Arriving this week from Pocket Books eBook is the e-novella DONNA, book two in the Girls of Spindrift series, by V.C. Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of Flowers in the Attic and My Sweet Audrina. CORLISS, the first book in the four part series, was released earlier this summer. The series is a prequel to the standalone novel Bittersweet Dreams (available on paperback).

The second book in The Girls of Spindrift series is DONNA (Pocket Star EBook; August 14, 2017; $1.99). Being gifted is not something Donna ever wanted. It’s difficult enough to have a Latino father and Irish mother, and her genius only separates her even more from the other girls. They don’t say it, but they blame her for everything that goes wrong, just because she’s different.

And on the precise day she tries her hardest to fit in, everything turns out a disaster. A fight breaks out, and somehow Donna ends up in the middle. It’s not her fault, but it’s her word against theirs, and this time, the other girls aren’t going to stay quiet. The only solution might be to escape to the mysterious school her counselor is telling her about: Spindrift.

 
NOTE: I already reviewed CORLISS and DONNA in June, which you can read the review here. I had reviewed Bittersweet Dreams in 2015 (read my review here).

Disney; TV-G; 111 minutes; Walmart

Available today on DVD from Disney Home Entertainment is Descendants 2. Directed by Kenny Ortega ("High School Musical" franchise), the film stars Dove Cameron ("Liv and Maddie"), Cameron Boyce ("Jessie"), Sofia Carson ("Adventures in Babysitting"), Booboo Stewart ("X-Men: Days of Future Past"), Mitchell Hope, China Anne McClain ("A.N.T. Farm"), Thomas Doherty ("The Lodge"), Dylan Playfair ("Some Assembly Required"), and Anna Cathcart ("Odd Squad"). The DVD comes with a FREE Necklace with 5 Villain Icons.

Descendants 2 is the sequel to the hit musical fantasy television movie, Descendants, that aired on the Disney Channel in 2015. The original film centered on the teenage children of Disney's villains leaving the Isle of the Lost, so they can start anew in United States of Auradon. The sequel picks up several months later, where Mal, the daughter of Maleficent, (played by Dove Cameron) is having trouble adjusting to being a celebrity as King Ben's girlfriend. She's also having problems living a princess-like life. Eventually, she gives up, packs her bags, and runs away back to the Isle of the Lost. With a little help fro Dizzy Tremaine, Mal restores her purple hair, and returns to her villainous ways.

After learning Mal has left Auradon, Evie - the daughter of The Evil Queen (played by Sofia Carson), Carlos de Vil - the son of Cruella de Vil (played by Cameron Boyce), Jay - the son of Jafar (play by Booboo Stewart), and King Ben - the son of Beast and Belle (played by Mitchell Hope), sneaks into the Isle of the Lost to find her. Unfortunately, King Ben is spotted and is later kidnapped by Uma, the daughter of Ursula (played by China Anne McClain), and her gang of villains, who ransoms the king in exchange for the Fairy Godmother's wand.

Mal and her pals must come up with a way to save King Ben and defeat Uma and the other forgotten villains.

Bonus Features are:

• Cast Secrets - Personal secrets are revealed by cast members Dove Cameron (Mal), Cameron Boyce (Carlos), Sofia Carson (Evie), Booboo Stewart (Jay) and China Anne McClain (Uma) during the filming of the movie. 

• Bloopers - The cast cracks up on set during some crazy takes.

Disney; Rated TV-Y; 72 minutes; Walmart

Arriving on DVD tomorrow from Disney Home Entertainment is Mickey and the Roadster Racers: Start Your Engines, featuring six entertaining episodes and a bonus episode "Goof Luck Charm." There are no special features on the single discs, but the release does comes with a FREE Roadster Racers Flag (9" x 14").

Mickey and the Roadster Racers debuted earlier this year on Disney Junior; replacing the the popular Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series. The series centers on Mickey, Minnie Mouse, Donald the Duck, Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto racing around Hot Dog Hills (and the world) as the Sensational Six. Typically, the race against Pete, who's drives the Super Crusher, and a variety of look-alike relatives.

Each episodes is split into two 11-minute segments, one about Mickey and Roadster Racers and the other is "Happy Helpers," where Minnie and Daisy where they go around Hot Dog Hills doing odd jobs.

Voice-cast includes Bret Iwan as Mickey Mouse; Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse; Bill Farmer as Goofy/Pluto; Daniel Ross as Donald Duck; and Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck.


The episodes on the DVD are:

• Agent Double-O-Goof - As the Sensational Six gets ready to have to tea with the visiting Queen of England (voiced by Jane Leeves), Goofy is mistaken for Agent Chauncey Chips (voiced by Peter Serafinowicz).
• It's Wiki Wiki Time - Donald heads to Hawaii for a vacation, but he doesn't have a chance to relax, as the Sensational Six unexpectedly show up for a race.
• Ye Olde Royal Heist - Set in London, Mickey and Minnie celebrates their raceversary.
• Abra-Ka-Goof! - Goofy thinks he has turned Gordon Gear (voiced by Jeff Gordon) into a rabbit.
• Guru Goofy! - Donald tries to learn "mindfulness" from Goofy, so he can be ready for the big race.
• Going Upppppppppp! - The Sensational Six are excited to participate in the first-ever Hot Dog Hills hot air balloon race. Well, that is until Pete's cousin joins the race.

Bonus Episode

• Goof Luck Charm - Daisy borrows Goofy's lucky rubber duck in the hopes of winning the upcoming race.

