Silver's Reviews

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2012-01-24T20:51:00.000-05:00

I have been selected as a nominee for the Top Writing Blogs Award!

Voting for the competition beings today, January 24, 2012!

Visitors may vote as many times as they’d like during the voting period, which will continue through February 3, 2012, at 5 PM EST.

Please click on the button in the top right corner to get to the voting page or click on the button at the top of this post.

Once you get to the voting page, you will see a list of nominees.

Please put a check mark in the box next to my blog name:

Silver's Reviews.....and press the VOTE BUTTON.

If you don't mind, please ask others you know to vote.

THANK YOU.

And the Contest Winner is......

2012-01-23T07:45:00.000-05:00

CONTEST WINNER IS:

#10 - Lisa

CONGRATS!!!

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL WHO ENTERED THE GIVEAWAY.

Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice

2012-01-15T15:14:00.000-05:00

A garment show in a week, late hours, working on the weekends, and then a dead body shows up. Oh no…..a very unwelcome setback.

Jeremy was the one who was standing over Gracie when Laura walked into the office that Sunday morning. Could he have killed her or just found her on the floor with a scarf wrapped around her neck? Hmmmmm.....with material fragments on his hands and clothes, and his being the only one in the office, who else could they suspect? No one for now, but Laura couldn't believe Jeremy killed Gracie, and since Laura was in love with him she tried to find out who really did strangle Gracie.

Regardless, the police arrested Jeremy, and their investigation continued while he was in jail. Laura also was conducting her own investigation, but it wasn't going very well for her. She kept trying to figure out who besides Jeremy would have a reason to kill Gracie. Perhaps Carmella killed him and not Jeremy for no other motive than a good old-fashioned garment district reason? Or how about her husband who found out about her affair. Or more likely what about Mario who may have done it out of sheer jealousy. And....there definitely was a lot of jealousy and competition in the office and throughout the entire garment industry from what I could see.

The book allows a glimpse into what goes into the preparation for a garment show and the mindset of the garment industry’s men and women. If you are a "fashionista" you will definitely enjoy this book. The clothes sound marvelous. There are also funny scenes...one particular one was when Laura and her sister were trying to get into an upscale restaurant without reservations.

Miss Demaio-Rice is a talented story teller. She will make you laugh, have you sympathizing with the characters, make you wonder about some of them and what they are thinking, make you believe that you have the mystery solved, and then she throws something in to get you off track.

She will definitely make you want to be part of the craziness and fun going on in her book and make you want to be friends with all of characters or at least work with them.

The book was first-rate in terms of humor, characters, and plot. DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK is a witty, entertaining book you won't want to miss. 5/5

Give Away of THE WICKED WIVES

2012-01-07T08:10:00.002-05:00

CONTEST HAS ENDED....SEE NEW POST FOR THE LUCKY WINNER!!!

THANKS TO ALL 34 FOLKS WHO ENTERED.

Don't Miss Out on the Chance to Win

THE WICKED WIVES by Gustine Pelagatti

A Paperback copy of the book sent to you by the author can be yours when you sign up for the giveaway.

Giveaway Guidelines:

You must be a resident of the USA.
You must be a new follower or an old follower.
You must complete the entry form by clicking here.

THANKS, and good luck.

Contest Ends on

January 22, 2012

The Confession by Charles Todd

2012-01-05T18:57:00.002-05:00

Furnham was a fishing town with very unfriendly residents that could spot an unfriendly outsider immediately when he walked into town. Ian Rutledge was the stranger that screamed police, and the residents screamed nothing but coldness and silence. What could they be hiding, and why would they deny that they knew anything about the dead man in the photo when he had relatives in the town and had lived there nearby as a child? The residents of Furnham were an odd lot with loyalty to each other and the entire town.

Rutledge definitely felt all the answers to the murdered man were in this small fishing town, but getting the information was going to prove to be difficult. He returned time after time much to the anger of the town’s residents, but the clues were there....they just had to be “dug” out. Another thing to consider too.....was the current investigation connected to past people and past disappearances and murders? Is that why the town was so closed mouthed?

Don’t miss out on this one ……Ian was on another great investigation in this Todd mystery and, of course, Hamish was there as well. The setting, the twists and turns of the storyline, the subplots, and the fascinating, well-described characters will again keep you involved and turning the pages.

I always look forward to an Ian Rutledge mystery....you get completely involved with the story and characters. 5/5

The Starlite Drive-in by Marjorie Reynolds

2011-12-29T12:36:00.001-05:00

Callie Anne wasn’t looking forward to yet another boring summer at the drive-in theater her father managed, but was it really going to be boring?

Callie Anne was pleasantly surprised that this summer was completely unlike any other summer once Memphis arrived. She was twelve, and Memphis was a drifter that had been hired to help her father with some of the chores at the drive-in. Callie Anne was enamored by Memphis, but didn't like how he seemed to care for her mother more than he cared for her. He was always polite to Callie Anne and her mother...so much nicer than her father who was gruff and condescending to them both.

The book centers on Callie Anne and her life with her domineering father and agoraphobic mother. Callie Anne is an endearing, innocent, tomboyish character and is the story's narrator. Through the author's skill, you can feel Callie Anne’s emotions when things happen to her...things that were caused either by her father's cruelty or from her mother's fears of venturing outside the house. Descriptions of the characters, their feelings, and every day events are very vivid and at times gripping. It is an enticing read that took me back to the time of drive-in movies and stay-at-home moms.

Callie Anne's mother, Teal, is a pathetic woman that you can't feel anything but sorrow for. She won't leave the house because of her fears, and her husband, Claude, is always critical to the point of being cruel to her.

Claude is not a likeable person at all...you will want to put him in his place. Memphis is a likeable character and brings a different component to the story....sweetness but wariness on the part of the reader. A few minor folks appear at times and add that extra touch needed to round out certain scenes. Aunt Bliss was Teal's rough sister and Virgil was the concession stand worker. Both Aunt Bliss and Virgil helped add essence to the story and to Callie Anne's character.

The book is a quick, nostalgic read that begins in Callie Anne’s adult life during a police investigation occurring on the drive-in’s property and then shifts to Callie Anne’s childhood. Her childhood is the main focus of the book, and is the connection to the opening pages. I truly enjoyed the book's theme, the characters, and the storyline. The storyline was indeed interesting because it combined bitter and sweet, nostalgia, childhood fears, suspense, innocence of the era, and misfortune on each character's part each in his/her way.

5/5

2011-12-27T14:58:00.002-05:00

This challenge will run from January 1st, 2012 until December 31st, 2012.

You can join anytime. The host of the event is http://www.babiesbooksandsigns.com/2011/12/join-my-z-book-challenge.html

If you are blogger, leave the link to your actual post about this challenge.

If you are not a blogger, leave a link to where you will be keeping track of this challenge.

So there are two different ways you can set up your own A-Z challenge.

A – Make a list now of 26 books, picking one for each letter of the alphabet. For example: A – Atonement B- Black Beauty C – The Count of Monte Cristo D – Dances with Dragons etc.
OR

B – The lazy way (how I do it) : Make a list on your blog from A-Z. Throughout the year, as you go along, add the books you are reading to the list. Hope that by the end of the year you have read one book for each letter. Towards the end of the year, you can check and see which letters you are missing and find books to fit.
Each month, I will add another challenge to this main challenge. It might to read a book with both A and Z in the title or to read a book with 3 words that all start with the same letter. I might host a few random giveaways too for good measure. If you’ve got some idea for the mini-challenges, send them to the host by clicking here!!!

Since it is really hard to find titles beginning with X, the letter X just needs to be in the title somewhere.

So to join along….

1. Write a blog post about this challenge and whether you are going go with A or B.
2. Add the button to your blog.
3. Attach yourself to the linky.
4. Follow my blog so that you can see when I post the monthly challenge!

I am doing the Lazy B way. :)

My A-Z Titles:

A.

B.

C. (THE) CONFESSION by Charles Todd

D. DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK by Christine DeMaio-Rice

E.

F.

G.

H.

I.

J.

K.

L.

M.

N.

O.

P.

Q.

R.

S.

T.

U.

V.

W.

X.

Y.

Z..

Welcome to Fred by Brad Whittington

2011-12-27T09:49:00.000-05:00

What a refreshing, inspirational book with many amusing situations that anyone will be able to relate to. Welcome to Fred, which is a town in Texas, allows the reader to follow Mark Cloud through the years, the different towns his family lived in, the pain of being the new kid in town, the “mark” of being a PK…Preacher’s Kid, and his need as every teenager of trying to fit in.

The main focus of the book is on Mark and his escapades with Mark as the narrator.

Mark is a precocious character full of life and energy. He meets a friend named M on their first move, and they share adventures together....he lamented that he never found a friend like M ever again. They share their knowledge of the Bible, secret visits to a homeless woman, and their love of reading. The adventures he and M shared were described in detail, and the character descriptions are wonderful. The book is filled with great stories and adventures that pertain to everyday life. It is a quick read and keeps your interest.

Mr. Whittington did a very nice job of developing the story, and he will make you think about everyday things while giving them a new meaning for you.

If you need a book that will lift your spirits, make you think, appreciate everyday occurrences and life itself, and also make you laugh, please take the time to read Welcome to Fred.

The Wicked Wives by Gus Pelagatti

2011-12-12T18:11:00.000-05:00

This book has been placed on my all-time favorites list.

Stop by the site below if you can and make a comment please.

http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/blog/2011/12/review-the-wicked-wives-by-gus-pelagatti/

A true story from Philadelphia in 1938 that puzzled the police.

Lovers, drugs, gangs, the mafia, secret meetings, big insurance policies, dead husbands….that is what the Wicked Wives were made of.

These wives had many things in common and one of them was planning how to murder their husbands and not get caught so they could collect the insurance money. All this resulted in one dead husband after another, and the doctor listed the deaths from a rampant bout of pneumonia occurring in the city of Philadelphia. The wicked wives were not alone in the planning, though. The mastermind of the wicked wives’ plots was Giorgio…a tailor who was only out for himself and who had women wrapped around his lies.

The book is filled with corruption and “seedy” dealings and characters. It is very character-driven with each character more interesting than the next. Despite their flaws and wicked ways, every character made you want to learn more about their past. You won’t hate any of the characters….you will want to learn why and how they turned out the way they did. They actually are quite an interesting mix.

The character descriptions were outstanding. Each of the wicked wives came packed with a lot of interesting details and mischief. The wives are mostly well-to-do, bored and unsavory underneath, but you can’t put the book down because you will want to find out what they are up to next. There actually is a “wives” club with a leader named The Lady in Black. She is always disguised and no one will reveal who she is, but you do find out in the end…AND…you will be surprised. The male characters are also colorful, humorous, mostly Italian, and deadly. All the characters are based on real-life people.

The book is a mix of history and personal lives. If you are a history buff, you will definitely want to research this era. The police work, the courts, and the way medical advice and “doctoring” was done will definitely be of interest.

The main characters Lillian and Giorgio are quite a pair. Lillian always gets her man/men. She even has an affair with her uncle before and after her husband’s demise. Giorgio is a gigolo who won’t stop with one woman. He has a past of ruthless killings. Since he is Sicilian, he states that he won’t kiss and tell nor will he “rat” on anyone. He keeps everyone anonymous…his women and his deeds.

The good guys are far and few in between. Even the police are corrupt except for Tom Rossi, who was Giorgio’s childhood friend. They both suffered ethnic slurs and tormenting as they grew up, but Tom made something of himself….he actually became the Assistant D.A. Tom was an honest District Attorney and had a girlfriend who became quite an interesting person in the Philly Poison Ring and in her connection with the wicked wives.

Uncle Bill Evans, was a cop on the take and was always doing underhanded things to make himself look good and to protect himself and Lillian. He gave Tom a lot of trouble because of his girlfriend and because Tom was interfering with the investigation of the death of Lillian’s husband.

This book was very well written and fast-paced. I really enjoyed this book despite all the corruption and “seedy” things going on. It definitely held my interest especially because of the depth of the characters, but also because of the subject matter, the time in history, the humor, and how people lie and commit horrible acts for money and love. I highly recommend reading this book if you are a history buff and/or of Italian descent. This would make a fantastic movie. 5/5

City of Whispers by Marcia Muller

2011-12-11T18:54:00.004-05:00

What could he have done now? Where has he been? Why does he show up when he needs something and then not allow us to know where he is?

