Writer's Chatroom Book Reviews

"Badass" review by Rick Shaw

2011-04-19T20:33:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I read an article by Ben Thompson, author of Badass: A Relentless Onslaught of the Toughest Warlords, Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, Gunfighters, and Military Commanders to Ever Live.

I was on a website called Bullshido, all about martial arts and specifically targeting the difference between good martial arts schools/styles and bad ones. Within their forum there was a section written by a man known as Phrost. It was called Badass of the Month, and it was the October 2009 article on Captain Mad Jack Churchill.

Now I don’t actually know if Phrost and Ben Thompson are the same person, but when I found Mr. Thompson’s book in early 2010, I saw several similarities. Mr. Thompson runs the website Badass of the Week.com. If they are not the same, they have similar influences.

Unlike his website, (which has Darth Vader, the Hanta Virus, Ivan Drago, The Movie Starship Troopers, and the B-2 Bomber on it) Badass: The Book, has 350 pages of, as Mr. Thompson calls it, Badassitude. Real, historically accurate, badassitude.

The book is a series of short biographies about 40 people who exemplify Mr. Thompson’s definition of Badassitude. That definition is summarized in his introductory chapter by the following line: “These men and women were all aspiring to different things, but every character highlighted in these pages went balls-out after what they wanted, never backed down, and didn’t stop until they’d achieved their goals, however honorable to nefarious they may have been. In the end, that kind of determination, drive, and will is what really forges true badasses.”

Although written in a profane and misogynistic style, Mr. Thompson uses the politically incorrect motifs of his writing to enhance the humor and shock value of the historical incredibility of these people.

When Chapter One is a Pharaoh of Egypt and Chapter Forty is an Israeli Commando Leader, you know that everything in-between has to be profound, profane, and unbiased. And Mr. Thompson succeeds at this.

Mr. Thompson, a Florida State Cum Laude in History and Political Science, backs his facts with a comprehensive bibliography, in case anyone wants to denounce his mastery of entertaining trivia.

As for the articles themselves, they are very entertaining, although at times it becomes a little hard to distinguish fact from hyperbole. These cases are especially brought to light in chapters where what sounds outlandish for a modern-day person is the truth of the exploits of a man of antiquity; but Mr. Thompson can hardly be blamed for that.

The book doesn’t always differentiate between cold-hard fact and ancient myth, but when dealing with someone like Wolf the Quarrelsome who was only mentioned by name in historical texts twice, it does make sense and aids the entertaining story Mr. Thompson creates.

I would have liked to see a few other people brought into the feature, such as Guan Yu or Lu Bu, maybe Sgt. York, and perhaps even Hua Mulan or a few of the members of the 108 Outlaws of Chinese classic Water Margin. A few samurai besides Tomoe and Musashi would have been nice, too, like Torii Motoada or Yamanaka Shikanosuke Yukimori. But I suppose there’s always room in the sequel.

And like I said before, a feminist would burn her bra at some of the more misogynistic lines in the book. However that would be her loss for not reading the actual articles, especially the ones for Tomoe Gozen and Irina Sebrova, women who show up some of the men on the list. Mr. Thompson doesn’t shy away from that fact.

One strange chapter was that of Nikola Tesla, which made me fear the book was about to droop to the mundane, but Mr. Thompson is able to bring out the light of Tesla and put him on-par with the likes of Genghis Khan and Drac—err, Vlad the Impaler. Nothing quite like a man who can make you really believe the original Dracula is more fearsome than the literary one.

All in all, it is a very entertaining and imaginative account of historical awesomeness, all written in an insanely amusing and informative style.

If you have a weak heart or aren’t willing to look between the lines of his political incorrectness, Mr. Thompson’s writing style will definitely put you off. But it would be your own fault for not realizing just how funny and brilliant he is!

I fell into an advanced reading copy, which I got for free, from a friend in the newspaper industry who thought I would enjoy the book. And the best way I can describe this book is to say that I still bought a final copy of it. The review copy I had was missing a few of the 80+ quality illustrations that would eventually make it into the final product and a few of the articles ran off the page.

