Fantasy & Sci Fi
Birth
Right: Galak's Rising
Christina Goebel
Christina Goebel, Publisher
Print: 978-1-7338449-7-0
$19.99
Ebook: 978-1-7338449-9-4
$ 3.99
www.lovegoldenheart.com
Birth
Right: Galak's Rising
represents such a blend of approaches that it's hard
to describe. Think of an epic fantasy, but with dystopian elements. Add
a
coming-of-age story and romance. Pepper this with a time travel story
and it's
easy to see that this story defies pat categorization.
The
tale opens with a summary of events recapping and
leading up to the Great Technological War in 2071 AD, where Mark Ward
has long
expected rebellion against his role in the increased interconnections
between
genetics and automation by those who perceive its potential for
disaster.
Galak
is the culminating representative of the
problem: a half-automation monster capable of evil whose goal is to
alter his
genetic makeup so he can reproduce, making his new race the most
superior on
Earth.
Lovely
blue and black line drawings pepper the story
with vivid comic art panels as Galak turns on his creators and becomes
the
proverbial monster in the story, exerting his technological prowess
over the
lesser humans who try to oppose him.
As
Galak presses forward unopposed by any who might
have controlled him, readers receive a fast-paced adventure that moves
swiftly
from the events leading up to the war (including the last moments
before its
onset) to the world in 2203 AD, over a hundred years later. This is
where the
meat of the story takes place and, armed with proper background
details,
readers are well prepared to absorb the specter of a barren human world
under a
new feudal system bent on surviving attacks from marauders and Galak's
warriors.
Into
this world enters an unlikely hero in the form of
Prince Henry, who knows (among other things) that unethical tactics are
the
only advantage that he has over his larger opponents. The human history
that
created this world has largely been forgotten, but its legacy lives on
and
survival and alliances, including romance, still move the human race to
endure
against vastly revised odds and environments.
Christina
Goebel does a fine job of capturing the
human elements left in this futuristic society, from the politics of
survival
to the psychology of love: "This
woman must be in his future, if not in the stars, then in a destiny he
will
carve from hewn rock."
As
young adult to new adult readers absorb an
engrossing tale of survival, they receive a vivid story of wandering
hearts,
resolute minds, and a leader who thinks himself too old to rule until
he
becomes a prisoner and sparks a revolution in hearts and minds.
Sci-fi
and fantasy readers seeking a story that
bridges several subgenres and fills its pages with impossible
challenges and
hope against all odds will find Birth
Right: Galak's Rising an excellent story that stands well on
its own, but
sets the stage for more stories in the series. It's a vivid, memorable
tale of
choices, consequences, and their lasting impact on the future of
humanity that
will linger in the mind long after the final struggle's outcome.
Return to Index
The Keepers of the Black Cave
Pahima Hanit
Zameret
Publishing
978-1096489238
$7.99 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1096489236
The
Keepers of the
Black Cave charts the course of a band of siblings charged
with keeping
history on a liner, unchanged track. They are keepers of tradition and
history
charged with making sure the progression of events stays the same. But
what
happens when they confront a force dedicated to altering that timeline?
Many time travel stories
address the effects of an
alternate, changed history; but few focus on the responsibility of
keeping the
entire world safe, a charge that rests squarely on the shoulders of the
characters in this story. Nicole, the narrator, is not young anymore,
and is
fully aware of this responsibility: "I
do what needs to be done, right or wrong. Following orders would make
me rather
predictable, if not for my personal interpretation of what is really
needed.
The inclination to change what I came to do, or how I am to do it, is
common in
my aims."
As she encounters knights
and castles, challenging
options and circumstances, and choices that demand she assume different
personas to blend with the era she's interacting with ("As
I saw it, I had three options: be mad, be submissive, or be
blond. I had just a few seconds to make the decision. I went for the
fourth
option: be a lady."), the
best-laid plans go awry for everyone involved. What promises to be
another time
management adventure becomes a potential disaster.
More so than most time
travel adventures, The Keepers of the Black
Cave probes the
individual Keepers' motivations and responses as much as the backdrop
of the
era in which they operate. Atmospheric descriptions of past and present
are
tempered with intriguing reflections on the personal impact of being a
Keeper
outside of the usual constraints of time: "I
had told Richard about Terry who died of old age and lived a good life,
but he
had aged while I stayed the same, and it was hard on him. It had been
hard on
all of us to say goodbye to him. We had very few relationships and so
we didn’t
say goodbye often and were not used to it."
Nicole is a mature
protagonist, not your usual teenager,
and so adult themes are included as logical pieces of a story that is
compelling and unexpected.
Perhaps the strongest
attribute of The Keepers of the Black Cave
lies in its ability to capture this
sense of surprise in a genre which all too often features predictable
plots and
outcomes. Readers are continually kept on their toes, here,
anticipating a
direction which changes in delightful ways. This, plus an attention to
strong
characters and an unusual version of time travel dilemmas, makes The Keepers of the Black Cave a highly
recommended standout for time travel fans seeking fresh and original
approaches.
Return to Index
Knightmare
Arcanist
Shami Stovall
Capital Station Books
978-0-9980452-2-1
$14.99 Print/$2.99 ebook
Website: https://sastovallauthor.com/
Ordering Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Knightmare-Arcanist-Frith-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B07QMKVFJM
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/knightmare-arcanist-shami-stovall/1131291989?ean=9780998045221
Knightmare Arcanist is the first book in
the Frith Chronicles and
tells of lowly gravedigger Volke Savan, who dreams of emulating the
life and
adventure of his hero, legendary magical swashbuckler Gregory Ruma.
First,
however, he must learn magic; and in order to do so, he must bond with
a
mythical creature. Any kind of creature will do. Even a knightmare,
which is
admittedly not the best of choices.
It turns out
that
Volke has made a wise choice, however, for the knightmare knows a
terrible
secret about Ruma that changes everything. This secret involves Volke
in a
heroic quest of his own—one which goes against his own long-held
admiration for
a legend.
But, how can
a lowly
newcomer to magic confront the powers of one who is perhaps the
greatest
arcanist in the world?
Shami
Stovall has a
winning way with words and description that brings Volke's world to
life and
lends both passion and purpose to his efforts. There's also a touch of
humor
embedded in many of the observations ("Did
Tyms have to shout everything he said? The trumpet he had for a
windpipe never
rested.").
As Volke
misses an
opportunity to train under Ruma and fellow magical apprentice Illia
faces a decision
between Ruma and Volke, a powerful magical confrontation evolves which
involves
swordplay, shadows, and a knightmare's deadly knowledge.
From false
memories
created by his own magic, which are used against him, to form-changing
mystical
creatures and a foray into a kind of swashbuckling adventure he'd
dreamed of
(only to find its reality quite different), Volke carries readers into
a darkly
engrossing world with a passion that makes Knightmare
Arcanist satisfyingly unique and hard to put down.
Readers
looking for a
magic-based quest fantasy will find this story compelling and nicely
written,
with strong characters propelling action which is often unexpected and
revealing.
Knightmare Arcanist is highly recommended
for both young adults
reading coming of age fantasy sagas and adult fantasy readers who like
stories
of sword and sorcery paired with self-discovery.
Return to Index
Our
Great Escape Part 2: Return to the Tunnel People
Donald Hricik
Independently Published
9781074765712 Paperback
$9.99; e-book
$4.89
www.amazon.com
Is
it the end of the world, or a new beginning? The
first book in 'Our Great Escape', Dumbers,
presented the far-future world of 2360 when a small group of human
survivors
affected by longevity is changed by the awakening of potential leader
Henry
Shannon, who finds himself considering a world without these drugs and
their
deadly effects.
Return
to the Tunnel People
extends the story into new realms, but is actually a
stand-alone read which doesn't require prior familiarity with Dumbers in order to prove accessible and
enlightening. Previous events are reviewed quickly in the first
chapter,
'Snakes', and provide a recap which segues smoothly into the ongoing
dilemma
Henry faces as he steps into his role as the Orchestrator of an
expedition of
survivor refugees on their way to Jupiter and a new life.
It's
a three-year nightmare which leads to new
questions about a return to Earth under changed (but still similar)
conditions,
a master plan which has reached a dead end, Henry's own failure as a
leader and
hero, and a series of baffling puzzles about a new world which hardly
replaces
Earth.
Humor
is a constant string that runs through Return
to the Tunnel People as the
colonizers confront the Tunnel People, who are also survivors of
catastrophe,
and who hold historic insights on the progression of events which fill
in many
blanks for Henry.
What
has caused the Tunnel People's population to
blossom, and how will this change the human race?
As
events move from Earth to the stars and back again,
readers receive a lively, astute consideration of the future of the
human race
which builds nicely upon the setting the protagonists of Dumbers,
but adds an extra dimension of insight and
thought-provoking passages about human endeavors and growth.
The
result is a compelling story that vastly expands
the initial dilemmas and scenarios in Dumbers,
but remains true to its own story as Henry comes to consider his role
in the
evolution of humanity itself, beyond its mere survival.
Sci-fi
fans interested in a uniquely different saga of
change will find Return to the Tunnel
People a delight.
Return to Index
Never Sit If You Can Dance
Jo Giese
She Writes Press
9781631525339
$16.95
www.shewritespress.com
Never
Sit If You
Can Dance: Lessons From My Mother is a memoir that should be
shared between
all mothers and daughters because it puts a smile on one's face, gets
the feet
tapping, and belays the notion that mother/daughter relationships
should be
staid.
It's a tribute to
award-winning reporter Jo Giese's
mother, but it's also a raucous celebration of personalities that often
clashed
with seemingly dissimilar values and very different life perspectives.
Surprisingly, daughter Jo was the one who tended towards the serious as
an
adult, while her mother Babe enjoyed drinking, dancing, and partying,
as well
as sewing and dressing up.
As an adult, the author
became closer to her mother and
began to better understand the roots of values that somehow had become
intrinsically entwined with her own life choices: "The
beauty of learning and lesson and incorporating it so fully
that it becomes a part of you, as if it were your own chromosomal
material, is
that you can casually pass it on without even noticing."
One day, she comes to
realize that her closet is filled
with the clothing her mother loved and cultivated as mother/daughter
outfits
before daughter Giese rebelled and chose different styles. The magic of
exploring such a relationship from an adult perspective is that life
lessons
can be gleaned from both rebellion and acceptance.
As Jo Giese reviews these
connections and her mother's
life, she becomes more cognizant of the messages she's absorbed both
consciously and unconsciously. Her tribute to her mother in Never Sit If You Can Dance reviews not
only these ideas, but how they are transmitted and enacted throughout a
child's
life.
Lively, introspective, and
fun, Never Sit If You Can Dance is
more than a tribute: it's a review of
the mother/daughter relationship that offers much food for thought
about the
nature of trust, intimate relationships, and family ties. Readers will
find it
compelling and entertaining all in one: a simply outstanding piece that
grabs
attention from its first few lines and never lets go: "One
day Babe and I were discussing why some people were so
unhappy and cranky. I asked her, "Okay, why do you think I turned out
so
happy?" "Because you take after me," she said."
Return to Index
Aesop:
Fable
Michele Packard
Independently Published
9781095797112
$9.99
Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S1PZ5DJ
Fable
returns counterterrorism operative Matti Baker to the spotlight as she
continues her struggle to maintain the appearance of an everyday wife
and
mother while juggling the demands of a secret identity tied with
keeping
America safe.
