August 2016 Review Issue
Friendship:
A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance
Francis Mandewah
Telemachus Press LLC
9781942899884
$14.99
www.francismandewah.com
Few inspirational memoirs are as compelling as Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance, which details the life of an impoverished African boy (author Francis Mandewah) whose life was transformed by a kind, generous, and altruistic American pilot from Minnesota who was employed to fly boxes of gems and alluvial diamonds in Sierra Leone two decades before the horrific rebel war and Hollywood movie Blood Diamond.
Mandewah was a poor child when he met his mentor: scenes of his village life and culture open the story and provide clear insights into the daily lives and hearts of the residents of his small West African village.
From the growing importance of diamonds to a village where they were so prevalent and visible that its residents viewed them initially as merely "stars falling down from the sky" to how his friendship evolved to change his life and carry him on a journey around the world, Friendship incorporates all kinds of topics, from passionate religious convictions, travel and adventure, to civil rights and racial justice, to the process of discovering value and growth in the wider world.
Mandewah is on an upward trajectory to a better life, and he carries his readers through this process and through the circumstances of chance, faith, and change that lead him into a better world; but not without a few trials, tribulations, and hair-raising stories along the way.
One of the strongest features of this particular memoir is its ability to weave a story that portrays encounters between different cultures and perceptions, and the roots of how friendship evolves despite obvious barriers to its development.
This focus on friendship and its life-changing impact makes for a story like few others: an autobiography with the ability to consider not just one boy's evolution, but the impact that faith and friendship have on changing his world.
Readers seeking a memoir filled with heart-stopping moments and heart-wrenching emotions will relish Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance's ability to take its readers into the life of a small West African village boy and follow his remarkable journey around the world, straight to the American dream - and all because of the hand of friendship and support offered by a stranger and the author's willingness to remain flexible enough to change the direction of his life.
Friendship: A True Story of Adventure, Goodwill, and Endurance
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Once
Upon a Time a Sparrow
Mary Kabrich
Prepublication Manuscript
ISBN, Price TBA
Email: drmk43@msn.com
The psychologist narrator's mother dies relatively young (in her seventies), leaving her forty-seven-year-old daughter to sort through her belongings and her life - and that's the opening to Once Upon a Time a Sparrow, a saga of square pegs, round holes, and a school psychologist's venture into worlds where fairies exist and people don't believe in either themselves or each other.
As she finds constant connections between her work and her past, she comes to realize the powers of perception, alienation, and connection, and recalls more and more how dreams and possibilities have dictated the stormy course of her life and her school and family relationships: "It’s how Ethan began to believe he could do more. Yram made him a dream catcher.”
Expect a satisfying juxtaposition between past and present, solidified by Mary Kabrich's attention to the little details of sights, smells, and sounds that permeate her world and are translated to readers with precision and a fine attention to detail: "The air has the thick anxious scent of a battle."
Student/teacher interactions tie in with her own experiences as she relives past events and connects them to her present-day world, and in the course of finally achieving new learning opportunities, she comes to learn what at first seems impossible - reading - and takes readers along for the experience of how teaching can transform through the right approach: "When a arrives on the scene, you need to pay attention to what letter it’s sitting next to. That means—” she stops, I look up at her, and she smiles and points to her eyes, “careful looking. When a partners up with letter r or letter l, it’ll be very friendly to these letters. So friendly, it lets them have the loudest voice.” Letters have loud voices? This is different."
Prayers and promises, how words and lives change forms and thrive, and how reading and connections become supercharged with introductions to new worlds: all this contributes to Once Upon a Time a Sparrow's evolutionary process and ability to easily bring readers along for the ride into literacy, understanding, and hope.
It's all about keeping dreams alive, making them real, and paying it forward. The process of how this happens gives Once Upon a Time a Sparrow a life of its own and makes it a recommendation for a wide audience, from readers of autobiography and memoirs to those who have, themselves, struggled with literacy skills, unrealized dreams, and promising passions amid the backdrop of school and home life.
Once Upon a Time a Sparrow
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Drones
in Education
Chris Carnahan, Laura Zieger, Kimberly Crowley
International Society for Technology in Education
9781564843838 $21.95
www.iste.org/resources/
Drones in Education: Let Your Students' Imaginations Soar joins the specialties of an assistant professor whose research centers on innovative drones and virtual learning, another whose specialty embraces online parenting communities, and a mathematics supervisor for a large New Jersey urban school district; so it presents a better intersection between the latest educational opportunities, tested research, and real-world drone applications than most.
Their combined expertise is just one of the facets that make Drones in Education especially recommended as a powerful survey of the methods and logic of including drones in learning and education processes, providing teachers with supportive data and specific details on how to get a drone program into their schools.
Chapters go beyond exploring research and educational data to create a model for classroom implementation and curricular lesson plans that link drone-based projects to standards for teaching English, math, science, and more.
From the safety, legal, and ethical issues of drones to FAA regulations, indoor use, and privacy and liability concerns, Drones in Education leaves nothing to wonder; whether it be a step-by-step examination of how to select and operate a drone to funding options and models for classroom use.
Materials and procedures for each suggested lesson plan accompany keys to customizing drone activity, applying assessment standards and enriching after-lesson possibilities. Variables and special concerns about pricing and logical development are central to many of the discussions.
Any educator interested in including drone technology in educational pursuits will find Drones in Education the authoritative reference of choice on the subject.
Drones in Education
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Reward
Learning With Badges: Spark Student Achievement
Brad Flickinger
International Society for Technology in Education
9781564843821 $19.95
www.iste.org
Reward Learning With Badges: Spark Student Achievement outlines a system of learning created by a technology director and teacher interested in fostering student learning, and links game and play technology with academic skills and their roots in technology.
Students and teachers learn via the encouragement of a badge program that posit a Google Classroom arrangement where students are presented with a variety of badges they can earn for mastering different skill sets and learning objectives (much like the Scouting system, only backed with online learning).
Students pick the 'badge' they wish to strive for, receive a set of 'challenges' that must be mastered to get that badge, and use tutorials and content that is presented not at the classroom level, but individually; geared to each student's learning pace in a 'flipped classroom' where students independently access what the teacher has prepared.
Creativity and peer review are built into this system, which includes group sharing and interaction towards the end of the badge achievement process.
While there are obstacles to such a program, all are discussed here with solutions and case histories complimenting a program that only requires participation from teachers, staff, and administrators to prove accessible to any elementary-level school.
With its clear attention to individual learning and customization and, especially, its pairing of applied classroom strategies to advice on not just how but why the badge system works, teachers interested in integrating supportive technology into lesson plans through an overall structural framework will find Reward Learning With Badges a solid idea that can be applied to a range of learners at different ability levels under the classroom umbrella.
Reward Learning With Badges: Spark Student Achievement
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Tech
Out Your Class: 6 Projects to Meet Common Core & ISTE Standards
Amy Prosser
International Society for Technology in Education
9781564843791 $21.95
www.iste.org
Tech Out Your Class: 6 Projects to Meet Common Core & ISTE Standards comes from a technology writer and Google Certified instructor and provides educators with six customizable projects that incorporate and apply Common Core and ISTE Standards to the classroom.
These aren't generalized approaches, but are specific to English, math, science, foreign language, social studies and art objectives; taking each subject and matching it with projects backed by technology.
Take the third project, for example, "Powerful Digital Storytelling". Discussion of this topic opens with support of storytelling's benefits and the standards achieved through digital storytelling, outlining the Common Core goals for college and career readiness and adding ISTE's standards.
Sections then cover different subjects and fiction and nonfiction digital storytelling ideas, websites that support student creation and collaboration processes, how teachers can plan a storytelling project, and how they can grade and use the results.
Every step of the teaching process is reviewed, with tips and advice providing a clear overview of what's needed and what can be done with student results.
Teachers just beginning to integrate technology into classroom objectives will find these six projects a solid roadmap to success, making Tech Out Your Class a highly recommended approach for a wide range of learning situations.
Tech Out Your Class: 6 Projects to Meet Common Core & ISTE Standards
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Bloodthorn
Series, OBSIDIAN
Adam Collins
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN:
B01HIL97AW
$2.99
https://www.amazon.com/
If the title Bloodthorn Series, OBSIDIAN sounds surprising, that's because you're not looking at a single book or a series edition; but the first three books of the Bloodthorn series, re-edited and assembled under one cover. Having Books 1,2, and 3 together makes the saga much easier to absorb for newcomers (such as this reviewer), who will appreciate that the fantasy opens with a satisfying, scene-setting prologue centered around a heavily-pregnant horseback rider who seeks refuge at a convent when her contractions begin.
The baby, Brinn, who is born in the old secluded nunnery will grow up to change the world even as his brave mother makes the difficult decision to leave her newborn and lure away the creatures hot at her heels, who would place her son and the nuns in danger.
The striking prologue which ends in tragedy leads the way to a powerful, fast-paced saga in Book One, Stolen, which details struggle and strife, the kidnapping of princess Megan and best friend Anabel, and the evolution of Brinn's special abilities, which lead him to success, failure, and an impossible task that can redeem him despite his reputation as a murderer.
Be forewarned: there are many subplots and characters to Stolen, setting the stage for books to follow and events to come. Readers who want more of a quick action piece and a stand-alone volume may be frustrated by the care and time taken by Adam Collins to build this necessary foundation for the other books, which may feel plodding and confusing to some - but just wait. This attention to detail is required; for Book Two, Blood and Fire, brings war with it, and the need to understand its events through the careful stories crafted in Stolen quickly becomes apparent.
In Blood and Fire, Lady Anabel escapes and discovers a legend in a swamp, her friend Megan is transported to Arakur, and both are introduced to strange lands and peoples whose purposes and influences change their perceptions of the world. Anabel's exposure to slave pens, scruffy towns, poverty, and strife are in sharp contrast to her privileged life and make for some eye-opening experiences.
