April 2019 Review Issue
Journey
&
Discovery: A Kammbia Omnibus Edition
Marion Hill
Red Mango
Publishing
978-0-9987612-5-1
$16.99 Paper/$5.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998761257/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fzDuCbHG7RW7M
Journey & Discovery provides an
omnibus edition of Marion
Hill's fantasy United Kammbia universe, presenting the first two books,
Diondray's Discovery and Diondray's Journey, under one cover.
This will especially appeal to readers who want easy access to the
introductory
stories in a blossoming series. Their unified presentation allows
newcomers to
absorb the first adventures of truthseeker Diondray Azur, who turns his
back on
his prominent family's position to search for answers to the questions
posed in
an ancient book.
Diondray may
be the
leader prophesized to unite this long-divided land; but in order to do
so, he
must embark on a dangerous quest with no guarantee of success.
As he
pursues the
promises in the Book of Kammbi and leaves his familiar family and
connections
in Charlesville, he encounters peoples and communities who hold very
different
ideas about the Book's meaning and lessons:
"Maybe fairness works in Charlesville. But not here in Santa Teresa.
And
this custom has created families in our city. I know the Eternal
Comforter, and
Kammbi honors that. Anyway, what do you know about our Book of Kammbi?”
These
experiences
with different peoples, perspectives, and interpretations of the Book
of Kammbi
lead to Diondray's spiritual and personal growth, helping him hone the
rudiments of a leader and hero: attributes he lacked at the beginning
of his
odyssey.
Hill's
depiction of
Diondray's process of evolution, enlightenment, and growth is just one
central
theme in a story that follows his pursuit of the path directed by the
Eternal
Comforter and his own destiny. From the lure of love which tempts him
away from
this course to his attempts to promote unification among different
peoples,
Diondray's mission will intrigue and attract a range of readers, from
those who
enjoy fantasy worlds and quest stories to philosophical and spiritual
thinkers
who seek these elements of greater purpose wrapped in the guise of a
leisure
read.
Journey & Discovery is an
excellent introduction to the series
and achieves the goal its protagonist desires: unification of purpose
and
events. It's a top recommendation for fantasy readers who like their
stories
infused with a sense of discovery and revelation, action, and
self-inspection.
Return to Index
The Legacy
and the
Lion
Elaine Jemmett
Titonik Books
978-0-9953272-2-1
$14.99 Paper/$0.99 Kindle
www.titonikbooks.ca
The Legacy and the Lion is the first book
in the Yusan Chronicles,
a military sci-fi story that holds a different atmosphere than most.
It's set
in the future, but focuses on a primitive world of kings, horse-riding
soldiers,
murder plots, and power plays. It actually reads more like a history of
an
ancient world than a chronicle of a futuristic one.
In this
setting,
soldier Patrick seems to have no obvious connections after the death of
his
family. His introduction to a new post where political and social
differences
abound makes for an absorbing story of change, adaptation, different
layers of
political purpose, and angst.
Those who
anticipate
a post-apocalyptic tale should be advised that, in many ways, The Legacy and the Lion focuses on
military and political maneuvering as it follows Patrick's entry into
the alien
(to him) society of Yusan and its very different approaches to life.
The usual
trappings of a survival story or new society's evolution are largely
set aside in
favor of this focus on Patrick's adaptation process as he creates a
life in the
kingdom which is to be his new home.
It should
also be
noted that this is no light production. Elaine Jemmett takes the time
to build
her characters and the world in which they operate, resulting in a
richer,
fuller-bodied, less action-packed read than leisure readers usually
receive.
As events
move full
circle into Patrick's realizations about his own family ties, readers
receive a
satisfying, multifaceted story that is as much a mystery and political
examination as it is the story of one man's search for a new place and
realizations in a futuristic world.
It's
especially
highly recommended for readers who like multi-volume series reads
steeped in
social, political, and military encounters.
Return to Index
Our Great Escape: Part 1: Dumbers
Donald Hricik
Independently Published
978-1719992503
$11.99 Paper/$5.99 Kindle
www.amazon.com
Our
Great Escape:
Part 1: Dumbers is a fantasy
piece
with a message about the importance of memory and emotions in human
endeavors
and is set in 2360, where a remnant of humanity exists sans many of the
memories which create awareness and a sense of past and place.
Dr. Henry Shannon has been picked to head a
new interplanetary mission to Jupiter. The story begins with his
reawakening
into this strange world and the realization that his charge to save
humanity
via paving the way for an impossible migration actually has led to his
life
being extended artificially by hundreds of years in order to foster
this
"Great Escape" from a dying world.
Even more important is the bigger question
of who is controlling this effort and whether they are responsible for
the
dementia stemming from the universal application of mind-altering drugs.
As Dr. Shannon explores this and other
questions, he comes to realize that his mission is more than leading a
remnant
of humanity to a new home. It also involves probing the mystery of
memory
connections themselves. When he ventures beyond his assigned duty into
the
realm of social control and the lengths humanity has taken in order to
survive,
he begins to question whether the end justifies the means.
Our
Great Escape:
Part 1: Dumbers is fascinating
because it's more than an adventure story or a mystery, but embraces
elements
of each. Its insights and social concerns are even more compelling than
its
tale of interplanetary journeys and survival questions, and will prompt
readers
to reflect on the costs of technological advancements, the challenge of
Old and
New Worlds, and the visions of future humanity fostered by a few who
believe
they hold the key to its survival.
At the heart of these considerations lies a
literary philosophical approach that invites readers to reflect upon
the
importance of memory and its connection to "meaningful reasons to be
alive."
Who is in control? What is their ultimate
purpose? Dr. Shannon faces his own limitations and obstacles as he
uncovers
modern dilemmas and confronts humanity's murky past as it transitioned
from
Race Wars and other struggles to arrive at its current, perhaps too
carefully
controlled condition.
Readers who have a particular interest in
memory issues, Huxley's vision of a controlled humanity, and
connections
between drugs and tyranny will find Our Great Escape: Part 1:
Dumbers
simply riveting, cultivating a fine blend of reflective insights and
action
designed to keep readers entertained and thinking throughout the story.
As
noted in the prologue, the author wrote this first part of a two part
series at
a time when he was caring for his wife, who ultimately died from
dementia
manifested by severe memory loss. This science fiction was clearly
motivated by
real life events that Dr. Hricik chronicles in a separate memoir called
Lynne's
Last Christmas: A Battle With Dementia.
Our
Great Escape:
Part 1: Dumbers is an apocalyptic
sci-fi scenario with a powerful message for modern man, and deserves a
place in
not just sci-fi collections, but on the reading lists of anyone
interested in
cognitive issues and broader questions of what makes the human race a
viable,
cohesive unit. As an additional note, a follow-up book (Part
2) is in the
works.
Return to Index
Uprising
David Nees
Independently
Published
9781794606425
$13.95 Paper/0.99 ebook
www.davidnees.com
Readers of After the Fall who have absorbed Jason's
story of survival after disaster hits the world will appreciate the
continuing
saga in Uprising, which moves
through
Jason's changed milieu and ongoing challenges.
This is a world of authoritative control and fear. Stability has still
not been
achieved two years after an electromagnetic pulse attack has all but
destroyed
society. In a world with no federal government, no relief efforts, and
no hope,
lawlessness struggles with order, and often the rules enacted to
survive are
the same ones that compromise freedom.
Jason
Richards left
the small town of Hillsboro when he saw it descend into corruption and
move
away from democracy. Now he faces a new battle in the isolated mountain
domain
he's made his home, and where he makes his stand.
There are a
lot of
'firsts' Jason faces in this new world; from first trading efforts
that, while
medieval in flavor, hold the possibility of civilized interactions with
others
to epic battles between valley tribes and Hillsboro's gang leaders.
There are
also engagements that highlight subplots which vary from personal to
political
revolutions, and revelations about the blossoming of repressive regimes
in the
absence of democratic process: "No
one’s talking…because they’re afraid. Nobody fully trusts the police,
and they
certainly don’t trust the militia. Look, last year one of our doctors
was
helping Lieutenant Cameron collect some supplies for your baby’s birth.
Well,
he started to complain about how things were being run. Asking why we
couldn’t
have more freedom of expression, freedom of movement. I heard him.
Others heard
him as well and now he’s gone."
From the
rise of
military strategy and local heroes to Catherine and Bird's standoff
with
outlaws and the rise of an army, Uprising
captures the revised lives and challenges of both those who face the
opportunity to enact changes and others who plan power grabs.
Uprising will especially appeal to
survivalist readers of military
fiction, who will be intrigued by the story's focus on military
strategy and
the confrontations and responses of those involved in both sides of the
newfound
struggles.
In such a
scenario
and world, survival leads directly to forces that attack, defend, and
jostle
for leadership. In effect, this changes not just political alliance and
society, but the nature of humanity itself: "Will
you win?” Donna asked. There was something—an almost apologetic
pleading—in her
eyes. “Will this be the end of people like Leo and Stansky?”
This
bigger-picture
thinking is what sets After the Fall
(and
now, Uprising) apart from other EMT
survivalist stories. It goes beyond rebuilding society, struggles
between
groups, and threats to humanity's survival to consider individual
psyches, male
and female power, battles over direction, and ultimately the leadership
roles
and responsibilities of those who envision a new direction for the
human race.
The result
is a
powerful saga that stands out from other survivalist pieces by
presenting a
closer inspection of individual choice, growth, and struggles both
within and
outside the greater social structure. Uprising
is a read which is lively, evolutionary, and fast-paced, all in one.
Return to Index
B Plus
Michael Langlois
Epigraph Books
Paperback: 978-1-948796-13-2
$18.95
Hardcover: 978-1-948796-14-9
$24.95
eBook: 978-1-948796-15-6
$9.99
Barnes and Noble:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/b-plus-michael-langlois/1129480977?ean=9781948796132
Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=b+plus%2C+dancing+for+mikhail+baryshnikov&crid=2MH11Q3BH30IB&sprefix=b+plus%2Caps%2C149&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_6
Books and Books: https://shop.booksandbooks.com/book/9781948796132
B
Plus: Dancing for
Mikhail Baryshnikov at American Ballet Theatre: A Memoir is
highly
recommended for biography and especially classical dance readers, and
chronicles the author's experiences working at American Ballet Theatre.
It
should be required reading for aspiring young dancers whose goals
include
professional pursuits.
Michael Langlois details his
professional journey from a
small studio to the major league, assembling a patchwork of experiences
from
his letters, photographs, and souvenir programs, interviews for Ballet
Review,
and his memories. Because these experiences are cresting twenty years
old,
Langlois offers them with the astute wisdom of hindsight, and this is
one of
the features that makes B Plus an
excellent assessment for students just entering the world of
professional
dance.
Langlois struggled with more
than professional ambition.
Among the challenges outlined in his memoir: handling romance and
relationships
within the company; dealing with a famous boss's personality and
demands; and
obsessing over the dancer's biggest challenges: food and weight control.
His drive for perfection and
his body image and its
challenges are deftly captured in daily life experiences: "I went home after class that first day back and
vacuumed Julie’s
entire apartment. As I sucked up the dust and bits of dirt and lint
that marred
the surface of her old, rose-colored, wall-to-wall carpeting, I felt as
if
those minor imperfections were my imperfections and that by making them
disappear, my feelings of dirty, fat inadequacy would disappear, and
for a few
fleeting moments, I felt clean and perfect and whole."
Sixteen years of
professional dance experience create a
memoir that is steeped in practical experience, encounters common to
aspiring
young dancers, and ambitions that are nicely, specifically detailed
throughout:
"Given the fact that we worked in
the same company day in and day out, it always struck me as odd how
different
our professional lives truly were, and how unfair. I wanted to be
working as
hard as Julie. I wanted to feel real, genuine fatigue at the end of the
day,
but the opportunity rarely, if ever, presented itself. In fact, during
the
entire time I was in American Ballet Theatre, there was but one single
solitary
occasion when I danced all three ballets in a repertoire program."
From personal perceptions of
deficiencies and different
standards in French and American ballet to learning how to throw
caution to the
wind to become the best dancer possible, the journey Langlois documents
here
will feel familiar and revealing to any aspiring dancer passionate
about
achievement and making a name in the very competitive world of dance.
Milestones, mishaps, and
revelations make this memoir a
top recommendation for anyone who would like to know what it feels like
to
reach for the pinnacle of ballet success.
Return to Index
The Consequence of Stars
David W. Berner
Adelaide Books
978-1-949180-40-4
$19.50
Order: http://www.adelaidebooks.org/consequence_of_stars.html
The
Consequence of
Stars: A Memoir of Home is more than just an autobiographical
examination.
It covers David W. Berner's physical and mental travels, providing a
series of
interconnected essays that explore life on the road and changing
perceptions
sparked by death and a return to his home town.
