Reviews

Dead Comic Standing by Karen Vaughan

As I came to the startling and completely unexpected end of Dead Comic Standing, I realized what a marvelous and stunning work of fiction Karen Vaughan had written.
I have read most of her Laura and Gerry Mysteries and know the depth Ms. Vaughan is capable of, in her writing, the sarcastic slant she puts into her books, as well as the fact that there is always something that will shock and surprise you to the core of your being at the end of each of her books.
I was not fully prepared for the brilliance in Dead Comic Standing. If I could ask Ms. Vaughan anything, it would be where in the heck did; she come up with the idea for this book.
I do not like spoilers, so I will not give you many details about the book, other than to say the comedy routines done by the Comedians are a hoot, and if you are not shocked when you discover who the killer is, I would be more than a bit surprised.
Kudos to Karen Vaughan for this marvelous work of fiction. If there was a fifty star rating she'd get it.

Corolla's Sand Horse Beach: Croatoan's Memorrs: Written & Illustrated by Kay Kerr

Corolla’s Sand Horse Beach: Croatoan’s Memoirs, written and illustrated by Kay Kerr is a beautiful book describing the life and history of the Corolla Spanish Mustang. The story is told by Croatoan a ‘King’ among his fellow Mustangs and with its beautiful color illustrations makes a perfect book for children to learn about these wild horses.
Ms. Kerr describes how these horses and their history is all too rapidly becoming an endangered species due to man’s determination to build on the land that they roamed.
This marvelous book teaches us not just the importance of their history but helps us to realize that they too have thoughts and souls. I especially loved how Croatoan described passing down the history of the herd from generation to generation. It quickly explains the intelligence that is a part of the horse, while giving us a glimpse of the importance of them and how we might help save these noble animals.
Although, I am a horse person, I had little knowledge of this breed of horses and found myself enthralled while reading this book.

Maria Savva's Latest Book is Sure to Haunt You and Make You think.

A family saga spanning fifty years and three generations...

Cara fell for the tall, dark, handsome stranger, fifty years before. Now Frederick is about to return to her life. Can true love stand the test of time?

When Cara’s granddaughter, Penelope, flees her home to escape a violent husband, Cara’s world is turned upside down. She returns to Huddlesea, the town she grew up in. Her estranged sister Gloria is less than happy to see her again. Can they rebuild their relationship after the tragic circumstances that tore them apart?

Benjamin, Cara’s eldest son, has been missing for sixteen years. She longs to see him again. Will their reunion be everything she had hoped for?

In this romantic drama, history repeats itself for a family lost in secrets.

After the lies, the TIME has come to TELL.

A TIME TO TELL:
It's available to purchase in paperback on Amazon.com, coming to Amazon UK soon and other online retailers. It's on Lulu in paperback. The Kindle version is on pre-sale at the moment: release date 14th October.
Paperback:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Tell-Maria-Savva/dp/0992834511/
Lulu: http://www.lulu.com/shop/maria-savva/a-time-to-tell/paperback/product-22352242.html
Kindle:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Tell-Maria-Savva-ebook/dp/B015NL4VK0
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Tell-Maria-Savva-ebook/dp/B015NL4VK0/

There is yet to be a Dellani Oakes novel that I am not eagerly awaiting. Conduct Unbecoming was not a disappointment. Filled with action packed scenes, romance that will set your heart a thumping, but not from a quivering violet. Instead, Ms. Oakes is a master at strong male and female characters, capable of going toe to toe, yet causing the heat to rise and the spirit sale.

In this Teague McGurty sequel, we Teague and friends coming to the aid of his friend Nadeya who has been framed for the murder of her fiance’.

This is a story about true friendship, modern day romance, steamy love scenes, and full of action.

It is a masterpiece of fun literature you won’t want to put down from the moment you open it up until the last page is finished. It will leave you wanting more and yet filled with the story.

Truly a story to delight.

Franki deMerle has rapidly become one of my favorite authors. I love her character portrayal and the depth she is able to pull out of each of them. It fascinates me to follow each character through lifetime after lifetime as their souls attempt to learn the lessons they failed at in the past.

This is one of my favorites for it takes one through some of the most fascinating and devilish periods of history.

