Ruby Silver



When I was first pitched this book, I thought that it sounded interesting and would give it a try even though it was a little outside what I tend to read. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into this book and it took me longer to finish than I had expected.

What I thought Randall Reneau did well was the main character development with respect to their professional background. All of the geological terms and mining situations seemed very realistic, which helped me with the overall plot. However, with this being possibly the third in the series, I did get much general character development, which made them all seem very flat. I was able to get an outline of what each character should be like, and I really like the old snake farmer a great deal, but I found myself wanting specific quirks or details about each one explained more or exposed.
One issue that I had with dialogue in this novel was all of the Texan colloquialisms that were used. It seemed rather heavy handed and about a third of the way through the book I began to get annoyed by them all. The main reason for this is that they were all cliques as well. For example, "like a side of beef" or "pardner", and again, overused multiple times throughout the book. I think that if half of them were taken out and something else put in their place that still helps to give a "cowboy" or "cowpoke" kind of feel it would have helped us "city folk" get into the book more.

I also think that there were some added storylines in it that were unnecessary, like the kidnapping and show down at the Forth of July mine entrance. Those types of things could have been cut out and the story would not have suffered from it. That particular example didn't really have anything to do with the main plot of the novel and sometimes you will need "to kill your Darlings" in order to make a stronger tale.

The other thing that I was a little disappointed with was the overall editing of the novel. There were dialogue quotations missing in places along with some general editing oversights. But the big problem, and this is a huge pet-peeve of mine, is the changing of point of view from first person to third person. You either need to have the courage to keep all in first person or just put it in the more common third person. In this book, all of the chapters or sections in the eyes of the main character Trace are in first person, which is a challenge because you are only able to write what he feels, sees, etc. Everything not in Trace's POV is written in third person, which is needed to understand what is going on. Unfortunately, I am an old-fashioned stickler with respect to this issue and was disappointed to see that it was a mixture of POVs.

Overall thought, I did enjoy the storyline with respect to the mob ties, etc. I thought that could have been developed more and that more action could have taken place from the get go. The start moved quite slowly, which also made it hard for me to get to the end quickly. Usually it is a better idea to start your story in the middle of something that grabs the reader and I did not really find that with this book.

I do hope that Reneau continues writing books in the series because there is a good foundation for it. For me though, I just needed a little more description and depth to become completely invested in it.

If you like trying new readers and don't mind a slower moving plot, then this book would be for you. If you need a little more action, faster plotline, and great character development then you may want to skip this book.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through Bostick Communitcations; I was not paid to give a review of this book. The image was borrowed from Good Reads.

Brush With Death: A Gray Whale Inn Mystery #5

This is the fifth book in the series and the first one that I have read, which is unfortunate because I will probably not read any of the others in the series. It had some problems right from the start that made it difficult for me to want to finish it. The only thing that drove me toward the end was the need to know that I was right about the villain.

I did think that Karen MacInerney did a good job with setting and I felt like I was really experiencing the harsh winters of Maine. Since the main portion of this tale is set on an island off of the mainland, I also thought she did a good job of showing what island life was like. For example, you could only travel to and from the island by a ferry and it would depend on the weather whether or not you could even travel that day. The other thing that she set up nicely was the artist community feel. I can imagine how cutthroat it is in the business and that would be enhanced further on a small island.

Aside from the setting, where the problems began were with the characters themselves. They all seemed quite flat and this could be partly because I have not read the other books in the series. I didn't really get a good sense of backstory for anyone except the future mother-in-law. Even then, I found it hard to believe that she would be as brazen as to just barge into people's homes unannounced, especially with how her heritage was set up. Natalie, the inn owner and main character, seemed to be a little too eager to get involved with the crimes on the island and I had a hard time believing that she would be that clueless about putting herself in danger with all of the previous sleuthing experiences she has had. The other glaring issue was with the sexuality of some of the characters. It seemed a little unnecessary to be such a main issue, especially when it did not have anything really to do with the overall storyline.

Another issue was the plot. I think that I knew who the killer was the moment they were introduced and why. That was really disappointing. Some of the little side stories seemed a little uninteresting too like the engagement ring being fake. Unless, MacInerney is setting some of these stories up for future books in the series.

