VBT Presents: Blood Phoenix Inferno

Broken World Book 4

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Date Published: January 3, 2020

Publisher: Transmundane Press

Drawing the Scarlet Queen to central New York’s training grounds, Ria’s remarkable blood triggers negotiations between two kingdoms.

Ria questions her own humanity when she finds herself aligned with Phea, the vampire queen—a woman who’s tortured her and her friends for months.

As all of her secrets unravel around her, Ria is forced to conform or sacrifice the people she loves.

VBT Presents: Amber Hollow

Horror

(with elements of suspense, mystery, and fantasy)

On July 15, 1991, an isolated village in Northern Wisconsin is ground zero for an unprecedented, fiery tragedy. Of the community's 600 residents, there are only five survivors. Detailed accounts by the victims contradict each other; the only link is a man named Anthony Guntram, but because he is presumed to be dead, this claim can't be verified. Further investigations reveal a culture enshrouded in mystery. What are the survivors hiding? Only the villagers know the secret of Amber Hollow, a place where sanity is checked at the town line and the parameters of reality become blurred. An unconventional horror story by design, Edgar Swamp delivers an action-driven page-turner that will keep readers guessing until the calamitous ending.

About the Author

Edgar Swamp is the author of the “Gyre Mission,” “Glitch in the Machine,” and “Blackout.” His short stories have appeared in Alienskin, Macabre Cadaver, and Urban Reinventors. When he isn’t holed up in his office playing online poker, he likes to dig up the recently deceased and make furniture out of their skin. He lives and works in San Diego, California.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Purchase Link

Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

VBT Presents: Steel Heart by RJ Blain

Jesse Alexander, #2

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Publisher: Pen & Page Publishing

Date Published: December 25, 2019

With the Hope Diamond locked around her throat, Jesse Alexander finds herself in the unfortunate position of being a walking national treasure. With the Starfall stone poised to pulse and flood the world with more of its magic, she must figure out how to remove it before she becomes its pawn yet again.

Unfortunately, the stone has a mind—and plans—of its own. Add in a determined tiger, a wolf out for revenge, and an ultimatum to find her clan's missing Starfall stone, and it will take all of Jesse's wit and cunning to survive with her life—and her heart—intact.

About the Author

RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.

In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until satisfied.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Kobo

iBooks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: American Conspiracies and Cover-Ups by Douglas Cirignano

American Conspiracies and Cover-Ups by Douglas Cirignano is a nonfiction collection of various interviews from various key people involved in various conspiracies.  Mr. Cirignano has done an enormous amount of research in some of the most questionable historical events in America.  

https://www.amazon.com/American-Conspiracies-Cover-ups-Interviews-Chomsky-ebook/dp/B07G1J7SM9/ref=sr_1_2?crid=N2YPMQ23VEC2&keywords=american+conspiracies+and+cover+ups&qid=1577671286&s=digital-text&sprefix=american+conspiracies+an%2Cdigital-text%2C167&sr=1-2

The book begins with an interview with a WWII veteran about FDR and Pearl Harbor.  The author then interviews one of LBJ's lawyers about the possibility of Lyndon Baines Johnson's involvement in JFK's assassination.  Another interview about Martin Luther King's assassination follows.  All the interviews were loaded with interesting tidbits that have not been widely known or reported.
Cirignano interviews an IRS agent about the constitutionality of income tax.  This is followed up with the unconstitutionality of the Federal Reserve Bank.  Causes and cures over AIDs and cancer are other chapters.  He even interviews an activist on the accuracy of our voting.  The Oklahoma bombing as well as 911 are other chapters that question whether or not the government was involved with these acts of terrorism.  New World Order is mentioned once, twice, or maybe a few dozen times, but who is counting?  It's becoming more and more obvious!
My Review:  This is a long book that is dense with information.  I especially loved Cirignano's chapters on 911, the Federal Reserve, and the IRS.  For example, I did not know that a Bush (from the Bush Dynasty) was in charge of security at the World Trade Center.  Nor did I know that the independent council that followed 911 was ran by a Bush insider!  
The entire book was educational, informative, and well-written.  Without spoiling the book, it manages to add fuel to the New World Order fire that continues to burn brighter than ever throughout the world. Our country has sold out to bankers, big business, and overall greed.  We cannot rely on the media to tell us the truth as they are either part of the problem or just sheep like the rest of us.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history and questions how it is written. BTW-I hope Mr. Cirignano follows up on the impeachment/Trump/etc. 5/5 Stars.

