Hello! 😀 This is my stop during the blog tour for Pretty Little Creatures by Vince Milam. This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 1 till 14 December, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours: http://www.lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-pretty-little-creatures-by-vince-milam/

So far this series contains 2 books: The Unknown Element (The Challenged World #1) and Pretty Little Creatures (The Challenged World #2) and today I’m going to review The Unknown Element 🙂

The Unknown Element (The Challenged World #1)

By Vince Milam

Genre: Supernatural Thriller

Age category: Adult

Release Date: March 3, 2015

Blurb:

Three very different individuals. A dark force rising. The chase begins. A reserved small town sheriff in pursuit of justice. A beautiful and eccentric technology genius striving to understand. A bon vivant French priest committed to finding answers.

A horrific event in a sleepy Gulf Coast town pulls them together and the trio find themselves on a quest for the truth about good and evil, travelling first to Wales and the scene of another shocking nightmare, then on to the ISIS killing fields of Syria where the stakes rise even higher.

Can these three dissimilar people find answers without driving each other crazy? Can they survive while Middle East factional war rages around them? They need to, because the potential fate of millions hangs on it.

You can find The Unknown Element on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26094301-the-unknown-element

You can buy The Unknown Element here:

– Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Element-Action-Packed-Spiritual-Thriller-Challenged-ebook/dp/B00T57NOPM/

– Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Element-Action-Packed-Spiritual-Thriller-Challenged/dp/1516812417/

The Unknown Element begin when in a small town in Texas a massacre happen, the sheriff of the town called Cole will try to arrest this murder but while doing it he’ll realise that all the things that happen weren’t a lot human. Right when he’s thinking what to do, a priest called Francois arrived in his town to help him and, to make the things right he’ll need the help of the most technology woman who is called Nadine. Together they’ll try to get the murder and a lot of strange things will start to happen.

Cole was a such powerful, brave and amazing man 😍. I loved that he’ll protect his friends no matter what and that he was so independent and wise 😊. He was also really smart, he always found solutions for the problems very quick.

Francois was fearless, powerful and an amazing person and friend 💗. The thing I liked about him the most was that he wouldn’t doubt in any circumstance, he knew what he had to do and that he’ll do it no matter what 😉. Sometimes he was too sensitive but it was nice to see some “weakness”. 😜

Nadine is my favorite character! 💗 So powerful, hard-headed and clever. I like that everybody who knew her know that when she planned something nothing and no one could make her change her mind 😛 . I loved her because she hated being treated like a little flower, she wanna be like any other person. The only thing I didn’t like about her was that she was too annoying with Cole I don’t see them as a perfect couple

I really enjoy this book and all the characters were really great 😀 . The narrator was incredible, it was great to read a couple of chapters in the murder point of view. The thing I didn’t enjoy a lot was the end because it was very confusing for me and I don’t think I totally get it 😕. However, it was a very entertaining and fast reading. 😉

The Unknown Element made my days while reading it 84% better

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EXCERPT

Cole remained planted in the center of the room. The priest sat on the sill across from him and smoked, while heat wafted in from the open window. Deputies and staff moved along the hallway, attending to their duties. “Sir, I have my doubts as to your understanding of evil given your life experiences. No offense. You’re a priest. I’m a lawman. I’ve performed this business of mine for some time, seen a lot, and still wrestle with what drives the terrible things I’ve seen, and how it all fits the human experience.” He paused and Francois waited. “I don’t mean to insult you, but the life of a priest is a heckuva lot different than that of a lawman.”

“A valid point,” replied Francois. “Allow me to provide some history. Some context. For many instances, I would agree. Perhaps you will see I possess some rather unique experiences.”

Francois gave a high-level overview of his work. He talked of possessions and exorcisms, his research into the nature and manifestations of evil, and his conviction that the human experience included evil external forces.

“It is not my intention to be intrusive, Sheriff. No. It is my intention to pursue a personal endeavor. Your knowledge of the current situation may be of great help. With such matters, I fear great danger for those unprepared. Therefore, I do not seek physical assistance. No. I seek your perspective. Private insights.” Francois extended his hands, palms up, as if to receive something.

