Thursday, December 31, 2015

Review: Asylum, a collection of short fiction


Genre: Short Story Anthology

Description:

A religious refugee fleeing for his life in his own country. A trickster asking an enemy for safe haven. A horrific visit to a psychiatric ward overrun by its charges. An unexplained theft from a biomedical lab. The last known survivor of a mysterious plague. A wormhole to the most peaceful and secret place in the world. A detective on the trail of a human trafficker.

#Free for your #Kindle, 12/31/2015

The author of each of these books has indicated their intent to schedule these books for a free day for the Kindle versions today on Amazon. Sometimes plans change or mistakes happen, so be sure to verify the price before hitting that "buy me" button.




The Sun That Shines and The Storm That Will Always Pass: Everything Could Be So Simple by Derek Warmington




Two Birds by Vicki Tyley



Author's interested in having their free book featured either here on a Thursday or a sister site on a Monday, visit this page for details.


Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Review: Inside Out by Jack Kearney


Genre: Suspense

Description:

As an actor, Danny Belson has played many criminal types—he has “that look.” When he falls foul of the law, he finds himself locked up in the same prison where only six months ago he taught an acting workshop. Danny's life is turned Inside Out.

Author:

As a struggling actor, the author appeared on such shows as Mash, WKRP in Cincinnati, and General Hospital. Back in the mid-seventies he graduated from the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts and had an opportunity to teach an experimental acting workshop to inmates at a Federal prison.”
Appraisal:

The first part of this story revolves around Danny’s life as a struggling actor. The auditions, the casting agents, the parties, and the networking were fascinating to me. Clearly the author has firsthand knowledge of the situations he puts his main character in and the realism came across loud and clear and made for a compelling read.

The second part of the story focuses on Danny’s life after he’s incarcerated. This, for me, was less enjoyable. Partly because of the writing quality—too many characters, and a point of view that slipped around enough to cause confusion—and partly because the plot became so chaotic at times I was pulled out of the story.

I understand this is the author’s first novel, and taking that into account, it’s a solid piece with an unusual storyline.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

I’ve definitely seen worse, but the number of silly typos got a bit irksome.
English spelling.

Rating: *** Three Stars
Reviewed by: Pete Barber
Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Review: Fey by C.S. Feldman


Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Myths

Description:

Nessa Donnelly never expected to see her estranged and eccentric father again, but a phone call summons her back to her hometown and to the hospital in which the elder Donnelly lies in a comatose state for which his doctors have no explanation. Bit by bit, long-buried family secrets emerge, and Nessa begins to realize that those secrets were kept hidden from her for a reason.

She also realizes that there is something in the woods behind her father’s house that he never told her about, something that can’t be explained. And she is also not as alone in his house as she thought she was…”

Author:

C. S. Feldman loves all things fantasy related and writes both novels and screenplays. Stop by and say hi on Facebook” Also check outher website for an upcoming release.

Appraisal:

This fantasy novella seems to be Ms. Feldman’s debut. I found this tale enthralling and well written. If you are not familiar with Fey folk this is an excellent introduction to them. I was a bit puzzled about Nessa in the beginning. She’s aloof and seems uncaring, but as the story unfolds one begins to understand why she is the way she is. Nessa’s story is unique and as it unfolds she is presented with a mystery that must be solved rather quickly to save herself as well as her sick father. The dynamics of the relationships in this story is what brings the story full circle. The fact that there was a majestic cock in the story was a bonus for me.

This is a quick story with some important lessons about looking at life or situations from different points of view to understand and see the full picture. The Fey puts an interesting spin on the whole story. I hope to see more stories like this from Ms Feldman in the future.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing worth noting.

Rating: ***** Five stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Monday, December 28, 2015

Wrapped in Human Clothing, a Guest post from E.M. Prazeman, contributing author to "Asylum: a collection of short fiction"


In the great television series Castle, character Teddy Farrow in the episode “Inventing the Girl” (third episode, second season) declares that “fashion is what separates us from animals.” He goes on to compare fashion to civilization. Without the delivery and context, it loses a lot of power. If you’re curious, watch the episode. It’s worth your time.

