Genre: Literary Fiction
Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words
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Author:
A native of Massachusetts, the novelist and playwright Author Wooten now lives in New York City. His other works include the novels On Picking Fruit and Fruit Cocktail. He is also the humorist for the London based magazine, reFRESH. For more, visit Wooten’s website.
Description:
The eccentric and dysfunctional Martindale family gathers at the family home where their father lays dying.
Appraisal:
Genre is a slippery thing sometimes. Literary or Contemporary Fiction, in my mind, is often a catchall for everything that isn’t something else. Deciding between the two catchall categories is more nebulous for me. Sometimes it is a case of “I know it when I see it,” while other times I’ll call it something because that is what the publisher or bookstore says. This book is a combination of both.
Most genre fiction has a clearly defined goal for the protagonist(s). The catchall categories often don’t. Sometimes who the protagonist is may even be unclear. Yet they still have a story that is entertaining or at least has some quality that makes it worth telling. Birthday Pie is entertaining, with humor that sometimes seems like satire. The story says a lot about how many families relate to each other, in both good and bad ways. The Simpsons are not like any of our families, at least I hope not, but many people seem to see more of their own family in that show than the typical TV family – if not in the specifics, then at least in their lack of perfection. I know I do. The Martindale family is one of those. You’ll laugh at them, even as you catch glimpses of yourself.
FYI:
Some adult language and sexual situations.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Literary Fiction
Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words
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Author:
Max V. Weiss is a lawyer. This is his first novel.
Description:
Tired of being the junior lawyer at his law firm, Travis has an idea to “save the world” and give his life meaning.
Appraisal:
Not long ago one of my reviews had a low star ranking, although I clearly liked the story. This book is the opposite situation. There aren’t any technical faults. The author’s writing style doesn’t have significant flaws. He’s told the story he wanted to tell and done so well. But my reaction to the story was lukewarm simply because it isn’t my kind of story. I’ll attempt to explain. Maybe it will be your “cup of tea.”
Warning: My explanation has some information that you might consider a spoiler. If that will be a problem for you, stop reading.
In the beginning, I could identify with Travis, the protagonist. His situation was one most people should understand. He has a job that has good points and bad points. Financially, it is decent, with plenty of potential. However, Travis feels like what he does is meaningless and therefore his life is meaningless. So he comes up with a plan to give his life meaning and, if this plan works, it will make the world a better place. His plan, using sound waves to trigger small earthquakes so that big ones won’t happen, is relatively harmless to start (although a little “out there”). The problem is that Travis quickly becomes obsessed with this, to the exclusion of everything else, and spirals more and more out of control. The ending is not a happy one.
When I finished, I wondered what the point of the story was and what someone would get from reading it. It isn’t entertainment, unless you enjoy watching someone self-destruct. I don’t think I’m hung up on a happy ending – I can think of too many examples of books I liked that didn’t end happily. While there might be a lesson about balance in life or a warning about becoming too obsessed with anything, Travis crossed the line from obsession to mental instability so quickly that I doubt anyone sane enough to be able to apply such a lesson could relate Travis to their own life. Maybe someone would find the story appealing because it isn’t happening to them; “there but for the grace of God …,” but that seems like a stretch. I don’t doubt that there are readers who would find this book just what they’re looking for, but I can’t imagine why. If you’re that reader, I hope you’ll recognize the appeal and let me know.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues
Rating: **** Four stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words
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Author:
A freelance writer and screenwriter, Patterson’s films have won awards in film festivals all over the world. He has four other works of varying lengths available from the major e-book stores. Patterson lives with his family in Wisconsin. For more, visit the author’s blog.
Description:
Flying home to the U.S., Georgina Fulci’s plane crashes near a remote island in the Atlantic. She and her fellow survivors soon discover that zombies have overrun the island. Can Georgina find her way off the island and return home to her husband and Mercy, her daughter?
Appraisal:
I think it is fair to describe Mercy as a genre hybrid. The opening plane crash in the middle of the ocean could signal the beginning of a straight thriller. The addition of zombies doesn’t take away from any of the qualities that make it a thriller, but do cross the line into horror (or whatever genre you think applies if a zombie has you targeted as their next meal).
My personal tastes generally include thrillers and shy away from zombies. Once I accepted zombies as real (an obvious requirement of the reader for any zombie book), then the zombies magnified the positives of the thriller storyline. Written as entries in Georgina’s journal, Mercy has a unique voice, which makes the reader identify with her plight, and pulls us deeper into her world. Mercy should be a satisfying read for both thriller fans and those who like zombie books. If you like both, it’s a no-brainer.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Picaresque/Satire
Approximate word count: 100,000-105,000
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Author:
According to one source I was able to find online, Hans von Osten is a writer and college instructor living in Utah. Most everything else is in reference to a horse by the same name that lived in Berlin sometime circa 1900. Popularly known as “Clever Hans” for its alleged aptitude for solving complex math equations, perhaps it is no coincidence that Shiver: The Life and Times of a Serial Marrier lists The Clever Horse as its publisher.