The illustrations, by the way, are done very nicely as a precursor to each chapter to give a visual feel of the character in question. As well there are several little illustrations at the bottom of the pages which are pretty fancy. They come from the minds, and the hands, of Steve Belledin, Miguel Coimbra, Thomas Denmark, and Matt Haley.

Even with the ARC limitations, I still downright loved the book enough to go out and pay $17 for a final copy of my own. Of course, its for sale on Amazon for $12 now, but I still wouldn’t have wanted to wait this long to get my hands on it.

Paying $17, when you can just wait a year to get it for $12, or simply live with the sub-par free version you got? I’m sure Mr. Thompson would agree that wouldn’t be very badass of me.

~Rick Shaw
http://redefiningrickshaw.com

THE WRITING CIRCLE by Corinne Demas

2010-08-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

THE WRITING CIRCLE
By Corinne Demas
Copyright 2010
Published by Hyperion (HarperCollins)

Genre: Mainstream fiction

Nancy is invited to join a writing group made up of established authors. She doesn’t think her novel-in-progress is good enough for this group, but she accepts. How could she refuse such exulted company?

Over a year, the group becomes more than just a bunch of writers. Some become friends, and everyone gets caught up in each other’s personal lives. Sharing one’s writing is such a personal thing that it’s hard to stay aloof.

When one of the group comes out with a new book, they all head to New York for the debut. A writer’s greatest fear is realized, and all hell breaks loose.

This book was sent to me by the publisher months ago. It wasn’t my usual fiction fare, so it sat on the shelf until last week. I finally took it down because I was in a mellow mood. I wasn’t mellow when I finished.

The characters are real people, like people we all know. They love, lose, and live on. I wanted Nancy to find a publisher, for Virginia’s ex-husband to stop hurting their children’s feelings, for Chris to attain a closer relationship with his sons, and for Paul to find happiness and friends. Demas made me CARE about her characters.

There was an undercurrent of urgency through the whole book. It didn’t grab me, but I found myself thinking about it at odd times, wondering what was up next for my new friends. Tonight, I sat down to finish it.

The last quarter of the book held me enthralled. All the hidden secrets started coming to light and havoc reigned. The closer I came to the end, the more breathless I felt. Something terrible was going to happen, I just knew it. And then it did.

Even after disaster struck, Demas held back one vital fact. I was reading as fast as I could, with a small voice in my head crying “No, she couldn’t!” One the very last page, she revealed the terrible truth. I knew it, but didn’t want to face it.

I closed this book near tears. I could feel the anguish of the other characters, although Demas didn’t write it down. Ripples of this event would change many lives, for many years. The characters were so real to me that I could see and hear them when they found out.

I usually read for pure entertainment. This book made me feel. It will stay with me for a long time. You should read it.

Review - Shadow of Betrayal by Brett Battles

2010-06-03T10:00:00.001-07:00

Shadow of Betrayal
Written by: Brett Battles
Fiction / International thriller
Rated: Excellent (*****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Jonathan Quinn is back on the scene. This time he’s doing three contracts with no questions asked for one of his past clients. The premise sets the tone, doesn’t it? If someone can get a no-questions-asked promise from you, you know the tasks won’t be easy. And they certainly aren’t for Quinn.

Quinn is back to work in Shadow of Betrayal. His apprentice, Nate is ready and willing to do whatever needs done, but Quinn harbors guilt and struggles with having Nate on the job. When Orlando is able to join the duo, Quinn wants some time off to enjoy time with his woman, but that would be too easy. Quinn is a professional “cleaner,” and he has a contract to fulfill. The job comes first.

It pays to have connections and technology to sift through data and find answers, but sometimes being able to do a good job comes down to old-fashioned investigation, observation, and following your gut. Jonathan Quinn is intelligent, crafty, and conscientious about everything he does.

Author Brett Battles pays attention to the details and writes stories that keep his audience engaged. His ability to make the reader care about the readers is remarkable. It’s as though the reader is on the characters’ shoulders every minute of every scene. The fast pace of the circumstances makes for a lot happening in a short time, but Battles keeps the reader focused every step of the way. Battles has crafted a team of characters each with their own lives, yet when they are focused on their work, they are a cohesive team. The writing is detailed without wasting a word.