In the hands of another actor, and if it had been written by another writer, they both might have been tempted to use those lines as proof of a fashion designer’s myopic vision of the world and aggrandizement of what is, compared to murder and suffering, a trivial pursuit. Instead, at least to me, it resonated very deeply. It tells a truth about humanity that parades before our eyes every day, though we seldom notice it for what it is except perhaps to mock it when it trips on a catwalk.

Writers rather famously write in pajamas, as they work at home and there seems to be little reason to dress up unless they plan to venture to the grocery store or set aside an hour or two at a fitness club. If they dress differently than when they write at home, that is an admission that social rules matter. Or, if they do show up in pajamas, slippers and a robe, it’s an admission that they don’t care. Or maybe they’re depressed. In an uncaring, gray world, where it’s an effort to brush your teeth, to get out of bed, to keep breathing, changing clothes to suit a social sensibility that doesn’t serve you and may even seem to actively destroy you makes no sense whatsoever.

Perhaps, then, dressing up would be a sign that things are looking up. Or maybe dressing up is that person fighting the good fight against the depression that’s destroying their will to live and be a part of the world. Even if dressing up isn’t that big of an effort, there are both conscious and unconscious elements to what we choose to wear.

Just as dressing up can be something more than practical protection against sun, freezing or windburn, dressing down can be an act of defiance. As much vitriol as sagging attracts, it’s also a symbol of cultural freedom. The cavaliers with their fancy collars laid down across their coats and vests shocked society by showing their necks and refusing to starch the fabric to the point that it stood up to follow a specific form. They embraced controlled chaos, making beauty from a riot of colors and reshaping garments to flow with the human body instead of forcing it into a sometimes bizarre (though often exquisite) collection of geometric shapes. Oh those cavaliers with their notions of free expression, scientific inquiry, never mind their conflicting religious views! Shocking indeed.

Yet today we look at their 17th century portraits and see them as poised, flowery and perhaps a bit stuffy.

They were the saggers of their age, full of defiance and rich with cultural power. Meanwhile the Puritans, who shared the streets with the Cavaliers, also defined themselves with fashion. They wore drab colors as a symbol of their moral superiority.

Yes, fashion matters. It matters personally, socially, and culturally. It doesn’t just matter to the waiter trying to seat people at a fancy restaurant. It matters to the person being seated. Do they fit in? Do they want to fit in? Is their status such that they could be seated at a black tie restaurant in jeans and a dirty t-shirt? Would they do it to prove that they could, or because they didn’t care, or because they actively hated those who took offense at them and wanted to spit in their beholders’ eyes? Or perhaps some famous people make an effort because they don’t want to flaunt their power, or disrespect the public that has given them their wealth, or fear their fame might be transient or taken away from them if they misbehave.

Then there’s the dress up. It’s not just for Halloween. The right clothes, the right shoes, the right makeup can help boost floundering confidence. It might open doors otherwise shut to us, and prove that we’re willing to go out of our way to be a part of a community or workplace. Clothes can also make us invisible, if we choose. We can dress up to blend in, though we might secretly long to wear some flamboyant concoction that reminds us of a carnival, or something that would fit with this excerpt from the brilliant poem by Jenny Joseph:

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.

Women who dress up to go out sometimes complain that men suddenly feel free to ogle and make comments or even proposition them. Some men counter with, “well, why did you dress up, then?” That’s a disingenuous question at best, because although it’s implied there isn’t just one answer. Women dress up to impress their dates, or to feel good about themselves, or as a power play to ‘punk out’ or dominate over other women in their group by appearing more desirable. They, therefore, may not necessarily be dressing up to encourage every man who notices them to flirt or drool over them. Any notice outside their intended target group may just be a side effect of their true intention, and is often considered a bother rather than a win. The context matters. The clothing may have layers of meaning as well as fabric, but it’s not that complicated. Those that pay attention to the roles played by fashion understand and can function in more social situations than those who don’t observe and practice.

Fashion isn’t just practical, artful, and socially expressive. It can be magical.

