Reviews
Reviews, Pleeze!
Did you just finish reading a novel that you can’t keep quiet about? Are you aspiring to be a writer for the “Sunday Book Review” at the New York Times? Fill out a Reviews, Pleeze! form and let it all out. You may only submit reviews that you have written. Fiction only, please.
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Title: Christmasville | Rating: | |
| Author: Michael Dutton |  |
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| Genre: Fiction | |||
| ISBN: 0978665503 | |||
| Reviewer: Dave Smith | |||
| Buy this book at Barnes & Noble - Brooklyn,
NY Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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Memories from under the tree!
As a life-long model and garden railroader, I have rested for hours on the floor, eyes at track level, and watched the train circle the Christmas Village under the Christmas Tree. I am sure I am not the only person who has wondered what it would be like to live and love in this magical place! I have also been guilty of naming the figures and imagining what goes on in the various buildings I placed under the tree (as well as building models of some of my favorite buildings of long ago for under the tree). Christmasville adds to my experiences through its story about Mary Jane Higgins.
Christmasville is like a box of candy that you just don't want to end but know that it will. It was my hope that the ending would be as satisfying as what came before and IT WAS!
As another reviewer wrote, this is destined to become a Christmas Classic and I await the birth of grandchildren so I can share this story with them!
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Title: Loving This Life I Live | Rating: |
| Author: Surrency | |
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| Genre: Fiction Suspense | ||
| ISBN: 1-4196-8301-2 | ||
| Reviewer: A Wilson |
Great & Quick Read!
I read Atlanta-based author Surrency's novel called Loving This Life I Live, and I'm officially a fan. The fiction thriller delivers a pretty quick read, but very entertaining and action-packed.
She's new into the writing world and I'm just glad that I received the pleasure of being introduced to her literature.
Her style of writing is very real, but with class, if that makes sense to you.
The story is very catchy and the book is unputdownable!
Bookstore URL or Email: www.myspace.com/surrency
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Title: Christmasville | Rating: |
| Author: Michael Dutton | |
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| Genre: Fiction | ||
| ISBN: 0978665503 | ||
| Reviewer: Meghan |
Christmas classic
This book is sure to be a Christmas classic, and one that
can be found on the bookshelves of all ages!
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Title: The Plague | Rating: | |
| Author: Albert Camus | |
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| Genre: Literary Fiction | |||
| ISBN: 9780075536499 | |||
| Reviewer: Phillip Smith | |||
| Buy this book at Brace
Books & More - Ponca City, OK Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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In Oran, Algiers, rats are suddenly turning up dead, first by the dozens, and then by the hundreds and thousands. This nuisance is eventually exacerbated by the realization of the cause - bubonic plague has infested the city. In this classic of French Literature, Camus follows the lives of numerous characters as they deal with the deaths of loved-ones, restrictions imposed to prevent spreading, quarantine and eventually complete isolation from the outside world, increasingly insensitive disposal of bodies, and their own mortality. While not as blatantly existentialist as Camus's "The Stranger," this story does present elements of existentialism as the characters change their lives to fit conditions during the plague, and especially toward the end of the book when they find that they have willingly changed from what they were before the plague. This powerful novel is one of the best in literary fiction!
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Title: Cynthia's Attic: The Magic Medallion, Book II |
Rating: |
| Author: Mary Cunningham | |
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| Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy | ||
| ISBN: 9781590804605 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Great reading for middle graders!
In this, the second book in the Cynthia's Attic series, best friends
Gus and Cynthia are once again swept back in time into a world of fantasy,
mystery and adventure. These two young protagonists never give up or say no
at the opportunity of a good thrill, and this book is even better than the
first.
By way of the magic trunk in Cynthia's old and cobweb-filled attic, the girls are transported back to 1914, where they end up in a circus and at the hands of a sinister and mean hobo clown who tries to force them to work for him as clown performers. They also meet a beautiful and alluring fortune-teller gypsy who rescues them from the circus. However, she has a proposition for them that may be even more dangerous: they must travel in time to find the lost magic medallion. And if Gus and Cynthia don't accept, they may not be able to get back to their present-day homes. As they go in search of the magic medallion, the girls meet a set of interesting characters and fall into a vortex of mystery and escapades.
The action is non-stop, the dialogue engaging, the secondary characters intriguing, and the protagonists nothing short of adorable---smart, kind, and with an unbeatable sense of adventure. This is a middle-grade novel that will be devoured by girls ages 10-13. I eagerly look forward to the third book in the series.
