Oh yes! This  novella anthology has to be my ultimate baby! Not only did I meet a fantastic co-author  and writer  Didi Oviatt back in 2017, I gained a great friend. The Suspenseful Collection Volume One is now on Kindle Unlimited, for members to read for free. Volume two will be released 2020… we promise! Happy reading. Click here to grab your copy

Blurb

For Mature Readers Only:

A suspenseful novel with a twist. Eight short stories, by two suspense authors, from diverse backgrounds. From opposite sides of the Atlantic these stories have been created. One author started the tale and the other ended it. No discussion, no pre-planning, but yet their stories are seamless. With just creativity and the use of writing prompts, to craft one tale, with two different writers. This anthology of suspenseful, fast paced and engaging tales covers multiple genres. From heart felt romance, crime, fantasy, and steamy historical fiction. There is a story for everyone!

Steamy Historical Crime Fiction: It was The First Time I Killed A Man.

It’s 1972 and New York’s first female serial killer Lisa Vanacilli is in the hot seat again, ten years after her conviction of murder to the first degree and innocent plea. The ruthless but sexy reporter Tiffany Low cracks Lisa for a confession… at a price. Lisa is strong, courageous and says it how it is. This story has been extended due to reader’s demand. And is only for adult readers.

Psychological Fiction: Every Time I Hear That Voice From The Basement.

George appears to be harmless. The local neighbourhood geek on the outside, married to Jolene. In reality, he’s a very disturbed man. His path crosses with Dana, the local check out girl. This is a psychological suspense story with a twist.

Crime Fiction: The Entrance To The Tunnel Is His Only Way Out.

Juan is a wanted man, and an ex-gang member on the run from Atlanta to Mexico. With a hundred grand in cash stolen from his ex-boss, he meets an unlikely fate in Mexico. A fast-paced crime fiction story.

Contemporary Romance: When His Hands Run Up My Thighs I…

Love has no time limit, age limit or use by date. Sarah now in her fifties is reunited with her long-lost love Joshua. They last had contact in 1961. In the present day, thanks to the advancement of technology their paths cross. A heart-warming and modern tale, about long distance love, that will leave you warm inside.

Suspense: We Only Said Goodbye With Words, I Died A Hundred Times:

In 1963 Russian Femme Fatale Mila Petrov is London’s top Madam. Her entertainment house is booming, she has a team of London’s strongest women behind her. Unfinished business from her past creeps up and haunts her. It’s nothing she can’t handle. A suspenseful historical tale, with a strong femme fatale.

Fantasy: The Ones Who Live At The Bottom Of The Ocean, Come To The Surface.

A beautiful coming of age story, featuring sixteen year old Zoe and her mother May-Li. Myth becomes reality, as Zoe finds out who and what she really is. Her mixed descent reveals more than what meets the eye. This fantasy story is set against the backdrop of a Greek island and Hong Kong, China.

Suspenseful Crime Fiction: Guilty As Charged, In Self-Defence

California’s sassy, tough, and likeable defence lawyer Catherine has taken on a case so high profile, if she wins she’ll become a partner of Martin Law Firm. Defending forty six year old Mrs. Chevelle. An ex Las Vegas show girl, now a Hollywood wife, on trial for the murder of her high-profile husband. She claims she’s innocent. Readers are taken on a fast -paced journey on a mission to seek the truth.

Contemporary Fiction: It’s A Man’s Man’s World:

A beautiful modern tale showing the love and appreciation of a woman. James Brown said it right when he said, “it’s a man’s man’s world, but it would mean nothing without a woman or a girl.”

Click here to grab your copy

Well, there comes a time when you hit a certain age range, and you appreciate older characters in fiction.  Me, I’m  thirty seven in February (cringes),  I was happy to come across ten authors offering books for the 30s and over market. I’ll be grabbing a few myself. Click the link here to be transported to book reading heaven.

The last push guys, week three is ending tonight, and well I reached just over 40k words and now on the very last chapters  as of Friday. I am pleased this year. It’s been tough going as I have said before, I find that I write large amounts rather than everyday. Some how I have managed to keep up with the target.

My real goal is to just finish book three of the Romance Set In Paradise Series, and I have no doubt I will. I’ve changed the name about three times, and finally settled on ‘Chances A Puerto  Rican Love Affair’. This story is set on this beautiful island.

I’ve also decided that this whole series, both of them I am writing I will self-publish. I want the control, and to call all shots I won’t be handing my work out to publishers. My completed stand-alone work, I will. Sometimes it’s just  nice to have something for yourself if you know what I mean? Next week I will share a preview!