In Impro by Keith Johnstone, the author goes on at length about how masks and costumes can change not only how we’re perceived, but how we perceive ourselves. Clothing can change how we feel, what we think we know, even who we are.

So how could I stop myself from making masks, and clothes, and costumes so important to my characters that it really did matter whether a jester’s makeup was smudged or if his hat matched his mask or if he had time to shave twice a day to maintain the illusion of youth? How could I resist turning clothes and masks into a form of magic?

The answer is, I couldn’t.


Get your copy of Asylum, the anthology of short fiction which includes works by E.M. Prazeman and others from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

You might also be interested in one of E.M. Prazeman's books. Series start Masks would be the logical place to start. Available from Amazon US or Amazon UK.





Sunday, December 27, 2015

Review: The Lost Tornado by Jim Divine


Genre: Autobiography/Coming of Age/Humour

Description:

From an impoverished Edinburgh childhood, where Dad tapped the electricity supply from the street lamp outside their Pilton home to provide heat for the ten kids, to breaking into the altogether brighter lights of the advertising world, Jim Divine has seen off many a storm. His hilarious autobiographical novel recounts the highs and lows of a life spent searching for answers to the big questions: Will I be playing for Hibs on Saturday? Was that Joanna Lumley I spotted down Leith Walk? And just how the hell did I manage to avoid killing those three people?

Author:

James Dean Divine began writing his debut, The Lost Tornado, in 2009. One of nine siblings growing up in one of Edinburgh's less affluent areas gave Jim many stories to tell.

Jim always wanted to play for Hibernian FC and is now Creative Director at a marketing and advertising agency in Leith. He's been married to fellow athlete and former Scottish champion Trish since 1988.

You can learn more about the author at his website.
Appraisal:

Although I’m a people watcher autobiographies aren’t usually my thing. But then again The Lost Tornado isn’t your average self-assessment, either. The author grew up in a busy household and with a single minded ambition – to play football for his local team. The sport and Divine’s love for it cuts through the whole story. The trouble is Jim is up against it, given his background.

However, it is this background that gives The Lost Tornado its unique perspective. This novel is as much humour as it is autobiography, the ability to laugh through even the toughest of times, to make the best of the worst with a smile on your face. The hardest aspect of an autobiography is communicating this all in a way that first draws in then keeps them engaged. It’s tough, but no problems here for the author. It’s a difficult book to put down.

The author’s voice shines through loud and clear, he pulls no punches when describing his hardships and the local language in all its forms. This may put some people off, but for me it added depth and colour. Same with the characters that are all superbly drawn, three dimensional people that talk loud and clear in your head through the narrative.

Lastly there’s the environment itself. Lots of novels are set in Edinburgh (largely started by Ian Rankin, of course) but Divine shows another side of the city not seen elsewhere.

Overall, a wonderfully emotional, warm and funny coming of age novel.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

FYI:

Scots vernacular, plenty of hearty language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing major.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Keith Nixon

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Review: A Danger to God Himself by John Draper


Genre: Coming of Age/Literary/Satire

Description:

Mormon missionary/onetime hedonist Kenny Feller has realized that God isn’t about to give him an ounce of the miracle power he needs to succeed on his mission—as promised. What’s more, he’s concluded that, frankly, people aren’t worth the trouble. Then his new junior companion shows up—the wisecracking Jared Baserman—and immediately starts hearing heavenly voices and seeing fantastic visions. For Kenny, it is immediately clear that God has sent Jared to propel him into Mormon Manhood.

But Kenny’s not the only person who takes note. Interests both virtuous and malevolent cozy up to Kenny and Jared, eager to make use of Jared’s gifting. At first, Kenny takes this as a sign that his perceptions of Jared are spot on. God is using Jared.

But something’s not quite right.

Specifically, why in the hell would God choose someone as slope-shouldered as Jared—someone so unreligious, so strange—to be a channel for His supernatural power? He doesn’t even read the Book of Mormon. Plus he smells funny. As their tracting grows fruitless and Jared’s messages grow more bizarre, Kenny begins to wonder: Is Jared really touched by God?

And, if so, does God know what He’s doing?

