Blood in the Meadows: Terror on the Strip by Dale Day

Article first published as Book Review: Blood in the Meadows: Terror on the Strip by Dale Day on Blogcritics.

With drug wars and Cartels, the funds available to those in power can make almost anything happen. When the death of Olegario, the only son of a major Columbian drug lord comes during an undercover operation by the DEA, the Don will take matters into his own hands. Someone must pay and he will have his revenge.

In Blood in the Meadows: Terror on the Strip by Dale Day, we follow the daily life of a Cab driver, Jason Rourke. Retired from the military, he chooses to drive a cab, in the notable Sin City of America. Picking up fares and moving people from place to place is easy and while he may not get rich, it pays the bills. After dropping of his current fare, he picks up another at the airport. This customer, Hernando Diaz is quiet and yet carries himself like old military. Jason understands quiet and allows him his solitude. In return, he receives a great tip. Diaz also asks him for his card for whenever he is in town and needs a driver. Fares like these are what make Jason's job worthwhile.

What he does not realize is that Diaz is in Vegas for a very important meeting. This meeting could bring about the possible end of Las Vegas, as we know it. Diaz is careful though, he cultivates those few that he can trust to handle one of the biggest jobs of his career. Then he hands over the reins to someone else in order to remove himself from the circumstances as he begins the act of distancing himself from the terror.

There is only one thing he does not anticipate, and that is falling in love with Tomasa, an interesting and unique she/he that he meets at a bar. Knowing such a relationship would be unacceptable in his country he nonetheless finds himself enamored. He is also beginning to be uncomfortable about his assigned task, but understands he must carry out the plan or his life will be forfeit.

As the plans for an attack on Las Vegas are set, Jason, our cabbie, finds himself in the middle. He knows something must be happening, but is not sure what it could be. He reports his suspicions to an undercover officer he knows, but without further information, preparedness is impossible. When he and a reporter, Lupe come together and begin to gather clues, they too come into danger. Following the suspects, they witness the practice of a bombing in an old farm out in the middle of the dessert. After reporting their further findings, the authorities and homeland security race against time to beat the terrorists at their own game. Do they have enough information to put protection in place and stop the possible bombings?

Jason and Lupe are in the middle of the information and yet they must find a way to stay safe. In addition, can Diaz keep his new love Tomasa safe, and remove the obstacles that keep them apart?

Day has given us a threatening possibility in which revenge is a motive for a terroristic move against Las Vegas. The city is chosen because of its draw of people, and the plan is to kill as many as possible to create a horror of untold proportions. He has slowly built his case and drawn in the planning in such a way that you can follow the lines of intent. His characters are likable in most cases, while he drops in an unsavory group as well. Jason is an intelligent and charismatic man who is in the wrong (or right) place at the wrong time. He is smart enough to understand what he is seeing, and it seems to lead to untold trouble. He knows of Tomasa and likes her, but he is finding there is more to her than he understands.

Day has also given us a character, who feels he is doing his job, which just happens to be revenge, but he somehow makes him likable. Diaz is an interesting mix, and it is hard to know how to take him. It is an odd and uncomfortable feeling and yet there it is. Dale Day has built on an unimaginable terror, a nightmare of planning that makes you wonder about the consequences of such a thing happening.

I would recommend this book for the fan of the thriller genre. The story is quick and interesting and should resonate with those that enjoy suspense as well. The terror sticks with you long after the end, and leaves you wondering if such a thing could really happen. It creates an uncomfortable supposition, one that could be possible, or could it?

Rating 3/5
Blood in the Meadows: Terror on the Strip

This book was recieved as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Releasing Gillian's Wolves by Tara Woolpy

Marriages often crumble for a variety of reasons, and yet one of the more common seems to be lack of fidelity. We often hear about these issues in the news and gossip columns as it pertains to the rich and famous, but the politicians are fair game as well.

In Releasing Gillian’s Wolves by Tara Woolpy, we follow the life of Gillian as she finally realizes that life is passing her by as she waits for her ever unfaithful husband, Congressman Jack Sach to settle down and create a real and loving life with her. After thirty years of marriage and numerous affairs, she has carved a life of good enough, relying on her friends and cooking to bring happiness and joy to her life.

In one fell swoop though, one thing happens that for some reason triggers that rebelliousness deep inside, that want to be the one and only, and to stop being the doormat for a man that cares deeply only about himself. During an election party as she puts the finishing touches on dinner, she meets a very pretty young woman, wearing a necklace very like the one she herself just received from her husband for her birthday. And she knew. She absolutely knew. Not sure what it is, maybe the age difference, or just another conquest, she find she cannot go on.

This one thing, this young girl finally started a cavalcade of feeling and decisions Gillian could not ignore. Concerned about how her decision would affect their two grown children as well as her mother-in-law Pearl, who is more the just that, but a friend and confidant as well, she decides to live separately yet maintain the marriage, for the sake of appearances. When she decides to spend the summer in Amsterdam with her friends Edward and Sam, she meets someone who changes her life. Luke Vanderwerken is a sculptor, one she has admired for years, and is a friend of Edward’s. Drawn to each other by their love of art, they become inseparable. How will this affect her marriage and her family? When her husband becomes embroiled in the fall out of several nefarious schemes, she must return to the states to prove her own innocence of involvement. Will she ever see Luke again, and how will she finally find the life she deserves?

Tara Woolpy has done a wonderful job of developing characters that seem real. You can envision Jack, the erstwhile politician, with his group of interns and his charismatic demeanor. Gillian strikes a balance that leaves you at once concerned for her, and yet keeps you rooting for her. Other than her art and her friends, food is the thing she turns to for comfort. Tara has interspersed recipes in the chapters as Gilliam cooks her way though many of her issues.

Edward and Sam are a enchanting couple, and she makes you feel the connection with them. Edward and Gilliam have known each other their whole lives, and have the Grandfathers (as they are referred to) to thank for the largess in their life. The money and foundation started by the Grandfathers will sustain them through their lifetime, and with their upbringing, they are more like siblings then friends.

Luke is rugged and serious about his art. He is often introspective and messy; he gets into his work and is not always charming. He is not even really much to look and yet Gilliam finds that bit of him that is what she has been searching for her entire life. And for Luke that same spark is reciprocated, creating a closeness neither of them expected.

This is a story of life and love, and treats you to the generousness of those who care. Gilliam’s life and exploits keep you captivated, and the recipes are an added extra. If you enjoy a light love story and a story of growth, you will enjoy this often fun and quirky novel.

I would recommend this as a light summertime read, and a great book for a reading group. There is politics and deviousness, as well as love and redemption. It would make for a great discussion.

Rating 4/5

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Otherworld Tales:Irish the Demon slayer by C.T. Markee

Article first published as Book Review:Otherworld Tales: Irish the Demon Slayer by C.T. Markee on Blogcritics.

In a Charming fantasy-adventure, we meet a group of youngsters that find out life is not always what it appears to be. In Otherworld Tales: Irish the Demon slayer by C.T. Markee, we meet Pete Kehoe and his friends, Streak and Huff. Also known by his nickname, Pete goes by the moniker Irish. One summer while his grandparents visited from Ireland, he mimicked their brogue and immediately picked up the title from his friends.

On a day like any other, as Irish heads out to hang with his friends, he begins to hear voices. At first, he believes someone may be hiding in the tree, but when he searches, no one is there. Then he sees a large snake, it has a black stripe and red eyes. As he joins his friends, he shares his story, only to hear a voice again coming from a tree. Asking them if they can hear it, they assure him there is no voice and begin to make fun, as boys tend to do. They are on their way to an alleged witch’s house to look her over. She is an elderly woman who lives by herself, and the rumors claim her as a witch. They want to get a look at her, and plan to throw stones on her roof until she comes out.

Just as Irish prepares to throw the first stone, the woman comes out. Surprised, he turns to run and slips in the mud. When he turns over to get up, she is there. She knows who he is and tells him she has been waiting for him. When he gets up, he introduces his friends, and wants to know how she knows him and why she is waiting. She asks them in to tell them the story, and they are spell bound by what they hear. The tale is old and mythical, and deals with the world of the Sidhe. He is the chosen, the warrior of the prophecy. It is up to him to save the Sidhe and the human race.

