Showing posts with label Mothman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mothman. Show all posts

August 7, 2017

Book Review - A Desolate Hour by Mae Clair

Sins of the past could destroy all of their futures . . .
For generations, Quentin Marsh’s family has seen its share of tragedy, though he remains skeptical that their misfortunes are tied to a centuries-old curse. But to placate his pregnant sister, Quentin makes the pilgrimage to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, hoping to learn more about the brutal murder of a Shawnee chief in the 1700s. Did one of the Marsh ancestors have a hand in killing the chief —the man who cursed the town with his dying breath?

While historian Sarah Sherman doesn’t believe in curses either, she’s compelled to use her knowledge of Point Pleasant to uncover the long-buried truth. The river town has had its own share of catastrophes, many tied to the legendary Mothman, the winged creature said to haunt the woods. But Quentin’s arrival soon reveals that she may have more of a stake than she realized. It seems that she and Quentin possess eerily similar family heirlooms. And the deeper the two of them dig into the past, the more their search enrages the ancient mystical forces surrounding Point Pleasant. As chaos and destruction start to befall residents, can they beat the clock to break the curse before the Mothman takes his ultimate revenge? . . .

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Buy link Amazon

My Review


“Run from the thunder,

Run from the rain,

Lightning can’t hurt you,

The wind is in vain,     Sarah keeps saying in A Desolate Hour.
    .
Mae Clair is one of the best writers I've read. I've read a lot, indie and traditional.  She's one of the best overall. Her writing style and also the characters she creates are amazing, yet, characters any of us can easily  relate to. Once I started reading I couldn’t put the book down until I had read every word. I loved the characters, especially  Caden and Eve. But more characters are added to the story here in A Desolate Hour, like Sarah and the mysterious QM from book 2. Each with her or his secret and karmic burden.I want to make a special mention of Shawn, a perfect portrayal of an evil character, no matter his justification.

By the way, the title is a perfect fit for the story. The author couldn’t have found a better one.

For someone who is reading Book 3 it would be helpful to read the previous stories to fully tie all the threads together. But the book can be read as a standalone and there are reminders along the first chapters smoothly weaved in the plot that help the reader understand who’s who.

I knew I had to prepare myself to say goodbye to this incredible cast of characters at the end of this book, especially to Drayandor. Sadly this  did nothing to lighten the blow. With every passing page I marveled over the genius of the words before me and fretted over the dwindling number of pages left ahead of me. Now a few words about the story. 
Amazing. Entertaining. Beautiful, [of course.] I don't know if I'd want to know a person who couldn't absolutely adore this entire series. As I  mourn my goodbyes to these characters I have come to know and love (and sometimes hate, see Obadiah's descendant) and attempt to pull myself together to face life again, I offer a most sincere plea to Ms.  Clair to be so kind as to spin another tale for us (and quickly). The world is truly a better place with her books in it for everyone to enjoy.

The suspense builds constantly making readers curious to see what comes next. And the expectations aren’t in vain. Almost each chapter, and even scenes, end in cliffhangers that urge you to postpone other chores and go on reading.

For example:

“Everything that happens around here gets blamed on Cornstalk’s curse.”or

“The tip of the scars he carried from the Mothman poked from beneath his sleeve. . . . the welts had never changed in appearance or texture. Until today. Normally vibrant red, they were now jet black." or
"It was time to leave, to get out before someone spied his Charger in the
driveway. He cleaned up the sink, wiped up his bloody prints, and looked
around for a piece of paper.
There was one more thing he had to do to make the scene complete."

Based on a real tragic event the three books combine, in a skillful way, folklore, paranormal and romantic suspense. If you love mysteries linked to the Men in Black, UFOs, the Mothman, Ouja boards, curses spanning the centuries and marking the main characters’ lives or   reincarnation this is a series you SHOULDN''T miss!


         To sum up - another superb story, packed full of action and emotion,  by the talented Mae Clair that will keep lovers of the paranormal/romantic suspense  genre well entertained!

December 29, 2016

Book Review (LXI) A Cold Tomorrow by Mae Clair



 A COLD TOMORROW
Where secrets make their home…


Stopping to help a motorist in trouble, Katie Lynch stumbles upon a mystery as elusive as the Mothman legend that haunts her hometown of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Could the coded message she finds herald an extraterrestrial visitor? According to locals, it wouldn’t be the first time. And what sense should she make of her young son’s sudden spate of bizarre drawings—and his claim of a late-night visitation? Determined to uncover the truth, Katie only breaks the surface when a new threat erupts. Suddenly her long-gone ex-boyfriend is back and it’s as if he’s under someone else’s control. Not only is he half-crazed, he’s intent on murder….



As a sergeant in the sheriff’s office of the famously uncanny Point Pleasant, Officer Ryan Flynn has learned to tolerate reports of puzzling paranormal events.   But single mom Katie Lynch appears to be in very real danger—and somehow Ryan’s own brother, Caden, is caught up in the madness, too. What the skeptical lawman discovers astounds him—and sends him into action. For stopping whatever evil forces are at play may just keep Katie and Caden alive….





