Review: Space Rats by Jacqueline Kirk

ISBN #: 978-1461062035

Page Count: 188

Copyright: 2011

Book Summary:

(Taken from www.jacquelinekirk.com)

Troy and his brother long to be back among the stars in their spaceship Star Chaser after crash landing on the planet of Goramir. They decide to escape and find their way home, accompanied by four of their friends. The little crew encounter aliens; visit a Space Station and stop an attack by the dreaded pirate Red Raven – the criminal who caused them to crash land in the first place!

Charlene's Review:

After surviving an attack on their spaceship, which killed their parents, Troy and Tristan find themselves at the The Home for Displaced Children. Tristan rebuilds their ship and, along with 4 of their new friends from the Home, they set out to return to their home planet. Along the way, however, they realize that they are being followed by the very man that killed their parents. A stop at a space station prepares them for the task ahead: to stop Red Raven from attacking a merchant cargo line, and free them from the space pirate, once and for all.

Classified by the author as a children's science fiction novel for the 8+ age range, I still found it an enjoyable read. Tristan, Troy, and their friends, Krista, Ziggy, Lena, and Orla are a group of characters that you cant help but like. All alone for their own reasons, they bond together and make a formidable group, and also a lesson on what family means, related or not. Action, adventure, sci-fi creatures, and a little mystery all combined. I especially look forward to further adventures to see what Orla, a kind of quiet hero, is truly all about.

An easy read, simply worded , but don’t count it out as a “rising star” in children’s fiction.

Blog Tour/Interview: Jeanette Baker

Welcome to Jeanette Baker's book blog tour for her latest book, Catriona.  The tour is being promoted through the wonderful company, Pump Up Your Book.

For the first part of my participation in this blog tour, I will be posting an interview below with the author. 

A guest post by Jeanette will be posted on August 21st and Charlene's review of Jeanette's book, Catriona, will be posted on September 4th, so come back on those dates to check them out! =)


First, I would like to thank Jeanette for taking the time to answer the interview questions I sent her.  I didn't give her very much time, which I apologize profusely for, but she was a wonderful sport and got the answers back to me right away.  So, away we go...

I'd like to discuss you (Jeanette) a little first.  Can you please tell us a bit about yourself and your background?

My writing career began in 1973 as a newspaper reporter in Belfast, Northern Ireland where I wrote news and human interest for 9 years before coming home to California to teach school and write a column for my local newspaper.  In 1991, I began writing historical fiction, then paranormals and eventually contemporary fiction.  My publishers include Simon & Schuster, Kensington, Mira and now Sourcebooks.  I've also published an e-book called Witch Woman.  I still teach in Lake Forest, California and spend my summers in Tralee, Ireland, my fiance's home.  My family, the O'Flaherty's, live on a small island, Inishmore, off the coast of Galway.  I have two grown children.

How did you first become inspired to start writing?  Was there a certain person or particular even that sparked your interest in writing?

I don't remember a particular event that inspired my writing career.  I've always loved to read, almost to an unhealthy extent, but I don't think teaching children to write was an emphasis when I was in school.  I do know it came easily to me and as a child I loved Beverly Cleary, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Madeleine L'Engle, Louisa May Alcott and so many, many more wonderful writers.  My favorite part of the school day was after lunch when my teacher would read out loud.

Now, I'd like to get into your latest book, Catriona.  Is Catriona your first book?  If no, what other books have you written and do you try writing in different genres?

Catriona is my fifth book.  It was first published in 1997 and is now being reissued by Sourcebooks.  I've written 16 books: historicals, paranormals and contemporary fiction.

What was the inspiration behind Catriona?

A story, for me, begins with an event in history.  I love exploring country roads in settings rich in Celtic history, primarily Ireland and Scotland.  I always take the tour, if there is one, and something small triggers my interest.  It can be a place or a character.  All my novels stem from those beginnings.

Catriona began with a visit to Stirling Castle.  I was touched by the story of Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scotland, who waited for her husband, Jamie Stewart, to come home from the Battle of Flodden Moor.  He was fighting against her father.  History tells us the marriage between Margaret and Jamie was not a love match.  I decided, for the purpose of my story, that it would be.  That very day the idea for Catriona was born.

What sort of research did you do to prepare?

Research for a historical is extremely time-consuming.  It involves reading, reading and more reading, travel, exploring the ruins of castles, walking battle sites, learning the political and social positions of the day as well as climate, flora, fauna, foods, clothing, practices, expressions, etc.  I usually begin with travel for an idea, and end with travel for polishing purposes.

Do you have a favorite character in Catriona?  Which one and why?

My favorite character is Patrick MacKendrick.  As the hero in the story, he combines the qualities of strength and sensitivity which I believe is essential for our alpha heroes.

How has the response been from readers so far?

The reviews for this book have been excellent.

From the responses, is there anything you wish you would've changed or improved about Catriona?

Because Catriona was first published in 1997, I've been able to edit where I felt it was needed.  This is where readers' reviews really help.  I changed details regarding Wiccan practices and, in fact, removed the term altogether because I felt the criticism had merit.  The historical details, dress, speech patterns, food, sites, practices are always very accurate.  I make a point of that.

