Title: Mindfulness and The Art of Choice: Transform Your Life
Author: Karen H. Sherman, Ph.D.
Website: www.ChoiceRelationships.com or www.drkarensherman.com
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-932690-51-4
Publisher: Loving Healing Press
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views
Dr. Sherman, in practice as a relationship expert for over 20 years, has written a book to help readers create a better life for themselves. Taking excerpts of her own life and experience, she explains how to live mindfully. The book consists of two parts, the first part “How the Art of Choice Works” and the second part is “The Art of Choice Exercises.” Both sections include a thorough explanation plus exercises.
Dr. Sherman stresses that experiences in the past encode our mental and physical memory. These are called core issues or “baggage.” She believes the feeling attained during a negative experience remains in our being, and often the same feeling comes up in other similar situations. This in turn creates an emotional response. The experiences could be traumatic, yet on the other hand, something perceived to be very menial could also create an emotional reaction. For example, a child is walking with her father and reaches up to hold his hand. At that same moment the swing of the father’s arm goes away from the child. The child, at that moment, could feel rejected by not realizing what caused the father’s arm to move away. This feeling would become embedded in the child’s memory as rejection. From then on, anytime something or someone is pulled away from her, the same feeling of rejection occurs. Often the feelings are replaced with distraction, such as alcohol, drugs, or adverse behaviors. In “How the Art of Choice Works” Dr. Sherman addresses how to embrace the feelings, yet react differently. She also addresses patterns caused by the situation and how to change them.
In a short two-paragraph section, Dr. Sherman explains awareness is the key response to making changes and gives a simple technique to generate it. Once we are aware of the reaction, she gives exercises to become conscious of the body, observe the behavior, note thoughts, address the thoughts/fears and ultimately break the old patterns, creating a new flow in life.
There are many books on the market that cover the same issues as Dr. Sherman, however, there isn’t one that is as concise and to the point as “Mindfulness and the Art of Choice” is. In less than 100 pages she helps the reader become aware of personal issues/reactions embedded in the memory. Within a few simple exercises we can change the feelings associated with the situation. At the same time we can move away from recreating those same feelings in another situation. It may sound like a difficult task, and it could be. However, Dr. Sherman simplifies everything for us through her explanations and exercises – to a point where “Mindfulness and the Art of Choice” becomes truly a self-help book. This book is highly recommended for anyone that is considering choosing to have “the good life.”
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Lulu Reviewers Loves "The Time Cavern"
The Time Cavern
By Todd A Fonseca
Paperback: 162 pages
Publisher: Borders Personal Publishing (June 21, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605520101
ISBN-13: 978-1605520100
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Price: $12.95
Kindle Price: $4.95
Official Website: www.thetimecavern.com
Book Trailer: http://www.thetimecavern.com/booktrailer.html
Amazon listing: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Cavern-Todd-Fonseca/dp/1605520101/
Reviewed by Shannon Yarbrough for The Lulu Review
I immediately think of the phrase, “judging a book by its cover,” as I write this. Face it. We all do it, which is all the more reason for a POD author to spend so much time on making their cover appealing and eye catching. I hope that Todd’s hard work pays off because readers will definitely not be disappointed with what’s behind this cover.
As the story unfolds, the reader is introduced to a ten year old boy named Aaron who is camping on his own for the first time. Of course, all ten year olds have a wild imagination and long for a sense of independence, so Aaron immediately begins to worry about the sounds he hears outside the tent. He also senses that he is being watched. Fonseca dedicates the book to his own son, also named Aaron. As I nestled into the story, I imagined the author creating this story as a bedtime tale for his son. If that is the case, the author has done an excellent job of transpiring his story to the page.
Aaron decides to investigate the noises outside the tent, but before doing so, he records his thoughts in a notebook. Here, we learn that Aaron is actually camping in the backyard of his new home, in which his family just moved into the day before. The beginning of the story is set up as a nice metaphor for the entire book. You may be frowning at the thought of yet another time travel story based on the title alone, but the young protagonist leaving a big concrete city and moving to the corn fields of Amish country makes for a nice set-up in my opinion which many young readers can relate to.
Fonseca has a talent for appealing to a young audience in the use of his subject matter….independence, moving to a new home, making friends, being afraid, exploration, and the use of the imagination, etc. Outside of the young boy’s adventures the author also uses a nice mix of dialog to keep his story moving, evenly exposing the reader to other characters including Aaron’s parents.