In her book Five Flowers we follow six characters, five of them women from the court of Henry the VIII through encounters with Jack the Ripper and finally to a Charles Manson like scenario. It is a book I could not put down as it drew me deeper and deeper into the lives, hearts, minds, and souls of the story.

The writing is rich in detail, the characters deep, and the plot well research and brilliantly depicted.

I highly recommend this book.

Robert W. Walker has long been a favorite author of mine. I have been thrilled, chilled, and terrorized with his Instinct, Decoy, and other suspense thrillers, but recently have begun reading his historical novels.

His Children of Salem spawned much thought in me regarding the Salem witch trials and the motivations around them, his Annie’s War Trilogy showed me a side of the Civil War and prejudice even among those who believed as I do in all men/women are created equal that dumbfounded me.

The Cannoneers, which he views as a YA novel is to me a book for all ages. While it may not have the romantic bits he writes in his other historical novels, it depicts so clearly a point in the history of the USA as to share space in my mind with any of the others.

Mr. Walker is a masterful storyteller, be it a thriller, a mystery, a story of the unnatural, or a historical novel as The Cannoneers is he draws a reader so thoroughly into the story as to make history come alive.

I believe this book will go down in history as one of the greats of our day and recommend it to anyone whether they are a history buff or not. It is a great read.

I have long been a fan of Dellani Oakes’ writing style. I love her flair for the romantic and yet she has utterly stolen my heart with her Lone Wolf series. As a Science Fiction fan, I was charmed, enthralled, and completely entertained by her first book Lone Wolf.

In Ms. Oakes’sequel to Lone Wolf, Shakazhan I found the same mesmerizing qualities I loved about the first in this series. The story set in deep space in 3032 is a true masterpiece for a Sci-Fi buff like I am. It contains plenty of action and suspense with some twists and turns that will surprise and delight the reader.

Maria Savva has once again written a collection of short stories that is sure to make one think as each of the twelve stories draw you deeply into the mind of her characters. Ms. Savva has the unique ability to see into the depths of the human condition and bring to life through her written words the worst and best of mankind.

Her stories always contain some twists that will surprise and entertain you, while bringing you one step closer to understanding the various quirks her characters and plots involve.

I love this authors writing style and will continue to read her works and can wholeheartedly recommend them to others.

Kevin Swarbrick has definitely written a book that will be talked about for years. It is an honest, heartrending, and heartwarming story of love in all its new glory through the days of betrayal. A story rich in an honest look at life, love, and relationships, Louie has Landed ‘The Early Days,’ based upon his life is at times provocative and at other times despair.

If you want to read a romance based upon a true story. One unadulterated and full of some laugh out loud moments interspersed with times you find yourself shouting ‘Louie, she’s lying ‘this is the book for you.

Julia Hughes stole my heart in her book The Griffin Cryer. I am forever a Griffin rider want-a-be. Her tale of a parallel world, peopled with griffins and people who ride them to help humanity is a story sure to delight anyone who has read Anne McCaffrey’s, Dragonrider’s of Pern series will find such joy in Ms. Hughes novels depicting a world filled with flying griffins.

In The Griffin Cryer, Ms. Hughes intersects our world with the world of the griffins as Frankie accidentally calls Balkind through the veil and forever changes her life.

I am forever indebted to the friend who introduced me to these captivating novels and cannot recommend them highly enough.

Julia Robb’s novel Scalp Mountain, delves deeply into the Southern Plains’ Indian Wars. It takes place in 1876, and is rich in both its history and cultural understanding of both the time and people who populated this area during these morally complex times.

For anyone who loves a good tale of the old west, one that will bring to life the period with all its tragedy, murder, and prejudice that was rampant this is the book for you.

Ms. Robb paints a picture of life, love, and hate that will leave you breathless with anticipation for her next book. She is a master craftsman and it is difficult to believe she didn’t actually live in these times.

Once again Margaret Koch has another fascinating look into the mind and heart of a physiologist who has a knack for reading people. Catalyst, is the eighth book in her Barb Stark series, and as fascinating, fast paced, and utterly engrossing suspenseful as the first seven.

As a reader, I love the rich character development and deep understanding of the human spirit. Ms. Koch’s characters are always spot on. In Catalyst, Ms. Koch, gives us a look at a narcissist psychopathic killer, son of an notorious crime boss, who seems to believe he can deceive anyone. After meeting Barb Stark things take a different turn for this evil man.