This
time, Matti faces not only new dangers, but her
obsession with death ("Being in my
line of work, deep in the recess of my mind, I always play out how the
end
could come. Each day it changes, from some international terrorist
blowing up a
city block, to another undercover operative like myself who catches me
off
guard. I visualize being gunned, stabbed, burned, and then get creative
with
some sick, evil shit; the stuff no one wants to talk about."),
her
grown childrens' decision to become involved in her line of dangerous
work, and
challenges to her long-standing relationship with her buddy Freddy.
Her
whole world is rocked when she discovers that a
seemingly serendipitous relationship that led her to her husband was in
fact a
carefully orchestrated affair, a thought which leads her down some
dangerous
personal and professional roads: "You
make mistakes when you assume. I had made too many assumptions. Fareed
wasn’t
the only Wizard of Oz behind the curtain, orchestrating everyone’s
strings and
waiting. His patience and commitment were far greater than anyone,
including
myself, could ever imagine. F’me. Just like in the movie Pelican Brief, I had caught wind of a
crazy-ass conspiracy theory and it, on all accounts, appeared to be
coming
true. There had to be more."
Vulnerable,
exposed, and angry, Matti faces haunting
reexaminations about nearly everything in her life as she wonders
exactly how
many targets she's facing and if she can resolve all the questions
about
everything she holds dear and trusts.
The
pleasure in the ongoing Aesop
series lies in two strengths that set it apart from other
thrillers featuring strong female protagonists: Matti's unique, gritty
voice
and approach to her job and life, which holds the ability to question
herself
and her assumptions as well as the truths she's long considered
self-evident;
and a story line which juxtaposes thriller elements with psychological
inspection and revelation.
Another
big plus is Michele Packard's ability to
capture the background and psychology of Matti for newcomers, weaving
this into
the latest story so deftly that prior fans won't have to plow through
recaps of
scenarios and relationships they are already well familiar with.
Packard
expands upon these existing relationships in a way that keeps newcomers
and
fans equally engaged and involved in Matti's evolutionary process.
This
keeps the story lively and engrossing. Matti
continues to grow and change in the course of her courageous
confrontations.
Added to a thriller story that incorporates cat-and-mouse games and
deadly
adversaries, it's evident that a superior, completely engrossing read
is in
store.
Aesop:
Fable
proves that the series continues to be a delightful
standout as its brash, spunky female protagonist challenges both the
world and
her abilities, taking neither for granted.
Return to Index
Battered
G.P. Gottlieb
D.X.Varos, Ltd.
Paper:
9781-941072-52-3
$17.95
Ebook:
978-1-94107253-0
$ 6.99
Sales link: https://www.amazon.com/Battered-Whipped-Sipped-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07RLFDNPP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=battered+a+whipped+and+sipped+mystery&qid=1557677036&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell
Fans of
mystery
stories which pepper recipes and food references into the overall saga
will
appreciate the focus in Battered,
Book One of the 'Whipped and Sipped Mysteries' series which features
Alene
Baron, owner of the vegetarian café Whipped and Sipped. Forced to turn
amateur
detective when her friend is murdered, Alene finds herself moving from
being
the owner of a trendy Chicago neighborhood establishment to being an
uncertain
sleuth who faces personal danger from her investigation.
The first
thing to
note is that this story is steeped not just in culinary insights, but
in a
focus on healthy pursuits, as a young entrepreneur faces her days: "Alene woke up groggy. She wiped her
eyes with the corner of her pajama top and dragged herself out of bed
at five,
as usual. Through the front windows, the sky billowed lighter where the
sun was
about to rise over the lake. She was somewhat revived by her morning
glass of
apple-cider-vinegar-and-honey spiked water. After that, she pulled on
shorts
and a t-shirt and headed down to run on the lake path before her
children or
father got up. Alene was only responsible for opening the café on
Saturdays.
Most other days, her employees took turns opening, and she worked out
or ran
before going in. She could usually count on Jocelyn, who’d served in
the
military and was used to waking up at the crack of dawn."
Alene's
focus on
eating and cooking healthy, working out, and maintaining physical
fitness and
mental acuity enhances her ability to move beyond her familiar job and
into
realms of investigative thinking and problem-solving.
A crazy
person is on
the loose, and she's personally threatened, but life—and business
pursuits—goes
on: "He didn’t have to speak to her
as if she were a child, she thought glumly. She turned away, instead of
admiring Frank’s muscular back and confident stride. She sat down and
added him
to her speed dial after her father, Ruthie, Lydia, and Brianne.
Grabbing an
apple from the counter, she headed to her office. It was the end of the
month
and she had to finish ordering and to work on payroll."
This
juxtaposition of
investigative avenues and personal and business objectives creates an
excellent, involving read that holds more realistic scenarios than most
competing culinary mysteries. Alene attempts to maintain her family and
its
foundations even during the course of her new tasks, and this makes for
excellent added value to a story in which the protagonist is only too
human,
juggling too much already and hardly needing to embark on a new career,
as
well.
Readers
looking for
mysteries well steeped in both culinary traditions and realistic
conflicts
between career and family will relish this multifaceted investigative
piece,
which draws readers in from the start with its realistic balance of
intrigue
and life challenges.
Return to Index
The
Cassendre Decree
Sheryl Lynn
Rosenstock Marcus
978-0-6928249-1-7
www.sheryl.nyc
The Cassendre Decree is paranormal
romance thriller writing at its
best, offering a different kind of story than one might anticipate from
the
usual genre read.
Cassidy is
the
earthly protagonist whose alter-ego Cassendre was born in the
afterlife. An
unusual progression of black and white illustrations sets the stage for
intrigue and interest before the story even begins, which opens with
first-person discussion of Cassidy's relief that a company newsletter
has once
again successfully been put to bed. It's also the anniversary of an
illness
which began 10 years ago at Thanksgiving: one which challenged her life
and
sent her on a different trajectory.
Chapter
headings
include time stamps to clarify place and time as the story moves
between past
and present events. They also craft intriguing atmosphere by using odd
titles
(i.e. 'The number you dialed') that additionally keep readers engaged
as
Cassidy faces the return of Cassendre and the odd circumstances that
affected
her life so many years ago.
As events
move
between familiar Brooklyn and another world, the importance of the
sketches at
the beginning of the story become clear. These nightmares have been
translated
into images, and Cassidy's flashbacks and odd poetic messages from
Cassendre
are pushing her back into her world.
Cassidy's
artistic
talent is one of the ways she connects to another realm which holds
another
life. It also serves as a bridge to danger as she confronts the
possibilities
of timing, logic, and rhythm, living her life on the cusp of what some
would
deem insanity, controlled by medication and married to a man who at
times feels
like a stranger. Is there really love and happiness beyond what she's
already
built with Roger?
As Cassidy
and
Cassendre juxtapose their lives, their back-and-forth movements are
captured in
a combination of prose and poem structures that move each into other
realms of
desire and experience. Cassidy's life of love, success, and friendships
is a
stark contrast to the passionate desire of Cassendre to "be human for
as
long as it takes."
What is the
cost of
being human and leading a human life, and is it worth it? Both
characters are
about to find out.
Sheryl Lynn
Rosenstock Marcus crafts a delicate dance between the two lives and
very
different personas. Readers who come along for this ride will find The Cassendre Decree is not just about
paranormal experiences or love. It questions sanity, insanity, and what
constitutes
normality.
Under
another hand,
the back-and-forth worlds of Cassidy and Cassendre might be confusing
(and,
indeed, they demand attention to detail with their swings between
different
worlds, purposes and perceptions). Marcus adds just the right flavor of
intrigue, romance, and insight to keep the story line vivid while
structuring
these encounters to keep them intriguing without being confusing.
The result
is a
different kind of paranormal romance than most: one designed to keep
readers
engaged right up to a surprise ending which, on reflection, held its
roots from
the beginning, but still ends with a shocking bang in a final,
satisfying,
resolute conclusion that lingers in the mind long after the final
crescendo.
Return to Index
Fishermen’s Court
Andrew Wolfendon
Black Rose Writing
978-1-68433-285-4
$21.95
Publisher
Website: https://www.blackrosewriting.com
Author/book website: https://www.fishermenscourt.com
Ordering
links: Publisher: https://www.blackrosewriting.com/thrillers/fishermenscourt
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Fishermens-Court-Andrew-Wolfendon/dp/1684332850
Finn
Carroll has
failed at his artistic ambitions and is living in his dead parents'
home,
bereft of goals, family, or connections in life. He should be the last
candidate to be picked by a killer interested in framing another person
for his
actions, but actually, he's the perfect choice: a fact he discovers
when a team
of killers tries to murder him, leaving behind a note that exposes a
secret
from his past.
Fishermen’s Court then takes many
unexpected turns as Finn makes
new discoveries and confronts numerous puzzles. The killers aren't
through with
him, his choice of refuge on Musqasset Island, after he flees, leads
him to
both new connections and further isolation, and he is forced to
navigate the
deeply disturbing political clashes between Maine's fishing community
and the
drive for tourist development.
Finn is
caught in the
middle of many dilemmas both personal and political as he faces debts
that are
almost twenty years old, his sister Angie's resistance to his probe
into
ancient history, mysteriously-disappearing text messages that lead him
further
into uncharted territory, and increasing questions that lead him to
question
the motives of the few people he trusts.
As Finn
steadily
conducts an increasing bizarre investigation, he discovers not just the
source
of fishing industry and family connections, but the wellspring of his
heart and
ties to life.
Andrew
Wolfendon does an exquisite job of bringing together a mystery
and personal
investigation. From the differences between a close-knit community of
islanders
and their values to an unexpected romance which evolves against the
backdrop of
a relentless hit team, Fishermen’s Court
successfully draws in readers on more than one level.
Beginning
with one
man's alienation from the world and failed dreams and moving to how his
life
purposes are redefined in the face of life-threatening decisions, the
story
moves inexorably towards a riveting conclusion that neatly ties up all
loose
ends while keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
Fans of
psychological
thrillers and suspense stories will appreciate this fine balance
between
personal introspection and mystery, tempered by the added value of a
sense of
place and a community facing change. All these facets make Fishermen’s Court a solid, involving tale
that's hard to put down.
Return to Index
Flies
in the Punch Bowl
Erika Simms
Wynkoop Press
9781733529501 (paperback)
$10.95
9781733529518 (ebook)
$ 4.99
Website: www.WynkoopPress.com
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1733529500
It's
satisfying to see a book subtitle that goes
beyond defining the genre of a story to impart an exciting sense of its
atmosphere. Flies in the Punch Bowl:
Art
Theft, Cocktails, and High Society
sets the stage for a lively whodunit romp through the art world,
attracting
readers interested in a blend of social commentary and intrigue.
Take
a rampage of thievery
in Seattle's art world, inject an amateur artist/sleuth recovering from
the
impact of forgery on her own efforts, and add Annabel's motivation for
entering
an investigative process foreign to her (she wants to restore her
reputation in
art circles) for a story which neatly balances intrigue with a quest
for
personal and professional redemption.
Erika
Simms writes with a style talented in spicy
description: "From the shelf, the bartender
selected a bottle of Pernod absinthe and mixed the emerald antidote.
“This
should soften the blow,” he said. The pained man sipped from the
martini. His
posture relaxed. “Ordinarily I’d have my attorney sue the other buyer,
but he’s
currently hiding out on a nude beach in Aruba bronzing his nether
regions.”
