The Bad, The Good and Two Fly Fishing Women by Randy Kadish

Article first published as Book Review:The Bad, The Good and Two Fly Fishing Women by Randy Kadish on Blogcritics.

Lessons in our youth are often the ones that dictate the path we choose. Everyone has those lessons, either good or bad, but something that shapes our life.

In The Bad, The Good and Two Fly Fishing Women by Randy Kadish, Amanda, an attorney now looks back at the formative years of her life and the special bond that helped her become the successful person she is. Having grown up with her father after her mother left and nurtured by her grandmother, Amanda has fond memories of the years gone by. She often looks back to one special day in her life when many things happened that changed her life forever.

Her Grandparents were avid fly fishermen; her Grandfather had actually died on the pond. Her Grandmother was her confidant and her best friend and Amanda spent a great deal of time with her learning the art of fly-casting. Amanda’s young life changed in an instant when her Grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. She no longer spent her free time on the water fishing she stayed near her sickbed, keeping her company. When her Grandmother gave her, her fly reel and shooed her on her way to more fishing, Amanda reluctantly agreed. She took her beloved dog and spent numerous hours wrestling with the fish. It was at this time she met the fish of her dreams, the one that always got away. The beauty and delicacy of the catch, the danger of losing such a prize made Amanda make a decision, if she could only land it she would let it go. It was about the mastery, and if she were capable of this, she would be forever grateful.

One morning getting ready for school, Amanda was surprised to find her Grandmother up and dressed in her fishing gear. Concerned, Amanda wanted to skip her schooling and keep her Grandmother safe. Laughing, her Grandmother assured her she was more than capable, and as Amanda hugged her to be on her way; she felt the gun her Grandmother was carrying. When asking about it her Grandmother reminded her that a woman on her own could never be too careful. In School, Amada kept thinking back to her conversation, and a feeling that something was wrong. Unable to concentrate and worried now, she leaves her school and tries to find her Grandmother.

It is a day of danger and even stranger happenings. She runs into an old man, down on his luck and a friend of his grandmother, and when Amanda see’s he has her Grandmother’s fishing creel she understands her feeling of dread, why would her Grandmother give away something so dear. Shock and dismay become the tone of the day, and the old man too learns a lesson from Amanda, as he becomes her protector through this dangerous and gruesome day. Can she find her Grandmother before the unimaginable happens? Can a young girl survive the real dangers that lurk in the woods?

Kadish has carved a wonderful story full of antics that any true angler would love. His characters are fun and bold, mercurial and fast somewhat like the fish themselves. Amanda is a brave young girl, searching for a hold in a world that has crumbled. Abandoned by her mother, the only other female figure in her life is her Grandmother. When she is diagnosed with cancer, Amanda’s life further erodes. The fishing soothes her feeling; the continual casting of the fly-fishing that keeps her mind from the worrisome illness of her beloved Grandmother.

Her Grandmother is a wonderful character. She is someone we would all like to know, and she too is knowledgeable about fishing. It is the tie that binds their family. This is a wonderfull character driven book that just happens to be about fishing. This is a short story, full of bravado and a bit of cunning.

If you love fishing and especially fly fishing, you will enjoy this wholesome family story. It takes you back to a time before innocence is changed and the times where a child is still unafraid to speak their mind.

Rating 3/5
The Bad, The good and Two Fly Fishing Women

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

Blog Hop and Follow Friday

This weeks question comes from Twitter! Thanks to Melissa (aka Miel_et_Lait) who blogs at Miel et Lait.




"Which book blogger would you most like to meet in real life?"


I would like to meet Man of Lbook, always very kind and insightful.

Two Fisted Tweets by James Hutchings

James Hutchings has put together a series of short stories, full of fun and quite insightful. They are interesting with each a story into itself. I found myself reading and enjoying each individual story, some were fun, others dark, but even those were set with humor. What was interesting to me is it brought to mind the reading of quotes. Always quite unique and generally with meaning or an interesting morale. While the book is short it does have a great deal of fun and laughter involved. Each story is under 140 characters in length, about the size of a tweet which I would think how the name came into being.

