Posts Tagged With: review

New review: Puzzlebook: 104 Puzzle Quizzes

Puzzlebook:104 Puzzle Quizzes

by Grabarchuk Puzzles

Genre: Puzzles

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/puzzlebook104-puzzle-quizzes-by-grabarchuk-puzzles/

Buy on Amazon

Synopsis:

This is the final Volume 5 of the Top Rated Puzzlebook: Puzzle Quizzes series. In this brand-new puzzle collection you will find 104 pictorial, hand-crafted puzzle quizzes in different themes: logic, visual, spatial, counting, geometry, matchstick, coins, searching, and much more. Be sure to check Puzzlebook: 100 Puzzle QuizzesPuzzlebook: 101 Puzzle QuizzesPuzzlebook: 102 Puzzle Quizzes, and Puzzlebook: 103 Puzzle Quizzes for more!

Hot News
Over 750,000 downloads for the Puzzlebook series! Discover why thousands of Kindle users are addicted to Puzzlebooks.

Novelty
All puzzle quizzes are original creations by the Grabarchuk Family and delivered exclusively for Kindle.

Interactivity
You can interactively answer and check a puzzle quiz by clicking the respective answer button. Only the correct answer leads to the solution page.

Ranking
The collection is specially created for all kinds of solvers – beginners, skillful, and expert alike. The puzzles are arranged so that you start with the easy (*) puzzles and progress to the hard (*****) puzzles.

Enjoy it in Color Too!
The book is created in full-color. Enjoy a colorful experience playing it on Kindle Fire or in a Kindle app on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, etc.

Happy Puzzling!

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Book Release Party Oct 26-28

VIP Guests Wanted!

I’m getting ready for the Virtual party in a month and six days! Visit the Party Page for a list of participation needs: https://katepolicani.com/release-party/ I’m open to suggestions if you have a great idea for a way to join the party!

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

New Review: Poppy the Proud by Emlyn Chand

Poppy the Proud

By Emlyn Chand

Illustrated by Sarah Shaw

Genre: Children

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/poppy-the-proud-by-emlyn-chand/