Hot
topics and local gossip, intrigue and
confrontation, and a well-paced action-packed story that is injected
with wry
humor at many turns will attract readers interested in stories that are
a cut
above the usual one-dimensional whodunit. Simms excels in a sense of
irony and
fun even when situations are tense: "Exasperated,
Lyla hurried up behind me toward the
abandoned hotel, mouthing the words reckless
and beheading.
The second of which made no sense, but I didn’t stop to clarify. When
she
caught up, she yanked my stick away and tossed it to the ground,
freeing me of
the obvious encumbrance. It
was
the sort of foolish action typically saved for the movies, where the
short-sighted protagonist tosses their only semblance of a weapon as
the
antagonist nears; a blunder on par with that same protagonist dashing
upstairs
to hide in the shower from an intruder who’s just smashed in through
the
kitchen window."
Annabel
is not above fudging ethics and truth during
her pursuit, and so there are wonderfully succinct reflections embedded
into
action scenes that leave readers simultaneously thinking, laughing, and
entertained: "Finally aware of my
presence, the hobo yanked
the
cash from my fingers and ambled away, the coat dragging like a
ragamuffin doll
along the dirty cobblestones behind him. I turned my eyes back to the
manila
folder resting in the passenger seat
of the convertible. I thought, two types of people exist
in this
world—those who get away with things, and those who do not. With that
truism in
mind, I lifted the folder from the convertible. It put up little fight
as I
thumbed through its contents."
Pair
an original voice, realistic characters and
motives, and solid descriptions of artistic circles and Seattle society
for a
superior, engrossing, fun story that is highly recommended not just for
mystery
fans, but for anyone looking for a rollicking good read.
Return to Index
The Lies
Beneath
Ann Eichenmuller
High Tide Publications
www.hightidepublications.com
9781945990298, $14.99, print, $4.99, ebook
Sandi Beck is an amateur sleuth and liveaboard sailor who can just sail
away
from her troubles at any moment. But in The
Lies Beneath, adversity follows her onto the water and
thwarts her plans
for a peaceful life. The body of a former CIA agent draws her into the
search
for a missing scientist and international intrigue that makes the idea
of a
sailing adventure a duller back-burner affair.
Part of what makes The Lies Beneath
so compelling is Ann Eichenmuller's ability to delve into the heart of
not just
a murder mystery, but the protagonist who seeks to leave her
angst-ridden world
and profession behind: "It was late
afternoon on day one of my resurrected life. The breeze picked up, and
I felt
Serenity's sails catch the wind, felt the moment when her heavy hull
became
almost weightless, lifting me up and over the waves. I wanted to make
Norfolk
before sunset. It had been nine long hours since I untied the lines and
left
the dock. I had traveled more than fifty miles since morning. My
friends, even
the ones who knew me well, thought I was crazy. Just when it seemed I
was
getting past my husband's death, when it looked like I might be ready
to live a
so-called "normal" life, I suddenly announced I was taking off for
the Caribbean in my own boat - me, the woman who had never sailed past
Stingray
Point alone. I could understand their concern. Sometimes I wondered if
I were
crazy myself."
What reader has not, at some point in their lives, wanted to hoist
sail, throw
off the dock lines, and escape into another world far from the
familiar? And
who has not experienced a compelling situation that drags them back
into such a
world, against all odds?
As Sandi becomes more and more involved in solving an increasingly
complex
murder mystery, she finds herself further from her goals than ever
before. In
many ways, Sandi's journey is one that brings her full circle; but in
others,
she is venturing into new territory that will challenge not only her
abilities,
but her values and vision of how she wants to lead her life.
It should be noted, at this point, that this is the third book in The
Lies
murder mystery series. It also should be mentioned that The
Lies Beneath stands well on its own and needs no prior
introduction to or familiarity with the protagonist and setting to
prove
completely satisfying to newcomers.
Is Sandi 'borrowing trouble' she can't give back, or is she
increasingly
getting pulled in over her head as the waters become murky? Ironically,
an FBI
investigation threatens her as much as her discoveries.
As Sandi faces the ominous feeling that she's missing something, she
also
struggles with a revised life not entirely of her making. Her
reflections on
the differences between past and present experience contribute to a
solid
psychological inspection of not just her actions, but her motives and
how her
past experiences fuel her present-day approaches to life: "Perhaps it was the weather, or living on a boat,
but the Christmas
season had come without my noticing. For the first time I was conscious
of
green wreaths on doors and lampposts and holiday displays in windows.
It felt
wrong somehow, to be wearing only a light jacket and hear "Jingle
Bells" play on gas station speakers. If I had been in Irvington, there
would have been a Christmas party at the museum and a Festival of Trees
at the
gym. Debbie would have hung lights along the ceiling of the Back Porch
Cafe so
it looked like a thousand stars were twinkling in the middle of the
day. I
would have sat on the bow with a mug of hot cider and watched the boats
parade
along Carter's Creek, each more elaborately decorated than the last.
After
Ryan's death I tried to ignore the season as much as my mother would
let me, but
slowly, insidiously, new traditions crept in to replace the old ones.
Now, a
traveler in a strange place, I found myself craving the rituals of a
familiar
life."
The result is a powerful exploration of not just murder and motive, but
a
determined amateur sleuth's increasingly complex dilemmas of being
sandwiched
between professional investigators and perps alike.
Fans of murder mysteries that hold strong characterization and insights
will
relish the attention to psychological inspection given in The Lies Beneath, which creates a
compelling story not just about
the murder event itself, but through the eyes of a protagonist facing
her own
major life changes.
Return to Index
The List:
Rico’s
Revenge
Larry J. Horn
Independently
Published
Hardcover -
978-1-7339526-1-3
$27.85
Paperback -
978-1-7339526-0-6
$19.95
eBook -
978-1-7339526-2-0
$ 7.99
http://www.larryjhorn.com
Dr. Stevens
meets
Rico in a bar in Dubai just after he's performed a successful kidney
transplant
on the sheik's son. Their first meeting doesn't go well because Rico
insinuates
that one of the greatest transplant doctors in the world is only in it
for the
money, rather than performing a life-giving service that should be
available to
rich and poor alike.
But Rico
isn't done
with his admonitions to the good doctor. He's determined to locate the
man's
weakness and exploit it, and thus the groundwork is laid for Rico's
revenge in
a prologue that sets the stage for confrontations and ethical
conundrums.
The first
thing to
note about The List: Rico’s Revenge
is that the main event takes place a year later, when the good doctor
is even
more famous and even more apt to be in the right place at the right
time to
gain further fame and fortune. Despite the fact that he's saving
people's
lives, LAPD detectives Beth Harper and John Ramos sense that something
is
wrong–something likely connected to their investigation.
How are
transplant
recipients chosen? What are the opportunities for schemes involving
pedaling
organs to the wealthy? And how could the famous Dr. Stevens get rich
off a
system replete with underlying criminal influences?
An accident
with
possible widespread repercussions, a newfound focus on a secret list of
names
kept by Dr. Stevens, and increased transplant opportunities for the
rich and
famous keeps the detectives on their toes and Dr. Stevens and Rico
dodging the
bullets of discovery and ethical exposure in a fast-paced thriller
reminiscent
of the medical novels of Robin Cook.
The
difference
between a Cook production and L.J. Horn's riveting novel, however, lies
in the
details. Horn focuses not on medical science but on the social and
ethical
conundrums faced by a range of characters as they navigate the
uncertain
grounds of medical treatments and opportunistic choices. This focus
creates a
novel that holds many thriller elements, but is just as satisfyingly
filled
with psychological tension and ethical insights as it outlines
connections
between crooks and curers.
Facing
increasing
threats of discovery, Rico reluctantly finds himself willing to kill a
mother
and her child to keep the lid on his deals. This and other choices lead
to a
possible rupture in his carefully-wrought control over Dr. Stevens in a
story
packed with twists and turns and satisfying developments on all sides.
Readers who
seek
medical stories embracing ethical challenges and relationships between
talented
physicians and those who would exploit inherent special interests will
find The List: Rico’s Revenge an
engrossing,
different kind of murder mystery that even holds a taste of romance at
the
heart of its evolving story. It's unexpected on many levels, and will
delight
readers interested in a solid production that operates on the cusp
between
mystery and thriller.
Return to Index
Nondisclosure
Geoffrey M Cooper
Captain Thomas
Publishing
Paperback:
978-1-7337714-0-5
$12.95
eBook:
978-1-7337714-1-2
$ 0.99
Amazon Ordering Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Nondisclosure-Medical-Thriller-Geoffrey-Cooper-ebook/dp/B07SKHDT94/
Website: geofcooper.com
When sexual
harassment escalates into rape and murder at a premier university, with
one
professor accusing his colleague of misconduct, it's up to not just a
university detective but department chair Brad Parker to investigate
matters in
Nondisclosure.
An
intriguing
difference to this story over similar-sounding mysteries is that the
assault
took place first and resulted in amnesia. The victim is murdered only
after her
memories begin to return to lend a few clues as to what happened.
Readers
should also
anticipate a medical thriller approach that delves into student and
faculty
relationships, departmental politics and conflicts over technology and
equipment acquisition, and the dilemma faced by a department head who
never
imagined his job description would include crime-fighting ("You’re going to have to work with Karen as her
guide and
coinvestigator while she plows her way through this. Given the stature
of the
accused—one of your top faculty members—the investigation has to be
airtight
and leave no room for any complaints afterward.").
It turns out
that his
background in research and different kinds of investigations and
methods lend a
unique talent to the process, allowing him to see possibilities that
professional detectives could miss: "I
had the same feeling in my gut that I sometimes got about a research
project in
the lab. Something just didn’t seem right about the obvious answer."
Detective
Karen
Richmond and her assigned partner Brad Parker make a good team, as it
turns out.
But it will take a great team to follow all the trails this murder
creates
before disaster strikes again.
Geoffrey M
Cooper
crafts a riveting saga of mystery, discovery, and redemption. Nondisclosure opens as a singular
pursuit of the truth about a young woman's murder, but rapidly moves
into areas
of science, education, and special interests to keep readers guessing
and on
their toes.
As Karen
sets herself
up to be attractive bait and Brad moves perilously close to the truth,
tension
mounts in a story line that delivers a one-two punch and doesn't
disappoint.
Murder
mystery
readers interested in medical thrillers will relish the turns taken in Nondisclosure, an engrossing story
that's hard to put down.
Return to Index
Choices
dhtreichler
Publisher Services
978-1532391323
$14.95 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1532391323
There is no
perfect
world: J'ne is confident of that. But if there were one, she's not sure
that
the choices she's making would enhance it.
Choices winds a ghost story into a time
travel adventure, employing
an unusual twist on the typical alternate history approach. Readers who
follow
such stories will discover that time travel is only one surprising
adventure
that trial lawyer J’ne Wilcox undertakes after her ghostly
encounter.
The last
person J'ne
expected to encounter on her early morning jog is a specter of herself.
She's
too busy confronting basic questions at a crossroads in her own life ("More important, who am I? What do I
really want out of life? Most would think I have a great life, but if I
do, why
am I so unsettled? So empty?").
Perhaps this
is why
she doesn't recognize the runner immediately, and why she is able to
set aside
any mystery about her appearance and disappearance to focus on
questions that
swirl around her own future.
Matters take
quite a
different turn when she encounters a talented young man able to open
portals to
the past and begins to realize the impact on the future made by
individuals
generations ago. All this leads to a newfound recognition of her own
life
choices and their lasting impact.
This
realization
dovetails with a puzzling case of government abduction of a genius
child. As
events reinforce the nature and impact of J'ne's life, she is forced to
reassess her role in a bigger picture scheme affecting the future.
