{Review} Fleeting Glance by Sherban Young

ISBN #: 978-1480199149

Page Count: 292

Copyright: November 1, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

John Hathaway just wanted a quiet weekend alone with his fiancee. Instead, he receives a cryptic postcard from a man he's never net, gets wrapped up in an elaborate art heist and finds himself framed for murder. And what's worse, his future in-laws are in town! The palette is certainly thickening here, and there might be only one person who can rally the muses in time to string it all together: the Master himself, Enescu Fleet, retired private eye.

Charlene's Review:

Fleeting Glance opens with John Hathaway receiving a mystery postcard congratulating him on his upcoming wedding. All set to meet his future in-laws, he has other pressing matters before him, like assuring his fiance that the house they are using to welcome her parents, belonging to a reputed mob boss, will not be a problem. When his best friend, Hutton, is followed and assaulted, Enescu Fleet, retired private eye, takes on the case. With the cryptic message on the postcard, and a dead body, the mystery unfolds.

There are many subplots in this story, but without giving up key information, I chose to keep the description simple. Most of the action takes place in an old museum, and includes priceless art pieces, two detectives by the name of Fleet, the mob, a Maltese, and a nude woman. Although Mr. Young's previous novel, Fleeting Memory, was also an Enescu Fleet mystery, this is a whole new story and every bit as riveting.

I especially appreciate Mr. Young's verbal jocularity. Along with his sharp wit, he has perhaps, just a touch of ADHD, or at least his character, John Hathaway does. John's stream's of consciousness never fail to amuse, as he can be in a precarious situation and still notice the antics around him in a clever way. The suspense is kept at a constant throughout, but what I believe places these stories above other mysteries is the humor. Fleeting Glance is another 5 star book, as far as I'm concerned.


*A paperback copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} Live from the Road by P. C. Zick

ISBN #: 978-1477451120

Page Count: 268

Copyright: June 15, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

Meg Newton and Sally Sutton seek a change in the mundane routine of their lives. "Is this all there is?" Sally asks Meg after visiting a dying friend in the hospital. That's when Meg suggests they take a journey to discover the answer. Joined by their daughters, they set off on a journey of salvation enhanced by the glories of the Mother Road. Along the way, they are joined by a Chicago blues man, a Pakistani liquor store owner from Illinois, a Marine from Missouri, a gun-toting momma from Oklahoma, and a motel clerk from New Mexico. Meg, mourning for her dead son, learns to share her pain with her daughter CC. When Sally's husband of almost thirty years leaves a voice mail telling her he's leaving, both Sally and her daughter Ramona discover some truths about love and independence.

Death, divorce and deception help to reveal the inner journey taking place under the blazing desert sun as a Route 66 motel owner reads the Bhagavad-Gita and an eagle provides the sign they've all been seeking. Enlightenment comes tiptoeing in at dawn in a Tucumcari laundromat, while singing karaoke at a bar in Gallup, New Mexico, and during dinner at the Roadkill Cafe in Seligman, Arizona. The four women's lives will never be the same after the road leads them to their hearts - the true destination for these road warriors.

Charlene's Review:

When Sally and Meg search for more meaning in their lives, they plan a trip, along with their adult daughters, along Route 66, from Chicago to Los Angeles. Along the way they meet up with others seeking their own personal enlightenment, and slowly, their entourage increases. All of the travelers are seeking a new start, or fighting their own demons. Through tears, laughter, and lots of singing, they all arrive at their destination changed.

As far as the characters, Meg resonated with me the most, throughout. Having lost a son, she was searching for a way to heal, as well as to reconnect with her surviving daughter. The daughters, CC, the aspiring talent, and Ramona, often lost in C.C.'s shadow perhaps had more to deal with than they originally thought. Sally brought to the group the not-so-logical logic; "Always go in the direction you're headed." There was a lot of emotion packed within this book, and a whole lot of fun, as well.

This was your typical "road to self" book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I, for one, am always enamored with stories about women who set out to redefine themselves, and what better way than a road trip? Ms. Zick perfectly balanced the turmoil of personal battle with light-hearted antics, and the story flowed quickly and beautifully. Meg sums up the entire journey with one quote; "I thought I might find the perfect place to escape to when I started this trip. But the thing I needed to escape most caught up with me, and it wasn't so bad after all."