Gatekeeper, the third book, returns Brinn to the spotlight as he faces a dwarf civil war and Megan finds herself in danger from the moment she meets Silvene, the inhabitant of an isolated hovel in the forest who seems to treat her kindly, but has something more in mind than aiding a traveler and giving her refuge. In fact, "comfort food" comes more to mind - and Megan comes to realize this fairly quickly.
As the events in Bloodthorn Series, OBSIDIAN move along, it becomes apparent that the slow start and attention to foundation-building are paying off. This compilation isn't presented as three books with starting and stopping points, but as a smooth, epic saga that comes to life the further readers enter into the plot.
Seemingly disparate threads and characters interact and contribute to a greater strength, the story line becomes compelling and hard to put down, and all that early attention to detail pays off as events become a series of life-changing encounters for Megan, Brinn, and others who face an evolving and impossible-to-win war.
It should be mentioned that there's a fourth book, and that Bloodthorn Series, OBSIDIAN ends in a cliff-hanger; but by now fantasy readers will be thoroughly versed in its setting and characters and will look forward to finding out what happens to the captive princess and all whose lives circle her.
Bloodthorn Series, OBSIDIAN
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Her
Dangerous Visions
Brandon Barr
CreateSpace
ISBN/ASIN:
TBA
.99
www.brandonbarr.com
This first book of the fantasy series "The Boy and the Beast" is set on the world of Hearth, where a daughter determined to rule in her dying father's place finds more than leadership a challenge; especially since her father has already chosen a military man who seems better qualified for the job than a girl.
But Meluscia is not the only powerful female protagonist facing challenges in Her Dangerous Visions. Also at odds with her destiny on the planet Loam is Winter, whose dangerous visions portend new challenges beyond the portal of her world: ones that threaten to either transform or destroy everything she knows.
Fantasy enthusiasts receive a powerful saga of girls in their teens and early twenties who each stand on the threshold of destiny, grasping enormous powers and potentials in their hands which bring bloodshed and disaster along for the ride.
Cruelty and visions of hope, secret longings and methods of changing enemies, and love and hardship entwine these two worlds and form connections between characters that take interpersonal associations and their impacts into the wider world: "Would you feel much if I died?” “I would.” Soundlessly Savarah moved toward the tall staircase, but stopped before ascending and looked at her. “There wouldn’t be tears. But I would feel it. I would kill more than I ever killed before.”
Brandon Barr takes the time and attention to explore these powerful links between characters and their impact on their worlds, creating social and political scenarios that fuel a story line filled with unexpected revelations and satisfying twists and turns. It's a pleasure to see female characters interacting strongly with their environments and with one another, displaying deep-felt passions. Her Dangerous Visions more than delivers a solid, believable series of events that document the loosening of limitations initially placed upon each character and what these mean not only for their lives and pursuits; but for others: "Truly now, she was a women without constraints. What that would mean, her heart was just beginning to whisper to her."
With such a powerful set of hungers, growing powers and evolving realms presented in Her Dangerous Visions, fans of fantasy and powerful female role models will look forward to more adventures slated to follow this series opener.
Her Dangerous Visions
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In
the Company of the Dead
Ciara Ballintyne
Evolved Publishing
ISBN-13 9781622530311 (paperback) $17.99
ISBN-13
9781622530304 (Kindle)
Website: http://evolvedpub.com/ and
http://ciaraballintyne.com
Buy Links:
iBooks - https://goo.gl/dapRB5
Amazon – http://goo.gl/Qr5aEj
Kobo – https://goo.gl/p26bRH
Barnes & Noble – http://goo.gl/KC5TGG
In a literary world increasingly dominated by staccato-quick scenes that mimic the haste of films without taking time to build foundations of support, it's a pleasure to see something different in In the Company of the Dead. Some of the most notable fantasy authors create powerful reads with slower beginnings that lead up to a crescendo of gripping action - such as this story, which begins with orphan Ellaeva's desire to avenge her parents' death when she's chosen to be the Left Hand of Death.
In her world (and during the course of her quest) the fine lines between justice and revenge blur, tainting a journey powered by grief and anger. All this is about to take yet another turn when In the Company of the Dead opens mid-quest and introduces new facets to her life's purpose.
Much like the acclaimed fantasy writer Patrick Rothfuss's productions, In the Company of the Dead evolves slowly for the first few chapters. There are maps, a good number of characters who interact with protagonist Ellaeva, a "David and Goliath" feel as forces clash and political and personal concerns become caught in the middle of wider-ranging issues, and several different heroes, including a wandering priestess and a military figurehead.
Fantasy readers who enjoy battle descriptions and conflict will be especially pleased with Ciara Ballintyne's attention to detail as she describes some epic conflicts that embrace romance, ideals, and life purposes after setting the stage for a compelling world packed with realistic medieval trappings and issues that demand its readers become emotionally involved in the characters' concerns.
While In the Company of the Dead is not recommended for leisure readers seeking a quick pursuit filled with more action than thought, it's perfect for the fantasy fan seeking depth, who appreciates a slow build-up before the fiery action begins. Such an audience will find this perfectly fits the definition of an epic saga: sweeping, complex, and ultimately engrossing.
In the Company of the Dead
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The
Moreva of Astoreth
Roxanne Bland
Blackrose Press
9780996731607
$2.99 Kindle
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moreva-
Barnes & Noble: http://www.
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.
Smashwords: https://www.
Cover art usually isn't mentioned in the course of a book review because (let's face it) most are fairly unremarkable. But the blue-faced, red-clad, white-haired, face-tattooed alien figure on the cover of The Moreva of Astoreth provides an unusually compelling visual that invites potential readers to dive in just to find out more about her world.
Obviously, this is a fantasy piece. Just as obviously, it revolves around a powerful female protagonist. Readers enter a dark world where priestess/scientist Moreva, banished from her goddess grandmother's temple for a year for neglecting her sacred tasks, embarks on a path that does anything but support the demands of a priestess position.
The first thing to note about this particular journey is that it creates a full-faceted, complex world. No light hand on creating its setting means that no depth is sacrificed in the interests of presenting swift action (though a quick pace is also one of the strong points of The Moreva of Astoreth). Such depth necessarily requires length; so those seeking a quick leisure read will want to look elsewhere. Time is taken to build setting, culture, and characters; but the pay-off is a vivid saga powered by the character of Moreva and her struggles with social issues familiar to modern Earth, as the mixed-race heroine struggles to find a place in her world.
While those who eschew smaller details (such as a protagonist's daily routine) may wish for a faster pace, the joy and strength of The Moreva of Astoreth lies in its ability to take these carefully-laid foundations and build them into a sweeping saga that fantasy and sci-fi fans will find absorbing.
Think Andre Norton to gain a feel for how the setting of this alien world works to support the creation of a protagonist who vividly interacts with it, testing the limits of her personal, spiritual and scientific boundaries with encounters that include romance, political intrigue, and social issues. All these facets are wound into a scientific pursuit that could threaten everything.
The Moreva of Astoreth is especially recommended for genre readers who want their characters, settings, and plots carefully and firmly cemented with a sense of place to support the greater goal of a powerful story that becomes hard to put down.
The Moreva of Astoreth
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An
Idea, and Bullets An
Idea, and Bullets: A Rice Roots Exploration of Why No
French, American, or South Vietnamese General Could Have Brought
Victory in
Vietnam blends a combat commander
and educator's perspective
with the background of military historian to consider the roots of
events in Vietnam.
At first glance, William Haponski's effort would seem to add to an
already-huge
collection of surveys analyzing nearly every possible aspect of Vietnam
history and politics; but in reality An
Idea, and Bullets holds several substantial
differences that earn it
high recommendation for any collection seeking definitive and unique
angles on Vietnam's
events and their lasting impact on the world. Perhaps
this is because Haponski is a West Point
graduate well versed in military processes and logic. His book
considers how
the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong persevered and prevailed over the
seemingly-mightier forces and resources of France
and the USA,
discussing many points about how ultimate goals and purposes fueled the
NVA and
Viet Cong in ways Westerners could not begin to either understand or
fight. It's
rare to see an academic touch added into the mix of an Army officer's
combat
years; but this approach serves An Idea, and
Bullets very well, juxtaposing the insights of
war correspondents,
issues of independence in North and South Vietnam, and how France
attempted to
establish and dominate the region after World War II, setting the scene
for a
quagmire of social and political emotions that would erupt to consume
not only
France's efforts, but those of Americans drawn into the fray. In
beginning its survey in 1945 and working to the more familiar scenarios
of the
1970s, Haponski's blend of military and historical analysis get at the
heart of
not just what
happened, but why
and how it occurred. For
all these reasons, An
Idea, and Bullets
stands heads and shoulders above many Vietnam analyses, providing its
depth and
insights in over five hundred pages of well-researched points and
discussions
perfect for readers who have had a taste of shallower approaches and
who seek
the kind of depth that successfully answers the question
'why'. Ghosts
and Other Unpleasantries Ghosts
and Other Unpleasantries is a short
story collection perfect not just for Halloween reading, but for any
fan of the
supernatural, offering (appropriately) thirteen diverse tales of
chilling
encounters. Subliminal
fears realized, overtly spooky presences that wield control over their
human
entities, and a hypochondriac whose ex-wife has refused to enable his
fears
(only to discover they lead to a startlingly gruesome event when Larry
is
treated by a new doctor) are only a few examples of stories that blend
elements
of horror with mystery, contributing to satisfyingly diverse scenarios
with
endings designed to surprise. It's
important to emphasize that the strengths and crux of this collection
lies in
its attention to diversity. Not every story involves a ghost. Many are
gruesome
in other ways, but all are designed to keep readers thinking and on
their toes.