Think Jack Kerouac's On
the Road, but with more of a sense of family examination and
a return to
one's roots. Add a dash of coming-of-age as David W. Berner recounts
his
childhood, journey away from home, and return: "I
loved that porch, my home, my neighborhood. And it never
occurred to me in those boyhood years that I might someday say goodbye
to such
a wonderful world. It was a good place to be from, a town few of those
I grew
up with would ever consider leaving, a town of stayers. I, however,
would be a
leaver."
Then wind these two
approaches into a blend of
philosophical and spiritual discovery which traverses the author's
memories, contrasting
them with the realities of a sense of place and connections to home, to
get a
sense of a vivid approach to the memoir form that almost defies the
typical
self-focused nature of the genre.
This atmosphere's series of
changes and contrasts take the
smaller picture of personal experience and translate these memories and
scenes
into bigger-picture thinking, as when Berner confronts his ailing
mother's
certainty that ghosts of the past are visiting her: "In
the days before my mother passed away in a nursing home,
dementia tearing at her brain, she insisted my father, who had died
some six
years before, had come to visit her in her room. I never disputed the
visits.
It was her reality, and she deserved that. But still, there was the
dementia,
so some could easily point to her deteriorating condition to explain
the
visions. Those who study paranormal activity believe there are at least
two
types of ghosts, the intelligent and the residual. The intelligent
spirit is
the one who will interact with you, call your name, move an object,
throw
something. Might they also type? The
residuals are those whose energy remains in the place most familiar to
them—a
home, a favorite bar, an artist’s studio. Hemingway
in Key West?"
This philosophical approach
not only traverses physical
landscapes, but connects generations and creates a road map of
possibility and
reflection: "I wonder now if my sons
will one day think of their first home the way their parents did when
all of us
lived there, as a place of love and safety, as place where toes could
be
pressed to wet cement. It was a good house. Will they remember that?
Will they
think of it the same way?"
One doesn't expect
philosophy to enter a memoir about
place and purpose, but this is a powerful feature in The
Consequence of Stars as Berner attempts to define home,
connections to life and death, and the kinds of journeys that lead to
remarkable discoveries and newfound truths about life and the pursuit
of
happiness.
Return to Index
Life is Just
One
Kleenex After Another
David J Adams
978-1-7336290-1-0
(paperback)
978-1-7336290-0-3
(ebook)
This
revelation's
theme returns time and again as David J Adams traverses time and space
to visit
such disparate scenarios as the cultivation and collecting of
outrageous
stories and lies, post-traumatic stress disorders evolving from jobs
and life
experiences, and the kinds of life moments which cause one to reach for
the
Kleenex, as in being the golf caddy for Tiger Woods when trouble
strikes.
Readers
should not
expect all these experiences to be parsed of controversy. Many fall
well into
the arena of 'politically incorrect', however astute their underlying
message
might be:
"There just has to be a travel guide for the
illegal alien. Maybe
the Government Printing Office should publish one. Why not? It would be
more
than government has accomplished on the subject of immigration so far
HANDY PHRASES FOR THE NEW ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT:
1.
I am Canadian. Yo soy
Canadian.
2.
Is this the way to East
LA? Donde esta East
LA.?
3.
Where is the Emergency
Room?
4.
No. Really. I am Canadian.
Ay.
5.
My accent is French
Canadian, mon ami.
6.
My social security number
is: (insert unsuspecting
Yankee number here from memory)
7.
Yes, Officer. I am looking
for the tourist
center.
8.
Where is the welfare
office?"
By now it
should be
evident that Adams provides more than a collection of life experiences.
His is
also an opinion piece and, like it or not, it leaves nothing to wonder
about.
What some might consider to be outrageous or argumentative actually is
one of
the strengths of his account, cultivating an inquisitive and volatile
atmosphere
which is much more than a rehash of attitudes.
Adams
pinpoints those
moments which truly lead to tears and revelations with a gruff sense of
humor,
and this gives his memoir an engrossing honesty that pulls no punches ("Being a responsible adult
sucks.") as it assesses life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.
Perhaps the
most
satisfying flavor captured in this account lies in chapters such as
'Passing
Thoughts and Other Distractions', which comment on the ironies and
inconsistencies of seemingly innocuous encounters with other peoples
and
cultures committed to a new vision of outsourcing
everything...including hotel
food.
Politically
incorrect, wryly ironic in its observations, and filled with a vivid
mix of
anger, humor, and comments on 'Kleenex moments', Life is Just
One Kleenex
After Another is an observational piece that will especially
delight
readers looking for hard-hitting, candid life experiences, shared
freely by a
very talented writer.
Return to Index
The Making,
Breaking,
and Renewal of a Surgeon-Scientist
Steven E. Wilson, MD
H-G Books
Kindle ISBN:
978-1-7329151-3-8
$8.99
Paperback ISBN:
978-1-7329151-4-5
$12.99
Audiobook ISBN:
978-1-7329151-5-2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MTR37SJ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_bTXtCbAMEXD71
The Making, Breaking, and Renewal of
a Surgeon-Scientist: A Personal
Perspective of the Physician Crisis in America is more than
just Dr. Steven
E. Wilson's memoir. It documents a health community in crisis which is
under
siege by everything from government regulations to insurance industry
costs and
protocols and decreased funding for medical research. Wilson notes
that: "Many illustrious careers that took
decades to build have disintegrated under the weight of a legal and
governmental onslaught."
A different
author
might have attended to documenting these attacks alone, but this has
been done
before. Dr. Wilson's intention is to offer a focus not just on the
problems,
but their solutions; and this is where The
Making, Breaking, and Renewal of a Surgeon-Scientist
departs from
other books about doctors and their professional challenges.
By entwining
his
remedies with personal experience, Dr. Wilson produces a memoir that
works on
many levels, revealing the challenges and processes of a
surgeon-scientist's
work as he assesses common obstacles to success and ways of overcoming
them.
From
institutional
disputes and resolutions during residency to Dr. Wilson's work planning
a new
eye institute building at the Cleveland Clinic, The
Making, Breaking, and Renewal of a Surgeon-Scientist
juxtaposes personal life changes with professional evolution. It deftly
charts
the author's various challenges at different points of his career,
marriage,
and transition points in academic ophthalmology.
Readers learn much about this profession and its processes, but also
gain a
broader perspective about the medical community's interactions on many
levels: "The operations of a clinical
department with major efforts in medical care, teaching, and research
are
exceedingly complex, especially in a system that had grown in piecemeal
fashion
with revenues and expenses coming from so many different
sources—faculty
practice plan, dean’s office, hospitals, grant funding, endowments,
etc. Even
for the experienced administrator, it was like stepping into a
minefield."
Dr. Wilson
also
forges different ground in addressing the problems of medical
administrators,
and these will enlighten and educate readers interested in
behind-the-scenes
functions of the medical community.
Leadership
conundrums, inadequate governance systems, and bewildering
Medicare/Medicaid
systems and billing scandals are all covered in detail. Dr. Wilson
eventually
moved full-circle, from being a physician to being an administrative
chairman
before he went back to treatment, research, and teaching. His lessons
and
observations makes for an engrossing account contrasting different
medical
system approaches: a highly recommended and eye-opening work accessible
to
medical professionals and lay readers alike.
The Making, Breaking, and Renewal of
a Surgeon-Scientist
should be required reading for any med school student and many a lay
reader
concerned about the breakdown of America's medical system.
Return to Index
Cash Valley
Ryan K. Nelson
Kindle Direct Publishing
978-1540335821
$2.99
ebook/$11.99 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/Ryan-K.-Nelson/e/B01NCWEFA3%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
FBI agent Alex Travis
receives an anonymous tip that
reopens a cold case involving a bank robbery. The tip leads him to an
isolated
Utah canyon home where a man reveals a story behind the events of the
biggest
bank robbery in U.S. history. Even more importantly, it poses many
questions
about who is innocent and who is guilty which challenge Agent Travis to
make
decisions that will impact crime victims and perps alike.
From Jack and his girlfriend
Kate, who stumble upon some
dangerous truths about the crime's biggest secrets, to a continuing
danger that
pulls them apart and forces Kate to cooperate with Travis lest she
never see
Jack again, events spiral through a father's anger and a thwarted
romance to an
ongoing predicament that seems irresolvable.
Ryan K. Nelson does a fine
job of crafting characters and
special interests, then building their personalities into reactions to
events
that present ongoing conundrums to all involved. The action proceeds at
a good
clip, but attention to detail and character development is not
sacrificed for
the sake of a good investigative piece.
As Jack and Kate solidify
their relationship and new
opportunities, they also face increased danger and confront an
increasingly
dire situation that seemingly offers no way out. Both Kate and Jack are
in
danger, and the lies they've told to Travis and others are one reason
why their
lives may be forfeited in the struggle that ensues.
One reason why Cash
Valley proves so intensely gripping is Nelson's attention to
detail. He
builds believable, likeable characters and injects dilemmas that absorb
them
with sweeping challenges that are both hard to predict and
realistically
portrayed.
Another strength lies in the
twists and turns of a story
line that leads to no easy or apparent solutions. A touch of irony
sweeps
through Kate and Jack's relationship and their choices. This follows
them into
a mounting quandary and back again as Agent Travis attempts to discover
the
truth about their involvements.
The result is a thoroughly
engrossing saga that toes the
line between a crime story, an action piece, and a romance. It embraces
the
entwined lives and destines of three characters who each discover their
own
strengths and purposes in the course of discerning the truth about a
bank
robbery gone bad.
Cash
Valley is
highly recommended reading for anyone seeking a superior adventure
story with
fast-paced action and satisfying twists of plot.
Return to Index
The Destiny
Relic
Ed Mitchell
California Coast
Publishing
97809668447-8-8
$12.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MJCJ1DQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_YcZtCbH9JRY0B
Imagine a
war on
terror that forces ordinary citizens to choose sides in a struggle
fueled by
religious zealots. Consider the impact of a single individual hated by
all
sides of the equation, from the Vatican to Muslim extremists and the
Israelis.
Then add an Indiana Jones-style tension over the discovery of a
religious relic
that could change the world, and which succeeds in angering everyone.
Pair
these elements with the dilemma of discoverer Hank Cameron, who finds
himself
immersed in conflicts that hold no easy resolution, for a thriller that
comes
out firing from the first chapter and excels in staccato, nonstop
action
throughout.
The Destiny Relic is a story of passions
ignited by an impossible
find, but it's also the saga of a grad student in archaeology whose
findings
could either change the world or destroy it.
The last
thing on
Hank Cameron's mind was becoming embroiled in a Middle Eastern
conflict. As
military, political, and social issues coalesce on his turf, he
discovers far
more than an archaeological revelation in a series of truths that
places his
life and the world in jeopardy.
The Destiny Relic is the fourth book in
the Gold Lust series, but
it stands well alone as a riveting, tension-filled story that keeps
readers
wondering whether any of the main characters will survive the
conflagration of
conflicts that blossom around them. Many are dragged into a conflict
they never
could have imagined; but few are able to escape.
Tension is
exquisitely wrought as Mitchell brings Hank and his associates and
relatives to
the brink of extinction again and again. The relics are key to
disparate
forces' strengths and bargaining positions. But Hank has a bargaining
chip
unique to his abilities and powerful role: one which even the most avid
thriller fan will find compellingly realistic and frighteningly
familiar.
Imagine a
war on
terror that forces decisions about the most basic of beliefs, choices,
and
survival tactics. Then consider the impact of The
Destiny Relic, which holds the power to take an action-packed
story, lace it with political and social observation, add a dash of
humor for
good measure, and involve all levels of thriller readers in a vivid
saga that
just won't quit.
Return to Index
Floating on
Secrets
Tantra Bensko
Insubordinate Books
978-0-578-44908-1
https://www.floatingonsecrets.com
Stories that
offer
romantic suspense edging into steamy sex scenes topped with a thriller
edge to
keep readers guessing are relatively rare in the book world. Too many
books
that cross these genres don't create the kind of even-keeled attention
to
detail that support both the romantic and the psychological suspense
elements
in their stories.
This is one
reason
why Floating on Secrets is so
powerfully crafted, and why its story line works so well. It introduces
young
bartender Flair's absorption with visionary states of mind, lucid
dreaming, and
her mysterious, chance encounter with a naked man in an isolation tank.
This
meeting takes a sensual experience and injects mystery and intrigue
into the
mix.
The story
isn't just
about Flair's elusive romance, however. It embraces all kinds of other
elements; from threats to a healing environment to a job that has
helped Flair
and others in a Midwestern town that's undergoing changes manipulated
by
questionable forces.
Austin's
motives in
protecting another while imparting difficult information juxtapose
nicely with
threats of violence and events and people out of control, a downward
spiral of
social engagements and confrontations, and complicated connections that
revolve
around sensory deprivation and heightened awareness. Floating
on Secrets excels in creating subplots and motivations
that keep readers guessing about the fine lines between dreams and
reality, and
what happens when obstacles of love and menace are penetrated.
