tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10794419846158699172024-03-13T08:46:39.307-04:00Chrystal's CornerBOOK REVIEWS - Rants, Raves, Reviews, and MoreAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-14462930353538952072013-11-15T20:50:00.001-05:002013-11-17T12:17:24.286-05:00The Best Man Holiday just happens to be the best movie of the holiday – A sequel well worth the wait.<p>Chrystal Dorsey Movie Rating: ★★★★ <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yWEiqqJoFcs/UobPSxUDi3I/AAAAAAAAArE/ObXtUS3mnXg/s1600-h/Best%252520man%252520holiday%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Best man holiday" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Best man holiday" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ACOJpp0ABgY/UobPTVkOHMI/AAAAAAAAArI/rwLwIBuOIH4/Best%252520man%252520holiday_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="229" height="229"></a> <p>Fans and newcomers will be eagerly delighted to see, "The Best Man Holiday," Malcolm D. Lee's sequel to his 1999's "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168501/">The Best Man</a>," reunites the original i<i>ncredibly talented ensemble cast; </i>including: <a href="hhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004793/">Monica Calhoun</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004820/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Morris Chestnut</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004875/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Taye Diggs</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0356021/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Regina Hall</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005024/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2">Terrence Howard</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005125/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Sanaa Lathan</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000505/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Nia Long</a>, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0674782/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1">Harold Perrineau</a>. The film picks up 15 years later from the original, when the college friends reunite for the Christmas holiday. However, in this segment …<i> </i>The Dramedy<b> -</b> romantic comedy-drama -styled<b> </b>film will cause moviegoers to double over with gut bursting laughter – produce tears in their eyes – and at the same time tug warmly at one’s heart as relationships, friendships, and the devastation of life, is truly tested. <i></i> <p>Although it is 15 years later, there is still quite a bit of <i>Unfinished Business</i> – Harper’s first book title, that caused a stir in the first movie – because there are some tales to be told, juicy secrets to reveal, and unfortunately more hurt and healing to take place with this group of close-knit friends. Surprisingly, some of those old flames may not yet be extinguished as once thought, and may very well be re-kindled. <b></b> <p>Bitter resentment and grudges flare up once again, and it’s possible the grip may be too tight for forgiveness and relationship may crumble beyond repair. <p>Quentin is [still] ridiculously funny and right on point with his life’s logic; Selby is [still] and always will be Selby, but there will be some interesting surprises with her character; ladies will enjoy L boogie’s shirtlessness but may find his issues a bit more trying to handle; and as far as, Harper, Jordan, and their respective spouses – Robyn & Brian there will of course be some serious conflict. But most surprisingly perhaps will be Julian and Candance as some rather intimate and juicy secrets are revealed, which cause a serious upheaval within the mix. <p>This is not a click flick, nor is it a Black film. It is a film that is truly entertaining for male and female alike, and it is definitely a universal film that has no racial boundaries. So, if you’d like to label or even consider it as a cross-over movie, do so, I just know it’s a movie most movie goers can and will enjoy; as it is truly and utterly entertaining. <p>Closing note: One of the best elements about this sequel, it works outstandingly well as a stand-alone; so if you haven’t seen its predecessor, <i>The Best Man</i> – truly worth seeing – you will not find yourself in the dark, wondering what happen in the first film. But don’t deprive yourself, be certain to see both movies, and it does not matter what order you see them in. However, I suggest grabbing a ticket and going to see the newer movie today; afterwards, check out, <i>The Best Man</i>. It’s a win-win in movie entertainment. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-15568464012510675212013-03-23T01:36:00.000-04:002013-03-23T01:58:18.817-04:00The Man in 3B<p><i>Meet Darryl Graham, or as his new neighbors call him, <b>The Man in 3B</b>. Darryl’s new to the Jamaica, Queens building, but from day one he’s made quite an impression on his neighbors. </i> <p>Best-selling author Carl Weber<b> </b>returns with <b><i>The Man in 3B</i></b>, an explosive drama that has almost as many twists and turns as The Stelvio<b> </b>Pass, in Italy. <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2ZJHsMKII3o/UU1BPeETfPI/AAAAAAAAAZg/bSqVvyR1pG4/s1600-h/The%252520Man%252520in%2525203B.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="The Man in 3B" border="0" alt="The Man in 3B" align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-76sZAyjBCGQ/UU1BP9ly7XI/AAAAAAAAAZk/qIuvMehKpc4/The%252520Man%252520in%2525203B_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="167" height="244"></a>Drawing from his years of experience Weber utilizes his typical flair to create lifelike characters with extreme care & accuracy. And <b><i>The Man in 3B</i></b> is no exception. The main character(s) featured in this mysterious tale include: Daryl, he has a down-to-earth personality and is irresistibly attractive with swag to match. He is new to the Jamaica Queens apartment building and a bit of a mystery to the neighbors who are in awe of him and seek to be in his presence on a daily basis. Connie, is an unsatisfied, unhappy overweight wife struggling to fix her crumbling marriage to Avery – after a few one-on-one sessions with Daryl, she begins to question if her marriage is even worth saving. Benny, a teenager on the vague to adulthood gets caught up in his fascination with Daryl, and looks to him as a role model. But this new found relationship has him faced with challenging uncertainties. Krystal is a blast from Daryl’s past. Their reunion has her debating her choices – and as her past and present worlds collides – her loyalty to her current man is also uncertain. And then there’s Avery, Connie’s husband – the king of selfishness and emotional cruelty. His greed is his sole focus. He has literally tossed his wife aside and no longer desires to be with her, that is, until he notices the amount of time she’s spending with the new neighbor. <p>In this suspenseful drama, the first-person POV narrative duties are shared by four of the aforementioned main characters, along with Nancy the unofficial 109th Street anchorwoman of gossip and long standing member of the Jamaica Queens Stoop Crew – aka the official gossips of the apartment building. Assisting Nancy are two of her trusty sidekicks – her investigative reporter, Lily and her weather girl, Bertha. The women of this New York block manage to keep loads of drama stirred-up and spread more gossip than the National Enquirer could ever hope to do. This captivating mystery is quite intriguing, yet light-hearted enough to provide the reader with sheer entertainment. <p>Daryl Graham is an adorned charismatic man, who is irresistible to women and is envied by most of the men – he has something everyone wants – and in an effort to get it – they willingly gravitate to him like moths to a flame. Everything seems to be going well, until someone is murdered, and everyone becomes a suspect. <p>In this page turner of a whodunit, betrayals and plot twists run rapid with some rather shocking results…<b><i>The Man in 3B</i></b>, with all of it’s fascinating conspiracies and character-driven suspense, is quite engaging. Weber’s talented writing skills and gifted storytelling expertly nudges readers through an unfolding mystery, until he ultimately steers them to an utterly shocking finale that will satisfy an avid reader’s palette. <p><strong><em></em></strong> </p> <p><strong><em>The Man In 3B</em></strong> by Carl Weber<br>Genre: Fiction | Hardcover: 336 pages<br>Publication Date: January 29, 2013<br>Publisher: Grand Central Publishing<br>ISBN-13: 978-1455505265</p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-22443918680868693712013-02-20T19:50:00.000-05:002013-02-21T18:54:59.393-05:00A Deeper Love Inside - The Porsche Santiaga Story <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N90EAR6HQ7k/UQr81376JJI/AAAAAAAAAT4/uOFoiRTjL08/s1600/A%2BDeeper%2BLove%2BInside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N90EAR6HQ7k/UQr81376JJI/AAAAAAAAAT4/uOFoiRTjL08/s320/A%2BDeeper%2BLove%2BInside.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="105" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Fans of acclaimed writer,
Sister Souljah have waited with much anticipation for thirteen years for a
sequel to <i>The Coldest Winter Ever</i> – the tale of Winter Santiaga, a
realistic coming-of-age story of debauchery. Winter is a spoiled, pampered,
ruthless hood rat. She is attracted to
power, intolerant of those without it; she deceives and steals from those who
help her. Winter's obsession with money, possessions and appearances, along
with her refusal to change has led her down a path of no return.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Now 13 yrs later, the wait is
over as Sister Souljah returns to the Santiaga family to write this unforgettable
gritty coming-of-age story in the words of young Porsche Santiaga.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A Deeper Love inside</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> opens
with ten-year old Porsche Santiaga serving time in a juvenile-prison for
attempted murder. The narrative proceeds
to take readers on a journey </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">that will be very difficult to forget. It is a story of a shrewd quick-witted young
girl, wise and clever beyond her years, adjusting to having had things handled
for her and with the world at her fingertips to one of survival and hardship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While in lock up Porsche is force to
physically defend herself from the attacks of jealous inmates, that envy her beauty, hair and ability to dance. Although she is running her own successful
hustle, she is recruited by Riot the leader of the Diamond Needle gang. With
Riot's help she learns to act smarter and fight with her brain instead of her
fists. And during all of this, Porsche
is more motivated than ever to reunite with the family she hasn't seen or heard
from since the authorities seized her from their house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When the opportunity presents
itself, Porsche returns to Long Island only to find that the beautiful world
she once knew and loved is no more. The
mansion she once called home is occupied by another family, her father is still
serving a life sentence, and the fate of her other family members is unknown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Apart from Riot, Porsche
encounters some very interesting and well-developed characters along the way,
each with a little bit to offer her in life lessons - some good and some
not-so-good. For instance Riot, the leader
of the Diamond Needle gang, teaches her how to have patience and plan. Lil’Man aka Angel, who killed a stranger that violently raped
and impregnated Angel’s mother, taught her about getting even on a different
level; Warden Strickland taught her not to trust people in authority. NanaAnna taught her how to </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">grow, prepare, and
cook healthy foods.