A Danger to God Himself is a scathing takedown of religious certainty, a life-affirming tale set in 1970s Washington state—equal parts spiritual road map and coming-of-age tale.”

Author:

A fulltime writer his entire adult life, newspaperman John Draper always wanted to write a novel. But between work and family obligations (he has three kids), he was half a century old before he was able to find the time to start. A resident of Washington state, this is Draper's first novel.


Appraisal:

Sometimes when I sit down to write a review I have multiple directions or slants to go with my write-up. It's paralyzing, not knowing where to start. This is one of those times. As with anything too complicated to wrap your mind around at once, the best approach is to break it into pieces. So that's what I'll do here, starting with a focus on the basics of the characters and the story, moving into the religious aspects, and finishing off with my ruminations on the kind of reader who I think would be the most likely to enjoy A Danger to God Himself. I expect a lot of words will be spilled.

The main characters are great. Kenny, a young adult (which we all know is still just a kid) who does what's expected of him, even if maybe he'd rather not. He's a type we've probably all seen, even if the situation is different. His missionary companion, Jared, is a strange duck, keeping the reader off balance, not sure what to make of him. In the beginning, he provides comic relief, but he also drives much of the story. 

The secondary characters are all well formed as well, each helping move the story forward. I especially liked Jared's dad and sister who were integral to the story and to gaining a complete understanding of Jared. Some of the characters are caricatures, not in the sense that they aren't well formed or are flat. More in that they may seem just a touch over the top, which is fitting for a story that is satirical.

The story is satirical in a couple ways. One is that it satirizes religion, especially those who take what many consider to be myths containing lessons to help in living a good life and interpret them too literally. But on another level, Jared and everything that happens to him is a satire of Joseph Smith and the founding of the Mormon church.

Which is a segue into the religious part. Those not familiar with Mormonism might wonder how much of the story is realistic. The answer is that while satirical, nothing here is out of the realm of possibility. In fact, Mormonism has a long history of spawning splinter groups that go way beyond the mainstream church. Even within the mainstream, the culture rewards followers and extremism while discouraging critical thinking or questioning of any kind.

That last part is a clue of who this book isn't for. It's doubtful a devout Mormon has read this far unless it is one of my still-faithful sisters, wondering how far I've gone this time. This isn't the book for them. However, anyone without a problem with taking a critical look at religion, regardless of their personal beliefs, will find much to like. I'll end this with a quote from the book. If you read this and give a knowing nod, it is especially for you.

Mormonism isn’t just a religion. It’s a way of being. Like alcoholism, I guess. Alcoholics say they never stop being alcoholics, don’t they? They’re always recovering alcoholics. Same thing with Mormonism. It’s a culture. If you’re born a Mormon, you’re always a Mormon—more so if you were actually raised in the church.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and mild adult situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of typos and copy-editing misses.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas

We're taking a day off. You should too. Enjoy your family and if Santa happened to bring you a brand new Kindle, poke around the site and bookmark us. 

You might consider clicking on the link at the top that says "2015 Readers' Choice Awards" or the links for past year's awards part way down the right side as a guide to some of the best books we've reviewed over the last several years. That should start filling up that new Kindle or help you burn through your Christmas gift card from Amazon in no time.



Thursday, December 24, 2015

Review: Ares' Anger by James R. Womack


Genre: Sci-Fi/Young Adult

Description:

It was a routine mission outside the confines of the bio-habitat housing the first human colony on Mars. At least it was supposed to be routine. Which is why Dexter Arnold was outside alone despite policy which dictated a mandatory out-time partner. Routine departed when he wrecked his rover buggy. That was the least of his problems as the worst was yet to come. As a matter of fact, the worse was coming both fast and straight at Dexter.”

Author:

From James Womack’s author page on Amazon: “I'm a deaf person who likes to write stories. Actually, I prefer telling stories in American Sign Language (ASL) but not everyone understands it. For me, storytelling is storytelling so writing stories gives me much pleasure. My hope is readers get pleasure from what I've written. I'm not focused on any specific genre so my stories range from science fiction to religious based stories. I hold a bachelor degree from Gallaudet University and a Masters degree from California State University of Northridge. I used to teach Deaf high school students before teaching college students full time in the last two decades of my career. I'm married to a really cool woman who was also my Gallaudet University classmate during my time there. My non-writing activities include cooking, fishing, playing with my youngest grandkids, and experimenting with applying computer software to educational purposes.”