The story
holds all
the fast-paced action of a thriller, but tempers its suspense with an
equally
vivid exploration of lust and love that considers choices,
consequences, and
visionary purpose. All these facets come permeated with music and
modern culture.
In some
ways, it may
be said that Floating on Secrets is
neither fish nor fowl. Thriller readers looking for predictability will be delighted and
surprised by the
novel's psychological tension; while those anticipating a steamy
romance will
find the sexual encounters augmented by a series of mysteries that
embrace
emotional connections between mother and son, girlfriends, and a house
band
called Floating on Secrets which mirrors the experiences of many.
Engrossing,
compelling, and filled with mercurial experiences, Floating
on Secrets lives up to its title and creates a shifting
atmosphere to carry its readers into worlds of changing purpose and
experience.
Return to Index
Sam and
James: The
Missing Teen
AA Freda
iUniverse
978-1-5320-6027-4 (sc)
$13.99
978-1-5320-6029-8 (hc)
$23.99
978-1-5320-6028-1 (e)
$ 3.99
www.iuniverse.com
Sam and James: The Missing Teen
introduces two disparate elements:
Penelope, the kidnapped granddaughter of the most influential man in
New Mexico;
and ex-Vietnam vet James and his fiancée Sam, who are traveling to
Colorado to
build a new life together. When they meet, fireworks ensure and
everything
changes, for all involved.
The story
opens with
the abduction and the abductor's perception, moves to a road trip
filled with
new frontiers for Sam and James, and then joins these very different
lives by
providing a series of interlocking jigsaw puzzle pieces that at first
feel
confusing, but quickly come to make sense.
Sam and
James
confront each other over various circumstances as their relationship
evolves;
and this includes some vivid sexual scenes as their sexuality, too,
breaks new
ground. But nothing
becomes more
important than the young girl's kidnapping as they become increasingly
entangled in the mystery, possible suspect, and growing secrets between
them.
It should be
noted
that Sam and James: The Missing Teen
is as much about a blossoming relationship as it is about a missing
teen. From
other women in their lives (and in James' past) to the Penelope Campos
case,
Sam and James face a variety of obstacles in their lives. From the
dilemma of a
female friend who has fallen in love with James despite his commitment
to Sam
to different choices involved in going home, Sam
and James: The Missing Teen is ultimately about the trials,
tribulations, and blossoming of family ties and connections. It does a
fine job
of setting these emphases amid a broader story of a kidnapping's
ramifications.
The result
will more
than satisfy mystery fans who look for more emotional connections than
the
traditional 'whodunnit' offers. Sam and
James: The Missing Teen is a gripping sojourn with emotional
twists and
turns that will keep readers involved and interested to the end.
Return to Index
The Scopas
Factor
Vincent Panettiere
Bookbaby
978-1543947700
$15.99 paper/$7.99 Kindle
www.amazon.com
The Scopas Factor follows Detective Mike
Hegan as he moves from
Chicago, where he's hoping to recover from the last tragic
investigation that
has taken much out of him, to a small town in California which faces
two
murders and a kidnapping that may involve his girlfriend's family.
At first this story holds many pieces that are potential puzzlers. It opens not with Mike Hegan's latest journey but with the disparate pieces of a Thailand refugee camp in 1990 and character Tom's involvement with a refugee aid program and a grieving young woman, fast forwarding to France twenty-five years later, where character David is fleeing from danger. Only after these scenes are set with short, staccato impressions does the plot move to Chicago and Mike Hegan's world.
Much of the
rest of the plot consists of weaving together these disparate
characters and lives. These introductions set a warm, vivid, spirited
stage for
the encounters which will challenge Hegan's life, professional, and
personal
relationships.
One thing to
note
about Vincent Panettiere's writing style is that it delivers its
changing
characters and concerns using succinct, powerful paragraphs that move
between
road trips and relationships with powerful observations. Panettiere
uses
paragraph separators to make it easy to mark the flows between ideas,
experiences, and events. This device allows the story to move quickly
between
places (such as Antibes or Chicago) and people, creating a flowing text
that is
simple to follow.
How are
events in
France connected to those in California? Hegan examines a series of
challenges
on more than one level. Readers who like multifaceted mysteries will
thus find
themselves on a wild, riveting ride through more than one perspective.
Layers of additional plots and mystery provide satisfying twists and
turns as
Hegan finds himself moving from Weedley to Southern France in an effort
to
uncover the source of danger, facing threats and a secret life that
somehow
revolves around a story cloth and a mother's legacy.
To call The Scopas Factor a mystery alone would
be to oversimplify its impact and scope. Readers who enjoy
international
intrigue, changing action and settings, and a host of characters who
find their
lives intersecting in surprising ways will relish the mystery and
intrigue
crafted in The Scopas Factor, a
powerful story of suspense and love.
Return to Index
Status:
MISSING
D.W. Maroney
State of Mind
Publishing
978-1-7327839-2-8
$11.99 Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MWCKGT3/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ldCuCb8MY548E
Status: MISSING is thriller reading at
its best, especially since
it's rooted in the reality of a missing Malaysian airliner, its
ultimate fate,
and the reason for its demise.
In this
story, U.S.
intelligence agencies have created The Drone Theory to explain the
mysterious
circumstances surrounding Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. They've
empowered The
Drone Theory Taskforce to investigate matters and determine
whether a
missing CIA drone over Iran gave America's enemies the technology to
bring down
airliners in a different kind of terrorist attack.
Major Megan
Sloan is
determined to get at the truth, especially when a U.S. government jet
is
rerouted via this high technology; its top officials kidnapped. North
Korean
Supreme Leader Choi Min-ho is equally determined to prove who really
has the
upper hand in nuclear weapons negotiations.
As agents
and
officials search for explanations for the inexplicable, aviation
technology,
intrigue, and secret missions and purposes coalesce in this powerful
story. Who
is responsible? And is President Shane Gilchrist facing the end of his
career
over a confrontation with the North Koreans?
Political
intrigue,
high tech battles and developments, and military confrontation and an
investigation lead to a potentially world-changing battle as a missing
plane
becomes a catalyst for greater disaster.
Status: MISSING excels in nonstop action
and the kinds of
political, military, and psychological acts of terror that lead even
professionals to the edge of breakdown. It probes individual and social
units
alike and reveals their powers and failings as it outlines a new kind
of
technological threat; and it centers its action and intrigue on a
determined
woman who is tasked with an impossible mission.
The
realistic
characters, progression of events, and high-octane tension make Status: MISSING a gripping story that
will appeal to any thriller reader looking for action that's grounded
in the
real world, believable, and a cut above the ordinary.
Return to Index
Trafficked!
Thomas A. Burns, Jr.
Tekrighter, LLC
978-0-578-44718-6
0.99/Kindle
https://www.3mdetectiveagency.com/
Trafficked!
provides readers with a new Natalie McMasters mystery that newcomers
and prior
fans alike will relish. The story focuses on a former
stripper-turned-pre-law-student who is on leave from school, and who
works as a
trainee in her uncle's 3M detective agency to help pay her way through
school.
Her last case nearly killed
her, but her latest case will
break her heart. This is a version of Natalie that may prove surprising
to
prior fans. The story opens with her grief and probes both the
circumstances
surrounding it and how she becomes enmeshed in a series of events that
lead her
to follow a key person in her life through the darkest realms of New
York
City's underworld.
Thomas A. Burns, Jr. uses
the first person to capture
Natalie's thoughts and heartache. This provides a satisfying backdrop
to the
mystery as a whole as Natalie winds through unfamiliar territory in
search of
one she loves, who doesn't wish to be found.
From homosexual
relationships, cheating, and duty to
alternating viewpoints contrasting Natalie's perspective of events with
those
of others, Trafficked! is equally
adept at traversing byways of the heart, motivation, and choices.
Friends and
lovers, Natalie's association with her uncle's partner Danny Merkel, and her dilemma over a partner wind
into a story filled
with satisfying twists and turns, colorful descriptions of dilemmas and
spunky
personalities, and a sense of purpose that leads her into increasingly
complicated relationships and danger.
It should be
cautioned that some graphic sex and assault scenes are detailed in the
course
of the story line. All are appropriate to the action and progression of
events.
While they are candidly portrayed, they not overdone for 'shock value'
and
offer a fine balance between powerful description and choices in an
atmosphere
that emphasizes the overall diversity of Natalie's struggles.
Natalie McMasters is
the perfect detective for those who would read about a conundrum
between personal
choice and professional investigation. It's dramatic, fast-paced,
filled with
action and revelation, and is just the ticket for readers seeking a
solid,
superior investigative piece that nicely blends personal concerns with
professional savvy.
Return to Index
Winter of
Murder
Trisha Sugarek
Writer at Play
9781794168800
$4.99 Kindle/$7.99 Paper
www.writeratplay.com
Winter of Murder is the tenth book in the
World of Murder series, and like its
predecessors, it both stands
alone as a remarkable read for newcomers and as a supportive addition
to the
series as a whole.
Detective
Stella
Garcia journeys to Alaska to visit her son, who is interning with a
field
biology group in the Alaskan wilderness. He's only been away from home
for six
months, but it seems an impossible distance away from her urban world. Unfortunately, the one
thing that consumes
her professional life is as active in Alaska as in New York, as Stella
soon
discovers.
Predictably,
murder
enters the picture and the dead bodies begin to pile up, prompting her
to set
aside family time in favor of consulting with the local authorities,
given her
experience and background with solving murders.
Meanwhile,
Detectives
O'Roarke and Sneed are on their own without their third investigator
Stella,
which means not only a challenge to their crime-solving abilities, but
new
opportunities for their evolving relationship.
While prior familiarity with these characters and their experiences
will enhance
appreciation for how much Stella and her comrades have grown since
their first
appearances in the series, newcomers will find this story completely
accessible
and thoroughly engrossing.
Personal and
professional dilemmas abound, encounters between all are realistically
portrayed,
and the contrast between Stella's urban world and the rural wilds of
Alaska are
well done, creating a compelling environment in which Stella finds
herself far
from familiar scenarios or approaches to solving problems.
The
background and
atmosphere of Native Alaskans are particularly well done, lending to a
story
which is vivid on more than one level: as a detective piece, as a story
of
character growth and personal advancement, and as a cultural inspection
of
Alaska's peoples and places.
As Stella
navigates
uncertain territory and affairs, she gains new perspective not only
about
murder investigations, but her own relationship with her son.
Steeped in
personal
growth and revelation as well as a satisfyingly complex murder mystery
that
ventures into cross-cultural perceptions, Winter
of Murder is an engrossing and strong addition to a powerful
series.
Return to Index
Alma Mutters
Julio Varela
Darkwater Syndicate
978-1-946378-19-4
$14.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
www.DarkwaterSyndicate.com
Alma Mutters is a satirical examination
of high school culture, but
anyone anticipating a coming-of-age story like Catcher
in the Rye or others will be surprised (likely pleasantly)
to discover that the tone and wry observations of Alma
Mutters cultivates a unique voice that is both observational
and ironic: "Textbooks would be
relegated to toilet paper duty in the outhouse of history, usurped by a
techno-centric network of learning devices and pixie dust. Smiley-face
emojis
for everyone!"
To say that Alma Mutters is an easy read would be to
belay the novel's underlying depth and passion. Alma
Mutters is well steeped in modern culture, and peppers
contemporary references throughout, from emojis to glow sticks: "A fourfold increase in student
animosity came with each passing reference to epistemology and
ontology. If
your summum bonum involved
popping ecstasy like chiclets until you looked like Bernini‘s Theresa,
nothing
could darken your glow stick faster than a Heidegger lecture on Dasein."
A second
facet also
illustrated by this passage is author Julio Varela's penchant for big
words.
Readers less versed in the English language may want to keep a
dictionary close
at hand, but the extra effort is worth it because the atmosphere,
language, and
culture of Alma Mutters holds the
power to immerse its audience as a reward for what might initially seem
an
undue complexity of language.
This is no
narrow
spotlight on student activities and perceptions. The entire cultural
milieu of
high school is placed under Varela's microscope, including teachers and
administrators: "Calculus made her
glow like enriched plutonium. If she loved Mr. Sedaka like she loved
differential equations, that gentleman was one happy
camper. Bellarmine‘s nerve center had more tentacles than the
Kraken. Managing
all that data required someone extremely bright, bright enough to
anticipate
most of the monkey wrenches faculty and students could throw,
accidentally
(faculty) or by design (students)."
Astute
observations
on the objectives, learning process, and realizations of students and
faculty
capture pointed moments of triumph, adversity, and challenge ("When the teacher and the student fall
away, learning remains… Gedankenstein was
right on. This was the Moment, the time to leave, to walk away, and
never look
back.") in a manner that will prove especially entrancing and
intriguing to students and teachers alike.
Readers
anticipating
just another high school growth novel will be pleasantly surprised, on
many
levels, by the story's complexity and the contemporary, unique voice of
an
author who successfully captures both the irony and poignancy of high
school
culture.
