MURDER, JUST BECAUSE Blog Tour - Review

It’s a pleasure to be participating in author Yolanda Renee’s MURDER, JUST BECAUSE Blog Tour through MC Book Tours today.

The author is offering an awesome tour-wide international giveaway. More information on the giveaway is listed below.

MURDER, JUST BECAUSE
by Yolanda  Renée

◊ Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
◊ Publisher: Yolanda Renee
◊ Series: Detective Quaid Mysteries
◊ Paperback: 291 pages
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ ISBN-10: 0985820632
◊ ISBN-13: 978-0985820633
◊ Contains explicit sex & graphic violence

"While this book does contain explicit sexual language and graphic violence, it could easily be taken from the daily headlines. The content is plausible and realistic as we look at the world around us. The events in the book are not overly done but give a pragmatic look at the terrifying actions killers can and sometimes do take."

It was a matter of beginner’s luck, but rookie detective Steven Quaid’s career and reputation as an elite investigator skyrocketed when he captured one of the most sadistic serial killers in Alaskan history: Stowy Jenkins, AKA the Snowman. But that was ten years ago.

And now…Jenkins is back. Escaped from prison and on the move, his bloodlust is stronger than ever, and his methods of torture are even more horrifying than before. As his bloody rampage continues and the number of mutilated bodies mounts, terrified Alaskans increasingly doubt Quaid’s ability to catch the killer again. The detective’s reputation is on the line, and he’s going to need a lot more than luck, because this time, Jenkins is driven by more than the thrill of a random kill.

This time, it’s more personal. He’s out for revenge…and his ultimate target is Quaid. In a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Jenkins starts picking off the people in Quaid’s life…slowly, gradually tightening his circle of corpses and drawing ever closer to the most important person in Quaid’s life...his wife. Can Quaid do the impossible again? Can he outmaneuver the killer, or has the detective's luck finally run out?

My review: Detective Steven Quaid wants only to enjoy his Hawaiian honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Sarah. Yet his world is shaken when one of the most sadistic serial killers ever, Stowy Jenkins (the Snowman) escapes after ten years in prison. And the Snowman has revenge on the mind. Everyone who had betrayed him is on his list. Quaid closes in on the Snowman as the killer closes in on him. Will Quaid be able to survive a second round with the Snowman or will he be the next macabre art piece?

This is the fifth book in the thrilling and horrifying Detective Quaid Mysteries series. Things start off right away and the tension builds to amazing heights with all the twists and turns. Quaid is trying hard to enjoy life with his new wife, but the call of his work is always there taking him away. Thankfully she understands! I love that Sarah is just as kick-butt as Quaid. Yet the Snowman, can anyone defeat him? He's very clever and enjoys the killing. He is a villain that I love to hate and read about even with all the blood and violence. I had no idea how it was going to end, I was on the edge of my seat, and it was not a disappointment! Plus you have the realities of the harsh life in Alaska. Great descriptions and settings. Even serial killers like to winter in the south!

This book is not for anyone under 18 or for those with weak stomachs. Renee doesn't spare the reader any details!

Author Yolanda Renee

For those who aren’t familiar with the author, here’s a bit of background on her in her own words.

At one time Alaska called to me, and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I’ve traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influences my writing.

Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two handsome sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure!

For more on Yolanda and her writing, you can connect with her here:

Blog    *     Facebook     *     Twitter     *     Pinterest    

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for a $25 Amazon gift card for one winner, a complete set of the Detective Quaid Mystery series books for another winner, paperback copies of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for five winners, and a Kindle copy of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for 10 winners.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Yolanda on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. Do you enjoy watching a character grow from one story to the next?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Snowman Blog Tour & #Giveaway - guest post by Yolanda Renee

I'm excited to host the talented Yolanda Renee on my blog today. I love her books, and she helped me when I had a million questions about living in Alaska. It's where her mysteries are set too!

1. Setting: How do you bring out the most in your setting; and tension? 
   
   Alaska, at least to me is, in itself an exciting setting, but this time my antagonist uses the weather to create his horrific art. The Snowman, Stowy Jenkins, originally from West Virginia, hates Alaska and winter, but he decides to embrace circumstance. I not only describe the snowstorms before, and during his killings, I describe the weather in almost every chapter. With each new blizzard, the tension rises. 
   
   I also use real places, street, parks, and clubs. Although a few are fictional. However, when I lived in Alaska, the window of my bedroom looked out over 4^th Avenue and this description is quite accurate: 
   
   On Fourth Avenue, the busiest street in town, flashing neon signs crackled and whirred in the bitter cold, proclaiming the number of nudes dancing in each risqué establishment. Loud music streamed from the dark interiors of clubs almost in synch with the patrons weaving in and out. Bumper-to-bumper traffic crawled up and down the street as men, eager to blow their wad on booze, drugs, and loose women, searched for a place to park.
   
   
   2. Tension - How do you keep it taut throughout the plot?
   
   
   My goal in The Snowman, was to keep the story moving. Emotions run high, killings happen frequently, and Stowy becomes more and more sadistic as he tries to outdo himself with each murder or as he calls it, artistic expression. 
   
   Steven Quaid, newly promoted to detective, is determined and yet stymied by the Snowman’s changing MO (modis oprendi) killing habits. Racism and vengeance are also part of the equation and the ultimate question is, can this killer be caught?
   