Those were questions Shar asked herself after she received an e-mail from her constantly absent half-brother, Darcy. She always helped him out, but she couldn't help if she couldn't find him. She was worried that this time he was truly in deep trouble.

The story takes place in San Francisco in wealthy neighborhoods and also in squalor. You can guess where they were looking for Darcy. The book centered on the search for Darcy and also on his role in the murder of Gaby. His return to the city prompted the re-investigation of Gaby's murder.

The chapters were divided into the book’s characters describing each character's role in the search for Darcy. Luckily Shar and her co-workers were good at detective work.

Each suspect in the murder had something to hide and each suspect kept quiet. Gaby had been dead for two years, and opening up the investigation caused those involved to become alarmed and to hide more secrets and cover up what happened with more murders. There were some characters who you would readily suspect and others that will surprise you. The characters were likable, and they all had their secrets….”Secrets, damned secrets.” Page 193 According to Sharon, secrets were the root of all evil….she even had some of her own.

This is the first Sharon McCone mystery I have read. Not bad, but not a gripper.

The author, Marcia Muller, has a good writing style, and I liked how she set up each chapter. It became more gripping toward the end. I would not be opposed to reading more of Ms. Muller’s work. 4/5

Child of Eynhallow by Anne Kinsey

2011-12-04T13:56:00.000-05:00

Being an outcast isn't pleasant. Being an outcast in twelfth-century England is twice as bad.

Isabel Cole was an outcast from the beginning of her life and had to deal with many things alone. She didn't know about her family's life before she was born, but the villagers had their ideas.

Isabel had to endure unpleasant half-brothers. She had to endure a father who never smiled except at his sons; and she had to endure life in a convent. Isabel was an outstanding student at the convent and learned to read and to become a lady. She visited her village at times on her few hours of free time.

When Isabel was in the village, she always wondered why the woman labeled as a witch smiled at her whenever she saw her. Isabel found out why she smiled at her....she was related to this woman. The woman was the sister of Isabel's grandmother, and her name was Alis.

One night after Isabel escaped from the convent and went to see Alis, Alis gave Isabel the details of their family history. The story describing these women and how their difficult lives and their herbal cures, which were defined by the village people as witchcraft, was quite intriguing. In fact, each of the book's characters, the men included, was interesting.

The way of thinking during the twelfth century is quite different in terms of religion, unmarried women, and specifically witchcraft. Anne Kinsey takes the reader through the lives of Mara, Alis, Nan, and Isabel, and ends in the present with Isabel's life. Learning about their complicated, different lives as twelfth-century women kept me turning the pages.

The book also kept my attention because of the time period, because it was set in Scotland and northern England, and of course because of the storyline. I totally enjoyed the descriptions of the Scottish mainland and the islands. I always enjoy reading about Medieval times and how people lived and worked.

Anne Kinsey has a great way of writing that draws you in. She is very descriptive, and she weaves you into the story. You feel as though you have put yourself in the scenes and also into the characters' hearts. From her descriptions, you will take on the emotions of every character.

Her writing style will keep you interested and anxiously waiting to learn more about the family, their daily life, and how the generations all came about. It is an enjoyable, distinctive read. Don't miss out on this book. 5/5

The Defector by Mark Chisnell

2011-11-24T19:13:00.003-05:00

Games, drugs, risks, and lots of illegal money....that is what Janac was made of, and what he underhandedly pulled Martin into whether Martin wanted in or not.

Martin had flown to Thailand because of his guilt from a traffic accident, a girl, and the loss of his lucrative job. Martin had been a successful financial banker until an accident that ruined his life. He wasn't in this accident, but he had been the cause of it and the cause of the deaths of eighteen people. You will like Martin and feel his agony and concerns about what he unintentionally got himself into with Janac and how he realizes there is no way out.

Janac is someone you at first think is going to be a good friend since he saved Martin from some thugs. It turned into exactly the opposite...Janac was evil and someone to be feared and someone who made it lethal and fatal if you didn't comply with his requests. You will hate Janac as quickly as you were thankful for his appearing on the scene to rescue Martin.

Janac is a player of dangerous mind games. The "games" Janac plans for Martin and others get more dangerous each time, and Martin can't escape Janac's grip and power. Much to Martin's disgust, the games continue with nothing he can to do but comply.

The first and recurring game Martin's fate was hinging on was a game called: The Prisoner's Dilemma. This game involved decisions of choosing to care only for oneself or caring for others with major consequences for either choice. Janac's games were a means of control that gave him the power he wanted and gave his "victims" no choice but to play along.

Martin described the evilness of Janac like this: "I can't convey the nature of that voice. It was beyond bad, beyond threatening, beyond evil.". Page 57

THE DEFECTOR is an outstanding thriller right until the last page...you never know when Janac or any of his counterparts may appear or who really is working with him. It is all about control, cruelty, and payback in the name of money and drugs. You will follow Martin through all of the terror and hope he makes the correct decision in Janac's games.

This book has a decision after decision plot.....decisions that yield only an outcome of life or death.....nothing in between.

So, dear reader, you have no choice but to read this book….make that very smart decision. You won’t regret it….gripping, intense, intriguing. 5/5

Wallflower by Holly-Jane Rablens

2011-11-19T20:21:00.000-05:00

Molly Lenzfeld always considered herself a wallflower. She said no one ever asked her to dance or paid attention to her since she was so tall. Coming from New York City and being in Berlin while her father was working as a theoretical chemist was an adventure for her in more than one way.

On Thanksgiving Day, she was on her way to see where her mother had lived as a child. She was not to be gone the entire day, but as she rode the subway system, a handsome young man caught her fancy and she caught his.

The book tells of their day and how Molly turned a trip to visit the town where her mother lived into a love story.

The book is a quick, sweet read. You get to experience the emotions Molly experiences as she is with this stranger whom she feels is her real first love.

The author did a great job with conversation which made up the most of the book. I really enjoyed the chapter titles....they were clever and stretched your imagination concerning what was going to happen in the next few pages.

You will love Molly...a sweet, innocent character who wears her emotions on her sleeve. Mike her friend from the subway is an interesting character as well. He is unique in his dress, his humor, and his manner.

I would recommend this to anyone who has an interest in love...and that would probably be just about all of us.

Excellent book...well written and interesting content. It is a true love story with added suspense and hope. 5/5

Chasing the Red Car by Ellen Ruderman

2011-11-06T21:05:00.002-05:00

A book about politics, a young girl's life, her liberal attitude, and US history during the McCarthy Era.

Kim's liberal attitude started at home. She called her parents by their first names without any objection from them, but even though Kim was free to call her parents by their first names, she had to walk on egg shells because of her mother. She never knew what would set her off. Her parents' constant fighting was very unsettling for Kim and her younger sister. The summer before Kim was to enter high school, her father had a job change, and a move was necessary.

Their move from New York to California was quite traumatic for Kim, but her mother was excited. The move/drive to California actually was a humorous part of the book.

When they did arrive at their new home, not much had changed with her parents, and the teenage concern about school and finding friends was utmost in Kim's mind. She did find a good friend with whom she shared adventures….they remained friends into adulthood. Kim commented: "No matter how bad things get at home, when I'm on this trolley and were going someplace, life is good." Page 55.

School also became a haven for her writing and for her political views that were published in a school newspaper. Her haven became as chaotic as her home life after tragedy struck her favorite teacher, Mr. Samuels.

High school ended, and Kim enrolled in UCLA. The troubles at home continued, but she met a man who helped her through them and through school. He made her forget what was going on at home and what had made her the way she has been her entire life. Lucien made her realize she had to live her life and complete whatever she needed to do for herself. He was the love of her life and she of his….so they thought.

The book moves through Kim's life at the university and then jumps forward to her adult life. She had a great deal of heartache in her life because of family problems...tissues needed at times.

The story of Kim Lebow kept my interest for the most part, but since I am not political or liberal, portions of the book were not to my liking. The storyline veered away from liberalism as it moved into Kim's adulthood and was on a more personal level, but then her life and the story came full circle and many answers were revealed to her. The book was very well written and brought attention to social as well as mental issues which can ruin lives.

Not sure what to rate it....I liked the personal level, but truly didn't like the political and liberal aspect.

Moonlight on Linoleum by Terry Helwig

2011-10-30T19:17:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 50's.....Grandma and Grandpa taking care of children, Mom gone, only Dad. Doesn't sound like the 50's to me....sounds more like the way families are today.

Moonlight on Linoleum is a nostalgic trip back to a life that should have been filled with stable families, but it had two sweet girls who were left with their father and grandparents in Iowa while Mama fulfilled dreams of her own.

And…..Mama wasn't done fulfilling her dreams...more sisters arrived and more new schools. Mama liked to go out and leave Terry in charge. One year the girls were in their third school, but at least with this move they had a house to live in instead of a cramped apartment. That didn't last too long, though. They moved again, and Mama kept on with her antics and with Terry in charge of the girls.

Wow...what an outstanding memoir. This memoir definitely held my interest and made me feel for the children and how they had to endure their childhood as always the new kid at school and not really a kid at home since they always had to do chores that were an adult's. It is hard to believe how resilient we are as children.

This sentence stuck with me: "How was it possible that moonlight on linoleum, washed with my tears, could be so achingly beautiful?" Page 218 I shed and shared Terry’s tears as I read this incredible book.

I have to call you marvelous, Terry. Being able to live like you did as a child and to turn out like you did is truly amazing. You are such a goodhearted person and such a good daughter and above all a WONDERFUL, loving sister.

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff

2011-10-19T21:19:00.003-04:00

Maurice had never met anyone like Laura and Laura had never met anyone like Maurice. They were from two different worlds. Laura doesn't know why she stopped and turned back after Maurice asked her for some money, but she is glad she did.

Through Maurice, Laura learned about the life he and thousands of others were living on a daily basis....not a pleasant life at all. Laura was helping Maurice to live a better life at least one day a week, and it seemed to be paying off since she could see a change in him even though he had to go back to his horrible living conditions after he left her.

As well as learning about the living conditions of others, the author also gave the reader a chance to find out that her childhood/family life was not very easy.....her father was an abusive alcoholic, and her mother sat by not being able to defend herself or her children. Obviously the author's childhood and the childhood of her brothers and sisters had an impact on their entire life and on her decision to turn back and fulfill Maurice’s plea for help.

The descriptions in the book are very detailed and heartbreaking but also heartwarming. You will become a part of the lives of every character and you will feel their pain and happiness.

An Invisible Thread is the perfect title for this book. The book brought to the surface that we all have a connection to other human beings even though that connection may not be outwardly visible.

I truly enjoyed the book because of the honesty of feelings and of human kindness and human connection. This is a must read. Laura Schroff is a brave woman to reveal all this about her life, but it definitely will make you realize that no matter how small the gesture may be, we can make a difference for someone else. 5/5

While I Was Learning to Become God by Roxana Jones

2011-10-14T18:49:00.002-04:00

A beautifully written and detailed book. A story that will make you feel as though you are actually living that specific moment with Sybil.

You will find out about Sybil's unhappy, overly protected childhood and how she dealt with it all and how it affected her entire life. You will find out about the angel Sybil listened to and the angel she doubted as she got older. Her strong-willed mother, loveless childhood, and times of poverty definitely affected her life decisions.

Despite any setbacks in her life, though, she managed to find her inner peace.

This quote early in the book sums up the emotional state of the book. It is an enjoyable read as well as a heart wrenching and soul searching book.

Page 16 - "It was the beginning of her emotional relationship with people other than the family she'd been born into. Aura was the first person who hurt her. From her, she would learn about bitterness and frustration, about the failure of some human beings to see that hate is only an inch from love, and that we have in us the power to join them or keep them apart."

If you want a book that will make you think and listen to your inner yourself, you will want to read Sybil's story.

Eleanor Roosevelt's Life of Soul Searching and Self Discovery by Ann Atkins

2011-10-07T19:03:00.001-04:00

Just in time for Eleanor’s birthday on October 11. :)

A childhood of neglect and a feeling of inadequacy is how Eleanor Roosevelt grew up.

