Showing posts with label paranormal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paranormal. Show all posts

Monday, September 18, 2023

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon Book Review

A newborn was abandoned in a small town laundry. He was left in a basket and found on the verge of death. His story made the news and he was named Moses. Unlike the biblical babe left in the basket and placed in the river, this Moses was a crack baby. Crack babies, due to being exposed to drugs before their birth, are expected to have many physical and mental difficulties. In some ways, Moses followed a similar trajectory as many children born with drug exposure and with absent parents.  He was passed from home to home, had difficulty in school, and was thought to have seizures and hallucinations. However, he is also very different than those similar children in a way that can either be considered a blessing or a curse - depending on how you look at it. 

The Book of Moses written by Amy Harmon


"People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids. Nobody really wants messed up kids."

I was lost in Amy Harmon's The Law of Moses. From the prologue that warned of heart-breaking loss to the last few words I was hooked. I fell in love with Georgia and Moses. We join their lives as they are in their senior year of high school. 

Moses eventually comes to live with Kathleen, his great-grandmother. He is turning 18 and will be aging out of the system. He is a very talented mural painter, painting his graffiti where he shouldn't and he sometimes knows people he shouldn't.  Kathleen lives next door to Georgia's family and has made arrangements for Moses to work on their farm. 

Georgia was the youngest child, born years after her own siblings. But she had grown up with many children as her parents were foster parents. As the story begins, her family is running an equine therapy program. While Georgia has seen Moses previously, during his visits with Kathleen when he was younger, this is the first time she's getting to know him. Or trying to get to know him. While most everyone else is suspicious or afraid of Moses, Georgia is drawn to him. But he's one of those "troubled" kids that most people avoid. Even the horses want to remain far from him. But Georgia can't stop herself. 

"Whatever it was, when Moses came to Levan, he was like water-cold, deep, unpredictable, and, like the pond up the canyon, dangerous because you could never see what was beneath the surface. And just like I'd done all my life, I jumped in head first, even though I'd been forbidden. But this time, I drowned."

The story continues over the next several years as Georgia and Moses go through some very difficult times, with and without each other, moving into adulthood. They are faced with adult problems and adult decisions.

My review does not do this story justice. I almost didn't write a review because I cannot describe it adequately without spoilers. Amy Harmon's writing is beautifully descriptive. It is easy to imagine the horses, scenery, and breath-taking murals. The characters are unique. Georgia and Moses are independent, strong, very different from each other, and both are very stubborn. This is described as a young adult and/or a coming of age romance but it is far from being confined to those genres.  It includes the mysterious disappearances of young ladies, beautiful murals being painted on buildings and overpasses of people who are missing or passed away, and a "different" young man who everyone blames for some of the bad things that happen. This story also has a paranormal aspect. I hadn't known that before I chose to add this book to my Kindle. If I had known, I probably would have passed the book by. I feel that most books with a paranormal bend seem contrived and difficult to believe. But Amy Harmon introduces and proves Moses' special abilities in a way that seems possible. Georgia and Moses are flawed characters who might not be easily likable but who won't be easily forgotten. 






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, April 23, 2022

Review of Harrison Investigations

 Book Series by Heather Graham


Image of a dark forest at night


“Harrison Investigations specializes in the bizarre ~ the unexplained ~ the things that go bump in the night.:

There are those who walk among us who are no longer alive, but not yet crossed over.  They stay to seek retribution or to help or watch over and protect those they love.

Among the living, few sense their presence ~ but some can!


The Harrison Investigations Series


Adam Harrison began Harrison Investigations after his son, Josh, died. Adam started putting together a team of people to look into cases with a paranormal angle because, although he didn't have the ability, Josh did, and Adam is able to recognizes it in others who can see and talk to ghosts. 


Harrison Investigation Series book covers
Available on Amazon

Throughout this series of ten books, we meet many people, all trained as Private Investigators, who are able to see what exists in a slightly different dimension.


This series fits into several genres – mystery & thriller, suspense, fantasy, paranormal, Historical Romance and romantic suspense. Each story takes place in a different place and, quite often, we are given a history lesson from earlier times. You learn a bit about the history of the place going back to Civil War times and other events that occurred in the 1700s and 1800s. The current story is taking place in modern times, but the ghost(s) will be from the past. The ghost has stayed around to help or have a wrong righted.


Books in the Series 


Haunted - book cover
Haunted - Book 1


The series begins with Haunted, which takes place in an historic Virginia estate that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Suspecting that the house is haunted, owner Matt Stone finally allows Harrison Investigations in the form of paranormal investigator Darcy Tremayne to try and discover the truth about some strange happenings at the house.


Book #3 (Ghost Walk) finds us in New Orleans where Nikki DuMonde manages a successful haunted-tour company. Nikki doesn't scare easily until she wakes up at 4 a.m. to see her newest employee standing at the end of her bed begging for help. The next day she discovers that the employee had been killed. Nikki doesn't believe in ghosts, and no one believes her until Brent Blackhawk, a paranormal investigator able to communicate with the dead, arrives to help. 


Unhallowed Ground (Harrison Investigations Book #7) takes place in Florida where Sarah McKinley has bought an historic mansion that she has always loved.  While the house is being renovated, remains of dozens of bodies – some dating back over a century – are discovered in a wall.


Meanwhile Caleb Anderson, a P.I. With Harrison Investigations, is in town investigating several missing-person cases. He soon comes to believe that his cases are linked to Sarah's house and its dark past. Sarah and Caleb are compelled to research the history of the house to discover the truth.


