Could it be the ancient prophets were right? Are Madison and Lonan truly the chosen ones to reunite the twins with the mother stone and lock Nukpana away once and for all? If so, how can they accomplish this seemingly impossible feat? According to the prophecy, the expectations are high, the sacrifices even greater.

Linda LaRoque does it again! Her true talent as an author shines brilliantly in this mystical adventure of time travel, Native American heritage, urban legend, and love. In addition, Ms. LaRoque’s gift for setting a scene is so well done and precise that you can close your eyes and actually see the vivid colors of this beautiful area, smell and feel the air around you, and hear the faint whispers from times past on the light breeze surrounding you. She has you believing in her characters and wanting to believe the legend, the whole story, is true. I highly recommend this book.

Flames in the Sky will light a flame in you...all the way to the last word.

5 Shoes!!

Find Ms. LaRoque at: www.lindalaroque.com 

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Purchase at: www.thewildrosepress.com

COMBUSTION by REBECCA SAVAGE

Sherri Marconi-Sandoval is a 25 year old, petite red head, brought up in a loving Italian home, and is an only child. She thought she met the man of her dreams in George Sandoval.

George Sandoval is a handsome, filthy rich businessman with major connections throughout the community. He also possesses another side of himself that no one knows about.

After a whirlwind romance, Sherri married George after knowing him only 3 months, but before the ink dried on the marriage license, George began to show his true colors. He began beating Sherri and forcing her to perform her “wifely duties,” all the while threatening to kill her and her family if she ever left him.

The final straw comes with George beating Sherri within inches of her life, leaving her for dead, and setting fire to their home...with Sherri still inside. So, with money Sherri stashed away for months, she leaves George, beginning the true hell of her life.

Bouncing from motel to motel, having alienated everyone she knows and loves, Sherri continues to run from George and his goons. Eventually, she finds herself at a women’s shelter as a volunteer nurse. Upon the recommendations of others at the shelter, she answers an ad for an apartment; the landlord is the owner of the women’s shelter, a downright saint and gentleman, John Tarentino.

John Tarentino is a well off, gorgeous firefighter with a few skeletons of his own. John has an internal need to help and protect everyone around him, especially a particularly beautiful red head with serious trust issues in regards to the male species.

With George’s relentless attempts to get Sherri back, or kill her, John finds himself falling hard for Sherri. But will she ever allow herself to trust him, allow him to love her completely? Better question, will Sherri stay alive long enough for John to try?

Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens every day in the real world. If only every woman had a John Tarentino to care about her, protect her, and prove that not all men are bad. There is a shining knight out there for every girl. Never give up and always believe in yourself.

Rebecca Savage shows a special talent for making you feel as if you are living the hell that Sherri Marconi-Sandoval is living; feeling her pain, both physical and emotional. My eyes even welled up at one point, which is not an easy accomplishment. Her attention to detail, making scenes come alive on the paper, is incredible. This is a remarkably well written story of courage, never giving up on life, and holding onto hope for a real life with real love. A definite recommended read.

4 Shoes!

Find Ms. Savage at:  www.rebeccasavage.com                                                                                                                                            Publisher: Champagne Books                                                                                                                                                                                    Purchase at: www.champagnebooks.com

COWBOY LOVE by SANDY SULLIVAN                                        (18 and older)

Amy Russell, originally from Oregon, relocates to Dallas, Texas to work as a nurse. She has a special gift for breaking horses, and on weekends, she team ropes in rodeos, following her father’s footsteps.

Needing a getaway due to a recent breakup with her cheating, semi-abusive boyfriend, Amy takes a long weekend with her dear friend, Chris. They head to Chris’s parents ranch in the small town of Brenham, Texas. That evening, Chris takes Amy to the local club, hoping to find someone to take Amy’s mind off her ex.  As if sent to answer a prayer, the ultimate cowboy walks in, catching Amy’s eye and taking her breath away.

