Review: All Out For Grinder's Switch by Trevor Judd

Genre: Science Fiction

Description:

“While investigating a nearby entropic zone, Professor Henry Kelvin stumbles upon Grinder's Switch, a small, idyllic town which only appears for three days every ten years. But life in Grinder's Switch is not as tranquil as it first seems. The townsfolk are forced to participate in a lottery as a means of population control, and Kelvin's budding romance with the town's mayor, Pearl Jessup, sets off a chain of events that ultimately forces him to choose between staying with the woman he loves or returning to his life.”

Author:

“Trevor Judd grew up in rural Tennessee but moved to Colorado after serving six years in the U.S. Air Force where he was an exceptional golf caddy for various generals and his coffee making skills became the stuff of legend. He was raised on a steady diet of comic books, violent cartoons, science fiction novels and action movies, so it wasn't very surprising when he started writing his own stories at the age of 8. He continues to write in his spare time, between classes or when the boss isn't looking.”

Appraisal:

The premise, a town which is largely trapped in the past and exists in what I’ll describe as another dimension most of the time, is an interesting one. Their limited resources mean they have to control the population, which they do by means of a lottery. If a baby is born, the lottery “winner” gets to die. Throw in a protagonist who stumbles on the town during the short period it is accessible to those from our dimension, have him and the town’s mayor fall in love, and you’ve got the makings of a short, entertaining read. What would you do?

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofing misses.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words

Reprise Review: Game Changer by Beth Orsoff

Genre: Chick-Lit

Description:

“When it comes to relationships Samantha Haller has seen it all. As a top LA divorce attorney she knows love doesn’t last. On a rare night out at a Hollywood nightclub she isn’t looking for love, or even a relationship, but with the help of a spiked drink she may just let loose and have some fun for a change.

For sports agent extraordinaire Jake Jensen dating means sex, nothing more. That’s why his ‘relationships’ last, on average, two weeks. As long as the women go away quietly and don’t make a scene, he’s fine with that. Finding a new one to take the former’s place is never a problem for a handsome, generous, eligible bachelor.

They both want sex with no attachment — what could possibly go wrong? They could fall in love . . .”

Author:

An entertainment attorney based in Los Angeles, Beth Orsoff writes humorous chick-lit with six previous books to her credit. She continues to deny (despite mounting evidence to the contrary) that her book Romantically Challenged is a memoir.

For more, visit Ms. Orsoff’s website.

Appraisal:

Budding relationships provide a treasure trove of possibility for books of all kinds, especially in humorous chick-lit. Miscommunication (or lack of communication) almost always plays some role, just like in real life. That Jake and Samantha both want the same thing, something negotiated thousands of times in only a few hours every Friday night in singles bars everywhere, adds to the humor. Of course, sometimes that real people, just like these characters, don’t always know what they want, doesn’t help. A fun story with great characters.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Mild adult content and some adult language.

Added for Reprise Review: Game Changer was a nominee in the Women’s Fiction category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran October 22, 2014.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: The Rocker and the Bird Girl by Rod Raglin

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Description:

“If someone called Mattie a bird brain she'd take it as a compliment. She loves birds, has spent her entire twenty years surrounded by them and believes they are more intelligent, loving and loyal than, well, most anything else in this world.

Mattie's grandfather spent all his retirement, time and funds, establishing a sanctuary for homeless, imported, exotic birds.

Now granddad was gone and so was the money to support the sanctuary. In her desperate search for funding to keep the refuge open Mattie had read that lead guitarist and lyricist Bodine, of the notorious rock band, Seditious, owned a Macaw as a pet.

The guy was obviously fabulously wealthy. Maybe he'd like to spend some of that money saving these beautiful, precious creatures instead of on drugs and expensive toys?