*A paperback copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} Tempo Thompson and Deadly Mountain by Justin Black

ASIN #: B008N8Z06U

File Size: 766 KB

Page Count: 353

Copyright: July 19, 2012

Publisher: Justin Black

Book Summary:

(Taken from Goodreads)

The eleven-year-old, curly-haired, eye-brow raising Tempo Thompson moves to Sabrise, Michigan after leaving from the town he has known all his life. But in the shadowy streets of Sabrise lies a darker history to be discovered. The curious Tempo discovers a magical world that is inhabited by genies and gypsies. However, these magical beings are different from what Tempo has known them to be, which is for the better. With the help of his genie, he embarks in this magical world learning it's (sic) wonders and it's (sic) dangers; dangers of mass murders and kidnappings in his genie's home. Along the way, Tempo is drawn into his friends' troubles which at a point puts his life in peril.

Kathy's Review:

This book follows the same formula as many of the other YA "supernatural" novels I've read for review in the past year or so. New kid in town, makes friends with a ragtag bunch of people, has a random enemy right from the get-go, discovers something magical, gets into adventure. But this time ... the paranormal aspect is ... wait for it ... genies! Not the kind that are in the lamp, though. These genies can "fuse" with a person and perform spells and transform into animals and stuff like that.

Overall, I think this story has some good elements. I liked the characters, for the most part, although there may have been too many to keep track of. I was intrigued by the murder that took place in Tempo's home, and it seems that there is more to come with this storyline in future installments. I thought the writing was age-appropriate for the tween crowd, and the dialogue was witty and funny at times, but I strongly advise the author to go back and have a real editor read this. There are some major grammar problems throughout, words completely misused, etc. On the back cover (and on the book summary above), the word "its" is inappropriately written as "it's." Twice. Inexcusable. If you're going to take the time to self-publish, then find someone who can edit your work before you do it!

Also, the author did his own illustrations, and honestly ... they're not that great. I think I could have done these illustrations and trust me, I'm no Picasso. Look at the cover, for example. Each chapter has an illustration on the opening page, and they're about the same skill level. I seriously feel bad saying that because I know that I couldn't do any better - but I guess my point is, if you're not a bona fide artist and you want your book to have illustrations, find a bona fide artist!

I think it's time to retire this storyline. I've seen it time and time again from aspiring authors. J. K. Rowling had major success with Harry Potter, but I'd say that ship has sailed. Or, let's mix it up a bit. Let's have the school bully be the one who discovers the magic, and he uses his genie to play pranks on other kids. I don't know. Just something different.

With some professional editing, and perhaps removing some of the more over-used YA cliches in the plot, I think this has the potential to be a fun and engaging read for young readers.


*A paperback copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} The Bracelet by Roberta Gately

ISBN #: 978-1451669121

Page Count: 316

Copyright: November 6, 2012

Publisher: Gallery Books

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Newly heartbroken and searching for purpose in her life, Abby Monroe is determined to make her mark as a UN worker in one of the world's most unstable cities: Peshawar, Pakistan. But after witnessing the brutal murder of a woman thrown from a building, she is haunted by the memory of an intricate and sparkling bracelet that adorned the victim's wrist.

At a local woman's shelter, Abby meets former sex slaves who have miraculously escaped their captors. As she gains the girls' trust and documents their horrifying accounts of unspeakable pain and betrayal, she joins forces with a dashing New York Times reporter who believes he can incriminate the shadowy leader of the vicious human trafficking ring. Inspired by the women's remarkable bravery - and the mysterious reappearance of the bracelet - the duo traces evidence that spreads from remote villages of South Asia to the most powerful corners of the West, risking their lives to offer a voice to the countless innocents in bondage.

Mandy's Review:

** Slight spoiler alert in the overall section below **

Cover/Title

It's a simple title, but it does make you wonder what is so special about the bracelet. Besides being made with expensive jewels, it does provide a link and a clue to the person, or people, behind all the terribleness of what's happening in Peshawar.

I would have liked to see the cover better reflect the feel of the novel. Yes, it's to showcase the bracelet, but the woman on the cover is white. The bracelet, in the novel, was given to a woman of Pakistan and, as we are all familiar with, those women are not white. They have a beautiful brown coloring to their skin and it should have been reflected in the artwork.

Plot

We meet a lady, Abby, who has recently been broken up with and is heartbroken. To get away from things, she decides to apply for a job with the United Nations at their location in Peshawar, Pakistan. She is looking for a new direction and purpose in life and feels that this position would give her that.

During her assignment, she meets a reporter who is supposedly there to write a fluff piece about Abby. They mix like oil and water, which is to say not at all. He seems more seriously involved than Abby when it comes to the trafficking of women. Her association with the reporter causes others to feel that she is as big a danger to their 'organization' as the reporter. Her emails are gone through, her things are gone through and her whereabouts are being followed and reported to some not very nice people.

