Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 28, 2011

[** If you are new to Friday Pick, scroll down a bit (below book group #19) for instructions on how to enter.]
This has been a good week. I am enjoying the cooler nights (40s) but it still gets to the high 70s in the day. Is everyone ready to move into November... and then December???

Thank you to all who entered October 21 Pick. There were There were two Automatic winners this week (those who requested the book four times and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks).
Victoria chose Evil Whispers; and
Sarah E chose Lost Light.

CONGRATULATIONS

to Random.org picked Winners from October 21 Pick:

Mad Moose chose Desperation

and
Maria S chose the Dean Koontz - Midnight

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual or sexy +plus - I am currently low on just sweet.

Here is a creepy library for Halloween!
Have a safe night to those who go out for trick or treating. :-)

New Group #23 Pick Books October 14, 2011
I tried to pick some books that would be good for October - Halloween or dark minded.

Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Desperation by Stephen King
Vanish by Tess Gerritsen
Witch by Barbara Michaels (spine wear)
Midnight by Dean Koontz (spine wear)
Walking After Midnight by Karen Robards (spine wear)
Sense of Evil by Kay Hooper
The Haunting of Josie by Kay Hooper
Dark Secret (the Carpathians Book 12) by Christine Feehan
Hokus Pokus (the Sisterhood: Rules of the Game Book 2) by Fern Michaels
Emily's Good Nightmare by Cosmic Debris Cosmic
Death Angel by Linda Howard
A Marked Man by Stella Cameron
Bone Cold by Erica Spindler (spine wear)
Exposed (Maggie O'Dell) by Alex Kava
All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

New Group #22 Pick Books September 2, 2011

Double Set by Lori Copeland:
June (Brides of the West #2) (HeartQuest)
The Courtship of Cade Kolby (Avon Romantic Treasure)
Singles:
Tender Triumph by Judith McNaught
Legacy of the Dead (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries) by Charles Todd
A Far and Deadly Cry by Teri Holibrook
Lost Light (Harry Bosch Series #9) by Michael Connelly
Blackwater Sound: A Novel (Thorn Mysteries) by James W. Hall

New Group #21 of Pick Books July 29, 2011

There are eight mysteries and I have asterisked nine books that are smaller and would be good for oversea choices if so desired.

Coffin Underground (Inspector John Coffin) by Gwendoline Butler

The Cheshire Cat's Eye by Marcia Muller

Mallory's Oracle (Kathleen Mallory Novels) by Carol O'Connell

* I. O. U by Pickard, Nancy (spine creased)

Stand by Me Anthology with Dallas Schulze, Roberta Leigh and Linda Randall Wisdom (spine creased)

Until We Meet Again by Christine McGuire (spine creased)

* Undercover Pursuit (Love Inspired Suspense) by Susan May Warren

* The Glassblower by Laurie Alice Eakes

* Easy On the Heart by Jodi Thomas

* Rogue Stallion (Montana Mavericks) by Diana Palmer

May, 2011 New Group of Pick books

Group #20

Singles

A Price for Everything (Rosamunde Pilcher's Book Shelf) by Mary Sheepshank

Luciano's Luck by Jack Higgins - Audio Cassettes

The Hope Chest: Yesterday's Magic\Today's Secrets\Tomorrow's Promise (Signature Select) Anthology

Susan, Kearney, Julie Kenner and Jacquie D'Alessandro

3/25/11 I did get to set up a new group of books:

Group #19

Singles

Second Chance: A NovelSecond Chance: A Novel

Disguised Blessing

Rhapsody: A Love Story

The Waterfall

Primary Colors - audio tapes

A Little Magic

Note of Peril (black strip on cover)

2/19/11 Book Group #18- Pairs!

Not all of these are two from a series but several are. Each pick gets two books.

Patricia Cornwell Pair:

Cruel and Unusual

At Risk (Win Garano)

I have finally updated the intro and Entry paragraphs here:

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

So far I have posted 23 groups of 16 books to find new homes!

I have updated the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want! I am happy to say that so far about 249 books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the correct number sent out.

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $5.00 and $6.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy. :o)

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 10:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up past midnight to do the winner post!
I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings before the next Pick post.
Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times and I did not note other people asking for that book during those weeks.