Add to all of that, the numerous editing errors, this book was very difficult to follow through with. It was  a recommendation at my local library and since I am trying to find new authors to read, I gave it a chance.

If you like mysteries that are easy to figure out then you will like the book. However, if you are like me and need a little more of a challenge, then you might want to skip this one.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

I borrowed this from my local library; I was not asked to do a review of this book. The image was borrowed from Good Reads.

Homicide in Hardcover



Review: This book was on the recommended list of mystery books at my local library. I am always looking for new authors to read and add to my "Guilty Pleasures" list, cue Joanne Fluke, but this book was not as exciting as I thought it would be.

First off I need to commend Kate Carlisle for writing this entire novel in the first person. That is extremely hard to do successfully, so bravo to her for that. Having said that, I did find that at times it was hard to read. Carlisle has her main character Brooklyn almost addressing the reader at points which reminds me that I am reading this book and not actually part of it. For a book to keep my attention, I really need to be sucked in and made into an omniscient, but quiet character in the plot. If that doesn't happen, it becomes really hard for me to finish the book.

I did think that Carlisle knew all of her characters well and I loved how there was a diverse cast involved. They ranged from wealthy and conservative to eclectic and free loving. At times, there did seem to be too many characters to keep track of, but they were still all interesting. Also, there were moments when several truths came to light that I wasn't entirely sure if I was sold on the character reacting they way they did. It took away some of the realism for me.

The overall murder mystery is where I had a small amount of trouble with. At the end, I didn't really see the murderer coming, which is good, but it seemed like there wasn't a whole lot of set up for it. There was so much energy involved in developing a relationship of hate between Brooklyn and another character, that I think any subtle clues given were overlooked. Sometimes there can be too much of a red herring and that makes the story suffer a little.

Since the topic of bookbinding was foreign to me, I found that part of the story kept my interest in the plot going. I never would have thought that it would be so cutthroat a business!

However, at the end, I think that my overall feel of the book was average. I was surprised by who the killer and why that individual was the killer, but there were several other instances where I was pulled out of the story or when I had to stop and ask myself if that character would really do that.

If you like cozy little murder mysteries that end fairly neatly, then you will most likely want to check out this book. If you are looking for books that are a little more action-packed with nonstop murder, then you may want to skip this one.

Rating: 3 out of 5

I borrowed this book from my local library; I was not paid to give this review.

Image taken from Good Reads.

Carol P Roman Books

Reviews: I was sent 7 children books from this author and have decided to place all the reviews for them here. I normally do not review children books, so hopefully what I have written reviews worthy of the books.

1) "I Want To Do Yoga Too"

I thought that this book was cute, especially since I have done (or tried to do) yoga in the past. It would definitely help show kids how to do simple little moves like tree and cobra. The best part would be that they kids would be using their imaginations as well as toning their muscles. My two little guys didn't really get into this book, but I found it fun. I think that this would be appropriate for toddlers on up.

Rating: 3 out of 5

2) "Strangers on the High Seas"

This is one of two books I received that is part of the "Captain No Beard Stories". I really loved the artwork in this book. Everything was colorful and full of pirate whimsy. There were a few moments within the pages where I thought that the author, Roman, was trying to get a little "after school special" and that didn't work for me. With some of the vocabulary in this book, it may be more suited for older toddlers as well. The main thing that threw me at the end was that I didn't catch on from the start that it was a brother and cousin watching his little sister playing make-believe.

However, my two little guys loved this book and pointed out all of the animals on both of the pirate ships. It was very entertaining and I would recommend this to anyone with older toddlers and up.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

3) "The Treasure of Snake Island"

This is the other "Captain No Beard Story" that I received and it was just as fun as the first one. I thought that the artwork in this book was just as wonderful as in the first one. Everything is so colorful and I love how the story ends with books being the treasure they were all seeking. (I secretly believe books to be treasures too!).

Again, my little guys really enjoyed this one as well and I am sure we will read it more than once.

I would recommend this to anyone with older toddlers and up.

Rating: 4 out of 5

4) "If You Were Me and Lived in Turkey"
5) "If You Were Me and Lived in India"
6) "If You Were Me and Lived in Norway"
7) "If You Were Me and Lived in Kenya"

I am lumping my review for each of these books in this series together because I found that my reaction was the same for each one. Overall, I thought that they were all very informative and had nice artwork. Sometimes the art was rather dark and details were not there like in Roman's "Captain No Beard Stories". Also, since she wanted to get SO much information into each book, some artwork was covered up by lines and lines of content. Most of the time, the books covered their countries very well, but it seemed like Norway was centered mostly on the "Ice Hotel" and little else.