Tucker Lewis could be the pin-up, poster boy for Sexy Cowboy. He is a local boy, works on the family ranch, and moonlights as the lead singer for an up and coming country band. He is smitten with Amy from the moment he lays eyes on her, losing all control of rational thought and a part his heart.

After spending a long and amazing weekend together, Amy and Tucker attempt a long distance relationship, one Tucker truly gives his heart and soul to making work. Unfortunately, Amy’s low-life ex-boyfriend, Jack, is doing his best to cause problems for Amy and Tucker, in a feeble attempt to win Amy back.

Will Tucker stick it out, or will he cut his losses and walk away, having been burned too many times before? Will Amy’s guilt for leaving Jack, hurting him, and her desperate need to take away the pain Jack has caused the ones she loves, win over, sending her back into Jack’s arms?

This is a love story about a young woman’s trials and tribulations in the world of relationships today; break ups and heartache, finding new love, trying to make a long distance relationship work, confusion and pain within, and even wounded friendships.

I love how Sandy Sullivan makes Amy Russell so versatile, having her more than capable of keeping up with the boys while remaining feminine and beautiful, even in her weakest moments. Moreover, Tucker Lewis—Wow! He is a dream cowboy that any woman would love to have. Ms. Sullivan’s characters are spectacular, right down to Amy’s two good friends and the staff at the hospital where she works.

Cowboy Love includes steamy love scenes, is suspenseful and action packed, in some places a little overwhelmingly so, but this is a good read and a great Cowboy Love story.

3.5 Lipsticks

Find Ms. Sullivan at:  www.sandysullivanauthor.blogspot.com

Publisher: Siren Publishing

Purchase at: www.sirenpublishing.com

Orb World by Andrea Gale 

Ylana has been sick and spent most of her time in hospitals. Eventually, her sickness takes her.

She awakes and finds herself in another world; it’s not heaven or hell as she ever imagined. Here, in this village, you are a slave to another of seniority – wearing no clothes – to learn and grow. This village has no modern conveniences and belonging to a man doesn’t sit well with Ylana.

Ylana soon discovers that she is needed for her librarian background and must help save the village from a dominant, modernized village, much bigger and better equipped for war.

Andrea Gale takes you to a world most have never imagined, stirs in emotion, tension, love, and puzzles to ponder through Ylana’s journey to discover the secrets of the orbs with clues left by the Originators.

I am fascinated with Ms. Gale’s creativity and ability to take the reader into this unimaginable world. Impressive.

3.5 Shoes 

Purchase Orb World here:  http://www.champagnebooks.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19_7&products_id=301

Author: Andrea Gale
Science Fiction Romance
ISBN: 978-1-926681-45-0

Publisher: Champagne Books

Witches Anonymous by Misty Evans

Amy, longtime witch and girlfriend of Lucifer, has sworn an oath to herself to become good, never use her witch powers again, and become a normal human after catching Lucifer cheating with her goody-to-shoes sister, Emilia.

Amy knows it won’t be easy being good, so she joins Witches Anonymous. On the way to her first meeting, she meets Adam, a fireman, perfect gentleman, and absolutely gorgeous. Little does she know, Adam has a few secrets himself.  This relationship could quite possibly change the world.

Lucifer relentlessly tries to tempt Amy into her old ways while Emilia is fuming mad and, with the help of Gabriel, tries to destroy Amy.

Can Amy hold true to her oath? Can she find the strength within to beat the evil forces and save Adam, all on Halloween night?

Amy is not a nice girl in the opening scene, but by the end, I found myself cheering for her.

This is a fun short story, especially with Halloween just around the corner. Misty Evans keeps the story light, has a sense of current day humor throughout, but still manages to get a great message across at the end.

3.5 shoes!!

Webpage: http://www.readmistyevans.com/

Purchase at:  http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/witches-anonymous

Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.

ISBN: 978-1-60504-397-5

 Nerd in a Wolf Suit by Laine Morgan

 Phoebe Morin, a young widow, takes a new job in a new city, trying to move on with her life after the sudden death of her husband, Steven.

