Shattered Visions Haunted Memories
(Volume 3) by Reyna Hawk
The Valentine Petrilo Series is now complete. Shattered Visions Haunted Memories, the third and final book in the series, was released on 19
September.
The trilogy follows the life of Janie Valentine as she becomes entangled
with the Petrilo Crime Family. Janie desperately wants a normal life with the
love of her life Rico Battaglia, the assistant to the Mob Boss of one of New
York's most powerful crime families. However, Janie gets anything but normal
when she finds herself on the crime family's hit list. Will she survive? Will
this survival change a new life she has set out for herself in the mountains of
North Carolina with Malachi? All that Janie knows comes to abrupt end as the
life she's dreamed for herself crashes down around her.
Read my earlier blog
post for more information about the first two books in the series. The three books are now also available in one volume, Valentine Petrilo Trilogy.
Description
Just when Janie
thought she had all she ever dreamt, the powers that be would suddenly change
her course; throwing Janie head long into a world of uncertainty and casting a
puzzling shadow on all this life she’d grown to love. Janie would soon discover
nothing in her world was what it appeared. Leaving her confused, broken, and
determined to find the answers in a new but familiar realm filled with secrets
and deception.
Memories and
turbulence lead Janie on her quest to discover the truth concerning herself,
her past, the Petrilo crime family, and her brother’s murder. Is Rico's
unfinished business in Cherokee to finish the hit the Petrilos put on her? Is
Malachi willing to take a bullet for his new love; or will he walk away from
the danger and free himself of the drama Janie has brought to his once peaceful
life? Love and deceit will lead them all to the truth.
Excerpt
Janie ran as fast as she could back to the room. She slowly slid it in
the slot until the green light flashed then pushed the door slightly open,
flipping on the light by the door to give her a small beacon into the room.
Janie saw the pictures hanging off the walls, the glass smashed, and over
turned chairs. Her heart raced as she thought of what she could find in this
room. This was her biggest fear; she’d find Rico dead. Janie ventured slowly
into the room looking about for Rico but she could hardly see two feet in front
of her face. Just then she stumbled on an overturned chair and nearly fell;
suddenly she felt the barrel of a gun at her temple and heard the gun being
cocked.
“Jesus Rico it’s me!” Janie froze right in her
tracks. The room filled with light as Rico turned on a table lamp and slowly
removed the gun from her temple. He looked like a wild man. His clothes looked
as if he’d slept in them for those four days, it was evident he hadn’t showered
or shaved, his hair uncombed and partially hanging out of the usual neat
ponytail. His eyes looked sunken and glassy. He was pale and smelled of liquor.
“Where have you been?” He gruffed coldly and
angrily.
“Rico? Are you ok?” Janie went to him to hug
him but he pulled away as if she’d burnt him.
“I asked you a question.” He ordered, in all
the years she had known him, Rico never acted this way.
“I’m gonna tell you, but I want to make sure you’re
ok.” Janie was shocked at his actions and behavior. He had lost complete
control of himself and was looking at her as if he didn’t even know her.
“Answer the question.”
“I went to Greenwood.” Janie’s heart was
pounding so loudly she was sure he heard it. He was terrifying her. She’d only
seen two other men look like this, Scott and her father. Rico was much stronger
than either one of them, if he hit her she’d be dead.
Review
By William D. Curnutt
I waited with
anticipation for the final book in the three book series by Reyna Hawk. I
wanted to know how life was going to end up for Janie. I wanted to know if she
and Malachi would find true happiness. I wanted to know if her memory would
come back completely. I wanted to know that the last part of book two was only
a dream and not reality and that she would wake up and things would be great.
Well, I got a lot more
than I bargained for. Reyna Hawk certainly knows how to surprise her readers
and how to change up scenario's throughout her stories. I found myself not
wanting to put the book down because I wanted to know what the next twist to
the story was going to be. I found myself getting more anxious and the book was
coming closer to an end. I found myself nervous that I wasn't going to like how
things turned out. I found myself conflicted about how things were going.
So, was I happy with
what happens? Not exactly. I had to write to Reyna and have a dialogue with her
about how the story developed and where it went. I was concerned about one part
of the story that was so different from the first two books. Janie's vocabulary
was not what I expected after books one and two. At one point in the book
another character says to her, "When did you develop such a potty
mouth." I found myself agreeing. I didn't like it, but I wondered why it
had been developed.
Reyna helped me to
understand. So, I will give you a hint so that as you read the book you will
understand. Janie is confused, frightened, frustrated and conflicted about who
she really loves and why. As such she is lashing out because of all that has
happened to her. She is trying to make sense of everything. With that
explanation things came more into focus for me. So, I hope with that
explanation they will come more into focus for you.
I loved the way Reyna
brings real life to bear on the characters in her book. She brings real
emotion. She brings real character flaws and she brings real character fear and
frustration. She portrays how each of us has a fantasy life where people are
perfect, or at least we make them what we want to make them. But then reality
sets in and we see them for who they really are. They are not necessarily as
perfect as we thought, but maybe they are! People will surprise you in how they
act in real life. Sometimes what they do is more perfect than we think.
So, as you read ask
yourself this, how would I respond if I were in Janie's shoes? How would I
respond if people around me were lying to me? How would I respond if I were
frightened for my life? How would I respond if everything was going to hell in
a hand basket. Then you might just understand Janie a bit more.
I guarantee you that you
won't put this book down until you get to the end. But if you haven't read the
first two in the series you really need to read them first or you will be
totally lost in this book.
Enjoy!
About the Author
Reyna Hawk is a 44 year old mother of one son and grandmother to one
beautiful 3 year old little girl. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio Reyna has
always loved writing and story-telling. Her passion for telling stories began
at a very young age when she was making up stories to tell her school friends.
Reyna has an Associate of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural
Anthropology.
For a further insights, read the interviews with the author (links
below).
Links