Hold on to your boots, for you will be delighted and terrorized with the antics in this book, not to mention some laugh out loud funny moments.

I began reading James Rollins novels later than most at the advice of a friend and found myself utterly hooked. I love his Sigma Force series and find he continues to amaze me with the strength and new development he brings to each of his characters book after book.

That being said, I am happy I read Devil Colony first as it enabled me to have a deeper understanding of the story-line in Bloodline.

Mr. Rollins brings a richness to his characters and it is fascinating to see the plot unfold with the continued battle between good and evil play out. (Sigma and the Guild) I thoroughly enjoy the combination of science, history, and religion that he uses in his books.

It is a exceptional author that pulls me back to their books time after time. I usually listen to books at work and consequently pick up things many don’t. The subtly he has of advising the reader of which character is talking rather than the use of ‘he said, she said’ makes his books stand out from most, for one can become so engrossed as to lose themselves in the story.

Bloodline, is another masterpiece, mixing just enough science and history, with what might happen as to astound and enthrall.

I highly recommended this book.

After reading Helen Carey’s Lavender Road, I was hooked. I was not disappointed with book two. Some Sunny Day, brought us insight into and more personal growth in the main characters as German bombers are decimating London.

Through the war torn London streets, the reader is taken into the hearts, minds, and true grit that helped the men and women of Lavender Road continue to love and live. Each character is carefully and skillfully woven and there is a sense of place that is truly rare to find in a historical novel.

As a reader, I would find it hard to believe that one could come away from reading Ms. Carey’s books without being deeply touched and wanting more.

This is not just another series it is one that will continue to touch your soul long after the book has ended.

"The Lost Boys" by Mackenzie Brown, kept me captivated from start to finish. While I grew up in the United States and this book was set in Liverpool in the nineteen seventies, it reminded me of so many of the headlines I grew up reading, it could have happened in Chicago.

Mr. Brown’s account of events surrounding the numerous boys who disappeared over the years, one of which was his only son was nothing short of brilliant.

His sense of place was so firmly planted that this reader felt as if she was actually there. The story-line is intense and will over the years continue to be a book I go back to, for in its pages I am sure I will continue to find new ways to interpret and things that I missed upon the first read.

After reading this book I plan on reading more of Mr. Brown’s books and certainly more that include The Black Knight.

Highly Recommended.

Sand, Sea, and Meadow Muffins by Miriam Davison is certainly a delightful romantic story with a touch of mystery. Ms. Davison has a flair for the romantic comedy that captivates one’s readers.

Her character Sarah Phillips is not your average run of the mill romantic leading lady, she is a bit of a klutz, with the ability to attract the wrong men. Yet, this reader found her real and endearing for all her quirks and foibles. She has heart and cares deeply for her fellow human beings.

Ms. Davison has written a completely charming novel that will make you laugh out loud and out times wish you could shake Sarah by the shoulders for she will remind you of the best and worst we can be.

I highly recommend this novel.

The Intercessor by Miriam Davison is a story to enchant, delight, and make one wonder about the things that we may not see. Do witches, fairies, gnomes, and other worlds exist and intersect with us and what we believe is reality.

Will Abigail find out that the things she imagined when she was young are real, when she moves into her new home?

As an avid reader this book thrilled me, it is well written, fast paced, and leaves one wondering. It has a captivating storyline that walks a delicate line between those things that go bump in the night and the mysteries most of us would like to believe are true.

I loved this book and highly recommend.

Ms. Cook, newest book, Must Love Dogs: New Leash on Life (Volume 2) claimed my heart. I found myself at times laughing out loud and at others squirming over the latest escapade Sarah would find herself in.

As Sarah’s summer unfolds she tries to juggle a new love, a butterfly debacle, problems with her new boyfriend’s dog, a new and different type of teaching job, and a madcap family situation, a reader is drawn into her story. I guarantee this book will make you recognize some of your own growing pangs as a youth and learn to laugh at life.

Claire Cook, has the rare ability to write a novel that is both true in its portrayal of humanity and relationships, while including intriguing twists and drawing a reader into her characters’ lives and the plot of the book.