Evolved Publishing brings you the third of the BIRD BRAIN BOOKS by Emlyn Chand, “Poppy the Proud.” This children’s picture book, with full color illustrations by artist Sarah Shaw, is perfect for kids 4-6 years old.
~~~~~~~~~~
Poppy is the prettiest peacock in the entire garden, but one day his privileged existence is upset when an all-white peacock is born and promptly named the most beautiful by a smitten flock. Intensely jealous, Poppy no longer knows where he fits in and decides to reclaim his title as the fairest bird in all the land, no matter what it takes.

In a desperate attempt to regain the admiration of his peers, Poppy steals items from the humans that visit his park. He wraps himself in a beautiful silk scarf, wears a series of ornate bangles around his neck, and even tries to dye his feathers with colored dust from a festive Holi celebration. Unfortunately, each of these attempts not only fails to improve his appearance, they actually make it worse. What’s a poor bird to do?

In this compelling tale of self-esteem, pride, and learning what makes each of us special, Poppy the peacock discovers that true beauty lies beneath the feathers.

About the Author:

Emlyn Chand emerged from the womb with a fountain pen clutched in her left hand (true story). Since then, she has always loved to hear and tell stories. When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm Novel Publicity. Emlyn enjoys connecting with readers and is available throughout the social media Internet world. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!

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Author Blog-in: The End of the World Sucks by Sharon Trembley

Author Blog-In: End of the World Sucks

Sharon’s such a good sport that I read and reviewed her book just for the Blog-in! Read it here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/the-end-of-the-world-sucks-by-sharon-trembley/

 

The End of the World Sucks by Sharon Trembley

This is a genre blender book that might be compared to Lord of the Flies meets Let the Right One In in a post-zombie apocalyptic world. Don’t worry though, it’s about the people even though there are elements of horror.

Zombies, a Vampire, or her fellow Man – Which is most likely to kill Vanna Ames? Who can she trust?

After surviving a whole month past the End of the World by hiding and staying quiet, recent college graduate and fashion retail employee, Vanna, luckily finds others who have gathered together as a community for their mutual survival on a college campus.

Although claiming to be a democratic society, tempers become frayed, decisions defy logic, and rules are broken. Further emboldened by the lack of society and law, some even gain a sense of entitlement because they are self-labeled heroes.

Now that all the rules have changed, a vampire arrives with a deal – his help for blood. An equally beneficial offer or a Faustian bargain?

As the community’s flaws grow, Vanna must decide whether to stick with her own kind in relative safety, or reject their community service nightmare, risk her life, and appeal to a vampire who claims his only interest is human blood.

And for the Author Blog In, here’s an excerpt to give a better idea of Vanna’s character because she is a character.  This occurs after Vanna hears gun shots early in the book and goes for a walk to find out what happened –

When she reached a point where two rolls of chain-link were joined together with some twisted wire, Vanna saw her. If she had seen that dress before, she would have remembered.
Muumuus were made for a woman of this size. Displaying a cheery, floral print provided no slimming effects, but proudly declared big and beautiful. Along with the turquoise, orange, and pink poly-blend tent, she also wore a pair of nude knee highs, and filthy, pink terry scuff slippers, and large, turquoise-colored plastic earrings with a matching chunky bracelet.
The woman had fallen on her side facing the fence, and like most of the corpses, her eyes remained forever open. Vanna thought the zombies didn’t blink, so that might be why their eyes turned that spotty white color.
Even with a visible gunshot wound to her face, Vanna could see the trivial details that further defined who this used to be. The woman’s short, not-so-natural blond hair was arranged into a crown of curlsframing her face. She also had heavy blue eye shadow still caked all the way up to her plucked, then redrawn with brown pencil, eyebrows.
Her lower face was grimy, Vanna couldn’t confirm her expectation of coordinating lipstick to match her screaming pink nail polish, brightly visible on the tips of her dirt-caked fingers from a distance. Vanna’sconstant fearful imagination made the gunk smeared on the zombie’s lips still appear fresh, wet and red, when she knew it had been there for weeks.

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Reviewers Rock! Thanks Bookworm Extraordinaire!

Here is a lovely review for my book, Don’t Judge a Book By Its Magic, by The Bookworm Extraordinaire: http://www.thebookwormextraordinare.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-dont-judge-book-by-its-magic-by.html

And I’m the “Author of the Month” too! (That’s in the side margin)

The book release is set for Oct 26th! Be sure to mark the date ’cause we’re going to party!

Thanks again Bookworm!

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Pre-review time!

My book is ready for pre-review! I won’t scream at you in a blog post, but know that I’m repressing a scream of excitement.

If you would like to pre-review my book, please email me at katepolicani(at)gmail.com and I’ll send you an e-copy. I will feature your review on my upcoming Virtual Release Party starting October 26th!

Categories: My Books | Tags: , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Review of Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (by a compulsive reader)

So, I don’t normally do product reviews, but I have to say something about this little beauty. I LOVE it!

I bought it at Best Buy as a replacement for my Toshiba Thrive 10″ tablet that one of my kids cracked. Going in, I was worried that the Galaxy wouldn’t match up to my 10 inch experience. But the 7 inch was cheaper and seemed to be pretty nice. Boy was I pleasantly surprised!

The 7 inch is definitely enough screen size for me. I use it mostly for reading, with some email and gaming. I lost absolutely nothing with the smaller screen. It’s so much lighter and easier to handle than the massive 10 inch! Also, it’s covered with shatterproof plastic instead of glass (so it won’t meet the same fate as its predecessor) and it is HD.

