Genre: Paranormal
Approximate word count: 115-120,000 words
Availability
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: NO
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Author:
Glen Bullion currently resides in Maryland, where he devotes his time to reading, writing, gaming, three cats, and a wife, though not necessarily in that order. His first novel, Demonspawn, was released in 2010, and his second, Dead Living, has recently been made available and is busily tallying positive reviews over at Amazon.com. For more information, visit his website.
Description:
Alex Teague is a cheerfully unremarkable young man with a pleasant but unremarkable life: a loving family, an average job, and a circle of close friends that includes the stunning but seemingly unattainable Cindy, his confidante since childhood. All is perfectly, predictably normal… until an unexpected exorcism leads to the startling revelation that he is, in fact, half demon. Will Alex be able to adjust to the host of supernatural powers that such a pedigree entails in time to avert an impending catastrophe, or will his battle with this new identity cost him his old life?
Appraisal:
Author Greg Bullion paints a convincing portrait of the paranormal Everyman; Alex is basically Peter Parker, if Uncle Ben had instead remarked that with great power comes people trying to kill you. The characters are drawn with obvious affection, and their overwhelming likability kept me reading through segments that I would otherwise have found tedious – Alex is, after all, still raw and inexperienced, and has a young man’s tendency to pine and dwell and overlook the obvious. The earlier events are fraught and tense, and there is a nice focus on mood and setting, before the novel takes off for its amped up second act, and a lot of the ambience is set aside in favor of action. While both halves are well done, I was left with the distinct impression that I was reading two separate novels, held together with tenuous strands of ghostly glue. There are more than enough good ideas in here to warrant a sequel, so I question the need to have them all in one book.
FYI:
While there is fairly extensive use of profanity and frequent mild sexuality, it never feels crass or vulgar, and adds a touch of authenticity to the protagonist’s mental monologues. The characters are in their early twenties, and they speak and act accordingly. For this reason, combined with some brief but graphic demonic encounters, I would caution parents against purchasing this book for those on the younger end of the Young Adult spectrum.
Format/Typo Issues:
A few simple typos are sprinkled throughout, but the author’s website informs me that he’s in the midst of a secondary edit that should eliminate the bulk of these.
Rating: **** Four stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Gothic Romantic Comedy
Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words
Availability
Kindle: US YES UK: YES Nook: NO Smashwords: YES Paper: NO
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Author:
An aspiring writer from an early age, Kate Hamilton grew up in London. After living around the world, she has now settled in Scotland. This is her only book currently available for your Kindle. For more, visit her website.
Description:
A gothic romance set in modern times. Without her knowledge or consent, Lauren MacBreach’s parents arrange her marriage to a Scottish Laird. Although a little on the old side, he’s rich, lives in a castle, and isn’t that bad looking. If only someone wasn’t trying to kill her.
Appraisal:
Trying to formulate my thoughts on this book has been difficult. If you aren’t familiar with the definition of a gothic romance, I found the explanation on this website helpful. Blood Line combines many of the typical elements of a gothic romance with some of the elements of a romantic comedy. It still has castles, but it is set in modern times. For another twist the protagonist Lauren’s guardian angel, a novice at the job, keeps popping in to help.
While a strange combination of gothic, romantic-comedy, and whatever genre a guardian angel fits, maybe supernatural, the story is fun, different, and creative. The setting for most of the book, a Scottish castle, is foreign to the American born Lauren and gives plenty of comedic opportunities as she deals with differences in culture and custom. After a warning from her guardian angel, Lauren is constantly trying to decipher potential hidden agendas, decide who is friend or foe, and working to figure out how to escape her strange situation.
I expect many readers who find what I’ve described appealing would be happy reading Blood Line. I wasn’t for two reasons, both items that bothered me early on that I was never able to get past.