WINNERS PLEASE CHECK THE WIN POST ON FRIDAYS AND fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me at mesreads@gmail.com. [I will confirm receipt of the addresses- well I realize I haven't always done this. But if you filled out the form and don't get the book within two weeks nudge me with an email please!] If I have the winners e-mail I will send a reminder in a week or so....

Thanks for helping these books find new homes!!

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

1/14/11 New List
#17

Scavenger by David Morrell
Moonfire by Judith Redman Robbins
Saving Faith by David Baldacci (Audio Book)

12/3/10 Book Set:

#16

Best Of Enemies by Taylor Smith

Veils of Silk by Mary Jo Putney 

Sleight of Hand by Robin Hathaway

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Uneasy Alliance (Famous Firsts) Jayne Ann Krentz (slightly worn)

List #15

The Texas CEO's Secret (Silhouette Special Edition) by Nicole Foster

List #14

Blood And Glory (Soldiers Of War) (Soldiers of War, Book 1) by Larson Reed

Lines of Defense by Barry Siegel
Gospel Truths by J.G. Sandom

Here is set #13 of Used books!

Pearl Beyond Price by Claire Delacroix

This is a group of books I have had for several years but not gotten to read. Since it doesn't look like I will get to read them for another year (or more!) I am passing them on. Although as I type them part of me still says "But you may want to read that some day!" Yes, yes; along with the other 700 books I am housing! Must Let goooooo.....

Group #12

The Ripple Effect by Lynn Erickson

The Undertaker's Widow by Phillip M. Margolin

Double Jeopardy by William Bernhardt

The Genesis Code: A Thriller by John Case

Group #11

Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown

Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods - CD Audio

Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

Snow in April by Rosamunde Pilcher

Looking Back by Belva Plain

The Ring on Her Finger by Elizabeth Bevarly

List #1 Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo

Pick #2

The Blue Zone by Andrew Gross

Pick #3

One Eye Closed by Karen Whiddon

Pick #4

Talking God by Tony Kellerman

Everything to Gain by Barbara Taylor Bradford

The Sixth Sense

The Shadow by Shelley Munro (PA)

Swear by the Moon by Shirley Busbee

Pick #5

See Jane Lead by Lois P. Frankel

Jake's Return by Liana Laverentz (A)

The Jester by James Patterson - Audio Tapes

The Daddy Spell by Patti Ann Cole

Misfortune by Nancy Geary

False Prophet by Faye Kellerman

Cold Hit by Linda Fairstein - Audio Tapes

A Kiss of Fate by Mary Jo Putney (SC)

Pick #6

The Marshall Takes a Bride by Renee Ryan *PA*

On Bear Mountain by Deborah Smith - Audio Cassette

Elusive Love by Catherine Lanigan

Pick #7

A Perfect Gentleman by Barbara Metzger (slightly creased)

Scarred by William Heffernan (spine creased)

Prey by Michael Crichton - Audio Tape

The Path to Her Heart by Linda Ford (Personally Autographed)

Princess Charming by Jane Heller (slightly creased)

Pick #8

(sc) = slightly creased on binding otherwise all in good shape

The Jury by Steve Martini - Audio Tapes

Midnight Come Again by Dana Stabenow (sc)

No Safe Place by Richard North Patterson - Audio Tapes

Pick #9

Spyder Web by Tom Grace - Audio Tapes

Three Weddings and a Kiss - Anthology

Final Appeal by Lisa Scottoline (spine creased)

Evil Whispers by Owl Goingback

On Treacherous Ground by Earl Murray

Runaway Heart by Stephen J. Cannell

Guardian by Dee Henderson - Audio Tapes

Time to Hunt by Stephen Hunter - Audio Tapes

Pick #10

The Third Twin by Ken Follett (spine creased)

Double Blind by Ken Goodard

Dreams Gather by Kathryn Collins (sc)

Sourcebooks Offers Halloween eBook Specials!

This memo is just in from the desk of Danielle at Sourcebooks to benefit our lovely followers. You can bet I'll be snagging a couple of these that I don't have yet!  Thank you Sourcebooks.

Good Afternoon,

I have some really great Halloween-themed eBook deals to share with you! Please note the dates below—one promotion has started already, so get your creepy reading started :)

As always, please be patient if our online retailers don’t have every single title uploaded to their discounted price points, but the promotions are set to begin on the start dates listed below.