This is Battles' third Jonathan Quinn novel. The first novel, The Cleaner, was nominated for a Shamus Award for Best First Novel in 2008. The second in the series, The Deceived, won the Barry Award for Best Thriller 2008. The paperback of Shadow of Betrayal released May 25. The next in the series will give the reader a glimpse into Quinn before he became “the cleaner.” Stay tuned!

Brett Battles writes full time from cafés across the globe, but mostly near his home in California. He’s currently putting the finishing touches a middle grade book. He has a standalone novel, unrelated to the Quinn series, No Return, due out in April 2011.

If you love thrillers, have a penchant for James Bond’s international travels, or enjoy a story that gets the adrenaline pumping, Shadow of Betrayal is a must read. It is non-stop action on every page. Once you start reading, don’t plan to stop until the last page.

Title: Shadow of Betrayal
Author: Brett Battles
Publisher: Bantam Dell
ISBN: 978-0-440-24372-4
Pages: 498
Price: $7.99

Review - Struck by Keith Pyeatt

2010-01-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

Barry Andrews gets more than he bargains for when he takes a short afternoon hike to check out some Pueblo Indian petroglyphs.

Sometimes you can just feel change in the air, but you accept it and continue with your day. Then there are times, always in hindsight, where you realize you should have heeded nature’s warnings. Barry is lucky to be alive, sure, but can he survive the changes that start happening after the storm?

Using descriptive and well-crafted prose, the author brings the reader back in time with an engaging look into the history of the Pueblo Indians. With touches of paranormal and the overall sense that this could actually happen, the reader is left without a choice but to turn the page and continue reading. The story contains elements of horror, romance, and mystery. The title is literal, but also a metaphoric theme woven through each character.

Keith Pyeatt has been writing novels for fourteen years. He writes his own style of paranormal thrillers he calls “horror with heart.” His method is to create characters that are just as real as he can make them, drop in a paranormal threat they can't ignore, and add a psychological twist. Keith forces his characters to look inside themselves to find their very best before they can save the day, putting the heart in “horror with heart.”

Struck is a engaging and suspenseful. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys suspense with a dab of dark.

Stop by Keith’s website to learn more about the author and his books.

Title: Struck
Author: Keith Pyeatt
Publisher: Quest Books
ISBN: 978-1-935053-17-0
Pages: 270
Price: $19.95

Review - Beach Chair Diaries by Janet E. Spurr

2010-01-02T08:48:00.001-08:00

Get away for a few hours and delve between the virtual sandy pages for a seacoast vacation.

Beach Chair Diaries: Summer Tales from Maine to Maui brings you to the seashore, the waves, and the sunshine. From Wells Beach, Maine to the surf in Hawaii

The cover attracted me to this book first: an image of beach chair on a sandy beach in front of the surf. It reminded me of my summers at a beach house in Maine. The title caught my attention next. Beach. Chair. Diaries. All one needs to totally get away (in my opinion) is a soft-sanded beach, a comfortable chair (or blanket), and a book. And the icing on the cake is the book itself. The writing is conversational and runs the gamut on emotions. I laughed out loud in places and got lost in my own thoughts after reading passages that brought me back to my favorite beach.

There’s a bit of an ache now, for knowing how many summers I haven’t been to the beach. But there’s a renewed sense of awe and appreciation for how rejuvenating and memorable a day at the beach can be. The author had fun writing this book, it’s apparent in how she shares her passion for the beach. She wants to bring the beach to the reader, and I think she has done just that.

Janet Spurr is the quintessential Beach Queen and has surfed, boogie boarded, snorkeled, kayaked, sailboat raced against the Kennedys, motor boated, white water rafted the Kennebec River, and swum in seven of the top ten beaches in the U.S. She has lived on Nantucket Island and currently lives in a seashore community.

Beach Chair Diaries is a great, fun read any time of year. If you’ve loved being on the beach and haven’t been in a while, this will bring you back to the surf. If you’ve never been to a beach, you’ll want to plan a trip after reading this book.

Stop by the Beach Chair Diaries website to bask in the sounds of the ocean shore and learn more about the book and author.

This is a fantastic read for anyone.