The first is a matter of language. If you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll know I believe if you’re English speaking you should be able to adapt to variations in spelling and word usage. I believe an Aussie author writing about characters and events in Australia using the spelling conventions and local slang of their home country adds to the reading experience. The same rule goes for someone who is British, Canadian, or any other country. If the usage fits the character and locale, I’m happy.
Since most of the events in Blood Line take place in Scotland and most of the characters are from there I shouldn’t have any issues with spelling and language consistent with Scotland. I don’t with the exception of Lauren. Knowing she was an American I found myself questioning dialog that didn’t ring true. Sometimes it was the syntax, correct, but not how a character with Lauren’s background would speak. Other times it was the use of a specific word. One example is Lauren referring to the restroom as “the loo” multiple times before she’d even set foot in Scotland. Virtually no eighteen-year-old American girl is going to use that word habitually.
The other thing I had a hard time with was the idea that a mother and father would arrange a marriage without their daughter’s knowledge or consent and essentially arrange for her kidnapping to carry out that arrangement. In another time, place, or maybe just a set of parents with a different situation than Lauren’s I might have been able to suspend my disbelief. In this instance, I wasn’t able. An arranged marriage, while not completely unheard of, is very rare in modern America. If you have a hard time understanding how I can believe the guardian angel and not this part, I’m aware of the inconsistency.
FYI:
The author uses British spelling conventions and turns of phrase.
Format/Typo Issues:
A moderate number of typos, word usage, and formatting issues.
Rating: *** Three stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Thriller
Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words
Availability
Kindle: US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: YES
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Author:
A life-long Red Sox fan, newspaper sportswriter Sean Sweeney lives in North Central Massachusetts. When not covering Fitchburg High School sports or writing his latest novel, this prolific author can be found trying to pass himself off as a Brit in the Kindle forum on Amazon UK, obsessively tweeting, and playing with Carmel the Wonder Cat. His favorite hobby is napping.
Description:
With heightened security, the 2012 London Olympics were going to be the safest ever. When terrorists bomb Wembley Stadium during the Olympic soccer tournament and an al-Qaeda agent claims responsibility, the President of the United States volunteers ace CIA operative Jaclyn Johnson to help MI5 root out the terrorists and save the games.
Appraisal:
We first met Johnson, a female James Bond, in Model Agent. As with Bond, Johnson has a technologically advanced bag of tricks and seems ready for anything. Bond’s villains are often over-the-top, almost enough to consider satire; such was the case with the villain in Model Agent. In Rogue Agent the villains are all too possible. Although bin Laden is dead, the organization he headed continues. The plot the terrorists have in this story, while ambitious, is far from unimaginable.
In this second book of the Jaclyn Johnson, code name Snapshot series, Sweeney takes us on a fast paced thrill ride as Jaclyn tries to stop additional terrorist attacks and bring those responsible to justice. I found Rogue Agent an even better read than Model Agent. Jaclyn is more emotionally involved in this case because her parents had died in the al-Qaeda attacks on 9/11. Her reactions to the events in Rogue Agent made me feel as if I was getting to know the character better. The political ramifications of a US agent operating on foreign soil assisting the British intelligence service made for a complex, yet more realistic plot. For several hours of action packed escapism, it doesn’t get much better than Rogue Agent.
Format/Typo Issues:
As a beta reader I evaluated based on a pre-publication version and can’t evaluate the final version in this area.
Rating: ***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Em
Genre: Speculative Fiction/Humor
Approximate word count: 25-30,000
Availability
Kindle: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: NO Paper: NO
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Author:
Tim W. Burke is a highly secretive author with negligible biographical information online. For publication and appearance information, see author’s blog.
Description:
This is a collection of previously published short stories based on humorous takes on tropes from various sub-genres of speculative fiction.
Appraisal:
I’ve always been a fan of unusual interpretations of common themes. This collection includes some entertaining, satirical takes on speculative fiction/horror, including vampires/blood sucking fiends, immortality, zombies, ghosts, and the philosopher’s stone.