It has several different genres, including science fiction, and if you enjoy good short fiction, this is the book to find. If you enjoy humor you will want to check out this set of short stories by James Hutchings, he has cornered the market on short story fun. I alway find it interesting to see how some writers can put together stories in such form and it is always a marvel to feel like you get it.

Rating 4/5

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

Related articles

• Review: Two-Fisted Tweets by James Hutchings (bookdout.wordpress.com)
• Available at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43859

Expert Assistance by Robert Collins

Article first published as Book Review: Expert Assistance by Robert Collins on Blogcritics.

Going from being broke and having no opportunity to redeem yourself to having two opposing gigs is something that can really throw you off stride. When one job entails protection of a seriously spoiled Diva, and the other entails helping a rebellion to succeed on a compromised planet, how do you choose the one most important. Or do you?

Jake Bonner is a down and out spaceship pilot. He is in hock and only has a ship because it was abandoned in space where he was able to connect to the ships computer, Odin. Without Odin, most of what Jake has accomplished would not have been possible. All the same, Jake is in trouble. He is unable to pay his debts so when Odin is able to secure him not just one job but two; he is ready to take charge.

Evvie Martini, a young pop star, is his initial workload. He is to chauffeur her and keep her safe during her tour. When her tour just happens to coincide with his second opportunity it seems like luck is smiling with him. Daniel and Clarissa Rosen need help overthrowing the dictatorial ruler of their planet. This is more to Jakes liking and abilities, but the money is necessary from his chauffeuring gig. In between concerts and tours, Jake is hard at work helping the Rosen’s along the way on their rebellion. Keeping the two jobs separate is really becoming an issue, and when Evvie finds out what he is up to there is no stopping her. She is now convinced that the publicity she would receive by being involved in helping in the rebellion will give her better standing with her fans, and when her parents and publicist agree, Jake is in for the time of his life.

Expert Assistance, by Robert Collins is a funny and perverse look at putting together a rebellion on a shoestring. Using his interesting team, which now consists of Odin, his computer, Evvie, and the Rosens he is in just a bit over his head. Can they come together in such a way as to help Antioch Two succeed from its leader, and free those living in oppression?

Collins has written a fun and somewhat absurd science fiction that tickles your senses. Evvie is the quintessential teen, full of drama and full of herself. She is amusing and like any other teenager works at breaking the rules. When she has an opportunity of a lifetime to become part of a rebellion she is in it up to her neck. She jumps in with both feet and her presence is part of what makes the whole situation possible. She is like many other teens you run across, and it was unexpected to find she was actually pretty sharp.

Jake Bonner is a self-starter, long on brains and abilities, but never quite up to snuff at staying ahead of the money game. His ship is really all he has and when he realizes the constraints his finances have landed him in, he is game to jump into the fray. He seems to have an innate sense of humor, and is able to roll with the punches. Oden, his shipboard computer rounds up his personality with witty and fun as well as challenging repartee. This dialogue keeps the humor and action going at a quick pace.

The Rosens are just a nice couple who want changes on their planet. They are looking to help free their people from oppression, and have many ideas but most of them are just quite absurd and they look to Jake for answers.

If you are looking for a fun read with interesting characters this book will be up your alley. It will also resonate with the science fiction buff, but be prepared for just a bit of slapstick humor. The pace is quick and the action is continual. A fun and interesting read.

Rating 3/5
Expert Assistance

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

As for Me and My House by Rose Marie Whiteside

Article first published as Book Review: As for Me and My House by Rose Marie Whiteside on Blogcritics.

As education continues to become an issue in the schools, as scores continue to drop, students are leaving schools at alarming rates. Those that struggle with learning and fitting in find it easier to drop out, and scores for the students that continue are not correspondingly high.

Rose Marie Whiteside has written a guide for parents with school age children using facts and statistics to help them help their children through the education process. Her own education is in political science and English literature, with her graduate work in the field of special education. Her most recent degree was in social work.