Title: Beach Chair Diaries: Summer Tales from Maine to Maui
Author: Janet E. Spurr
Publisher: Falmouth Heights Books
ISBN: 978-0-9799850-4-1
Pages: 168
Price: $14.95

Review - The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything) by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

2009-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Dr. Barbara will be a live chat guest at The Writer's Chatroom on Sunday, January 10 from 7-9PM EST. Please feel free to stop in and meet her.

The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything)
Written by: Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Readers 9-12
Rated: Excellent (*****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

The Truth is a glimpse into the diary and thoughts of a girl who is ten at the start of the story. We follow her through two school years and get a candid look at a ‘tween’s perspective of life.
Everyone can remember feeling that we knew more than our parents when we were kids.

In The Truth, the narrator gives us her opinion on falling in love, the damage done when parents argue, and her fears about getting older. She does so in a sincere and straightforward matter. She makes a list of truths that she wants to remember as she gets older because she fears aging has a negative effect. She knows adults must know the truths but that they somehow forgot, for how else can they possibly accept yelling at each other.

The unique voice along with the diary entry format make the book a quick read. It has an educational value which should be shared with all young girls and parents. The entries are direct and honest. The reader feels privy to the secret diary of the girl whose writing is personal, accessible. The observations made within the diary follow a natural progression of personal growth, which makes it feel more like non-fiction than fiction.

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is the originator of The Enchanted Self(R). She has been a positive psychologist in private practice and licensed in the states of New Jersey and Massachusetts since 1981. She is currently in private practice in Long Branch, New Jersey with her husband, Dr. Russell M. Holstein.

I highly recommend reading The Truth. It is great for women of any age, and can definitely be appreciated by tweens and teens. It’s interesting to have memories of the tween years conjured up that are a mixture of enjoyable and hard to deal with.

Title: The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything)
Author: Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
Publisher: Enchanted Self Press
ISBN: 978-09798952-0-3
Pages: 96
Price: $6.95

Review - The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children by Yvonne Perry

2009-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Sid Series: A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children is a great gift to share with a child, between 2 and 5, at any time of year.

The Sid Series includes twelve individual stories focused on topics such as dealing with the death of a pet, the importance of telling the truth, respecting diversity, learning about recycling, listening to your body, and facing fear.

The author, inspired by her spiritually-gifted grandson, decided to share some of his experiences with others. Together they share stories of ghosts, the power of healing the body with herbs, the power of Mother Nature, and learning how to listen to an inner guidance. Told in a comforting and spiritual manner, the stories reach out to young and old alike.

Yvonne Perry is a graduate of American Institute of Holistic Theology where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Metaphysics. Her interaction with the spirit world began as a child and has developed into a gift that blesses those seeking a better understanding of spiritual gifts.

The Sid Series is friendly, entertaining, and educational. The art work adds to each story to engage children visually as they listen to the short stories and learn about life in terms they can understand.

Stop by the Web site to read more about The Sid Series, meet Sidney, and listen to an author interview and several readings.

Title: The Sid Series: A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children
Author: Yvonne Perry
Publisher: Write On! Publishing
ISBN: 978-0982572207
Pages: 52
Price: $19.95

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, by Katherine Howe

2009-07-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
By Katherine Howe
Hyperion
ISBN 978-1-4013-4090-2

Witchcraft, then and…now?

Connie Goodwin is a Harvard graduate student, majoring in Colonial Studies. Her summer is supposed to be spent doing research for her doctoral dissertation, but her mother thinks closing up the abandoned family home is more important. Connie dutifully travels to Salem to clean and sell the old house.

An ancient key hidden in a seventeenth century bible puts Connie on a quest. Who is this Deliverance Dane? What happened to her? And where is her “Physick” book of spells? (Readers, bookmark when the key is found [page 49 in the hardback]. Toward the end you will need to come back and reread a specific sentence.)

Howe flips back and forth between the past and the present without faltering. 1690 or 1990, the characters leap off the page and come alive. You will care about these women and hold your breath in fear for them.

Many of the events are telegraphed in advance, but that doesn’t detract from the story. You will have suspicions along with Connie and watch over her shoulder, muttering “Oh no, surely not!”, as she digs for answers.