While
general-interest readers will find Alma
Mutters an astute, literary example of satirical writing at
its best, it's
the teacher or high school student who will find Varela's study both
entertaining and educational. It's quite simply a captivating read,
provided at
a level of complexity that is delightfully, satisfyingly unexpected.
What it
demands of
its reader in terms of language is rewarded in droves by its
atmospheric
riches.
Return to Index
Brown Sugar
and Spice
Mathis Bailey
IngramSpark
978-0-9959193-2-7
$19.99
http://www.mathisbailey.com
/
The saga
begun in Confused Spice (not read
by this
reviewer), which revolved around Pierre Jackson's ambitions and
successes,
continues in a story which charts both a downward spiral in life and a
chef's
revitalized purpose brought about by new beginnings, new relationships,
and
revised goals.
Pierre
uncovers a
renewed purpose through the most surprising of circumstances: new
roommate
Zola, who is also trying to escape the downward spiral of her past, and
who
similarly harbors dreams in the culinary world. These are goals that
Pierre
finds similar to his own confused connections between good food and
spiritual
growth.
It should be
noted
that no prior familiarity with the events that led Pierre to this point
is
required in order to appreciate his ongoing conundrums and conflicts in
Brown Sugar and Spice. These are
satisfyingly stand-alone stories that begin and continue a journey.
While these
characters and books support one another, they are quite accessible to
newcomers.
Portraying
the
protagonist as a capable, ambitious gay African American male who has
experienced both success and failure and placing him on a concurrent
spiritual
and business journey creates an absorbing plot. This offers readers
something
more than the usual urban scenarios that surround so many African
American
protagonists in contemporary stories.
Pierre is as
adept at
moving in circles of achievement and luxury as he is at surviving at a
lower
level of living. These skills contribute much to a realistic and strong
presentation that includes graphic sexual scenes, emotionally-charged
moments
of self-realization and growth, and encounters with cultural and racial
profiling: "I was trying to avoid
that stereotype that all back people came from Africa or the Caribbean.
When I
first moved to Toronto, I got asked Where
are you from? so many times. That question isn’t commonly
asked in the
States. So whenever I said Detroit, it didn’t seem like it was enough
for
Torontonians. I would always get No, no, no, my
friend, where are you
really from?"
With its
wide-ranging
exploration of family ties and exotic locales, Brown
Sugar and Spice crafts a series of colorful backdrops to
Pierre's story that add a sense of place, community, and purpose to his
evolutionary process.
Will he and
Zola come
full circle to reconcile their pasts with their futures? This
captivating,
involving story will especially delight readers who look for powerful
gay or
African American male protagonists who navigate their ambitions, life
purposes,
and love and family connections with purposeful skill and ability.
Return to Index
Committed
Suzanne Falter
New Heights
Publishing
978-0-9969981-4-7
$4.99 Kindle
www.suzannefalter.com
Readers of
the
Oaktown Girls novel Driven, who
appreciated the feisty urban characters and backdrop of Oakland,
California,
will be equally delighted with its sequel Committed,
the second book in a series revolving around lesbian auto mechanics,
romance,
and women driven to succeed where others have failed.
The first
thing to
know about Committed is that it's a
romance story about intersecting lives, dating, careers, and the
culture of a
lesbian community in an urban city.
As the story
opens,
Sally's suffering from ennui and the feeling of being stuck in her
life: "It was as if all the vitality had been
sucked right out of it, and she was left swimming in a dirty dishwater
sea of
bad memories and big regrets. The obvious could not be avoided. She
never
should have gotten involved with girlfriend number twelve in the first
place."
Lesbian
readers will
laugh at the girlfriend reference, although non-lesbians may wonder
about it.
This is a good place to note that familiarity with the lesbian
community's
psyche will lend recognition to the underlying references, some
humorous, in
this story's progression.
As Tenikah,
Delilah,
and other characters from Driven
face
more changes and challenges (both health, psychological, and social) to
their
lifestyles and assumptions and goals, prior series readers in
particular will
find the plot absorbing and nicely logical in its continuation of the
characters' growth processes.
Readers may
not
anticipate that PTSD will be part of the story line; nor that
homophobia will
change lives of lesbians long rooted in their community. Committed
excels in expanding the boundaries of not just the
original story, but the notion and actions of this urban ghetto
community as a
whole and lesbian interactions in general.
This
translates to a
vivid, realistic read based on real-life atmospheres (this reviewer is
well
familiar with Oakland's milieu), lesbian community interactions, and
issues that
arise on a microcosmic and macrocosmic level.
Add an
injection of
mystery about careers and life choices to a series of transformative
moments
that leads many of the characters to reassess their perceptions and
values for
a fine, multifaceted read. Committed
is especially recommended for California audiences, lesbian readers,
and those
who would receive a better understanding of urban approaches and
challenges.
Return to Index
The
Interlocutor's
Tale
Paul Kaufman
Collioure Books
978-0-9728250-3-0
What are
they doing
in America, then? Because when their father died, his fortune (slated
for their
education or dowries) became their ticket to freedom when they used it "...run off to Manhattan, New York, NY,
USA, to the Hotel Meridien, to the twenty-fifth floor, to travel and
adventure
and a little fun in their lives, finally, finally, after all the years
of
denial and deprivation, of being kept in the dark and out of the know
by a
stubborn, old-fashioned father who cared nothing about their happiness
nor
about their desires."
Thus opens a
story of
two similar but ultimately very different sisters who find themselves
beginning
their lives, but stumbling into a mixed-up series of mishaps in the
course of a
multifaceted tale "...strangely
powered by fate, by
magic and by love."
As the first
person
observer of the story, who maintains an eye for irony and magic in the
world,
explores not just their lives but those of others, The
Interlocutor's Tale evolves a certain sense of joie de vivre
blended with astute observations as Yvette, Tina, Pierre, and others
find their
seemingly different destinies complicated and entwined.
Just as fate
can
sometimes hang on a single second, so The
Interlocutor's Tale evolves in complexity as Pierre/Sasha
becomes entangled
in their lives in a manner even the clever Tina can't bend to her will.
Tina
and Yvette are fast becoming more than mirrors of one another, but are
probing
and finding their own fates and destinies against the backdrop of
broken dreams,
missed opportunities, and clashes.
Even Pierre
senses
these lost moments, even if they reveal dreams: "There
are times to wrestle with metaphysics, and there are times
to take things at face value and enjoy. This was one of those latter
times, but
poor me, I could not do it. I should have. I should have thrown my
right arm
around her bare shoulders and pulled her closer. I should have leaned
in for a
kiss. I should have laughed with her and experienced the sound of our
laughter
intertwining. Life offers up opportunities more often than we might
think, but
oftentimes they only last an instant. Hesitate and they are gone. Who
knows
when the next one will come along?"
Paul Kaufman
switches
the first-person observer's identity and perspectives, yet under his
hand there
is no confusion about observer and participant in the evolving
story–just a
series of insights that add full flavor and definition to the
boundaries of
changing relationships. He's a master at crafting these scenarios and
beliefs,
and at translating early upbringings, restrictions, and perceptions
into
newfound revelations as his characters grow and change.
Readers
seeking a
multifaceted romp through the lives and influences of a cast of
characters
whose trajectories in life overlap and influence one another will
relish the
astute observations of The Interlocutor's
Tale, which creates a compelling, almost surreal survey of
nightmares,
dreams, and revitalized relationships. It's a highly recommended story
for
readers who like their characters rich in detail and well steeped in
the
culture and international influences of New York.
Return to Index
The Lonely
Tree
Yael Politis
Independently Published
ASIN B07F3V54M68
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F3V54M6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_AkyZCbR9999X4
The
Lonely Tree is a literary
piece that deserves a
place in any collection of contemporary historical fiction or Jewish
studies.
It vividly recounts the experiences of Tonia Shulman, who is a small
child when
her family leaves Poland for British Mandate Palestine and a teenager
when they
move (against Tonia’s strenuous objections) to an isolated kibbutz.
Life on the
kibbutz is dangerous and demanding, but its difficulties pale in the
face of
the growing Nazi presence that is consuming Europe – and the extended
families
they left behind.
Tonia
struggles with
faith, politics, identity, personal ambition, and a blossoming – but
seemingly
impossible – romance, as she seeks a safe place to call home, in a
terrifying
world.
The
Lonely Tree is the first
fictionalized account of
the true story of the siege and fall of the Etzion Bloc settlements,
south of
Jerusalem. Seen through Tonia's evolving political, spiritual, and
social
sensibility, this period is brought to life in a compelling read that
requires
no prior familiarity with the time and place.
Especially
adept at
portraying personal growth and changing perceptions,
The Lonely Tree is
a riveting work that deserves a place in any collection of contemporary
historical fiction or Jewish/Israeli literature.
Return to Index
Mamma's
Moon: The
Hoodoo of Peckerwood Finch
Jerome Mark Antil
Little York Books
978-1-7326321-0-3
(Paperback Edition)
$14.95
978-1-7326321-1-0
(Hardcover Edition)
$29.00
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732632103/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Vg.ECb8QXNJ41
Mamma's
Moon is
a sequel to the novel One More Last Dance, but newcomers will find it stands nicely alone as a
tale steeped in
Louisiana French Acadian history and culture.
The friendship between four individuals
continues to unfold a year after the events chronicled in One
More Last
Dance. Gabe is retired and aging despite his former death
sentence,
criminal attorney Lily Cup Tarleton is frustrated by the spot he's put
himself
in as a possible murderer, and Louisiana culture touches every
interaction as
the characters interact with each other and their world's past,
present, and
future: "Throughout and after the Civil War, the
French-speaking
Creoles of color had racial alignment that was like no other place in
the
south. That’s a big reason we love to cook and eat well, and we live,
work, and
play together. We respect each other. It was the Jim Crow laws at the
start of
the twentieth century that fucked it up. Even the streetcars were
segregated in
1902. We’ve had our problems since, but after the Martin Luther King
times,
prejudice hasn’t been that much of an issue here."
One notable observation
about the unique character and
atmosphere of Mamma's
Moon is that it captures
this sense of place and
explores it just as thoroughly as the processes of crime and
redemption, which
are an undercurrent affecting the friendships in this story.
From Peck's encounter with a tarot reader's
predictions and its impact on his choices to Gabe's move from
confronting death
to facing charges, and Lily Cup and Sasha's movements through the Big
Easy, Mamma's
Moon is a mercurial story that traverses lives and cultures
with a finger
on the pulse of Louisiana history and ethnicity. This will especially
delight
readers with a penchant for crime stories that are more than just
whodunit
scenarios.
Mamma's
Moon traverses a series of crises
and
confrontations by each of the friends, focusing on their reassessment
of
friendships, life experiences, and goals with an astute eye to crafting
a
compelling read.
From Peck's homecoming visit with a mother
and grandmother and the red tape and opportunity it offers him to come
to terms
with the past and present to a prize gator, revised history, and
changed
nicknames from the past, Mamma's Moon provides a
gentle account that
winds mystery and intrigue into a story of evolving families and
friendships.
The result is especially highly recommended
for anyone who likes Louisiana backdrops and tales of evolving
interpersonal
connections, which are woven into a historical mystery that addresses
the flux
of years, generations, and lives.
Return to Index
Moctu and
the Mammoth
People
Neil Bockoven
Waldorf Publishing
978-1642550771
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Fans of Jean
Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear and
other stories
of prehistoric peoples' lives and adventures will relish Moctu
and the Mammoth People: An Ice Age Story of Love, Life and
Survival, the story of a Cro-Magnon boy who not only battles
a tribal rival
for leadership and love, but also encounters and is captured by a
fearsome
group of Neanderthals.
This is no
casual
story. Award-winning geologist and author Neil Bockoven took two years
to
review all the current genetic and archeological research about these
primitive
peoples (our earliest ancestors), and this attention to detail is
reflected in
a story line that captures not only Moctu's experiences, but the nature
of the
physical and tribal world in which he operates. Solid science drives
this story
and - uniquely for a novel - it is annotated in an addendum to the
book.
Bockoven also has been featured in a number of scientific journals, and
is a
member of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Archaeological
Conservancy, and an Impact Member of the Center for Study of the First
Americans.
This
background lends
authority and authenticity to the story, elevating it above and beyond
most tales
of the times.
As for the
tale
itself, Moctu and the Mammoth People
is a riveting study in contrasts as Moctu confronts the cannibalistic
Pale Ones
(Neanderthals), rivals and murderous plotters, enslavement by
primitives who
hold the key to one skill that could propel civilization forward, and
the
possibility of building a presence and family under new conditions.
When he
comes full
circle to confront his tribe's corruption, Moctu faces further
conflicts
revolving around an interspecies confrontation and the turmoil
surrounding his
own heart and choices.