Description:
Equal parts travelogue, tall tale, and travesty of all things American, Shiver: The Life and Times of a Serial Marrier follows the misadventures of the improbably named “Shiver Me Timbers” across the United States in the latter half of the 20th century. Transformative years for the nation by any measure, spanning wars, natural disasters, and social upheaval of every persuasion, Shiver somehow manages to remain largely unchanged in his single-minded purpose of wedding (and bedding) as many women as he possibly can, resulting in a general plotline that is easily inferred from the book’s title.
With its roguish philanderer of a protagonist, Shiver is a bit of a throwback to the picaresque novels of previous centuries – satirical treatments of rascally men, their exploits, and the unsympathetic societies that attempt to hold them down. In between stints on the lam from Selective Service and the disgruntled wives he continues to accumulate, the title character can be found palling around with leftist revolutionaries, peddling pot to flower children, and working as a logger, sailor, and Christian fundamentalist celebrity speaker. Wherever this disjointed and diverse work history takes him, Shiver repeatedly proves that the one thing he is truly interested in is marrying and/or “diddling” whatever woman will have him – irrespective of age, race, social status, mental capacity, and (in one notable instance) gender.
All of this takes place against a backdrop that should be familiar to anyone well versed in American history (at least the version not taught in school), as the story is intertwined with mostly relevant discussions on everyone and everything from Christopher Columbus and Betsy Ross to Iran-Contra and the first Gulf War. As the tumultuous decades unfold with him inexplicably at the center of it all, the hapless Shiver comes to represent an everyman of sorts, at points feeling reminiscent of a happy-go-lucky, oversexed Forrest Gump.
A healthy dose of magic realism props up the narrative wherever it becomes difficult to maintain the reader’s suspension of disbelief, as when Shiver’s idle promise to love one woman “until pigs fly” proves to be one of the few vows he is actually forced to keep. The unlikely story of Saleem Sinai from Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children also comes to mind – try as he may to settle down and lead a normal, decent life, the cruel caprices of fate align to send Shiver packing time and time again.
Appraisal:
The remarkably plain cover belies a richly descriptive tale drawn from a broad palette of colors, with strokes of both humor and melancholy and the many shades between. The text might be a little overly verbose at times, and terms like “pusillanimous” and “terpsichorean” make it clear that the author keeps a thesaurus handy at all times. This is usually harnessed to good effect, however, and besides - one should never fault an author for being in possession of a vocabulary!
The story flies by at a pace that sometimes leaves the reader wishing for more, but in advancing the plot without unnecessary delay, von Osten leaves himself ample time to explore the various other tangents making Shiver the unique book that it is. Characters are similarly introduced (and left behind) at a dizzying rate, but they tend to pop back up often enough to remain salient even in their absence.
In perusing the long list of glowing reviews on Amazon, I was surprised to find that not a single one mentions the significant number of typos/usage errors that abound throughout the text (“tracks” vs. “tracts”, “shutter” vs. “shudder”, “differential” vs. “deferential”, etc). Admittedly, these do not take away much from the overall experience, but for me they were prevalent enough to mar an otherwise enjoyable read.
Some readers may find themselves turned off by the protagonist’s bigamist lifestyle, but while Shiver may at times seem like a narcissistic sociopath of truly epic proportions, he never comes across as malicious in his intent, and I for one did not find him particularly hard to like or sympathize with. Like any good fool, Shiver doesn’t take himself seriously enough to garner much disdain. As for the book itself, I ultimately agree with the narrator when he states “to man everything is impossible, but to God (and I would add: modern novelists) nothing is ever too preposterous!”
FYI:
This book contains a virtual cornucopia of sex and otherwise salacious material.
Format/Typo Issues:
About a dozen common usage errors and some inconsistent punctuation, most of which could easily be resolved by a second proofing.
Rating: **** Four stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Thriller
Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words
Availability
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Author:
C.J. West writes thrillers. His first book, Sin and Vengeance, the first of the Randy Black series, was optioned for film and is currently in development. West has two other books in this series. In addition to The End of Marking Time, West has another standalone novel, Taking Stock. An avid poker player and “recovered golf addict,” West lives with his family in Massachusetts. For more, visit his website.
Description:
Michael O’Connor is good at what he does. What he does is steal. But the cliché about a criminal only having to make one mistake is true. Convicted and on his way to prison, another inmate attempts an escape. O’Connor receives serious injuries, which put him into a coma. When he awakens years later, O’Connor discovers that the world has changed.
Appraisal:
The End of Marking Time is a thriller, but a different kind of thriller. Although it might be set in the future, it could also be an alternate reality. Nothing in the technology or setting seemed beyond the reach of what is possible today, or at least what might be shortly. The only significant thing that had changed was our approach to “rehabilitating” criminals.