Mr. Sharp - a wealthy businessman taught her how to form alliances while
helping her empire grow. And her mother
taught her the hardest lesson of all, which readers will find between the pages
of <b><i>A Deeper Love Inside</i></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Due to the multitude of devastation
inflicted on her fragile adolescent psyche while in foster care and
juvenile-prison, Porsche develops a disorder and becomes unusually attached to
her newly acquired friends, Siri and Ivory and holds tightly to them throughout
the story. And it’s through Siri that
she meets Elisha Immanuel, a brilliant young soon-to-be movie director with
whom she will be able to find and feel <b><i>A Deeper Love Inside</i></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Readers that may be wondering
if </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A
Deeper Love Inside</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> lives up to <i>The Coldest Winter Ever</i>; which it does despite being a somewhat
different tale. W</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">hereas Winter grows
into a cold self absorbed thoughtless
and uncaring *itch, Porsche grows from a
beautiful, angry, vulnerable girl who fought to survive into a gorgeous, loving,
and enchanting young lady living at peace.
<b><i>A Deeper Love Inside </i></b>is an endearing tale.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sister Souljah is a successful
political activist and educator of underclass youth. Her national bestseller <i>The Coldest Winter
Ever</i>, considered the definitive novel of the hip-hop generation, marked her
fiction debut; she is also the author of a memoir entitled <i>No Disrespect</i>. She lives in Jersey City with her husband and
son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I would recommend this book to readers
wanting a riveting, gritty, yet touching story.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">However, due to some language this book may not be appropriate for
readers under the age of sixteen.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A Deeper Love Inside - The Porsche Santiaga
Story </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">by
Sister Souljah<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Genre<b>: Fiction </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Publisher<b>: Emily Bestler Books - Atria
Books </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Publication Date<b>: January 29, 2013</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey<b><i> </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=theul04-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1439165319&IS1=1&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=FFFFFF&bg1=FFFFFF&npa=1&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-27392426760434254352013-01-15T23:09:00.000-05:002013-01-15T23:27:25.318-05:00The Secret Keeper<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ai1QgGmP-ZE/UPYmheMNmaI/AAAAAAAAATc/njEBxEe_AM4/s1600/The+Secret+Keeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ai1QgGmP-ZE/UPYmheMNmaI/AAAAAAAAATc/njEBxEe_AM4/s320/The+Secret+Keeper.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
<i>In the summer of 1961, during a family celebration at their Green Acres farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
<i>Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres Farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
<i>Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England, through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined.</i></div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
In her spellbinding new novel,<em><strong> The Secret Keeper</strong></em>, Gothic novelist Kate Morton spins a family mystery over half a century. Laurel, her three sisters, and her young brother, Gerry, gather in the days after their mother’s ninetieth birthday, to nurse her in the final weeks of her life in a London hospital. They work to fit together the pieces of a complicated puzzle of Dorothy Nicholson’s childhood to the days prior to her death. Laurel embarks on a desperate search for the truth about her mother’s past where everyone seems to have something to hide. One photograph, of her mother and a woman Laurel has never met, called Vivien—an heiress who was also orphaned when a car crash claimed her parents and siblings in Australia—is her first clue.</div>
<div style="margin: 5px;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: century gothic, Arial, verdana, sans-serif;">Rich with detail and lyrical prose, this novel explores longings and dreams, the lengths some people will go to fulfill them, and the strange consequences they sometimes have. </span><em style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif;"><strong> The Secret Keeper</strong></em><span style="font-family: century gothic, Arial, verdana, sans-serif;"> is captivating with its story of vivid and visceral characters that are lovers, friends, dreamers and schemers—it is deception told against a backdrop of events that changed the world, and the lives of some its complex characters. One woman believes being with a brutally cruel man is her penance for something she did as a child, while another woman is in awe of the first, who she assumes lives a charmed life, and conquers a one-sided friendship—yet becomes angry and disillusioned when her unrequited comradeship isn't acknowledged. Her envy and an unrealistic sense of entitlement help fuel her own anger, which ignites an unfounded grudge that is sprinkled with a few grains of greed. And then there is the man in both of their lives, the innocent photographer who, because of love, gets caught up in a web of deceit and a sordid plot that may not only cause him to lose the love of his life, but may very well cost him his life.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; margin: 5px;">
<span style="font-size: 13px;">This is an intriguing tale that not only entertains, but compels readers to diligently flip through page after enticing page to uncover the details of Dorothy’s mysterious past. When one mystery is uncovered, another puzzling incident arises.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
<em><strong>The Secret Keeper</strong></em> will have readers rooting for and sympathizing with certain characters; however, as some dreadfully shocking details and disturbing character flaws are revealed, it may cause those very same readers to feel a sense of betrayal for the compassion they allowed themselves to feel for the undeserving. In spite of everything, readers will no doubt enjoy this book as they grow to hate a character or two, while they continue to read, just to see if he or she gets what’s coming to them.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
Morton’s novels aren’t necessarily formulaic, but they do all seem to follow a similar pattern. Present day characters run across a clue or two that makes them suddenly keen to delve into their family history, about which they were strangely incurious—and in this particular novel the formula does seem to apply: a daughter’s curiosity about her mother’s past is triggered by an old photograph and the mystery ensues as the story alternates between 2011 and 1941.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'century gothic', Arial, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 5px;">
Most writers attempt to entertain readers and some writers attempt to convey a story. Then there is the rare group of writers who manage to tell an interesting story that entertains the reader. The latter is my take on Kate Morton—I must admit I enjoyed the writing style she lends to this story; she is a gifted writer with excellent literary poise which enhances the storyline with astonishing regularity.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-68706737795383026412012-11-30T14:00:00.000-05:002014-06-19T10:09:59.112-04:00Two Tickets To The Christmas Ball<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R_3WoO2tXcs/U6Lujd_5Y_I/AAAAAAAAAyI/IXOYZ8uQy78/s1600/Two+Tickets+to+the+Christmas+Ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R_3WoO2tXcs/U6Lujd_5Y_I/AAAAAAAAAyI/IXOYZ8uQy78/s1600/Two+Tickets+to+the+Christmas+Ball.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">This story is focused on and aimed toward Christians, and the overtones may appear a bit preachy at times. All and all, it is a s</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">weet, charming, and predictable Christmas romance with a touch of fantasy - Harlequin Romance meets a Harry Potter illusion</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> A cutesy book for the holiday season. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-89895900542827604162012-11-18T21:03:00.000-05:002012-11-18T21:03:47.016-05:00Imperfect Bliss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c87a40Pit8k/UKmQXpSgjWI/AAAAAAAAASY/5z3CsygA_oA/s1600/Imperfect+Bliss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c87a40Pit8k/UKmQXpSgjWI/AAAAAAAAASY/5z3CsygA_oA/s1600/Imperfect+Bliss.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Reality
TV—</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <i>Jane Austen Style</i> </span></b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Meet the Harcourts of Chevy Chase, Maryland. A
respectable middle-class, middle-age, mixed-race couple, Harold and Forsythia
have four eminently marriageable daughters—or so their mother believes.