He wasn't answering her emails so she guessed she'd have to try to get his attention at the Seditious concert that was coming to town. She'd never been to a rock concert and wasn't looking forward to it, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

***

Sex, drugs and rock 'n roll have taken their toll on Bodine, lead guitarist and songwriter for Seditious, the chart topping, outrageous rock band. He's just playing the part until something better comes along. The problem is what's better than being a rich and famous rock idol? Certainly not helping some over zealous young woman save exotic birds, even if his best friend is a Blue and Gold Macaw.”

Author:

Rod Raglin lives on the west coast of Canada where he works as an author, journalist, and photographer. For more, visit his website.

Appraisal:

The Rocker and the Bird Girl has a lot of elements that would lead me to expect I’m going to like it. Things like a tie to the music business, a budding romance, someone trying to make the world a better place, and characters that challenge your expectations. While some of the story is predictable, it should have been an enjoyable read. It fell short. Why? Due to the atrocious job of proofreading it received. (Assuming someone actually did proofread it.)

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

More than twice as many proofing issues (typos, missing words, wrong words, etc.) than I would find acceptable in a book twice as long.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 19-20,000 words

Reprise Review: Evolution of a Wine Drinker by Alicia Bien

Genre: Humor/Culture/Non-Fiction

Description:

“Do you like wine but don’t know anything about it except it’s 1) Alcoholic and 2) Wet? Well, Alicia Bien is here to remedy that. Pronto!

Here's a collection of wine stories, the highs—and lows—of Alicia’s own evolution as a wine drinker from novice to—many bottles later—an expert wine bottle opener. These pages contain an alphabet’s worth of wine stories from 'Drinking Alone' and 'How the Army Changed My Life’, to ‘Ullage Uvula, U Know’ and ‘Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah, Zip-A-Dee-Ay, My Oh My What a Zinfandel Day’.

So grab a bottle, sit back and enjoy. CHEERS!”

Author:

“Raised in Ohio, Alicia Bien received a Bachelor's Degree in Literature and a Master's in English Linguistics. She is a Fulbright Scholar, wine lover and comedy fan. While interning in the U.S. Senate, she saw lots of funny things.

Drawing on life's humorous experiences, Alicia writes and performs comedy. She studied sketch and improv at Second City, Hollywood and the Upright Citizens Brigade.

She lives in California with her husband and adopted cat.”

Her blog looks like a fun site to visit.

Appraisal:

Every now and then I have to step away from my fantasy diet and read something… well, more down-to-earth.  As I was scanning the books submitted for review database, I came across Evolution of a Wine Drinker and thought, “I like wine! Perhaps I could educate myself a little.” So I stepped outside of my comfort zone to review a non-fiction novella, hoping some of the wine culture will rub off on me. These are stories of Ms. Bien’s experiences with wine, wine tasting, and vacations centered on wine regions. Bien takes her wine very seriously and has taken the time to educate us novices on the finer points of all things wine.

It all started in college (go figure) when she was looking for an elective and her academic advisor pointed out a “wine tasting class” in the catalog… She grinned. So begins Alicia Bien’s love of wine. She learned how to hold each wine glass, judge a wine by its color, how swirling wine in the glass aerates the wine to improve its flavor, and how to smell the wines to help your taste buds better define and appreciate the flavors and nuances of a wine. She studied grape varietals, wine growing regions of the world, and their histories. In time her instructor managed to turn a college beer chugger into a passionate wine drinker.

This book is full of short personal essays cleverly arranged from A-Z which include humorous and educational stories from Ms. Bien’s adventures with wine and wine country not only here in the states but around the world. Along with stories about her friends and their own wine tasting club parties, which almost convinced me to try hosting one. :) This book is a fast, pleasant read that will leave a smile on your face. It may also make you feel a little more confident in choosing your next bottle of wine. This review was written while enjoying a glass of Belle, a sweet red wine from Red 55 Winery located in Texas. Ha! See, I never would have checked that out if I hadn’t read this book!

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: Evolution of a Wine Drinker was the winner in the Humor category for B&P 2015 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran September 21, 2014

Format/Typo Issues:

I came across no editing or formatting issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Review: Once Upon a Spell by James Agee Jr., Josie Dorans, Kellie Honaker, Paul Dellinger, Christina Lockhart, and K.R. Thompson

Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tales/Witches/Magic/Sci-Fi/Anthology

Description:

“Six magical tales based on the fairy tales you thought you knew! Discover a mix of fantasy and science fiction stories in this cross-genre collection.”