Feel free to share the info with your blog readers, on Facebook and Twitter, and however else you’d like to spread the word.

You can always receive the latest information about our ebook deals by joining our newsletter: http://www.sourcebooks.com/readers/browse-our-lists/ebook-specials.html.   

Happy Halloween!

Danielle

Halloween Spotlight: Plain Fear Forsaken for $2.99! 

(10/25/2011 – 11/03/2011)

Plain Fear Forsaken by Leanna Ellis

Hannah Schmidt pines for Jacob, the boy who saved her life when she drowned, bringing her back from the brink of death by breathing life into her. But Jacob is gone, buried. Levi Fisher loves Hannah. But he knows how much Hannah loved his brother Jacob. He also knows the troubling event that took Jacob out of their lives…. So when a stranger named Akiva comes into their community, carrying with him a dark secret, their love and beliefs will be put to the test. And Hannah must choose between light and dark, between the love she vowed to carry with her and a new possibility of love---a decision that will decide the fate of her soul.

Vampires, Werewolves, and Witches, Oh My! Paranormal Romance for $0.99! 

(10/28/2011 – 11/03/2011)

Wicked by Any Other Name by Linda Wisdom

Stasi Romanov uses just a little witch magic in her lingerie shop, running a brisk side business in love charms. A disgruntled customer threatening to sue over a failed love spell brings Trevor Barnes to town. Trevor's the best attorney around, and he just happens to be a wizard. Everyone knows that witches and wizards make a volatile combination—sure enough, the sparks fly and almost everyone's getting singed. Add to that Cupid playing a practical joke, a lunar eclipse that nearly precipitates a witch hunt, and some very mysterious goings on at the magical lake, and the feisty witch and gorgeous wizard have more than simply a possible lawsuit on their hands. Can they overcome their objections and settle out of court—and in the bedroom?

Kiss at Your Own Risk by Stephanie Rowe

Trinity Harpswell is a cursed Black Widow--death and mayhem are all part of the job description. If she can manage to go just one more week without accidentally killing someone, she’ll break this killer curse and put her Black Widow days behind her. When sexy Blaine Underhill III shows up at her door and asks for her help rescuing his friend from the clutches of Death’s evil grandma, Trinity gets pulled into a daring high stakes adventure. As Blaine and Trinity join forces to take down a series of underworld assassins, they may just learn that love is the deadliest game of all.

The Wolf Next Door by Lydia Dare

Rogue, Rake…Werewolf. Years ago on a full moon, Lord William Westfield gave way to his inner beast and nearly ruined young Prisca Hawthorne. Knowing he can never trust himself in the arms of the woman he loves, he throws himself into a debauched lifestyle. When Westfield discovers he has a rival for Prisca's love, he decides if she's going to marry a Lycan it damn well better be him. But time is running out as Prisca's other suitor takes an instant and potentially fatal dislike to Westfield.

Merely Magic by Patricia Rice

The daughter of one of the strongest magical lineages, Ninian Malcom Siddons is a powerful witch. Determined to only use her magic for good, she lives a simple, solitary life as a healer in her village, where she meets Drogo… Lord Drogo Ives believes only logic and science can explain the wonders of the universe and doesn’t believe the local folklore about Malcolm witches and Ives men, until he meets Ninian.

Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Devlyn is a beta male werewolf in a pack of grays, Bella is the female red werewolf he rescued as a pup. When the pack’s alpha male tries to rape her, she flees and lives as a lone   werewolf until Devlyn comes to bring her back to the pack. The two get embroiled in danger when a local red werewolf goes on a killing spree. While fleeing the murderer and the police, and keeping their whereabouts hidden from the vengeful alpha male of their pack, they find that their love is deep and their mutual attraction irresistible, but Bella knows that if she mates with Devlyn, he’ll have to fight the wicked alpha male, and it’s a fight to the death . .

Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

When all-star pitcher and shape-shifter Jason Falco buys a small apartment building, he sees it not only as an investment but as a place to escape the demands of major league baseball. That is, until he meets his tenants— a sarcastic unemployed crime-fighter vampire; a wereraven with a morbid sense of humor; a super-friendly salesman werewolf; and two witches with an owl who work as phone sex actresses. Not to mention a beautiful, all-too-human nurse. But with all the hooting, howling, and hollering going on, how's an all-American shapeshifter supposed to sweep a girl off her feet?