Forsythia named her girls after Windsor royals in the hopes that one day each
would find her true prince. But princes are far from the mind of their
second-born daughter, Elizabeth (AKA Bliss), who, in the aftermath of a messy
divorce, has moved back home and thrown herself into earning her PhD. All that
changes when a Bachelorette-style reality television show called The
Virgin takes Bliss’s younger sister, Diana as its star. Though she fights
it at first, Bliss can’t help but be drawn into the romantic drama that ensues;
forcing her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about love, her
family, and herself. Fresh and engaging, Imperfect Bliss is a
wickedly funny take on the ways that courtship and love have changed—even as </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">they've</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> stayed the same.</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At
first glance some readers may compare <b><i>Imperfect Bliss</i></b> to a modern
re-make of "Pride and Prejudice," due to the silliness of it all, and
because of its noticeable similarities with the Jane Austen classic - strong
heroines, men who are not what they seem, meddling parental figures, and
romantic twists. It is indeed somewhat
of a parody - both of Jane Austen's world and of a more contemporary one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> In this humorous tale, Susan managers to cover
everything from the pressure from families to 'marry well', to bouncing back
from divorce. In addition, the book
addresses the ridiculousness behind Reality TV and its impact on family,
relationships and society. <b><i>Imperfect
Bliss</i></b> is basically an aged-old case of a mother wanting to live
vicariously through her children - while pretending to be more than she is,
while pushing her daughters to marry at any cost - as long as they marry
someone with money and a title that is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The<b><i>
</i></b>storyline of <b><i>Imperfect Bliss</i></b> explores three separate love
triangles that revolve around the three oldest Harcourt daughters. Diana is smothered with rich admirers while
in reality only two men really catch her eye. Victoria, the eldest, is torn between marrying
the man her mother approves of and a secret forbidden lover. Lastly, Bliss is tempted by Wyatt, the
charming and witty TV host, and Dario, the aloof but caring executive
producer. And then there's Charlotte,
the youngest of the four sisters, who desperately tries to steal the spot light
with her less than lady-like demeanor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 27.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At
the center of the story is Bliss Harcourt – hence the title <b><i>Imperfect
Bliss</i></b>. Bliss is a head strong, divorced mother of four-year-old Bella, living
at home with her parents. After her
failed marriage, she returned to graduate school in hopes of becoming a
professor, and finally moving away from her controlling mother – who </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">fantasizes
about infiltrating the British throne</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. She finds the antics of her over-bearing
mother less than admirable and even deplorable at times, although she may not
respect her mother's twisted thinking of living whitely ever after - she loves
her Mum; because in the end, Forsythia loved her to the point of
self-abasement. However, prior to Bliss
being able to come to such a profound enlighten assessment of her mother’s parental
love and self sacrifice; Bliss's imperfect life is turned upside down by her sister,
Diana, and her sudden TV fame as the star of the reality TV show "The
Virgin" with a shameless tagline of: ‘where wealthy men compete to capture
her heart, hand in marriage, and hymen.’ </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While Bliss and her father are horrified as
well as offended that Diana’s chastity will be auctioned for television ratings,
Diana and Forsythia are ecstatic beyond belief. Yet, as entertaining as it may
appear, the foolishness of the reality TV show is basically the sub-plot to the
real plot, which is Bliss’ reluctance to allow true love into her life. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With
an ideal balance of humor, wit and important social commentary, Susan
Fales-Hill's <b><i>Imperfect Bliss</i></b> is sure to be a reading staple on bedside
tables everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imperfect
Bliss</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> l<b><i> </i></b></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">by Susan Fales-Hill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Genre<b>:
Dramatic Humor</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Publisher<b>:
Atria Books</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Publication
Date<b>: July 3, 2012</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey</span><br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-54698884612468943222012-10-18T19:25:00.003-04:002012-10-23T21:44:49.537-04:00Attorney-Client Privilege <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q519WthKpxc/UH-HLN5Ys0I/AAAAAAAAARU/z9XWtygON8o/s1600/Attorney-Client+Privilege.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q519WthKpxc/UH-HLN5Ys0I/AAAAAAAAARU/z9XWtygON8o/s1600/Attorney-Client+Privilege.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Book Cover: A brutal murder, missing documents and an unscrupulous opposing counsel lead </span><span class="il" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">attorney </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Vernetta Henderson on a quest for justice—and ultimately—revenge. The hotshot L.A. lawyer takes on a corporation with a long history of discriminating against women. While Vernetta simply wants justice for her </span><span class="il" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">clients</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">, the corporation’s hired gun wants to win . . . and she doesn't care how. On the home front, Vernetta’s infamous sidekick Special has finally found true love. But is the price more than she’s willing to pay?</span></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Pamela Samuels Young is back with
another legal thriller, </span><b style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Attorney-Client Privilege </i></b><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">the fourth
in a series.</span><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Unlike many legal
thrillers, which suffer from excess verbiage or a tautology of legal plotting, Young's
legal expertise transpires her fiction writing into a smooth, uncomplicated
form of entertainment.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">This legal thriller, focusing on how
an indirect complex pair of cases affects two attorneys, blue collar workers, a
sports figure, law enforcement and criminals alike, and the reader has the
opportunity to get caught up in every intriguing detail.</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When the Los Angeles Legends’ star
wide receiver, Lamarr ‘The Hero’ Harrison is accused of a crime as horrendous
as rape and a 2 million dollar civil suit is filed by a less than forthcoming
plaintiff, the pressure is on to uncover the truth and clear his name. Lamarr needs the best attorney his fame and
money can afford, but the best attorney, Vernetta Henderson, has grown weary of
her client’s inappropriate behavior of locker-room antics that continue to cast
a shadow of doubt over his already questionable character and jeopardize their
chance for a not guilty verdict. As the
d<span style="background: white;">efense attorney Vernetta's job is not just to
get her client off, but to avoid the indictment that will destroy his
livelihood and good name.<span class="apple-converted-space"> Did star
football player Lamar rape stripper and sports groupie, Tonisha Cosby or were
his advances misunderstood and she’s just looking for an easy payday from a
sports figure trying to save his reputation?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">However, in another unrelated case,
that of a sexual discrimination suit against Big Buy, a major store chain – was
one Vernetta eagerly looked forward to as an easy win that could be settled out
of court, becomes increasingly important as the star plaintiff is murdered
before the case even goes to trial. But
the murder wasn’t the only obstacle Vernetta had to overcome, as luck would
have it, she would once again be facing the most annoying opposing counsel
she’d ever had the displeasure of engaging in legal warfare with. And not even an astute learnt attorney such as
Vernetta could anticipate the storm of legal maneuvers and underhanded
practices that await her as she goes up against the very low-down devious
lawyer she recently lost her civil case to, none other than attorney Girlie
Courtez - self titled to match her attitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Once the Big Buy trial is underway,
Girlie quickly learns that she not only has to defend the actions of her
client, but finds herself in conflict with her less-than-forthcoming and
suspicious boss, Rita Kimble Richards, CEO of Big Buy, and surprisingly, when
the legitimacy of the discrimination suit is questioned, the dark sequence of a
family's history is uncovered.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In the midst of
horrific acts of murder, mayhem, and intrigue Young skillfully weaves in a love
story </span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">and
allows a few of her characters to explore religious difference and tolerance and
the profound impact it can have on a relationship, as with Special Sherlene
Moore – Vernetta’s infamous sidekick who believes she has finally found the true
love of her life in Clayton a newly converted Muslim, but Special soon finds herself in a struggle with the
newly adopted Islamic faith she is required to convert to in order to become a
good Muslim wife, the celibacy requirement of the order, her own personal dream
of becoming a license private investigator, and her unwillingness to become
subservient to her husband or any other man.
Coincidentally, as deep as it may sound, the religious subject matter is
anything but overbearing within the storyline and manages to touch upon the
importance of a husband and wife to-be, to share the same or similar religious
beliefs, less they will discover the serious strain it can have on the marital
union as a whole.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In the end, the whole novel thing is about story;
and Young tells a story in a way that transports the reader to a new place of
experience through the illusion of the characters life taking place on the page<s>
</s>Pamela Samuels Young provides a skillful
observation on the tilted individuals working within the legal system,
including a few persons in law enforcement. T</span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">he crisp dialogue as well as the narrative
twists keeps the storyline astounding; but </span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">what
makes this novel standout is not just the excitement of the plot but the
animosity of Girlie, a tigress of an attorney with a reputation of unscrupulous
behavior and unethical practices. <b><i>Attorney-Client
Privilege</i></b></span><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
is an exciting and memorable story of how the law is interpreted/practiced,
colleagues, clients, family and deception which explores the drive and greed of
individuals and the unexpected consequences these traits can sometimes produce.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: left; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/?ui=2&ik=f1cbdbd885&view=att&th=13a69da90e002c82&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Pamela Samuels Young" border="0" height="200" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/?ui=2&ik=f1cbdbd885&view=att&th=13a69da90e002c82&attid=0.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" width="132" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">PAMELA SAMUELS YOUNG </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">is a practicing <span class="il">attorney</span>, whose fast-paced legal thrillers tackle law and crime. Her novels include <i><span class="il">Attorney</span>-<span class="il">Client</span> <span class="il">Privilege</span></i>, <i>Murder on the Down Low</i> and <i>Buying Time.</i> A former television news writer, Pamela is a graduate of USC, Northwestern University and UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall School of Law. Pamela currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime, an organization dedicated to the advancement of women mystery writers.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 15pt;">Visit Pamela’s website at </span><a href="http://www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 15pt;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #154a7f; text-decoration: none;">www.pamelasamuelsyoung.com</span></b></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 15pt;">.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-90797728076988389852012-10-12T20:49:00.000-04:002012-10-12T20:49:58.912-04:00Author Davidae "Dee" Stewart - Miranda Parker<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6nT5T_8XpIE/UHi5lc-KGCI/AAAAAAAAAQU/BiLJHNVXNII/s1600/Dee+with+books+on+each+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6nT5T_8XpIE/UHi5lc-KGCI/AAAAAAAAAQU/BiLJHNVXNII/s640/Dee+with+books+on+each+side.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-obituaries/davidae-dee-stewart-39-wrote-books-as-miranda-park/nSZKn/" target="_blank">Author Miranda Parker Succumbs to Heart Disease </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Click link above to read AJC (Atlanta Journal Constitution) article on this gifted author.</div>
Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-30814431747201291452012-10-09T20:17:00.000-04:002012-10-09T20:20:02.950-04:00The Literary World Says Goodbye to Author Davidae "Dee" Stewart aka Miranda Parker<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></strong></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pWmRL7jpVo4/UHS-V_GD1KI/AAAAAAAAARE/Zf4wc0LNSio/s1600/Dee+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pWmRL7jpVo4/UHS-V_GD1KI/AAAAAAAAARE/Zf4wc0LNSio/s320/Dee+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><br /></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Davidae Y. Stewart</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #0c0c0c; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">, affectionately known as Dee, passed away on Friday, October 5, 2012. Dee battled lupus and peripartum cardiomyopathy, a rare heart disorder, gracefully to the end. Stewart was an active supporter of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement to raise awareness about women's heart health. Stewart realized how important it was to educate herself and other women about the risk factors and warning signs of heart disease. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Black-Pearls-Goodbye-to-Davidae-Y--Stewart-.html?soid=1101679750136&aid=I6Ud5mgNN-c" target="_blank">Read Full Tribute Here</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-28408228024054968522012-09-27T15:07:00.002-04:002014-03-25T10:52:46.241-04:00Pig by Sbr Martin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KbUcFIYqC1o/UGSiRC0NTYI/AAAAAAAAAPk/BbWa2Z3gCIg/s1600/Pig+book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KbUcFIYqC1o/UGSiRC0NTYI/AAAAAAAAAPk/BbWa2Z3gCIg/s1600/Pig+book+cover.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With a title like<i style="font-weight: bold;"> Pig</i>, you might imagine</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> an adorable television character like Arnold or the cutesy talking star of children's
literature, such as Babe. No, <b><i>Pig</i></b> is not an enchanting tale of a porcine friend</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">. It is a derogatory reference to a woman name Lily, who has
gone by different names over the years - Lilith, Mom, Flower, and Pig, to name
but a few.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Pig</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> is a narrative that comes from Lily's
memories -a woman holding on to too much pain and too many secrets - The entire
novel takes place at her husband Bender's funeral, where she sits alone on a couch
in the corner of a crowded funeral home, desperately clinging to a scrap of
paper clenched in her right hand. She
avoids contact with those around her, keeping to herself, because she holds
more than that scrap of paper - she holds a lot of secrets, including one she's
keeping from herself. Readers will step
into Lily's past but won’t be pleased with everything they learn. Some stories just aren't meant to have happy
endings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">This is a story of domestic abuse, sexuality,
reflection, and loss - and any flicker of joy that may have been shared early
in Lily and Bender’s relationship, vanished before it could even take root and
was replaced with never ending tears and long lasting pain. Readers will learn that despite her husband's
cruelty Lily felt beholden to Bender and was obedient to him as a means of expressing </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">her gratitude to him for
not leaving her after she had an affair.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Yet, Bender did not feel the need to stop </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">verbally or
physically abusing her, though he promised on more than one occasion to do
so.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The subject matter is not an easy or
pleasant one to tackle in a storyline.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">However, the author managers to present this dark tale through the eyes
of Lily in manner readers are able to endure to its conclusion - and what a
conclusion it is.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Pig</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> is Sbr Martin's second book, which
was honored as a second prize quarterfinalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough
Novel Award Contest. Her first book, In Wake of Water was published in 2011. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Some readers may find the graphic
storyline of domestic abuse to be offensive, and the mature content and
language may not suitable for some readers.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-56287318565265588352012-09-08T19:03:00.000-04:002012-09-08T19:08:25.635-04:00South by Southeast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IidkSpNSbF0/UEvNiq0ns6I/AAAAAAAAAPU/JkdfqERuh0k/s1600/South+by+Southeast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IidkSpNSbF0/UEvNiq0ns6I/AAAAAAAAAPU/JkdfqERuh0k/s320/South+by+Southeast.JPG" width="205" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">South by Southeast-A Tennyson Hardwick Novel </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">by Blair Underwood | Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">First, let me preface this review by saying, I
seriously enjoyed this novel – it was told the way a thriller should be told – it
made me yearn to see it on the big screen. And it didn’t hurt one bit that I envisioned
the author, seductively-handsome actor Blair Underwood in the role of the protagonist,
Tennyson Hardwick. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Licentious super-sleuth Tennyson Hardwick is back
in what looks to be his most compelling case to date. <b><i>South by Southeast</i></b> the fourth
installment in this award-winning mystery series proves to be a great addition
to the already note-worthy series and as a stand-alone thriller. It starts off as a smooth comfortable tale of
an ex-gigolo, part-time actor - who’s lost his drive and perhaps his box office
appeal. However, early on in the story
there are hints that promise and deliver an entertaining read like no other -
as this tale captures and moves the reader’s attention on an excursion from LA
to South Beach and back, at the same time Tennyson becomes engrossed in the
murder investigation of several prostitutes no one seems to care about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Tennyson Hardwick is juggling quite a few issues
in his personal life - dealing with his feisty soon-to-be-adopted teenage
daughter, repairing old wounds with his father, and battling with the feelings
he still has for his ex-girlfriend – with so much going on, he hardly has
enough time to deal with his ailing acting career. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">After Tennyson lands a role in a zombie flick
directed by Oscar nominated director, Gustavo Escobar, his professional life gets a needed jolt of
adrenalin and things seemingly start to look up for Ten. But his less-than-spectacular come-back is
marred when Tennyson finds himself thrust back into his detective role after
the body of his daughter's old friend Maria, a working girl from Los Angeles
washes ashore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">As Tennyson tries to make sense of the case he
gets caught up in a cat and mouse game of wits with the psychotic killer.
Tennyson's world is unexpectedly turned upside down when the murder gets
personal by taking the life of someone close to him. Hardwick takes a vow to track down and rid
the world of the heartless serial killer, but in doing so, he discovers the
horror has really just begun. Vengeance
is the killer's fuel and an undiscovered secret is the motive. The question is,
has Tennyson underestimated his delirious demented opponent and will he survive
long enough to prevent the reign of terror that is planned for Chela, April,
and anyone else close to him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">This skillfully crafted suspenseful page-turner
is expertly narrated in both 1st person and 3rd person POV which the writers blend
seamlessly together. The authors take
readers on an unforgettable journey and along the way introduce them to some of
the most believable well-rounded, yet colorful characters imaginable.
Characters they are able to relate to, root for, and even detest: Fallen hero,
Tennyson Hardwick; Chela - a rebellious teenager with a sorted past; April – the
ex-girlfriend that’s trying to tame Ten; Ten's dad, Richard Hardwick - a
retired LAPD Captain; Gustavo Escobar- the over-the-top director; Maria - a
working girl, who mysteriously drowns; Raphael - a high-end pimp with too many
resources, Mother - an aging madam with close ties to Ten and Chela, Mouse Girl
- an annoying working girl, too naïve to know better, Lt. Rodrick Nelson – determine to arrest Ten
for murder; Lydia Hernandez – a detective that stalls the investigation, and a few others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">South by Southeast</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> is for a reading audience that enjoys a great mystery thriller that offers
an entertaining read. It is a remarkably
consuming heart-thumping knuckle-wrenching thriller, which can easily become
the avid reader's new favorite novel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I would highly recommend Blair Underwood's
novels, he and his co-writers, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes have done such
a terrific job of bringing some incredibly vivid characters to life who help to
tell the most intriguing stories in the Tennyson Hardwick series. The series includes: Casaenegra, In The Night
of the Heat, From Cape Town with Love, and the latest, <b><i>South by Southeast</i></b>
on sale 9/18/12. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 19.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Genre<b>: Mystery Thriller</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 19.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Publisher<b>: Atria Books</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 19.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Publication Date<b>: September 18, 2012</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 19.6pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reviewed by <i><b>Chrystal Dorsey</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 19.6pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 19.6pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-9711000935142894552012-07-18T03:10:00.000-04:002012-08-02T01:06:19.421-04:00The Stalker Chronicles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZ-23RjX4O8/UBoKh3a0YEI/AAAAAAAAAQw/YU4mQDaSzQI/s1600/Stalker+BookCover-edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VZ-23RjX4O8/UBoKh3a0YEI/AAAAAAAAAQw/YU4mQDaSzQI/s320/Stalker+BookCover-edit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Electa Rome Parks
has captivated reader's attention once again with the creation of, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Stalker Chronicles</span> her 8th novel and follow up to
<span style="font-style: italic;">The Stalker Diaries. </span> New and established fans alike, will not be able to put this psychological thriller down until all 226
pages are consumed.</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WK7PdQug61E/UBoGZZkfcTI/AAAAAAAAAQg/zhrMRxPrm60/s1600/Review+underconstruction2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WK7PdQug61E/UBoGZZkfcTI/AAAAAAAAAQg/zhrMRxPrm60/s1600/Review+underconstruction2.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin: 0in;">
This book contains mature content that might not be suitable for
some readers.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Stalker Chronicles </span>by
Electa Rome Parks</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Genre<span style="font-weight: bold;">: Thriller</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Publisher<span style="font-weight: bold;">: Urban Renaissance, Kensington Publishing Corp.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Publication
Date<span style="font-weight: bold;">: February 1, 2012</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Reviewed
by <span style="font-weight: bold;">Chrystal Dorsey</span></div>
</div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-18983433053803256172012-07-05T22:05:00.004-04:002013-12-22T01:00:08.712-05:00An Accidental Affair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AI2VirWXuzE/UrVHDjfvTfI/AAAAAAAAAr8/zbUFPNHpWhA/s1600/An+Accidental+Affair+Book+Jacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AI2VirWXuzE/UrVHDjfvTfI/AAAAAAAAAr8/zbUFPNHpWhA/s1600/An+Accidental+Affair+Book+Jacket.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">New
Year Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey has returned to his romantic roots with a seductive thriller, <b><i>An Accidental Affair</i></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Mr. Dickey has composed a tale featuring a
powerful Hollywood couple, award-winning screenwriter, James Thicke and A-list
actress, Regina Baptiste. It is not a
fast paced story, however quite a bit of commotion does take place within the
pages of <b><i>An Accidental Affair</i></b>.