Aaron soon forms a friendship with a neighboring girl named Jake, who tells him his house is haunted. This sends Aaron into a frenzy to investigate the noises he’s been hearing, along with the mysterious eyes he sees in the old family barn. While exploring the barn, Aaron finds the page from a diary of a young boy who lived over 100 years ago. The writings on the page echo the mysterious feeling Aaron has been experiencing…”hearing your name being called by the wind.”
The next day, Aaron seeks out Jake to ask her about what she had said about his house and what she might know about the mysterious wind. He shows her the diary page he found and the two begin a journey they will not soon forget as they set out to solve the mystery of the Amish boy who wrote the diary entry, the howling wind that whispers your name, and an ancient cavern filled with even more secrets.
Todd Fonseca’s book is an adventure story that both kids and adults will love. It feeds the imagination, just as the tale itself builds upon the eagerness of its characters to solve the mystery. Fonseca’s main characters, Aaron and Jake, are believable and come alive on the page through their real-life dialog and eagerness to learn the truth. The author does a great job of keeping the momentum going with nicely paced conflict and interest, which will definitely keep the pages turning.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
By Todd A Fonseca
Paperback: 162 pages
Publisher: Borders Personal Publishing (June 21, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1605520101
ISBN-13: 978-1605520100
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Price: $12.95
Kindle Price: $4.95
Official Website: www.thetimecavern.com
Book Trailer: http://www.thetimecavern.com/booktrailer.html
Amazon listing: http://www.amazon.com/Time-Cavern-Todd-Fonseca/dp/1605520101/
Reviewed by Shannon Yarbrough for The Lulu Review
I immediately think of the phrase, “judging a book by its cover,” as I write this. Face it. We all do it, which is all the more reason for a POD author to spend so much time on making their cover appealing and eye catching. I hope that Todd’s hard work pays off because readers will definitely not be disappointed with what’s behind this cover.
As the story unfolds, the reader is introduced to a ten year old boy named Aaron who is camping on his own for the first time. Of course, all ten year olds have a wild imagination and long for a sense of independence, so Aaron immediately begins to worry about the sounds he hears outside the tent. He also senses that he is being watched. Fonseca dedicates the book to his own son, also named Aaron. As I nestled into the story, I imagined the author creating this story as a bedtime tale for his son. If that is the case, the author has done an excellent job of transpiring his story to the page.
Aaron decides to investigate the noises outside the tent, but before doing so, he records his thoughts in a notebook. Here, we learn that Aaron is actually camping in the backyard of his new home, in which his family just moved into the day before. The beginning of the story is set up as a nice metaphor for the entire book. You may be frowning at the thought of yet another time travel story based on the title alone, but the young protagonist leaving a big concrete city and moving to the corn fields of Amish country makes for a nice set-up in my opinion which many young readers can relate to.
Fonseca has a talent for appealing to a young audience in the use of his subject matter….independence, moving to a new home, making friends, being afraid, exploration, and the use of the imagination, etc. Outside of the young boy’s adventures the author also uses a nice mix of dialog to keep his story moving, evenly exposing the reader to other characters including Aaron’s parents.
Aaron soon forms a friendship with a neighboring girl named Jake, who tells him his house is haunted. This sends Aaron into a frenzy to investigate the noises he’s been hearing, along with the mysterious eyes he sees in the old family barn. While exploring the barn, Aaron finds the page from a diary of a young boy who lived over 100 years ago. The writings on the page echo the mysterious feeling Aaron has been experiencing…”hearing your name being called by the wind.”
The next day, Aaron seeks out Jake to ask her about what she had said about his house and what she might know about the mysterious wind. He shows her the diary page he found and the two begin a journey they will not soon forget as they set out to solve the mystery of the Amish boy who wrote the diary entry, the howling wind that whispers your name, and an ancient cavern filled with even more secrets.