Emma and the Vampires by Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson

In this hilarious retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, screenwriter Wayne Josephson casts Mr. Knightley as one of the most handsome and noble of the gentlemen village vampires.  Blithely unaware of their presence, Emma, who imagines she has a special gift for matchmaking, attempts to arrange the affairs her social circle with delightfully disastrous results.  But when her dear friend Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightley, Emma realizes she’s the one who wants to stay up all night with him. Fortunately, Mr. Knightley has been hiding a secret deep within his unbeating heart—his (literally) undying love for her… A brilliant mash-up of Jane Austen and the undead. 

The Wild Sight by Loucinda McGary

Haunted by visions of Druid priests and Celtic warriors, Donovan O’Shea left home in Northern Ireland and immigrated to America. With his father ill, he returns to help sell the family property and pub, and now, to his dismay, the “sight” has returned. He inherited the talent from his long-lost mother, who told him to keep it a secret, and he has. He is soon involved in the archaeological excavation on his family’s land and meets American Rylie Powell. Her father walked out on the family when she was a toddler, and she now believes that Donovan’s father is also hers. Donovan knows in his heart this cannot be true as the attraction between them is palpable. In between checking out DNA tests and family histories, the two become involved with murders past and present stemming from the Troubles, a quest that requires Donovan’s gift. Northern Ireland’s violent past combined with supernatural elements add an intriguing twist to this modern love story.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

This author has beautiful phrasing and great warmth in her stories.
 
The Rose Garden 
by Susanna Kearsley

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402258585
• ISBN-13: 978-1402258589

Genre:  Fantasy, Time Travel
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Product Description
Eva Ward is a modern woman thrown back three centuries to 1715 only to find that might be exactly where she belongs. There she finds true love with Daniel Butler, but the discord surrounding Hanoverian King George plunges the lovers into a world of intrigue, treason, and love.

Review:
Eva’s older sister, a famous actress, has died and Eva takes her ashes “home.” Home is an estate in Cornwall where they spent many happy childhood summers. Eva receives a warm welcome from the locals. Mark, an old beau of her sister’s on whom Eva had a girlhood crush, operates the Trelowarth Rose gardens on the estate.  Susan, Mark’s sister, wants to open a tea shop at the garden. Their stepmother, Claire, hovers about taking care of them all when she isn’t off wandering or painting.  In town there is Eva's old nemesis, Oliver, who is interested in pursuing a closer friendship and helps her research the past when she starts inquiring.

In spite of these friends, Eva still doesn’t feel quite at ‘home’ until she starts slipping back in time to find herself 300 years in the past. There Eva stumbles upon Daniel who is taken aback when she appears in his chamber.  She thinks he is the intruder until she realizes she is out of place and it is a bit of time before Eva learns that she looks startling like Daniel’s deceased wife.  Daniel’s stalwart friend, Fergal becomes Eva’s “big” brother teaching her how to manage in her ‘new’ surroundings. He seeks to protect Daniel and Eva from the growing attraction between them. More importantly they are concerned because the household is being watched by the unpleasant local constable who would love to catch them in illegal smuggling activity.  Even more dangerous are the whispered rumors of treason.

Eva can’t control her passages through time but that doesn’t stop her and Daniel from falling in love. I liked Daniel’s and Fergal’s warm and courageous attitude about the time travel situation. They are both very likeable characters.

The historical aspects are interesting but the primary mystery and tension comes from the time travel dilemma that moves Eva in an out of time -- at good and bad moments.  I was a little puzzled by the revelations that come out about the time traveling near the end of the story. There is a twisted relationship where you have to place the people of the present, past and future. I also would have liked an Epilogue to tie up the ending more clearly. I think the connections were there but I may have missed it even though I went back twice.  Still, I really enjoyed the gentle warmth of the romance and the suspense of the story.

I particularly like Ms. Kearsley’s beautiful descriptions and phrasing.  Here is a passage when Eva struggles to learn from Daniel how to light a spark for the fire. The phrase, of course, has a double meaning:

A simple thing, he’d said, and so it was. A random meeting and a touch–-that’s all it took to make a spark that could, with care and time, become a flame.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing this book to read and review.
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the ARC copy:

1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there. This is required for entry.