There is a lot of history in this book, but nothing dull or boring. Howe brings the past alive with vivid descriptions and characters you want to call friends. Intrigue more than thriller, this is a can’t-put-it-down book. Read it!

Review: Pane of Death by Sarah Atwell

2009-02-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Pane of Death
by Sarah Atwell
Berkley Publishing Group
Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-425-22501-1

On the cover of Pane of Death it says, ‘A Glassblowing Mystery”. That’s because this is one of those light mysteries in which the setting and main character are connected with glass blowing. A lot of these cozy style mysteries are this way, featuring knitting, cooking, scrapbooking, etc. It makes for a different kind of setting than the hard-boiled stories. As with the others of its kind, Pane of Death gives you some history into glassblowing both throughout the story and in a short essay at the back. Ms. Atwell also includes two recipes.

The story takes place in Tucson Arizona. Emmaline is a glass artisan who get a rare chance to team up with her local rival to work on a nearly priceless stained glass collection. It’s a dream job until the patron turns up dead and Em is blamed for it. With the collection also missing, everyone in town teams up to figure out who actually killed the man and took the art. The clock is ticking because if the missing pieces aren’t found soon, they’ll disappear forever.

Of course I won’t spoil the end for you. It is slow in a couple of places and I’m still not quite sure how the dogs fit in to the story. The first person narrative does showcase the quirky personality of Emmaline as she snoops her way in and out of trouble. If you like your mysteries with down to Earth characters and not much bloodshed, this is the book for you.

Review - Matters of Faith by Kristy Kiernan

2009-01-30T08:22:00.000-08:00

Matters of Faith
Written by: Kristy Kiernan
Fiction
Rated: Excellent (*****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Chloe is mom to 18-year-old Marshall and 12-year-old Meghan, and wife to Calvin. Her life is like any other with its daily challenges, but even she doesn’t know what she’ll do when her family’s cohesiveness is put to an extreme test.

The novel opens with Chloe reflecting on how having a sixth sense would be helpful in noting the small things in life that become the catalyst to a major turning point. Hindsight is always educational, isn’t it?

Marshall is coming home during college break and is bringing a girl, the first girl to meet the family. First impressions are not always the best and Chloe and Cal have different reasons for not readily accepting Ada. But Meghan and Ada become instant friends, so there’s hope.

The writing in Matters of Faith works with two distinct points of view that engage the reader in just the right way. Kiernan doesn’t waste any words. She balances narrative with dialogue so the reader feels more like a fly on the wall of a real family instead of someone flipping pages. Kiernan’s characters are unique individuals dealing with the typical daily life routine. And because of their ‘realness’, the author is able to connect with a large audience. Like having a conversation with friends, Kiernan’s writing challenges the reader to figure out what he or she would do given the same circumstances. Where many writers create characters that are black or white in their response, Kiernan’s characters are unpredictable.

Kristy was born in Tennessee and raised on the beaches of southwest Florida, where she still resides with her husband, Richard, and their dog. Her first novel, Catching Genius, was published in March of 2007 and has become a book club favorite. Matters of Faith is her second novel.

From the opening lines in Matters of Faith until the final word, the reader becomes a witness during a small portion of time in one family’s life. This novel doesn’t jump out and grab you by the throat, instead it softly winds its way into your heart so you can’t walk away. I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in a great story.

Matters of Faith is available through: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and local book stores. Visit http://www.kristykiernan.com/ for more information.

Title: Matters of Faith
Author: Kristy Kiernan
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 978-0-425-22179-2
Pages: 322
Price: $14.00

Review of Ramblin' Man by Michael Murphy

2009-01-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

Ramblin’ Man
By Michael Murphy
eWings Press, Inc.
ISBN: 1-59705-782-7
2008

The back blurb says this: A young drifter comes to the aid of a runaway heiress fleeing a controlling father. With nothing in common, the ramblin’ man and the heiress find themselves falling in love as her father’s desperate security team manipulates the media into reporting the heiress has been kidnapped.