Todd Fonseca’s book is an adventure story that both kids and adults will love. It feeds the imagination, just as the tale itself builds upon the eagerness of its characters to solve the mystery. Fonseca’s main characters, Aaron and Jake, are believable and come alive on the page through their real-life dialog and eagerness to learn the truth. The author does a great job of keeping the momentum going with nicely paced conflict and interest, which will definitely keep the pages turning.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wendy Cleveland Reviews a Linda Weaver Clarke Novel for Reader Views
Title: Edith and they Mysterious Stranger
Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Author's Website: www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9781589824690
Name of Reviewer: Wendy Cleveland
Where Review was published: Reader Views
Rating: 10 points
Reviewed by Wendy Cleveland for Reader Views
Edith and the Mysterious Stranger”(ISBN 9781589824690) centers around the Roberts family living in the Wild West of Bear Lake, Idaho. Melinda is about to have a baby with her husband, Gilbert, but has found out that she needs to be bedridden for the remainder of her pregnancy. They enlist the help of Melinda’s cousin Edith, who is a nurse, to stay with them until the baby is born. Edith has never been married. Though many men have courted her, she seems to always find fault with each one. Melinda and Gilbert challenge each other that they will introduce Edith to two men, Henry and Joseph, with the help of Edith’s mother, Martha. Of course, Edith does not give either one of them a chance even though they continue to fight for her heart throughout. During one of Edith’s visits to her mother, she hands her a letter and tells her “We truly don’t know men until we’re married because we never know the inner person. You know, the heart, his spiritual side. We’re so busy courting and trying to impress one another that we never get to know the soul of the person.”
Throughout the story, Edith receives numerous letters from this “Mysterious Stranger” each becoming more personal. Edith soon falls in love with this person even though she has never met him. Once Edith finds out who the “Mysterious Stranger” is, she is pleasantly surprised. Meanwhile, another love story is taking place between the new ranch-hand, David, and Gilbert’s 16-year-old daughter, Jenny. However, David came to the ranch with his own intentions that will be tested.
I was pleasantly surprised to find this story very uplifting. Ms. Clark did a fantastic job of portraying the importance of knowing your God Given Gifts. The history of the Wild West was also intriguing with the world of outlaws and cattle rustlers as well as the medicines and herbs they used.
The Power of the Written Word -- this is the life lesson I took away from Linda Weaver Clarke’s book “Edith and the Mysterious Stranger.” In today’s society, no one writes letters anymore. Everything is done by email or telephone. Most everyone today is also materialistic looking at the outer rather than inner person. The fact that Edith fell in love with someone just by getting to know them through their letters and not seeing them was inspirational to me. Humility -- if we all could just get a little of that, we would all be better people. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in a good inspirational read from beginning to end. You won’t be disappointed. I’m definitely a fan and will be looking for another installment in the Roberts family saga.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Author: Linda Weaver Clarke
Author's Website: www.lindaweaverclarke.com
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 9781589824690
Name of Reviewer: Wendy Cleveland
Where Review was published: Reader Views
Rating: 10 points
Reviewed by Wendy Cleveland for Reader Views
Edith and the Mysterious Stranger”(ISBN 9781589824690) centers around the Roberts family living in the Wild West of Bear Lake, Idaho. Melinda is about to have a baby with her husband, Gilbert, but has found out that she needs to be bedridden for the remainder of her pregnancy. They enlist the help of Melinda’s cousin Edith, who is a nurse, to stay with them until the baby is born. Edith has never been married. Though many men have courted her, she seems to always find fault with each one. Melinda and Gilbert challenge each other that they will introduce Edith to two men, Henry and Joseph, with the help of Edith’s mother, Martha. Of course, Edith does not give either one of them a chance even though they continue to fight for her heart throughout. During one of Edith’s visits to her mother, she hands her a letter and tells her “We truly don’t know men until we’re married because we never know the inner person. You know, the heart, his spiritual side. We’re so busy courting and trying to impress one another that we never get to know the soul of the person.”
Throughout the story, Edith receives numerous letters from this “Mysterious Stranger” each becoming more personal. Edith soon falls in love with this person even though she has never met him. Once Edith finds out who the “Mysterious Stranger” is, she is pleasantly surprised. Meanwhile, another love story is taking place between the new ranch-hand, David, and Gilbert’s 16-year-old daughter, Jenny. However, David came to the ranch with his own intentions that will be tested.
I was pleasantly surprised to find this story very uplifting. Ms. Clark did a fantastic job of portraying the importance of knowing your God Given Gifts. The history of the Wild West was also intriguing with the world of outlaws and cattle rustlers as well as the medicines and herbs they used.
