Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling

This is not your Disney water color fairy tale, but something much darker along the lines of the Grimm fairy tales when you open the cover of Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino. You are immediately taken back to the Victorian age and the writing is unremarkable and polished as the writer takes you back to a sinister event, the piercing scream of a women in the dark of night. Charlotte Markham has awakened from a bizarre dream with her dead parents and a Christmas ball, not knowing if the scream she has heard is real or not. As she begins investigating the house at night, she is called downstairs by the staff and learns that Nanny Prum has been violently murdered in the forest. When they question the Constable Brickner's findings he truly believes no man is capable of this act and resolves the answer to an animal killing her. However, Charlotte's friend Suzanna witnessed a man in black hovering over the body and believes he is the one who committed the murder.

It seems that Charlotte has a bit of history with the man in black who appears whenever death has been near, first with her father, then with her late husband Jonathan and now the sighting of him near Nanny Prum's body. Hired as a governess to work for Mr. Darrow, who has also lost his wife, Lily, Charlotte now assumes the role of carrying for the young children, Paul and James since Nanny Prum's death. Charlotte is warned by the housekeeper, Mrs. Norman that she tried to warn Nanny Prum of her fate and now warns her that she must be watchful and keep her eyes open as well, but offers no explanation as to why. It seems that death is watching over the house of Everton and with it keeping those inside bound to a half life, one between the living and mourning over the loss of those who have died.


One afternoon during a worrisome day of teaching, Charlotte invites to boys to take to drawing or writing prose about one of their dreams which provides her an insight she never truly imagined before. James, the youngest, draws a picture of the Spider Queen whom he tells Charlotte, lives under his bed eating goblins that would seek to torment him. When she inquires that that should be a good thing, he replies, that she gets mad at him. When she pushes even further, he tells her that he is gathering parts of her silver strands of web to save his mother.

Paul, the oldest, explains that his drawing is of a map showing the forest at the edge of their property. Beyond that lies an orchard and a house with he believes his mother waits for them. Charlotte realizes that both of these boys are still dealing with the death of their mother in remarkably different ways and when challenged by James to follow the map, she doesn't see any harm in showing them that dreams don't bring back the dead. Until as they begin to follow the map beyond the forest, where a misty fog lies that blocks out the sun, an orchard and The House of Darkling await them all.

I received Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. This is a dark fictional book where the worlds of life and death literally lay buried in the fog and where the middle ground between the two world lies ripe for a war for human souls. I love the writing style of Michael Boccacino who has used his own experiences with the death of his mother and the way he dealt with the grief as his inspiration for the writing of this novel. I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more books from him in the near future.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino

ISBN: 9780062122612; ISBN10: 0062122614; Imprint: William Morrow Paperbacks ; On Sale: 7/24/2012; Format: Trade PB; Trimsize: 5 5/16 x 8; Pages: 320; $14.99; Ages: 18 and Up; BISAC1:FIC000000

You can also learn more about Michael Boccacino by visiting his website here.

Eyewall - Giveaway and Review

An eyewall, better known as nature's nightmare, is the engine room of a hurricane - a circular wall of massive clouds and brutal squalls. - Captain Karlyn Hill, aboard the Air Force Hurricane Hunter

What people expect of their weather forecasters is a simple yes or no to the type of weather that they call for. They want to know if it's going to rain or isn't it? Are we going to get a foot of snow or not? Is the hurricane going to hit here or there? No one is infallible. Nobody in the weather business is. The fact is, their never certain, which is why they think in terms of probabilities. That's the only honest way to forecast. But the public won't stand for it. They think of it as a cop out. - Dr. Nicholas Obermeyer, meterologist at the Natural Environment Center, formerly the Weather Channel.

Danger looms in the dark clouds over the small island community of St. Simons Island, just off the southern coast of Georgia. It's been more than a hundred years since a hurricane has impacted this area, so when Hurricane Janet is predicted as a category one hurricane, some of the residents are less than excited at the prospect of leaving over the Labor Day weekend. So when Trish and Alan Grant, hear the winds pick up and the rain begin to fall, she questions whether they should leave the island. Upon waking their children Lee and Sandy up for breakfast, they learn that Sandy has left with a boy she met on the internet. Not knowing anything about him, the family leaves in search of her while the hurricane grows near.

Until the Air Force Hurricane Hunter, can report back the precise readings from Hurricane Janet, the weather centers will only report what they can learn from Doppler radar and ground tracking systems. It isn't until they begin to reach the outer bands of Janet, that they will learn the ugly dark secrets she is keeping behind her black and cloudy storms clouds. What they will learn will put all of their lives in danger and in for the ride of their lives.



In the suspense thriller, Eyewall by H.W. "Buzz" Bernard, the reader will be left hanging on every word as they turn the pages faster and faster. You will NOT be able to put this one down until the very end. Taking The Perfect Storm and The Day After Tommorow, you will be left with the biggest hurricane to ever hit the eastern coast, riveling Katrina and Andrew as younger siblings. This is an edge of your seat, thrill ride that will keep you up long past your need for sleep just to see it through the end.

