Review: Archangel Errant (Earthbound Angels Book 3) by Elizabeth Corrigan

Genre: Fantasy

Description:

“Divine intervention isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Gabriel didn’t expect his return to Heaven to be filled with trumpets and celebration, but he thought he would do more than sit at Michael’s side, listening to endless catalogs of unfulfilled prayers. He’s tried blending into every aspect of Heavenly life, but he can’t help but feel that the constantly praying Faithful and flower-dispensing Handmaidens lack the motivation to do any true good in the world. Some days, he longs for nothing more than to return to Earth and tell his beloved Cassia how he feels about her.

When Heaven is suddenly attacked, all the angels become trapped in their own nightmares. With Michael gone on an angelic mission, Gabriel must rally the remaining seraphim to rouse the sleeping angels and discover who seeks to take the agents of Heaven out of the celestial battle. All fingers point to Bedlam, but Gabriel can’t believe the ex-demon would threaten his salvation so soon after gaining it.

With few people he trusts, Gabriel must rely on all the lessons he learned on Earth to save Heaven, Bedlam, and maybe even himself.”

Author:

“Elizabeth Corrigan has degrees in English and psychology and has spent several years working as a data analyst in various branches of the healthcare industry. When she’s not hard at work on her next novel, Elizabeth enjoys singing, reading teen vampire novels, and making Sims of her characters. She drinks more Diet Coke than is probably optimal for the human body and is pathologically afraid of bees. She lives in Maryland with two cats and a purple Smart Car.”

To learn more about Ms. Corrigan please visit her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

This is Gabriel's book. Archangel Errant is told through three Points-Of-View, which are clearly marked in the chapter headings: Gabriel, Michael, and Bedlam. Gabriel is still not sure where he fits in on earth or in heaven. We are given a back history of Cassia and his relationship through the millennia. It’s insightful to see how clueless Gabriel has been with Cassia and not surprising Bedlam asked him to stay away from her.

I found it easy to be swept away by the dynamics of the relationships of all the characters involved. The heavenly hierarchy and politics weigh heavily in this story as we are given insight into the past and present. This may cause some readers to think parts of the plot read more slowly, but I found it enthralling.

When Michael goes down to earth to assist Cassia, heaven is mysteriously attacked and all evidence points to Bedlam as the culprit. With Gabriel in charge he scrambles to figure out what happened, who is responsible, and set things right again. In the process Gabriel is able to sort out his purpose.

The most surprising part of the whole story is Michael’s trip to earth to assist Cassia. Michael has always viewed Cassia as an evil entity even though she has never chosen to do evil. A lot is revealed in Cassia’s talks with Michael as well as the reason she believes she was chosen by God to be an immortal human.

I found Archangel Errant to be an excellent addition to the Earthbound Angels series and thoroughly enjoyed it. As always Bedlam is my favorite character. Who doesn’t need a little chaos in their lives to stir things up once in a while? The fact that he is an angel now just makes it that much more intriguing. I’m looking forward to seeing who is next. I suspected Michael, but we learned a lot about him in this story. Is Ms. Corrigan going to make me say, “I only thought I knew Michael?”

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Archangel Errant is book three in Ms. Corrigan’s Earthbound Angels series. I would highly recommend reading this series starting with book one, Oracle of Philadelphia. There are also a few F-bombs, but only four.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: The Drug War: A Trillion Dollar Con Game by Brian Saady

Genre: Non-Fiction

Description:

“The war on drugs is a microcosm of far greater systemic problems with criminal justice and politics. This book shines a spotlight on the bureaucratic and corporate special interests that are fighting to keep this disastrous policy in place.”

Author:

“Brian Saady is a politically-independent author who has a heavy focus on political corruption, crony capitalism, human rights, and civil liberties.”

For more about Brian, visit his blog.

Appraisal:

When evaluating a non-fiction book, especially one that is indie published where I can’t assume the publisher has done any vetting of the author, one of the things I’ll want to consider is whether the author has any particular expertise in the subject. (At least if it is a subject that expertise seems to be required.) While the author’s expertise here appears to be largely from having written a lot for various venues about the subjects covered in his books, this book also has an advantage many non-fiction books aimed at a layperson don’t. It is extensively footnoted. If a statement doesn’t ring true and you want to dig deeper, the information to do so is right there.

When I started reading Drug Wars and the author’s contention early in the book that he was going to make a case that all drugs should be legal (maybe decriminalized is the better term), not just marijuana, but cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and all the other drugs that are currently illegal in the US, I had some concerns. I still do. But I’m leaning much more to his way of thinking now. I suppose that says something positive about the book.