The Power of the Written Word -- this is the life lesson I took away from Linda Weaver Clarke’s book “Edith and the Mysterious Stranger.” In today’s society, no one writes letters anymore. Everything is done by email or telephone. Most everyone today is also materialistic looking at the outer rather than inner person. The fact that Edith fell in love with someone just by getting to know them through their letters and not seeing them was inspirational to me. Humility -- if we all could just get a little of that, we would all be better people. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in a good inspirational read from beginning to end. You won’t be disappointed. I’m definitely a fan and will be looking for another installment in the Roberts family saga.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
"Minta Forever" Strong Statement on Abuse
Title: Minta Forever
Author: Jean Campion
ISBN-10: 1932738371
ISBN-13: 978-1932738377
Pages: 192
Price $15.95 Amazon
Publisher Western Reflections Publishing Company
951 N. Highway 149, Lake City, Colorado 81235
P.O. Box 1149, Lake City, Colorado 81235
E-mail: westref@montrose.net
1-970-944-0110, 1-800-993-4490 (orders) 1-970-944-0273 (fax)
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch, author of A Mouth Full of Shell and Snap Me a Future and featured in The Complete Writer's Journal --www.redenginepress.com
Some authors go for the sleaze when they write on the theme of domestic abuse, dwelling on physical and sexual aspects until the reader wonders if the book’s a novel or a nursing text. At the end of the story, the heroine puts all the trauma behind her and prepares to head for the altar with some handsome man who rescues her. Her abuser either languishes permanently in jail, or lies under a grave stone.
In real life, abusers destroy their victims mentally as well as physically, and the victims often have no easy way out of the situation. If they do get rid of the abuser, they can’t find peace. The abuser might leave a victim alone, but there’s always the fear that he might come back, because abusers do not go to jail forever. Sometimes they don’t go at all, and just find another woman to batter
Southern Colorado author, Jean Campion knows this, and she recreates the real life abuse scenario in her novel Minta Forever, published by Western Reflections Publishing Company.
Pushed by well-meaning parents, Ella Jane Morgan Skaggs’ finds herself married to the abusive but wealthy farmer, Edmond. He does all the psychological things abusers do, including separating her from family and friends, and berating her at every chance. He brings her to his home town to live, where she knows no one. Worse, when he appears in public with her, he treats her well, so anyone she would ask for help would not believe she needs it.
When Ella decides to escape, she faces the dilemma of all abused women: where to go? Finally aided by a cousin, she gets a teaching job in a one-room school in a small Colorado town. Now the cousin and her husband are in danger of Edmond, as are the people in the town where Ella has taken refuge, under the new name of Minta Mayfield.
From page one of Minta Forever, Campion sets up a cat-and-mouse game between the husband and wife, highlighting the psychological abuse, and suggesting the physical and sexual aspects just enough for the reader to grasp.
Once escaped, Ella/Minta, spends a lot of time wondering in her journal if Edmond will find her, and what that will mean to her new community/ Any real life abused woman faces the same questions.
Around the abuse theme, Campion presents a good picture of how one-room schools operated in Colorado in the early 1920s. She grew up in a family of educators and heard tales of one-room schools and the people who taught in them. The novel began as a research project on one-room schools in La Plata County, Colorado, and the author found plenty of descriptive material to make Ella/Minta’s daily activities and surroundings believable. At no time, however, does she wallow in education history for its own sake. Every single historical mention relates to plot, action, character, or theme of the story.
Of course as Ella/Minta worries about Edmond’s return, the reader does, too, and Campion cleverly creates several heart-stopping moments when Edmond might be lurking in the shadows; and an explosive scene when he finally is.
People in town react as one might expect. Some support Ella/Minta. Some want her fired as a bad example to the students. Campion explores the ideas of forgiveness as supporters outvote the non-supporters.
A final twist in the plot puts Ella/Minta in the dilemma of real life abuse victims. Is she safe from Edmond, or is she not? What decisions should she make about what she does next, based on not knowing for sure if she’s safe?
Forever Minta raises provocative questions, and without being overly graphic, reminds everybody how hideous domestic abuse and violence is. The story also points out that there are no easy choices for an abused woman. She has make the best one with the information she has and hope it’s right.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Author: Jean Campion
ISBN-10: 1932738371
ISBN-13: 978-1932738377
Pages: 192
Price $15.95 Amazon
Publisher Western Reflections Publishing Company
951 N. Highway 149, Lake City, Colorado 81235
P.O. Box 1149, Lake City, Colorado 81235
E-mail: westref@montrose.net
1-970-944-0110, 1-800-993-4490 (orders) 1-970-944-0273 (fax)
Reviewed by Connie Gotsch, author of A Mouth Full of Shell and Snap Me a Future and featured in The Complete Writer's Journal --www.redenginepress.com
Some authors go for the sleaze when they write on the theme of domestic abuse, dwelling on physical and sexual aspects until the reader wonders if the book’s a novel or a nursing text. At the end of the story, the heroine puts all the trauma behind her and prepares to head for the altar with some handsome man who rescues her. Her abuser either languishes permanently in jail, or lies under a grave stone.