The premise the book is built on is that while the protagonist, convicted criminal Michael O’Connor, was in a coma, the U.S. Supreme court made a ruling that long term incarceration constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. When Michael awakens from his coma, he is under the care of a replacement criminal justice system. I found myself rooting for Michael, a character that on the surface seems like he should be the bad guy. Michael’s struggle to understand expectations under the new system and the discovery that not everyone wants him to succeed provides the needed conflict. The new system and imagining how someone would react to such an extreme change was thought provoking. I found The End of Marking Time gave me everything I look for in a thriller, but with a storyline much different than the norm.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition, Jessica Chambers attended a school for the visually impaired from the age of nine. Despite this, books have always been her passion. After the normal series of rejections and rewrites, she finally got the go ahead from Red Rose Publishing for this, her debut novel. For more, visit Chambers’ website.
Description:
Faye Wakefield runs a competition offering a free two-week retreat at her small, seaside inn, located in a refurbished farmhouse. The nine winners are a diverse mix of age and economic background, with varying reasons as to why they needed this holiday.
Appraisal:
Although you sense from the prologue and occasional hints that there is some reason why Faye Wakefield picked each of the other nine characters in Voices on the Waves as winners of a two week holiday at her inn, it isn’t apparent until the conclusion. While this ties the story up in a neat little bow, much of the story is what happens when you throw a bunch of people together who are so diverse. Each has a reason they wanted to be there, whether a chance to contemplate a serious decision or just a break from their harried, unsatisfying existence.
I enjoy people watching. Sitting in an airport or anywhere where you have a wide range of people and observing. Reading Voices on Waves was people watching on steroids because I wasn’t only an observer, but was also able to get into the characters’ heads. This is one of the things I get from reading, the chance to vicariously experience something, often from a point of view much different from my own. Many times those experiences are pure fantasy what-ifs, such as anything paranormal or science fiction. Even situations in other genres which are possible are very unlikely. Each of the characters in Voices on the Waves was realistic, with lives that closely mirror actual people I know. That makes for people watching bliss.
FYI:
Contains some relatively mild sexual content.
The author is from the UK and uses the appropriate spelling conventions and slang for her native country.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Authors Collin Moshman and Katie Dozier are partners in life as well as writing. Both are professional poker players and make poker training videos for competing organizations. Although Dozier majored in creative writing at Florida State University, Moshman beat her into print with three poker related books published by two of the leading publishers in that arena. Each has a website; Moshman’s TeamMoshman site is primarily concerned with poker, while Dozier’s website mixes poker and literary subjects.
Description:
“Predator,” one of poker’s new young stars, loses millions under suspicious circumstances while playing online poker. He hires disgraced poker champion and ex-cop Grisham Stark to investigate. Seeing a chance to redeem himself, Stark accepts.
Appraisal:
Superuser is a typical suspense or thriller novel, in that it has all the elements common to the genre, including a mystery in need of a solution and a fast-paced plot. However, it is also unique, because its setting in the poker scene will be new to many readers. While this is not the first novel written by a poker professional to take place in their world, it is the first I’ve seen in this genre. While fictional, the premise, that someone has found a way to see the cards of his competitors while playing online poker, is based on a true story, with some of the techniques used to uncover and prove this was happening in real life figuring into the plot of Superuser.
I knew these authors would get the poker playing parts of the story right (something non-poker playing authors seldom manage when poker is part of their story). But I wondered how well they would be able to keep the story credible without it appearing to cross the line into non-fiction. They managed this well. I spotted two places where they used real names, once referring in passing to some of the big names in poker, and, in another instance, mentioning two of the experts in the arena of poker math and statistics (one, a coauthor of one of Moshman’s books). All other characters are fictional, with attributes that people in the sphere of competitive gaming share , but clearly not based on any specific individual. The same goes for politicians and other non-poker-playing characters. Events influencing the world of poker during the period of the actual superuser incident, mainly political, are replaced by alternate events with similar effects. The result is an alternative history: fiction that gives a realistic feel for the actual history.
I can’t imagine a poker player who wouldn’t enjoy Superuser. For non-players, it is a chance to experience a difference world vicariously.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues
Rating: **** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jess
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Living on the Umpqua River in Oregon, outdoorsy Kristen James spends time with her family when she’s not reading, writing and editing. Aside from More Than Memories, Ms. James has written A Cowboy for Christmas, A Miraculous Fate (with Tommy Garrison), The River People, The Enemy's Son and Ember of Hope, Flickers of Passion (a freebie on Smashwords). She is currently in the running for a 150-word story contest through Reader’s Digest with her submission titled The Long Road to Happiness. She also has a non-fiction title Book Promoting 101: How To Tell The World About Your Book. For more information on Kristen visit her blog or on Facebook.
Description:
After inexplicably losing her memory and her parents, Molly Anderson summons the bravery to face her fears and go on a search for her mysterious past. She finds herself in Ridge City, trying to piece together who she is, what led to her memory loss, where she came from, and why her stomach flips and her heart races every time she sets eyes on local officer, Trent Williams. As snippets of memories come back to Molly, the pair combines forces following the clues to discover the truth about her strange disappearance years before and the root of the feelings they have for each other.