Moctu's
vivid
discoveries of other peoples and purposes beyond his tribe's approach
to life
lends a realistic and thought-provoking feel to a story replete with
exquisite
detail of the physical and emotional landscapes of the times: "He wedged himself in the crook of two
large boulders, and with his sharpened stick in front of him, he stared
up
above, recognizing the Warrior Stars directly overhead. He was
strangely
comforted by the sight. Maybe it was a good omen. As a youth, he’d been
told of
them by Tabar, and their appearance tonight resurrected warm memories
that
seemed to heighten his sense of freedom."
The result
is an
intriguing, exciting and moving saga that takes the time to build early
history
and psychological tension alike. More than a light read about
Cro-Magnon and
Neanderthal confrontations, Moctu and the
Mammoth People does an outstanding job of considering the
evolutionary
process of learning and change by focusing on a primitive soul whose
very
existence and entire belief system are challenged by outsiders and new
ideas.
Jean Auel's
fans, in
particular, will find Bockoven's approach delightfully well detailed,
backed by
scientific and archaeological facts.
Return to Index
Mutilating
Women
Anoop Chandola
Black Opal Books
9781644370698
$15.49 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
www.blackopalbooks.com
Mutilating Women is the story of an
'honor crime'; and if you don't
know what that means, then it's a story that is especially important to
understand. Set in 1947 India after the country's independence, it's a
cultural
and social examination that uses fictional interviews to bring to light
the
real world trials and sweeping cultural changes that affected Indian
women's
lives.
The story
focuses on
the experiences of a new member of the Kotwal Clan, describing her
revenge
crime against her abusive husband.
At first,
newcomers
to Indian culture might feel overwhelmed by its many traditions,
religious
sects, family relationships, and differing perceptions of men and
women. The
concerns and perspectives of males and females feel quite dissimilar,
and are
part of the dichotomies affecting changing Indian social norms.
Any
confusion
initially felt by the wealth of historical and social details presented
in Mutilating Women's opening
chapters
resolves itself shortly. Readers become immersed in the lives and
connections
between newlywed Saina, semi-Swami Sakar's views on India's changing
politics,
the revolutionary meaning and impact of Ghandi's message on everyday
people
traditionally shunned by society ("...revolution
meant making it possible for an untouchable and a woman to head the
government
of free India."), and the kinds of changes that are
transforming
social and political traditions in the country.
Readers
receive a
fictional view of the changing nature of not just politics and society,
but the
relationships between men and women as Mussi and other characters see
their
traditions undergoing vast changes and challenges.
Those with a
special
interest in Indian history and social change will find Mutilating
Women is much more than a story about one woman's 'honor
crime'. It's a sweeping consideration of the sights, smells, and sounds
of a
nation in flux, offers much food for thought, and is especially
recommended for
anyone interested in absorbing India's revolution via a multifaceted
story
presented from different perspectives.
Return to Index
Premonitions
Daniela I. Norris
Roundfire Books
978-1789041392
$13.95
Publisher: https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/roundfire-books/our-books/premonitions
Premonitions, the second book in the
Recognitions series, opens
with a prologue set in 1500s West Africa, where a healer works his
magic on a
baby and faces fear and gratitude from the villagers he helps. Fast
forward to
2018 New York City. Here, a mother faces both her daughter's rising
confidence
and power and her own changes when her acceptance of past lives leads
her to
separate from her husband after twenty years of marriage.
Amelia has
confronted
her husband's absence, his rush to a new life, and her own altered
state of
consciousness and life. Now she faces new consequences stemming from
the
publication of her book Recognitions
and the results of decisions made in her other life.
By the third
chapter,
which takes place in France in 1776, it should be evidence that Premonitions features a wandering
timeline that reinforces past lives, experiences, and quests for love
and
family as it draws connections between people with ties that transcend
time
itself.
Invisible
lines must
be crossed by each character and evil confronted by leaders,
apprentices,
would-be warriors, and those just struggling to maintain their morals
and
ethics in worlds filled with changes.
Of necessity
(and
like its predecessor, Recognitions),
Premonitions involves time travel
through not just different eras, but different personalities, as the
impact of
their choices, actions, and decisions resonates through the ages. This
approach
demands attention and flexibility from readers who ideally are already
fans of Cloud Atlas, Life
After Life, and similar literary dips into reincarnated lives
and revised purposes from them.
Readers with
such
interests and backgrounds will find Premonitions
joins the best of such reads with an attention to ancient
apprehensions,
ghosts, processes of battle and comfort, and generations changed by a
phenomenon few can adequately describe. The acknowledgment of this
force
receives delicate coverage as characters move within their worlds and
come to realize
the indescribable power affecting them: "We
stood there for a few moments, holding hands in silence, trying to make
sense
of what we were feeling, what we were experiencing. And we could still
not find
words to describe it to each other. For me, it was a feeling of dread,
it was a
premonition. A premonition that something very wrong was going to
happen – or
perhaps it already happened? Could it have already happened, right
here, over
two hundred years ago?"
As readers
probe each
character's world, emotions, perceptions, and changes, they will
delight in a
story that evolves beyond the usual timeslip or alternate lives
exploration to
probe the presence and impact of different kinds of magic in dissimilar
cultures and eras.
While Premonitions will best be appreciated by
those who enjoyed the background provided in Recognitions,
it will also reach newcomers who look for novels of
reincarnation, connections, and transformation. Uplifting and
enlightening, Premonitions is a
worthy sequel to Recognitions that
deserves just as much
acclaim as the first in the series.
Return to Index
Seeking Grace in
Beulah Land
Lu Clifton
Two Shadows
978-0-9985284-4-1 (pbk)
Price: $15.99
978-0-9985284-5-8 (e-book)
Price: $
7.99
Available for order: amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/luclifton
Seeking
Grace in
Beulah Land charts the progress
of
the cold case of a missing wife and mother, Grace Barlow, whose husband
quietly
accepted her disappearance and continued on with his life as a
sharecropper in
a rural Oklahoma community. Sixty years later, it falls upon grandson
Mack
Barlow to uncover the truth when he returns home to investigate his
87-year-old
grandfather's increasingly bizarre behavior, only to discover a family
secret
that will change not only his life, but a small community.
Lu Clifton's story excels in fine
descriptions of this rural Oklahoma environment, from family
relationships,
Mack's investigations, and community culture: "He figured the
burr-headed realtor to be a steamroller when it came to persuading
someone to
her point of view. People with Cadillac appetites were turned that way.
She had
probably pitched his idea to the builder at the gated community that
very day,
which meant he needed to look at that agreement fast. But time was on
his side
as Mama and Sister planned to visit Pa after they left the Hometown
Buffet,
then stop at the filling station to gas up."
As the characters begin keeping secrets from
and vying with each other, from siblings Sister and Ruby's growing
distance to
an evolving feud instigated by Mack with the Turners, their land-hungry
neighbors, it becomes apparent the secret is tearing apart friends,
family, and
neighbors alike. From mysterious watchers to missing mules and
accidents
waiting to happen, tension slowly ratchets up as Mack untangles a web
of
complexity in a relentless attempt to reveal a long-dead truth.
Mack believes he's doing the right
thing–but, is he? From peace of mind to legal proceedings that seem to
involve
the Turners, events move from slow to fast-paced, successfully
immersing
readers in the psyche and simmering secrets of a small town on the
brink of
discovery.
Seeking
Grace in
Beulah Land isn't a mystery per
se; leaning toward the literary, the storyline reaches for broader
emotional
and social depth. It's a satisfyingly engrossing, close examination of
a family
married to the land, and what happens when war and nightmares change
everything. The truth about Beulah Land's real legacy complicates the
lives of
the people, politics, and personalities of Oklahoma in a manner that
powerfully
examines rural life, concerns, relationships, and the consequences of
choices
past and present.
Readers seeking an engrossing blend of rural
history and family and community intrigue will relish this saga, which
centers
around land ownership, management, and the life-altering results of
land lost
and found: "A man might lay claim to a piece of land, he
thought, but
in the end, it was the land that claimed the man."
Return to Index
Serpents of
Old
Kirk Millson
Independently
Published
978-1794388437
$8.94 paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1794388435/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
Serpents of Old is a novel steeped in
Southwest atmosphere and
mystery. Author Kirk Millson's familiarity with Arizona and Mexico's
byways
(albeit now changed by growth and technology) lends a solid background
to the
evolving story of dogs, murder, and desert struggles when reporter
Carter
Miguel follows his nose for trouble from Arizona to Utah.
A young
mother
vanishes during an Arizona hike; then her children also vanish from
their Salt
Lake City home. The father is suspect, but but Carter thinks a
different story
might be in play than the cut-and-dry case the investigating detective
wants to
slap on matters. Carter's probe leads to a Utah community, a con artist
whose
latest deal is threatened by the reporter's nosing around, and a
dangerous
truth that isn't easy to come by, given the detective's adversarial
relationship with the determined reporter.
There are
many angles
that separate this southwest-steeped mystery from other genre reads to
make it
an exception to any formula approach. One of the strongest is this
clash
between investigators, and each's special interest in the case.
It turns out
that
Carter is not only reporting on a puzzle and trying to solve it, but
has
stirred up a virtual hornet's nest of dangerous special interests in
the
process of doing his job.
Another
strong
feature of Serpents of Old lies in
its astute cross-cultural descriptions as Mexican soldiers encounter
American
investigators and escapees on the run from justice.
There's also
an
undercurrent of humor that runs through it, as when Tom discovers that
his
escape plane has been running on fumes, and that Pedro must leave him
alone
with it in search of gas, tamales, or tequila.
The
characters are
solid enough to keep the story flowing, and but not too numerous, which
makes
it easy to follow the story line's circuitous route through different
perspectives and special interests.
Who is
pulling the
strings behind an innocent man's indictment for murder? How have the
Atoners
gotten a toehold in law enforcement circles, and how can romantic
feelings
between suspect Tom and Casey evolve in the crosshairs of a justice
system gone
wrong and a flight to freedom? As a teaser about one of the story's
underlying
themes, dog lovers also are thrown a pleasantly unexpected bone.
All these
angles
intersect to create a vivid story that will especially delight fans of
Tony
Hillerman and others interested in capturing the southwest landscape
against
the backdrop of murder, mystery, and struggles for justice.
Return to Index
The Story of
Keilah
Joann Keder
KDP, Publisher
Paperback:
978-1-7336639-0-8
$9.99
Ebook:
978-1-7336639-1-5
$4.99
Website: www.joannkeder.com
Barnes and Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130724203;jsessionid=AFCCE6116CB2132A0811FE9575B6E1BF.prodny_store01-atgap15?ean=2940156471942
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1454472907
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-yuKDwAAQBAJ
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Keilah-Joann-Keder/dp/1733663908/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=The+story+of+keilah&qid=1552253715&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
The Story of Keilah is about buried
secrets and the legacy of a man
who makes a promise to his mother that he will live the rest of his
life "making
things better for other folks" after
his leopard, a former circus animal, causes her death. His mother was a
mean
woman who never understood her son. He's sold his farm for only a
hundred
dollars. And now the truth may be told to future generations about the
true
legacy of an unassuming man who came to own a fine farm and a woman
with
amnesia who returns to childhood scenarios in search of answers.
Keilah Brownwell's father's funeral and his
will changes everything in her life. Her inheritance is in question:
she's a
family outcast with missing pieces of memory, and long ago her life was
changed
by nine-year-old Rosabel McCallister, a neighbor and playmate who makes
her
feel normal for the first time in grade school.
Years later, having come to a strange place
through new and old losses in her life, Keilah finds herself again on
the
outside looking in, this time with adult eyes tempered by the memories
of
childhood: "The piano twangs like it is in pain. Just like
Rosabel’s.
Suddenly I have a surge of homesickness. There is no familiar rhythm to
this
place. The funny smell, the strange people; it doesn’t quite feel like
someone
died in this building, but they sure wanted to."
From her choice of a life in the service
industry which puzzles parents (who believe such is below their
daughter's
potential) to sister-in-law Melanie's plans to ease their mother from
the
house, redecorate, and eliminate any trace of the Brownwell childhood
home,
Keilah's legacy and heritage are all in flux.
Journal entries keep track of back-and-forth
links between past and present, building insights that piece together
Keilah's
life, losses, and relationships, from issues with her own brother to
the
kidnapping of her landlady Dee's brother.
The story that evolves is about more than Keilah
or the Brownwell legacy. The
Story
of Keilah constructs a series of
clues about her missing memories and eventually, like chinks in a dam
leading
to catastrophic failure, results in a crescendo of shocking revelations
about
her family and Rosabel that force Keilah to confront a truth she'd long
rejected. But before she can truly build a new life, Keilah must come
to terms
with the old one.
Joann Keder
excels in
crafting a story so subtle in its purpose that one is more than midway
into the
book before its real strength leads to an inevitable draw towards a
hidden
truth.
Vivid, enlightening, and compelling, The Story of Keilah builds a powerful
series of slowly-building revelations that begin with a will's
stipulation and
moves into truths about disappearances, death, and family connections.