She has spent much of her time working towards better education and has several websites dedicated to her work. In As for Me and My House, she has put together a guide for the parent that wants to take control of their child’s education. It is interspersed with religion, politics and statistics, utilizing the learning and proven theories and facts acquired over the years.

She sets about building an argument on how education has become more difficult as parents become immersed in their work, and leave all the control to the school system. Her guidance and statistics show the differing roadblocks to education helping to create the problem with more students dropping out. These include social standing, lifestyle, economics, and realities to name a few. Whiteside is well versed in the grant programs and the efficiency of the government programs and yet she feels it is not enough. Every child is entitled to an education and it seems the lengths the government uses to insure this right, is often beyond logic.

In this guide, Ms. Whiteside urges the parent to take a stand and become involved in all areas of education for their child, to become a partner with the teacher. Knowledge is power and knowing what and how their child is learning will help them to ease the way through the process.

In her view, education is more than just learning schoolwork, it involves anger management, differing ways of studying, mentoring and due diligence. As education erodes, the prospects for a healthy economy also takes a down turn. This guide is about taking care of your own house and building it strong and healthy, one block at a time.

This would be a good book for the family looking for guidance to become involved in their students studies and long-term learning. It is thought provoking and knowledgeable and Whiteside uses her education as a springboard to help solve the issues she sees inherent in our school systems today.

While much of her rhetoric is fact based, there is always opinion and with any controversial subject, you must often try to sort through the differences. Rose Marie Whiteside has tried to keep this as fact based as possible and for those looking for such guidance this will be a great boon. This guide is full of information and guidance, with an eye to the everyday issues faced by our children as they work on their education.

 Rating 5/5
As for Me and My House

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

The shifters of 2040 by Ami Rebecca Blackwelder

Article first published as Book Review:The Shifters of 2040 by Ami Rebecca Blackwelder on Blogcritics.

In an interesting futuristic Science Fiction novel set in the beautiful backdrop of Alaska, a species of alien that had infiltrated the earth have now begun hybridization. While throughout most of the states these aliens have allegedly been eradicated, the pockets found in Alaska appear to be some of the last of the species. Known as shifters for their ability to change form, they are hunted exhaustedly by the Shifter Counterinsurgency Military, known as SCM. The SCM have set up a scientific community to study the changes and stay abreast of the possibilities. Dr.’s Melissa Marn and Bruce Wilder are the scientists in charge of the DNA investigation. Colonel Raul is the military voice behind the scenes pushing for the information.

There is something unhealthy about his excitement in the investigation; he enjoys the pain exhibited by the shifter during experimentation. Melissa believes he is trying to find a way to use their abilities for himself. She finds him distasteful and vindictive. He is not someone she finds she can trust. Her other problem with the whole situation is her father is also a part of the SCM, and his expectations for her are very clear. Her mother died while she was still quite young and she is in thrall to her father and his machinations of her.

In The Shifters of 2040, Ami Rebecca Blackwelder has brought us a new species of alien and given us a remarkable wilderness in which to place them. In Ami’s rendition, we find the aliens to be a very non confrontational and peaceful group, and yet they are pursued and persecuted for science. While there have been some incidents where humans were killed, in every incident it appeared as though the killing happened in self-defense. Yet Colonel Raul has twisted the facts to keep hysteria high, and to be able to continue into his own nefarious schemes. The hybridization however really is happening, the Shifters are looking for a way to survive the hostility, and find that if they can alter their DNA they will have a better chance to live. Mating with human women seems to be one of the most likely possibilities.

Bclackwelder has built a race of aliens that tug at you and capture your imagination. They are interesting and yet just different enough to cause a bit of caution. As usual when differences of the nature that are described in her story, the human race react with either welcome or in this case with caution, fear, and hostility. The few that take the time to know them are enthralled, but it is such a small faction as to be nonexistent.

In Melissa, Ami has given us a protagonist that certainly creates feeling. I at times liked her but many times did not. She has excuses for every nefarious thing she does that is requested, and does not stand up for what she actually believes to be right. She refuses to change the status quo, although she does not agree with the experimentation and basic murder of a species. The perfect foil for her own demons is Bruce Wilder. Bruce finds himself in love with Melissa. He is working hard at separating her from the job that is creating such a burden. He does not understand how she can continue what is asked of her in good conscious, and continuously works at her to understand the wrongness of the orders.