Think of the style of Alfred Hitchcock with the eerie overtones and
ironies of
Twilight Zone to get a feel for the flavor of these tales. Take
'Free to a Good Home', for an example. What could be more innocent than
a man
from a home for troubled youth seeking pets for the kids, who responds
to an ad
for free cats? Only all is not as it seems: benevolent Johnny
is actually
terrified of cats. So what is he doing in a cat lover's home,
soliciting a heap
of them to take away? The story evolves with some unexpectedly eerie
twists. Or
consider a caretaker's fear that the mean-spirited old man who is kin
to her is
dying, despite her dislike of his practical jokes and nasty ways. What
will
happen to an old man who wants to "die laughing" at the expense of
others? And can a person literally be "scared to death"? Revealing
and diverse, Ghosts
and Other Unpleasantries
offers vignettes that are thoroughly engrossing and especially
recommended for
fans of the short story format and macabre, weird fiction.
William Haponski
Combatant Books, 2016
CreateSpace Publishing Platform
9781499622232 $19.99
www.amazon.com
An
Idea, and Bullets
Return
to Index
C.S. Sahu
J.W. Sheahan & Company
978-0-9975785-0-8
$15.99 Paper, $9.99 ebook
https://amzn.com/0997578505
Ghosts
and Other Unpleasantries
Return
to Index
Help
Me! A Psychotherapist’s Tried-and-True Techniques for a Happier
Relationship
with Yourself and the People You Love
Richard B. Joelson, DSW
Health Psychology Press
ISBN: 978-0-9972292-0-2 (PB) - $16.99
978-0-9972292-1-9 (HC) - $21.99
978-0-9972292-2-6 (eBook) - $9.99
https://richardbjoelsondsw.com/help-me-book/
http://healthpsychology.press
Ordering: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Help-Psychotherapists-Tried---True-Relationship/dp/0997229209/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/help-me-richard-b-joelson/1123703554?ean=9780997229202
Help
Me! comes from a practicing
clinical
social work psychotherapist who focuses not just on the usual pitfalls
of all
kinds of relationships, but how to successfully fix them through
attitude adjustment
and applied psychotherapy. It offers many solid discussions of
resilience,
adaptation, how individuals adjust to life's challenges, and the
special
challenges these transitions bring to partnerships.
Essays
are designed to strengthen thinking and problem-solving processes, and
discuss
the social and psychological issues involved in situations which may
afford
many insights but few instructions on how to actually apply them to
life, for
meaningful, lasting change.
Lest
these explorations become muddled or challenging (given that there are
so many
facets to consider), they are arranged in general categories (i.e.
Being,
Living, Loving and Thriving), with essays on individual concerns
incorporating
wider relationship implications and case history examples gleaned from
the
author's practice.
Plenty
of psychology self-help guides provide analysis and case histories, but
few
offer the specific applications to life that result in clear advice on
how to
manage or change outcomes: "If, for any
reason, you are someone who finds yourself struggling with receiving
compliments like the people in the examples above, perhaps your own
quiet
reflection might help you understand why. Rather than expressing
yourself in a
way that challenges or repudiates a well-intentioned other who seems to
have
nice things to say about you, a simple “thank you” will always do very
nicely
while you privately attempt to figure out why a compliment or flattery
stirred
conflict within you in the first place."
This
is just one of the facets that sets Help Me!
apart from similar-sounding self-help psychology titles: an attention
to taking
the examples beyond analysis and into the choices involved in applying
insights
to different scenarios.
Also
refreshingly different are the cases that caused Richard B. Joelson to
consider
changing his own approaches: "It led me
to question whether or not I should revise my thinking to include the
fact that
sometimes and for some people, relief is change and not necessarily
something
less or less meaningful."
The
result is highly recommended for any psychology or self-help reader who
would
better understand how meaningful change becomes a part of revised life
goals
and psyches.
Help
Me! A Psychotherapist’s Tried-and-True Techniques for a Happier
Relationship
with Yourself and the People You Love
Return
to Index
Side
Effects: What Candidates Don't Tell You
Tomas Payne
Finlee Augare Books
ISBN: 978-1-943080-25-0
(print) $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-943080-26-7 (e-book) $4.99
https://amzn.com/B01G0KUW0G
Side Effects: What Candidates Don't Tell
You comes
from an author who is a CPA and who has a MBA in finance and a BS in
political
science.
Under
Tomas Payne's close scrutiny, it's revealed that
campaign promises from both parties hold side effects and problems that
make
them unattainable. In effect, campaign promises are carefully tailored
to reach
particular audiences by pulling specific heartstrings and emotions -
and this
makes them dangerous.
From
ideals of wealth distribution and taxation to broken
social systems and ideas for reforms, Side
Effects tackles a host of promises and fallacies
across the board,
adopting a bipartisan, critical eye to defusing myths, presumptions,
and
illusions.
No
light read, Side
Effects supports its contentions with data,
including charts and
close analysis of opposing views and how to balance them, requiring of
its readers
an attention to detail and debate that demands not just close
inspection but,
ideally, in-depth reflection.
These
are the facts all voters should see before making
decisions: while candidates each promise better times for America,
what are the costs of their proposals? Side
Effects not only probes the latest election: it
provides the
critical thinking tools voters will need for any future process,
showing how to
delve beneath rhetoric and emotional appeals to understand the true
costs of
proposals and their often-unstable foundations. An enlightened voter is
empowered to a greater understanding and will find the decision-making
process
clearer, as a result.
Side Effects delivers
this, and should be on the
reading lists of all voters and young adults coming of age as
democratic,
voting citizens, as well.
Side
Effects: What Candidates Don't Tell You
Return
to Index
Richard B. Joelson, DSW
Health Psychology Press
ISBN: 978-0-9972292-0-2 (PB) - $16.99
978-0-9972292-1-9 (HC) - $21.99
978-0-9972292-2-6 (eBook) - $9.99
https://richardbjoelsondsw.
http://healthpsychology.press
Ordering: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
B&N: http://www.
Tomas Payne
Finlee Augare Books
ISBN: 978-1-943080-25-0 (print) $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-943080-26-7 (e-book) $4.99
https://amzn.com/B01G0KUW0G
Any
Means Necessary
Jack Mars
Jack Mars, Publisher
978-1632914644 $7.99
http://amzn.com/1632914646
Any Means Necessary is thriller writing at its best, and opens with a potential bang as jihadists steal nuclear waste from a city hospital, leading FBI investigator Luke Stone on a desperate mission to stop a dirty bomb's construction.
The action begins in Fairfax, Virginia (the suburbs of Washington, D.C.) as Luke receives a middle-of-the-night call about the latest crisis: something he has desperately avoided, as his job is impacting his home life ("I don’t know what you want me to say.” “Why don’t you say: I’ve decided not to go. I’ve decided that my wife and son are more important than a job. I want my son to have a father. I don’t want my wife to sit up for nights on end anymore, wondering if I’m alive or dead, or if I’m ever coming back. Can you do that, please?” At times like these, he felt the growing distance between them. He could almost see it. Becca was a tiny figure in a vast desert, dwindling toward the horizon. He wanted to bring her back to him. He wanted it desperately, but he couldn’t see how. The job was calling.")
A Level One threat can't be ignored, even for the sake of family and home; and so Luke enters a world in which his skills are a bit rusty, but his genius could be the only thing to prevent worldwide disaster.
Other thrillers may center on the same theme of dirty bombs and nuclear terrorism; but what differentiates Any Means Necessary from similar-sounding reads is its attention to building believable, strong protagonists whose personal concerns clash with their demanding jobs.
Luke is a family man whose latest mission draws him away from everything he loves for the sake of protecting that future; but his commitment to the task at hand is peppered with reflections on what he's temporarily left behind ("Gunner was an age now where Luke could teach him some things. Maybe Luke would get him out on water skis this year. Maybe he’d teach him how to drive the boat. Luke created an image in his mind. It was of the three of them, sitting at the table on the back patio at the summer house, as the sun set over the water toward the west.") and this creates a realistic quandary as Luke bears in mind the costs of his actions and the potential of failure.
When the truth comes out, Luke realizes that the tide of authority has turned from supporting his work to conviction that Luke and Ed have become killers in pursuit of their cause.
A myriad of close encounters and shocking discoveries keeps action tense and satisfyingly fast-paced; but Luke's humanity and concerns are never set aside in favor of the thriller's evolution - and that's another feature that makes Any Means Necessary so compelling a read.
Thriller enthusiasts who relish the precise execution of an international thriller but who seek the psychological depth and believability of a protagonist who simultaneously fields professional and personal life challenges will find Any Means Necessary a gripping story that's hard to put down, drawing in readers with not just action, but unexpected consequences that reach out to change Luke's priorities.
Any Means Necessary
Return to Index
Broken
Eagle
James T. Crouse
Caromount
Island Publishing
978-0-9974712-0-5
$17.99
www.jamestcrouseauthor.com
"My husband died in a military aircraft crash, and I need to know why. There was no better pilot in the Marines.”
Jake hears these words and knows he's hooked because not only is he an attorney with a investigate background, but he flew in a U.S. Army helicopter unit; so his combined expertise makes him uniquely qualified to investigate.
Unfortunately, this combination of talent doesn't necessarily translate to an easy success story as Jake discovers he's actually signed on to tackle the military industrial complex as much as an aviation personal injury case. And the military is keeping some deep, dark secrets that have little to do with either justice or national security.
As Jake delves deeper into a situation that involves classified documents and secret files worth murdering for, he finds himself at odds with the rogue elements within the military, facing a combination of threats to his own life and moral and ethical questions involved in covering up a murder.
Part of what sets Broken Eagle apart from genre thriller or investigative reads is its in-depth focus on military and aviation processes. Readers who are used to lawyer protagonists operating fairly narrowly in courtroom proceedings will be delighted to find that Jake's prowess and purposes embrace far more than courtroom environments and client encounters.
Another notable feature of Broken Eagle is its attention to developing subplots that detail a host of special interests and their sometimes-conflicting interactions: "Vertical Aerospace had primary responsibility for the XV-11’s wings, rotors, and landing gear in this joint, two-company program. It would be a major revenue source for years to come—not to mention the civilian tilt-rotor spin-off projects that were already being planned."
While these tidbits of information tend to be mentioned in other works almost as asides to the central story, here they serve to build satisfyingly complex accounts of companies, military purposes, and personal special interests alike.