This story explores the inner workings of Hollywood which is fueled by
an intense relationship between the main characters whose lives are intertwined
with explicit sex, drugs, and murder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As with most Hollywood tales this story
shows readers that Hollywood is a hellified place, that's hell'a hard <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">on those who have chosen to, be selfish
materialistic people, and find themselves hanging on by a rather thin
thread.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">What brings even more
perplexity to the story is that the characters are quite swallow, </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">aren't</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> very
complex, and have little to no redeemable qualities, which makes it difficult
to root for them.</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">But because of the
development of those characters, readers will be compelled to read through its
dramatic conclusion.</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The story was not as intriguing or
compelling as its title implied and it did not flow as smoothly as one would
have hoped. It's as if there are two
books here: a slightly interesting Hollywood thriller, blended with a somewhat
dull and rather pedestrian plot. Jerome
Dickey is a talented author, but this installment did not truly showcase his
skills. There was far too much focus on
the sexual scenes that dominated and overpowered the story and not enough
devotion to an actual well written dramatic thriller. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Overall, I would recommend this title, it was an entertaining read. However, due to the mature language and explicit
sexual content, this book is not suitable for young readers. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">An Accidental Affair </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">by Eric Jerome Dickey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Genre<b>:
Seductive Thriller</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publisher<b>:
</b>Dutton, Penguin Group<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publication
Date<b>: </b>April 17, 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Reviewed
by <i><b>Chrystal Dorsey</b></i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Review copy provided by publisher. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-23870569369137530582012-06-26T19:26:00.000-04:002013-12-21T19:50:39.858-05:00Someone Bad and Something Blue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dHV4OlBcpC8/UrX1cLm9Z0I/AAAAAAAAAsM/pRLPqShHeCE/s1600/Someone+Bad+and+Something+Blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dHV4OlBcpC8/UrX1cLm9Z0I/AAAAAAAAAsM/pRLPqShHeCE/s1600/Someone+Bad+and+Something+Blue.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">I became a fan of Miranda Parker
after reading </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">A Good Excuse to Be Bad </i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">the first installment of The Angel Crawford Series – featuring a female
bail bond recovery agent. In this
no holds-barred everything goes era,
where curse words dominate the pose and
the plot gets lost </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">among</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> the pornography, finding a wordsmith with the talent
to captivate the reader's attention without resorting to profanity and explicit
sex scenes, is rare and rewarding. I am
delighted I found that unique talent in Miranda Parker.</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Parker with her fresh writing
style introduced readers to and caught their attention with tough-as-nails,
Angel Crawford in </span><i style="font-size: 11.5pt;">A Good Excuse to Be Bad </i><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">and is destined to do so again
because Miranda Parker's heroine, Angel Crawford is back in, </span><b style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><i>Someone Bad
and Something Blue</i></b><i style="font-size: 11.5pt;">. </i><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> In
this installment, Parker takes us into the secretive world of Atlanta's
speakeasy society, the </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">inter-workings</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> of the moonshine industry and much more; as Angel and U.S. Marshall Maxim West, who just happens to be a hellva hot hottie,
trudge around the Okefenokee Swamp in an effort to solve the murder of The
Honorable Elaine Turner's campaign manager, who just happens to be a bull in
bear’s clothing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">If you read the first book, you
know Angel isn't the type of bail bond recovery agent who just sits around filing
her fingernails, not unless she's planning to use them to scratch someone's
eyes out. But if you haven't read A<i>
Good Excuse to Be Bad</i> don't fret, <b><i>Someone Bad and Something Blue</i></b>
reads wonderfully as a standalone and readers will get an actual glimpse into
the real Evangeline Crawford. However,
you will want to pick up a copy of A<i> Good Excuse to Be Bad</i> because it's
a terrific read as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Angle Crawford is such a
well-developed character, it feels like she's sitting next to the reader as
Miranda Parker steers her through the streets of Atlanta. So, get ready to venture to places such as,
Grits Draft House-a Southern revival cocktail bar; The Dunwoody Detention
Center; Flappers, a secret speakeasy in Atlantic Station; Holeman & Finch
Public House-for the best burger on the planet or the fictional McArthur Estate
in Stone Mountain. As a non-native of Georgia, I never even heard of some of
those places, but through the outstanding writing talent of Miranda, I had the
opportunity to journey to each of those exciting places, that Parker so vividly
described in this intriguing story filled with suspense, action, humor, and
romance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Parker allows her talent for
telling a story to passionately breathe throughout the plot as she captures and
holds the attention of her audience. Her
well-developed characters are dynamic and compelling. Readers will find themselves rooting for
Angel, Justus and Maxim and looking forward to the downfall of Knocker, Marlo
and Riddick - though at times they won’t and other times they shouldn't. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">This
story will have readers on edge as they continue to clutch the pages to find
out who </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">among</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> the suspects is actually guilty of more than just murder.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">I read somewhere, that one of the elements
for a good read usually includes some type of boy-girl encounter/interaction,
and </span><b style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><i>Someone
Bad and Something Blue</i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> does not disappoint in that area. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">There are a number of romantic encounters that
are super steamy without being raunchy or pornographic, which makes it suitable
for a wider audience, including young-adults. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">The lavender smelling too-darn-fine to be a Reverend,
Justus Morgan has claim his role as wanna-be side kick and turned up the heat
on the taboo romance as he actively pursues Angel, and she is not resisting his
advances. Of course, it </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">wouldn't</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> be interesting if there </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">wasn't</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> any drama or
conflict and in this case, it comes wrapped up as U.S. Marshal West,
introducing Angel to another sizzling temptation of incredible well-packaged
male flesh for head to toe. </span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 17px;"> Having two well-rounded intelligent </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">gorgeous</span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 17px;"> men within her grasp would have been enough for most women, but Angel is not most women and when she should have been on the hunt for a size eight silk taffeta, strapless Amsale wedding gown from the Blue Label collection - at the ROTB [running of the brides] she is hunting for killers. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 17px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">I love the sense of humor Parker drizzles throughout the story and I found myself laughing out loud at comments
like, “…dark thirty in the morning”; “…by the way you look like a pimp’s
daughter with that thing.” And the one I found priceless, “…swallow your pride
and put your big girl panties on.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">The conclusion of the plot is
appealing, which I won’t spoil for readers – except to say, as readers witness Angel’s
transformation from bail bond recovery agent to a bonafide </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">PI - the conflict
and rising action make it a compelling piece of fiction. Miranda Parker leaves her readers with some
very interesting unanswered questions - to discover the answers - readers must
join Angel on her next manhunt in, </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Can't Keep a Bad Bride Down</i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">, coming
July 2013 - I am definitely looking forward to the next installment of the
Angel Crawford series.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">~Until my next review, happy reading.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Someone Bad and Something Blue </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">by
Miranda Parker<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Genre<b>: Murder Mystery</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Publisher<b>: Dafina Books,
Kensington Publishing Corp.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Publication Date<b>: July, 2012</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Review copy provided by publisher.
</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-8232853331715300672012-06-15T15:30:00.000-04:002012-06-16T00:09:29.766-04:00The Litigators<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jea-AAXoyWM/T9wCTzz59yI/AAAAAAAAAOY/3LrpSk2Q-WI/s1600/The+Litigators.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jea-AAXoyWM/T9wCTzz59yI/AAAAAAAAAOY/3LrpSk2Q-WI/s1600/The+Litigators.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">John Grisham has once again
proven himself a skilled storyteller, with a legal literary tale that is a
cross between the lighthearted </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">humor of "Boston Legal" and the legal finesse
of "L.A. Law". <b><i>The Litigators</i></b> which draws heavily
on <span style="color: #333333;">legal drama weaves this otherwise humorous
satire into a courtroom saga of litigation and the actual practice of law.</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The story features David Zinc,
Wally Figg, and Oscar Finley of the F&F attorneys at law known as "a
boutique law firm", then "The 3 Stooges" and as clients, cases
and the partners crumbled around him, David finally became known as, a
Litigator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Harvard Law graduate, David
Zinc is the youngest and more financially successful of the F&F law firm
trio, he literally stumbled into the Finley and Figg agency after he decided to
"snap" in an elevator at Trust Tower one thousand feet upward into
the clouds of Chicago. His dramatic exit from the prestigious Rogan Rothberg -
5th placed in hours billed per attorney - law firm, was followed by his
decision to quit, go on a drunken binge, and then end up at the unfamiliar
office of Finley & Figg with people he did not know.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">62 year old Oscar Finley is the
senior partner, who won the building in a lawsuit. He carries a very large gun
in his briefcase and does not hesitate to use it. His marriage isn't pleasant but
he’s too afraid to file for a divorce. His biggest disappointment with the
firm's newest and only big case is that the FDA pulled the drug in question,
Krayoxx off the market - Oscar was so hoping it would kill his wife so he
wouldn't have to share the anticipated proceeds with her via the a messy costly
divorce he wanted to avoid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">And then there's Wally Figg, a
pathetic always-recovering alcoholic, trying to score the big pay day client.
He is flawed with endless defects, including four failed marriages. He
advertises the firm’s services, against Oscar's approval, any and everywhere he
can - including on bingo cards. His greed
or perhaps need for that one big colossal win, single-handily threaten to
professionally, morally, and financially bankrupt the firm, and perhaps cause physical
devastation as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">To round off the colorful crew of misfits, is Rochelle
Gibson the less than knowledgeable "legal" secretary - she lacks
formal training but seems to made it up in experience. Although vastly untrained, her qualifications
are continually overlooked by the two partners, because years ago F&F
mishandled her case(s), beginning with an auto crash case Wallis Figg acquired
by impersonating a physician and having her sign a contract for legal
representation -while she was bombed on Percocet – he promised her the moon,
then proceeded to butcher her case, next was her divorce case which Oscar
filled and then the bankruptcy case. Any foolish notion either had to fire her,
merely dissipated with her ace-in-the-hole threat to sue them for malpractice.</span></span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Basically, Oscar thought the
firm should take every case that came through the door, while Wally was always
searching for the big financial kill. After twenty plus years together, Oscar
Finley and Wally Figg had succumb to being ambulance chasers. But now with
David onboard there was an anticipation of successful profit. And along the way, they may just learn to
behalf like a real law firm. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">So, Wally decided to dive head
first into a law suit against Varrick Labs, a major pharmaceutical company that
manufactured a cholesterol reducing drug called Krayoxx – the claim was that the
company knowingly and willing rushed the “bad” drug to market although it could/would
cause severe health problems, heart attacks, and death. Wally Figg viciously suggested
to his partners and potential clients that Varrick could face lawsuits similar
to those against the tobacco industry, and the payoff would be enormous.