Children of the Shifters are not immune to the treatment, they are also poked and prodded, looking for more answers, and when Melissa finds an answer to some of the questions of DNA, she finally reacts in a more human way. What has she found that she is now hiding? Will she be able to separate herself from the military faction, or will she continue and damage her own psyche with the experimentation that continues?

If you love science fiction, you will enjoy this book. It is the second of a series and yet written to stand on its own. The series looks interesting and I am looking forward to what comes next with this small group of Shifters, the few left that are struggling for life. This is a thought provoking book and makes you think about differences and how others are often treated based off fear and lack of understanding.

The Shifters of 2040 is a fast-paced read, full of action and characters you can care about. Blackwelder has done a great job on her characters and world.

Rating 4/5
The Shifters of 2040

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

http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com

Mystical Circles by S.C. Skillman

Article first published as Book Review:Mystical Circles by S.C. Skillman on Blogcritics.

When Juliet Blake receives an email from her sister Zoe proclaiming a new love and her intention of joining his New Age cult in the Cotswolds’ she is panicked. She does not believe Zoe knows what is best for her and as her older sister; it is in Juliet’s best interest to rescue her. Julie uses her work as a freelance investigative journalist to worm her way into asking questions.

What she finds when she reaches the ranch is anything but normal, and as she delves in she meets and oddly charismatic and dysfunctional group of people. Besides the unusual characters a type of bedlam seems to exist, a kind of do anything attitude. The leader Craig is nothing like she imagined and she is drawn to him in an unexplainable way. Craig’s father Don is also present at the ranch, hoping to help his son salvage his commune. Due to the nature of the problems of those living in the commune, the ranch is close to bankruptcy.

There are strange things happening in the commune, and when a priest shows up it further traumatizes the group. Each of them has an unusual reason for being here, and there appears to be no real rules. When one of the attendees begins to lose control and attacks others, Juliet expects police involvement. When this does not occur, she is incredulous, and yet finds herself going along with the reasoning. When attacked herself, she no longer believes the cause. What is happening and why? This loving and freedom-believing cult while wonderful on the surface is a cauldron of deceit and depravity on the inside. Can she help to find the problems? Is Craig the wonderful guy she thinks, and what is it about his father that seems to now attract her?

In Mystical Circles, S.C. Skillman introduces you to an eclectic and slightly damaged group of characters. Skillman does a great job of portraying the damaged psyche in most cases and you can visualize the characters to a great degree. Many of the flaws are quite harmless and you find yourself drawn to the individuals, hoping the unusual treatment will be the answer, the redeeming feature for them to be able to gain normalcy. Yet there are those others, just severe enough that keep the tension high and keep the group on edge.

Don seems to be the only normal person there, and Juliet finds him to be a great sounding board through the times she spends with them. His relationship with his son however is anything but normal. She is constantly asked to take sides, yet she remains neutral. She is here for a story, and yet she does find herself pulled in to the strangeness.

Juliet on the surface seems to be very sharp and begins her investigation with thought and care. And yet she consistently says the wrong thing setting off different chain reactions the reverberate throughout the commune. She is a catalyst for many of the choices and often seems to put her foot in her mouth when trying to get information from the different members. Her strength seems to change towards the end when she struggles with her own attractions. She seems to lose that edge and her boundaries appear to blur.

Can she help to save this commune, or is it just another mistake, a place for people to hide from real-life with no redeeming qualities. Can she leave after all she has witnessed?

This is an unusual read, one with an interesting cast of characters, and a string of unusual happenings. It moves along at a quick pace, and keeps you interested in what may occur next. This is not your usual thriller and yet it keeps you in suspense. It is more of a mystery of the workings of a disparate group of people. It deals with how relationships are formed and how the smallest of happenings can shatter lives.

Skillman is a deft hand at creating characters. If you are interested in people and their foibles, you will enjoy this book.

Rating 4/5
Mystical Circles

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