Novel
readers who appreciate the time and attention given to a slow build
that leads
to relentless observations and a moving story will find The
Story of Keilah compelling on many levels.
Return to Index
Strawberry Summer
Harold William Thorpe
Little Creek Press
978-1-942586-60-9
$15.00
https://haroldwilliamthorpe.com
Strawberry
Summer
is the fourth book in the O’Shaughnessy Chronicles series and tells of 75-year-old Catherine
O’Shaughnessy, who is leading a quiet, peaceful life on the edge of
town,
reminiscing on the past, until she realizes something is trying to
drive her
away from her home.
Ten years have passed since
her sister Ruby's death,
leaving Catherine the last in her family; but Ruby's legacy lives on
and still
holds the power to affect Catherine's life.
This series is rooted in
Harold William Thorpe's own
family and its experiences, describing their relationships as he knew
them in
real life, but adding fictional embellishments. The result is a
realistic feel
and understanding of the characters that makes Strawberry
Summer a warm read for both prior fans of the series and
newcomers alike.
Catherine's concerns about
her past, present and life are
clearly stated and easily understandable, as in this letter to her son:
"...just imagine if everyone was
gone—your mother, father, sisters, all your friends, all the
celebrities that
you’ve admired and enjoyed. My fingers would collapse from exhaustion
if I
listed everyone who has left me. You wake up one morning, and it’s an
alien
world. The people, the places, and even the morals have changed. All
you have
are memories—memories and keepsakes. You have a wife and a job to fill
your
days, but I have neither. My only reason to live is to embrace those
memories,
to keep my family alive a little longer."
Bill doesn't want her to
live in the past; but when she
does, Catherine doesn't feel alone. She's committed to not giving up
her memories;
but in the long run her memories don't always serve her well. When she
falls
and breaks her leg, she meets Mrs. Amundsen, who encourages her to
write her
life story and, much like author Thorpe, discovers purpose in putting
pen to
paper and capturing the events and characters that have shaped her life.
An evolving strawberry
business and its added impact on
her family's lives occurs during a summer where seedlings are planted,
sprout,
and brought to fruition. At the same time, Catherine enjoys newfound
purpose in
her life and comes full circle from past to present.
When taken individually, Strawberry Summer is a satisfying
standalone story of an aging
woman's acceptance of her life journey, the fact that she can't change
the
past, and her revised purposes for a better future. As part of the
series, it
provides a fuller flavor to its predecessors by continuing the
O'Shaughnessy
family legacy and exploring evolving facets of Catherine's life and
connections
to it.
Readers seeking a cozy novel
of family interactions,
aging, and renewed purpose will find Strawberry
Summer quietly compelling and warmly revealing.
Return to Index
The Summer
of 1974
Yael Politis
Independently
Published
B07NV977KJ $2.99 Kindle/$12.00 paper
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1797400800/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_mMaFCbDWVBVNB
The
Summer of 1974 is a
literary work of Vintage
Contemporary/Jewish fiction that deserves a place in any collection.
Gavrielle, a
young Israeli
woman who is an officer in the Intelligence Branch of the Israel
Defense
Forces, is struggling with a number of personal issues. The most
immediate is a
decision she faces – does she really want to embark upon a search for
her
unknown father?
Following
the vividly
depicted trauma of the Yom Kippur War and the horrific terror attacks
that
followed it, she desperately needs time away from it all to reflect.
The IDF
grants her a prolonged leave of absence, and she chooses Rome for a
brief
vacation from reality. There she hopes to find the peace of mind to
consider
her choices and how she wants to spend the rest of her life.
In Rome, in
the class
she decides to take at an Italian language school, she meets Charlie
Freeman.
Gavrielle and this young African-American man immediately feel an
unexpected
affinity for one another.
Charlie
insists there
is no dilemma, but only one answer to her question – of course, she
must look
for her father (whom she believes is an American). Otherwise, she will
always
regret not doing so. And he is going to help her. Charlie succeeds
where others
have failed, drawing her out of her self-imposed solitude. As their
friendship
develops, readers discover what makes these two disparate strangers
feel so
connected.
The
Summer of 1974
has the full-bodied flavor of a fine experiential learning piece. As
Gavrielle
and Charlie interact, they help one another reconcile their past and
present
lives with their ambitions for the future, and are able to view their
own lives
through a fresh perspective.
[Gavrielle] put a hand on his. “I’m just
asking questions that I think need to be asked. Risk
assessment.” “So
guess what,
you ain’t the only one spent a lot of years assessing risks. You think
you live
in a dangerous part of the world? Try Twelfth Street in Detroit. Spent
my youth
watching dealers switching stash houses, other gangs watching them
switch stash
houses. Trying to guess where I don’t want to be at. Where they likely
to come
after each other. You did it in a nice office – I been out on the
street. I
know about people bein’ seen when they think they ain’t.”
The
Summer of 1974 is a
riveting story of self-doubt,
confrontation, redemption, recovery, and determination. It will linger
in the
thoughts of readers, long after they turn the last page.
While reading The
Summer of 1974, fans of previous novels by Ms.
Politis (The
Lonely Tree and Whatever Happened to Mourning Free?) will
be pleasantly surprised to encounter some old friends, now at a later
stage in
their lives.
Modern
Jewish and
literary readers will relish this fine story!
Return to Index
Ayahuasca In
The Age Of Donald Trump
John Forelli
Independently Published
978-1794431027
$2.99
Kindle/$20 Paperback
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ayahuasca-Donald-Trump-John-Forelli/dp/1794431020/
Ayahuasca is a Peruvian
psychoactive brew which author
John Forelli imbibed on his spiritual soul-searching journey in a move
to get
away from Donald Trump's America.
He was
a millennial searching for escape from what he viewed as the collapse
of common
decency and many ideals he believed in when he decided to focus on one
word
he'd heard from many different sources–ayahuasca—a word he describes as
"the Everest of hardened psychedelic
travelers."
Readers anticipating either
a diatribe about Trump or a
hallucinogenic series of revelations will be pleased to discover that
John
Forelli's candid survey is also a travelogue, following his journey to
Cusco
and his encounters with Peruvian culture. As such, it captures the
sights,
smells, and scenes of Peru as much as his inner spiritual quest for
answers.
From a group cleansing of
the digestive system to first
encounters with a hammock, new friends, and new realizations, Ayahuasca In The Age Of Donald Trump is
peppered with color photos capturing Forelli's experiences. This lends
visual
color to observational writings that impart a "you are here" feel to
his experiences.
Trump's cultural prejudices
wind in and out of his
encounters, drawing him back to American dilemmas, values, and changes
even as
he experiences his own epiphanies. This documents his walk out of a
familiar
world into one which changes his perceptions and reactions: "Everything was pure—walking felt like
an adventure, air smelled like a miracle, and I was excited to talk to
my
friends..."
His process of enlightenment
is exhausting and demanding:
"I sat down on a hard, bare,
concrete step and dipped my head, hiding it in tired arms. I wanted to
cry, but
I was totally fried, and far too exhausted to do anything except...be."
As readers absorb this personal journey and its broader contrasts
between
Peruvian culture, Trump's America, and Forelli's growth process, they
will
appreciate a series of contrasts that pinpoint the birth of gratitude
as he
learns how to translate microcosms of experience into bigger-picture
thinking: "I saw what existence is in the
purgatory
of that orphanage—a thin line between life and death, heaven and hell.
A line
that we all crossed to come into the world, and that we’ll all cross
leaving
it."
As an additional note,
readers expecting a singular
production (whether it be condemnation of Trump-style thinking, a
travelogue
about a Peruvian adventure, or a mystical journey fueled by ayahuasca) may feel challenged by Ayahuasca
In The Age Of Donald Trump's
multifaceted approach. Its depth and diversity reflects the author's
self-discovery of his place in the world and considers the evolution of
this
broader perception.
However, those who want a
rare spiritual and soul journey
spiced by a changing sense of time and place will find Ayahuasca
In The Age Of Donald Trump a powerful choice, and the
perfect antidote to despair and isolation.
Ultimately, John Forelli
acts as a tour guide leading
readers into a world steeped in mysticism and his growing realization
of a
"magnificent melancholy" that adds new purpose to his life. Ayahuasca In The Age Of Donald Trump is
an inspirational series of growth-inducing steps that should not be
missed.
Return to Index
The Claws of
Perdition
Alaric Cabiling
Independently
released through Alaric Cabiling Ltd.
978-1-64516-394-7
$6.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
Official Website (For Links to stores): www.alariccabiling.wordpress.com
If
psychological
suspense fiction ala Alfred Hitchcock is what a reader seeks, then the
short
stories of Alaric Cabiling (particularly his latest, The
Claws of Perdition) should be high on the "must read"
list. Unlike Hitchcock suspense collections with their largely
contemporary
settings, Cabiling's tales run the gamut from pre-Civil War America to
modern
times and thus offer a broader range of settings, eras, and
perspectives to
flavor their darkness.
As for the
stories
themselves, think the depths of violence, angst, depravity and
darkness, laced
with storyline twists that provide satisfyingly unexpected moments to
keep
readers guessing to the end.
Take 'The
Apex
Predator', for one example. It's a first date for Veronica and Phillip,
but
when Veronica learns something shocking about Phillip Mobatu, she runs
away.
He's a hired killer with a special talent for "charming his targets
into
unsuspected deaths", an ability which has earned him the nickname 'The
Velvet Touch.' His position as a rogue agent becomes more complicated
when he
targets not strangers, but people he knows and even loves.
This story
provides a
chilling look at a professional hit man facing old age and retirement
in a most
unusual way, creating a powerful series of insights into professional
predators, victims, and the business of killing.
'The Howling
of the
Void' is another chiller about a workaholic who no longer loves his
life (if he
ever did...). He encounters a beautiful young woman and is
possessed of the notion that he must approach her with the intent of
kidnapping
her.
Cabiling's
ability to
take the most innocuous and ordinary of scenes
and characters and turn them into circumstances of horror
succeeds in
drawing readers into the types of darkness that evolve from ordinary
lives and
minds.
Fans of
Alfred
Hitchcock's brand of suspenseful short stories, in particular, will
relish
Cabiling's exploration of what happens when personal darknesses within
ordinary
lives take over and reign supreme. His gift for slowly crafting
tension,
psychological suspense, and surprise conclusions is exquisite and
delicate,
making for multifaceted, engrossing tales that linger in the mind
longer after
each story's conclusion.
Return to Index
Dog Training
Diaries: Proven Expert Tips & Tricks to
Live in Harmony with Your Dog
Tom Shelby
Skyhorse Publishing
978-1510737310
$12.99
https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/9781510737327/dog-training-diaries/
Dog
Training
Diaries: Proven Expert Tips & Tricks to Live in Harmony with
Your Dog
covers everything from housebreaking a puppy and retraining an older
dog to not
poop and pee in the house to handling pet aggression towards people and
objects. It should be given to any pet owner as a basic instruction
manual for
successful dog behavior modification.
There are so many dog
training books on the market today
that one might wonder about the need for yet another; but a glance at
the
subjects under consideration here makes it evident that Dog Training
Diaries
addresses common issues that more general training guides don't
approach and
organizes them in a different manner. Chapter headings emphasize this
difference: "How Do I Prevent My Dog from Menacing My Guests When They
Try
to Leave?, "Is There a Good Way to Bring My Dog to Visit Family that
Also
Has a Dog?", and "Why Is My Dog Running Around the House Like a
Lunatic?"
As far as its coverage and
advice, this is imparted with
plenty of case history examples that lend to easy reading about
specific techniques
that are simple to absorb and apply to various situations. Tom Shelby
defines
each problem, outlines common situations, and offers tested alternative
techniques for resolution, as in his section on separation anxiety: "The dog with a severe separation
problem that lives with a traveling salesman starts to get nervous when
the
suitcase is pulled out and is a basket case by the time it’s packed.
Your dog
is totally aware of all the things you regularly do before you leave.
From
putting on shoes or jewelry and brushing your hair, to grabbing your
cell phone
or house keys, your dog knows all the things you do before you leave
the house
better than you do and gets more and more nervous as you get closer to
walking
out the door. The very first thing I recommend is that you
de-emotionalize
leaving and coming. No dropping to your knees with hugs and kisses,
bemoaning
the time apart. Just give a pat on the head, say “See ya later, Bella,”
and
book out. Same when you return. Pat on the head, “How ya doin, Bella,”
and go
about your day."
Add lovely color photos of
Shelby's dog, his personal
experiences with dog training, and an exuberant celebration recounting
training
successes which led to increased pleasure for the pet and owner for a
dog
training book that is personable, enthusiastic, and satisfyingly
specific.
If only one dog training
guide were to be purchased to
cover a range of situations throughout a dog's life with his humans,
Dog
Training
Diaries should be the item of choice.
Return to Index
Eat
the Evidence
John E. Espy, Ph.D.