Her marriage to her fifth cousin was no better for her self-esteem....Franklin Delanor Roosevelt was a womanizer with a mother who had control over him and also Eleanor. Eleanor was a woman of the era in which she lived, and she live it well and the way a woman was expected to live even at her expense. She was a powerful woman despite the way she had to live, and then she realized she could make a difference and came out of her shell to do remarkable things in history. She thankfully is our history.

The book was very well researched....I learned many facts I was not aware of. It was a splendid re-living of history for me. I didn't know Eleanor was at the heart of the New Deal and many other programs....I must not have been paying attention in history class. The beautiful photos also enhanced the story.

The author, Ann Atkins, asked if you want to order a book it is best to do it from her web site - better price, free shipping and some of the proceeds go to charity.

Ann Atkins

www.annatkins.com

Peace at the Edge of Uncertainty by Neil Hanson

2011-10-01T15:01:00.001-04:00

"Standing beside the bed with Julie, I felt Erik's spirit as clearly as I saw his face, and it was obvious that a circle had begun to close - a circle that had been incomplete before he entered the room." Page 40 & 41.

I believe in this circle too...I believe we begin to come full circle with our life and the lives of our brothers and sisters when the circle is complete with love for each other that is there, but many times not expressed. I think it is a beautiful closure for everyone.

This is an extremely introspective book that will make the reader think about his/her life and the relationship with family and especially one's parents.

Do you we really know another person the way we should know them....how they feel, how they perceive/perceived things? Or...is it better to not know the "all" about the life of our parents as we grew up and our relationship with them.

There is also a theme of forgiveness throughout the book. It was difficult to get started, but once you begin reading this short book, you will want to continue so you can compare your life to what is going on in the book and perhaps make changes in relationships before it will be a regret for you. 4/5

Daughters of Iraq by Revital Shiri-Horowitz

2011-09-28T17:43:00.001-04:00

A novel of three women who were staunch believers in their families and their religion.

Daughters of Iraq allows the reader into the lives of Farida, Nao, and Violet. Their lives were shared through everyday situations, through diaries, and through memories. Each woman had a dream of her own, but they all had their family and their religion as the base of all of their dreams. You learn how each woman is different yet the same. The descriptions of the characters in terms of physical as well emotional is phenomenal...that definitely is the strong point of the novel. Shiri-Horowitz's writing is flawless.

I really enjoyed learning about each woman. You will be able to clearly visualize each one of them as their stories unfold. A few poignant pages that contained a letter from Noa's father could apply to any son or daughter and will make you do some strong intro-spection....it actually brought tears to my eyes. Learning about the immigration from Iraq to Israel and information about the Jewish holidays and celebrations was truly educational.

The only negative for me was that I couldn't keep all the characters straight, but the author thoughtfully placed a glossary indicating which character was which and in what chapter they were introduced. She also had a dictionary with explanations of the words and expressions used throughout the book.

The book definitely held my interest, and even though the difficulty of identifying who was who did cause a stumbling block for me, I am rating the book a 5/5 simply because of the exceptional content and lesson learned from each of the women. I eventually did figure out the connection between everyone. ENJOY!!!

Meet Mary A. Berger author of A Trip to the Water's Edge

2011-09-23T17:17:00.000-04:00

Mary Berger graciously agreed to be a guest author and do an interview on my blog.

Welcome to you, Mary.

About the Author

A native of Michigan, where she earned her arts degree, Mary A. Berger is an author whose writing has appeared in the Saturday Evening Post, Lady's Circle, and Today's Family, as well as in various small press publications and her local newspaper, the Times News.

She currently occupies her time with the Friends of Henderson County Public Library, The Michigan Club, her homeowners association, her pottery, and her church. Married 52 years, Mary has two daughters, four grandchildren, and two "greats."

Book available for purchase through Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

Take a couple of fun-loving gals who witness a murder, add to that a food poisoning problem, throw in some fun with an aerobics class and a laughable attempt to "cook from a real recipe," and you have the makings for another hilarious adventure with Mattie Mitchell in A Trip to the Water's Edge, the sequel to the equally comical novel, The Trouble with Mattie, the first in the Mattie Mitchell Mystery Series.

Interview Q & A:

When did you first feel the urge to write?

I probably knew writing would be a part of my future, when I’d dash off six- or seven-page letters to my cousins. The problem was, I rarely heard back from them. They may have thought that if they didn’t respond, I might stop sending such long-winded letters. In grade school, I once “wrote” a book for a class assignment. My teacher praised my efforts. She might have influenced me greatly, when she told me—in front of the whole class—that I should become a writer. That’s pretty heady stuff for a fourth-grader to hear.

What finally got you started in actually writing a book?

The gift (to myself) of a laptop computer was a stepping stone on my road to writing, or I should say rewriting, a book. Actually, I had composed The Trouble with Mattie some time ago but was unable to find a publisher. So my Mattie book sat in a box in my closet for years. After retyping and updating the entire book manuscript on my new computer, I felt in my heart that I had something important to say, not earthshaking, but important to me. So I entered the world of electronic self-publishing, and here I am.

What do you bring from your life that adds to your writing?

Being a “people watcher” has always been a habit of mine, and it’s possible that’s had some influence in describing my characters. Years ago, my husband and I would visit the airport, the mall, or other places where folks gathered. We’d pick up ice cream cones and sit back watching people come and go, while we’d work on our ice cream. Little did I realize how much of that experience got tucked into my memory bank.

On another note, my family consisted of twenty aunts and uncles, plus 26 cousins, and an English grandfather. “Grampy” would prop my sister and me on his lap and astound us with his stories of working in Australia and Africa, and of the people and their songs. Again, watching and observing my own family members became a learning experience in itself. It’s amazing—and fortunate, in my case—how much of our childhood gets locked into our brain, especially on the creative side.

Do you use external supports in writing? such as a writing program or an ongoing editor?

For my books, I have ongoing editors who help make “repairs” on some of the things I’ve botched up. Not only are they supportive, they’re encouraging as well. Editing newsletters has helped my writing experience, too. In addition, I have participated in creative writing groups in Ohio, Michigan, and here in North Carolina. Currently, I’m a member of The Read on Western North Carolina and the North Carolina Writers’ Network.

Is there a theme that runs through your writing?

Humor appears in nearly everything I write. My one attempt at writing serious fiction turned out sounding like the world’s worst soap opera. So I decided to stick to humorous writing. I try to use a humorous approach to “doing the right thing.” In my Mattie’s Mysteries books, I try to put my main character, Mattie, in places where she gets into all kinds of comical situations, and trouble, in her effort to do the right thing.

One of the offshoots of writing funny is that we can sometimes make ourselves laugh at our own humor. And that’s a positive.

What writers have influenced you?

Garrison Keillor is one of my favorite writers of humor. I can pick up Lake Wobegon Days and be in stitches in two minutes. Janet Evanovich’s books are another favorite, not so much for content but for style. I also admire subtle humor, such as that found in John Grisham’s The Testament.

How has your writing evolved over time?

I’d like to think my writing has gotten funnier. But I would imagine that’s what most humor writers (and probably comedians) hope for themselves. I do feel that my writing has gotten more crisp, more tight. When people tell me they laughed out loud while reading my books, well, that says a lot.

How do you promote your books?

My blog site, mattiesmysteries.blogspot.com, is my main contact with the writing world. I also make myself available for readings/discussions at our library and its branches, book clubs, private organizations, etc. This year, I participated in our area’s BookFest, where I sold books and made a couple of contacts not only with editors but with other authors, as well. Of course, my business cards and bookmarks are always with me to distribute wherever I can. Word of mouth is another important way to spread the word about my books. It also helps to have 26 cousins who are willing to help!

How do you promote your web site?

I use a blog site, which is promoted by my editors through other book blogs and internet book search sites.

I didn't have an opportunity to read the book, but it sounds like a great read.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

2011-09-17T21:30:00.001-04:00

A lie from the first moment they met....Ralph knew she wasn't the girl he had placed an ad for.

But Catherine never thought twice about how she lied to this man she was going to marry and how her destitute life before Ralph made her such a phony…but the lying didn't even faze her.

Her life before Ralph Truitt was always in her blood and on her mind...the men, the late nights, the lights, the music. But she had to not let it interfere with her life as she knew it now. She pretended that her previous life never existed even though she longed for her old life style. She had to "play" the part of a reliable, demure wife who had no history.

Neither had been honest with each other. Both Ralph and Catherine had plans after the marriage took place, but her plans were not the same plans Ralph had for her. Too bad they were not on the same page.

Deceit, unfaithfulness, poison, a life that was a lie, regret, unbelievable forgiveness, and a hint of mystery.....that is what A RELIABLE WIFE was made of. And.......an incredible writing style that will keep you reading way into the night, and one you will not want to put down.

Ladies and Gentlemen....The Reedemers by Michael Scott Miller

2011-09-09T23:06:00.001-04:00

Talented musicians, musical passion, friends, and their band.

You will receive a lesson in compassion and determination and realize that one's life can be turned around at any age. The dialogue among the characters makes up most of the book....not much narration.

The characters are very interesting and very well described. The main character is trying to resurrect a band not only to return to the life he once had, but also to get gifted musicians together. He and each character are believable.

If you are a musician, you will thoroughly enjoy how the main character searched and searched for the perfect band members. If you are not a musician, you will appreciate the talent and passion music professionals have.

I enjoyed the book for a peek into a subject area I have no background in. Musicians are talented, unique individuals, and you will be able to see all these traits in the book.

The book is heartwarming, and the "redeeming" ending fits perfectly with the title.

4/5....only because it dragged a little at times, and it got tedious waiting for the band to get going. :)

Check "me" out at THE SCENE OF THE BLOG

2011-09-07T06:16:00.000-04:00

Cathy of Kittling Books has featured me today in her SCENE OF THE BLOG post.

The post will be there "forever" in her SCENE OF THE BLOG tab at the top. :)

She did a wonderful job, and I thank her very much.

Click here or on the SCENE OF THE BLOG icon at the top to see the post that has comments from me and also photos of my blogging spaces and bookshelves.

Enjoy!!

A Guest Review of The Third Q by Arnold Francis and Robert Luxenberg

2011-09-04T18:27:00.001-04:00

My son was home for the weekend and was enthralled with the book's cover. He wanted to read and review the book so I hope you enjoy my first guest reviewer.

“According to our greatest thinkers, Zoro, we can dissect our world into three worlds.” – Max Cisary

The three worlds, or “Q’s” as the book refers to them, make up the premise for this journey of a chauffeur from a rough part of the Bronx named Zoro and his affluent and eccentric employer, Max. The authors take us on a journey through New York City and all of its famous landmarks such as Bryant Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other notable sites while telling us that once we discover the 3 Q’s our life will be changed forever.

The first Q, the subconscious mind, is the first step on the road to unimaginable wealth. The second Q, the conscious mind, is the second step on the road to God-like power. The Third Q, and the premise of the story, is unlocking your mind from itself and placing yourself in a Nirvana-like state. In order to find the missing 4^th sketch which purportedly contains a word, that once spoken will reveal the true name of God and give the speaker unimaginable power and wealth, Zoro must master the three Q’s and unlock the secret of where his deceased father hid the missing Michelangelo sketch.

The story primarily takes place inside of Max’s Bentley limousine. While Zoro is driving and going through many emotional breakdowns and fighting NYC taxi traffic, Max is in the back seat instructing him on how to master the three Q’s.

Throughout the story, the authors weave an intricate tale of good versus bad, rich versus poor, and powerless versus powerful. The story reads very much like a Dan Brown novel set in New York City with themes such as the evil assassin, the secretive rich man, the hunt for the missing treasure.

Overall the story was entertaining and an easy read, but it lacked real depth and character development. With the 1 to 3 page chapters, the story jumped frequently between different characters, settings, and totally unrelated themes, such as break-ins, maritial stress, and “Q” mentoring sessions. At the end of the day, I felt no genuine sympathy for the plight of Zoro as everything that he did to solve the mystery appeared to be out of his control and defined by his destiny and his subconscious thinking instead of merit and hard work. While an entertaining read, it is the Da Vinci Code rehashed again with different characters and a different city. 3.5/5

A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd

2011-09-03T14:07:00.002-04:00

A stranger on your doorstep with bruises, a stranger you let into your home, and a stranger who became your friend and brought trouble when you arrived at your new friend's home. Could you make friends that quickly and feel comfortable enough to go to their home?