VBT Presents: Power Lies by JL Phillips

Mystery / Thriller

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing

Date Published: 12-10-2019

Power Lies is a captivating thriller about power lines that kill and a corrupt industry that knows it. Follow Sterling Barrington, Public Relations Vice President for The Franklin Energy Institute, as she investigates this cover-up from within the bowels of the beast. The Institute’s archives lead Barrington to a retiree ready to reveal the industry’s lies. But he ends up dead before confessing. Sterling’s continued hunt for proof results in her being accused of murder, arrested, threatened, assaulted, and nearly assassinated. Despite these tribulations, she remains determined to expose the corruption and reveal the truth.

About the Author

Jana Laird Phillips is a native Texan, who has lived and worked in Dallas, Washington DC and Houston. She is a BBA graduate of Baylor University with a double major in Marketing and Journalism. Ms. Phillips worked in the Energy Industry for several years, and has numerous articles published in Energy trade journals. She is currently the publisher/owner of an online magazine, www.houstonhipandhaute.com

Ms. Phillips enjoys travel and resides with her husband in Houston, TX.

Contact Links

Website  

Goodreads 

Purchase Links

Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cats: The Play Vs. the Movie

Cats is a broadway hit musical that's been playing in theaters for decades.  The story is simple.  Each year a cat is chosen by Deuteronomy, the ancient cat, to go to Heaviside which I'm assuming to be Heaven for cats.  An outsider cat is taken into the world of the Jellicle cats and introduced to a variety of characters and the Jellicle ways.  The story kind of acts like a variety show of amazing singing and dance numbers.  At the end of the play, a pathetic, old cat named Grizabella gets picked to go up in a spaceship.  She is the cat who sings "Memories".  The setting of the play remains the same and the musical numbers have amazing ballet, tap, singing, and acrobatics.  I recently saw Cats in Dallas and it was spectacular. 5+/5 Stars.

Cats, the movie is a little different.  The story includes all of the songs, but the setting changes frequently.  Some of the dance numbers have special effects such as extra high jumps and impossible spins.  Francesca Hayward plays the lead cat Victoriam although there really is not a true lead.  She is the outsider looking into the lives of the Jellicles.  Her dancing is jaw-droppingly exquisite.  I looked up her bio and to no surprise, she is the principal ballerina in the Royal Ballet.  

Taylor Swift has a small but memorable singing role as Bombalurina, the cat who sings "Macavity", a bluesy showstopping number.  Her performance is awesome.  Equally impressive was Jennifer Hudson who nails "Memories" as Grizabella in a hauntingly beautiful style.  Other amazing numbers include "Railway Train", a tap dancing masterpiece, and the Jellicle Ball scene.

Some parts of the play were changed and other parts were added.  I thought Rebel Wilson was a waste.  I really liked the song she was assigned in the movie, however, she ruined it.  On stage, the song was so much better.  Rebel's "comedy" put a dent into an otherwise great movie.  The producers should have casted someone else.  I also didn't like the hot air balloon/chandelier in place of the spaceship.  With these minor points aside, the movie was still entertaining and elaborate, but the stage will always supercede the screen for me.  Nonetheless, it's a great holiday flick! 4/5 Stars.

VBT Presents: Fill Your Mind Before You Fill Your Plate by Faisal Alshawa

Non Fiction / Health & Nutrition

Date Published: October 7, 2019

Publisher: Writing Matters (UK)

Fill Your Mind Before You Fill Your Plate offers practical advice so you can create and maintain a healthy lifestyle, amidst the fast-paced and stressful world we live in. If you are confused about where to start in your health journey or looking for ways to live a healthy lifestyle consistently, then this book is for you!

About the Author

Faisal has always been passionate about health and fitness. As a child, he stayed active and played various sports. In 2008, Faisal moved to the US to study Kinesiology at the University of Maryland, College Park. After completing his undergraduate degree, he went on to attain a Masters’ degree in Sports and Exercise Science at Loughborough University in the UK. Faisal moved to Doha, Qatar after graduation and was designated as a sports nutritionist for the U23 Qatar National Olympic Football team. During this time, he was also assigned to administer sports nutrition services to athletes in track and field, squash, and table tennis. His experience working in various sports, as well as competitive and recreational athletes, led Faisal to start Believe Nutrition consultancy in June of 2017.

His intention behind Believe Nutrition is to help individuals and all levels of athletes, from beginner to pro, to believe in the power of nutrition. As the founder of Believe Nutrition, Faisal wants to instill a positive change in peoples’ lives through a holistic approach, which focuses on the mind, body and soul. Faisal does not want to help people for the short-term; rather, he strives to impart a passion for health on anyone he works with to ensure they become the best and healthiest version of themselves, for the long-term.

Contact Links

Website

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Blog

Goodreads

Purchase Link

Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway