The New Book Review

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Mad Librarian Gets Five Stars From Red-Headed Book Lover

MAD Librarian

Author: Michael Guillebeau

Genre: Women’s Crime Humor

ISBN: 978-0-9972-0552-7

Purchase: www.amazon.com/MAD-Librarian-Michael-Guillebeau-ebook/dp/B075LQD1LB/

Published by Madison Press

Available from Barnes & Noble and Amazon here

Reviewed by Aimee Ann Originally for Red Headed Book Lover Reviews

MAD Librarian follows the incredible Serenity Hammer. Serenity is a librarian, but she is so

much morethan this as she is a librarian with a cause, in other words, she is on a mission,

and nothing will get in her way! She lived in a quaint town in Maddington, it is her home,

and she adores it, especially her precious library! However, her library is under threat

thanks to the politicians who want to close it down for good. This is a sad truth which

is happening in the world today, but I will discuss this more later! Serenity, however,

is strong and powerful, just as powerful as the pushy politicians she has to deal with

and so, she conjures up a plan and decides to fight back,

and this is the premise of this intriguing, humorous novel.

I adored everything about this wacky novel, it may be a humorous book, but it is so much more

than this as it is full of twists and turns galore that will keep you entertained from beginning

to end. It is funny and incredibly enjoyable, but it also has some serious moments

for those readers who like a novel with some depth. I adored the underlining

theme of this story which was, the fact that libraries

are being closed all over. It is a sad reality, and I hate it so much, the ones that are

still open are being updated to suit the technological age, and that is so sad to me as

am a huge traditionalist.

My point is, I adored how the author of this wonderful novel explored this theme and

based a whole story around it so well done Michael Guillebeau!

MAD Librarian has a host of eccentric, unique characters, they were certainly ‘out there’

but they were brilliant, and they propelled the story of the book along perfectly. I particularly

loved Serenity; I thought she was a brilliant protagonist and unique. Now that I think about it

I can’t think of another protagonist to compare her too, so that shows how unique and special

she is!

As well as the characters being superb, so is the incredible dialogues. The long sentences were

wonderful and made me engrossed in the novel. It was like the author’s words were spiked with

adrenaline because I found that when I started reading, I could not stop! He is a wonderful,

talented author and so I would implore all of you lovely readers to read this book!

To conclude my thoughts on Mad Librarian, I would say if you are looking for a unique,

fun, entertaining novel that will keep you hooked from beginning to end then this excellent

book is for you! This incredible read gets Five Stars from me!

Breaking Bad for Librarians. Cayocosta72 Reviews said, “This book is truly every librarian’s dream come true." Half of all income goes to the Awesome Foundation for Innovation in Libraries. Available at https://www.amazon.com/MAD-Librarian-Michael-Guillebeau-ebook/dp/B075LQD1LB/

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion.

This blog 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, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Science Fiction Novel Featuring NASA Reviewed

Book Title: Beyond The Milky Way

Author: Aithal

Website: https://www.thegalaxyseries.com/

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Season Ball

ISBN: 978-1522858515

Purchase link: myBook.to/BTMW

Earth is dying; leeched of its natural resources and overwhelmed by pollution, it is becoming uninhabitable to human life at an alarming rate. With Congress planning to cut NASA's budget, NASA makes one last effort to demonstrate that space exploration is necessary to the survival of the human race by sending a shuttle to explore a planet that appears to be habitable.

Reviewed by Charity Rowell Originally for Kindle Book Review

When the shuttle encounters an anomaly in space, the crew finds itself on a different planet that is foreign, yet eerily familiar.

When I was contacted by the author to review Beyond The Milky Way, I was excited because I enjoyed his previous novel, India Was One, and I was curious to see how the author's flair for imagery and philosophy would work in a science fiction novel. I was not disappointed. The author's writing was thoughtful, well-written, and insightful; the imagery and details were exquisite. I was immediately drawn into the story, and had trouble putting the book down. I was also pleased to see that the author included artwork at the beginning of each chapter; the illustrations give readers a hint of what each chapter holds.

The end of Beyond The Milky Way is impressive. While not everything is resolved, the ending does not seem abrupt; it seems like a natural pause during which readers can ponder and absorb everything that they read.

Beyond The Milky Way is a unique and imaginative science fiction novel that explores human nature and makes readers ask, "What if?" I am really looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review also appeared on Goodreads.