Unsure of the story and agreeing to think about the quest, the choice is taken from them when they find that Irish’s sister Kathy has been kidnapped by Abaddon, King of the Demons. He has taken her to the mystic Irish Otherworld, and Irish must embrace his heritage to save her. Will he and his friends be able to save her? Can they stop Abaddon from taking over the world of humans? Life has just taken a turn for the wild and weird, and they must use their inner skills and strengths to save both Kathy and the world, as they know it.

Irish is a brave young man, and is very close to both his friends and family. He is overwhelmed by what he hears about his quest, and while he does not initially believe the old woman, he quickly learns that his life as he knows it is all over. Life has changed and he must embrace his heritage and power to save his sister and their world. His friends Streak and Huff are with him all the way, and while they are afraid, they are willing to help him in any way they can. They are just as all boys at that age, just 12 years old, they are excited by the possibilities, and yet as they run into difficulties they are fearful. However,they do not let their fear decide their way, courage takes over and each of them develops a talent unique and necessary to help Irish finish his quest.

Markee also fills in with fun and magic characters in the Otherworld. He develops an amazing cast of characters, quirky and exciting, that build on the situation as it happens. Each has a place and a reason for being, only adding to the charm and action that continues at a fast pace.

The description of Abaddon and his demon horde fill the persona of evil quite well. They are constantly looking for ways to trick the boys into making the wrong moves, and can become whomever they want at will. It is imperative that each character is tested as they enter the fray, because they could be a demon is disguise.

This is a fun and interesting story that moves along quickly. Action packed and full of adventure that kids will love, it is also a wonderful book for the young at heart. Woven with real legends and characters it gives a bit of authenticity, making it even more compelling. This would be a great gift for your young reader and a perfect addition to your library. It is a fun and mythical adventure sure to please.

Rating 4/5

Otherworld Tales: Irish the Demon Slayer


This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the information.

The Amber Treasure:Book One of the Northern Crown Series by Richard Denning

Article first published as Book Review: The Amber Treasure (Book One of the Northern Crown Series) by Richard Denning on Blogcritics.

In a wonderful novel from the depths of the dark ages, we follow the life of a young man, Cerdic, born to a family of warriors. In a time of epic battles, where heroes and warriors reigned supreme, we travel the trails of a group of warriors, hoping only to maintain their hold on their homes. Set in the Kingdom of Northumbria, and littered with places and people both real and imagined, we learn about the times and put faces to the people.

In The Amber Treasure, Richard Denning has written a historical fiction, filled with characters you can draw too. Being born into a family of warriors, Cerdic is the younger son. Knowing his brother will take the sword, Cerdic is given the leisure to spend time with his best friends Eduard and Cuthbert. Leisure is not really the apt word in that time and place as they worked hard and had daily battle practice as routine; because one day they too would be called on, to protect whatis theirs.

It is during this time, one of the family slaves, a young Welshman named Aedann is allowed to join in along with another young but angry man named Hussa. Practice is brutal but necessary for this group of youngsters. It is only later that Cerdic learns that Hussa is his bastard brother. Unrecognized by Cerdic’s father, he is angry and bitter, with never much to say, but he learns the way of battle well and quickly. As with Aedann, it is also very unusual to allow a slave to practice battle, and especially this slave, since he was Welsh. The Welsh were the enemies of the Anglo-Saxons and yet Cerdic is able to get into the training.

The Sword of Cerdic’s uncle passed to his brother Cuthwine, the next in line after their father. When a group of Welshman attacks their village, Cerdic and his friends taste their first bit of battle. Having been in the woods, they witness the attack and the taking of women and children. Cerdic and his friends are able to rescue many of them, and while they win their skirmish, Cerdic is worried about his own family. Heading home, he is unprepared for the destruction he sees. As he approaches his home he finds that his brother Cuthwine has been killed protecting their home, and his sister Mildrith kidnapped. His father is injured but his mother and younger sister were able to escape. Cuthwine’s sword is taken, as well as the Amber jewels. Awarded as bounty for their family’s part in helping to save the country in battles past, these were a closely guarded secret.

The raid centered on his home and appeared to be due to the presence of the jewels, known to very few. With only a handful of family and servants even knowing about the treasure, suspicion is high, and Cerdic is almost sure the traitor is his young servant Aedann. It colors most of his actions in the coming months. With his father’s injury, it is up to Cerdic, his friends and a group of warriors to rescue his sister and return the stolen items. Little do they know that they are on the brink of war. Can they find Mildrith and rescue her without becoming embroiled in even more battles and death? Can they save off death and keep their home and land from further war and bloodshed?

This is a wonderful coming of age novel, full of action and bravado. Cerdic is embroiled in an attempt to find his sister and get revenge for his brother’s death. He is brave with a wonderful group of friends that believe in him. He is brash and sometimes outspoken, but with his youth, his thoughts and ideas are often ignored. We see him grow in this book and Denning does an excellent job of describing him, as you would expect of a boy learning to become a man. He tires of battle and death quickly and yet understands it may be his role in life. He seems wise for his age and it does not take long for many of the battle-hardened warriors to begin to learn to trust him a bit.

His friends are both brave and funny. There is something about both their bravery and antics that is endearing, and makes you want to have friends just like them. The descriptions are strong and you can picture them in your mind as they frantically follow Cerdic’s lead.

The battle scenes are well written. They feel both real and down to earth. The scenery and sounds are described in such a fashion; you can feel the heat and smell the sweat and blood. You can hear the clang of the armor and the snorts of the horses as the battles engage. It is really quite exciting.

This is a great read for the Young Adult reader; it is full of historical facts along with just enough fiction to keep it entertaining. I believe it will also resonate with the young at heart reader that enjoys historical fiction with action and intrigue. This is a fun and exciting read.

Rating 4/5
The Amber Treasure

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey

Article first published as Book Review: The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey on Blogcritics.

Often as children, we build clubs and belong to one or more groups of friends that we remain close to for the rest of our lives. What would happen if a group of children that were bullied by those bigger and stronger formed a new club? Then what would happen if the purpose of that club were to extract revenge?

In The Kult by Shaun Jeffrey, we enter the world of a psychopathic killer, known as the Oracle. Graphic and disturbing murders are being committed and the clues, a group of seemingly random pictures of prior serial killers seem to lead nowhere. As Prosper Snow, the lead detective on the case begins the investigation; he is at once, also drawn back into the drama of his group of friends and their old school club known as the Kult.

Prosper has lost weight and learned to overcome the obstacles of youth, and his club of friends have been there for him whenever needed. As youngsters, they looked out for each other, and their club went on the defensive and sought revenge against those who bullied them. Their own form of vengeance was a bit brutal, and yet satisfying. As one of the members draws them into the darkness of murder, he plots to utilize all the clues Prosper has collected on the Oracle case, as a way to escape punishment. When they allow the Oracle to take the blame for the killing they have committed, they suddenly become the target of this very same serial killer.

As the Oracle killer begins to target each of Prosper’s friends in his brutal, cruel, and macabre fashion, Prosper finds that he has lost control. The death of each only throws the other club members into more of a panic. The kidnapping of his wife makes him realize he must pull out all stops to find the killer while keeping his own culpability unknown. How does the Oracle know the Kult club members are responsible for the copycat killing? Is it possible one of his friends is the actual murderer? Can Prosper find the killer before he commits the final act, and still hide his involvement from the police?