The result is far more than the usual kind of story 'legal thriller' genre readers will expect, and is highly and especially recommended for anyone who appreciates military intrigue and aviation legal matters wound into the bigger picture of those who have sacrificed for their nation in more ways than one.
Broken Eagle
Return to Index
Cooking
for Ghosts
Patricia V. Davis
HD Media Press Inc.
9780989905633
$34.95 Hardcover, $15.95 Paper, $5.99 Kindle
www.TheSecretSpice.com
With a tantalizing title involving spooks and cooking, one can't help but be intrigued by Book 1 of "The Secret Spice Café Trilogy", Cooking for Ghosts. The story doesn't disappoint, either in its ghostly plot or in the presentation of four female friends who decide to open a restaurant together aboard the Queen Mary, only to find themselves involved in much more than kitchen wizardry.
The plot is realistic: four food fans meet on a food blogging site, share recipes, and find they have much in common; including an entrepreneurial vision to open a restaurant. What better place to do so than on a luxury ocean liner with its captive audience of high-end patrons?
What they didn't add into their ingredients list was a murder, a series of ghostly encounters, and a dark history that only the spirits can reveal. As they uncover clues about the ship's history and its captive audiences, the four find themselves probing personalities and pasts as much as testing their pots for seasoning and flavor.
As each woman confronts the ghosts of her own past and their implications for her future, the tale assumes a much more complex, rich approach than anticipated. This is no light supernatural whodunit; but a probe into the motivations, dreams, personalities and driving forces of women who face incredible danger from a seemingly-innocuous business idea.
Cooking for Ghosts also isn't your usual culinary-driven story in that it doesn't pepper recipes throughout its mystery. Instead, it injects relationships between men and women into an atmosphere of intrigue as it follows how each woman grows and confronts her own special ghosts. It also comes with a unique reading guide with live links, videos, historical tidbits and trivia about the RMS Queen Mary and other true events which are peppered throughout the story.
The result is far more complex and satisfying a mystery read than the usual genre production, especially recommended for mystery enthusiasts looking for something different in the way of setting, feisty and strong female characters who play off one another and their environments, and a story line brimming with revelations and intrigue that aren't easily predictable.
Cooking for Ghosts
Return to Index
The
Curse of the Bridal Chamber
Hunter Murphy
Rolltop Publishing
Paperback:
978-0-99-097929-6
$15.00
eBook:
978-0-9909792-7-2
http://beverlybambury.com
What do murder, mermaids, old folks, and a touch of fun have in common? Most books would create these as separate topics in a series; but combine them all under one cover and what results is an unconventional Florida-based mystery by any reckoning in a story that returns prior protagonist Imogene to life in a new mystery with a new setting.
In many ways The Curse of the Bridal Chamber is a throwback to the gumshoe dramas of old-style mystery writing. The sleuth, Imogene, isn't a young or middle-aged woman; but a senior citizen with the wisdom to recognize big trouble when she sees it coming. Her Alabama cohorts in crime (her family) are attending a mermaid convention in Florida when trouble rears its head, so she's not only out of her comfort zone, but away from familiar territory. The mystery she and her family become entwined in involves more than murder: it embraces an old curse seemingly come to life.
The whimsical specter of a mermaid convention helps set the tone for the sense of humor that runs between Imogene and her kin ("Imogene lumbered forward and stopped underneath the enormous sign at the park entrance that said WELCOME MERMAIDS. She mumbled the words, “2004 Convention: Celebrating sixty years of lovely tails.” She shook her head, heaving in the Florida air. “Let me tell you about my lovely tail. My old lovely tail is sore from sittin’ in that car so long.”), while overtones of the Deep South permeate dialogue, perspective, and events. These swirl around jail time, bulldogs, odd behaviors, and a desperate search for information about the legend surrounding the Bridal Chamber.
As events immerse Jackson, his partner, Imogene and her kin, and a cast of supporting characters in a dangerous game, readers are led on a rollicking romp heavily laced with humor, intrigue, and Southern culture; all presented in a joyful staccato of images and encounters that makes the story hard to put down: "Imogene ducked low, using her sister as a shield, but her lips moved at a machine-gun pace. “If you think I’m leaving before we discover the murderer, you’ve not got the good sense God gave a duck.”
Through it all is the sense of wonder and fun of a senior citizen who is plucky, engaged, and on a mission. Readers who love mysteries that move beyond genre problem-solving and into the realm of feisty, fun characters ala Charles Hiatt will relish the adventures and encounters of Imogene and her wacky band.
The Curse of the Bridal Chamber
Return to Index
The
Gallery of Missing Husbands
Lawrence
J. Epstein
BookBaby
ASIN: B01GQFFCUA
.99
https://amzn.com/B01GQFFCUA
"The Gallery of Missing Husbands" is a weekly section of the Jewish Daily Forward, consisting of mug shots of men who have abandoned their families. The plot of this story of the same name opens with a bang ("The man next to me screamed and pointed, so I looked up and watched as Ezra Kaufman's body flew downward from the roof."), and as protagonist Daniel is called upon to investigate a psychic's death, he finds himself embroiled in a tense case that leads him on a chase through New York's Lower East Side.
The first thing to note about The Gallery of Missing Husbands is that it's thoroughly steeped in the atmosphere and setting of this New York City area. Lawrence J. Epstein's intention is to create an absorbing backdrop to his mystery fueled by a sense of place as much as a sense of personalities and purposes, and so he sets events just before World War I and includes much background on Daniel's culture and world.
This approach provides a powerful series of references and insights that most mysteries don't bother to include, creating a rich, vivid setting that is powerfully evocative and which supports the logic, perceptions, and motivations of a myriad of characters. The language used to describe all this is simply outstanding: "The street was overwhelmed by the usual odors of the ghetto, the sweet smell of the apples on a nearby pushcart and the rancid smell of garbage. I heard the screams of hungry babies, the cries of boys playing stickball, the endless murmurs of young lovers and chatting neighbors, and the hushed voices of the old comparing agonies." Brilliant sweep of impressions!
This is no single example, either: the delicious impressions continue throughout ("And don't forget the hot onion rolls and black bread." The restaurant gave a basket of them at every meal, but I wanted to annoy the guy. His face told me I was doing a good job. He stared and his eyes shot the flames of Hell at me.") to thoroughly support the feel of the saga; not just inviting readers to walk the Lower East Side, but taking them by the hand to lead them along.
The second thing to note is the mystery itself. Daniel's own personal struggle with an epic failure in his life segues neatly into his search for the truth, and as he walks through the lives of Jewish families and people involved with the psychic, he becomes increasingly convinced that something bigger has taken place than a cunning murder.
What does the reference to missing husbands and family impacts have to do with an anarchist, a mother's death, blackmail victims from the Gallery, and a scheme leading to murder?
As Daniel walks the streets of the Lower East Side to uncover many threads leading to powerful possibilities, so the ghosts of his past walk with him. Readers are brought along for a powerfully compelling novel that toes the line between thriller and mystery and creates a saga steeped in New York City's pre-World War I culture.
As a touch of love winds its way into The Gallery of Missing Husbands, Daniel finds himself pondering his deep connections to the neighborhood, his life, and the pain he's causing in his relentless search for answers and a story that's highly recommended as an evocative, compelling piece that is hard to put down, once begun!
The Gallery of Missing Husbands
Return to Index
Mirror,
Mirror at 1600 D.C.
Edward Galluzzi
Ebook: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Paper: CCB Publishing
ASIN:
B004GXAYTE
$4.95
978-0981024615
$15.95
Amazon Kindle link: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-
Amazon Paperback Link: https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-
The President of the United
States is female, successful, and beloved -
and has been kidnapped. It stands to reason that the top, most trusted
agents
will spring into action to get her back at any cost, dead or
alive.
And so it's logical that a reader coming into the story could believe this will be a political novel - but they'd be wrong. It would have been a logical choice; but all too easy to write - and that's what elevates Mirror, Mirror at 1600 D.C. beyond the usual genre read. Edward Galluzzi's attention to multi-faceted details and stories and relationships between Hannah, Harrison (her personal bodyguard, who shares center stage with her), and others makes for a resoundingly realistic and compelling storyline.
As romance and mystery moderate the political thriller aspect, readers are drawn into a kind of action based as much on interpersonal relationships as on subterfuge and special interests. From the Pope to the Mentor, characters added to the tale each impart their own influence on what ultimately comes to pass.
Moral and ethical issues arise and create compelling conundrums for different characters, suspense is tempered by an unexpected dash of humor to keep things fresh and unexpected, and issues of domestic terrorism and its impact will captivate contemporary readers who like their action and plots realistic and representative of some of the central social and political concerns of modern times.
As Harrison considers his options and re-assesses his friendships, hard decisions come to the forefront that provide no easy insights and no clear path of resolution, making Mirror, Mirror at 1600 D.C. a top thriller genre read precisely because it doesn't hold true to staid and predictable characters or outcomes, but builds many a satisfying surprise into events as they transpire and build to a exquisite, well-crafted and tense climax.
Mirror, Mirror at 1600 D.C.
Return to Index
Moriarty
Meets His Match
Anna Castle
Anna Castle, Publisher
Print: 978-1-945382-03-1 $14.99
eBook: 978-1-945382-04-8 $4.99
https://www.amazon.com/
Fans of Anna Castle's prior Murder by Misrule, as well as newcomers who relish Sherlock Holmes will both be delighted by Moriarty Meets His Match, a different take on the usual Sherlock or Holmes focus which centers upon Holmes adversary Moriarty's life and perspective.
Here Professor Moriarty's life has been challenged by Sherlock even as he faces a newfound romance that could be destroyed by his own obsessions and penchant for problem-solving.
It's intriguing to note that few other accounts have delved into the psyche and motivations of Moriarty from his perspective rather than that of Holmes and his troop. In adopting a focus that questions some well-established Holmes ideas and approaches, Castle has created a truly riveting and thought-provoking mystery that ultimately surveys the nature of good intentions and evil itself.
