Erotic Deception by Karen Cote
The feisty heroine and the handsome hero who doesn't let her pull any punches will make you giggle out loud. Oh, there's tension, romance, and mystery in Karen Cote's romance...a little bit of everything you love in a good book, but as someone who always reads with my internal editor in full swing, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself so caught up in the story, I didn't care if a comma was missing or a word echoed in the same paragraph. That, to me, is the sign of an award-winning book. If I can sit back and enjoy reading and not be distracted, then I'm a happy camper. The hyper-link title will lead you to Muse It Up Publishing where you can purchase your own copy.
Sweet Glory by Lisa Potocar
The descriptions in this book are amazingly real and emotional. I love a novel that puts me in the characters shoes, or in this case, boots, and lets me see the story through the roleplayer's eyes. Sweet Glory certainly did that for me. I cried at the misery, pain and suffering and laughed with joy of discovery, love, and hope. The breeze caressed my cheeks, the honeysuckle pleased my senses and dimmed the stench of blood and rotting limbs in the crowded hospital tents right before the hangman's noose chafed my throat. You must experience this story for yourself and present it to a young adult so they can see for themselves the difference between telling and showing a story. Kudos Lisa Potocar, you've written something wonderful.
Treat yourself to a copy of this book at Tate Publishing and available for preorder on Amazon.
…And Remember That I Am A Man - The Life of Moses Grandy by
John Bushore, is a superbly SHOWN story of a strong, humble being born as a
Negro, and is an adept portrayal of his life from childhood until death.
According to the author’s notes at the end of the novel,
this book was written with several purposes in mind…and after a great deal of
research. I didn’t have to read his narrative to know the
purposes because I’d realized them during the reading of his book. Although I’ve
long known about slavery and professed no accountability for it, this was an
eye-opening experience. Everyone
of us is most likely a descendent of someone who owned slaves and treated human
beings as property. I’ve always
considered the attitude young blacks carry as the excess baggage of their
ancestry, but I have a much better understanding of the bitterness that has
transcended time. Mr. Bushore made
Moses Grandy my new friend, and I took his treatment and betrayals very
personally.
As for the
research, I thoroughly admire Mr. Bushore for doing his homework and knowing
his subject so well. Talk about
putting a reader in the character’s shoes…I walked as a slave through every
page. I dripped with sweat at the
back-breaking work, swatted bugs in the Dismal Swamp, and cried when my babies
were sold.
The few writing issues that jumped out at my editorial eye
were minimal considering the power of the story, the emotions, and the reality
of Mr. Bushore’s descriptions. This story is definitely a keeper…if not on a
shelf, then in the back of your mind so that never again in this country will
we so devalue the worth of others simply because of the color of their skin.
As a postscript to my review, the timing of reading about
Moses was further enhanced by watching the TV program, "Who Do You Think You
Are," where three celebrities traced their roots back to slavery and were
appalled at learning their own personal family history. I so wished I could have recommended
they read Mr. Bushore’s novel. I
missed that opportunity, but I can certainly make that suggestion to everyone
who reads this. I’m definitely
going to be looking for the companion novel Boy In Chains which is a true story of the Great
Dismal Swamp. Although listed as suitable for mid-grade students through young
adults, I intend to share it with my grandson to help him learn there is no
place for prejudice in his life.
Family Secrets by Jamie Hill
The smooth flow, the natural dialogue, the realistic characters, and an attention-grabbing storyline, made me keep turning pages to find out what happened to the trusting young woman who went from babysitter to unwilling mother in one fell swoop. The detective who's investigating the disappearance of the children's father and the murder of a homeless man found in front of her apartment has the charm and appeal of any of my favorite TV characters, and I loved how their relationship developed. Family Secrets is that warm fuzzy type of book that leaves an imprint on your heart. I highly recommend it and I look forward to more in the series.
Much Ado About Marshals by Jacquie Rogers
This is my first book by Jacquie Rogers, but definitely not my last. Number One in her Hearts of Owyhee series, Much Ado About Marshals, entertained me, lifted my spirits, and kept me laughing at the crazy antics of the heroine. Of course, I didn't miss out on a minute of conflict, romance, and the cast of secondary characters who add so much to this tale, but I love how the humor influenced the writing.
Daisy Gardner is hooked on dime-store crime novels. The problem: her parents want to marry her off to someone who lives in the middle of nowhere, so how could she possibly solve crimes and emulate her heroine, Honey Beaulieu?
Daisy has her cap set on handsome, Cole Richards, a rancher who saves his friend from robbing a bank, and whom she now mistakes for the new marshal. When the real deal comes along, even though he's equally as handsome, Daisy drugs him until she can figure out who he really is. Get set for some giggling.
While the real marshal is sequestered away, Daisy tends to Cole while he heals and plans a way to make him propose. He either has to fess up and hang for a robbery in which he played no part, or assume the lawman's role and marry her. What a pickle!
The entire storyline is unique and unlike so many westerns I've read, so I truly appreciated Ms. Rogers creative mind. Don't assume because humor is involved that this book didn't take twists and turns or that there weren't some surprises in store for the reader. Kudos, Jacquie Rogers...I dug this book, and I can't wait to dig into title number two, Much Ado About Madams.
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