Appraisal:
I just loved this book! Primarily because Ms. James' equation for the plot kept me guessing the entire time. There was no predicting the conclusion, which was a treat for me in reading this genre. For that reason, I couldn't put it down. It read much more like a mystery than a romance. The characters drew me in. I cared about Molly, Trent and their friends. The subplots eased transitions and mentally stirred up the intrigue factor. I found myself constantly wondering... about everything. This felt like a love story in reverse only to have the characters come full circle with a new understanding of the past and a happy peek into the future. I look forward to enjoying the other titles noted above.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five Stars
Genre: Travel
Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Jamie Wakefield’s claim to fame is writing about the game Magic: The Gathering, as both a tournament reporter and participant. He has published two books about his Magic exploits, The Quest for the Pro Tour and a sequel, as well as reporting for various other venues. When he published this book, Wakefield was living in Spain with his girlfriend Wendy (a featured character in the book). If you visit the author’s website, you’ll see some major changes have happened since.
Description:
A chance meeting with a woman from his distant past sets the author on the road to romance and spurs an eventual relocation to Spain.
Appraisal:
Recently I reviewed Life in another Country, a book that shared the experiences of several people living in countries foreign to them. Comparing this book to that one might not be fair for several reasons. That book was aiming at presenting a broader range of experience. It isn’t possible for a book of ten stories to go to the same depth of experience as one that presents the story of a single person. Yet I couldn’t help but make the comparison and feel that what I got from reading I’m not an Alcoholic, I’m just European is what it seemed the other book was aiming for and didn’t quite succeed in doing.
I’m not an Alcoholic … gives a firsthand account of Wakefield’s experiences adapting to a new country and culture, spiced with a real life romance as a secondary storyline. He includes the facts (where, what, how) and plenty about the logistical nightmares involved in making something like this work, but also gives a sense of how he felt and what it was like to adapt to his new surroundings. Wakefield does a good job of contrasting life in his native state of Vermont with that in Spain and the other European countries he visits. Through the entire experience, Wakefield’s sense of humor shines through, as you learn about bullfighting, nocturnal Spaniards, and many other things, including the reason for the book’s title.
One minor nit I have to pick is that a few times the author explains a subject that he has already discussed earlier in the book. For example, he mentions multiple times the habit Spanish waiters have of not bringing you your bill until requested, with an explanation of the reason for this.
FYI:
Wakefield has supported himself at least partially as a writer and continued to do so in Spain. One line in the book I found interesting and wanted to mention that doesn’t belong in the review is this:
A recent article in Time magazine stated, “There are more people who want to be writers than there are people who want to be readers.”
I’m not sure if I agree, although I can see where that feeling could come from. What is your opinion?
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Mystery/Paranormal/Chick Lit
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words
Availability
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Author:
A native of Chicago, Barbra Annino is a book junkie (aren’t we all?) and a Springsteen addict (we should all be this, too). Formerly a bartender, Bed and Breakfast owner, and humor columnist for Illinois magazine, Annino now works as a freelance writer. She, her husband, and all three of her Great Danes live on the bluffs above the Mississippi river, in northwestern Illinois. For more, visit Annino’s website.
Description:
This is the first installment of the Stacy Justice Mystery series.
Stacy Justice is a reporter for her small town newspaper. A fire in an old building owned by her cousin uncovers a mystery that Stacy sets out to solve. Her boyfriend (who happens to be a cop) and her eccentric aunts (who are witches) are at times a help, and at other times, a hindrance.
Appraisal:
Opal Fire is a mystery with a touch of paranormal. It also has the qualities of the best chick lit, without actually being chick lit. Before I run off any men who would rather read a cereal box than chick lit, give me a chance to explain that last sentence before you leave.
My working definition of chick lit provided to me by author Donna Fasano. She says it is, “a female protagonist and her personal (and usually foible-filled) journey toward self-understanding and self-acceptance.” Stacy may gain some self-understanding or self-acceptance on her journey to solving the mystery, but, if so, it is a very small part of the story. It does seem foible-filled, which along with some funny descriptions and dialogue gives the story some humor, much more like chick lit than a typical mystery. For example, I liked this description of Stacy’s cousin:
His voice was chipper. Cinnamon hated chipper. She wrapped Chipper up in duct tape, pounded nails into it and used it to beat the crap out of Perky.
But let’s not forget, this is a mystery. The mystery plot keeps you guessing. A few subplots tie in well to the main story , and are entertaining in their own right. And the humor and quirky characters will keep you laughing.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Reviewed by: Jess
Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance
Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Elizabeth Black lives in Massachusetts with her family and pets. She has written a vast multitude of erotic novels and short stories. Her personal interests include spending time on the beach, reading and watching horror movies. There are six places on the web to find more about Black. Links to all are located on her blog.
Description:
Even though she’s working all the jobs that come her way via the stage employees union, Amelia finds herself strapped for cash during an aggravating divorce from her creepy, balding ex-husband. He also threatens to sue her for custody of their child as added manipulation when she rents a room to her buff co-worker Grant Newman. Grant’s occasional moodiness and disappearing acts with his best friend Sam were always easily overlooked prior to his arrival. Sharing the same roof (among other things) makes Amelia realize her feelings for him are more than casual as her intrigue and concern for him grow.