Red Greta by James Agee Jr. - “Life is dismal for Greta and her brother Hans after he signs a magical contract with a witch. The siblings are bound to one another and the witch’s life-altering demands.”

A Different Sort of Beauty by Josie Dorans - “A curse is laid upon two innocent babes in retaliation for the indifference of the village. Elana is given ethereal beauty with a heart of cold disdain where love cannot grow. Cecil is granted a beautiful heart full of love and kindness that is encased in a twisted and hideous body.”

The Cursed Prince by Kellie Honaker - “Jealous of the king's good fortune, the witch Hazel curses the king's son with the inability to feel fear. The prince spends his childhood embracing every danger and gradually falling into madness. A talking toad, a fireproof girl, a dying goblin, and a deal making dragon must join forces to save the kingdom.”

Walk to the Moon by Paul Dellinger - “The boy dreamed of touching the moon and, when he reached out one night, the moon reached back.”

The Raven of the Loch by Christina Lockhart - “Born the daughter of a great Pictish warrior king, Fiachna is spoiled and headstrong. Before her birth, a prophesy was told- two paths were set before her. One path was full of God's blessings, while the other was full of heartache and despair.”

Rose's Beast by K.R. Thompson - “As her punishment for accidentally turning a prince to a frog, the fairy Morgana has been tasked with fixing other spells that have gone awry. Her next assignment takes her to a tower deep within the Dark Forest guarded by a beast like none she has ever seen.”

Authors:

James Agee Jr.: “…writes fictional stories that border on the unknown… Stories surround him and he cannot help but to write a few of them down. He firmly believes that words have poser and that if you are reading, you are doing yourself a wonderful favor.” To learn more check out Mr. Agee’s website or Facebook page.

Josie Dorans: “Josie Dorans is the pen name responsible for unleashing the feistier side of a rather nice indie author who grew up in the heartland, currently lives surrounded by the mountains, but sometimes wishes her toes were still in the ocean of her twenties.” To learn more about Ms. Dorans visit her website or Facebook page.

Kellie Honaker: “When Kellie isn’t reading and rescuing animals, she’s busy mastering the art of becoming a hermit while sharpening her writing skills. When she edits her stories, she reads them aloud to her blind rescue dot named Teddy. She considers him to be her most valuable critic.” To learn more about Ms. Honaker visit her website or Facebook page.

Paul Dellinger: Is a multitalented author of short stories, novellas, and a play performed at Virginia’s Barter Theater. He also wrote a radio comedy-adventure serial that ran for two years on a Wytheville, VA station. He also worked as a newspaper reporter for forty-four years. To learn more visit his Amazon Author Page.

Christina Lockhart: “Blessed to be the mother of twins, Christina stays on her toes…She only recently started dabbling in writing and instantly fell in love with her characters. In her downtime, she focuses on her photography and hopes to one day combine that with her love of animal rescue.” The Raven of the Loch is her debut short story/novella. You can follow Ms. Lockhart on Facebook.

K.R. Thompson: “K.R. Thompson writes paranormal stories with a bite and fairy tales with a twist. An avid reader and firm believer in the magic of stories, she spends her nights either reading an adventure or writing one. She still watches for evidence of Bigfoot in the mud of Wolf Creek.” To learn more about Ms. Thompson visit her website or Facebook page.

Appraisals:

Red Greta is an extension of Hansel and Gretel’s tale after they leave their parents’ house to live on their own. It’s an engaging tale that will capture your sense of adventure. With Greta’s luck with witches should she trust another to help her and Hans out of their current situation? Enjoyable and highly detailed story.