Bess thought it was possible, and when she arrived at Lydia's home she immediately knew there was something strange about Lydia and her entire family. This became even more apparent when a family member was murdered and Bess became one of the suspects in the investigation. How did a well-bred girl get herself into such a mess....being nice definitely didn't pay off in this case.

The case involved Mr. Hughes who drank too much that evening and blurted out a family secret in front of unknowing family and a few town guests. Could that have been the reason Mr. Hughes was murdered. Who would revert to murder to keep something quiet? Everyone in the household was questioned, and being the last one to speak to Mr. Hughes before his death, was incriminating for Bess.

When the police thought they found the murderer, everyone was free to leave. Bess left but not without having to promise Lydia she would find someone for her. Bess hesitated but knew the person in question may be the root of the reason for the murder so she promised to look in France. Bess's nursing career kept her busy, but she managed to "try" to search. This search was the key to many secrets.

The story took place in the early 1900's with scenes from makeshift hospitals in France and the house where the family lived...Vixen Hill. The home, the town, and the family life of that era were well described...the lack of phone communication was frightening...also the "motorcar" that had to be cranked to get it started.

The book was slow at first, but once the murder took place, the interest picked up. The murder and some of the story's characters were somewhat bizarre, but interesting.

I can honestly say the book wasn't bad but it did get too much with the patient care and such. I have never read a Bess Crawford mystery by Charles Todd, but have read the Inspector Rutledge ones. It won’t disappoint you, but finding out who committed the crime will surprise you and how the police operated in the 1900's will keep your attention.

4/5

Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller

2011-08-24T21:26:00.002-04:00

Presents

COCKTAIL HOUR UNDER THE TREE OF FORGETFULNESS
by
Alexandra Fuller

We all should have our own Tree of Forgetfulness.....what a wonderful thought.

"People often ask why my parents haven't left Africa. Simply put they have been possessed by the land. Land is Mum's love affair and it is Dad's religion." Page 117

From the beautiful landscape of the Isle of Skye in Scotland to the lush lands of East Africa....you will be taken on a journey with Nicola Fuller through her childhood and her adult life.

This book is beautifully written with wonderful descriptions of feelings, daily living, and African landscapes. You will also be given a history lesson of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.

The novel is also quite entertaining. You will love the stories, connect with the characters, feel their pain and mainly their love of the land in Africa even though Tim always said and was reminded by Nicola...."But I thought you said Africa was for the Africans." Page 210

I thoroughly enjoyed this book......vicariously living the life of the Fullers was fun but frightening. I can't begin to give all the details in this short review.....you will definitely need to read it. You will love it. 5/5

Wedlocked by Bonnie Trachtenberg

2011-08-22T15:12:00.002-04:00

Pump Up Your Book

Presents

WEDLOCKED by Bonnie Trachtenberg

Her family, her friends, her groom, and the happiest day of her life.....really?.....Could have fooled Rebecca about the happiest day of her life. If her married life was going to be anything like her wedding day....well, she figured she made the biggest mistake of her life.

Rebecca was a fun-loving, thirty something and wasn't sure she ever wanted to be married, but there she was in her wedding dress and finding things out about her groom that she really didn't want to know. At least her pre-marriage days as a struggling actress had been enjoyable even though they were mixed with a few bad memories.

This book is so fun....it has career situations, life situations, and family situations that you may be able to relate to. It is a page turner in all respects.....you even get a virtual visit of Italy, a tour of a Tuscan villa, and a mouthwatering visit to an authentic, quaint Italian restaurant. :) Che Bella!!!

It is a wonderful, amusing escape. I really enjoyed it....you will find yourself laughing throughout the book and also being enraged along with Rebecca. Don't miss the read....it is splendid!!! You will love it….I certainly did. 5/5

Little Black Dress by Susan McBride

2011-08-20T20:39:00.000-04:00

“I watched her as she moved, saw the way the dress sparkled…….I thought it was evil at first, what the dress had done to us.” Page 286

A little black dress with plans?

Interesting......but don't we all have a little black dress somewhere? I bet we do, but not sure anyone has a little black dress with plans....well no one except Anna Evans and her sister Toni.

And what fascinating plans they were....they were plans that affected the Evans women from one generation to the next. Its plans were both good and bad, and the dress never gave up.

I really enjoyed this book....fantastic storyline and also great chapter set up...each character had her own chapter and went from past to present with stories of the ties, the secrets, and the fate each of the Evans women shared with the little black dress. The twists and turns just made the book so good……you even get a hint of mystery.

It was a fun, clever read. The ending, and especially the very last line is SUPERB. 5/5

Shelter by Sarah Stonich

2011-08-18T17:56:00.001-04:00

Lots and lots of information magnificently conveyed.

Shelter is a love affair with the land....a land filled with nature's beauty.

"Pristine, undeveloped......that description had an almost whimsical ring to it....page 58.....Sarah loved her emergent forest.

Ms. Stonich's writing style is impeccable. Learning about the wilderness and "cabin living" couldn't have been described better. You will feel her love of the land and also her little cabin along with the hardships of living without electricity and running water. The descriptions of the untouched wilderness was so good you could visualize the land in detail.

Her family stories were great, and the interaction with the townspeople was delightful. She will also let you in on the secrets of living in a small town and living with no luxuries.

Not only will you have great descriptions of landscapes, but you will thoroughly enjoy the descriptions of the generations of the Stoniches and their delicious food and family traditions. Weaved into the book are touches of Sarah's personal life.

Shelter is not only a literary work of love, but also a book you will want to re-read to be sure you didn’t miss any of the details.

It is not something I normally would read, and it did get a little tedious at times, but the writing was outstanding and made it worth the reading journey. 4/5

Waiting for Pops by John Philip Riffice

2011-08-09T21:35:00.002-04:00

"I guess what shocked me the most wasn't what Mom said, but more the fact that she sounded fun, you know, like Pops was." Page 64

Pops was always polite and a great dad...Mom on the other hand started drinking and made life miserable for the entire family. Poor Johnny Ryba.....it was difficult to have a mother like he did. He was thankful for his dad.

WAITING FOR POPS is a nostalgic trip back to the 50's with Johnny Ryba and his family. The book is told through Johnny's eyes as he weaves from the present to his past and is so well written you will feel yourself being drawn right into the pages of the book and sharing the experiences.

The Ryba family appears to be normal, but as you continue the nostalgic trip, you will see that the family would be called dysfunctional in today's terms...an alcoholic mother, a workaholic dad that allows work to help him escape the problems at home, a sister who needs a lot of care, and Johnny who has to deal with it all. Thank goodness he had his dad to help him through it...dad was always there for him whether he was actually present or not.

Johnny definitely had a difficult childhood...."I look back now and realize that I had more problems as a kid than more adults have as adults." Page 140 Your heart will break at some of the things Johnny had to endure.

The book continued with Johnny turning into a man...and that included swearing. I enjoyed the book...the ending will surprise you and is definitely worth waiting for even though it includes regrets, betrayal, heartbreak, forgiveness, and an ending that fits perfectly with the book title. Great writing and a great book. 5/5

Grip by Nina Hamberg

2011-07-30T17:47:00.003-04:00

GRIP....the perfect title for this beautifully and very well-written memoir. The intense situations also add meaning and clarification to the title.

Nina Hamburg allows you into her life letting you feel her desires, her trepidation, her decisions, and her retrospect. You will follow her through all the good and bad of her life feeling her pain and wondering what you would do in similar circumstances.

The intensity of the novel will keep your interest, and you will respect Nina for her resiliency and strength. It is a powerful story of a life spent looking for love. She had to look hard for love and usually found it, but the love she found was usually a struggle. The day of her wedding to Lee seemed to be the time she did find love...her wedding and her vows were very touching and beautiful, but that didn't last long.

I admire Nina for her strength and her determination at finding love and releasing the lifetime demons she struggled with. I also admire her for her commitment to David and the happiness they share.

I enjoyed the book......the writing was absolutely phenomenal even though the subject matter was quite intense. 4/5

First in the Mind & Heart by Wayland Matthew Fox

2011-07-12T13:44:00.002-04:00

The story of Wayland Matthew Fox should be an eye opener to all. Anyone could be subject to an accusation that sticks simply because of a statement by another person, and it can even happen without evidence. This book takes us on a journey through the horror of being wrongly accused, the ruining of someone's life, and the reality that this is something that could happen to literally anyone.

Mr. Fox's descriptions of his life inside a prison will bring you to tears. He also brings to light how attorneys and the justice system both operate. The book is very well written and one worth reading for many reasons.

Mr. Fox should be commended for his honest portrayal of what happened to him and how his belief in God helped him get through it all.

And I personally want to thank Mr. Fox for a wonderful, enlightening, and soul-searching novel. My best to you, Mr. Fox.

Releasing Gillian's Wolves by Tara Woolpy

2011-07-10T22:24:00.003-04:00

A congressman, his wife, and his affairs.

Gillian had been married to Jake for over 30 years, and always knew about his affairs. The latest affair really got to her since it was a 20-year old....younger than his daughter and also part of his campaign team. Gillian never went on the tours, but when Jake had dinners at their home, she was always in the kitchen cooking while everyone else was enjoying themselves. She just wasn't the social type and dreaded each campaign year. She usually was alone during the campaign and especially during these dinner engagements.

But......she did have her friend Edward from childhood to lean on and exchange thoughts with. Edward was her buffer and confidante. With Edward's help Gillian decided that she didn't want to jeopardize Jack's campaign so she gave Jack some ultimatums about his behavior. He said he didn't like them, but the alternative was worse.

She continued to endure many campaign luncheons and to pretend to be Jack's lovely, faithful wife. Could she go on like this? She wasn't sure. "On this election morning, my mind ran faster than my feet. I had a life to plan." Page 107

Gillian did have a plan, and it didn't include Jack. She wanted to do some traveling alone and to see how things would work out...she visited her somewhat estranged daughter and also Edward and Sam in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam was wonderful for Gillian....she and her friends even made a trip to Greece for Thanksgiving. Then all the fun came to an abrupt stop and, of course, because of Jack.

The book keeps your interest and draws you into the emotional makeup of each character...each had his/her own personal, interesting stories. You could feel Gillian's pain and wonder how she carried on. This was a book about friendship, love, and endurance.

The cover was just as enticing as the story...the lake, the cabin, and the ambiance of it all reels you in simply by looking at the cover of the book. I truly enjoyed RELEASING GILLIAN’S WOLVES. 5/5

Born Under A Lucky Moon by Dana Precious

2011-07-02T23:27:00.002-04:00

If you want to laugh and perhaps compare your family to the Thompson family, I would highly recommend this book. It is a really fun read and also about love.

"My family made him nervous. Being a highly disciplined sort, he did not view my family as a vibrant force but as a disorganized mess that needed cleaning up." Page 99 "The entire town is buzzing about us. If this family ever moves out of town, no one will have anything to talk about." Page 148

The Thompson family made everyone nervous...they had four daughters, one son, many dramatic events, hilarious things happening to them all the time, and they were the talk of the town.....ALWAYS. One sister was the organizer and one was the never-finish anything you started, but they all had a fun childhood and shared one bathroom and one mirror....this mirror was the scene for much of the fun that went on.

The sisters were in predicaments over the years, but their mother and father took everything in stride. The current predicament was that Evan and Anna were getting married on Saturday...it was a planned one...and Lucy and Chuck were getting married on Sunday.....this was a wedding put together in a week. Lucy and Chuck didn't know about the wedding, and you can just imagine how that went. No wedding dress, no veil, no tuxedos, no caterer, and no flowers until the last minute.

Last minute organizing seemed to be order of the day for the Thompsons, and most of the situations they got themselves in were funny. Things just seemed to happen to them. I laughed out loud at some parts of the book.