Unfortunately, prior to the nationwide coverage of the Varrick-Krayoxx trial, Wally
neglected to secure a key piece of evidence - the complete and final expert and
FDA findings – once those findings were reviewed, he sought to withdraw the
suit, yet the trial of the century commenced – and the proceedings were legendary
Grisham.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Only an attorney who is also a writer could
craft this novel. Let's face it, It's John
Grisham, and besides being a skillful storytelling, rather consciously or
unconsciously he is also a instructor on law
and it is with certainty readers will not only be entertain but will
also walk away learning some interesting facts about the legal process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The law, litigation, and the
professionals that practice it, mixed with just the right amount of humor is
what readers will enjoy as they eagerly journey through the story of "<b><i>The
Litigators</i></b>".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Review copy provided by publisher. </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Litigators </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">by John Grisham<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Genre<b>:
Drama<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publisher<b>:
Doubleday, </b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">a
division of Random House<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publication
Date<b>: October 25, 2011<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Reviewed by <b><i>Chrystal
Dorsey</i></b></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06348268370669592562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-59839754005547447642012-04-28T15:25:00.000-04:002012-04-28T18:08:14.461-04:00Stay With Me<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gLSLXkKkKLI/T5xDqhN4Y8I/AAAAAAAAAO8/yq6VpSyYz2k/s1600/Stay+With+Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gLSLXkKkKLI/T5xDqhN4Y8I/AAAAAAAAAO8/yq6VpSyYz2k/s1600/Stay+With+Me.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A dyslexic dropout with a gift
for training dogs collides with a honor student and the result is an enchanting
first love - until as with any boy-meets-girl story - something goes terribly
wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Paul Griffin's latest gritty
urban fiction <b><i>Stay With Me</i></b> unfolds on the streets of New York and
stars 15 year olds, Mack Morse and </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Céce<span style="color: #333333;"> Vaccuccia -
each the product of a single parent household that share a common bond of
alcohol dependency, but at least </span>Céce's <span style="color: #333333;"> mother is still maternal and caring, she just
happens to be a self-medicating addict who engages in heavy episodic drinking
to dull the painful worry of her son being away in the war …Whereas, Mack's </span>abusive, alcoholic <span style="color: #333333;">father is just a hateful mean so-and-so whose
objectionable disposition intensifies with booze.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The story is told in alternating
perspectives, by Mack and Céce over the span of 102 days, and through their
voices, Griffin uses dramatic dialogue to illustrate the profundity of their
relationship. <span style="color: #333333;">Though he is kind-hearted with a
passion for tough-talking </span>Céce<span style="color: #333333;"> and
incredible compassion for the rescue dogs he trains, Mack is fueled with
uncontrollable anger which will evidently be his undoing. </span>Céce<span style="color: #333333;"> is </span><span style="color: #444444;">a
cheesecake-hoarding exceptional student, studying for an entrance exam to a
gifted-and-talented program. She is</span>
slightly obsessed with the movie, <i>The Outsiders</i> and is under the
impression she has ESP - according to her Grumpy had it and she bears the curse
doubly because it skipped over her mother.
And best/worst of all, Céce is totally crushing on Mack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Also featured in the story is
an </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">array of notable characters: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Céce's friend Marcy is beyond amusing she is
downright hilarious and truly exemplifies the characteristics of an actual
teenage girl. <span style="color: #444444;"> Vic, is the Italian restaurant owner who employs
them both; Anthony, Céce’s brave </span>football-star-turned-line-cook
older brother enlists in the military<span style="color: #444444;">; Wash,
a compassionate prison guard; Mr. Tompkins, a less-than patient, drill-sergeant
on a mission; and, a </span><span style="color: #333333;">colossal headed
pit-bull, Boo. </span>These secondary characters have been well-crafted by
Griffin with believability and help bring the story to life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The quirky characters and
devoted lovable dog are the beacons that help illuminate this otherwise
heartbreaking coming of age love story, which is reminiscent of a made-for-TV
movie wedged between 288 pages. Although
targeted toward ages 14 and up, due to some content, t</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">his book would be
more appropriate for readers ages 16 and older. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Review copy provided by publisher. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8d1N_8KbUVg/T5xBsL3lFoI/AAAAAAAAAO0/kWh2A93q4lA/s1600/Bookworms-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="77" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8d1N_8KbUVg/T5xBsL3lFoI/AAAAAAAAAO0/kWh2A93q4lA/s320/Bookworms-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Stay With Me </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">by Paul Griffin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Genre:
YoungAdult <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publisher:
Dial<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publication
Date: September 8, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Reviewed
by Chrystal Dorsey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-10446962426639642762012-04-27T01:56:00.000-04:002012-04-27T02:08:23.337-04:00Hand Me Down<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT5QBloAOtk/T5o02E26I1I/AAAAAAAAAOo/49BhpX0ad5A/s1600/2012-03-29+00.42.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZT5QBloAOtk/T5o02E26I1I/AAAAAAAAAOo/49BhpX0ad5A/s320/2012-03-29+00.42.28.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
An interesting debut
novel, indicative of a semi-autobiographical story - Melanie Thorne's <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Hand Me Down</span> is the author's descent into fiction. This
unforgettable novel depicts the intimacy of a narrative memoir of a 14-year old
girl struggling to deal with the chaos of an emotionally destructive life.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Elizabeth and her
younger sister, Jamie realize early on that they don't have anyone to depend on
as they try to cope with the knowledge their parents are not only incapable of
caring for them, but have little or no desire to do so. After their mother, Linda chooses a man over
them, she displays an incredible degree of indifference toward her daughters
and their well being. What is even more disturbing, Linda didn't toss her
daughters aside for just any man, no, she sagged a real prize when she married,
Terrance a convicted sex offender. Terrance is the kind of man who takes
pleasure in tormenting Liz each time he brushes against her, breathes on her,
licks his lips as he speaks inappropriately to her and prances around
half-dressed, knowing Liz will remain silent because he's already threaten to
approach young Jamie with the same attention, if Liz doesn't keep quite. After the girl's alcoholic father who faithfully
beat Linda during their marriage, notifies the parole office that Terrance is
in violation of his parole by living in the house with the girls; Liz thinks
she, Jamie and their mother can get back to life before Terrance and perhaps
enjoy their childhood in a normal environment. Instead, loving mom, chooses the
sex offender over her own offspring. While Jamie is sent to live in a trailer
park with her dad, Liz is shipped off to Terrance’s brother, Gary, and his
wife. Liz can't concentrate on her studies, friends or anything a teenager
should be focused on, because she is overly concerned and rightfully so, about
her and Jamie's fate, considering no one else seems to be. Though she is mature
beyond her years and is forced to accept what the adults tell her -
"you'll be okay." "it's not that bad." "you're
strong." - with the exception of her mother's sister, Tammy who lives in
Utah, everyone else has conveniently forgotten Liz is a child who needs to be
cared for. </div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
As Elizabeth struggles
and pleads to be reunited with her sister and even her mother, she is bounced
around like hand me down luggage. From her mother, to her perverted
step-father's brother Gary, to a neighbor, and then another relative, it is
clear that the adults within Liz's circle
are incapable of managing their own lives - and are not an exemplar role
model for parenting; but of all the adults, Elizabeth and Jamie's mother is by
far one of the most despicable characters, who continues to lie and pull
further away from her children.</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Author Throne pulls
deeply from her real life experience which can be visualized through her
emotional prose as she tells this tale of the devastating consequences that
occur following a mother's decision to abandon her daughters for a sex offender
- at some point it's as if you're reading
Throne's diary when she was a teenager, a diary of a child that
continually ask and doesn't understand,
"why doesn't my mother love me? And "why won't anybody save
me?"</div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
Hand me down Liz is
finally shipped off to Salt Lake City to stay with her mother's sister, Tammy
an aunt who loves and cares for her the way a child should be cared for - but
it doesn't end there. Question is, when and where does it end, and will Liz and
her sister ever have a place to call
home sweet home, some place that's considered their haven? You'll want to pick up a copy of<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Hand Me Down</span> to learn what
becomes of these girls who've been tossed aside by those that should love and
protect them.</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Review copy provided by publisher. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">_______________________________________________________________</span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Hand Me Down </span>by Melanie
Thorne</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;">
Genre:
Dramatic Fiction</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;">
Publisher:
Dutton</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in;">
Publication
Date: April 12, 2012</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Reviewed by Chrystal
Dorsey, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Goodreads.com</span></div>
<br />Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-983446714311853812012-04-04T13:26:00.000-04:002012-04-04T13:29:14.817-04:00Mayhem and Mischief Marvel within Miscellaneous Blues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zKqib2IimKQ/T3x5lrHp2uI/AAAAAAAAAOg/YRiOq86OpuY/s1600/Miscellaneous+Blues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zKqib2IimKQ/T3x5lrHp2uI/AAAAAAAAAOg/YRiOq86OpuY/s320/Miscellaneous+Blues.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><b><i>Miscellaneous Blues </i></b>by Erica L. Crump</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Genre: Dramatic Fiction</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publisher: JX Enterprises, LLC</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publication Date: September 2011</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Reviewed by <b>Chrystal Dorsey</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<br />
<b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Miscellaneous Blues</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> a commendable debut novel that will keep you hooked until you
turn the final pages. Sit back; meet
sisters Sasha, Victoria, Mya and Lola - the Dexter Divas.</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Miscellaneous
Blues</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
is a seamlessly smooth delightfully intriguing read. Newbie author, Erica L.
Crump writes with professional ease and produces a story that explores the
elements of life through four sisters - it is a story that will touch on
several emotions including fear, love, hate, betrayal and forgiveness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The characters are full of life and completely
believable and absolutely carry <b><i>Miscellaneous
Blues</i></b> - plus-size Victoria makes you want to reach out and comfort her,
as she struggles to get her weight down which soared to unmanageable
proportions due to the abuse she is subjected to at the hands of her free
loading live-in babies' daddy of 16 years;
Mya is detestable, and not just because she's carried on a four year
affair with a married man, but because she's an angry selfish insecure demon
screaming for constant attention, and is more concerned with getting a husband
by any means necessary than admitting she has a serious problem, she is also
relentless when it comes to the hatred and violence she inflicts on her
youngest sister; stunningly attractive, Lola the youngest is just trying to
find her way back emotionally after the death of her one true love, and to
steer clear of Mya's uncontrollable wrath whenever possible, as she raises her son alone; and finally there's
Sasha aka "Cookie" the oldest, strongest and most reliable of </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">the four
sisters, the one the other's look up to and attempt to emulate, because from
their standpoint, she and her super fine million dollar earning CFO husband
have it all together, or so it seems.