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Title: My Biker Bodyguard | Rating: |
| Author: J.R. Turner | |
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| Genre: Romantic Suspense | ||
| ISBN: 978-1-59080-560-2 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Featuring a sympathetic heroine, a brave hero, and enough romance and suspense to keep you turning those pages, My Biker Bodyguard is a novel that will be thoroughly enjoyed by lovers of this genre.
Jess Owens leads a quiet, routine life helping her biker father at his tattoo shop. Having been abandoned by her mother at a young age, Jess is very close to her father, who is overly protective towards her. However, Jess' life is suddenly turned upside down after a mysterious and handsome man, Mitch, shows up at her doorstep. Even though he claims to be a bodyguard sent here to protect her, she tries her best to keep away from his seemingly dangerous and alluring charms. The truth about his presence here stuns her, even more so because her father knew the reason all along but never told her. As her life becomes increasingly in peril, she is put in a position where she must leave to California with Mitch and two FBI agents. Soon she finds herself in a totally foreign, alien world, for not only does she discovers that she's immensely rich, but also that her long-lost mother is there in a coma. Who wants Jess dead? Why? Can she possibly trust Mitch to protect her life?
The writing is engaging and Turner manages to maintain a good level of suspense throughout the story. The tension between the hero and heroine sparks from the beginning and achieves a spine-tingling climax, leading to a satisfying conclusion. I found the heroine original in the sense that she's been brought up in a world of leather-clad, long-haired, tattooed, dangerous-looking characters. Turner shows us a different, refreshing perspective from the world of bikers. The romance scenes are handled with tact and subtlety and are sweet and steamy at the same time. Fans of romantic suspense will find in My Biker Bodyguard a joyful and interesting ride.
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Title: Birthday Snow | Rating: |
| Author: Kim Messinger & Michael LaLumierex | |
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| Genre: Children's/Juvenile | ||
| ISBN: 9780979100611 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Freckle-faced Daniel has a dilemma. It's his birthday today but there's no snow. Up until now, it has ALWAYS snowed on his birthday.
Patiently, he studies the sky from his bedroom window, waiting for signs of snow. He loves snow and all the fun things he can do when it snows, like wearing his snow clothes, making ice cream, and zooming down the hill on his snow tube.
Even though it is sunny outside, he puts on his snow clothes and decides to ask people---friends, his sister, the postman---about the weather. To his chagrin, they all assure him there won't be any snow today. But that can't be! It always snows on his birthday! Undaunted, he keeps faith and tries their crazy suggestions---does a happy dance, wears his pajamas inside out, puts four ice cubes in the toilet, etc...
Finally, exhausted, he falls asleep in his mother's arms. Will there be snow when he wakes from his nap?
Birthday Snow is a beautifully illustrated picture book about persistence and faith. It is humorous without being wacky and maintains a sweet, rather quiet mood all throughout. It is a fun story to read to children at bedtime, as well as one early readers will be able to enjoy on their own. This book would make a lovely present on any occasion.
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Title: The Missing Locket | Rating: |
| Author: Mary Cunningham | |
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| Genre: Middle Grade | ||
| ISBN: 1-59080-441-4 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Mystery, Paranormal, and Time Travel
The Missing Locket is a paranormal mystery
featuring two lovable young sleuths that girls 9 and up will absolutely love.
It is the perfect, darkly atmospheric story for young fans of intrigue and
adventure to cuddle up with on those gray, rainy afternoons or read in bed.
It is the summer of 1964 and Gus and Cynthia, two best friends who are very different from each other yet very close, are bored out of their minds. Then they have an idea---why not explore Cynthia's old and mysterious attic? After all, Cynthia lives in one of those huge mansions with three floors and lots of rooms, the perfect kind of house that stimulates young imaginations. In the attic, among all the antiques, spiders and cobwebs, they discover a huge, dust-covered old trunk.
When they open it, they find an old, dirty, pink ballet costume and slippers, which Cynthia, unable to resist, quickly tries on. Then something very strange happens Cynthia begins to dance and twirl with the effortless beauty of a ballerina! Stunned, she soon takes it off. As they head towards the door, the unimaginable happens---they're pulled back to the trunk as if by magic, and the attic changes, becoming cold and still when only a moment ago it had been hot and muggy. What's even more strange, the ballet costume and the trunk now look brand new!
Under the costume, they discover a sailor dress, and this time Gus tries it on, with drastic consequences---she's whisked in time back to 1914, to the time when their grandmothers were only twelve years old. Of course, later on, Cynthia joins Gus, and together they must help their Aunt Belle and solve the mystery of the missing, bell-shaped locket, an adventure that takes them over on a steamship across the Atlantic and where they make friends with a young boy's ghost.