My biggest complaints and concerns are twofold.

First, there were a few situations where I thought the author used facts in a misleading way. For example, he contended that the DEA has prioritized marijuana over more dangerous drugs. As proof, he compares the amount of marijuana seized by the DEA in 2011 by weight to other more dangerous drugs. He admits marijuana is the most commonly used and “the lowest hanging fruit.” That would tend to account for some discrepancy. A gram of the other drugs would tend to get more people high more times than a gram of marijuana as well. While his contention is probably true, the facts he used to support it don’t. Another example is when he compared the number of full-time employees a pro-Marijuana organization had to the number of lobbyists who worked at least some of the time for organizations involved in the pharmaceutical or alcohol industries. It was another apples and oranges comparison.

My second issue is that by the end of the book it felt like the author had tied every kind of political corruption or questionable government act to the drug war. On the one hand, he made the case for at least some tie. But, at a minimum, it felt like overkill and like the author was a bit too obsessed with making his case.

However, after discounting for those concerns mentioned above, The Drug War makes a good case for the author’s suggestion that the approach the US is taking in dealing with drugs is the wrong one and makes a convincing argument for who is responsible for our ill-conceived actions of the past. Even after discounting the argument for the reasons mentioned above I’m much closer to agreeing with the author than I was before.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Reprise Review: Blood Diva by VM Gautier

Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction

Description:

“The 19th century’s most infamous party-girl is undead and on the loose in the Big Apple.

When 23 year-old Parisian courtesan, Marie Duplessis succumbed to consumption in 1847, Charles Dickens showed up for the funeral and reported the city mourned as though Joan of Arc had fallen. Marie was not only a celebrity in in her own right, but her list of lovers included Franz Liszt – the first international music superstar, and Alexandre Dumas fils, son of the creator of The Three Musketeers. Dumas fils wrote the novel The Lady of the Camellias based on their time together. The book became a play, and the play became the opera La Traviata. Later came the film versions, and the legend never died.

But what if when offered the chance for eternal life and youth, Marie grabbed it, even when the price was the regular death of mortals at her lovely hand?

In 2014, Marie wonders if perhaps nearly two centuries of murder, mayhem, and debauchery is enough, especially when she falls hard for a rising star she believes may be the reincarnation of the only man she ever truly loved. But is it too late for her to change? Can a soul be redeemed like a diamond necklace in hock? And even if it can, have men evolved since the 1800′s? Or does a girl’s past still mark her?”

Author:

VM Gauthier is a pen name of an author who has written other books in different genres. While she (or is it he?) is keeping quiet about his (or is it her?) identity, I’ve been led to believe that I have read one of her (his?) other books. But I’m not sure. Maybe someday we’ll find out who this is. In the meantime you can visit his/her website where you’ll find out more about this book and the real person who was the basis for the fictional protagonist, but not much more about the author.

Appraisal:

Fictional vampires have run the gambit from the garlic-dodging bloodsuckers who don’t come out in sunlight to handsome and sparkly creatures, hanging out on the Olympic Peninsula. Blood Diva gives us yet another twist on vampire mythology.

The story starts with the protagonist, a real-life historical figure, Marie Duplessis, on her deathbed in Paris. While some may be familiar with Duplessis and her history (which might give the story even more appeal), other than the little I picked up before reading this book I wasn’t, and didn’t feel as though it mattered. Mostly set in the modern day, predominately New York City, the little touches and details the author integrates in the story are likely to resonate with fans of the art world and opera, yet I’m neither and still found much to enjoy.

Beyond being an excellent story with some hot sex scenes, for those who like that, a clever and entertaining take on the vampire myth, and a love story, for those who look beyond the surface there is more. What does it mean to be human? Are some of the Earth’s creatures more important than others? (Put another way, if it is okay for us humans to kill “lower” animals for nourishment, would the same logic justify “higher” creatures killing us for the same reason?) If you could live forever, would that be a good thing and what would you be willing to give up to do so? Marie grappled with all of these questions. After you read Blood Diva, maybe your answers will be the same. Or maybe not.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language and a lot of adult content.

Added for Reprise Review: Blood Diva was a nominee in the Paranormal category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran December 8, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 120-125,000 words

Review: The Mighty by Michael J Sanford

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Coming of Age

Description:

“He's not crazy. Honest, he's not. He's just Wyatt. Wyatt the Mighty.