Appraisal:

This novelette is tense, engaging, and fast paced. Mr. Womack does an excellent job describing the terrain on his version of Mars surface, the bio-habitat, and outer space. As he introduces us to the characters, it’s easy to get a feel for their personalities and the comradery that has developed between the diverse crew members. Mr. Womack inserted a little subtle humor to break the tension, which was well placed and realistic.

I think any reader would enjoy this science fiction. My preferred genre is not Sci-Fi but I enjoyed this story. The scenario is futuristic and realistic. The crew members are believable and I felt their despair deeply. However, I can’t even imagine how it would actually feel to have to watch a tragedy unfold in front of my own eyes and not be able to do anything to help or keep it from happening.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Nothing worth noting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 9-10,000 words

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Review: Busker’s Holiday by Adam Gussow


Genre: Literary Fiction

Description:

Busker's Holiday is the story of McKay Chernoff, a Columbia University grad student with a harmonica in his pocket and a blues band in his background. Desolate and despairing after a disastrous romantic breakup, McKay decides to fly off to Paris and reinvent himself as a street performer.

What follows is an epic summer voyage into the busking life, propelled by the mad exploits of Billy Lee Grant, a fearless young guitar shredder whose Memphis-to-Mississippi pedigree and Dylanesque surrealism make him, when he explodes into view, precisely the partner McKay has been yearning for.”

Author:

An associate professor of English and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Adam Gussow is also a professional blues harmonica player and teacher.” This appears to be Gussow's first work of fiction. He has written at least three works of non-fiction.

Appraisal:

In the beginning, I wasn't sure about McKay and (even more so) his classmate Paul who he befriended. They seemed a bit too pretentious. But as I shared in their European adventures, I slowly came around. Busker's Holiday read like a fictional version of a slightly over-the-top travel memoir with a lot of self-discovery for the main character. Kind of a coming-of-age for a twenty-something, yet with the writing style you'd expect from literary fiction. Not a combination I've seen before or would have ever dreamed might exist.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

FYI:

A minimal amount of adult language. Adult themes.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Review: A Sudden Gust of Gravity by Laurie Boris


This is the second half of a doubleshot review. If you missed it, check out BigAl's take on the same book from this morning.

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Psychological/Romance

Description:

Christina Davenport, waitressing to pay the bills, has given up on becoming a magician—until she meets the mesmerizing Reynaldo the Magnificent. He offers her a job as his assistant in his magic and juggling show. She takes it, hoping she can revive her dream without cutting his giant ego in half.

Devon Park, a surgical resident escaping his own problems, visits the street performers in downtown Boston. But the young doctor worries that the bruises beneath Christina’s makeup go deeper than the training accident she professes.

Suspecting the doctor’s interest is more than clinical, the mercurial magician attempts to tighten his grip on Christina. Now she needs to decide—is the opportunity Reynaldo offers worth the price of admission?”

Author:

Laurie Boris is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and former graphic designer. She has been writing fiction for over twenty-five years and is the award-winning author of five novels: The Joke's on Me, Drawing Breath, Don't Tell Anyone, Sliding Past Vertical, and Playing Charlie Cool. When not hanging out with the universe of imaginary people in her head, she enjoys baseball, cooking, reading, and helping aspiring novelists as a contributing writer and editor for Indies Unlimited. She lives in New York's lovely Hudson Valley.”

You can follow Ms. Boris on her Blog or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

What a fascinating character study. Christina is a strong personality, she’s smart, compassionate, and a part of her is broken from a devastating event in her past. In her quest to confront and overcome her broken pieces she takes up with a charming magician, Reynaldo the Magnificent, who isn’t as charming as he presents himself. Dr. Devon Park is facing a spiritual crisis of his own. His past was nothing like I would have imagined and set me back to consider the consequences and how they were affecting his present and future. This was not a light read for me, the emotional turmoil felt real.

