Between Me and You by Allison Winn Scotch

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Between Me and You,' a Novel by Allison Winn Scotch.

As life moves forward, we all evolve in differing directions. Often, relationships continue to work, but at other times lives also move apart.  In Between Me and You by Allison Winn Scotch, we follow the lives of a young couple that are much in love. When they first meet, Ben Livingston is an up-and-coming screen writer. Tatum Connelly is trying to make her way as an actress. Both very difficult situations. Marrying and having a child seems like the cement that will hold, but will it?

As Ben continues his career, he begins to make a name for himself. But as the years move forward, Tatum is discovered and soon her star is rising. Her rise though, co-insides with Ben’s screen writing failures. Suddenly life is not as it once was. Rumors, hurt, and distances between them begin an overwhelming gulf of distrust and hurt.

Remembering their past and the love they shared, can they find a way to bridge the hurt and anger that is pulling their family apart?

Scotch does an amazing job of creating a scenario where it is easy to see how people split up. We often read about it in the papers, and even in differing jobs, it occurs. Using jobs of power and prestige, the tale is much of what we often read in tabloids, both tantalizing and yet sad. We read and wonder, yet always hope it will never happen to us.

Her characters are both, great people, trying to find a way to make their lives together work, but often making mistakes due to the lack of communication and contact. This only makes the situation more volatile. Each character narrates their own feelings and insights, making it a provoking story of angst, anger and yet love.

If you are fond of drama and growth, with both romance, family and the glitter of movies and screen, you will find this to be a delightful book to keep you entertained. You become so engrossed in the reading it is difficult to put down.

This would be a clever work for a reading or discussion group. The dialogue it would create could start some very good debate.

Rating 4/5

Woman Last Seen In Her Thirties by Camille Pagan

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Woman Last Seen In Her Thirties by Camille Pagan.

As we age we sometimes lose sight of who we once were. In Woman Last Seen In Her Thirties by Camille Pagan, we follow the life of Maggie Harris. In doing so, we are taken into a journey that happens to many.

Maggie is now 53 with a happy marriage and two grown children. She finds herself anxious about many things but the one sure thing in her life has always been her children and her marriage. When her husband suddenly leaves her for another woman, even that surety walks out the door.

Now Maggie suddenly realizes that she has lost track of life and hardly recognizes the woman she has become. Years of putting her husband and children first, the person she last remembers as herself seems to have been lost once she moved past her thirties.  Can she find that woman again and rebound from the hurt and anxiety that now absorb her?

Pagan does a wonderful job of bringing us a character that is so believable you feel like you know her. You can relate to many of her problems and concerns, as well as understand just how easy it is for some to find themselves in the same situation. With her usual precision, Pagan breaks down the barriers of thought and how we can find the strength that is within everyone of us.

Every day these same circumstances seem to happen, which makes you feel more involved in some way. Like you have more at stake. Often to move forward we must take stock of our past and our own decisions.

If you enjoy family drama and stories of growth you will find this a terrific addition to your library. Tie in drama and romance and this will also intrigue those more interested in finding a silver lining.

This would be an enjoyable book for a reading for discussion group with a great deal of ideas for dialogue.

Rating 4/5

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Idea of You ,' a Romance by Robinne Lee.

Love comes where it will and not always with permission. In The Idea of You by Robinne Lee, Solene Marchand finds her life just where she wants it, she is friends with her ex-husband, she has a wonderful daughter, and her art gallery is thriving. When she takes her daughter Isabelle to her favorite boy band, she feels like the journey will make them even closer. That is very important to her since the divorce.

What she does not expect is the attraction she feels for one of the members of the band. Her daughter is smitten, as is usual, but Solene is in her late thirties, she is above such antics. Yet the attraction seems to go both ways. Intrigued and concerned, she embarks on a series of trysts, telling herself that it is just chemistry yet the situation grows into a genuine relationship, one that helps her to gain a sense of herself that she had thought gone forever.

Yet trouble is ever close as rumors and the madness of the media, begin to shine a light on her journey. She begins to realize how her own chance at happiness can now imperil all that she holds dear. How will her daughter take such a perceived betrayal, when she herself is attracted to members of the band? Can Solene take a chance at happiness if it could ruin her relationship with her daughter, and friends?

Lee gives us a sexy romantic story of a May, December relationship with all the excitement and peril involved. Her characters are spontaneous and bold, but also with a zest for life that is both refreshing and fun. She twists in guilt and remorse, making it hard to separate the woman from the mother, and she finds a way to keep a slight level of friction that is just a bit edgy. You find yourself rooting for both mom and child, hoping for it all to come out right.

If you enjoy a good romance filled with life and passion, you will find this a great read. Lee keeps you on edge wondering which direction Solene will take. This is a work that takes you into the romance of a woman who wants more, yet must find a way to ease the effect on her own family and friends.

This would be a clever work for both a reading or book club, with a great deal of discussion and debate tied in.

Rating 3/5

Sea Spell: Book Four of the WaterFire Saga by Jennifer Donnelly.

Posted First to Blog Critics as Book review: 'Sea Spell: Book Four of the Waterfire Saga," A Young Adult Novel by Jennifer Donnelly.