Dhtreichler
excels in
taking the typical time travel scenario a step further, adding elements
of
intrigue via government involvement, professional quandary. J'ne stands
at a crossroads
in her career's objectives, and must regain control of her present and
future
by examining both through a different lens of reality.
Where other
time
travel adventures would focus on changing history, J'ne's
self-assessments and
realization of how she can change herself
remain central to the story, involving readers in more than just a
confrontation with forces that would control the timeline of events.
When Elijah
offers
her respite from her world ("Welcome
to a different time, a time when no one will ask us to do as they
please, but a
time when we can do as we please."), J'ne is forced to
reconsider
everything from her ambitions and focus to the choices that lend
meaning to her
life.
Minor
grammatical
errors are peppered throughout, and a final proofreading could have
contributed
to a more polished read. This caution aside, the premise, progression,
and
characters in Choices are nicely
presented. The plot is a notch above competing time travel tales, and
the focus
on J'ne's process of validating herself makes for a winning combination
that
will keep readers immersed to the end.
Return to Index
High Flying
Kaylin McFarren
Creative Edge
Publishing LLC
9781091374799
$3.99 Kindle/$12.99 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1091374791/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_JszZCb5DR70KJ
High Flying combines a time travel
odyssey with the aviation story
of an angst-ridden pilot, Skylar, who narrowly escapes death during an
air
show, but finds herself mysteriously transported to the past. This
isn't just
any confrontation with the distant past, however. Skylar arrives eight
months
before she was born and a week before her father was murdered, and has
the rare
opportunity to change everything—if she dares.
An
engrossing saga,
combining flight with confrontations with the personalities of her
family past
and present, makes for many insights filled with psychological
revelation and
insights: "This situation was
ridiculous and most of what he
said was too, but that was who Jessop Haines was. A self-serving,
self-absorbed
man."
One strength
to High Flying is this
psychological
inspection process, evident from the first chapter and increasing as
the story
evolves and Skylar begins to learn family secrets, dangerous truths,
and the
ultimate consequences of good and bad choices.
As Skylar
confronts
drug money, efforts to keep Jake's business afloat and her in the
cockpit of
what she loves to do most in life, and finds herself keeping secrets
that have
their price in losing credibility with others, she faces many
conundrums and
scenarios that threaten not only her heritage and life, but her love of
flight.
During her
efforts to
make a difference and use money wisely, Skylar also confronts the
possibility of
love. Will she make wise choices taking that route, as well?
An
engrossing story
filled with satisfying aviation and romantic references will especially
please
readers looking for more than a simple time-travel saga.
With Kaylin McFarren's hand on the joystick, the
story becomes much more multifaceted than anticipated, providing a
satisfyingly
engrossing read to female audiences who like stories of confrontation,
change,
family legacy, and present-day choices.
Return to Index
Hope
dhtreichler
Publisher Services
978-1532391293
$14.95 Paper/$4.95 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1532391293
Hope translates to despair quite easily
as a blogger experiences a
sensual night of bliss with a celebrity chef who appeals to her senses
on more
than one level, then jetsets out of her life as quickly as he entered.
J's job was
to "...to tell the world his secrets,
among those of all the other chefs I cover for my blog site."
Chef
Xavier ("X")'s job is to create and explore sensuality on many
levels. But he lives in and for the moment, and she is well aware of
his
motivations in becoming a media kitchen celebrity: "...when
you’re no longer running the kitchen of a famous New York
restaurant not many get to sample what you’ve prepared anyway. The fun
is
contemplating different food combinations than you find in most
cookbooks or
even websites. That’s why he goes to such remote places. And then there
are
those in between episodes where he makes something that is vaguely
familiar. Something
you’ve either tried or heard of, but is made using ingredients you’d
never have
thought of. How that all tastes remains a mystery unless you go find
those
ingredients and try it yourself. X tries it and gives a verdict on air,
but no
one really knows if he’s telling you the truth about how it tastes."
One night is
the only
taste she gets of his world, but when one door closes, another opens.
When he
leaves for new worlds, the rich and handsome Ace replaces him, offering
to take
her on the trip of a lifetime.
These two
men who
enter her life back to back shake J's world. Which one should she wait
for?
Does she even have a choice?
dhtreichler
writes
with a rich, sensual style that captures J's dilemma, world, and the
men who
hold the power to change it. All the ingredients of a fine romance are
here,
but to peg Hope as a 'romance read'
alone would be to do this literary novel a grave disservice.
Hope is about exploration, growth,
imagination, and making physical
and emotional connections; but most of all, it's about choice and
consequences.
As J navigates the new terrain of opposing options that test her own
course in
life and some of her resolves for independence, readers receive a
thought-provoking, literary production that excels in depicting J's
dilemmas as
she considers making some big changes in her life.
It offers an
astute
consideration of what wealth really means and how it would translate on
a
physical and ethical level, viewing relationships and the world through
the
eyes of a woman who has some big decisions to make about how she will
live her
life: "Now that I’ve committed
myself and set the ground rules I need to figure out what are the
meanings I
want to exchange? What is it I want from Ace, if anything? Until I got
his text
he had dropped off my radar. That would mean I didn’t expect or want
anything
from him. So this is bonus time. Kind of like the lottery. What would I
do if I
had a million dollars? Well, after tax I would only have about
$650,000. And
after I paid off my college debt I’d have about half a million. Okay,
so it’s
not so much as it sounds when you’re up to your eyeballs trying to make
enough
to keep all the bills paid. And that’s exactly where I am. Sweating
each and
every week that there will be enough in the bank to pay everyone who
has a
claim on me. Half a million in the bank. Okay, this is where it becomes
fun
because now I know I’ve got things covered and I still have some to
play with.
Half a million. Would I move to a bigger place? One where I could
actually see
the Hudson even on the bad days?"
With its
passionate,
contemplative considerations and its astute observations of this
process ("People adjust to the people they are
with.” I observe. “Do things because the other person likes it or not
do things
they don’t.”), readers interested literary productions
steeped in
psychological reflection and relationship insights will be delighted by
J's
progress, which leads the reader into a world that tests more than
recipes and
hearts, ultimately inventing the formulas for success and failure.
Hope is highly recommended reading for
audiences who like their
protagonists strong, thoughtful, and growth-oriented as J explores the
process
of both finding and losing hope and understanding the different
contributions
individuals make to the lives around them.
Return to Index
Her Wingless
Eyes
Robert Rubenstein
Independently
Published
9781095215838
ASIN: 1071100149
$14.00 Paper/$5.00
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1071100149/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Her
Wingless Eyes is
set in 1936 and focuses on Jewish-American athlete Joshua Sellers, who
has his
eyes set on winning a gold medal in the 11th Olympiad in Berlin. This
brings
with it not only athletic challenge, but political and social conflict,
because
Berlin, at the time, is only one place where hatred against Jews has
flared.
One of the many other places in the world is America.
The first
thing to
note about Her Wingless Eyes is
that it incorporates elements
of Robert Rubenstein's past novels, The White
Bridge and Ghost
Runners: An Olympic Dream Betrayed. No prior familiarity with
either book
is needed, however, in order to follow Joshua's progression in this
book, which
involves a dangerous foray into the prejudices of the world in general
and
America in particular, though an interwoven story of
American racism and sexism told by Ginger Lee as a fledgling reporter
for The Chicago Daily News that
surveys how
they evolved.
The story
follows the
Olympians as they sojourn across dangerous waters, but it's especially
astute
in remarking on how these athletes set aside the rising tide of hatred
in favor
of a singular pursuit of their dreams: "The recent
Nuremberg Laws
had stripped German Jews of their citizenship, forbade work in many
industries,
and caused half to lose their jobs. The politics of the day,
though,
didn’t really bother him. He was taught to stand behind in the shadows
and wait
for a favorable wind.”
Even as
events swirl
deeper into threats to life and liberty, it's repeated that: "Joshua
was only an athlete and cared little for the news." What will it take to shake
his
single-minded obsession?
One of the
attributes
of Her Wingless Eyes is that, more
so than most novels, it
cultivates not just an evolving awareness, but captures the dilemma of
those in
the crosshairs of killers condoned by political forces on all sides:
"Joshua
was
in a corner of the stadium split like an ax that had cut him in two. A
world
apart, he faced the track with heavy eyes and a howling inside his
head. It was
that little fist, like a child’s, pounding, pounding inside his head.
His
lonesome gaze always returned to the Chancellor of the host nation.
From where
he would be handed the baton, and for his start in the one hundred
meters
around the oval, he’d be able to see the plush place where the monster
sat.
Hitler would have to watch a Jew beat a Nazi— beat all Germans of the
master
race."
The result
is more than
just a study in personal political awakening. It's an astute
observation of how
hatred spreads and is sanctioned by some of the very forces that would
purport
to be on an opposite side, capturing many powerful moments in the
conversion
and realization process to lead readers down unexpected paths of
understanding.
Pointed and
complex, Her Wingless Eyes is no
light venture into prejudice,
but a hard-hitting, thought-provoking story that will leave readers
pondering
long after Joshua's ultimate race to "illuminate a future in a
darkened
land."
It is the
ultimate confrontation of good and evil, the
mystery that Ginger Lee uncovers about “those poor wingless eyes,
searching
through the vagaries of time for American justice.”
Her
Wingless Eyes is
very highly recommended for its ability to follow personal journeys
with heroic
characters and big dreams into the jaws of political and social
transformation
processes; there to emerge revised and forever changed.
Return to Index
How Beautiful They Were
Boston Teran
High-Top Publishing
9781567030655
$22.00
www.bostonteran.com
How
Beautiful They
Were is a historical novel set in 1850s New York's theatre
world, where
Colonel Tearwood’s American Theatre Company challenges the status quo
of its
times by bringing daily life to the stage.
All the elements of high
drama are deftly incorporated
into a vivid story that comments not only on individual lives and
perspectives,
but the impact of theatre in everyday American society as a whole: "Theatre is ideas, and ideas change the
flow of power, and the flower of power affects who has the money, and
everyone
has a dog in that fight."
From operas and high society
to criminal acts that
challenge actors and viewers alike, characters face their fears, often
play
dual roles on and off stage, and address plays lacking essential
elements, such
as a female character.
When the owner of a
theatre troupe is murdered, the investigation moves into private lives
made
public by circumstance, association, and fate. The
American Theatre Company stands at the crossroads of not only
changing social mores and political contention, but a deadly game that
its key
players are ill-equipped to handle.
Filled with
evocative descriptions, compelling drama, and
the backdrop of seasons passing through New York City's 1800s culture, How Beautiful They Were is a captivating
examination of life and death both on and off stage, and will delight
not just
general-interest novel readers, but those who hold a special affection
for
theatre history and New York City.
Return to Index
Jake's
Redemption
Jamie Schulz
Jamie Schulz,
Publisher
978-0998025711
$16.99 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K5L411H/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_YNdZCbQDW95PS
Jake's
Redemption is a prequel
to
the Angel Eyes series, holding the unique ability to combine a
cowboy
romance with a dystopian fantasy insert to create
something appealing
both to romance and sci-fi readers.
In the
opening scene,
Jake and friend Bret are prisoners of a woman who openly mocks her
former lover
Bret: "How could you think any
self-respecting woman would want you for anything more than your
gorgeous face
and hard body?” she asked, not waiting for a reply. “A decent woman
would never
accept you as an equal. Any woman who would is worse than the slave you
will
shortly become.”