As Moriarty Meets His Match progresses in a cat-and-mouse series of escapades tempered by a romance with Angelina, readers receive a riveting sequence of events in which Angelina's own investigations and strengths provide a satisfying, powerful juxtaposition to the main protagonists.
From compelling motives for murder and the convoluted special interests uncovered by Moriarty to different scenarios promising alternative outcomes, Moriarty here assumes a Holmes-like precision in analyzing events to their logical progression: "Moriarty poured himself a cup of coffee, working by touch, and took a sip. The bitterness suited this new train of thought. In this scenario, his role was merely to sharpen the lady’s skills and provide a little entertainment. He couldn’t bring himself to explore the possibility that she and her paramour were deliberating trailing him before Holmes and the authorities as a suspect."
His efforts sometimes lead to obstacles ("He’d come full circle. The ability to generate alternative theories was as much a curse as a blessing. He ladled a heaping spoonful of sugar into his coffee. The bitterness wasn’t helping."), but one of the big pleasures of Moriarty Meets His Match is that, here, Moriarty is as much of a hero - and as savvy - as his counterpart Holmes.
Having Moriarty be the central focus, without the constant interference of consulting detective Holmes and his sidekick, lends him a persona well suited to equal Holmes' observational style and analytical prowess. Holmes and Moriarty work together in harmony for a while as they investigate a case, Moriarty is determined to keep one step ahead of Holmes' processes and procedures ("…he had to see this through himself. He must remain abreast of Holmes’s inquiry, and the best way to accomplish that was to be made an active participant."), and as he faces ongoing challenges from Holmes, he hones a direction which diverges from Holmes' detail-oriented approach.
From sabotage to possible motives, Holmes and Moriarty's increasingly complex, dangerous involvements in uncertain motives make for a riveting mystery that will involve and delight readers as they explore more facets of Moriarty's character than traditional Holmes accounts provide.
Sherlock Holmes fans will find Moriarty Meets His Match exquisitely well-done: true to the nature and characters of both men, but adding extra dimensions to Professor Moriarty's character that greatly enhance the entire Holmes scenario. Very highly recommended as a 'must' for Sherlock enthusiasts and anyone who relishes a good whodunit mystery.
Moriarty Meets His Match
Return to Index
Once
Gone
Blake Pierce
Blake Pierce, Publisher
978-1632914699
$6.99
http://amzn.com/1632914697
A serial killer's penchant for women and his puzzling identity draws FBI special agent Riley Paige into a mystery that challenges even her investigative brilliance, which was already compromised in her last challenging case. In this latest task, there's no rest for the weary and no room for recovery as Riley finds herself entangled in personal and professional pain so acute that it's sometimes hard for her to distinguish the borders between each.
One exceptional quality of Once Gone is its attention to psychological detail and depth. Not only are emotions presented; but their roots are explained and explored in passages that reveal choices, emotional developments, and their consequences: "What do I feel? Then she realized. It was rage. Not against her captor. She’d long since exhausted her rage toward him. It’s me, she thought. I am doing what he wants. When I scream and cry and sob and plead, I’m doing what he wants."
Riley's ability to superimpose dazzling insights into her cases is part of what makes her such a talented investigator: "Old casual clothes. That would be natural to him, she thought. That was how he usually dressed. “What is his connection with these women?” she muttered. “Where does his fury come from?”
It is this ability that could either continue to serve her well or serve as her downfall as she faces a cat-and-mouse game with a clever killer at just the point in her life where she lacks the stamina and resources to perform at her best.
In addition to its deep psychological profiles, Once Gone also excels in a story line driven by passion, motivation, and discoveries both internal and external. Riley finds herself reaching into the depths of her soul for answers ("Her eyes still shut tight, Riley reached inside herself for a sense of the killer’s mind."), bringing mystery readers along for a rollicking ride through pain, suffering, and resolution of not only the case, but of Riley's own role in solving killer situations.
Her newfound discoveries about self and the real bonds in her life create a dynamic story line that grips from the first chapter and doesn't let go.
Once Gone
Return to Index
Silent
Source
James Marshall Smith
Stealth Books
9781939398703 $14.99
www.amazon.com
www.stealthbooks.com
Silent Source contains a good dose of violence that matches supernatural overtones in a highly recommended thriller that explores a sleuth scientist's involvement in a case that may look otherworldly, but likely involves an ordinary (if depraved) human killer.
With two bodies and a priest dying in a hospital under mysterious circumstances, Silent Source's ominous atmosphere is steeped with blood and mystery from its opening act, and becomes more complex and winding as the plot moves overseas, only to return back home to Georgia again.
Dr. Damon Keane is used to being one step ahead of his perps in any given investigation; but this time he's perpetually behind in a struggle that could cost not just more individual lives, but an entire major city.
James Marshall Smith's ability to take the microcosm of one man's crime spree and turn it into a wider-ranging threat demonstrates the difference between an investigative murder story and a thriller whose events include world-changing ramifications.
As Dr. Keane finds all his skills tested in a clever series of cat-and-mouse maneuvers, he encounters a deadly scenario revolving around bigger, nuclear issues and threats that could ultimately come home to affect his family and everything he loves.
Can an outsider take the law into his own hands and win? And can the efforts of a man determined to save Atlanta from decay by bombarding it with danger thwart even the skills of one accustomed to being the winner in any confrontation?
Take a tale of intrigue, add a dash of romance and investigative mystery, and sandwich these with seat-of-your pants action switching between perp and doctor/investigator for a thriller that will thoroughly immerse any genre fan seeking hot action and heart-pounding adventure.
Silent Source
Return to Index
Uncovering
Officer Smith
Sheena Hutchinson
Sheena Hutchinson LLC
ISBN
(Paper): 1532791240
$14.99
ASIN (ebook): B01ED5A4WG $ 3.99
US- https://www.amazon.com/dp/
UK-https://www.amazon.co.uk/
CA-https://www.amazon.ca/dp/
While Uncovering Officer Smith looks to be a detective story in the usual sense, it's gratifying to note that Sheena Hutchinson takes this second book in her trilogy in a different direction, creating, in effect, a psychological profile of not a perp, but an officer who is a deliberate womanizer, never letting himself get too close to love or emotional commitment.
One might expect that such an individual will ultimately encounter a feisty, attractive personality to thwart his careful routine of 'catch and release'; not a studious nerd who as determined to achieve her goals as she is sexy.
One might also anticipate that the process of throwing away rules that create barriers could make for predictable outcomes. Delightfully, this is not the case. As Officer John Smith faces challenges to his personal and professional lives, so he makes choices that aren't always staid or in his best interests.
As the stubbornness and determination of two very different individuals begins to seep into John's cases and his life goals, he slowly begins to do something he'd determined he'd never do again: lower his barriers. Ditto for Becca; especially when her plans for future success are thwarted by a night inadvertently spent with a stranger.
Sometimes romance is all about narrowed visions and special purposes coalescing in unusual ways. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's poignant, and in the best of circumstances, it's entertaining.
To call Uncovering Officer Smith the 'second book in a mystery trilogy' would apply too shallow a definition to this process. It's a love story, it's a tragedy, it's a puzzle, and it's a delightful read designed to keep readers not just guessing about the outcomes of events; but examining their own preset notions of how life should and could evolve.
Heartbreaks and blondes, two individuals who have cultivated the high art of hiding for different reasons and towards different purposes, and a series of events that takes two "lost causes" and joins them: these all make for a superior psychological approach that closely examines how relationships and new family circles are forged, against all odds.
Gripping, fun, and thought-provoking, Uncovering Officer Smith isn't so much for the typical "whodunit" mystery fan as for those who enjoy wider-ranging examinations of life, love, humor, and everything in between.
Uncovering Officer Smith
Return to Index
Bitter
is the Wind More
so than most coming of age reads, the chapter headings of Bitter is the Wind
don't just pinpoint the
journey's progression: they nail it. Trouble, Hope, Desire, Control -
these are
the voyages undertaken by father and son (George Jr. and George Sr.) as
both
struggle with the American dream and life during different eras of
changing
values. All
the trappings of a typical American world are here - baseball, family
values,
changing religious beliefs, mundane jobs and devastating losses - but
also
present are the atypical as two generations struggle with their
choices. It's
hard to say that either George is entirely likeable. Conversely, it's
hard to
deny that the personality quirks of either are anything but human,
representing
individual responses to life that revolve around different choices
which are
sometimes right and sometimes wrong. Responsibility,
life goals, confrontations between generations holding different
ideals, and
the influence of sports and money on family connections or
disassociations: all
these are wound into a coming of age novel that is grittier and more
realistic
than some, encapsulating the essence of the American dream and its
accompanying
nightmares as seen through the eyes of a father and son. As
the Johnsons move through their chapter heading themes, readers are
treated to
a story of working class experiences that especially excels in mentions
of
economic and social influence on character choices and evolution. And
as
graduation looms on the horizon, the two Georges' roads begin to fork.