The blurb is a bit dry compared to the story itself. Think Paris Hilton meets up with a good ol’ Stetson-wearing fella and you’ve got Samantha and Bart, complete with an adorable purse dog named Tinker. She’s run away from her father’s expectations and straight into Bart’s path. He rescues her from some ruffians and whisks her off in his truck, not realizing the turn of events this sets into motion.
Suddenly he finds himself running from hired security thugs and blamed for kidnapping Samantha.

Samantha is opinionated and independent in her own way but she does learn a few things about life beyond prep school and away from decadence. Eventually she moves out of being his problem and into the role of friend and companion. The sparks do fly between them as they hide out in a small town, avoiding Bart’s old nemesis, the authorities and her father’s private security. Until someone recognizes her.

I won’t say more and spoil the ending but I do want to point out that the blurb is wrong in that these two characters do have a lot in common. Discovering that is part of the journey this story makes. At first this drifter and heiress seem almost stereotypical and then you find out there’s more to each of them than meets the eye. You’ll love Bart’s sense of humor and find yourself rooting for everything to turn out all right.

You can visit Michael’s website at: http://www.mjmurphy.com/default.htm

Review - Scent of Danger by Doranna Durgin

2008-12-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Scent of Danger
Written by: Doranna Durgin
Fiction / Cozy Mystery
Rated: Very Good (****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Dale Kinsall has the sinking feeling that someone is in danger. Worse, that someone may be him.

While Dale deals with ongoing construction at his clinic, he starts discovering mysterious notes in the most unexpected places. The riddles seem to forewarn danger, but could be a prank. With regular worries of managing a staff and maintaining a full schedule of furry clientele, Dale wonders if his life will ever settle down again.

Dale’s best canine friend, Sully, is great at sniffing out varmints, treats, and danger, but with no particular priority to any it’s hard to know when he’s on a serious scent. While the two find time to train together for upcoming dog shows and obedience competitions, they find themselves entwined in a new mystery that has them each stretched to the limit.

Author Doranna Durgin’s newest Dale Kinsall Mystery is an entertaining and fun novel that delves further into Sully the Beagle’s life, which includes training for shows and investigating any danger his nose can sniff out. The dialogue, human and canine, adds humor and a different perspective for the reader. The author weaves veterinarian and performance sports details into this cozy mystery with such seeming ease as to educate the reader while offering the well-disguised details needed to solve the puzzle.

Doranna Durgin’s novel writing career has spanned genres and form to include over twenty novels in mystery, SF/F, action-romance, and franchise (such as “Ghost Whisperer”). She has also published numerous essays and short stories. With several new novels in the pipeline, Doranna also enjoys hanging around outside her Arizona home riding dressage on her Lipizzan and training for performance sports with her dogs.

Creative play with a dog’s point of view combined with humor and lots of heart combine to make Scent of Danger an enjoyable read for the whole family. I highly recommend this book to any cozy mystery lover interested in cuddling up with a fun, light-hearted story full of suspicious coincidences.

Scent of Danger will be available at: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and local book stores in December ‘08.

Title: Scent of Danger
Author: Doranna Durgin
Publisher: Five Star
ISBN: 978-1-59414-675-6
Pages: 279
Price: $25.95

Review - Spun Tales by Felicia Donovan

2008-10-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Spun Tales
Written by: Felicia Donovan
Fiction / Mystery
Rated: Excellent (*****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Linda Jordan just needs a little more time to put the finishing touches on her newest medical thriller before submitting it to her publisher by the deadline, but life isn’t that easy.

The Black Widow Agency accepts a case involving a well-known and easily recognizable author. While trying to keep Linda Jordan secluded from fans and protected from foes while she finishes her latest novel, the Black Widows need to figure out how to deal with a required upcoming speech the author needs to give in a highly public location.

Also challenging the Black Widows is a co-worker who is continually absent and unavailable without explanation. The women balance worry with work as they struggle without their computer geek and hunt down the mysterious person or persons who don’t want the controversial medical novel manuscript to ever see print.

Author Felicia Donovan uses her computer forensics experience to create an intelligent and fun story line with women of varying skill sets (from finance to cyber geek), and ages (from twenty-something to sixty-something) righting the wrongs done to their clients. Her writing balances crime-solving with insight into the lives of the four main characters. She portrays strong women with soft sides and weaknesses.