Now available on Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble is the suspense romance Hunt For Evil, book one in the ICE series, by Amy Jarecki. Book two, Body Shots, will be released on August 29th.


The author has taken a few minutes out of her busy schedule for a Q&A about her new novel.



When did you become interested in storytelling?

I have always loved to write from the first day I picked up a pencil, but I didn’t write my first novel until the late 90’s. After I took writing classes and went to conferences, but wasn’t published until 2011.

What was your first book/story published?

My third manuscript, a Native American historical novel, was picked up by a small press (Boy Man Chief). It sold about 250 copies, but won The Spark Book Award and the Utah League of Writer’s award for Best Manuscript. The awards gave me the confidence to keep writing!

What inspired you to write Hunt for Evil?

I love to read suspense novels, but as a romance author, my writing style is more suited to romantic suspense. I dreamed up the concept for the ICE Series when I felt like I needed to write something new (I’m known for writing Scottish historical romance). ICE (International Clandestine Enterprise) is a highly secret agency headquartered in Iceland and dedicated to ridding the world of international terrorism. The first book, HUNT FOR EVIL, introduces ICE headquarters and builds the world with a highly perilous mission faced by Logan Rodgers and Olivia Hamilton.

What character in Hunt for Evil is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Now available in both print and eBook formats is the supernatural thriller Hunted: A Jonathan Harker Novel by Christopher Draven.

Slinging Spells with Broken Ribs Isn't Easy

Jonathan Harker, mage and life-long demon hunter, wakes to find himself tied to a chair and severely wounded. His captor, a demon in service to a summoner who wants Harker alive.

Armed with impossibly powerful magic and a gang of demon toughs, the summoner has snared Harker in a deadly trap. Nothing is ever easy, and being new in town has left Harker with few allies. However, with help from a Fortune-Teller named Clover and a self-described "Kitchen Witch" named Momma Dee, Harker fights back.

To prevail, Harker must walk unprepared into a pit of demons and black magic - and come out alive on the other side.

The author has taken a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk about his new novel.



When did you become interested in storytelling?

From a young age, I loved reading and hearing stories. My mom would read to me each night, even when I was in elementary school – only she didn’t read me children’s books. My mom read out loud books by Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey, and others.

I grew up on tales of Allanon setting fields of grass alight with Druid’s Fire and Lessa’s quest to bring back the missing Wyers.

In the fourth grade, there was a local contest for children writers. My teacher led our class in the exercise of writing a short story. She submitted several of the stories for consideration, and I won the contest.

And then I was hooked.

The rest of my life, even my career choices, were guided by a desire to write and tell stories.

What was your first book/story published?

I have written several Non-Fiction books, under a pen name or as a ghost writer. Hunted: A Jonathan Harker Novel was my debut novel.

What inspired you to write Hunted?

Jonathan Harker was my inspiration. He is a vital part of the literary world, and yet he is often forgotten by pop culture. As I considered what would happen next for the character, the story grew up around him.

What character in Hunted is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Bethany House; 432 pages; $15.99; Blog Tour; Buy Link

Now available from Bethany House is the historical romance "A Name Unknown," book one in the Shadows Over England series, by Roseanna M. White.

While I do read novels set around WWII, my favorite historical fictions are the the ones set in the 1800s. By the cover alone for "A Name Unknown," I thought maybe the novel was set in the late 1800s, judging by what the woman on the cover is wearing and her hairstyle. However, as it turns out, I was wrong about what era the novel is set in. The novel is actually set around WWI. Despite being slightly disappointed with the era, I went ahead and read the novel. (Yes, I know! I should read the blurb before signing up to review it.)

Now available on Amazon is the paranormal romance Through Her Eyes, book four in The Mind's Eye series, by Deborah Camp.






When did you become interested in storytelling?

Since childhood. I had an active imagination and was always making up stories and characters.

What was your first book/story published?

My first novel was published by Simon&Shuster in 1978. It was one of the first in the Silhouette imprint line.

What inspired you to write Through Her Eyes?

I’ve wanted to write this series for a long time, but was worried I couldn’t do it justice and couldn’t determine how graphic it should be sexually. Then I read “Fifty Shades of Grey” and I loved it. That book gave me the courage to write the first book of the Mind’s Eye series and every one after that. “Fifty” showed me that others liked to read about flawed characters who find redemption in the love of others.

What character in Through Her Eyes is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

Trudy is more like me because she’s unsure of herself, self-conscious, and wonders how in the heck she ever landed such a sexy beast (i.e. Levi Wolfe). She is also independent and pushes back when someone pushes her. I have a bossy nature (like Levi) and a smart mouth. Trudy can be sassy, too, but I usually tone her down in rewrites because she comes off sounding too much like me and I don’t want my readers to think she’s a shrew.

What is your favorite part in Through Her Eyes?

Well, I like the sexy scenes. LOL. My favorite part (as a writer) is The End. My favorite part (as a reader) is the scene when Levi tries to explain to Trudy how her nurturing side causes conflicting emotions in him. He’s never had anyone try to take care of him, coddle him, worry about him. He likes it, but doesn’t know how to respond to it, and he finds that he just can’t handle it yet.

What was the hardest part to write?

Fight scenes are the hardest because I want the reader to be able to see it clearly – who is punching who and where – and feel it. Every blow. Every piercing pain. I want them to be in that fight and not be confused for one second about who landed what jab or who fell backward or which person saw stars, etc. I do a lot of rewriting of fight scenes.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

I would be a lounge/supper club singer. I like to sing love songs and ballads.