As
divergences appear much like cracks in the family structure, readers
find
themselves full circle in a winding story that follows family ties and
ties to America
itself. Coming-of-age
new adult and adult readers will find much to like in Bitter is the Wind,
a full-flavored read
that provides more depth and social and economic background than
most. How
to Seduce a Queen Given
the fact that Stella Marie Alden's prior medieval romance books in the
series
are winners, it's a given that those who know her name will realize
they're in
for a treat with How
to Seduce a Queen,
a new addition to the series - but it should also be emphasized that
newcomers
will have no difficulty entering Alden's world if they start with this
title,
either. Set
in 1283, the prologue opens with a mad dash to his brother-in-law's
castle by
one Nicholas, who has been shot with an arrow by the Lady Fay. In the
mad rush
to save his life, a twin sister and a host of characters are introduced
in a
vivid opener that compels readers to learn why a romantic interest with
a long
history could possibly lead to murder. After
setting the scene with an intriguing question, the first chapter goes
back in
time three months' prior to introduce the politics and purposes of
Nicholas,
who is charged with the idea of kidnapping the royal Lady Fay. There's
more than the seduction of a queen going on, here: readers will quickly
be
seduced not just by political cross-purposes and evolving romance, but
the
stormy relationships between families, political intentions, and
arrogant
suitors and fathers alike. Alden's
gift for bringing to life the atmosphere and setting of medieval
England's wild
countryside and challenges are equaled only by her ability to draw a
feisty,
strong female protagonist into the picture, who is more likely to get
her way
via arrow than wooing. It's
refreshing to feel the tongue-in-cheek humor and delightful clashes and
contrasts of personalities throughout a novel that takes as much time
to create
winning and different characters as it does to present a sense of the
wildness
and wilderness that was medieval England. The
fiery temperaments and encounters between the main characters, the
blossoming
and often-reluctant romance ("There
would be no wedding banquet. Not while she lived and breathed."),
and the determination of a woman who will not "marry a monster" and
who would rather kill than cuddle all lend to a rollicking, fun,
action-packed
story. Romance
readers with an affinity for historical settings, feisty characters,
and
medieval times will find How
to Seduce a
Queen engrossing and refreshingly different
from the usual romance
read. Love,
Life, and Logic Rohan
Fernandez didn't expect the relationships he stumbled into once he left
Singapore; but, they happened. He didn't expect these wider-world
experiences
to lead to bigger questions about life's purpose - but that's part of
his
learning curve as he ventures beyond country borders into different
cultures
and liaisons with diverse people. Most of all, he didn't anticipate the
questions about love's place in his life which would lead him on the
journey
portrayed in Love,
Life and Logic,
a road trip melding world experience with inner growth. Readers
might not expect this either; but one of the pleasures of Love, Life and Logic
lies in a journey
that doesn't just romp through life, but takes each piece of experience
and
holds it up to the window of the soul for further
enlightenment. Rohan
is not an inexperienced youth when the story begins: he has a son and
daughter
and left a failed relationship with his Chinese Singaporean ex-wife.
The ideals
of his old world have not worked long-term. So what will replace them,
and
should he rebuild with new principles that even bear
any semblance to
the old? In
the past, Rohan has not let anybody fully into his thoughts - not even
his
family. But in light of his new encounters, he reflects and rethinks
his part
in what has transpired, and readers receive clear information about
that
involvement and how secrets lead to alienation: "Now that I had new perspectives,
I was willing to
take my share of the blame. The human mind often acts like a volcano.
Sometimes
it erupts and disintegrates everything that comes near it. But one
particular
thought can also stay latent for ages and become active all over again
at a
much later date. Something similar had happened to me; after
about three
years of marriage, my childhood thoughts had started haunting me
again….I would
immediately pull myself out of that darkness and say, “Of course;
everything is
fine,” and I thought everything was under control. So instead of
blowing up,
those thoughts crawled back inside and started eating me alive. Slowly
I lost
myself, and I wasn’t sure what I was doing—barely surviving on life
support or
racing ahead triumphantly like Steve Prefontaine?" If
life is about sojourning from Point A to Point B, what happens when
these goals
are reached? And when does that achievement crystallize and
change? In
a fast-paced world filled with scars, broken vows, newfound
commitments, and
insecure relationships in the face of change, Rohan slowly uncovers new
paths
to understanding the greater universe at large. His journey neatly
takes the
reader's hand and mind and leads to an engrossing tale of love and
redemption,
highly recommended for those seeking more than a casual romance story. Love, Life and Logic
comes packed with
thought-provoking mental and spiritual changes, in which the ultimate
goal fluidly changes with better understanding. My
Fair Uncle "Fair"
is defined by skin color as well as how people are treated; but in the
case of
Sussan in My
Fair Uncle, who is
born to poor Nigerian parents and who struggles both with poverty and
abuse;
her uncle is anything but helpful. As
the only girl in her extended family, Sussan is treated like a princess
- but
royalty comes with its price even as it brings uncertain gifts from her
family's males. As
with Osa's other books, better editing would have caught spelling
errors and
some minor grammatical and punctuation flaws (for example: "Uncle Tom called out with a pink
Barby doll waving in
the air…" - the popular doll "Barbie" has never
been
spelled with a 'y'…; and "…he
married
another woman and they recently heard that he has kids."
- 'had
kids' would be grammatically correct ); but (as with her other books)
the point
isn't about perfect grammar and spelling so much as about capturing the
social
atmospheres and issues of Nigeria's culture and families. In
this case, Sussan serves as an example of survival and the lasting
ramifications of early childhood molestation as she flees her home at
age 10 to
a new life; only to find the past haunting her footsteps with
too-familiar
scenarios surrounding men and their perception of her. Candid
assessments of different characters that interact with Sussan provide
pointed
details about their choices and lives ("Perpetual
isn’t the down- to- earth type. She was a very sarcastic woman, with
little or
no respect for her husband. Samuel on the other hand was humble, God
fearing
and a truthful man. So it hurt him that he couldn’t marry Meg, even
though she
was the love of his life. Perpy was his second best and because of
timing, he
settled for her."). As
Sussan tries to grasp a new life in a culture with little regard for
her past ("The
law and the society didn’t care about the girl
child or the abuse."), she confronts ideals of
wealth,
relationships, abuse, power, and the actions of men and ultimately
discovers
the real meaning of "fair" in her life. Steeped
in the culture and trials of a young Nigerian girl who finds herself
repeatedly
confronting the 'fair uncles' in her life, My
Fair Uncle closely examines issues of respect,
women's rights, and
efforts to liberate Sussan from the bondage of her life. Nineteen:
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Model Nineteen:
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Model
presents Daryl, a determined young man whose appearance lends to
modeling jobs
that take him away from a brutal childhood in a small Midwestern town
to the
glamour of New York City. Daryl's
trials in life aren't over, even though he's successfully left his past
behind:
indeed, they're just beginning, since he has no support systems, money,
or
contacts which could make the difference between success or failure in
both the
modeling world and in life. Sometimes
a fierce determination to rise above it all isn't enough. Sometimes the
elements that contribute to success in life remain ever-elusive. And
often the
savviest of young men remain frustrated as they reach for a carrot of
success
that never quite seems to land squarely in their hands. Such
is Daryl: and as readers follow his successes and failures, so they
come to
admire and understand the foundations of his beliefs as he begins to
acknowledge that he is "…the
one person
who brings me all the pain: myself." Revelations
such as these charge an emotional story of determination even when odds
are
firmly stacked against the protagonist. It's the processes of Daryl's
coming of
age in the world which makes his story so involving a read ("Whatever I loved in my family
would be taken away
from me, teaching me that to love anything or anyone would result in
loss. I
changed myself from an overly emotional and caring child into a careful
and
distant adult."). And, ultimately, it's the
nature and
circumstances of Daryl's life and choices that keeps readers immersed
to an end
which offers no pat answers or simple solutions. Nineteen:
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Model
is a coming-of-age story on the level of Catcher
in the Rye and other classic writings, and is
highly recommended for
advanced and mature teens into new adult and adult audiences;
especially those
interested in pursuing novels about the nature of transformative
processes. One
Night Honolulu's
Tiki House is more than just a family restaurant: it's an event
experience.
Only Thompson isn't there for entertainment: he's hoping to run into
his ex
after a bad breakup; longing for a reunion or something that will break
the
monotony his of social life. Caroline isn't there, despite her love for
Elvis
and the possible lure of the Elvis impersonator who is slated to appear
that
night - and Thompson finds himself ensnared in something different, as
a result. On
the face of it, One
Night is about the aftermath of a teen's
breakup; but it's actually
much more, as it recounts an unexpected journey brought about by chance
and
heartbreak. Deanna
Cabinian's ability to bring to life the cultures and atmosphere of the
places
Thompson visits is one big plus to a mature young adult/new adult read
that
takes readers along for a ride through different worlds: "I had to drive through a small
wet forest to access
it, which was always a little precarious. There wasn’t a paved road to
the
beach, just a dirt path etched with tire tracks that wound between the
trees. I
was sure my old Corolla was going to hit a tree or stall in the mud,
but, like
always, it managed to pull through. Ronnie and I liked Kolakoi because
we
didn’t have to deal with tourists like we did on Waikiki,
where there was barely ever any open sand because the beach was crammed
with
people." Hawaii's
atmosphere is exceptionally well done, but Thompson doesn't remain
there, mired
in his obsession with his ex. Instead, he pulls strings with his
parents and
others to go to Chicago (he's never been out of
Hawaii);
and what he finds there will change his life. In
addition to the gritty, determined, and restless protagonist of
Thompson, there
are a host of other characters like Thompson's coworker/potential love
interest
Greta, who lend insights into not only his personality,
objectives and
perceptions, but the wider world at large: "The grand gesture,” she said,
her brown eyes serious, “is what every
woman dreams about. All of us fantasize about someone holding up a boom
box
outside our window and blasting a love song that reminds them of us.”
Her hands
were in the air as she said this, holding a phantom boom box. “We love
the idea
of a guy stopping us from getting on an airplane because they can’t
bear to
live without us, or chasing us across the street because they forgot to
tell us
they love us. Women find grand gestures irresistible.” As
mature teens and new adults read about Thompson's adventures with
Johnny, his
struggles with romance and hope, and his longing for something
different, they
will find One
Night neatly sums
up the state of many a young adult struggling with relationships and
the adult
world. Just
out of his junior year and entering his final year of high school,
Thompson
more than succeeds at his efforts to break out from predetermined
routines and
ruts and encounter something new. Driven by realistic characters,
compelling
purposes, and changing environments, One
Night also breaks away from the normal
coming-of-age saga with an
intense story of growth and self-discovery that's very highly
recommended for
mature teens and new adult readers alike. Sacred
Legacy Book
3 in the "Branded Trilogy" opens with Nora recalling the loss of her
father and her discovery of a diary in a dilapidated trunk, which leads
her to
undertake a far-reaching journey far from her
1890s Colorado home.