However, Cookie's OCD and
dependency on Xanax - something she's been hiding from her sisters - is trying
to take hold as she struggles to keep her perfect marriage from falling apart
but behind the walls of her seven thousand square foot home of wedded bliss lie
the most explosive and appalling secrets of betrayal one could imagine and will
give new meaning to the word(s) emotional devastation and forgiveness - during this turbulent time, Cookie the rock
of the family, must draw heavily on her strength in God as she prepares for the
possibility of divorce. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Miscellaneous Blues</span></i></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> provides some tidy and not-so-tidy resolutions
to the tough challenges the characters encounter. As the final pages were read,
I found myself somewhat surprised and I'm certain that most readers may
anticipate a resolution for some characters that never materialized, instead
they will be shocked. Still, Erica L. Crump has crafted a well written book
that is ultimately attention-grabbing.
She deals with hard life issues in a painfully real manner. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The subtlety
in which author Crump sprinkles Christianity and faith within the story is
refreshing and not overly done.<span style="color: #222222;"> <b><i>Miscellaneous Blues</i></b><i> </i>will
make readers smile, think, become angry, and perhaps even cry; characteristic
of a book worth reading. T</span>he conclusion of this story is a shocker that you
just won't see coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 27.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I anxiously await Ms. Crump's next book, and a follow up to
Miscellaneous Blues would also be welcomed addition to my reading library.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-50209491248728537232012-04-03T17:23:00.000-04:002012-04-03T17:23:20.723-04:00Death Trumps Celebrated Bliss in, "Carry the One'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljajfTHbTdM/T3tpFiMUwHI/AAAAAAAAAOY/45Fb46F2HfY/s1600/Carry+the+One-ARC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljajfTHbTdM/T3tpFiMUwHI/AAAAAAAAAOY/45Fb46F2HfY/s320/Carry+the+One-ARC.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Carry The One </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">by
Carol Anshaw<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Genre: Dramatic/Suspense<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Publisher: Simon & Schuster<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Publication Date: March 2012<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Reviewed
by <b>Chrystal Dorsey</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In <b><i>Carry The One</i></b> Carol Anshaw presents her reading
audience with a very ambitious fourth
novel…one which spans from a 1983 Wisconsin wedding through the 2008
Election as it chronicles a Chicago
family thrown off balance by a fatal accident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This story explores how the lives of three siblings are affected
after a fatal freak accident, that ends the life of 10 year old Casey Redman late one night on a dark dirt
road with Nick's drugged out girlfriend Olivia behind the wheel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The reason I accepted this selection from the Publisher for a
read/review was because the last sentence of the first chapter really caught my
attention – ‘…a jumble of knees and elbows, and then her face, frozen in
surprise, eyes wide open-huge on the other side of the windshield.' - It
held the promise of a thrilling and interesting read.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What I found within the two hundred and sixty nine page novel was;
the (key) characters are rather tragic sheepish souls wondering aimlessly
through their own lives, whose relationships are forged in grief and guilt. The
storytelling is simple but is considered to be well crafted. The readers will
follow the characters as they go through friendships and love affairs; growing
up and finding success; marriage and divorce; parenthood, and the tragedies and
joys of ordinary days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There's Alice a basically sound lesbian that has a deep seated obsession
for Maude, is also a gifted artist competing with her egocentric father; loving
judgmental Carmen a political activist and then there's their brother, Nick, a once brilliant
astronomer - he may be one of the most interesting characters in this tale, but
that may largely be due to his constant drug induced state of mind ,he
later swears off drugs in order to win
back Olivia after she’s released from prison, however his addiction to drugs and alcohol have an
even firmer grip on him than super glue on an eyelash. It is through Nick’s
drug dependence that readers are able to see how degraded a talented person can
become, and how eventually a family can become as equally exasperated with the
user because of it.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As for the title it comes from Alice, who says: “Because of the
accident, we’re not just separate numbers. When you add us up, you always have
to carry the one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The author's poetic prose is rather outstanding as she casually
writes about these characters without the benefit of any real action - which
will keep some readers turning the pages in search of, as they are fall witness
to Anshaw's exceptional gift as a wordsmith and the comfort she maintains while
utilizing her extensive vocabulary with words such as coalesce (amorphous,
fatuous, confluence) with ease and relevance. Nevertheless, I found the story
to be rather dry - then again, that is perhaps the writer's intended goal,
considering she is telling a story of the ordinary days of a rather ordinary
family following an extra ordinary event - the most exciting and entertaining
aspect of this read was held hostage within the first few chapters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My final thoughts, I wanted and needed more zest, at least
something that would propel me to want to vigorously flip through the pages, fall
in love with the characters and be engaged by the story, alas <b><i>Carry
The One</i></b> did not carry me through those various stages of interest as I’d
hoped. And the book's abrupt ending did not conjure up a sense of satisfaction or
the desired anticipation of more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-6923977995121600732012-03-21T19:30:00.001-04:002012-03-21T19:32:06.238-04:00My Best Friend's Brother - Definitely Can't Be Judged by It's Cover.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xJO4UQZtC2g/T2pjfZ_YMTI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/qOu96AEgwV8/s1600/My+Best+Friend%2527s+Brother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xJO4UQZtC2g/T2pjfZ_YMTI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/qOu96AEgwV8/s320/My+Best+Friend%2527s+Brother.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">My Best Friend's Brother is a short but commanding story surrounding the challenges of friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and love. </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">The</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">main characters in this story are,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Mikayla “Mickey” Watson and, Stacy Ann McIntire -"Sam", they are two women who become fast friends after competing for the same Architect</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">job and learning</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">they not only share the same profession, but they happen to be neighbors as well.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;">Mickey is a church going</span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">Christian committed to remaining abstinent, while Stacy "Sam" on the other hand appears to be a take 'em and leave 'em kinda Lesbian. Mickey and Sam were the sister the other never had, they were inseparable and each other's sworn advocate - until Sam's brother, Samuel enters the scene and becomes an intricate part of Mickey's life, while at the same time creating an incredible strain on Sam and Mickey's relationship.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">Mickey finds herself emotionally caught between her lover and best friend - who happen to be twins. Mickey does not want to lose the friendship she has cultivated with Sam for the past two years nor does she want to let go of the love she's found with Samuel. Essentially the decision is made for her and with it emotional upheaval and chaos ensues, but nothing prepares her for the heartache she endures at the hands of the pair. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">This is a entertaining worthwhile story that contains a number of interesting events that take place in the span of this all too short novelette. Luckily author Makasha Dorsey is a skilled writer and unique story-teller who not only gives readers a glimpse of a relationship between two characters but she also shares with them, a promise of intrigue, romance, secrets and more -making this a novelette equally packed with the same power of a lengthier novel. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;">My Best Friend's Brother</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> is an easy read and delightful read that also contains a powerful message of acceptance and tolerance delicately sprinkled throughout with </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">a surprising twist that readers definitely won't see coming.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> It is a story readers will enjoy and certainly remember .</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-46575364213619502932012-03-05T18:43:00.011-05:002012-03-07T10:48:50.772-05:00BOOK GIVEAWAY<div style="color: #993366; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16.0pt; font-weight: bold; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Unfinished Business Book Giveaway!!!!</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt; margin: 0in;">We are just a few months away from the publication of RECONCILIATION TO HELL and we are willing to spread some love if you're willing to spread the word…...</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrOErNiKtIU/T1VXHpcB5kI/AAAAAAAAAOI/rR77hRX5F1k/s1600/Unfinished+Business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrOErNiKtIU/T1VXHpcB5kI/AAAAAAAAAOI/rR77hRX5F1k/s1600/Unfinished+Business.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">We've started a contest; the first 50 new followers/members will be eligible to receive a free autograph copy of</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Unfinished Business</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"> and automatically be entered to win a copy of the upcoming sequel, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Reconciliation to Hell</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">.</span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">If you would like to have a chance to win an autographed copy of <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Unfinished Business</span>, then visit both: <a href="http://lajefferson.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-giveaway.html" style="font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Unfinished Business</b></span> </a>and<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1172659555" style="background-color: white;"> </a><b><a href="http://chrystalcorner.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-giveaway.html" style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">Chrystal's Corner</span></a> </b></span>and <b>become a follower/member</b> and leave the following short <b>message</b>: "RECONCILIATION TO HELL IS COMING", along with your email address so we can contact you.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">Wait! Everybody is a winner, because even if you're not one of the 4 selected winners you will still receive a special code to get an eBook edition of <span style="font-style: italic;">Unfinished Business</span> for only $1.99. Hurry this contest ends March 26, 2012.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-74039328396531331282012-02-28T01:34:00.002-05:002012-02-28T02:08:39.602-05:00The Hunter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFmusrfOCaY/T0xzqgHlcRI/AAAAAAAAAN4/KdfSIxnv0Zs/s1600/The+Hunter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hFmusrfOCaY/T0xzqgHlcRI/AAAAAAAAAN4/KdfSIxnv0Zs/s1600/The+Hunter.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels has unleashed another mystery thriller; in this his latest novel <b><i>The Hunter</i></b>, in which Lescroart takes his readers on a surprising unplanned journey filled with a multitude of twist and turns. The storyline concept is rather interesting -A young wife and mother is brutally murdered in her Bay Area apartment - 40 years later, Private Investigator Wyatt Hunt receives an anonymous text, asking him "Do you know how your mother die?" The texter insist that the murderer is still out there, and is willing to give Hunt clues as to the identity of murderer – but refuses to identify themselves. Also interesting is, the way Lescroart weaves fact with fiction by revisiting the massacre at Jonestown </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">– the cult led by Jim Jones in 1978 where over 900 people died in a mass suicide – the majority of whom were forcibly made to ingest </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">cyanide</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> laced Kool-aid.