Indie Author Book Reviews is pleased to announce new award program. We believe authors should be recognized for their talent and creativity. Beginning in March, authors will be able to submit their works for the Indie Autor Book Review Awards. The winner in each category will receive an acrylic award that you can display. You will also receive a digital file with our logo, year and Winner or Finalist. This will be great to display on your social media or have made into a sticker for your book cover. Finalist will receive a smaller award that can be displayed. We also will have a category for the best book cover in each genre. It will be an add on entry. The fee to enter a book will be $75 per book. If you want to also enter the book cover contest, it will be an additional $25. To enter, you will need to fill out the entry form and pay the fee. You will receive a confirmation email with instructions on where to mail two copies of your book. The entries will open on March 1 and run until April 30, 2023. Books will be judged in May. Awards will be announced in June. The physical awards will be mailed as soon as they are completed at the factory. Some special things to take note of are:
Since this is the first year of the awards books published between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022, will be eligible. Yes, we are covering a two-year span to give more authors a chance to have their work entered. After this year, the two year period will only apply to first time authors.
When you send your books to be judged, they will not be returned. They will be given to our panel of judges to be read. The judges are not required to return the books.
All authors that enter will have the opportunity to do a guest blog post on our site. If you are interested be sure to fill out the information on the entry form.
Winners will be showcased on our website. The authors will have their book posted with links to purchase, author bio, book blurb, and links to the authors social media.
If you have any questions please email us @ myindieauthorbookreview@gmail.com
A stalker. A killer. A v!rg!n hero who will sacrifice himself to save the woman he loves.
FBI Special Skills Consultant Lathan Montgomery has a genetic anomaly that he uses to solve cold cases, but it forces him to live in seclusion. When he saves a woman from a roadside attack, instead of her presence causing him to lose control, she soothes him. For the first time in his life, he experiences love.
But someone is watching them and planning to make them both suffer.
Broken Dreams is the second book in Abbie Roads’ Beautiful Nightmare Series of dark romantic thrillers. It features a v!rg!n hero who never thought he’d find love. If you devour true crime and romance novels then you’ll love a series that combines both in a roller-coaster ride of danger, mind games, and swoon worthy love.
Buy this dangerously dark romance today!
Trigger warning: Depictions of SA and violence.
Previously published under the title Hunt the Dawn
Abbie Roads is the best-selling author of the Fatal Dreams Series and the Fatal Truth Series. Her novels have been finalists in many prestigious contests including The Golden Heart, The Greater Detroit Booksellers Best, The Oklahoma National Readers’ Choice Award, The Write Touch, The Strut Your Stuff Contest, The Aspen Gold Contest, The Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, The Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award, The Midnight Sun, The Kathryn Hayes Contest, The Chanticleer, The Daphne du Maurier, The National Readers’ Choice Award, The New England Readers’ Choice Contest, The Beverly Award, and The Maggie Award. Her debut novel Race the Darkness was Publishers Weekly Top 10 Pick for Fall and Never Let Me Fall is an Amazon Editor’s Pick.
By day Abbie Roads is a mental health counselor always focusing on the bright side. By night she writes on the dark side, putting her characters through the wringer before she gives them their happily-ever-after. She loves a good inspirational quote and is a fan of true crime.
Scars of Faith and Courage, A Life Forever Changed
Memoir
Date Published: February 23, 2023
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Standing on Positive Ground is the heartfelt, inspiring true story of Tony V Rodriguez, whose astonishing tragedies and triumphs span a lifetime. It is an unrivaled testament to survival, faith, and the indomitable human spirit.
Before Tony was three years old, he experienced two car accidents, one that nearly cost him his life and permanently changed him physically and mentally. His family, unable to afford the critical extensive care, prayed for a miracle. Answered prayers came through his community, God, and organizations such as the Shriner’s Burns Hospital. Since then, he has survived two near-death experiences, ten auto accidents, three motorcycle accidents, Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cancer, a stroke, multiple innovative plastic surgeries, disfigurement discrimination, and two divorces.
Through all these extraordinary challenges, Tony also experienced how truly kind people could be, along with the support of the heavenly realm. He knew that he was never alone on his arduous journey.
Standing on Positive Ground is filled with tragic as well as joyous outcomes. Join Tony as he shares his personal journey, including how he rises above tremendous circumstances and ultimately lives a life of accomplishment and positivity.
It is Tony’s greatest hope that his life story uplifts and brings inspiration to the reader.