While prior readers of Lakota Honor will
easily recall Nora's difficult father and the evolution of her powerful
healing
abilities on the Western frontier, events take another satisfying turn
in this
continuation of her story. Red
Wolf (from Blood
Curse, Book 2)
also returns, so those already familiar with the first two books in the
series
will find a satisfying continuation of plot and characters in Sacred Legacy. Gifts
lost and found, love, revenge, and renewal: all these themes from the
past
books are explored anew in an engrossing blend of Western novel,
fantasy
(including healing powers, evil, and magic) and romance. The blend of
historical background and emotional, paranormal-tinged romance is
beautifully
executed and delicately wrought throughout. Because Sacred Legacy so
neatly walks the
line between genres, it's easy to become absorbed in the plot no matter
what
type of read one is expecting; whether it be Western, mystery, romance,
or
fantasy. The characters so carefully constructed in prior books retain
their
compelling, believable facets here; while dialogue and events keep
interactions
realistic and absorbing: "What
had he
done? Tsura had felt so right in his arms, and everything had made
sense for a
little while. In the short time they’d been together he couldn’t even
look at
her without disgust tainting his tongue. Then there were the moments
that crept
upon him, when he could not drag his eyes from her beauty, and the
memory of
holding her in his arms." Evil
women, abilities that have been dormant for too long to respond
adequately when
crisis arises, murders of the past and pains of the present, and a
winding road
to accepting the dubious gifts of a legacy all join in a riveting story
line
fueled by the passions and angst between many characters and special
interests,
creating a smashingly powerful crescendo to an already-powerful
series. Skeletons
in the Attic Skeletons
in the Attic: A Marketville Mystery
opens with the protagonist waiting in a lawyer's office for the reading
of her
father's will, an event that has happened much earlier than anticipated
due to
her father's accidental death in a construction accident. As she muses
over her
father's demise and her relationship with him, the first skeleton in
the attic
rattles: her father's will demands that Callie move into the house in
Marketville, a small commuter town north of Toronto, in order for her
to claim
her inheritance - a house she barely knew existed, which had been
rented for
years. She'll have to stay there a year before the terms of the will
are
fulfilled. But, why? The
logic behind her father's request slowly evolves in the course of a
story that
opens the attic door, shakes these family skeletons, and leads them out
by the
hand, one by one. Logic
is just one of the strengths of Judy Penz Sheluk's Skeletons in the Attic:
everything holds a believable
explanation, from how Callie can afford to take a year off from work or
move,
to what she does with the knowledge and events that evolve. The
'why' is introduced from the beginning - (“Your
father wants you to find out who murdered your mother. And he believes
the
clues may be hidden in the Marketville house.”),
but it's really the
course of Callie's investigation that makes for such a riveting story
line. As
Callie makes one shocking discovery after another (she had no idea her
mother's
death was a murder, for one), she learns more about her parents' lives
than she
ever suspected, and comes to feel that the real skeletons aren't just
in the
attic - they're out and about town, and have returned to life. From
information on her parents' wedding to her discoveries of surviving
relatives
who could fill in the blanks, Callie uncovers family secrets, fields
central
questions about her investigation's motives ("Why now? After all these years?”
It seemed like an odd question, given
that my grandparents were the ones who rejected my parents, and by
extension
me, but I opted for the truth."), and confronts
an affair that
held deadly consequences for all involved. Callie just keeps on pushing
until
she gets what her inheritance demanded: the truth. What she will do
with that
knowledge is another story. Mystery
readers will find Callie a compelling protagonist, the plot a fine,
winding
investigative piece that redefines the concept of "dirty laundry" and
whether or not it should be aired in public or secreted forever, and
the story
of how family connections, wealth, and truth can take on lives of their
own. Skeletons
in the Attic is a vivid
production that translates to
thoroughly engrossing reading right up to a completely unexpected,
thought-provoking surprise conclusion. State
Change - A Chemical Fantasy Novels
typically do not contain manifestos - but State
Change incorporates both. In a future world gone
mad (a world akin
to our own), the very boundaries of social and political process are
tested as
humanity's trials and errors demand that traditional leadership be
rebuilt and
replaced. But
how do rulers and leaders evolve beyond preset assumptions which are
contributing to the fall of mankind? Replacements take time and are
likely to
arrive contaminated by the same perceptions as their predecessors.
There's only
one quick solution: change the mindsets of existing world leaders
through
chemistry. This approach is not only in the public interest. It's in
the
interest of humanity's survival. This
is the basic concept of this quasi-novel, in a nutshell. It's time to
sit back
and enjoy the ride through the process (and ultimately, the call to
action)
that blends the forms of a novel and a social statement in State Change. In
the opening act, the state of the nation is deteriorating, the planet
is
falling apart, and change must happen if humanity is to survive. "The
Challenge" opens with the narrator's introduction to political
interests
and the basic foundations of the concept of "State Change", which are
built and explored throughout the events that transpire. How
can revolutions be engineered? How do belief systems evolve, and how do
social
and political circles support them? What are the failings of education
and
awareness when faced with entrenched dogma and blind
ideologies? Even
though the word 'fantasy' is in this book's subtitle, readers shouldn't
expect
work of traditional fantasy or entertainment here. State Change
is about how real change occurs at its most
fundamental levels, the barriers to realization and effective
evolution, and
the efforts of individuals to transcend the juggernaut of political
ineffectiveness. As such, it's a serious work that blends ideology with
a dose
of fiction that revolves around Utah
protagonists and their daring attempts to not just change, but
transform the
world into something better. State
Change is no light production. It
demands a higher level of thought, political and social interest from
its
readers, and not a little acceptance of some radical ideas about
chemistry's
applications in the name of lasting solutions that belays the usual
intention
of a novel to entertain in some manner. There's
a solid coverage of history along the way, analysis of political
process, and
the growing conviction of a myriad of characters who envision a new
world evolving
from the virtual end of civilization as we know it. As chapters rush
through a
mix of familiar-sounding modern dilemmas and futuristic concerns, they
come
steeped in much research and explanation and thus require slow reading
and time
for contemplation as they present a satisfying blend of complex
activist and
scientific concerns with characters concerned about changing the world
in the
best possible way. There
is no competitor to State
Change.
It stands in a class by itself (one perhaps occupied by Huxley,
Vonnegut, and
other authors of classics on social change) in presenting a different
kind of
futuristic possibility that rises from the ashes of the Koch Brothers
and other
political special interests familiar in today's world. Discriminating
fiction readers with a penchant for more than entertainment will relish
its
approach, diversity, and complex observations on the processes and
challenges
of mental enhancement. Stone
Her to Death While
readers might expect Stone
Her to Death
to revolve around a female protagonist (especially given the female
focuses of
some of Julie Osaretin Osayande's previous Nigerian-based stories),
this tale
actually focuses on Christian-raised 'Happy-Days' and his infidelities
and
experiences with women, creating an unusual examination of his growth
and
changes. By
age twenty-one, Happy-Days has fathered several children, and his
shameful
behaviors have forced him out of town, leaving behind a girl forced to
raise
his child alone. She and her parents have cursed him to forever fail in
love,
marriage and life, unbeknownst to him; so it's only after a string of
failures that
he finds a match in an older woman who is attracted to him. Women
are inherently unfaithful, Happy-Days believes - and yet he keeps
making the
same mistakes over and over, confirming his beliefs and creating a
predetermined life that seems doomed to never escape its repetitive
failures. Church,
revelations about people doomed to cyclic failures, and the divinity of
a man
moved to escape his past and serve as an example to others comes into
play as Stone
Her to Death rapidly moves from a
singular saga of failure to one of redemption and
transformation. Destiny,
the intersection of seemingly-random events, man's choice in matters of
heart
and soul, and Happy-Days' struggle to reconcile his wayward ways with
the
possibilities of a truly loving relationship make for a
thought-provoking read
about single mothers, wayward fathers, and the processes that drive
them apart
and bring them together. Readers
who appreciate blends of social insights and religious revelations will
find Stone Her
to Death an intriguing mix of
relationships, religion, and ethical and moral dilemmas. Who
Is My Neighbour? A
neighbor can assume many faces, both good and evil: he can be a
predator, a
helper, a thief, or a threat. The short stories in Who Is My Neighbour?
closely examines various facets that
make up neighborly behaviors and influences and considers all manners
of
individuals and the destinies that bring them together. There's
the ex-convict who hones in on a neighboring family, intent on rape and
the man
who moves into the neighborhood and studies a family (whose mother once
helped
him decades earlier); intent on making them his own. A poor black
woman's act
of kindness returns to rescue her in an unexpected way in this gentle
tale. There
are stories of the hard-working, busy woman and her mentally disturbed
neighbor, who watches her from afar; the man who leaves his wife for a
husband-snatcher; and the female who may be poisoning a woman's
children
against her. Each
story features high drama, confrontation, lessons and messages that
evolve from
close encounters, and neighbors who are anything but staid. The
collection's message (that everyone should be cognizant of who their
neighbors
are, for better or for worse) comes to life in a series of close
encounters
that are vivid inspections of connections, threats, and why and how
neighbors
wind up in each others' lives.
Jim McDermott
Cune Press
Hardback ISBN 9781614571391 $24.95
eBook ISBN 9781614571414 $ 9.99
Kindle ISBN 9781614571421 $ 9.99
www.cunepress.com
Bitter
is the Wind
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to Index
Stella Marie Alden
Soul Mate Publishing
ASIN: B01GQI3JDO
$3.99
https://amzn.com/B01GQI3JDO
How
to Seduce a Queen
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to Index
Uday Mukerji
Harvard
Square Editions
978-1-941861-26-4
$22.95
www.amazon.com
Love,
Life, and Logic
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to Index
Julie
Osa
Amazon Digital
Services
ASIN: B01FRGUCWW
$9.99
https://amzn.com/B01FRGUCWW
http://www.