I received this book compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Bell Bridge Books for my honest review and would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves great disaster stories with a twist. The characters are believable and true-to-life and you won't be disappointed. This one rates a 5 out of 5 stars and would LOVE to see this one come to life on the big screen. This one just acquired a permanent home in my library!

For more information about the author, the book and where to purchase a copy of the book, please click on the link below:

Eyewall by H.W. "Buzz" Bernard

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: Bell Bridge Books (April 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 161194001X
• ISBN-13: 978-1611940015
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Price: $ 14.65

You can visit Eyewall's official Facebook page by clicking here.

Thanks to the generous folks at Bell Bridge books and Pump Up Your Books tours, they are providing a giveaway copy to one lucky follower of my blog. Here are your guidelines:

1. You must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. You must be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. I must have a way to contact you, so please be sure to include your email address with your comment. You can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. Leave me a comment and let me know why you would love to win a copy of this book. The giveaway will end on June 25th and I will notify the winner via email.

The Postcard Killers - Giveaway and Review

" TO BE OR NOT TO BE

THAT IS THE QUESTION

WE'LL BE IN TOUCH"

These are the only sentiments attached to a picture of a city in Europe of some famous place. It's what will soon follow that worries, Dessie Larsson and Jacob Kanon the most.

This is the beginning of how the "Postcard Killer" announces their location and subsequently the picture of the grisly murders that soon follow in that city are being sent to the local newspaper. Young couples are being lured, robbed, murdered in Madrid, Athens, Paris and Rome and there isn't anything the police have been able to do to stop them.

Only Jacob Kanon, a NYPD detective has been following the case from the beginning. His daughter was the first victim and he isn't about to give up until they are caught.

He enlists the aid of Swedish newspaper reporter, Dessie Larsson, who is contacted by a postcard in Sweden with the same cryptic message, and only Jacob knows what will come next. Between the two of them, their goal is to stop the next murder before it happens.

In his latest book, The Postcard Killers, James Patterson and Liza Marklund, take the reader to unexpected places attempting to locate and identify the murderers. I must admit, this one had me completely lost in the maze of what seems like iron clad evidence. Great suspense and a thrill ride every page turning moment. I was literally on the edge of my seat attempting to solve these crimes.

I received this book compliments of Hachette Book Group for my honest review and must say once again, James Patterson fans will not be disappointed. Some readers may be sensitive as there are some explicit sex scenes, graphic crime scene descriptions, and profanity in the book, but the book is amazing. I would rate this a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the authors and where to get a first chapter glimpse, click on the title below:

The Postcard Killers

The generous folks at Hachette Book Group are allowing me to host this book giveaway for three (3) copies!

• You must be a follower of Reviews of the Heart to be entered.

• Winners are restricted to the US and Canada. No PO Box mailing address please. You do not have to be a blogger to win.

• I must have a way of contacting you, so be sure to leave your email address in your comment.

• Some choose to omit the @ sign and the . dot by writing it in "code" like this: you (at) your email (dot)com.

• I'll close the comments October 17th and pick the three winners. I will contact the winners via email to get their mailing information. The winners will have three days to respond. If I do not hear from them within three days, I will select another winner(s).

• Leave a comment and let me know why you'd love to win a copy of this book.

The Trials of Zion - Giveaway and Review

Having a father who is one of the leading criminal defense lawyers in the country can be hard to live up to, especially when you too, have become a lawyer as well, graduating at the top of your class. The one advantage it does offer is that it opens the doors for you with clients and companies that would love to have you work for them. Emma Ringel is about to get the opportunity of a lifetime.

When the latest in peace talks between Israel and Palestine, erupts with a terrorist bombing that not only claims the lives of the leaders of both countries but our own President of the United States, Emma finds herself being tasked with helping to defend the one man who claims responsibility. Problem is, she is being asked to find him innocent of the charges.

In this latest suspense thriller The Trials of Zion, by Alan M Dershowitz, we find Emma and her boss, Habash Ein knee deep in the most dangerous place in the world and defending a man that every one wants to see executed. No one wants to see him found innocent and some are willing to task whatever risks are needed to make sure that Faisal Husseini winds up dead.

I received this amazing book, compliments of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review and loved it. It had me on the edge of my seat wondering just how this was going to turn out. It had me challenged in coming up with how it was all going to play out in the end and never disappointed. For anyone who loves crime and justice along with the element of suspense, then this is the book for you. I would rate it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to gain a first chapter glimpse, click on the title of the book below:

The Trials of Zion

For three lucky followers of my blog, Hachette Book Groups is giving away copies of this book. Here are the guidelines:

1. You must be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. You must reside in the US and Canada please. No P.O. Boxes.

3. I must have a way to contact you via email if you are the winner. Please provide an email address in your comment and you can use the words (at) or (dot) instead of the symbols.

4. The giveaway will end on October 8th. Simply leave a comment telling me why you'd love to win a copy.