In real life, abusers destroy their victims mentally as well as physically, and the victims often have no easy way out of the situation. If they do get rid of the abuser, they can’t find peace. The abuser might leave a victim alone, but there’s always the fear that he might come back, because abusers do not go to jail forever. Sometimes they don’t go at all, and just find another woman to batter
Southern Colorado author, Jean Campion knows this, and she recreates the real life abuse scenario in her novel Minta Forever, published by Western Reflections Publishing Company.
Pushed by well-meaning parents, Ella Jane Morgan Skaggs’ finds herself married to the abusive but wealthy farmer, Edmond. He does all the psychological things abusers do, including separating her from family and friends, and berating her at every chance. He brings her to his home town to live, where she knows no one. Worse, when he appears in public with her, he treats her well, so anyone she would ask for help would not believe she needs it.
When Ella decides to escape, she faces the dilemma of all abused women: where to go? Finally aided by a cousin, she gets a teaching job in a one-room school in a small Colorado town. Now the cousin and her husband are in danger of Edmond, as are the people in the town where Ella has taken refuge, under the new name of Minta Mayfield.
From page one of Minta Forever, Campion sets up a cat-and-mouse game between the husband and wife, highlighting the psychological abuse, and suggesting the physical and sexual aspects just enough for the reader to grasp.
Once escaped, Ella/Minta, spends a lot of time wondering in her journal if Edmond will find her, and what that will mean to her new community/ Any real life abused woman faces the same questions.
Around the abuse theme, Campion presents a good picture of how one-room schools operated in Colorado in the early 1920s. She grew up in a family of educators and heard tales of one-room schools and the people who taught in them. The novel began as a research project on one-room schools in La Plata County, Colorado, and the author found plenty of descriptive material to make Ella/Minta’s daily activities and surroundings believable. At no time, however, does she wallow in education history for its own sake. Every single historical mention relates to plot, action, character, or theme of the story.
Of course as Ella/Minta worries about Edmond’s return, the reader does, too, and Campion cleverly creates several heart-stopping moments when Edmond might be lurking in the shadows; and an explosive scene when he finally is.
People in town react as one might expect. Some support Ella/Minta. Some want her fired as a bad example to the students. Campion explores the ideas of forgiveness as supporters outvote the non-supporters.
A final twist in the plot puts Ella/Minta in the dilemma of real life abuse victims. Is she safe from Edmond, or is she not? What decisions should she make about what she does next, based on not knowing for sure if she’s safe?
Forever Minta raises provocative questions, and without being overly graphic, reminds everybody how hideous domestic abuse and violence is. The story also points out that there are no easy choices for an abused woman. She has make the best one with the information she has and hope it’s right.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Title: Adams Point -
Series: Book Three in the Legacy Series
Author: Elena Dorothy Bowman
Genre: Paranormal/Futuristic
ISBN: 1-59431-452-7
Format: ebook/print
Publisher and reviewer's rating: 4.5 Blue Ribbons
Reviewed by Chrissy Dionne for Romance Junkies Reviews
SNIPPET
Guests are disappearing, unwelcome ghosts are making their presence known and the resident ghosts are nowhere to be found. Welcome to ADAM’S POINT, the final book in Elena Dorothy Bowman’s LEGACY series. It is sure to hold you spellbound as you experience the wonder of an ancient prophecy and it’s effect on everyone who visits the area.
When we last visited Adam's Point in the previous book, Gatekeeper's Realm, readers were left with many questions regarding the spirits that inhabit the made over inn which had once been known as Pierce House. Guests have disappeared and there's a sinister wraith hoovering over the building. Some of the guests have opted to return to Caleb's Cove where they believe they'll be safe from the danger lurking at Adams Point, but are they really?
Ethan, Abigail and the guests who chose to remain at Adams Point have no clue what to expect from the wraith or what to do to appease it. With two couples already missing, Tony's mysteriously disappeared, and unbeknownst to anyone at Adams Point, Jill, one of the guests whom Ethan had dropped off in town has also disappeared. The apparition obviously intends to do whatever it has to in order to ensure his demands are met and until then Ethan, Abigail, Tony and the guests are all at its mercy.