It's a
scenario of
men stripped of their power and enslaved by women, and one in which
Jake
Nichols suspects his life will end. Jake endures torture in captivity,
but his
life is not slated to conclude in this manner. When he's hired out to
the
beautiful Monica to help her finish building her ranch home, everything
changes.
Unlike most
dystopian
reads, even those which include romance between characters, Jake's Redemption is firmly rooted in
romance and doesn't skirt the edges like most such fantasy novels. This
translates to steamy sex scenes, percolating love, and a focus on
interpersonal
relationships that supersedes the usual focus on survival tactics and
conflict.
This isn't
to say
that the story is one-dimensional. Indeed, it is filled with
psychological
depth and insights. Jamie Schulz takes the time to explore each
character's
growth process, and this is reflected in passages that reveal these
changing
viewpoints: "There was more to him
than the trembling, half-starved, pitiable man who’d first arrived, and
definitely more than just his handsome face. All of it made her wonder
what
else lay beneath his wary, kind, and sometimes curious eyes."
Love builds
predictably, but not without its obstacles, and as Jake and Monica
begin to
consider forging a brave new world, many things change.
It's rare to
find a
prequel that adequately covers the logic and progression of the novels
to come.
Often, such an attempt feels like an afterthought rather than holding
real
foresights to dovetail with the foundations of what is to come.
Jake's Redemption carefully crafts a
story that doesn't feel like a
manufactured tie-in, nicely pairing the feel of a romance read with the
backdrop of a society where power has shifted and resulted in radical
redefinitions of not just control, but love itself.
Forgiveness,
trust,
and control are hard gifts to give; especially in a world turned upside
down. Jake
and Monica are challenged on more than one level, finding that their
increasing
affection for one another redefines not only their perceptions, but how
they
feel about their potentials both individually and with one another.
As Jake
begins to
realize he has work to do to move from being a slave to being a
powerful man in
love, Monica finds him increasingly compelling. His emotional growth is
very
nicely portrayed, as is an evolving passion based on a different kind
of power
structure: "And what are you
feeling?” she asked, almost breathless. His throat muscles worked as
though he
was having trouble swallowing. Then he took a deep breath and gave
Monica her
second pleasant shock of the morning. “Like I want to try to be the man
I used
to be. I want to stop being afraid. But I’m not sure how.”
Romance
readers will
relish Jake's Redemption's
effective,
unusual blend of dystopian sci-fi and the trappings of romantic
passion, but
sci-fi fans looking for something different will also appreciate the
story of a
world that has changed so much that lovers must find new ways of
defining
relationships and themselves.
Return to Index
The
Moonstoners
Barbara J. Dzikowski
Wiara Books
Paperback: 9780984030538
$13.95
Ebook:
9780984030545
$ 2.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QWJLWZN
Many
novels attempt to capture the turbulent times and
social sentiments of 1960s America, but The
Moonstoners goes a notch above most in exploring an
individual's quest for
love in the shadow of changing social relationships.
As
a child of this era, Noël
is only too aware of
these dangerous forces, from a murder that sparked her family to flee
their
Louisiana home to her marriage to the man who raped her and made her
pregnant.
Noël's
individual tumult mirrors the world around her as
everything from racial relationships to Vietnam's impact takes hold,
changing
her life and everyone she interacts with.
Perhaps
the biggest eye-opener here is Noël's
struggle to
maintain her identity, which holds a dangerous secret at its core even
as love
threatens everything, including the stability and interrelationships of
two
families.
As
Barbara J. Dzikowski's story deftly navigates both
matters of the heart and questions of madness and redemption, the 1960s
come to
life in a manner that integrates romance with life choices and values.
The
Moonstoners
excels in marrying a sense of the times with a
family's dire circumstances. It should also be noted that this is the
first
book in a projected trilogy: as such, it crafts the idea of
'moonstoners' and
their hidden depths and then sets the stage for more revelations in
future
books.
Readers
who enjoy blends of romance and social
inspection will appreciate this story's realistic atmosphere and
thoroughly
engrossing approach to capturing not just one girl's dreams, but two
family
nightmares as they intersect in the arena of social change.
Return to Index
The
Resurrection of Jesus
Yancey Williams
YPress
978-0-9860316-9-4 (Paperback)
$6.96
978-0-9860316-4-9 (Ebook)
$4.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0986031690
The
Resurrection of Jesus
isn't another religious novel, and readers who
automatically think that the title portends such will be
disappointed...until
they quickly realize that what they are immersed in is actually
something
compellingly different.
Yancey
Williams excels at weaving a wry sense of humor
into a story about an unresolved art world theft. Thirty years have
passed
since two policemen/thieves stole some $500 million of famous paintings
at
midnight from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Art Museum, but the
case
remains open. Until now.
Fiction
weaves into nonfiction history to create a
compelling "what if" exploration of the circumstances, but Williams
takes no easy outs during his recreation of events.
What
do two unlikely nere-do-wells, one newly out of
prison, and the other a Native American from the reservation who holds
a deep
suspicion of the world around him, have to do with one of the biggest
unresolved heists in the art world?
As
Williams explores these possibilities using a
fictional backdrop to add drama to speculation, readers receive a
thoroughly
engrossing story that grabs attention from the first few paragraphs and
never
lets go: "It stood out. The Jesus
Saves part. The big, bold
letters on the side of a weathered, tattered and frayed, dilapidated,
old
billboard. The message read, The Devil
was on my back. He was heavy and riding me hard. But, not no more cause
I found
Jesus...Framed in a forty-by-sixty-foot crimson, pinewood border, the
monstrosity was in the middle of nowhere. By its sheer size, you would
have
thought that the sign would be speaking to a much larger audience, but
not so.
Nowhere was a broad field deeper than it was wide, plainly measured
between
other open fields and long stretches of tattered barbed wire most of
which was
distressed, grounded, and loose ended, set some distance from a grove
of
leafless willow trees and scrub oak. The support timbers leaned in
separate
directions almost like poorly concocted decoration, perhaps
interpretative,
surely suggestive, even metaphorical, a tangential and bucolic bust of
sorts
but only if you used your imagination."
Wry
observations of religion, belief, and purpose
permeate the story and may offend those who have rigid, politically
correct
ideas about either religion or gender descriptions ("in the
end, in
this the final sundown, I am betting that God, the grand caretaker, He
is not
there. He has checked out. Or, He wasn’t never there in the first
place...My
squaw, Esther, she can pretend though. And, she can then sprinkle the
gray dust
into the dark water of the beaver pond up above the coyote den or tip
my
remains into and along the water’s edge of the clear, still trout
stream. It
won’t matter none. I am dead. The pure water will wash away all of me
in the
blink of a stout and strong and bull-necked night owl. I am then little
more
than a memory in the minds of the people that I have touched for better
or for
worse.").
However,
the meat of The Resurrection of Jesus
lies not in social propriety but in the
ribald, candid observations of life, opportunity, and fortune that the
two
thieves bring to the table. This creates a read that is more about the
perps
than their heist, crafting a fun series of observations about life that
brings
to mind the classic A River Runs Through
It.
On
the surface, The
Resurrection of Jesus is about a major coup in the theft
world. But look
closer, for a powerful example of satirical reflection that is at once
engrossing,
thought-provoking, and simply a fun read.
Novel
and literature readers with a special interest
in humorous devices will find The
Resurrection of Jesus a special production, indeed.
Return to Index
Shards of
Light
Susan Miura
Vinspire Publishing
978-1-7327112-8-0
$15.99
https://www.vinspirepublishing.com/
Book 2 in
the Healer
series, Shards of Light, opens
where
events left off in the first book after teen Shilo discovered she has
the
spiritual power of healing. That story ended with a sojourn to Italy to
visit
her great grandmother, who also possessed the power to heal, but lost
it. In Shards of Light, Shilo
arrives in Sicily
and continues her spiritual and physical journey.
Too many
series
titles rely heavily upon one another for background and fluidity of
plot, but
one of the pleasures of Shards of Light
is its ability to stand alone as a complete novel unto itself.
Knowledge of
background events aren't a prerequisite for the complete enjoyment of
Shilo's
story.
Another
strength lies
in its ability to cultivate intrigue right from the start, presenting
Ricardo's
plot to kidnap the young girls who were stolen from his brothel
business by
nuns. This would seem a rather mature subject for teen audiences, but Shards of Light will reach advanced
teens to new adults and doesn't skimp on either describing deadly power
plays
or explaining the dark thinking behind them: "Whatever
happens next will be their own fault.” He mumbles to the
darkness, justified in knowing they’re simply paying the price for
their
actions. Doing wrong had painful consequences. He learned that
childhood lesson
all too well, and all too often."
These
elements
successfully create a 'crossover' title that will appeal as much to
adult as to
young adult audiences as Shilo's foray into Italian culture presents a
dangerous opportunity for healing in a new fashion.
Under
another hand, Shards of Light could
all too easily
have become a murder mystery or a novel of intrigue alone; but there's
a larger
purpose at work here, and romance enters into an already-complex
equation to
introduce Shilo not just to her newfound abilities, but her heart: "Dark eyes smile at me and they are
molto bella, magnifico, so beautiful. Oh, man, my heart should not be
beating
at this rate. I’ll just say no and help the sisters bake pastries
tomorrow.
That’s the right thing to do. It’s just a river. We have those back
home.
That’s it, then. The answer is definitely no. “Okay. Yes. I’d like to
go.”
Somewhere between my brain and my mouth, the words got lost in
translation."
Broken
shards are
everywhere: in dreams, shattered trophies and lives, and even in the
compassion
that hurts as much as it heals. As Shilo learns different facets of
healing on
many levels, she explores not only her gift and its legacy, but also
the darker
forces at work in life and learns to field a host of special challenges
as she
grows not just healing powers, but better understanding.
Another plus
is that
this story is narrated through different perspectives: injured ballet
dancer
Melody whose parents are pursuing financial compensation, and Shilo,
who knows
her gift is "all God" but doesn't quite understand the role she plays
in disseminating it.
With its
different
characters and their special focuses and its gentle exploration of a
young
woman's life and talents in flux, Shards
of Light is a beautifully evocative story that stands well
alone while enhancing a series. It invites readers to reflect long
after
Shilo's journey through faith and secrets comes to an end.
Return to Index
A
Terrible Loyalty: A World War
II Submarine Novel
William
Roskey
Independently Published
ASIN: B07Q62KS4T
$0.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q62KS4T
A
Terrible Loyalty is
World War II military fiction at its best,
capturing the struggles and experiences of the months before and after
Pearl
Harbor in a "you are there" fashion that brings history to life.
There
are over seventy chapters in a book a little
over seven hundred pages long, but while some might predict that the
weight of
this story would limit an enthusiastic tone to its contents, one of the
strengths of A Terrible Loyalty is
its ability to capture the atmosphere and excitement of its times while
staying
true to historical facts.
Of
necessity, this approach requires not only a heavy
research hand, but an exploration that weaves fact and fiction with
many
background details. Protagonist Dade Bowie escaped poverty in West
Texas by
becoming a military man, but his training didn't prepare him for the
dilemma he
and his fellow submarine commanders in the Pacific face when they
discover that
their torpedoes are shockingly unreliable, and that military ineptitude
extends
far beyond equipment and into the guiding leaders of U.S. forces.
Dade
is sworn to obey the orders of these guiding
hands, but when loyalty to his crew and oath collide against the
backdrop of
attack and war, where and when should he make his stand?
Everyone
has a different way of fighting not only the
war, but their own hearts. Romance, loyalty, and life itself take a
back burner
to codebreakers, submarine commanders, and struggles with moral and
ethical
conundrums as the war permeates every aspect of life in America.