Praise for Standing on Positive Ground
“Powerful and brave, heart-wrenching and heartwarming, Standing on Positive Ground shows that pain can be indiscriminate, but so too can perseverance. In this remarkable story, Tony V Rodriguez shares the trials that knocked him down and the strength used to pick himself back up-repeatedly. Inside these pages is an anthem to all those who have faced life’s toughest challenges and a testament to those with the heart to fight back.”
– J.J. Hebert, USA Today bestselling author
Tony V Rodriguez has experienced many tragedies and blessings in his life. Born in 1966, in beautiful Bartow, Florida, he is the son of interracial parents who supported their family as migrant workers. Before Tony turned three years old, he would survive two separate car accidents, one that nearly claimed his life. Because of serious and life-threatening injuries, Tony spent most of his childhood in hospitals, undergoing many complex surgeries meant to shape and repair his severely disfigured face. Due to many factors, he lived with shame, negativity, and depression. The heaviness of the negativity weighed upon him, and he eventually decided those feelings would not serve him. With his determination, heavenly blessings, strength, and positive attitude, he was able to rise above these extraordinary circumstances to become an
inspiration to others whom he has met along the way.
At the time of printing this book, in his mid 50’s, Tony has so far survived three near-death experiences, Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cancer, stroke, disfigurement and discrimination, twelve auto accidents, three motorcycle accidents, and sixty-six surgeries. Tony’s faith combined with the acts of kindness by many caring individuals has remarkably allowed him to live a mainstream life.
After obtaining an Associate Degree in Computer Engineering Technology, Tony began his professional career as an Electronic Technician for a government-contracted company. Seven years later, in 1995, he accepted an offer from Intel Corporation, located in Arizona, where he enjoyed an Electronic Technician career until he would be forced to medically retire after twenty-one years of service.
Tony enjoys playing video games on his computer or PlayStation 5, visiting classic car shows, listening to music, reading his bible, enjoying time with the heavenly realm, spending time with his wife, and keeping in touch with friends and family. He owns a 1967 Chevy Camaro, the car of his dreams.
My mother called me a thrill seeker as a kid. That continued to be a fair assessment throughout my life, but with unforeseen consequences. For 57 years I managed to cheat death as I endured accidents such as a head-on car collision that catapulted me through two windshields or hitting a telephone pole at 110 MPH on a motorcycle, to name just a couple. But none of these true-life experiences compared to what came after my cancer diagnosis. In this book I use words to paint you alongside as I detail all my incredible life challenges and experiences. Ride along the emotional roller coaster that includes 17 surgeries and the domino effect of events that resulted. After the cancer diagnosis, an internal fight also ensued. It was the mental battle against the shadowy figures on my shoulders who constantly whispered morbid thoughts
Perry Muse is a U.S. Army veteran, businessperson for over 30 years, entrepreneur, artist, husband, Father, and author. He has been listed in the Who’s Who of Music and the Who’s Who of Business Leaders. Perry is also a lifelong survivor of death-defying accidents. In 2017 he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. This life changing event required him to reach deep inside and find courage, faith, and to become an expert intellect about his conditions and treatments. Perry’s writing is entertaining, funny, extremely educational, and most importantly, all unbelievably true. Today he lives in Johnson City, Tennessee with his wife and 3 dogs.
Genre: Horror, Eco-Apocalypse Publisher: Dani Ripley Date of Publication: Jan. 26, 2023 ISBN: 979-8375227313 ASIN: B0BT9W7CHL Number of pages: 337 Word Count: 64,537 Cover Artist: Dani Ripley
Tagline: Outrun the horde. Survive the ice.
Book Description:
Post-apocalyptic female buddy-western set against a backdrop of a sudden, cataclysmic ice age.
Hax can barely remember her real name, it’s been so long since she’s used it. “Hax” is a shortened version of the word Haxa – the Swedish word for witch – a nickname given to her by people afraid of her seemingly supernatural abilities: appearing out of nowhere then disappearing again just as quickly; uncannily accurate weather pattern readings; and extraordinary skill at tracking prey, human or otherwise. Or perhaps it was simply her propensity for sudden and extreme violence.
A natural loner, Hax isn’t bothered so much by the apocalypse as she is by other people. As such, she’s surprised to find herself traveling with a small group after a long solitary stint in the woods, but when a larger, more savage gang threatens her new people, she’s unable to convince the smaller group of the danger. Realizing it’s too late, she abandons them to their fate, but not before one of the younger members, Pip, sees her escape and decides to follow.