Abigail harbors hope that Jacob, one of the original ghosts - and a friend, will escape the wraith's clutches long enough to clue them in on what needs to be done to release them all from the nightmare in which they've found themselves. In the meantime, the men devise plans to find and rescue the missing people while protecting the women. One of their plans is for the women to leave Adam's Point and stay at Caleb's Cove where they'll be safe. Only it soon becomes painfully obvious that the wraith's plans don't include allowing any of them any measure of safety. The only way to satisfy it is to return to the Inn and attempt to appease it somehow. Where have the missing people disappeared to and why? Will Jacob be able to break the wraith's hold and return to Abigail to let her know what's going on and what needs to be done to correct the situation?
After reading Gatekeeper's Realm I was fascinated with the characters and the vivid imagery that enthralled me throughout the storyline. I'm thrilled to say that Elena Dorothy Bowman's continuation of the story in Adam's Point contains all the same traits that have made the LEGACY series a thrilling read. I loved the men's alpha attitude and determination to protect the women and had to laugh at the women's not-without-us attitude. While the sinister apparition kept me guessing at what stunt it would pull next I was really hopeful to meet Jacob and learn just how he could help satisfy the wraith. I do have to confess while I was quite sure there would be a happy ending for the couples, I wasn't anticipating the emotions which I experienced at the end of the story - sorry I can't say more because it'd give too much away.
I would recommend reading all three of the books in the Legacy series - House on the Bluff, Gatekeeper's Realm and Adam's Point in order to fully experience the wonders carefully hidden and guarded in this fascinating house/inn.
© Copyright 2003 by RomanceJunkies.com
Reach the reviewer at RJchrissydionne@yahoo.com.
************************************
Journey to the Rim of Space and Beyond
http://elenadb.home.comcast.net
http://www.sarahslanding.com
http://www.myspace.com/elenabowmanauthor
http://elenadorothybowmansbooks.blogspot.com/
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Series: Book Three in the Legacy Series
Author: Elena Dorothy Bowman
Genre: Paranormal/Futuristic
ISBN: 1-59431-452-7
Format: ebook/print
Publisher and reviewer's rating: 4.5 Blue Ribbons
Reviewed by Chrissy Dionne for Romance Junkies Reviews
SNIPPET
Guests are disappearing, unwelcome ghosts are making their presence known and the resident ghosts are nowhere to be found. Welcome to ADAM’S POINT, the final book in Elena Dorothy Bowman’s LEGACY series. It is sure to hold you spellbound as you experience the wonder of an ancient prophecy and it’s effect on everyone who visits the area.
When we last visited Adam's Point in the previous book, Gatekeeper's Realm, readers were left with many questions regarding the spirits that inhabit the made over inn which had once been known as Pierce House. Guests have disappeared and there's a sinister wraith hoovering over the building. Some of the guests have opted to return to Caleb's Cove where they believe they'll be safe from the danger lurking at Adams Point, but are they really?
Ethan, Abigail and the guests who chose to remain at Adams Point have no clue what to expect from the wraith or what to do to appease it. With two couples already missing, Tony's mysteriously disappeared, and unbeknownst to anyone at Adams Point, Jill, one of the guests whom Ethan had dropped off in town has also disappeared. The apparition obviously intends to do whatever it has to in order to ensure his demands are met and until then Ethan, Abigail, Tony and the guests are all at its mercy.
Abigail harbors hope that Jacob, one of the original ghosts - and a friend, will escape the wraith's clutches long enough to clue them in on what needs to be done to release them all from the nightmare in which they've found themselves. In the meantime, the men devise plans to find and rescue the missing people while protecting the women. One of their plans is for the women to leave Adam's Point and stay at Caleb's Cove where they'll be safe. Only it soon becomes painfully obvious that the wraith's plans don't include allowing any of them any measure of safety. The only way to satisfy it is to return to the Inn and attempt to appease it somehow. Where have the missing people disappeared to and why? Will Jacob be able to break the wraith's hold and return to Abigail to let her know what's going on and what needs to be done to correct the situation?
After reading Gatekeeper's Realm I was fascinated with the characters and the vivid imagery that enthralled me throughout the storyline. I'm thrilled to say that Elena Dorothy Bowman's continuation of the story in Adam's Point contains all the same traits that have made the LEGACY series a thrilling read. I loved the men's alpha attitude and determination to protect the women and had to laugh at the women's not-without-us attitude. While the sinister apparition kept me guessing at what stunt it would pull next I was really hopeful to meet Jacob and learn just how he could help satisfy the wraith. I do have to confess while I was quite sure there would be a happy ending for the couples, I wasn't anticipating the emotions which I experienced at the end of the story - sorry I can't say more because it'd give too much away.