It
might seem unlikely that one novel could reach
beyond military descriptions and circles to chart the course of these
changes;
but A Terrible Loyalty does so with
its finger on the pulse of struggle and change, profiling one man's
candid
assessment of atmosphere and challenges in his submarine world.
Dade's
honesty in response to a casual question at
dinner imparts many insights into the physical challenges of living in
a sub,
but it's the reaction of his female dinner partners which is equally
astonishing: "Commander, you have
got to be one-in-a-million. What a woman expects to hear from a man who
just
came off a war patrol is pure braggadocio. Crazy bullshit about his
heroics,
even though he ‘tries’ to sound modest by giving a few of the other
guys at
least some credit. But you, sir, well, I’ve not seen one like you, a
man given
an opportunity to impress two very available women, neither one of them
hard to
look at, in an atmosphere of moonlight and music and a wonderful meal
and cocktails
and the lush tropics, who just talks about how he and his crew smell
bad. Damn!
I’ll bet you’re the real deal. I’ll bet you’re a real hero.”
These
kinds of interpersonal connections and
explorations lend an unexpectedly personal tone to the military
encounters and
focuses that most World War II novels seem to exclusively feature.
Amidst the
descriptions of war and conflict are social, political, and moral and
ethical
challenges which are equally well probed; and this is a rare facet in a
genre that
typically focuses on physical struggle over relatively little else.
Another
powerful attribute of A Terrible Loyalty
lies in its ability to delineate the challenges
of different kinds of concurrent loyalties which at times clash with
one
another. Dade, Rachael, and others have choices to make not only about
their
careers and anti-war efforts, but each other and the oaths and promises
they
have made. These choices prove as mercurial as the times. The result is
a
powerful exploration of not just battle or military structure and
response, but
the perceptions of loyalty and purpose that each character holds dear.
Readers
seeking more than the usual battleground
descriptions of World War II will relish the psychological and social
depth of A Terrible Loyalty, which
closely
examines the forces that divide and challenge hearts and minds while
recreating
and taking the submariner experience to a depth that few competitors
can
achieve.
Return to Index
22 Comedy
Ten-Minute
Plays
Laurie Allen
Meriwether Publishing
9781566082112
$19.95
www.pioneerdrama.com
Usually,
short plays
are directed to teen audiences and young drama students whose teachers
seek
quick, uplifting pieces for this age group; but one of the special
attributes
of Laurie Allen's 22 Comedy Ten-Minute
Plays is that it's directed to ages 15-30, and so its themes
are not
limited to teenage concerns.
Take, for
example,
the short beauty parlor play 'Just A Trim'. Kyle has entered the barber
shop
with just a trim in mind, but Lola fancies herself an artist committed
to more
than just cleaning up the edges, and embarks on a campaign to get Kyle
to
realize the potentials and impact of a complete haircut. But Kyle has a
secret,
and it has much to do with his hair of choice. Can Lola change his mind?
It should be
noted
that each play is complete unto itself, from its evolving plot to its
list of
characters, setting and property descriptions, roles which are
gender-neutral,
and cast compositions of 2-8. This makes for easy assignment and
flexible
scheduling, which will delight drama teachers and coaches.
A final plus
is that
these plays not only embrace comedy, but do so in a clean, fresh
manner. This
makes the works especially appealing because so much humor these days
revolves
around risqué innuendo or crass language. And yet, these works are
seasoned,
appealing productions designed for mature audiences and actors alike.
The result
is a
unique presentation that should be in every drama collection and on the
radar
of any director looking for original writings designed to appeal to
wide
audiences.
Return to Index
Body
Talk–Basic Mime
Mario Diamond
Modern Vaudeville
Press
www.modernvaudevillepress.com
Body Talk–Basic Mime covers the basics of
mime in a workbook format
that can easily be accessed by professionals and drama students
interested in
learning more about body movement and language. It should be required
reading
for any theater participant looking to incorporate elements of mime
into their
routines.
Body Talk–Basic Mime assumes no prior
knowledge and covers the
basics of silent communication and movement's messages, opening with a
quick
survey of the history of mime and moving quickly to exercises and
demonstrations
of movements that translate easily to recognizable emotions.
Large-size
black and
white photos give visual embellishment to written descriptions which
offer
specific insights into how a mime can better feel their body's
movements, as in
the section devoted to eyebrows: "Put
your index over the eyebrow, then lift your eyebrow high enough to feel
the
movement with your finger. Do not use your finger to push. Only your
eyebrow
muscles are working."
From
warm-ups to
examples of the flow of movements (such as the step-by-step
demonstration of
the 'spider'), specific exercises are followed by tips on studying the
world to
reinforce realistic, recognizable gestures: "Public
areas are good for mime studies. Just sit somewhere, in a park or a
shopping
mall, and observe people around you. Look at their hands, how they
move, and
follow the words they say, or the emotions they show or hide. Hands can
tell
many things about who you are. On stage they become a very important
part of
you."
From
discussions of
visual effects gained from amplifying an illusion or fixing a point to
translating body movements to convincing an audience of silent
intentions,
there is no more specific primer on mime than Body
Talk–Basic Mime.
Its workbook
exercises make for a highly recommended 'must' for any theater or drama
reference collection and for producers and actors who want to translate
mime's
basics to better acting and cognitive results.
Return to Index
For Good of
Country:
The Plot to Kill an American President
Thomas E. Sawyer,
PhD. JD
Living History
Publishing House
(Paperback)
978-1-7327371-0-5
$14.97
(Hard Cover)
978-1-7327371-1-2
https://www.amazon.com/GOOD-COUNTRY-PLOT-AMERICAN-PRESIDENT/dp/173273710X
For Good of Country: The Plot to Kill an American
President adds
yet another book to the chronicles of conspiracy surrounding the murder
of John
F. Kennedy, but focuses heavily on the actions of the U.S. government's
role in
blocking public access to information about the assassination. This
focus pairs
a political coverage of Kennedy's rise to presidential status with a
survey of
the Warren Commission's presumptions, failures, and Oswald's
questionable
status as a lone assassin acting independently.
While many
of these
considerations appear in other books on the subject, of particular note
here is
Thomas E. Sawyer's survey of apparent attempts made by the U.S.
Government,
immediately after the assassination, to quash any public notion of the
existence
of either other assassins or a conspiracy. Why?
The story
begins with
Kennedy's coronation day and uses this pivot point to add facts about
his
political rise to power. It reads almost like a novel, from atmospheric
descriptions of weather conditions during the event to contrasts
between past
and present presidents: "Following
his swearing in on the Veranda of the Capitol, the president and Mrs.
Kennedy
rode down Pennsylvania Avenue toward their new home in the White House
in what,
by the most conservative standards, can best be described as a
triumphal march
to glory. Later, on the reviewing stand, the young president stood
coat-less,
hatless, and apparently oblivious to the extreme cold. What a physical
contrast
this young man made with the septuagenarian whom he had succeeded as
president."
From
intelligence
agent recruitment proceedings that enveloped a young Jack Kennedy and
the
underlying motivations of that community to gain not only his trust but
his
dependence on them ("The objective
of the moment was to get this young American to begin to rely on the
intelligence professional, for whatever reason, to seek his guidance,
and,
hence, to be under his professional control. There would be years to
develop
the intelligence relationship, and the young man unwittingly would find
himself
more and more involved.") to examinations of KGB leadership
objectives
and actions, how a plan was formulated at high levels to assassinate
the
president, and who was involved, For Good
of Country takes many surprising turns that similar JFK
conspiracy
coverages miss.
The dramatic
embellishments lend to this story's appearance of a novel, including
dialogue,
which may deter more scholarly readers who prefer their investigations
firmly
rooted in facts rather than reconstructed possibilities, but readers of
true
crime and political intrigue will find these touches appealing. It also
should
be remembered that the basic premise is (as with other Kennedy
treatises)
hypothetical, so some poetic license in description and reenactments is
allowable.
Sawyer's
ability to
add political analysis of government entities and their choices at
different
levels of involvement creates a survey different from many competing
Kennedy
examinations.
The result
is an
unusually lively, dramatically embellished, but thought-provoking read
that
sheds new light not just on Kennedy's assassination, but the actions,
motivations, and role of the American government itself.
Return to Index
Nothing is
More
Dolly Gray Landon
Seventh Species
Publications
9781795387514
$12.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-More-Black-Comedy-Actors/dp/1795387513/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_2?keywords=Nothing+is+More+Dolly+Gray+Landon&qid=1556803363&s=gateway&sr=8-2-fkmrnull
Nothing is More: A High Black Comedy in Verse with
Music for Six Actors
demands much from its readers, who ideally will be drama students with
a
penchant for satire, verse, and the outrageous. Anyone expecting a
staid story
or a typical outline of dramatic form is in for both a revelation and a
treat,
because Nothing is More delights in
the unexpected, from blatant and ribald sexual explorations to archaic
and
whimsical explorations of college courses as odd as Feline Transgender
Studies.
In other
words: toss
any expectations out the window and settle back for a challenging but
unique,
rollicking ride as Dolly Gray Landon romps through academia and social
inspection with an eye to probing the roots of artistic and social
revolution
alike.
Ideally,
this play
will be performed, but a six-hour production is a lot to commit to, for
most
theatres. College students and avant garde stages will be more likely
to
undertake the production of this complex story, knowing that an
audience of
literary-minded social scientists will be highly appreciative of both
the
literary achievement of putting together a six-hour production entirely
in verse,
and the story's focus on personality clashes, cultural and religious
references, and sexual and social revelation.
It should
also be
mentioned that no group is immune, here. Landon pokes fun at and makes
pointed
observations of just about everything in this circle, which holds as
much
potential for offense as it does insight.
The result
is a
well-crafted, complex, dramatic work that will gain attention not just
from
innovative drama students and producers, but from readers of plays, who
will
find it delightfully quirky and whimsical in its creative, complex
inspection
of the evolution of dogmas and schemes in the art world.
Return to Index
Sell Your
Words
Leila Peltosaari
Tikka Books
Ebook:
978-1-896106-06-9
$5.99
POD Edition:
978-1-896106-07-6
Website: www.tikkabooks.com
Sales: www.amazon.com
Sell Your Words: Write, Self-Publish, and Market
Nonfiction Books
is for indie authors who have decided to publish their own books rather
than
seeking an agent or pursuing a publisher, and offers invaluable advice
not just
on publishing, but on the important task of marketing the book after
publication (which could be a book in and of itself).
Why another
book on
the process of self-publishing? Leila Peltosaari not only sports three
decades
of success, but points out she has "...made
more than a million dollars by self-publishing title after
title." And English is not her
mother tongue! These facts alone add enough weight to this particular
how-to
book to make it a worthwhile pursuit.
Leila
Peltosaari
begins with the writing process based on her first book, written when
she was
34 years old. Perhaps it was serendipity that her first home-produced
book, Easy Sewing for Infants,
gained the attention
of Family Circle, which plugged it to a national
audience in their
magazine. But chance had no hand in her ongoing success story, as she
wrote and
marketed numerous well-received books, received much acclaim, and
earned much
more than the 'pocket money' she had anticipated from her efforts.
Nonfiction
writers,
in particular, are admonished to strive for creative originality: "Stand out from the crowd. Make your
book different by focusing on one thing that makes your knowledge
uncommon.
Seize it, research it, and write it down. Explain and clearly
illustrate what
makes you unique, and your nonfiction book will attract great reviews."