My
Fair Uncle
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to Index
D.L. Janney
E F Lee Publishing
Paperback ISBN:
978-0-9974678-0-2
$18.95
eBook ISBN:
978-0-9974678-1-9
Website Purchase Link: https://dljanney.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/D.
Nineteen:
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Model
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to Index
Deanna Cabinian
Timpi Publishing
ISBN (print):
978-0-9975916-1-3
$12.99
ISBN (ebook): 978-0-9975916-2-0
www.amazon.com
One
Night
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to Index
Kit Flannery
Imajin Books
978-1-77223-258-5
$15.99 US Trade paperback / $4.99 US eBook
www.katflannerybooks.com
Sacred
Legacy
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to Index
Judy Penz Sheluk
Imajin Books
978-1-77223-264-6
(Paperback)
$15.99
978-1-77223-263-9
(Kindle)
$ 4.99
www.imajinbooks.com
Skeletons
in the Attic
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to Index
Joe Andrade
Andrade Self-Publishing
978-1-4951-9851-9
Price: $0.00 (Free) - only available online. Bound book copies
available from
author, for free, to qualified reviewers and libraries.
www.statechange.us
State
Change - A Chemical Fantasy
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Julie Osaretin Osayande
CreateSpace
978-1497542150 $10.99
https://amzn.com/1497542154
Stone
Her to Death
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Julie Osaretin Osayande
CreateSpace
978-1499753967 $9.99
https://amzn.com/1499753969
Who
Is My Neighbour?
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to Index
I
Did It For Brian. Teens: Save Our Oceans, Save The World I Did It For Brian. Teens: Save Our Oceans,
Save The World tells of
teen Annabelle, whose older brother died in an accident at sea
three years earlier. Her science project about plastic in the ocean not
only
illuminates a dilemma; it surges with unresolved emotions about Brian's
death
and its lasting impact on her life. I Did It
For Brian is thus about two kinds of healing:
the outer environment
and Annabelle's inner world. On
the face of it, the story line sounds predictable; but
many facets interact in the course of a moving plot to reveal different
perspectives about the recovery process. There's
the evolution of Annabelle, who moves from eleven
years of being the middle child to suddenly becoming the oldest,
changing
relationships within her family. There's the passion that drives her to
pinpoint just how bad the ocean problem is, and what can be done about
it. And
then there's the emotionally charged piece of what she's already done
about her
life: how healing has worked, and instances where it's failed. All
these are woven into an environmental examination that
includes a blossoming romance, heightened awareness of personal
responsibility
and choices in environmental protection and management, and a school
science
project that creates newfound relationships, connections, and
recovery. From
nightmares that ultimately reveal to Annabelle how
Brian's circle of friends were also affected to the blossoming power of
belief
and empowerment in Annabelle's life, I Did
It For Brian is a highly recommended pick for
teens seeking more
than a singular focus on grief and recovery, and does an excellent job
of
marrying two seemingly different pursuits in a powerfully revealing
story. Lucy
in Her Secret Wood Book
1 of the 'Lucy' series is set in 1970s England and
tells of eight-year-old Lucy, who has lived most of her life locked in
a small
closet until one day her angry stepfather takes her into the woods and
abandons
her. One
might think that, like Hansel and Gretel, disaster will come of this
move; but
in fact Lucy thrives in her new wilderness world outside of the
closed-in room
that has been her life. In the process of adapting to the outdoor
wonders she
has only read about in books, she comes to feel a new kind of freedom
and
appreciation for life. Despite
her friendship with a boy who helps her, and her ability to adapt,
Lucy's not
out of the woods yet: when authorities discover a child living alone in
nature,
they 'rescue' her and take her to an orphanage where, once again, she
is
bullied and abused. One
notable feature of Lucy in Her Secret
Wood is its focus, not on the abusive
situations, but on Lucy's
sense of wonder as she discovers the good in her world: "This wasn’t the dusty air of her
room with dirty
walls and ceiling, and a battered door locking her from the outdoors.
She was
finally in the world where other creatures lived. The tiny window of
her room
had opened up to this wide, wide window full of grass, flowers, and
trees."
Her closed-in life serves, in this case, as a backdrop for the sense of
appreciation
she evolves for nature (wild though it may be), and the focus is on
this sense
of growth and discovery and not just upon the abuse she
endures. Gorgeous
color paintings enhance the feel of Lucy's woods experience and the
comfort it
involves, while dialogue throughout reflects Lucy's respect for the
newfound
world she moves through: "You’re
bluer
than the sky, and you smell even better than leaves.” The flowers
didn’t
answer; they just bowed to her in the breeze. “I won’t ever pick you,”
she told
them. For in a book she had seen children carrying flowers into their
house. “I
would never take you inside, away from here.” Now, all is
not sweetness and light in the
woods: Lucy discovers she lacks and requires very basic survival skills
despite
the efforts of her new friend's help, and in the course of her
explorations,
she learns survival and problem-solving skills:
"By now her stomach was hurting, and she could feel something else
happening. She was fighting back tears and even worse than that, an
awful
feeling that the wood didn’t care about her anymore. The trees, grass,
flowers
were telling her they couldn’t feed her. If she wanted food, she would
have to
look somewhere else. But where?" As
advanced elementary to early middle school grades read about Lucy's
evolution,
it becomes evident that her story is about more than abuse, escape, and
an
appreciation of nature: it's about healing, recovery, and how to
maintain a
sense of wonder and appreciation of surrounding beauty. In
this respect, Lucy
in Her Secret
Wood offers an appealing window of
opportunity for kids of all
ages to reconnect with the world, use art to express these connections,
and
ultimately arrive at better places in life where hopes, dreams and
promises
do come true. Lucy
in Her Secret Wood offers
a
message, not just of survival, but how to choose positive paths that
wind
through the world's negative influences, making it a recommended
children’s
novel for many reasons. Nine
Ways to Empower Tweens with Emma and Elliot Nine Ways to Empower Tweens with Emma and
Elliot is
directed to ages 10-12 and pairs good color drawings by Timothy Tsang
with a
focus on how tweens can develop life skills. These is portrayed through
the
eyes of fraternal twins Emma and Elliot who, having mastered these
skills, are
on a mission to teach these talents to kids their own age. From
anger management to better work ethic and a sense of
gratitude in life, Nine
Ways to Empower
Tweens with Emma and Elliot tackles each issue
in chatty
chapter-by-chapter coverages with clear headings ("How to Speak
Confidently", "The Importance of Work Ethic", "First
Impressions and Interviews") that guide kids through the worlds of work
and life. Some
might think that ages 10-12 are too young to absorb such
discussions; but the overall theme of empowerment and understanding
life cannot
begin at too early an age, and the sometimes-adult-sounding insights
presented
through the eyes of Elliot and Emma ("Let’s say that you are going for
an interview for something you want,
and there are five hundred applicants for the same spot. Before you get
a
chance to speak, the people interviewing you will form an opinion of
you based
on your appearance.") go a long way towards
explaining the
underlying influences on success and failure in life to an age group
not normally
considered for these topics. Kids
are invited to imagine successful outcomes to common challenges, are
encouraged
to experiment with new skills (such as speed reading or better time
management), and are presented with examples and scenarios that support
successful outcomes: "Try
the following
experiment. Let’s say you dislike math homework. You have an assignment
due
tomorrow. You have one hour of homework to do, but you want to do it in
thirty
minutes. Put a clock at the end of the table you are working on, and
set it for
thirty minutes. Then, concentrate and focus on doing your math
homework. The idea is to get as much done in thirty minutes
without
distractions. Focus, and get it done!" The
result is a positive and chatty review of the nine basic attributes
that can be cultivated in youth to pave the way for adult
success. Nine
Ways to Empower Tweens is highly
recommended for 10-12 year olds and beyond as a basic primer offering a
formula
for success through developing powerful habits and perspectives on
life. Our
Daughter is Getting Married Marriage
is seldom the subject of a children's picture book, so the first
surprise to Our
Daughter is Getting Married lies in
its perspective as a mother picks up the phone to hear the news that
her
daughter has met somebody special and is planning her wedding
day. Lovely
color illustrations follow wedding plans and a mother's enthusiasm as
the
couple plan their big day, from sparkling wedding rings and cake
choices to the
involvement of friends and family and possible dresses, flowers, and
decorations. Young
picture book readers receive a rollicking rhyme reviewing these
exciting
developments as a mother celebrates the details of her daughter's
wedding with
approval and wonder. But
this is no ordinary marriage, and no ordinary celebration. What makes
it
different isn't only the participants: it's the level of acceptance of
two
supportive families and the excitement of commitment between two
individuals in
love, both females, who make a public statement about their intention
to
officially meld their lives and families in a different way. Coming
in the wake of new discussions about LBGT lives, rights, and Orlando's
tragedy,
Our Daughter is
Getting Married
makes a powerful, supportive statement about love and addresses its
message not
to adults well versed in social and political discussion; but to the
hearts and
minds of the young picture book reader - the next generation that
desperately
needs a message of supporting families and "people in love together"
and the types of partnerships that sustain unity over
separation. Very,
very highly recommended, Our
Daughter is
Getting Married offers a much-needed anecdote to
a world too often
immersed in divisiveness and pain.
Kathleen Boucher
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B01F7SPFCW
$2.99
https://amzn.com/B01F7SPFCW
I
Did It For Brian. Teens: Save Our Oceans, Save The World
Return
to Index
Christina M. Pagès
Waldorf Publishing
978-1-943848-09-6 $14.95
Website: christinapages.com
Ordering books: amazon.com/author/
Lucy
in Her Secret Wood
Return
to Index
Kathleen Boucher
Balboa Press Publishers
978-1-5043-5738-8
$11.99
http://bookstore.balboapress.
Nine
Ways to Empower Tweens with Emma and Elliot
Return
to Index
Gail Heath
Condor Publishing, Inc.
978-1-931079-15-0 Print: $9.95
Amazon Digital: $2.99
www.condorpublishinginc.com
Our
Daughter is Getting Married
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to Index