Ms. Cook has rapidly become a favorite author of mine. While I have in the past seldom ventured into such lighthearted and subtly messaged books as are a Claire Cook trademark, I have found her books to be both wonderfully written and a joy to read.

My Fingerpaint Masterpiece by Sherrill S. Cannon, is probably one of my favorite of her children’s books, for its message is more subtle. It tells a story of the importance of truth, learning to recognize and accept one’s own work for both the things one likes and those one doesn’t like.

Yet its meaning is deeper and purer than that, for Ms. Cannon clearly understands a child’s view of the world, there is a sense of color and majesty in this story and its meaning delicately put.

Ms. Cannon recognizes that most children are a bit impatient with sitting still and finishing something when other things are calling. She also clearly understands that they are not necessarily pleased with the result when they feel it isn’t good enough for the world to see. My Fingerpaint Masterpiece, tells us just how sensitive a child’s view of themselves can be and the nurturing us adults must teach, by both our actions and reactions.

Ms. Cannon has written another masterpiece of children’s literature in her new book. Its subtle messages of learning honesty even if few believe you while allowing us as adults to recognize that children see grown-ups clearly.

The illustrations are colorful and beautifully done.

FIVE STARS

Many movies and books have been written and filmed depicting life in the old west. Some of them are from the perspective of Native Americans, a few depict the life of the Chinese immigrants, who fled their country or were sold into slavery, many times to die in the mines, working on the railroad, and many of the women were sold into the sex trade. More often the old west is depicted as a glamorous period in history. Although, many of these films and books include a few Chinese, Native Americans, or Mexicans, it is usually the white man that holds the place of the main characters and women come from various degrees of class. Del Norte, by Julia Robb, is different, it depicts life in the old west more clearly and in this reader’s opinion more honestly. I would place it in the category the wonderful movie Broken Trail.

Seldom have I come across a book that so unmistakably takes a reader into the heart and soul of many different types of people. It shows people as they are not as caricatures, but as men and women with dreams, hopes, bitterness, fears, and love. Del Norte is such a book, one that shows how the races may have attempted to intermix into their own society.

It has all the elements of a great read, adventure, love, hate, full and rich characters, and it’s wonderfully written.

Brava to Julia Robb, for writing a book of such richness, and bringing one aspect of how life may have been in the late 1800’s. I can hardly wait to read the next book.

Much has been said about Ayn Rand’s book, Atlas Shrugged. Most of it negative by those of us who are not wealthy or a part of the world that has made their living on the backs of others. It has been called a Bible of sorts by some in the elite world of the Koch Brother’s, Paul Ryan’s, and that ilk. They have taken her words to mean something far different than I did in the numerous times I read it.

When she wrote about the doer’s, the builders, and those people who grow the world and the country, I didn’t and don’t believe she meant parasites like the Paul Ryan’s and Rand Paul’s of this world. Those who have earned their living by making life deliberately worse for others, moving jobs overseas, raping companies who are already in trouble, and then closing them. Bankrupting all those who have given their lives to build the company. From the founders to those employees who saved for their old age in the company pension, nor do I believe she meant them to be the parasites of the book.

Instead, she was talking about the Paul Ryan’s, Rand Paul’s, Mitt Romney’s, and Koch Brothers, the type of person who believes that a person, who isn’t rich and doesn’t loot or destroy so that their pockets can be further lined are the parasites. For these people are not building, they do not see the connection between the consumer, and the worker. They do not see people who would like to feed, clothe, and house their family honestly, but can no longer do so as a result of the looting of their futures by these same people who line their pockets by destroying.
http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Shrugged-Centennial-Ayn-Rand-ebook/dp/B003V8B5XO/ref=sr_sp-atf_image_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388238350&sr=1-1&keywords=atlas+shrugged+by+ayn+rand
The people who believe that anything they do, justifies their quest for power and more money. Those that say to the mother who has lost her husband through one of their wars, or due to illness, “you should have planned better, you should have saved, invested. If your children want to eat you should have suffered more, you should not have had them, but your option can only have come from the choice of abstinence, for you should have foreseen the loss of your husband, the loss of his job to another country, the loss of your home, due to the loss of his job. You should have known it would happen for it is a dog eat dog world.”