For all ten books in the Harrison Investigation series, click here.


Summary


Harrison Investigation Series Volume 2

The characters in each book are always interesting and the ghosts are delightful.  There is usually a romantic interest between the main male & female characters, of course. And the historic background of each area and place is fascinating.


An interesting fact is that the Harrison Investigation Series pre-dates the Krewe of Hunters series reviewed earlier here on ReviewThisReviews. From being private investigators for Adam Harrison, the group's crime solve-rate is so good that eventually the FBI becomes interested and the Krewe of Hunters become a group of unusual FBI agents who are called upon when something complex (and usually paranormal) is going on.


I have now read my way through both series and really enjoyed them. Therefore, I recommend them to anyone interested in this type of genre. Classic paranormal romantic suspense by Heather Graham.



*Harrison Investigations Book Series reviewed by Wednesday Elf






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Angels of the Arch Book One Reviewed

When Angels Are Among Us 

Angel in the sky
Archangel Gabriel image courtesy of pixabay.com
A review of the book Angels of the Arch: The Unwanted Gift is what I will be sharing with you today. It is a relatively new book published about one year ago and is written by Lion Key who is probably a new name to you as an author. 

Gabrielle Crowe is a 15 year old girl living in Alaska surrounded by the Unnoticed who inhabit the planet Earth. Her life seems pretty typical of a teenager; she feels the angst of her age like any other young person. She loves her friends even though they annoy her often. Her grumpy Grandmother has raised her since she was an infant. Gabrielle is a normal teenager or is she?

Strange things begin to happen to Gabrielle that she finds difficult to explain or even talk about with her best friend Amy. Leo, a new boy in her school, befriends her before he eventually takes her to a different world or dimension. It is revealed to her that she has been given a gift; she is to be the new Archangel of Water. There is a price to pay if she accepts the new responsibility, though. Gabrielle feels the price is too high for her; she doesn't want the gift, not at that cost. What happens if she doesn't take it?

The regular readers of Review This know that I do not like to give away too many spoilers in any of the books that I review. I will tell you this; if you read this wonderful book you will find out who the unnoticed are, who inhabits the dimension or world where she is taken and what the cost to Gabrielle is if she accepts her new position. Does she or doesn't she accept the responsibility?

I thoroughly enjoyed this first book by Lion Key. He has done a really good job of portraying a contemporary teenage girl; making her believable throughout the story. I loved the tiny bit of mystery along with the action scenes that occur in Alaska and the place where Leo takes her. The paranormal abilities of some of the characters were pretty neat, too. Overall it was a very good book and I look forward to the next one...I want to find out what happens next with Gabrielle!

If I were to find any fault at all in the book it would be that I couldn't figure out what season of the year the story takes place. I found it confusing during a few of the descriptive scenes of Gabrielle's surroundings. For me, it was a minor distraction and did not take away from the story that unfolded. It really is a very good story that kept me turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning.

Lion Key also works to support Independent Authors (like myself) with a team of others at Indie Author Central. It is a growing network of authors, artists, editors who support and promote each others work in a fun and exciting way to remind the world that #indiesareworthit. 

So, bottom line, I recommend this book as one to read if you like YA (young adult) type stories with paranormal fantasy mixed in. I sincerely do not think that you will be disappointed; I was not.


Angels Of The Arch: The Unwanted Gift



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Cree Blue Psychic Eye Mystery Series Reviewed

Cozy Mystery Series With A Paranormal Flair

Psychic Image
Psychic Image courtesy of Pixabay.com
Recently I began a mystery series: the Cree Blue Psychic Eye Mystery books. I would like to give you a little review this morning. Most of our regular readers are aware that I love a good mystery book and that I am partial to the Cozy Mystery genre. I began writing my own cozy series last year so I am a bit partial to the genre.

This series caught my eye as I scrolled through my choices of options for a new series to read. First of all it is a set of cozy mysteries so, it won't be too graphic on the murder details and then the touch of paranormal intrigued my brain. The thought of a sleuth that had psychic abilities seemed interesting and just a tad different. I like different!

Well, I am here to tell you that I am not disappointed in clicking the buy it button for the first book! Kate Allenton, the author, has not made me regret my choice. Her premise for the setting and characters are fun to read. Cree Blue is witty, smart and a little bit on the sassy side. She is a modern southern belle who just happens to have the ability to "see things" whether she wants to or not. She would also just as soon that people not know about her gifts. She uses her unusual ability to see beyond the veil to help solve cold case crimes, not for money or fame but because she wants to help the victims and to get the justice their lives deserved.

Cree Blue has made me laugh several times with her witty comebacks and her descriptions of people and events. There were also times I found myself thinking, "You go, girl!". She is quite an enjoyable little sleuth to get to know as I turn the pages.

Because these are cozies there are not things within the plot that are super gory, no frightening spirits or explicit sex scenes. The couple of ghosts that show up in the first book are friendly and helpful sorts. They won't make you scream and throw down your book! There is a bit of a romantic attraction but not in a way that will make your cheeks turn scarlet.

If you like a well written mystery, the kind that keeps you guessing; then I think you will enjoy the Cree Blue Psychic Eye series as much as I am. They are not tomes so they don't take an extremely long time to read. I think that if you give the first book a chance, you too will become a fan of this female sleuth who has psychic abilities.



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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