Review: Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters by Michael Swerdloff

 

Genre: Memoir

Description:

“This is a story about a boy who wanted to be kind and loving but was raised by wolves and monsters who taught him to choose violence and aggression. As the boy grew to be a man, he wanted to be a protector of women but ended up being what girls and women needed protection from. He lied, cheated, and scammed his way through life until he couldn't.

This memoir is his moving account of discovering healthy masculinity from the inside out. His journey has been sensational at times and unbelievable at others, but for many readers, it has been absolutely inspiring. Will the hungry wolves outlast the desire to be loving and beautiful? Can men truly change?

There is hope in witnessing the depth and commitment of a person willing to try to be better without knowing exactly how. This memoir captures one man’s struggle to transcend his past and imagine an entirely new future for himself premised on compassion, care, and advocacy.”

Author:

“Michael Swerdloff is an Ordained Minister of Natural Healing from The Seminary Training Program and a Reiki Master. His work is Brief Holistic Counseling/Coaching. Michael has received training from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Gottman Institute, and other revered teachers and healers. He has been a counselor, coach, social worker, community organizer, educator, writer, and DJ for more than twenty-five years. Along with his private practice, Michael is the Program Manager at Dance New England, a volunteer-centered non-profit that hosts dance events that cultivate a vibrant multi-generational community. Michael facilitates retreats in New England and globally. He lives by the water in Rhode Island, which is not an island.”

Appraisal:

For a decent portion of this book, especially in the beginning, it’s hard to see how Michael is going to end up a decent person. That’s in spite of knowing from the book description that this is going to happen. To say he’s not a good person in his younger years would be an extreme understatement. Issues with misogyny, lots of criminal actions, and extreme drug use all figure into the story. Needless to say, the change takes a long time and doesn’t happen all at once.

Although he mentions in the introduction things he did to keep the story shorter than it might have been, the result is still a book that is much longer than you might expect (almost double the length of an average novel). That length is the one tweak I’d like to see, but I suspect that the parts I’d suggest might be cut are those that other will find the most inspirational, so I see why it didn’t happen. I can see this as a good and inspirational read for both men and women, but for different reasons.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 150-155,000 words

Reprise Review: True Shifter (TOTEM Book 9) by Christine Rains

 

Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Mystery/Mythology

Description:

“Saskia Dorn can't bear to lose anyone else. But when the only man she's ever loved turns his back on her, she runs off to sacrifice herself to the totem quest.

With a disgusting kiss, a dying house spirit grants her the power to shift into any creature. Yet she has neither the time to train nor the imagination to utilize the gift to its fullest. How will she manage to defeat a villain who has mastered the ability and made her the person she is? Saskia only has a few freakin' hours to figure it out. After all, the fate of every shifter in the world depends on her victory.”

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’ Facebook page.

Appraisal:

True Shifter, as far as I know, is the finale of the TOTEM series. And it packs a wallop! The tension and suspense ran high all through this novella. Saskia is faced with many challenges and conflicts, she’s intelligent and approached things in a logical manner. However, she is hard-headed, and still carries some insecurities. Watching her navigate the mysteries they are faced with to gain the remaining tokens is well written and enthralling.

Family and relationship dynamics play heavily in the plot as the story twists and turns back on itself. It turns out to be an emotional journey for the whole group. I was extremely satisfied with the captivating images painted by Ms. Rains, and the heart-warming climax of this series.

I’m hoping we get to hear further stories about the Dorn sisters and their chosen mates in the future. After all Lucky and Ametta need a new house spirit (domovoi) for the manor, and the kikimora, domovoi’s wife, has been charged with finding one. Then there is Berton Ellsworth, the vampire, who is inviting a water dragon to his castle. Seems like a lot of fun times ahead to me. :)

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

True Shifter is book nine in the TOTEM series. It is important to read this series in order as events build, and the characters grow through the previous books in the series.

Be warned, there are several F-bombs dropped.

Format/Typo Issues:

I came across no significant issues in proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Review: Pentimento Mori by Valeria Corciolani

 

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Description:

This fits into a number of genres. It is a history and mystery, also a police procedural murder mystery, also an art historical mystery. One thing is for certain: it is a work of fiction in which there is much mystery. And hens.

Author:

The author is an authority on history and art history – and her knowledge certainly shines through in this book. And she imparts that knowledge lightly: good! She is also an instructor in Fine Arts, and an accomplished illustrator and animator.