The night before starting her new job, she discovers that there are such things as vampires, and to make the nightmare worse, they want something from her. Phoebe has no idea what that something might be, but they are determined to get it from her by any means necessary.

Drew Montana works with Phoebe, is a handsome social outcast that has a small problem… One evening 3 years ago, while jogging, a wolf attacked him, turning him into a werewolf!

Phoebe must believe and trust Drew if they are going to get out of this alive.

Full of vampires, a sexy werewolf with Asperger’s, a few poltergeists, and enough twists and turns to keep you reading.

This was an enjoyable read. Ms. Morgan kept the action rolling and surprised me even when I thought I had it all figured out.

I loved Laine Morgan’s description of the poltergeists and the way she brings these urban legends to life, in the current era.  Nicely done.

4 Shoes                              

You can find this wonderful book at    http://www.champagnebooks.com/

When The Ocotillo Bloom, by Linda LaRoque, is a very heart warming, relatable story.

Lynn Devry is not your typical, cover model heroine. She is a genuine, middle aged, divorcee, complete with quirks, attitude, hardened shell towards life, a know-it-all daughter, and a little extra to love around the hips. Lynn is in desperate need of a change, so she decides a relaxing summer getaway at a Texas Ranch & Spa might do the trick. Little does she know what awaits her at the Ranch.

Seth Williams is a single father rancher, set in his ways, and believes he is still in love with his ex-wife in an effort to keep from moving on with his life. Seth runs a Texas Dude Ranch for troubled teens in the middle of nowhere. He is clueless as to what he has agreed to when doing a favor for an old friend, resulting in his latest “project”… Ms. Lynn Devry.

The easy to love, supporting characters all play an important roll in bringing this beautiful love story together without taking away from Lynn and Seth stumbling down the path of rediscovering themselves and finding what they both really need.

Linda LaRoque does a fantastic job taking you through the adult growing pains of two people that seem to have hit that rut mid life sometimes brings, as well as touching on the fragile lives of the troubled teens at the ranch.  She brings to life so many of the ups & downs and emotions of growing, proving that whether a teenager or an adult, you continue to grow and learn throughout life.

A great, feel good read. 4 ½ pair of shoes!!  Nicely done Linda.

You can find Linda LaRoque at: www.LindaLaRoque.com or www.myspace.com/lindalaroqueauthor or www.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com

   Whether you prefer time travel, historical romance, or mystery, you will truly enjoy, Melissa Blue’s, Without Regret My Love. This book includes a little bit of everything expertly tied together - making it impossible to put down.

   Marissa McClafferty is a well-educated, current day ER nurse, jilted by her fiancé, and stuck on the side of the road when her car stalls on an old highway late one night. She finds herself with no cell phone service, no service station within walking distance, only an old brick house in a field. Hoping to find help, she runs towards the house, unaware that her life is about to change drastically, forever.

   Dr. Craig Langston is a Confederate Officer and doctor who finds himself in the odd situation of colliding with one beautiful but strangely dressed woman… with a Northern accent!

   Without Regret My Love pulls the reader into the story, as if actually there. Readers will find themselves rooting for Marissa McClafferty and Dr. Craig Langston, feeling distain for the villainous village hussy, Kirsten Jamison, and wishing everyone had a true friend like Mrs. Genie Harris.

   This story will make the reader smile, feel the characters’ every emotion, pull at your heartstrings, and keep you wanting to read more with its surprises and action throughout.

   Melissa Blue does an exceptional job bringing the characters to life in this story. Her ability to take her readers from “Now”; a world of cell phones, automobiles, and penicillin, to 1863’s horse drawn carriages, arranged marriages, and alcohol as a cure-all; throwing in twists and turns, dead bodies, and scandals while never breaking the flow of the story, is sheer brilliance!

   5 pair of shoes for Melissa Blue. I look forward to future releases from this very talented author.

 You can find Melissa on Myspace at myspace.com/melissablueromanceauthor