The book is a perfect summer read....it gets you thinking about your relationship with your siblings and your entire family. The characters were a very loving, caring, but crazy family. They were always there supporting each other. "The more love you give, the more you create." Page 393

Funny things happened most of the time, but as in all families some bad situations occur as well. If this is the author's actual life's story, she is a lucky gal. It is a wonderful, fun read. I truly enjoyed it.

You will also find out how to "shake things out" when you have a worry. 5/5 ENJOY!!! I hope you love it too.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

2011-06-21T21:25:00.002-04:00

Victoria knew she could identify flowers and what effect they would have on a person. She could choose flowers and know what emotion they would evoke and what the person receiving the flowers needed.

Victoria had a talent, but she was a foster child moving from one home to the next and had to deal with this ordeal first......then she turned 18 and was turned out of the foster care system and on her own. Where would she go and what would she do now? After sleeping in the woods for some time, hunger and cold made her walk boldly into a flower shop and ask to help the florist. This was the beginning of a great relationship between Victoria and her talent with flowers....it had instinctively been developed in her and was a natural gift.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh....the book was absolutely wonderful and beautifully written. I totally and completely LOVED it.

You could definitely connect with Victoria even though she was a mean, angry foster child until she met her loving foster mother, Elizabeth. It was amazing how Victoria changed into someone who was in tune with feelings and something as delicate as flowers because of Elizabeth. Elizabeth also had a secret, and the mystery thrown in kept you wondering what had happened in the past.

The book became better with each turn of the page. It was exceptional in terms of writing and storyline. I enjoyed how smoothly the book went from Victoria's childhood to the present.

To me this book stood for unconditional love, for hardship, for talent, for disappointment, and for working for what you really want.

I can definitely see why it is being considered the publishing event of 2011......it is indescribably incredible.

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

2011-06-17T14:20:00.002-04:00

LOVED IT….

Men leaving, women hoping, both wanting to return to normal, but.......WW II was on the verge of beginning.

Millie, Grace, and Babe were the best of friends and endured the time while their husbands were gone. They passed the time writing letters to them and waiting for letters in return. Two weeks passed without any word from their husbands and that could only mean one thing. When the Telegram from the War Department arrived, it confirmed their worst nightmare.

The book was nostalgic, poignant, and filled with emotions you definitely became a part of. You will be able to follow the women through their daily lives.....one with her man who came back and two who had to carry on alone. The author allows you to see what life was like family wise and economic wise during the post-war era.

I always enjoy historical fiction, and Next to Love won't disappoint you in terms of feeling as if you are with the characters as they suffer, remember, love, and continue their lives after the war.

My rating is a HUGE 5/5. Feldman is an extraordinary, detailed writer….I hope you will enjoy the book as much as I did...it was wonderful.

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

2011-06-12T20:46:00.003-04:00

"Sail on Silver Girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on their way.” Page 341

Meredith Delinn certainly didn’t feel like any dreams were coming true after her husband was arrested for stealing millions from investors.

Being the wife of an investment thief definitely was not pleasant. Freddy had cheated investors out of millions, was finally caught, and made his family's life miserable. He wouldn't talk to authorities about anything and wouldn't tell them that his wife and sons had nothing to do with his swindling of investors out of their money. Meredith and her two sons were also under investigation.

So…..as Freddy was hauled off to jail for 150 years, Meredith left town with her best friend Connie. They were staying at Connie's beach house in Nantucket....beautiful Nantucket where Meredith had to remain incognito since many investors lived there.

Despite her disguise, someone recognized Meredith and small assaults on Connie’s property started occurring. They were blaming Meredith for Freddy’s thievery.

SILVER GIRL went from past to present describing the story behind each character and how they became the person they were today. Many themes presented themselves…..love, health issues, social issues, family and friendship connections, and most evident.....GREED, BETRAYAL, and DECEIT. All three were ruining many lives including Meredith’s.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and became involved with the characters. The characters were made of a great circle of friends tangled in situations since high school. As you read the book, you will start to ask yourself: Do I really know the people I have in my life relationships? Well….hopefully we do, but the book definitely will make you question yourself.

The book title plays a major role in solving the mystery that was also woven into the book.

I am giving Silver Girl an outstanding 5/5....Ms. Hilderbrand kept my interest from the first to the very last page.

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

2011-06-05T17:34:00.001-04:00

Laura was 30 years old, a teacher, and unmarried....not good according to Mississippi's social crowd. A woman her age should be married and have children. She was embarrassed about it, and her mother didn't help with her comments.

One day, though, Henry came to dinner and "saved" Laura from all the embarrassment. He asked her to marry him. She willing did and was happy. The happiness waned when Henry bought a farm to fulfill his lifelong dream of planting cotton along with a farmhouse with no running water, no plumbing, or electricity. Laura's life had hardships she was not used to, but she endured.

The book was compelling...the chapters were divided into the description of and the tales of the main characters' lives, past and present. Mudbound was a portrayal of what life was like in Mississippi in the 1940's during and after WWII...the racial prejudices, the country re-building after the men came back from the war, the social issues, and the everyday life of Southern families, both black and white.

The author's style is outstanding....you won't want to put the book down. The plot's tension and ultimate horror along with the characters will keep coming back to you even after you turn the last page. 5/5

The Card by Jim Devitt

2011-06-02T22:00:00.001-04:00

Winning an essay contest definitely turned out to be excellent for Van or so he thought. His prize was the opportunity to be a bat boy in the dugout of a major league baseball team and rub shoulders with all the big names. His dad was thrilled, and so was he. On his first day with the team, his dad gave him a special baseball card that he described as magic. But.....was the card really magic or was it bad news?

Bad news happened not too long after the card appeared, and what was to be magic turned out to be something Van wished he had not even heard of. What would have been the reason he won the contest in the first place, and what was so important about a Moe Berg baseball card to cause all this trouble? Did either have anything to do with the things starting to happen in his life?

Baseball fans will definitely enjoy the book because of the details about the behind-the-scenes activities that happen in a locker room of a baseball team. Mystery fans will enjoy the book as well....the ending was filled with action. :)

I enjoyed the book....it is a Young Adult read. It is fast moving, and the added interest of the mysterious men in black suits keeps you going. The author had good development of the plot and the characters and definitely had you guessing until the end. 5/5

The Summoner by Layton Green

2011-05-29T19:22:00.001-04:00

A crowd of chanting people, a leader in a red robe, a cloud of smoke, and Addison's girlfriend, Taps, who saw it all and who lost Addison in the crowd.

Taps couldn't believe Addison just disappeared.....they had been to other ceremonies such as this, but this one was completely different....no one had ever vanished. The investigation into the disappearance was being led by Dominic Grey. He was being helped by Nya who he knew was smart, but who he also knew had ulterior motives for involving Grey.

A religious cult was the main reason for the disappearance, but finding the leader was proving to be difficult. Nya needed to get Taps involved and needed her to tell them everything William had done and said and where he had gone in the weeks before the ceremony. Taps was fearful of giving information....she said they would come after her, but Nya said the information would help find William and hopefully it would. One piece of information she gave about a church looked promising, but that turned out to be a dead end. The investigation was beginning to become dangerous and was leading nowhere....THEN more bad news...another disappearance occurred, and it was a young girl.

The second disappearance led Nya and Grey to a remote village where no one would speak of the disappearance or the missing girl for fear of the N'anga. It also lead them to a nightclub and to the owner who was quite dangerous and ruthless. Gathering evidence about the cult and their practices and why things occurred became more hazardous and gruesome each day.

Nya and Grey’s lives were in constant danger as they got no closer to solving where N’anga was…they knew he was the one responsible but he couldn't be found.

The book is gripping and has a wealth of information about Zimbabwe and its people, culture, and customs. There are a lot of twists and turns, horror, torture, and secrets. The vivid descriptions of the lush, beautiful landscapes of Africa adds to the book's intrigue.

If you are squeamish, this book may be disturbing, and you won’t be able to imagine how cruel someone can be to another human being. Despite all of this, I am going to give the book a 5/5.

Green is a masterful writer...he allows the reader to definitely feel the emotion and tension of the plot and the eeriness of the religious rituals some cults follow.

The Undertaker by William F. Brown

2011-05-21T22:38:00.002-04:00

Mr. Brown's book is an e-pub on Kindle, Sony, Nook, IBook, and all the others.

Two obituaries, two funerals....one stating he died in Mexico the other stating he and his wife died in Columbus, Ohio....but how could that be....Peter Emerson Talbot was alive and reading the obituary, and he had attended the funeral in Ohio. Attending this funeral sure ended up with a lot of trouble for Peter and also a lot of information that could put a number of folks behind bars. Something was pretty fishy about all of this.

The real Peter stayed in Columbus after "his" funeral and decided to check out obituaries for the past few months to see who had died and if there were similarities in deaths. He found quite a few obituaries of couples who died in unusual circumstances and who had no surviving relatives, but they all had the same funeral director and same attorney. Peter also found a lot of suspicious activity going on and decided to check out the offices of an attorney and a doctor who were involved....bad move, Peter.

Peter knew he got himself into more than he could handle and had to get out of town and mighty quickly, but how? He had no money, no clothes, and no car....they stole everything. He had some ideas, though. He had to bring these guys who were true criminals posing as honest citizens down.

Trying to be an honest citizen when the other citizens were not definitely wasn't a wise choice for Peter.

Peter made even more unwise choices, but he also made some right ones. Peter was witty, clever, and a character you will love.

Don't miss reading this book...it has a little bit of everything.....frightening scenes, clever twists and turns, love, and humor. I found myself laughing out loud, crying, and also being afraid for the characters.

The book was action-packed and fun despite the tense moments.

I am guessing the author is a fun guy with lots of adventures of his own. I truly enjoyed the book. 5/5

The Secret of the White Rose by Stefanie Pintoff

2011-05-17T20:20:00.001-04:00

A high-profile trial, an honest, fair judge, and some undisclosed history of the participants. All these circumstances resulted in a judge being found murdered in his home office along with a white rose and a Bible.

Who could have done this? There was speculation about who the culprit could be, and the detectives didn’t think someone had acted alone. Every detective that had some connection to a group or a family member who may have some connections was involved in the case. "Get to it gentlemen.........My goal is to arrest those responsible for the judge's murder within forty-eight hours." Page 70

Another idea to find the motive and the murderer was to get in touch with a judge named Angus Porter...he was a symbolist, and there definitely was a lot of symbolism in the clues and in the murder of Judge Hugo Jackson. The white rose in the judge's hand and also on a sheet of music gave the detectives the most clues as to why the murder had occurred. The crime scene was filled with symbolism, and the symbolism needed to be decoded. Some decoding was done, but another murder occurred shortly after, and again the murderer left a Bible and a white rose at the scene.

The similarities of symbols at both murders and the anarchist on trial, Drayson, led the detectives to a group of his followers. The group was then arrested for attacking an officer. While they were being held in jail, an explosion occurred...an explosion meant to assist in the freeing of the anarchists being held. It turned out the explosion had been a diversion so that Drayson could escape.

Meanwhile the two murders were not even close to being solved, but the clues were beginning to add up or so they thought. A third murder occurred, and it was not a judge....it was a professor at a local university. What connected all of them and why were the same items left with the bodies?

There was a surprise at the end, but not a great mystery/read for me. An interesting aspect was the setting in the early 19th century. It was interesting to see how crimes were solved during that time and how the police and detectives put clues together. It was also interesting to hear about the "cabs" that were pulled by horses in New York City.

I will give the book a 3/5 because I had trouble keeping track of the characters and their roles and it really wasn’t a “grab ya” story…it took a while to warm up to what was going on.

The Patriot Paradox by William Esmont

2011-05-07T20:20:00.002-04:00

Two brothers….dangerous jobs….tragedies.

Kurt and Mike Vetter both were employed in dangerous jobs...Mike knew something was in the works and mailed secret information to his brother's house so it wouldn't be found in his home. When Kurt opened the package and scanned the disk, he knew he had to find out what this classified information meant, and he left for London to try to find out. When he landed in London, so did the "enemy." Kurt was being trailed, but didn't know it.