Open Books
978-1948598156
$17.95
Website: http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/eat-the-evidence/about-book.html
Ordering links: http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/eat-the-evidence/order.html
Bar
Jonah was a
suspected serial killer. Author John Espy is considered one of two
experts in
the United States in the area of pedophilic and paraphilic
OCD. Eat
the Evidence represents hundreds of hours of
interviews with Bar
Jonah and those who knew him well, and captures the extent of his life,
actions, and death. It is highly recommended reading for those who
relish true
crime accounts, psychological inspections of criminal and pedophilic
behavior
patterns, and in-depth inspections of serial killing.
It's important to note that
this is the first book in a
trilogy about Bar Jonah–surprising, because nonfiction in general and
biographical and crime stories in particular rarely run over a single
volume.
In this case, Bar Jonah's story is provided over the course of multiple
volumes
to allow for more detailed examination, incorporating the many
interview
results and facets of his entire life. When one considers that
literally
thousands of hours of interviews were conducted and synthesized for
this
effort, three books seems like an excellent way of assuring that
nothing
important is omitted for the sake of brevity.
One might anticipate a dry
compilation of facts from the
results of so much research and so many interviews, but Dr. Espy crafts
his
narrative to read like a novel. Thus, it's packed with dramatic
descriptions of
encounters between Bar Jonah and those who knew or encountered him.
This
creates a livelier read than anticipated by the subject matter, making
it
accessible to a much wider audience than nonfiction readers alone. Many
a
mystery or crime story fiction reader will find it intriguingly
compelling.
This is not to say the
treatment assumes a 'whodunnit' or
detective-style inquiry. Indeed, it is filled with disturbing
revelations about
pedophilia and the mind of the serial pedophile, and encourages readers
to
enter an inner sanctum of this world which they may ultimately be quite
uncomfortable navigating.
This caution aside, it's
especially notable for this very
aspect: it provides a rare and unprecedented opportunity for parents
and law
enforcement alike to enter the mind of the pedophile to better
understand not
only his psychology, but how he lives and operates in daily life. From
how a
pedophiliac finds victims to the realization that they don't operate in
a
vacuum, as is so commonly believed, but participate in networks with
connections to others like themselves, readers should expect to be
disturbed,
challenged, and educated by Eat the Evidence.
Eat the Evidence
is a powerfully compelling survey
that should be required reading for law enforcement personnel,
educators, and
parents alike. There's simply nothing like it in print–no other
coverage
approaches the depth of history, psychology, and criminal justice
insights of
this story.
Return to Index
The Genius Box: How
The “Idiot Box” Got Smart & Is Changing the Television Business
David C. Tice
Bookbaby
Paperback: 978-1543944730
$14.95
ebook: 978-154394-474-7
$ 9.95
Website: www.ticevision.com/thegeniusbox
Paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/Genius-Box-Changing-Television-Business/dp/1543944736/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1536934393&sr=1-1
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Genius-Box
ebook:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-genius-box-david-c-tice/1129537130?ean=9781543944747
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-genius-box/id1436186258?mt=11
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Genius-Box
The Genius Box: How The “Idiot Box” Got Smart
& Is Changing the
Television Business surveys the evolution of television and
its impact on
society, but David Tice adopts a different approach than other media
examinations by considering the psychology of TV watchers, the
approaches of
distribution systems and content creators, and the social and political
impact
of television on viewers.
Unlike other
media
analyses, Tice doesn't take a contrary attitude towards television, but
explores its beneficial impact as a source of entertainment,
information, and
better connections between family and friends: "My
friends and I would watch television all the time (yes, we did
play outside, too – and without playdates, thank you) and bond over the
programs. In high school, meeting other people was a bit easier with
some
references to Monty Python’s Flying
Circus or Saturday Night Live.
TV even helped me connect with my extended family – all of our
relatives lived
in England, and we saw them but once every four years or so. Through
British
programming on PBS or stunts like the innovative schedule switch in
1976 that
saw Thames TV programming shown on WWOR in New York1, I was able to
feel closer
to my distant kin."
To him, the
television is "pure genius", and its evolution coincides with better
relationships all around, a perspective reinforced by chapters that
trace the
viewer's changing relationship with the television set.
There have
been big
changes between the years of rabbit ear antennas and smart TVs, and
Tice
documents these changes with an eye to considering how the transitions
in
technology resulted in a concurrent change in viewer attitudes,
abilities, and
focus.
This is no
casual
overview. Specifics about the logic behind network and cable television
programming approaches provide consumers with many insights into the
process: "Churn – the proportion of
subscribers
who leave a service each month – is an important issue for SVOD/OTT
services,
with up to two-thirds of subscribers quitting a provider within three
months of
signing up. In some cases, this is a reaction to the cost or impending
cost
increases. For many others, it is simply a matter of only wanting to
pay for an
SVOD service for the months in which their favorite programs come out;
traditional premium cable channels have always had a similar problem.
Churn is
one negative side effect of Netflix’s strategy of releasing all
episodes of a
series at once – if interested viewers watch all those episodes in two
or three
days, why keep paying? That is why Netflix and other SVOD services have
taken a
page out of HBO’s playbook by constantly releasing new series every
month or
every few weeks."
Those who
have had
few clues on why and how television networks have operated in
particular ways
or made changes to their programming and availability now have all the
tools
for understanding such choices and their impact. The focus on this
evolutionary
process means that viewers will wind up with a much better
understanding of how
standards are set, managed, and assessed; and will have some window
into the
future approaches of television and its impact on their lives.
What is
television?
This basic query, central to the book's review, is not as simple as it
seems.
The medium is constantly evolving and bringing viewers along for the
ride. With
The Genius Box in hand, consumers
receive a rare opportunity to not just understand television history
and
culture, but to assess the meaning of past, present and future changes
and
their likely impacts on daily life.
Very, very
highly
recommended, The Genius Box is a
'must' acquisition not just for media studies holdings, but for
sociology and
consumer libraries alike.
Return to Index
Jagdlied: a
Chamber
Novel for Narrator, Musicians, Pantomimists, Dancers & Culinary
Artists
Author: Dolly Gray
Landon; Composer: Gary Lloyd Noland; Artist: Lon Gaylord Dylan
Seventh Species
Publications
978-1732302341
$39.99
https://www.amazon.com/Jagdlied-Narrator-Musicians-Pantomimists-paperback-ebook/dp/B07GJ1RDQJ
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jagdlied-dolly-gray-landon/1129302776?ean=9781732302334
Many
elements make Jagdlied a unique
title that defies easy
categorization as a novel, thriller, or other singular genre
accomplishment.
While it's all of the above, it's also a performance piece, a literary
roller-coaster, a "musically and graphically enriched chamber novel",
a satire, a work of art, and a psychological striptease. One might not
expect
the seriously dirty, cruel element of the story line; but this too is
one of
the many pieces that make Jagdlied
fairly indefinable.
First of all, readers should keep a
dictionary close at hand. This is no whimsical romp, but holds language
that is
dense, paradoxical, and satisfyingly educational for readers who fancy
themselves wordsmiths: "Appreciating these “fun facts” about
our
beauteous young demigoddess, our besotted young aristo—the
disconsolate,
lachrymose, and wretchedly heartsick young wooer publicly known by the
sobriquet “Threwer in the Sewer” (whose solo Dutch act, on Melody’s
behalf, had
inspired a wave of solitaires all across the country and abroad)—had
written
her the following ditty, as a kind of sympathetic ode, if thou wilt, to
the
aforesaid barb in her side..."
As poetry, black and white and color
illustrations, and scathing satirical observation permeate the story of
a
coddled rich girl's questionable ethical and moral standards, readers
will find
the complex descriptions, wordplays, and scenarios to be both demanding
and
entertaining, all in one: "Suffice it to observe here that,
seeing as
our castigated cokitten found herself arched over in such an
impertinently
conciliatory posture, this publicly transgressive perscrutation of her
backslice didn’t unfail to forgo the kankerdort of consternating her
profusely." (Note: this book is offered in both color and
black and
white versions—the black and white one is considerably less expensive.)
By now it
should be
obvious that this tour de force is a thriller of linguistic acuity
designed to
delight a genuine aficionado of the English language. From the
neo-heroine
heiress Melody's position of power and layers of exploitative behaviors
to her
come-uppance, fostered by those who have suffered her slings and
arrows, Jagdlied is at
once indefinable because of its
mercurial approach and satisfyingly whimsical and unique in its
scathing
presentations.
Love and
hate,
revenge and redemption, and a diamond-studded thriller atmosphere that
demands
much from its readers while rewarding its audiences with a compelling,
sassy
set of characters and conundrums make for a read that is hard to put
down.
Whether it's
passive-aggressive behavior in front of a judge or a "commiserable
coquette" who falls from grace and finds herself immersed in situations
beyond her control, Jagdlied
offers a lovely synthesis of graphic illustration, music, and a
powerful,
satirical hand heavy on the written word that creates a lively romp.
Because the
author has embedded over a hundred YouTube videos into the text,
readers will
ideally have their headphones powered up to absorb the musical
interludes and
references.
Readers will want to allow plenty of time to
absorb both its captivating descriptions and the underlying nuances of
Melody's
encounters in a story that is especially recommended for literary
readers of
experimental writings and thrillers which are quite a notch above the
standard
formula fare.
Return to Index
Money in Your Pocket
Michael M. Kloian
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B07N8H6V8X
$9.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8H6V8X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_EPwDCbFT17MY7
Money
in Your
Pocket is a serious overview of the real estate industry and
the specifics
of putting more money in your pocket when buying or selling.
Its
introduction covers setting goals and addressing the common problems
associated
with reaching them: "The bottom
line, when buying or selling real estate, is to get the best deal
possible and
save as much money over the long haul as possible. The real key is to
know when
and how this may be accomplished. There are too many obstacles and
pitfalls
that can interfere with this simple goal, and this book will teach you
how to
hurdle over many of those obstacles." The rest of the book is
devoted
to identifying and resolving the types of problems specific to real
estate.
The first thing to note
about Michael M. Kloian's
approach is that it is not a "get rich quick" scheme. It reviews
basic principles with an eye to instructing readers on the best
processes for
making reasonable assessments, investing properly, and understanding
what
affects the bottom line in the real estate world.
Readers may be surprised to
learn that the biggest
obstacle to success isn't the seller, property, or agent; but the buyer
or
seller himself. This is because many sellers and/or buyers oversimplify
the
process of buying and selling real estate, treating it like a "buy
low/sell
high" stock market-type of transaction.
Kloian emphasizes that this
is just one of the many
common pitfalls new and somewhat experienced sellers and
buyers make,
and he shows how to adjust the perceptions, assessments, and practices
of real
estate transactions to achieve a 'win-win' situation for all parties
involved.
As chapters review the
author's own approaches, hard-won
lessons from his personal real estate experiences, and his observations
of
strategic snafus and successes, readers learn how to fine-tune their
opportunities with a new eye to better negotiation processes, creating
a
'buyer-ready' home, and significant ways of saving piles of money when
buying
or selling a home.
The chatty, accessible
nature of these discussions,
backed by examples and real-world transactions and concerns, lends to a
solid
review packed with money-saving tips. These will be of particular
interest to
anyone involved in any buy or sell transaction in real estate, who will
find Money in Your Pocket packed
with key
information that reviews both horror and success stories.
It's quite simply a 'must'
that stands out from
similar-sounding books because of its simple approach, clear
example-packed
discussion, and concrete information gained from a wealth of real-world
experience.
Return to Index
Poker with
Friends’
Minds: Perspectives on Tournament Hold’em
Mike Corbett
Centrifugal
Publishing
Paperback: 978-0-9830679-4-8
$7.95
eBook:
978-0-9830679-5-5
$4.95
MikeCorbettBooks.com
Poker with Friends’ Minds: Perspectives
on Tournament Hold’em is as much
about how people think, calculate, and make moves as it is about the
game of
Texas Hold'em and its different styles and trends. It focuses on
tournaments with
small entry fees and discusses issues surrounding predictable behaviors
and
approaches to the game.
This is no dry survey of strategy alone,
however. Mike Corbett employs a chatty tone to review tournament
encounters
between players ("I recently observed a phenomenon that I
assumed had
become obsolete. It involved one unhappy person, one defensive person
and two
indignant people. Ok, and one person with a big mouth who should have
stayed
out of it."), lending an excitement and authenticity to
reporting and
observations that aren't typically seen in the usual poker book.
From demanding elements of poker and
descriptions of Texas Hold'em tournament processes to the challenges of
creating a methodological analysis for a game that holds so many
different fundamentals,
this discussion of intuition, decision-making processes, and popular
underestimations focuses on accomplishments and relationships between
structure
and opportunity.
Poker players who want more of a
psychological examination of the game's opportunities, challenges, and
interactions will relish the juxtaposition of analysis and strategy
that makes Poker with Friends’
Minds: Perspectives
on Tournament Hold’em
unexpectedly
lively and personal and a highly inviting, educational read for poker
players
at all levels.