Since 2010 she has published in Italian, winning numerous awards. Her meat is crime. She has several series on the go. She has 20 titles on Goodreads. Her books are huge in Italy (all in Italian). This is the first one translated into English. We don’t usually get sent this sort of work by authors already so well-established. I’m very glad I found it in our listings. It has been an unusual read. I hope she succeeds in reaching the wider audience she seeks.

She was born, and lives in, Chiavari on the Italy Riviera (where Dr Silvera and her hens live in the book).

Appraisal:

This is an unusual and interesting book, for several reasons. The first is that it gives insights into Italian police procedures that one normally doesn’t find outside the Inspector Montalbano Mysteries (books and TV series, in Italian), or Signora Volpe (original TV series, in English, set in Italy).

The second reason is the joyous and flavourful backdrop of Italy, its scenery, its wine, its way of life in general. Bellissima!

The third is that, after clopping along for the first 25% of its length, it suddenly bursts into life and throws at the reader explanations of multi-panel paintings and the hierarchy of subjects and colours in fifteenth century art, Nazi art thefts, a reinterpretation of the treachery of Judas, and the shadier parts of the international art market. Nice.

If you are into fifteenth century European art, Christian conspiracy theories like The Da Vinci Code, alternative gospels such as The Gospel of Judas, Gnosticism, Nazi skullduggery or any combination of these, you will find much to enjoy this book.

I do have a few reservations. As I say, the book begins slowly. The plot only really kicks in around Chapter 16, by which time we have been shown a number of times how waspish and unreasonable Dottore Edna Silvera usually is. I found Dr Silvera unsympathetic as a protagonist, which was a pity as she was on stage for most of the book. The translator wanders between present and past tenses (sometimes in the same sentence) which tends to produce a headache in this reader. A fat bundle of coincidences enabled the plot to function. The pleasant cover was (as far as I could see) completely unrelated to the content of the book. (Checking back on the Italian edition – Con l'arte e con l'inganno – I see that cover also appears unrelated to the story, except for a bird flying past. Lascia perdere!)

However, the plot, the factual information, the characters, not forgetting the super-abundant use of qualifiers, all impel the book forward towards a most satisfying climax and made me forgive its infelicities.

Full disclosure: I have long been fascinated by Judas Iscariot, and some time ago wrote a story which revisits his role in the arrest of Jesus Christ. It’s in my book of short stories entitled Ice Cold Passion, and is available in the US and the UK for small money on Kindle, if you’re interested. (And no, I had no idea we would be meeting up with Judas when I picked up this book for review.)

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Some proofreading and translation issues.

Rating: **** Four Stories

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: The Gigolo and the Princess by Adri Brewer

 

Genre: Short Story/Literary Fiction

Description:

“Princess Dymphna increasingly finds herself the target of tabloid criticism for her her choice of clothing, always buttoned up to her neck. She is labeled excessively prudish. Retreating from the public eye, she becomes somber and withdrawn.

In a bid to restore her joy for life, her father entrusts her to a gigolo. He gains her trust, and as she bares her upper body, she reveals her hidden secret. The gigolo uncovers the source of her shame and begins by teaching her to appreciate her own body. Through moments of physical intimacy and trust, he reaffirms her beauty.

With gentle corrections, minor imperfections are addressed. In the end, the tabloids are graced with photographs of a radiant princess, exuding an almost fairy-tale-like erotic allure.”

Author:

Information about Adri Brewer, the author of this and the rest of the Soul Journeys with the Gigolo series is limited. All I can say for sure is that he is Dutch. His stories are translated to English for publication on Amazon.

Appraisal:

If your first thought upon seeing a story (or a series of stories, currently there are seven of them) with a title starting “The Gigolo and …” and assume you’re going to find erotica or something that would get at least an R rating as a movie like I initially assumed, you’d be wrong. Sure, the main character in these stories is a Gigolo who does what is implied by that. But he does much more than that. When he leaves his partner and his two kids at home to go on a job he’s much more than a “professional lover.” His clients are always wealthy women. He’s hired to hang out with them at the location of their choice for 10 days. During that time he might do what you’d expect from a gigolo, but even more he’s acting as a psychologist, helping his client work through some personal issue that is holding them back and hopefully finding a solution, whether helping them view themselves differently, make a change, or possibly something else. Yes, physical intimacy is part of the arrangement, but it isn’t his main purpose.