It is my firm belief that it is these people who are intent on destruction, and they are the ones that Ayn Rand was talking about in Atlas Shrugged. They are not the builders, they are the looters. They seek to destroy the foundations of the American Dream, our constitution, and any chance that a person can earn their way out of poverty.

Are there those who play the system, oh yes, I see it every day, but look at their role models. Look at what we teach people through today’s movies, television, games, and by our very actions. We teach them how to delight in the downfall of others, we teach them that meanness, and cynicism is a admirable thing, we teach them how to be foolish and to dump on others, to gain from the destruction of someone else. By our actions, we teach them every day that violence, through words and actions are a praiseworthy thing. We teach them that the way to success is not through building, but instead through destroying.

When a politician or a judge says “you aren’t responsible for your actions because someone else does not matter.” They are wrong!

It is my belief that when one’s money, power, and status are obtained by the obliteration of another’s ability to grow to their full potential, to feed, clothe, and house their family by removing their ability to value themselves by honest work and education this is the true destruction of our world.

Doreen Cox’s describes her book, Adventures in Mother-Sitting, as being cathartic and her own dance with grief, I believe it is much more than that. As a woman who had also been as Ms. Cox describes a care-bear, for my disabled and aging mother, this book was also cathartic to me. So often in the role of caretaker, we lose much of ourselves. Sometimes, as it did with me, much of my family, defined me as an extension of my mother. What is more, I defined me on some unconscious levels as an extension to. I lost myself to some degree in my role, yet it also proved to be so rewarding on other levels. For, when in life are we given a chance or do we take the time to know another human being deeply, let alone one of our parents, except if we take on this type of role.

Our society has a tendency to isolate us from not only our inner selves, but also from knowing others as well as might have been in the past when generations lived in the same household.

During the reading of this book, I laughed, cried, and grew. I found aspects of myself that I had not known were there and things about those years that I had never before been able to put into words, not to myself, nor to others. I hadn’t actually faced the levels of, joy, and heartache that comes with taking such intimate care of another human being.

Yes, as parents or babysitters we take care of little ones, but rarely do we find ourselves looking deeply into our emotions, or wondering about them as people. Yet when one takes care of an aging adult as a caretaker, (or care-bear) we learn things that we may not have ever known, both about the other person and about ourselves.

This changes us on levels that can take years to learn and understand. In my case much of my understanding of is just beginning ten years after my mother’s death, it began when I read Doreen Cox’s book.

I think her book to be one of the most valuable books I have ever read, and it will be one I will go back to repeatedly as the years go on. I also truly believe that whether or not you ever take on the role of care-bear or not, this book will help you learn how to manage your own grief, and to learn how to become more of yourself. In my opinion, it holds the keys for coping with situations that go far beyond care-taking.

What I learned from Adventures in Mother-Sitting are laying the groundwork for who I will become over the years until I face my own dance through the next and last door of this life. It has enabled me to understand not just myself more fully, but aspects of my life and those around me.

I am learning to open up on better levels without fear. I am letting go of past hurts, old patterns, and recognizing that even when I make mistakes I can do more than learn from them, I can forgive myself those errors. Adventures in Mother-Sitting, has given me the ability to look past those hurts that others have caused me, forgive them even when I know that I cannot go back into a situation.

In her book, she described an incident that happened in a store, when she became impatient with her mother and snapped at her, and how one of the shopkeepers looked at her as if she were a horrid person. Ms. Cox, may not know this, but by describing this incident, she helped me, not only begin, forgiving myself for those times I was annoyed, but also to forgive others for their inability to understand me. For all of us do things that those that do not know us or understand our situation, will sometimes judge and sometimes that judgment is harsh. This harshness is not always a reflection of whom we are, but more often a misunderstanding of the situation at hand.

I am not proud of those times I have been irritated or done something that seems odd to others, some of these things have helped me survive and some have been done as a reflex to a situation I didn’t understand either about myself or about the circumstances around me.

It helped me to see I can even love those who seem to hate me, for reasons I don’t understand. Ms. Cox’s book helped me find within myself the capacity to know that even when the connection is no longer such that I am able to understand why the other person feels the way they do, I can forgive myself for those times my lack of ability to explain myself has opened the rift wider. I am on a long journey of discovery, but the road has opened up, the fence has come down at least inside myself.

