Featured Title of the Day: Blood Veins by Brian Young

Excerpt

Even though the pain had all but disappeared, he felt the sudden pressure against the wound and a warm hand on his forehead. The darkness relented a little as his eyes fluttered open and stared into the brown pair not inches from his face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I only just found out or I would have been here sooner. I could have saved you."

He tried to smile but wasn't sure if he had succeeded. It certainly didn't feel right. He started to shake, as the pain was completely gone and cold started to flood into his body. "It's not your fault."

He could see hurt in her eyes and a single tear rolled down her face. The feelings he felt for her had barely begun to grow. He never could have imagined finding any kind of friend in such a dark place, but the tear let him know the feelings were reciprocated. He reached his shaking hand to her face and wiped away the tear replacing it with a smear of dirt from his filthy finger. Instead of demeaning the tear by telling her how wasteful it was, he accepted the gift.

"I take your water for myself in the manner for which it was intended."

She sniffed, controlling herself, and no more tears fell. "I wish I could do something for you. I'm sorry."

"You can," his voice now barely a whisper.

"Anything."

"Come closer. Hold me."

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, her face next to his. He knew she was warm and knew she smelled of flowers and spices but both senses were beyond him. "He will come after me. Look after him like you looked after me, Belinda."

"I will do better," she said.

With one final sigh, he was gone.

Review

Blood Veins
Brian Young
Rogue Phoenix Press
http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/

$4.99
It's Raining Books Review

Rating: 4 Flowers

Prince Alexander, the last member of the royal family, is with his guerrilla force attempting to find out who the attacking forces are, and how to stop them. He and his group head back towards the castle with the intent to recapture it.

So many things happens on the way back that it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just about the time you think you know what is going on, it changes. There were times I felt as though I knew how a particular scene was going to end, and I was always wrong. As the story progressed, it was so tense and exciting with all the additional characters appearing or not showing themselves, I had little time for the tension to ease. Even when I was able to relax a little, I was really waiting for something else to happen, and it usually did.

Several times while reading this story, I actually had to put it down so I could catch my breath. It was really suspenseful and I could never figure out how it would end.

This author has a way of making his characters come to life so that you can really get to know them and begin to understand their reasons for doing what they are doing. He even made the bad guys real and helped you understand them also. Sometimes I wanted to stop reading because I had things to do, or because I wanted to prolong the story, but I also wanted to know what was really going on and how it would end.

Then, more than halfway through the story, I found out something very significant about this strange world and just what it really was. It made the story even more exciting. This book has the feel of a movie with vivid descriptions, exciting plot and a cast of interesting characters that I truly cared about. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I give this book a 4 flower rating.

A black wave of terror has passed over the thriving kingdom of Larista. Mysterious invaders have swept over the land, laying waste to everything in their path and leaving ghost towns in their wake. No one knows where they came from and no one knows their purpose.