Tuesday, June 30, 2020

A Florida Get Away Goes Wrong

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Aurora Dawn


 A Florida Get Away Goes Wrong 

Overall  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Performance  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Story  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed: 06-28-20

Needing to heal from the trauma of her rape and coma, Ash heads to Florida alone but her stay is anything but the peaceful escape she was hoping for in this second novel in the series.
A secret room, a stalker, a missing boy and a schoolyard shooting lead to a nail-biter of a conclusion that will leave you gasping for breath as Poznansky spins a tale of intrigue, tragedy and pure evil that might cause you to reconsider turning the lights out at night.
A must for thriller fans. 

~~Excellent Trilogy~~

So thrilled to find a review by Hall of Fame reviewer Serenity (love the name!) for my thriller trilogy,  Ash Suspense Thrillers: Trilogy:

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2020
This is an excellent trilogy and contains three novels. They are: Coma Confidential, Overkill, and Overdose. All three are 5 star reads for me.. Excellent character development, plots are well defined and the writing smooth and flawless. My review for one of the three is below.

Review for 'Overkill'

~~Spiral Staircase/Shooting Spree/Smell the Roses~~

This is the second novel in this series and as usual, Ms. Poznansky does not disappoint the readers. It is suspenseful as well as downright scary and will draw the readers into a web of mystery. The author's descriptive passages throughout continue to trap and at the same time, shed a sufficient amount of doubt into our minds. Who is this shooter and what is his connection to the main story?

We, as readers, will remember Ashley aka Ash from the first book in which she was the victim of an assault and was in a coma. In this second in the series, Ash has relocated to Clearwater, Florida, to assist in her recuperation. With her is Browny, her beloved dog, who is indeed one of my heroes in this novel.. Love that Browny! Michael, her boyfriend, has remained in California.

Ash rents a truly dilapidated beach house which seems to be perfect for her needs. But, this house has a mystery of its own including some interesting and strange secrets. Oh, nearly forget it has a spiral staircase, too.

In case a little more action is needed, there are murders, mayhem and trying to solve mysteries about previous disappearances in the Florida area.

Additionally, this author has the ability to delve deeply into the mind of a killer which, I believe, takes an incredible amount of talent... The portions that deal with the punk will indeed leave the readers shaking their heads. Timmy is also a character that will melt your heart.

Well developed characters, a story that flows smoothly throughout and the plot is excellent.

Stop and smell the roses does indeed bring promises of a new tomorrow.

Most highly recommended.

Please note that I borrowed this trilogy with my Kindle Unlimited Subscription.

Monday, June 29, 2020

A timely thriller to keep you on your toes!

USA Today bestselling author, From Womens' Pens author and humorist, Susan Jean Ricci is best known for her series of works titled Cindy's Crusades. This is what she said about my new book, Overkill:

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2020
Overkill (Ash Suspense Thrillers with a Dash of Romance Book 2) is a timely, suspenseful continuation of Coma Confidential: (Ash Suspense Thrillers with a Dash of Romance Book One) and a tale you won’t want to miss.

As a fan of the multi-talented Uvi Poznansky and her creativity, I was eager to get into this fast-paced thriller which definitely doesn’t disappoint. The words turbulent, timely and captivating come to mind -

We meet up with Ashley Winter and her attempt to start anew after her catastrophic, shocking experiences in Book One. We now find her in Clearwater, Florida trying to put the pieces of her life together, only to be blindsided by unwelcome news that stems back from her ordeal, an odd stalker, and a school shooting that ends in murder.

Plus, there’s that mysterious upstairs room in her rental, which her landlady denies exists. The secret room is shrouded with mystery and sadness and becomes a key element in Ash’s search for the truth. Twists and turns you never see coming made this reader think, “Yikes, never expected that.”

While reading Coma Confidential (Book one of the series) might enlighten a reader, Ms. Poznansky’s talent for weaving backstory in strategic areas of Overkill makes it unnecessary in order to keep up with the current story – although it IS recommended reading, as are all of her other books.

Bravo for keeping me intrigued from start to finish, Ms. Poznansky – Five gold, well deserved stars awarded - Can’t wait to read Book Three.

Sunday, June 28, 2020

A beautifully narrated thriller!

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Aaron P. Lazar




 A beautifully narrated thriller! 

Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
    
5 out of 5 stars
Performance  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Story  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed: 06-28-20

Overkill, by Uvi Poznansky, is the latest release from this USA Today Bestselling Author. I have long been a genuine fan of all her books, from the romantic stories to the biblical novels, and now to this delightful thriller! I read the first book in the series, Coma Confidential—a wonderful psychological thriller— and was thrilled when Overkill was released so that I could continue to follow young college student Ashley in her startling exploits.

Told from the point of view of Ash, formerly a comatose patient, Overkill is poetically written and finely executed, involving new storylines that could have been taken from contemporary headlines. I read the book and then listened to the audiobook, which brought each character and scene to life in a way that kept me addictively listening.

Narrator Heather Jane Hogan is an outstanding narrator, whose vocal range covers male to female, young to old, with an absolutely convincing performance. Her voice is lovely and easy to listen to, and she gives all the nuances of the enactment for which one could hope.

Ash flees her college life in California, leaving boyfriend Michael behind, hoping for a much needed respite after the events in Coma Confidential.

The little cottage she rents from an acquaintance of her father ends up not being as idyllic as expected, when she walks in the door and there’s a horrific odor and stains beneath the rugs. Who died here? And why is everyone so closed mouth about the history of the cottage?

The story heats up when Ash is caught in a school shooting. The child she protects is a young neighbor boy, whose estranged father is killed in the rampage. Ash becomes involved in the investigation and becomes close to the mother and boy, helping the family wherever she can.

Overkill is a fast-paced, suspenseful and beautifully written and narrated tale that you must enjoy for yourself!

- Highly recommended by Aaron Lazar, USA Today Bestselling Author. 

Fans Of The Notebook May Enjoy This Book!

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B. Roscoe




  Fans Of The Notebook May Enjoy This Book! 

Overall  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️    
4 out of 5 stars
Performance  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   
5 out of 5 stars
Story  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed: 05-29-20
Reads As A Stand-Alone In A Series Of Stories About Lenny And Natasha. The Flashback To World War II Is A Fascinating Tale Of Espionage With A Backdrop Of Romance!

This is the fourth book in the Still Life with Memories series, a five book series with a sixth brief book bite. I have not read the first books in the series and cannot comment on the series as a whole to this point; however, this book reads well as a stand-alone. Fans of The Notebook may enjoy this book, as some aspects are reminiscent of that story.

This is the story of Lenny and Natasha. It opens and closes when they are somewhat older. Lenny has become the caretaker of Natasha, whose memory has been slipping for some time. She has few lucid moments, and it weighs heavily on Lenny. They do not yet have a diagnosis for her condition. Lenny longs for his teenage son, who quit school and is travelling abroad, to return home to him. They have a complicated relationship, however.

The bulk of the book is a flashback to a time before Lenny and Natasha marry. Lenny reflects back to a time when Natasha was at her peak. She was a successful Russian pianist, and he a would-be writer enlisted in the Marines in World War II. After taking time out to return to New York because of his father’s illness and death, Lenny is called back into service. He had spent time with Natasha while in New York, and the young couple was crazy about one another. Duty takes him to London, and love inspires Natasha to hazard a trip across the dangerous waters of the Atlantic and join a USO tour in England, bringing her to Lenny.

Lenny’s talent has caused him to be recruited to join a secret mission to mislead the Germans. He has been tasked to write love letters with false information about the Allied forces in an effort meant to misdirect German intelligence, whose spy network had infiltrated the British postal service. With Natasha’s arrival, Lenny is ordered to find another woman to write letters to, as Natasha’s presence eliminates her as a credible recipient. His friend Ryan’s ex-girlfriend happened to have had eyes for Lenny back in New York, and though Lenny was devoted to Natasha, he could come up with no other option and was forced to begin a correspondence with Lana. The fact that he cannot divulge the truth to Natasha weighs heavily on his conscience, and the possibility of her discovering the letters has him living in fear.

The war story is a fascinating tale of espionage with a backdrop of romance. It is nicely written. The plot is complex. The characters are unique and authentic. The story is written in first person in Lenny’s POV. I rate the book four stars.

As for the Audio: it is well-performed, with unique voices for the various characters.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

I roll across the floor, trying to extinguish the fire that has caught my hair

Releasing myself—even with the key in my possession—is easier said than done, because the shackle is holding my elbow up behind me, which forces me to contort my body in a strange acrobatic feat while dangling from the chain, in order to reach the key lock. But somehow, the urgent need to escape the blaze sends a charge of adrenaline through me. I twist around despite the spinal pain, catch the lock, and push the key into it.
It unlocks.
I’m free.
And blocked by fire.
Until now, it’s been playful, flaring, leaping into a shower of sparks in the center of the room, where it’s consumed the heap of papers. Nothing remains of them but glittering ash. At this point, the flames blaze into a hungry inferno, chasing me as I leap out from under the closet rod and run around the room along the array of targets, all of which are riddled by bullet holes.
Through the gathering smoke, I hurl myself down the spiral staircase with a speed I never thought was in me. I slip down, swinging around the central industrial pole that holds the treads. It feels hot to the touch, but I ignore my scorched skin and pay little attention to the burnt smell of my hair. 
I must act fast, or Timmy will not make it.
At the bottom step, I stumble over Mrs. Gore’s body. She is crumpled in a strange, unnatural position. No breath, no pulse. By the flicker of light, I see my cellphone lying next to her mangled legs. I’m not sure if it still works, after being banged, kicked about and thrown down here by my captor. 
I grab it anyway and climb through the hole, out of the broken wall and into my living room. As I roll across the floor, trying to extinguish the fire that has caught my hair, I hear three things: my dog, barking in the backyard. Sirens, coming closer. And my cellphone, buzzing--


 Love Suspense? Prepare to be thrilled 

The last thing Ash expects when she lands in Clearwater, Florida is to be stalked by a troubled teenager. If that's not bad enough, she is caught in a shooting spree next to the nearby elementary school. The cops think it’s an attempt at mass killing, but Ash wonders if the only victim was specifically targeted by the killer. Will she manage to identify him and have him arrested before he comes after her?


"Uvi Poznanski transports us with her stunning prose, well-rounded characters, and dialogue. The plot twists are complete surprises, and pull us on to see what's next. Nothing is what it appears to be, which is exactly what you'd want in a solid mystery thriller with a dash of romance." 
J.A. Schneider, Author of Suspense and Psychological Thrillers

Twists and turns!

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Susan Patterson




 Twists and turns! 

Overall  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Performance  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Story  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed: 06-25-20

Well-written. Held my attention throughout! Excellent author!

Heather Jane Hogan did a great job narrating and bringing the characters to life.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Beautifully written. A work of art.


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Becky



 Beautifully written. A work of art. 

Overall  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️    
5 out of 5 stars
Performance  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   
5 out of 5 stars
Story  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️   
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed: 06-26-20
Whew! Now this is a love story! The last chapter....I'm all choked up, eyes watery. I need to blink.
I listened to Audible version. The narrator was excellent. Well, maybe except for his singing......Except I have no right to complain with my voice. He helped create the feels of this WWII romance. Well done.
This love story is a work of art. So beautifully written. The plot so captivating. The characters so appealing. The feels deep and meaningful. I will be recommending this book and this author to my friends and family.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Story Origin. 
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