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Judith Skillman Offers Skilled Review of Poetry Chapbook

Prisms Particles, and Refractions

by Carol Smallwood 

Publisher: Finishing Line Press, 2017,

$18.99 [paper]

ISNB 978-1635342338

85 pp.

Formerly published in Ragazine, http://ragzine.cc; Scarlet Leaf Review, https://www.scarletleafreview.com; Mom Egg Review, http://momeggreview.com

Reviewed by Judith Skillman

Carol Smallwood’s new collection, Prisms Particles, and Refractions, is at once playful and serious. Her work in this volume ranges from extremely concise poems such as “On Days of Slow Rain” where the speaker becomes “a child again / longing to read / darkened tree bark/like Braille” (53) to the four-page oeuvre written in journal form, “A Late Summer Diary.” The fact that these two poems are neighbors makes the transition between short and long more emphatic, and creates echoes and resonances.

As Smallwood deftly moves through a variety of content and subject matter, the reader gets a sense of an unpredictable world, despite the anchor of a wealth of scientific evidence to the contrary. Facts are posited, yet not accepted as givens. For instance, in “We See,” the persona examines exactly how we do see and absorb light, and questions knowledge imparted during college years. Here, the title becomes the first line: “We See / with rods and cones I learned / in college—it may not be true/today…” (13). As this poem deepens, mirrors, faces, and sacrifice come into play, as well as the automatic adjustment made by the retina from upside down to right side up. This piece is emblematic of Smallwood’s gift—focused examinations that lead to “aha” moments for both writer and reader.

The poems in this book have been published in many journals. Clearly the art of poetry is one Ms. Smallwood has lived and learned. Her forms range from cinquain to villanelle to sestina; she switches from formal to free verse with ease. The myriad references and allusions in these poems draw from philosophy, psychology, physics, metaphysics, history, and literature.

“A Prufrock Measurement” (74) employs playfulness and formal rhyme in order to merge two vastly different subjects—contemporary fast food proliferation with the persona of Eliot’s Prufrock. This willingness to draw from disparate sources creates a prismatic effect: varied and brilliant. In the introduction, Smallwood states her intention to present poems “aimed at capturing…aspects of light…and light as metaphor.” It is this reviewer’s sense that she has succeeded.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Judith Skillman’s recent book is Kafka’s Shadow, Deerbrook Editions. Her work has appeared in LitMag, Shenandoah, Zyzzyva, FIELD, and elsewhere. Awards include an Eric Mathieu King Fund grant from the Academy of American Poets. She is a faculty member at the Richard Hugo House in Seattle, Washington. Visit www.judithskillman.com

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

Friday, January 5, 2018

Tracey Quintin Gives YA Novel 5 Stars

Title: The Dead of Winter

Series: Seasons of Jefferson: Book 2

Author: Julie Solano (Author),‎ Tracy Justice (Author),‎ JT Authors (Author)

Website: http://jtauthors.com/index.html

Genre: Literature & Fiction, Teens, Teen & Young Adult, Social & Family Issues, Depression & Mental Illness, Mental Illness, Personal Health, Depression

ASIN #: B018BWIDJI

Where people can purchase the book

Reviewed by Tracey Quintin originally for Goodreads

Rated 5 Star

I've got to say I so love these authors! They know how to knock it out of the ballpark with their writing!

I HIGHLY recommend you read Book 1, When Fall Breaks, BEFORE reading this story so you can truly "feel" every single moment of this story.

I don't give away spoilers in my reviews so this will be SUPER hard because this story is FULL of so many things I want to mention! Thus, I'm leaving out anything pertaining to these characters I love.

I couldn't wait to read this story after I fell in complete love with When Fall Breaks and the authors writing style.

I read this story from 3 perspectives which is a first for me! I read it as if I were the characters in the story, I read it as a parent thinking of my own children and I read it as a reader, all 3 as the events of the storyline unfolded. When I finished reading that's when I fully realized I was reading this way, that's how much I was COMPLETELY absorbed into this story!

This story captivated me from page 1 all the way to the end. I had so many emotions going through my mind while reading, so many thoughts in my mind of what I THOUGHT was going to happen. The authors got me EVERY SINGLE TIME. Whatever I was thinking didn't happen and they completely surprised me every step of the way! Such an emotional roller coaster ride and SO worth all the tummy flips! I was SO on edge NEEDING to know what would happen next. These characters and events were so real to me, I could picture everything. Perfect blend of details and dialog.

This story deals with PTSD a very real serious mental health disorder that many dismiss or overlook in treating. The manner in which these authors tackle it is outstanding.

I will write this from the story because this means something so important to me:
"WORTH FIGHTING FOR...She was my last hope. My reason to move forward. I miss laughing. I miss feeling good. When was the last time I was happy? It feels like forever. "
Gaaaaaaa...that grabs my heart and squeezes tight! There are many more I've highlighted on my Kindle throughout the story.

A SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOP THAT THIS STORY IS A GRIPPING PAGE TURNER AND SO REALISTIC! AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ FOR ALL AGES.
(I can't write a review that does this story justice!)

Superb job by the authors on this brilliant read. I look forward to reading anything they ever write! They always delve into real life issues and illnesses in a manner making it possible for all to understand. Thank you for bringing attention in this story to PTSD.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORS

JT Authors connections:

Website: http://jtauthors.com/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seasonsofjefferson/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jt_authors

Goodreads:

Julie Solano: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12336169.Julie_Solano

Tracy Justice: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12336170.Tracy_Justice

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_3?ie=UTF8&text=JT+Authors&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=JT+Authors&sort=relevancerank

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Tracey Quintin connections:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LOVEBOOKSWITHROMANCE/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReadingIsOurPas

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/19886187-tracey-quintin

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Judith Skillman Review Poetry by Carol Smallwood

Prisms Particles, and Refractions
by Carol Smallwood
 Finishing Line Press
2017
$18.99 [paper] I
ISBN: 978-1635342338
85 pp.

Review by Judith Skillman Originally for Scarlett Leaf Review

Carol Smallwood’s new collection, Prisms Particles, and Refractions, is at once playful and serious. Her work in this volume ranges from extremely concise poems such as “On Days of Slow Rain” where the speaker becomes “a child again / longing to read / darkened tree bark/like Braille” (53) to the four-page oeuvre written in journal form, “A Late Summer Diary.” The fact that these two poems are neighbors makes the transition between short and long more emphatic, and creates echoes and resonances.

As Smallwood deftly moves through a variety of content and subject matter, the reader gets a sense of an unpredictable world, despite the anchor of a wealth of scientific evidence to the contrary. Facts are posited, yet not accepted as givens. For instance, in “We See,” the persona examines exactly how we do see and absorb light, and questions knowledge imparted during college years. Here, the title becomes the first line: “We See / with rods and cones I learned / in college—it may not be true/today…” (13). As this poem deepens, mirrors, faces, and sacrifice come into play, as well as the automatic adjustment made by the retina from upside down to right side up. This piece is emblematic of Smallwood’s gift—focused examinations that lead to “aha” moments for both writer and reader.

The poems in this book have been published in many journals. Clearly the art of poetry is one Ms. Smallwood has lived and learned. Her forms range from cinquain to villanelle to sestina; she switches from formal to free verse with ease. The myriad references and allusions in these poems draw from philosophy, psychology, physics, metaphysics, history, and literature.

“A Prufrock Measurement” (74) employs playfulness and formal rhyme in order to merge two vastly different subjects—contemporary fast food proliferation with the persona of Eliot’s Prufrock. This willingness to draw from disparate sources creates a prismatic effect: varied and brilliant. In the introduction, Smallwood states her intention to present poems “aimed at capturing…aspects of light…and light as metaphor.” It is this reviewer’s sense that she has succeeded.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Judith Skillman’s recent book is Kafka’s Shadow, Deerbrook Editions. Her work has appeared in LitMag, Shenandoah, Zyzzyva, FIELD, and elsewhere. Awards include an Eric Mathieu King Fund grant from the Academy of American Poets. She is a faculty member at the Richard Hugo House in Seattle, Washington. Visit www.judithskillman.com. She also review for Scarlet Leaf Review, https://www.scarletleafreview.com

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG

Monday, January 1, 2018

Dr. Wesley Britton and Star Trek Fan Reviews Moody Blues

Long Distance Voyagers: The Story of the Moody Blues 1965-1979

Author: Marc Cushman

Hardcover: 810 pages

Publisher: Jacob Brown Media Group; Unabridged edition (January 15, 2018)

ISBN-10: 0998866393

ISBN-13: 978-0998866390

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Distance-Voyagers-Story-1965-1979/dp/0998866393

Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton Originally for BookPleasures.com

I’ve begun most of my reviews of Marc Cushman’s exhaustive studies of his various subjects noting his propensity for TMI. Comparatively speaking, I wasn’t hit over the head with quite as much detail in his new history of the Moody Blues. I think that’s because his indispensable three volume exploration of Star Trek (These are the Voyages) and then his massive Irwin Allen’s Lost in Space series provided everything any fan would want about each and every nook and cranny of every televised episode of those shows. For a rock band, there’s no need to delve into so many supporting cast players, script writers, production details, media reviews etc. etc.

