Tuesday Book Review: “Guardians”

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.

When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

guardians brad anderson

readers' favorite book award finalist

Guardians

by Brad Anderson

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 9781432793357

Synopsis*:

Peace Has Existed Between Humans and Vampires for Centuries …

But Everything Comes to an End.

For hundreds of years, Los Guardianes de la Paz – the Guardians of Peace – have enforced an uneasy truce between humans and vampires. When vampires kill two Mexicans on the Rio Grande, everything changes. The vampires must now find a new place to live – and a reliable, clean food supply. Meanwhile, former DEA agent Robert Mackie is on a simple – but dangerous – mission: ferret out the turncoat who had blown his cover as a dedicated employee of a notorious East Coast drug lord.

Through a twist of fate, however, his quest for justice ends up putting his niece and nephew in grave danger. Suddenly, the children are thrown into the mix of an enormous vampire family in the higher reaches of the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas. One of the children there, 13-year-old Greg Pike, is about to find himself the star attraction in the vampires’ version of a fox hunt – unless he can escape first. Now Carlos Santiago, the eldest of the Guardians, must find the help he needs to put an end to the violence and set things right with the world again. But nothing is as it seems, and death lurks around every corner. Combining elements of the thriller, mystery, and the occult, Guardians is a fast-paced and thoughtful look at a collision of cultures both human and otherwise.

* courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

I chose to review this book because the story sounded so interesting. In fact, this book is so gripping that I couldn’t put it down. The story jumps out and grabs the reader from the word “Go.” The book begins innocuously enough, with several story threads seemingly unrelated. But wait … gradually those threads intertwine to create a tightly-paced, thrilling chase to the death. Brad Anderson has a practical approach to the paranormal, making his vampires utterly believable and thereby creating a solid, credible plot. He mixes up genres to create a fascinating blend of thriller, mystery, and paranormal. The plot is fascinating, and unlike anything I’ve ever read. Although adults take the spotlight every now and again, it is the character of young Greg Pike that rises above the others. The author isn’t afraid to delve into the grittier realities of life when dealing with his characters’ situations and dilemmas. I found the ending unresolved, but there are definite hints at more to come in this genre. If you are looking for something to keep you riveted, read this book. Highly recommended.

– reviewed by Fiona Ingram for Readers’ Favorite

Other Reviews

At last a book where people are really intelligent and not just sheeples! This is a great story of humans against vampires and for once the people actually have a chance. I love the reluctant hero, Robert Mackie. He is just minding his own business as an undercover agent and his cover gets blown and he gets catapulted into the world of run a muck vampires that just happen to snatch his niece and nephew. He enlists the aid of Carlos Santiago to help him recover them. While they are hunting for the children, the children are giving the vampires a run for their money! This is a great tale of mystery and adventure. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book they just can’t put down!

– Amazon reviewer Kandy Kay Scaramuzzo

This is one of those books that once you start reading, you hope you have nothing else planned for your day! The mysterious plot line keeps you entertained as the activities of the characters become more and more entwined all the way through the storyline. I never thought I would really care to read a “Vampire” book, however I am ready to read and enjoy Guardians II!

– Amazon reviewer Lorrie Kloss

Book Trailer

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Self Publishing Advisor