Appraisal:
I’ve read my share of erotic literature by a wide variety of writers and for the most part have enjoyed it for what it was intended. This being said I felt this book was rather flat. The dialogue was choppy and the transitions to the juicy scenes weren’t very smooth either. There could have been a substantial amount of suspense added to the storyline and characters lacked, well… character. Lacking the believability factor, I couldn’t immerse myself into the story enough to enjoy it.
FYI:
Sexual themes include bisexuality, light bondage and sex with not quite humans.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ** Two Stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Humor
Approximate word count: 95-100,00 words
Availability
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Author:
Danny Gillan’s first novel, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, was the Scottish Region winner of the Undiscovered Authors competition of 2007 and was subsequently picked up by a publisher. It has since been republished in a Kindle edition. Gillan also has a collection of short stories, A Selection of Meats and Cheeses, available for your favorite e-reader. A longtime rock star wannabe, Gillan has worked as a bartender and bar manager and currently works in the social care field, helping those with mental health issues and learning disabilities. Additionally, Gillan is an editor for Words With Jam, a magazine “for writers and readers who like words that stick.”
Description:
Thirty-three year-old Jim Cooper owns a house and has a job he hates, although it does pay the bills. An unexpected reminder of his past convinces Jim that if this is what being a grownup is like, he wants no part of it. So he quits his job, sells his house, pays off all his debts, and moves back into his parent’s home. He’s at adulthood ground-zero and taking another shot at growing up.
Appraisal:
The “coming-of-age” story is a popular story type that involves someone young (usually early twenties or younger) who has an experience that helps them move from childhood towards the adult world. Scratch is a coming-of-age-again story. It’s a story about second chances, the choices we make, and their consequences.
If this sounds deep, it is. The themes explored in Scratch are serious and the struggles Jim has are the same kind of thing all but the most charmed and decisive of us have experienced at some point. Yet Scratch doesn’t feel serious, because it is infused with humor and wit. Scratch is a serious book while being fun, instead of pretentious; a perfect combination.
FYI:
The author is Scottish. Expect slang and spelling conventions from his native country.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Genre: Suspense/Literary fiction
Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words
Availability
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Author:
This is R.J. Smythe’s first novel. He says his primary goal as an author is to entertain the reader.
Description:
Three young adults find a cache of money at a remote swimming hole and think it is the answer to their dreams. Instead, their lives start spiraling out of control, with repercussions on top of repercussions.
Appraisal:
This is a first for me. I’ve never rated a book this low that I liked this much. In fact, I don’t think I’ve rated a book this low where I didn’t wish I could have the time that I spent reading it back, yet I don’t regret having read The Old Dam. I’ll try to explain.
We’ll start with the positive. The Old Dam is a coming-of-age story with a lot of suspense and parts that border on horror. The narrator, C.J., is a sympathetic character, who seems like a good kid who finds himself in a difficult situation. Where the story is going, how it will resolve, and even what you view as a satisfactory ending, are constantly changing as the full tale unwinds. There are morality lessons and object lessons on life priorities along with a darn good story.
All of this is good. However, the author has two writing tics that happen constantly and, over time, become an irritant. I’ll explain each with examples.
The first is a tendency to do what I’ll describe as stuttering. The book is a narration from C.J. interspersed with dialogue from the other characters. This tic happens in both dialogue, where it might sometimes make sense, and in narration, where I don’t think it belongs. An example in narration is when C.J. tells us, “Yesterday’s episode with Joe, the shotgun, and my forehead . . . that’d been downright, downright . . . I couldn’t think of a word that described it” or “As for Amy, well . . . well . . . . I’d give her a call.”
The second issue is repetition. Smythe states the same information in slightly different words, one sentence right after the other. It reached the point where I wanted to keep saying, “yeah, I got it the first time.” A few examples are:
He seemed really angry. He seemed quite upset.
Oh, criminy. How many times did we have to go through this little ritual? How many times did we have to go through this little routine?
“It’s kind of a little trophy,” he explained. “Kind of a little souvenir.”
Either one of these, in moderation, could actually be a good technique for implying something about a particular character at that point in the story. For example, it might show nervousness or that he is having a hard time articulating something. But overuse of this technique causes a loss of effectiveness, especially when used in both narration and dialogue.
These tics occur often enough that, I think, most people will find them grating, which is the reason I ranked the book the way I did. However, if you don’t think they’d bother you, then the story is worth taking the time to read.
FYI:
The book description warns about the following: Adult language, adult themes, sexual situations, gratuitous nudity, and violence. That covers all the bases although most of these are relatively mild.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ** Two stars
Reviewed by: JA Gill
Genre: Literary fiction
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 Words
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Author:
Editor turned novelist Susan Wells Bennett resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and their two dogs. Forsaking the Garden is her latest novel. Previous novels include The Prophet’s Wives and The Thief of Todays and Tomorrows.
Description:
Famous author Tim Chase is about to write the greatest novel of his life, in the afterlife, and as a muse.