A short story is the distillation of an idea to its purest form, often with little regard to plot or characterization. While these stories do emphasize the unique ideas they’re exploring, the characters are engaging and the concepts are often suitable for extension in subsequent stories rather than being closed off.
Overall I found this collection to be highly enjoyable, though purists may not appreciate some of Burke’s takes on the tropes.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues
Rating: **** Four Stars
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Romance
Approximate word count: 50-55,000 words
Availability
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: NO
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Author:
Under her own name and the pen name Donna Clayton, Donna Fasano has written over thirty published novels with sales in excess of 3.5 million copies. Many of these novels have gone out of print with the rights reverting to Fasano. She is giving them a facelift and republishing them for your favorite eReader. Return of the Runaway Bride was originally published in 1994.
Fasano has two grown sons and lives with her husband on the eastern seaboard of the United States. For more, visit her website.
Description:
Before Julia Roberts starred as Maggie Carpenter in the movie Runaway Bride there was Savanna Langford. Already in her wedding dress, Savanna tells her Mother, “I can’t do this.” She flees the wedding and Fulton, her small hometown. Six years later and now a successful businesswoman, Savanna buys her parents house after they retire to warmer climes. She returns, claiming she is there to fix up her new investment as a rental property and hopefully make peace with those she abandoned when she left.
Appraisal:
In the author’s note, Fasano says this book was inspired by an elevator ride she shared with a bride-to-be and her mother who had just picked up a bridal gown. The daughter told her mother, “I just don’t think I can go through with this” and Fasano took it from there. With the pressure of wedding preparations, the commitments implied, and what they might be giving up, getting cold feet on the cusp of the wedding is common.
Although acting on those concerns is rare, Savanna’s reasons made sense. She felt going from her parent’s care straight to marriage, especially to someone like her fiancé Danny who is on the verge of joining his father’s law practice, would preclude her from ever becoming independent. If only she’d thought of this sooner. Of course, had she done that, we wouldn’t have much of a story.
What I enjoyed about Return of the Runaway Bride was the premise, since it is something many have considered, and an exploration of the potential repercussions. Although it does have the required happily-ever-after ending, getting there is far from easy. It also depicts the advantages of small town life, with their extensive informal support systems, and the disadvantages due to gossip and everyone knowing your business.
FYI:
Although implied rather than explicit, Return of the Runaway Bride has some sexual content. It is most suitable for ages 17 and up.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ***** Five stars
We have five copies of Eye of the Storm, the first book of the Stritonly Chronicles by William L.K., to giveaway, compliments of the author and his publisher, sci-fi-cafe.com. Winner will be able to chose between MOBI format (for Kindle and apps) or ePub (suitable for Nook and many other readers).
The rules to enter are simple.
One entry per person.
Enter by leaving a non-anonymous comment on this post or on our review of the book between 10 AM Eastern on June 4, 2011 and 11:59 PM Eastern June 11, 2011. Because Blogger currently has a bug which is preventing some users from leaving comments an alternative entry method is to send an email with the subject "Eye of the Storm Giveaway Entry" to BooksAndPals (at) Yahoo (dot) Com during the same period.
Winners will be notified by a post on June 12, 2011 and will have until Midnight, June 18, 2011 to claim their prize by sending an email to BooksAndPals (at) Yahoo (dot) Com identifying yourself as the winner and indicating your format preference (MOBI or ePub). If you don't currently follow BooksAndPals via the methods available we advise you begin doing so by selecting one or more of the available methods on the right side of this page (twitter, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, RSS feed, or email) so you'll be sure not to miss out.
The fine print
Winners will be selected randomly.
Odds of winning will depend on the number of entries.
Failure to claim the prize by the stated deadline will forfeit the prize.
Reviewers for BigAl's Books and Pals, the author, or employees of the publisher and their immediate families are not eligible.