Peppered
with bright
visual examples, Sell Your Words
provides the right blend of excitement, encouragement, and practical
advice to
give aspiring, would-be authors a boost at all levels of the process.
The
self-publishing
tips are specific and cover everything from POD (print-on-demand)
publishing to
short runs, handling review copy distribution, making front and back
covers
which are enticing sales tools, and more.
Marketing
insights
include not only recommendations but cautions about pitfalls, offering
many
alternatives to getting out of the slush pile: "I
found the literary critique section in any daily paper to be a
dead end for my nonfiction books, but the lifestyle section often needs
interesting leads. Some have sections like traveling, business, home,
health,
food, or pets, and one could be a match for your book. Many dailies
have
reduced personnel and use freelancers, so one person might write
feature
articles for several departments or publications—get familiar with
those names
as potential contacts. Some dailies list emails of their personnel and
links to
their previous articles or columns so you can see their style."
Return to Index
Who's Got Your Back?
David W. Smith
CrossLink Publishing
978-1-63357-173-0
www.crosslinkpublishing.com
Who's Got Your Back? Making and Keeping Great Relationships Among Men is a specific focus on how men build friendships and where they fail at this task, and is directed towards Christian men open to receiving a combination of psychological and spiritual insights about the process.
While it's based on David W. Smith's own experience with relationships, it broadens its perspective and references to tap into Biblical wisdom as well as the approaches of others, creating a more multifaceted production than most men's psychology books offer.
As chapters review definitions of manliness and traditional male relationship patterns, they examine what builds bridges between not only individuals, but God. It stands to reason that the man who is unable to fully let in human beings will also lack in the area of a personal relationship with God. Who's Got Your Back? Is, thus, an important consideration for Christian men who might eschew the notion of developing better relationships with others—until they realize that this process can be applied to any effective relationship with their Creator.
But, how can men make and form such meaningful relationships? The nuts and bolts of the process are covered in depth and detail, assuming no prior knowledge of the definition of what it means to be a friend: "A true friend will come to your aid even if it’s unpopular to do so. When we are concerned with others, we tend to be less aware of ourselves. It’s ironic how happiness eludes those who seek it directly. But the person who takes on the burden of concern for the welfare of another often discovers, surprisingly perhaps, that he has indirectly obtained happiness, but he’s obtained happiness nevertheless."
This is not to say that Who's Got Your Back? replaces the need for counseling. Smith is quite clear about this: "This is not the Bible’s view of man. We are not a tabula rasa or a mindless lump of clay to be molded by others or by biological genes. How much control do I really have over my own life? Can I change on my own, or do I need counseling to improve my patterns of living? In some cases, we can engage in self-examination on a solo basis. Self-reflection and contemplation can be helpful, but many people need the added insights, understanding, and objectivity that can be provided only by an outsider such as a close friend, wife, minister, or counselor."
Men seeking to truly change their perceptions, lives, and the depth of their interactions with loved ones and others will find the precise, Bible-supported message here translates neatly to interpersonal and spiritual relationships alike.
Who's Got Your Back? provides an excellent starting point to crafting better relationships with a deeper understanding of what makes them work and the (often self-driven) obstacles to success.
Who's Got Your Back? is especially highly recommended for thinking men who have already decided to make meaningful changes in their lives and attitudes.
Who's Got Your BackReturn to Index
Big City
Magic: Uncover the Secret of the Big Apple
Jeanne Bender
Pina Publishing
978-1-943493-26-5
(paperback)
$10.00
978-1-943493-27-2
(hardcover)
$18.00
978-1-943493-28-9
(eBook)
$ 6.99
www.lindielou.com
Big
City Magic:
Uncover the Secret of the Big Apple provides young readers
with another Lindie Lou
canine adventure. This time,
the little dog is on a plane heading for New York City and adventure.
Lindie Lou loves to meet new
people, learn new things,
and have adventures, but she also holds an active imagination, as
demonstrated
by her dreams about being able to fly without mechanical assistance.
Her ability to learn, adapt,
and wonder about the world
are challenged, however, when a quest for a big apple tree leads her
and a
rescue dog onto the streets of New York for some unexpected encounters.
Parents of children who are
past the elementary picture
book level and into reading chapter books and longer readers will
appreciate
the blend of easy language, big print, and illustrations that nudge
readers
from picture book to longer forms.
Parents will also appreciate
this story's focus on
courage, flexibility, and facing life changes with hope and creativity
as
Lindie Lou imparts some basic insights into dealing with life through
her
adventurous perspective.
Her enthusiasm about the
wider world, her ability to
communicate with humans and fellow animals alike, and her involvement
with
Kris, who brings her a wonderful gift, creates many unexpected moments
that
lend to parent and child discussion, especially recommended for adults
seeking
materials that contain bigger-picture thinking rather than
entertainment value
alone.
The result is a winning
story about a wise puppy who
takes the world's challenges and runs with them. It's a delightful
adventure
with more than a light dose of messages for kids about how to live
better, more
emotionally cognizant lives.
Return to Index
The Healing Star
A. Kidd
Publisher: Quiet Storm Publishing
LLC
978-1-7338992-0-8
(pbk)
$14.99
978-1-7338992-2-2
(ebook) $ 4.99
www.amazon.com
Email: a.kiddwrites@gmail.com
The Healing Star posits
a world in which a dying grandmother, who is protagonist Julia's
'cosmic twin',
may be healed by a particular kind of magic if Julia can find an old
falling
star with special stardust properties. Her goal is in keeping with
those in her
town who would catch such a star either for resale profit or to make
their
deepest wishes come true.
Julia sets out with a plan; but like most
plans, it's subject to change and life circumstances. Guided by her
ailing grandmother, who she calls Grammu, she must be
stronger and
braver than she's ever been before to confront the "magic in the sky"
that her grandmother has warned her about.
As advanced elementary to middle school
readers traverse Julia's world, they receive a fine combination of a
magical
journey and a coming-of-age story as Julia evolves to realize her own
powers
and how she can be more effective in her own life and
that of her
grandmother.
During a series of confrontations with
a lost girl and other characters who
also pursue a
different kind of goal for winning, Julia finds herself in a situation
where
she might be trapped forever as her beloved grandmother fades away. Can
she
defeat the One-Eyed Thief and develop a rare brand of
heroism while staying
true to her goals and heart?
A. Kidd cultivates a special sense of
magic in chronicling Julia's
struggles against the odds. To call it a fantasy alone would be to do
it an
injustice: The Healing Star is as
much a story of a young
girl's efforts to achieve the impossible as it is the tale of a town
steeped in
the magic and legend of stardust and the potentials and consequences of
seemingly unreachable dreams.
Ultimately, it's a story about living and
dying. Julia's efforts and choices lead to a surprising conclusion that
will
leave all ages with much food for thought and a warm feeling about the
powers
of The Healing Star and its true
impact.
Return to Index
ResQ and the
Baby
Orangutan
Eva J. Pell
Tumblehome, Inc.
978-1-943431-48-9
$13.95
https://tumblehomebooks.org/
ResQ and the Baby Orangutan reaches ages
9-12 with a vivid story
set in Indonesia and centered around animal rescue efforts, adding a
dash of
added sci-fi to keep the tale especially engrossing.
Mattias
Lanas adds
black and white drawings to enhance the story of boy genius Wheaton and
his
nature-loving cousin Stowe, who embark on their first adventure in
their animal
rescue organization when they fly their modified space shuttle to
Borneo to
find a missing baby orangutan, helped by a grandmother equally
determined to
influence a successful rescue mission.
Eva J. Pell
incorporates the atmosphere of Indonesia's jungles and peoples as she
presents
this vivid story, adding a realistic feel to events that swirl around
people and
animals: "We head north, and despite
our mature driver, people stop and stare. It’s not every day you see
what looks
like a pickup truck cab mounted on top of a speedboat on wheels. And
then, of
course, there’s us. Thanks to my Filipino grandparents, my hair and
eyes are
dark brown, a lot like the Indonesians, but blonde-haired Stowe, and
Ariella
with her white braid and pale skin, look nothing like the locals."
These
elements help
ground a story that also changes its perspectives to add additional
insights
from the characters, including notes from Stowe's journal of
observations,
which are a fine contrast to Wheaton's reasoned first-person narration
of
events in Borneo and journeys through Indonesia.
The result
is a
powerful story that invites preteens to learn more about Indonesia and
illegal
animal trafficking. Its facts are based on firsthand accounts of those
familiar
with both orangutans and Borneo, and this reality enhances an adventure
that
will not only entertain, but educates.
Return to Index
Shadow Kid
Jennifer Vaughn
Waldorf Publishing
978-1-64316-000-9
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
Eight-year-old
Gavin
faces many changes when family deaths lead to his move from New York to
New
Hampshire, where he begins to fall in with bullies in order to survive.
His
experiences and his high-flying evolution is narrated not from the
introductory
experience of a pre-teen, but from a father who plays with his daughter
and
assesses his role in her life and the past experiences which led him to
this
point.
The first
thing to
note about Shadow Kid is that it's
not a coming-of-age story, per se. Jennifer Vaughn's use of reflective
voice
and metaphor creates a read recommended for adult as well as mature
teen
audiences: "I was always a natural
assimilator. Like how the waves broke seamlessly along the shore, I
absorbed my
surroundings and became a part of them. I have done this so
entirely—like that
constant pulse of water—that no one ever knew we were there. Water was
like love
in that way, limitless and perpetual. Hayley’s innocence and
selflessness
proved that while our hearts may tarnish and fracture, they never
forget what
it felt like to love. I became what I needed to be in that decisive
moment: the
smooth operator she’d always known me to be. The steady dad who was
only on
this earth to be her father. The keeper of no secrets. The guardian of
my
daughter’s truths."
Indeed,
there are
many adult realizations here; from a break-in prank where participant
Gavin
discovers that a corrupt school principal is blaming thieves for his
own
pilfering of school money (but can't do anything about it) to learning
to fly,
having this become a driving force in his life, and turning 21 with a
pile of
cash in the bank and no sense of purpose.
While these
elements
(and a candid tone that includes swearing) would seem to indicate the
maturity
level of a Shadow Kid reader should
lie in adult realms, the novel is reviewed here because mature teen to
new
adult readers will gain much from the story.
Gavin does
more than
come of age: he solidifies his passions in life, learns what is behind
the
façade of persona once deeply-held lies are exposed, and cultivates a
life
purpose that is both far-reaching and thought-provoking: "It
was the deeper connection I’d been searching for, the chance
to tell important stories that shocked people, taught them or changed
them. I
could use television to do it. Was that the reason I was still here?
Was this
why I’d heard Amy in that field, in the exact spot where someone’s lost
heart
had found my broken one? What was my unfinished business? If I was here
to tell
other people’s stories, what would become of my own?"
This novel
reaches
out on many levels to explore Gavin's evolution as a young man, a
pilot, a
reporter, a father, and a journeyman. All ages will find Shadow
Kid compelling and nicely presented: a read perfect for
those interested in exploring the influences and sources of shadows in
their
own backgrounds.
Return to Index
Spoken:
A Novel
Melanie Weiss
Rosehip Publishing
978-0988609839
$9.99 Paper/$7.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0988609835
Roman
Santi is a rich Hollywood high school
freshman who materially has everything a young man could desire, but
who lacks
the guiding hand of a father.
When
his mother one day turns his world upside down,
he find himself in the Midwest, living on a sofa bed at his
grandparents' house
and entering a new high school. Everything is very different from
anything he's
known before in his privileged life, but the real changes aren't just
external.