Appraisal:
“Ha! She thought with a laugh, ghost writer. If ever such a name were more fitting, I’ve never encountered it.”
And yet ghost writer is perhaps too obvious a title for a book dealing with death and atonement that takes as its premise the transliteration of the very phrase—from uncredited writer to uncredited writer who is a ghost. Not surprisingly then, An Unassigned Life comprises the elements of high farce: catchy dialogue, colorful characters, fast-paced plot, and happy ending.
While Life’s plot clicks into place with the familiar ghost story scene of relatable young couple starting a life together in their new dream home only to find out that it’s still inhabited, the reader is on the other side, that of the side of the recently deceased. Bennett borrows from the Christian idea of a heaven and hell and the corporeal life as test for the great hereafter, the score of which decides the direction or path of the soul for eternity. Hell we know is definitely bad but for vague reasons and so heaven wins by apparent default, the lesser of the two evils anyway. Inserted somewhere is earth, home to the living and a second chance for the fleshless moral slackers, sensing that they need to get into God’s good graces but not sure how.
Other characters include a flaky tattoo artist’s girlfriend, a pretentious angel, and a cynical priest, all communing in the vain and vulnerable. Tim Chase, the egotistical novelist and main character discovers his mortal coil undisturbed in the next life. Those he haunts or rather pesters are piquantly human as well; with the exception of a harmless bum who serves as a simple and altruistic foil for the rest.
At heart, An Unassigned Life is an economically plotted story about couplehood—corporeal and incorporeal—as each struggle with the concept of personal identity and shared space. Bennett’s storytelling is refreshingly straightforward—a Spartan use of simile and metaphor—both sentimental and humorous though never treacle.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: *** Three stars
Genre: Mystery
Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words
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Author:
N.C. Hyzy is a pseudonym for Julie Hyzy. A Chicago native, Hyzy has three mystery series (written as Julie Hyzy) and several short story collections, including one science fiction collection as S.F. Hyzy. State of the Onion, the debut installment of her White House Chef series, was the winner of several awards, among them the 2009 Barry Award for Best Paperback Original. For more, visit her website.
Description:
Private investigator Riley Drake does background checks for clients of an upscale (make that extremely upscale) dating service, as well as taking on her own clients. In this first installment of a new series, Riley is pushed into trying to identify the killer of billionaire John Stratton’s wife, or at least clear Stratton of wrongdoing.
Appraisal:
It seems to me that the main character in a series has to be likeable, so readers will come back for future books. In a thriller or mystery series, the lead character is usually competent at their job – really beyond competent, sometimes almost too good. What makes them relatable are their flaws; how they react in those real life situations where they aren’t perfect or show a little nervousness.
Riley Drake can take care of herself – that’s made clear by the end of the first chapter – but she does have a few chinks in her armor that make her human. When dealing with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend, we find she’s not as cold as she’d like us to believe. She has an empathetic side, which shows in her dealings with a character who has a drug problem and another with offbeat sexual tastes. She’s prone to slipping up just enough to require a quick trip to the hospital, but is likely to check herself out before her doctor thinks she’s ready. It all adds up to a quirky, likeable character.
You can’t have a mystery without a plot, either, and Playing With Matches has a good one. If you’ve read many mysteries, you’ll know most are built around a selection from some basic building blocks, with each story’s uniqueness coming from setting and characters. Hyzy has built a solid foundation for her series with Riley Drake and her unique profession, and an interesting cast of secondary characters. Playing With Matches was a great introduction to Riley. I’m eager to read the next in the series.
Format/Typo Issues:
There were a small number of typos and proofreading errors.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Mystery/Romantic Suspense
Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words
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Author:
Former newspaper reporter Stacy Juba is the winner of over a dozen writing awards. She is the author of several books, including Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, another romantic suspense novel available for your Kindle. She has multiple young adult novels slated for publication over the next year. For more, visit her website.
Description:
After starring on the reality show Sink or Swim, Cassidy Novak returns home and discovers her new fame has a downside. She’s acquired a stalker.
Appraisal:
Sudden riches and newfound fame are both a notorious way to attract people trying to befriend you for all the wrong reasons. Cassidy Novak returns home to her old job after narrowly missing the big prize on a reality show. She hopes to find a way to leverage her 15 minutes of fame into enough money to start her own business. Then she discovers the downside, with people making claims on her time she doesn’t want to give, and a stalker, who could be one of many different people.
With the rise of reality shows over the last several years, I’m surprised no one has used the premise of Sink or Swim before now. It has all the ingredients for a good story. Someone experiencing the changes that come with sudden fame is a magnet for crazies and those who hope to ride their coattails. Those who are smart, as Cassidy is, are aware of this, which increases their natural suspicions about other people’s motives. Juba takes full advantage of the potential in this premise to maintain the tension throughout.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Travel
Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words
Availability
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Description:
A collection of ten short autobiographical sketches, each sharing the author’s experiences living in a country foreign to them.