Talented author Mary Cunningham has drawn a delightful, intriguing fantasy world that will delight middle grade readers. Her love for storytelling and for the genre really comes through the pages. The pace is quick and there's enough twists and turns to keep juvenile fans of mystery guessing. The characters of Gus and Cynthia are sympathetic and interesting and young girls will be able to identify with them. This is the first book in the series and I certainly look forward to reading the second book, The Magic Medallion, soon.
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Title: Christmasville | Rating: | |
| Author: Michael Dutton | |
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| Genre: Fiction | |||
| ISBN: 0978665503 | |||
| Reviewer: Cheryl Glennon | |||
| Buy this book at Borders - Cranston, RI Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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Michael Dutton has written a wonderful new Christmas classic to be shared with your family year after year. Mary Jane, our heroine, is determined to solve the mystery of Christmasville that very few people have even noticed, no matter what everyone else in town may think of her mental status. Her strength and determination are inspirational. Mr. Dutton has an incredible imagination and gift for storytelling.
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Title: The Ghost Mirror | Rating: |
| Author: Jamieson Wolf | |
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| Genre: Young Adult | ||
| ISBN: 978-0974053776 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Dark, Macabre, Beautiful!
Thirteen-year-old Mave is no ordinary girl. For one thing, she happens
to be a black-eyed, redheaded powerful witch, so much so that even her own
parents fear her. Not understanding her powers, her mom and dad have chosen
to ignore and neglect her to the point of emotional cruelty.
The only person in the world who seems to love and understand Mave is her grandmother, and when she takes Mave to live with her in her big mansion, the young girl couldn't be happier. Soon, however, Mave discovers a strange and mysterious old mirror in the attic. Grandmother warns her to stay away from it, but sometimes curiosity can be more powerful than reason. Mave touches the mirror, with dangerous consequences. She's transported into a dark and magical world and faced with a grand mission: she's to destroy the evil Lavender Man---or die.
Talented author Jamieson Wolf has penned a dark, sometimes macabre, beautifully written novel for young adults and adults alike. His lyrical prose flows like the magic in his story and has an old-fashioned tone to it which perfectly complements the plot. Some of the vivid images in the book are quite haunting, like the Tree Lady of the forest and the Lavender Man sucking the spirit from his victims. Above all, the beauty of the language stands out, as well as the author's obvious love for storytelling. I was drawn from start to finish into Wolf's darkly magical world and look forward to reading the sequel soon.
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Title: Hiring Cupid | Rating: | |
| Author: Jane Beckenham | |
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| Genre: Romance | |||
| ISBN: 1602020485 | |||
| Reviewer: Yvonne Eve Walus | |||
| Buy this book at Chapter - Auckland, New
Zealand Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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A page-turner
You only need to look at the cover of Jane Beckenham's Hiring
Cupid to realise why I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. Even if I didn't
like the story, I reasoned, I could always keep the book by my bedside for
ogling purposes.
Still, not to be accused of judging a book by its cover, I read it. Wow. I wish I could write sexual anticipation the way Jane does. Everything in her book sizzles and smoulders and burns with all the colours of passion. I honestly wasn't sure what was more important: to read on (the plot is great and quite unusual as far as romances go) or to grab a notebook and to steal all the expressions the writer used to heighten the pleasurable tension.
I chose to read on and to worry about honing my own writing skills later (nobody said I'm only allowed to read the book once). And so I followed Carly's struggle through her very rocky road from sexual paradise on an island to a blissful conclusion. I am ashamed to admit that the surprise twist brought a sentimental tear or three to my eyes.
Some reviewers describe the book as erotica. I wouldn't go as far, but I can vouch that it will put you in an erotic mood.
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Title: Why is Crater Lake So Blue? | Rating: |
| Author: Michael LaLumiere | |
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| Genre: Mainstream Fiction | ||
| ISBN: 978-0-9791006-2-8 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Cover-up and Corruption at a National Park
When Sam Hunter lands a summer job
in 1975 as a seasonal maintenance worker at Crater Lake National Park in order
to make some money for next year's college tuition, little does he imagine
the unusual events which will take place there, events that ultimately will
defy his moral beliefs and put to test his honor and integrity.
Though his superiors at the park aren't exactly friendly, and often do their best to remind him of his place, Sam makes a few friends among the other seasonal workers, especially with Sally, also a young student looking for a chance to make a little money during the summer holidays.