In Sea Spell: Book Four of the WaterFire Saga by Jennifer Donnelly we are taken back into the world begun in Deep Blue, the beginning, and while Sea Spell is the fourth installment  and a carryover, it is well written and makes sense enough to stand on its own.

Our villain Orfeo has waited for thousands of years and has finally found his descendant, Astrid. A strong and proud mermaid, she will join him in his stronghold but will he be able to persuade her to turn against all she knows and accept her birthright? He only knows that he will do what it takes to bring her into his own way of living or she will suffer the consequences.

While Astrid is struggling for her life and sanity and all she holds dear, Ava, is tracking a talisman in the swamps of the Mississippi. Being blind my be the only thing that keeps her safe in a world where the vision of the spirits that live there are death to mermaids and others that chance upon their domain. They both search for the charms that will help them to win the war.

The rest of their group are in Kargjord, with the other resistance fighters and their helpers, the goblins.

They are  preparing for war, and while Serafina is in the lead, she worries if she will ever see the one she loves again. He has put himself at risk to aid her quest. He is her eyes and ears from the inside of their enemy. With his help can they take on Volneros and save the fate of all that is at stake?  When she learns of a spy and assassin in her group, someone that will betray them at the last moment, she understands she must find the traitor at all costs. She must hold the line while her missing friends look for the talismans necessary to help them win before their world and that of all they hold dear is turned upside down and gone forever. Can she keep continue to trust those closest to her, or is one of them the assassin set to take her down?

Donnelly has built a world that is fascinating and feels almost fairy tale like, but with danger and darkness just a bit bolder than remembered in many of those stories of old. The journeys taken and the dangers visited are strong and make you feel the darkness and dread beneath.  Her characters are strong and exciting, and their friendships are solid and are the glue that binds them. Without this strength of relationship it would be difficult to move forward and the trust engendered is the most important piece of the plan. Yet what happens when trust begins to erode?

If you enjoy epic battles, danger, romance and just plain great characters you will love this work. While this work is the last of the series, you will still find it fascinating, and may want to find the first three of The WaterFire Saga. Solid entertainment for your young reader and for the adult who is young at heart, this would be a great book for both. Donnelly takes us to a fascinating world, full of characters and creatures that are very interesting and keep you reading late into the night.

Rating 5/5

The Restaurant Critic's Wife by Elizabeth La Ban

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Restaurant Critic's Wife,' A Novel by Elizabeth La Ban.

The Restaurant Critic’s Wife by Elizabeth La Ban is a great take on how each individual reacts to what each believe is living the dream. Lila Soto has a master’s degree, but she has chosen to be a stay at home mom. This has worked pretty well but when they move to Philadelphia, her husband, Sam is suddenly taking his job just a bit more seriously. He is a restaurant critic, and while always just a bit eccentric, Lila believes he may be taking it too far. Striving to protect his credibility and with his entry into a new market, he is determined to remain anonymous.

His new direction hinders the lives of both Lila and the children. She wants to meet new friends, but Sam is sure that they will find out his identity and it will ruin his career. Lila loves him but she is beginning to feel as though he has gone over the edge. Trying to follow his wishes about his anonymity and still make friends, she begins walking a tightrope of decisions.

When she finds out she is pregnant again, she finally loses her patience, leaving her questioning all of her decisions. These include taking a break from her career, her marriage, and even breaking up with her ex-boyfriend after meeting Sam. As Sam grows more fixated, Lila wonders if her own identity has begun to disappear. She is determined to discover herself and do whatever it takes to get back on track to a life of substance.

La Bar has given us an interesting look at life that seems both bizarre and funny on the outside, but creates pain and hurt on the inside. Her characters are both amazing. With Lila, a woman feeling lost and losing her identity but clinging to her remembrance of love, and her husband Sam who feels threatened by the overall populace and is concerned about his own secret job getting out. For him he feels it makes him a target for those looking for good reviews plus those unhappy with his assessment

If you enjoy romance and family with just a bit of zany action and incredible food, you will find this to be a fun and surprising read. La Bar takes you on an unexpected and crazy ride, one you will not soon forget.Though it all she keeps a thread of humor that keeps you chuckling at times. However, you can also understand the disbelief his wife and children feel at some of his antics. It is charming and warm with bits of the way we as humans must find to come together in spite of our differences.

This would be a great book for a reading or book club with a great deal of discussion for debate.

Rating 4/5

Saving Abby by Steena Holmes

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Saving Abby', A Novel by Steena Holmes.

In Saving Abby by Steena Homes, we meet a couple, Claire Turner and her husband, Josh. He is a celebrated author of children’s books and she is the illustrator. While they seem to have it all, there is that one thing that they have always dreamed of, a child of their own. After trying for years, Claire has finally accepted the fact that fulfillment of their dream will never be realized.

Yet it is finally when all hope is gone, she finds that miracles do exist.  She has become pregnant. The first few months are like a cloud, happiness and excitement abound.

When debilitating headaches begin disrupting her life and sleep, her roller-coaster begins. Her doctor finds a tumor, and Claire must make a decision. Any treatment could put her pregnancy at risk. After trying for so long, she is firm in her decision that she must hold off on treatment until the baby is far enough along to be born. Yet if Claire’s treatment isn’t started in time, she risks certain death.

Can this span of tightrope work in both directions, with a miracle on both sides.