I also took the decision to enroll the series on Kindle Unlimited, so if you are a KU reader you can enjoy it for free. I made the decision after I joined KU as a reader myself. I love it! I have found so many brilliant books via the membership, and find it’s great value for money if you are someone who reads and buys a hella-lota books!

So just a quick check in from me for week three, next week is the final week and I hope the next time I blog, I’ll be done. Good luck all writers still in the challenge.

Let me know how you’re getting on with a comment?

Thank you to NetGallery for my free copy, in exchange for an honest review. This is such a hard review for me to do guys, I wanted to love this book the cover, blurb and genre have ‘Kim’s read’ all over it.  I removed myself totally as a writer and just read as I always do,  but  I found plot gaps, a slow pace, things not scientifically possible from first hand experience as a reader… Oh man! Let’s get into the review..

Blurb

A riveting debut psychological thriller about the power memory has over us.

Portia Willows was a senior in high school in Los Angeles when her world fell apart. While dealing with the aftermath of the accident that took the lives of her mother and sister, she finds herself forced to face her own memory―which may not be quite what it seems. But Portia suffers from severe social anxiety disorder that prevented her from having any sort of life, while her little sister, Piper, was her best, and only, friend.

Now, five years later, Portia is forced to recall the events of the past while being questioned about a horrific crime she doesn’t remember. During those years, Portia had created a toxic, agoraphobic, life with her father, cigarettes and alcohol her only companions, unable to cope with her loss. That is, until Ethan Torke moved in across the street and changed Portia’s perspective in ways she could not possibly comprehand. But the truth always catches up with you, and fantasies never last. An unforgettable tale of memory, love, and strength through the darkest of times, Remember announces a brave new voice in psychological suspense.

Kim’s Review 2 (ish) ‘mm-kay’ Stars

That blurb sucked me in, it sounds like an amazing read I read this book in two sittings, it’s like 300 pages plus. I really wanted to know how it ended as the blurb seems like this is a fantastic story. The idea of the story  and blurb IS FANTASTIC, for me as a reader the execution of it was a little weak because…

Character development– from the 300 pages I read I still have no idea what Portia looks like AT ALL. I don’t even know her race, if I had to guess I would say white. There was a lot of reference to how much her and her sister looked alike, but what do they look like? So physically there was no development. As a person for Portia there was also a lack of development from 300 pages. This book is written in first person (up close from the character’s POV) and other than ‘I screamed’ I never felt her emotions.  As a reader the author did not give a reasonably deep POV to really move me as a reader, and allow me to connect to her. Given the seriousness of the story line Portia could have been written a lot stronger. I felt like the author could have ‘put herself in Portia’s shoes’ a little stronger to do her justice.

 General character development- There was a description made of a character who had ‘medium toned skin’… I pulled the book back from me and said, ‘what’s that?’ The descriptions were a little weakly written.   It reminded me of when I read a book (in this same genre) and the author wrote ‘ she opened her African-American eyes’. (I was like what the f**k is that? Aint they brown, like a Chinese, white any other races’ eyes?) Overall I had a hard time with getting connected due to development.

Plot Gaps- there is a  scene where a character mentions that Portia had been brought to the hospital a number of times over the years, by her boyfriend…  I only saw him do that once when she was pregnant, I don’t recall that.

When she was pregnant  he found out the sex of the child via ultrasound at three month’s gone. This is not scientifically possible…as a mother I can confirm, it’s over twenty weeks you find out this info. The baby is too small at three months. *sighs* simple things requiring research spoiled the plot for me as a reader.

Pace – for a 300 page book not much happens in the first 75 percent. Portia’s sister and mother die and she has a three year relationship with a guy.  For me personally as a reader for a thriller genre book all this was too slow, no red herrings to throw readers off, or ‘pulse.’

Writing style- it’s written in first person ( I love this) but a little weakly. The story is also told back to front ( I love this style), but as a reader the time frames jumping back and forward I felt I did not spend enough time there ( underdeveloped story), in order for it to have an impact.  I felt like I was just jumping around for the sake of it, not to keep me thinking as a reader or to really develop anything or build up.

It’s a fact not every book you read you will love, but as a reader I  expected so much more and was so excited to discover the book. Overall to sum it up  and without being mean either, from my reading experience generally it’s an underdeveloped and slow novel to be a psychological thriller in the true sense.  The ending made  less impact or was believable (for me) due to this.  Without being mean again, when you find gaps,etc there are only so many stars you can award for your enjoyment , but I wish this author so much luck with her writing career. From me as a reader….two stars, I did not hate it, but as a reader I found  a few things that held me back from loving it.