2.  For another entry tell me which cover you like better and why - the published cover above or the ARC cover to the right. I liked the ARC cover although the colors in the final cover are lovely.

3.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

4.  For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Five total entries possible.)

* Open to the US & Canada only.

* No PO boxes, please.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on November 11, 2011.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on November 12. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

Blog Tour Guest Post by Jennifer Harlow, Author of Mind Over Monsters

See below for Tour wide Giveaway chance.
Doesn't this look like a fun read for October and Halloween?!

The Soundtrack to Our Lives (Or a Book) by Jennifer Harlow

I don’t do silence. I can’t. I grew up surrounded by chaos instrumented by three demons by the names of Ryan, Liam, and Trevor, my three younger brothers. These were not, and still aren’t, studious, well behaved darlings who liked nothing better than to sit down with a good book or play with her dolls like their angel big sister. No, these boys had enough energy and testosterone to supply an entire Starbucks and bodybuilding gym with some still left over to attempt to “kill” or “wrestle” their sister and each other. Screams, whining, and loud bangs on the television were staples of my youth. So when I moved out on my own, I soon discovered I needed the noise. There is always a television or radio on, even as I fall asleep. This is true when I’m writing as well. I can write pretty much anywhere (if you have a strong desire to stalk me, see the acknowledgments page of my book Mind Over Monsters to see where I write), but the one thing that helps get my creative juices flowing the most is music. The right song can make or break my scene, even inspiring me on some occasions.

As I was writing Monsters, I found that certain songs really helped pump up the visuals and mood. They helped me get to a place where I needed to get inside my head to convey what was going on in my imagination and translate that to the page. Music just adds so much more to the experience. So I started compiling playlists for the books. Like the book, the soundtrack has a narrative flow in line with the book. You don’t have to like all the songs, I have eclectic taste, but at the very least if you sample them, you’ll get a feel for the book. So here it is:

MIND OVER MONSTERS: THE SOUNDTRACK

1.     Magic to Do- Ben Vereen from the musical Pippin

2.     Edge of the Ocean- Ivy

3.     Cold- Annie Lennox

4.     If It Wasn’t For Bad-Elton John & Leon Russell

5.     Shadows of the Night-Pat Benatar

6.     Four Minutes – Madonna fet. Justin Timberlake

7.     Tainted Love – Soft Cell

8.     Say It Right – Nelly Furtado

9.     Fields of Gold – Sting

10.  Ordinary World – Duran Duran

11.  Savin’ Me – Nickelback

12.  Precious – Depeche Mode

13.  Home – Depeche Mode

Please download legally. All songs are available on iTunes.

Jennifer Harlow is the author of the paranormal mystery Mind Over Monsters, the first in the F.R.E.A.K.S Squad series. You can read her blog “Tales From the Darkside” at her website www.jenniferharlowbooks.com. Also friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter at jenharlowbooks.

Mind Over Monsters
A F.R.E.A.K.S. Squad Investigation
By Jennifer Harlow

ISBN-10: 0-7387-2667-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-7387-2667-0
US $14.95 • CAN $16.95
Trade Paperback Original • 53/16 x 8 • 288 pp.
October 2011

Paranormal heroes take on zombies in this funny and thrilling debut.

Very few people know the truth about Beatrice Alexander. She’s no ordinary schoolteacher with a fondness for classic movies. Beatrice can move objects with her mind, an embarrassing and dangerous skill that she’s never learned to master — or embrace. After nearly killing her brother by accident, she joins F.R.E.A.K.S. The Federal Response to Extra-Sensory and Kindred Supernaturals is a top-secret offshoot of the FBI that “neutralizes” ghouls, trolls, and other monsters threatening humanity.

Beatrice has no desire to become Buffy the vampire slayer. But F.R.E.A.K.S. offers training to control her power. Also, she doesn’t feel like such a freak next to the other supernatural members, including a cute former detective who’s a werewolf and an unbearable vampire determined to seduce Beatrice. Despite a natural instinct to flee from hideous, bloodthirsty zombies, Beatrice must prove herself on her first mission to find a cunning necromancer.