After witnessing the brutal slaughter of their fellow travelers, the two strangers set off through an icy northern wilderness to find Pip’s father, whose last known residence is a camp near the oil sands of Alberta, Canada. In order to survive, Hax and Pip will have to find a way to escape the ruthless horde of marauders still stalking them at every turn, as well as withstand extreme cold, starvation, and exhaustion. And above all, they’ll have to learn to trust each other.
In the middle of the night, I awoke to a low growl. Confused, I groggily fought my way up through thick layers of sleep to realize it was Misha. Fully awake now, I shushed him and listened. Faint footfalls crunched outside. Whoever it was, they weren’t on top of us yet, but they weren’t far away. I shook Pip awake and held a finger to my lips as she blinked up at me. Misha growled again, making Pip sit straight up in her sleeping bag.
“Get the gun,” I whispered. “And hold onto him,” I gestured at Misha, who stared intently at the tent flap. I dug my large hunting knife out of my bag and unsheathed it. “And don’t shoot me,” I added.
“Don’t go out there!” Pip hissed.
“It’ll be ok,” I said. “You remember how to use that, right?”
“Yes, but I still don’t think you should go.”
“It’ll be ok,” I repeated, as much for myself as for her. I unzipped the flap as quietly as I could.
Misha twitched behind me, but Pip held him tightly in the crook of her left arm. In her right hand, she clutched the gun, her finger loosely on the trigger. “Be right back,” I whispered. “If you see anyone who isn’t me, shoot them.” I slipped out before she could answer, leaving the flap open in my wake.
Holding my knife in front of me, I crept away from the tent, every muscle in my body tense with anticipation. The clouds had dissipated, leaving a clear, moonlit night. I didn’t see anyone in the immediate area. Our fire had gone out. I crouched low and made my way around the smoldering pit to the check on the horses.
Dancer huffed and regarded me with huge, calm brown eyes, his scruffy coat in desperate need of brushing. I gave him a good scratch. Blitzen shook her head and whinnied, shoving her nose at me to be stroked too. They didn’t seem upset. Perhaps what we’d heard were simply sounds of the winter forest settling for the night.
Just as I had the thought, a huge arm covered in stinking fur grabbed me around my neck and a grimy hand clamped roughly over my mouth. I sputtered and backed up into what felt like a brick wall. Without thinking, I stomped down hard with my right boot and shoved my butt out as far as I could, surprising him and breaking his hold on me. I whirled around and got low, grunting like an animal and diving for his knees. I didn’t manage to knock him over, but I drove my knife deep into his inner thigh just above his knee. When I heard the solid wet ‘thock’ of its hilt hitting his flesh, I jerked it up all the way up to his groin, severing his femoral artery.
He didn’t so much fall as crumble to a sitting position on the snow. He grabbed at his leg and looked at me. I scuttled backward on my butt like a crab, putting a couple more feet between us even though I was pretty sure he was bleeding out. “Demon,” he hissed. “I know you.” I crept forward again, my bloody knife held before me like an offering. “Get away from me,” he said. “You’re dying,” I said back. “How many of you are there?”
“All of us. We’re coming for you.”
“Yes, but how far away?” I asked, exasperated. We didn’t have time for this. I was absolutely sure he was part of a group.
“We’re everywhere,” he said, fading. The blood beneath him was turning black, growing like a cartoon shadow. “You and your little girlfriend are going to die.”
“Not before you,” I said, rising. I looked around in the gloom. The horses huffed and stomped their feet. Was it possible he’d been alone? Maybe just a scout?
As I turned to go back to the tent a single gunshot shattered the stillness of the night. I broke into a run, skidding through muddy snow, sliding to a stop just beyond the fire pit. A body lay in a heap outside the tent. It was too large to be Pip. Cautiously I approached and leaned over. I could tell it was a man, or formerly a man, but that was all. His face had been completely obliterated from the point-blank shot. I peered into the tent, saw a smoking barrel, and Pip’s pale face beyond. “Are you ok?” I asked her.
“Misha’s gone!” she cried, pushing her way out of the tent. “He ran away when I fired the gun!”
“We’ve got to go, Pip. Others are coming.” I began throwing things into my pack and stuffing them down. Gently I took the gun from Pip. Her hands were shaking.
“We can’t leave Misha!” she yelled at me.
“Pip, we have to go. They’ll kill us, or worse. Get your stuff now!”