It’s responsive. I see very few crashes. The 8gb internal SD, which is all you can get with this size, isn’t a restriction. I have all the apps I could want on it and some that belong to my hubby, and I haven’t seen any space issues. I put in a 32gb mini SD card, the maximum, and I don’t see myself running out of space any time soon. The 10 inch models can get 16 and 32 gb capacity. I don’t really see why the 7 inch can’t since the cards are all the same size. Meh.

The only thing I’ve found that the Thrive did better was the keyboard input. The Galaxy is just as responsive, but with the smaller screen size the buttons for each character are smaller and cause more mistypes. (Stupid big European-size fingers!)

Super-bonus-important: I can get every ebook reader app out there on my tab. Overdrive, Kobo, Kindle, Wattpad, Nook, Aldiko, and more all works and you can read all your books no matter where you got them. This is a must for a habitual price-shopper like me.

I almost forgot to mention that you can also read manga on a tablet! There’s even an app for you comic book lovers. Something for everyone!

I really loved my Toshiba Thrive, but I love the Galaxy even more! If you’re looking for an e-reader, I’d consider the Galaxy tab.

I wonder what name they’re going to pick for the Android platform next. Jelly Bean, Ice Cream Sandwich; what’s next? Diabetes?

Here’s the official website: http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab/GT-P3113TSYXAR

Here are a few other reviews: http://reviews.cnet.com/handheld-devices/samsung-galaxy-tab-2/4505-3127_7-35137347.html

http://www.woot.com/offers/samsung-galaxy-tab-2-7-0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-handel/review-samsung-galaxy-tab_b_1508385.html

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New Review: Drayling by Terry J. Newman

Drayling

by Terry J. Newman

Genre: Science Fiction

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/drayling-by-terry-j-newman/ Continue reading

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New Review: Island of Illusions by Jennifer L. Jennings

Island of Illusions

by Jennifer L. Johnson

Genre: Mystery

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/island-of-illusions-by-jennifer-l-jennings/

This third and final installment of the Sarah Woods Mystery Series finds our sleuth immersed in the tropical splendor of Oahu. However, what begins as an island getaway for Sarah quickly morphs into a desperate search for the missing infant of a wealthy Boston family. Just when the detectives believe they’ve made a breakthrough in the case, a shocking death shakes their investigation to the core. Much to Sarah’s surprise, surveillance expert Max Stevens also joins the frantic search. Will the detectives locate the missing child? Will Sarah finally share her true feelings with Max?

Pick up this novel and lose yourself in the mystery, or start with Book One, “An Appointment with Murder.” Either choice will keep you guessing ’til the very end.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Jennifer L. Jennings was born in Chicago, Illinois but has spent most of her life living in Maine. She was a massage therapist for fifteen years, and worked as a glass artisan for many years as well. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling the world, playing guitar with her son Blake, reading, writing and doing all things creative.

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New Review: Flower Bowl Spell by Olivia Boler

Flower Bowl Spell

by Olivia Boler

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/flower-bowl-spell-by-olivia-boler/

Journalist Memphis Zhang isn’t ashamed of her Wiccan upbringing—in fact, she’s proud to be one of a few Chinese American witches in San Francisco, and maybe the world. Unlike the well-meaning but basically powerless Wiccans in her disbanded coven, Memphis can see fairies, read auras, and cast spells that actually work—even though she concocts them with ingredients like Nutella and antiperspirant. Yet after a friend she tries to protect is brutally killed, Memphis, full of guilt, abandons magick to lead a “normal” life. The appearance, however, of her dead friend’s sexy rock star brother—as well as a fairy in a subway tunnel—suggest that magick is not done with her. Reluctantly, Memphis finds herself dragged back into the world of urban magick, trying to stop a power-hungry witch from using the dangerous Flower Bowl Spell and killing the people Memphis loves—and maybe even Memphis herself.

Buy on Amazon!

 

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New Review: Puzzlebook: 100 Matchstick Puzzles

Puzzlebook: 100 Matchstick Puzzles

By Grabarchuck Puzzles

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/puzzlebook-100-matchstick-puzzles-by-grabarchuk-puzzles/

Discover a new Puzzlebook series of hands-on puzzles. The first book embraces 100 matchstick puzzles which you can play anywhere using matchsticks, toothpicks, pencils, crayons, pretzel sticks….be creative!

About the Authors:

The Grabarchuck family has decades of experience working in the Puzzle World. They create, design and test all of their puzzles. Their puzzles are published in books, magazines, newspapers, and on the Web. Solving hundreds of puzzles a year, they research and study the historical backgrounds of their puzzles. The Grabarchucks participate in puzzle activities all over the World to inspire their interactive puzzle creations.

Buy on Amazon

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Blog tour and New Review: Life in Death

 

Life in Death

By Harlow Coban

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, African American

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/life-in-death-by-harlow-coban/

Today I am hosting Harlow Drake, author of Life in Death. At the end of the post there is a giveaway where Harlow is giving away 3 autographed paperbacks and a $15 Amazon Gift Card. Check out this great novella and enter to win!

When a girl that social worker Kari Marchant places in foster care is brutally murdered, she’s compelled to learn why. Her quest for the truth pits her against friends and coworkers. As Kari works to solve the horrific plot, more people die. How far should she go to learn the truth—even if it threatens her life?

Trailer:

Author Bio:

Author Harlow Drake was born in Kansas City, MO, but grew up in Denver, CO. She relocated to North Carolina five years ago with her husband, two dogs, and 16-year old twins.