The setting is idyllic, the view breathtaking, the air couldn't be purer---that is, until people start getting sick. The park supervisors insist it's just a passing flu. Only the situation gets worse, with victims soon growing in the hundreds. Is it something in the water? The food? The air? While keeping the role of passive observant, Sam decides to get some answers.
What is going on at Crater Lake National Park? Why do the authorities act as if nothing is happening? Is it a cover-up?
The novel, which is actually based on real facts, brings moral dilemmas to the surface and shows how far people in high places will go, at the expense of innocent victims, to keep those positions. It is about greed and the abuse of power. Are moral issues black and white, or in different shades of grey? What about honor and integrity?
I found this novel interesting and enjoyable. The author has a way with words and the prose flows well. The protagonist, naïve, insecure, yet intelligent, sensitive and ultimately brave is highly sympathetic and possesses a wry sense of humor, as shown in this short passage, where a friend of Sam's suggests that freshly-killed deer makes some tasty food:
"'Yeah, run over a deer and we got a party.'
'You're going to hell, Andrew.'
'Oh, you're not one of those bleeding hearts, are you? I know you ain't no
vegetarian.'
Yes. That was the problem. I hated seeing the animals hurt or killed, but I
liked my steaks medium rare. I might as well just shut up about that kind of
stuff in this crowd. At least the animals could take some solace in the fact
that people didn't treat people any better than they did animals. Except for
the eating part."
My only problem with this book is that, while it may work well as a true-life account, as a novel its plot seems a little unbalanced. The first half of the book deals with the illness and cover-up, and this main conflict reaches a resolution midway through the novel. In this sense, this resolution is anticlimactic and takes impact away from the ending. The writing itself is good and the book as a whole is enjoyable, but the second half, which deals with another scandalous event related to Sam's friend Sally and one of the park's superiors, didn't grab me as much as the first one did. In sum, this isn't your usual run-of-the-mill novel and, taken as a true story, is one most readers will enjoy.
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Title: Death Roll | Rating: | |
| Author: Marilyn Victor & Michael Allan Mallory | |
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| Genre: Mystery | |||
| ISBN: 978-1-59414-544-5 | |||
| Reviewer: Charlotte Cook | |||
| Buy this book at Laurel
Book Store - Oakland, CA Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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Upcoming authors with clever series
First, three parrots from me means a satisfying
read. And this is a first mystery from first-time writers that I enjoyed. Death
Roll is a fun mystery that takes place behind the cage bars and exhibits of
a zoo. Right there, this animal lover is enjoying herself. But, here's the
thing that surprised me. I loved the detective on the case. Ole isn't the hero
of the book but this character is one of those unexpected delights ... he stole
every scene for me because he just captured so much. Ole hasn't aged well and
doesn't seem to care. His life is focused on things that have discreet meaning
to him so his rounded body and endearing slouch aren't important. I think Marilyn
and Michael have a knack for characters. Ole pops while they are looking at
the story. When they write the next book, I hope they feel strong and confident
enough to follow their characters a bit more, a bit closer because I think
they can conjure one of those characters that people follow with enthusiasm,
whether it's Ole or their next surprise person.
| Title: The Last Victim | Rating: | ||
| Author: Jonnie Jacobs | |
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| Genre: Mystery | |||
| Reviewer: Charlotte Cook | |||
| Buy this book at Laurel
Book Store - Oakland, CA Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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Kali O'Brien Only Gets Better
Kali is in fine form as she debates helping her
brother. Then there's Erling, the detective who is compromised by his intimate
knowledge of one of the murder victims. And Tucson is a great setting for all
of the ups and downs of the investigation. When the stakes go beyond critical,
I got totally absorbed. Yes, I had an idea who the murderer might be several
chapters before the end ... but the twists and turns that got me that far were
examples of an author who knows what she's doing. Thank God. More authors need
to these days. Far too many books sound like great reads but disappoint. No
way this one did. Thanks, Jonnie. Good work!
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Title: Whale Song | Rating: |
| Author: Cheryl Kaye Tardif | |
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| Genre: YA/General Fiction | ||
| ISBN: 978-1-60164-007-9 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Great "quiet" novel about self forgiveness.
Whale Song is a beautifully-written
novel that deals with a controversial subject and combines elements of myth,
legend, and family drama.
The story begins when thirteen-year-old Sarah Richardson moves with her family to Vancouver Island, leaving behind her old life and best friend. In spite of the fact that not all of her new classmates offer her a warm welcome, Sarah soon makes a good friend, a native girl called Goldie. A white girl where most of the people are Indian, Sarah soon experiences prejudice and racism. Her escape is her loving home, her friendship with Goldie, and her love for the killer whales that inhabit the island waters. From Goldie's grandmother she learns many legends and Indian myths about these magnificent, intelligent mammals.