I would recommend reading all three of the books in the Legacy series - House on the Bluff, Gatekeeper's Realm and Adam's Point in order to fully experience the wonders carefully hidden and guarded in this fascinating house/inn.
© Copyright 2003 by RomanceJunkies.com
Reach the reviewer at RJchrissydionne@yahoo.com.
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Journey to the Rim of Space and Beyond
http://elenadb.home.comcast.net
http://www.sarahslanding.com
http://www.myspace.com/elenabowmanauthor
http://elenadorothybowmansbooks.blogspot.com/
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Rebecca Jones Lauds Doreen Orion's Travel Tale
Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus With a Will of Its Own
By Doreen Orion
Humorous Travel Memoir
ISBN 0767928539.
Broadway Books, $13.95
Reviewed by Rebecca Jones for the Rocky Mountain News "Grade A."
Published June 5, 2008.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/05/queen-of-the-road-the-true-tale-of-47-states-200/
Book in a nutshell: When Boulder psychiatrist Orion's husband, Tim, proposes they take a year off to travel around the country in a converted bus, Orion - a "princess from the island of Long" with a deep-seated aversion to anything strenuous and a profound appreciation for shoes and exotic drinks - is appalled. Reluctantly, she agrees.
Their year on the road proves a wonder, taking them from fall in New England to Christmas in Key West to Mardi Gras in New Orleans to summer in the wilds of Alaska. Orion never quite conquers her fear of bus crashes - or bus fires or various other bus misadventures - but along the way she learns that living with only what you can cram into 345 square feet of living space has its advantages.
Best tidbit: "We went to Memphis specifically to see Graceland, something we'd both always wanted to do. We're not the only ones; it's the second most visited residence in the U.S. (The White House is Number One.) The fourteen-acre, 17,000-square-foot estate turned out to be a colossal disappointment. I thought it would be far more grand. Maybe it's just that, as a museum left exactly as it had been when the King died, it can't help being a fashion victim of the '70s. But really. One of the richest men in the country, a cultural icon no less, and he had Formica countertops?"
Pros: Orion has every good travel writer's ability to make readers feel they are there, to capture the telling details of places, and to present the account in a witty, accessible way. Reading the book makes you want to hit the road and have some of your own grand adventures.
Cons: Alas, for most readers, taking a year off to travel - let alone a year well before they're of retirement age - simply isn't feasible. But we can dream . . .
Final word: This is a fun read that will make just about anyone start itching for a road trip.
Doreen Orion
We didn't just dream of the road...
www.QueenOfTheRoadTheBook.com
www.QueenOfTheRoadTheBook.com/blog
QUEEN OF THE ROAD: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus With a Will of Its Own is available now from Broadway Books, an imprint of Random House.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
By Doreen Orion
Humorous Travel Memoir
ISBN 0767928539.
Broadway Books, $13.95
Reviewed by Rebecca Jones for the Rocky Mountain News "Grade A."
Published June 5, 2008.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/05/queen-of-the-road-the-true-tale-of-47-states-200/
Book in a nutshell: When Boulder psychiatrist Orion's husband, Tim, proposes they take a year off to travel around the country in a converted bus, Orion - a "princess from the island of Long" with a deep-seated aversion to anything strenuous and a profound appreciation for shoes and exotic drinks - is appalled. Reluctantly, she agrees.
Their year on the road proves a wonder, taking them from fall in New England to Christmas in Key West to Mardi Gras in New Orleans to summer in the wilds of Alaska. Orion never quite conquers her fear of bus crashes - or bus fires or various other bus misadventures - but along the way she learns that living with only what you can cram into 345 square feet of living space has its advantages.
Best tidbit: "We went to Memphis specifically to see Graceland, something we'd both always wanted to do. We're not the only ones; it's the second most visited residence in the U.S. (The White House is Number One.) The fourteen-acre, 17,000-square-foot estate turned out to be a colossal disappointment. I thought it would be far more grand. Maybe it's just that, as a museum left exactly as it had been when the King died, it can't help being a fashion victim of the '70s. But really. One of the richest men in the country, a cultural icon no less, and he had Formica countertops?"
Pros: Orion has every good travel writer's ability to make readers feel they are there, to capture the telling details of places, and to present the account in a witty, accessible way. Reading the book makes you want to hit the road and have some of your own grand adventures.