I believe this book is an absolute must read for anyone who is or will be a caretaker, and for everyone that wishes to understand themselves or others more.

Charm: An Amazing Story of A Little Black Cat

A LITTLE BOOK WITH A LOT OF HEART

Leyla Atke's book Charm: An Amazing Story of a Little Black Cat is a little book with great magic and heart. It is a book that I don't believe you have to be a cat lover for it to touch your heart, instead if you are a lover of life you will find this book worth the time to read.

It drew me in from page one and held my interest sometimes in sorrow, when tears sprang from my eyes unbidden, and sometimes in delight for the little black cat held enchantment in its soul.

Ms. Atke held me in the palm of her hand as she laid out her story. It left me believing in the value of hope and miracles and wishing it wouldn't end. I believe Ms. Atke has a definite talent for story telling that can only continue to grow. She weaves her tale so naturally, she makes you believe it is all true and if it isn't it should be.

The book contains charming illustrations done by the author and could be read by and to children as well as enjoyed by an adult.

Highly Recommended!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1MWYLM6DLYQ0C/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1609764188&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=#wasThisHelpful

JUST RELEASED BY ELLEN DYE - ENDING UP

I was so lucky to be able to get an advanced copy of Ellen Dye’s newest book, Ending Up, due out shortly. It is a fascinating story of one woman’s plight to overcome her upbringing and her recent divorce only to find that the place she ran from as a young woman held the best of all futures for her.

Ms. Dye created a lovely book that is sure to charm and enchant other readers as it did me. Her characters have depth and the situations could be written from my life or yours. For who among us isn’t looking for Mr. or Ms. Right? This is not just another romance novel, it is a witty, delightful read that will surely have you laughing, crying, and wondering what comes next.

Ellen Dye has a rare talent for creating characters and plots. I for one will look for more of her work.

I highly recommend Ending Up.

Robert Walker's Annie's War (A Trilogy)

As all great series, such as Alex Haley’s, ‘Roots,’ or ‘North and South, by John Jakes, Robert Walker’s series Annie’s War; Love amidst the Ruins, follows suit. You are glued to your chair, so to speak. Impatiently awaiting the next episode, learning about aspects of American History, that although fictionalized, carry both reality and the seeds of truth in these books. As with book two, book three takes us deeper into the mind of John Brown, enabling us to see both the humanity of the man, (in his probable prejudices,) and the madness and genius of him. I learned so much more of what might have happened and what did happen during those days of the raid in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, (later to become West Virginia,) then I had from any history book, given to me as a child or young women in school. It did as the author hoped and wrote at the end of book three, incite me to further research on my own, the story of John Brown, his men, children, and the story of Harper’s Ferry and its place in history.

Although, the author did take considerable liberties in his portrayal of some of his characters, it makes the story more engrossing and not less. The author does fully admit, to taking these liberties and this reader fully believes it is in the taking of these liberties that Robert Walker gave a glimpse of what might be the truth of the mood and heart of the people living in and around Harper’s Ferry in 1859, and in the abolitionists themselves. For without the liberties it would be another history book with dates and facts, dry and unyielding about the minds and hearts of everyone who lived during that time.

I cannot believe this series will not hit the silver screen at some time and go down in history as one of the best written of all times.

LOOKING FOR ME by BETH HOFFMAN

llIn ‘Looking For Me,’ there is such mystery, sadness, and splendor, as to make one weep, scream, and want to rage at the terrible injustices the human species can foist upon unsuspecting animals and other humans.

With a delicate brush, Beth Hoffman, paints her characters in ‘Looking For Me.’ Each stroke brings us one step closer to understanding and knowing each character. As she breathes life into her characters, we glimpse how easy life can be, and how difficult we make it. We see the depths of evil that can occur in the human spirit and just how imperfect we can be, and we discover the stunning heights we can achieve if we allow ourselves to soar.

Ms. Hoffman’s portrayal of such complex characters gives us a further indication into the vast talent this writer has. I won’t tease you with a preview of this book, for I don’t want to spoil one tiny moment of the discovery one can find in its pages.

One can also understand just how much compassion we can achieve. If we are willing to go the extra mile and realize that no matter how well we think we know someone, there is a backstory that has not been shared with us, one that can be beautiful and yet heartbreaking. As each character unfolds, the motivations behind their personalities become clearer.