Shaun Jeffery does an amazing job of setting up red herrings, and taking your mind into places and thoughts that lead you in differing directions. Each time you think you have it figured out; the killer makes another move to create further misdirection. His characters are human with both strengths and weaknesses, which draw you in. Easily swayed by the dark side and their friendships, they allow themselves to be manipulated in a copycat crime, but their action puts them at risk in a way they could not have realized. Prosper is a strong protagonist, and yet he still carries the flaws from his youth. While inadvertently being involved in a copycat murder, he is now racing against time to save his friends and family.
The murderer is a disturbed individual, with a mindset out of some of our worst nightmares. His manipulation of the bodies and the way he kills is gruesome, and over the edge. He aligns his clues in such a way that Prosper will take notice, and yet Prosper has no understanding. It is only as he compares notes with his surviving friends that he begins to see a picture of madness. There is no way to prepare for what he discovers.

I would recommend this book for the horror and suspense aficionado. It is full of horror and the suspense as you wait and follow the clues keeps you guessing. Be prepared, the action is nonstop, and the killings are both brutal and graphic. This is a book better read by daylight; even then it will keep you up with the lights on and the doors locked. Be prepared.


Rating 4/5
The Kult
This book was recieved as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Johnny One-Eye by Jerome Charyn Review and Book Givaway 6/20/2011

Article first published as Book Review:Johnny One-Eye by Jerome Charyn on Blogcritics.

Leave a comment in order to win.

In the early years of America, a ragged group of volunteers, led by George Washington, dealt with the American Revolution and fighting for freedom. Many of them began as farmers, and yet become a part of history and recorded as heroes. Many of these men became the forefathers of our nation and are the very reason and beginning of our independence.

In Johnny One-Eye, Jerome Charyn has used history and rumors of the time, to build a story of heroes, a tale of love and revenge, and of the difficulties and possibilities of the revolution. He has used actual events and characters in history and peopled it with imaginary characters and events of his own.

Drawing from dark times of revolution, Charyn has given us a novel set during the eight years of the revolution, a gritty and difficult time. He uses Johnny as a character and narrator, which ads a different and unique take on the times. Johnny is a young man raised in a whorehouse and a double agent as many were during those times. He first comes to our attention when caught trying to poison Washington’s soup. Johnny is relatively educated and often works as a scribe, and it is during one of these missions, scribing for Benedict Arnold that he loses his eye.

Johnny seems to lead a charmed life, getting in and out of danger while balancing his confusion and concerns about the war. He loves his king, and yet now that he knows him and understands him a bit better, he is drawn to George Washington. There are also the rumors that he may be the illegitimate son of George Washington, a rumor that seems to keep him alive. Both sides have a bit of a soft spot for him, and yet there are those too that want him dead. He is in love what Clara an octoroon whore whom he grew up with and it is obvious to all in the know that the Madame is his mother. This all plays a part in this story and his mother is set as the other woman in Washington’s life.

Through the difficulties and avenues traveled by Johnny, we learn of many of the characters of the time of the revolution, notables such as Hamilton, Arnold, General Clinton, King George III and Washington himself. Set mainly in Manhattan and surrounding areas we read of the skirmishes and problems encountered by Washington and his crew. We learn about the courageous African stevedores and slaves that lay their lives on the line to help make this a new country free from England’s control. Full of both darkness and lightness, it is also full of real history and information as well as riddled with fiction.

Charyn has taken us to a time in history, when America was just becoming a new nation. His descriptions of the times and events both real and imagined, take you inside of the pain and anguish of the characters involved. You feel as though you are there, the descriptions of the winter scenes with Washington and his men such when they left bloodied trails because of lack of money for warmer clothing and shoes, left a lasting impression on me. While I read much of this same information during history classes in school, it was dryer and less real. Charyn makes it real, you can feel their pain and also feel their love and adoration of their leader. It is what keeps them fighting in the harshest and worst of conditions.

Johnny One-Eye is an engaging character that creates more of a story, and gives us an opportunity to see the unfolding of our history from a different and unique perspective. His involvement with both the women of the whorehouse as well as his own bits of intrigue keep it interesting, giving us both a more in-depth look at reality, and offering us a different perspective of events.

Jerome Charyn brings us wonderful fictional characters and weaves them into actual events in history, setting encounters with actual historical figures, which creates an interesting fictional history that reads like reality. Often truth is stranger than fiction, and while the added characters come from imagination, the truth of the times only adds a darker more sinister cast. The character of Johnny adds a bit of humor to a story that could be quite daunting.