Genre: Non-fiction/Biography
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 Words
Availability Kindle: YES Nook: NO Paper: NO
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Author:
Michael Harris was a public relations executive at the CBS Television network for many years, eleven of these assigned to The Ed Sullivan Show. He was the first person to greet the Beatles on their first visit to the United States. Michael is married to novelist Ruth Harris and has one other book available for your Kindle, The Atomic Times: My H-Bomb Year at the Pacific Proving Ground, a memoir of his military service.
Description:
Originally published in hardcover and paperback in 1969 as Always on Sunday, Ed Sullivan An Inside View, this re-released Kindle version has some additional material added. The new subtitle, An Inside View of Ed Sullivan, the Beatles, Elvis, Sinatra & Ed’s Other Guests, is also a more complete explanation of the content.
Appraisal:
Ed Sullivan’s variety show was an American institution, running Sunday nights for twenty-three years, from the dawn of television in 1948 until 1971. Even relatively young readers have probably seen clips of Sullivan introducing Elvis Presley, the Beatles, or saying, “We’ve got a really big shew.” Always on Sunday gives us a broad view of Sullivan, who turns out much more complex than I would have guessed. Some stories you might have heard for years are debunked - not all of Elvis’ appearance were from the waist up for example. Although the book focuses on the period from the debut of The Toast of the Town (the original name of the show) until the late-60s, when the book was originally published, it gives a decent overview of his life prior to the show and insight into what made Sullivan tick. For example, he was an early supporter of equal rights and booked appearances by stars regardless of race when that was uncommon.
One part of the book I found interesting was Sullivan’s reaction to television critics. Many of his reviews were negative and he was prone to react with a scathing letter in response. Many of these were long while others were succinct. One rather pointed response to syndicated columnist Harriet Van Horne read only: “Dear Miss Van Horne, You bitch. Sincerely, Ed Sullivan.”
I did wonder how many people would actually be interested in learning more about Sullivan. I’m no spring chicken and was a month shy of becoming a teen when the show went off the air. Although I didn’t watch The Ed Sullivan Show as a kid (blame it on overly religious parents who banned Sunday television watching) I was still well aware of Sullivan and his place in pop culture. When I asked my twenty-something daughter if she knew who Sullivan was she said: “Yes I do. He had a variety type show with musical guests, some of which included Elvis, the Beatles, and the Doors.” She’d be disappointed; the book doesn’t mention the appearance by The Doors (this would have happened after the original publication of the book) but it seems Sullivan’s legacy is still known among younger generations. Anyone interested in pop culture history or the early days of television should find Always on Sunday an enlightening and entertaining read.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
The June issue of Words With Jam magazine is now available with an option to download for free.
This issue has an interview with J.K. Rowling and (our reason for pointing it out) an article by BigAl.
Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Speculative Fiction/Science Fiction
Approximate word count: 105-110,000 words
Availability Kindle: YES Nook: YES Paper: YES
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Author:
R.H. Watson has studied mime in Paris and driven a cab while studying dance in New York City. A graphic artist, he currently designs websites and lives in the Midwestern United States. Watson did an interview on Kip Poe’s blog I liked that had a take on the choice between pursuing a traditional publishing deal or taking the self-publishing route.
I looked at the options, and decided to go with self-publishing. The difference was either spending my time marketing to publishers and agents, or spending my time interacting directly with readers and potential readers. With the changes in the publishing business, it seemed more exciting following the example of independent musicians, and going directly to the readers…
Although I suspect this same rationale applies to other self-published authors, this is the first time I’ve seen it articulated so well. For more, visit Watson’s website.
Description:
Lucy Star is the rookie sensation in Blood Battle, a sport made possible by a medical procedure allowing females up to age twenty-five to be reborn after serious injury or death. But Lucy’s secret history threatens her current relationships and even her life.