My two little guys lost interest about halfway through the first one that I tried to read to them, so I don't recommend these books to younger kids. I think that kids in first or second grade may find these books rather interesting.

Rating: 3 out of 5

I was given copies of these books by the author; I was not paid to give these reviews.

The Hanging Tree



Review: This will be the third piece I have read and reviewed for Michael Phillip Cash and I thought that it was a very interesting little novella. It took only a few hours to read and it had a few twists that made it seem a little more of an original take on the classic ghost story.

What I really liked about this piece were all the different characters that were part of the history on "The Hanging Tree". I think that the old woman was probably my favorite and seemed to be the most fleshed out of all of them. She had a great deal of black humor, which drove the story forward for me. Without Goody Bennett I don't really know if I would have enjoyed the novella as much.

The weakest part of the piece was really the overly done beautiful but virginal girl not willing to give into carnal desires with her handsome, popular boyfriend. All this, of course, takes place on lover's lane with evil lurking within the branches of the big tree above them. For this storyline to be successful in any way, it needs to stray away from that and not come across as a warning to all young girls about premarital sex.

I think that Cash had a new take on part of that storyline by having the ghosts within the tree become active players. He brings each of their storylines through their eyes instead of having some other main character retell them like a history of the area. Sometimes, however, there are places in the novella where the point of view of these ghosts get blurred and does create a small amount of confusion while reading.

Outside of some editing issues with respect to typos and chapter cut-offs/beginnings, I thought it was a rather easy read. Anyone that enjoys a simple ghost story during a rainy night would enjoy this book. But if you prefer to be scared out of your mind while reading ghost stories, you may want to skip this one. I didn't find it all that scary.

Rating: 3 out of 5

I was given a copy by the author for an honest review via Bostick Communications; I was not paid to do this review.

Image was taken from www.goodreads.com

Lawgivers

Lawgivers - A fast-paced, dystopian techno-thriller novel exploring the fight for freedom in a complex near-future

SEATTLE -- Author Chris Kohout combines high technology, swordplay, and social commentary to create a rich story of a biotech firm out of control and the rogue attorney seeking to bring them down in Lawgivers.

Published by Unbound Reality, the novel opens in our near future. Law enforcement has evolved. Attorneys are judge, jury and executioner in one. Police officers are free to investigate, interrogate and apprehend at will. Working together in pairs, they are called Lawgivers.

Like all attorneys, Sarah Jordan delivers justice with a katana blade. Moderate offenses result in the telltale scar of a Lawgiver sword through the palm. More serious crimes end with a blade through the heart.

When a young girl stumbles into their office after witnessing her father’s murder, Sarah and her cop partner Robert seek the murderer but soon find they’re on the trail of a vast conspiracy revolving around a new drug that vaccinates against all genetic diseases. Going up against its creator, Integrated Life Sciences, would be the case of a lifetime.

But against ILS and its shadowy backers, even the law offers little protection.

Review: I thought that this book had a really interesting premise with the Attorneys deciding the ultimate fate of the clients they take on. However, at times I had a hard time believing the scenario that they would even be allowed to be given all of that power. In the very beginning of the novel, Sarah kills a man that is being sent to an alternate universe, but does not really suffer any consequences for her actions. Even in a world such as this one, it would seem that she would still need to be held accountable for the murder after sentencing had been given. There also seems to be a lack of overall law in the novel, which makes it hard for me to see it as real. The "evil" in the storyline seems to have a very easy time getting away with things like murder, corruption, and other situations that are related to the pharmaceutical approval processes.

What I thought that the author Chris Kohout did very well was his characterization. Most of the main characters were very well fleshed out and I instantly connected with Sarah. I also thought the back story was well developed for Sarah as well. There is spot in my heart for individuals that take the hard road, not because they want to be different, but because it is the right road to take. Even if they know that it will cause them to lose that what matters most to them. There were a few of the "evil" characters that could have been fleshed out a little more, only because they have quite a few scenes in which they are a part of.