A Different Sort of Beauty is an emotional and inspiring tale that will pull at your heartstrings. Elana’s mother has done all she can to combat the curse that was placed on her daughter by the angry witch at the annual May Day blessing ceremony after her birth. However, the curse is strong and deeply rooted in the beautiful girl’s cold heart to be affected by a mother’s love. The curse placed on Cecil, at the same blessing ceremony, was the opposite of Elana’s. He was given a beautiful heart full of love in a twisted monstrous body. The mothers of these two cursed babies develop a lasting friendship through the years. Together they come up with a plan. Neither of them took into consideration how this would affect Cecil, even though he was a big part of the plan. I loved this story, and consider it my favorite.  

The Cursed Prince is full of many fantastical elements. While you might think the cursed prince, Ezben, might be the hero of this tale, it is witch Hazel’s daughter Chasta who deserves heroine status in this story. Hazel curses the young prince with fearlessness and the castle with a dragon and goblins when the king refuses her gift of Chasta. Chasta is a mere three years older than the prince, who was ten years-old at the time of the curse. Chasta vows service to the king to help protect the prince from his fearlessness. She also vows to herself she will find a way to remove the curse her mother placed, she is not without powers of her own.

I found this a unique and captivating story that will take the reader on an adventure far greater than I expected. 

Walk to the Moon took me entirely by surprise. It started out as a fairy tale like story that turned into an emotional drama I wasn’t expecting at all in this anthology. We follow Boyd, a six year-old boy, from a dirt-poor dysfunctional family with two older brothers and an alcoholic father. Luckily for Boyd he had some teachers who recognized his desire to learn. And it all started off with the nursery rhyme Hey, Diddle, Diddle. Walk to the Moon is a captivating and inspiring story of trying to recapture the magic of childhood. Hold on tight for a heart wrenching ride, which may leave you with a sigh and a smile.

The Raven of the Loch is a heartbreaking tale wonderfully told by Christina Lockhart in her debut story. Have you ever wondered where or how the Loch Ness monster came about? It all starts out quite innocent with the 13th child of a great warrior king. Fiachna is the only female child with twelve older brothers. So, of course she was a little spoiled by her parents. She was also headstrong and tended to wander off on her own looking for adventure. She was lucky enough to make some good friends in the magical world around her who helped look after her. The Raven of the Loch is unique, fast moving, and full of vengeance with too much testosterone. Stupid men, ruined my HEA… However, I do believe Ms. Lockhart is a new indie author to watch.

Rose's Beast: In this twist of Beauty and the Beast, Morgana, a blue fairy, is tasked with fixing other fairy spells that have gone awry. Morgana is up to the challenge to set things right, even though her ways are somewhat questionable, which lead to humorous hijinks. She has a wonderful caring personality, but Prince Almond/Ormond has had dealings with her before and he’s not sure he trusts her. (Ms. Thompson switched back and forth on the Prince’s name, I assume this is a proofing error.) All magic has a price and the plot twists are entertaining and I found the twisted tale enjoyable. There is a mystery as to what is happening with the magic scrolls and Morgana has her own suspicions as to who is behind it all. Rose’s Beast is part of The Chronicles of a Blue Fairy.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Once Upon a Spell is book two in The New Fairy Tales anthologies.

Format/Typo Issues:

Red Greta, A Different Sort of Beauty, The Cursed Prince, and The Raven of the Loch had no proofing issues to mention.

Walk to the Moon – A small number of extra or missing words.

Rose’s Beast – Several proofing errors. Mainly with the prince’s name, it kept changing back and forth. I consider this a grave error.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Review: Interludes by Marc Twine

Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

“A collection of short stories designed for people on-the-go. Each tale offers respite for busy people in a hectic world. Every quick read is perfect for coffee breaks, lunch breaks—or just those moments when you simply need a break from the routine.”

Author:

Marc Twine describes himself as a “retired critical care nurse, history buff, and short story aficionado.”

Appraisal:

Twenty-three short stories that average a couple thousand words each. The perfect length for a quick read. When I got to the end and saw the author’s short bio that mentioned he is a history buff, it was no surprise, as many of the stories integrate history into them in some fashion. The author also mentions liking to travel which explains the reason why his stories often take place in very specific places from the hill country of Texas to Chicago and New York, to Australia and Europe. The unique qualities of the places figure into those stories.