Fifteen-year-old Wyatt has been sent to a treatment center for ’disturbed youth.’ No one understands him. He wants nothing more than to escape from it all.

And he does.

Through a magic he doesn't understand, he finds himself in Hagion, a realm of fantastical creatures and immense wonder. He quickly finds himself in the company of a runaway warrior and two Children--a strange race of underground creatures that seem forever joyful. They claim Wyatt is a Druid, a powerful figure of myth and legend, sent to restore peace to all of the Realms. He doesn't bother correcting them.

Finally, he can be the hero he's always dreamed of.

But claiming to be a hero and actually being a hero are two different things. And it's a lesson Wyatt may have to pay dearly for.”

Author:

“Michael has always been a prisoner to his imagination. His childhood was spent running through the forest, pretending to be a gallant warrior saving the countryside from certain destruction. Or he was a ferocious beast terrorizing the very same countryside. There is always a story spinning through his mind. As an adult, writing has become the only way to keep his head from exploding.

He lives in upstate New York with his loving wife and two cats. If he's not writing, he's likely reading, weightlifting, or forcing his players into difficult situations from behind his Dungeon Master's screen. He is a storyteller first and a writer second.”

To learn more about Mr. Sanford and his books check out his website or follow him on Facebook.

Appraisal:

It is clear from the beginning that fifteen year-old Wyatt doesn’t fit in. He’s a bit overweight, nerdy type of boy who considers himself a genius. He also likes to pretend he knows magic and spends a lot of time in imaginary games where he is wizard and a hero. After a rather difficult day he is confined to his room where he pulls out a pendant, given to him by his grandmother. It’s a piece of wood imbedded with a jade stone that he always wears. Studying the stone closely it starts to warm and spark, suddenly Wyatt is whisked off to an alternate reality.

The alternate world is vastly different from earth and Mr. Sanford does a good job painting the scenery and the creatures which inhabit it. I found it easy to insert myself in this new realm as Wyatt encounters new beings and he is able to communicate with them. The inhabitants are diverse and it was easy to accept them at face value. When they see Wyatt’s pendant they drop to their knees and start calling him Master. He’s told he carries a symbol of the Druid, which were exterminated years ago, and he must be there to rid their world of the corruption the Regency has spread. Thus the quest begins.

Unfortunately, Wyatt seems to have no control over his comings and goings. He is whisked back and forth between realms until shadows start following him back home. The adventure back on Hagion was exciting and engaging as our small band of heroes travel across new territories, some fraught with dangers. I enjoyed the story up till the ending. The ending killed the magic for me and I am not sure it can be resurrected.  

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

The Mighty is book one of The Druid's Guise Trilogy

Format/Typo Issues:

Small number of proofing errors such as missing or wrong words.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Review: Rusticles by Rebecca Gransden

Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

“In Hilligoss, a tired man searches for a son, a flamingo enthrals the night, and fireworks light up the lost. In these stories and more, Rusticles offers a meandering tour through backroads bathed in half light, where shadows play along the verges and whispers of the past assault daydreams of the present. Walk the worn pathways of Hilligoss.”

Author:

“Rebecca Gransden has always lived by the sea. She likes to write about the edges of things so if you inhabit the fringes you may find something to like.”

Appraisal:

As the author’s bio and book description should make clear, these stories are different. Some might call them strange or even weird. Like the one about the park some people go to have sex, the high school boys who like to spy on them, and the two girls who decide to do something about it and how that turns out. If you think I just wrote a run-on sentence there then I wonder what you’ll make of the story called The final diary entry of Miles Feist. It’s 1232 words in one long sentence. (Maybe it’s Miles’ last entry because his English teacher saw his diary and turned murderous.) These are offbeat stories that leave room for the reader to fill in the gaps. Definitely not for everyone, but if it is for you, I’ll bet you’ve figured it out by now.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

UK slang and spelling conventions.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Want to be someone else? Read fiction, A Guest Post from Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt

Fiction is uniquely positioned to develop and increase empathy, because it provides a way around and under and through the barriers most people put up around their hearts and minds.

Humans think in stories. Why? Because we spend our lives learning the rules that ensure our survival.

Our brains are wired to learn in two ways: first, by direct personal experience - a hard way to learn some rules. Our feelings then cement the lessons, make them unforgettable.

And second, by empathy - acquiring knowledge through the experience of others.

For this, reading fiction is the best way to learn. The rub is the experience has to feel real for it to serve that purpose, exactly as if it happened to us. And the way we do that is through our emotions, which are engaged when the experience is ours.