Cons: Alas, for most readers, taking a year off to travel - let alone a year well before they're of retirement age - simply isn't feasible. But we can dream . . .
Final word: This is a fun read that will make just about anyone start itching for a road trip.
Doreen Orion
We didn't just dream of the road...
www.QueenOfTheRoadTheBook.com
www.QueenOfTheRoadTheBook.com/blog
QUEEN OF THE ROAD: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband, and a Bus With a Will of Its Own is available now from Broadway Books, an imprint of Random House.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
John Rosenman Brings Romance to New Sci-Fi Novel
Title: Alien Dreams
Author: John B. Rosenman
Genre: Science fiction
E-Book ISBN 13: 978-0-9798081-4-2
E-Book ISBN 10: 0-9798081-4-6
To be released later as a trade paperback.
Publisher: Drollerie Press
Reviewed by Ron Berry at for Berrie Reviews
It is hot, and a sense of menace pervades the rugged landscape of the planet Lagos. At first there is no sign of the original exploration crew. Once the four-member rescue force discovers their dead bodies, their demise is difficult to understand. Equally disturbing to Captain Eric Latimore, the leader of the rescue mission, is the fact that they find four unusual cubes, one for each member of their team. It is almost as if their visit was expected. Alien Dreams by John B. Rosenman pulls you into his web succinctly and holds you in suspense. What does all this mean?
It is an alien, barren landscape, and four very different crewmembers from the rescue ship attempt to explore it. Yet once the cubes are discovered, each member is haunted by the same sinister dreams featuring beautiful aliens. The question now is what really killed the original crew. Did these odd cubes have anything to do with it?
As the rescue crew searches the land, they find a most unusual spacecraft. It looks like other ships, yet there are no entrances or exits. Its presence just deepens the mystery. As things turn out, the spacecraft is the simplest part of the mystery. Life quickly becomes complex for the crew when they encounter terrifying aliens that endanger their lives.
Soon Latimore finds himself facing a transcendently difficult choice. To save the lives of his crew, he must give up the woman he loves and become an alien himself, then lead his new “people” across the universe on a cosmic adventure. Will his sacrifices be worth it? What is his ultimate destiny? Until you read Alien Dreams, you won’t know. John B. Rosenman weaves an intricate plot and a most exciting tale with mind-stretching concepts that make us look at the universe in a new way. This book is classified as science fiction, but there is a lot more romance and intrigue than in your ordinary SF materials.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
Author: John B. Rosenman
Genre: Science fiction
E-Book ISBN 13: 978-0-9798081-4-2
E-Book ISBN 10: 0-9798081-4-6
To be released later as a trade paperback.
Publisher: Drollerie Press
Reviewed by Ron Berry at for Berrie Reviews
It is hot, and a sense of menace pervades the rugged landscape of the planet Lagos. At first there is no sign of the original exploration crew. Once the four-member rescue force discovers their dead bodies, their demise is difficult to understand. Equally disturbing to Captain Eric Latimore, the leader of the rescue mission, is the fact that they find four unusual cubes, one for each member of their team. It is almost as if their visit was expected. Alien Dreams by John B. Rosenman pulls you into his web succinctly and holds you in suspense. What does all this mean?
It is an alien, barren landscape, and four very different crewmembers from the rescue ship attempt to explore it. Yet once the cubes are discovered, each member is haunted by the same sinister dreams featuring beautiful aliens. The question now is what really killed the original crew. Did these odd cubes have anything to do with it?
As the rescue crew searches the land, they find a most unusual spacecraft. It looks like other ships, yet there are no entrances or exits. Its presence just deepens the mystery. As things turn out, the spacecraft is the simplest part of the mystery. Life quickly becomes complex for the crew when they encounter terrifying aliens that endanger their lives.
Soon Latimore finds himself facing a transcendently difficult choice. To save the lives of his crew, he must give up the woman he loves and become an alien himself, then lead his new “people” across the universe on a cosmic adventure. Will his sacrifices be worth it? What is his ultimate destiny? Until you read Alien Dreams, you won’t know. John B. Rosenman weaves an intricate plot and a most exciting tale with mind-stretching concepts that make us look at the universe in a new way. This book is classified as science fiction, but there is a lot more romance and intrigue than in your ordinary SF materials.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, founder of Authors' Coalition (www.authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com). It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews and reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've loved. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page.
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