The secondary characters are fully developed and vital to keep Christina balanced. I enjoyed each of them. They were realistic and added support in a believable way. Devon’s Asian background added a level of realism and responsibility, which was fitting, and I fully appreciated his dilemma.
This character driven plot moved at a realistic speed as events presented themselves for readers to consider how they might have handled each situation. Then turn their support fully to Christina for the best possible outcome. She handles it with class and determination. I thoroughly enjoyed her poignant journey as I cheered her on. Dr. Devon was a heart-throb. I really enjoyed his part in the book. Reynaldo the Magnificent was a unique and interesting character. I think my favorite character in this story was the old man, Herbert, who owned the magic shop.

Buy now from:     Amazon US      Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no significant errors in proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Review: A Sudden Gust of Gravity by Laurie Boris


This is the first half of a doubleshot review. Check back late this afternoon for the second half where ?wazithinkin will weigh in with her thoughts.

Genre: Women's Fiction/Psychological Thriller

Description:

Christina Davenport, waitressing to pay the bills, has given up on becoming a magician—until she meets the mesmerizing Reynaldo the Magnificent. He offers her a job as his assistant in his magic and juggling show. She takes it, hoping she can revive her dream without cutting his giant ego in half.

Devon Park, a surgical resident escaping his own problems, visits the street performers in downtown Boston. But the young doctor worries that the bruises beneath Christina’s makeup go deeper than the training accident she professes.

Suspecting the doctor’s interest is more than clinical, the mercurial magician attempts to tighten his grip on Christina. Now she needs to decide—is the opportunity Reynaldo offers worth the price of admission?”

Author:

A freelance copyeditor and regular contributor at Indies Unlimited, Laurie Boris is the author of six novels (plus this one makes seven) and a short story collection. Her book Sliding Past Vertical was the winner in the Contemporary Fiction category of BigAl’s Books and Pals 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards.

For more, visit Laurie’s website.

Appraisal:

On the surface A Sudden Gust of Gravity is a version of the age-old dilemma of a woman with two men who want her and she can't decide. Like many common story plots, they've been done so often because they resonate with the readers. It is the kind of story that will never go out of style. However, this story is so much more than that.

The woman, Christina, has priorities that rank higher than finding or choosing a man. She has to deal with the past and also figure out how she's going to deal with her future, or at least how to get to the future she wants. One of the men has the same problems, dealing with a problematic past while grappling with what he wants his future to be. Throw in the other guy who is the apparent answer to at least one of Christina’s problems, throw in family and friends pushing and pulling the characters in different directions, and you're left with a tumultuous stew of a story with no idea where it’s headed.

This is a story that has appeal to women's fiction readers, but enough of an edge that thriller readers, especially those who like psychological thrillers, should find more than enough to keep the pages turning.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Monday, December 21, 2015

Review: Boca Raton by James Freeman


Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Description:

Urban sprawl has expanded the South Florida populace right up to the boundaries of the Everglades, one of the most unique and forbidding wildlife refuges on Earth. Now there's a savage new predator loose out there, one that is motivated by hunger, and does not discriminate between species when hunting for prey. It lurks within easy striking distance of homes, schools, and parks and is nearly as fearsome as the sinister forces responsible for its being there.

Author:

James Freeman hails from a small town near the Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. Growing up, James was an avid reader and by second grade was going through his grandparent's encyclopedias between monthly issues of National Geographic and Reader's Digest.

After working as a musician, jet aircraft maintenance technician, and various roles within the broadcast television industry, James began writing in earnest. He has self-published a novella, Wise Man, and a novel, Boca Raton, and is currently at work on a new novel.”

Appraisal:

The story starts with some interesting background on the history and geography of South Florida near Boca Raton—hence the title. Having traveled in that area on a number of occasions, I enjoyed how the author explained the population growth around the Everglades.

However, the novel itself didn’t capture my interest, in part because it is almost exclusively narrated, often from an omniscient point of view. This made the characters two dimensional and distant. In fact Frank, a driving instructor who is the main character through the first part of the novel, gets relegated to a supporting role once we meet Nate who spends his life obsessing about conspiracy theories.