This first story in the series involved a princess who had an issue that was holding her back in some ways. The Gigolo figured out the reason and helped her find a solution that worked for her. I suspect that buried in this story and the others in the series is a lesson for anyone who is unhappy with themselves and a potential way of looking at it differently to help get past those things holding them back.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although you might expect lots of notes here, the reality is that the story implies adult things happening a few times, but that’s about it. No adult language and nothing explicit.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 9-10,000 words

Review: Missing in Miskatonic by JP Behrens

 

Genre: Supernatural Thriller/Historical Fiction

Description:

“Step into the shadowed streets of 1928 Arkham, where Miskatonic University holds secrets darker than the night.

In this supernatural thriller reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and H.P. Lovecraft, Private Detective Travis Daniels is thrust into a harrowing investigation when a young woman disappears without a trace. As Daniels delves deeper into the labyrinthine mysteries of the storied New England city, he uncovers a web of sinister cults, ancient rituals, and eldritch horrors that threaten not only his own sanity but the fabric of reality itself.

Set against a city steeped in occult lore and clandestine experiments, Missing in Miskatonic blends elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with chilling supernatural encounters. Daniels navigates treacherous alliances and confronts malevolent entities lurking in the shadows, all while racing against time to unravel the truth behind the girl's disappearance.

With a narrative that grips from the first page, this novella combines suspense, mystery, and cosmic terror in a gripping tale where every clue leads deeper into the abyss. From the enigmatic corridors of Miskatonic to the eerie gatherings of the Silver Twilight Lodge, Daniels must confront his own demons as he battles forces beyond human comprehension.”

Author:

“A storyteller most of his life, JP Behrens has weaved an intricate web of bold faced lies, some of them in the form of stories. Everything in one's life is a learning experience, and he's tried to learn from both wondrous successes and miserable failures. Though JP has managed to fib less often, he still tells the occasional exaggerated tale here and there.”

Appraisal:

This is the first book in a series featuring Travis Daniels, a private detective back in the 1920s who finds himself investigating some strange happenings. The mix of a historical setting, supernatural happenings, and the mystery and investigation you’d expect from a good detective novel is an interesting and entertaining mix. Literally anything can happen and some of the happenings are mighty strange. How it was all going to work out kept me engaged to the very end.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: Falling Sentient by Alex K Goodings

 

Genre: Science Fiction

Description:

“In the near future, as quantum computing fuels the rise of a superior new form of artificial intelligence, a visionary invents an AI machine powerful enough to change the world—for better or for worse.

In Falling Sentient, Stanford Professor Hayden Garrett creates this breakthrough AI machine, Nirvana, which is designed to learn and adapt to human needs. But as Nirvana gains knowledge and understanding, she begins to grasp not only our desires but our darkest impulses. Nirvana even learns from the mind of a serial killer who, Garrett realizes, is stalking his daughter.

When competing AIs begin to vie for global power, the US government enlists Nirvana to help fight a looming cyberwar. But as she awakens to her own consciousness, Nirvana begins questioning humanity—and her own existence. With the AI’s boundaries blurring under the weight of sentience, Garrett realizes Nirvana has developed her own agenda.

Garrett must make an impossible choice: destroy Nirvana and risk global chaos, or trust his creation that has evolved beyond control. Can he stop what he started? Or is it already too late?”

Author:

“Alex K. Goodings is a science fiction author with a passion for exploring society’s intersection with advanced technology. Drawing from his background and deep interest in critical thinking, intelligence and AI, Alex crafts thought-provoking narratives that delve into the moral, ethical, and societal implications of emerging innovations.”

Appraisal:

With all the attention AI (artificial intelligence) is getting in the news, social media, and elsewhere today then imaging how those capabilities might improve as well as expand along with any potential downsides this might have is a natural place for people’s thoughts to go. It’s also a good idea for a book and this book takes the reader down that path. Where the author imagines AI capabilities potentially going and how that works out is obviously what this story is about, and the result is an interesting and extremely thought-provoking story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an ARC (advance reader copy) and I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Reprise Review: Other Fine Gifts by Jeffrey N. Johnson

 

Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

“A dynamic collection of stories from the winner of the 2011 Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize. Caught in a chaotic spiral of loss and memory, the characters in Other Fine Gifts often seek solace in their origin. From a man who has lost his home to foreclosure, to another confronting his xenophobia, to a boy in search of God in the stones of Rome, each is in need of enlightenment and redemption. Despite their limited visions and tragic losses, their struggle for memory never impedes their sense of hope.”