Appraisal:
The subtitle of Life in Another Country is Learning More Than Ever Expected. The title explains the premise: each of those who contribute spent an extended period living outside their native country and tell us about it. The subtitle is what a reader would hope to learn. What did the contributors learn that they didn’t expect? How were the people and conditions different? In what ways were they the same? A couple sentences buried in the middle of the section by Steve Trigg, a combat video journalist who has lived all over the world, had what I thought could have been a summary for at least part of what we might take away from our reading:
The people I have met on my travels taught me how to live by accepting the rules of humanity as opposed to the rules of one society. I have discovered that, in the end, we all want the same thing for ourselves and our families—a tomorrow.
Jennifer Stewart, the person who put this book together by writing the introduction, soliciting contributions, and editing, appears to have edited with a light hand. This is both good and bad. It allowed each contributor’s unique voice to remain; however, there were many instances where cutting an extraneous word or phrase would have made tighter prose without losing that voice. One contributor used the phrase “if you know what I mean” at the end of a couple of sentences, for a single example among many.
However, my bigger problem with the book is that, while it delivered to some degree on its promise, there is too much extraneous stuff. Things like 'I went from here to here to here or I did this and this and this,’ with too much detail about the what, and not enough detail about how it felt. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some insightful gems buried amongst the barebones travelogues. Steve Trigg’s contribution, quoted above, had a section on how his experiences changed him, which was very good. All contributors had portions that were informative and enlightening. Unfortunately, the search for those gems took too large a portion of the reading time.
Format/Typo Issues:
A small number of typos and proofreading errors.
Rating: *** Three stars
Genre: Mystery
Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Shaun Jeffrey attributes his attraction to “the dark side” to growing up in a house in a cemetery. He has had numerous short stories published in many different venues, with a collection of shorts, Voyeurs of Death, along with two other novels available for your e-reader. For more, visit Jeffrey’s blog.
Description:
“People are predictable. That’s what makes them easy to kill.”
Pushed into assisting with a copycat killing, police detective Prosper Snow finds himself trapped by his colleagues on one side, and the serial killer who takes exception to their copying on the other.
A movie based on The Kult has been filmed by Gharial Productions, with release pending.
Appraisal:
The premise, that the protagonist Prosper Snow gets pushed into helping with a copycat killing, seems hard to believe when reading it in the description. However, the author sets this up in such a way that buying into the premise isn’t as difficult as you might expect. What follows from that decision is a horrific nightmare. A murder mystery that at times reads like a police procedural and is spiced with more than a touch of horror, The Kult isn’t your typical book.
What was most intriguing about The Kult was having several characters who are simultaneously the good guy and the bad guy. Prosper is the good guy, since he is leading the murder investigation, but also the bad guy, for his role in the copycat murder. His accomplices are murderers, yet they’re sympathetic for the same reason Prosper is, and we don’t want them to be caught. Prosper’s partner on the police force is a good guy (or gal, if you prefer), however, we’re rooting against her truly solving all the crimes. Somehow, Jeffrey finds his way to a satisfactory resolution, with a surprise twist you’ll never predict.
FYI:
The author uses spelling conventions and slang from his native country, the UK.
Format/Typo Issues:
A small number of typos.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Humor/Urban Fantasy
Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words
Availability
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Author:
A prolific writer, Ian Thomas Healy has seventeen works available including Deep Six: A Just Cause Novel, which was a “Top 100 Semi-finalist” in the 2008 Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Awards. Healy lives with his family in Colorado. For more, visit Healy’s website.
Description:
The Fort McWilliams Fighting Aardvarks, a cellar-dwelling sub-minor-league hockey team from nowheresville, British Columbia, acquire a new player and suddenly begin winning. Then Hamisch “Hammie” Hamlisch, the first line right winger, discovers the reason – an infestation of vampires on the team.
Appraisal:
Calling Blood on the Ice “Urban Fantasy” might be a stretch. Not because it doesn’t have the elements of this genre, as I understand them, but because calling Fort McWilliams urban feels like it is pushing the definition. However, it isn’t rural or suburban, so what else is left? Urban Fantasy fans with a sense of humor should find it to their tastes, but if vampires would normally send you running, don’t run yet.
If you could take away the vampires, Blood on the Ice would still be a funny story. Much of the setting is ripe for humor. Sports teams, especially those that aren’t doing very well, are good fodder for comedy . The idiosyncrasies of small towns and the cluelessness of many young males are always good for a laugh. Healy takes advantage of each of these. Throw in the vampires (good for a laugh in itself, given the apparent need for so many books to have them these days), add Healy’s approach to dealing with them, and you have a winner. Although there is plenty of tension and conflict in the story as Hammie Hamlisch, the protagonist, tries to stop the infestation of vampires on his hockey team, which kept the story interesting, what sets it apart from others is the humor.
One thing in Blood on the Ice that I can’t remember seeing before is a narrator who interrupts the story from time to time to comment, but whose identity isn’t apparent. It is obvious early on that the narrator isn’t Hammie and I quickly stopped wondering. I just viewed him or her as the all-seeing, all-knowing narrator. In the end, the narrator reveals his identity, and ties together a few loose threads in a very clever way.