Holmes gives us characters that are strong yet vulnerable. Love and strength is essential to the story, and both happiness and grief vie for the win. She takes you to the highs and lows of life with the flick of a pen, and yet she holds that hope as an enchanting chain, daring cancer to break it. She holds you in thrall to the very end.  She brings into play a life for a life, with the hope for a double win. The tension keeps you reading far into the night.

If you enjoy romance and family, woman’s literature, and contemporary drama, you will find this to be the perfect work for your library. Holmes takes you through the list of emotions without ever giving it away.

This would be a great book for both a reading group and book club with a myriad of discussions generated off the questions and decisions generated within the pages.

Rating 4/5

Some Women by Emily Liebert

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Some Women,' A Novel by Emily Liebert.

Life is often difficult and changes in many ways as we grow older. Marriage and children add another twist but also bring both joy and often heartache. In Some Women by Emily Liebert, we are introduced to and won over by three different women with very little in common who find a way to connect and develop a friendship that helps them each to move forward and live the life that is thrust upon them.

Annabel Ford devotes her time to twin boys and her home. When her husband suddenly tells her he is leaving she is unprepared and finds her world spinning out of control. Piper Whitley has always been in control and run her life faultlessly. Raising a daughter and having a career as a reporter, she seems the epitome of a super mom. Yet when she finally meats the man of her dreams, her daughter’s father decides to show up, creating a maelstrom of emotion, causing cracks in the façade of her reality.

Mackenzie Mead has everything, she is married to the heir of a huge media outlet, and life seems to be hers for the living. Yet she has a strong and difficult boss at work, one who is also her own mother-in law. The life that seemed so perfect is eroding as she finds she can no longer find that connection for communicating with her husband.

Life is suddenly not coming out as planned. Thrust together, these women form an unlikely friendship and against all odds. Yet it’s this bond that helps them each reach within to find the person they each know is inside. Can such a friendship help them to cope with the changes and challenges of their unraveling lives?

Liebert brings us life and humor where we often see only struggle. She takes us into the hardships and challenges of modern day life. She brings together three very different women who become the backbone and the strength that helps them to move forward. Each character is very different from the other and yet Liebert finds a way to make the bond work in a realistic and tantalizing way. You find yourself immersed in the lives and problems, rooting them on, urging them to find a way to mend the hurts and hardships they are struggling with.

If you enjoy women’s fiction, drama, and witty, funny dialogue you will find this a great work to keep you entertained. Liebert keeps you entranced from start to finish in her heartwarming and funny look at the life of those we often deem most perfect. Life happens to us all, and Liebert’s work gives us the blueprint to keep moving forward.

This would be a great book for a Book club or discussion group. Full of interesting and challenging subjects it will create great open dialogue and fun.

Rating 4/5

Where We Fall by Rochelle B. Weinstein

Posted first on blog critics as Book Review: 'Where We Fall', A Novel by Rochelle B. Weinstein.

The secrets we hold often determine our lives, but the truth is often hard to find. In Where We Fall by Rochelle B. Weinstein, we are introduced to a family that on the outside seems to have it all. Abby Holden has everything she always wanted, a lovely daughter and a loving husband. Her husband Ryan is an excellent high-school football coach. He can encourage and push his team to victory, but for some reason he is unable to make his wife, Abby, happy.

She struggles with depression, dark, heavy and overwhelming, often leaving her unable to even get out of bed. It has marred their marriage and takes a toll on their daughter. Unsure where to start his journey Ryan begins to lose faith. This is not how life was to be lived; they all grew up together when life was much simpler.

Lauren Sheppard, another friend has spent her life documenting the beauty of the world through photography.  Avoiding her home town, her work has now brought her back into the fold. Suddenly these three once inseparable friends find themselves together again.  Lauren and Ryan once dated and Abby and Lauren were the best of friends. The three of them did everything together. Ryan wonders where it all went wrong.

Life continues and lies have no hold when love, hurt, and the eddying of life pull at the heart.  Suddenly a secret that has torn them apart may be the very thing that heals them all.

Weinstein has given us a wonderful tale of life and its distractions. She gives us characters that are both flawed and yet lovable, capable of great things including healing. She takes us deep into the heart of depression and the undertow of how that affects both friends and family alike. You will find yourself affected to the very core by the depth of her work.

If you enjoy literary drama, romance, relationships, and family, you will find this a great addition to your family. A work that initially seems overwhelming that will take you to the depths and then lift you up to the light of love; you will find it difficult to put it down.

This would be a great book for a book club or reading group. Depression and the hurt it creates would be a great topic for debate.

Rating 4/5

Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand

Posted first to bloc critics as Book Review:'Happy People Read and Drink Coffee,'A Novel of Hope by Agnes Martin-Lugand.

In Happy People Read and Drink Coffee by Agnes Martin-Lugand, we are introduced Dianne, a young woman who has lived a wonderful life. She is married to the love of her life, has a delightful young child, and owns a charming literary café in Paris. In the blink of a moment everything changes when her husband and child are killed in a car accident.

Suddenly everything has lost all meaning, and depression becomes her norm. Both her parents and best friend continue to keep after her to go back to work, and try to move on. For her there is no way to put the past behind her, and she is done with being pushed when she is not ready. She knows she will never be ready, and decides on a whim to leave her home and head to the Irish coast, a place her husband had always wanted to visit. The objections of those closest to her make no difference for she has made up her mind. She is determined to heal in her own way, and rebuild her life on her own terms.