She rolled up her sleeping bag quickly and secured it to her pack, zipping up her parka. Mine was already done and strapped to my pack. “I’ll get the horses. You stay here,” I ordered.
A post-apocalyptic female buddy-western set against a backdrop of a sudden, cataclysmic ice age.North WoodsbyDani Ripley https://amzn.to/3Et3Qfk #Horror #EcoApocalypse
Omen: The Stained Sea by Paul Carver Williams Publication date: March 31st 2023 Genres: Adult, Fantasy, New Adult
Synopsis:
In the wake of a lost messiah, an oppressed religious sect known as the ‘singers of Oros’ are targeted by those in power. A lone singer calling himself Runo works tirelessly to revive the faith of his people by any means necessary, involving a hunt for a witness who could expose his darker actions
Meanwhile, a young slave named Cai is called on by a philosopher to aid in a catalogue of the wealthiest families in Grecuria, starting with the owner of the library where he works. On his journey he must confront a past that isn’t his own.
Lastly, sailing on a sky ship surrounded by merchants, Mele Amahki was given passage to begin a new life. However, everything changes when they find themselves in a new, unexpected world. Mele is thrust into power, unsure of what is best for her crew.
Knowledge, religion, power, and blood run through the veins of the Grecurian islands, but through these three headstrong individuals, the veins will be cut and darkness will stain the sea.
An LGBTQ, Black-Latino young adult, Paul Williams has struggled with his identity, eventually leading to mental illness. However, with support from his siblings, he gained new confidence to express his inner emotions through art and writing. At age seventeen, he published his first book. He is now working endlessly to carve a place for himself among the creative professionals and pave the way for other talented ‘students’ of art and literature.
Lie With Me by Gwen Hernandez (Night Herons, #1) Publication date: March 21st 2023 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Synopsis:
Old betrayals, new enemies, and a second chance at forever.
On a mission to expose the crimes of a powerful man, Emma Gallagher’s informant is killed before he can hand over the proof she needs. When the man who once broke her heart gets the files instead, she’ll use their fierce attraction, his guilty conscience…whatever it takes to recover the evidence to bring a murderer to justice.
Former special operator Jason Chin was hired to protect his wealthy client’s interests, but when an assassin attacks Emma, he’s forced to rethink everything he knows about the job, the choices of his past, and the woman he never stopped loving. On the run with her, he risks it all to outwit a deadly enemy and convince Emma to be his future.
Growing up, Gwen Hernandez never shared the stories in her head with other kids, but they usually involved intrigue and romance. She was raised in the Army and Navy, and married an Air Force engineer, so it’s natural that her Men of Steele series features military heroes and heroines who must overcome danger to find true love.
Blending writing with her tech background and love of teaching, Gwen has also helped thousands of writers all over the world find the joy in Scrivener through her popular online courses, in-person workshops, and books like Scrivener For Dummies.
In her off time, she likes to travel, read, jog, flail on a yoga mat, buy houseplants, and explore her current home of southern California. Find her online at gwenhernandez.com or scrivenerclasses.com.
Sign up for Gwen’s mailing list to be among the first to know about new books and giveaways: gwenhernandez.com/newsletter
An enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you breathless!
What happens in Tuscany, stays in Tuscany: A sizzling hot romance that defies age and expectations…
When Emmy’s best friend ditches her for a whirlwind romance in Paris, she’s left to explore the hills of Tuscany with the last person she ever expected – Lyla’s enigmatic and devilishly handsome father Nathan. Trapped in a cozy cabin during a snowstorm, Emmy discovers that Nathan is more than just a billionaire banker, but a man with a past…and a burning desire for her.
As the snow melts and their time in the cabin comes to an end, Nathan and Emmy must decide if their fiery passion is just a temporary fling or if it’s the start of a steamy love affair that will last a lifetime.
Follow Nathan and Emmy to find out how far they’ll go and how long they’ll last when you pick up your copy of Fantasies of my Best Friend’s Dad.
Introducing the one and only, Lavender Skye, a sassy and vivacious romance author, who knows how to keep her readers on the edge of their seats. With her sharp wit and seductive prose, she weaves tales of love and passion that will leave you breathless.
When she’s not crafting her next steamy novel, Lavender Skye can be found indulging in her love of good food and wine, and spending time with her family and friends. She believes that life is too short to be anything but daring and that every moment should be savored.
So, if you’re looking for a romance that will leave you hot under the collar, look no further than Lavender Skye. With her captivating characters, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding plot twists, she’s sure to become your new favorite author.