   I think it meets the challenge as a page turner. I’m sure the readers will let me know.
   
   Thank you for hosting me for the The Snowman tour.
   
   
   Buy the book!
   
   
   It takes a true artist to pursue his victims in the art of seduction, and Stowy Jenkins is no exception, especially with blood as his medium. 
   
   Stowy Jenkins, aka, Stone, and as Alaskans refer to him, the Snowman, is a true artist. His muse, Gigi, is the ultimate inspiration for his painting. Her rejection inspires him to use a very unusual medium…blood.
   
   While art may be his passion, the taste for blood is his obsession, and multiple murders, the result.
   
   Rookie, Detective Steven Quaid, is no fan of the Snowman’s murderous exhibitions. A twisted and deadly relationship bond the two men and neither knows who will come out of it alive.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   About the Author: 
   
   At one time Alaska called to me, and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I've traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influence my writing.
   
   Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two handsome sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure! 
   
   You can connect with me here:
   
   
   Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Email
   
   
   Giveaway!
   
   
   This tour-wide giveaway features both print and eBook copies of the four books in the Detective Quaid Series. The giveaway will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Tuesday, June 6.
   
   The prizes include: 
   * Grand prize - Winner receives a print copy of all four books in the Detective Quaid Series (U.S. and Canada only).
   
   
   * First place - Winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift certificate.
   
   
   * Second place - Winner will receive eBook copies of all four books in the Detective Quaid Series.
   
   
   * There will be 3 runner-up winners
   and each will win an eBook copy of THE SNOWMAN or one of the other books in the series (winner's choice). 
   
   To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.
   
   
   Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Yolanda on her month-long tour. You never know what you might find out.
   
   
   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Darkness Review

Blurb: Seventeen-year-old Carly Lopez suffers from post-traumatic stress, though the “post” part technically doesn’t apply...not when the killer’s still out there.

As the only survivor of the killing spree that left four dead girls in its wake, Carly fails to unearth her buried memories of that day and is consumed with guilt. After a year of silence, the killer's back, and Carly will stop at nothing to stop him.

With each new death, Carly’s reality shatters, propelling her deeper into the darkness where the dead haunt her and where the truth lies. Her only firm grasp of reality is Hunter Jackson, whose mysterious overprotectiveness of Carly forces her to doubt the reason behind her guilt.

But Hunter has a secret.

And when she discovers a horrible truth, Carly questions her involvement in the murders. Was she directly responsible? Did she help the killer? Carly soon learns that finding answers may mean risking more than just her sanity.

My review:
Carly Lopez is the only survivor of a serial killer that murdered four teenage girls. He was never caught, and she can't remember what he looks like. Now he's back, and she's determined to find the killer. Except she can't tell reality from dream sometimes. Her post-traumatic stress has left her questioning even herself. Can she find the truth without ending up in an institution again or getting herself killed?

This YA thriller with a supernatural edge takes the reader on a surreal journey. It's fascinating and frightening at the same time. Carly's post-traumatic stress disorder is captured vividly. Her nightmares, visions, and inability to remember things interfere with her desire to help the police. Carly is determined no matter that her own mind is holding her back.

Amidst the chaos, Hunter is the rock holding Carly together. He's one of those guys every girl crushes on an for good reason. Hunter has his own secrets, and they weave into the strange web that creates this extraordinary tale. A few times I felt lost, but that is merely because Carly feels that too. And when you discover the truth, it is even more fantastical than the illusions.

Buy DARKNESS here

Add it to Goodreads

About the author: Elizabeth is the author of THE SECOND SIGN and THE SECOND SHADOW, a dark young adult paranormal romance series. Elizabeth currently teaches writing to teens at a local community center. You can find more information about Elizabeth at:

Website: http://www.elizabetharroyo.com.
Blog: http://chandarawrites.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabetharroyo.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EArroyo5

Oracle review

Blurb:
As the countdown begins, the body count rises.

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn’t need a serial killer stalking the streets. They’ve got one anyway.

Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police are no closer to finding their latest murderer than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter’s disability.

Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential next victims.

One of whom could be his own daughter.

Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer’s only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene.


My review:
Detective Kurt Lancer is on the trail of a serial killer. A killer becoming famous for the brutal and unusual ways of murdering his victims. The last thing London needs is a murderer on the loose with the Olympic Games about to start. Kurt wonders who might really be the killer when his home and daughter are targeted. As the nightmare and body count grows, he has to find who's behind it all or lose everything that matters to him.

This is an incredibly written thriller that pulled me along with every page. The tension was drawn tight at the beginning, and every time I felt it easing up, it was jerked taut again. Great pacing. What I loved most about the book was the characters. No stereotypes or cardboard cut-outs. These are real people with amazing depth. Kurt Lancer is a single father trying to raise a daughter with a growing disability. It made my heart ache to see the good and bad of the parent-child relationship. Kurt's partners, Sam and Tom, are extremely likable and the perfect complement to his rougher edges. The delinquent brother and sexy neighbor have more to their characters than originally meets the eye.

I wasn't surprised by anything that happened and I predicted where the story was going, but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. Wonderful detail, interesting Greek mythology, and spectacular characterization. Oracle is the debut novel for J.C. Martin, and she makes it look so easy.

Visit J.C. Martin at her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.