Here she meets an abrasive and angry photographer who dislikes her from the beginning. She has no idea why he is so set against her, but she really doesn’t care. She will not be bullied by the likes of him or anyone else. Yet as they are thrown together they find they have more in common and as the days stretch on, Dianne realizes that she has fallen for him. Romance is re-kindled for both, but it is time for Diane to return home and pick up her life. Will the romance be enough to sustain them?

This is a powerful story of love and loss and how life moves forward often of its own accord. Both tearful and uplifting this is a exquisite story of re-growth and renewal after tragedy. Lugand takes you into a tragedy and makes you feel the pain. She then give you romance and hope which makes this work one of believing that love brings its own healing, and memory of love past doesn’t need to destroy but can  help to build a bridge to that future.

If you enjoy romance and growth you will find this an uplifting story beginning with tragedy and yet moving beyond, finding a way to love and trust again. A story of finding yourself when it seems that all is gone.

This would be a great work for a reading or discussion group.

Rating 4/5

The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Dinner Party,' A Novel by Brenda Jonowitz.

In The Dinner Party by Brenda Janowitz, we are introduced to two different families coming together for the first time. The connection of their children to each other creates an occasion that both families feel can only help them. Each has differing reasons to push the relationship. The dinner party is set for the Passover Seder and will be the night the Gold's of Greenwich meet the Rothschild’s of New York.

Silvia’s youngest daughter has recently begun dating and Silvia is beside herself with joy. The invite to the new boyfriend is customary but when she finds out his parents will also attend she knows that the first impression is the best one. Her life becomes consumed in making the party one that will be the stuff of legends. Yet she has other concerns. What does she do with the inappropriate boyfriend of her other daughter Sarah, as well as his Italian mother? Despite all her hard work, the food the wine, the linen and the potential drama, she understands that holidays are really about family.

Can she release her inner grievances and find a way to allow her family to live their own lives. As each family works at making the moment function, can they allow the demons that invade their lives to be set aside and create the atmosphere necessary for such a momentous occasion.

Janowitz does an amazing job of bringing us the need and misunderstandings between differing families and their interactions. She develops her characterization so that you can relate to many of the difficulties, and it draws you into the inner workings of the drama being played out. You are drawn to her characters and their flaws just as a moth to a flame. There is tenderness beneath the actions that are drawn out, and connections that are not expected, but suddenly become real.

If you enjoy literary drama and stories of people with differing agendas you will find this a wonderful fit for your library. The characteristics and flaws are so real and the concern and agenda twisted beneath the surface stay with you. Janowitz brings us a poignant story of love and family that is different than the norm.

Rating 4/5

North of Here by Laurel Saville

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'North of Here,' A Novel by Laurel Saville.

In the blink of an eye tragedy can end all that seems important. In North of Here by Laurel Saville, we meet Miranda who grew up in privilege, but sheltered as well. At the death of her beloved father she finds herself at a loss. In her need she is drawn to their handyman, ready to cling to something familiar. Dix is kind and dependable, but understands that need is not the same as love.

Nevertheless, he finds himself falling for her, knowing that what they have can either bring happiness of further despair. He is willing to be there but finds that her need is much deeper then he suspected. When a man from her distant past shows up, he offers her a chance to do meaningful work at a secluded property with a similar group of his followers. Darius is an idealist, and very charismatic. She feels that he has the key to helping her re-make her life. His draw is powerful and she ends up leaving Dix to move to the compound and become someone else.

Dix, in his grief does not understand, and while her tries in a variety of ways to win her back, his persistence only pushes her further. Darius uses his persuasion to convince her that Dix only wants to control her, and she doesn’t realize that Darius is the actual controller.

Saville does a great job at getting into the psyche of her characters and bringing out the pain and sadness, as well as the confusion. She gives us a story of hope and redemption that doesn’t seem to have an answer. Both hope and redemption descend into tragedy taking you on a journey of despair.In her desperation to find herself, both Miranda and Dix pay a price that neither of them ever imagined.

If you enjoy literary fiction, this is a great work. This would be a solid book for your library. This would also be a great book for a reading and discussion group, a great deal of contradictions and questions that would be eminently discussable.

Rating 3/5

The Light of Hidden Flowers by Jennifer Handford

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'The Light of Hidden Flowers,' A Novel by Jennifer Handford.

In The Light of Hidden Flowers by Jennifer Handford, we are introduced to a touching and realistic relationship between a father and his daughter. Melissa Fletcher works with her father who she admires for his ability to garner trust and friendship’s with his clients while at the same time seems to have a depth of memory in which to draw upon background information that helps solidify their trust. Melissa herself is more quiet and serene, working behind the scenes at their business, while helping to guide both her father and the others working in their financial offices.

As her father’s searing memory begins to falter, Melissa tries to help as much as she can. When his clients also begin to notice the decline, trust also begins to falter.  Leaving the more demanding tasks of the business to his closest partner, Melissa can only do her best to help her father through the ravages of Alzheimer’s. Becoming primary of the firm has never been her want, and yet it is thrust upon her when he passes.