Once the “Truther” Nate appears, the story revolves around him as he discusses some of the more popular American conspiracy theories (911, oil barons, the one percent etc.). This information is delivered through pages of flat dialogue which is received by the other characters with gasps of wonder and no opposing viewpoint.

The plot is scattered and uneven with potential dangers introduced for no apparent reason because they just disappear never to be mentioned again.

Black helicopters, black SUVs, and a stereotypical military “higher up” are assumed to be controlling multiple conspiracies, most of which fail to materialize or have any direct connection to the plot.

Buy now from:      Amazon US      Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Very few issues

Rating: *** Three stars

Reviewed by: Pete Barber

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Reprise Review: A Titan for Christmas / Aria Kane


Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Genre: Romance/Sci-Fi/Christmas

Approximate word count: 10-15,000 words

Availability   
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: NO
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Aria Kane is a recovering mechanical engineer and romance writer. She lives in sunny Florida with her fifty pound mutt who thinks he is a Chihuahua. This is her first book. Check out her site for a little bit of insight into this new Indie author, this made me laugh. “I’m a romance author, but this blog is about my life as a sex-positive, slightly-geeky, gender-role-despising, equal-rights-defending, independent city girl.”

Description:

When Jenna’s job as an engineer causes her to miss the last scheduled passenger flight home from the mining colony on Titan, she has to become creative to get home to Earth before Christmas. She learns that sometimes private cargo pilots will take on passengers, for the right price.

There is one small cargo ship, piloted by Grayson, that is getting ready to make the three day trip, but he doesn’t want any passengers. Jenna convinces Grayson to allow her aboard his ship so she can be home with her sisters on Christmas. When she learns what he is transporting is extremely dangerous and illegal she must decide whether to help him or turn him in to the authorities.

Appraisal:

This novelette is a quick, light, enjoyable read. Jenna is a problem solver and I liked her character as well as Grayson’s. Her biggest problem at first is being on such a small cargo ship with a gorgeous pilot. Heat rises quickly and is sated nicely. Grayson is a nice guy who is stuck between a rock and a hard spot. As we learn his story, it is easy to sympathize with his moral dilemma. The story is told with plenty of dialogue; the plot is tight and flows well. Most of the story takes place on the cargo ship between the two main characters and neither is afraid to get their hands dirty in one way or another. I enjoyed the escape into their lives and I found the ending extremely satisfying.

FYI:

This book contains adult situations that may not be suitable of young adults.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant errors.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Reprise Review: Naughty or Nice / Various


Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Short Story Anthology / Christmas

Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words

Availability    
Kindle  US: YES  UK: YES  Nook: NO  Smashwords: NO  Paper: NO
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

Contributions from ten different authors:

Barbra Annino, J.R. Rain, Christiana Miller, Rose Pressey, Helen Smith, Heather Massey, Liz Schulte, Toni LoTempio, Danielle Younge-Ullman and J.W. Becton.

Description:

“A mix of magical, spooky, and romantic tales for the holidays.”

All proceeds of this book benefit Kids Need to Read.

Appraisal:

A fun collection of longer short stories (the longest actually novelette length) with very little in common except they’re all good and the holiday season has some role in each. Some have a supernatural or paranormal element. Some have characters from one of the author’s novels, although I never felt I needed backstory about those characters to understand or enjoy the story.

I considered singling out stories that stood out as especially good or different than the others and realized I couldn’t. Genres run the gambit from a cozy mystery (Helen Smith’s Real Elves, featuring characters from her Emily Castles series) to what might be described as a psychological thriller in Barbra Annino’s The Perfect Gift. There are a couple stories where Santa Claus needs some help (Krampus Klaus by Christiana Miller and J.R. Rain’s The Santa Call). The possibility of budding romance on Chinese New Year in Heather Massey’s Fortune Cat’s Visit has a lesson about giving that, while the story wasn’t about Christmas, might have captured the spirit of the season best of all.

FYI:

Spelling conventions vary and appear to be dependent on the residence of the author.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofing and copyediting misses.

Rating: ***** Five stars