Still, 800 pages, including around 100 or so full of research notes and other back-matter, makes for a hefty tome. But for Moody Blues fans who’ve had a 50 year drought waiting for a full-length appreciation of this often neglected but significant group, there’s really nothing to complain about. Especially when potential readers learn the first edition is also a limited edition with a somewhat slimmer mass-market paperback version scheduled for later in 2018.

Appropriately, Cushman devotes about 100 pages to the “Mark One” incarnation of the band that included Denny Laine (vocals, guitar) and Clint Warwick (bass) along with mainstays Mike Pinder (keyboards, vocals), Graeme Edge (drums) and Ray Thomas (vocals, harmonica, woodwinds.) For most of us, this was a band largely remembered as a one-hit wonder for the single, “Go Now.” But did you know of the many close associations this band had with The Beatles including having Brian Epstein managing the Moodies during his final year? Readers will also learn, likely more than they wanted to know, about the rock scene in the early ‘60s in British towns like Birmingham, especially all those groups who were only local favorites.

Then, we have a detailed history of the “Mark Two” incarnation of the band without Laine or Warwick who had been replaced by Justin Hayward (guitar, vocals) and John Lodge (bass, vocals). Everything about the Moody Blues sound completely changed, notably Pinder’s use of the mellotron (an instrument Pinder introduced to the Beatles during their Sgt. Pepper period) giving the group an orchestral sound first heard on the concept album, Days of Future Passed, and the hits “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon.” We learn about a rich investor named Derek McCormick who saw the Moody Blues as a wise investment and pumped in a much needed shot of cash while becoming their troublesome manager. We also learn about the contributions of long-time producer, Tony Clarke and cover artist, Phil Travers.

For the bulk of the next three hundred pages or so, we get a very itemized analysis of the seven most important Moody Blues albums from Days of Future Passed (1967) to Seventh Sojourn (1972). Here, the TMI material is clearly the many notes on chart positions not only internationally but in local U.S. markets. Here, Cushman has a point to make, that national rankings in publications like Billboardor Cashbox didn’t always reflect how successful singles or albums were in more regional markets. Here, readers might see other matters that might be trimmed as with all the notes on tour dates and warm-up bands as well as repetitive contemporary reviews, even if they contribute to the cultural contexts the Moodies flourished in. In fact, perhaps 50% of the text in these sections is long strings of review reprints that might be better posted at a companion website rather in the book’s text.

Seventh Sojourn might have been a logical stopping point for a good volume one. No, Cushman carries on with the Moodies discussing their unhappy first American tour, the formation and dissolution of Threshold Records, their responses to the many charges of “pretentiousness,” their hiatus in the ‘70s, the career of Denny Laine in Wings, the Hayward/Lodge Blue Jays and other solo projects, the reunion of Octave (1978), the departure of Pinder and the introduction of his replacement, Patrick Moraz. Any wonder the book goes to 800 pages?

Despite the length, I think every serious Moody Blues fan will want this one. Pretty much every fan of ‘60s and ‘70s music will want this one as well, especially as nearly every page presents information not readily available elsewhere. More casual readers may prefer to wait for the edited version. You don’t need to. The book is easily skimmed. And it’s a serious pleasure to read the story of a band that was all about the music with minimal personal conflicts or musical turf wars. That was, and is, a rare thing.

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Saturday, January 13, 2018

Mad Librarian Gets Five Stars From Red-Headed Book Lover

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Science Fiction Novel Featuring NASA Reviewed

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Judith Skillman Offers Skilled Review of Poetry Chapbook

Friday, January 5, 2018

Tracey Quintin Gives YA Novel 5 Stars

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Judith Skillman Review Poetry by Carol Smallwood

Monday, January 1, 2018

Dr. Wesley Britton and Star Trek Fan Reviews Moody Blues

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