Appraisal:
When William L. K. wrote the guest post for us on character driven science fiction, Gladiator Girl was the kind of book he was talking about as a positive example. The world R.H. Watson set his story in is futuristic, with cars that drive on their own, person-to-person communication that put today’s cell phones to shame, and medical practices beyond anything imaginable in our current world. Yet, when reading Gladiator Girl, the foreignness of this world fell away as I focused on the characters, especially the protagonist Lucy.
Despite Lucy’s almost superhuman skills when playing her sport, it is her human frailties and the fight to overcome them that make her likeable. Lucy’s past makes her leery of meaningful relationships. Her temper often threatens to get the best of her. It is these very human struggles that make Lucy’s story so good, and Gladiator Girl a worthwhile read.
FYI:
The acknowledgements section contains the clues for sensitive types who might want to stay away from this book. One acknowledgment thanked a friend for many things including “advice on girl-girl sex.” Although not a large part of the book, there are a few sex scenes between Lucy and members of both genders. The author also thanked another friend for his “mastery of the f-bomb” which “informed the cadence of Lucy’s profanity.” Again, this isn’t overdone, but if you’re bothered by any strong language, now you know.
Format/Typo Issues:
There were a small number of typos and wrong words. The most common error was using the wrong word choice for homophones (sound alike words). Examples are “waive” instead of “wave,” “fare” instead of “fair,” and “pealed” instead of “peeled” along with the common “your” versus “you’re” issue.
Rating: **** Four stars
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words
Availability Kindle: YES Nook: NO Paper: NO
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Author:
Philip Hickey has been a practicing attorney for more than thirty-five years. Like the protagonist of The Concrete Rocket, for much of that time he specialized in lawsuits stemming from construction projects. He lives in Seattle with his wife and enjoys spending time with his three children and three grandchildren.
Description:
Knocked unconscious while researching the scene of a construction accident for a pending lawsuit, attorney Gus Foxxe finds himself trapped on the top floor of a partially completed skyscraper. Overhearing voices of men who don’t belong there, he realizes they plan to blow up the building unless the owner pays a substantial ransom. Can he foil their plan and escape with his life?
Appraisal:
This book is a diamond in the rough. The plot, which might sound implausible, is better than you might think from the description. Most thrillers are unrealistic in some ways – The Concrete Rocket isn’t anymore than most. If terrorists can hijack a plane and fly it into the World Trade Center, this doesn’t seem so farfetched.
Where The Concrete Rocket goes astray is not in the overall storyline or plot, which is good. The characterization is also fine. However, there is too much unneeded description, which bogs the story down, especially in the beginning.
Some people might attribute the over description to the old saw about telling instead of showing. Although I think this expression is overused, it applies here. For example very early in the book Gus is talking on the phone to Tom, a construction manager who had been a witness for him in a previous lawsuit. Tom remembered Gus and says, “I guess you won …” Gus replies, “That’s the case Tom. Your testimony helped us a lot.” Gus should now shut up. Instead, he continues for another eighty-five words summarizing what Tom’s testimony said and details of the settlement. This is both unnatural, Tom knows what he said, and unneeded. That the two have previously worked together is all the back-story we need.
Another example is describing something in too much detail. “Next to the door was a short counter with a coffee maker on the top shelf. A coffee can, creamer, sugar and cups were arranged around it in no apparent order.” Why does the order or lack thereof matter? Do we need to know every single item inside the job shack the author is describing or exactly where each item is? This situation happens repeatedly – every time we encounter a new place, it is described in detail. Many of the details don’t matter.
As the book continued this over attention to unimportant details became less of an issue for me. Possibly, there was less description. In some cases, I think the detail was actually pertinent. Maybe I adjusted in some way. Regardless, I found myself drawn into the story in spite of the extraneous description. Although reading The Concrete Rocket was rough going at first, when I finished I was glad I hadn’t abandoned it.
FYI:
Contains some sexual content, best for those 17+.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: *** Three stars