Fiction is better than facts: facts have no emotional component to make them stick. We store them away, hope to remember them when we need them. Going on a hike across the desert? Bring water. Check.

Fiction is better than non-fiction: reports of the experience, say, of crossing the Antarctic in the middle of winter, are both entertaining and raise in us sympathy for the sufferings of the explorers. Poor guys!

And reading fiction is much better than video input for one simple reason: we can’t pretend video is happening to us when it is so clearly happening to someone else. Sympathy, not empathy.

And that’s the key: reading fiction is the best way we have to feel the emotions created by experiencing something as directly as possible without it happening to us. Because, as we read, we have to put in the effort to create, out of black marks on a page, the actual experience in our minds.

Listening to stories works almost as well, but requires a storyteller, and the emotional component is affected by that teller.

Reading is just you and the book.

Oh, and the author.

Most fiction invokes the sympathetic response in the reader - the entertainment value hooks the reader, and we’re off on an adventure. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, because we need entertainment to relax after our own lives, however crazy or calm. Lots of entertainment.

But the best fiction aims deeper: to ‘grab the jugular.’ To ‘feel like a punch in the gut.’ Or the dreaded, to make you think. Which is really to make you experience, to fully engage your empathy, to make you feel as if it happened to you. To teach you. To change you.

Here is where another of the rules of life comes into play: humans hate being preached to. The preaching is an overt attempt to change the reader or the listener, via logic backed up with emotion. Usually negative emotion, fear: you are bad, you will go to hell, you must change! You are bad, you will destroy the Earth, you must change! If you touch the stove, you will get burned, don’t!

So the author without the moral authority of the preacher or the physical authority of the dictator has to be sneaky. Covert. Tease and wheedle rather than command. Better still: make you complicit in your own change. Make you want to change.

And how does the author do that? By pulling you in with superior entertainment value (remember, we need lots of stories) up front, and by layering the experience which creates the empathy for the new experience under that. Great stories, story moral picked up by the reader from being the character, having the story happen directly to him.

We then come full circle to Show, Don’t Tell. Show the character having the divorce or being attacked by terrorists or marrying the prince. If you have your parameters right, if you’re telling the story the right way, the reader has identified with the character, and the reader is getting divorced. The reader has to escape the terrorists to save the President. The reader walking down the aisle just realized the rest of her life is proscribed by royal protocol.

The author’s power is very real.

Authors don’t always use this power to its fullest, because there is a final step: choosing the purpose of the empathy, choosing the change for a higher aim: the good of humanity.

Sounds horribly preachy, doesn’t it? 

What prompted this post is that I don’t like a recent way this power is being used, to push an agenda which makes me sick to my stomach: the proposal, supported by carefully crafted stories, that people who are defective/handicapped/ill should remove themselves from the world because they are a burden to other people, and that this frees the other people to go on to something better.

Disabled people already face an uphill battle in many areas of their lives. Having society go back to an earlier model of disability which says that ‘they’ are a burden to other people, and therefore don’t have the right to the same hopes and aspirations as the ‘normals,’ is a huge step backward. To encourage them to consider removing themselves is a further abuse against their rights to live and to love.

As an author of fiction, I have the following tools:
I know how to create sympathy and empathy.
I know how to appeal to men and women.
I know how to entertain.
I know how to bury something deep in the fabric of a story.
I know how to make you identify with a character.
I know how to create situations that test the limits of character and privilege.
I know how to manipulate your emotions.
And I know that ‘disability porn’ - using disabled people to be ‘inspirational’ - is roundly despised by disabled people everywhere.

By picking the right story to tell, I believe I can make you buy my premise that disability is not the end of life as you know it.

Now that I’ve revealed many of my secrets, you still have to decide whether you’re going to let me try. And then decide if I know what the heck I’m talking about.
——
Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt is the author of Pride’s Children: PURGATORY, the first book in the trilogy, and is hard at work on the second and third.

Get your copy from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

Review: Shadows Fall (Totem Book 7) by Christine Rains

Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Mystery/Mythology

Description:

“Ametta Dorn is hosting her first family Thanksgiving feast. Everything must be flawless from the appetizers to the desserts. But the totem quest weighs heavily on her and her family. If she can’t even fold a perfect crane napkin, then how can she help her family find the next token?

That totem is closer than any of them realize. The Shadowmen have opened a door to their world, and they’ve targeted Ametta as the weak link in her family. She will show everyone she's just as capable as they are. Except her daring might be the very thing that loses not only the raven totem but also her life.”