FYI:
Some adult language and sexual situations. If you’re easily offended by poking fun at religion, this might not be for you.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
That’s right, every entry is a winner. Author Jason Letts is doing a giveaway of his new book, Suspense. To receive a copy all that is required is to send an email between now and 11:59 PM Eastern, September 11, 2011. Send your entry to BooksAndPals(at)Yahoo(dot)com with “Suspense Giveaway” as the subject and indicate your preference of e-book format (Mobi for Kindle, ePub for Nook and many other e-readers, or PDF). I’ll pass your email address and format selection on to the author who will email you your free e-book.
Here is the description of the book:
Spencer Nye can’t control the rage bubbling under her skin over the world around her. The trouble is, by the year 2102, the world has solved most of its great problems. Without hunger, war, greed, or even money, people obsess over the glamour of the Culture Industry and its mega-celebrity Idols, who vie for followers over the social networks of Connect.
But Spencer discovers there is plenty to fix within the Idols’ competition for more popularity. She becomes a diehard and promises to do anything to help her Idol, a dreamy movie star named Cleary Mintz, bring his vision of hope and purpose to the world. When she stumbles onto a threat against his life, she’ll have to fight harder than she ever thought possible or lose the man who means more to her than any other.
Suspense, the first book in a dystopian trilogy, contains 76,000 words and is recommended for ages 16 and up because of depictions of violence and some sexual themes.
After you’ve received and read your free copy of Suspense, visit Jason Lett’s Facebook page where, by clicking “like,” you’ll be given details on how you can enter a drawing with a grand prize of a free Kindle or Nook. (Last date to enter this secondary drawing is 10/9/2011.)
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Phillip Thomas Duck straddles the old and new worlds, with some books published by legacy publishers (Harlequin and Simon & Schuster) and others self-published. Duck lives with his daughter in New Jersey. For more, visit his blog.
Description:
Terri Welker feels like she finally has her life under control with a good job, photographing stray husbands for a private investigation firm, and some good friends. Then a part of her past that she’s been running from catches up with her. Again.
Appraisal:
In a word, different is how I would describe Modesty. The characters– Terri Welker, the protagonist, along with the supporting cast– are different from the typical. The premise of the story is different from the norm. They say there are only so many different stories, and I’m sure this fits the pattern of one of them, but the unique spin Duck puts on the story ingredients make it feel new. Okay, different. And different is good.
Because of these differences, it seemed like the suspense aspect of the book had me on edge more. It felt less predictable. I wasn’t sure what direction the story was going to go. I had no idea what the resolution might be. In many ways, Modesty resembles a psychological thriller as much as romantic suspense. Whatever you call it, Modesty should keep you turning pages and guessing at how it will all end.
FYI:
Although the second of a series, this book can be read as a standalone.
Some adult language and sexual situations.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words
Availability
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Author:
Mike Wood is a middle school teacher, father, and “author by accident.” It was an injury from an accident, a torn Achilles tendon, that prompted Wood to resurrect his long suppressed dream of being an author, starting this novel during his recovery. He has also been a featured columnist for the Connecticut Post in their Get Out column, writing humor and dating articles. His blog, Blog of Wood, varies from humorous to thought-provoking.
Description:
1984 was quite a year, both in America and, more specifically, for 15 year-old Al. He experiences first love and, with his girlfriend Cammie, attempts to solve the mystery of his missing father.
Appraisal:
In his bio on Amazon, Wood indicates he had many rejections from agents and publishers, “claiming the book was great, but too hard to market.” After reading Alchemy, I understand why. It isn’t a mystery, although there is a mystery to be solved. It has a protagonist who is the perfect age for a Young Adult novel and I daresay many in this demographic would relate to much of the story – possibly (hopefully) even learn from it. However, some parents might feel that parts of the book aren’t suitable for the younger portion of the demographic; not because it is explicit or crude (it isn’t), but because some subject matter might be too mature for them (saying more would be a spoiler.) Marketing as a Young Adult book might also limit the adult audience, many whom would find the book nostalgic for the time in which it takes place as well as some of the things Al is going through. It is a coming of age story, but that doesn’t help with the marketing angle and also sells the book short –it is much more than that.
I also understand why those agents and publishers liked Alchemy. Wood’s writing voice (or maybe I should describe it as Al’s voice) is different in a way I haven’t been able to identify. Whatever it is that makes it different, it fits the character well. During the story, Al learns about love, in many different forms. He matures, learning that just being himself and being open about his feelings is best. Most importantly, he finds out that things aren’t always as they appear and that sometimes people do the wrong thing for the right reasons. Older teens and adults, especially those who were still young in the 80s, should especially connect with Alchemy.
One minor complaint I had were a few instances where Al’s Great-Grandmother appeared in the story. She spoke in what I took to be an Italian accent and the dialogue attempted to convey this. Where accents in dialogue are concerned, a little bit goes a long way. On the positive side, this was a very small part in only two or three scenes. However, the first was very early, which didn’t get me off to a great start.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