If you love historical fiction, you will enjoy Johnny One-Eye. It is riddled with the actual events in history and is a different and more mercurial look at history. It is a view as evidenced by a young man, in the middle of a time of turmoil. This would be a great book for a reading group or book club.


About the Author

Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him “one of the most important writers in American literature.”

New York Newsday hailed Charyn as “a contemporary American Balzac,” and the Los Angeles Times described him as “absolutely unique among American writers.”

Since the 1964 release of Charyn’s first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.

Charyn was Distinguished Professor of Film Studies at the American University of Paris until he left teaching in 2009.

In addition to his writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top 10 percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn’s book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops & Devilish Spins, “The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong.”

Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.










Blog Tour web site:
http://johnnyoneeye.blogspot.com/
Jerome Charyn's web site:
http://www.jeromecharyn.com/

Jerome Charyn's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/jerome.charyn

Jerome Charyn's Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jeromecharyn

Johnny One-Eye Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JohnnyOneEyeBook

W.W. Norton & Company web site:
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=11950



Leave a comment for your chance to win, and stop by again on June 20th for a look at the review and your chance to win. the drawing will be end of day, June 20th and the winning copy is supplied by Tribute Books.

Good Luck.

Pele's Tears by Sharon K. Garner

Posted first at the Romance Reviews

Sharon K. Garner has given us a beautiful island in which she sets a wonderful love story. The characters are involved in a treasure hunt that has been ongoing since their youth. Now someone else is on the track of the treasure and it seems they will stop at nothing to find it first. Full of family, fun, and feelings, you can get a wonderful feel for Hawaii and smell the perfume of the islands throughout the book. Garner does an amazing job of world building.

Noelani (Lani) Beecham grew up, immersed with the Kohoa family since she was quite young. As a child both Dante and Dom were like brothers to her and they did everything together. Exploring and discovering new places, they were constantly on the move in some of the most beautiful areas of the world. The legend of Pele’s tears only gave every search a special glow, an opportunity to find a treasure, the rarest of the rare. Best of all was Dante’s grandmother Rosemary; she was a believer of the treasure and never stopped looking during her lifetime. After the death of Dom in an accident during one of their searches, much of the dazzle and delight went out of the quest. No longer willing to take the risks, all further searches were called off.

Fast forward to years later, after Rosemary has passed away, Lani finds she is now a joint owner of the family flower farm in Kauai. Needing her help to keep the farm from failing, Dante has trailed her to the states to convince her of her destiny. When Dante shows up at her home in the states to whisk her back to Hawaii, she finds that they have both been receiving warning notes. They make mention about the search for Pele’s tears. They suggest dire consequences although they are somewhat ambiguous in nature. She also finds that Dante was injured recently, shortly after receiving one of these letters.

What she did not, or chose not to remember is how she felt about Dante, the man. Just the proximity brings heat and even with a potential boyfriend already present when Dante shows up, she has no control. Luckily, Aiden understands, while hoping to be more, he instantly senses that the choice has never been there and that Lani may have never really been emotionally available.

Back in Lehua, Lani finds clues from Rosemary. It seems she had never given up the search and according to her journal, she had actually found the treasure. However, she could only leave clues due to the danger involved if others found her journal. It was up to Lani and Dante to find those clues in order to solve the mystery as well as find the jewels of legend.

The heat is remarkable, not only is there sexual tension, but there is a strong bond of friendship that carries over as well. Each look and touch only further helps them to understand the love that is buried deep inside. Each step of the way they fight the growing attraction, until it becomes impossible to ignore.

Garner has written a story both clever and sensual. Her descriptions of Hawaii are so in-depth you can feel the breeze and smell the scent of flowers. It makes you long to be there. She riddles the story with Hawaiian phrases and endearments creating a wonderful and exciting journey. You feel as though you are a part of the story. This is the perfect summer reading experience; one that takes you right into the heart of beautiful Hawaii.

Rating 4/5
Available 8/10/2011
Amazon and Barnes and Noble

This book was received as an ARC from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.