Author:

“Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not reading or writing, she's going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. and Untethered Realms. She has one novel and several novellas and short stories published. Her newest urban fantasy series, Totem, is almost complete at nine books.”

To learn more visit Ms. Rains website or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Ametta is a perfectionist in all areas of her life, and even though she has obtained a token of the totem, she still feels a need to prove herself. Which lead her into unforeseen trouble. Events leading up to Thanksgiving seem to be targeting Ametta specifically. The Shadowmen have selected her as the weakest link in her family.

The story moves fast with shocking revelations exposed. Truth and answers are unclear, even for Sedge. This Thanksgiving will forever be marked by devastation instead of the Dorn family’s perfectly flawless Thanksgiving celebration. Shadows Fall is an exciting and emotional read. You won’t want to miss this addition to the TOTEM series.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Shadow Falls is book seven in Ms. Rains TOTEM series of nine novellas. It’s important to read this series in order as the story develops.   

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing errors.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Review: Southwest on the A303 by Adam Gary

Genre: Coming of Age

Description:

“Arguably one of England's most cherished and notorious roads, the A303 is filled with history, wonder, and magic. Adam takes us on a journey of adventure, self-discovery, and touching family bonds in this moving coming of age tale.

Alex is a young man in his early twenties who has fallen into a miserable state of mind, losing his motivation and love for life. When he receives the heartbreaking news that his beloved uncle has passed away, leaving Alex with all of his belongings - including his renowned VW Campervan - he sets out to Cornwall for the funeral, rediscovering his love for life along the way.”

Author:

The son of a professional dancer and painter, Adam Gary is a British actor and writer for TV. This novella, Southwest on the A303, is his first book.

For more, visit Mr. Gary’s website.

Appraisal:

From a big picture perspective, Southwest on the A303 is a decent enough coming-of-age tale with a unique story as its foundation. However, I thought the writing could stand a bit of tightening up, at times feeling a bit verbose. There were also bits of the story that didn’t ring true. They were little things like an extravagant parking charge at Stonehenge or Alex, the protagonist, jumping out of his camper van naked while parked by the side of the road without registering that he was doing that. But those little things add up, planting the seed in the back of the reader’s mind that the credible sounding parts of the story might not be believable either.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

The copy I received was an advance reviewer copy. I assume the book went through additional proofreading after it was sent to reviewers and can't judge the final product in this area.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: The Science of Success: What Researchers Know that You Should Know by Paula J. Caproni

Genre: Non-Fiction/Self-Help

Description:

“In this book you will learn what you need to do to achieve the success in life that you desire and deserve. The author provides you with a practical framework that will help you get better results at work, be successful in your career, and enjoy a fulfilling life outside of work.”

“In short, this book answers these three main questions:

(1) What do the most successful people do differently than other people?

(2) How can those characteristics and behaviors be learned?

(3) How can you apply these lessons to your own life?”

Author:

“Paula J. Caproni is a faculty member in the Management and Organizations Department at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Professor Caproni received her MBA from the University of Massachusetts and her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Yale University. In addition to teaching about leadership skills, effective coaching, developing power and influence, and creating high performing teams in the University of Michigan MBA and Executive Programs, she has served as the Academic Director of the Full-Time and Part-Time MBA Programs. She has coached over 500 executives and served as the lead Professional Development Coach for the Executive MBA Program and several Executive Education programs.”

Appraisal:

At its foundation, this book is looking at the scientific studies that have been done that pertain to being successful and based on that explains the steps you or anyone could take to become more successful, whatever that word means to you. In other words, Ms. Caproni has provided the data.

As I was reading I found myself providing anecdote in support of the theories. For example, there were multiple times the author mentioned joining and participating in a Toastmasters Club as something to help in a particular area, and I compared her suggestion to my own Toastmasters experiences, and they agreed. I found myself looking at successful people I know or situations I’ve been in and saw that they fit the patterns she describes.

One big takeaway that some people would benefit from learning is that a big part of success is believing you can achieve your goals and then taking the actions to get there, one step at a time. This is a book I wish I’d read years ago, but think even those getting a bit old like me could still profit from what it teaches.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words

Review: Domitianus by Nicholas Forristal

Genre: Dark Fantasy/Zombie/Humor

Description:

“Once the Emperor of Rome, he was murdered by his subordinates – only to find himself alive and lost in a world he once knew so well. This is the story of one man’s journey from man to monster; from sanity to sadism. His immortality will take him from ancient Rome to the forgotten Atlantis, while the entrails of his enemies pave the way.”