Praise for Mind Over Monsters:

“A wonderful debut! Jennifer Harlow has written a gritty, dramatic police-procedural with a compelling heroine and a fascinating group of sidekicks. Looking forward to the sequel!” —KAREN CHANCE, NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF CASSANDRA PALMER SERIES

“Mind Over Monsters is funny, scary, and creepy—and ridiculous amounts of fun!” —KAT RICHARDSON, AUTHOR OFTHE GREYWALKER NOVELS

“Monstrously fun! Monstrously suspenseful! Monstrously good! Jennifer Harlow's debut novel had me laughing and gasping from start to finish!"“ —VICTORIA LAURIE, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GHOST HUNTER MYSTERY SERIES AND THE PSYCHIC EYE MYSTERY SERIES

See full blog tour list here. Tour and Contest end 10/31.

5 copies of Mind Over Monsters are being given away tour wide:

Open to US Shipping

Link to form

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGp1VVJqdGF1Y2RNYkVVQWV5LUliMUE6MQ

embed form

Audiobook Review: TimeSplash by Graham Storrs

This is an interesting story of time distortion!

TimeSplash
by Graham Storrs

Narrator: E.J. Newman

Publisher: eMergent Publishing

Proof-listener: Susan Claybrook

Length: 9:11:32 

Genre:  Time travel, Science Fiction

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description
Jumping back in time used to be fun... until people started dying. In the year 2050, London is on the verge of destruction. A thrill-seeker calling himself Sniper is about to jump back in time to create a time paradox. It's called timesplashing. It is exciting, dangerous, and the people who do it love every moment. Best of all, it doesn't change a thing - except in the present. When the acausal backwash from the splash hits the present, all hell breaks loose. Make a big enough timesplash, far enough back, and it can devastate a whole city. Once, timesplashing was an extreme sport and an excuse for a big party. Then Sniper took it too far. People started dying. Sandra and Jay are two people whose lives were shattered in a timesplash that went badly wrong in 2047. Now, each in their own way, they are hunting the timesplashers. And if they don't find them, millions could die. 

Review: Imagine a brick thrown into a lake and the ripples that roll out to reach the shore. The center of the lake, where the brick went in and made a splash, will smooth itself back out but the edge of the ripple, when it meets the shore, may cause erosion or damage.  This is how the TimeSplash works. The idea is to launch or “lob” the traveler, known as the “brick” back into the time stream. Once in the past the brick acts on some person in the past, maybe even killing his own grandmother. The more distant the lob into the past, and the more important the person acted upon, the greater the ripple effect.

In 2047 an arrogant and famous Brick named Sniper, with a few friends, takes a 65 year trip into the past. They kill the grandmother of one of the travelers and the actions in the past cause earthquake type damage killing people and causing extensive damage.  This trip changed the lives of those involved and turned the TimeSplash phenomenon into an illegal activity.

Two survivors take different paths. Patti (as in “Hearst”/ real name Sandra) was Sniper’s 15 year old “bitch” (girlfriend). She tried to get out of the launch but Sniper wouldn’t let her. By the time she returned she hated Sniper and was afraid he would kill her if she ever disclosed the truth of the jump.  After spending several years in an institution Sandra escapes in order to hunt down Sniper before he can kill her individually or through another big TimeSpash.

Luke (as in “Skywalker”/real name Jay) was a 17 year old in the audience with a buddy who was whacked out. The power went out during the backsplash and his buddy died. Jay quickly grew out of the teen “fun” mode into a serious young man.  Now Jay is a “time cop” set on hunting down TimeSplash gangs before they can destroy other cities.

Sandra and Jay cross paths and ultimately team up as they chase down clues trying to catch Sniper before the next launch. Sniper’s new target is Vladamir Lenin in 1902 while he is visiting in London. Will they be able to stop Sniper before his actions boomerang  and destroy current day London?

The action is very fast paced and you quickly are caught up in the suspense. The protagonists are young and the narrator’s voice picks up that youthful factor. The narration was more in the nature of a reading as she did not really try to change voices to different characters.  Initially I had to pay attention to distinguish the characters but once I had everyone in place, I enjoyed the audio as an easy way to listen to this story.

If you like time travel distortions, which I definitely do, you should try this book. I really enjoyed the story and was only disappointed by an ending that could have been a little bit stronger in wrapping up details.

I would be interested in more books by this author and more audiobooks from Iambik.

Thank you to Audiobook Jukebox and Iambik Audiobooks for this book to listen to and review.