Looking at the novel from a editing point of view, there were a few areas that could have used a little help. There were a few areas where some typos happened. I think that every time that the word "God" was used, it should be capitalized. All the times it was mentioned herein the novel it was left lowercase, but the connotation that I got from its usage made me feel like it should have been treated like a proper name. Point of View of each section seemed to be difficult at times to follow, which is the place that I had the most trouble with. Sometimes it would jump to a different person for maybe two paragraphs and then go back to the character that started the scene. I'm old school in my thinking about this issue compared to most. The novel would have been a smoother read if it had stayed with third person limited for each section. All the information given was needed, but a story can be made stronger at times with the "show don't tell" homage. Lastly, the other pet-peeve that I have is when every sentence is started with "she", "he", "they", etc. It makes the flow choppy and repetitive in nature. 

Overall, I thought that this was a nice novel with a little bit of everything in it: mystery, murder, corruption, family, and a little of science fiction. At times the POV seems a little confusing making to story feel like it is not complete. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys futuristic mystery fiction. Those who like a tighter storyline that doesn't seem rushed at the end may not enjoy this book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

I was given a copy of this novel by the author for an honest review, I was not paid to give my review. (Pitched by Bostik Communications)

The Boleyn King

For some reason I have always been fascinated with King Henry XIII and the whole Anne Boleyn story, so when I saw the library recommendation for this book, I knew that I had to read it. What was intriguing about this piece is the "What If?" scenario presented. What if Anne Boleyn's son had survived at birth and she was never executed for her adulterous crimes? Would the outcome still be the same with Elizabeth being crowned Queen in her lifetime?

This novel is seen through the eyes of several different individuals, but one seemed to stand out above the rest. Elizabeth, as written by Laura Andersen, was very well done. She had the independence and hardness that I have come to love about her. Also, her wit is still in tact within this piece, which is equally important. However, I also enjoyed the way that William seemed to be a polar opposite of Elizabeth with his love of grandeur and free spirit. Andersen tried to encompass Henry XIII lust for life within William, but I would have like to see just a little more wit and little less anger for him. Andersen does create a character that seems to be the peace keeper of the bunch. Dominic is the son of a prior traitor, but was brought into the Tudor household and trust by Henry XIII. William considers him to be more than a friend, giving a title for his service as a soldier in the king's army. I enjoyed the parts of the story through his eyes, but they read like a young man's diary in which he was writing daily about the young woman he was pining for but could not have.

The only character I don't know that I was entirely sold on was that of Minuette and unfortunately, the majority of the story is told through her eyes. She is the daughter of Anne Boleyn's servant that was born on the same night that William was and is brought up within the Tudor household. Looked upon as family, she ends up as Elizabeth's head servant and ends up in a love triangle with William and Dominic. Andersen, however, does not really do a good job of explaining why she is so sexually sought after. Some of the situations and decisions that Minuette made throughout the plot seemed a little unbelievable and that hurt the plot for me.

Andersen also added in a murder mystery to the story, which is the primary focus of her piece. Minuette's roommate appears to have committed suicide, but it turns out she was actually murdered. It is centered on a secret that could possibly take away William's birthright to be king. Without this part of the plot, I am not certain that the piece would have help my interest. It helped with establishing a genuine conflict and climax for her novel, but parts of it seemed a little farfetched with respect to Minuette's role. I don't want to put any spoilers in her, so I am going to leave this intentionally a little vague. However, I will say that apart from that there were some nice, unexpected twists that I did enjoy as evidence was brought to light.

Overall, I thought that this was a very quick and rather interesting read, especially with the added murder mystery. If it had been just another retelling of the time period, it would have been extremely boring, but Andersen did a rather good job of keeping me an active reader. There are a few historical inaccuracies along with some small editing errors, but they don't seem to deter from the story telling that Andersen is able to accomplish. It may have roused my curiosity just enough, that I may need to eventually read the other books in the series.

If you enjoy historical fiction that does not keep to the exact confines of the period and incorporates some things that may be historically inaccurate, then this book would be a good choice. However, if you are a stickler for details and those inaccuracies would keep you from enjoying the book, then I would suggest skipping this one.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4

This book was borrowed from my local library; I was not asked to do a review of this book.

Image was taken from Good Reads.