All of that is good, but what really stood out for me reading these stories were two other things. One, that these stories felt complete. I never felt like I was left hanging, or that I needed to fill in too many of the gaps myself, which is almost to be expected in a collection with stories this size. Second, the author has a talent of ending a story on just the right note. So many of the stories I was rolling along, liking the story, when suddenly I hit the end. But the last paragraph, sentence, sometimes even the last word (onions was the word in one case) was exactly what was needed to tie everything up perfectly. I was impressed.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Review: The Little Yarnmouth Abduction by Tim Van Minton

Genre: YA/future fiction

Description:

The story is set in the far north of Scotland after climate change has melted the great ice sheets. Little Yarnmouth inhabitants have disappeared because of nefarious plans laid by powerful persons living in Middle Langton, across the bay. The kidnapping is performed by members of tribes roving further south than hitherto because of the thaw. The protagonists are two teenagers, Evan and Nira. They are helped by a middle-aged eccentric who lives very comfortably in the sewers beneath Middle Langton; his regular companions are Corporal Punishment and a very large rat.

Author:

Tim Van Minton ‘loves cold places and warm people’. Thereafter, different sources give different information. At the end of the book he says he lives in a boat on the north coast of Scotland with two dogs, finishing his next novel; on Goodreads he says he lives mostly in New York with his wife, son and cat. Van Minton plans a trilogy of which The Little Yarnmouth Abduction is the first book. Meanwhile he has written and published St Georges P.R.S. which is another YA book, with leanings towards the paranormal.

Appraisal:

When I was a teenager (back when gin was tuppence a tot) there were no books aimed at teenagers. Once one had consumed the contents of the children’s shelves at the library it was on to Mills & Boon and Zane Grey. This may explain why I enjoy the genre now. And what a rich genre it is for writers!

The book’s premise is intriguing. How will people living near what used to be ice sheets fare when those ice sheets are gone? It makes a nice change from witches, wizards, vampires, werewolves and other urban fantasy tropes.

It is when dealing with boats that the story is strongest; be it a dinghy with an outboard, a power launch, a dilapidated coaster, a tug, a mistreated hover craft or a well-maintained patrol vessel, each vessel is lovingly created and completely credible and pertinent to the story. Van Minton loves his boats. As do I. Everyone in the story has recourse to boats as their primary means of transport. The constant threat to water travel from ice bergs is nicely drawn. There are a few references to how the lost ice impacts the world in other ways.

The plot proceeds briskly. Occasionally elements of it feel a bit as if they have been randomly generated. There is a mushroom fight which is an original idea, but stretches credulity. From time to time the suspension of disbelief is difficult to maintain; for example, at one point three people hide behind adjacent, floor-length curtains and are not discovered.

I wondered, almost from the outset (and before I checked) whether the author was American, rather than Scottish – and so it proved. I didn’t get a feel of Scottishness from the story (despite attempts at dialect): rather a sensation of the Pacific Northwest in the USA. Tribes emerging out of the disappearing pack ice, with strangely Native American names such as Conkwoyoto, might have been more believable in that location.

When the great ice sheets melt, oceans will rise. Substantially. The book does not deal with that at all. I wondered, as I read it, how come the rise in sea level had made no difference to the island on which Yarnmouth and Middle Langton stand: how had it not flooded the sewers, submerged the quays, driven the population to live on the hills? What about the Faroe Islands (which figure in the story): would they not be drowned? Positing little or no rise in sea levels as the Earth warms up flies in the face of current credible scholarship and feels misleading to me.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues: 

The book would benefit from a thorough edit. Punctuation and spelling aren’t as reliable as they should be. The odd authorial idiosyncrasy becomes trying. For example, characters ‘cry’ things to each other frequently, often when they have just been shushing each other because people wishing them harm are in close 

proximity.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

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