</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One can appreciate how Lescroart manages to grab the reader's attention in the first chapter with that short simple text message from an anonymous and untraceable number "<i>How did your mother die</i>?" a question that leads Wyatt and his Hunt Club investigative team on a journey to unravel the mystery of his biological mother's death. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The cold case heats up when Ivan Orloff, Hunt’s newest investigator, gets killed after making seemingly routine inquiries. A relentless search for the killer ensues. The trail of clues continue to twist and turn as they lead from Evie Secrist, Margaret’s best friend, back to the Jonestown mass suicide more than a generation ago, and forward to Evie’s ex-husband Lionel Spencer. However, the trail is infuriatingly cut short, with Spencer’s own death - which is hurriedly written off as a suicide, and the murder mysteries are wrapped up with a neat case-closed-little-bow.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Willing to concede that his mother’s murderer had taken his own life, Wyatt backs off the investigation – until the texter signals him again, to let him know that the killer is not dead. Wyatt finally comes face to face with his anonymous informant, in an attention-grabbing scene. Question is, will the meeting be Wyatt’s last, or will it finally provide a resolution, or will his mother's 40-year old murder continue to remain a mystery?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">It is obvious that Lescroart is educated, well-read, and put a tremendous amount of time into his work. However, the multitude of inconsequential characters that the reader has to keep track of as they crawl throughout the story, tend to diminish an otherwise interesting storyline. Furthermore, if at least ninety of those needless pages had been red-lined, <b><i>The Hunter</i></b> would have been an even more enjoyable read that moved more effortlessly to conclusion. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Still, Lescroart has crafted a well written book that is a multi-layered mystery that will keep readers guessing, intrigued, and at times frustrated. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Review copy provided by publisher. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Hunter </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">by John Lescroart</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Genre: Mystery - Thriller<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publisher: Dutton/Penguin Group<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Publication Date: January 2012<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey</span></div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-26756532357338604102012-02-15T19:12:00.000-05:002012-02-15T19:12:04.988-05:00Unfinished Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RboP4OFBX_g/TzwnZgn2EsI/AAAAAAAAANo/TPsBZSciIbM/s1600/Unfinished+Business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RboP4OFBX_g/TzwnZgn2EsI/AAAAAAAAANo/TPsBZSciIbM/s1600/Unfinished+Business.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;">Author, L.A
Jefferson's debut novel </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic;"><b>Unfinished
Business</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><b> </b>is the story of one woman's addiction to the wrong man, for
what she discovers is the wrong reason, and what she risks getting him out of
her system for good.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is a story that
is character driven, with Lydia Love as its main character - with a refreshing
plot; which takes place in Detroit, Michigan. The author will take readers on a
journey of love, lies, and shocking truths while Lydia struggles to keep from
losing her family, friends and a chance at true love. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: italic; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Readers will love and hate some of the decisions Lydia
makes along the way. They may not understand or agree with her cloud of mess,
but they will root for and cheer her on as she stumbles through it all,
including dealing with her meddlesome loved ones who are always in her
business. A number of readers will be able to identify with the events
that occur, as the author sprinkles interesting bread crumbs throughout
the story that will keep readers hooked until the end, which provides a very
satisfactory conclusion to the book.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
This is a book everyone <span style="text-decoration: underline;">must finish</span>
reading. Don't miss out on this....<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unfinished-Business-Jefferson/dp/1441454918/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t"><b>Grab
A Copy</b></a> or Grab the <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/40425"><b>eBook</b></a>.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
Exciting
news for Jefferson's existing and new fans, the sequel to <i>Unfinished Business</i>, <span style="font-style: italic;"><b>Reconciliation to Hell</b></span> is scheduled for
release July 2012. </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-37310191342471707312012-01-23T22:12:00.000-05:002012-01-31T20:19:15.323-05:00Between Friends<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQc5RsNCsxQ/Tx4hUlJ8HYI/AAAAAAAAANA/vDZa3sZF4iQ/s1600/Between+Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQc5RsNCsxQ/Tx4hUlJ8HYI/AAAAAAAAANA/vDZa3sZF4iQ/s1600/Between+Friends.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Between Friends </span>by D.L.
Sparks</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
Genre:
Dramatic/Suspense</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
Publisher:
Urban Books / Kensington Publishing</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
Publication
Date: January 2012</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
Reviewed by <b>Chrystal
Dorsey</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">D.L. Sparks, recently voted in as the newest
member of the <a href="http://gapeachauthors.blogspot.com/">Atlanta
Georgia Peach Authors</a>, caught the attention of readers with her debut and
sophomore novels is back with her latest dramatic suspense novel <b><i>Between Friends</i></b><i>,</i> about A
DEA agent and an APD Lieutenant who lock horns during a joint investigation
that unearths cold-blooded corruption and heartless manipulation in this fast
paced drama. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Between
Friends</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">opens
as DEA Agent Orlando "Trip" Spencer has returned to his home town
Atlanta to help with a complicated investigation. Trip didn't want to take the case, he didn't
want to be back in Atlanta, but what he least wanted to do was to work with APD
Lt. Lincoln Briscoe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Between
Friends</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">,
</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">draws
heavily on drug kingpins turning up dead and weapons being funneled into the
county jail, but there is more than just a cat and mouse game of intrigue being
played as this drama unfolds it is also packed with romantic complications and
there is no telling what will happen when Trip and his closest friend, Idalis
Arrington come face to face again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Although they have been friends since early
childhood, there is a wedge between Trip and Idalis' relationship and that
wedge is none other than Lincoln "Linc" Briscoe, Trip's nemesis - whose
been on a collision course with Trip since college and happens to be engaged to
marry Idalis, a complication that may very well affect Trip's ability to focus
on the case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Trip learns that Idalis is in trouble and his
efforts to protect her and investigate the slaughters taking place on the
streets of the Dirty South take him all over the city of Atlanta -from Atlantic
Station through Spaghetti Junction to a house in Cascade - a house full of
secrets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> As the
investigation gains speed the novel peaks up even more; emerging secrets
threaten the pending marriage between Idalis and Linc. Unfortunately while
trying to protect Idalis Trip's partner, Philip "Big Phil" Porter is
shot and left for dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Readers will appreciate that BF does not
disapoint, as other suspense dramas tend to do, once the mystery of Phil's
shoter is revealed, the adrenaline does not stop pumping, instead the rapid
pace continues. The story does not become boring and readers will learn that
the innocent aren't always as innocent as they seem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sparks may not win an award of excellence
(though there's no reason she shouldn't), she is still an author of quality
that deserves recognition and merit for the realism she brings to her
characterization skills. The realistic characterization of Trip comes to life
while he investigates corruption, his relationship with his best friend Idalis
and some childhood demons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Some books defy expectations, some books defy
critics, they are often the books readers call a darn good read - and BF is one
of those books - </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">it also suggests the start of an interesting
series for Trip rather than a single suspense novel.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> I have no doubt that </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Between
Friends</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> could very well become a New York Times bestseller and I’m
hoping it will be adapted into a big-screen movie.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Between Friends</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> is a must read and
highly recommended for anyone who wants to become engrossed into a suspenseful entertaining
storyline. It's been a long time since
I've enjoyed a book for the story content and the characters that come alive
throughout the pages. I want to thank both the author for her talent for being
able to tell a story in such an entertaining matter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Review copy provided by publisher.</span> </o:p></div>
<br />Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1079441984615869917.post-90072898107159691172012-01-23T01:00:00.000-05:002012-01-24T16:53:05.240-05:00Mama Ruby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g1IIEs-ZfLU/Tx8nwi40zhI/AAAAAAAAANI/KN8FHcQ_Ozk/s1600/Mama+Ruby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g1IIEs-ZfLU/Tx8nwi40zhI/AAAAAAAAANI/KN8FHcQ_Ozk/s1600/Mama+Ruby.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mama Ruby </span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">by
Mary Monroe</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Genre:
Drama<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Publisher:<b>
</b>Dafina Books - Kensington Publishing Corp<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Publication
Date: June 1, 2011<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Reviewed
by Chrystal Dorsey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Deception,
lust, and murder are a few of the ingredients that will keep readers turning
the pages <i>of <b>Mama</b> <b>Ruby</b></i>, by New York Times Bestselling
Author<i> </i>Mary Monroe.<i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><strike><br /></strike></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
story opens in 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana - and is the prequel to Monroe's <i>The
Upper Room</i>, and takes place during Ruby's formative years - and boy how
influential those years were in shaping Ruby into the character she
became. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
down-home Southern names are earthy to match the thickness of the characters -
Ruby Jean, Othella Mae, Beulah, Simone
are just a few of the names that are used to express the time period the
story is set in. Ruby is the seventh
daughter of a seventh daughter - it was supposed to mean she had mystical
abilities that she didn't want anything to do with - she didn't need or want the
responsibility, after all just being the daughter of a preacher was enough of a
burden as far as Ruby was concerned. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You
would think by being the daughter of overly religious parents it would have had
a positive influence on the main character, Ruby - but it did not. Instead Ruby
was the promiscuous ignorant young daughter of a preacher and the horrific and
somewhat unbelievable consequences that occurred throughout her childhood
followed her into adulthood and only seem to be compounded by her own actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
human elements of this story may cause many readers to become angry and perhaps
even sympathize with the characters. I
was angered enough to put the book down, but had no sympathy for the characters;
I did not like the characters, their lifestyles or what they represented.
However, I wanted to know what happened, how the characters did or did not
prevail over their grim circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This
book contains some gritty as well as offensive language therefore; the
recommended audience should be mature readers of ages 18 and older.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Review copy provided by author. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Chrystalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00845216326898404398noreply@blogger.com0