She shares a birthday with the notorious Napoleon Bonaparte. In keeping with his legacy, she is currently working on taking over the world. Harlow’s positive attitude and fresh take on life are her tools and conquest is certain. She spends her free time writing, dancing, traveling and defending mailboxes from her 16-year-old twins’ driving.

Her debut novel, LIFE IN DEATH, is a murder mystery which pulls from real-life situations from her own family history. She felt compelled to share her story with the world while offering a thrilling, entertaining, and amusing escape for readers.

In keeping with her commitment to improving the lives of children, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her book will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club in her home state of North Carolina.

She loves to connect with her readers and can be found on Twitter, her blog, or on Facebook

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories: Blog Tours, Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Initial Report: Book Marketing Services

Book Marketing Services

After a little bit of digging for people’s experiences with book marketing services, I realized this is going to have to be an ongoing investigation and report process. Overall it seemed that everybody was interested but hadn’t had any experiences. I only managed to get a few and I only included ones with people’s direct experience with the service. Here’s what I found:

KindlePromo – “actively promotes” books with tweets £15 for Indie Book Listing service

Kindle Daily Nation – $160 “with no result” (used to be great but saturated with too many books)

BookWhirl – SCAM! http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=8338

Goddess Fish  Promotions – (5-blog tour and reviews, $30) “didn’t break even” but supplied publicity.

Orangeberry Summer Splash Tour – participant’s tour hasn’t begun yet (August)- $25

Sizzling PR – “Nice people and very affordable.” $15 up to $75 blog tour options

99 cent Network – No obvious return for money ($45 intro rate for 3 months) and no visibility of book on site. No answers to emails inquiring about where to find the book.

A few more were mentioned but they didn’t provide more than names. I’m bargain hunting enough at this stage that if the one who mentions it doesn’t talk about price and their website doesn’t talk about price, then I figure they’re too expensive or don’t cater to self-published authors.

The conversational approach seems to work better than a poll, and people in the forums had the most to say.

Anyone else had any experiences, good or bad, with a book marketing company?

Categories: Resources, Self-Publishing | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

New Review: Revolussion by Kathy Bell

Revolussion

by Kathy Bell

Genre: Technothriller, Science Fiction

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/revolussion-by-kathy-bell/

Dawn Ingram, Peter Merten and the Three Eleven team have worked for decades to prepare for November 11, 2011, even though they did not know what they were preparing for. Now that the future has arrived, they face an enemy unlike anything they have imagined, and find help from places they never dreamt of.

Join Nicholas Weaver, Stew Singleton, Avery and Ashton Hansen and Dawn Ingram as they fight the advance of the Effigee by using the alien technology against the aliens themselves. When the invaders arrive, an ancient device gives Dawn and the plumans the final edge to win the war…but at what cost?

Buy on Amazon

Kathy is making a foray into Fantasy with her next book, Synergy 2012! Keep an eye out for it!

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New Review: Merlin’s Wood by Anne Hamilton

Merlin’s Wood

By Anne Hamilton

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Read my review here: http://katepolicanisreviews.wordpress.com/2012/07/25/merlins-wood-by-anne-hamilton/

All his life Reece has ignored the stories told by his grandmother about his namesake, Merlin, the enchanter who belonged to King Arthur’s court. He’s got absolutely no interest in fanciful legends about magicians who live backwards in time. He’s concerned with facts, not fantasy, science not magic. So as soon as talk turns to the ancient title, vast estates and ancestral castle she keeps insisting he’s going to inherit one day, he turns his mind to the experiments he’s conducting in an old hollow oak. It’s Reece’s ambition to grow up to become the first scientist to create a genuine time machine.

Fortunately, Reece’s sister, Holly, has been paying a bit more attention to gran’s wildly fantastic tales. A mysterious explosion catapults the twins across interstellar space, stranding them on another planet. They find themselves in the heart of an alien civilisation where their survival depends on an aloof and enigmatic protector they’re not entirely sure they can rely on. As they start to communicate with Tamizel, they realise how differently their bickering relationship is viewed by the glittering court of Dreamfall. In a world facing two dark perils – one within, one without – hope is reborn. It doesn’t matter that Holly and Reece are armed only with a water pistol, sharp tongues and a curious shape-shifting necklace. The people of Dreamfall come to believe that they are deliverers descended from the stars. Holly begins to appreciate how truly fragile trust is and how easily it can be destroyed. Eventually, both she and Reece learn what it really means to live ‘backwards in time’.

Buy Merlin’s Wood here:

http://www.buyaustralianbooks.com.au/book/annehamilton/merlinswood/

About the Author:

“For over thirty years, I taught mathematics in high schools across Australia and New Zealand. I now work part-time for UCB Australia as a creative writer. I am the Australian sub-editor for The Word for Today and word4U2day.

I also work in a freelance capacity for several small publishers as an editor and proof-reader. My specialities are Hebrew thought in the area of non-fiction, plus fantasy in fiction. I am currently the President of Omega Writers Inc, a support group for authors who specialise in faith-inspired work.

To the despair of my publishers who would like me to develop a consistent readership, I write both fiction and non-fiction. The only common thread in both is their numerical literary style, a fusion of words and mathematics that is as beautiful and old as the first written stories.

Naturally I’m using this unique style right now! It’s irresistible given my passion for words and numbers.”

~ Anne Hamilton

For more info on Anne and her books, visit her site: http://fire-of-roses.com/wp/

Categories: Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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