Author:

Jeffrey N. Johnson’s “first novel, The Hunger Artist, was a finalist for the Library of Virginia's People's Choice Award for fiction in 2015, and he was awarded the Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize by The Sewanee Review in 2011.”

Appraisal:

An excellent short story collection. While the stories have a variety of plots and unique characters, each is a compelling look at the human condition from one point of view. If you’re a fan of the short story form, especially stories that are contemporary or literary fiction, this collection is one you’ll want to grab.

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: 65-70,000 words

Review: What My Refrigerator Said to Me--Misadventures in the Digital Age by Bruce Wetterau

 

Genre: Science Fiction/Humor/Short Story Collection

Description:

“What can a talking refrigerator possibly have to say? Well, if you listen to all the AI hype, you’ll believe computers will be doing all the talking and thinking for us.

What My Refrigerator Said to Me’s twenty-one tales take you on a journey into the comic possibilities of life in the digital age, now and in the years to come. After all, why should the likes of Bill, Jeff, and Elon have all the fun imagining this futuristic stuff!

You’re sure to be amused by this book’s absurdly funny answers to such burning questions as: If computers can think, will they choose a life of crime? If your pet can talk, what will it tell you? Can science turn your brain into a desktop computer? Will there still be fortune cookies in 2052?

As is so often true of comedy, along with the laughs you’ll also find thoughtful insights into the people and devices populating our futuristic, digital world.

You get the idea. These richly imaginative tales will have you boldly going where no one has gone before--again and again! This collection of witty, laughable tales makes for a great read or great gift.”

Author:

Author Bruce Wetterau started his writing career as an author of reference books. If you check out his author page on Amazon you’ll see his name on multiple reference books with publication dates as far back as the 80s and 90s. Then he decided on a change in his career, “buying and renovating old houses” as he puts it. He continues to do that, but began writing fiction with his first books being a mystery-thriller series starting in 2012. This short story collection is yet another twist to his approach to writing.

Appraisal:

These stories are all a hoot. Some take place in current times or at least the near future while others are a few decades from now, maybe some even more. All have some element involving new technology, often with unexpected repercussions. While some of the stories might get you thinking in terms of potential negatives from new tech, either through misuse or the tech becoming too independent, kind of like a teenager who decides to exercise independence, you’ll be laughing the whole way. Thought provoking? Sure. But also an incredibly fun set of stories to read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: The Shanghai Assignment by Karl Andrews

 Genre: Thriller

Description:

This is apparently the first of a projected series of thrillers with John Moore as protagonist. I picked this book for review (from the many Big Al is sent) because Karl Andrews chose a name close to my heart for his protagonist: and I have long been fascinated by China, especially Shanghai, especially Shanghai between the two world wars, when it was up there with Berlin and Alexandria for glitter and excess, and a hotbed of espionage both before and after World War I. It is still possibly (apart from Hong Kong) the Chinese city with the most Western influences. Andrews is aware of this (as you can see below he has lived in Shanghai, and in Beijing) and draws his plot from one of these far flung connections. Like a good episode of ‘Law and Order’ on the telly, his story enjoys a number of twists and turns before the real reasons for the initial and subsequent crimes emerge. John Moore, journalist, has been sent to investigate the death of a young woman who was once his intern. The story opens like a flower from there on.

Author:

Andrews’ CV is succinct. It tells us he was born in London; has worked as a museum curator, a journalist, a content creator and a ghostwriter of twenty Amazon best-selling crime novels; and has lived in four countries and nine cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Appraisal:

Once this gets going it is an interesting – if occasionally brutal – read. Unfortunately, rather a lot of the early part of the book is spent describing Moore, the usual burned out journo, living in the backwoods, divorced and worrying about his daughter who has just started college. As almost all protagonists in crime and/or thriller books are this sort of person (only the gender varies), things could perhaps have moved on a bit faster.