Kurt had to find Amanda, the only contact he thought he could trust. Once he found her, hopefully things would be cleared up, and she could find what secret mission was being planned. Meanwhile, Amanda's friend Nigel was decoding the disk, and from 2,000 miles away in the USA, Jack Carson and his team were planning to take care of Nigel.

There was something big going on, but it wasn't fully clear to Kurt or Amanda what it was, but Jack definitely knew. As Nigel's computer decoded the information, he was becoming more upset. "The data was incomplete, but this much was clear: it was real and it was in motion." Page 116. Something deadly was being planned.

Did the plan get carried out or was it stopped? If you like on-the-edge-of-your-seat action, you will love Patriot Paradox....modern-day espionage. 5.5

The Final Note by Kevin Alan Milne

2011-05-01T16:08:00.001-04:00

What a wonderful, wonderful book. It is filled with life's lessons, advice, and love. The title seems to have dual meanings....music and love. The book begins and end with both music and love and is sprinkled throughout with “love letters” from Anna and Ethan’s music.

Ethan and Anna met by chance in Vienna while she was on vacation and he was finishing his masters in music. It was a whirlwind romance, and when they returned to the states, they couldn't wait to get married. Their marriage was made of specially designed promises they declared to each other on their wedding day.

The marriage was perfect in many ways, but routine days and no money along with the inability to have children, caused things to go downhill. Ethan and Anna Bright felt their life was filled with: "Things like this happen," and they were tired of it. A baby and a lucrative job eventually blessed them, but the stress of the job caused more problems. Ethan was working so hard at providing for his family, he was never at home.

Not being at home with his family was a problem that led to an even bigger tragedy for the Brights. The tragedy revealed a story of forgiveness that Ethan's grandfather had never told anyone from his days in WW II. Hearing the story helped Ethan deal with the anger he was harboring against the person who caused the tragedy.

I read this book in one day...you will fall in love with the characters and feel their happiness as well as their pain. It will make you think about what is important in your life. Tissues needed. 5/5

Better Than Ever, Again by Mitch Davies

2011-04-30T19:24:00.001-04:00

Ben was out of work and checked the want ads daily. A promising, exciting job on a boat was listed one day...no sailor experience necessary....a little suspicious. He went for the interview and was hired for the position. After being with the owner and two of the employees, he was second guessing his decision because of their demeanor, but sailing for a year and getting a share of the boat's selling price kept him interested.

Once he started the job, the boating experience was overwhelming because he didn't have any knowledge of nautical terms, but Ben learned quickly. He enjoyed most of the traveling especially when they stopped at the ports and tended to the wealthy guests. One disadvantage for Ben was that two of the crew members were not very interesting or pleasant.

The crew was heading to Honolulu and then sailing around the South Pacific for a year...not a bad job at all, but Ben was still uneasy about how things were being handled. Day tours seemed to be the order of the day while they waited for Carl, the owner, to return. The daily lives of the island people as well as the routine of being on the boat made up most of the book's plot along with the tension among the characters. The characters, landscapes, and scenes were very well described and allowed the reader to vividly experience how the characters felt and what the landscape and surroundings truly looked like.

The book is a sailing person's dream....a lot of seafaring terms and fun details for folks who enjoy being on board a ship/boat. The beautiful landscape of Tahiti was also well described, along with some mystery and, of course, romance. The mystery was trying to determine what the real motive of the ship’s owner was. He wasn’t around too often and didn’t really check on the crew.

I enjoyed the book and especially the feeling of being there on the beautiful island of Tahiti....it was a "book" vacation.

Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff

2011-04-25T20:52:00.002-04:00

TLC Book Tours would like to introduce...

LOST IN SHANGRI-LA by Mitchell Zuckoff

American servicemen and women, New Guinea, and WW II, are the backdrops for Lost in Shangri-La.

Margaret Hastings' life as a WAC in New Guinea is the main focus. Margaret and the other servicemen and women on site longed to see Shangri-La, so their captain arranged for a day trip. Little did the twenty-four passengers realize that their dream to see the hidden villages in the jungle would not turn out to be what they expected. When something went wrong during the flight, it crashed into a mountain, and the nightmare began.

Out of the twenty-four passengers only three survived, and these three were burned, hurt, and starving. They painfully made their way to a clearing and were spotted by an American plane, but they were also spotted by hundreds of the island's inhabitants who approached with spears. Luckily continual smiling at the island's people assured them that the strangers were not a cause for alarm. No way of communication other than hand gestures and smiles made it difficult, but at least they were still alive, and the indigenous people were friendly.

As the three survivors waited out each day in pain and in hopes of being saved, their rescue team was simultaneously in the process of being organized. Being accepted by the island's inhabitants became somewhat better each day, but their wounds were increasingly becoming more infected and painful. Margaret and Decker were in the most pain, and thankfully McCollum was somewhat strong and alert.

When the rescue medics finally arrived, it hadn't been too soon...gangrene was starting to set in, and a few more days without medical treatment may have meant death. The other half of the rescue team landed a few days later, but getting to the survivors was being hampered by the foliage and continuous rain. They finally arrived, and everyone waited for the flight team that would take them off the inaccessible island.

The rescue from the island was every bit as eventful and fascinating as the time spent there.

The book is a marvelous read, beautifully written, and an outstanding re-creation of events. Mr. Zuckoff should be commended for his research, and Ms. Hastings and Mr. Walter should also be commended for keeping a daily journal so that their tale could be told all these years later.

You will love hearing about the lives of the natives and their legends and also of the lives of those who survived and who took part in the rescue....wonderful facts and information.

The photos greatly enhanced the book. To me it was another not well-known part of history coming alive. World War II enthusiasts should not miss reading this book. 5/5

Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

2011-04-23T17:41:00.001-04:00

I don't know exactly, but the book warns not to cross them. The fairies can grant wishes, bring good luck, but if you get on their bad side...." Page 219

Phoebe received a phone call asking to inform Sam to look in the attic in the crawl space. When Phoebe delivered the message, Sam knew what he would find.....the book his missing sister of 15 years had left there before she disappeared.

More strange happenings occurred after the phone call and after finding the book. When Sam and friends went on a camping trip....someone resembling Lisa appeared at their door singing a familiar song; then that same person broke into the cabin even though none of the doors or windows had been tampered with.

The camping trip then turned into a true nightmare....the campers were being accused of holding someone hostage and of not actually occupying the cabin. To make matters worse, a note on their car had the same picture that was on one of their camping companion's legs.....it was of Teilo, The King of the Fairies.

When Sam and Phoebe arrived home from the camping trip, their house had been ransacked, but nothing had been taken....were they looking for the book? About a week later, Teilo also ransacked their friend Evie's place.

As Phoebe found things out about Lisa's disappearance in Reliance, a town that has nothing left but foundations, more strange facts surfaced about the disappearance and of Lisa and Evie's childhood friendship. She even found things out about Sam that she really didn't want to know. Another phone call came from a girl/woman that urged Sam to meet her in the woods at their usual childhood place in Reliance. Things got a lot more involved after this most recent phone call.

The book went back and forth from present-day events to events that took place 15 years ago when Lisa disappeared. The book was intense and mostly about changelings, how fairies live, and the puzzle that needed to be solved....the puzzle was: Where had Lisa been for 15 years, and were there really fairies doing all this damage and mind control?

Even though this isn't my genre of choice the book's premise did get you hooked as you continued reading.

You will find out that fairies are not a very nice sort of people. The book was somewhat “creepy.”

This is one of the last entries in a Book of Fairies…it will show you the eeriness of the book.

“If you have read this book all the way to the end, you know the truth. We are here, walking among you. We are stronger, faster, smarter. We walk with silent footsteps. We can see into your dreams. And we lie. Always remember that we lie.” 4/5

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

2011-04-10T09:53:00.004-04:00

The story of Shiva and Marion Stone will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It is an unforgettable tale of Siamese twins and their accomplishments, trials, heartbreaks, triumphs, and undeniable bond. Their Ethiopian family's ties and closeness make up the main theme as we also get a glimpse into medical terminology and procedures. It is an immersion into a way of life wrought by strife, war, dedicated doctors, and suffering citizens.

Cutting for Stone is a remarkable book with unforgettable characters. Once you have read the book, you will realize how amazing our health care system is in the United States . You will also realize that there are committed, talented doctors all around the world that do the best they can with what they have in terms of equipment and supplies.

Don't give up because of the lengthy, detailed explanations and slow-moving beginning. As you become attached to the characters, the story unfolds and becomes one you will be glad you didn't put aside. The book is incredible. 4/5 only because of the LENGTHY beginning.

Ghellow Road by T. H Waters

2011-04-01T16:50:00.002-04:00

Ghellow Road tells the story of Theresa’s life from childhood to teenage years...it is a sad, interesting read about family relationships.

The book takes the reader into the world of a child of a depressed mother, a patient, loving father, and a childhood that was anything but normal. Each time her mother was hospitalized, her father would have Grandma take care of them....all except one time, and she and her brother didn't know why. Dad had always been fun and upbeat until he lost his teaching job. What else could happen to the once-happy family?

A lot did happen to Theresa in her young life, but somehow she coped. She never did get used to her mother's leaving, returning, and then leaving again. It always left a hole in Theresa's heart. Luckily she was a strong person and could cope with all the ups and downs and the living conditions she had to endure during her mother's absences.

The book is superbly written and definitely heartbreaking, but opens your eyes to many life situations. I really enjoyed the book and was amazed at Theresa's resiliency and coping mechanisms.

The author, who actually is the character in the book, graciously sent me her book, and I am honored and happy that I have read it.

My review doesn't do justice to the book, but you definitely need to read Theresa’s story to appreciate its depth and to feel the characters’ emotions.

Oskaloosa Moon by Gary Sutton

2011-03-20T20:54:00.006-04:00

What a sweet, nostalgic read...I truly enjoyed it.

Starting out with strikes against him, no loyal friends but one, rich girls that teased him......Moon was a loveable, honest, caring child of a single, disinterested mother and a child who worked hard at his paper route and at keeping people honest.

Moon's honesty and innocence was a major theme. The cruelty of the town's doctor toward Moon will break your heart. It was unbelievable to think that someone would feel they had that much power over a child just because he was not perfect.

I enjoyed reading about Moon's antics, his loyalty to his only friend and to his mother who really didn't care about him, and a Grandmother who was always worried about something. :) Moon is the all American dream to have as your child and a child that depicts the era of where we all came from and at times long for.

You will admire and love Moon for his resiliency and acceptance of his life's misfortunes and be saddened at how his story is an unfortunate commentary on society....if you aren't perfect, no matter how brilliant you are, you usually have a difficult time succeeding.

Gary Sutton, the author, graciously sent me a copy....it is an impressive read. Oskaloosa Moon captures the trials and tribulations of growing up in the 1950's and lets us know what it is like to have a handicap, which actually doesn't hold Moon back. Moon's handicap essentially helps him to continue through life and make something of himself even if it isn't in his chosen field of expertise. The book will or “should” teach us all a lesson.

Thank you, Mr. Sutton, for your amazing book. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it broke my heart, and it also should be read by everyone. 5/5

The Door at the Top of the Stairs by Alison Naomi Holt

2011-03-12T09:55:00.002-05:00

Deep and hidden memories, new-found friends to help, a job that helps with the pain....Jesse had all of these, but could the pain go away?

When Jesse arrives on Morgan and Ryland's farm for a job, the conflict between Jesse and Morgan was instantaneous...they both were head strong and wanted to be in control. Morgan had a great life as owner of a profitable farm, Ryland was the calm, retired psychoanalyst, and Jesse was 26 with horrible memories of torture that affected her daily life and memories that she couldn't get to surface.

Using her professional skills, Ryland set up a session each day at one o'clock to try to help Jesse get rid of the demons that were plaguing her and causing her to have unbearable headaches. The sessions were tortuous for all, but they must help Jesse. Jesse was difficult, but they understood why....she was always ready for a fight, and did get into a few. They all agreed, though, that whatever it takes to cure Jesse is what they would do. Of course, there were others who tried to get in their way and cause more problems.

The book had excellent details of situations and the characters' feelings....you could easily visualize each scene and experience the emotions. Ms. Holt did a superb job with getting you involved..the book definitely held your interest, and made you hopeful that Jesse would finally get well. The book reminds the reader that the mind is very powerful, but also very fragile.