Roman is also forced to delve into his own skill sets and ambitions to
take
charge of a life which, until now, has just been handed to him on a
silver
platter.
His
mother has gotten them well-off by living with a
rich Hollywood mogul, but her affair with another celebrity has landed
her on
the cover of a gossip magazine and ruined their plush situation. At
first Roman
feels like she has destroyed his life through her actions.
But
Chicago offers him a rare opportunity to do more
than blame his mother for their revised circumstances. This transition
dovetails nicely with the fifteen-year-old's coming of age and entry
into a
world with more responsibility and choice than he's ever known before.
As
Roman becomes interested in poetry and the Spoken
Word literary performance movement, his life changes even more—it
becomes one
of his own making.
Spoken
is not just another coming-of-age tale. It's about the power and
potential of a young man who receives mentoring from adults and peers,
and who
finds support and purpose in a revised life.
Melanie
Weiss draws readers into Roman's world by
using the first person to follow how he cultivates a revised
relationship with
his visiting mother and the rest of his family as he explores this
strange new
world. He's disarmingly savvy during this process, as teens often are: "I know the whole messy drama of why we
left L.A. has trickled down from parent to child and spread stealthily
around
the community...Mom and my friends spent the whole dinner talking about
boring
Hollywood stuff. She does not realize how confusing it is to have all
these
memories churn up again. It reminds me of when every day was golden and
the
hardest thing I had to think of was if Alex and I should fire up Call
of Duty
or Grand Theft Auto on my PlayStation."
Readers
will follow his blossoming maturity easily,
receiving a solid hand on the joystick of experience as Roman evolves
in his
own personal growth and relationships with others.
Young
adult readers of coming-of-age, rags-to-riches
stories will find Spoken: A Novel
holds more growth focus and insights on changing relationships than
most. It's
written with a compelling vision that has its finger on the pulse of
teen
concerns and family interactions.
Return to Index
Who
Will? Will You?
Sarah Hoppe
Blue Whale Press
978-1-7328935-1-1 (hardcover)
$16.99
978-1-7328935-2-8 (paperback)
$10.99
www.bluewhalepress.com
Who
Will? Will You?
is a picture book for ages 4-8 that receives lovely
colorful illustrations by Milanka Reardon as it explores a young
beachcomber's
unusual find at the seashore.
Lottie
never expected to find something bigger than a
shell, but a little pup tugs at her heartstrings and poses a problem
far
greater than locating the perfect shell.
Many
are interested in adopting Lottie's find...until
they look into her wagon after initial excitement. The story evolves to
question not only who will take charge of a stray, but why nobody will
do so.
A
fun, unexpected conclusion teaches kids not only
about shore life, but about what makes a welcoming home for a stray.
Kids who love beaches and parents who love thought-provoking messages will find Who Will? Will You? engrossing and fun.
Who Will? Will You?Return to Index
B.O.P.
Cancer: The
Fight is Real
April L. Jones, PhD.
Visionary Consulting
Services, LLC
978-1986062138
$25.00
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1986062139/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
In order to
understand the basic premise of B.O.P.
Cancer: The Fight is Real, a different approach to cancer
management, it is
first necessary to receive the definition of 'B.O.P' which Dr. Jones
provides
in the opening introduction of her book: "B.O.P
Cancer is the slang expression for knocking out (K.O.) cancer."
Why
'B.O.P'? It also serves as an acronym from the four types of cancer
addressed
in the book series (breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers).
B.O.P. Cancer fills many gaps in cancer
literature by providing a
self-help, psychological inspection of various approaches to cancer's
mental
and physical challenges and how to overcome cancer's mental effects.
This
strategy is, of
necessity, multifaceted. After a brief introduction (which prior
patients will
already know, but those newly diagnosed might need) of cancer's types,
diagnoses, stages, treatments and causes, Jones moves to the meat of
her
discussion: traversing stages of grief; employing mentally stimulating
puzzles
and exercises to distract and strengthen mental acuity, resilience, and
positive thinking; and covering all aspects of psychological self-help.
The
spiritual is not
neglected during this process. Readers receive discussions about spirit
animals, mantras, and other exercises and reflections which include
plenty of
fill-in invitations for self-help, supported by Biblical passages.
There is no
singular
approach or focus to B.O.P. Cancer,
which uses all tools, from traditional to new age, to address the
challenges of
dealing with cancer.
This
wider-ranging
approach than most gathers a plethora of resources under one cover,
offering
cancer patients and their caretakers a workbook template for positive
emotional
and spiritual reinforcement.
B.O.P. Cancer is a motivational guide
that shares stories, compiles
routines and approaches that work, and injects comfort and peace into a
chaotic
situation.
Cancer
patients and
their caregivers need to make this toolkit a part of their arsenal for
cultivating positive paths away from negativity, overwhelm, and chaos.
Return to Index
Heal
Yourself With
Journaling Power
Mari L. McCarthy
CreateWriteNow
978-1-5356-1677-5
$6.99
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QXTVW94/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_saVXCbTQ4SC36
Journaling
offers a
self-healing method that anybody can use to enrich their lives, and Heal Yourself With Journaling Power provides
an introduction to this resource for those who may have heard of it,
but who
are unaware of its many benefits.
Is it
possible for
writers to create a new life story just by putting pen to paper? Mari
L.
McCarthy demonstrates the wisdom of this approach not just by sharing
her own
life-changing process, but by interviewing others who used journaling
to heal
their lives.
Journaling
can be
used to funnel emotions such as anger into a 'safe' area of expression
for
cathartic relief: "Are you angry
because you’re struggling with health issues? Pour your raw, honest
thoughts
into your journal. Remember, Dr. Journal is there to listen to you
24/7, and
she doesn’t charge a dime. Everybody gets angry and upset. It’s part of
being
human. What sets us apart is how we deal with it. We all know it’s
never
healthy to keep things bottled up, but it can be equally as unhealthy
to
explode emotionally and verbally rage in front of others. On the other
hand,
verbally exploding into your journal can be courageous, combative, and
incredibly cleansing!
It can act
as a
thought and emotional organizer, exposing buried solutions to problems
which
simmer unresolved ("Journaling helps
you access and unlock what’s already inside you. And what you unlock
can be
amazing and really surprise you. In fact, what you’ll discover through
journaling is that within you is a treasure chest of answers and
solutions."), and most of all, it requires little
professional
guidance in order to prove an effective self-help method.
As McCarthy
and
fellow journalers explore their processes of writing and healing,
readers
receive a guide to "the cheapest form of therapy", along with
specific insights about why it works so well for so many: "Journaling allows you to break from this grind and
create a sense
of calm, so you can get clear on what you want. Even when you write
about
something bad that happened during your day, journaling empowers you to
release
it from your system, so you can focus more energy on good stuff to
come!"
While
McCarthy spends
a good deal of time outlining just how and why journaling works, she
also
attends to the nuts and bolts of how to journal: "Just
write in a stream of consciousness. You’re not trying to
impress anyone, justify your thoughts or emotions, or otherwise get
kudos for
being you. You are
not writing the final
draft of War
& Peace. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, recommends doing
three pages right as you wake up. We are in this wonderful half-asleep,
half-awake state, when the mind has very few of its usual protective
walls and
logical thinking built up around it for the day. This way, you are more
able to
access your unfiltered thoughts, not the primped for prime-time
thoughts. This
unfiltered writing can be very helpful in “dumping” a lot of negative
mental
chatter. If you can’t see it, you can’t change it."
No
professional can
take the place of self-examination and self-knowledge. Journaling
offers a
method of tapping into these inner resources, and Heal
Yourself With Journaling covers the why and how of that
process. All that's required from readers is a willingness to put pen
to paper
more effectively, and to consider enacting the changes that flow from
journaling's revelations.
Readers
interested in
self-help psychology will find these approach and insights invaluable,
making Heal Yourself With Journaling a
'must'
for anyone who would use their own inner wisdom to heal and change.
Return to Index
The
Darkness of PFC
Petkoff: and Other Stories
Andrew Ashleigh Kozelka
Independently Published
978-1521862124
$9.99 Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Darkness-PFC-Petkoff-other-stories/dp/1521862125
The
Darkness of PFC Petkoff: and Other Stories
is historical short fiction at its best, offering a
literary and revealing examination of individuals from other cultures
who face
controversies and life-changing moments. This cross-cultural inspection
injects
a seasoned blend of historical and social insights into every tale,
creating an
engrossing, involving set of 15 short stories with various settings in
a
mythologized mid-20th century milieu.
Take
the introductory
story 'The Octopus', for example. Take the introductory story 'The
Octopus',
for example. A spear fisherman faces a rare find in a pool, but it
turns out
that his increasing obsession with capturing it holds roots in a need
to
survive. As hunger drives both, a struggle ensues over who will become
master
of the small space that each wants all for himself.
'The
Man Who Was Ready'
tells of Jason, who faces police action in the imaginary country of Zagastan, retribution for
being an American,
and cultivates a suffocating paranoia in response to his foreign
surroundings.
His navigation through what he perceives as a series of dangerous
possibilities
documents a country which 'hangs in the balance' much as his mental
state.
However active his imagination, the danger is real, and sets the stage
for a
final battle and dubious victory.
Each
story gives pause for
thought about efforts to survive, change, and relate to one's world.
Readers
looking for a
literary, diverse collection of short stories that center on the human
condition and its mercurial transition points will relish Andrew
Ashleigh
Kozelka's probe of the heart of darkness both within the human psyche
and
stemming from environmental encounters beyond individual control.
Return to Index
Gathered at a Bitter Cup:
Short Stories of Trouble at
Home
Diane Rosier Miles
Independently
Published
ASIN: B07HFHY6WC
$.99
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFHY6WC
Three short
stories
in Gathered at a
Bitter Cup center
upon family life and struggle, offering pointed
observations from both parent and child as they traverse lives
challenged by
family relationships and perspectives.
'Coldhearted'
comes
from the perspective of Jake, an adult "child made bold by a tantrum"
who faces the challenges of aging parents who continue to ignore Jake's
now-sage advice. Jake's elderly parents are in declining
health, and he
is a caretaker both considerate and resentful about the changes which
have
moved him from child to adult in this family.
A powerful
snapshot
of aging and angst is created as Jake faces the inevitable without the
help of
his parents.
'The
Consolation of
Barn Swallows' takes quite a different path as it presents the
nature-savvy
figure of old farmer Fred Stride who, at age 70, has faced storms
throughout
his life. Having lost his wellspring and much younger wife Linda, Fred
is back
to facing fields and weather alone.
It would
seem he's
faced the biggest challenges and come through them, but when a swallow
dies in
his hand, he is forced to reconsider the choices which have led him
both to
this point in time and to the junctures in his life which have created
isolation in his later years.
'Veterans of
Domestic
Wars' follows Captain Patricia Harding as she interacts with her family
as a
former soldier in the army and as a disabled mother. Her effectiveness
and
choices also come to the forefront as she interacts with angry children
and a
drunk handyman who represents yet another battle in her life.
These are
succinct,
hard-hitting, well-crafted pieces that excel in vignettes of
individuals who
have each been isolated by circumstance and attitude alike.
Readers
seeking short
stories which read quickly but hold deceptively captivating portraits
of
powerful moments in time that linger in heart and mind long after the
concluding sentence will find Gathered at a Bitter Cup a powerful drink, flavored with the roots of
bitter lives and thwarted dreams.
Return to Index