Felicia Donovan began writing stories early on and completed her first novel before graduating high school. She became a teacher, but always felt compelled to return to the joy of writing fiction. Felicia left teaching to join a New England-based police department where she discovered the fascinating world of computer forensics. She resides in the bucolic countryside of NH with her two children and three dogs. She has a deep affection for her family, her friends, fine chocolates and well-spun tales.

Spun Tales is a wonderful continuation of the Black Widow agency series. Like the first novel, this is an engaging read. It is entertaining, suspenseful, fun, and fast paced. The four main characters are further developed and overcome new challenges. I highly recommend this novel to any mystery lover, especially those interested female leads.

Spun Tales is available through: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and local book stores. Keep an eye out for the third in this series, Fragile Webs.

Title: Spun Tales
Author: Felicia Donovan
Publisher: Midnight Ink
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1310-6
Pages: 234
Price: $13.95

Review - The Black Widow Agency by Felicia Donovan

2008-09-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Black Widow Agency
Written by: Felicia Donovan
Fiction / Mystery
Rated: Very Good (****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Amber Gordon’s life is on a downward spiral. She says she was fired from her automotive engineering job and lost custody of her daughter after being framed for possession of a controlled substance.

Amber turns to the Black Widow Agency where the all-female staff is ready to help her get her life back. Each woman at the agency brings her own expertise and each is willing to jump in to this case without reservation.

The Black Widow Agency doesn’t accept any client that comes to them with a tale of woe. The client has to tell them the truth from the start and must be willing to accept methods that may seem a bit questionable. Katie, the owner, relies on a computer hacker, office manager, and financial whiz to help her develop and execute plans that will give sweet justice to their clientele.

Author Felicia Donovan uses her computer forensics experience to create an intelligent and fun story line with women of varying skill sets (from finance to cyber geek), and ages (from twenty-something to sixty-something) righting the wrongs done to their clients. Her writing balances crime-solving with insight into the lives of the four main characters. She portrays strong women with soft sides and weaknesses.

Felicia (pronounced Fa-lish-a) began writing stories early on and completed her first novel before graduating high school. She became a teacher, but always felt compelled to return to the joy of writing fiction. Felicia left teaching to join a New England-based police department where she discovered the fascinating world of computer forensics. She resides in the bucolic countryside of NH with her two children and three dogs. She has a deep affection for her family, her friends, fine chocolates and well-spun tales.

The Black Widow Agency is an engaging read. It is entertaining, suspenseful, fun, and fast paced. The diversity of the four main characters makes their interactions down-to-earth. I highly recommend this novel to any fiction or mystery lover, especially for those interested in strong female leads.

The Black Widow Agency is available through: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and local book stores.

Title: The Black Widow Agency
Author: Felicia Donovan
Publisher: Midnight Ink
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1082-2
Pages: 234
Price: $12.95

Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead by Saralee Rosenberg

2008-09-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead
By Saralee Rosenberg
ISBN 978-0-06-125377-5

Published by Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins

Mindy has suffered for years over her neighbor-from-hell. Beth is perfect in every way, and her favorite pastime is letting Mindy know that she doesn’t even deserve to lick Beth’s boots.

But Mrs. Perfect finally makes a mistake, and the story spreads like wildfire. All hell breaks loose in everyone’s life, and Mindy finds herself the eye of the hurricane. Affairs, long-lost children, marital separations, unplanned pregnancies, $100,000 contest prizes, deaths and more. Not to mention a family cruise and a plane crash.

Through it all, Mindy keeps moving forward, untangling the big snarls and accepting the little ones. Neighbors from hell, over-bearing in-laws, unknown step-children and all, Mindy is the sunshine in the storm. In her presence everything, somehow, works out in the end.

Saralee Rosenberg dishes up the laughs and keeps your plate full, from the dedication to the bio on the back cover. This writer sees the humor in every situation, and pumps it up to full volume. I can’t wait to find the rest of her books. Rosenberg has moved to the top ten on my favorite author’s list.