Just an ending note...I would classify some parts of this book as a thriller...so don't expect all sweetness and light...there are some brutal scenes. 5/5

The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton

2011-03-07T22:32:00.001-05:00

Spending three days at Chawterely House was going to be memory-filled, fun, and somewhat painful for Betts, Ginger, Laney, and Mia. They were going to spend some time together while Betts waits for the confirmation of her appointment to the Supreme Court.

The house was only accessible by boat, the girls had spent many summers and spring breaks there, and it hadn't been lived in since Ginger's mother, Faith, had died. The description of the house and its many rooms made you envious of all the parties and family gatherings that most likely had taken place there. Their first night was spent reminiscing and getting reacquainted for what in all likelihood was the last time they would see each other for a while.

The following morning a news article appeared in the paper that possibly would have an impact on Betts' nomination. Everyone realizes what might happen because of the article, and they go to the lighthouse to re-live the first spring break they spent on the island and trust that reporters don't make their way to the remote island.

The reporters do make it to the island, things get a little tense among friends, and secrets become revealed after 30 years of keeping them hidden from each other.

The book really didn't get interesting until a little over half way into the book...it was about lasting friendships and how friends overlook each other's faults sometimes for a good reason and sometimes not.

Even though Clayton had a clever idea of having flashbacks of a scene that panned to the same scene happening in the present, the book was very confusing and wasn't easy to follow. I found myself having to keep checking back to see who was talking and what was actually taking place. It seemed as if there were some kind of inside secret that wasn't being revealed to the reader. I really enjoyed THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS, and was expecting the same in this book. 3/5.

Little Princes by Conor Grennan

2011-02-26T19:34:00.002-05:00

A war-torn country, orphaned children, child traffickers, poverty, starvation, and wonderful volunteers to alleviate some of the pain. LITTLE PRINCES lets us into this world of heartbreak and unbelievable circumstances that children and citizens have to endure. Conor was a special person who fell in love with the children and had an obsession/passion to help the people of Nepal, especially those dear children, to find their families.

The story begins by telling us about the adventures of young men and women who bike ride for pleasure from country to country or come voluntarily to help at orphanages and then become completely attached and immersed in this life of innocent, exuberant children. The book tells how you can and do become attached to the heartwarming children and their innocence and acceptance of their lives....they know nothing else and are happy. Conor is an amazing young man who was determined to find the parents of the children who had been taken from their family by a man who said he would provide a better life for their children when in fact the children were left starving in the street. This man took every last penny and whatever these hopeful families had to give.

Giving up your time to travel to a third-world country to help children definitely takes a special person. LITTLE PRINCES makes you appreciate what we have in terms of food, civility, and comforts. I admire the volunteers who risk their own lives to help others in third-world countries.

The book was brilliantly written...the author is very expressive, writes with great detail, and makes you feel as though you are right there sharing all the experiences. The description of the country, the villages, and its poverty is exceptional. Kudos to you Conor for your work and dedication. 5/5

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress

2011-02-20T16:13:00.002-05:00

A seven-drawer locked dresser....one for each day of the week. What is in each drawer?....well, all the things Georgia needs to make her nightly lovers believe they are the only one....pictures of their mother, their favorite clothes, anything to make them feel "special." When one of the lovers' wives finds out about the affair, nothing to do but empty that drawer....oh well......done.

Georgia had enough of this worry for now...she had her September luncheon to think of. She couldn't disappoint the ladies...they looked forward to this luncheon each year, and she certainly couldn't let them know how poor she really was.

She hadn't always been poor, and she hadn’t always been the pillar of society either….but then a letter arrived from someone who was keeping a secret for 20 years and who she told there was NO contact allowed whether it was in writing or through a phone call….this definitely wouldn’t work for her. Things were not turning out the way Georgia had planned. Everything ALWAYS went her way...she couldn't have this happen. She will just send more money this time....yes…send more money and it would be taken care of, but then she found another letter as she was cleaning and that changed everything even more. What will she do now? She knew…she always had a plan….and what a great plan. You will love the book....it was funny and had everyday situations that at times we all have to deal with.

This book had me laughing from the first page....I knew she was another Scarlet O'Hara even before the author commented about it. I really enjoyed the book, and will definitely be reading his other books. 5/5

My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones

2011-02-13T18:25:00.004-05:00

Three losses in her life....the loss of her mother, the loss of her job, and the loss of her boyfriend. What else could happen, hopefully something good? And something good did happen....Lily was going to London for the summer to participate in Literature Live. How would she afford it? She wasn't sure, but she had to attend and would think of some creative way to make the money she needed for the plane fare.

When Lily arrived at Newton Priors, she had no place to stay since she wasn't in the elite group so she seized one of the actresses's rooms that hadn't shown up....what a mistake that was to have to share the room with Bets. Bets turned out to be one of the stars, unreliable, and also a thief.

Bets's unreliability helped Lily get on the stage for one brief moment, but then Lily was relegated to be the tea-theater host. Lily also found someone to replace her old boyfriend, but there were contingencies and pain attached to him...just like all aspects of her life had always been.

Lily was glad she had "Jane Austen" around to help her solve some of the problems. She did wonder about Jane, though - "Jane Austen had secrets.........And she never told me. I would have told her something that important. I told her everything. Perhaps we weren't as close as I thought. Perhaps the person in my peripheral vision wasn't Jane Austen at all." Page 289

The book was not bad….the ending was memorable, but the book didn't have much action. Lily’s flashbacks and memories of her mother were very touching, and her enthusiasm about Jane Austen was contagious, but I guess you really have to be a true Jane Austen fan to pick up on all the little nuances and the excitement. Rating 3/5.

The Other Life by Ellen Meister

2011-02-04T21:40:00.002-05:00

Happily married, pregnant for the second time, medical issues with the pregnancy and maybe with her husband...he was discussing the medical issues with everyone but Quinn. Quinn was beside herself because everything seemed to be going wrong with her life, and most of all she couldn't get over the temptation to slip through to the other life.

This other life...the life where she could talk to her deceased mother and her ex-boyfriend Eugene...not the life she was leading now where her mother and Eugene were absent. She knew she shouldn't go there, but she couldn't help it. When she slipped into the other world, she could forget for a little while.

Every time she saw a fissure in a wall, in a fireplace, in the basement...no matter where it was...she felt the pull and the need to go through the portal to the other life. She always returned after "the trip," but was never satisfied that the disappearance into the other life would be her last...she just couldn't make it her last trip…the urge was too powerful. Whenever Quinn slipped through the portal, my concern was that she wouldn't be able to get back to the present life. :)

The book told the tale of Quinn's life/lives that included her son, Isaac, her husband, Lewis, her brother, Hayden, and her nosy neighbor, Georgette. They all had issues of their own and all seemed to rely on Quinn for help....little did they know that Quinn could use some help herself.

The book will keep your interest and is what I am going to call on the other side of different along with many choices none of us wants to make in our life. :) My rating is a 4/5.

Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

2011-01-28T20:02:00.002-05:00

A high-profile wedding, second thoughts, a friend to confirm these second thoughts....all these provided the incentive to call off the wedding. But would the bride's friend, Meg, be sorry she even mentioned to Lucy that perhaps she shouldn't marry Ted especially in a town where the groom was the mayor and could do any number of things to make things difficult for Meg?

And what a rough time Meg did have...Ted was brutally cruel to her; he never showed that side of him to the citizens of the town. Ted was everywhere Meg was. He knew she didn't have any money to leave town, and he also made sure no one would hire her. She was miserable...no food, no place to stay, and no one to help her. Meg was so happy she saw what Ted was really like and that her friend didn't marry him.

Since Meg couldn't leave and remained in the small Texas town, she decided to make some mischief of her own which got all the aristocratic Texas ladies in an uproar. But would her decisions backfire on her, make things better, or cause a never-ending pain in her heart?

You will love the book...a sensual storyline, and let's not forget wealth, jealousy, and greed. The characters are easy to love and easy to hate.

Phillips has authored another winner!!!

Giving it a BIG TEXAS 5/5....LOVED IT.

His Other Wife by Deborah Beford

2011-01-23T11:42:00.001-05:00

We have to talk...four words that as a rule aren't going to have an outcome of something one wants to hear. That was the case for Hilary and Eric....he didn't love her anymore and was filing for a divorce. What about Seth? Our son doesn't deserve this.

But, the divorce went through, Eric married Pam, and Hilary and Seth successfully made it through the year his dad left when he was eight to his high school graduation. Everything was working out for Seth...he was a football player, he was popular, and he had a full college scholarship.

Then on graduation night, disaster struck, and his life became shattered again just like when he was eight, but only worse. Seth was unapproachable both physically and emotionally, and the only thing Hilary could do was to pray for Seth's handling of the current crisis. After all, they had the best attorney in the city, and most importantly she had God on her side.

The book was a good depiction of family life after a divorce and also a reminder of how things can change in an instant and transform the entire scope of any situation. The book had a religious theme based on the story of Hannah from the Bible, but it wasn't too evident or obvious. The focus was on the Wynn family and how each member dealt with the tragedies their family was enduring as well as the tenderness between a mother and her child.

I enjoyed the book. The author did a wonderful job of depicting emotions in tense situations and allowing the reader to truly experience those emotions along with the characters. Have some tissues ready for the ending.

I originally was going to give it a 4/5 until the last few pages and then I bumped it up to a 5/5. The ending was very heartwarming.

Sometimes I Feel Like A Nut by Jill Kargman

2011-01-21T09:22:00.001-05:00

Perfect title for this book....the stories were definitely nutty. Events from childhood, college, and beyond...the stories just kept coming.

Jill told stories about everyday happenings and her likes and dislikes....imagine having gasoline as your favorite smell. Once it was mentioned, her observations and memories had you recalling a story about yourself and a similar situation. The glossary at the beginning of the book was quite funny and set the tone. My favorite section was titled Obsessed/Detest...and Yes...I did google “teratomas”....Page 85 :)

The brief sections were funny and creative and talked about circumstances that we hate to happen, but they do. My obsession with cohesion in a book made it slightly challenging to read, but if you enjoy little vignettes compared to a full plot you will take pleasure in each of the stories. The little drawings added to the book's hilarity as well.

The book will definitely make you laugh. I really enjoyed it, but I did have one objection....the use of a certain word. My rating is 4/5 only because of my preference to a full plot. Happy Laughing.

A Lonely Death by Charles Todd

2011-01-18T16:30:00.004-05:00

Three murders in a small town....Scotland yard is involved....all the same method of murder, but no weapon and no clues. The townspeople are terrified about who will be next especially since there is really no connection between the men who were murdered. The only similar thread is the victims were alone or in an isolated area and had been officers in the armed forces during WWI, and they all had identification discs in their mouths from other dead soldiers.

Scotland Yard's, Ian Rutledge, was coming up short with all clues and interviews. Everything turned up a dead end. Mrs. Saunders, the ever-present lady in the window, can't even help him even though she said she sees everything no matter what time of the day or night.

As events begin to unfold, and the characters become alive from all the great detail, the story turns to page-turning status with its twists and turns and sub plots.

This was my first Ian Rutledge Mystery....Rutledge is a character you want to know better. The beginning pages were a little confusing trying to get all the characters straight....especially figuring out who Hamish was, but once you had everyone sorted out and the plot continued...wham...it was difficult to put down.

I definitely will be reading more of these mysteries....superb author. Ohhhhhhhhhhh....I did enjoy it a lot. 5/5

To Have and To Kill by Mary Jane Clark

2011-01-12T10:38:00.001-05:00

"It could have just as easily have been your precious Glenna as Travis York last night." Page 102

The murder of Travis York...a soap opera star at a charity auction caused a lot of alarm and definitely publicity. Who could have done this? Was the poisoned drink really for him or someone else? What about the letter Glenna had received before the auction? These questions and a lot more were left unanswered, but one question was definite...someone had been plotting this crime whether the correct person had become the victim or not.

The crew of the soap opera as well as hundreds of other mourners attended the funeral in St. Patrick's Cathedral. As Peggy the costume girl sat in the service, she remembered the person she saw handling the poisoned water. She decided to confront that person and tell them what she had seen.