Last, but not least this book can teach us a new way to look at nature, and make us wonder who the animals really are and how much we need to open our eyes and look at the world differently.

I loved this book and highly recommend it.

LONE WOLF by DELLANI OAKES

Dellani Oakes, has written a brilliant, romantic, science fiction, thriller. Set in the year 3032, this is one book you don’t want to miss. Wilhelm VanLispig (Lone Wolf) is a devilish rogue, sure to turn your eye, and melt your heart, if you are a female, but if you are a male, you may want to run as fast and as far as you are able.

Matilda Dulac a strong, beautiful, heroine is every bit the match for the Lone Wolf. The world Ms. Oakes creates is full of mystery and mayhem. Please, hold on to the seat of your pants, for this book holds surprises that will leave you begging for more.

If you love romance, science fiction, fantasy, or mayhem, you will love this book.

WARNING COLD SHOWER NEEDED

Dellani Oakes has done it again. In her book Ninja Tatoo, Ms. Oakes gives us a run for our money in this action packed, adrenaline rush, romance novel.

Her main character Teague leaves you breathless and wishing more romance books came complete with such realistic male characters.

Though Ms. Oakes should put warnings on her books, cold shower might be needed during the reading of this novel.

Kudos to Dellani Oakes for once again bringing us a romance novel worth its weight in gold.

DEATH TAKES US ALL

Dead on arrival a Laura Hamilton murder mystery by Karen Vaughan is a must read for anyone how loves a mystery with a bit of twisted humor.

Ms. Vaughan, brings us a brilliant and funny character in Laura Hamilton. This book is a definite keeper and will find a place in my reread list through the years. Truly who cannot love a book whose main character is full of charm, wit, and adventure.

Highly recommended.

A KILLER'S CHARM

I absolutely adore Karen Vaughan’s character Laura Hamilton. I funny, adventurous, sexy, women, who just happens to come up with one murderer to many.

I won’t give you a teaser, for I don’t like spoilers, suffice to say this book is a truly delightful read, with some real twists to it.

It also has one hell of a sexy romantic subplot.

Highly Recommended.

An Uncommon Interview

An interview with the Bolton Common about Nurse mare foals, (the dirty little secret of the horse industry) and Dinky: The Nurse Mare's Foal.

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FIVE STARS TO ANNIE'S WAR (part 1)

Annie’s War – Love Amid The Ruins (part 1) by Robert Walker is one of the finest pieces of literature I have read in a long time. It is reminiscent of the great books of years gone by. It would hold its own in the class with To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, The Grapes of Wrath, Tom Sawyer, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Gone with the Wind or any other of the great books of days past.

The history in this book is so wonderfully interwoven into the fiction that this reader had to google Annie to find out whether some parts of the story were fact or fiction. It is a glorious tale taking place near Harper’s Ferry, VA, before the Civil War

It can be labeled as both a historical romance and a war story. It is a tale of two cultures clashing. Both cultures considering themselves to be the ones who are sane, and the other insane and it was a dark time in our countries history.

Annie’s War is steeped in the history of John Brown and the days before the Civil War or what is called in the south The War Between the States. It is both a romance and a test of character, for John Brown could turn out to be every bit of the bigot that many and still are today or he might prove himself more.

Mr. Walker writes a magnificent love story that some will delight in. Annie’s War (part 1) has drawn this reader into the plot so deeply I am excited that book 2 is already available.

This is a book that will delight generations to come and teach us much about our country and ourselves.

Highly Recommended!

Blonde Joke (book 1 in the Dr. Barb Stark mysteries.)

We have all heard the term “Blonde Joke,” but never as a part of a plot to commit murder, at least not to this reader’s memory. Ms. Koch’s first book in the Dr. Barb Stark mystery series is delightful making fun (in a nice way) of those who think blondes might be dumb. For Barb Stark is anything, but dumb. She may be petite and blonde, but that is as far as it goes, though in this book she does try to utilize the dumb blonde idea to survive being murdered by a man intent on murdering his wife.

I will not be a spoiler so that is as much of the plot as this reader will tell you. Margaret Koch, is a masterful storyteller, she builds characters that you can love and those you can hate. You might even see some of yourself in her stories, human nature being what it is.