Purchase Links:
Kobo 


My Review
Another great book by this writer! Mae Clair has created a good plot and has developed her characters  far enough to make you care about what happens to them.  A Cold Tomorrow is a suspenseful story, filled with interesting if not quirky supporting characters.The small town ambience, Point Pleasant, appeals to me. The story is fast-paced and well thought out, and the author does a good job conveying the conflict in both Kate and Ryan , and bringing them together in a satisfying resolution. Or not?         A Cold Tomorrow definitely doesn't let you down when it comes to adventure , legend and unexplained phenomena with a dash of romance. You feel like you just can't get enough of the story and the people in it. The characters are compelling and memorable. The Mothman is one of the characters that moved me and strengthened my opinion that he isn’t what many of the Point Pleasent people think him to be. The title is, in  my opinion, symbolic. COLD has hidden meanings that are revealed to readers along the story.

         We meet characters from book `1, A Thousand Yesteryears. And it’s logical as the story  takes the action from where it ended in book 1. The author does a great job reminding us, here and there,  about main events in the previous book, thus making it easy for the reader to reconnect with the characters.

         The focus is this time on Katie Lynch.  Mother-daughter and mother-son relationships are highlighted with finesse. As well as the brother-brother one, I mean Caden and Ryan. 
 You can't help but love Katie’s strong but sensitive personality.  Caden’s deep, gentle  humaneness is inspiring. I enjoyed the closeness of the characters in the story. I wish real life could be as this story portrayed.

I won't bother with a synopsis as  I hate spoilers. But I will say I really enjoyed A Cold Tomorrow. It captured my attention from the opening pages and held my interest until the final sentence. The author struck an excellent balance of adrenaline rushed action and adventure with warm, sentimental moments. A very enjoyable read.


Mae Clair’s novels are must reads for me, so I was thrilled when I could read the new book, A Cold Tomorrow. To say more would give too much away. There is romance, but nothing that can remotely be called steamy. The ending was a stunner. Fans of  paranormal/supernatural/mystery/ Men in Black and UFOs  won't want to miss this exciting  story of old lore and modern day mayhem. 

 I received an ARC free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

August 3, 2016

#RRBC 2016 Book and Blog Party with #Giveaways

 My cyber friend and fellow author Mae Clair has an interesting event on the way. Read her offer and take advantage of it. You won't regret, trust me!

Join in the Fun! #RRBC 2016 Book and Blog Party with #Giveaways


Welcome to From the Pen of Mae Clair…a virtual extension of Hershey, Pennsylvania
Are you ready to celebrate? To have some fun along with multiple chances to pick up goodies and prizes, not to mention a great selection of books?
Join me, and a host of other talented authors for (drum roll, please):
Colorful banner with words Rave Reviews Book Club 2016 Book & Blog Party prominently displayed
This is a club-wide event, with blog stops happening each day through August 31
No, I’m not giving away chocolate—although there is plenty of the virtual variety about, so help yourself (I’m kind of partial to the Hershey’s Extra Dark myself :D)
MY GIVEAWAY:
One lucky winner will receive a $15 gift card to Amazon or B&N
(winner’s choice)
All you have to do to be eligible to win is leave a comment on my blog with your email address (so I know where to find you). RRBC will randomly select a winner from the comments, so everyone has an opportunity to win.
While you’re here, I hope you will consider purchasing my most recent release, A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS, a mystery/suspense novel. New York Times bestselling author, Kevin O’Brien, called this book “Masterful bone-chilling fiction…one intense thriller.” Why not check it out for yourself?
My publisher currently has the book on sale for .99 cent through September 4 This is the perfect time to snatch up your copy!
Book cover for A Thousand Yesteryears by Mae Clair shows dark spooky forest at night with book tile in white on red background
A THOUSAND YESTERYEARS is the first novel in my Point Pleasant Series, but the story is complete (no cliff-hanger endings with the need to read further for closure). A blend of fact, fiction and creepy urban folklore, the novel plays off the legend of the Mothman and the true-life tragedy of the Silver Bridge collapse, a catastrophe that decimated the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
You’ll discover the” TNT,” an abandoned WWII munitions site, now part of a wildlife management area. Densely forested with steep hills, wetlands, ponds and tunnels, it’s a virtual labyrinth of secluded hiding places idea for a terrifying creature—or killer—to hide. The characters are everyday people facing extraordinary circumstances, including secrets, betrayal and murder.
I hope the blurb will entice you:

Graphic promoting A Thousand Yesteryears, a novel by Mae Clair shows book cover and close-up of an old tree in a foggy woodlandsBehind a legend lies the truth…
As a child, Eve Parrish lost her father and her best friend, Maggie Flynn, in a tragic bridge collapse. Fifteen years later, she returns to Point Pleasant to settle her deceased aunt’s estate. Though much has changed about the once thriving river community, the ghost of tragedy still weighs heavily on the town, as do rumors and sightings of the Mothman, a local legend. When Eve uncovers startling information about her aunt’s death, that legend is in danger of becoming all too real…
Caden Flynn is one of the few lucky survivors of the bridge collapse, but blames himself for coercing his younger sister out that night. He’s carried that guilt for fifteen years, unaware of darker currents haunting the town. It isn’t long before Eve’s arrival unravels an old secret—one that places her and Caden in the crosshairs of a deadly killer…
You can purchase your .99 cent ebook copy from:
Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
iTunes 
Google Play 
Kobo 
Kensington Publishing
Don’t forget to leave your comment below for a chance to win my $15.00 Amazon or B&N gift card. And the fun is far from over! Every day during the Rave Reviews Book Club 2016 Book and Blog Party, there are chances for additional prizes, so continue to follow this fun event by visiting the other blog stops. You can find a full list here. If you’d like to find our more about this awesome club and the opportunities it offers authors, and even readers, be sure to see my earlier post Let’s Talk Book Clubs.
Read the rest of the post here:
Maeclair.net