When she finds a letter from him, meant to sooth her she is only further troubled for on one hand he praises her for being dutiful and yet he also scolds her for not taking risks. Unable to put his words aside, Melissa heads for Italy where she meets a young woman who suggests a very radical idea.

Melissa soon finds herself in India, searching for herself while putting together a plan of redemption and reconnecting with a lost love.  Is her search really the answer to her father’s dream or her own? She must pursue her dreams and take the risks that have always felt so out of bounds. Can she overcome her insecurities and become the woman her father dreamed her to be, and can she come to terms with her own dismay at his words?

Handford takes us into the psyche of a young woman who has grown up in a sheltered world and been in the background of her father’s life, unwilling to move from the protection. When she is thrust from her comfort zone and forced to face the world on her own she must draw from within to find what she finally understands is missing. Yet she must deal with anger and pain, self-doubt and insecurity pushing her own internal boundaries.

The story of love, loss and growth is well written and grabs you from the beginning. You endure the heartache of the loss of a loved one and the journey of redemption. There is a great appeal to the reminder that we can follow our dreams, for it is never too late
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If you enjoy contemporary fiction with threads of growth and loss, love and light, and an overall moral of determination you will find this a great work for your library. The beauty of thought leaves you searching your own dreams.

This would be a great look for a Book Club or reading group. The idealism and questions garnered would create solid dialogue.

Rating 4/5

The Kindness, A Novel by Polly Samson

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review:' The Kindness,' A Novel by Polly Samson.

Author, Polly Samson, has given us a romance in real terms, one that follows the course of the most basic human characteristics. The Kindness takes us into a romance of passion and need, one that ends one relationship but begins anew in a whole new exciting desire and obsession.

Julian cannot take his eyes off Julia, his brief glimpse of her flying a hawk, has captured his imagination and passion. Searching to find her he is lost as he realizes he may never see her again. Chance brings them back into contact, and it is here that she too realizes the connection. Living an unhappy life, she is ready for more, and Julian is just the one she feels she has been looking for.

Together in London, their happiness only grows with the advent of a daughter, Mira. She completes the circle of love in a way that seems unbreakable.

When Julian has the chance to buy his remote boyhood home, he decides that all they need now is paradise, and he aims to please. His own blindness in the feelings of those around him only makes things more difficult. When Mira becomes ill, he finally learns the truth, a secret that changes everything.

Samson has given us ‘true to life’ characters with feelings. She creates the personalities in such a way that it is difficult to dislike them, creating your own ideas of what is truly going on. She has given us a haunting story of pleasure, disappointment, and family, one that immerses you into their journey.  She sprinkles it with grief and betrayal and in her masterful style she delivers a reconciliation of sorts.

This is a work of mystery and romance, of truth and trust, one that evolves and moves in waves of feelings. You think you understand and yet she plots the story so well that you are taken aback at the final reveal. If you are looking for that special book for your library this is the one.

The Kindness by Polly Samson would be a great book for a reading or book club. The depth and creative flaws of the characters will create a strong dialogue.

Rating 4/5

Diamond Head by Cecily Wong

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Diamond Head,'A Novel of Change and Tradition by Cecily Wong.

Family ties and connections are not always what they appear to the outside looking in. The visual clues often hide heartache and pain, for pride is the constant. The mistakes and hurt are only for internal visitation, not for the outsiders looking in.

In Diamond Head by Cecily Wong, we follow the life of Frank Leong and family. In the nineteenth century he is part of the wealthy shipping industry in China. Worried about war on the continent, he moves his family to the island of Oahu. When his brother dies, his wife becomes a part of the extended family, a rock in the presence of much pain.

A parable of an old fable, in China the red string of fate is the cord that binds one to their perfect match. That same cord also punishes the mistakes, passing that punishment down the family line. Believers in such a match the family is careful of the possible repercussions of making bad choices.

When Frank is murdered, the family is devastated by the deceit of the past and the untruths hidden below the surface of this genial patriarch. The family begins the process of unraveling, and it seems as though everything rests on Franks only granddaughter.  The string appears to have many knots, passing the curse down their family tree, can she find the answers to the danger before her family drifts away into obscurity.

This is a wonderful work that spans the time from the Boxer Rebellion to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It is a tale of tragedy, lies, loss and sacrifice. The threads or red lines of fate however know the truth, and hope peaks from the darkness in a mystifying tangle of certainty.

Wong has given us a story of the ages with war and romance, love and beliefs, all set in beautiful surroundings. The characters are well developed and you feel as though you are reading actual history along with the cost of how mistakes shape families. You become enthralled with the life and intricacy of the detail, and fall in love with the family. There is a truth of enlightenment, one that takes you from the past into the future of this fractured family.

If you enjoy contemporary work with romance, history and strength, you will find this work a perfect fit for your library. Wong has given us a strange mystery couched in hidden agendas, beauty and deceit. It is a work that stays with you way after the reading.

This would also be a great work for a book club or a reading group. The nuances and ideas will make for vigorous comment.

Rating 4/5

Leaving Before The Rains Come by Alexandra Fuller

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review: 'Leaving before the Rains Come', A Memoir by Alexandra Fuller.