Being the nice person she was, Peggy didn't want to go to the police if she really wasn't sure that person had been the murderer....she would give him/her a chance to turn himself/herself in. She would feel awful if she hadn't been correct and had ruined someone's life. But was it going to be Peggy's mistake by confronting the person?

The book keeps you guessing until the end....you think you have it figured out, but then...ah ah....another clue pops up.

I enjoyed the book...it was a fast-paced read with characters who had interesting lives...sort of soap opera lives...great parallel on the author's part. The mystery wasn't nail-biting, but it was enticing enough to make you curious about the outcome. My rating is a 4/5.

The Change by Anna Y. White

2011-01-08T10:54:00.001-05:00

The author kindly sent me an electronic form to read.

Every high school students' dream....to graduate and head to college.

Natasha's dream was crushed when she didn't pass the exams....she had to stay behind and do more studying....how embarrassing.

But....her father had her apply abroad, and she was accepted. The excitement wore off as soon as her parents left her in a country where hardly anyone spoke English or Russian. The first week was awful and she was about to give up and go home when she met the girl who loved Pink. :) The fun of this new girl lasted for about a day...she was spoiled and had to have her own way, and she loved to spend money. Natasha was very conservative...I hope this works out she keeps thinking.

Well...it worked out to the extent that everything had to go Veronica's way. What a way to enjoy college with a selfish roommate who partied and never studied like she did but still passed the courses.

The book held your interest, but it will be of most interest to college students and those currently going through these situations. The characters were developed, and you could create an image of them for yourself.

You Know When The Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon

2011-01-07T22:48:00.001-05:00

A glimpse of military life in Fort Hood...dedicated women waiting patiently and fearfully for dedicated men to return, and dedicated men and women wondering what it will be like when they do return.

Will things be the way they were before, will it take a while to get back to the routine before separation, or will what they had be completely gone? Unless you have been there, you never know what others endure and what feelings grow or get lost when there is an extended period of absence from a loved one .

As the book's individual stories unfolded, you could sympathize with the appealing characters and the difficult, but real situations. The reader will undeniably appreciate what military men and women have to endure away from home and what their loved ones deal with as they wait.

Siobhan Fallon is an exceptionally talented storyteller. I am confident this will be a very popular book once it is published because of the subject matter and the focus of each section.

The interest-rich stories kept you absorbed, but my preference is a connected story with similar characters throughout; therefore, I am going to rate the book 4/5 simply because of my personal obsession with the connectivity of a book's plot and its constant characters.

The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship by Lisa Verge Higgins

2011-01-02T19:17:00.000-05:00

Letters, letters, letters...did yours arrive yet?

They weren't letters you would want to receive, though. They were letters from Rachel, a dear friend who had died unexpectedly, and contained her last wishes for each friend to carry out. Would you go to great lengths to fulfill a friend's dying wish?

Most of the requests were outlandish, but were sent to be sure her friends would find happiness or do something they would never dream of doing. She really wanted all of her friends to improve something in their lives.

Of course the friends felt obligated to carry out the requests even though Kate felt hers seemed to be the most daring and Jo argued that what could be worse than the one she received...but then came Sarah's.....all agreed hers seemed the most fun. They also thought that the attorney had mixed up the letters...how could Rachel expect Kate and Jo to complete these requests. Or maybe she knew something they didn't know about what was best for her friends?

The book is refreshing, light, and at times a teary read that lets you enjoy some adventures both good and bad with the characters. It also makes you realize that sometimes unexpected circumstances are just what you need even though you don’t think you could even come close to being able to achieve the goal.

As her dear friends gathered at the grave for the year anniversary of Rachel’s death, they all agreed: “Rachel didn’t want us to through it alone.” Page 335

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

2010-12-30T11:35:00.000-05:00

Three sisters, three different outlooks on life, three different opinions about working, three different attitudes concerning just about everything, but they all had the same reason for coming home.....their mother needed help because of her breast cancer.

Rose was the practical, organized sister, Bean was the attorney turned thief, and Cordy was still the spoiled child she always was. They all had some secret or concern as they returned to their childhood home.

Their childhood home was one of love, of books, and Shakespearean quotes....the entire family quoted Shakespeare as they spoke and thought nothing of doing so. None of the girls was ever without a book in her hands.

Just as in childhood, the adult lives of each sister went opposite ways in terms of interest and responsibility, but their love and concern for each other was evident. The emotions of the characters and the descriptions of situations especially during childhood flashbacks was perfectly depicted allowing the reader to experience the hominess of small town connections and the nostalgia of coming back to your roots.

You will enjoy each sister for her strengths and shortcomings, and you will admire their parents for their love of each other and for the love of reading they instilled in their daughters.

I really enjoyed this book...if you have sisters, you will cherish it, and you will most likely be comparing these characters to see which sister you are!! If you don't have sisters, the bond between all the characters will "warm your heart" and have you thinking about your own family and sibling relationships. 5/5

P. S. The Three Witches or Weird Sisters are characters in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth (c. 1603–1607)...information taken from Wikipedia.

Killer of Orchids by Ralph Ashworth

2010-12-21T20:57:00.002-05:00

"A little forensic investigation, conducted from the safety of the Cloisters, might excite things a bit. He and Xander could puzzle out the tricky little murder reported in the paper." Page 144

It definitely wasn't a little murder....it was something out of the ordinary.

A Samurai running through the parking lot swinging a sword and deliberately targeting two men then slicing them to pieces definitely would not be a typical occurrence in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Who could the murderer have been...two men are dead and not a clue where the killer went. Why would these two specific men be chosen as victims? One person knew the whole story.

As the tale unravels and the mystery is solved, you get to enjoy the characters and share a part of their unusual and interesting lives. It is a mystery, but is also amusing.....it is more about the investigation and characters' lives than a description of the murder.

Jeff, a computer expert and Xander, an 11-year old, wanted to discover who was responsible for this brutal evening. They went back to the scene of the crime and even to the homes of the victims to look for clues. They also went to the funeral home of each victim, and definitely did some wild and dangerous detective work.

Vernon Roman's wake was quite a show beginning with the funeral home to the family....it will actually make you laugh at what happened. Roman's family was undeniably made up of an eclectic group.

The wake of Marshall Chester was completely opposite and filled to the brim with students and colleagues paying their respects to one of their distinguished and well-loved faculty members.

This book doesn't seem to be well known in reading circles, but it is a good read. The comedy and the mystery hold your interest. It gets a little tense at times, but isn't that how mysteries work? If you are a mystery lover, you will definitely enjoy the book. 5/5

Angel Harp by Michael Phillips

2010-12-13T23:10:00.001-05:00

What a lovely, lovely book...I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Widowed at 40, lonely, wondering what to do now after she had let years pass by since the death of her husband, "Angel" Dawn Marie decided to vacation in Scotland. Her car trip through the Highlands and towns was calming for her. She found the town of Port Scarnose to be magical, and instead of continuing to other places, she decided to remain there for the rest of her vacation. She chose Port Scarnose because of its quaintness and mainly because of a bench overlooking the sea where she first played her harp on Scottish soil...this is where the magic began for her.

All too soon, though, her three-week vacation was coming to a close. She had fallen in love with Scotland and its people, but she had to make a decision about extending her stay or heading back to Canada...what should she do? Should she stay or leave?

Her decision was definitely affected by circumstances and the people she met. Her dinner with Iain Barclay and her new-found friendship with 12-year-old Gwendolyn undeniably made the decision a little easier. She decided she "had" to stay for sweet Gwendolyn's sake....Gwendolyn loved to play the harp and had a natural talent. What she didn't know, though, was that her decision may have been more complicated than she realized because of a connection between Iain, Gwendolyn, and the Duke, who invited her to his castle to play the harp. The secrets of the relationships among these three interesting characters unravel as the story continues.

Marie's adventures continued with these characters and others, and she felt she was finding herself spiritually as well as becoming happy in the midst of the magic of Scotland's people and its landscape. To the extent that Scotland was making her blossom and was good for her, Marie was good for the town of Port Scarnose and its citizens. Everyone she came in contact with became a happier person and found things in themselves they didn't know existed.

If you enjoy Scottish history and listening/reading the written Gaelic brogue, you will fall in love with the book and definitely the characters. The characters were amazing and made you wish you could actually sit with them for the day and enjoy chatting and working along with them. Hearing the author mention different places in Scotland was also a treat knowing that I had been there as well.

The Gaelic brogue used by the town's people was the only, but minor drawback.…it was a little difficult to read and understand, but you could get the gist of the exchange. Nonetheless, it did add an authentic touch to the characters during their conversations with Marie. The religious theme throughout the story will have you examining your own personal beliefs. 5/5

The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace

2010-12-05T20:31:00.001-05:00

A privileged childhood, a wonderful friend, a doting father, her own cottage by the lake...what more could a girl ask for......Carolina's life was like a fairy tale come true. All was perfect until she knew something was wrong with her eyesight...no one believed her, but she knew she was going blind. No one except Turri her childhood friend that is...he believed everything she said.

He told her that she would be totally blind by New Year's Day....she didn't want to accept it would happen, but Turri was correct as usual. New Year's Day was when it happened.

Carolina's days were never ending. The nights were better because she was able to see again in her dreams, but all remained dark the minute she woke up. She began to roam the house at night feeling for familiar things. What was frightening about her nightly roaming was she would hear footsteps that would stop when she stopped and doors that kept creaking in various rooms. Then one day Carolina HAD to see Turri, and she made her way to the lake and the cottage where she and Turri had always met. Right after the trip to the lake, whenever she tried to leave the house, she but wasn't able to get out...the door was locked.

One night while she roamed, she chased someone into the basement and found a surprise. The following day Turri visited her with another surprise....a writing machine....she could now type out notes to friends without spilling ink everywhere, and most importantly she could write to Turri..

The book turned from a story about a girl held prisoner by her blindness and her husband to a mystery about the characters and the person who roamed the house at night.

I enjoyed the book…it was a heartwarming read even though the blindness factor was distressing.

I would recommend reading it while wrapped up in a blanket on a cold, winter’s night next to the warm fireplace. 5/5

Old Border Road by Susan Froderberg

2010-11-30T19:50:00.001-05:00

Old Border Road has exceptional descriptions of characters, situations, and Arizona scenery. The characters are unique, and the storyline is appealing.

The main character, Katherine, lives with her in-laws in southern Arizona and must work with them in their everyday routine of keeping up their ranch while her husband is habitually absent at night. Katherine has to work hard, deal with unhappiness, deal with loneliness, and with THE KNOWING. As time goes on, could her second thoughts as she walked down the aisle as a seventeen-year-old bride have been an omen for her life's path?

Katherine....aka as "Girl" learns how to rope cattle, ride horses, make dinners, repair clothing, and cope with a drought plaguing Arizona. All characters mesh well together even though they are distinct in their own ways.

Ms. Froderberg's style is splendid...her beautiful prose reels you into the tale and allows you to become absorbed in the lives of Girl, Son, and Rose's Daddy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book...it is one you will want to read as well. 5/5

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

2010-11-21T20:51:00.000-05:00

A brother that disappears, a father who works all the time, a bored mother who works in a wood shop, and Rose who tastes feelings in food.

"So every food has a feeling, George said when I tried to explain to him about the acidic resentment in the grape jelly." Page 36

Poor Rose...besides not liking her favorite cake anymore and having an aversion to food because of what the taste brings out, she had to try to stay clear of her older brother so she wouldn't bother him and "make him flip." Her brother didn't want any parts of her, but his friend George helped her with finding out what was going on with her taste buds.

With George's help, Rose figured out that she could tell what kind of mood someone was in and what stage of life the ingredients in food had been simply by tasting the cookie or whatever food she happened to be sampling. She hated food because of this. Later on she found out something about her grandfather that gave her some insight into her “problem.”

Rose could taste her mother's feelings in all the food she made each night and found out something that she really didn't want to know about her mother.

The book was a sweet read sharing all the good and bad things that go on in families with the adults and the siblings. It also had some odd situations, which I am still confused about, but on the whole I enjoyed it and will give the book a 4/5. Overall, a very creative and different idea for a book.