The Last Ride by Anya Summers (SEALs on Wheels, #1) Publication date: May 9th 2023 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
I hate her. I can’t forgive what she did. But she’s the first one on the list.
One final ride with my crew. One last chance to fulfill an oath sworn in blood.
Yet I don’t expect the chemistry between us to knock me on my ass. And I don’t know how to reconcile my feelings, my need for her. It goes against every vow I swore.
But I can’t stay away. She needs me. My body. My soul. My protection. With danger stalking her, I’ll use every trick I learned as a SEAL to defend her.
Because nobody messes with what belongs to me.
Grab this steamy, enemies to lovers, stand-alone where a Navy SEAL clashes with a stripper, as they grapple with an attraction they cannot deny.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Anya grew up listening to Cardinals baseball and reading anything she could get her hands on. She remembers her mother saying if only she would read the right type of books instead binging her way through the romance aisles at the bookstore, she’d have been a doctor. While Anya never did get that doctorate, she graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with an M.A. in History.
Anya is a bestselling and award-winning author published in multiple fiction genres. She also writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance under the name Maggie Mae Gallagher. A total geek at her core, when she is not writing, she adores attending the latest comic con or spending time with her family. She currently lives in the Midwest with her two furry felines.
Bevil Cyrex, adrift in space on a ship determined to kill him, stumbles across an ancient and abandoned space station called The Starlite.
Once on board the station he sets about repairing it, with the goal of opening up for business.
Along the way he befriends a possibly sociopathic, all powerful nanite swarm, who has decided to take on the appearance and mannerisms of his grandmother.
He must also contend with being hunted by an ex-mob enforcer looking for revenge, a handful of pirates and various threats of invasion, marriage and death.
All in all, Bevil would have to admit, things were really looking up.
I truly enjoy writing and it really never feels like work. Okay, mostly never feels like work.
Folks who have read my books have said they are definitely filled with words. These words are used in a very clever way to form sentences, which then form paragraphs until a page is just jammed packed with them. I do this repeatedly throughout my novels.
I am a lifelong lover of comic books, video games, science fiction and fantasy. My favorite authors include Robert Heinlein, William Gibson and Mark Twain.
Once the technology is perfected, I hope to own a robotic chimpanzee that will accompany me on many adventures. We will travel the globe solving crime, eating pie and saving the day.
I think it’s safe to assume that we’re gonna look pretty cool doing that.
No matter how brilliant you know your idea to be, the chain of events that brings that idea to market must follow a well-thought-out course of action.
Recognizing and developing well-targeted, innovative products and solutions and launching them on schedule and within budget is complicated.
Brain to Bank is the all-inclusive critical blueprint needed to successfully set in motion your new company, product, or service and help you get your idea out of your head and into the hands of consumers.
As you implement strategic actions to keep driving your idea forward, you’ll finally experience your incredible idea going from mind to money.
Brain to Bank fills in the gaps of what you know, what you don’t know, and, most importantly, what you don’t know you don’t know so you can finally cross the finish line and cash in!
Brain to Bank is for the gutsy entrepreneur willing to make it happen!
Dorine Rivers, “River” to her friends, literally grew up on North and South American rivers rafting wild whitewater rapids, basking in the sun, and sleeping under a canopy of brilliant constellations. She transferred by osmosis her enthusiasm for the outdoors to her five children (all successful in their own right now) and her 20 grandchildren.
River has an undergraduate degree in creative writing, a Ph.D. in Business Management, Investment Banking and General Contractor licenses, and a few other degrees and certifications in between. She is the CEO of Alpha 81 Inc., an Arizona-based firm successfully supporting corporate innovations, expansions, and exits in software, technology, medical, life/health sciences, education, and other industries.
Her expertise is in strategic planning and management, and in building effective business infrastructures by creating and identifying growth opportunities and providing advisory services.
Her award-winning writing, photography, and graphic design have been published in books, magazines, newspapers, brochures, and advertisements. She is also a screenwriter and producer, as well as a developer of online educational courses.
She loves cooking, adventure photography, and is an avid biker, hiker, and water-sports lover.
Her every-day motto for living is based on Helen Keller’s quote:
She rolled up her sleeping bag quickly and secured it to her pack, zipping up her parka. Mine was already done and strapped to my pack. “I’ll get the horses. You stay here,” I ordered.
Indie Author Book Reviews 