In Leaving before the Rains Come by Alexandra Fuller, we are given a lesson of difference in background and thoughts, as well as how those very differences can pull people together or rip them apart. Alexandra comes from a background many simply would not understand. Born of very diverse parentage in Rhodesia’s war torn landscape, she knows both the beauty and hardship of the land. With a British father and a Rhodesian mother, she is raised with varying dynamics.  While her parent’s background is in no way alike, it is their love of Africa that keeps their own love alive. In a land where death and weapons are an everyday reality, Alexandra has built her own personality off her perceptions and happenings in a country of both beauty and death.

Falling in love with an American she leaves her home to make her life with her husband in America. It is here that she falls in love a second time with another land and its beauty. Yet for her Africa is the essence of who she is, she is wild and untamed like much of the life she left behind. Her husband is very different in manner from her own, calmer and more refined.

While it is this very contrast that draws her and makes her feel safe it is the differences that also ultimately destroy the fragile bond. The presence of such basic upbringings is unable to hold the tenuous bonding of such diverse backgrounds and feelings.

There is an essence of bravery to put your life and perceived failings on paper and in front of people who may judge you harshly. Yet Alexandra seems to find her own peace by the sharing of her pain. Not surprising in a way, she has struggled and survived in a deep and harsh environment, and liberty has a different meaning. To take the pain from inside and move it to the outside gives a different freedom and you can feel the healing as you move through her words.

Her experiences and words give you a look into a country that many have only heard of. The descriptions help you to visualize the abundance and depravity, the pain and the joy that exists, with the looming sense of death just often inches away. She helps us to understand how your heart can stay in touch even in the most hazardous conditions, and yet she also describes another type of beauty in her adopted county.  The comparisons are interesting, and while the dangers lurk in both countries, there is far more fear and frenzy in that from her homeland.

If you enjoy reading of differing cultures and backgrounds and find interest in what creates the fissures between human beings you will enjoy this work. The rawness and beauty of Africa, a country most only come close to in the news, comes to life in the pages of Fuller’s words.

Rating 4/5

Your Perfect Life by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review:'Your Perfect Life' by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke.

Often when life becomes complicated we admire and even covet the life of someone we know who seems to have it all. We have watched the moves “13 going on 30”, “Freaky Friday”, and “Big” where changing bodies changed lives as each learned real life lessons.

In Your Perfect Life by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, we are introduced to two remarkable women, Casey and Rachel, who have been friends forever.  Casey is the career woman and host of Gossip TV. She rubs elbows with celebrities and has a beautiful home. She seems to have everything.  Rachel is a stay at home mom with two teenagers, and new baby. She no longer recognizes the man she married and feels like life has passed her by.

As both women seem to look to the other, each is unhappy in their circumstances and the lack of confidence begins to erode the friendship. It all comes to a head the night of their high school reunion. Harsh words are said as they have a drink together. Life between them is full of jealousy and hurt. The tempers keep them at it and the evening closes with only vague memories as the morning rolls around.  

Yet life had decided to play a trick, and somehow they have changed bodies. Somewhere they were served up a cocktail of magical proportions and they must learn a lesson of love before they can assume their own body again. Yet, have they both finally reached the brass ring they have been chasing?

This is a funny and bright look at life. The surface is only that, what broils beneath is often personal and not seen by others. Fears and thoughts lurk there that rarely see the light of day, and now these friends begin to know each other from another perspective.

The wonderful mix of personalities and abilities as they grow into different roles trying to be the other is both touching and generous.  As the truth of the situations begin to shine through you find them to know and understand each other more than they anticipated.

This is a quirky, romantic and personal growth blend of fun and adventure. The story holds you from the beginning, entranced by the personalities and their insecurities. Yet as they fall into this spell they are each able to dig deep and find the true meaning of their life and dreams.

If you love fun and romantic stories full of adventure and excitement you will want this for your library. It is a feel good book of charming proportions.

This would also be a great book for a discussion group. The thoughts and feelings engendered would create great dialog among the readers.

Rating 5/5

This book was received free from the authors publicist. All oninions are my own based on my reading and understanding of the material.

Us by David Nicholls

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review:'Us' by David Nicholls.

Relationships are often mystifying. What attracts certain people repels others, and occasionally two persons with interests in opposing directions still come together and form a bond. As with all connections, you must work to keep them strong. Yet what if the interest is no longer there?

In Us, a novel by David Nicholls, we are invited into the lives and relationship of Douglas and Connie. The story weaves back and forth through the years of their lives from the first hint of a crack in the relationship, to the beginning when love was new and then back again. The mix of personalities is both interesting and part of their charm.  In the beginning the differences make their relationship more satisfying and exciting.   

When Connie informs Douglas that she may be ready to move on now that their son is leaving home, he is shocked, even knowing the relationship has shifted. Indicating they will discuss a possible breakup more once they have completed their trip abroad with their son, she explains that she wants to have this time as a bonding for father and son whose relationship has become strained. Douglas is not prepared and uses the trip to try and strengthen his bond with both Connie and their son. His fear of loss is all pervasive.  He has loved Connie since they met and he cannot see life without her. 

So begins a journey full of strange and adventurous happenings.  The extreme oddity of situations that occur initially brings them together, then as normalcy returns the next event begins another tear in the fabric of their union. There are tears and laughter, sadness and anger. The real life situations and incidents make you feel like a voyeur into a friend’s relationship with all its ups and downs. There is also music and craziness with just enough panache to keep you involved and betting on loves survival. 