Return to Index
Satan’s Synagogue
Brian Josepher
Independently Published
9781796731927
$29.99 paper/$9.99 ebook
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PQT7PF3?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420
Author’s website: SatansSynagogue.com
Satan’s
Synagogue:
A Faux History is a complex
blend of history and fiction,
which is why
author Brian Josepher calls it a 'faux history'–and also why it defies
pat
categorization on many levels.
At over 600 pages,
this
weighty read spans some 2,000
years, embracing Holocaust experiences and spiritual components alike.
It's a
vivid story of a lost manuscript, a treasure hunt, a search for
interconnected
and intricate truths behind profits and religious figureheads, and more.
But perhaps the
best place
to begin is with Josepher's
definition of a 'faux history' and
how it differs from traditional
approaches: "The
faux historian begins like
the
authentic historian, with an investigation. The historian studies the
facts of
the case...The facts of the case don’t form a coherent, researchable
story. The
reasons for this are many: the facts are few; the facts are dubious;
the facts
are disinformative. For historians rooted to the historical method,
this
conclusion closes the door on the case...Without facts, what is
history?
Without facts, what is a historian? Without facts, what separates the
historian
from the fiction writer? The faux history,
at this point in the proceedings, picks up steam. Imagination replaces
reality.
Invention substitutes for truth. Fabrication kicks in. But unlike
earlier forms
of historical fabrication – historical fiction or alternative history –
the
faux history maintains the shape of a thoroughly researched history."
This introduction
is the
first indication that Satan’s
Synagogue
is an offering worthy
of technical reading; not a light quasi-historical, fictional journey.
When are 'facts'
actually
falsehoods, and when are facts
embellished? As readers move through Satan’s
Synagogue, these questions should be kept at the forefront
because there is
a wealth of interconnected historical information about Elie Wiesel,
1st
century historian Josephus (nee Joseph or Josephur. The author is the
last of
the JDD, or Josephus Direct Descendants), accounts of Jesus, and the
writings
and motivations of Josephus, who fostered his own legend at the expense
of his
coverage of the Jesus story.
It should also be
mentioned
that, faux history aside,
many of the approaches may be deemed controversial investigations, by
some.
Josepher's consideration of sexuality under concentration camp
conditions, for
one example, is not your usual approach to Holocaust events: "In my research, I had recently
spoken
to the survivor Siegmund Kalinski regarding Wiesel’s hanging scene.
He’d given
extensive background on the Beton Kommando, or the three men who’d
tried to
escape from Auschwitz, got caught, were then sentenced to death and
hung in
front of the full camp at Monowitz. Kalinski spoke about “homosexual
friendships in camp” and “zärtlichkeiten,” as
“caresses were
exchanged.” His
reflections caught me off guard but I wondered, as I spoke to
Pfefferkorn, if
Kalinski offered a self-reference. Was he admitting to his own
behavior? Did he
have homosexual relations in the camp and did that continue later in
life?
I
also realized
that homosexuality was easier for survivors to talk about then
sex-as-fantasy.
Even if they disdained such a sex act – and most of them did, coming
from that
generation and reared in an orthodox, homosexuality-as-deviant mindset
– they
could register such a sexuality without being personally touched.
Sex-as-fantasy, of course, had a different construct to it. There was a
personal involvement."
By now it should be
evident
that Satan’s Synagogue
is a
production designed to challenge familiar
approaches to religion, morals and ethics, truths and legends, and the
evolution of hero archetypes throughout history.
Under Josepher's
hand,
history becomes a strange and
wonderful topic. It feels at once familiar and unfamiliar when viewed
through
the lens of disparity, past and present archetypes, and the author's
own
journey through time and place.
Return to Index
The
Beginner's Guide
to Winning an Election
Michael French
Moot Point Productions
978-1-7325117-0-5
(paperback) $14.95
978-1-7325117-1-2
(eBook)
$2.99
www.mootpointproductions.com
While
its
title might
lure an unsuspecting reader into believing that Michael French's book
is a
political primer, it should be advised that this is actually a work of
fiction:
a young adult political education piece.
The
premise
is
simple: a youthful tide of enthusiasm for replacing elderly politicians
is
changing the face of American democracy, reaching even into high school
levels.
Political novice Brit Kitridge is up against incumbent Matthew
Boltanski, who
views his role as student body president as a stepping stone to enter
Washington politics.
Brit
must
not only
learn how to win, but how to deal with the corruption and ethical
confrontations she faces during a process that seems to be weighted
towards
special interests and powerful backers.
Brit
must
come up to
political speed quickly as she faces bullying, manipulation, and
physical
threats. With the help of a savvy history teacher and friends, she does
so;
only to confront the process of exposing a scandal that holds
consequences not
just for her bid for election, but the democratic nature of American
politics
as a whole.
From
bank
hacking to
collecting evidence of a dastardly deed, Brit pursues her goal with
revised
ideas about its importance:
"The
matter, she thought, was less about winning an election than doing the
right
thing."
Young
adults
receive
an inspirational story of a young woman's determination to not just to
run for
office, but to do the right thing as she faces many obstacles to
success.
Powered
by
Brit's
determination, revelations, and challenges to her objectives and
ethics, The Beginner's Guide to Winning an
Election
creates a powerful story of a novice's journey through American
politics which
will appeal to all kinds of readers, from idealistic, aspiring young
women to
those who want a realistic tale of a high school girl's coming of age.
Return to Index
Einstein's Compass: a YA Time Traveler
Adventure
Grace Blair and
Laren
Bright
Modern Mystic Media,
LLC
Ebook:
978-0-9988308-9-6
$1.99
Paperback:
978-0-9988308-8-9
$14.99
Audiobook:
978-0-9988308-7-2 (release March, 2019)
Website: http://modernmysticmedia.com/einsteins-compass/
Ordering
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Blair/e/B07KQVK836?ref=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000
What if Einstein's remarkable theories came
from his personal journeys through space and time? Einstein's
Compass: a YA
Time Traveler Adventure blends this premise into a broader
examination of
mythology as it opens with a brief glimpse of life in Atlantis and
moves to the
dilemmas surrounding Raka, a fallen Angel of Light. The spiritual
shudder he
experienced an eon ago leads to his theft of a vial of DNA and exposes
the
resentment he holds for his uncle, who won't share secrets with him.
He seeks rewards and recognition from the
Council of the Sons of Belial in exchange for betraying his fellow
Atlanteans,
but the secret of the Firestone crystal continues to elude him.
This is a YA read; but it should be
mentioned that graphic violence is part of the story line ("...with
a ghastly smile, Raka viciously yanked the general’s hand and ripped
the
general’s entire arm from its socket. As his victim screamed in terror
and
agony, Raka regarded the arm thoughtfully. He began to gnaw on it with
relish.
The general lived long enough to see Raka devour his other arm and
start on his
legs. He did not live long enough to see Raka transform into a perfect
replica
of the man he was consuming."). Such
descriptions may give
pause to adults seeking 'clean' reading for teens; but these moments
are in
keeping with plot development and are not excessive in appearance, nor
over-emphasized.
Young Albert Einstein is in possession of a
compass that allows him to travel in time and space. Unfortunately, he
holds a
coveted key to not just enlightenment, but power, and he soon discovers
that
dangerous supernatural forces from different eras are also searching
for his
prize.
Readers anticipating the usual timeslip saga
may at first be surprised by the inclusion of and focus on these
supernatural
entities. As Raka stalks his unsuspecting prey, willing to pay the
karmic price
for assaulting the holder of the prized Shamir,
Albert faces the death of a beloved friend, an increasing
awareness of
his power and its danger, and a journey that embraces not just
mythological
forces, but Biblical times, Jesus, and Albert's own roots in Atlantis.
These subplots lend a complexity to Einstein's
Compass that will be intriguing and absorbing to mature YA
readers;
especially prior fans of timeslip sagas more used to such stories
holding
historical rather than fantasy backgrounds.
Under Grace Blair and Laren Bright's
hands, Einstein's
Compass
is
more than just another time travel story, but one of soul searching,
enlightenment, and classic struggles between good and evil. During this
journey, young Albert embraces the threat of death and world-changing
perspectives.
Indeed,
Albert will change the world, one
day. But the
roots of his knowledge and endeavors take a different turn in a
riveting
fantasy about soul-searching and growth which will keep young adult
readers
engrossed to the end.
Return to Index
Missing
Bones
Phyllis J. Perry
Tumblehome, Inc.
978-1-943431-34-2
$9.95
https://tumblehomebooks.org/
Ricky
and
his beloved
beagle Bones don't fit neatly into his mother's new marriage and
lifestyle,
which involves a contrary stepsister and a cat. As a result, he feels
alienated
and alone, somehow always landing on the wrong side of family
interactions and
perceptions until Bones goes missing during a storm.
Kids
ages
9-12 will
relish this gentle story even if they choose it thinking it will be a
tale
about a boy and his dog, only to discover it's actually just as much a
story of
a boy adjusting to a new blended family situation.
The
tale is
powered
by love, whether it be the love of a boy for his canine (which is
intensified
by his feeling that nobody else understands or accepts them) or the
evolving
love of a new family unit forced into a relationship.
The passive-aggressive attacks between
Annabelle and Ricky fuel their lives until a greater purpose enters the
picture, forcing all family members to re-evaluate their newfound
roles,
connections, and their ability to cultivate empathy and love over angst.
The two children eventually learn compassion
because of threats to their pets, but it's important to note that Phyllis
J. Perry doesn't sugarcoat this process, but documents the
back-and-forth
movements and misunderstandings which take place between the characters
as they
individually and as a family move to a better place of understanding.
There
are no
pat
answers and no sudden revelations to Missing
Bones: just a quiet and realistic progression towards
connections which
demonstrate that what is missing is more than a pet or basic family
connection.
In
focusing
on the
process of coming together as well as the obvious dilemmas of
stepsiblings struggling
in a new family unit, Perry creates a memorable, realistic, and warm
story that
will appeal not just to dog or cat lovers; but to young readers
interested in
stories of family evolution and the confusing, slow process of
acceptance.
Return to Index
Rowdy Randy
Casey Rislov
Casey Rislov Books
978-0-578-42945-8
$18.95
www.caseyrislovbooks.com
Rowdy
Randy, the
feisty
heroine in Casey Rislov's picture
book, is a cowgirl fly who has earned her name by being bravely
annoying
others. The goal is to prove that she is the toughest cowgirl in
flight,
fancying herself as "the greatest outlaw."
Her brazen cowgirl
attitude
defies cattle, fish, and any
tough days, but what she really needs is to lead a team of outlaws,
despite her
pride in being a loner and her inability to rustle up some comrades.
Kids with good
reading
skills or parental assistance will
enjoy the story of a determined female fly who needs to solidify her
life
purpose beyond annoying others, but who really needs a lesson in
humility to
change her attitude about life.
Beautiful, big,
bright color
illustrations will prove
captivating to adult and child alike, providing a whimsical
embellishment to
the story of a fly who is too daring for her own good. Cowboy lingo
pervades
the tale and adds to the fun story, while the animal portraits of
victims who
resist Randy's rowdiness capture both physical images and psychological
tales
of resistance.
Packed with action and the unexpected, Rowdy Randy is highly recommended for young buckaroos looking for something different in the way of Western-themed action.
Rowdy RandyReturn to Index
I
Did
It...You Can,
Too!
Fiona
Harewood
Hope Publishers
978-0-9838774-0-0
$15.00 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
www.fionaharewood.com
I Did It...You Can, Too! is highly
recommended, inspirational
reading for school dropouts or anyone who would re-enter the
educational system
and obtain their degree.
This
is not
autobiography posing as self-help. Fiona
Harewood presents many tools for those assessing not just how to return
to the
educational system, but why. The first questions that should be asked
are the
purpose of going back to school, whether it be career-related or for a
better
sense of self.
Topics include assessing common barriers to
returning to school as an older learner (those include financial
concerns,
family makeup and needs, and time and ability) to locating resources,
mentors,
and handling the routines of school itself by joining a study group or
understanding the pitfalls of dropping and adding classes. Harewood
covers the
entire structure of school systems as she helps readers identify their
place in
it as adult learners.
Harewood doesn't claim that this process is
suitable for everyone. Indeed, readers are encouraged to carefully
consider
their resources, goals, abilities, and purposes in returning to the
educational
fold.
By having a reasoned assessment of all
obstacles and possibilities involved in re-entry, learners receive all
the
tools necessary for assuring their goals are met without unpleasant
surprises.
I Did It...You Can, Too! might sound as
though it will be an
autobiographical inspirational piece; but the wealth of practical
information
gained from the author's experiences are backed by solid insights into
the
educational system's pitfalls and opportunities, making this book the
best
place to begin for a successful educational re-entry effort.
Return to Index