Time to take a look into the future... Are you working on anything else?

I've recently completed an Irish contemporary paranormal called Hannie Rising.

Can you tell us a little bit about it?

An Irishman, Mickey Enright, has died and, after a year, is given another chance to walk the earth, specifically his own patch of earth, Tralee, Ireland, to remedy some of the mistakes he's made in his life with his wife and two grown children.  The only condition is that he must assume another identity.

Meanwhile, his wife, Hannie, has decided to move on.  She's lost weight, rearranged her home, even taken a position of importance at her job.  But then everything falls apart.  Her daughter is reassessing her marriage and moves home with her child.  Liam, Hannie's son, a victim of the real estate crash, decides he needs to resume his education and also needs to move back.  Then her mother, who owns a large, poorly trained dog, is showing signs of Alzheimer's and needs a caretaker.  Hannie finds support at her local coffee shop, with a stranger, named Patrick.

Oh, that sounds interesting.  Is there any advice you'd like to give to new writers or writers who feel like giving up?

Writing is a difficult profession with serious ups and downs.  The very best writers have more rejection slips than they can count.  I would advise struggling writers to always write about whatever is inspiring.  Without excitement, it's difficult to perform.  That goes for any number of things in addition to writing.

What is your favorite book of all time and why?

My favorite book is The Road to Avalon by Joan Wolf.

Is there a character in The Road to Avalon that you relate to the most?

I don't relate to any of the characters in the book.  What I thought, and still think, is so unique is the twist the author created in the familiar plot of King Aurthur and Morgan.  She created a King Aurthur who is young and vital and incredibly appealing.  The writing is direct, yet emotional, very difficult to do.

Which characteristic do you think makes Joan Wolf so great?

The ability to use words well.  Vocabulary.

Any final words you'd like to share with everyone, perhaps something I've not asked about?

A story, characters, settings, conversations work when there are elements of truth in them.

Is there a website or any social networking sites your fans can go to or follow you on?

My website is www.jeanettebaker.com  I'm also on Facebook: Jeanette Baker, Jeanette Baker - author

Thanks again to Jeanette for participating in this interview.  See below for additional info on Jeanette Baker that I copied from her Amazon's Author Page.

Jeanette Baker is the award-winning author of fifteen novels, most of them set in the lush countryside of historical and contemporary Ireland where she lives and writes during the summer months. Her ancestors, the Flahertys, hail from Inishmore the largest of the Aran Islands located off the coast of Galway. She takes great pride in the prayer posted by the English over the ancient city gates, 'From the wrath of the O'Flahertys, may the good Lord deliver us.'

Jeanette graduated from the University of California at Irvine and holds a Masters Degree in Education. For the remainder of the year, Jeanette teaches in Southern California and enjoys the company of her grown children. She is the Rita award-winning author of NELL.

Review: How To Improve Your Life by Raymond H. Scudder

ISBN #: 978-1-936400-99-7

Page Count: 194

Copyright: 2011

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

A must-read for anyone who wants to improve their life but doesn't know where or how to begin. The author provides a life-changing Improvement Process you can easily follow to take control of your life and achieve whatever you want.

The simplicity and beauty of this process means that in a very short time, you will:

• start thinking and behaving in a positive, can-do way
• target the areas of your life most in need of improvement
• begin using your vast personal potential
• notice and explore opportunities you never considered before
• stay motivated and focused on what you want in life until it becomes reality
• monitor your progress and celebrate your improvement accomplishments
 
How To Improve Your Life also offers a wealth of improvement tips and expert advice on how to:

• live a healthy life
• build and strengthen your relationships
• boost your career
• achieve personal financial success
• make internal changes that maximize your ability to accomplish whatever you want to do

Mandy's Review:

Since this is more of a self-help guide, I'm not going to be able to use my normal review format.  Instead, I am going to start my review off with a question:

What, in your life, do you wish you could/would improve?

We all have our areas of life that we are unsatisfied with: work, marriage, self, etc.  Raymond's book walks you through the steps you need to take in order to correct your problem areas.

I know what you're thinking: This is a standard self-help, boring book written by some know-it-all who uses terminology I can't understand.  Besides, he doesn't know me.  How could this book possibly help me?

First, the author is an every-day, down-to-earth man.  Secondly, the book reads as if it is a friend talking to you, not some know-it-all.  He begins by identifying the steps of the Improvement Process.

Stop rolling your eyes!

All good things are good because someone or something went through some form of process to make it/them that way.

Once the Improvement Process steps are identified, each step is given a chapter so that you can delve into the meanings of each step.

The last five or six chapters go in depth about each area of our life that we may need/want to improve.  Practical, step-by-step instructions are given to make your desired changes achievable.

I'll be honest with you, I put off reading this book for a while because I thought this was going to be boring.  I thought I would have to make myself finish it.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

This is the first self-help book I've read where I actually grabbed a notebook, while reading the first chapter, so I could take notes.  I will be applying the Improvement Process to my life.  I also plan on buying several copies to give to people I know.

If you enjoy improving yourself and your quality of life, then I highly recommend you give this book a try.