Author:

“Nicholas Forristal has a B.S. in Psychology (aka a B.S. in BS). With his ‘free’ time, he regularly dislikes house work, remodeling his home and a sordid list of other lousy tasks. When no one is looking, Nicholas works on The Chronicles of M, an ever growing series of fantasy books that range from Historical fiction, to modern day wackiness. He's published some other stuff in the past. For example, a psychological paper on perception, but no one cares about such things. That's for nerds.”

To learn more visit Mr. Forristal’s website or follow him on Facebook.

Appraisal:

This isn’t just another zombie story. It’s a unique tale from the very first zombie, Domitianus, narrating the story of his second life to a man named Charles Uhler who wants to document Dom’s centuries as a zombie. Dom starts his second life as what seems like a typical zombie, a mindless, wandering, eating machine. The twist here is that Dom is not mindless, he is essentially a passenger in his own flesh and is horrified by what he is doing. Mr. Forristal does an exceptional job in conveying Dom’s inner feelings, thoughts, and dialogue as Dom evolves over his long second life.

The ever-changing scenery is well described as Dom wanders around parts of Europe and America. In his later years, Dom has evolved enough to blend with humans somewhat. He has lived long enough that time is irrelevant. His greatest desire is to build an army of zombies to conquer the world. In his demented, arrogant mind, he considers zombies superior beings.

There are many unexpected twists in this book, including the end, which struck me kind of like the ending of The Sixth Sense – forcing you to go back through the book and look for the clues you should have picked up on, but missed because you were enjoying the story. One of my favorite parts was when Kandake/Candace, Dom’s sort of mate, sends him to the market for cumin. They have become civilized enough to start cooking some of their meat to prepare dishes, instead of ripping the meat off the bone and devouring it raw.

Mr. Forristal writes with an intelligent, sharp wit of dark humor, which is woven throughout the whole book. If you enjoy zombie stories with a twisted sense of humor, you will enjoy Domitianus.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Twisted fantasy with a few F-bombs, dark humor, and gore.

Format/Typo Issues:

Small number of proofing errors. None of which threw me out of the story.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Reprise Review: A Groovy Kind of Love by Karen Wojcik Berner

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Description:

“A Groovy Kind of Love is the third and final installment of Karen Wojcik Berner’s Bibliophiles series. Written as stand-alone novels, each book focuses on one or two members of a fictional suburban classics book club, revealing their personal stories while the group explores tales spun by the masters.”

“After placating to his father’s demands that he play Little League baseball and major in computer programming in college rather than his beloved English literature, Thaddeus assumed that several years into his career, he would finally get some peace and quiet.

Then he met Spring Pearson, the younger, free-spirited daughter of Hippie parents, at a book club meeting. Instantly smitten, Thaddeus finally worked up the courage to ask Spring out. But will an old college pinkie-swear promise Spring made fifteen years ago get in the way of this bibliophilic romance?”

Author:

An award winning magazine writer and editor, this is Karen Wojcik Berner’s third novel. The other two (also part of the Bibliophiles series) are Whisper to a Scream and Until My Soul Gets it Right. Also included in this series is the short story, A Bibliophile Christmas.

For more, visit the author’s website.

Appraisal:

Since this is the final book planned for this series (yes, I’m disappointed about that), it makes sense to first consider the series as a whole. I’ve loved the concept from the start. I’d describe the books as “loosely coupled,” in that they share characters (the members of a classics book club), but unlike a typical series where each book stands alone and shares characters (think in terms of a mystery or detective series), the Bibliophiles avoids feeling samey. (I know, not a real word, so sue me.) Yet each book is enough alike that they should all appeal to the same groups of readers. One obvious group is avid readers who have at least one thing in common to help them relate with the protagonist of each book.

This installment focuses on Thaddeus, a straight-laced Anglophile, and Spring, the daughter of hippie parents. While more conventional than her parents, the free-spirited Spring is still influenced by her upbringing enough to be much different than Thaddeus. It’s a classic case of opposites attracting, with each learning from the other and in the process tempering their more extreme tendencies for the better. There are also some lessons in how our childhood influences the adults we eventually become, whether from embracing or rebelling against our roots.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although part of a series, each book in the series stands alone.

Some adult language.

Added for Reprise Review: A Groovy Kind of Love was a nominee in the Women’s Fiction category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran January 12, 2015

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words