Can Abby help break up this particular band of women traffickers?

Main Characters

Abby - Heartbroken, searching for purpose, and is still in love with her ex ... although she is quickly falling for the reporter. She is too naive for my taste. It was obvious who was rummaging through her things and her emails but she chose to remain oblivious.

Nick - A New York Times reporter who arrived in Pakistan to, supposedly, write a fluff piece on a UN worker. He's really there to break the human trafficking story wide open. He's resourceful and often secretive, but completely trustworthy.

Najeela - A Pakistani woman serving as Abby's host while she's in Peshawar. Najeela is also the niece to a very wealthy distributor. She has a secret boyfriend whom she hopes to marry, which cannot happen unless her father approves.

Overall

From the book summary, I was expecting an emotional, riveting read. What I got, instead, was a light, easy read despite the seriousness of the issue being discussed.

There was also a part that I thought did not fit well with this story because it just didn't make sense to me. Abby and Nick were being threatened because of how close they were getting to revealing the trafficking organization, which is understandable. One part showed Abby being caught by her potential killer, but he just let her go. What?!! He actually had his hands on her. He spoke with her. Then he just let her go. This is supposed to be a man who is dangerous, has killed before, and he has caught one of the main people who has ruined his chance at future wealth ... and he just let her go. Not believable.

I didn't hate this book, but I probably won't read it again. I just couldn't get lost in the story.


*A paperback copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

{Blog Tour/Review} White Buffalo Gold by Adam G. Fleming

Welcome to Literary R&R's stop on Adam G. Fleming's White Buffalo Gold blog tour!

ISBN #: 978-1478187691

Page Count: 308

Copyright: September 9, 2012

Publisher: CreateSpace

About the Author:

Adam G. Fleming lives in Goshen, Indiana with his wife and four children. Adam drew on his degree in nursing and work as a CNA and LPN in the early 90s to inspire the nursing home scenes in White Buffalo Gold. Other artistic ventures include working as a sculptor and playwright. His first full-length theater production, A Pebble Among the Rocks (2010), has its World Premier run at the end of October 2012 in Edwardsburg, Michigan. A Pebble Among the Rocks is an early version of the story, which the author gradually expanded into his debut novel, White Buffalo Gold.

Along with his artistic pursuits, Adam became an arts coach working with writers and other artists, and has followed his own coaching principles to meet a lifelong dream to become an author. His clients enjoy increased vision and purpose, lifestyle balance, and freedom from writer's block.

Learn more about Adam at www.whitebuffalogold.wordpress.com. You can read a preview of White Buffalo Gold here.

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

Everyone in town believes that gold was once found in the river outside Harmony, Nebraska. Brightest of the class of 1992 but unsure what to do with her life, Emily Zimmerman stays home, compelled by her quest to find traces of the gold that put Harmony on the map. While employed in the local nursing home, Emily discovers a world of routine death, regret, and senility underlined with dark humor and the seeds of deepest hope. Meanwhile, the key to her mystery is locked inside the memory of an old man who has traveled, studied, written, and forgotten more than Emily has ever known.

Charlene's Review:

Growing up in a small town in Harmony, Nebraska, Amy, Emily, and Melissa are long-time friends that have grown up amidst the stories of found gold. When graduation nears, the girls are ready to set out for the future. All that is, except Emily. She is sure there is gold to be found and gets a job in town so that she may further her investigations. As she tries to unravel the confused ramblings of her nursing home patients, she is sure she will find the answers she is looking for.

I would probably label this as contemporary fiction, although there is a lot going on in these pages. Between Native American visions, a girl's coming-of-age story, and a sort of "six degrees of separation" this is a plot-packed story. Harmony has its share of secrets, and Emily and her friends are connected so much more than they know. I especially enjoyed the stories of the men in the nursing home and how it showed each generation's story is essential for understanding the future.

Mr. Fleming has given us a feel-good novel with genuine characters, flaws and all. Mr. Fleming focuses on broken families, aging and death, and Emily's struggle with identity, which is something all of us can identify with. When you add in quirky characters, such as Doc, who has visions of the Statue of Liberty talking to him, and the fact that everyone's story is ultimately interwoven, this is a fun, entertaining read for all ages. I also have to put a plug in for Mr. Fleming's hometown, Goshen, Indiana, which is right next door to mine. Here's hoping he puts this County on the literary map! 5 out of 5 stars.


*A physical copy of the book was provided by the tour host (Integral Agency) for the purposes of this tour and in exchange for an honest review.