Each new book I read that is written by Margaret Koch, keeps me coming back for another. It holds me spellbound and entertained in a way that is new and different in a murder mystery. They are unlike any other ones I have read. Delightfully told stories that I can recommend even to those who don’t normally like a good mystery.

Highly Recommended!

CAULDRON (A Dr. Barb Stark Mystery)

Margaret Koch tells us a tale of murder, romance, and the occult in (book seven of her Dr. Barb Stark Mystery Series) Cauldron.

It is impossible to read this book without laughing and falling in love with each and every quirky character. While pondering the human condition. When life challenges us with the unexplained do we wish it to be kept a mystery or do we want everything explained?

Is there, in fact, truth to the power of a curse, is magic real? Are we haunted on deeper levels by the mystery of life when it is arcane? Margaret Koch, both answers these questions and leaves us wondering about them as she draws us into the life of Dr. Barb Stark, who is by all accounts a bit different herself.

Ms. Koch is a master at characterization and drawing one into her stories. I have been reading them out of order, but it doesn’t seem to matter much as each book stands alone and fills in bits of backstory to her characters without being redundant. There is nothing repetitive nor predictable in Margaret Koch’s books.

I adored this book, it made me laugh at the foibles of us humans as it led me on the path to discover the murderer. It left me wondering how much of our lives are ruined and changed by the presuppositions we carry around in our heads and hearts.

Dr. Barb Stark has a knack for getting herself caught up in the most unusual events. Combining a natural curiosity, with the way Dr. Stark’s brain leaps from the twitch of an eyebrow, to the sighting of a strange looking man and comes up with two + two equals five. Ms. Koch keeps one guessing about what will come next in her story.

Ms. Koch definitely got me hooked on her writing and the stories she weaves.

INSANE OR HAUNTED

Maria Savva’s books alway leaves me thinking and pondering about life’s quirks and foibles. Can we outgrow our childhood, if we never learn the lessons we need to grow and flourish?

Her character Nigel in Ms. Savva’s new book ‘Haunted’ has left me full of questions to ponder, some of which I believe will stay with me most of my life. Is Nigel actually haunted or is it only his mind that has gone over the edge from carrying around a dark and horrible secret for too long?

She has a knack for pulling out the inmost and darkest parts of the human psyche and putting them on paper.

If Truth Were To Be Told

Whether or not you agree or disagree with all or parts of Saket Suryesh’s book ‘If Truth were to be Told,’ it is difficult not to reexamine one’s life after reading it. All aspects of what you have learned as you grew from a child to an adult will be revisited, for in this little book’s pages are truths that challenge us to think.

Mr. Suryesh’s essays questioning the sheer fabric of our lives are thought provoking. His lyrical style of writing helps us as we traverse through his mind, down the lanes of thought, looking for our own answers within the pages of his book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for answers within. His style of writing is free and fluid and connects different parts of one’s life into a whole allowing us to grow further into ourselves. I believe Mr. Suryesh is a talent to be watched as he continues on his writing journey.

DARKENING DANGER by Sammy Sutton

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Darkening Danger by Sammy Sutton left me spellbound. As it drew me deeper into the world of Dr. Michael Levine and Johanna Mueller, I found myself lured into the possibility that we could have this happen in our future. Was this darkness designed by Doctor Levine or is he the solution to it?

Where are we as a world going as we continue on this path of self-delusion and destruction? How
long will we keep our heads in the sand to save us from looking within?

Ms. Sutton left me nearly panting for more, on the edge of my seat and wondering if it were possible and how we as a people could avert this. Is this a metaphor for the darkness that reigns in some souls or a reality that may come in time if we continue on our current path?

I highly recommend this book and personally cannot wait for the sequel.

A THOUGHT PROVOKING TALE

Coincidences by Maria Savva, is a thought provoking tale. It leaves one wondering about so many things. Does a twin have special abilities to sense or feel the others experiences? How often do people do things that turn out badly for others, believing that it is in everyone’s best interest because it is easier for them?

I loved this book, the style of writing and the story line. It delved deeply into the psyche of each of the characters bringing them to life for the reader and made it a joy to read. I am glad to have found a new author and look forward to reading many more of Ms. Savva’s books over the years.
Highly recommended.
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