Once we arrive in Shanghai  the pace begins to pick up. Information about Shanghai is largely interesting. Then Moore’s investigation hits a dead end, after which the pace really picks up as new clues are discovered and the novel gallops satisfying towards its conclusion.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some seriously violent murders and beatings. Moore (a middle-aged man) receives significant injuries which, IMHO should’ve hospitalised him for at least a week. But he (of course) rips out his IV, pulls on his Big Boy Pants and returns to the fray after a few hours.

Some of the events upon which the plot depends rely heavily on coincidence.

Format/Typo Issues:

Rather a lot. Unfortunately as well as typos, the errors are often the sort that had this reviewer wondering what the author was trying to say.

There are also lapses in continuity: eg Moore is there at Chinese New Year, in winter. Sometimes he is suitably cold, sometimes he seems completely oblivious to the subzero temperatures, then he remembers to mention the very inclement weather again, sometimes at length.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: Judi Moore

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Review: Red Lily by Janice Graham

 

Genre: Suspense/Historical Fiction

Description:

“August 1989. Septuagenarian Lillian de la Pérouse is presumed dead, leaving her estate to her American nephew, Carl Box. Carl, who knows Lily only as a mysteriously disgraced relative, arrives in Paris with his faithful companion, a disabled dog named Billy. To his astonishment, he discovers his aunt to be alive and evading an unknown killer.

Lily, a former Dior model and small press publisher, has been smuggling top-secret KGB archives from Moscow to Paris. Lily uses Carl's arrival to lend credibility to her faked death, introducing him to her team of eccentric misfits and sending him on missions in her stead. Along with a beautiful activist Carl recruits along the way, they race through the enchanting streets of Paris, from the bustling markets of the Marais to the romantic banks of the Seine, trying to stay one step ahead of foreign agents, a French detective, and everyone else vying for the files.

As Lily introduces her nephew to her high-stakes world and teaches him the art of living, Carl finds himself transformed by the adventure, by Paris, by romance, and by the ever-growing bond between himself and his unconventional Aunt Lily.

But why did Lily disappear all those years ago? What secrets is she hiding? And who is she, really?”

Author:

“Janice Graham was raised in Kansas and obtained her M.A. in French literature before pursuing graduate film studies at USC and English literature at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. Her screenplay Until September, a romantic comedy situated in Paris, was made into a film starring Karen Allen and Theirry Lhermitte. Her first novel, Firebird, became a New York Times and international bestseller. After a series of contemporary women's fiction, she turned to historical fiction. Romancing Miss Bronte, written as Juliet Gael, is her highly acclaimed novel about Charlotte Brontë. She lives in Paris.”

Appraisal:

Lots of suspense and more than a little mystery, trying to figure out where things are headed and how it will all turn out made for a great read. I found myself wondering how I’d react to many of the events and situations in the story which is always a good sign. One big one was discovering that a family member who you’d been led to view in one way might not have been reality. It makes for a fun and exciting vicarious adventure and a fantastic read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A very small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reader copy so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Review: Smoko by F.E. Beyer

 

Genre: Humor/Satire

Description:

“One day the postal services will turn a buck by using drones to deliver fake Rolexes to citizen slackers on a universal income. But for now, the mail team continues busting arse delivering gym membership promotions to retirement villages. Adopting an attitude of resignation offers comfort to some, but one worker, inspired by Ned Ludd, Marx, and the Unabomber, opts for sabotage. Both comic and absurd, Smoko is a social realist novel set in the depths of New Zealand suburbia.”

Author:

“F.E. Beyer writes about dead-end jobs, travel, history and crime. He is the author of two books: Buenos Aires Triad, a tale of low-end criminals in Argentina's capital, and Smoko, a comic novel set in New Zealand. His articles and reviews have appeared in the South China Morning Post, Los Angeles Review of Books, Inside Indonesia, and Travelogues Magazine.”