(Saralee Rosenberg is our chat guest on September 14, 2008)

Review - Poison Pen by Sheila Lowe

2008-08-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Poison Pen (a forensic handwriting mystery)
Written by: Sheila Lowe
Fiction / Mystery
Rated: Excellent (*****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Claudia Rose joins a crowd at the star-studded funeral of her former friend, Lindsey Alexander. Claudia is amazed at the GQ model pall bearers, high profile attendees looking for one more big party, and swarming paparazzi trying to capture the best photo.

Claudia, Lindsey, and Kelly had been friends in college. Claudia and Lindsey studied handwriting analysis. Claudia stuck with it while Kelly studied law and Lindsey moved into high profile public relations. Lindsey’s personal actions and behavior pushed Claudia and Kelly away, yet there was still a lingering attachment between the trio.

Claudia would love to see the suicide note found beside Lindsey’s body due to professional curiosity, but she is not involved in the investigation. She is hired by a mutual friend of Lindsey’s who suspects foul play. Claudia hesitates to get involved, but finds herself suddenly propelled into the investigation and she has no choice by to follow the myriad of disturbing clues to the life-changing conclusion.

Sheila Lowe has crafted a unique protagonist using her professional experience. Claudia Rose is an independent career woman with a tender heart, great instincts, and the ability to deal with scary situations, including romance, as they come at her. Claudia learns from past experiences and gives people the benefit of the doubt for as long as possible.

Sheila Lowe is a handwriting expert and the author of the best-selling books The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Handwriting Analysis and Handwriting of the Famous and Infamous. She is also the author of the award-winning Sheila Lowe’s Handwriting Analyzer software. A British transplant, Sheila currently lives in Ventura, CA. Poison Pen is Sheila’s first published fiction and the first in the Claudia Rose series. Learn more about the series at: http://www.claudiaroseseries.com/.

Poison Pen is a solid mystery as well as a learning experience. The reader is pulled along with the protagonist as she follows the trail of clues to their conclusion, while being privy to some insight into handwriting analysis. It’s a great pairing.

Available at: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and local book stores.

Title: Poison Pen (a forensic handwriting mystery)
Author: Sheila Lowe
Publisher: Penguin/Obsidian Mysteries
ISBN: 978-0-451-22369-2
Pages: 311

Price: $6.99

Review - Honor of a Hunter by Sylvie Kurtz

2008-08-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Honor of a Hunter
Written by: Sylvie Kurtz
Romantic Suspense
Rated: Very Good (****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Faith Byrne has everything money can buy and is determined to be successful in her father’s eyes. Noah Kingsley is great with computers and hasn’t been in love since a brief teenage romance with a woman out of his league.

When Faith discovers someone has been in her secure high-rise condo she calls Noah for comfort. Noah is content with his position in Seekers, Inc. in New Hampshire since it involves adventure, catching bad guys, and at the end of the day he can relax in his country home. The early morning phone call from Seattle evokes numerous emotions, but Noah doesn’t hesitate to hop a plane and rush to protect his best friend.

Noah knows how to use technology to track Faith’s stalker, but her need to keep her obsessive work schedule and be seen in the office stretches Noah’s skills to the limit. Faith wants the stalker identified so she can confront him and show that she is in control of her life. Yet eventually, she realizes the only way to hang on is to let go completely.

As with all her prior novels, Sylvie Kurtz has created unique characters with interesting lives. Her writing brings the characters off the page so they seem like friends. Her strong male and female protagonists have vulnerabilities they try to hide and intense heartfelt emotions they try to intellectualize. The writing is solid and the suspense builds in increments that leave the reader as emotionally involved as the heroine.

Sylvie Kurtz earned her commercial pilot’s license and instrument rating but has since traded an airplane for a keyboard, where she lets her imagination soar to create fictional adventures that explore the power of love and the thrill of suspense. When not writing, she enjoys the outdoors with her family, quilt-making, and photography. For more information on all of her published works, check out her website at http://www.sylviekurtz.com/.

Honor of a Hunter is an engaging read. Readers of romance or suspense will be pulled in by the characters and pulled along by the continuous change of circumstances.

Available at: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and in local bookstores.

Title: Honor of a Hunter
Author: Sylvie Kurtz
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 978-0-373-69295-8
Pages: 240
Price: $4.99