Nicholls weaves us an interesting story of love and loss, betrayal and feeling, leaving you with an ache of emotion. His protagonists are an eclectic mix, and his love of life shows through his characters in every decision and move. You are transported on this journey with them, through all the pain and laughter. 

If you enjoy romance and adventure, laughter and fun, as well as the foibles of real relationships you will find this to your liking. 

This would be a great book for a reading or discussion group. The amazing array of situations would find the most ardent of reader eager for debate.

Rating 5/5

Maddie's Choice by Joyce Zeller and Giveaway entry chance.

Posted first on Blog Critics as Book Review:'Maddie's Choice' by Joyce Zeller.

Chance encounters are often just that. Yet there are times of serendipitous interactions, when a reason exists unknowingly that will change a person’s life forever.  An unexpected meeting that changes both parties, setting in motion a chain of events unexpected in the beginning.

In Maddie’s Choice by Joyce Zeller, you will find yourself charmed by the interaction of characters that are thrown together due to an encounter in the past. Maddie is a writer finding that depression and anxiety have become a part of her life. Unhappy with her writers block and unsure how to resurrect her flailing abilities, she receives a letter giving her half a cattle ranch from a man she had met many years before during a sudden storm. Having kept in touch over the years she had no idea of his intentions.

Needing the opportunity to get away, she is convinced that the break will jump start her writing. She has no intention of accepting the boon; she just wants to take a peak. Unprepared for what she finds when she gets there, her heart and temper get the best of her.

Gideon Spartman has his own dilemma.  A Black-ops veteran with his own ghosts, he finds himself the guardian of two young boys, and half owner of a ranch he doesn’t want.  He is furious about the will leaving a stranger part of the property and makes sure to let Maddie know of his feelings as soon as he meets her.

The chemistry is undeniable though, and flames leap to the surface of a story that is heartbreaking as well as dangerous. Cattle rustling is destroying the very fabric of the small, sleepy, town’s livelihood and the stakes have just gotten higher.

The tension and anger simmer below the surface but the attraction sizzles off the pages in this unforgettable story of love and courage.

If you are a fan of Westerns, packed full of action you will enjoy this work. The Romance aficionado will find the heartbeat of the story holding them hostage even as mayhem breaks loose, cementing a set of feelings long denied.

Zeller has given us a romance with teeth and put it in a setting full of possibilities and excitement.  The characters are not without flaw and the interaction of people and events take you there, among them.

The blog tour's official site is:
http://maddieschoice.blogspot.com/

Rafflecopter GIVEAWAY HTML embed code ($25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash):"http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2bf06797/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway

Joyce Zeller's Web Site:
http://joycezeller.com/Joyce Zeller's Blog:
http://joycezeller.blogspot.com/Joyce Zeller's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/joyce.zellerJoyce Zeller's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jzeller9847

Joyce Zeller's Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6060540.Joyce_Zeller

Maddie's Choice Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18369023-maddie-s-choiceTribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Maddie's Choice blog tour site:
http://maddieschoice.blogspot.com/
Maddie's ChoiceBook Summary:

Romance writer Maddie Taylor is fed up with New York City. She is getting nowhere with her latest manuscript and does not believe true love exists outside of her imagination. When a friend, Jonah Spartman, dies and wills her half of his Arkansas cattle ranch, she sees the chance for a new beginning. Jonah has also left behind two orphaned great-grandsons desperate for affection and an accounting book in the red.

 

The other half of the failing ranch belongs to Gideon Spartman, Jonah’s grandson, who believes all capacity for love was torn from him during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Rugged and sexy, Gideon is the enthralling physical manifestation of the hero in Maddie’s current manuscript. He is far from happy to be sharing an inheritance that is rightfully his. As she senses the need behind Gideon’s rough and unwelcoming exterior, Maddie acknowledges her own yearning for love and family.

Jonah’s will requires Maddie to stay on the ranch for three months. When that time is up, will she return to her comfortable but emotionally barren existence or embrace the challenges of her new life, which include cattle rustlers and drug dealers? Maddie’s choice proves to be far from simple.

Joyce Zeller's Bio:

 

Joyce Zeller has written articles for a magazine and a cooking column for a chain of suburban newspapers north of Chicago. She has written five books and published two, The Hidden History of Eureka Springs, and Accidental Alien, a work of science fiction, both available on Amazon. Her short story, “Love is a Seed,” is featured in Embrace: A Romance Collection, (2012 Goldmine Press). Joyce has served in the United States Army. As a professional perfumer (School of Perfumery, London, England) and an aroma-therapist, she made custom fragrances in her store. Her creation, Mountain Air, was declared the Arkansas Sesquicentennial Fragrance in 1965. Her latest achievement was getting elected as Alderman to the Eureka Springs City Council. Maddie’s Choice is a romance with her favorite theme, that being human is a lonely business, but for everyone there is somebody to love. It’s a matter of finding them. There will always be kids and animals in her books, and always, humor, “because life without humor is unthinkable.”