Cole’s chin dropped to his chest and his defenses began to fade under the weight of uncertainty and isolation. Other than the phone call to Nadine to gather intelligence on Moloch, he had dealt with all of it alone. No definitive third-party ties or motives looped back to the nursing home horror. Burt Hall had killed his own mother, for God’s sake. But something didn’t fit. On a visceral level, something felt wrong. After three days, it had worn on him. Justice had not been fulfilled. He suspected answers might not be available through any normal or rational means. The thought of that dismissive SOB Moloch—flicking his damn hand—in the middle of that mess made for sleepless nights. Now this priest had arrived out of nowhere and clearly had no intention of leaving him alone. But the guy had different perspectives, for sure. There was a strange comfort in that.

He closed the office door. Francois stayed perched on the windowsill. Cole sat on the edge of the desk and let one leg dangle. The giggles of two young girls carried from the sidewalk through the open window, mixed with cigarette smoke and the musk of old-fashioned roses.

“I need to bounce some things off somebody, and do it without getting straitjacketed. Maybe …” Cole hesitated. “Maybe you can, or maybe you are able to—and I’m pretty hesitant to mention it—shed some light on some things. Things that I’d sure like answers to.”

Francois remained motionless, so Cole continued.

“I don’t know you. And I’m fixin’ to trust you with something. Something I haven’t talked with anyone about.” He was crossing the Rubicon, hell-bent on answers. “Sorta confessional, isn’t it?”

“You can trust me, Sheriff. I give you my word as a man of God.” Francois took another drag, crushed the cigarette against the outside brick wall, and showed Cole the butt as he tossed it in a nearby wastebasket. “And you can trust me as a man who can relate to your experiences.”

Gulls called from the outside salt air, and the sounds of coins as they slid into the soda vending machine drifted through the closed door from the hallway.

“There was someone.”

Francois slid off the windowsill and eased toward Cole, as if any sudden movements might spook the sheriff.

“You saw. Your eyes observed?” asked Francois.

At that moment, a clerk gave a cursory knock and stuck his head in the door to announce, “Sheriff, there’s a call on line two you’ll want to take.”

Francois raised both hands, blew out a puff of disgust, and gave the young clerk a glare that caused the door to slam shut. Cole snapped out of his reverie and moved back behind the desk, grabbed the phone, and punched line two on the antiquated system. “Yes, sir. No problem. No, sir. Three hours. Will do.” He set the phone down and turned to grab his hat. “I’m afraid I have to go, Father. Right now.”

“Again, call me Francois. And to where, might I ask? It is most important, our discussion.”

“Austin. It’s three hours. I won’t be back until late today.” A decision made and potential lunacy averted, Cole added, “I believe our discussion has ended. It’s all craphouse crazy. There’s nothing I can do for you, Francois.”

“Bon. I shall see you tonight then.” The priest moved with his determined style to the door, apparently unable to grasp the meaning of “ended.” Before he exited, Francois spun and pointed a finger at Cole. His round, florid face had taken on a hard intensity.

“You saw. Your heart. You felt. You saw.”

A loud, puffed-cheek exhale, rife with resignation and relief, accompanied Cole’s reply. “Yeah. I saw.”

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About the Author:

B&B Photography Boise's best studio — B&B Photography Boise’s best studio

VINCE MILAM has lived all over the world, traipsing through the Amazon, Congo, and Papua New Guinea—all the while demonstrating bourbon has medicinal qualities. Raised in Texas, he lives in the mountainous West where he proves—annually—that God doesn’t want us driving on snow. He relishes great reads, fine trout streams, family, old friends, and—especially—writing fast-paced thrillers with a dose of humor and a spiritual twist.

The first two books in the Challenged World series rank high on the Amazon lists in both Thrillers/Terrorism and Christian/Mystery. You can visit him at http://www.vincemilam.com to learn about new releases and writer’s angst.

You can find and contact Vince here:

– Website – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon.

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