Then disaster strikes and all that Sarah holds dear is snatched away, leaving her enveloped in a dark vortex of confusion and loneliness. As her life abruptly changes, the issue of racism is replaced by a much more controversial one. Does the end justify the means? Does love justify breaking the law?
The story is told in the first person by Sarah herself; the reader is drawn into an immediate intimate rapport with the young protagonist. The language, in its simplicity, heightens the strong moral conflicts which carry the plot. In spite of the family drama, no silly sentimentalism mars the prose, and Sarah possesses a strong voice that is both honest and devoid of embellishments. The author has managed to create a sense of serenity and beauty that has to do with the mythical setting and the parallel presence of the killer whales and wolves.
Consider this excerpt taken from the prologue and which sets the tone and mood for the rest of the story:
"I once feared death.
It is said that death begins with the absence of life. And life begins when death is no longer feared. I have stared death in the face and survived. A survivor who has learned about unfailing love and forgiveness. I realize now that I am but a tiny fragment in an endless ocean of life, just as a killer whale is a speck in her immense underwater domain." (p.9)
A sad yet uplifting novel, Whale Song is about the fear and innocence of a young girl and about coming to terms with the shocking and painful truth one often must face. Above all, it is a novel about forgiveness and forgiving oneself.
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Title: What's on the Other Side of the Rainbow? | Rating: |
| Author: Carla Jo Masterson | |
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| Genre: Children's Picture Book | ||
| ISBN: 978-1-159975-228-0 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
An unusual book that invites young readers to self-retrospection.
"Feelings.
What are feelings?
Where do they come from?
What are they for?"
These are the questions answered in this lovely picture book by author Carla Jo Masterson.
The story begins when Mr. Positively, a fantasy, dream-like being who inhabits the rainbow and who could be viewed as God, invites children to follow him through the colors of the rainbow in a journey of self-discovery. Love, anger, laughter, shyness, fear, sadness, friendship, joy ... these emotions are examined as the children move from one color of the rainbow to another.
The author uses repetition techniques for rhythm and cadence and a combination of rhyme and free verse. The surrealist illustrations in soft pastels create a nice splash across the pages and complement well the serene, almost spiritual tone of the story. This is an unusual book that invites young readers to self-retrospection.
What's on the other side of the rainbow? The reader will have to buy the book to find out! Suffice to say it's a magic rule that everybody should know and every child should understand from a young age. A book that isn't only a fun story, but one that leads to parent-child bonding and spiritual growth, What's on the Other Side of the Rainbow? comes highly recommended from this reviewer.
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Title: It's Time | Rating: |
| Author: Judith Mammay | |
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| Genre: Children's | ||
| ISBN: 978-0-944727-20-1 | ||
| Reviewer: Mayra Calvani |
Important book for children about autism
Does your child suffer from autism?
Do you know what autism is? Would you like to teach young children what this
condition is without scaring them? Then I recommend that you get this book.
It's Time is the story of Tommy, a young boy who suffers from this so-often-misunderstood condition. He finds it hard to think in words and to express those words so that people may understand him. He needs to follow a strict routine, otherwise he gets incredibly frustrated and even afraid. However, by following a few simple rules, he is able to control his temper and fear of the unexpected.
Mammay addresses not only Tommy's fears and frustrations, but also those of his classmates as well. This is a helpful book to read to children so they will understand how to behave with children with special needs such as Tommy. The simple, colorful illustrations present the different scenarios effectively. At the corner of each page, enclosed in a small square, is a cute mouse demonstrating the emotion that Tommy is feeling at each particular moment.
The author is a special education teacher who has worked with children with autism. She writes with a straight-forwardness and sensitivity necessary in a story like this. It's Time is the type of book that will encourage an interesting class discussion among young primary school children.
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Title: Madeline Mann: The First Madeline Mann Mystery | Rating: | |
| Author: Julia Buckley | |
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| Genre: Cozy Mystery | |||
| ISBN: 978-0738709062 | |||
| Reviewer: Jess Lourey | |||
| Buy this book at Bookin' It - Little Falls,
MN Or Find a Bookstore Near You |
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Madeline Mann Rocks
Fans of the traditional cozy will love Madeline Mann! Julia
Buckley weaves an entertaining story rich with detail and frequent nods to
the past masters of the genre. This is a fun read, from the great, Nancy-Drew-cover
to the fleshed-out characters and bubbling humor. Something tells me this woman
is funny in her real life, too.