Prices/Formats: $4.95 ebook, $14.95 paperback
Pages: 274
Publisher: Camel Press
Release: September 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-60381-959-6

Kindle buy link ($4.95):
http://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Zeller/e/B005N0BVCS/

Nook buy link ($4.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/joyce-zeller

Smashwords buy link ($4.95):
https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=joyce+zeller

Amazon paperback buy link ($14.95):http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603819592?tag=tributebooks-20 Barnes and Noble paperback buy link ($14.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/joyce-zeller

 

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

Article first published as Book Review: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver on Blogcritics.

Can the beauty of nature distract us from the reality of what changes in her behavior can mean in our world? One of the most beautiful of nature’s creatures is the butterfly, majestic and noble, with a grace that captures the hearts and souls of many naturists. A Change in the migration patterns of these beauteous creatures would be an anomaly to the science world, but could bring about misunderstanding in the community that becomes their home.

In Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver we are taken into a place in Appalachia where a rare and concerning change in behavior of the monarch butterflies has changed the behavior of a family and a town.  The lives of the Turnbow family become inextricably linked with the migration as the butterflies choose to settle on a part of their property that has been slated for clear-cut.

Dellarobia Turnbow feels like an outcast in her family.  Caught up in marriage at an early age she still finds herself craving that something more.  On her way to an assignation that will change her life, she feels a chill of premonition of how this will affect her life. The thought of her children and her marriage, create sadness, but the excitement pulls her.  Heading into the wilderness area of the property owned by the family for generations, one that has been slated for clear-cut; she is startled by the vision of the sky in flame. The orange color broils and twists, in a show of beauty and danger. To her, this is a clear sign that she cannot resist. Turning and making her way back to the life she now lived, she felt the vision was a sending from god.

Not sure how to move forward though, she finely tells her husband that he needs to walk the area, and make sure that his father is doing the right thing with selling the timber off.  After pushing in this direction, she is finally vindicated when he acquiesces and follows her up into the mountain. The discovery of the butterflies is interpreted as an act of god, and turns the town on their heads.  The influx of entomologists and the involvement of the news turn the countryside into a place of curiosity.

This is a beautiful piece of work describing the changes made with global warming, and how the effects of weather disturb the natural progression of the seasons.  As the changes evolve, so does the Turnbow family begin their own evolution.  A family entrenched in their beliefs, they move inexorable towards a truth that life must change.

To stay the same in beliefs and work in their own little place in the world does not change the tides of nature. Kingsolver gives us a story full of heart, and heart ache, delivering the tribulations of a family in denial and crisis. She uses the advent of beauty to bring out the depth of secrets lodged in a family mired in lies and pain. The truth of nature seems to guide her characters to their own truths, and a healing that is necessary. 

Will the migration actually create the ending for these beautiful creatures and as well as the end of a family held together by deception?

The Flight is an interesting take on global warming, but it also takes you into the personal lives of a family that has hidden much of their pain and existed in a vacuum of hope that tugs at your heart.

If you enjoy finding the beauty in nature, and the overcoming of personal turmoil, you will enjoy this work. The description of the event is amazing and beyond the scope of expectation.  This would be a great work for a reading group or discussion group.

Rating 4/4

Going to the Dogs by Elle Druskin

This work was first posted on the Romance Reviews

I was drawn into this story from the very beginning which was both intriguing and raised my curiosity. Romance built around a dog show with mystery, murder, and mayhem is only the tip of the ice burg. The tension is hot and the characters are fun. A whodunit in the cozy fashion, the animals are as amusing as the characters and at times even more so. When I say characters, that is an understatement, eclectic and just a tad unbalanced about their pets many of the owners and breeders fit the fascinating and oft reclusive people we sometimes wonder about.

When Sam Kendall our cop on a mission meets the suspect in this smuggling operation, he is immediately smitten. Jodie McBride is everything he has never looked for in a woman. To help his cover story he is teamed up with a suave canine. Not a dog lover at all, his companion is not only annoying, but a poodle. What self- respecting officer would have a poodle for a partner? The hijinks turn dangerous and deadly as Sam tries to find the connection between his suspect and the death of his prior partner. He is on a mission to avenge her death, but Jodie is not at all what he expected. When danger comes knocking on her door as well, can Sam put all the pieces together in time? Who amongst the strange and crazy crew of dog people is at the bottom of the smuggling operation? Can Sam work with his dog to find the answers, or will his refusal to budge ruin his chances at catching a killer? Can he overcome his feelings for Jodie and hold her responsible for the death of his partner as well as the jewel heist? His heart is telling him something is wrong, will he be able to find the truth?


This is a funny and intriguing tale with a group of eccentric characters which include the suspect. They are fun and slightly bizarre and are fanatics about their pets. We are given backstage passes to the dog show and the preparation to make it successful. We follow the strange ritual of breeding, and the theories and goals to breed champions. Throughout it all we follow the trail of a brutal killer, but shrouded in smoke and mirrors we are truly unsure of who is responsible.


The passion between our characters is hot and sexy, filled with both tension and longing. The interplay with the animals is fascinating and both charming and hilarious. While the police procedural may not be exact, the story is fun and well told.


Druskin has given us a story with teeth, both suspenseful and funny. The interaction is wonderful and engaging. I was unable to put the book down once I began. This is a wonderful find for the romance and animal lover with enough suspense to keep you interested.


Rating 4/5
This book was received as a free copy, all opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.