Review - Born of Tyranny:Port of Errors by Steve V. Cypert

ISBN #: 978-1257790319

Page Count: 249

Copyright: 2011

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Port of Errors is the first novel in the Born of Tyranny series.

Set in the late seventeenth century Eastern Atlantic, this epic adventure of brotherly love and betrayal shadows two orphans, Davy and Joseph, who come to bond tighter than blood. But they are soon ripped apart by a tragic event that will set into motion the birth of tyrannous revenge on behalf of their loss and place them each on a daring journey to find one another.

Following many eventful years, the pirate Black-Hearted, along with Scurvy Shaw and Isabel, will find a mortal enemy in Daniel Stirvin, a captain in the Queen’s Royal Navy. Black-Hearted and Captain Stirvin must face a traitorous tangle of lies and deceit trailing back to an unexpected past, unraveling an even deeper conspiracy of vengeance that will haunt them to the bitter end. Unable to abandon their cause or their men, Black-Hearted and Captain Stirvin will be forced to fight unwillingly to the death.

Charlene's Review:

As innocent boys, Davy and Joseph were left in an orphanage. They formed a friendship, close as brothers, until the day they were sold at public auction. Each took a piece of a cloth as their only remembrance.

As the years go by, they face their private demons in totally different ways. Joseph, renamed Daniel by his new parents, becomes a captain in the Royal Navy, and Davy becomes known as Black-Hearted, a much feared pirate. With the story set mostly upon the waters of the Atlantic, Port of Errors gets its name from an island: A pirate safe haven set outside Royal governments jurisdiction. Unbeknownst to both friends, the choices they’ve made will see them battling face-to-face.

Epic battles, revenge, love stories, and loyalty all combine to make this a surprisingly good read.

Mr. Cypert takes much care in describing the world in the seventeenth century. It reads like an historical novel. The battle scenes are vivid and exciting. The characters are well developed and each have their own voice within the novel. There are many surprises along the way and the ending pulls it all together nicely while still giving hints of things to come. I came away from the book feeling as if I was an actual witness to the events, and anticipating the next book of the series. Mr. Cypert is a master storyteller!

Release Day Review: Releasing Gillian's Wolves by Tara Woolpy

ISBN #: 978-0-9832033-0-8

Page Count: 280

Release Date: 8/1/11

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Thirty years ago, Gillian married Jack Sach, now a United States Congressman.  Through the years she's remained faithful.  He hasn't.  Ever.  She cooks to soothe herself and others, takes care of her mother-in-law, gardens, sneaks off to the studio to explode with angry paintings and tries to keep Jack's dalliances secret.  As she nears fifty, her friends think she should leave, but she lingers, bound by inertia and fear of the effect media coverage of a divorce would have on her family.

Gillian shares a trust fund with Edward, her gay neighbor and best friend.  Their grandfathers made a fortune together and left it to the two of them.  Over the years, in support of Gillian's marriage, the trust bankrolled Jack's many successful campaigns.  Not particularly interested in politics, Gillian survives by ignoring everything outside her kitchen, garden and studio.  Edward has his own ragged past filled with bad relationships, drugs and alcohol.  Through the course of a summer, Gillian's marriage continues to deteriorate while Edward's life finally starts to improve.  He's sober, stable and has found life-changing love with Sam, a biology professor at the local university.  Their happiness shines a stark light on Gillian's loveless marriage.

Finally, when Gillian meets Jack's latest conquest, twenty-year-old Ashley, she's forced to confront the rot at the core of her relationship.  Is it too late for happiness?

Mandy's Review:

Cover

The red background and gold lettering of the title and author's name blends well with the fall colors on the trees in the cover photo.  Add a lake and a boathouse and you now have a place I am envious to visit.

Plot

The author gives us a glimpse into what life could be like for a wife of an unfaithful politician.  Gillian is the faithful, dependable wife who Jack can always lean on to help out in a pinch.  The problem is, Gillian is fed up with all of the lies.

With the help of her best friends, Gillian finally finds the freedom and peace of mind she so desperately craves.  The road getting there is long and often filled with potholes, but Gillian goes through it with considerable grace and aplomb.

Main Characters

Gillian - This woman amazes me.  She is faithful, loyal and strong.  She's there for every one.  I don't know how she manages to cram as much into a day as she does.  I loved this character.

Jack - Gillian's husband - It's like he's never left his teenage years.  The man is controlled by his hormones.  He's not satisfied with having a wonderful wife like Gillian ... oh no, he has to have the affections of every intern who shows him the slightest bit of interest as well.

Edward - Gillian's best friend - Edward is Gillian's oldest friend and hates to see her married to Jack because he knows what a sleazeball Jack is.  He often goes to Gillian's to eat her cooking since he has no skills of his own.

Sam - Edward's boyfriend - Sam is wonderful, understanding, patient, kind ... he is Edward's better half.  He makes a wonderful addition to this story.

Overall

This is a wonderfully written tale about family, friendship, happiness, peace and what we sometimes have to endure in order to obtain those things.  I find this an excellent debut for a new author.  I would recommend this story more towards adult women who enjoy reading a book that helps you wonder ... "What if...?"