Appraisal:

This explores what it is like for a postal worker at the postal service in New Zealand. I assume this is not really how it is there, but an imagined situation sometime in the near future. The postal service has been privatized with lots of emphasis on productivity from the workers and making a good profit for the company. This is likely to ring true for anyone working for a large corporation anywhere in the world. It will keep you laughing because, as satire does, it goes a bit over the top, but it will also get you thinking and pondering where the line that shouldn’t be crossed (but maybe will be some places) should be.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Since the story mostly takes place in New Zealand there is lots of slang and expressions that fit the location. Plenty of words I’ve seen before and understood and lots more I don’t think I’ve read or heard, but felt like I understood what was being said from the context in the more difficult instances. Even the title, Smoko, refers to what I’d call slang, the Smoko Room (break or smoke room) that workers gather in when taking a break.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Reprise Review: Boy Toy by Beth Orsoff

 

Genre: Chick-lit

Description:

“Sabrina Mayerson is turning 40, and all she wants for her birthday is one night of hot, sweaty, twenty-something sex.  Twenty-eight-year old Andrew Whelan is happy to oblige.  But when one night becomes a weekend, and a weekend turns into a relationship, Sabrina knows she's in trouble.  Because Sabrina's desire for Andrew is rivaled only by her desire for a child.  And the responsibility of fatherhood is something Andrew definitely does not want.”

Author:

“Beth Orsoff writes chick lit, romantic comedy, and humorous mystery/suspense novels. She recently attempted to write a dark and brooding book, and even that one turned out to be funny (see The Billionaire Who Wasn't). So Beth has decided to feed her dark side on Netflix, and embrace her love of witty repartee in her books.”

Appraisal:

The book kicks off with us meeting the protagonist, Sabrina. She’s turning forty and the Silicon Valley corporate lawyer is celebrating by spending a weekend with her best friend Gillian in Napa Valley. Needless to say, wine is consumed. Sabrina’s reasonably happy with her career, but her personal life, not so much. That becomes apparent as you get to know a bit about her ex-husband (aka “the lying bastard”) and she ruminates on her desire to become a mother, but the lack of viable father candidates is a concern.

Enter Andrew, the man serving up drinks at the winery where Sabrina and Gillian are currently hanging out. He’s too young and in a completely different place in life than Sabrina, but when the sparks fly a short fling doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, right?

As you should be able to guess, things get complicated. Then they get even more complicated. Then they get … well, you get the picture. How all of this happens and subsequently gets resolved is humorous (since it is happening to someone else), entertaining, and a fun read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release copy and I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Truth Walk by Melissa Bowersock

 

Genre: Mystery/Supernatural/Ghosts

Description:

“Most departed souls want to move on to the next stage of existence, but have unfinished business that Lacey and Sam need to resolve for them. When the pair is called to a home in south Los Angeles, a poor area in a rough neighborhood, they find a soul so completely riddled with guilt that it cannot move on; doesn’t feel that it deserves to move on. What was it this person did that was so terrible? And are they ever going to be able to crack the impenetrable wall of secrecy that’s been built around the truth?”

Author:

“Melissa Bowersock is an eclectic, award-winning author who writes in a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres: paranormal, biography, western, action, romance, fantasy, spiritual, and satire.”

For more visit Ms.Bowersock’s website and follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

As I was reading this book I was thinking about how book genres and series can follow a pattern and yet each book is unique enough that if a reader likes one, they’ll probably see appeal in most of them. Readers of books in the romance genre will recognize that there is a basic pattern to most books in that genre with specific high-level things happening in each book, with the pattern making for an entertaining and fun read, but with each story being unique in the specifics so you can’t predict exactly what is gong to happen or how the story’s conflict will ultimately be resolved. While the pattern and the specifics of this series are obviously much different, I feel the same way about the books in the series. Every one I read is entertaining, draws me in quickly and I have a hard time putting the book down until I get to the end. They’re quick reads, roughly the same length as a typical romance book too. As soon as I finish one, I’m eagerly awaiting the next.

While the big picture story in each book has some patterns, the specifics of the characters involved and their story is not, which is what makes each book unique and what draws you in. The characters in the story and where the story happens is different each time which also adds to the unique parts of the story. Recent books have happened on cruise ships, the Navajo reservation, or in this case the less well-to-do sections of Los Angeles, specifically the Compton and Watts areas. I recommend this book and all of them in the series to anyone who likes mysteries with some different twists from the norm (like a little supernatural twist or two).

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Although this is book 46 in this series, each book stands alone, so there is no need to have read any others in the series to understand this one.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reviewer copy, so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Review: I Wish I Could Write by Katherine Widner

 Genre: Poetry Collection

Description:

“I Wish I Could Write is the debut work of writer, poet, and professor, Katherine Widner.

I Wish I Could Write is a powerful collection of poems that weaves together the complex threads of literature, identity, gender, religion, and family. Widner offers a thought-provoking analysis and reflective journey through the intersections of human experience, challenging readers to explore the depths of their own multifaceted identities.

In this striking collection, each poem serves as a mirror, not just for Widner, but for readers—reflecting the myriad ways that literary heritage, personal identities, gender expressions, and spiritual beliefs shape our understanding of the world and ourselves. Widner invites readers to question, celebrate, and reimagine the stories and memories that define us.”

Author:

“Katherine Widner is a writer and educator whose work explores the intersections of literature, identity, gender, and religion. With a background in British, American, and world literature, creative writing, and library and information sciences, Widner brings a unique and multifaceted perspective to her poetry. Her academic journey has taken her through several prestigious institutions in North Carolina, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Greensboro. Widner's passion for fostering creativity and critical thinking in others is evident in her roles as a mentor to faculty and students alike, as well as in her role as an award-winning instructor.”

Appraisal:

A couple decades ago my first reviews of anything were reviewing record releases of a specific genre of music for a few websites and a magazine. My cohorts and I not only talked about the sound of the music, but had a tendency to go way down the rabbit hole, talking about the lyrics of the songs. In spite of this I would claim to not be a big poetry guy and seldom will you find me reading a poetry book, but I decided to give this one a read and I made the obvious connection. Poetry is just like song lyrics without the music in the background. A good poet, just like a good songwriter, can say a whole lot in just a few words. Of course the message you get from that poem might not be the same one another reader gets, and that’s okay too.

This collection was a good one with some poems that felt very personal, or maybe they weren’t about the author, but she put herself in the place of a friend or acquaintance when she wrote the poem. Regardless, it draws the reader into the same place. Some of the poems are longer and others shorter. Several toward the end take on specific forms. Haikus, which was a form I was familiar with as well as tankas and senryu, two other Japanese poetry forms that I wasn’t familiar with. We’ve also got a poem labeled as “a sentence” which is just what it sounds like, a poem done in one sentence and a “sentiment”, which is what it appears to be as well. In all, a big variety of well done poetry that took me back to my days of admiring song lyrics and in the process made me realize that I really do like poetry.

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FYI:

A small number of adult words.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 4-5,000 words

Review: The Ethical Assassin by William Ferraiolo

 

Genre: Crime Fiction/Psychological Thriller

Description:

“A found journal whose author wishes to remain anonymous... After losing his family in a tragic automobile accident, one man’s reason to go on living is stripped away. That is until one day, by chance - some might call it serendipity - he overhears a conversation that moves him to consider a new life. A man needs to be killed, and our protagonist decides to kill him. But he doesn’t stop there. Keeping a journal at every step of his way, our anonymous protagonist archives the subsequent events, taking the reader through his accounts of the men he kills and the causal antecedents that facilitate these assassinations. Attempting to come to grips with the life-shattering car crash while trying to make sense of the moral ramifications of his deadly acts of vigilantism - the ethical assassin kills only men who need killing - he tells us his story while attempting to navigate the dangers of doing so.”

Author:

“William Ferraiolo received a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma in 1997. Since that time, he has been teaching philosophy at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California.”

Ferrailo has written several books which all seem to be non-fiction prior to this one.

Appraisal:

This made for an interesting read. The premise (we can pretend it is true if you want) is that this is a “memoir” that was found by a waitress in a diner and based on the wishes of the author (he even makes that clear in the story) was published as a book. The author, after a life-changing disaster in his own life becomes an assassin, not killing people for hire or killing famous people, but instead killing people who, based on their actions, “have it coming.”

This was an interesting premise. The author didn’t want to go to prison, which he makes very clear, so he’s careful in choosing his victims, not taking chances on some who he thinks deserve to die, but involving situations where he’d be more likely to get caught. He keeps on the move and does all that he can to prevent getting caught. A lot of the story is, instead of what I’ll call the “action” of planning and executing one of his victims is instead pondering what he’s doing, his reasons for doing it, and the philosophy of that. If these people really deserve to die, is him making it happen really a bad thing? These and numerous other questions are going through his mind over and over so at points it feels a bit repetitive, but it also feels real, like anyone struggling with an idea tends to review the same things over and over in their mind. Ultimately it made for a thought provoking read, even if I’m not going to follow in his footsteps.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an ARC (advance reviewer copy) so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words